The Prodigal Disciple of Mount Hua: Seizing All Opportunities

After the Fang family steward left, the atmosphere in the tavern became somewhat heavy.

Guo Jing gestured to the shopkeeper to bring him a fresh pot of hot tea, his thick eyebrows furrowing tightly.

Guo Jing looked at Yang Guo standing to the side.

"Guo'er," Guo Jing's voice was deep, "tell me honestly now, what exactly did you see at the Fang family's shipyard? Why are they so determined to hunt you down?"

Yang Guo paused upon hearing this. He glanced at Guo Jing's imposing face, then subconsciously looked at Chen Qianyang, who stood calmly beside him.

Chen Qianyang seemed not to notice, and slowly refilled the empty bowl in front of Yang Guo with tea.

"Brother Chen..." Yang Guo called out softly.

Chen Qianyang didn't even look up and said calmly, "Brother Yang, Master Guo is asking you a question. Since you call him Uncle, you shouldn't hide anything. When we act, we should seek the truth. Tell me what you saw."

Yang Guo was inherently rebellious and couldn't stand Guo Jing's strict discipline.

But he had complete faith in Chen Qianyang, the elder brother who had just saved him.

He gritted his teeth and said, "I said it's not okay."

"I hid in that dock to escape..." Yang Guo glanced at Guo Jing beside him. "I saw them unloading boxes from a big black ship; they were guarding it very tightly!"

Yang Guo gestured, "Guess what's inside? Grain, ironware, salt. There are even various swords and gunpowder."

"What?!" Guo Jing slammed his hand on the table.

"Swords and gunpowder? What is the Fang family up to?"

"The Fang family... what a family of scholars and poets!" Guo Jing trembled with rage. "I had heard that merchants on the waters off Mingzhou had been disturbed recently, with many pirates plundering the area. I thought they were just ordinary sea bandits. Now it seems that the Fang family... are actually the biggest pirate leaders! How dare they do such heinous and treacherous things that harm the country and its people!"

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Chen Qianyang's eyes: "Master Guo, Mingzhou is the throat of our Great Xia's maritime trade. If the Fang family is truly selling this, the profits would be unimaginable. And who are these goods being sold to?"

"There's no military conflict in the southeast, but in recent years there have been frequent raids by Japanese pirates." Guo Jing said, "You mean...?"

"I saw Murong Fu of Gusu at the Fang residence today. Rumor has it he has a large transaction with the Fang family. This man has been working tirelessly to restore the Yan Kingdom; those weapons and gunpowder are probably..."

"His heart is despicable!" Guo Jing said, each word distinct and filled with murderous intent.

"Master Guo, who is this Fang Wei you just mentioned?"

"Brother Chen, we hit it off immediately, so let's not be so formal," Guo Jing said. "I'm a few years older than you, just call me elder brother."

"Brother Guo!"

"Brother Chen, my master is one of the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, and he lives in Jiangnan. He knows the Fang family quite well. Fang Wei is the distant nephew of the current head of the Fang family. He originally had no chance to enter the main branch, but for some reason, more than ten years ago, he suddenly became the most powerful person in the Fang family, and he made all the decisions on his own."

From that time onward, the Fang family began to focus on various forms of commerce, and within just over a decade, they became the leading merchant family in the southeast.

"Brother Guo, if I may be so bold, Fang Wei probably has someone backing him."

Guo Jing looked surprised: "Brother Chen, how did you know that Rong'er said the same thing that day?"

"This is actually not difficult to analyze. How could a distant relative, without external help, attain such a high position? And the subsequent changes are probably the fulfillment of previous promises."

"Brother Chen's analysis is insightful. Someone as foolish as me wouldn't have thought that far ahead," Guo Jing said with a smile. "If there's a chance, I'll introduce you to Rong'er. Smart people have more in common to talk about."

"Lady Huang is a female Zhuge Liang, a novice far inferior to me."

"In your opinion, what is the purpose of Fang Wei's banquet?"

"It's hard to say, but it's nothing more than a test and an attempt to win us over. We can also take this opportunity to find out more."

Guo Jing nodded: "That's exactly right."

Yang Guo, who was standing nearby, shouted, "I want to go too!"

"Nonsense! This isn't a trip for fun, Guo'er."

"Brother Guo, take Brother Yang with you. Aren't you afraid he'll just run away again if you leave him here? Besides, Brother Yang isn't young anymore, and he's clever. He should be able to protect himself."

"That's right, that's right, Brother Chen is right, I promise I'll listen to you." Yang Guo nodded hurriedly.

........

At dusk, at Wanghai Tower.

This towering building is the most prestigious restaurant in Mingzhou City. From the top floor, one can overlook the thousands of sails in Mingzhou Harbor.

Fang Wei hosted a lavish banquet here. The table was laden with seafood and mountain delicacies, and even the wine vessels were made of the finest jade.

"Master Guo, Young Master Chen, please take your seats!" Fang Wei warmly led the two to the main seats.

Guo Jing sat down calmly, and Chen Qianyang also sat down to his left with an air of composure.

Yang Guo was seeing such a scene for the first time, and his eyes were wide open. If Guo Jing hadn't been there, he probably would have pounced on the roast suckling pig long ago.

Fang Wei was in his early forties, dressed like a businessman, with a shrewd look in his eyes.

Chen Qianyang observed carefully and realized that this person did not seem to know martial arts.

"As for what happened this morning, it was a huge misunderstanding!" Fang Wei said with a wry smile. "Recently, pirates have been rampant, and our Fang family fleet has suffered greatly from them. Therefore, the dock security is very strict, and it's inevitable that we're a bit paranoid. Please don't take offense, Master Guo."

Guo Jing smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

After several rounds of drinks, Fang Wei finally revealed his true colors.

He toasted Guo Jing and sighed, "Great Hero Guo, your martial arts are superb, everyone in Jiangnan knows that, and my Fang family naturally respects you."

He then changed the subject: "However, Mingzhou is a place where my Fang family has operated for a century, and there are some unsavory reasons why we have to be discreet. Business at sea has its own rules. I hope that Master Guo will be lenient and not let the words of a junior damage the harmony between our two families. In the future, the Fang family will surely repay you handsomely."

These words were both soft and firm.

It's blatant coercion and enticement.

Guo Jing's face darkened, and he was about to lash out.

A hearty laugh came from the stairs: "Master Fang is surrounded by distinguished guests. I, Murong Fu, am a step late. Please forgive me."

A handsome young man in fine clothes strode in, exuding an extraordinary air, followed by four men dressed similarly.

These were clearly his four retainers.

"Young Master Murong, you're too kind! Please take a seat!" Fang Wei was overjoyed and personally got up to greet him.

However, Chen Qianyang's pupils suddenly contracted the moment Murong Fu appeared.

Because there was another person following Murong Fu.

It was an old man dressed in a black robe, with a cold and sinister aura.

His face was gaunt, and his eyes were like those of a venomous snake. As soon as he entered, he glanced at Chen Qianyang almost imperceptibly.

This is also a master, and no less skilled than Murong Fu.

The old man gave him an even more terrifying feeling.

Chen Qianyang's heart stirred slightly, realizing that Fang Wei was using courtesy first and then force.

Murong Fu and the old man were clearly a backup plan.

Guo Jing also sensed the extraordinary abilities of the newcomer and became secretly on guard.

The atmosphere in the room instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Only Yang Guo, standing to the side, was completely unaware, focusing only on shoveling rice into his mouth.