A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

Chapter 168 Public Opinion

Wei Zhenghong saw this and his smile deepened, his eyes crinkling with deep lines, but he said nothing.

After several more rounds of drinking, most of the dishes on the table had been eaten, and the wine had been refilled three times.

Wei Zhenghong put down his wine glass, the bottom of which made a soft "thud" as it hit the table. He cleared his throat, his smile fading slightly, replaced by a serious expression.

"Lord Su," he began, his voice more composed than before, "I have a question I would like to ask you."

Su Bai looked up at him, her gaze calm: "Please speak, Patriarch Wei."

Wei Zhenghong considered his words carefully, then tapped his right index finger lightly on the table, as if organizing his thoughts.

The candlelight reflected on his face, revealing a fleeting glint of light in his eyes.

"Your Excellency has only been in Qingyuan County for a short time, yet you have already wiped out both the Golden Knife Alliance and the Blood Knife Gang. These two families have been operating in Qingyuan for many years, deeply entrenched and powerful, making them difficult for others to touch," he paused, his gaze fixed intently on Su Bai, "but Your Excellency acted swiftly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation. I admire that kind of courage."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: "I just want to ask, sir, what are your plans next?"

'

That's a very direct question.

No beating around the bush, no evasive tactics, just a straight line: who exactly are you going to destroy?

The table fell silent.

Wu Shixun stopped stroking his beard, Xie Yulang's smile froze, Wan Youcai's squinted eyes opened slightly, and Zhou Fulai's hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air.

Several gazes fell on Su Bai, like several invisible knives.

Su Bai picked up his wine glass and took a sip. The wine was cool and slightly sweet as it went down his throat. He slowly put the glass down, and the bottom of the glass landed on the table with a very soft "tap".

"That's an interesting question, Patriarch Wei." He looked at Wei Zhenghong, his gaze calm and unwavering. "I am the Deputy Inspector of the Garrison Command, my duty is to apprehend bandits and maintain order. The Golden Knife Alliance and the Blood Knife Gang committed crimes, so I investigated them. As for what comes next—"

He paused, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. The smile was so subtle, like a light stroke on rice paper, yet undeniably real.

"Whoever commits a crime next, Su will investigate and prosecute them."

This was said so casually, as if to say that the weather was nice today, but it might rain tomorrow.

But the expressions on the faces of the people at the table all changed at once.

Wu Shixun's hand, which was stroking his beard, suddenly stopped, and several hairs were pulled out, but he was completely unaware of it.

Xie Yulang's smile froze, the corners of his mouth remained upturned, but the smile in his eyes disappeared.

Wan Youcai's squinting eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of piercingly bright eyes; all traces of his previous confusion were gone.

Zhou Fulai's teacup landed on the table with a "clatter," splashing a few drops of tea that soaked the tablecloth.

Wei Zhenghong chuckled dryly, his laughter sounding somewhat hoarse: "Sir, you jest. We are all legitimate businessmen, law-abiding citizens, how could we have committed a crime?"

As he spoke, he picked up his glass, intending to take a sip to calm his nerves, only to find it empty.

He paused for a moment, then picked up the pot and poured the wine himself. His movements were a little hasty, and a few drops of wine spilled onto the table.

Su Bai nodded, his expression unchanged: "That's good."

He picked up his wine glass and raised it to the group. The candlelight reflected on the emerald green wine, giving it a warm, lustrous sheen.

"Since we are all legitimate business people, we will be doing business together for a long time to come. I, Su, would like to propose a toast to you all."

The group quickly raised their glasses.

The wine glasses clinked together, making a few crisp, tinkling sounds.

Xie Yulang downed his drink in one gulp, and as he put down his cup, he suddenly smiled and said, "Lord Su, I have a favor to ask."

His cheeks were slightly flushed as he spoke, as if he were feeling the effects of alcohol, but his eyes were remarkably clear, showing no sign of drunkenness.

Su Bai looked at him: "Please speak, Third Young Master Xie."

Xie Yulang took out a brocade box from his sleeve. The box was small, about the size of a palm, made of sandalwood, with exquisite carvings. A piece of mutton-fat jade was inlaid on the lid, the jade was warm and smooth, and it was carved into a blooming lotus flower.

He held the brocade box with both hands, his movements solemn, as if he were holding some extraordinary treasure.

"This is a small token of the Xie family's appreciation," he said, handing the brocade box to Su Bai with his hands slightly outstretched in a respectful manner. "We hope you will accept it, sir."

Su Bai glanced at the brocade box but did not take it.

Xie Yulang smiled, his smile carrying a youthful enthusiasm: "My lord, please don't misunderstand. It's nothing valuable, just a small token of our hospitality—" As he spoke, he held the brocade box in his left hand and gently lifted the lid with his right. "My lord has been in Qingyuan County for so long, and we haven't had a chance to express our gratitude. We feel really bad about it. This little thing is just to welcome you, and also—to make friends."

The lid was lifted.

In the candlelight, a pair of jade pendants lay quietly on a dark red velvet cloth.

The jade pendant is warm and smooth all over, with a delicate texture and exquisite carving. It is made of the finest mutton fat jade, and each piece is very valuable.

Several silver notes were pressed under the jade pendant, with the edges slightly exposed. Su Bai had excellent eyesight and spotted the numbers on them at a glance.

One thousand taels.

Five in total.

Five thousand taels.

Including the pair of jade pendants, it's worth at least seven or eight thousand taels.

That's quite a grand gesture.

Su Bai's gaze shifted slightly as he looked up at Xie Yulang.

Xie Yulang looked at him with a smile, his eyes clear as spring water, showing no sign of anything amiss.

He held the brocade box with both hands, maintaining the posture of handing it over, neither urging nor backing down, just waiting.

The people at the table were all looking at him.

Wei Zhenghong sat motionless, his gaze scrutinizing, as if trying to see through Su Bai's reaction.

Wu Shixun stopped stroking his beard, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Su Bai's face. Wan Youcai smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits, their depths unreadable.

Zhou Fulai was drinking tea with his head down, the teacup covering half of his face, only his eyes were visible, but his peripheral vision kept glancing in this direction.

The candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows on their faces.

The private room was extremely quiet, so quiet that you could hear the occasional crackling of the burning candle wick and the distant sound of a wooden clapper outside the window—thud, thud, thud—it was past midnight.

Su Bai's self-illumination moved away from the brocade box and fell on Xie Yulang's face.

His young face was full of smiles, his eyes were bright and sparkling. He looked like a naive young master from a wealthy family who was generous and loved making friends.

But Su Bai knew that the person sitting here on behalf of the Xie family was no ordinary person.

He was silent for a moment.

That moment of silence was like an invisible knife hanging over their heads.

Then he laughed.

It was faint, subtle, and vanished from that calm face in an instant.

"You're too kind, Third Young Master Xie," he said calmly. "Please take the things back. I'm just an official; I can't accept undeserved rewards."

Xie Yulang was stunned, his smile freezing on his face.

Wei Zhenghong's brow twitched slightly.

Wu Shixun stopped stroking his beard. Wan Youcai opened his squinting eyes slightly. Zhou Fulai's gaze flickered behind his teacup.

Xie Yulang quickly recovered and smiled as he closed the box: "My lord, please don't misunderstand, it really is just a small token of my appreciation—"

"Thank you, Third Young Master Xie." Su Bai interrupted him, looking at him calmly. "Take the things back. It's enough that we can sit here and drink together today."

His tone remained calm, yet that calmness carried an undeniable air of authority.

Xie Yulang's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but Wei Zhenghong spoke first: "Yulang, since Lord Su has said so, you should put it away. Lord Su is an official and he is bound by rules, and we cannot break them."

As he spoke, he gave Xie Yulang a wink.

Xie Yulang understood, smiled, and put the brocade box back into his sleeve: "It was my rudeness, sir, please don't take offense." He picked up his wine cup, "I will punish myself with a cup to apologize to you, sir."

He drank it all in one gulp.

Su Bai nodded, picked up his wine glass, and took a sip.

The atmosphere at the table subtly shifted.

Wei Zhenghong's smile deepened, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes became even more pronounced.

Wu Shixun resumed stroking his beard, slowly and deliberately. Wan Youcai narrowed his eyes again, smiling like a Maitreya Buddha.

Zhou Fulai put down his teacup and let out a long breath.

Xie Yulang was still smiling, but there was something indescribable in that smile.

Outside the window, a night breeze began to rise, causing the lanterns to sway gently.

Light and shadow streamed in through the window, casting dappled patterns on the floor, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, much like the atmosphere in this elegant room.

Su Bai picked up his wine glass and looked at the wine that was swirling slightly inside.

Tonight's show has only just begun.

Su Bai remained silent for a moment, then tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table, the rhythm so slow it was as if he were measuring something.

Then he suddenly laughed.

The smile was faint, just a barely perceptible upward curve at the corners of the mouth, but something flickered in those eyes as if a decision had finally been made.

He reached out and took the brocade box.

The brocade box feels slightly heavy in the hand, and the sandalwood has a warm and delicate texture. The mutton fat jade lotus on the lid feels cool to the touch.

He didn't even look at it, casually stuffing it into his pocket as if he were just accepting a bag of snacks.

"You're too kind, Third Young Master Xie." He picked up his wine glass, raised it to Xie Yulang, and looked at him calmly. "I'll befriend you."

Xie Yulang's eyes lit up; his already clear eyes seemed to be ignited instantly, sparkling with surprise. He hurriedly picked up the wine glass with both hands, his movements even a little hasty, causing the wine to swirl in the glass and almost spill.

"Thank you for the honor, sir!" His voice was clear and bright, filled with the excitement unique to young people. He tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.

Su Bai finished his drink and put down his cup. The bottom of the cup fell onto the table with a very soft "tap".

With Xie Yulang leading the way, the others stopped putting on airs.

Wei Zhenghong took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve and presented it to Su Bai with both hands.

The brocade pouch was made of dark red silk, embroidered with golden "福" (fortune) characters, and its opening was tightly tied with silk thread.

"My lord," Wei Zhenghong said with a smile, his smile even warmer than before, "this is a pair of jade discs, passed down from our ancestors. They're not worth much money, just something to keep as a memento. Please don't find them too valuable, my lord."

As he spoke, he untied the silk thread and took out the pair of jade discs from the brocade pouch.

Under the candlelight, the pair of jade discs were smooth and lustrous, with a faint bluish-white sheen.

Each piece is about the size of a palm, with simple and ancient carvings, and faint traces of cloud patterns can be seen on the surface.

The edges of the jade disc were polished smooth and rounded, clearly indicating that it was an old object that had been around for many years.

Su Bai took it, weighed it in his hand, and found it warm and heavy. He nodded without saying a word and put the jade disc into his sleeve.

Wu Shixun followed closely behind. He was carrying a long, rectangular brocade box. The box was made of dark brown sandalwood, and a plum blossom was carved on the lid. The few strokes conveyed a sense of artistic conception.

"My lord," Wu Shixun said with a smile, stroking his long beard with his left hand and handing over the brocade box with his right, "this is a landscape painting by a famous artist from the previous dynasty. The Wu family has collected it for many years and has always been reluctant to hang it. Today, we present it to you, my lord, so that it may be a perfect match for your study."

He lifted the lid of the box, revealing a yellowed scroll with a fine white jade end carved into the shape of a bamboo joint. The scroll was tied with a ribbon, which had faded somewhat, exuding a sense of age.

Su Bai took the scroll but did not unfold it; he simply placed it on the table.

Wan Youcai squeezed forward with a smile. He was holding a square box made of sandalwood. The box was not large, but it was extremely well-made. The lid was inlaid with mother-of-pearl, forming the shape of a lingzhi mushroom.

"My lord," Wan Youcai's voice was melodious, his eyes narrowing into slits, "this is a century-old ginseng, the prized possession of Wanchuntang. You are busy with official duties, and this is a good way to nourish your body."

He opened the box, revealing a layer of dark red velvet inside, upon which lay a dried ginseng root. The ginseng was as thick as a baby's arm, with intact, distinct rootlets, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

Su Bai glanced down at the ginseng, his gaze lingering for a moment—a hundred-year-old ginseng, indeed rare. He reached out and took the box, closed the lid, and placed it next to the scroll painting.

The last one is Zhou Fulai.

He was carrying a bundle wrapped in blue cloth, its four corners square and neatly arranged. He walked up to Su Bai, holding the bundle with both hands, his waist bent very low, almost at a ninety-degree angle.

"My lord," Zhou Fulai's voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of caution, "this is a piece of Yun brocade, a new arrival from Jiangnan. My shop just received a batch, and I specially selected the best piece to make a few clothes for you. Please don't find it too expensive, my lord; it's just a small token of my appreciation."

He untied the bundle, revealing the fabric inside. It was a piece of moon-white brocade, its texture delicate and smooth, gleaming softly in the candlelight. Faint cloud patterns were visible on the brocade, appearing and disappearing, extremely elegant.

Su Bai reached out and touched it; the material felt warm and soft to the touch, indeed of excellent quality. He nodded, gesturing for Zhou Fulai to place the bundle on the table.

Five gifts were neatly arranged on the table.

Brocade boxes, brocade pouches, scrolls, ginseng boxes, and bundles—each gleaming in the candlelight, like a group of silent witnesses.

Su Bai glanced at them, picked up his wine glass, and raised it to them: "You are all too kind. I would like to propose a toast to you all."

The group quickly raised their glasses, their smiles growing brighter with each other.

After finishing the drink, the atmosphere became completely lively.

Wei Zhenghong started talking about interesting things in Qingyuan County, Wu Shixun chimed in with some local customs and traditions, Xie Yulang occasionally cracked a joke, Wan Youcai smiled and chimed in, and Zhou Fulai also dared to say a few words from time to time.

With toasts and laughter filling the air, it truly felt like a gathering of old friends.