Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Chapter 126 Public humiliation and loss of face, using the opportunity to warn Shang about important

The group of six strolled back home under the cover of night, their laughter and conversation revealing no signs of anxiety stemming from their current predicament.

Zhou Qingfeng's composure played a role in stabilizing morale. As long as this key figure remained calm and confident, the team's morale would not easily collapse.

However, the followers at the back of the group became the only discordant note.

Xing Cishu led seventy-seven wandering men, headed by Chai Ronggui, ostensibly to accompany and protect Zhou Qingfeng and his group, but in reality to closely monitor their movements.

Meanwhile, the secret agents of Hanchan were also secretly and silently monitoring their every move.

Ye Tingxiu looked back at Xing Cishu several times, gripped the knife hilt tightly several times, and then helplessly let go several times. His inner hatred and reason were at odds. Considering that it might implicate his companions, he hesitated to take decisive revenge for his beloved.

Xiao Hongyun saw this and comforted him, saying, "Xing Cishu is just a lackey driven by the Jiang family. As long as we find the right opportunity, we can get rid of him at any time. There is no need to rush the matter of revenge."

Although Ye Tingxiu nodded, he couldn't help but complain, "This guy is really an eyesore."

Xiao Hongyun scratched his head and then called out to Zhou Qingfeng, who was walking side by side with the old cripple ahead.

Zhou Qingfeng turned around at the sound of the voice: "What is it?"

Xiao Hongyun pointed behind him: "These guys are really annoying, especially Xing Cishu. They're making Lao Ye feel really suffocated. Can you think of a way to let Lao Ye vent his anger?"

Zhou Qingfeng smiled and walked towards Ye Tingxiu, patted him on the shoulder, and then beckoned to Xing Cishu in the distance: "Come here for a moment!"

Xing Cishu and Chai Ronggui exchanged glances, unsure of Zhou Qingfeng's purpose.

Seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng pointed directly at Xing Cishu: "I'm talking to you, come here!"

Xing Cishu felt guilty for what he had done and dared not step forward: "What should I do? Should I go?"

Chai Ronggui, standing nearby, speculated, "Go ahead, there's probably something important you need to convey."

Xing Cishu hesitated repeatedly: "Old Chai, why don't you go? It's not convenient for me here."

Chai Ronggui could only smile bitterly. As a traitor to the Sword Tower, operating under the very nose of the Sword Tower's young master, if he were to be punished, probably no one would dare to take care of his funeral arrangements: "I'm the one who's inconvenient, what's inconvenient about you?"

Xing Cishu was in a dilemma, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

The matter of Lan Yue involves his personal secrets.

Moreover, Ye Tingxiu's affair with his concubine Lan Yue, which cuckolded him, is truly disgraceful.

It's impossible to tell outsiders about it.

Recently, Xing Cishu has been closely monitoring Zhou Qingfeng and others. He noticed that Lan Yue was not present in the delegation, which puzzled him greatly. However, he had no way to investigate and could only keep the mystery to himself.

He didn't care about Lan Yue's life or whereabouts, because the life or death of a mortal woman was insignificant.

What he cared about was whether Lan Yue had told Ye Tingxiu everything about her impotence and the torment she had suffered over the past two years; Ye Tingxiu was Lan Yue's old lover, and if he found out, he would surely seek revenge.

Ye Tingxiu is nothing to fear.

But behind Ye Tingxiu stands Zhou Qingfeng, one of the four young masters of the Sword Tower.

After hesitating for a while, Xing Cishu suggested, "Let's go together, so we can look out for each other."

Upon hearing this, Chai Ronggui had no choice but to agree: "Alright."

The two walked briskly forward side by side, while the large contingent behind them remained stationary, awaiting further instructions.

"Special Envoy Zhou, greetings." Chai Ronggui and Xing Cishu stood still and bowed with clasped hands.

Then Xing Cishu straightened up, looked at Zhou Qingfeng, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "What business does Special Envoy Zhou have with me?"

Zhou Qingfeng looked Xing Cishu up and down, his gaze finally settling on Xing Cishu's crotch. He then spoke with a piercing tone: "General Xing, I've heard that you suffer from impotence and enjoy torturing your wives and concubines to satisfy your perverted psychology. This has led to your concubines being unable to bear the humiliation and loneliness and running off with other men."

Upon hearing this, Xing Cishu's expression changed drastically, and he repeatedly denied it: "I didn't, I didn't do it, don't talk nonsense, Special Envoy Zhou, don't make false accusations and ruin my reputation, otherwise I will definitely go to the city lord to sue you for defamation!"

Zhou Qingfeng looked serious and pretended to be concerned: "General Xing, if you're sick, you should get treatment. You can't avoid seeking medical help. Impotence is a serious matter, it concerns the continuation of your family line. You don't want your wife to keep cheating on you, do you?"

“It just so happens that there is a skilled doctor in my team. His medical skills are extremely superb. He can bring the dead back to life and even bring the dying back to life. He may be able to cure your impotence.”

"General Xing, if you have time to come to my residence, I will have him treat you."

Despite Xing Cishu's vehement rebuttal and attempts to protect his reputation.

However, Zhou Qingfeng, under the guise of concern, further suggested treating his impotence.

This move plunged Xing Cishu into a near-despair.

Xing Cishu's face turned green with rage. He lowered his head and gritted his teeth, wishing he could devour Zhou Qingfeng alive and kill him to vent his anger. At the same time, shame and anger intertwined, and he felt ashamed and furious as if he wanted to die.

This person appears to have good intentions, but is actually extremely malicious.

Publicly revealing one's flaws caused one to lose face.

If one were to fly into a rage, it would increase the credibility of one's own impotence, psychological abnormality, and being cuckolded. However, if one were to swallow one's anger, it would be seen as tacit consent or a guilty conscience.

In an instant, Xing Cishu was trapped in a predicament, forced to swallow his anger and suppress his grief and indignation.

In the end, he had to suppress his anger and insist on denying it, saying, "Special Envoy Zhou, please do not believe rumors. I am in good health, my marriage is harmonious, and I have never done anything so disgraceful."

"Those vile remarks that slander this general are all the work of malicious people who are trying to ruin my reputation." Xing Cishu tried his best to maintain the last bit of dignity and save face.

Zhou Qingfeng stopped there, glancing briefly at Ye Tingxiu.

Ye Tingxiu was overjoyed. Witnessing Xing Cishu suffer mental torment filled him with pleasure. He secretly admired Zhou Qingfeng's skillful methods. Compared to physical violence, such humiliation was far more heart-wrenching.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng immediately turned his gaze to Chai Ronggui, his smile suddenly turning cold: "General Chai, we meet again."

Chai Ronggui's expression stiffened slightly as he tried to evade the question: "Special Envoy Zhou, I don't think we've met before."

Zhou Qingfeng sharply exposed him: "Jianmen Pass, do you still remember it? You were the one who personally let me pass through back then, have you forgotten so quickly?"

I disguised myself and slipped past Chai Ronggui. We had met once before, but I didn't know why Chai Ronggui was in Winter City.

So on the first day Zhou Qingfeng met Chai Ronggui in Winter City, he secretly contacted his master Qiu Chengde to inquire about Chai Ronggui in detail, and then learned from Qiu Chengde everything that had happened at Jianmen Pass.

Chai Ronggui was merely a survivor of the bloody massacre.

The First Lady never brought up the matter herself, and if Zhou Qingfeng hadn't inquired, the matter would have remained buried.

Therefore, he was inevitably moved when he learned that the First Lady had sent people to look out for him, both openly and secretly.

After all, for a godmother to go to such lengths is truly a testament to her kindness and deep affection.

In addition, Zhou Qingfeng had always harbored doubts.

He had clearly concealed his identity and disappeared without a trace. Logically, no one should know where he went. Moreover, why did the Jiang family in the distant Winter City know that he had the Xiyi Treasure Map and the key?

However, once the missing piece of information about Chai Rong's return was filled in, everything made sense.

Zhou Qingfeng was certain that the trigger that led to the Jiang family targeting him was Chai Ronggui.

Chai Ronggui continued to play dumb, stubbornly denying it: "Special Envoy Zhou, you have mistaken me for someone else. My surname is not Chai, but Mu, Mu Rongfu. I and seventy-six brothers were wandering outside, and were fortunate enough to be taken in by General Xing, who gave us a job."

As the saying goes, in this corrupt world, traitors will not be recognized by any powerful force, nor will any powerful force offer them protection. This is the tacit rule that city lords and the royal family use to maintain their rule.

At present, Chai Ronggui is employed by Xing Cishu as a wandering monk.

Once their identities are exposed, the Jiang family will immediately distance themselves from them.

So, in the end, the Seventy-Seven Ronin were nothing more than a group of pawns that could be discarded at any time.

Chai Ronggui was certainly aware of this, but as long as he could get revenge and seize the treasure, he didn't mind being a pawn. Even if he only got a tiny fraction of it in the end, he would still have enough capital to start his own business and recruit soldiers.

Zhou Qingfeng sneered, ignoring Chai Ronggui's explanation: "Heh, I don't care if you're Mu Rongfu or Chai Ronggui."

"I just want to tell you that those who defect from the Sword Tower will have no place in this world."

"No matter where he goes, he will face relentless pursuit from our Sword Tower until his death!"

Upon hearing this, Chai Ronggui turned pale and was filled with fear.

But he gritted his teeth and endured it, without begging for forgiveness.

"Haha, just kidding, look how scared you are; Old Ye, Old Xiao, let's go." Zhou Qingfeng glanced at Chai Ronggui, smiled, turned around and left with Ye Tingxiu and Xiao Hongyun, their arms around each other's shoulders, followed by Jin Wei and the others.

Although Zhou Qingfeng saw through Chai Ronggui's lie at a glance, he was unwilling to investigate further at this time.

Because the Jiang family can sever ties at any time, they can immediately discard Chai Ronggui as a pawn on the grounds of oversight. The best outcome would be for Chai Ronggui to be kicked out of the game. The Jiang family will not help Jianta clean house.

Zhou Qingfeng's goal was not limited to this; he was unwilling for Chai Ronggui to get away from the situation so easily.

Instead, he should be made to pay the price at the right time, rather than simply being abandoned by the Jiang family.

Chai Ronggui and Xing Cishu remained where they were, exchanged a glance, and then fell silent.

Chai Ronggui wanted to liven things up, so he suddenly reached out and did a monkey-stealing-a-peach trick.

Xing Cishu looked completely bewildered and stared at him, asking, "What are you doing?"

Chai Ronggui chuckled: "Let's see if you really have a hidden ailment."

Xing Cishu blushed with embarrassment and awkwardly slapped his hand away: "Of course he's talking nonsense. This kid is just insulting me. Weren't you also intimidated by him? This kid is just taking his anger out on us."

Chai Ronggui sighed: "What good will it do to vent our anger? We still have to suffer in return. This is a mission assigned to us by Young Master Jiang. If anything goes wrong, we won't be able to explain ourselves."

Xing Cishu shook his head helplessly and said, "Stop talking, hurry up and follow them."

Upon hearing this, Chai Ronggui turned around and beckoned to the seventy-six brothers in the Food Disaster Realm. The group quickly followed, keeping a respectful distance until they saw Zhou Qingfeng and his group return to their residence.

Time flies like an arrow; seven days have passed in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, they are in the residence where the treasure-hunting delegation is temporarily staying.

The core members of the mission have gathered in the meeting room to discuss important matters.

Zhou Qingfeng sat comfortably in the head seat, holding a cup of beverage called "Seven Treasures Lei Cha" in his hands, leisurely savoring it.

The unique feature of this tea is its recipe: it is made by simmering a variety of grains, including rice, sorghum, sesame, peanuts, mung beans, and Job's tears, along with green tea and mint leaves, over a low flame.

Because this tea is made from grains, it contains a small amount of impurities.

For ordinary people, it has the effect of nourishing the body and mind;

For cultivators in the Turbid Realm, it can slightly aid their cultivation and improve their cultivation level by a trace.

However, for cultivators who have reached the level of food calamity, it can only satisfy their culinary pleasures.

"Jin Wei, please give your colleagues a detailed account of the recent situation." Zhou Qingfeng took a sip of Qibao Lei Cha (a type of tea), its rich flavor and lingering aftertaste intoxicating, as if the taste had turned in a thousand turns, bringing a sense of comfort and ease.

On either side of the seats sat Ye Tingxiu, Xiao Hongyun, Master Chen, Old Cripple, and Jin Wei, each holding a cup of Seven Treasures Lei Cha, savoring it slowly and immersing themselves in this rare treat.

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei immediately placed the Seven Treasures Lei Cha (a type of tea) on the tea table beside him, stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, and replied, "Yes, young master."

Everyone sipped their tea slowly, listening attentively as Jin Wei continued his story.

Jin Wei cleared his throat and said, "Fellow colleagues, since we temporarily settled here, things seem calm on the surface, but in reality, the area around the mansion is full of spies, some in the open and some in the shadows."

"Eyeliner that is visible is easy to deal with and easy to guard against, but eyeliner that is hidden is truly not found at all."

"Fortunately, Mr. Liao is highly skilled and discovered it early, defeating the spies hiding in the shadows."

"Otherwise, our every move will be clearly seen by others."

After saying that, Jin Wei looked at the relatively unknown member of the team: "Master Chen, I would like to trouble you to set up an array. The array does not need to be too strong, as long as it can ensure that I can be alerted in time if someone sneaks in."

Master Chen was taken aback. He had always had a low profile in the team. Even when he had a chance to perform, he would not take the initiative to do so unless something was assigned to him. Otherwise, he would never look for something to do.

He put down his teacup, stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Commander Jin, from this day forward I will set up an array within the mansion."

Jin Wei nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Protecting Zhou Qingfeng's safety was his job, and having Master Chen assist in setting up defenses in front of Zhou Qingfeng was not overstepping his authority.

After understanding, Master Chen sat down again.

Jin Wei continued, "In addition, the four major families of Winter City, Wei, Gu, Qiu and Du, have all sent representatives to hold secret talks with us. In addition, the Dream Fulfillment Organization has also sent representatives who are interested in cooperating. Young Master, that's all I have to say."

After speaking, Jin Wei clasped his hands in a salute to Zhou Qingfeng, who was seated at the head of the table, and returned to his seat.

Zhou Qingfeng took a sip of Qibao Lei Cha and said calmly, "Fellow colleagues, I have almost finished discussing things with the representatives of the five forces in private these days, but there are two issues that need to be resolved."

"Firstly, there are spies outside the government office. We must deceive Jiang Xun's eyes and make face-to-face contact with the leaders of the five forces to sign a strategic cooperation agreement. Otherwise, it will bring great changes to the overall situation."

"Secondly, I do not yet know how many of these five forces are truly sincere in their desire to cooperate, and how many are bait thrown out by Jiang Xun to lure me in and ruin my alliance plan."