Chapter 731 Settlement (1)
?Following Wang Siyi's statement, Yang Qing waved over one of the staff members to make the order. He ordered a few dishes and wine and even made a point to order the 'Golden Lotus Delight'. It was one of the better cakes made by the restaurant and packed with flavors too. It was made from layers of delicate sponge cake infused with golden lotus flower essence, sandwiched between layers of light cream, and at the top were a few edible sweet sepals from the golden lotus flower.
With the Zou siblings coming over, the flavors of the cake could help them adjust from the trauma and shock long enough to string a few thoughts and sentences together.
"What happened to the head of the Flying Serpent gang and any other remnants, oh and yeah the blood fiend cultivator, Ling Shi.."?asked Yang Qing.
Wang Huiying took a brief moment to collect her thoughts before she said,
"The head of the Flying Serpents Gang and the other surviving members of the gang were scooped up by your branch at the Yellow Plains County.
Once we reported the presence of blood-fiend cultivators in Purple City, the City Lord and us agreed it was better to involve you as we didn't know what those blood-fiend cultivators were after in Purple City in the first place.
We did also inform the Emperor, but he was otherwise preoccupied with other matters.."
Wang Huiyin and her husband gazed meaningfully at Yang Qing as she said this and Yang Qing could guess why. Previously when he had been at their restaurant he had casually asked them about the identities of the few people he had fought with as they tried to kidnap Ellie. One had been the child of one of the leaders of the Golden Bamboo Pavilion, while the other two, one had been the former emperor of the Red Maple Empire, and also the present Emperor's grandfather, Duan Hou. At the same time, the third culprit had been the branch leader of the Golden Bamboo Pavilion branch within the Empire. He was called Yao De and he was sworn brothers with Duan Hou. Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)
After the fight, Yang Qing had the three held for questioning at the branch in Yellow Plains County. Their wanton disregard and attempt to kidnap Ellie despite knowing she had a partner made Yang Qing assume it wasn't the first time that the three behaved that way. The former emperor, Duan Hou, and the branch leader Yao De catering to the demands of the arrogant and spoiled Lin Duyi, who was the only child of Lin Guiren, one of the domain experts and leaders of the Golden Bamboo Pavillion.
From the little bit of research, he did before and after he visited Purple City, he knew the Red Maple Empire, more so the royal family was backed by the Golden Bamboo Pavilion, which was why most of their subsidiaries could be seen densely spread about through most of their prosperous cities.
Yang Qing didn't know the exact details of their partnership, but he felt it was more of a subordinate than a partner when it came to the two. The reason for this discounting the strength of the Golden Bamboo Pavilion, the Empire's enemy, the Five Clover Kingdom was backed by the rank 2 Clan, the Zou family. The only way the Red Maple Empire could contest against the Kingdom was if they had a backing at the same level as the Zou family, which they did in the Golden Bamboo Pavilion.
"As the host, please let me.." Yang Qing said as he took the wine jar and poured it for the couple first then him.
"Thank you.."said the couple as they waited for Yang Qing to take the first sip before they could proceed to take theirs.
After Yang Qing took his sip, Wang Siyi took a sip of his narrowing his eyes as he savored the smoothness and chilly richness of the wine as it rolled down his tongue. He would have lost himself to it had it not been for the angry glances his wife had been throwing at him.
Yang Qing couldn't help but smile as he appreciated at least the couple seemed freer with him around than the first time.
"Sorry for that... Now as I was saying, for someone capable of surviving in a place bustling with cultivators, surely she needed to be good at reading others to avoid any mishap of being discovered as a blood fiend cultivator and also blending in seamlessly.
How could someone like that not know the character of the head of the Flying Serpents Head and how he would react if he were ever caught?
If she had to escape why would she use the routes that the head would know or other members of the gang? If she did use them, she would be putting herself at the mercy of their discretion and loyalty, which they definitely don't have.
It's safer to create her contingencies and from the admission of the head, she had been with them for 150 years which is more than enough time for her to make them. Yet, she chose to use an escape route that someone from the gang would know.
It's highly suspect. Next is how little Duan Kong managed to contain her. He may be more talented than most, and his royal bloodline affords him a body that has high vitality and regeneration, but fighting Ling Shi, we saw for ourselves how terrifying her abilities were, Duan Kong should not have been able to hold her back for as long as she did, let alone even survive, but he did, which some part of me thinks... It may have been deliberate on Ling Shi's part.."
"You suspect she wanted to lure you all over?"
"I think so... I don't know maybe to divert our attention and create an opening for another blood fiend cultivator to escape, or maybe something else, but whatever it is,it was well worth it for her to sacrifice her life for it.." said Wang Siyi with a grim expression.
"Only time can tell, hopefully, my colleagues from Yellow Plains County might have some answers for us.." said Yang Qing with a sigh.
"But for now, the only matter we need to focus on is your settlement. Speaking of which they are here.." added Yang Qing with a smile.