An hour before…
The audience fell silent with trembling bodies just as Wang Ling slumped limply from a single blow from Zhou Fu. They were worried that Zhou Fu would take revenge on them because just a moment ago they underestimated Zhou Fu's strength. If time could be turned back, they would want to turn their backs on Zhou Fu so that when Zhou Fu won over Wang Ling, they would only have to cheer for joy without feeling a gripping urgency.
“Young master, please don't tell everyone that I've been cheating all this time. Trust me, as a result of my cheating, this village has never been disturbed by a group of robbers from outside.” Wang Ling was still trying to plead with Zhou Fu when Zhou Fu extended a helping hand to him.
Zhou Fu seemed to be observing Wang Ling for a while, he was making judgments as to whether what Wang Ling had just said was the truth or a lie.
"I guess your cheating comes at a cost! I'll keep your cheating a secret from everyone, but you must pay double for my bounty!” Zhou Fu responded to Wang Ling's whining. In his opinion, there was nothing to lose by keeping Wang Ling's fraud a secret, otherwise if he kept it a secret, he could earn money more.
“With my pleasure, Young Master! If at any time young master is visiting Dozhu again, we will welcome young master as a guest of honor!” Wang Ling bowed and thanked Zhou Fu repeatedly for being so kind as to keep his cheating secret. Wang Ling whispered to Zhou Fu to tell someone named Zhang Ye, a member of the Taoqi group who held an energy-sucking heirloom.
Zhang Ye was sitting in the audience, right around Shen Shen was throwing a tantrum. As soon as Wang Ling told Zhang Ye's seating location, Zhou Fu stepped down from the arena and walked over to Zhang Ye.
The audience took a few steps back when Zhou Fu came up to Zhang Ye. Zhang Ye didn't move, his hands were shaking and handed an heirloom to Zhou Fu. The audience did not understand what kind of inheritance Zhou Fu was taking.
***
Shen Shen's role in Zhou Fu's victory in the Douzheng tournament was enormous. Because without Shen Shen's help, Zhou Fu would have a hard time finding a Taoqi member who was using heirlooms to suck up Zhou Fu's power. Because of this, Shen Shen asked for half of Zhou Fu's reward, which was 10 gold coins out of the total 20 gold coins that Zhou Fu received. It was a pretty big reward because just 1 gold coin was worth the wages of a manual laborer for 100 days of work. So, ten gold coins was equivalent to the wages of a full-time worker for over 3 years.
Zhou Fu accepted Shen Shen's proposal without much protest as he still didn't really understand coin counting. Even if Shen Shen asked for more, Zhou Fu didn't seem to mind either.
“Oh yeah, are three gold pieces enough to pay for my lodging fees yesterday?” Zhou Fu asked Shen Shen while the two of them were still walking towards the old man’s inn.
Shen Shen glared then hit Zhou Fu on the shoulder, “Three pieces of your gold? 1 piece is too much! One gold coin is equivalent to the cost of staying for two whole months in a classy inn you know? Are you really too good or too stupid?” Shen Shen asked annoyed.
“Waaaah, does that mean I'm currently become a rich man?” Zhou Fu re-opened the bundle of cloth that contained his gold coins, he looked at the coins with sparkling eyes.
"If you don't believe me, let's find the best restaurant and let's eat expensive food!" Shen Shen pulled Zhou Fu's hand to take him to find the most luxurious restaurant in Dozhu.
***
Zhou Fu and Shen Shen were sitting waiting for their orders to be made. The restaurant they went to was not very crowded, maybe because it was an expensive restaurant where only certain people could enter it. Not surprisingly, the atmosphere in the restaurant is quite quiet. There was no banquet of music and dancing because there seemed to be a group discussing something important.
Neither Shen Shen nor Zhou Fu initially paid much attention to the chatter of one of the group, until at one point, they mentioned Yang Zi's name. Shen Shen stepped on Zhou Fu's feet and signaled for Zhou Fu to also listen to their conversation.
"The price of Miss Yang Zi's head is amazing, even greater than the price that was given to Miss Shen Yang," said one of the group.
"Of course it is! Yang Zi is priced more expensive because after all Yang Zi is a little of the ranks of noble princesses who have martial arts!" said his friend.
"No! Not because she knows self-defense. Miss Yang Zi's head cost a fortune because she overheard the secret plan. Just before Miss Yang Zi was executed, she had heard of a covert operation that she shouldn't have heard of. That's why some of the people involved felt compelled to finish off Miss Yang Zi at all costs," another clarified.
"What? What secret did she hear?"
"I also don't really understand, what I clearly hear is that it has something to do with life behind the giant wall."
"Gentlemen, enjoy our special dishes..." a waiter came to the table of the group while gesturing to several other waiters to immediately put various menus on the dining table.
Zhou Fu clenched his fists because the servant managed to cut off the important conversation he was hearing. On the other hand, Shen Shen was speechless.
“Don't worry, your family seems to be very famous. We can get a lot of information in other places.” Zhou Fu whispered to Shen Shen who seemed to have lost her appetite.
"By the way, why did the chairman assign us to comb the small islands like this, hasn't the news of Miss Shen Yang's death already been reported throughout Caihong country?" one person from the group continued their chatter, making Shen Shen and Zhou Fu turn their ears to alert again.
"You stupid! So don't just daydream when you are given an assignment!” one of the members hit his partner on the head, then continued speaking, “Miss Shen Yang has indeed been rumored to have died because her whereabouts were unknown for quite a long time. However, it was strange that something was being covered up by the Northern Rivers Sect. The three people who were in charge of finishing off Miss Shen Yang did not return until this moment.”
“Yeah, I think Patriarch Sun Mingjin was deliberately covering it up in order to protect his sect's reputation. Wouldn't it be a shame if the news spread that three of its members failed to execute an ordinary girl who was even lost far from her home and at the same time did not master martial arts!”
“So, our arrival to comb the small islands around here is to obtain information on the whereabouts of the three swordsmen of the North River sect. In fact, if it turns out that we are able to find the whereabouts of Miss Shen Yang, whether alive or dead, the price we will get will be very expensive!”
Everyone in the group nodded in agreement. They also continued their lunch which was fully served on the table.
“Before they find you, I will make them lose their lives!” Zhou Fu whispered very quietly in Shen Shen's ear.
