When Shen Leng carried Hei Yan back to his courtyard, Master Cha and Mr. Shen were not around. He placed Hei Yan on the bed. When he looked at the bed that was starting to soak in blood, he could not help but sigh softly. He thought about how he definitely had to wash it himself. It was simply too dirty – Master Cha would have a hard time washing it.

Hei Yan tolerated the pain and asked, “Why do you look so reluctant?”

“The bed sheets are dirty.”

“Oh…”

Hei Yan laid on the bed and looked at the ceiling. “Do you know how much I charge for protecting people?”

Shen Leng sighed. “Do you know how beautiful Master Cha’s hands are?”

Hei Yan was dumbfounded. He did not even pay any attention to the pain he was feeling. He thought to himself : What kind of logic is that?

Shen Leng thought about how fortunate it was that his vacation had not ended, so he had the time to wash the sheets himself. But as he pondered further, he thought about how it might be impossible for him to get rid of the bloodstains. Hence, he thought about asking him for some copper coins to get new ones. How was he going to ask though? He was heavily injured at the moment.

He thought about it as he went to retrieve Mr. Shen’s box of medication. Right after he walked out of his room, he saw Mr. Shen and Master Cha entering through the door. Uncle Chen and Chen Ran were behind them. Earlier on, Mr. Shen got Chen Ran to protect Uncle Chen and instructed him to look for a place to hide. Thereafter, he brought Master Cha with him and planned to look for Mu Liu’er. However, when he went to the house that Guan Tang Kou bought and realized it was already empty. There was not a single person there.

“Let me do it.”

Mr. Shen entered his room and looked for his box of medication. He looked at Hei Yan’s injuries. “This is going to be a lot of work.”

Hei Yan replied, “What do you mean?”

“I have to charge you.”

As Mr. Shen spoke, his hands did not stop. His movements were fast and steady. He disinfected the wound, applied the medication, and stitched his wounds up before dressing them. Approximately an hour later, Hei Yan was bandaged up, making him look like a rice dumpling. He looked rather adorable.

“You people…are actually thinking of asking me for money?”

Hei Yan’s head was bandaged up too – only his face was exposed. Hence, his bitter facial expression was especially focused.

“Can you not be so shameless.”

Mr. Shen shook his head. “No.”

Hei Yan resigned to his fate and looked at his three subordinates at the door. He looked at the masked man with two swords. That person turned his head facing outside. “I’m an assassin, where would I have any space to put money on me? If I carry a money pouch, it will be inconvenient for me to kill people.”

He looked at the fella who was used to squatting down like a cat. That fella opened up his clothes. “I used all the pockets to store flying darts and daggers. I have no space to store any money.”

The masked man in white with a black tassel sword looked up into the sky. “Compensation, huh…what an outdated practice…besides, it’s not payday for this month yet.”

Shen Leng asked, “Are you people from Liu Yun Sect that poor?”

The masked man with the sword had an earnest look on his face. “Of course not, we are well-paid. Whenever we travel afar, there are people who set up all the arrangements for us. Be it food, clothes or accommodation, people of our level don’t have to worry about them at all. Hence, it is pointless for us to bring money with us.”

The man with the two swords nodded. “Most importantly…”

He looked at Hei Yang. “He had won everything the last time.”

Hei Yan started to feel a little awkward. “It was just a tiny gamble…”

The eyes of the man with flying daggers were filled with grief and indignation. “Whenever we receive our pay every month, you would drag us to gamble. After that, you’d win all our money. So…where’s your money?”

Hei Yan’s eyes had a resolute and firm look in them. “Money? You’re asking me for money?”

Shen Leng interrupted, “We can stop the medication now.”

Mr. Shen looked at Shen Leng earnestly and said, “How can we do that?”

Shen Leng replied, “He doesn’t intend to give us money, so shouldn’t I scrape off the medication that I applied earlier?”

Mr. Shen replied, “What I’m trying to say is, he doesn’t intend to pay us any money but don’t tell me I should scrape off the medication I used earlier from his wounds?”

Shen Leng nodded. “Indeed, medical practitioners are benevolent.”

The three masked men in white nodded their heads as well. They did not take any pity on Hei Yan. In fact, they were somewhat looking forward.

Hei Yan sighed. “Forget it, forget it. Tell me how much you want.”

Shen Leng asked Master Cha, “How much do my bed sheets cost?”

Mr. Shen asked, “What about my treatment fees?”

Shen Leng replied, “That’s not important.”

Mr. Shen was speechless.

Everyone left the room to let Hei Yan recuperate. For the sake of safety, the man in white, who used flying daggers, went to look for a new place for them to stay after he left. Shen Leng and Chen Ran ultimately went back to the Navy’s camp. As for Mr. Shen, Master Cha and Uncle Chen, they went to deliver vegetables. Most importantly, their courtyard was too well-known. Guan Tang Kou’s men knew about it, hence it was pretty much defenseless.

Before Hei Yan had recovered, it was not fit for him to travel long distances back to Changan city. He needed a secret place that was safe enough for him to recuperate.

The other man who carried a sword on his back left temporarily. He went to gather Liu Yun Sect’s men.

The man with two swords stared at Shen Leng in a daze. “What are you thinking?”

“I think it’s not worth it.”

Shen Leng carried his black cord sword on his back. “They should be the one paying.”

“Who?”

“Guan Tang Kou.”

Thereafter, Shen Leng left the courtyard. The man with the two swords stood there dumbfounded. He thought to himself: Is this fella really going to look for Guan Tang Kou and kill them just because of his bed sheets?

He was a fella that was impossible to fathom…however, he seemed very capable, so he decided to tag along.

After Master Cha washed her face, she went out of the house but realized that Shen Leng and the fella with two swords were already gone. She got a shock and turned around to grab her Po Jia. However, right after she turned around, Chen Ran yelled out, “Don’t go after them. You can’t catch up with them. Leng told me to tell you that he will return soon. He said that he cannot make a loss (because of his bed sheets).”

Master Cha stormed off. She walked to the entrance of the kitchen and removed the pillow that was tied to the tree. Chen Ran stared blankly, wondering what was going on.

Mr. Shen opened Shen Leng’s door and sat on the chair. He looked at Hei Yan with a calm look on his face and said, “I know why you’re here. If I guessed correctly, Liu Yun Sect belongs to His Majesty right?”

Hei Yan opened his eyes but did not answer.

“Ye Liuyun is still as lazy as before – he can’t think of a proper name for his sect? Liu Yun Sect…”

Mr. Shen twitched his mouth, “The people who racked their brains to figure out whether or not Ye Liuyun is the one behind Liu Yun Sect will never be able to guess that he picked that name because he was lazy, and that he is narcissistic enough.”

Hei Yan’s lips curled upwards slightly, as though to say that Mr. Shen was right.

Mr. Shen continued, “I can guess what Ye Liuyun told you people to investigate…that night, indeed, the empress did go to my Bai Ta Temple, and she did give a child to me. But he’s not Leng. Go back and tell Ye Liuyun. Tell him to convey it to His Majesty…His Majesty should know me well enough. After all, I worked for him for six years. I know that I committed a very grave crime that is worthy of death, but if His Majesty were to give me a few more years, I will find that child and take him back to Changan city.”

Hei Yan was still silent.

Mr. Shen paid no attention to his attitude. He simply continued talking, “I can understand His Majesty’s pain, but perhaps there is a huge profound theory behind that matter. Some of the people involved are vile and disgusting beyond imagination. From the moment I started working for His Majesty, I am forever his subject. So all I’m asking for is for His Majesty to be a bit more patient. Once I have investigated everything clearly, I will naturally go to Changan city to beg for forgiveness. Perhaps, I might die by those people’s hands, or perhaps I might die by His Majesty’s wrath. But as long as I investigate the matter at hand clearly, I will be able to repay His Majesty’s kindness.”

Hei Yan finally broke his silence. “I don’t know what you are trying to say, my master is only trying to investigate whether or not you are the Daoist of Bai Ta Temple in Yunxiao city. However, I will convey every single word that you said earlier, without missing a single word.”

Mr. Shen got up. He cupped his fist. “Thank you.”

Hei Yan asked, “What exactly happened back then?”

Mr. Shen replied plainly, “I was a fugitive for more than ten years. Do you know why I’m not dead yet?”

Why?”

“Because I’m strong enough.”

Mr. Shen looked at Hei Yan. “Don’t ask anymore. You are not strong enough. If you know about it, you will die very soon.”

Hei Yan sighed. “Even though I still don’t know what you are trying to say, but I feel that it must be very difficult for you to help His Majesty carry so many burdens.”

“Ye Liuyun is such a capable and prominent figure, but yet he’s a mere first-in-command of a secret society sect. His burdens are not any less than mine.”

Mr. Shen sat down once again. “Do you know why so many people are willing to go through all kinds of difficulties for His Majesty? It’s because he is worth it. As of now, I don’t dare to call myself His Majesty’s counselor, but I have never forgotten my feelings of gratitude and loyalty. Like what I said before…I hope that His Majesty will give me a few years worth of time. He needs a person like me who is well-concealed in the underworld to investigate the matter. I will be able to investigate the matter more thoroughly compared to Ye Liuyun.”

Hei Yan grunted. “Like I’ve mentioned earlier, I will not miss out a single word.”

Mr. Shen started laughing. “I had a great time chatting with you, so I’d like to express my gratitude.”

“What?”

Hei Yan was speechless.

Mr. Shen stayed silent for a while before asking, “Did you start working under Ye Liuyun since you were around ten years old?”

Hei Yan had a fearful look in his eyes. “Sir, what is that supposed to mean?”

“I’m not insinuating anything. You people should be grateful to me. At that time, it was my first time bringing up the idea to His Majesty. Originally, I did think of a very good name. Chu Hu Project…of course, based on Ye Liuyun’s narcissism, he would never use that name.”

“Shao Nian Tang.”

Hei Yan lowered his head and tilted it to the side. He looked at Mr. Shen and replied, “Including the three fellas you saw earlier, all of us were from Liu Yun Hui’s Shao Nian Tang.”

“What a tacky name.”

Mr. Shen wrinkled his nose in disgust. “But it’s not that awful…in comparison, the metaphorical meaning of ‘Chu Hu’ is indeed not good. You can raise tigers to use them, but they cannot be used to cause trouble…One more thing you have to remember – the reason why Liu Yun Sect exists, is because I came up with the idea back then…no matter how narcissistic Ye Liuyun is, he benefited because of me.”

Hei Yan sighed. “You’re probably more narcissistic than master.”

Mr. Shen shook his head. “This is not important. What is important is that by telling you all these things, I’m trying to make you understand that I used to work for His Majesty, and I still am. Hence, I need to take responsibility for His Majesty.”

Hei Yan did not understand why the conversation returned to that topic again.

Mr. Shen did not need him to understand what he was trying to say, because as long as he conveyed his message, Ye Liuyun would understand, and so would His Majesty.

What an honorable status and an honorable child. If he got it wrong, he would let His Majesty down.

At this moment, Shen Leng and the double sword man came back. They were only gone for about two hours. When they got back, Shen Leng was carrying several money pouches in his hands – there seemed to be at least thirty to forty. He split the money pouches into four portions. He gave one portion to the double sword fella. “This is for you. Look at the Guan Tang Kou people, and look at Liu Yun Sect. Don’t you find it embarrassing?”

That man held back obstinately for two breaths before taking the money pouches. “I feel as though I’m being humiliated by money.”

Shen Leng asked, “And so?”

“So can you humiliate me twice?”

Shen Leng was speechless.

Shen Leng passed another portion to Master Cha. “This is for the new bedsheets.”

He passed another portion to Mr. Shen. “This is for your treatment fees, and medication.”

He tossed the last portion to Hei Yan, who was laying in bed. Hei Yan stared blankly for a moment. “Why am I included?”

Shen Leng replied, “Oh…this is for you to buy changing pads.”

Hei Yan felt as though he was being humiliated.

Master Cha, who was holding onto a money pouch, pointed at the pine tree in the yard. Shen Leng noticed that the pillow was no longer there. He had a terrified look on his face, “Will…will it hurt?”