Chapter 148: Pandahai

Chapter 149: Pan Dehai

"If I wanted you, by my side, to guard the night until tomorrow..."

Chu Er sat in the grand ballroom of Paramount, quietly watching the performance of the songstress, Jiang Mengting.

She was the only one in the grand ballroom, but the stage setup was anything but simple: a band, backup dancers, and color-changing gaslights—every detail was meticulously handled.

Jiang Mengting felt awkward; singing in the grand ballroom of Paramount for just one person was quite ludicrous.

Yet, she dared not utter a single complaint. She knew Miss Chu Er's temper: one minute she could be called a songstress, the next her face might be stripped bare.

After "I Want You" concluded, as the band prepared for the next song, Yang Yanzheng approached Chu Er.

Chu Er motioned for Jiang Mengting not to stop, then she left the grand ballroom.

With no guests remaining, Jiang Mengting had to continue singing.

In a suite on the third floor, Chu Er looked at Yang Yanzheng and asked, "Have you found out?"

Yang Yanzheng nodded. "Monkey Qiu spread word in the city that if anyone dared to go to Paramount, the Lu family would visit their home the very next day."

Chu Er didn't believe it. "How many people are there in Greenwater City? Do they all listen to his Monkey Qiu?"

"It's not just Monkey Qiu; Master He Haiqin of the He family also issued an order that anyone under the He family's protection is forbidden from going to Paramount. The Ma family did the same, and even the Chu family..."

Yang Yanzheng didn't elaborate. All four major families were now targeting Chu Huaiyuan.

Chu Huaiyuan looked up at Yang Yanzheng. "The major families can't control every commoner, can they? They don't dare come either?"

Yang Yanzheng gave a wry smile. "Miss, you're joking. How many commoners can afford to come to Paramount?"

Chu Er said, "I'll lower the price. For twenty yuan, they can come here to dance and choose any dancer they want!"

Yang Yanzheng didn't know what to say; running a business like this would surely lead to bankruptcy.

Besides, forget twenty yuan; even if it were free, no one could get in.

"The Lu family has several enforcers ambushed nearby. They carry magical artifacts, and ordinary people have to detour just by seeing our signboard."

Chu Er glared. "Call Wen Hongyan! Go kill those enforcers for me!"

Yang Yanzheng advised, "Miss, please calm down. If those enforcers are killed, how could Monkey Qiu let it go?"

"Then kill Monkey Qiu too!"

Kill Monkey Qiu?

Chu Er had lost her mind.

How could she kill Monkey Qiu?

It would be good enough if Monkey Qiu didn't kill her.

Fortunately, this was Greenwater City, and Monkey Qiu didn't want to cause too much commotion. Otherwise, he would have dealt with Chu Er long ago!

Yang Yanzheng couldn't be subtle anymore; he had to speak directly. "Wen Hongyan is your strongest fighter. How can we possibly kill Monkey Qiu?"

"Hire people! Hire assassins!"

"Which assassin would dare to touch the Lu family's head steward?"

"I'll pay! I'll sell my house and live in Paramount from now on. It's either him or me!"

Yang Yanzheng rubbed his forehead, and seeing Chu Er a little calmer, he advised, "Miss, let's just return Paramount to the Lu family. We can negotiate a good price with them; we won't lose much."

"No! Paramount is mine! I won't give it to anyone!" Chu Er's emotions flared again, and Yang Yanzheng stopped speaking.

After a long silence, Chu Er stood up and said, "Prepare the carriage. We're going to Lanyang Village."

"What are we doing in Lanyang Village?"

"Find Ma Wu. When he ran Carefree Inn, the major families also made things difficult for him. He knows how to deal with this. We must find him; he'll definitely have a plan."

Yang Yanzheng shook his head repeatedly. "Miss, Carefree Inn and Paramount are two different things. How big was Carefree Inn's business? Paramount is Greenwater City's landmark!"

"What do you know?! Ma Wu is the expert at making money; he'll definitely have a way!"

"Miss, don't be reckless. The Lu family has currently blocked our business, and we don't know what their next move will be. You cannot leave the city now. If you do, the Lu family might act covertly. Miss, Miss..."

Yang Yanzheng pleaded repeatedly, but Chu Er wouldn't listen. She had the carriage prepared, took her attendants, and went to Lanyang Village.

Lanyang Village, Changchun Garden.

The head enforcer, Zuo Wugang, moved from the dance hall to the restaurant, then from the restaurant to the inn. After circling the inn twice, he headed towards the tavern.

Xiao Chuanzi followed behind, sweating profusely. "Chief Zuo, you've circled about twenty times! At least think of a solution!"

"What are you shouting about!" Zuo Wugang frowned deeply. "Aren't I trying to figure something out?!"

Chu Er had arrived!

Li Banfeng and Ma Wu were both absent, so she decided not to leave. She rented over a dozen rooms in Mengchun Garden and settled in.

She was now an eyesore to the Lu family, and other families were also secretly targeting her. Under these circumstances, she couldn't be allowed to stay long in Lanyang Village.

Zuo Wugang had considered this point.

But exactly what to do, Zuo Wugang hadn't figured out.

Xiao Chuanzi was anxious, and so were Zhen Jincheng and Cao Zhida.

Cao Zhida offered a suggestion first: "Chief Zuo, I say we just do it the hard way. We'll drive them out. We can handle those few people under Chu Er!"

Zuo Wugang waved his hand. "Why resort to force against them? They came to Changchun Garden for leisure, and they've paid for their rooms and drinks. Why should we drive them away? Is that proper?"

Zhen Jincheng said, "Then let's go talk sense into her and persuade her to leave!"

Zuo Wugang spat. "Talk sense, my ass! You haven't even read a book, and you want to talk sense to a young lady from a wealthy family?"

Cao Zhida said, "If we can't do it openly, we'll do it covertly. We'll trip her up and make her retreat in the face of difficulty!"

"That's not appropriate either," Zuo Wugang shook his head. "Miss Chu Er might genuinely have a bond with Fifth Master. If we act too harshly, Fifth Master will complain about us when he returns."

Zhen Jincheng sighed. "Then what do you suggest we do? If we wait for the Lu family to come knocking, it'll be too late!"

"I'm thinking it won't come to that. Miss Chu Er is also a notable figure; the Lu family wouldn't go for an all-out extermination."

Cao Zhida said, "In Greenwater City, the Lu family still has some scruples. But this is Lanyang Village, where killing someone is like killing a chicken. The Lu family acts on a whim.

Even if we manage to avoid the Lu family, if Chu Er dies here, we're finished! We won't be able to explain this!"

Zuo Wugang had also considered this point.

But he truly didn't know how to respond.

Zuo Wugang grew agitated. "All of you, go back! Stop chattering in my ear! Go, get far away!"

The three found a room in Changchun Garden and sat down, while Zuo Wugang continued pacing in circles outside.

Xiao Chuanzi sighed. "How can Chief Zuo not come up with a single idea!"

Zhen Jincheng shook his head. "That's his problem. If someone gives him orders, he's a tiger; if no one gives him orders, he's not even as good as a cat."

Cao Zhida pounded the table. "Why isn't Fifth Master back yet, and Seventh Master hasn't made a move either!"

Twenty hours later, Li Banfeng woke up in his portable residence.

"Oh, husband, did you have a good dream just now?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I had a nightmare. I dreamt I was completely eaten by a pile of insects."

"Oh, husband, that shouldn't be. Some people have good dreams even when they meet that wretched woman; some never wake up their whole lives."

Li Banfeng sat on the edge of the bed and asked, "The wretched woman you mentioned, is she the maiden named Feng?"

"If this servant girl isn't mistaken, husband, you must have encountered Feng Daiku."

"Feng Daiku? What kind of name is that?"

The phonograph whirred, singing, "When this woman was born, she brought a calamity upon her family, and so she was loathed by her kin, who gave her such an unpleasant name."

"Feng Daiku was awkward to pronounce. As time passed, some began calling her Feng Koudai (Pocket), which was much more pleasant to the ear, and the name stuck."

"Feng Koudai? Isn't that even worse?"

"That name was considered good. After some more years, whether by mispronunciation or miscommunication, someone misread 'Koudai' (Pocket) as 'Kudai' (Trouser Belt), and people later called her Feng Kudai."

"Kudai (Trouser Belt)? How could she tolerate that?"

"She could! Truth be told, that wretched woman was quite magnanimous; she accepted the name Kudai and even renamed her territory. It was originally called Koudai Ridge, but later changed to Kudai Ridge."

Kudai Ridge...

Kudai Ridge!

"My dear, you said Kudai Ridge is her territory? And she named it herself?"

"Yes! She is the Local Deity of Kudai Ridge. Husband, you surely know what a Local Deity is."

Local Deity!

These three words echoed in Li Banfeng's mind.

That Miss Feng is a Local Deity, the Local Deity of Kudai Ridge.

What about Old Mr. Yao from Yaowang Gully?

Is he also a Local Deity?

The Local Deity of Yaowang Gully?

Logically, there's no flaw. Old Mr. Yao is a departed soul, and Local Deities are also departed souls.

Is Miss Feng a departed soul?

He should have examined her carefully with his Golden Eyes at the time.

Li Banfeng asked the phonograph, "My dear, what is the origin of a Local Deity?"

"This servant girl cannot recall."

"Good wife, just tell me. I'll get you something to eat: fresh, sweet, crisp souls, as many as you want." Li Banfeng leaned closer to the phonograph.

"Oh, husband, this servant girl isn't being stubborn with you. I truly cannot recall. The origin of Local Deities is connected to Neizhou, and this servant girl doesn't wish to remember anything about Neizhou."

Neizhou?

Li Banfeng heard a new term.

"What kind of place is Neizhou?"

"There is Waizhou outside, Neizhou inside, and in the middle lies Puluozhou."

"My dear, please tell me more about Neizhou."

"Husband, this servant girl truly doesn't wish to recall."

"My dear, think hard. I'll go buy groceries in a bit."

"Husband, if you force this servant girl to think, I can, but recalling it will drive me mad."

Li Banfeng smiled calmly. "A little madness is fine. Who hasn't gone mad before?"

The phonograph's singing suddenly slowed significantly. "After going mad, I might not recognize my husband. Husband, do you truly want this servant girl to think about it?"

Li Banfeng was silent for a moment, then moved slightly away from the phonograph. "Then I won't force you, my dear."

The phonograph's tune became much more cheerful. "Oh, husband, speaking of which, I remember you've always been in Greenwater Bay. How did you encounter that wretched woman, Feng Daiku?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I don't know either. She said she was injured."

"Oh, that's strange. Who in Greenwater Bay could have injured her? Could it be that beggar who hurt her? But why would she run to Greenwater Bay to provoke that beggar?"

The beggar of Greenwater Bay?

The master of Greenwater Bay?

They fought?

Was this a fight over territory?

The amount of information was overwhelming, and Li Banfeng grew increasingly bewildered the more he listened.

He suddenly remembered an item: the one Feng Daiku had given him, a mass of flesh and blood wrapped in bamboo leaves.

He took the mass of flesh and blood from his suit pocket. "Feng Daiku gave me this."

A puff of steam enveloped the bamboo leaves, perceiving for a long time.

"This wretched woman has gained considerable power. Her seal is so strong that even I cannot perceive it. Husband, please open these bamboo leaves and let this servant girl see."

Li Banfeng untied the grass stem on the bamboo leaves, revealing the mass of flesh and blood inside.

The gongs and drums played for a long time before the phonograph finally spoke: "If this servant girl isn't mistaken, this is Pan Dehai's flesh and blood."

Li Banfeng looked bewildered. "Who is Pan Dehai?"

"De Xiu, whom the world calls Mister Dehai. He is also a Local Deity. But how did he come to fight with Feng Daiku?"

Still fighting others in Greenwater Bay?

Is this not showing respect to Greenwater Bay's head honcho?