Chapter 294: Raising the Flag

Li Banfeng looked at Bai Qiusheng in surprise. Everyone looked at Li Banfeng in surprise. The young woman nearby covered her mouth in surprise, a peach still in her hand.

How did I get here?

Li Banfeng's first reaction was that someone had taken the key and brought him to Heishi Slope. He searched the workshop but found no key.

"Who came here today?" In his urgency, Li Banfeng spoke indistinctly; the key was one of his most prized possessions.

"Quite a few people..." Bai Qiusheng was confused and didn't know how to answer. It wasn't until Li Banfeng had calmed down slightly that he understood what he meant.

"Seventh Master, let's find somewhere private to talk."

Li Banfeng's room in the back building was still maintained and regularly cleaned.

Inside the room, Bai Qiusheng said, "Seventh Master, everyone who came to the newspaper office today was an acquaintance. Even the models for the photoshoot were familiar faces; they've worked with us several times."

"No one returned from out of town?"

"No, Seventh Master. I was in the workshop taking photos all day. I can vouch for that."

Li Banfeng couldn't understand. If no outsiders had come, then who brought the key? Was the key not brought here? Was the key still at Xiaoyao Dock? Then how did the Portable Residence get here? Doesn't the Portable Residence always follow the key? He needed to go back to the Portable Residence to see if anything unusual had happened.

Li Banfeng dismissed Bai Qiusheng and was about to return to the Portable Residence when he fumbled in his pocket for a long moment, finding nothing. He was so frantic his mind wasn't working. If the key was gone, how could he return to the Portable Residence?

Li Banfeng tried to remain calm, pondering the reason. There were only two possibilities for the key's whereabouts: either it had been brought to Heishi Slope, or it was still at Xiaoyao Dock.

Li Banfeng called Bai Qiusheng back. "Get me a travel permit and a train ticket. I need to return to Lushui City immediately!"

Bai Qiusheng was startled. "Buy a ticket now?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "The sooner, the better."

Bai Qiusheng didn't dare delay and quickly sent someone to arrange it. Li Banfeng gave another instruction: "Give me a list of everyone who entered the newspaper office today. Don't miss anyone."

At seven o'clock that evening, nearly a hundred people from Lu family's main and branch lines gathered at Lu Maoxian's residence, preparing to avenge him.

Monkey Qiu looked at the crowd, his brows slightly furrowed. So many people answering Lu Maoxian's call was within his expectations; after all, Lu Maoxian was at the peak of his influence, and it was a custom of the Lu family. However, gathering everyone at the Lu family mansion was beyond his expectations. Normally, the main family's important figures would remain at the mansion to handle responses and make decisions, while others would carry out their tasks according to their assigned roles. Now that everyone was at the mansion, with such a grand display, weren't they afraid of leaking information? It seemed this old man not only wanted revenge but also wanted to establish his authority. External affairs relied on customs and defense, internal affairs on authority. Lu Maoxian wanted to firmly establish the Lu family's authority within his own branch. If Lu Chunying hadn't been brought here today, the main lineage of the Lu family wouldn't have been able to present anyone, and Lu Maoxian would have truly succeeded! But even with Lu Chunying present, would Lu Maoxian acknowledge her?

Lu Dongtang, Lu Maoxian's eldest son, stood in the center of the hall, surveying the crowd, projecting the demeanor of a family head. Since it was to avenge his father, it was normal for him to exude a host's aura, and the other families didn't comment.

Lu Dongtang's gaze settled on Lu Chunying, and he deliberately asked, "Who's this girl?"

Lu Donghui, Lu Dongtang's younger brother, said from the side, "This is Big Brother's daughter, Lu Chunying."

Lu Dongtang knew Lu Chunying; she was Lu Dongliang's acknowledged biological daughter and had met with everyone in the family before. His question was intentionally meant to embarrass Lu Chunying.

"A girl born of a wild woman, how dare she show her face here? Has the main lineage run out of people?" Lu Dongtang sneered.

Monkey Qiu frowned. Before he could speak, Lu Chunying looked directly at Lu Dongtang and retorted, "Today is about avenging your father. My presence gives your father face; it's not your place to dictate."

Lu Dongtang's eyebrows shot up. "Who are you talking to?"

"You!" Lu Chunying showed no fear. "My willingness to speak to you is me doing you a favor!"

Lu Dongtang was enraged. He took one step forward when he suddenly felt his veins throb and a wave of dizziness. Was he that angry? It couldn't be, could it? Lu Dongtang realized something was wrong and saw Qiu Zhiheng watching him with cold eyes.

"What do you mean by this? Are you using your techniques on me?" Lu Dongtang gritted his teeth, looking at Monkey Qiu.

Qiu Zhiheng lit a cigarette and said calmly, "Chunying is a young lady of the main family. Be more respectful when you speak."

Lu Dongtang forcibly swallowed his anger. In terms of cultivation and methods, he was no match for Monkey Qiu.

Turning his face, he fixed his gaze on Lu Yuanxin. Lu Yuanxin was Lu Dongjun's son. Due to Lu Dongjun's past actions, Lu Yuanxin's standing in the Lu family was terrible; he had not only lost all his family property but his status within the Lu family was even lower than that of a branch family member.

Lu Dongtang looked at Lu Yuanxin and said, "You came too? Who told you to come?"

Lu Yuanxin lowered his head, blushing, and said, "Aunt Dongchun asked me to come..."

Lu Dongtang chuckled, "She tells you to come, and you just come? Do you really have the nerve to show your face?"

Lu Yuanxin felt deeply embarrassed. Before Lu Dongjun's incident, Lu Yuanxin was a legitimate young master of the Lu family. With outstanding talent and ample medicinal pills, he had become a third-level insect cultivator in his early twenties, truly a promising young talent. In terms of reputation and inner quality, Lu Yuanxin was no less than his peers. Though he was now down on his luck, he had come tonight for the family, only to suffer this humiliation.

Lu Yuanxin turned to leave when he suddenly heard Lu Chunying say to Lu Dongtang, "Did you invite us here today to avenge your father, or to gloat? If you look down on us, we'll simply leave!"

Lu Dongtang's eyebrows shot up again. Every word from this young woman was a direct slap in the face. In fact, Lu Chunying wasn't wrong. Lu Dongtang had put on this display precisely to gain prestige, and now that he couldn't maintain face, Lu Dongtang walked directly towards Lu Chunying.

Monkey Qiu put out his cigarette, silently watching Lu Dongtang. As the two sides seemed on the verge of a confrontation, Lu Dongchun came down from upstairs. "Brother, Father wants to see you."

Lu Dongtang, a look of resentment on his face, went upstairs and entered Lu Maoxian's bedroom. Lu Maoxian's complexion was decent, his injuries about fifty or sixty percent healed, but his right hand had not regenerated. He was old and didn't want to risk going to San Tou Cha, preferring to think of another solution later.

"Dongtang, I heard the main family's daughter came?"

Lu Dongtang said hatefully, "Just a brat, a child Lu Dongliang recognized from who knows where."

"Lu Chunying," Lu Maoxian remembered her. "I thought Monkey Qiu would bring Zhang Huaiyi, but I didn't expect him to bring this girl instead. Don't quarrel with her for now. In this setting, arguing will not benefit us, win or lose."

Lu Dongtang said, "Father, this girl is an absolute menace, a wild woman's offspring..."

Lu Maoxian glared at Lu Dongtang. "Are you not listening when I speak?"

Lu Dongtang dared not speak further. Lu Maoxian asked, "Has Tan Fucheng arrived?"

"Yes, he's here."

"He rarely shows his face in public. You didn't mistake him, did you?"

Lu Dongtang replied, "My subordinates have seen him. He's standing next to Ma Wu; there's no mistaking him."

Lu Maoxian sighed. "That bastard laid a hand on me back then, and he dares to enter my house today. It seems Monkey Qiu instructed him to come and support that girl. And Ma Wu, he's also a significant figure. Lu Chunying has considerable backing."

Lu Dongtang lowered his voice. "Rather than leave a potential problem, why don't we just..."

"Things need to be done, but not hastily," Lu Maoxian said calmly. "We're putting on such a grand show tonight to establish our authority using Ling Miaoying. If we're going to eliminate Lu Chunying, we must pin it on Ling Miaoying. If we can avenge me and also uproot the main family's foundation, then our authority will be completely secured. Do you understand?"

Lu Dongtang returned to the main hall and addressed the crowd: "I invited all of you here today for the Lu family's authority and prestige. My father, the eldest in the Lu family, was ambushed by that bastard, Third Master Ling. This debt must be repaid today."

Lu Donggen, Lu Dongtang's cousin, said, "The debt must be collected, but we need to understand the situation first. I've heard about Third Master Ling's methods. Confronting him on his territory, I'm afraid we won't have the upper hand."

Lu Dongtang said, "Don't worry, everyone, we won't confront him on his territory. Tonight, he's dining with the Customs Commissioner at Yuelai Tower. Once they disperse, we'll deal with him on the road. This is my father's affair, so our family will naturally lead the charge. I ask for your assistance in blocking all routes and exits to ensure he doesn't escape. Tonight, we must take that bastard's life!"

The atmosphere in the hall was heated, and everyone was highly agitated. Tan Fucheng whispered, "Fifth Master, look, this has turned into a theatrical performance. Can anything come of this? That old man is truly desperate to establish his authority!"

Ma Wu smiled but remained silent. He was thinking about something else. Where was Seventh Brother? Before departing tonight, he had searched everywhere for Li Banfeng but couldn't find him. It was probably for the best that he hadn't found him. Given the current situation, it was best for Seventh Brother to stay out of trouble.

Li Banfeng was pacing anxiously at Heishi Slope. Bai Qiusheng had listed the names, and everyone who came to the newspaper office today was an acquaintance; none were from out of town. The entire newspaper office had been searched several times, but the key was indeed not found. Li Banfeng could only hope the key was still at Xiaoyao Dock.

Around eight o'clock, Xiaochuanzi ran over, panting, "Seventh Master, there's a fast train tonight going to Lushui Bay."

Li Banfeng's face lit up with joy. "Great! Do you have a ticket?"

Xiaochuanzi shook his head. "It's not a passenger train; it's a cargo train carrying coal. And it doesn't go to Lushui City, only to the railway depot at the Lushui Bay border."

"That's fine too. What time does it depart?"

"Five in the afternoon."

"Five in the aftern..." Li Banfeng said angrily, "That damned train already left! Why are you telling me this?"

Xiaochuanzi looked helpless. "Seventh Master, you asked for a train today, and this was the only one."

It departed at five in the afternoon. Perhaps there was still time!

Li Banfeng stood up to leave. Xiaochuanzi asked, "Seventh Master, I've reduced the projector cost to two thousand. Would you like to see it?"

"No, don't show me. Reduce it further, to fifteen hundred." With that, Li Banfeng immediately left the newspaper office, rushing away into the night.

At Yuezhou Third Hospital, the button on He Jiaqing's chest vibrated. While He Haisheng was away, He Jiaqing squeezed the button, and Wan Jinxian's voice came through: "Jiaqing, I've heard rumors. The Lu family is looking to avenge themselves on Ling Miaoying tonight."

This was within He Jiaqing's expectations. "It's fine. As long as Ling Miaoying hides well, the Lu family won't find him."

"Ling Miaoying isn't hiding. He's dining with the Customs Commissioner at Yuelai Tower."

He Jiaqing frowned. "Why is he meeting the Customs Commissioner?"

Before Wan Jinxian could explain, He Jiaqing smelled smoke. He Haisheng had returned. He Jiaqing immediately cut off the communication.

He Haisheng entered the ward, intending to just glance at He Jiaqing before going to his hotel to rest. He stood by the bed for a moment and noticed that a button on He Jiaqing's jacket was loose.