Seeing Jiang Wu talking to me like this, the subordinate behind him sighed and called out to him helplessly, "Ah Wu."
Jiang Wu turned to deal with him.
And I pondered during their conversation. If I were to work with Jiang Wu, he definitely wouldn't submit to me, and I couldn't be his subordinate either. The compromise would be for me to sit on an equal footing with him.
So the question is, as a latecomer, what can I rely on to obtain the same first right as Jiang Wu in his team?
I am not Lu Zhaoyao, and I don’t have such great strength. Jiang Wu is not Mo Qing, and I cannot seduce him every day like I did with Mo Qing. The only bargaining chip I can think of to use in dealings with Jiang Wu is the invaluable first-hand information I have about the alliance between Mo Qing and Qinchixian.
Even if Jiang Wu is formidable, he wouldn't be able to withstand the double attack from Wanlumen and Qianchenge, as they don't know that their organization is on the edge of life and death. If I can provide them with information to evade an ambush, they may seek an opportunity to counterattack in the future.
When that time comes, Jiang Wu and his group will help me deal with Anluowei, and I will seize the opportunity to kill Mo Qing in the chaos.
Once I sorted out my own cards and planned my strategy, I saw that the people burning paper over there were almost done, so I turned to Jiang Wu and said, "How about we make a deal?"
Jiang Wu raised his eyebrows with interest, "Oh? A deal? Do you want me to help Lu Zhaoyao burn paper again?"
"It's best if you do, but what I want to talk to you about is not that."
Jiang Wu smiled, "So confident in making a deal with me?" He stretched out his hand and put it on my neck, as if to strangle me, "You must know that I can end your life with just one move."
I didn't dodge because there was no killing intent in his eyes. I knew he was just trying to intimidate me, like scaring a child, and he didn't actually want to kill me. But just as I was about to talk to him rationally about doing business, someone suddenly intervened with a sword from the side, forcibly pushing Jiang Wu's hand back.
The person who came suddenly shook all over, and Jiang Wu, unwilling to show weakness, retreated slightly, while the newcomer suddenly took three steps back. What's more, his hand was blocking in front of me, so when he was pushed back, I was forced to take three large steps back as well.
He showed no remorse, only with a very serious tone, he said, "Miss, go quickly!"
As I looked at the familiar dress in front of me, I realized that it was Anluowei's person.
Perhaps... Mo Qing sent him to track and protect me.
But I don't need protection now! I don't want to leave! I still have things to do!
However, I couldn't bring myself to say these words. If I did, I'd have to report back to Moqing. How would I explain it? It's like saying I have a lot in common with the person you want to kill, so I planned to go have a drink and chat about life with him?
Moqing would kill me.
The Anluo guard in my front protected me, and the Jiangwu's subordinate immediately stepped forward on the other side to stand in front of Jiangwu. His gaze was sharp as a knife, "It's Anluo Wei, she is indeed Lichenlan's person."
Jiangwu remained calm and composed. He stroked his chin, took a deep breath, and pondered, "Lichenlan actually allowed his men to mix with the crowds and burn paper money. Wasn't he the one who killed to take the throne? It's really incomprehensible..."
"It's not about understanding Lichenlan," his subordinate was a little anxious and worried, "it's just telling you not to be interested in anyone and go over towards them."
"Oh, so long-winded," Jiangwu pushed his subordinate away with a slap, stood in front, and the flames of the paper money burned on the side, making him look fierce. "No matter who she belongs to, as long as I swing the hoe well, there's no corner I can't dig down. I pursue, they are all mine." He clenched his fist, and his fingers made a crisp sound.
Did he plan to...
Abduct someone?
The Anluo guard in front of me seemed particularly nervous, exuding a strong killing intent. He didn't speak, but I heard a voice transmitting secretly, as if saying in my ear, "Miss, hurry back to Chenjishan, I will delay them here for you."
Actually, it doesn't matter if you go back and I delay them...
"Go quickly," as soon as he finished speaking, he rushed forward, with an attitude of calmly facing death. Under his serious and solemn attitude, I, who was full of mischievous thoughts, felt a little awkward.
But before I could feel this awkward emotion, the battle in front of me ended quickly.
It didn't really end, but it ended for me.
Jiangwu, in a flash, passed by the Anluo guard's shoulder, and landed in front of me. The Anluo guard, surprised, wanted to turn back to intercept, but Jiangwu had already lifted me onto his shoulder, and Jiangwu's subordinate drew a long knife from his waist and fought with the Anluo guard.
"Little beauty, let's go for a drink."
After that, I only felt the wind around me, and in the next moment, I had left the Qingshi small bridge leading to Hua Street, shut out the outside noise, and entered a small courtyard.
The courtyard vividly displayed the late spring scenery. The moist ground stuck to the fallen blossoms on the trees, and the flower buds in the corner of the wall were about to bloom.
Jiangwu put me on the slightly cool stone table in the courtyard, with the height at which I sat, only a head shorter than him. He put his hand on my waist, leaned close to my face, so close that in the moist air, there seemed to be a subtle ambiguous breath flowing.
"Are you afraid of me?"
I raised my eyes and looked at him, "You don't kill me, so why should I be afraid of you?"
Jiangwu raised an eyebrow, squinted, and stared at me more dangerously, "How do you know I won't kill you?"
"Oh, then go ahead and kill me."
Jiangwu seemed to choke on my words for a moment, paused for a moment, and eventually stepped back. He laughed, "Interesting. Little beauty, you are the first woman who has made me find so interesting. I admire you."
"I also appreciate you." I jumped down and sat on a nearby stone stool, crossed my legs, looked up at him, "Bring the wine first, let's talk business while drinking."
Jiangwu's eyes showed a mixture of scrutiny and playfulness, looked at me for a while, and then waved his hand. A group of maids walked out of the room in the yard, each offering pastries and fine wine, and then retreated.
Jiang Wu also sat down and poured a drink, taking a sip first: "Licen Lan sent the Anluo Guard to protect you, so you must be very important to him. Who are you, exactly?"
I took a pastry and felt a bit repulsed by Jiang Wu's cooking skills here, which couldn't compare to the chef at my Wanlu Men. I poured a drink, took a big gulp, washed away the pastry taste in my mouth, and said, "You don't need to worry about who I am. You just need to know that I am important to Licen Lan. Knowing this is enough for us to discuss what comes next..."
As the fine wine flowed down my throat, I felt a fiery sensation in my stomach, and in no time, the alcohol hit me. I had just thought whether Jiang Wu had drugged the pastry or the wine when the next moment, I fell headfirst onto the stone table.
The impact made me feel like my soul had left my body.
I stared at Zhiyan's body slumped on the table, dumbfounded, while Jiang Wu, who had been contemplating with narrowed eyes as he held his wine glass, also faltered, "Little beauty?" he called me, "Zhiyan?" Jiang Wu reached out, touched the neck of the body, then, in confusion, picked up the still-held wine glass, looked at it, sniffed, and then turned to ask, "Hey, did you poison it?"
A servant girl came out of the room, knelt down, and hastily kowtowed, "We dare not act on our own!"
So it turned out that Zhiyan had collapsed after downing a glass.
I tried to shake her body and then gave up. Was she too weak? Even medicine doesn't act this fast! How am I supposed to talk to people now!
Just as I was annoyed by Zhiyan's incapacity, another person walked out of the room, with a slightly hunched back and a hand leaning on a green steel crutch, and it was the stern-faced Yuan Jie.
My Beishan master... appeared here? Apart from his alliance with Jiang Wu, I couldn't think of any other reason.
"Licen Lan and Qin Qianxian are discussing secret matters today, intending to join forces to besiege you. No one knows the details of their discussion, and yet you are here laughing and joking with a woman? If there are any mishaps later on, don't blame me for not informing you beforehand."
Just as I expected.
No wonder Jiang Wu was able to act so arrogantly for such a long time; turns out he had a mole protecting him.
It seems that Beishan's master had long harbored deep grievances against Moqing, and wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of him. He truly was someone who had worked for me before. His style and thinking were exactly like mine.
Now that Yuan Jie had gone and done what I had wanted to do, the valuable contribution I could offer Jiang Wu became less. There was no longer any business to be done.
Now I had to find a way to leave, return to Moqing, and when the opportunity arises, expose Yuan Jie's colluding with external enemies, in order to gain greater trust from Moqing and establish a firmer footing by his side. Transfer the benefits that I could have gained from Jiang Wu to Moqing.
In any case, I had to get a piece of the pie in this matter.
Now the problem was, how could I leave here now? The Anluo Guard, who was supposed to protect me, was nowhere to be found. No one knew I was here, and Moqing wouldn't be back from the overseas fairy island for two or three days... and here was Yuan Jie coming over, casting a gloomy glance at Zhiyan's face...
"It's her."
"What?" Jiang Wu raised an eyebrow, "Do you know her?"
"She has been appearing frequently by Licen Lan's side recently. The first time I saw her, Licen Lan said she was an informant. Then she claimed to be the sect leader's disciple. But there is also news... saying she is Qin Qianxian's niece."
Well, now that the identity of this body has been exposed, both of his formidable opponents were related to me, so Jiang Wu probably wouldn't let me leave.
"And also..."
Why is this old man so talkative!
"A few days ago, I had a confrontation with her. She blocked my moves, quite reminiscent of our former sect leader's style."
"Oh? Lu Zhaoyao?" Jiang Wu squatted beside Zhiyan, pulling her body back, letting her fall into his arms, "I find it more and more interesting." Jiang Wu raised his hand and summoned a servant girl, "Carry her in first and confine her to the room."
"Lichenlan is protecting this woman, and you're confining her here..."
"So what if she's confined here?" Jiang Wu smiled, "Lichenlan has not left Chenji Mountain in five years. Even if he comes in person, don't underestimate the barrier in my courtyard. Even Lichenlan can't break in."
Yuan Jie glanced at him, "Lichenlan left Chenji Mountain today, and no one knows where he went. Also, don't underestimate Lichenlan. As the Demon King's son, wielding the Wanjun Sword, no one in this world has yet tested his limits."
"Alright." Jiang Wu grinned, showing his white teeth, like a wolf showing its killing intent in the dark, "I'll be the one to test his limits."