Chapter 184: Compel
Chu Li smiled. He pulled a small cloth bag and handed it to Hu Guang Hui, “Chief Hu Guang Hui, can you please give this to High Duke Song or the heir to the High Duke, but I’m afraid that heir to the High Duke cannot make the decision.”
“What’s inside it?” Hu Guang Hui looked at the small cloth bag cautiously and did not reach out his hand.
Chu Li said, “A few pieces of jades, for the heir to the High Duke to play with.”
Hu Guang Hui reached out his hand and took the bag. He opened the small cloth bag and looked into it. There were indeed a few pieces of jade. They were of different sizes and all of good qualities.
“What is this exactly?” Hu Guang Hui asked in puzzlement.
Chu Li said, “Present them to High Duke Song and High Duke Song will know what they are.”
“…Very well, I will report first. Scribe Chu Li, please wait for a moment!” Hu Guang Hui gave a fist salute and turned around to enter the public house.
The eight Protectors stared at him coldly. Looking at their mannerisms, they will attack if he stepped forward.
Chu Li stood with his hand behind his back at one side.
Lu Yu Shu, who was dressed in a blue robe, looking high-spirited and handsome, swaggered out of the public house accompanied by Xi Wu. When he saw Chu Li, he suddenly smiled and sped up his pace.
Lu Yu Shu walked out of the door frame of the public house and came before Chu Li. He frowned at Chu Li, “Surnamed Chu, how come you are here again!”
“Whether I come here or not, can Master Lu Yu Shu make the decision?” Chu Li smiled and said, “This is not Ren Public House, right? Can Master Lu Yu Shu make the decision for Huay Public House? Could it be that your Ren Public House wants to control Huay Public House through marriage?”
“Nonsense!” Lu Yu Shu cut him off with a shout. He stared at Chu Li with a solemn face, “Surnamed Chu, do not talk nonsense. You are really shameless. You have the guts to come back after being driven out?”
Chu Li smiled and said, “Master Lu Yu Shu didn’t know the reason I was cast out?”
“What should I know?” Lu Yu Shu’s handsome face was gloomy. He stared at Chu Li hard. He was so angered by Chu Li that his killing intent was raging. He itched to kill Chu Li with a stab.
Chu Li said, “Wasn’t it in order to protect your little life?”
“Arrogant!” Lu Yu Shu sneered, “You really think that you can kill me?”
Chu Li smiled, “Whether I can or not, why don’t you ask High Official Xi Wu?”
“Chu Li, if you dared to touch my Master, then don’t blame our public house for getting back at you a thousandfold and hundredfold!” Xi Wu said coldly, “It was said that Second Lady Siao is the greatest beauty of Great Ji, it will be really nice if she becomes my Master’s wife!”
Chu Li smiled and said, “Then your courage is not small. Our Second Lady has an engagement with Prince An. I do not know if His Highness Prince An will agree to it or not!”
Both Xi Wu’s and Lu Yu Shu’s expressions changed.
The public houses’ relations.h.i.+p with the Imperial Household was subtle, but they will not betray the Imperial Household because this was where they drew the line.
The power of the Imperial Household was far higher than the public houses. Usually, they can go against the Imperial Household for some matters but when such things happened, they will be at a disadvantage as keeping a good relations.h.i.+p with the Imperial Household was more important.
Chu Li said, “Master Lu Yu Shu, I’m back so you better be careful!”
Lu Yu Shu sneered, “I don’t believe that you would dare to break into Huay Public House!”
Chu Li smiled and did not say a word.
Xi Wu tugged and winked at Lu Yu Shu. They turned around and returned to Huay Public House.
The world was really small. Two days ago, it was Master who deliberately went and humiliated Chu Li but this time, it was a pure coincidence.
However, the act of Master looking for trouble repeatedly was really dangerous. If he angered Chu Li, Chu Li will most likely ignore Huay Public House and a.s.sa.s.sinate Master.
This time, he came alone with Master for fear that they will attract attention and in turn, complicated the issue. He initially planned to get things done quietly so it will be a foregone conclusion and they no longer had to fear any disruption to the marriage.
However, of all people, they had to meet Chu Li!
Hu Guang Hui went through the courtyard and came to the main hall.
Song s.h.i.+ Ling was in a loose gown with a wide girdle, reading a book. His round and fat face was solemn, totally different from the Song s.h.i.+ Ling who was in front of Chu Li, as if it was two different people.
“Heir to the High Duke,” Hu Guang Hui entered the hall and bowed, “That Chu Li came again!”
“Just drive him out!” Song s.h.i.+ Ling did not put down the book. His eyes were still glued to the book and he waved his hand casually.
“He said that this should be presented to you, heir to the High Duke,” Hu Guang Hui presented the small cloth bag.
Song s.h.i.+ Ling put down the book and beckoned.
Hu Guang Hui went forward and handed it over.
Song s.h.i.+ Ling untied it and took a glance at the content. After that, he poured out the few pieces of jade onto the table directly. He frowned and looked at them.
Hu Guang Hui craned his neck, smiled and said, “Heir to the High Duke, what are these?”
Song s.h.i.+ Ling cast an askance glance at him and scoffed, “You can’t tell?”
“I really can’t tell,” Hu Guang Hui shook his head, “I’m dull. Heir to the High Duke, please enlighten me.”
“Old man!” Song s.h.i.+ Ling scoffed and picked up a piece of jade, “This piece is White Horse Town’s mayor’s… This one is Blue Stone Town’s mayors. This piece is Raging Billow Town’s mayor’s. This one is Sea Guarding Town’s mayor’s!”
Hu Guang Hui frowned, “Heir to the High Duke, could it be that he ran to several towns and asked for them from the mayors?”
“Can’t you be a little smarter?” Song s.h.i.+ Ling said snappily with a gloomy face, “If someone asked for this thing, will you give it? These are things that you kept close to you!”
These jade tags were personal things of those important people that were used to ward off evils. They will not even show it to those who were very close to them. How can they give it to Chu Li?
Even if Chu Li used Huay Public House’s ident.i.ty, they will not give it to him so he can only steal the jade tags.
How Chu Li stole them was not important. He was trying to say that he can steal these so if he wanted to take these people’s lives, it will be very easy!
This was clearly a threat!
Hu Guang Hui quickly said, “Could it be that he had killed these mayors?”
“He won’t dare to!” Song s.h.i.+ Ling sneered.
Hu Guang Hui said, “Heir to the High Duke, do you want to ask him personally?”
“…Let him come in!” Song s.h.i.+ Ling’s face became increasingly gloomy. He scoffed, “I’d like to see what he wanted to do!”
Hu Guang Hui rushed out in a hurry. He was afraid that if he continued to stay there, the heir to the High Duke will vent his anger on him.
Song s.h.i.+ Ling played with the few pieces of jade tags. His face was gloomy and his mind flooded with thoughts.
A few days before, his father was in the public house but he did not want to see Chu Li because he did not want to go against Yi Public House publically. Moreover, letting Song s.h.i.+ Ling face Chu Li can have room for maneuver. After all, he was on good terms with High Duke Siao.
However, his father was not in the public house currently, so he was in charge of this matter. How to deal with Chu Li’s threat was an issue.
Chu Li slowly walked into the main hall. He gave a fist salute and laughed, “Heir to the High Duke, how are you?”
Song s.h.i.+ Ling said coldly, “Have a seat!”
Chu Li sat down across from him and took the teacup the maid handed to him. He smiled and said, “What would heir of the High Duke like to enlighten me with?”
“Surnamed Chu, what are you getting at now?” Song s.h.i.+ Ling pointed at the jade tags on the table, “Did you kill them?”
Chu Li smiled and said, “Whether they will be alive or dead are all in the hands of the heir to the High Duke!”
Song s.h.i.+ Ling squinted his eyes and sneered, “How dare you!”
Chu Li shrugged and said, “The w.a.n.g brothers dared to kill the mayor of the Path of Chong Ming but they are still fine because they are protected by the public house. If I kill those mayors as a Scribe too, I believe that I’ll be fine too.”
“You are not afraid of the High Officials from the Imperial House?” Song s.h.i.+ Ling scoffed.
Chu Li said, “They do not have evidence and they can’t find witnesses. How can you say that they were killed by me?”
“I am a witness!” Song s.h.i.+ Ling said.
Chu Li smiled and said, “Did heir to the High Duke saw with your own eyes that I killed them? …those who are witnessed can be protected, not to mention those who are not witnessed, am I right?”
“Your Yi Public House is ready to go against us publically?” Song s.h.i.+ Ling sneered, “Surnamed Chu, you should not find trouble for your public house!”
Chu Li said, “Friend or foe. It’s all in the hands of High Duke Song!”
“Bulls.h.i.+t!” Song s.h.i.+ Ling cut him off with a shout, “Believe it or not I’ll kill you now!”
Chu Li shook his head and laughed despite himself, “Heir to the High Duke, these words are so familiar!”
Song s.h.i.+ Ling shouted, “Come out!”
Four Grandmasters showed up in a flash, surrounding Chu Li.