The Overlord of Puluo

Hiding inside the Pocket Dwelling might have seemed safe, but that plan would not work.

If Li Banfeng hid in the Pocket Dwelling and never came out, he would be completely cut off from the outside world. This would be even worse than hiding in the Yu Family Village. Without knowing how events were unfolding outside, he could not make any real preparations or responses. Unless he chose to remain in the Pocket Dwelling for the rest of his life, there was a chance he would die the moment he stepped outside.

Since passive defense would not work, he needed to change his strategy.

Li Banfeng looked down at the paper in his hand and asked, ”What kind of places are Trailhead Inn, Elysian Melody Dancehall, and Azure Pond Teahouse?”

Shopkeeper Feng replied, ”They are all businesses owned by the Jiangxiang Gang. They are on this very street and very close to the Yu Family Cloth Shop. I won’t bother explaining the inn and the teahouse. As for the dancehall, it is a place of pleasure filled with singing and dancing.”

Li Banfeng nodded. ”Its name is Elysian Melody, so it must be a place devoted to studying music.”

”Music... erm... how should I put it?” Shopkeeper Feng said, struggling to find the right words.

Li Banfeng took a sip of tea. ”If they want to set an ambush on this street, it would be better to hide inside the Yu Family Cloth Shop.”

Shopkeeper Feng shook his head firmly. ”They can’t do that!”

Had anyone else spoken such amateur words, Shopkeeper Feng would not have bothered to explain. However, as Li Banfeng was from the Outer Provinces, it was natural that he did not know certain rules.

Shopkeeper Feng started explaining, ”The Jiangxiang Gang’s goal is to ambush Shopkeeper Yu. If they had people squatting inside the Yu Family Cloth Shop, they would need to go in and out for food and supplies. And if there was activity inside, would Shopkeeper Yu still return?”

Li Banfeng nodded. What Shopkeeper Feng said was reasonable. Yu Nan was extremely cautious and had stationed lookouts in Inner Gully, which meant that she would certainly know if anyone went in and out of the cloth shop.

Shopkeeper Feng added, ”The Jiangxiang Gang is ruthless, yes, but they still play by the rules of the jianghu. This is about avenging the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House and not about stealing Shopkeeper Yu’s shop. If they tried to seize the store while Shopkeeper Yu was away, they would never be able to justify themselves to the jianghu.

Seeing the incense stick about to burn down, Li Banfeng asked another question. ”Where is the Branch Hall of the Jiangxiang Gang’s Medicine King Hall Second Branch?”

”It’s the Rising Prosperity Gambling House on Yuanping Street. It’s a grand mansion that is very easily recognizable. It would be best if you take another route and stay away from it,” Shopkeeper Feng said.

Li Banfeng nodded and handed Shopkeeper Feng five thousand in cash.

Shopkeeper Feng hurriedly waved his hands. ”What are you doing? I was the one who wronged you before. I can’t take your money for just a bit of information.”

A small bit of information? That sheet of paper was worth over five thousand on its own.

Though Shopkeeper Feng refused, Li Banfeng shoved the money into his pocket. ”Shopkeeper, I still have other purchases to make. Treat this as a deposit.”

”What do you want to buy?”

Li Banfeng leaned in and whispered a few words into Shopkeeper Feng’s ear.

Shopkeeper Feng frowned. ”Trader Li, in Puluo Province, that might not work well. You’d best think it over.”

Li Banfeng smiled. ”The more you buy, the more chances one will be useful.”

The Geng Family Medicinal Trading House is gone, and the Jiangxiang Gang is showing no sign of stopping. I have to fight again. If I can win, I’ll fight. If I can’t, I’ll run. But can I win this time?

These thoughts ran through his mind. Still, Li Banfeng believed that if he chose the right opponent, he would win.

Hmm... that Martial Cultivator is too high level. It will be hard to face him head-on. As for that Ascetic Cultivator, I don’t know how that cultivation works, Li Banfeng muttered inwardly. In the end, he set his sights on Du Hongxi.

The Nightfiend Cultivator is a very suitable target, he concluded.

Now that he had chosen an opponent, he would need to choose the right method. This method must hurt them so badly that they wouldn’t dare to investigate him again.

***

Leaving the general store, Li Banfeng lowered the brim of his fedora and quickly left the Memorial Arch Street.

He made his way into Firewood Alley, where a small noodle shop caught his eye. Taking a seat, he ordered two bowls of mutton noodles and ate his fill.

He was about to return to the Pocket Dwelling when a young paperboy called out beside him, ”Sir, want to buy some newspaper? Morning paper cost three mao and evening paper cost five mao.”

There are evening papers sold in the Medicine King Gully? Li Banfeng thought.

The evening paper was printed later than the morning edition and carried more up-to-date news, which was why it cost more than the leftover morning copies.

Li Banfeng bought one. Printed across the front page was the headline He and Lu Families Clash, What Road Lies Ahead?

The article mentioned the bitter enmity between the He Family and the Lu Family. As Li Banfeng skimmed through it, he could not help but feel shocked.

The He Family believed that Lu Xiaolan, the concubine-born daughter of the Lu Family, had attacked their eldest son, He Jiaqing. As of now, He Jiaqing was still receiving treatments in a hospital in the Outer Provinces.

Lu Xiaolan, the concubine-born daughter of the Lu Family, had gone missing. The Lu Family denied the He Family’s baseless accusations, saying they were still doing their utmost to search for Lu Xiaolan. They also promised that they would give the He Family an explanation.

Li Banfeng no longer needed to question if the man in the hospital was really He Jiaqing. The He Family had already confirmed it.

As for Lu Xiaolan, she was still missing and no one knew that she was now in the He Family’s old residence.

Whether it was good or bad for Lu Xiaolan, no one could say. However, Li Banfeng thought it was good.

The Lu Family had to give the He Family an explanation. If they found Lu Xiaolan, they might very well make her the scapegoat. Living in humiliation within the He Family’s old residence might not be the worst outcome for Lu Xiaolan.

Was this good or bad for Li Banfeng? He judged it to be good as well.

If Lu Xiaolan managed to escape from the He Family’s old residence, the Lu Family would likely start looking for him as well.

What surprised Li Banfeng was not just the news itself, but that newspapers, a form of news medium that had already been dismissed as obsolete decades ago, still carried such a wealth of information.

Information... Li Banfeng muttered inwardly.

Seeing that the paperboy had not gone far yet, Li Banfeng hurried after him and shouted, ”Give me a morning paper as well.”

The paperboy was overjoyed. At this hour, morning papers were difficult to sell, so he quickly handed one to Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng skimmed through the morning edition. Aside from the article about the He and Lu Family on the front page, he also saw news about the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House.

The title of the news article read: The Geng Family Medicinal Trading House Burned to Ashes as Hidden Hand Steps from the Shadows.

It turned out to be an editorial. The writer examined the fire that destroyed the Geng Family, weighing possible culprits. No firm conclusion was drawn, but every line of reasoning pointed squarely toward the Yu Family Gang.

For Li Banfeng, this came as no surprise. The commentary also brought up the Jiangxiang Gang, and some even went so far as to predict that the Yu Family would be wiped out entirely by the Jiangxiang Gang within a month.

What kind of backing does this newspaper have? Who is supporting it? Are they not afraid of the Jiangxiang Gang’s power?

Flipping through the pages, Li Banfeng spotted an advertisement for the Elysian Melody Dancehall.

Starting tomorrow, the Elysian Melody Dancehall invites you to a three-day promotional extravaganza! Enjoy dazzling performances and exclusive savings, with discounts starting at 30% off!

Reading the ad, Li Banfeng mused, So even a place that studies music offers discounts. This is a rare learning opportunity. I’d better take a look.

The morning paper wasn’t much different from the evening one. And so, Li Banfeng turned to the boy and asked, ”Do you have any earlier issues?”

The boy shook his head. ”No more.”

Li Banfeng asked again, ”Then do you know where I can buy old newspapers?”

The paperboy hugged a heavy stack of papers and said, ”I do.”

He was just about to point the way when Li Banfeng pulled out a twenty-yuan note and handed it over. ”Take me there.”

The paperboy was exhilarated. He led Li Banfeng through two alleys to the front of a shop.

Over the entrance hung a sign that read ”Ru Family Bookhouse.” When Li Banfeng walked in, the shopkeeper was already preparing to close.

”Looking for books?” Shopkeeper Ru greeted him.

Li Banfeng shook his head. ”I’m here for newspapers.”

Shopkeeper Ru chuckled. ”Newspapers? I don’t sell new ones here.”

”I’m here for old newspapers,” Li Banfeng said. ”I want every issue of the Medicine King Gully Evening News from the last three years.”

Realizing that this was a big order, Shopkeeper Ru raised a brow. ”Three years’ worth? Think it through, sir. Old newspapers cost more than new ones.”

Shopkeeper Ru wasn’t selling scrap paper. He was selling collectibles.

”Just name your price,” Li Banfeng said.

Shopkeeper Ru didn’t immediately give the price. This year’s papers were double-priced at one yuan each. Last year’s doubled again at two yuan a piece. The year before that, they were at four yuan each. And papers from three years ago cost eight yuan per copy.

Li Banfeng didn’t hesitate. He paid five thousand three hundred and fifty yuan and bought every issue of the evening newspaper from three and a half years ago.

He carried several stacks of newspapers on his shoulder. Once he found a place with no one around, he moved them into the Pocket Dwelling.

The moment he entered, he lit a candle and began flipping through the papers one by one.

The newspaper at Medicine King Gully was divided into four sections. The first covered major news from Puluo Province, and as two of its most powerful families, the conflicts between the He and Lu Families naturally dominated the front page.

The second section featured commentaries by well-known columnists from Medicine King Gully. One, writing under the pen name Inner Gully Madman, recounted a century of history detailing the past grievances between the He and Lu Families.

In that commentary, Li Banfeng came across a phrase, the darkest era. But as for what exactly it referred to would still require further investigation.

The third section focused on local news from Medicine King Gully. The fourth was the supplement, filled with essays, serialized novels, and advertisements.

The saying ”Read more books, read more papers, eat fewer snacks, and get more sleep” was equally fitting in Puluo Province.

If Li Banfeng had read more newspapers, he wouldn’t have repeatedly exposed his ignorance in Puluo Province.

Having read through that evening’s paper, Li Banfeng felt he had learned a great deal. He then flipped to the copy from three days ago and came across an article about He Jiaqing.

The report on He Jiaqing’s attack had come out a little late, but it occupied the entire front page.

The headline read: Attack Against The He Family Heir Makes Marriage Pact with the Lu Family a Blood Feud

The article offered details missing from news he read in the Outer Provinces, covering both the Train 1160 derailment and the disappearance of He Jiaqing and Lu Xiaolan.

Li Banfeng kept flipping through the papers, eager to uncover more information, when suddenly the gramophone came alive with a burst of pops and crackles.

Clang, clang, clang~

”Raise a rooster that will not crow,

”Raise a yellow dog that will not guard,

”Marry a husband who will not buy food,

”Better to wed a turtle that still lives!”

Li Banfeng erupted in rage and shouted, ”Shameless hag! Who do you think you’re calling a turtle?”

”Hey yaaaaaa~ This little wife is starving away ya~ Scold you once, scold you twice, is even that not allowed yaaa~”