The family of the sentry was living at Qinchun street.
As one of the wealthier families, they had a certain position within Weicheng City. Therefore it was within reason that they lived on a bustling and prosperous street like Qinchun street.
As they followed the road to this place, Ye Qingyu looked around carefully.
The merchant company that the sentry’s family owned was known as the Four Seas Merchant Company. It was extremely famous throughout Weicheng City. There were three stores in this street that had the name Four Seas in it. This was the information that was obtained from the report of the military department. But for some unknown reason, on the way here, despite Ye Qingyu looking carefully at the stores on both sides of the street, he did not discover any stores with the name ‘Four Seas’ on it.
What was happening?
Could he have taken a wrong turn?
Ye Qingyu was somewhat confused. The other Youyan soldiers had also kept a lookout for these signs. Even if Ye Qingyu had missed something, the others would not have also overlooked it.
After watching to the end of the Qinchun street and walking through it again, they did not manage to find anything.
Could it be that the Four Seas Merchant Company had moved?
Or perhaps the information held in the register of the military department was wrong?
Ye Qingyu stood by the side, thinking it over carefully. He turned his head to looked at the weapons shop next to him. There was the owner who was wearing a head cloth that was currently seeing someone off. He was a fifty-year-old man, and seemed to have a genial face. He should have opened such a store for many years in Qinchun street. Ye Qingyu headed directly towards the weapons shop owner.
“Hey, Mister, come inside. Are you here to pick some suitable weapons?” The owner of the store waved to Ye Qingyu, warmly greeting him with cupped hands.
Ye Qingyu replied courteously and entered into the weapons store.
With Ye Qingyu’s current cultivation, the weapons of such a store would naturally not interest him anymore. However, he did pick some weapons without paying much care that were of an average price. After paying, he pretended to ask innocently, “Mister, I heard that the Four Seas Merchant Company was on this street. Where has it gone?”
The complexion of this owner of the weapon store completely changed. With alarm. “Why are you asking?”
Ye Qingyu’s heart skipped a beat. Seeing the owner’s expression, he instantly knew there was a story within this disappearance. Acting like he did not care in the slightest, “It’s nothing. It that’s previously I came to Weicheng and went to the Four Seas Merchant Company to buy something. This time I came again and discovered it was missing. Could it have been performing badly?”
“How could this be. Old Liao is very clever, he started from nothing. The Four Seas Merchant Company could be counted as famous in Weicheng and they were very able. How would it close? It’s only… sigh…” The owner of the weapon store suppressed his own voice. “Even if you are a clever and able person, without power or background, everything is like smoke in front of the rich and powerful…”
He said such words with a pitying and consoling tone.
There was definitely an incident that had occurred.
Ye Qingyu continued to ask on, “Do you mean that the Four Seas Merchant Company has offended someone?”
“Sigh, it’s a long story. This matter is complicated. The family of old Liao is in a pitiful state.His eldest son is currently imprisoned… This matter is currently the forbidden topic within the city. We cannot just say anything loosely. I can’t say anymore. Mister, I think that you are a person that cares, but don’t pry into this matter any further. Why don’t you have another look at the weapons? This sword is not bad, it’s the work of a master, do you want to have another look?”
The owner of the weapons store did not seem like he was willing to say another word.
Ye Qingyu nodded his head, comprehending in his heart. The owner of this weapon store was a insightful person, he was able to faintly guess his intention for coming here. He did not pursue this matter any further, and said with a sincere expression, “Thank you for reminding me. I know, but I only want to ask, where has Old Liao and his family have goneand how will I be able to find them?”
The owner of the weapons store evaluated Ye Qingyu seriously, his expression becoming hesitant.
“Don’t worry, I am Old Liao’s friend. I’m not a bad person.” Ye Qingyu smiled.
The owner of the store finally let out a breath of relief. suppressing his voice to it’s quietest, “You should be able to find them in Donkey Tail Alley… mister, it’s important to be honourable. But the trouble Old Liao has incited is troublesome, you had best not wrap yourself up in it.”
Ye Qingyu clasped his hand, “Thank you.”
Then he brought Ximen Yeshui and the others to depart.
The owner of the weapon store walked to the door, staring at the backs of Ye Qingyu and the others. Shaking his head and letting out another sigh, “Sigh, just what did they do wrong. What is wrong with the world? They only wanted to do some business, but their family was torn apart…
……
……
At Donkey Tail Alley.
It was the famous poor district of Weicheng, dirty and disordered. The Donkey Tail Alley, as well as the other seven alleys nearby, were known as the eight great alleys. It was like moss growing on the body of Weicheng City, it was a place where people kept their distance.
Ye Qingyu and the others appeared at the entrance to Donkey Tail Alley.
It was a little alleyway that was not even two meters wide. On the right side, there was a black gutter with disgusting water flowing in it, unknown substances swirling inside. There was a powerful stench of rot emitting from this black water. The surface of this alley was disturbed and bumpy, and everyone that passed by this alley was dressed extremely poorly. Bitterness was on their faces and all of them seem malnourished.
The family of sentry had moved into such a little alley?
According to reason, the sentries had died in battle and the Youyan army should have long reported this. The military department should have recorded this contribution down. Their family could be counted as the family of heroes. Even if they were not nobles, they should have received the protection of the government officials. Just who had the Four Seas Merchant Company offended, for them to be forced into such a state?
There was a trace of anger that gradually rose in Ye Qingyu’s heart.
“Go. Let’s go have a look.”
Ye Qingyu headed inside the little alley.
Ximen Yeshui curiously evaluated his surroundings, following closely behind.
The sight they saw was different from the people dressed in brocaded and luxurious clothing on the main street. This little alley was enough to satisfy any description of the poor. The two sides of the alleyway had rooms created by low walls made of coarse clay, as well as some tents made from beast skins. They could occasionally hear sounds of cursing and fighting, and there would occasionally be a flash of sunlight that shined into a corner. They would see old men their faces filled with numbness, or perhaps cripples with broken arms and legs. There were also muscular and rough men with sinister expressions that were dotted about…
The clothes that Ye Qingyu and the others wore were not fancy or wealthy. But in this alley, they were the odd ones out.
There were different gazes that constantly regarded them from both sides, curiously evaluating them.
The Youyan soldier beside Ye Qingyu went to enquire about, seeing if anyone knew where Old Liao’s family were. At first, no one paid any attention to them. But after giving a tael of silver, there were people fighting to lead the way. The large majority of them were conmen who had not even heard of Old Liao, and only came forward for the money.
In such an area where it was bitterly poor, there would be people killing and setting fire just for a little bun. All their gazes glimmered with light as they regarded the money offered to them.
As expected, there was a man that had a chest filled with black hair, and a blood red tattoo on his body that surrounded them from all directions.
“Little brat, leave the money behind, otherwise…” A burly man chuckled sinisterly.
But before he could finish, he flew out spitting blood.
Just how powerful were the Youyan soldiers?
How could they allow such a level of trash to be so impudent in front of the Marquis?
The other burly men’s expressions turned pale. They had not even seen their opponent act, before their comrade had fainted and vomited blood. They instantly knew they had met someone hard, and scattered like terrified mice.
“Lord, you said you wanted to find the Old Liao of the Four Seas Merchant Company?” There was a somewhat shy boy that finally mustered his courage.
Ye Qingyu heard his question, and knew they found someone who could help. He nodded his head with a smile at the boy.
“Are you Old Liao’s friend?” The little fellow asked with hesitance.
Ye Qingyu nodded his head.
“En, if you are his friend, then I can bring you to him. But he might be at home, there are only auntie Liao and sister Cui Cui there.” As the little fellow spoke, he led the way.
After following the little boy for fifteen minutes’ time, they took turn after turn. It was like entering into a labyrinth. The deeper they went, the more shocking the conditions became. Finally, there were not even rooms, but only little holes that had been dug on the ground, and weeds. There were also collapsed stone houses that had been constructed who knows how long ago…
“It should be here…” The little boy pointed to one of the Sogon grass houses. “Old Liao and the others, should be inside…”
Before he had finished.
Boom!
There was an explosion that came in front of them.
Wind swept everywhere. Accompanied by a sharp cry, as several grass houses collapsed.
There was a significant fluctuation of yuan qi in the air.
There were martial experts exchanging blows?
Ye Qingyu’s expression changed slightly. Because he could sense that, of the two colliding yuan qi, one of them was the Youyan soldier who he had hiddenly sent to follow the old man who had led the way.
Why would an expert appear here?
As he thought of this, they quickened their footsteps. Very quickly, they came to the place of conflict.The surroundings were completely chaotic. Five or six houses made of Sogon grass had collapsed. There were constantly people screaming as they crawled out from the wreckage. There was a person wearing a black-coloured battle robe, with anger in his face, that pointed at the old man that gave them directions as well as the two women he protected behind him.
And what faced them was the middle-aged scholar called Housekeeper Zheng. There was also twenty or so guards with him.
And the person who faced Gao Shou was a muscular man that was like an iron tower with a leather wrist guard at his wrist and arm. He had a sneer on his face. Cracking his wrists, there was a sinister and bloodthirsty expression on him.
“Little fellow, this is the matter for the Wu household. You dare interfere, You really don’t want to live anymore,” Housekeeper Zheng shouted loudly and sneeringly. Then he pointed at the old man who had led the way, his tone filled with threat as he said, “You bastard Liao, to think you would dare not repay your debt. So you had found help. Haha, to directly oppose the Wu household, you must be blind. let’s see how young master Wu will take care of your whole family. “
So the old man that was selling pastry and gave the directions was Old Liao.
He was the father of the sentry.
Ye Qingyu suddenly understood.
As they spoke, Gao Shou spotted Ye Qingyu and the others who had hurried over. he quickly came, and paid his respects. “Marquis, I’ve found the person in question. So the old man was the father of brother Liao. Their whole family, apart from brother Liao’s older brother who has been imprisoned, are all here.”
Ye Qingyu nodded his head.
He did not imagine that the family of the sentry had fallen to such an extent.
An acute sense of guilt and responsibility filled Ye Qingyu’s chest. If he was able to come a little earlier, perhaps there would not be such matters that had occurred. Then perhaps the Liao family would not have to suffer so much?
He had… really failed the sentry.