215: Chapter 215 Returning to the City

All of this seemed to take a long time, but in reality, it was only a fleeting moment.

Unconsciously, Patriarch Wu Shenglong straightened his posture, the light in his eyes growing brighter as if he could already see the Wu Family rising rapidly under his leadership.

It was at this moment that Pei Tianquan spoke up at the right time.

He waved his hand and put on a gentle smile. "Brother Wu, saying such things is a bit too formal. I am merely one step ahead on this path of Martial Dao; I hardly deserve the title of Senior. If you don't mind, Brother Wu, you can just call me Tianquan."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire atmosphere became much more harmonious.

After some pleasantries, Pei Tianquan got straight to the point.

"My purpose for coming to Liuhe Town this time is precisely to capture Yin He. If Brother Wu has scouted any news of this boy's whereabouts, I hope you will let me know," Pei Tianquan said sincerely.

Patriarch Wu Shenglong did not hide anything and truthfully informed him that Yin He was being held in the Wu Family basement. However, he did apply a certain degree of embellishment to the capture process.

Hearing this, a hint of joy inevitably surfaced in Pei Tianquan's eyes.

Originally, he thought Patriarch Wu Shenglong only had clues regarding Yin He. He hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise.

"Brother Wu, you have done me a great favor. There will certainly be a heavy reward in the future," Pei Tianquan thanked him.

...

Half an hour later, Pei Tianquan arrived at the Wu Family compound and saw the imprisoned Yin He in the basement. After a brief comparison, Pei Tianquan confirmed Yin He's identity.

At this moment, the heavy stone hanging in his heart could finally be set down.

Walking out of the basement, Pei Tianquan whispered to a nearby guard, "A'hu, go arrange for two carriages. I want to rush back to Jinhuai Prefecture overnight."

"Yes, Elder." Hearing this, a flash of confusion crossed the guard's eyes, but he still complied.

Before long, two carriages pulled up at the main entrance of the Wu Family compound. The carriages were not luxurious, just the most ordinary kind.

For this trip, Pei Tianquan did not conceal his movements.

In fact, it wasn't that he didn't want to hide them. Ever since he took charge of the Jinhuai Branch, his every move affected the interests of the various Great Families.

Whether they held hostility or goodwill toward the Pei Clan, all major powers paid close attention to his movements.

Especially the Qian and Lyu families, who had plotted against the Pei Clan; if they discovered Yin He was still alive, they would surely strike again to silence him.

Although the possibility was slim, Pei Tianquan dared not gamble on even a one-in-ten-thousand chance.

Of course, while his departure from the town could not be hidden, the timing of his return to the city could be adjusted.

Therefore, before coming to Liuhe Town, Pei Tianquan had prepared two sets of plans. Since he could bring Yin He back, he would execute the current plan.

As long as he left under the cover of moonlight, it would take less than half a day. Even if there truly were scouts from the Qian and Lyu families in Liuhe Town, it would be impossible for them to beat him back to Jinhuai Prefecture City.

Once dawn broke and he reached the prefecture city, the overall situation would be settled.

Otherwise, he would have returned the way he came, riding in the Pei Clan's specialized Dragon-Scaled carriage.

"Depart."

With a loud neigh, the two carriages vanished into the silent dark night.

Watching the direction the carriages left, Patriarch Wu Shenglong secretly clenched his fists.

This time, he had gotten his wish and finally established a connection with the Pei Clan.

"Family Head, is Elder Pei rushing back to the prefecture city overnight?" It wasn't until the carriages disappeared at the end of the dark night that Wu Da, standing nearby, asked in confusion.

At this, Patriarch Wu Shenglong warned in a low voice, "Don't ask about things you shouldn't. Tonight's events must not be publicized. If I find that anyone has leaked the news, I will hold you responsible."

"Yes." Wu Da lowered his head and nodded heavily.

The next day.

As the sky brightened slightly, a rising sun slowly ascended over the distant horizon.

Liuhe Town.

Several unfamiliar figures appeared in various corners near the Pei Clan's temporary inn.

They were dressed differently and appeared to be just ordinary commoners.

But they all shared one common trait: their gazes constantly scanned the surroundings as if they were assessing the environment.

It wasn't until they saw the Dragon Scale Horse in the stables that these figures slowly withdrew their gazes.

Before long, these figures gathered in a courtyard.

One of the leading men said in a deep voice, "You all keep an eye on this inn. If people from any power enter, report to me immediately. Remember what I told you: you absolutely must not let Pei Tianquan discover you."

"Yes." In the next instant, the figures split up and vanished from the courtyard.

...

Jinhuai Prefecture City.

At this time, quite a few people had already gathered at the city gate.

Among these people were commoners from nearby villages and towns, merchant caravans arriving from elsewhere, and city dwellers returning home.

Of course, there were also a very small number of people from the Great Families.

Except for those intentionally hiding, these people were very easy to distinguish. The foreign merchant caravans made up the majority; they mostly traveled by carriage, their faces showing a hint of fatigue, but their clothing was more refined, while the commoners' clothing was primarily simple.

People from the Great Families wore their Family emblems and possessed an extremely haughty attitude.

And among these many merchant caravans, two unremarkable carriages were mixed in.

Seated in these two carriages were Pei Tianquan and the others who had returned from Liuhe Town.

Just then, a loud and high-pitched voice came from the crowd.

"The gates are opening!"

"The gates are opening! Everyone line up and step back!"

Hearing this, the commoners standing at the gate made way one after another.

Accompanied by a heavy atmosphere, the thick gates slowly spread open to both sides. Several soldiers holding spears and wearing armor strode out from inside the gate.

Inside the carriage, the guard Pei Hu poked his head out and stepped down. He walked until he reached the curtain of the carriage behind him, then stopped and asked in a low voice, "Elder, should we line up to enter through the main gate, or go through the Beihua Gate?"

Beihua Gate was one of the special passages of Jinhuai Prefecture City, specifically serving the major powers and Great Families within the city.

Firstly, it facilitated easy passage; secondly, this gate represented the ruling class, separating the Great Families from ordinary powers.

In Jinhuai Prefecture, whether a power was respectable could be verified by taking a trip through the Beihua Gate.

Back when the Pei Clan was just an ordinary third-rate family, they did not possess this qualification.

Times had changed, and the Pei Clan's power was now firmly seated in the ranks of the top third-rate families. Although they were not a local Family of the prefecture city, they were one of the families allowed to pass through the Beihua Gate.

After only a brief moment of thought, Pei Tianquan still chose to enter through the main gate.

The Beihua Gate was certainly faster, but there was a risk of exposing his identity. Only after entering the city and handing the person over to the government office would everything be truly safe.

Entering through the main gate would only mean waiting for half an hour; he could afford to wait that long.

Thinking of this, Pei Tianquan said to the nearby Pei Hu, "Just enter through the main gate."

"Yes, Elder." Pei Hu said no more and returned to his own carriage.