Afternoon, a gentle breeze, a flock of ducks swimming in the stream beside the road. Wen Ren Er walked by, snapping his fingers, and men from the Secret Intelligence Division descended upon the courtyard.

Within the courtyard, blades were drawn!

"Who goes there—"

"Don't move!"

"Get out—"

A clash rang out as individuals engaged in combat!

At the same moment, Chen Fan inside the room flung a teacup towards the side window. The porcelain cup spun, and the instant it made contact with the paper window, it exploded.

The entire window shattered in that instant. A figure lunged in, like a fierce tiger, the first thing coming over, a fierce spear. Chen Fan in the room dodged to the side at that instant, conveniently sweeping the wooden table beside the wall, blocking the other party's path, then he lifted it up, and the wooden table flew up directly, blocking the opponent's pounce.

Chen Fan was previously known for his fierceness in Fang La's army. Even Liu Xigua's full-powered saber strikes, he could fight to the death without falling behind. Yet, now, each of his actions was like a vortex containing immense strength. The wooden table moved silently, then flew off the ground, containing power while also being neat and efficient, blocking perfectly. But the man who broke in was also an expert. The spear was only slightly hindered, and then forcefully attacked. Chen Fan pushed the table, and the entire solid table burst in mid-air. While the table was still in the air, the two had exchanged blows several times.

Booming sounds like a storm suddenly broke out, the wooden table shattered into several pieces in the air and flew in different directions. The actual fight between the two was not a hard-hitting fight. The spear swung fiercely, but Chen Fan approached him, reaching out to seize the spear. The opponent fought back to regain the spear, throwing a punch, which was blocked and parried, and then the two palms slammed out fiercely, and the other party used the spear shaft to block.

Another loud bang, the two large doors, along with the figure holding the spear and the fragments of the wooden table, flew out. The figure holding the steel spear retreated five or six steps before stopping, and the flying door panels smashed even further away. Chen Fan's figure rushed out of the broken window like flowing water, rolled on the ground, ready to jump up.

"Where do you think you're going?"

***************

With a bang, a man with a Guan Dao in his hand rushed out of the courtyard gate and onto the street, then stopped.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The sharp arrow of a crossbow was aimed directly at his face. The crossbow was held in Wen Ren Er's hand, and beside Wen Ren Er at this time, in addition to the Secret Intelligence Division's men, were several yamen constables. The man holding the Guan Dao was stunned for a moment, then Wen Ren Er escorted him into the courtyard.

The battle in the courtyard only lasted for a moment at the beginning, and the situation had been brought under control. At this time, the people living in the courtyard seemed to be a troupe of acrobats selling their skills in the capital. When more than a dozen people who looked like officials with knives and crossbows surrounded them, and two people were lying in pools of blood, the leader pleaded with a mournful face, protesting their innocence. However, after Wen Ren Er came in, he took out a small notebook and started checking each person in the courtyard.

"'Guan Dao' Liu Zhen, He Jin-hu and Zhao Da-hong of 'Hebei Double Heroes', Yang Tai-qing of 'Qifeng Gate'... if I'm not mistaken, that's you, right..."

"You are... who are you? We're just in the capital, we haven't done anything wrong..."

Seeing that the other party was revealing their identities one by one, the leader said in a panic. Wen Ren Er shook his head.

"Let's talk about these things when we get back. You know why you came here, and I know it too. You wanted to make a name for yourselves, but I can only say, you chose the wrong person this time... Don't worry about who betrayed you, just blame yourselves for not keeping your mouths shut and leaking the news. You can think about who it was on the way, okay, take them all away."

After saying this, everyone began to escort people out. Among the eight people who were bound, some naturally wanted to resist, but circumstances were stronger than people. Wen Ren Er's side was obviously not the first time he had done this kind of thing. Soon, the people were all escorted out of the courtyard, and several men belonging to the Secret Intelligence Division gathered on Wen Ren Er's side. Not long after, a few more came. Wen Ren Er thought for a while and said:

"Today's business is not over yet, there's more than just this batch. I received news this morning that there's still one person, and we definitely have to go see him. This person... is highly skilled in martial arts. He may not surrender without a fight, but if we fight, I estimate there will be heavy casualties. If it really comes to a life-and-death struggle, our ten or twenty people probably won't be enough for him, you have to be mentally prepared."

After he finished speaking, he stood there and thought about it again, then nodded: "Let's go, get in the carriage, I'll lead the way."

*****************

Chen Fan landed on the ground, about to jump out, when a voice rang out in the courtyard.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Chen Fan looked to the side, ran a few steps before gradually stopping, and blinked his eyes.

On the other side, after the young man holding the spear stabilized his figure, he exhaled a long breath, shaking his head and twisting his shoulders.

"Wow... Whoa! Awesome! Too awesome... Brother Ning was right, really awesome... Brother Chen, right? My name is Zhu Biao, from Dulonggang, Shandong, you're really awesome!"

Chen Fan's mouth twitched. Over there, in the courtyard, Ning Yi was standing there, smiling and looking over here. Then he strode over, hugged Chen Fan, patted him twice on the back before separating, and laughed loudly: "Long time no see, surprise."

Chen Fan's expression was stunned, and then he also exhaled a breath. There, Zhu Biao walked over, and he cupped his hands: "Chen Fan."

"I only entered the capital last night, how did you find me?" Then, he asked.

****************

"...After the Liangshan incident, I offended some people. My reputation isn't good in the northern Greenwoods. Although you're in the south, you should have heard about it."

In a neatly decorated room, Ning Yi took the delivered food and placed it in front of Chen Fan, who had not yet eaten, pouring him wine while talking.

"What kind of Heart Demon Ning Liheng, sounds impressive, but there are many troubles. From Shandong until now for several months, people who want to come to the capital to find fault, including today, there have been eight batches. I don't want to sit still and wait for death, so I did some early warning."

"Today?" Chen Fan ate while looking up.

"In the city, on the north side, they've been in the city for several days, pretending to be acrobats selling their skills. Among them are the Hebei Double Heroes, who are said to be quite powerful... They're not thinking about defeating me, but about killing me to become famous. Even if it's better, they'll probably capture me, and then kill me in front of a group of heroes after leaving the city. You understand the routines in the martial world better than I do."

Ning Yi smiled: "Because of these messy things, I've been operating on this since I came back. Uh, some of it is still the experience I accumulated in Hangzhou, you know, Jianghu slang and how to deal with it. When I was in the Badao Camp, I was interested in this and remembered a lot. The capital is a bit more peaceful, and many of the martial arts people are involved in both the black and white sides, but in general, they're just trying to make a living. I have money, and I'm good at managing people, so I infiltrated the information-gathering side in reverse..."

"The real executors in this are another group, the Secret Intelligence Division from the Right Chancellor's Mansion, who assisted me in Hangzhou. They need to develop now, but their strength is not enough. The current situation is also a practical experience. I'm helping them train people, and systematically understand the affairs of the capital. I won't move them unless it's a big deal. The main thing is to grasp the intelligence... No need to eat so fast, this dish is good..."

Ning Yi pushed a plate of food in front of him, proudly saying: "The chef from Bamboo Restaurant, I hand-picked him. His high soup has a secret recipe, the taste is really fresh, but I've already eaten it at noon, so don't be polite."

"Then you didn't say how you found me."

"Can't you guess?"

Chen Fan chewed the food in his mouth, looked up at him: "The person I was looking for... Xi Guishan, he has already..."

"They are not doing well either." Ning Yi said, "Back then when you rebelled in the south, all the Manicheans in the north were rebels. The various connections between the two sides of Manichaeism are not very close. You wanted to rebel, but they might not. Some people were arrested, their families were executed, some ran away, and some core members who did not plan to run hid themselves. But back then when I was in Hangzhou, I saw some of your core lists and contact methods. After the Liangshan incident, I wanted to try everything that could control the information in the capital. They have already changed all kinds of things, but I still found some clues..."

Ning Yi paused: "It's a good thing that I found them. If the Ministry of Justice found them, they would have no chance to clear their names. I don't ask for much, just live a good life usually. But you are new to the capital, even if you are looking for me, you have to have a way to inquire. You entered the city yesterday, and contacted him as much as possible that night. Because it was an inquiry about me, I received the news soon after."

Chen Fan thought about it: "Speaking of which, as long as it is the remnant of Manichaeism in the capital, you all... control them?"

"There are not many left, including Xi Guishan, there are only three or four who can really be considered core members. They stayed in the capital for various reasons without leaving, worried, helping me, they are spared the great disaster of the Nine Generations." Ning Yi laughed, "Why are you thinking so much? People were originally just teaching a religion, serving the devil through food, and everyone is equal. You rebelled and implicated them. I am doing good."

Chen Fan had already finished eating at this time, stopped there, after a moment, sighed, then "Heh" sounded, laughed out, looked up at Ning Yi: "Then... do you know the purpose of my coming to the capital?"

"Of course." Ning Yi laughed, "Come to see my new shop and Li Shishi's performance, right?"

"Heh heh." He nodded and laughed, the two laughed together for a while, Chen Fan said with a smile, "Then, in addition to this, is it possible that you can think of a way to help me save a court-appointed criminal, just in passing..."

"Hahahaha, if that court-appointed criminal is called Fang Qifo, there is really no possibility at all..."

Laughter continued in the room.

At the same time, on the second floor of Bamboo Restaurant, Song Yongping was searching for Ning Yi's whereabouts, his heart anxious. He originally thought that this time he came here, he might be able to help this brother-in-law, but who knew that the person he offended was the son of Grand Commandant Gao? When this kind of thing is pressing down, where did he go to deal with some trivial matters? If he came earlier, he could have been a little prepared.

While so anxious, he couldn't help but think that if things really came down, perhaps only he could help to hold on. He hoped that taking out the post from the Right Chancellor's side and acting like a tiger would scare that playboy. Although it seemed unlikely, when it came to backstages at the level of Grand Commandant and Prime Minister, thinking about it, perhaps only he could have a chance to come forward for the Su family...

******************

"Hahahaha, if that court-appointed criminal is called Fang Qifo, there is really no possibility at all..."

Laughter continued.

"...I'm serious."

"Heh, I'm serious too... Heh heh..."

"Ning Yi, when I came to the capital this time, I thought that in order to save my master, I can do anything."

"Heh heh, and then..."

"I can beg you... I can also force you."

"So you're threatening me?"

"If necessary, I will."

"...Is this the first day you've met me, Chen Fan?"

In the room, the atmosphere around the dining table became solemn for a moment.