Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 72 Invitation

Jiang Xun knew, of course, that this was the Meng residence.

Although the drawing is rough, the layout of the main courtyard and back courtyard, as well as the location of the tall tower, match what I saw on Wu Mountain.

"You have someone keeping an eye on the Meng residence?" Li Tang looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Jiang Xun nodded: "I asked Hu Dajiang to keep an eye on things. I borrowed some money from your brother as a token of my appreciation."

Li Tang suddenly realized.

No wonder the Green Wolf Gang was so polite; they had money to pave the way.

She looked down at the picture again, then her eyes lit up: "You're planning to steal the dragon crystal?"

"What do you mean by stealing?" Jiang Xun corrected her, his face serious. "It means borrowing."

Li Tang was amused by his appearance. After laughing for a while, she suddenly perked up: "Take me with you!"

"No way." Jiang Xun refused without even thinking.

Why?

"It's too dangerous." He folded the silk paper and put it in his pocket. "The Meng residence is surrounded by people, with a bunch of sentries and experts guarding it. I can't handle it if you go."

Li Tang retorted, "Although my martial arts skills are not as good as yours, I won't hold you back—"

"Your brother won't agree," Jiang Xun said, pulling out his trump card.

Sure enough, Li Tang opened his mouth but remained silent.

Of course she knew her brother's temper.

Let alone stealing from the Meng residence, even if she were to climb over the wall in the middle of the night, Li Che would lock her in her room for three days and forbid her from going out if he found out.

She pursed her lips and ultimately didn't insist.

"So when do you plan to go?"

"I haven't decided yet," Jiang Xun said honestly.

He really hadn't thought it through.

With the Meng family mansion so heavily guarded, a direct assault is definitely out of the question; we'll have to wait for an opportunity to outsmart them.

More importantly, after hearing Sun Jin talk about the Golden Feather Guard tonight, he had a new layer of concerns in his heart.

"What are the Golden Feather Guards doing in Qiantang?" he muttered to himself.

Li Tang blinked and replied, "Every time the Golden Feather Guards show up, they're either arresting people or ransacking homes; it's never anything good."

Jiang Xun nodded, deeply understanding.

He had witnessed the methods of the Golden Feather Guards—in Jiangning Prefecture, in order to capture the Master Thief, they could lie in wait outside a house for days without making a move, even when the situation was dire.

That cold, aloof demeanor is like a snake lurking in the shadows, ready to bite you at any moment.

If the Golden Feather Guards also set their sights on the Dragon Crystal, things will get complicated.

"Never mind, I don't want to think about it anymore." He shook his head. "It's getting late, you should go back and rest."

Li Tang responded with a soft "Goodnight," then turned and went back to her room.

Jiang Xun stood still and looked up at the sky.

The moon was round and hung on the top of the osmanthus tree, like a bronze mirror.

He touched the piece of silk in his pocket and remembered what Sun Jin had said—the Golden Feather Guard had also come to Qiantang.

Has Huang Hao arrived?

Has the Golden Feather Guard commander, who chased the Thief Saint Master to the brink of despair, also arrived?

Is the Thief Saint still alive?

These questions swirled in his mind, but he couldn't come to a conclusion.

Jiang Xun took a deep breath, suppressed his irritation, and pushed open the door to enter the house.

The next morning, sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the window, drawing a golden line on the table.

Jiang Xun sat by the window, unfolded the silk paper, and stared at the crooked lines on it for almost half an hour.

He knew the layout of the Meng family mansion by heart—the front courtyard had several sections, the back courtyard had several layers, and the tall tower stood at the very back, surrounded by bare walls with only a few corridors connecting them.

The problem is, knowing is one thing, but how to get in is the key.

"I need to think of a way..." he muttered, tapping his fingers on the silk paper.

Just as he was lost in thought, the door was pushed open with a "bang".

Jiang Xun was so startled that he almost dropped the silk paper in his hand.

He hurriedly stuffed the paper into his sleeve, then turned around and saw Li Tang standing at the door, wearing a pale yellow dress, her hair simply tied in a bun, and her face still flushed from running over.

"You…" Jiang Xun's eyes widened. "You're supposed to be a princess, how could you barge in like this? What if I was naked? Wouldn't that mean you'd seen everything?"

Li Tang was stunned for a moment, then her face flushed red.

"What nonsense are you talking about!" She turned her face away, her ears turning red. "Who would be naked in broad daylight!"

"That's hard to say," Jiang Xun leaned back in his chair, grinning nonchalantly. "What if I have that habit?"

"You pervert!" Li Tang spat, finally turning his face back, though the blush hadn't completely faded. "I have something important to tell you!"

"What important matter?" Jiang Xun stopped smiling and sat up straight.

Li Tang strode up to him, her eyes shining like lamps: "Mirror Lake has decided! Tomorrow, a martial arts tournament will be held at the Meng residence. The winner will receive the Dragon Crystal!"

Jiang Xun was taken aback.

How did you know?

"Everyone in the entire Qiantang area knows!" Li Tang said excitedly. "They're talking about it everywhere on the streets, even the steamed bun vendors are discussing it! I just went out for a walk, and I've heard it so many times I'm sick of it."

Jiang Xun's mind raced.

A fighting ring?

Why is Jinghu suddenly setting up a fighting arena?

"Do you want to go?" Li Tang looked at him expectantly.

"Me?" Jiang Xun scratched his head. "I can participate too?"

"Mirror Lake has looked for you, and also for my brother, so it must be—"

Before he could finish speaking, Steward Sun's voice came from outside the door: "Young Master Jiang, there is a guest outside who asked me to give this to you."

Jiang Xun went to open the door, and Steward Sun handed him an envelope.

There was no writing on it, and the seal had a faint mark on it, like a lotus flower.

"Who sent it?"

"The scholar is gone."

Jiang Xun took the envelope, tore it open, and pulled out the letter. A few lines of writing, the handwriting neat and clear:

"Jiang Xun: Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), the Meng family will hold a competition to select those destined for the Dragon Crystal. You are cordially invited to attend. Mirror Lake."

Li Tang leaned over for a look and almost jumped up: "Look, look! Mirror Lake invited you! I knew it!"

Jiang Xun held the plain paper in his hand, feeling a mix of emotions.

He lashed out at them yesterday, giving them a good dressing down, and thought the deal was definitely off. But to his surprise, they didn't hold a grudge and even sent him an invitation.

"This Mirror Lake..." he muttered, "is quite stingy."

"Of course!" Li Tang said matter-of-factly. "Mirror Lake is a righteous sect in the martial arts world; why would they stoop to your level?"

"Hey, the way you're talking makes it sound like I'm a petty person."

"You always have been," Li Tang said with a grin, steer the conversation back on track. "So, are you going tomorrow or not?"

"Go ahead, why not?" Jiang Xun folded the plain paper and put it in his pocket. "If we can compete openly and honestly, who would bother to do it secretly?"

He subconsciously touched the piece of silk in his pocket, a slight smile playing on his lips—it was still necessary to have a backup plan.

"Alright, now that we've finished talking about business, come with me for a walk." Li Tang stretched, her voice tinged with a hint of coquetry, "I'm getting so bored by myself."

Jiang Xun's gaze involuntarily drifted towards her for a moment, then he quickly lowered his head and cleared his throat: "Where is Li Che?"

"My brother went to the dock early this morning," Li Tang said with a hint of complaint. "He said he had to keep an eye on the grain loading, afraid something might go wrong. He left before dawn and didn't even have time for breakfast."

Jiang Xun nodded, recalling what happened last night.

Grain is the lifeblood of Haiyou City, and Li Che cannot rest easy without personally overseeing it.

He glanced at the sky; the sun was already high in the sky, casting the shadows of the osmanthus trees in the yard into small, huddled shapes on the ground.

He thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "How about we go to the docks? We can have lunch together."

Li Tang's eyes lit up, and she perked up immediately: "Great! I'll go change right now!"

"Why change your clothes? It's not like we're going to a banquet." Jiang Xun stopped her. "You're fine as you are."

Li Tang looked down at herself—her pale yellow dress was clean and spotless, without any dust on it.

She nodded, then touched her hair with some concern, and hesitated, "Is my hair still okay?"

"No problem, no problem," Jiang Xun replied dismissively, already striding out.

Li Tang pouted and jogged after him.