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  After Li Shuxuan stopped riding with Xiao Yi, there were a lot less incidents.

  Although Xiao Yi wasn't happy that Xiao Siyuan was protecting Li Shuxuan, he didn't say anything and just followed them silently.

  Nothing else happened on the way and they soon reached Barbarian Mound Garrison safely.

  Baili Yu and Tang Doudou's arrest posters were still up on the city gates, but there were no longer guards checking the people that arrived. Instead, there were two swordsmen. When they saw Tang Doudou's group, they greeted them happily.

  "Greetings, Alliance Head!"

  "Alliance Head, you're finally here! Elder Yu has already been waiting for a long time."

  With a few sentences, they revealed why they had been waiting here.

  Who would've thought that Elder Yu was in such a rush? Tang Doudou gave a soft cough. "I got it, please lead the way."

  The two seemed pleasantly surprised that Tang Doudou was so cooperative and eagerly moved to lead Tang Doudou's horse towards the garrison.

  After she left, Xiao Siyuan's gaze darkened. He wanted to say something, but after glancing around, decided against it and followed Tang Doudou with a faint smile.

  Xiao Yi naturally followed.

  Li Shuxuan who had been holding himself back from talking this entire way now requested to get off the horse.

  Xiao Siyuan didn't think much into it and allowed him to get off.

  Li Shuxuan tidied up his clothing, then cupped his fist and said, "Many thanks, Siyuan, for bringing me here. I've been out for a long time so I'll be heading back instead of accompanying you guys."

  "No, it was my inconsideration. Uncle Lin must be worried out of his mind since you were going for so long. Brother Lin should hurry and go find Uncle Lin! Alliance Head will be fine with us here."

  Tang Doudou also turned around at this time and said, "All of you should head back. All our comrades are in the garrison right now. That person probably isn't stupid enough to throw himself into this trap so it'll probably be safe here. There's no need to worry about me."

  Li Shuxuan was thinking the same. "En, then I'll be taking my leave now. Alliance Head, once you have time, remember to have a drink with me."

  Tang Doudou nodded. "Alright."

  Li Shuxuan then bid the others farewell before leaving.

  Once he disappeared into the crowd, Xiao Siyuan shared a glance with Xiao Yi. "Then us too?"

  "Let's go!"

  In the blink of an eye, everyone left. Tang Doudou asked the person leading her horse, "Which inn did Elder Yu settle everyone down in? Are the people from the clans not with him?"

  "Elder Yu has a courtyard in Barbarian Mound Garrison, so everyone aside from the people from the clans are there."

  "Where are the members of the clans staying then?"

  "They seem to be staying with the county magistrate's family."

  "The county magistrate?" Tang Doudou was surprised. "They're involved with the people of the imperial court?"

  "Alliance Head, you must have been unaware, but the Lin and Bai family have people in the palace so they count as the emperor's relatives. They're different from the ordinary people of the martial arts community. Since those two families have come here, the people of the imperial court naturally must greet them well."

  So it was like this.

  She knew that someone from the Bai family had married the prime minister, but she hadn't expected there to be more people in the palace. However, when she recalled Bai Lianhua's relationship with Xiqiu Yue, it occurred to her that perhaps these two families raised daughters for the sole purpose of sending them to the palace.

  "Then what about the Xiao family and Murong family? They aren't relatives of the emperor, so why are they also staying there? I remember that the imperial court views the people of the martial arts community as barbarians."

  "The four families have had a relatively united relationship for the past century and the Murong and Xiao families aren't people that a little county magistrate could afford to offend. Everyone knows that the four families combine to make a steel wall. Even if the imperial court might execute the county magistrate, he still would treat the four families with respect since any of the four families could crush him."

  On the surface, the four families' relationship was this good?

  They controlled several powers on the Jianghu and even had a good relationship with the imperial court. She, this alliance head, seriously paled in comparison.

  However, if Cloud City was still supporting the martial arts alliance, the situation wouldn't be this awkward. The main problem was, something had also happened to Cloud City. Not only have they not sent anyone to deal with the issues that the martial arts alliance was facing, Su Yi had also disappeared off somewhere.

  While she was mulling over these things, they had already arrived at Elder Yu's courtyard.

  She glanced around and found that this courtyard was actually quite large. There were two very imposing stone lions at the courtyard door.

  "This is the place. Alliance Head, please come down."

  Tang Doudou jumped off while carrying Little Gray and one of the swordsmen led the horse away while the other one led her into the courtyard.

  Having entered, Tang Doudou was surprised again. If it weren't for the fact that she had been told ahead of time that this courtyard belonged to Elder Yu, she would've thought that she had come to some local despot's place.

  The courtyard was exquisitely decorated, the architect's meticulousness was visible everywhere one looked. The roof tiles were glass, the road was marble……

  Aiyah, who would've thought that Elder Yu was actually a nouveau riche?

  Even just a side courtyard was decorated so luxuriously, then was his main courtyard inlaid with gold and jade paths?

  The person who was leading the way seemed to know what she was thinking as he said with a laugh, "We were also shocked when we first came here. Elder Yu has always been very simple and his family's poor but upright. Sometimes the clothes he wears is even patched……"

  Tang Doudou scoffed when she heard this. Who the hell spread these rumors?

  It twisted the truth way too much. Elder Yu was the very opposite of poor but upright, alright? The cost of the outfits he usually wore was enough to buy a small courtyard, so the amount of money he usually spent on clothing and food was no neglectable amount. When she was still staying at the Alliance Head Residence, she personally witnessed the meaning of spending money like water without blinking an eye.

  That person then sighed, "Elder Yu is truly a refreshing and loyal person. He's dedicated his entire life to the Jianghu and also made very amazing friends. This courtyard was also something that the number one swordsman in the world, Huo Beixiu, gifted to Elder Yu before he went into seclusion."

  Tang Doudou silently rolled her eyes. She didn't have the patience to listen to any more nonsense and strode into the main hall.

  Despite the distance, she could already hear Elder Yu's familiar voice. There also seemed to be the sound of people fighting. She felt speechless, these people seriously had way too much energy. They had rushed to Azure Water Valley so early in the morning, waited through the hot afternoon, then rushed here, but they still had the energy to create a ruckus here instead of heading back to rest?

  Tang Doudou didn't immediately go inside. When she saw that the person who was leading the way earlier wasn't next to her, she quietly jumped to a corner and slowly walked over to the paper window.

  She licked her finger, then poked a hole to peak in. Wow, it was so lively. Everyone that should be there was there and the people that shouldn't be there was also present. However, it surprised her that Shen Wuming was actually present as well. He was currently tied to a pillar and glaring contemptful at everyone.

  Who brought him here? Was that person not worried about causing public dissent?

  __________

  Credits: Translated by Chiyomira

  [Chiyomira's Corner]

  Enjoy~

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