With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

Pigeon lobbies were messenger agencies established by the Northern Han court in each county town. They were usually located in the back hall of the county government office and were responsible for delivering important documents.

The magistrate led Lin Yi and Lin Tie into the pigeon room, walked quickly to the desk, took out a specially made wax-sealed document from the drawer, and began to write rapidly.

It was nothing more than the Lin family members discovering and signing a contract for the hideout of third-rate soldiers at the horse farm, and requesting the county to investigate and verify the land grant in accordance with the law.

After finishing writing, he handed the document to a close attendant beside him and pointed to the wooden cage: "Go and bring out 'Qingyu'."

The attendant opened the cage door in response, and a bird with a bright blue body and a wingspan of nearly ten feet slowly stepped out.

Its feathers gleamed with a metallic sheen in the light, its beak was pale gold, its eyes were bright, and its aura was calm yet spiritual.

This was none other than the third-rate Taoist messenger, Qingyu, kept by the government.

Resembling a carrier pigeon but larger, it flies swiftly and can avoid wind and rain. It can also sense markings in documents to ensure that messages are not intercepted or tampered with.

The magistrate personally fastened the wax-sealed document to the special leather buckle on Qingyu's leg and whispered, "Send it to the prefect's office immediately, without fail."

Qingyu raised its head and let out a long cry, the sound like metal striking stone. Then it flapped its wings and took off, turning into a streak of blue light that swept past the window and disappeared into the sky in an instant.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Lin Yi and Lin Tie's audience with the magistrate and the magistrate's every move in the pigeon room had already been observed by a pair of eyes within the county government office.

After the messenger flew towards the prefectural government, the man quietly turned and left. He went to the county government office, bought some vegetables from a roadside vendor, and slipped a note under his pen as he handed over the money, secretly sending out the message.

Lin Yi and Lin Tie had a meal at the county government office and then left the office.

Lin Yi looked back at the county government office, recalling the food he had just eaten and the magistrate's completely different attitude. He sighed inwardly, "It's different now, completely different."

The family is truly on the rise; even the county magistrate has to flatter them. No wonder, a powerful family can prosper for at least three generations; the magistrate's wealth is fleeting.

After bidding farewell to Lin Tie, Lin Yi headed towards the city gate.

Upon reaching the city gate, Lin Yi saw Zhang Yuan, the head of the Zhang family, standing quietly to one side, waiting. As Lin Yi approached, Zhang Yuan did not speak, but stared intently at him until he disappeared into the distance before turning his gaze away.

Lin Yi's heart tightened, and he quickened his pace to return to Linjiawu.

Lin Ye had been waiting at the fort for a long time, and Lin Qiang and other core clan members were also there. Although the county magistrate was acting according to the rules and there should be no doubt about it, everyone still couldn't help but feel worried.

After listening to Lin Yi's report, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

When Lin Yi mentioned Zhang Yuan's actions at the city gate, Lin Qiang and the others frowned, but Lin Ye remained smiling, looking completely at ease.

Zhang Yuan watched Lin Yi leave and immediately returned to his family. At this time, the heads of the other four families in the county town—the Liu, Chen, Li, and Yang families—had already gathered in the hall.

"Well? What did you see?" Chen Wen, the head of the Chen family, asked impatiently.

Zhang Yuan said in a deep voice, "Judging from Lin Yi's expression and his reaction when he saw me, it must be that something very happy has happened to the Lin family."

Chen Wen frowned: "The news is that Lin Yi and Lin Tie met with the county magistrate together, vaguely mentioning the 'nest,' and the only blue-feathered messenger also flew to the prefectural government, and the county magistrate's attitude changed drastically..."

Coupled with the Lin family young master's unusual behavior at the horse farm, could it be as we suspected—that the Lin family has made a pact with the nest?

"It's highly likely." Zhang Yuan nodded. "The Lin family has probably really stumbled upon this incredible opportunity."

The head of the Liu family asked, "Then, as previously agreed, shall we go find that nest family?"

"No rush." ​​Zhang Yuan shook his head. "The news hasn't been confirmed yet, and the Lin family hasn't made it public. Making contact at this moment might alert them."

"Observe the situation first, and order the clansmen who are out gathering information not to spy in the direction of Linjiawu."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and for a moment the only sounds in the hall were low breathing and calculating.

As night deepened, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly echoed outside an abandoned village about twenty miles from the county seat. Approaching the village entrance, the rider let out two short, one long, sharp whistles, piercing the silent night.

From the shadows at the village entrance, a sharp shout rang out: "Who goes there?"

"It's me. I have important business to report to the chief in the county!"

"Oh, it's Liu Laosan. Come in."

As the footsteps echoed, the lights in a few houses in this small village, abandoned for many years due to the rampant monsters, were awakened, and the dim yellow glow swayed in the night.

Before long, a large number of people had gathered in the largest courtyard in the village.

Seated in the center was a burly middle-aged man with a gloomy face and a menacing aura between his brows.

If this were in the county town, the members of the five major families would surely gasp in astonishment upon seeing him. This man is none other than Lone Wolf, the leader of Poison Wolf Stronghold, the largest bandit stronghold in Xiang County, and a second-rate martial artist.

No one knows his real name. All that is known is that five years ago, when his lair was destroyed and the Wang family was overthrown, he suddenly appeared outside the city with his followers and even launched a fierce attack on the city.

In that battle, he killed two third-rate martial artists from the five major families, shaking the county town and making everyone feel insecure.

Later, the new magistrate, accompanied by second-rate guards, forced him to retreat, and he went to a small town far from the county seat, where he built Lone Wolf Village.

They occupied the area between Xiang County and Yun County, collecting protection fees, which gradually reduced travel between the two places, allowing only the caravans of the five major families to pass through.

Even Lin Ye, on his return journey from Yun County, had to ride at full speed through this area to avoid being extorted.

"Liu Laosan, back in the middle of the night, something wrong?" Lone Wolf's lips curled into a cold smile. "Are those rabble up here to wipe out bandits again?"

"Hahaha..." The surrounding bandits were amused by their leader's contempt and burst into laughter.

Liu Laosan suppressed his laughter and said in a deep voice, "Boss, the spies from the county government have sent word that Linjiawu may have contracted a Taoist soldier's lair."

"Hmm? Is the information reliable?" Lone Wolf, who had been lounging lazily, suddenly sat up straight, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"The information should be reliable. He's always been the one reporting the movements of the five major families and the county government; he's never missed a beat." Liu Laosan paused.

"Moreover, someone saw the young master of the Lin family hurriedly return to the fortress from the horse farm this morning, and our people watching the county government also saw the Qingyu messenger flying straight towards the prefectural government. I think it's probably true."

The room erupted in chaos—"Should we run away to Gongchang Prefecture?" "There's no hideout there, and the imperial court can't afford to bother with us!" Panic spread throughout the room as everyone chimed in.

"What's the rush?" Lone Wolf slammed his fist on the table, his roar causing the candlelight to flicker. "It's not even confirmed yet! Even if the land is sealed off, the demonic beasts can't be cleared out in a day. Northern Han is so vast, can't it accommodate us?"

The commotion gradually subsided, and everyone lowered their heads and fell silent.

"Liu Laosan, go back to the county town and continue your investigation. Make sure you verify everything. Also, send someone to Linjiawu to find out how many martial artists they have, especially if they have any second-rate ones."

Lone Wolf's gaze was cold. "Everyone else, disperse. No more discussion. I have my own plans."

Everyone left, leaving only Lone Wolf in the hall. The candlelight cast a soft glow on his angular face, and he murmured, "Finally... I can go back."

He walked to the table, picked up his pen and wrote quickly. Then he opened a wooden box next to him, inside which was a small bird, as small as a swallow.

Shaped like a messenger bird, yet full of spirit, it was clearly a Taoist soldier. He tied the letter to the bird's claw, pushed open the door, stepped into the darkness outside the courtyard, and released it.

The bird flapped its wings and took off, turning into a gray shadow, flying straight towards Gongchang Prefecture.

Just as the bird took off, in a house not far from the lone wolf, the lights had already been turned off, and the walls were pitch black.

However, the cool moonlight slanted in through the window, casting a faint glow in a corner of the room.

By the light, a pair of eyes could be vaguely seen pressed against a small hole in the window, their gaze fixed on the house where the lone wolf was.

The eyes followed the trajectory of the bird as it took flight, until the gray shadow transformed into a streak of light in the night, rapidly disappearing into the direction of Gongchang Prefecture, before slowly shifting away and vanishing into the depths of darkness.