Douluo Continent: The Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, who intercepted the immortal herb

Chapter 43 The banquet she forbade him to attend, Su Chen insisted on going.

As soon as those words were spoken...

The expressions on the faces of the people on the sidelines changed.

Shen Zhixian frowned.

"Xu Tinglan, what are you up to now?"

The woman in the pale white dress didn't look at him.

She simply held the thin letter in mid-air, her gaze fixed steadily on Su Chen.

Whether you answer or not is up to you.

What was in the letter?

Xiao Wu spoke first.

She stepped to the side and in front of Su Chen, staring at Xu Tinglan with a rather unfriendly look.

"You think you can make people believe you just by saying 'don't go'?"

Xu Tinglan then turned to look at her.

Her gaze was light, first sweeping over the carrot hairpin in Xiao Wu's hair, then landing on the beads of sweat on her still damp forehead.

"You just finished."

"It's normal to have a lot of internal heat."

I won't argue with you.

Xiao Wu was even more annoyed.

"Who's going to argue with you?"

"I'm asking you a question."

Xu Tinglan didn't respond to her sharp retort.

She simply looked at Su Chen again.

"Tonight's banquet is not a celebration."

"It's about screening people."

Han Su stood not far away, his face darkening instantly.

"Xu Tinglan".

"Since when did it become your place to spout nonsense from the Internal Affairs Department?"

Xu Tinglan finally turned her head to the side.

She looked at Han Su, her voice still soft.

Did I say something wrong?

"Tonight, we've invited more than just people from the branch hall."

"Several families in the city that are close to the branch temple are also on the list."

"Everyone knows who you want to watch and who you want to side with."

Han Su's eyes turned cold.

"You are in the Department of Internal Affairs, not the Department of Justice."

"Who gave you the audacity to spread rumors in public like this?"

The string of small silver keys at Xu Tinglan's waist made a soft sound when touched.

She didn't rush, nor did she back down.

"What's your hurry?"

"I was merely reminding His Highness."

As for whether it's right or wrong...

She paused for a moment.

You know best yourself.

The atmosphere on the sidelines immediately became tense.

Shen Zhi stood in the middle, his eyelids twitching twice.

He knew that Xu Tinglan never liked to show her face.

You should never say a word to someone like that.

The fact that she dared to publicly contradict Han Su today shows that she really has something up her sleeve.

Su Chen then reached out and took the thin letter.

The letter paper was very thin.

It's also very cool.

The seal was not sealed with sealing wax, but only with a very shallow silver line.

He wasn't in a hurry to demolish it.

Why did you remind me?

Xu Tinglan looked at him.

"Because the contents of this letter will only be useful if you really don't go."

"If you decide to go..."

"It can only be considered half a trump card."

Xiao Wu frowned even more deeply upon hearing this.

"Can you stop beating around the bush?"

Keep it simple.

Xu Tinglan looked at her.

Simply put, it's like this:

"Someone will test you at the banquet tonight."

"Some people will use toasts and gifts to pressure you into making a statement."

"There are still people."

Her gaze swept past Han Su.

"They will take advantage of the chaos to take things that they shouldn't have taken."

Su Chen gently pressed his fingertip against the edge of the envelope.

"What is that?"

"Entry and exit records for the second level of the secret storehouse in the sub-hall."

Xu Tinglan's voice was not loud.

"There is also a list of people investigated from the past three months."

Upon hearing this, Han Su's expression finally changed.

It wasn't anger.

It was an unbearable gloom.

Su Chen could see it very clearly.

This suggests that what's written in the letter is probably true.

Xiao Wu didn't understand the intricacies of the situation, but she could understand Han Su's reaction.

She immediately turned her head to look at Su Chen.

"There's a ghost."

"Um."

Su Chen responded and finally opened the letter.

There are only two pages inside.

The handwriting is very fine and steady.

One page lists the attendees for tonight.

Han Su, the branch hall stewards, people from several merchant guilds in Soto City, and two stewards from the Spirit Hall who had been transferred out.

On the other page was a small hand-drawn picture.

The main hall, banquet hall, side corridors, entrance to the secret storehouse, and key room were all marked.

There was also a line of very small text in the bottom right corner.

At 3:45 PM tonight, the key will change hands.

After reading it, Su Chen folded the paper back.

"What do you want me to do?"

Xu Tinglan answered quickly.

"It's very simple."

"Or don't go."

"If you're going, don't just eat."

Xiao Wu hummed softly upon hearing this.

"After all that talk, you still just want to drag him into doing things for you."

Xu Tinglan did not deny it.

"right."

"Because right now, the only person who can suppress Han Su is him."

"As for me, a member of the Internal Affairs Department, I have the key, but not the knife."

She put it very bluntly.

Xiao Wu was instead caught off guard.

She hates people whose every word and action is calculated.

But when Xu Tinglan laid out her scheme, it made it harder for people to criticize her.

Shen Zhi then spoke.

"Xu Tinglan".

"Since you knew there was a problem tonight, why didn't you report it directly to the main hall?"

Xu Tinglan looked at him.

"You really think I didn't report it?"

Shen Zhi paused.

"No one's answering?"

"I accepted it."

"It was also pressed."

As she said this, her tone finally turned a little cold.

"Because the Soto branch is now rotten, and it's not just Han Su who's in charge."

The sidelines quieted down.

The wind blew across the tattered flag, making a continuous rustling sound.

Xiao Wu subconsciously took half a step closer to Su Chen.

"Then we definitely can't go anywhere tonight."

"Who said I wouldn't go?"

Su Chen tucked the letter into his sleeve, his tone indifferent.

Xiao Wu was taken aback.

"Are you still going?"

"She already said she has plans to meet up with someone."

"I only go when there's a special occasion."

Su Chen turned his head to look at her.

"Otherwise, who will move tonight, who will be in a hurry, and how will we be able to see clearly?"

Xiao Wu opened her mouth.

She was about to say that this was too risky.

But when he met Su Chen's eyes, he knew that Su Chen had already made up his mind.

She pursed her lips.

"Then I'll go too."

"You were going anyway."

"I mean, I'll follow you."

"Um."

Su Chen answered naturally.

"You come with me."

Xiao Wu finally relaxed a little.

Xu Tinglan looked at the two of them, her gaze lingering on Su Chen's face for a moment before falling on Xiao Wu.

"She'd better not stray too far from you tonight."

"There won't be only alcohol in the banquet hall."

Xiao Wu immediately replied.

"I'm not made of porcelain."

"I know."

Xu Tinglan said.

"But some people will target the weak."

These words made Xiao Wu's face turn cold.

"They dare to try."

Han Su finally couldn't hold back any longer.

He took a step forward, his grey and gold robe fluttering in the wind.

That's enough.

"Xu Tinglan, you've crossed too many lines today."

"Someone come here."

Two guards from the branch hall immediately stepped forward.

Xu Tinglan didn't even blink.

"You want to hurt me here?"

Han Su stared at her.

"If you continue to spout nonsense, I will naturally deal with you according to the rules of the branch hall."

"rule?"

Su Chen suddenly chuckled.

Han Su stopped moving immediately.

Su Chen turned around and his gaze fell on the two guards.

"Step back."

The two exchanged a glance and surprisingly dared not go any further.

Han Su's face turned pale.

"Your Highness, this is internal affairs of the branch hall."

"She's talking to me now."

Su Chen interrupted him.

"Why are you interrupting?"

As soon as he said that, the sidelines fell silent again.

Han Su hated being suppressed in public the most.

But right now, he doesn't dare to utter a single harsh word.

Su Chen didn't look at him again, but spoke only to Xu Tinglan.

Will you be at the banquet tonight?

"meeting."

"You have the key too?"

"The first half is in my hands."

Xu Tinglan gently lifted the string of small silver keys at her waist.

"The second half will be borrowed by someone else."

"To whom should I lend it?"

"Lu Ming, the chief accountant."

"Han Su's men?"

"It's not on the surface."

"What about in reality?"

"You can treat him as such."

Su Chen nodded.

"Okay, I understand."

Xu Tinglan looked at him, as if waiting for his next words.

Su Chen didn't say anything more.

She remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly.

"Then I'll wait for you."

After saying that, she turned and left.

The hem of her moon-white skirt brushed against the ground with almost no sound.

The string of small silver keys at her waist clinked softly as she walked, then quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Xiao Wu stared at her departing figure for a few seconds before speaking softly.

"She talks strangely."

"What's wrong?"

What does "waiting for you" mean?

Xiao Wu wrinkled her nose.

"It sounds like they've dug a hole for you beforehand."

Su Chen glanced at her.

"Then move closer to me."

Xiao Wu, who was still on guard, was stunned when she heard this.

"what?"

"You're worried I'll fall into a trap," Su Chen said calmly. "Then keep an eye on me tonight."

Xiao Wu immediately laughed.

"Okay."

"Then I'll keep a close eye on you tonight."

Shen Zhi stood to the side, silently turning his face away.

He suddenly regretted staying there.

Han Su saw all of this, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

He is very clear.

Tonight's banquet was originally the place where he would recruit people, screen them, and stabilize the atmosphere.

But now, before Su Chen even entered the banquet hall, he had already revealed half of the situation.

The most disgusting thing is that Xu Tinglan herself handed this game over.

Han Su suppressed his anger and forced himself to keep a straight tone.

"Since His Highness has decided to attend the banquet, the branch hall will naturally await your arrival."

"but."

He glanced at Xiao Wu.

"There are rules for the banquet in the separate hall; all unauthorized personnel are excluded."

"She is not idle."

""

Su Chen pressed down directly.

"She's one of the people I brought along."

Xiao Wu raised her chin and continued the conversation.

"Did you hear me?"

Stop trying to save face for yourself.

Han Su's hands, clenched tightly inside his sleeves, bulged out at the knuckles.

But he still lowered his head.

"it is good."

See you tonight.

After saying that, he turned and left.

His back was very straight.

His steps, however, were much heavier than when he came.

Once Han Su's men dispersed, the oppressive atmosphere on the sidelines finally eased.

Xiao Wu immediately turned her head.

What do we do now?

"Let's find a place to rest first."

Shen Zhi took over the conversation.

"The induction banquet is in the evening. Going to the branch hall now is like putting us in a cage ahead of time."

"I have an old rest room behind the training field, which is usually unused."

"To be able to settle down first."

Su Chen nodded.

"lead the way."

The lounge is small.

But it's quiet enough.

The wooden window was half-open, and outside was a row of old birch trees, their leaves rustling in the wind.

Inside the room was a long table, two armchairs, and a soft couch.

There was also a copper basin in the corner, with fresh water in it.

As soon as Xiao Wu entered the room, she took off the carrot hairpin from her hair and carefully placed it on the corner of the table.

Then he sat down on the soft couch and rubbed his calves.

"Finally, I can sit down for a while."

Su Chen glanced at her.

"Are your legs still sore?"

"A little."

"How much is one point?"

"It's alright."

"Stubborn to the end."

Su Chen walked up to her, squatted down, and gently tapped the training boot next to her feet.

"Take it off."

Xiao Wu opened her eyes.

"what?"

What do you think?

"How would I know?"

"The shoelaces are too tight."

Su Chen looked up at her.

"You stumbled a bit when you left the field just now."

Xiao Wu immediately fell silent.

She hadn't expected that he would notice such a small detail.

Two breaths later, she muttered to herself.

"How come you can see everything?"

"Because some people never tell the truth."

Xiao Wu pouted, but still obediently stretched out her leg.

Su Chen didn't touch anywhere else.

He simply untied the laces of her training boots, readjusted them, and then tied them back on.

The movements are slow.

It's also very stable.

Xiao Wu looked down at his slender fingers and suddenly felt a heat in the tips of her ears.

She coughed, trying to find something to say.

"Have you ever tied other people's shoelaces before?"

"no."

"real?"

Why do you keep asking these kinds of questions?

Xiao Wu choked for a moment, then glared at him.

"Can't I just ask casually?"

"OK."

Su Chen fastened the last knot and stood up.

"You can ask more questions today."

Why?

"Because it might not be so relaxing at night."

These words immediately suppressed Xiao Wu's chaotic little thoughts.

She sat up a little straighter.

"Do you really think something bad will happen tonight?"

"meeting."

Su Chen spoke with certainty.

"And it won't be as simple as just a table of food and drinks."

Shen Zhi then entered from outside, carrying two sets of spare clothes and a simple seating chart for the banquet.

"I just took a look."

"The banquet hall setup has begun."

"The main table is in the middle, with people from the branch halls and outsiders on the left and right sides."

He spread the drawing on the table.

"Han Su's position is to the side and in front of the main seat."

"Xu Tinglan usually stands at the back and doesn't sit at the table."

"You two."

He pointed to two locations in the bottom right corner of the image.

"I'll most likely be assigned here."

Xiao Wu leaned over and took a look.

"So remote?"

"Special talents make it easier for people to take action."

Su Chen pressed his finger against the edge of the drawing.

"A lively scene in front, trouble behind, just right."

Shen Zhi looked at him.

"You have a plan?"

"A little."

Tell me about it.

Su Chen did not answer.

They simply pushed the blueprints towards Xiaowu.

"Memorize the location first."

"When you enter the venue tonight, look at three things first."

Xiao Wu immediately became serious.

"Which three?"

"flagon."

"The vegetable delivery person."

"Who else is closest to Xu Tinglan?"

Xiao Wu nodded.

"OK.

"And what about you?"

I think Han Su is the best candidate.

The wind outside the window picked up a bit more.

The sound of leaves rustling together grew louder and louder.

No one in the room was talking or laughing anymore.

The banquet hadn't started yet.

But that invisible rope was already tightening around them little by little.

Just then, there were three light knocks on the door.

Shen Zhi immediately turned his head.

"Who?"

No one came back from outside.

A tiny silver key was slowly slipped under the door.

A piece of moon-white silk thread was tied to the end of the key.