Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1073 558: Stealing Pillars and Replacing Beams (Part 4)

Teacher Song handed the video to the Dark Star Bureau, and after verification, the Bureau mobilized all combat personnel to the construction site.

Succeeding in the strategy of drawing the tiger away from the mountain, He Jiaqing seized the opportunity to rescue Zou Guoming's family and sneakily stole a batch from the Dark Star Bureau before heading to Puluo State.

What exactly did he place in the Hesheng Residential Area?

Teacher Song has Cloud Top Cultivation; although he fell ill at the time, he was still ambushed by that thing, which indicates its unusual nature.

This thing not only had extraordinary combat power, but before making another move, it hid its malice, making Li Banfeng completely unaware.

Puppet? Mechanic? Or perhaps an ally of He Jiaqing?

Unfortunately, the corpse of that thing had already been burned by Shen Jingye. If it could be brought home, the family would likely like it.

...

At the Greenwater City Station, He Jiaqing hired a rickshaw to take Big Head's family to a mansion on Guofeng Road.

Standing at the gate of the courtyard, Miao Ruifang looked at the foreign-style house in front and felt the architecture was a bit rustic, but the surrounding environment wasn't bad.

She asked Big Head: "Which room are we staying in?"

Big Head smiled without saying a word; he had been to Puluo State.

He Jiaqing said from the side: "Sister-in-law, this entire house is yours."

Miao Ruifang pursed her lips, hesitant to walk into the courtyard.

Big Head led her by the hand, crossed the courtyard, and entered the hall.

Looking up, Miao Ruifang spun around the hall and lowered her voice: "Such a big place, and not much good about it; cleaning won't be convenient..."

As her words landed, the steward approached: "Lady, the bedrooms have been tidied up, would you like to take a look?"

Zou Xiaohao laughed: "Mom, you don't have to clean."

Miao Ruifang didn't speak any further.

The steward then said to Zou Xiaohao: "Young Master, the teacher we've arranged for you will arrive at six tomorrow, and the textbooks are in your bedroom."

Zou Xiaohao stopped smiling.

He Jiaqing laughed: "I've booked a desk at Qian Yue Tower for drinks, and it'll be sent over soon. Sister-in-law, let's have a couple of drinks. I'll apologize to you in person."

...

On the train, Li Banfeng and Liao Zihui were chatting idly, Shen Jingye sat beside them lost in thought.

The sanctions had been issued, the matter had passed, the position was retained, but the possibility of promotion was blown.

Some people protested for Shen Jingye, saying the situation was urgent at the time, Shen Jingye dealt with the Knife Labor Ghost incident thoroughly and achieved a good outcome. The attack on the Dark Star Bureau under those circumstances can't all be blamed on Shen Jingye.

However, the impact of this matter was overly negative; retaining his position was already a blessing for Shen Jingye.

Li Banfeng also received a message that thirteen thousand Three-Headed People had been counted, ready to set out from Three-Head Fork.

The prompt fulfillment of commitments by the Outside Provinces was closely related to the events on Shifeng Road, as investigative revelations showed that it was Li Qi who resolved the Knife Labor Ghost threat, something the higher-ups clearly recognized the importance of.

The train arrived at Greenwater City, Liao Zihui said to Shen Jingye: "Old Shen, previously I invited you to a meal, and you didn't give face, I'm inviting you again today, you can't turn me down, can you?"

Shen Jingye stood up and said: "Aren't you insulting me? Chief Envoy Liao respects me, when have I ever dared to refuse him?"

After speaking, Shen Jingye followed Liao Zihui off the train.

For some reason, after such mishaps, Shen Jingye had become somewhat more carefree.

Liao Zihui said to Li Banfeng: "Little brother, Director Shen has given face; you should too!"

Li Qi laughed: "Chief Envoy Liao, I really have urgent business. After I've handled it, I'll host you both at Xiaoyao Lodge."

Li Banfeng indeed had business, those ten thousand Three-Headed People still needed to be sent out.

Five thousand to Ma Wu, five thousand to Chu Er, each to be sent to their respective territories to begin clearing the wilderness.

At Qian Yue Tower, Liao Zihui and Shen Jingye were drinking in a booth, Shen Jingye took a drink and shed tears, crying miserably:

"Over the years, have I ever mistreated Zou Guoming? Even knowing he had issues, I never nailed down charges, I wanted to protect him, but in the end, he ran off with He Jiaqing, selling me out!"

Liao Zihui sighed: "Zou Guoming, Zou Datou, I remember him; when he was in Puluo State for further studies, I paid special attention to him, so capable and stable,

he's been working at the Dark Star Bureau for about ten years now, right? I heard he achieved quite a few accomplishments, what's his current position?"

What position?

Not even a team leader.

Shen Jingye adjusted his tone and said: "Promotion in position can't be judged solely on job achievements. We must consider comprehensively, and more so, he shouldn't violate his principles and bottom line over positional issues!"

Liao Zihui sighed: "Forget it, don't think about these things; staying at the Dark Star Bureau is quite good. We do our duty diligently; isn't it the same wherever?"

Shen Jingye glared at Liao Zihui: "How long have I been waiting for this opportunity? How long have I been working at the Dark Star Bureau? Are you kidding me?"

Liao Zihui chuckled, poured Shen Jingye a drink: "Have a drink, Old Shen; you should drink, really!"

Shen Jingye grabbed the glass and drank it in one go: "Old Liao, where on earth is Zou Guoming? You have to help me find him, I must find him no matter what!"

Liao Zihui shook his head: "Puluo State is so vast, where do I start looking?"

Zou Guoming is easy to find; he was also at Qian Yue Tower, just upstairs.

Across from him sat the Gang Leader Tie Hongjian of the Tieyuan Gang, a small gang that had recently caused He Jiaqing a lot of trouble in business.

Zou Guoming had his subordinates present a box of Silver Yuan to Tie Hongjian: "Gang Leader Tie, the businesses conducted by my subordinates are all small-scale, I ask for your magnanimity."

Tie Hongjian opened the box, glanced at the amount of Silver Yuan: "Just this much? Sending off beggars? Even if I wanted to give you face, how are my brothers supposed to eat?"

Zou Guoming's brow furrowed slightly: "So you refuse?"

Tie Hongjian set the Ocean Dollar aside, drew a dagger from his waist, skillfully brandished it: "Not refusing, but for an extra three hundred Ocean Dollars every month, we can have a discussion."

"Three hundred seems a bit much," Zou Guoming picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of rib.

Tie Hongjian chuckled: "Can't afford three hundred Ocean Dollars and still want to do business in Greenwater City? Isn't this a joke?"

"True," Zou Guoming nodded, flicked his chopsticks, making the rib fly out, embedding into Tie Hongjian's eye socket.

Tie Hongjian clutched his eye, wailing: "What do you want? My brothers are all here!"

Behind him stood five or six men, ready to move, Zou Guoming waved his hand, sending a chopstick flying through Tie Hongjian's head.

The booth went into chaos, Shen Jingye downstairs jumped in surprise, asking: "What's going on upstairs?"

Liao Zihui laughed: "There's always commotion in Puluo State, let's focus on eating."

PS: Where's Teacher Song's other birthmark?