"Finding connections?"
Lao Tie looked at me with a puzzled expression. With his current network, it wasn't difficult to call in a favor. But arresting Zhuzi just for a favor? They wouldn't even dare to film something like that on TV, framing someone with a fabricated charge.
"Of course, I have my own arrangements."
With that, I pulled out my phone and called Ke Yingying. "Mr. Ke, could you do me a favor?"
"You name it, Mr. Diamond Member. Shenxianke Restaurant is at your service."
"Zhuzi, who was with Qingzi, do you have any evidence of his crimes?"
"No!"
Ke Yingying replied, then chuckled awkwardly.
"Can you detain him for a few days then?"
"That can be arranged. Did this person offend you?"
"Yes, I just don't like that kind of hypocrite."
After hanging up, I told Lao Tie about Ke Yingying's attitude. Lao Tie frowned, then picked up his phone to make some calls. I drank my wine and watched Lao Tie pull strings, then asked with a smile, "Ke Yingying should have just sent someone to arrest Zhuzi directly."
"I don't trust this Ke Yingying. It's better to be prepared."
With that, Lao Tie and I clinked glasses. Just then, Zhuzi came out with four meat pies and placed them on the table without a word. He then chased away two other customers from the next table.
Lao Tie frowned, while I cheerfully ate the pies. They were a bit cold, but still delicious. After the other customers left, Zhuzi didn't clear the table, and walked towards us with a cold expression.
Lao Tie sneered, "Zhuzi, showing your true colors now!"
"You were the ones who wanted to destroy me," Zhuzi said with a stern face.
I continued to eat my pie. Lao Tie asked, "Did Mr. Ke from Shenxianke Restaurant tell you?"
"Yes, I'm his pawn."
Lao Tie looked at me. I had already eaten two pies. Noticing Lao Tie's gaze, I regretfully put down the pie and asked Zhuzi, "Tell us about yourself. Who are you? Let us die with some understanding."
"Heart 8 Ruffian Zhuzi!"
So, Ke Yingying had seriously misled me. He had told me that the schemer I was supposed to deal with might be Spade 2 or Spade 10, the schemer from the Stanislavski system. Based on the pawns of the Four Color Kings, either Qingzi or Zhuzi was of this type of schemer. But Zhuzi claimed to be Heart 8 Ruffian Zhuzi.
This meant Zhuzi was a schemer of the game theory extreme, in simple terms, turning the game into a simple game of rock-paper-scissors, deciding everything with the simplest rules.
The most direct and effective way to simplify things was to drug the drinks. I took a sip of wine and felt dizzy. Moreover, Zhuzi only came out after Lao Tie had finished drinking.
"You drugged the drinks."
Hearing Zhuzi's confirmation, Lao Tie's face changed. He had indeed arranged for people to come, but by the time they arrived, he and I would likely be dead.
"Knowing this Zhuzi was unstable, you didn't guard against him," Lao Tie complained.
"I apologize. I had an arrangement, but I wasn't entirely confident. It seems that arrangement had a loophole."
"What arrangement did you make?" Lao Tie asked, barely keeping his eyes open.
"Do good deeds and ask no questions about the consequences."
"Damn it!" Lao Tie weakly cursed and slammed his hand on the table. I couldn't hold on any longer either. My eyelids were heavy, and I leaned my head on the table, relying on sheer willpower.
Zhuzi frowned and asked me, "What do you mean?"
I didn't reply. My vision gradually blurred.
...
When I woke up, it was already dawn. Xu Xiaoting was by my bedside.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"You're awake."
"What happened?"
"When Zhuzi was about to kill you, Qingzi brother returned. The two of them got into a fight, and Zhuzi, being in the wrong, ran away. Why on earth did Zhuzi want to kill people?"
Xu Xiaoting was completely confused. She only knew that Zhuzi was Qingzi's good brother and never expected him to commit murder, especially targeting the boss who invested in their shop. How could Xu Xiaoting comprehend this?
"Where is Qingzi brother?"
"In the VIP room next door, taking care of your friend."
I nodded and stood up. I still felt a bit weak, but it was fine. I decided to go to the other room. Xu Xiaoting looked a little displeased and asked me, "Tang Nan, aren't you going to explain anything?"
"Zhuzi ran away. From now on, the pie shop belongs to Qingzi brother. You and Qingzi brother should live a good life together. Don't know too much; it's not good for you."
With that, I left the stunned Xu Xiaoting and went to Lao Tie's ward. Lao Tie's wife had also arrived. She still looked plump, but with money and a different style of dress, she appeared elegant and dignified.
"Sister-in-law."
"You, you are, ah, I remember now! It's you!"
I smiled. After all that talk, it was "you" multiple times. Lao Tie frowned. "Wife, go buy me a bowl of congee."
"Okay!"
Lao Tie's wife agreed and started to leave. I called out, "Sister-in-law, please buy me a few meat buns too."
Only I, Lao Tie, and Qingzi, who was about to leave, remained in the room. I smiled and said, "Qingzi brother, you stay too, you should hear this."
Lao Tie looked displeased. "If Qingzi brother hadn't returned, we would both be dead. You, Tang Nan, the sect leader of the schemers, dying in such a scheme, wouldn't that be like capsizing in a ditch?"
I didn't answer Lao Tie directly and asked Qingzi, "Qingzi brother, why did you go back?"
"Originally, my father-in-law called me back. But after I returned, Ting told me you wanted to eat pies. You helped me so much, and when I heard that, I rushed back to the pie shop."
Lao Tie, listening, was dumbfounded. He asked me, "Do good deeds and ask no questions about the consequences?"
"Testing the waters, it's good to use it in small schemes first. When the critical moment comes, then we can dare to use it."
"We almost died."
"If this method didn't work, we wouldn't die this time, but we would have died next time."
Qingzi looked at both of us with confusion. I patted Qingzi's shoulder. "Qingzi brother, I have something to tell you. Let's go outside and talk."
I told Qingzi everything about Zhuzi's scheme to frame him. Qingzi listened, dumbfounded. "Why would Zhuzi do this to me?"
"I really don't know that. Do you have any hints for me?"
Qingzi thought carefully. "When I was being prosecuted, someone contacted me. A man from the jianghu, who said he could help me get out of prison, but I had to work for them."
"Why didn't you help?"
"For Xiaoting and their mother and daughter, I didn't want to be involved in the jianghu anymore."
"No, no, you have reached a realm that even Teacher Li Jiu hasn't reached. I admire you completely."
"What realm do I have?"
"Metaphysics, the Dao? All things in the world are not mine, and all things in the world are used by me... Actually, I'm not quite sure, it's just a feeling."
I smiled and said nothing. Ke Yingying didn't continue with his flattery but said seriously, "From today onwards, I am your blade. Any dirty work you are unwilling to do, I will do."
"I don't need you."
"I brought you a gift!"
"What?"
Ke Yingying took out his phone, which displayed a photo. It was a photo of a dead person. The deceased was Zhuzi.
I stared at Ke Yingying with wide eyes. Ke Yingying smiled. "The higher-ups ordered this Zhuzi to harm you. I helped you resolve him quietly. The higher-ups only know that I killed Zhuzi to silence him."
"Zhuzi was just a tool."
"Yes, Zhuzi was just a tool for me. Now I've become your tool. I'll continue to play the role of the Four Color King, and upon receiving secret orders, I will still move against you. However, next time, I will inform you of my arrangements in advance. This way, I will become your eyes and ears, making it easier for you to find out who is controlling the Four Color King."
"Is this a gift?"
"Yes!"
"Do you think I will accept it?"
"Cui Fang is dead, Gao Ji is also dead, and there are people who want to hunt down your relatives. Having a tool at such a time is always a good thing."
"Then you can leave!"
"Don't, there's no need for us to avoid each other. Even if you suspect me, you still have to interact with me. The higher-ups will see it as normal." With that, Ke Yingying gave his signature seductive smile.
"Did I say I would accept you?"
"Things unsaid are the true words. How many of the promises made with a pat on the chest are actually true?"
I understood. This guy was a true schemer, and the battles between schemers didn't necessarily involve the clash of swords, but a hidden danger lurking behind smiles.