195 Local Flavor 3 (2/2)

Qin Feng grinned, as soon as he heard that. It seemed rather clear to Du Yan that the younger man had an idea of what he was talking about. Which had the big brawny fellow throwing him a wicked smile of his own. The charming Lin Liushui, on the other hand, gave out a rather exaggerated sigh as he shook his head at the pair of scoundrels.

”Oh, I know that look only too well. You two are like peas in a pod, with your schemes and your rascally ways. All for what? To squeeze more money out of people? And they aren't even enemies of yours! Think of how pitiful their families would be, if you beggar the poor chaps. You should not go too far, in this little ploy of yours,” he told the pair somewhat sternly.

Then he leaned his head forward as well, with a similar smirk on his face. ”Instead, you should consider fleecing him again and again, like wool off a sheep's back. You'll make a lot more that way, I am certain, than just a one-off deal.”

Qin Feng looked a little surprised, but Du Yan merely shook his head at the tall, good-looking fellow. ”You want to dip your hands into this as well? Are you certain about that? Don't you remember what Changhai had said, the last time that we went about ... scamming the shopkeepers here in Yanyun City?”

”Scamming the shopkeepers? That is a rather heavy charge! We were merely reminding them not to make things difficult for us, remember? After all, we are guests of the Duke himself, here in his Palace. And most of those idiots that we are accused of ... scamming? Well, they are all tied to one or another of the Royal Princes in the Capitol, aren't they? Wouldn't it be more accurate to call it a small fee to our benefit? So that they can keep on spying on the Ducal Family here?”

”The Royals are spying on the Duke?”

The two 'guests' of the Second Ducal Prince turned their knowing smiles on Qin Feng, who seemed surprised by the revelation. At least, Du Yan could see how his eyes were wide open and his jaw hung a little loose. It was almost as though he had never considered how noble families of the Kingdom were constantly spying on one another!

”Ah. This must be somewhat new to you, since you had only begun to venture out of your Heaven Sword School, down in the South. Well, that is not a particularly influential Sect, if I have to be honest. There are several other Sects and Schools that are a lot more powerful, and whose disciples tend to be a little more ... rampant in their pursuits.”

Du Yan nodded his head vigorously, supporting Lin Liushui's words, when he saw how Qin Feng was turning to look his way. It seemed like a good opportunity as well, to warn the younger man about the sort of caution that would stand Qin Feng in good stead, so long as he associated with Li Changhai. There were a good number of such Sects watching him closely, after all.

* * *