Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 848 - 505: Ferry Gang_2

"I think it’s not bad."

"This time, do you want to buy one that can fight or one that can sleep?"

"Can’t I have one that excels in both?"

"Big boss, you’re really something!" Yin Si Niang pulled down a curtain, revealing a young woman behind it, wearing a deep blue cheongsam embroidered with mandarin duck and lotus patterns and sporting a wavy hairstyle, looking quite charming.

Yin Si Niang said, "This is a Sound Cultivator at the Second Layer; appearance is indisputable, but the key is her singing—she’s performed as the Singing Empress in Puluo State."

Li Banfeng nodded repeatedly, Yin Si Niang wasn’t lying; this woman indeed performed as the Singing Empress.

She is Xu Qiulan, often seen in the newspapers. Along with Jiang Mengting and Xiao Xiufei, she was known as one of the three great Singing Empresses. After gaining fame, Jiang Mengting continued singing, Xiao Xiufei transitioned to movies, and Xu Qiulan married a wealthy man thirty-three years her senior, Rao Qijun, becoming a rich lady.

How did she become a Ghost Servant?

Li Banfeng slightly shook his head: "I’ll pass on the Singing Empress; I’m afraid I can’t handle it."

Yin Si Niang playfully smiled, "It’s not like you’re marrying a wife. Why worry about handling it? If you buy her, I’ll throw in a bundle of vines free of charge. Give her a daily thrashing, and I guarantee she’ll behave."

Li Banfeng still shook his head.

Yin Si Niang didn’t insist and drew open another curtain.

Behind the curtain was another woman, dressed in a light blue long shirt, sporting a bob haircut, and looking like a typical intellectual woman, quite pretty.

Yin Si Niang said, "This is a Literature Cultivator at the First Layer; her looks can’t compare to the previous one, but her literary talent is excellent, capable of composing poetry—your genuine confidante."

While Yin Si Niang spoke, the woman behind the curtain kept her eyes on Li Banfeng, seemingly wanting to speak.

Yin Si Niang frowned, looking at the woman, "Feeling itchy? Asking for a beating?"

The woman quickly lowered her head.

She wanted to speak because Li Banfeng seemed familiar to her.

Li Banfeng recognized her; she was called Shan Zhumei, pen name San Zhumei, a writer under Shen Rongqing. She had once joined the Flying General Camp and written stories about Zhao Xiaowan.

It was through her that Li Banfeng investigated clues about the Flying General and uncovered Xiao Zhenggong’s true intentions.

After killing Xiao Zhenggong, Li Banfeng had Luo Zhengnan clean up the remaining members of the Jiang Xiang Gang. However, some people only knew they had joined the Flying General Camp, unaware it was part of Jiang Xiang Gang; Luo Zhengnan mostly let these people go.

Shan Zhumei was one of them, but Old Luo spared her, yet she still died. Who killed her? And who brought her Lost Soul to the Outside Provinces?

Yin Si Niang said, "Big boss, are you satisfied with this one?"

Li Banfeng still shook his head: "First Layer Literature Cultivator, the level is too low, and it’s still a Lost Soul. Battle power isn’t much more than a White Lamb; it can’t fight?"

Yin Si Niang shook her head, "Big boss, the one you took away yesterday was truly one of a kind—handsome and capable of fighting—such decent Ghost Servants are hard to find. If I were to find you a female hero weighing about two hundred pounds, could you handle it?"

Li Banfeng squared his shoulders, "I can handle it! I’m not picky!"

"Not picky! You said it!" Yin Si Niang turned back and pulled another curtain, behind which stood a man with delicate features.

Li Banfeng waved repeatedly, "No, I said I’m not picky, but it has to be a woman at least."

Yin Si Niang laughed, "Don’t worry; he can turn into a woman."

With that, Yin Si Niang pulled a vine out of a vase, and at the sight of the vine, the three Lost Souls collectively shivered. Yin Si Niang said to the man, "Turn into a woman and show us."

The man glanced at Li Banfeng, who found him somewhat familiar yet couldn’t recall where he had seen him.

The man wiped his face, rubbed his body for a moment, and transformed into a graceful, stunning woman.

After the transformation, Li Banfeng recognized him.

The Playful Matron!

Initially encountered in the territory of Meng Yuchun, the Playful Matron was hired by the Mountain-Uprooting Master to take over Meng Yuchun’s territory. After being captured, he intended to surrender to Meng Yuchun, but Meng Yuchun didn’t spare him and snapped his neck outright.

Because Meng Yuchun was too swift, Li Banfeng couldn’t feed him to his wife, yet here he is now, in the Outside Provinces as a Ghost Servant.

Li Banfeng was silent.

Yin Si Niang displayed three Ghost Servants, and Li Banfeng knew all of them.

Is this a coincidence?

Li Banfeng turned to Yin Si Niang, "Can I buy all three of these?"

Yin Si Niang beamed with delight, "For your generosity, I must give you a big discount: the Singing Empress, originally priced at seventy, I’ll give it to you for fifty,

The talented lady was also seventy; since you don’t seem very interested, I’ll knock it down to thirty-five,

The man, with not a low cultivation level, being a Drama Cultivator at the Sixth Layer—not commonly seen in the Taoist Sect—was initially priced at one hundred twenty. I can’t discount it too much; let’s say one hundred—is that agreeable?"

Li Banfeng nodded, "You’re quite straightforward indeed; altogether it’s one million eight hundred fifty thousand, let me get you the cash quickly."

Yin Si Niang said, "Forget one million eight hundred fifty; let’s just make it one million eight—forget the change!"

"Alright, wait here!"

Li Banfeng left the Cultural Palace, entered the Portable Residence, and retrieved the cash.

Business is business; the required payment, Li Banfeng would never shortchange.

But after this deal, Li Banfeng intended to clarify a few matters.

Back at his place with three Lost Souls, Li Banfeng began questioning them one by one.

Starting with the Singing Empress, Xu Qiulan.

"How did you get to the Outside Provinces?"

Xu Qiulan tearfully replied, "Is this the Outside Provinces? I truly don’t know."

"First, tell me, how did you end up in Yin Si Niang’s hands?"

"Well, this, I..."

Seeing Xu Qiulan stammering, Shan Zhumei assisted, "This is Seventh Master; just tell the truth."