Chapter 8

Shen Qingshan thought of the tragic deaths of his two nephews and felt deeply resentful. This was truly an unforeseen disaster.

In Qingzhou Prefecture, there has always been a saying:

In the territory of Qingzhou Prefecture, the Shen family knows everything they want to know, and there is nothing they cannot know.

Although this might be somewhat exaggerated, it indirectly illustrates how powerful and wealthy the Shen family is in Qingzhou Prefecture, to the point where even the government has to give them some face.

The outside world only knew that the two young masters of the Shen family had died suddenly from a severe illness a few days ago.

People only thought that the two young masters of the Shen family had short lives and little fortune, which was truly lamentable.

However, Old Master Shen did not believe these explanations. He secretly found the most experienced old forensic examiner in Qingzhou Prefecture to investigate the cause of his two grandsons' deaths.

This examiner was extremely experienced and indeed found something amiss.

The two young masters of the Shen family did not die from a sudden illness but were injured by a highly skilled internal martial arts technique, which damaged their meridians, causing them to vomit blood and die that night.

According to the examiner, the person who did this was still somewhat inexperienced. It was said that with this level of skill, a single palm strike could cause someone to die after ten to fifteen days, making it impossible for even a god to save them. By then, the person who struck them would be long gone, leaving no trace.

People with such skills are not ordinary individuals. They have unique ways of handling things and form their own circle, known as the "jianghu" (martial world).

The jianghu is vast and encompasses everything.

The jianghu is also small and hard to find.

According to the examiner, people with such skills are considered top-notch experts in the jianghu, capable of leaping over eaves and walking on walls. Although they are far from being divine or immortal, they are rarely seen.

Even if they occasionally leave traces, they are quickly lost.

Of course, as long as they are not divine or immortal, they are still human and cannot avoid the烟火 (human affairs). The Shen family's influence is not powerless against such people.

Soon, the investigation traced the root of the matter back to the day when the two young masters of the Shen family had an argument with a wealthy guest from another place over a private room in a tavern.

In the end, the young masters of the Shen family, known for their reputation, forced the man to give up his seat. However, before leaving, he pushed the two young masters.

Little did they know that this seemingly light push would cost them their lives.

By the time the Shen family discovered this, they had ruled out other suspects and determined that this man was the most suspicious. They also learned from the local Qingzhu Gang that this man was indeed the culprit.

The Qingzhu Gang, while part of the jianghu, is more of a criminal organization that controls the labor force in Qingzhou.

If the Shen family is the white face of Qingzhou Prefecture, the Qingzhu Gang is the black face. Both sides have their own needs and have always coexisted peacefully.

Although the Qingzhu Gang is part of the jianghu, they seek money and power, which does not conflict much with the Shen family.

Another type of person in the jianghu, like the man in the green robe, seeks a life of grandeur and swift retribution.

Some of them, with a bit of conscience, might engage in robbing the rich to help the poor, enriching themselves and gaining a good reputation in the process.

Even with some risks, with their skills and the fact that they do not kill people, those who are robbed rarely pursue them to the bitter end.

Another type, like the man in the green robe, is highly skilled and has a volatile temperament, leading them to act without restraint and kill to vent their anger.

Such people, whether inside or outside the jianghu, have many enemies.

The two nephews encountered the latter type.

Jianghu experts are mysterious and can fight a hundred men, but those who can face a thousand soldiers and still escape are rare.

However, people like the man in the green robe, relying on their extraordinary skills and powerful life-saving techniques, can often escape unscathed, even if they kill the young masters of the Shen family.

Fortunately, this time the man seemed to have some entanglements with the Qingzhu Gang in Qingzhou Prefecture, giving the Shen family a chance for revenge.

It also seemed that the man in the green robe was not familiar with the area and did not know that the two people he killed that day were the young masters of the Shen family. Otherwise, he might not have lingered in Qingzhou Prefecture.

Or perhaps he already knew but had more important matters to attend to, which is why he stayed.

His continued entanglement with the Qingzhu Gang was proof of this.

******

Old Master Shen's cane tapped on the two coffins in front of him, and his low voice echoed in the hall.

Traditionally, when an elder sends off a younger family member, they use a cane or similar object to tap the coffin, symbolizing that the younger person was unfilial and died first.

Over the years, Old Master Shen had sent off two younger family members, a profound sorrow that words could not express. Although he maintained a stern exterior and did not show his emotions, his inner pain was like drinking water; only he knew how cold it was.

He had built his fortune from nothing, enduring great hardships and not shying away from bloodshed. With today's retribution, Old Master Shen could not help but believe in the law of cause and effect.

Even so, the old man had no regrets. A man should live a life of luxury and die a glorious death. What was there to fear?

As the coffins were carried out of the Shen residence, the old man did not follow. The sun was rising, casting a red glow that illuminated every wrinkle and spot on his face.

The mournful music faded into the distance, and the old man threw away his cane. Although the morning wind blew in his face, he stood as straight as a pine tree, defying the ravages of time.

"Where is Shen Lian? Why didn't he come to pay his respects?"

"Master Shen Lian said he is a monk and feared that seeing this scene would be too emotional, affecting his ability to pray for your well-being," replied Manager Wu, who dared not hide anything in this matter.

"I am old and need no more blessings. Even if I go to the netherworld, it will not be in vain. I understand his thoughts, but there is still a gap between us," the old man sighed.

He asked himself if he had given everything he could to Shen Lian, just for the sake of continuity. But Shen Lian still refused to yield and accept his arrangements, much like his mother.

The old man himself was no less stubborn. His two sons, who were always submissive to him, were actually looked down upon. However, Shen Lian's stubbornness both pleased and angered him.

The old man had experienced many storms and knew that without pride, one could not achieve great things. The more talented a person, the harder they were to control.

But in the end, facing Shen Lian, this wild horse that refused to be tamed, he admitted that he no longer had the patience of his youth.

Life is short, and even a hero like him had only a few years left.

After the old man was silent for a while and his breathing calmed, Manager Wu cautiously said, "There is one more thing. Master Shen Lian has gone out, and the second master has sent a few people to secretly protect him. He should be safe."

"Let it be. Let him go today."

Manager Wu bowed slightly and said no more.

Today, the old master had mobilized many connections and resources to gather a thousand soldiers from Qingzhou Prefecture, ostensibly to suppress bandits, but actually to target the man in the green robe.

This could not be hidden from the Qingzhu Gang, but fortunately, the Qingzhu Gang seemed to have something important in the hands of the man in the green robe. Seeing that the Shen family was willing to act, they readily agreed.

Whenever a large force is mobilized, the cost in gold and silver is like a flowing river.

Although it was only a thousand soldiers, the time and effort required to gather and deploy them were considerable.

Even Manager Wu, who was used to handling such matters, felt the pain of the expenses.

It was said that the man in the green robe was very famous in the jianghu and had committed several major crimes in other prefectures. However, each time, the matter ended without resolution. By the time the man left, the authorities would send out constables and officials to make a show of sweeping the area.

Then they would happily report to their superiors that they had united to drive the notorious bandit out of the region, to the jurisdiction of another prefectural or county magistrate.

(ps: Writing about Old Master Shen is more to highlight Shen Lian. Even someone as powerful as Old Master Shen, who built his fortune from nothing and achieved great wealth, cannot stop his own aging and must still worry about the continuation of his legacy. The reason the old man is so concerned about the Shen family is that the Shen family proves his existence and is of great significance. Shen Lian seeks immortality, not out of a lack of desire, but because immortality offers infinite possibilities and encompasses everything. In my view, Li is in the world but not of it, while Shen is in the world and of it. I hope to express my thoughts in this book. Well, I've written quite a bit, but it's not a VIP chapter, so if you're unhappy, feel free to throw recommendation tickets at me. I won't resist.)

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