Blood sedge

Chapter 1196 Clear Water Reveals Stones (Part 1)

Evening, Danfeng Garden, Meishuang Pavilion.

When the triumphant Wu Shuang led the stern-faced Tang Afu into Meishuang Pavilion, Shen Dongshan had already prepared a table full of delicious dishes.

It is worth mentioning that at this moment, only Shen Dongshan was sitting at the banquet in the huge Meishuang Pavilion, and there was no sign of Kui Qi and other guards.

Shen Dongshan's meeting with Tang Afu alone was undoubtedly a demonstration of his sincerity in seeking peace.

But Wu Shuang knew in his heart that Shen Dongshan's solo banquet was not only to express his sincerity to Tang Afu, but also had another deeper meaning: he did not want too many people to know the truth about the Tang family's massacre.

When Tang Afu saw Shen Dongshan sitting upright, his left hand, which was holding a sword, clenched tighter unconsciously. To him, this situation, where he was so close to Shen Dongshan without any guards or interference, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

However, despite the raging storm within him, reason fiercely suppressed his impulse, for he had already promised Wu Shuang to give Shen Dongshan a chance to reveal the truth. In exchange, Wu Shuang promised to inform Xiao Zhirou of Master Kongsheng's whereabouts after this matter, in order to fulfill Granny Peach Blossom's wish.

Of course, he himself was also very curious about the causes and consequences of the Tang family's massacre.

"Please take your seats, gentlemen!"

Faced with Shen Dongshan's warm greeting, Wu Shuang did not hesitate for a moment and readily took a seat. However, Tang Afu stood motionless, his narrow eyes, filled with coldness and murderous intent, staring intently at the smiling Shen Dongshan, showing no intention of sitting at the same table with him.

"Since you're here, why put on airs?" Shen Dongshan calmly picked up the wine pot, poured wine for Wu Shuang, and said to Tang Afu in a nonchalant tone, "Tonight, Young Master Wu has gone to great lengths, mediating between us for a long time, saying everything he wanted to say, didn't want to say, could say, couldn't say, should say, and shouldn't say... He's said it all. He did this for me, and I'm sure he did the same for you, going through a lot of trouble. Afu, your stubbornness is surely betraying Young Master Wu's sincerity."

Upon hearing this, Tang Afu's eyelids twitched slightly. He then looked at Wu Shuang, who was waving his hand in humility. After hesitating for a long time, he finally chose to compromise. He slammed the ruthless sword on the table with a "bang," then sat down beside the table, coldly glancing at Shen Dongshan with only a chilling glint in his eye.

“That’s right!” Shen Dongshan stood up leisurely, holding a full glass of wine, and strolled over to Tang Afu. He said with a half-smile, “After tonight, you and I will no longer be enemies.” As he spoke, he slowly handed the wine glass to Tang Afu.

"You surnamed Shen, don't push your luck!" Tang Afu's tone was as cold as ice, and his gaze was even more chilling. "Regardless of whether the Tang family's misfortune is related to you, it is an indisputable fact that you took advantage of my youth and defrauded my family. Our enmity will last forever."

"Danfeng Garden has four pavilions: Plum Blossom, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum. Do you know why I chose Plum Blossom Pavilion?" Shen Dongshan was unconcerned about Tang Afu's rudeness, a smile still playing on his lips. "Because it's like you! Plum blossoms are the first of the Four Gentlemen of Flowers and one of the Three Friends of Winter. Even in adversity, they refuse to drift with the tide and can still bloom proudly in the fierce cold wind. Their nobility, their tenacity, and their pride are just like you."

"What exactly do you want to say?" Tang Afu slowly turned his head to meet Shen Dongshan's eyes, while gently placing his right hand on the sword.

"I, Shen, am tainted by money and far removed from the word 'noble,' but I sincerely admire you... and Liu Xunyi, for being a person of principle and integrity. Don't be so quick to anger! Tonight, I have no ill intentions, only a sincere heart."

After speaking, Shen Dongshan placed the wine glass steadily on the table, turned to Wu Shuang with a smile, and then returned to his seat.

"Master Shen, I have already invited the man, and you surely understand Brother Tang's intentions. I hope you will keep your promise and speak frankly, without beating around the bush." ​​Wu Shuang raised his wine cup to Shen Dongshan and Tang Afu respectively, and then said, "As for Brother Tang, I know you don't like to hear nonsense, so I won't go into the details; you understand them too. Tonight, I will only say one thing: since we are sitting here, we should put aside our hostility and defensiveness. If there are any misunderstandings, let's talk them out openly and honestly, so as to achieve a result that benefits everyone."

Tang Afu snorted lightly and said calmly, "Don't worry! I won't go back on my word since I promised you. Even if he can't give me a satisfactory explanation tonight, I won't kill him right away."

“Brother Tang is a man of his word, I trust him.” Wu Shuang nodded with satisfaction, then cupped his hands to Shen Dongshan and said, “What we’re about to discuss are your private matters, I dare not pry, so let’s leave it at that…”

“Young Master Wu, please don’t stand on ceremony. Please sit down and relax. I will tell you everything I am about to say.” Shen Dongshan quickly refused Wu Shuang’s leave and said in a seemingly generous manner, “You are here to be a witness for me and Afu.”

Shen Dongshan was inherently cautious. Although Tang Afu promised not to kill him tonight, he was still uneasy and could only feel at ease if Wu Shuang was left behind.

“This…” Wu Shuang subconsciously turned her gaze to Tang Afu, who was expressionless.

Tang Afu's response was quite straightforward: "It's common knowledge that our family is in such a bad situation, there's nothing to hide."

At this point, Tang Afu's eyes turned cold, and he went straight to the point, questioning Shen Dongshan: "Speak! I also want to hear how you plan to argue your way out of this."

"Ugh!"

With a sigh, Shen Dongshan, his face now etched with sorrow, downed a cup of wine alone. It seemed only the strong alcohol could allow him to reveal the secret hidden deep within his heart: "Regarding the truth about the Tang family's massacre, I have avoided discussing it all these years, not because I didn't want to clear my name, but because I didn't want to drag in any unnecessary trouble or controversy because of a tragedy that has already occurred and cannot be undone. Of course, ultimately it's all due to my cowardice and incompetence, and I can't blame anyone else for that."

"I wonder what other troubles you're referring to, Mr. Shen?" Wu Shuang asked curiously. "No matter how you put it, it's all just a high-sounding excuse," Shen Dongshan said with a bitter smile. "To put it bluntly... it's just that I want to protect my own life and property."

"Oh?" Shen Dongshan's reluctant answer completely piqued Wu Shuang's interest. "Could it be that you'll be in mortal danger if you reveal the truth? Could it be that the real culprit who slaughtered the Tang family doesn't even put the powerful and wealthy 'Number One Merchant of the Great Song Dynasty' in his eyes?"

"Young Master Wu flatters me too much. In those people's eyes, I am not even as good as an ant." Seemingly sensing that Wu Shuang was intentionally or unintentionally helping him, the shrewd Shen Dongshan quickly took the opportunity to back down, using this as a pretext to explain his bitterness and helplessness.

"If you're so afraid, why did you say it tonight?" Tang Afu scoffed at Shen Dongshan's hypocritical act and mocked, "In my eyes, you're harder to kill than an ant."

"Ah Fu is joking." Shen Dongshan smiled rather awkwardly, then straightened his mind and said frankly, "I don't need to put on airs in front of you. To be frank, my actions tonight were not out of a sense of justice, nor were they a desperate measure. First, I wanted to befriend Liu Xunyi, so I couldn't bypass you; this was a matter of weighing the pros and cons. Second, Young Master Wu persuaded me earnestly, and I couldn't refuse his request; this was a matter of prioritizing. Third, times have changed. If I tell the truth now, perhaps the disputes and controversies involved won't be as troublesome as before; this is because... times have changed, and things are different now."

"Clever words and a flattering demeanor, all pretense and mystery," Tang Afu said disdainfully. "Wu Shuangke just reminded you not to beat around the bush."

“That’s right!” Wu Shuang echoed earnestly. “Mr. Shen, we’re not interested in your inner monologues; you can keep them for yourselves to enjoy. Now, why not tell Brother Tang what he really wants to hear?”

"Hehe... Young Master Wu is right. I was just being pretentious." Although Shen Dongshan smiled and agreed on the surface, he was secretly cursing Wu Shuang for being hypocritical.

"I'm not here to listen to your nonsense!" Tang Afu urged impatiently. "What do you know about the truth behind the massacre of the Tang family, and the whereabouts of those twenty-five thieves?"

Shen Dongshan gave Wu Shuang, who was busy eating and drinking, a deep look, then turned to Tang Afu and said seriously, "The twenty-five thieves you are so fixated on are nothing but puppets being manipulated by others. If you keep holding onto them, this blood feud will never be resolved."

Tang Afu scrutinized Shen Dongshan's confident words, carefully discerning the truthfulness in his statements. After a moment of silence, he spoke softly, "Jin Fuyu also mentioned this point. I suspect that the twenty-five thieves were not the masterminds either."

"Jin Fuyu?" Upon hearing the name Jin Fuyu, Shen Dongshan was taken aback at first, then his mind raced, and he cautiously probed, "What else did he say?"

He said that the misfortune that befell my Tang family was not an accident at all, but a complete conspiracy.

“That’s true!” When Shen Dongshan learned that Jin Fuyu had mentioned this to Tang Afu, he suddenly became no longer as timid and reserved as before, and nodded heavily, saying, “It was indeed a long-planned man-made disaster.”

"The whereabouts of those twenty-five thieves..."

"What?" Shen Dongshan raised an eyebrow and asked suspiciously, "Did Jin Fuyu tell you their whereabouts?"

"He only made a promise, he didn't tell me anything," Tang Afu said in a deep voice. "At the time, he used Liu Xunyi's life as a bargaining chip, so I..."

"Luckily you didn't do as he said, otherwise you would have been tricked by him."

"What do you mean?" Shen Dongshan's answer made Tang Afu frown, and he asked suspiciously, "How could Jin Fuyu be playing me for a fool?"

"His offer to find the whereabouts of twenty-five thieves is just a trick, because you have no chance of finding them," Shen Dongshan replied confidently. "Even if you're lucky, you'll only find a desolate grave and a pile of bones. What good will that do?"

"What?" Upon learning that his long-time enemies were all dead, Tang Afu could no longer remain calm. He jumped to his feet and asked urgently, "You said they're all dead? Do you have any proof?"

"I am the proof!"

"You?" Shen Dongshan's answer caused Tang Afu's expression to change, and he was filled with shock and anger. He gritted his teeth and said, "So you really are the mastermind!"

"He was behind it all, but he wasn't the mastermind."

"If you weren't the mastermind, how could you testify that all twenty-five thieves were dead?"

At this moment, Wu Shuang, who was filled with surprise, gradually stopped picking up food and silently stared intently at the two people who were locked in a fierce confrontation.

In the tense and oppressive atmosphere, Shen Dongshan slowly straightened his back, his eyes meeting Tang Afu's sharp and fierce gaze without flinching, and said, word by word, "At that time, I could say that I was entrusted, or rather, coerced, to personally select a hiding place for twenty-five thieves who had committed heinous crimes, in order to evade the pursuit of the government and Tang family's old acquaintances. I personally provided them with everything they needed in the hiding place, including their... last meal."

……