I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 132 Princess Hongyu
Chen Ming frowned and asked with a serious expression, "Does Miss Su know who that person is?"

Su Zhining said, "Anyone who can deceive my senses must be at least of the third rank."

Third grade?

Chen Ming suddenly thought of the third-rank expert who had been spying on him from the rooftop that morning. Could it be her?

Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, he could still tell that it was a woman.

I initially thought he was just a powerful figure passing by, curious to see what was going on. Now it seems he probably has ulterior motives.

"You could have just killed him, why did you have to sow discord and make them kill each other?" Su Zhining's slightly dissatisfied voice reached his ears.

Chen Ming looked up and met her reproachful gaze.

Well, my Mary Sue syndrome has flared up again.

He sighed, "If that's how you think, then there's nothing I can do."

Su Zhining frowned slightly and said, "You mean, I misunderstood you?"

“Of course,” Chen Ming said matter-of-factly. “If I wanted to eliminate future troubles, the simplest way would be to wipe out the Qi family. However, I’m a soft-hearted person and I’m unwilling to commit such a bloody crime.”

"But I can't just keep them around and let them come back for revenge later, can I? I'm not afraid, of course, but my brother and sister-in-law don't know martial arts, and I can't let them be in danger..."

Su Zhining interjected, "So, you want to plunge the Qi family into internal strife and make them kill each other."

Chen Ming looked at her seriously, "If you think this is inappropriate, just say the word and I'll go back right now and wipe out the entire Qi family."

"..."

In the end, Su Zhining silently looked away and said nothing more.

Chen Ming discovered one of her strengths: although she was sometimes too saintly, at least she was reasonable and wouldn't resort to sophistry.

There's still hope.

……

News of Qi Yanxiong's murder and the change of ownership of Jinyuansheng quickly spread throughout Qingfeng City.

Jin Yuansheng monopolized the porcelain business and was considered by many to be the second largest merchant guild after the Seven Great Merchants. Qi Yanxiong, also a prominent figure, died unexpectedly, causing a huge uproar.

There are various theories about the cause of Qi Yanxiong's death.

Some say it was due to internal strife within the Qi family, and that Qi Yanxiong died at the hands of his own brothers.

Some say that Chen Ming killed Qi Yanxiong.

Another story says that a mysterious and powerful figure took a liking to Jin Yuansheng, a company that was making a fortune every day, and assassinated him in order to seize control of the business.

Some even say he was a pirate, or a henchman from the Six Doors (a secret police agency).

For a time, there were different opinions.

Only the two Jin Yuansheng retainers who were present at the time, and two other people from Shang'an Trading Company, knew the truth. They had been instructed by Chen Ming not to reveal it.

……

The next day, after hearing the news, Chen Rui immediately ran to his parents' memorial tablets and told them the good news.

He could naturally guess that Qi Yanxiong's death was related to his younger brother. He had gone out yesterday, saying he was going to take care of things. Coincidentally, Qi Yanxiong was murdered yesterday.

In any case, the revenge for my brother being falsely accused and imprisoned has finally been taken.

In front of the mourning hall, Chen Rui said a lot.

In just four years, his younger brother Chen Ming has grown to this level, even killing someone like Qi Yanxiong without hesitation.

As someone also in business, he was well aware of the vast gap between the Chen family and Jinyuansheng.

He now feels that he is falling further and further behind his younger brother.

"Father, Mother, may your spirits in heaven protect us all..."

……

…………

South of the city, the Red Sea Gang.

This place was originally the headquarters of the Giant Tiger Gang, but now it is the main base of the Red Sea Gang.

The Crimson Sea Gang is now more powerful than the Giant Tiger Gang of the past, and has unified the entire Qingfeng City in just a few months.

In the backyard of the Red Sea Gang, in a courtyard.

The door to the room was pushed open from the inside, and a man in his early thirties walked out. The gang members guarding the door immediately bowed and said, "Welcome back, Master."

This person is Luo Hao, one of the three hall masters of the Red Sea Gang, and also the gang leader's disciple.

The gang leader doesn't like to deal with these mundane matters, and now the gang's affairs are managed by the three hall masters.

A trusted confidant mustered his courage and asked, "Has the Hall Master made any breakthroughs during his seclusion?"

A month ago, Luo Hao suddenly had a premonition and said he was going into seclusion, which lasted for a month. Everyone speculated that he was about to break through to the fifth rank.

Luo Hao said, "I have made some progress, but I am still some distance from the fifth rank."

Next came the bath and changing of clothes.

"During my month-long seclusion, has anything significant happened in the city?"

Luo Hao asked casually while eating.

One of the attendants said, "Nothing serious, but there is something that the hall master might be interested in: Chen Ming has emerged from seclusion."

Chen Ming?

Luo Hao had a deep impression of this name, not because the person was particularly strong, but because Zhao, the governor's daughter, stood up for him.

That Lady Zhao's daughter is truly a rare beauty, and her family background is so illustrious, yet she would fall for such an ordinary young man. It's really infuriating.

Luo Hao naturally wanted to teach that kid a lesson in public, but he was held back by that Miss Zhao.

The attendant clearly knew his master well and added, "Admiral Zhao took his daughter to Jiangzhou. They left a couple of days ago, and I'm afraid they won't be back anytime soon."

"Oh?"

Luo Hao's eyes lit up instantly, sparkling with excitement. With Admiral Zhao's daughter gone, who can protect you now?
……

"Not good!"

Inside the mourning hall, Chen Rui was confiding in his parents when he suddenly heard the butler's anxious voice. Startled, he asked, "Butler, what's the matter that you're so alarmed?"

"That Luo, the leader of the Red Sea Gang, has come knocking again, saying he wants to challenge Second Master."

Chen Rui is no longer the naive young man who panicked at the first sign of trouble. Over the years, the Chen family has experienced many crises, and he has matured through experience.

Therefore, even though he heard that Luo Hao from the Red Sea Gang was coming to challenge Erlang, he remained calm and asked, "Where is Erlang?"

The butler said, "I've already sent someone to inform him."

"Go and have a look."

Chen Rui put down the unburnt paper money in his hand and walked outside, instructing, "Have Guard Gu go to the backyard to keep watch and prevent anyone from disturbing Madam and Young Master and Miss."

"Yes."

"Also, let Bo Fu and Zhong Da..."
Chen Rui made the arrangements methodically, and soon they arrived at the gate, where the servants stood as if facing a formidable enemy.

"...Everyone says the second son of the Chen family is a hero, a young genius, but I think he's just a coward who only dares to hide under a woman's skirt..."

Outside the door, foul language was heard, accompanied by a burst of laughter.

Chen Rui felt a surge of anger upon hearing this.

Although I know this was a tactic used by Master Luo to provoke Erlang, it's still a very harsh way to put it.

What happened last month is still fresh in my mind.

The same Luo, the leader of the Red Sea Gang, was leading a group of his men around the door, urging Erlang to go out and fight.

No matter how they explained that Erlang was in seclusion, they still dared not give up. Just as they were about to force their way in, Miss Zhao arrived and stopped the arrogant and domineering Master Luo.

He only learned about Miss Zhao's identity from Master Luo; she was actually the daughter of the governor.

Chen Rui was very surprised that Erlang knew the governor's daughter and that their relationship was quite close.

"Chen Ming, if you don't come out soon, I'm going to barge in. This time, Miss Zhao won't be there to help you. Let's see how you hide then!"

……

…………

The backyard of Chen Mansion.

Hearing the sounds coming from outside, Chen Ming said helplessly to the woman in red sitting opposite him, "Please forgive me, senior, I'll go and take care of this first."

The woman in red in front of him also had a veil on her face, but her temperament was completely different from Su Zhining's. She had a kind of beauty full of vitality, and her eyes were wild. She was obviously an extremely restless person.

She was the Rank 3 expert who had secretly warned them yesterday. She finally came knocking today. But as fate would have it, no sooner had she arrived than Luo Hao came to challenge her.

The woman in red stared intently at him. "Don't call me senior. I'm not much older than you."

"Then how should I address you?"

“My name is Hong, you can call me Sister Hong.”

"Sister Hong."

Chen Ming readily agreed and stood up, saying, "Please sit here for a while, I'll be right back."

After saying that, he got up and left.

The woman in red looked at the steaming tea in front of her and said, "Come out."

As soon as she finished speaking, a woman in white gracefully descended from the rooftop. It was Su Zhining. She bowed to the woman in red and said, "Su Zhining of the Heavenly Dao Alliance greets Princess Hongyu."

A strange light flashed in the red-clad woman's eyes as she murmured, "I never imagined that in my lifetime I would hear someone address me like that..."

……

Outside the gate, there was an extremely luxurious carriage, pulled by eight horses.

Behind the carriage followed more than thirty gang members dressed in black, showcasing the grandeur of Qingfeng City's largest gang.

Such a scene naturally attracted many onlookers, who all kept their distance and watched, discussing the scene.

"This time, Chen Erlang probably can't escape it."

"Serves him right. This guy used to challenge everyone, and today he got cornered at the door. This is karma, and retribution is inevitable."

"I heard that this Master Luo was already a sixth-rank official three years ago. His swordsmanship is amazing, and he has fully mastered the skills of Chief Pan. I'm afraid Chen Erlang is no match for him."

"Alas, Chen Erlang only broke through to the sixth rank seven or eight months ago, so his cultivation is naturally far inferior to that of this Hall Master Luo..."

Most people don't think Chen Ming has a good chance, and many even say he probably won't accept the challenge.

"I'm afraid he's just waiting for Miss Zhao to come and get him out of this predicament, isn't he?"

"You don't know this, do you? Miss Zhao is not in the city now. She went to Jiangzhou City with the Admiral."

"He can't escape this time..."

Amidst the murmurs, the carriage door opened, and Luo Hao, dressed in black, stepped out with a cold gaze and shouted, "Break in."

(End of this chapter)