Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Chapter 103 Assassination

Martial arts schools and instructors in counties and townships were, in essence, training talents for the imperial court to take the martial arts exams.

Their disciples would also assist the county military camp and yamen in apprehending bandits. Although there was an element of mutual benefit, the yamen and the county military camp usually treated them with respect.

Warriors value their reputation most.

As the saying goes, "A common man's anger can cause bloodshed within five steps." With the arrival of Zhang Guan's troops, there were bound to be some frictions between them and the county military camp.

Zhang Guan's people practically had "Who do you think you are?" written all over their faces, which aroused the dissatisfaction of the local martial arts instructors.

Chong Yue of the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts School and Gao Jing of the Black Dragon Martial Arts School are both veteran masters who have taught many outstanding disciples, so they are quite prestigious among martial artists.

The disciples of the Rock Martial Arts Academy felt ashamed of the two men's attitude towards Xiao Hua.

Gradually, the number of students at the Rock Martial Arts Academy dwindled significantly, with very few people coming to learn martial arts anymore. The inner disciples, too, mostly sought other paths and were unwilling to linger at the academy.

Xiao Hua was restless.

While shocked, the members of the various families also felt a sense of unease.

They thought that since the general was going to deal with the Shen family, everyone might be safe. But then Ye Ci came along. Although he didn't have a close relationship with the general, he gained Duan Wu's appreciation.

In no time, everyone started working on it again.

In addition, Ye Ci's reputation spread widely among the young ladies of several prominent families.

He became more of a morally ambiguous figure, which ironically aroused the curiosity and interest of the young ladies.

Songjiang Ferry Crossing.

The waves crashed against the shore, creating wisps of mist, like smoke and a dream.

The Shen family's business did not collapse. In addition to their business in the county, they also had a private dock at the ferry crossing that needed to be managed.

Accompanied by Steward Chen, Shen Yixi gazed at the surging river and suddenly chuckled, "What a pity, I should have attended the banquet that day."

For several days in a row, she had little appetite and only drank lotus seed soup each day.

It wasn't until a close friend came by and told her about Ye Ci's murder that she felt a little better.

Unfortunately, she never saw it with her own eyes.

"It's a strange feeling, I like watching him kill people."

The sound, accompanied by the roar of the waves, drifted away gently.

Manager Chen exclaimed in astonishment, "To kill Qiu Tang so blatantly, it really takes a lot of courage."

Shen Yixi shook her head: "Killing someone and risking your life only takes courage, but killing someone and getting away unscathed requires not only courage but also skill."

"Many people have courage, but no ability."

"I've thought of many ways Qiu Tang could die, but I never imagined this one—that day when I heard he had taken over Ye Ci's shop, I thought he would die from assassination. Later I thought he wouldn't dare, but I never expected him to do something like this."

Steward Chen deeply agreed with the young lady's words, nodding and saying, "He is both brave and resourceful. I saw him practicing martial arts when I returned to the Shen residence; he must have reached the Transformation Realm."

"So fast?" Shen Yixi exclaimed in surprise.

"It is indeed fast."

"Uncle Chen, I remember you once joined a small sect and practiced the Dan-embracing technique, but you failed to pass the initial stage."

"Yes."

"Can we pass the call to him?"

"He violated the sect's rules, and he also has inferior aptitude."

"Can someone with inferior physical constitution cultivate to the level of Transformation Force?"

"According to Master Yang, this is because Ye Gongfeng's bloodline is different."

"this----"

Seeing that Shen Yixi was in a bad mood, Steward Chen sighed and added, "My cultivation method is inferior and may not be suitable for him. Besides, he can already join a sect in the city, so he doesn't need me to teach him any techniques."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yixi nodded: "He can indeed leave now."

Today, our young lady did not wear brocade, but rather a very plain white linen dress. Standing by the river, she resembled a snow lotus, yet it added a touch of desolation to her appearance.

"Miss, you're dressed too lightly today, why don't you go home early?"

"call----"

Shen Yixi let out a long sigh of relief and said, "Let's go."

The two walked together, and Manager Chen, still somewhat puzzled, asked, "Miss, why have you been dressed like this these past few days? It's like someone is in mourning. Is something going to happen?"

"Something bad is going to happen."

Shen Yixi nodded slightly, pursed her lips, and a hint of pain appeared in her eyes. After a long while, she said, "Something big is going to happen in the county."

Manager Chen looked puzzled, but seeing that Shen Yixi didn't intend to continue, he didn't ask any further questions. He just thought to himself that he should keep a close eye on the young lady and make sure she didn't cause any trouble.

After leaving the ferry, Shen Yixi returned home.

She sensed something was off as soon as she entered the room.

Father Shen Zonghan sat on a chair in the hall with a cold face, supporting his forehead with one hand. The maid Xiao Cui knelt on the ground, where there were some broken teacups, still steaming.

"Xiao Cui, go downstairs."

Shen Yixi's voice was very soft, with a hint of reassurance that was barely perceptible. Xiao Cui felt as if she had been granted a pardon, and quickly responded before backing away.

Shen Yixi walked to the tea cabinet next to her, silently picked up a new teacup, and intended to pour tea for her father.

"Father, it's rare for you to come here today. Is there something you need?"

"You either go back to the Shen residence or to the villa. Living alone outside is not proper."

Faced with her father's anger, Shen Yixi listened quietly, picked up the kettle, and poured water slowly and deliberately.

Shen Zonghan looked up at her and said slowly, "The general asked the Shen family to pay 200,000 taels of silver, which is not unaffordable for the Shen family, but the price is still a bit high."

Shen Yixi handed over the teacup and said slowly, "It's all thanks to Ye Gongfeng's help that we don't have to split up. Mr. Wei Ting said that Zhang Guan will definitely not stay here for long. It's good enough that we can escape this calamity."

Shen Zonghan avoided the topic of "dividing the family property," lifted the lid of the bowl, and gently blew on it: "You're not getting any younger, it's time for you to get married."

Shen Yixi lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment: "But I still don't really want to be someone's concubine—"

"So what if he has concubines? What capable man doesn't have three wives and four concubines?"

Shen Yixi had barely finished speaking when Shen Zonghan interrupted her: "The third son of the Han family has separated from the Han family, and the second son of the Zhao family has also set up his own household. Now, some wealthy families in the county are trying to get on General Zhang's good side."

Shen Yixi paused for a moment, pondering the meaning of Shen Zonghan's words.

Shen Zonghan took a sip of tea, sighed deeply, and said, "You should be able to see that Zhang Guan is different from other local officials."

Although he was demoted, his father was a newly promoted marquis in the current dynasty. It should be noted that it was a major event for a general with a minor title to be granted a marquisate, which shows that his backing was not to be underestimated. Now he is amassing wealth in Songjiang, which is a calamity for some, but it may not be a bad opportunity.

The wealthy families in our county are all scrambling to build connections with him, and no one wants to fall behind.

The reason why the third son of the Han family wanted to divide the family property was because the general saw his daughter yesterday and took a liking to her. He had already benefited, so how could he share the spoils with others?

"Besides, although Han Laosan's daughter is pretty, in terms of appearance, it would be hard to find many people in the entire Songjiang County who are more beautiful than you."

"You were born with a face of gold and jade, and you are skilled in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. You are also quick-witted. You were born to be a noble lady. In terms of talent and appearance, how could the daughters of the Han family compare to you?"

"If I could marry the general, my status would rise accordingly. What are the five great families of Songjiang County compared to that?!"

Shen Yixi froze, looked up at him, bit her lip and said softly, "Father, when my brother was in the prefectural city, you discussed with him about marrying me off, but I had already said that I didn't want to get married."

She originally thought her father was talking about Ye Ci, but she didn't expect it to be Zhang Guan.

Originally, she felt a strange mix of emotions, but now a deep chill ran through her.

Think back to the beginning.

She still remembered how she had deliberately acted ugly and angered others, which led to her turning down the marriage proposal in the prefectural city.

That scene still makes her feel nauseous.

"I will not marry anyone, especially not Zhang Guan."

"Slap!" 6

A crisp slap echoed through the silent hall.

Shen Zonghan slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, slapping her across the face.

The force was so great that Shen Yixi staggered back two steps.

Shen Yixi instinctively covered her cheek with one hand, the pain traveling up her cheek and down to her heart.

Who could have known that this young lady, so respected by outsiders, was now overwhelmed by humiliation and injustice?

"You worthless brat! I've wasted my time raising you!"

Shen Zonghan pointed at her, his tone full of anger and disappointment: "You keep calling him Zhang Guan by his given name, do you even know he's the General Who Conquers the South? What would others think if they heard you say such things!"

"What should I do!"

He stomped his foot and cursed, "He might even become a high-ranking official in the future! You're lucky to have married him!"

Hearing the commotion, Steward Chen rushed in and saw Shen Yixi covering her face. He repeatedly advised, "Master Shen, please don't be angry with the child."

He stepped forward to protect Shen Yixi, standing between the two of them.

In fact, he had heard everything clearly outside the door. Moreover, he and Master Shen Wanzhou were childhood friends, and he also had a deep affection for the young lady, feeling extremely sorry for her.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

He turned his head and asked, but what happened next surprised him greatly.

Shen Yixi slowly raised her head, her eyes calmly fixed on Shen Zonghan.

Shen Zonghan glared at him angrily: "Will you marry me or not?"

"marry."

This single word feels so light and airy.

She remained remarkably calm: "One cannot disobey one's parents' orders."

Manager Chen was taken aback.

Shen Zonghan felt a pang of regret after slapping him.

He wasn't afraid of his daughter getting angry; what he feared was that forcing things wouldn't work and might even backfire.

Perhaps not expecting her to agree so readily, Shen Zonghan was also a little unsure, so his expression softened slightly and his tone became gentler: "The general is not like other people. If you are really unwilling, your father will naturally not force you."

"Think about it for a while longer. If you've figured it out, we'll make some serious plans."

"it is good."

Shen Yixi slowly lowered her eyes and bowed to see him off.

No one could see that her fingernails were digging deep into her palms, and blood was gradually seeping from her fair hands.

Manager Chen only saw her standing there in a plain linen dress, looking quite forlorn.

He suddenly remembered that the young lady had said that something big had happened in the county recently.

Surely the young lady doesn't know that her father wants her to get married?

******

These days, Ye Ci has not paid attention to the outside world's discussions.

After killing Qiu Tang, the next one should be Duan Wu.

After all, it was he who killed Wang De.

Ye Ci had always felt that this kid was a troublemaker and needed someone to teach him a lesson, so he had to send Duan Wu to him.

As night deepened, Ye Ci went to the Commandant's residence.

He wasn't sure if Duan Wu was at the county garrison camp or the commandant's office that night, but going to the commandant's office would also allow him to check on Zhang Guan.

However, based on the analysis, it is more likely that he was in the Commandant's Mansion. After the brief contact with Duan Wu that day, it seemed that this person should be Zhang Guan's close confidant, somewhat like the head steward, or similar to the Commandant Chen Chuan.

In addition, the Commandant's Office has been under renovation recently, and with the craftsmen coming and going all day, Zhang Guan couldn't possibly worry about these trivial matters.

Duan Wu might be right here.

At night, the Commandant's mansion was very quiet, with only the rhythmic footsteps of the night patrolmen to be heard.

Ye Ci squatted at the base of the wall and waited patiently for most of the day, basically figuring out the patrol pattern of the sentry.

He found a gap in the wall and, just like when he infiltrated the Black Tiger Gang's stronghold last time, first tested the waters by throwing stones to make sure no one was around before leaping onto the wall.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they landed, a sharp and urgent shout broke the silence of the night.

"Who is it!"

Looking in the direction of the sound, Ye Ci frowned slightly.

A figure was hidden at the base of the wall, holding a long spear. A whooshing sound came from the spear, and Ye Ci dodged to the side, the tip of the spear grazing his shoulder.

Ye Ci swiftly slashed at the man's neck, and the man coughed twice before falling silent.

Ming Jin Wufu (a martial arts master).

"Who's there?!"

"There's an assassin!"

Immediately afterwards, lanterns lit up in many places in the Commandant's Mansion, and the sounds of footsteps, the clatter of armor, and shouts mingled together.

These people aren't bandits; they're all veterans—

They don't have much of an experience advantage over them.

Ye Ci gritted his teeth, knowing that if he stayed any longer, he would only be surrounded, so he had no choice but to turn around and leave.

Sure enough, two figures silently followed. Both were elderly men with white hair and beards, but Ye Ci's figure had completely disappeared into the night.

After a while.

The candlelight flickered in the main hall of the Commandant's Mansion. Zhang Guan sat upright in the main seat, his face growing increasingly sinister as he was awakened in the middle of the night.

Seeing the two elderly men enter, he raised his eyes and asked in a flat tone, "Uncle Song, Uncle Fang, have you caught the man?"

"Reporting to the general, this person is highly skilled and experienced; we have not been able to find any trace of him."

The speaker was Fang Yelan. He continued, "He killed a Ming Jin guard in the manor. His move was swift and decisive, so his strength must be considerable."

Another elderly man named Song Rongyi added, "In Songjiang County, the highest level a martial artist can reach is the Huajin level."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Guan suddenly chuckled softly: "He's got guts, daring to assassinate alone. That's quite something."

He raised his hand and waved: "Pass on my order: all hidden sentries inside and outside the mansion must be removed."

"I want to see how bold and capable he is to dare to assassinate me."

After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a brief silence.

The two elderly men exchanged a glance and nodded slightly: "That's acceptable."

******

These past few days, he has been practicing martial arts while also considering how to get rid of Duan Wu.

In the courtyard of Tingzhuxuan, Ye Ci wiped her cheeks with a cloth, her eyes still stinging with sweat.

"call"

He wiped his eyes and exhaled a deep breath, feeling the changes in his body.

I could clearly feel that with the hard training, every muscle was protesting, and the muscles gradually became sore and painful as they remained tense.

During this period, the arduous training of "Baoshan Yin" never stopped. Although there was still some distance to go before reaching the second level, his endurance was gradually increasing.

Even without the Elixir-Embracing Technique, he continuously honed his body through the Mountain-Embracing Seal, and with no shortage of tonics, his strength still improved somewhat.

Besides.

Since his body was cleansed by the white jade snow lotus, he discovered that his proficiency with the "Mountain Embrace Seal" had also changed.

This supernatural power is unlike ordinary cultivation techniques; each time it is used, the proficiency level varies from 2 to 8 points.

It's a bit strange, I can't figure it out.

However, he practiced diligently every day, and his proficiency increased quite quickly.

"Young Master Ye!"

A voice came from outside the courtyard.

Footsteps approached from afar, and Shen Wanzhou came in from outside, blowing his beard fiercely. His face was ashen.