Martial Arts Secret Realm: Only I Can Know the Plot?

It was white, plain, with a small chrysanthemum embroidered in the corner.

"She asked me to give this to you." Mu Xue'er handed the handkerchief to Sun Fan. "She said—'Tell him the flowers are still blooming.'"

Sun Fan took the handkerchief and examined it from all angles.

The handkerchief was ordinary, without any hidden marks or anything special about it. But he knew what this handkerchief meant to Ding Dian.

That was Ling Shuanghua's handkerchief.

Those were flowers she embroidered herself.

That was her first attempt after the maid's death.

"That's enough." Sun Fan put the handkerchief away. "Now it's our turn."

Sun Fan carefully tucked the handkerchief into his body and looked up out the window.

Night had fallen over Jingzhou City, and the distant Wangjiang Tower was brightly lit, with the faint sounds of string and wind instruments audible. The city appeared prosperous on the surface, but beneath lay a turbulent undercurrent. And what he needed to do now was to find a path through these undercurrents—a path leading to that prison.

"Dahai," he turned around, "tell me again what you've found out about the Shen family these past few days."

Dong Dahai emerged from the shadows in the corner, holding a thin booklet in his hand. This was the intelligence he had gathered bit by bit over the past few days as he traveled around the city.

"The Shen family is the largest and most powerful family in Jingzhou." He opened the booklet, his voice deep and steady. "The patriarch, Shen Huaishan, is fifty-seven years old this year. He once served as a prefect of the fourth rank and retired to his hometown eight years ago. In Jingzhou, the Shen family's words carry more weight than those of a prefect."

Sun Fan nodded, signaling him to continue.

"Shen Huaishan has three sons. The eldest son, Shen Zhaowen, serves as an official in another region and is not often in Jingzhou. The second son, Shen Zhaowu, is a martial arts practitioner and is currently a military officer in the Jingzhou garrison. The third son—"

"Shen Zhaoyuan," Sun Fan continued.

"Yes." Dong Dahai nodded. "It's the one we met at Wangjiang Tower. Shen Huaishan dotes on this youngest son the most because Shen Zhaoyuan is talented in his studies. He passed the provincial examination at the age of eighteen and is recognized as a talented scholar throughout Jingzhou. Shen Huaishan has high hopes for him and hopes that he can pass the imperial examination and bring honor to his ancestors."

Du Ming, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but interject, "Squad leader, don't you and that Shen Zhaoyuan... have a grudge?"

"A holiday?" Sun Fan's lips curled slightly. "His little schemes are nothing more than youthful arrogance, wanting to show off in front of Mu Xue'er. It doesn't really count as a holiday."

He paused, then said, "Besides, his little schemes are nothing in Shen Huaishan's eyes. What Shen Huaishan wants is someone who can help his son pass the imperial examination—and I happen to be able to do that."

Red Wolf scratched his head: "But we're here to do serious business, why are we getting involved in the imperial examinations?"

"I won't get involved." Sun Fan shook his head. "I'm just letting the Shen family feel that I might get involved."

He looked at Dong Dahai: "Have you investigated the relationship between the Shen family and Ling Tuisi?"

Dong Dahai flipped through the booklet: "It's all cleared up. Shen Huaishan and Ling Tuisi are colleagues on the surface, but in reality—"

He lowered his voice: "They're mortal enemies."

"Oh?"

"The year Shen Huaishan retired and returned to his hometown, Ling Tuisi was transferred to Jingzhou. According to custom, when a local official takes office, he should first visit the local prominent families. But Ling Tuisi did not—on the second day after he arrived in Jingzhou, he sealed up three shops in the south of the city, two of which were owned by the Shen family."

"It is said that the Shen family is backed by the Jingzhou garrison. At the prefect's welcoming banquet, they publicly humiliated Lin Situi."

Dong Dahai continued, "Shen Huaishan didn't say anything at the time, but that's how the two families became enemies. Over the years, they've fought each other openly and secretly. When Ling Tuisi wanted to build water conservancy projects in Jingzhou, the Shen family led the opposition; when the Shen family wanted to open a business in the north of the city, Ling Tuisi blocked the application. Last year, when Shen Zhaowu wanted to be promoted to guerrilla commander, Ling Tuisi sent him a secret letter, and the matter fell through."

"Interesting." Sun Fan said thoughtfully. "What about Shen Zhaoyuan? What's his attitude towards Ling Tuisi?"

"Shen Zhaoyuan didn't get involved in these things much," Dong Dahai said. "He's a scholar, spending all his time with literati, and doesn't care much about these official matters. However—"

He glanced at Sun Fan: "I heard that Shen Zhaoyuan took the prefectural examination last year and could have gotten first place, but Ling Tuisi overshadowed him and only gave him third place. Shen Zhaoyuan has been holding a grudge about this ever since."

Sun Fan smiled.

"That's right," he said. "Ling Tuisi is a meticulous man, but he has one major weakness—he's too greedy. Greedy for power, greedy for money, greedy for fame. He suppressed Shen Zhaoyuan's ranking not for any other reason than to tell everyone in Jingzhou—he's the one who calls the shots in this territory."

Du Ming seemed thoughtful: "So, class monitor, you mean... to exploit the conflict between the Shen family and Ling Tuisi?"

"It's not just about using them," Sun Fan said. "It's about making them feel that I'm someone who can help them overcome the other side."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the direction of the Shen family mansion in the distance.

"Tomorrow, I will visit Shen Zhaoyuan."

The next morning, Sun Fan changed into a clean scholar's robe, took with him several model essays for the imperial examinations that Mu Xue'er had copied and found online, and went to the Shen family alone.

The Shen family mansion is located in the east of the city, covering a vast area. Two old locust trees stand in front of the gate, their canopies providing ample shade. The two characters "Shen Mansion" on the lintel are the calligraphy of a Grand Secretary from the previous dynasty, their powerful strokes immediately revealing the family's wealth and status.

Sun Fan handed over his visiting card, and the gatekeeper glanced at it and his expression immediately changed.

"Young Master Sun, please wait a moment, I will go and inform him immediately."

Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea was up, Shen Zhaoyuan came out to greet him personally. Today he was wearing a moon-white straight robe, his hair was tied up neatly, and he was still holding that folding fan in his hand, but the expression on his face was completely different from the last time at Wangjiang Tower.

Last time it was arrogant and provocative, this time it's warm but with a hint of... ingratiation?

"Brother Sun, it's an honor to have you here! I'm so sorry I didn't greet you sooner!" Shen Zhaoyuan bowed respectfully, his eyes crinkling with laughter. "I recently read your masterpiece and was deeply impressed. I was just about to come and learn from you, but you've arrived first. Please come in, please come in!"

Sun Fan returned the greeting with a smile and followed Shen Zhaoyuan into the mansion.

The Shen family mansion was indeed magnificent. It had three courtyards, each exquisitely and elegantly furnished. The lush flowers and trees, the artificial hills and flowing water—it was clear that a master designer had been commissioned. Passing through two moon gates, Shen Zhaoyuan led him into the study.

The study was large, with calligraphy and paintings hanging on all four walls. A rosewood desk stood by the window, fully equipped with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, densely packed with books.

Shen Zhaoyuan personally poured him tea, his attentiveness belying his status as a young master from a prominent family.

"Brother Sun, after we parted at Wangjiang Tower that day, I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep." He handed me a cup of tea with both hands. "I copied down those four lines of poetry, Brother Sun, and pondered them every day. The more I read them, the more I felt their profound meaning. Especially the line, 'Life goes on endlessly, generation after generation, but the river moon looks the same year after year'—such a sentiment can only be expressed by someone with profound experience."

This attempt to curry favor is just too fake.

Fortunately, scholars are thick-skinned, especially scions of prominent families.