A Scroll of Infinite Glory

On the day of the rendezvous, one should take advantage of the chaos and fish in troubled waters, but the rendezvous place should not be a crowded and indiscriminate place.

Finding a sufficiently quiet place in Guangzhou, where the Huaguang Festival is held, is not an easy task. According to the instructor, it was originally a family ancestral hall.

In Lingnan, clans are numerous, and it has become a hard and fast rule for clans of all sizes to contribute money and labor to build their ancestral halls. If the clan rules still apply and you refuse to contribute, it's not just a matter of being looked down upon; it can lead to criminal punishment.

Clans with many members and much money will naturally build grand ancestral halls, while those with many members but little money will have to reduce the size of their ancestral halls to avoid appearing too shabby, in order to make the layout appear more compact and the feng shui of their houses more meticulous.

This small ancestral hall is said to have fallen into complete disrepair. Unless it's the Lunar New Year, the door is locked for months on end, and no one comes.

The small ancestral hall is located at the end of a row of houses, right next to the river.

Guan Luoyang and his group did not walk to the gate covered with cobwebs. Instead, they walked around the perimeter to see where people might hide and shoot, and where it would be a good place to escape. Then they jumped over the wall and went inside to investigate.

This small ancestral hall is just a courtyard about ten steps square, connected to a house.

There were several prayer cushions and an incense table in the room.

The incense burner, candles, and even the dozens of memorial tablets placed behind it were covered in cobwebs. A large cobweb hanging diagonally to the right of the roof beam was also covered with many flying insects.

The layout of this place is basically completely visible from all sides, so there's nothing particularly noteworthy.

However, after they had only glanced inside, they heard something unusual.

A head popped out from the east wall. Guan Luoyang and the instructor had already silently slipped to the base of the east wall and stood against the wall in the two corners.

They waited patiently for the person who didn't use the main entrance to climb over the wall.

The man was wearing a white shirt with a sleeveless gray vest over it and black leather shoes. He was strong, but when he jumped down from the wall, he crouched down and had to use one hand to brace himself so he wouldn't fall. He didn't seem to have any martial arts skills.

I don't know what he went through before, but he was sweating a lot, with large sweat stains on the fabric of his vest, and his short hair was stuck to his head in clumps.

Guan Luoyang and his group could have scaled the wall and left the moment the man landed and before he even had a chance to turn around, but judging from his attire, he didn't seem like someone who needed to steal from such a small ancestral hall, so his identity was somewhat questionable.

The coach coughed, startling the man who turned around abruptly, revealing a pale, sweaty young face.

Guan Luoyang noticed that when the man was startled, he subconsciously tightened the long brocade box in his left hand, presumably because there was something important inside.

Although the young man looked tired and uneasy, he spoke first and aggressively: "Who are you? Why are you trespassing on my friend's old ancestral hall?"

The instructor's eyes flashed, and he questioned, "Since it's your friend's ancestral hall, why didn't you come in through the main gate?"

The young man argued confidently: "Before my friend went abroad, he told me to keep a close eye on things and clean the house regularly. Unfortunately, I was lazy for a few months and when I came back to check, the lock on the door was rusted shut. I had to climb over the wall to see if it had been burgled."

The instructor's expression turned serious, and he slowly said, "If the family doesn't open this 260-year-old lock, and thieves from outside break in, they'll definitely smash it to pieces. How could they possibly leave this rotten wooden door standing?"

Upon hearing this, the young man's chest heaved twice, and he swallowed hard, as if afraid that his pronunciation might be unclear. He stared intently at the instructor and said clearly, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

"A century of illness, cutting away the rotten and filling in the new."

The coach had barely finished speaking when the two men clasped hands tightly.

The young man seemed overly excited, catching his breath twice, and gripping the instructor's hand so tightly that the veins bulged, before finally saying, "I am Ma Zhixing, it really is you, it really is..."

Before he could finish two sentences, Ma Zhixing's voice trembled with sobs, and he choked up, unable to continue.

Guan Luoyang glanced at the instructor.

Even if they finally made contact, there's no need to be this excited. Judging from his sweating profusely and flustered appearance before, did something happen?

The coach clearly shared the same thought, so he patted his back and comforted him for a few moments before asking him questions.

Ma Zhixing said haltingly, "My family has always been a family of virtuous people, and thanks to the blessings of my ancestors, I was able to study abroad and join the Alliance, etc... cough cough cough..."

He was speaking when he suddenly felt a churning in his stomach and began to dry heave and cough.

The instructor used some force, stroking down from the back of his neck, along his shoulder blades and back, adjusting his strength to soothe his chest and stomach.

Ma Zhixing's nausea and sobbing had greatly subsided; there were still tear stains in the corners of his eyes, but he was able to speak fluently.

"My ancestors were avid collectors of antiques and calligraphy and paintings. This morning, people from the Guangzhou General's Mansion came to our door with a painting in mind. My father was a man of strong character, but I thought that I needed to meet with you soon and that it was not good to cause any trouble, so I secretly persuaded him to hand over the painting."

Unexpectedly, when I returned to the hall with the painting, I found my father had already been brutally murdered. I shot and killed that scoundrel, and fled for my life, barely managing to shake off those Qing soldiers and lackeys.

Ma Zhixing gradually calmed down, but looked haggard. "I was worried that I might not escape unscathed in the next few days, so I thought I would come here to leave a secret mark to warn you that something had happened to your contact. I never expected that you would arrive just in time."

In fact, the Ma family's experience was quite common throughout the Qing Dynasty. However, it was unexpected that Ma Zhixing would lose his loved one so close to him on the eve of the rendezvous.

The tragedy of losing a family and a father is certainly heartbreaking, but whether the roster can still be successfully sent out after the Ma family's misfortune is of paramount importance.

Ma Zhixing was capable of undertaking important tasks and was a clear-headed and courageous person. Before the instructor could make things difficult for him, he took the initiative to explain: "I have already managed to get the boat tickets, from the 23rd to the 28th. I'm just waiting for the day you come to contact me, and I can set off that day."

"However, my family is small, and my father and his assistants are all unwilling to travel far. It would be suspicious if someone suddenly bought tickets for several days in a row. So after I asked different people to buy the tickets, I kept them separately. The ticket for the first boat tomorrow morning is hidden in the innermost drawer of the cocklebur drawer in the lower right corner of my Baoshengtang medicine cabinet."

He paused, gritted his teeth, and said hatefully, "Given the way these corrupt officials operate, they will definitely shut down my family's clinic and pharmacy and confiscate my family's property. Those lackeys certainly won't leave anytime soon, so we won't be able to get our boat tickets back. But I still have a few trustworthy friends, and I can ask them to think of a way."

The instructor frowned and said, "I'm afraid that won't work. We've caused quite a bit of trouble on our way into the city. Once we're there, the authorities will probably guess our intentions, and they'll definitely scrutinize the boat tickets even more strictly. Your friends were able to get them before, but they might not be able to after today."

"this……"

Ma Zhixing blinked hard, his eyes stinging. His mind was a mess. "What am I going to do? The chairman and the others have agreed to take action next year and have already started preparations. The roster must be sent before the end of the year. Otherwise, if we act hastily, the chances of success will be extremely low. It's almost October now."

Guan Luoyang suddenly spoke up: "Then I'll go get the boat tickets."

Ma Zhixing turned to look at him and immediately objected: "How can that be? Those lackeys are all armed. If you go in empty-handed all by yourself, it's tantamount to suicide."

The instructor said in a deep voice, "Although Luoyang's move is risky, in terms of strength, it might be worth a try. However, Guangzhou is neither small nor large. If we are to make a move, we must be quick. Brother Ma, please tell me in detail the route from here to your family's clinic and pharmacy."

"etc."

Guan Luoyang raised his hand and said, "It's not us, I'm going alone. First of all, if you and I go together, then we have important responsibilities, and it would be very suspicious for us to take action at this juncture. It could easily make them make connections, investigate Brother Ma's friends, and even find out about the boat tickets."

"But if I were alone, it would be much more normal for the ruthless, green-faced demon to pass by, draw his sword in righteous indignation, and kill a few Qing soldiers. At best, they might even suspect I was planning to assassinate the Guangzhou general, and allocate more troops there to make our future operations smoother."

As Guan Luoyang spoke, he pointed at Ma Zhixing and said, "Of course, most importantly, Brother Ma is still being pursued. With you by his side, it will be easier for him to escape and hide. Otherwise, he would have trouble even climbing over a wall. If he were alone here and the Qing soldiers came looking for him, he would be in big trouble."

The coach was persuaded by him.

Seeing that they seemed very confident, Ma Zhixing guessed that they might be true masters with extraordinary skills, so he didn't try to persuade them any further and carefully explained the route.

The Ma family's clinic and pharmacy were not actually in the same place as their residence. Their house faced west, and after exiting, one had to cross an alley and walk half a street to reach the clinic, which faced east.

Ma Zhixing had traveled back and forth between three different locations countless times to select this ancestral hall as the meeting point, and he knew all the routes by heart. After he finished speaking, Guan Luoyang had a clear picture in his mind.

Those Eight Banner soldiers who often served at the General's Mansion in Guangzhou were experienced in ransacking homes. The truly valuable items were naturally divided up by the higher-ups, but the lower-ranking soldiers also managed to skim some profits.

After they've finished ransacking the house, they won't even spare the tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks. People say that bandits pass by like a fence and soldiers pass by like a comb, and this is no better than that. I'm afraid even the medicinal herbs will be packed up and taken away.

To prevent the ticket from being taken away, Guan Luoyang set off immediately, even though it was still daytime.

It was nearing noon, the busiest time of the day. Along the way, Guan Luoyang not only encountered another group of monks being followed and watched, but also saw quite a few street performers.

The girl balancing bowls wore a faded red jacket, stood on one foot on the table, and already had eight porcelain bowls on her head. She used her toes to lift the bowls and drop them onto her head, which drew cheers from the crowd.

The old man with his braided hair in a bun took off his shirt. He was a bit stronger than the average person, but his ribs were still clearly visible. He used his throat to push the tip of a wooden spear. This old trick, especially since it was an old man, attracted very few viewers.

Guan Luoyang weaved through the crowd and also saw those who were taking risks.

For example, there was an old man and a young man who partnered up to sell snake oil. The older man would forcefully dislocate the younger man's arm. The younger man would grit his teeth and shake his arm so that others could identify whether it was really dislocated. Only then would the snake oil be applied, the bone reset, and he would perform a set of punches.

This was meant to demonstrate the miraculous effects of snake oil, but Guan Luoyang sniffed the pungent smell and knew that the snake oil medicinal wine was just ordinary stuff.

Young people who manipulate their joints like this, even if they endure the pain, will develop lifelong health problems within two or three years.

But their business was indeed better than in other places, and more and more people gathered around, most of them were laborers wearing short clothes that exposed their bellies and had their braids wrapped around their heads.

Then there's the tightrope walker. Two flagpoles stand on the ground, with a steel wire stretched across them. Tables and chairs are piled up below for stability. Two people hold onto the poles, and the young performer, a green-haired boy, uses a bamboo pole for balance. He climbs up using a ladder and walks on the steel wire, which is more than five meters off the ground. He sways precariously, like a fragile, delicate piece of flesh and bone suspended by a thin rope on the edge of a cliff.

There were also magicians, people who scooped oil from pots, and monkey performers; the number of people gathered varied.

In the streets and alleys, along the river food stalls, a kind of simple yet precious liveliness and joy permeates the air.

Guan Luoyang, like a fish swimming through the streets and alleys, approached Baoshengtang Medical Clinic amidst a cacophony of sounds.

Across from the clinic, in a slightly off-the-beaten-path spot, there's a wonton stall. The broth is rich and fragrant, and the wontons are generously seasoned with salt. The business is quite good; besides a few tables and chairs, many people even bring their own bowls and squat outside to eat.

Guan Luoyang stood next to the clinic and first looked around at the situation inside.

Sure enough, some Qing soldiers were already looting the Baoshengtang pharmacy.

They didn't even assign anyone to guard the gate; they just searched inside, grabbed whatever they wanted, and left, disappearing without a trace.

The attire of these Manchu soldiers should have made people keep their distance, or perhaps the tragedy at Baoshengtang had drawn a crowd of onlookers. But on such a day, everyone had other entertainment to watch and didn't want to cause trouble, so they simply pretended not to see it.

Guan Luoyang silently calculated the positions of these people in his mind, and with a swift movement, he crossed the street and suddenly darted into Baoshengtang.

The two Qing soldiers who were prying open the cabinet under the counter where the money was being collected noticed that the sounds of others scrambling for things had suddenly stopped. One of them became alert and was about to look up when he saw two hands reach out from outside the cabinet and slap down.

Those who looked up and those who didn't all had their necks broken and died on the spot.

Guan Luoyang rubbed himself and landed in front of the medicine cabinet.

Cocklebur is poisonous, but it can dispel wind and dampness. In the habits of Ma Baiwen and his son, it is a useful but rarely used medicinal material, so it is placed in the corner of the medicine cabinet for easy access.

After opening the drawer and taking out two boat tickets, Guan Luoyang slipped away.

When he went out, the streets were still so noisy that no one even noticed that all the Qing soldiers inside the house were dead.

Around that time, Dimon Seymour walked out of the Ma family's house.

The steward of the general's mansion had been waiting there, and when he saw him go out, he hurriedly went to greet him.

"You don't need to come along. Have someone thoroughly search this house. I'll go out for a walk myself."

Dimon Seymour waved for the butler to stop, and left with only his own guards.

Walking down the street, Dimon Seymour squinted slightly, seemingly not paying any attention to the scenery around him, only his nose twitched slightly.

The streets reeked of sweat, the smell of people's hair and clothes, the paving stones on the ground, the surrounding tiles and water, the smell of sun-dried food, and the smell of filth.

Many, many things were omitted.

Only in the bedroom of the Ma family, the lingering and dominant scent, in Dimon Seymour's sense of smell, stretched into a clear trail of smoke, circling into the distance.

He could hear his own heartbeat clearly as he drew closer, step by step.

"Finally... finally it's almost complete. That thing, in the end, I really couldn't rely on someone else."

"Only I can get it in person!"