You promised steampunk martial arts, but you've got an internal combustion engine in your chest

Outside the Jiangshan Fengyu Tower, the area was still completely surrounded by people.

Large numbers of peddlers and laborers gathered around the benches along the street, drinking free water from large, rough porcelain bowls, cracking sunflower seeds, and craning their necks to look inside.

On the stage, gongs and drums were beating loudly, and Baihuatang was putting on a lively performance of "The Hero of Baili Makes a Scene at the Grand Wharf".

On Tuesday, Quan invested heavily in this grand performance, which will run for three days straight. There will be no entrance fee, and tea and food will be provided free of charge. The performance just started yesterday and will continue tomorrow. Right now, the theater is filled with cheers and applause, making it even more lively than yesterday.

The two brothers, Baili Jing and Baili Jing, were dressed in ordinary coarse linen clothes, and quietly squeezed into the crowd.

Everyone around was focused on Baili Jing's heroic figure on the stage, and no one noticed that the hero in the play was squeezing past them at that moment.

Ordinary people wouldn't recognize them, but the White Flower Hall disciples guarding the building all had sharp eyes.

As soon as the two brothers entered, a man who looked like a manager's eyes lit up. He quickly came forward, led the way, and took them to the most luxurious riverside private room on the third floor.

squeak...

The manager carefully pushed open the door to the private room.

As Baili Jing stepped inside, the first thing he saw was an elderly man over sixty years old sitting in the main seat facing the entrance.

The old man was dressed in a white silk robe, with a fair complexion and no beard. His features were extremely ordinary, but there was a dark red mark standing upright in the center of his brow. The mark was slightly raised, and at first glance, it really looked like a third eye that had never been opened.

Baili Jing had never seen this person before, but as soon as the old man saw Baili Jing, he immediately stood up, chuckled, and generously cupped his hands in greeting.

"Brother Baili, it's been quite a journey, but we've finally met today. I am... Zhou Erquan."

Zhou Erquan!

The head of the White Flower Hall, the second-in-command of the Canal Gang!

Baili Jing was slightly startled, not expecting this powerful figure to be so polite to him.

He quickly clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply, saying sincerely:

"Second Master, you are a great friend! If it weren't for your rescue, my brother and I would have been victims of your blade long ago. We, Baili Jing, will never forget this immense kindness!"

Zhou Erquan's red mark between his eyebrows relaxed slightly, and he chuckled heartily, walking over to take Baili Jing's hand:

"Brother Baili, you flatter me! Forget about 'Second Master,' from now on we're family, equals, just call each other brothers! There's no need for such fussy formalities!"

Baili Jie stepped forward, a gentle smile on his face, and respectfully bowed to Zhou Erquan as a junior, speaking softly:

"Second Master, you saved our lives, that's an undeniable fact. We owe you a life-saving grace, and we should show you the proper respect and courtesy we deserve. If we were to be crippled, we would be ungrateful and become a laughingstock among the heroes of the world."

"Good! Well said!"

Zhou Erquan looked at Baili Jie with admiration in his eyes.

He pulled the two brothers to sit down, and then asked Baili Jing about the details of the open-chest modification with great interest.

When he heard that the Three Friends of Mystery had actually invented an "internal combustion engine core" that was completely different from the traditional steam engine, even the well-informed Master Baihua couldn't help but marvel.

"Internal combustion engine... multi-stage compression combustion, free and directional, a truly ingenious idea! This is an unprecedented and groundbreaking innovation! Brother Baili has suffered a great calamity, but perhaps this misfortune will turn into a blessing in disguise, and he may truly become one of the top masters in the world!"

Just as the group was chatting animatedly, the door to the private room was gently pushed open again.

The waiter bowed and led the way, turning sideways and respectfully leading a person in.

Baili Jing subconsciously turned around to look.

This was a middle-aged man with a thin, long face, slightly upturned phoenix eyes, fair complexion, and an air of scholarly refinement about him.

Upon seeing this person, Zhou Erquan stood up again, smiled, and went to greet him with a bow.

"Lord Huang, we've been waiting for you!"

Master Huang? !

Baili Jing's pupils suddenly contracted.

In this city of Shanghai, who else but the current Prefect of Shanghai, Huang Qixiu, could be addressed as "Lord Huang"?

His gaze turned cold.

All the hardships and crises that the two brothers faced this time stemmed from the secret collusion between Yang, the clerk of the yamen, and Ding Yan, who set a trap to throw him into a death row cell and intend to rip out his internal organs.

To say that Prefect Huang Qixiu was completely unaware of all the shady dealings Yang Shiye had done would be a thousand times unbelievable!

Thinking of this, Baili Jing sat firmly in his chair, not even lifting a hand, let alone getting up to greet him.

Seeing his brother's cold demeanor, Baili Jie naturally understood the situation. He also performed a deep bow, standing upright and offering a simple, polite greeting to Huang Qixiu, a common courtesy between scholars of equal standing.

"This humble citizen, Baili Jie, greets Your Excellency the Prefect."

Seeing that his younger brother had broken the deadlock first, Baili Jing reluctantly stood up and gave a perfunctory reply:

"This humble citizen, Baili Jing, has also met Your Excellency the Prefect."

Unexpectedly, Huang Qixiu did not show the slightest displeasure on his face; instead, he walked up with a smile.

He seemed to want to reach out and pat Baili Jing on the shoulder, but halfway through his hand, he saw Baili Jing's cold gaze and awkwardly withdrew his hand, unsure of what to do with it.

Finally, he took out an exquisite flat box from his sleeve, presented it to Baili Jing with both hands, and spoke in a very low voice:

"I... no, I, Huang, have heard today that a peerless hero has emerged in our Shencheng, and I am truly delighted and honored! It is my great fortune to meet Hero Baili in person today! This small gift is nothing but a token of my respect, and I hope Hero Baili will accept it with a smile."

Baili Jing looked down at the box, a question lingering in his mind.

This is the Prefect!

In his previous life, he would have been the top official of a prefecture-level city, both mayor and city official!

Wasn't he being a little too polite to himself?

Zhou Erquan sat to the side, stroking his beard and smiling as he spoke:

"Brother Baili, Lord Huang's gift is a token of his sincere goodwill. Since he has given it to you, please accept it."

Upon hearing this, Huang Qixiu hurriedly waved his hand at Zhou Erquan, saying in a panic:

"Second Brother, that's too formal of you! Today's banquet is just a private gathering, a family dinner. Don't call me 'sir' anymore. Just call me 'brother'. As for Baili Yingxiong..."

Huang Qixiu looked at Baili Jing with a smile on his face:

"...I am a few years older than you, so it would be appropriate for you to call me 'Brother Huang' or 'elder brother'."

Baili Jie watched Huang Zhifu's somewhat obsequious performance with a cold eye, his eyes flickering slightly as if he were deep in thought.

Baili Jing narrowed his eyes.

Although he sneered inwardly, he forced a wide, unrestrained smile onto his face:

"Alright, since that's the case, it would seem petty and ungrateful of me to refuse again."

Baili Jing took the gift box and, in front of the prefect, snapped the clasp open.

Inside the box lay a thread-bound manual, with five large characters boldly written on the cover: "The Widow's Grave-Crying Knife".

"The Widow's Grave-Crying Knife?"

Bai Lijing was both amused and exasperated.

"Is this swordsmanship? Are there really martial arts with such strange names in this world?"

Zhou Erquan was quite surprised to hear this:

"Brother Huang...you've actually gone so far as to give this sword technique to Brother Baili this time?"

Upon hearing that even Zhou Erquan reacted this way, Baili Jing immediately became interested:

"What? This strangely named sword technique is quite powerful?"

At this moment, Huang Qixiu had already taken his seat at Zhou Erquan's polite invitation.

He poured himself a cup of hot tea, took a small sip, and explained with a smile:

"Brother Baili, you may not know this, but the origin of this sword technique is extraordinary. It is one of the 'Three Mortal Sword Techniques' created by the current Sword Saint Gongsun Yue when he was young."

"Although the name of this sword technique may not sound elegant and cannot compare to the secret techniques of those major sects, it is still a rare treasure in the martial arts world."

Huang Qixiu put down his teacup and said earnestly:

"Last night, I heard from Second Brother Zhou that Brother Baili had not formally studied martial arts and movement techniques, so I used my connections to obtain this sword technique manual and present it to you."

Baili Jing was genuinely moved this time.

He was still lamenting that he had brute strength but no martial arts skills, and was still thinking about where to get some martial arts manuals to practice. Who would have thought that just as he was dozing off, someone would offer him a pillow, and the person who gave him the gift was none other than the highest-ranking official in Shanghai!

Baili Jing disregarded all official etiquette and immediately opened the book "The Widow's Grave-Crying Knife".

After only a few quick glances, he could tell that this sword technique was indeed exquisite... however, it was quite different from the powerful sword technique he had imagined.

The style of this swordsmanship is very unpredictable and ruthless.

The moves inside, which seem to be all about crying and wailing, throwing tantrums and making a ruckus, are actually aimed at the enemy's groin, genitals, eyes, throat and other vital points with every strike and every change of move.

When this set of sword techniques is used, it's like a mad widow pounding the ground, grabbing the soil, slapping the coffin, and pulling her hair on a grave. It has a hysterical frenzy that makes it impossible to defend against and even sends chills down your spine.

Baili Jie also became a little curious. The boy blinked and asked again:

"Since this 'Widow's Grave-Crying Blade' is one of the three great sword techniques of the mortal world, what are the names of the other two sword techniques? They must be just as wondrous, right?"

Zhou Erquan chuckled and picked up the conversation:

"The other two... one is called 'Uncle's Money-Returning Knife,' and the other is called 'The Mute's Accounting Knife.'"

"These two sword techniques are more widely known than the 'Widow's Grave-Crying Sword Technique,' and they are not difficult to acquire. However... the price is quite high. If Brother Baili is interested in the future, he can go and find them to learn and complete the set."

Baili Jing really liked this book, "The Widow's Grave-Crying Knife," as it was his first knife technique book.

He carefully put it away and tucked it into his pocket. Then he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Huang Qixiu, and this time, the coldness in his eyes had lessened somewhat.

"Thank you for this generous gift, Lord Huang. But you've already given me such an expensive gift right off the bat. I really don't know how I'll ever be able to repay this favor."

Upon hearing this, Huang Qixiu burst into laughter.

With a flick of his sleeve, he appeared exceptionally bold and unrestrained:

"Brother Baili is indeed a man of strong character, quick to speak his mind! Don't worry, you don't need to return this gift... because it was brought here by me tonight as an apology to you, Brother Baili!"

Your Excellency, shall you apologize to the common people at the dock?

Baili Jing sneered inwardly, having roughly figured out what was going on.

But he still feigned surprise, his eyes widening:

"Your Excellency, what are you saying? You are an official appointed by the imperial court, while I am merely a laborer. What apology are you making to me?"

Huang Qixiu sighed deeply, his face contorted in a bitter expression, and waved his hands repeatedly:

"I've already told you, just call me brother here... Brother Baili, this time, it was indeed my fault for not managing you properly and disciplining you effectively, which almost led to that Master Yang harming you!"

As he said this, he rubbed his nose, and his eyes actually reddened.

He gripped the teacup, his voice trembling with emotion:

"I passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty-four and was subsequently assigned to a post outside the capital, starting as a ninth-rank county magistrate, for a full twenty years! Two years ago, thanks to the Emperor's grace, I finally took up the position of prefect, and I have been working with utmost caution and trepidation ever since. I have been working diligently and cautiously, as if walking on thin ice or standing on the edge of an abyss, and I have not dared to slacken my efforts day or night!"

Huang Qixiu raised his hand, wiped his eyes, and said with deep sorrow:

"But who would have thought that, in a moment of carelessness, I was almost ruined by that villain, Master Yang... ruined my reputation for integrity, and nearly harmed the innocent people under my jurisdiction! These past few days, I have truly been living in fear and anxiety, unable to eat or sleep, and waking up from nightmares every night!"

He turned his head abruptly, grabbed Baili Jing's hand, and said with genuine affection:

"Thank goodness, Heaven has eyes! Now that I see my virtuous brother Baili safe and sound, and that he has turned misfortune into blessing, I can finally put my mind at ease after being worried for so many days!"

Baili Jing felt goosebumps rise all over his body.

Zhou Erquan, however, seemed unfazed. He picked up his wine glass and raised it:

"Oh, Brother Huang, with your heart that loves the people like your own children, you are truly a virtuous and good official in Shanghai. This is a blessing for all the people of Shanghai! Let's leave the past behind! Come, let's drink!"

"Hahaha! Second Brother, I haven't even sat down yet, how come you guys are already drinking?"

Just then, a loud laugh suddenly came from outside.

boom.

The door was pushed open once again.

Ding Yan stood at the door of the private room, waving a folding fan in his hand and smiling broadly.

He strode in leisurely, bowed slightly to the group, and said with a smile:

"Second Brother, Lord Huang, and Brother Baili... since you're all here, why don't I first formally apologize to Brother Baili, and then... let's all sit down together and have a good drink to our hearts' content? What do you all think?"