From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

Zhu Hong slowly sheathed his sword and uttered four words in a low voice:

"Completely refining meat."

Wang Zhenshan immediately fell silent.

He stood there, looking Zhu Hong up and down, and after a long while, seemed not to recognize him at all. Then he took a step back, plopped back into his chair, and reached for the teapot on the table, only to find it empty. He had no choice but to put it down dejectedly.

Wang Zhenshan raised his head, still staring blankly at Zhu Hong.

"Mastering meat refining," he murmured to himself, "Back in the dead of winter, you were just starting out, and it's only been a short time..."

He stopped abruptly, paused, and then said:

"Your strike just now was so powerful it almost reached the level of a martial arts apprentice. If I were a novice martial artist, I would have been caught off guard and lost my life."

Zhu Hong didn't hear what he was supposed to hear and remained silent.

Wang Zhenshan calmed down, looked down at the broken teacup on the ground, and stared at the tea slowly seeping into the cracks between the bricks for a long time.

When he looked up again, the first thing he said was:

"Huo Qianshan is dead?"

"He's dead."

"Are they all dead?"

"They're all dead."

Wang Zhenshan tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the chair, staring intently at Zhu Hong, then suddenly stopped: "You're alone?"

"one person."

"It seems..." A strange, indescribable light flashed in Wang Zhenshan's eyes:

"You're hiding your true abilities, kid."

After saying that, he stood up and walked to the window, pushed open a crack and looked out. The courtyard was empty and there was no one there. He then closed the window, paced around the room twice, and finally stood in front of Zhu Hong.

"Then do you know what a martial arts apprentice means?"

Zhu Hong thought for a moment, then said in a pretentious manner, "Your sword strike is faster than mine."

Wang Zhenshan was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably, and he almost laughed until tears streamed down his face.

"My blade strikes faster than yours..."

He shook his head and sat back in his chair. "You make it sound so easy." As he spoke, he leaned back in his chair, and when he looked at Zhu Hong again, his eyes were different.

In those eyes, besides surprise, there was even more confusion.

He stared at Zhu Hong for a long time, his expression shifting between anger and joy, his mind churning with conflicting thoughts. He wanted to ask something, but the words caught in his throat.

The world is going to the dogs; who doesn't have things they can't say out loud?

Not asking is the rule.

Asking is stupid.

"Speak."

After pondering for a long while, Wang Zhenshan finally spoke:

"Why did you raid their base?"

Zhu Hong's eyes changed, suddenly becoming sharp. He looked at Wang Zhenshan seriously, changed the subject, and slowly asked, "Boss, why did you give me the waist token?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhenshan countered with a question:

"Didn't you already ask Gu Shu to return it?"

Zhu Hong pressed, "You gave it to me last time, I want it this time." He paused, then continued:

"Can I borrow it again?"

If Lin Jizhi were present at this moment, he would probably be completely confused by their conversation and wouldn't be able to grasp the meaning of their words at all.

Wang Zhenshan remained silent for a moment.

The reason he lent Zhu Hong the other day was not only because he valued Zhu Hong's intelligence, but also because he possessed the youthful arrogance that often comes with youth, which could stir up trouble even more.

However, things went awry.

Why?

After a long pause, he finally asked.

Zhu Hong slowly raised his head, his gaze landing on Wang Zhenshan's face. He exposed the yamen's intentions, saying, "The Prefect has ordered that it's inconvenient to forcefully take a bite out of the Jiang family?" His expression was calm yet exceptionally certain:

"There are some tough issues."

Someone always has to make the first move to break the deadlock.

"I'm willing to be that knife, to carve a piece of Jiang's flesh for the yamen. Besides," Zhu Hong smiled slightly, his words perfectly clear:

"Boss, didn't you already choose me?"

Wang Zhenshan was taken aback at first, but then, perhaps offended by his blunt words, he threw his head back and laughed a few times, "You little rascal, you're too clever, too insightful, so smart."

He paused, then shook his head:

Whether it's a blessing or a curse, nobody can say for sure!

Zhu Hong remained calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant: "Let's talk about the future later."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhenshan's smile faded: "Do you know that people like you are born with only two paths?"

Zhu Hong was quite composed and smiled:

"Boss, what is it?"

Wang Zhenshan stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, letting out a long sigh, his eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions: "Someone like you can go extremely far, but the more everyone thinks you can soar to great heights, the more you have to truly persevere to the end, and truly have the ability to turn the tide. Perhaps..."

He paused, his voice softening slightly:

"We don't even know if there's a cenotaph for him after he died."

The words were blunt and direct, but Zhu Hong didn't find them offensive. Instead, he felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that the term "boss" was indeed the right thing to do.

He looked at Wang Zhenshan and said earnestly:

"Boss, you're here for me."

If that day ever comes, I'll trouble you to build one for me.

"Nonsense, get the hell out of here!" Wang Zhenshan raised his hand and gave him a light shove on the shoulder, his face still tense. After a pause, he asked in a deep voice, "Tell me, is this whole mess related to that actress?"

"have."

Zhu Hong nodded, his tone frank: "But it wasn't entirely for her; it was mostly for myself."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhenshan stopped asking questions, straightened his clothes, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go see the clerk and the head constable."

Zhu Hong was slightly taken aback:

"Boss?"

Wang Zhenshan glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips: "You think I'd obediently return the waist token I threw away? Dream on! But..." He changed the subject, turning back with a smile:

"I can get you a heavier one."

Zhu Hong immediately beamed with joy and clasped his hands in greeting, saying:

"Boss, thank you."

"Thanks my ass!" Wang Zhenshan waved his hand and strode towards the door.

"Stop dawdling and catch up!"

……

The two walked one after the other through the courtyard of Class Two, turned a long corridor, and passed through a moon gate, heading deeper into the government office.

Zhu Hong looked around as he walked.

He had been to this place several times, but each time he felt it was different. Take this narrow alleyway for example; on both sides were high blue brick walls, covered with withered vines that rustled in the wind, as if someone was talking inside.

After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a small courtyard appeared ahead.

"Officer Wang."

Two bailiffs in black robes stood at the gate of the courtyard, with knives at their waists. When they saw Wang Zhenshan arrive, they bowed in unison.

"Um."

Wang Zhenshan nodded, continuing straight inside without stopping. "Are the clerk and the head constable here?"

"Officer Wang, they are all here."

Zhu Hong followed Wang Zhenshan into the courtyard.

In the center of the courtyard stood an old locust tree, its trunk so thick that two people couldn't wrap their arms around it, its canopy shading most of the yard. Under the tree was a stone table and several stone benches, and on the table was a pot of tea, which had long since gone cold.

The door to the main room was ajar, and a dim, yellow light shone from inside.

Wang Zhenshan walked to the door and knocked three times.

"Tap, tap, tap."

"Come in."