"Senior Brother should be back by now, shouldn't he?"
Lin Zheyu thought to himself as he walked straight toward Senior Brother Han's home.
Han Mo knew that Lin Zheyu was all alone in Songyi City and would likely feel lonely over the New Year, so he had specially invited him over to celebrate the festivities and share a reunion dinner.
All along the way, the streets and alleys bustled with lively activity.
Some people were already worshiping the deities, praying for an end to the wartime turmoil in the coming year and for favorable winds and timely rains.
Han Mo's residence was not far from Baiwei Street, separated by merely three streets.
The Han residence was quite large, housing over forty members of the household along with a number of maidservants, servants, and guards.
As a Centurion in the City Guard who had a strong prospect of breaking through to the Qi and Blood Realm in the future, Senior Brother Han was considered a person of note in Songyi City.
In a teahouse across from the Han residence, two men sat by the window.
Both men were burly and broad-shouldered, their muscles bulging—clearly martial artists, and not weak ones either.
"Brother, are we really going to do it?"
The man on the left frowned. "If we strike inside the city, there's no way we'll escape the authorities' dragnet."
"What's there to be afraid of? If we die, we die—our lives aren't worth anything anyway."
"That dog Han killed our father and dozens of our brothers. I'm going to make his family be buried with Father and the rest!" the man opposite him said coldly.
The two brothers originally hailed from Xingjiao City. After Xingjiao City fell to the rebel army, they and their father fled as refugees to Songyi City.
They settled outside Songyi City, making a living by hunting.
Later, hunting was no longer enough to survive, and they were tired of wandering from place to place.
Seeing others turn to banditry and reap rich rewards, the father and the two brothers relied on their formidable martial strength to assemble a bandit crew.
Little did they expect that after only a few days of living the good life, Han Mo led troops on a bandit-suppression campaign and wiped them out.
Their father and dozens of brothers perished at Han Mo's hands; the two of them had narrowly escaped with their lives only thanks to their father's sacrifice.
"Besides, we swallowed the Xing clan's poison. Our lives are already in their hands. What does it matter whether we die or not, so long as we get our revenge before we die?" the elder brother sneered.
Because bandits ran rampant outside the walls, Songyi City enforced strict control now, and people of dubious origin had no way of entering the city.
Back then, the Xing clan had approached them, saying they could provide an opportunity for revenge; if they wanted to live after taking revenge, they would have to join the Xing clan and become deathsworn assassins.
The man had agreed without a second thought.
Because if he hadn't, he sensed the Xing clan operative would have killed him right then and there.
"But the Han family's defenses are so tight. Sneaking inside to kill people won't be easy," the man on the left said hesitantly.
"If we can't sneak in, we keep watch outside! As soon as someone comes out of the Han residence, we'll find an opportunity to kill them!"
"Keep your eyes peeled. We won't have many chances to strike. When we do, aim straight for that dog Han's wife, children, and parents! I want him to taste the agony of losing his family!" the man snarled viciously, his eyes brimming with venomous malice.
"Understood, Brother!"
...
Lin Zheyu had visited the Han residence several times and was very familiar with the place.
"Hm?"
Just as he arrived outside the Han residence, Lin Zheyu sensed a faint, malicious gaze.
After his strength had grown, his senses and martial instincts had become much sharper, allowing him to vaguely detect hostile gazes directed at him.
This sensation was exceedingly miraculous, like an enhanced sixth sense.
The increase in his overall strength had not contributed noticeably to this; it was primarily due to the miraculous Turtle Breathing Art.
His growth in cultivation had merely magnified the miraculous efficacy of the Turtle Breathing Art.
The Turtle Breathing Art differed from ordinary martial arts; its purpose was not to strengthen the body and make it more powerful.
Rather, it perfected the body, increasing control over one's cells, metabolism, and qi and blood, locking in the body's essence.
It improved the body down to the subtlest details, refining it toward greater perfection to achieve longevity.
To achieve such an aim required an exceedingly high mental strength from a martial artist, demanding an exceptionally powerful spirit to exert control over the body with microscopic precision. When he elevated the Turtle Breathing Art to the third layer, Lin Zheyu's spirit had also experienced a massive boost, which had consequently strengthened his sixth sense.
'Is this malice aimed at me, or at Senior Brother Han?'
Lin Zheyu's brow furrowed slightly as he glanced toward the distant teahouse; the gaze had originated from over there.
He observed carefully for a moment, but saw no one.
"Young Master Lin? Young Master Lin?"
A guard outside the Han residence noticed Lin Zheyu standing absentmindedly not far away and walked over, calling out to him.
"What is it?" Lin Zheyu recovered his senses and asked.
He had swept his gaze around just now and no longer felt that ill-intentioned gaze.
"Young Master Lin, Master Han gave instructions that if you arrived, we should take you directly to see him. This way, please!" the guard said respectfully.
"When did Senior Brother Han get back?" Lin Zheyu asked.
"Master Han arrived not long ago and is currently in the rear courtyard with his wife and children," the guard said. "I'll take you over right away."
"All right." Lin Zheyu nodded and followed the guard into the Han residence, carrying his gifts.
He had visited the Han residence many times and was quite familiar with Han Mo's wife, children, and parents.
Han Mo's parents were honest, decent folk; otherwise, they wouldn't have raised someone with Han Mo's honest and upright character. Parents were often their children's best role models.
Many children grew up only to discover that, as life went on, they had grown into the likeness of their parents.
Fortunately, the wife Han Mo married was also a virtuous wife and loving mother. The entire family lived in harmonious contentment and great happiness.
"Uncle Lin!"
As soon as he reached the rear courtyard, Han Mo's six-year-old younger son came running over excitedly.
Lin Zheyu swept him up into his arms and handed him the gift he had prepared. "Here's a little present for you. Do you like it?"
"I like it! Thank you, Uncle Lin," Han Shun said in a tender voice.
"Senior Brother, Sister-in-law, here are your gifts, and there are some for Uncle and Aunt as well. Please pass them along. Forgive me if the gifts are modest, haha."
Lin Zheyu handed over the gifts he had prepared.
He had put a good deal of thought into preparing these gifts, even consulting Jia Yanming, who was quite adept at such social matters.
"Why did you bother preparing all these gifts? You could have just come empty-handed, honestly," Han Mo said somewhat helplessly as he took the gifts.
He had specifically told him beforehand not to bring anything and just come empty-handed, yet the lad had brought gifts anyway.
"Courtesy calls for reciprocity. Besides, it's the New Year; bringing a little something is only right."
"Little Shun, Uncle will give you a red packet later!" Lin Zheyu said to Han Shun.
"Yay! Thank you, Uncle!" Han Shun exclaimed excitedly.
"Shun'er, come here. Don't bother your uncle and father. Let's go play outside."
Han Mo's wife ushered the children out of the courtyard so they wouldn't romp around here.
Lin Zheyu was about to tell them not to bother—what was the harm during the New Year? Having children around made it lively and gave it the proper festive atmosphere.
"Let them play outside for a bit. They've been raising a racket all day," Han Mo said.
His head had been pounding from the children's ruckus, and now that Lin Zheyu had arrived, he could finally catch his breath.
Han Mo invited Lin Zheyu to sit down and began brewing tea. "This is top-grade Xishan White Dew given to me by someone. Try it and see how it tastes."
"Fine tea!"
Lin Zheyu took a sip. The liquid was bright and clear, with an orchid-like gentle fragrance, a pure flavor, and a lingering aftertaste.
"I'm glad you like it. I'll give you a jin to take back later," Han Mo said with a smile.
"By the way, Senior Brother, just as I reached your gates, I noticed someone sneaking around outside, watching the house with ill intent. Have you offended someone recently?"
Lin Zheyu brought up serious business.
Regardless of whether the person was targeting him or Senior Brother Han, a warning could do no harm.
"It's probably because I've suppressed too many bandits. Those outlaws bear a grudge and must have slipped into the city looking for revenge."
"Don't worry, I've already made arrangements. I specifically cautioned Father and the others not to go out casually during this period, and to take guards along even if they do," Han Mo said, his brow slightly furrowed; evidently, this matter was somewhat troublesome.
Those people had no roots in Songyi City. If they stayed hidden and waited for an opportunity to strike, it would indeed be a headache.
After all, a thief could strike at any time, but one could not stay on guard forever.
"As long as you're prepared, Senior Brother." Lin Zheyu nodded, his mind at ease.
"About what you asked me to look into last time, I've found out."
"There's a Jishi Hall in Ansu Lane, in the north of the city. Physician Zhao at Jishi Hall is well-versed in medicine and toxicology, skilled in preparing and neutralizing poisons."
"Physician Zhao has a daughter, just fifteen years of age, who has grown into a graceful, slim, and sensible young woman."
"His medical skills are not taught to outsiders. If you want to learn, you would have to marry into the Zhao family as a matrilocal husband and take his daughter as your wife."
Han Mo looked at Lin Zheyu and asked, "Do you have any interest? If you're willing, I can find someone to mediate. You probably wouldn't even have to marry into their family—you'd only need to designate a future son to carry on the Zhao family name."
"No, no, forget it."
Lin Zheyu shook his head. He truly did not want to marry so early.
If this were an era of peace and prosperity, without worries over food and drink and with ample wealth, marrying early would have been fine.
But in these chaotic times, he lacked any sense of security. When he couldn't even guarantee his own safety, how could he protect a family?
"All right. But you're not getting any younger either; it's time to consider the great matter of marriage."
"When I was your age, my child was already born. My eldest daughter is almost twenty now," Han Mo said.
People in this era married and had children early; among poor families, some even wed and had children at thirteen or fourteen.
"Mm, I'm considering it, but you can't rush these things," Lin Zheyu replied perfunctorily.
"As for a master of poisons, I'll keep asking around for you. But knowledge of medicine and toxicology is exceedingly precious; not many are willing to pass it to outsiders," Han Mo said.
"Senior Brother, if you can't find one, don't worry about it. I asked around before, and just today I found someone willing to teach me. I'll try learning from him first," Lin Zheyu said.
"That's good, then."
"Come on, I'll take you to watch the opera. I hired an opera troupe for today, and it's about to start. The first play is *Jin Yunu*..."
After chatting a while longer, Han Mo led Lin Zheyu toward Xing Garden.
The Han family had risen thanks to Han Mo. They hadn't been well-off in the past, but now they were gradually taking on the air of a minor prominent clan.
The most important event of the New Year was ancestral sacrifice.
The Han residence conducted the sacrificial rites with great solemnity: musicians in blue robes played, three rounds of wine cups were offered, bows and prostrations were completed, silk was burned, and libations were poured—the ceremony was replete with formality.
Lin Zheyu enjoyed a free reunion dinner at the Han residence, soaking in the festive joy and liveliness of the New Year.
People in this world also had the custom of staying up on New Year's Eve, and the opera troupe they hired performed straight through until the early hours of the morning.
By the time he left the Han residence, it was already late into the night.
The streets were still bustling. Neighbors gathered in small groups to play drinking games and drink, while children tirelessly chased one another around and set off firecrackers.
Lin Zheyu had drunk some wine, though not much, and the cold wind blew away whatever slight buzz he had.
Just a few paces away from the Han residence, he once again sensed a faint, malicious gaze.
"Hm?"
Lin Zheyu's brows furrowed.
Could it be someone from the Xing clan?
He had killed Xing Jinglong and his cohort earlier. Logically, the Xing clan should have made a move, yet until now, no one from the Xing clan had come knocking.
Lin Zheyu suspected that this malice might very well be aimed at him.
With a shift of his body, he turned and stepped into an alleyway, taking several turns before disappearing into the labyrinth of lanes.
Chapter 63