Inside the room, Liang Qu soaked in a wooden tub, sighing in pure comfort.
A martial master's residence—especially that of a wealthy martial master—never lacked bathing tubs. There were more than enough for the five brothers to each have their own.
The five disciples soaked together as if in a grand public bathhouse, filling the entire room with thick white steam.
Once washed, the stench of blood completely vanished. Liang Qu retrieved the Tianshui centipede hidden among his clothes and changed into clean garments, pleasantly surprised to find they fit quite well.
Fastening his sash, Xu Zishuai explained, "Madam Xu loves having clothes made for us, sending over several sets every holiday. I hardly ever buy clothes myself; what she gives is more than enough."
Liang Qu paused in surprise. "Made by her own hands?"
"How could that be?" Xu Zishuai chuckled. "Madam Xu is getting on in years, and there are so many of us disciples. Making even one set per person would exhaust her, let alone several sets each. She has the servants make them. But she does occasionally sew scent pouches for us, and her needlework is second to none."
Xiang Changsong chimed in, "Could the eldest daughter of the Xu clan have anything less than exquisite needlework? The Xu clan's brocades are renowned everywhere."
Xu Zishuai burst into laughter. "Haha, that's true! If I make something of myself in the future, maybe I can ask Madam Xu to play matchmaker and find me a bride from the Xu clan too."
"I doubt that very much. Madam Xu would never bear to push her own kin into a fire pit."
"You brat, what kind of talk is that? What's wrong with me, eh?" Xu Zishuai hooked an arm around Xiang Changsong's neck, bent his middle finger, and rapped his knuckles hard against Xiang's forehead. "I'll give you one more chance to rephrase that."
"Ow, ow, ow! Senior Brother Lu, save me!"
"All right, that's enough from both of you." Lu Gang climbed out of his tub, amber medicinal decoction dripping from his body.
Having sustained some minor injuries during his battle against Huang Zejun, Lu Gang had taken a medicinal bath and soaked somewhat longer than the others.
Hearing him speak, the two ceased their roughhousing.
"Senior Brother Xiang, which Xu clan is that?"
"You're still just beginning your studies, Junior Brother, so it's only natural you haven't heard of the great noble houses." Xiang Changsong adjusted his clothes and sat down on a long bench nearby. "Madam Xu hails from the Huangzhou Xu clan. In Huangzhou, the Xu name carries immense weight. During the reign of Taizu, their lineage produced a Grand Secretary, not to mention several imperial ministers."
Liang Qu's curiosity was piqued. "Then how did Madam Xu meet Master?"
"In his youth, Master served in the army and rose through the ranks to become a commandant. Because of his fierce courage in battle, he caught the eye of General Xu Wenzhu, who personally arranged the match for him.
"General Xu Wenzhu was the third son of Duke Xu Youguang, so naturally, the match he proposed was extraordinary: the daughter of Xu Rongguang, third-rank Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments—our Madam Xu. Truth be told, when she married Master back then, it was marrying well below her station, wasn't it?" Xiang Changsong mused, lost in thought.
Hu Qi laughed aloud. "If Master ever hears you say that, prepare for a thrashing."
Xiang Changsong planted his hands on his hips. "What's there to fear? Madam Xu will have my back."
"All right. If you're all finished, let's head out. The sooner we wrap things up, the sooner we can rest."
As Lu Gang rose, the rest stopped bantering and returned to the main hall.
By this time, Madam Xu was already seated in the place of honor. At some point, a large table had been set up in the hall, laden with piping-hot dishes sending up plumes of steam—evidently prepared by the servants just moments earlier.
Madam Xu took a leisurely sip of tea. "Coming over in the dead of night reeking of blood, and dragging in a cripple and a dwarf to boot... Are you trying to keep an old woman from sleeping?"
"We apologize for disturbing you, Madam Xu."
The five disciples bowed in unison to offer their apologies.
"Enough. Seeing that you've been busy half the night—and that Little Nine cleaned out half a plate of pastries earlier—I had the servants prepare some food. Eat first; we can talk over the meal."
Since Madam Xu had given the word, there was no reason to stand on ceremony. The martial brothers gathered around the square table, each ladling out a bowl of rice.
With little time to prepare, complex stewed meats were out of the question. The table was dominated by stir-fried dishes, but each had generous slices of meat cooked in rich lard—hearty fare perfect for scarfing down rice.
In the corner, Huang Zejun swallowed hard. He had not eaten dinner, and after a fierce battle on an empty stomach, hunger clawed at his gut like a burning fire.
Madam Xu was in no hurry to interrogate anyone. She swept her gaze over them, waiting until each had put away at least a bowl of rice before speaking.
Lu Gang shoved down a mouthful of rice and pointed toward the two tied up in the corner. "Madam Xu, we wish to report that the Ghost Mother Cult—that is, the rogues of the Shuimu Cult—have all been brought to justice. Things should be quiet for a while."
Having read Zhao Hongyuan's letter, the disciples all felt the name 'Ghost Mother' sounded far more fitting than 'Shuimu,' so they had adopted it without exception.
Madam Xu arched a brow, wearing a look that said she had expected nothing less.
"Just as I said. A pack of cowards who couldn't achieve a thing decades ago are just as useless decades later. To pull off a petty scheme, they even had to lure your master away. Trapped in a tiny corner, timid as mice. They might be good at hiding, but each generation is worse than the last—nothing more than stray dogs."
Liang Qu let out a chuckle. Her description was almost identical to what she had said the first time he came to see her.
Seeing the outcome now, she had been entirely right.
*Pfft.*
In the corner, Huang Zejun coughed up a mouthful of blood, glaring with venomous eyes.
Madam Xu cast him a disdainful glance. "You brought them here, so remember to clean up the mess afterward. Now, tell me the details. I'll treat it as late-night entertainment."
Lu Gang looked around at the others. "Liang Qu, you tell it. You had the most contact with the Zhao family."
Liang Qu swallowed his food and began from the moment he received the note from Steward Zheng Xiang of the Zhao residence, recounting everything up to the capture of Huang Zejun. Along the way, he filled in the backstory of his acquaintance with Zheng Xiang—omitting, of course, the incident with Scabby-Head Zhang.
The senior brothers listened in utter astonishment.
Xu Zishuai roared with laughter. "That Zheng Xiang certainly has an eye for people!"
"Junior Brother, you never mentioned any of this before!"
"I simply thought it wasn't particularly important..."
Hu Qi pondered for a moment. "The rumor that Zhao Hongyuan favored men was widespread. Looking back, it was very likely a cover. It's fortunate you turned him down back then, Junior Brother, or you might not be sitting with us today."
"He was quick on his feet, I'll give him that. But anyone capable of raising hundreds of mountain ghosts must have harmed countless innocent lives. If I ever cross paths with him, I won't hesitate to take his head." Xu Zishuai's voice dripped with cold hostility.
"One truly cannot underestimate anyone in this world," Xiang Changsong sighed with deep feeling.
To contend with the Ghost Mother Cult for five years without falling under a blood curse, despite owing a life-debt, and then to walk away completely unscathed once the deed was done...
"Zhao Hongyuan! I will kill you!"
From the corner, having quietly pieced together the whole story, Huang Zejun's eyes turned bloodshot. He finally understood why he had been so inexplicably exposed. Overcome with fury, he spat out another mouthful of blood.
Madam Xu frowned in irritation. "What a racket! Throw him outside!"
In a flash of movement, Xu Zishuai hoisted Huang Zejun and hurled him straight out the door.
Heavily injured, Huang Zejun slammed hard onto the flagstones. The jolt ripped at his wounds, causing excruciating pain.
The occupants inside could faintly hear his muffled groans, but it was far better than before.
"By the way, Madam Xu, how should we handle the title deeds for the commercial properties worth over two thousand taels? And what should be done with Huang Zejun and that dwarf?" Xu Zishuai asked as he returned to his seat.
"What do you think?"
"We leave everything to Madam Xu's judgment!" the five answered in unison.
Although Zhao Hongyuan's words implied the properties were gifted to the martial hall, distributing them remained a sensitive matter.
Second Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Sister were not in Pingyang Town, but their trip to Chaojiang County was also to deal with the Ghost Mother Cultists, so they naturally deserved a share.
Then there was Eldest Senior Brother. It would hardly be right for everyone else to receive a share while leaving him out.
Moreover, after spending so much time together, Liang Qu had already learned that Eldest Senior Brother was Master Yang's eldest son.
Madam Xu flipped through the deeds and pondered for a moment. "Then I shall convert them into silver. Little Three will take three hundred taels, Little Four two hundred taels, and the rest of you one hundred and fifty taels each. How does that sound?"
"No objections whatsoever."
"Do you prefer the shops or the silver?"
"Silver, please."
"Madam Xu, I'd like silver as well."
"Silver for all of us."
Each of them had their own duties and training; no one wanted to waste energy managing businesses. Silver notes were by far the best option.
"Very well. I'll have someone bring the silver notes and distribute them to you. As for this Huang Zejun, we'll wait for your master to return in a couple of days before deciding his fate. Keep him on your side for now—just make sure he doesn't die or escape."
Chapter 88