Granduncle, Time to Hit the Road

In Lüshui City, at Lu Maoxian's residence. Lu Maoxian looked through the newspapers sent from Heishipo, sitting quietly in his chair without uttering a word. He knew something had happened in Heishipo, and he had anticipated that people would cause trouble there over Bloodgun Detective. Yet he had never expected this kind of outcome. Tang Peigong was gravely wounded, reduced almost to an invalid. Wu Decheng had vanished without a trace to this day. The housekeeper brought a cup of tea. Lu Maoxian waved his hand, motioning for him to set it aside. "Go buy a train ticket. I'm leaving for Heishipo today." "Master, you're going alone?" Lu Maoxian chuckled. "What else? Who could I bring?" "Master, there are some things I don't know whether I should say." "Speak." The housekeeper had been with him for many years, and Lu Maoxian had always been kind to him. "Master, if you ask me, you shouldn't go to Heishipo. What is your standing? What is your reputation? Look what Heishipo has turned into! You can't let yourself get dragged into this mess." "And if I don't get involved, will that make everything fine?" Lu Maoxian gave a bitter smile. "Everyone knows Heishipo is my turf. Even if I wanted to hide from it, I couldn't." "You make money off that turf, but you don't necessarily have to manage its troubles." Lu Maoxian shook his head. "Some things must be handled, or else certain positions can no longer be maintained." The housekeeper fell silent. Lu Maoxian smiled. "My trip to Heishipo must not be known by anyone else. You handle things reliably, so I shouldn't need to worry." "Rest assured, Master." *** Looking at the newspaper, Lu Yuanhai chuckled. "If you ask me, this Heishipo paper is way more interesting than ours. In the future, we should write stuff like this too. It'd definitely crush the Ling family into the dust!" Lu Yuanshan shook his head. "Lüshui City isn't like Heishipo. Heishipo is full of manual laborers; nothing you pull off over there will surprise them. Lüshui City is inhabited by cultured folk. If we dare pull a stunt like that here, the Lu family's reputation will be ruined. Still, this matter presents an opportunity." As he spoke, Lu Yuanshan glanced at Monkey Qiu. Monkey Qiu was intently flipping through the newspapers from Heishipo. He had always taken a liking to Heishipo's newspapers and magazines. "Uncle Qiu, I just said this is an opportunity," Lu Yuanshan repeated. Monkey Qiu nodded. "It really is an opportunity. You two should publish a few articles in the newspaper as well, exposing the evil deeds of the Pure Observance Society over the years. Just like what happened in Heishipo—beating up an old woman, getting doused in manure, refusing to accept defeat after losing in the ring—write it all down." Lu Yuanhai said, "Things like that shouldn't be very common, right?" "They aren't common, so you have to look for them, ask around. If there's one point of truth, blow it up to seven or eight points, just like the style in this paper. Have your newspaper staff put some thought into it. Most importantly, it must tie back to the Old Master." Lu Yuanhai scratched his head. "That really will take some effort." Lu Yuanshan frowned. "Uncle Qiu, you mean we should just scold him in print?" Qiu Zhiheng was taken aback. "Was that not what you meant? What good opportunity were you talking about?" "Uncle Qiu, I think Granduncle will definitely go to Heishipo, and he won't want many people to know about it." "So what are you thinking?" Lu Yuanshan said, "If Granduncle heads to Heishipo all by himself, this is a rare opportunity for us. One way or another, we have to settle things once and for all. Why not take this chance to end it?" Lu Yuanhai was stunned to hear this. After the initial shock, a spark of excitement rose within him. He looked toward Qiu Zhiheng. Qiu Zhiheng remained silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Ill-advised." Lu Yuanshan didn't understand. "Why is it ill-advised?" Qiu Zhiheng set down the newspaper. "Moving in secret and being unprepared are two completely different things. The Old Master may not necessarily travel to Heishipo alone. He's very likely to keep his men hidden in the shadows." Lu Yuanshan argued, "Uncle Qiu, I think the chances of that are minuscule. Granduncle cares so much about his reputation, and Heishipo's reputation has rotted to this extent. How could he let anyone know he has ties to Heishipo beyond ordinary business? Isn't he afraid of ending up in the newspapers right alongside Heishipo?" Monkey Qiu shook his head. "Don't think about this anymore. Some gambles aren't worth taking, because we can't afford to lose." With that, Qiu Zhiheng rose and walked away. Lu Yuanshan sat on the sofa, his expression dark. First Madam Duan Shaoxia came down the stairs. "What were you two discussing just now?" Lu Yuanshan said nothing, while Lu Yuanhai stammered, "Talking about Granduncle's side of things. No—nothing major." Duan Shaoxia looked at her two sons and cautioned them, "Whatever you discuss, you must listen to your Uncle Qiu. Don't go making reckless decisions on your own, do you hear me?" Lu Yuanhai hurriedly voiced agreement, while Lu Yuanshan stood up and left. *** At an outer residence, Lu Yuanshan was drinking in solitude and gloom in his bedroom when Lu Yuanhai pushed the door open and walked in. "I wondered where you went. Is it really that big of a deal? Over just this? Uncle Qiu has his own plans; he's definitely doing it for our own good." Lu Yuanshan poured Lu Yuanhai a cup of liquor. "Xiao Hai, don't you think the way Uncle Qiu handles things is remarkably like someone else?" "Like who?" "Like our dad." "Well, of course!" Lu Yuanhai took a sip of liquor. "He clawed his way up alongside Dad through thick and thin. Back in the day, Dad even said that thirty percent of his empire was won by Uncle Qiu." "When it comes to conquering an empire, both of them certainly have skill, but neither of them knows how to rule it!" Lu Yuanhai waved his hands dismissively. "You can't go saying things like that so casually!" "I'm not wrong. Just look at Dad—how many vipers has he kept by his side over the years? First it was Second Uncle, then Zhuo Yuling, and now Granduncle. Which one of them isn't ruthless?" "Dad knew about all of that, and he's always been on guard." "What good is merely being on guard? Did he ever make a move against them?" "They're family, it's hard to make a move against family..." "A thief within the household is the hardest to guard against! You can guard against them for a time, but not for a lifetime! This is such a golden opportunity, yet Uncle Qiu doesn't want to strike. To tell you the truth, I've already confirmed the intelligence. Lu Maoxian bought a train ticket for tomorrow night. He's traveling to Heishipo all alone. If we miss this chance, there won't be another." Lu Yuanhai stared at Lu Yuanshan, blinking. "What do you plan to do?" "Haven't I said it already? Sooner or later, there has to be an end to this. We might as well bring that end right now!" "Just the two of us brothers?" "I've already gathered the men. The Lu family has no shortage of capable experts. What's more, someone else is willing to join us. Do you know who killed Second Uncle?" "Second Uncle is dead?" Lu Yuanhai froze. "Didn't they say he went missing?" "He's dead. He died at the hands of He Haiqin. I've already uncovered the news. Back then, Second Uncle was the one who poisoned He Haiqin, and He Haiqin has already taken his revenge. And Lu Maoxian spread rumors about He Jiaqing, drawing He Haiqin's grudge. He Haiqin intends to take care of Lu Maoxian this time as well." Lu Yuanhai was struck dumb. His own older brother had done so many things behind the scenes, and he hadn't known a single thing about it. Lu Yuanshan sighed. "He Haiqin is someone who knows how to rule. When he fell ill, the He family went into decline; once he recovered, the He family surged right back to prominence. With him taking part, this matter is foolproof." Lu Yuanhai hesitated. "Brother, we'd still better discuss this with Uncle Qiu..." "I did discuss it with him, and you saw it yourself—he doesn't dare do it at all! If we keep being cowardly like him, what could we ever accomplish? When Lu Maoxian moves against the two of us in the future, what could Uncle Qiu possibly do? Wouldn't he just rub his hands together and stare helplessly, exactly like Zuo Wugang? Yuanhai, I won't force you. I'm making my move tomorrow night. When the time comes, just cover for me at home." Lu Yuanhai stood up. "Brother, that's not right. This is a matter for both of us. How could I let you go alone? I'm coming with you." *** The following night, Lu Maoxian rode in a rickshaw, heading toward the train station. He wore a blue cotton gown, a beige hat, and carried a wicker suitcase, looking like an ordinary old man with a bit of modest wealth. No one would have ever guessed that this was the Lu family's grand patriarch. Fearing leaks, Lu Maoxian hadn't dared to use the family's own coachman. He had simply hailed this rickshaw from the roadside. Halfway through the journey, the rickshaw puller pulled the carriage into an alleyway. Lu Maoxian frowned. "Where are you going?" "Old gentleman, I'm taking you on a shortcut." "No need for a shortcut. Get back on the main road." "Old gentleman, this way really is shorter. You arrive earlier, and I run less—isn't that best for both of us?" "I'll pay you extra. Don't take any shortcuts. Where exactly are you going?" While Lu Maoxian was still arguing with the rickshaw puller, his hands were already prepared. He knew something had gone wrong. "Where?" The puller chuckled. "Sending you to the Netherworld!" The moment the words left his mouth, the puller flicked his wrists and violently overturned the rickshaw, trapping Lu Maoxian beneath it. Lu Maoxian was stunned. He had prepared for a fight. The puller wasn't particularly fast, nor were his movements sophisticated. As long as Lu Maoxian had taken a slight leap before leaving the carriage, he could have leaped clear. Yet Lu Maoxian hadn't leaped; he hadn't even stood up. Only when trapped under the carriage did he realize that he hadn't been able to move just now. How could he have been unable to move? Suddenly, he heard the puller speak from outside the carriage. "Old Master, I pulled you such a long way. Letting you sit a bit longer seems fair, doesn't it?" Because he pulled me all this way, he restricted my movement? Is he a Service Cultivator? Lu Maoxian was shocked. He exerted himself and moved his hands and feet. It seemed he could move now. Lu Maoxian pushed against the overturned rickshaw covering him. The carriage frame was extraordinarily heavy. Though he shoved with all his strength several times, it remained almost completely immovable. "The floral path was never swept for a guest, yet the wicker gate opens today for you alone!" Lu Maoxian recited a line of poetry, intending to conjure an open doorway in the carriage frame. The frame did not react at all. This is a very high-tier spiritual item! Lu Maoxian reached into his robes and pulled out a writing brush, writing a single character across the rickshaw canopy—"Open!" Literary Cultivator sixth-layer technique: A Word Worth a Thousand Gold! This was an advanced technique, and the writing brush in Lu Maoxian's hand was also an advanced spiritual item. As the character was written, it flared with a burst of crimson light. Several cracks seemed to appear along the canopy, yet it still failed to split open. Lu Maoxian was anxious beyond measure, completely unaware that bursting out right now would have been even more dangerous. He Haiqin, Lu Yuanshan, and Lu Yuanhai were all standing outside the carriage at this moment. The puller who had drawn the rickshaw was Lu Dongliang's old subordinate, the Service Cultivator Tan Fucheng. He Haiqin praised, "Little Shan, your Lu family truly has no shortage of talent." Lu Yuanshan smiled. "Uncle Qin flatters us. Now that things are settled, I'll leave the finishing blow to you, Uncle Qin." He Haiqin shook his head. "I didn't contribute much; it's all thanks to this brother here. Besides, this old fellow is one of your family. It's more fitting for you to strike. Don't worry—so long as you two don't talk, word of tonight definitely won't get out. After all, I'm involved too, and I won't drag myself down." Lu Yuanshan looked at Lu Yuanhai. Lu Yuanhai's face was deathly pale. He stammered, "I... I can't..." He Haiqin frowned. "What are you afraid of? I'm watching right here. If the old fellow dares to fight back, I'll deal with him immediately!" Lu Yuanhai remained silent. He Haiqin sighed. "You two are still young. If Monkey Qiu were here, this old fellow would have been dead long ago." Lu Yuanshan didn't like hearing that. Monkey Qiu hadn't even dared to show up—why bring him up now? Lu Yuanshan said, "Yuanhai, go stand watch by the alley entrance. You can manage that much, can't you?" Keeping his head down, Lu Yuanhai quickly hurried over to the intersection. The rickshaw puller peeled open a slit in the canopy. Lu Yuanshan drew a long sword. "Granduncle, rest easy on your final journey!" PS: This rickshaw puller and the coachman from Yaowanggou are not the same person.