Chapter 18 In Action

  When Xiahuai returned to the Yang residence, the gate was already crowded with carriages and horses, and guests were arriving in droves. Some were officials or fellow students from Qingzhou who had heard the news and brought gifts to pay their respects, while others sent family members bearing visiting cards to invite him to dinner and offer wine to calm his nerves. Many more were senior managers of the Yang family's shops and workshops, each worried about the master's condition and rushing over to inquire after him in a flurry of concern.

  Xia Zhen was taken aback by the sudden appearance of so many unfamiliar faces, and for a moment he felt dizzy. Even familiar faces were unrecognizable at first. Fortunately, with so many people around, he didn't need to deal with each one individually. These friends only exchanged a few words with him, and Yang Da Ye had just been stabbed, so under the shock, his expression and behavior were also affected. Although there was some awkwardness and unnaturalness, no one found it strange.

  It wasn't until the guests had all been dealt with that Xia Yu was exhausted, and by evening, Xiao Guan Shi had changed his residence again. The four guards reduced their guard circle to only take care of the small courtyard where he was staying. All the male and female servants in the mansion were equipped with weapons such as wooden clubs, iron basins, steel forks, etc., either for calling for help or fighting, and it wasn't until after a lot of commotion that they finally finished arranging everything, allowing this young master to rest.

  The sky had brightened, and the soft light shone through the window into the room. Xia Xun opened his eyes and was about to sit up when he saw that the interior of the room was somewhat unfamiliar, which made him jump in surprise. Just as he was about to leap out of bed, he suddenly remembered that he had changed residences again, and only then did he relax his body and lie back down on the pillow: "Being Yang Wenxuan isn't easy... taking over his body, inheriting his wealth..."

  Xia Liu sighed with a bitter smile: "The ulcer on the bone has been cleared, but the threat from the Brocade Guard has not dissipated. Although the current tense situation is caused by myself, it's hard to guarantee that the real assassin won't be lurking in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to strike. There are still many people to deal with, and life-threatening dangers can arise at any moment, every step is precarious, and the killing intent is heavy!"

  Actually, since the day he signed the contract and agreed to work for Jin Yiwei, he had never been at ease again. Feng Zongqi and others were obviously doing something that couldn't be seen by people, although they promised him a lot, but their intention was to use him as a scapegoat. He could only pretend to be stupid and careful with every move, in front of Jin Yiwei, he had to act like an uneducated country bumpkin, while in front of others, he had to act like Yang Xu, the scholar from Qingzhou, a wealthy and powerful nobleman. The double disguise made him feel as if he was standing on thin ice, walking on thin ice.

  But he swallowed it like sugar.

  When he was in Xiaoye Village, although poor, he lived a very relaxed life. However, this relaxation came at the cost of a low social status, a life of poverty and hardship, and an eternal darkness without a future. What's the point of living such days even if one lives to be a hundred years old? The meaning of life doesn't lie in its length, but in its width and depth. So he left, determined to join Prince Yan and change his fate.

  He knew that this road was extremely variable and extremely dangerous, could he successfully join the army? Was there a life to live until Zhu Di's success? Did Zhu Di's success mean his own success? Thinking rationally, it wasn't that when the King of Yan became emperor, all his soldiers would rise to wealth and honor.

  Moreover, knives and guns have no eyes, and there has never been a god who guaranteed that he would protect him from harm, turn bad luck into good fortune, become rich and noble, and live a peaceful life. In the past year, he had suffered hardships, starved, contracted serious illnesses, and even nearly drowned to death once. He had long abandoned any unrealistic fantasies. He understood that his unexpected arrival in this time and space was just a miracle created by the accidental convergence of certain factors in the universe, which did not mean that from then on, there would be gods and Buddhas protecting him everywhere. He was just an ordinary mortal, everything depended on himself, he was still alive today, but perhaps tomorrow he would die, no one knew that he had been here, lived.

  So, when the risk factor was smaller than following Yan Wang's rebellion and a real opportunity for success appeared, he immediately grasped it tightly. From that day on, he decided to become a double agent, working undercover for both the Brocade Guard and himself.

  Killing Zhang Shisan was just the first step in his plan. Next, Feng Zongqi, An Yuanwai and Liu Xu would all have to die. This was the foundation of his survival, and with the handle being held by others, even if he had a life of luxury, he would not be able to rest easy. How could he when these four people did not have good intentions towards him? After experiencing a brush with death, Xia Chuo understood this principle more than ever before. He wouldn't show any mercy.

  It's easy to kill Zhang Thirteen, but killing Feng Zongqi is a different story. Before killing him, I need to make sure he hasn't revealed his true identity to more people; I need to confirm the whereabouts of that letter; I need to figure out how to avoid arousing suspicion from the remaining two after killing him, or set up an even bigger scheme to take them all down together; and then there's the assassin, no use being on guard against thieves for a thousand days if you can't lure him out...

  A multitude of troubles, difficulties seem numerous...

  "Three points are destined by heaven, seven points rely on hard work. Only those who dare to fight will win! Let's have a contest then!"

  "Master..."

  As soon as Xia Xun came out of the house, neatly dressed, Xiao Guanshi, who had been waiting there, immediately bowed to him. Xiao Jing Tang had always been like this and did not forget his own place just because Young Master showed respect by calling him "Uncle Xiao".

  "Uncle Xiao." Xia Liu's face broke into a smile. For this loyal and honest old family servant, his respect was heartfelt.

  "Young master, Lao Xiao has been thinking about it all night. Our mansion's guards are still too few, and the manpower is limited, which makes me worried. Do you think we should hire a few more martial artists to come back?"

  Xia Jiu Dao: "Cheng, let Xiao Shu handle this matter."

  "Yes, in our Qingzhou, there are three martial arts schools. The most prestigious one is the Peng family's school. Although the apprentices trained by the Peng family's school cost a bit more to hire, they are all genuine and skilled fighters. I think it's better to spend a bit more money, after all, young master's safety is important."

  Xia Fu nodded and said: "Alright, let's go to Pengjia Martial Arts Hall to invite some people."

  Xiao Guan Shi said respectfully: "After breakfast, I went for a walk and called Xiaodi to get up and serve the young master to change his clothes."

  "Wait a minute." Xiaoxiao called out to him: "Uncle Xiao, I've been away for these days. Which guests have sent visiting cards and gift cards? Go get them, I want to take a look. Also, those who came in person but didn't leave a card, try to think carefully, don't miss anyone. Tell me about all of them later."

  Xiao Guan's face changed as he said: "Young Master, are you going to..."

  "It is impolite for someone to come but not return a visit."

  ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

  Yongzhou City, south of the city, there is a mountain called Yunmen Mountain. In the mountain, there is a stone cave that is deep and immeasurable. During the summer and autumn seasons, fog often rises from it, like white clouds rising into the sky, forming a spectacular sight. Therefore, although Yunmen Mountain is not high, it has a majestic momentum of a thousand zhang, making it a famous mountain in Lu. Many famous mountains have stone caves with Buddhist carvings, but few have Taoist stone statues. However, on Yunmen Mountain, there is a Taoist stone statue, which is a reclining statue of Chen Tuan, a great saint of the Northern Song Dynasty.

  Locals say: "Touch Chen Yun's head, and you'll never worry for a lifetime; touch Chen Yun's buttocks, and you'll never get sick." So now Chen Yun's head and buttocks have become shiny and bright, like jade. Feng Xihui is standing in front of Chen Yun's statue, his thick calloused tiger mouth gently stroking the stone carving of Chen Yun's already jade-like smooth bun.

  The cave was dimly lit and cold. From the depths of the cavern behind the stone statue, a deep voice spoke out: "Director Feng, you're right on time."

  Feng Xihui slowly raised his head, and vaguely saw a figure standing against the wall of the stone cave. He took a step back, clasped his fists together in respect, and asked: "May I ask how to address your honor?"

  "That man spoke in a hoarse voice: 'You don't need to ask my name or know my identity, I have come under the orders of the master and from now on will be responsible for directing your actions.'"

  Feng Xihui said: "Yes, I don't know what instructions you have for me."

  That man said in a low voice, "Soon it will be the King of Qi's birthday, and the capital will send an envoy to congratulate him. This envoy will bring news that will make the King of Qi very unhappy. Due to the tight budget this year, the Ministry of Revenue should have allocated funds for the King of Qi to build his palace, but now they have to delay it for a while."

  Feng Xihui did not ask any questions, but quietly listened. The man paused for a moment and continued: "Qiwang is a person who likes to show off and boast. On his birthday, all the kings have sent envoys to congratulate him. In front of everyone, if the construction of Qiwang's mansion is suspended, it will be a great shame for Qiwang's temperament. Therefore, he must think of ways to ensure that the construction of the mansion can continue. You can instruct Yang Xu to wait for an opportunity to present three plans to Qiwang."

  "Speak!"

  The man in the cave repeated the three plans that Luo Qi had taught him, and then said: "Your Excellency has carefully studied the personality of King Qi. These three plans, with King Qi's arrogant and reckless personality, combined with his love of grandeur and desire for achievement, as long as he can get money, he will not avoid them."

  "Feng Xihui said: 'Your subordinate obeys orders.'"

  The man in the cave grunted and suddenly asked: "Zhang Thirteen, how did he die?"

  Feng Xihui was not surprised, the news of Yang Wenyuan's assassination had already spread throughout Qingzhou City. Although this envoy had only just arrived a few days ago, if he had the heart to ask around, he would definitely be able to find out. So Feng Xihui carefully told him the whole story from start to finish. After a brief moment of hesitation, he also told him about Yang Xu's assassination at his villa in Yunhe Town, but didn't mention that Yang Xu had died on the spot, only saying that the assassin had mistakenly killed Yang Xu's concubine, Tingxiang.

  "After a moment of silence, the person in the cave said: 'Our plan must be carried out through Yang Wenxuan, this man absolutely cannot make any mistakes.'"

  Feng Xihui thought to himself: "Yang Wenyuan... has already lost his way and can't afford to lose it again."

  However, he didn't dare to say this out loud. He was already thinking of a way to take advantage of the situation and get his hands on Yang Xu's property. Even if he didn't have any ulterior motives, he wouldn't want to reveal that the current Yang Wenxuan is an imposter. If things didn't go as planned in the future, he could still shift the blame onto others and avoid taking responsibility himself.

  Feng Xihui replied cautiously: "The murderer has always been targeting Yang Wenyuan alone, and it is likely that Yang Wenyuan has a private grudge. However, we still can't determine what this person's background is. Yang Wenyuan has many business shops and also manages many businesses for the Wang family. It's unlikely to keep him hidden in the mansion without going out. I have instructed him to hire more bodyguards to ensure his safety."

  "In the cave, a man spoke in a low voice: 'According to what you said..., that assassin is extremely skilled. Can ordinary guards protect his safety? The master ordered you to come here and spent several years cultivating this person who became the confidant of the King of Qi. You clearly know someone is hostile towards him, yet you still speak so lightly. If he really gets assassinated, will you take responsibility for it?'"

  Feng Xihui was taken aback, and slightly annoyed, he said: "Your Excellency, it's not that I don't want to protect his safety, but the fact is that I don't have anyone available at my disposal. A fallen phoenix is no match for a chicken. We're short of money and men, and we can't borrow from the imperial court's power. We also have to avoid the local government's attention at all costs. Under me, there are only two people left, Liu Xu and An Litong. Liu Xu is just a small-time errand boy, and An Litong is even more useless. Now that Zhang Thirteen has been attacked, I have no one else who can help me. What can I do?"

  That man said with a gloomy face: "Feng Xihui, you don't need to tell me your troubles. No matter how hard your days are, can they be harder than the Lord's? The Lord is struggling to maintain the overall situation and cannot even spare manpower to help you. Yang Xu is very important to us, and you have been in Qingzhou for many years. Can't you think of a suitable way to ensure his safety?"

  Feng Xihui said helplessly, "Sir, the higher-ups don't send people to guard him, how can I ensure his safety? Although Yang Xu is a well-known scholar in Qingzhou, it's impossible for the yamen to dispatch three shifts of guards to live in his mansion. Since ancient times, there has never been such a precedent. Do you want me to resign from my post and volunteer to be Yang's attendant?"

  "Feng Zongqi, if you weren't somewhat capable, Master wouldn't have sent you to Qingzhou. Now that something's happened, all you can do is complain and can't think of a plan? It's truly disappointing!"

  Feng Xihui was annoyed and retorted: "Don't you have any wonderful plans?"

  The person in the cave slowly said: "I have a way here, it's indeed true."

  Feng Xihui raised an eyebrow, and a voice came from the cave saying: "You have no one in your hands to use, can't you borrow power to achieve it?"

  Feng Xihui was taken aback and said: "Borrow power? How can I borrow power, whose power can a low-ranking official like me borrow?"

  "In the cave, someone said: 'Yang Xu now has three identities, Jin Yiwei, Kaifeng scholar-official, and Qi Wang's guest. You don't have anyone in your hands to use, can't guarantee his safety, why not take advantage of Qi Wang's influence to achieve your goal?'"

  Feng Xihui said: "Although the King of Qi relies heavily on him, he won't send three teams of guards to protect him, will he?"

  "Yang Xu is certainly not worth that much in the heart of King Qi, but the problem is, you know and I know, but the people at the prefecture yamen don't. Can't we take advantage of this? When we can borrow power, we borrow it; when we can't, we create our own. We deceive those above us and fool those below us, turning nothing into something, making the false seem true - isn't that what you people usually do to extort and blackmail others in the name of justice? How could you have forgotten all these tricks after leaving Ying Tian Prefecture for only four years?"

  Feng Xihui exclaimed "Ah" several times, suddenly enlightened in his heart, and didn't care about the man's sarcastic tone. He bowed his head and said: "I see, I've learned from you, thank you for your guidance, sir. I know what to do now."

  "Since you know, it's good. You go and make arrangements as soon as possible. If there's anything that needs to be notified to me in the future, just leave a secret note at the Yu Huang Temple in the south of the city, and I'll naturally find an opportunity to meet with you."

  "Yes, I bid you farewell."

  Feng Xihui left Chen Pudong Cave with excitement, wandering aimlessly in the mountains, thinking about how to create momentum and borrow momentum to achieve his goal. He strolled under the cliff stone carvings for a while before heading down the main mountain road. Just as he was approaching, he saw a group of tourists coming down from the top of the mountain.

  That group of people, consisting of both men and women, young and old, were chatting and laughing as they headed down the mountain. Judging from their attire, they appeared to be a family of government officials on an excursion up the mountain. The two individuals at the front were particularly noticeable: one was a monk wearing a large red robe with a shiny bald head adorned with scars from his tonsure, while the other wore a long-sleeved official uniform with a silk sash around his waist and a netted hat on his head, looking to be in his sixties. His dignified demeanor and majestic bearing suggested that he was an official of some standing.

  Feng Xihui thought to himself, "That monk should be from the Daxi Temple at the foot of the mountain. Since he's wearing a large red kasaya, if not the abbot then he must be the chief seat. With such an honorable status personally accompanying that guest on a tour of the mountains, in my Qingzhou only the prefect, vice-prefect and a few other high-ranking officials would qualify for this treatment. I recognize all these officials, but that official wearing the large sleeve uniform is quite unfamiliar - who is he?"