Not Holding Grudges Against the Dead

Daughter of Stonemason Xu ultimately entered the He Family.

Though she had a birthmark on her face, she was still qualified to be a rough servant girl.

Ever since spotting Daughter of Stonemason Xu, Chu Qing had stared straight at her.

A He Family steward noticed and gave a disdainful sneer.

The steward's son whispered:

"Father, why does that fellow keep staring at us?"

The steward laughed.

"Nothing but envy and jealousy."

"Gangs may look glorious, but in truth, they are merely Great Figures' running dogs."

"They can only ever eat scraps from the table."

The steward's son gave Chu Qing a contemptuous glance and said dismissively, "Becoming a street thug at such a young age—shameful."

"Keep watch. I'm heading back for a while."

When Chu Qing saw Daughter of Stonemason Xu leave with a group of women, he quietly followed them.

Half an hour later:

Daughter of Stonemason Xu entered a large courtyard with many others.

"A He Fortified Village property. Young Master He Qi's grand residence."

Daughter of Stonemason Xu might have the Stone Bamboo Bright Pearl on her. He had to get it.

And he had to be quick.

Otherwise:

There could easily be complications.

"So tonight, I must get the Stone Bamboo Bright Pearl."

However, the He Family stood high and powerful. With his status, there was absolutely no way to settle this through proper means.

"Perhaps Madam Jin can help."

Half an hour later:

Chu Qing and Madam Jin sat at the dining table, eating and speaking softly.

"Godmother, I encountered the daughter of an old acquaintance, but she entered the He Family as a servant."

"I would like to ask Godmother to intervene and get her out."

Madam Jin's delicate brows furrowed slightly. After thinking it over, she said, "That won't be easy."

Chu Qing found it strange. "You're a hall master's wife. Is it that difficult to ask the He Family for one servant?"

Madam Jin sighed softly. "If the He Family were merely a prominent household in the county, a hall master's wife would still carry some weight."

"But... their foundation lies in the fortified village outside."

"Fortified Village Disciples are the most arrogant and domineering. Other than Chief Constable Shi and a select few, they care about no one else."

Chu Qing frowned, feeling that this would be difficult to handle.

Seeing his worry, Madam Jin felt distressed and comforted him. "Eat first."

"We'll go and try in a while."

"Alright!"

An hour later:

Madam Jin sat in a small sedan chair, with Chu Qing and Xiao Taohong accompanying her on either side as they headed straight for the He Family residence.

There were servants at the entrance. Chu Qing cupped his fist and announced himself, but the servant said coldly, "Wait!"

One minute...

Ten minutes...

Chu Qing waited until his heart burned with impatience.

Only after half an hour did a steward emerge.

Madam Jin stepped down from the sedan chair and said sweetly, "Head Steward He, my Qing'er has an old acquaintance's daughter who ended up as a servant in your esteemed residence. We only ask Head Steward He to show mercy and let us redeem her."

Madam Jin had lowered herself greatly.

However, Head Steward He sneered. "There is no such thing as redeeming oneself from servitude in the He Family."

"Even after death, they remain ghosts of the He Family. They must still go to the Netherworld and serve the He Family's masters and madams."

Chu Qing grabbed a handful of silver and offered it to Head Steward He.

"Lord He, please make an exception."

Head Steward He sneered, casually tossed the broken silver onto the ground, and barked, "What the hell are you?"

"You dare test me with this?"

"Believe it or not, I can call someone over to beat you to death?"

The He Family servants around them chuckled. "With that little money, you want to take someone away from the He Family?"

"Even ten times that amount wouldn't be enough."

Chu Qing smiled. "The servants you recruit cost you nothing. My twenty or thirty taels of silver are more than enough."

"Let's each give the other some face. How about it?"

Head Steward He gave a cold chuckle, looked Chu Qing up and down, and said contemptuously, "What the hell are you people? Face? Do you have any?"

Madam Jin trembled with rage beside him. Pointing her delicate finger at Head Steward He, she said furiously, "A mere steward, yet you are this insolent. Aren't you afraid of being hacked to death by random blades in the street?"

Head Steward He glared, pointed at Madam Jin, and sneered, "I know you—the barren bitch of Blood River Gang's Hall Master Jin."

"Even your gang leader has to lower his voice when speaking to me."

"You dare threaten me?"

Madam Jin's face turned even paler with fury, and her lips trembled.

Chu Qing sighed inwardly and casually helped her into the small sedan chair. "Let's go back first."

The sedan bearers immediately left, moving several times faster than they had on the way here.

Head Steward He barked, "Who allowed you to leave?"

Chu Qing said nothing and turned to leave as well.

Head Steward He sneered. "Just wait. Tonight, I'll make you and that barren slut kneel here all night."

Chu Qing stopped and looked at him expressionlessly.

In an instant:

Head Steward He's scalp tingled.

He felt as though he were a pig, while the other party was a butcher who slaughtered pigs.

"Is he... going to kill me?"

The next second, Chu Qing smiled and turned away.

He wanted to kill someone.

But not now.

Because:

He felt that killing on a stormy night would not only allow him to wipe out an entire household, but also let him plunder the fruits of their labor.

If he killed an enemy in broad daylight, then squatted down to pick things up with so many people watching, it would be beneath him!

The Jin residence:

Madam Jin wept.

Back when she had been in the provincial capital, no one had ever humiliated her like this.

Yet today, she had been cursed in the street by a fortified village steward.

A monstrous humiliation.

She clenched her silver teeth and said to Xiao Taohong, "Go call that dead man back."

Xiao Taohong immediately went out.

Chu Qing said apologetically, "Godmother, it's all my fault."

Madam Jin took a deep breath and said gently, "It has nothing to do with you."

"I knew people from the fortified villages were arrogant, but I never expected them to be this arrogant."

"That Head Steward He went too far. He... actually spoke of me that way."

Chu Qing smiled. "Godmother, there's no need to hold grudges against the dead."

Madam Jin panicked and grabbed him.

"Qing'er, what do you mean?"

Chu Qing smiled and lied, "Once I enter the Martial Academy, I'll use my status as a student to slowly deal with him."

Only then did Madam Jin relax.

Just now, she had felt that Chu Qing wanted to kill Head Steward He.

"Fortunately, Qing'er still has his reason."

Chu Qing chatted with Madam Jin for a while longer before leaving.

Madam Jin's mind was in turmoil, and she did not keep him for dinner.

Not long after Chu Qing left, Fatty Jin returned and said with a smile, "Madam, don't be angry anymore."

"I've reached an agreement with Head Steward He. Tomorrow, just have Chu Qing take that servant out."

Madam Jin said coolly, "How much silver did you give them?"

Fatty Jin gave an embarrassed smile and held up one finger.

"One hundred taels?"

Fatty Jin nodded.

Madam Jin said disappointedly, "Jin Yiren... you shouldn't have given them money."

Fatty Jin, Jin Yiren, turned solemn, because his wife rarely called him by name.

Once she did, it invariably meant the matter was serious.

"Madam..."

Madam Jin said coldly, "How many years has it been since you killed anyone?"

Jin Yiren fell silent.

Madam Jin continued, "Tonight, kill Head Steward He."

Jin Yiren said softly, "The martial world isn't all fighting and killing. It's about human relations and worldly ways."

"It isn't worth it for one servant."

Madam Jin said angrily, "Is this about a servant? He said that I, Zhou Qingyu, am a barren bitch."

"If you won't kill him, I'll write to my father and have him find someone to do it."

Jin Yiren sighed. "Madam... why go this far?"

"Father-in-law is having a hard time in the prefectural city as well. Don't alarm him."

Jin Yiren only wanted to wait peacefully until the end of the year, then leave for the prefectural city.

Madam Jin said disappointedly, "Jin Yiren, you've changed."

"You are no longer that high-spirited genius youth you once were."

Jin Yiren... remained silent.

Night fell:

Chu Qing ate and drank his fill, then waited quietly.

He was waiting, waiting for the night to deepen further.

After all:

The deeper the night and the quieter the world, the better for killing.

Originally, he had not wanted to kill anyone. After all, the other party was the He Family of the fortified village; if they lost people, there would surely be trouble.

But... he could not swallow that anger.

He had endured from the afternoon until now. He had reached his limit.

"I've changed!"

Before, he would have waited a few days before finding an opportunity to clean up his enemies.

But now, he could not endure even a single day.

"When I was weak, I could endure."

"But I've cultivated more than a hundred Iron Sinews. If I still endure, then what is the point of practicing martial arts?"

With a sharp blade in one's heart, the intent to kill arises of its own accord!

"Tonight, I will dye the wind and rain red with the He Family's blood!"