Chen Qing had just returned to the entrance of his small courtyard when he saw an old servant standing at the gate. The man wore a coarse linen short jacket and had a lean, weathered face.
"Greetings, Lord Chen."
Upon seeing Chen Qing, the old servant hurriedly bowed and respectfully presented a plain letter with both hands. "This old servant was ordered by my master to deliver this letter. My master specifically instructed that it must be placed in Lord Chen's own hands."
Chen Qing asked, "Who is your master?"
The old servant replied deferentially, "My master's surname is Yang, given name Zhicheng."
"Yang Zhicheng?"
Chen Qing's heart stirred. He accepted the letter. "Thank you for your trouble."
Yang Zhicheng had been one of the unsuccessful candidates waiting alongside him for the Wutai Sect's Cross Review. Later, however, he had chosen to join the Liu Family.
"Then this old servant shall not disturb Lord Chen further. I take my leave."
The old servant respectfully accepted this, bowed once more, and quietly departed.
Chen Qing returned to the room and opened the envelope.
The letter was not long, yet every line brimmed with high spirits and ambition.
In the letter, Yang Zhicheng mentioned that through his uncle's connections and his own abilities, he had already gained a firm foothold in the Liu Family and was managing several shops and restaurants. He then praised Chen Qing for wiping out the Five Flood Dragons Stirring the River, before finally expressing his wish to meet again.
Chen Qing folded the letter.
It seemed that when Yang Zhicheng had first arrived in the Prefecture City, his uncle had already paved two paths for him: if he could not enter the Wutai Sect, he would join the Liu Family.
Yang Zhicheng had not spoken of it