Chapter Forty-Six: The Plan

"Father, how did your discussion go?"

As soon as Meng He and his son returned home, Meng Zhiwei got up to greet them.

Madam Wang, their mother inside the house, heard the commotion and also came out, looking at her husband and son with concern.

They all understood that the merchant association had recently encountered difficulties.

"Sigh..."

Meng He let out a long sigh, seemingly helpless. "Let Zhaowu tell you."

Meng Zhaowu said indignantly:

"That old man today was too detestable, he went against Father at every turn. It was clearly a method that would benefit everyone, but he insisted on nitpicking!"

Meng Zhiwei rarely saw her younger brother so flustered. She told him to slow down and speak more calmly.

"That gang has been smashing places for more than a day or two. Everyone is losing money. Father put his mind to it and wanted to raise money together to hire Martial Artists, but what happened..."

Meng Zhaowu slapped his hand.

"Not a single person supported it. They were all haggling over money."

"In the end, that old man stirred things up and pushed all the responsibility onto Father, saying, 'The President will think of a way'."

Meng Zhiwei was stunned and asked:

"Who is the old man you're referring to?"

Meng He said calmly, "Elder Qin."

Meng Zhiwei's mind immediately conjured an image of a short old man holding an abacus and wearing a traditional robe.

So it was Elder Qin...

Elder Qin was a veteran figure in the merchant association. He was already there before Meng He became the President.

He had immense influence within the association.

"My son, you should be careful with your words in the future, lest someone overhears..." Madam Wang handed him a cup of water, seeing how angry her son was.

At the same time, she taught him not to speak ill of others.

So as not to incur resentment.

"I just can't stand that old man. He always has a stern face, as if everyone owes him money, and he even accuses me of not attending to my proper duties."

Meng Zhaowu was very indignant.

Meng He spoke lightly, "Zhiwei, do you have any ideas?"

Meng Zhiwei shook her head, "The gangs are acting shamelessly, and the government is unwilling to intervene. We can only hire martial artists; there's no other way."

"But they won't pay!" Meng Zhaowu said, "Right now, everyone is scrambling for the few guards the merchant association has, unwilling to spend money."

"It's also caused our family to have few guards left, and not even a single martial artist. Last time, sister, you were almost captured by people from Yicheng Hall."

"We pay the most in membership fees!"

After some thought, Meng Zhiwei said:

"The merchant association's current guards are definitely not enough."

"And the martial artists hired are for the merchant association's use. The money should naturally be paid by everyone, it's just a matter of how much each pays."

"Since everyone is trying to get a free ride."

"Why don't our family spend money to hire a group first? Once they see us profiting, they will naturally want to spend money to hire martial artists."

"Whether they hire them themselves or through the merchant association, as long as we can resist the gangs, it will ultimately be beneficial to us."

"And for those small households who can't afford to hire anyone, they worry about paying their fees and not receiving protection."

"At that time, father, you might as well set a rule: whoever pays more in membership fees and contributes more will have the martial artists go to them first."

Meng Zhaowu's eyes lit up.

He thought it was a brilliant idea.

Meng He also nodded, looking at his daughter with approval, "We'll do as you say."

Meng Zhiwei then looked at her brother and asked:

"By the way, Zhaowu, do you really not know any Bone Forging Realm martial artists?"

Last time, she was saved by a youth at the Pastry Shop. The youth said he was Meng Zhaowu's friend, and Meng Zhiwei remembered him vividly.

Hearing his sister's question, Meng Zhaowu recalled everyone he knew.

Finally, he grinned and denied it:

"There are so few Bone Forging Realm martial artists; how could I know such a person? Perhaps it was just an excuse from your suitor."

Seeing this, Meng Zhiwei was stunned, her cheeks flushing as the heroic figure of the youth from that day flashed in her mind:

"What nonsense are you talking about! If it were really because of me, why wouldn't he even leave his name? Just saying he knows you?"

Seeing his sister's slight shyness, Meng Zhaowu chuckled. He had just said it casually.

However...

I still can't figure out when I got to know a friend in the Bone Forging Realm.

The only people in the Bone Forging Realm that he knew were the few Jiao Xi at the martial arts school.

But his martial arts aptitude was poor, and no matter how hard he trained, he couldn't achieve anything. Who would pay attention to him then?

Meng Zhaowu's eyes rolled. If he couldn't figure it out, he stopped thinking about it. Instead, he saw his sister's gradually reddening face and exclaimed in shock:

"Sister, you're not actually falling for him, are you? No wonder you've been asking me about him these past few days."

His mother, Madam Wang, also raised an eyebrow and looked at her daughter with great interest, a knowing smile on her face.

"Our Zhiwei is not a little girl anymore."

Meng Zhiwei's skin was fair, which made that touch of apple red even more noticeable.

"You, don't talk nonsense!"

Although she said this, a figure that appeared carefree and composed in every move couldn't help but appear in her mind.

Thinking of this.

Her face became even more flushed.

In the afternoon, the sun slanted westward.

Chen Feng changed his clothes and put on ordinary cloth attire, blending into the crowd, inconspicuous.

He walked through the familiar streets and alleys, looking at the largest Mansion not far away, lost in thought.

That Mansion was the Lin Mansion.

He had visited it many times before when he plotted to assassinate Lin Yan, so he was quite familiar with it. He didn't expect to be here again, still planning to kill someone.

The Lin Family had always been a thorn in Chen Feng's side; he felt uneasy if it wasn't removed.

The first thing he would do now that he had reached the peak of Bone Forging was to seek revenge on the Lin Family.

Whether it was for the original owner or for himself, he had to eradicate the Lin Family. Chen Feng didn't want people popping out to take his life at any moment.

This time, it was Xie Fei.

Who knows if there will be Wang Fei, Zhang Fei, Li Fei in the future.

Chen Feng had already investigated. Currently, there was only one Bone Forging Martial Artist in the Lin Mansion, and that person was old and frail, with declining Qi Blood.

His strength was less than half of what it was in his youth.

As the saying goes, "Fists fear the young." An old man in the Bone Forging Realm couldn't stop him.

However...

What Chen Feng was contemplating now wasn't this.

It was the principle of cutting the grass and removing the roots.

He still remembered the cause of all this, the instigator of the original host's tragic fate—Lin Jingshu.

However, according to the news Chen Feng had gathered, Li Shuxian had gone to the Provincial Capital to participate in the Xiangshi Examination, and Lin Jingshu had followed him.

This made it impossible for Chen Feng to act against her.

When Lin Jingshu returned and discovered her family had been wiped out, while Chen Feng, the enemy, had become a highly respected Personal Disciple of the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School, she would definitely become suspicious.

This was no different from startling the snake by beating the grass.

If Lin Jingshu hid within the Li Family and refused to come out, Chen Feng would be helpless against her.

As for Li Shuxian, it was even more out of the question. With Chen Feng's current strength, he was still no match for the Li Family.

Killing Li Shuxian, the apple of the Li Family's eye, would be even more difficult.

Difficulty did not mean Chen Feng would not act.

"Otherwise... it's not fair..."

The painful memories of the original host's entire family being driven to desperation surged in Chen Feng's mind.

The tragic scene of the past was vivid. All for the sake of Lin Jingshu's purity and her ability to climb the high branches of the Li Family, his family was destroyed.

How could such a great enmity go unavenged?

Chen Feng had already made up his mind.

So be it if he startled the snake by beating the grass. At least it would scare the snake, preventing it from sneaking up and attacking him.