Dragon Snake Martial Seal

"Easy enough, easy enough. I shall certainly go tomorrow," Feng Xiu said, cupping his hands in a salute.

With that, Master Black took his leave.

As soon as Master Black departed, Feng Xiu's expression instantly returned to normal, though a flicker of gravity crossed his eyes.

He stood rooted to the spot, silent for a long while.

"Young Master, what exactly did Master Black come here for?"

At this, Xiang Geng was truly confused. Once Feng Xiu's brows relaxed slightly, he couldn't help but ask.

"What for?"

He had cut ties with Liu Wenjun, dropped two key pieces of intelligence, and laid out chips for future cooperation.

"Naturally, he came to see an old friend like me. What else did you think it was?"

Feng Xiu smiled faintly.

After these words, Xiang Geng clearly found it hard to believe. A... friend?

Would the Young Master really be friends with a man like that?

"Indeed. Tell me, what kind of person do you think I am in Master Black's eyes?"

Xiang Geng was speechless; he couldn't imagine how Master Black would view a wealthy young master.

Was he just a fat sheep who knew only how to toss money around?

While he was still puzzled, Feng Xiu spoke slowly.

"I am a martial artist, and I am the head of a clan. I have fists, I have power, and most importantly, I have wealth."

A breeze swept through, causing the bamboo leaves to rustle.

"Even in Green Rock City, where clans are as numerous as the clouds, I am his greatest connection."

It was already afternoon by the time they returned to Green Rock City.

The carriage drove into the inner city, and upon returning to the estate, Feng Xiu went straight to Uncle Zheng's room.

Though called a room, it was actually Uncle Zheng's private office, where all major and minor decisions and expenditures of the Feng Clan required his final approval.

With only two people currently capable of running the household, Feng Xiu often needed to consult Uncle Zheng for advice.

At that moment, Uncle Zheng was flipping through account books. Seeing Feng Xiu enter, he hurriedly stood up.

"The Young Master has returned. How did it go? There weren't any major issues at Dendrobium Village, were there?"

Feng Xiu shook his head, sat in a chair, and took a sip of the plain tea Uncle Zheng handed him.

"Uncle Zheng, I need you to handle something for me."

"Please speak, Young Master."

Feng Xiu set down his teacup. "Compile a list of the managers of our various shops and farms, as well as the street overseers. Pay special attention to those who are getting on in years.

Once they reach a certain age, those who should retire must retire. Furthermore, promote the talented young people who deserve it."

A flash of realization crossed Uncle Zheng's eyes; he seemed to roughly understand that Feng Xiu was looking to cultivate his own inner circle.

Feng Xiu seemed to see what Uncle Zheng was thinking and said in a deep voice, "Uncle Zheng, do not overthink it. I am merely consolidating the clan's industries."

"Also, for the Feng Clan's properties in other major cities and counties, discard the shops that should be discarded and sell the storefronts that should be sold."

Green Rock City was the root of the Feng Clan, where their business methods had matured and their influence was deeply entrenched.

However, in other major cities, there were still a significant number of Feng Brand restaurants and Feng Brand corner shops.

The revenue was decent, but when factoring in the transportation losses between those cities and Green Rock, as well as the labor and material costs, it was, at best, breaking even.

Uncle Zheng was stunned. Feng Xiu's drastic, sweeping changes had already touched upon the clan steward's intention to "maintain the status quo."

"Young Master, what is this...?" Uncle Zheng frowned and asked directly.

Feng Xiu sighed. He didn't know if he should say it, remaining silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"Master Black gave me a piece of intelligence earlier."

"In a few days, a very important person is coming." Feng Xiu's tone was slow, as if he had weighed every word for a long time.

"Who?"

Uncle Zheng was shaken. He rarely saw Feng Xiu look so troubled, and he asked in alarm.

"The Commander of the Cavalry Division of the Garrison Battalion under the Eastern Army Governor's Office."

The Eastern Army, the Commander of the Cavalry Division?!

Suddenly, Uncle Zheng's heart shuddered violently. He muttered, "The Garrison Battalion of the Governor's Office—why would they come here?"

He immediately locked eyes with the calm-faced Feng Xiu, who nodded.

"Indeed."

"What else could there be in Cloud Province?" Feng Xiu sighed softly.

Having transmigrated for so long, it was impossible for Feng Xiu not to understand the military system of this nation.

The Great Liang had been established for over four hundred years, and its military was divided into seven armies: the East, West, South, North, the Navy, the Imperial Guard, and the various provincial and commandery troops.

The Eastern Army Governor's Office was the supreme military authority for the three provinces of Cloud, Jin, and You, as well as Cloud Ridge, overseeing three guards and nine battalions.

The Garrison Battalion was an independent elite force within the Eastern Army; it did not fall under the jurisdiction of the three guards but was instead directly dispatched by the Governor's Office, divided into four divisions.

The Cavalry Division, Infantry Division, Logistics Division, and Scout Division were specifically responsible for the defense of the strategic passes, grain routes, and cities of the three provinces and Cloud Ridge.

If it were merely a military commander of five hundred men, Feng Xiu told himself, there would still be room to maneuver.

But this was the Cavalry Division, officially registered under the Eastern Army Governor's Office!

"So that's how it is, so that's how it is. No wonder the River Law Bureau dared to act this way~"

Uncle Zheng muttered, his lips twitching; everything finally made sense.

"Eldest Young Master, what are we to do? What are we to do~?"

Uncle Zheng was uncharacteristically flustered, speaking with great urgency before fixing his gaze on Feng Xiu, as if clutching at a life-saving straw.

"There is no way. I had considered dispersing the family's strength; even if we lost the farms, we could at least start over."

Feng Xiu shook his head. "But that previous business... it caused too much of a stir."

Uncle Zheng remained silent, naturally understanding what Feng Xiu meant.

"We pushed too hard during the Sweet Dew Grand Festival, and later, Father joined forces with other grain merchants. At the very least, we have been marked by the Governor's Office."

If he had known the Eastern Army Governor's Office stood behind the River Law Bureau, Feng Xiu would never have intended to offer any resistance from the start. He gave a bitter smile.

"I had assumed the River Law Bureau would collude with the Equalization Bureau, whether to carve a piece of meat from the major families or to seize grain at low prices."

Feng Xiu sighed again, shaking his head, his words trailing off.

The Equalization Bureau managed corvée labor, taxes, and grain transport, falling under the jurisdiction of the Civil Administration Bureau within the City Lord's Office.

Everyone knew about the chaos in Jin Province, even if the major grain merchants understood the strategic value of the Golden Ear Wheat.

No one had ever suspected that the military was the mastermind behind it all.

These two administrative branches were separate; even if one had suspected, the final decision to reclaim farms or purchase grain at low prices still required the approval of Green Rock City.

And this was the strength of the various major families.

But the current reality was that the Eastern Army had entered the fray personally, and they had sent the elite Cavalry Division of the Garrison Battalion.

"Eldest Young Master, while it is good to plan ahead, it is not yet that dire. The Feng Clan is not the only one in all of Green Rock City."

Uncle Zheng's aged face grew solemn as he offered a forced word of comfort.

Feng Xiu did not speak; he simply reached his left hand toward his right wrist, sliding it into his sleeve.

Finally, from the lining of his sleeve, he pulled out a piece of hard paper the size of a palm.

The paper was faintly yellowed, and in its center was written the character "Order."

It was stamped with the official seal of Green Rock City, issued by the River Law Bureau in the twelfth year of Tianfeng of the Great Liang.

The River Law Seal.

It was the proof of water rights that had allowed the Feng Clan to prosper and was the key to their potential resurgence.

Yet now, it was essentially no different from a scrap of paper.

"Indeed, there is more than one family, but that only makes it better~"

"If they want to suppress the rebellion, if they want to offer rewards and keep those soldier-bandits in check, they need grain and they need money. But where will the money come from, and where will the land come from?"

Hearing this, Uncle Zheng opened his mouth, the wrinkles on his face trembling.

The atmosphere in the room instantly stagnated; both men fell into a heavy silence.

"Perhaps Father was right. As the chaotic times begin, involving ourselves in martial arts enterprises early on might allow us to transition sooner."

Feng Xiu sighed and placed the River Law Seal back on the table.

He stroked his forehead and rubbed his temples; this matter had already exceeded the scope of what he could handle.

Suppressing the frustration in his heart, he stopped thinking about it and asked instead:

"Forget it, let's not talk about this. What has Shou Zhuo been doing lately?"

The same logic applied: the family forces of Green Rock City were not so easily manipulated. It hadn't reached that point yet, and thinking too much would only increase his troubles.

Uncle Zheng collected his thoughts, his expression shifting slightly to reveal a strange, indescribable feeling.

"The Second Young Master... is in the practice room."

Feng Xiu raised an eyebrow. "He is in the practice room?"

"It seems Xiao Han is teaching him well." Feng Xiu nodded again.

Uncle Zheng wanted to say something but swallowed it back, only saying, "The Eldest Young Master will understand once you go and see for yourself."

Feng Xiu did not ask further, turning to walk toward the training room.

The door to the training room was left slightly ajar.

The moment he pushed the door open and stepped over the threshold, a sharp, piercing whistle of air suddenly erupted!

A fist flew straight toward Feng Xiu's left ribs!

Feng Xiu instinctively raised his hand, his five fingers hooking like claws, and grabbed the person's wrist.

However, the instant he was about to make contact with the arm, Feng Xiu sensed something strange.

The skin seemed to be covered by an invisible film—soft yet resilient—and as his force clamped down, thirty percent of it was deflected away.

Feng Xiu frowned instantly, his fingers exerting a slight bit more pressure.

The moment his fingertips tore through the film, the invisible force upon it transformed into a small gray snake, biting back along his fingers!

"Snap!"

The gray snake shadow was crushed to pieces by his grip!

Following the momentum, Feng Xiu twisted, yanked the person's arm hard, and drove his right knee forward with force!

"Bang!"

A knee strike landed solidly against the intruder's chest.

"Hiss~" The person gasped, stumbling back five or six steps before freezing in place.

Only then did Feng Xiu see the person's face clearly.

Shouzhuo?

Feng Xiu was momentarily stunned, his eyes narrowing slightly as he scrutinized him from head to toe.

His complexion was ruddy, his physique robust, and the usual restlessness and impatience in his eyes had vanished; just standing there, he exuded an indescribable air of sharpness.

The hell, this is Feng Shouzhuo?

At this moment, Feng Shouzhuo rubbed his chest, grimacing as he complained, "Big Brother, you're too ruthless, you're killing me."

Feng Xiu ignored him, turning his head to look at the doorway.

Uncle Zheng wore a faint smile on his face.

"Second Young Master has already broken through to Blood Burning."

Blood Burning?

Even after hearing these words from Uncle Zheng, Feng Xiu still felt a sense of daze.

I haven't even reached it yet, and you've already advanced?

He knew that Su Wantang had left a foundation for him, but this was just too fast.

Thinking back on this past month, Feng Xiu hadn't dared to slack off for a single moment, searing his hands with iron sand and soaking in medicinal baths day after day without fail.

As for Feng Shouzhuo, he just had one session, took a nap, and woke up at Blood Burning.

Feng Xiu truly didn't know whether to feel envious or jealous.

Blood Burning was the first threshold of the martial path, the watershed that separated common martial artists from the rest, the realm that had trapped Uncle Zheng for his entire life.

It had only been a few days, and Feng Shouzhuo had already broken through?

Feng Xiu took a deep breath, slowly accepting the fact, and swept his gaze over Feng Shouzhuo once more.

Feng Shouzhuo felt somewhat uncomfortable under his stare and gave a dry laugh: "Big Brother, I..."

"Not bad, Feng Shouzhuo." Feng Xiu laughed, "You've even learned to ambush me."

The smile on Feng Shouzhuo's face froze.

"B-Big Brother, I just had an itch to try it out," he stammered in explanation, "It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding."

Watching him act this way, the corners of Feng Xiu's mouth twitched slightly.

Still the same coward.

He waved his hand, deciding not to pursue the matter further.

Uncle Zheng stepped forward then, pulling a simple, black-bound manual from his robes and handing it to Feng Xiu.

"Eldest Young Master, there is something this old servant must tell you." He paused, "This mental cultivation method was originally prepared for you."

"But after the Second Young Master broke through to Blood Burning, this old servant thought it best to let him learn it first."

Feng Xiu took the manual and looked down, the cover clearly inscribed with four large characters.

Dragon Snake Martial Seal!