Mr. Ye Hai's Benevolence and Righteousness

Mr. Ye Hai looked at Xu Yi, his gaze deep.

"The Jing Family's collateral branch took advantage of their vulnerability to seize Jing Hesheng's business. That is inhuman.

Bullying Jing Tao, a mere woman, is unrighteous.

Since this is Green Gang territory, we cannot allow such inhuman and unrighteous scum to freely bully others."

"This journey is dangerous, but I have already sought instructions from Guan Sheng Di Jun. The Divine Lord granted me three sacred cups, which means you will surely succeed!"

Mr. Ye Hai took out two silver dollars.

"Take this money, in case of emergency."

Giving him this money meant he had done everything benevolence and righteousness required.

"Xu Yi, go."

After speaking, Mr. Ye Hai suddenly remembered something and handed over the newspaper in his hand.

"Oh, right. Take a look at the newspaper."

Xu Yi accepted the paper and heard Mr. Ye Hai say earnestly,

"You must develop the habit of reading newspapers, so that you will not be trapped by life."

As Mr. Ye Hai spoke these words, he sighed inwardly over his own benevolence and righteousness—

Clearly knowing Xu Yi was at death's door, yet still not forgetting the responsibility of a mentor. Such morality, such benevolence and righteousness—who knew how much higher they stood than the heads of other halls!

Xu Yi did not quite understand, but he still accepted the newspaper, bade Mr. Ye Hai farewell, and headed out.

Xu Yi left the main gate, with two points of spiritual light following close behind.

Walking down 38th Shop District's main street, Xu Yi bit into a beef-and-pagoda-tree-flower bun, dodged the dense crowds, and flipped through the newspaper in his hand. On its front page, several large traditional Song-type characters were printed:

<Local Curiosity: Unknown opium burned in 38th Shop District, poisonous smoke blankets half of Puxi City!>

Xu Yi was so startled he nearly choked.

Huh!?

He suddenly realized what a foolish thing he had done last night.

"I need to be more careful when I do things in the future!"

Xu Yi bit into his bun and read further down.

<Sixth Road Murder Case Solved: The culprit was the one beside the victim's pillow, who poisoned his wife to seize the family fortune>

<Municipal Council Meeting Erupts in Dispute Again: Chinese directors fight for citizens' rights while foreigners respond with arrogant indifference>

<Major Kidnapping Case Cracked: Hostage returns home safely, all bandits apprehended>

<Sincere Company Holds Massive Sale: Ladies and young misses crush their way inside, all silks and department goods sold at half the listed price>

Other than the front page, there was nothing else in the newspaper of any value.

After finishing the paper and the bun, Xu Yi exchanged one of the two silver dollars Mr. Ye Hai had given him for 300 copper coins.

He spent 10 copper coins to buy a pack of ten Hardman cigarettes.

He figured that when dealing with people around a small-time boss like Jing Hesheng, he could no longer use the homemade cheap cigarettes from before.

Foreign cigarettes like Hardman were not cheap, but neither were they excessively expensive. They were just right for making connections.

Half an hour later, at around nine in the morning, Xu Yi stood before the gate of Residence No. 2 in 38th Shop District.

The compound wall stood a head taller than the nearby buildings, built from large gray bricks, while the gateframe was made of some kind of red stone.

The carved ornamentation on the red-stone lintel was not simple geometric patterns, but Western Baroque reliefs.

These reliefs surrounded a black-lacquered solid-wood gate fitted with a Western doorbell and peephole, making it look tremendously imposing.

From outside, the residence was not as large as he had imagined. It was far inferior to the "great shikumen" and "fancy lane houses" said to have their own vast light wells in Puxi City's central district, and was only slightly bigger than the outer courtyard of Golden Orchid Nunnery.

All in all, it was a courtyard-style garden villa, with a yard and a second floor.

The gatekeeper was a very old man.

After Xu Yi gave the Old Gatekeeper his name and background, the old man's expression turned extremely unpleasant, with several traces of apprehension beneath that ugly look.

The moment Xu Yi saw the Old Gatekeeper's expression, he knew something was wrong.

"Mr. Ye Hai seems to be on bad terms with this family.

The gatekeeper is clearly only letting me in because he fears my identity."

Xu Yi had always kept Ye Miao's warning in mind.

Xu Yi stepped through the courtyard gate.

What he could not see was that the two points of spiritual light which had followed him out of Golden Orchid Nunnery also closely followed him into the courtyard.

The instant Xu Yi stepped through the gate, his vision darkened.

He raised his head and saw that a layer of neither too thick nor too thin black gauze had been spread over the second-floor roof of the Jing Family compound, blocking even the sunlight.

It had already been an overcast day, with weak diffused light. Now that the courtyard was covered by black gauze, the entire place looked like dusk, and visibility was incredibly dim.

Xu Yi walked forward, passing between two rows of flowerbeds.

The plants in these beds grew densely, but most of the flowers had withered. Weeds were everywhere, and no one tended them.

A peace jar stood in the middle of the courtyard. The lotuses inside had already wilted, while two exploded-scale koi corpses floated on the surface, drawing countless flies.

Xu Yi passed the peace jar with a frown and reached the main hall, but did not encounter a single person along the way.

Standing before the main hall, he felt a chill wind rush at his face and could not help shivering.

Just as he was about to call for the master of the house, he abruptly turned his head and saw a middle-aged man with half-white hair sitting in a wheelchair, shrouded in the shadow of the corridor before the hall.

The courtyard was already dark beneath its layer of black gauze, and with the man sitting in shadow, he was truly difficult to notice.

The middle-aged man was clearly still young, yet half of his close-cropped hair had already turned white. His face was gaunt, his skin so pale it seemed almost transparent, and his lower body was covered by a somewhat dirty, damaged pale-purple mink blanket.

It was only just the End of Heat solar term, and the weather was still hot. Could this man possibly feel cold?

The middle-aged man was looking at Xu Yi.

Xu Yi cupped his fists.

"Mr. Jing, my name is Xu Yi. I am a disciple under Mr. Ye Hai."

The middle-aged man was Jing Hesheng, whom Mr. Ye Hai had mentioned.

With Jing Hesheng's experience, one look at Xu Yi's attire told him why he had been sent here.

In the past, he would certainly have intimidated this brat, made him suffer a little, and ensured that he never dared come looking for trouble again.

But he was no longer the man he had once been.

Jing Hesheng's voice was somewhat hoarse and weak. His low words seemed as though they could be scattered by the wind at any moment.

"Young brother from the Green Gang, you have come at the wrong time. There is nothing valuable left in my home. You need not waste your efforts."

Xu Yi said,

"My Mr. Ye Hai said:

The Jing Family's collateral branch took advantage of their vulnerability to seize Jing Hesheng's business. That is inhuman.

Bullying Jing Tao, a mere woman, is unrighteous.

Since this is Green Gang territory, we cannot allow such inhuman and unrighteous scum to freely bully others."

Jing Hesheng found it hard to believe.

"This was why Ye Hai sent you?"

Xu Yi answered firmly,

"Those were Mr. Ye Hai's exact words."

Not one word had been changed!

Xu Yi said resolutely,

"Having accepted another's commission, one must faithfully carry out their affairs. Since I agreed to Mr. Ye Hai's request, I will naturally protect Mr. Jing and Jing Tao."

Jing Hesheng stared at Xu Yi in a daze for two seconds.

Then he burst into laughter!

"Ha ha ha!"

It was as though he had heard something incredibly amusing. He laughed until his whole body shook, until his eyes rolled back, until he spat out a mouthful of blood that stained the marble floor crimson.