Joyous News

The Leviathan Gang case was investigated for three days, then could not be pursued any further.

Constable Qi took Xu Qing around Blackwater Bay several times, questioned a few fishing families, recorded several statements, then went to the Zhou Family Compound to inspect the mess strewn across the ground.

The bodies had already been removed, but the bloodstains remained on the blue-brick floor, dark red and blackened, seeped into the cracks between the bricks. No amount of washing could scrub them clean.

Constable Qi crouched on the ground and examined it for a while. Then he rose, dusted the dirt from his knees, and said to Xu Qing, "That's enough. Let's go back."

"We're not investigating anymore?" Xu Qing asked.

"Investigate what?" Constable Qi glanced at him, a smile like an old fox tugging at the corner of his mouth. "The men are dead, the murderer left no clues, there are no witnesses, and no stolen goods. Keep investigating, and it'll only be wasted effort."

He walked out of the Zhou Family Compound and said lightly, "Go back and write, 'No clues found, case temporarily sealed.' That will close the case."

The Leviathan Gang case was closed, but life in Blackwater Bay still had to go on.

For the first few days, the fishing families celebrated with great joy.

Someone set off a string of firecrackers at the docks. The crackling blasts mixed the scent of gunpowder with the fishy reek of river water, drifting far away. Others set out bowls of wine before their homes, drinking bowl after bowl until their faces and necks turned red.

Some said, "Heaven has finally opened its eyes." Some said, "Evil men have their own evil grinders." Some laughed until they cried, then cried until they laughed again.

But on the seventh day, another group arrived at the docks.

Their leader was around thirty, with a short saber tucked at his waist. He brought seven or eight broad-shouldered, thick-waisted underlings and went door to door.

They were like the Leviathan Gang, yet not quite the same.

They did not beat or curse anyone. They spoke politely, saying only that Blackwater Bay's rules would remain unchanged, except the silver collected would be ten percent less than what the Leviathan Gang had demanded.

That day, everyone in the bay was summoned to the docks.

A dark-faced man stood on the pier, cupped his hands to the fishing families, and smiled wide enough to show two rows of white teeth. "Folks, we are the Fish-Dragon Gang."

"From today on, Blackwater Bay will be taken over by our Fish-Dragon Gang. All payments will be reduced by ten percent from before. We won't bully anyone. If anyone has difficulties, you can discuss them with us. Our gang leader says that a thin stream runs long, and everyone should have an easier life."

The fishing families looked at one another. You looked at me, I looked at you, but no one spoke first. Some sighed, some shook their heads, but no one dared refuse to pay.

The Leviathan Gang was gone, and the Fish-Dragon Gang had arrived. The name had changed, the skin had changed, but the root was still the same root. Nothing in their bones had changed at all.

Still, the fishing families' circumstances had improved compared to before. With ten percent less silver to pay, they could add another handful of coarse rice to the pot, and their children could eat another mouthful of food.

When Xu Qing heard the news, he was practicing his fist forms in the inner courtyard's training ground. His fist paused for just an instant, as brief as a blink, before striking out again.

He had uprooted one Leviathan Gang, but new gangs would continue to spring up. Blackwater Bay was poor, remote, and chaotic. Gangs were like weeds—cut down one patch, and another would grow.

He could not control it.

He had only one pair of fists, one pair of eyes, and one pair of hands. He could not look after all of Blackwater Bay, nor could he govern everyone's life and death. He could only take care of his own family.

That night, Xu Qing tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

The Leviathan Gang matter had been settled, but the Fish-Dragon Gang had come to the bay. The Fish-Dragon Gang had changed its name and clothes, but at its core, it was still Lin Mu's purse.

Though Constable Qi had said that Lin Mu had accepted defeat and would not pursue the Leviathan Gang matter, that did not mean he would not hold a grudge.

Xu Qing was not afraid of Lin Mu coming after him. He had fists, a master, and someone to rely on. If Lin Mu wanted to touch him, he would have to weigh the consequences. But what if Lin Mu went after his family in secret?

His second uncle's injury had only just fully healed. His second aunt's waist hurt whenever she did heavy work. Xiuer was still so young—she had only just learned to write her own name...

No.

He had to move his family from Blackwater Bay to the county town. After taking down the Leviathan Gang, he had gained over two hundred taels of silver. It was enough to settle his family down.

Early the next morning, in the county yamen's records office.

"Chief, I want to bring my family into town," Xu Qing said without preamble.

Constable Qi glanced at him and nodded. "That's good. You've found your footing in town, while your family is still out in the countryside. You can't rest easy either."

He closed the case file he had been reading and pushed it aside. "Have you found a house?"

"I want to buy a shop with a rear courtyard near my aunt's store, so my second uncle and second aunt can run a small business." Xu Qing solemnly cupped his fists. "Chief, could you help me find a place?"

Constable Qi thought for a moment, then got up and pulled a ledger from a cabinet. After flipping through several pages, he tapped an address with his finger.

"This shop is three storefronts away from your aunt's bun shop, on the same street. It's very close, convenient for visiting each other. It has front and rear courtyards—the rear can be lived in, and the front can open for business. The owner is asking one hundred and twenty taels. I'll negotiate for you. We can get it for one hundred."

Xu Qing took a banknote from his robes and placed it on the table. One hundred taels.

Then he took out two silver ingots. Bright, gleaming silver—twenty taels.

Constable Qi looked at the banknote, then at the two silver ingots, before finally letting his gaze settle on Xu Qing's face. He did not ask where Xu Qing had gotten so much silver. He only smiled, then picked up the hundred-tael banknote.

He gave Xu Qing's shoulder a solid pat. "Put the ingots away. Leave this matter to me. I'll handle the household registration as well. From today on, your second uncle, second aunt, and Xiuer will be townspeople."

In just one day, all the procedures were completed.

Xu Qing hired a carriage back to Blackwater Bay. But this time, he was going to pick people up, not deliver things.

He only said that he had rented a courtyard in town and wanted to bring his second uncle, second aunt, and Xiuer there to enjoy a better life. He did not mention the Leviathan Gang, the Fish-Dragon Gang, or all those matters that had kept him tossing and turning through the night.

His second uncle and second aunt were not fools. They vaguely knew that the Leviathan Gang matter had something to do with Xu Qing. They did not ask much, merely nodded.

Standing by the courtyard gate, Second Aunt turned back for one last look at the little courtyard where she had lived half her life. Tears pattered down her face.

Second Uncle's eyes reddened. He said nothing, only lifted Xiuer into the carriage.

Xiuer leaned out the carriage window and waved at her little friends at the alley entrance, shouting, "I'm going to town! I'm going to town!" Her voice was sharp and bright, her little face filled with excitement, as though it were New Year's.

The carriage left Blackwater Bay and took the official road. Its wheels rolled over the dirt track, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.

Xu Qing looked back at the fishing village growing farther and farther away... its low houses, chaotic docks, crooked fishing boats, and the neighbors standing at the alley entrance to see them off. Their figures became smaller and smaller, blurrier and blurrier, until they shrank into dots and were swallowed by the dirt road and withered trees.

He turned back and looked ahead. It felt as though a great stone had been lifted from his heart.

From today on, his family would no longer have to fear harassment from the Leviathan Gang, no longer have to watch the Fish-Dragon Gang's expressions, no longer tremble at the sound of someone smashing at the door in the dead of night.

The shop in town was quickly put in order.

The front had a two-room storefront. Behind it was a small courtyard. It was not large, but it had been cleaned thoroughly. There were three main rooms, one kitchen, and even a jujube tree in the courtyard.

Second Aunt took a turn around the kitchen. The stove was newly built, the chopping board newly bought, even the spatulas were new. She touched this and looked over that, and tears came again, streaming down her cheeks and into the corners of her mouth, salty on her lips.

"Open a noodle shop," Xu Qing said. "Second Aunt, your cooking is no worse than anyone in town."

Second Aunt wiped away her tears and nodded hard. Second Uncle smiled honestly at her side, rubbing his hands together. "I'll help you. Kneading dough, tending the fire, anything. I'll do all the heavy work. You just focus on the cooking."

Xiuer was sent to a private school.

Xu Qing stood at the school entrance, watching her hop inside with the little schoolbag Second Aunt had sewn overnight on her back. His heart finally settled.

The family had been poor before. Second Uncle and Second Aunt had gritted their teeth to let him attend private school for two years. Now that he was here, Xiuer could study too—however she wanted, for as long as she wanted.

That evening, the family ate a reunion dinner together. Second Aunt cooked a whole table of dishes: braised pork, scrambled eggs, stewed tofu... Xu Qing had even bought a jar of wine for Second Uncle. It was cloudy wine, murky and rough, but Second Uncle drank it with relish, his face flushed red.

Halfway through the meal, Little Aunt announced even greater joyous news.

Little Aunt Xu Yan was pregnant.

Uncle-in-law Xu Cheng grinned so widely his mouth nearly reached his ears. Second Uncle and Second Aunt were so happy that they kept wiping away tears. Xu Yan had been married to Xu Cheng for eight years—eight years, enough time for a child to be running errands for soy sauce—and at last they were going to have a child of their own.

Over those eight years, the neighbors around the bun shop had gossiped plenty behind their backs, saying all sorts of things. Some said Xu Yan could not bear children, some said Xu Cheng was incapable, and some said the marriage had been a mistake from the beginning. Now those rumors could shut their mouths.

Xu Cheng teased Xiuer, "Xiuer, do you want a little brother or a little sister?"

The little girl tilted her head and thought about it, still chewing half a piece of braised pork, her cheeks puffed out. In her soft childish voice, she said, "I want both! A little brother and a little sister, so they can play with me!"

Everyone in the room laughed.

Their laughter drifted out the window, floated into the courtyard, and rose into the jujube tree.

Days passed one after another.

Several disciples left the Zhao Family Martial Hall, and new ones arrived. The outer courtyard's registered disciples remained at around twenty, coming and going like a pool of living water.

In the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth lunar month.

The wind of the twelfth lunar month was like knives, cutting painfully across the face. The blue bricks in the training ground had frozen pale white, hard as iron beneath one's feet.

Xu Qing stood in stake posture in the inner courtyard, his feet set neither straight nor splayed, shoulders sunk and elbows dropped, his breathing long and even.

The cold wind poured into his collar, icy against his skin. But when he circulated his qi and blood, the chill was blocked outside.

[Five Elements Fist (Mastered)]

[Three Talents Stake (Minor Mastery): 98/200]

The Five Elements Fist had long since reached mastery. Every move and stance had been carved into his bones; he could perform it even with his eyes closed. The Three Talents Stake had also progressed greatly. In less than two months, it would reach major mastery.

He could feel the qi and blood within him growing fuller and fuller. With every punch, ten layers of force stacked together, enough to blast down a wall.

Inside the study.

Zhao Yan sat in a grand chair. An old booklet lay spread on the table before him, with a bowl of tea beside it.

The tea had gone cold. He did not drink it, merely rubbed the rim of the bowl with his fingers, again and again. He remained silent, without saying a word.

Ning Yun stood quietly to one side with his hands lowered, even his breathing softened. He knew that when his master was thinking, he disliked being interrupted.

Suddenly, a gust of wind came through, making the window creak.

Zhao Yan abruptly lifted his eyelids. The focus in his pupils drew back from the distance and settled on Ning Yun's face.

"A Yun, what do you think about this year's Laba Meeting?" His voice was unhurried, giving away no emotion. "Which three people should the hall send?"

Ning Yun pondered for a moment.

He went through each qualified disciple in the hall in his mind before answering seriously. "Junior Brother Wu Mingyuan has been at perfected Bright Force for half a year. His foundation is solid, and his fighting style is steady. He counts as one."

"Junior Brother Chen Wang is also at perfected Bright Force. He has actual combat experience, has seen blood, and does not lose his nerve. He counts as one as well."

"As for the third person—" Ning Yun furrowed his brow. After hesitating briefly, he still spoke the name. "This disciple believes it should be Junior Brother Guo Huan."