Sowing Discord

Afternoon.

Zhou Qi went alone to the Zhao Family's mine pit in the western district.

He had not brought Yang Jinshan, mainly because he feared the two fools would become like drawn swords and bent bows the moment they met.

Compared to the Wang Family's grandeur, the Zhao Family's mine was far more ramshackle.

The entrance was only about ten feet wide, the supporting timbers were old, and several guards stood at the entrance, listlessly basking in the sun.

When they saw Zhou Qi approaching, the guards immediately grew alert, hands pressing down on their sword hilts.

"Stop! What are you here for?"

Zhou Qi cupped his fists. "Zhou Qi of the Yang Family. I'm here to see Chief Steward Zhao."

The guards exchanged glances. One of them said, "Chief Steward Zhao is occupied and is not receiving visitors. Please leave."

Zhou Qi nodded and continued forward.

The guards' expressions changed. Their faces grew tense as they drew their swords. "S-Stop! Take another step forward, and we won't be polite!"

A man's reputation was like a tree's shadow. Zhou Qi of the Yang Family had become famous throughout the Zhao Family Guard Corps as soon as their chief steward had been carried back that morning.

Zhou Qi did not stop.

The guards shoved one another, but no one dared to be the first to attack.

Yet as Zhou Qi drew closer and closer, one guard could no longer bear the pressure and slashed at him.

Zhou Qi sidestepped the strike and slapped his wrist.

The sword flew from his hand and stabbed into the ground.

Zhou Qi had not hurt him. In fact, he had used only enough force to knock the weapon away.

Yet the guard fell with the momentum, clutching his right hand and rolling around on the ground.

"Ahhh..."

Zhou Qi looked surprised. He knew exactly how much force he had used.

The other guards nearby looked even more fearful.

"Zhou Qi's strength truly lives up to its reputation!"

For a moment, the situation became even more awkward.

Just as the other guards had finally mustered the courage to attack again, Zhou Qi had already passed through them and entered the mine.

The guards behind him looked at one another, but none dared to chase after him.

Only two quick-witted ones shouted from behind:

"Stop, or we won't be polite!"

"A powerful enemy has broken in! Quickly, protect Chief Steward Zhao!"

"Stay on guard! Stay on guard!"

Zhou Qi ignored them and continued onward.

The mine was dimly lit. After walking several dozen steps, he reached a somewhat wider area.

Zhao Dazhu lay on a crude bed, his chest bare and the injured area covered in a generous amount of green medicinal ointment.

Having heard the warnings outside, he already knew someone had broken in. But his chest was badly injured, so he could only force himself to see who had come in.

When the figure slowly drew near, Zhao Dazhu's expression changed drastically.

"Y-You... what are you here for?"

Zhou Qi sat beside the bed and looked at him.

Zhao Dazhu instinctively shrank back, fear in his eyes.

"Y-You stay away! I'll call someone!"

Zhou Qi shook his head. "Relax. I'm not here to hit you."

Zhao Dazhu froze, his face full of confusion.

Zhou Qi looked at him and said lightly, "Chief Steward Zhao, I came today because I wanted to have a talk with you."

Zhao Dazhu watched him warily. "About what?"

Zhou Qi said, "About the twenty percent of the mine pits belonging to your Zhao Family."

Zhao Dazhu's expression changed. Stiffening his neck, he said, "That belongs to the Zhao Family! Why should we give it to you?"

Zhou Qi asked in return, "Why? Because of the grand competition wager, because the Lin'an City Lord's Manor guaranteed it, and because those are the rules of the martial world."

Zhao Dazhu opened his mouth but could not speak.

Zhou Qi continued, "Chief Steward Zhao, do you know what the Li Family told me today?"

Zhao Dazhu asked instinctively, "What did they say?"

Zhou Qi said calmly, "Li Dehou said that as long as the Yang Family settled the Wang and Zhao Families, he would hand it over immediately."

Zhao Dazhu nodded.

Zhou Qi looked at him, his tone calm. "Chief Steward Zhao, how long do you think your two families can hold out?"

Zhao Dazhu said nothing.

Zhou Qi rose and walked over to the wall, looking at a crude map hanging there.

"You know the rules of Blackstone Mine better than I do. The four families manage their respective shares, while Upper City takes seventy percent. But Upper City does not care how the great families divide their territory. They only want that seventy percent of the ore."

"Now that we've won the wager, you refuse to hand it over, so we can only keep demanding it. That will affect the mining process. But if it affects Upper City's seventy percent of the ore..."

Zhou Qi turned around and looked at Zhao Dazhu. "Tell me, who do you think Upper City will side with? The Yang Family, which has reason and justice on its side, or you people, who default on debts and refuse to follow the rules?"

Zhao Dazhu's expression changed.

Zhou Qi returned to the bedside, sat before him, and said softly:

"Upper City is nothing like our Yang Family when it comes to following rules!"

The scene fell silent as Zhou Qi gave Zhao Dazhu some time to think.

"Chief Steward Zhao, let me ask you one more question."

Zhao Dazhu asked instinctively, "What?"

Zhou Qi looked at him, enunciating each word. "What can your Zhao Family gain by following the Wang Family?"

Zhao Dazhu opened his mouth but could not speak.

Zhou Qi continued, "Our Fifth Elder injured only Wang Family guards today. Was even one of them from your Zhao Family? Yet Wang Tianfu used you as a thug today. If you won, the benefits would be his. If you lost, the injuries would be yours."

"You were badly hurt in today's fight. Did Wang Tianfu come to see you?"

"Or rather, did he compensate you?"

"No, did he? He probably only thinks you're too weak and made him lose face."

Zhao Dazhu lowered his head and said nothing.

Because Zhou Qi was telling the truth. When Wang Tianfu had left, he had merely called over two guards to carry him back to the Zhao Family mine.

He had not even given him a single Blood-Activating Pill or Qi-Nourishing Pill.

He had indeed been somewhat rash, but he could still recognize the look in Wang Tianfu's eyes when he was carried away.

His face had been livid, and there had been a faint contempt in his gaze.

But in his state of mind at the time, he had only felt that he had let Wang Tianfu down. He had believed it was his own fault for failing to vent Wang Tianfu's anger and instead making him lose face.

Only after Zhou Qi spelled it out did Zhao Dazhu understand:

"Why should I feel sorry for Wang Tianfu? I was helping him. Even if I lost, Wang Tianfu should be the one feeling sorry for me."

Zhou Qi sighed and continued, "Your Zhao Family's head, Zhao Dezhu, is at eighth-layer Qi Refining."

"The Wang Family's head, Wang Tiannan, is at early ninth-layer Qi Refining."

"And our Yang Family's head, Yang Zhenshan, is at late ninth-layer Qi Refining, on the verge of the peak."

He paused, his tone becoming meaningful. "It could be said that in Lin'an City, aside from City Lord Yao Qing, our Yang Family head, Yang Zhenshan, ranks second."

Zhou Qi had exaggerated Yang Zhenshan's strength, but for Zhao Dazhu right now, all he needed was to apply enough pressure.

"If this really drags on and Yang Zhenshan is provoked, who do you think he'll deal with first?"

"The harder-to-handle Wang Family, or the Zhao Family, which wagged its tail behind the Wang Family but was far weaker?"

Zhao Dazhu raised his head, a flicker of fear passing through his eyes.

Zhou Qi was very satisfied. It was clear that this big fellow had begun to think.

Zhou Qi slowly rose to his feet and patted his shoulder.

"Chief Steward Zhao, think it over carefully. Once you've figured it out, come find me anytime."

He turned and headed outside.

When he reached the mine entrance, he stopped again and looked back.

"Oh, right. You can tell Wang Tianfu about me coming to see you today. I don't mind."

With that, he strode away.

Zhao Dazhu sat on the bed, staring at his retreating figure with a bewildered expression.