Breaking Them One by One

Just as Yang Zhenshan was savoring his warmth, at the same time, outside Yang Residence.

A figure had been hiding in a willow tree outside Yang Residence for quite some time.

He quietly released his senses and swiftly swept them across Yang Residence.

At once, relief washed over him.

"Yang Zhenshan really isn't here!"

Without further hesitation, the figure flashed over the wall and charged straight toward the rear courtyard of Yang Residence.

At this moment, the many servants of Yang Residence were still cleaning.

But because the rear courtyard was implicated in too much, the servants were not allowed inside.

At this time, only a few rooms belonging to the female family members had their lights on in the rear courtyard, while the courtyard itself still bore the desolate wreckage left after a great battle.

In the courtyard, beneath the huge stone covering half the entrance to a hole.

A figure flashed past.

By the time the news reached the mines, it was already dusk the next day.

Zhou Qi stood at the entrance of the wooden cabin, listening to Yang Hong's report without much expression on his face.

Yet inwardly, he was already churning like a river overturned by the sea.

He knew about the plan. In fact, the idea had even been his.

Yang Zhenshan was too ruthless.

No matter how incompetent Yang Yueshan was, no matter how poor his character, he had still been Yang Zhenshan's own elder brother.

And he had been cut down with a single sword strike.

But no matter what, this scheme had truly killed two birds with one stone.

It had successfully intimidated the other three great Lineages of Lin'an City, cleared away the roadblocks, and recovered the businesses that had been left outside for nearly ten years.

The Yang Family's deterrence and strength could both rise by another level.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Qi nodded and said blandly, "Understood."

Yang Hong withdrew.

In the next room, Yang Jinshan lay on his bed, staring at the wooden cabin's ceiling.

He had learned of this news even earlier than Zhou Qi. After Yang Hong received the letter, the first person he reported it to had been him.

After all, he was the direct descendant of the Yang Family, even if his words carried less weight at the mines than Zhou Qi's.

At this moment, Yang Jinshan could not quite make sense of his own feelings.

He was not like Yang Yuanshan. Yang Yueshan had been nearly fifteen years older than him.

When Yang Jinshan was little, he had followed behind Yang Yuanshan's backside. Whenever something happened, he would seek out Yang Yuanshan.

Or, if even Yang Yuanshan could not handle it, then he would seek Yang Zhenshan.

Ever since he could remember, there had been nothing Yang Zhenshan could not resolve.

No matter what it was.

As for Yang Yueshan...

There did not seem to be many memories of him, only scattered fragments.

None of them were particularly pleasant.

For example, those gloomy, contemptuous looks, or his low scolding: "What a blockhead, stupid beyond salvation!"

Shaking his head, Yang Jinshan pulled himself together and stopped thinking about it.

To him, Yang Yueshan's death was perhaps no more than the sudden passing of a relative he was not very familiar with.

As for Yang Zhenshan being the one who had killed Yang Yueshan.

That did not matter.

Whatever Second Brother did was right!

Two days passed.

Zhou Qi sat in meditation indoors, accumulating proficiency, yet his mind had been constantly considering the situation at the mines.

Yesterday, half of the guards at the Zhao Family mine pit had disappeared. It was said that Zhao Dezhu had urgently summoned them back to Lin'an City.

This morning, Wang Tianfu had sent someone to invite Zhao Dazhu, only to be flatly refused.

But that was all.

There was no further movement.

The Zhao Family had not sent anyone to arrange the handover, the Li Family continued playing dumb, and the Wang Family kept mining as usual.

Zhou Qi withdrew his thoughts.

"If they won't come, then I'll take the initiative."

He changed into a clean set of clothes and pushed the door open.

When Yang Hong saw Zhou Qi leaving the courtyard, he stepped forward and asked, "Elder Zhou, where are you going today?"

Zhou Qi replied blandly, "The Zhao Family mine pit."

The Zhao Family mine pit's lodgings were still crude, and there were far fewer guards at the entrance than usual. Only three to five remained, listlessly basking in the sun.

When they saw Zhou Qi approaching, the guards' expressions changed, and they instinctively took a step back.

A man's reputation was like a tree's shadow. Zhou Qi's name at the mines was long no longer what it had been when he first arrived.

"E-Elder Zhou." One guard forced himself forward and clasped his fists in a fawning salute. "You are...?"

Zhou Qi glanced at him. "Is Steward Zhao here?"

The guard hesitated, then nodded. "He is... he's practicing his fist techniques in the rear courtyard."

Zhou Qi nodded. "Take me there."

"Of course!" The guard nodded. As he spoke, he gave another guard a look, signaling him to run ahead and report first.

The rear courtyard was not large. A ring of crude wooden fencing enclosed a patch of packed earth at its center.

Zhao Dazhu stood in the middle of the yard, throwing punch after punch.

Diamond Fist.

Each punch he threw howled through the air, shaking the fence until it hummed.

But his punches grew slower and more disordered, and it was obvious that his heart was not in them.

Hearing footsteps behind him, he saw the guard who had run ahead to report. Not far behind that guard, Zhou Qi had already come into view.

After hearing the guard's report, Zhao Dazhu's body stiffened. Then he hurried back two steps, making a show of coming forward to greet him.

"Elder Zhou, forgive me for failing to welcome you from afar! May I ask what brings you to my Zhao Family?"

Zhou Qi entered the courtyard and stopped before him.

"I came to see Steward Zhao," he said. "And to have a chat."

Zhou Qi gave a light laugh. "Steward Zhao is an intelligent man."

"You should know what I came for today."

Zhao Dazhu's expression changed again.

Of course he knew.

The twenty percent mine pit.

But he opened his mouth without immediately replying.

Zhou Qi did not rush him, merely watching him.

The silence continued for a while.

Beads of sweat seeped onto Zhao Dazhu's forehead. At last, he spoke in a somewhat muffled voice. "Elder Zhou, I, Zhao Dazhu, am a rough man. I don't know how to beat around the bush."

"I took in what you told me the last time you came. I won't get mixed up with that bastard Wang Tianfu again, either."

He paused, and a trace of helplessness entered his tone. "But as for the mine pit... I can't make the decision."

Zhou Qi's brow lifted slightly.

Zhao Dazhu continued, "I'm just a steward. The mine pit belongs to the Zhao Family, and I can't decide."

"You'll have to wait until I notify the family head. Once he nods, I can proceed with the handover."

Zhou Qi nodded, unsurprised.

"How long?"

Zhao Dazhu thought for a moment. "I'll write a letter immediately. There should be a reply within these next two days."

Zhou Qi looked at him with calm eyes.

Zhao Dazhu grew somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze and instinctively straightened his chest. "Rest assured, Elder Zhou. I, Zhao Dazhu, keep my word. I'll report the matter truthfully to the family head. As for how he decides..."

He did not finish, but the meaning was already clear.

Zhou Qi fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Fine. I'll wait for Steward Zhao's news."

He turned and walked out.

When he reached the courtyard gate, he stopped again and turned back to say one thing.

"Steward Zhao, your family head should need someone right now to tell him how he ought to choose next."

Zhao Dazhu was stunned.

Zhou Qi had already strode away.

After leaving the Zhao Family mine pit, Zhou Qi did not return to his lodgings. Instead, he headed toward the western district.

The Li Family mine pit.

Compared to the Zhao Family's crude conditions, the Li Family's mine tunnels were much cleaner.

The entrance had been swept spotlessly clean, and several guards stood at the gate, full of spirit.

When they saw Zhou Qi approaching, the guards immediately became wary, their hands resting on their sword hilts.

"Stop! Who are you?"

Zhou Qi clasped his fists. "Zhou Qi of the Yang Family. I have come to see Steward Li."

The guards exchanged glances. One of them said, "Wait here. I'll go report your arrival."

Before long, Li Dehou came out from the mine tunnel to greet him.

His face was piled with smiles as he clasped his fists in salute. "Elder Zhou's arrival brings honor to us. Forgive me for failing to welcome you from afar, forgive me."

Zhou Qi returned the salute. "Steward Li is too courteous."

Li Dehou stepped aside to lead the way. "Please come inside, Elder. Would you like a cup of tea and a chance to rest your feet?"

Zhou Qi nodded and followed him into the mine tunnel.

It was still the same crude meeting room from last time.

Li Dehou personally poured the tea and offered it over with both hands.

Zhou Qi took the tea, drank a sip, and set it down.

He got straight to the point.

"Steward Li, I came today to ask about the Li Family's twenty percent mine pit."

The smile on Li Dehou's face stiffened slightly, but he quickly returned to normal.

He sighed, revealing a troubled expression. "Elder Zhou, it isn't that our Li Family refuses to hand it over. It's truly just that..."

Zhou Qi raised a hand to interrupt him.

"Steward Li, the Zhao Family has already agreed to the handover."

Li Dehou was startled.

Zhou Qi watched him, his tone calm. "I just came from the Zhao Family mine pit. Zhao Dazhu said it himself. He has already written to the Zhao Family head, and there will be a reply in the next two days."

Li Dehou's expression changed.

He stared at Zhou Qi, seemingly judging whether these words were true or false.

Zhou Qi let him look, his face without the slightest ripple.

After a long while, Li Dehou gave a dry laugh. "The Zhao Family... agreed?"

Zhou Qi nodded. "They agreed."

Li Dehou was silent for several seconds, then sighed.

"Elder Zhou, you are an intelligent man, so I won't hide it from you." He shook his head with a bitter smile. "Our Li Family has a weak foundation and cannot withstand much turmoil. We delayed before because we feared the Wang Family and Zhao Family... Now that even the Zhao Family has agreed, our Li Family naturally has nothing further to say."

He paused, then added, "However, I cannot make this decision either. I need to notify the family head. What do you think...?"

Zhou Qi nodded. "As you should. How long?"

Li Dehou thought for a moment. "At the earliest, tomorrow. At the latest, the day after tomorrow. I will definitely give Elder Zhou an answer."

Zhou Qi rose to his feet and clasped his fists. "Then I'll await Steward Li's good news."

Li Dehou hurriedly rose and returned the salute, personally seeing him all the way to the mine entrance.

Watching Zhou Qi's departing back, the smile on his face gradually vanished, replaced by deep thought.

After a long while, he turned and returned to the mine tunnel, instructing the guards, "Prepare paper and brush. I need to write a letter to the family head."