Apology and Compensation

"Quick, quick, quick..."

On the carriage, Lu Zhihao urged the driver with an anxious look on his face. "If we're any later, we'll miss the excitement."

The driver cracked the whip furiously, racing through the city at top speed.

Lu Zhihao began blaming the servant again. "I told you to wake me earlier. Why didn't you come get me? If I don't get to see that brat make a fool of himself, you'll answer for it."

The servant lowered his head in grievance. How would he dare? Twice before, he had followed his young master's orders and gone to wake him early in the morning, only to receive two solid slaps across the face. Never a third time—he was not that stupid.

At last, they arrived at Show Water Street.

Lu Zhihao stuck his head out the carriage window and saw that the entrance to the Chen Estate was packed with people. There were even more spectators than yesterday, clogging the entire street. He immediately grew excited. "Looks like the Martial Hall Guild is still here. Haha, come on, let's get down and watch."

As he spoke, he grabbed the servant and leaped from the carriage, squeezing into the crowd.

After much difficulty, Lu Zhihao finally pushed his way to the entrance of the Chen Estate. Looking inside, however, he found that things were not at all as he had imagined.

Chen Ming was actually sitting in the courtyard without a scratch on him.

Meanwhile, more than a dozen people stood at the gate, each looking dusty and battered, injuries on their bodies. Two more were lying on the ground.

What was going on?

Lu Zhihao stood there dumbfounded for a moment.

The servant whispered, "Young Master, it looks like Chen Ming beat up the Martial Hall Guild's people!"

Hiss—

Only then did Lu Zhihao notice the discussions around him. He was startled at first, but then delighted. "Good! He beat them well."

"Huh?"

The servant froze when he heard that, wondering whether his young master had been driven mad by anger.

Lu Zhihao gave a sinister chuckle. "Is the Martial Hall Guild so easy to deal with? Chen Ming beat their people; they definitely won't let this go. Just wait. There'll be a good show soon enough."

To be fair, that did make some sense.

Just as the servant was thinking that, a burst of commotion rose from outside.

Someone shouted, "The Fenglei Martial Hall is here!"

"They're here, they're here."

Lu Zhihao looked thrilled. Standing on tiptoe, he craned his neck toward the outside. Before long, the crowd automatically opened a path, and a group of people clad in dark blue training uniforms walked over.

He recognized the man at their head. It was Fenglei Martial Hall's instructor, Yue Bin. The man was an Eighth Rank Martial Artist, and his Lingfeng Blade Technique was exceptionally formidable.

Lu Zhihao waited eagerly for the show to begin.

He was not the only one. Everyone else was waiting for a good show as well.

Yue Bin walked up to the gate. Without even glancing at the group standing there, he first clasped his hands toward Chen Ming. "Yue Bin of Fenglei Martial Hall greets Young Master Chen the Second."

The moment those words came out, everyone present was taken completely by surprise.

Wasn't that far too polite?

Many people began muttering to themselves. Could Fenglei Martial Hall be planning to admit defeat?

Others thought that they were probably observing courtesy before resorting to force. Those famous orthodox sects all loved this routine.

Seeing that Fenglei Martial Hall had sent someone polite, Chen Ming returned the gesture. "Instructor Yue, have you come to hold me accountable as well?"

Since he intended to open a martial hall, he had long since investigated the city's largest martial halls, including what experts they had and what weapons they specialized in.

Yue Bin said, "I would not dare. Since you are an Eighth Rank Martial Artist, you are qualified to open a martial hall, provided you pass the Martial Hall Guild's assessment. Our people acted rashly today and caused offense. I hope you can be magnanimous."

Everyone present heard those words loud and clear, and they were instantly deeply disappointed. Quite a few even let out jeers.

No one had expected that the dignified Martial Hall Guild, after having its face thoroughly slapped, would simply back down like this.

At that moment, Li Xiangrong, who had been lying on the ground pretending to be unconscious, climbed up and said furiously, "Senior Brother Yue, are we just letting this brat go?"

Yue Bin looked at him expressionlessly. "This is the Old Hall Master's decision."

Li Xiangrong's face flushed red. Unable to accept that reality, he roared, "Then where is Fenglei Martial Hall's dignity? Others will only think that Fenglei Martial Hall is afraid of this brat..."

Yue Bin's expression darkened. "You still have the nerve to say that? If you had not acted so recklessly, would things have come to this?"

After saying that, he ignored him and turned to Chen Ming. "The Martial Hall Guild will compensate your estate with a new gate. The five hundred taels of silver in apology will also be delivered in full. I hope this matter can end here."

Chen Ming was quite surprised. The other side had lowered its stance so much that he did not even have a reason to make a move.

Was Fenglei Martial Hall really this cowardly?

Disappointed though he was, he still said politely, "Instructor Yue is indeed reasonable. Chen admires you. As for those five hundred taels, let them count as these gentlemen's medical expenses."

That way, both sides took a step back, turning weapons of war into jade and silk.

Yue Bin did not refuse, merely reminding him, "However, I hope you can abide by the Martial Hall Guild's rules. The Old Hall Master awaits your esteemed presence."

Chen Ming said, "In three days, I will certainly come pay him a visit."

A lively spectacle thus came to a whimpering end, all thunder at the start and no rain at the finish.

Naturally, Lu Zhihao was the most disappointed of all.

"What Fenglei Martial Hall? Someone shits on their heads and they can still endure it! They're nothing but turtles with their heads tucked in..."

Inside the carriage, Lu Zhihao cursed Fenglei Martial Hall's people with the most vicious words he could muster.

He was nearly mad with rage. He had deliberately risen early and hurried over with eyes full of anticipation, intending to watch that brat suffer a terrible downfall. Instead, the other man had thoroughly stolen the limelight.

Disappointment, fury, and a thread of fear too vague to name mixed together, completely shattering his composure.

The servant beside him was rather worried. His young master's enemy had actually become an Eighth Rank Martial Artist. Even Fenglei Martial Hall was unwilling to provoke him...

That fact left him deeply unsettled.

He had not forgotten how his young master had humiliated Chen Ming back then, even framing him and throwing him into prison, where he had nearly died.

The thought of it filled him with uncontrollable fear.

He knew that his young master was being so hysterical because he, too, was afraid.

In his fury, Lu Zhihao did not even go home. He went to Drunken Immortal Restaurant and drank himself senseless. After nightfall, he headed to Joyful Court. Just as he was about to find his favorite girl to vent his frustrations, someone suddenly burst in, grabbed him, and dragged him away.

He did not dare resist, because he recognized the man as someone sent by his brother-in-law.

Lu Zhihao was brought to a secluded courtyard, where he met his brother-in-law, Qi Xingdong, the young master of Golden Source Commerce.

Inside the study.

Qi Xingdong, who had only just turned thirty that year yet already wore two thin mustaches above his lip, was wielding his brush at the desk. He did not look at Lu Zhihao as he was brought in. "He reeks of alcohol. Take him away and sober him up."

Thus, Lu Zhihao, who had only just called out, "Brother-in-law," was dragged away again.

After Qi Xingdong finished writing, he asked the old man standing nearby, "Uncle Zheng, what do you think of my calligraphy?"

Uncle Zheng chuckled. "Third Young Master, you have asked the wrong man. This old servant has spent his whole life working an abacus; when it comes to calligraphy, I know nothing at all."

Qi Xingdong washed the brush clean in the brush washer, casually set it down, then picked up a towel to wipe his hands. "Uncle Zheng, have a seat."

"Thank you, Third Young Master." Uncle Zheng sat in a chair to one side.

Qi Xingdong did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "Uncle Zheng, do you still remember Chen Ming?"

Old Shopkeeper Zheng said, "Of course. Before his grandfather passed away, he had some dealings with this old servant."

He was a cautious man. He would not utter one extra word.

Qi Xingdong naturally knew that Uncle Zheng would not easily state his position. He could only curse the old fox inwardly before taking the initiative to say, "Speaking of which, when Chen Ming was at Golden Source Commerce, he was diligent and quick with his hands, clever, and devoted to his duties. He was a rare good seedling. What a pity. Zhihao was useless and forced him away. Things even ended so unpleasantly. Whenever I think of it, I feel regretful. We lost a talented man."

Old Shopkeeper Zheng was somewhat puzzled. He did not understand why Qi Xingdong had suddenly brought up old matters, so he asked, "What does Third Young Master mean?"

Qi Xingdong said, "I would like to ask Uncle Zheng to act as a mediator. What happened back then was Zhihao's fault. Let Zhihao personally go and apologize, in hopes that Chen Ming will not hold a grudge against Golden Source Commerce."

"This—"

Old Shopkeeper Zheng found it even stranger. Had the Third Young Master changed his nature?

Or could it be...

Qi Xingdong said, "Uncle Zheng may not know yet, but Chen Ming has already broken through to the Eighth Rank. Such talent is truly remarkable."

Eighth Rank?

Old Shopkeeper Zheng shuddered in shock. At last, he understood why Qi Xingdong had so urgently summoned him to act as mediator and settle this matter.

"I won't go!"

Just then, Lu Zhihao, who had overheard their conversation, rushed in and dropped to his knees. "Brother-in-law, are you really afraid of a mere Eighth Rank Martial Artist?"

Qi Xingdong said expressionlessly, "If you refuse to go, I will break your legs and send you before him, to let him deal with you as he pleases."

"Brother-in-law—"

Lu Zhihao's face went pale. He stared at him in disbelief, but when he met his brother-in-law's icy gaze, he felt as though he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Although his elder sister was only a mistress, his "brother-in-law" had always doted on her greatly.

Who would have thought...

It had all been fake.