Chapter 49: Secret Medicine and Schemes

Early morning.

Outside, the sound of firecrackers shook the heavens. In Lin Zheyu's courtyard, the sound of fists striking wooden posts echoed with rhythmic *thuds*.

After practicing his boxing techniques for several hours, his understanding of his stances had improved once again.

Walking down the street.

Worship was everywhere, and the crackling sound of firecrackers rose from all directions.

The gods of the Great Wei were as numerous as the hairs on an ox. On this day of the Little New Year, people were either worshipping the gods or preparing to do so.

Every household burned paper money and offered incense with devotion, praying that the coming year would bring better days and that the wars would subside.

Most adults bore no smiles; their faces were filled with sorrow and hardship.

Business was poor, bandits roamed the outskirts of the city, and crops could not be planted because they were all being looted by marauders.

Even Lin Zheyu himself was having a difficult time, as his income had shrunk repeatedly.

From his peak, when he earned approximately two thousand wen a day, his total income—including the monthly wages from the Feihong Gang—had dwindled to just over a thousand wen.

It had shrunk by nearly half.

Unlike the commoners struggling to survive, the great aristocratic families continued to live in luxury, enjoying music and dance.

The clear, melodious voices of songstresses rose alongside the accompaniment of musical instruments.

In the Xing family's Songning Court, there was a scene of festive joy and dance, untouched by the chaos of war.

The dancers wore extremely revealing attire—layers of pink light gauze with nothing underneath, creating a tantalizing see-through effect that was incredibly eye-catching.

Since it was the Little New Year, the younger generation of the Xing family had gathered in Songning Court to enjoy the dancing, music, and conversation, showing no signs of the economic depression.

The brothers Xing Jinglong and Xing Penghai were also present. Besides them, young masters and ladies from the Xing family's collateral branches and related maternal families were also in attendance.

"Exquisite, truly exquisite!"

The young noble sitting opposite Xing Jinglong clapped his hands in appreciation.

The dancers invited today possessed graceful figures and ethereal, stunning movements; they were truly a feast for the eyes.

"Brother, if you like them so much, I'll have the servants arrange for a few to stay over tonight. Wouldn't that be delightful?" Xing Jinglong said with a smile.

"Save one for me too, so I can get a taste, hehe."

Xing Jing'an and Xing Jinglong were biological brothers, thirteen years apart. Xing Penghai, however, was the son of Xing Jinglong's third uncle, making him his cousin.

Though they were brothers, they looked vastly different.

Xing Jing'an appeared refined and well-proportioned, exuding a sense of handsome elegance. Xing Jinglong was tall, stout, and fleshy, looking somewhat lewd and fierce.

"It won't be our turn. These dancers are already being eyed by others; how could we get to choose?" Xing Jing'an said with a shrug and a laugh.

"True. In previous years, the direct descendants always picked first before it ever reached us," Xing Jinglong said regretfully.

"There are plenty of beautiful girls. Once the banquet is over, let's head to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. I've booked a large private room," Xing Penghai laughed.

"Brother Hai, how is your progress going?"

Xing Jing'an asked. Xing Penghai was a few years older than him.

"Those bandits are all clever devils; they aren't easy to persuade. Besides, Lion Valley is full of dangers. They use the natural terrain to hide easily, making them hard to find."

"In all this time, I've only managed to subdue one small gang of fewer than fifty men. Their leader is quite capable, having reached the peak of the Viscera Refining Realm," Xing Penghai said nonchalantly, his eyes fixed on the dancing girls.

"It's the same on my end. Every family has taken precautions, making it hard to turn them," Xing Jing'an noted.

"With Uncle and the others acting so brazenly, aren't they afraid of being discovered by the City Lord? The City Lord's strength is terrifying. If he finds out, then..."

Xing Jinglong spoke with some concern.

"What is there to fear? The City Lord doesn't interfere in affairs. As long as we don't cause too much trouble or disrupt the order of Songyi City, he won't care."

"Besides, we are merely incorporating the bandits from outside the city into the City Guard. We are suppressing banditry and strengthening the strength of Songyi City. We are doing a great service," Xing Penghai chuckled, unconcerned.

He turned back to Xing Jinglong and asked, "That kid you asked me to keep an eye on—has there been any movement from him lately?"

"His comprehension and talent are good. If we can subdue and control him, and use secret medicines to nurture him and stimulate his potential, we could cultivate a Blood Qi Realm expert in less than six months."

The Xing family possessed an ancestral secret medicine formula that could stimulate the future potential of a genius martial artist, allowing their strength to skyrocket in a short period.

However, this formula had extremely high requirements for potential; it only worked on geniuses with extraordinary comprehension. It was ineffective for ordinary people.

Furthermore, regardless of whether the attempt succeeded, the martial artist's lifespan would be drastically reduced, often to less than five years.

Therefore, the Xing family scouted geniuses from the outside, controlled them with drugs, and then used the secret medicine to boost their strength, turning them into the family's enforcers.

This secret medicine was extremely expensive, and with only five years of life remaining after use, the cost-effectiveness was low.

It was only during times of war that they would use the secret medicine to boost the strength of these geniuses to deal with impending crises.

"I've already had people watching him, but that fellow is slippery. He rarely goes out. It's hard to make a move in the city with so many eyes watching," Xing Jinglong said. "As soon as he leaves the city, the people from the Wuding Gang will report to me, and I will lead men to intercept and control him outside the walls."

"Mhm, this can't be rushed. It really is difficult to act within the city. One move could trigger a chain reaction and cause backlash from the other families," Xing Jing'an nodded. The group's attention shifted back to the dancers.

The dancers invited today were indeed exceptionally beautiful. Even for men accustomed to seeing beauties, they couldn't help but steal extra glances.

***

Crossing through the streets, they arrived at the Bidan Teahouse.

In his spare time, Lin Zheyu liked to sit in teahouses or the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to cultivate his temperament.

Although there wasn't much happening with the Feihong Gang—most small matters could be handled by the low-level lackeys—Lin Zheyu, Jia Yanyong, and the others couldn't just wander aimlessly; they needed to be ready to respond to any emergencies.

As people from other cities flooded in, the number of troublemakers in Songyi City increased, but they were all easily handled by them.

Since it was the Little New Year, the teahouse was filled with families.

Jia Yanyong and the others were also there, but it was just the three of them huddling together, laughing in a rather lewd manner.

The three of them were fond of the stories of the Legend of the Condor Heroes, and since Lin Zheyu often drank tea here, it had gradually become their headquarters. They would spend time here drinking, gambling, and gossiping.

"It's the Little New Year. Instead of helping out at home, what are you lot doing here?"

Lin Zheyu walked over and sat with them.

"Sigh, staying at home is boring. My wife and parents are always nagging about this and that. It's annoying," Jia Yanyong said impatiently.

The other two nodded in agreement.

These fellows were not family-oriented men; they spent their days roaming the streets. Lin Zheyu felt bad for their wives, but he didn't say much.

"Master Xu called you over yesterday. Was there something good?" Xie Jiang asked curiously.

"I went over for some drinks and met Master Chen and Master Ren," Lin Zheyu said.

"That's it?"

"That's it. What else do you want?"

Lin Zheyu shot him a glance. He had no intention of telling this gossipy fellow that Xu Qingyi wanted to introduce a girl to him. If he did, the news would likely spread through the Feihong Gang by tomorrow.

He took a sip of tea and changed the subject. "Do you guys know anything about the City Lord's strength?"

He had asked Gang Leader Xu before, but Xu hadn't said anything. He had also secretly inquired with others, but no one knew much about the City Lord.

The City Lord had always been extremely low-profile. Many citizens in the city only knew of the officials in the government office and were unaware that Songyi City even had a City Lord.

"The City Lord?"

"Why are you asking that?" Jia Yanyong asked, puzzled. In his personal experience, the City Lord had very little presence.

"I'm not sure. I only know his surname is Chen, his name is Chen Qingfeng, and he was appointed by the Great Wei Imperial Palace."

"He's been in Songyi City for over ten years but has no presence. The City Lord's term is twenty years; in a few years, he'll be transferred out and replaced by another official," Xie Jiang said.

"You've been in Songyi City for so long. Have you ever seen him take action?" Lin Zheyu asked.

After returning that day, he had searched through his predecessor's memories, but his impression of the City Lord of Jiunan City was extremely vague. His predecessor had been focused on studying, and his memories were mostly filled with countless classics.

"No."

Jia Yanyong and Xie Jiang both shook their heads.

"Regarding the City Lord, I actually know some rumors. Don't go spreading them around," Ning Hui said, cautiously looking around. Seeing that no one was eavesdropping, he continued in a low voice.

This cautious manner instantly piqued the curiosity of the others.

"Especially you, Xie Jiang. Swear you won't tell anyone, or don't bother listening," Ning Hui said, looking at Xie Jiang with deep distrust.

Xie Jiang looked at Ning Hui speechlessly, muttering curses under his breath. But he still reluctantly made a solemn oath, because he was curious too!

"More than ten years ago, there were five major aristocratic families in Songyi City, but now only three remain. Do you know why?" Ning Hui said mysteriously.

"Wasn't it said that a sudden plague broke out and killed everyone in the other two families?" Jia Yanyong said.

He was young back then, but he had some memory of many people dying. One night, without warning, two of the five great families in Songyi City had vanished silently overnight. Even some nearby farmers and many people in the city had died quietly that same night.

Afterward, the government investigated and soon provided an explanation, claiming a virulent plague had broken out in the city.

"That was just the official story."

"I heard it was the City Lord who did it—he wiped those two families out in a single night!" Ning Hui whispered.

"Holy crap, seriously?" Jia Yanyong said in shock.

"Where did you hear such a rumor? Why haven't I heard it?" Xie Jiang asked with doubt and disbelief. "And what massive crime did they commit to be wiped out so completely, without a single person left?"

Jia Yanyong also raised a question: "The two families disappeared silently overnight, leaving no one behind. If the City Lord was the one who did it, how terrifying must his strength be!"

Lin Zheyu thought the same thing. To silently wipe out the population of two families, including Blood Qi Realm martial artists, was an inconceivable feat.

"I have evidence."

"Come closer, don't let others hear."

"A few years before the incident, my father was a steward in the Bai residence. He was kicked out later for committing a crime, but he knew the Bai family extremely well."

"According to my father, the Bai family might have been involved in treason!" Ning Hui said in a very low, serious voice.

"Holy crap!"

Jia Yanyong couldn't help but blurt it out, only to have Ning Hui cover his mouth, eyes flashing a warning: *If you tell anyone, I'll kill you.*

"Is it true?!" Xie Jiang was also stunned.

"It's true. Why would I lie to you? Do you remember the great famine over ten years ago?"

"During the famine, a nursery rhyme circulated in Songyi City. Something like, 'The Yellow Heaven is dead, the Azure Heaven shall rise, in the year of...' something like that."

"Those who spread the rhyme were all arrested and executed."

"And my father happened to discover that the Bai family was secretly worshipping another god, called something like the 'Supreme Great Emperor of the Golden Palace of the Myriad Paths of the Azure Heaven'."

"That is a divine title that only the Imperial Ancestor of the dynasty should possess!" Ning Hui whispered. "So I suspect they were secretly involved in treason, and once the City Lord discovered it, they were wiped out overnight."

Xie Jiang: "..."

Jia Yanyong: "..."

Lin Zheyu: "..."

Hearing this rumor, the group was somewhat shaken. Seeing their shocked expressions, Ning Hui looked quite smug.

"You kid, you didn't just make up a story to trick us, did you?" Xie Jiang recovered, still somewhat skeptical.

Even if those two families were involved in treason, the City Lord was too strong. What kind of strength would it take to silently wipe out two families that possessed Blood Qi Realm experts in a single night?

"It's true. Why would I lie to you about this?" Ning Hui said seriously.

"I have heard that title, 'Supreme Great Emperor of the Golden Palace of the Myriad Paths of the Azure Heaven'," Lin Zheyu said. "I was a refugee for a time. Among the refugees, I heard that name."

"Many people called him the Azure Heaven Great Emperor directly, making clay idols to worship him, praying to survive."

Among the refugees, there were those who worshipped all sorts of chaotic gods. However, the worship of the Azure Heaven Great Emperor was the most common, as if someone were specifically spreading the word in secret.

Lin Zheyu hadn't paid much attention at the time. When facing despair, people always tend to believe in ethereal gods, praying for miracles. Back then, he had even secretly prayed to Jesus, Guanyin, Buddha, and God from his previous life.

But it was useless. If he hadn't desperately snatched a bowl of porridge when Ren Qingying of the Ren family was distributing it, he probably would have died long ago.