Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

June.

The cicadas chirped, the lotuses were fragrant, and the summer heat was at its peak.

The night was black as ink.

Chen Li was in the secret chamber of his study, practicing his Cultivation.

Suddenly, his brow twitched imperceptibly. The familiar aura of a Grandmaster had entered the range of his Divine Sense.

He was no stranger to this aura.

Chen Li slowly ceased his practice and opened his eyes, a flash of surprise in their depths.

’Why would he come so late?’

A moment later, the faint sound of robes cutting through the wind came from outside the study, and a slightly hunched figure landed silently in the courtyard.

It was none other than the Zhou Family’s Tributor, Elder Zhan.

"Patriarch Chen."

Seeing the light from the study and Chen Li already standing at the door, Elder Zhan cupped his fist in salute.

Chen Li invited him into the study.

He closed the door and asked, "Elder Zhan, what urgent matter brings you here so late at night?"

Elder Zhan glanced out the window before speaking. "My apologies for disturbing you, Patriarch Chen. I had no other choice. There are prying eyes lurking around your estate, so it was inconvenient for me to appear during the day. I could only come under the cover of night. I hope you’ll forgive me."

Chen Li smiled, unconcerned. "It’s nothing. Just a few pairs of eyes. If I get rid of them, more will just come back. Sometimes, leaving them be is more useful than clearing them out. Elder Zhan, please speak freely."

Elder Zhan nodded and said in a low voice, "To be frank, I’ve come uninvited to implore Patriarch Chen to help me rescue someone."

"Rescue someone? Who?" Chen Li asked, surprised.

"It’s... Miss Qingyi."

A hint of bitterness tinged Elder Zhan’s voice as he spoke the name.

"Zhou Qingyi?"

Chen Li’s brow furrowed slightly. "What’s happened to her now?"

"It’s a long story. The young miss is still young and was ultimately tricked," Elder Zhan sighed, then recounted the whole affair in detail.

It turned out that when Zhou Shuwei had decided to go to the He Niu Martial Arts Academy, although she seemed to have left the Zhou Family behind, she couldn’t bear to part with Zhou Qingyi.

Before leaving, she pleaded with Elder Zhan to stay and watch over her sister in secret.

However, she also instructed him not to reveal himself unless it was absolutely necessary.

Therefore, although Elder Zhan hadn’t appeared at the Zhou Family’s residence, he had been lurking near Liyang Commandery City, protecting her in secret.

After Zhou Shuwei left, Zhou Qingyi was left to manage the remnants of the Zhou Family on her own.

Faced with the crushing pressure from the Textile Bureau for forty thousand bolts of Official Tribute Silk, she was sick with worry.

In her desperation, she secretly sought out that young miss of the Sun Family again, hoping Sun Wanru could pull some strings and contact her uncle in Bazhou to help purchase silk and resolve her urgent crisis.

The Sun Family’s young miss agreed but said that it was too big a matter for her to decide on her own; she would have to report back to her family.

The Sun Family delayed Zhou Qingyi for several days, waiting until she was frantic with anxiety, like an ant on a hot pan, before finally stating their condition.

They wanted the Zhou Family’s Textile Workshop in Liyang City in exchange.

Desperate to save her family, Zhou Qingyi gritted her teeth and agreed.

Having learned a lesson from her past mistake, she was a bit more cautious this time. She insisted that she had to see the forty thousand bolts of silk with her own eyes and inspect them thoroughly before handing over the Textile Workshop.

However, the Sun Family proposed a different solution.

The Sun Family claimed they had connections who could get through to the higher-ups at the Textile Bureau.

As long as the Zhou Family was willing to pay a hefty sum as a "tribute," they could pull some strings and get the Official Tribute Contract terminated.

Zhou Qingyi immediately agreed.

Soon after, the Sun Family did indeed bring over several people claiming to be officials from the Textile Bureau, including a garrison eunuch named Eunuch Lü, a Female Official named Lady Dong, and others.

Having no reason to doubt them, Zhou Qingyi hosted a grand banquet in their honor.

During the banquet, the officials swore that as long as the Zhou Family was willing to pay a "facilitation fee" of the Textile Workshop and two hundred thousand taels of silver, they could sign the documents to terminate the Official Tribute Contract on the spot.

Believing she had found a way out of a desperate situation, Zhou Qingyi was ecstatic. Under the "witness" of the Sun Family, she signed the so-called termination contract during the banquet.

With a great weight lifted from her heart, Zhou Qingyi handed over the deed to the Textile Workshop and the two hundred thousand taels of silver to the Sun Family as promised, thinking the Zhou Family’s crisis was resolved.

Who would have known that just ten days later, officials from the Textile Bureau showed up at her door, demanding this year’s Official Tribute Silk.

Stunned, Zhou Qingyi hurriedly explained that her family had already terminated the Official Tribute Contract with the Textile Bureau.

She told them to ask Eunuch Lü and Lady Dong about it.

Unexpectedly, the official sneered, stating that there had never been any Eunuch Lü or Lady Dong at the Textile Bureau.

Zhou Qingyi felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She scrambled to retrieve the contract.

She clearly remembered inspecting their Official Tokens during the banquet.

Their Official Seals were also stamped on the contract.

’How could it be fake?!’

She took out the document to examine it closely, and one look was enough to scare her out of her wits.

The densely packed words and bright red Official Seals that had covered the document had vanished without a trace.

Only a blank sheet of paper remained!

Only then did Zhou Qingyi realize she had been framed.

Consumed by rage, she immediately led her family’s remaining Guests and guards and stormed into the Textile Workshop, which now belonged to the Sun Family.

She intended to take it back by force, loudly accusing the Sun Family of fraud and demanding the return of her Textile Workshop and the two hundred thousand taels of silver.

How could the Sun Family possibly admit to it?

The two sides erupted into a fierce argument inside the Textile Workshop.

In the chaos, a hot-tempered Guest from the Zhou Family side attacked out of anger. The situation instantly spiraled out of control and devolved into a brawl.

Overcome with grief and indignation, Zhou Qingyi also joined the fray herself.

In the heat of the fight, she couldn’t remember if she had killed anyone.

She only knew that by the time the Government Office Officials arrived, seventeen bodies lay on the Sun Family’s side.

Seventeen deaths within the Commandery City was a shocking, high-profile case.

The Liyang County Magistrate’s Office immediately detained Zhou Qingyi and all the Zhou Family servants.

The case was reported up the chain of command.

In just seven days, a verdict was reached: "murder during an armed brawl, evidence conclusive." As the instigator, Zhou Qingyi was sentenced to immediate execution.

Fortunately, the old master of the Zhou Family, Zhou Qingyi’s grandfather Zhou Wenqian, had once been awarded a first-class military merit medal, which he had never used.

According to the law, the holder of this medal could be spared one death sentence.

Thus, her death sentence was commuted to exile three thousand li away, to be banished to Yazhou.

"...And that is what happened."

Elder Zhan’s eyes were filled with sorrow and helplessness. "The young miss is young and inexperienced, and she was repeatedly schemed against, leading to this calamity. Although she has escaped the death penalty, the road to exile will likely not be peaceful. I worry that the mastermind behind this will try to strike on the way."

"I alone am not strong enough to protect her. That is why I have shamelessly come to you, Patriarch Chen, pleading with you to help, for the sake of your acquaintance with Miss Shuwei, and save Miss Qingyi’s life."

After hearing the story, Chen Li’s brows knitted tightly, and he fell into silent contemplation.

He had actually known about the plot against Zhou Qingyi as early as March.

Back then, Li Yuniang had sent word back through a secret channel.

The He Family had somehow enlisted the Eight Generals of Wind Gate, but Chen Li wasn’t entirely clear on how they planned to deal with the Zhou Family.

At the time, he hadn’t wanted to get involved.

But now, with Elder Zhan coming to him for help, he was in a difficult position, unsure whether to intervene.

Seeing the difficult expression on Chen Li’s face and his prolonged silence, Elder Zhan gritted his teeth. "Patriarch Chen, I know this matter is extremely risky, and I am asking too much of you. But the Zhou Family showed me great kindness in the past. Now that their descendant is in trouble, I cannot simply stand by."

"After rescuing Miss Qingyi, I will be alone with no other obligations. If the Patriarch is willing to act righteously and help me save Miss Qingyi, I... I am willing to swear an oath to serve at your command for the next three years."

Three years as a Tributor.

A flicker of movement in Chen Li’s eyes.

A Grandmaster was one of the cornerstones upon which a Noble Family was built; their value was immense.

If he could secure Elder Zhan’s help, even for just three years, it would be of great benefit to the Chen Family.

’This is indeed a very tempting offer.’

He weighed the options for a moment, then nodded. "Since you are a man of such loyalty, Elder Zhan, I will not refuse. I will accompany you on this trip. When and where do we meet?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Zhan’s eyes lit up with delight. He said excitedly, "Thank you, Patriarch Chen. The escort will depart in three days at 7:00 AM. We just need to follow them in secret and make our move after they’ve left Jiangzhou. I’ll explain the specific details to you on the way."

"Alright."

Chen Li nodded. "I’ll be there on time."

Elder Zhan gave another deep bow. Without another word, his figure flickered and melted into the night like a wisp of smoke, disappearing from sight.

...

At dawn, the sky was a hazy gray.

Qian Dalei lay in bed, his eyes open, staring blankly at the dark roof beams.

He hadn’t slept a wink all night.

Today was the day he was to escort prisoners into exile.

Among those he was escorting were two female prisoners.

Normally, such a "cushy job" would never have fallen to him.

Everyone knew the road to exile was thousands of li long. How could a woman possibly complete the journey?

It was just a formality.

Families with money and power would be waiting just outside the State County border.

Slip them enough silver coins, and the Constables would naturally know to make things convenient.

The prisoner would be reported as having died of illness, allowing everyone to save face.

Even those without money had a place to go.

Baby brokers and human traffickers who specialized in the population trade would be waiting along the way.

A good-looking one could be exchanged for some scattered silver coins.

Even a plain-looking one, if thrown into a village of bachelors in the remote mountains or a den of Water Bandits, could be traded for a few meals and some wine.

On a trip like this, the Constables not only saved themselves the walk but also made plenty of extra cash. If they were lucky, they could even "personally take care" of the prisoners.

It was a lucrative assignment that everyone in the Government Office would fight tooth and nail for.

But this time, the "lucrative assignment" was like a hot potato.

Whoever got it wanted to get rid of it immediately.

In the end, it landed on him, Qian Dalei, an honest man with no connections.

There was no other reason than the fact that among the female prisoners to be escorted was the young miss of the Zhou Family, Zhou Qingyi.

’The waters of Liyang County run deep.’

He had heard about the fall of the Zhou Family.

This Miss Zhou was now a harbinger of disaster.

’Take advantage of her?’

’Don’t even think about it.’

Along this road, who knew how many pairs of eyes were watching from the shadows, just waiting for her to die.

Qian Dalei’s only hope now was, ironically, to deliver them safely to Yazhou.

But he also knew in his heart that it was impossible.

The more likely outcome was that their entire escort party would die with her in some nameless ditch.

Qian Dalei was just an insignificant little government constable.

He had no background and no great skills, but he wasn’t stupid.

He understood the situation as clearly as if it were reflected in a mirror, but he had no choice.

It was an assignment handed down from above. As a mere constable, if he were to defy the order, who could he possibly stand up against?

He wouldn’t even need one of the great lords from the Government Office to act; a single Prison Chief could make his life a living hell.

What could he do but bite the bullet and accept?

He sighed and crawled out of bed.

After he was dressed, he found his wife had already prepared breakfast.

He began to nag, "I’ll be gone for at least half a year, maybe a full year. Remember to go to the Government Office on the seventeenth of every month to collect my salary."

"But be frugal with the money... Remember to feed the chickens in the backyard... If, if I’m not back before the New Year... Right, you remember where the family money is hidden, don’t you?"

His wife grumbled, "I know, I know. What’s with all the nagging? It’s not like you’re not coming back. Hurry up and report for duty, don’t be late."

Qian Dalei swallowed the rest of his words.

His heart felt heavy. He hastily shoveled down a few mouthfuls of congee, picked up the simple bag he had packed long ago, and pushed open the door, stepping out into the cool morning mist.