Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Inside the Silk Shop.

Qian Laibao’s small eyes crinkled into slits as he smiled. "I just saw how hard you’ve been working these past few days, Brother, running all over the city and beyond. I was just wondering, did you find what you were looking for?"

"What if I did? What if I didn’t?" Wu Qiquan’s tone was curt.

"If you didn’t..." Qian Laibao lowered his voice. "I might just have the clue you’re looking for. But... the price for this information depends on you, Brother."

Wu Qiquan’s expression changed. "What do you want?"

"Simple."

Qian Laibao held up two fingers. "An Inner Qi Heart Method. Or, a high-grade Medicinal Cuisine would also do."

"Absolutely not!"

Wu Qiquan refused instantly, without a second thought, a flash of anger on his face.

’Inner Qi Heart Methods and precious Medicinal Cuisine—how rare were they?’

He himself now worked at the County Magistrate’s Office, serving tirelessly, but he still hadn’t earned the right to be rewarded with a Heart Method.

For Qian Laibao to ask for one so brazenly was a classic case of a snake trying to swallow an elephant.

Qian Laibao seemed to have expected this. He smiled. "Since you can’t make that decision, Brother, let’s talk about something more practical. One hundred thousand taels of silver. Cash, or the equivalent in gold, is acceptable."

"One hundred thousand taels?!"

Wu Qiquan was so angry he laughed. "Junior Brother Qian, it seems you’re just trying to make a fool of me today."

Qian Laibao said unhurriedly, "Calm down, Brother. We both know you can’t decide this alone. Why not go back and ask those superiors of yours? One hundred thousand taels for a key piece of information. The price is very fair."

Wu Qiquan narrowed his eyes, re-evaluating the junior brother before him.

After a moment, he spoke. "Talk is cheap. How do I know if your information is real or fake, or if it’s worth that price?"

Qian Laibao smiled confidently, leaned in closer, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Pingshui Village. The deed to the Sun Family’s Old Mansion. I know where it is. Take this message back and see if your superiors think that information is worth the price."

Wu Qiquan shuddered, his pupils constricting.

’The deed to Sun Zhengyi’s long-dilapidated old mansion?’

’That thing still exists? And Qian Laibao knows where it is?’

’If this is true, then the implications are completely different.’

He stared intently at Qian Laibao.

Qian Laibao met his gaze calmly, his small eyes filled with certainty.

The silence lasted for more than ten breaths. Wu Qiquan took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Fine! I’ll deliver the message. Junior Brother Qian, I hope your information is worth the price. Otherwise..."

He left the rest of his sentence unfinished, but the threat was unmistakable.

"Rest assured, Brother. Business is all about integrity," Qian Laibao said with a cupped-fist salute and an amiable smile.

Wu Qiquan said no more, turned, and left Qian’s Silk Shop.

Not daring to delay, he hurried back to the inn.

The second floor of the inn.

Inside a superior room.

Six people, having just finished a simple dinner, sat in a circle inside the room.

"Wang Siye..."

A young man with an anxious expression couldn’t help but speak up. "Since we already have solid evidence proving the close relationship between Sun Zhengyi and Chen Shouheng—and that Chen Shouheng personally collected the body for burial after Sun Zhengyi’s death.

"Based on this alone, we have every reason to deduce that they conspired in the case of stealing grain and killing an official back then. Otherwise, an ordinary person would do anything to avoid such trouble, so why would he willingly get involved? This is evidence! Isn’t it enough?"

This man was He Ping’an of the He Family.

The one called Wang Siye was Wang Chengyuan, the Director of the Experience Department of the Commandery Magistrate’s Office.

He had a fair complexion and a shrewd glint deep in his eyes. Hearing this, he slowly shook his head. "Brother He, the case we’re handling isn’t about some commoner where we can rely on circumstantial evidence. If it were a commoner, we could use a few tricks to get them to sign a confession and be done with it.

"But Chen Shouheng is a Martial Scholar. He holds an Official Position. Even if he is guilty, the right to interrogate him doesn’t lie with the Commandery Magistrate’s Office, let alone the County Magistrate’s Office. It must be reported to the Jiangzhou Government Office for trial. How could we possibly arrest him as we please? Besides, without concrete proof, who would dare to touch him?"

He Ping’an grew agitated. "Evidence? It’s been so many years. Where are we supposed to find evidence? Unless we can get his fellow disciples to testify and identify them as co-conspirators."

Wang Chengyuan shook his head again. "Accomplished Grandmasters more or less understand the Skill of Divine Inquiry. If witnesses collude to give false testimony, they’ll see through it with a little questioning. Such crude tactics won’t fool those high-ranking officials."

"Then what do you suggest we do? Just sit here and wait?"

He Ping’an’s tone was laced with dissatisfaction.

Wang Siye narrowed his eyes. "We keep investigating. There’s no such thing as a perfect crime in this world; there are always clues left behind. They’re just buried a little deeper, which means we need to be more patient."

Just then, a soft knock came from the door.

"Come in."

Wu Qiquan pushed the door open, entered, and closed it behind him, giving everyone a cupped-fist salute.

"What is it?"

Wang Chengyuan noticed his unusual expression and asked.

Wu Qiquan recounted his visit to Qian’s Silk Shop to see Qian Laibao, explaining everything from beginning to end.

"Is that so?"

He Ping’an was initially delighted by the news, but then became suspicious. "But we’ve been to Pingshui Village before. The Sun Clan Members only said that someone had delivered Sun Zhengyi’s body. They didn’t know anything else. What kind of clue could there be?"

"He said..."

Wu Qiquan lowered his voice. "He knows the whereabouts of the deed to the Sun Family property."

He Ping’an stared at Wu Qiquan. "You mean, the deed was taken by someone?"

He exchanged a look with Wang Siye, and they both immediately realized the key point.

If someone had the deed, it was highly likely they were the last person Sun Zhengyi saw before he died.

The person who took it could be someone extremely close to Sun Zhengyi, or even... an accomplice.

This was no longer a vague connection but potential physical evidence pointing to a specific person and action.

Wang Chengyuan was ultimately the more composed one. He inquired carefully, "This Qian Laibao, is his background clear? What does his family do? Does he have any powerful backing?"

Wu Qiquan replied, "To answer Wang Siye, Qian Laibao is the son of local Gentry from Mirror Mountain. His family owns a few Silk Shops, but no one in his clan has become an official. After the Tiger Subduing Martial Arts Hall disbanded, he didn’t seek another master or become a Guest for any of the Noble Families. He just stayed home to manage his family business."

He Ping’an snorted disdainfully. "And here I was wondering what kind of backing he had. A bumpkin landlord, a merchant with a little bit of money, and he dares to blackmail us? He must have a death wish! Wants an Inner Qi Heart Method? Is he even worthy!"

"Does he have any dealings with the Chen Family?"

Wang Chengyuan pressed, this being his greatest concern.

Wu Qiquan was taken aback. He hadn’t considered that question. He hesitated, "Well... they’re both in Mirror Mountain, and they were fellow disciples, so they must have some contact. But their relationship is probably just ordinary, similar to mine with him, I’d say. Nothing particularly close."

Wang Chengyuan pondered for a moment before instructing Wu Qiquan, "Since he wants them, agree to his terms for now. Go back one more time and tell him we have both the Inner Qi Heart Method and high-grade Medicinal Cuisine. As long as his information is solid, he will be well-rewarded."

A flicker of gloom, hard to detect, crossed Wu Qiquan’s eyes.

’Qian Laibao dared to ask for the very things he himself couldn’t obtain, and Wang Siye actually seemed willing to give them?’

But he didn’t dare voice his objection, merely bowing and saying, "Yes, I will go and reply to him now."

After Wu Qiquan left, He Ping’an asked, confused, "Wang Siye, why waste time talking to a character like him? Since the item might be in his possession, or he knows where it is, why not just arrest him and bring him back? I doubt he wouldn’t talk then."

Wang Chengyuan glanced at He Ping’an. "This Qian Laibao may be a nobody, but how do we know there isn’t someone behind him, pulling the strings? We must first probe the situation and ensure it’s safe."

He Ping’an thought that made sense and said no more.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Wu Qiquan returned. He reported, "Wang Siye, Qian Laibao has agreed. He says the item isn’t on him; it’s at the Sun Family’s Old Mansion in Pingshui Village. We’ve agreed to meet for the transaction in two days, at 7:00 PM, at the Sun Family’s Old Mansion in Pingshui Village."

"Two days from now, in Pingshui Village..."

A satisfied smile appeared on Wang Chengyuan’s face. He looked at He Ping’an and said seriously, "Brother He, I’ll have to trouble you with something. Take two capable men right now and keep an eye on that Qian’s Silk Shop for the next few days."

He Ping’an said, invigorated, "Leave it to me. I’ll take my men and go now."

...

「Pingshui Village.」

The Sun Family’s Old Mansion was a scene of crumbling walls and overgrown weeds.

Sun Shouyi stood quietly in the desolate courtyard, feeling as if a lifetime had passed.

When he left three years ago, he was just a child who had lost his parents, his life as worthless as a blade of grass.

Now, returning once more, everything was different.

He walked slowly to the grave, set down the food box he was carrying, and brushed away the pebbles and dead leaves from the headstone.

Sun Zhengyi was buried here.

Opening the food box, he took out some seasonal fruits, a plate of pastries, and incense, candles, and paper money.

He lit the candles, then the incense sticks.

He began to burn the paper money slowly, one sheet at a time.

He burned them very slowly, as if to make up for the three years of missed offerings.

The firelight flickered across his young, expressionless face. Only his lips moved slightly, muttering words only he could hear.

"Uncle, I’ve come back to see you."

"I’m doing very well. Please don’t worry."

"I’m already at the Blood Refining stage now, and I’m close to reaching Great Success."

"Just give me a little more time. Once my Cultivation is accomplished, those Noble Families, those corrupt officials who harmed you... I will avenge you. Not one of them will escape."

He continued to murmur like this, speaking to the lonely grave, until the last sliver of light on the horizon was swallowed by the night.

As night fell, sporadic dog barks echoed from the distant village, and a slightly portly figure carrying a lantern stumbled his way over.

It was Qian Laibao.

He held up the lantern, and in its dim yellow light, he immediately saw the back of a silent, kneeling boy in front of the grave. He couldn’t help but be startled.

Chen Li had only instructed him to come here, but hadn’t said anything else.

He never would have expected that the person waiting here was Sun Shouyi.

Qian Laibao had seen Sun Shouyi a few times at the Chen Family estate.

His deepest impression was that the boy always seemed to be following the Chen Family’s third young lady, Chen Shouyue, like a silent shadow.

He had vaguely heard someone mention that he was some kind of distant relative of the Chen Family, taken in after his parents died.

’His surname is Sun?’

A thought struck Qian Laibao. ’Could this boy be related to Brother Sun?’

Suppressing his bewilderment, he walked forward and said in a low voice, "You’re here paying respects alone, brother?"

Sun Shouyi turned his head.

He didn’t answer Qian Laibao but simply shook his head, motioning with his eyes for him to be quiet.

Then, Sun Shouyi turned his head back to the grave, his voice full of grievance and indignation. "Third Uncle... you told me to go to the Chen Family, saying I would have support and a future... but look at me now! They treat me so poorly! You can’t blame me for what happens today..."

Qian Laibao was stunned by what he heard.