Chapter 199: Disciples

VIP Chapter (Second Update)

"Early in the morning, making himself at home... who is this scholar? It doesn't look like a simple acquaintance.""We didn't find any information like this during last year's investigation, did we?""After Nie Yunzhu settled down, she rarely associated with unfamiliar men. Even with those she knew previously, she cut ties cleanly. We really didn't find any trace of this scholar."

In the morning light, two constables watched the scholar's receding back, whispering their doubts to each other. In fact, they had interacted with Nie Yunzhu once before, last year. Their covert investigation at the time hadn't yielded much meaningful information. Later, due to orders from above to close the case and a lack of support, actions related to that case were temporarily halted. At this point, the middle-aged Deputy Constable Xu smiled.

"Two women, once top courtesans, now settled down, have close ties only with this one scholar. If this got out, I imagine quite a few self-proclaimed gentlemen would be furious, especially that Gu Yanzhen...""Old Xu, you know what I'm thinking, don't you?""...Gu Yanzhen?""Didn't we have a similar suspicion back then?""Alright... I'll follow him and check."

Initially, Chen and Xu had several theories regarding Gu Yanzhen's death, but none were based on concrete facts; they were all rather vague. That's why the investigation eventually stalled. At this mention, the deputy constable nodded and followed the scholar's retreating figure. Constable Chen remained, pondering a case that had been dormant for over half a year and closed by superiors long ago. He felt the chances of finding new clues this time were slim. After a while, Deputy Constable Xu returned.

"How was it?""I was nearly discovered. Couldn't follow him further. That scholar... he's very alert.""Oh?" Deputy Constable Xu was taken aback. "I wouldn't have guessed.""Do you remember our theory from back then?""Which one?""The one who killed Yang Yi and Yang Heng, and later Gu Yanzhen, was a truly ruthless individual. Their martial arts might not have surpassed the Yang brothers, but their temperament... only a real desperado could do such things. And this person is connected to that female assassin from Mount Liang. It made sense we couldn't find him with a casual investigation back then. But if, after all this time, we truly find this guy... Chen, are you absolutely sure you want to pursue this?"

In truth, while constables like them regularly dealt with criminals and were accustomed to not being swayed by ordinary crimes, when facing an opponent who was truly unhinged, most people would still choose to avoid them if possible. The Yang brothers, for instance, were such a case. And the person who wiped out the entire Yang family was clearly someone not to be trifled with, as they had deduced. If their current suspicions were wrong, it would be another matter, but if they were right and found him, they would inevitably have to confront that person.

Constable Chen thought for a moment, then put a blade of grass in his mouth and shook his head. "Back then, it was just a casual guess. In this vast sea of people, it's not that easy to just stumble upon someone... For women like Nie Yunzhu and Yuan Jin'er, after settling down, if you say no man truly has a relationship with them, that would be the real joke. It's just that this matter must remain secret, and that's probably why the scholar is so cautious. It's not so easy to truly connect him to anything. But even if we did connect him..."He smiled. "Desperado? Who has Chen Feng ever been afraid of?"

Ning Yi didn't actually realize he was being followed. He just had a vague feeling at a certain street corner, but after observing for a while and seeing nothing, he dismissed it as overthinking and didn't investigate further.

That morning, he naturally went to the academy for class. Zhou Pei, who had witnessed the entire fight the day before, looked astonished when she saw Ning Yi arrive. During a break, she found an opportunity to ask, "Ma-Master, you were injured yesterday, are you alright?" Only after Ning Yi assured her he was fine did she relax.

What happened yesterday afternoon had shaken her profoundly. The decisive gunshot, the astonishing combat, and the unwavering attitude in the face of such ferocious individuals. Zhou Pei had scarcely known of any scholar who could act so decisively in a sudden crisis. She had heard of educated people who remained calm in dire situations and showed no fear in the face of death, but that was merely the courage to face execution. However, someone who could both teach students from the classics and engage in such intense combat was beyond her comprehension.

The scholar's elegance and composure, combined with the warrior's ferocity, truly stunned Zhou Pei. What struck her most, however, was the firearm Ning Yi later threw. At the most critical moment, the fiercest of the thugs seized the gun, and her heart nearly leaped into her throat. Yet, in the next instant, the gun fired, leaving most people's minds blank. At the time, Zhou Pei couldn't process why that scene unfolded as it did. Only later, after her emotions had somewhat settled, and she spoke with Grandfather Qin, gradually piecing together their conversation, did she begin to understand the intricate battle of wits and courage among the participants in this sudden turn of events.

Her master's calm demeanor, his subsequent action, the pre-arranged exploding firearm, and Grandfather Qin's shout from outside the gate, "It's them! Get them!" The composure and quick thinking involved were qualities that left ordinary people dumbfounded. The young girl had previously considered herself clever and envisioned accomplishing great things in the future, but it wasn't until yesterday that she saw for the first time what truly capable people were like.

Grandfather Consort must have known all this, which is why he had me and Junwu become Master's disciples. Perhaps Grandfather Consort, with whom I've spent so many years, is just as formidable but never shows it in front of us children.

She thought she had grown up, but she was still just a child after all...

With these feelings, seeing her master this morning felt somewhat strange, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She was still a little bothered by the loss of face yesterday morning and being seen crying later, but the thought, "This barbarian master is indeed very capable," made her care a little less and made it more bearable.

As for Professors Zhang Rui and Li Tong, who had initially intended to debate with the master, after witnessing the incident and seeing Grandfather Qin's attitude towards the master, they simply offered some polite greetings and quickly departed.

The young girl was so impacted by yesterday's events that her mood shifted. Her worries about the upcoming selection of a consort for the county princess also eased somewhat. She felt that with people like Master, Grandfather Qin, and Grandfather Consort in the world, she shouldn't bother herself with such trivial matters. As long as she became capable, she could always handle anything. If Ning Yi had known the young county princess's thoughts that day, especially how she connected this feeling to her future marriage, he would probably have felt sorry for her future consort.

The incident had only happened yesterday, so by the afternoon, Ning Yi headed to the Qin mansion to check on the situation. Just as he reached the street corner leading to the Qin residence, he saw carriages, horses, and sedan chairs lining the street ahead. Qin Siyuan, originally a quiet resident of Jiangning, had attracted many visitors this year. With yesterday's incident involving the Liao people, various prominent figures were now flocking to his doorstep. Ning Yi glanced at the scene, turned to leave, deciding to return after the commotion died down. To his surprise, as soon as he turned, someone blocked his path.

"If Li Heng were to leave like this, I'm afraid both master and madam would blame me."

The person who appeared before him was Yun Niang, Qin Siyuan's concubine. This cultured and courteous woman wore a veil and was accompanied by a maid. She curtsied slightly to him, and Ning Yi quickly returned the bow. "Ah, Madam Yun, are you returning from outside?"

"I specifically came to wait for you, Young Master," Yun Niang replied, smiling. "Madam knew you would come today. She just said at home that she must properly thank you later for saving Master's life. Elder Kang was also there at the time and chuckled, saying that if you saw the scene at the entrance, you would surely turn around and leave, only to return after several days. So, sister instructed me to wait here at the street corner. Your reaction, Young Master, truly matched Elder Kang's prediction exactly, heh."

After saying this, Yun Niang's smile faded slightly, and she became a bit more serious. "Young Master saved Master's life yesterday, which is a great kindness to the entire Qin household. Please accept Yun Niang's bow."

She and her maid bowed deeply and very solemnly this time. Ning Yi could only return the solemn gesture.

At this point, he couldn't simply leave. Following Yun Niang into the Qin mansion, he found a considerable crowd had indeed gathered—officials and renowned scholars. Only a few of them Ning Yi recognized, mostly Qin Siyuan's former chess partners. Upon seeing Ning Yi, they eagerly inquired if he was injured. The others discreetly asked each other who this young man was. After learning a rough outline, they praised him as a young hero. Some who knew of his status as a live-in son-in-law expressed regret, but surprisingly, no one seemed to mind his nickname, "Calculates Ten Steps." They simply assumed he had some minor business acumen. That a young hero was a mere merchant was indeed a pity in their eyes.

Afterward, everyone engaged in casual conversation in the living room, inevitably discussing the Liao assassins and the Liao kingdom, then moving on to Qin Siyuan himself. It was still a bit too early to speak of his past "achievements," given the uncertain relationship between the Jin and Liao states, and Qin Siyuan was reluctant to discuss such matters at this time. During the conversation, everyone's attention naturally drifted towards Ning Yi. Although Ning Yi was no longer keen on social engagements, his social graces were profoundly refined. He conversed with ease and composure, occasionally even guiding the atmosphere effortlessly.

The room was filled with high-ranking officials and esteemed scholars. An ordinary young man in such a setting, if he handled himself well, might be described as appropriately dignified and neither servile nor arrogant. Yet, even with dignity, there was always a clear disparity in status. Ning Yi's demeanor was somewhat different. He usually interacted with Qin Siyuan and others as equals, and he didn't appear ostentatious now because of it. He only offered brief replies when others spoke to him. His natural bearing was already that of a superior. Sometimes he would introduce an interesting topic, and everyone would laugh, yet no one felt he was speaking out of turn or being overly presumptuous in front of elders. Moreover, the importance Qin Siyuan and Kang Xian placed on his attitude further enhanced Ning Yi's sense of belonging.

At the time, it all felt natural. It was only after the gathering dispersed that afternoon that some attendees recalled Ning Yi and realized how extraordinary this young man was. Such poise was almost unmatched among the younger generation in Jiangning. After vaguely learning of Ning Yi's past association with Qin Siyuan and Kang Xian, they speculated that he might be a disciple Qin Siyuan had cultivated over the years, with Grandfather Consort Kang Xian clearly playing a part.

If this formidable old man were to truly accomplish great deeds, he might rise again someday. And perhaps only he could have nurtured such a remarkable disciple in these past few years.

However, that this disciple was both a live-in son-in-law and a merchant was truly... peculiar.

Also, thank you all for your concern about Banana's health. For me, the most exhausting thing is ultimately a lack of inspiration; when I can't write, it's draining. When inspiration flows, I actually feel relaxed every day. The discomfort I felt over the past two days was likely due to the accumulated fatigue from when I had to pause updates previously. If I can maintain a good flow for a while longer, I'll generally have the energy to manage my daily routine better.