Chapter 208: Mountain God Temple (Part 1)

**The Son-in-law**

The lamplight flickered gently. The modest banquet was nearing its end. Noticing that the lamp's oil was running low, Xiao Chan came over, added more oil, and adjusted the wick, making the light brighter.

Although the two men at the table were nearly a generation apart in age, their conversation proved quite congenial. Qin Shaohe was no pedantic scholar; his insights on many matters were no less keen than his father's. After expressing his gratitude, he first brought up some events from the previous year's famine relief efforts. He had largely followed the relief strategy outlined in Ning Yi's pamphlet, but in such endeavors, countless unforeseen changes could arise. Qin Shaohe had handled these situations at the time based on his own judgment, but now, upon his return, he wanted to discuss in detail the questions that had arisen regarding these matters with Ning Yi.

His attitude was sincere and unfeigned. However, Ning Yi had originally written the pamphlet by combining experiences from famine relief strategies and personnel management he had previously studied. Now, with practical experience, Qin Shaohe actually understood the specifics of the work more deeply than Ning Yi did. Therefore, Ning Yi simply exchanged his own experiences with Qin Shaohe and asked about the conditions of the disaster at the time. These were the serious topics.

Beyond these serious discussions, they simply chatted about a variety of subjects. In the days since his return to Jiangning, Qin Shaohe had heard some news. During their conversation, he chuckled and said, "I've long heard of Li Heng's peerless literary talent. Upon returning to Jiangning this time, I also heard that Li Shishi of Fanlou has come to Jiangning, and that Li Heng intends to help promote her here. I imagine this means a new masterpiece will emerge. Is this true?"

"Someone did ask me once. Our acquaintance isn't deep, but it was hard to refuse. However, Jiangning has many talented scholars, so I don't think I need to embarrass myself. I heard that Li Shishi is stunningly beautiful, and offending a beauty brings no good at all..."

He had said similar things to Puyang Yi before. Qin Shaohe laughed upon hearing this. "Just kidding, just kidding. But if Li Heng is truly interested in Li Shishi, perhaps we could arrange a meeting another day."

"You know her, Brother Qin?"

"Not personally. I haven't been back to Bianjing for many years, and when I do return, it's always a hurried trip, so I don't know what Bianjing's courtesans are like these days. However, I do know Mama Li from Fanlou. If she's here, meeting Li Shishi shouldn't be a problem..."

Ning Yi nodded. "So, Brother Qin, you're close with Mama Li, and you're roughly the same age, too..."

Qin Shaohe was drinking, and being normally quite serious and proper, he nearly spat out his wine. He sat there laughing for a long time, then nodded. "She was indeed a beauty over ten years ago... My father was an official in Bianjing back then, as Li Heng knows, and I did visit Fanlou a few times. But it was mainly because of your second brother, Qin. That scoundrel ran wild in Bianjing back then, constantly chasing women and being a nuisance to the city. He frequented Fanlou, and I often went there to drag him home, where he'd inevitably get a good scolding or beating. That's how I became somewhat acquainted with Mama Li, and I still have some sway with her... Oh, I heard Li Heng is interested in martial arts?"

"Hmm?"

"Shaoqian was similar. He admired chivalry and loved martial arts, often exchanging pointers with martial artists and pugilists, and would return covered in injuries. That's why he later joined the military."

"Old Man Qin never mentioned that."

"It wasn't really refined martial arts; just some brute force. I don't know what he's like now. I only know that he's accumulated quite a few military merits over the years and been promoted quickly, though that's unrelated to his personal combat skills. He hasn't talked much about it when he's come back in recent years, mainly to avoid worrying our mother. He's stationed in Sizhou and received the news earlier than I did, so he should have arrived home before me. But I don't know what delayed him; he still hasn't returned today. When he does, Li Heng, you two will surely get along."

After a few more words about Qin Shaoqian, and when Xiao Chan left to fetch tea, Qin Shaohe lowered his voice slightly and asked, "Li Heng, what's your take on this assassination and the events that followed?"

Ning Yi glanced at him, paused with his wine cup in hand, and said, "Brother Qin, you mainly came back to investigate this, didn't you?"

"Li Heng is truly remarkable. A few days ago, when I spoke with my father, he said that there are some things Li Heng would certainly foresee..."

"There isn't much to think of, except that Old Man Qin deliberately let the assassins escape."

Qin Shaohe looked at him, then after a long moment, nodded and sighed. "It wasn't exactly deliberate. Uncle Kang deliberately revealed some vulnerabilities, initially just to lure the fish out. Who knew the fish would be too big, breaking the net and allowing them to truly abduct the person? Father... he probably anticipated some of it back then, but seeing it truly unfold was still very disappointing. In Jiangning, Uncle Kang's influence is ultimately significant, but even within the Imperial Son-in-Law's residence, it might not be entirely clean."

"The Wu and Liao states have traded for nearly a century, and their interests are deeply intertwined. Even the Su family, where I reside, has commercial dealings with the Liao people after a few turns. This isn't anyone's fault. You can guess what it's like without even seeing it, so there's no need to be too surprised when you do."

"It's still a bit disheartening, after all."

Their conversation seemed disjointed, but they were in fact discussing the aftermath of the assassination. Jiangning should have been the Wu dynasty's home ground, and with Kang Xian pulling the strings from behind the scenes, it shouldn't have been so easy for the opposing side to abduct an injured person who had already been captured and heavily guarded. Kang Xian had originally intended to see if there were any remaining forces behind them, so he deliberately relaxed some of the defenses. Who knew that after casting the hook, they would actually take the bait? Judging by Qin Shaohe's attitude, there must be pro-Liao forces at work behind the scenes, and this web of interests is probably so extensive that Kang Xian hasn't been able to make a move even now.

Just then, Xiao Chan returned. The two men clinked their cups and changed the subject. However, Qin Shaohe's attitude towards Ning Yi had subtly shifted. He had known Ning Yi was extraordinary, having heard many things from his father and seeing some examples, but he hadn't witnessed it firsthand. Now, after just a few sentences of conversation, the middle-aged official, a Prefect, truly recognized Ning Yi's capabilities.

On a night when Jiangning City was ablaze with countless lights, hundreds of kilometers away, in a mountain range north of the Huai River and south of Xuzhou, something was happening.

Desolate mountains and wild ridges, devoid of human habitation. As far as the eye could see, the landscape was covered by dark forests. Moonlight filtered through the tree gaps, casting a dim and eerie glow. Within the forest, a fire burned in a dilapidated mountain temple.

Four travelers were resting inside this temple.

There were four men: three were tall, and one was lean and tall. One man had lost an eye and had bandages wrapped around his head; he was powerfully built. Another man was even taller than him, his skin darkened from prolonged exposure to the sun. He had five or six knife scars of various sizes on his face, which extended down onto his body. An iron band was clasped around his forehead, making him resemble a monk with untamed hair. As he squatted there, he looked like a crouching beast, and anyone could feel the ferocious aura emanating from him.

The fourth man, whom the other three were accompanying, was covered in bandages. His injuries were still unhealed, and he lay on a pile of straw in a corner of the dilapidated temple, staring blankly at the flames. A pot of rice porridge was almost cooked over the fire.

These were the individuals who had participated in the assassination in Jiangning. The scarred giant had joined them later, during the abduction. Although they had escaped Jiangning, Kang Xian's ability to exert power covertly along the way was considerable. There had been several ambushes en route, but fortunately, the giant's martial arts were formidable, and the group reacted quickly, fleeing all the way to this spot. They had now been undisturbed for a few days.

However, another ambush was imminent.

Four pairs of eyes were watching them from the dark forest.

"...The intel is accurate. They seem to be from the northern military. One has injuries, but they're not severe and won't affect his combat strength. The one with the blind eye is probably the easiest to deal with, while the lean, tall one is still at full strength... Those two aren't the main problem. The one by the fire, with his steady demeanor, standing like a deep pool or a towering mountain, the firelight moving with his breath—that fellow has practiced advanced internal martial arts and is battle-hardened. He'll be tough to handle."

The night forest was quiet, save for the occasional bird call or the rustling of an unknown animal passing through the trees, making the silence feel even deeper.

"...Heh, they dared to go to Jiangning and kill my old man... I'll be tough to handle too."

"Want to try?"

"...A father's vengeance... does it need to wait until morning?"

The wind blew in from the forest outside, gently fanning the flames. The giant with a serrated greatsword strapped to his back stood up from the fire and looked out. Outside, it was pitch black.

A moment later, a sound came from the other side of the dilapidated temple, followed by a faint cry from an animal. The lean, tall man and the one-eyed giant heard the first sound and instantly grabbed their weapons, standing up. Only then did they slightly relax; they knew it was the sound of a wolf, indicating that a wolf in the forest had triggered a trap.

Triggering a trap always caused tension, so even though they all had wilderness experience, one person always had to speak first. The lean, tall man began, "There's a..."

Just as the word "wolf" was about to leave his lips, the air, which had momentarily loosened, suddenly contracted to its utmost.

With a "whoosh," a flash of blade light, almost like wind and thunder, whistled in from outside the temple door. It was a long saber thrown with full force, and several sounds instantly merged, tearing through the night sky.

"Whoosh—""Argh—""Bang—"

The wind surged in. As the dark-skinned giant roared, he swung his arm, batting the long saber away. His iron wrist guard met the blade, sending sparks flying. The blade light shot towards the temple roof. In the center of the dilapidated temple, the flames swayed and spun wildly, invigorated by the disturbance. Within the dark temple, dust and wind seemed to envelop a figure that burst in. The dark giant spun around, and a series of "bang, bang, bang, bang" sounds echoed through the air. The light in the temple dimmed, and shadows on the wall depicted two figures colliding furiously. The newcomer, utilizing the full force and sharpness of his peak condition, exchanged four powerful blows with the giant in a flash, forcing the giant back a step. By the time the other men in the temple reacted, the giant had already been pushed back by a punch, exposing an opening. The newcomer's entire body seemed to contract and then expand, exploding forward directly in front of the giant!

The most formidable move of ancient Bazi Fist: Mountain Lean!