Two people holding oil lamps and candles in their hands were quietly walking outside, as if they were terrified.
Xu Qing inquired and found out that the two had just collected their oil lamps and candles from the Funeral House and after listening to a storytelling session at the teahouse, they planned to purchase some cheap paper at the Paper Mache Shop on Underground Street. Little did they expect to encounter a group of menacing mounted guards clearing the road as soon as they arrived.
"You two don't need to be afraid, follow me, I will take you to the Paper Mache Shop."
Scholar Kong shook his head in resistance and said, "No way! As the saying goes, 'a scholar encountering soldiers would struggle to justify,' these officers are very ruthless, and I do not wish to provoke their wrath!"
The attendant took the opportunity to grab Scholar Kong's arm and lead him away, while politely greeting Xu Qing and saying, "Another day, another day for sure, we will come by to support Shopkeeper Xu's business."
Xu Qing watched the two leaving hurriedly, and his expression immediately darkened.
He wasn't upset that Wang Liang didn't go to find the Wang Family's Little Sister, but bringing a bunch of idle people to disrupt his business was downright unthoughtful!
With a sullen face, Xu Qing stepped towards the Funeral Shop.
Upon approaching, two mounted guards wielding golden ge's crossed their weapons to block the way.
"Do not disturb when the Marquis is present!"
Xu Qing said nothing. Wang Liang, who was talking to Iron Pillar in the front of the shop, turned upon hearing the commotion.
Upon seeing Xu Qing, who was already in his forties, Wang Liang hurriedly turned away from Li Iron Pillar, stepped forward, dismissed the guards, and greeted with cupped hands:
"Mr. Xu, as your student..."
Seeing the path cleared, Xu Qing said nothing, ignoring Wang Liang and returning directly to the shop.
Wang Liang was left standing with a slightly open mouth, looking bewildered.
However, he quickly regained his composure.
"You all retract the formalities, return to the Imperial Court, and await my return after meeting my old friend and esteemed teacher."
The mounted guards followed the order, turning their horses away, but still left a few skilled personnel to watch over the street's entrance and exit, ensuring the Marquis's safety.
Inside the Funeral Shop, Wang Liang followed closely and once again bowed to the still-busy Xu Qing:
"Student Wang Liang, without wasting Mr. Xu's expectations, has managed to achieve success. Without Mr. Xu's help and guidance in earlier days, Liang would not be who he is today..."
"Clap!"
Before Wang Liang could finish, a crisp sound came from his face.
This slap wasn't physically heavy for a martial artist like him, but it was deeply humiliating.
After all, he was now the Dingyuan Marquis, a noble ranked higher than the first rank, even the emperor should treat him with courtesy.
As a founding hero, who dared to offend him?
But now, he had been genuinely slapped.
"Do you know why I hit you?"
Xu Qing's expression was uncertain and shifting.
"I don't know, perhaps because I haven't lived up to your expectations..."
"Clap—"
This time the slap was even harder.
Wang Liang's eyes slightly reddened, and feeling suppressed anguish, he asked, "Please enlighten me, Mr. Xu."
"Clap!"
Xu Qing coldly said, "You abandoned your family and business, left the Jin Sect alone; do you know how difficult life has been for your sister and grandmother? It's already tough for an orphan and a widow to survive in chaotic times, let alone an elderly and frail grandmother and a girl barely ten years old."
"Do you think you deserve to be hit?"
Wang Liang trembled as the tears he could no longer hold back streamed down, and he cried out in a low voice, "I deserve it!"
Xu Qing continued, "You returned from the northern frontier and did not first seek out your sister but were only concerned with achieving success; should you be hit for that? And don't speak to me about that nonsense of the country being greater than family; as a Dingyuan General, even if you couldn't personally find time, couldn't you send someone to search for your family on your behalf?"
Wang Liang turned his head aside, closed his eyes tightly, and said, "I know this is my fault, but it's not as if I didn't search. Back in the northern frontier, I had already sent someone to Wanshou Village to find my grandmother and sister."
"But that Wanshou Village has already been promoted to the status of a county. The old soldier who His Majesty sent to protect my grandmother and sister's safety had already been killed by Lou Xiaowu."
"That Lou Xiaowu is a eunuch from Dayong's Ministry of Internal Affairs; having killed the emperor's guard, how could he spare my grandmother and sister?"
Wang Liang, overwhelmed with grief, said, "Dayong and I have an irreconcilable enmity. I have narrowly escaped death countless times, not just to assist a wise ruler, but to avenge this deep-seated blood feud."
"After following Your Majesty to conquer the Capital City, I traveled nonstop day and night to return to Wanshou County, but everything had already changed."
Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and said, "Since you returned to Wanshou County, did you not visit your parents' graves to offer incense and pay your respects to them?"
Wang Liang forced a wry smile and shook his head, saying, "I couldn't protect my grandmother and little sister. How could I face my parents at their graves?"
"I wouldn't dare deceive you, sir. In my heart, paying respects must wait until the great undertaking is accomplished, and only then can I bring my wife and children to visit. Otherwise, I would never feel at peace."
Xu Qing remained unmoved and said, "What makes you so sure your sister and grandmother have already perished?"
Wang Liang's face turned grim as he said, "Years ago, villagers claimed to have seen my little sister sell herself to bury our mother. But I was in the northern frontier, and even if I abandoned the wise ruler to return to the Jin Sect, it would be difficult to find my sister in the chaos."
"Ever since then, I had but one thought in mind, and that was to follow Your Majesty to overthrow Dayong completely. This was not only to vent my private grievances but also to end the chaos, to prevent more families from being destroyed."
Xu Qing's expression remained cold and unchanging. He then asked, "Now that the world is tending towards peace and your goal has been achieved, you should actively search for your sister. So why did you come to me first?"
Wang Liang opened his mouth, somewhat guiltily, and said, "To be honest with you, sir, this time I come on a decree from Your Majesty, who wishes to invite you to join the cabinet, to take on important duties with special privileges, and assist in handling state affairs and governance..."
Xu Qing raised a hand to interrupt, "I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness, but please convey to His Majesty that I have no interest in court affairs and wish only to be an ordinary commoner. Moreover, I am aware of my own lack of virtue; even if I reluctantly took the position, I would be a mere occupier, detracting from His Majesty's reputation as a wise ruler."
Seeing Wang Liang about to persuade again, Xu Qing immediately pulled a stern face and said, "If you don't hurry to find your sister, not only will I look down on you, but you should also no longer claim to be part of the Wang Family!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Liang was taken aback. Combining Xu Qing's previous words, he suddenly widened his eyes, his heart brimming with joy, and said, "Sir, do you know where my little sister is?"
Xu Qing suddenly smiled slyly and said, "Do you want to know?"
"I do! Please tell me, sir!"
As he spoke, Wang Liang was about to kneel down.
Xu Qing swiftly reached out, stopping him, and said, "Begging me is useless. If you want to know where she is, you must agree to one thing for me."
"Please speak, sir. As long as I am capable, I will not refuse!"
Xu Qing turned his back to Wang Liang, looking out of the store, and said, "I want you not to ask me to enter the Capital City and serve, and help persuade His Majesty to dismiss the idea. One more thing..."
"I heard that His Majesty intends to betroth a half-sister to you. Now that you are related to the royal family, while I am merely a humble commoner, from now on you shouldn't claim to be my student, as I never formally accepted you as a disciple."
"Sir..."
Wang Liang's expression was complex.
Xu Qing glanced at him and said indifferently, "Tiezhu may not be much more talented than you. I accepted him as a disciple because he wholeheartedly seeks spiritual cultivation, unburdened by worldly fame and wealth. I avoid entanglements with the Imperial Court for the same reason."
"Stu... Wang Liang agrees to your request, sir!"
Xu Qing took a deep breath and informed Wang Liang about how the Wang Family's Little Sister had sold herself to bury their mother, was rescued by him, and accepted Cheng Caiyun, from the opposite Incense and Candle Shop, as her adoptive mother.
Finally, Xu Qing reminded Wang Liang, "Your sister misses you a lot, but she has held grievances for a long time; she needs guidance. Be more accommodating to her, and don't say it was I who told you the news."
Xu Qing was willing to act as a mediator for the siblings' reunion but didn't want the Wang Family's Little Sister to blame Wang Liang for any oversight.
...
The Incense and Candle Shop across the street.
Shopkeeper Cheng was munching on sunflower seeds, watching the excitement across the street, but when the marquis in the qilin robe started walking towards her, she suddenly panicked.
He must be just passing by, not necessarily coming to her shop. Even if he came here, it would probably be to buy incense and paper money. Surely he wouldn't have his eyes set on her, a middle-aged woman approaching old age with nothing to offer?
Shopkeeper Cheng couldn't care less about eating sunflower seeds and watching the show; she quickly wiped her hands on her skirt and then bent her knees, kneeling down saying, "This humble woman, Cheng, greets Your Lordship the Marquis."
Wang Liang's expression changed dramatically. As he helped Shopkeeper Cheng up, he also knelt down himself, saying, "Godmother, please don't do this! It overwhelms me!"
"Eh?"
Cheng Caiyun was bewildered, but then she realized she couldn't possibly allow the marquis to kneel.
And so a scene unfolded in the Incense and Candle Shop–
Shopkeeper Cheng, with a tearful voice, insisted on kneeling and kowtowing, while Marquis Wang Liang followed suit, fearing to breach etiquette.
Across the street at the Funeral Shop, Xu Qing, Xuan Yu, and Li Tiezhu were eating snacks and watching the drama with great interest.
Cheng Caiyun felt utterly helpless, wondering how munching snacks could turn into such a big spectacle, with herself as the main attraction...