Chapter 136: Big Branch Hanging

Si Wennian returned to his mansion, took a couple of sips of cold tea, and tried to calm his nerves.

He couldn't get involved with the matters of Lanyang Village anymore. As for the Liu family, Liu Liangyi was likely doomed, but his three sons were still alive. Whether one person would take charge of the Liu family in the future or if it would be divided among the three, that was up to their own fortune; Si Wennian had no intention of interfering further.

On another note, Lu Dongjun directly moving to kill Monkey Qiu was something Si Wennian hadn't anticipated. If he had, he would never have gone to Lu Dongjun today. Even more surprising was Lu Dongjun's interest in his sister-in-law; Lu Dongjun stopped everything after just one word from Duan Shaoxia. He was truly impressed.

What else could this second master Lu accomplish? Patriarch Lu, where exactly are you? Don't you see your family in such disarray?

Thinking this, Si Wennian rubbed his forehead, suddenly overcome by a wave of fear. Whether Patriarch Lu saw it or not was secondary; Si Wennian had already seen it. Such things should not be seen. Not only should they not be seen, but they shouldn't even be known. Si Wennian felt disaster approaching.

"I should move out and stay somewhere for a couple of days." "Go back to the countryside?" "Unreliable. With the Lu family's power, dragging Si Wennian out of the countryside would be no difficult feat." "Since I have a travel permit, I might as well go to Kucai Village for two days. Once the Lu family's situation becomes clear, or when Patriarch Lu returns, I can move back to Greenwater Bay."

With this thought, he quickly called out to his servant Xiao Qing: "Qingzi, pack my bags. I have an urgent matter and need to go to the train station. Qingzi? Did you hear me?" After calling out several times without a response, Si Wennian realized something was seriously wrong.

He rose to walk out of the mansion, only to see Lu Yuanshan, the eldest young master of the Lu family, walking in.

"Elder Si, where are you off to in such a hurry?" Si Wennian shivered, stepping back two paces, and said, "Young Master, why are you here?"

Lu Yuanshan smiled. "Aren't I here to see you? Didn't you just visit my home? It's only proper for me, as a junior, to return the courtesy."

Si Wennian was terrified. "Young Master, I went to the mansion under the Second Master's orders. I had no intention of causing trouble."

Lu Yuanshan frowned. "I wasn't talking about the mansion. You're inside, and I'm outside. Is it proper for you not to invite me in after all this time?"

Si Wennian had originally intended to force his way out of the mansion, but after hearing Lu Yuanshan's words, he retreated to the main hall and invited Lu Yuanshan in. Treating someone with courtesy was also a good way to resolve conflict; if things were openly discussed, wouldn't they just pass?

As soon as they entered the main hall, Si Wennian immediately regretted it. How could he have had such a thought? How could this matter possibly be talked through? Lu Yuanshan was already at his door; why wasn't he thinking of escaping? It was then that he realized he had been afflicted by a scholarly cultivation technique. Scholarly and martial arts were the orthodox cultivation methods of prestigious families. Lu Yuanshan, having accumulated power through elixirs, had already reached the fourth level of scholarly cultivation. In his panic, Si Wennian had fallen victim to the "lotus-tongue" skill.

"Elder Si, I've come all this way, and you don't even offer a cup of tea?" Lu Yuanshan continued to nitpick.

Si Wennian replied, "Young Master, please wait a moment. I'll brew you a pot of tea."

"Brew some good tea, don't be stingy!" Lu Yuanshan sat on a chair, waiting for Si Wennian's tea.

Si Wennian walked to the living room door again, intending to seize the opportunity to escape, but saw Monkey Qiu approaching him.

"Brewing tea doesn't require leaving the house, does it? Unless you have to buy the tea leaves on the spot?" Monkey Qiu patted Si Wennian's cheek.

Si Wennian backed away, repeatedly explaining, "Steward Qiu, Master Qiu, I wasn't coming for you. The Second Master forced me to go. I truly wasn't trying to confront you..."

"Is that so?" Qiu Zhiheng smiled. "But I came looking for you today. Fifth-level cultivator, you've really caused me a lot of trouble."

Ten minutes later, Lu Yuanshan, carrying Si Wennian's head, boarded the carriage with Qiu Zhiheng.

As Lu Dongliang's eldest son, Lu Yuanshan had seen a few things. He had personally killed Si Wennian, yet his expression was remarkably calm at that moment. Qiu Zhiheng, standing by, said, "From now on, just leave such matters to me. For the next few days, you and Young Master Yuanhai shouldn't go out easily."

Lu Yuanshan chuckled. "Uncle Qiu, you're mistaken. My mother told me your life is more precious than ours, my brother's and mine. Only if you live can we brothers survive. From now on, leave all these 'menial tasks' to me." In truth, these were not menial tasks; Lu Yuanshan was a calculating individual, and this was an excellent opportunity to establish his authority within the family.

Qiu Zhiheng understood his intent and did not press further. "Let's hurry home. We need to be prepared in case Lu Dongjun catches us off guard."

Lu Yuanshan offered a suggestion: "Uncle Qiu, if you do everything by yourself, there will surely be times when you can't be everywhere at once. How about we bring back Head Zuo? What happened before genuinely wasn't his fault."

Qiu Zhiheng nodded. "I've already sent someone to inquire about Zuo Wugang's whereabouts."

Zuo Wugang was waiting in the antechamber of Miss Chu Er's mansion; Yang Yanzheng had just gone in to relay a message.

Miss Chu Er pinched herself hard on her plump thigh, found it wasn't painful enough, and asked her maid for a pair of pliers. Yang Yanzheng took the opportunity to mention Zuo Wugang's situation.

Chu Er paused, startled by the news. "Zuo Wugang wants to pledge allegiance to me? The head retainer of the Lu family? I remember he didn't do a thing the night Lu Dongliang had his accident, did he?"

"The situation was unique at the time, and Zuo Wugang had no opportunity to act."

Chu Er was clearly displeased with Zuo Wugang. "He had no opportunity to act when Lu Dongliang had his accident, and he had no opportunity to act when Lu Dongliang's family members suffered misfortunes. Tell me, when will he ever have an opportunity to act?"

Yang Yanzheng made one last plea for Zuo Wugang: "Miss, Zuo Wugang is a sixth-level martial cultivator. Such people are hard to find."

Chu Er looked at Yang Yanzheng and said, "What good is an eighth-level martial cultivator? A waste is still a waste, isn't it?"

Yang Yanzheng said nothing more and quickly exited Chu Er's room.

Chu Er took the pliers and pinched herself, but felt it was cold and not the right sensation. "Hongyan, you pinch me." Chu Er lifted her thigh. Wen Hongyan pinched Chu Er's left plump thigh hard. Chu Er hissed, "It hurts, but not in that way." "What kind of pain exactly?" Wen Hongyan rubbed her head with her forearm, not quite understanding. "It's that kind of pain, a particularly flavorful pain!" Chu Er rubbed her thigh, seemingly savoring the sensation.

Zuo Wugang dejectedly exited the Chu family mansion and returned to his lodging with Zhen Jincheng and Cao Zhida.

Both Zhen Jincheng and Cao Zhida were third-level martial cultivators, originally retainers of the Lu family mansion who had resigned alongside Zuo Wugang. Having ventured out in middle age, their actions were entirely based on their trust in Zuo Wugang, yet Zuo Wugang had failed to gain the trust of the major aristocratic families.

The He family, the Ma family, the Chu family—all the major families had rejected Zuo Wugang.

These men had some savings, enough to ensure a comfortable life even if they did nothing in the future. However, possessing cultivation, they didn't want to waste their lives away or live off their savings forever.

Did Zuo Wugang absolutely have to be a head retainer for a prestigious family? Did he have no other livelihood options?

Zuo Wugang considered opening a security escort agency, but he didn't know the routes, couldn't read many characters, and couldn't make sense of accounts. Furthermore, opening such an agency ideally required travel cultivators, and his attempts to recruit old friends had been unsuccessful.

He had also considered opening a martial arts school, but martial arts schools weren't easy to establish. If there was no one with influence to look after it, there would be more troublemakers than students.

He had considered many other trades, but gradually realized one thing: he had been a retainer his entire life, and the only thing he excelled at was being a retainer.

He couldn't join the main branches of the four great aristocratic families, and now, even trying to become a retainer for their young masters and ladies, no one would take him. Lu Dongliang's incident had a terrible impact, ruining Zuo Wugang's reputation in the profession.

Should he find a smaller family to be a retainer for? Zuo Wugang couldn't bring himself to do it.

Just when they were at their wits' end, Cao Zhida said, "Head Zuo, why don't we seek refuge with the Ma family's young master?"

Zuo Wugang impatiently replied, "Are you out of your mind? Didn't we go to the Ma family two days ago? Ma Junjiang's face was so long, it was clear he didn't want to take us. Should we go and humiliate ourselves again?"

Cao Zhida said, "Head Zuo, we're not going to Ma Junjiang, we're going to Ma Junyang."

"Ma Junyang?" Zuo Wugang hesitated. "Is he still considered a member of the Ma family?"

"Why wouldn't he be? His surname is Ma, and he just conquered Lanyang Village. The prestige and aura of Fifth Master Ma are still very much present."

Zuo Wugang pursed his lips. "If we're rejected by this down-and-out young master again, we'll be utterly disgraced."

Zhen Jincheng smiled wryly, unable to understand Zuo Wugang's thoughts. "I say, Head Zuo, aren't we already disgraced by not being able to find work right now? If you can't bring yourself to go, Old Cao and I will go to Lanyang Village first to make contact. We have thick skin, so we're not afraid of being humiliated."

With the matter put so bluntly, Zuo Wugang no longer cared about face and followed the two to Lanyang Village.

Upon arriving, they didn't see Fifth Master Ma. He was indeed in the village but was not available to receive guests. He had consumed a Golden Elixir, was poisoned by it, and lay motionless in bed.

Xiao Chuan came in to relay the message. Fifth Master Ma knew Zuo Wugang was a rare talent and wanted to invite him in, but he couldn't express himself at all.

Zuo Wugang stood outside the door in the cold wind for half an hour, his heart growing completely cold.

"Let's go!" Zuo Wugang turned to leave, when he suddenly saw a man wearing a top hat and a full beard approach the wooden house door. His hat brim was pulled very low; apart from the beard, Zuo Wugang couldn't see his face at all. Even if he could see his face, it would be difficult to recognize his features; Li Banfeng, now a third-level house cultivator, had facial features that were easily overlooked.

"What are you doing here?" Zuo Wugang was startled and didn't speak. Cao Zhida chuckled. "We're looking for work." "What kind of work?" Zhen Jincheng said, "We've studied martial arts for a few years and would like to apply to be retainers." "Do you have any cultivation?" Both Cao Zhida and Zhen Jincheng remained silent. Cultivation was their means of survival, and they couldn't casually disclose it to anyone.

Li Banfeng did not press further, telling Xiao Chuanzi, "First, find a room in Mengchun Garden, prepare some food and wine, and we can talk while we eat." Xiao Chuanzi quickly led the three men to Mengchun Garden. Zuo Wugang asked, "Who was that person just now?" Xiao Chuanzi replied, "That's our Seventh Master."

"What's the Seventh Master's background?" Zuo Wugang didn't dare to ask directly. Cao Zhida quietly inquired, "What's the relationship between this Seventh Master and the Fifth Young Master?" Xiao Chuanzi replied, "Seventh Master is Fifth Master's friend, a friend who can make decisions." Cao Zhida saw a glimmer of hope. "Can he act on behalf of the Fifth Young Master?" Xiao Chuanzi nodded. "Yes, Seventh Master's words carry more weight than the Fifth Young Master's."

Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances. In Lanyang Village, someone's words carried more weight than the Fifth Young Master's? However, upon closer thought, it was quite reasonable. Fifth Master Ma had already been expelled from his family. It would be too difficult for him to conquer Lanyang Village on his own, so having a backer made sense. But where did this backer come from? From the Chu family? Or the He family?

The group entered a private room in Mengchun Garden. Soon, food and wine were served, and Li Banfeng also entered the room.

"Since you're here to apply to be retainers, you must state your cultivation levels. Otherwise, we can't discuss the price," Li Banfeng said, his hat brim still pulled very low.

Knowing that Li Banfeng was in charge, Zuo Wugang no longer concealed anything. "My surname is Zuo, and my name is Zuo Wugang. I was originally the head retainer of the Lu family, a sixth-level martial cultivator."

A sixth-level! Such individuals were rare. Li Banfeng had seen Zuo Wugang's name in newspapers; after the Lu family incident, Zuo Wugang's name appeared frequently in news commentaries by various prominent figures.

Xiao Chuanzi brought two old newspapers and handed them to Li Banfeng. He didn't recognize many characters, but he recognized photos. These two newspapers had a picture of Lu Dongliang, and beside Lu Dongliang, Li Banfeng saw Zuo Wugang's figure.

Having confirmed his appearance, Li Banfeng asked Zuo Wugang, "How much pay do you want?" Zuo Wugang replied, "The amount depends on the master's wishes." Li Banfeng shook his head. "Don't speak in riddles. State your price directly."

Zuo Wugang was somewhat unaccustomed to the Seventh Master's way of communicating. Zhen Jincheng, however, appreciated Li Banfeng's straightforwardness and spoke directly: "Seventh Master, since you've asked, we'll be frank. Old Cao and I are both third-level physical cultivators. According to the usual practice for retainers, we each require 120 silver dollars a month. As for Head Zuo's cultivation, which he just mentioned, he's a sixth-level martial cultivator, and his rate is 800 silver dollars a month. Do you think these figures are appropriate?"

These figures were indeed the going rate, but Zuo Wugang was prepared for a counter-offer. His reputation was poor, so a counter-offer would be expected.

Upon hearing this, Li Banfeng simply nodded. "It's settled."