Chapter 274: Uncle, It's Time to Go

Greenwater City, Lu Maoxian's residence.

Lu Maoxian sat silently in his chair, having just finished reading the newspaper delivered from Blackrock Slope. He didn't utter a word.

He knew something had happened in Blackrock Slope, and he had anticipated that people would cause trouble there because of "The Blood-Gun Detective."

However, he never expected this outcome.

Tang Peigong was severely injured, almost incapacitated. Wu Decheng was missing, with no news of him yet.

His butler brought a cup of tea. Lu Maoxian waved his hand, signaling him to set it aside.

"Go buy a train ticket. I'm leaving for Blackrock Slope today."

"Sir, are you going alone?"

Lu Maoxian chuckled, "Otherwise? Who else could I bring?"

"Sir, there are some things I'm not sure if I should say."

"Speak." The butler had served him for many years, and Lu Maoxian had always been kind to him.

"Sir, if you ask me, you shouldn't go to Blackrock Slope. What is your standing? What is your reputation? Look at the state Blackrock Slope is in. You can't let this matter implicate you."

"Will it be fine if I'm not implicated?" Lu Maoxian gave a bitter smile. "Everyone knows Blackrock Slope is my territory. I can't escape this, even if I wanted to."

"You earn money from this territory, but you don't necessarily have to manage its affairs."

Lu Maoxian shook his head. "Some matters must be handled, otherwise, certain statuses cannot be maintained."

The butler remained silent.

Lu Maoxian smiled. "My trip to Blackrock Slope must not be known to others. You are reliable in your work, so I shouldn't have to worry."

"You can rest assured, sir."

Lu Yuanhai looked at the newspaper and chuckled, "If you ask me, Blackrock Slope's newspaper is much more interesting than ours. We should start writing like this too. It's guaranteed to completely defeat the Ling family!"

Lu Yuanshan shook his head. "Greenwater City is different from Blackrock Slope. Blackrock Slope is populated by manual laborers, so anything goes there. Greenwater City is home to civilized people. If we dared to do something like this, the Lu family's reputation would be ruined. However, this matter does present an opportunity."

As he spoke, Lu Yuanshan looked towards Monkey Qiu.

Monkey Qiu was earnestly flipping through the Blackrock Slope newspaper. He had always been fond of its newspapers and magazines.

"Uncle Qiu, I just said this matter is an opportunity," Lu Yuanshan repeated.

Monkey Qiu nodded. "It is indeed an opportunity. You should also publish a few articles in the newspaper, detailing all the misdeeds of the Clear Water Association over the years. Write about incidents like those in Blackrock Slope: assaulting elderly women, being splattered with excrement, and refusing to admit defeat after losing a fight. Write it all down."

Lu Yuanhai said, "Such incidents should be rare, right?"

"They are rare, but you'll have to search for them and ask around. For every bit of truth, elaborate on it by seven or eight parts, just like the writing style in this newspaper. Have your reporters put more effort into it. Most importantly, this matter must be able to implicate the Old Master."

Lu Yuanhai scratched his scalp. "That will indeed require some effort."

Lu Yuanshan frowned. "Uncle Qiu, do you mean for us to criticize him severely?"

Qiu Zhiheng paused. "Wasn't that your intention? What 'good opportunity' were you referring to?"

"Uncle Qiu, I believe Uncle will definitely go to Blackrock Slope, and he doesn't want too many people to know about it."

"So you mean?"

Lu Yuanshan said, "If Uncle goes to Blackrock Slope alone, that would be a rare opportunity for us. We'll have to make a clean break sooner or later, so why not do it now?"

Lu Yuanhai was greatly startled by this, but after the initial shock, he felt a surge of excitement.

He looked at Qiu Zhiheng.

Qiu Zhiheng was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "That's not advisable."

Lu Yuanshan was puzzled. "Why not?"

Qiu Zhiheng put down the newspaper. "Acting discreetly and being unprepared are two different things. The Old Master may not go to Blackrock Slope alone; he might have his subordinates hidden nearby."

Lu Yuanshan said, "Uncle Qiu, I think that possibility is slim. Uncle values his reputation so much, and Blackrock Slope's reputation is in such a terrible state. How could Uncle let others know he has connections beyond business with Blackrock Slope? Isn't he afraid of ending up in the newspaper alongside Blackrock Slope?"

Monkey Qiu shook his head. "Don't think about this matter anymore. Some things are not worth gambling on, because we cannot afford to lose."

With that, Qiu Zhiheng stood up and left.

Lu Yuanshan sat on the sofa, his expression grim.

Madam Duan Shaoxia came down the stairs. "What were you talking about just now?"

Lu Yuanshan remained silent. Lu Yuanhai said, "Just discussing matters concerning Uncle. No, nothing major."

Duan Shaoxia looked at her two sons and cautioned them, "Whatever you discuss, you must listen to your Uncle Qiu. Don't make your own decisions impulsively, understand?"

Lu Yuanhai assented repeatedly, while Lu Yuanshan stood up and left.

In the outer residence, Lu Yuanshan was alone in his bedroom, drinking silently. Lu Yuanhai pushed the door open and entered.

"I was wondering where you went. Is it really worth it? It's just a small matter. Uncle Qiu has his own plans; he's surely thinking of our well-being."

Lu Yuanshan poured Lu Yuanhai a drink. "Xiaohai, don't you think the way Uncle Qiu handles things is remarkably similar to someone?"

"Similar to whom?"

"Like our father."

"Exactly!" Lu Yuanhai took a sip of wine. "He rose through the ranks with our father. Father used to say that thirty percent of his empire was built by Uncle Qiu."

"They certainly have the ability to conquer an empire, but neither of them can govern one!"

Lu Yuanhai waved his hand. "You shouldn't say such things carelessly!"

"I'm not wrong. Just look at our father. How many threats has he kept by his side over the years? First, there was Second Uncle, then Zhuo Yuling, and now it's Uncle. Aren't they all ruthless?"

"Father knows about all these things and has always been on guard."

"What's the use of just being on guard? Has he ever taken action?"

"They're family, it's hard to act against them..."

"A thief within the family is the hardest to guard against. You can guard against them for a while, but not forever. This is such a great opportunity, and Uncle Qiu doesn't want to act. To be honest, I've already confirmed the news: Lu Maoxian bought a train ticket for tomorrow night; he's going to Blackrock Slope alone. If we miss this chance, there won't be another."

Lu Yuanhai looked at Lu Yuanshan, blinking his eyes. "What do you plan to do?"

"Didn't I say it already? We have to make a clean break sooner or later, so let's do it now!"

"Just the two of us?"

"I've already found the people. The Lu family has plenty of capable individuals at our disposal. And there's also someone else willing to act with us. Do you know who was responsible for our Second Uncle's death?"

"Second Uncle is dead?" Lu Yuanhai was stunned. "Didn't they say he was missing?"

"He's dead, killed by He Haiqin. I've already found out about this. It was he who poisoned He Haiqin back then, and He Haiqin has now exacted his revenge. Lu Maoxian slandered He Jiaqing, incurring He Haiqin's resentment. This time, He Haiqin also intends to deal with Lu Maoxian."

Lu Yuanhai was dumbfounded; he had been completely unaware of how many things his own brother had done in secret.

Lu Yuanshan sighed. "He Haiqin is someone who can govern an empire. When he fell ill, the He family declined, but after his recovery, the He family's prominence rose again. With him acting, this matter is foolproof."

Lu Yuanhai hesitated slightly. "Brother, it's best to discuss this with Uncle Qiu..."

"I discussed it with him, and you saw it yourself—he simply doesn't dare to act! If we keep being so cowardly with him, what can we achieve? When Lu Maoxian comes after us brothers later, what can he do? Won't he just be like Zuo Wugang, wringing his hands and staring helplessly? Yuanhai, I won't put you in a difficult position over this. I'll make my move tomorrow night. Just cover for me at home then."

Lu Yuanhai stood up and said, "Brother, you're wrong about that. This is a matter for both of us. How can I let you go alone? I'll come with you."

The next evening, Lu Maoxian traveled by rickshaw towards the train station.

He wore a blue cloth gown and a beige hat, carrying a wicker suitcase. He looked like an elderly man with some modest wealth, but no one would have guessed he was the Old Master of the Lu family.

Fearing a leak, Lu Maoxian hadn't dared to use his family's chauffeur. This rickshaw was one he had hired casually by the roadside. Halfway through the journey, the rickshaw puller turned into an alley.

Lu Maoxian frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Old sir, I'm taking you on a shortcut."

"No need for a shortcut. Go back to the main road."

"Old sir, this road really is shorter. You'll arrive a bit sooner, and I'll run less. Isn't that a win-win?"

"I'll give you more money, just don't take any shortcuts. Where exactly are you going?" Lu Maoxian argued with the rickshaw puller, but his hands were already prepared. He knew something was wrong.

"Where?" The rickshaw puller chuckled. "I'm sending you to the underworld!"

As he finished speaking, the rickshaw puller flicked his wrist, suddenly overturning the rickshaw onto the ground, trapping Lu Maoxian underneath it.

Lu Maoxian was stunned.

He had been ready for a fight.

The rickshaw puller's speed was not fast, nor was his technique sophisticated. Lu Maoxian could have easily jumped out of the rickshaw with just one step before it overturned.

But Lu Maoxian didn't jump. He didn't even stand up.

Only after being trapped under the rickshaw did he realize he hadn't been able to move.

How could he not move?

Suddenly, he heard the rickshaw puller speak from outside the vehicle.

"Old Master, I pulled you all this way. It's only fair that you stay seated for a bit longer, isn't it?"

So, because he pulled me all this way, I was restrained from moving?

Was this a Consecrator?

Lu Maoxian was greatly alarmed and struggled to move his limbs.

It seemed he could move now.

Lu Maoxian pushed against the rickshaw trapping him. The vehicle was incredibly heavy; he pushed several times with force, but it barely budged.

"The flower path has never been swept for guests, the humble gate opens now for you!" Lu Maoxian recited a line of poetry, hoping to open a large gate on the rickshaw body.

The rickshaw body remained unresponsive.

This was a highly potent spiritual object!

Lu Maoxian then pulled out a brush from his robe and wrote a character on the rickshaw canopy—"Open!"

A Level Six Literary Cultivation Art, "A Thousand Gold for a Single Word"!

This was a high-level technique, and the brush in Lu Maoxian's hand was also a high-grade spiritual object.

As the character was written, it burst forth with a red light, and the rickshaw canopy seemed to gain some cracks, but it still didn't open.

Lu Maoxian was consumed with anxiety, unaware that exiting immediately would be even more dangerous.

He Haiqin, Lu Yuanshan, and Lu Yuanhai now all stood outside the rickshaw.

The rickshaw puller was Tan Fucheng, an old subordinate of Lu Dongliang and a Consecrator.

He Haiqin praised, "Xiaoshan, your Lu family certainly has many capable people."

Lu Yuanshan chuckled, "Uncle Qin, you flatter us. The matter is settled; I'll leave the final step to you."

He Haiqin shook his head. "I didn't do much; all the credit goes to this brother. Besides, this old man is from your family, so it's more appropriate for you to do it yourselves. Don't worry, as long as you don't speak of today's events, they won't spread. After all, I was involved too, and I can't implicate myself."

Lu Yuanshan looked at Lu Yuanhai.

Lu Yuanhai's face was pale, and he stammered, "I... I can't..."

He Haiqin frowned. "What are you afraid of? I'm here watching. If this old man dares to fight back, I'll deal with him directly!"

Lu Yuanhai remained silent.

He Haiqin sighed. "You two are still young. If Monkey Qiu were here, this old man would have been dead long ago."

Lu Yuanshan didn't like to hear that.

Monkey Qiu didn't even dare to come, so why mention him?

Lu Yuanshan said, "Yuanhai, go to the intersection and keep watch. You should be able to handle that, right?"

Lu Yuanhai lowered his head and quickly went to the intersection.

The rickshaw puller opened a slit in the rickshaw canopy.

Lu Yuanshan drew a long sword.

"Uncle, rest in peace on your journey!"