Chapter 275: Uncle Maoxian, It

Lushui City, Lu Maoxian's residence.

Lu Maoxian flipped through the newspaper delivered from Heishipo, sat silently in his chair, saying nothing.

He knew something had happened in Heishipo, and had anticipated someone would go there to cause trouble over "The Blood Spear Detective."

But he never expected this outcome.

Tang Pei was severely injured, nearly reduced to a cripple.

Wu Decheng had vanished, with not a single trace since.

The steward brought a cup of tea; Lu Maoxian waved his hand, signaling him to set it aside.

"Buy train tickets—I'm leaving for Heishipo today."

"Master, are you going alone?"

Lu Maoxian smiled: "What else? Who else could I take?"

"Master, there's something I'm not sure whether I should say."

"Speak." The steward had served him for many years; Lu Maoxian had always been kind to him.

"Master, I say you must not go to Heishipo. What is your status? What is your reputation? What has Heishipo become? You must not let this affair drag you into it."

"If I avoid it, will it disappear?" Lu Maoxian gave a bitter laugh. "Everyone knows Heishipo is my territory. I can't escape this."

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

Lu Maoxian shook his head: "Some things must be handled—otherwise, some status will be lost."

The steward fell silent.

Lu Maoxian smiled: "No one must know I'm going to Heishipo. You're reliable—I don't need to worry."

"Rest assured, Master."

…

Lu Yuanhai looked at the newspaper and laughed: "In my opinion, Heishipo's newspapers are far more interesting than ours. If we start writing like this, we'll crush the Ling family completely!"

Lu Yuanshan shook his head: "Lushui City isn't like Heishipo. Heishipo is full of laborers—anything goes there.

Lushui City is home to civilized people. If we did this, the Lu family's reputation would be ruined. Still, this is an opportunity."

As he spoke, Lu Yuanshan glanced at Monkey Qiu.

Monkey Qiu carefully studied the Heishipo newspaper—he had always loved Heishipo's papers and magazines.

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

Monkey Qiu nodded: "It truly is. Publish a few articles in your paper exposing the Qingshui Society's crimes over the years—

like what happened in Heishipo: beating old women, being doused in feces, losing a match and refusing to admit defeat. Write it all out."

Lu Yuanhai said: "Surely such incidents aren't common?"

"They're rare—you have to dig, you have to ask. If there's one-tenth of truth, stretch it to seven or eight tenths, just like the writing style in these newspapers. Get your reporters to put real effort into it. Most crucially, this must tie back to the Old Master."

Lu Yuanhai scratched his scalp: "That'll take real work."

Lu Yuanshan frowned: "Uncle Qiu, are you telling us to slander him?"

Qiu Zhiheng froze: "Isn't that what you meant? What did you mean by 'opportunity'?"

"Uncle Qiu, I think Uncle Maoxian will go to Heishipo—and he won't want anyone to know."

"So you're thinking?"

Lu Yuanshan said: "If Uncle Maoxian goes alone, this is our rare chance. Either way, we must settle this—why not settle it now?"

Lu Yuanhai was stunned, then a flicker of excitement crossed his face.

He looked at Qiu Zhiheng.

Qiu Zhiheng fell silent for a moment, then shook his head: "Not wise."

Lu Yuanshan frowned: "Why not?"

Qiu Zhiheng set down the newspaper: "Secretive action and being unguarded are two different things. The Old Master may not go alone—he likely has his men hidden nearby."

Lu Yuanshan said: "Uncle Qiu, I think that's nearly impossible. Uncle Maoxian cherishes his reputation. Heishipo's reputation is in ruins—how could he let anyone know he still has ties beyond business? Doesn't he fear being dragged onto the front page?"

Monkey Qiu shook his head: "Stop thinking about this. Some things aren't worth gambling on—we can't afford to lose."

With that, Qiu Zhiheng rose and left.

Lu Yuanshan sat on the sofa, his face dark.

Lady Duan Shaoxia descended the stairs: "What were you just talking about?"

Lu Yuanshan said nothing; Lu Yuanhai replied: "Just about Uncle Maoxian's affairs. Nothing serious."

Duan Shaoxia looked at her two sons and warned: "No matter what you discuss, listen to Uncle Qiu. Don't make reckless decisions. Understood?"

Lu Yuanhai nodded eagerly; Lu Yuanshan rose and left.

…

In the outer compound, Lu Yuanshan sat alone in his bedroom drinking heavily. Lu Yuanhai pushed the door open.

"I thought you'd gone somewhere. Is it really worth this? Uncle Qiu has his own plans—he's only looking out for us."

Lu Yuanshan poured Lu Yuanhai a cup of wine: "Xiao Hai, doesn't Uncle Qiu's way of doing things remind you of someone?"

"Who?"

"Our father."

"Of course!" Lu Yuanhai took a sip. "He grew up under our father's shadow. Our father himself once said three-tenths of his empire was built by Uncle Qiu."

"They had the talent to conquer, but neither had the talent to rule."

Lu Yuanhai waved his hand: "Don't say things like that!"

"I'm not wrong. Look at our father—how many pests did he keep close? First Uncle Er, then Zhuo Yuling, now Uncle Maoxian. Aren't they all ruthless?"

"Our father knew about them. He always kept watch."

"What good is watching if he never acted?"

"They're family—he couldn't bring himself to act."

"Family traitors are hardest to guard against. You can guard against them for a while, but not forever. This is a perfect chance—and Uncle Qiu won't act.

Honestly, I've confirmed it: Lu Maoxian bought a train ticket for tomorrow night. He's going alone. If we miss this, there won't be another."

Lu Yuanhai stared at Lu Yuanshan, blinking: "What are you planning to do?"

"Didn't I say it? We must settle this—let's settle it now!"

"Just you and me?"

"I've already gathered men. We have plenty of capable people under the Lu family.

Plus, someone else is willing to join us. Do you know who killed Uncle Er?"

"Uncle Er is dead?" Lu Yuanhai froze. "Wasn't he missing?"

"He's dead. Killed by He Haiqin. I've confirmed it—he poisoned He Haiqin, and now He Haiqin has taken revenge.

Lu Maoxian spread rumors about He Jiaqing, earning He Haiqin's hatred. Now He Haiqin plans to eliminate Lu Maoxian too."

Lu Yuanhai stared, dumbfounded. He had no idea his own brother had done all this behind his back.

Lu Yuanshan sighed: "He Haiqin knows how to rule. He fell ill, and the He family declined. But once he recovers, the He family will rise again. With him involved, this is foolproof."

Lu Yuanhai hesitated: "Brother, we should still consult Uncle Qiu…"

"I consulted him. You saw—he's too cowardly! If we keep going like this, what can we ever accomplish?

When Lu Maoxian turns on us, what will he do? Just stand there, hands clenched, eyes wide like Zuo Wugang?"

"Yuanhai, I won't force you. I'm acting tomorrow night. You just cover for me at home."

Lu Yuanhai stood: "Brother, that's not right. This is our shared matter—how could I let you go alone? I'm going with you."

…

That night, Lu Maoxian rode in a rickshaw toward the train station.

He wore a blue cotton robe and a beige hat, carrying a willow basket case—he looked like an old man with a little money. No one would guess he was the Lu family's Old Master.

Worried about leaks, Lu Maoxian didn't use his own driver. This rickshaw was hired on the spot. Halfway there, the driver turned into an alley.

Lu Maoxian frowned: "Where are you going?"

"Master, I'm taking a shortcut."

"No shortcuts. Go back to the main road."

"Master, this is truly faster. You arrive sooner, I save time—it's a win-win."

"I'll pay you more. Don't take any shortcuts. Where are you really taking me?" Lu Maoxian kept arguing with the driver, but his hands were already ready—he knew something was wrong.

"Where?" The driver grinned. "To the underworld!"

As he spoke, the driver flipped his wrist and overturned the rickshaw, pinning Lu Maoxian beneath it.

Lu Maoxian froze.

He had prepared for battle.

The driver's speed was slow, his technique crude. If Lu Maoxian had simply jumped out before exiting, he could have escaped.

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

Only when pinned beneath the rickshaw did he realize—he couldn't move.

How could he not move?

Suddenly, the driver spoke from outside the rickshaw.

"Old Master, I've pulled you this far. Letting you sit here a while—isn't that fair?"

Because he pulled me all this way, he's restricted my movement?

Is this a Feng Xiu?

Lu Mao was stunned, then struggled to move his hands and feet.

It seemed he could move now.

Lu Mao pushed against the yellow rickshaw covering him; the vehicle was extremely heavy, and after several hard shoves, it barely budged.

"The flower-lined path has never been swept for guests; my thatched gate opens now for you!" Lu Mao recited a line of poetry, trying to carve a door into the rickshaw's body.

The vehicle showed no reaction.

This was a spirit object of very high rank!

Lu Mao pulled out a brush from his robe and wrote a single character on the canopy—OPEN!

Sixth-level Cultivation Technique: One Character, A Thousand Gold!

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

As he finished writing the character, a red glow erupted; cracks appeared on the canopy, but still no opening formed.

Lu Mao was frantic with anxiety, unaware that stepping out right now would be even more dangerous.

He Haiqin, Lu Yuan Shan, and Lu Yuan Hai now stood outside the vehicle.

The rickshaw driver was an old subordinate of Lu Dongliang, named Tan Fu Cheng.

He Haiqin sighed in admiration: "Xiao Shan, your Lu family really has no shortage of capable people."

Lu Yuan Shan smiled: "Uncle Qin, you flatter me. The task is already done—let me leave the final strike to you."

He Haiqin shook his head: "I didn't lift a finger—it's all this brother's doing."

"Besides, this old man is your family's, so it's better if you handle it yourselves."

"Don't worry—today's matter won't leak out, as long as you keep quiet. After all, I'm involved too—I can't let myself get dragged down."

Lu Yuan Shan looked at Lu Yuan Hai.

Lu Yuan Hai's face was pale; he stammered: "I—I can't..."

He Haiqin frowned: "What's there to fear? I'm right here watching. If this old man dares to fight back, I'll deal with him outright!"

Lu Yuan Hai said nothing.

He Haiqin sighed: "You two are still too young. If Monkey Qiu were here, this old man would be dead already."

Lu Yuan Shan didn't like hearing that.

Monkey Qiu wouldn't even dare show up—why bring him up?

Lu Yuan Shan said: "Yuan Hai, go stand guard at the intersection. You can handle that, right?"

Lu Yuan Hai lowered his head and hurried off to the intersection.

The driver pried open a narrow gap in the canopy.

Lu Yuan Shan drew a long sword.

"Uncle, rest in peace!"

PS: This driver is not the same person as the rickshaw driver from Yaowang Gou.

Special thanks to Jin Xiu's Ancestor for the inspiration.

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(End of Chapter)