Chapter 127

The status of the Yanshan Qin Clan in the Dayu Dynasty can be compared to that of the prestigious families such as the Yingchuan Xun, Longxi Li, and Qinghe Cui clans during the Three Kingdoms period.

Anyone in the world with a bit of insight knows this.

Han Chunshen gazed at the woman before him, excessively alluring yet overly cold-hearted, and his emotions surged like tides, wave after wave.

No wonder Chen Wuji sought a woman as a witness.

In Yunan, the Zhang Clan that calls itself king and hegemon are, before others, nothing but genuine junior generation.

And anyone who can produce this seal of the Yanshan Qin Clan must be a direct descendant of the Qin lineage.

Han Chunshen simply could not fathom how Chen Wuji, merely an active hunter in Shenxian Ling, could become involved with such a figure—how did he manage it?

With the Yanshan Qin Clan seal, the weight of this contract suddenly became immeasurable.

So great that even a slight mistake would bring ruin upon him and the Xiao family.

Although it is merely a seal, what it represents is the massive Yanshan Qin Clan.

This is the Qin clan's family seal!

"Miss Qin, won't you take a close look at the contents?" Han Chunshen said, somewhat nervous.

A small business suddenly elevated to this height, making him unable to avoid feeling uneasy.

Qin Zhanhong shook his head. "No need to look; I'll let my brother decide."

Chen Wuji turned his head, somewhat bewildered.

Is this form of address appropriate?

He had just fought two bouts with that alluring, beautifully built brother, and hearing it sounded somewhat…

Not quite right.

Han Chunshen repeatedly agreed, carefully putting away his own copy of the contract.

Xiao Yuji looked at Han Chunshen, who suddenly appeared excessively humble, and was utterly bewildered.

This woman is a bit pretty, but surely not to that extent?

After settling the contract, Han Chunshen delayed not a moment, immediately pulling Xiao Yuji along to take his leave.

Having left the Zhuangzi, Xiao Yuji could no longer contain her curiosity and asked, "Uncle Han, what is that woman's status, and why did you suddenly show her such respect?"

"The seal she used belongs to the Yanshan Qin Clan," Han Chunshen said solemnly.

"You've only recently taken over the family business, so you may not grasp the weight of the Yanshan Qin Clan, but from now on we must proceed with extreme caution, for a slight misstep could invite great calamity."

"I know this clan!" Xiao Yuji said, "but she's merely a Qin family member—surely that doesn't warrant such reverence? I've heard the Qin clan numbers in the thousands, quite a lot."

"If it were an ordinary Qin clan descendant, there'd be no need for excessive reverence, but she can produce the seal of the Yanshan Qin Clan—don't you see, niece?" Han Chunshen exclaimed, quite surprised.

Failing to grasp such a simple matter seems rather excessive, doesn't it?

Xiao Yuji staggered in a daze, then suddenly reacted, "Ah, my brain—I get it now. That woman is either not a direct descendant of the Qin clan, or she holds considerable weight within the family."

"How could I have missed that just now? I've asked such a foolish question, making Uncle Han laugh. Chen Wuji, that bastard, is quite capable—he actually knows someone from the Yanshan Qin Clan, and you'd never tell."

Han Chunshen himself also found it somewhat puzzling.

After racking his brains, he suddenly thought of a possibility: "The Chen family's ancestors were once prominent as well; if I recall correctly, this branch of the Chen clan in Xishan Village likely migrated from Beijun. At its height, the Beijun Chen clan surpassed even today's Yanshan Qin Clan, and they had some overlap, which makes sense."

"Ah? The Xishan Village Chen clan and the Beijun Chen clan share the same lineage?" Xiao Yuji's interest sparked at once, and she hurriedly asked, "Uncle Han, you even know this? The Beijun Chen clan was once so prosperous—how did it suddenly decline? I've heard it might involve party struggles."

Barraged with five or six questions, Han Chunshen shook his head repeatedly, "I can't talk about this; I don't know the details either—I merely happen to know a little about the origins of the Xishan Village Chen clan."

"I've spent a lifetime wandering the streets making a living; I know a bit about these families in Yunan, but don't press me for specifics—I'm not clear on them."

Even if he knew those matters, he would absolutely not say more.

To speak of that, is he tired of living?

"I've heard the Beijun Chen clan were excellent fighters; when the former dynasty was on the verge of collapse, they single-handedly held Beijun and even stalemated the Taizu Emperor's troops for a full two years. Is that true?" Xiao Yuji asked curiously.

All these things she heard secondhand; their truth is unknown.

Upon suddenly learning that Han Chunshen had some knowledge of these matters, she naturally wanted to verify them.

Han Chunshen stood by the carriage and said, "I'm not clear on the specifics, but the Beijun Chen clan were indeed formidable fighters. Their whole clan guarded the northern border for centuries, never allowing the barbarians' troops to advance even a step southward. If you go to the northern regions, especially Beidi Commandery and Beijun, you'll see many Chen clan halls."

"However, you shouldn't know too much about these matters; it's too high a level—knowing too much isn't good."

Xiao Yuji chuckled, "I'm just being curious; the court surely wouldn't punish us for a private chat between the two of us, would it?"

Han Chunshen shook his head and said nothing more.

The little girl is still too naive.

What the Chen clan is involved in is party struggle.

Whether the party struggle is real or not, nobody knows.

But even a merchant like Han Chunshen understands the saying: 'Merit that threatens the ruler.'

At the height of its power, the Beijun Chen clan needed only to raise a call, and the whole commandery responded.

With a single order from the Chen clan, they could recruit a hundred thousand able-bodied youths in Beijun within half a month, form a ten-thousand-strong vanguard—something the court could not achieve.

Based on this alone, the Chen clan, even if innocent of any crime, would already deserve extermination.

Moreover, the Chen clan had even fought the Taizu Emperor.

While the whole nation's territory had fallen, only Beijun stubbornly held out for a full two years, even repeatedly repulsing the lines and striking at the location of the Taizu Emperor's Zhongjun Camp in Yicheng, the seat of Beidi Commandery.

How could the new emperor sleep soundly facing such a prestigious clan of the commandery?

……

Chen Wuji and Qin Zhanhong left the Zhuangzi together.

As he was about to depart, Qin Zhanhong suddenly had something come up, so he came along as well.

The number of refugees outside the city increased again today, but the porridge stalls began to dwindle.

The porridge stalls set up by merchants and local grandees have been withdrawn by more than half, while the teams recruiting servants have begun to grow.

As Chen Wuji passed by, he casually glanced and discovered that even some shops inside the city had set up stalls, hiring cheap labor in exchange for providing a meal or two.

"Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing?" Qin Zhanhong suddenly asked.

Chen Wuji thought for a moment and said: "Before the Court has a concrete way to settle these commoners, this is a good thing—at least the refugees have something to eat and won't starve. But to say it's very good, that's not necessarily true."

"Do you think this is the Court's inaction?" Qin Zhanhong asked.

"Isn't that so? Merely setting up a porridge stall, yet not making arrangements to settle these commoners, the refugee crisis will never be resolved—it's only treating the symptoms, not the root cause." Chen Wuji said.

"But it can't be said to be completely inactive—at least there is a porridge stall, and they have also mobilized the city's merchants and great clans."