Chapter 718: with translation of chapter title

At first, in Chen Wuji's eyes, the Benevolent Relief Hall was just an ordinary medical clinic.

And Zhang Lao was merely an elderly gentleman with superb medical skills, looking in his later years for a successor.

But later, the identity of the Benevolent Relief Hall changed.

Chen Wuji had some doubts at that time.

A mysterious organization, yet it chose such an ordinary mountain hunter as its successor—this matter seemed unreasonable in every way.

Only later, after he became ChenClanHead, did some things gradually become clear.

Zhang Lao had long known the Chen clan, and understood even more clearly his position within it.

This might be the fundamental reason he became the Young Master of the Benevolent Relief Hall.

Zhang Lao had him become a nominal disciple, not really to teach him medical arts.

What he wanted was actually just this relationship.

But Chen Wuji showed understanding, and even after simply figuring it out, he didn't think much more about it, accepting it so straightforwardly.

The old man had always treated him well, giving him much help.

Even if Zhang Lao insisted on making him this disciple, harboring many other purposes, he still accepted it.

It's nothing more than being tied to the Benevolent Relief Hall—tie it, no big deal.

Chen Wuji took a sip of the hot tea just served, gestured to Kong Jianshi, and said, "You've come all the way, wind‑blown and rain‑soaked—have something to tide you over first. When you're done, I'll have someone prepare a meal for you."

"Young Shopkeeper, I really haven't eaten," Kong Jianshi said, unbothered and unceremonious, picking up a bun and starting to chew. After two bites, he turned to the spear‑straight Chen Wuji standing nearby and asked, "General, do you have any scallions or garlic? Preferably scallions—just a bite; eating like this is a bit choking."

Chen Wuji glanced, then ordered someone to fetch it.

Scallions were brought up quickly; Kong Jianshi took a bite of bun, then a bite of scallion, then a sip of tea, and this actually made Chen Wuji look hungry. Some people, even when eating the simplest ingredients, just look fragrant when they eat.

"Young Shopkeeper, this other matter actually has nothing to do with the Old Shopkeeper; it's entirely because of some people's selfish motives," Kong Jianshi said between bites.

Chen Wuji waved a hand, "It's fine, eat first, then talk after you're done."

"Yes!"

Kong Jianshi stopped talking and buried himself in earnest eating.

Qin Zhanhong walked over slowly, leaned beside Chen Wuji, and whispered, "Husband, does this person come from the Benevolent Relief Hall?"

"Hmm."

"Isn't the Benevolent Relief Hall just a medical clinic?" Qin Zhanhong asked in a lowered voice.

She felt extremely awkward inside, as if the whole world had deceived her.

She knew of the Benevolent Relief Hall.

But it was obvious that the Benevolent Relief Hall she knew was not the real one.

"It is a medical clinic, but also a jianghu power," Chen Wuji said.

"This story is long; I'll explain it later."

Qin Zhanhong's mouth twitched slightly, and she squeezed out from between her teeth, "A jianghu force with a grand master… I've never even heard of such a thing; this Investigations Office has been working for nothing."

She now even suspects that everything today was aimed at her.

Since discovering that the Chen clan had a grand master, experts have begun to sprout up one after another like spring shoots after rain; Lu Jia Village is a sword‑knight village, so having a grand master is not surprising.

Now even the ordinary medical clinic he visited twice in Yunan has become a hidden jianghu force harboring a grand‑master‑level expert—what nonsense is this?

All this made Qin Zhanhong deeply feel as if the whole world had fooled her into being an idiot.

Everyone else knows, alas, only she doesn't.

Kong Jianshi suddenly looked up, "Greetings, Young Mistress; actually the Benevolent Relief Hall also has a few other names, such as Wind‑Listening Tower, which more people are likely to know."

"Wind‑Listening Tower?!" Qin Zhanhong exclaimed, "The Benevolent Relief Hall is the Wind‑Listening Tower?!"

She didn't know the Benevolent Relief Hall, but when it came to Wind‑Listening Tower, she was all too aware.

The most mysterious assassin organization in the Rivers and Lakes can rank among the top five of all jianghu forces.

It is said there is no job they dare not take, nor any person they dare not kill.

As long as the payment is sufficient, they dare to test the thickness of palace walls with their swords.

"Madam, the order is wrong—Wind‑Listening Tower belongs to the Benevolent Relief Hall," Kong Jianshi corrected.

Qin Zhanhong silently lifted her head and drew a deep breath.

She suffered the most brutal blow she had ever experienced in her life.

At this moment she finally understood why Hezhou, especially Yunan, prohibits court influences.

With these forces, it would be ghostly for court powers to infiltrate them.

The Chen clan of Xishan Village, a poor family pretending to have gone from one meal to the next and suffering oppression—yet when Chen Wuji called, thousands of clan troops instantly formed ranks, with grand masters guarding left and right.

Not to mention the Western King's old faction.

Add to that the Benevolent Relief Hall, this assassin force that strikes fear at the mere mention of its name…

Any one of these three could make court emissaries sent after them vanish without a trace, and besides, they all reside in that small town of Yunan, appearing harmless on the surface.

Add the assorted minor powers, and for court forces that place is a dragon pool and tiger den; once they enter, they stand out like a candle in the night.

The key is that these people hide themselves extremely deeply.

She has slept with Chen Wuji for so long, yet these matters are still something she's hearing for the first time.

This makes Qin Zhanhong feel extremely uneasy!

She couldn't help recalling when she first entered Yunan; having successfully infiltrated, she felt pleased for a while, thinking those before her had failed simply because they were useless.

Now thinking about it, it wasn't that her predecessors were useless.

It was simply that she had benefited from Chen Wuji's influence, preserving her own life and that of her comrades.

"Husband, have you never trusted me?" Qin Zhanhong asked wistfully.

"There's no such thing," Chen Wuji immediately denied, "You know all the other matters; as for the Benevolent Relief Hall, I promised Old Zhang to keep it quiet for now, and no one has spoken of it."

What about those master experts, grand master experts?

Hey, wait, don't blame me for this. If you hadn't brought it up today, I wouldn't have known that martial practitioners also have realm divisions." Chen Wuji said, he won't take the blame for this.

Qin Zhanhong opened his mouth, as if it really was.

Although the facts seem indeed so, why do I still feel so awkward? I've never known so many masters before, and the grand master before my eyes...

Chen Wuji smiled, "I and Wanwan don't know the division of martial realms either; once you say it, it matches? What's there to feel awkward about? It's fine, lower realm is lower realm, I don't despise you!"

Qin Zhanhong wrinkled his nose and let out a soft snort.

If there weren't others present, she would definitely give Chen Wuji a crotch move.

This guy has been itching to act all day.