Chapter 152

"Grandfather!"

Lin Ming called out affectionately. He reined in his horse immediately, dismounted, and ran toward Lin Chaoyang.

Facing the villagers standing to the side and glaring at him, Lin Ming didn't care at all. He had, after all, cultivated his Qi and blood; these farmers in the village were no match for him.

"Grandfather, your grandson has made you suffer."

Lin Ming walked up to Lin Chaoyang, and the few martial artists who had been standing behind Lin Chaoyang disappeared at some point.

But even without those martial artists, the villagers of Linhu Village didn't dare to make a move.

Xing Xing Huai Feng, who was also on horseback, had eyes as sharp as a tiger, putting immense pressure on these villagers.

"Kneel."

Lin Chaoyang looked at his eldest grandson and suddenly spoke.

Lin Ming was startled. Lin's eldest daughter-in-law on the side immediately gave him a look and urged: "Silly child, your grandfather is blaming you for not coming back to see him for so long. As the eldest grandson of the Lin family, even if you are busy with Martial Way cultivation, you should have made time to see your grandfather."

Having received his mother's hint, Lin Ming reacted; he figured his mother must have explained it to his grandfather just like that.

Immediately, Lin Ming knelt before Lin Chaoyang with a "thud," staging a scene of a filial grandson.

Su Lingchuan and the others, who arrived shortly after, were all expressionless as they watched this scene.

"Lord Xing, you had us come over, surely not just to let us watch this scene."

Su Lingchuan was already prepared to have a falling out with this Lord Xing, and his tone was no longer as polite as before.

"Lin Ming!"

Xing Xing Huai Feng didn't care about Su Lingchuan's attitude. His target was Lin Chen; as long as there was concrete evidence that Lin Chen's character was flawed, that would suffice. As for Su Lingchuan's disrespect, it wouldn't be too late to settle that score later.

Lin Chen's character was flawed, and Su Lingchuan, as the Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo, had failed to notice it; he could not shirk the blame.

Hearing Xing Xing Huai Feng's shout behind him, Lin Ming reacted. He grabbed Lin Chaoyang's legs with both hands: "Grandfather, you have suffered in the village during this time. I have brought Lord Xing here now. Lord Xing is the Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo. As long as you tell the truth about how Lin Chen has been disrespectful to you, Lord Xing will stand up for you."

After Lin Ming finished speaking, Xing Xing Huai Feng scanned the entire scene, even turning his head specifically to scan Su Lingchuan and the others.

"From this moment on, except for this old man of the Lin family, if anyone else speaks, don't blame this official for being heartless!"

Xing Xing Huai Feng said this because he was afraid that Su Lingchuan and the others would speak up and threaten this old man of the Lin family. Although he was the Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo, he was still too distant for the village commoners; the commoners at the bottom might not even have heard of this official title.

In contrast, the Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo and the County Magistrate, or even the constables, were more feared by the commoners at the bottom. The former was the highest official they had heard of, and the latter were the officials they had actually dealt with.

Su Lingchuan was indeed prepared to speak, as was He Ruyun, but after Xing Xing Huai Feng said this, the two looked at each other and chose silence.

Since Xing Xing Huai Feng had laid down the law, if the two of them spoke, it would be equivalent to giving Xing Xing Huai Feng an excuse to take action.

"Grandfather, Lord Xing is a high official from the prefecture city. With him here, you can speak freely." Lin Ming saw that his grandfather didn't react, so he smiled and comforted him.

"Old man, this official is the Director of the Raozhou Prefecture Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo, in charge of all Martial Way education in the entire Raozhou Prefecture. You don't need to have any concerns; just say whatever you have to say. With this official here, no one can harm you or your family."

Xing Xing Huai Feng looked at Lin Chaoyang with a gentle smile. Lin Chaoyang's cloudy old eyes sized the other up, then he nodded: "Many thanks, my lord. I don't know what you wish to ask?"

"Someone has reported that your grandson is unfilial to you. Is this true?"

"Hmm."

Lin Chaoyang nodded. Xing Xing Huai Feng felt a surge of joy, while the faces of Lin Ming and his mother showed undisguised delight.

It's done!

Su Lingchuan and the others standing behind Xing Xing Huai Feng, however, had their expressions turn serious. If Lin Chen's grandfather said that Lin Chen was unfilial, even if there were hidden circumstances, it would be enough for Xing Xing Huai Feng to make an issue of it.

"Old man, how exactly is Lin Chen unfilial to you? Tell everyone so that we can all be witnesses."

Xing Xing Huai Feng felt secure in his victory and was no longer as impatient as before. Having Lin Chen's grandfather state Lin Chen's unfilial behavior in front of everyone would nail the coffin shut.

"My lord, when did this old man ever say that Lin Chen was unfilial to me?"

Lin Chaoyang suddenly spoke, but he pulled out a short blade from somewhere and stabbed directly at Lin Ming, who was in front of him.

This sudden turn of events shocked everyone present.

No one expected that an old man like Lin Chaoyang, who was on the verge of death, would hide a short blade in his bosom, and even less expected that he would stab his own grandson, Lin Ming.

Although Lin Ming had cultivated his Qi and blood, his reactions were not fast, and he never expected that the grandfather who loved him most would take action against him. Caught off guard, he was stabbed directly in the chest by the blade.

"You old thing, what are you doing!"

Lin's eldest daughter-in-law, who was supporting Lin Chaoyang, saw her son stabbed and couldn't care about anything else. She pushed Lin Chaoyang away and immediately went to support her son.

"Ming'er, Ming'er, are you alright?"

This stab had used up all of Lin Chaoyang's strength. Being pushed by Lin's eldest daughter-in-law, the old man fell directly to the ground.

Xing Xing Huai Feng stood where he was, his face livid. Seeing this, He Ruyun immediately scolded: "What are you people from Linhu Village doing? Why don't you help the old man up?"

Zhao Canghu, whose mouth was slightly agape, suddenly woke up and hurriedly ordered the villagers to help Lin Chaoyang up.

"Chaoyang..."

Zhao Canghu looked at Lin Chaoyang with a very complex expression. After the Lin family went through the bank debt collection and land sale, everyone in the village knew how partial Lin Chaoyang, as a grandfather, was to his eldest grandson.

Since then, Lin Chen began to stand out, achieving good rankings in the martial hall time and again, which only made Lin Chaoyang a laughingstock in the village.

Zhao Canghu was also dissatisfied with Lin Chaoyang's senility, until the night Lin Chen won first place in the three-month grand competition, when Lin Chaoyang talked to him in the old house for an hour.

At first, he thought Lin Chaoyang wanted him to persuade Lin Chen, but later he realized he had been wrong.

Lin Chaoyang had invited him over just to say one thing.

"Lin Chen has resentment and hatred toward me, his grandfather. I don't blame him; this is the retribution I deserve."

"When I was young, I also went to the county town and heard stories told by Mr. Storyteller. Before a person has a reputation, being petty or cunning doesn't count for much, but once they have a reputation, someone will seize upon these points and not let go. I had the eldest son go and inquire; it seems the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo also has requirements for the character of its students, and being unfilial to elders is considered a character flaw."

"I didn't invite the Village Chief over to ask him to persuade Lin Chen to pretend to reconcile with me, his grandfather, for the sake of his future."

"I just wanted to beg the Village Chief to help keep the villagers' mouths shut and not let our Lin family's business spread out. Lin Chen is going far in the Martial Way and will surely offend many people; I want to avoid anyone finding out about this and using it to deal with the child."

Zhao Canghu had his own judgment; Lin Chaoyang truly regretted it, regretted treating Lin Chen this way.

This time, someone reported Lin Chen for being unfilial. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't be afraid at all; Lin Chaoyang already regretted it and would certainly not speak ill of Lin Chen. But the key was that the person reporting him this time was Lin Ming.

The eldest grandson Lin Chaoyang loved the most, the eldest grandson of the Lin family's main branch—he couldn't be sure if Lin Chaoyang would change his mind when facing Lin Ming.

According to the laws of the Great Liang, false accusation is a serious crime, especially falsely accusing a talented student like Lin Chen.

Would Lin Chaoyang really give up Lin Ming, whom he had cherished for over a decade, for Lin Chen?

Zhao Canghu originally had no certainty, until the subtext revealed in Lin Chaoyang's earlier words made him relax slightly, but he never expected Lin Chaoyang to take such a shocking action.

"Old man, what are you doing?" He Ruyun said helplessly: "This official is the Magistrate of Poyang County; why go to such lengths?"

He Ruyun didn't care how ugly Xing Xing Huai Feng's face looked. As a local official, someone had committed a crime on the spot, so he naturally had the right to speak.

"Magistrate, this old man has failed to teach his children properly. A degenerate has appeared in my family who, for the sake of a little silver, actually abducted a child from the same village. If my Lin Chen hadn't found the child, what face would my Lin family have left to stay in Linhu Village?"

Lin Chaoyang's old eyes were like a tiger's at this moment, glaring at Lin Ming, while the villagers of Linhu Village were in an uproar.

When Qianqian went missing, it had caused a stir in the village, but as Qianqian was found, it gradually subsided, and no one discussed it anymore.

Although many villagers guessed it might have something to do with Lin Ming, out of respect for Lin Chen, everyone pretended not to know. They didn't expect Lin Chaoyang to take the initiative to say it today.

Lin Ming had a short blade stuck in his chest, blood flowing from the wound. His face was already pale, and hearing this, his whole body was twitching.

"I, Lin Chaoyang, have been blind my whole life, thinking my eldest grandson was the unicorn of my Lin family. To support him in learning martial arts at the Martial Hall, I emptied the silver of the second and third families, and even forced Lin Chen's family to pay off his debts."

"Today, in front of the lord, this old man will not hide it anymore. Lin Chen has returned to the village several times during this period, and the village held banquets, but I didn't go. It wasn't because Lin Chen was unfilial, but because I didn't have the face to eat at that banquet; I, as a grandfather, am not worthy."

As soon as Lin Chaoyang said this, the eyes of Su Lingchuan and the others behind him lit up.

These words were equivalent to refuting the claim that Lin Chen was unfilial.

"Even though I, as a grandfather, was so partial, the second and third families still sent me food and clothing. Otherwise, relying on this mother and son, the silver in the house would have been spent, and I, this old man, would have starved to death long ago."

After speaking, Lin Chaoyang looked at Xing Xing Huai Feng: "My lord, this old man thanks you for sending Lin Ming, this degenerate, back to give me a chance to clean up the Lin family's house. As for this old man killing someone, I leave it to you to deal with, but this old man has one request, and I hope you will grant it."

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Lin Chaoyang pushed away the hands of the villagers supporting him and knelt down abruptly, kowtowing to Xing Xing Huai Feng: "Lin Chen is a child who has suffered. With a partial grandfather like me, he didn't have enough to eat or wear for the first fifteen years. Now that he has finally made a name for himself in the Martial Way, he is reported by this degenerate. I suspect someone is targeting Lin Chen behind the scenes. I hope you will investigate the person behind this."

Xing Xing Huai Feng's face was incomparably gloomy; the Lin family grandfather's words were pointing at something.

"Old man, rest assured. Lin Chen is a student of our Poyang County. As the Director of the Poyang County Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo, I will certainly investigate the person behind this and will never allow anyone to secretly target a student of our Poyang County."

Su Lingchuan also stood out at the right time. At this moment, Zhao Canghu scanned Su Lingchuan and He Ruyun. He had already understood that these two lords were on Lin Chen's side, but this Director Xing had a higher official rank, so the two lords couldn't speak too clearly.

The Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo was indeed a very high official, so high that a village chief like him might not even see one in his lifetime, and even if he did, it would likely be from afar at some celebration. But he knew someone whose official rank was higher than this Director!

"My Linhu Village has finally produced a genius. Who is calculating against Lin Chen of our village? This is digging up the roots of our Linhu Village!" Zhao Canghu said with an angry face: "Lord He, Provincial Provincial Graduate Jiang went out from our village and specifically instructed that if there were any promising juniors in the village, we should inform him. I thought Lin Chen had just entered the Martial Hall, so I didn't inform Provincial Provincial Graduate Jiang, but now that someone wants to deal with Lin Chen, they are going against the entire Linhu Village."

"I don't dare to trouble the lords with this small matter, but although I am old, I can still walk. Even if I can't walk, I will crawl to Raozhou Prefecture to find Provincial Provincial Graduate Jiang and seek justice for Linhu Village."

After speaking, Zhao Canghu looked at the villagers behind him: "If I die on the road, you continue. Unless everyone in our village is dead, even if you have to beg for food, you must get to Provincial Provincial Graduate Jiang's mansion and seek justice for our Linhu Village."

Do you really think no one in my Linhu Village can be bullied!

Zhao Canghu's temper had also flared up. Regardless of the grievances between Provincial Provincial Graduate Jiang and Linhu Village, the lords in front of him didn't know, so he would pull this tiger skin first.

Xing Xing Huai Feng frowned when he heard Zhao Canghu's words, but he didn't take it to heart.

Just a scholar; he himself had been a scholar back then.

"Lord Xing, the Provincial Provincial Graduate Jiang that Linhu Village speaks of is Lord Jiang Duanchao." Su Lingchuan said quietly.

Swish!

Xing Xing Huai Feng's expression changed instantly. He had naturally heard the name Jiang Duanchao. Some people are scholars because they can only reach the scholar standard, while others are scholars because the highest level of the Martial Way examination is the scholar level, with only a difference in ranking.

He didn't know Jiang Duanchao was from Linhu Village; he only knew Jiang Duanchao was from Raozhou Prefecture.

"This matter was this official's recklessness, believing the words of a villain. However, coming here in person to investigate has also proven Lin Chen's innocence."

No matter how unwilling he was, Xing Xing Huai Feng had to accept this result now.

If he really let the commoners of Linhu Village make a big scene, this matter would be impossible to end.

Looking at Lin Ming, who was losing too much blood and whose lips were trembling, Xing Xing Huai Feng flicked his finger, and a wisp of dark energy shot out, landing on Lin Ming's abdomen.

This wisp of dark energy was enough to kill Lin Ming.

Once Lin Ming died, this matter would end here.

Being a seventh-rank martial artist, Su Lingchuan and He Ruyun didn't notice Xing Xing Huai Feng's move.

"Ming'er, Ming'er, what's wrong with you? Don't scare your mother."

Lin's eldest daughter-in-law discovered that her son had suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes rolled back, and he had stopped breathing, so she exclaimed in alarm.

Su Lingchuan and He Ruyun looked at each other and immediately looked at Xing Xing Huai Feng. Lin Chen's grandfather was an old man, and although that stab had gone in, Lin Ming had cultivated his Qi and blood and wouldn't have died so quickly, so it must have been Xing Xing Huai Feng who secretly dealt the fatal blow.

This was to kill to silence him, not giving them a chance to investigate the mastermind behind the scenes.

"Such a degenerate, he deserves to die."

Xing Xing Huai Feng sensed the prying eyes of Su Lingchuan and He Ruyun and gave a light hum: "Lord He, since you are the County Magistrate, you can handle the following matters. This official will return to the prefecture first."

Xing Xing Huai Feng didn't want to stay here anymore, but what he didn't expect was that when he turned to leave, not a single person followed him, not even the Directors of the Martial Administration Offices from other counties, who remained indifferent.

Zhang Wangshan and the others didn't meet Xing Xing Huai Feng's eyes, but they knew in their hearts that Xing Xing Huai Feng's position as Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo was likely not secure.

If he could have confirmed that Lin Chen was unfilial, it would have been fine, but now, after this trip, it had instead proven Lin Chen's filial piety.

In this matter, the powerful families in Poyang County would surely mobilize all their connections to report to the Martial Administration Hall, plus the old Director... it was feared that this Lord Xing would become the shortest-serving Director in Raozhou Prefecture.

Even if not for the sake of appeasing the major families of Poyang County, even for the sake of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo's face, a Director personally targeting a student and getting slapped in the face for it—the Martial Administration Hall would have to transfer Xing Xing Huai Feng away.

No one moved, and Xing Xing Huai Feng's old face couldn't hold it together. He, a dignified Director, actually had to return to Raozhou Prefecture alone?

It was simply a great humiliation!

"Are you all still planning to linger in Poyang County? This official has just taken office and will be inquiring about the Martial Way education situation in your respective counties later."

Xing Xing Huai Feng looked at Zhang Wangshan and the others. Zhang Wangshan and the others looked at each other. Fine, he was at least still the Director of the Poyang Poyang Wuzhengsuo for now. Even if he might leave office tomorrow, since he was using official business as an excuse, they naturally had to follow.

The massive procession that had arrived now left as only a few light cavalry.

"Lu Hai, you are the Town Mayor of Hehe Town. You can discuss how to handle the following matters with this old Village Chief. We will return to the city first."

He Ruyun scanned the scene. Lin Chaoyang stabbing a degenerate like Lin Ming counted as cleaning up family trash and didn't violate the laws of the Great Liang. If they stayed here, it would only make the villagers of Linhu Village feel constrained. He believed Lu Hai knew how to handle the next steps.

"My lord, rest assured, I will learn more from Village Chief Zhao." Lu Hai also understood in a second. Since the Magistrate let him discuss it with Zhao Canghu, Lin Chaoyang naturally had no crime, and there was only one person left to deal with.

Lu Hai looked at the woman holding Lin Ming's corpse, a fierce look in his eyes.

A powerful genius had emerged from the clan, yet she was a traitor. If this were his own daughter-in-law, he would have had his servants beat her to death with sticks long ago.

This woman could not be left alive!

He Ruyun left with the government office and the heads of the major families. Su Lingchuan looked at Ceng Qingyao, who nodded and led the hall masters toward the lakeside of Linhu Village.

When they arrived just now, they had seen a few figures quietly slipping away.

They hadn't pursued them earlier because they were worried about the situation here. Since there were no more problems here, those people were very likely sent by the mastermind, so they couldn't let them run away.

……

……

"Chaoyang, why did you have to do this? You could have just left it to those lords to deal with."

With all the outsiders gone, Zhao Canghu supported Lin Chaoyang. Lin Chaoyang was now incomparably old: "It was my Lin family that produced a degenerate. I'm sorry to everyone, so naturally, I had to clean up the house myself."

As early as yesterday, when his eldest daughter-in-law told him Lin Ming's plan, he had already completely lost hope in Lin Ming; this child was beyond saving.

Being used by others without even knowing it—he understood Lin Chen. If Lin Chen knew about this, he would surely rush back. Rather than letting Lin Chen bear the stigma of killing his brother, it was better for him, as the grandfather, to play the villain.

Lin Ming had to die. To stall this mother and son, he pretended to be willing to cooperate, but he also took advantage of his eldest daughter-in-law's inattention to pass a note to his little granddaughter who came to see him. If the situation changed, the second and third sons, who saw the note, could also use it to prove Lin Chen's innocence.

This was why, when things got so big today, no one from the second and third families came out.

There was no need for them to see the tragedy of family slaughter.

"Sigh, what about your eldest daughter-in-law?" Zhao Canghu asked in a low voice.

Lin Chaoyang glanced at his eldest daughter-in-law: "For someone who betrayed the family like this, sink her in the lake."

"Alright, Chaoyang, go back and rest. I'll handle the matters here."

Zhao Canghu wasn't surprised. Lin Chaoyang could deal a fatal blow to the grandson he loved most, so he naturally wouldn't show mercy to this eldest daughter-in-law.

Such a poisonous woman really couldn't be left alive!

……

……

The Lin family ancestral home.

Lin Chen's second uncle's family, along with Lin's father and mother, saw their father dragging his exhausted body and hurriedly stepped forward to support him.

They had already heard from the villagers about what happened at the village entrance, and coupled with the note their father had Xi'er pass on yesterday, the two families weren't that shocked.

"Father, eldest sister-in-law and Ming'er brought this upon themselves. Don't blame yourself too much. When eldest brother returns, he will surely understand you."

"Second son, don't mention this anymore. A few days ago, I asked someone in the village to go to the tailor shop in town to make a set of clothes. Calculating the time, it should be done. You go to town and help me get it back."

"New clothes?"

Second uncle Lin He didn't expect his father to mention new clothes at a time like this, but he nodded and agreed.

"All of you go back. Let me be quiet in the old house by myself. Xiao Liang, you help me in."

The old man really couldn't walk anymore. He looked at Lin Liang with anticipation in his eyes. Lin Liang hesitated for a long time, and just as the old man's eyes were becoming disappointed, he finally stepped forward and supported the old man's hand.

"Good, really good."

Feeling the warmth of his grandson's hand, a smile appeared on the old man's face.

……

……

Three hours later.

It was night!

Lin Chaoyang, dressed in new clothes, sat upright in an old armchair in the main hall of the ancestral home. Lin Liang held the old man's left hand, Lin Hui held the old man's right hand, and the little granddaughter Lin Xi nestled between the old man's knees.

The old man had a smile on his face, but there was a trace of regret in the depths of his eyes.

A quarter of an hour later, the sound of weeping came from the Lin family ancestral home.

……

……

At the special training ground, Lin Chen looked up at the firmament. For some reason, he felt restless while practicing martial arts today.

(End of Chapter)