Ink panel: Hunting the sun and surveying the sky from the bow.

Chapter 156: Having ulterior motives and establishing authority!
"Be careful, be careful, this is the master's favorite vase."

"The box is too heavy, come and help me."

"Hey, go get a horse."

At the gate of the Zhou family compound, servants were busy coming and going. Some of them were carrying heavy luggage on their shoulders or in their hands, while others were carefully moving exquisite porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, which were constantly being moved in the convoy in front of the gate of the Zhou family compound.

……

Among the many carriages, one made of sandalwood and inlaid with silver threads is particularly eye-catching.

Zhou Xintong sat in the middle, wearing an exquisite brocade robe, and his eyes occasionally looked through the half-open curtain.

"Is everything arranged?"

The old servant standing guard outside the carriage said with a smile, "Master Fifth, everything is ready now."

"Then let's not waste any more time and go." Zhou Xintong said as he pulled the car curtain.

The old servant stepped forward and shouted, "The Fifth Young Master has given orders, set off!"

At his command, the Zhou family, which had been well prepared, seemed to be driven by an invisible force and marched towards the city gate in a mighty manner.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, making a dull and rhythmic sound.

Zhou Dingwen looked at the compound he had worked hard to build, feeling mixed emotions.

"Father, are we really going to leave Taiping County?" Zhou Jishan, who was sitting next to Zhou Dingwen, said unwillingly.

"Do you think I want to?" Zhou Dingwen heard this and gently patted the back of his son's hand. "You don't know how powerful my Zhou family is in Yongzhou. Your uncle, your uncle, or anyone else can kill our entire Zhou family with a single slap. We dare not disobey the orders of the master family."

"What's more, the Huangtian Cult is about to attack the city. If we stay here, we will lose everything. It is better to go to Yongzhou and save our lives. We can come back after the situation here is pacified."

There was still great dissatisfaction on Zhou Jishan's face, and his eyes drifted towards the frame in front of him, appearing a little resentful.

If he hadn't interfered, he would have taken over the Zhou family in Taiping County in a few years and called the shots in the inner city.

But now that this has happened, all of this has become an illusion.

The family's assets were sold off and the slaves were dismissed. After this incident, the value of the family's assets was reduced by more than one third.

Zhou Jishan was not a fool. He knew clearly that if their family went to Yongzhou, they would be leaving their hometown and living under someone else's roof, and their future life would be difficult.

As the convoy went further and further away, the Zhou family compound gradually disappeared from Zhou Dingwen's sight.

Taiping County is backed by mountains and faces the Wei River.

The Wei River flows around the outside of Taiping County like a jade belt.

The morning sun poured down on the not-so-wide river like molten gold, making the surface of the river sparkle.

At this time, a huge ship was docked at a slightly old ferry on the bank of the Fanhe River.

It has a wide deck with flying eaves and pointed corners, like a palace on the water, in sharp contrast to the simple fishing boats around it.

On the deck of the ship, Zhou Hao, the steward of the Zhou family, who was looking into the distance, suddenly became serious and ordered the servants around him: "Hurry up and get ready, the fifth young master is here."

At his command, the servants in uniform brocade clothes quickly jumped off the ship and lined up neatly at the ferry, all with solemn expressions.

Steward Zhou Hao also got off the boat and stood respectfully in front of the servants.

The Zhou family's departing convoy was getting closer and closer, and in a short while it was already under the building ship.

Zhou Hao walked quickly to the front of the unique carriage, bowed and said, "Master, everything is ready."

"Thank you, Manager Zhou, for assisting Master Jiu and his family. They are going back to the county town with their whole family, so there will definitely be a lot of hustle and bustle."

"Yes, Fifth Young Master, I will definitely help you."

The carriage started moving again, and was pulled directly into the ship under the escort and arrangement of the servants.

"The rest of you, help Master Zhou Jiu move the luggage onto the boat." Under Zhou Hao's order, the ferry, which was usually deserted, became particularly lively today.

On the boat, Zhou Xintong walked into the private room on the third floor with ease.

This elegant room is only ten square meters in size, but it is fully equipped with fruits, cakes, books and classics, stone locks, bows and arrows, sharp swords and precious weapons.

Zhou Xintong sat behind the long table, lit a fire, and said to the old servant, "Uncle Tai, thank you for running a trip. Please ask Zhou Jishan and Uncle Zhou Congwu to come over."

The old servant didn't ask anything, he just jumped down from the deck, found Zhou Jishan and his brother, and said, "My fifth young master, please come up."

Zhou Congwu's eyelids twitched, and he immediately had a bad feeling, and said, "I wonder what the Fifth Young Master wants to talk to us about?"

The old servant smiled and said, "How can a servant like me know about the master's affairs?"

"Thank you." Zhou Jishan grabbed his brother's wrist, took a step forward and said, "Let's go."

After Zhou Tai's servant left, Zhou Jishan said to his brother Zhou Congwu, "I don't know what the Fifth Young Master wants to talk to us about. We should stay calm and don't talk nonsense."

"it is good."

The two of them went upstairs together and walked into the private room, where they saw Zhou Xintong drinking tea.

Zhou Jishan stepped forward and asked, "Fifth Young Master, are you looking for us?"

Zhou Xintong put down the teacup in his hand and said to Zhou Jishan, "Uncle, three days have passed. Have you found out what you promised me?"

Zhou Jishan's face changed and he explained, "It's been a long time since the incident with the twelfth sister. We have already investigated it clearly at that time. It was all caused by the family members secretly obstructing us."

Zhou Xintong, the head of the main house, looked directly at Zhou Jishan and said, "Didn't you follow up on the clues I gave you?"

"I……"

Zhou Xintong sneered, "It seems my words don't work well with you, Uncle Tai."

Before he finished speaking, the old servant standing behind Zhou Congwu moved at an astonishingly fast speed.

He stretched out his five fingers and suddenly slapped Zhou Congwu on the back of the head like an iron clamp.

boom.

There was a crisp sound.

Zhou Congwu's eyes widened instantly, filled with confusion and astonishment, but this emotion was fleeting, replaced by emptiness and confusion.

His body seemed to have been drained of all its strength. He fell forward limply, his eyes became unfocused, and he gradually lost his breath.

He died in front of Zhou Jishan.

Zhou Xintong picked up the teacup again, his eyes not staying on Zhou Jishan for even a second, as if he was just savoring the aroma of the tea in the cup: "Now, does your cousin remember what you found out?"

The sudden change made Zhou Jishan’s face turn pale and his lips trembled slightly.

His five fingers were clenched tightly, with distinct joints, as if he was trying hard to control his emotions.

Zhou Jishan realized that the man in front of him did not regard him as a fellow clan member at all, but rather regarded their family as a servant and subordinate, and wanted to swallow up their family's foundation.

He didn't say it earlier or later, but just attacked after they got on the boat. It was clearly deliberate, trying to establish his authority by using his brother's life!

Investigating the murderer is just an excuse!

Zhou Jishan had already inquired about it a long time ago. He knew that the fifth young master of the eldest branch had already reached the Jade Meridian Realm at a young age and could absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It seemed that he had already entered the Dao through martial arts.

He is no match at all.

A trace of despair flashed in Zhou Jishan's eyes.

(End of this chapter)