The world is like a prison, my body is holy

Chapter 212 Don’t care about your deeds

The carriage slowly made its way towards the Qinghe Gang.

Wang Wen, dressed in thick linen clothes, sat upright in the carriage with his eyes closed, still savoring the aftereffects of the punch he had just received.

That simple punch, in his martial arts cultivation, was both the finishing touch that brought the dragon to life and the divine move that turned a dead end into a winning game!
This is a straightforward statement, without any exaggerated rhetoric.

As he savored the afterglow of that punch, it was as if a guiding light had appeared in his heart, illuminating the foggy path ahead in martial arts.

Countless precious inspirations, like shooting stars floating in a sea of ​​stars, constantly collided and sparked brilliant fireworks, rearranging and combining into entirely new martial arts techniques.

The martial arts cultivation that used to rely solely on the Mountain God's Token to increase strength has suddenly come alive, becoming agile and full of vitality.

He even felt that adding points to the Mountain God's Token was no longer the best way for him to improve his martial arts.

Because the Mountain God's Decree can only rigidly deduce and elevate a martial art to the next level by following the "sequence of events".

It's like a reliable but unsurprising mechanism, such as one plus one equals two, and two plus two equals four.

While he cannot guarantee that every improvement will achieve the best increase through his wildly imaginative inspiration, he hopes that every improvement will have a transformative effect.

It's like the first stage is still laying the foundation, while the second stage soars straight into the sky...

This inexplicable self-confidence even made him wary: 'Wang Laohu, Wang Laohu, are you getting too cocky? How dare you question the Mountain God's decree?'

What is the Mountain God's Decree?
That's the administrative system of the gods!

And right now, the Earthly Administration System is backed by the Heavenly Lord himself!
Is the mighty power of Heaven less than that of you, Tiger Wang, a half-baked amateur?

However, after careful consideration, he ultimately stuck to his judgment, firmly believing that there is no strongest martial art, only the most suitable one for oneself.

The best example is none other than "Lightning Thunder Fist".

This martial arts and magic cultivation technique, which has been passed down in Maoshan for hundreds of years and has been revised and perfected by countless masters of the Maoshan School, is profound and can be considered the pinnacle of his martial arts skills.

However, after this esoteric martial art fell into his hands, its only use was as a generator and battery to enhance the energy in his body; he was completely unable to unleash the powerful force of this esoteric martial art.

The reason for this is that he became a monk halfway through his career and lacked the foundation of years of practicing thunder magic.

So much so that although he knew that thunder magic was unparalleled in its ferocity, he could also understand that thunder magic contained two supreme powers: destruction and rebirth.

But they couldn't empathize at all!
How to describe that feeling?

It's like you've read countless psychology books, can readily recall various theories and case studies, but still can't figure out what your girlfriend is thinking...

Compared to the profound and sophisticated "Lightning Thunder Fist," the essence of the "Inch Power Opens the Heavenly Spirit" move is as simple and straightforward as a child's play.

However, the power he unleashed surpassed all his skills, making it arguably the strongest move under the "Heavenly Lord Manifests His Power" technique!

Wang Wen strengthened his resolve and immediately felt that the power of that move had become even stronger...

Just then, he suddenly felt a very faint yet gentle and expansive aura coming from ahead.

Curious, he lifted the carriage curtain and saw a kind-looking young man with a comical bowl cut and wearing patched, grayish-brown linen clothes. He was carrying a bundle of firewood and grinning broadly, helping a thin, white-haired old man dressed as a woodcutter as they walked towards him in low voices.

Sensing Wang Wen's gaze, the kind-looking young man turned his head and looked over. He glanced at the unremarkable old elmwood carriage with some surprise, then smiled with relief and nodded at Wang Wen with a wide smile.

Wang Wen made no response, but simply lowered the car curtain with a blank expression.
The kind-hearted young man, unfazed by the sight, turned his gaze away, helped the white-haired old man beside him, and passed by the carriage carrying Wang Wen.

Wang Wen's divine sense watched the old man and the young man gradually disappear into the distance, and he frowned almost imperceptibly.

This kind-hearted young man was the same handsome monk who had rashly gone to the general's mansion at the beginning of the year to discuss philosophy with him, and who had his legs broken and thrown out of Yangzhou City by the general's men.

When the General's mansion's training exercise around Huainan Road ended and they returned to Yangzhou, he had caught a glimpse of this monk.

Unexpectedly, this monk was still in Yangzhou, and had become so familiar and close to the local people.

He vaguely remembered that when the monk first arrived in Yangzhou, he was met with cold stares from the people of Yangzhou. When he was ordered to have his legs broken and be thrown out of the city, he crawled back into the city on his two hands, but not a single person in Yangzhou paid any attention to him.

At that time, the massacre of the ten prefectures in Jiangnan was still a hot topic. Although the people of Yangzhou, who had almost suffered the same fate as the ten prefectures in Jiangnan, did not say it, they all knew in their hearts that there was a Buddhist shadow behind that incident...

Wang Wen pondered for a moment, then gently tapped the side panel of the carriage with his finger.

Kim Gu's voice rang out from outside the car window: "Big Brother."

Wang Wen said softly, "Did you see that old man and young man who just passed by?"

Kim Gu: "Brother, are you talking about that young man who was chopping wood just now?"

Wang Wen: "Hmm, send someone to investigate that young man, find out how he makes a living in Yangzhou, who he usually associates with, what he says and does on a daily basis... be thorough."

Kim Gu: "Yes, I understand."

……

During holidays, time always seems both short and long.

On New Year's Eve, after a lively and lavish New Year's gathering at the General's Mansion, Wang Wen, with a stroke of his pen, granted everyone in the General's Mansion a ten-day holiday. The Demon-Suppressing Guards, who had been running around all year, were able to go home and be dutiful sons and grandsons for ten days, with bulging pockets.

Wang Wen also changed out of his fancy clothes and armor, put back on his old bulky linen clothes that were neither blue nor black, and moved back to his small courtyard in the Qinghe Gang. He accompanied Huang Xingde to worship his ancestors and sweep the tombs, and to welcome and send off guests, just like when he was still a Red Pole in the Qinghe Gang.

All the officials, merchants, gentry, and influential figures who came to Qinghe to pay New Year's visits, upon seeing Wang Wen following Huang Xingde like a bodyguard, were filled with envy and praised Huang Xingde for his foresight and good fortune in raising such a filial adopted son as General Wang. Huang Xingde was so happy that he smiled like a Maitreya Buddha throughout the New Year, handing out red envelopes to everyone he met. Even when Wang Wen slept until noon every day, Huang Xingde simply praised the young man for sleeping so much...

Wang Wen really wanted to say to the onlookers who only saw the thief eating meat but not the thief getting beaten: "If you were willing to spend four or five hundred thousand taels of silver, you could have as many filial adopted sons as you wanted." But he felt it was unnecessary to say this to these people, because they wouldn't understand or be able to do it.

Because he himself doesn't quite understand it, it's very difficult for him to do it...

Although he didn't understand, he still followed Huang Xingde's example and brought Chen Feng's son, Chen Huan, to the Qinghe Gang, where he played with him for two days.

In just two days, he was reminded once again of the fear of being dominated by unruly children.

Putting myself in their shoes, Wang Erhu, that unreliable fellow, still managed to grow up well; it truly is the result of fatherly love.

……

On the fifth day, Wang Wen took off his coarse cloth clothes and returned to the general's mansion to sit in court.

After hiding for several days, Jin Jiu rushed to the main hall upon hearing the news and reported the results of his investigation into the young monk to Wang Wen.

"You mean, that young monk made a living by begging and doing odd jobs for the neighbors all year?"

Wang Wen recalled that when he first met the young monk at the beginning of last year, he was dressed in a white robe that was as white as snow, and his handsome features were more striking than those of a pale-faced young man. He thought of something, but instinctively had doubts: "Where does he live? Does he usually have contact with people in the Buddhist community? And has he ever preached their Buddhist teachings to the people?"

Without hesitation, Jin Jiu replied, "General, that young monk lived in a dilapidated temple outside the east city. I heard that he was chased out by bandits several times and had to sleep on the streets."

"According to what I've gathered over the past few days, during his time in Yangzhou, he hasn't actively contacted any Buddhists. It seems he's deliberately avoiding them. However, on several occasions when monks came to Yangzhou looking for him, he would somehow find a bowl of meat and chase after them. I've even heard that he was once beaten up in the street by a group of fierce-looking monks."

"As for whether he preached Buddhism to the neighbors during this year... according to the information I have gathered, no."

He had done his homework thoroughly, and when he described these situations, he was clear and organized, without any pauses or hesitations.

Clearly, he had spent a great deal of time these days investigating the young monk's life in Yangzhou over the past year.

Given the prestige and connections of the Demon-Slaying General's Mansion and the Qinghe Gang in Yangzhou, it wouldn't be difficult to investigate someone.

The difficulty lies in leaving out every single detail.

Wang Wen pieced together the image of the young monk in his mind, and after thinking for a long time, asked, "Tell me your opinion of that monk."

Jin Jiu hesitated for a moment, then crossed his hands and said, "Before the general, I dare not say more."

Wang Wen: "There are no outsiders here, why are you being so polite with me? Just answer my questions!"

Jin Jiu thought for a moment, then cautiously whispered, "General, as the old saying goes, a wart will eventually sprout on its own. If that monk truly harbors evil intentions, he will eventually be exposed."

"so……"

Wang Wen seemed thoughtful: "You also tend to think that monk is a good monk?"

Jin Jiu glanced at his face, then quickly lowered his head and said, "I dare not make a judgment, after all, you can know a person's face but not their heart... However, based on the information I have gathered these past few days, that monk is indeed not a bad person."

Wang Wen pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "What you said makes sense. A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. And no one is perfect in the end. If it's a wart, it will eventually sprout on its own... Keep an eye on that monk for me and see what kind of rat poison he's up to!"

Kim Gu crossed his hands: "Yes, sir!"

Wang Wen picked up the official documents on the table, waved his hand, and said, "Go and get busy."

Kim Gu bowed and left the hall.

……

At that moment, inside the main hall of the Qinghe Gang.

A bright red charcoal brazier in the center of the lobby warmed the entire spacious hall.

Huang Xingde, dressed in a blue scholar's robe, sat upright and composed in the main hall, bowing to everyone and saying, "Today is the fifth day of the month, and the market will reopen the day after tomorrow. Before the New Year, I would like to invite all the managers to come. Does anyone have a plan?"

On both sides of the hall sat middle-aged and elderly people, some thin and plain, others wealthy and imposing. Upon hearing his words, each of them wore an unspeakable expression and exchanged glances.

Huang Xingde waited patiently for a moment before speaking again, smiling kindly and saying gently, "Do you all have any difficulties? Feel free to speak up, and we can work together to solve them."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on an elderly man with white hair sitting in the center on the left. The old man had a thin face, wore a scholar's cap, and dressed in a faded gray long robe. He looked unremarkable, but in fact he was the head manager of "Dongyu Grain Shop," the largest grain shop in Yangzhou. More than half of the grain circulating in the YZ market had to pass through his hands. The big boss behind him had a grain business all over the country, and even had a share in the annual canal transport.

It's difficult for outsiders to even figure out the extent of Huang Xingde's influence, let alone get him to personally intervene.

The white-haired old man noticed Huang Xingde's gaze and knew that he couldn't avoid this hurdle. He sighed and bowed, saying, "Your father and son are so kind and righteous, and you have planned ahead. We are both from Yangzhou and share the same river. I should never have offended you, but... alas, I really have something I can't say!"

Huang Xingde looked worried and bowed with a wry smile, saying, "Manager Wu, we have known each other for many years. If you are in trouble, we should not make things difficult for you. However, my son has repeatedly begged me, as your father, to discuss this matter with you all and do my best to resolve all your concerns... Alas, I shouldn't have brought this up to avoid misunderstandings. But I really can't and shouldn't refuse this matter. I can only ask Manager Wu for your understanding."

Upon hearing this, the white-haired old man could only sigh repeatedly, while turning his gaze to a kind-hearted, plump, wealthy man dressed in a mink coat.

The wealthy man understood, and immediately sighed heavily, continuing the conversation: "How could we not understand the good intentions of you and your son? It's just that we're only running a small business to earn a few hard-earned coins. We have so many employees and tenants to support. We can manage to tighten our belts and live on salted vegetables and thin porridge, but we can't let our employees and tenants starve along with us!"

"Yes, Chief Huang, we've known each other for so many years, when have we ever offended you? It's just that this matter... sigh!"

"Who isn't? In the end, we're nothing more than accountants, how could we possibly make decisions on such important matters?"

"Sigh, when I went to settle accounts with my boss before the New Year, I mentioned this matter and got slapped several times on the spot. Chief Huang, please look, my face is still swollen!"

"In this world, whose family isn't struggling? But no matter how tough it gets, we can't let down Chief Huang and General Wang's loyalty. On behalf of my boss, I'd like to make a statement: no matter how hard it gets, even if we have to sell everything we own, we'll keep 20% of our share in Yangzhou this year!"

(End of this chapter)