Promise!

Chapter 168, Seeking Execution

Zhuang Jin won the duel with Qiu Yizhi. Qiu Yizhi and Fu Shousong left, and the last hope of Gong Chu, Ou Wenzhong, and Qiu Tongxiang was extinguished. In despair, they were once again pushed to the execution ground.

The onlookers cheered loudly, overjoyed, as if it were Chinese New Year.

Indeed! We just watched a spectacular fight between two powerful martial artists, and now we're going to see three big shots beheaded. It's going to be exciting!

Soon the sun rose higher, and at noon, three executioners spat on their hands and stepped forward, brandishing their broadswords.

—During the previous duel between Zhuang Jin and Qiu Yizhi, the execution ground was severely damaged, with the gallows and guillotine broken. Naturally, only executioners could be used now.

Gong Chu, Ou Wenzhong, and Qiu Tongxiang had already had their meridians sealed. Now, forced to kneel on the ground, their reactions as they faced death differed: Gong Chu was pale with fear; Ou Wenzhong looked towards Zhuang Jin below the stage, his eyes pleading; Qiu Tongxiang was the most wretched, his body limp, his pants soaked with sweat…

Zhuang Jin met Ou Wenzhong's gaze, knowing that the other was reminding her of the matter entrusted to her. She sighed and nodded slightly.

"The time has come for execution!"

The next moment, the executioner raised his blade and brought down three fine heads.

"Good! Good! Well done!"

"Quick! Honey, get some steamed buns to dip in, while they're still hot... don't waste them!"

"Ouch, who stepped on me? My shoes... Don't push!"

……

Amid cheers, onlookers swarmed forward, eagerly dipping their steamed buns in the blood.

There's a saying in this world that if a steamed bun is dipped in the heart's blood of a condemned prisoner, preferably a martial arts prisoner, and a child eats it, he will be safe and sound for life.

Fu Shousong and Qiu Yizhi's three elders who had brought them earlier tried to stop them, but were blocked by the people from the Enforcement Division. They were naturally not afraid of the mere martial artists from the Enforcement Division who were only at the first to sixth level, but they knew that this was the Eighth Young Master Shen Xuchen's idea. Moreover, with Zhuang Jin, the only enshrined person in the room, by Shen Xuchen's side, they could only suppress their anger and seek him out for discussion.

"Death is a serious matter, Eighth Prince, haven't you gone too far?"

"Yeah, we killed someone, can't we even collect the body?"

“I know that the Eighth Prince deeply resents my grandson for attacking Master Pang, but there’s no need for my grandson’s corpse to be desecrated by those commoners!”

……

Shen Xuchen remained unmoved and said calmly, "Didn't you treat Master Pang the same way back then?"

Upon hearing this, the people were speechless.

Zou Qingfeng, who had also come along today, naturally sided with Shen Xuchen and said, "Young Master, this is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people. Just look at the people's reaction, and you'll know how popular this is..."

"Ha! Human hearts? What use are such inconvenient things to me?!"

Shen Xuchen interrupted with a cold laugh, looking at the crowd of people with a mocking expression: "That day, I came to collect Master Pang's remains. Master Pang was here, hanging from the gallows... These same people were below, holding steamed buns, stained with blood... Master Pang was a martial artist, and not just any martial artist. He was looted, even more so than today..."

"That day, when Master Pang died, these people were like this; today, when Gong Chu, Ou Wenzhong, and Qiu Tongxiang were beheaded, these people are like this again; do you believe that in the future, if you or I were on this execution platform, these people would be the same?"

"For this group of heartless, apathetic, and sheep-like creatures, just hold a blade of grass in one hand and a whip in the other, entice them with benefits and control them with force. Talking about human nature is laughable!"

He spoke calmly without any fluctuation in his tone, but anyone could hear the hidden shock and anger within.

When the elders of Gong Chu and the other two saw Shen Xuchen's appearance, they knew that he was avenging his mentor and was not in a rational state. Moreover, they were at a disadvantage and could only leave with grim faces.

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Jin understood why Shen Xuchen had instructed the law enforcement officers to stop these people earlier; it was an eye for an eye.

Then there was silence. He thought back to the past, when Pang Shusheng knew that the winds and waves were high and the waves were turbulent, yet he still took the lead and entered the game... not for himself, nor for the Shen family, but for the people... The light that this man fought for did indeed shine on the people of the east of the city. For at least the next few years, or even the next ten or several decades, the environment in the east of the city will be much better.

But... such a selfless person, who froze to death in the wind and snow, was not appreciated by the people of the eastern city whose lives he sacrificed for righteousness and whose light shone upon him. Instead, they swarmed around his corpse like a group of vultures and leeches.

Why is this so?
Zhuang Jin had the answer in his heart: 'Just as I discussed with Yunniang and my brother-in-law, such as the youngest son of Prisoner Huang, the grandson of Wharf Owner Xu... all sorts of injustices, and the few who have been punished for their evil deeds, also have other inside stories, involving the infighting among the powerful and wealthy... class solidification, the inability of internal self-purification... the Great Qian Dynasty has accumulated too many problems in eight hundred years, and the deep-seated diseases are difficult to cure...'

'But this world is filled with extraordinary powers: the royal family, powerful clans, aristocratic families, wealthy clans, and influential households control and suppress martial arts, oppressing the lower classes… The common people either perish in silence or erupt in silent despair, only to perish as well… This powerlessness, this despair, has long since numbed them; they have lost all trust in the powerful clans, aristocratic families, wealthy clans, influential households, and even the royal family and the government, finding pleasure in seeing them fall!'

He could tell that autumn was coming just by looking at a single leaf, and he had a more comprehensive understanding of the state of the entire Great Qian Dynasty.

"Ugh!"

Looking at the fanatical, morbid crowd scrambling for steamed buns, Zhuang Jin felt as if he were seeing a group of writhing leeches and let out a sigh.

He knew that the tides of history were unstoppable, and he himself was but a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things, with little chance of making any difference.

"Master Pang is my mentor in martial arts, but he is more than just my mentor in martial arts!"

At this moment, Shen Xuchen spoke calmly, like an outsider or bystander, yet his words contained complex emotions that were difficult to express: "Back then, before I had opened my meridians and had not yet shown my exceptional talent... because of the position of family head, the infighting among us young masters was never lacking... When opening my meridians, I had to take medicinal baths every day... I was constantly having my resources replaced... Master Pang noticed this carefully, went to great lengths, and investigated all the way... In the end, he took me to question my fourth brother..."

Zhuang Jin nodded in agreement. So that was the reason. No wonder Shen Xuchen acted this way today: to avenge Pang Shusheng, he had used up the valuable favors of the two chief judges, obtained evidence to condemn the three culprits to death, and then forcefully stepped forward to arrest them; just now, he had ordered the people from the Enforcement Department to stop the elders of those three people, to retaliate in kind...

In his memory, Shen Xuchen was the kind of person who received elite education from a young age, and whose every word and action was based on advantages and disadvantages... But today he was somewhat irrational, and one could even say somewhat naive.

"Master Pang was my martial arts mentor, but he was only my martial arts mentor. Yet he went to such lengths for me... You must understand, at that time, only my eldest brother and fourth brother had shown exceptional talent. My talent was yet to be revealed. Master Pang's actions were tantamount to offending my fourth brother to the death... If my fourth brother were to become the head of the family in the future, Master Pang would probably... I asked Master Pang why, and I still remember how he answered that day..."

As Shen Xuchen spoke, a hint of reminiscence appeared on his face.

……

"Was it worth it, Master Pang?" "There's no question of whether it was worth it or not. You're my disciple!"

"If I weren't Master Pang's disciple, would Master Pang... still act this way?"

"meeting."

Pang Shusheng replied affirmatively, "If one has a righteous heart, every word and deed will be just. I believe this, and when I encounter a situation, I should naturally act in the same way. Otherwise, wouldn't I become a hypocrite?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Xuchen felt as if Pang Shusheng was radiating light. That light made him feel ashamed, because the elite education he had received—selfishness and greed—was contradicted by what Pang Shusheng said, making him feel extremely despicable and ugly...

He hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "But this... will be very difficult..."

"In this world, doing the right thing is always difficult, but no matter how difficult it is, these right things always need to be done by someone... Since someone always has to do them, why can't that person be me?"

"What if I have to die for this?"

"To die for the Way is to die a worthy death... Of course, this is my understanding. Your thoughts don't have to be the same as mine. Your status means you can't possibly be like me. I only hope that no matter what happens in the future, whether you become the head of the family or not, you will always have a righteous thought in your heart..."

……

"Master Zhuang, do you still remember at the end of July when I said, 'If Master Zhuang is willing to step forward, he can continue to stay in the east of the city'? Personally speaking, I would rather Master Zhuang stay, because I know that Master Zhuang is doing this because of his own style of doing things and his hope of protecting himself... If Master Pang goes there, he will surely die..."

Everyone has their own selfish desires. If Zhuang Jin were in Zhuang Jin's shoes, he would probably think the same way. Shen Xuchen only thought about it and did not resort to any underhanded means, so he did not care about it.

“I know this, and Master Pang himself knows it too… but I’m afraid that even if it happened again, Master Pang would still make the same choice… In the end, Master Pang indeed… got what he wanted…”

At this point, Shen Xuchen tilted his head back slightly, closed his eyes, and a few tears welled up in the corners of his eyes: "Even now, every moment I spent with Master Pang is still vivid in my mind... As a young master who aspires to the position of family head, I was educated to abandon personal feelings and be absolutely rational... Compared to back then, I have changed a lot, but because of Master Pang, a breath of righteousness still remains in my heart..."

Zhuang Jin listened silently, knowing that Shen Xuchen wasn't asking for a reply, but simply wanting to express some things that had been bottled up inside him.

“As a candidate for the position of family head, I should not act like this today… I told my father to let me be willful one last time… My father didn’t say anything, only that this matter would be considered in the evaluation for the position of family head, and asked me if I was sure. I still made this choice.”

Shen Xuchen chuckled bitterly at this point: "Haha, I can't be like Master Pang. What I'm doing today is a tribute to Master Pang and to myself!"

“From today onwards, I will prioritize the well-being of my family and refrain from any further willfulness… Once I return, I will go into seclusion to hone my martial arts skills… In all other matters, I will learn from my father and strive with all my might to become the head of the family.”

As he spoke, he composed himself, his expression becoming calm and indifferent, as if his previous outward displays of emotion were all an act. He instructed Zou Qingfeng, "Tell Gong Wushi and the others that they can go collect the bodies now."

After saying this, Shen Xuchen took a deep breath, turned around, and strode away.

Zhuang Jin glanced at Shen Xuchen's retreating figure, then looked behind her: 'From these common people, to Pang Shusheng, and then to Shen Xuchen, there's no real right or wrong. Everyone has their own stance, their own desires, and their own convictions. It's this that brings together the myriad and diverse people of this world.'

'I can't stoop to the level of those corrupt officials in the east of the city, nor can I act like Pang Shusheng, who bravely served the people. I can't be as ruthless as Gao Shi, yet I can't be as callous as these common folk… I'm both aloof and worldly, both self-serving and principled, yet I have my own bottom line. It seems contradictory and awkward. To others, why bother maintaining this false sense of integrity?'

'But why should I, Zhuang Jin, explain my actions to others? I have my own desires and convictions; whether others side with me or not, I am simply following my own path.'

With this thought in mind, Zhuang Jin turned back for one last look before striding away.

……

News of the arrest of the three ringleaders, Gong Chu, Ou Wenzhong, and Qiu Tongxiang, the duel between Zhuang Jin and Qiu Yizhi, and the execution of the three men quickly spread throughout the Shen family, causing a great uproar.

The forces in the eastern part of the city, below Fu Shousong and Qiu Yizhi, were unaware that this contest was more of a show. Their morale was low, and their will to resist had greatly diminished... This goes without saying.

Through this competition, Zhuang Jin also proved himself, rose in the rankings, and will be able to receive a larger share of the city's eastern properties after they are brought under public control.

Zhuang Jin had anticipated these events, but what he hadn't expected was that a few days later, 30,000 battle merits appeared in the account. The General Affairs Department explained that this was a reward for assisting in the capture of Gong Chu and the other two ringleaders.

Zhuang Jin was not happy to receive another battle merit, but worried instead. This battle merit might be a compensation for the unexpected competition, but he knew his own situation. He really did nothing this time, it was just an exhibition match.

Or rather, if the whole story only involved that one pound of Cloud Hidden Tea, or just those 30,000 battle merits, it would have been just right. But the two combined far exceeded what he had done and what he deserved.

'From this perspective, this incident has not only failed to repay any of the favor owed to the Eighth Young Master, but has actually created an even greater debt... Under these circumstances, if the Patriarch Shen Xianhong or the Eighth Young Master were to seek my help again, could I possibly refuse?'

'If next time, the same small favor is rewarded so generously, wouldn't the debt of gratitude grow ever larger? I fear that one day I might have to pay for it with my life!'

But Yunyin Tea had already been accepted, and the battle merits were distributed through normal channels, so there was no way to refuse. This also shows how shrewd Shen Xianhong was.

Zhuang Jin thought more deeply: 'With so many offerings this time, is it really impossible for me to be the only one? Of course not.'

But why did Shen Xianhong choose him?
The answer is simple: on the one hand, it can deepen his relationship and affection with the Eighth Prince; on the other hand, it can tear apart his relationship with those people in the east of the city, or at least create a rift between them, so that he can only be a loyal and confidant in the future.

Can Zhuang Jin talk about these things? No! On the surface, he still has to admire how genuine the other person is.

After all, he really made a fortune this time: a pound of Yunyin tea; 30,000 battle merits; favors from Fu Shousong and Qiu Yizhi; and a risk-free performance to prove himself and elevate his status in the Shen family...

"When the patriarch Shen Xianhong included me, it was probably just a side effect. This time, the real target was the forces in the east of the city: forcing Fu Shousong and Qiu Yizhi to back down and admit defeat; making an example of them to intimidate the remaining forces in the east; balancing the resentment of the upper-middle-level martial artists from the east who were exiled to the south... It was a perfect example of 'killing two birds with one stone,' and it's happened countless times!"

Zhuang Jin could only sigh, "With such cunning and strategy, how else could he be the head of the family?"

'I might not be able to outsmart these people. The best approach is to avoid them and focus on leveraging my strengths!'

'I don't have any bottlenecks, and my improvement is extremely rapid. I should still focus on cultivation and work harder... In the end, strength is paramount for martial artists. If I had reached the Innate Realm, I would be fearless in any situation in this city.'

Thinking of all this, Zhuang Jin calmed down and devoted himself to cultivation again. Another month passed in the blink of an eye. By the end of February, he had finally completed the accumulation of the first stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, the Pulse Meridian Realm.

……

(End of this chapter)