Promise!

Chapter 212, Mountain Destruction

That night, Zhuang Jin returned after two or three days' absence, and naturally spent his first night with Chen Yun.

Chen Yun's room was extremely simple, with nothing of value except for some basic decorations. However, it contained many things that Zhuang Jin was familiar with: the painting of the Old Man Under the Moon, the small portrait of her carrying flowers back from her stroll in Vinegar Lord Lane in the north of the city, the potted plant that she had pruned to this day... all these things recorded bits and pieces of the past.

The moonlight shone brightly through the window, illuminating the floor in front of the bed. Beside her, Chen Yun, having just finished bathing, was dressed in a plain white dress, her hair still damp. Zhuang Jin fanned her to dry her hair as the couple chatted.

"I saw that Sister Qing was quite moved this afternoon. But, if Sister Qing used those two Vermilion Fruits, will it really not hinder your husband's cultivation?"

"Such resources are certainly better if we have them, but it's not a big deal if we don't. However, some material things are not as precious as the bond between family members."

"My husband is right!"

Chen Yun paused for a moment, then said, "Sister Jun came back today, but she didn't mention anything about the north of the city, which shows her feelings."

It's obvious that Shen Xujun faced considerable pressure from the Shen family after returning home, yet she didn't say a word about asking Zhuang Jin for help. This was a clear indication that she was on Zhuang Jin's side.

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly as she listened.

Shen Xujun does this very well. She is not like those who are overly devoted to their brothers or those who undermine their own families to support their own. She knows that her foundation lies in her husband's family, and it is this family that gives her a sense of belonging... This kind of relationship is built on genuine feelings and is developed little by little through getting to know each other.

This is largely due to the environment of the Zhuang family. Zhuang Jin is easygoing, and Chen Yun also took the lead, not caring about anything, which eventually led to this result.

"The harmony in the family owes a great deal to Yunniang. It is truly unfair that Yunniang has to take care of all this, as it has even slowed down her cultivation progress."

Putting aside other things, after Zhuang Jin married two concubines, the family's cultivation resources were somewhat dispersed.

"No, my husband and I are one, we both work for the family, and to a greater or lesser extent, it's all within our own home."

Chen Yun shook her head slightly. Compared to external things, she actually cared more about her relationship with Zhuang Jin and the deep connection between them.

Zhuang Jin held Chen Yun's hand, understanding her feelings. Even now, he had developed feelings for Mu Qing, Shen Xujun, and even Yu Qingjun, but feelings also varied in depth and importance. Chen Yun had accompanied him from humble beginnings, and without a doubt, she was number one, holding the most weight in his heart.

Boom boom boom!
"Husband, Sister Yun, are you asleep?" Mu Qing's voice came from outside.

……

Mu Qing came to see him, saying she had some things to say about her family. Zhuang Jin and Mu Qing went out.

"My lord, the Mu and Shen families are not simple; they have profound foundations. Do not underestimate them. If you have any ideas, be cautious and prudent."

Mu Qing used his own family as an example: "The Mu family, for instance, branched off from a prominent family two or three hundred years ago. Although the ties are now distant, it is still far superior to those of outsiders, and we also have some connections in the imperial court..."

Otherwise, how could the state turn a blind eye to Mu Yuantu's undermining of the government and conversion of public funds into private ones? Did they really think the imperial court was deaf and blind?

“I want to say that if my husband fights with both families, there may not be any consequences, but if we want to wipe them out like the Medicine King Gang, that’s a different story. We need to make thorough preparations.”

Zhuang Jin had already guessed a thing or two, and nodded slightly upon hearing this, but stopped halfway through: "Wait, Qing'er, how did we end up talking about annihilating two families?"

“If my husband is determined to dominate the prefecture of southern Yunnan, we can lay the foundation for this and proceed slowly. This matter is likely to succeed.”

Mu Qing looked at Zhuang Jin and said that with Zhuang Jin's current strength, as well as her understanding and planning of the two families, this matter was 'very likely to succeed'. Given her conservative nature, it was actually almost certain to succeed.

Zhuang Jin looked at Mu Qing, and thought to himself, "Good heavens, I really moved him this afternoon. He's even helping me plan to dominate Yunnan." But then his expression turned strange: "What about my father-in-law?"

"The world is vast, and Yunnan is not the only place. As the situation evolves, our defenses will be gradually broken down. Father will gradually recognize the situation, accept reality, and leave on his own initiative to go to another place... The resources invested by the Mu family will remain as another dowry."

Zhuang Jin: ...

I wonder how Mu Yuantu would feel if he heard Mu Qing's words? This little cotton-padded jacket isn't even made of black cotton; it's practically leaky and full of holes.

“I have no intention of doing this. Yunnan is just a stop along the way. When the resources here become unavailable for me, I will leave.”

Zhuang Jinxin has a bottom line. He learned martial arts from the Shen family and gained the opportunity to come into contact with the extraordinary. The Shen family has been kind to him, and he is unwilling to do anything that would harm their foundation.

Moreover, in the long run, to go to the state and pursue a higher level of martial arts, one needs a positive image and cannot be labeled as 'ungrateful and two-faced'.

“If my husband is determined to pursue martial arts, then this is the right thing to do. Seeking to dominate a prefecture or a region is different from going to the whole state to pursue a higher level of martial arts. Doing this now will indeed be detrimental to the future and will make the road ahead difficult.”

As Mu Qing spoke, a touch of sadness welled up in her heart.

If one were to go to the state for pleasure, with the innate superiority, one could enjoy all kinds of glory. However, if one wanted to continue to advance in the martial arts, the Great Qian Dynasty had already formed a strict system over the past eight hundred years, which almost completely blocked the path to advancement. It was not that simple.

With her knowledge, doing so would require sacrificing a lot, painstaking effort, proceeding cautiously step by step, as if walking on thin ice... Even so, there might not be a single chance to break through the blockade of the aristocratic families.

However, that's for the future. In the present, Mu Qing has determined Zhuang Jin's demands, but he needs the Mu and Shen families to maintain a balance, provide a stable environment, and continuously supply cultivation resources.

“Then things will be much simpler. Tomorrow, my husband only needs to do this and that, which will balance the two families, maintain his past detachment, and gain a great deal of influence.”

"Qing'er's plan is brilliant."

Zhuang Jin's general ideas were in line with Mu Qing's, but in terms of handling specific details, Mu Qing's methods were more ingenious. It can only be said that Mu Qing was indeed intelligent and had a perfect grasp of people's hearts.

……

The following day, Zhuang Jin met with Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu, and the three discussed matters concerning the north of the city.

Looking at him, Zhuang Jin could see no signs of injury from his appearance; he was probably suppressing it with a secret technique.

The moment they met, Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu started arguing.

"While Zhuang Sheng and I were out, Prefect Mu secretly occupied half of the northern part of the city, breaking the agreed-upon division of power. Isn't that wrong?"

"Pah, you're all talk and no action. Don't you know why I did this? Do you really want me to tell you?"

"Prefect Mu might as well speak up and let Zhuang Sheng judge the matter."

"I……"

Mu Yuantu blushed, but after glancing at Zhuang Jin, he ultimately didn't say anything.

Shen Xianhong gave Zhuang Jin innate movement techniques, breaking their tacit agreement. Between the two of them, he was in a morally right position, but speaking out against Shen Xianhong's actions would be targeting Zhuang Jin and pushing her towards Shen Xianhong, which would be detrimental to their efforts to gain benefits today. "I won't say anything; you know the answer yourself."

Mu Yuantu acted like a local ruffian and a petty thug, putting on a "dead pig doesn't fear boiling water" attitude. He thought, "Since I've taken over half of the north of the city, I'll be shameless and do whatever I want. What are you going to do about it?"

"Prefect Mu really won't return it?"

"not return."

"How about this, we don't interfere and let our subordinates fight it out among themselves?"

"This... won't do."

Mu Yuantu came here to gain an advantage and acquire additional resources, not to wear down the Shen family. If he really wanted to wear down the Shen family, it would inevitably hinder his own development. He might as well just withdraw from the half of the northern part of the city he occupied!
Backed into a corner, he could only say, "Let's skip the beating around the bush. Here's what we'll do: we'll fight. If you win, Patriarch Shen, half of the northern part of the city will be returned to your family, and I won't say anything more about that. If I win, half of the northern part of the city will be returned to you as well, but your family must give up the right to offer the two counties below to my family... Is that feasible? Give me a straight answer!"

This time, Shen Xianhong was in a difficult position. He couldn't refuse the challenge, otherwise he would appear guilty.

"We can't let the two fight. Otherwise, if Shen Xianhong reveals a weakness or exposes his injury during the fight, it will inevitably disrupt the balance between the two families and cause more trouble in the future."

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, knowing it was his turn to step in: "Patriarch, Prefect Mu, you are both my fathers-in-law. If you were to have a duel here, outsiders would think I have no manners. So, what do you two think of this artificial hill?"

Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu both looked at it and saw that it was a rockery about four or five zhang high, made of blue-and-white stone, which was hard in texture.

"The rocks are piled up, rugged and scattered, and are the work of a famous artist. Indeed."

"I don't know anything about this stuff, son-in-law, just say what you want to say!"

"What would you two think if I said I could shatter a mountain with a single palm strike?"

"impossible!"

Mu Yuantu said decisively, "With such quality and scale, let alone the first level of the Innate True Qi Realm, even the second level of the Innate True Qi Realm—Qi Movement Thunder Sound—would not be able to shatter the mountain with a single palm strike. The third level of the Innate True Qi Realm—Qi Refining Rainbow—might be able to cut it in two with a single stroke, but to say that this mountain would be blown to pieces would be difficult."

"Zhuang Sheng is joking." Shen Xianhong knew Zhuang Jin's true level of cultivation, but he still felt it was almost impossible.

"In that case, I will only strike with one palm. If it shatters this mountain, then it is the will of Heaven. The two of you should stop fighting and proceed with the division as before. The Mu family will retreat half of the northern part of the city, and the patriarch will send a gift to the Mu family as an apology for that reason... If that doesn't work, the two of you can continue your duel, how about that?"

Because the root of this matter lies in Shen Xianhong's transaction of "Xiaoyao Yufeng," which is also related to Zhuang Jin, he is now subtly biased towards the Shen family and stands on Shen Xianhong's side.

“Okay.” Shen Xianhong said, glancing at Mu Yuantu.

Seeing this, Mu Yuantu couldn't possibly refuse. Otherwise, not to mention the consequences, he would lose face first. Being a decisive person, he readily agreed: "Alright, then I'll give you face, son-in-law, and see if you can crush a mountain with one palm."

"Okay, it's settled then."

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly, stood still, assumed a stance, stretched out his arms and raised his feet, and with his hands embracing, a Tai Chi Yin-Yang fish pattern about ten feet long was formed, which spun and flew out with a turn and a push.

"The second level of the Innate True Qi Realm—Qi-driven Thunderous Sound?!" Mu Yuantu exclaimed in shock when he saw Zhuang Jin's true qi leaving his body.

Shen Xianhong already knew this, so he wasn't surprised. He just looked at the artificial hill.

Swish!
The yin-yang symbol flashed and disappeared into the rockery. After a moment of stillness, white light burst forth from the middle of the rockery, followed by an explosion, and the entire rockery shattered with a deafening roar.

—It turns out that Zhuang Jin had already observed that this palm strike hit the center of the artificial hill, a key point, and shattered there, just like the first domino falling, instantly triggering a chain reaction.

"Good son-in-law, you have truly given me a wonderful surprise." Mu Yuantu said, feeling extremely wary of Zhuang Jin's current level of cultivation.

"I see." Shen Xianhong looked thoughtful, and roughly understood how Zhuang Jin had done it.

Now that Zhuang Jin has taken the initiative to demonstrate his character, being open, honest, and upright, he feels at ease.

"In my past life, there was the story of shooting an arrow through a halberd at the gate to stop a war; in this life, I shatter a mountain with a single palm strike to halt the fighting. It's quite a tale indeed."

Seeing that the two had agreed, Zhuang Jin knew that the matter was now resolved.

"Haha, now that I think about it, I was also at fault in what happened in the north of the city. There's no need for apologies. How about this, Patriarch Shen, let's go for a drink and let's consider this matter settled?"

"So good."

The two, who had previously been at odds, now seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, clearly preparing to discuss how to deal with Zhuang Jin.

"No rush. My family and I are leaving the city tomorrow to continue our travels. Why don't we have a meal together tonight?"

"My dear son-in-law is leaving again, heading to the county town below? This is truly..."

Mu Yuantu's face twitched, and he forced out a trace of reluctance: "The prefectural city is prosperous, why don't you stay, my son-in-law, instead of going down to the county town?"

Could your expression be any more fake?

Zhuang Jin muttered to himself, exchanged a few polite words with Mu Yuantu and Shen Xianhong, and knew that the overall situation was settled.

Previously, he proposed a bet to help Shen Xianhong cover up and draw Mu Yuantu's attention to himself. Now that he has retreated and is going to the county below, he has greatly reduced the two families' fears. After he leaves, the two families will also consider him and dare not fight, lest he be the one to reap the benefits.

"Previously, I was at the same level as Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu, serving as a link and central hub. Now, my strength surpasses theirs, yet I lack influence. I have become a force, forming a triangular structure with the Mu and Shen families, a three-legged balance that restores stability."

……

That morning, the tense negotiations turned into a banquet where all three parties drank together after Zhuang Jin shattered a mountain with a single palm strike. Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu reconciled, and the banquet also served as a farewell party for Zhuang Jin's family.

During this meal, the results reached, the legendary process behind it, and Zhuang Jin's bet of destroying a mountain with a single palm strike were all spread, causing a huge sensation in the city.

—The Shen and Mu families played a significant role in this. In the eyes of outsiders, Zhuang Jin is still considered a member of the Shen family. Publicizing this matter can help salvage the impression of losing half of the north of the city in the past two days and bring glory to the Shen family. The Mu family, on the other hand, is more concerned with Zhuang Jin and wants to elevate him and create an image of him as a person of high moral character.

The story quickly spread throughout the city, with storytellers in teahouses and restaurants embellishing it and the common people enjoying it immensely.

……

(End of this chapter)