The Legend of the Condor Heroes: From Being Expelled from Peach Blossom Island

Chapter 179 Arrangement
Shopkeeper Zhou was still in shock. He didn't recognize Wu Chengyu because of his drastically changed appearance, but he still kowtowed immediately.

"Thank you for saving me, chivalrous sir. Thank you for saving me, chivalrous sir."

Wu Chengyu quickly helped him up: "Manager Zhou, please get up. It's me, Wu Chengyu."

Manager Zhou looked Wu Chengyu up and down with a puzzled expression, but fortunately, Wu Chengyu's features hadn't changed much, so he still recognized him.

"Brother Wu? How did your body become like this?"

"The injuries I sustained earlier have simply healed. Manager Zhou, there's no need to ask any further questions. I don't know how to explain it to you."

"Alright, alright, I won't ask. Thanks to Brother Wu for coming and saving my family's lives."

"In the end, it was my three recipes that brought trouble to Manager Zhou."

Manager Zhou slowly got up, and shook his head repeatedly when he heard Wu Chengyu's words. He reached out and patted Wu Chengyu's shoulder.

"Brother Wu, what are you saying? Although my family and I almost lost our lives just now, this matter has nothing to do with you."

We have a fair trade, no cheating in secret. I've met Brother Wu's needs, and the restaurant can offer such signature dishes because I, as the manager, have taken advantage of Brother Wu.

I can only blame those treacherous officials, corrupt magistrates who ruined my family, and prefects who exterminated my entire clan. I thought I could just pay some money, but who knew they wanted the lives of my whole family.

Brother Wu, there are some things you need to understand. Bad people commit evil deeds because of their evil intentions. Regardless of the cause, it has nothing to do with good people. Today's matter is not about whether you give me the formula, so why take it upon yourself?

These words made Wu Chengyu look at Manager Zhou with new respect. In terms of magnanimity and understanding, this person was truly rare.

"Wu Chengyu, I have learned a great deal today. Manager Zhou, what are your plans for the future?"

"My original intention was to take my wife and children back to my hometown of Hankou, where we would open a small shop and I would work as a cook to support my family."

It seems we can't go back to Hankou now. Once these people return to Xiangyang, the prefect's eldest son will surely send men to hunt us down again.

As he spoke, Manager Zhou helped his wife and children up. He looked at his dead old servant with deep sorrow. His years of hard work had been destroyed in an instant, and he had no idea how he would live in the future. He was somewhat afraid to face his wife and children.

Wu Chengyu said, "Manager Zhou, there's no need to worry. These people won't be able to go back, and that damned young master won't have another chance to cause you trouble."

“Brother Wu, I know that you martial arts heroes value swift retribution, but it’s best not to easily make enemies of government officials. Killing an official is tantamount to rebellion. Since we are no longer in trouble, let’s go our separate ways and not let us drag our brothers down.”

"Haha, Manager Zhou, I'm probably the one in the world least afraid of going against the government."

Since that's the case, leave the rest to me. I guarantee these wicked people won't be greedy again, but you don't need to worry about how I do it.

As for where Manager Zhou is going, I have a suggestion: you should not take the land route to Hankou now.

"Take your wife and children south to Yichang, then travel along the Yangtze River by waterway all the way to Suzhou. I will write another letter. Take this letter to the Wuwei Restaurant in Suzhou and find a man named Wu Zhengliang. The Wu family owns several restaurants in Suzhou. After reading my letter, he might be able to help manage one of your restaurants." Wu Chengyu was now increasingly impressed with Manager Zhou, so he decided to see it through to the end.

He's going to meet that damned young master tonight. After that, the prefect's mansion will probably be hosting a banquet. If someone thinks it's related to Manager Zhou, it's not impossible that they'll go to Hankou to arrest him.

If Manager Zhou were to arrive in Suzhou, even if the snake soup sold very well, Wu Zhengliang would surely be able to protect him. Even if the third branch of the family fell out with the first and second branches, the Wu family would still be united in their dealings with the outside world.

Zheng Qingzhi, the powerful figure behind the Wu family, is currently at the height of his influence, so even the Prefect of Suzhou wouldn't dare to cause trouble for the Wu family.

Wu Chengyu had witnessed the manager's ability to run the restaurant this week, and his character was indeed excellent. He would be able to provide a lot of assistance to the third branch of the family. However, it seemed that the recipes for those three dishes would return to the Wu family's hands, which was somewhat embarrassing.

"Manager Zhou, let's bury this servant first. You take your wife and children and drive ahead. I'll take care of these guys and then see you off."

"The rest is up to you; just follow my instructions and don't worry about anything else."

Before Manager Zhou could refuse, Wu Chengyu urged him to set off. Then he turned to look at the family retainers who were still standing there. Although they couldn't move, their bodies were still trembling.

"I'll give you a chance. I'll release your pressure points in a moment, and then you'd better run all the way back to Xiangyang. You're not allowed to ride horses. If I catch up with you in the end, I'll cut off your heads. But if you get through the gates of Xiangyang before me, then you're lucky. How about it?"

These family retainers dared not refuse. Wu Chengyu casually patted them, and their pressure points were immediately released. Then, they hurriedly ran towards Xiangyang.

Wu Chengyu ignored them and first caught up with Manager Zhou, escorting them to the official road to Yichang. He only turned back after seeing them off for more than ten miles.

Meanwhile, the guards were desperately running towards Xiangyang City. They could only bully ordinary people and their martial arts skills were very rudimentary, but they knew that those who could use acupoint striking were all masters and were definitely not someone they could contend with.

Unfortunately, they had only run a mile when they found their hearts pounding unusually hard. In fact, the pounding made them run faster and faster, their blood vessels were flowing faster, and then a strong taste of blood rose in their throats, and blood began to slowly flow from their seven orifices.

These people ran forward for several dozen meters, then collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to go any further. They coughed loudly and convulsed in pain.

This state lasted for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, after which these people fell silent. Two of them even had their chests burst open, and their hearts could be seen through their ribs, riddled with holes.

When Wu Chengyu returned, he happened to see these people's corpses. Passersby avoided them like the plague, and no one even bothered to collect the bodies. Wu Chengyu didn't even glance at them.

He had used this technique of channeling internal energy into the hidden meridians of another's heart before, but these people were not worthy of it. So, with his last sprint, he made them fall before the finish line of their lives.

After Wu Chengyu returned to Xiangyang City, no news of these people came back. The eldest son of the prefect's mansion didn't care whether the murders had been used to silence them or not. In his opinion, the Zhou family was already dead.

At this moment, the eldest son was visiting Zhenxianglou Restaurant. He had already seized the deed to the restaurant without spending a single penny.

Little did he know that Wu Chengyu was watching him from above, pondering how to prepare this young master who loved snake soup.

(End of this chapter)