Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

After leaving Grandma Xu's courtyard, Lu Jun decided to completely abandon the idea of ​​going home to rest.

Chen Zhan's plan was urgent, so he dared not delay and headed straight for the Four Gates Inn.

As soon as he stepped out of the alleyway of the shantytown, he saw hundreds of police officers conducting a carpet search. Densely packed figures covered the surrounding streets and alleys, and every alley and every house was being searched one by one. Knocking on doors and shouting echoed everywhere.

Lu Jun quickly shrank to the corner, held his breath, and secretly observed.

Fortunately, the silver dollars had already been broken up into smaller amounts last night, and the brothers had all dispersed and hidden themselves. The patrol officers searched for more than half an hour but found no clues and there was no conflict. In the end, they left cursing and swearing.

Once the patrolman's figure had completely disappeared at the end of the alley, Lu Jun breathed a sigh of relief and quickly walked out.

I had only taken two steps when a familiar voice came from behind me.

"You're coming to find me?"

Lu Jun froze, then quickly turned around and saw Chen Zhan standing not far away by the wall, his blue robe standing out in the dim night.

Chen Zhan had clearly been secretly watching the entire process of the police search to ensure that nothing unexpected happened.

“Mr. Chen, you’re here too?” Lu Jun quickly stepped forward.

Chen Zhan nodded slightly and walked towards Wu Qingshan's wonton shop: "Let's go, let's find a place to talk."

Lu Jun quickly followed, and the two walked side by side, their steps light and quick, avoiding the scattered patrols.

On the way, Lu Junxian reported on the distribution of silver dollars the night before, from the distribution in the shantytowns to the extension to the poor families in the old city. He also specifically mentioned that he had left two boxes of silver dollars to distribute to his men as a reward for them.

Chen Zhan listened and nodded, having no objection to his arrangements.

Silver dollars were originally intended to win people's hearts. Giving a share to the brothers would not only stabilize their morale but also motivate them to work even harder. This was one of his intentions.

The two chatted all the way and soon arrived at Wu Qingshan's wonton shop.

Lu Jun paused, remembering what Grandma Xu had entrusted to him, his expression became serious, and he slowed his pace to say, "Mr. Chen, there's something else. Just now, a Grandma Xu asked me to pass on a message to you."

Chen Zhan turned his head to the side, signaling him to continue.

Lu Jun took a deep breath and read out slowly and deliberately: "Xu Long, the Vice Commander-in-Chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Zhan abruptly stopped, the calm expression on his face vanished instantly, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his mind raced as he recalled the long-forgotten past.

After a moment, he slowly came to his senses, a look of realization flashing in his eyes.

"Xu Long..."

Chen Zhan murmured to himself, his tone carrying a hint of remoteness. The memories of the Ming Dynasty had been untouched for so long that he had almost forgotten them all.

He looked up at Lu Jun: "Where is she? I'm going there."

Back in the Ming Dynasty, he and Xu Long weren't exactly close friends, but they had met a few times.

Xu Long was sensible, skilled in martial arts, and meticulous. Back in the Ming Dynasty, he was quite successful in the officialdom. Logically, he should have been able to retire gracefully and live out his remaining years in peace.

He never expected that, after hundreds of years, Xu Long's descendants would still remember him and be able to find his traces.

Seeing this, Lu Jun quickly said, "It's not far, it's in the shantytown. I'll lead the way."

It was still dark, with only a faint glimmer of dawn in the east. There weren't many people in the shantytown; most were hiding in their homes, carefully counting the silver dollars they had received the night before, wondering where it would be safe to hide them.

Ten silver dollars was no small sum in these chaotic times; it was enough for a family to live frugally for a long time, so they had no choice but to be cautious.

The two walked through several narrow streets and alleys, avoiding the few early risers, and soon arrived at the inconspicuous little courtyard.

Without hesitation, Chen Zhan walked straight forward, raised his hand, and gently knocked on the door.

"Boom boom boom——"

The door was quickly opened, and it was a little girl who looked to be about ten years old who opened it.

When she saw Chen Zhan, her eyes were full of unfamiliarity, and she subconsciously frowned. But when she saw Lu Jun behind Chen Zhan, she immediately showed a surprised expression: "Brother Lu Jun, so fast?"

Lu Jun smiled and explained, "I happened to run into Mr. Chen on the way."

The little girl nodded, stepped aside to let the two into the house, and whispered, "My great-aunts are waiting inside."

Chen Zhan stepped into the courtyard, and his gaze swept across the room, first noticing the memorial tablet enshrined in the main hall.

The plaque on the memorial tablet reads "Our ancestor, Xu Long, the Commander-in-Chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Vice Commander-in-Chief of the Capital Garrison." Below the plaque are densely engraved small characters, all of which are Xu Long's official titles and achievements.

He understood and followed the little girl into the house.

As soon as I entered the house, my eyes fell on the woman sitting on the earthen bed.

The woman looked extremely old, with deep wrinkles on her face, dry skin, and a thin figure, giving the impression that she was frail and might die at any moment.

Chen Zhan glanced at it and immediately sensed something was wrong, asking bluntly, "Are you a descendant of Xu Long?"

The woman shuddered, a flicker of excitement in her eyes. She quickly took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and slowly said, "That's right, I am Xu Ying. My ancestor was Xu Long. By my reckoning, I am the eleventh generation of the Xu family."

Chen Zhan wasn't too surprised that Xu Long had descendants still alive.

After arriving in this era, he had already secretly researched history. The Ming Dynasty ultimately could not escape its fate of destruction. Although its reign was extended by a century, it was eventually overthrown by the Qing army after they entered the pass.

The Qing Dynasty, which has only been established for a little over a hundred years, has already fallen into such a corrupt and vulnerable state, subject to bullying by others.

The wheels of history roll ever onward, eventually heading in the same direction, as if guided by divine will, constantly correcting any deviations from the intended path.

"What do you want?" Chen Zhan asked calmly, his gaze fixed on Xu Ying, taking in every change in her expression.

Xu Ying's excitement was not without reason.

There is a story passed down in the Xu family since ancient times: the Ming Dynasty was able to extend its reign by a hundred years entirely thanks to a mysterious imperial tutor.

The Xu family ancestral precepts clearly state that no matter how many generations of descendants there are, they can always seek help from this imperial tutor whenever they meet him.

As for whether or not they will receive assistance, it depends entirely on the other party's wishes, regardless of the Xu family's reputation.

The man before them not only shared the same name, but his appearance was also identical to the portraits passed down in the Xu family.

Xu Ying was filled with doubt, but she couldn't bring herself to ask—how could a person live from hundreds of years ago to the present day?
This was too unbelievable, beyond her comprehension.

Seeing Xu Ying's hesitant and reluctant expression, Chen Zhan took the initiative to speak, revealing her innermost thoughts: "You want to find an antidote?"

Xu Ying looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with shock: "You can tell... I've been poisoned?"

"You must have been poisoned by a magic technique."

Chen Zhan frowned slightly, his tone tinged with doubt, "Does the Qing Dynasty still have experts capable of unleashing such deadly palm strikes?"

Hearing this, Xu Ying felt a surge of excitement.

Without further hesitation, she quickly turned around, unbuttoned her shirt at the back, and revealed her back.

On her back, there was a faint palm print, already blurred, but upon closer inspection, one could see that the depths of the palm print were black, as if the poison had seeped into her bone marrow and was impossible to remove.

"Have."

Xu Ying's voice carried a hint of hatred, "Among those who besieged us back then, there was an old fellow from the palace who was extremely skilled in martial arts. His poison palm technique was so masterful that it was impossible to defend against."

"That palm strike left me paralyzed to this day, and I'm deeply poisoned. Over the years, even though I've tried my best to mobilize my qi and blood to fight the poison, I can only barely cling to life, and my body is deteriorating day by day. I almost don't even have the strength to lift my hand anymore." Chen Zhan nodded, stepped forward, and extended his hand, gesturing for Xu Ying to reach out hers.

Xu Ying understood immediately and respectfully extended her right hand, allowing Chen Zhan to take her pulse.

Chen Zhan placed his fingertips on Xu Ying's wrist, closed his eyes, and focused his mind, sensing the energy within her body.

A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes and said with certainty, "It is the style of Poison Sand Palm, but this poison is different from ordinary Poison Sand Palm. It should be mixed with some kind of esoteric poison. The toxicity is domineering and penetrates deep into the bone marrow. It is indeed troublesome."

Xu Ying's heart clenched, and she asked cautiously, "Sir... can it be cured?"

Normally, if he couldn't use his inner energy, he really wouldn't be able to cure this strange poison, but things are different now.

He brought many elixirs from the Song Dynasty, including the Shaolin Great Rejuvenation Elixir, which not only repairs meridians and replenishes qi and blood, but also has a miraculous detoxifying effect.

With a flick of his wrist, a bright red pill emitting a faint medicinal fragrance appeared in his hand.

The pill felt warm to the touch, with a rich, mellow aroma that instantly filled the entire room.

"Here you go."

"However, I am not close to Xu Long. This pill is not given to you for free. If you take it, you will have to do something for me."

Xu Ying took the pill, looked up and asked, "Please speak, sir. As long as it is within my power, I will go through fire and water for you."

"Help me kill someone."

Chen Zhan's gaze was sharp, and his tone was firm, "Your martial arts skills are not bad. The Xu family has been rooted in Tianjin for many years. You should be able to gather quite a few people who obey your orders, right?"

A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Ying's eyes, and she quickly asked, "Kill who?"

"Foreigners and Qing soldiers."

"hehe."

After hearing this, Xu Ying couldn't help but laugh, and the hesitation and fear in her eyes completely disappeared. "If it's just about killing these people, even if you don't give me this pill, I'll still do it!"

Before she could finish speaking, Xu Ying opened her mouth and swallowed the Shaolin Great Rejuvenation Pill in her hand.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a warm current slid down the throat, spreading to every part of the body.

Within just a few breaths, Xu Ying's body underwent noticeable changes.

The dark palm print on her back faded at a visible speed, her originally stiff body began to tremble slightly, and the deep wrinkles on her face, between her eyebrows, and on her forehead slowly smoothed out.

Lu Jun and the little girl beside him stared in disbelief at the scene.

The effects of this elixir are simply too miraculous.

In a short while, Xu Ying's figure underwent a complete transformation.

The old woman, who was originally emaciated and had a face full of wrinkles, has transformed into a woman in her forties with a beautiful face and still retains her charm.

The previous sense of decay was gone.

Xu Ying closed her eyes, immersed in the changes within her body.

She could clearly feel the toxins in her body rapidly receding, her depleted blood and energy being replenished, and her legs, which had been paralyzed for many years, regaining sensation. A long-lost energy was surging through her limbs and bones.

The Shaolin Great Rejuvenating Pill actually has the ability to replenish qi and blood.

Simply incredible.

Originally, there weren't any, but these few Great Rejuvenation Pills were personally refined by Chen Zhan, and they are different from ordinary Great Rejuvenation Pills.

After waiting a while, Xu Ying slowly opened her eyes, her eyes gleaming with a sharp light.

She took a deep breath, and with a push from her legs, she managed to stand up steadily from the earthen bed.

The little girl exclaimed in surprise, rushing forward with eyes full of excitement and joy: "Grandma, you...you've stood up!"

Xu Ying looked down at her hands, then stretched her legs, and an excited smile appeared on her face.

She turned around, knelt down on one knee in front of Chen Zhan, and said in a respectful but firm tone: "Thank you, Mr. Chen, for saving my life. From now on, I, Xu Ying, am willing to obey your orders, and will go through fire and water for you!"

Chen Zhan raised his hand, gesturing for her to stand up: "Get up. You've just recovered and need to rest for a day. Come to the Black and White Pawnshop to see me tomorrow; I have important matters to discuss with you."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Xu Ying responded respectfully, slowly standing up, her eyes filled with gratitude and awe.

Chen Zhan said no more, turned to Lu Jun and said, "Let's go."

The two said goodbye to Xu Ying and the little girl and left the courtyard.

By this time, it was already daylight, and the sun in the east was rising, casting a soft glow that illuminated the entire shantytown.

On the street, pedestrians gradually appeared, most of them with a cautious joy on their faces.

Chen Zhan did not return to the Four Gates Inn. He followed Lu Jun and headed straight for the Black and White Pawnshop.

Along the way, the two saw that the ghost market had also been ransacked by the foreign police. The place was in a mess, stalls were smashed, goods were scattered all over the ground, and many people were arrested by the police. The streets and alleys were filled with the wails of the people and the shouts of the foreigners.

Soon, the two arrived at the Black and White Pawnshop.

The pawnshop's doors were wide open, and the inside was in disarray. The counters were smashed, and jade and antiques from the shelves were scattered all over the floor, clearly indicating that it had been searched by foreign police officers.

Qin Ming, along with a few trusted brothers, was carefully cleaning up the mess, his face full of anger.

Seeing Chen Zhan and Lu Jun enter, he quickly put down what he was holding and stepped forward to complain, "Mr. Chen, you've finally arrived! Damn it, those foreign dogs are going too far. They not only smashed up the pawnshop, but also took away a lot of valuable jade items. Luckily, they didn't lay a hand on us."

Chen Zhan glanced at the messy pawnshop: "Let them take it. It'll be a few days. What they've swallowed now, they'll have to pay back double in the future."

Ignoring the mess inside the pawnshop, he walked straight to the backyard: "Come with me, I have important business to attend to."

Lu Jun and Qin Ming quickly followed and entered the study in the backyard.

Chen Zhan gestured for the two to bring over tables and chairs, then found brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and began to draw a map.

The brush moves swiftly across the paper, producing smooth and precise lines.

The entire organizational structure, internal and external defense arrangements, patrol routes, and number of guards of the Tianjin Machinery Bureau.

He even drew out the types and quantities of ammunition and weapons produced there, as well as their storage locations, marking them clearly so that they were easy to understand at a glance.

A short while later, a complete map of the machine bureau was drawn.

Chen Zhan put down his brush and handed the map to Lu Jun and Qin Ming: "You two, make a few copies, and then give one to Wu Qingshan. Tell him to find a few of his most trusted brothers to memorize it carefully. They need to remember every corner of the Machine Bureau and every guard post. There can be no mistakes."

"Yes!"

Lu Jun and Qin Ming responded in unison, took the map with both hands, carefully put it away, and looked solemn.

Chen Zhan then looked at Qin Ming and calmly instructed, "Qin Ming, send someone to fetch Old Zhang."

Qin Ming didn't dare delay and immediately turned around to arrange for people to search for Old Zhang. (End of Chapter)