Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

The eunuch chuckled softly, a high-pitched laugh that made one's teeth ache, and continued to give orders. "Do it cleanly, neatly, eradicate them completely, as if... they never existed."

He turned his head slightly, as if saying something to the girl beside him, which elicited a shy giggle from her.

"It's my father-in-law."

Go ahead.

Don't let our family down again.

If we don't handle this well, and they cause a huge uproar... don't blame us for not giving your master any face. We don't keep useless people here."

"yes!

"I will obey your orders, Father-in-law, and will certainly not fail in my duty!"

The Seven Blood-Coagulating Eagles clasped their fists in unison, their voices resolute and firm.

Seven dark figures, like ink seeping into the ground, silently rose, retreated, turned, and filed out, disappearing from the warm pavilion in an instant, as if they had never existed.

Behind the screen, the eunuch seemed completely unconcerned about the assassins' departure, reverting to his lazy and pleasure-seeking demeanor, and flirting with the girl beside him.

"Come on, give me a massage here again... Hmm, your little hands are getting more and more skillful..."

Inside the warm pavilion, the air was still filled with a pleasant fragrance and laughter, as if the cold and stern command from just moments before had never happened.

The aged, effeminate shadow on the screen swayed slightly in the flickering candlelight, exuding an unfathomable chill.

……

In the western suburbs of Yanzhou City, on a vast open space, a platform about ten feet high had been erected at some unknown time.

The autumn wind howled across the fields, and the withered grass rippled, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

As the sun rose higher, figures from all walks of life gathered from all directions, some standing, some sitting, forming a dense, dark mass of people, numbering at least a thousand, their discussions a constant cacophony.

The stage was empty, but the audience below was already packed with wealthy guests.

Li Fu led Chen Tao and the others to a slightly elevated earthen slope, where they could take in the scene below the stage.

Among the crowd were people from all walks of life: disciples of prestigious sects, lone wandering knights, powerful outlaws, and many with shifty eyes and ulterior motives.

All eyes were focused on the empty wooden platform.

Li Fu's gaze swept over the crowd, then he looked at the sturdy wooden platform that had clearly been prepared in advance. A thought struck him, and he murmured to himself.

"Judging from this, it seems that these people from Changsheng Escort Agency... were prepared in advance? It wasn't a hasty action."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tao and the others also looked closely and nodded in agreement.

Everyone felt that this petition meeting was probably not going to be simple.

At this moment, everyone held their breath and waited for the head镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) of Changsheng镖局 (Ever-Victorious Escort Agency) who had disappeared for twenty-three years and were burdened with a terrible injustice to make their appearance.

Li Fu was also concerned about what the evidence they were talking about that could point to the real culprit was, and whether it pointed to that eunuch Yi Gua.

The autumn wind was bleak on the riverbank, stirring up dust, but it could not dispel the excitement and doubt in the hearts of the crowd.

Li Fu stood in the crowd, his gaze calmly sweeping over his surroundings.

He changed into an inconspicuous black outfit, but did not try to hide it. His tall figure and calm demeanor still made some people around him secretly look at him and wonder which figure in the martial arts world he was.

"I've kept you heroes waiting, I've arrived."

Before long, heavy footsteps could be heard from behind the stage, and several people slowly walked onto the stage.

A long-standing bloody case and a shocking secret seem about to be revealed in this desolate wilderness, causing a sensation in the martial arts world.

The leader was nearly seventy years old, thin, with high cheekbones, and most of his gray hair had turned white. His forehead was lined with deep wrinkles, and he was none other than Zhou Zhen, the Iron-Armed Ape, the former second-in-command of the Changsheng Escort Agency.

Behind him were three men, all former key members of the escort agency: the third escort leader, Zheng Baichuan, known as Cloud-Piercing Swallow; the fourth escort leader, Zhao Gang, known as Copper-Skinned Iron-Boned; and the fifth escort leader, Qian Tong, known as Grass-Dragon.

As soon as the group appeared, the clamor and shouts from the audience inexplicably subsided and eventually fell silent.

These people all had aged faces, melancholy eyes, and an unyielding sorrow and hatred between their brows, as if they had been tormented by something for more than twenty years.

They clasped their hands in a fist and bowed, their movements heavy and sluggish, showing no trace of their former chivalrous spirit. Instead, they seemed to be carrying a heavy burden, looking gloomy and weary.

A sense of sorrow and grief permeated the air, making the hearts of the people below the stage inexplicably choke.

Those elderly men who had met several of the镖头 (bodyguards/escorts) from the Changsheng Escort Agency more than twenty years ago were now utterly astonished. "This...this really is Zhou Zhen and Zheng Baichuan?"

How did you end up looking so old?

How formidable were the Iron-Armed Apes and how agile were the Cloud-Piercing Swallows back then?

Now they are all white-haired and frail, are they really not eighty or ninety years old?

She looks at least ten years older than her actual age!

"Yes, look at Zhao Gang, who was nicknamed 'Copper Skin and Iron Bones' back then. How imposing he was!"

Now my back is hunched and my eyes are cloudy…

"If they really did embezzle the three million taels of silver, wouldn't they have been incredibly wealthy and lived a carefree life for the past twenty years?"

How could I have tortured myself into this terrible state?

"It seems that what Daoist Leji said is true in this respect," Li Fu thought to himself.

"This appearance is definitely not fake."

If they really did embezzle from their own posts, how could things have come to this? There must be some hidden story behind that shocking case from back then.

Discussions arose again from the audience, mostly filled with surprise and emotion.

Many people's initial thought of "the thief crying 'stop thief'" has been shaken.

Someone in the crowd looked around several times, realized the number was wrong, and shouted loudly.

"Head镖师 Zhou, where is your chief镖师, 'Heavenly Gang Deadly Blade' Liu Jingxing? Why isn't he here? He was the leader of the group that was involved in what happened back then!"

This question immediately drew many echoes.

What everyone was more concerned about was the whereabouts of Liu Jingxing, the master镖头 (bodyguard/escort) who had been missing for many years and whose martial arts were unparalleled.

What everyone was more concerned about was the whereabouts of Liu Jingxing, the master镖头 (bodyguard/escort) who had been missing for many years and whose martial arts were unparalleled.

On the stage, Zhou Zhen, the second镖头 (bodyguard), stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Well, my heroes, please be patient."

The reason we have gathered you all here today is to present our case and defend the defendants in the case of the theft of the silver treasury years ago!

The reason why the chief镖头 (chief镖师, a high-ranking镖师, is not present) will be explained by Zhou later. This matter does not affect today's petition!

His voice was hoarse, yet it possessed a profound and poignant power, and the audience gradually fell silent.

Zhou Zhen took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the dark mass of people below the stage, and slowly opened his mouth, his voice filled with grief and indignation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you must all have heard about the case of the stolen silver back then."

The imperial court has determined that our Changsheng Escort Agency was guilty of embezzlement, causing my family to be destroyed, my brothers to be separated, and me to bear this infamy for all time, which has remained unaddressed for over twenty years!

His eyes were slightly red, and his voice rose.

"But I, Zhou Zhen, swear to the heavens today that the Changsheng Escort Agency has not touched a single penny of that shipment of silver!"

What kind of silver is that?

That was the life-saving money that millions of disaster victims in several parts of Northwest China were eagerly awaiting!

Even if we are utterly depraved and worse than pigs and dogs, we would never dare to even think of doing this!

"Having taken on this mission, my brothers and I are risking our lives to deliver the silver safely, together with the imperial soldiers!"

Zhou Zhen's speech quickened, as if he were back in the old days: "Along the way, countless bandits and outlaws came after hearing the news, wanting to rob this huge sum of money."

We brothers fought our way through countless battles, risking our lives and defeating countless powerful enemies. Many of us have been scarred!

We have done our utmost, keeping the slingshots with us at all times!

But who would have thought... after all the hardship of delivering it to its destination, when the chests were opened and inspected in public, what should have been chests full of silver coins... had all turned to stone!

At this point, Zhou Zhen's body trembled slightly, and the head镖师 behind him also had bloodshot eyes and clenched fists, clearly recalling the despair of being struck by lightning and unable to defend himself back then.

The audience listened intently, and many who had heard about the case back then held their breath.

Li Fu listened quietly, and the expressions of grief and indignation on these people's faces did not seem fake.

Zhou Zhen continued.

"In retrospect, we realized that during the entire journey, our guards would only retreat outside the warehouse to watch over the goods when we passed through the imperial post stations or stopped to rest in heavily guarded prefectures and cities. We were unable to keep a close eye on the boxes at all times."

If someone can switch silver without anyone noticing, it must be at that time!

But who has the ability to exchange all three million taels of silver within the imperial post stations and government offices?

His gaze suddenly sharpened.

"After much deliberation, we concluded that only embezzlement by those in charge could have accomplished this, but the thief is certainly not us!"

Either there was a traitor within the escort team, or there were officials along the route who received prior instructions and made arrangements!

However, after the case came to light, the relevant officials were either demoted or executed, seemingly leaving no one to benefit, and it became an unsolved mystery.

"But we brothers have never given up the investigation in over twenty years!"

Zhou Zhen resolutely blocked the railway.

"Heaven has mercy, and the heavens will not fail those who persevere!"

We finally found a clue and caught someone!

And, to our surprise, that person was someone we knew!

Upon hearing this, a commotion immediately broke out below, and Li Fu stared intently at the source.

With that, Zhou Zhen waved his hand.

Two of the镖头 (bodyguards) immediately dragged a tall, middle-aged man with broken legs, covered in blood, and with disheveled hair onto the stage.

The man was terrified, trembling, and dared not look up at the crowd below the stage.

Zhou Zhen pointed at the man and said sternly.

"This man is none other than General Situ Li, the military commander who escorted the disaster relief funds with the army back then!"

After the crime was committed, he was sentenced to beheading by the imperial court and should have already lost his head!

But he didn't die!

Using some unknown method of substitution, he changed his appearance and fled to Jiangnan under an assumed name, where he built a vast fortune and suddenly became extremely wealthy!

Where did he get so much money?!

"Our brothers went through great hardships to capture him and interrogate him severely."

He finally revealed the truth!

Zhou Zhen's voice suddenly rose, each word striking the hearts of everyone like a hammer blow.

"The real culprit who instigated and orchestrated this shocking case is none other than the former Emperor's most favored eunuch, the powerful eunuch Yi Cai!"

"What?!"

"Is it a guess about the father-in-law?!"

"That eunuch?!"

"My God, it's him!"

The audience erupted in uproar, with gasps and whispers filling the air.

Many people looked incredulous, but then their expressions changed to sudden realization.

"I see. If it really was that castrated dog who did it, it doesn't seem impossible!"

"I see. If it really was that castrated dog who did it, it doesn't seem impossible!"

"Yes, three million taels of silver, that would require so many boxes and such a long convoy to transport it."

Only someone of his status and power could pull strings along the way and secretly pocket so much money!

"I heard that after the eunuch lost power, he was exiled to the vicinity of Yanzhou?"

"Did Liu Jingxing and his men come to Yanzhou to seek revenge?"

"That must be it!"

Having received three million taels of silver, they should have lived in anonymity and enjoyed a life of wealth and leisure. What could have caused them to return to the world and stir up trouble again?

Only a blood feud remains!

"We've come to seek revenge and clear our names!"

Li Fuyin was hidden among the crowd.

It seems that the Taoist priest, Leji, didn't resort to any tricks in order to survive.

"If this Situ Li is real, with this witness identifying him, the case will have a breakthrough."

However, there were also calm and skeptical voices from the audience.

A loud-voiced middle-aged man shouted:

"Zhou, the镖头 (bodyguard/escort), you say this person is the former Military Commander Situ Li, but we don't know him!"

How can we prove his identity now?

Even if he is, it's probably unreliable to accuse someone of being the murderer based solely on his own words and empty promises.

Even if I suspect my father-in-law isn't a good person, I still need solid evidence.

Zhou Zhen seemed to have been prepared, and said in a deep voice, "That's a good question, brother. Words alone are not enough; we naturally have physical evidence!"

As he spoke, he took out a yellowed letter from his pocket, carefully unfolded it, held it high above his head, and said aloud.

"This is a secret letter that the eunuch Yi Cai wrote to this Situ Li in his own hand back then!"

Although the letter did not specify the matter, it read, "General Situ, you must handle this matter of disaster relief funds properly. Once it is done, my family will reward you accordingly."

Even if the imperial court punishes you and your life is in danger, my family will ensure your safety and promise you a lifetime of wealth and honor.

Look at this handwriting, this tone of voice!

He turned the letter in different directions so that more people could see it.

Those in the front row, as well as some with good eyesight, could see it clearly, and many people craned their necks to look.

Although Li Fu was standing eight or nine zhang away, he could still read the words on the letter clearly.

The letter paper was old, and the ink had become slightly smudged. The handwriting was neat but had a touch of femininity. The content was exactly as Zhou Zhen had said, although it was vague and consisted of only a few sentences.

But the promise of life and wealth upon success, in the context of disaster relief funds,

If it weren't for some heinous crime that couldn't be exposed to the light of day or that violated the law, would such a promise be necessary?

The audience immediately stirred again.

"Is that really the handwriting of that castrated dog?"

Even if it isn't, this letter is anything but ordinary!

What good job would guarantee the client's life and promise them wealth and honor?

"It seems this is almost certainly true!"

"That damn castrated dog!"

How many disaster victims have been killed for money?

"They caused the Changsheng Escort Agency to be ruined and its members to die, and they've been saddled with this blame for over twenty years. They truly deserve to die!"

The crowd was immediately outraged.

I suspect that when his father-in-law held immense power, he had a terrible reputation and made countless enemies.

Now that such a horrific crime has been exposed, many righteous people in the audience are furious and wish they could drag the old eunuch out and tear him to pieces immediately.

Of course, some cautious individuals still raised their voices and asked, "Chief Escort Zhou, how can you prove the authenticity of this letter? Does it bear any signature or seal?"