Martial Arts Crossover: It All Started with Hijacking Li Canghai

White sails hung on both sides of the main gate of the Lin Mansion in Hangzhou, and two neat rows of white paper wreaths were arranged.

After spending the night at Shen Luoyan's place, Qin Han used his lightness skill to rush back early this morning. He was currently riding his horse, looking at the plain-colored banner that had been put up.

"I almost forgot, the funeral arrangements for the Lin family haven't been held yet."

Jiang Wuyang rushed forward and took the reins, tying them to the stone pillar in front of the gate.

Qin and Han crossed the threshold.

Lin Ruhai's coffin was enshrined in the main hall. The three incense sticks in front of the memorial tablet had not yet burned halfway. Lin Daiyu knelt on the prayer mat, her shoulders trembling.

Xiaolongnu squatted to her right, burning paper money, while Shi Qingxuan squatted to her left, burning paper money together.

Footsteps came from outside.

Lin Daiyu turned her head and saw that tall figure appear at the door, and tears immediately rolled down her cheeks.

She struggled to her feet and tried to kneel in gratitude, but as soon as her knees left the prayer mat, they began to sway to the side.

Qin Han strode forward and firmly placed one hand on her shoulder.

Lin Daiyu leaned into his arms.

"Your Highness..."

"My dad is gone... really gone..."

Qin Han could completely understand her feelings right now. Even though she knew the person was gone, she still couldn't help but recall every little detail from her memories.

He patted her back twice with his large hand.

"I know, don't be sad. I'm here for you, so you won't be afraid anymore."

Lin Daiyu's sobs grew louder as she leaned against him.

Xiaolongnu's gaze was complicated as she watched Qin Han comforting people.

Shi Qingxuan stood up and took a step back.

Qin Han let Lin Daiyu cry for a while until her voice gradually subsided and her breathing became steady. Only then did he realize that the girl had fallen asleep crying in his arms.

He bent down and picked the person up horizontally.

"Long'er, where is her room?"

Xiaolongnu responded softly and led the way to the side room in the backyard. After placing the person on the bed and covering them with a quilt, Qin Han turned around and left the room.

After returning to the covered walkway outside the main hall, I stretched and yawned. The journey had been quite tiring.

Shi Qingxuan leaned against the pillar in the corridor, twirling the leaf and stem of a medicinal herb in her hand.

Qin Han walked over and sat on the railing of the veranda.

"You're back so soon?"

"They're back. They didn't manage to kill anyone; those two kids got away before they could."

Shi Qingxuan looked over with some surprise.

"You think you can get away with it if you go yourself?"

"Those two kids must have sensed the danger beforehand."

Qin Han didn't dwell on the matter and looked at the person next to him.

"What's been going on at the manor these past few days?"

Shi Qingxuan tossed the herb leaves and stems aside and started counting them on her fingers.

"Your sister Mochou practices martial arts in the back garden from morning till night. Long'er's health has recovered well. His internal injuries are basically gone, and his qi and blood have been mostly replenished. Miss Lin is the most troublesome one."

Qin Han nodded. Li Mochou should be practicing the martial arts he had given her.

"How do you have a headache?"

Shi Qingxuan rolled her eyes.

"Her health has indeed improved a lot recently, but her foundation is still too weak. I can easily use medicine to raise her health from a level of three to five."

But if she wants to live a long life, taking medicine alone won't be enough. It would be best for her to learn some martial arts to strengthen her body; even the most basic health-preserving skills would be more effective than any magic pills.

Qin Han looked at the woman in front of him with a strange expression.

Since she came back, this woman seems to have changed a lot; she no longer has that teeth-baring expression she used to have so often.

This included reporting on Li Mochou's progress, discussing Xiaolongnu's injuries, and arranging a follow-up recuperation plan for Lin Daiyu.

"Sister Qingxuan."

Shi Qingxuan took a half step back alertly.

"What...what do you want to do?"

Qin Han smiled and shook his head.

"Put your hand on your heart and tell me, do you want to become my nagging mother?!"

Shi Qingxuan's face turned red to the roots of her ears.

"Damn it! You think you're so smart?!"

"I only intervened because I felt sorry for that Miss Lin. And another thing! You're not allowed to make any advances towards me!"

Qin Han smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying.

"When did I ever make a move on you? You were the one who said you were my wife in the first place, how can you turn around and accuse me like this?"

Shi Qingxuan stomped her feet in anger, her face turning even redder, and stormed out of the courtyard.

He paused at the doorway, unable to resist turning back and throwing out another remark.

"If you're going to fight someone, go after Long'er and the others! One is your fellow disciple, and the other is your sister, enough for you to handle."

"The list of medicinal herbs is on your desk; don't forget to have someone go and purchase them!"

After saying that, he ran down the corridor and disappeared.

Little Dragon Girl appeared at the other end of the corridor at some unknown time. She changed into a light blue dress and tied her long hair back with a plain hair ribbon.

She looked very simple and clean.

"Brother Qin."

Qin Han waved to her.

"Come and sit down."

Little Dragon Girl walked over and sat down on the railing next to him, with an arm's length between them.

"Um... is there any news about Alan?"

Qin Han shook his head.

"The Golden Snake Camp is still investigating. Shandong is a large and populous area, but don't worry, as long as this person is still alive, we'll find him sooner or later."

Little Dragon Girl lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the fabric of her sleeve.

"Sometimes I wonder, if Alan really is my mother, then why did she abandon me at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain back then?"

Qin Han turned his head to look at her profile.

"Perhaps it wasn't being thrown away, but rather a forced separation?"

A hint of confusion lingered in Xiaolongnu's eyes.

"Maybe..."

Just as Qin Han was about to say something to stop the girl from overthinking, a commotion suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

Jiang Wuyang rushed in from outside.

"Your Highness, a group of people has arrived outside the gate, carrying the banners of the Imperial City of Lin'an. The leader is a eunuch who says he has been sent by the Emperor to deliver an imperial edict."

Qin Han narrowed his eyes. "People from the imperial court?"

"Send a decree? What decree?"

"They didn't say that, they only said it would be read aloud in person."

Qin Han wondered, could it be that Zhao Gou couldn't stand it anymore?

He got up, straightened his clothes, and told Xiaolongnu not to overthink things. He suggested that she teach her sister some basic martial arts to improve her health when she had time.

Then he led Jiang Wuyang out of the corridor.

In the courtyard in front of the main hall stood a middle-aged eunuch dressed in palace attire, holding a bright yellow scroll in both hands, followed by six imperial guards in short armor.

The eunuch began to sing as soon as he saw Qin Han come out.

"King Qin Han of Shu, receive the imperial decree."

Qin Han remained seated in the main seat, looking down at the people below.

The eunuch waited for a long time but saw no sign of the other party kneeling, and a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He knew about the tragic death of his colleague in Sichuan, and he dared not act rashly.

"Your Highness, this imperial decree..."

Qin Han picked up the teacup on the table.

"read."

The eunuch shuddered, but steeled himself and began to read the imperial edict aloud.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: King Qin Han of Shu has rendered meritorious service in guarding the western border, which greatly pleases me."

The King of Shu is hereby specially invited to travel to the imperial city of Lin'an in two months to participate in the ancestral worship ceremony at the Zhao Clan Ancestral Temple. All officials will pay homage and participate in this grand event. This is the imperial decree.

After the eunuch finished reading, he secretly glanced at the man's face.

Qin Han casually waved his hand, and the imperial edict flew into his hand, which he then flipped through casually.

"The Zhao family's ancestral worship ceremony is about to begin? But is it appropriate for His Majesty to allow me, a non-royal, to participate in the Zhao family's ancestral worship ceremony?"

The eunuch stood to the side with his head bowed and a forced smile.

"Your Highness, you may not know this, but His Majesty's intention is to make this ceremony different from previous ones. All the regional princes will attend, in order to demonstrate the prosperity and peace of this era..."