Chapter 81: Got Itchy Hands
Gu Family, after experiencing the fierce battle that day, was severely damaged and had not been rebuilt.
They had rely cleared away the collapsed bricks and timber.
The once expansive Gu Family residence now had only a few scattered buildings remaining. It was empty and lifeless, exuding a desolate atmosphere.
As the saying goes, a dead cal is still bigger than a horse.
Even though the family had been looted by pirates, the wealth accumulated by the Gu Family over hundreds of years remained vast.
They still had enough funds to rebuild.
Gu Yuantao had once sworn that he would not rebuild the Gu Family estate until the family had risen again.
Every morning, the first thing he saw was the ruins of the old residence.
It reminded him of the family’s humiliation, spurring him on.
He lived in one of the small courtyards, attended only by two servants—one maidservant who did the laundry and cooking, and one old servant who swept the grounds.
These two servants had been born in the Gu Family, spent their whole lives serving there, and had lost all their family mbers in that catastrophe.
They had nowhere else to go.
Recently, however, with the arrival of his cousin Zhou Weihao, the old residence had beco sowhat livelier.
Zhou Weihao was a pampered nobleman who couldn’t endure hardship.
He brought along many family retainers and often had them busy even before dawn.
Another early morning.
Zhou Weihao got up early to train.
Even soone like him showed no slack when it ca to martial practice.
When he got up, he heard noises from the courtyard next door—it was Gu Yuantao practicing swordsmanship.
An hour later.
When he finished his morning training and was preparing to eat breakfast, the sword practice next door had not ceased.
This happened every single day.
After washing his hands, Zhou Weihao ate his breakfast while listening to the sound of a longsword slicing through the air.
He couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy. Previously, he had been closest to this cousin of his.
They would often enjoy gourt food together, bring a few friends up the mountain for hunting, and sneak off to brothels behind their family's back…
But ever since the Gu Family’s downfall, Gu Yuantao had changed. He did nothing but train and read every day. Not a mont of rest.
Such a life—how boring it must be.
…
After finishing breakfast, with Gu Yuantao still practicing swordsmanship, Zhou Weihao walked to the adjacent courtyard and stood at the entrance for a while.
Suddenly, his expression changed, a look of shock flashing through his eyes.
It had only been twenty days, yet his cousin’s swordsmanship had reached another level.
The last ti he had seen him fight was at the Chen Residence during a spar with Chen Ming.
Back then, their skills had been roughly equal.
Now…
Zhou Weihao only watched for a mont and could already tell that he was no longer a match for this cousin of his.
In less than a month, how had his swordsmanship improved so drastically?
Zhou Weihao was deeply shocked.
At this mont, Gu Yuantao finished his sword routine and finally stopped. He stood still with his eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought.
Zhou Weihao walked over, unable to conceal his excitent in his tone. "Your swordsmanship has improved so quickly—how did you do it?"
But Gu Yuantao seed not to hear him. His brows were tightly furrowed as he muttered, "Not enough… still far from enough."
Then, he opened his eyes once more.
In his eyes burned intense frustration and fury.
The longsword in his hand slashed through the air again—he resud his training.
Zhou Weihao was dumbfounded.
With such progress, he still wasn’t satisfied?
Not enough… what did that an?
He had a faint guess in his heart but dared not dwell on it.
He stood for a while longer, but seeing that Gu Yuantao ignored him completely, he began to feel bored and left on his own.
…
Zhou Weihao had the carriage prepared and headed straight to the gambling house.
But upon arriving at the entrance, he suddenly lost interest and didn’t even go in.
He told the coachman to change direction.
He went to a few other places—the cockfighting pit, a restaurant, and even a teahouse filled with beautiful won…
Yet at each location, he ended up not going in.
And so, the carriage road around the city the entire morning.
Unconsciously, the carriage arrived at Xiushui Street.
"Stop."
Through the window, Zhou Weihao spotted a household and, as if possessed, suddenly called out.
Above that household’s main gate were the characters: "Chen Residence".
His expression changed slightly.
After a deep breath, his gaze grew firm.
He stepped out of the carriage, adjusted his clothes, and stepped forward to knock on the door.
"Zhou Weihao of the Zhou Family seeks an audience with your second young master."
…
In the backyard, Chen Ming was seated on a rattan chair with a book in hand, looking glum.
After turning a page, he irritably flung the book aside and cursed, "What the hell is this garbage?"
It was a novel.
He’d picked it up to kill so ti but after forcing himself through seven or eight pages, he couldn’t take it anymore.
The prose was fine, but the story was utter trash—and clichéd to boot.
He really couldn’t continue reading.
Sigh, this was the second day he missed the Six Doors Authority prison.
Spring Fragrance, who was serving nearby, had never seen him so upset before.
Not knowing the reason for his frustration, she grew anxious. "Shall I fetch another book?"
"No more reading."
Chen Ming waved her off.
At that mont, Sumr Fragrance ca running over. "Second Master, that Zhao… young master has co again."
Zhao Xiyan was here?
Chen Ming imdiately stood up. "Quick, take to greet her."
This Miss Zhao was his benefactor.
After delivering him such a big gift, he naturally had to show proper hospitality.
He had just stepped out of the courtyard when he saw Zhao Xiyan, now dressed in n’s clothes and holding a folding fan, walking toward him.
"Apologies for not greeting you sooner, Young Master Zhao. I beg your pardon."
"It was I who ca unannounced."
Zhao Xiyan walked directly into the courtyard without a hint of formality, as if returning to her own ho.
After sitting down, she said, "I didn’t expect Yu Xiuming to be so petty. He’s still holding a grudge against you. He actually blocked your access to the prison."
Chen Ming rely smiled.
It would be strange if Yu Xiuming didn’t hate him.
The relationship between Sun Shicai and Yu Xiuming had been hidden so deeply—this surely involved elaborate sches and conspiracies.
He had ruined Yu Xiuming’s plans; it was already fortunate the man hadn’t retaliated.
Zhao Xiyan continued, "Yu Xiuming does co from an unusual background. If he’s set on blocking this, even my father can’t push through with force."
Chen Ming said, "To have even half a month is already enough for . For Young Master to go to such lengths on my behalf, Chen is endlessly grateful."
"Once Yu Xiuming is transferred, you’ll be free to enter the prison at will."
By then, it would no longer be necessary.
So thought Chen Ming.
He was already close to reaching the peak of Seventh Grade—perhaps by then, he would already be Sixth Grade.
In Qingfeng City, the number of Sixth Grade martial artists had dropped off a cliff.
Excluding the sea rchants, there were barely a dozen.
In the prison of the Six Doors Authority, there wasn’t a single one.
No, correction—there was only one: Fu Zhengyang, who had concealed his cultivation and was locked in Cell B.
Once one reached Sixth Grade, finding soone to spar with beca even harder.
Chen Ming did not continue on that topic. Instead, he asked, "Have those culprits been caught?"
He was referring to the attackers who had recently ambushed the young masters leaving Qingfeng City.
At the ntion of this, a shadow flickered through Zhao Xiyan’s eyes.
She shook her head. "These people vanished into thin air. The Six Doors Authority has practically mobilized its entire force—scraped the ground clean—but still uncovered nothing useful."
Her father had just taken office, and then this happened.
The victims were precisely those who had co to attend the martial gathering her father organized.
One couldn’t help but suspect this incident was aid at her father.
Which only made the whole affair even more murky and mysterious.
…
"Young Master, my Second Master is currently entertaining a guest. Please wait a mont."
A servant politely said after leading Zhou Weihao inside.
After the misunderstanding incident between Xiao Zhuyun and Zhao Xiyan last ti, Chen Ming had specifically instructed the staff not to lead guests directly to him.
Though Zhou Weihao felt a bit slighted, to his own surprise, he wasn’t angry.
He waited patiently.
The last ti he had waited this calmly was for the new courtesan at Jiangzhou’s Yixiang Pavilion.
This wait lasted a full half hour.
The tea on his table had been changed six tis before Chen Ming finally arrived, strolling in leisurely.
Seeing him, Chen Ming looked a bit surprised and said, "Young Master Zhou, what a rare guest indeed."
Zhou Weihao maintained the composure of a noble family’s scion and replied coolly, "I’ve been lingering in Qingfeng City recently. Been everywhere and found it all rather dull. Happened to pass by your ho and suddenly rembered you ntioned wanting to spar last ti. Felt a bit itchy, so I dropped by. Didn’t expect you to be so busy."
Chen Ming’s eyes lit up slightly, his tone becoming much more affable. "Apologies. I truly had an important guest earlier. Had I known it was Young Master Zhou visiting, I would’ve co sooner. For keeping you waiting, I sincerely apologize."
Zhou Weihao felt much more comfortable hearing this.
"In that case, let’s not waste any more ti. Let’s begin."
"Very well. Please follow ."
The two went to the training grounds in the backyard and officially began their spar.
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