Chapter 1 I am not a gentleman

The vendetta in the martial world, a fatal wound from that sword to the right chest

Hmm, wait a moment, am I seeing things?

The coachman, Old Wei, wrapped in a sheepskin coat, huddled on the yoke, lazily flicking the whip. From time to time, he would pick up the wine gourd placed on the yoke and take a hearty swig of strong liquor to ward off the cold

The widow Xiao was wearing an ordinary blue cotton jacket with floral patterns. There were noticeable bloodstains on her left arm, left shoulder, and right chest, with the blood having already coagulated. Due to excessive blood loss, her once beautiful face appeared very pale

Widow Xiao is quite famous in the assassin world, not only because of her beauty that rivals flowers and her heart as cruel as a viper, but mainly because she has married three husbands, all of whom are formidable assassins in their own right. Her third husband, Hou Ba, is ranked eighth on the list of the top ten assassins, making him exceptionally powerful. It is difficult for Widow Xiao not to be well-known.

That is not correct. Old Wei just mentioned that he has been dead for almost an hour. In such cold weather, the body should be rigor mortis, how could it still be so soft? ... There may still be a chance for rescue ...

However, Widow Xiao's fate is quite unfortunate, or rather, Widow Xiao's fate is too resilient. Her three husbands, all of whom were remarkable men, met untimely deaths one after another. Consequently, Widow Xiao acquired the nickname of a husband-killer. Despite her beauty, which is as stunning as a flower in full bloom, she has become someone that men regard with trepidation.

Silence was also assessing the female corpse in the snow while listening to Old Wei speak, the outline was graceful, the features exquisite, and even in death, it still exuded a chilling and enchanting beauty.

Standing beside them, Liu Wuye and Old Wei looked as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight, their eyes wide open, their faces filled with strange, disdainful, and angry expressions. Young Master Shen Liu must have lost his mind, not even sparing the dead; it is truly outrageous. Poor Widow Xiao, even in death, could not preserve her innocence.

According to the aesthetic standards of silence, Widow Xiao is undoubtedly a rare beauty, a stunning woman whose beauty could topple cities and nations; it would not be an exaggeration to say she is the epitome of a beauty that brings disaster to the country. What a pity.

"Being a good-for-nothing who just eats and waits to die isn't so bad." Suddenly, Shen Mo, who had been deep in thought with his head lowered, curled the corner of his lips, revealing a strange smile that was hard to describe.

Cang County is the northernmost and poorest small county in Xiangzhou. Many prominent families have purchased some land in Cang County, where members of the clan who have committed offenses often seek refuge, or they may be exiled to reflect on their actions and reform. Even if they are able to return in the future, they will have already lost the qualifications to compete for the position of clan leader or to enter the core of family power, and can only spend their lives waiting for death.

The north wind howls, snowflakes dance, and the world is enveloped in a vast expanse of white.

It may also be that my eyes are playing tricks on me

Silently, he desperately rubbed his eyes, as if he had seen Widow Xiao's right hand tremble slightly.

According to Old Wei's account, the deceased was a renowned female assassin in the underworld known as the Little Widow. The Little Widow's surname is Xiao, which sounds like 'small' in pronunciation. Due to regional dialects or slight variations in accent, over time, Xiao has come to be pronounced as 'small'.

Silence observed the coachman, Old Wei, with a hint of curiosity. He could tell that, on the surface, Old Wei was merely a coachman for the Shen family, but he undoubtedly possessed martial skills. Moreover, Master Liu, Liu Wuye, was also quite extraordinary.

On the official road north of Xiangzhou, a horse-drawn carriage slowly creaked along the snowy ground, while the small blue flag embroidered with the character "Shen" that was inserted on the top of the carriage swayed and rustled in the cold wind

Shen Mo sniffed, crouched down, and placed his fingers on the neck of Widow Xiao. The touch was icy, yet soft and slippery, and he could not feel the pulse beating; it seemed she had just stopped breathing not long ago

"Fifth Master, there is a woman lying on the road ahead." The voice of the coachman, Old Wei, suddenly came through, and the carriage came to a halt

Without a hint of hesitation, Shen Mo knelt beside Widow Xiao and performed artificial respiration on her. This was an emergency rescue technique he had learned during military training in college. He had learned it rather carelessly, and he never expected to use it today. He did not know whether it would be effective, but he thought to himself that he might as well treat a dead horse as if it were alive.

In the carriage sat an old man and a young boy. The old man had a gaunt face, three long strands of beard under his chin, and his temples were already showing white hair. This man was Liu Zheng, the fifth master of the Shen family's estate in Cang County.

Upon Mr. Liu's disembarkation, driven by curiosity, Shen Mo also followed suit and got out of the vehicle

Master Liu and Shen Mo stood beside the corpse. The coachman, Old Wei, had quickly conducted an examination and confirmed that the woman lying on the official road was already dead, and made a preliminary assessment.

Liu Zheng, also known as Liu Wuye, remained seated like an old monk in meditation, motionless, with his eyes closed, only the muscles of his cheeks twitching slightly. Aren't you just a big playboy? Mentioning your formidable reputation as Young Master Shen Liu, the young women and wives within a hundred miles of Xiangzhou are all frightened to the point of losing their color, which can indeed be considered quite impressive.

The youth, around seventeen or eighteen years old, was draped in a white fur coat, wrapped in a brocade quilt, and curled up in a corner. His features were quite delicate, though there were several bruises on his face. His large eyes were bright, yet they lacked the vitality and exuberance typical of young people, instead resembling those of an elderly person who had experienced the vicissitudes of life, filled with a sense of desolation and loneliness, and more so, an indescribable bewilderment.

He is Shen Mo, the beloved son of Shen Fu, the head of the third branch of the Shen family. Among the younger generation of the clan, he ranks sixth. Due to a quarrel, he struck his cousin Shen Teng from the second branch with a brick, causing a serious injury. Under pressure from the various branches of the family, Shen Fu had no choice but to give his precious son a severe beating and then send him to the Shen family's estate in Cang County for reflection and reform.