Chapter Nine, Chen Qiu

However, as his gaze swept over the surrounding guards, Chen Qiu's expression quickly turned fierce. A single fist cannot contend with four hands; a brave man cannot overcome a multitude. With so many people here, could he really not handle him? It was truly troublesome, so he simply decided to bind the old man and the maid, forcing Young Master Chen to be cautious and see if he still dared to confront him.

Chen Shaojun had never practiced martial arts before, and his meridians were much weaker than those of ordinary martial artists. Suddenly unleashing martial techniques, his meridians could not withstand the strain, which caused his entire body to go numb.

Chen Shaojun set down the red lotus, gazing at the crowd ahead with an expression of utter coldness

Chen Shaojun said nothing, but tightly clenched his fists, staring at the land deed in Chen Qiu's hand

Chen Shaojun, do not speak nonsense, I was just trying to scare you. Who said I was going to take action? For the sake of our shared ancestry, I will not hold this against you for now. As for your family's residence... hm, once your father and brother are executed, it will belong to me anyway

However, in the next moment, something surprising happened to both of them

Still too weak, having just begun to practice martial arts and already engaging in combat with Chen Qiu, it is likely that the meridians have been injured. If no measures are taken to nurture and recover, it is feared that there will be lingering consequences

Mr. Chen said

However, the Chen family is a family of literary and philosophical heritage, not originally a household of great wealth and nobility. Furthermore, with the family's current decline in fortune, how can Young Master Chen bear such a burden

In an instant, Chen Qiu felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and a wave of emptiness washed over him.

At that time, your father, under the pretense of my father's title as the Deputy Minister of Revenue, forcibly seized and purchased land from others at low prices in the local area, driving some people to the brink of divorce and family destruction. It was utterly inhumane; not to mention my father, even if it were me, I would also demand that the local authorities impose severe and strict penalties!

Hong Lian and Jiang Bo responded.

"Get lost? Haha, Chen Shaojun, are you still not awake? I thought you were the son of the Minister of Revenue, a high-ranking official of the third grade?"

Land deed

Chen Qiu! Get out of my sight quickly before I lose my temper!

Against Chen Shaojun, a scholar who is utterly defenseless, Chen Qiu clearly harbors intense hatred for him

Practicing martial arts can be harmful to the body, which is why true martial artists generally engage in both training and nurturing their health simultaneously. However, nurturing the body requires a significant expenditure of gold and silver to purchase various elixirs and herbs that promote the health of the tendons and muscles

At that moment, Chen Shaojun finally spoke, his voice resonating with authority

Boom

As soon as the boy's voice fell, the heavily built guards with swords immediately rushed in, completely ignoring the three members of the Chen family.

Setting aside this facade of bravado, Chen Qiu appeared flustered and quickly led everyone to flee in disarray. He had never anticipated that what should have been a sure thing would turn out to be so chaotic. Most importantly, Chen Shaojun's words "relying on a powerful backer" truly frightened him

Before Chen Shaojun reached the entrance, he heard a deafening roar. The two large doors of the Chen family were suddenly blasted open by a tremendous force from the outside, crashing heavily to the ground

Chen Shaojun's final words struck like a bolt of lightning. Chen Qiu, who had already taken a step forward, suddenly trembled upon hearing these words, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes, and he came to an abrupt halt.

Young master, be careful

Chen Qiu was taken aback. He exerted all his strength with that one claw, and even a skilled practitioner might not be able to evade it, let alone a frail scholar. However, Chen Shaojun dodged that move with grace and fluidity, completely unlike someone who was incapable of even tying up a chicken.

Chen Shaojun, a scholar, was unexpectedly faster than me, a martial artist! I never would have thought such a situation could occur.

What, are you not convinced

Did Chen Zongxi still hold back a hand?

This grasp immediately revealed Chen Qiu's martial arts skills

Call!

Hong Lian let out a startled cry, her face filled with fear. Just as she thought she would crash down heavily, a hand firmly caught her, halting her descent

With a swish, a cold light flashed in Chen Qiu's eyes. Undeterred, he lunged forward with another claw aimed at Chen Shaojun. However, this time, before he could strike, Chen Shaojun let out a cold laugh, and with a bang, he swiftly stepped forward, suddenly delivering a punch to Chen Qiu's chest, sending him crashing backward.

In the end, Chen Shaojun spoke with a stern and commanding tone

Haha, Mr. Chen, you have arrived just in time! Quickly take your servants down and move them out together!

The reason Chen Qiu dares to be so audacious is that he knows the Chen family has already fallen and has no backing. However, if the Chen family still had a noble benefactor to assist them, then everything would be entirely different

In an instant, Chen Qiu was intimidated by Chen Shaojun's imposing presence, rendering him unable to utter a single word.

A cold light flashed in Chen Shaojun's eyes as he looked at Chen Qiu, as if he were gazing at a foolish ignoramus

Chen Qiu, the laws of the Great Shang Dynasty, colluding privately with high-ranking officials of the court, trading land deeds, this is indeed a capital offense! The matters concerning my father and elder brother have yet to reach a conclusion, and our Chen family's residence does not have the authority to be auctioned by the Dali Temple. Where exactly did the land deed in your hands come from? Forging Great Shang land deeds, colluding with officials of the Dali Temple, Chen Qiu, have you and your father thought about how to prepare for the aftermath?

Chen Qiu was filled with a mix of shock and horror as he looked at Chen Shaojun before him, as if he had never known him at all

Since the incident with Chen Qiu, Chen Shaojun appears to be normal on the surface, but in reality, half of his body has long been numb, and a piercing pain shoots from the fingertips of his right hand straight to his scalp

Colluding with court officials in private and trading land deeds is a serious crime, of which he is certainly aware. However, the case of the Chen family has already been settled, and the confiscation of their assets is only a matter of time. Chen Qiu never expected that Chen Shaojun would be so astute, immediately seizing the loophole in timing. From a single land deed, he quickly made the connection to this matter.

What is going on

Chen Qiu, do you dare!

Seeing this group of people, Hong Lian rushed forward as if mad. However, before she could get close, the leading young man flicked his hand and sent Hong Lian flying several zhang away.

Chen Qiu wore a face full of sarcasm, and with a flick of his palm, a slightly yellowed piece of paper with curled edges immediately fell down, revealing itself before Young Master Chen.

Chen Shaojun, what do you think this is

Chen Shaojun initially felt a surge of anger, but upon seeing the few words above, he trembled all over, as if pricked by a needle

What are you doing

Upon hearing Chen Shaojun's words, Chen Qiu felt as if struck by a bolt of lightning, completely stunned.

Chen Shaojun stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his robes billowing, gazing at Chen Qiu, exuding a powerful aura from his entire being

Tiger Demon Claw

However, just as this thought flashed through Chen Qiu's mind, a thunderous roar immediately rang out from beside his ear

Chen Shaojun, do not speak nonsense!

Chen Qiu cast a sidelong glance at Chen Shaojun, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction in his heart. After enduring for so long, he could finally ride over the heads of the Chen father and son, raising his chin and exhaling with pride

Stop it all!

Yes, young master

Now, while I am in a good mood, you three wretched dogs should quickly get lost! Otherwise, when I change my mind, you will only be able to crawl out from the dog hole, hahahaha

Once Chen Qiu left with a group of guards, Chen Shaojun let out a long breath. He appeared calm in front of Chen Qiu, managing to fend off Chen Qiu's attacks with just a few moves, but only Chen Shaojun himself knew that he was in no condition to withstand another strike from Chen Qiu.

This is impossible

Chen Qiu was both shocked and angry, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes. Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly withdrew his hand, which had been concealed in his sleeve, and swiftly lunged to grab Chen Shaojun by the neck

Seeing Chen Shaojun's angry expression, Chen Qiu felt an extraordinary sense of relief in his heart. For this day, the father and son had waited countless days and nights, and now their wish had finally come true

Chen Qiu was filled with uncertainty and suspicion

At the moment Chen Qiu launched his attack, Chen Shaojun seemed to have anticipated it, suddenly sliding backward and narrowly evading Chen Qiu's strike by a hair's breadth

Tiger Demon Skill, this is a formidable martial art that Chen Qiu has painstakingly acquired. Once mastered, the strength of the five fingers is as swift as the wind, capable of grasping wood, seizing rocks, and handling mud with equal ease

Hey, do you recognize this? This is the official deed, the genuine property deed of the Chen family. I have already signed a contract with the Dali Temple and purchased this residence. After your family is confiscated, I will be the true owner here. In other words, everything here will belong to me. Did you not expect this, my dear cousin?

Chen Qiu's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly turned his head. He saw Chen Shaojun in front of him, his gaze sharp and piercing, as if he had already seen through all of Chen Qiu's inner thoughts. For a brief moment, Chen Qiu felt a shiver run through him, suddenly experiencing a ghostly sensation

Chen Qiu's expression was filled with uncertainty as he looked up at Chen Shaojun, who had a sharp gaze and an air of arrogance, exuding a demeanor of complete fearlessness. This was in stark contrast to the image Chen Qiu had in his memory. Given the magnitude of the incident involving the Chen family, it was impossible for anyone to remain so composed without a strong backing.

When my father committed an offense, he sought leniency from your Chen family. Unexpectedly, your father, considering himself to be incorruptible, not only refused to lend a helping hand out of kinship but also wrote a letter to the local authorities, demanding a harsher punishment for my father. Hmph, who would have thought, the wheel of fortune turns, and your Chen family has met with this day! So, how do you feel now? Regretful, perhaps?

If an ordinary person were to see the land deed in Chen Qiu's hands, they would likely be intimidated. However, Young Master Chen was born into an official family and is well-versed in the laws governing merchants. Before the court had even concluded the case, Chen Qiu had already obtained the Chen family's land deed. Once this matter becomes known, Young Master Chen need not worry about ending up on the streets; rather, it is Chen Qiu who should be concerned about losing his head

Chen Shaojun thought to himself

"Come in, everyone, and search! Remember, from now on, this Chen residence belongs to me!"

Therefore, my good cousin, it is not I who should leave now, but you, along with your two servants, should quickly get out of here. Otherwise, you will be trespassing, and be careful that I do not break your legs

This time was different from before; Chen Qiu was already prepared in his heart. He clearly saw all of Chen Shaojun's movements, yet he was still struck by Chen Shaojun.

Outside the door, a young man in splendid attire, around sixteen or seventeen years old, donned in a light fur coat and carrying a precious sword, walked in with his hands clasped behind his back and his head held high, displaying an arrogant demeanor. Behind him followed a dozen or so burly guards, fierce and intimidating in appearance.

At this thought, a deep shadow flickered in Chen Shaojun's eyes

In the final sentence, Chen Qiushi's astonishing words revealed the relationship between the two; it turned out that he and Chen Shaojun originated from the same source, surprisingly belonging to the same clan

... ...

As for the land deed in your hands

Chen Shaojun swung his robe and boldly stepped over the threshold, standing before Chen Qiu.

Chen Qiu was full of self-satisfaction, his eyes brimming with sarcasm, while behind him, the guards burst into fits of laughter

The young man appeared arrogant; upon seeing Chen Shaojun, he let out a loud laugh and then suddenly waved his hand forcefully behind him

Behind him, a group of guards once again burst into laughter

Chen Qiu

However, the most shocking thing is still the land deed he holds in his hand

It is necessary to find a way to seek some rare and precious materials

"Jiang Bo, Hong Lian, close the door. Do not allow anyone to enter without my command"

Ah!

Chen Qiu, do not think that I am unaware of your father and son duo's reliance on the powerful figures in the capital. However, there are always greater individuals beyond the ordinary, and do you think our Chen family lacks noble patrons? With such a significant matter concerning the Crown Prince, do you think I have not been apprehended for a reason? Chen Qiu, do not deceive yourself; if you dare to entertain any more crooked ideas, you will be seeking your own demise!

Chen Qiu, you are not my match, it is better for you not to seek your own suffering

Upon witnessing this scene, Jiang Bo and Hong Lian were greatly astonished. Chen Qiu suddenly launched an attack, without any warning. Moreover, with one being old and the other young, even if they had the intention, they were unable to intervene at this moment.

A trace of concern flickered in Chen Shaojun's eyes

Chen Qiu, if you have the courage, give it a try

It is impossible; he is merely a worthless scholar. How could he possibly possess martial arts skills? It must be a coincidence

Boom

Boom