Chapter 4

At this moment, Meng Jianqing felt that he was indeed very hungry.

Meng Zhiyuan was greatly affected, standing there speechless and in shock

The organizer of this case, Shen Qianhu, appeared very refined and amiable, allowing Meng Zhiyuan to take a seat opposite him. Observing the cold sweat on Meng's face, he could indeed understand his feelings. It was no wonder, as nine Jinyiwei had died within the territory of Ninghaiwei, which was a significant matter! Moreover, the suspect who died at the scene was none other than Gen Bo, who had lived in Ninghaiwei for five years, and this Gen Bo had even saved the life of Meng Zhiyuan's youngest daughter

Rather than piercing him with an irreplaceable substitute, it is better to leave a blank space

Meng Zhiyuan scratched his head and said, "What nonsense are you talking about, you rascal? Isn't this asking a question with an obvious answer? You haven't been led astray by the monks at Tiantai Temple, have you?"

This old fox

He stepped onto the stone steps, and just as he raised his hand, the door had already opened

He speculated that Meng Jianqing inquired about this matter merely because the news of the Maitreya Sect raising an army in Yanzhou had caused him concern—everyone knows that the Maitreya Sect is essentially a branch and transformation of the Ming Sect, worshipping the same fierce fire that purges darkness and evil.

Meng Zhiyuan was also sizing him up, shaking his head and clicking his tongue: "In the past, before your father let himself go, he was quite a handsome young man. You two brothers are much better than your father was, but your tempers are certainly quite off-putting."

Let his sons begin their lives from this blank slate

Meng Jianqing had once seen a flame tattoo by chance during his childhood, which had now been completely deformed by the fully blossomed, thick chest muscles—transformed into the yellow-striped tiger pattern most favored by soldiers—requiring only a few additional stitches to complete it

However, Meng Zhiyuan soon realized that Meng Jianqing could no longer start his life from a blank slate

Meng Zhiyuan sighed: "What I do are all trivial matters that cannot be presented on hetushu.com, how could I dare to show my face? Let alone talk about any position."

Yet what followed was an indescribable anger

The lights in the main room lit up. Meng Jianqing hesitated for a moment, then walked to the window and said: "Father, Aunt, I have returned"

And Meng Jianqing is about to step into a new world

To the heavens and the earth, he could never have imagined that that scoundrel Meng Jianqing would get involved in such a life-threatening case. If he had known earlier, he should have told that rascal these secrets. Now, it is too late

He pulled down one of the two wild rabbits hanging from his shoulder and threw it to the pack of dogs

Shen Guangli did not pursue the matter further and merely stated that Mr. Yan Er could be considered a master of his generation and should not be taken lightly; since he had saved Yu Meng's daughter, he would be responsible for her burial.

As Meng Jianqing lit the oil lamp, Meng Zhiyuan's clumsy and stout figure had already squeezed in. After sitting down, he said: "The Jiangwu Hall has started enrolling students in Zhejiang. I have already registered you and Jianchen. I was just planning to send a message to Tiantai Temple to ask you to return quickly to prepare. Your return is just in time. Come, come, let me first tell you about the examination situation from the past two years."

Meng Zhiyuan could only continue to smile wryly, thinking to himself that both of his sons possessed this unyielding disposition, truly unsure of which ancestor they resembled; as for himself, he was well-known in Ninghaiwei as the amiable Maitreya Buddha, Meng.

Inside the room, there was the sound of rustling clothes. Meng Zhiyuan said, "I have something to discuss with you, wait for me in your room."

In recent years, Meng Zhiyuan has gained at least thirty pounds. Even acquaintances from back then would likely struggle to connect the current clumsy and heavy figure of this man with the handsome youth he once was.

Only now has he come to realize the extent of the risks he took when confronting those Imperial Guards at www.hetushu.com. Even if just one managed to escape

Yan Wu and Yan Qi once said that within the Ming Sect, there exists a Transmission Hall dedicated to overseeing spies and sentinels across various regions. In this hall, eighteen envoys manage the affairs of eighteen provinces. Aside from the Elder of Transmission and the Sect Leader, no one knows the identities of the envoys

During his five years at Tiantai Temple, he devoted himself to the study of literature and martial arts, practicing day and night, hoping that one day he would emerge like a treasured sword from its sheath, attracting the attention of thousands. However, all his efforts seemed to turn to ashes in the blink of an eye

At this point, Meng Jianqing also realized this, and a hint of an unconscious smile appeared at the corner of his mouth

Meng Zhiyuan self-deprecatingly said: "You see, I have been idle all these years, and once I let myself go, it truly becomes unstoppable. Jianqing, in another two years, I fear I won't even be able to lift a knife. As for that broken copper mirror, I have long said it was a broken copper mirror; I don't even know how it shattered into dozens of pieces, where could I possibly find it now?"

Meng Jianqing silently handed over the wild rabbit, and Yu received it, hurriedly walking into the kitchen

It was not until several years later that he came to understand that those who are unfamiliar with Shen Guangli, upon first meeting him, would greatly underestimate this gentleman's vision and methods—he was no exception.

Meng Jianqing looked at his father with uncertainty and suspicion

After a while, Meng Zhiyuan came to his senses and said with a wry smile: "You rascal, you must see it with your own eyes before you can feel at ease, right?"

At the time of burial, Meng Jianqing quietly placed a small wooden carving of Maitreya Buddha beneath Mr. Yan Er's head.

Meng Zhiyuan's cold sweat broke out even faster, and he could only repeatedly call himself incompetent and damned.

As winter departs and spring arrives, lush green grass will soon sprout from this soil, and the traces of the grave will no longer be visible

He sent himself to the Tiansi Temple to practice martial arts. Was it truly due to the prevailing atmosphere in Eastern Zhejiang, or was it because he had spent so many years in the Hall of Enlightenment, clearly aware of the identities of Mingxin and Mingxing? However, perhaps he had firmly decided to sever ties with the Ming Sect, and would not intentionally place himself beside Yan Wu and Yan Qi. The fact that Yan Wu and Yan Qi chose him was merely a coincidence.

If he had known about this earlier, he would have guessed that the masked man was acquainted with Mr. Yan Er rather than his father; the Jinyiwei were hastening to Ninghaiwei to find Mr. Yan Er instead of his father

Meng Jianqing suddenly said in a gloomy tone: "You should have told me about these matters earlier"

Meng Jianqing took a detour back to the small path leading from Tiantai Temple to Ninghaiwei, first visiting the dilapidated thatched house where Mr. Yan Er lived outside the village, before finally stepping into the village. A few dogs wandering the streets immediately began to bark wildly, but after just one or two barks, they recognized Meng Jianqing and eagerly surrounded him, wagging their tails. Meng Jianqing patted their heads, finding it somewhat amusing. These timid creatures, having been beaten by him once and then fed a pile of meat bones, remembered his scent clearly even though he had been away for a long time. Each time they encountered him, they displayed this ridiculous eagerness to ingratiate themselves.

Meng Jianqing let out a quiet sigh, but immediately followed up with the question: "What was your position at that time?"

Meng Jianqing softly called out "Mother"

This was his first meeting with Shen Guangli. To him, this encounter did not seem particularly special. Although he felt a certain degree of nervousness, the shock and unease he displayed were entirely understandable; he calmly responded that the small path he took was far removed from the post road, and even if the timing coincided perfectly, he feared he would not see the struggle between the two mountain ridges. As for the sound of horses neighing, that was a common occurrence on the post road; he might have heard it, but he did not pay it any mind.

Yu raised his hand to rub his eyes and said softly: "I heard those dogs bark twice and then stop, so I guessed you had returned. It was the same time last time... Are you hungry? I will go make you some food"

If that is the case... the leader of the Ming Sect and the Elder of the Transmission of Fragrance have long since passed away. It is said that the envoys and practitioners of the Transmission of Fragrance from various provinces also suffered heavy casualties during the struggle among the heroes, leaving the Ming Sect without any intelligence, which is why the army was able to successfully encircle and eliminate them; thus, the Hall of Transmission of Fragrance has been abandoned for a long time without a successor. So, no one knows the identity of my father. No wonder he was careless enough to keep the bronze mirror and tattoos for so many years, leading to his own discovery.

Meng Jianqing remained silent

He slightly turned his body and opened the front of his garment.

Meng Jianqing was also summoned for questioning. The time he returned home raised suspicions that he might have witnessed the massacre

He speculated that not every believer could possess such a bronze mirror; does the shape of the flame also relate to one's position? If Meng Zhiyuan had already held the status that Xu Qiao has today, many people would likely have known him; even after so many years, it should not be too difficult to find a witness.

Meng Jianqing, too lazy to continue circling around with this old fox, asked directly: "Father, is the flame tattoo on your chest still there? Is that copper mirror still there?"

If that is the case, how can he manage to keep this life-threatening secret safe

Mr. Yu knocked on the door from outside, bringing in a plate of smoked fish, a bowl of greens, and a large bowl of white rice, then silently retreated and closed the door behind him

As he was about to leave, Meng Jianqing said softly: "Father, I used to not understand why you were unwilling to let Jianchen and me get tattoos like others. But now I understand."

Meng Zhiyuan's sigh this time is indeed genuine and heartfelt: "Those were things done in my youth when I was unaware of the vastness of the world, and they are long past. All those above and below have perished completely; why should I bring it up? Not only you, but even your aunt and your mother, I have never mentioned a single word. You should forget it entirely. This has nothing to do with you."

Meng Jianqing's eyes were fixed on him without a moment's distraction

The soil was pushed into the pit, covering the body wrapped in white cloth

In Meng Zhiyuan's heart, there is perhaps no tattoo that can compare to the beauty of that cluster of flames; however, it is a flame that will only bring disaster to his son. The new dynasty cannot accommodate this cluster of rebellious flames

Shen Guangli listened to his words calmly and indifferently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He simply turned to Meng Zhiyuan and said, "The Genbo you mentioned is actually Mr. Yan Er. He has been living in Ninghaiwei for five years, and you actually did not notice?"

Meng Jianqing closed the door and turned around to look at his smiling father: "Do you really hope we enter the Martial Arts Hall? What do you wish for us to do once we get in there?"

The Jinyiwei arrived at Ninghaiwei in the early hours of the next day. Upon learning of the major case that occurred on the post road, Meng Zhiyuan's face immediately turned pale, and cold sweat broke out at that moment—there was no need to think; even if this matter was not directly caused by Meng Jianqing, it was still inextricably linked to him. Otherwise, why would he suddenly inquire about those matters?

Meng Zhiyuan sighed again and stood up: "The Sword Minister should be back tomorrow; I will discuss the matters of the Martial Arts Hall with you then"

Let Maitreya, whom he has worshipped all his life, guide his path to rebirth

He is confident that his words and actions are flawless

In fact, he wants to ask: "How many people know you?"

Meng Zhiyuan continued to smile as he watched him eat with great concentration

If he was so careful yet still got blood from his opponent, these two wild rabbits he hunted should be able to cover up the true source of the few bloodstains on him