Chapter Nine, the painting reveals true emotions, carving the beginnings and endings of words.

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Just as I was speaking halfway, I suddenly heard a series of urgent hoofbeats

The only thing that seems somewhat off is that table—clearly, it has been dragged over from Fatty Lu's tavern.

Upon witnessing this scene, Old Liu immediately had an idea. He dragged over Zhi Zun Bao and whispered a few words to him—his small eyes suddenly widened as if they were about to pop out: "Master, you want me to deal with such a big street thug? You really think highly of me! With just one swing of his hand, I would be smashed to the ground like a painting, stuck there and unable to peel myself off. Even if someone tried to pick me up with a toothpick, I would end up with a square head..."

He immediately felt a chill in his heart, but then he heard the burly man let out a long breath: "Child, you are right! If I were to forcibly seize your temple today because of my brother, what would be the difference from the local tyrants of the past? Relying on my wealth and connections to bully the common people, if I were to do such a thing, not only would the Bodhisattva be angry, but even my wife's grave would not find peace—let's go back and tell my brother, we, the Red Flag Robbers, cannot engage in such bullying of the common people!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhi Zun Bao said: "When someone takes your wife, you feel sad. But Uncle, when you take our temple, the place where we earn our living, have you ever thought about how we feel?" His eyes revealed disdain: "When you are robbed, you resent the heavens for being unfair, yet you turn around and rob us... If your wife has a spirit in heaven, what do you think she would think?" This statement was no longer something a child could say!

Wow! Uncle, you have so many scars on you! So many, so deep! Don't you feel any pain?

Upon hearing this, Zhi Zun Bao immediately stopped howling, pitifully extending two fingers: "Two days, you are not allowed to interfere with my drinking!"

At that moment, he narrated the incident in a thrilling and intricate manner, comparable to a storyteller, taking a full incense stick's worth of time to finish. As soon as he concluded, the Supreme Treasure led the applause, exclaiming: "Uncle, you are amazing! Just as impressive as the *illustrated* books!"

Xiongqi immediately became pleased and said: "Alright, I will tell you! Back in the day, we ... ... "

The uncle is right! Supreme Treasure said leisurely: "If someone is unwilling to sell, even if you offer money, it is still considered robbery—Uncle, you say that our temple is unwilling to sell to you, and yet you come to find the temple keeper, doesn't that also count as robbery?"

This is ... how ... how ... how ... how ...

The words just spoken by the Supreme Treasure were filled with righteousness and resonated strongly. In fact, I had been secretly observing the expression on his face—suddenly, that imposing figure stood up without any warning

Although he did not move, his subordinates all stood up in a large group with a swift motion

What is the difference between buying and stealing? The fifth brother of the red flag angrily said: "I don't want to sell it, so if he throws money and takes it away, that counts as stealing!"

Uh, this... haha, it's all old business from back in the day, nothing much! Brother Hongqi Wuge noticed that the child seemed to have some fondness for him, and hearing his words made him even more pleased. However, he did not forget the purpose of his visit: "Uh, kid, is the old temple keeper in this temple here?"

A cloth-wrapped stick striking a person merely results in superficial injuries, and it certainly would not harm the tendons, bones, or internal organs. This indicates that the Red Flag Fifth Brother himself is not inclined to be overly aggressive or domineering. His nature is not entirely bad—Old Liu, peering through the crack of the door, understood this situation to some extent and found himself in a dilemma, weighing how to proceed without knowing what action to take.

Continuing with this momentum, Zhi Zun Bao asked: "Uncle, what about this one?"

This person is the Fifth Brother of the Red Flag Society, known as Xiong Qi. He is commonly referred to as the Fifth Brother of the Five Rows, the Manager, or the Chief Manager of the Red Flag. His primary responsibilities include law enforcement, punishment, and conflict resolution. He holds significant social power within the society. Although his subordinates also come from humble beginnings, having spent a long time in the Red Flag Hall, they have all developed a fearless, tough demeanor characteristic of the underworld.

Zhi Zun Bao dragged over two cushions from the side, one for each person placed under their bottoms, and they squatted there together, looking out.

At the front stood a table covered in grease, beside which sat a stocky man of short stature. He was bald, dressed in a coarse cloth jacket, and had a face full of flesh. His exposed arms were round and solid, resembling a fierce tiger poised to pounce

There is still more, this item ... ...

Here it is again ... ... how it is ... ...

Hey! You said you haven't learned anything good, yet you've picked up all your master's drinking habits... Alright, alright! I promise you, as long as you can resolve this matter beautifully, I will reward you with two days of drinking, all on my tab!

Suddenly, his heart softened

Alright!

"Hammer!" He raised the tea bowl and took a sip, then waved his hand: "You son of a celestial board, do you not know that this place is a temple? What is a temple? It is a place where the Buddha, the heavens, and the deities reside, and it deserves respect! Bringing this nonsense and irrelevant matters in here, do you want me to be struck by lightning?"

Uncle, please tell the story about this!

As Brother Wu looked on, the tea in the covered bowl on the table had already run out. A few of the three-flower sticks beside him could no longer hold on. One of the green-skinned sticks coughed twice and, with a smile, said: "Brother Hong Wu, this won't do. That old Daoist Er Qiu is clearly putting on airs and leaving us hanging here... How about this: you sit tight while I go break down the door and bring that old Daoist in front of you. What do you think?"

As expected, Xiong Qi's expression suddenly darkened—almost all the brothers fell silent at once, and even those who were unaware were silenced by those beside them, preventing them from speaking further

He recalled the past with a sense of sorrow in his heart, and before he knew it, he began to speak: "... I was beaten and lay in bed for several days before I could get out, and naturally, my wife could not be saved; once she was taken away, she jumped into the well and died." He suddenly inhaled sharply and said fiercely: "Later, I found that bastard's house in the middle of the night and, with a snap, wiped out the whole nest!"

Foreigners have taken the lead, how can our own people not respond? ... At that moment, the group of robe-wearers were clapping and praising enthusiastically ... ! ... It is countless. ! In an instant, the atmosphere became incredibly lively, almost resembling a bustling market scene.

This remark struck a chord with Zhi Zun Bao, who exclaimed in surprise and took the opportunity to descend the slope, casually pointing to a path and inquiring:

At that moment, Qingpi was taken aback and stammered, "Which deity... the place where the deity resides, we can only wait outside... If this continues, how long do you think it will take to reach a conclusion..."

Although there were no longer any worries, the matter that was destined to come eventually returned—sure enough, by the time the morning dew had just begun to dry the next day, a group of burly men had already taken their stand in front of the City God Temple, each holding a short stick wrapped in cloth, glaring fiercely, exuding an air of menace.

The scar from the knife on Zhi Zun Bao's finger slanted down along his chest, nearly opening him up; it looked extremely dangerous at the time. However, the origin of this scar happened to align perfectly with the temperament of Brother Hongqi. Firstly, this matter arose because the Brotherhood would stand up for orphans and widows, which was truly noble and righteous. Secondly, on that day, they achieved a remarkable victory by defeating a stronger opponent—immediately, a few brothers from the Brotherhood who were aware of the situation chimed in: "Brother Five, why don't you share the story with us?"

Xiong Qi slammed the lid of the bowl onto the table, immediately igniting his anger: "Shut up! You little brat, do you even understand anything? I tell you, no matter the time or the situation, wherever there is a Bodhisattva, you must ensure peace for me—my old man is over sixty and believes in these things. You should know that if I don't respect the Bodhisattva outside, I will have to kneel in the temple and starve myself for a few days! If you all cause trouble and this happens, mark my words, I will make sure you suffer the consequences!"

Old Liu, well aware of Zhi Zun Bao's character, directly raised his hand to interrupt: "Speak, what conditions would you be willing to go?"

Xiong Qi's face appeared calm, yet his heart was tumultuous like a raging sea. This was not for any other reason, but because he had recalled the day when his wife was dragged away from their home by the wealthy landlord. The helpless look in her eyes, her desperate struggles, the heart-wrenching wails, and the bloody marks left by her fingers clawing at the muddy ground... Scenes flashed before his eyes, repeatedly flickering and dancing.

Xiong Qi suddenly smiled bitterly as if to mock himself and said: "There’s nothing that can’t be said... When I was young, I had a beautiful wife, and a local rich man wanted to buy her with money. How could I possibly agree to that? So that scoundrel of a rich man brought a group of thugs to forcibly take her away, and this scar is from when I was bitten by a dog at that time..."

With a smile, he patted the head of the Supreme Treasure and said, "I didn't expect you, little one, to understand some profound principles. I really find you quite pleasing to the eye. So, if you come to Chengdu next time..."

I heard that the temple guardian is about to wake up, and now there's no rush for the hero to rise. "It's fine, it's fine, just chatting..." Letting the hand of the Supreme Treasure rest on the scar on his chest, he casually said to amuse the child and pass the time: "These scars are all from when the uncle fought with bad people and got into knife fights back in the day; each one has its own story!"

A group of men raised their voices and shouted in unison

Old Liu immediately felt a sense of urgency in his heart

Suddenly, Brother Hongqi Wu and his subordinate brothers were all stunned

Seeing the boss get angry, those few young men immediately shrank their necks and fell silent

Zhi Zun Bao, regardless of the person beside him tugging at his clothes, continued to chuckle, saying: "Uncle, what story does this scar have? Please tell me about it, won't you..."

Naxiong was momentarily taken aback and hesitated, saying: "Uh, you mean this... this..."

After drinking two more cups from the covered bowl, not only was the color indistinguishable, but even the taste of plain water was becoming hard to discern. However, the Red Flag Fifth Brother was determined to persist, so he simply instructed his subordinates to prepare lunch—just at that moment, the temple door creaked open!

Here, the bravado is in full swing, with the younger companions and the Supreme Treasure showering praise, creating an atmosphere of unparalleled joy around the table

In her eyes, an indescribable ferocity unconsciously emerged, resembling a fierce wolf protecting its cubs in the snow.

Zhi Zun Bao reached out to touch the scar on his body, making a clicking sound as he did so, while absentmindedly replying: "Oh, he is sleeping. I guess he will wake up in a little while, just wait... Uncle, do you have something to discuss with him?"

At that moment, Zhi Zun Bao suddenly pointed at a semicircular scar on the man's calf, exclaiming, "Uncle, what story is there behind this?" The scar protruded in a semicircular shape, with a slightly darker color around it, resembling a bite from an animal. Zhi Zun Bao had noticed it long ago, yet he chose this moment to ask about it.

When it came to the final act of revenge, he felt a slight sense of relief in his heart. He picked up the covered bowl, ready to drink tea, when he suddenly heard Zhi Zun Bao ask, "Uncle, did that landlord pay for your wife, or did he just take her by force?"

He immediately rolled up his sleeves, wiped away his snot and tears, and instantly put on a smile. The look in his eyes, the expression on his face—"You little rascal, have you already figured out a way to fool that kid? This is also the old trick that has fooled me for two days, isn't it?"

The temple door swung wide open, and what emerged from within was surprisingly a half-grown child

The Supreme Treasure closed the temple door and turned around, unafraid. He simply chuckled towards the position of Xiong Qi, and before those three flower sticks could come to pull him, he eagerly ran up to him—his eyes wide open in astonishment and admiration.