The Ji Mansion

Four days had passed since the death of Gao Nian of the Golden Dragon Gang.

Early in the morning, the morning mist had not yet dispersed.

Shen Xiuhan stood in the courtyard, refining the 'Mystic Eagle Stance'. His blood qi circulated with the rising and falling of his stance, causing a faint white mist to steam up around his body.

From the distance, a series of footsteps approached and came to a halt outside the courtyard.

Shen Xiuhan noticed the newcomer but was in no hurry to end his stance.

Instead, he waited until he finished his stance work and the blood qi in his body had calmed before turning to look.

Outside the fenced courtyard stood a group of people.

Leading them was a middle-aged scholar in his thirties wearing a square headscarf. His face was lean, and his features carried a touch of scholarly refinement.

Behind him stood several burly men, each with arrogant gazes and a menacing aura.

Seeing Shen Xiuhan stop his training and look over, the middle-aged scholar politely cupped his hands.

“What solid stance work!”

“I presume this is Brother Shen, who has been rising to fame recently? I am Tang Cheng, the second-in-command of the Luanbo Gang.”

Shen Xiuhan calmly clasped his hands.

“So it is Second Leader Tang. I have heard much about you.”

“Brother Shen is too polite.”

Tang Cheng was smooth and warm, his face beaming with a pleasant smile.

“I have come uninvited to inform Brother Shen of something. From now on, Xiaojing Bay will be under the jurisdiction of our Luanbo Gang.”

At this point, he paused, his manner becoming even more polite.

“As a distinguished disciple of the Mei Courtyard, Brother Shen naturally does not need to pay protection money. However, since we are living in the same area, if we ever fall short in any way, I hope Brother Shen will show some understanding.”

Tsk, it seemed they had already thoroughly investigated his background.

Shen Xiuhan remained calm but put on a puzzled expression. “Second Leader Tang is too polite. But what about the Golden Dragon Gang...?”

“The Golden Dragon Gang is gone!”

Tang Cheng smiled, his tone full of schadenfreude. “Brother Shen doesn't know yet?”

“The Golden Dragon Gang brought about their own destruction. Knowing they couldn't defeat our Luanbo Gang, they tried to impersonate us to make a quick fortune before fleeing. In the end, they crossed paths with a passing heroic expert in Changyun County. He slaughtered Gao Nian on the spot and even returned the protection fees to the villagers' courtyards overnight...”

Shen Xiuhan acted surprised and praised, “Did that heroic expert leave a name?”

“No.”

Tang Cheng shook his head. “The expert took Gao Nian's dog life, distributed the money, and vanished. Once our gang leader received the news, he struck like lightning and took the opportunity to eradicate the Golden Dragon Gang's branch.”

“So that's how it is...”

After a few more words of casual chatter, Tang Cheng bid farewell and left with his followers.

Not far from the Shen family's courtyard, a follower quickly stepped forward and lowered his voice.

“Second Brother, are we really waiving their protection money just like that?”

“Otherwise?”

Tang Cheng glanced at him sideways, his tone indifferent.

“This Changyun County is not the military. We must be careful in everything and not act rashly.”

“This subordinate understands!”

“Hmm?”

“...Uh, this little one understands!”

In the courtyard, Madam Zheng walked out of the side room holding a stack of newly woven fishing nets. “Dalang, who was that?” she asked curiously.

“People from the Luanbo Gang.”

“The Luanbo Gang...”

Madam Zheng was puzzled. “Didn't they already collect the spring protection money the day before yesterday?”

“It was about something else.”

Not wanting her to worry, Shen Xiuhan wrung out the cloth, hung it on the wooden rack, put on his clothes, and reassured her.

“Mother, don't worry about those things. Just pack up our belongings over the next few days. Once I find a good courtyard in the Inner City, we won't have to care about any gang...”

Upon hearing that they were moving to the Inner City, the worry on Madam Zheng's face instantly vanished. Her spirits lifted, and even the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out.

“Great! I'll start packing today!”

She paused, then remembered something else.

“Right, with so many miscellaneous belongings, we can't move them all by hand. I'll go to your Uncle Liu's house in the West Alley later, take ten copper coins, and rent his ox cart for a day in advance...”

Seeing that Madam Zheng was already eagerly planning the move, Shen Xiuhan smiled and nodded, then turned and walked out the door toward the Inner City.

The northern part of the Inner City.

Compared to the muddy, potholed streets of the Outer City, the Inner City was paved with smooth blue flagstones. Shops lined both sides of the streets, and most of the pedestrians were decently dressed.

Shen Xiuhan bypassed the North Market and turned into a quiet, wide alley.

Before long, a grand and imposing noble mansion came into view.

High blue-brick courtyard walls stretched for dozens of yards, and the upturned eaves pierced the sky.

In front of the vermilion-lacquered main gate, two white marble lions guarded the entrance, lending the place a solemn and majestic air.

In the center of the lintel, a black nanmu plaque hung high, with two large characters carved in powerful, vigorous strokes:

Ji Mansion.

Shen Xiuhan climbed the steps, grasped the copper ring, and knocked on the gate.

Before long, the side door opened a crack.

A gatekeeper around fifty years of age, wearing a gray padded jacket, poked his head out. His voice was lukewarm.

“What is it?”

Shen Xiuhan cupped his hands.

“Please inform Steward Ji Zhong that Shen Xiuhan of the Mei Courtyard has come to visit as agreed.”

Hearing the name “Shen Xiuhan,” the scrutinizing look in the gatekeeper's eyes instantly vanished, and he hurriedly opened the side door wider.

“So it is Young Master Shen, please come in quickly.”

Seeing Shen Xiuhan's surprised expression, the gatekeeper explained with a smile.

“Steward Zhong has specially instructed that there is no need to report when Young Master Shen arrives. I am to bring you directly into the mansion to see him.”

“...In that case, thank you, elder.”

The inner residence of the Ji Mansion was vast, with deep, winding courtyards that fully displayed the heritage of a prestigious family.

Shen Xiuhan followed the gatekeeper past the second main courtyard, walked through a corridor adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, and stepped into a neat, independent quadrangle courtyard.

The courtyard was paved with blue bricks and swept spotless, surrounded by well-arranged rooms.

In the corner, several resilient old plum trees stretched their branches, casting a faint, crisp fragrance into the air.

In such a large courtyard, not a single maid or servant could be seen. It was extraordinarily quiet.

The gatekeeper led him straight across the courtyard to the steps of the main room and bowed.

“Steward Zhong, Young Master Shen has arrived.”

There was a brief silence inside before Ji Zhong's hoarse voice called out.

“Let him come in by himself.”

The gatekeeper immediately stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.

Shen Xiuhan nodded slightly, stepped forward, and pushed open the carved wooden door.

Before he even stepped inside, a faint scent of ink and camphor wood wafted over him.

What met his eyes was row after row of neatly arranged red sandalwood bookshelves reaching all the way to the ceiling!

With four shelves per row, there were a total of eight rows!

They were densely packed with all kinds of classics and bamboo slips.

Shen Xiuhan's mouth parted slightly, and he froze in place, momentarily dazed.

It turned out that this seemingly unremarkable, quiet courtyard was actually the Ji family's Library Pavilion!

Near the window, a middle-aged man draped in a sapphire-blue satin blanket reclined on a carved pearwood daybed lined with thick velvet cushions.

Hearing the door open, he turned his head and glanced at Shen Xiuhan.

“You're here? Close the door behind you and come in.”

This person was none other than Ji Zhong, whom he had met at the placement meet!

Shen Xiuhan's eyes flickered.

He had originally assumed that Ji Zhong was just an ordinary steward—at most a highly regarded servant who had been bestowed the master's surname for his efficient work.

But judging by how he could enter the Library Pavilion at will, it was clear...

This Steward Ji's status in the Ji family was much higher than he had anticipated!