blogombal Chapter 25 This is all my money! My money!
Chapter 25 This is all my money! My money!
Whether something is true or false, as long as you speak it confidently, someone will believe you!
Especially when you have a good appearance!
——Ximen, the master liar, Changhai!
Xu Qingya's mastery of calligraphy and painting came from practicing martial arts to control his strength, writing Spring Festival couplets and painting New Year pictures for his neighbors during the Spring Festival. He became proficient through practice!
If Zhuge Zhengwo were here, Xu Qingya would never dare to make a fool of himself. However, when it comes to fooling Yin Susu and Liu Qingci, Xu Qingya's skills are more than enough.
Xu Qingya's portraiture has a unique characteristic: while maintaining the original image of the person, he makes subtle adjustments to the facial features and corrects any flaws in the face shape.
For example, Xu Qingya painted a picture of Yin Susu. Anyone who knows Yin Susu can recognize her at a glance, but they always feel that the Yin Susu in the painting is more beautiful and more "charming".
To put it simply, it's just makeup and photo editing!
If I paint a woman, I paint her even more beautifully.
If you're drawing a man, draw him even more imposing.
If I draw children, I can draw them even more gracefully.
By highlighting a certain characteristic to the extreme, one can firmly grasp the viewer's attention, making them focus solely on the portrait and overlook Xu Qingya's painting skills and the painting's deeper meaning.
Because these paintings have absolutely no meaning.
You should know that there were three stunningly beautiful women present. When Xu Qingya was painting, he emphasized their beauty. They were only thinking about comparing their appearances. Who would analyze the meticulous brushwork?
Even Qin Nanqin was no exception.
According to the plan devised by Zhui Ming, the group did not rush to Jingzhou. Instead, they traveled along the way, enjoying the scenery and occasionally drawing a few pictures for the three women, which delayed them for six or seven days.
Perhaps Xu Qingya's paintings were too deceptive, even Zhui Ming couldn't resist the temptation and asked Xu Qingya to paint a set of "Drunken Immortals Reciting Poetry on a Moonlit Night" for him.
Based on the image of the "Sword Immortal of Wine," Xu Qingya painted three pictures of Zhui Ming: one depicting him raising a cup to invite the bright moon, another of him reciting poetry under the moon, and the last of him depicting Zhui Ming riding a wine gourd and wandering through the clouds and mist of the heavens.
At the same time, the news that "Ding Dian told Mr. Zhuge about the Liancheng Secret" spread throughout the country.
Wan Zhenshan, Yan Daping, and Qi Changfa, who had devoted all their efforts to the Liancheng Treasure and regarded it as their lifelong pursuit, all received the news.
These three brothers are quite "awkward".
In terms of personality, character, and intelligence, all three are cunning and treacherous. Even Yan Daping, who seems to have some conscience, is a venomous scorpion.
The eldest brother, Wan Zhenshan, and the youngest brother, Qi Changfa, are even more venomous than venomous snakes. For the sake of the Liancheng treasure, they would even abandon their own children without hesitation.
Such a person did many foolish things.
The three of them took advantage of Mei Niansheng's serious injury to launch a backstabbing attack and seize the "Liancheng Sword Manual". However, since they did not know the Liancheng Technique, they did not know how to analyze the sword manual.
The three men made an iron box with three locks and three long iron chains. Each man held a key and used the chains to lock his left hand.
In this way, the three of them, with the iron box as the core, became "conjoined twins" for several months, opening the iron box once a day and meditating together for two and a half hours.
Such a ostentatious display naturally attracts attention. Anyone with a sound mind can guess that the iron box contains extremely precious treasures, and they will surely scheme against it.
Fortunately, the three of them were operating near Jingzhou, where there weren't many martial arts masters. With their combined strength, even if they were surrounded by thirty or fifty people, they could still fight their way out.
One morning, the three opened the iron box and found that the sword manual was missing. They accused each other of stealing it and started fighting, but none of them could defeat the other.
From then on, the three went their separate ways.
Wan Zhenshan made his fortune in Jiangling.
Yan Daping disguised himself as a beggar, secretly monitoring Wan Zhenshan and Qi Changfa while cultivating scorpions. After years of nurturing, he cultivated the "Spotted Scorpion".
Qi Changfa pretended to be a schoolteacher, took in an honest and simple apprentice, and hid in a small rural town. Although he had the Liancheng Sword Manual in his hands, he dared not practice the sword, nor did he dare to openly take it out to study it. He could only endure it.
Qi Changfa knew that Wan Zhenshan and Yan Daping were watching him from the shadows. Once he showed a weakness, he would be attacked by the two of them. Qi Changfa's swordsmanship was comparable to Wan Zhenshan's, but slightly weaker than Yan Daping's.
According to Qi Changfa's plan, as long as he endures for ten or eight years and exhausts the patience of his two senior brothers, he can enjoy the Liancheng Sword Manual alone and find the Liancheng Treasure.
To everyone's surprise, Yan Daping appeared at the door that morning. There was no catching up, no pleasantries, only a dry, yet thunderous, statement.
"Junior brother, stop staying up. Ding Dian has told Zhuge Zhengwo about the Liancheng Secret Manual. With Master Zhuge's wisdom, we'll find the Liancheng Treasure soon. Senior brother is waiting for us in Jiangling City. Junior brother, are you coming or not?"
"Second Brother, are you telling the truth?"
"How could such a thing be faked?"
"Ding Dian would give up a priceless treasure?"
"Treasure is good, but what is more important than life? Rather than guarding the treasure and being hunted down to death by martial artists, it's better to offer it to Master Zhuge and ask for an official position!"
"That brat has ruined my plans!"
Qi Changfa could no longer contain his anger and slammed his palm on the door frame, shattering half of it.
Yan Daping laughed and said, "Junior Brother has been planting flowers and tending to plants in the countryside all these years, but his martial arts skills have not declined. Among the three of us brothers, Junior Brother's martial arts skills are the most superb."
Qi Changfa waved his hand: "Second Senior Brother, please don't make fun of me. Master said that Second Senior Brother has the best talent and will bring glory to the family in the future."
The eldest brother is a wealthy man in Jiangling, extremely rich. He regularly takes supplements in his diet and medicine, which makes his skills increasingly profound.
My brother has trouble even getting food. He spends his days plowing the fields and harvesting grain. How could he possibly know anything about swordsmanship?
Only two or three tenths of the martial arts skills of my master remain!
Besides, with my limited abilities, even if my power increased a hundredfold, I still wouldn't be a match for Master Zhuge. No matter how good the treasure is, it's not as important as my life.
Qi Changfa is the kind of person who would risk his life for wealth. He would do anything for the Liancheng Treasure. He refused Yan Daping outright, but in reality, he was testing him.
If Yan Daping had no other trump cards, Qi Changfa would never have agreed. He would have gone to Jiangling and tried to seize the treasure, but he would not have joined forces with Yan Daping.
Yan Daping laughed and said, "Third Brother, I've made some connections with experts in the Beggars' Sect who are willing to offer their help. Eldest Brother has used half of his family fortune to hire a powerful figure. With this expert's assistance, the Four Great Constables will be no match for us!"
Qi Changfa sneered, "Since that's the case, you two senior brothers can go dig for the treasure yourselves. Why are you looking for me? That expert is so powerful; if he wants to monopolize the treasure, I wonder how many moves you two senior brothers can withstand?"
Yan Daping said, "Third Junior Brother, the expert I'm talking about isn't a martial arts expert, but a poison expert. Let's use him to deal with the Four Great Constables first. After we find the treasure, we'll have to do what we did back then again."
"What does this have to do with me?"
"When it comes to the skill of sneak attacks and backstabbing, who can compare to our third junior brother? The two of us will draw his attention, while he pretends to be an old farmer, and then we'll take the opportunity to finish him off with a single sword strike!"
"Then, this expert's desperate strike will land on me. Even if I survive by sheer luck, falling into the hands of my two senior brothers, I'll likely find it difficult to die even if I want to!"
"Junior brother, would you like to see the price? The Liancheng Treasure is richer than a country; even taking just a portion would be enough for us to live a life of luxury for three lifetimes. After we find the treasure, my senior brother and I will take 30%, and you, junior brother, will keep 40% for yourself!"
"really?"
"Junior brother, at this point, if we continue to hesitate, even if we fight to the death and manage to harm Mr. Zhuge, we won't be able to harm the imperial army. Our time is running out!"
"I agree!"
Qi Changfa thought for a moment and agreed.
Qi Changfa certainly wouldn't trust Yan Daping, and when the treasure was opened, the three of them would inevitably turn on each other.
However, if Qi Changfa did not go, he could only watch helplessly as the imperial army carried away the treasure.
Qi Changfa was willing to give everything for the treasure, even if it meant dying inside it. Even if Yan Daping and Wan Zhenshan had no trump cards, Qi Changfa would still make a move.
Of course, Wan Zhenshan would spend money to hire experts, Yan Daping could invite experts from the Beggars' Sect, and Qi Changfa certainly had his own trump cards. Few people knew that Qi Changfa had privately befriended an elder of the Sun Moon Sect.
Now, it's time to make use of this relationship.
Qi Changfa's gaze was icy, revealing his murderous intent.
Yan Daping laughed and said, "Third Junior Brother, I've been talking for so long, and you haven't even offered me a bowl of tea?"
Qi Changfa laughed loudly, "I only have local tea here, I'm afraid you won't like it, Senior Brother."
Yan Daping sneered, "I'm a beggar who doesn't know where my next meal is coming from. I've eaten all sorts of cold and spoiled food. If you give me a bowl of hot water, I'll be eternally grateful!"
……
Wan Zhenshan's home was located on the East Street of Jiangling City, occupying a large corner of the street. According to Linglong Pavilion's intelligence, the Wan family mainly dealt in medicinal herbs, ironware, and other businesses.
Qin Nanqin analyzed that Wan Zhenshan secretly joined Zhu Datianwang of the Blackwater Road. Zhu Datianwang had "three evil men, four sticks, five swords, six palms, seven elders, and two divine lords" under his command. Wan Zhenshan was very likely one of the "five swords".
Wan Zhenshan is outwardly a respectable businessman with a decent reputation in the martial arts world. At forty-four years old, according to the rules of the martial arts world, he can be considered "Old Hero Wan".
Today is the Wan family's "Apprentice Acceptance Ceremony".
Wan Zhenshan consulted a master to calculate his birth chart. The master said that he lacked the element of "earth" in his five elements and was destined to have eight disciples. Therefore, all his disciples would have the character "earth" in their names. Even his own son, Wan Gui, had the character "earth" in his name.
Wan Zhenshan originally had four disciples—his eldest disciple Lu Kun, his second disciple Zhou Qi, his third disciple Wan Gui, and his fourth disciple Sun Jun. Now he has taken in four more disciples!
These four individuals are descendants of martial arts families in Jiangling, forming a "marriage alliance" between Wan Zhenshan and the Jiangling martial arts world, deepening the ties between the two sides and providing assistance when necessary.
The four disciples are: Bu Yuan (fifth disciple), Wu Kan (sixth disciple), Feng Tan (seventh disciple), and Shen Cheng (eighth disciple).
As a renowned wealthy man in Jiangling City and a respected old boxing master with a reputation for chivalry, the Wan family's apprenticeship ceremony was naturally extraordinary, decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and featuring a continuous feast.
Martial arts practitioners from all over the country can simply say "Congratulations" at the door and they can take their seats.
On this very day, Xu Qingya and his group arrived in Jiangling and went directly to the Wan residence for a free meal. It seemed that Yin Susu had become attached to Xu Qingya, following him around under the guise of giving him pointers on calligraphy and painting, and paying for all his meals and lodging.
Yin Susu was in the shipping business and had no shortage of money. With a charming and wealthy woman paying for her, Xu Qingya was happy to have her way, and Liu Qingci didn't object either.
The imperial court was extremely short of money, so even though Liu Qingci was a prince, he didn't have much spare cash. He had many rare treasures, but not much silver in his savings.
With so many people entering the city together, apart from Yin Susu's guards, they were all handsome young men and women. Even a blind person could feel a sense of oppression.
Upon hearing the news, Wan Zhenshan sighed, then his eyes flashed with murderous intent—the treasure belongs to me!
No one can take my baby away!
Anyone who dares to steal my treasure, I'll tear them to pieces!