Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 154 - 78: A Gentleman Does Not Stand Under a Dangerous Wall

In this period, as Shen Qing slew the tiger demon and shot the Boss of Mi Gang dead, he unknowingly began to gain some fame in the county town.

Tian Xiaohu, under Shen Qing's banner, also made quite a few shady friends in the county town, making it very convenient to gather information.

Spending roughly half a day, Tian Xiaohu managed to get a rough idea of many things happening in the Inner City.

"You mean to say that the Zhou Family is not only selling off their assets in the city but also preparing carriages and horses for seemingly leaving Taiping County?"

Shen Qing sat by the octagonal table in the living room, listening to the news Tian Xiaohu brought.

Tian Xiaohu nodded and said, "I have a friend who often visits the Zhou Family. He says that now the Zhou Family is packing up, sending away the servants who don't wish to follow, as if they intend to evacuate."

"Where are they planning to go?"

"Yongzhou County."

Shen Qing fell into contemplation, his brows tightly knit, his hand resting on the table, and his fingers tapping rhythmically on the surface.

His brow slightly furrowed, he asked the question that concerned him the most, "The Zhou Family was fine before, so why the sudden move to Yong City? Did you find anything about that?"

"I'm not entirely clear on the details, but I heard it might be because people from Yongzhou's Zhou Family came and asked them to move," Tian Xiaohu replied honestly.

"Yongzhou's Zhou Family? Which kind of deity are they?"

Tian Xiaohu asked, "Qingzi, have you heard of the thirteen giants of Yongzhou?"

"No. What is this about?"

"I heard that over in Yongzhou County, thirteen high-ranking families control thirteen industries, even the county government is in their hands. The Zhou Family is one of them and is said to be the strongest, with an Innate Ancestor within the family."

Tian Xiaohu leaned closer to Shen Qing and continued, "The Zhou Family here in Taiping County is a branch of Yongzhou's Zhou Family. Boss Zhou Dingwen is the concubine-born son of this Ancestor."

After hearing this, Shen Qing said, "So you're saying someone from the main family came to have Zhou Dingwen's branch return?"

"Seems so."

Shen Qing got up, paced around, and fell into deep thought.

After a while, he shook his head and said, "No, no. If I were Zhou Dingwen, I definitely wouldn't agree to go back to the main family. Here, I have everything I want, like a local emperor. Going back, I'd have nothing and have to look at others' faces. It's just asking for trouble. Only someone out of their mind would agree, unless..."

Tian Xiaohu replied, "Unless what? Did Zhou Dingwen really lose his mind?"

Shen Qing glanced at Tian Xiaohu and said, "Unless staying in Taiping County is more terrifying than having nothing."

"Huh?"

What could be more terrifying than that?

At this time, Shen Qing couldn't help but think of Tang Wanrou's matter.

Currently, at this special time, the Fang Jun Saints of the Huang Tian Sect appeared outside the city and acquired the county town's military armory's crossbows.

There's a great possibility that Huang Tian Sect plans to attack Taiping County.

Shen Qing's entire being shuddered at the thought, feeling more and more that it was the case.

Only if Huang Tian Sect attacked the city, would Taiping County be in such turmoil, causing Zhou Dingwen to be so frantic.

Huang Tian Sect was indeed real traitors, consisting entirely of common people. Once they seized Taiping County, they would undoubtedly target these wealthy bosses.

By then, it wouldn't be just about having nothing but a threat to their lives, which was why Zhou Dingwen had the motive to leave Taiping County.

Shen Qing's face suddenly became serious.

"Besides the Zhou Family, have there been any other incidents in the county town recently?"

Tian Xiaowen thought for a moment and said, "Aside from the Zhou Family, the Song family is also acting a bit abnormal."

"What happened to them?"

"Previously, when Song Gongming died, the other families were eager to split the Song family's industry, and the Song family was resisting desperately. But these few days, the Song family has been quite quiet, without any sign of resistance."

"Have they resigned to fate, or have they found some backing and are keeping a low profile?"

Shen Qing didn't know why, but he also linked this change in the Song family with Huang Tian Sect, feeling there was some connection.

"Also, the Taiping Escort Agency in the Inner City went bankrupt and dissolved. Leader Tang and his family have disappeared, likely leaving the county town," Tian Xiaohu said casually.

Hearing this, Shen Qing was taken aback and couldn't help but feel contemptuous of County Magistrate Du Yuntong.

If his predictions were right, what happened to the Taiping Escort Agency should be Du Yuntong's orchestrations.

Previously, he used the tiger demon incident to eliminate dissidents and weaken the martial masters' strength in the county town.

Faced with issues, he would just cover them up.

If Huang Tian Sect truly intended, as he predicted, to attack the county town, Shen Qing had no faith in this kind of County Magistrate.

"What I found out, that's about it."

Shen Qing stood at the door for a long while, as though he had made a decision, and then turned around and said, "Xiaohu, have you ever thought about going to the county town?"

"To the county town?"

"Yes." Shen Qing did not hide anything and said frankly, "I feel this county town isn't a place to stay anymore; I want to move to a new place."

A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.

He saw that Huang Tian Sect was no benevolent group, and since he knew they intended to attack Taiping County, staying here was unwise.

It just so happened that he had a post from the Yongzhou Military Department, which allowed him to join the court, obtain higher martial arts knowledge there, and strengthen himself.

Now, in this troubled world, to move against the current, you must advance; he had to constantly climb upwards.

Otherwise, there would be a threat to his life at any moment.

He might not even know how he died.

Upon hearing Shen Qing's words, Tian Xiaohu was filled with surprise, unable to quite understand.

Having just moved from Hongshan Village to the Outer City, then from the Outer City to the Inner City, all within less than half a year.

Now, just settled, and again moving to a new place, he only felt that Shen Qing was quite the troublemaker.

However, recalling everything Shen Qing had done, where every decision he made was incredibly correct,

That day, he decided to follow Shen Qing and should trust his own choice.

With just a slight consideration, Tian Xiaohu agreed.

"My family, it's just me; I'm unattached. Wherever you say to go, I'll go, Qingzi."

Shen Qing said, "Then go back and pack up, and keep an eye on the Zhou Family. We'll leave when they leave."

"All right."

After Tian Xiaohu left, Shen Qing didn't delay any further and went straight to Linfeng Hall.

Although many of the judgments were his speculations, he was seventy to eighty percent confident in his heart.

In sentiment and reason, he should inform the Hall Master and his uncle.

If he wished, they could leave together; if not, he had fulfilled his duty as a disciple.

Perhaps influenced by Shen Qing,

Nowadays, many newcomers came to practice martial arts at Linfeng Hall, and the Outer Court flourished once more.

When Shen Qing found Li Linfeng, he was having a small gathering with a few old friends in the backyard.

Seeing Shen Qing's figure, Li Linfeng subtly ended the gathering early and then walked to Shen Qing's side and said, "Let's go to the study."

"Alright."

Li Linfeng, who knew his own abilities, also saw that Shen Qing's current strength was even greater than his own when he was young, which had changed his attitude, no longer posing as before.

In the study, he even offered Shen Qing a seat, engaging him in a conversation as equals.

However, Shen Qing still showed respect as a disciple, which gave Li Linfeng an extremely favorable impression of him.

"What do you want to see me about?"

Shen Qing got straight to the point, "Master, I've felt the Inner City has become uneasy over the past couple of days, and I want to go to Yongzhou County. I wonder what Master thinks?"

"You noticed too?"

What does 'too' mean? Shen Qing was quite surprised.

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