Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 73 - 72 Pledge

Shen Qing lowered his head and poured himself another bowl of wine. He stared at the bowl brimming with liquor in his hand, silent and speechless.

He now vaguely understood why the Four Great Eastern Families could monopolize business in the county town for so many years, making the tens of thousands of households in Taiping County rely on them for their livelihood.

The county town's four great families had strong foundations, complex relationships, and mutual protection, along with powerful martial masters overseeing them.

No one could challenge them.

Children born into these families came into the world with a silver spoon in their mouths, a far cry from what mud-dwellers like them could compare to.

Who knows, they might have even been nourished with various great supplements to strengthen their Qi-Blood while still in their mother's womb.

There was no need to say more once they were born.

The precious medicine and spirit plants they rarely saw were commonplace for them.

For these big family children, the path of Martial Arts cultivation was undoubtedly smooth.

Rolling in the hills children like them could never even reach one of their toe.

However, Shen Qing didn't feel discouraged.

No matter how mighty they were, they couldn't compare to someone with cheats.

Shen Qing raised the bowl in his hand, downed the drink, and said, "Who has the Blood Bird's Nest now?"

"It's in the hands of a rascal named Kong Tiantu, a farmer's son from Jinzhou, strong and skilled with farming tools," Ouyang Tie Niu said, taking a sip of wine to moisten his throat before continuing, "He's a smart guy; Wang Mazi trusts him a lot. When the hunter gave Wang Mazi the Blood Bird's Nest, he was there. When that incident happened, he took the Blood Bird's Nest amidst the chaos, and I secretly saw it."

"Where does he live?"

"Right between Wang Ma and Old Ba's shacks, and he's not running now."

Shen Qing frowned and said, "So much time has passed now; the Blood Bird's Nest is probably not in his hands anymore, is it?"

"It should still be," Ouyang Tie Niu said softly, "Just yesterday, I heard some whispers."

"What whispers?"

"The other big Eastern Families, not wanting Song Gongming's sons to break through so easily, secretly offered high prices for any of these mountain treasures, each price higher than the last. Kong Tiantu will surely wait for the highest bid and will not sell it quickly."

Shen Qing nodded, without continuing the topic, and diverted the conversation, "Eat, drink."

The food at Fengwei Restaurant wasn't seasoned with MSG or modern condiments, and in Shen Qing's eyes, the taste was only average.

But he had to admit, this was the most satisfying meal he'd had since his crossing into this world.

Shen Xiaohu, Xiao Zhi, and the others all ate until their stomachs were round.

When it was time to pay, Shen Qing found that the meal had cost him eleven taels of silver, which made him click his tongue.

It indeed wasn't cheap.

After leaving Fengwei Restaurant, Shen Qing did not make an excessive effort to linger, parting ways with Ouyang Tie Niu and the others as they each went their way.

At this time, he had no real intention of recruiting Ouyang Tie Niu as subordinates.

In his view, if he were to take subordinates, it would be more reliable to find them in Hongshan Village.

They were all from the same village and could be trusted.

Outsiders were always unreliable.

After Shen Qing left Fengwei Restaurant, he did not linger in the Inner City, taking Shen Xiaohu directly back to Linfeng Hall.

Previously, with little silver on hand, he planned to return to Hongshan Village to fetch some money.

Now, having obtained a sum from Zhao Ba, enough to cover two or three months of expenses, he didn't need to rush back.

...

Ouyang Tie Niu and Yang Zhao Ping left Fengwei Restaurant and walked towards the direction of the Outer City.

After a while, Ouyang Tie Niu's face was full of worry.

He regretted being too cautious at noon today, not standing out enough, and telling Shen Qing a lot of things he shouldn't have said.

During the meal at noon today, he could see that Shen Qing did not trust him at all.

Though he acted very politely, in reality, he maintained control over the distance and caused him some concern.

Thinking it over, Ouyang Tie Niu said to Yang Zhao Ping, "What do you think about Shen Qing?"

"Very strong, with savvy and composure beyond his age, quite decisive," Yang Zhao Ping answered without hesitation, adding, "Not an easy person to get close to."

"That's what I thought too," Ouyang Tie Niu continued, "Now, what do you plan to do?"

Yang Zhao Ping had been following Ouyang Tie Niu for a long time and knew what he was referring to.

"Right now, we don't have a good place to go. I suggest sticking with him for now. Your brother seems to have a good relationship with him, and trust can be built over time. You must keep in mind that we are not the same as those lowly, petty rascals in the Outer City. We are rascals who uphold virtue and must have some ambition. We can't be fickle."

"You're right," Ouyang Tie Niu nodded, "Should we go grab the Blood Bird's Nest then?"

Yang Zhao Ping was taken aback and leaned in, saying, "Are you talking about a pledge?"

Ouyang Tie Niu put his arm around Yang Zhao Ping's shoulder, pulling him closer, and whispered, "Shen Qing doesn't have a good impression of us right now. If we present a pledge, undoubtedly, it would be better. The Blood Bird's Nest is a chance."

After considering for a moment, Yang Zhao Ping finally agreed, "Right, we can't just think about enjoying the fruits of others' labor. That won't take us far. I'll do this with you!"

"Good brother, come with me. I know where Kong Tiantu lives."

...

The shantytown of the Outer City comprised mostly houses made of simple brick, tiles, and wooden planks, dilapidated due to years of neglect.

Kong Tiantu's home was particularly inconspicuous amidst this decay.

The tiles on the roof were uneven, with some broken, revealing the wooden beams underneath.

Inside the house, apart from a tattered bed and a few chairs, there was hardly any furniture.

At this moment, the unkempt Kong Tiantu walked in from outside, rummaged under the bed, and tightly hugged a wooden box.

The box looked unremarkable, just some wooden blocks pieced together, barely forming a box shape.

But seeing the box intact relieved Kong Tiantu's heart of a heavy stone.

He stared at the wooden box, his eyes full of anticipation and longing.

Carefully, Kong Tiantu opened the box, revealing its contents.

A blood-red, crystal-clear Blood Bird's Nest lay quietly inside, exuding a tempting fragrance.

"Fortunately, I held back and didn't sell it. The Zhou family outside has already offered a hundred and twenty taels. The Zhou family's steward has promised me; whether I can make a fortune and live above others depends on this."

As he indulged in his thoughts, a large rock was suddenly thrown through the window, landing on the bed and startling him.

He hurriedly closed the wooden box and hugged it to his chest, shouting, "Who's there?"

Kong Tiantu leaned against the door, peeking outside through a three-inch-wide gap.

There was nothing outside.

It was likely a prank by a mischievous local child.

Just as he thought this, a sharpened wooden stick suddenly thrust through the gap into his eye.

"Ah!"

A shrill scream burst from Kong Tiantu's throat.