200: With sunflower in hand, the world belongs to me
A few minutes later:
Chu Qing took leave from the Martial Academy to find Madam Jin.
An hour later:
He saw Madam Jin and Zhao Hongxiu working enthusiastically in the Slums.
The two women were immediately delighted when they saw him.
“Qing’er!”
“Qing Ge’er!”
“How did you get out?”
“You just entered the Martial Academy, and you can already come and go freely?”
Chu Qing smiled and said:
“The State Martial Academy is not like Shiji County.”
“You can come and go as you please.”
“Nobody cares!”
The two women nodded.
Madam Jin linked her arm through his, pointed at the bustling Slums, and chattered non-stop:
“This empty lot will be cleared by tomorrow.”
“I’ve had my servants look for a construction team.”
“It won’t take long to find one.”
Chu Qing nodded.
Madam Jin chattered on and on, saying many things.
She had personally drawn up the blueprints and intended to build a large and beautiful manor here.
Chu Qing listened attentively.
Beside him, Zhao Hongxiu looked like she wanted to speak but hesitated.
Chu Qing’s heart stirred, and he sent Madam Jin off to supervise the work.
“What’s going on?”
Once Madam Jin left, Zhao Hongxiu quickly said:
“Earlier this morning, some people from the yamen came over.”
“They told us to go to the yamen to complete the procedures.”
Chu Qing nodded.
Zhao Hongxiu continued: “Several gangs came over; they said they want you to visit them.”
Chu Qing smiled and said: “Which gangs?”
“The Green Snake, Machete, Axe, and Fierce Tiger – four gangs.”
Such a small Slums, yet it had four gangs.
How interesting.
He gestured for Zhao Hongxiu to continue.
“The construction team issue is a bit troublesome.”
“The servants asked several construction shops, but they all refused to take the job.”
Chu Qing frowned.
He pondered for a moment and said: “Tomorrow, have the servants go ask the construction shops again.”
“Just tell them I am the owner of this residence.”
“I hope they don’t refuse.”
Zhao Hongxiu nodded and said: “Qing Ge’er, don’t worry, I’ll go personally first thing tomorrow morning.”
Chu Qing nodded.
Zhao Hongxiu added: “Today, an organization called Worldly Affairs sent you an invitation.”
“They want to host a banquet for you in seven days.”
Chu Qing nodded.
After Zhao Hongxiu finished explaining everything, she went off to get busy.
Chu Qing paced back and forth:
“Whether it’s the gangs or the construction shops.”
“They all think I have no Foundation, that I am weak and easily bullied, which is why they are making things difficult for me at every turn.”
“It seems I must establish my authority as soon as possible.”
...Night fell:
Snowflakes drifted down.
The street, which should have been bustling, was very deserted.
Occasionally, servants from wealthy families braved the wind and snow to procure special supplies for their masters.
Chu Qing changed into cheap common clothes, covered his face with a black cloth, grabbed a two-handed sword, casually slung it over his shoulder, and left.
His destination was the several brokerage firms from a few days ago.
Late at night, goose-feather snow fell.
Chu Qing stepped on the accumulated snow, leaving only a line of shallow footprints where he walked.
But, they were quickly covered by the wind and snow.
Sihai Brokerage Firm:
The few brokers on duty were warming wine, eating broad beans, roasted chicken, etc., quite happily.
A fat broker said:
“Winter is great; it often snows, there are fewer customers; and more time to rest.”
A companion spat and said: “Great what? Tomorrow morning, we’ll still have to shovel snow.”
“If a beggar freezes to death at the doorstep, we’ll even have to pay to dispose of the body.”
The fat broker laughed and said: “Do you think that Chu Qing from a few days ago might freeze to death on the street?”
His companions laughed and said: “He’s not an idiot; if he couldn’t buy a house, he’d have rolled back to the countryside long ago.”
The fat broker said: “He is an idiot.”
“Otherwise, why would he offend so many Big Shots?”
“Those Big Shots all gave orders for all our brokerage firms to refuse him.”
His companions laughed and said: “Yes, he is an idiot.”
“Not thinking straight, offending Big Shots, isn’t that just dying for what he deserved?”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Knocking interrupted their lively chat.
The fat broker rolled his eyes and said impatiently: “Who is it?”
Outside the door, Chu Qing gently shook off the accumulated snow from his body and smiled: “Here to look at a house.”
Inside the room, the brokers exchanged glances; so late, and there’s still someone looking at a house?
They rubbed their fists, preparing to fleece him severely.
“Wait a moment, opening the door now!”
Creak!
The door opened.
Chu Qing slipped inside.
The broker who opened the door was stunned: “Guest, your attire is very strange!”
Chu Qing originally intended to smile.
But, as the corners of his mouth just began to curl upwards, he realized his face was covered.
He suppressed the upward curve of his lips and said coldly:
“You people kill so few, you don’t understand that this is a complete killing suit!”
“However, I don’t blame you.”
“After all… you’re all going to die.”
The brokers’ eyes widened, surprised and panicking.
The fat broker exclaimed in a lost voice: “You are—Chu Qing?”
“Correct!”
Chu Qing took a deep breath and said coldly: “With Sunflower Hand in hand, the world is mine!”
The next second, the attribute panel refreshed:
[Sunflower Hand +1]
The fat broker… huh?
What does that mean?
Chu Qing swung his sword.
Slash!
The longsword sliced across the fat broker’s throat.
The next second, blood sprayed.
The fat broker clutched his throat, fell to the ground, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
The other brokers were terrified.
They opened their mouths, wanting to scream, to vent their terror, to attract people.
Result:
The next second, the two-handed sword swung:
Crack!
Crack!
Heads flew into the air, one after another.
A few minutes later, Chu Qing pulled out the blood-stained two-handed sword.
Click!
He closed the door tightly.
Then, stepping through the wind and snow, he rushed to another brokerage firm.
Inside the room:
The heads of several brokers were placed on the table.
The fat broker’s upper garment was torn open, and a high-quality lamp wick was lit in his navel, crackling as it burned.
His eyes were wide, wide open.
As if silently questioning, questioning why Chu Qing killed him.
He had merely followed the orders of the Big Shots and refused Chu Qing.
Was it necessary to kill for that?
That night:
Chu Qing visited thirteen brokerage firms.
By the time he emerged from the last one, his two-handed sword was already blunt.
Fortunately, the progress of Sunflower Hand was almost full.
Plop!
He tossed the two-handed sword aside, stepped through the wind and snow, and returned to the inn.
Although the inn was simple, under the onslaught of silver notes, the rooms of Madam Jin, Zhao Hongxiu, and the others were as warm as spring.
Chu Qing was quite satisfied when he saw this.
That night, he slept soundly and peacefully.
He got up and went to the Martial Academy when dawn broke.
When he passed by those brokerage firms, there were even constables there.
Several constables were kneeling by the door, vomiting.
Other constables were pale, trembling all over, not daring to enter the door.
Chu Qing smiled at the constables.
The constables looked bewildered.
At this moment:
Chu Qing passed by the brokerage firm where the fat broker was.
Coincidentally, a group of constables, their faces pale, came out from inside.
They were all constables who were accustomed to seeing dead people.
But after seeing the fat broker’s fragrant corpse inside, they still couldn’t help but vomit.
More than a dozen constables, led by the Golden-robed Constable Chen Fei, headed straight for the Martial Academy.
Chu Qing walked slowly.
This group of constables quickly overtook him.
As the last Gold Robe constable passed by Chu Qing, he suddenly slowed his pace, then cupped his fists and said:
“Friend, are you a Martial Academy student?”
Chu Qing nodded.
The Golden-robed Constable smiled and said:
“I am Golden-robed Constable Chen Fei; I am currently investigating a murder case.”
“May I ask, do you know a student named Chu Qing?”
Chu Qing nodded: “I do!”
The Golden-robed Constable smiled and said: “Then, this student, can you take us to find him?”
Chu Qing nodded without hesitation and said: “I can!”
The Golden-robed Constable said happily: “That’s great!”
“Once we find him, I will certainly reward you handsomely!”
Chu Qing grinned from ear to ear and said: “Good, I hope you don’t disappoint me.”