Chapter 41: Apology and Paying Respect
“Quick, quick…”
In the carriage, Lu Zhihao urged anxiously at the driver, “Hurry up—or we’ll miss all the excitement.”
The driver cracked his whip and urged the horses forward, racing at top speed through the streets.
Lu Zhihao grumbled at his footman, “I told you to wake me earlier! Why didn’t you? If I don’t get to see that brat’s misfortune, I’ll have words with you.”
The footman lowered his head in grievance—who dared defy the young master? He’d already been slapped twice for waking him too early. After two strikes, he wasn’t going to test a third.
Finally, they reached Xiushui Street.
Lu Zhihao poked his head out the window.
The entrance to the Chen residence was mobbed—more people than yesterday—and the whole street was blocked. He perked up. “Looks like the martial schools are still here! Haha, let’s get out and enjoy the show.”
He grabbed his footman, leapt from the carriage, and pushed into the crowd.
After a struggle, they reached the Chen residence gate—and what they saw surprised them both.
Chen Ming was sitting calmly in the courtyard, utterly unharmed.
At the gate, a dozen or more people stood dazed and bloodied, and two more lay on the ground.
What on earth had happened?
Lu Zhihao blinked, dumbfounded.
His footman whispered, “Young master, it seems Chen Ming fought the martial school crowd—and beat them.”
Ooh—
Lu Zhihao listened to the whispered commentary of the crowd. First surprise, then delight. “Good for him.”
“Huh?”
His footman froze. Was the young master nuts?
Lu Zhihao grinned. “Those martial school types aren’t people to be trifled with. Chen Ming beat them up—they won’t let it go. Stick around, there’ll be fireworks soon.”
Actually, he had a point.
Just then, more commotion broke out outside.
Someone shouted, “The Wind and Thunder Martial Hall officials are here!”
“They’ve arrived!”
Lu Zhihao, eager for more drama, tipped on his toes and peered out.
Soon, the crowd made way for a group dressed in dark blue training uniforms.
At their front was someone he recognized: Yue Bin, instructor of the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall. He cultivated the eighth grade and was skilled in the “Lingfeng Saber Technique.”
Lu Zhihao waited expectantly.
Everyone else waited too—anticipating a fight.
Yue Bin strode to the gate without acknowledging the beaten martial school members. He clasped hands respectfully toward Chen Ming. “Instructor Yue Bin of Wind and Thunder Martial Hall pays respects to Second Young Master Chen.”
The words shocked the crowd.
That was awfully polite.
Many murmured in disbelief—was Wind and Thunder Martial Hall planning to back down?
Some guessed it was a tactic: offer courtesy first and only fight afterward—a move typical of respected orthodox schools.
…
Chen Ming recognized the politeness in Yue Bin’s address. He returned the gesture. “Instructor Yue Bin comes not to press charges?”
He had done his homework on all the major martial schools—including their strengths, weapon specializations, and top fighters—precisely because he intended to open his own school.
Yue Bin replied, “Far be it. Given that you possess eighth-grade cultivation, you already qualify to open a school—so long as you pass the martial school guild’s approval. Today our people acted rashly; we seek your pardon.”
Everyone in attendance heard that clearly and was greatly disappointed.
A wave of hissing and murmurs followed.
No one expected the grand martial school guild to be so promptly humbled.
At this moment, Li Xiangrong—who had been feigning unconsciousness—sat up in anger. “Seniors of Wind and Thunder—are we going to just let this brat go?”
Yue Bin’s expression remained calm. “This is what the head of our school instructed.”
Li Xiangrong’s face flushed with rage; he couldn’t accept it. “What about the reputation of the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall? People are going to think we’re afraid of this kid…”
Yue Bin's expression darkened. "You still have the nerve to speak? If you hadn't acted so recklessly, how could it have come to this?"
After speaking, he ignored Li Xiangrong and turned to Chen Ming. "The gate to your residence will be replaced by the Martial Arts School Guild. As for compensation, five hundred taels of silver will be delivered in full. We hope this matter can end here."
Chen Ming was quite surprised. The other party’s posture was so humble that he didn’t even have a reason to retaliate.
This Wind and Thunder Martial Hall—was it really this timid?
Though disappointed, he still responded courteously, "Instructor Yue is truly reasonable. I am impressed. That five hundred taels—let’s consider it to cover the medical fees for those men."
With this, both sides stepped back, and the conflict was thus peacefully resolved.
Yue Bin didn’t refuse but added a reminder, "Just remember to follow the regulations of the Martial Arts School Guild. The head instructor is looking forward to your visit."
Chen Ming replied, "Three days from now, I will pay a proper visit."
...
And so, the commotion ended anticlimactically.
No one was more disappointed than Lu Zhihao.
"What kind of Wind and Thunder Martial Hall is this? They got walked all over and just endured it! A bunch of cowardly turtles..."
Inside the carriage, Lu Zhihao cursed the people from Wind and Thunder Martial Hall with the most venomous words he could muster.
He was nearly going mad. He had woken up early just to rush over in anticipation of watching that brat fall into misery—yet instead, Chen Ming had utterly stolen the spotlight.
Disappointment, anger, and a strange, indescribable sense of dread completely broke his mental defense.
The footman beside him appeared worried. That enemy of the young master—he was already an eighth-grade martial artist.
Even Wind and Thunder Martial Hall didn’t want to provoke him...
This fact left a strong sense of unease in the servant's heart.
He hadn’t forgotten how the young master once humiliated Chen Ming, framed him, and almost got him killed in prison.
The moment he recalled that, he couldn’t suppress the fear rising within.
He knew—this hysteria from the young master was born from fear.
In a fit of rage, Lu Zhihao didn’t even go home.
He drank himself into a stupor at the Drunken Immortal Tower, and after nightfall, he went to the Yihong Courtyard. Just as he was about to vent his frustration on his favorite courtesan, someone barged in and dragged him away.
He didn’t dare resist—he recognized the people as his brother-in-law’s men.
...
Lu Zhihao was brought to a secluded courtyard, where he met his brother-in-law, Qi Xingdong—the young master of Jinyuan Prosperity Trading.
Inside the study—
Qi Xingdong, just past thirty with two mustaches above his lips, was at his desk practicing calligraphy. He didn’t even glance at the newly arrived Lu Zhihao. "Reeking of alcohol. Take him away to sober up."
Just after shouting "Brother-in-law," Lu Zhihao was dragged away again.
After finishing his writing, Qi Xingdong turned to an elder standing beside him. "Uncle Zheng, how’s my calligraphy?"
Uncle Zheng chuckled, "Third Young Master, you’re asking the wrong man. I’ve spent my life crunching numbers—not much good with calligraphy."
Qi Xingdong cleaned the brush and set it down, then picked up a towel to dry his hands. "Uncle Zheng, have a seat."
"Thank you, Third Young Master." Uncle Zheng took a seat.
Qi Xingdong didn’t beat around the bush. "Does Uncle Zheng still remember Chen Ming?"
Shopkeeper Zheng replied, "Of course I do. His grandfather and I had some dealings in the past."
He was a cautious man—not a word more than necessary.
Qi Xingdong, knowing he wouldn’t take sides lightly, cursed him inwardly as a cunning old fox and said, "Back then, when he was working at our Jinyuan Prosperity, he was diligent, smart, and loyal—a rare talent. Unfortunately, Zhihao was useless and drove him away. Caused a whole mess. I still regret losing someone like him."
Shopkeeper Zheng was puzzled—why bring this up again now? "And Third Young Master’s point is?"
Qi Xingdong said, "I want to ask Uncle Zheng to act as an intermediary. What happened back then was Zhihao’s fault. Let him personally apologize. I just hope Chen Ming won’t hold a grudge against Jinyuan Prosperity."
"This—"
Shopkeeper Zheng was even more surprised. Had the young master turned over a new leaf?
Or perhaps...
Qi Xingdong added, "Maybe you don’t know yet—but Chen Ming has already advanced to the eighth grade. That level of talent is truly something."
Eighth grade?
Shopkeeper Zheng was stunned.
Now he understood why Qi Xingdong was so eager to resolve this. He needed a mediator for this.
"I’m not going!"
Right then, Lu Zhihao burst in, having overheard everything, and knelt on the floor. "Brother-in-law, are you seriously scared of some measly eighth-grade martial artist?"
Qi Xingdong stared at him coldly. "If you won’t go, I’ll break your legs and deliver you to him for whatever punishment he sees fit."
"Brother-in-law—"
Lu Zhihao’s face turned pale.
He stared in disbelief, only to meet his brother-in-law’s icy gaze. He felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss.
His sister was just a concubine, but "Brother-in-law" had always doted on her.
Who would’ve thought—
It was all a lie.