The Martial God who started at Mantuo Manor

Page 136

Then, the rumors that followed, sprouting from every dark corner, were like poison thrown into water, silently polluting the entire city.

At first, these rumors only buzzed like mosquitoes in the lowest of the porters, the most chaotic gambling dens, and the brothels with the most secrets.

“Have you heard?

Last night, the canal gang's dock was burned down, killing over a hundred people!

"More than that!"

My second uncle's neighbor's cousin works at the government office. He said, "Lord Qian... is gone!"

"real or fake?

How did it disappear?

"Hey, this is weird!"

They say they were scared to death!

That incident with the canal gang happened on the same night!

The whispers among the people were still limited to their astonishment at the coincidence of the timing of the two major events.

However, soon, as some "insiders" quietly leaked information, the version of the rumor began to escalate and ferment rapidly, becoming more specific and sensational.

In the most famous "Yipinxiang" teahouse in Jiaxing, a well-dressed and knowledgeable businessman, facing a full house of tea drinkers, lowered his voice but made sure everyone could hear him, and said mysteriously, "Gentlemen, you only know one thing, not the other!"

Why were the strongholds of the Grand Canal Gang burned down?

Why did the prefect die?

Think about these two things together!

He paused, enjoying the curious gazes from everyone, before slapping his thigh and saying with a pained expression, "The reason why the canal gang could run rampant in Jiaxing and hoard goods for profit was because they didn't have anyone backing them up. They wouldn't dare to do that even if they had ten lives!"

And that waist...that's our 'Judge Qian'!

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room was in an uproar!

"what?

"Is Lord Qian the backer of the Grand Canal Gang?"

"This...how is this possible?

He's a local official, after all!

The merchant sneered: "Local officials?"

I think it should be called 'the bone-scraping official'!

Who knows which heroes, acting on behalf of Heaven, burned down their hideout and, incidentally, stole the soul of this 'Upright Official Qian'!

Thus, the version of "officials and bandits colluding to oppress the villagers" spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys of Jiaxing in just half a day.

The people suddenly realized what was happening, and then they were filled with boundless anger.

Any sympathy I had felt for the prefect's death vanished instantly.

However, this is not the end.

As night fell again, an even more devastating rumor, enough to shake up the entire Jiangnan officialdom, quietly leaked out from certain official, dubious channels.

People began to say that what the canal gangs were hoarding was not grain at all, but ship after ship of ironware and contraband weapons!

And Qian Muzhi was not just a protector of the Grand Canal Gang!

He had an intricate and ambiguous connection with the Japanese pirates who had plagued the southeastern coast for decades!

This time, even the prominent families, gentry, and local worthies in Jiaxing City couldn't sit still.

Colluding with outlaws and oppressing the common people is greed.

There is a world of difference between colluding with Japanese pirates and this!

At most, it's a crime punishable by exile.

The other, however, is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!

Therefore, almost within a day, all the officials and merchants who had been involved with Qian Muzhi and the canal gang all stayed at home, fearing that they would be implicated in this earth-shattering case of treason against the Japanese.

The once monolithic officialdom in Jiaxing instantly fell apart, filled with mutual distrust.

The instigator of all this, Wang Meng, is now sitting peacefully at the stone table in his small courtyard, leisurely sipping a freshly brewed cup of flower tea.

The capable housekeeper stood respectfully beside him, quietly reporting news from various parts of the city.

Wang Meng waved his hand, and the capable housekeeper bowed and withdrew, disappearing silently from the courtyard gate.

He looked up at the sky; the sun was gradually setting in the west, and the golden afterglow shone on the old locust tree in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows.

A faint, lingering smell of burnt food still lingers in the air, a constant reminder of the devastation the city has endured.

Today is the day I'll be keeping my appointment at Zuixianlou.

The disciples sent by the Beggars' Sect, as well as the female disciples of the Emei Sect, have all arrived in Jiaxing City in batches, each hiding in their designated locations, like a large net that is slowly tightening, just waiting for him, the one holding the net, to give the final signal.

Everything was within his calculations.

Wang Meng picked up the cup of tea on the stone table, which had already cooled slightly, and drank it all in one gulp.

The cold tea slid down his throat and into his stomach, calming his slightly agitated mind, which had been restless from a sleepless night.

As he was contemplating his next move at Zuixianlou, his ears twitched slightly, and he heard a very faint yet rhythmic sound of footsteps approaching from afar.

He didn't turn around, but simply poured himself another cup of tea. A moment later, a graceful figure appeared at the courtyard gate.

The newcomer was a beautiful Taoist nun.

Needless to say, it is none other than Abbess Miejue, the current leader of the Emei Sect, Fang Yanqing.

She said she was dressed as a Taoist nun, but it was really hard to associate her with a person who practiced asceticism and detachment from worldly desires.

Today she wore a moon-white Taoist robe made of the finest Yun brocade silk, which shimmered with a soft luster in the afternoon sunlight.

The style of the Taoist robe was extremely conservative, with a high collar that completely covered her slender, fair neck, wide sleeves that reached her wrists, and a skirt that was so long that it reached her ankles, leaving almost no skin exposed.

It's not as conservative as the previous Mando Villa.

But this extreme conservatism has instead created a kind of heart-pounding, ascetic beauty.

Although the Taoist robe was loose, it still couldn't completely conceal her extremely mature and voluptuous figure.

Especially when she moves with light, graceful steps, the silky fabric clings tightly to her body, perfectly outlining her pert breasts, her slender waist bound by a silk sash, and her shapely curves that sway slightly with each step. The subtle, alluring details are more captivating than any naked exposure.

Her face was unadorned, yet her skin was as white and smooth as the finest mutton fat jade, with no visible pores.

She was like a jar of exquisite wine sealed under the strict rules and regulations of a Taoist temple; even the slightest crack could reveal a rich fragrance that could intoxicate and drive any man in the world mad.

The Taoist nun walked into the courtyard, her gaze first sweeping over the empty stone bench.

Then, her gaze fell on Wang Meng, who sat calmly as a mountain.

"Young Master Wang, you have truly made a grand gesture."

Within a few days, the vast city of Jiaxing was turned upside down.

As she spoke, she gracefully sat down opposite Wang Meng, the wide hem of her Taoist robe spreading out on the stone bench like a cloud.

Even when sitting, she maintained an upright posture.

Wang Meng did not answer her question, but instead picked up the celadon teapot on the table and filled the empty teacup in front of her with clear tea that was still steaming.

"The nun's information network is truly impressive!"

He spoke softly, his voice low but clear enough to reach Fang Yanqing's ears: "We've only been in the city for half an hour, yet the nun seems to know everything."

Fang Yanqing picked up the teacup and gently skimmed off the foam with the lid, her movements elegant and skillful.

She wasn't angered at all by Wang Meng's slightly sarcastic words; she simply brought the cup to her nose and gently inhaled the delicate aroma of the tea.

He took a small sip, seemingly savoring the bittersweet taste of the tea, or perhaps organizing his thoughts: "I just didn't expect that your style of doing things would be so... thunderous and powerful."

She put down her teacup, her beautiful eyes locking onto Wang Meng once more, her gaze sharpening slightly, as if she could pierce through his skin and see into his very bones.

"The Emei Nine Yang Gong that I practice makes me particularly sensitive to the flow of qi."

"Ever since entering this courtyard, I've sensed an intense, almost tangible, bloodthirsty aura surrounding you, young master."

She furrowed her delicate brows slightly, her expression a mixture of discomfort and barely suppressed curiosity and alarm: "Young master, how many people have you killed recently?"

This murderous aura, if it were in someone with a weak will, would probably cause them to lose their composure and go insane with just a glance.

Upon hearing this, Wang Meng's lips curled into a barely perceptible, playful smile.

He leaned back, his back resting comfortably against the cool stone bench, his posture as languid as a well-fed tiger.

"murderous look?"

He chuckled softly, a deep and magnetic laugh that was particularly clear in the quiet courtyard: "That wasn't murderous intent, it was just... the last mournful cries of some disobedient insects as they were being eliminated."

Over time, it will naturally dissipate.

His words were casual, as if he were talking about an ordinary farm job, but the extreme contempt for life contained in them made even a cultivator like Fang Yanqing, whose mind was already as calm as still water, feel a pang of fear.

Her slender hands, holding the teacup, trembled almost imperceptibly.

She wanted to say something more, trying to persuade him with the profound principles of the Emei Sect, but Wang Meng's next action left all her words stuck in her throat.

Wang Meng, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, lightly flicked his toe and kicked the pair of exquisitely crafted black cloth boots off his feet to the ground.

He crossed his legs, and his large foot, now freed from its restraints, was exposed naked to the air.

The feet are broad with distinct joints, and you can even see faint blue veins protruding on the instep, exuding a strong sense of masculine power.

"Young Master Wang..."

Wang Meng's bare foot traced a tiny arc in the air, landing precisely and gently on her calf, across the stone table.

"bass!"

Fang Yanqing felt a hot, rough touch, full of unfamiliar masculine scent, suddenly pressed against her calf through her smooth, moon-white Taoist robe.

The feeling was like being burned by a red-hot iron; a tingling current instantly exploded from the point of contact, rushing through her meridians and spreading like lightning throughout her limbs and bones!

She froze as if struck by lightning. The valuable celadon teacup in her hand fell to the ground with a crash and shattered into pieces.

The scalding tea splashed onto her skirt, but she didn't feel the heat at all.