Jianghu Qimen Lu

Chapter 7 Jiangnan Xiang Family

Continuing to listen to Afu, Bai Shandian said, "The sect leader sneered and scolded, 'Isn't this all the work of your precious son? Didn't you hear him say that by chance, when he went to the palace to assassinate Emperor Qianlong, he overheard our Southern Fist Sect presenting the extraordinary book 'The Complete Book of Jianghu'? He was furious! That's why he rushed back to Hangzhou from afar to demand that I return the second volume of the extraordinary book! He even kept saying that my great-grandfather was a traitor! It's truly outrageous!'" Bai Shandian broke out in a cold sweat, thinking to himself, "It seems there really is a second volume of 'The Complete Book of Jianghu'! Could it be the nemesis of the first volume, with every move restraining it? If that's the case, it's much more valuable than the first one! Emperor Qianlong had me infiltrate their family for many years precisely for this purpose! Look where this book is hiding now!" He then listened intently to Afu's continued speech: "The master sighed and said, 'Actually, your brother did the right thing. Our Han people's land has been taken by him...'" "The Tartars took it all! As descendants of the dragon, we are truly unwilling to accept this! Could it be that your great-grandfather did something wrong?" The sect leader shouted, "Father, don't listen to my foolish brother! Water flows to low places, and people strive for higher positions. Our Xiang family of Jiangnan is renowned throughout the south, favored by the emperor for generations, enjoying wealth and glory. Wasn't it all thanks to my great-grandfather? But what about my brother? Since joining the underworld, he has been wandering the world since childhood, constantly hunted by the government, living a life of constant fear! Is this a life for a human being?" The old man's voice suddenly choked, trembling as he said, "Son, my poor child! Quan'er, you deliberately spread the false news in the martial world that our family was murdered to silence us, just to mislead the people and make your brother the target of everyone's hatred—Quan'er, you are so...heartless!" Bai Shandian finally understood that his wife Xiang Quan's true intentions were not what they seemed! He couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart: she was truly ruthless towards her own younger brother!

Just then, Bai Shandian suddenly felt a blur before his eyes. A slender, jade-like hand had slapped him in the face with lightning speed. He quickly released Afu, performed a somersault, and landed lightly on the toilet wall. Looking down, he saw a beautiful young woman dressed entirely in Han Chinese attire standing beside Afu. She wore a pink long-sleeved Suzhou-style gown embroidered with large, golden peonies. Her lower body was clad in tight-fitting velvet trousers, as fresh and green as leaves, and she wore soft, thin-soled boots. Her steps were incredibly light. With a twist of her body, she lightly leaped onto the wall. With a feint from her left hand, she clenched her right fist, releasing a fragrant breeze that seemed to carry a strong, intoxicating scent of peonies. Bai Shandian's heart fluttered, and he forgot to dodge. With a "smack," her jade-like hand slapped him squarely on the chest, sending him tumbling headfirst off the wall! What a lightning bolt! Head down, legs up, the moment he touched the ground, he pushed off with his hands and flew back up the wall, unleashing a series of scissor kicks aimed at the beautiful woman's head! This was a deadly move! A strike meant to be fatal!

"How vicious!" With a sharp cry, the beautiful woman used her slender hand to lightly tap a gold ring on the middle finger of her right hand, creating a small hole. Instantly, several silver needles, as thin as cow's hair, shot out! The attack happened in an instant, catching Bai Shandian completely off guard. It looked like the needles were about to strike his legs... But at this critical moment, a dark figure shouted, "No grudge, do you intend to take my life?!" Like a ghost, it appeared with incredible speed beside Bai Shandian, forcefully shoving his large body aside. With a few soft hissing sounds, the silver needles struck Afu in the face in the toilet! He screamed in agony, his cheeks turning black and purple. In a short while, his entire face stiffened! Gradually, he struggled to breathe, collapsed to the ground, and fainted!

"You cunning fellow! You actually used a poisoned weapon! How vicious!" A young scholar with a feather fan and a turban stood before him. Bai Shandian recognized him immediately—it was Mr. Stinky Feet, the leader of the Mo Qing Society, whom he had chased for days in the desert without success. Why was he nicknamed "Stinky Feet" by the martial arts world, given his refined and composed demeanor? It turned out he possessed the skill of the Eighteen Falling Techniques of the Drunken Immortals. Whenever he was drunk, he lost his elegance, becoming unrestrained and unruly, staggering and unsteady on his feet. If you thought he was easy to bully at this point, you were mistaken! He then began to perform the extraordinary Eighteen Falling Techniques of the Drunken Immortals: tumbling, falling, spinning, coiling, collapsing, and falling again. Sometimes he would stand on one leg, like a golden rooster, sometimes he would flip over and brace himself, like an iron bridge post, seemingly drunk but not quite, his eyes half-closed, his leg techniques ever-changing. Reeking of alcohol and emitting a foul stench, he would suddenly awaken as if startled, delivering a flying kick that sent his enemy flying several meters away in the instant they could barely breathe! Because this unique skill caught everyone off guard and was unmatched, he roamed the martial world for years, gaining widespread fame. However, due to his underworld background, he was unwilling to reveal his identity or name, earning him the nickname "Stinky Feet"! He and his sister, Fragrant Fist, were truly blessed; their nicknames combined—Fragrant Fist, Stinky Feet—made them a pair of bickering lovers destined for each other a thousand years ago, always ready with their conflicts and battles!

The beautiful woman was none other than Bai Shandian's wife, Xiang Quan. Seeing her younger brother actually helping an outsider and attacking her, she was furious. She shouted angrily, "You stinky-footed brat, what do you mean? How dare you meddle in my business!" She charged at him and they began to fight. Stinky-footed brat was also enraged, yelling, "You injured our servants! Hurry up and get the antidote to save them! What are you doing, fighting like a madman?!" Unexpectedly, Xiang Quan, in her rage, completely ignored him, attacking desperately. Stinky-footed brat was thrown into a panic! Taking advantage of this opportunity, Bai Shandian quietly flew away—he didn't want to continue the fight. If he revealed his true colors, he would lose face in front of his wife and brother-in-law!

Early the next morning, he rode his famous Ferghana horse, the Ferghana Ferghana Steed, to the Hangzhou General's Mansion. He immediately ordered Hongchen to mobilize five hundred elite Eight Banner cavalrymen to rush to Xiangfu in Jiangnan!

On the way, Hongchen asked in confusion, "Lord Bai, didn't you say you were going to visit your father-in-law today? Why..." Bai Shandian's heart was churning with turmoil: "Although Xiangquan is my wife, she faked her death to deceive the officials, and this has implicated her in the matter of secretly harboring rare books. Each of these acts is earth-shattering and constitutes a heinous crime of deceiving the emperor! Moreover, my brother-in-law, Choujiao, is a wanted criminal by the court. How could I dare to show favoritism? As a high-ranking official, I cannot!" He then said solemnly, "Last night, I received a secret report from an informant that Choujiao, the leader of the Moqing Society, is in the Xiang family's Southern Fist Sect in Jiangnan!" Hongchen was also greatly surprised and hurriedly said, "Catching the bandit leader is a major matter. We should not delay. Let's go quickly! Don't let him get away!" Iron hooves flew, and they sped along at lightning speed, raising a cloud of dust in the sky.

When the cavalry arrived at the entrance of the Southern Fist Sect, several constables jumped out from the shadows and reported to Bai Shandian: "So far, the gates of the Southern Fist Sect have not been opened. As per Lord Bai's instructions, we have been on guard since last night, and no one has run out from the courtyard!" Bai Shandian nodded and immediately ordered most of the five hundred elite soldiers to disperse and surround the entire Southern Fist Sect's residence, while the remaining dozen or so of Hongchen's personal guards followed behind, ready to be deployed at any time. Just as he was about to order a forced entry, Hongchen stopped him with a fawning smile, "Lord Bai, this is, after all, your father's residence. How can we trespass?" Bai Shandian hesitated for a moment, then said urgently, "But... what if they've hidden the imperial envoy away? Why don't we strike with lightning speed, like heavenly soldiers descending, catching them off guard!" Hongchen was somewhat astonished, "Your father is a high-ranking official. Would he break the law? He used to be a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, but he's retired now because of his age. How could he be harboring an imperial envoy? Is Lord Bai mistaken?" Bai Shandian smiled coldly, "Do you think I'd do this? I have no choice!" Hongchen whispered in his ear, "I hope that imperial envoy has already fled, so as not to implicate the Grand Secretary! Lord Bai, let's just put on a show, don't take it seriously!" After saying that, he winked at Bai Shandian and smiled mysteriously. Bai Shandian shouted sternly, "His Majesty is watching us closely! How dare we act recklessly? Enough talk, break in!" At his command, who dared disobey? The guards of the Red Mansion brandished their spears and spurred their horses, charging towards the gate like fierce demons!