From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 26 Tragedy
Two days later.

At the forest farm at the entrance of the village, Du Hai took his students to practice martial arts.

Compared with five years ago, Du Hai has many more wrinkles on his face and a few more strands of white hair on his head.

He is fifty years old this year and looks old.

When he was young, he practiced martial arts and pursued the pinnacle of martial arts. It was not until he was sure that his chances of reaching the innate realm were slim that he got married and married Wang Qian, who was a dozen years younger than him.

Martial arts have no effect on prolonging life before reaching the Xiantian realm. Only by reaching the Xiantian realm can one prolong life by adding twenty or thirty years to one's lifespan.

Therefore, Du Hai is not much different from the fifty-year-old man in the village.

He looked at the children practicing standing meditation and felt that it was great to be young.

In the past two years, he noticed that his physical strength was declining and his power was fading.

"Hey, why hasn't Zhao Shuai come yet?"

Halfway through the morning practice, Zhao Shuai still hasn't appeared.

Du Hai was puzzled. If Zhao Shuai had something to do, he would definitely ask for leave in advance. Even if he had something urgent to do, he would send someone to pass on a message.

Zhao Shuai didn't show up until the morning exercise was over.

"San Gou, didn't General Zhao ask you to bring a message?"

Du Hai asked Xu Xiaogou. He knew that Zhao Shuai and Xu Xiaogou were closest and had a very good relationship.

"No."

Xu Xiaogou was puzzled. He thought Zhao Shuai had asked for leave yesterday.

What happened?

After the morning exercise, Xu Xiaogou walked towards the Zhao family.

Before he reached the Zhao family's residence, he heard people saying things like "something happened to the Zhao family" and "someone died in the Zhao family". Many people were rushing towards the Zhao family.

"What?"

Xu Xiaogou became anxious and quickened his pace to rush to Zhao's house.

The Zhao family was a wealthy family in Baihe Village, owning not only a hundred acres of fertile farmland but also two pens of pigs. Their courtyard, with its tall gate and large courtyard, was grand and spacious.

"what happened?"

Xu Xiaogou saw a lot of people gathered at the gate, talking about something, and each of them had a look of regret on their face.

He walked forward and saw someone coming out. He grabbed the person and asked, "What happened?"

"Ah~~"

This man was the Zhao family's neighbor, and lived only fifty meters away from the Zhao family's house.

He shook his head and sighed, "Except for Ershuai, everyone in the family is dead. They must have been robbed. Sangou, you have a good relationship with him, go and comfort him."

All the family members died?!
Xu Xiaogou's mind buzzed, his face changed drastically, and he rushed into the Zhao family.

Several neighbors were helping, moving the bodies into the yard and covering them with white sheets.

Zhao Shuai knelt on the ground, his eyes red and swollen, his voice hoarse, and he sobbed. His parents, grandfather, brother and sister-in-law were all dead!
The five bodies were laid out in a row, a sight that was too painful to look at.

"Second handsome man."

Xu Xiaogou called out softly.

Zhao Shuai saw Xu Xiaogou and cried, "Brother Gou, I have no family left, I have no family left~~"

Faced with such a tragedy, Xu Xiaogou didn't know how to comfort Zhao Shuai. He could only hug him and let his tears and snot wet his clothes.

After a while, Xu Xiaogou learned what had happened from the fragmentary words of the neighbors nearby.

Yesterday, the Zhao family sold all their two pens of pigs for seven or eight hundred taels of silver. The autumn harvest had just passed, and the Zhao family had also sold all the grain and fruits in their fields.

Just when the Zhao family had the most money, they were robbed.

Zhao Shuai slept soundly last night, unaware of what had happened. He woke up in the morning to find his door open and his room ransacked. He wondered who had broken into his room, but when he realized something was amiss, he discovered that his family members in other rooms had been brutally murdered.

He immediately burst into tears, attracting the attention of villagers who were passing by his house while working early in the morning.

"How could I, how could I not know anything, wuwu~~" Zhao Shuai was only fourteen years old, how could he bear such a tragedy.

----

In the evening, a team of detectives and coroners rushed to the Zhao family from the county town.

A case where five people died in a family is not an ordinary case.

However, the detectives handling the case acted as if they were not surprised. After a quick investigation, they concluded, "They are thieves who specialize in burglary. They have scouted the area and inquired about the situation in advance."

The coroner also found out how the Zhao family members died: "They were all killed with a single blow of a flying knife. Very precise, without making any extra noise. This person is a master."

"Then why am I still alive? Why..."

"Criminals usually go for money, not murder. He used a drug, so he entered the house to search after you were all asleep.

Maybe the incense wasn't effective enough. There wasn't much money in your room, so he just rummaged through it and left. Your money was in your parents', brother's, and sister-in-law's rooms. Those two rooms were turned upside down, waking them up, and the criminals killed them..."

After saying this, the detectives prepared to leave.

"When can we catch that guy?"

Xu Xiaogou quickly stopped them.

"Caught? Oh, wait for the news."

The detectives rolled their eyes. The bandits were at least high-level warriors. How could they catch them for killing someone in this remote mountain village?
Maybe they have already run away somewhere else.

"When?"

Xu Xiaogou refused to give in. How could he handle such a tragic case without any reliable information?
"To tell you the truth, it's impossible to catch them. We don't know who they are, how to catch them, or where to catch them. You think we're gods? There are so many refugees lately, and who knows where they came from."

"You, the government supports you just for fun?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

As the detectives spoke, they were about to take out their weapons and put Xu Xiaogou in shackles and take him away.

The villagers nearby quickly chimed in: "My Lords, he's still a child, and he's outspoken. Don't bother with him. For the sake of County Magistrate Liu, please let him go."

"Liu County Lieutenant? Do you know Liu County Lieutenant?"

When they heard the three words "Liu County Lieutenant", the detectives relaxed their attitude.

"Master Liu, the wealthy Liu from Baihe Village, is named Liu Yaozong. He is the elder brother of County Magistrate Liu."

The county lieutenant's name was Liu Yaozu.

Hearing the name, the detectives believed it: "Fellow villagers, we will investigate this matter thoroughly when we get back. Give us some time."

Regardless of whether they will really investigate or not, we have to give face to County Magistrate Liu.

Afterwards, the people from the yamen left, leaving behind only the heartbroken Zhao Shuai and the regretful villagers of Baihe Village.

----

Xu family.

Xu Fugui learned about the Zhao family's affairs. He felt sad for the Zhao family and became more vigilant.

This is the way the world is. Martial arts masters crush ordinary people.

However, the government offices still have the power to control martial arts masters.

If it is a cultivator, the official government will not care.

"Daniu, go help the Zhao family deal with the aftermath. Tell me if you need anything."

Xu Fugui ordered Xu Xiaoniu to go.

Zhao Shuai had just visited his house some time ago, and this accident happened in the blink of an eye.

Xu Xiaogou would definitely help with the funeral arrangements. Xu Fugui was worried that he would be too busy, so he asked Xu Xiaoniu to help.

There is not much farm work to do in the fields after the autumn harvest.

There is not much the Xu family can do. At most they can help with the funeral arrangements for the deceased.

(End of this chapter)