Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 92 The Death of Wan Zhenshan, the Scheming Frog Keeps Touching Your Stomach

Jiangling has no shortage of dangerous shoals.

The mudflats harbor treacherous and ruthless water monsters.

These people are skilled swimmers, can see underwater, and can eat raw fish, shrimp, and crabs without batting an eye. They spend a lot of time in the water, and when they see merchant ships coming and going, they rush up to rob them of their valuables.

If the imperial court were to suppress these people, they would simply disappear into treacherous waters and scatter in all directions, making them virtually impossible to find.

Of course, if the imperial court were to launch a full-scale attack, none of these people would escape. But what if Ling Tuisi, the prefect of Jingzhou, was the mastermind behind these water ghosts?
Ling Tuisi was not from a scholarly family. To put it nicely, his family practiced martial arts, but to put it bluntly, they were a family of bandits, with four generations of them being bandits.

By the time of Ling Tuisi's father, all the river bandits in Jiangling had been gathered together, and the Lianghu Longsha Gang was established.

Unfortunately, a conflict broke out between the Lianghu Longsha Gang and the Nujiao Gang. Shangguan Fei, the newly established leader of the Nujiao Gang, launched a fierce attack and defeated the Lianghu Longsha Gang.

In order to escape his life, Ling Tuisi abandoned martial arts and turned to literature.

Ling Tuisi was exceptionally gifted in poetry and calligraphy. He passed the imperial examination with flying colors, first entering the Hanlin Academy and later becoming a prefect. He was incredibly lucky.

It could be said that, apart from the time he spent running for his life, everything else in Ling Tuisi's early life was auspicious.

He passed the imperial examination and achieved top honors.

Want to become an official? May your career in government be smooth sailing.

Wanting to dig for treasure, Ding Dian offered himself up.

The more this happened, the less satisfied Ling Tuisi became. He didn't want to be an official at all; he preferred to be the top dog, surrounded by followers, drinking from large bowls and eating large chunks of meat!

Let me describe it this way!
After Song Jiang accepted the imperial pardon, he first defeated the Liao Kingdom, then Tian Hu, then Wang Qing, and finally Fang La. Most of the 108 heroes of Liangshan died, and he only became the Pacification Commissioner of Chuzhou.

If Ling Tuisi had been willing to be promoted, he could have become the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel three years ago. If he had worked hard for another ten years or so, he might have been promoted to the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel before retiring to his hometown.

Ling Tuisi casually discarded the official position that Song Jiang would never have dared to dream of, without showing the slightest bit of regret.

Ling Tuisi only wanted to obtain the Liancheng Treasure, manage the Lianghu Longsha Gang, and become the leader of the Jingxiang martial arts alliance.

Sitting on the tiger-skin chair, Ling Tuisi no longer needed to worry about his status as a scholar. He picked up his wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp. Then he picked up a roasted lamb leg and began to tear into the lamb meat in large bites.

Using the method of a wild beast gnawing on its prey, Ling Tuisi tore seven or eight strips of meat from the roasted lamb leg. He then coldly looked at the iron frame in front of him, on which Ding Dian was tied.

Ling Tuisi's most trusted confidant, Xia Sandao, wielded a cowhide whip and lashed Ding Dian fiercely.

"Clap clap clap!"

Bloodstains appeared on Ding Dian's body.

Ling Tuisi roared, "Ding Dian! Ding Dian! I'm tired of these instruments of torture, and you've had enough of them too. What do you want me to do? Is there anything we can't discuss?"

Ding Dian was disheveled, covered in blood, and his eyebrows and beard were stuck together like felt, forming a large tangled mess. His eyes, nose, and mouth could still be vaguely seen.

"Discuss? Are you discussing this? If I spoke to you in a tone of discussion, would you believe me?"

"Ding Dian, you're testing my patience!"

"Ling Tuisi, why would I test you? Am I out of my mind? You're the one who doesn't believe me. I've said everything I need to say, and you never believe me!"

"Wan Zhenshan and the others have called Mei Niansheng their master for more than ten years and treated him like their own father. Mei Niansheng kept the Divine Illumination Skill and the Liancheng Technique very well hidden."

You serve Mei Niansheng for half a year, and Mei Niansheng tells you all her secrets. Is there such a good deal in the world?

Do you think I'm a fool?
You've told me everything?

What the hell gives you the right to tell me that?

For Frostflower?

That's fucking ridiculous!

What a laughable love!
What a ridiculous persistence!
What a ridiculous stubborn person!

Ding Dian, from now on, I will beat you every two hours until you hand over the Liancheng Manual.

My patience is limited.

Starting tomorrow, once every two hours.

Starting the day after tomorrow, for every ten lashes I give you, I will lash that unfilial daughter Ling Shuanghua once. I will add one lash every day thereafter, until I am lashed the same as you.

Don't you like Frostflower?

Can you bear to see her suffer?

Ding Dian, hand over the Liancheng Secret Manual!

I'm capable of anything!

Ling Tuisi's face was contorted with rage, like a demon.

Ding Dian exclaimed in shock, "Ling Tuisi, how dare you! Shuanghua is your own daughter, she is your daughter!"

Ling Tuisi sneered: "Daughter? I don't need an disobedient daughter. I'm in my prime, and as long as I get the treasure, I can have a son anytime!"

At this point, Ling Tuisi's face turned ashen: "I'll emphasize it again, I'm capable of anything for the Liancheng Treasure. Not to mention Ling Shuanghua, I'd do anything, even dig up the graves of eighteen generations of ancestors!"

"Three strikes! Keep hitting! Hit harder!"

Ling Tuisi turned and left the torture chamber.

Xia Sandao brandished his whip, the whip cracking as blood blossomed on Ding Dian's body. Ding Dian paid no heed to the pain; he had been imprisoned for many years and had endured all sorts of cruel tortures countless times.

What's a whip?
Ding Dian was only worried about hurting Ling Shuanghua.

Ling Tuisi was almost driven mad by his desire for the treasure. A madman is capable of anything!
……

"Old man, is this the place?"

Li Zhaoting sailed downstream with three dark-skinned veteran sailors beside him. They were experienced in navigating and steering the boat and were very familiar with the surrounding environment.

The three old sailors knew exactly where the reefs, floating islands, and pirates were, and even in the event of a storm, they could escape safely.

"Reporting to my lord, this is the place."

The old sailor at the head of the group looked horrified.

There are three great hardships in life: rowing a boat, blacksmithing, and grinding tofu.

Why is rowing a boat listed first?

Because rowing a boat not only means facing sudden, devastating weather, but also having to guard against elusive river bandits, who could be ambushed at any time.

According to the three veteran sailors, the most complex and dangerous shoals in Gangneung are located here, filled with dense reefs and floating islands, surrounded by lush reed beds, making it suitable for building riverside fortresses.

This place was a gathering place for river bandits.

Merchant ships need to pay tolls to pass through this area.

If tolls are not paid, water monsters will stab through merchant ships or even board them directly. Many skilled warriors are not good at naval warfare and are easily overturned in the water.

The "dug-out boat" problem, in particular, is almost unsolvable.

Li Zhaoting took out a banknote: "Go pay the fee."

"Sir, are you...?"

"Don't worry, I guarantee your safety. If any of you die, I will send your families five hundred taels of silver and fifty bolts of silk, and recommend your grandsons for a respectable job in the government." "Thank you, sir, we'll... heh!"

An old man instinctively wanted to jump into the water.

Having battled the wind and waves for so long, they have long since become indifferent to death. For them, trading a life for so much money would be a sweet sacrifice, even if it meant taking their own lives.

Li Zhaoting joked: "You can't commit suicide!"

"You jest, sir! We haven't lived enough yet!"

The old sailor in the lead responded and boarded a small boat to negotiate ahead. The fat sailor whispered, "This place is called Ghost Stone Beach. The silt and reefs block the waterway, and there are two water ghosts hiding on the side of each reef."

"A reward of one hundred taels of silver will be given for drawing a map of the reef distribution or a safe passage."

"Sir, it's not that we're being unreasonable, but this is our livelihood, and we dare not pass it on casually."

"Two hundred taels."

Please bear with us, please bear with us.

"I meant two hundred taels per person."

"Thank you for the reward, sir."

The old sailor went to draw the map with great enthusiasm.

Their family's annual expenses for food, clothing, and other necessities amounted to approximately twenty or two hundred taels of silver. By carefully budgeting and saving, they were financially secure for ten years.

Even if one suddenly suffers a major disaster or illness, having such a large sum of money on hand provides some room for maneuver.

……

"Nephew, have you found any clues?"

No sooner had Li Zhaoting returned to the county government than Cheng Yantang came out to greet him, repeating his usual monotone remarks.

Have you found any clues?

Have you found any clues?

Have you found any clues?

It seems like that's all they can say.

Li Zhaoting said, "Uncle Cheng, I found out the headquarters of the Lianghu Longsha Gang. The Lianghu Longsha Gang is a group of river bandits who have been entrenched in Jiangling for decades. A new broom sweeps clean, and it seems that your first act can be started."

"Is this related to the case?"

"If I can accumulate some merits, my merits and demerits will cancel each other out."

“Nephew, don’t tease me. Old Feng said you’re the best at solving cases and can solve them wherever you go.”

"Uncle Cheng, don't worry, the case is showing promise. But there's something even bigger than this case."

"what's up?"

"The Treasure of Liancheng".

"Is it the treasure of Emperor Liang Yuan?"

"Does Uncle Cheng know any clues?"

"Which official in Jingzhou Prefecture doesn't know? Some want to get the treasure and become rich, some want to use the treasure to get promoted, and many people are secretly searching for it."

Has Uncle Cheng looked for him?

"We've looked, but we can't find it!"

Cheng Yantang was very honest and answered every question.

"Are you aware of the Wan family's birthday banquet?"

"The criminal is dead."

"How did you die?"

"His top was pierced by a sharp weapon."

Are there any more clues?

"When I was searching the prison, I found a body not far from the prison. It was an old beggar, very strong, with a sword hidden at his waist."

"Take me to see the body."

"Okay! This way, please."

Cheng Yantang took Li Zhaoting to the morgue.

The Liancheng Treasure is not an untraceable secret.

Many people know that Emperor Liang Yuan left behind a treasure trove.

However, the only one he had personally contacted was the Tang Poetry Sword Sect, who left behind the secret formula for unlocking the treasure.

The martial arts world of Jingxiang was mobilized upon hearing the news.

All the sects, large and small, mobilized, probing openly or covertly. Hundreds of martial arts practitioners watched every aspect of the Wan family mansion, surrounding it completely.

If the treasure were to appear, what would be the maximum time one could take advantage of the chaos? The answer is... two and a half days.

Two and a half days later, both the Wudang Sect and the Nujiao Gang will send experts. The Wudang Sect has good relations with the government and can maintain order, while the Nujiao Gang wants a share of the spoils.

The Imperial Court, Wudang, and the Angry Dragon Gang.

With all three present, who would dare to risk everything?
Those behind the scenes clearly understand this principle.

We must ignite Jingxiang in the most explosive way.

The next morning, a scream echoed from the Wan residence.

Wan Zhenshan was killed!

The cause of death was poisoning.

There was a poisonous scorpion in Wanzhen Mountain Pass, its left and right thumbs were severed, and its dantian was punctured by the murderer.

Based on the traces at the scene, it was determined that the murderer sneaked into Wan Zhenshan's room through the window, sealed Wan Zhenshan's acupoints, then cut off his thumb, punctured his dantian, crippled Wan Zhenshan's martial arts, and finally forcibly pried open his mouth and threw a spotted scorpion into Wan Zhenshan's mouth, causing Wan Zhenshan to die in agony. Clearly, the murderer had a deep-seated hatred for Wan Zhenshan.

There was also a note on the spot: I took the Liancheng Sword Manual and the Liancheng Secret Manual. If you want the Liancheng Treasure, wait at the city gate tomorrow morning. You won't be able to wait for me if you're late!
The letter was unmarked, the handwriting conveyed deep-seated resentment, the strokes were powerful and precise, and there were obvious dents on the back of the letter, indicating that the murderer was very hot-tempered.

After Li Zhaoting finished examining the body, he looked at Qi Changfa.

"Young Master Li, why are you looking at me like that?"

"be careful!"

"Someone wants to kill me?"

“Cutting off the thumb and piercing the dantian (lower abdomen) – this isn’t a murderer killing someone; it’s a special ritual.”

(End of this chapter)