The Villain's Counterattack

On the day Liu Zhengfeng retired from the sect, the palace was bustling with guests and traffic, but it was only the final glimmer of glory. Because Linghu Chong had saved the young nun Yi Lin and preserved the reputation of the Hengshan Sect, the two families naturally came together and came to the Liu Mansion together. Although Yue Buqun smiled, a hint of sadness could not be wiped away in the depths of his eyes. Thinking about Lin Pingzhi's words, he felt a strange feeling.

Yu Canghai quietly entered the city with his disciples, mixed in with the crowd and entered Liu's mansion. When he saw Yue Buqun, his face looked a little unhappy.

Lin Pingzhi of the Fuwei Escort Agency is proficient in Huashan swordsmanship and has been to Huashan more than once. Of course, he has also been to Hengshan as well. However, Yu Canghai is now in a state of panic and is cautious about anyone related to the Fuwei Escort Agency, fearing that they would be caught and given to Lin Pingzhi as a favor.

When Yue Buqun saw him, he bowed deeply and said, "Master Yu, it's been many years since we last met. You seem even healthier."

But this attitude made Yu Canghai shiver all over. He bowed and said, "Hello, Mr. Yue." But he refused to say another word. He just glanced around as if looking for someone.

Not here? Yu Canghai breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, he felt a little unhappy. If Lin Pingzhi didn't come to Liu Zhengfeng's retirement meeting, how could he turn the tables and clear his name?

Around noon, five or six hundred visitors arrived like a stream. Zhang Jin'ao, deputy leader of the Beggars' Sect; Xia Lao, the old boxer from the Liuhe Sect of Zhengzhou, led his three sons-in-law; Tie Lao Lao, the goddess of the Sichuan-Hubei Three Gorges; Pan Hou, leader of the East China Sea Sand Gang; Bai Ke, the divine sword; and Lu Xisi, the divine brush. Some of these people knew each other, while others had only heard of them and had never met. The hall erupted in a clamor of greetings and introductions.

Then there was a commotion outside the door. It turned out that Lin Pingzhi had arrived with a dozen porters carrying a generous gift. There were only three gifts, but each one was priceless. The first one was a brocade box held by a porter, and there was a golden pearl on it that was shining brightly, which was amazing.

The second item was carried by two waiters. It was a blood-red coral, more than three feet high. Although it had some mixed colors and the blood color was not pure, it was still a rare treasure in the mainland.

The third item is quite novel. It is a crystal fish tank (made of glass, produced in Ryukyu Oshima) carried by four porters. The fish tank is square and contains reefs, water plants and fish, which is breathtaking.

"Mr. Lin is a distinguished scholar and not a man of the world. It is already an honor for me, Liu, that he can attend my retirement ceremony. I really cannot accept such a generous gift." When Liu Zhengfeng saw Lin Pingzhi, his heart skipped a beat and he thought of his previous guess.

Although Liu Zhengfeng was pedantic, he was no fool. He had invited many of the Jianghu's guests to today's banquet simply to bolster his reputation, but it was hard to say how much of a benefit they would have. They might not even be able to protect him, let alone his children. So, two days ago, Liu Zhengfeng had quietly sent his children to Hengshan, where they were under strict supervision by his disciples, who wouldn't allow them to leave until he returned or saw his token.

In the end, his greatest reliance was actually the sect. Looking at Lin Pingzhi, Liu Zhengfeng felt quite emotional. What did this kid rely on?

Money? That's unreliable. If you're not strong enough and someone robs you, you'll be wronged and end up dead.

Martial arts? Although this guy's martial arts skills are good, he has always been considered a second-rate martial artist. There is no reason for him to be feared by so many people.

I'm afraid it's the influence he carries, which is a bit complicated. It comes from the influence of the Fuwei Escort Agency, his own contributions to the country by fighting against the Japanese pirates, and the influence of being a Juren (a successful candidate in a juren exam), which means he can enter the government and become a civil official. The Ming Dynasty valued civil officials over military officials, and although military officials also looked down on scholars, they still had many taboos about them deep down.

In addition, he originally held the honorary title of military officer, and was considered a genuine official.

"We'll take advantage of Mr. Liu's meeting to show off the treasures of Fuwei Escort Agency. We'll have to take them back afterwards." Lin Pingzhi's words made everyone laugh, but no one looked down on Lin Pingzhi's behavior.

If I give these treasures to Liu Zhengfeng, it would seem that I have ulterior motives.

Wasn't it said that the Fuwei Escort Agency had fallen on hard times? How could they still be so generous?

Everyone turned their eyes to Yu Canghai. The latter raised his left foot slightly, as if he wanted to step forward, but saw Yue Buqun taking the lead. He could not help but snort and hid behind obediently, waiting for the opportunity to make a move.

It is difficult for Lin Pingzhi and I to reconcile. Although I was plotted against by them, their original intention was definitely not good. The hatred between the two families has reached a point where it can no longer be concealed, and in the end, one side needs to fall before they can stop.

Lin Pingzhi placed the three treasures in a conspicuous place and asked the porters to guard them strictly to ensure that they were not stolen or robbed. Otherwise, his wages would be deducted, which made the people in the martial arts world present laugh.

If it were me, I would definitely rob the company and not ask for any wages. Any one of them would be enough to make me live a happy life. Wait, the corals and fish tanks are not easy to take away, but the golden pearls should be easy to hide.

Lin Pingzhi pretended not to see everyone's gazes and had a pleasant chat with Yue Buqun. He was much colder towards the Taishan and Hengshan sects. It was obvious that he was still brooding over being rejected that year. Taoist Tianmen and Master Dingyi also did not have much feeling towards this kid who liked to show off and make trouble. They all treated each other indifferently and kept a distance from each other.

Beautiful things always attract people. The colorful little fish in the fish tank looked so festive that the two monks couldn't help but like them. However, their relationship with Lin Pingzhi was not enough for him to give such a precious gift.

As for buying it? Just thinking about it, you know it's expensive. Didn't you see Yue Buqun asking him for the apprenticeship gift from the two children of the Lin family?

Yue Buqun claimed that he didn't ask for much, just any two of the three items would be enough. He also pushed Linghu Chong out and said that you and Chong'er are like-minded and have a close relationship. Now Chong'er and Lingshan are in love and are planning to get married at the end of the year. Shouldn't you prepare some gifts?

It just so happened that Lingshan was short of some jewelry, and the golden pearls looked festive, so they could be made into a hairpin.

Lin Pingzhi casually took out a small box from his arms and pushed it to Yue Lingshan: "Sister Lingshan, gold is not very suitable. Here are two pink pearls. Although they are a little small, their luster and shape are very pleasing. They will be perfect for making a pair of earrings. Sister Lingshan, please take good care of Feifei. As for someone..."

After glancing at Linghu Chong, Lin Pingzhi shook his head slightly and said, "I collected an old ginseng from Changbai Mountain some time ago and made a jar of good wine with it. But it's been more than half a year now. I can't give you the ginseng, and I don't think someone would like it either. Do you want the good wine?"

Linghu Chong's eyes twitched. "You're embarrassing me by directly saying whether the wine is good or not in front of Master and Junior Sister?"

"Then I'll thank Master Lin for his fine wine on Chong'er's behalf." Yue Buqun said with a smile, "For Master Lin, who is so wealthy, to remember it so well that he wouldn't even give it away, that old mountain ginseng must be something special, and this wine must be something special too. I don't like Chong'er's constant drinking, but if it's good for your health and martial arts, then there's nothing wrong with having a drink now and then."

Lin Pingzhi gave a thumbs up and said, "Mr. Yue is the one with the best eyes. The others...tsk tsk."