Chapter 63 — TVF Chapter 63

The Table-Flipping Old Father (3)

The original host’s second brother had lost an arm. Between the massive blood loss and the shock, after forcing out that entire sentence, his eyes rolled back and he fainted on the spot.

Fortunately, it wasn’t only the second brother who had escaped. His wife had returned as well, along with their son and daughter-in-law. Every one of them was injured, while the original host’s “arrogant-after-success” third sister-in-law was gravely wounded and still unconscious.

Old Master Si and Old Madam Si, as well as the original host’s third brother and Si Chenghui’s wife, had all died on the spot. Their bodies were placed in thin coffins and temporarily stored in the charity morgue outside the prefectural city.

In just half a month, the family members who had left behind the original host’s household and continued north had not only become “the weak, the sick, and the disabled,” but were now forever separated by life and death. For a time, the original host’s sons and daughters-in-law were still dazed.

Qin Jingzhou assigned tasks to his sons and daughters-in-law, then began receiving “distinguished guests” who came knocking on their own initiative at the inn.

It turned out that after Qin Jingzhou’s repeated reminders, the original host’s second brother had also grown cautious. Recalling how his nephew Brother Hui had once smashed his elder brother’s leg for the sake of silver, he decided that even if Brother Hui had reformed… it was still best to stay on guard.

Thus, he used the excuse of treacherous mountain roads to persuade the old couple to travel together with a merchant caravan.

Coincidentally, the caravan the second brother joined was nominally owned by a wealthy household in the prefectural city, but in reality, its true patron was none other than Prince Haicheng.

Princess Anyang’s household guards had long been lying in ambush in the mountains. Even with the Si family traveling alongside a merchant caravan, they still intended to strike.

Only, the caravan’s combat strength exceeded their expectations. In the end, they could only take part of the Si family’s lives before being forced to retreat.

The caravan manager came from Prince Haicheng’s household and was naturally well-informed. Based on the sudden appearance of the assassins—their skills and the weapons they carried—he accurately judged their true origin.

Because the Si family had dragged them into this mess and cost them several guards, the manager was, of course, unhappy. But this incident also handed him a bit of leverage against the emperor, something he could report back to his prince. Gains and losses balanced out, so when the trusted subordinate he sent to deliver the message faced Qin Jingzhou, his attitude was acceptable, though he couldn’t quite hide a trace of schadenfreude.

After seeing off the steward who had come to deliver the news, the second son returned with two physicians—one specializing in external injuries, the other in internal ones—to re-treat the wounds and prepare targeted medicines for the second brother’s family.

With enough silver on hand, aside from Si Chenghui’s mother still being unconscious, the surviving Si family members were all in relatively stable physical condition. Their lives were not in danger, but after such deep trauma, their mental state was another matter entirely.

The original host’s second brother was now like a startled bird. Without calming medicine, he couldn’t close his eyes at all.

Qin Jingzhou asked him about it, but no matter what, he refused to leave the prefectural city.

After Si Chenghui passed the provincial exam, the Si family had no shortage of money. This time, if Si Chenghui hadn’t sent two thousand taels of silver through intermediaries, the family wouldn’t have so decisively sold off their assets and moved en masse to the capital to “enjoy prosperity.”

Although the old couple were dead and most of the luggage in the carriage had been destroyed, the silver notes and loose silver they carried on their persons suffered little loss. Two thousand taels were indeed enough for the second brother’s family to live in the prefectural city for a long time.

Qin Jingzhou nodded. “Then do as you wish. I’ll take your nephews and nieces-in-law back to our hometown.”

The second brother frowned deeply. “Big Brother, you—” After enduring immense hardship and paying with several lives, he was now willing to listen to his elder brother, yet his elder brother wanted to return home…

Qin Jingzhou said casually, “This may be Prince Haicheng’s territory, but you can hide for a while, not forever.”

The second brother was unconvinced and muttered, “Going back home is just hiding in the mountains!”

“That works too,” Qin Jingzhou replied. “You shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

After leaving the second brother’s room, Qin Jingzhou saw his shaken nephew in the corridor. Noticing that no one in the second brother’s family truly mourned Old Master and Old Madam Si’s deaths, he sighed about inherited filial piety and left without another word.

The second brother’s family was determined to settle in the prefectural city. They quickly bought some farmland outside the city, and so Old Master and Old Madam Si, along with the third brother and Si Chenghui’s arrogant wife, were all buried together in the outskirts.

Once the funerals were over, Qin Jingzhou hired a carriage and swiftly returned home with his cheap sons.

At this time, in the capital, Si Chenghui and Princess Anyang had already received word: because of interference from Prince Haicheng’s subordinates, their underlings had failed to fully accomplish the task…

Princess Anyang snorted coldly. “It was your wife we were aiming for in the first place anyway.”

In truth, I only wanted to get rid of the original host’s parents. Si Chenghui felt a twinge of worry—he feared the original host’s parents might discover he wasn’t the original person.

Seeing that Si Chenghui didn’t respond, Princess Anyang pretended to redirect her anger. “I’ve long known that Prince Haicheng harbors rebellious intentions!”

Si Chenghui thought to himself: Isn’t that obvious? What difference is there between Great Qi and Western Jin before the War of the Eight Princes? Flaunting power at the doorstep of one of the three strongest princes and returning in defeat… It really showed that the princess wasn’t very bright. But recklessness had its advantages—if the princess were both wise and brave, where would he have any room to shine?

Before he could answer, Princess Anyang gave her orders. “Your parents—one dead, one gravely injured. Your wife is gone as well. It’s only right that you return home to mourn. Your second uncle’s family lives on Prince Haicheng’s land—you can take the opportunity to see if there’s anything to be done. Prince Haicheng has a daughter who, like me, favors handsome and talented men.”

Avoiding the princess’s scrutinizing gaze, Si Chenghui lowered his head. “Yes. This minister obeys.” Inside his sleeve, his fist clenched tightly.

On the other side, the journey home went smoothly, without a single mishap. From this, Qin Jingzhou deduced that Princess Anyang and Si Chenghui’s primary targets had been Si Chenghui’s parents and wife.

Even so, that didn’t stop him from seeking out his daughter and son-in-law the moment he returned, asking them to move into the mountains with him.

The son-in-law asked softly, “Father, after this trip… do you also feel that the world is becoming… unstable?”

That single word “also” was exquisitely chosen.

Qin Jingzhou smiled without answering and looked toward his eldest son.

Taking a deep breath, the eldest son briefly recounted what had happened to the second brother’s family. “The assassins were said to be household guards of some noble from the capital.”

The son-in-law wasn’t particularly surprised. His impression of Old Master and Old Madam Si—two elders obsessed only with silver—had never been good, and his grief was rather perfunctory. “Who did Brother Hui offend this time?”

Third Miss Si sat beside her husband, head lowered, silent.

The eldest son gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

The second son spoke bluntly. “Maybe he was the mastermind himself. Have you all forgotten what he did to our father back then for the sake of silver?”

Qin Jingzhou tapped the table, settling the matter. “Sooner or later, the emperor and the princes will come to blows. No matter which side Brother Hui throws himself into, we must find a retreat as early as possible.”

The son-in-law instantly understood. “Father, into the mountains?”

Qin Jingzhou smiled faintly. “I’ve heard you have quite a few familiar brothers up in the mountains?”

The son-in-law let out a dry laugh, neither confirming nor denying it.

Qin Jingzhou looked the foolish son-in-law over. In the plot, if not for accompanying Third Miss Si north to collect the bodies of the Si family, this cheap son-in-law really could have become a mountain king and built something of his own.

From the small chest he carried with him, Qin Jingzhou took out a long, narrow box. “Let’s go. We’ll try our luck in the mountains.”

This was one of the results he had personally completed during his half-month in the prefectural city after purchasing materials and tools—a simplified version of the Storm of Pear Blossom Needles, with enhanced range and a reduced number of arrows released at once, making its performance more well-rounded.

The original host’s son-in-law had lost a large chunk of flesh from his upper left arm on the battlefield, leaving him disabled and weak in that arm. As a result, he adored the “divine weapon” his father-in-law crafted—especially after it took down a wild boar with just half a volley of arrows!

Carrying nearly two hundred jin of this “sweet burden” down the mountain, the sons’ and son-in-law’s eyes sparkled.

Back at the daughter and son-in-law’s home, Qin Jingzhou produced another item: a martial arts manual along with a medicinal bath recipe for tempering the body—also something he had bought in the prefectural city, though he had made slight modifications.

Practicing according to his revised method, becoming a legendary martial arts master was a dream—but reaching the level of an elite soldier was by no means extravagant.

The two sons didn’t quite understand, but the son-in-law had seen the world and grasped the value of this manual to some extent. He was so excited his words stumbled. “Father!”

Qin Jingzhou waved a hand. “When the emperor and the princes start fighting, we must at least be able to protect ourselves. In times like these… civil skills fall before martial strength. Brother Hui has taught me this lesson once more—scholars are the most heartless.”

The sons and son-in-law nodded in unison. So that was it… They even had to thank Brother Hui for causing such a change in Father’s mindset!

As the sons and son-in-law happily followed Qin Jingzhou’s arrangements and went out of the village to purchase supplies, Third Miss Si suddenly stepped forward and said softly, “Father has changed.”

Qin Jingzhou laughed. “Changed how? For better or for worse?”

Looking at her old father, Third Miss Si was infected by his mood and the corners of her mouth lifted as well. “For the better.”

Qin Jingzhou said earnestly, “Before, Father wanted Brother Hui to rise high, and you all would naturally benefit. Now Father has seen through it—we should rely on ourselves.” As he spoke, he rummaged through the small chest again and handed three thick books to his daughter. “No matter how good your husband is, in Father’s eyes, he’ll never compare to you.”

Third Miss Si took the books and glanced down. Two volumes of a medical compendium—and the bottom one, glaringly obvious, was titled Poison Manual.

Qin Jingzhou deliberately added, “This one was the most expensive. Study it well.”

Third Miss Si’s eyes instantly reddened. “Father…”

Watching Third Miss Si lean against Brother Zhou’s side and silently wipe away tears, the system couldn’t help asking, “Brother Zhou, are you planning to cultivate a female emperor?”

Qin Jingzhou smiled. “A female emperor isn’t very realistic, but a regent grand princess could work.”