“Lai Fu, bring that calligrapher and painter over here!”

A moment later, a middle-aged scholar, dressed in a washed-out white robe but looking disheveled and down on his luck, was brought before Jiang Heng. The scholar appeared unremarkable, with nothing extraordinary about him.

“Sir, I’ll take all your paintings and calligraphy!”

The impoverished scholar, already in dire straits, readily agreed, spilling out all the calligraphy and paintings from his satchel.

“Alas, Young Master is buying these useless things again,” Lai Fu thought to himself, watching, but he didn’t say much, as the combined value of these poor scholars’ calligraphy and paintings wasn’t worth much silver anyway.

As Jiang Heng unrolled and examined each scroll, his expression grew increasingly grim. After going through them all, not a single piece produced the same effect as the previous one.

This caused Jiang Heng’s recently stirred heart to instantly quiet down.

After a brief inquiry, Jiang Heng came to several conclusions: firstly, not all ancient paintings possessed that peculiar warm current, and as for the earlier painting with the strange Qi current, it was due to the author’s immense emotional input.

According to the down-and-out scholar, that painting was created during his last trip to Prefecture City to take the provincial examination. Having failed there, he painted it while observing plum blossoms in the small courtyard of the inn where he was staying. At that time, his mood was extremely desolate; it could be said to be the most emotionally intense moment of his life.

Of course, as for the specific conditions that needed to be met, Jiang Heng still felt he needed to try one or two more times.

Waving his hand, he had Lai Fu give a few taels of silver to the impoverished scholar. Just then, the funeral procession on the street had also moved far away.

The carriage slowly continued its journey—

The carriage didn’t linger here for long; in the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, it had already stopped outside the Jiang Manor.

Today was the day Master Jiang returned to the residence, and Jiang Heng knew this, not daring to play outside too late.

The foundation of the Jiang Family’s enterprise could be said to have been single-handedly built by his convenient father.

The Jiang Family wasn’t involved in ordinary business; it wasn't typical commerce. They were in the escort agency business, traveling north and south.

Within Hengjiang County, people might not know the county magistrate’s name, but they absolutely had to know Jiang Erhai, the chief of the Sifang Escort Agency, who was Jiang Heng’s convenient father.

Jiang Heng had never met any of his convenient father’s elder relatives. Jiang Erhai’s generation had only three brothers. Their names were likely chosen without much education: the eldest uncle was Dahai, his convenient father was Erhai, and the third uncle was Sanhai.

Currently, the eldest uncle managed the family accounts, and the third uncle, having learned some martial arts, helped with escort duties.

It could be said that in Hengjiang County, the Sifang Escort Agency’s word carried almost more weight than the government’s. Jiang Heng knew that his convenient father, despite appearing jovial on a daily basis, was only like that to his family.

To outsiders, especially rivals, he was not above backstabbing.

Thinking of his convenient father, who was nearly two meters tall and still incredibly robust, Jiang Heng shrugged.

“It’s better to be well-behaved recently!”

After all, frequently visiting brothels wasn’t a good look.

The Jiang Family mansion was magnificent. Although it couldn’t compare to the prestigious families in Prefecture City with legacies spanning hundreds of years, within this small Hengjiang County, the Jiang Family was an undeniable nouveau riche and local tycoon.

“Second Young Master!”

“Second Young Master!”

Stepping into the main courtyard, he was greeted by two graceful young maidservants who smiled and greeted Jiang Heng.

Without thinking, Jiang Heng casually replied, “Xiao Ping, Xiao Yun, you two look even prettier today.”

“Young Master is so naughty!”

The two young maidservants blushed, lifted their skirts, and quickly scurried away with small steps.

Such a casual and amiable Second Young Master was rare, but the Second Young Master was often flirtatious, which frequently made their little group of maidens blush with embarrassment.

Jiang Erhai was now the master of the Jiang Family, and besides Jiang Heng, he had one son and one daughter: Jiang Heng’s elder brother, Jiang Tai, and his younger sister, Jiang Yuyin.

“Young Master is so naughty!” His personal maid, Xiao Rou, grumbled beside him, seemingly displeased with Jiang Heng’s recent behavior.

Jiang Heng waved his hand, “Where’s my father? Has he not returned yet?”

“He’s in the backyard drinking tea with a few masters!”

“Oh!”

Jiang Heng nodded. The Jiang Family ran an escort agency, recruiting many skilled experts under their command.

These top-notch and very shrewd individuals served as escorts in the agency. Within the Jiang Family, they were generally referred to as ‘Master so-and-so.’

It seems something happened this time.

Jiang Heng thought that whenever a particular escort mission encountered some issues, his convenient father would gather his masters to discuss it.

Passing through the rock garden in the middle, before even stepping into the backyard, he heard shouts from the side.

That was the west side of the central courtyard, which had been converted into a small training ground.

On ordinary days, Jiang Heng would see some house servants and escort guards training there.

However, it was just common horse stance, pile, and sparring, with nothing extraordinary about it.

But the sound of these shouts seemed somewhat familiar. So, with a hint of curiosity, he went to investigate.

As soon as he entered the training ground, Jiang Heng immediately saw his Third Uncle, shirtless and revealing a body full of bulging muscles.

Third Uncle, around thirty years old, was in his prime and looked exceptionally vigorous. With sword-like eyebrows and a short beard beneath his lips, he had the air of a Jianghu knight-errant.

Third Uncle Jiang Sanhai was currently in the corner of the training ground, in front of a large willow tree, moving constantly, hacking strike after strike into the willow tree, which was thick enough for two people to embrace, as if venting something.

Seeing Jiang Heng approach, he showed no intention of stopping.

Although Jiang Heng was curious, he didn’t dare disturb his Third Uncle, who was clearly in an agitated state. He made a silencing gesture to Xiao Rou behind him, then tiptoed to the side, quietly watching his Third Uncle vent his inner melancholy.

Third Uncle darted left and right, seemingly simulating an imaginary enemy. His figure advanced and retreated, his robust physique surprisingly agile like a monkey.

His strong, powerful hands gripped the blade, and with every movement, he swung the knife to strike the willow tree in front of him.

Jiang Heng grew more and more solemn as he watched. He had initially thought his Third Uncle’s movements would be as crude as those of the ordinary house servants before.

But now it seemed there was some method to it. Jiang Heng knew very little about this Dao of combat. After watching for a long time, he only vaguely sensed that Third Uncle’s attack frequency and footwork seemed to have a system, and every strike had a clear offensive intent… He seemed to be treating the willow tree in front of him as his imaginary enemy.

“Third Uncle seems to have real martial arts skills!”

Just as he thought this, he saw Third Uncle suddenly lunge forward, letting out a fierce roar. Then he raised the large saber in his hand high and brought it down with a powerful chop, instantly striking the thick willow tree in front of him.

Clang ~ Bang!

The entire willow tree split apart!

The willow tree was completely split open, countless wood splinters exploded, and willow branches and green leaves were scattered everywhere.

Holy cow! That fierce?!

Is this some kind of Wuxia drama?!