Chapter 180: Reconstruction

Chapter 180: Reconstruction

The night ended in joyful revelry, and when Su Mo opened his eyes again, it was already the next morning.

Martial artists rise early, and as dawn broke, Su Mo had already practiced all his martial arts.

Although most of his martial skills had been directly elevated to their peak by the system,

the martial arts of the Purple Sun Sect required gradual cultivation.

The Great Yang Dispersing Palm, despite its unassuming appearance, was the technique he used most frequently in combat.

This technique, noble and righteous, allowed for controlled application.

It was suitable for both friendly sparring and lethal combat on the road.

Su Mo had never neglected practicing this skill.

Afterward, he practiced the Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword technique and made some new discoveries.

Only then did he change into fresh clothes and head to the study.

Since his transmigration, he had been in this world for over two and a half years. Su Mo’s favorite place was still Su Tianyang’s study.

It contained a vast collection of books covering various subjects.

Previously, Su Mo had focused on finding information about martial arts and stories from the martial world, including the ancestral notes of various Su family ancestors.

These notes listed many cunning schemes of the martial world, giving Su Mo, who had initially been clueless about the martial world, a great deal of insight.

Looking at this study again, it seems there are still many things I haven't discovered.

Su Tianyang's experiences were remarkable, and all his actions after returning from the Purple Sun Sect clearly had a purpose.

I wonder if he left anything behind in this study?

With this in mind, I rolled up my sleeves and began searching the study.

Many families in the jianghu have secret rooms, and items like lamp stands and decorations might have hidden mechanisms.

It never occurred to me before, so I twisted all the lamp stands and vases in the study...

But I found nothing.

"I heard a noise behind me and turned to see Yang Xiaoyun peeking in.

"Uncle Fu sent someone to call me for breakfast and to bring you along..."

"I didn't see you in your room, so what are you doing in the study?"

Su Mo hesitated, then pulled Yang Xiaoyun into the study and explained his thoughts:

"Do you really think my father didn't plan for the future before he died?

"I may be useless, but did he really have no expectations for me at all?"

"Hmm..."

Yang Xiaoyun unconsciously tugged at Su Mo's hand. "Uncle Su probably just hoped you could live a good life, just like how our fathers hope for us."

Su Mo nodded, but then shook his head again.

"Even so, matters after his death are ultimately difficult to discuss.

"Could it be that there isn't even a single contingency plan?

"Looking at his actions in life, while he had a naive side, he rarely acted impulsively.

"If this was all his plan for his death, it seems a bit rash."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded gently.

"You make a good point; I also feel there might be more to it...

"Should we keep looking?"

Su Mo nodded, and the two continued to search.

Earlier, Su Mo had already searched all the ornaments and lamp stands in the room but found nothing.

Now, they decided to take all the books off the shelves and check them one by one.

As they were rummaging through the books, Uncle Fu walked in.

Seeing the two of them buried in piles of books, he was speechless.

"Young Master, Miss Xiaoyun, I was wondering where you were...

"Why the sudden interest in books?"

Su Mo looked up at Uncle Fu, slightly startled, then patted his forehead.

"Am I being silly?"

Yang Xiaoyun also had a revelation. "Here we are, not asking the one person who knows, and doing this on our own?"

"Ah?"

Uncle Fu looked at them puzzled. "What’s happening here?"

"Uncle Fu..."

Su Mo thought for a moment and said, "Do you remember the last time my father visited the Purple Sun Sect?"

"The Purple Sun Sect?"

Uncle Fu thought for a moment and nodded. "Of course I remember. After he returned from that trip, Father was very unhappy for a long time."

"Uncle Fu, do you remember if my father did anything unusual after he returned, or if there was anything out of the ordinary?"

Su Mo asked hurriedly.

"There were quite a few unusual things,"

Uncle Fu said with a smile. "Why are you suddenly interested in these old tales?"

Su Mo sighed. "I just feel that, as a son, I knew too little about my father."

"That’s true..."

Uncle Fu nodded. "Young Master, you were quite misbehaving in the past... But it's alright. A prodigal son’s return is more valuable than gold. The neighbors have been saying that you’ve transformed completely.

"Many people even wish for their children to join the Ziyang Escort Agency. Unfortunately, Young Master, you haven't widely accepted disciples. Otherwise, our Ziyang Escort Agency might have seen an unprecedented boom."

"Things must be done step by step, and meals must be eaten bite by bite. Don't rush."

Su Mo patiently smiled.

"What the Young Master says is reasonable."

Uncle Fu nodded. "But speaking of what happened after Master returned back then, there are still a few things I remember.

"Before that, Yang Yizhi used to come to the Ziyang Escort Agency seeking free meals every day.

"But after that, for some reason, they had a falling out, and Yang Yizhi visited much less often."

"A falling out?"

Su Mo pondered. "Was there anything else?"

"Oh, right. Back then, Master had many connections in the jianghu.

"There was also a young lady, incredibly beautiful; your mother called her a sister. It seemed she had considerable interest in Master.

"Your mother tried more than once to persuade your father to let the lady join the Su family.

"But... Master was stubborn and always ignored her.

"After returning from the Purple Sun Sect, he even drove her away...

"I still remember how she looked, with her flowing red dress; she truly didn’t seem like a mortal.

"Of course, your mother was also a celestial being; both were excellent matches for Master."

"..."

Su Mo twitched at the corner of his mouth. "Is there anything else?"

"Hmm..."

Uncle Fu thought for a moment and began to recount the smaller matters from daily life.

The daily living arrangements weren’t significantly different; they were mostly the same as before.

As for the more detailed aspects, Uncle Fu, being older, couldn’t quite recall them.

He shared several fragmented stories, but nothing particularly noteworthy.

Finally, after repeated questions from Su Mo, Uncle Fu suddenly slapped his thigh.

"Oh... speaking of the strangest thing, there was indeed one incident.

"After the Young Master returned that time, he remodeled the bedroom."

"Remodeled?"

Su Mo was stunned. "How was it remodeled?"

"I can’t quite remember the details..."

"I only know that during that time, Master secretly brought in a lot of bricks, tiles, and the like into his room.

"During the day, all was as usual, but at night, after sending away the servants, he would close the door and there would be clinking and clattering sounds.

"This went on for a full several months.

"However, I don’t know the details.

"During that time, Master had me guard the door, preventing anyone from coming to disturb him.

"That’s why I remember it clearly.

"Later, Master didn’t mention it again, and I didn’t ask."

Uncle Fu said with a smile, "I’ve served three generations of the Su family. Each had their own secrets. The more you ask, the more trouble you might cause..."

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged glances, dismissing Uncle Fu’s last remark.

They asked, "Was this my father’s bedroom, the one he always used?"

"Yes," Uncle Fu nodded. "After Master passed away, the room was left empty. By the way, when you start a family, Young Master, wouldn’t it be fitting for you to move into that main residence?

"It should be your home."

"There’s no rush for that..." Su Mo nodded, and took the opportunity to ask, "Uncle Fu, in recent years, has anyone asked about these matters?"

Uncle Fu took a glance at Yang Xiaoyun: "Yang Yizhi did ask, but ever since that quarrel years ago, he hasn't been coming around much. An old man such as myself sometimes easily forgets things... after all, I’m getting old.

“Even if he were to ask, I wouldn’t want to tell him."

“……”

Su Mo was momentarily at a loss for words and lightly nodded: "Alright, Uncle Fu, please remember not to tell anyone what you've told me today."

"I’ll keep that in mind."

Uncle Fu nodded repeatedly in agreement: "My lips are sealed. Now, Young Master and Miss Yang, go eat your meal. The food will go cold soon... you can leave this here, I’ll take care of it."

"Alright, then I'll put you out."

Su Mo nodded, and they left the study together.

As Su Mo glanced back now and then at Uncle Fu, who was meticulously placing books back on the shelves, a thoughtful look flickered in his eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

Yang Xiaoyun asked softly.

Su Mo shook his head slightly: "Let’s go eat first, then we’ll see what he was up to in that room."

"Okay."

Yang Xiaoyun let out a gentle sigh: "It looks like your intuition was correct. Uncle Su indeed left something behind after all. I never expected Uncle Fu to be so tight-lipped, not letting anything slip over the years."

"Uncle Fu has served the Su family for three generations as a loyal servant."

Su Mo said with a smile, "Hardly anything inside or outside this household can be hidden from him. If he weren't careful with what he says, the Su family wouldn't have any secrets left in Luo Xia City."

"That's true..."

Yang Xiaoyun suddenly smiled, "Speaking of this, I just remembered that there's a Xu family in our city. Back then, because a maid was indiscreet, she spread a rumor saying, 'The master of the house works diligently, toiling until the third watch without rest,' becoming a laughingstock."

"I know about that."

Su Mo nodded repeatedly, "The next year, the Xu family had a big, healthy son and even gave him the nickname Xu Sangeng."

"Ha, the father was quite proud of that name."

"An old horse in the stable can still serve, working tirelessly until the third watch—there’s naturally a reason to be proud."

"Hmm?"

Yang Xiaoyun thought for a moment, "Is that really something to be happy about?"

"You'll understand in the future."

"…Why don't I get it now?"

"It's because you're not married yet, and there's no need to rush into chaos..."

"Oh, here you go again."

Yang Xiaoyun grabbed Su Mo's arm and gave it a secret pinch. Although it didn’t hurt, and Su Mo didn’t feel any pain, her fierce determination, mixed with shyness and anger, was clearly displayed.

Su Mo understood that no matter how heroic or outstanding a woman might be, when the time comes, she will still feel shy.

They continued talking and laughing as they arrived at the front hall. In the training ground, the guards were practicing.

Strengthening their bodies and diligently practicing their martial arts. This was something that could not be neglected in the slightest.

When escorting and traveling the rivers and lakes, who knows when danger might strike?

Neglecting martial arts training could lead to a tragic death in the world of escorts.

However, today, the group felt a bit uneasy during training.

Because there was an additional young spectator.

Zhaodi sat on the steps, holding a white flour bun split in half and stuffed with meat cubes and pickled radish.

For Zhaodi, this was a feast she could hardly imagine before. The meat cubes and pickled radish were one thing, but the white flour bun was especially rare.

On any other day, she would have eaten it with relish, but today, she hadn’t taken a bite. Holding the bun in her hand, she watched as a group of men and women practiced martial arts in front of her, her eyes couldn’t look away.

Each one of them looked amazing to her.

Especially some of the female escort guards, whether they were wielding single sabers or spears like dragons, filled her with admiration and longing.

When Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun arrived, they witnessed this scene and exchanged a look, smiling gently.

Yang Xiaoyun sat down beside Zhaodi.

Startled, Zhaodi quickly covered her eyes and said, "Sister... Sister Xiaoyun... I wasn't secretly studying martial arts. Please, don't hit me..."

"You know about secretly studying martial arts?" Yang Xiaoyun was somewhat surprised. "Where did you hear about it?"

"My father told me," Zhaodi said softly. "He said that a big brother from our village went into town to sell vegetables and saw some martial artists with swords and blades. He felt very envious. Coincidentally, there was a martial arts school in the town.

"He planned to sell his vegetables, save money, and then learn martial arts.

"But after asking around, he discovered he was too old.

"Unwilling to give up, he sneaked into the backyard of the martial arts school, trying to peek over the wall to see how they practiced.

"But he was caught and accused of secretly learning martial techniques, which is a big taboo in the martial world.

"They were going to cripple his martial arts abilities, but then realized he didn't have any.

"Someone suggested severing the tendons in his hands and feet.

"In the end, the head of the martial arts school said that since he wasn't a martial practitioner, there was no need for such severity.

"They simply beat him to teach him a lesson."

This incident was obviously deeply imprinted in Zhaodi's memory, as she recounted it without any hesitation.

Ever since Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun had rescued her, this was the first time she had spoken so much.

At this point, Su Mo smiled and said, "Secretly learning martial arts is indeed a major taboo in the martial world. Whether it's martial arts schools or martial sects, they consider it their foundation and do not tolerate outsiders spying."

"Uncle Su..."

Hearing this, Zhaodi became even more scared.

Su Mo's lips twitched as he said, "If you secretly learned their martial arts, you deserve a beating."

Zhaodi's eyes filled with tears, but she held back from crying.

"Don't scare her," Yang Xiaoyun said, giving Su Mo a sideways glance, and hugged Zhaodi. "Good Zhaodi, don't be afraid. Uncle Su is teasing you.

"He has the kindest heart. To save your life, he stayed awake for nearly three days and nights, protecting your heart to prevent any damage, and that's how he saved you."

Zhaodi nodded. "So, if Uncle Su hits me for secretly studying martial arts, I won't cry."

"Not crying, huh?"

Su Mo was both amused and exasperated and gently scratched Zhaodi's forehead a couple of times. "Eat your meal properly. If you want to learn some skills, I'll have Sister Xiaoyun teach you a few moves later."

"Really?"

Zhaodi’s eyes suddenly widened as she stared at Yang Xiaoyun.

Yang Xiaoyun paused, then suddenly smiled. "Xiao Mo, why don't you take on a first disciple?"

"Hmm?"

Su Mo looked at Zhaodi and briefly reflected. "It could work, but once this first disciple appears, I can't just teach some basic skills.

"The problem is, the skills I have mastered are not suitable for a woman’s cultivation.

"Moreover, if she learns the true art, she will inevitably venture into the jianghu.

"Zhaodi is still very young, and this matter may not be as straightforward as she thinks."

"That's a valid point..."

Yang Xiaoyun sighed. "I can understand this a little better now... Each generation hopes that the next will live joyfully and in peace."

"Unfortunately, things often do not go as planned."

Su Mo shook his head. "Let’s eat first, Zhaodi. Don’t worry. Let me think it over before deciding whether to teach you martial arts."

Zhaodi nodded repeatedly. Yang Xiaoyun then picked her up and was about to head inside.

At that moment, hurried footsteps were heard. The person entering was clearly flustered and anxious.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun turned around to see a young servant rushing in.

After passing the training ground, the servant looked up and saw Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun standing there.

Startled, the servant hesitated to speak.

Su Mo frowned slightly. "Speak up, what’s the matter with you, panicking like this?"

"Yes... Chief Escort... Someone outside is requesting an audience, claiming to be Zhang Biaotou from the Iron Blood Escort Agency."

The young servant hesitated, then after glancing at Yang Xiaoyun, continued,

"He brought news that Haoran Academy informed us Deputy Chief Escort Yang was killed within their premises!"

Su Mo’s eyes widened as he turned to Yang Xiaoyun. Yang Xiaoyun reacted a beat later, her face turning pale as she asked in a panic,

"What did you say? Repeat it!"

The young servant lowered his head even more and said in a quiet voice,

"The people from Haoran Academy reported that Deputy Chief Escort Yang was killed. The body remains inside the Haoran Academy. They request the Deputy Chief Escort to come and handle the funeral arrangements..."