Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

Shen Mansion, in the main hall.

Surrounded by his family members, including his uncle Shen the Second, Shen Qing discussed the events that had happened recently.

In particular, his aunt from the Wang Family was incessantly inquiring about Shen Xiaohu's experiences.

When they heard that this once inexperienced Shen Xiaohu had vaguely become the leader of the traitors, everyone in the room felt a mix of emotions and didn't know what to say.

Shen Qing was not surprised by this.

In fact, not just them, even Shen Qing was quite astonished when he learned about Shen Xiaohu's experiences.

Since the end of the Jing Luan Assembly, Shen Qing often communicated with this cousin in the Spirit Communication Realm and got to know about Shen Xiaohu's experiences in the Huang Tian Sect.

One could only say that looks can be deceiving, and the depth of the sea unfathomable.

Shen Xiaohu's fate was remarkable; they had misjudged him before.

After a while, most of the traces in the courtyard had quietly been erased, leaving only faint dark-red marks on the ground.

If it weren't for the people inside, no one could tell that a bloody scene had just taken place here.

Tian Xiaohu and Ji Youwu, among others, approached Shen Qing with serious expressions, "Boss, besides those we killed just now, there have been others in the city involved these days. They have ties with Zhou Su and are itching to make a move, attempting to take advantage of the situation. Should we also..."

As he spoke, Tian Xiaohu made a throat-slitting gesture.

Shen Qing gently stroked the teapot he was holding and said noncommittally, "There's no rush, we'll talk about this later."

Seeing this, Tian Xiaohu and the others didn't say much more.

However, what they hadn't expected was that as they were discussing this matter, a group of people had quietly gathered outside the Shen Family's door.

Moreover, from the end of the road, more figures were continuously arriving, flooding towards the Shen Mansion like a tide, the scene was spectacular.

"Excuse me, is this Lord Shen Qing's residence? We have come specially to visit, hearing of your reputation." A trembling elder with a cane stepped forward and asked the Shen Family's servant at the door.

"Yes, yes, us too. We heard that Lord Shen Qing has returned, so we came today to see him," added a young man in brocade clothes next to him.

Seeing this, the Shen Family's servants were visibly troubled and frantically tried to keep order, but they were somewhat overwhelmed by the number of people.

Finally, a clever-looking servant hurried through the crowd, burst into the house, and while running, shouted, "Master, it's terrible, many people have come outside saying they want to see you; we simply can't stop them!"

"You see, Jianghu isn't just about fighting; it's about human relations. Fighting is just a means; instilling fear is the outcome," Shen Qing said to Tian Xiaohu and the others with a smile inside the house.

Tian Xiaohu and the others appeared contemplative.

Shen Qing continued, "Are all these people saying they are here to visit me?"

The servant gasped for breath and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, Master, more and more people are gathering outside, and we really don't know what to do."

"Do you want me to go and drive them away?" asked Xiao Zhi.

As a martial master close to Qi Cultivation, dealing with these common people would be incredibly easy for Xiao Zhi, practically effortless.

"No need!" Shen Qing's lips curled into a playful smile, "Let them in. I want to see what these people are really here for."

With that, he stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked out of the house with long strides, ready to meet this sudden "visitation wave."

Under his orders, a swarm of people crowded into the courtyard.

Standing outside the main hall, Shen Qing looked around—these people were all unfamiliar faces.

Whether dressed in splendid attire or with anxious expressions, they invariably carried heavy gift boxes, hustling along.

"Lord Shen, we heard that you returned safely from the Jing Luan Assembly, and we were so happy that we took the liberty of coming here to congratulate you; I hope you don't mind," said an elegantly dressed elder with a smile, his words revealing a hint of trepidation and curiosity.

He continually gauged Shen Qing, trying to read his reactions.

Shen Qing smiled and replied, "There's nothing to blame; fellow villagers and elders remembering me is my honor."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted and they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

The elderly man continued sincerely, "Lord Shen, we are at fault."

Saying this, he immediately knelt down, hands holding a heavy gift, "I must confess, we have had some dealings with Zhou Su recently. Today, hearing that he intended to commit misdeeds in Yongzhou, we were shocked. We have come today to apologize and ask for your forgiveness, hoping you will show mercy and not blame us."

Shen Qing, with his sharp eyesight, scanned the guests in front of him, each harboring their own thoughts, and couldn't help but smile knowingly, fully aware of what these people were really thinking.

He chose not to point it out directly.

It wouldn't be long before he was to take up his post in the Capital City, so Yongzhou was just a temporary stopover for him.

Killing too many people would not serve him well.

After several upheavals, the population of Yongzhou had significantly decreased, hence it was also not suitable to continue a large-scale slaughter over there.

To Shen Qing, it seemed that those who needed to be killed had mostly been dealt with.

With a slight smile, Shen Qing said, "I'm relieved to see that you have this intention. Let bygones be bygones. In the future, I hope you will think carefully before acting, not letting short-term benefits blind your eyes and offending people you shouldn't, drawing disasters upon yourselves."

As he finished these words, everyone present felt the chilling intention to kill emanating from him.

These people trembled inwardly, not daring to be presumptuous anymore; their attitudes became even more respectful.

The leading elder hurriedly said, "Thank you for your mercy, Lord Shen. We will definitely serve you well in the future."

With that, he turned his head to signal, and one by one, others promptly presented the gifts they had brought.

Shen Qing raised his hand, gesturing for the servants to accept the gifts one by one.

Seeing that Shen Qing didn't refuse them, they all felt relieved and showed expressions of joy, bidding their farewells and leaving behind gifts as numerous as a small mountain.

"Get these things sorted out and make sure to register them," Shen Qing instructed Zhang Shuyuan.

Having said that, he no longer bothered with these details and went back inside the house.

In his view, the people of Yongzhou were all very shrewd, well-understanding the benefits of seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster, aligning well with his wishes and saving him a lot of trouble. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

Having just arranged the evening banquet, Zhang Shuyuan immediately went on to register the gifts nonstop.

Fortunately, according to Yongzhou's traditions, the heavy gifts that came with their business seals attached spared Zhang Shuyuan a lot of trouble.

After some inventory checking, Zhang Shuyuan found that the gifts received could match half a year's income of the Shen Family's property.

Most of the notable people from Yongzhou had come.

The influence of Shen Qing in Yongzhou was evident; he was in an unassailable position.