Ning Xuezhi knew of Yang Shouzhuo.
In his youth, Yang Shouzhuo had been a farmer famed across ten li and eight villages, but now he was old.
What truly made Ning Xuezhi’s brows knit even tighter was Yang Jing’s identity.
The reason he could live steadily as a wealthy man in the countryside was not chiefly because he was cunning or miserly, but because he knew how to read the times, acted cautiously, and did his utmost not to make enemies for himself—of course, those farmers with no ability or potential did not count.
If Yang Jing were merely an ordinary country boy, he would not have cared.
But the other party had entered a martial hall as a disciple. That changed the meaning entirely.
Ning Xuezhi was not like those ignorant country folk who had never seen the world. He had truly seen those martial experts; killing a mad ox with a single punch was nothing difficult for them.
Such martial artists were not people Ning Xuezhi had the courage to provoke.
Thus, when it came to the group known as martial practitioners, Ning Xuezhi was rather wary.
“Why did none of you tell me that Yang Jing had entered a martial hall?” Ning Xuezhi said in a deep voice.
Steward Shi bent at the waist and hurriedly replied respectfully, “Master, th-this matter was handled by Feng Lei. Perhaps he told Madam. I only just heard of it from one of Feng Lei’s men.”
Ning Xuezhi frowned and said grimly, “Womenfolk, ignorant and foolish!”
Only after Ning Xuezhi finished did Steward Shi softly explain, “Master, I heard from Feng Lei’s men that although Yang Shouzhuo’s grandson Yang Jing entered a martial hall, his will is weak. He slept in the abandoned house and was actually frightened unconscious.”
Watching Ning Xuezhi’s expression, he continued, “Feng Lei’s men also said that they made a simple inquiry about Yang Jing in the city. Yang Jing is not at all remarkable in the Sun Martial Hall. His aptitude is poor, and he does not work hard at martial training either. Scrap iron simply cannot be forged into fine steel.”
After hearing Steward Shi’s explanation, Ning Xuezhi’s expression eased considerably.
Feng Lei was not truly an idiot either. He had seen that even if Yang Jing had entered a martial hall, he was still mud that could not be plastered onto a wall, and only then had he begun targeting the Yang family.
After thinking for a moment, Ning Xuezhi shook his head slightly.
In his view, Feng Lei’s methods had still been too hasty.
Before, he had merely mentioned the idea of buying the Yang family’s two mu of prime fields. He had not intended to set about it immediately. It was Feng Lei who had volunteered.
At the time, Ning Xuezhi had not taken the matter too seriously either. He had thought it was merely two mu of land belonging to a farming household, and he could use the chance to see Feng Lei’s ability.
If he had known then that Yang Jing had entered a martial hall in the city and become a martial disciple, he definitely would not have allowed Feng Lei to continue pressuring the Yang family for the time being.
The Ning family owned over a thousand mu of land and was one of the foremost great landlords in all of Wazi Township. They did not lack the Yang family’s two mu.
The best course was to wait.
Ning Xuezhi had been a landlord for decades and had dealt with every side of Yuhe County. His experience and methods in handling matters were far superior to a reckless brute like Feng Lei.
Although Yang Jing’s aptitude was poor and his talent for martial arts mediocre, nothing was absolute.
What if Yang Jing truly managed to train up some ability?
Ning Xuezhi knew that once some martial artists developed that so-called jin power, ordinary people simply could not deal with them.
The safest way to handle it was to wait a few months, or perhaps a year and a half.
Ning Xuezhi knew the rules of those martial halls in the city. At most, after a year and a half, if a disciple still had not developed that so-called jin power, he would have to leave the martial hall.
Basically, the vast majority of disciples had to leave the martial halls. Some simply did not have the money to support themselves for a year and a half, while others reached the time limit without developing jin power.
When Yang Jing was driven out by the martial hall, that would prove he was not cut out for martial arts. In the end, he would be nothing more than a farmer. At that time, making a move would carry no misgivings.
Ning Xuezhi silently cursed Feng Lei as an idiot, then quietly committed the name Yang Jing to memory. After that, he continued looking at the other names on the list.
After returning from the city, he had arranged for people to investigate Feng Lei’s connections.
He wanted to find out the reason Feng Lei had been killed this time—whether the killer’s target was Feng Lei, or the Ning family behind Feng Lei.
After Ning Xuezhi finished reading the list, he had some idea in his heart. At the very least, he was no longer as completely in the dark as before, knowing nothing at all.
After pondering for a while, Ning Xuezhi raised his head and looked at Steward Shi standing before the desk. He said, “Among these people, investigate Zhang Wei of Zhang Family Fort, Ma Deliang and Ma Chaowei of Maliu Village, and the others. See what they have been doing recently, and whether there is anything strange. Be careful not to alarm them. Investigate in private.”
The people Ning Xuezhi mentioned were all those who had conflicts with the Ning family.
Aside from Yang Jing, if any of the other people on the list was the murderer, then they all had personal grudges with Feng Lei and had little to do with the Ning family. They would not pose a threat to the Ning family either.
“Yes, Master. I will arrange for people to investigate at once.” Steward Shi nodded, then thought of another matter. “Oh, right, Master, what about the authorities? Should we inform them?”
“Hmph, no need.” Ning Xuezhi gave a cold laugh. “What can they find out? The moment they encounter a bit of trouble, they let the matter drop.”
“Yes.” Steward Shi nodded. “Master, if there is nothing else, I will go make the arrangements.”
Ning Xuezhi gave a murmur of assent.
Steward Shi turned to leave. He had only taken two steps when Ning Xuezhi called him back. “Wait.”
Steward Shi turned to look at Ning Xuezhi. “Master?”
Ning Xuezhi slapped his forehead and hurriedly said, “I nearly forgot someone. Old Shi, pass down the order: for now, set aside the matter of those two mu of land belonging to Yang Shouzhuo’s family in Yang Family Village. Do not make any further moves.”
Steward Shi was stunned. He had not expected the master to specifically remind him of this matter.
However, he did not think too much of it. He only assumed that because of Feng Lei’s death, the master might be somewhat exhausted and too lazy to bother with the Yang family. In the end, it was only two mu of land, while the Ning estate had over a thousand mu.
But given the master’s usual unwillingness to give up land, Steward Shi reckoned this was merely setting it aside for the moment. In the end, the Yang family’s two mu of prime fields would still become the Ning family’s.
“Yes, Master.” After saying this, Steward Shi turned and walked out of the study.
Only Ning Xuezhi remained in the room.
He leaned back in the grand preceptor chair, eyes slightly closed, carefully pondering in his mind.
He knew very well that Yang Jing was also a suspect in the killing. After all, not only did he have a motive, Yang Jing also had the strength.
Although Yang Jing’s aptitude was mediocre, he had, after all, been training in a martial hall. He was surely strong and robust, surpassing ordinary people. With the prepared striking the unprepared, killing Feng Lei would not be difficult.
It was just that Yang Jing currently still had the identity of a martial hall disciple.
Ning Xuezhi planned to wait a few more months, until Yang Jing failed in his martial studies and was driven out of the martial hall. At that time, the Yang family would truly become dough in his hands, to be kneaded however he pleased.
Time passed day by day.
In the blink of an eye, two months went by.
After Feng Lei was killed, the Ning family made no further moves. The matter of the Yang family’s two mu of prime fields seemed to have been forgotten; no one brought it up again.
With Feng Lei dealt with, a great hidden danger to the family had also been temporarily resolved.
Yang Jing put all his energy into practicing martial arts.
He knew very clearly that martial training was the foundation.
In these chaotic times, one was only safe when the blade was held in one’s own hand.