Chapter 57: Commanding the Scene

After ensuring no one was around, Zhao Haikun informed me that he was about to go and show the cleaver to Lei Ren. Normally, after Lei Ren examined the cleaver, he would leave, but Zhao Haikun feared that Lei Ren might cause trouble and refuse to go, so he wanted me to assist.

I asked, "How should I help?"

Zhao Haikun hesitated slightly before replying, "I want you to... help intimidate them."

He explained in detail that he wanted me and my friends to stand behind him to bolster his confidence. If Lei Ren insisted on staying, we would help drive them off.

I wholeheartedly agreed with Zhao Haikun’s plan.

From the moment we hit the highway near Dezhou, I had never taken Lei Ren seriously. His trickery was no less cunning than that of the so-called Master Duan. With his “Five Sons Moving Mountains” and “Golden Chasing Yi” techniques, it was clear he had come prepared, and it was even possible that they were working together. Li Douniu might have been planted by him.

That’s why I readily agreed to Zhao Haikun’s suggestion.

After getting my commitment, Zhao Haikun added with some concern, "Besides that, could you keep an eye on Zhao Shuihe? She’s been deceived badly by Lei Ren. I’m worried she might side with him on major matters, which would complicate things."

I nodded, suddenly understanding why Zhao Haikun confided these matters to me alone.

I hadn’t interacted much with Zhao Shuihe, but I sensed she was in a rebellious phase typical of youth. Given her intelligence, she likely knew Lei Ren’s true nature but was driven by stubbornness and spite beyond her own reason. Zhao Haikun might not even sway her if he spoke directly; she might even confront us.

So, it was better for us to discreetly “discipline” her.

After promising to help, I set about gathering Xian Hongye, A Si, and Zhao Hong.

I told them to back us up at the Confucius Temple. With them there, I felt much more confident, and having all of us accompany Old Lei to inspect the cleaver would also allow us to keep a close watch.

Thus, I led the group, following my senior uncle Zhao Haikun, to the main reception hall of the Zhao family.

To be honest, as we walked, I noticed that the Zhao family had been doing quite well in recent years. Their house was large; after all, my old squad leader had earned over ten thousand yuan monthly while alive.

Thanks to my master Zhao Haipeng’s efforts, the Zhao family built a three-story courtyard-style brick house. Among the Zhao family residences, theirs was one of the wealthiest.

The three-story courtyard was exquisitely arranged in a character-shaped layout, aligned precisely north-south. Each courtyard had pomegranate and paulownia trees, with carefully designed floral arrangements, far surpassing those of ordinary wealthy farmers.

The antique charm and clever design added a classical atmosphere, further enriching the sense of the Zhao family’s historical legacy.

At the intersection of the three courtyards was the largest building of the complex—the Zhao family’s reception room.

I pushed Zhao Haikun’s wheelchair into the spacious reception room, accompanied by Xian Hongye, Zhao Hong, and the others, all looking fierce and ready, prepared to inspect the cleaver with Lei Ren.

The room was chaotic due to the recently concluded funeral. Tables and stools were piled haphazardly, leaving barely any place to stand.

Despite the disorder, Lei Ren sat firmly, sipping tea with his nephew. They chatted animatedly, switching between Cantonese and Minnan dialect.

His presence didn’t surprise me, but... why was Master Duan there too?

At that moment, in the corner of the Zhao family’s main hall, I spotted the shifty-eyed Master Duan sitting by a table.

What was he doing here?

Master Duan wore a slightly worn dark blue Zhongshan suit and glasses, completely restraining the usual mystical airs he affected, though a faint hint of madness lingered.

Compared to his “spirited” demeanor yesterday, he looked quite dejected now. Lei Ren and his nephew conversed in Cantonese over tea, leaving Master Duan unable to join in. He tried to approach Zhao Haikun to greet him but was shot down by a glare from Zhao Hong beside me.

Caught between two sides, Master Duan wisely chose silence. After smiling weakly at Zhao Haikun, he lit a cigarette and smoked with audible clicks.

Upon seeing us, Lei Ren immediately stood and approached with a friendly smile.

He still wore that affable expression and cupped his hands in greeting to Zhao Haikun. “Brother Kun, why involve so many outsiders in our affairs?”

He gestured toward me, Xian Hongye, A Si, and Zhao Hong behind me.

“Outsiders?” I snorted coldly. “Am I an outsider?”

His face betrayed sudden realization and a hint of panic as he shook his head.

Encouraged by my words, Zhao Hong declared without hesitation, “I’ve shared a trench with our old squad leader—I’m no outsider. Besides...” He glanced at Master Duan and questioned, “If that charlatan can be here, why can’t we?”

Master Duan, gaunt and irritable, scowled and shouted at Zhao Hong, “Watch your mouth! Who’s pretending to be mystical? I have genuine skills... Besides, I’m here on business for the Zhao family.”

“Business?” I was surprised. “Our old squad leader is already buried. Your matters are settled. What business is there?”

At this, the charlatan chuckled coldly and dropped a bombshell that shocked me.

He sneered, “Of course, it’s the business of the Zhao family’s cleaver. We’ve already agreed—I’m buying the Zhao family’s ancestral cleaver.”

His words struck me hard.

Wide-eyed with astonishment, a long-standing question in my mind suddenly clicked.

Was Master Duan also after the cleaver?

I remembered vividly his mysterious appearances and ridiculous scams. This man was enigmatic but dangerous.

Xian Hongye and I had analyzed before: he seemed to possess advanced Taoist skills but feigned ignorance, secretly plotting to kill me. Moreover, he appeared to have an inseparable connection to that cat demon from the Bright Lamp King.

Yet, we never had proof.

What remained unknown was why he so disdainfully involved himself in Zhao family affairs. But I was certain that “no profit, no early rise.” His repeated deceptions toward the Zhao family must have a purpose.

Now, he openly admitted his goal—the cleaver.

I finally understood that whether Lei Ren or Master Duan, these people gathered at Zhao Lou for my old squad leader’s funeral with one true purpose:

They were all after the Zhao family’s ancestral cleaver.

This was no coincidence.

What power did this legendary cleaver, said to be bestowed by an emperor, hold to attract so many?

Driven by curiosity, I urgently asked Zhao Haikun what was going on and why Master Duan said he wanted to buy the cleaver.

“...What did we promise him?” Zhao Haikun couldn’t resist and revealed the agreement between him and Master Duan, and why he intended to sell the cleaver.