Just as Qin Yuesheng was familiarizing himself with the entry-level experience of the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist, there was suddenly a knock at the door.
"Young Master, the third young master of the Du family has come to the mansion to see you. He is currently waiting in the Guest Hall."
"The third young master of the Du family?" Qin Yuesheng's eyes flickered as he instantly recalled information about this fellow.
Du Beilun, one of the prominent families in Cyan Yang City, the third child of the Du family's younger generation, usually a good companion to Qin, sharing in their fortunes as idle friends.
Qin Yuesheng put the box containing the herbs on the table and strode out.
Outside stood a maid in a blue dress, one of the personal maids responsible for Qin Yuesheng's daily needs.
"Did only Du Beilun come?" Qin Yuesheng asked.
"Yes, Young Master."
Qin Yuesheng thought for a moment and quickly discerned the reason Du Beilun had come over in broad daylight, and immediately headed towards the Guest Hall.
...
Guest Hall.
Du Beilun was sipping the fragrant tea served by the Qin Mansion's maids with a playful smile. His appearance was decent, better than ugly, but less than handsome, exuding an air of carelessness typical of a young scion from a wealthy family.
Upon seeing Qin Yuesheng's figure appear, he quickly put down the teacup, got up, and approached him, saying, "Yuesheng, a few days without leaving the house, you sure can keep yourself busy."
Qin Yuesheng waved his hand, "A few days of incessant rain, flooding the streets of Cyan Yang City, venturing out was a mood breaker, better to stay in."
"Haha, Yuesheng, you've maintained this dislike for going out in rainy weather for over a decade. Today's weather is fine; my second brother has prepared for months, and today Nanyan Treasure Studio officially opens with lots of fun and rare items. I specially came to invite you over. Are you interested, Yuesheng?"
Qin Yuesheng thought silently, "Sure enough, it was for this reason."
Cyan Yang City lies east near the Gusu River, and to the north, west, and south, it is intersected by the Baoqing Road, Jingli Road, and Wangzhou Road, respectively, which all run north to south. Hence, many traveling merchants and traders pause here, driving the booming entertainment industry in Cyan Yang City.
Brothels, gambling houses, treasure studios, teahouses, theaters, flower boats, and dueling pavilions.
If you can manage any one of these seven kinds of shops well in Cyan Yang City, making money as easy as drinking water, earning hundreds of gold coins a day is not an issue.
As one of the prominent families of Cyan Yang City, the Du family naturally has businesses in these seven popular shops, but the more the merrier. Du family's second young master, Du Tankang, had already hinted at a drinking party months ago about opening a treasure studio specializing in rare and unusual items.
Since that day, Du Tankang had not attended any of these young heirs' drinking parties, devoting his entire energy to opening the treasure studio.
The likes of Qin Yuesheng typically indulge their time decadently in the evenings, sleeping till the sun's high during the day or staying home teasing dogs, birds, and pretty maids, rarely having the leisure to visit others' homes. So, upon hearing Du Beilun coming during the day, Qin Yuesheng already guessed his purpose.
Having stayed in the Qin Mansion for three days, Qin Yuesheng's impression of Cyan Yang City remained vivid in memory, yet he hadn't personally seen the city's scenery. Today's fine weather called for some outdoor activity, and now with Du Beilun's invitation, he naturally wouldn't refuse.
"Alright, then I'll make a trip." Qin Yuesheng nodded in agreement.
As the only offspring of the Qin family, Young Master's outings were never solitary; it wasn't only a question of safety but having someone to carry purchased items was practical.
From a young age, whenever going out, Qin Yuesheng had eight hospital guards accompanying him, specially arranged by Qin Feng, worried about his safety.
The standard outing included a luxurious carriage with two horses, one driver, two maids, plus the eight hospital guards, totaling eleven people.
Yet, Qin Yuesheng couldn't stand it. Under his strong demand, he finally simplified to taking only four hospital guards and left with Du Beilun.
What made Du Beilun groan inwardly was Qin Yuesheng inexplicably proposing to walk, leaving Du Beilun no choice but to abandon the carriage and accompany Qin Yuesheng as they strolled leisurely.
Though not even a prefecture, Cyan Yang City was exceptionally lively, with stalls everywhere on the streets and hawkers ambling around with boxes, while young women with kids or friends browsed stalls selling rouge, perfume sachets, and jade bottles.
Peddlers carrying sticks laden with candied haws shouted along the streetsides; vegetable farmers with shoulder poles weaved through the crowd, the dusty air of the human realm was palpable.
Qin Yuesheng looked on, absorbed and entertained, while Du Beilun couldn't find any joy, his face filled with vexation.
Mind you, as the third young master of the Du family, wherever he went, a carriage attended him, elevated and unique in presence.
Suddenly mingling among these commoners, with the rough cloth and garments brushing against him, was unbelievably uncomfortable.
Yet, only Qin Yuesheng could wander with a neutral expression.
"Ah!!!"
Suddenly, a miserable scream came from somewhere, immediately stirring up everyone on the street, all turning to see what was happening.
Both Qin Yuesheng and Du Beilun were naturally no exception. As Qin Yuesheng looked around, he saw about four or five steps ahead of him, the front chest of an old man carrying a shoulder pole suddenly protruded a bloody blade, and then quickly retracted.
A large amount of blood seeped from the man's wound, and in the blink of an eye, the old man collapsed on the ground powerlessly, clearly on the verge of death, soon losing his life.
As the old man fell to the ground, the murderer hidden by his body was instantly revealed.
A thin man, covered in blood, with a crazed expression, holding a long blade.
"Hahaha!" The man succeeded with one strike and did not intend to flee, continuing to hack towards a young girl in a green skirt closest to him. The nearby townsfolk were already dumbfounded by the sudden scene, fleeing in all directions, with no thoughts of rescue.
The girl was slashed from her neck to her chest, followed by two stabs in her abdomen, directly following the old man's fate.
"What are you standing there for? Hurry and subdue that guy. If he keeps killing, how many more will die?" Qin Yuesheng quickly reacted, urging the four Hospital Guards behind him.
Having seen two deaths, Du Beilun couldn't help but feel fearful: "Young Master Qin, it's too dangerous here. We should leave quickly. That person is a lunatic; the constables will come to handle him soon. We don't need to get involved."
Qin Yuesheng shouted loudly, "By the time the constables hear and come, how many will be dead? You know he's a madman, and he won't stop until he's killed. How can we let him just kill randomly on the street? You all, act quickly."
Following Qin Yuesheng's orders, two of the four Hospital Guards immediately drew their swords from their waists and ran towards the perpetrator.
These Hospital Guards were well-trained martial artists. Though not considered top figures in the martial arts world, they had no problem dealing with ordinary people and those with poor martial arts training.
When they approached within three paces of the madman, the crazed man immediately wielded his knife and confronted them, showing no intention of retreating.
Seeing his aggression, the two Hospital Guards naturally would not hold back, unleashing their full tenfold strength, intending to fight him.
However, what Qin Yuesheng did not expect was that the man couldn't withstand even two moves and was instantly hacked and had his heart pierced by the two Hospital Guards, entirely without any martial arts foundation, a completely ordinary person.
But just this ordinary citizen had relied on a knife to kill no fewer than five people earlier.
"Madman, he really is a madman." Du Beilun couldn't help but say, "To rush onto the street and kill people in broad daylight, only a madman would do such a thing."
Just then, a Hospital Guard standing behind Qin Yuesheng suddenly changed his expression, a bizarre smile appearing on his face.
In a flash, this person already drew his sword and slashed forcefully towards the back of Qin Yuesheng's neck.
"Yuesheng, look out!!!"
Upon hearing Du Beilun's warning, Qin Yuesheng instinctively leaned his body aside, the sharp blade narrowly sliced past his shoulder, the tip merely inches from splitting his ear in two.
Qin Yuesheng's back instantly felt cold, with sweat pouring from his forehead.
What's happening?
Is there a betrayer in the Qin Mansion?
"Zhang Quan, are you insane? You dare attack the Young Master!" the nearby Hospital Guards shouted incredulously.
For them to be recruited into the Qin Mansion, it was all based on loyalty. The Qin family annually adopts some parentless orphans to the Qin Mansion as servants, ensuring they have no worries about food and clothing, while selecting those with good bones and teaching them martial arts.
These people, upon growing up, become the Qin Mansion's Hospital Guards.
It can be said that each Hospital Guard grew up in the Qin Mansion, with absolute loyalty to the Qin family, and even more so in front of Qin Yuesheng, as Qin Feng and Qin Yuesheng are people they are supposed to protect with their lives.
But now, one Hospital Guard actually attacked Qin Yuesheng, an act that other Hospital Guards could not accept at all.
The Hospital Guard with the strange expression showed no reaction, reversed his sword, and continued to slash towards Qin Yuesheng.
This person's moves were vicious, clearly aiming for a one-strike kill. The nearby Hospital Guard, swift-eyed and quick-handed, hastily drew his own sword to fend off this strike for Qin Yuesheng.
"Now's the time." Qin Yuesheng suppressed his inner panic, clenched his fist in the Tiger Form, and punched straight out, his non-exaggerately muscled arm bulging, veins surging like worms.
Bang!
A silent punch, directly hitting the opponent's chest.
But evidently, Qin Yuesheng's punch lacked the power to resolve the person in one strike; this Hospital Guard only staggered back half a step, his complexion turning much paler, without suffering significant harm.
Yet Qin Yuesheng had anticipated this. His current strength was only 0.7, not even surpassing that of a normal person; even with the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist supporting him, the idea of knocking down a Qin Mansion Hospital Guard trained in martial arts for years with one punch was unrealistic.
Then, with the punch's remaining momentum unabated, Qin Yuesheng stepped forward, unleashing both Tiger and Crane forms, venting all six moves of the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist upon the opponent.