Yan Liqiang's heart was gripped by Yan Dechang's sorrowful narration when he suddenly learned about his past.
Yan Liqiang was just an ordinary man in his previous life. He never expected that in this life, he would have such a background and family, and carry such a heavy history and past. He felt displeased with the Shatu people since the first time he saw them, but he did not expect that the national hatred and family feuds between the seven Shatu tribes and himself had already been entangled.
His Majesty the Emperor appointed him as the Protector General of Qiyun. There was a lot of political considerations behind this, but by some strange coincidence, he, the Protector General of Qiyun newly appointed by His Majesty the Emperor, turned out to be the most qualified person to inherit this position in the entire Han Empire.
There is no other explanation for all this except God's will.
"What about my mother? What's going on with my mother?" Yan Liqiang asked with red eyes.
"At the beginning, your great grandfather was the attendant of the governor Qi Yun. He suddenly left the governor's mansion with your grandfather and returned to the interior of the country. At that time, it did not attract much attention. But later, after the incident at the governor's mansion of Qi Yun, the Shatu people did not find the Shuiyun Order, which represented the inheritance and authority of the governor Qi Yun outside the country. Your great grandfather's matter was brought up again. From then on, the Shatu people did not give up the pursuit of your great grandfather and searched everywhere for your great grandfather's whereabouts. Your great grandfather also knew that the Shatu people were looking for him everywhere, so after your grandfather became an adult, your great grandfather went to the Shatu people to investigate. In order not to cause trouble for us and to prevent the Shatu people from finding your grandfather's whereabouts, he left Ganzhou alone and went to Lanzhou. He lived in seclusion in Yushan County and opened a small inn. He never took the initiative to contact us on weekdays. Your grandfather and your mother would visit him once every one or two years. When you were born that year, your mother thought that your great grandfather was old and might not have many opportunities in the future. She wanted your great grandfather to see you, so she discussed with me. When you were only half a year old, your mother and I took you to Lanzhou to visit your great grandfather!"
At this point, Yan Dechang's face flashed with deep sorrow. "I didn't expect that the time your mother and I brought you to Lanzhou Yushan County, we had just met your great grandfather when the Shatu people came to our door. After a fierce battle, your great grandfather killed all the Shatu people who came to our door, but he also died on the spot. Your mother was hit by a Shatu man in order to protect you. I fought desperately with those Shatu people at the time. Although I was also injured, I was strong and could hold on. In the end, I brought you and your son back from Tianshui County. But your mother's palm hit her heart and five internal organs. After she came back, she was too seriously injured and no medicine worked. A few days later, she...she...left us early..."
By the end of his speech, Yan Dechang, a grown man, was already in tears.
Yan Liqiang also wiped away his tears. "My great grandfather has been away from the border for so many years, and he has changed his name and surname. How did those Shatu people find my great grandfather's place of residence in Lanzhou?"
"That day, there was an old Han man who appeared in front of us with those Shatu people. That man seemed to be someone your great-grandfather knew in the Qiyun Protectorate. Later, he became a running dog of the Shatu people and led a group of Shatu people to look for your great-grandfather. It was he who recognized your great-grandfather. Those Shatu people were a caravan on the surface, but in fact, they were a team sent by the seven Shatu tribes to look for your great-grandfather. They had been looking for your great-grandfather in various counties in the northwest for many years. When that man recognized your great-grandfather, the two sides met. That man called out your great-grandfather's name in the inn, and your great-grandfather took action and smashed that man's head with one palm..."
"Does my Uncle Qian know about these things?"
"I only found out about your mom and your grandfather after I married your mom. Your uncle Qian still doesn't know about it!" Yan Dechang shook his head, wiped his tears, and calmed himself down. "Your grandfather originally practiced a powerful kung fu, but because he went astray while practicing, your mom was afraid that you would repeat the same mistake, so after giving birth to you, she burned the secret book. Your mom never thought of letting you return to the outside of the pass and be the Qiyun Supervisor in the future. She just hoped that you could be safe and happy, but you didn't expect that after a trip to the Imperial Capital, you would become the Qiyun Supervisor again when you came back. This is your fate. I'm just a blacksmith and I don't have the ability to teach you powerful kung fu. When you were a child, I was strict with you every day and forced you to practice, hoping that one day you could be a hundred times stronger than me, practice good martial arts, and have the opportunity to avenge your mother and kill more Shatu dogs. You take this Shuiyun Order and I'll give it to you to keep in the future. What you want to do is up to you!"
Yan Dechang handed the Shuiyun Order to Yan Liqiang.
The Shuiyun Order was cold, heavy, and thick. Yan Liqiang's eyes flashed with endless cold murderous intent as he held the Shuiyun Order.
"Don't worry, Dad. I will never coexist with the Seven Shatu Tribes!" Yan Liqiang tightly grasped the Shuiyun Order in his hand and said in a murderous voice, "The Seven Shatu Tribes are full of evil. They are ungrateful and treacherous to our Han Empire, and they have a blood feud with my family. Whether for the country or for my family, I will definitely eradicate these filthy and shameless Seven Shatu Tribes in the future. Even if I have to chase them to the ends of the earth, I will exterminate the Seven Shatu Tribes. I swear this oath now, and heaven and earth will bear witness to it!"
"No matter what you want to do, I support you!" Yan Dechang patted Yan Liqiang's shoulder heavily, "I used to think that when you grow up, I will go find your mother. Now I have thought it through. I will live a good life in the future. In my lifetime, I will see how my son becomes the governor of Qiyun and brings honor to our family!"
…
The next day, Yan Liqiang stayed at home and did not see any visitors. Instead, he arranged various matters related to the expansion and renovation of Liuhe Town.
He specially allocated a courtyard from the Yan family's compound to serve as the "engineering headquarters" for Manager Lu and his team. Yan Liqiang then took out the 400,000 or 500,000 taels of silver notes that he had previously looted and gave them to Yan Dechang, letting Yan Dechang take charge of the financial power. Finally, after painting a big "motivation" for Manager Lu and his team, Yan Liqiang and Qian Su and his team rode on rhinoceros horses on the third day after returning home, left Qinghe County, and headed straight for the Huanglong Artisan Machinery Camp...
This time when he went to Huanglong County, Yan Liqiang only brought Hu Haihe with him. Yu Qing was too young and a girl, so he didn't bring her along. However, Yu Qing had always said that she wanted to learn martial arts, so before leaving Qinghe County, Yan Liqiang took the time to teach Yu Qing a set of simple sword techniques and Nine Palace Wind Shadow Steps that he had learned in the Sword God Sect, and also taught her some basic skills before building the foundation, hoping that Yu Qing would have some self-protection power...
(End of this chapter)