Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 46: Blood Oath

The night was as dark as ink. The village had long since extinguished its lights, leaving only a few scattered barks that sounded especially clear in the silence.

The main hall of Zhao Dequan's house, however, was unusually lit by an oil lamp, its dim, yellowish light seeping through the paper window.

Shadows flickered inside. Besides Su Shan and Su Ming, father and son, there were five others. Three were the clan elders of the Su, Zhao, and Wang surnames in the village, their hair and beards white, their expressions solemn. The other two were Zhao Dequan's nephews from his own family, Zhao Dazhuang and Zhao Eryong, around thirty years old, with sturdy builds, standing to Zhao Dequan's left and right like door gods.

The air was so thick it was suffocating.

Zhao Dequan was not sitting. Clutching the piece of coarse paper Su Ming had made, he paced back and forth in the not-so-spacious main hall. His footsteps were heavy, each step seeming to land on the very heartstrings of those present. Su Shan hung his head low, staring at his old cloth shoes where his toes peeked through. With each step Zhao Dequan took closer, his gaunt shoulders involuntarily tightened a fraction more.

"See that? That's the old fox for you." Lin Yu's voice sounded in his mind, carrying its usual lazy mockery. "Knowing a single plank can't support a bridge, he swiftly roped in the most influential old-timers in the village. Once they're on the boat, there's no getting off. Shared interests, shared risks. If this ever comes to light in the future, it'll be the disaster of the entire Su Family Village's core, not just Zhao Dequan's fault alone. Your father's little schemes are as transparent as paper in front of him."

Zhao Dequan finally stopped walking.

He slapped the piece of coarse yellowish paper onto the Eight Immortals table with a soft 'thwack'. The sound wasn't loud, but it startled everyone's hearts. His gaze was like a knife tempered with ice, slowly sweeping over every face present.

"Three great-uncles, two worthy nephews, Shanzi."

His voice was low, yet each word was clear, hammering into the silent air."The reason I've troubled you all to come here in the dead of night is precisely for this object on the table."

The three clan elders' murky gazes all focused on that unremarkable piece of yellow paper, filled with doubt and scrutiny.

"Su Shan's third son, Su Ming, by chance, obtained a fragmentary recipe from an old, tattered book. Using those unwanted young bamboos from the back mountain, he actually managed to concoct this thing."

Zhao Dequan's words were concise, without embellishment.

"Paper! Paper that can be written on to record things!"

"Buzz—"

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded beside the elders' ears. Their withered hands trembled violently, their eyes suddenly widening, staring fixedly at that piece of paper as if trying to see through it. Their deep wrinkles were filled with utter disbelief.

pointed at the paper, almost

from bamboo? I've lived over sixty years, never heard of such a marvel!" The Wang clan elder leaned forward, his

to Su Ming. "Xiao Ming, repeat what you told me this afternoon for these great-uncles.

forward, bowed deeply to the three

the fragmentary recipe, to the numerous failed attempts,

was exceptionally firm as he laid out the distribution plan

taking thirty percent of the profit. Uncle Dequan and the three clan elders will oversee the core, steer the ship, set the rules, and quell

so quiet you

occasional faint "crackle" of the oil

looked at each other, each seeing a stormy sea of shock in the other's

watched their reactions coldly, the corner of his mouth lifting almost

silence. His voice was grave and

great-uncles, Xiao Ming's words are

our Su Family Village to turn our lives around and establish ourselves! However, it is

his gaze sharp as a hawk's, scraping over each person's

whisper of this leaks, forget about getting rich. I fear our Su Family Village could face the

from their faces. With the earth already at their necks, they understood all too well the bloodiness behind the eight

proceed with this, your mouths must be sealed shut with molten iron! Your hearts must be weighed down with giant

gleaming dagger from the small of his back. With a sharp "clang!", he drove it fiercely into the tabletop. The blade vibrated, emitting a low hum, casting his face in a cold,

now! We

the clay seal on a jar of strong liquor, and poured it full with a

he pulled out the dagger and, without hesitation, drew it across the thumb of his left

rapidly spreading in the clear

Dequan, swear to heaven

lifted the wine bowl with both hands, his voice like muffled

heavenly lightning, torn apart by five horses! May I not be buried in the ancestral graves after death, my soul scattered to the

piercing the heart, sending chills down

Dequan's gaze was like a torch, pressing upon the

them. From the moment they