Chapter Six Death

  "Zi Mo, how is Grandpa Liu's body now?"

  Having followed Old Liu to learn about antique appraisal for more than half a year, the weather gradually turned cold. Just in the last few days of the year, Old Liu, whose health was not good to begin with, suddenly fell ill.

  This sudden change made the entire Liu family's New Year lose all its festive flavor. Liu Zimo's father also rushed back from Taiwan, as this time the old man was seriously ill, and it seemed that his life was really coming to an end.

  Although he can no longer listen to the old man and himself talking about the past, Qin Feng, who has long regarded him as his master in his heart, still comes to visit the old man every morning.

  Sometimes the doctor wouldn't let him in, so Qin Feng would stand at the door, braving the cold wind, afraid that he might not know when the old man passed away. This actually made the Liu family feel good about Qin Feng, this little guy who valued relationships.

  "Afeng, Grandpa is probably gone, he doesn't even recognize people anymore."

  Liu Zimo's eyes were red, obviously having just cried. Since childhood, he had followed his grandfather and their feelings were extremely deep. He couldn't accept that the once majestic and powerful grandfather had become like this.

  "Zi Mo, don't be sad, maybe Grandpa Liu will get better."

  Qin Feng patted his good friend's shoulder, and as he spoke, he couldn't help but choke up with sobs. Since the big change at home, he had only felt that kind of warmth from his elderly family member.

  As the old man is about to leave, Qin Feng, who has become much more cheerful over the past six months or so, still has a hint of lingering gloom between his eyebrows.

  "Dad, are you awake? Do you feel a bit better?"

  Just as Qin Feng and Liu Zimo were talking, a sudden urgent shout came from the inner room. Liu Zimo was stunned for a moment, then quickly lifted the thick curtain and entered the house. Qin Feng followed him in.

  "Cough... Cough... Cough..."

  The old man on the sickbed coughed violently for a while, and after spitting out a mouthful of blood phlegm, he seemed to have come back to his senses. He raised his head with difficulty and looked around at everyone's faces before saying in a low voice: "A tile falls from the well only when it is broken, a general cannot avoid death on the battlefield. I, Liu Yunjiao, have had a life of ups and downs, and being able to die in bed is already a great blessing!"

  Liu Yunjiao learned from "Divine Gun" Li Shuwen, and at a young age, he made a big name for himself in the Jianghu. Later, he joined the military, and every time he went into battle, he was always the first to charge forward, and who knows how many times he crawled out of piles of dead bodies.

  So the old man had long seen through life and death, now with a house full of children and grandchildren, he was truly satisfied. After drifting outside for thirty or forty years, he finally settled down, and he no longer had any other extravagant hopes.

  "Dad, don't say that, you'll get better!"

  Looking at the frail and emaciated old father, the Liu brothers' faces were covered with tears. They understood in their hearts that this was a sign of his final struggle, and it would be difficult for him to make it through today.

  The old man's face showed a grayish white color, which was an omen of impending death. The three Liu brothers were all seasoned and knowledgeable men, and at this moment, they felt a pang in their hearts and their eyes welled up with tears.

  "It's no use, my body, I know it myself."

  Liu Yunjiao took a deep breath, and a faint flush appeared on his pale face. His spirit was better than before, and with the support of both hands on the bed board, he actually sat up.

  "Dad, what's going on? Hurry up and lie down!"

  When they saw the old man sit up, everyone was shocked and rushed to the bedside. Liu Zimo, who was outside, had tears streaming down his face, but he couldn't squeeze his way to the front.

  "Get out of my way! Who in this world can avoid death? What's there to cry about?"

  The old man's eyes widened, and the dying look was gone. The former prestige seemed to have returned to his body, and the room suddenly became quiet.

  "Listen up everyone, the island's industry will be controlled by Lao Da, Lao Er and Lao San will receive dividends every year. Ah, Lao San gets an extra 10%, that's for Zi Mo..."

  Seeing his sons and grandsons all becoming more honest, the old man began to entrust them with his last wishes. Although he said that several of his sons at home were very filial and obedient, after he passed away, it was hard to guarantee that they would not make a joke about property.

  He glanced at several sons and continued: "The industry of Bagua Gate will be managed by the second son. This is not a profitable business, one-tenth of the public expenditure will be allocated to it every year. Eldest son, do you understand?"

  At that time, Liu Yunqiao followed the defeated soldiers and generals to Taiwan, taking his eldest son and third son with him. Only the second child was left at home, and his kung fu was also the most pure among the three brothers, so he inherited the legacy of Bajiquan.

  "Dad, I understand. Don't worry, I'll definitely do as you say."

  Liu Yunjiao's eldest son is also over 60 years old, and with the help of his father, he has handled all aspects of his relationships on the island well. He has long since abandoned his military career to become a merchant, and is now a respected figure on the island.

  Don't be made fun of by others.

  The old man nodded, turned his face to the second son and said: "Second child, in the future, the Eight Extremes One Line must be passed on to Zimo's hands. Did you hear? However, this kid also needs to learn some culture, a martial artist alone is not enough."

  Liu Yunjiao had three sons and seven grandsons, and also several great-grandchildren. However, among them, only Liu Zimo was able to endure hardship, practice martial arts, and achieve something. He was the chosen successor of this lineage's third generation.

  "Yes, father, I will teach Zi Mo well." Liu Jia Cheng replied respectfully.

  "Grandpa, I don't want you to die, I don't want you to die!"

  Liu Zimo, now more mature, was still just a teenager, and at this moment he could no longer hold back, pushing through the crowd, he knelt down in front of his grandfather and burst into loud wailing.

  "Foolish child, who can still die? Your grandfather has lived a life of adventure and excitement, this lifetime is worth it!"

  Liu Yun suddenly burst out laughing at the words, his eyes accidentally sweeping to Qin Feng who was following behind Sunzi, and his laughter abruptly stopped.

  "You... this child, is not far from disaster, also... don't know if can pass through this calamity?"

  Looking at Qin Feng, Liu Yun's face was filled with a regretful expression. Just as he was about to speak again, his chest suddenly tightened, his throat felt sweet, and a mouthful of bright red blood spurted out, staining the front of his clothes crimson.

  "Old... old big brother, help... help..."

  The old man's right hand tightly grasped his eldest son, but before he could finish a sentence, the sparkle in his eyes was gone, and his head heavily drooped down, with no sign of life left in his body.

  "Father..."

  "Grandpa..."

  At the moment when the old man passed away, a heaven-shaking wail rose from the house. Everyone knelt down in front of the window, and sad emotions filled the entire Liu's courtyard.

  As for the old man's death, the Liu family had already made psychological preparations. The mourning clothes and the old man's posthumous affairs were all ready, so those idle people came in and handed out the clothes to everyone.

  "Zi Mo, don't cry anymore, take care of yourself!"

  Qin Feng supported Liu Zimo, who was crying and almost fainting, and helped him put on his mourning clothes. At this moment, Qin Feng's eyes were also filled with tears, which was the first time he had cried since his parents passed away.

  From the moment the old man passed away, the funeral had already begun. After persuading the Liu family members to leave the room, someone gave the old man a bath and changed him into his mourning clothes.

  Although Mr. Liu has not been in the mainland for decades, he was a famous figure in his early years and left behind extensive connections on the rivers and lakes, so his funeral naturally cannot be simple.

  When the news of mourning was spread through phone calls and telegrams, this quiet town suddenly became lively, with many strong-bodied people pouring in every day.

  The funeral will have to wait for seven days, and during those seven days, almost all the hotels in the town and city were fully booked. The three religions and nine streams were complex, making the police appear at a much higher frequency than usual.

  The Liu brothers were busy thanking the people who came to mourn and entertaining the many Jianghu colleagues, so they didn't even have time to touch the ground. Even half-grown children like Liu Zimo were summoned to help.

  In this situation, Qin Feng could only do his best with his meager strength. Every day, he would arrive at the Liu's house early in the morning to help those guests serve tea and pour water until late at night when there was no one left, then drag his tired body back home to sleep, even neglecting his own sister almost.

  It wasn't until then that Qin Feng realized the old man's status in Jianghu, because on the day of the funeral, not only were there fellow practitioners from inland Jianghu, but also many overseas Chinese who had returned specifically for the occasion.

  There were over 300 vehicles in the funeral procession, with more than a thousand people attending the ceremony. Police were also deployed to maintain order during the event.

  "Ah Feng, I'm leaving with Father tomorrow to go back to Taiwan. Take care of yourself, I'll be back soon!"

  After the funeral, Liu Zimo found Qin Feng. Although the old man had left a will before his death, there was another one with the lawyer, who required that half of his ashes be scattered in Sun Moon Lake on Taiwan Island.

  This is also a big deal, as all the Liu family members are required to attend, so after completing the funeral rites in mainland China, they will immediately return to Taiwan, where there are many old comrades-in-arms of the elderly gentleman who cannot come to mainland China for various reasons.

  "Afeng, take this money, I know Grandfather asked your uncle to take care of you before he passed away, but he didn't finish saying..."

  Liu Zimo pulled out a stack of money and stuffed it into Qin Feng's pocket. On the day Grandpa passed away, he was the closest to him, so naturally, he knew what Grandpa's last words meant.

  However, these days several elders in the Liu family were busy to the point of being unable to take a stable sleep, and naturally they couldn't care about Qin Feng anymore. Only Liu Zimo still remembered him in his heart.

  Just as Qin Feng was about to refuse, Liu Zimo hastily said: "Ah Feng, don't decline, go buy a tricycle, you can collect more things every day, consider it a loan from your brother!"

  "Alright, Zimo, thank you!"

  Qin Feng didn't pretend, he accepted the money. He usually pushed a rickety cart to collect waste, although it was loaded with things, but it couldn't go far, not as convenient as a tricycle.