Chen Shi squeezed out of the crowd, took off his hat, and casually tossed it by the roadside.
His clothes were a bit long, so he tore off a strip, wrapped it around his palm, bit it with his teeth, tied a knot on the back of his hand, gripped it tightly, and found it quite handy.
The fabric was coarse hemp cloth, rough in texture, but it provided excellent grip.
“This way, even if it gets bloody, I won’t have to worry about the knife slipping from my hand.”
At that mont, rumbles of thunder echoed from the sky. Chen Shi looked up and saw that dark clouds had rolled in at so point, blotting out the clear sky. The wind carried a hint of moisture—it wouldn’t be long before the rain started.
Chen Shi called out to Blackie Pot. “Blackie Pot, did you see Mr. Fu?”
Blackie Pot imdiately led the way ahead. Chen Shi followed it, weaving through the streets, and soon arrived at the ho of Assistant Magistrate Zheng Shiyun.
Zheng Shiyun had served as assistant magistrate for many years and wielded considerable power in Xinxian County. He was also quite opportunistic and had few enemies in the county.
Yet at this mont, his household was filled with wails of grief. Chen Shi burst inside and saw Zheng family servants sprawled all over the ground. Zheng Shiyun himself had a bamboo pole run through his chest, pinning him to the wall—but it wasn’t a fatal wound. He was crying out in pain.
Zheng Shiyun’s wife, children, and elderly were at a loss, trying to pull out the bamboo pole but unable to budge it. They attempted to drag him free, but the end of the pole embedded in his body had splintered, digging into his flesh. Pulling it out would tear the flesh away too.
“The county yan runners were all sent away, leaving the yan unguarded. No one ca to check even after hearing the commotion. The only one who could issue that order was Assistant Magistrate Zheng Shiyun himself. So he knows who that noblewoman is! Mr. Fu ca here to force him to reveal her identity.”
Chen Shi reached out and grabbed the bamboo pole. “Assistant Magistrate Zheng, who was the noblewoman who bought Shen Yusheng’s Divine Embryo from you?”
Zheng Shiyun was in agony, his forehead beaded with sweat the size of soybeans. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he rasped, “You’re asking about the noblewoman too? Fine! I’ll tell you! The Li family—the family of Governor Li! Do you dare provoke them? You only dare target ! What did I ever do to deserve this?”
Chen Shi yanked out the bamboo pole. Zheng Shiyun let out unending screams, but at least he ca down from the wall—though chunks of his flesh were torn away by the splintered bamboo.
Chen Shi examined the pole. It must have been snapped from the Wencai Academy—tough material. Fu Leisheng’s strength had been too great, splintering one end.
Chen Shi’s face was ashen. He asked, “Ten years ago, the child scholar who placed first among the fifty provinces—who sold his Divine Embryo? And who bought it?”
Zheng Shiyun replied, “Ten years ago, I wasn’t the assistant magistrate yet—how could I have been qualified to sell it? Everyone involved in selling Divine Embryos back then is dead. I heard the buyer killed them all to silence them.”
“How many Divine Embryos has Lord Zheng sold over these years?” Chen Shi asked.
Zheng Shiyun grew wary and replied cautiously, “Never a one. If not for Governor Li’s family inquiring personally this ti, how could I commit such a heaven-defying atrocity?”
Chen Shi grabbed the bamboo pole and walked out, snapping off the splintered end as he went.
The pole, originally over a man’s height, was now just over three feet long after he broke off a section.
Seeing Chen Shi leave the Zheng residence, Zheng Shiyun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“I don’t believe you.”
Chen Shi’s voice ca from outside the wall.
Zheng Shiyun’s heart jolted. Outside the wall, Chen Shi ford a sword mudra with his left hand, channeling true qi into the bamboo pole. It beca like a sword. With a point of his sword mudra, it shot out like lightning. The imnse force pierced the wall and speared through Zheng Shiyun’s throat.
Zheng Shiyun flew backward with a whoosh, crashing into an old tree in the courtyard with a thud, hanging three or four feet off the ground.
“The Noon-Midnight Evil-Cleaving Sword… used like this?”
His limbs dangled limply, motionless.
Cries erupted from the Zheng household.
“Those who steal Divine Embryos must die!”
Chen Shi departed. “Mr. Fu didn’t want to dirty his hands—I’ll handle it for him!”
“Chen Shi, what are you doing here?”
With the black dog leading the way, Chen Shi caught up to Fu Leisheng. Fu Leisheng frowned deeply and halted. “Today is your wedding day! You’re Xinxian County’s top scholar, blessed by the True God’s descent with a Divine Embryo. You’re destined to soar! Have you given up on fa and fortune?”
He was standing outside a house at a street corner, where a bundle of bamboo—twenty or thirty stalks—lay beside a firewood chopper.
“Mr. Fu, you’re still not ruthless enough.”
Seeing this, Chen Shi knew he was there for bamboo. He stepped forward, grabbed the chopper, sliced the slender poles into three-to-four-foot lengths, sharpened one end of each, bundled them up, and slung them over his back.
“You’re just a scholar going to kill—I can’t rest easy.” Chen Shi gripped the chopper, the hemp cloth wrapped around his hand fitting perfectly.
Fu Leisheng eyed a Mao bamboo from the household—about seventeen feet long and extrely sturdy.
With a slash of sword qi, he severed the tip, hoisted the bamboo, and walked off coldly. “I’m prepared to die. Once we arrive, I won’t have ti to look out for you!”
The hoowner ca out looking for his chopper, only to find it gone, the bamboo chopped to pieces, and the Mao bamboo carried off. He cursed under his breath.
The two reached the docks by the Clear Canal River and hailed a painted pleasure boat. Chen Shi asked, “Boatman, do you know where Governor Li’s family is staying?”
The father-and-daughter pair on the boat recognized Chen Shi. The boat girl laughed. “I rember you—you’ve got money, not like those poor scholars! Governor Li’s family is on East Street, in a mansion owned by a rich Lingnan rchant. It’s huge! What are you asking for?”
“Delivering a bundle of firewood!”
Chen Shi jumped aboard, tossed her a tael or two of silver, and said, “Please take us there.”
Seeing it was two or three taels, the boat girl’s eyebrows curved in a grin. “Right away! Dad, row faster! These two are out for revenge—drop ’em off and we hightail it, don’t want to get dragged in!”
Fu Leisheng eyed the boat girl. She giggled. “We’ve been boating this river for years—what kind of people haven’t we seen? You two reek of killing intent; it’s obvious you’re after revenge. Hey, handso, what’s the point of carrying all that bamboo for revenge?”
Chen Shi said solemnly, “Sharpen one end of these bamboos, and they take on a sword shape—perfect for the first form of the Noon-Midnight Evil-Cleaving Sword, the Piercing Sword Form.”
The boat girl shook her head. “Carrying them like that isn’t practical. I’ve got a fish creel on the boat—put them in there.”
She fetched a fish creel large enough for twenty or thirty slender bamboos. Chen Shi slung it on his back—much handier. He thanked her.
The boat girl burst out laughing. “You two planning to collect bodies?”
“No need.”
Chen Shi tightened the creel. “I’ve killed so many in my ti—if I collected corpses, who knows how much it’d cost.”
“Boom!”
Thunder rolled in the sky, still overcast but no rain yet.
The boat girl handed him an umbrella. “Right, right, you’re a big killer! Take it quick—don’t get soaked like drowned rats.”
Li Xiaozheng was the newly appointed governor of Xinxian Province. He had only stayed one day in Xinxian County before rushing to assu his post.
After all, he was an official dispatched from the capital. Xinxian Province was vital territory. The Zhao clan had wrought havoc, unleashing demonic transformations and blood sacrifices that claid countless lives. Everything lay in ruins and needed urgent rebuilding—no ti to delay.
He had left in haste, but his family didn’t need to rush. They could travel slowly to the provincial capital, sightseeing along the way.
Governor Li was upright and not fond of won. He had only taken two wives: Wei Yin of the Xia family and Jing Shu of the Yan family, as principal wife and equal consort.
Beyond them, he had three concubines and a few bedchamber maids.
No outside mistresses, of course.
He greatly cherished his reputation.
On this trip, the two wives and three concubines each brought retainers, children, and servants. They lingered in Xinxian County for a few days to wash away the travel fatigue.
Eldest Wife Xia Weiyin smiled. “The master headed to Xinxian Province the day before yesterday for his duties—so much official business, endless worldly affairs, visits from officials, appointnts and dismissals. It’s all chaos. And now executing the Zhao clan heads, heads rolling everywhere. We won can’t bear the sight—it’s too bloody. But two days have passed; the heads that needed chopping are probably done. We’ll take our ti going, so the master won’t lack a woman at his side and get bewitched by so vixen.”
Second Wife Yan Jingshu said, “Sister is right. Xinxian isn’t like other places. The local officials were all Zhao clan n. Now that the Zhao are fallen, they’re like headless flies, desperate to fawn over the master with wealth, treasures, and won. The master has a good reputation, but can he really resist when temptation’s in his lap?”
The two wives exchanged knowing smiles and summoned the Lingnan rchant. “Host, thank you for your hospitality these days. We’ll set out for the provincial capital today and won’t impose further.”
The Lingnan rchant was an old friend of Li Xiaozheng’s and did business with the Li family of Quanzhou. Hearing this, he hurriedly said, “Won’t the two madas stay a few more days? I’d like to show my respect.”
Eldest Wife Xia Weiyin waved it off with a smile. “Staying in your ho makes everyone in your household uncomfortable—they can’t even speak loudly. We’re already imposing; how can we inconvenience you further?”
The Lingnan rchant dared not press and imdiately ordered silver and treasures prepared. “I know the two madas and the governor lack for nothing, but it’s a token of my sincerity.”
The two wives paid it no mind. “Very well, we’ll accept your filial gesture.” With that, they had it packed away.
Second Wife Yan Jingshu ordered the servants and retainers to pack and prepare to depart.
At this ti, young master Tianxiu approached, radiant with excitent.
Yan Jingshu asked, “My son, what has you so happy?”
“Mother, Sister Gu and Mr. Zeng gave
a new Divine Embryo. Practicing with it doubles the results for half the effort!”
Li Tianxiu laughed. “It was installed from the back of my head—still hurts a bit.”
The two wives were startled.
Li Tianxiu was Yan Jingshu’s youngest son, her precious treasure—afraid to drop him if held in the palm, afraid he’d lt if placed in the mouth.
The young master had been exceptionally bright since childhood but hated studying. To this day, he still hadn’t ford a Divine Embryo.
So in the Li family had suggested that Li Tianqing, a bastard from a side branch blessed by the True God with a top-grade Purple Jade Divine Embryo, could give it to the young master.
The matter had eventually fizzled out.
On arriving in Xinxian County this ti, they heard that in this small county, soone had received heavenly rosy light during the literary exam, granting a Divine Embryo—the supre first-grade Wenchang Divine Embryo that countless people dread of. Others were green with envy.
At the ti, Yan Jingshu and Xia Weiyin had chatted about it, and she casually remarked, “If Tianxiu could get a first-grade Divine Embryo granted by the True God, I’d be content.”
“It must be Sister Gu acting on her own!”
Yan Jingshu was sowhat angry and sent for Sister Gu.
Monts later, Sister Gu arrived.
The woman was around forty, originally the Li family’s wet nurse. The two wives saw her as capable and promoted her to manage the inner household affairs, big and small.
Sister Gu was indeed shrewd and competent, handling everything impeccably and sparing the wives much worry.
Yan Jingshu scolded Sister Gu thoroughly, paused, then said, “Since you’ve already done it, there’s nothing to be done.”
“Was that child whose Divine Embryo was dug out given a proper burial?” Xia Weiyin asked.
Sister Gu smiled. “Rest assured, Eldest Mada—we buried him properly, of course. We didn’t rob them; we paid a fortune. His family’s from the countryside with more than one son—missing one won’t hurt. We paid plenty.”
Xia Weiyin nodded lightly. “It’s a deed that harms our karma after all. If word gets out, it’ll tarnish the Li family’s na. The master cherishes his reputation.”
Sister Gu understood. “This old servant will handle it cleanly. Only the assistant magistrate and a few runners know. Two madas, the carriages are ready, things packed—best to set out early.”
Xia Weiyin nodded lightly and walked out amid the cluster of won.
Yan Jingshu asked Li Tianxiu with a smile, “How does the new Divine Embryo feel?”
Li Tianxiu was thrilled beyond asure. “Mother, I feel full of vigor—cultivation is countless tis faster!”
Yan Jingshu’s face turned stern. “Now that you have a fine Divine Embryo, study diligently with Mr. Zeng—no more dallying! If you fool around with those maids again, I’ll break your legs!”
Li Tianxiu quickly assented, then spotted a fine steed and exclaid excitedly, “Mother, I’m going riding!”
Yan Jingshu had no choice but to let him.
The group exited the manor and boarded the carriages waiting outside.
Li Tianxiu mounted the horse and galloped toward the city gate, laughing. “Mother, I’ll wait for you outside the city!”
Yan Jingshu hurriedly said, “Mr. Zeng, take n and follow Tianxiu!”
A scholar nearing fifty bowed in acknowledgnt and was about to mount when—whoosh!—a streak of green light flashed through, piercing the wildly galloping Li Tianxiu from the back of his head and out the front, spraying a mist of blood!
End of chapter.
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