The day before, at Jiuhua Mountain, with a single arrow, he subdued the arrogant young n of the entire city, leaving their faces pale with fright. After that, he went to Great Liang Village and sat on a dry stone at the mountain's peak all through the night. If one were to really count, Wang Anfeng had not had a good night's sleep for several days in a row.
He had originally planned to rest well upon his return, but who would have known that after coming back to Wanling City, he would encounter the inscrutable daughter of the Langya Wang Family and witness the capabilities of the Yin Yang Family's Sect Master.
Because he was on guard with a sword and because he had made great progress with his Inner Strength due to being influenced by the Qi chanism of a Great Grandmaster, Wang Anfeng found himself, surprisingly, without any feeling of fatigue. Thinking about his decision, he felt as though he had simply tossed Gong Yu aside at the i residence, and felt the need to apologize.
However, he was unable to find Gong Yu. After asking Lin Qiaofu and Lv Baiping, they said that Gong Yu had left early in the morning and they didn't know where she had gone. It seed even Tai Shu Jian had gone out with her. When Lin Qiaofu ntioned this, she rubbed her eyes, seemingly still sowhat sleepy.
Wang Anfeng could guess she probably hadn't slept well either. Not wishing to disturb her further, he turned to leave and sat down at a table on the second floor. The waiter brought him a pot of tea, so light morning bites, a small plate of appetizers, and a bowl of perfectly cooked rice porridge, then retreated.
In that bowl of rice porridge, there was a spread of white rice with two green vegetables and finely chopped mushrooms scattered atop. Perhaps because this was Jiangnan Road, an area accustod to talented n and beautiful won, even the cooks in the kitchen of the tavern had picked up a bit of the Scholar's air, giving the dish a na: "Flatboat on the Cold River," with boat having the sa pronunciation as porridge.
Wang Anfeng propped his Broad Sword on the table, picked up the porridge with one hand, and gently stirred it. He hadn't eaten for a few als and hunger gnawed at his belly, yet he ate slowly, gazing out the window at Wanling City's scenery—the play of water and mountains, all within a city's confines.
Gong Yu had reasons for leaving, and Wang Anfeng could guess why.
This woman, a swordswoman from Qingfeng Edge, was quite protective. No doubt she had gone out to vent on behalf of Lin Qiaofu. However, the fact that Tai Shu Jian also went out was a bit beyond Wang Anfeng's expectations.
The old man, having obtained the Jue Que Sword, spent every available mont pondering over the sword, reluctant to venture even half a step away from it. It was surprising to see him leave the inn voluntarily today.
But on second thought, it beca clear. Gong Yu had once saved Tai Shu Jian's life at Qingfeng Edge and he was probably worried that Gong Yu, on her own and not recognizing faces well, might mistakenly harm the wrong person if she unsheathed her sword—bringing big trouble.
Perhaps it was also because Tai Shu Jian, over sixty with no descendants, saw Lin Qiaofu, who had read through all of Qingfeng Edge's books and scriptures, sowhat as a granddaughter.
Tai Shu Jian first grasped a sword at sixteen, and that hold lasted until today.
As a Sixth Rank Martial Artist of the Jianghu, he wouldn't easily be considered down and out. In his youth, he surely must have had admirers, but now he remained alone, with only a sword in his hand and in his heart. But even the fastest sword needs a scabbard.
After all, he was human.
Upon entering the city, he had heard that today, the sons of the noble clans had all knelt at the i Family's doorstep, hoping the i Family would let bygones be bygones concerning yesterday's incident.
Wang Anfeng was not worried about the safety of Gong Yu and Tai Shu Jian. With Tai Shu Jian's martial arts, unsheathing the Jue Que Sword would already be quite formidable, let alone Gong Yu.
What worried him was how they would handle those noble clan sons.
Although he appeared calm yesterday, the bow in his hand clearly hesitated when he was about to shoot. If his thoughts had shifted slightly, the arrows might have flown towards those noble clan sons. Despite this, he had waited until the son who coveted Lin Qiaofu approached before releasing that arrow.
The vibrato of the arrow caused that noble clan son to bleed from all seven orifices on the spot. Even though he had restrained sowhat and didn't suffer the sa fate as his mount, being killed instantly, his hearing was greatly impaired. It would be far inferior to that of an average person, and he could forget about mastering the art of identifying positions by sound in this lifeti.
He finished the porridge slowly, and more diners started to fill the tavern. It was still far from noon, and those arriving were mostly idlers of the city with surplus wealth. With nothing much to do during the day, they would co to drink.
As they drank, the conversation naturally turned to the day's biggest event in the city, comnting that the sons of those noble clans had probably knelt in vain for so long and also received a good beating for nothing.
Another person, who got up late and missed the excitent at the i Family but had heard of the incident, inquired in wonder:
"Didn't the i Family send soone out? How could they be so arrogant?"
"Heh, it wasn't just that no one ca out."
"The third young master of the i Family personally ca out."
"i San?"
The Scholar who had spoken earlier exhaled and said:
"i San has always been known for his virtue, playing the zither and raising cranes. His Wanling Ode, written years ago, was so elegant and strict, not one word too many, truly a masterpiece of Jiangnan. With him coming out, at least the noble clans wouldn't feel too humiliated."
"Not too humiliated?"
The other person scoffed and said:
"After i San ca out, with a single stroke, he severed the noble sons' topknots, then simply said 'scram.' The fellows honestly scrambled away. If this doesn't count as humiliation, then half of the Scholars who jumped from the thirty-zhang city ramparts after the Seven Kingdoms' war must be wrongly accused."
"Hahaha, it's a pity you weren't there, it was quite satisfying indeed!"
The stunned Scholar listened with his mouth agape.
Wang Anfeng frowned slightly, hearing the Scholar seem in disbelief, incessantly asking for confirmation, while the other man seed very eager to continue sharing, spilling the tale as if flowers were blooming from his tongue, describing i San's white robes and the impressive might of his sword.
Discussing how i San vented their frustration, how they drank glass after glass of wine, and how although so of those noble sons hadn't committed any major misdeeds and looked pitiful after having their topknots cut, the three ringleaders had definitely not done such things for the first ti. When backed by their origins, when did they ever treat others with respect? They often persuaded others to join them, and even if they offended so formidable stranger, the nobles protected one another, always managing to reduce serious issues to trivial ones and calming the waters.
They didn't know how many commoners they had bullied with such thods. The wife of the Scholar from the Lin Family in the west of the city had been taken by force in this way, becoming a concubine to a man of the Gao na, and so even say that the woman's death was due to the humiliation of father and son sharing her, leading her to hang herself with a yard-long white silk.
There were also female warriors from Jianghu who had killed bandits before, didn't they all fall for the trick? In the end, they were frad with cris and died at the hands of the young master's guards. There was no need to take care of what cos after for the won of Jianghu; a single seal of officialdom was enough to suppress all voices.
This ti they just encountered soone tough and didn't get their way.
Around Wanling, it was always Zhong leading the way, with Gao having the best looks and a belly full of wickedness, truly a deserving dog-head military advisor. They were of the sa ilk, using all kinds of ans and words to deceive and trap innocent girls, and after taking everything they wanted, it sohow beca righteous for them.
Just ntioning it made one's teeth itch with hatred, but as the saying goes, commoners do not fight with officials; even if they hated them to the bones in the past, they could only secretly grind their teeth. After finishing their drinks and returning ho, they could only continue to live their honest lives.
Today, the heavens have opened their eyes—the rakes have finally t their match. The i Family has indeed lived up to its three-hundred-year reputation; their spirit was strong, and that sword strike was as chilling as the cold plum piercing bones; it's just a pity that it didn't take off the head.
Wang Anfeng was holding a bowl in his left hand, as if he was entranced by the conversation. It wasn't until the Scholar felt sothing was off and hurriedly pulled his slightly tipsy friend out of the inn that Wang Anfeng ca back to his senses, shaking his head and laughing to himself.
"The Noble Clan, the Noble Clan..."
"The city is so lively today..."
"But now, I feel bound, not grand at all."
He finished his porridge.
The server ca over to clear the dishes, feeling that the young master was sohow more relaxed and cheerful today than he had been last night.
After tidying up and taking the dishes back to the kitchen, recalling the shopkeeper's instructions that this was an important guest, he took a pot of tea from the fires of the two kitchen stoves, a plate of fruit cut just right for eating, along with a plate of various pastries, swiftly placed them on a tray.
When he turned to deliver them, he didn't see the warm-speaking, heartwarming young master. Assuming the guest had already left, he reluctantly brought everything back to the kitchen, having to explain everything to the burly cook who reeked of scallions.
Wang Anfeng didn't return to the inn's guest rooms but slowly walked forward.
His ears picked up many people discussing the matter, and although when bringing up those rakes, most people were itching with hatred for those few ringleaders.
Wang Anfeng thought of Gao Zhenhai, who took the initiative to talk to them yesterday, and of that young master from the other secretary's house.
Lin Qiaofu was always sweet and agreeable, never wanting to drag others down in dangerous situations, not only was Tai Shu Jian fond of her for her sword devotion, but he had always looked at this greedy little girl as if she were his own sister.
Yesterday, he nearly let the arrows fly straight at the young man who wanted to take Lin Qiaofu's hairpin. The only reason he didn't act harshly on the spot was because he had to consider the i Family's position, as well as the relationship between Qingfeng Edge and the noble families of the Imperial Court.
He was thinking too much.
If it hadn't been for i Wangsheng's satisfying sword strike today, he would have almost forgotten...
Wang Anfeng entered a deserted alleyway, where the Buddha Beads on his wrist scattered a faint light. His body grew three inches taller, his face roughened silently, and his eyebrows beca wild and unruly like blades.
As the light gently receded, his clothing had changed from a dark blue Scholar's robe to a black vigorous attire with sharp, clean lines. A Heavy Blade without a scabbard, completely black, was strapped to his back.
When he stepped out of the alley, he had transford into a towering man nearly eight feet tall with an imposing figure, walking step by step on the road with the Mo Blade on his back.
Thinking of the indignant voices of the drunken idlers who slamd the table earlier, saying justice is clear, those two naces had finally t their match. Who knows how many girls had been tricked by their machinations, their reputations ruined, even leading to loss of life. Thinking of the timidity of the past.
After learning his father's identity, he started to think more and more, almost forgetting that he was a person of Jianghu. Indeed, commoners do not fight with officials.
But a vigilante explicitly uses their martial prowess to break the law.
People of Jianghu, what do I care if you're an official? If the officials protect each other and neglect justice, I will intervene; if the officials protect those who should be killed, I will deal the blow.
That is what it ans to be a person of Jianghu.
The carriages of luxury started to appear in his peripheral vision. The noise of their wheels grinding against the ground was faint. The man in black raised his right hand, placing it on the handle of the Mo Blade on his back, his fingers slowly tightening their grip.
He walked forward, step by step.
According to the 'Great Qin Legal Code,' if a husband's wife is taken by force, the male perpetrator shall be put to death, and the woman shall not be punished.
Whoever uses force to take a married woman shall be killed, and if she has no husband, shall be flogged seven hundred tis.
Any person of power who forcibly takes a woman of good family to be his wife or concubine shall be hanged.
The Sword Edge humd softly.
PS: The second update for today is here; it's a bit late—my apologies to everyone, haha...
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