Chapter 61: On the Blade
Inside the main hall of the Prefecture Government.
The newly posted Households Commander Wan Yan of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was crossing his legs, leisurely sipping tea. A few of the local constables stood by, trembling with fear. They looked at this smiling man, but deep down, each felt a chill in their heart.
At this moment, there was a constable lying on the floor, convulsing all over, blood continuously bubbling from his mouth, a dagger lodged in his chest.
Anyone knowledgeable could see—the placement of this dagger was extremely particular, severing the heart vessels but not causing instant death. It would bleed the victim out for a long while, leaving them stuck in agonizing limbo between living and dying, unable to die, unable to live.
The constables were all terrified,
They didn’t know why this Households Commander suddenly killed a man, like some madman,
Their orders were just to serve tea and water,
All was normal at first; the moment the Households Commander took the teacup, a dagger suddenly flew from his sleeve, nailing the constable’s chest. Then he cut the tendons in the man’s hands and feet, leaving him only able to watch as his life’s blood drained out, unable even to die.
Having witnessed the Households Commander murdering twice without warning, the constables were trembling all over, as if walking on thin ice.
At last,
Footsteps came from outside. Prefect Yang Yuzhi and his steward entered.
The constables hastened to bow in salute.
Yang Yuzhi glanced at the constable on the ground, dying but not dead, his expression darkened, and he waved a hand, gesturing the constables outside.
The constables, relieved as if rescued, fled as if for their lives.
In the hall, Yang Yuzhi’s face was grim. He sat in a chair and said in a low voice: "Wan Yan, change that foul temper of yours. Haven’t you suffered enough? Still going around killing at the slightest whim? Master is getting old, he can’t protect you much longer!"
Wan Yan’s face still wore that gentle, spring-like smile as he set his teacup lightly on the table and said, "Yang Yuzhi, you and I have known each other for decades. Do you know what I despise most about you? It’s your indecisiveness—always scheming from the shadows, calculating even with the lowest henchman. Aren’t you tired?"
Yang Yuzhi snorted coldly. "At least I’m not always getting disciplined for random killings!"
Yang Yuzhi signaled his steward with his eyes.
The steward understood immediately; with a flick of his finger, a Silver Needle shot into the dying constable’s throat, ending his suffering.
Wan Yan looked at the steward with interest, and slowly said, "Ghost Hand Yuan Xing? Haven’t seen you in years. Your skill with hidden weapons is ever more exquisite!"
The steward, called Yuan Xing, hurriedly bowed. "Lord Wan flatters me. These clumsy little tricks of mine are unworthy, a disgrace, really!"
"Hypocrite," Wan Yan sneered. "Followed Yang Yuzhi too long, and now you’re a hypocrite too. Back in your Martial World days, you were quite a character!"
Yuan Xing merely smiled, standing behind Yang Yuzhi, silent and smiling.
He knew well enough his own master and this new Households Commander went way back—they apprenticed under the same teacher. But one was scholar, the other man of martial valor, and quite different at that.
Yang Yuzhi was trained in letters. After finishing his studies, with the teacher’s recommendation, he entered officialdom, rising step by step, and by his forties was already Prefect of a county—a future without limits.
Whereas Wan Yan studied the martial path. After graduation, he joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard. But his temperament was odd, his manner arrogant. He’d rendered great service, but was too fond of killing, with a ruinous reputation, always stuck at the same rank—forty-something yet only now becoming a Households Commander.
If not for Yang Yuzhi’s desperate recommendation, and some effort from their old master’s connections, Wan Yan might never have gotten the Linjiang City appointment.
Though both disciples of the same teacher, their natures clashed. Wan Yan, flamboyant; Yang Yuzhi, restrained. For that very reason, they always looked down on each other. This time, Yang Yuzhi only recommended Wan Yan not out of brotherhood, but because he needed him.
"Enough," Yang Yuzhi said coldly. "Wan Yan, I called you to Linjiang City not to bicker. Knowing you, you’ve surely figured out the local situation. So—what are you planning to do?"
"What else?" Wan Yan scoffed. "A real fight with real blades, what else!"
He pointed to the corpse of the constable on the floor. "First, step one, clear out all your little rats and shadowy pawns. They’re useless now. With me here, all those noble families already know it’s time for real swords to be drawn—no point in petty tricks. Recall your people, pull back your lines!"
Yang Yuzhi knitted his brows. "Linjiang County may be small, but these noble families are deeply rooted and tightly knit—there’s no way to deal with them."
"It’s not impossible—you’re just too weak." Wan Yan sneered. "Those noble houses look united, but each has its own designs. Their alliance—attack once with the right blade and the whole thing crumbles."
Yang Yuzhi’s face darkened. "What, you plan to be that blade yourself?"
Wan Yan smiled. "If I’m the blade, who holds the hilt? You? Can you handle it?"
Yang Yuzhi snapped, "You—"
"Now, now, don’t get angry—bad for your health." Wan Yan chuckled. "Or go ahead, just don’t die too soon, or I’ll be stuck cleaning up Linjiang County’s mess alone."
Yang Yuzhi drew a deep breath. "I’m done arguing. Before you came, Master surely told you how important this is. These noble families of Linjiang County are all tumors—when the nation is in peril, instead of helping, they conspire with rebels! They must be eliminated. Don’t get sloppy."
Wan Yan curled his lip. "See? There you go again with those righteous platitudes. Fine, I won’t bother. The blade for breaking the stalemate—I’ve already found it. There was a better one, but you fumbled it."
Yang Yuzhi looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Gu Chuan, who just left." Wan Yan said. "He had both strength and connections. If you let him be the blade—he’d have smashed those noble families’ alliance. But what a waste, three whole years and all you crushed was Luo Bingsheng—pure waste."
Yang Yuzhi answered darkly, "You know as well as I—Gu Chuan’s background is vast. Using him against Luo Bingsheng to weaken the local clans was already the limit; push further and you’d have suffered backlash."
"Heh." Wan Yan sneered coldly.
Yang Yuzhi didn’t want to argue the point further. "So, tell me—whose blade have you found?"
Wan Yan replied slowly, "The new South City Embroidered Uniform Guard Hundred Households, Gu Zhan!"
Wan Yan clicked his tongue in admiration. "That boy’s a real talent—dares to fight, dares to kill, a rising star. With a bit of tempering, he could become a peerless saber. Rare, very rare. For a job this suicidal, he’s perfect!"