Chapter 715: Take My Sword!

Yanjing welcomed a rare kind of night.

Just as all of Great Yan desperately needed time to recover, this capital needed rest even more urgently.

Ever since the two Princes entered the capital one after another and the late Emperor returned from the Rear Garden, the nerves of the entire city had been stretched taut.

The Departure Bell had rung.

A new Emperor had been established.

After such violent rises and falls, such relentless upheaval... the people were tired.

The city was tired.

Fortunately, the sun had set and the moon had risen.

From nobles in vermilion and purple robes down to peddlers and laborers, everyone could now sigh with proper solemnity:

Ah.

Wash up and go to sleep.

Even those who worried themselves sick over the empire needed rest.

After all, this was no situation of a child sovereign and a doubtful state.

Nor was the realm descending into chaos.

Between the late Emperor's arrangements and the new sovereign's own ability, the transfer of power had gone unusually smoothly. Everything had been hurried... but never disorderly.

So there was no need for the Chancellor to sleep inside the palace and remain on duty against some imagined crisis.

When it was time to leave work... he could leave work.

To a certain extent, whether the Chancellor left his post on time was itself a weather vane by which outsiders judged the health of the central government.

The Chancellor's carriage... rolled out from the palace gates.

...

Night clothes.

On.

Beneath them, everyone wore the golden-thread soft hedgehog armor Siniang had woven.

Marquis Zheng ran one hand over Wuya and slid the saber back into its specially made sheath. He loosened his shoulders and body, confirming that he had adjusted himself into nearly peak condition.

Before him... the Demon Kings were already prepared.

The Sword Saint still leaned sideways against a pillar.

He did not need much preparation.

Zheng Fan waved a hand.

"Let's go."

Zheng Fan walked at the front.

Xue San reached over and thumped Fan Li on the knee.

Fan Li understood immediately and began humming.

Xue San joined in:

"Along the endless road, I'll brave it with you..."

Beneath the night sky... the group of black-clad figures actually looked rather well matched.

Xu Chuang was baffled.

Who the hell sang songs while going out to kill someone?

The Sword Saint did not find it strange at all.

He knew this lot liked exactly this sort of mood.

Marquis Zheng lifted his saber.

"Different one."

"Got it, Master!"

Xue San thumped Fan Li's knee again.

Fan Li changed the tune.

Xue San sang:

"Through wind and rain on the road, unrestrained between waking and drunkenness..."

...

The Chancellor's carriage was very spacious.

The Chancellor needed enough room to work inside it as well.

Naturally... it could not be cramped.

At this moment, Zhao Jiulang had a cotton blanket over his legs and a bowl of black-chicken soup in his hands.

Across from him sat Li Liangshen.

"Since His Majesty wants you sent to Nanwang City, this Chancellor naturally will not oppose it. But I have two things to say first."

"Go ahead."

For once, Li Liangshen was unusually patient.

"First. The situation around Nanwang City is what it is. Zu Zhuming is steady by nature. It will be difficult to gain much from him. Once you arrive, you must guard against impatience."

"Naturally."

"Second. The new sovereign has only just ascended. For the next several years at least, strengthening the foundation and recovering our vitality will remain the priority. This is not like a few years ago. Stirring up border trouble without authorization may no longer be tolerated by the overall situation."

"I know that too."

"Then that is enough."

Zhao Jiulang nodded and drank two more mouthfuls of chicken soup.

"So the Chancellor agrees?" Li Liangshen asked.

"After the state funeral, this Chancellor will raise the matter. A new sovereign has just taken the throne. Replacing the commander responsible for the capital region's defenses would be normal enough.

"Besides...

"I have heard that your relationship with His Majesty is not especially harmonious."

"That was all in the past. Back then, His Majesty was merely an imperial prince. Now His Majesty is His Majesty. When I see him, I will kneel. I trust His Majesty is not some narrow-minded man either."

Zhao Jiulang set down the chicken soup.

He picked up the handkerchief beside him and lightly wiped the corner of his mouth.

Then he smiled.

"You truly think that way?"

"What reason would I have to lie?"

"Do you know what people mean when they say, 'one sovereign, one generation of ministers'?"

"Li has read books too."

"No, no. This has nothing to do with whether you have read books. 'One sovereign, one generation of ministers' does not refer only to the sovereign's attitude toward his ministers. More often... it refers to the ministers' attitude toward their sovereign.

"When a new Emperor ascends, a minister usually cannot continue looking at him with the same eyes he used for the former Emperor.

"When the late Emperor lived, as long as a man was useful to Great Yan, he could be tolerated. If he made mistakes, that did not necessarily matter."

"The Chancellor means the new sovereign's breadth of mind cannot compare with the late Emperor's?"

Zhao Jiulang shook his head.

"That is not quite what I mean. When the late Emperor rode down the aristocratic clans beneath cavalry hooves, his body had already begun developing hidden problems."

All along... the man who understood the late Emperor's physical condition best had naturally been Wei Zhonghe.

The second... had to be Zhao Jiulang, the man who helped His Majesty eat.

Since ancient times, when an Emperor bestowed food, it was an enormous honor.

A great grace.

Zhao Jiulang, however... had been forcibly fattened by that very imperial favor.

"The new sovereign is in the prime of life. His methods are no weaker than the late Emperor's. So he has every ability to sweep away everything he finds unpleasant.

"After all... he has years.

"He has energy.

"He has ability.

"And he has the temperament the late Emperor spent so long tempering.

"He has every means to clean everything up and arrange it again from the beginning.

"That is what 'one sovereign, one generation of ministers' truly means.

"Garrison Commander Li... if this Chancellor were you... today...

"I would already have carried a bundle of thorn branches on my back, gone to the palace gates, knelt, and begged forgiveness."

"Heh."

Li Liangshen laughed.

Zhao Jiulang laughed too.

"Ah. The Zhenbei Army has grown used to lawlessness. Unfortunately, times are different now. Strip away your official rank as a commander, and in the jianghu you still carry the name of one of the Four Great Swordsmen.

"But you absolutely cannot bring the air of the jianghu and the manners of the wilderness into the imperial court.

"Yu Huaping has always lived in the jianghu.

"You... were born in the imperial court.

"So long as Yu Huaping does nothing too outrageous... or so long as Marquis Pingxi can suppress whatever outrageous thing he does... then at any time he can simply take one step backward and return to the boundless freedom of the jianghu.

"You...

"Li Liangshen... cannot.

"You have no jianghu."

"The Chancellor's words are somewhat alarmist."

"Heh. Since ancient times, how many arrogant men who relied on their talent ever came to good ends?

"War?

"Over these past years, you have guarded the capital region. What war have you fought?

"Officialdom?

"Prince Zhenbei bared his heart long ago. Everyone knows he will never rebel. What backing do you still have?

"Nothing more than the title of one of the Four Great Swordsmen.

"Qian has Baili Jian.

"Chu has its Swordsmith.

"So what?

"One of the Four Great Swordsmen...

"His Majesty... truly does not have to take you all that seriously.

"Otherwise... you are underestimating His Majesty far too much.

"A man who remembers grudges is not necessarily narrow-minded.

"To dare remember a grudge... to dare repay it... sometimes that is the real breadth of spirit.

"I have said all I should.

"Garrison Commander Li may decide for himself."

"Then why does His Majesty still want me sent to Nanwang City? Surely he doesn't intend to borrow the hands of those Qian men to kill me?"

Qian men?

The Three Frontier Armies of Qian?

Were they even worthy of killing him, Li Liangshen?

"That is something I have been thinking about as well," Zhao Jiulang said, shaking his head. "I cannot make sense of it. This arrangement should not exist, yet here it is.

"Garrison Commander Li once led troops in the desert. Surely you know what people call this sort of thing?"

"When something abnormal happens, there must be a demon behind it."

"Yes.

"Exactly."

At that moment, the old driver handling the Chancellor's carriage lifted the curtain and said:

"Chancellor, the crows on both sides are gone today."

Zhao Jiulang heard that and nodded.

"What crows?" Li Liangshen asked.

Zhao Jiulang looked at Li Liangshen.

For a moment... he was unexpectedly uncertain.

So... he simply asked directly.

"Garrison Commander Li, there is something this Chancellor does not understand."

"What?"

"Why... are you sitting in this Chancellor's carriage?"

"This..."

"So what does His Majesty actually want?

"Does he want me dead... or alive?"

Li Liangshen immediately understood.

He smiled.

"So someone intends to move against the Chancellor?"

Zhao Jiulang nodded.

"The crows flew away.

"So there is no one left to give warning."

"His Majesty's men?"

"If His Majesty wished to act, he could simply order the crows to peck."

"Then who wants to act against the Chancellor?"

"Someone whose actions His Majesty knows about... and whom His Majesty must nevertheless grit his teeth and cooperate with."

"Zheng Fan."

The name was far too easy to guess.

Li Liangshen looked at the Chancellor.

"Why would Zheng Fan move against you?"

"Because of Du Juan."

"Du Juan?"

At first the name felt somewhat unfamiliar.

Then Li Liangshen remembered.

"The wife of the Prince of Jingnan?"

"Yes. This Chancellor was the one who ordered the attack. Unfortunately... the child survived.

"And survived outside the household."

"So Zheng Fan has come to avenge the wife of the Prince of Jingnan?"

"Yes.

"If he comes... then that will certainly be the reason."

"Why didn't Tian Wujing act himself?

"For Tian Wujing to kill you would be far easier than this."

"Precisely because I was certain the Prince of Jingnan would place the greater situation first... this Chancellor dared move."

"What about Zheng Fan?"

"I will not hide it from you.

"This Chancellor has never truly understood him.

"Call him a lucky opportunist... yet his ability is unmatched and his military achievements tower.

"Call him a deeply calculating schemer... then what is about to happen tonight... becomes difficult to explain.

"Perhaps this world truly contains that kind of person.

"A man who sees Heaven, Earth, and the mortal world... as nothing more than a game."

"Chancellor, you've drifted too far."

"Yes."

"I only want to ask the Chancellor one thing.

"Do you want to die... or do you want to live?"

"Ah.

"That is exactly what this Chancellor asked Garrison Commander Li earlier.

"Does His Majesty... want me dead... or alive?"

"What difference does it make?"

"The crows withdrew.

"But you came.

"If His Majesty wants me to live, then perhaps, unwilling to openly tear apart his peace with Marquis Pingxi... he sent you... to leave this Chancellor one road to survival."

"And if His Majesty wants you dead?"

"Then Garrison Commander Li... you are simply someone who gets to die alongside me.

"No need to trouble two masters over one task.

"This Chancellor already said it.

"Our Emperor is young.

"Young men remember grudges.

"And when they remember grudges... they want to repay them.

"So Garrison Commander Li should not ask whether this Chancellor wants to live or die.

"It is us.

"The two of us.

"Do we want to live... or die?"

"You are wrong. If I leave this carriage right now, who can stop me?"

"No.

"Garrison Commander Li, you are wrong again.

"If this Chancellor dies and you live... you will not leave this capital.

"The sky over Yanjing... has already changed.

"What is an Emperor?

"What is the Son of Heaven?

"When the Son of Heaven does not look at you... you are simply yourself.

"But when the Son of Heaven looks at you... especially when even the smallest trace of a wish to see you dead appears in his eyes... and you somehow remain alive... then you are defying Heaven.

"One of the Four Great Swordsmen?

"If Wei Zhonghe and Lu Bing join hands with their two yamens... do they have the ability to smother Garrison Commander Li to death inside this capital?

"If this Chancellor dies... you must die.

"If this Chancellor lives... you may live too.

"This Chancellor remains Chancellor.

"You remain Garrison Commander.

"Perhaps even your posting to Nanwang City will truly happen.

"Everything that happened before... may even be written off."

"The Chancellor is bargaining with the Son of Heaven?"

"Making bargains with the Son of Heaven is the hardest thing in the world.

"And also the easiest.

"Did Marquis Pingxi not succeed in one?"

Li Liangshen nodded.

Zhao Jiulang called toward the front:

"Uncle Xu, a little faster.

"I'm tired."

"Right away, Chancellor."

Inside the carriage...

Li Liangshen looked at Zhao Jiulang again.

"You still haven't told me.

"Do you want to die... or live?"

"I want to live."

Zhao Jiulang finally gave the answer.

"As long as this Chancellor lives... that is still the greatest benefit to Great Yan's realm and state altars.

"Let me remain Chancellor for another five years.

"After that, whether I retire to old age... or simply drink one cup of poisoned wine to relieve the sovereign's worries...

"I would have no complaint.

"Five years.

"Enough for Great Yan to recover.

"Enough to crawl out of the mire.

"Then... this Chancellor can go below and find the late Emperor.

"And continue freeloading off his meals.

"So... this Chancellor must live another five years."

"Live like this?" Li Liangshen asked with a smile.

"This Chancellor never expected Marquis Pingxi would truly act this way.

"Nor did I expect... he would do it today.

"Would you call him hasty and reckless?

"And yet... he struck directly at this Chancellor's vital point.

"And at His Majesty's vital point as well.

"After tonight... this Chancellor will never give him another chance.

"His Majesty... will never tolerate him acting this outrageously a second time.

"He understands that too.

"This is one calamity this Chancellor must cross.

"If I endure it... then it passes.

"If I cannot... then I disappear."

"You see things quite clearly."

"I'm pretending."

Zhao Jiulang rubbed his belly.

Then looked at Li Liangshen.

And smiled.

"Surely you don't expect this Chancellor to clutch Garrison Commander Li's leg and sob:

"'General Li, save this old man!'

"Dignity.

"Dignity.

"The dignity of Great Yan's Chancellor... must still be preserved."

...

Xiping Street.

At the head of the street... and at the tail... five hundred Jingnan cavalry rode in from each side.

They wore armor.

Bowstrings were ready in hand.

Sabers hung at their sides.

Once arrayed, apart from the occasional noises made by their horses... the riders themselves sat straight-backed and watched the streets beyond.

This road... had been sealed.

...

On the rooftops lining both sides of the street... one side held Marquis Zheng, Siniang, and A'Ming.

The other side held Xue San and Fan Li.

The Sword Saint and Xu Chuang... stood on the street itself.

In the distance... the shadow of the carriage had already appeared.

There was the driver.

There were also sixteen guards from the Chancellor's residence.

The guards could be set aside for now.

The real question... was the several attendants walking beside the carriage.

Experts.

Experts ought to look like experts.

People relied on clothes, horses on saddles.

It was not that people dressed cheaply.

It was that most people in this world preferred judging men by appearance.

Of course... unlike wealthy young masters dressed in splendid clothes and riding fine horses... true experts generally liked doing the opposite.

The best possible case... was that the Chancellor's escort truly consisted of nothing more than those sixteen guards.

One charge.

Kill them all.

Then Marquis Zheng felt he might even have time to sit down and chat with the Chancellor.

People often said villains died because they talked too much.

But when you were killing someone... there was an irresistible pleasure in letting the target beneath your blade speak a few extra words first.

If you simply chopped him dead in one breath... and that was the end... something always felt missing.

"Oh. Right. The carriage driver," Marquis Zheng reminded them.

"Master, according to San'er's earlier investigation, the Chancellor's driver is an old man. Over sixty."

"Exactly.

"Old.

"Hunched back.

"That kind of carriage driver... must be treated as an expert."

Marquis Zheng issued the instruction.

"Master is wise," A'Ming said with a nod.

"Master, rest assured. Those guards can be ignored at first. In San'er's plan, we kill the old driver first, then the attendants. Those sixteen guards come last."

This was experience talking.

When assassinating an important figure, you had to follow exactly this sort of order if you wanted to avoid capsizing in a ditch.

Otherwise, after the first wave of attacks, someone might suddenly flick his hair back and shout:

"I am here! Who dares harm the Chancellor!"

That kind of cliché could get people killed.

"Everyone has worked hard. I am not surprised Little Sixth gave me this opportunity. But I don't think he will give it twice. Nor do I think Zhao Jiulang will allow me a second attempt."

"Yes, Master."

"This subordinate understands."

The carriage drew closer and closer.

Marquis Zheng slowly drew Wuya.

His palm lightly brushed along the blade.

A battlefield charge... and a nighttime assassination... were completely different things.

"I'm actually a little nervous."

Zheng Fan mocked himself.

A'Ming consoled him.

"Master, rest assured. In the most ideal situation, there are only sixteen guards. Surely there can't be another Sword Saint hidden inside the carriage."

"You can shut your mouth now.

"The closer we get to the critical moment, the less you and A'Cheng are allowed to speak.

"Don't either of you have the faintest idea what sort of things you are?

"A flock of crows shrieking outside the door would be more auspicious than either of you opening your mouths."

One zombie.

One vampire.

Creatures so sinister they could hardly be more sinister.

Compared with them... even black cats and crows somehow seemed festive.

"Yes. This subordinate understands."

Before advancement... there was no explanation.

No rebuttal.

Only admission of fault.

"We can act now, right?

"Oh, right.

"What's the signal?"

Zheng Fan asked Siniang.

"Master, San'er arranged the signal as follows:

"You stand up and shout:

"'Zhao Jiulang, take my sword!'"

"That damned chuunibyou?"

"Because Master advanced a Grade, San'er changed it at the last moment."

A last-minute change... for more precise flattery.

If you were going to lick... you had to begin from the details.

Leave no spot untouched.

Leave no ravine unexplored.

As the chief architect of this assassination, Xue San naturally would not waste the chance.

"Can we change it now?" Zheng Fan asked.

The line was too embarrassing.

Too childish.

"Master, the Blind Man isn't here. We have no way to communicate with the others. There isn't time either," A'Ming reminded him.

"Fine. I understand.

"As long as the Sword Saint doesn't think it's humiliating."

Marquis Zheng cleared his throat.

When the Chancellor's carriage finally entered the ambush point below...

Marquis Zheng stood.

And shouted down:

"Zhao Jiulang, you animal!

"Take my sword!"

On the street below... the Sword Saint sighed.

He walked out from behind the signboard of a storefront and drew Longyuan.

He did not like the signal.

But he still had to act.

Yet... before the Sword Saint could even release his sword... within only a few breaths... a figure suddenly flew out from inside the Chancellor's carriage.

A rough, powerful sword aura shot straight toward the rooftop on one side of the street with astonishing force.

And along with it... came a low roar.

"Good!

"I'll take your sword!"

"..." Zheng Fan.

[End of Chapter 715]