Chapter 351: The Wind is Rising! (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 351: A Wind Is Blowing! (Please Vote for the Monthly Ticket)

Shu Hege certainly had the right to say such a thing.

He, and the Storm and Rain Building where he dwelt, stood above the rest in the martial world due to the presence of Master Bai.

Even though the people within the Storm and Rain Building varied in strength, they were often held in high regard when traveling the martial path.

In bygone days, declaring the Storm and Rain Building the supreme leader of the martial world would not have been an overstatement.

Though the era of martial world leaders had long passed, those born of the Storm and Rain Building were generally upright, loyal, and clear in their judgments of right and wrong.

Perhaps it was connected to Master Bai.

Or maybe it stemmed from the teachings of the building’s key figures.

In any case—the saying went: when one sees injustice, one draws one’s blade to assist.

Shu Hege, as one of the building’s key figures, was no different.

He heard through his keen ears that Song Jinji had vanished at the corner heading north, and so he refocused his attention, sipping from a small cup of wine.

“Song Jinji—born of a declining family, a scholar from youth who aspired to attain fame and honor through examination.”

“Yet in the year he turned ten, his father fell victim to a deliberate scheme, their ancestral wealth squandered in a single night, leaving them in debt to a massive sum.”

“After that, his father fell ill and could not recover; his mother, overwhelmed by debt, faced public humiliation and drowned herself.”

“Within two years, Song Jinji endured the loss of his mother, his father, and the separation from his loved ones.”

“Had he been an ordinary person, facing a debt that would span a lifetime, perhaps he would have hung himself from a beam.”

“But Song Jinji did not—first abandoning his studies to take up martial arts, he trained under a local martial hall, working by day and practicing by night.”

“His martial talent was exceptional; by thirteen he had begun martial arts, at fifteen he reached the seventh rank, at twenty the fifth, at thirty breaking through to the third, achieving the upper third rank…”

“Yet his childhood experiences made him hate evil as if it were his own flesh and blood. After mastering martial arts, he slaughtered those responsible for his parents’ deaths, then wandered far and wide to eradicate evil.”

“Until one day, he was besieged by evil cultivators and demons. Though he narrowly escaped, gravely wounded, he collapsed in the icy wilderness.”

“Fortunately, he was rescued by one person—Heavenly Minister Cui Mei, one of the Nine Celestial Officials.”

Shu Hege thought of Song Jinji, his handsome face bearing a hint of complexity.

For Song Jinji, too, there was the familiar sense of being tormented by fate.

“The Cui family…”

“Truly a behemoth of a place…”

The martial world had its own rules.

The court had its own regulations.

Within the same realm, each walked their own path.

Royal kin, noble families, hermit cultivators, common folk, and the three teachings and nine heresies—each harbored different thoughts and desires.

Common folk toiled from dawn till dusk, living day by day.

When the harvest was good, their families could barely scrape by.

When the harvest failed, they could only sigh at the sky, their faces marked by resignation, often numb and accepting of their fate.

The Emperor and noble families appeared to hold the world in their hearts, yet their world was far above the common folk.

Countless common folk couldn’t even afford basic armor and weapons, let alone become pawns in the hands of the court’s elite.

In the martial world, common folk were similarly regarded by the court and noble families.

Either useful or useless.

Like Song Jinji.

Song Jinji wore blue robes, his face calm and composed, yet his eyes remained fixed on the movements behind him.

Before arriving in Shu Zhou, he had heard that Master Bai had departed the Storm and Rain Building and descended into Shu Zhou, but encountering Shu Hege in the city still caught him off guard.

—He had arrived too early.

According to his original plans, he should have had time to act cheaply in Shu Zhou before the fifth day of the next month.

Resolving Liu Hong was his first task; clearing up the Ji Zhou merchant guild was his second; safeguarding Cui Qingwu’s safety was his third.

There were also…

As Song Jinji pondered his next moves, he kept a sharp eye on Shu Hege’s every gesture until they reached the entrance of the Spring Blossom Building.

Liu Zhaoxue stood guard outside. Seeing him approach, she bowed respectfully, her voice cold: “Lord, they are waiting for you upstairs.”

Song Jinji slightly nodded his head, ascending the stairs while murmuring softly:

“The plan is canceled; let’s rest for a few days.”

Liu Zhaoxue paused, her eyes beneath the veil flickering with confusion as Shu Hege’s image surfaced in her mind.

“Because of him?”

Song Jinji brushed his eyes aside, his voice barely above a whisper: “Master Bai’s disciple, Shu Hege.”

Liu Zhaoxue suddenly understood. No wonder he looked so strikingly handsome.

She had heard of Shu Hege’s name; beyond his martial arts, he was known in the martial world as the “First Handsome Man.”

Combined with his connection to Master Bai, few could forget his name.

“Then today you summoned all these people…”

Song Jinji adjusted his robes, his expression subtly cool, and strode into the opulent chamber.

“As before.”

Liu Zhaoxue watched him enter, the door closing behind him, then slightly bowed and stood silently outside.

After Song Jinji handed Liu Tao’ao over to Feng Erbao, she began accompanying him.

Though she served as a maid, she functioned more like Song Jinji’s deputy, assisting him with tasks.

She organized documents, secretly contacted certain noble families or officials within the city.

Beyond the occasional sealed letters he received, she nearly knew every detail of Song Jinji’s affairs.

Yet despite this, Liu Zhaoxue still could not decipher Song Jinji.

—His person, and the plans he had for Shu Zhou.

Just as today, he tasked her with hosting a banquet in the name of the Cui family to invite several high-ranking officials of the Shu Zhou Execution Bureau.

She could not fathom his intentions.

All the while, there was a certain wariness in her heart.

Meanwhile, within the chamber behind her.

Song Jinji ignored the commotion outside, his demeanor cold and distant as he sat in the foremost seat.

The several high-ranking officials of the Shu Zhou Execution Bureau—Huang Zhuo, Han Ruizhang, and Fang Hongxiong—gathered around the table.

“Song, I summoned you all here, by my lord’s command, to ask for your assistance with a small matter.”

Huang Zhuo's face instantly bloomed with obsequiousness, bowing his hand and saying, "Song Brother, just say it straight, and we'll spare no effort to see it through."

Not looking at the monk's face but the Buddha's, Song Jinji, though without an official title, the "old master" he spoke of was a figure of great stature.

Tianqing Cui Miau—head of the Cui family of Qinghe, the most powerful man after the current Son of Heaven.

Such figures as these, who never dared to slacken even when no one had personally commanded them, were Han Ruihui and Huang Zhuo.

Only Fang Hongxiu sat leaning against the table, staring at Song Jinji with a blank face.

She had no right to be there at all.

Yet in the imperial edict sent from the Son of Heaven to Shuzhou, there was also an appointment for her.

—For uncovering the crimes of Governor Liu Hong and his associates, she was promoted to the position of thousand-house official of the execution bureau in Shuzhou.

Fang Hongxiu knew well she had no real merit; she had merely stumbled upon some clues regarding Liu Hong and his accomplices, and kept them secret.

The only person who knew the truth was Liu Wu, the so-called "Dragon-Tiger."

This made her suspect that Liu Wu might be a spy from the court, the White Tiger Guard, or the Censorate.

Song Jinji swept his gaze around, his expression bearing a touch of arrogance: "My old master has a distant cousin who got into a quarrel with someone while passing through Shuzhou."

Huang Zhuo's spirit seemed to flicker, glancing at Fang Hongxiu and Han Ruihui, and he asked first: "I wonder what sort of person dared to offend a noble of the Cui family, and pray you, Sir Song, could state clearly who he is."

Song Jinji cast him a sidelong glance and said coolly, "That person is named Li San Yuan, a merchant."

"A merchant?"

"This matter is easily resolved."

"I wish to know where this Li San Yuan is now; I shall go and seize him myself to hand over to you for punishment."

"The Xiao family."

Huang Zhuo paused at the mention of Xiao, and glanced at Han Ruihui and Fang Hongxiu with some hesitation: "Which Xiao family?"

Song Jinji pointed toward the south and smiled: "Does Shuzhou have any Xiao family besides the Duke of Duyuan's domain?"

"This..."

Huang Zhuo hesitated more.

Earlier, due to Liu Jing's matter, he had visited the old patriarch of the Xiao family, and their discourse had been somewhat contentious; now, if he were to visit again, it might only bring further trouble.

Han Ruihui and Fang Hongxiu, too, shared the same sentiment, not wishing to stir up trouble. "We beg you, Sir Song, to understand; our duties lie elsewhere, and we fear we may not be able to assist Duke Cui with his concerns."

Fang Hongxiu refused quite outright.

Yet Song Jinji merely waved his hand and said, "Do not trouble yourself."

"That Li San Yuan is not a member of the Xiao family, but a bandit they have taken in. Moreover, I have heard he is also involved in the arms smuggling case with the Governor of the Circuit, Zhu Hao."

Song Jinji looked at Fang Hongxiu and said in earnest, "Such criminals should be detained by the execution bureau, and their cases sent to the Prefecture of Jingu for trial, along with Zhu Lingchuan and others?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Hongxiu furrowed his brow and said no more.

Huang Zhuo, fearing the Xiao family, no longer wore that obsequious expression, and, though he said, "Your words are reasonable, hah, Sir Song's words are reasonable," his eyes were constantly signaling Han Ruihui to speak up.

Han Ruihui, meeting the gazes of the others, thought and said, "Since this is the case, I must, for both public and private reasons, go pay a visit to the Xiao family."

Then, without waiting for Song Jinji to speak, he continued, "Though I must say, the execution bureau has no authority to interfere with the affairs of the Xiao family."

"If the Duke of Xiao is unwilling, we beg you, Sir Song, to pardon us."

Song Jinji chuckled softly and nodded, "Indeed, it is so..."

Not long after, Han Ruihui and others rose and departed.

Liu Zhao'ao lowered her hat veil, respectfully saw them off, then turned and entered the inner chambers.

She had heard every word clearly.

Yet she still could not fathom why Song Jinji had gone to such lengths to have the execution bureau go to the Xiao family for the culprit.

With Cui Miau's authority, facing the Xiao family for such a matter was not overly presumptuous, especially when it involved someone like Li San Yuan.

Song Jinji seemed to read her thoughts, standing by the window, watching Fang Hongxiu, Han Ruihui, and others mount their horses and depart, a smile touching his lips: "Zhao'ao, you come from Liu's family in Jingzhou, you must understand the customs among the great clans."

"Close relatives are treated with deference, after all; that is their usual way of conduct."

Liu Zhao'ao thought for a moment, "You are concerned that appearing in person with Cui's identity might offend the Xiao family?"

Song Jinji nodded: "The Xiao family has become like a startled bird; even a slight breeze makes them wary. It is better not to do one thing than to do two, isn't it?"

Liu Zhao'ao understood, and said no more.

In her view, Li San Yuan's involvement in Zhu Hao's case made it reasonable for the execution bureau to go to the Xiao family to apprehend him.

Yet she believed the matter was not so simple; Song Jinji must have had other plans.

The autumn wind blew cold.

The once-bustling trees by the pool were gone, their leaves falling with the wind, yet the pool's surface still rippled.

Song Jinji stood with hands clasped behind him, his gaze fixed on the direction of Nan Street, gazing toward the examination hall: "It is windy today."

...

By the stroke of nine, the sky had darkened.

Xiao Wanz'er had just prepared to return to the mansion.

Cui Qingwu brought her to the carriage, smiling: "Qingwu must remember what Wanz'er said today; we shall arrange it soon enough."

Xiao Wanz'er nodded lightly, her figure elegant and dignified, like a fairy beneath her flowing robes.

"Do not trouble yourself, Qingwu; the position of the Dean of the Medical Academy is too important to be entrusted to carelessness. It is not that I do not believe in the medical sages you brought."

"Sister, your words are true; they are indeed medical sages, but in the grand scheme of medicine, they are but minor achievements, far from founding a school and establishing a sect."

Cui Qingwu smiled in return: "Yet I must admit, Qingwu did not expect Wanz'er would have such ambitions."

"You wish to use the Medical Academy to save the common people of the world; Qingwu admires you."

Xiao Wanz'er's pale face flushed slightly with a hint of shyness: "Do not praise me, Qingwu; I only... I only..."

Before she could finish, Chen Yunfan rushed in from outside, shouting, "Chunqing, where have you gone? Hurry and bring some tea and water for me!"

Though Chunqing did not hear his voice from the Mid Court, Lin Zhong did, and reminded her, so Chunqing replied.

"Young Master, take your time. I'll go prepare right away."

Chen Yunfan was about to continue his muttered complaints when he noticed Xiao Wan'er and Cui Qingwu among the others, and swallowed the words he had been about to say.

"Xiao sister is here too? Qingwu, the time is so late. Why didn't you leave some dinner for Xiao sister?"

Cui Qingwu glared at him with a flush of irritation, her brows softening as she spoke tenderly, "Wan'er is afraid the mansion will worry, so she insisted on returning."

Xiao Wan'er agreed, "Minister Chen needn't be polite about it."

Chen Yunfan nodded, saying no more, and exchanged a few polite words with them.

In the course of their conversation, they touched upon the imperial examination.

Xiao Wan'er's heart stirred slightly, and she asked, "I wonder... have any reports reached the outside world about what's happened inside the examination hall?"

Chen Yunfan looked at her, guessing she was asking about Chen Yi, and sighed a long, short sigh, saying, "Indeed, there have been some developments."

"Xiao sister may not know, but today, inside that examination hall, someone displayed their talents, causing the great minister to chide them."

Xiao Wan'er's heart tightened, "Who, who could that be?"

"Who else could it be?"

"Of course... it must be Ma Guan from the Fei Cloud Academy. After achieving some success in his studies, he floated into the air, and he... ah?"

Before Chen Yunfan could continue his rambling, Cui Qingwu, who had a sharp wit, grabbed his waist and blocked his remaining words.

"Wan'er sister, don't listen to Yunfan's nonsense. The examination hall must have had no incidents."

Xiao Wan'er also noticed this, her expression a mix of amusement and concern for Chen Yi.

She wasn't afraid that Chen Yi and Meng Liang would be in trouble, but she knew Chen Yi's nature.

Though he appeared idle and indifferent, not paying attention to affairs outside his window, in reality, Chen Yi could be quite stubborn at times.

If he was displeased, he might very well vent his thoughts openly.

Little did they know, Chen Yunfan and Cui Qingwu's bickering continued for a while before shifting their words:

"Actually, there's something that's caused some commotion among those scholars."

"Oh?"

"They say that in today's imperial examination, there was a question about strategy—should the Great Wei Dynasty choose to invade the south or the north?"

Cui Qingwu's expression eased slightly, "What's so special about that?"

"Well, the Emperor is wise and capable in both governance and warfare. If preparations are sufficient, he might choose to invade the south and fight northward, sweeping across the realm."

Xiao Wan'er nodded in agreement, seeing no particular significance in the question.

Chen Yunfan saw their indifference and said no more.

First, scholars with a sense of the world would naturally understand more about the people's livelihood and military affairs. The more they knew, the more they would think about it.

Not only the scholars taking the examination, but even Li Huigu, that old man, upon hearing this, pulled him aside for a few words.

Discussing the pros and cons of invading the southern barbarians, the comparison of strengths between enemies and allies, and what preparations were needed.

Chen Yunfan chose not to comment, but his heart recalled another matter—he had come under the attention of the White Tiger Guard. Perhaps it was because of such schemes?

If so, then he... was in danger.

"The affairs of scholars have nothing to do with us. I'll go rest first. After midnight, I still need to switch shifts with Huigu brother."

"Minister Chen, travel safely..."

Not long after, Xiao Wan'er settled into the carriage, accompanied by Xie Stopyun and Shen Huatang, who took her back to the Xiao family.

After watching them leave, Cui Qingwu was about to return to the courtyard when she suddenly remembered something:

"Huan'er, is Mr. Song out?"

"Young mistress, he said the master had matters to instruct him."

"Ah, so it's the master's command. Then I suppose we shouldn't worry about him..."

In the courtyard not far from them.

Lin Zhongyin stood in a corner of the corridor, his brow furrowed.

"An accident, or intentional?"

"Someone has uncovered the Emperor's intentions... we must quickly inform the master."

...

Midnight.

The full moon shone brightly.

Inside the examination hall in the manor, the candles in the numbered rooms burned bright, most scholars still furiously writing.

Some, wearing thin gauze wraps, wrote in tiny characters, their noses running and tears streaming.

Chen Yi, however, had lain down early, half-reclining on the bed in the depths of the numbered room, his eyes closed in rest.

"This examination will likely have some developments."

"Unless there's an accident, Ma Shuhuan won't live much longer..."

(Chapter End)