Chapter 113: Diary Found Under the Wardrobe Again (10,000 Words, Please Subscribe)

Today the wind was gentle and the sun was bright, with not a cloud in the sky.

Boats drifted on the Yu State River, and the number of people out for leisure gradually increased.

The boatman rowing the oars was busy non-stop, rowing from one side of the river to the other. Although his arms were numb from exertion, his heart was secretly filled with joy.

On the boat were groups of students, ladies from noble families, or daughters of merchants. Ordinary commoners were very rare.

No matter the era, the entertainment options for the poor were always so limited.

“The weather is really nice today.”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had such good weather.”

“Brother Guo, aren’t you supposed to be preparing for next year’s imperial examination?”

“With such fine weather, it’s suitable to come out and play, who has the heart to read?”

“Look, isn’t that the daughter of Wang, the shopkeeper from Yugui Square?”

……

The Yu State River was bustling, especially when the beautiful ladies confined to their boudoirs appeared, attracting frequent visits from the students.

“Boom!” “Boom!”

The next moment, nobody knew what happened, but the entire surface of the Yu State River shook violently, turning the originally calm waters into a ferocious beast.

Boats were slapped by huge waves and began to rock violently, and some students standing at the front were directly shaken into the water.

Suddenly, the entire Yu State River turned into a scene of chaos, with everyone in a state of panic.

“Save…. save me, I can’t swim….”

A student who fell into the water began shouting loudly.

The boatman saw this and leaped into the water with a dive.

……

In Yu State City, at the South River Branch.

Inside the hall.

“What happened?!” Liu Qingshan asked with a furrowed brow.

The surge of qi just now had obscured the sky, as if it was hiding something or perhaps probing something. Then it triggered that astonishing disturbance, even causing his heart to tremble.

“It’s Xi Jikui…”

Guo Yuchun hurried in, his face extremely grave, almost pausing after every word and said, “The Xuanyi Guard base where he was located has been leveled, and all four Gold Constables, including him, are dead.”

“What did you say!?”

Hearing Guo Yuchun’s words, it was as if he had misheard, “Say that again!”

Guo Yuchun took a deep breath and said, “Xi Jikui is dead, really dead.”

Liu Qingshan received confirmation from Guo Yuchun and was completely stunned.

Who was Xi Jikui?!

A First Grade expert of the Heavenly Flower Realm, who had even refined a strand of nature’s spiritual energy, which meant his cultivation should have been even more profound.

But now he had been killed.

Liu Qingshan took a sharp breath and then asked, “Who killed him? Was there any clue left?”

“None, not a single clue.”

Guo Yuchun shook his head, then added, “The attacker was extremely powerful and annihilated the Xuanyi Guard base in the blink of an eye with a single move.”

A single move?!

Liu Qingshan’s emotions surged tumultuously, “If this person is not a Grandmaster, then they are one step away. Could it be Li Fuzhou, whose injuries have healed!?”

Guo Yuchun pondered for a long while and said, “If his injuries have healed, it’s indeed possible with his full strength in one move.”

Even before Li Fuzhou was injured, he was already a Half-step Master, and most people believed he had the potential to become a Grandmaster. If his injuries had healed, his strength would have definitely improved greatly, and he would not be far from Grandmaster.

“It’s very likely him.”

Liu Qingshan’s eyes were deep as he decisively said, “Recently, Chu Nanying had come to see me and seemed to mention Xi Jikui and matters concerning the Demon Sect. Moreover, there were signs of military deployment in Lijiang City yesterday. It’s very possible that Chu Nanying and Xi Jikui were attempting to provoke the Demon Sect and ended up being killed by Li Fuzhou.”

Few outsiders knew much about Li Fuzhou’s injuries, most of it speculation.

But the only ones who truly knew his condition were the experts of the Xuanyi Guard, for Xi Yuanjun had fought against Li Fuzhou and he clearly knew the severity of Li Fuzhou’s injuries.

In Liu Qingshan’s view, Li Fuzhou, who had received a strand of nature’s spiritual energy, definitely had his injuries healed.

At this thought, Liu Qingshan’s heart felt a chill, realizing if he recklessly provoked the Demon Sect like Xi Jikui did, his fate would be the same.

Guo Yuchun took a deep breath and said, “Gang Leader, Yu State City is too dangerous at the moment. I think you should return to Lijiang City for now. Regardless, Lijiang City has Chu Nanying and a sizeable military force, and also the Cao Gang elite are there. Leave the matters concerning the Su family to me…”

“That’s best.”

Liu Qingshan didn’t make any fuss. Xi Jikui was dead, and his own strength was no different from Xi Jikui’s. No one knew if that Demon Sect master would come again to kill him.

Yu State City was not as well guarded as Lijiang City, after all, Lijiang City also had a large deployment of military forces.

Guo Yuchun had a strong ability to handle affairs, and he still managed the affairs of the four great families of Jiangnan Dao with ease.

“Xi Jikui is dead, I guess Xi Yuanjun must be going insane,”

Guo Yuchun said softly.

Everyone knew that Xi Jikui was Xi Yuanjun’s only offspring.

Sending off a younger person in death as an elder is a great pain that not many can endure.

Moreover, Xi Jikui was a Great Heavenly Gang of the Xuanyi Guard, which was undoubtedly a provocation towards the Xuanyi Guard.

Liu Qingshan nodded and said, “That’s also good, just let the Xuanyi Guard and the Demon Sect have a fight.”

…..

Jishi Hall, at the entrance.

The moment he felt the earthquake, An Jing pulled Tan Yun’s hand and rushed to the more open entrance.

“Woof woof! Woof woof!”

Xiao Heizi rushed faster than An Jing, barking nonstop at the swaying plaque.

“What’s going on?”

An Jing then felt the surge of Qi mechanism and looked towards the distant sky.

The strength of this Qi mechanism, although not as strong as the King Xu in the cave, was still the strongest Qi mechanism An Jing had encountered up to now, and it carried a hint of familiarity.

It seemed to be the unique Qi mechanism of the Demon Sect’s martial arts.

“Could it be Old Man Li?”

An Jing trembled inside. “Li Fuzhou’s strength must have recovered. Unexpectedly, Old Man Li had done something significant upon recovering from his injury.”

He was also shocked by the strength of Li Fuzhou.

If Li Fuzhou had this strength back on Three Temple Mountain, then the nature’s spiritual energy might not have any connection with others.

Soon, the earthquake disappeared as if nothing had happened.

“Son-in-law, don’t be scared.”

Tan Yun comforted from the side, “It’s just some aftershocks.”

Others did not know what had happened, but Tan Yun was very clear.

It must be the work of the Sect Hierarch, who took out the Xuanyi Guard in one fell swoop.

“What am I afraid of?”

An Jing looked at Jishi Hall in front of him and said irritably, “We live in a bungalow, which isn’t afraid of shaking.”

“Then son-in-law, aren’t you going to let go?”

Tan Yun pouted her lips, indicating that An Jing was still holding her hand.

“Cough cough…”

In a hurry, An Jing let go of her hand. “It’s okay now, let’s go back.”

He swore it wasn’t intentional.

Thinking of the Qi mechanism just now, An Jing thought to himself, “Li Fuzhou you old trickster, just go away. Don’t make a scene. If you make too big a scene, and it gets exposed, our whole family will be in trouble.”

With a sigh, he prepared to walk towards Jishi Hall, but at that moment, a familiar figure appeared in the distance.

He saw Zhao Qingmei wearing a blue robe with two strands of hair fluttering by her ears in the breeze, holding two rolls of brocade cloth as she walked slowly towards them, her forehead covered in sweat, seemingly in a hurry.

An Jing said with a smile, “Madam, you’ve come back so soon.”

Tan Yun quickly stepped forward and took the fabric from Zhao Qingmei’s arms.

“It’s just buying some fabric; how long can that take?”

Zhao Qingmei smiled sweetly, “My lord, once I cut the brocade, I’ll go make dinner.”

“Madam, you’ve worked hard; no rush.”

An Jing felt warmth in his heart; Madam had come back so quickly just to make dinner for him.

“I’ll go inside first then.”

After saying that, Zhao Qingmei walked towards the back hall, and Tan Yun quickly followed.

Humming a little tune, An Jing returned to the hall, carefully checked and found that no jars had fallen down, then he picked up a broom and began sweeping the dust.

“Small… Doctor An?”

At that moment, a sneaky voice came from outside the door.

“Who is it?”

An Jing got quite a fright when he saw the person.

He saw the person in black clothes, head wrapped in a scarf, only showing the eyes and nose…

Upon a closer look, wasn’t this Zhou Xianming?

“I am Zhou Xianming. I’m here to buy medicine today.”

Zhou Xianming rubbed his hands together and said,

“Medicinal purchase? Could it be that you were beaten again?”

Before An Jing could reply, another figure approached from outside. This person did not hide his face, but his eyes were swollen like two lightbulbs.

“Brother An, give me some of your bruise-relief medicine, preferably the kind with more noticeable effects.”

This person was none other than Han Wenxin.

The two stood at the doorway, staring at each other, then both were momentarily stunned.

……

In the back hall.

“Miss, is everything still going smoothly?” Tan Yun asked cautiously.

“Smoothly, now just waiting for news from Third Master,”

Zhao Qingmei nodded, “This brocade, you trim it down. Make winter clothes tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, early in the morning, Li Fuzhou had left Yu State City, pursuing Hong Yuanwu with the intent to retrieve both their heads and Gu Renwo’s knife.

With Li Fuzhou’s capabilities, dealing with Hong Yuanwu was merely a trivial trial; no incidents would occur.

“Yes.”

Hearing this, Tan Yun’s heart eased slightly, feeling somewhat better.

At least Huo Zhongyun and Ghost-faced Buddha had died, along with many of the Xuanyi Guard’s top experts accompanying them in death.

Moreover, as her son-in-law had said, as long as she remembered them, they would not be completely dead.

Zhao Qingmei gave a slight nod, walked into the bedroom, and then took out a book from her wardrobe.

Three clear characters on it read, “Diary.”

Zhao Qingmei placed the diary on the table, sat down, and started to write in it.

“Year Xingping 13, month 11, day 3, clear.

“The weather is beautiful today, moved by yesterday’s injuries of our sect members, I personally took action and suppressed Xi Jikui with one fingertip, thus avenging and comforting my fellow sect members.

“I hurriedly returned home afterward, chopped vegetables, and prepared dinner, hoping my husband would enjoy it.

“It’s a pity that the weather was so good today that I couldn’t go out with him. I feel somewhat regretful and hope to discuss going out with him again tonight… Only later, which also gave me a chance to try out a new trick I’ve learned.”

“Phew!”

Zhao Qingmei’s face flushed slightly with excitement as she exhaled after writing in her diary.

Writing in a diary felt too good; she could freely express all her inner words, whether trivial or significant, without fear of others finding out.

Years later, what would it be like when she flipped through it again?

Zhao Qingmei smiled gently, unable to help but look forward to it.

“It’s getting late; I need to cook dinner for my brother.”

It took her quite a while to return to her senses, put away the diary, and then place it back in the wardrobe.

Zhao Qingmei knew that An Jing hardly ever went through her wardrobe.

……

A slight tremor in Yu State City went largely unnoticed by ordinary people, and coupled with the Magistrate’s deliberate concealment, it was nothing more than a trivial matter in public.

In the Su family’s corridor.

Su Ze walked briskly, his brow furrowed and filled with thoughts, while Su Rui followed behind him much more calmly.

“Father, the secret letter has already been sent to Yujing City. It will take some time to get there, and with the back and forth, I estimate that we won’t receive a reply until around the year’s end.”

Su Ze took a deep breath, “I feel somewhat uneasy.”

Su Rui replied at his side, “Father, why be uneasy? Uncle is one of the Second Prince’s men…”

In the current court, the normally strong-willed Human Emperor suddenly stopped managing state affairs, causing factions to rise within the court and princes to form alliances. Among them, Second Prince Zhao Mengtai was the most famous.

In the court, this man’s maneuvers were considered unparalleled, quickly forming his own team through oppression, alliance, and benefit connections, with a speed that was astonishing.

It could be said that except for Lv Guoyong, Zhao Tianyi, and the Marquis, Second Prince held significant power in the court.

The Su family had never aligned with Cao Gang, in large part because Su Rui’s uncle was a member of the Second Prince’s faction.

They were naturally opposed to Cao Gang, and aligning with them would expose Su Rui’s uncle to suspicion.

“What I fear is that…”

“Master, Master, terrible news!”

Before Su Ze could finish, his brow furrowed deeply, then a shrill voice came running from afar.

A middle-aged man covered in blood was seen scrambling toward them.

“Shuibo, what happened…?” Su Rui exclaimed in shock.

The man before them was none other than the Su family’s steward, Shuibo.

With a look of horror, Shuibo said, “Murder… they’ve broken in, the Jiangnan Dao’s army, Capital Commandant Qiu has broken in!”

Yu State military!?

Both Su Rui and Su Ze felt a chill in their hearts upon hearing this news.

The Yu State military and the Xuanyi Guard are used to suppress rebels and insurgents, but why would they attack the Su family today?

“It’s ruined!”

Su Ze thought to himself in silence.

“Clatter! Clatter!”

From ahead, a noisy, tumultuous sound approached as a middle-aged man clad in armor and wielding a weapon strode in, followed by a dense crowd of armored soldiers.

The middle-aged man advanced boldly, glanced at Su Ze and Su Rui, then coldly said, “By the Sect Hierarch’s order— the Su family traffics forbidden items, collaborates with bandits, hijacks merchant ships, schemes for wealth and takes lives, vilely guilty with conclusive evidence. Now we apprehend the entire Su family; any who resist shall be executed without mercy!”

“Qiu Dekun, you’re spouting nonsense, slandering with blood on your breath!”

Su Rui, his face turning crimson, retorted immediately upon hearing this.

Su Ze remained silent, knowing that since they had come to their doorstep today, they must have gathered some incriminating evidence, and even if there were no evidence, fabricated charges were not out of the question.

After all, Chu Nanying was the governor of Jiangnan Dao and had the power to execute first and report later to some extent.

“Qiu is acting on orders, pardon the offense.”

Qiu Dekun’s expression was icy as he waved his hand.

Behind him, the armored soldiers surged out crazily, hacking at any of the Su family’s maids or servants they encountered.

“Qiu Dekun! Do you really intend to utterly annihilate us?”

Seeing this, Su Ze immediately furrowed his brows.

He was not concerned about the lives of these servants, but from this act, it was apparent that even surrendering and being captured would not spare them from death.

This was an extermination of their Su family, an undeniably venomous act!

“No, don’t kill me!”

A servant knelt on the ground begging for mercy repeatedly, “I’m just a servant of the Su family, I have elderly to tend to…..”

Zhao Capital Commandant saw this and immediately furrowed his brows deeply.

At that moment, a person walked out laughing and said, “Governor Qiu, the Su family, being a prominent family, has their servants bound by life-long contracts, displaying absolute loyalty to the Su family, essentially becoming the Su’s lapdogs. These crawling insects and running dogs surely know something, yet they did not report what they knew according to the laws of Great Yan, shielding a crime is to be punished as if one has committed the crime.”

The person spoke fluently in one breath, but each word was aimed to kill, aimed at their hearts.

Seeing the newcomer, Su Ze immediately took a sharp breath, “Guo Yuchun, I knew it was you!”

“Master Su, you flatter me.”

Guo Yuchun smiled faintly and bowed his fists towards Su Ze.

“Kill them all.”

Qiu Dekun gestured with his hand.

“Whoosh!”

“Father, let’s fight them.”

Su Ze drew his treasure sword and shouted angrily.

“Fight?”

Zhao Capital Commandant sneered, then waved his hand.

“Clatter! Clatter!”

Countless arrows flew from behind, turning into a dense rain of arrows, leaving the Su family members, especially their relatives and servants, looking like porcupines.

In moments, numerous bodies fell, and the ground was drenched in blood.

“Run quickly!”

Su Ze shouted loudly, then dashed toward the distance.

At this critical juncture, he was barely able to protect himself, let alone Su Rui.

Su Rui seemed to hesitate momentarily, and by the time he came to his senses, dozens of armored soldiers had already surrounded him.

“Where are you going?”

Guo Yuchun sneered coldly, his inner strength surged, and with a leap forward, he struck out with a palm.

“Bang!”

Among the First Grade experts, Guo Yuchun was considered the least skilled, not having solidified even the three blossoms, but dealing with Second Grade Cultivation’s Su Rui was naturally effortless.

Especially since Su Ze’s courage had already faltered, he had no intention of fighting.

Within just a few moves, Su Rui was struck by Guo Yuchun’s palm in the chest and heavily fell to the ground.

“Father!”

Su Rui was also held at knife-point by the necks by dozens of armored soldiers, unable to move.

“Brother Guo, my Su family is willing to join the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce…..”

Blood flowed from Su Ze’s mouth as he endured the pain and hastened to speak.

Guo Yuchun smiled faintly and said, “Now? Isn’t it too late?”

Su Ze spoke in a deep voice, “Brother Guo, what must I do for you to spare my life?”

Guo Yuchun toyed with the white jade ring in his hand and replied indifferently, “Kneel down and kowtow three times to me, then I might consider it.”

Whoosh!

The crowd around them all felt a chill in their hearts; Guo Yuchun was clearly humiliating Su Ze.

After all, Su Ze was the head of the Su Family, a figure who had commanded respect in Jiangnan Dao for decades.

Before Su Ze could speak, Su Rui cursed out loud, “Guo Yuchun, stop talking nonsense! If you want to kill, just kill; if you want to humiliate us, you’re dreaming!”

Su Ze ignored Su Rui and gritted his teeth, saying, “Brother Guo, do you stand by your word?”

Guo Yuchun’s eyes gleamed as he responded, “Of course, I, Guo Yuchun, swear on my own life, that if anyone from the Su Family kowtows, I will spare that person’s life.”

Hearing Guo Yuchun’s words, a glint appeared in Su Ze’s eyes.

“Fine, I’ll do it!”

“Thud, thud, thud!”

Having said that, Su Ze knelt down and gave Guo Yuchun three resounding kowtows.

He hit his forehead so hard that it started to swell red.

“Dad… you!”

Su Rui was stunned and couldn’t believe what he was seeing was true; Su Ze had actually knelt and kowtowed to save his life.

Qiu Dekun’s eyebrows furrowed tightly.

“Hahaha! Head of the Su Family, Head of the Su Family, you are truly remarkable. I admire you!”

Guo Yuchun couldn’t help but burst into laughter upon seeing this.

Su Ze raised his head and said, “Brother Guo, you just said, on the assurance of your own life.”

Guo Yuchun meaningfully said, “Head of the Su Family, you really believed my words?”

“You!”

Su Ze’s temples throbbed, his face flushed red with a great sense of humiliation flooding his heart.

“It’s time to depart.”

Guo Yuchun sneered and struck with a palm.

“Bang!”

The palm strike hit Su Ze right on the crown of his head, causing him to fall flat on his face, his eyes still showing hints of fear and reluctance.

“Pfft!” “Pfft!”

Su Rui was also pierced by dozens of blades before collapsing on the ground.

“Kill them all!”

After Guo Yuchun spoke, he turned and left.

Subsequent sounds of fighting continued behind him, and all the members of the Su family fell into pools of blood.

Qiu Dekun asked somewhat doubtfully, “Vice Gang Leader Guo, did you really intend to spare any of the Su family members just now?”

Seeing Guo Yuchun’s expression, he had almost believed him, as people from Yan Country often highly regarded their oaths.

“No, not from the beginning.”

Guo Yuchun said indifferently, “After Su Ze knelt down, there was even less of a chance.”

Su Ze’s willingness to kneel and beg for his life, bearing the disgrace, strongly indicated his inner strength and will to survive. Such a person, once he survived, who knew whether he would endure hardships to seek revenge with a stab in the back!

If you don’t remove the roots when cutting grass, it will grow back with the spring breeze.

After hearing this, Qiu Dekun shivered slightly, looking at the Poison Master in front of him with a hint of fear emerging in his heart.

……

Due to collusion with bandits, causing deaths for money among various other crimes, the Su family was exterminated. This news quickly spread throughout Jiangnan Dao and caused a massive sensation.

In tea houses, restaurants, and alleys of Yu State City, everywhere was abuzz with news of the Su family’s extermination.

Such a major incident was even more sensational than An Jing’s splitting the dungeon with a single sword strike.

After all, nobody expected such a prominent family to be involved in banditry, robbery of merchant ships, and murder for money.

But soon, these accusations were confirmed one by one, and notices were posted all over Yu State City. The citizens, upon seeing these posters, applauded and praised the new Magistrate for his iron-fisted approach.

Then suddenly, news broke that the Ming Family had completely joined the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce.

Instantly, many people were intrigued as the head of the Ming Family was a sly old fox who had rejected the Chamber’s invitations multiple times, but this time he joined them decisively. If there wasn’t something fishy about this, nobody would believe it.

Connecting this to the extermination of the Su family, it became clear to everyone. It was well known that the Cao Gang Gang Leader and Chu Nanying were in cahoots.

That same day, another big event also happened—the Xuanyi Guard headquarters in Yu State City was destroyed, and Xi Jikui along with four Gold Constables were brutally killed.

In Yu State City, most civilians knew who Su Ze was, but few knew about Xi Jikui. Adding to that, the trust in the Magistrate who deliberately concealed the news.

This was like the tip of the iceberg; what you see is just a small part; the real iceberg lies beneath, out of sight.

There, it was a level you couldn’t touch or even imagine…

However, in Jianghu and the temples, the murder of Xi Jikui, along with the four Gold Constables from the Xuanyi Guard, was the incident that truly shook the entire Jianghu.

What kind of person was Xi Jikui!?

A Great Heavenly Gang of the First Grade Heavenly Flower Realm, and his father was even the Deputy Governor of the Xuanyi Guard.

Who exactly made a move and dared to kill Xi Jikui?

Soon, rumors spread that it was Li Fuzhou who took action.

News from Yu State City began to spread to the surroundings.

Li Fuzhou killed Xi Jikui, did this mean the Demon Sect really intended to make a grand comeback?

After all, this situation tugged at the heartstrings of the majority in Jianghu.

Was the arrow of the Demon Sect still waiting to be shot, or had it already been fired?

Five days later, in the bustling Great Tong Tea House.

“The Su family affair is definitely not that simple.”

“In my opinion, there’s something fishy.”

“Ah, such a large prominent family just vanished.”

“Daring to confront the Court, isn’t that seeking death?”

“By the way, I also heard that the Cao Family and the Mu Family seem to be planning a marriage alliance.”

“Is this matter true or not?”

……

Even though it had been five days since the incident, people were still tirelessly discussing it.

An Jing slowly shook his head, picked up the small stool, and walked towards Jishi Hall.

He was utterly uninterested in the affairs of the Su family.

Without much thought, he knew it must be the Cao Gang’s doing, clearing obstacles in advance for the Five Gangs Alliance. He was indeed concerned about the murder of Xi Jikui, but it seemed very few knew about it.

“It’s getting colder and colder.”

An Jing returned to Jishi Hall, set down the small stool, and rubbed his hands while secretly thinking: I have been researching the Sword Dao Fifth Realm these last few days without a trace of a breakthrough. It would be great to have some predecessors’ experience to consult.

The Fifth Realm is a massive divide for swordsmen.

“Right, the Evil Suppressing Sword!”

Suddenly, a thought struck An Jing; he had almost forgotten about the Evil Suppressing Sword buried in the chaotic grave site, which bore a heavy Sword Intent. Perhaps, he could glean some insights from it.

When the opportunity arises, he might find the secret to breaking through to the Fifth Realm.

“Husband.”

Zhao Qingmei lifted the curtain, holding a piece of white cloth wrapping a sweet potato and said with a smile, “This is a freshly baked sweet potato, try it!”

An Jing took the roasted sweet potato and replied with a smile, “Finally ready, huh? I’ve been wanting to eat it.”

In this quiet early winter, his favorite thing was eating roasted sweet potatoes.

“Be careful, don’t burn yourself.”

“Whoosh!”

Suddenly, the Earth Book, which had been quiet for a long time, emitted a burst of light.

An Jing’s thoughts subconsciously delved into the Earth Book, and with just a glance, his brows furrowed.

“Alert: A black fate is approaching.”

Ever since he acquired the Earth Book and knew that a black fate might spell life-threatening danger, he had always been extremely cautious, avoiding it whenever possible.

Unexpectedly, today this black fate was approaching him; what could this mean?

Just then, the curtain of Jishi Hall was lifted.

There entered an old man, his face bearing the marks of time, draped in coarse clothes, with a hunched back.

Upon seeing An Jing, the old man’s eyes brightened, “Doctor An Jing, had there not been a plaque at the door, I indeed wouldn’t have found this place. To think such a renowned medical hall is decorated so simply.”

An Jing abruptly remembered who the person in front of him was—Old Jiang (Chapter Seventy-three).

That day when he had gone to see the wife of He Ping from the Cao Gang for a consultation, He Ping went to get medicine, leaving his neighbor, Old Jiang, to look after Xiao Ya. During that visit, his Earth Book had also flashed.

This time was the same…

Twice, a black fate had appeared under the same circumstances.

There was definitely something wrong with the person in front of him, being capable of bringing him a black fate.

An Jing harbored suspicions in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, “Old Jiang, you’ve come to the medical hall today. Are you feeling unwell?”

Old Jiang sighed, “Recently, as the weather gets colder, my back has been aching, especially at night when I return from the Sima prison; the night wind feels like needles piercing into me, the pain is truly unbearable, so I planned to come and have it checked.”

“I will examine you now.”

An Jing nodded, then turned to Zhao Qingmei and said, “Wife, please go and pour a cup of tea for Old Jiang.”

“I understand,” Zhao Qingmei nodded, her heart beating irregularly for reasons unknown.

She clearly remembered the last time this happened, it was under the Sealing Demon Well, at that life-or-death moment.

An expert’s sudden intuition can sometimes be very accurate.

But why is that so?

Zhao Qingmei was somewhat puzzled inside.

“That must be Mrs. An, Doctor An is indeed very fortunate.”

Jiang Ye couldn’t help but sigh as he looked at Zhao Qingmei’s retreating figure.

An Jing smiled and said, “Indeed, he is fortunate, please take a seat, Jiang Ye.”

Jiang Ye nodded and then sat down.

An Jing first took his pulse and then noticed that it was short and not very firm.

However, this was normal, given that Jiang Ye appeared to be at least fifty-six years old, such a pulse was normal for his age.

At this moment, Zhao Qingmei came out carrying tea.

“Thank you, Mrs. An,” Jiang Ye said hastily.

“You’re welcome.”

Zhao Qingmei smiled.

For some reason, her heart beat faster the closer she got to this person.

Could there be something strange about him?

“Jiang Ye, your pulse shows that you have excessive cold dampness. Let me check your back,” An Jing said.

“Okay.”

As he spoke, Jiang Ye then lifted his upper garment.

Fearing that Jiang Ye might catch a cold, An Jing examined him carefully and quickly diagnosed, “This is because the damp and cold in your body are too severe. When the weather becomes colder, the dampness and coldness will intensify, causing itching and sometimes pain. I will prescribe some herbs to dispel the dampness. Drink them every night before bed and see how it works.”

Jiang Ye nodded repeatedly, saying, “Thank you so much, Doctor An.”

An Jing personally prepared several days’ worth of herbal medicine for Jiang Ye and then packaged it in cowhide paper, “That will be one hundred and fifty-seven copper coins, you can just give one hundred and fifty, Jiang Ye.”

After hearing this, Jiang Ye took the herbs, thanked him profusely, and then slowly left.

Watching Jiang Ye leave, Zhao Qingmei asked curiously, “Husband, who is that Jiang Ye?”

An Jing replied casually, “He looks after horses for the Sima monitor, I think. I’m not very familiar with him. He lives in Mazi Lane; I’ve seen him once or twice during consultations.”

His own curiosity was also aroused; he wondered why this person would bring him a dark omen and thought it might be worth investigating his background when he had time.

“Wow!”

At that moment, the Earth Book suddenly showed a change with an alert.

“Alert: The host has gained a dark omen.”

Seeing this, An Jing was instantly startled, and his expression slightly changed.

…….

Inside the Golden Throne Hall at Yujing City,

the hall was splendidly and majestically decorated, with eighteen jade dragon columns standing in the center.

Civil and military officials gathered together.

However, at this moment, the imperial throne in the Golden Throne Hall was empty.

The leader of the Confucian sect, Lv Guoyong, had also reported sick and not come to court, and the Crown Prince was also absent today.

Except for these three, all other civil and military officials who could attend were present.

“Gentlemen, Emperor Yan is unwell today and again unable to attend the court,” said a pale-faced, middle-aged man in a scarlet robe standing next to the throne.

His expression was calm and indifferent, his eyes so deep that looking into them felt like one could be sucked in, commanding awe and making it difficult for others to continue staring. Standing there, he exuded a presence that seemed otherworldly and formidable.

This man was the current Grandmaster and the Human Emperor’s personal eunuch, Zhao Tianyi.

Originally, he did not bear the surname Zhao, but after he was made a eunuch and entered the service, he was granted the imperial surname by the current Human Emperor, and the implications of that were almost self-evident.

Zhao Tianyi, now the most influential figure on the imperial court, was a favorite of Emperor Yan and his closest confidant.

Since Emperor Yan fell ill, Zhao Tianyi had been acting on his behalf in handling state affairs.

As the saying goes, a glimpse of a leopard through a tube reveals the whole.

Upon hearing Zhao Tianyi’s words, the assembled civil and military officials looked at one another, then broke into whispers.

“Those with matters to report may do so, those without may leave the court,” Zhao Tianyi declared.

“Honorable Sir, there is still a matter that needs discussion…”

Just at this moment, the Assistant Minister of Rites, Huang Chuan, stood up.

“What are we discussing, please speak,” Zhao Tianyi said indifferently.

Huang Chuan clasped his hands and said, “Before the year’s end, Emperor Yan had invited Buddhism to propagate Buddhist law in Great Yan. Now, the people from Pure Land have prepared and embarked on their journey, arriving in accordance with the agreement…”

Pure Land!?

Upon hearing these words, everyone present furrowed their brows.

Before the new year, Emperor Yan had indeed mentioned the return of Buddhism to Great Yan, as if he harbored schemes. But now, with the Human Emperor’s health in decline, this matter had consistently been shelved, and everyone tacitly avoided discussing it.

After all, the return of Buddhism, with its scripture chanting and doctrine spreading, was undoubtedly seen as opposing the Zhenyi Sect, which was the national religion. From the streets, to the Jianghu, and even within the halls of power, it wielded tremendous influence. No one wanted to offend the Zhenyi Sect.

Especially the faction of the Second Prince, which everyone privately understood.

The Second Prince had always sought the Zhenyi Sect’s support, and it was even less probable to provoke the Zhenyi Sect at this time and offend the Second Prince.

Given that the Assistant Minister of Rites had brought this up now, the intentions behind it were certainly not simple.

“This matter is of great importance. Let’s wait until father’s health is better before discussing it further,” Zhao Mengtai, who had remained silent until now, voiced his opinion.

The eastward crossing of Buddhism represented a millennium-old opportunity about to be disrupted, and indeed it involved major implications for the entire nation.

Many present at the scene remained silent upon witnessing this, knowing in the court one must learn to judge the timing and situation carefully. In matters not concerning oneself, one must absolutely not interfere, lest they get dragged down as well.

This was the way of an official, and which among them standing in the Golden Throne Hall wasn’t an old hand?

“That statement is incorrect,”

As soon as Zhao Mengtai finished speaking, the Minister of Revenue, Fang Shaohan, stood up and said, “The eastward crossing of Buddhism is a strategic move arranged by the Human Emperor for the nation. He had repeatedly emphasized this during his time, with a detailed process and plan set in place. We cannot abandon this matter, and now that the people of Buddhism are already prepared to start their journey, us suddenly calling it off would evidently constitute a loss of integrity.”

Upon hearing Fang Shaohan’s words, Zhao Mengtai furrowed his brows slightly, the displeasure in his eyes disappearing in a flash.

In a retort, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Yue Tingchen, who stood by Zhao Mengtai, said sarcastically, “This matter is of great importance. If there is a mistake, can Minister Fang bear the responsibility?”

“What a high hat to wear,”

Fang Shaohan waved his sleeve robe coldly, saying, “I naturally cannot bear such a responsibility for this matter. But if Pure Land Buddhism ends up leaning towards Zhao Country, can Minister Yue bear that responsibility?”

“You are correct in saying that if the Pure Land of the Western Regions enters Zhao Country, it will undoubtedly enhance the national power of Zhao Country,”

“But if Buddhism enters Great Yan and instead causes greater turmoil, akin to the Demon Sect entering our borders, then what should we do?”

“The situation is already very chaotic; adding Buddhism into the country would surely cause confusion piled on confusion,”

……..

For a time, the court erupted in a clamor of debates, a scene of utter chaos, as if hawking in a marketplace.

“Silence!”

Zhao Tianyi watched the bickering officials with a cold gaze, then shouted loudly.

Upon hearing his words, everyone present fell silent.

Even though many from the Confucian school detested Zhao Tianyi, they still maintained their silence.

After all, apart from hatred, there was more fear.

“Emperor Yan once stated, if the people of Pure Land Buddhism are ready and come to meet the call, they will be fully supported. If they aren’t ready, the matter will be shelved,” Zhao Tianyi said indifferently. “Since Minister Huang has said that the people of Pure Land Buddhism are already on their way, the matter is thus settled.”

Having said this, Zhao Tianyi turned and walked towards the Inner Palace.

Upon hearing Zhao Tianyi’s words, the hall fell even quieter.

This matter is settled!? Pure Land Buddhism is really coming!

This was a matter that shook the entire world; it held immense impact, both in the courts and in the Jianghu.

Everyone present exchanged glances and looked at each other, then walked out with their own thoughts, preparing to discuss privately when no one was around.

Zhao Mengtai and Yue Tingchen walked out last, with no one else daring to come close.

“How is Xi, sir?” Zhao Mengtai asked casually.

“He has been at home and hasn’t come out,” Yue Tingchen replied.

“Xi Jikui is seeking his own death! Li Fuzhou is also recklessly courageous,” Zhao Mengtai narrowed his eyebrows.

The Demon Sect had killed Xi Jikui, and thus, Xi Yuanjun would certainly not rest. With this, the resistance the Demon Sect would face if they tried entering Great Yan would undoubtedly increase; moreover, Buddhism could now enter Great Yan openly, clearly causing faults in his plans.

Standing beside, Yue Tingchen watched his nose, his nose watched his mouth, and his mouth watched his heart, seemingly not hearing what Zhao Mengtai said at all.

“By the way, has Jiang Sanjia already arrived in Yujing City?” Zhao Mengtai asked, seemingly recalling something.

“He arrived yesterday, and I have already arranged for his stay,” Yue Tingchen replied.

“Good, very good,” Zhao Mengtai’s lips curled into a slight smile. “As long as he is here, then we will have information about the mysterious swordsman of Yu State City.”

His reason for exonerating Jiang Sanjia was partly to irritate the Crown Prince, and partly to obtain information about this swordsman.