04 – Chapter 1

Meng Jianqing silently passed through the courtyard carpeted with yellow leaves. The late autumn night wind carried a piercing chill, and from far away in the night breeze came the distant sound of the night watchman’s wooden clappers.

In the pond, withered lotus leaves swayed forlornly in the wind.

Meng Jianqing took a deep breath and stepped onto the winding bamboo bridge that spanned the lotus pond.

Shen Guangli was waiting for him at the end of the bamboo bridge in the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion.

Meng Jianqing had never understood why Shen Guangli – this Imperial Guard Commander whose power reached the heavens – would choose to live in such a secluded place that bordered on desolation.

Just as he also didn’t understand why the Hongwu Emperor, who had always avoided words like “light” and “bald,” would tolerate Shen Guangli’s frequent appearances before the throne.

The awe and reverence that all ranks within the Imperial Guard felt toward Shen Guangli was not merely due to his position, but also because of his mysterious and unfathomable nature, as if he were always shrouded in clouds and mist.

The lamplight flickered, and Shen Guangli leaned back in his chair, his face appearing and disappearing in the light, elusive and unpredictable.

Meng Jianqing knelt on one knee in salute.

Shen Guangli raised his hand to indicate he should sit, studied him for a moment, then said: “You’ve been under my command for almost three years now, haven’t you?”

Meng Jianqing cupped his hands in response: “Yes.”

Shen Guangli was lost in thought for a while, then continued: “You’re now a Captain – that’s quite a rapid advancement. In these three years, it seems you haven’t made a single mistake, have you?”

Meng Jianqing quickly considered this in his mind before answering cautiously: “This subordinate dares not claim to have never made mistakes. I have simply never delayed official business.”

Shen Guangli smiled slightly and picked up a thin sheet of paper from the table. Meng Jianqing hurriedly stepped forward and received it with both hands.

On the paper was a portrait of a young man, so young he could almost be called just a youth. Between his brows was a flying heroic spirit that, once seen, would be very difficult to forget.

Shen Guangli spoke slowly: “This person is named Jiang Wuji. I’m giving you three months to bring him to see me – remember, I want a living Jiang Wuji. If he dies, whether you killed him or someone else did, you can prepare to accompany him in death.”

Meng Jianqing felt a chill of alarm in his heart. Shen Guangli was not unaware that his blade techniques had always focused on killing enemies.

But he did not question this, carefully tucking the portrait into his robes. After thinking for a moment, he said: “This subordinate boldly asks – for this operation, what personnel may I deploy?”

Shen Guangli tossed him a golden medallion: “Within the Imperial Guard, anyone below the rank of Chiliarch can be deployed at will with this medallion!”

Meng Jianqing grasped the heavy golden medallion, deeply understanding that this operation was of great importance. After taking his leave, he looked up at the night sky and let out a long sigh, hoping the cold night wind could calm his burning heart.

Behind the window, Shen Guangli observed him from afar.

An old servant who bore a striking resemblance to Master Yan Er poured Shen Guangli a cup of hot tea, then stepped back and stood to one side, asking inquiringly: “Commander Shen, why didn’t you tell Meng Jianqing who Jiang Wuji is?”

Shen Guangli replied indifferently: “He will naturally investigate and find out clearly. If he doesn’t even know how to investigate Jiang Wuji’s background and origins, then he needn’t bother with this case.”

After a pause, he added: “Old Yan, you’re still concerned about him, aren’t you?”

The old servant lowered his head: “No matter what, he is still the disciple of my second, fifth, and seventh brothers, and perhaps the sole inheritor of our Yan Family’s Thirteen Slashes.”

That kind of blade technique was not something everyone could master.

Shen Guangli glanced at him: “Then, how about you take action this time? That way, we can avoid him accidentally slashing Jiang Wuji to death, forcing me to kill him to answer to Xiaoxi Tian.”

The old servant hesitated before answering: “If Meng Jianqing doesn’t even have this much ability, then he’s not worthy of being chosen by our Yan Family as an inheritor.”

Shen Guangli smiled and leaned back in his chair: “Exactly. Then we’ll wait here for his news. Let’s hope that this time, he won’t disappoint us all.”

As Shen Guangli had predicted, Meng Jianqing quickly learned of Jiang Wuji’s background and origins from Centurion Qin Youming, who managed the Imperial Guard archives.

Jiang Wuji was from Xiaoxi Tian in the Qinling Mountains.

Xiaoxi Tian had originally been a branch of the Ming Sect, but had established its separate sect very early on. After the Hongwu Emperor founded the nation, considering that the northwestern people were tough and various tribes lived intermixed there, making them difficult to control through gentle means, he often relied heavily on Xiaoxi Tian. The current leader of Xiaoxi Tian was a woman whom the entire northwest region called “Xi Wang Mu” (Queen Mother of the West). Jiang Wuji was the final disciple of Xi Wang Mu’s martial brother Ouyang Buxiu, and was said to also have blood relations with Xi Wang Mu. Three months ago, for unknown reasons, Jiang Wuji had been expelled from the sect by Ouyang Buxiu and was now wandering outside. Various factions who knew this news inevitably had their thoughts stirring.

Meng Jianqing roughly guessed the purpose of his mission. Politely relying on Xiaoxi Tian to pacify the northwest was ultimately not as convenient and flexible as commanding it from a position of superiority to govern the northwest. And Jiang Wuji, who had grown up in Xiaoxi Tian from childhood, would be the most powerful weapon to use against it.

Centurion Qin described the various circumstances of Xiaoxi Tian in great detail. By the time he finished speaking, the eastern sky had turned white. Centurion Qin exhaled a long breath and only then had time to pick up his long-cold tea to moisten his throat.

Meng Jianqing silently memorized this information, then suddenly remembered something and asked: “If there’s a Xi Wang Mu, there must be a Dong Wang Gong (Duke of the East). Why didn’t Centurion Qin mention who Dong Wang Gong is?”

Centurion Qin was taken aback and hesitated, not knowing whether he should answer this question. But when Meng Jianqing saw his expression, he already knew there must be a reason behind it, and without a word, he took out the golden medallion.

Centurion Qin was startled and set down his tea bowl, understanding that the young Captain before him was no longer the respectful Meng Jianqing who had politely requested information from his memory. He immediately straightened his expression and said, “Since it has come to this, this official should naturally speak without reservation. Has Captain Meng ever heard this saying: ‘Suddenly I heard there are immortal mountains on the sea, the mountains exist in the ethereal void’?”

Meng Jianqing was shocked: “Dong Wang Gong is actually from the immortal mountains on the sea?”

Immortal mountains on the sea… A hundred years ago, when the Central Plains fell, a group of survivors took refuge on the sea, passing down their mission from generation to generation to restore Chinese civilization as their lifelong duty. When the Hongwu Emperor conquered the realm, he received much assistance from them. It was said that during the great battle at Poyang Lake, the arrow that struck Chen Youding and turned the tide in one stroke came from their hands. After the realm was settled, most of those people had dispersed back to the sea, though some descendants remained to serve the new dynasty. The current Vice Commander-in-Chief of the Front Army, Zhang Dasheng, was one of them.

Centurion Qin said: “Jiang Wuji is said to also have extremely close blood relations with Dong Wang Gong. He is one of the very few people who can freely enter and leave the immortal mountains on the sea.”

No wonder Shen Guangli had warned him that he must bring back a living Jiang Wuji.

The immortal mountains on the sea, free from worldly constraints, had probably always been a troubling concern for the Hongwu Emperor. To find an opportunity to bring them under control would naturally be ideal.

What Shen Guangli had entrusted to him this time was indeed a mission of utmost importance.

Meng Jianqing pondered for a long time, then put away the golden medallion and looked at Centurion Qin with a smile: “Would Centurion Qin be interested in handling this case together with me?”

Centurion Qin, whose mind contained all the Imperial Guard’s archival materials, would be his best assistant.

Centurion Qin was startled and said, “If Captain Meng commands it, how dare this humble official not comply?”

Meng Jianqing shook his head: “I’m not using Commander Shen’s golden medallion to order Centurion Qin to accompany me on this case, but rather asking Centurion Qin to help me with this favor. Besides, does Centurion Qin want to spend his entire life sitting in this storage room, aging into a white-haired centurion?”

Centurion Qin’s heart stirred, but then he hesitated: “I’m already quite old, I’m afraid I don’t have the strength to follow you young people in fighting and killing—”

Meng Jianqing smiled: “Would Centurion Qin need to personally fight and risk his life? Well?”

Centurion Qin hesitated for a long time, but finally made up his mind: “Very well, I’ll follow you on this journey!”

In his memory, Meng Jianqing had never botched a case. Following Meng Jianqing to handle affairs should not present any problems.

Such an important mission would certainly allow his aging self to grasp this last opportunity.

That very night, Shen Guangli received a report. Looking at the roster of personnel that Meng Jianqing had assembled, Shen Guangli smiled slightly and said to the old servant beside him: “If I were to choose, I would probably select these same people. It appears Meng Jianqing can now handle things independently.”

The old servant cautiously said: “Aren’t you afraid he’s advancing too quickly, getting too close to you, my lord?”

Shen Guangli replied indifferently: “No matter how high a hunting falcon flies, it’s still just a hunting falcon.”