After the interrogation, Shen Guangli pondered for a long time before asking: “What do you think?”
He was addressing Meng Jianqing, who had been by his side throughout. Meng Jianqing handed over a thick stack of documents, saying: “This is the investigation we conducted after the Dongting Lake case was reported to the Imperial Guard.”
The thick stack of papers was densely covered with writing. Shen Guangli smiled: “It seems both you and Qin Youming have put considerable effort into this.” But after reading only a page or two, he could no longer smile.
First was Li Ruilin’s death. The deputy general who personally witnessed Li Ruilin’s suicide said that he had accompanied Hanlin Scholar Zhan Tong, who was ordered to recruit scholars from Suzhou, to the Li residence. Zhan Tong greatly respected Li Ruilin’s character and learning, urging him to submit. Li Ruilin only smiled bitterly, saying: “Prince Wu treated me as a gentleman of the nation—how can I not repay him as a gentleman of the nation?” While speaking, he mixed ice poison into his tea and drank it down. The toxin took effect almost immediately. Li Ruilin was in extreme agony and called for his attending concubine, Lady Ye, to bring a knife to end his suffering. Lady Ye, though just a frail woman, actually raised the knife and stabbed Li Ruilin to death, then prepared his body for burial and handled everything with perfect order.
Then there was how Gao Qi, after abandoning his official post and returning to Suzhou, established a school and took Li Keji as his disciple, with the foremost poet of the generation serving as this small child’s enlightening teacher.
Next was the account from Guan Qinglong, who had been the overlord of the Yangtze River waterways in those days. In the tenth year of Hongwu, when Gao Qi was executed by waist-cutting due to the Suzhou Prefectural Office case, his students scattered in all directions. Lady Ye took Li Keji and rented a boat to carry Li Ruilin’s coffin back to Qingcheng. Along the way, many water bandits coveted Lady Ye’s beauty, but Guan Qinglong had been warned by a masked man that if anything happened to Lady Ye’s family on the Yangtze waterways, regardless of who was responsible, his entire family would be the first to pay with their lives. That masked man came and went without a trace, moving through Guan Qinglong’s main hall as if it were uninhabited. He forced Guan Qinglong to issue Lady Ye and her son a token to ensure their safe return to Qingcheng. Guan Qinglong never dared to speak of this incident afterward.
The county magistrate of Qingcheng at that time was He Xingzhi, who also received warnings and therefore dared not interfere with the Li family’s elaborate funeral arrangements. Later, when He Xingzhi served as Yueyang Prefect, precisely because he knew Li Keji’s protector possessed supernatural abilities, when he received Iron Arhat’s demand for prisoner exchange, he dared to disregard the lives of over ten candidates, confident that the person behind Li Keji would certainly emerge to resolve this crisis. And indeed, events unfolded as he had predicted.
After Li Keji arrived in Yingtian, Master Shi, the abbot of Stone Temple, for unknown reasons, took special interest in him and sent people to spy on him, only ceasing when Li Keji discovered them.
Reading to this point, Shen Guangli looked up: “Where is this old monk now?”
Meng Jianqing replied: “He left Yingtian a month ago, destination unknown. According to reports, it was because when His Majesty was traveling incognito, he wrote a verse containing veiled criticism and deliberately let His Majesty see it, greatly displeasing the Emperor. Knowing the situation, he wisely withdrew early. This is a copy of that verse.” As he spoke, he handed over a piece of paper.
The paper showed a drawing of a cloth-bag monk, with a poem:
The vast universe is boundless and immense, Everything gathered into one bag to store. What’s collected must eventually be stored away, Why not loosen the strings a little more?
Shen Guangli frowned: “This old monk, up to his old tricks again—relying on his past friendship with His Majesty, playing the fool and madman, leveraging his age and experience.”
Meng Jianqing remained silent.
He vaguely sensed that since his miraculous survival and return, Shen Guangli’s attitude toward him had undergone some subtle changes. In the past, Shen Guangli would never have spoken so candidly about his inner thoughts in front of him.
Shen Guangli continued reading.
The court officials had varying opinions on the Dongting Lake case, but all agreed there must be something suspicious about it. However, the opinion of the Minister of Rites and chief examiner Wen Fangwen ultimately prevailed—to avoid affecting the nation’s great talent selection ceremony, they decided to temporarily refrain from interrogating those dozen Sichuan candidates. Among the dozen, only Li Keji had passed the examination, so some felt resentful and wrote two secret letters denouncing him. After receiving these letters, the court again engaged in debate. Wen Fangwen believed that precisely because Li Keji’s father had died in service to Zhang Shicheng, they should be even more cautious with Li Keji, allowing him to complete the palace examination. At that time, Wen Fangwen made a statement: “If even Li Ruilin’s son and Gao Qi’s student have come to take our examinations, what scholar in the world cannot be used by our dynasty?” These words deeply pleased the Emperor’s heart, and Li Keji thus smoothly passed the palace examination and was selected for the Hanlin Academy.
However, the content of the secret accusations was too serious to ignore. Therefore, Shen Guangli was again ordered to investigate and clarify this matter.
After finishing, Shen Guangli mused: “The matter of stealing examination questions can be dismissed. Even if he could steal the metropolitan examination questions, how could he possibly steal the questions His Majesty selected on the spot during the palace examination? Now, only one thing remains: does he truly have the ability to easily subdue Iron Arhat, or is there another reason? But be careful not to harm him. His Majesty saw him during the palace examination and seemed quite favorably disposed toward him. Even ordering the Imperial Guard to investigate, the intent is not particularly malicious. His knowledge is limited—the key lies with the person behind him. Have you sent anyone to investigate Qingcheng?”
Meng Jianqing replied: “I sent people long ago. We should have news in the next day or two. I’ve also sent people to pursue Master Shi.”
Shen Guangli nodded slightly: “Good. For the next few days, we’ll first send a few people to test Li Keji’s skills, see exactly what his abilities are, determine which school or sect he belongs to, and whether he has any connection to the remnants of Chen Youliang or Zhang Shicheng.”
After a pause, he added: “Chuanzhong was originally Xia King Ming Yuzhen’s territory.”
Meng Jianqing understood, bowing as he replied: “I will not overlook this lead either.”
The next day, Li Keji was brought to the martial arts hall. Shen Guangli said with a smile: “Master Li, we must verify one matter—please forgive us. Please change your clothes.”
Meng Jianqing had already prepared a set of azure cloth garments to replace Li Keji’s scholar’s robe, and also presented a piece of azure cloth to cover most of his face.
Shen Guangli said: “Since Master Li himself doesn’t know which school or sect his martial arts teacher belongs to, you wouldn’t object to us helping you find out, would you? To avoid awkwardness should you meet these people in the future, I’ve asked you to change your appearance and cover your face—surely you won’t take offense?”
His courtesy remained thoroughly polite, making it impossible for Li Keji to say “no.”
Shen Guangli smiled: “The first is Giant Spirit God Cui Dali.”
Cui Dali entered from the side door, massive as a vajra iron pagoda. If he stood together with Iron Arhat, they would surely resemble two door gods.
Li Keji drew his brush from his boot and looked at Cui Dali.
He naturally understood Shen Guangli’s unspoken meaning. If he couldn’t defeat this Cui Dali—whose fighting style was extremely similar to Iron Arhat’s—with a brush in just a few moves as he had done that day at Dongting Lake, Shen Guangli would have reason to suspect that his true relationship with Iron Arhat was not as he claimed.
He didn’t know if he was confident enough. That day, he had subdued Iron Arhat by catching him off guard, but the Cui Dali before him was fully alert and defensive.
Shen Guangli clapped once. Cui Dali rushed forward quickly, extending his massive right palm to grab Li Keji, his abundant true qi making his movements fierce as a tiger.
Li Keji suddenly raised his brush and aimed it between Cui Dali’s eyes. No matter how invulnerable a person might be, they couldn’t train their eyes to be impenetrable—this was the same move Li Keji had used against Iron Arhat.
Shen Guangli’s eyes couldn’t help but brighten. Li Keji understood his intention so clearly that he refused to change even his attacking technique, determined to prove that everything he said was true.
Cui Dali appeared crude but was quite sharp-minded. He understood that a brush still at a distance couldn’t truly harm his eyes, but the force on the brush still compelled him to instinctively blink his aching eyes. In that moment of blinking—no more than what Buddhists call a finger-snap instant—Li Keji suddenly leaped forward and aimed his brush at the Laogong acupoint in Cui Dali’s palm, precisely where his true qi was slightly disturbed by that blink.
If the brush tip, charged with true qi and sharp as a sword, struck home, that palm would be useless even if not completely ruined. Cui Dali quickly withdrew his right palm, circulated his true qi to his left palm, and grabbed outward. However, Li Keji had already advanced to his front before the true qi could reach his entire palm, the brush tip striking the joint of his little finger on the back of his hand.
Joints are the most flexible and resilient parts, but also the most fragile and vulnerable. Ten fingers connect to the heart—Cui Dali cried out in pain and brought both hands together to encircle Li Keji, attempting to crush him by force. Once caught in that grip, his bones would surely shatter. Meng Jianqing couldn’t help but step forward, but Shen Guangli raised his palm to stop him.
Li Keji’s body slipped like a swimming fish, escaping from Cui Dali’s grasp. Sliding along the ground for several feet, he swept his feet upward, kicking Cui Dali’s left and right kneecaps. Shen Guangli raised his eyebrows slightly. Meng Jianqing understood, leaning down to whisper: “His movement technique resembles the ‘Swimming Fish on the Seabed’ style from Dragon King Island in the East Sea. This double-foot flying kick seems to be the ‘Flying Swallow Pair’ technique from the Li Mountain Old Mother sect on Qiongzhou Island in the South Sea—kicks targeting vital points, never missing their mark.”
Shen Guangli grunted in acknowledgment, privately wondering if Meng Jianqing’s familiarity with various maritime martial arts schools came from his youth training at Tiantai Temple in eastern Zhejiang, which was near the sea.
Cui Dali, struck by this kick, was in unbearable pain and even more enraged. He charged forward with a great shout.
Li Keji leaped up, using his brush as a sword. His body advanced and retreated like lightning, swift as wind. In the blink of an eye, he had struck over ten joints throughout Cui Dali’s body.
When he finished his attack and stood several zhang away, poised for another strike, Cui Dali was trembling all over, unable to continue attacking. Not having received orders to retreat, he dared not withdraw, standing there in great embarrassment.
Shen Guangli sighed inwardly and said, “You may go.”
Cui Dali withdrew as if granted amnesty, but before leaving, he looked at Li Keji with awe. He had never suffered such a crushing defeat with virtually no ability to fight back, and thus developed a deep fear of the one who had defeated him.
Shen Guangli pondered for a moment and said: “What you normally practice seems to be swordsmanship, doesn’t it? The weapon rack also has several good swords—please feel free to choose. The second challenger is Overlord Spear Yi Zhengdong.”
He noticed that Li Keji seemed completely ignorant of these famous martial arts disciples. Had the person who taught him martial arts never intended for him to compete with these people, and thus rarely mentioned the people and affairs of the martial world?
Li Keji naturally knew that a single brush wouldn’t suffice against a long spear. After brief consideration, he selected an extremely thin-bladed sword from the weapon rack. This greatly surprised Shen Guangli, who had expected Li Keji to choose a heavy sword to counter the spear’s power.
Overlord Spear Yi Zhengdong was tall and mighty, his spear equally imposing. When he wielded it, it truly created an impenetrable barrier of wind and rain, full of heroic spirit.
Li Keji parried while retreating until his back was against the brick wall, finally stopping his retreat. The pursuing spear had already enveloped him in the web of light and shadow created by the spear tip. No matter which direction he tried to dodge, he couldn’t escape the threat of this light and shadow.
This time, Meng Jianqing patiently waited for Li Keji’s counterattack. Shen Guangli also watched with interest. By placing himself in such a desperate situation, what was Li Keji’s intention?
When Li Keji could retreat no further, he suddenly thrust his sword forward, striking precisely at the spear tip. The true force of the spear scattered in all directions from the sword point’s impact, causing Yi Zhengdong to involuntarily freeze for a moment. Li Keji seized this opportunity to close in. No matter how powerful a long spear might be, it could only attack at a distance, not up close. Caught off guard, Yi Zhengdong was struck by Li Keji’s sword at a vital joint in his wrist. Unable to maintain his grip, the spear clattered to the ground. He withdrew with a face full of shame.
Shen Guangli let out a soft sigh: “Jianqing, do you understand?”
Meng Jianqing pondered for a moment before saying, “Just now, Yi Zhengdong attacked with full force from the start. When he reached the wall, it was precisely when his true force reached its peak and began to decline. So when Master Li seized this opportunity to counterattack, he could succeed in one stroke.”
Shen Guangli sighed deeply: “Though the principle is simple, to accurately judge the opponent’s true qi circulation without the slightest error—otherwise it would be suicide—this is not something ordinary people would dare or could do. As for choosing a narrow sword over a broad one, it must be because the narrow sword’s point is better suited for striking joint vulnerabilities. Am I correct, Master Li?”
Li Keji waved his hand, hurling the sword back into the weapon rack, and said: “I chose this sword simply because I’m accustomed to using such swords in my regular practice.”
Shen Guangli smiled. The slender blade was better suited for executing graceful and flexible movements. Li Keji was ultimately a scholar practicing martial arts, unable to shed the scholarly habit of pursuing aesthetic beauty. Perhaps this was his greatest weakness?