Liu Ge cast a sidelong glance at Xiahou Zuo and said: “You’re already heading off to the northern frontier to be a common soldier yourself — what level do you think you could elevate him to? Things are still manageable while you’re here in Jizhou, but once you leave next year, whether he even survives is anyone’s guess.”

Liu Ge continued: “You know very well that even if your father returns and flies into a rage and punishes your older brother, he won’t kill him. At worst it’s a beating and a few days’ confinement, then it’s over. After you leave Jizhou next year, your older brother won’t be able to take revenge on you — but do you think he won’t be able to take revenge on someone like Li Chi?”

Xiahou Zuo said: “I’m planning to have him join the Azure Ranks formation.”

Liu Ge was taken aback: “What are you thinking!”

Xiahou Zuo said: “But he really is an exceptional talent.”

Liu Ge said: “The truth is, exceptional talents for us to choose from are as plentiful as hairs on an ox. Think about it — even if someone’s martial aptitude is somewhat below Li Chi’s, other aspects can more than compensate for it, and they’d bring us considerable benefit besides.”

He looked at Xiahou Zuo and spoke seriously: “Let me give you an example — don’t get angry with me… Among those who entered the academy at the same time as Li Chi, there’s a Zhang family boy named Zhang Xiaolin. I know of him because he’s a distant relation of mine.”

“His natural talent is indeed below Li Chi’s, but if we were to keep Zhang Xiaolin — as the eldest grandson of the Zhang family — his presence would bring us the full strength and backing of the entire Zhang family. What can Li Chi bring us?”

Xiahou Zuo fell silent.

He couldn’t argue against it. Facts were facts, and sophistry was useless.

Liu Ge said: “I know you’re fond of that boy. If he has any sense, he should choose to follow you to the northern frontier. If you’re still alive after five years, you could bring him into the border army — at least that’s some measure of protection.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “I’ll make my own plans.”

This response irritated Liu Ge considerably. He let out a snort and rose to leave: “With that stubborn streak of yours, you never listen to anyone.”

Xiahou Zuo smiled and said: “And you’re not exactly mild-tempered yourself — one wrong word and you just turn and walk away.”

Liu Ge was thoroughly aggravated, turned back and spat several times at him: “Ptui ptui ptui! Ptui right in your grandmother’s face!”

Then he strode out.

Xiahou Zuo laughed: “And he calls me childish…”

Lying on the stretcher, Xiahou Zuo’s mind could not rest for even a moment. He knew Liu Ge was right — for someone of Li Chi’s standing, advancing even one level would be extraordinarily difficult.

The people of note in Jizhou city were like those living in one small pond after another, each pond full of ornamental koi, long since accustomed to each other’s existence. If you suddenly threw a mudfish into any of those ponds, even if it survived in that pond, it would always seem so out of place.

“Koi… mudfish.”

Xiahou Zuo let out a long breath. He told himself inwardly that even if that foolish boy refused to follow him to the northern frontier next year, he would still make sure to properly arrange the boy’s future.

—

The academy.

After Headmaster Gao Shaowei and the other teachers left, only Li Diudiu and Yan Qingzhi remained in the room. The physician had already come to examine the injury — Yan Qingzhi had handled it extremely well — so after leaving some medicinal ointment, the physician departed as well.

“Why does Teacher know how to set bones?”

Li Diudiu asked out of curiosity.

Yan Qingzhi said: “When you spend a great deal of time alone, there’s a lot of time that feels idle. When you’re idle you start wanting to learn many things — it’s a way to pass the time.”

Li Diudiu nodded: “I understand.”

Yan Qingzhi glanced at him: “You’ve always had your master with you. Though life was hard and poor, you were never lonely — you never had that kind of idleness and had no need to pass the time. So how would you understand.”

Li Diudiu said: “My master — when he spent too much time alone, I was what he used to pass the time.”

Yan Qingzhi: “…”

At this, he suddenly realized something, and asked with great curiosity: “Everything you’ve learned — your master taught you all of it?”

Li Diudiu nodded: “That’s right.”

Yan Qingzhi asked again: “How skilled is your master in martial arts?”

Li Diudiu said: “He’s… not very capable, honestly. Just a rudimentary level of skill — adequate enough to deal with an ordinary petty thief.”

Yan Qingzhi grew even more curious.

He asked: “Then your martial abilities…”

Li Diudiu said: “My master taught me — but most of it wasn’t through direct personal instruction. Over the years he took me wandering through the seven counties of Jizhou and Youzhou, making many acquaintances. Whenever he met someone who knew martial arts, he’d have them guide me through a few moves.”

Yan Qingzhi nodded: “I see. So your learning is rather eclectic, but precisely because of that eclecticism, you’ve forged your own understanding of what works and what doesn’t — you’re not bound by fixed forms and techniques.”

Li Diudiu said: “Mainly because the people teaching me were always going through the motions…”

Yan Qingzhi smiled: “Do you think even if those people had taught you seriously they could have produced anything remarkable? Most so-called martial arts instructors in this world are frauds padding their ranks — they themselves only know the most rudimentary level of technique.”

He looked at Li Diudiu and said: “I’ve observed you teaching Gao Xining martial arts. Every technique of yours is practical — not a single one is mere showy performance. Some of your moves don’t just lack elegance, they’re actually quite ungainly to look at, yet they invariably subdue an opponent.”

Li Diudiu’s eyes lit up: “Does that mean I could open my own school and take on students?”

Yan Qingzhi gave him a sharp look: “Are you really that desperate for money?”

Li Diudiu nodded: “I am, though not as desperately as before. I have enough for a house now. I’ll have the silver delivered to my master and let him choose one himself.”

Yan Qingzhi didn’t ask Li Diudiu where he’d gotten the silver — he simply felt certain this child would never do anything wicked or harmful.

“Rest now. Don’t move your right arm too much. It won’t heal completely without three months of recuperation.”

After saying this, Yan Qingzhi rose and walked to the doorway. There he couldn’t help turning back to look at Li Diudiu, as if to say something. Li Diudiu shook his head: “Teacher doesn’t need to advise me to keep my distance from Xiahou Zuo.”

“That’s not it.”

Yan Qingzhi said: “Keep your distance from Gao Xining.”

Li Diudiu was momentarily stunned.

Yan Qingzhi was silent for a moment, then said: “You know why.”

Li Diudiu nodded: “I know.”

—

At that same moment, in a residence within Jizhou city.

The gatekeeper Liu Geng, who had just returned home from the academy, rushed into the house in a panic, already shouting before he was even through the door: “Pack up everything in the house — we leave Jizhou first thing tomorrow morning.”

The door creaked open, and from inside walked out a young man dressed in a blue robe. The moment Liu Geng saw this person, his whole body went rigid, and the color drained instantly from his face.

“My family… my family has no part in this.”

Liu Geng said: “I beg for your mercy.”

The man in blue, Ye Zhangzhu, nodded calmly and said: “Your wife has already gone to sleep. I added something to her drinking water just now — she’ll sleep until dawn tomorrow.”

Liu Geng gave a bitter smile: “Thank you.”

The man in blue said: “Before I came, I had already investigated. If you had been acting under coercion, I would have punished you lightly and released you today — after all, the Azure Ranks formation does not kill the innocent indiscriminately. But you weren’t coerced. You did it purely for the money.”

Liu Geng opened his mouth, but nothing he could say would do any good.

Yesterday, Sun Biehe had tracked him down and given him five hundred taels of silver. For someone like him, five hundred taels was an unimaginable windfall dropped from the heavens. As a gatekeeper at the academy, he couldn’t save even two taels in a year — five hundred taels was money he couldn’t earn in two hundred years. How could he not be tempted?

Moreover, Sun Biehe had explained everything clearly: all he had to do was tell a simple lie. No need to take any direct action or get involved.

And Sun Biehe had also promised him that both Xiahou Zuo and Li Chi would die — once they were dead, naturally no one would come looking to retaliate against him.

Ye Zhangzhu said: “Do you practice martial arts?”

Liu Geng nodded: “I trained for a few years.”

Ye Zhangzhu gave a neutral sound of acknowledgment: “Then make your move.”

Liu Geng drew a deep breath, then rushed forward, throwing a punch at Ye Zhangzhu’s throat. Ye Zhangzhu remained rooted in place, shifting his upper body slightly to one side — the fist sailed past and missed.

Ye Zhangzhu’s right hand closed around Liu Geng’s throat. His five fingers clenched and twisted. A sharp crack came from within the neck, and Liu Geng’s head drooped.

Ye Zhangzhu hoisted the corpse onto his shoulder, glanced back at the lamp still burning inside the room, and murmured to himself:

“Why cultivate a heart that harms others? In the end, you only harm yourself.”

With that, he vaulted over the courtyard wall.

—

Half an hour later, in a Jizhou city inn, the academy teacher Liu Keda gulped down half a pot of cold boiled water. Once he finished, he felt marginally better. He looked over at Yang Fengshan sitting beside him — the latter’s expression was deeply troubled.

“Don’t be too afraid.”

Liu Keda said: “First thing tomorrow we leave by the north gate. Once we’re out, there’ll be people to meet us. When we get there, think of it as a period of rest and recuperation. After all, the only reason you and I joined the academy was to kill Xiahou Zuo…”

Yang Fengshan shook his head and sighed: “Truthfully, I rather liked it at the academy. No killing, no fighting, quiet and peaceful…”

He looked at Liu Keda: “Didn’t you find the days at the academy comfortable?”

Liu Keda said: “I know very well those comfortable days were given to us by His Young Highness, and he can take them back whenever he pleases. Did we have a choice?”

Yang Fengshan let out a heavy breath: “The vast majority of people live without choices. We’re still better off than most — we hide when we have to hide.”

Just then, a soft knock came at the door. After the knock, a voice asked quietly:

“Are the two gentlemen in? It’s late to be calling — I offer shoulder rubs and back massages. Any interest?”

—

The next morning.

Yang Zhuo, the young heir of Prince Yu, washed and groomed himself, then sat down at the dining table. His expression was grim. Last night, the military governor’s people had intervened directly — that was something he hadn’t anticipated. He had never imagined that Xiahou Zuo was so deeply connected with the military governor’s people. He had always assumed Xiahou Zuo had only joined the Azure Ranks formation for the amusement of it.

“Young Highness.”

A servant outside bowed and said: “A chest has been delivered for Young Highness — someone says it’s a gift. When I asked who sent it, the messenger only said Young Highness would understand upon seeing it.”

Yang Zhuo waved his hand dismissively: “Bring it in and put it in the courtyard. I’ll have a look in a moment.”

The servant hurried off, and shortly afterward returned with a large chest, which they set in the courtyard. Yang Zhuo finished eating something, then stepped outside and had the chest opened. He leaned in to look — then let out a sharp cry, stumbling backward several steps, and sat down hard on the stone steps.

The chest was full of severed heads. On top were those of Liu Keda and Yang Fengshan.

“Take it away!”

Yang Zhuo waved his arms frantically: “Take it away now!”

The servants were equally horrified, hurriedly re-sealing the chest and rushing to carry it outside. But every pair of legs was shaking with fright. One servant stumbled and fell, and the large chest tumbled down with him.

With a thunderous crash, the chest’s lid burst open, and severed heads rolled across the courtyard.

Several of them came to rest facing Yang Zhuo, their eyes wide open — as if staring at him in death without being able to close them. Yang Zhuo let out another sharp cry, and his vision went black. He fainted.

—