Wei Zhao froze as Jiang Ci hiccupped from the alcohol. Wei Zhao’s face twisted with disgust as he patted her cheek. “Wake up! I’ve barely managed to lure away Pei Yan and his secret guards. We don’t have much time to talk!”
In her drunken haze, Jiang Ci thought Pei Yan was bullying her again. She angrily swatted his hand away and shouted, “I told you to stop bullying me! I’d rather die than put up with this. Let’s just end things here!”
Wei Zhao’s anger grew as he slowly raised his hand. But Jiang Ci collapsed onto his chest, mumbling, “I admit I’m gluttonous, lazy, and playful. I’m not very talented either. But you don’t have to look down on me and bully me like this.”
She clutched his clothes tightly and murmured, “I may love food, but I never eat for free. When Aunt Deng and the others give me treats, I always do something for them in return. Even when I stayed at your manor for so long, didn’t you eat the food I cooked?”
“I may be lazy, but I still do what needs to be done. After Aunt Rou passed away, Senior Sister was unhappy for half a year. I sang to her, told her jokes, and insisted on sleeping with her at night, only going to sleep after she did.”
“You say I’m stupid and playful, with no talents. But what use would a country girl like me have for great talents? I don’t want to kill anyone or seek fame and fortune. I just want to go home, raise some rabbits, and feed my little mountain goats every day. Is that wrong? What right do you have to look down on me and bully me?!”
Wei Zhao’s hand slowly lowered as he looked down at Jiang Ci with furrowed brows. He patted her cheek again, “We don’t have much time. Wake up!”
Suddenly, Jiang Ci began to sob, “Some noble lord you are, only knowing how to bully a little girl like me. I think you’re even worse than that shameless cat Xiao Wuxi!”
Wei Zhao was stunned for a moment before a smile crept onto his lips. He leaned close to Jiang Ci’s ear and whispered, “Is that so? Then tell me, why am I worse than that shameless cat Xiao Wuxi?”
Jiang Ci waved her hand dismissively. “In terms of looks, you’re not as good as him. As for character, neither of you are good person, so there’s no need to compare. But there’s one thing he’s much better at than you!”
“Oh? Do tell me, what is it?”
“He lives more honestly! He’s bad and doesn’t try to hide it. Unlike you, putting on airs in front of those young ladies, but getting handsy with a little girl like me. What kind of real man are you?!” Jiang Ci grew more agitated as she spoke, her voice rising, “My martial arts may not be as good as yours, but that doesn’t mean you can bully me. If you dare bully me again, I’ll—”
Wei Zhao leaned in closer, drawling, “You’ll what? Let’s hear it.”
Jiang Ci suddenly turned her head and bit Wei Zhao’s arm with all her might. Wei Zhao quickly dodged, letting out an angry grunt. He grabbed Jiang Ci’s hair and slammed her head against the tree trunk.
Jiang Ci, already drunk and feeling uncomfortable, immediately felt nauseous from the impact. All the “beggar’s chicken” she had eaten earlier came rushing up, and she vomited all over Wei Zhao.
Wei Zhao was furious and about to push Jiang Ci off the tree branch. He had just placed his hand on her shoulder when he slowly withdrew it. Holding his breath, he removed his foul-smelling outer robe, sealed Jiang Ci’s acupoints, and left her on the branch before jumping down from the tree.
Jiang Ci felt dizzy and confused. In her haze, she heard someone return to her side. A surge of Yuan Power entered her from behind, causing her to vomit again until her stomach was empty and she was completely drained of energy.
She raised her head groggily. A crescent moon hung in the sky, and she slowly made out the person in front of her. She smiled, “Are you here to bully me too?”
Wei Zhao coldly replied, “You little brat, I have no interest in bullying you!” He raised the water skin in his hand and splashed water on Jiang Ci’s face, drenching her completely. The cold water was shocking, and having emptied her stomach of alcohol, she gradually sobered up. Leaning against the tree trunk, she said softly after a while, “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
Wei Zhao put down the water skin, his icy gaze like two cold blades. “Tell me, do you know who I am?”
Jiang Ci shivered and whispered, “Star Moon Sect Leader, Xiao Wuxi, Commander of the Illumination Bureau, Wei Zhao.”
“Do you remember what I told you last time about identifying the Star Moon Sect Leader?”
“Yes, Yao Dingbang.”
Jiang Ci looked up. “Is he about to appear?”
Wei Zhao nodded slightly. “Listen carefully. He will appear during the Martial Arts Alliance meeting to elect the new leader. He’s handsome, about my height, with a small birthmark on his forehead shaped like a plum blossom. It’s very noticeable, you’ll recognize him immediately. After he speaks a few words, pretend to be shocked and quietly tell Pei Yan that he’s the man you saw in the tree that day.”
Jiang Ci shifted her position. “It seems you’ve already set the stage, making Pei Yan suspect him.”
Wei Zhao’s phoenix eyes curved slightly upward. “Of course, I’ve set the stage. But I must thank you for your misplaced kindness in playing the good person.”
Jiang Ci was startled, feeling as if some truth was just within reach, yet still obscured by a layer of mist. Seeing her confused expression, Wei Zhao smiled somewhat smugly. “I might as well tell you. Those two assassins on the day of the ‘Acrobatics Festival’ were hired by me. Of course, I didn’t intend to take your life. I just had them pretend to assassinate you and deliberately leave clues behind.”
Jiang Ci gradually understood. “Those clues must have pointed to that Yao Dingbang.” Remembering the danger of that day, she unconsciously rubbed her arm.
“You’re not so stupid after all,” Wei Zhao chuckled. “I hadn’t planned for you to get hurt. It was Pei Yan who was ruthless, deliberately letting you get injured.”
Jiang Ci’s face gradually turned pale. She bit her lip, staring at Wei Zhao. He sneered, “You’re naive. If Pei Yan had truly noticed something was wrong and wanted to protect you, with his skills, how could he have let someone hurt you? He deliberately let you get injured so you would stick to him wholeheartedly and not dare to think of escaping again.”
Jiang Ci stared blankly at Changfeng Manor below, at the sea of lanterns in the garden. After a long while, she smiled faintly.
Wei Zhao said coldly, “Remember, without the antidote, within half a year, you’ll be hunched over, your skin like a chicken’s, old and decrepit, waiting for death in long-suffering pain. Don’t ruin my grand plan. And don’t drink and talk nonsense for the next two days, got it?!” He scrutinized her for a moment, then shook his head and clicked his tongue. “How could Young Lord be interested in getting handsy with a little girl like you? That’s quite intriguing!”
As Jiang Ci was about to speak, he suddenly grabbed her and jumped down from the tree. The wind whistled past her ears, and before long, they were back at the north wall.
Wei Zhao listened for any movement around them, then smiled slightly. “Young Lord, oh Young Lord, let’s see who has the last laugh in this game of chess!” With that, he used his right hand to toss Jiang Ci over the wall. She quickly gathered her Yuan Power, twisted her body in mid-air, and landed lightly in the courtyard.
Although she was gradually sobering up, she still felt a bit dizzy. She slowly walked to the tree in the courtyard and sat down in a daze. She didn’t know how long she had been sitting there when she heard footsteps approaching. Pei Yan entered the courtyard.
Pei Yan walked up to Jiang Ci with his hands behind his back. He glanced at the wine pot in the brazier, smelled the alcohol on Jiang Ci, and frowned. “You may not have any other talents, but your drinking skills are quite impressive!”
Jiang Ci suddenly stood up, her gaze as cold as snow, staring directly at Pei Yan. “My Lord, I hope you keep your word. After I identify the person for you, you’ll give me the antidote and let me go. From then on, we’ll never meet again, whether in officialdom or the martial arts world!” With that, she turned and walked into the room.
Pei Yan’s expression remained calm as he watched Jiang Ci’s figure disappear behind the door. A cold smile gradually appeared on his lips, and the fingers of his hands behind his back slowly cracked.
The tenth day of the eleventh month was an auspicious day according to the calendar, suitable for all affairs.
The weather was gloomy that day. A high platform had been set up in front of Changfeng Manor, with seats arranged all around. Martial artists from various sects filled the manor inside and out, and everyone was excited to witness this grand event that was rare in both the martial arts world and the entire Hua Dynasty for over a hundred years.
Jiang Ci woke up early, changed into her servant’s attire, drew her eyebrows thicker, and smeared a light layer of ash on her face. She followed closely behind Pei Yan, mingling among the guests. The bustling scene reminded her of the Martial Arts Assembly three months ago, but the excitement and curiosity she had felt then were now completely gone.
She carefully observed every martial artist but saw no one with a plum blossom mark on their forehead. She figured Wei Zhao would find a way to make that person appear at the right time, so she calmed her mind and followed Pei Yan onto the high platform, standing behind him.
The clouds in the sky were thick and hung very low, a mix of blue and white, with the appearance of an impending mountain rain. However, as Changfeng Manor faced south with its back to the north, the north wind was not yet strong.
At the end of the Chen hour (7-9 AM), the sound of gongs rang out “clang, clang,” and the nearly thousand people on and below the high platform fell silent.
Master Huilu of the Shaolin Temple walked steadily to the front of the platform and said in a deep voice, “Today, various sects of our martial arts world have gathered at Changfeng Manor, thanks to the generous hospitality of Manor Lord Pei. With all our fellow martial artists present, this is truly a grand event for the martial arts world. I hope that everyone will compete fairly with kindness and goodwill, following the rules of the competition, to successfully elect the next leader of the Martial Arts Alliance.”
As soon as he finished speaking, several bold characters from below the platform shouted, “Master, please announce the specific rules quickly!”
A monk brought forward a tray of bamboo slips. Huilu said, “According to the rules decided last time, each major sect will nominate one candidate. Through three rounds of competition in morality, wisdom, and martial arts, the final victor will become the next leader of the Martial Arts Alliance. Now, the candidates have been determined, totaling sixteen people. These sixteen will go through two rounds of competition in morality and wisdom, after which eight renowned martial artists will evaluate them. The last four candidates will be eliminated in each round. The remaining eight will be divided into two groups and draw lots for the martial arts competition. The winners will then draw lots for the next round of competition, and the final victor will become the next leader of the Martial Arts Alliance.”
A buzz of discussion arose from below the platform as the sixteen candidates filed onto the stage, standing behind Huilu.
The crowd looked at them one by one. Among the sixteen were sect leaders or chief disciples, as well as disciples who held high military positions such as generals or deputy generals. Shaolin had sent their lay disciple Song Hongqiu, who held the position of general in the military. At the end of the line, a woman stood holding a sword, slightly apart from the others. She had an elegant demeanor and a delicate charm—it was Jian Ying, known as the “Cold Sword of Green Mountain” and the number one beauty in the martial arts world.
Just as Huilu was about to announce the names of the candidates, a voice rang out, “Wait! I have an objection!”
Everyone turned to look. A middle-aged scholar emerged from the crowd and approached the front of the platform, bowing to Huilu. “Master Huilu!”
Huilu recognized this man as Yuan Fang, known as the “Iron Fan of Hexi.” He had an excellent reputation in the Hexi region and was a renowned figure in the martial arts world, with close ties to the Gao clan. He couldn’t be offended easily. Huilu quickly returned the greeting with folded hands. “What objection does Brother Yuan have? Please speak freely.”
Yuan Fang smiled slightly. “May I ask Master and all the sect leaders, what role has the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance played over the past hundred years, and what mission do they bear?”
Huilu’s expression remained unchanged as he replied, “For over a hundred years, the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance has led the heroes, mediated disputes between various sects, balanced sword, and pen, maintained equilibrium between the court and the common people, and sought the greatest benefits for our martial arts community.”
Yuan Fang nodded. “Then I dare ask Master, over the past hundred years in our dynasty, hasn’t it been necessary for the successive leaders of the Martial Arts Alliance to coordinate the relationships between disciples serving in the military and at court from various sects, and to assist the imperial court in quelling wars and defending the borders?”
Huilu slowly said, “Indeed.” Inwardly, he was alarmed but also somewhat amused. Among the thousand people on and below the platform, probably no one was unaware that this was just the superficial glory of the Martial Arts Alliance leader. If one were to speak of the true tasks and benefits of this position, everyone knew in their hearts, but no one would dare to openly expose it.
Since ancient times, it has been said that the poor study literature while the rich practice martial arts. The Hua Dynasty was established through martial prowess, and for over a hundred years, most military generals came from various martial arts sects. The influence of the martial arts world was deeply rooted in both the court and the military, allowing various martial arts sects to wield great power in different regions. Sometimes, even prefectural officials had to show deference to local sect leaders. Take the Shaolin Temple as an example: their lands and forests were countless, and their lay disciples were spread throughout the world. Ordinary officials wouldn’t dare to easily offend any monk carrying a Shaolin certificate when they came down the mountain for alms or business.
Since the founding of the dynasty, the Pei clan has always held the position of Alliance leader as a neutral party, balancing the relationships between the court and the common people. Pei Yan’s resignation was like placing a huge temptation in front of everyone. Whoever could be elected as the new leader would be able to legitimately command various sects and maximize benefits for their sect. As for defending the borders and quelling wars, that was the fastest way to amass wealth, but no one would openly discuss how to do so. That’s why Shaolin had sent their lay disciple, the Western Army’s General Song Hongqiu, to compete for the position of Martial Arts Alliance leader.
Yuan Fang sneered and raised his iron fan, pointing at the candidates on the platform. “Now among the candidates on the stage, there are monks and nuns, Taoists and ladies, and even young women. May I ask Master, if these people were to be elected as the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance, how could they properly coordinate with high-ranking military generals and court officials? How could they personally go to the battlefield, shed blood in the desert, and defend our borders?!”
Before Huilu could respond, a clear and angry female voice rang out from below the platform. “Brother Yuan is being too disrespectful, daring to look down on us women like this!” Everyone turned to see a woman in green robes stepping forward, her spirit bold and angry as she glared at Yuan Fang. Most people recognized her as He Qingling, a disciple of Green Mountain and the young lady of Xuanyuan Prefecture in Hongzhou. And a disciple of the Qingshan Sect.