"Thud."
Yang Ge jumped into the Lu Ting relay station and observed cautiously in a low voice for a moment.
After confirming that he hadn’t been spotted by the night-patrolling imperial troops, he bent down his body, like a giant black rat, and stealthily moved toward the courtyard inhabited by that dead eunuch.
The weather was good tonight.
There were clouds, wind, and moonlight.
It was conducive to hiding his form, yet not so dark that he couldn’t see the path clearly.
The town was quiet without the clamorous sounds of Jianghu knights calling friends and clinking cups.
Every rustle of wind and movement of grass around him could be clearly heard by Yang Ge.
This was his only chance.
Tonight, most of the town’s officials, including the eight hundred imperial troops serving as the imperial envoy’s honor guard, were scattered at each city gate and major market entrances to guard against the hot-blooded, potentially disorderly assembly of Jianghu knights gathered for the great meeting...
If he couldn’t get things done this time, once those troops started pulling back, there would be no hope left.
While advancing in the dark, a piece of tile suddenly fell, landing right in front of Yang Ge.
He looked up sharply, immediately jumping back as the Floating Shadow Knife at his waist swiftly came out of its sheath, executing a "Wild Battle All Directions" maneuver that was both offensive and defensive, entangling and overwhelming.
"Ding."
He only heard a pleasant light clang when Yang Ge felt a surge of sharp force attacking him.
He quickly turned his head only to feel a nice-sounding breeze grazing past his ear and with a "crack," it struck the surrounding wall, sending stone chips and dust flying.
If he had not dodged swiftly, at the very least, his face would have been mutilated...
Before Yang Ge even had a chance to speak, a nonchalant male voice from the opposite side yelled, "Scram, dare to come again and you are dead!"
"Ouch, damn it!"
Yang Ge was angered. He had held back in fear of seriously injuring you with his strength, and you dare to provoke further?
"Bang."
Yang Ge stomped, shattering a stone brick, propelling his body forward, the Floating Shadow Knife flashed to his side.
"Boom."
A yard-long Sword Qi tore through the narrow pathway lined with blue stone slabs, carving out a palm-wide cut.
In the midst of the flying dust, a slim figure leaned against the wall, narrowly dodging the Slash Qi.
The adversary also grew furious, shouting angrily, "Good dog, face my sword!"
As his words fell, the sword tip flicked like a venomous snake, targeting Yang Ge’s carotid artery.
Yang Ge swung his knife upward, parrying the long sword with his Floating Shadow Knife. Without waiting to retract his knife for another move, he freed his left hand and struck out with a Floating Snow Palm.
Robust Inner Strength surged out, transforming into a tsunami, thunderously pushing towards the man in the air.
The path was narrow, escape was impossible!
"Sun Eclipsing Sword!"
The man bellowed fiercely. Sword Qi surged within his long sword, a stroke tearing through the palm force, aimed directly at Yang Ge behind the force.
Yang Ge pressed down his Floating Shadow Knife, blocking the long sword effortlessly, and used the "Polaris Kick" technique, aiming a kick at the swordsman.
Unexpectedly, the swordsman had the same idea and kicked towards Yang Ge’s chest.
"Bang."
Both legs smashed heavily against each other.
Yang Ge was forced back several steps.
The swordsman also used the force to fly back more than ten feet, landing smoothly.
"You dog, not bad martial arts skills!"
He stated, his voice devoid of earlier casualness, now carrying a hint of appreciation.
"This is not bad?"
Yang Ge didn’t notice anything amiss, sneering as he slowly raised his Floating Shadow Knife, "The real show is yet to come... take my strike, ’Frost Scattering’!"
As he spoke, he suddenly swung his knife downward. What was clearly a single stroke split into numerous shining Knife Qi, heavily slashing towards the man in succession.
Seeing this, the man’s long sword danced rapidly in his hands. "Sun Eclipsing Sword Skill!"
With his shout, countless bright Sword Qi spiraled and stirred heavily, like a grinding wheel, protecting his vital areas.
"Bang bang bang bang."
The successive layers of shining Knife Qi fiercely struck the heavy layers of Sword Qi, wave after wave of formidable residual force spreading out, collapsing courtyard walls and toppling houses.
Stone chips and tiles flew through the air!
Amidst the flickering knife and sword lights, at last, the two saw each other’s faces clearly.
The scene was like looking into a mirror.
Both dressed in night raid clothes, covering half their faces with masks.
Only, one wielded a knife, and the other a sword.
Yang Ge: "Damn, it’s like torrents washing over the Dragon King Temple!"
The man: "Damn, not recognizing one’s own people now!"
Yang Ge: "Are you here to kill that dead eunuch?"
The man: "Are you also here to kill that eunuch imperial envoy?"
Yang Ge: "No!"
The man: "Yes!"
Yang Ge: "Damn, that dead eunuch can’t be killed!"
The person: "Damn, if not you, who else would be causing such chaos?"
Yang Ge: "What do you mean ’causing chaos’?"
The person: "Why can’t I kill?"
Yang Ge: "Killing would cause a lot of trouble, the entire Luting County might end up facing a huge disaster!"
The person: "If it weren’t for your meddling, I would have already taken out that damned eunuch!"
Yang Ge: "Can I speak first?"
The other: "Can I speak first?"
Both fell silent and clenched their mouths.
Just then, a stifled laugh rang out with a "pchit" from the half-collapsed beam above them: "Why don’t you two become sworn brothers?"
Both turned towards the direction of the voice and exclaimed in unison, "Who’s there!"
A shadow descended from above, landing in the center of the ruined building, lighting a torch... It was a young man wearing a black hat, embroidered with flowers, and boots with layered soles.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
If Yang Ge remembered correctly, this attire should belong to a eunuch.
Yet, this man had a distinct masculine aura... and he even had stubble.
It wasn’t the type of beard that sticks to one’s lips, but the kind that grows two or three days after shaving a full beard!
A eunuch with a beard?
The three stood in a triangle. The bearded eunuch, holding the torch aloft, first looked at the man with the sword: "Was that the Sun Eclipsing Sword Skill you used just now? Are you from the Ming Sect?"
The man, proudly holding his sword in both hands, performed a swordsman’s salute: "I do not change my name or my surname while standing or sitting, I am Yang Tiansheng, a nomadic warrior of the Ming Sect!"
"Yang Tiansheng?"
The bearded eunuch thought for a moment, then asked, "Yang Yinghao, the ’Golden Winged Great Peng,’ is he related to you?"
Yang Tiansheng puffed out his chest: "He is indeed my father!"
The bearded eunuch nodded sincerely, admiringly said, "Indeed, a chip off the old block!"
Yang Tiansheng scoffed coldly.
The bearded eunuch then turned to Yang Ge: "The skill you used just now... was it from the outer regions?"
Yang Ge did not answer but silently slid his nine-barreled mask to the front of his face.
When one is away from home, one faces are self-made...
As expected, when the bearded eunuch and Yang Tiansheng saw his nine-barreled mask, they exclaimed in unison, "Are you ’Timely Rain’ Zhang Mazi?"
Zhang Mazi had a few veins popping on his forehead, silently saluting with his sword, muttering under his breath, ’No wonder that damned eunuch dared to send out all the imperial guards, he had such a trick up his sleeve!’
They were barely a few meters apart.
Yet, Zhang could not feel the bearded eunuch’s energy flowing at all.
The bearded eunuch looked at Yang Ge, about to speak, when suddenly Yang Tiansheng interjected, "Hey, Zhang Mazi, you just said that imperial envoy eunuch could not be killed, what did you mean by that?"
Yang Ge gestured to the bearded eunuch with a tilt of his chin, "The real person is here, why seek answers far away?"
Hearing this, the bearded eunuch ceremoniously saluted westward, "Eunuch Wang is an imperial envoy who tours on behalf of the emperor, symbolizing the emperor’s eyes and sword, as well as his dignity. Should any mishap befall him, the entirety of Luting would have to serve as his funeral offerings!"
Yang Ge remained silent.
Overthere, Yang Tiansheng contemptuously sneered, "Trying to scare me? When Emperor Jianning sent an imperial envoy to investigate the Jiangnan Textile Bureau and he died in Yangzhou, I didn’t see Emperor Jianning flatten Yangzhou!"
The bearded eunuch smiled looking at Yang Tiansheng as if he were indulging a fool.
Unable to watch anymore, Yang Ge explained, "You mentioned Yangzhou, didn’t you? How big is Yangzhou? How big is Lu Ting? How many people are in Yangzhou? How many people are in Lu Ting?"
This was his concern.
The case under Jianning could serve as a reference.
But it should not be taken as the truth!
Using Emperor Jianning’s approach to handling the death of an imperial envoy as a basis to speculate how Emperor Xiping would handle it is risky...
This was a gamble Yang Ge did not dare and could not afford to take!
The bearded eunuch then sincerely raised a thumb to Yang Ge: "Indeed, a rare wise man. No wonder you could stir such a storm in court with just your own power. May I ask what brought you here tonight?"
Yang Ge lightly tapped the ground with his Floating Shadow blade, frankly said, "I’m here to start a fire!"
The bearded eunuch: "Burn what? Burn whom?"
Yang Ge: "Burn the files on the grain racketeering case of the Three Major Granaries! Burn the three great families and everyone behind them!"
As soon as he had finished speaking,
Yang Tiansheng rushed to reply, "Are you out of your mind? If you burn all the evidence, what case can the court handle?"
His attitude was indeed unpleasant...
But considering his presence that night, Yang Ge patiently responded, "Brother Yang, you might want to think this through more carefully!"
The bearded eunuch chewed over this for a while before exclaiming in admiration to Yang Ge: "Mr., you are incredibly capable for someone so young, with such seasoned tactics, you are destined for greatness given time!"
"Even if I am not destined for greatness, it doesn’t matter,"
Yang Ge plainly replied: "The court has its perks, and the streets have their charms. Being able to live life according to one’s wishes is truly the greatest success."
Rejecting the CPU.
Rejecting pie in the sky promises.
He lifted his Floating Shadow blade: "So, do you intend to stop me tonight?"
Finally understanding the situation, Yang Tiansheng hurriedly moved until he was three feet next to Yang Ge, both facing the unfathomable bearded eunuch.
"If it were any other place, I’d very much like to make Mr. Zhang’s acquaintance!"
The bearded eunuch sighed as he slowly rolled up his sleeve: "But tonight, I am duty-bound, and I must ask you two heroes to spar with me for a few moves..."
Yang Ge nodded: "Fair enough!"