The veiled girl ignored the richly dressed boy approaching her and looked past him to the tall old man following closely behind. With a discontented expression, she said, "You attempted to kill without provocation. Even if you had your reasons, I think it was wrong."
The boy stopped a few paces away from the cold girl, his eyes sincere. "My name is Gao Zhen, from the Gaoshi clan in Yiyang County, Daxui. If Grandpa Wu has offended you, I am willing to apologize and compensate you."
The tall old man stood behind the boy, his emotions complicated. The so-called Gao clan of Yiyang County was merely a modest expression. For over a thousand years, all emperors who sat on the Dragon Throne of Daxui bore the surname Gao. Emperor Taizu himself had risen from Yiyang County.
The girl remained unmoved, tightening the bandages on her hands, and addressed the old man. "Outside this town, facing a grandmaster of the martial arts, I wouldn't stand a chance. But here and now, if I use my flying sword, you will surely die."
The old man sneered, "If that assassin knew your trump card in advance, with his peak small grandmaster physique, how would ten swords piercing him matter? He could still protect his vital points. What's more, I am two realms above him, including one that is considered a martial barrier. Little girl, I don't know where your confidence comes from to say 'surely die.'"
The girl frowned, her hand resting on her saber. "I dislike trouble and hate arguing. Why don't we test it out? Whoever wins has the say."
The old man, rarely threatened, grew irritated. If not for the peculiar suppression of this place, even a highly talented young girl wouldn't stand a chance against him. With a heavy responsibility to protect the future prince of Daxui, he had to restrain himself. Otherwise, he would have taught the overconfident girl a harsh lesson, regardless of the cost.
Gao Zhen hurriedly tried to mediate. "If you must insist, I'm willing to offer this as compensation." He took out the jade seal from his pouch, held it out, and presented it to the girl. "I hope you can forgive Grandpa Wu's unintended offense. He acted out of loyalty."
The old eunuch immediately knelt, trembling. "Your Highness, this cannot be! I am but a lowly servant, and this jade seal is a rare treasure, capable of bearing the incense of the people. How can you compare the two? Your Highness, this will be the death of me!"
Gao Zhen's face stiffened.
The girl, now impatient, mocked, "Everyone loves to treasure their own trash. Put the seal away. I believe in the saying, 'A gentleman does not take away another's preference.'" She turned to leave.
Relieved, Gao Zhen said, "Get up, Grandpa Wu. Kneeling is unbecoming. In Daxui, we only kneel to the emperor. If the officials see this, we'll both be in trouble. This trip to the town has been fruitful. Let's not complicate matters further. Let's leave quickly and stay vigilant. The six pillars of Dali, especially the Yuan and Cao families, hold deep grudges against our Gao family. If you are harmed, I may not return safely to Daxui."
The old man nodded, slowly rising. "I understand the gravity of the situation."
As he said this, the veiled girl had already walked twenty paces away.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past Gao Zhen, making his hair and sleeves flutter. The old eunuch, determined to eliminate the threat, had already dashed forward. His first three steps heavily pounded the ground, and on the fourth, he leaped high, aiming a punch at the girl's back.
The girl twisted her waist, her left foot pivoting, and drew her saber. A blinding white light filled the alley. The old man's punch collided with the blade, causing only a small cut on his hand. He landed heavily, pushing the girl back, and then reached out to push her head. Just as he was about to exert force, a sword pierced through his right chest from behind.
Unfazed, the old man clamped the sword with his fingers and pushed it out of his chest. This delay allowed the girl to escape. She agilely disappeared down a side alley.
Gao Zhen, his face livid, clenched his fists. "Grandpa Wu! Why didn't you heed my hint? Did you think you were invincible here? She had already chosen to let it go, yet you had to act so ruthlessly!"
The old eunuch, seeing the girl escape, turned back, his posture imposing. Each step felt like a heavy stomp on the heart. The boy felt the oppressive force and, full of anger, shouted, "You deserve death for this!"
The old man calmly replied, "Your Highness, life and death must be decided by His Majesty. Your safety is paramount, and her existence was an immediate threat. Eliminating her was necessary for peace of mind."
Seeing the boy's fury, the old man sighed. "In my sixty years in the palace, I've seen countless schemes and bloodshed. I have no faith in human nature. I've dealt with over thirty assassination attempts. Your Highness, those assassins were unbelievably cunning. Take the masked assassin and the veiled girl just now…"
The boy interrupted, pointing at the old man. "Shut up! You've ruined my plan. Anyone could see that girl's exceptional talent. She could have been my most formidable shadow! Now what? I am Gao Zhen, the future prince of Daxui, and you've ruined it!"
Strangely, the old eunuch, despite being called names, seemed more pleased. After the boy finished, the old man said, "Your Highness, remember never to apologize to a servant. Keep your guilt inside. A king must embody the mandate of heaven."
Gao Zhen said, "Grandpa Wu, with my current status, it's too early for such lessons."
Suddenly, the old man tensed, pulling the boy behind him, and looked towards the assassin's corpse. A tall scholar had appeared at the alley's end, walking towards them. He examined the corpse, revealing a disfigured face with no eyebrows, a cut nose, and characters carved into the flesh.
The scholar murmured, realizing this was a long-planned scheme likely starting at the temple.
Gao Zhen, eyes alight, stepped out and bowed. "Are you the renowned scholar from Shan Cliff Academy, Mr. Qi?"
The scholar stood up and addressed Gao Zhen. "If you hadn't secured a major opportunity first, you wouldn't have left so easily today."
Outsiders fighting in the town faced strict rules set by the four saints. Gao Zhen had taken precautions, bringing a "bodyguard" to act as a scapegoat if needed. It had cost a fortune, but was necessary to avoid being a foolhardy victim.
Gao Zhen continued, "Mr. Qi, could you come to Daxui to teach? We'd make you our national teacher!"
The old eunuch allowed the boy's bold request, hoping it would please the emperor.
The scholar smiled but did not respond.
The old eunuch, who had been ruthless towards the veiled girl, was now deferential. "Mr. Qi, forgive the disturbance. My actions were out of necessity. I hope you understand."
Qi Jingchun waved his sleeve. "Leave quickly."
Gao Zhen and the old eunuch took their leave, following the girl's path. The boy asked, "Is she dead?"
The old man shook his head. "She won't live long. The flying sword only prolongs her agony."
Curious, the boy asked, "When did you realize she wasn't as adept at using the flying sword as she appeared?"
The old man replied, "Her premature display gave it away."
Puzzled, the boy followed the old man out of the alley.
The old man asked, "Would you still be interested in ordinary porcelain after seeing such treasures?"
The boy patted his pouch, smiling. "Of course not. Only treasures like this jade seal excite me."
The old man nodded. "Exactly. That girl, when using the sword, was as calm as eating or drinking. Realizing my true strength, she chose to avoid further conflict, pretending to be aggressive to give us both a way out. But she miscalculated. Her cunning at such a young age is remarkable. Yet, the greater the threat she poses, the more necessary it is to eliminate her."
He added, "Such composure in the face of death is rare. This kind of resilience, not just talent or aptitude, is forged through experience. Many geniuses die young due to their temperaments."
Gao Zhen sighed. "What a pity."
The old man joked, "If you pity every such person, you'll be very busy as an emperor."
The boy laughed. "I don't believe it."
The old man suddenly said, "I sensed something amiss with Mr. Qi. His immense power seems compromised."
The boy shrugged. "As long as we secured the jade seal, our mission is complete. The golden carp reminds me of that poor boy…"
The old man smiled. "Thinking of thanking him?"
The boy shook his head. "No, I just regret spending those copper coins."
The old man chuckled. Perhaps Daxui would have a frugal emperor?
---
In a quiet alley, the sound of cart wheels could be heard.
A young Taoist with a lotus crown was pushing a cart. He was muttering to himself about closing his shop early and getting out of town. "This place is a mess. Anyone who gets involved here is asking for trouble."
Suddenly, a slim figure in black stumbled out from a side alley, leaning against the wall. She was the veiled girl from earlier. With one hand over her mouth to stifle her breathing and the other pointing at the young Taoist, she struggled to keep herself upright.
The young Taoist quickly averted his gaze, muttering under his breath, "You can't see me... you can't see me... Taishang Laojun, quickly come to my aid... Never mind, Buddha, please save me..."
It was rather unusual for a Taoist to seek help from Buddhist deities in a moment of crisis, and evidently, it wasn't very effective. The veiled girl summoned the last of her strength and stumbled towards him, collapsing at his feet and clutching his ankle with a vice-like grip.
The young Taoist cradled his head in his hands, looking utterly defeated. "How did I get involved in this mess? I've wandered the world, enduring hardships, getting bitten by dogs... and now this! Damn those Daxui royals and that old eunuch! You wait and see, this isn't over! I'm too weak to handle this kind of trouble…"
He looked down at the unconscious girl, on the verge of tears. "Please, have mercy and let me go. I promise to find you a nice, scenic place with great feng shui to rest… Oh wait, you're still a maiden… uh..."
The girl had already lost consciousness.
Seeing no one around, the young Taoist squatted down and gently tried to pry open her fingers.
Whoosh!
A flying sword hovered menacingly, just three inches from his forehead.
The Taoist sighed, releasing her hand. "I'm not a heartless person. I've always been compassionate. Of course I'll help."
Sitting cross-legged beside her, the Taoist looked distressed. "Now, where to take you? That's the problem."
The sword inched closer.
Annoyed, the Taoist explained, "To save your master, I need a helper. Go to the old locust tree and fetch a leaf. I need to stabilize her vital energy. Your master is special; I don't want to accidentally hinder her future cultivation."
The flying sword trembled, seemingly in hesitation.
The Taoist snapped, "The sooner you get that leaf, the quicker your master can come back from the brink of death. Delay, and we're all doomed!"
In a flash, the sword disappeared.
The Taoist sighed, "Why did Qi Jingchun have to meddle? Now I'm stuck with this mess."
He pondered aloud, "Where to send you... Six hundred households in this town, all intertwined with this place's aura. Finding someone with no luck left is nearly impossible... like finding a beggar in a palace."
Suddenly, he had an idea.
But instead of feeling relieved, he felt a chill. Closing his eyes, he questioned himself.
After a moment, he sighed. "Fine, let's see if fate will guide us. I won't force anything. If it doesn't work out, I'll bear this karma myself."
He clasped his hands in a Buddhist gesture. "Buddha, please, save me from this disaster."
---
In the Mud Bottle Alley, the young Taoist pushed his cart to a stop outside a gate. He knocked and asked, "Is Chen Ping'an home?"
On the cart, nestled in a corner, lay a white-sheathed long sword. The flying sword inside seemed to tremble, as if disdainful of the Taoist's choice of such a poor household.
---
Inside a humble courtyard, Chen Ping'an was startled by the knock. Opening the door, he saw the young Taoist standing there with a cart.
The Taoist smiled warmly. "Are you Chen Ping'an?"
Chen Ping'an nodded cautiously. "Yes, that's me."
The Taoist gestured to the cart. "I found someone in dire need of help. Could you take her in?"
Chen Ping'an, seeing the unconscious girl, was taken aback. "But I... I don't know if I can help…"
The Taoist reassured him, "You can. She needs a safe place to recover, and you seem like a good person. Please, do this for her."
Chen Ping'an, feeling a sense of duty, agreed. "Alright, bring her in."
The Taoist, relieved, helped carry the girl into the courtyard. He looked around, nodding approvingly. "This place will do."
He turned to leave but paused. "Remember, this is a great responsibility. Take good care of her."
Chen Ping'an nodded earnestly. "I will."
As the Taoist walked away, he muttered under his breath, "Qi Jingchun, you owe me for this."
Inside the courtyard, Chen Ping'an looked at the unconscious girl, feeling a mix of worry and determination. He had no idea what fate had in store for them, but he knew he couldn't turn his back on someone in need.
Little did he know, this encounter would change his life forever.