Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the depth of an alley, the blue-robed martial practitioner looked at the white-robed youth with a sour face. Before them on the ground was the hoodlum who was following them. One of his hands held his neck while his eyes bulged with a sliver of fear. A blood gash was on the hoodlum’s neck and blood was spewing out. The blood puddle was growing larger and life was draining out of his eyes.
“Junior Martial Brother, you didn’t need to kill him…” the older man said with extreme unhappiness.
“Such a hoodlum definitely didn’t harbor good intentions in following us. Master taught us that we don’t offend those who don’t offend us. Now, this guy is offending us, so why wouldn’t we attack? Senior Martial Brother, you’re too careful. We came out not to be mistreated. We have cultivated martial arts, so there’s no reason for us to be careful towards these city rats!” the white-robed youth said.
The senior martial brother looked at the body on the ground and then at his younger brother. His face looked worse. He suppressed his anger, “Quite a lot of people already saw us at the restaurant. There must be more people behind this guy. We can’t stay in Pingxi City anymore. If we’re wanted by the bureaucracy then it’ll mean trouble — we must go immediately!”
The white-robed man smiled, “We’ll listen to Senior Martial Brother, but so what if we’re wanted? They don’t know our names. Such a wanted order will be forgotten in a few months…”
“I will report to Master everything that happened this time!” the blue-robed martial brother said seriously.
“I have no guilt. If you want to report, then report it, Brother!” the white-robed man said calmly.
The blue-robed man said no more and turned around, walking out of the alley through the other way. The white-robed man watched his senior’s back and his eyes flashed before leaving quickly too.
Just a few minutes later, two hoodlums came into the alley. When they saw the body on the ground, their faces changed at the same time. “Report to Boss He, those two killed Liu San…”
Ten more minutes later, this alley was filled with people. The law enforcers of Pingxi City were there too. More than ten hoodlums surrounded the alley, their faces were either sad or angry.
Their leader, Boss He, pulled an officer and bowed as he explained what happened with clenched teeth.
The constable had seen all too many of these crimes. He didn’t even raise his eyebrow at the body, but after hearing what the two said in the restaurant, the constable took things seriously. He raised a brow and rubbed his chin, “Wait, talk slowly. You said those two spoke arrogantly and said bad things about Young Master Yan?”
“Yes, not just me. Many other people heard it. I was furious about it so I let Liu San follow those two and see who they were and where they stayed. However, Liu San was attacked here. Those two carried long swords, and Liu San’s neck wound is also a sword wound. He must have been killed by those two. Please bring justice for us, constable, and capture those two…” Boss He said and squeezed out two tears.
The sleepish constable’s face immediately turned righteous. He said, “Don’t worry, those two dare to speak… kill in our Pingxi City, of course law enforcement has to intervene and stop them from committing crimes. Spread the word — the Law Enforcement Office is looking for those two. If people in the city know where the two are, we will grant a heavy reward…”
……
If this was about some ordinary person, the Law Enforcement Office would take many days to issue the wanted order. But since it involved Yan Liqiang, the future governor of the city, the city gates were hung with the two people’s images before nightfall. Almost all the local authority and underground forces started searching for those two. They went through restaurants, brothels, inns, and even the inns outside the city…
……
Meanwhile, Yan Liqiang was at the Prefectural Governor’s office drinking tea with Wang Jianbei and Liu Yuchen.
“Liqiang, you’re favored by the Emperor. He gave Pingxi Prefecture to you. This is enough to show his trust towards you. You’re not even twenty years old yet. A protectorate who isn’t even twenty yet, this is a first in the world!”
Yan Liqiang had a bitter smile and didn’t seem happy at all. “Stop laughing at me Lord Wang. I know my little capabilities. To be honest, I only knew this about the same time as you all. I really didn’t expect His Majesty would do this. I came here today to apologize to you two. What the Emperor did made it seem like you two had to leave Pingxi Prefecture because of me. I feel really bad!”
Wang Jianbei laughed, “Liqiang, no need to be like this. We have been in politics for many years. Changes in positions is a common thing. Wherever we go, it’ll still be prefectural governor and military governor so it’s fine. Plus, the re-establishing of the Qiyun Protectorate’s Office is a huge matter for the country. It’s not the calculations of individuals. We’re not that petty. I’ve already made all the relevant departments prepare the information so we can transfer it all to you two days later without a fault…”
“That’s right, we’ve long disliked the Shatu Seven Tribes and the Provincial Governor has long wanted to do something targeting them. He greatly praised us for kicking them out of the Pingxi City by saying that this should’ve happened earlier. Now that the imperial court has given you actual power to the protectorate title, we all fully support it!” Liu Yucheng said in a coarse voice. He genuinely meant this. The more he knew about Yan Liqiang, the more he felt that the Emperor’s decision was right.
…
It was only at midnight that Yan Liqiang left the Prefectural Governor’s Office. Wang Jianbei and Liu Yucheng personally sent Yan Liqiang to the doors before saying their goodbyes. Although everything had been decided, with Yan Liqiang’s past life experience, this visit was extremely necessary. Even if he really became the Qiyun Protectorate General, his connection with Lei Sitong’s faction would only grow more and more. Both sides would rely on each other as well. After all the things they had gone through, the two knew each other better and trusted each other more and more…
“Young Master, where are we going now?” Yan Liqiang walked to the front of the carriage and Hu Haihe had already helped Yan Liqiang open the door.
Now, out of confidence of his own power, Yan Liqiang didn’t take many guards going out. If he couldn’t defend himself, then it was pointless no matter how many guards he took.
Yan Liqiang glanced at Hu Haihe and saw from his eyes the other half of the sentence he didn’t ask. Was it Zhong Ruolan or Lu Beixin? Only Hu Haihe knew about the relationship between Yan Liqiang and Zhong Ruolan. Now, Yan Liqiang realized why the chauffers of elites were important.
“I’m a bit hungry. Let’s go to Nine Dragons Bridge first!” Yan Liqiang said and got on the carriage.
“Alrighty!”
……
Half an hour later, Yan Liqiang saw Situ Feixing again in the private room at the top floor of that restaurant on Nine Dragons Bridge.
Compared to the first time he met Situ Feixing, the man bowed in excitement as soon as he saw Yan Liqiang. “Situ Feixing greets Master. The heavens are really in favor of human will. I didn’t expect the imperial court to reopen the Qiyun Protectorate’s Office. It’s only a matter of time that Master will recover the Gulang Plains!”
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with your foosteps. We can go step by step!” Yan Liqiang smiled and helped Situ Feixing up. “This time, I called you over to do something!”
“What is it, Master?”
“You said you still have some connections to the Black Ram people?”
“Yes, I have many men who had to do some business with the Black Ram people for survival! If Master doesn’t like it, I’ll go back and kill those Black Ram people and cut the connections!”
“Ha, I’m not telling you to cut connections with them. I want you to go back and do good business with them!”
“Ah?…” Situ Feixing looked at Yan Liqiang with shock, “What business does Master want me to do with the Black Ram people?”
“Wool, you can buy wool there…”
“They rarely keep sheep…” Situ Feixing suddenly realized, “Hm, Master wants….”
“Mm, it’s good that you understand. The Black Ram people don’t have it but there is wool on the Gulang Plains. It’s not convenient for me with my current identity to do business with them. Their merchant teams can’t enter White Stone Pass either so I need you to intervene. Buy as much wool as they have and give them huge profits. It’s best to make them get addicted to it. You’re smart, so you should understand what I mean…”
