Chapter Fourteen: Assassination in the Dead of Night
“I remember now!”
“Before my elder brother left home last time, he did indeed say some strange things.”
“He said he had found a way to bring prosperity to the Great Qian’s literary path.”
“He also mentioned that the chaos in the Northern Tombs would soon end…”
Li Yunjie’s pupils trembled violently.
According to Zhou Jingzhi’s testimony,
His actions were merely aimed at toppling Taihu Academy, unifying the Great Qian’s literary world.
But what could all this possibly have to do with the Northern Tombs rebellion?!
For a moment, countless tangled thoughts surged through Li Yunjie’s mind.
He had a faint premonition that this case was far from as simple as it seemed.
“Sir?” Noticing Li Yunjie’s prolonged silence, Zhou Mengzhi asked in confusion, “Is something troubling you?”
Li Yunjie came back to himself and replied, “It’s nothing.”
Seeing Zhou Mengzhi’s dress, Li Yunjie suddenly recalled the purpose of his visit.
“Mengzhi,”
“I studied alongside your brother; now that you’ve fallen on hard times, naturally I cannot stand idly by.”
“I came today to help you escape.”
Zhou Mengzhi was momentarily stunned, her slender jade hand gripping the edge of the bed, her expression solemn.
“I thank you for your kindness.”
“But my brother’s injustice has not been cleared. I cannot leave the Music Bureau yet.”
“Though the Music Bureau is a place of pleasure and vice, news travels quickly here.”
“I must stay and gather clues, so I can clear my brother’s name!”
Her attitude was resolute.
“But this place is full of debauched men. I fear for you…”
Perhaps seeing Li Yunjie’s concern, Zhou Mengzhi smiled lightly. “Do not worry.”
“Years ago, I apprenticed at Ming Tower and learned some arts.”
“At critical moments, I can still protect myself.”
Gazing at her determined eyes, Li Yunjie felt a complex mix of emotions.
Perhaps what Zhou Mengzhi needed now was not his sudden benevolence,
But a word of encouragement for her long road of vengeance.
“In that case, I’ll say no more,” Li Yunjie said in a low voice. “Rest assured.”
“Jingzhi’s death will surely be vindicated!”
...
Leaving the Music Bureau, it was already late at night.
The streets were deserted.
Eleven watched Li Yunjie’s face, full of melancholy, and asked with concern, “Sir, why are you still troubled after meeting the courtesan?”
“The weakest rope always breaks first,” Li Yunjie sighed. “Why must the Zhou siblings suffer so?”
Eleven shook his head. “Perhaps fate is unkind?”
Li Yunjie clicked his tongue. “Do you believe in fate?”
“I don’t.”
“Then why say it’s their fate?” Li Yunjie said helplessly.
“Then what do you say?”
Li Yunjie looked up at the sky and sighed, “Heaven’s way is unjust!”
Mimicking him, Eleven howled toward the heavens, “So what should we do?”
“What should we do?” Li Yunjie suddenly stopped, as if making a decision.
“Heaven’s way is unjust.”
---
“Then I’ll break it myself!” Li Yunjie declared.
“Well spoken, sir!” Eleven echoed, “You even dare defy Heaven’s order!”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Eleven’s expression changed!
Not far away, a cold flash appeared!
An arrow shot straight toward Li Yunjie’s head!
In the nick of time, Li Yunjie tilted his body ever so slightly.
“Swish!”
The sound of the arrow cutting through air passed his ear.
He narrowly escaped disaster!
“What just happened?” Li Yunjie wondered. “Was that my instinct controlling my body?”
“Has this body already reached such a level?”
He was genuinely surprised.
He failed to notice that beside him, Eleven was watching him with a look of satisfaction.
“Wasn’t it said he couldn’t fight?”
In the shadows, several men whispered.
“Who cares if he can or can’t.”
“There’s five of us, two of them; he can’t escape!”
Li Yunjie grabbed Eleven and quickly found cover.
“Hey, brothers!” Li Yunjie shouted into the empty street, “Is there some misunderstanding?!”
“Sir,” a rough voice called out, “it’s not personal.”
“We’re paid to do a job.”
“That’s the code of the underworld!”
“It was Wu Jin who sent you, wasn’t it?” Li Yunjie said without hesitation.
“How does he know?!” one whispered, lowering his voice. “Have we been exposed?”
“Exposed or not, doesn’t matter,” another said, resigned. “He won’t survive the night anyway.”
As he finished, five masked men emerged from the darkness,
Cornering Li Yunjie and Eleven against a wall.
“Li Yunjie, you shouldn’t have offended Young Master Wu,”
One shook his axe regretfully.
“Everyone knows Wu Jin is vindictive and treacherous.”
It was true.
Li Yunjie didn’t argue.
Wu Jin, on the surface a gentleman, but in fact a bully,
Abusing his father’s position as Deputy Minister of Revenue,
He terrorized men and women alike—worse than swine and dogs.
“Whatever Wu Jin paid you, I’ll pay double.”
The thugs were unmoved.
Clearly, money wasn’t the issue.
“Why bother talking?” a man with a long blade stepped forward. “Let’s kill him quickly.”
“No point in dragging this out!”
He raised his blade to strike.
“Imperial Guard!” Li Yunjie suddenly shouted.
Taking advantage of their confusion, he pulled Eleven and bolted through a gap.
“Why run, sir?” Eleven said as they fled. “Those men are no stronger than seventh rank cultivators.”
“With your current strength, you could handle one or two easily.”
“Quit boasting—just split up!” Li Yunjie snapped.
---
As soon as he said it, Li Yunjie escaped down the left side of the crossroads.
Eleven, meanwhile, suddenly stopped short.
“You two, go spar with my master,” Eleven said casually, pointing at two masked men.
Those two, oddly cooperative, actually went after Li Yunjie.
The remaining three stared at each other in confusion.
“You three have two choices,” Eleven said coldly.
“Either drop your weapons and surrender.”
“Or I’ll beat you until you do!”
With that, he slowly drew a chipped kitchen knife from his belt.
The sight made the men laugh.
Sauntering forward, swinging their blades,
They had no idea how serious the situation was.
“A brat like you, pretending in front of me…”
The middle man didn’t finish his sentence.
A powerful force slammed into them!
“Boom—”
The sound of sword energy cleaving air roared like thunder!
From Eleven, it surged forward for thousands of miles!
Wherever the sword energy passed, it swept like a malevolent spirit,
Raising clouds of dust and rattling rubble!
“Zheng—”
In a flash, all their weapons crumbled to powder,
Scattering across the ground.
Their eyes widened! Not daring to breathe.
Sweat stung their eyes, soaking the black cloth covering their faces.
“Gulp—”
All three swallowed hard.
A warm sensation spread beneath them.
Ah—
The feeling of being alive, how wonderful—
At the same time, news came from the alley.
Li Yunjie: “Lunge punch! Inner sweep and uppercut! Double fists to the ears!”
Masked man: “Ouch!”
“Ah!”
“Spare me, sir!”
“My hand! My hand! It’s broken!”
Having dealt with the small fry,
Li Yunjie let out a long breath and muttered, “An eighth-rank body can bring out such power in military boxing…”
He looked up at the sky.
“Huh?”
“Wasn’t it overcast just now?”
“When did the clouds clear?”
“And why just a single gap?”