Chapter 7: Clean and Decisive

At high noon, the wind and rain along the riverbank felt particularly desolate. A few empty boats lay quietly at the pier, and the market was sparsely populated, save for the occasional shout drifting from a nearby tavern:

"Come, have a drink..."
"Big, big, big... sigh—"

Most of the market buildings were dilapidated, but tucked away right against the riverbank was a courtyard nestled between the mountain and the water, hidden by lush, verdant trees. From the pier, only the eaves and blue-tiled roofs were vaguely visible.

This estate, known as the Green Lotus Villa, was a private residence for the capital's elite. It was occupied only occasionally during the height of summer, and at other times, it was managed by "protectors" who also oversaw the wharf’s business; the "Green Lotus Gang" derived its name from this arrangement. Although called a "gang," it had no real ties to the underworld. Aside from the leader, Yang Guan, who possessed some martial skill, the rest were merely a hundred or so local thugs.

Yang Guan had studied at the Three Wonders Valley in Wuzhou during his youth and possessed notable skills. After establishing a foothold in the capital, he leveraged his connections to swiftly clear out the local bullies at the pier, gaining a monopoly over the Jiang'an Wharf. Recently, he had even begun attempting to expand his influence into the heart of the capital.

Most merchants in the capital had ties to powerful families, being either wealthy or well-connected; the streets without such backing were already occupied by local sharks. After some investigation, Yang Guan found the Heavenly Water Bridge district to be unusually clean. The merchants there, led by the Shao family, were wealthy but lacked family members in official positions, and there were no other factions competing for the territory. Faced with such an enticing "fat lamb," Yang Guan naturally did not hold back. Throughout the month, he had been "communicating" with the merchants, attempting to assert his dominance over the Heavenly Water Bridge.

Yang Guan's ambition was grand, but the consequences followed swiftly.

At noon, inside the Green Lotus Villa, Yang Guan, dressed in a wealthy man's robe, was holding court in the living room:

"Shao Sanniang of the Heavenly Water Bridge truly lacks courtesy. I have sent two invitations, yet received no response. I only wanted to sit down, have some tea, and chat; I have no designs on her beauty..."

"Sigh, Sanniang has a fierce temperament and some dealings with the authorities. The local merchants all follow her lead. Master Yang intended to send men to help drive away the troublemakers—it was meant as a kindness. But since the head of the Shao house refuses, it is not for us merchants to decide on our own..."

The wealthy merchants present were all prominent figures from near the Heavenly Water Bridge. They dared not easily offend a local snake like Yang Guan, so they could only deflect politely, pushing the problem onto the absent Shao family. If even the Shao family could not resist, then this "hardship fee" would indeed have to be paid.

Yang Guan was unsure why the Shao family remained so stubborn. He had intended to use both soft and hard tactics, having the merchants relay his message, but was interrupted by a shout from outside the door:

"Leader! Leader..."

The wealthy men in the living room immediately stopped talking and looked toward the door. Yang Guan, in his robes, slammed his teacup onto the table:

"How many times must I say it? Call me Master."

A man carrying a saber ran in, panting:

"Master, we have a visitor. Chief Chen of the Heavenly Water Bridge has arrived by carriage, claiming it is the eldest young master of the Shao family..."

"Hmm?"

The wealthy men were stunned by the news. Shao Luo, the eldest young master of the Shao family, had a notorious reputation. As the family's only son, he was doted upon, making him a well-known wastrel in the area.

Yang Guan had clearly heard of the young master’s reputation, and his eyes showed surprise:

"Shao Sanniang doesn't come herself, but sends this playboy instead? Is she trying to brush me off? Let him in."

The merchants seized the opportunity to rise:

"Then we shall take our leave. Master Yang and Young Master Shao can talk at leisure; just send word when you have reached an agreement."

Yang Guan signaled for them to leave and sat in the center of the hall, waiting.

***

*Tap, tap, tap—*

Soon, hurried footsteps echoed from the walkway outside. Guided by a servant, a young man in a black robe strode in. He was tall, with a cold, stern expression and an imposing presence. Chen, the well-known head of the local guard agency, followed closely, holding an umbrella and acting with extreme servility. Five guards followed behind, the eldest among them gripping a long, black-sheathed saber.

Yang Guan raised an eyebrow, sensing that the visitor was no ordinary wastrel, and set down his teacup.

The wealthy merchants, having heard rumors about the Zhenyuan Guard Agency the previous day, suspected this stranger was the ruthless character from that incident. They stopped, bowed, and offered greetings:

"You are a stranger to us. Are you the eldest young master of the Shao family?"

Ye Jingtang did not respond. He strode up the steps, took his saber from Yang Zhao, and walked straight through the main gate.

*Clack—*

The door slammed shut, leaving the bewildered crowd outside. Chen Biao nearly collided with the door. Just as he was about to ask what the young master intended, a sound came from inside:

*Clang—*

The sound of a blade being drawn!

Inside, Yang Guan, sitting in the seat of honor, sensed the shift in atmosphere and reached for the broad-backed saber placed beneath the central table.

At that same moment, Ye Jingtang surged forward. In mid-air, his long blade cleared the scabbard, descending in a powerful, mountain-splitting strike aimed directly at Yang Guan’s head.

*Whoosh—*

A flash of steel lit up the living room.

Yang Guan reacted quickly, raising his own saber to block, but the sheer disparity in strength caught him off guard. Before his hands had fully risen, the heavy, earth-shaking strike sent him and his chair flying.

With a crash, Yang Guan tumbled to the ground. Just as he was about to roar in fury, he realized this uninvited guest was here to take his life. In the blink of an eye, the man struck again, aiming for a vital point.

A chill ran down Yang Guan's spine. He pushed his lifelong martial training to its limit, kicking off the ground to barely dodge the lethal blade while counterattacking.

*Clang!* A thunderous sound rang out as the blades collided. Yang Guan’s counterattack failed to harm the intruder; instead, the force sent him reeling backward. His back smashed into the lacquered wooden altar, shattering it, and he was propelled through the rear passageway.

"Cough—" Yang Guan landed in the rain-soaked courtyard, letting out a stifled gasp. Before he could even steady himself, he rolled to the side.

As expected, a blade struck the exact spot where he had just been, the tip embedding deep into the stone.

"You bastard..." Yang Guan scrambled to his feet, enraged and desperate to counterattack, only to see the expressionless young man pull his blade free and approach at a leisurely pace. He even cracked his neck; there was no murderous malice in his eyes, only a calm born of routine.

Yang Guan felt a jolt of fear. He didn't see much, but he could sense that this youth had killed before.

He gripped his hilt tightly and roared, feigning a charge while stealthily moving toward the back courtyard. After gaining a few paces, he fled, shouting:

"Someone! Where are you all hiding..."

Before he could finish, a biting wind struck from behind.

Yang Guan’s skills were not weak; he parried with a backhanded strike, precisely blocking the incoming blade. But his body couldn't withstand the immense force, and he was slammed face-first into the ground, his own weapon knocked from his grasp.

*Clatter.* Yang Guan didn't bother with his saber and scrambled to get back inside, but his chance was gone. As he rose, a heavy blow struck the back of his head. A boot pinned his face against the wet stone tiles, and a cold blade flashed before his eyes.

"Young hero, spare me! Spare me..."

In the rain-drenched courtyard, a heart-wrenching scream echoed.

Ye Jingtang stood in the rain, his boot pressing on Yang Guan’s cheek, his blade plunged into the stone inches from his face. Looking down, he finally showed a glimmer of emotion:

"You sent invitations to the Shao family, asking to 'talk'? Talk about what? Speak."

Yang Guan’s face was contorted, not with anger, but with terror at the sight of the blade.

"A misunderstanding! A misunderstanding. I was confused—I didn't know you were with the Shao family. This is the capital; it’s bad for business if people die here. Young hero, please, don't be impulsive..."

"I heard you are a disciple of the 'Three Wonders Immortal.' Your skills don't look the part."

Yang Guan hadn't expected the other to know his master's identity. He dared not be arrogant now and hurriedly explained:

"Only a registered disciple! My family has a connection with the master; I studied for a few years, but never received his true teachings. You must be laughing at me, young hero..."

"For the sake of your master, I will spare your life."

"Thank you, young hero, for your great mercy... Ah—"

Before Yang Guan could finish, he let out a shrill cry. The blade was pulled out and plunged back down, piercing his right arm and pinning it to the stone.

Yang Guan’s face twisted in agony; he stared at Ye Jingtang, unable to speak from the pain.

"This strike is to tell you: don't think I dare not kill you. I may not be able to kill your master, but killing you is as easy as turning over my hand. Farewell."

Ye Jingtang withdrew his blade, wiped the blood on Yang Guan’s robes, sheathed it, and turned toward the living room.

Yang Guan bit his lip, clutching his bleeding arm, not daring to let out a groan as he watched Ye Jingtang depart.

*Creeak.* The living room doors opened.

In the courtyard, dozens of thugs armed with iron weapons had gathered. Yang Zhao and Chen Biao stood guard at the door, gripping their hilts as if facing an army. The wealthy merchants stood by the gate, their faces filled with apprehension.

Ye Jingtang closed the door, threw his blade to Yang Zhao, and took his umbrella, holding it over his head.

"The talk is finished. Let's go."

"So fast..."

Chen Biao muttered under his breath, but didn't ask further. After all, the sounds of commotion and the scream from inside had been heard clearly by everyone; they all knew how the "talk" had gone.

The thugs in the courtyard, seeing that their "leader" did not appear, dared not block the way and parted in the rain to make room. The wealthy merchants, unsure if the young man had already killed Yang Guan, dared not speak a word.

*Swish, swish, swish...*

The estate fell into silence. Only a black umbrella drifted, unhurriedly, out through the alley between the white walls and blue tiles.

Not until the carriage had departed from the gate did the courtyard stir again:

"Leader? Leader, are you alright? That bold scoundrel, how dare he... Quick, go report this to the officials..."

"Get out! You bunch of useless trash... and you dare to report to the officials..."