Something's Happened

Lu Wanyu certainly had every reason to be proud.

In this world, the vast majority of people cultivated in the martial, Confucian, Buddhist, or Daoist traditions. Though magical arts were powerful,

they required exceptionally high talent.

And in his lifetime, he might yet be able to enter the Confucian Dao's Sixth-Rank Body Cultivation Realm.

Lu Wanyu could sense that this Jiang Yun before him knew a few magical arts, but the Magic Power within him was only around the Daoist Sect's Ninth Rank, the Entry into the Dao Realm.

Jiang Yun's heart sank a little. A master of the Confucian School's Seventh Rank?

In an instant, Lu Wanyu leaped into the air, gathered the Magic Power within him into his palm, and struck at Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun didn't dare let his guard down. He focused completely and intoned in a low voice, "Boundless Heaven and Earth! Lend me the power of the cosmos!"

Then he met the blow with his own palm!

A deafening boom!

The two palms collided, and powerful Magic Power erupted between them, sending a fierce wave of air surging outward.

The snow piled along the eaves of the entire street shook loose.

Lu Wanyu flew through the air like a kite with its string cut.

With a thud, he landed in a snowdrift.

"Phew." Jiang Yun's palm had gone slightly numb from the impact. He wasn't surprised as he watched Lu Wanyu fly away.

He had learned from Xu Suwen that every school of cultivation had its strengths and weaknesses.

For instance, if a martial artist and a Confucian cultivator were at the same rank, and the martial artist managed to get close,

the Confucian cultivator would be sure to lose.

That was because Confucian cultivators excelled at wielding all kinds of Confucian techniques,

but were weak in close-quarters combat.

In short, you're a perfectly good mage—why are you trying to fight me up close?

"Pfft."

Lu Wanyu slowly crawled out of the snowdrift and spat out a mouthful of blood. He was using the Magic Power within him to stabilize his internal organs.

His eyes widened in shock as he looked at Jiang Yun. He hadn't anticipated the power behind that palm at all.

If he hadn't sensed something was wrong and used his Magic Power to protect his internal organs,

he would likely have been killed.

In the cold of winter, sweat trickled down Lu Wanyu's forehead.

"My lord, are you all right?"

The guards from Prince Su's Mansion rushed over and helped him to his feet.

Lu Wanyu gritted his teeth and shouted, "Why are you helping me up? Do you think I can't handle this brat?"

One of the guards said with concern, "But you spat up blood."

"That was old, stagnant blood that had built up in my body for years. Spitting it out has made me feel much better."

Lu Wanyu hurriedly pointed into the alley at Jiang Yun. "That palm I just struck carried wave after wave of force. Don't be fooled by the fact that he's standing there as if nothing happened."

"He's badly injured."

"Get in there and seize him!"

In an instant, the guards charged into the alley, weapons in hand and fierce looks on their faces.

Jiang Yun's expression darkened. Those two exchanges had nearly drained all the Magic Power in his body.

He watched the elite soldiers charging toward him.

He drew a deep breath.

Looks like I can only use that move.

Jiang Yun raised both hands. "I surrender! I'm surrendering!"

Without Magic Power, he was just an ordinary person.

If he resisted, he would only get another beating before being captured anyway.

Jiang Yun was a very sensible man.

The guards rushed forward, pinned him down, and bound him hand and foot.

"Hahaha, see? The brat really is badly injured!" Lu Wanyu's face was pale as he slowly approached the bound Jiang Yun. "How serious are your injuries? Should I call a doctor to take a look?"

The orders from the mansion had been to take him alive.

If that palm of his had been too powerful and killed Jiang Yun, he would have no way to explain himself when he got back.

Lu Wanyu examined him, only to find that Jiang Yun didn't seem to have a single injury. His expression darkened further.

"Take him back to the mansion!"

Before long, a large procession had taken Jiang Yun away.

Qian Bochou lay on the ground, but nobody paid him any attention.

Only after the guards from Prince Su's Mansion had left did people from the shops on either side dare to poke their heads out.

"Stop staring and come untie me!" Qian Bochou cried in alarm.

After a passerby finally mustered the courage to come over and untie him, Qian Bochou sprinted away.

He knew he had to tell Xu Suwen and Xu Xiaogang immediately.

Otherwise, Jiang Yun's life would be in danger!

In the Jiang Family courtyard, Xu Suwen sat beside Jiang Qiaoqiao, holding a garment and mending it.

Over the past half month, she had gotten considerably better at sewing.

Before long, she had finished the garment and tossed it into the bamboo basket beside her, then picked up another.

"Qiaoqiao, you're already sixteen. Are you really going to spend your whole life mending clothes?" Xu Suwen asked with a smile.

Lately, she had grown fonder and fonder of Jiang Qiaoqiao. The girl was obedient, sensible, and hardworking.

But the more she thought about it, the more she felt Jiang Qiaoqiao couldn't go on like this forever.

Jiang Qiaoqiao listened, then giggled and shook her head. "Of course not. Once my brother passes the examinations and becomes an official, I'll be able to live like Miss Wu."

"Then I'll be able to eat whatever fresh fruit I want, whenever I want, and have servants attend to me when I get dressed."

"Our parents used to say that life starts bitter and turns sweet."

"The more hardship I endure now, the sweeter my life will be later."

As she spoke, Jiang Qiaoqiao's face flushed slightly, and her heart turned sweet.

"Hey."

"Once I've finished taking care of things in Nanzhou Prefecture, come back to the capital with me." Xu Suwen sewed with a smile. "My family has plenty of servants."

Jiang Qiaoqiao had her head bent over her sewing, but she shook it at that. "I can't. Those are your family's servants, sister."

"Let's wait until my brother passes the examinations and becomes a high-ranking official."

Xu Suwen had been about to say that, with the way Jiang Yun was, catching demons was one thing, but passing the examinations was probably never going to happen.

But when she saw how Jiang Qiaoqiao's eyes lit up, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Then how about I introduce your brother to a wealthy young lady from the capital?" Xu Suwen teased. "By then..."

Suddenly, a howl of distress rang out from beyond the courtyard.

"Lord Xu, something's happened! Something's happened..."

Qian Bochou stumbled into the courtyard. He had run so frantically that one of his shoes had fallen off, and he hadn't even noticed.

Once inside, Qian Bochou saw Jiang Qiaoqiao and fell silent.

Seeing how panicked he was, Xu Suwen's heart stirred. She smiled, set her sewing aside, and said to Jiang Qiaoqiao, "Qiaoqiao, keep working. I'll ask Constable Qian what's happened."

"Okay."

Xu Suwen led Qian Bochou out of the courtyard. Only after making sure Jiang Qiaoqiao couldn't hear them did Qian Bochou resume wailing.

Qian Bochou pounded his chest.

"Brother Jiang was taken by people from Prince Su's Mansion."

"I'm useless..."

"Miss Xu, you have to think of something, or Brother Jiang is done for."

Qian Bochou quickly recounted everything that had happened.

Xu Suwen listened with furrowed brows.

When she had heard the full story, her gaze finally turned cold. "Are you sure Prince Su's Mansion did this?"

"Would I dare make a false accusation against Prince Su's Mansion?"

Xu Suwen closed her eyes and thought for a moment. Then she opened them and asked, "Do you have a carrier pigeon?"

"The Prefectural Office has some. Why do you ask?"

"I need to send a message to the capital."