Hooves kicked up clouds of dust. At Funing County's west gate, two Martial Guard chiliarchs in scarlet official robes stood with a dozen armed guards, watching two fine horses race toward them along the distant road.
"I see them! The one in front is Assistant Commissioner Huang Tian, and Nie Kun is behind him. They're finally here!" said the tall, thin chiliarch, squinting.
The shorter chiliarch looked puzzled. "Why are there only two of them? Where's Deputy Commissioner Niu? I heard he brought several subordinates. Why aren't they here either?"
The tall chiliarch considered this. "Perhaps something delayed them on the road. Assistant Commissioner Huang and his companion came ahead, and Deputy Commissioner Niu's party will arrive later."
"Perhaps—"
As they spoke, the two magnificent horses charged up before them.
"Neigh! Neigh!"
The horses stopped. Huang Tian and Nie Kun remained mounted while the two chiliarchs led the guards in a bow.
"Greetings, Assistant Commissioner!"
"No need for ceremony."
Huang Tian did not hurry into the city. "How are things inside?"
The tall chiliarch answered, "With Deputy Commissioner Xu holding the fort, the city has remained fairly peaceful. But there are too many martial artists. They're forever trying to outdo one another, and brawls and killings happen from time to time."
Deputy Commissioner Xu was Xu Shu, a second-rank grandmaster of the Qin Province Martial Guard and the first second-rank expert sent from the provincial capital to reinforce Funing.
"Fights among lower- and middle-rank martial artists aren't so bad. They fear us and don't dare endanger civilians recklessly. But the grandmasters hiding in the city are another matter. Every time they fight, streets and alleys are wrecked, and many civilians are killed or injured.
"Last month, a wanderer carried a broad sword wrapped in cloth. It looked like a heavy