Seeing Madam Su Again

Within the Black Armor Battalion.

Wang Ping sat cross-legged, his blood and qi circulating throughout his body as he breathed slowly. During the process, the muscles and bones of his face shifted and changed ever so slightly.

In the blink of an eye, he had taken on a different face.

His handsome, youthful features became the weathered face of a middle-aged man, then changed again into the appearance of an old man with one foot in the grave.

One man, a thousand faces—his transformations followed his heart.

It was not even limited to his appearance. If Wang Ping wished, he could become a woman; he even had a way to deal with the most crucial physical characteristics.

"Retracting Yang into the Abdomen!"

Wang Ping felt around his crotch. After confirming that the move truly worked, he clicked his tongue in wonder. "I didn't expect to find a method for changing my appearance so quickly."

After confirming the disguise effect inherent in Thirteen Guardians' Iron-Body Qigong, Wang Ping returned to his original form. He then circulated his Spirit Sense and looked around. Compared to before, after cultivating Spirit-Communing Thought, his Spirit Sense had grown dozens of times stronger. Everything within the Black Armor Battalion was laid bare before him down to the finest detail.

"There are no blind spots this time."

Wang Ping spread his Spirit Sense to its limit. Before long, he spotted Dog and Monkey outside the Black Armor Battalion. This time, they could no longer escape his sight.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Wang Ping's gaze shifted. He discovered Wu Xintai heading toward his tent, with another person following behind him.

"...Her?" Wang Ping froze at once.

She was a valiant woman wrapped up tightly from head to toe, even wearing a layer of inner armor. She was utterly unlike the frail figure in his memories.

It was Madam Su.

"She learned martial arts... No, why is she still here? I should have arranged everything in the previous life. She should be in the capital by now."

Wang Ping frowned slightly. Then he saw Wu Xintai lift the tent flap and stride inside. "Lord Wang, I found the low-grade martial arts manuals you requested."

As he spoke, he placed three secret manuals before Wang Ping. Wang Ping swept his eyes over them. Most were ordinary goods, far inferior to Thirteen Guardians' Iron-Body Qigong, and there were far too few—only three volumes. Still, good things were never too many, so he accepted them all without complaint.

"Thank you for your trouble, General."

"Not at all." Wu Xintai waved his hand, not daring to claim credit. With his keen instincts, how could he fail to notice that Wang Ping was somewhat dissatisfied?

Thinking of this, he hurriedly said:

"Actually, this subordinate has several more low-grade martial arts manuals. They belong to a merchant household. They are willing to offer them up, but they wish to meet with you, my lord..."

"Oh?"

Wang Ping lowered his eyes. He had already understood Wu Xintai's purpose, but it was not easy to refuse him outright, so he could only nod slightly. "Invite the person outside the tent in."

Wu Xintai immediately let out a great sigh of relief. He stepped aside and lifted the tent flap. Madam Su then walked in with a resolute expression. Without wasting words, she took out a name-engraved token and said solemnly, "Su Ya of the Su Household in the capital greets my lord..."

Her voice cut off abruptly.

For a moment, Madam Su simply stood there in a daze. The token slipped unconsciously from her hand, while her beautiful eyes fixed straight on Wang Ping.

She had come here intending to make one final attempt.

She had learned yesterday that the Golden Cavalry Guard had arrived to supervise the army. This time, she intended to use the token her dear sister had left behind for her.

She wanted to see whether she could persuade the Golden Cavalry Guard. If the military supervisor spoke up, Wu Xintai would likely waver and send troops into the county town to rescue someone for her.

Other than that, she could think of no better method.

Yet in this instant, all her previous anxiety, hardship, and grief had been thrown beyond the ninth heaven. Nothing remained in her heart but stunned disbelief.

Wang Ping was somewhat helpless at the sight.

At the same time, Wu Xintai approached eagerly and took the initiative to say, "My lord, allow me to introduce you. This madam is..."

"No need."

Wang Ping waved a hand. "Leave."

Wu Xintai froze, then cautiously said, "My lord, although this madam holds no official post, her status is not low. Perhaps you should still meet with her..."

"I said, leave!" Wang Ping glared at him.

"Ah?"

Wu Xintai was truly dumbfounded this time. He looked at Wang Ping, then at Madam Su, whose eyes had already reddened. After hesitating for a moment, he finally cupped his hands and departed.

He even closed the tent entrance behind him.

After sending Wu Xintai away, Wang Ping turned to look at Madam Su, yet said nothing. Madam Su pursed her lips and did not speak first either.

The atmosphere immediately fell silent.

The two remained in an almost confrontational stalemate. In the end, Madam Su was the first to lose her composure. Her eyes were red-rimmed, light shimmering in her beautiful gaze, and her voice trembled as she said:

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Wang Ping shook his head. "Madam, have you misunderstood something?"

Even at this moment, he still clung to a sliver of wishful hope. After undergoing his complete transformation, both his temperament and appearance had changed considerably.

Could she recognize him at a glance?

Besides, he was now a Golden Cavalry Guard, completely different from the young constable he had been that day. No matter who saw him, they should only think they looked somewhat alike...

"You say I misunderstood!?"

In an instant, Madam Su's voice rose an octave. Her emotions visibly slipped beyond her control, and two clear tears streamed directly down her cheeks.

Wang Ping immediately abandoned his wishful thinking.

"I was wrong." He obediently lowered his head.

Madam Su trembled at his words, her silver teeth clenched tight. Only after a while did she whisper, "I thought you were dead."

"I thought Madam had gone to the capital to enjoy a life of comfort," Wang Ping replied.

"You died in that city, killed by that damned county magistrate." Madam Su's voice was faint and distant. "If I did not avenge you, how could I go to the capital?"

Wang Ping: "..."

"Come here," Madam Su said again.

Only then did Wang Ping move. He carefully walked before Madam Su, yet his movements were utterly proper and restrained, as though he were observing every rule of decorum.

Madam Su grew even angrier.

She had thought the man who had died was now standing before her once more. Her emotions nearly overflowed like tears; there was joy within them, but anger as well.

Why had he not told her he was alive?

Why had he deliberately pretended not to recognize her?

Why was he merely standing there?

Seeing Wang Ping standing clearly beside her yet doing nothing, stiff as a block of wood, Madam Su's tears fell even more fiercely. Yet she also became stubborn.

"You want to cut things off with me?"

"Absolutely not." Wang Ping put it another way. "It is simply that my situation is dangerous. You should not be dragged down by me. You should have a life of your own."

Madam Su drew a deep breath. "Don't you understand?"

"Understand what?" Wang Ping asked blankly.

The moment those words left his mouth, Madam Su's heart was filled with shame and anger. Her face, ears, and fair neck all flushed crimson.

That damned bastard, he was still pretending!

Did he want her to say it herself? He knew he was in the wrong, so he was stringing her along like this, waiting for her to soften and stop pursuing his mistakes?

"Enemy of my heart..."

After being tugged about by Wang Ping like this, much of Madam Su's anger instead dissipated. Joy gained the upper hand, and she only wanted to vent it fiercely.

Yet when she saw Wang Ping's unmoved expression, she puffed out her cheeks. Her lovely face was flushed red, and she simply could not bring herself to lower her head first. The angrier she became, the more anxious she grew. In a fit of pique, she said, "Golden Cavalry Guard... You must have used some shameful method. I'm going to report you to the authorities!"

After saying that, she turned around and prepared to leave the tent.

Only then did Wang Ping finally reach out. He grabbed Madam Su's hand, and before he even exerted any strength, she went limp in his embrace on her own.

They looked at one another.

Madam Su had originally wanted to say something, but faced with that handsome face so close to hers, every thought vanished. She shyly closed her eyes.

Wang Ping sighed helplessly. "Madam, I am actually not fond of women..."

Madam Su opened her eyes in fury.

The mood was there, the emotions were there, the arrow was already on the string—yet he came out with a line like that, snapping the last string of reason in her mind.

"Take me!" Madam Su said, each word distinct.

As Wang Ping reached into Madam Su's clothes, he wore a reluctant expression. "Th-this isn't right, is it... I truly have no interest in women."

What a nice thing to say.

Madam Su was so angry she laughed. At last, she could no longer maintain her reserve. Tilting her head back, she wrapped her arms around Wang Ping's neck and bit down on him with her full red lips.

Wang Ping sighed helplessly and could only respond.

Outside the tent, Wu Xintai had already been struck dumb.

He had never imagined that no sooner had he left than considerable commotion began coming from inside the tent, mixed with voices.

Broad daylight, under the bright sky!

A disgrace to decency!

This was simply a disgrace to decency!

"Hiss!"

At that moment, Wu Xintai held not the slightest indecent thought. There was only boundless shock in his heart. "Madam Su is already a noblewoman with powerful backing, yet she is entangled with this Golden Cavalry Guard. They are clearly old acquaintances... In that case, this Golden Cavalry Guard's background must be unfathomably deep!"

But if that was so, why had he come to Longxing County?

If he was a noble scion of the capital, why would he come to this wretched place of poor mountains and foul waters with nothing better to do, and even arrive as a military supervisor... Could it be that he had come with a mission?

Golden Cavalry Guard, the Emperor's personal guard.

Damn it, could he be carrying some secret imperial decree?

The more Wu Xintai thought, the more frightened he became. He immediately dared not listen to the sounds inside the tent any longer. Instead, he swiftly called over his men and cleared out the surrounding area, lest they spoil his lordship's pleasure.

Only when the sun had set behind the western hills.

Did Madam Su's emotions finally begin to settle. Greedily savoring that familiar warmth, she curled up in Wang Ping's arms and rested against his shoulder, unwilling to rise.

"Are you still going to report me?" Wang Ping sat upright and questioned her.

"I won't, I won't."

Madam Su's body tensed, and she hurriedly begged for mercy. She truly could not endure any more. Who knew what this enemy of her heart had practiced again? He was practically forged from iron.

"R-right!"

Seeing that Wang Ping seemed about to make another move, Madam Su hastily changed the subject. "Your brother, Liu Ye, has gotten into trouble. He is still in the county jail..."

Wang Ping's movement halted. "Old Liu?"

"He refused to leave his homeland, so he eventually went to Changle Commandery. But that dog of an official, Xu Bingzheng, has connections in the commandery government as well. He set a trap and had him arrested."

"The connections on my side... had to leave because something suddenly happened. And since they are not locals of Changle Commandery, they were unable to stop it in time."

Seeing that Wang Ping's expression was wrong after she finished speaking, Madam Su hurriedly added, "Y-you don't have to worry. The connection I invited is my cousin. She is a Transcendent. Liu Ye was personally looked after and arranged for by her. No matter how bold that dog of an official is, at most he will torture him. He would not dare truly kill anyone..."

Wang Ping's expression did not improve.

After all, killing someone only took a single blade stroke, and was comparatively quick. In this world, there were countless methods that could make someone wish they were dead rather than alive.

Thinking of this, Wang Ping immediately let Madam Su go.

A short while later, the neatly dressed pair emerged from the tent. Wu Xintai, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly came forward and said respectfully, "This subordinate greets my lord."

Upon seeing Wu Xintai, Madam Su finally realized what mad thing she had just done. Her face immediately blossomed with rosy clouds, and she was unable to suppress her shame.

Wang Ping, however, did not care in the slightest. He said directly:

"General, do you know Liu Ye?"

The moment he said this, Wu Xintai inwardly thought, As expected. He then nodded cautiously. "I know something of him. He is currently in the county town..."

Wu Xintai's tone was full of hesitation. Although he had decided that Wang Ping possessed an immensely deep background, the same remained true: he was merely a minor commander. No matter what happened, he did not wish to become embroiled in the power struggles of the great figures at court. Thus, no matter what, he could not mobilize troops to forcibly storm the county town.

Thinking of this, he hurriedly said in a low voice:

"If my lord has an old friendship with Liu Ye, why not write a letter to the county town and plead his case? This subordinate can send a letter as well and have the county magistrate release him."

"I believe that county magistrate will certainly give my lord some face."

This was what he considered the best solution.

At the end of the day, the court still valued harmony above all else. Fighting without breaking was the true principle of officialdom. If a matter could be resolved through negotiation, it was best resolved through negotiation.

Why draw blades and raise spears?

Of course, the most important point was that this would make things easy for him. Compared to mobilizing troops to storm the county town, writing a letter to the county magistrate was something for which he could never be held accountable.

At the same time, Wu Xintai had already prepared himself. If this military supervisor rejected his proposal, insisted on going his own way, or even ordered him to send troops, what tone and excuse should he use to tactfully refuse the order without tearing all pretenses apart?

Yet in the next instant, he heard a reply he had not expected:

"No need to trouble yourself."

Wang Ping looked calmly toward distant Longxing County and said lightly, "Those who ask favors need others to give them face. I only need his position."

As soon as his words fell, Wu Xintai was about to politely refuse when an object struck his body.

What was this?

Wu Xintai was somewhat bewildered. He saw that the object was entirely made of bronze and strangely shaped, as though it were incomplete... Then his body suddenly shuddered.

Only at this moment did Wu Xintai vaguely recall something. The expression on his face gradually froze as a guess emerged in his heart, yet he instinctively wanted to deny it.

"Could it be... No, impossible!"

"This is a five-hundred-man military camp. The one belonging to the Changle Commandery government stays in the commandery office year-round. How could anyone possibly bring it out? It must be a fake meant to bluff me..."

With this thought in mind, Wu Xintai tremblingly took a similar bronze object from his robes. He then gently joined the two objects together, one atop the other.

"Clang."

They fit perfectly.

In the next instant, the commander of the Black Armor Battalion did not hesitate in the slightest. He dropped to one knee on the spot. Though he said nothing, his attitude was unmistakable.

"Convey my order."

Wang Ping took back the military tally and said lightly, "Mobilize the troops. Enter the county town."