Subduing Ding Xiu

The East and West Depots were not far apart. Both stood near the imperial palace, after all, and the journey took only about an hour.

But they had already spent a good deal of time at the East Depot. By the time Yu Huatian returned to the West Depot, it was nearly three in the morning.

At the entrance to the West Depot, Yu Huatian glanced at Ding Xiu, who was still following behind him with the Imperial Guard Saber slung over his shoulder and a roguish look on his face. He stopped and asked, "Have you thought it through?"

The others were puzzled, but Ding Xiu understood what Yu Huatian meant. His roguish expression faded. After a moment's silence, he nodded. "I've drifted through half my life without any ties, running around all day for a few scraps of silver. If you'll have me, my lord, I'm willing to join the West Depot and serve you."

Yu Huatian remained noncommittal. "Without any ties? I doubt that."

Ding Xiu fell silent again.

This time, a long while passed before he spoke. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard who wielded a pair of Flying Swallows tonight is my junior martial brother. His original name was Ding Xian. Our master thought very highly of him, but he ended up becoming a thief. He even killed an Embroidered Uniform Guard who was pursuing him and assumed his identity as Jin Yichuan. I came to the capital to take him back."

Yu Huatian said coolly, "He became one of the Embroidered Uniform Guard that you martial artists despise most, yet you want to join the West Depot. Do you know what people outside say about us?"

"I do." Ding Xiu nodded.

Yu Huatian looked at him. "Give me a reason to let you join the West Depot."

"Because after dealing with you today, I can see that you're not the man the rumors make you out to be," Ding Xiu replied.

"Oh?"

Yu Huatian asked with interest, "Just because I didn't kill your junior martial brother?"

"Not only that. It's more of a feeling." Ding Xiu shook his head.

Yu Huatian raised an eyebrow. "A feeling?"

"Yes, a feeling."

Ding Xiu nodded. "I can sense that what you seek goes beyond mere power and prestige. Otherwise, you wouldn't have offended Dragon Guard Mountain Villa tonight. The Iron Gallant Divine Marquis is the reigning emperor's uncle, after all. Doing that won't help your career."

At this, Yu Huatian gave him a somewhat surprised look, then shook his head. "The East and West Depots are merely blades in His Majesty's hand. To serve properly as that blade, we cannot become too close to anyone. That applies all the more to those princes."

Ding Xiu nodded, then suddenly said, "But while wandering around the capital these past few days, I happened to discover something. The Iron Gallant Divine Marquis has been secretly gathering evidence of the generals' crimes, attempting to seize control of all the armies in the realm."

The expressions of Ma Jinliang and the others beside them changed at once.

Yu Huatian's gaze sharpened as well. He stared at Ding Xiu. "Who else have you told about this?"

"No one but you, my lord." Ding Xiu shook his head.

Yu Huatian narrowed his eyes, beginning to understand why Ding Xiu wanted to join the West Depot. "You want to stop this from happening?"

Ding Xiu nodded. "A man has to do something with his life."

"I think I now understand why my junior martial brother joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Perhaps he sought more than promotions and titles, too."

As he spoke, Ding Xiu gave a self-mocking smile. "You may laugh at me for this, my lord, but although I'm only a martial artist, perhaps because I survived those chaotic times myself, I can't bear to see this worldly rot."

"This age is dark enough already, but if the realm falls into turmoil again, it will always be the innocent common people who suffer."

"Ding Xiu studied the Qi Family Saber. This saber art was passed down by General Qi Jiguang, the famed hero who fought the Japanese pirates. I may be an unworthy successor, but I don't want to disgrace it."

"By joining the West Depot and doing something for the people of this realm, I can at least carry on General Qi Jiguang's will."

Everyone fell silent at his words.

The Ming had emerged from an age of profound turmoil. Over the centuries, it had endured countless wars.

Qi Jiguang, the renowned general who had fought the Japanese pirates, had indeed been a national hero worthy of admiration.

It was because such worthy predecessors had stepped forward, one after another, that the Ming had survived to this day.

After a moment's silence, Yu Huatian looked at Ding Xiu. "It isn't just you and your junior martial brother. Your martial uncle Lu Wenzhao and your master Ding Baiying share the same ambitions."

"Lu Wenzhao is my martial uncle?"

Ding Xiu froze. His master Ding Baiying had never told him about that... Wait, how did Lord Yu even know his master's name?

Seeing the surprise in Ding Xiu's eyes, Yu Huatian offered no further explanation. He simply nodded and said calmly, "Ask your master about these things yourself later."

"If my guess is right, your master may come to the capital in the future. She may even be here already."

"She and your martial uncle Lu Wenzhao are plotting something momentous, something that could throw the Ming into turmoil."

At this, Yu Huatian looked at Ding Xiu. "You want to join the West Depot. If this affair puts you on the opposite side from them someday, what will you choose?"

"Well..."

Ding Xiu visibly hesitated.

On one side was his martial lineage; on the other was the man he wanted to follow. He did not know how to choose.

"Isn't there a way to satisfy both sides?" Ding Xiu could not help asking.

"There is, but that depends on whether they can see the situation clearly. If they remain stubbornly deluded to the very end, I won't show mercy either," Yu Huatian said coolly.

After considering for a moment, Ding Xiu cupped his hands. "If that day truly comes, could you give them one chance, my lord? I'll do everything I can to dissuade them. If they still insist on opposing you, then it will have nothing more to do with me."

A trace of satisfaction appeared in Yu Huatian's eyes. Ding Xiu might straddle the line between good and evil, but loyalty and affection ran deep in his bones. He also cared about the greater good of his nation.

Otherwise, Yu Huatian would never have considered recruiting him.

As for his martial lineage, it was just as Yu Huatian had said. For Ding Xiu's sake, he could give them one chance to choose.

If they remained obstinate in the end, willing to die for Prince Xin and determined to follow that road into darkness, they could not blame him.

Whether because of the ambitions his former self had held or his foreknowledge of history's course, Yu Huatian had never considered Prince Xin the best choice to become emperor of the Ming.

Besides, he currently served Tianqi Emperor. As the saying went, each emperor had his own ministers. Who could say whether he would remain director of the West Depot after Emperor Tianqi died and Prince Xin ascended the throne? Would Prince Xin even allow him to keep living?

Given a second life, Yu Huatian would never again let anyone else dictate his fate-not even his current master, Emperor Tianqi!

One day, even if he did not become emperor, he would become the true uncrowned king of the Ming!

That meant he and Prince Xin were destined to stand on opposing sides someday...

Yu Huatian looked at Ding Xiu. "Join the West Depot first and serve as second chief for now. We'll deal with the future when it comes."

At these words, the expressions of Ma Jinliang and the others changed, especially Tan Luzi's.

He was currently the second chief. If Ding Xiu took his position, what would he become?

Then Yu Huatian looked at him. "Tan Luzi, the West Depot still has no deputy director. I'll report to His Majesty over the next few days, and you'll assume that post."

"Your martial skills are average, but you handle affairs well. A deputy director doesn't necessarily need exceptional martial prowess, only competence. The West Depot's chiefs, however, must all be strong enough to hold their own. Do you understand what I mean?"

Tan Luzi's gloomy expression instantly brightened with joy. He hurriedly dropped to one knee and cupped his hands. "I will never fail your expectations, Director."

Yu Huatian nodded in satisfaction.

Seeing that Yu Huatian had settled the matter of Tan Luzi's position, Ding Xiu hesitated no longer. He too dropped to one knee and saluted. "Your subordinate Ding Xiu pays his respects, Director."

"Rise." Yu Huatian waved a hand.

Ma Jinliang stood nearby without speaking, but his sense of urgency grew sharply.

The director's meaning was already clear: the West Depot's chiefs would be ranked according to their strength.

He had witnessed Ding Xiu's martial skills tonight. The man was formidable, and even Ma Jinliang had no certainty of defeating him.

For now, the two were roughly evenly matched.

But if Ding Xiu broke through to Grandmaster before he did, he would have to surrender his position as first chief.

At that thought, Ma Jinliang drew a deep breath and silently resolved to break through to Grandmaster as soon as possible. He absolutely could not let Ding Xiu overtake him.

Just then, as though sensing something, Ding Xiu cast him a glance that might or might not have been deliberate.

Ma Jinliang immediately glared back. What are you looking at?

"All right, it's getting late. Go back and rest. No one is to breathe a word of tonight's events."

Yu Huatian waved a hand. "Send men to keep an eye on the East Depot for now. Everything else can wait until I return from my audience with His Majesty today."

"Yes, Director."

Everyone cupped their hands and answered in unison.

Yu Huatian nodded. Since there was still some time before dawn, he returned to his residence to meditate and cultivate.

During his battle with Liu Xi tonight, he had faintly sensed a bottleneck in his martial cultivation. The rate at which his internal energy transformed into Sunflower True Energy had also increased considerably.

These signs suggested that he was about to break through.

Yu Huatian intended to see whether he could ride that momentum straight into Late Grandmaster!

In the Ming capital, directly south of the imperial palace and near the city wall, stood a sprawling estate.

This was the renowned Dragon Guard Mountain Villa, the Iron Gallant Divine Marquis's fief in the Ming.

At that moment, the great hall at the center of Dragon Guard Mountain Villa was brightly lit.

A man wearing a black-and-gold python robe and a princely crown sat upright on the throne above, waiting quietly. His features were imposing, his bearing extraordinary.

In this heavily guarded Dragon Guard Mountain Villa, there was no need to ask who had the right to sit there. He was none other than the reigning emperor's uncle, the illustrious Iron Gallant Divine Marquis, Zhu Wushi!

Whoosh, whoosh-

After an unknown stretch of time, two sounds of rushing air suddenly came from outside. Two figures then entered the great hall.

They were none other than Duan Tianya and Guihai Yidao, who had been ordered to go to the East Depot and put an end to the unrest.

"Tianya and Yidao pay their respects to you, Foster Father!"

At the sound of their voices, Zhu Wushi slowly opened his eyes upon the throne.

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(End of chapter)