The four commanders frowned slightly upon hearing Eunuch Fan's words.
Ten years is too long. The Emperor of Yan definitely wants to finish this quickly, but the most feasible way to complete the mission in six months is to replace the Second Rank- tier second-class swordsman with a new one.
However, Ye Xingge currently lacks any conditions to relinquish the divine weapon; the only way to change its master is to kill him.
Killing someone is easy, but Ye Xingge is clearly talented and capable. If the Great Yan were to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, wouldn't the people of the world be able to tell who the wise ruler is and who the foolish one is?
Secondly, even if you kill it, you still need to make the divine weapon recognize you as its master.
If the Emperor of Yan could really make such a decision, given Fate-Robbing Saber's volatile temper, he would most likely acknowledge the Emperor of Yan as his master on the spot.
Didn't you want to switch sword masters and get rid of Wu Chenglie? Go ahead.
And this is no joke.
The divine weapon, when judged by its intent, can discern cause and effect. Whoever makes this greedy and despicable decision is the one most deeply corrupted by greed. It's not surprising that the Fate-Robbing Saber can lock someone's head from afar.
Therefore, replacing the knife is completely unfeasible.
The Emperor of Yan's intention was simply to see if he could promote Ye Xingge to the First Rank within six months!
This sounds rather ridiculous.
Gongsun Yanwu pondered for a moment:
" Ye Xingge is currently just one step away from the Third Rank. If he can get into the First Rank in six months, he will surpass all of us..."
Mei Yuchang shook her head directly:
"Theoretically, the Fate-Robbing Saber could achieve this if the bloodshed continued indefinitely. However, people get injured and need rest, and killing must be done according to the law. The blade cannot act unjustly; forcing things to grow stronger will only backfire."
Whether it was a rebuttal personality or simply holding a grudge, Ruan Jinyu suddenly said:
"This young man is more capable than the entire Inspection Bureau. It wouldn't be surprising if he rose to take over Duke Zhang's position within six months."
Eunuch Fan knew that this was almost impossible, but since the Sage had this idea, and Ye Xingge was indeed extraordinary, he thought for a moment and said:
"Ten years and half a year—the imperial court's methods of cultivation are definitely different. Of course, this matter cannot be rushed; I am an outsider, and the specifics of how to cultivate him will need to be discussed by you gentlemen..."
Upon hearing this, Luo Xuanqing couldn't help but feel secretly troubled.
With Ye Xingge's Fate-Robbing Saber, entering the First Rank is a sure thing.
But if it can be done in half a year, then the Emperor of Yan and even powerful families like the Cao Clan and Wang Clan will definitely tighten their belts and pull out their coffins to help.
To achieve First Rank within ten years is the standard treatment for a prodigy, and the level of support they receive might not even match that of Mei Wuchang.
As a good older sister, Luo Xuanqing definitely wanted to get more resources for Ye Xingge.
For example, there are the " Martial Emperor Pill " and " Qilin Pill " in the national treasury, the immortal cultivation technique " Great Nine Yang " that the Cao Clan stole from Wu Chenglie, the " Thousand-Autumn Move Manual " compiled by the imperial court and major families, and a huge amount of nurturing materials...
These are all top-tier martial arts resources controlled by the Great Yan. If Ye Xingge wants to acquire them in a short time, he can only give the higher-ups the hope of taking down Wu Chenglie within six months.
But Ye Xingge hasn't Filth-Severing Whip, so how could he possibly have achieved a top rank in First Rank?
If he has the ability, and he works hard during the day and then again at night, he certainly has a chance to get into the First Rank.
Even if it doesn't work out, there's always an endless supply of great practice partners.
One-off opponents are hard to find, but fields that can't be over-cultivated are everywhere.
This is also why the Filth-Severing Whip is more useful than the Fate-Robbing Saber...
Luo Xuanqing pondered this, and seeing that everyone was still talking, he turned his head and asked:
" Lord An, what do you think?"
When An Yurou heard that it was impossible to enter the First Rank in six months, her heart was completely at ease.
Even if she couldn't turn Ye Xingge to the enemy within ten years, she could still become like Diaochan and make Ye Xingge "a true man is born between heaven and earth, how can he live a life of melancholy and subservience to others!"
However, An Yurou definitely couldn't reveal these hidden thoughts:
"I don't know much about these things either, but this young man possesses a valuable treasure, and many people in the martial arts world will surely covet it. You'll have to protect him well in the future."
Behind the two, Shen Yueyao did not sit down, but leaned on the back of the chair, cupping her cheeks as she listened.
Seeing so many high-ranking officials discussing Ye Xingge's talent and future achievements, I was genuinely envious and interjected:
"Where's Brother Ye? Should we call him over and let him name a time himself?"
Luo Xuanqing thought that if he let the kid say it himself, he might dare to say "three months," so he directly shook his head and rejected the suggestion...
The outer edge of the city.
The streets were bustling with pedestrians, and peddlers occasionally passed by carrying their wares on shoulder poles, their shouts rising and falling in a cacophony of calls.
"Steamed stuffed bun..."
"Candied hawthorn..."
Ye Xingge walked through the dense crowds along the street, his brocade robe replaced by his greyish-white martial arts attire, with a bamboo hat hanging on his back.
The watermelon knife was also changed to a ringless horizontal blade, equipped with a scabbard, wrapped in black cloth and carried in the hand, making him look like an ordinary wandering knight.
However, knowing that the "big wave of assassins" was coming, he must have more than just this much on him.
Besides the "bandit suit," he also carried two packets of quicklime, three " Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers " pills, three smoke bombs, and a set of soft armor that he had purchased at great expense.
The soft armor is not a famous weapon, but it comes from the Mysterious Armament Pavilion, a major weapon-making sect. It is of very high quality and can protect against cuts from swords and blades. Twelve armor plates are sewn inside the chest and back, arranged according to vital points and common points of attack.
The armor plates are all made of three-millimeter composite material, which is lightweight and ergonomic. The shopkeeper even took a sample and had him test it with a large gun.
With his skill, he punctured the armor plate, but it showed concave spiderweb patterns; he didn't pierce it. It was estimated that it would take two or three shots to completely break through the armor, which was enough to demonstrate its defensive power.
However, such items are obviously expensive, costing eighty strings of cash, and armor is a prohibited item, requiring an official order to purchase.
Ye Xingge didn't have that much cash on hand, and exchanging a famous soldier for ordinary protective gear would be a huge loss, so he mortgaged the " Gang-Shaking Ring " and bought it on credit.
In addition, Ye Xingge also had a wrist guard, a pair of leg guards, and two bottles of healing and qi-replenishing pills.
With his protective gear and supplies fully equipped, Ye Xingge felt much more confident, and even looked forward to the upcoming wave of assassins, wondering just how big that wave would be.
If enough people come to give it away for free, and it snowballs, then getting to the First Rank in three months isn't impossible...
As Ye Xingge walked along the street, he quietly inquired:
Have you found him?
Meanwhile, Hongyu had already arrived in the district near the imperial city and was currently strolling on the second floor of a cosmetics shop, eyeing a music hall across the street:
" At Changle Ward and Jade Immortal House, two sons of officials are fighting over a woman. The property belongs to the Cao Clan. Dong Baoquan is handling it inside; it looks like he won't be done for at least an hour or two. What about you?"
"I've arrived at my destination; I'll be there shortly."
Ye Xingge pinpointed the target's location and, without wasting any time, followed the intelligence through the alleyway to the entrance of a lane.
There was a commotion deep in the alley, with a crowd gathered. Judging from their clothes, they were all neighbors from the neighborhood, and there were two children crying, dressed in mourning clothes.
Ye Xingge came here to deal with a drunken man who had killed someone, but he wasn't a chivalrous Cao Clan- errant; he had to adhere to "procedural justice."
At this moment, Ye Xingge walked to the back of the crowd and saw that the entrance was surrounded by a large group of people, who were discussing the matter excitedly.
" Miaozi was an honest servant at the tavern, always serving tea and water. But just because he was late serving wine, he was beaten to death. The authorities even accused him of making irresponsible remarks about the imperial lineage..."
"The county magistrate has already made the judgment, and the tavern owner is a witness; there's no way to reason with him..."
"Sister-in-law Chen was a woman of strong character; she hanged herself as soon as she got back..."
?
Ye Xingge frowned, peeked into the doorway, and discovered two coffins in the courtyard.
The people talking around were mostly neighbors, including an old man with a red neck and slightly bulging eyes, who was holding a legal document in his hand and constantly tapping his cane.
"If the county government won't do it, and the prefectural government won't do it, then I'll go and appeal to the emperor..."
"Sigh, you shouldn't say that, and it's no use saying it..."
"Then my son died in vain? I've lived from the Great Zhou to the Great Yan, and I've never seen anything so absurd..."
Ye Xingge around briefly, then squeezed through the crowd and raised his hand, saying:
"Sir, may I take a look at the petition?"
As the crowd turned around in excitement, they saw a simply dressed young man carrying a knife, looking like a wandering knight, and their eyes lit up.
After all, there were many chivalrous martial artists in the countryside, and the alley was full of poor people from the lower classes who had no way to appeal to the powerful and wealthy. Seeing this, several relatives quickly gathered around:
"Brave warrior, please be the judge..."
"This is what happens when officials protect each other..."
But the old man holding the petition, even though his son and daughter-in-law had died, remained relatively clear-headed and understood the situation behind it all. He waved his hand and said:
"Young man, you can't handle this. I'm seventy, I've lived long enough. I'll go and get justice myself. I refuse to believe that not a single official is blind..."
Ye Xingge saw that this old man was quite reasonable, and his tone was also gentle:
"Don't worry, sir. I have some connections with officials in the capital. Give me the complaint, and I'll go ask around. If there's truly an injustice, perhaps there's a chance for a change in the situation."
Upon hearing this, the old man glanced at Ye Xingge a few more times, hesitated for a moment, and, realizing he truly had no other recourse, handed over the petition, leaning on his cane as he prepared to kneel.
"This old man is truly incompetent..."
"Eh."
Ye Xingge helped the man up. "You can't kneel like that, it'll shorten your lifespan. Old man, please attend to the funeral arrangements first. I'll go ask around and give you an answer later."
"Thank you, brave warrior! Boy, quickly kowtow to the warrior twice..."
"Waaah..."
Not long after.
Ye Xingge left the alley, unfolded the petition to examine it, and saw that it was likely written by a neighbor. The general sequence of events was as follows:
On the tenth day of the fifth month, Dong Baoquan of Vice Minister Cao, held a banquet in Changle Ward. After drinking, he beat a waiter named Chen Miao to death.
When the Changyong County government investigated the case, the tavern owner and several customers testified that the deceased was discussing the " Chengping Incident " and slandering the imperial family. Dong Baoquan overheard this and tried to teach him a lesson, but accidentally killed him.
The Chengping Incident was the event that occurred a year before his birth, when Emperor Ai of Zhou was imprisoned for allegedly murdering his own ruler, and the Duke of Yan ruled as regent under the Duke of Yan. This event was a harbinger of Yan replacing Zhou.
This is a major taboo in official circles, but it's a topic of frequent, clandestine discussion in taverns and teahouses, and the explanations they come up with seem plausible.
However, Dong Baoquan did not attend the trial at the county government office; instead, Cao Shilang's advisor acted on his behalf.
Finally, based on the shopkeeper's testimony, the Changyong County found Dong Baoquan innocent and the waiter guilty of "great disrespect," deserving of death.
After her pleas for justice went unanswered, Ms. Dong hanged herself at home...
After carefully reading through the Ye Xingge frowned slightly, folded the petition neatly, and put it away. He then asked in a low voice:
"Did this waiter make any unfounded accusations against orthodoxy? If so, this matter will be difficult to handle."
Hongyu then responded in her ear:
"Don't worry, the people I found for you could kill someone with their eyes closed and wouldn't make a mistake. The tavern owner will collect fifty taels of hush money afterward, which is hidden in a secret box in the wardrobe; the patrons will each receive thirty taels, and their names and addresses are all clearly documented. You just need to go through the formalities."
Ye Xingge knew the importance of "leaving a record of one's actions," so he didn't say much at the moment. After glancing around, he picked up his knife and headed into the city...