Chapter 002: The Sheathed Cold Air Embroidered Spring Blade

The weather was hot, yet the atmosphere in the shop was chillingly cold. The four individuals wore gloomy expressions, remaining silent, creating a suffocating tension. After a long while, Mr. An finally managed to swallow hard and cautiously said: "Yang Xu is dead, our task has been botched. What should we do now? It’s not right for everyone to remain silent like this. Mr. Feng, you hold the highest position among us; you need to provide some guidance for everyone!"

Feng Jianjiao instructed Manager Liu in a low voice: "You follow him closely, keep an eye on him, and see where he lands!"

On the banks of the Nanyang River outside Qingzhou Prefecture, there is a tavern. This establishment sells both wine and tea

Zhang Shisan teased, "An Litong, I used to think you were just foolish, but I didn't expect you to be even more foolish than a pig"

Manager Liu, in a state of agitation, waved his hand and shouted: "Go away, go away, I am not opening for business today. I have taken down the wine banners and tea flags. Can't you see?"

Mr. An sighed softly, while Feng Jianxiao and Zhang Shisan slowly turned their heads, looking at him with a gaze akin to that directed at a fool. Mr. An felt a bit uneasy under their scrutiny; he touched the tip of his nose and awkwardly asked, "Uh... did I say something wrong?"

Seated to his left was a burly man, dressed in a round-collared dark robe, approximately in his thirties. He had a coarse beard beneath his chin, with each hair as thick as a steel needle. His features were marked by thick eyebrows and a wide mouth, exuding a strong and heroic aura. His expression was very cold; he neither furrowed his brow in anger nor roared like thunder, but simply sat there quietly, emanating a quiet yet palpable aura of menace.

With a knife in hand, an invisible aura of killing intent has surged into the sky, sweeping over every blade of grass, every tree, and every mountain and river along the banks of the Nanyang River

Feng Jianxiao's lips moved slightly, as if exhaling a breath of cool air. After a long pause, he finally said, "Make a decision? What decision? Four years ago, the four of us were ordered to leave Yingtian Prefecture and infiltrate Qingzhou City. We spent a full four years utilizing all the financial, material, and personal connections that the magistrate could mobilize, and only then did we manage to support Yang Xu. Last month, I just conveyed a message to the magistrate, stating that Yang Xu had become a trusted confidant of Prince Qi, and that the magistrate could begin the next phase of action. Who would have thought... four years ago, the four of us were ordered to leave Yingtian Prefecture and infiltrate Qingzhou City. We spent a full four years utilizing all the financial, material, and personal connections that the magistrate could mobilize, and only then did we manage to support Yang Xu. Last month, I just conveyed a message to the magistrate, stating that Yang Xu had become a trusted confidant of Prince Qi, and that the magistrate could begin the next phase of action. Who would have thought... just in the blink of an eye!"

This stout man is dressed in a patterned, cross-collared gown, wearing a folded gauze scarf on his head. The gown is made of fine cotton, but not silk or satin. It seems that although his family is wealthy, he is merely a pure merchant, neither a scholar nor a farmer, and thus lacks the qualification to wear silk garments. Now that Emperor Hongwu sits on the dragon throne, the distinctions of rank and status are clearly defined; who would dare to transgress the established rules

At that moment, someone outside shouted: "Shopkeeper, I have caught a few fresh fish. I wonder if you would be willing to buy them. My prices are very reasonable, much cheaper than those at the fish market."

Mr. An, with a pale complexion, turned to Inspector Feng and said: "Lord Feng, what do you think... perhaps we should honestly explain the situation here to the lord? The death of Yang Xuzhi was entirely an accident, and the fault does not lie with either of us; we are innocent. At this moment, when the lord is in need of capable individuals, perhaps... perhaps the lord might let us off the hook."

The robust man in a robe is a judicial officer at the Qingzhou Prefectural Yamen, named Feng Xihui. Although a judicial officer is a rank lower than a ninth-grade official, he is still a minor official of no significant standing. Nevertheless, he is still an official, and common folk must pay their respects upon seeing him, addressing him as "Sir".

Manager Liu nodded, then returned to the inner room. After a moment, he surprisingly brought out a knife. Feng Jianxiao frowned and said, "Is it necessary to bring a knife to follow a beggar? If this knife is revealed and falls into the eyes of someone with ill intentions, wouldn't it lead to a great disaster? Put it down!" Manager Liu awkwardly set the knife down and quickly exited the shop.

As he scolded, he raised his head. When he clearly saw the appearance of the person outside the shop, his entire body suddenly trembled, as if struck by lightning, and he stood there motionless. Feng Jianxiao and the other two noticed something unusual in his expression and immediately turned to look at the door. Upon seeing it, the three of them were also greatly astonished

Four individuals were seated around a table. The one with his back to the door was a youth of about seventeen or eighteen years, dressed in a complete outfit of blue. His attire and appearance suggested that he was a servant from a wealthy family. This person had delicate features, but his thin lips and narrow eyes, along with a complexion that was pale with a hint of green, gave him a somewhat intimidating presence. He was none other than Zhang Shisan, the personal attendant of Young Master Yang Xu from the Yang family of Qingzhou.

Mr. An finally reacted, exclaiming: "Ah! I understand now, my lord, could it be... could it be that you intend to use this beggar to deceive us?"

Zhang Shisan holds a somewhat special position among these four individuals. Although Feng Jianxiao is the leader of the group, when it comes to the relationship with Lord Luo of Yingtian Prefecture, Zhang Shisan is truly Lord Luo's trusted confidant. Therefore, aside from maintaining a degree of respect when facing Feng Jianxiao, he speaks to the other two with a commanding tone, showing no signs of deference. An Yuanwai and Liu Xu have long been accustomed to his arrogance.

Recalling the formidable methods of that official in the capital, several individuals involuntarily shivered. Manager Liu gasped for breath for a long time, gritting his teeth and saying: "Damn it, who the hell is that bastard? Why kill anyone, but choose to kill Yang Wenxuan? Yang Wenxuan, a scholar of impeccable background, is not a figure from the underworld. Who could he have offended to end up inexplicably... Ah! Sir, do you think... could it be that our identities have been exposed?"

Apart from rebellion, there are fundamentally no crimes that can be attributed to the vassal kings. If there are any offenses that have provoked public anger, they are indeed the mistakes of the prince, with the Chancellor bearing the blame. Unless it is a grave crime of treason, who in the world could harm a royal prince? If Yang Xu's death was truly instigated by the King of Qi, then it would be as easy for him to kill us as it is to crush an ant. Why would he need to act so covertly?

To the right of Zhang Shisan was a stout man in his forties, with a round face and chubby cheeks. If he were to shave his head and don a monk's robe, one might mistake him for the "True Maitreya, Maitreya in countless forms, always appearing to people, yet people do not recognize him"—the bag-bearing monk, and think that he had come to play among mortals once again

The gazes of Feng Jianxiao and Zhang Shisan brightened in succession

The man stood outside the door, unable to clearly see the expressions of the people inside the shop, yet he could sense that they were looking at him strangely. His ambiguous identity posed a significant threat to him in this era of strict household registration control. To avoid trouble, he had rarely entered cities during his journey; otherwise, he would not have ended up in such a predicament. Sensing that the situation was unusual, he immediately heightened his vigilance and joked, "If the shopkeeper does not wish to buy, I shall leave on my own; why such anger? I apologize for the disturbance." With that, he picked up the fish and left.

Just two years ago, an incident occurred in Jiangnan where more than ten young men from affluent families, having the means to purchase leather boots, wore them to show off and went to the streets to play kick the shuttlecock. As a result, they were caught red-handed by the patrolling officials. At that time, the Emperor had just issued an edict prohibiting commoners, merchants, artisans, infantry, and miscellaneous workers from wearing boots. Those who defied this order were naturally subject to severe punishment. Ultimately, the unfortunate young men had both of their feet amputated. The Emperor had just issued an edict prohibiting commoners, merchants, artisans, infantry, and miscellaneous workers from wearing boots. Those who defied this order were naturally subject to severe punishment. Ultimately, the unfortunate young men had both of their feet amputated

Mr. An's face suddenly flushed red, and he stammered, "What... what is wrong with me?"

Along with the four individuals from the *Illustrated* book, Feng Jianxiao scrutinized him with a critical eye, akin to "finding faults," distinguishing the differences between this beggar and Yang Xu. They discovered that the differences between the two were indeed minimal. If they had not already seen the lifeless body of Yang Xu, one might truly believe that this person was merely Yang Xu in slight disguise, deliberately masquerading as a beggar to mock them.

The round-faced man named An Litong is the proprietor of the An family silk shop in Qingzhou. He frequently travels to the Jiangnan region to purchase silk, which he then transports to the north for sale. Coming from a wealthy family and being a prominent merchant, he is affluent and well-off. Although he is merely a pure businessman in the eyes of the officials, his wealth commands respect among the common people, who address him as "Master Yuanwai" with deference.

This stout man has very light eyebrows and naturally possesses a pair of smiling eyes. At this moment, the corners of those smiling eyes are twitching incessantly, and sweat is continuously trickling down his forehead and temples. His plump hands tightly grip a pristine white handkerchief, occasionally wiping the sweat that flows down from his forehead and cheeks.

The tavern is quite small, and the owner, Liu Xu, serves as the proprietor, chef, and waiter all in one. Usually, aside from the villagers from the nearby settlement who come to purchase some wine, the business relies on transient guests from passing boats on the Nanyang River and fishermen seeking a brief respite. Consequently, the business is very slow. The owner is disinterested in managing the tavern and often takes down the wine flags and tea banners to seek other means of livelihood. The passing boats and nearby residents have grown accustomed to this; upon seeing that the wine flags and tea banners are no longer displayed on the pole in front, they simply stop coming.

Feng Jianxiao did not speak, but instead picked up the knife that was resting in front of him. It was a slender, slightly curved blade, lightweight and agile, suitable for close combat. As he gazed nostalgically at the knife, Feng Jianxiao's eyes gradually grew fervent. He pressed the spring with his thumb, and with a sharp sound, the blade extended half a foot. Feng Jianxiao's fingertip gently brushed against the sharp edge, and he murmured, "Embroidered Spring Knife, oh Embroidered Spring Knife, when will your might once again grace the world?"

Mr. An rubbed his hands together, anxiously saying: "What is the use of investigating the cause of Yang Xu's death at this moment? The important thing is, how should we explain this to Lord Luo..."

Zhang Shisan coldly said: "Once Yang Wenxuan is dead, I will erase all traces on the ship and transport him here by vehicle. The news has not yet spread, and I will not even enter the city. Instead, I have gathered everyone here to discuss countermeasures together. I... I have no solutions to propose"

Yang Xu

Today, this small hotel seems to have closed for the day. The thin pole in front is bare, but if you approach, you will notice that although the wine flags and tea banners have been taken down, the door panels are not completely secured, leaving at least two gaps for ventilation. Inside the establishment, a few people are quietly seated.

Mr. An took a deep breath and exclaimed, "Did you see that? Did you see that? This person looks exactly like Yang Xu. Truly, the world is vast and full of wonders. If it weren't for the fact that Yang Xu's body is right in the back of the car, which we just personally verified, I would really think that Yang Xu has come back to life! Alas, why does this short-lived beggar not die, while the undeserving Yang Xu has passed away?"

Even at the height of my glory as a Jinyiwei, how much weight did I carry in the eyes of the princes? Have you forgotten how those two commanding officers from the Wujun Camp in Yingtianfu met their demise? They were beaten to death in the street by the prince's men simply for clashing with the procession of a prince who was entering the capital for an audience. And what was the outcome? This prince was merely reprimanded by the emperor with a few words.

As the shock began to subside, the four individuals realized that this person was somewhat different from Yang Xu. Firstly, the demeanor and bearing of this individual were far removed from the suave, youthful, and wealthy Young Master Yang. However, this was not of great concern; even if the Emperor himself were to don the attire of a beggar and stand at the street corner, holding a tattered bowl, he would never exude the majesty and grandeur of the sovereign. To a large extent, this was a matter of appearance. Nevertheless, this person was sturdier than Yang Xu, with a complexion significantly darker. Additionally, there were certain indescribable factors, an entirely instinctive feeling, a sense of unfamiliarity.

Today the shop is closed, with all the windows shut, leaving only two doors ajar at the entrance, resulting in a dimly lit interior. The person outside cannot discern the expressions of those inside, yet the four individuals within can see him quite clearly. Although this person is dressed in rags, his facial features are strikingly similar to those of Yang Xu. If he were to change out of these beggar's clothes and dress himself properly, would he not resemble the dashing young master Yang Xu, who leans on a slanted bridge, with a full house of red sleeves beckoning?

Mr. An was sweating even more profusely

Zhang Shisan let out a cold laugh and reprimanded his colleague, who was nearly twice his age, without any courtesy: "Are you a human with a pig's brain? Our actions are so secretive, how could we possibly be detected? To take a step back, if we were truly exposed, who would be against us? Only the King of Qi. But if the King of Qi were to act, would he need to resort to assassination? Would he only kill Yang Xu?"

His hair was disheveled and loose, carelessly tied into a bun with a branch stuck in as a hairpin. He wore a tattered short brown garment draped over him, the hem frayed like threads. His lower body was clad in a pair of discolored lantern pants, haphazardly tied at the waist with a grass rope. His calves were wrapped with leg bindings, and on his feet were a pair of worn straw sandals, exposing his dirty toes

Sitting opposite Zhang Shisan was Liu Xu, the owner of this small hotel. Manager Liu had a naturally honest and simple appearance, dressed in a coarse blue cloth outfit, with the collar tucked into his belt and his sleeves rolled up, revealing a neatly pressed inner lining. His lips were tightly pursed, and he wore a deeply troubled expression, as if the three people sitting next to him were all diners who had dined and dashed.

Zhang Shisan let out a cold laugh: "Eating the ashes of lampwick and letting out a light fart! When has Lord Luo ever been so kind-hearted and soft? You are well aware of the current situation over in Ying Tian. Our Jinyiwei is in a very difficult position, and if we want to turn things around, we are relying on you. Four years ago, you could still provide us with some assistance, helping us to support a Yang Wenxuan. Now, it is impossible for you to offer us any help. All of your hopes have been buried in our hands. Do you still expect Lord Luo to forgive you?"

Yang Xu, who died last night and is now hidden in the carriage in the backyard, is surprisingly dressed like a beggar, standing alive at the shop entrance. In his hand, he holds a string of fish of varying sizes, threaded through their gills with willow branches, appearing to be freshly caught. The tails of the fish occasionally weakly flicker.

In light of this, although Qingzhou Prefecture may have a sense of being distant from the emperor, the wealthy merchants at home, who lack the qualifications to wear luxurious garments, can only don their fine silk robes to flaunt their status within their households. However, once they step outside, they must cover themselves with a cloth gown, as it is prudent to maintain a low profile. No one dares to openly flaunt their wealth or directly challenge the authority of the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhang Shisan said sarcastically: "Old An, I misspoke just now; in fact, you are still a little bit smarter than a pig."

Feng Jianxiao slammed the table fiercely, causing the teacups to jump up in unison. Only then did Feng Jianxiao speak with hatred: "Yang Xu has been killed. Once this news reaches the ears of the magistrate, we can only imagine what our fate will be. Gentlemen, you are aware of Lord Luo's methods. If you do not wish to end up in a situation where you cannot live or die, then it would be better to end it yourself and seek a swift resolution."