Chapter 166: Sword Injuries
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Slave Jing had died due to a flurry of blows. There were wounds all over his body, but his head was left intact miraculously.
He should have stayed with Slave Huan. It was unknown to him where they lost contact with each other. There was murder everywhere, be it the roof or the ground. Enemies kept popping up out of nowhere. When Gu Shenwei noticed that Slave Jing was missing, it was already dark and there was no way to look for him again.
Slave Jing became the second killer to die while under the Tenth Young Master's command.
On the surface, it seemed like the Horned Dragon Society had suffered greater losses, as they had over a hundred casualties. However, that was only a quarter of their total strength. Even though the Kun Society had only 50 or so dead, it was about half of all their machetemen.
After this cruel battle, both parties found it difficult to hire any more machetemen. There were even some that left without a word, even though they had been hired. Some of them didn't even want to receive their salary for that month before they left.
Their lives were more important than money.
This time, everyone could predict the final winner. Even though it was difficult to hire new machetemen, the Horned Dragon Society could still make up for their shortfall with the riches of the Meng family. The Kun Society, however, was running out of silver. Even if Tie Hanfeng's entire inheritance was used, there was no way to compete with the enemy.
This was the first time Gu Shenwei felt truly alienated.
Although the outcome of this huge battle was not something that Slave Huan could change, he, as the leader of the society, went missing and was nowhere to be seen at such a crucial time. He joined the battle halfway through and the killer he led into battle was also killed, all of which would become imperfections in his record that he could not hide.
The killers maintained their distance from him. The machetemen no longer trusted him. Even the Xu siblings panicked when they heard the news. They remained respectful on the surface but had started to secretly accumulate their silver. If the Kun Society suffered a crushing defeat in the end, they had to spend money to look for new backing.
Maid Lotus was the only who remained unaffected by outside forces. She even expressed her concern that there might be a plot leading to Slave Jing's death, even before Slave Huan could say anything, saying, "Slave Jing wasn't known to be rash, how could he have jumped into the fray just to be cut down by so many blows?"
Gu Shenwei knew more than anyone else that the circumstances leading to Slave Jing's death were unclear, but he still held himself accountable. He had known that Slave Jing's life was hanging by a thread. Slave Jing was a key figure in uncovering the truth, yet he had not stuck around closely to guard Slave Jing.
The most difficult hurdle to overcome was to visit the North City and meet Shangguan Ru.
Shangguan Yushi stood beside the Tenth Young Master. She took part in the battle and knew what went down. However, she did not criticise Slave Huan's performance, which was a very rare occurence. She was smart. She knew what to say and what not to say.
"Why was there not a hint of information before? We were caught completely unaware."
Gu Shenwei had no explanation to Shangguan Ru's query. Even though there was no clear segregation of duties, intelligence had always been his responsibility. By being unaware of such a large scale attack by the Horned Dragon Society, he had failed to carry out his duty.
"It's my fault. Your subject knows that he is guilty. Please punish me as you see fit, Tenth Young Master."
Gu Shenwei could only admit to his mistake. This made him extremely frustrated, as he knew that there was a conspiracy behind all these incidents. However, he could not produce any evidence nor bring the matter up, as Shangguan Ru would have felt that he was trying to frame Master Yu.
This situation brought back memories of the Giant Rock Cliff from a few years back, when Shangguan Yushi tried to assassinate Slave Huan. Her methods had become more matured and thoughtful as time passed. She was now more careful of leaving behind any evidence that would indict her for the crime. Slave Huan's opportunities to counter-attack were reducing.
"It's not your fault. I was too simple-minded. How could I have thought of everything while being in the North City, separated from the situation by a wall and a river?"
Shangguan Ru treated this statement as something a master with a responsible attitude would say, but it felt like utter humiliation to Gu Shenwei.
Gu Shenwei stayed behind in the North City. He claimed that he wanted to meditate on his wrongdoings behind closed doors, but he sneaked out secretly that evening. He went to pay Ye Silang a visit. He had nowhere else to go, and could only try looking for answers from every outlet that he knows of.
Ye Silang's residence was situated at a small alley in the North City. Compared to his neighbours, it looked a little shabby. He was a swordsman with no other means of living. He depended entirely upon the financial assistance of his admirers. Therefore, his income fluctuates with their moods. Luckily, he did not have any special demands nor did he have any peculiar tastes, therefore he managed to stay in the North City for this long.
Ye Silang sat on a soft couch and the front of his chest was still covered in bandages. His upper body was naked and he placed his long sword beside him. He was one of the few people in the North CIty with the permission to carry a sword.
Perhaps it was due to the influence of Hope Alley, Gu Shenwei started thinking about Ye Silang's perfect physique unconsciously. Even someone with no interest in men had to be in awe as well. Even though he was still recovering from his injuries, he looked like he is full of energy. The layers of bandages seemed like it was only an accessory.
The only old slave of the Ye Family served tea and left in a hurry. It was only then that Ye Silang spoke, "You saved me." There was not a hint of gratitude in his voice. It felt more like sarcasm and indignation.
"You don't have to repay me. I have my own motives, and I wish to know who it was that tried to kill you."
It was as though Ye Silang had not heard what the killer said. Ye Silang stared at him without moving, and said, "I'm a swordsman, not a killer. No matter what you think, I have to pay you back with a life."
Gu Shenwei had lived in the Stone Castle for far too long. He had nearly forgotten that there were another set of rules which were different from that of killers'. "There's no need to pay me back with a life. I have no use for that. Tell me who wished to kill you, and we'll be even."
"That's my business. What does it have to do with you?"
"Whether or not it has anything to do with me, say it and we'll know."
"Hey, I've heard much about you. You like to stick your nose up the affairs of others, and this isn't what a Golden Roc killer should be like. I'll repay the favor of you saving my life, but how I repay it is up to me."
As the master had made an order to chase away the visitor, Gu Shenwei took his leave. He circled around the outside, and returned to the entrance of the alley. After waiting for a while, he saw the old servant of the Ye Residence walking out, carrying a lantern and limping into a grand mansion through the side gate.
The grand mansion was the Meng's residence. In the spur of the moment, Gu Shenwei wanted to sneak into the mansion to check it out. After some consideration, he gave up. He was not carrying a weapon with him and could not extricate himself from any trap. Furthermore, it was not a good idea to break into houses in the North City. Once this was discovered, the Golden Roc Fort would not spare him from any punishment.
Gu Shenwei turned around and returned to the Ye Residence. The door to the yard had only been partially closed, and he went in uninvited.
Ye Silang was practising his swordplay in the yard. When the cold moonlight shone on his flawless skin, it looked as though an aura of a young deity was emanating from him. It seemed like the aura had grown three heads and six arms, and was wielding countless long swords.
Gu Shenwei watched silently; this was not a sword that has been crafted to kill, yet one would still be enraptured by it.
Ye Silang sheathed his long sword and removed the bandages from his chest, saying, "This isn't the first time that I've been injured."
"You'll get used to it sooner or later."
Gu Shenwei's body bore countless scars of various sizes. Every one of them was more ghastly than those on the swordsman.
"I have a lot of things to get used to. This world has already been turned upside down. My most loyal servant reports my every action to some rich person, yet a killer is trying his hardest to find out who tried to kill me. Do you know? All of this disgusts me, you and my servant."
"I don't see your purple cape." Gu Shenwei said casually, with no intention of entering into a debate about what the world was supposed to be like with the swordsman.
"Cape?"
"Yes, cape. I saw someone in the South City, who loves the color purple just like you. I think..."
Ye Silang demonstrated another type of swordsmanship. Without seemingly moving his body, he came face to face with the killer. The long sword pierced into the killer's chest by about an inch. With just a little more force, he could have killed this irritating youth. "Shut up!" The swordsman's face was malevolent and had lost all its god-like lustre from earlier.
Gu Shenwei looked down upon the sword which had pierced his chest and said, "This isn't the first time that I've been injured."
Ye Silang retracted his sword, and said with a face full of scorn and disgust, "You should count yourself lucky that I'm a swordsman, and that this is the North City. Sooner or later I'll repay you with a life, and then kill you myself."
"Just like killing Marquis Gao?"
Once he spoke, Gu Shenwei knew that he had made a very incorrect guess. Ye Silang lifted his head, which made his already tall stature to grow taller. The youth in front of him seemed like a primary school student who was guilty of something. He said, "You're a killer right to the bone, and will never understand what it means to be a swordsman. A swordsman may kill, and may even kill for profit, but will never kill someone behind their backs."
How could Gu Shenwei have understood what it meant to be a swordsman? He had only known a few swordsmen, and even so they all appeared within these few days. He said, "Lately, I've seen many who have died under a sword, and every single case was an assassination."
As long as there was no mention of the purple-clad man from the South City, Ye Silang could keep his emotions under better control. He lowered his long sword, and there was even a faint smile appearing across his lips. "I've never seen his wounds, but I know that Marquis Gao wasn't killed by a swordsman."
Gu Shenwei did not immediately catch the hidden meaning of this statement, and said, "Many have confirmed that the wounds on Marquis Gao's body were caused by a sword, and you said it yourself before."
"They were sword wounds, but not the doing of a swordsman."
Gu Shenwei was enlightened all of a sudden. The type of kung fu that he was most well versed in was sword craft, but he knew very little about the sword craft which exists in the world. Even though Zhang Ji had loaned him many swordbooks, they were all useless. He had never studied them in detail. Therefore, his knowledge was far more shallow compared to this famous swordsman, Ye Silang.
That's right, someone who kills with a sword does not necessarily need to be a swordsman. Gu Shenwei now understands where his error in deduction came from. Many issues now made sense to him, but there were still a few details that remained unclear to him.
"So was that why you identified me as the murderer?"
"Not entirely. Marquis Go was a good friend of mine. I have a duty to avenge his death. As for seeking you out for a duel, it was because someone wanted your head. I've said that a swordsman would also kill for money."
Gu Shenwei was very sure that he knew who was it that wanted Slave Huan's head. "What about the assassin in the Rouge Forest? Was he not a true swordsman as well?"
"You still refuse to let go of this matter. That man is a swordsman, and an expert who is hard to find. However, he is no match for me, and I'll seek my own revenge. This has nothing to do with you."
The old servant of the Ye Residence pushed the door open and entered the yard. He was shocked to see his master standing at the yard with his sword. He immediately bowed down and said, "Fourth Master, you're not asleep yet?".
Ye Silang nodded, while looking at the old servant who was quivering as he entered the house. His heart was filled with hatred for the entire Jade City.
Gu Shenwei returned to the residence in the North City. Shangguan Ru was still awake, and she asked him about his day's progress.
"I have some leads. I think everything will be made known in a few days' time."
Gu Shenwei did not wish to divulge all of the information to the Tenth Young Master. The next day, he returned to the South City. Firstly, he ordered the Xu siblings to gather information on Chu Yangjun from the Hope Alley. After that, he called for Maid Lotus. This was the only companion that he could trust, and he had to remind her that danger was near.
"Be aware of Wildhorse. Marquis Gao, Zhou Huan, Slave Yuan and Slave Jing were all killed by him. His next target would either be you or me."
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