Legend of The Young Master

Chapter 38: Conclusion

After a moment's consideration, he was surprised to find the answer clear in his mind: yes, it had to be done. To show his worth to Congming, he had to finish this task. They already knew that the Baron had to be killed; they were just testing him. The decision to become judge, jury, and executioner came to him far easier than he had expected.

But the implications of such a decision did not escape him. How had he so swiftly arrived at the point where he could decide another man's fate? Perhaps the real malaise lay not just in a single, neglectful Baron but in a world that made him contemplate such drastic measures. In all practicality, even in this world, it was not his place, a ten-year-old, to decide to kill—imagine that!

But it was his test; he wanted to do well. Even if he was not pleased to be a tool, he wanted to be appreciated, considered useful. As midnight came, the walls echoed with the soft snoring of the slumbering inhabitants. It would be a lie to say that he was not nervous. But he knew he had to do it to show his worth, earn his keep, or they might discard him.

Besides, it was not that he did not have tricks up his sleeve. He had used them many times in the past, his cheat that made even impossible tasks possible. Through the Statue of Harmony, Wuyi sensed the tired minds of the guards outside, half-aware of their surroundings. A perfect moment for what he had to do.

Donning a dark gray robe, he activated the Statue of Shadows, melting his presence into the surrounding darkness. Now was the moment of truth. He had faith in his cheat. Easing out of the pavilion, he ventured into the dimly lit corridor. Two guards stood at attention, but his shadowy form slipped past them unnoticed.

Descending the stairs, Wuyi felt a foreign sensation—the touch of wood under his feet, not the cold stone he had grown accustomed to. He moved through the shadowy spaces of the halls, just as Chao had instructed him. It felt natural, as if he had done it a hundred times before. The few guards he encountered were drifting in and out of sleep, unaware of his passage.

His journey took him through the fort kitchens, past the chambers of servants and attendants, and eventually to the Baron's bedchamber. Baron Qingzhu and Lady Meiyu lay in deep slumber, blissfully ignorant of the intruder in their midst. With his presence concealed, he sprinkled them with Dreammist—a concoction designed to extend their slumber.

Confident that they would remain asleep, he extracted a small bamboo straw from his robe. Reaching for a porcelain flask of water kept nearby, he filled the straw with a minuscule amount of water. The straw contained a special powder that Chao had given him. After that, he approached the Baron, pried open his mouth, and poured the liquid from the straw.

His task complete, Wuyi retreated as silently as he came. Instead of returning directly to his chamber, his stomach led him to the kitchen. The aroma of cold buns and chicken broth beckoned. In noble clans, the kitchen would always have some food; Wuyi knew this very well. Lifting the lid of a pot, he found a simple yet satisfying meal awaiting him—buns and chicken broth.

He savored each bite, his taste buds grateful for the simplicity.

After his hunger was finally quenched, he decided to return.

Returning to the pavilion, Wuyi checked the Statue of Shadows in his sacred chamber. Its glow had dimmed considerably. He realized he had recklessly expended its energy without considering the consequences. What if it had run out of energy during his task? He needed to be more careful. This was his first mission of this kind; perhaps he could afford some slack just this one time.

But he promised himself not to waste the energy of the statue unless it was necessary. They were his last resort if he got into trouble. The energy those statues collected was too precious and useful. So far, he had been using them without any concern, and today not a single guard noticed him. This statue made him invisible to all.

Knowing how useful this cheat he had received was, he had to use it wisely.

When the first light of dawn painted the sky in hues of gold, servants and people started to wake up. As expected, the fort erupted into chaos when the news of Baron Qingzhu's death spread like wildfire. Servants scurried around, their faces etched with disbelief and sorrow. The air was thick with tension, and the fort walls seemed to close in, as if mourning their fallen Baron.

Strangely, Wuyi felt nothing—no remorse

No guilt. It was a clean job, executed with precision, devoid of any gory details. Perhaps that's why his conscience lay undisturbed, like a still pond untouched by ripples. Or maybe it was his statue of harmony that made him emotionally so stable.

Several herbalists and healers were summoned, their faces grave as they examined the lifeless body of Qingzhu. After much deliberation, they all arrived at the same conclusion: the Baron had passed away due to natural causes. No traces of poison or foul play were found. It was as if the heavens themselves had decided to take him away.

It was weird that a perfectly healthy Baron passed away just as the young master of the ruling clan arrived. It was suspicious, but no one spoke a single word about it, even though everyone knew that the Baron's death was not natural.

Days passed in a blur, and soon it was decided that Wuyi and others in procession would return to Lujinbo Fort. However, Young Master Jianyu made an unexpected announcement. He was to stay behind, taking control of the prefecture, its safety, its finances, and, of course, taking care of the young wife left behind by Baron. Wuyi sighed.

He did all the hard work, and Young Master Jianyu got to reap all the profits. The journey back to Lujinbo Fort was uneventful, almost eerily so. Without the presence of Young Master Jianyu, the procession of attendants traveled with ease, the road ahead devoid of the usual obstacles and delays caused by nobles, as most of the nobles with them were followers of Jianyu, so they stayed back with him.

On the fifteenth day, the familiar walls of Lujinbo Fort came into view, standing tall and majestic against the backdrop of the setting sun.

Life resumed its usual rhythm after their return to Lujinbo Fort. The days of Wuyi were filled with lessons and activities, a monotonous cycle that seemed to stretch endlessly.