The Azure Mountain

Chapter 80: Learning the Blade

A heavy snowfall had transformed the gray-tiled buildings of Luo City — every staggered rooftop high and low — into a white world.

Only on Tongji Street did the pristine snow on the ground turn to black slush, churned by the endless coming and going of Secret Spy Division forces. Every household along the street had their doors and windows bolted, terrified of being dragged into trouble.

In the bombed-out ruins of the estate, dozens of agents were clearing bricks and debris from the collapse, searching for useful clues.

Jin Zhu sighed: "Everyone says a timely snow promises a good harvest, but I can't seem to feel cheerful... How much longer before the rubble is cleared?"

"Sir, nearly there. Why don't you eat something first? I had someone go buy these — Weng's Famous Big Buns. Very popular in Luo City."

"Who eats buns at a time like this... Actually, they do smell pretty good. The pork filling is from a freshly-bled castrated pig — no gaminess at all. The seasoning has star anise, scallion, ginger, sesame oil... and some kind of secret house blend. First-rate!"

A small cowhide campaign tent had been set up in the courtyard, with a little fire pit burning inside and water heating.

Jin Zhu sat in the tent without ceremony, chomping on steaming Weng's Big Buns.

An agent ducked into the tent and said quietly: "Sir, the rubble has been fully cleared. Apart from ordinary household items, nothing unusual was found."

Jin Zhu spoke around a mouthful of bun: "How many firearms did the killer use?""Judging by the bamboo-tube fragments recovered from the wreckage, two."

"What does the coroner say?"

The agent reported: "The coroner has examined the body. The deceased sustained forty-two shrapnel wounds from iron fragments, one laceration across the throat, and one through-and-through wound on the thigh. What's peculiar is that his upper body shows only minor abrasions — nothing serious."

Jin Zhu paused, his half-eaten bun held in midair: "I've experienced the power of those firearms firsthand. Two of them collapsed an entire building, yet his upper body was unscathed? Either he's a body-hardening fighter from Cangzhou, or a bell-ringing strongman from Bitter Awakening Temple in the Jing Dynasty... Jing Dynasty? Go — shave the dead man's head completely and check for ordination scars!"

An agent hurried out, knelt beside Shopkeeper Yuan's corpse, and — blade in one hand, hair in the other — cut away the hair: "Sir, there are ordination scars!"

"So he really was a monk from Bitter Awakening Temple — a Jing Dynasty agent for certain. They've stolen cultivation paths from Bitter Awakening Temple before," Jin Zhu stuffed the remaining half of his bun into his mouth and swallowed it whole. "Strange, strange. Why would the killer come all the way here to murder him?"

Jin Zhu was baffled: the dead man appeared to be a Jing Dynasty operative, and the killer was also suspected to be a Jing Dynasty operative. Why were they killing each other?

"What do the Tongji Street residents say? Did anyone recognize him?"

The agent shook his head: "No. The neighbors say this house has been empty for over a year. No one was ever seen entering or leaving. We spoke to a middleman — the deed belongs to a Hui merchant from the south who used to keep a concubine here. He's since gifted the concubine to Prefect Zhang Zhuo and hasn't visited Luo City in a long time."

Shopkeeper Yuan's clothes had been stripped, his face was unrecognizable, and the house was abandoned. Gui had taken Yuan's clothing and peeled off the man's mask before leaving — obliterating any trail.

Just then, an agent galloped up on horseback from outside the estate and leapt down: "Sir! Sir?!"

Jin Zhu lifted the tent flap and stepped out: "What's all the shouting? Look at you, panicking — the sky of our Secret Spy Division hasn't fallen yet."

The agent's voice was hoarse: "Sir, last night I coordinated with the City Defense Division. They agreed to close the gates and set up checkpoints. But this morning when I went to look, all four gates of Luo City were open as usual — no checkpoints at all. When our people asked what happened, the City Defense Division claimed no one had notified them of any closure. By now several hundred civilians have already passed in and out, and the snow tracks on the roads outside the city are completely destroyed!"

The agents' killing intent surged. Whether in the capital or Jinling, who dared defy the Secret Spy Division so brazenly — feigning compliance while secretly resisting?

One agent said softly: "Sir, the City Defense Division's Liu Zhen — should we drag him to the Inner Prison first and sort it out later?"

Jin Zhu was silent for a long time, then smiled: "Arresting him would accomplish nothing. The Liu family is probably hoping we'll arrest Liu Zhen — they'll have prepared countermeasures and will be waiting... The Liu family truly covers the sky with one hand in this Yuzhou region. Have you been to the prefect's office?"

"We have. The prefect, the vice prefect — none of them are at the office. The clerks say that when the snow began last night, both officials rushed out to the river embankment to set up porridge stations for the workers."

Jin Zhu laughed bitterly: "Wonderful, wonderful — these are the civil servants of our great Ning Dynasty! Civil officials ruining the nation!"

A trusted agent leaned in close: "Sir, in this Luo City domain, every civil official is avoiding us like the plague. The Liu family is obstructing us at every turn. And there's still a Jing Dynasty insider embedded among our local Secret Spy Division operatives..."

Jin Zhu felt the situation growing thornier. Most critical of all, he didn't know who the Jing Dynasty mole was. Any clue he uncovered going forward would likely be leaked straight to the enemy.

He said in a low voice: "Starting today, you take our own people — the ones we brought — and pursue the matter of last night's firearms. Don't let the local agents get involved."

The agent looked conflicted: "But we only brought twelve agents from the capital, and none of us know Luo City well. We need someone who knows the city inside out and is trustworthy to lead the way..."

Jin Zhu's eyes suddenly lit up: "I just thought of someone. Ready a horse — I'm going to fetch him myself. Don't follow me!"

......

......

Anxi Street was draped in silver, bright and festive. Children ran everywhere in wild abandon, and snowballs flew through the air.

The neighbors swept snow from their doorsteps, cheerfully greeting one another.

Commandery Princess Baili returned through the snow with Liang Mao'er. Each of them carried two vegetable baskets into Taiping Medical Clinic.

Liang Mao'er's baskets held pork and lamb. Baili's held scallions and vegetables — the heavy snow had made the roads difficult and pushed prices up sharply.

But Baili didn't care.

In the clinic's main hall, Old Yao was clacking away on his abacus.

He glanced sideways at Baili as she walked in and asked without looking up: "What did the Commandery Princess go out so early to buy?"

Baili beamed: "It's a big snow day! At noon I'm making pork-and-scallion and celery-lamb dumplings for everyone!"

Old Yao lifted his head and stroked his beard. For once, he didn't launch into his usual acerbic remarks. Instead, he studied Baili carefully: "The Commandery Princess has a compassionate heart. Let me see your hand — I'll read your palm."

Baili set the baskets on the counter, smiled, and spread her palm open: "You know palmistry too?"

Old Yao held her slender, fair hand and examined it for a long while: "Not a short-lived person. Go on, off you go."

Baili blinked: "Huh? That's it? Can't you tell me anything else?"

Old Yao asked: "What else do you want to know?"

Baili thought for a moment at the counter: "Will I face any great calamity?"

Old Yao shook his head: "The Commandery Princess has deep karmic fortune. Even in danger, someone will step in to help — turning misfortune into blessing."

Baili thought of last night's ordeal and her eyes sparkled: "Wow, your reading was incredibly accurate — you're like a living immortal! Can you read something else for me? Like my romantic destiny, or whether there's anything I should watch out for?"

"Those things are beyond my ability. Go make your dumplings," Old Yao waved her away.

After Baili disappeared into the rear courtyard, he drew six copper coins from his sleeve and cast them onto the counter. His brow furrowed tightly for a moment, then relaxed.

In the rear courtyard.

She Dengke, Liu Quxing, and the Prince Heir were practicing horse stance under Liang Gou'er's guidance, while Chen Ji sat in a bamboo reclining chair nearby, observing. Someone had thoughtfully draped a cotton quilt over him.

Having just applied the ointment, Chen Ji found that the pain in his leg and chest had lessened dramatically. The wounds were visibly scabbing and healing before his very eyes.

The Mount Laojun medicine practitioners were even more impressive than he'd imagined. Liang Gou'er must have gone to considerable trouble to get the ointment.

The three students held their horse stances, wobbling and on the verge of collapse. Despite the winter cold, sweat beaded on every forehead, rising from their heads as visible steam.

She Dengke groaned: "How much longer do we have to hold this?!"

Liang Gou'er whipped a bamboo rod across his thigh: "Can't even last this long? When I was training the blade, the hardships I endured could fill more than the salt you've eaten in your life!"

Liu Quxing mused: "That's not saying much..."

THWACK.

The bamboo rod snapped against Liu Quxing's backside, making him wince and bare his teeth.

Only the Prince Heir didn't complain. He genuinely wanted to learn swordsmanship. The helplessness of being abandoned by those Jianghu fighters last night, the despair of facing the agents — it all reminded him that the only person he could truly rely on was himself.

The Prince Heir sincerely wanted to become a practitioner.

While the three held their stances, Liang Gou'er lounged on a small bamboo stool beneath the eaves. Beside him, Liang Mao'er sat picking through vegetables.

Suddenly, Liang Mao'er lowered his head, his voice dropping: "Brother, that bottle of Soft Jade Ointment was with you the whole time. Why did you lie and say you went all the way to Mount Laojun for it?"

Liang Gou'er shot his brother an annoyed sidelong glance: "If I don't say that, will they appreciate it? Only things that come with great difficulty are truly cherished and remembered!"

"You still shouldn't have lied. I know you want the Prince Heir to keep bringing you along for drinks, but they'd be just as grateful even if you'd given Chen Ji the medicine without a story."

Liang Gou'er scoffed: "The medicine works, doesn't it? It was made by Mount Laojun's medicine practitioners — that's true too, isn't it? As long as it helps Chen Ji recover sooner, what's a little white lie?"

Liang Mao'er's voice sank even lower: "Brother, our Liang family blade art doesn't start with horse stances. Father always said: the Liang blade begins with breathing heaven and earth. There's no need for body-hardening exercises like other martial artists."

Liang Gou'er grew impatient: "Every martial artist in the world starts training with horse stances. What's wrong with teaching it this way? You don't seriously expect me to hand over the real Liang family blade art? If we did that, when the two of us reach the afterlife, Father would scold us to death!"

Many people in the world wielded blades, but few truly entered the dao with them. To find one's own path, one needed a unique method.

This was the Liang family's closely guarded secret.

Liang Mao'er was unhappy: "But they're all good people. Brother, if you aren't going to teach them the real thing, just tell them straight. Don't pretend."

Liang Gou'er glowered: "If I tell them straight, how are we supposed to keep drinking here and living at Taiping Medical Clinic? How about this — you learn the Liang family blade first. Once you've mastered it, you can pass it on to whoever you want. None of my business. When we reach the Yellow Springs, you take all the blame. You can face Father's and Grandfather's scolding yourself..."

Liang Mao'er deflated: "I can't learn it."

"I refuse to believe I can't teach you!" Liang Gou'er straightened up. "Once you've got it, pass it to whoever you like. Down in the underworld, you handle the scolding alone..."

"I really can't learn it."

"Can't or won't, you're learning!" Liang Gou'er's voice hardened: "Breathe with me. Thirteen thousand five hundred breaths — inhale and exhale the primordial heaven and earth. It's just breathing. How can you not even pass the entry threshold?! Persist. Once you feel that extra current of qi in your chest and belly..."

No one noticed that while Liang Gou'er was teaching Liang Mao'er breathing exercises, Wu Yun was crouching nearby, watching with rapt but uncertain attention, her body rising and falling subtly with each breath.

Some of the terms Liang Gou'er used were beyond her understanding. She could only commit them to memory and ponder them later.

Wu Yun was carefully adjusting her breathing rhythm when Liang Gou'er happened to glance over and notice her intense focus. He burst out laughing: "Does this little cat want to learn the blade from me too? Ha! If a cat ended up inheriting the Liang family blade art, I wonder what Father would think down below."

Liang Mao'er muttered while sorting vegetables: "Go ahead and teach her. She'd probably pick it up faster than me."

Liang Gou'er didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "What kind of nonsense is that? A cat can't even understand what we're saying — how would it learn the blade?! Now pay attention! I refuse to believe I can't teach you!"

Wu Yun ignored him. She hopped onto Liang Mao'er's shoulder, pretending to doze while secretly listening to Liang Gou'er instruct his brother...

She simply felt that the Liang family blade art held an irresistible pull. Whether she could understand it was beside the point — she'd listen first.

......

......

Just then, a crisp birdsong rang out from beyond the gate.

No one else paid attention, but Chen Ji's eyes snapped open. That was a Secret Spy Division copper whistle signal!

He propped himself up, confused, and peered through the corridor toward the main hall.

Jin Zhu, dressed like an ordinary commoner with a bamboo hat on his head, had come to Taiping Medical Clinic pretending to seek treatment. He walked up to the counter and greeted Old Yao with his trademark smile: "Physician Yao, I'm here to see Chen Ji."

Old Yao set down his brush and account book and regarded Jin Zhu with a sidelong glance: "Has the Secret Spy Division run out of people? Why do you keep pestering a badly wounded boy?"

Jin Zhu grinned sheepishly: "Well, isn't it because the apprentice you raised is just that talented?"

"Go on then, he's in the back courtyard."

Jin Zhu craned his neck toward the rear: "If you could call him out here, I'd appreciate it. Too many ears back there."

Old Yao snorted coldly, then turned and called: "Chen Ji, someone's here to see you."

Jin Zhu hastily whispered: "Keep your voice down — I came in secret!"

Chen Ji shuffled out: "Honorable Jin Zhu, what brings you here?"

Jin Zhu pulled Chen Ji aside and said with a beaming smile: "First, congratulations! The merit we earned at the Chaocang gambling den — the reward has come through. You've been promoted to Pigeon-rank agent. One more step up and you'll be a Gyrfalcon — a regional director. From now on, the court pays you thirty taels a year, and the Secret Spy Division adds another thirty on top."

Chen Ji gave a noncommittal "mm."

Seeing that he wasn't particularly moved, Jin Zhu added: "I've also submitted a special request to obtain cultivation-path teachings for you. The dispatch has already flown to the capital. We should have the Inner Chancellor's response within days."

Chen Ji's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Would I lie to you?!"

Chen Ji smiled: "What brings you here this time, Honorable Jin Zhu?"

"A golden opportunity for more merit!" Jin Zhu said, all charm and persuasion. "You know — cultivation-path teachings are a reward typically reserved for Gyrfalcon-level senior agents. While I've submitted the exceptional request, whether the Inner Chancellor approves is still up in the air. But if you score another major achievement, the teachings will be a done deal. You might even be promoted to Gyrfalcon immediately and receive monthly cultivation resources... Did you hear last night's explosion?"

"No. What explosion?" Chen Ji feigned ignorance. The clinic was several li from Red Clothe Lane — there was no way to hear it from here.

Jin Zhu said: "Last night, Jing Dynasty operatives caused trouble in Red Clothe Lane. Now they're hiding somewhere unknown. I need you to lead a team and find them."

Chen Ji thought to himself... 'Well, isn't that convenient.'