Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 592 - 216: Swords (1/2) (3400)

Spring chill had left, and Great Qin's Heavenly Capital City's noble clans gathered in abundance, each wielding their own strategies. While the streets still sported the usual early spring scenery, the courtyards of these families had already blossomed like brocade.

Eager blossoms presaged those with ambitions for fame and honor who had already set out to cultivate connections. With the spring exams imminent, at the very least, one needed to make an acquaintance with the eminent scholars and noble tribes. If one could befriend someone from the imperial family, the path ahead would be much smoother after passing the spring exams.

In front of the Great Qin princes' residences, one could already see many well-regarded scholars coming and going. Not far from there, however, was a place that was considerably more serene, guarded by two tall members of the Xuanwu Guard, deterring people from lingering.

This was the estate outside the palace that the former Crown Prince once occupied, yet it remained unreclaimed and had directly become the separate residence of the Princess.

Great Qin's Princess Li Wanshun, esteemed as the eldest daughter of the former Crown Prince and the granddaughter of the Supreme Emperor, was held in great favor. On one occasion when the Crown Prince was drunkenly elated, he even declared that he would marry her off with a realm of thousand miles, as magnificent as the fiery peonies, ensuring his daughter's unparalleled wealth and splendor lasting throughout the ages.

After the Emperor ascended the throne, he did not neglect the Great Qin Princess in the slightest. Over the years, her honors and tributes from all regions remained uninterrupted.

Sharp-eyed observers could detect the Princess's estrangement from the Emperor.

Yet, apart from her estrangement, she did not make moves as some had hoped. She accepted all honors and gifts, from both her grandfather and uncle, never refusing any.

Beyond that, her interests lay only in reading Taoist Scriptures, cultivating flowers, occasionally composing poetry, and she could pen strong verses such as: "Do not crave the Qiang clan's horses, oh generals; the highest peak grants sight of the frontier's edge," revealing the grandeur of her words.

Only then would those fixated on her title as the Crown Prince's eldest daughter remember that this Princess had once sought education from the Great Qin State's Pillar Great General, had seen the frontiers, and delicate though her hands were, she had once drawn a great bow and tamed ferocious horses; she was no ordinary maiden.

Regrettably, following Yu Wenze's reassignment to Fufeng County, as the prestigious Great General of the Great Qin Country, he faced severe restrictions and rarely could enter the capital. Thus, the Princess's martial skills were no longer as formidable as they once were.

Moreover, when the Empress was alive, she joked that such beauty and grace hardly necessitated martial training, wouldn't it shame the border generals? The Princess then set aside her weapons and instead learned the poetic arts from the Empress, a practice she continued for over a decade since.

Within the quiet gates, a young man dressed in black vigorous attire approached rapidly from the direction of the northern imperial palace, holding a wooden box in his hands.

The two Great Qin Imperial Guards guarding the estate merely smiled and greeted him with, "Ding Song, why are you so late today?" They joked a little but did not obstruct his passage.

Ding Song caught sight of the Princess in a simple long dress in the western courtyard, heaved a sigh of relief, and slowed his steps, careful not to disturb the woman who was quietly painting.

Standing behind the Princess was a sword-bearing Taoist nun, full of vigor and indiscernible age, who gestured to him with her eyes.

Ding Song halted and simply stood there with the wooden box in his hands.

The estate originally had an even more splendid and secluded courtyard, constructed during the Crown Prince's lifetime, gathering skilled craftsmen and encompassing the world's landscapes in one place. With every step presenting a new scene, the Crown Prince had personally named it after seventy-two landscapes, each corresponding to the seventy-two counties of Great Qin, a true manifestation of his fulfilled ambitions.

After the new Emperor's enthronement, in order to avoid suspicion, the Princess moved away from the courtyard she favored in her youth. Apart from an extravagantly made but crudely constructed swing, she took nothing else with her.

Furthermore, to reside in the southern part would inevitably carry overtones of looking north and pledging allegiance, so she chose the west side. A millennia ago, the Grandmaster of the Taoist Sect rode his ox west through Hangu Pass; now, she resided in the west, where old Taoists in the Capital City once jestingly said that the Princess was wholeheartedly devoted to the Tao, waiting for the auspicious purple qi from the east.

Following the day the old Taoist made that comment, the Empress sent over numerous Taoist Scriptures, including treasured sole copies that could make elders with frightening seniority weep with delight. Accompanying the scriptures were many fine jewelries and luxurious clothes.

The Princess accepted them and remained modestly dressed every day, unadorned, only occasionally seen holding the scriptures.

The Empress playfully complained that she lived too frugally and might inadvertently ascend to immortality, which she couldn't bear to see. Thus, the Empress often pulled the Princess along to enjoy various scenes, their relationship seeming to grow even closer.

Seven years ago, the Empress passed away.

Li Wanshun stopped painting, the scenery she depicted seemed to vaguely reveal a person.

The Taoist nun exclaimed in admiration,

"The Princess's painting skills are increasingly exquisite. Although only a shadow can be seen, one can already discern the grace of a lady amid the mountains."

Ding Song hesitated for a moment, somewhat puzzled.

He looked at the scroll, where he could see green mountains, the vast sky, and amidst the heaven and earth, a silhouette with fluttering sleeves stood tall with a bearing that clearly belonged to a scholar who had learned the teachings of a Saint. Where was there any woman?

Li Wanshun set her brush aside and shook her head with a smile,

"It's full of craftsmanship, not as good as you say it is."

Her face was still half covered by a mask, revealing only half of her features, yet even this half was peerlessly beautiful. At this moment, with her lips lightly curved in a smile, she was the epitome of heavenly grace and charm.

Ding Song bowed his head, not daring to look directly at her.

Li Wanshun noticed the wooden box in his hands and said with a gentle smile,

"Ding Song, what have you brought?"

The young man lifted the wooden box in his hands and said softly,

"Today, the Supreme Emperor commanded his subordinate to accompany him to the Cloud-watching Pavilion and play the pipa together. Afterwards, he mentioned he had heard Your Highness recently obtained the seed of a rare flower. He had his subordinate search for precious soil from the Southern Frontier, saying that if it could be successfully grown, he would like one plant for himself."

Li Wanshun sighed, washed her hands, and gently opened the wooden box.

She pinched a bit of the soil between her fingers, rubbed it, and felt its unique texture. She then indicated for Ding Song to close the box, saying,

"Indeed, it is top-quality precious soil."

"The hundred tribes of the Southern Frontier value this more than gold or precious stones, using only a bit beneath the soil to connect with the Earth's energy. For the Grand Emperor to obtain so much, he must have been up to his old tricks again."

The Taoist nun laughed,

"In the world, only the Imperial Princess can get the Supreme Emperor to be so indulgent."

Li Wanshun said helplessly, "I would rather the Grand Emperor did not do this. To acquire so much precious soil from the Southern Frontier, Grand Emperor must have cultivated many martial arts experts as subordinates, and the Emperor won't be kept in the dark about this."

She referred to her overly doting great-uncle, who favored her even above the Crown Prince of the current dynasty, simply as the Emperor.

The Taoist nun seemed unconcerned and responded, "The Supreme Emperor fostering martial artists is certainly known to the Emperor, but the Supreme Emperor is only seeking treasures in Jianghu for you and to protect Your Highness, otherwise…"

As she spoke these words, she realized she had misspoken and promptly closed her mouth, ceasing to continue.

However, whether it was Ding Song, who hailed from the battlefields of the frontier, or Li Wanshun, both understood.

The simple truth that a mountain cannot harbor two tigers is well known; the current Emperor of Great Qin, out of a sense of guilt, might tolerate his father's behaviors.

But if the Former Emperor's actions became too apparent or overstepped the bounds, then the Emperor, who had the power to sweep through nations and left all the court's scholars and martial artists gasping for air, would certainly not hesitate to act.

The younger and more exceptional Emperor, wanting to sweep away the influence of the Former Emperor, would face almost no difficulty at all—it could be said to be like pulling up weeds.

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After all, that old man now spends his days in the Tai Chi Palace, playing music and drinking with women, indulging in alcohol, mirthful until melancholy strikes, sometimes bursting into laughter or tears, much like the ancient madmen.

She had almost forgotten what her grandfather, the Emperor, had looked like in her youth, only remembering that he did not seem so unrestrained. No wonder, as the events of those years had hurt him the most.

His eldest son killed, his second son forced the palace.

Li Wanshun's thoughts were somewhat somber, but she kept a steady expression and asked with a light laugh,

"Besides that, is there other news to lift the spirits?"

Ding Song let out a slight breath of relief and replied,

"There is."

"The Sword and Saber List for this year has already been ranked. Before I left, the Former Emperor asked me to bring a copy, saying that Your Highness would surely like it."

As he spoke, he took out a scroll and presented it.

The Taoist nun took it, walked a couple of steps, and unfolded the Sword and Saber List for Li Wanshun, leaning in so that they could look at it together.

In Great Qin's Jianghu, those who used swords and sabers were the most numerous. The Sword and Saber List was compiled every five years, based on combat achievements, and recorded the strongest of the Jianghu, excluding those peerless experts.

Both the swords and sabers were divided into a main and a supplementary list, and there was also a Hundred Arms List which recorded other weapon masters.

The main list could include grandmasters, while the supplementary list was reserved for martial artists under thirty, selecting from among the younger generation.

The Taoist nun only glanced at it before letting out a surprised 'hmm,' and said with a smile,

"Unexpectedly, that Sword Saint Pei has not made it onto the list this time, how strange."

Li Wanshun replied with a smile, "The Sword Saint Pei has always been unconventional. It's probably because, in these past few years, he hasn't been active in the Jianghu, hence the lack of combat achievements."

The Taoist nun nodded and looked at the Sword and Saber List.

Her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the Sword List's appendix, with the leading name being Qianshan Si. She remembered he was the most outstanding disciple of the Heavenly Mountain Sword Sect in this generation, having left the mountain three years ago to venture into the world. It seemed he had indeed made a significant name for himself.

"I didn't expect to see him on the list as well."

Lost in thought, she heard Li Wanshun sigh softly. Regaining her focus, her gaze settled on the thirteenth place in the supplementary Sword List, where she saw a line of text.

Wang Anfeng, from Wangxian County.

The Taoist nun's expression turned solemn.

It was him...

......

After leaving the Candle Dragon's dwelling, the group followed the main road eastward for a stretch before veering off in the direction of the Jiangnan Road of Great Qin. All along the way, Lin Qiaofu saw many things she had only read about in books, which delighted her immensely.

Yet, she noticed that Wang Anfeng, who led the way, had been lost in thought since they left Jade Ruin Temple that day, sometimes going silent for one or two Hours at a time.

This was unusual.

When they had first set off from Qingfeng Edge, this young man, who could roast fish to perfection, would often slow down, lean beside the carriage, smile, and point out the scenic views along the way, explaining the human relationships one must be aware of in Jianghu.

Now, only Yuchi Jie was left talking.

His conversation would drift far off course; while Wang Anfeng would talk about the local customs and the best views and delicacies, this noble clan's son would only talk about romantic tales and stories of Oirans, often irritating Lv Baiping to the point of leaning out and knocking on his head with her sword scabbard.

However, this kept the journey lively.

Since they were traveling along the official road, they did not encounter any foolish bandits or thieves brave enough to block their way. In merely seven or eight days, they could already see the towering gates of Guangwu County's Guan City.

Standing tall and imposing, once you exit this city, you'll find yourself in a vast wasteland with uneven terrain, unsuitable for farming, and scarcely populated by common folk. In the farthest direction, you would need to travel two or three hundred miles before seeing another county's gate.

This marked the division between counties; in much earlier years, it used to be the frontier between nations, with the wasteland serving as a buffer and a sandy battlefield for soldiers' sieges and skirmishes.

Guangwu County's gate was different from Fufeng; it wasn't as rough and boisterous, but there was a quiet grandeur that it seemed to surpass. Wang Anfeng reined in his horse and looked at the gate, initiating the conversation,

"Let's go."

"We'll rest briefly within the city. After a few days in the wild, we will reach the edge of several counties on the Jiangnan Road."

Taishu Jian gently flicked the horse's reins, and the carriage slowly moved forward.

PS: Here is the first update of the day...

Three thousand four hundred words.