She was calm and composed when she left the inn, and it was no wonder.
He had worried she didn't know how formidable the Huanglanshan bandits were, fearing she might get into trouble through carelessness. It turned out she had a plan from the very beginning.
He had underestimated her again; she always managed to surprise him.
Guang Bai's excitement was palpable as soon as the young lord asked the question.
Cheating! Young Master Xie and his group were practically cheating!
Xie Jiang, tired from all the fighting, leaned on Xu Hengyan's arm. "I didn't expect these Huanglanshan bandits to be so easy to deal with."
Xu Hengyan stopped by a scorched patch of ground, illuminated by the dim firelight around them.
He had seen several such scorched areas along the way, and the surroundings were similar at each spot: scattered limbs, mangled flesh, and blood splattered everywhere.
It looked like the work of an extremely potent weapon.
Guang Bai, brimming with excitement, wanted to say something. He had clearly witnessed the power firsthand, but he didn't know what it was, so he couldn't articulate it.
"What is it?" Xu Hengyan asked, looking at her.
"A little toy used for fishing. If you're interested, I can have Tian Kangtai send you a couple to play with later."
Xie Jiang said it so casually, as if it were merely a toy.
The young master of the Xie clan traveling across the seas to Da Yu, this was likely part of her strategy.
Xu Hengyan wasn't in a hurry.
He walked a few steps and picked up two broken blade fragments, clearly from the same sword that had been snapped in two.
Many bandit corpses had broken weapons like these nearby.
Some of the bandit corpses still clutched half of their large sabers.
What kind of divine weapon could so easily break a saber that was already a sharp weapon?
Xu Hengyan had a dawning realization.
Xie Jiang handed him the short saber she was holding.
Xu Hengyan took it and examined it closely. It was just as he had suspected. "Are the weapons your guards are using all from the Cui Shan Sect?"
Guang Bai's usually slender eyes were wide open tonight.
It really was the Cui Shan Sect!
He had suspected it when he first saw them.
But how was that possible?
"That's right," Xie Jiang nodded.
Xu Hengyan sighed.
The weapons forged by the Cui Shan Sect were unparalleled in the world.
No other country, including Da Yu, could match their forging techniques.
Every item produced by the Cui Shan Sect was a legendary artifact, but they were extremely rare.
Fortunately, their numbers were so few. Perhaps the forging conditions were exceptionally harsh, and the materials were difficult to find, preventing the Cui Shan Sect from mass-producing them.
Otherwise, what ruler of any nation could sleep soundly?
It took considerable effort for an ordinary person to acquire even one.
Yet, she equipped all her subordinates with them.
Although Xu Hengyan's own sword was from the Cui Shan Sect, he had obtained it with great difficulty.
And she had weapons from the Cui Shan Sect as if they were common as cabbage!
Xu Hengyan couldn't help but feel a pang of envy and resentment.
It was truly outrageous.
Guang Bai was astonished again and again today; his heart could barely take it.
It really was!
All of them!
Guang Bai was so jealous his whole body was contorting.
Xu Hengyan returned the short saber to her with both hands. "Does Young Master Xie still take on guards?"
"Taking on subordinates is something that never stops; you learn and recruit until you die," Xie Jiang said, sheathing the saber.
Xu Hengyan raised an eyebrow. "I'm several years older than you."
"Is Tian Kangtai younger than me?" Xie Jiang glanced at him.
"Then please, Young Master Xie, take a look. With my ordinary qualifications, am I worthy of being your subordinate?" Xu Hengyan spread his arms slightly, presenting himself for her appraisal.
Young Master Xie was quite proud. "You'll do, I suppose. I have very high standards."
...
The Huanglanshan bandits were utterly defeated and had no choice but to flee. Xie Jiang was too lazy to deal with the aftermath; Xu Hengyan would handle the cleanup.
Xie Jiang returned to the inn first.
After washing up again, she didn't rest.
Not long after, Tian Kangtai arrived.
He looked like he had just returned from outside, still covered in bloodstains he hadn't had time to clean.
"Young Master, you sent for me at this hour. Do you have any instructions?"
To avoid his soiled aura from bothering the young master, Tian Kangtai stood far from the doorway, not daring to approach.
Xie Jiang leaned back on the couch. "What about Lu Xuan and his son?"
Upon hearing this, Tian Kangtai's spirits lifted, knowing the crucial part concerning the Lu father and son was about to begin.
It wasn't in his young master's style to leave loose ends; keeping the Lu father and son alive had its uses.
The reason his young master had gone to such lengths to bring down the Nanxiong Marquisate as soon as they arrived in the capital wasn't solely because Lu Baofang had foolishly offended the Song heir.
Gaining a reputation for righteousness among the populace and leaving a good impression on Young Master Xu were merely incidental benefits.
The truly valuable things were yet to come.
If they didn't squeeze every last drop of value from the Lu clan of the Nanxiong Marquisate, it wouldn't be worth the trip to the Dali Temple prison.
"The father and son are like stray dogs, hiding with a group of confidantes, constantly plotting revenge against you, Young Master."
Tian Kangtai spoke with a hint of disdain.
"Make sure they don't forget me. Make them realize profoundly that seeking revenge against the emperor is unrealistic. I am the one who destroyed their entire family."
"Rest assured, Young Master."
They would definitely be made to serve their final purpose.
He guaranteed that every day they lived would not be wasted.
Xie Jiang: "How much do you know about the Huanglanshan bandits?"
Tian Kangtai knew some things about this. He had done his research before they set out.
"Baiyou is a region with many mountains and ridges. Due to years of warfare, there have always been mountain dwellers and bandits."
The mountain dwellers were fine; they lived self-sufficiently in the mountains and didn't cause trouble.
The bandits, however, were wicked in every way. But because they hid in the mountains, it was difficult for the authorities to clear them out. Once they disappeared into the deep forests, where could the soldiers find them?
"In recent years, a formidable figure seems to have emerged among the bandits in the Baiyou mountains, gathering many smaller bandit groups. The Huanglanshan bandits have thus grown in power, becoming increasingly rampant and difficult to deal with."
"In the past, whenever the imperial court sent troops to clear them out, it would at best be futile, and then each subsequent attempt resulted in heavier losses..."
The Huanglanshan bandits had become a major tumor within Baiyou.
Xie Jiang's eyes, however, lit up as she heard this. "Excellent! I like this gift package!"
Tian Kangtai said, "Does Young Master wish to剿匪 (eradicate bandits)?"
Xie Jiang raised an eyebrow and smiled slyly. "How could it be that I want to eradicate bandits? Of course, I should be forced to eradicate them."
Tian Kangtai nodded, agreeing with his young master!
No matter which plan was implemented, as long as the ultimate goal was achieved.
Removing the great tumor of Baiyou seemed to have a better effect for them.
In this way, the Huanglanshan bandits were indeed an unexpected joy.
A gift package delivered to their doorstep, why not unwrap it?
Xie Jiang got off the couch and paced around the room. "That unlucky fellow from Chunse Manyuan that day, the one who lost five thousand taels of silver to us..." She hadn't even remembered the surname on their main gate.
Tian Kangtai nodded vigorously, indicating that he remembered everything.
"There seems to be someone who holds a high official position in the court. Don't let all the hatred be directed at Ruan Ziji. Use them well. Make the Zhang family remember me at all times, to the point where they can't sleep without seeking retribution."
Tian Kangtai continued to nod. "What about Lu Xuan and his son?"
"I've come all the way to this remote village, far from the capital. How could they miss such a good opportunity? Make sure they know my whereabouts."