Chapter 137: Death Ends a Life, Not a Grudge

Not long after Cheng Rang fled, a streak of light came tearing through the sky from the direction of Shangyu County at breakneck speed.

"My Lord! My Lord! Are you unharmed?!"

The newcomer was none other than Zhang Mu, the County Commandant of Shangyu.

Ever since Li Shun had assumed the post of Acting County Magistrate, the two had interacted on occasion, though in truth they had always kept to their own affairs without interfering with one another.

Earlier that day, when word spread that someone intended to challenge the new magistrate atop Three Elders Peak through public debate, Zhang Mu had been no different from everyone else, content to watch the spectacle unfold.

Never had he imagined that the matter would escalate into open violence, with a rebel attempting to murder an imperial official.

Zhang Mu knew this Acting Magistrate's background all too well.

Li Shun was the inheritor of the Confucian Spring and Autumn Brush lineage, the grand-disciple of Grand Censorate Dong Chunqiu, and, moreover, the only imperial clansman currently known to the world.

It was precisely because of these extraordinary identities that an ordinary commoner like him had been permitted to serve as Acting County Magistrate of Shangyu.

The warning previously given by Supervising Censorate Kong Zhao still echoed vividly in his ears. By the time Zhang Mu arrived, cold sweat had already drenched his back.

If Acting Magistrate Li were to die in office...

Then every official in Shangyu County, great and small alike, would likely see their careers come to an end.

The moment he received the news, he had thrown aside every official duty and flown here at top speed, nearly out of his mind with panic.

"Commandant Zhang has troubled himself unnecessarily. Fortunately, this official is not in serious danger for the moment."

Only after hearing Li Shun's voice did Zhang Mu finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Yet the instant he saw Li Shun's face, pale as gold paper, his heart clenched once again.

"My Lord..."

Li Shun weakly waved his hand before solemnly recounting everything that had transpired atop Three Elders Peak, without omitting a single detail.

Upon hearing the account, Zhang Mu flew into a furious rage, his beard and hair standing on end.

"What outrageous audacity! To think such a treasonous villain, harboring the heart of a wolf, has been hiding within Shangyu County!"

He cupped his fists and declared with grim determination, "Please rest assured, My Lord. This subordinate will immediately mobilize men to hunt him down. Even if I must turn Shangyu upside down, I will bring that villain to justice as quickly as possible!"

Li Shun merely glanced at him before speaking in an even tone.

"The culprit is formidable. The forces of a single county are unlikely to suffice. In this official's opinion, the matter should be reported to the Imperial Court without delay, with notices sent throughout every commandery in Yang Province, requesting the surrounding provinces and counties to conduct a joint manhunt."

Zhang Mu froze.

"Report... to the Imperial Court? A coordinated regional pursuit?"

"What? Does Commandant Zhang believe this official is making a mountain out of a molehill?"

A cold glint flashed through Li Shun's eyes.

Zhang Mu immediately lowered his head.

"This subordinate would never dare. I'll see to it at once."

The three of them then returned to the county office.

Not daring to waste even a moment, Zhang Mu personally drafted the official memorial.

Meanwhile, Li Shun contacted Kong Zhao once more.

A short while later, ripples spread across the jade pendant, and a line of elegant characters quietly appeared:

'Rest easy, Junior Brother. I'll be there shortly.'

Less than half a day later, Kong Zhao had already arrived once again.

Remaining calm and composed, Li Shun recounted everything that had happened atop Three Elders Peak from beginning to end.

This time, however, when speaking before his senior brother, he did not conceal the fact that he had secretly used [Thinking Without Learning] to manipulate the situation, nor how he had deliberately instructed Li Qing to feign defeat and cough up blood.

After listening quietly, Kong Zhao could not help but clap his hands with a chuckle.

"Junior Brother Li truly possesses remarkable methods. With a turn of your hand, you transformed a crisis into an opportunity."

"To display such skill the moment you assume office... you were born to be an official."

Li Shun humbly replied, "Senior Brother Kong flatters me. I merely relied upon the protection of our sect, along with Master's years of guidance and instruction. Only then was I barely able to respond appropriately in the moment."

His expression then became more serious.

"By the way, that Cheng Rang appeared to be from the Legalist School. Does Senior Brother know his background?"

Kong Zhao fell silent for a moment before answering,

"It actually relates to your trip to Yunguan County. Do you still remember the former County Magistrate of Yunguan?"

Li Shun narrowed his eyes.

"Ning Wenyuan. I heard his lineage had ties to the Right Chancellor. But what does that have to do with me? Ning Wenyuan died during the Owl God Seizes the Food Tribulation. From beginning to end, I never even met him."

"The dead naturally cause no trouble. The problem lies with the living."

Kong Zhao smiled helplessly.

"This all traces back to Duan Jiuzhang. During his official report to the court, the old man praised you before the assembled ministers until it seemed there was no equal to you beneath heaven, as though you alone were the pillar of the nation."

"But the moment he turned around, he denounced every deceased official from Yunguan County as worthless parasites occupying their positions without merit."

"They were already dead, yet he still dragged them out to compare with you, all to elevate your reputation."

"The people occupying certain positions in court naturally found that difficult to swallow. Since they couldn't do anything to Duan Jiuzhang for the time being, they heard that you had become Acting Magistrate of Shangyu and decided to throw a few obstacles in your path. They merely wished to dampen your prestige."

"It wasn't born of deep malice. At most, they simply intended to make things difficult for you."

At this point, Kong Zhao looked at Li Shun with a rather strange expression, his eyes filled with both amazement and emotion.

"Who would've thought that you would strike so swiftly... and so ruthlessly."

Li Shun's expression remained calm from beginning to end.

"If you fail to kill a snake with one strike, you'll only suffer its retaliation later."

"Since I'd already decided to act, I might as well do it thoroughly. Better to crush him outright and eliminate any possibility of future revenge or endless entanglement."

"Otherwise, if I yielded even half a step today, there might still be people decades from now using my inscription of the memorial atop Three Elders Peak as a weapon against me."

Kong Zhao nodded deeply in agreement, his expression gradually becoming solemn.

"To be honest, after our sect learned of everything you've done, the elders were certainly surprised, but nearly every one of them was full of praise."

"Junior Brother Li, several of the senior elders have even privately concluded that your future achievements will likely surpass even Uncle-Master Fang Xun."

"They've even begun to think that the great responsibility originally entrusted to Uncle-Master Fang may instead fall upon your shoulders."

Li Shun raised an eyebrow slightly, about to inquire further.

Yet Kong Zhao seemed to realize he'd revealed too much. He immediately stopped himself and waved his hand with a smile.

"Listen to me, carelessly letting things slip."

"In any case, the sect has its own arrangements. You need only continue lying low and patiently await your opportunity."

"As for Cheng Rang..."

Kong Zhao's gaze turned ice-cold.

"Since he dared to make his move, then let the charge of rebellion be nailed to him beyond all dispute."

---

The very next day, wanted notices for Cheng Rang had already spread throughout every commandery in Yang Province.

Wenkou County, Lujiang Commandery.

Within a secluded residence.

Cheng Rang paced back and forth restlessly, his heart filled with unease.

"It can't be that serious... It shouldn't have reached this point!"

"I merely carried out orders and went to debate the classics and argue the principles!"

"Could it be that the Imperial Court of Great Qian no longer has even enough tolerance to let people speak?!"

"Brother Su also said everything would probably be fine..."

"But the Imperial Court has already issued the warrant."

His face was filled with panic, utterly devoid of the confidence and righteousness he had displayed atop Three Elders Peak.

At that moment, he suddenly noticed an extra figure standing silently inside the room.

Cheng Rang froze.

Then, as though grasping a lifeline, his face lit up with joy.

"Brother Su! You've come! Has the situation improved?"

Yet the moment he saw the other's perfectly calm expression, every trace of hope and luck on his face froze solid.

The man surnamed Su remained silent.

He slowly sat down.

Then, from within his robes, he took out a porcelain bottle and gently placed it upon the table.

"Su Zhenhan... W... what do you mean by this?!"

Cheng Rang stared fixedly at the porcelain bottle.

An indescribable chill rose within his heart, draining every last bit of color from his face.

"This is Zhen Feather Pill."

Su Zhenhan raised his eyes slightly and explained softly, "It kills without pain. Death comes in an instant."

Cheng Rang's expression gradually twisted with despair.

"I know perfectly well what it is! But why are you placing this deadly poison in front of me?!"

Faced with his hysterical roar, Su Zhenhan merely sighed with pity.

"Brother Cheng."

"You are now a wanted criminal of Great Qian. That fact is already set in stone. It cannot be changed."

"In order to ensure you don't say anything you shouldn't..."

He gently pushed the porcelain bottle toward Cheng Rang.

"Please, Brother Cheng."

"Meet your end with dignity."

Cheng Rang's face changed drastically.

He staggered backward three steps, his trembling finger pointing at the other man.

"Y... you people..."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Zhenhan interrupted him with a stern shout.

"Cheng Rang! Don't make matters worse for yourself!"

"Think about your wife and children."

"And then think about your parents."

"If you leave with dignity, we'll ensure they're kept safe."

"But otherwise..."

Those words struck Cheng Rang like a bolt from the blue.

His body swayed unsteadily.

Su Zhenhan sighed once again.

"Who told you to handle things so poorly?"

"Not only did you fail your task, you ended up dragging trouble back with you."

Cheng Rang weakly opened his mouth before giving a miserable smile.

"I..."

"We'll avenge you."

Su Zhenhan gave his final promise.

Cheng Rang stood there in a daze for a long time.

At last, a trace of determination flashed through his eyes.

"Su Zhenhan!"

"Don't forget what you've said!"

"Otherwise, even if I become a vengeful ghost of the Nine Netherworlds, I will never let any of you go!"

With a crazed, grief-filled howl, Cheng Rang lunged forward, snatched up the porcelain bottle from the table, and drained its deadly contents in a single gulp.

Only a few breaths later, his pupils had already lost all focus.

His body crashed heavily onto the floor.

"Li Shun..."

Watching his former friend die before his eyes, sorrow appeared within Su Zhenhan's gaze.

Yet when he turned around and looked in the direction of Shangyu County, that trace of grief instantly transformed into a hatred so deep that only death could ever end it.