Chapter 41 The Uninvited Guest: Wang Yan, wearing a mask, leaped from the rooftop...

The next day, after school ended, a child dressed in plain clothes was surrounded in an alley by several children in blue robes. They were about to attack him simply because he hadn't helped the widest child answer the teacher's question.

"What a bunch of bad kids."

Wearing a mask, Wang Yan leaped down from the roof, drawing a path on the ground with a bamboo stick in his hand, and finally landed heavily in front of the child in plain clothes, his sword energy suddenly scattering in all directions.

"Get out of here."

Cheng Zhi and several other children immediately turned and ran away. Wang Yan handed the bamboo stick to the little boy and asked with a smile, "What's your name?"

"Zhao Ne." Zhao Ne gripped the hem of her dress with both hands, looking at her nervously.

“No matter how cowardly your father is, you should fight back for yourself.” Wang Yan shoved the bamboo stick into his hand. “Want to learn kung fu from me? I guarantee you’ll be able to beat them all down in less than a month.”

Zhao Ne did not accept her kindness and returned the bamboo stick. "Father is not a coward. He did it for me and Mother... I aspire to be a learned scholar and will not learn this fighting and killing. I appreciate your kindness, sister. One day, I will rebel."

Wang Yan stared at his retreating figure and said calmly, "What if you don't live to see that day?"

Zhao Ne paused, lowered his head, and said, "Then it means Ne'er is useless."

“No, it’s the world that’s unfair.” Wang Yan handed over the bamboo stick again.

Zhao Ne slowly turned around, took the bamboo stick, and looked up at her, "But I still won't learn martial arts from you."

Wang Yan flicked his forehead. "Do you think I'd be happy to take on a disciple like you? Come with me somewhere."

Where are we going?

Two men dressed in black and red stood blocking the alley entrance. One of them had a burn scar on his eyebrow, and the strong scent of soap could not mask the smell of gunpowder emanating from them.

Wang Yan instantly drew the soft sword from his waist, gripped it tightly, and said, "What's it to you?"

“It has nothing to do with us. Just leave the message about the Heart Sutra, and you can leave, along with the child.” Bi Wudao’s gaze shifted to Zhao Ne in the corner.

"You talk too much nonsense."

Wang Yan leaped up in an instant, raised her wrist and raised her sword, attacking Bi Wudao's vitals. Just as the Blazing Sun Palm struck, she dodged it. At the same time, another fiery palm pushed from behind. She flipped over, and a flash of blue light appeared, cutting a gash in Xuanfeng's back.

Hua Xin finally appeared and easily trapped the two, giving her and Zhao Ne time to escape.

"Sister, you're amazing!"

“While it is true,” Wang Yan grabbed Zhao Ne’s hand and ran off, “now is not the time to talk about this!”

As soon as Zhao Can stepped out of the prefectural government gate, he heard that Zhao Ne had been tricked away by a woman wearing a mask. He rushed to the riverside restaurant without stopping, broke down the door, and saw Wang Yan holding Zhao Ne's hand and looking at him closely.

"Ne'er!"

"father!"

Zhao Can lifted Zhao Ne's sleeve again, revealing the shocking wounds.

"Why are you glaring at me? This injury has been there for quite some time." Wang Yan looked out the window again. It was the same place, but it was not like yesterday's dusk.

Zhao Can bowed to Wang Yan and said, "Thank you for saving me, madam. May I ask your name?"

“My surname is Wang. How you address me is not important. The prefect only needs to know that my father holds a position in the capital.” Wang Yan removed his mask and stood up. “I have heard that there are other secrets behind the breach in Huazhou four years ago. I have come here simply to find out the truth.”

Zhao Can shielded his son behind him, and asked with a hint of disgust, "Does the Ministry of Revenue want the truth, or is it trying to show its loyalty to Prince Wei?"

Wang Yan scoffed, "He's just a prince; Father's loyalty is naturally only to the chosen one."

Zhao Canjiang handed Zhao Ne to a servant outside the door and sat down in front of Wang Yan. "What does the Minister want this truth for?"

“Back then, my father kindly petitioned the government to allocate funds for repairs, but you turned around and accused him of corruption, almost causing him to be demoted. Now that we know the truth, we must make those rats hiding in the gutter pay the price.”

Wang Yan poured Zhao Can a cup of tea that had just been brewed. Seeing that the other person did not react, he continued, "Whether the prefect believes it or not, just tell me the truth, and I will send a message back to the capital. Father will have his own way of verifying the truth."

Zhao Can led Zhao Ne away, and Wang Yan propped up the window frame. The next second, Shen Minghuai walked in from the door and strode to her side.

"People from Bi Huo Palace?! Are they injured?"

Wang Yan turned her head, pulling at her clothes. Some threads on her back were burned off. Although her skin was not injured, the clothes were ruined.

"I'm fine, it's just that my clothes are a mess. Fortunately, there aren't many people, so Huaxin and I can manage."

Shen Minghuai frowned, staring intently at the burned area on the clothes. "I wonder how many people are still lurking in the shadows, we must be even more careful in the future."

Wang Yan patted his hand to reassure him and then returned to their previous conversation.

"Zhao Can is very wary; you probably didn't hear me clearly. But you guessed correctly, the real embezzler is the current Prefect Cheng."

Since earlier, Wang Yan had been spacing out from time to time. Shen Minghuai covered her hand and asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

Wang Yan stared at him blankly for a moment, then shook her head. "She used to boast of roaming the martial world freely, but now her actions are inseparable from power and scheming." Is this really what she wanted...?

Shen Minghuai pondered for a moment, then stroked her face. “This world is built on power. Even with the distinction between the martial world and the imperial court, one cannot truly escape it. Moreover, Jingxin’s disappearance is closely related to her father’s dismissal. Since you hold a sword in your hand, why fear drawing it?”

A little boy rushed into the middle of the road, spreading his arms wide, and blocked Shen Minghuai's carriage.

“Kind-hearted people, my home and the surrounding mountains have been blocked off as a road, leaving us with no way to survive. Please, kind-hearted people, give me some alms to save my younger sister.”

Wang Yan peeked out at the sound. Although the child was simply dressed, he didn't look like he hadn't eaten enough. A woman shouted a couple of times in their direction, but the little boy remained unfazed.

"Missing a tooth, why are you stopping carriages at the city gate again? Didn't your parents forbid you from doing this?"

Hua Xin and Ying Ming, who were driving, turned around to wait for Shen Minghuai's instructions. They took a silver ingot that their young master had taken out, tossed it to the child, and then smiled broadly, bowing deeply as they saw him off.

Wang Yan leaned against the car wall and said, "It's obvious that they've robbed many kind-hearted people like you, encouraging the trend of getting something for nothing."

Shen Minghuai feigned surprise, "That makes sense. Why didn't you remind me earlier?"

"Young Master Shen is so intelligent, do I need to remind him?" Wang Yan carefully protected his money pouch. "I just want to spend my money."

Shen Minghuai took off his money pouch and handed it to Wang Yan, saying, "What if there's a real emergency? Then you can hold it for me from now on."

Wang Yan glanced at him. "Really?"

Shen Minghuai couldn't help but ruffle her hair, "A gentleman's word is his bond—"

"A promise is a promise." Wang Yan tied it to her purse without any hesitation. "I'm serious. It's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish."

Although Shen Minghuai nodded, it was unclear whether he had taken it all in. When the carriage reached the foot of the mountain and they were going to buy two-colored lotus flowers, he seemed slightly dissatisfied with her for using that lotus flower twice before. She repeatedly stated that she didn't need such tests to acknowledge their relationship and forcibly pulled him back into the carriage. She then learned by chance that the land and lakes at the foot of the mountain all belonged to Chen Yu.

An uninvited guest visited Tianmu Mountain once again.

"Young Master Chen, I, Fan, have come to bother you again."

Chen Yu invited Fan Kun into the hall and served him tea, saying, "Fan Yongjia, did you arrive before dawn?"

Before Fan Kun's backside had even touched the chair, he hurriedly stood up again, "Young Master Chen, why do you have to be so polite? You can keep the name 'Yongjia' for yourself."

Chen Yu first took a sip of freshly brewed tea made with mountain spring water before saying, "It's been a long time. You're still as old-fashioned as ever."

Fan Kun wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. "Ah. This time, I, Fan—"

Chen Yu interrupted him, "I know you've come to urge me to take up my post. Let's drink this tea first."

Fan Kun finished his tea and placed the porcelain cup on the table with both hands. "This time we really can't delay any longer. If Young Master Chen doesn't return with me, I'm afraid that person in the capital..."

Chen Yu took a few steps and then turned back. "You haven't had breakfast yet, what are you standing there for? Do you want me to treat you?"

Fan Kun stood up, smoothing his robe, somewhat helplessly, "After breakfast, as for going to work..."

"Of course."

It had been about half a year since we last met. It was still Fan Kun's favorite steamed buns and tea soup. The steamed buns tasted pretty much the same all the time, but the tea soup at the Chen residence was incomparable to what you could find at the morning market. I don't know what kind of medicinal herbs were added, but after drinking a bowl, I felt light all over, my blood and energy were replenished, and I was full of vigor.

Chen Yufu had the servant warm the tea, which was still steaming, and Fan Kun drank half a bowl without changing his expression.

"So you're in such a hurry, does the state government have a whole mess for me to clean up?"

Fan Kun hurriedly put down his bowl, and said gratefully, "Young Master Chen—Prefect…Can I finally report back to the Emperor?"

Chen Yu couldn't stand his obsequious manner the most. Despite feeling extremely reluctant, his knees buckled instantly, and he knelt on the ground, shouting, "Long live the Emperor! He is wise and sagacious!"

"Master, a young master who calls himself Shen Minghuai has come to visit." The appearance of the boy broke the deadlock at the table.

"Has Young Master Shen brought the truth?" Chen Yu led the man to a side hall. "Is Young Master Shen alone?"

"The truth that Young Master Chen desires, I alone can provide." Shen Minghuai stopped at the foot of the steps. "It's just a matter of belief or disbelief—"

"explain."

"Cheng Bing".

Chen Yu turned around and stared at him, "Cheng Bing?"

"He once served as the Vice Prefect of Huazhou, was demoted to Wenzhou four years ago, and was transferred to Hangzhou a year later." Shen Minghuai glanced at the person behind the door. "Do we have distinguished guests today?"

"This must be Young Master Shen?" Fan Kun walked in, bowing deeply, and gave Shen Minghuai a full bow. "I have long heard of the Duke of Dingguo's illustrious reputation. Now that I see you, Young Master, you are indeed extraordinary."

"Fan Yongjia, what are you doing here?" Chen Yu impatiently tried to ask Fan Kun to leave, but ended up losing the argument again.

"Your Excellency, you flatter me greatly. Your mourning period is over; you should depart now."

Chen Yu left Fan Kun standing there, pulled Shen Minghuai aside, and whispered, "Where's the evidence?"

“You only ask for the truth, so I have only the truth.” Shen Minghuai’s gaze swept over Chen Yu’s hand. “If Young Master Chen doesn’t believe what I’m saying, he can ask Magistrate Zhao. He stopped me on the way to the prefectural government. Why don’t you ask Lord Fan as well? I guess you must have worked with Prefect Cheng before?”

"Hey, just six months."

Although Fan Kun was only temporarily serving as the prefect, he was still in charge of the civil administration of the prefecture, and this obsequious attitude was probably already ingrained in his bones. Shen Minghuai then said, "In that case, if Young Master Chen goes down the mountain to ask Magistrate Zhao for help but to no avail, this time when you go to Wenzhou, working together with Lord Fan, you will surely be able to prove the truth of what I said. I have already given you the truth, and I ask Young Master Chen to keep his promise."

“Zhao Can… Xiao Zhang mentioned him to me.” Chen Yu finally relented. “Is your request related to Master Pu Yuan?”

"Yes. We both wish to meet Master Puyuan."

"Master, something terrible has happened! The young master has been poisoned!"

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Author's Note: Happy National Day! [Fireworks] Happy holiday! [Sprinkling flowers]

This is Yan'er's first fight against Bi Huogong. Let's cheer her on! [rainbow fart]