Chapter 132 Sharp Edge: This is the woman A-Jiu likes.
At the foot of the long steps, Luo Yichen, dressed in black armor, hurriedly stepped forward and whispered in Mu Chenbi's ear, "I have already found out that it was your brother who reported to the Emperor that the Imperial Workshop had improved the Xuan Tie Sword, which is very beneficial to military equipment. Today, he brought the weapon to the Emperor's audience, which was also approved by the Emperor."
“Mu Lexiu…” Mu Chenbi murmured, “What a peerless woman. I’d like to see what tricks she has up her sleeve.”
—"The Emperor has arrived."
The crowd knelt in unison. Mu You, dressed in a bright yellow embroidered dragon robe and wearing a jeweled crown, moved with composure. His expression appeared relaxed, yet his brows still held an aura of dominance that could intimidate the world. His dark eyes swept over the bowed heads below, his upright figure like a towering, unyielding mountain. Mu You nodded slightly and raised the back of his hand to signal everyone to rise.
"Get up, all of you," Cui Jin said in a hoarse voice.
Guan Ye stood up, sword in hand, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Mu You's high and mighty face. Sunlight streamed through the glazed tiles of the palace, illuminating his raised face with golden light, exuding an imposing and awe-inspiring presence. The people below the white jade steps kept their heads down, none daring to look at him.
Mu You stood outside the palace, the cold wind carrying snowflakes whipping up his yellow robe embroidered with dragons soaring over the sea. The hem of the robe resembled raging waves, exuding an aura of dominance over the world. Mu You seemed quite satisfied with the humility of the crowd, and said with a smile, "These are all familiar faces. There's no need to be reserved once you're in the palace. Raise your heads."
Seeing that no one dared to move, Mu You looked at someone and said loudly, "A-Jiu, even you don't dare to look at me?"
Ajiu raised her head, and the others followed suit. Ji Fang was timid, and his legs trembled uncontrollably. Feng Shisan pressed the hilt of his sword against his waist and growled in a low voice, "Disrespecting the emperor is a capital offense, Ji Fang, hold on."
Ji Fang nodded sullenly, his legs trembling even more violently.
“Your Majesty,” Cui Jin said, “the auspicious hour has arrived; it is time for Xingguo Ward to present the sword.”
—"Present the sword."
Guan Ye glanced at Pei Yuan, whose eyes were reassuring. He gestured for her to present the sword. Guan Ye took a deep breath, picked up the sword case, stepped out of the queue, walked across the soft, dry snow, and climbed the white marble steps toward the towering Zetian Palace.
"How impressive!" Feng Shisan's Adam's apple bobbed with envy.
Pei Yuan said that there were 108 white marble steps leading to the Zetian Hall, and it took him half an incense stick's time to walk them. Pei Yuan was over fifty years old when he took this step, while Pei Chong was not yet thirty when he tested his sword in front of the emperor.
Guan Ye silently counted each step she took: eighty-eight, eighty-nine… The figures outside the hall became clearer and clearer. She was not even twenty yet, but she had already earned the qualification to present a sword before the emperor. Guan Ye felt no surge of youthful success, only a deep sense of regret. If the five major workshops, with Tianhu Workshop at the head, were still there, how could it have been her turn? There was no such thing as youthful success; there was only the fading of skills and the lack of capable people. Ninety-nine, one hundred… The closer Guan Ye got to the Zetian Hall, the further she seemed to be from her desired goal. She had already reached the end that others longed for, but Guan Ye knew that for her, everything had just begun.
At number 108, Guan Ye was nearly at the Emperor's feet. She calmly knelt on one knee, holding the sword box above her head, and said, "Guan Ye from Xingguo Ward respectfully requests Your Majesty to appraise the sword."
Guan Ye. Mu You remembered that this was the woman A Jiu liked.
The young woman, dressed in dazzling red, had a face as radiant as the morning sun. The bright sunlight shone on her jade-like face, making her eyes sparkle. She held aloft a bronze scabbard shaped like a sword, her voice clear and her movements swift. She was only a few steps away from the emperor, yet her posture was as steady as Mount Tai. Her black hair fluttered in the wind, and her red dress danced in the breeze, making her radiate vitality, like a rosy cloud in the sky, captivating all who saw her.
"Guan Ye," Mu You murmured the name, "Which 'Ye' character is it?"
“Yes…” Guan Ye had only uttered one word when she suddenly remembered that she could not be impolite in front of the world. “Replying to Your Majesty, it is… the character ‘靥’ in ‘浅笑含双靥’ (a faint smile with dimples).
"What a lovely smile with dimples." Mu Youwen lowered his gaze, his pale eyes looking towards Ajiu, the eldest prince. "It's a good name."
Mu Chenbi stepped forward and said, "Since you presented the sword, Guan Ye, this sword must have been forged by you."
"A female swordsmith?" Mu You exclaimed in surprise. "Wow, it's been many years since the Great Jin Dynasty has had a woman forge a sword. Guan Ye, did you forge this sword?"
Guan Ye raised her head and said, "Guan Ye dares not take credit, nor dares to lie. I was the one who allocated the iron ore for the Flowing Gold Sword, and the sword-making was done by the masters in the workshop, but I personally handled every single one, so I forged one myself..."
The girl spoke frankly, and after a few words, Mu You's impression of her improved even more. "Oh? The sword in the case was forged by you?"
"No," Guan Ye said honestly, her eyes darting to Mu Chenbi's waist before quickly returning to their original position. "The sword in the case is a top-quality one that I have selected. I would appreciate Your Majesty's opinion."
Mu You, intending to tease her, coughed and said, "You forged it yourself and it's not even a top-grade piece? Are there any forgers in Xingguo Workshop who are more skilled than you?"
"The world is vast and boundless. Even if Xingguo Ward doesn't exist, the world certainly will." Guan Ye's words were pure, as if she had forgotten that the person in front of her was the Emperor, but merely a sword appraiser with whom she was casually discussing swordsmanship. "I have already gifted the sword I forged to a friend. One day, I will personally forge another one for His Majesty to appraise. Is that alright?"
Mu Chenbi chuckled. This girl was so blunt. She had already said a lot about weapons, and then she even asked the Emperor, "Is it alright?"
Mu You was also taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "It's a deal."
—"A promise is a promise."
On the white marble steps, all that could be seen was Guan Ye holding the sword case, and Mu You seemed to be talking to her. Seeing that the Emperor had not opened the case yet, Pei Yuan was also a little nervous, rubbing the back of his hands and asking A Jiu in a low voice, "Did Guan Ye say something reckless?"
Ajiu shook her head and affirmed, "The Imperial Advisor has praised Guan Ye's outstanding demeanor. I see that His Majesty's brows are relaxed and he does not seem displeased. Master, there is no need to worry."
Shen Ao leaned close to Wu Shuang and whispered, "Now that things have come to this, are you confident?"
"Now that things have come to this, why are you still asking?" Wushuang sneered.
"Father," Mu Chenbi said, "it's time to appraise the sword."
Mu You then remembered that Guan Ye had been holding the sword box for quite some time. He raised his eyebrows slightly to indicate that the box could be opened. Mu Chenbi stepped forward, his phoenix-feathered eyelashes lowered to look at Guan Ye. He placed his palm on the box lid, which was imprinted with ancient patterns. "The box contains a superior sword, but I believe the best one still depends on you, Guan Ye." As soon as he finished speaking, the box lid opened, and the sword light shone through the box, so bright that it was difficult to look directly at it.
Mu Chenbi gripped the hilt of the sword and swept it horizontally. The blade was shimmering with light, the edge was sharp, and the edge was thin yet resilient. It was clearly a rare and excellent sword. Mu Chenbi ran his fingertips over it and turned to present it to Mu You. "Your subject has already examined it and it is indeed a top-grade sword."
Mu You took the sword. "Anything that can be found in the eye of a submerged jade must be a good thing. Let me take a look."
Guan Ye exhaled, put down the sword box beside her, rubbed her sore wrist, and met Mu Chenbi's eyes. Her lips pursed, and her dimples reappeared.
"How much does this sword weigh?"
“Three catties and seven ounces,” Guan Ye replied.
—How long is it?
"The blade is 1 foot 8 inches long, and the hilt is 2 feet 4 inches long."
"It's really light." Mu You weighed it in his hand. "Luo Yichen, take off your sword and let me see."
Luo Yichen removed his sword and bowed to present it. Mu Chenbi drew the old sword of the Eagle Guard and looked at it side by side with the Golden Sword in Mu You's hand. "Your subject believes that the Xuan Tie sword is good for killing and fighting enemies, while the Eagle Guard's duty is to protect the palace. It is more important to be agile and good at stabbing. That is why I proposed to replace the swords of the Eagle Guard with Golden Swords, starting with my Black Eagle Guard. In time, the swords of the entire Eagle Guard will be replaced."
The two swords clashed, and Mu You said in a deep voice, "With the Crown Prince's recommendation, I certainly agree to give it a try. However... during the last sword test before the Emperor, the Flowing Gold Sword was cut into several pieces. The Eagle Guard is related to the safety of the royal family. Shen Bi, are you willing to entrust your life to him?"
"Your subject trusts Guan Ye," Mu Chenbi said. "Her sword will definitely not be the problem."
Mu Lexiu stepped forward as well, "Father, why don't we also send out swords from the inner palace? Maybe there will be a surprise."
"It's the female swordsman you keep talking about." Mu You lightly raised the black iron sword, and the eagle guard beside him quickly took it.
Mu Lexiu glanced down at her and said, “Her name is Wushuang. She is the female swordsman who fought against Xingguo Fang at Lingbo Terrace. She is not only skilled in swordsmanship, but also in forging. Today she has also brought a hundred improved Xuan Tie swords. She needs the approval of the Emperor and her brother to promote them in the army. After all, the soldiers of the Great Jin are more accustomed to using Xuan Tie swords.”
"A hundred flowers blooming and competing on the same stage is not a bad thing, what does the Imperial Advisor think?" Mu You asked Cui Jin in a low voice.
"With the Second Prince's strong recommendation and seeing Manager Shen's confidence, I am also curious about how the inner workshop can improve the Xuan Tie Sword."
—"The sword was presented by the inner workshop."
"A sword has been presented from within the inner workshop?" Ji Fang rubbed his ears. "What's going on here now?"
“It seems,” Feng Shisan said, standing with his hands behind his back, “that there will be another sword test today. Let me make this clear: no one is allowed to compete with me. If anyone tries to beat me to it, we’re no longer brothers.”
Xiao Ma's expression was solemn, and the veins on the back of his hand, which was gripping the hilt of his sword, bulged. "I'm afraid... we won't be able to escape from any of them."
"Huh?" Ji Fang's legs went weak again. "I'm afraid I can't do it."
"Ah Jiu, what do you think?" Xiao Ma moved to Ah Jiu's side, raising his eyebrows as he looked at the fiery red figure on the jade steps.
Ah Jiu's brows were strong, and her dark eyes stared intently at Guan Ye without blinking. "I believe Guan Ye."
Lou Cangyu peered at Wushuang and saw her take off her fox fur coat and, as if by magic, pull out a two-foot-long blue sword from her blue robe. Without even using a scabbard, she held it in her palm and walked straight toward the Zetian Hall. Compared to Guan Ye's composed gait, Wushuang exuded arrogance and walked with firm and powerful steps as she stepped onto the snow-covered jade steps, as if she were embarking on her coronation.
With just one glance, Lou Cangyu suddenly felt downcast. She didn't know why, but Wushuang's brilliance could make everything around her pale in comparison. Lou Cangyu originally thought that she could fight her way out of Qingyun Path with her sword, until she met Wushuang. The Golden Sword that Wushuang cut off on Lingbo Platform also cut off all of Lou Cangyu's pride. Lou Cangyu knew that compared with Wushuang, she was nothing but insignificant dust. Wushuang gave Lou Cangyu a galaxy in her palm, and Cangyu was willing to be the dust at her feet.
Mu You stared intently at the young woman in green robes who was walking up the jade steps. It was the Lingbo Platform Sword Test, and he hadn't been able to see Wushuang's face clearly from below the platform. Unlike Guan Ye's vibrant life force, Wushuang was like an unfathomable icy lake, confronting the pressure of Mu You's deep gaze. The composure in her eyes was astonishing. Mu You had seen countless people and believed he could see through everyone's hearts, but Wushuang's calmness left even Mu You in awe.
Her eyes... Mu You couldn't help but take a half step forward. Her eyes held both the certainty of the Xuan Tie sword in her hand and the desire to challenge Guan Ye. This light, a blend of confidence and ambition, was enough to illuminate the entire Ze Tian Hall.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
