Chapter 112: Chapter 104: Killing Officials and Starting a Rebellion

The old sword’s blade bore remnants of engravings, shadows left by the powerful over time.

Gently caressing the heavy blade in his hand, Du Chengfeng seemed to once again experience Ruan Shantao in his youth.

No doubt, just like He Xiqing, Ruan Shantao was also a gifted mighty figure. However, unlike He Xiqing, Ruan Shantao was wiser and more determined— to prove his swordsmanship, he defeated all the prestigious students in the Capital City of Jiankang; to practice his benevolence, he rose from a common man to become a Minister. Whatever he wanted to do, he accomplished. This was the will of the strong, and even more, the boldness of the strong.

But only once did Ruan Shantao choose to compromise.

If young Ruan Shantao could see himself in the future turning out like this, he might have laughed, laughing at the later version of himself for choosing to retire from court based on a communication that wasn’t even considered an oral decree... Indeed, perhaps what’s needed in the court is this art of compromise. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

But for the mighty, it is the most unnecessary thing.

The powerful need not compromise with anyone.

"...What are you doing?"

Seeing Du Chengfeng already drawing his sword, Qi Jinshan suddenly felt an inexplicable chill down his back.

"Calm down, I mean, I’ll send someone to take your people away, to the south..."

"It doesn’t matter, I’m not really familiar with them anyway."

Du Chengfeng chuckled and shook his head.

Yet his steps moved ever closer.

And the sweat on Qi Jinshan’s forehead increased.

Having once practiced swordsmanship, Qi Jinshan could tell; he could see that stance of holding the sword, this was the grip most suitable for exerting power, clearly a posture of attack!

"Du Chengfeng! What are you trying to do!"

Feeling the impending danger, Qi Jinshan instinctively drew the ornate sword from his waist.

"What exactly are you doing!"

"Shh, don’t make noise."

Bang!

With just one swing, Qi Jinshan’s ornate sword, crafted by master smiths, broke into two pieces on the spot!

"How dare you! How dare you..."

Bang!

Before Qi Jinshan could shout anything more, another heavy chop landed on his shoulder.

With just one strike, Qi Jinshan’s bones shattered and tendons snapped; his right arm that once held the sword could no longer be raised.

"I told you, don’t make noise."

Two strikes knocked Qi Jinshan to the ground, yet Du Chengfeng, holding the heavy sword, frowned deeply.

Inspiration is something that often flashes by. Just moments ago, he vaguely realized something, but Qi Jinshan’s few shouts directly disrupted his originally clear train of thought.

This feeling was annoying, truly annoying, causing discomfort and frustration.

"So calm down for a bit while I ponder this issue."

Du Chengfeng revealed a relatively kind smile, believing that friendly communication would help convey his intentions better.

"Can you understand?"

"You, you, you... you actually dare to hit me! You actually dare to swing a sword at this commander!"

Clearly, Qi Jinshan could not grasp this goodwill. Seeing Du Chengfeng approaching once more, he turned to run away in fright, his injured right arm hanging.

As he ran, he shouted loudly.

"At this critical moment, you dare to swing your sword at a comrade! Aren’t you a spy sent by the grassland people! No wonder you keep talking about withdrawing... Turns out you already had the intent to surrender to the grassland people! You traitor, how dare you call yourself a man of Chen! How dare you!"

"First of all, I’m not from the grasslands."

On this matter, Du Chengfeng felt little need to explain, given that, if counted, he’s killed more grassland people than Qi Jinshan has had meals.

"Secondly, I’m not a man of Chen."

Shaking his head, the somewhat irritable Du Chengfeng simply raised his hand and swung it.

The massive Rectangular Sword spun through the air, instantly smashing Qi Jinshan’s legs.

The interrupted inspiration resumed.

Yes, unlike the previous two strikes, this one was something Ruan Shantao would never have done.

"Ah!!!"

Qi Jinshan, his legs completely shattered, fell to the ground, crying out in agony.

But what terrified him more was Du Chengfeng’s form moving ever closer.

"What are you doing! What on earth are you doing!"

Seeing Du Chengfeng once again pick up the Rectangular Sword, Qi Jinshan screamed in despair.

"Both of us are court officials! How can you! How can you..."

"Oh, right."

Bending down to pick up the sword, Du Chengfeng nodded.

Then he took off his waist sash and tossed it to Liu Bolun beside him.

"All right, now I’m not."

Saying this, Du Chengfeng swung the sword.

Qi Jinshan, lying on the ground, was split in half by the Bladeless Sword.

"Phew... finally quiet."

Exhaling a heavy breath, Du Chengfeng felt a sense of relief all over.

The fleeting inspiration was captured.

"This is probably something that old man of yours could never do."

Holding the Rectangular Sword, Du Chengfeng seemed to feel Ruan Shantao’s presence beside him.

Yet it was not the elderly Ruan Shantao.

But the young, unstoppable, gifted genius.

Though he’d never studied even a word from that old Ruan, at this moment, he truly felt the influence of the old man on him.

Such is the essence of teaching by example.

This is a legacy hard to describe with words.

"You actually... killed him?"

Beside him, Liu Bolun trembled all over, holding the official seal.

"You actually used the old man’s sword to kill him like that?"

"Yes."

Du Chengfeng nodded.

"What the master couldn’t do, it’s up to the student to accomplish, otherwise what’s the point of all the teaching?"

"The old man wouldn’t teach you to kill officials and rebel..."

The events unfolding were too shocking, and Liu Bolun’s brain had stopped functioning—even someone as unruly as him had never considered solving the current issue by killing Qi Jinshan.

But Liu Bolun had to admit, this method was very effective.

Truly very effective.

"So, since you know I’ve murdered officials and rebelled, aren’t you, a court official, going to run away?"

Saying this, Du Chengfeng pointed at the official seal in Liu Bolun’s hand.

"You heard what Qi Jinshan said earlier, go take over the clerk’s role, and then you’ll be the greatest in Yanzhou City... Hurry, it’s a mixed battle now. You still have a bit of time to get people out and clear the place for me."

"Ah? Oh!"

Came to his senses, Liu Bolun quickly turned to run.

But then he suddenly remembered something, he looked back at Du Chengfeng.

"What about you? Aren’t you leaving?"

"Me? There’s no hurry."

Saying this, Du Chengfeng turned over Liu Bolun’s left-behind wine jar and sat on it like a stool beneath the large "benevolence" character.

"I still have one last lesson to teach."