Chapter 32: Wu Chuanzong

“Thank you, benefactor, for saving my life!”

The Water Monkey led the boy over. As the boy prepared to kneel and kowtow, the Water Monkey caught him and pulled him back.

Qin Sang looked around, signaling Zheng Kun to remain vigilant, as they led the group of children into the nearby woods.

Qin Sang sized the boy up. “What is your name? How old are you?”

“My name is Xiao Liuzi. I’m fifteen. I’ve had no father or mother since I was small, and no real name.”

“Have you studied?”

“When I was begging, a teacher took me in to sleep at his school. I listened to his lessons for three years, but after he died, I was kicked out.”

“Are you all from the north?”

“Yes. It’s a drought in the north, so everyone is fleeing south. Their parents died on the road, so I lead them to beg.”

“You’re begging yourself; why would you want to take on so many burdens?”

“When the teacher took me in, he said that saving a life accumulates a layer of merit, allowing for a better reincarnation in the next life.”

Qin Sang nodded, glanced outside the woods, and said, “Those people have left. You should leave too. Don't head north, lest you run into them again.”

“We beg the benefactor to take us in!”

Xiao Liuzi fell to his knees with a thud. The other children followed his lead, kneeling all over the ground in a mass plea.

Qin Sang shook his head. “I can barely feed myself. Why would I take you in?”

Xiao Liuzi remained kneeling. “We can do anything! My sister can wash clothes and cook, and we can do heavy labor. As long as the benefactor gives us a bite to eat, we will do whatever you say!”

Qin Sang let out a short laugh. “If I told you to kill someone, would you do it?”

Xiao Liuzi hesitated for a moment. “I could! My younger brothers and sisters lost their parents and were almost boiled and eaten by others. If others can kill, so can I.”

“How can you accumulate merit if you kill?”

“Then I’ll just save more people. If I save more than I kill, I can still accumulate merit.”

Qin Sang and the Water Monkey exchanged a look.

The Water Monkey pulled Qin Sang aside. “Hall Master, do you really intend to take them in?”

Qin Sang mused, “It is time to begin building an assassin echelon...”

Regardless of whether the Water Monkey understood, Qin Sang walked back and said to Xiao Liuzi, “You can follow me, but first, you must recognize a dead man as your father. His name is Wu the Mute. His grave is in Zhenshui County; I will take you there later. You don't need to care about his identity; just remember him as Wu the Mute. Your name will be Wu Chuanzong. You must burn paper for him every year to carry on the Wu family lineage. Are you willing?”

“I am willing!”

Xiao Liuzi was overjoyed. “From now on, my name is Wu Chuanzong! My father is Wu the Mute! I have a name!”

The other children jumped with joy as well.

Qin Sang nodded slightly. He didn't care what Old Wu's original name was; having promised to find Old Wu a son, giving him the surname Wu meant he had not broken his word.

“Zhang Wenkui, take these children to find a place to settle and rest briefly. Then, immediately go and inform General Mu of my decision.”

“Yes!”

Just as Zhang Wenkui led the group away, Zheng Kun ran in. “Hall Master, Liu Ji has left the city!”

The Liu family was originally a prominent local clan with lands outside the county seat. After confirming their identities, the three of them washed up outside the city, changed out of their refugee rags, and disguised themselves as Liu family servants to sneak back into the city. It was nearly dark.

Liu Ji had purchased his own business to act as a cover for his activities.

The group quietly arrived at the backyard. After ensuring they were not being followed, Liu Ji closed the gates tightly and reported the situation in the city to Qin Sang.

“Reporting to Hall Master Qin, I have investigated. There are currently three people in charge of Hening County. The County Magistrate is named Li Ji. He is only twenty-one but is quite capable; in less than two years, he has won the hearts of the people, and the locals call him 'Li the Just.' However, he is a confidant of the Prefect of Jiangzhou. Barring any accidents, he will be transferred to another prefecture upon completing his three-year term. He has a bright future and will likely be difficult to subvert. Since Hening is a small county, there is only one Registrar, a man named Ma. He is slippery and worldly, following Li Ji's every command, so he need not be a concern. Finally, there is a man named Chu Dazhuang. He is not an official, but currently, both the county constabulary and the local militia are under his command. To take the city, we must capture him. We must be cautious...”

Qin Sang asked in surprise, “This Chu Dazhuang is not an official? How does he command such authority?”

Liu Ji explained, “There are two reasons. First, he has a sister of exceptional beauty who was married to Li Ji as a concubine. Second, he is a disciple of Xuanji Temple, having studied under the Head of the Arhat Hall. He has mastered the true teachings and possesses formidable martial arts; he is known in the martial world by the title 'The Reckless Monk.' After his sister married Li Ji, the Reckless Monk took a secular name and brought several fellow disciples to Hening County. Even the local Inspector does not take him seriously. Now that the county's military supplies have been diverted and the Inspector has left, no one is left to check his power.”

*So it was him!*

Qin Sang realized why Liu Ji looked so grim.

Since joining the Blood Clothes Pavilion, Qin Sang had become intimately familiar with the martial world. Renowned martial artists were all registered with the Pavilion, and every name on that list was a top-tier expert.

His "master," Yang Zhen, was a martial arts expert in the eyes of ordinary people, but he did not qualify for the list.

This Reckless Monk was different. Not only was he on the list, but he was in the first tier; his martial arts were likely not much inferior to those of Bai Jianglan.

However, what was most daunting was not the monk's martial arts, but his sect, Xuanji Temple.

In the martial world of the Great Sui, two places were legendary: Yanlan Villa and Xuanji Temple. They were known as the two great sacred lands of the martial world, home to countless masters.

Yanlan Villa was located at Mount Yanlan in the Imperial Capital, while the gates of Xuanji Temple were in Jiangzhou.

Legend had it that both sects were guarded by Xiantian-level masters, granting them a transcendent status that even the government had to respect.

Qin Sang knew even more: Xuanji Temple and Yanlan Villa were more than just martial sects. Many of the elite imperial guards within the puppet dynasty's court hailed from these two sacred lands.

Even now, many of the guards surrounding the generals of the Duling County garrison were high-level experts from Xuanji Temple.

Since the Reckless Monk came from the Arhat Hall of Xuanji Temple, the resources the Blood Clothes Pavilion had in Hening might not be enough to take him down.

Ever since Prince Dongyang raised his banner in rebellion, the reason things had progressed so smoothly—conquering Yingnan County in less than a year—was primarily because Prince Dongyang was the Emperor's biological brother and shared the late Emperor's bloodline. Since it was not a foreign invasion, the defending government troops felt little burden in surrendering once they saw the tide had turned.

But the Prefect of Jiangzhou was different. When Prince Dongyang was the Crown Prince, the Prefect was a lackey of the current Emperor and had even earned merits during the struggle for the throne. He would never surrender.

Since Li Ji was the Prefect's confidant, the matter of subverting him through recruitment was off the table.

Since force and recruitment were both unfeasible, Qin Sang asked Liu Ji for his plans.

“I have two strategies. One is to kidnap Magistrate Li Ji to coerce Chu Dazhuang into opening the city gates. The other is poisoning; if we can assassinate Chu Dazhuang with poison, the momentum will be ours. However...”

Liu Ji stole a glance at Qin Sang. “Both strategies require the perfect timing to ensure success. I learned today that Li Ji intends to host a banquet for the local elders the night after tomorrow to discuss the refugee unrest and local stability. At that time, I can lead men to infiltrate the banquet and, amidst the chaos...”

(End of Chapter)