“One last question.” Fan Li noticed that Lu Bu was bleeding profusely. The man who was once hailed as the strongest warrior in the Three Kingdoms was slowly dying.
“What is the Sage Ruler of Archery’s name?”
Fan Li had asked Qing Qiu the same question but had been refused, the reason once again being that it violated the Pure Land’s laws.
Fan Li had also investigated thoroughly.
To his surprise, the Sage Ruler of Archery’s identity was well-hidden. Even with the Fan Clan Trading Company’s vast network of informants, Fan Li couldn't uncover her name. He was surprised, but he also understood.
The Sage Ruler of Archery’s attack style was shrouded in secrecy, unexpected, and always caught her enemies off guard. She was a ruler of the shadows, her true identity never revealed. But Fan Li wanted to avenge Yan Yuan. He had to know this woman’s identity.
Lu Bu was the only person Fan Li could contact, aside from the Sage Rulers, who might know the Sage Ruler of Archery’s name.
“Answer me,” Fan Li urged.
He was genuinely worried that Lu Bu might bleed to death before revealing the answer. Fortunately, his worry was unnecessary. The vitality of a ninth-rank, Great Perfection Unity Realm cultivator was surprisingly strong!
Lu Bu simply smiled at Fan Li for a moment, then turned his gaze to the infant Diao Chan in the swaddling clothes beside him.
His meaning was clear.
Fan Li’s promise to protect Diao Chan throughout her life, in exchange for the Sage Ruler of Archery’s identity.
“You dare to threaten me?” Fan Li’s voice turned cold. He wanted to intimidate Lu Bu. Unfortunately, tiger generals possessed great courage. Even a dying Lu Bu wasn’t easily frightened.
“Duke Jin… I’m a villain… I only have villainous methods. But… I trust you… Your word is your bond.”
Fan Li was so angry he laughed. He didn't need Lu Bu’s praise!
Suddenly, Fan Li felt a tug on his robe. He glanced down and saw Lu Fubao.
“Agree to it,” she said softly. She, too, was struggling to contain her emotions and endured the villain’s threat.
Fan Li frowned. “Don't worry. I’ll find out the Sage Ruler of Archery’s identity eventually…”
“No.” Lu Fubao shook her head firmly. “Agree to it. I want to avenge Senior Brother Yan Yuan. But I’d rather hate the person who wielded the knife, not the knife itself!”
Lu Fubao’s unexpected stance shocked Fan Li. He was reminded of how she had willingly agreed to marry into the Great Chu for the sake of Lu City’s future.
Even after discovering Xiang Ning’s true gender, she had remained in the imperial palace. And after Xiang Ning had been abducted, she had locked herself in the palace, protecting herself while preserving her reputation.
This was the daughter of Marquis Lu?
Lu Fubao finished speaking. She buried her face in Fan Li’s chest, occasionally letting out a muffled sob. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
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“Alright.” Fan Li nodded at Lu Bu.“I agree. I’ll personally raise Diao Chan. No one else will touch her.”
Lu Bu let out a long sigh of relief. “Thank you…”
He lowered his head and, with a strange contortion of his jaw, retrieved a folded piece of paper from inside his robe.
Fan Li took the paper from Lu Bu’s mouth and unfolded it. It was a portrait.
The woman in the painting had plain features and wore simple clothes. The most striking detail was a gruesome scar across her right cheek, making her already ordinary appearance even more unattractive.
“This is the Sage Ruler of Archery?”
Fan Li frowned. He had always believed that Empress Yao Guang was the least attractive of the ten great Sage Rulers. But now, it seemed the woman in the painting was far less appealing than Yao Guang.
“Her name is Ah Chang.”
“She was the wife of a hunter in the mountains. After enduring years of abuse from her husband, she finally fought back. They faced each other, each with a bow and arrow. Who could have imagined that Ah Chang, using a bow for the first time, would kill her husband, a skilled hunter?
Ah Chang nailed his corpse to a cliff face and severed his limbs. Empress Yao Guang happened to witness this scene and brought Ah Chang back to the Pure Land.
Within sixty years, Ah Chang went from being an ordinary hunter’s wife to the Sage Ruler of Archery in the Brahma Sound Pure Land.”
Those words appeared in Fan Li’s mind. The world truly had no shortage of geniuses. Unfortunately, they always seemed to be on the opposite side from him.
“Alright, I believe you.”
Fan Li tucked the portrait of Ah Chang into his robe and looked at Lu Bu one last time. The man seemed to have settled all his affairs. A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
“This subject is here.”
“Behead him. Deliver his head to Master Yan’s grave on the hill behind the Luming Academy.”
The Great Ming capital, south of the city, Beiting Alley.
Old Fan was a well-known figure in Beiting Alley. He was known for his generosity, his abundant supply of goods, and many merchants had made a fortune collaborating with him.
But most importantly, Old Fan was a Chu national.
To be precise, he was a member of the Great Chu’s Fan Clan Trading Company.
And the Fan Clan Trading Company was the only channel for trade between the Great Chu and the Great Ming Dynasty.
The Great Chu was an enemy nation. But their gold, silver, jewels, pills, and spirit treasures were of equal quality to those produced in the Great Ming, perhaps even superior.
The Ming merchants disliked the Great Chu, but they didn’t mind doing business with the Fan Clan Trading Company.
Therefore, Old Fan was a prominent figure in the Ming business circles.
Recently, word had spread that Old Fan was getting old and planned to retire.
The Fan Clan Trading Company’s operations in the Great Ming would be taken over by his nephew.
Thus, the “nephew” became the new darling of Beiting Alley.
Rumors circulated that the nephew had a wife and daughter, and they had moved into Old Fan’s house in Beiting Alley.
“I am, Fan Yingcai. I greet Second Master, Second Madam, and Young Miss…” The old man knelt on the ground and kowtowed respectfully to Fan Li.
Lu Fubao, holding baby Diao Chan, blushed and didn’t know what to do.
“Please rise,” Fan Li said with a smile. “This grand gesture is only necessary this once. From now on, there’s no need. Don't forget our identities. You’re my uncle, and we’re your nephew and niece.”
“Yes,” Old Fan replied hastily.
Fan Li continued, “How is Hu Zongxian doing?”
He had only come to the Great Ming Dynasty for one purpose: Hu Zongxian.
Fan Chun had to remain in the Great Chu. The Great Jin kingdom lacked a skilled commander, and Hu Zongxian was the perfect candidate.
“Hu Zongxian…” Old Fan shook his head repeatedly and sighed. “After the Yunzhou City defeat, the Great Ming court blamed everything on Hu Zongxian.
I heard that Junior Grand Secretary Xu Jie and Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng have repeatedly instructed the Six Ministries and the Thirteen Provincial Censorates to submit memorials, urging the Emperor to execute Hu Zongxian.
Thanks to Grand Secretary Yan Song’s protection, Hu Zongxian is still imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison.”
Fan Li’s expression turned strange.
Lu Fubao couldn’t help but ask, “I heard that Xu Jie and Zhang Juzheng are loyal officials, and Yan Song is a traitor. Why are the loyal officials urging the Emperor to execute Hu Zongxian, while the traitor is protecting him?”
She glanced at Fan Li, the infamous traitor, and stuck out her tongue playfully. “I wasn’t talking about you!”
Fan Li was exasperated. There was nothing he could do. His reputation as a “traitor” was well-established.
Old Fan couldn’t answer Lu Fubao’s question, but Fan Li knew the truth.
“Hu Zongxian’s case has nothing to do with loyalty or treason. It’s a power struggle.”