Chapter 119
Chapter 119
Wu Zhaozhong had long despised the old aristocracy.
‘What gives you bastards the right to be so arrogant? Just because you have fiefs and private armies?’
Whenever he encountered them, the old nobles would smile, but their eyes were filled with a sense of superiority, a clear disdain for the new aristocracy. But now, they were getting their just deserts. They would soon be so ruined they wouldn't even have a plot to be buried in. If they didn't plunge a knife deep into the Jin clan's back, the Wu clan wouldn't survive among these ravenous wolves.
"Yuanhua, Zhang Chong should be at the Count of Jinhai's estate. Go to him and be direct. Tell him we're taking half of the salt fields owned by the Count of Xuanwu. I don't care who else joins this feast; that share is non-negotiable. If he resists, tell him not to blame me for causing trouble when he makes his bid for River Governor of Yan Province."
"Must I be so direct?"
"At times like this, being direct is best. If you beat around the bush, we might end up with nothing when the Count of Xuanwu's estate falls and the spoils are divided."
As nobles who commanded military power, they had to project an image of being rough and ruthless, even if it wasn't their true nature.
"Understood!"
Just then, a terrified scream came from outside.
"Father!"
Wu Zhaozhong frowned. The one calling him from outside was his third son, Wu Yuanxiong. His third son was academically brilliant, having passed the provincial examinations, and was a son he cherished. His only flaw was his promiscuous private life; he was exceedingly debauched. But such a flaw was trivial. What did it matter if a nobleman dallied with women? Or even with men?
"What is it? Did you cause some trouble again? Did you dally with another young lady from a good family? Send money to silence them. If that doesn't work, a blade will have to do."
His third son, Wu Yuanxiong, entered the room, not looking like the young master of a powerful house, but gaunt and emaciated, like a man lost to despair. As soon as he entered, he dropped stiffly to his knees. Wu Zhaozhong asked in a cold voice.
"What on earth is the matter? Why the pathetic display? Did someone die during your escapades? Even if someone died, it wouldn't reduce you to this state."
Without a word, Wu Yuanxiong pulled down his trousers. His private parts were covered in sores. There was syphilis, and other venereal diseases.
"Father, I'm finished! It's over for me. Father, I'm still young and have so much to do. I can't die like this. I don't want to die, Father."
The Count of Jing'an, Wu Zhaozhong, was momentarily stunned. It felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind. At the same time, his whole body stiffened, turning ice-cold.
"How can this be? How is this possible? Didn't you only choose young ladies from good families? And didn't you have a physician examine them before every encounter, only sleeping with those who were clean?"
His third son, Wu Yuanxiong, wailed loudly.
"I don't know either. I've caroused like this for years without any problems, so why now...? It's not just me; my fifth brother is in trouble too. And the dozen or so others who were with us at the time—they're all like this."
Wu Zhaozhong felt his mind go numb. Then, an even more terrifying thought occurred to him.
"Quickly, summon all the men and women living in the Count of Jing'an's estate for an examination. Find out how many are infected. Third son, bring your fifth brother here at once. You two must be honest. Tell me which women in the estate you slept with, and how many."
Two hours later, the results were in—and they were shudder-inducing, absolutely horrifying. Dozens of people in the Count of Jing'an's estate showed signs of venereal disease.
***
In a certain room, a very voluptuous and beautiful young wife knelt on the floor, weeping, her eyes filled with fear and despair. She was Wu Zhaozhong's most favored and cherished concubine. Seeing her, Wu Zhaozhong's rage soared. What did this mean? It meant his own sons had slept with his favorite concubine.
"Ah... Aaargh...!"
Wu Zhaozhong screamed like a madman, utterly enraged. The concubine clung to his leg and cried.
"My lord, it can be cured. It can be cured."
"Cured? Cured of what, you damned bitch!"
Wu Zhaozhong drew his sword and struck at her.
‘Die, I'll kill you!’
***
Jinhai City was about two hundred li from Xuanwu City. Just as the Jin clan were once the masters of Xuanwu City, the Tang clan were once the masters of Jinhai City. Long ago, the two families had been on excellent terms, even forming alliances through marriage for decades. In fact, the Tang clan's title was once higher. Back then, it wasn't the Count of Jinhai's estate, but the Marquis of Jinhai's.
But all that glory and history was overturned by a single event 180 years ago. 180 years ago, an ancestor of the Jin clan experienced a near-death crisis and underwent a transformation much like Shen Lang's.
He changed from a useless fool into a martial arts prodigy. This ancestor, Jin Zhu, reached the level of a supreme master in just five years. He personally led armies, waging campaigns in the north and south, and even commanded the great army of Yue to crush the states of Wu and Chu.
Thanks to his achievements, he was appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and General of the Flying Cavalry before he even turned forty. He had little interest in titles of nobility himself, content with his official posts, and the king respected his choice, greatly expanding the Jin clan's fief instead.
Consequently, the Marquis of Jinhai of that same generation seemed comparatively bleak and insignificant. While Jin Zhu won victory after victory, that generation's Marquis of Jinhai suffered defeat after defeat. While the Jin clan's fief expanded several times over, the Marquis of Jinhai's was reduced by half, and his title was demoted from marquis to count. As a result, the relationship between the Marquis of Jinhai's estate and the Count of Xuanwu's estate began to sour. They no longer intermarried and ceased all contact.
The dispute over Golden Mountain Island was a foolish lawsuit that arose during that period. Golden Mountain Island had been the territory of the Marquis of Jinhai, but they lost it to a band of pirates. The pirates who occupied Golden Mountain Island were formidable, not only taking the island but also several surrounding ones, even raiding and pillaging the coastal regions of the State of Yue. But that was short-lived. That generation's Count of Xuanwu, Jin Zhu, personally led a great army and achieved such stunning victories that he taught the pirates the true meaning of fear. He reclaimed dozens of coastal islands and put an end to the naval warfare that had plagued the State of Yue for over a decade.
To reward Jin Zhu for his meritorious service, the king of that generation bestowed Golden Mountain Island upon the Jin clan. In the end, the relationship between the Jin and Tang clans completely fractured, turning into animosity and making them enemies. However, because Count Jin Zhu was such a formidable figure at the time, the Count of Jinhai's estate dared not even think of retaking Golden Mountain Island by force.
Fortunately, as if the heavens had not abandoned the Count of Jinhai, the Jin clan's great figure, Jin Zhu, died suddenly before reaching the age of 43. It was as if his brilliance had consumed several centuries of the Jin clan's luck. For several generations afterward, the clan produced only counts of mediocre talent. Their fief gradually shrank, until only about a third of it remained.
In contrast, the fortunes of the Count of Jinhai's estate seemed to gradually recover, growing stronger and stronger. With their rival weakened and themselves strengthened, why would they give up on Golden Mountain Island? Of course, they wouldn't. No one knew how many times the two families had fought over Golden Mountain Island. It was a truly brutal, head-bashing conflict. But infuriatingly, successive kings simply stood by and watched as the two families shed blood over the island.
It had been several decades since the Count of Jinhai's estate took control of Golden Mountain Island. The island produced high-quality iron ore, allowing the Tang clan to field a stronger army and better military equipment than the Count of Xuanwu, despite having a smaller fief. Moreover, the talent in this generation of the Tang clan far surpassed that of the Jin clan.
In scholarly pursuits, the heir Tang Yun had placed third in the palace examinations. In martial arts, the so-called "Martial Zealot," Tang Yan, was known as the foremost young master in Tiannan Province. Therefore, it was time to settle who the true master of Golden Mountain Island was, and further, to destroy the Jin clan. Otherwise, if the Jin clan were to get lucky and produce another outstanding talent, this conflict might repeat itself endlessly.
***
Inside the Count of Jinhai's estate.
Tang Yan was in a foul mood. He had been living well in the South Sea, only to be forcibly summoned back to the family. However, if a fight was brewing, he would be happy again. He and Tang Yun were not twins, but they looked so alike that outsiders found it difficult to tell them apart at a glance. So, he had taken a knife and scarred his own face twice. His motives were simple yet powerful.
First, he hated looking identical to Tang Yun. He was his own person, an individual with his own colors, distinct from anyone else. Second, it wasn't good for a man to be too handsome. It was a distraction. How much time would be wasted looking in the mirror every day?
‘What's so great about being a genius? I'll use the time others spend looking in the mirror to practice my martial arts.’
Furthermore, when Tang Yan practiced, he focused with an intensity unlike anyone else. From the age of 14, once his martial foundations were solid, he devoted himself to mastering a single sword technique. It was called Heavenly Meteor. This sword art had only one move, and that move was also named Heavenly Meteor.
He had practiced only that one move for 14 years. What a terrifying person, to practice a single move for 14 years. Imagine how pure and perfect that technique must have become. So far, Tang Yan's sword had never met its match.
"The person you'll be sparring with today is Zhang Jin. He is also considered one of the top young masters in Tiannan Province. He passed the military provincial examinations six years ago, and with a high rank at that," said the Count of Jinhai.
Tang Yan paid no mind to the Count's words, merely nodding his head. He never cared who his opponent was, or how formidable their martial arts might be. After all, no matter how great they were, they couldn't be greater than him.
"Face him with your full strength."
"Yes!"
Tang Yan nodded, but his eyes were vacant, staring at an ant ten meters away.
‘That ant is incredible. More incredible than me!’
A normal ant could lift 50 times its own weight, but that one was carrying something over a hundred times its weight. Tang Yan thought he should study that ant closely.
An hour later.
His mind was still on the ant, but he stood with a heavy, unsharpened sword in his hand. It was a sword made of Xuan iron, forged from meteoric iron. His master had worn himself out searching for the materials to forge this sword.
"I seek your instruction!" Zhang Jin said.
Zhang Jin suddenly bent his body like a bow, and his appearance changed in an instant. He seemed to transform into a wild beast in a flash. Power gathered ceaselessly throughout his body, causing all his muscles and sinews to bulge. He looked as if he was about to explode.
Zhang Jin was extremely strong. Otherwise, he wouldn't have passed the military examinations at 17, become the commander of the Xuanwu City garrison in his twenties, and received the title of Guerrilla General. The first thing he did after being posted to Xuanwu City was to call Tian Heng for a martial arts contest. The result: he defeated Tian Heng in a single move.
*CRACK!*
Suddenly, the ground cracked. Zhang Jin's body shot forward like a cannonball. The executioner's blade in his hand flashed like lightning as it sped toward Tang Yan. Tang Yan was startled, but the Xuan iron sword in his hand immediately danced on instinct.
Heavenly Meteor! It was still that same move. How many countless times had this move been executed by his hand? It had reached a state of purity and perfection, unfolding as his mind willed it.
*BOOM!*
A powerful energy collided with Zhang Jin's rigid body. It was like a high-speed train slamming violently into a wall of air. The more force he exerted, the stronger the rebound, and his body was sent flying backward. The battle ended anticlimactically