Seeking Truth with a Sword

Li Ang stared at Jiao Cheng. "What do you plan to do?"

Jiao Cheng spoke indifferently, "You Xiao has set a bad precedent, and I want to make sure that the girls in Pingkang Square get their minds right and behave themselves."

Li Ang's eyes narrowed slightly. To subjugate someone is to drive them to despair, and the essential condition for despair is to destroy their hope. "Song Shaoyuan is a scholar, an Academic Palace examinee."

Jiao Cheng lifted a finger and said, "There are tens of thousands of new scholars in Yu Country every year. Moreover, Mr. Song should be considered an Academic Palace examinee who failed the re-examination."

Li Ang said, "Yu Law strictly prohibits private torture of common people."

"Yu Law also prohibits slaughtering cattle and eating carp. Yet, beef and live fish are still sold in the East and West Markets," Jiao Cheng continued indifferently. "Moreover, there are a thousand ways in Pingkang Square to subdue people without leaving any external injuries. And..."

Jiao Cheng grinned. "You Xiao is not a Yu person; she is a Jing person."

At those words, Li Ang paused, turned his head swiftly, and caught a glimpse of an almost imperceptible, dye-like dark red streak in the hair of the ashen-faced You Douzhi.

Yu Country has a rule that there are servants but no slaves; even the poorest of Yu Country's citizens would not fall to a state of hereditary enslavement.

But this rule does not apply to the Zhou people, Jing people, Turkic People, Hu Ren... As long as one does not hold Yu Country's registration, in the eyes of Yu Law, they aren't considered fully human, and the protection they receive is naturally greatly reduced.

It was precisely because of this that the nobles of Chang'an were so fond of keeping foreign servants—their deaths wouldn't raise any inquiries.

Li Ang sighed silently to himself and then looked at Jiao Cheng. "You should know, I placed second in the preliminary examinations of the Academic Palace, and first in the re-examination."

"I know that." A flicker of thought passed through Jiao Cheng's eyes. To stand unscathed behind the scenes in Pingkang Square for so many years, gathering intelligence, investigating backgrounds, and avoiding stepping on toes were the most basic instincts. Even for a drunk who causes a ruckus at a tavern, breaking porcelain and lampstands and injuring waiters, they would usually persuade them nicely and escort them out of Pingkang Square. Only after confirming the person's identity and making sure they had no powerful connections would they seek revenge.

"But, last night on Vermilion Bird Street, Master Xi Yangyu already pronounced your sentence," Jiao Cheng tilted his head and slowly said. "Skull-interrupted Sword trigram, you can no longer pursue Cultivation."

Being unable to pursue Cultivation also meant being unable to enter the Academic Palace. Being unable to enter the Academic Palace also shattered all hopes of befriending princes and generals' children and thereby entering Yu Country's upper echelons.

"That's not what I'm talking about." Li Ang took out a small, square-folded packet from his bosom and tossed it casually toward Jiao Cheng.

BUZZ—

The packet abruptly stopped in mid-air, hovering in front of Jiao Cheng.

Jiao Cheng glanced sideways at the two Cultivators who were still leisurely playing chess, nonchalantly caught the packet from mid-air, and casually glanced inside with one hand. It was a paper banknote from Liu Guang Bank, worth a thousand strings of coins.

Jiao Cheng let out a scoff, shaking his head as he put down the banknote and looked at Li Ang. "Heh, Mr. Li, do you think I'm in need of money? You Xiao is the most popular Qing official at Lotus House; her grooming fee is two thousand strings of coins, her redemption fee is five thousand strings of coins..."

Li Ang spoke indifferently, "Take another look at the place and time of issuance on the banknote."

Jiao Cheng frowned slightly, squinting his eyes. "Time?"

The place of issuance on the banknote was the Liu Guang Bank headquarters in Chongren Square, and the time was the end of June. Could it be... Jiao Cheng raised an eyebrow. At the end of June, the exam candidates had already arrived in Chang'an. Many wealthy candidates from other regions came to Chang'an carrying banknotes from their hometown banks for convenience. After arriving in Chang'an, they would exchange their large-denomination banknotes for different values of Copper Coin to facilitate daily expenses. A thousand strings of coins were basically the largest denomination banknote in circulation. It was impossible for out-of-town candidates to bring a thousand-string banknote from another bank to Chang'an to exchange for Copper Coin and then go to the head branch of Liu Guang Bank in Chongren Square to deposit it again as a thousand-string banknote—this was completely meaningless. Thus, this banknote was not brought from their hometown by an out-of-town candidate, but was recently acquired in Chang'an.

"You should know that I am a Doctor from Yizhou, and the reason I was able to secure second place in the preliminary exams is because of my Upper Class A in painting, Mathematics, and Herbal Medicine," Li Ang said indifferently. "And this banknote comes from the treatment fee given to me by the Duke Yan Mansion in Anxing Square."

SNAP.

The sound of Go pieces being placed abruptly stopped, and the two Sword Carrying Monks in the corner of the room simultaneously lifted their heads to look at Jiao Cheng, who had fallen silent all of a sudden. Only the bubbling sounds of the teapot on the stove remained in the room.

Jiao Cheng squinted his eyes, carefully scrutinizing the information on the banknote.

Watching the movements of the upper echelons of Chang'an was an instinct for every snake and rat hiding in its gloomy corners. The news of Yan Yundang's lingering illness, prompting His Majesty to dispatch the Imperial Physician to the Duke Yan Mansion three times, had already spread throughout Chang'an. The Duke Yan Mansion did not intend to hide it, posting rewards across all of Chang'an City and generously inviting famous doctors from various places.

"What proof do you have…"

"The servants of the Duke Yan Mansion have recently been collecting birds such as pigeons and sparrows in the East and West Markets, and have been feeding them fine rice," Li Ang continued indifferently. "Worried about the outside world saying that the descendants of the Yan Family neglected their filial duties by keeping pets while the Duke is seriously ill, these actions were carried out in secret. And they started after the 20th of June. If your men are clever enough, they should be able to find out."

"…"

Jiao Cheng fell silent for a moment, then slapped the floor twice with his hand. The tattooed man who was responsible for guarding the door immediately entered, knelt on the ground, listened to a few whispered words from Jiao Cheng, and then turned to leave the room. Not long after, he returned and nodded to Jiao Cheng from outside the door.

Li Ang said casually, "I was the one who found out the cause of the Duke's illness, alleviating some of his pain. What do you think would happen if the news that I'm trapped here got out? What would the people from the Duke Mansion do?"

Jiao Cheng squinted his eyes and said, "You haven't completely cured the Duke…"

Li Ang said indifferently, "But I am the closest to doing so. Do you dare to gamble that the Duke Mansion wouldn't turn this place upside down for someone who might be able to cure him? If someone were willing to step forward and crush you right here, I believe those dignitaries whose dark secrets you know would not mind giving you a push from the shadows. Do you think your backers have the power to protect you under those circumstances? Even if they do, are you worth the cost of becoming mortal enemies with the Duke?"

Jiao Cheng fell into silence once more.

Li Ang said, seeing that he had said enough, "I don't ask for much. I will take both Song Shaoyuan and You Douzhi with me, and this thousand-string banknote will serve as a deposit. The remaining four thousand strings for their ransom will be delivered to you within seven days."

"…"

After pondering for a moment, Jiao Cheng looked up with a hoarse voice. "I can let you take Song Shaoyuan and You Xiao, but there's a condition."

"Speak."

"Cure someone for me."