Chapter 4: Lives Are Not Created Equal

The county yamen.

Day had just broken, and while the yamen runners were still bleary-eyed, the drum outside the county office began to beat.

County Magistrate Song Guang yawned and lazily waved a hand.

A man, a woman, and an elderly man walked into the main hall.

Song Guang stole a glance at them. The woman wore snow-velvet marten fur, and the man had Celestial Jade hanging from his waist; both were wealthy figures of extraordinary background.

“Who stands before the court? What are your names? Why make such a racket?”

“Xu Wen of Meichang Palace.”

Song Guang shook his head, his sleepiness vanishing in an instant. Replacing it with a smile, he stood up and walked to the center of the hall.

“So it is a student of Meichang Palace. May I ask why Scholar Xu has beaten the drum?”

“Yesterday, we encountered a fierce young bandit who killed a companion of mine from Meichang Palace. I ask Your Honor to assist in capturing him.”

Song Guang was horrified and fell flat on his rear. “W-what? Killed someone from Meichang Palace?”

“That is correct. I witnessed it with my own eyes, and the corpse is right outside!”

Song Guang hurriedly adjusted his official cap and rushed outside the yamen. Sure enough, a corpse was loaded onto the carriage, with the hole in its neck clearly visible.

Beads of cold sweat the size of beans broke out on Song Guang’s forehead. Advisor Adviser Wang hurriedly crept over, and Song Guang immediately flashed him a look.

“I even drew a portrait of the killer!”

Song Guang’s legs turned to jelly, almost collapsing to the ground again. Trembling, he walked up to Xu Wen and took the portrait.

Depicted on the paper was a scrawny young man with an unusually sharp pair of eyes.

“So it’s him!”

Xu Wen was overjoyed. “You know him?”

Advisor Adviser Wang said, “I have seen him before. He is a ruthless bandit from Yunkai City, named… Tie Jian, if I remember correctly. Yes, that’s him.”

Advisor Adviser Wang looked at Song Guang and said, “Your Honor, he belongs to Yunkai City. He falls outside our jurisdiction.”

Song Guang frowned. “Is that true? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“I am absolutely certain. This man is indeed listed on the bounty board in Yunkai City. He is not from our Baici Town, so this has nothing to do with us.”

Xu Wen said, “He committed murder last night, so he must still be in Baici Town today. If Your Honor dispatches men to search the entire town now, you will surely find him!”

Advisor Adviser Wang laughed and said, “Scholar Xu, you jest. Having killed someone from Meichang Palace, how could he possibly stay overnight in Baici Town?

In my view, he must have already fled far away. You had better try your luck in Yunkai City.”

Xu Wen’s face darkened, and he said, “Hmph, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. When something this serious happens, of course you don’t want the blame landing on your shoulders.

Claiming he isn’t in Baici Town is simply an excuse because you don’t want to look for him! Even if that man were local, you still wouldn’t want to search for him, much less find him!”

Song Guang stared down at his toes, offering no argument.

Advisor Adviser Wang looked up at the sky, acting as if he hadn’t heard a word.

“Hmph!”

Xu Wen flicked his sleeves, turned on his heel, and left.

Once they had departed, Song Guang hurriedly waved his hand to dismiss the court.

Reaching the rear courtyard, he grabbed a maidservant dressed in emerald green and blurted, “Quick, quick, Xiao Cui! Tell my wife to pack up immediately—gather all the gold, silver, and valuables!”

Advisor Adviser Wang said in panic, “Your Honor, surely it isn’t that serious.”

“Not that serious? Serious my ass! Who knows who that dead kid was?

Three years ago in Liusu City, a disciple of Meichang Palace was killed as well, and he turned out to be the youngest son of General Yun Zhao.

Dammit, that very night, the second young master of the Yun Clan, Yun Zhenbian, arrived and slaughtered his way through all of Liusu City.

He butchered every single wanderer, and even chopped up the county magistrate’s entire family, young and old. Blood flowed like rivers through all of Liusu City.

It caused a massive uproar, but in the end? Didn’t the Emperor just lightly dismiss it by exiling him to the borderlands?

They called it exile to the borderlands, but in reality, they just sent the second young master of the Yun Clan back to his father’s military camp.

If this dead kid turns out to be the son of some high official or noble too, I might not even keep my life!”

Advisor Adviser Wang was equally terrified and hurriedly took his leave to go pack up his family.

Unfortunately, County Magistrate Song Guang’s guess was spot on.

Song Xuan was a young master of the Song Clan, one of the Four Great Families of the Daxia Dynasty. Though born to a concubine, after entering Meichang Palace, he had already been recorded in the Song Clan genealogy.

The Song Clan possessed immense power. The old patriarch, Song Fu, held the rank of Minister of Personnel, serving as the Emperor’s right-hand man.

The new patriarch, Song Kaicheng, held the rank of Vice Minister of Rites; in his earlier years, he had taught at Qingzhu Academy, with disciples scattered across the realm.

The eldest daughter, Song Qingyao, was a Noble Consort, a favorite before the Emperor.

The second daughter, Song Xuerong, was the consort of the Sixth Prince.

And Song Xuan was the son of Song Kaicheng.

Outside the county yamen.

Xu Wen retrieved a paper crane covered in talismanic runes from Song Xuan’s body.

The runes on the paper crane were ancient Daoist script, also known as Dao markings—mysterious cultivation characters left behind by ancient alchemists, containing profound Daoist arts of inscrutable depth.

Xu Wen sliced open Song Xuan’s finger and smeared the blood onto the paper crane, turning it red, whereupon the runes on the crane shone with a brilliant golden light.

Xu Wen spoke softly, “I am Xu Wen, a student of Meichang Palace and a dear friend of Song Xuan. Song Xuan has been murdered, and the killer is still in Baici Town. I ask the experts of the Song Clan to swiftly dispatch people to capture him.”

With those words, the paper crane left his palm and caught fire in midair.

In a mere moment, the paper crane turned to ash and vanished into the air.

Having done all this, Xu Wen let out a sigh of relief. “The Song Clan will arrive shortly. The killer won’t escape now, even if he grew wings.”

Beside them, the old cart driver shook his head with a contemptuous sneer.

Lu Jianjia asked in surprise, “Why do you laugh?”

“I laugh because people are different, and lives are not created equal.”

“What do you mean?”

“Yesterday, that fellow named Song struck with ruthless cruelty. If it had been the young man who died, he would simply be dead, and likely branded with the foul reputation of a thief to boot.

He was carrying a severed head; if I’m not mistaken, he is almost certainly a bounty hunter.”

The old man sighed. “But now, someone recorded in the Song Clan genealogy is dead. Nine times out of ten, this entire region for hundreds of miles will be turned upside down. That young man will not only lose his life, but will likely suffer endless torment.”

Lu Jianjia frowned slightly, feeling a bit uneasy in her heart.

Noticing an inn not far away, Xu Wen said, “Lu Jianjia, let’s get something to eat and rest a bit. Since such a major event has occurred, we must first explain everything clearly to the Song Clan.”

Lu Jianjia nodded slowly.

The three of them led the horse carriage up to the entrance.

Walking toward them were a young man and a young girl.

The girl had her arms crossed with a look of irritation on her face, while the youth followed behind her scratching his head, looking completely at a loss.

“Nie Nie, what do you want to eat? How about braised lion’s head meatballs?”

“Hmph! I’m not eating, I’m not eating anything! You actually pawned your saber! That was the only thing connected to your origins!”

“It’s fine, I don’t care.”

“Don’t you want to see your parents?”

“I used to, but not anymore.”

“Gu Shiyi, I’m not some greedy glutton!”

“But you’re still growing.”

The girl and the youth suddenly froze in place. Xu Wen, Lu Jianjia, and the old man froze on the spot as well.

Xu Wen raised a trembling arm. “It’s… it’s you…”

Incredulity filled Lu Jianjia’s lovely eyes. This was far too coincidental!

“You have the wrong person.”

Gu Shiyi suddenly took Nie Nie’s hand, turning to walk off to the side.

“Please make a move and help capture the killer!”

Xu Wen suddenly bowed, offering a respectful salute to the old man.

Lu Jianjia startled slightly, her delicate eyebrows furrowing.

The youth halted. His gaze fell upon the saber at Xu Wen’s waist.

Killing intent surged in his eyes.

“Neighhh~”

The horse pulling the corpse spooked once again.

Lu Jianjia felt a chill down her spine. Remembering the slash yesterday that had nearly taken her life, she hurriedly hid behind the old man.

Old Man Lu grinned, exposing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and said to Xu Wen, “I won’t.”

The youth let out a breath of relief and strode away with long strides.

Seeing the youth swaggering off so brazenly, Xu Wen’s eyes frantically scanned his surroundings.

Noticing the jianghu wanderers walking by with sabers at their sides, as well as the Bounty Hall not far off, a sudden idea struck him. As if possessed, he held up the wooden token at his waist and shouted at the top of his lungs:

“I am a student of Meichang Palace! Is there any righteous warrior of the jianghu willing to help me subdue this man? I am willing to offer one hundred taels of gold… Mmph!”

Xu Wen’s voice cut off abruptly as the youth swept over like a phantom, covering his mouth with one hand and slamming him to the ground!

It happened in an instant with overwhelming force; Xu Wen couldn’t make a single sound!

With a sharp *clang*, the youth drew the saber from Xu Wen’s waist with his other hand and slashed it straight toward his neck!

Swift and decisive, as if slaughtering sheep or cattle!