Volume One: The Wild Child Chapter 46: The Rabble of Nobles

Tonight, it seemed that no one in Ruzhou City would find peaceful sleep.

The Seven Clans and the Ten Elders were utterly baffled by the Lin Clan troops that had appeared as if from the heavens, to the point that their suspicions even turned toward the Wei Clan. For Wei Shaoqing, this was a bitter pill—how could he have known that the Lin Clan's army would bypass so many cities and descend upon Ruzhou like divine soldiers, leaving him completely unprepared? Now, with the furious boundary masters of Ruzhou encircling the Wei residence so tightly that not even a drop of water could slip through, Wei Shaoqing could no longer remain idle. He prepared to seek an audience with the head of the Ying Clan, a man who, for over a decade, had been both adversary and ally.

Wei Shaoqing appeared far older than before, and Ying Mao's gaze was equally burdened with defeat. The two men exchanged a silent, bitter smile, each realizing that their schemes had crumbled.

Wei Shaoqing had hoped to maneuver between the Lin Clan’s pressing forces, thus safeguarding his own family and the city as a whole. Who could have foreseen that the Lin army would arrive with such speed, leaving not a moment for Ruzhou’s nobility to weigh their options? As for Ying Mao, he had dismissed the Lin Clan as little more than northern barbarians, not worth a second thought. His confidence in Ruzhou’s martial strength was too great, but the battle within the inner city, where Xie Daoyun had routed them, shook his resolve.

The idea of using the Lin Clan as a lever to force Wei Shaoqing’s hand, so that after defending Ruzhou the political scene could be reshuffled, was now a lost cause.

Thus, the two men remained at an impasse for a long while, their clansmen simply glaring at the surging crowd of boundary masters outside. At last, it was Ying Mao who broke the silence with a sigh. Slowly, he said, “Elder Wei, from the Age of Peace to the Age of Awakening, we have seen the Seven Clans step from the shadows into the light. You and I have worked together for so many years. This talk of treachery is utterly without foundation.”

Wei Shaoqing shook his head, his tone harsh, “I understand your feelings. For a mere northern barbarian force to dare provoke the world’s true line—moreover, for their first assault to fall upon our Ruzhou! I’m sure each of you would love nothing more than to tear them apart and drink their blood. What man could bear such humiliation? But the fact remains: you were defeated! So do not direct your anger at my Wei Clan!”

Ying Mao frowned deeply, turning to quell the outrage of those behind him, then said, “Elder Wei, we came today to ask you to take charge of the situation. Is there any need to say more? You’ve heard of the Lin Clan’s methods. If they conquer Ruzhou, even the Wei Clan will struggle to survive.”

Wei Shaoqing looked down with contempt at the gathered crowd, his snort cold, “So the so-called Seven Clans and Ten Elders are nothing more than fools living off the glory of their forebears. Very well then—follow the formation I’ve devised. At dawn, I will personally meet this Xie Daoyun and see what sort of character she is!” With those words, he tossed out the formation diagram and swept away, as if unwilling to waste another breath.

His departure left the hall in an uproar. Complaints and curses mingled in the air, and no one bothered to glance at the old man’s diagram. Only Ying Mao examined it closely—his expression shifting from casual, to astonished, to terrified. He began to tremble, and then knelt at the gate of the Wei residence, calling out, “Lord Wei, your righteousness is unmatched! From this day forth, I, Ying Mao, will follow your every command, without a hint of duplicity!”

A hush fell over the crowd. No one knew what Ying Mao’s intentions were.

Many years ago, there was a rumor in Wenyuan: the Wei Clan could slay dragons.

...

Inside the residence, Wei Zifu gazed at his grandfather in confusion, “Grandfather, isn’t this the perfect time to win people over? Why did you have to strike at their sore points?”

Wei Shaoqing’s expression was relaxed, even cheerful. He sipped his tea and smiled, “My child, and what would you have me do? Should I fashion an image of the Wei Clan as heroes, standing forth to save a tottering world, turning back the tide? That’s well and good if we win. But if we lose, the infamy will fall on our family for a thousand years. Besides, with these people, even if you save them now, it won’t be long before they’re plotting to drag us down.”

“Then aren’t you worried the Seven Clans and Ten Elders will betray us in the end, stabbing us in the back?” Wei Zifu’s eyes were full of doubt. He couldn’t understand how his grandfather could ignore such a basic truth of human nature.

Wei Shaoqing’s smile deepened. He patted the boy’s head affectionately, “My dear child, you’re still young. Remember—human nature is never as clear-cut as lines on a page. These nobles have clung to power for centuries, to the point that they’d rather be dogs to the powerful than lose their share. But the Lin Clan refuses to give them even that path. Thus, the boundary masters of the Seven Clans are more desperate for victory than we are.”

As he spoke, Wei Shaoqing rose, his back slightly bent as if the fate of the city weighed upon his shoulders. Yet he remained utterly unafraid, his tone brooking no question, “In the end, this is Ruzhou’s affair—it’s none of the northern lands’ concern. And there are far too many so-called ‘Ten Elders’ among the Seven Clans. After this, they will listen to me alone!”

Such arrogance left even Heaven and Earth speechless.

...

At dawn, the tranquility of the small courtyard was a world apart from the grim tension gripping Ruzhou City.

Liu Qingshan was playing a game of chess with Lin Changtian.

Though the board was empty, their moves took on shape and meaning. Liu Qingshan stroked his beard as he lowered a piece in their imaginary match, “Yesterday, all the fortune of Ruzhou was suppressed by one, yet stood unshaken on another’s shoulders.”

Lin Changtian offered no reply, merely placing a move with quiet confidence, “Old Liu, your chess is lacking—I’ve already won.”

Liu Qingshan was taken aback. Looking over the board, he could see no sign of his own defeat, suspecting Lin Changtian of hiding some trap. He protested, “No trickery now. I have more ‘qi’ across the board than you do. Wait—are you trying to capture my dragon?”

Lin Changtian scratched his head, puzzled, “Capture your dragon? Isn’t it five in a row? How can you not block me—I already have three.”

Liu Qingshan’s face turned green with exasperation. He gripped the table, barely keeping upright, “So all this time, I’ve been playing Go, and you’ve been playing Five-in-a-Row?”

Lin Changtian blinked innocently, “You never said which game we were playing. Besides, do you really think I could play such a sophisticated game as Go?”

Liu Qingshan exhaled slowly, forcing a smile, “Do you know why I insisted on playing with you?”

Lin Changtian waved a hand dismissively, “How could I not? You’re jealous of my youthful charm and wit. Seeing I outshine you in looks, you pull this ‘low’ move to prove your scholarly acumen, so you can win over the kids and usurp the position of ‘first wife’—then you’ll do as you please and plunge the court into chaos.”

Before Lin Changtian could finish his nonsense, Liu Qingshan had him pinned to the ground, raining blows as he muttered, “Fine, let’s go with your story. I confess—I’m angry at losing the ‘first wife’ seat, so I beat you up. Does this script satisfy you, oh charming youth?”

Lin Changtian’s mouth twitched as he complained, “Do all you Northerners like to straddle your opponents when fighting? This posture is really inelegant; it’s unbecoming of a gentleman.”

Liu Qingshan stretched and stood with satisfaction, as though thrashing Lin Changtian always brought him immense joy.

“All right, enough foolishness. Let’s talk business. Lin, you’ve faced the Lin Clan troops—what’s your impression?”

Lin Changtian’s face grew grave. After a long pause, he replied, “Honestly, aside from the logistic troops and the second wave clearing the battlefield, I’ve rarely encountered their main force directly. But one thing’s certain: they’re far stronger than anything I faced in the north. Their mere presence is enough to overwhelm Ruzhou’s armies.”

Liu Qingshan nodded, a hint of resignation in his voice, “When you went out searching for people, I took a look around as well. There was a great battle in the city—quite a spectacle. The Lin Clan’s leader is truly peculiar. His aura is that of an ordinary boundary master, yet he could fight evenly with both Ying Mao and Gan Yulin, who are at the ‘Servant of Destiny’ level. It’s inconceivable. Could that mysterious armor the Lin masters wear be the legendary ‘Boundary Arms’?”

Hearing this, Lin Changtian frowned, “It is indeed ‘Boundary Arms.’ But Gan Yulin and Ying Mao are only pseudo-stage ‘Servant of Destiny’—what’s so remarkable about that?”

“No, no,” Liu Qingshan waved his hands, “Wenyuan’s divine continent possesses deep-rooted heritage. The spiritual energy and the laws of the ‘Cultivator Era’ are more perfectly preserved here than in the other four domains. Their stages are genuine, not like elsewhere, where reality and illusion mix.”

Lin Changtian nodded and gestured for him to continue. Liu Qingshan cleared his throat, his expression turning somber, “Judging by yesterday’s battle, the boundary masters of Ruzhou are no match for the Lin Clan troops. I don’t know why the Lin army withdrew, but if this continues, Ruzhou City will surely fall into their hands. So, you’ll need to make the journey, Lin.”

“And while I go to help Ruzhou’s boundary masters, what will you do?”

Liu Qingshan scratched his head and replied earnestly, “I’ll stay home with the two children, of course! I’m far too old for the battlefield—surely you wouldn’t force me to go?”

With a wry smile, Lin Changtian saw the old man’s childish mischief returning. He lowered his voice, “Come on, if I go, the Lin brutes will tear me apart. If you’re sending me to die, at least teach me a trick or two to save my life.”

Seeing Lin’s genuine anxiety, Liu Qingshan found it amusing—he hadn’t seen the lad this flustered in days. Relenting, he said, “Don’t worry. Take this talisman. If things turn dire, crush it, and I’ll know instantly and come to protect you.”

Lin Changtian eyed the yellow charm with suspicion, “Are you trying to trick me? This is a matter of life and death!”

As they spoke, the sun above Ruzhou City dimmed again. Peering through the thick clouds, one could almost imagine a monstrous dragon raising its horns, unleashing a piercing roar upon the mortal realm.