Chapter 97

Zhang Jian woke up and naturally opened his eyes. He saw the wooden beams supporting the ceiling in a regular and neat pattern. A bluish light was seeping in from the window on the right, indicating that it was already daylight. Glancing to the left, he saw the woman who had spent the night with him sleeping with her head on his arm.

He carefully slipped his arm out from under her head and got out of bed. Zhang Jian neatly covered her with the rumpled blanket, then picked up the clothes he had thrown off the night before, dusted them off, and began to put them on. They were a bit damp and had a musty smell, but to him, who was accustomed to camping in the wilderness, they were still wearable.

After putting on his outer robe, Zhang Jian picked up the scabbard that was leaning against the wall. He looked at it for a moment, then slowly drew the sword. Only about half of the blade remained. The blade, having lost half of itself, seemed to have lost its sharpness and looked dull and worn.

Zhang Jian thought of the Sanfuzi blacksmith shop in Xinchuan. He had paid a lot of money, and the sword had its own story, but it was a pity that it had broken like this. However, since a blade would eventually wear out from use, and it had served him well for a long time, he decided to let it go. He could find a good sword in Jiangshan.

He put the half-broken blade back into the scabbard and picked up the straw hat. When he did, the woman, who had already woken up, was lying on her side, propped up on her elbow, looking at him. Their eyes met, and they both smiled slightly, looking at each other for a moment.

She spoke first.

"Xiaoxiang."

"Xiaoxiang?"

"That's my name. Not Jianzhongchan."

Zhang Jian, who had been silent for a moment after hearing her reveal her name, soon smiled and said,

"Xiaoxiang. I'll remember it."

"Don't go around giving out your name in the Black Dragon Gang, though."

"Then what should I say?"

"Sanhu. Say you're looking for the Black Dragon Sanhu."

Zhang Jian, who was tying the string of the straw hat, replied,

"Alright, I will."

"Take care."

At her words, Zhang Jian lightly nodded with the tip of the straw hat and turned to leave the room. Xiaoxiang, who had been propped up on her elbow, dropped her head onto the bed as he left and looked at the closed door. She lay on the bed for a long time, thinking about Zhang Jian.

* * *

When Zhang Jian stepped out of the brothel, the streets of Jiangshan were shrouded in a thin, hazy mist. The air was cold and damp, and the outlines of the buildings were indistinct, blending into a large, continuous mass. The ground was muddy from last night's rain, and mud clung to his shoes.

In the gaps, people were hurrying along, collars pulled up. Early in the morning, carriages rattled, a man with a heavy load ran briskly, and a middle-aged woman carrying a bundle walked briskly. People heading to work and starting their day were moving busily through the hazy mist.

Zhang Jian slowly made his way to Taiping Tower, carefully observing the people he could see through the mist. The brothel where the Wu Lin Alliance's secret agent was disguised and Taiping Tower were on the same street, but quite far apart. When he arrived at Taiping Tower, the mist had thinned, and a faint ray of sunlight was visible.

After a moment, Zhang Jian opened the door to Taiping Tower and entered. A waiter, who was mopping the floor, reflexively said,

"We're not open for business yet, we'll open later tonight... Sir Zhang?"

At the words "Sir Zhang," a loud noise came from the kitchen, and soon Lu Zhuchan and his son Guan Liang appeared.

"Wow! Sir! You're alright?"

"You brat! What kind of greeting is that?"

Guan Liang, who was scolded by his father, alternately looked at Zhang Jian and his father and said,

"Didn't you say Sir Zhang was in trouble?"

"Well... After Sir Zhang left... The whole night street of Jiangshan was in chaos..."

Zhang Jian, seeing the anxious look on Lu Zhuchan's face, smiled faintly and said,

"Can I have breakfast now?"

"Ah, yes, of course. I'll prepare it right away. Liang, show Sir Zhang to his room."

"Yes. Follow me. The room has been cleaned up."

Zhang Jian arrived at the third-floor special room he had used until yesterday and finished the grand breakfast prepared by Lu Zhuchan. Guan Liang, who had disappeared for a moment while Zhang Jian was eating, soon returned with a warm cup of tea and asked,

"Is it true?"

Zhang Jian, who was sipping the tea, wiped his mouth and replied,

"What is?"

"Is it true that Sir Zhang is actually a censor from the Wu Lin Alliance's main branch and that you dismantled the Black Blood Sect and completely overthrew the Jiangshan branch at the same time? And that the branch, shocked by this, quickly sent out warriors to clean up the night street in one night, solving the problem of the back alley gangs that had been troubling Jiangshan for weeks?"

Zhang Jian, putting down his teacup, looked at Guan Liang with interest.

"Setting aside the facts, that's a story from just a few hours ago... How did you know about it?"

The boy, who was about to answer, suddenly clamped his mouth shut and started rolling his eyes. He thought for a moment and then said,

"Jiangshan is, after all, where we live. Any news spreads quickly. For example, if a fight breaks out in our brothel, the news will spread throughout the entire brothel street before the night is over. Moreover, Sir Zhang seems to have been seen all over Jiangshan. It's impossible not to know..."

However, while Guan Liang was talking, Zhang Jian just looked at him expressionlessly. Guan Liang, under his gaze, slowly lowered his head and finally confessed,

"My father told me. The part about the censor, I overheard from the other madams."

Zhang Jian, finally smiling, asked,

"How did your father know about it?"

"My father is the chairman of the brothel street revitalization association. He has a lot of knowledge and has helped many people. As a result, when there's any news, people in the brothel street tell him first."

"Then was the chairman the one who was beaten by the Black Blood Sect thugs?"

Guan Liang, fidgeting with his fingers, replied,

"The chairman isn't anything special... It's just a title. And at the time, no one could help. The thugs were rampant all over Jiangshan, and what could the merchants do? That's why the news about Sir Zhang spread so quickly. They said a hero had appeared."

Zhang Jian nodded and picked up his teacup again. He thought again that Lu Zhuchan must be a descendant of a noble family. It seemed he had resisted the Black Blood Sect because he considered himself a representative of the street.

At that moment, a voice came from outside the door.

"Sir Zhang, may I speak with you for a moment?"

It was Lu Zhuchan's voice. Guan Liang looked surprised, probably because he had been eating side dishes with the tea. Zhang Jian watched him pretend to have eaten nothing, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, and then replied,

"Come in."

The door opened, and Lu Zhuchan entered, carrying a long, large wooden box. He bowed deeply and sat down in front of Zhang Jian.

Lu Zhuchan placed the wooden box in front of him, glanced at his son, and began to speak.

"I don't know if you've already heard from my son, but I'm a humble man, yet I've heard many things and am now a representative of this street. I heard about your heroic deeds from someone I know in the Jiangshan branch. I hope you're not upset about it."

Zhang Jian gently shook his head. He thought it was inevitable that the news would spread. After all, he would be leaving soon, but the Wu Lin Alliance branch would remain to maintain the peace in Jiangshan. They would likely exaggerate the branch's role and downplay his involvement to restore the people's trust.

However, Lu Zhuchan, whether he knew what Zhang Jian was thinking or not, opened the wooden box.

"I don't know if I have the right, but I know that I must thank Sir Zhang on behalf of the people of Jiangshan. I would like to give you all the brothel's earnings, but if I force that on my family, it wouldn't be much different from the Black Blood Sect thugs."

Inside the box was a large sword. It wasn't very long, but its dark, mysterious color and broad blade gave it a heavy, impressive look. Zhang Jian, looking at the hilt, realized it was originally a blade that could be attached to a long pole.

"Embarrassingly, one of my ancestors was a general in the empire. After him, our family declined and ended up in this state, but this sword was used by that ancestor. It's said to be made of mysterious cold iron from the northern sea of the Central Plains, but it was left unfinished because no one at the time could properly work the metal."

Zhang Jian, watching Lu Zhuchan carefully take out the sword, asked,

"Unfinished?"

"Yes. They say the metalworking techniques were not as advanced hundreds of years ago. However, there are many blacksmiths today who can work with this metal. There are a few in Jiangshan. Liang can guide you. Take it and have it reforged into the shape you desire. Don't worry about the cost; I'll cover it."

The ancient blade, surprisingly, showed no signs of rust or wear. Zhang Jian, looking at its mysterious dark color, asked Lu Zhuchan,

"Is it alright to give me an ancestral heirloom?"

"If I keep it, it will just be a curious antique. A sword belongs in the hands of a warrior."

"Then I'll accept it without further hesitation. I happen to need a new sword."

Lu Zhuchan, seemingly satisfied, smiled and slightly bowed.

"Compared to what you've done for me, my brothel, and the people of Jiangshan, it's nothing."

After Lu Zhuchan left the room, the waiters cleared the breakfast table, and Zhang Jian soon set out with Guan Liang to find a blacksmith. Before leaving the brothel, he visited the stable to see Zaozao as a bonus.

"Having fun?"

The horse, being groomed by a stable hand, snorted, as if telling him to go away. It seemed he had gained a lot of weight in a few days and was enjoying a life of leisure. Zhang Jian patted the horse's nose and said,

"You have a few more days of fun, so don't be so grumpy."

It would take a few days to have the new sword forged, and he also needed to collect the reward from the Jiangshan branch. Zhang Jian, deciding to let the well-fed Zaozao have more fun, soon followed Guan Liang to the outskirts of Jiangshan.

There weren't many people on the streets, probably due to the Wu Lin Alliance's sudden crackdown last night. However, their faces weren't as gloomy as before, perhaps because the thugs who had been troubling them were gone.

Guan Liang led Zhang Jian to the outskirts of Jiangshan. When asked why the blacksmith shop was not in the city center but in the outskirts, he tilted his head and replied,

"What was it? They said it's because of the water. If it's too close to the coast, the water has salt, so they set up the blacksmith shop where fresh water springs. I think fire is more important, but it's interesting, isn't it?"

As they chatted lightly, they arrived at a spacious blacksmith shop filled with weapons and farming tools. There were a few customers, and a waiter was assigned to each, introducing the items. From a small door on one side, the sound of metal being hammered and the gruff voices of blacksmiths could be heard.

"Quite large, isn't it? It's actually famous in Jiangshan. Both warriors and farmers come here."

A waiter approached Zhang Jian. When asked what he was looking for, he showed the large sword in the wooden box. The waiter, recognizing the metal, immediately went inside and brought out an old man with a white beard. The old man, who had a surprisingly imposing build for his face and beard, examined the sword without a word and said to Zhang Jian,

"What shape do you want?"

Zhang Jian took out his sword and handed it over. The old man took it and said briefly,

"Come back in four days."

The old man, holding both swords, walked back inside. The waiter, embarrassed by the old man's rudeness, bowed deeply.

"The old man may be rough in his words, but he is the best in Jiangshan. Without a doubt, come back in four days to see the finished product, and you'll know his skill. So..."

Zhang Jian waved his hand to indicate it was fine and said to Guan Liang,

"It looks like I'll be staying for four more days."

"I won't charge you for the room. In return, tell me about what happened last night."

Guan Liang grinned and said this, and Zhang Jian, smiling, tousled his hair. Perhaps Lu Zhuchan, still hoping that Zhang Jian would teach Guan Liang some martial arts, had found a way to keep him around longer. If he knew the details of last night's events, he would know that Zhang Jian had single-handedly defeated three men.

"No! What is that! That's bad! It's stealing!"

While thinking about what he could teach Guan Liang, Zhang Jian turned his head at a loud shout from one side of the blacksmith shop.

There was a waiter and a customer with a hood covering his head and face. The waiter, seeing the attention, tried to calm the customer, who was agitated.

"Stealing, sir? Our blacksmith shop just connects buyers and sellers. We've expanded our business to include appraising and brokering, and we're part of the Jiangshan business association..."

"Don't use big words! I don't understand Central Plains language!"

The customer, who had been wearing a hood, took it off roughly and continued to shout. As he did, Guan Liang whispered to Zhang Jian,

"Oh, he's from the Western Regions. And he's a Kunlun slave."

However, the customer, somehow hearing Guan Liang's whisper, turned his head and shouted,

"I'm not a slave! I'm a free man!"