Chapter 7

"Since the crows are already dead, let's go back." As the last rays of the sunset gradually faded into the western mountains, the surrounding trees grew increasingly dark, and Pei Li could not help but speak up.

"Are you scared just by seeing dead people?" Dudu Sima Deqian sneered, a hint of mockery on his face.

Pei Li was not provoked by this taunt. Although he was over forty and held the title of Director of the Jin Wang's Armory, he did not actually hold this position due to his martial prowess. Instead, he was from the prestigious Pei family of Hedong and was known for his literary talent, which led to his appointment as a personal guard to Prince Jin. Being ten years older than Prince Jin, he had followed the prince on multiple campaigns, but standing amidst a scene of carnage was not something he often experienced. "A bunch of dead people, not worth wasting time on."

"Ah, although dead people cannot speak, they can still tell us a lot of useful information," Sima Deqian said coldly. "Who are these black-clad men? Why are they here? Who killed them? Do we know any of this?"

"Perhaps it's just a feud among martial artists, bandits, or pirates. Such things happen every day and are nothing out of the ordinary," Pei Li said casually. "Who cares who these dead people are."

The few guards accompanying them saw the two superiors starting to argue again and could not help but shake their heads. Since leaving the Yangzhou Governor's Office, the two had been at odds, and it was unexpected that they would start bickering again so soon. Director Yang Wei quickly interjected, "Perhaps we should first examine the scene. We might find some clues. Maybe these black-clad men are the mysterious black-clad men who were reported to have infiltrated Yangzhou."

Mentioning Prince Jin, Sima Deqian and Pei Li both glared at each other and stopped arguing.

"These crows are all dead," Pei Li pointed out. "I think we should return to Yangzhou immediately and report this to Prince Jin, letting him handle it."

Sima Deqian's eyes flickered as he glanced at the dim forest. "The most important thing now is to confirm the identities of these dead people. If they are indeed the mysterious black-clad men who were discovered to have infiltrated Yangzhou, then we should quickly find out who killed them. This is Yangzhou, and for these mysterious black-clad men to die here suddenly is our negligence. Director Pei, are you afraid?"

Sima Deqian could see Pei Li's tightly pressed lips and the anger he was trying to suppress under his heavy black cloak. Pei Li came from the prestigious Pei family of Hedong and had been a staff member of Duke Yang Guang of Yanmen during the Northern Zhou dynasty. He had been with Prince Jin for twenty years, and his seniority was not something to be easily challenged. However, Sima Deqian sensed that Pei Li's anger today was not just due to his provocation. Beneath his anger, Sima Deqian could vaguely detect a hidden unease, a sense of tension and fear.

Sima Deqian also felt a similar unease. He was not a staff member like Pei Li but a true military officer. His family was a military lineage, and his father had been a director in the Northern Zhou dynasty. However, his father died early, leaving the family in poverty. As a child, he had to work as a butcher's apprentice to support his family. Later, a monk named Shican, who had an affair with his mother, took him in and educated him, teaching him to read and write. This allowed him to eventually follow in his father's footsteps and become a soldier. Due to his outstanding performance, he entered the palace as a guard and was later transferred to the Jin Wang's residence, rising to the rank of Director, commanding a unit of two hundred guards. His military background and childhood experiences made him stronger and more disdainful of people like Pei Li, who could not lift a finger but relied on their noble birth and literary talent to become a Director. He had worked hard to become a Director, commanding two hundred guards, while Pei Li, a mere scholar, held the additional title of Director of the Armory. The title of Director of the Armory was not just a position of personal guard but also carried significant powers, including the inspection of guards and participation in military and literary affairs. In terms of authority, Pei Li's position was far greater than his.

Sima Deqian was only eighteen but had already become a Director in the Jin Wang's residence, which was quite an achievement. This was partly due to his father's influence, but his current status was also a result of his own efforts. At fifteen, he had guarded the Great Wall and crossed the border for the first time, joining the army to fight the Turks. At that time, he had been weak and trembling, but after two years on the border, he had become fearless of the wilderness. Logically, a small forest with a dozen dead bodies in southern Yangzhou should not make him nervous.

However, today was different. Standing in this forest filled with bodies, the evening breeze made his hair stand on end.

Since receiving Prince Jin's order, their fifty-man cavalry had left Yangzhou and pursued the mysterious black-clad men for three days and nights without rest. They had found no trace of them until today, when they discovered the bodies of these black-clad men. Eighteen black-clad men, all lying still in this small forest, already lifeless.

The black-clad men, who had been important enough to draw Prince Jin's attention, had all been killed here in Yangzhou, which was Prince Jin's territory, where he governed the forty-four states of the Jianghuai region. The intrusion of an unknown force was already a significant matter, but now that this group had been killed without anyone noticing, the situation was becoming increasingly complex.

Sima Deqian felt this, and Pei Li had sensed it even earlier. Pei Li felt as if he was being watched by a cold, icy gaze, but despite his careful observation, he found nothing. He wanted to turn his horse around and return to Yangzhou immediately, but it was difficult to say this, especially in front of Sima Deqian, with whom he had always been at odds.

He looked at Yang Wei, who was also a Director but without the title of Director of the Armory, making him a regular team leader in the residence, commanding fifty guards. Yang Wei came from a noble family, the eighteenth son of a branch of the prominent Hongnong Yang family. He was an eighteen-year-old youth, born in the founding year of the Sui dynasty, with black eyes and an elegant demeanor, though somewhat slender. He and Pei Li had always been on good terms, but he also got along well with Sima Deqian. Riding a strong black horse from the He套 region, he towered over Pei Li, who rode a smaller Qidan horse. He wore black deer skin boots, a black cloak, and black armor. He had originally been a guard in Daxing City, and had only joined the Jin Wang's residence in Yangzhou for less than half a year. However, with his background and experience, it would not be long before he also held the title of Director of the Armory.

His most striking feature was his nine-foot spear, which took three years to make and was made from expensive materials by the famous spear master Yuwen. It was taller and more imposing than a person, and its craftsmanship was unparalleled. "I bet this spear is worth a hundred gold pieces!" The guards often envied it when they drank. Pei Li knew that a spear made by Yuwen was worth at least a hundred gold pieces, and the most valuable part was that it was made by Yuwen himself. Yuwen's spears were highly sought after by nobles and generals. The fact that Yuwen had made a spear for Yang Wei, a distant relative of the royal family, demonstrated his prominent status. However, Yang Wei did not overly cherish the spear and often lent it to his friends among the guards, making him very popular among them.

"Prince Jin ordered us to track the black-clad men, and we have found them," Yang Wei said, responding to Pei Li's gaze. "Now they are dead, and it seems no one escaped. The most important thing now is not who killed them, but to take these bodies back and report to Prince Jin. The next steps will be decided by him."

Sima Deqian thought for a moment, his brows furrowed, and he looked at the darkening sky.

"Director Yang, let's carefully examine the scene. We might find clues about the identities of these black-clad men or who killed them."

Before being transferred to the Jin Wang's residence, both Sima Deqian and Yang Wei had served as guards in Daxing City. What many did not know was that they had also served together on the Great Wall for two years. Despite Yang Wei's current refined appearance, he had lived a hard life on the border, eating raw meat and drinking blood, and often spent over a month wandering in the wilderness. Both young directors were experienced military officers.

"There are eighteen in total, both men and women, sixteen men, and two women, all under forty," Yang Wei said.

"Their bodies are scattered, and none of them had weapons in their hands."

Sima Deqian nodded. "Their weapons are nearby, sabers, swords, and bows, but none of them picked up their weapons. Look at this one, there's a crossbow right next to him, but he never even touched it."

"This is strange!" Even Pei Li could not help but exclaim. "They had no chance to defend themselves?"

"More accurately, they never even reacted until they died!"

"Could this not be where they died, but where their bodies were dumped after they were killed?" Pei Li's unease grew.

Yang Wei turned over a body and looked at the dark red bloodstain on the ground, shaking his head. "No, this is where they were first attacked."

"Maybe they were sleeping and then ambushed!"

A gust of evening wind rustled the branches, and Pei Li's horse pawed the ground restlessly. "Director Yang, who do you think killed these people?" Sima Deqian's frown deepened, and his hand gripped the hilt of his saber tightly.

"Maybe bandits!"

Sima Deqian asked, "Have you heard of any powerful bandits appearing near Yangzhou recently?"

"No!" Yang Wei understood what Sima meant. Since the Sui dynasty's conquest of Chen in the ninth year of Kaihuang and the suppression of the southern rebellion in the tenth year, Prince Jin had been stationed in Yangzhou, governing the forty-four states of the Jianghuai region and pacifying the south. The southern region had long been pacified, and although there were still some bandits, they were minor nuisances. No bandit group could have infiltrated Yangzhou and killed this mysterious force so thoroughly and silently. Ordinary bandits did not have such capabilities, and from the scene, it was clear that the bodies had not been moved after the killings, and the weapons were still in place.

"Bandits don't leave empty-handed. If they were bandits, they would have taken the valuables. These black-clad men were well-equipped, but nothing was taken. This is very unusual."

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