Chapter 99 : Chapter 99
Chapter 99. Using a Chicken Feather as a Command Arrow
The meeting continued in a somewhat peculiar atmosphere.
During the reports that followed, Yang Caiyu seemed to have lost even the interest to listen carefully, and handled everything with increasing carelessness.
Before long, all the medicinal fields had finished reporting.
Yang Caiyu rose to her feet first, swept her gaze across the room, and spoke in a clear voice:
“Everyone, every single medicinal field is a precious asset of the Shangyang Residence. Guarding them well is not only our duty, but also the Chief Guard’s earnest charge to us.”
“In the future, if I discover anyone harboring improper thoughts, cutting corners, or shirking responsibility…”
Here, she deliberately paused and let her gaze drift, almost imperceptibly, toward Xu Yuan. Her tone turned cold.
“If I know of it, that is one thing. But if it reaches the Chief Guard’s ears, then the matter will be altogether different.”
The threat in her words could not have been more obvious.
The expressions of everyone present shifted slightly. Whatever they might truly be thinking, at this moment they could only bow together and respond:
“We shall keep Captain Yang’s instruction in mind.”
Only then did Yang Caiyu nod in satisfaction. The restrained smile returned to her face.
“That concludes today’s discussion. Return to your respective fields and perform your duties faithfully.”
With that, she did not spare the others another glance. She simply turned and left the hall with light, brisk steps.
The moment her figure disappeared beyond the doorway, the stifling atmosphere in the hall abruptly loosened, and low murmurs immediately rose.
“Tsk. She’s really using a chicken feather as a command arrow…”
“If you had a good uncle too, you could do the same.”
“Yang Caiyu has really been overstepping more and more lately!”
“Say less. If someone overhears, it’ll be another whole mess.”
“Sigh. This once-a-month discussion is becoming more pointless by the day.”
Several of the duty captains exchanged glances and quietly complained about Yang Caiyu’s tyranny. Their tones were full of indignation, but they only dared say such things behind her back.
Yet when they passed by Xu Yuan, their attitude was completely different from when he had first entered.
The warmth in their nods and cupped-hand greetings from before had vanished without a trace.
Most of them merely cast him an indifferent glance before hurriedly looking away, as if afraid of catching some kind of trouble from him. Not one of them even offered a simple greeting.
A few even carried a faint, almost imperceptible trace of distance and pity in their eyes.
The warmth and coldness of human relations, the chill of the world’s ways—it was all displayed vividly in this tiny hall.
Xu Yuan remained calm and unsurprised.
He had long understood that so-called camaraderie among colleagues was often far more fragile than one imagined when weighed against self-interest.
When a man rose to power, everyone flocked to flatter him; when he fell into hardship, everyone spat on him. It was nothing more than the instinct to pursue advantage and avoid harm.
He had never expected to receive any real sincerity from these people in the first place.
He straightened his robes and was just about to leave.
At that moment, Zhang Cheng strolled over and walked beside him toward the exit, shaking his head with a sigh. “Brother Xu, don’t lower yourself to their level.”
“They’ve spent too long in these medicinal fields. All the blood and sharpness in them has long since been ground away. What remains is mostly the urge to cling to power, curry favor, and protect themselves.”
Instead of growing angry, Xu Yuan’s lips curled upward into a faintly teasing smile. “Don’t worry, Brother Zhang. I understand.”
“I’d better hurry back to Field Ding and keep a good watch over things. If the Chief Guard should ‘hear’ that I’ve been negligent and delayed matters, that would really be troublesome.”
Seeing that Xu Yuan was still so relaxed and even able to joke at his own expense, Zhang Cheng could not help laughing. He patted him on the shoulder.
“It’s good that you can think that way. I’ll head back to Field Bing first. If anything comes up, come find me anytime.”
“Take care.”
The two parted ways outside the courtyard gate.
Xu Yuan walked alone in the direction of Field Ding.
The roads between the medicinal fields were paved with blue stone slabs, with neat rows of raised planting ridges on both sides. A faint blended fragrance of herbs lingered in the air.
He looked toward the distant green mountains, dark as painted ink. The scenery was pleasant.
The slight frustration from the meeting hall just now was washed away considerably.
When Xu Yuan reached a fork in the road, the rumbling sound of wheels rolling over stone slabs came from up ahead.
Lifting his eyes, he saw a convoy slowly approaching, made up of three horse-drawn carts covered with thick oilcloth.
Small flags of the Shangyang Residence were fixed to the shafts, swaying gently with the carts’ movement.
This was the routine convoy that came at the end of every month to transport the medicinal treasures, spirit beast meat, and other resources due from each medicinal field back to the Residence storehouse.
Xu Yuan paid it little mind and was about to step aside to let it pass.
However, just as the convoy was about to go by him, Xu Yuan’s gaze casually swept over the driver of the lead cart, and his steps abruptly halted.
The man wore a broad-brimmed hat that concealed most of his face. He was dressed in coarse short clothes, no different from an ordinary cart driver.
But the hands with which he held the reins were long-fingered, their joints distinct, and thick calluses marked the web between thumb and forefinger—the kind left behind only by long-term weapon use.
What made Xu Yuan’s heart turn still colder was that, although the man was trying his utmost to hide it, the rhythm of his breathing and the rise and fall of his chest faintly revealed the blood and qi fluctuations of a Fourth Meridian martial artist.
A Fourth Meridian martial artist working as a cart-pulling laborer?
Xu Yuan’s gaze pierced through the shadow cast by the hat and caught part of the man’s profile. He was unusually young, absolutely no older than thirty.
As if sensing Xu Yuan’s watchful stare, the young cart driver’s hand tightened around the reins ever so slightly.
He did not turn his head, but Xu Yuan keenly caught that sudden tension rising from him.
More importantly, as the carts drew near, a faint scent of blood drifted out—one that seemed to have been covered over by medicinal herbs or some other smell.
It was very light, mixed in with the dusty odor of the convoy and the fragrance of medicinal materials, so subtle that it would have been nearly impossible to detect.
But Xu Yuan’s five senses were sharp, and after so many brushes with life and death, he was unusually familiar with that smell.
Just as the convoy was about to brush past him, the glance that swept over him from beneath the driver’s hat carried an almost imperceptible hint of wariness.
“Stop.”
Xu Yuan stepped forward and blocked the middle of the road. Looking at the cart driver, he asked, “You look unfamiliar. Didn’t Steward Liu come today?”
The driver’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly. Then he raised his head and revealed a young face overflowing with a humble smile.
“In reply to my lord, I’m new here. My name is Zhao Si. Steward Liu caught a chill and is recovering at the Residence.”
“He already explained all the relevant matters to me. I know the rules, and I also have the handover token.”
As he spoke, he took out a jade badge belonging to the Shangyang Residence.
“I see. The token is in order.”
Xu Yuan smiled and nodded.
“Since the handover was clearly made and you have the token, then there is naturally no problem. I was only asking one more question as part of my duty.”
He shifted slightly to one side, making way.
Zhao Si visibly let out a sigh of relief. The smile on his face widened, and he said repeatedly, “Of course, of course. My lord is only being conscientious.”
He turned and was just about to drive the cart onward.
But in the very next instant—
At the exact moment when the cart shaft had just passed Xu Yuan’s side and Zhao Si’s guard had dropped to its lowest point—
Xu Yuan moved!
His entire body seemed to turn into a blur skimming low across the ground. The blue bricks beneath his feet cracked inch by inch as his long-prepared right arm shot out violently.
His muscles and bones gave off a deep, resonant hum.
Benlei Fist, Shattering Punch!
The target was Zhao Si’s exposed back, laid bare as he turned to control the cart.
That punch was fast, ruthless, and precise!
Xu Yuan’s fist-force shrieked through the air like a venomous dragon bursting from its lair, intent on punching through every obstacle before it.
The moment Zhao Si sensed the deadly gale striking from behind, his soul nearly left his body.
But the gap between them had already been enormous to begin with, and Xu Yuan had struck with full preparation.
With a strangled cry, Zhao Si did not even have time to turn fully around before the punch smashed into him.
Crack!
A heavy sound of breaking bone rang out.
Zhao Si’s eyes flew wide open, filled with disbelief, shock, and despair. A mouthful of scalding blood sprayed wildly from his lips.
“Fooled you. I don’t actually know any Steward Liu at all. Your little chicken claws gave you away, didn’t they?”
Xu Yuan smiled lightly, all bright and easy cheer.
“A sneak attack… you really have no martial honor…”
Zhao Si pointed at him angrily, his finger trembling as blood spilled from his mouth.