"Chi, Chi——"
In the sweltering summer, the chirping of cicadas echoed in the garden of the prince's mansion outside the window, adding a bit more stuffiness to the weather.
In the study on the top floor of Mingyu Building, a white screen was placed at the window to block the sunlight. Dongfang Liren, dressed in a light skirt, covered her eyes with a black ribbon and held a three-foot precious saber, standing still.
Behind the desk, the delicate and petite Empress Dowager was lying in a large chair, with her legs propped up on the armrest of the chair. The curve of her full and plump buttocks was outlined under her skirt. She was holding a small fluffy ball in her hand, tossing it up and catching it again, and her voice was lazy:
"Jiangzhou is still the best. It's warm in winter and cool in summer, like spring all year round. Come to think of it, I haven't gone back to visit my relatives for several years."
"It's too hot in summer. The long journey of thousands of miles by boat and carriage would be too much for the Empress Dowager to bear..."
As soon as Dongfang Liren finished speaking, she saw the Empress Dowager throw the fluffy ball in her hand.
The fluffy ball was too soft and light, not making the slightest sound of breaking through the air.
But even so, Dongfang Liren noticed it.
Whoosh——
Dongfang Liren didn't identify the position by the sound. Instead, the moment the Empress Dowager raised her hand, she had already raised the precious saber in her hand and blocked it diagonally above her side. Her movements were clean and neat.
And then...
Dong~
The small fluffy ball hit the painted chubby dragon, bounced to the ground, and rolled a short distance...
The palace maid Hongyu held back her laughter and quickly stepped forward to pick up the small fluffy ball and returned it to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager praised: "Not bad, not bad. After only half a month of practice, you already have such skills. You can be considered a genius in martial arts."
This statement was somewhat exaggerated, but not by much.
Ye Jingtang only taught the moves of the Tianhe Saber Technique and did not explain the methods of channeling inner energy.
In just half a month, Dongfang Liren was able to figure out the method of channeling inner energy on her own according to the guidance of the moves and make it her own. Strictly speaking, she had already entered the threshold, just not proficient yet.
At this learning speed, in the martial arts world, she could at least be regarded as a contemporary outstanding figure.
In the past, Dongfang Liren would have been complacent, but after meeting Ye Jingtang, she only felt that she was the "silly Dongfang girl" and couldn't be proud at all.
Dongfang Liren patted the chubby dragon on her chest, readjusted her stance, and pointed the precious saber obliquely at the floor:
"Your Majesty flatters me. Let's continue."
"Sigh~"
The Empress Dowager was dragged to practice saber skills and didn't have much interest. She lay sideways on the chair and continued to play with the small fluffy ball:
"It's been quite lively in Zezhou recently? I chatted with the Emperor this morning, and he seemed to mention something..."
"The wealthy local power in the martial arts world, Honghua Tower, suddenly had a young leader named Ye Sishang. The day before yesterday, he went to Shuiyun Sword Lake to pick a fight and won. It is said that he has good talent..."
The Empress Dowager had lived in the deep palace for a long time and didn't know much about the affairs of the martial arts world. After thinking for a while, she said:
"I remember that Chen Yuanqing, the owner of Yide Shipping Firm in Jiangzhou, is also from Honghua Tower. He ran errands for the Qin family a few times, and later the matters were handed over to Xiaoshan Fort."
"Xiaoshan Fort is not doing well now..."
Whoosh——
While speaking, Dongfang Liren quickly raised the saber again and slashed beside her in a flash.
The Empress Dowager held the small fluffy ball and looked at her blankly:
(⊙⊙)?
（￣-￣）...
Dong dong dong...
Fortunately, a burst of footsteps broke the awkward situation.
Hongyu came to the door and saw a maid of the prince's mansion walking up quickly, holding a letter in her hand:
"Your Highness, a bodyguard of the Pei family at Tianshui Bridge just delivered an urgent letter from Young Master Ye."
"Hmm?"
Dongfang Liren took off the blindfold and took the letter to look at it. She could see that the letter was sealed with wax and had the words "For Jingwang's Personal Opening" written on it.
Seeing such good security measures, Dongfang Liren knew that it was something serious. She walked to the window, opened the envelope, took out the letter paper, and looked at it. Dense handwriting came into view:
Your Highness, seeing this letter is like seeing me...
When I killed the Blood Bodhi, I met Song Chi from Honghua Tower...
I learned the Overlord Spear Technique and helped Honghua Tower challenge the Zhou family. I was very powerful...
Dongfang Liren's expression didn't change much when she read this.
After all, Honghua Tower was a rather honest force in the martial arts world. They focused on making money, and their obvious industries paid business taxes on time.
Ye Jingtang learned the Overlord Spear Technique, and she could just take advantage of this martial arts secret for free. Maybe she could even use Ye Jingtang's hand to turn Honghua Tower into her own private treasury, so as to avoid the Ministry of Revenue always saying that the expenses for maintaining bodyguards were too high...
But when she continued to read:
Jian Yuhua spoke up for me out of righteousness and had a falling-out with the Zhou family...
I went to recruit Jian Yuhua at night and found that Zhou Huaili was cleaning up the family's disgrace. Song Chi and I hit it off and killed him...
?!
Dongfang Liren tilted her head slightly. She really didn't expect that Ye Jingtang could kill the leader of Shuiyun Sword Lake.
The sects where the Eight Champions were from were basically the eight major prestigious families in the martial arts world, and the strength of the sect leader was definitely not low.
Ye Jingtang and Song Chi, the White Buddha, were actually able to succeed. It seemed that Ye Jingtang's martial arts skills had made great progress recently...
At this point in the letter, Dongfang Liren also understood the meaning of Ye Jingtang's letter—he came to seek her protection!
Dongfang Liren showed a trace of pride, but when she continued to read, she saw a few righteous sentences:
I carry the letter of authority from Jingwang and have the responsibility to capture and kill bandits...
Although I had the intention to kill and old grudges, Zhou Huaili was indeed taking human lives casually. No matter what the original intention was, I should draw my sword to stop him...
According to the "Laws of the Great Wei", those who refuse to be arrested shall be executed; if lawless people resist or flee, others can kill them without mercy...
Zhou Huaili resisted fiercely and stabbed me with two swords and Song Chi with four swords...
The helper Song Chi and the victim Jian Yuhua can both be witnesses...
I left the token of Jingwang Manor at the crime scene to avoid implicating Honghua Tower...
I hope Jingwang will uphold justice and hold a public trial. I am willing to "confront" the Sword Saint Zhou Chiyang in court to distinguish right from wrong. If I am at fault, Your Highness should also judge and punish me according to the law...
I also ask the imperial court to protect the personal safety of the victim Jian Yuhua and me to prevent being silenced by lawless people...
??
Dongfang Liren was completely stunned!
She never expected that this upright person in the martial arts world, Ye Jingtang, actually understood the laws of the Great Wei. What about the saying "Matters in the martial arts world should be resolved in the martial arts world"?
Ye Jingtang's "plaint"—not to mention sending it to her, even if it was sent to Prime Minister Li or the Empress, the imperial court would have to protect Ye Jingtang's personal safety according to the law. After verifying the case, it would then judge and punish according to the law.
How could this lawsuit be lost?
Letting the Sword Saint Zhou Chiyang come to the capital to file a lawsuit—even if he didn't care about his reputation in the martial arts world and dared to come, considering the bad things his elder brother had done, he might end up being punished with joint liability in the end!
Dongfang Liren held back for a long time but couldn't say a word. Her strange expression even made the Empress Dowager stare blankly. The Empress Dowager asked curiously:
"What's wrong?"
Dongfang Liren coughed lightly: "It's nothing. Ye Jingtang reported a case, and there's a small matter to deal with. Meng Jiao."
Whoosh~~
A faint breeze blew into the room, and an old woman with white hair landed silently in front of the screen and asked respectfully:
"What orders do you have, Your Highness?"
Dongfang Liren handed the letter paper to Meng Jiao:
"What do you think?"
The old woman with white hair took the letter paper, carefully read it for a moment, and then nodded slightly:
"Hmm... This young man is indeed a great talent. At such a young age, he has already grasped the highest mental method of martial arts."
Dongfang Liren was so affected by this letter that she was even embarrassed to say that she was being Ye Jingtang's protector. She said seriously:
"Since it's a reported case, I have to handle it according to the law. Hmm... First, spread some news in the martial arts world, saying that the Black Yamen recently captured the leader of the green bandits in Zezhou and accidentally exterminated the murderous bandit Zhou. This is to prevent the Zhou family from being unable to find the killer... No, unable to find the righteous man who drew his sword to help, and taking random revenge on others."
The old woman with white hair nodded slightly: "I will send someone to bring Jian Yuhua back and keep him as a witness. Then I will send a lawsuit document to the Zhou family and ask Zhou Chiyang to come and wait for Your Highness to hear the case."
Dongfang Liren nodded and said righteously:
"Send a message to Zhou Chiyang. If the Zhou family is at fault, they will deserve to die. If the Black Yamen is at fault, they will pay with their lives. I will invite Lü Taiqing and the True Man of Xuánjī to attend the trial as observers. I will never cover up my subordinates and watch the common people be wronged and killed. I will definitely give him justice."
The old woman with white hair shook her head and sighed:
"Zhou Huaili had very poor personal morals. The Zhou family can't reverse this case at all. Your Highness publicly upholds justice for Zhou Chiyang. Whether he comes or not, he will lose. If he loses in terms of law and reason and then seeks revenge from the people of the Black Yamen, he will neither be in the right nor be chivalrous. However, this blood feud can't be eliminated. The Zhou family will most likely hire killers to take revenge in private. Moreover, this case is related to Ye Jingtang's saber technique. The reaction of Junshan Terrace will probably be greater than that of the Zhou family..."
Dongfang Liren thought for a while: "It's easy to dodge an open arrow, but hard to guard against a hidden arrow. As long as Zhou Chiyang can't take action for the time being, it's fine. Keep Ye Jingtang's identity tightly covered up, and the rest can only be for Ye Jingtang to be on guard. Hmm, I will write a letter and send it to Ye Jingtang..."
"Yes."