# 193. Widow
Stepping into the stirrups, Xu Qi'an's warhorse from the Qingzhou barracks let out a distressed whinny and knelt on all fours as Xu Qi'an soared like a great bird into the dense forest.
With a flash of his black-gold sabre, a head was severed, and a fountain of blood spurted from the neck.
*Don't look, don't look...* Xu Qi'an's mind echoed with the tragic images of the slaughtered caravan, hardening his heart. His blade rose and fell, dispatching the lives of bandits one by one.
With his cultivation on the brink of entering the Refining Spirit realm, slaughtering these bandits was as effortless as cutting through vegetables. The sharpness of his black-gold sabre, which could slice through iron like mud, made it impossible for anyone to withstand even a single strike from him.
"Whoosh!"
A scorching blade light slashed from behind, slicing through the branches and leaves silently, leaving neat, even cuts.
Xu Qi'an's formidable mental strength alerted him to the attack. He twisted his waist, spun around, and shattered the incoming blade light with his sabre. He saw a man wielding a large steel blade.
This man had just cleaved through a Tiger Guard blocking his way and was now charging at Xu Qi'an with a sinister grin. Simultaneously, two lean men with standard military sabres flanked Xu Qi'an from both sides.
Xu Qi'an was suddenly caught in a dangerous situation, surrounded by fierce bandits.
On the official road, Jiang Lyuzhong, who had been watching the battle with squinted eyes, laughed, "Those three bandits are quite skilled. One is at the peak of the Refining Qi realm, while the other two are not far behind but still formidable."
Hearing this, a Silver Gong asked, "Should we help him?"
The Nightwatchers all turned to Jiang Lyuzhong, waiting for his command.
In their view, Xu Qi'an, with his Refining Qi realm cultivation, couldn't possibly fend off three skilled opponents of the same level. Moreover, he was still inexperienced in killing and lacked combat experience.
On the battlefield, experience could be as crucial as cultivation.
Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng knew Xu Qi'an was on the verge of breaking through to the Refining Spirit realm, but this was not necessarily a good thing since he was currently exhausted, affecting his combat strength.
Jiang Lyuzhong secretly prepared to intervene, his fingers forming a sword shape, ready to rescue Xu Qi'an at any moment. "Wait a bit longer," he said.
*Three at the Refining Qi realm... The man with the steel blade is at the peak of the Refining Qi realm... The other two are not far behind... Are Yunzhou's bandits so highly skilled?* Xu Qi'an wondered, gripping his sabre, his expression calm. He stepped forward to meet the man with the steel blade head-on while visualising a roaring golden lion in his mind.
"Roar!"
A deep roar erupted from his throat, shaking the forest and causing both sides of the battle to momentarily freeze.
The man with the steel blade felt as if thunder had exploded in his ears. His pupils briefly dilated, as his mind seemed to be plunged into quicksand.
That split second of hesitation sealed his fate.
"Slash!"
The black-gold sabre gleamed as it cleaved the man with the steel blade in two, his shattered organs mixing with the blood on the ground.
After killing one, Xu Qi'an pursued his advantage, turning swiftly and visualising a giant in his mind. For an instant, he transformed into a war god, his aura surging.
"Clang... Slash..."
One of the lean men tried to block with his sabre but was easily overpowered. The black-gold sabre cut through his chest.
Seeing the dire situation, the other lean man turned to flee, only to be intercepted by the Huben Guards' volley of arrows. Xu Qi'an caught up, visualised the roaring golden lion again, and with a swing of his sabre, ended the man's life.
The entire process took only a few moments.
*This...* The Nightwatchers watching the battle exclaimed in awe.
"His energy is far more potent than that of a typical peak Refining Qi cultivator. Even I would only be slightly stronger than him," a Gold Gong said in shock.[^1]
"We should be more concerned about where he learned the Buddhist visualisation technique. That was the Lion's Roar," another Gold Gong added.
"There's also the fact that he seems to be practicing two visualisation techniques simultaneously... and both have reached a high level. He is already capable of advancing to the Refining Spirit realm."
"He has only been with the Nightwatchers for two months."
As they discussed, the Silver Gongs fell silent, their expressions complex.
The Bronze Gongs were even more astonished, staring in disbelief at Xu Qi'an. Their minds replayed the scene of him effortlessly slaughtering three skilled bandits.
Even among those at the Refining Qi realm, Xu Qi'an's combat power was extraordinary. While the Nightwatchers were generally stronger than ordinary martial artists, they weren’t *that* powerful.
Xu Qi'an's ability to kill three skilled martial artists in such a short time without sustaining any injuries meant that none of the Bronze Gongs could last more than ten moves against him, even accounting for the advantages of their magical artefacts.
Normally, they joked and got along as equals, but now they realised that Xu Qi'an could easily defeat ten of them.
Jiang Lyuzhong knew that Xu Qi'an's ultimate technique, "One Blade from Heaven and Earth" had not even been used.
…
After cleaning up the bandits, the Huben Guards emerged from the dense forest with a group of 25 civilians bound with rope. Upon questioning, they found out that these people were merchants.
One woman in particular stood out, not with the delicate slenderness of a young girl but with the ripe allure of a peach, an appeal only an experienced connoisseur could truly appreciate.
"Thank you, officers, thank you..." The rescued merchants expressed their endless gratitude, kneeling and kowtowing repeatedly.
Inspector Zhang reassured them with a kind demeanour, revealing his identity and promising to escort them back to Baidi City, the central hub of Yunzhou.
"Let's bury these bodies and gather the goods. We'll take everything with us," Zhang instructed.
Jiang Lyuzhong nodded and ordered the Huben Guards to get to work.
"Wait a moment!"
Xu Qi'an, who had been inspecting the scene, called out, halting the Huben Guards.
Inspector Zhang and Jiang Lyuzhong looked at him inquisitively as Xu Qi'an walked over, frowning. "Something's off."
"Hmm?" Jiang Lyuzhong scanned the surroundings and focused his senses for a moment. "There are no ambushes nearby."
This seemed like a straightforward bandit robbery, the kind that happened daily in Yunzhou.
"It's not an ambush," Xu Qi'an shook his head. "I checked the scene and found that most of the dead are guards. The merchants and common folk are unharmed, and the goods are intact. The bandits didn't even rip the waterproof tarps to check the spoils."
"Isn't it odd," Xu Qi'an continued, "that the bandits ignored such valuable cargo, leaving it scattered around?"
Inspector Zhang pondered. "Maybe they didn't have time to gather the loot."
Xu Qi'an asked, "Then why did they have time to bind people? If I were a bandit, I would prioritise the goods. I would kill the common folk too, rather than waste time tying them up. Unless..."
Jiang Lyuzhong and Inspector Zhang exchanged a look. The former furrowed his brow. "Unless their target wasn't the goods, but the people?"
Xu Qi'an nodded, glancing at the survivors who were still shaken. "Let's ask them."
He beckoned a middle-aged merchant over and asked, "Who are you?"
“I'm a silk merchant from Baidi City, transporting two thousand bolts of silk to Qingzhou for business. Fearing bandits along the way, I joined Master Zhao's caravan for safety... uh, Zhao Long. He's quite influential, respected in both the Jianghu and legitimate circles. His caravans are usually very safe.
"I've partnered with him many times, but who could have predicted today... Ah, always hunting geese, but now a goose has pecked my eye. Zhao Long was a capable and trustworthy man. Such a pity."
Xu Qi'an glanced at the dead caravan members, noting that Zhao Long was among them.
He continued questioning the survivors, finding that they were all merchants traveling together. Finally, he reached the voluptuous woman.
She appeared to be in her early thirties, which in Xu Qi'an's era was still considered youthful.
"And you?" Xu Qi'an scrutinised her. "Why were you, a lone woman, traveling to Qingzhou?"
Yang Yingying hesitated, lowering her head and speaking softly. "A few years ago, my husband went to Qingzhou to make a living. Recently, he sent a letter saying his business was thriving and he wanted to bring me to Qingzhou to settle down. But due to business commitments, he couldn't come himself, so he asked me to join a trustworthy caravan to Qingzhou.
"I inquired extensively and heard that Master Zhao's caravan was the best, both safe and reliable."
Her explanation was plausible and seemingly flawless.
*She seems calm... But as an ordinary woman witnessing such bloodshed, shouldn't she be pale and distressed, clinging to anyone for comfort? Also, she kept looking down as she spoke, as if reciting a rehearsed script, a sign of insecurity...*
Xu Qi'an said, "I have a few questions for you."
Yang Yingying glanced up at him briefly before lowering her head again, her voice soft and timid. "Please ask, sir."
"What is your husband's name?"
Yang Yingying appeared to be contemplating her response.
"Where do you live?"
"..."
"What are your husband's distinguishing features?"
"..."
"How tall is your husband?"
"..."
"What did your husband write in his letter? Please recite a few lines. What does he do for a living?"
Yang Yingying stood there, bewildered and helpless. After a long silence, she finally spoke softly, "My husband's name is..."
"That's enough. Stop talking," Xu Qi'an interrupted, then called to the Huben Guards, "Search her."
"???" Yang Yingying looked at him, bewildered and at a loss. The officer's actions were completely beyond her expectations.
She took a step back in fear, crossing her arms over her chest, her expression one of biting her lip in shame and anger.
"You took too long to think," Xu Qi'an said with a smile, scrutinising the beautiful woman. “If a wife needs a long time to recall her husband's name and features, how can anyone believe her?
"Lies aren't convincing just because you make up a few sentences. If you don't want to be searched, tell the truth. Why did those bandits intercept you?"
After the harsh words, seeing the woman's face gradually pale, Xu Qi'an tried to reassure her, "My superior here is an Inspector General sent by the court. There's no higher authority in Yunzhou. Whatever you have to say, just say it."
Yang Yingying looked at Inspector Zhang, who nodded and said, "I am here by imperial command to inspect Yunzhou. A mere commoner like you is not worth deceiving."
Lowering her head, Yang Yingying weighed her options and realised she had no choice. Suddenly, she bit her lip, fell to her knees, and said, "I am Yang Yingying. I am heading to Qingzhou to escape misfortune and seek justice from Yang, the Commissioner of Qingzhou, for my husband. I want revenge."
Inspector Zhang didn't respond immediately. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Who is your husband? Why do you seek justice from Yang?"
Yang Yingying cried, "My husband is Zhou Min."
Inspector Zhang exclaimed, "What?!"
Xu Qi'an and Jiang Lyuzhong turned abruptly to stare at Yang Yingying.
Zhou Min, the Nightwatcher spy who had died in Yunzhou, was the one who had revealed that Yang Chuannan, the Military Commissioner of Yunzhou, was colluding with bandits, diverting military supplies for profit, and fostering bandits to strengthen his own power.
Shortly after his secret message reached the capital, Zhou Min mysteriously died.
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[^1]: Translator’s note: The original text says “Gold Gong”, and so I shall keep it that way in the translation, though I’m pretty sure that Xiaolangjun does mean “Silver Gong”, as the only Gold Gong on the mission is Jiang Lyuzhong.