Chapter 51: Chapter 51

“Heh. I thought about it for so long. I went through every enemy and opponent I had, even those within the Canal Gang who wanted my position! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it was the Embroidered Uniform Guard that wanted my life. Hahaha! You won’t even spare an old dog with no meat left on its bones?” Shi Huiming sat on the stone steps, laughing with a twisted expression of disbelief.

Zhao Jiu stood in the rain, utterly unconcerned by Shi Huiming’s manic laughter. He calmly put away his Embroidered Spring Saber and, indifferent to the gaze of a dead man, stored it in his Storage Space.

After all, dead men were exceptionally good at keeping secrets.

But Zhao Jiu had been overly suspicious. The present Shi Huiming had no attention to spare for him. He was trapped in his own doubts, unable to extricate himself. He genuinely couldn’t imagine what crime he could possibly be executed for.

“My lord, what crime have I committed?” Remembering Zhao Jiu beside him, Shi Huiming hurriedly asked, “There has to be some charge, doesn’t there?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps you’re innocent…”

Zhao Jiu didn’t know how to answer because he truly had no idea. He couldn’t even begin to guess. Treason? The man controlled only this tiny patch of territory and had neither money nor men. How was he supposed to rebel? By taking on a hundred men single-handedly? Give him a break. If he possessed that sort of ability, he wouldn’t need to rebel. He could live well no matter what he did.

As for other capital crimes, those were even less likely. Deceiving the sovereign, for example—Shi Huiming had never even met the Emperor, so how could he deceive him? After thinking it over, the worst Zhao Jiu could come up with was dealing in illicit salt, but even the harshest punishment for that was confiscation of property and exile a thousand li away.

Thus, Zhao Jiu truly couldn’t guess. All he could do was say awkwardly, “Perhaps you offended someone…”

“Huh?”

Zhao Jiu gave a little-bear shrug. This has nothing to do with me. This is the first time we’ve met, so don’t blame me, all right? This has absolutely nothing to do with me, Zhao Jiu!

Seeing Zhao Jiu’s reaction, Shi Huiming fell silent. Had he offended anyone? It didn’t seem so. He had occupied the position of Gang Chief for nearly fifteen years. If he had offended someone, he would have been killed long ago. Why would they wait until today? After so many years of being tactful on every side and maintaining good relations with everyone, he genuinely found this difficult to accept.

“Then you must at least know who wants me dead?” Shi Huiming could only settle for the next best question.

“Oh, I do know that.” Zhao Jiu beamed. At last, there was a question he could answer.

Shi Huiming asked urgently, “Who?”

Smiling, Zhao Jiu took his little abacus from inside his robes and flicked its beads as he calculated his costs. A moment later, he raised an eyebrow. “Gang Chief Shi, you can’t expect me to take a loss, can you?”

Growing impatient, Shi Huiming asked, “How much?”

“One hundred taels of silver.”

“Fine.” Shi Huiming agreed without hesitation, took out a banknote, and placed it on the stone steps. “Who wants me dead?”

Zhao Jiu stepped forward and picked up the banknote. After examining it and confirming there was nothing wrong with it, he smiled. “I’m the Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Division. Who do you think ordered me to kill you?”

Shi Huiming looked as though he had been struck by lightning. His entire body trembled like chaff in a sieve, and cold sweat beaded across his forehead. Lowering his head, he murmured, “It seems the Emperor really does intend to slaughter the hen for its eggs. I never imagined the affair in Jiangnan was only the beginning. I was too naive after all…”

Zhao Jiu remained calm, sneering inwardly. Stop flattering yourself. You call this paltry sum slaughtering the hen for its eggs? Does an old hen like you even have any eggs left?

Zhao Jiu didn’t interrupt as Shi Huiming’s mouth moved ceaselessly. Only after the man returned to his senses did Zhao Jiu ask, “Gang Chief Shi, are you ready to be on your way? I need to return and turn in my assignment. It hasn’t been easy for this little brother of yours to become an official!”

As he spoke, he drew his Embroidered Spring Saber and stood before Shi Huiming. The cold gleam of its blade cast Shi Huiming’s face in stark white light.

“My lord, you’ve accomplished much at such a young age—a high official of the Lower Fourth Rank.” Beneath the blade’s gleam, Shi Huiming instead calmed down. “Though this Shi is lowly and his words carry little weight, aren’t you afraid the Canal Gang will retaliate if you kill me with an Embroidered Spring Saber?”

“Well, look at that. People of Jianghu know how to retaliate? I thought Jianghu was full of pigs and dogs waiting to be slaughtered.”

“You…”

Before Shi Huiming could finish, Zhao Jiu seized him by the neck and lifted him like a dead dog.

As Zhao Jiu’s fingers tightened, Shi Huiming’s face grew increasingly pale. He clawed at Zhao Jiu’s hand with both of his own but couldn’t budge it. All he could do was stare at Zhao Jiu in despair.

CRACK.

Zhao Jiu effortlessly snapped Shi Huiming’s neck and tossed him aside like garbage. Don’t blame me. Those above paid for your death, so you had to die. Your spear technique was indeed somewhat interesting, but only somewhat.

Six hundred taels of silver entered his account, completing yet another deal.

Whatever purpose those above might have, Zhao Jiu would conduct his business diligently as long as they paid. As for any other schemes, he could investigate them after increasing his strength. As a mere Third Rank, he couldn’t change anything. He couldn’t even decide his own freedom. Even if there was some conspiracy, he could only serve as a pawn.

If he wanted to become a player, he first needed the strength to play the game!

After erasing every trace he had left in the courtyard, Zhao Jiu calmly opened the rear door and walked out. A fine drizzle fell without end. It truly was a fine season for killing—after all, someone had just died in a courtyard.

Upon returning to his room at the inn, Zhao Jiu immediately changed out of all his clothes and shoes and tossed them into his Storage Space. He activated Complete Transformation and restored his original appearance. After that entire sequence, no one could possibly connect him to Shi Huiming’s death.

He converted all six hundred taels in his Storage Space into God of Wealth Points, receiving a total of 6,000 points. His balance rose to 29,900. Not bad. He had finally recovered some HP after spending a little too much over the New Year.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he swallowed a Mystic Insight Pill. His True Qi circulated as he absorbed the pill’s medicinal power and began cultivating. The holiday was over. He had to strengthen himself.

Zhao Jiu did give some thought to Shi Huiming’s final words. The Emperor clearly wasn’t an idiot. Social stability was far more conducive to his rule. It was true that the Canal Gang had some money, but it also had so many members. If the Emperor killed their Gang Chief without a word, how was he supposed to explain it? He would merely be asking for trouble out of sheer boredom!

But Zhao Jiu wasn’t the Emperor, nor did he care whether the Emperor was bored enough to seek trouble. As long as the Emperor didn’t shove him out front as a shield, he would remain a handsome, wealthy Esteemed Client.

At that thought, Zhao Jiu smiled indifferently and continued cultivating.

At noon the next day, Zhao Jiu finished lunch, settled his bill, and left. After exiting the restaurant, he led his horse through the streets. He could already see quite a few members of the Canal Gang hurrying about. These people were at least somewhat responsive, unlike those two in Liangzhou. Their corpses had already gone cold, yet their subordinates were still thinking about attending the funeral feast.

Leading his horse, Zhao Jiu found the Prefect’s Yamen. The moment he displayed his Northern Division waist token, the minor official guarding the gate was so frightened he could barely stand. He stumbled away to report Zhao Jiu’s arrival.

Zhao Jiu didn’t make things difficult for them and waited beneath the eaves. Before long, the Prefect of Chuzhou hurried over with several other officials following behind him.

Zhao Jiu was delighted to see the Prefect and immediately asked him to prepare a boat. He planned to travel downstream to Linjiang. His ass had nearly split open from all the riding he had done on this journey. Now that better conditions were available, of course he would choose the more comfortable option.

The Prefect asked no other questions and simply ordered his men to prepare a boat. By dusk that very day, Zhao Jiu was already inside a cabin on the river.