Chapter 127: The Saintess and the Witch (5)
Although it was the dead of night, General Jang-yang’s office remained brightly lit. He was facing a mountain of unfinished paperwork.
Determined not to miss a single detail, Jang-yang focused his eyes and kept his brush moving steadily across the documents.
Just as he was rubbing his eyes to ward off the encroaching sleep, the door to his office slowly creaked open.
Creak…
Startled, Jang-yang looked toward the entrance.
A masked figure holding a dagger stood there. At a glance, his appearance was that of a professional assassin.
“You are indeed confident, leaving your door completely unguarded.”
The voice was cold and hostile. The visitor clearly had no good intentions.
Jang-yang looked toward a corner of the ceiling and raised a hand.
“Leave him be.”
The assassin was taken aback, looking around the empty room. There was no one else present. He couldn’t comprehend the gesture.
“Who are you telling to leave be?”
“Haha. It is nothing.”
The assassin sneered, finding it absurd. “You must be mad, smiling when death is right before you.”
“If it is my last moment, is it not better to meet it with a smile? However, I must ask you to wait a moment.”
“Why should I?”
“If I stop what I am doing now, many innocent people will suffer. What sin have they committed? So please, wait just a little longer.”
Jang-yang picked up his brush and returned to his paperwork.
“You have been hesitating since the moment you stepped into this room. If not, you would have struck immediately.”
“I was not hesitating. I was merely curious about the kind of man I was sent to kill.”
With a faint smile, Jang-yang continued his work.
“Then I will assume you have agreed.”
The assassin was dumbfounded by his composure.
“You are merely trying to buy time.”
“At this hour, what difference would buying a little time make?”
Even as he spoke, Jang-yang’s hand never stopped writing. The assassin’s curiosity grew as he watched him.
“Very well, I will wait. As you said, it would be a pity for innocent people to suffer because you died tonight.”
Jang-yang’s face softened into a warm smile.
“By the way, you are a citizen of our Song Dynasty.”
The assassin’s eyes wavered slightly, indicating his surprise.
“Since I will die soon anyway, it matters little. But how did you know?”
“You occasionally slip into a Sichuan accent. And your shoes… they are the official boots distributed to our military officers.”
The assassin fell silent.
Jang-yang hurried his work in the quiet room.
As the silence dragged on, the assassin sat down on a chair opposite him. After all, the target was already trapped.
Two hours passed in this manner.
Watching him work tirelessly without a single break, the assassin couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of respect.
Breaking the silence, the assassin spoke, “Cancel the military examinations.”
“Why should I?”
“The appointment of officials is the sole authority of the Emperor. If regional military governors begin appointing their own officials, the foundation of the empire will crumble.”
The assassin was now speaking with formal respect.
His objective was clearly to stop the examinations, even if it meant killing Jang-yang.
Jang-yang’s response remained calm.
“Due to the war, the recruitment of talented officials has been halted for years. The imperial court has collapsed, and the situation will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. If we do not act, who will lead this nation in the future?”
“If you start this, other governors will also begin appointing officials indiscriminately.”
Jang-yang’s brush never faltered.
“If talented people are appointed to serve the country, it is a good thing. If an incompetent person is appointed through nepotism, they will naturally be weeded out. How can a fool withstand the resentment and jealousy of other officials? And who will bear the blame for their incompetence? The governor who appointed them. Therefore, no one will dare to abuse this system as you fear.”
The assassin remained unconvinced.
“If the bureaucracy grows unchecked, it will lead to chaos. If you wish to live, stop this immediately.”
“I am not recruiting high-ranking politicians. I am merely recruiting practical, low-level administrators to work at the front lines. It will not cause the harm you expect.”
Murderous intent flickered in the assassin’s eyes.
“It seems blood must be shed tonight for you to listen.”
“Why must you speak of such terrifying things? If I wish to live, I suppose I must think of another way.”
“Are you saying you are willing to cancel it?”
“I have a mountain of documents to process first. Let me finish this, and we can discuss it together.”
It sounded suspicious, but waiting a bit longer wouldn’t change anything.
The room fell into silence once more as Jang-yang focused on his work. The sheer volume of documents seemed endless.
A moment later, Jang-yang stopped writing and clasped his hands together, falling into deep thought.
“Are you finished?”
“Not yet. This particular case requires some careful consideration.”
“May I ask what it is?”
Jang-yang sighed and nodded.
“In Taepyong Village, a vile beast assaulted a young girl. This is a petition sent by the child’s mother. We have captured the suspect, but the witness has gone missing, leaving us unable to prosecute him.”
The assassin’s eyes flared with anger.
“If there was a witness, the suspect is clearly the culprit! Why do you hesitate?”
“I agree with you. The suspect has a history of several attempted assaults.”
“Then what is there to consider? Execute him immediately.”
“How can we execute a man without following the law? Without evidence, we cannot hand down a sentence.”
“Then what will happen to that bastard?”
“He will likely be released soon.”
“For the sake of justice, such a monster must be eliminated! Otherwise, there will be more victims.”
“The magistrate’s office is powerless in this matter.”
“Damn it…”
The assassin clenched his fists, trembling with rage.
Just then, the letter Jang-yang was holding slipped from his fingers and landed precisely in front of the assassin.
“Ah, my hand slipped. Could you pick that up for me?”
As the assassin picked up the letter, his eyes gleamed. It contained the suspect’s name and the location of the cell where he was held.
The assassin engraved the details into his memory, resolved to kill the man himself. But then, a doubt arose.
“Did you drop this on purpose? So that I would kill him?”
Without answering, Jang-yang returned to his paperwork.
The tedious wait continued past the hour of the Ox. The assassin, now bored, leaned his chin on his hand.
“Why did you set that letter aside?”
“A young boy attempted to steal grain from the government storehouse to feed his elderly mother. The mother sent a plea for mercy.”
“He was bold to attempt to steal from the government.”
“Stealing military provisions during wartime is a capital offense, even for a child. He will be executed, and his mother will likely starve to death…”
“He did it to survive. Can you not show mercy to such a tragic family?”
“If we make exceptions to the law, who will respect it? How can we maintain order in the nation?”
The assassin’s voice trembled.
“Are you… going to let that child be executed?”
Jang-yang could not answer immediately. His eyes grew red with unshed tears. Clearing his throat, he spoke with difficulty, “It is my fault that my people are starving… I am the one who drove that poor child to steal, so I should bear the punishment. I am the true culprit in this case…”
“Why would you go that far…? What happens if the military governor confesses to stealing government grain?”
“The magistrate will decide. Whether he orders a flogging or a fine, it is for the judge to decide. Since I am confessing, I hope he shows some leniency.”
The assassin’s murderous intent had completely vanished, replaced by profound respect.
“I am not from Shaanxi, so I did not believe the rumors. But now I understand why the people here revere you, General.”
Jang-yang smiled bitterly and continued writing.
“I only regret that I cannot do more for them.”
“But why is a military governor processing these minor cases personally? I heard other governors spend their days drinking with women.”
“As I said, Shaanxi is severely lacking in administrators. If I do not do this, who will look after these unfortunate people?”
“Where did all the officials go?”
“Many fled their posts when the war turned against us. And how could we easily replace those who died fighting bravely?”
The assassin had no words. He simply sat and watched Jang-yang work.
Finally, the stack of documents on the table was cleared.
“Are you finished now?”
Jang-yang shook his head with a weary expression.
“I wish it were so.”
He pulled a wooden chest from beneath the table. It was filled with hundreds of ledger pages.
“What is that?”
“Since the imperial court collapsed, all taxes and resources of Shaanxi are managed here. Now I must work on the financial and resource management ledgers.”
“Why are you doing that yourself, General?”
“As I said, we lack civil administrators. Please wait a bit longer. Let me finish this, and we can discuss how to stop the examinations.”
The assassin stared in disbelief, his shoulders trembling.
He stared at the ceiling, lost in deep thought.
A moment later, he made up his mind and stood up.
“Do whatever you want with the examinations.”
“Why the sudden change of heart? Did we not agree to discuss it?”
A faint smile appeared beneath the assassin’s mask.
“Seeing you like this, I realize I was wrong. Besides, sunrise will arrive long before you finish that chest.”
If daylight broke, he wouldn’t be able to escape the palace. As he turned to leave, Jang-yang spoke softly.
“I do not know who you are. But I know you possess a righteous heart and care for our nation. If you are willing, would you work with me?”
The assassin hesitated before replying over his shoulder.
“It is a tempting offer, but I must decline in this guise. I am too ashamed to face you…”
“Haha. I understand. We will meet again if fate allows. Thank you for keeping an old man company on this lonely night.”
Leaving the office, the assassin slipped onto the roof.
Even at night, the palace guards were vigilant. He had to remain alert.
As he looked around, he made a silent vow.
The military examination… If anyone tries to stop it, I will kill them myself.
Whoosh!
Leaping like a bird, he landed silently on the adjacent roof.
In the next instant, the assassin froze in sheer terror. Someone was standing right beside him, as if waiting.
“Ugh!”
He hadn’t sensed a thing.
Panic-stricken, the assassin tried to draw his dagger, but it was futile. He couldn’t even see the hand that grabbed his wrist.
“Do not be alarmed.”
The assassin stared at the figure. The uniform and the unfathomable martial aura matched the rumors perfectly.
“T-The Wolf Fang Squad Leader…?”
“Slipping through the camp’s perimeter to get here… you have remarkable skill.”
The assassin didn’t know whether to strike. He know any struggle would be useless against such an opponent. Strangely, he detected no hostility in the officer’s voice.
“If you intend to kill me, do it quickly. I have no desire for a pitiful struggle.”
A faint smile appeared on So-mu’s face.
His reply was entirely unexpected.
“You must be exhausted after keeping the General company all night. You must be hungry. Why don’t you join me for a hot bowl of soup at the market?”