Chapter 106: The Dragon and Tiger Meet in the Capital (2)

Tie Xinyuan bowed his hands and said with a smile, "Such trivial tricks are naturally beneath your notice. Please, come inside for some tea. I believe the other two veteran retainers have returned as well; it would be a perfect opportunity for us to see exactly which true heroes and men of renown have arrived in the capital city of Dongjing."

The limping veteran looked back at Xiao Ling'er, who stood ten paces away, and pointed to the short tube she held in her mouth. "Your use of the 'feint to the east, strike to the west' tactic is quite clever. The weapon flies without making a sound as it cuts through the air, making it impossible to defend against, especially when the light is dim. It is a pity, however, that its power is so meager."

"Even with the poison on the bamboo needle, the effect is negligible. At the end of the day, the needle is simply too small. For a man like me, unless you have three times the dosage used on an ordinary person, you have no hope of putting me on the ground."

"The people you are preparing to face will be exactly the same."

Tie Xinyuan smiled. "You are quite right, sir. Once I have made some improvements, I will ask for your critique again."

The limping veteran sighed and shook his head as he entered the room. Ever since he had witnessed Tie Xinyuan's backup measures, he had been deeply disappointed.

Once inside, two other veterans—one fat and one thin—were sitting around a stove drinking tea. They were discussing the day's intelligence in low voices, their expressions grim. Tie Xinyuan took a piece of timing incense from the table, which Yang Huaiyu used to measure his practice sessions, lit it, and placed it into the incense burner.

Upon seeing the limping veteran enter, the two men immediately asked, "Was it truly the 'Iron Lion' who arrived?"

The limping veteran nodded. "Not just the Iron Lion, but also Lin Jiaochuan—the son of Lin Haiyuan—who appeared at the Gao Liansheng old inn today. How did things go on your end?"

"Lei Meng and Huo Beishan, those two shameless old men, have both reached the rank of grandmaster, yet they are still participating in these martial examinations. Then there is Long Chuan from Hezhou, Meng Tiefu from Cangzhou, Ma Yan from Hebei, the boxing master Liang Shimeng from Gaizhou, and the divine archer of the Xinhua Army, 'Heaven-Piercing Eagle' Ying Wen. And that is not even counting the young master of the Huyan family, Huyan Shou; the direct descendant of the Cao family, Cao Fang; the scion of the Shi family, Shi Zhong; or the direct lineage member of the Gao family, Gao Yanzan."

"I have even heard that the reclusive Zheng family has emerged. What is the meaning of all this? It is merely the title of a martial examination champion, which at best earns one a minor seventh-rank official post. How has it managed to attract so many tigers and wolves to fight over it?" The fat veteran slammed his hand onto the table, shouting in anger after rattling off the long list of names.

Feeling a sudden wave of heat, the limping veteran loosened his collar and said in a low voice, "In years past, the martial examination champion meant nothing. Unless a military family wanted to secure a trivial position for one of their kin, they would rarely interfere, leaving at least a sliver of hope for the children of humble backgrounds."

"With the noble houses acting like this, are they not satisfied until they have seized every single official post reserved for the martial examinations?"

The thin veteran said with a sinister tone, "I fear this year's martial examination is no simple matter. If it were a piece of rotting meat, it might attract stray dogs; but if it is a fatted calf, then it is no surprise that lions, tigers, leopards, and great pythons have all come to feed."

The limping veteran gasped for air and asked, "What is actually different about this year's martial examination compared to the past?"

Su Mei walked in with a charming smile, poured tea for the three old men, and said, "The Battle of Sanchuankou cost us Liu Ping and Shi Yuansun; the Battle of Yanzhou cost us Xia Shiping; and the Battle of Haoshuichuan cost us Ren Fu and Ge Huaimin. We have fought three major battles, and each one was more disastrous than the last. His Majesty must have new ideas, and I suspect the focus lies on the champion of this year's martial examination. It is no wonder that a pack of wolves has gathered to compete for it."

The fat veteran looked at Su Mei, full of expectation. "Is this Master Su's perspective?"

Su Mei smiled. "It is the perspective of my ancestors. The old man was stomping his cane early this morning, saying that His Majesty has revealed his intentions far too early."

The thin veteran sighed, "If Dalang can place in the top three this time, it will be thanks to the protection of our ancestors. The strength of this group is simply too overwhelming."

Tie Xinyuan smiled. "That is not necessarily true. The famous boxing masters you three mentioned are not here to win the championship; they are here to clear the path for their own masters. If we can find a way for Dalang to avoid those masters and focus entirely on dealing with the likes of Huyan Shou, Cao Fang, Shi Zhong, and Gao Yanzan, wouldn't you say Dalang's odds of winning are quite high?"

The limping veteran wheezed for a moment and then laughed. "If that were the case, even if Dalang were uninspired, he is still the most outstanding among these military scions. Neither Huyan Shou nor Gao Yanzan could last five rounds against him. As for Cao Fang and Shi Zhong, they are merely scholars who know a bit of clumsy fighting."

Tie Xinyuan smiled at Su Mei. "Since His Majesty values this martial examination highly, I suspect the maneuvers of these military families will not escape his notice. If His Majesty truly needs warriors capable of wielding weapons to defend the nation, then people like Cao Fang and Shi Zhong are in for a world of hurt."

"The examination has been postponed for three days; that is likely His Majesty weighing his countermeasures. Since tomorrow is the first day of selection, we will know His Majesty's intent once we see the scene unfold."

The fat veteran said in surprise, "Are you saying His Majesty will drive all those who came to 'assist' the candidates out of the selection process?"

Tie Xinyuan smiled without answering. Instead, he turned to the limping veteran, who was vigorously rubbing his face. "Half a stick of incense has burned out. At this moment, you should be feeling soreness throughout your body, and your neck should feel as if it were burning, right? Can you still defeat Yang Dalang in this state?"

The limping veteran coughed, took a long breath, and said, "What kind of poison is this? How can it be so overbearing? My breathing is extremely obstructed, and I feel as weak as if I had caught a cold."

Tie Xinyuan took out a liquid decoction made from purple herbs and carefully applied it to the wound on the veteran's neck. He said softly, "It is merely toad venom."

The limping veteran asked in confusion, "That substance is quite common. I have taken it before for toothaches; why has it made me feel so miserable this time?"

This was a question Tie Xinyuan could not answer. Should he tell him that to ensure the viscous toad venom mixed with the bloodstream as quickly as possible, he had specifically added alcohol as a lubricant and catalyst?

The Great Song was a world where secret recipes reigned supreme. No one knew what mysterious ingredient Mother Zhang added to her meat pies—they only knew that compared to others, hers were incredibly delicious.

Why were the noodle dishes of the Tie family smoother and chewier than anyone else's? Wang Rouhua never told anyone that she added eggs to her flour.

Naturally, there was plenty of toad venom in the Song Dynasty, but everyone used it to treat ailments. Who would be like Tie Xinyuan, using a medicinal substance to harm people?

That, too, was a secret recipe!

"As long as Yang Dalang can hold out against his enemies for half a stick of incense, I guarantee he will sweep through all the martial examination candidates!"

"If fired from a close distance, one can even tie a thin strand of silk to the back of the bamboo needle, allowing it to be retrieved after hitting the target. Of course, I don't believe there is any need to retrieve it."

"Only by letting everyone know that they are being plotted against, and by thoroughly muddying the waters in the pool, can we emerge unscathed."

The fat and thin veterans looked at Tie Xinyuan, stood up in unison, and helped the limping veteran away. They felt that if they stayed here any longer, they might very well strangle Tie Xinyuan to death.

Watching the veterans walk away, Tie Xinyuan frowned and asked Su Mei, "Those three old guys won't ruin our plans, will they?"

"No, they wouldn't even if they died!" Su Mei answered decisively, without a hint of hesitation.

Tie Xinyuan pondered the trends of this era and nodded in agreement.

"We sold a total of seventy-three printing shops. The one belonging to the Copper Plate family was given away for free. The money has finally been collected, and we even have an extra five hundred and sixty-one strings of cash."

Tie Xinyuan shook his head. "That money belongs to you and Yang Dalang. I didn't contribute a single penny, so there is no need to report the accounts to me."

As he spoke, he handed a small booklet to Su Mei. "Now, sell this thing again. Remember, you must charge a high price, and be quick. I estimate that in two days, this thing will be worthless. Sell it while you can; don't let the opportunity go to waste."

Su Mei laughed. "The people at the printing houses aren't that stupid. How can you sell something a second time after it has already been sold once?"

Tie Xinyuan replied, "This is a more detailed version. It specifically includes the absolute masters that the veteran retainers found. If you can find an artist to draw their likenesses, it will definitely cause a sensation in the capital."

Su Mei was not pleased, and she said in a shrill voice, "Are you here to make money, or to help Dalang win the martial examination championship? Stop messing around."

Tie Xinyuan pressed the newly compiled booklet into Su Mei's hand. "I never joke about money or other people's futures. Trust me. Now is not the time to plot anything. Only after His Majesty announces the new rules for the martial examination can we plan properly within the boundaries he sets."

"If anyone dares to cross His Majesty's rules, I guarantee that whoever they are, they will die a death worse than a pig's. This is what is known as the control of those in power."

After Su Mei left, Tie Xinyuan went to Xiao Qiao'er's room. All five of the people in the house who knew how to use blowpipes were there, each with a smooth blowpipe hanging from their mouths, looking quite triumphant.

Only Xiao Qiao'er had a three-foot-long blowpipe leaning against her, which gave her an air of exceptional authority.

The longer the pipe, the greater the power of the dart, the longer the range, and the higher the accuracy. Thus, Xiao Ling'er and the others could only launch sneak attacks at close range, while long-range ambushes would have to rely entirely on Xiao Qiao'er herself.

In the courtyard next door, Yang Huaiyu was striking a wooden pillar with his bare hands. His power was so immense that every strike produced a booming, explosive sound.

In the past, he had always struck lightly and rapidly, sounding like bamboo burning in the countryside. Now, he had undergone a significant change.

Xiao Qiao'er had been listening for a long while before she said to Tie Xinyuan, "Yang Dalang is truly diligent. I don't think I can compare to him."

Tie Xinyuan smiled. "He is not being diligent; he is afraid. If I am not mistaken, the two old veterans have likely been loose-lipped and told him exactly who he will be facing."