Chapter 145: Everyone is Dead, Who Can I Blame?
After a cup of tea.
Lin Beifan put down his teacup and smiled, saying, “Master Guo, can we talk about it now?”
“Principal Lin, you don’t know!” Guo the Head Catcher smiled bitterly. “Ever since those two young grandmasters arrived, our days haven’t been peaceful! We have to send out a large number of experts for patrols day and night, living in fear of something happening! I haven’t had a good night’s sleep for a whole week, often waking up in the middle of the night, and my colleagues too!”
Lin Beifan nodded in agreement, deeply feeling the same, “Master Guo, what you said is absolutely true! Since those two arrived, the capital city has indeed become less safe! Even my own residence has been targeted by thieves twice!”
“Yes! We really can’t provoke or criticize these two grandmasters, because once they get angry, the consequences are too severe for us to bear! But even so, we, the Six-Door, still have to take the lead!”
“This situation is really dangerous! How can we, ordinary people, match up against grandmasters? If we could solve the problem, it would be one thing, but we’re afraid of losing our lives in the process! We would not only let down our brothers but also betray the grace of the empress!”
“Therefore, Principal Lin…”
Guo the Head Catcher turned his head and looked at Lin Beifan, his tone extremely sincere, “This time, you have to help this official!”
Lin Beifan was puzzled, “As a scholar, how can I help you?”
“I heard that you are good friends with Sword Immortal Shangguan Jianhun and Blade Saint Ouyang Badao, so I want to trouble you to mediate and persuade them not to fight in the capital city but to go outside the city! That way, we can avoid some trouble!” Guo the Head Catcher said.
“I’m friends with them?” Lin Beifan blinked his eyes. “Master Guo, who told you that?”
“It was them who said it!”
Lin Beifan replied, “…”
“Master Guo, I think you’ve misunderstood!” Lin Beifan quickly said, “I’ve only met them once, talked for less than an hour, how can you say we’re good friends? They must be deceiving you!”
“Principal Lin, they are both grandmasters, how could they do something so shameless?” Guo the Head Catcher said.
Lin Beifan sneered. Have they done anything that lacked shame?
They kidnapped me without my consent, either making me treat them to drinks or forcing me to treat them!
They even declared themselves my friends without my consent!
And now they’re spreading it everywhere, afraid that others won’t know!
Those two bastards!
“Principal Lin, this time you really have to help me!” Guo the Head Catcher said with some excitement. “If you don’t help me, I can only watch myself die!”
Lin Beifan became a bit angry, “Master Guo, you’re exaggerating. How can I just watch you die?”
Guo the Head Catcher felt a little comforted in his heart, “Principal Lin…”
Lin Beifan interrupted, “I will close my eyes!”
Guo the Head Catcher exclaimed, “Damn it!”
Lin Beifan smiled bitterly, “Master Guo, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I’m really powerless! I’m just a weak scholar with no martial arts skills. What can I do? If I accidentally provoke them and they kill me, what can I do? So, Master Guo, please find someone else, I really can’t help!”
“Principal Lin, please don’t be like this! If you don’t help us, we’ll have no way out!” Guo the Head Catcher gritted his teeth.
“Here’s the deal. As long as you help me with this favor, give it a try, whether it succeeds or not, the Six-Door will owe you a favor. How about that?”
Lin Beifan was tempted!
Favors from the Six-Door were valuable!
They could solve many problems at critical times!
“Alright, I’ll give it a try!” Lin Beifan finally agreed.
“Thank you, Principal!” Guo the Head Catcher was overjoyed.
“However, you need to report this to the Empress first and get her permission before I can get involved in this matter,” Lin Beifan said.
The officialdom had its own rules, and it was enough to do one’s own duties.
If he rashly intervened in other people’s affairs, it would be crossing the line. How would the officials and the Empress view him?
They might think he had ulterior motives, which would bring a lot of trouble.
Therefore, Lin Beifan asked him to request permission from the Empress first.
“I understand, of course!” Guo the Head Catcher nodded.
So, the next day during the morning court session, Guo the Head Catcher reported to the Empress.
“Your Majesty, currently, Sword Immortal Shangguan Jianhun and Blade Saint Ouyang Badao have gathered in the capital city and are ready to engage in battle at any moment. The situation is extremely critical! I have heard that Principal Lin had a pleasant conversation with these two young grandmasters and is good friends with them. So, I request assistance from Principal Lin to persuade them to move the battlefield out of the capital city. May Your Majesty grant permission!” Guo the Head Catcher reported.
The Empress and the officials were stunned!
They looked at Lin Beifan with strange expressions.
Did this guy have a knack for socializing? He could become friends with two grandmasters just like that, achieving what he talked about?
The Empress spoke up and asked, “Sir Lin, what Guo just said… is it true? Do you know them?”
Lin Beifan bowed and replied, “Your Majesty, I have only met them once!”
The Empress said, “But Guo just said…”
Lin Beifan continued his report, “Master Guo is not wrong! It’s just that during that encounter, we had a pleasant conversation, and under their excitement, they insisted on becoming my close friends!”
The Empress blinked in astonishment, “You became friends after just one conversation?”
“Yes, Your Majesty! I didn’t intend for it either, but they forced me, even resorting to force. I couldn’t refuse. It’s been very distressing for me!” Lin Beifan said in anguish.
Everyone was infuriated and felt like giving him a beating!
Being friends with grandmasters is something many people can only dream of. And here you are, complaining about it?
While others long for such an opportunity and cannot obtain it, you have two. Are you not aware of the hunger of those who have none?
“Now, the whole capital city knows about this. They know that I have two grandmaster friends. It’s been so distressing for me!” Lin Beifan expressed even greater anguish.
The officials were so angry their mouths were crooked!
You despicable person!
Are you in pain or are you taking the opportunity to show off to us?
The Empress contemplated for a moment and said, “This battle is almost unavoidable. If we can move the battlefield out of the capital city, it will indeed reduce a lot of losses and casualties. Here’s the plan, Sir Lin, you will assist Sir Guo and persuade those two individuals!”
“Your Majesty, it’s too dangerous! Both of them are grandmasters, while I am just an ordinary scholar. Although we had a brief encounter, our relationship is casual at best! How about… you choose someone else?” Lin Beifan pleaded with hopeful eyes.
The corner of the Empress’s mouth twitched.
You bastard, are you pretending to be weak?
I’ve long heard from Sister Bai that if you were to go all out, grandmasters might not even be your match!
You’re clearly taking advantage of the situation for your own benefit. Don’t think I can’t see through it!
“That’s the decision then!”
The Empress declared loudly, “Regardless of the outcome, you must give it a try, and I will ensure your safety! If this succeeds, it will be an immeasurable merit, a great accomplishment for our court. I will definitely reward you generously! Any objections, my esteemed ministers?”
The officials looked at each other and unanimously replied, “We have no objections!”
They didn’t have any objections. Their interests were now aligned. If those two grandmasters were to fight in the capital city, they would also suffer. Therefore, they had to support Lin Beifan.
“Very well! Sir Lin, we will rely on you for the next steps. We await your good news!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
After receiving the imperial decree, Lin Beifan openly went about his business.
Another day passed, and the Six Doors finally located the Sword Immortal, Shangguan Jianhun.
They didn’t take action on their own but instead let Lin Beifan make contact.
The Sword Immortal was delighted to see Lin Beifan and warmly greeted him, saying, “Come, my friend, we meet again! The wine is ready, let’s continue our previous conversation and discuss swordplay, haha!”
“Let’s put the matter of the sword aside for now and talk about the issue of the grandmasters’ battle. Can you fight outside the city instead of in the capital?” Lin Beifan straightforwardly asked.
The Sword Immortal’s gaze hardened, “Are you here on behalf of the Great Martial Dynasty?”
“That’s right!” Lin Beifan nodded.
“That’s difficult to do!” The Sword Immortal poured himself a drink, “You see, I’ve already made my intentions known. Many people from the martial world have traveled a long way to come here. If we don’t fight in the capital, I would lose face. It’s inappropriate, it’s inappropriate! Let’s not bring up this matter again. Let’s talk about the sword instead!”
Lin Beifan sneered inwardly. This wasn’t about saving face; it was clearly about showing off!
Lin Beifan noticed that the martial practitioners in this world seemed to have a tradition of opposing the imperial court.
Those with weaker strength would bully the local authorities.
Those with stronger abilities, like becoming grandmasters, felt that they had to step on the face of the imperial dynasty; otherwise, they wouldn’t live up to the title of grandmaster!
Since they couldn’t step on their own country’s imperial court, they had to step on the face of another dynasty!
As a result, they often chose the Capital City as the battleground!
The underlying reason was to show off!
To make others think they were formidable!
“You will cause the deaths of many people by dueling in the city!” Lin Beifan earnestly advised.
“They are mere ants!” The Sword Immortal disdainfully replied, “Those officials of yours don’t care about the lives of the common people. They see them as insignificant, readily harvested like weeds. Why should I care?”
Then, with a strange smile and an eerie gaze, the Sword Immortal looked at Lin Beifan and said, “I’ve heard about you, Lin Beifan. You’re a notorious corrupt official. You’ve been in office for just a few months and have already embezzled countless wealth, tens of millions even! How can a heartless corrupt official like you care about the lives of the common people?”
Lin Beifan angrily retorted, “How can I not care? If everyone is dead, who will I extort?”
The Sword Immortal choked and spewed out a mouthful of wine, “Cough, cough…”
That argument made too much sense, leaving him speechless!
“Actually, I can change the venue for the fight!” The Sword Immortal spoke. “As long as you consider it a favor from me, I’ll comply with your request. How about that? It’s quite easy.”
He now owed Lin Beifan three favors, and the weight of repaying them burdened him. Therefore, he saw this as an opportunity to fulfill one of those obligations.
Lin Beifan became furious, “It’s just a matter of moving your legs, and you won’t suffer any loss. You claim to be my friend, but you won’t help with such a small matter? And you expect to repay a favor? Your favors as a Sword Immortal are worthless!”
Once again, the Sword Immortal was left speechless!
He could only drink in silence, “So, what do you want? In any case, I won’t easily leave the capital!”
Lin Beifan’s expression changed, and he smirked, “To be honest, aren’t you just trying to step on the face of the Great Wu Dynasty and show off? Frankly speaking, this approach has been overused by other grandmasters. It’s not fresh anymore!”
“I have a better plan. Do you want to know?” Lin Beifan said with an enticing tone, “Once this plan is executed, it will astonish the world and be unforgettable. It will be recorded in the annals of the martial world. Your name as the Sword Immortal will not only spread worldwide but also be immortalized in history!”
At that moment, the Sword Immortal felt a twinge of temptation, “Go ahead, tell me!”
