The third floor of the dungeon was damaged, but the overall structure was very solid and it didn't affect its use.
The serious criminals who were taken out for treatment yesterday had all been locked back in the second floor of the dungeon.
Yejingtang, with a saber hanging from his waist, entered the Black Yamen, ready to interrogate the prisoners. As he passed by a teahouse, he found that it was quite lively inside.
After the recent turmoil, more or less, the masters in the Black Yamen had suffered some injuries. Just when the incident happened yesterday, the yamen couldn't be left without someone in charge. Therefore, those with minor injuries still came to work as usual instead of resting and waiting on standby in the yamen.
The environment in the teahouse was very nice. Everyone had a reclining chair with a cushion, and there were also tea and snacks served beside them.
Shang Jianli, who had been hit by Liu Qiansheng twice, was sitting together with Qiu Tianhe. He was telling several injured chief constables about yesterday's battle achievements:
"Liu Qiansheng is old, that's why I managed to take him down with one needle. If we talk about being powerful, it has to be Master Qiu. Duke Cao's reputation in the martial arts world is among the top. It really exceeded our expectations that Master Qiu, with just a single knife, wasn't killed by him..."
"I was handling the case for the yamen. I was just being cautious and reserved because I cherish my life. If it were a life-and-death battle, Duke Cao wouldn't have been able to leave Wangfu Street yesterday..."
...
Yejingtang passed by the window and was about to offer some words of comfort. Suddenly, he noticed that there was a large reclining chair below the window.
The big bird Niaoniao, wearing a scarf, spread its wings and lay on it, looking half-dead, waiting for a female chief constable who was recuperating to feed it snacks.
Yejingtang was directly speechless when he saw this. He had told Niaoniao to play by itself, but he didn't expect Niaoniao to be so "conscious" that it even took advantage of the yamen's work-related injury benefits. He raised his hand and knocked on the windowsill.
"Ji?"
Niaoniao raised its head, then jumped up and landed on the armrest. It politely used its wing to signal Yejingtang to sit down.
The conversation in the teahouse paused. Qiu Tianhe looked up, put down his teacup, and got up to walk out of the door:
"You look really handsome in this outfit. But if you go out like this, the female martial artists in the martial arts world will probably avoid you. It's not very likable."
Qiu Tianhe had regained his strength. Although his appearance hadn't changed much, his spirit and energy made him seem like a completely different person. He had a large frame, and the Tianhe Saber was hung around his waist. Standing at the door, he really gave off the air of the "The sweeping monk" in the Black Yamen.
"I'm just wearing it for formal occasions." Yejingtang walked up and asked, "How is Master Qiu's injury?"
"It's just a minor internal injury. After a few needles from Divine Doctor Wang, it's basically not a big deal."
"That's good. Are you familiar with Liu Qiansheng, Master Qiu?"
Qiu Tianhe smiled and said, "Liu Qiansheng was one of the Eight Grandmasters thirty years ago. At that time, I was still a young wanderer around your age and didn't have the chance to meet him. But we had heard of each other."
Yejingtang raised his hand and smiled, saying, "Come on, I'll take Master Qiu to see this senior in the martial arts world. Master Qiu has a high status in the martial arts world. Liu Qiansheng may not give the court face, but he will probably give Master Qiu face. Master Qiu, see if you can be a lobbyist and help get him to confess."
Qiu Tianhe didn't say much and entered the dungeon together with Yejingtang.
The first floor of the dungeon was no different, but the second floor had changed a lot.
More than twenty bandits were captured yesterday. Many of them had resounding reputations in the martial arts world and had committed major crimes of rebellion. They were all locked up on the second floor, each in a separate cell. Several chief constables of the yamen were going back and forth asking questions.
Yejingtang passed through the corridor on the second floor and, as if he knew the place well, came to Cell No. 2 of the "Di" category, looking for the most famous old boxing master in the dungeon.
However, when he looked down from the wellhead, he saw two half-dead men lying on the ground, weak and pale as paper.
?
Yejingtang was taken aback. After looking carefully for a few moments, he said in confusion:
"Why are they living here?"
Qiu Tianhe looked down and was also surprised:
"They're still alive. These two brothers really have tough lives."
Wang Er saw the two faces appearing above and his eyes immediately showed ecstasy. He flipped up and said:
"Lord Ye, you're finally here. My brother and I don't deserve to die. Just sentence us to ten or eight years... Hey? Lord Ye..."
Yejingtang didn't linger on irrelevant people. After going out and asking around, he found the cell where Liu Qiansheng was imprisoned.
The dungeon had the same specifications as the other prison cells, a large square single room.
Although Liu Qiansheng was in prison, he still maintained the air of the former Eighth Grandmaster. His hands and feet were chained, and he sat cross-legged with his back against the wall, looking somewhat immortal-like.
Yejingtang opened the iron fence and jumped in together with Qiu Tianhe.
As a martial artist in the martial arts world, out of respect for the senior, Qiu Tianhe clasped his hands and performed a martial arts salute:
"Senior Liu, I've long heard of your great name."
Liu Qiansheng looked up and saw Yejingtang. He was definitely not very happy. After noticing Qiu Tianhe beside him, who had an imposing manner, he frowned slightly:
"Who are you?"
"Qiu Tianhe. I wonder if Senior Liu has ever heard of me?"
Liu Qiansheng was obviously taken aback. As the saying goes, "The waves behind drive on those before." Qiu Tianhe was a top contemporary master, just one step away from the Eight Grandmasters. In terms of his influence on the current martial arts world, he was much higher than this declining senior like himself.
That Qiu Tianhe could still respectfully address him as "Senior Liu" when he was in such a disadvantaged situation, Liu Qiansheng was obviously pleased. Holding the iron chains, he clasped his hands and said:
"So it's Young Hero Qiu. The Tianhe Saber is famous throughout the martial arts world, and I've also heard of it. Today, seeing you in person, you're truly extraordinary. Young Hero Qiu, you once robbed the Emperor's wedding envoy team in the past, which was a crime that could lead to the execution of the nine generations of your family. I heard that you were captured by the court's encirclement and suppression last year. Now you are..."
Qiu Tianhe sat on the ground in front and smiled:
"I used to be imprisoned here too. But recently, I've made some contributions and cleared my past crimes, regaining my freedom."
Liu Qiansheng's eyes showed a strange look: "The crime you committed, the court could also give you a special pardon?"
Yejingtang lifted his official robe and sat down beside him:
"Master Qiu taught the Prince of Jing sword techniques. As long as the Prince of Jing is happy, no matter how great the crime is, it's just a matter of a few words."
Liu Qiansheng was an old hand in the martial arts world and understood the meaning of these words:
"The court wants my martial arts skills and is giving me a chance to live? I'm over eighty years old and don't have many years left. If I go out, I'll still carry a bad reputation. There's no need to go through all this trouble."
Qiu Tianhe said regarding this: "I've been imprisoned here for a year and know what it's like. Day and night, I couldn't see the sky, just waiting for the day of execution. I lived less freely than a wild dog outside.
"It's really not easy for a martial artist to live to Senior Liu's age. Senior Liu has experienced the glory of the Eight Grandmasters for decades, which many martial artists haven't. Senior Liu has also endured hardships for decades that many martial artists haven't. When you were young, you defeated the former Eighth Grandmaster, and in your old age, you taught new Eight Grandmasters.
"Now you only have a few years left to live. If you could have three rooms and two mu of fertile land, and find a young apprentice to teach wholeheartedly, your life would be considered complete. Among the Eight Grandmasters of all dynasties, there aren't many whose endings are better than yours. You're over eighty years old and still can't let go of the martial arts world. To be honest, as your junior, I really can't understand that."
Qiu Tianhe's words were very infectious. After all, Qiu Tianhe's life had also been full of ups and downs, and he understood what a top martial artist's most desired life in the martial arts world should be like.
And Liu Qiansheng was indeed just one step away from being complete.
Liu Qiansheng's deep eyes moved. After a moment of silence, he replied:
"When I was your age, I was crippled by my apprentice and lost the accumulation of half my life. If that happened to you, would you be convinced?"
Qiu Tianhe was in his fifties, younger than Song Chi, and was in his prime. Last year, he was captured by the court and locked in the dungeon, with no hope of escape in this life. He was indeed unwilling in his heart.
Qiu Tianhe considered for a while and then asked:
"There are many rumors in the martial arts world about the matter between Senior Liu and Jiang ZhaHu. What exactly happened back then?"
Liu Qiansheng was quite straightforward: "Back then, when I was traveling in Liangzhou, I had a conflict with someone and killed him with a few punches. Shortly after, the young Jiang ZhaHu came to Hongshan Gang to拜师.
"I saw that he was young and had good talent, so I accepted him as my direct disciple, treated him like my own son, and cultivated him with great effort. Later, when he had grown into the Young Gang Leader, I accidentally discovered that he was the son of my enemy. Out of consideration for our years of affection, I didn't kill him. I just crippled his martial arts and expelled him from the sect.
"Then, as you know, a few years later, Jiang ZhaHu came back, defeated me in one battle and made me a homeless dog. He took over the Hongshan Gang, occupied my family property, and has been hunting me down ever since."
Yejingtang considered for a while: "A son avenging his father's death is perfectly justifiable... It sounds like neither side is completely in the right."
Qiu Tianhe commented: "This is just an ordinary martial arts feud. There's no such thing as good or evil, right or wrong."
Yejingtang wasn't very interested in who was right or wrong either. He then asked:
"You fought Jiang ZhaHu at your peak. There are rumors in the martial arts world that he has the Golden Scale Diagram in his hand. Is that true or false?"
Liu Qiansheng sneered at this: "At the age of twenty-five or twenty-six, he defeated an Eighth Grandmaster in his fifties who was at his peak. Lord Ye, do you think he could do that just with a Golden Scale Diagram?"
Yejingtang thought for a while: "So, Jiang ZhaHu has quite amazing talent and originally had the talent to be among the Eight Grandmasters by the age of thirty?"
Qiu Tianhe said regarding this: "The Boxing Grandmaster was originally at the bottom of the Eight Grandmasters. After Jiang ZhaHu inherited the title, he managed to raise the position of the Boxing Grandmaster to the sixth among the Eight Grandmasters, ranking below the Saber Grandmaster. It's because the Dragon Slaying Order of the Xuanyuan Dynasty can break Jiang ZhaHu's undefeated body.
"But Jiang ZhaHu is of the same age as me and is at his peak. The Xuanyuan Dynasty is seventy-five years old, only a few years younger than Senior Liu. If they really fought, I think it wouldn't be difficult for Jiang ZhaHu to kill the Xuanyuan Dynasty."
Although Liu Qiansheng hated Jiang ZhaHu to the bone, it didn't affect his recognition of Jiang ZhaHu's strength. He continued:
"If Jiang ZhaHu fought the Xuanyuan Dynasty bare-handed, it's hard to say who would win or lose. But Jiang ZhaHu's goal since he was a child has been to be the 'Best in the World'. After more than twenty years, if he said that he only practiced boxing and kicking, I wouldn't believe it for a second."
Yejingtang nodded thoughtfully: "So, has Jiang ZhaHu ever practiced the Golden Scale Diagram?"
Liu Qiansheng thought for a while: "When masters of boxing and kicking fight, it's easy to shatter bones and internal organs, but it's quite difficult to break the skin. I guess he has practiced it. He's incredibly tough. However, even if Jiang ZhaHu didn't have the Golden Scale Diagram, I was bound to lose that battle. I landed three punches in total, but didn't hit his vital parts. He only landed one punch on me, which directly shattered my spine. That feeling... I'll never forget it."
There was a moment of silence in the prison cell.
Qiu Tianhe considered for a while and then spoke again:
"Senior Liu, you seem to understand that even if you cure your internal injury and return to your full strength, you're probably still no match for Jiang ZhaHu. At least the world knows that you taught Jiang ZhaHu. It's better to live the last few years comfortably with your achievements and reputation than to never let go and die with hatred in your heart."
Liu Qiansheng gently rubbed his fingers and thought for a long time.
After all, once he let go of the past and the resentment in his heart dissipated, his life in the martial arts world would completely end.
Even if by some chance he cured his injury in the future, at his age, he would no longer have the ambition to rise again.
After pondering for a long time, Liu Qiansheng looked at Yejingtang:
"For the sake of Young Hero Qiu, I can agree to confess... and I can also hand over all my life's martial arts skills. But there are two conditions that the court must meet for me."
Yejingtang secretly let out a sigh of relief: "Please feel free to say it. If it's reasonable, the court will naturally consider it."
Liu Qiansheng said: "I can probably only live for two or three more years. As Young Hero Qiu said, I'm an old man, and no matter how much I stir up trouble, I won't be able to cause much of a commotion. In the future, I'll atone for my crimes and work for the court, teaching boxing masters while keeping my identity hidden. The court should let me die a natural death and give me a proper burial after my death."
Yejingtang nodded: "This problem shouldn't be too big."
Liu Qiansheng continued: "I won't teach my boxing techniques to mediocre people. I'll only pass them on to the court's masters. The court must also arrest Jiang ZhaHu. He's smuggling salt and iron at the border, and his crime deserves the death penalty."
"..."
Yejingtang sat up a bit straighter. He didn't expect that Liu Qiansheng actually wanted to use the court's power to avenge himself. He said:
"If there's a chance, without you saying it, the court will also eliminate Jiang ZhaHu. But it's too easy to leave Liangzhou, and Jiang ZhaHu isn't that easy to catch. The court can only do its best."
Liu Qiansheng said: "Lord Ye is extremely insightful and has extensive connections. It's not difficult to find Jiang ZhaHu. In terms of talent, Lord Ye may not necessarily be weaker than Jiang ZhaHu. As long as Lord Ye keeps his word and is willing to investigate Jiang ZhaHu, this matter really isn't difficult."
Yejingtang thought carefully: "I'll do my best. You can first confess the case of King Wu. You can hand over your martial arts skills to the court later."
Since the deal was reached, Liu Qiansheng didn't say more:
"I don't know much about the matter of King Wu. I was willing to work for King Wu because there was a pharmacist who escaped from Beiliang under King Wu's command. He was a disciple of the Medical Sage of Beiliang, named Zhang Jinglin. He might be able to cure my old injury."
Yejingtang called out to the wellhead and asked the constable above to throw down a black-covered notebook. He took out a small pen from the side and carefully recorded:
"Is this Zhang Jinglin more powerful than Divine Doctor Wang?"
Liu Qiansheng shook his head: "There's no injury that Divine Doctor Wang can't cure. If there is, it's just a lack of medicinal materials, not that he can't cure it. I secretly came to the capital before. Divine Doctor Wang told me to find the Snow Lake Flower, and he could cure me, but I couldn't find it. Zhang Jinglin doesn't seem to be a doctor. He uses more like strange and secret techniques. Although he didn't cure my injury, I saw with my own eyes that he administered a secret medicine, which greatly increased the power of a death row prisoner with mediocre martial arts skills, almost doubling it."
Yejingtang paused in his writing: "There's such a medicine?"
Qiu Tianhe said: "It's probably a medicine that takes an evil path. It overdraft the body in a short time, causing great harm to the enemy but also great harm to oneself."
Liu Qiansheng nodded: "That's right. The person who took it died in just two quarters of an hour. But I've never seen such a powerful and strange