Chapter Thirty-Two: The Society for Eradicating Traitors

The elderly man in the plain robe radiated kindness, his brows gentle and his expression warm. As soon as he stepped into the inn, his eyes swept over the patrons, and he cleared his throat, announcing, “Three copper coins for the fortune of heaven and earth; let the weary travelers of the mortal world smile upon their future.”

He stood there, twisting his long beard with the air of a reclusive sage, but after waiting a moment and seeing no one react, he became somewhat awkward. After coughing twice more, he walked over to the table of the burly man with the giant hammer and chain at his waist, smiling as he said, “From afar I could already see auspicious light around your brows, a sign of fortune and prosperity. But there's a trace of ominous purple hovering between your temples—seeking aid, scattered across the jade sea. Why not grant this old man your birth date and eight characters for a reading?”

The strong man laughed heartily, tearing a chicken leg from the table and chewing as he replied, “Life and death are heaven’s decree. What difference does it make, reading or not?”

“Not so!” the fortune-teller shook his head. “Heaven cherishes life, and even the will of fate leaves room for escape. There is always a turning point in a human life—divination is to seek luck and avert disaster.”

Suddenly, laughter erupted from a nearby table. The old man turned to see it was the destitute scholar who had spoken.

“Come now, lazy old man!” the scholar laughed. “I’ll trust you. Read my fortune!”

The old man nodded and approached the scholar’s table. “Let me see your palm, please.”

Without hesitation, the scholar extended his left hand. “Go ahead, but let’s make it clear—I won’t pay if you get it wrong!”

“But of course!” the old man agreed, narrowing his eyes as he inspected the scholar’s hand.

After a long moment, the old man stroked his beard and sighed softly, “What a pity, sir. You are fated to toil after fortune, but never attain it.”

The scholar frowned, puzzled, “What does that mean?”

The old man explained, unhurriedly, “To toil after fortune means that one’s destiny places the star of office and wealth in a place of extinction; thus, no official rank, no fortune. Your talents and martial skills will not bring you sustenance. Ambitions soar, but luck fails, leaving only frustration.” As he spoke, he chanted:

“A mind full of essays is of no use,
A body of martial arts cannot feed you.
Ever chasing lofty goals,
Yet luckless, left in vain pursuit.”

“Nonsense!” the scholar snapped, slamming his hand on the table and glaring fiercely. He had once been a scholar, devoted to the pursuit of fame, but after repeated failures, he had turned to martial arts instead, where he had displayed considerable talent. The quest for official rank had always been his sore spot, and though he knew the fortune-teller spoke the truth, anger still flared in his heart.

With a sweep of his sleeve, the scholar sent the old man tumbling, making him roll three times across the floor before he struggled to his feet. Dusting off his clothing, the old man muttered to himself, “Rotten wood cannot be carved, rotten wood cannot be carved...”

Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the table where Liang Yan was seated and approached with a beaming smile. “Fate brings us together, young sirs. Why not let me read your fortunes as well? If I’m wrong, I’ll not take a coin!”

Liang Yan shrugged and casually extended his left hand. The old man nodded, placing his hand atop Liang Yan’s, squinting as if in deep calculation. Yet Liang Yan knew the truth—the old man was subtly probing his cultivation. Liang Yan sneered inwardly and quietly activated the Heavenly Pearl, utterly concealing any fluctuation in his cultivation. Aside from his unusually strong vitality, which marked him as a martial artist, he appeared no different from an ordinary man.

After a silent examination, the old man found nothing unusual and smiled, “A bird trapped in a cage, unable to fly free; with this fortune, you’ll struggle to rise. Plans and wealth will slip through your fingers, and disputes will cause you sorrow.”

“Bah! Rubbish!” Before Liang Yan could speak, Tang Diexian interjected, “You old fraud, if you’re so skilled, why not read your own fortune and see if I’ll beat you up in a moment?”

The old man immediately put on a fawning smile. “No, no, please! My old bones couldn’t withstand your prowess. I admit I spoke carelessly—the young master is surely blessed, with powerful patrons to assist him.”

Tang Diexian huffed, “At least you know your place!”

The old man observed Tang Diexian for a moment, and, detecting no trace of spiritual power, felt secretly relieved. With bamboo staff in right hand and left hand behind his back, he resumed his air of immortal dignity and swaggered out of the inn.

Liang Yan watched the old man’s retreating figure, thinking to himself, “His aura is faint, and I saw the same strange jade pendant on him earlier. They must be in league. But do they know the sect has sent people to investigate? Last night, when the man in the green robe died, they must have grown wary. We’ll have to be doubly cautious from now on.”

After returning to their room, Liang Yan and Tang Diexian discussed their plans. Tang Diexian would go out to gather information on the martial experts the sect had stationed in Yongle Town, while Liang Yan would investigate Chen Zhuo’an.

That night, in a remote grove outside Yongle Town, two figures stood facing each other in the moonlight—Chen Zhuo’an and Min Rou. Not far off, concealed behind a tree, was a young man in black, none other than Liang Yan, who had followed them there.

“Are they reliable?” Chen Zhuo’an asked.

“Yue Da has been with me for years, loyal and trustworthy—he won’t cause any trouble,” Min Rou replied. “As for Tang Er, I hired him last year. He’s sickly and can hardly move, and we’ve kept him entirely in the dark.”

Chen Zhuo’an nodded in satisfaction, gazing at Min Rou. The moonlight softened her features; she was still beautiful, though faint lines had begun to show at the corners of her eyes. He sighed. “Min Rou, you’ve suffered much these years. You were once the pampered daughter of a high official, but now...”

Min Rou quickly covered his mouth, her voice gentle. “Zhuo’an, there’s no need to say more. I chose this path.” A shadow crossed her eyes as she continued, “I’ve always blamed myself for being unable to help Sister Xiu back then. You and she were like immortals destined for each other—it’s a shame you couldn’t be together in the end...”

Recalling the past, Chen Zhuo’an’s expression grew somber. He was no fool—he knew full well the depth of Min Rou’s devotion, having given up her high-born status for him. Yet guilt over Xiu’er’s fate still weighed on his heart, making it hard to face Min Rou now.

After a long silence, Chen Zhuo’an spoke first. “Now that Li Hong, that scoundrel, controls the court, your father still regards our ‘Society of Justice’ as mere outlaws. But he hasn't allied with Li Hong either. If things go on, I fear Li’s vengeance will fall on him.”

Worry clouded Min Rou’s face. “My father is too rigid, seeing all martial societies as traitors. If only he’d work with us, we’d have a better chance. All I can do now is pray that Li Hong doesn’t move against him too soon.”

Just then, a voice called out from the woods, “No need to worry yet! Li Hong still has many political enemies to deal with. Two years ago, he murdered General Zhang and got entangled in the ‘false imperial edict’ affair, which remains unresolved. I doubt he’ll act against your father so soon.”

“Scholar!” Chen Zhuo’an turned to see that the speaker was the same down-and-out scholar from the inn.

“Haha, well said, fake scholar!” another voice chimed in from the shadows. “Li Hong, that villain, dared forge an imperial edict and caused General Zhang’s death. That blood debt must be repaid with blood!”

As these words were spoken, two figures emerged side by side from the forest—the chubby merchant and Lady Hua who had visited the inn earlier.

“Wang Bin, Lady Hua, you’re both here,” Chen Zhuo’an said with a smile. “Now we’re only missing Chu Laosan and Xu Fangke.”

“Hmph! With a gathering of the Society of Justice, how could I, Chu, be late?” As the words fell, two more men stepped from the woods: the burly man with the iron hammer at his waist, and the hawk-nosed companion from the inn. The strong man declared, “I’ve never admired anyone in my life except for General Zhang. Damn it, to see Li Hong forge an edict and force General Zhang to his death—what shameless treachery!”

Xu Fangke, the hawk-nosed man, shook his head. “When the sovereign commands, the minister must obey. Such a shame for a man of General Zhang’s integrity to meet such an end.”

With everyone assembled, Chen Zhuo’an cleared his throat and addressed them in a loud, clear voice. “We will avenge General Zhang’s blood. Li Hong’s crime of forging an imperial edict is treason—enough to implicate his entire clan. By murdering General Zhang, he has sown the seeds of his own destruction. Two years ago, Lord Tang Tiannan sent his followers to steal the false edict. Though pursued by Li Hong’s men, Lord Tang escaped with his life, though gravely wounded, and has not been seen since. The matter faded into obscurity. Yet our investigations revealed he fled here to Yongle Town. Devoted to the nation, he surely hid the false edict in his local stronghold before disappearing. Our mission is to uncover that edict and present it to the court, to bring down Li Hong.”

Everyone nodded solemnly, except the scholar, who frowned. “But Yongle Town is vast. The edict could be anywhere. With only a handful of us, how can we hope to find it?”

Chen Zhuo’an smiled. “I already have a lead. Lord Tang was known for his many followers and created a secret network to oppose Li Hong. There is a hidden stronghold right here in Yongle Town. I suspect he hid the false edict there.”

He then looked to Lady Hua, who smiled sweetly. “I’ve fulfilled my task. The map to the stronghold is now in our hands.”

Understanding dawned on the group. The scholar nodded, “So we have a good chance now. Why not go search immediately?”

“No rush,” Chen Zhuo’an replied, waving his hand. “Li Hong has also received intelligence and already sent one of his Four Great Guardians, Xiang Anran, to lie in wait in the town. With so many spies about, if we act rashly, we’ll be caught in their trap.”

“When should we move, then?” they all asked.

“I’ve already called for our leaders to gather. Of our eight Hall Masters, five are here, and the other three will soon arrive. Li Hong’s men are scattered and will take time to muster. When all eight of us are assembled, that is when we act to retrieve the false edict!”