Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter Twenty-Seven: Attitude

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At the entrance of the Princess Changning’s residence, Chen Chang’an was about to head back to Huaiyuan Lane to find his former brother-in-law when Wu Yuanheng and Li Shu arrived, leading a large contingent of men.

“There you are, boy!” Li Shu spotted him and breathed a sigh of relief, giving his shoulder a light pat as he admonished, “Don’t run off on your own in the future, understand?”

Fat Wu Yuanheng said nothing, but his face was covered in sweat thicker than grease, his breathing labored. In Chen Chang’an’s memory, neither of them had ever acted like this. Though their expressions were obscured, the urgency in their voices was unmistakable.

“What… what’s happened?” he asked.

Li Shu pounded his chest, coughing to steady himself. “Just now, Ye Lin and Hua Mulan were attacked by a mysterious figure at Pingkang Lane. Both were gravely wounded!”

“Damn!” Chen Chang’an couldn’t hold back his exclamation. In his mind, Hua Mulan was the powerhouse of their ‘team’—even Li and Wu together might not match her. Who could possibly inflict such injuries?

Li Shu had no time to puzzle over Chen’s unfamiliar curse and hurried on, “Ye Lin found a round stone engraved with characters amid the ruins of Chun Yun Tower. It’s certain to be the token of affection between the headless corpse and the courtesan She Yue.”

“They went to Pingkang Lane to seek Dog Master, who is quite learned in inscribed stones. Just as Dog Master was about to reveal the owner of the stone, he suddenly died!”

“Suddenly died?” Chen Chang’an felt his legs go weak.

Wu Yuanheng spoke up, “It was the Executioner Technique!”

Li Shu nodded, “Exactly—the Ninth Original Technique, Executioner. The lower the number, the more terrifying the power, especially the top ten. As a warrior’s realm increases, their strength can become world-shattering!”

“Executioner allows one to control any limb or organ within a person’s body. Dog Master died when his heart exploded!”

Good heavens—Chen Chang’an nearly spun in place from fright. Imagine strolling hand-in-hand with a maiden, carefree, then suddenly your heart, liver, spleen, and lungs all explode from within. The scene would be too grisly to describe.

How could such a terrifying Original Technique exist? He silently prayed that he might awaken some skill to counter Executioner someday. Not that it was likely—only third-rank warriors could access the Technique Realm. Besides, perhaps his talents were more suited to cultivating immortality than martial arts!

“Oh, right!” He suddenly recalled a detail and asked, “What exploded on Ye Lin? His kidney?”

Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng exchanged a wry smile, and finally Li Shu forced himself to reply, “Ye Lin suffered only superficial wounds. He managed to escape thanks to his Original Technique, Boundless.”

“I see,” Chen Chang’an let out a long breath. The clues Ye and Hua uncovered must have gotten close to the truth, hence the attack. Bringing Su Dingfeng into the case was wise—an immortal cultivator, no matter how unskilled, was stronger than any martial artist.

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“So… about my former—er, that Swordsman Su. If he meets the mysterious figure who can use Executioner, can he win?” Chen Chang’an asked sincerely.

“It’d be settled in a single stroke!” Before Li and Wu could reply, Su Dingfeng approached, sword in hand, and answered himself.

Chen Chang’an was elated. “Really? Just one strike?”

His urgent and serious tone made the white-clad swordsman hesitate, his confidence faltering. “Well… maybe two or three strokes.”

“Two or three strokes would do it?” Chen Chang’an stepped closer.

Su Dingfeng gave a dry laugh. “It might… probably… take four, five, or six strokes.”

Chen Chang’an: “…”

Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng exchanged a glance, then turned to Chen Chang’an and said in unison, “Have you made any progress? Don’t worry, we’ll assign someone to protect you later. Just focus on solving the case.”

“No… nothing yet. Suddenly I feel a bit tired—no, very tired. Let me rest for a while, then we’ll talk!” Chen Chang’an swallowed and tugged at Su Dingfeng’s sleeve.

Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng looked at each other. “But Chen Chang’an, since you took this on, you have to see it through. Don’t give up halfway!”

Chen straightened his back. “What… what do you mean ‘give up halfway’? I’m just saying it’s late. I’ll rest and investigate again tomorrow.”

Li Shu gave a helpless glance at the setting sun. “Alright, alright, we’ll continue tomorrow. But you must uncover the truth before the Longevity Festival!”

“Of course, absolutely!” Chen Chang’an nodded vigorously, dragging Su Dingfeng away from the Princess Changning’s residence.

The case must be investigated, but it needed to be done quietly and in secret. Whether it was the burning of Chun Yun Tower or the attack on Ye Lin and Hua Mulan, it proved the mastermind was nearby, watching.

If they uncovered a crucial clue, they would surely be eliminated by the enemy. That’s why he hadn’t dared to ask Li and Wu what exactly Ye Lin found at Chun Yun Tower.

As the sun set and darkness fell, Chen Chang’an and Su Dingfeng arrived outside the Su family estate. Both gates were tightly shut, sealed with two strips bearing the Ministry of Household’s stamp. The scene was desolate, the atmosphere bleak.

Chen Chang’an tried pushing the gates but couldn’t budge them, muttering to himself, “Almost forgot—they’ve all been exiled to the outer city. No one’s here!”

“Even if there were, I have nothing to do with the Su family now. Why am I here? Oh, Su Dingfeng is with me—I need his protection, so I can’t leave his side. Well, nothing to worry about then, thank you!”

He asked tentatively, “Should we… go to an inn?”

The white-clad swordsman lifted his chin proudly. “Why bother with an inn? This is still the Su family estate—I can live here! Those shameless officials and the muddled court—these seals are nothing.”

As he spoke, he grabbed Chen Chang’an by the collar and leapt over the wall, landing gently inside the courtyard. Just as they touched down, hurried footsteps approached, and Qin Fuluo and Su Wanqing came running, holding up their skirts.

“Mother, Second Sister—why are you still here? Haven’t you moved to the outer city?” Su Dingfeng was surprised.

Chen Chang’an’s vision was worse after dark, so he could only hear the footsteps drawing near. It wasn’t until Su Dingfeng greeted them that he realized who they were.

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Why hadn’t they moved to the outer city? Why were they still hiding in the estate? Chen Chang’an silently wondered the same thing as Su Dingfeng.

“Mother, Second Sister…” Su Dingfeng tried to greet them.

Yet Qin Fuluo and Su Wanqing skirted past him, their long legs carrying them straight to Chen Chang’an. They stopped before him, smiling brightly. “Our dear son-in-law has returned! How goes the investigation? Are you exhausted?”

“Brother-in-law, sit with us and tell us how the case is progressing. You can stay here in peace—after all, you’re the Su family’s son-in-law, my brother-in-law forever!” Su Wanqing declared.

“Once you uncover the truth for the Princess Changning, remember to have her plead with Her Majesty the Empress to restore our Su family’s household registration in the inner city!”

Chen Chang’an’s face twitched as realization dawned. So, despite the gates being tightly sealed by the Ministry of Household, the two women had risked staying inside, waiting for him to solve the case and earn Princess Changning’s intercession to restore their inner city status.

They were certainly determined.

He shrugged off his fatigue, stretching and yawning. “The investigation is going well—I should have the truth by tomorrow!”

“Oh my!” Qin Fuluo clapped her hands in delight. “Truly worthy of being my good son-in-law, able to make such progress in the princess’s major case in so little time.”

“Chang’an, I’ve already severely scolded Wanqiu. If that wayward girl ever mentions divorcing you again, I’ll make sure she’s properly punished!”

Chen Chang’an didn’t respond, instead groaning, “I’ve been running around all day—my legs ache, and my back… oh, it’s sore!”

“Look how tired our dear son-in-law is!” Qin Fuluo immediately began massaging his back, while Su Wanqing brought him a cup of fine tea, offering it with both hands. “Brother-in-law, here, some premium tea. Drink, then rest well!”

As Qin Fuluo massaged him, she spoke earnestly, “When you uncover the truth tomorrow and Princess Changning rewards you, be sure to have her plead with Her Majesty to restore our Su family’s household registration in the inner city, alright?”

She and her daughter Su Wanqing had planned: if the culprit was caught, they would accept this ‘blind man’; if not, they would cut ties quickly. Now, hearing Chen Chang’an promise the truth would be revealed tomorrow, they were eager to strengthen their connection.

“Well, we’ll see then,” Chen Chang’an replied, swirling the tea from Su Wanqing around his mouth and, in a show of aloofness, spat it out on the spot, responding in a deliberately cool tone.

Su Wanqing and Qin Fuluo: “…”