The next day, evening.
The prison, located in the deepest part of the entire guard station, was the most secluded and remote. Apart from the jailers and prisoners guarding it, and the escorts, few people usually came and went. Most even actively avoided it.
The setting sun, gradually sinking in the west, was blocked by the tall surrounding walls, casting long shadows on the ground.
Two extremely heavy black iron gates were carved with the dragon's son, Bi'an, with its beast head lowered, silently standing in the shadows.
A couplet was written on either side of the gate, but there was no horizontal inscription.
Left: Law is unforgiving.
Right: Prison has strict rules.
In the center of the courtyard, there was a lounge chair.
A plump young man was sitting on it, completely covering the entire lounge chair, as if he were suspended in the air.
Ning Yue, with his hands behind his back, stared intently for a while before he could vaguely make out the outline of the chair.
“I say, Old Xie, you just got off duty, why are you already sunbathing?”
Xie Qing recognized the voice, and hearing it, his face lit up. He rose to greet Ning Yue, and the lounge chair beneath him creaked under the strain.
“Oh, isn’t this Shuang Jue? Please come in, please come in.”
They say good news doesn't leave the house, but bad news travels a thousand miles.
Ning Yue hadn't expected that his glorious deeds from yesterday would even be known by Xie Qing, who rarely paid attention to current affairs, and he couldn't help but blush.
In Gu City, besides the City Lord’s Zhao Family, the Xue, Mo, Han, and Xie Four Great Families were the most powerful.
Xie Qing, as the eldest son of the Xie Family, was born of a concubine.
He was neither good at academics nor martial arts, and he was not ambitious.
His family didn't force him, arranging for him the leisurely position of prison chief, which suited his tastes perfectly, so he had been doing it for five years.
Xie Qing didn't have many hobbies, and he even rarely indulged in women. He only found it impossible to resist fine wine and delicious food.
After Ning Yue transmigrated, he actively catered to Xie Qing's preferences. To his surprise, after a few cups of wine, the two found their temperaments compatible and began to call each other brothers, becoming close friends.
The two entered the hall together. Ning Yue extended his hands from behind his back; one hand held apricot blossom wine, and the other carried an oil-paper wrapped, red-string-bound roasted chicken and side dishes. Xie Qing’s mouth watered with desire.
Ning Yue’s martial arts had advanced greatly recently, while Xie Qing enjoyed his peaceful daily life. The two of them drank cup after cup, having a lively time.
After three rounds of drinks, Ning Yue brought up the matter of his younger brother, Zhang Qiguang.
Xie Qing heard this and said, “Who did I think it was? So it’s that kid. Harassing a respectable woman on the street, and daring to harass the Princess, he wouldn’t be wronged if he was beaten to death. But he’s also an unlucky one.”
“When he first came in yesterday, he was still arrogant, but he didn’t expect that once he actually felt the whip, he immediately cowered like a dog with its tail between its legs.”
At this point, Xie Qing seemed to have understood. He turned his head and asked, “What? Did someone ask you to intercede? Let’s be clear, as your older brother, I can’t help you with this. The Marquis’s Residence has given orders for him to suffer a bit in prison.”
Ning Yue laughed and said, “To be honest, brother, someone did intercede, but my family’s demands aren’t high. Just don’t let him die. Suffering a bit to learn his lesson is fine too.”
As he spoke, he took out a silver note from his sleeve and handed it over, but Xie Qing waved it away.
“Take it, take it! It’s such a small matter, no need for this.”
Xie Qing added, “I was planning to give him thirty more lashes today, but since you say so, little brother... then after the beating, I’ll get him some wound medicine.”
“That would be excellent.” Ning Yue readily agreed and raised his cup to toast.
“No more drinking, no more drinking, any more and it’ll be too much.” Xie Qing waved his hand. He still remembered how Ning Yue had tricked him into giving up a Xuan-grade saber technique last time when he was drunk.
As for the time before that, his family’s inherited Xuan Gang Body Refinement Art was almost conned out of him by this kid.
Ning Yue remained silent, simply pouring wine, while Xie Qing, though saying he wouldn't drink, always emptied his cup.
After a few more drinks, Xie Qing proactively started a conversation, “I heard that when you surrounded the mountain yesterday, all three of the bandit leaders ran away.”
Ning Yue said, “That’s right. After the military supplies were robbed, the Garrison Commander was truly enraged. This time, they even invited people from the Demon Suppressing Division to surround the mountain. I didn’t expect that not a single big fish would be caught, which is a real pity. The guard station posted the wanted notices yesterday.”
“You, kid, truly don’t know whether it’s a blessing or a curse.” Xie Qing pointed his finger at his wine cup, signaling for a refill, then continued, “Think about it, those few who could be leaders on Bald Mountain, which one isn’t at least a martial artist at the Great Completion of Lian Rou Realm? If they were truly there and broke through from the direction you were guarding, could you have stopped them?”
Ning Yue was startled by these words, and much of his drunkenness was scared away.
Yesterday, just dealing with that thin man at the initial stage of Lianrou (Body Refinement) was so difficult.
If he truly encountered such a master, let alone stopping them, he probably wouldn't even be able to run away. The difference in realms was too great. His iron-core arrows striking them would be no different from tickling.
Moreover, it would be fine if these few mountain bandits had died, but now they are mostly hiding in the city. If he were completely unvigilant and accidentally ran into them, it's hard to guarantee they wouldn't attack him.
Danger was already approaching, but he was completely unaware.
Seeing this, Xie Qing quickly comforted him, “Don’t worry, our Garrison Commander is not to be trifled with either. Having suffered such a great loss, he surely won’t let it rest. You just stay calm.”
After hearing these words, Ning Yue realized that the children of these aristocratic families were not simple. Even Xie Qing, who seemed like a good-for-nothing, had a deep understanding of strategy and power struggles, far surpassing his own.
And his direct superior, Xue Ren, as the legitimate son of the Xue Family and their only heir, must have received the full cultivation of his family. His cunning was even deeper, and he had probably already figured out these matters.
No wonder he told him to be careful yesterday, Ning Yue suddenly realized.
Xie Qing and Xue Ren were both scions of aristocratic families, but Ning Yue's attitude towards the two was distinctly different. Towards Xue Ren, he felt a closeness tinged with respect.
But with Xie Qing... there was only closeness. However, Ning Yue himself felt more at ease with Xie Qing.
He nodded with a solemn expression, indicating that he would be extra careful, and tilted his head back, draining the wine in his cup.
Then he curiously asked, “Speaking of which, daring to collude with mountain bandits and rob military supplies, these are crimes punishable by extermination of three generations. I wonder who had the audacity?”
“Hard to say,” Xie Qing shook his head, indicating he wasn't sure. “These past few years, although our few great families have also been scheming and fighting openly and secretly, no one has dared to cross the bottom line.”
“I’m just afraid of those hotheads who just arrived in Gu City, fearing nothing. They might end up dead without even knowing how they died.”
Ning Yue nodded in deep agreement.
He then saw that Xie Qing’s face was flushed, and his eyes were somewhat unfocused.
Seeing that the time was right, Ning Yue directly asked, “Speaking of which, this younger brother has been having some difficulties in his cultivation recently. Older brother, your martial arts are unparalleled, I’ll have to trouble you to give me some pointers.”
Xie Qing let out a burp. At this moment, he still had some awareness. Hearing this, he chuckled, “People only say that martial arts depend heavily on innate talent, but they don’t know that without sufficient comprehension, even the best talent will struggle to succeed.”
“The higher the grade of the cultivation method, the more difficult it is to get started. Little Yue, it’s not that your older brother looks down on you, but even if I recited all of the Xie Family’s cultivation methods to you, I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to practice them. You might as well just drink!”
At this point, he seemed afraid that Ning Yue wouldn't be convinced, so he asked, “That Night Battle Eight Desolations saber technique is not bad. You’ve been secretly practicing it for about a year now, haven’t you? How is your progress?”
Ning Yue said, “I’m ashamed to say, I’m still at the minor completion stage.”
“Hahaha, isn’t that the truth?” Xie Qing said, bursting with laughter.
Ning Yue then refilled his cup again: “That’s the truth, but this younger brother is unwilling! How does that saying go, ‘If you can’t find the thick one, the thin one will do’?”
“It’s called ‘If one learns the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening!’” Xie Qing clapped his hands and sighed, “Alright, your family background isn’t high, and you’re not good at academics, so you don’t have much of a future in this life. Then I, your older brother, will fulfill this wish for you.”
“But there’s one thing, you absolutely must not spread it outside.” Xie Qing wasn’t completely drunk yet, and he carefully warned.
“Don’t worry, older brother, this younger brother understands.” Ning Yue thumped his chest, making a resounding noise.