Moron

Leaning against the gray stone-brick wall, Xu Yuan listened in silence to the voices drifting from the front courtyard, his lowered gaze hiding his expression. Ever since her sharp rebuke had fallen, not a single sound had crossed the wall from the other side. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Li Junwu appeared to have steadied the high-ranking generals, though that stability was bound to crumble before long. "Commandery Princess, please do not persist in this willful course! You have already slain Commander Zhan over the lies of treacherous scum—must you continue down this mistaken path?!" "Commander Zhan cannot be brought back from the dead! What is done is done, so let us first secure that villain!" "Your cultivation is not yet sufficient to command such a grand array. Please, show some pity for your own body!" "If you truly insist that Saints are coming to assault the city, we old fossils are willing to assist you in defending it! But regarding Commander Zhan, we urge you to reconsider!" "......" Listening to the low, urgent remonstrations coming from next door, Xu Yuan let out a soft sigh. Tianye's voice drifted over quietly, carrying the playful amusement of someone watching a good show: "Judging by your expression, you don't seem surprised by their reaction at all." Xu Yuan gave a quiet snort. "Human nature has been like this since ancient times. What is there to be surprised about?" Tianye leaned against the gray stone wall beside him, her arms still crossed over her chest, one index finger tapping lightly against her arm. "You really had this woman read like a book." Xu Yuan shook his head. "Li Junwu's overarching direction isn't actually wrong. It's just that there was a flaw in her execution." "How so?" "She shouldn't have chosen to justify herself." "Oh?" Tianye showed a flicker of interest. Xu Yuan smiled faintly and said, "Those subordinates came demanding an explanation, but their stance was already predetermined. No matter how much you say, no matter how indisputable your evidence is, they will always find an angle from their preconceived stance to attack your actions." Tianye's golden eyes glinted, and she asked with a smile, "Then what do you think she should have done?" Xu Yuan chuckled. "Rather than trying to prove your own innocence, it's better to slander others. Under the Zhenxi Army's military system, commanders and their subordinate officers are tightly bound together by default. Whoever the hell dares to utter another word is colluding with Zhan Xian'an and in league with the Qin family." "...Trust you to think of that." Tianye went quiet for a moment, then smiled even wider. "Still, those generals really dare to commit insubordination like this, don't they?" A strange look crossed Xu Yuan's eyes. But recalling Tianye's background, he gently shook his head. "With your upbringing, you wouldn't understand. After all, you were groomed to be the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master since childhood." "Meaning what?" Tianye tilted her head. "Prestige." Xu Yuan let out another wistful sigh. "Normally, you can't see or touch it. But when you want to overstep bounds and take radical action, it's what makes the people around you fall in line. Li Junwu underestimated Zhan Xian'an's importance in the eyes of these generals, and she overestimated her own standing in Zhenxi Manor." Though his bosom brother was the rightful banner of legitimacy for Zhenxi Manor, she had long been away from the Western Border. To these veteran generals, on one side stood a comrade-in-arms who had shared life and death with them for over a decade; on the other stood a decorative flower who had spent her life sheltered in a greenhouse. To use the Prime Minister's Manor as an analogy, what Li Junwu was doing now was roughly equivalent to Xu Yuan executing someone of Lou Ji's or Black Qilin Army Commander Zong Qingsheng's rank on the spot, and then telling the others that the person had been a traitor. Prestige was truly vital. Whether in Shengshan County, the Northern Border, or here in the Western Border, the reason his old man had continuously let Xu Yuan take charge of these major crises was to allow him to accumulate immense prestige in a short span of time, forcing the upper echelons of the Prime Minister's Manor to submit to him. Yet the prestige Li Junwu possessed was far from sufficient to justify slaying Zhan Xian'an. The reaction of the subordinates naturally went without saying. "......" Due to the inertia of her lifelong thinking, Tianye had indeed failed to consider that point. After savoring his words for a moment, she glanced toward the front courtyard and asked with a light laugh, "Then what do you think should be done now? If this goes on, those generals might just mutiny." Xu Yuan pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: "Let's wait a bit longer and see how Li Junwu plans to handle it. Perhaps she has her own considerations." Tianye seemed somewhat surprised to hear this. "I thought you'd rush out right away to save the day." With that, Tianye playfully poked Xu Yuan in the ribs with her index finger. "Talking all that talk about not trusting her, yet here you are choosing to believe in her after all." Xu Yuan swatted her hand away, his expression calm. "If I have to step in and save the day every single time, how is Li Junwu supposed to shoulder the heavy burdens of Zhenxi Manor in the future? Besides, my method isn't necessarily the best solution." "So what would your method be?" "Kill. Purge. Severe times call for severe measures. To say nothing of a moment of life and death like this—we hold absolute violence within Zhenxi Prefectural City right now. Anyone who disobeys, kill them all. Kill until none of them dare utter a peep." "......" Tianye fell silent. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" "Nothing. Just feeling like you've really changed a lot, Brother Xu Yuan." "You say that as if you knew me so well in the first place." "Of course I did." Tianye gave a soft snort. "In the Meishen illusory realm, I watched everything that happened from the moment you fled the Qionghua Sect with utmost care." "Deduced by the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master back then?" "Mm-hmm." "...You really had too much free time." "I felt like it~" "......" *Clang!* As the two traded barbs, the ringing hum of a blade clearing its scabbard suddenly echoed from the front courtyard, drawing both Xu Yuan's and Tianye's attention at once. As the sound rang out, the voices of the generals in the courtyard cut off abruptly. Li Junwu had drawn the saber at her waist. Its edge gleamed with a chilling light beneath the distorted sunlight. Looking down at the generals before her—some familiar, some strangers—she spoke in a measured voice: "You are all here seeking justice for Zhan Xian'an, correct?" "......" Looking at that gleaming blade, the generals present showed no fear in their eyes, but none of them spoke. Li Junwu took a deep breath. Raising the blade, she spoke in a resolute, frigid tone: "Since you believe Zhan Xian'an was a loyal subject, and believe this commandery princess killed him after falling for the slander of others, then this commandery princess is willing to pay for his life with her own..." The moment the words left her mouth, Li Junwu twisted the blade in her grip. The steel traced a beautiful arc through the air, sweeping toward her slender neck without the slightest hesitation. Sensing this, Xu Yuan's pupils shrank violently. Through his spiritual vision, he perceived that his bosom brother had not held back in the slightest. Carrying the lingering might of the military array, the edge arrived at her throat in the blink of an eye... The morning sun had already risen in the east, radiant yet not blinding. *Schink...* Time seemed to freeze in that instant. Only the sound of steel biting into flesh quietly echoed. A rough, armored hand clamped down firmly onto the thick-hilted military blade in Li Junwu's grasp. Blood dripped down the fuller of the blade and the cut finger bones, pattering against the flagstones. "......" "......" Watching this scene, Xu Yuan's mind went blank for a heartbeat, and only then did his pulse begin to race in belated shock. It had happened far too suddenly. Even Huang Shiwei standing off to the side had not had time to intervene. Xu Yuan could sense that if this veteran general surnamed Jin had not stepped in to stop it, his bosom brother's head would have already parted from her shoulders. Tianye, however, maintained her amused spectator's demeanor, observing the woman named Li Junwu with great interest. "Your friend really has some nerve. She actually dared to gamble with her own life." Xu Yuan shot her a glare. "Cut the crap! You could have stopped her just now, couldn't you?" "I could have, but why should I?" Tianye countered with a grin. "What's the matter? Anxious now?" Xu Yuan took a deep breath to steady his emotions, no longer paying any mind to the demoness, and silently focused all his attention on observing the front courtyard. *Drip...* *Drip...* Blood dripped down. The tip of the blade held by the veteran general Jin trembled faintly under the strain of their contest of strength. Looking at the young woman before him, a complex look surfaced in his weathered eyes. "Commandery Princess... why must you do this? Since you have returned safely to the city, the Marquis will most likely withdraw the army and return to the capital once he learns of it. Wouldn't it be better to wait until his return before making a decision?" Li Junwu looked at the unfamiliar, aged face before her and said sharply, "This commandery princess has already stated that Saints will assault the city! If you all cannot prepare for battle with everything you have, and Zhenxi Prefectural City falls, how is my father supposed to withdraw the army?! Rather than watching helplessly as Zhenxi Prefectural City is breached and its people slaughtered, this commandery princess would rather die right here!" "......" A heavy silence descended. In the end, it was still Lu Baizou, standing at the head of the ranks, who spoke in a low, measured voice: "Since the Commandery Princess has made up her mind and is willing to vouch for it with her life, we old fossils will naturally cooperate." With that, he bowed his head and offered a military salute to Li Junwu atop the steps, saying in a low voice, "Commandery Princess, you are the future of Zhenxi Manor. We only hope you will prioritize your own safety." With those words, the assembly of senior generals lowered their heads and offered salutes one after another, echoing in unison: "We pray the Commandery Princess prioritizes her safety!" "We pray the Commandery Princess prioritizes her safety!" "......" As the echoes faded, the courtyard sank back into silence. Li Junwu's grip on the blade relaxed slightly. Seeing her ease up, the veteran general Jin also slowly stepped back to flank Lu Baizou's side, following suit with a salute. Li Junwu pursed her lips, flicked the blade in her hand once more, and grabbed the waterfall of black hair behind her with one hand. *Shhhk—* A horizontal slash sheared through, and three thousand strands of fine hair fell away in an instant. Bathed in the sunlight, Li Junwu gripped the severed tresses and declared in a clear, ringing voice: "Cutting my hair in place of my head, I spare my life for now. If my judgment proves mistaken, this commandery princess is willing to pay for Zhan Xian'an with her life! But until then, I expect all of you to be truly united in purpose, just as you are right now!" *** "Seriously, you look hideous." "Are you out of your mind?" "Don't tell me you think this short hair looks good on you?" "You're the hideous one! Your whole family is hideous!" "It's bad to speak against your conscience. My entire family is famed for celestial grace and peerless looks. Short hair really doesn't suit you." "Xu Changtian, are you looking for a fight?! I still have the power of the military array stored in my body!" "Ha, against you? I can take you with one hand behind my—wait, hold on, don't—" *Thud!* Inside the quiet Military Affairs Hall, the sound of their squabbling drifted far through the open window lattice. Xu Yuan knelt on one knee, clutching his lower abdomen. Even circulating his cultivation with all his might couldn't stave off the bone-piercing agony. Looking up at the bosom brother standing before him, Xu Yuan bared his teeth and cursed, "Damn it, you really didn't hold back at all!" Li Junwu, whose hair was now cropped to her ears, gave a cold snort, turned around, and sat down behind the desk. "That's what you get for constantly yapping like an idiot! You brought it on yourself." Circulating his energy to barely suppress the pain in his abdomen, Xu Yuan pushed himself up, walked over to the desk, and casually retrieved a jade vial from his Sumeru ring, tossing it before her. "When did you start caring so much about what others think of your appearance? Honestly, you can't even take a joke." Li Junwu ignored his sharp tongue. Looking at the jade vial before her, she knitted her brows and asked, "What is this?" Xu Yuan leaned against the edge of the desk and said casually, "A Black Ginseng Meridian-Warming Pill. Forcibly drawing upon the array power of twenty thousand soldiers must have done a number on your meridians." A flicker of emotion crossed Li Junwu's eyes, followed by a cold snort. Without refusing, she popped the stopper off the vial, tilted her head back, and swallowed the melt-in-the-mouth medicinal pill. Seeing how brazenly unceremonious she was, Xu Yuan became indignant instead, speaking in a sarcastic tone: "Whoa, you really don't hold back, do you? Do you have any idea how much a single pill like that costs? You know it's priceless, something ordinary people couldn't buy even if they wanted to?" Li Junwu tilted her fair neck slightly, retorting with a touch of disdain, "Well, your family is rich anyway. What, is the great Young Master Xu starting to feel the pinch already?" "......" Xu Yuan curled his lip. Weighing how to strike back, he stared at Li Junwu's ear-length short hair for several seconds, then burst out laughing. *Smack!* Li Junwu slapped a hand onto the desk in front of her, glaring at him as her chest heaved. "Seriously, are you ever going to drop it?!" Xu Yuan shrugged and replied with a grin, "You already had the personality of a guy to begin with. Now that you've got short hair, you really are a tomboy." "Xu Changtian, you—" Hearing that, Li Junwu's temper flared instantly, her fists clenched as she glared at him. But after a few moments, her spirit deflated. She averted her gaze and mumbled in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum: "It's not like hair won't grow back. Why care so much..." "What was that?" "I said hair is something that will grow back in a couple of years anyway!" "......" After a beat of silence, Xu Yuan scratched his ear and grumbled, "Why are you yelling so loud?" *Whoosh—* A sharp whistle of parting air tore through the room. Sitting in her chair, Li Junwu lashed out with a whip-kick straight toward Xu Yuan. She was going to beat this bastard to death! Seeing this, Xu Yuan didn't panic in the least. A true powerhouse never fell to the same trick twice. Raising his hand lightly with a pull and a deflection, he stripped away the force behind the strike and caught her ankle firmly in his grasp. Li Junwu froze, caught off guard. Angrily, she snapped, "Let go of me! Xu Yuan, if you don't let go, believe me, I'll use the city-protecting array on you!" "......" Holding her ankle and listening to her words, Xu Yuan took a deep breath. The teasing grin on his face gradually faded, and looking at her wide-eyed glare, he asked in a chilled voice: "Li Junwu, I have no objections to you cutting your hair in place of your head. But before that... did you truly intend to slit your own throat?" "......" Li Junwu stared blankly for an instant upon hearing this. Then her anger vanished, her lips curving upward. She went to brush her hair back with a hand, only to find nothing there. Pouting slightly, she chuckled with a snort: "What? Is the great Young Master Xu actually worried about this lady?" "Worried about you? Has your brain atrophied?" "......" "Then again, I shouldn't have held any expectations for you. If I'd known, I would have gone out and handled this myself. Gambling with your life at every turn—you're so fucking stupid." "Wait, how am I stupid? This lady only did that because of the analysis you gave me earlier!" Li Junwu grew anxious. Xu Yuan frowned slightly. "The analysis I gave you?" Li Junwu exerted some strength, wresting her long leg free from his grip, and snorted: "Didn't you say earlier that my old man would definitely have planted his own loyalists among the high-ranking officers of the Second Division? So if I tried to commit suicide, someone would definitely step in to stop me. "Before attempting to slit my throat, this lady deliberately loosened my control over the military array. With the speed of that loyalist aided by the array's power, he would certainly be able to stop me." Saying so, Li Junwu lifted her fair chin, offering a radiant, slightly smug smile: "Now the man has been identified, and the army's morale has been stabilized. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?~" Staring at the flawless smile on the woman's face, Xu Yuan went quiet for a moment before suddenly asking: "...And what if my judgment had been wrong? What would you have done then?" "Huh?" "You really are a moron."