Chapter 42
On the road hundreds of miles away from Yan Yang City, a troop of eye-catching infantry were currently advancing in the direction of said city. Fifty or so soldiers protecting a huge, gorgeous palanquin as they slowly marched onwards..
Within the palanquin was a young man donned in white along with three beautiful women carrying different bearings. One was wrapped in pink, flowery robes, a white shawl draped over her shoulder. Her face, though heavy with makeup, were like peach blossoms as she looked at the white robe man with tender feelings.
The clothes that the other two wore were exactly the same as others, even their appearances were similar. One glance was enough to tell that these two were a pair of twin sisters. The younger's palm-sized face was exquisite yet adorable. Her skin so delicate that it could tear with but a blow of breath or a flick of finger. She had a pair of the most beautiful shade of purple eyes that nothing could surpass — dazzling like gem. Adding the fluttering violet dress, she was like a fairy.
The other one, though clearly having the exact same face, yet the feeling she gave off was completely different. Compared to the younger sister, there was a trace of wisdom and maturity in the purple eyes of the elder sister.
The white robed man looked rather handsome. Being an age of twenty years or so, his build was rather tall and sturdy, yet he showed off the bearing of a hooligan. He disregarded the pink robed woman's flirtatious glances as he stared coarsely at the two pair of beautiful sisters. "My two beauties, this Prime Minister was decreed to come solve the flooding problem. I didn't expect to actually run into the City Lord's three beautiful-as-flowers daughters. It's truly fate that brings us together!"
These three women were Yan Yang City Lord's daughters. By name, the one in pink was called Yang Yuwei, the older twin in violet was Yang Xue while the younger twin was Yang Yue.
The three daughters naturally heard that this time, the Imperial Court had sent the newly ascended Right Prime Minister to resolve the flood problem, but they were plagued with worry, wondering if the Imperial Court would fault their father. However, never did they thought that they would run into said Prime Minister on the road.
With protection from soldiers in addition to that luxurious palanquin, the three of them believed that this man was, without a doubt, the current Prime Minister
Yang Yuwei, who wholeheartedly wanted to marry into a rich and powerful family, obviously would have some ideas. On the road, she gave it her all, but this young Prime Minister was still only interested in those two younger sisters of hers.
Upon thinking this, Yang Yuwei instantly got jealous. Stealing a glance at the two's exquisite appearances, she secretly ground her teeth.
Keeping her dissatisfaction in check, Yang Yuwei carried a charming smile as her entire body limply fall in the direction of the white robed man. "Great Prime Minister, after all this time, we still haven't gotten your name. If you don't tell us your name, how are we to find you later in Yan Yang City?"
The white robed man chuckled loudly as he caught that feeble, delicate body. Although the two beauties in violet didn't bother with himself, this Eldest Miss of the Yang family wasn't bad either.
"Miss Yang, this Prime Minister's name now, can't be easily known to strangers. But since the Young Miss wish to know, then this Prime Minister will just tell you. I'm called Da Zhu, it's fine if you all call me Da Zhu!"
"Da Zhu?" Yang Yuwei's mouth twitched, sizing the man up incredulously. She remembered that the newly-appointed Right Prime Minister seemed to be surnamed Zi. Could it be that he was called Zi Dazhu?? Yang Yuwei had heard of the Zi family before. An influential family with power to overturn the Imperial Court and the populace! Why would any of them take on this kind of name?
Chapter 43 — The Fake Prime Minister
When Dazhu caught onto the question in Yang Yuwei's tone, panic briefly flickered across his eyes, but it was to no one's notice. Intending to cover up his abnormality, he chuckled. "Beautiful, Dazhu is my nickname and I am rather fond of it. Only people who are close to me address me this way. So since I have told you, shouldn’t there be a reward of a sort?"
"Dazhu," Yang Yuwei blushed, pitifully glanced at the man but her eyes were release sparks towards him. "You're so mean!"
As Yang Yuwei and Dazhu flirt, Yang Yue felt somewhat dissatisfied. No, she wasn't jealous, but was speechless. She felt that eldest sister didn't know how to keep herself in check, she was still a woman after all!
Yang Xue, however, didn't even spare a glance in Dazhu's direction. Her pretty eyes were gazing out the window since the start, no one knowing what was on her mind but herself.
At this time, the entire troope was suddenly surrounded by a group of bandits. The leader of the group had his face masked, brandishing a huge axe in his hand as he shouted: "Stop right there! If you want to pass through this road, then obediently handover the toll fee. Otherwise, you'll need to ask whether or not my axe agrees!"
Dazhu was not very happy right now. To think that it wasn't easy for your father I, a bandit, to impersonate a Prime Minister for amusement, yet I still have to be robbed by bandits? If this spreads out in the future, then where will my, Dazhu's face hang?
Yang Yuwei's powdered face lost its color when she heard the threat. She frankly dove into Dazhu's arms. "Dazhu, I-I'm scared….."
Fastening his arm around Yang Yuwei, Dazhu gently consoled: "Beautiful, don't be scared. You have me, Dazhu, here. It'll only take me three or five kicks to take care of those clowns with their pathetic excuse of martial arts."
Dazhu then stepped out of the palanquin, yelling at the head of the bandits. "Where did you bunch come from? Do you know who I am?"
The head bandit didn't expect this man to keep his wits after encountering a heist, and calmly butting heads with them at that. He thought the man to be someone with a strong background, but as a bandit, he obviously wouldn't be afraid of these. Though, some problems should be dealt with earlier than later.
He bellowed with laughter, giving the man a look of disdain. "Which deity are you, good sir?"
"The name's Dazhu, Mt. Beiming Dazhu! Do you know who I am now?"
This Mt. Beiming and Mt. Yan Yang outside of Yan Yang City were twin mountains that face each other, and the relationship between the two chief of their respective bandit strongholds weren't bad either. What was more was that Dazhu's little sister was the other's wife, meaning that this chief bandit was his older brother-in-law. Thinking up to this point, his heart shuddered, was this for real? If his wife knew that he'd robbed her brother — wouldn't she flip out on me?
The head bandit immediately unmount himself from the house he was on, walked to Dazhu's side and pulled the latter towards a more remote spot. Sizing him up with that pretty face of his, he muttered in his heart. Brother-in-law didn't look this good, does he?
"Are you really older brother-in-law? He wasn't this good-liking in the past."
Detecting his very own brother-in-law's misgivings in the other's eyes, Dazhu chuckled. "This is me after changing appearances so of course you wouldn't recognize me." He knew that the other still didn't believe him, hence, he pulled up his sleeves, revealing his arm and the red birthmark on it. "You should at least recognize this birthmark, shouldn't you?"
"En, en! So you're really Big Brother! Your Little Brother has been impudent!" He had believed Dazhu this time. Although it was brother-in-law, but this Dazhu was his Big Brother as well — he would usually address him as Big Brother.
Dazhu nodded in satisfaction, slapping his his puny figure on the pack. "Liangzi, on behalf of your Big Brother's face, you should hurry up and let us pass over."
"Yes, of course, there's no question about that! Only, Big Brother, why are you hanging around these military soldiers? Aren't we bandits?"
Dazhu didn't see Liangzi as an outsider, so he told him all of the events that led up to now. Once Liangzi heard the entire story, he was given a start. "Big Brother, you even dare to impersonate the Prime Minister?! If you were to get caught, it's going to cost you your head!"
Chapter 44 — Finding the Truth
Dazhu wasn't afraid of some Imperial Court. If he was scared, then he wouldn't have become a bandit in the first place.
"Liangzi, don't worry about it," He consoled. "I already had people investigate this Prime Minister's troops. They're still a distance from here, so relax. I'll just go scam that Yan Yang City Lord for a sum of cash, then I'll immediately dash. He wouldn't be able to find me anywhere with this disguising art."
Langzi agreed that this was indeed a big deal to make, so he didn't stop it. "Alright then, Big Brother. I'll let you guys pass, but if an emergency comes up, remember to holler for me. This way, I came come help you."
"En, okay!"
After letting Dazhu pass through, Liangzi was incessantly depressed. It wasn't easy for himself to come do his job, but he hadn't expected that the person they caught for slaughter was his older brother-in-law. Not long after Dazhu's large parade of people left, a white robed youth appeared riding his horse on the road far in the distant.
Liangzi's eyes were sharp, he could tell from this distance that this young master with his rich-looking clothes and imposing air, the latter was surely a son of the some rich family! Wasn't this the lamb that the Heavens send him to slaughter?
Liangzi lit up in excitement, signaling to his brothers-in-arms. "Brothers, hurry and go have that white robed fella surrounded!"
And thus, the bandits rode on their horses and had the white robed young man encircled. Because he was far away, Liangzi couldn't see clearly, he only saw somewhat of a silhouette. It was only when the young man came closer into view did he realized that this guy was rather exceptionally handsome. Fair skin so soft that it seemed water could be squeezed from it. If not for the chill that came from his glabella, Liangzi would have thought him to be a cross-dressing woman!
Liangzi had grown to be old already, but this was the first time he had seen such a pretty boy before! Liangzi came out from his trance and pointed at the young man with his axe and fiercely spoke his lines. "I can tell from your look that you're from another part of the country, right? Then you must not know the rules here. If you want to cross this road, then you must ask whether or not this uncle's axe will agree!"
The young man spared him a frosty glance that made Liangzi feel as if he had fallen into an icy cave. The former's expression remained wooden as he asked indifferently: "What do you guys want?"
Liangzi actually felt fear towards this weak, scrawny youth merely because of that single glance, leading to his voice quivering involuntarily. "Y-you。。。。。。a-ask us。。。。。。w-what we w-want?!"
He then forced down his jitteriness, trying to comfort himself. It's one against many, what's there to be afraid of?! Liangzi, oh Liangzi, you're the head of a bandit stronghold! Those minions of yours are all watching, you can't be scared of him! Otherwise, how are you supposed to face them in the future?!
Regaining his confidence, Liangzi viciously glowered at the young man. "What do we want? Is there even a need to ask? We obviously want money! As long as you're smart, then you should hurry and leave anything valuable you have on you! Or else, I couldn't mind having you sold to a brothel, you'll probably fetch a good price with that face of yours!"
"That's right! Hurry up and take out your valuables!" The other bandit minions began to echo along, completely unaware that they'd provoked someone that they couldn't afford to provoke.
This white robed youth was the one who'd been following after the Prime Minister imposter — Zi Moyan. She previously did not travel together with the main troop, but when she heard her subordinate reporting that there was someone impersonating her while heading to Yan Yang City before her, she felt it odd.
As a result, she decided to follow this imposter's troop by herself, wanting to made clear where these people popped up from. However, she didn't expect to encounter a heist.
"Kill them." Zi Moyan ordered coldly, she didn't have any interest in wasting time with this bunch at all. "Remember to get the identity of that person impersonating me from them." Although she was rather far, but she'd witnessed the interaction between the two, so she knew that these two people definitely knew each other.
Dark shadows flickered, leading to the sudden appearances of many black-clad men and simultaneously placed the sharp swords they held in their hands onto the bandits' necks. With a slash, all of the bandits fell from their horses, dead. They didn't even have the time to react with how fast these black-clad men's movements were, dead without knowing how they died.
Zi Moyan didn't pay them any heed, her subordinates were enough to take care of these bandits. She, instead, continued to leisurely gallop on her horse towards Yan Yang City.
Liangzi witnessed how powerless his own people were against these black-clad men, dying in their hands, and as he saw said men, he was so scared that he fell off of his horse.
His gaze then landed on the already disappearing white robed young man with the latter being a demon as his only thought. If he'd known that this was the result earlier, then he rather not have came in the first place.
Dark shadows flickered again and the few dozens of black-clad men disappeared, leaving only one behind. He was precisely the shadow guard hat was assigned as the personal bodyguard to protect their master — Phantom.
The shadow guards was in independent force that existed under their Master, specialized in protecting their Master and gathering information on their Master's behalf, experts in assassination and poison These shadow guards were had gone through careful selection by their Master, chosen from among the young men and women based on the level of qinggong they had. They were then formed into the Umbra — one can tell just by looking at how they come and go without a trace.
Other than this task, Umbra was a first-rate assassination bureau as it would be what outsiders would see it as. Most people wouldn't be guaranteed to be able to hire people of Umbra for hits. As a result of that, people of Umbra has a one hundred percent success rate in assassination, there hasn't been a miss in the people they were hired to kill. And because of their unfailing accuracy, Umbra grew to be a frightening existence in the martial arts world.
Umbra appeared in the martial arts world three years ago, and it has grown exponentially within these three years. As of today, Umbra was already the martial arts world's most mysterious and unparalleled existence. No one knew who the lord of the Umbra was, the only thing that they do know was that Umbra was related to the suddenly emerged Zhou Manor.