IDWBE -Chapter 180 No Technique Beats Technique

Lin Yi gave him a sharp look. “You’re not bluffing me?”

These people always got lost in their mysterious metaphysics, making him doubt the world itself.

Should he even bother talking about science anymore?

“I dare not,” Wang Dong said calmly, “I always remember the story of Du Gu Qiu Bai that Your Highness told me: be unattached to things, serve nothing. Sir Xi holds a sword, his eyes see techniques—but I have no technique in my heart, so no technique beats technique.”

“No technique beats technique.”

Lin Yi’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. This was his own story—why couldn’t he do it?

And yet, all these bastards had learned it?

Was heaven fair?

“Your Highness is wise,” Wang Dong casually curled his lips into a smile. “Martial arts exist to kill. No matter what technique or move they use, I only need to be faster than them.”

“Fast enough that the enemy never even has a chance to strike,” Ye Qiu suddenly blurted, “Damn it, tell us how to be fast, then!”

Before, he had never paid attention to this blind boy.

Most of the time, he didn’t even glance at him.

Just a blind guy!

Who’d go to him for fortune-telling?

After all, his own fate was already set—there was nothing to calculate.

But recently, Wang Dong had joined the daily morning exercises at the Prince He Mansion.

And this third-ranking expert of the mansion instantly became the fourth!

What infuriated him was that this expert never even went through ten moves against others.

A man has gold beneath his knees; only when necessary would that bamboo rod land directly on them.

A grandmaster could defeat him in one move, yet this blind boy used nine?

What level was this blind boy at?

If he and Xiao Xizi were geniuses, the other was a prodigy!

The key point: the guy was blind.

Thinking that a fully limbed man couldn’t beat a blind boy made him deeply discouraged.

His greatest mistake this life was probably joining the Prince Mansion!

Now, he had no confidence left.

As Shan Yin would say, it’s all just pitiable material gain.

Wang Dong said calmly, “If you want speed, your sword will naturally be fast.”

“That’s like saying nothing at all.”

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and didn’t ask further.

“Ah, can’t get anything out of you guys,” Lin Yi muttered, hands behind his back, and turned to leave.

At the mansion gate, he glanced at Fang Pi. “Lately, the courtyard’s deserted. Has no one come to deliver silver to me?”

“No,” Fang Pi shook his head, then said, “Your Highness, are you going out? I’ll prepare the carriage.”

“Yes, going out,” Lin Yi counted with his fingers. “It’s been half a month, hasn’t it?”

Fang Pi nodded.

Lin Yi hesitated a moment, then said, “Then let’s go fishing.”

Single and poor, he was now accompanied by loneliness.

Staying cooped up in the mansion long-term—he feared he’d get depression.

But he was tired of the escorting before every outing, so he disguised himself, letting the guards protect him secretly, without giving orders or coming out.

Wearing a gray short jacket, shorts, yellow straw slippers, carrying fishing gear, he walked alone onto the main road.

Under the sun, he had gone about two li.

Suddenly, an old lady selling drinks under a tree smiled. “Your Highness, ice-cold mung bean soup from the well—want a bowl?”

“Huh?”

Lin Yi was stunned for a moment, wiping the black soot from his face. “How did you recognize me?”

The old lady laughed. “I might mistake others, but never you, Your Highness. In Baiyun City, who else fishes with golden-thread line besides you?”

She even pointed at the fishing rod in his hand.

“You’re clever, old lady!”

Lin Yi sighed. He’d make a wasted Holmes if he didn’t use this skill.

The old lady smiled. “You’re welcome, Your Highness.”

“Alright, you keep busy.”

Lin Yi angrily tossed the wooden bucket behind him.

Xiao Xizi suddenly dashed out from the trees, caught the bucket steadily, glared at the old lady, and scampered after Lin Yi.

“That old lady looks familiar,” Lin Yi said without turning. “Where have I seen her before?”

“Your Highness,” Xiao Xizi smiled, “I heard she’s Headman Qin’s mother.”

“Who’s Headman Qin?”

Lin Yi’s patience waned.

“Qin Hu, Headman Qin,” Xiao Xizi quickly clarified.

“Oh, that oddball,” Lin Yi recalled the scene when this guy brought his mother and sister to see him, and couldn’t help laughing. “How’s he doing at the magistrate’s office?”

“Headman Qin just reached fourth rank, average martial arts,”

Xiao Xizi said with a smile. “But because he’s loyal, he’s well-regarded among the constables. A few days ago, he injured someone, causing public anger. Magistrate Chen Xinluo wasn’t pleased and scolded him.”

“Why hit someone?”

Under the scorching sun, Lin Yi tried to walk in the shade.

“Your Highness,” Xiao Xizi said, holding the bucket and following behind, “Qin Hu looks like a gourd, but his sister is really pretty. At the girls’ school, little brats line up all day just to catch a glance. Some clueless ones even say inappropriate things. Qin Hu, hot-tempered, would just punch them. One of the boys hit was from the Liang family, a local prominent clan, who then filed a complaint at the Provincial Treasury along with the families of the other children.”

Lin Yi frowned. “The Sanhe regulations forbid harassing women. They broke the law and still had the nerve to complain?”

“Your Highness,” Xiao Xizi said, “The lawyer was Sun Xing. He argued that a refined lady deserves a worthy suitor. Since no woman was physically stopped, merely words expressing affection don’t count as harassment.”

“That’s still harassment,” Lin Yi snapped. “How did Shan Qi judge?”

Xiao Xizi said, “Master Shan fined each family one tael of silver, considering it a first offense, and sent them home to reflect.”

Lin Yi curiously asked, “So Qin Hu was right. Why was Magistrate Chen upset with him?”

Xiao Xizi laughed. “Chen said he was too light-handed—didn’t cripple anyone. Those who dare harass constables’ families clearly have no respect for them.”

“Indeed too light,” Lin Yi shifted tone. “But… during hormone-filled years, pursuing girls is normal. As long as it’s reasonable and legal, it’s fine.”

How old is his sister? She went to school, right? That’s normal courtship behavior!

“Yes, Your Highness,” Xiao Xizi didn’t understand but politely agreed.

They walked along a cement road into a weed-filled path.

Xiao Xizi, wary of snakes, ran ahead to scout.

Lin Yi walked back and forth, observing the aquatic plants, finally dropping his line under a banyan tree.

This was a tributary flowing into the Xijiang River, and even in dry season, its deepest part was over thirty meters.