IDWBE -Chapter 305 No-Fly Zone

The words slipped out before he even thought.

“Hmph, if you want to change allegiances, my master might not even accept you,”

Xie Xiaoqing snorted coldly. “Your martial arts are far too weak.”

The monk asked, puzzled, “Then what exactly does the lady mean?”

“No wonder you practice such a foolish method—it’s because you’re really stupid.”

After speaking, Xie Xiaoqing was about to float away gracefully, but the monk called after her.

“Miss.”

He spoke softly.

“What is it?”

Xie Xiaoqing turned, smiling. “Monk, have you thought it over? Have you changed your mind?”

The monk pressed his palms together, worry lining his face. “Although there is no curfew tonight, the inspection is stricter than usual. Lady, it would be best not to freely display your lightness skills in Jinling City. If someone notices, it would be trouble.”

Xie Xiaoqing replied proudly, “I am a Ninth-rank expert, highly skilled. You should worry more about yourself.”

The monk said seriously, “Normally it would be fine, but tonight the inspection is led by the Blind Master. You know how high his skill is.”

“You!”

Xie Xiaoqing’s chest heaved with anger.

She glared at the monk, unable to understand why such a simple, honest man could be so infuriating when he spoke.

The monk said hesitantly, “Every word comes from my heart. The law is impersonal. Lady, it’s better not to fly about. If he discovers you, I won’t be able to request leniency on your behalf.”

He felt uneasy.

If the Blind Master caught Xie Xiaoqing again, he didn’t know how he would even face him to plead for her.

After all, the Blind Master was just following orders. Repeated favoritism would be unacceptable, and the Chief Steward would never approve.

“Stop imagining things. I’m not asking for anyone’s favor.”

Xie Xiaoqing stamped her foot and turned away.

“Ah… Amitabha.”

The monk couldn’t understand why she was angry when he meant well.

But seeing that she didn’t display her lightness skills, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Spring had arrived.

Wave after wave of laborers escorted goods from Sanhe into Jinling City. But from the moment they stepped into Wuzhou territory, regret began to set in.

They had thought Sanhe was hot, so they’d shed their jackets and cloaks. Yet Jinling City was still freezing.

In Sanhe, it was too hot to sleep; here, without blankets, they couldn’t sleep at all.

They finally understood what it meant to feel the chill of early spring.

The laborers, who had planned to show off their skills, hurried away after delivering the goods.

They could stand the cold winds, but expecting them to spend money on lodging, blankets, or coats was impossible.

Their money didn’t grow on trees.

After all, it had been a long time since war—no war profits had been made.

Only a very few stayed behind.

Along with the laborers returned the soldiers on rotation.

Among Sanhe’s soldiers were locals and newcomers from refugee groups. But whether old or new, their homes were in Sanhe.

They had expected, as usual, to return home after the campaign—never did they anticipate being stationed here, and for such a long time.

They were completely unprepared. Many worried about the widows and orphans at home. Homesickness ran deep, and some soldiers even attempted to flee.

He Jixiang found dealing with deserters difficult.

There were many Fifth- and Sixth-rank officers, all proud and stubborn. If they developed rebellious thoughts and banded together, it would be a huge problem.

They couldn’t be treated as ordinary soldiers.

Executing them outright would be too harsh, destabilizing morale.

Letting them off lightly would weaken discipline.

After careful consideration, He Jixiang and Shen Chu publicly accepted responsibility before the army, shedding tears and blaming themselves for all grievances.

They hadn’t explained properly before leaving Sanhe, causing resentment.

Each received twenty strokes of the rod.

He Jixiang’s executioner was Wang Tuozi.

Wang Tuozi’s martial arts were average, but his lightness skill impressed everyone.

Few knew of his past as a thief—only a handful from the Prince’s household.

He was most skilled in mimicry, imitating birds and beasts so perfectly that only sound could be heard, not the source.

Entering someone’s house, breaking a flowerpot, the owners would assume a wild cat was responsible.

His lightness skills were merely for scaling walls, picking locks, or sneaking in.

He never bragged about this, because it was shameful.

Ambitious, he didn’t want his past to affect his military career.

He never imagined the day his skills would be useful.

He raised the rod and struck He Jixiang’s backside with thunderous force. In reality, it was like a gentle tickle to him.

Shen Chu suffered more—his executioner, Liu Kan, struck firmly, hitting flesh each time.

He couldn’t resist with internal force in front of everyone.

Twenty strokes later, his backside wasn’t raw, but swollen.

Moved by their display, the soldiers were deeply impressed. Seventeen deserters were then brought forward, given the same twenty strokes, and expelled from the army forever.

After this small upheaval, He Jixiang implemented a rotation system. Soldiers could return home for rest in an orderly way, without affecting defenses in Wuzhou, Nanzhou, Yuezhou, or Hongzhou.

Lin Yi remained entirely unaware.

Every day felt repetitive.

In his past life, he had sought stability—a secure iron rice bowl. Now he had it: a smooth, uneventful life.

This life could actually be quite pleasant.

The only annoyance was Luo Han, always hovering around him.

Even from a distance, his breath reeked. Lin Yi really didn’t want to see him.

He had to order that Luo Han be forbidden from entering or leaving the Prince’s residence at will.

Luo Han sat with a sour face at the gate, seeing Jiang Chou with crossed arms nearby. He sighed. “Brother, you’re new here, right? You don’t even recognize me?”

“The Prince said you can’t come in,”

Jiang Chou smiled, the scar on his face twisting fiercely. “If you want in, try my fists.”

“If I weren’t thinking I couldn’t beat you, would I be sitting here?”

Luo Han couldn’t understand how he had fallen to such a state.

Back in the day, entering the Prince’s residence was no different from entering his own home.

As he brooded, a plump figure emerged from the side gate. He jumped up and whispered, “Su Yin.”

This was the fat guy who had taken his position at the Prince’s residence.

He had originally hated him.

But since becoming head of the escort agency, he didn’t hate him at all.

He even felt a little pity—Su Yin would only ever be a cook.

Now seeing Su Yin stride out with his hands behind his back and head held high, his hatred flared again.

Without him, would this fat fool have achieved anything?

And he dared to glance sideways at him!

There was no law anymore!