IDWBE -Chapter 447 What Are You Staring At?

Lei Kaishan could be arrogant at times. He believed he might have some talent in martial arts, but there were moments when he admitted the gap between his intelligence and others. When it came to political intrigue, even a dozen people like him couldn’t compare to one Pan Duo.

He was so certain that Pan Duo was being self-conceited because he had overheard the Prince say to Chief Hong: “You fools are just playing at it. The ‘Star-Absorbing Technique’ in the novels is nonsense—you actually take it seriously? What you’ve been practicing feels more like some kind of chemical trick than true martial art.”

At that moment, he had clearly heard Chief Hong respond with “Your Highness is wise.” It wasn’t a polite formality or flattery—it was genuine acknowledgment. This meant that Chief Hong recognized the Prince’s words: the version of the Star-Absorbing Technique everyone had been learning wasn’t the true technique from the Prince’s novels. As someone who was half a disciple of Chief Hong, Lei Kaishan trusted him.

Perhaps the current Star-Absorbing Technique was just a chemical trick. The purpose of teaching them this version was likely to deal with outsiders who had learned Sanhe’s martial arts, especially the forces of Prince Yong and Prince Jin.

While he was pondering, he saw the Blind Man approach the already unconscious Ding Lun. The Blind Man squatted down, placing his hand on Ding Lun’s head, feeling the furrowed forehead gradually relaxing.

Everyone shivered.

What was the Blind Man doing?

After a while, the Blind Man spoke: “At first, I knew I had little chance in a fight against him. But after absorbing so much inner power, he didn’t explode or die. Even in front of the Prince just now, he remained calm. When Ye Qiu made his move, he handled it with ease. His martial prowess is absolutely extraordinary.”

Ye Qiu, curious, asked, “If he hadn’t died, would he have actually absorbed all that power?”

His casual question stunned the Blind Man and the monk nearby, and even Wen Zhaoyi fell silent in thought.

Finally, all eyes turned to the monk.

The monk shook his head firmly: “At the time, Chief Hong explicitly said that external power must never be absorbed. If it can’t be controlled, it will backfire. Ding Lun was a Grandmaster. While alive, his age wasn’t apparent. Now that he’s dead, he resembles a withered tree bark, revealing his true age.”

Wen Zhaoyi, who had been silent, suddenly exclaimed in awe: “If I’m correct, Ding Lun is older than me. For a Grandmaster to forcibly suppress external power absorbed over a hundred years, I admit that in this skill, I fall short.”

Others turned to glance at her.

Many in the Prince’s mansion didn’t know Wen Zhaoyi’s true identity. Yet, they often heard the Prince call her “Ancestor” more than “Sister.” Anyone not foolish could roughly guess that this self-proclaimed “Ancestor” Wen Zhaoyi was of considerable age.

What was astonishing was that Ding Lun, who appeared middle-aged, was actually older than Wen Zhaoyi. Only when they saw his shriveled body on the ground did they gradually believe her.

Ding Lun was probably not young—over a hundred years old, judging by Wen Zhaoyi’s tone.

The Blind Man smiled: “Auntie Wen, no need to belittle yourself. Your talent is extraordinary; there’s no way you could lose to this barbarian.”

He was an orphan from the South State and had followed the Prince from Songyang into the South State. Before visiting the Great Temple in Baiyun City, he had received much care from Auntie Wen and Sang Pozi at the orphanage.

Thus, he always felt a familial connection to Wen Zhaoyi.

Wen Zhaoyi smiled: “Stop flattering me. I know my own abilities very well.” She then turned and walked away.

The Blind Man and the monk followed closely.

Ye Qiu looked around and didn’t linger either.

Chen Jingzhi, watching the group disperse, finally turned to Fang Pi and said bitterly: “Brother Fang, please teach me!”

All the decision-makers had left, leaving Ding Lun’s body behind. What was this about?

As a minor official in the Honglu Temple, what could he do? Asking Fang Pi for help was a desperate move.

Fang Pi chuckled: “Chen, Ding Lun is a South State envoy, and you’re the Honglu Temple’s clerk. Such small matters aren’t for me to interfere with.”

Chen Jingzhi had expected this outcome. He had only ever heard of people taking credit, never of someone willingly taking responsibility.

Still, he didn’t lose heart. With sincere tone, he said: “Brother Fang, please have mercy on this old man. I promise great reward in the future!”

Seeing Chen Jingzhi’s sincerity, Fang Pi rolled his eyes and then smiled: “Chen, I have a solution. You can deliver the body to the Governor’s office; everything else will be decided by Master He.”

Chen Jingzhi laughed awkwardly: “Brother Fang, without the Prince’s orders, I dare not disturb Master He.”

Just now, Chen Desheng had fled faster than a rabbit. Could he be any better than Master He? These people were genuinely loyal to the Prince but also cautious.

Ding Lun was already dead—completely useless. But this corpse was evidence. Keeping it meant bearing responsibility for all future investigations.

Everything Ding Lun had done in Ankang City needed to be thoroughly reported; otherwise, they couldn’t explain to the Prince.

But the Honglu Temple was full of civil officials. They weren’t equipped for such investigations.

Fang Pi laughed: “Chen, I’ll speak frankly. You’re overthinking. They don’t want this corpse; they have confidence. They aren’t deliberately leaving the trouble to you.”

Chen Jingzhi pondered for a moment: “Are you serious, Brother Fang?”

Fang Pi smiled: “Chen, think about it. Neither the monk, the Blind Man, nor Wen Zhaoyi would ignore the Prince’s safety. As for Master He or you, that goes without saying. They’ll privately investigate thoroughly. That messy corpse? Keeping it is useless. You could just burn it. Although it’s winter, leaving it too long is never good.”

While Chen hesitated, Fang Pi patted his shoulder impatiently: “I’m not smart, but the Prince once said that clever people have their advantages, especially with stomach problems—they don’t trust a fart. People like me, slow-witted, have our advantages. I don’t complicate simple matters.”

“Brother Fang?” Chen Jingzhi, clever as he was, was puzzled.

What did farts have to do with anything?

“I have some business, so I’ll leave first.” Fang Pi didn’t speak further and led Zhou Jingye and Shan Sanguan away.

Chen Jingzhi sighed at the two Honglu Temple officials left behind.

In the end, he reluctantly arranged for the corpse to be taken away.

A case neither big nor small was thus resolved.

As the year-end approached, no news came from Shen Chu in Jinzhou or Xie Zan in nearby Jizhou.

Lin Yi was a little anxious, fearing something might happen to them, but after receiving news from the Imperial Guard, he immediately relaxed.

Thanks to his military supply bidding system, his army lacked neither food nor drink. Even in the cold winter, there was plenty of meat and wine.

The downside was that his treasury wasn’t always full. He even regretted it a little—he had trained his troops like American soldiers, turning them into gold-devouring beasts.

Feeling frustrated? Only fishing could calm him.

Just outside the city gate, he saw a cart carrying corpses.

“Stop.”

As Lin Yi spoke, Jiao Zhong rode forward to block the cart.

Lin Yi’s gaze lingered on the two tiny bodies.

Jiao Zhong pointed to a baby wrapped in a tattered cloth and hesitated: “This newborn was probably discarded for being a girl.”

“What cruelty,” Lin Yi sighed. “I didn’t enforce birth control. They can have children as they wish, and their throne will have heirs. And yet, they’re still not content?”

Jiao Zhong opened his mouth to explain why so many families abandoned girls, but when he heard “throne,” he immediately withdrew. He hadn’t heard anything.

Lin Yi couldn’t bear looking at the pile of infant corpses, so he told Jiao Zhong: “Inform Master Chen Desheng: the laws of Daliang must add a crime for abandonment. Whether male or female, if abandoned, three years of penal labor. If truly poor, they can be given up for adoption. Families willing to adopt can enjoy tax reductions. The Cabinet will decide the specifics.”

For major matters, he ruled alone; for smaller matters, he delegated authority to the Cabinet led by He Jixiang and Chen Desheng.

“Your Highness is merciful,” Jiao Zhong said earnestly before delivering the message.

Cold wind cut through the air.

Snow fell heavily.

Lin Yi sat by the river, casting his hook into the unfrozen water. In no time, he caught a whole bucket of fish.

“Your Highness,” Jiao Zhong approached him again.

“What is it?” Lin Yi asked, impatient with his hesitant demeanor.

Seeing Lin Yi about to get angry, Jiao Zhong quickly said: “Miss Guan is nearby, coming soon.”

Lin Yi smiled: “Then hide quickly. Don’t let anyone see you.”

“Understood.”

Jiao Zhong brushed his hand across the snow-covered footprints and leapt into the leafless woods. In moments, he vanished.

“Some skill,” Lin Yi marveled, impressed that Jiao Zhong could erase all footprints with a single sweep. “Training wasn’t wasted.”

When he first arrived in this era, he didn’t understand why backward feudal societies valued martial skills.

After over twenty years, he realized: the worse the law and order, the more the society relied on individual martial prowess.

Being unable to retort “What are you looking at?” without fear was the most frustrating.

A man should regard life and death lightly—fight if you can, lie down and collect payment if you can’t.

Lin Yi was building such a society.

No one could act arrogantly before the state. The best life was being an honest worker, a cog in Daliang.

Just then, he saw a woman in a gray jacket walking lightly through the sparse woods.

“Miss Guan, long time no see,” Lin Yi waved to Guan Xiaoqi.

“You’re truly interesting,” she tilted her head and smiled. “Lazy yet fearless in this cold weather, fishing leisurely. But diligent? All you do is fish—you do nothing else.”

She increasingly couldn’t understand Lin Yi.

How had this street punk, with no martial skills or education, survived until now?

Lin Yi stood, tightened his jacket, and smiled wryly: “Miss Guan, I’m not that bad, am I?”

Guan Xiaoqi said: “I speak the truth. Isn’t it cold today? Aren’t you worried about freezing?”

Lin Yi pointed to the wooden bucket: “It’s cold, yes, but the catch is good.”

Guan Xiaoqi craned her neck, looking at the bucket filled with fish, and said happily: “So many fish! Even in this season, they sell well. No wonder you don’t worry.”

Lin Yi went to the fire, took down the iron kettle, poured hot water, and said: “I made tea here. Have some.” He handed her a steaming bowl of tea.

“Thank you,” she accepted without hesitation and sniffed it: “Did you add tangerine peel?”

“Yes,” Lin Yi nodded. “Only Sanhe has tangerine peel like this.”

He didn’t usually drink fermented tea, but when he did, he often added tangerine peel, especially in winter. He liked its subtle flavor.

“You really know how to eat, drink, and play,” Guan Xiaoqi teased. She carefully placed the hot tea on the snow. “Maybe you made some money from today’s fish, but what about the day after? Will there always be so many fish? Don’t you have any ambition?”

“Ambition?” Lin Yi smiled wryly. “My mother wishes I had ambition.”

Just thinking of Consort Yuan gave him a headache.

Now he was someone of note, yet he disappointed her even more.

To Consort Yuan, a child with ambition also had to obey. One flaw, and the child wasn’t considered “good.”

“Since you know, don’t disappoint her,” Guan Xiaoqi said seriously. “You’ll start a family one day. How will you live if you’re so careless now?”

Lin Yi laughed: “I think this is fine.”

This state was his true freedom—no one could constrain him; he could do as he pleased.

“No!” Guan Xiaoqi shouted.

“How do you know what’s good for me?” Lin Yi smiled. “If I think it’s fine, that’s enough. Why do you care so much?”

He couldn’t figure this girl out anymore, couldn’t understand what she wanted.