TGCFNM -Chapter 59 Qinglong

After asking Wan Sanjin about the reason, Chu Ling no longer dwelled on the matter and turned her attention to handling the internal affairs of Sishui County.

However, the internal records of Sishui County seemed to only go back a year or two; most of the older documents were gone. Chu Ling had asked Ghost Scholar about it, but even he didn’t know the reason.

One thing was particularly strange: the county’s river system.

When Chu Ling realized the river would eventually flood and that repairing it would require plans, she found that the blueprints were missing. Even those who had participated in the original riverwork couldn’t clearly recall the details.

All they knew was that people had come from the capital to recruit workers for the river repair. Once the work was finished, they could get paid or receive a house. After a casual repair, the people from the capital left, and the river was abandoned with no one to oversee it.

Now in Chu Ling’s hands was a newly drawn map of the river’s course by Wan Sanjin, indicating where deep excavation was needed and the directions for diverting the flow. Once this river was properly managed, Sishui County would be safe for a hundred years.

Chu Ling sighed. “Wan Sanjin still has his merits.” This map was indeed impressive.

“Miss,” Cui Xi called gently, “it’s late. You should rest.”

Ghost Scholar also smoothed his beard and stood. “Let’s leave it here for today. There’s plenty of time ahead; some things can be done slowly.”

Chu Ling nodded and carefully rolled up the map. Just as she was about to put it away, Bai Su suddenly came through the door.

“Xiao Ling, duck!”

Startled, Chu Ling immediately crouched down.

Whoosh—

A dart shot through the paper window and embedded itself firmly in a wooden pillar inside the room, the force so strong that it cracked the pillar.

Because Chu Ling preferred bright lighting, the room had several oil lamps burning. The three of them could clearly see the blue glow flickering on the dart.

It was poisoned!

“A poisoned dart, but it wasn’t aimed at you?” Ghost Scholar’s eyes darkened. Folding his fan, he stepped out the door.

“Aunt Su, who?” Chu Ling asked angrily.

Bai Su furrowed her brow. “The attire looks like one of the Four Symbols’ Death Warriors—the Qinglong. They don’t look very old, maybe in their twenties. This should be the new generation of Qinglong. Their face is covered, but there isn’t much killing intent in their eyes.”

Four Symbols’ Death Warriors? New-generation Qinglong?

Before Chu Ling could ask more, Ghost Scholar returned. “It seems that person wants to come in.”

Squinting, Chu Ling realized: so the dart was just a greeting with poison, and now they intend to enter openly?

Bai Su glanced at Chu Ling and smiled slightly. “Aunt Su is helping you get revenge.”

Chu Ling raised her arm, revealing a row of miniature arrows all coated with poison.

The Qinglong stood with hands behind their back, glancing at the well-lit, empty room. A faint hmm escaped their lips.

Are they dodging, or were they hit?

Forget it. Let’s just finish what we came for and leave. After all, it’s just a small county magistrate, and they even stooped to coming personally—how ridiculous.

The azure dragon-patterned boots lightly stepped forward, not stirring even a speck of dust on the ground. That figure seemed ghostlike as it swept outside the house. With a lifted leg, it kicked out.

“Chu—”

The response was a faint sound of a blade being drawn. The Qinglong, full of self-importance, didn’t even attempt to dodge. He swung his sword, eyes filled with mockery.

A crisp ding-dong sounded—the sleeve arrow was knocked to the ground, but it didn’t snap in half as the Qinglong had imagined.

He glanced at the opponent’s unusually youthful face. “Hmm, your sleeve arrow is….”

Chu Ling slowly raised a hand and lifted a single finger.

In the next instant, another sleeve arrow pierced the air silently like a phantom and slid through. With a sharp puchi, the Qinglong’s expression changed. He immediately crouched to pull the sleeve arrow out of his knee.

A muffled groan of pain rang out as expected. Bai Su let go of Chu Ling’s arm and crossed her own arms, looking over mockingly. “One generation worse than the last. Useless.”

Chu Ling’s phoenix-like eyes narrowed, a cold light gleaming in them.

The Qinglong gritted his teeth and yanked out the miniature arrow. Its sharp barbs tore through flesh, drawing a string of blood beads. The wound turned from red to black as black blood seeped out.

He hurriedly reached for a porcelain bottle at his waist to pour the antidote on the wound.

He, from being hit to pulling out the arrow, detoxifying himself, and bandaging the wound, didn’t move a single step—he only lowered his gaze on him, neither too near nor too far, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

“The magistrate of Sishui County is quite formidable!” The Qinglong’s forehead broke into a cold sweat, and his face had turned noticeably pale.

Chu Ling nodded, even curling her lips with a hint of pride. “Indeed, my skills are not insignificant. Otherwise, one of the Four Symbols Death Warriors wouldn’t have personally come to make the trip.”

The Qinglong’s expression changed abruptly.

“What’s the matter? Is the royal family interested in this humble county magistrate? Or perhaps… someone private has sought me out?” Chu Ling smiled and finally stepped forward.

At that moment, the Qinglong finally sensed something was wrong. The wound, which had already been treated with antidote, now felt numb and aching. His vision spun, and he lost consciousness, collapsing to the ground.

The first thing Chu Ling did as she approached was step on the Qinglong’s injured knee. Only after blood flowed from the wound again did she slowly lift her foot.

“Aunt Su, why would one of the royal family’s Four Symbols Death Warriors come after me?” Chu Ling’s face darkened, all traces of her earlier nonchalance gone.

Bai Su shook her head; she didn’t know either.

The Ghost Scholar calmly said, “He’s just a small county magistrate. As you said yourself, he shouldn’t have attracted royal attention. It was probably a private hire.”

Bai Su’s voice was cold. “The Four Symbols Death Warriors are getting more reckless. They can even command others freely. The Great Zhou royal family is merely a name now.”

Chu Ling found some rope and tied the man up, gagged him, and then laboriously dragged him outside before tossing him down. Without another glance, she slammed the door shut with a bang.

Bai Su looked at Chu Ling and explained, “The Four Symbols Death Warriors are the four most elite assassins selected from the royal family’s secret forces. They are named after the Four Symbols: Qinglong, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.”

“By rank, the Qinglong is the highest, with the most deadly assassination skills. The missions the Four Symbols Death Warriors undertake are extremely difficult and often life-threatening. If one dies, a new generation of Qinglong is selected to take their place.”

Chu Ling asked, “Aunt Su, have you ever faced the previous Qinglong?”

“Not just the Qinglong— all four of the Four Symbols Death Warriors. In the end, two died at my hands, the other two were gravely wounded by another person and probably won’t survive long.” Bai Su said proudly.

Chu Ling’s eyes lit up in admiration. “Aunt Su, that’s incredible.”

Bai Su’s gaze pierced through the window, looking outside. Her voice turned slightly grave. “Tonight, he underestimated you, thinking he faced a county magistrate with no strength. His skills themselves are not poor, so you must never be careless.”