Chapter 9: The Harsh Reality

"There's something in the water!" In the distance, there seemed to be someone swimming towards the shore. "Let's check it out," Xiao Wu suggested. Xiao Wu was not like Li Ping'an. Li Ping'an, blind for over twenty years, had lived two lifetimes. Growing up on the streets, he understood well the merits of minding his own business. Where Xiao Wu, having been raised on wuxia novels and tales of martial arts legends, lacked an understanding of such perils. A misstep could lead to irredeemable havoc. Li Ping'an released his grip and, grabbing Old Ox, intended to leave alone. He always adhered to one principle: Do not engage in matters that are not of one's concern. "Stop there!" The two soldiers from earlier blocked Li Ping'an's path, their faces cold and grins ferocious. In their eyes, both men were like lambs to the slaughter, seemingly at their mercy. Saboteurs of the explosion on the ship? "A blind man?" One soldier raised his eyebrow, glancing at his comrade. "Even a blind man cannot be spared," his partner muttered. As the words fell, Li Ping'an's arm whirled, and the blade flashed across the necks of both men. Instantly, blood gushed like fountains, and they fell dead. Meanwhile, Xiao Wu had dived into the water and rescued the drowning woman. She was a beautiful lady, quite striking indeed. Xiao Wu grinned, the hero saving the beauty – a scenario all too familiar to an avid reader like himself. The woman lay on the ground, spitting out water in a disheveled state. "Miss, are you alright?" he asked. Her chest heaved, too breathless to speak. Once she had recovered slightly, Xiao Wu inquired about her identity. Liu Yun regained her composure, glancing at Xiao Wu. "Take me... Take me to see your governor." The governor? Xiao Wu was slightly taken aback. Although not the brightest, he was no fool. This woman's immediate request to see the governor and her divine beauty were not the traits of an ordinary palace maid. A daring thought struck Xiao Wu – could she be the rumored princess?! Shock gave way to excitement. He had rescued a princess. Not to mention the wealth and security for life, it was very possible she might fall instantly in love with him. Wasn't this a common occurrence in novels? "Hero!" Xiao Wu looked around. Li Ping'an was nowhere to be seen, leaving only the corpses of the two soldiers. As Xiao Wu and Liu Yun departed from the riverbank, they were met by a group of sturdy men dressed in black tunics. The leader, a dark-faced giant, resembled a black iron tower, carrying a long broadsword on his back. The Jin Yi Wei! This chance encounter was opportune. Xiao Wu approached, "Esteemed officers, the princess's treasure boat was attacked, and she is from the princess's boat." The dark-faced leader arched an eyebrow subtly sizing up Xiao Wu. His gaze then shifted to Liu Yun. "Who are you?" he demanded. "I am Xiao Wu, a mere swordsman." Xiao Wu revealed his name without a hint of caution. "Is anybody else with you?" the dark-faced man probed further. Xiao Wu almost blurted out Li Ping'an's name but then hesitated. The man's calm demeanor suggested he might have known in advance about the princess's ship being targeted. Swallowing hard, Xiao Wu's hand stealthily reached for the knife at his waist. But he was facing assassins disguised as Jin Yi Wei. Even if Li Ping'an was with him, they would be no match for so many skilled foes. Especially not Xiao Wu alone. A streak of cold steel, and Xiao Wu stiffened, clutching his throat as his face contorted. Just as the killers prepared to strike at Liu Yun, an explosion shook the scene. "No good! The smoke is poisonous!" The assassins hastily retreated several yards back. Xiao Wu lay motionless on the ground, his gaze fixed in the direction Liu Yun had vanished. He probably couldn't fathom why his end came so abruptly. Full of dreams of marrying a princess, ascending to the heavens, and carving out his own realm in a turbulent world. Yet... the world is that cruel. ... Li Ping'an returned to the inn, kicked off his shoes, and sat on the bed. He leaned against the wall, legs crossed, focusing his qi, centering his thoughts to replenish his spirit. Eyes closed, and upon opening, dawn had broken. Raising his head to a gloomy sky, he left the inn to see more soldiers on the streets and horses passing swiftly. The news of the princess's ship being bombed had reached the capital, and the small city of Luo Shui faced such a significant incident.They said that last night many people were arrested, with the entire forces of Luo Shui City's Governor's office, the Ministry of War, the Jinwu Guard, and the Jin Yi Wei being dispatched. Troops were urgently summoned from two neighboring provinces. Yet, there was no one to unify command, each operating independently, leading to utter chaos. Li Ping'an fed Old Ox and spent the entire day within the inn. He decided not to pursue his commissioned tasks anymore. He very much desired the medicinal ingredients for Shengmai San, but the current situation was too tumultuous. One false move could stir enormous trouble. Being mistaken for a rebel and arrested would result in ruin. The next day, Li Ping'an learned of Xiao Wu's death. The authorities found Xiao Wu's body by the river, along with two dead soldiers. It naturally led to Xiao Wu being the suspect. Anyone associated with him, including his parents and family, were dragged to the dungeon, and several of his friends were rounded up as well. His portrait spread through every street and alley. Li Ping'an placed the wanted poster on the table and listened to the conversations of the other patrons in the tea house. He sighed silently; it was unclear whether it was out of sympathy or pity, pity for the tragic fate of someone who, like himself, was of humble status. In recent times, the government's scrutiny tightened. The inn was turned upside down every few days, with people frequently taken away. For safety, the innkeeper arranged for several regular guests to stay in the back yard cottages. Li Ping'an thus managed to rent a small independent house at a reasonable price. The front garden even allowed room for growing vegetables. Whenever he had nothing urgent, he would roam around the yard with Old Ox. Within a couple of days, the other renters had all left. The entire yard was left to Li Ping'an and his cow. The benevolent innkeeper, seeing that Li Ping'an was blind, allowed him to stay for free in exchange for helping keep the yard tidy. After all, the yard was just a place for storing miscellaneous items, and having someone live there could liven up the atmosphere, keeping rats from gnawing the furniture. That day, just as Li Ping'an returned from buying vegetables, he heard Old Ox mooing, indicating that something was amiss.