Base of Operations: Yan Buer’s Abode
“My daughter has informed of what transpired. Thank you both of you for lending her a hand. Please allow me to offer you lodging as gratitude.”
His black hair was as annoyingly neat as before, his posture as straight as a sword as always, and even his tone was as emotionless as I remembered. Were it not for time showing his age, I would never have thought he had aged. There were at least a dozen uptight judges in the martial world who were dubbed “iron-faced judges”. They were not some special existences as anyone who was instated as a judge, liked to mediate or was coincidentally born with a cold-looking face, was a potential candidate. However, there was only one person who was notorious in the pugilistic world and the government simultaneously for the title – Yan Buer.
Despite being Prime Minister Li’s pupil, he was unlike his mentor or fellow students. Once he gave his word, he would never dishonour the promise regardless of how difficult it was. He was so uptight that you would question if he lived with constipation all his life. Rumour had it that he would already be a first rank official if it were not for his unapproachable and rigid character.
Having said all that, Yan Buer was a just official. As an imperial exam graduate, he had the intellect to fill his boots and decent martial arts skills to boot. He was decisive and swift in cracking cases. Unfortunately, his fearless, unyielding and selfless personality got in the way of promotions. By the same account, everyone knew they could trust him with tough cases if they did not want to shoulder the included risks or lose their sleep. No matter who it was, if they were a suspect, he strictly abided by the laws. Among the prominent folks he showed no mercy to was my shifu!
Back when Shifu dined and dashed, and got into fights (technically, people had a bone to pick with him because their lives fell for him, and they got stomped), Yan Buer handled those cases nine out of ten times. One amazing thing about Yan Buer was how he was able to find Shifu regardless of where Shifu hid. No matter what sort of tactics Shifu resorted to, Yan Buer still managed to give him the cane or lock him up. However, Shifu seemed to take a liking to Yan Buer’s attitude and character, which was the reason Shifu did not resort to violence and honoured the rules of the game, doing his time and accepting the canings, although he would then break out within days. They went at it for dozens of rounds, and as far as I was aware, Yan Buer had a whole stack of Shifu’s crimes and was hellbent on making Shifu face the consequences of his actions.
When Yan Buer moved to Hangzhou for his new post, I sent a messenger to congratulate him, only to be given the cold shoulder. When he arrested Hong Jiu last time, I had to summon hundreds of my brethren at Night Fortress to come into the city and pick up all the rubbish on the streets and alleys, renovate the elderly’s homes and ensure that other martial artists were abiding by the law for a full month before he released Hong Jiu.
The ignorant Tang Ye gave Yan Buer a propitious salute and expressed, “We are undeserving of the credit. This one is Jia Kenan. He came to Hangzhou with his attendant on business. We apologise for imposing on you, but we honestly have nowhere else to stay. Please forgive our intrusion.”
Yan Buer visually surveyed Tang Ye and then returned to reading. Without having even voiced it, his tone was enough for me to tell that he was displeased that we interrupted his peace. Frankly, he was being very polite already.
“Sorry.” Yan Qingluo poked her tongue out and then dragged Tang Ye along as she quietly continued, “Dad likes peace and quiet, and he does not like having outsiders. All of our employees have served us for a long time, and we refrain from bringing in workers in other fields, such as blacksmiths.”
“It does not bother us. I, too, like peace and quiet. If people are rowdy, I als-”
Tang Ye’s sudden uncharacteristic shriek had everyone look over. Yan Qingluo looked around and asked, “What was that? A weasel?”
“We would have to ask my attendant.” Tang Ye glared at the person who just gave him an awfully hard flick. “Would you be kind enough to explain what that sound was?”
“You must have forgotten, Young Master. Master said that there is no cure for your ‘Indirectly-Accidental Shrilloxia’. How about we camp outdoors? We would disturb them if we stayed here.”
“I don’t have a disease…” mumbled Tang Ye.
“Let us make haste before we continue this conversation. We cannot dally here.”
Before Tang Ye could relay his intent to depart to Yan Qingluo, she had pushed open the door and said, “This is your room. Take some time to settle down, and I shall come by later to have dinner with you,” then merrily left with her maid.
“Big Bro, what is the matter with you?” Tang Ye questioned once he shut the doors.
“Oh, that’s a new technique I added to the Ancient King String repertoire called ‘Annihilating All Ducks in Three Thousand Years’. With one finger poke that can be soft or hard, you’ll be sent reeling no matter who or what you are. What do you reckon?”
“That was not my question.” Tang Ye looked as if he was dying to beat me. “I was asking why you insist on leaving?”
I had no choice but to tell Tang Ye about Yan Buer.
Tang Ye folded his arms. “I have heard about him and his exploits. In fact, he’s well-known even in the capital.”
“I heard about without even being in the capital. He even trial my shifu. It’s only going to be a matter of time before he busts us, so we need to get out of here.”
Since Tang Ye did not show any intention of leaving, I had to resort to my new technique.
“While he is an odd person, are you not hiding from your shifu?”
“Huh?”
“If he dares to persecute your shifu, would your shifu avoid coming here?”
… You… have a point… If I stay here, Shifu would never come here to search for me, no?!
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