Chapter Seventy-Nine: Arrows Like a String of Pearls

"Liu Xiangyu, have you lost your mind!"

"This county magistrate is an official appointed by the Ministry of Personnel and endorsed by the Emperor himself. Where did you find these desperadoes? Are you trying to rebel?"

When Liu Chengzong entered the rear courtyard of the county office with his men, Gao Xian was directing two border soldiers to move firewood.

The magistrate was somehow trapped inside the side room, with guards posted at both windows.

Gao Xian said, "That old dog has a musket. We can't get in. We'll have to set a fire."

Liu Chengzong looked around—the place was ill-suited for arson. A fire would spread quickly, impossible to contain. Both streets next to the county office would be engulfed. Ordinary people lived peaceful lives here; it's one thing to scare them, but burning their homes would be beyond despicable.

He glanced down and saw a corpse sprawled on the ground, and beside it knelt a man in official attire, looking utterly wretched.

Liu Chengzong surveyed the scene, pondering that the windows might be the best approach. He cursed with a grin, "Damn it, why didn't I bring gunpowder to blow him sky-high? I swear I'll kill him. Who are these two?"

Gao Xian glared. "That bastard on the ground is the legal advisor. He kept reciting the Ming Code, saying our crimes would doom three generations. My family—three generations—dead or sold, only I remain, and he dares to threaten me! Noisy fool, so I cut him down. The one beside him is the assistant magistrate. See if he's involved; I left him for you."

The assistant magistrate seemed terrified of Gao Xian, trying to keep his distance even when his official status was mentioned.

Liu Chengzong turned and asked, "Father, when you were imprisoned, was he involved?"

The assistant magistrate, who had thought he would not survive the day, suddenly raised his head, hope flickering in his eyes. He pleaded with Liu Xiangyu, "Brother Xiangyu, please see clearly—I never harmed you!"

Liu Xiangyu was unmoved by the plea, his response flat: "Meng, the assistant magistrate, was not involved. Lion, don't trouble him."

From his father's demeanor, Liu Chengzong could guess the truth. He turned, saying, "So you did nothing, just stood by as they plotted against my father?"

If this assistant magistrate had spoken a word in his father's defense, his father's plea would have been warmer.

"I was afraid. I couldn't help. The captain wanted to arrest him, the police chief wanted to arrest him, the magistrate wanted to arrest him. I asked the prefect, but he said Brother Xiangyu still loves to curse people—hadn't suffered enough."

Meng, the assistant magistrate, begged, "I'm just a subordinate…"

Liu Chengzong glanced at his father, whose expression was awkward. Asking the prefect was a mistake—last time, Liu Xiangyu went to prison for cursing the prefect.

This time he cursed the magistrate; even if the prefect didn't know the details, he would never speak kindly.

"Get up—this isn't your fault, but…"

Halfway through his words, Liu Chengzong stared hard at the side room, lowering his voice. "I need you to do me a favor. Knock on the door, speak loudly so Zhang the clerk outside hears, and so the magistrate inside responds."

At that moment, Cai Zhongpan leaned in to whisper, "Lion, the bailiffs from the prefecture are coming. I'll take the prisoners to hold them off—hurry!"

Liu Chengzong nodded and continued coaxing Meng, the assistant magistrate, "If you don't help me, I'll have to kill you. If you do, all the officials in Fushi County are dead—only you remain, you'll have the say."

Page 1/3

Liu Chengzong first raised his axe, then his short knife. "Go make him speak, act as acting magistrate—or die here as Meng, the assistant magistrate."

Cai Zhongpan was gathering men, the office a chaotic mess.

The magistrate cursed from inside the side room every so often. Liu Chengzong's suggestion sounded unnecessary, but Meng, the assistant magistrate, looked terrified, eyes wide. "If you run now and don't return, why drag me down?"

He clearly understood Liu Chengzong's meaning.

Accomplice!

Liu Chengzong said nothing, beckoning Guo Zhasi for his bow. "Three."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Two."

"I—I’ll do it."

Meng, the assistant magistrate, stood and walked to the side room door, calling out loudly, "Master, don't fire your musket—it's me!"

Liu Chengzong smiled in satisfaction, drew three arrows from his quiver, and walked to the window by the side room.

"Meng, the assistant magistrate, they didn't kill you? I knew they wouldn't dare. Soon, Liu Xiangyu, listen well—soon, the garrison troops will storm the city, you won't escape!"

Liu Chengzong moved to the left window, listened closely, estimated the distance with his bow, then circled to the right window.

He drew three more arrows and placed them in front of him, eyes closed, listening for direction.

"Yes, these villains! Death a hundred times is not enough!"

Meng's curse carried a touch of personal anger.

"Brother Meng, don't be afraid, they—"

The magistrate inside had barely spoken half a sentence.

Outside the window, Liu Chengzong drew and loosed three arrows in quick succession.

Each arrow pierced the window.

As Liu Chengzong bent to retrieve arrows from the ground, a scream erupted from inside, followed by cries and curses.

Then, a musket fired inside.

Bang!

The lead shot shattered the window frame, whistling past.

Almost at the same time, Gao Xian crashed through the other window, bursting into the side room.

The screams inside ceased.

The wooden door swung open. Gao Xian examined the musket for a moment, handed it to Guo Zhasi, and turned. "Took an arrow—why didn't I think of that?"

"Not enough bows," Liu Chengzong replied.

He peeked inside and saw the magistrate struck in the belly by an arrow, then stabbed twice by Gao Xian, lying in a pool of blood—a great weight lifted from his chest.

He said lightly, "If we had five more bows, no need to listen for his location—just shoot him dead in a hail of arrows."

Page 2/3

Gunshots sounded at the office gate, distant shouts muddled—likely, the prefectural bailiffs had arrived.

"Shetatian has been outside so long and still hasn't entered the city. Come, let's slaughter them, break their ranks, and seek vengeance on Zhang, the captain."

With that, Liu Chengzong instructed Guo Zhasi to protect Liu Xiangyu, strode out, then turned back, patting Meng, the assistant magistrate. "Remember, Black Dragon Mountain can fall, but no one touches Liu Village. If I return alive, more than just you will suffer. Go, find the magistrate's hidden silver—anything missing, blame it on me."

He strode off with his men.

Meng, the assistant magistrate, had no mind to search for silver now. He glanced at the blood-soaked magistrate in the side room, then at Liu Chengzong and the others leaving. His knees buckled, and he slid down the wall, collapsing to the floor.

Walking from the rear courtyard to the main hall, he heard a clamor—prisoners had been corralled in the hall, relying on two tables at the entrance, with several men at the door wielding sticks and knives to block the way.

Outside, dozens of bailiffs and more than ten patrol archers had formed ranks—shields in front, bows behind, and a patrol officer, unknown from where, commanding them with a raised blade.

This patrol officer from the Fuzheng Inspection Bureau had entered the city on business the day before, stumbled into the chaos, and seeing the fighting outside the county office, he went to gather bailiffs from the prefecture.

The prisoners fought the bailiffs outside, but before they could engage, three were wounded by arrows, forcing the rest to retreat inside.

Cai Zhongpan had a hand pistol but couldn't hit from a distance—fired twice in vain.

The uncle was nervous. "Two prisoners ran out and surrendered, only to be hacked to death—they don't even accept surrenders. What do we do now?"

Liu Xiangyu said, "Lion, don't be reckless. You can jump out from the back of the main house."

"No worries, Father, go sit inside and watch your lion child show his skill. Zhasi, draw your blade."

Guo Zhasi helped Master Liu to a seat in the hall, then retrieved the iron swallow-wing sword, drew it an inch, exposing the copper blade, and rested the scabbard on his shoulder.

"He’s doomed—fate has caught up!"

Liu Chengzong loosened his leather belt, shed his official robe, and threw it to the floor. He nocked a swift-feathered arrow and dashed across the main hall doorway, locating the patrol officer.

Arrows thudded into doors and windows; two struck above the main hall entrance, knocking down the plaque inscribed "Bright Mirror High Suspended," which shattered into three pieces on the floor.

At the same time, Liu Chengzong darted out from the door, drew his bow full, and loosed an arrow.

The patrol officer cried out, falling backward, his men rushing to help. The arrow was embedded in his face, blood streaming between his fingers.

Inside, Guo Zhasi pushed out his blade, only to see Liu Chengzong leaning against the door, laughing wildly.

He said, "Listen—the starving masses have entered the city!"

The distant sound of chaotic footsteps thundered like a storm.

Liu Chengzong stopped laughing, gripped the swallow-wing sword, and slowly drew it, his palm caressing the intricate patterns on the blade. He switched to a two-handed grip, his expression stern.

"Who dares to follow me outside? We'll scatter them like frightened rats!"

Page 3/3