However, the kinetic bullet was both slow in speed and weak in power. Qian Ye did not bother to move, let alone dodge it. Ji Rui’s face flushed with embarrassment as he hastily reached out, swatted it to the ground. Unlike Qian Ye, whose flesh was as steel-hard, Ji Rui was not spared; his pale and smooth palm received a small gash with minor bleeding.
Face darkening with anger, Ji Rui bellowed, “Nonsense!!”
From the courtyard burst a tall woman draped in exquisite attire. Though faint age spots lingered at the corners of her striking brows and eyes, her exquisite looks were largely unspoiled; even her enraged expression carried a unique charm enticing any observer into yearning for submission. Her hips swayed in a most enticing manner while she dashed forward, turning every step into a visual feast as she moved—a living vision of temptation.
Storming out of the inner courtyard at the sight of Qian Ye, she instantly gritted her teeth and shouted, “Husband! He is the killer of our son! You must avenge me!”
Furrowing his brow, Ji Rui replied in an annoyed tone, “This is all a misunderstanding. Go back first; I need to finish seeing these visitors off.”
“No, I will kill him myself! Tell me, did you really murder our son?” She struggled forward against an armored guard who blocked her, their real concern not her possibly hurting Qian Ye, but far greater fear over what Qian Ye might retaliate with—whoever had heard of Qian Ye’s record could never remain fearless afterward.
Qian Ye eyed this woman’s facial resemblance to the late Number Thirteen Son he had killed and chose not to respond, simply waiting.
Yuanshi Liu approached in mediation: “Madam He, calm down. There’s been an error; please wait inside.”
Ignoring him, however, and fixing her eye upon Xiao Zhuzhi at Qian Ye’s side, Madam He directed a shaking hand pointed viciously at the small girl, demanding in fury: “You’re the despicable girl who seduced my son?!”
“Despicable means what?” The little girl asked Qian Ye looking bewildered.
Suppressing his anger, Qian Ye asked coldly: “Was it not your son attempting forcibly to claim something that rightly belongs only to us? And so? What might you require?”
“And what if he wanted her—why shouldn’t this girl then sleep with my son?!” she countered indignantly, unashamed of her logic.
Qian Ye now smiled in irony at her arrogance alongside Ji Rui, whose face had begun showing deep irritation—stomping repeatedly in frustration shouting,“Lead her back. You all grown deaf!!”
Thus was Madam He reluctantly escorted through brute force away by the aides—the screeching curses continued echoing despite walls that shielded from sight or physical contact.
With his smile clearly strained, Ji Rui apologized sincerely:“Ah—apologies for the misconduct. Please don’t think anything of it, General Qian Ye.”
“Think nothing? Nonsense indeed! Actually,” the general smirked in return. “I almost said your high-handed control was so powerful I thought—perhaps it is why her son had to perish.”
Forced with awkward laughter, Ji murmured,“General does tease.”
And with grand laugh in reply said Qian Ye,”Nonsense? You exaggerate, honored ruler…”
A series more ceremonial exchanges sealed the encounter politely; ultimately Qian Ye carried little Zhuzhi away, turning back once outside, fading beyond view.
As silence finally blanketed his presence, the artificial pleasantries crumbled—turning in an eye to furious black clouds.
One attendant nearby, stretched his thin neck curuously, waiting impatient to voice suggestion,“Esteemed lord, what about arranging to detain such a presumptious individual?”
His frustration needing an immediate target upon hearing this, Ri angrily struck out—catching full-force in a sharp, brutal slap the advisor who spun outward dazed, nose broken, lip spewing, cheek swollen to resemble swollen porcine cheeks unflatteringly matched to his dignity.
The battered strategist swayed, stunned by this unjust assault, could only stutter through swollen jaw affirmations of guilt for what he couldn’t name.
Scanning the cluelessness painted across the faces of his once-loyal inner circle, he erupted further: “All worthless!! Insignificant maggots! Can’t even master martial ways? Idling away years!”
None among the surrounding men dared defend themselves—each silently stunned at the eruption and equally frightened at having missed cues leading him this rage.
Finally, Ji turned sharply upon his men: “Fools! All! Fools again and again!!”
His men cowered, while storming off—none dared to approach this furious storm called their commander as returned inward, his rage not cooling with pace.
Inside the study now still, the thunder continued in his heart—hammered between shock mixed strangely with simmerless resentment.
The terrifying thought gnawing him, everyone completely missed however—It did not fear Qian Ye. It feared Zhuzhi herself. From moment they met until Qian Ye’s exit—he had constantly been accompanied the young child.
The five battlefield accounts from the black forest—the documents he’d studied thoroughly no fewer than five times—echoed hauntingly with every flickering recollection. Were she, this Xiao Zhuzhi, able to fully focus the viridian energy she controlled into single jet—a concentrated spray toward himself directly, escape would be unimaginable.
He still remained unconvinced however on capability for this—whether Xiao Zhuzhi truly achieved such fusion—nor was any willing to test!
Yet thinking now of the large orders left by Qian Ye—the warmth re-ignites momentarily across his icy mind’s surface—it was payment for past grievances still to be calculated, only partway covered thus far. When knocked at the study’s door interrupting reflections, Yuanshi Liu reentered, querying,“Lord Rui… shall Qian Ye be freed so easily? Will Madam He still prove impossible to contain?”
The Rui grunted sharply in reply: “This woman abuses my tolerance… Too many troubles she’s brewed… Thirteen too—a menace. But if ever I met my ends… Would you place South Azure within this boy?”
“Thirteen Young Lord is inexperienced, he yet requires training… but considering circumstances now, Qian Ye freely leaves… you risk unrest… unrest that can spiral from Madam He’s wrath.”
A snort passed lips, he began,“It appears—we’ve accepted defeat within Blackwood…”
Liu started to interpose comfort, but Rui halted all: “Say no more… my mind is made up.
Bowing again, Liu yielded, “As you decree.” Then hesitantly followed, “Though Madam He…”
He was interrupted. Rising from frustration,“What power can she possibly exert, outside of what’s lent by that stubborn father of hers through two mid-rank mercenary bands? And if Wildstorm’s howling winds were broken before…what leverage still remains?“
“The gusts may wither,” Liu countered gently “Yet what of Frostbite Stranglers? “
A harsh stare met him.
“Do you imply he’d dare unleash Stranglers for one fallen child?” the Rui demanded.
Placing down before his clerk a small package left by Qian Ye upon the table surface said,“Besides—sufficient restitution waits already here. The forty advanced sails he wishes to purchase… This box, is the advance down payment for them. Furthermore, his pledged neutrality—our logging base stands reconstruct-able. And with formal acceptance, that defeat may well have merit if such reward awaits.”
“Forty propulsion sails,” exclaimed Yuanshi—astonishment laced tone—lifting lid briefly to examine before carefully restoring back precisely as found.
“Indeed. Fleet,” Ji Rui confirmed his thoughts.
With such forty propulsion sails, sufficient to fully deck a fleet anywhere to seven or eight frigate-class warships. Even allowing spare reserves, six complete warcraft. But—if this entire purchase were destined for mounting solely on a single craft—then something even grander still: for only full war-battleships in Air Command could require such scale of sails for power.
This figure building his own fleet clearly would stand greater concern—compared to those already broken and fallen before him today like the disbanded mercenary Wildstorms.
However—had Rui or His clerk known that these forty sails meant to forge into five colossal sails still insufficient, barely covering an Air殿（Hall/Palace） corner, undoubtedly the two would be stunned at their own underestimation.
Yuanshi, now inspired, declared excitedly:“This may open a golden age! For whatever construction this man plans with sailing, that’s merely one aspect. Guns… armor… engines—all require funding.”
“He constructs a fleet—we’ll supply one!” declared Liu.
“Outstanding!!” echoed Ji’s affirmation, adding knowingly:
“If our young Qian Ye seeks his vessel, in its construction he will realize—South Azure commands superior material quality, and more critical abundance, that no others can compete!”
Thinking deeply over further strategy moments, Liu then suggested carefully:“He acts, as if throwing small stones, to judge deep waters—this is reconnaissance to measure our positions, attitudes, responses… Should we accept responsibility for loss in conflict and discard previous offenses, trade flows naturally after reconciliation—as great fortune flows.”
As Yuanshi waxed excited, the dark gaze of Rui remained inscrutable, speaking slowly now: “Lao Liu, You have guided me for a stretch of time.”
“Yes. We favor riches. Cannot let money blind us.”
“Reflect: who can afford full floating battle fleets? Only organizations equal—or stronger—than ours may wield resources sufficient. Our earlier willingness—to accept the loss—was also strategy.”
The subordinate looked enlightened suddenly—only a true super-organization could fund such vast investment far above a mere mercenary organization’s power. The conclusion struck fear silently but clearly across both their minds.
Prompt Yuanshi bowed and retreated to ensure no sabotage arose while he dealt with Madam He again. Once alone, with only empty hall echoing behind the closed door, Ji Rui inhaled sharply, icy beads tricklings down his spine with an uncomfortable awareness—he had bowed so deeply in surrender not just from any desire for commerce.
For regardless of his distaste—thirteen or Thirteen he was blood—how easily another could kill one’s flesh, one’s legacy? Submission was necessity born not from desire of contracts or commerce itself. It came because at close proximity hung an innocent but monstrous young one. And Qian Ye’s threat could not have clearer presence—the very moment the dagger hovered.
Even if the viridian breath failed immediately at striking Ji… Should this toddler puff toward South Azure, destruction would follow—possibly entire halves of the city in death.
All this he had built—South Azure, the pride of his entire life’s sacrifice—its ruin pained worse than his personal extinction.
With an ax above his neck—he obeyed as required. Therefore, upon meeting what Qian Ye presented—only modest compensation as yet—his acceptance was almost too ready.
But Lao Liu, though faithful to his core as majordomo—remained still beneath him. One must always speak long-game, strategy, philosophy, ideals to those one rules, rarely wealth.
Ji mastered these games. Could he really confide to Lao Liu that in truth—he feared, deep, a little girl in a child’s frame?
Moreover—at last—the investigation into Qian Ye’s origins revealed the unsettling. Battle upon battle in dry cold print still shook Ji deeply—unearthing details implying relationships with the Zhao noble that were never superficial.
Contemplative for many long hours afterward—Ji eventually summoned closer servant instructions:
“Seek General Lu for me… I’ll await in side hall…”
His fate now, however, lay suspended—waiting upon what the shadows of power might bring next.
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