Chapter 337: with translation of chapter title

After a fierce wind passed, the rain never came.

The dry heat of the night surged back again, only now with a hint of moisture that clung to people's faces, sticky and uncomfortable.

At the northwestern corner of Yunan City, on the site of the Cao family manor, the fire had visibly dwindled.

Chen Wuji ordered someone to fetch two more jars of wine, then returned the remaining half‑jar to Qin Feng.

He had brought it from his hometown, and he was keeping a little for himself; each sip of the wine lessened both the drink and his longing.

Too bad that old fellow didn't want it; instead he hauled off a fresh jar.

The messengers Chen Li sent to deliver the news have all returned, but none of the family heads have arrived yet.

"Looks like my influence still isn't enough—no one's willing to give me face." Chen Wuji said with a self‑mocking laugh, "Qiu Chen, take your men and hold the city tower; if we lose this gate, I'll hold you responsible."

Qiu Chen respectfully accepted the order.

All night long, his mind wandered aimlessly, unable to focus at all.

He knew exactly what the provincial troops were like, as clear as a mirror.

Yet with such a unit, Chen Wuji dared to place them on the city tower—a post of great importance; this was plainly not trust, but more like a trap.

Qiu Chen wasn't worried for himself; he feared that the people below might lose their heads and do something foolish, dragging him down with them.

Fortunately, all of this is finally coming to an end.

Qiu Chen decided to hold a meeting with those brigade commanders later; if anyone harbors grudges and still wants to cause trouble, for his own sake he must nip it in the bud early.

"Go back, get some sleep." Chen Wuji said, yawning.

Qin Feng asked in surprise, "Deputy Commander Chen, you're not planning to cause trouble for a few more families, are you?"

"No rush for now." Chen Wuji said casually.

With the Cao family's force wiped out, Yunan City was now firmly in his grasp.

Many key figures of the Gu and Li families were also in the city, and the initiative now lay in his hands.

For the time being, there's no need to rush the upcoming matters; we can give them three or five days to let the Gu and Li families make their choice.

Besides, we can quietly set a little trap to give these provincial troops another chance to jump.

"Report, Li Si Fencha has sent someone."

A provincial trooper hurriedly climbed up onto the wall.

Chen Wuji smiled, a little surprised: "I didn't expect anyone to actually come—and it's an old acquaintance."

"Bring him up!"

"Yes!"

Not long after the provincial troops went down, they brought up a tall, slender middle‑aged man with a fine beard reaching his chest and well‑kept skin; behind him followed several attendants, each shouldering or carrying many items.

"What's this, Shopkeeper Li?" Chen Wuji asked with a smile. "We're old acquaintances—why be so formal? Is the Li family in the city now under your charge?"

"It's not that I'm being presumptuous; I merely handle the Li family's business in the city. The true head is my second uncle, but he's recently overtaxed himself, taken to bed, unable to rise, so I dare to come see the deputy commander." Shopkeeper Li said, smiling humbly and clasping his hands.

Then he turned, pointed to the items he'd brought, and said, "These are what my second uncle entrusted; they're a small token from the Li family—please accept them, Deputy Commander."

"Lately many things have happened in the city, and we Lis have been swept up, helpless. Our branch of the Li family was forced to flee the prosperous Central Plains; generations of painstaking effort have brought us to where we are today, and we truly don't wish to end up like the Cao family—please, Deputy Commander, lend us a hand."

Chen Wuji chuckled lightly, "What are you talking about, Shopkeeper Li? I don't recall ever bullying you—where does this 'lend a hand' come from? Old Li, you and I are still business partners; you ought to weigh your words. Saying you're helpless and asking me to lift you up—does that sound fitting coming from you?"

"The deputy commander's reprimand is just; I was momentarily careless." Shopkeeper Li hurriedly apologized.

"Matters beyond our control we'll settle ourselves; today we came merely to show the deputy commander a bit of the Li family's sincerity."

"What sincerity?" Chen Wuji asked.

From the first time they worked together, he'd felt this guy was no good.

Now it's proven true—he really is no good, and hearing that made him inexplicably angry.

Standing at the rear, casually sipping his drink, Qin Feng suddenly flung away his sword sheath, tucked the blade under his arm, swayed over with a wine jug, and bumped up beside Chen Wuji, saying, "What's this? Let me have a look!"

Shopkeeper Li turned and untied one of the bundles.

Inside was a chest; as the lid lifted, a flash of silver blazed forth, nearly blinding Chen Wuji—it was filled with large fifty‑tael silver ingots, neatly stacked.

"Each chest holds twenty thousand taels…" Shopkeeper Li said with a faint smile, looking at Chen Wuji.

The servants he'd brought also began to undo the other bundles.

Perhaps to conceal them, they had wrapped each chest in a layer of cloth.

Just then, those servants suddenly drew short daggers from the side of the chests and, without a word, lunged at Chen Wuji, each move lightning‑fast, instantly forming a surrounding ring.

Qin Feng suddenly spat out a mouthful of wine, flung the jug at one of the servants, and with a tug at his armpit drew his long sword into hand, saying, "Tsk, I really do have a keen eye—I could tell right away you lot harbor no good intentions. Trying to pull off a beheading, do you think you can treat the two top officials of Yunan City as nothing? I'm no mere sword‑swinger for show."

While Qin Feng's mouth ran on, his sword in hand was fiercely sharp.

His movements seemed slow, but when his sword struck it carried the force of a thunderbolt, as if bearing the weight of myriad mountains.

One stroke broke a Li family servant's defense and nailed into his forehead.

Chen Wuji watched, quite composed, without thinking to intervene.

He was giving Lord Qin a chance to show himself.

Earlier, when watching from the city wall, Chen Wuji had seen only the beauty of Qin Feng's sword dance.

Now, observing at close range, he realized how terrifying Qin Feng's sword technique was—it seemed to gather all his power into the tip.

A flash of cold light passed, and everything seemed to turn to paper.

A human skull is hard, yet his light‑as‑air thrust pierced the man's brow with ease, smooth as slicing tofu.

Chen Wuji had never heard of any realm system in this world's martial arts, but it was obvious that its masters were far above ordinary.

Qin Feng anticipated the enemy's move and struck decisively and fiercely.

Although the Chen family's two oxen reacted a bit slower, they lagged behind Qin Feng by only a single motion.

Chen Wushuang and Chen Wuyi, who had been constantly at Chen Wuji's side, also drew their blades instantly when the Li family servants lunged, and, one on the left and one on the right, blocked the attackers coming from both sides.