Chapter 78: The Four Great Imperial Guards

September 14th, early morning.

Autumn; the maple leaves on the Western Hills have turned red. The jade dew on Tianjie has turned white.

Autumn has deepened.

Morning mist fills the main street, and the sun has already risen.

The steam rising from the pot of mung bean milk looks just like mist under the sunlight.

Yu Liancheng uses chopsticks to pick up pig head meat, eating it with pickled vegetables and mung bean milk; he drinks three bowls in one go.

Before coming to the Capital, he heard people say that Old Man Zhang's mung bean milk, Huixianju's stir-fried liver, and Ruiming Tower's potstickers were all peerless.

He got up early today just to come here and drink mung bean milk.

Fortunately, it did not disappoint him.

Just then, an old woman covered in patches, her waist seemingly bent by the weight of a stone, walked over. She carried a very large bamboo basket in her hand and called out, "Sugar-roasted chestnuts, fragrant and sweet sugar-roasted chestnuts, only ten wen a jin."

Yu Liancheng rolled his eyes: "Must you play this trick every time? Isn't it boring? And I truly don't understand why a beauty like you insists on disguising yourself as an old woman every time."

The old woman walked lightly to Yu Liancheng, a 'sweet and moving' smile on her aged face, and said in a voice like silver bells: "My Sword Technique is inherently brilliant and magnificent; only when it complements my beautiful face can it capture a person's soul. But if others see this face often and are already prepared in their hearts, the power of my moves would naturally be greatly discounted."

"But have you ever thought that the reason your Sword Technique cannot compare to top-tier experts like Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng is precisely because you focus not on the Sword Technique itself, but on some external things? They can never truly improve your Sword Technique; instead, they waste your heart and spirit for nothing."

Yu Liancheng said slowly: "You only care about the flashy and showy, rather than focusing on the Sword Technique itself; like this, you will never become a top-tier swordsman comparable to Ximen and the others."

The old woman wore a thoughtful expression, and after who knows how long, her eyes suddenly lit up: "I understand, I understand."

She wiped her face, and instantly revealed a gorgeous and beautiful face.

The other guests in the shop saw this scene and were almost stunned.

An old woman who was almost on the verge of death suddenly turning into a peerless beauty—it would be strange if they weren't stunned.

Yu Liancheng shrugged; he didn't understand what Gongsun Lan had understood, he had just said a few words casually.

But this beautiful face was always pleasing to the eye, much more agreeable than looking at that wrinkled old face; his saliva had not been wasted after all.

"Right, I almost forgot the main business; someone wants to find you. Let me introduce you," Gongsun Lan said.

Yu Liancheng raised an eyebrow and said: "To be able to find you, they must not be ordinary people."

Gongsun Lan nodded and said: "It is the four great imperial guards. If you are willing to see them and agree to their request, they guarantee they will show leniency to the Green Clothes Tower and Red Shoes and try their best not to cause trouble."

Both the Green Clothes Tower and Red Shoes belong to gray organizations; if the government just acts as if they don't exist, then their income will increase quite a bit.

And vice versa.

The Imperial Court is the true behemoth; no martial arts faction can compare to it.

Yu Liancheng raised an eyebrow: "Let them come over."

"Good." Gongsun Lan stood up and left.

Soon, she brought four middle-aged men over.

One had a refined face and a noble bearing.

One had a pale face and wore a cold sneer.

One had eyes like a hawk, and his nose also resembled a hooked beak.

The last one was dressed in fine silk and had a gentle face.

Gongsun Lan introduced them one by one: "These four are the four great imperial guards. They are 'Xiaoxiang Swordsman' Wei Ziyun, 'Desert Divine Hawk' Tu Fang, 'Wealthy Divine Sword' Yin Xian, and 'Star-Plucking Hand' Ding Ao."

Yu Liancheng looked at them and said with a smile: "Do the four of you want to drink mung bean milk? My treat."

'Wealthy Divine Sword' Yin Xian smiled: "Many thanks for Young Master Yu's hospitality, but our mission is urgent and cannot be delayed. Coming to find you this time is because there is a matter we wish to entrust to you."

Yu Liancheng drank a bowl of mung bean milk: "Oh, tell me about it."

'Desert Divine Hawk' Tu Fang suddenly let out a cold snort.

'Star-Plucking Hand' Ding Ao also looked at Yu Liancheng with a cold expression, seemingly quite dissatisfied with him.

The four great guards had originally wanted Yu Liancheng to go to another courtyard to discuss in detail, but Yu Liancheng hadn't moved an inch, instead making them come to him.

And now that the four had arrived, Yu Liancheng was still sitting and drinking mung bean milk, not rising to welcome them, as if he didn't put the four of them in his eyes.

Before taking their posts, these four were already famous figures in the Edo.

After becoming imperial guards, they were even more valued by the current Emperor; ordinary people would only fawn and flatter them upon seeing them.

Yu Liancheng had not been rude to them, just treating them in an ordinary way.

But in their eyes, this in itself was a form of rudeness.

Yu Liancheng looked at these two and smiled: "These two seem not too satisfied with me."

Tu Fang said with a dark face: "You killed dozens of people yesterday and took human lives; do you really think we imperial guards would still give you a pleasant look?"

Ding Ao said with a cold face: "It is already quite good that we haven't thrown you into prison."

They seemed to have decided to give Yu Liancheng a show of force.

In the Capital, the Imperial Court is what counts, not Edo people.

"Hiss—" Yu Liancheng looked at these two in surprise, as if he had encountered something extremely astonishing: "Was your head caught in a door? You dare speak to me like that."

"What did you say?"

"How bold!!"

Tu Fang and Ding Ao were furious; Yin Xian and Wei Ziyun hurriedly held them back: "Calm down, calm down, everyone can discuss things."

Gongsun Lan smiled, just watching the excitement from the side.

Although she was in patched cloth clothes, her appearance and charm were enough to make the vast majority of men fall for her; many guests were secretly peeking at her.

"Oh, it seems you are not convinced by me."

Yu Liancheng said calmly, smiling: "How about this: as long as you can hold out for three moves under my hand, I will retract what I just said, and no matter what you want me to do, I can do it for you."

"Seeking death!"

With this, once these words were spoken, it had completely enraged Tu Fang and Ding Ao.

Although Yin Xian and Wei Ziyun did not make a move, they had already released Tu Fang and Ding Ao.

In an instant, Tu Fang was seen like a goshawk sweeping through the sky, the long sword at his waist suddenly unsheathed, its sword light like a gale and lightning.

Ding Ao struck out with both hands, a move that appeared plain and simple, yet it was exquisite and peerless, concealing countless follow-up strikes.

These two men were indeed capable to have become Imperial Guards.

It was just that these capabilities, when placed before Yu Liancheng, seemed not quite enough to look at.

The morning mist seemed to have thinned a little more, but it had become colder.

Only two "bang," "bang" sounds were heard, and the two Imperial experts spat out fresh blood, flying horizontally outward like broken Wawa.

Yu Liancheng was still sitting on the stool drinking soy milk, a look of comfort and enjoyment appearing on his face.

No one saw him make a move.

And no one saw how the two Imperial experts were defeated.

But no matter who it was, they knew that if Yu Liancheng wanted to take the lives of these two Imperial Guards, it would be as easy as reaching into a bag to retrieve an object.

For a time, Yin Xian and Wei Ziyun, who had not made a move, were already streaming with cold sweat.