[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming":3,"chapter-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-11":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Unorthodox Sword of Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2337216,4570,"Chapter 11: Outacting Each Other","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-11",11,"\u003Cp>“Poor child,” the old grandmother gripped her small hand and patted it soothingly, pitying, “Your father isn’t home; no matter how much you suffer, no one will stand up for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your stepmother is so cruel—she sent you out alone on such a long journey from Kaifeng to Great Ming. How can you possibly fare well returning empty-handed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother’s gaze grew even gentler, her face filled with sorrow: “I’m just an old woman with little knowledge, but I’ve walked many roads and seen many people. Such cruel stepmothers always find excuses to sell off young girls in the household…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun trembled in her grip, her face filled with terror; the old grandmother tightened her hold and tenderly said, “Good child, why not delay going home? Wait until your father returns, then go back. Even if your stepmother is furious, she won’t dare harm you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun’s eyes lit up with longing, but after a moment she shook her head reluctantly, “But my uncle’s family is furious about the debt—they won’t take me in. I… I don’t know where else to go…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother knew full well her uncle’s family wouldn’t take her in; any relative with even a shred of conscience wouldn’t send a child out alone like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t this deliberately handing the child to her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the child was right before her, if she didn’t take her in, wouldn’t she be betraying Heaven?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the old grandmother gently patted Pan Yun’s hand and said, “Good child, if you don’t mind, come with me to my home for a few days. Once I hear your father has returned, you can go back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun’s eyes brightened slightly, about to nod—then she remembered something and shook her head again. “No, I can’t. My stepmother has a clan brother who’s a minor clerk at the Kaifeng docks—he’s the one who put me on the boat. If I return to Kaifeng but don’t go home, I’ll never be able to show my face again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My family moved to Kaifeng from the capital. My stepmother knows many people here—I know no one…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother’s last lingering doubts vanished. She’d been about to ask—how could this child, claiming to be from Kaifeng, speak with a Beijing accent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her mind, she instantly filled in Pan Yun’s family background.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mother died; her father moved the whole family to Kaifeng for business, remarried locally, entrusted his daughter and household to his new wife, then left to trade—only for the stepmother to despise the daughter from his first marriage…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother’s smile grew even warmer as she gently patted Pan Yun’s hand. “Good child, don’t worry—we won’t go to Zhuxian Town. We’ll get off at Jiaozhangkou below.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun looked confused. “What’s that place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother: “It’s a ferry crossing in Zhangde Prefecture, not far from Anyang. My home is in Anyang. Stay with me for a while. When your father returns, I’ll have my son take you back—very convenient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Can the boat stop midway at Jiaozhangkou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. You can get off midway, or even board midway. I’ll speak to the boatmen later—you just follow me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun nodded trustfully, her eyes shining brightly at her. What a good person~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother gazed at her just as brightly. What a good girl~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sitting for a long time, the boat began to edge toward shore. Ahead lay a tiny wooden pier, where five or six people stood, waving urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the boat neared, the boatmen tossed ropes ashore; the vessel was quickly secured. A gangplank was lowered, and those waiting rushed aboard to unload goods. Some boarded with the boat; others dropped their loads and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Pan Yun watching intently, the old grandmother explained: “Everyone must make a living. Boatmen earn little, so they pick up extra here and there—it’s convenient for us poor folk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun smiled silently. Others might be poor, but the old woman beside her was not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze swept over the tall man across from her; her lips curled slightly as her fingers stroked the black cat more gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat shivered slightly in her grasp, then settled calmly in her lap, its glassy eyes filled with pity as they swept over the old grandmother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother glanced at the cat, but paid it no mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was odd to bring a cat on a journey, the girl was young, and the cat clearly knew her well—this made her background less surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably feared the pet would be abused by the stepmother, so she took it everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, whenever someone signaled, the boatmen would pause briefly. Most were official ferry points; some had no pier at all—small rowboats came alongside to transfer goods and passengers to the main vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun watched the whole journey and figured it out: passengers who didn’t buy official tickets or pay at the starting point paid the boatmen directly—perhaps even bribing the supervisors above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This boat was an official vessel of the Great Ming Prefecture government, meant for merchants and travelers, stopping only at four official ferry points, collecting fares only up to those four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiaozhangkou wasn’t one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only at noon the next day did the boat reach Jiaozhangkou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother had spoken to the boatmen ahead of time. As they arrived, the boat veered into the ferry point. As soon as it docked, she gripped Pan Yun’s hand tightly and stepped ashore. Behind them followed a tall, muscular middle-aged man, around thirty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun, bewildered, was pulled ashore. After walking a while, she noticed someone was following them. Turning back, she saw the man’s eyes, barely hiding their menace. She shrank behind the old grandmother, trembling. “Who is…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother smiled reassuringly. “That’s my son. Don’t be fooled by his looks—he’s a kind man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man forced a smile—his face only grew more menacing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun, seemingly unaware, relaxed with relief and sweetly called, “Uncle, hello.” “Good, good, let’s hurry,” the old grandmother said. “It’s still a long way to Anyang. We must move fast, or we’ll miss the inn by nightfall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside Jiaozhangkou lay a small town. The two led Pan Yun out of it. Once past the houses, people thinned. The main road became narrow footpaths. After walking further, the fields vanished, leaving only trees and weeds on either side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Pan Yun constantly glancing around, the old grandmother gauged the distance and decided to soothe her into walking alone. “The back path is shorter—we’ll reach the inn outside Anyang before sunset.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun whispered assent. Seeing the dense trees and thick weeds, with no one in sight, she crept closer to the old grandmother and whispered even softer: “Grandma… I… I need to go to the toilet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother smiled kindly. “Good child, no need to be shy. I’ll go with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tossed her bag to the middle-aged man. “Wait here.” Then she pulled Pan Yun into the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun placed the cat on her shoulder, blushing furiously as she stared at the old grandmother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother understood—girls were shy. She tactfully turned her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun had been too obedient, too well-behaved. She’d agreed to everything, and with her young appearance, the old grandmother let her guard drop completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it had been anyone else, she’d never have turned her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!. READ\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the old grandmother turned, Pan Yun’s smile vanished. A Xiuchun knife appeared in her hand—still sheathed. Both hands gripped it, and she brought it down hard onto the old woman’s occiput…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother had barely turned, had no time to react. Her head went numb, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun caught her, lowered her gently to the ground. Still not satisfied, she turned the woman over and struck her neck several times with her palm—the black cat winced at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her ruthlessness, the black cat grew even quieter, sitting perfectly still on her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun picked up the knife and walked softly behind the middle-aged man, who faced away. She raised the sheath and brought it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she had no restraint—*bang, bang, bang!* Three blows. He didn’t even roll his eyes—he collapsed face-first with a thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun kicked him. No response. She lifted the sheath again and smashed his neck and head repeatedly. When she was certain he was unconscious beyond recovery, she sheathed the knife and began searching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One looked gentle and kind—but her eyes were fox-like, her nasal bridge marked with transverse lines, her mind cunning, her calculating gaze glued to Pan Yun. Did she really expect Pan Yun to trust her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other had triangular eyes and a dark forehead. Even without skill in physiognomy, Pan Yun could tell he was no good—his body reeked of blood and violence; his hands must be stained with countless innocent lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun took both their money pouches. But they had little—just a few strings of copper coins and some silver scraps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After collecting everything, she glanced at their clothes and sneered. Still, she dragged them together, stripped them bare—leaving only their undergarments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the dagger taken from the man, she sliced his arm. When blood welled, she dipped his finger and wrote five large characters on the old woman’s undergarment: “I am a human trafficker.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bleeding slowed. Without hesitation, she sliced his arm again, this time dipping the old woman’s finger in blood and writing four characters on the man’s undergarment: “I killed someone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun admired her handiwork, nodding in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily there were two of them—if there’d been only one, she’d have had to use her own fingers. That would’ve been too dirty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tied both men to a tree with a dead knot, then picked up their remaining belongings and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the main road, Pan Yun carefully studied the sun and time, determined the cardinal directions, then chose a path heading north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night fell. Pan Yun gathered firewood, gathered spiritual energy at her fingertip, and drew a fire talisman in midair—then ignited the wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With fire, she could keep warm—and feel safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun exhaled, broke off several branches with large leaves, spread them on the ground, sat cross-legged, and began meditating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat shifted slightly, settling obediently beside her leg, tilting its head toward the moon, absorbing lunar essence while gently siphoning the spiritual energy drawn to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waaah… ever since it abandoned its body and fled from her dantian, those days of freely drawing spiritual power were gone. Now it could only sneakily steal a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How it missed its body. How it missed her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1794,"2026-06-20T22:03:57.478Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4e7611535d875ee46ba31ecdc23274adbf7e1de550c4d77495655271dc51f3eb","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-12","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-10",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-cover.jpg"]