Chapter 59: Martial Arts Tournament for the Commander's Position, Kang Min Offers Wine

The appearance of Law Enforcement Elder Lü Zhang and the others could be said to be a coincidence, yet it was also an inevitability.

This location was relatively close to the Beggars' Sect headquarters, and Beggars' Sect disciples frequently traveled back and forth through here. When Murong Bo's men chose this place to launch an ambush, they had intended to finish the battle swiftly. Inevitably, if they lingered, they would run into members of the Beggars' Sect. Even if Lü Zhang had not arrived, someone else certainly would have.

Seeing his own people appear, Zhang Fang withdrew the palm he had pressed against Azis back. Without waiting for them to ask, he gave a concise account of how he had been ambached. Afterward, he ordered his men to bury Bao Butong's corpse on the spot and had the unconscious Feng Bo'e carried along.

As for himself, he scooped the petite and delicate Azi into his arms with a bridal carry and led the way toward the sect headquarters.

Upon returning to the headquarters, the next step was to handle the aftermath of the series of events that had transpired that day.

First was the decision regarding how to deal with Azi.

That she had nearly poisoned Elder Wu and over a dozen Beggars' Sect disciples to death was an indisputable fact. Regarding this, Zhang Fang cryptically hinted that the matter was connected to Yan Shanhe, though now was not the time to pursue it further. Once the martial arts duel to seize the leadership concluded the next day, he would naturally give everyone a reasonable explanation.

Naturally, Zhang Fang's reply failed to satisfy everyone.

Even though the elders from the headquarters faction all stood on his side, hearing such a response still drew murmurs of dissent. They hoped Zhang Fang could clarify the situation immediately to prevent lingering suspicions among the rank and file.

At this critical juncture, the efforts Zhang Fang had previously made to win over the hearts of the people finally played their due role.

Just as the voices of doubt began to rise, Elder Wu Changfeng stepped forward voluntarily. Representing the dozen or so poisoned Beggars' Sect disciples, he took a firm stand in unwavering support of Zhang Fang.

With Elder Wu's personal intervention, the faint murmurs of skepticism were instantly and thoroughly suppressed.

After all, since those who had actually been poisoned and suffered through the ordeal declared it a closed matter, the others naturally had no grounds to keep pressing the issue. If they continued to haggle endlessly, outsiders might instead suspect them of deliberately stirring up trouble to undermine the following day's decisive battle.

This was a matter of stance and alignment, and no one dared to make any more reckless moves.

Having temporarily settled the matter concerning Azi, Zhang Fang briefly recounted his prior ambush to the assembled elders.

As expected, "Yan Shanhe" possessed an airtight alibi regarding this incident. During the period when Zhang Fang was ambushed, Yan Shanhe had been using the pretext of visiting Elder Wu and the others, lingering with Elder Wu, Elder Xu, Elder Bai, and others to chat about major affairs of the martial world.

These elders from the headquarters faction had inadvertently become his alibi witnesses.

The elders of the headquarters had always felt that Yan Shanhe's abnormal behavior was highly suspicious. However, with the various branch divisions standing behind him to vouch for him, the word "suspicious" fell far short of constituting a valid reason to move against Yan Shanhe.

To this, Zhang Fang's reply remained unchanged: "Once tomorrow's duel for the leadership concludes, the truth will naturally come to light."

***

Early the next morning, outside Luoyang city, within a spacious plaza inside the Beggars' Sect headquarters.

At this moment, the periphery of the plaza was packed with raggedly dressed Beggars' Sect disciples. Near the center stood the elders of the Luoyang headquarters, while the leaders of the six major branch divisions—Grand Benevolence, Grand Wisdom, Grand Righteousness, Grand Faith, Grand Propriety, and Grand Valor—stood divided on the left and right, forming a subtle standoff.

Xuemuhua, attending as a specially invited guest for the leadership duel, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the elders of the headquarters, clearly aligning himself with the faction supporting Zhang Fang.

Although the branch division leaders felt some resentment regarding this, they did not dare cast hostile glances in his direction.

After all, a physician held an overly special status in the pugilistic world, particularly a supreme medical sage like Xuemuhua. No one could guarantee that they might not need to beg for his help one day in the future. Therefore, unless he explicitly declared his intention to interfere in the internal affairs of the Beggars' Sect, no one would be so tactless as to wear their dissatisfaction on their sleeves.

At that moment, the crowds gathered on both sides suddenly parted, leaving two three-meter-wide paths that led straight to the center of the plaza. Two masked men walked slowly in along the paths.

One of them wore a long purple robe and a pitch-black metallic mask. Under the morning sunlight, the mask cast a faint reddish sheen, making him look exceptionally mysterious and majestic.

The other was dressed in scholar's attire of alternating red and white, resembling a young master from some prestigious aristocratic estate. He wore a bright iron mask that gleamed dazzlingly in the morning light, though compared to the dark mask opposite him, it inevitably felt somewhat lacking in weight and solemnity.

These two were naturally the protagonists of today's duel for the leadership: Zhang Fang and Yan Shanhe.

Yet the impression points Yan Shanhe lost through his mask were more than made up for by his attendant. After all, Yan Qingyun, who closely followed behind him, was a pugilistic expert whose martial arts were no less formidable than those of the Beggars' Sect's guardian elders, far surpassing the ordinary disciple carrying Zhang Fang's shield.

Regarding this, Zhang Fang felt quite helpless.

Had Azi's injuries not been unhealed, how could he have allowed Yan Qingyun to steal the spotlight?

Lost in thought, the four of them arrived at the outer perimeter of the combat ring. Yan Qingyun and the Beggars' Sect disciple carrying Zhang Fang's shield both halted their steps. Zhang Fang casually took the round shield from the latter and stepped into the ring simultaneously with Yan Shanhe.

Their paces were identical, their speeds the same, as if they had rehearsed countless times beforehand. Each stopped three meters away from the absolute core of the battlefield.

Yan Shanhe's gaze fell upon the round shield in Zhang Fang's hand, and he could not help but ask with mild astonishment, "Elder You's weapon appears severely worn. Will it truly not affect the performance of your strength? If necessary, I can wait a few more days to let Elder You repair the shield."

Hearing Yan Shanhe's words, the eyes of everyone present inevitably drifted to the round shield in Zhang Fang's hand. They saw that the previously smooth and clean surface of the shield was now covered with scratches of varying lengths and depths. The crisscrossing marks made the ferocious deity pattern carved upon it look even more menacing.

These traces had all been left behind during yesterday's fierce battle in the dense forest when it collided with the famed blade Snow-Walking.

Mentioned now by Yan Shanhe, it inevitably gave the illusion that You Tanzhi was already battered and exhausted, unlikely to claim victory. It caused those who originally supported him to weaken imperceptibly in momentum by half.

Zhang Fang lightly shook his head and replied, "These marks were all left behind while fighting bloody battles against the enemies of the Beggars' Sect, and they bear witness to our sect's willingness to risk life and limb for the country and the people. How could they be easily repaired or erased? In any case, they will not affect our battle today; Elder Yan need not concern yourself with them."

Zhang Fang's calm and composed retort not only defined the Murong family of Gusu as enemies of the Beggars' Sect but also cleverly linked these scratches to his own merits and the sect's loyalty and righteousness, instantly stirring the blood of many present.

As his voice fell, a wave of echoing assent rose from the surrounding crowd.

Seeing that his provocation had not only been easily neutralized by Zhang Fang but had instead become a bargaining chip for winning people over, a flash of murderous intent flickered across Yan Shanhe's eyes. He leveled his sword horizontally and said in a deep voice, "In that case, please enlighten me, Elder You!"

***

"Wait!"

Just as the two men assumed their stances and prepared to strike, a woman's loud cry suddenly rang out from behind the crowd watching the battle on the southern side.

Hearing this, both men paused their movements simultaneously.

At that moment, the crowd on that side parted.

A beautiful woman dressed in mourning black, accompanied by two maids, slowly entered the arena. Reaching Zhang Fang and Yan Shanhe, she first bowed deeply to both of them, then spoke: "The bereaved widow, Madame Ma, pays her respects to the two elders."

"Stepping forward to disrupt the two elders' duel causes me deep shame. However, before the two of you make your move, I have one request, and I hope the two elders will grant it."

The newcomer was none other than one of the two most disruptive figures in the Beggars' Sect: Kang Min, the widow of former Deputy Chief Ma Dayuan.

This woman, alongside Quan Guanqing, had orchestrated the Beggars' Sect coup at Apricot Forest. If Quan Guanqing was a stirrer of filth, then she... well, let us not describe it further; it was somewhat unspeakable.

Though he held absolute contempt for this person in his heart, Zhang Fang outwardly put on an extremely courteous expression and asked, "I wonder what Madame Ma is requesting?"

At that moment, a maid following behind Madame Ma stepped forward carrying a tray, upon which rested a wine pot and three cups.

Madame Ma leisurely picked up the wine pot, filled all three cups, handed two of them to Zhang Fang and Yan Shanhe, and picked up the final cup herself, raising it level with both hands as she spoke: "Two years have already passed since my late husband met his demise, yet the murderer responsible remains at large."

"My knowledge is shallow, and I cannot determine whether Qiao Feng is truly the culprit."

"Regardless of who the murderer is, I hope that whichever of the two elders emerges victorious will, upon becoming the sect leader, spare no effort in investigating this matter to bring justice to my poor, departed husband."

These words were spoken with great polish!

It seemed today's wine could not be avoided.

Only...

Zhang Fang glanced down at the cup in his hand.

Why did this wine look somewhat turbid?

The first chapter is presented here, the second chapter will arrive shortly.
(End of this chapter)