Now he wants to play the mediator and stay out of things, but after all, he’s using the status of the Kyoto Taishui, and as the second-in-command of the Dian Kui Division, he can’t just eat and do nothing. Last night, the emperor was clearly furious—rebels appeared in the capital, even infiltrated the Imperial Guards under his jurisdiction. He was just short of being beheaded and displayed as a warning. If he can’t even manage public security, how can he supervise the officials?

If not for this, Henry Bennett, who had stayed in the deep palace for years, wouldn’t have suddenly come over to lecture him.

At this point, it seems he has to pay more attention—at least, before making his escape, he needs to keep Bianjing peaceful.

The hall was silent for a long time. Seeing that William Carter didn’t reply, Henry Bennett lifted his eyelids: “Huazi, you’ve gone soft lately.”

“Hmm?”

Dressed in a white robe and jade crown, William Carter chuckled lightly, “Have I?”

“You used to only smile when you were killing people.”

Henry Bennett’s withered fingers pinched the teacup, slowly shaking his head.

He himself didn’t know what his old temperament was like, so he didn’t say much.

Charles Bennett held his teacup, muttering, “To establish authority by killing, those who should be killed must be killed. For example, that Miss Chen—since she offended you, you can’t let her go. Sigh…”

Miss Chen, of course, was the woman who was almost humiliated when she first arrived. He couldn’t possibly kill her just for breaking a vase, and didn’t pursue the matter afterward.

Henry Bennett sized up the completely changed William Carter, his withered fingers flicking the teacup. A droplet of water shot up, and with another flick, it shot out like a bullet.

A sharp whistling sound cut through the air, heading straight for the temple.

William Carter was deep in thought, his nerves suddenly taut. His right hand reflexively slapped the table, and a teacup bounced up.

“Pa!”

The water droplet struck the teacup, shattering the white porcelain in midair, misting the air with tea.

The martial skills of the Kyoto Taishui were truly extraordinary.

“Not bad.”

Henry Bennett nodded slowly, stood up with a sigh, and said, “If it weren’t for these skills, as your father I’d have thought you’d been swapped for someone else.”

William Carter stared in disbelief, blankly looking at his right hand, still not reacting.

Am I really this good?

He tried slapping the table again, but unfortunately, there was no repeat of the earlier feat.

The white-haired old eunuch slowly walked out of the main hall. Before leaving, he reminded:

“Remember, don’t let any more trouble break out in Bianjing. I can’t explain it to His Majesty.”

William Carter nodded lightly, still examining his palm. Only after the old eunuch left did he mutter to himself, “What the hell? That reflex was terrifying. Just how skilled was that crazy woman last night to knock me out…”

Not a wuxia story—please bookmark and recommend.

===Chapter Five: Xie Yijun===

At dusk, William Carter got off work on time and, in disguise, headed to Shiquan Alley.

With a population of a million, Bianjing’s Black Feather Guards’ search hadn’t reached here yet. The alley was quiet, with only a few children playing under three locust trees.

Reaching a secluded spot, William Carter slung a small bundle over his shoulder and climbed over the courtyard wall into an unused house.

He pushed open the door of the room by the lotus pond. It was pitch black inside, no lights lit. He quietly closed the door and walked to the bedside for a look.

No one!

“Huh?”

He was baffled. The dry biscuits and smoked meat on the table were gone too, as if no one had ever been there.

Thinking Emily Harris had already left, William Carter felt a bit regretful and was about to turn around when he suddenly felt a cold sensation on his neck—a gleaming sword was pressed against it.

He hurriedly raised his hands. “Hero, it’s me.”

“Su Shi, huh…”

A weak voice sounded, and the sword was withdrawn.

Turning around, he saw Emily Harris in a change of black clothes, leaning on a spear as she walked to the table and sat down. She also had a small bundle slung over her shoulder. It seemed she’d heard movement and was ready to leave at any moment.

Her face was pale, but she looked much better. Emily Harris propped herself up on the table with one hand and managed a weak smile. “You little eunuch, you broke free from the ropes but didn’t run, and even saved me. Now you’re bringing things again—could it be… you have designs on me?”

“Miss,” he said helplessly, “I’m a eunuch with no strength to truss a chicken. How could I have any improper thoughts? You’re judging a gentleman by a petty mind.”

After waking up and finding her wounds bandaged and food left on the table, Emily Harris knew the little eunuch who’d been tied up wasn’t a bad person. Otherwise, she’d have left long ago and wouldn’t have waited here till nightfall. Just now, she was only teasing.

“Thanks… I owe you my life.”

“It was nothing.”

He placed the bundle on the table. “You’ve been to the Dian Kui Division—you saw how many experts there are, it’s impossible to break in. Why not just go back?”

The emperor didn’t want any more trouble in the capital. As the second-in-command of the Dian Kui Division, he couldn’t just eat and do nothing, but he also didn’t want to take lives. All he could do was persuade this rebel leader to leave and not cause him trouble in the capital before he’d made enough money.

Emily Harris raised her hand and opened the bundle, taking out the medicine inside and examining it. “If Old Dog Xue can’t be killed, so be it. William Carter must die.”

“Why?” William Carter was rather helpless.

Emily Harris’s face was a bit pale, but her eyes were resolute, clearly determined to fight to the death. “The Hundred Flowers Sword was a person of great righteousness, respected by all in the underworld, and even taught me a thing or two. Now that she’s been killed by the court, of course I must avenge her.”

He had gone back and checked the case files today, and now frowned. “I know about the Hundred Flowers Sword. She was besieged and killed by William Carter, and she was rebelling anyway, which is a capital crime. In war, people die. You should blame the court, not William Carter.”