Chapter 6 Awakening from Hibernation (Part 4)

  After bidding farewell to his colleagues, Wang Xun was in a gloomy mood all the way back to Chang'an.

  The one who ordered the assassination of Bai Huaqi was Wang Zhun, the son of Wang Kui, the governor of Jingzhao. A person he would not have provoked no matter what in the past. If it weren't for him coincidentally sitting in Bai Huaqi's carriage today and accidentally defeating three clumsy assassins, Wang Xuan wouldn't even be sure if he had the courage to avenge Bai Huaqi after learning that she was taken into the Jingzhao governor's mansion or killed by its henchmen.

  Maybe I'll be impulsive and take a risk, maybe I'll swallow my anger for the sake of Yun Niang and Zi Luo. But it's more likely that even if I take a risk, I won't be able to do anything to Wang Kuo and his son! The gap in strength between us is too great, so great that with just a slight movement of their fingers, they can make me disappear like dust, and no one in the entire city of Chang'an will dare to say a word about it.

  This was the second time in half a year that Wang Xun felt his own weakness and helplessness. As someone who was used to relying on family power to bully others, there was nothing more depressing than being bullied by others but unable to fight back. The rule of this Chang'an city was survival of the fittest, but it had become so simple and direct! If you didn't want to be bullied, you could only work hard to climb up and trample those who bullied you under your feet. However, the road to climbing up was so long, from the current seventh-grade lower-ranking official to the fourth-grade upper-ranking general, just to match Wang Quan's current position. It required a promotion of thirteen levels, and even with the support of his uncle, each level would take at least four months to half a year. In other words, if he wanted to protect Bai Hua from being snatched away by Wang Quan, he needed to continuously advance in rank for at least four to six years. And when he reached Wang Quan's position, he would still have to face the likes of Silver and Blue Light, Grand Master of the Imperial Household, Censor-in-Chief, Governor of Taiyuan County, and other officials who could suppress him!

  Above Wang Kuo, there was Kai Fu Yi Tong San Si, Xing Shangshu Left Pu Sha, Jian Youxiang, Anbei Deputy Grand Commander, Chi Jie Shuo Fang Zhi Jie Du Shi, Guan Nei Jun Jun Cai Fang Chu Zhuo Shi Li Linfu. Further up, there were several Li surname county kings, imperial relatives. It was rare for Wang Xun to consider such a long-term plan, but he suddenly realized that if he wanted to protect Bai Hui and others around him from being bullied, he would have to keep climbing up, climbing up, this road had no end! Never had!

  No wonder Yuwen Zida's personality changed greatly after he was released from prison! He finally understood his good friend's thoughts. It wasn't the temptation of power that drove people crazy, but rather not wanting to experience again the taste of closing one's eyes and waiting for death. Apart from trying every means to climb to a high position and grasping one's own fate in one's hands, Yuwen had no other choice!

  "Hey, stupid! You've used me and can't even be bothered to say thanks?" Along the way, seeing that Wang Xuan still wasn't speaking to him, Yan Jiming felt somewhat unhappy and made a low protest by whipping his horse in mid-air.

  "Ah, uh-huh, ah——" Hearing the whip cracking in the air, Wang Xuan's body suddenly arched back, and his newly changed horizontal knife quickly came out of its scabbard. With the blade held level with his shoulders, he suddenly came to his senses, paused for a moment, sheathed his sword, and muttered in a low voice: "Don't joke around randomly, I'm almost becoming a startled bird!"

  "A martial artist's moves are involuntary, yet he hasn't even grasped the basics!" Yan Jiming was also startled by Wang Zhong's overreaction, and led his horse to the side, laughing as he scolded.

  "If it were you, being suddenly shot at with a crossbow bolt for no reason, wouldn't you be on edge afterwards?" Wang Xuan rolled his eyes and responded irritably.

  "I thought you were a brave and fearless warrior, able to kill with a smile on your face. But it turns out you're also afraid afterwards!" Yan Jiming shook his head and continued to joke around, purely to alleviate the pressure in Wang Xun's heart.

  "It's strange if I'm not afraid." Wang Xuan forced a bitter smile, "I wasn't born as an assassin!"

  When it comes to assassins, he suddenly thought that the most effective way to deal with arrogant and bullying people like Wang Zhun and Wang Kuo might be to become a great hero like Jing Ke or Nie Zheng. No matter how many official titles they have on their heads, sneaking in at midnight and stabbing them to death would render their high-ranking positions useless.

  But that would require superhuman martial arts skills! Lei Wanchun once said with his own mouth, he could barely cope with ten or twenty strong men. More than fifty people, and he could only flee in defeat. Moreover, Wu has no second, the path of practicing martial arts is also endless. One mountain is still higher than another, you think that relying on your martial arts skills will make you carefree, but what if someone with better martial arts skills comes to bully you? Wouldn't it be just like now, where you're at a loss for what to do?!

  "You're so stupid!" Seeing Wang Jun say that, Yan Jiming's eyes widened and he shouted in anger.

  "When I first encountered such a thing, I couldn't help but feel a little dazed. Brother Ji Ming, please forgive me!" Wang Xun smiled bitterly and collected his scattered thoughts, bowing to apologize to his new friend.

  "If there's something difficult, discuss it with me! Although I may not necessarily come up with a good idea, at least the three of us discussing it is better than you standing there in a daze!" Yan Jiming was indeed kind-hearted and took the initiative to help Wang Xun resolve his worries.

  "His name is Su Shenxing, and his courtesy name is Zhenyan!" Wang Xun pointed to the colleague who had been following behind him and introduced him with a smile.

  "Ah, oh!" Yan Jiming only then realized that since parting ways with Zhou Xiao Feng and the others, Su Shen Xing hadn't said a single word. He was taken aback for a moment, and a few hints of awkwardness appeared in his smile.

  Su Shenxing suddenly raised his head, smiled and said a few words, "You say, I listen! That's it!"

  "How can that be?" Yan Jiming immediately found the target, smiling and protesting, "In terms of age, Brother Su is definitely much older than both of us. In terms of experience, Brother Su has obviously been through thick and thin, and has probably seen life and death clearly, and will not be confused by this little thing. As for strategy..."

  Before he could finish speaking a long string of flattering words, Su Shenxing couldn't take it anymore and helplessly cupped his hands together, smiling in response: "Young Master Yan is overpraising me, I, Su, dare not accept such praise. If there's something you need me to do, please speak directly!"

  Cui Xun was being deliberately difficult, and Su Shen walked over to him with a saw-like gourd. Yan Ji Ming pointed at Wang Xuan and asked with a smile: "Someone wants to kill that White-robed Chief, but he doesn't know the reason. He wants to take responsibility for White-robed Chief, but doesn't know where to start. If it were Brother Su, how would you handle it?"

  "Ask. Find Bai Xing first and ask for clarification before making a decision!" As soon as the words fell, Su Shenxing had already given a definite answer.

  Note 1: As one of the three powerful ministers during the Tianbao era, Wang Jin held more than twenty actual positions. The text only lists a few of his most intimidating official titles.

  Note 2: The original text was used to describe Jing Ke, but here Yan Jiming uses it to ease the atmosphere and tease Wang Xun.