knife

Chapter 516 A sword's sharpness comes from honing.

A small bridge, flowing water, and houses are nestled among the lush green bamboo. Kingfishers, like sprites, nimbly dart among the bamboo groves. Squirrels with large tails peek out from behind bamboo stalks as thick as bowls, glance at the kingfishers flying away, and then, with their four little legs moving in quick succession, swiftly climb to the top of the bamboo, gazing at the white-walled, green-tiled courtyard deep within the bamboo forest.

Zhang Qingyun stood up, shook her neck, clasped her hands together, and rotated her wrists for a while, feeling a bit more relaxed.

The large desk by the window was piled high with case files. After withdrawing from Chang'an, the headquarters of Zhi Qiu Yuan and Hei Bing Tai in the Guanzhong region were moved to this small courtyard in the bamboo forest.

Despite the bamboo forest appearing completely undefended, there are actually several military camps surrounding it, garrisoning thousands of soldiers. Even the farmers around the bamboo forest are core members of the Demonic Sect. The Hou Tu Banner, which was transferred from Yong'an County, has formed villages around this place.

Describing this small courtyard as airtight and impregnable is not an exaggeration at all.

Stepping out of the house, a gust of hot wind hit her in the face. Without ice to cool her down, the summer heat enveloped her mercilessly. Unlike in the north, where it was hot but dry, and finding a shady spot would immediately bring relief, the heat in the south was different, and there was no way to escape it.

Reaching the edge of the bamboo grove, there was a small pond where several ducks swam around. Zhang Qingyun sat on a long wooden bench by the pond. Underneath the bench was a basket of green vegetables. He bent down, grabbed a handful of vegetables, and threw them into the pond. The ducks flapped their wings and swam over quickly, pecking at the vegetables.

Footsteps sounded behind her, followed by Luo Ying's cheerful laughter: "Dean Zhang."

"Vice Dean!" Zhang Qingyun grabbed another handful of vegetables and threw them into the pond. "Any new news coming from the south?"

"Yes!" Luo Ying laughed, "Our Protector-General is doing very well in Danyang now. He single-handedly defeated the Five Tigers' Broken Gate Blade, and even the old sect leader who hadn't left the mountain for a long time came out and politely welcomed the Protector-General into the mountain gate, haha!"

"That's it?"

"Of course there is more. Our Protector-General is very influential in Danyang now. He is always accompanied by Jiang Ping, who is known as the Little Tyrant of Danyang!" Luo Ying laughed. "That Jiang Ping is the cousin of Jiang Qian, the Empress Dowager of Southern Chu. With her protecting us, our Protector-General in Danyang can get whatever he wants."

Zhang Qingyun snorted coldly, but remained silent.

Luo Ying glanced at Zhang Qingyun's icy face, her heart skipped a beat, and then said, "I asked the brothers who came from the south, and they all said that Jiang Ping isn't very good-looking, and she's also very loud and arrogant. We all stay with her just to take advantage of her."

"You speak as if you've actually met this person!" Zhang Qingyun said indifferently. "Besides, what does it matter to me who the Protector-General is with?"

"Yes, yes, Vice Dean Zhang, it has nothing to do with you!" Luo Ying said, "I came here today specifically to volunteer for the task."

"What's wrong? Finding intelligence gathering and analysis here boring?" Zhang Qingyun turned to look at him. "Luo Ying, you don't lack frontline combat experience. What you lack now is this steady, analytical mindset. If you want to advance further in our field, you have to get past this hurdle. Haven't you seen Dean Qian and Deputy Dean Zhou? They both worked in the Statistics and Analysis Department."

“I know,” Luo Ying said. “But the situation in Chang’an is not good right now. In just two months, our troops there have been utterly defeated. That Yan Su is very powerful. He is an old-timer of the Black Ice Guard and knows its operating model very well. The Black Ice Guard in Chang’an has been destroyed or forced to surrender. It’s been almost completely destroyed. As a result, many of our Zhi Qiu Academy personnel who are connected to the Black Ice Guard have also been lost. We need to send a capable person back to deal with him, otherwise Chang’an and Luoyang will truly become their domain.”

Zhang Qingyun was indeed somewhat troubled by this matter.

They underestimated Yan Su. When Zhang Quanyi left the Central Plains for the distant border region, Yan Su disagreed. In Yan Su's view, Linghu Ye was the next true emperor, and he tried his best to persuade Zhang Quanyi to join Linghu Ye directly.

The two men broke down in negotiations, and their long-standing brotherhood ended in separation.

With the help of Ke Wuji, Zhang Quanyi traveled to the border region.

Yan Su, however, went to serve Linghu Ye.

Yan Su was not well-known outside the industry, but he was a famous figure within it. Linghu Ye welcomed Yan Su with great hospitality. Most of the high-ranking members of the Black Ice Platform were dead, and the remaining few, such as Wu De and Zhang Quanyi, had all joined Li Dachui.

Yan Su's position in the Black Ice Guard was second only to Wu De and Zhang Quanyi. It was precisely because of Yan Su's joining that Linghu Zhishu was able to return to Boling County to focus on dealing with the area outside the pass.

The Iron Curtain, the intelligence organization of the Linghu Group, was thus handed over to Yan Su.

Yan Su lived up to Linghu Ye's high expectations. In the few months that Linghu's army occupied Luoyang and Chang'an, he quickly destroyed most of the sentries and spies that Zhang Qingyun had set up in Chang'an.

Chang'an definitely needs someone who can counter seriousness.

“Chang’an is very dangerous now, unlike when we were here,” Zhang Qingyun said. “When we were in Chang’an, we were fearless and could do whatever we wanted. But now, it’s a den of dragons and tigers. Luo Ying, ever since the Protector revealed his identity as the Prince of Qin, has been locked in a life-or-death struggle with Linghu Ye. Going to Chang’an now is very dangerous!”

“Vice President Zhang, we old folks from beyond the Great Wall should go wherever it’s most dangerous!” Luo Ying said. “Besides, I’ve lived in Chang’an for several years and am quite familiar with every corner of the city. Don’t you trust my abilities?”

"The Protector-General said you're a promising talent and should be nurtured!" Zhang Qingyun said. "You're just twenty years old this year, and you've already reached the peak of the seventh rank of the Profound Origin Realm. You and Ding Ergou in the army are evenly matched! Our Zhiqiu Academy is counting on you to surpass Ding Ergou in the future!"

"A fine sword is forged through tempering, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold." Luo Ying said, "Ding Ergou was forged on the battlefield, and I am no match for him now. Vice Dean Zhang, if I want to compete with him, then I must go to Chang'an!"

Only through experience can one truly understand.

"Be careful!" Zhang Qingyun nodded: "Don't underestimate this seriousness. In fact, it's not just seriousness. No one in our line of work can be underestimated."

"understand!"

"Then go!" Zhang Qingyun waved his hand. "You can choose the personnel from Xing County and Ning County as you like!"

(End of this chapter)