Xuanxia

Chapter 566 Righteous Sword
"You must know the Eight Swords of the Kingly Way, right?"

Hearing Fu Qingzhou's words, Yan Yidong's expression did not fluctuate at all. Instead, he smiled slightly: "So, Lord Ning gave you this mission... No wonder you have the badge of a special envoy."

After that, he asked leisurely, "Tell me, which prospective sword masters has Lord Ning chosen? Do you need my help in making a decision?"

"Uh……"

Fu Qingzhou scratched his head.

It turns out that Lord Yan had misunderstood.

Did he think that he came to him to help him make a decision?

"Well, Lord Yan, that's not the case."

Fu Qingzhou smiled and took off the metal bracelet on his wrist, then gently stroked it across the tea table.

Wherever the bracelet touched, the straight, hard, angular sword appeared leisurely and was placed silently on the table.

"Master Ning, the master of the Righteous Sword has been identified."

Fu Qingzhou smiled and said, "It's you, Lord Yan."

Yan Yidong's expression had already become slightly stiff when Yijian appeared, and when he heard the last sentence, the hand that was stroking his beard suddenly froze.

"Yes... old man?"

He said in a hoarse voice: "Master of the Righteous Sword?"

Fu Qingzhou smiled and said, "Yes - I didn't expect that Lord Yan would be nervous?"

Yan Yidong's expression became extremely complicated and he did not respond.

After a moment, he slowly stretched out his hand and reached for the sword.

But the hand stopped when it was about to touch the hilt... Yan Yidong was silent and hesitant, his palm hovering above the hilt, his forearm trembling, but he still couldn't grasp it.

"Master Yan."

Fu Qingzhou said softly: "You are the lord of the sword appointed by Lord Ning. Please take it."

"..."

Yan Yidong's face became full of struggle. After a while, he still did not pick up the sword. Instead, he sighed and withdrew his hand.

Fu Qingzhou frowned: "Master Yan?"

"...I am not worthy." Yan Yidong sighed deeply: "Please report to Lord Ning and choose another sword master."

Fu Qingzhou was shocked: "Master Yan, your reputation for righteousness is known to the world, otherwise the Master Sword Master would not have chosen you as the Sword Master. If you are not worthy, who else in the world is worthy?"

"I am not worthy."

Yan Yidong said it again, shaking his head, picking up a cup of tea, tilting his head back and drinking it all in one gulp. He drank a cup of tea but it tasted like strong liquor.

Fu Qingzhou frowned and looked at him, but did not rush to speak.

He always felt that this Lord Yan had something to say.

As expected, after putting down the teacup, Yan Yidong said leisurely: "Fu Qingzhou, I have been paying attention to you for a long time."

Fu Qingzhou's eyes paused.

"Your junior sister Tang Jiao... She is Tang Zhun's daughter."

Yan Yidong said calmly: "After you came to Beijing, you investigated Jinchan Temple and Wuli Village, and also investigated the corruption case of Hongjiang dredging that year."

"Oh?"

Fu Qingzhou realized something and his eyes lit up: "Master Yan, could it be that you are also a good friend of Uncle Tang?"

"No, I didn't have much communication with him. At most, I only asked him about some work details when I was inspecting the Ministry of Rites."

Yan Yidong shook his head and said, "But...he is also good, and his colleague named Nan is also good..."

At this point, he sighed deeply again: "Back then, I had the opportunity to help them, but in order to protect myself, I chose to remain silent."

"You said that my reputation for righteousness is known to the world?"

He laughed at himself, "But I could have helped them back then, but I chose to be a coward. Not only that, in order to climb to the position of Prime Minister of the Cabinet, to protect my students, and to protect the foundation that I built with decades of hard work, how many times have I bowed my head and pretended to be blind? Righteousness? How can I have the face to claim to be righteous!"

Fu Qingzhou was slightly surprised. He didn't expect that this was the reason.
This Lord Yan was not familiar with Tang Zhun, Nan Muzhi and the others, but just because he did not speak up for justice in the past, he thought he was not qualified to wield the sword...

This kind of thought alone is better than that of many people who claim to be righteous men.

Can……

How many people who can climb to this position are pure and honest? Fu Qingzhou couldn't guarantee whether what he said was true or false.

If Yan Yidong is really such a righteous person, why would Ning Baimei doubt him?

Fu Qingzhou didn't know him, and based on just a single encounter and a few casual conversations, he didn't dare to make any judgment on the old man in front of him.

What if this person is another Jiang Baichuan?
After his heartbeat raced, Fu Qingzhou smiled helplessly: "Master Yan, please don't make it difficult for me. Although I am a special envoy, I don't have the power to make decisions on my own. Master Sword Master wants to give you a sword, and I dare not take it back on my own. Please accept it."

Yan Yidong kept shaking his head and sighing.

Fu Qingzhou tried to persuade him several times, but the old man didn't respond. They both became annoyed. He just said that he could help Mingjian Pavilion keep an eye out for a qualified Righteous Sword Master.

But this is not what Ning Baimei wants.

Only by letting him get the Sword of Righteousness can we test whether Yan Yidong is truly a righteous man or just someone seeking fame.

"How about this, Master Yan."

After thinking for a moment, Fu Qingzhou said softly: "Since the Sword of Righteousness has been given away, there is absolutely no reason to take it back. In my opinion, it should be left at Lord Yan's residence and Lord Yan should keep it."

"If you do not want to be the master of this sword, then you can keep the sword for the time being and help the sword master to keep an eye out for someone who is qualified to wield the sword. How do you think?"

These words were said so sincerely that Yan Yidong had no reason to refuse. After a long silence, he finally nodded in agreement.

But the Prime Minister still refused to reach out to touch the sword. After several requests, Fu Qingzhou finally put away the sword with the iron bracelet. After Yan Yidonggang arranged for his servants to set up the sword rack in the study, he released the sword again and placed it on the rack.

After sending out the sword, Fu Qingzhou was already exhausted and no longer in the mood to chat.

After politely declining Yan Yidong's invitation to stay for dinner, he left Yan Mansion as soon as possible.

When I got back on the carriage, I saw Ning Wushu's smiling face.

"How about it?"

She asked, "Has the Sword of Righteousness been sent out?"

"I did send it as a gift." Fu Qingzhou rubbed his temple and said, "But..."

He briefly recounted his experience in the Yan residence and shook his head, saying, "I still can't figure out whether he really thinks he is unqualified and refuses to take the sword, or whether he has seen through your father's plan and doesn't want to show it in front of others."

Ning Wushu smiled and said, "If it were that simple, Father wouldn't have to ask you to do it."

Fu Qingzhou was stunned: "So I didn't complete my mission well?"

"Not at all."

Ning Wushu smiled and said, "No matter how clever you are, you can't see through Lord Yan after just one meeting. He is the chief minister of the cabinet, and he has been in the court for decades and still has a good reputation. How can he be an ordinary person?"

"You have completed the first step by delivering the Sword of Righteousness to his mansion. The rest can be done slowly."

Hearing her say this, Fu Qingzhou finally understood.

"So... I'm not the only one who's in charge of the gift of the sword?"

He slapped his forehead and said, "Do I still have to keep an eye on these sword masters?"

"Mingjian Pavilion will naturally help to keep an eye on you." Ning Wushu said calmly: "I am traveling with you to help you."

Fu Qingzhou smiled and said, "I understand. No wonder you gave me a special envoy badge."

As he spoke, he stretched himself lazily: "It's difficult - this matter is getting more and more complicated -"

At this time, Yuan Ziping knocked on the door and called out, "Sir, do you have any other plans?"

"what happened?"

Fu Qingzhou asked.

Yuan Ziping pulled aside the door curtain, poked his head in and said, "When you were in the palace before, the people in the palace told me the location of the house that the emperor gave you. If you have nothing to do, I will arrange for you to go to the house to take a look. We can also move all the things in our courtyard there."

(End of this chapter)