From slave trader to the Immortal Lord of Ten Thousand Laws

"Will you only submit if Jiang She wins?"

Xu Qingyue frowned slightly, and in just a few words, she had already drawn the face of the man in the painting.

He then stopped writing and turned his head to look at the screen:

"Young Master Li, this is not fair."

Ok?

Li Nian was stunned. Even though he had planned everything carefully, he had not expected Xu Qingyue to say that he was being unfair.

So he clasped his hands in apology, bowed his head, and said:

"I was being presumptuous."

Xu Qingyue smiled slightly: "This is not abrupt, but... it is unfair to ask Jiang She to choose someone on the spot to spar with a skilled opponent you have been training with for more than a month."

Li Nian chuckled awkwardly, "It was my oversight."

Xu Qingyue scattered a handful of fish food. "Since you all have concerns, I'll compromise. You two each choose a few guards from the courtyard, give them some pointers, and have a small competition in this courtyard in three days. If the person trained by Jiang She wins, then he'll be worthy of being the instructor. If he loses..."

Xu Qingyue paused slightly, her gaze falling on Jiang She's face through the screen: "If we lose, it means Jiang She is unfit for the position, and I will reconsider his appointment as the head instructor of the academy."

Upon hearing this, a hint of smugness flashed across Li Nian's eyes.

The guards in the courtyard all knew that Jiang She had lost all his martial arts skills, while Li Nian was a person who was very likely to become the disciple of Chen Kun, the Thunderbolt Hand. It was not clear who to please between the two.

not to mention....

Even if we manage to gather enough people, what can we possibly teach in just three days?

He deserved to win this contest!

So he immediately clasped his hands and bowed:

"Your judgment is wise, and I will certainly follow your instructions."

Xu Qingyue nodded slightly, then turned her head back, blinking her beautiful almond-shaped eyes, and looked at Jiang She:

"Jiang She, what do you think?"

Jiang She cupped his hands in a respectful gesture: "I will obey your orders, Miss."

Xu Qingyue withdrew her gaze: "In that case, the two of you can choose people to train with in this courtyard."

Ok?

Picking in this yard?

Jiang She frowned slightly.

He looked up and glanced around. There were only three or five guards in the courtyard. Even without choosing, judging from the verbal and written criticism just now, two of them were already on Li Nian's side.

But he could see it, so how could Xu Qingyue not?

"Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me...?"

Jiang She lowered his brows, about to select someone, when Li Nian spoke first:

"Who wants to be in cahoots with Jiang She?"

Ok?

Jiang She frowned.

This may seem like helping him garner votes, but it's not actually the case.

As expected, Li Nian's words immediately drew dissatisfaction from the guards, who vehemently refused.

"Who wants to associate with him? I'm not stupid."

"The master will reward the winner of the competition in the courtyard with silver. It's not easy to have such an opportunity, and I don't want to be associated with Jiang She."

"But Brother Jiang has always been very kind to us... Liu Shun, have you forgotten that Brother Jiang saved your life a little over a month ago!"

"That's right, but didn't I also take my own treasured ginseng to make medicine and keep him alive? Otherwise, how could he have held on until the family pharmacist came to treat him? Little Sun, you're usually close to Jiang She, why don't I see you going to join him now?"

The guard named Liu Shun smiled.

Someone turned their head and sneered, "Ha, just fair-weather friends."

"Hehe, little Sun, hurry up and join your Brother Jiang."

"This...this..." Xiao Sun looked troubled, feeling a bit stuck in his throat. He took a step back, but halfway there, he bumped into a broad chest.

"Brother Jiang!"

When Xiao Sun turned his head, he found that he had bumped into Brother Jiang, but why was Brother Jiang's chest not as strong as before?

Jiang She patted him on the shoulder and said:

"But I'm putting you in a difficult position."

"Brother Jiang..."

Xiao Sun's eyes were slightly red, and he didn't know what to say.

Jiang She looked up at the group of guards: "Gentlemen, this is just a competition. Why say things that hurt the feelings of comrades?"

"Um?"

Liu Shun, feigning malice, accused Jiang She first: "You scoundrel, I spoke up for you, and you turn around and mock me?"

"Is he putting on a show for us, or is he just playing the victim?"

"Ha ha!"

Everyone burst into laughter, "That's hard to say."

Xu Qingyue was slightly annoyed.

"That's enough!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried immense weight, silencing everyone in fear. For a moment, the courtyard was completely silent.

Xu Qingyue looked guilty: "It was my oversight."

She paused, hesitated for a moment, and then said:

"Jiang She, you may choose. If you choose one but then refuse to accept it, then I will speak to him."

W-what?!

Everyone was startled by what they heard.

This is a blatant threat.

"But after going through all this trouble, did she already plan to give me a way out?"

Jiang She was taken aback.

He couldn't see through Xu Qingyue for a moment.

So he cupped his hands in thanks and said:

"I appreciate your kindness, Miss, but I fear that the people in the courtyard who are choosing me are all saying one thing and meaning another."

"That's hard to say."

Li Nian spoke up at the opportune moment, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Jiang She's side and said sarcastically:

"Isn't there still little grandson?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Sun looked embarrassed.

Jiang She remained unmoved. To him, it didn't matter who he chose. He only needed to sell the precious medicinal herbs he had just acquired, and then he would control that person's body during the competition.

But Little Sun didn't think that way.

Ever since he remembered their agreement not to sell knives, he had vaguely sensed that Brother Jiang was acting somewhat strangely, but out of consideration for their friendship, he couldn't bring himself to say it, only daring to think to himself:

"Brother Jiang... or is it still Brother Jiang...?"

If others knew that Little Sun was thinking such nonsense, they would definitely secretly curse him as a fool.

But this one thing was especially important to Xiao Sun.

He was even willing to risk his life for it.

Although Xiao Suntou sensed something was amiss, he remained calm when faced with the crowd's sarcastic remarks towards Brother Jiang.

He... ultimately compromised with himself.

"So-and-so chooses Brother Jiang."

Ok?

Li Nian was taken aback. He looked at Xiao Suntou, who took a step forward but then hesitated, and found it amusing.

"But it's not for you to choose; it's for Jiang She to pick."

"I know."

Xiao Sun nodded emphatically, his red-rimmed eyes fixed on Jiang She, and said with unwavering conviction:

"Brother Jiang, you choose me. I won't lose."

He spoke these words with extreme force, as if he had grabbed a handful of bran and chaff and was chewing them repeatedly in his mouth.

Jiang She was momentarily dazed by what he saw.

This reminded him of when he was young, and he had made a mistake, and he had to make a vow to his loved ones with red eyes.

Now it seems that the same is true for Little Sun.

Call ~

"I was overthinking it."

Jiang She nodded: "Then we'll choose Little Sun."

Xu Qingyue blinked, glanced at the guards, and asked, "Is there anyone else willing to follow Jiang She?"

"..."

The crowd remained silent, simply surrounding Li Nian.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: they all had to stand together with Li Nian, who had the greater chance of winning.

Xu Qingyue didn't say much, only saying:

"In that case, to ensure fairness, we request that Young Master Li also select one of the guards to practice and compete."

"That's natural."

Li Nian readily agreed, for he believed his victory was already a foregone conclusion.

So, in a provocative manner, he called out by name:

"How about we choose Liu Shun to spar with Little Sun?"

Liu Shun smiled with delight. He clasped his hands in a fist and glanced sideways at his grandson, as if looking at a lamb to the slaughter, and said with a pleased expression:

"I have no objection; I will follow Brother Li's orders."