Do You Know Knives

"Master, it seems like the fighting is over," Zhang San said as he looked into the distance from a small alleyway. "It looks like two escaped, and the rest were all captured."

Wang Xiaoer looked up at the surrounding buildings and the archers retreating from the rooftops like receding tides. He asked, "But it's strange. If the authorities had already deployed these archers, why did they only appear halfway through the fight?"

Zhang San looked towards the west and murmured, "That's not it. Just now, it seemed like someone in the western sky fired a black smoke signal arrow. After that, the archers started appearing one after another. It means that these archers were probably waiting all along."

The west.

Black smoke signal arrow.

Judging by the location, it shouldn't be far, probably on West Street.

What happened there while the government troops and the Green Sword Sect were entangled?

"Master, someone is coming over from that direction, and they seem quite imposing," Wang Xiaoer reminded.

Wang Xiaoer's words brought Zhang San back to his senses. He looked again and saw that the government troops had cleared the blocked streets, and a man in black clothing, accompanied by another short man wearing a golden mask, leisurely walked up to the execution platform.

As the man in black passed by, the surrounding government troops bowed in salute.

Although there was no one behind the man in the golden mask, with Zhang San's keen eyesight, he faintly saw several masked figures in golden clothes flash past the surrounding high-rise buildings.

The golden clothes, coupled with the style of the mask.

Zhang San, who had traveled the martial world for many years, couldn't fail to recognize it and murmured in astonishment, "JinWan Pavilion? That mask should belong to someone at the level of a Chamberlain."

The Chamberlain of JinWan Pavilion, at least a high-level expert in the Earth Realm!

As for the man in black.

Although he wasn't wearing an official uniform, judging from the respectful manner the government troops showed him, he should be the Prefect of Tian Ruo Prefecture, and it couldn't be ruled out that he was one of the five Prefects of Tian Ge Prefecture.

People from the underworld and people from the officialdom, walking together so openly.

It's quite strange.

Zhang San thought to himself.

...

...

Lu Gaosheng stepped onto the execution platform, and the six prisoners were once again captured, with the addition of a swordsman dressed in green clothes, who was also bound in front of the guillotine.

There were many dead bodies of government officials, Green Sword Sect members, and archers on the ground.

The crowd gradually calmed down.

A new batch of executioners took their positions.

Lu Gaosheng looked around and a man dressed as a court attendant emerged from the crowd, kneeling on one knee beside Lu Gaosheng, and reported, "Reporting to Your Excellency, two of the thieves who raided the law enforcement site of the Green Sword Sect are heavily injured and escaped, one person was captured, and the others have all been executed."

Lu Gaosheng frowned slightly and turned his head, saying, "Someone escaped?"

The gradually indifferent words made the court attendant break out in a cold sweat!

The court attendant hurriedly said, "But Your Excellency, the two who escaped have both been hit by my specially made wolf poison arrows. Even if they escape, they won't get far. I am confident that we can capture them!"

Lu Gaosheng remained silent, his gaze shifted, and he quietly looked at the green-clothed swordsman who, at this moment, was still staring at him intently.

He remembered that young man; he should be the sole son of the old Sect Master of the Green Sword Sect, the somewhat famous 'Green Hero' Han Gao in the martial world.

However, on the night when the Green Sword Sect infiltrated the residence of Lu Gaosheng, attempting to assassinate him, the only person who managed to get close to Lu Gaosheng and have a face-to-face encounter with him was this "Green Hero" named Han Gao.

However, that encounter alone fueled Lu Gaosheng's deep hatred for Han Gao.

It was because of a thoughtless remark made by Han Gao that infuriated Lu Gaosheng, who was known for his deep scheming.

Lu Gaosheng remembered that Han Gao said:

"Lu the thief! Is your purpose in studying all those books to allow millions of people to endure hunger, be exploited by you, and let you have your way with them?"

This might seem like an ordinary statement, but Lu Gaosheng didn't see it that way.

Lu Gaosheng walked past the guards and approached Han Gao, who was bound on the execution platform.

"We meet again," said Lu Gaosheng in a condescending tone.

Han Gao's head was pressed against the execution platform, and at this moment, he stared fiercely into Lu Gaosheng's eyes, as if fire was about to burst out of them!

"You... haven't... won!" Han Gao said each word with emphasis.

Lu Gaosheng chuckled lightly and said, "The Black Dragon Hall used you to hold back my skilled subordinates, then used the spies in my residence to find out where I am today, and finally attempted to assassinate me. It's a good plan, but it depends on who it's used against. Your little scheme is simply foolish when it comes to me."

Han Gao was enraged and tried to rise, but he was firmly held down by the executioner behind him, despite being heavily injured.

Lu Gaosheng continued to mock, "You people from the martial world, for some reason, always seem to think that because you possess some martial arts skills, it's an easy task to come and kill me, a mere scholar."

But is that really the case?

The truth is not so.

Lu Gaosheng stared into Han Gao's eyes and then raised his hand, pointing around.

Underneath the execution platform, there were many people: men in golden masks, the mansion's soldiers, archers, and constables... There were many of them.

Lu Gaosheng lowered his head and whispered to Han Gao, "Do you know why you're kneeling here while I'm standing here? Do you see it? Do you see those people? That's the reason. Because in this world, those who stand and dictate life and death are the ones holding the knives, while those who kneel and await death are the ones whose knives have been taken away."

However...

"But you people from the martial world, who have trained in martial arts your whole lives, can only hold onto that one frail knife in your hands. As for me, after enduring ten years of studying in the cold room, I have ascended to the position of the magistrate. What I can grasp are the knives of the mansion's soldiers, the knives of JinWan Pavilion."

How can one knife contend against a thousand knives, ten thousand knives?

"Power is the sharpest knife in this world," Lu Gaosheng said coldly.

Han Gao became increasingly furious, his facial veins popping out, and he shouted, "Lu the thief! Embezzlement of grain! Tax evasion! Pirate case! One after another! Do you think the heavens are blind? Your corrupt practices and oppression of the people will ultimately lead to a wretched death!!!"

However, Lu Gaosheng burst into laughter and reached for the knife in the executioner's hand.

Lu Gaosheng lowered his head to Han Gao's ear and uttered the last words that this "Green Hero" would hear in this world.

"You once asked me why I study, didn't you? Unfortunately, you were in a hurry that night, but now I can still tell you. I study because within books, there are golden mansions, and within books, there is beauty like Yan Ruyu. Do you understand?"

Studying is never about establishing dominance, but about attaining wealth and prosperity.

Studying is never about upholding justice, but about finding a beauty like Yan Ruyu.

This is Lu Gaosheng's understanding.

"Shameless! Do you really think your actions are flawless? Everyone, this person is the biggest crimi·····"

He couldn't finish uttering the word 'criminal.'

The blade had already fallen.

As a scholar, this was the first time Lu Gaosheng personally killed someone.

In that moment of decapitation, he was drenched in blood.

Yet, Lu Gaosheng revealed a smile.

As it turns out, killing is so simple.

As it turns out, there is not even a hint of terror in killing.

······

······

But those who witnessed this scene, the strongest martial artists present, JinWan Pavilion's Chief Steward and Zhang San, both felt a chilling sensation.

They could perceive that Lu Gaosheng truly possessed no martial arts skills. Even beheading someone defenseless seemed arduous for him.

However, this was not a matter of martial arts expertise.

The man in the golden mask had never anticipated that someone like Lu Gaosheng, who lacked any combat abilities, would personally take a life. What astonished him even more was Lu Gaosheng's complete indifference and lack of concern after the act. This revelation reshaped the man in the golden mask's opinion of Lu Gaosheng.

As the Chief Steward of JinWan Pavilion, he was convinced that this top scorer, who originated from Lu Mansion and was seemingly powerless, should only be regarded as a friend, never an adversary!

As for Zhang San, Lu Gaosheng's impact on him was······

Zhang San, who had traveled far and wide with his master since childhood, saw such an official for the first time.

Compared to those officials who were elevated by influential parents, compared to those officials who bribed their way into power like Lin Nu, compared to those officials who grew fat and complacent from a life of luxury·····

Zhang San felt that Lu Gaosheng possessed a completely different demeanor.

If the Lin Nu, with his middle-stage Earth Rank martial arts, whom he had killed not long ago, was like a rat.

Then Lu Gaosheng, who possessed not even a trace of martial arts, was undoubtedly a ferocious tiger that could devour anyone at any time!