Qingjiu Mountain, located outside the city of Chang’an, is known by locals as Yufeng Mountain. Like the former Qin capital Xianyang, which was widely known as Feng City, this name comes from the legend of Qin Mugong’s daughter Nongyu and her husband Xiao Shi, who played the flute to summon a phoenix. However, the locals are also well aware that no phoenix resides on Yufeng Mountain today.
Instead, it is home to a group of bandits who occupy a place called Phoenix Village. These bandits are notorious for their corrupt dealings with officials and don’t care about the size of the caravans or whether they rob the rich or poor. They often idle away their time by descending from the mountain to ambush travelers on the road below. On this particular day, they stopped a lone young noble dressed in fine clothes.
As the former capital of two dynasties, Feng City is home to many wealthy families. Although the bandits of Phoenix Village have seen their fair share of handsome and noble young men, none of them compare to the boy standing before them now. This young noble, around fifteen or sixteen years old, had features so exquisitely sculpted that, despite his youthful appearance, it was clear he would grow into an extraordinarily handsome man. The most remarkable thing was that, despite being surrounded by fierce bandits, the boy remained calm. He leisurely said to them, “I’m afraid if you’re seeking wealth, you won’t find any with me. But if it’s death you desire, I can certainly oblige.”
The bandits, who considered themselves well-versed in such encounters, were momentarily stunned by the boy’s arrogance. The leader, once he recovered, let out a scornful laugh. “Where did this ignorant brat come from, daring to spout such nonsense? Let’s see how you cry for your parents later.” He paused, then added in a lewd tone, “Or you can cry for me as your husband. Although you’re a man, you look like a woman. Today, I’ll show you the benefits of being the wife of the village leader!”
The bandits, understanding the vile implication, all laughed. None of them noticed the cold, fleeting glint of murderous intent in the young noble’s eyes. The boy smiled thoughtfully and said, “It’s fortunate that I happen to know a trick or two about making someone a woman. Seems like today, you’re in luck—you might not have to die.”
The leader of the bandits completely dismissed the boy’s words. Just as he was about to strike, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from the other end of the road.
Typically, when travelers encounter bandits, they either take a detour or quickly hide. From the sound of the approaching hoofbeats, it was clear that only one person was coming. The bandits paid no mind and kept their focus on the young noble.
A young man on horseback soon appeared. He wore a sword at his waist and, after glancing at the scene, initially seemed ready to ride on. However, he quickly turned his horse around and rode back.
The bandits, confident in their numbers, weren’t intimidated by the swordsman’s obvious martial prowess. The leader glared at him viciously, “Mind your own business and get lost!”
The young man smiled good-naturedly. “What’s wrong with just watching?”
The bandits couldn’t help but feel that today’s fortune was particularly strange. First, they encountered a crazy brat, and now, a madman. Before they could say more, the young noble picked up a fallen branch from the ground and, instead of the young man, responded, “Sure, stay and watch how I deal with these bandits.” With that, he suddenly attacked the bandit leader.
The boy, who was excellent at boasting, indeed knew some martial arts. However, his skills were mediocre at best. The bandit leader easily chopped the branch in the boy’s hand in two. After just a couple of moves, the leader’s blade was already aimed at the boy’s vital points. The boy could only watch as the blade came closer, unable to change his stance in time.
At that moment, the leader’s blade suddenly snapped in half. No one saw the small copper coin that cut through the thick blade, but it was clear that the young swordsman had intervened to help the noble. There were nine bandits in total, none of whom were particularly sharp. Unable to fathom how someone could silently break the blade, they foolishly pressed on, relying on their numbers. “I told you to stay out of this…”
The bandit leader didn’t get to finish his sentence. Nor did he understand what had happened. The next thing they knew, all the bandits were lying on the ground, groaning in pain.
The young noble, who had narrowly escaped death, gave the swordsman a cold glance. “I didn’t need your help.”
Feigning innocence, the young swordsman raised his hands. “I hope this earns your forgiveness—one day, I might just die from meddling.”
The young noble’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. “You should learn to mind your own business before you meet such a fate.”
Hearing this, the swordsman chuckled cheerfully. “Too bad my master never taught me that.”
The young noble cast another glance at the swordsman, then said nothing more as he returned to his horse and mounted it.
“My name is Bai Jinshu,” the swordsman suddenly called out. He seemed unsurprised when the noble ignored him. After a brief pause, he added with a smile in his voice, “My master did teach me the courtesy of exchanging names.”
The young noble adjusted his posture in the saddle and finally turned to give Bai Jinshu a cool look.
“If we meet again, I’ll tell you my name.” With that, he rode off without looking back.
Bai Jinshu watched the young noble’s departing figure with amusement. “Such a young boy, where did he learn to put on such airs?”
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