Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Jiuguan City was one of the poorest places in the barren Southern Regions. Its walls, built from bricks and stones during its founding, were old and worn. The enchanted tools used for defense and soldiers guarding the city showed clear signs of age. If the city faced an attack, it was uncertain how well the city could be defended.

However, Jiuguan City occupied an extremely important location in the Southern Regions. It served as a central hub connecting three provinces as well as the headquarters of the four government offices[1], making it a vital water and land transport hub and a strategic point of contention for military forces.

For such a prime location to remain impoverished without enduring natural disasters year-round, the cause could only be attributed to humans.

The Southern Regions were filled with rugged mountains, far beyond the reach of imperial authority. Ambitious and capable officials were reluctant to serve here as they wouldn't be easily noticed for their achievements but without notable achievements, they would end up dying of old age here. The region had long been an exile for the imperial bureaucracy.

The mediocre officials who were sent here lost any hope of gaining power and sought to compensate themselves by getting more money. If they embezzled enough and managed their affairs carefully, they might even secure a chance to return to the capital of Yu.

The Yu Dynasty had stood for hundreds of years. Though wise rulers occasionally attempted to enforce stricter governance, corruption persisted. Five of the last ten chief officials of Jiuguan City had been convicted. Yet, the cycle remained unbroken.

Their power was granted by the emperor, so these officials just said words of flattery to the emperor, without doing their job and serving the common people properly. In this remote land, far from the emperor, they acted without restraint. No matter how harsh the crackdowns were, these parasites backed by imperial authority never dwindled.

Even under the reign of wise rulers, this situation remained unchanged. If a foolish emperor took the throne and chaos ensued, the people's suffering would only worsen.

Chu Liang and his two companions walked along the main road outside Jiuguan City, witnessing and feeling the weight of these truths.

As dusk approached, the road buzzed with travelers and merchants. A steady stream of people and carriages stretched beyond the city gates. Though the area thrived with activity, the city itself lay in ruin, and its people endured hardship. Whenever wealthy merchants brushed past thin, sallow-faced locals, it served as yet another stark reminder of the gap between rich and poor.

“They say the Yu Dynasty’s fortune is fading. If there are many more places like Jiuguan City, the fall of the dynasty won’t be far off,” Ling Ao remarked with a frown.

“Not for now,” Chu Liang replied. “The Southern Regions may be barren, but the larger cities in the Eastern and Central Regions are still thriving. Talented people gather there, and ambitious officials favor those areas. Typically, the Eastern Regions grow wealthier while the Southern Regions fall further behind. Talented individuals from the Southern Regions continue to migrate east, leaving their homeland even poorer… Unless disaster strikes, this cycle could go on forever.”

“It’s the ordinary folks from the Southern Regions who suffer. What did they do to deserve being governed by these parasites?” Lin Bei cursed.

"Haaaaa." Chu Liang let out a long sigh. "The bureaucracy is complicated. Even if we see ourselves as righteous, we might not fare much better in their position. For now, let's just focus on the task at hand."

“This place still looks lively. I don't see any sign of the rebels of Mount Mang,” Ling Ao said. “Should we wait here for them to show up?”

“The rebels of Mount Mang are powerful. When they make their move, there will be casualties. Even if my esteemed teacher comes, it won’t prevent that…” Chu Liang trailed off.

If Di Nufeng went on a killing spree in the city, it wouldn’t stop the casualties—instead, it might create even more casualties.

Upon further thought, her actions might even result in more innocent lives being lost.

Though Chu Liang didn’t voice his thoughts, Lin Bei and Ling Ao understood.

All the time they had spent together at Silver Sword Peak naturally fostered this kind of unspoken understanding.

“We’d better figure out a way to uncover some clues ahead of time,” Chu Liang said, breaking the silence.

“Hahaha!” Lin Bei burst out laughing. "Fierce rebels of Mount Mang, today’s your unlucky day! You've crossed paths with the Twin Stars of Mount Shu!"

Ling Ao scratched his head, smiling awkwardly. "With Senior Sister Jiang and Senior Brother Xu around, how could I be worthy of sharing that title with Chu Liang..."

Lin Bei stared at him, bewildered. "I was talking about me and Chu Liang. What are you thinking?"

Ling Ao's face darkened. "What am I thinking? I'm thinking about spitting in your face."

"Alright," Chu Liang said, waving his hand to cut them off. His gaze lingered on the city ahead as he continued, "Jiuguan City might seem like it's falling apart, but that’s just the outer walls. The defensive formations are renewed every year. It’s the Imperial Supervisory Bureau’s responsibility, and no city—big or small—is overlooked. There shouldn’t be any weak points. Without large demonic beasts or enchanted tools, laying siege to the city would be difficult. If they can hold out long enough, reinforcements from the court would then arrive."

“But the rebels of Mount Mang only pillage and leave. They don’t need to worry too much about time,” Lin Bei said.

"They’d still care," Chu Liang replied. "If I were leading the Mount Mang rebels, I’d send people to infiltrate the city first. When the attack begins, they’d strike from within. That way, breaking the defensive formations would be much easier."

Ling Ao nodded in agreement. “That makes sense.”

As Ling Ao said that, he suddenly realized something. Six years had passed, and he had long since become a capable attendant of the Mount Shu Sect. Yet, once Chu Liang returned, Ling Ao unconsciously switched off his brain and fell back into following Chu Liang’s lead.

Ling Ao comforted himself with the thought that Chu Liang’s cultivation had been hindered. He might not be able to think as fast as Chu Liang, but his cultivation level was higher than Chu Liang’s. At the very least, that meant he wouldn’t be useless, as he could handle the fighting.

With this reasoning, Ling Ao felt a bit more at ease.

…

Before long, Chu Liang led the two closer to the city gate. The moment they approached, soldiers on the wall raised their halberds, shouting, “Who goes there?”

“We are attendants of the Mount Shu Sect. We wish to see the general in charge of defending the city,” Chu Liang stated plainly.

The soldier scrutinized them and muttered, “Disciples of the Mount Shu Sect? What do you…”

Before he could finish, Chu Liang casually tossed a pouch of silver toward him, followed by a second. “This one’s for you. And that one’s for your friend.”

The pouches thudded softly against the soldier, and his expression immediately brightened. A wide, fawning grin spread across his face. “Of course! I’ll report this at once. Please, come in, young heroes. Right this way.”

With that, he hurried up the city wall, shouting as he went. The soldier’s faint voice saying “three male guests” drifted back down to them...

Before long, Chu Liang, Lin Bei, and Ling Ao were standing before the officer guarding the gate. Calling him a general was a stretch—he was barely a squad leader. Had he been even a low-ranking officer, Chu Liang might have used his status as the Imperial Younger Brother to gain leverage.

But dealing with these low-level parasites was different. Mentioning a very high-ranking title would only confuse them. Even if they recognized the rank, they’d probably assume he was lying.

To save time, Chu Liang opted for the quickest way through.

Plop.

A pouch of silver landed on the table. “I want to know if any unusual people entered the city today,” he said plainly. “Large groups.”

“What are you talking about?” The officer frowned. “As the one guarding this gate, I’d never let even a single suspicious person in…”

Plop.

Another pouch.

“Let me tell you, Jiuguan City is likely the Mount Mang rebels’ next target. We’re here to investigate,” Chu Liang said. “The Imperial Supervisory Bureau might arrive later as well. If you keep hiding things, we won’t be able to protect you.”

“Ah…” The officer’s face turned pale.

Plop.

Another pouch.

“I’m asking with money now. When the Imperial Supervisory Bureau asks, I don’t know how they will interrogate you,” Chu Liang said finally. “And if the Mount Mang rebels attack… do you think they’ll spare the one who let them in?”

“No one!” The officer’s face reddened as he scrambled to process the flood of information. He shot to his feet and stammered, “The only ones allowed in without inspection today… were the convoys carrying decrees from the chancellor’s residence. Everyone else was just a regular merchant. There’s no way the rebels of Mount Mang were among them!”

Chu Liang’s pupils contracted. “The chancellor’s residence?”

“Yes,” the officer replied. “The only large convoy that entered the city was theirs. They carried official decrees from the chancellor’s residence, and the commanding officer personally greeted them. How could I dare stop them? If something went wrong, that’s far above my rank. A lowly squad leader like me wouldn’t be the one to blame.”

“Location,” Chu Liang demanded without wasting words.

Two hours earlier, a convoy carrying decrees from the chancellor’s residence had entered the city, shrouded in heavy black coverings. From experience, the officer could tell the carriages were packed with people—around two hundred in total.

The convoy had proceeded to the Nangong Residence, a mansion within the city. The head of the Nangong family was known to serve as an attendant to the chancellor, a position that granted the family significant influence in Jiuguan City.

Chu Liang, Ling Ao, and Lin Bei came in a hurry and left just as quickly.

“Report Jiuguan City’s situation to the Imperial Supervisory Bureau later. Don’t let a single one of them slip away,” Chu Liang instructed Lin Bei as they walked. Then, with a quiet mutter, he added, “Did they really think they could take my money that easily?”

1. Not exactly sure what the author meant by this, but could be the four offices during the Western Han dynasty, which are the Chancellor's Office, the Censorate Office, the General of Chariots and Cavalry's Office, and General of the Vanguard's Office ☜

GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts

Translator: GT

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