Night View on New Year's Eve - Shiny Edges (Part 1)
Jin Wangsun discerned there to be a problem before Ming Feizhen replied.
"You don't seem surprised… Did you know that I knew your identity already?"
"Master Jin, you don't happen to be retarded, do you?" asked Ming Feizhen. "Given that your fiancée mentioned Night Fortress' Master, and she happened to be guarded by Liu Shan Men, how could I not already be aware?"
Ming Feizhen's response had Jin Wangsun pull a long face.
"As Ming Feizhen already knew his secret is out, why didn't he do anything and waited for me to expose him here, instead?" pondered Jin Wangsun.
"You're not afraid I'd report it to His Majesty?"
Ming Feizhen shrugged with his hands supine, "Tell him if you please. Besides your lack of evidence, even Miss Huo is on our side. She would reveal what you did to your father and your plan to gift His Majesty your father's land for retirement. Let's see who's in more trouble given your father's friendship with His Majesty after all is revealed."
"That's your reason for being fearless?" asked Jin Wangsun, with a snicker. "I thought Night Fortress' Master was supposed to be some incredible figure, but it seems that besides your martial skills, you're more naïve than a child. You're staying at Liu Shan Men as a member of an unorthodox sect and deceiving the imperial court. His Majesty wouldn't forgive you. As for my matter, that's a family affair. His Majesty has no say in the Seven Champion White Princes' internal turmoil. It sounds as though you want to help my old man. Heh, listen in: he has no hope of making a comeback."
Ming Feizhen nonchalantly remarked, "Confident, aren't you?"
"I have you to thank, Master Ming. Thanks to your foolishness and your dullard underlings, I've managed to seize control of Hangzhou's mightiest force," responded Jing Wangsun, with a haughty smile. "By exhibiting my eight-thousand elites in Hangzhou, I've seized control of Hangzhou's martial world using Night Fortress. In addition, after months under my lead, I have secretly recruited men, thereby increasing my forces to over ten-thousand men. Even if my old man wants to resist against me, he'd have to see if my ten-thousand-plus elites would let him. Moreover, I have those loyal to me in Gold and Silver Sect; I'm invincible."
Jin Wangsun then patted Ming Feizhen on the shoulder, "Don't be morose. Kneeling isn't embarrassing. You can consider it in the first round. Think carefully then give me an answer."
Jin Wangsun then walked off, but just after two steps, Ming Feizhen called out to him, "Hey, Jin Wangsun."
Jin Wangsun halted in his tracks, "What?"
Ming Feizhen folded his arms and leisurely responded, "You raped your fiancée, and then violently abused her. As Jiangnan's best professional educator for naughty kids, I should've accepted the business deal from Gold and Silver Sect."
"You're Night Fortress' master, yet you're hiding at Liu Shan Men and trying to hatch some sort of plan. Don't put yourself on a pedestal."
The two glared at each other, with both showing intense murderous intent. Seeing the two's confrontation, the Emperor stepped in, "Shiny Edges will soon commence. I'd like you two to hear me out before we commence."
The Emperor then began to explain the origins of Shiny Edge in an emotional tone, "Shiny Edge is a contest passed down from the founder of my dynasty. He was without equal across the lands. Additionally, he had the best methods of training soldiers for battle. I was told that his first son-in-law was selected in the army barracks. The first thing he did was consider their martial prowess. It didn't take long before shiny edges dynamically danced in the tent. Our founding Emperor possessed unparalleled skills, and there were countless men worthy of being considered heroes in the tent, yet fell as a result of those blades. After the event, every Emperor before me, including the previous Emperor, Emperor Yinde, held a Shiny Edges test before, albeit not every single time."
Owing to the emotions that came onto him as he spoke on the topic, he looked over to Ming Feizhen, "Back then, your Mount Daluo's Founder was our founding Emperor's left and right arms. I heard that he was the one who came up with the idea. Do you know about it?"
"Yes, your subject does know," replied Ming Feizhen, with a cupped fist. "Additionally, your subject knows that our founder still remains with us. Your subject sent him a letter and received a response before today. His memory is still fantastic. He has imparted to me how to win."
Hearing Ming Feizhen's response, the audience got rowdy.
"Oh?" reacted the surprised Emperor. "You've already inquired with him? You're quite the efficient worker."
"Your subject's skills are poor; how could he match Gold and Silver Sect's patriarch's skills? As such, your subject had to reach out to his founder for guidance. Fortunately, he has provided your subject with the key thanks to his vast knowledge and profound wisdom."
Hero Shenzhou's name had gained fame for a century. He was already a living myth in the martial world. Thus, if Ming Feizhen had received his guidance, he was bound to have some sort of ace up his sleeve. The audience, who thought there was nothing worth watching, started to show anticipation for the contest upon learning of Hero Shenzhou's involvement.
The Emperor shook his head, "As the name Shiny Edges implies, it is a contest of weaponry. Bare-handed combat is not permitted during the contest!"
Despite having Hero Shenzhou's guidance, the Emperor still believed the gap in Ming Feizhen and Jin Wangsun's skills to be too significant. He never had a shadow of doubt that Ming Feizhen was doomed to lose. Elder Wang from the Black Robe Brotherhood reported back to the Emperor on Jin Wangsun's skills already. He told the Emperor that not only did Jin Wangsun have a unique potential for blades, but was also well-versed in two of the world's five palm styles. Not only that but, apparently, his skill with palm styles were without equal in any way, as well.
The Emperor wasn't worried about Jin Wangsun being bold enough to kill Ming Feizhen right before his eyes, but was worried that he'd cause internal damage. Internal injuries might not be instantly fatal, but it could lead to Ming Feizhen dying after leaving. Subsequently, he raised his voice to remind Jin Wangsun indirectly, "Should you break the rules, you will lose the round. Shiny Edges is the first contest. There is another after it and, if need be, there will be a third. You two, therefore, must not get caught up in your desire to fight and lose out. All right now. Those are the rules of Shiny Edges. Do either of you have any issues?'
"Your subject does!"
Nobody expected the first one to voice a protest would be Jin Wangsun - who had a huge advantage.
Ming Feizhen muttered under his breath with discontentment, "Go see a doctor if you have an issue. What's the point of telling His Machesty?"
"Hmph," snorted Jin Wangsun. Not hearing clearly what Ming Feizhen said, he asked, "What eel?"
Ticked off, Ming Feizhen retorted, "Piss off!"
Eel, sorry, His Majesty revealed a reluctant smile, "What request might you have, Wangsun?"
"Your Majesty, I heard that the Shiny Edges contest your family has passed down required weapons to be double checked."
"Indeed," remarked the Emperor, feeling surprised. "You really do possess an impressive abundance of knowledge, Wangsun. You are right about that rule. It is just that I know both of you, erm, are well-versed in weaponry, and so… I didn't bring it up."
In truth, the Emperor deliberately avoided it to cover for Ming Feizhen, for he was positive that Ming Feizhen couldn't have had a superior weapon to Gold and Silver Sect.
The Emperor's praise for Jin Wangsun triggered Ming Feizhen who said to himself, "Abundant pile of shit for brains is what he has! Prove to me that Jingan wasn't the one who told you about the rule, and I'll let you use my head as a chamber pot!!"
Enraged, Ming Feizhen shot Jingan a glare, only for her to look left and right, suggesting, "Eh? Who's looking for Jingjing?" while ignoring him.
"We may have two weapons, but can be the only one to wield them. May Wangsun boldly request a change in the rules to allow us to have a helper, thereby allowing us to display the full potential of having two weapons?"
"Oh," replied the Emperor.
As he searched for an excuse to refuse the request, he suddenly noticed Tang Ye, who was behind Ming Feizhen, was oddly concerned. With a spark of inspiration, the Emperor thought, "Ming Feizhen would definitely lose tragically in a one-on-one contest. If I let Tang Ye assist him, he might not look so bad and have his pride trampled on."
"In that case, let us give it a try. Who are you looking to assign your assistance?'
Jin Wangsun loudly commanded, "Big Cat, come greet His Majesty!"
Glossary
*His Majesty/His Machesty/Eel - They're homophones. Now, in case you've forgotten, eel is being used to represent urine.
To remind you, there was an incident in China where a woman went on live cam and inserted eel up her vagina for attention. That is where the association originates from.
