Chapter Twelve: A Sword Is Needed

Guo Yuanzhen’s request for a meeting was well within Pei Min’s expectations; his arrival merely confirmed Pei Min’s intuition.

During their conversation earlier that day, Pei Min had sensed that something was amiss with Guo. It felt as though he had a task to entrust, yet he remained hesitant, eventually glossing over the matter with vague pleasantries.

For a man of Guo Yuanzhen’s stature to be so cautious, it was easy to imagine that something of extraordinary gravity was at play. Pei Min had not pressed for details at the time—if Guo, or the man behind him, Li Longji, trusted him, he would do his part. If they did not, it was of little consequence. The court was a chaotic arena where titans clashed, and as a lowly eighth-rank official, Pei Min felt little connection to their power struggles.

Yet, he had not expected Guo Yuanzhen to appear at his doorstep a mere few hours later.

Pei Min received Guo in the February Pavilion, the same place where he had previously entertained He Zhizhang and Zhang Xu. However, they remained outside, beneath the apricot trees. The space was open, and the surroundings were visible at a glance. Though he was not yet a figure of such significance that others would go to great lengths to plant spies around him, caution was always a virtue.

Guo Yuanzhen highly approved of this arrangement. The mission he bore was a matter of life and death for the empire; he could not afford a single error or the slightest mishap.

"There is no one else here. Whatever we discuss, only heaven, earth, you, I, and these apricot trees shall know. It will never reach a third person’s ears, so you may rest assured," Pei Min said with a solemn expression. With his current intuitive grasp of martial arts, even a master-level assassin could not approach within ten paces of this open ground without being detected.

Guo Yuanzhen then revealed Li Longji’s plot to Pei Min.

Even though Pei Min knew Guo’s visit must be for a critical purpose, he had not imagined it would be a military coup. As someone who knew history, he could not forget the famous Xian Tian Coup. However, in his memory, the coup had occurred in the seventh or eighth month of the second year of Xian Tian; it was currently only the beginning of the fourth month. He had not connected the two. Hearing Guo’s words, he realized that Li Longji was launching the coup three months early.

The butterfly effect.

Pei Min could find no other explanation.

And so it was: Pei Min’s arrival had led to a favorable turn of events in the Northeast. Historically, when Xue Ne led the army to campaign against the Xi and Khitan tribes, the infighting between Cui Xuandao and Li Sijing had led to a disastrous defeat. That campaign had been orchestrated by Li Longji, damaging his prestige as Emperor, though Li Dan and Princess Taiping had been pleased to see it and did not investigate further. But this time, thanks to Pei Min’s warning, Xue Ne had simply executed Cui and Li, preventing any trouble and securing a victory against the tribes, reclaiming Liaodong and Liaoxi. As a result, Li Longji’s first external military campaign had been a brilliant success. The reclaimed territory and the acclaim of the people had significantly solidified his standing. Such a victory, however, was not what Li Dan or Princess Taiping wanted to see, leading them to intensify their pressure on Li Longji, forcing him to act sooner than planned.

Guo Yuanzhen was not surprised by Pei Min’s shock. A coup meant bloodshed, a shaken court, and total war. Victory would be cause for celebration, but defeat meant the annihilation of one’s entire clan. "With your intellect, you should see that this is a gamble, a desperate bid for victory. The most critical step is the first: if we do not slay Chang Yuankai and Li Ci, we cannot cow the Imperial Guard; without the submission of the Imperial Guard, we cannot command the allegiance of the Ten Thousand Cavalry. Only when the Northern衙 Imperial Guards are unified can we challenge Princess Taiping, who holds the Southern衙 forces. The one tasked with this first strike must possess profound martial arts and extraordinary courage—not just to kill, but to intimidate those who refuse to submit. I have seen your swordsmanship; you fought ten consecutive battles during the martial examinations, and no one lasted more than five moves against you. As a man who came from the military, I could see you did not even use your full strength. I spoke with Brother Xue last night and learned even more of your prowess. Such a heavy burden can only be borne by you."

Pei Min touched his nose. "Guo-gong, you flatter me."

Guo Yuanzhen smiled. "It is not flattery, but fact. Chang Yuankai and Li Ci are protected by experts; this is not a task for an ordinary man. So... Pei Min, are you willing to shoulder this burden? His Majesty has personally promised that if you succeed, your name will be etched into the records of the founding of this new era. Furthermore, you have a grudge against Chang Yuankai. For a man like him, you either do nothing, or you strike in a way that ensures he can never rise again. Wouldn't it be satisfying to execute this yourself? It serves multiple ends at once."

Fortune favors the bold. Pei Min replied almost without hesitation: "Since His Majesty trusts me enough to entrust me with this burden, I will not fail his expectations. I will do my utmost."

"Excellent!" Guo Yuanzhen grabbed Pei Min’s arm, clearly moved. He had agonized over the plan for a long time, and this specific part was the linchpin. There were contingencies for every other step, but the first had to be perfect. He trusted his own judgment, and he trusted Xue Ne’s—Pei Min was undoubtedly the best choice.

Pei Min said cautiously: "To ensure everything goes perfectly, I have one condition that must be met."

"Name it!" Guo Yuanzhen agreed without hesitation.

"I need a sword—a true, legendary blade." Pei Min currently carried the Qiushui sword given to him by Li Wuyi. It was crafted by Silla smiths from cold glacial iron in the Changbai Mountains; it was beautiful to behold, but essentially a showpiece. It was a good sword, but a far cry from a masterwork. He had always relied on his peerless swordsmanship rather than the quality of his weapon. To him, whether it was the Qiushui sword or the ten-copper iron blade he had bought from a shop long ago, there was little difference other than aesthetics. As long as it was a blade, in the hands of the future Sword Saint, it would unleash its power.

But Pei Min did not deny that for a swordsman, a truly responsive and perfect weapon provided a massive advantage.

He did not doubt his own skill, but to ensure the mission was carried out with absolute certainty, a superior sword was essential.

Guo Yuanzhen agreed instantly. "I do not possess such a sword in my own estate, but His Majesty certainly has such armaments. With you securing his future, I believe His Majesty will not begrudge a single sword."

Pei Min asked in a deep voice: "When do we strike?"

"Tomorrow!" Guo Yuanzhen said without a moment's hesitation. He paused and added: "Tomorrow morning, go to the Ministry of War, and I will take you into the inner city to see His Majesty."

Pei Min had not expected things to move so rapidly; he had no time for preparation. Yet, it was precisely this lightning-fast speed that would catch someone like Princess Taiping off guard.

"Agreed!" Pei Min gave his answer.