Chapter 141: Sweeping the Capital, Jiang Jinghuai’s Defeat Again

Chapter 141: Sweeping Through Bianjing – Jiang Jinghuai Meets Defeat Again

The Left Chancellor, who moments ago had been berating Bing Wengu, now showed no anger toward him—only concern. Zhan Yu leapt to his feet, agitated. “Quick, send someone over there to check. Make sure Yuan Ting is safe, no matter what.”

Zhan Yu paused before continuing with visible difficulty. “Bring him back alive or bring back his body.”

“Yes,” Jiang Jinghuai accepted the order and stepped forward from among the Imperial Guards.

Meanwhile, Bing Wengu and Nan Jinping held onto each other tightly as they plummeted from the sky, the wind howling in their ears. It felt as though the world contained only the two of them, with no one else present.

After what felt like forever—or maybe just seconds—Nan Jinping deployed her parachute. Seeing this, Bing Wengu followed suit, pulling his own cord. Throughout the fall, they stayed wrapped in each other’s arms, neither letting go.

Once the parachutes opened, their speed slowed, and they drifted gently downward, the adrenaline of freefall giving way to a gentle, serene float. Bing Wengu held Nan Jinping close as they gazed below, watching the rivers and mountains slowly come into clearer view.

With a beloved in his arms and stunning scenery all around, the moment was peaceful and perfect.

At last, they landed precisely at the predetermined drop zone.

“Bing Wengu, have you lost your mind? Taking Jin Geer on such a dangerous stunt!” A furious shout came with a rush of wind as someone lunged at Bing Wengu.

While still untangling himself from his parachute, Bing Wengu abruptly shifted direction, pulling Nan Jinping into his arms and stepping back just enough to evade the incoming punch—only a gust tousling his hair.

At the same time, Bing Wengu’s left hand shot out like a claw, grabbing the attacker’s arm in a vice-like grip. With a sharp twist, he dislocated the shoulder, then followed with a savage kick to the ribs, sending the assailant flying.

Jiang Jinghuai let out a pained cry, crashing to the ground, unable to get up. The Imperial Guards behind him stood frozen in shock, staring blankly for a long moment before finally snapping out of it.

Someone rushed over to help Jiang Jinghuai up. He was ashen-faced, with only one arm still functional. He didn’t know whether to hold his throbbing side—which felt like his kidney had been dislodged—or his numb, dislocated arm.

“Brother Jinghuai!” Nan Jinping gasped when she recognized the attacker. “Why would you ambush us like that? Wen Gu mistook you for an assassin!”

Jiang Jinghuai gave Nan Jinping a pained look, too hurt to respond.

Bing Wengu helped Nan Jinping out of her parachute, and she hurried over. “Brother Jinghuai, are you alright? Wen Gu didn’t mean to hurt you so badly—he thought you were an enemy!”

Bing Wengu removed his own parachute and walked over. As he approached Jiang Jinghuai, he reached out, only for the Imperial Guard supporting him to draw his sword in alarm, glaring defensively. “What are you doing?”

“I was merely going to reset his arm,” Bing Wengu replied coolly, eyeing the wary guard.

An awkward silence fell. Realizing his mistake, the guard put his sword away, embarrassed.

Bing Wengu added, “Since when have the Imperial Guards been so timid?”

“It’s not that we’re timid—you’re just terrifying!” The guard dared not voice this thought aloud.

Stepping aside, the guard allowed Bing Wengu to proceed. With a deft motion, Bing Wengu guided Jiang Jinghuai’s arm back into place, restoring full mobility.

“Don’t ambush me again. Next time, you might not survive. Count yourself lucky this time.” Bing Wengu’s tone was indifferent, showing no remorse for having just beaten a friend.

Nan Jinping steadied Jiang Jinghuai. “I’m sorry, Jinghuai. Wen Gu has always been overly cautious. Everyone in the family knows not to approach him from behind.”

Jiang Jinghuai had no patience for explanations. Grimacing, he held his side and waved weakly. “The Emperor is waiting.”

Nan Jinping turned to Bing Wengu. “You should go. Don’t make the Emperor wait.”

“Have Cong Lin escort you back. Take a hot bath—don’t catch a chill,” Bing Wengu murmured tenderly, a stark contrast to his earlier ruthlessness.

Nan Jinping nodded. “Change into something warm too.”

Bing Wengu’s gaze softened. “I will.”

The lingering affection between the two left the imperial guards staring in shock. The guards glanced alternately at Bing Wengu and Nan Jinping, suddenly feeling that Bing Wengu might have performed Sichuan opera’s rapid face-changing act—Jiang Jinghuai’s kick had been uncalled for.

Bing Wengu changed his clothes and arrived at the high platform. Before he could bow, Zhan Yu stepped down on his own.

"Yuan Ting, this was far too risky. Had I known skydiving was so dangerous, I would never have allowed you to take such risks," Zhan Yu said seriously, his tone laced with concern.

"Actually, skydiving isn’t as dangerous as Your Majesty imagines," Bing Wengu replied, bringing over the equipment he had worn during the jump.

"Your Majesty, during skydiving, everyone is equipped with a parachute like this. Once deployed, even from hundreds of meters in the air, there’s no risk to life," Bing Wengu explained. "In truth, skydiving is quite exhilarating—thrilling and fun."

"But what if the parachute malfunctions and fails to open?" the Left Chancellor cut in disapprovingly. "County Magistrate Bing, you’re gambling with lives!"

"That’s a fair question, Left Chancellor. In reality, aside from the skydivers and the pilot, the aircraft also carries a professional rescue skydiver. This rescuer is trained to jump and assist in case of emergencies. They are rigorously trained to adjust the direction and speed of descent via parachute, ensuring timely aid."

The Left Chancellor remained unconvinced, frowning. "Accidents still happen. At such heights, nothing can be 100% safe."

"But even eating can make you choke—should we then starve for fear of it?"

The Left Chancellor fixed Bing Wengu with a piercing glare, his tone harsh. "Does Magistrate Bing plan to turn skydiving into a nationwide pastime?"

"Why not indeed?" Bing Wengu shot back without hesitation, making no effort to conceal his intentions.

"County Magistrate Bing, you must not put profits before people’s lives!" the Left Chancellor rebuked fiercely.

"My husband and I were the first to experience skydiving ourselves. How does that equate to disregarding lives?" Bing Wengu stood firm. "If the Left Chancellor fears danger, he should not assume everyone shares his fears."

"You—" The Left Chancellor clutched his chest, fuming. This was the first time someone had outright called him a coward to his face.

Hearing Bing Wengu’s words, Jiang Jinghuai’s injured side ached even worse, and he couldn’t suppress a muffled groan.

In truth, Jiang Jinghuai’s groan wasn’t particularly loud, but the timing couldn’t have been worse. The two men were in a heated face-off, especially since Bing Wengu was confronting the powerful Left Chancellor. Everyone else was holding their breath, making Jiang Jinghuai’s pained sound stand out starkly.

Zhan Yu finally noticed Jiang Jinghuai’s ashen face. "You look terrible—one might think you were the one who just went skydiving."

"I’m fine, Your Majesty," Jiang Jinghuai replied. Being knocked down by a scholar and needing help to stand was a humiliation he never wished to recount in public.

The interruption, however, eased the tension.

Zhan Yu declared, "After seeing the skydiving and trying the rice noodles, this trip was a success. It’s time to return."

"This subject will arrange for the train to escort Your Majesty back," Bing Wengu said.

"Good." Zhan Yu smiled and added, "Once I return, the train can officially begin operations. The sooner it benefits the people, the better."

"As Your Majesty commands."

Jiang Jinghuai accompanied the emperor back to Bianjing City but immediately requested leave upon arrival.

Returning to the marquis’ estate, he used Elder Marquis Jiang’s visiting card to call for the imperial physician. The matter was significant enough to alarm Elder Marquis Jiang.

By the time Elder Marquis Jiang arrived, the physician had already examined Jiang Jinghuai.

"Young master, don’t be alarmed. Though the bruises look severe, they haven’t harmed any vital areas," the physician reassured, noticing Elder Marquis Jiang’s worried expression. "The assailant must have been highly skilled—he held back—just meant to teach you a lesson."

Elder Marquis Jiang thanked the physician and saw him out before turning back. "Weren’t you accompanying His Majesty on official business? I heard of no dangers encountered. How did you end up in such a state? Who injured you?"

Jiang Jinghuai grumbled, "Bing Wengu!"

"Bing Wengu? Who is that? What kind of strange name is that?" It didn’t take long for Elder Marquis Jiang to realize this was likely a nickname his grandson had coined.

“Bing—Ji County’s magistrate, Bing Wengu.” Elder Marquis Jiang recalled his grandson's earlier defeat at the hands of this man, so another loss wasn’t surprising.

“Aren’t you two friends? How did it come to blows? Didn’t I tell you before—Bing is a man of great talent, and you should treat him with respect. Men of talent often carry themselves with pride; you mustn’t let your rank go to your head and bully others. So how did it come to this fight?” Elder Marquis Jiang spoke earnestly.

At this, Jiang Jinghuai bristled. “I was just too anxious! That damn Bing—who knows what possessed him—to rope Jin Geer into such a risky scheme! You can never be too careful!”

Jiang Jinghuai ranted on and on, only realizing after a while that Elder Marquis Jiang hadn’t responded. He turned in confusion and asked, “Grandfather?”

Elder Marquis Jiang wore a troubled look. “Yesterday your grandmother mentioned wanting to introduce you to some well-bred maidens from good families. Once you’ve healed, you ought to meet them.”

Most officials who witnessed the skydiving demonstration considered it a death-defying stunt. When they returned home, they recounted it as some wild, unbelievable tale. The elders in their families nearly fainted from shock just hearing about it.

But the Young Nobles, full of youthful rebellion, thought it was the raddest thing ever.

Especially the sons of military officers, who were downright itching to try.

So when the train officially opened for business, tickets flew off the shelves. The first passengers were all wealthy Young Nobles, making a beeline for Ji County.

Once there, they immediately asked where they could skydive. A local directed them to a shop next to the county office—an official establishment where they could sign up.

One of the Young Nobles hesitated. “Are we really doing this? Isn’t it dangerous?”

“You’re not getting cold feet, are you?” his companion teased.

“We all agreed before coming—whoever backs out is a coward! Besides, what’s there to fear? If some bookworm and a Shuang Er can handle it, how scary could it be? We’re descendants of warriors—surely we’ve got more guts than a scholar and a eunuch!”

Skydiving was positioned as a high-end activity, setting you back five strings of cash per jump.

For regular folks, that price was unthinkable. But for these Young Nobles, a single meal in Bianjing might cost even more.

The steep price didn’t scare them off—it just made them want it more.

They all talked big about how they wouldn’t flinch, but when the moment came, few had the nerve.

That’s when the professional skydivers stepped in, holding onto the terrified boys as they leapt.

For a while, the wails of the Young Nobles echoed across the field, each one more pathetic than the last.

Their reactions were a spectacle—some stumbled down with legs like jelly, barely able to stand. Others weren’t so lucky—they simply wet themselves in fear.

Still, a few bold ones went for a second jump—and this time, they jumped solo.

No matter how scared they were, back home they all acted like skydiving was no big deal. Their motto: “What’s good for me is good for my buddies.” As a result, more and more people made the trip to Ji County just for the thrill.

Even those from other prefectures heard about Ji County’s skydiving and trains and traveled specifically to experience both.

Inadvertently, this revitalized Ji County’s economy, with money rolling in daily.

A middle-aged couple hurried through the streets of Ji County, three children in tow.

The woman gawked at everything like a country bumpkin. “Is this really Ji County? I heard it was poor, but it looks anything but—this place is bustling! And look how well-dressed the locals are, better than people in some prefectures!”

The man shook his head.

As they walked, an earsplitting racket suddenly blasted behind them. They turned to see, not far away behind a fence, some hulking beast barreling toward them.

Terrified, the couple dropped to the ground, screaming, “Help! Help! A monster!!!”