Ning Chen smiled. "How am I not the same?"

Yuan Zishi was entirely serious.

"You're Ning the Silver Coat, who wouldn't bow to power and cut down the Empress's brother for the common people. You're the hero who cut his way clean through the North Royal Court for the people of the frontier... and they're nothing but the emperor's hawks and hounds."

Cutting down the Empress's brother was my brain going out on me, and living through it was a miracle. Cutting my way through the North Royal Court was because I needed war merit to keep me safe. I'm an ordinary man, and don't go thinking so well of me, Ning Chen said inwardly.

But none of that could be said aloud. A reputation that hard to build could not be allowed to collapse.

Ning Chen sighed. "Elder Brother Yuan, don't be so bitter about the world... not everyone in the Inspectorate is a bad man."

"Think about it properly. The Inspectorate exists to watch the officials. Without the Inspectorate to put the fear into them, how many more corrupt officials and crooked clerks would there be in this world?"

Yuan Zishi frowned. "You won't kill the three of them?"

Ning Chen had nothing to say to that. "Elder Brother Yuan, don't be so quick to kill... Those three are good brothers I've gone through life and death with. Even knowing what we are to each other, they'll keep it for me."

Yuan Zishi shook his head. "You trust them. I don't."

Ning Chen said evenly, "I trust them. I don't trust you."

Yuan Zishi stared at him, taken aback.

"Younger Brother Ning, we're brothers in the school. I would never do you harm."

Ning Chen laughed lightly. "And how long have we known each other? Set against you, I trust them more."

Yuan Zishi could not help frowning. "Younger Brother Ning, for your own safety, those three have to die."

Ning Chen's face turned grave, and he said it one word at a time. "Elder Brother Yuan, touch them and I'll bring soldiers and wipe out the Ghost-Shadow…