Li Jing couldn’t be considered a good person—this fellow absolutely couldn’t be considered a good person. When Li Yuan raised his army, Li Jing had betrayed the Li family. If not for Liu Wenjing interceding on his behalf, he’d have been long dead.

He always stood on the wrong side at critical moments. When Li Er was about to eliminate his older and younger brothers and asked for his help, he actually chose to help neither side. On one hand, his military achievements were so splendid he was the foremost military general of the Great Tang. Unfortunately, his political deficiencies always left him in an extremely awkward position. No one’s heart was broad enough to contain all things—if such existed, it would be the ocean, which had nothing to do with people. Li Er had never been a broad-minded person. He would only coldly judge whether things and people were beneficial to him. If beneficial, everything else was a small matter that could be laughed off.

Li Jing was very useful to him now. Intimidating the four barbarian tribes still required Li Jing’s prestige, so he chose to selectively forget the mistakes Li Jing had once committed. Now, even Hou Junji dared question Li Jing. This general whose name would resound through the ages was constantly thinking about his own way out. Unfortunately, generals’ schemes were mostly rather crude. He could only learn from the Qin Dynasty general Wang Jian’s method—that is, self-pollution. Offending these nobles without offending them to death—the current situation was a good opportunity. They were just a bunch of dandies. If he dealt with them himself, at most it would attract dissatisfaction, but absolutely not hatred.

Yun Ye’s feelings toward Li Jing were complex. Deep down, he pitied this renowned general, so he always made repeated concessions when dealing with Li Jing. Out of respect, he placed himself in a weaker position.

Come to think of it, the invincible commander on the battlefield, as soon as he returned to Chang’an, immediately became a turtle pulling in its head, tightly closing his gates to live his own life. Even his own subordinates felt the Duke was somewhat cold and detached.

The Bearded Guest was a natural-born warrior. Perhaps only through intense combat, by physically opening his blocked mental gates, might there be hope. Dan Ying wouldn’t work—if he got injured, Daya would annoy him to death. Wu She? He wouldn’t work either. The old fellow spent all day busy training his disciples. His remaining time was spent drinking tea and boating with other old men. Sometimes when the mood struck, he’d go deep into the Qinling Mountains to catch a tiger and bring it back for his disciples to practice on. A retired person—better not to disturb his peaceful life.

There were always masters in the palace, seemingly endless. Who knew how Li Er obtained these masters? When Wu She left, Duan Hong immediately filled in. This fellow’s skills seemed even stronger than Wu She’s. Not to use him would truly be a disservice to his extraordinary martial abilities.

The palace had been very lively recently with people coming and going. Cartloads of gifts were transported into the palace, and groups of palace maids were bestowed upon this person and that. Even Old Cheng’s household got two.

That old codger Liu Zhenghui still had interest in finding women? He could barely walk steadily. Seeing his family’s carriages had just taken away four palace maids—quite attractive, though not stunningly beautiful, “lovely and touching” was an appropriate description. Liu Zhengwu, whose lower abdomen had suffered serious injury yesterday, was now wearing a lecherous smile as he bribed the palace attendants. Those four palace maids probably couldn’t escape his clutches.

“Why doesn’t my family have any?” Yun Ye muttered resentfully. Though bringing them home would definitely be a huge hassle, everyone else had some—why didn’t he? This was discrimination.

“Ye’zi, if you want them, I still have eight beauties. I’ll send them to your home later.” Li Chengqian, dressed in his five-dragon robe all gaudy and colorful like a cloth doll, stood behind Yun Ye. He’d probably been there a while. Hearing Yun Ye’s muttering, he interjected.

“Forget it. You know what kind of temper Xinyue has. When I married Na Rimu, my arm was bruised for several days. If I brought home eight, that woman would dare slit her throat on the spot. For the long-term peace and stability of the household, better save it.”

“You just have a weak, wishy-washy personality. If in the Eastern Palace, Su Shi wouldn’t dare say a word.” Li Chengqian deliberately puffed out his chest, putting on an air of great spirit.

“Su Shi doesn’t dare speak, but I don’t believe Hou Shi doesn’t dare either? Which general’s daughter is a pushover? Your household has strict rules, so she doesn’t dare act presumptuously. But I’m sure she’s given you plenty of subtle stumbling blocks in private, right?”

The two walked side by side into the palace. Ordinarily, no one dared be rude to them, but today the palace guards deliberately stopped them both, molesting them from head to toe before letting them pass.

Li Chengqian seemed to have known already. Being searched, he didn’t object but stood there obediently. Seeing this situation, Yun Ye could only submit to it. The palace always inexplicably came up with new rules.

Duan Hong always wore a smiling face, but if you looked carefully, you’d discover this fellow’s smile never changed—exactly eight teeth showing, the corners of his mouth raised at forever the same angle. But paired with cold, icy eyes, it gave people an impulse to strike him.

Li Er had no time to see Yun Ye. He was receiving Goguryeo envoys. Hearing from palace attendants that Yun Ye wanted to borrow Duan Hong to treat Li Jing’s brother’s illness, he very magnanimously agreed. Bidding farewell to Li Chengqian and telling him Li Jing might come looking for trouble, Yun Ye cheerfully left the palace with Duan Hong.

Inside the carriage, Duan Hong still stood, bent at the waist, his head against the carriage roof. Though the carriage ran very fast, this fellow didn’t even sway.

“There are only the two of us in the carriage. Can’t you sit down? I need to look up to talk to you—it’s very tiring.”

“This slave had better stand. In case something happens, this slave can run faster.”

“We’re riding in a carriage to see a patient. What danger could there be? I’m not going to harm you. Sit down. Let’s chat about how to treat the patient. You’re the main force.”

Duan Hong sighed deeply and said, “My lord, your household has a master like Wu She. Why must you drag this slave along? That monk, before becoming a monk, was the famous Bearded Guest. Now he’s fallen into madness. For a martial artist like him to remember past events, the best way is through intense combat, or through a great sensory shock to be effective. You’ve clearly chosen the former. I imagine this slave is the unlucky wretch who will battle the madman.”

“You know about this too? Excellent! I didn’t know how to tell you earlier, but now it’s convenient. I saw you were bored stiff in the palace, so I found you a good job. With martial arts at your level, opponents must be hard to find. What’s wrong with having a master to practice with? You must be incredibly excited right now.” Yun Ye was very surprised Duan Hong also knew this method. Truly rare. He couldn’t help but view this fellow with new eyes.

Duan Hong’s thoughts had long flown away. Thinking of his youthful training scenes, his heart filled with infinite emotion. More than one or two people had been trained into idiocy. The pain when joints were dislocated simply wasn’t something a person could endure. To awaken those who’d gone mad, besides combat there was no other way. He’d participated twice. That hollow on his shoulder was where an idiotic companion had bitten off a chunk of flesh.

Forcibly restraining himself from scratching the aching itch on his shoulder, he said solemnly to Yun Ye, “Marquis Yun, don’t expect me to hold back. In disputes between masters, without the conviction for certain victory, death is inevitable.”

“No problem. I’ve prepared a large net above your heads. As soon as things become uncontrollable, I’ll lower the net and trap you both. Won’t that be the end of it? Relax, I have preparations.”

Duan Hong looked at Yun Ye’s careless face. How could he feel reassured? He could only pray for himself.

Arriving at the Li residence, in the rear garden pavilion, the giant was dealing with a roasted lamb—tearing and biting, eating terribly. Hong Funv stood to the side attending him, patiently wiping the grease from the corners of his mouth while pouring wine for him. Several empty jars already lay scattered on the ground—quite the wine sack and rice bag.

Yun Ye still couldn’t forget the shoe sole blow he’d taken to the cheek. Just seeing the Bearded Guest made him angry. He nodded to Duan Hong, then came before Hong Funv and bowed, saying, “Junior Yun Ye. Duke Wei commanded me to come treat this elder’s illness. Shall we begin now?”

Hong Fu looked worriedly at the Bearded Guest, wiped away her own tears, returned Yun Ye’s bow and said softly, “Zhongjian has fallen too deeply into madness. We husband and wife truly cannot awaken him. We must trouble Marquis Yun to apply your miraculous methods. Whether you succeed or not, we husband and wife are infinitely grateful.” Having spoken, she stood at a distance to watch how Yun Ye would actually awaken the Bearded Guest from his confusion.

Duan Hong, carrying a wine jar, came to the pavilion. Passing the Bearded Guest, a gleaming dagger silently stabbed toward the ribs of the eating and drinking Bearded Guest. The Bearded Guest, who’d been eating with his head down, suddenly fell to one side, but was still half a step too slow. The dagger had already sliced open a wound on his body.

The Bearded Guest, shocked and furious, kicked the table flying. Wine, lamb, various fruits and refreshments from the table rained down on Duan Hong like raindrops. Duan Hong crouched low and rolled to the Bearded Guest’s feet. The flashing dagger swung again, adding another wound on his opponent’s leg. The Bearded Guest seemed to feel nothing. Raising both fists, he pounded down heavily. His strength was tremendous—this punch came with a whistling wind sound, grazing past Duan Hong’s ear. Dodging one punch, there was no way to dodge the second. He could only cross his arms to block it hard. With a bang, Duan Hong flew out. Before flying out of the pavilion, one hand hooked a gallery pillar, circled once, then pounced toward the Bearded Guest again, only now the knife was hidden behind his elbow.

The Bearded Guest kept shouting loudly. His fists, carrying wind sounds, never left Duan Hong’s vital points—head, chest, ribs, abdomen. If struck even once, Yun Ye felt if it were him, he’d definitely die. But no matter how fast the fists were, Duan Hong could always find gaps to evade, and could even inflict new injuries on his opponent in surprise attacks.

Before long, the Bearded Guest was covered in blood. His rough features became increasingly ferocious, and his fists grew faster and faster. Finally, Duan Hong was a step too slow—his topknot was scattered by a punch. What a Duan Hong! With a twist of his neck, a small knife hidden in his hair whistled toward the Bearded Guest’s brow.