After following Ji Yingying until she reunited with Mr. and Mrs. Ji Yaoting and watching them leave by mule cart, Yang Jingyuan finally returned to the Sanhua Tower.
Sang Fourteen had grown impatient waiting and, spotting him from a second-floor window, leaned out and threw a mandarin orange at him: “Yang Third Young Master, hurry up! Your young lord is about to fall asleep waiting!”
Yang Jingyuan caught the orange and entered the building.
The Military Commissioner’s banquet was being held on the third floor. Sang Fourteen had reserved a private room on the second floor. Just as Yang Jingyuan reached the second floor, he heard a commotion below. Looking back, he saw a group of guards quickly flood in and block the stairway. Deputy Commander Niu and Administrative Assistant Sang were escorting a young man wearing a sable-trimmed cloak.
A lieutenant led soldiers up the stairs, glaring at Yang Jingyuan: “The White King of Nanzhao has arrived—all unauthorized persons step back!”
The White King of Nanzhao? Hearing the words “White King,” Yang Jingyuan’s interest was suddenly piqued. He stepped back against the wall, crossing his arms to watch the spectacle.
Deputy Commander Niu’s booming voice nearly shook the dust from the ceiling beams. His words could be heard from afar: “The White King’s sudden arrival in Yizhou City greatly surprised the Military Commissioner! As fortune would have it, the Commissioner is hosting a banquet at Sanhua Tower and has dispatched this Deputy Commander and Administrative Assistant Sang to welcome you.”
“This Prince is delivering a tribute to the capital. Due to my weak constitution, I traveled slowly and feared delaying the tribute procession, so I arrived at the post station later than the envoy’s group. This Prince has admired the culture of the Great Tang since childhood. Hearing that Tang customs included the Lantern Festival during Yuan Xiao, I feared missing it. Unexpectedly, the Military Commissioner is so hospitable, sending the Deputy Commander and Administrative Assistant personally. I am unworthy of such honor.”
The voice preceded the man. Yang Jingyuan raised an eyebrow. It was that man’s voice! A prince? So he was the White King of Nanzhao. Weak constitution? After Yang Jingyuan gave him a beating, he’d guarantee the man would be too weak to leave his bed for half a year. Yang Jingyuan’s fists cracked as he clenched them.
As they spoke, the group reached the second floor. Behind Sheng Fengze followed a group of Nanzhao guards in foreign attire wearing fur hats. Among them was a beautiful female guard.
Yang Jingyuan stared at Sheng Fengze in his sable-trimmed cloak. A thin face with sun-bronzed skin, and high brow bones that made his eyes appear as deep as the sea. A straight nose and handsome features. As he walked, his cloak billowed to reveal a black brocade robe underneath. Not the water-blue clothing. Yang Jingyuan was taken aback. Had he heard wrong?
Feeling someone’s gaze, Sheng Fengze glanced over and saw Yang Jingyuan leaning against the wall. He casually shifted his gaze away and continued up to the third floor with Deputy Commander Niu and Administrative Assistant Sang.
Yang Jingyuan watched his footsteps. They were unsteady and lighter than normal people. Someone who could carry Ji Yingying across the lake stepping on lotus leaves must have exceptional martial arts skills.
“He doesn’t look like someone who knows martial arts. Did I hear wrong?”
“What did you hear wrong?” Sang Fourteen came out of the room and draped an arm over his shoulder to ask. He happened to see the foreign-dressed guards and continued, “I heard a Nanzhao prince has arrived?”
Yang Jingyuan turned to ask him: “A prince?”
Sang Fourteen pulled him into the room: “News came from the post station at dusk. Said the Nanzhao envoys bringing tribute to the capital had arrived at the station. The Military Commissioner invited the envoys to the banquet. Half an hour ago, more news came saying the Nanzhao king’s younger brother, White King Sheng Fengze, had also arrived. He travels slowly due to poor health and arrives later than the main group. Deputy Commander Niu and my father rushed to welcome him. Bah, White King or Black King, what’s so special about watching barbarians? Let’s drink!”
Doubt weighed heavily on Yang Jingyuan’s mind. He tried hard to recall the masked man on the pleasure boat, finding more and more inconsistencies: “Fourteen, something seems off about this Nanzhao White King.”
“What’s off? Have you met him before?” Sang Fourteen leaned against the window drinking wine, intently watching young ladies passing below.
“Would you believe me if I said I saw him on the lake below Sanhua Tower half an hour ago?”
Sang Fourteen waved dismissively: “How is that possible? He just arrived at the post station half an hour ago. Since he was invited to the Military Commissioner’s banquet, how could he have gone boating on his own first?”
Yang Jingyuan drained a bowl of wine in one go and exhaled deeply: “Would you believe me if I said Second Miss Ji knows him?”
“Haha!” Sang Fourteen turned around laughing and pointed at him, “Third Brother, the betrothal gifts have already been given—are you still worried Ji Second Miss won’t marry you?”
I knew you wouldn’t believe me. I don’t believe it either. How could a Nanzhao prince know Ji Yingying, who came from a small dye house? And even disguised himself as me to take her boating to view the scenery?
Yang Jingyuan sighed, and then his eyes lit up as he grabbed Sang Fourteen’s sleeve: “Fourteen, the Military Commissioner is hosting a banquet. You’re here at Sanhua Tower too—shouldn’t you go pay respects to your father? Right, Deputy Commander Niu is also here—shouldn’t you greet your father-in-law?”
“Why should I go see him? Just to wear a fake smile and stand behind my father? ‘This is my unworthy son, ranked fourteen?’ ‘Ah, your son is such a romantic youth, Administrative Assistant is truly blessed!’ ‘I hear your son is Deputy Commander Niu’s beloved son-in-law, such a fine young man, the Commander has good taste!'” After imitating his father and the officials, Sang Fourteen deepened his voice to imitate Deputy Commander Niu, slapping Yang Jingyuan’s shoulder hard, “Son-in-law! My seventh daughter has learned embroidery recently! Hehehe!”
He rolled his eyes after finishing and shook his head while looking downstairs: “Drinking wine, viewing lanterns, and admiring beauties—why would I go upstairs to torture myself!”
Yang Jingyuan’s eyes darted: “Fourteen, look at these clothes.”
Sang Fourteen looked him over: “What about them? Wait, that’s not right. I remember you were wearing a water-blue narrow-sleeved robe when you went to meet Second Miss Ji. These clothes don’t seem to be yours.”
“Ah, it’s embarrassing. Someone threw me into the lake. Fortunately, there was a pleasure boat chartered by Master Zhou, and I borrowed his clothes.”
“Who dared throw you in the lake? Oh, I know, it must have been Second Miss Ji, right?” The scene of Ji Yingying kicking Zhou’s Seventh Young Master into Huanhua Creek was still fresh in his mind. Yang Jingyuan had just gone to see Ji Yingying—who else could it be? Sang Fourteen laughed heartily, “So you’ve met your match? All your martial arts were useless against her?”
Thinking of Ji Yingying brought both love and hatred to Yang Jingyuan’s heart, but he wouldn’t lose face in front of Sang Fourteen: “She wouldn’t dare! No matter how fierce she is now, once she marries me, she’ll be gentle and caring, making my bed and warming my quilts. We were releasing lanterns and enjoying the scenery when we got into an argument with some outsiders. They looked like those Nanzhao barbarians. Will you help me get revenge?”
“Really?!” Sang Fourteen looked at him suspiciously, recalled Yang Jingyuan’s earlier words, and thought he understood. He angrily slapped the table and stood up: “Did they see Second Miss Ji’s beauty and try to harass her? Then you were outnumbered while protecting her and fell into the water? Is Second Miss Ji alright? Oh, she must be fine. If she weren’t, you wouldn’t be sitting here drinking with me.”
Am I that weak? Outnumbered? If the masked man hadn’t threatened him with Ji Yingying, the one thrown into the lake definitely wouldn’t have been him. Yang Jingyuan said irritably: “In all my years, I’ve never suffered such a big loss.”
“A bunch of southern barbarians. They need to be taught a lesson!” Sang Fourteen said imposingly, “The Military Commissioner and my father are upstairs. Third Brother, after their banquet ends, let’s ambush them in the alley! I’ll call people right away! Nothing’s happened recently—Thirteen and the others have been getting restless!”
Yang Jingyuan “emotionally” embraced Sang Fourteen: “Brother Fourteen! You’re my true brother!”
When ambushed in an alley by a group of young nobles and their servants, with just those few guards, he would be able to find out whether that Nanzhao prince knew martial arts or not.
Upstairs at the night banquet, Sheng Fengze was requesting Military Commissioner Liu: “This Prince is not part of the envoy escort for the tribute. Admiring Yizhou’s prosperity, I wish to stay in the city for some time. When the envoys return from Chang’an, I will return to Nanzhao with them. I wonder if the Military Commissioner would permit this?”
The envoys were escorting tribute to the capital. As Nanzhao bordered the Jiannan Circuit, they sent generous gifts every year. This year’s gift list was already tucked in Military Commissioner Liu’s sleeve, thirty percent more generous than last year.
What harm could there be in letting barbarians from the southern frontier, who admired Great Tang civilization, stay briefly in Yizhou Prefecture? Military Commissioner Liu gladly agreed.
Sheng Fengze’s face lit up with joy: “Thank you, Your Excellency.”