The black city wall crouched in the night like a hibernating serpent. Sheng Fengze easily ascended to the top. Looking toward the west gate tower, he saw the waning crescent moon hanging over its upturned eaves, cold and lonely.
With his toe, he hooked up a broken piece of wall brick, weighing it in his hand as a contemptuous, mocking smile unconsciously crossed his lips. The Military Commissioner of Jiannan Xichuan Circuit was notorious for his greed. Despite his status as a three-time Grand Councilor, he too had been bewitched by Yizhou Prefecture’s prosperity. The city walls hadn’t been repaired in ages—they wouldn’t even spend money on proper stone or green bricks. How could these mud bricks, mixed with just glutinous rice water and hair, possibly withstand a Nanzhao attack?
Sheng Fengze tossed away the broken brick and dusted off his hands, suddenly sensing something amiss. He merely smiled and spoke toward the shadows between the battlements: “Third Young Master Yang, your lightness skills are impressive, arriving ahead of This King. Why didn’t you stay at the Ji residence to hear her explanation?”
Yang Jingyuan emerged from the shadows. The moon cast a hazy light on his face, sculptural in its beauty. Gone was his usual warm, rakish smile, replaced by a murderous intent between his brows. He held a sword, his thumb lightly pushing it to expose two inches of the blade from its scabbard with a soft ring.
“You know my martial arts surpass yours. There’s no one around—I could easily kill you. I wonder what people would think tomorrow morning when they find the noble White King of Nanzhao dead in his night-stalking clothes at this breach in the wall.”
The exposed inch of blade gleamed coldly. Sheng Fengze’s heart tightened: “If This King dies here, the entire Yang family will be executed. Do you dare?”
With a clear ring, the bright sword elegantly cut through the night.
Sheng Fengze felt as if the crescent moon itself was crashing down upon him, the sword’s energy making the hair on his neck stand on end. His quick hands raised to block with his dagger. With several sharp clangs, Yang Jingyuan’s sword struck down mercilessly. The force drove Sheng Fengze back step by step. At such close range, Sheng Fengze felt like a boat in a storm, engulfed by the killing intent in Yang Jingyuan’s eyes. He truly meant to kill him! In that instant, Sheng Fengze regretted his arrogance. He shouldn’t have relied on Yizhou’s peace and his martial prowess to go without guards.
His wrist could no longer withstand the sword’s force; the dagger flew from his hand. A kick struck his chest immediately after, sending him flying to crash heavily on the ground.
Yang Jingyuan smoothly sheathed his sword, looking at him with contempt: “Sheng Fengze, once I find evidence, I’ll mount your head on the city gate tower.”
Sheng Fengze lay on the ground, rubbing his chest as he caught his breath. Evidence? How much did Yang Jingyuan know? He laughed: “Evidence? What evidence? Evidence of my affair with Ji Yingying? Haven’t you seen enough tonight?”
“Shameless!” Yang Jingyuan coldly stared at him. “You should be grateful that I, Yang Jingyuan, am an honorable man. Otherwise, you’d already be dead by my sword!”
“A nobleman’s son doesn’t sit beneath a dangerous wall. You can’t be certain whether someone is waiting to assist This King, or whether you’d be discovered as the murderer. No matter how much you hate This King, you wouldn’t gamble with the lives of the entire Yang family.” Sheng Fengze’s mind turned, immediately grasping Yang Jingyuan’s concerns.
He laughed loudly, slowly standing to retrieve his dagger and slide it back into his boot.
Sheng Fengze stepped forward, meeting Yang Jingyuan’s gaze: “However large the Yang family’s brocade business grows, you’re still mere merchants. And you, Yang Jingyuan, are just an illegitimate son who will never control the family business. What good is your martial prowess? Sure, you’re the boss among the young nobles in their romantic squabbles and brawls. But you have neither power nor status—what can you use to fight This King? When Nanzhao’s envoys reach Chang’an, they’re the Emperor’s honored guests. The highest official you’ve ever met is the Military Commissioner, who can’t even remember your name. Though Nanzhao is small, even the Commissioner wouldn’t dare slight This King. If This King but speaks the word, tomorrow he will send Ji Yingying to serve me at the courier station. Would the Yang family offend the Commissioner for a mere illegitimate son?”
Sheng Fengze vented his anger freely—you’re still green at eighteen. So what if your martial arts are better? So what if This King didn’t bring guards? Dealing with you is hardly difficult.
To his surprise, Yang Jingyuan wasn’t provoked. Though storms raged in his pupils, he stood straight as a spear, his lips pressed into a tight line.
“Nothing to say? Scared? You could beg This King. Beg This King to spare your fiancée…”
Before he could finish, Yang Jingyuan’s sword was at his throat again: “Your Highness White King, trying so unwisely to provoke me—do you want me to change my mind and kill you? I don’t want to gamble with the Yang family’s lives. If the Yang clan expels me, I won’t implicate them. After killing you, I’ll roam the four seas. Unfortunately, once the White King dies, he can’t be brought back to life.”
The sword’s energy raised goosebumps on his neck. Sheng Fengze grew nervous, his gaze increasingly fierce: “Fine then, kill me! When This King dies, Ji Yingying’s entire family will be exterminated!”
Yang Jingyuan narrowed his eyes. Sheng Fengze suddenly realized something and laughed even more maniacally: “Ah, so you’re concerned about Ji Yingying… Heh heh! Heh heh!”
Yang Jingyuan punched him in the stomach, watching him curl up like a shrimp in pain, and sneered: “You think I don’t know? You poisoned Madam Ji to threaten her. Why did you do this? Was it really because you feared the Ji family would reveal how you coerced them into their silk-dyeing secret? Why didn’t you just kill them? Sheng Fengze, when you like someone, you just enjoy watching them struggle and suffer. You dare not admit you like her, so you torture her, trying to make her submit to you. You’re nothing but a coward.”
He sheathed his sword and glared at Sheng Fengze: “Give up your unrealistic delusions. Nanzhao dreaming of swallowing the Great Tang? Laughable even in dreams. If you dare invade, I’ll kill your soldiers one by one. During your days in Yizhou City, I’ll watch your every move.”
Yang Jingyuan finished speaking and whistled with his fingers. A white horse emerged from the darkness; he leaped from the wall onto its back, looked up at Sheng Fengze once more, and rode away.
Sheng Fengze’s fist struck the city wall violently as he spat with hatred: “Wet behind the ears boy, what do you know? Yang Jingyuan, you’ll learn the price of angering This King!”
Seeing him return safely to the courier station, Chihu finally relaxed.
Sheng Fengze sensed this keenly and said coldly: “What, worried This King might face danger?”
“Master, it’s better to be cautious. Though Yizhou is safe enough to leave dropped items untouched on the road, and master’s status is noble, if something were to happen…”
“Nothing will happen! Those who would harm This King haven’t even been born yet!”
The unusual rage made Chihu freeze—how could his master, usually so calm and calculating, suddenly become like this?
Sheng Fengze violently threw his night-stalking clothes at his feet. He breathed deeply to calm himself: “This King is fine. Don’t worry.”
“Yes. Master should rest early. Tomorrow you visit the Zhou family of silk merchants in the north city.” Chihu dared not say more, bowing to leave.
“Chihu!” Sheng Fengze called him back. After a moment’s silence, he said, “You became my guard at twelve, and grew up practicing martial arts with me. Am I… have I fallen for Ji Yingying?”
Only when confiding did Sheng Fengze drop the royal “This King.” Chihu’s mouth opened and closed, closed and moved again.
“Speak!”
Chihu said awkwardly: “Chihu knows master likes Amu. The methods used to tame it… seem somewhat similar to how you treat Miss Ji.”
Amu was a rare white lion. To make it docile and loyal, he had once tortured it nearly to death. Sheng Fengze waved his hand weakly: “Important matters take priority. This King won’t visit the Ji family again.”
His gaze suddenly turned sharp, “Second Master Yang is too timid in his dealings—let’s add some fuel to his fire.”