A carriage drove through the empty streets and alleys in the night. In the distance, the western city was filled with deafening clamor due to the fire, yet every household in the eastern city remained in deathly silence.

Pei Song sat inside the carriage with his eyes closed, collecting himself.

The coachman, a lackey by origin, lightly flicked the horsewhip, afraid of disturbing him. Even his “giddyup” calls were kept extremely low.

Among the pitch-dark dwellings on both sides of the street, strange crows suddenly cried out in alarm. The coachman had just raised his eyes when he saw a snow-bright long blade slashing down from the side. His pupils constricted sharply. Before he could even let out a cry of alarm, he instinctively drew his blade to parry. However, the blade in his hand was like brittle ice, directly cut into two pieces.

The entire coachman was shaken backward, barely avoiding that strike that seemed capable of splitting mountains and severing rivers. A roar was finally squeezed from his chest: “Protect the master!”

Accompanying his hysterical cry, the nearly four-chi-long blade edge showed no reduction in momentum, viciously slashing toward the carriage wall. The high-quality hardwood seemed like tofu at this moment. Half the door frame along with the carriage roof was directly ground into wood fragments when the opponent twisted his blade.

The horse pulling the carriage was frightened, neighing as it galloped forward frantically.

Pei Song opened his eyes in this instant of chaos. The cold light reflected by the blade fell on his face like a chilling death warrant.

The lackeys following secretly had already leapt out in alarm, raising their blades and jumping down from the high wall behind. However, because the frightened horse galloped forward frantically, they fell behind. The lantern that had fallen from the carriage eaves to the ground was ignited. In the firelight and night, he met that pair of eyes filled with endless killing intent and hatred, feeling for the first time in a long while a rare sensation of alarm and sudden numbness in his scalp.

With just one glance, he deduced the other party’s identity.

The blood flow speed throughout his body seemed to accelerate in this instant. His fingertips also felt slight numbness—not from fear, but because in some mysterious way, he seemed destined to have a confrontation with the person before him.

The other party’s eyes were blood-red. Like a savage god, he swung his blade again. The carriage compartment was cramped. Pei Song couldn’t draw his sword in time and directly lifted the sword body, using the entire scabbard as a shield.

As soon as the two weapons collided, Pei Song felt his tiger’s mouth go numb. Attempting to borrow leverage from the carriage to steady himself, he stepped down forcefully, only to stomp a hole through the carriage floorboard, unable to stabilize his form. He was forced backward until his back struck the rear carriage wall, directly cracking it.

The blade edge in Xiao Li’s hand had almost pressed to Pei Song’s face. The hatred in his eyes seemed about to materialize. Like a death summons, he demanded: “Why did you kill my mother?”

The coachman who had fought with Xiao Li earlier and been shaken into the carriage compartment by the tremendous force of his blade had now recovered. Picking up the broken sword to stab at him, Xiao Li didn’t even blink as he heavily stomped down, stepping on the man’s abdomen and crushing through the entire floorboard, sending the coachman along with the broken wood crashing down together.

The space inside the carriage was cramped. Pei Song was constrained and couldn’t even draw his sword. Seizing this opportunity, he freed one arm to violently strike the left carriage wall, creating cracks in the wall boards before lifting his foot to kick hard. The entire left wall instantly fell away. At the same time, he drew his sword from its scabbard, slashing toward Xiao Li with cold mockery: “That you’re standing here questioning me is sufficient proof of your incompetence.”

The lackeys chasing frantically from behind with their blades also threw out eagle-claw hooks attached to mechanical steel cables, grabbing onto the carriage walls to fly over.

Hearing Pei Song’s words, Xiao Li’s eyes became even more bloodshot. Using his scabbard to deflect Pei Song’s sword edge that struck like a viper, he pressed down with his elbow, turning the blade edge diagonally and scraping along the scabbard to create a shower of sparks, slashing directly toward Pei Song’s neck. Pei Song hurriedly used his sword body against the scabbard to block the slashing blade edge. Xiao Li then heavily kicked toward his abdomen. Unable to avoid it, Pei Song took this kick full-on and fell together with the already precarious rear wall.

The lackeys who had hooked their eagle-claw hooks onto the rear wall also suddenly landed, rushing forward to support Pei Song.

Xiao Li jumped down from the broken carriage, carrying his Miao blade and approaching the group as if viewing dead objects.

Several lackeys raised their blades vigilantly to meet him. Pei Song endured the fishy taste surging to his throat from that kick, shook off his guards’ support with a wave of his arm, and gripping his long sword diagonally, shouted: “Stand down!”

Seeing this, the guards said urgently: “Master, your old injuries haven’t healed. You cannot engage in fierce combat!”

However, Pei Song’s killing intent was severe all around him. He had already raised his sword to clash with Xiao Li again.

He rarely acted on impulse, but this person was personally taught by Qin Yi.

Since he wasn’t dead and had appeared before him, he would see just how capable this “son” that Qin Yi had taught for over ten years was!

Tonight’s wind carried an inescapable scorching heat. A half-crescent moon hung high in the sky. The back-and-forth moves between the two were so fast that one could only see cold shadows reflecting moonlight on the blades and swords. The clashing sounds of tempered steel shook one’s ears with constant ringing.

Ash from the distant burning fire was carried by the wind to drift and fall here, as if a light snow was falling.

Xiao Li’s blade momentum was wild and fierce. Each slash carried unmatched force. He didn’t defend at all, attacking throughout with self-destructive momentum. The burned skin and flesh on his body from the great fire cracked at the surface due to taut muscles, blood drops splattering as he swung his blade. It was truly alarming to watch.

Even the lackeys who had followed Pei Song and witnessed countless death matches felt their teeth ache strangely at this moment.

In the distance, state soldiers searching for Zhou Sui and his group heard the sounds of combat and hurried this way. The sounds of horse hooves and shouts could already be heard from afar.

The two engaged in fierce combat still paid no heed, like two vicious wolves biting with bloodshot eyes, showing momentum of mutual destruction. Whenever one person received a wound, the next instant they would immediately return the favor. However, Xiao Li had already fought two battles tonight, still had arrow wounds that hadn’t healed on his body plus newly added burns in multiple places, and was driven by hatred to hack and slash relentlessly, depleting his stamina extremely quickly.

Pei Song found a gap and used his sword edge pressing against Xiao Li’s long blade to force him back dozens of steps, mocking: “I thought you had learned something remarkable from the old man, but it turns out to be only this much.”

“Your mother should have died under Xing Lie’s blade. It was I who saved her, allowing her to live these many more days. The life I gave her, naturally I can also take back!”

Sweat mixed with blood flowed from Xiao Li’s temples past his eyelids, sliding into his eyes—astringent and unbearably painful. Yet he didn’t even blink, staring ferociously at Pei Song. With a roar, exchanging injury for kill, the blade edge tilted and suddenly shifted, letting Pei Song’s downward-pressing sword edge sink into the skin and flesh of his own shoulder. As if he felt no pain, he heavily struck Pei Song’s left scapula with the blade hilt, forcing Pei Song to grunt and retreat several steps. Immediately the blade tip was already being sent toward Pei Song’s heart.

“Master!” The lackeys beside them cried out in alarm, throwing out eagle-claw hooks that firmly grabbed into the flesh of Xiao Li’s shoulders from left and right, pulling tight forcefully.

This kind of flesh-cutting, bone-piercing pain and the backward pulling force made Xiao Li’s sent-out blade slow by a beat. Pei Song avoided the vital point in time. Only his arm was grazed by the blade body, the evenly cut fabric instantly soaked with fresh blood.

Pei Song’s expression was extremely ugly. On that end, Xiao Li had already exhausted his strength. Pierced through the scapula by eagle hooks from two lackeys controlling his movements, he roared at him like a dying beast: “I will kill you!”

Just as Pei Song was about to say something, several plum blossom darts suddenly flew from somewhere, shooting in unison toward Pei Song. The lackeys hurriedly drew their blades to surround and protect their master, knocking down the hidden weapons.

Of the two lackeys controlling Xiao Li with the steel cables of eagle-claw hooks, one was struck in the throat by a plum blossom dart and died. The other rolled on the ground in embarrassment to dodge. Two figures wearing ordinary short hemp garments leapt down from the rooftop, faces covered with cloth, supporting Xiao Li from left and right before fleeing.

The lackeys started to chase, but from the darkness more plum blossom darts and arrows shot out to restrain them. One of the masked men who rescued Xiao Li even violently scattered a handful of white powder. The two lackeys who had chased most closely, fearing it was poison, could only quickly stop and hold their breath.

On the originally empty long street ahead, several horses unexpectedly came running to meet them. Two men with Xiao Li leapt onto horseback and rode away at full gallop.

One lackey inadvertently smelled the scent of that white powder in the air and suddenly said: “It’s lime.”

Knowing they had been tricked, the lackeys couldn’t help but show ashamed expressions.

Pei Song said not a word. Only after throwing the sword in his hand to a nearby lackey did he raise his arm with a gloomy expression and slap the lackey who had earlier used the eagle-claw hook to pierce and grab Xiao Li’s shoulder: “Without this Grand Tutor’s permission, don’t do unnecessary things.”

That lackey, even after being struck, only humbly bowed his head without daring to show half a trace of resentment.

Only then did Pei Song give orders: “Go chase.”

The lackeys quickly leapt into the night. The state soldiers searching the entire city only now arrived on horseback. The minor officer on horseback, seeing Pei Song, hurriedly dismounted and bowed with cupped fists: “Grand Tutor.”

Seeing the traces of combat on him and fearing it was from fighting with that group who rescued Zhou Sui, the minor officer’s back was already soaked with cold sweat. Maintaining his cupped fist posture with lowered head, he didn’t dare ask more questions, only waiting for Pei Song to lash out.

Pei Song’s old injury where the meridians in his shoulder were damaged, after being heavily struck by Xiao Li’s blade hilt, still ached faintly until now. His expression was extremely displeased. Originally not wanting to say more to this minor officer whose name he couldn’t even recall, just about to order him to enforce martial law throughout the city to capture the group who rescued Xiao Li, he noticed the cold sweat all over the minor officer’s forehead. His eyes suddenly narrowed: “How did the matter of exterminating the Zhou Manor remnants go?”

—

Xiao Li, covered in blood, was brought into the building from the back alley of Zuihong Lou by Song Qin, Wang Hu and the others. While other places had extinguished candles and closed lights at night, Zuihong Lou was still brightly lit everywhere.

They avoided the menial servants in the building, following a familiar route to carry Xiao Li into a guest room. Song Qin had the semi-conscious Xiao Li lie face-down on the bedding, using scissors to cut open the clothing on his shoulders that had stuck to his skin and flesh with blood and sweat. Seeing those wounds with flesh turned outward from the eagle-claw hooks where bone was faintly visible, Song Qin urgently shouted to his subordinates: “Go fetch a basin of water!”

Zheng Hu cursed with red eyes: “Those bastards!”

A subordinate brother pushed the door to go out, just as Mudan heard the news and came over. Seeing Xiao Li lying on the bed covered in blood, she was startled: “What happened to A Huan? Should we call a doctor?”

After the gambling house owner Han Tangzong and the He family both fell, Zuihong Lou, one of Han Tangzong’s properties, was also sealed for a period of time. The madam had done many unconscionable things, even had several lives on her hands, and was sent to prison together with others.

Mudan became the new owner of Zuihong Lou. For the girls in the building willing to redeem themselves and leave, she returned all their indenture contracts and reopened Zuihong Lou after newly hiring servants.

Different from the former Zuihong Lou, the current Zuihong Lou could be considered an elegant place. Those who came here, even if not officials, gentry or wealthy merchants, were all people with status and reputation.

When Song Qin was still working at the gambling house, the two had long been acquainted. Later when Song Qin opened an escort agency and needed to gather intelligence on the street, he also frequently visited the building, reserving this room as a long-term private room for receiving guests and discussing business.

Song Qin hastily wiped the blood traces on Xiao Li’s body, then sprinkled wound medicine on his two festering shoulders, shouting: “Don’t call a doctor. The Pei clan bastards are searching everywhere for us!”

His words had just fallen when a young girl outside came in panic to knock on the door looking for Mudan, saying soldiers had suddenly barged in.

Everyone in the room was alarmed. Mudan hurriedly took out a key and threw it to Song Qin: “I’ll go delay them. You quickly hide in the cellar.”

The group quickly transferred to the cellar, taking along even the bloodstained bedding. Zheng Hu cursed: “Those turtle grandsons came really fast!”

After they fled on horseback with Xiao Li, they quickly abandoned the horses. Two old subordinates sent by Zhou Sui to help continued to ride the horses to lead the state soldiers astray, while they brought the severely injured Xiao Li to hide at Zuihong Lou first.

Only after the cellar door closed did Song Qin say with a grave expression: “Young Master Zhou escaped with his life, and Second Brother exposed his identity before Pei Song. Tonight, the entire Yongzhou will probably be dug three feet into the ground.”

Zheng Hu said with lingering fear: “Good thing Godmothers Yuegui and the others were already sent out of the city first. Only pity for Xiao Da Niang… that heaven-cursed Pei clan bastard!”

Thinking of that great fire at the Xiao family home, Zheng Hu’s eyes reddened with hatred.

Xiao Li’s three godmothers had been sent out of Yongcheng after he returned and asked about Xiao Huiniang’s news. Song Qin sensed something was amiss and had already dismissed all menial servants from the escort agency, leaving only a group of brothers who had been through life and death to await Xiao Li’s orders.

But Xiao Li, fearing implicating them, tonight upon seeing the firelight from Zhou Manor, still chose to rush there alone.

Song Qin looked toward Xiao Li who had completely passed out after being medicated, sighing: “Half a year ago when Da Niang had her incident, it already became Second Brother’s heart knot. This time encountering such matters again, I fear it can never be untied.”

—

Xiao Li was trapped in a dream.

His entire body felt burning pain as if on fire. Struggling to climb up, he discovered he was in the brazier he had fallen into at age four. The scorching red charcoal burned him painfully. He cried just as in his memory, yet his eyes were so astringently painful they couldn’t shed a single tear.

In his vision, those swaying red silks parted. He was gently lifted by a young Xiao Huiniang, who lovingly examined the burns on his body: “Huan’er don’t cry. Mother will blow on it and it won’t hurt…”

It was a tender expression he had never seen on the young Xiao Huiniang’s face.

Xiao Li’s heart ached severely. Opening his mouth urgently wanting to call “Mother,” his throat was so hoarse it seemed blocked with sand. No matter what, he couldn’t make a sound.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry…”

Xiao Huiniang held him and comforted him softly. The red silks drifting down from the roof beam seemed to ignite. The surroundings suddenly transformed into the Xiao family home in the western city engulfed by great fire.

“Mother!” He struggled awake from the dream, breathing rapidly, face pale as paper.

Zheng Hu, dozing by the bedside, woke with a start, almost in tears of joy: “Second Brother, you’re finally awake!”

Seeing the person, Xiao Li forcefully grabbed Zheng Hu and asked: “Where’s my mother?”

Zheng Hu’s eyes pained, unable to bear answering.

Xiao Li lying on the bed—at this moment his consciousness seemed to have fully returned. His pale, cracked lips slowly pulled into a self-mocking smile. He released his grip on Zheng Hu and said: “That’s right, Mother is already dead.”

Zheng Hu watched with heartache. Just about to comfort Xiao Li with a few words, he saw Xiao Li, face deathly pale, supporting himself with both arms trying to rise.

Zheng Hu hurriedly pressed him down in a fluster: “Second Brother, with old injuries adding new ones all over your body, you can’t get out of bed now.”

Xiao Li swept him aside with one hand, supporting himself on his blade to rise with bloodshot eyes, roaring hoarsely: “I’m going to kill Pei Song to avenge Mother!”

Zheng Hu quickly embraced his waist again, loudly calling for those outside the stone chamber to come help, while saying: “Revenge also needs you to heal your injuries first! That turtle grandson Pei Song now has three layers of experts around him inside and out. Not even a mosquito can fly close. We can’t go throw ourselves into the trap…”

Song Qin who entered upon hearing, leading a group of brothers—seven or eight people pressing down on his limbs with force, finally pressed Xiao Li back onto the bed.

After the old subordinates returned to report, Zhou Sui who rushed to Zuihong Lou to rendezvous with Song Qin and others followed inside. Seeing this situation, he removed his hood and said to Song Qin and the group: “Let me say a few words with General Xiao.”

After Song Qin led his subordinate brothers to withdraw from the stone chamber in the cellar first, Zhou Sui looked at Xiao Li bound to the bed and spoke: “I understand the pain in the General’s heart.”

Having just escaped from a massacre, he was also haggard to the bone. “When my mother died before my father’s coffin, I too was in agony, thinking that even if I had to stake my life, I would avenge her. But later I discovered that even staking my life, I still couldn’t kill Pei Song. As Uncle Fang said, if I died, then truly no one could avenge my mother and the several hundred people of the Zhou household.”

He smiled self-mockingly: “Call me self-deceiving or call me greedy for life and afraid of death, but now I just want to live. The one who slaughtered my entire Zhou family wasn’t only Pei Song, but also the power in his hands that crushes people like ants. How could such a person deserve this world? I lurk in Yongcheng only so that one day when the Princess marches north to attack him, I can contribute my part, which would also count as revenge.”

He looked earnestly at Xiao Li: “The General is a person far more capable than I. You absolutely cannot act rashly and throw away your life. In the future, to obstruct Pei Song’s conquests on the battlefield, scatter that unrighteous army in his hands, then take the head from his neck—how is that not revenge?”

Because Xiao Li had just struggled forcefully against the rope bindings, wounds wrapped with gauze in multiple places on his body were bleeding again. He stared at one spot in almost numb silence, hoarsely uttering two words: “Untie me.”

Song Qin and the others had tied tightly. Zhou Sui couldn’t untie those ropes and called Song Qin’s group back in. Zheng Hu, seeing Xiao Li’s appearance, still hesitated somewhat. Song Qin however said nothing and untied the ropes.

Xiao Li’s eyes were numb and silent, but at least he didn’t mention seeking revenge with Pei Song again. He called to Song Qin: “Big Brother, is there food?”

The whole roomful of people were somewhat stunned.

Xiao Li said: “My stomach is a bit hungry.”

Hearing this, Zheng Hu’s nose felt somewhat sour. Song Qin’s heart also felt quite bitter, but he still quickly responded: “Yes! You wait, I’ll bring it to you right away.”

After Xiao Li woke from two days of unconsciousness, he ate three bowls of rice. For the next several days, his meal portions were basically the same, only he didn’t speak much.

Because his physique was far stronger than ordinary people and he began taking supplements on schedule, those injuries that would take ordinary people a fortnight or half a month to improve already showed rapid progress.

The state soldiers had searched until now and still hadn’t found anyone. They were already unable to remain calm. But as if certain they couldn’t possibly escape the city, after sealing the four main city gates and posting wanted notices, they searched house by house, knocking on the ground inch by inch looking for any cellars or hidden chambers.

When state soldiers entered Zuihong Lou to search yet again, it happened that Madam Xu came to catch Merchant Xu cheating. Holding a rolling pin, she chased him down from upstairs. Merchant Xu scurried about in the main hall holding his head, pulling customers or servants to hide behind them. Finally he even hid behind the minor officer in charge of searching Zuihong Lou. Madam Xu, furious beyond measure, holding the rolling pin while cursing, swung left and right. Inadvertently, one swing struck that minor officer’s face, directly giving him a black eye.

This farce caused considerable chaos. Madam Xu was extremely apologetic, quickly dropping the rolling pin to apologize. Mudan also came out to pacify.

Although the minor officer was inwardly angry, Madam Xu apologetically stuffed two gold ingots into his hands. His superior also frequently came to the building to see this Mudan of Zuihong Lou. On someone else’s territory, he couldn’t lash out.

After the scene regained control and state soldiers continued searching, Madam Xu apologized to the minor officer two more times. Still not satisfied with her anger, she picked up the rolling pin again and continued beating her husband onto the carriage, having the coachman head home.

This incident once became a joke throughout Yongzhou City, not to mention that state soldiers turned the entire Zuihong Lou upside down but ultimately found nothing.

—Xiao Li had long ago, taking advantage of the farce Madam Xu and Merchant Xu created in Zuihong Lou’s main hall, escaped Zuihong Lou disguised as a young servant amid the chaos and hid in the Xu family’s carriage.

Both Zhou Sui and the Xu family were pieces Wen Yu had placed in Yongzhou, except Zhou Sui was in the open while the Xu family was hidden. The night Zhou Manor was raided, Zhou Sui’s ability to evade the searches from Pei Song’s side was due to the Xu family’s efforts.

As for Song Qin and the others, the state soldiers had never seen their appearances. Pei Song had always assumed those who rescued Xiao Li that night were Zhou Sui’s people. The wanted notices posted at the city gates depicted Xiao Li and Zhou Sui’s old subordinates. Song Qin, Zheng Hu and the others only needed to slightly change their attire to avoid the state soldiers’ searches.

When Pei Song transported the first batch of supplies to Jinzhou, Xiao Li and Zhou Sui left Yongzhou via the Xu family’s cargo ships by water route.

When Pei Song first entered Yongzhou, the Xu family had given a large sum of tribute money to the Pei general left in charge of Yongzhou. Later when Pei Song couldn’t collect grain and wanted to make an example of merchants, Madam Xu also very shrewdly “donated” grain she had stockpiled early on, setting an excellent example. Among Yongzhou merchants, she was extremely well-regarded by the Yongzhou authorities.

When Pei Song needed to reroute grain transport from Yongzhou to Jinzhou, he requisitioned many merchant ships. The Xu family’s cargo ships were among them.

Using the Yongzhou authorities’ water route transit documents, Xiao Li’s group and Zhou Sui’s subordinates disguised themselves as menial servants on Xu family cargo ships and openly left the prefecture territory that had been surrounded like an iron barrel.

Several days later, the cargo ships briefly docked at a ferry. When menial servants disembarked to purchase supplies, Xiao Li and Zhou Sui’s group entered a shop under the Xu family’s name locally. When leaving through the shop’s back door, all wore civilian clothing. The Xu family’s actual servants changed into those menial servant outfits, purchased needed supplies and returned to the ships.

The cargo ships only docked for two hours before setting off again. Xiao Li and Zhou Sui rode horses standing on a cliff that overlooked the entire Qing River below. After watching the Yongzhou fleet depart into the distance, he turned his head to Zhou Sui and said: “This trip to Yongzhou—thank you. We part ways here.”

Zhou Sui, suddenly hearing these words, felt something strange. But he assumed Xiao Li was going first to settle his several godmothers and hurriedly said: “Sui’s life was saved by General Xiao. How dare I bear this word of thanks from the General? Sui will go ahead to Pingzhou to await the General. When the General brings the venerable godmothers, Sui will call to express thanks.”

Xiao Li had originally gripped the reins to leave. Hearing Zhou Sui say this, he suddenly looked back at him and said: “If you don’t want to encounter trouble after reaching Pingzhou, don’t mention you saw me in Yongzhou.”

Zhou Sui increasingly sensed something wrong and pressed: “What does the General mean by this?”

His back shoulder still ached faintly, but Xiao Li could no longer distinguish whether it originated from that poisoned arrow in Jinzhou or from the wounds the eagle-claw hooks left not long ago. He gripped the reins in his hand tightly. As he spurred his horse to leave, he said: “In Pingzhou, I am a traitorous general.”