The curtains undulated gently, and the not-so-sturdy canopy bed in the inn emitted faint sounds as if it couldn't bear the weight during this late summer afternoon.
Pei Xiangjun was sitting at the head of the bed in a kneeling position resembling a duck's stance. She was wearing Luo Ning's black sheer triangular lingerie. Two peonies adorned the key areas, and the hollow fabric was stretched tightly, making one worry that the drawstrings might snap under the substantial weight.
Luo Ning was sitting in the middle in a similar posture, facing Pei Xiangjun. Her clothes were exactly the same as Pei Xiangjun's, except for a slight difference in color.
Due to her weak legs, Luo Ning leaned slightly forward and nestled in Pei Xiangjun's arms. Her chin rested on Pei Xiangjun's shoulder, and she closed her eyes, remaining silent with an expression as if she had been wronged.
Pei Xiangjun had just given free rein to her sharp tongue and now her face was flushed. She felt a bit dizzy. Seeing that the enchanting Luo Ning was pretending to be motionless again, she raised her hand and patted Luo Ning on the lower back. "Hurry up. We still have things to do later. Don't waste time."
"Sigh..." Luo Ning slightly furrowed her brows, opened her eyes, and looked past Pei Xiangjun's back at Ye Jingtang. "Are you never satisfied? Is this what you call a quarter of an hour?"
"..." Ye Jingtang found it inconvenient to speak, but there was a hint of a smile in his eyes as if signaling, "All right, all right..."
...
After a long while.
Ye Jingtang, who had finished his afternoon nap and taken a cold shower, came to the stable in high spirits, retrieved his horse, and waited below the inn.
Looking up, the bird that had been left outside for most of the day was clearly unhappy. It raised its head and looked towards the sky, assuming an expression as if to say, "Hmph! The bird doesn't want to pay attention to you."
"Cluck, cluck, cluck~..."
"Chirp?!"
The bird turned around, its eyes filled with shock. Then it swooped down and flapped its wings at Ye Jingtang.
Ye Jingtang soothed the bird. After waiting for a short while, the two women came down from upstairs.
Pei Xiangjun had changed into black martial attire and was wearing a veil hat. She looked full of chivalry, but her expression was a bit unnatural.
Since they had finally become a couple, this was Pei Xiangjun's first time going downstairs. She hadn't noticed anything in the room, but as soon as she took a few steps, she realized that her legs were sore, and she felt a bit embarrassed to go out...
However, seeing that Luo Ning stood upright as if nothing had happened, Pei Xiangjun didn't show any of these unusual feelings, lest she be laughed at by the enchanting Luo Ning.
Luo Ning was afraid of being caught by her old confidant Shuishui. She wore a wide-brimmed hat and a face veil, covering herself up very tightly.
Because Ye Jingtang had been disobedient earlier and Third Lady Pei had abetted him, Luo Ning put on an aloof attitude and ignored Ye Jingtang.
Ye Jingtang knew that he had gone too far earlier. After coaxing her for a few more words, he mounted his horse. Then the three of them and the bird left the town together...
——
Wanshui Town was located along the Wu River. A hundred li to the west was the estuary of the Wuxi River, which was basically adjacent to Zezhou.
In the afternoon, by the riverside outside the town.
Xuanyuan Hongzhi stood alone at the official road entrance. The black cape on his back fluttered in the river wind. His gaze was fixed on the two fast horses in the distance.
Clip-clop, clip-clop——
Amid the rapid sound of hooves, two black dots approached from afar and gradually took shape in his field of vision.
The person in the lead was an old man with a long spear hung on the side of his horse. Although he was wearing a face veil to protect against the wind and sand, Xuanyuan Hongzhi could recognize him as "Lord Fan the Eighth," who was quite famous in the green forest of Zezhou.
Junshan Terrace was a force in the martial world. According to the classification, like the Honghua Building and the Shuiyun Sword Pool, it belonged to the righteous path in the martial world. They engaged in legitimate business, were subject to the control of the imperial court, were not wanted by the court, and could move around openly.
Organizations like the Pingtian Sect and the Hongshan Gang were purely part of the underworld. They occupied mountains as kings and engaged in illegal businesses. Under normal circumstances, they would not move around under the watchful eyes of the court.
The same was true for ordinary martial artists in the martial world. There were decent people like those escorting goods or working on ships, as well as underworld figures engaged in illegal businesses. The Blood Bodhi, the Two Kings of Yanzhou, etc., were all outstanding among them.
Lord Fan the Eighth was not an assassin. He was essentially a "river overlord," and his main task was to collect tolls on the waterway from Zezhou to Jiangzhou. He had good martial arts skills and quite a few subordinates, but he was not powerful enough to shake the wealthy and powerful families in the martial world. He could be considered a well-known independent martial artist in the martial world.
Recently, the entire area of Wuzhou had been under lockdown, allowing only entry and not exit. Many wealthy gentry wanted to flee to avoid trouble. Sensing an opportunity to profit, Lord Fan the Eighth had been doing the business of smuggling along the Wu River. As soon as Xuanyuan Hongzhi sent an urgent letter, he rushed over on horseback.
Behind Lord Fan the Eighth was Han Shaoping, a ranger from Zezhou. He usually made a living by helping others seek revenge and collect debts. His martial arts skills were not outstanding, but he was quite good at ambush and assassination.
The two martial artists on horseback arrived outside Wanshui Town. Seeing Xuanyuan Hongzhi standing by the river, they dismounted and landed in front of him.
"Lord Fan, Brother Han."
"Master Xuanyuan, you're too polite."
Although Lord Fan the Eighth had gray hair, he was tall and had a bandit-like aura. He didn't look old and decrepit at all. After approaching, he performed a martial arts salute. "Junshan Terrace is filled with outstanding martial artists, and Master Xuanyuan is a renowned hero in the martial world. It's really rare that you've called me, Old Fan the Eighth, over in such a hurry to help with a matter..."
Xuanyuan Hongzhi explained, "The person we're dealing with is special, and the matter is rather urgent. It's not convenient for me to go back and gather people, so I've troubled the two of you to take action."
Han Shaoping took his weapon from the side of the horse and glanced at the town in the distance. "Master Xuanyuan, just be straightforward. Who are we going to kill? Let's finish the job early so that I can go back to Junshan Terrace with you to watch the excitement. I heard that Qiu Tianhe has arrived at Yunmeng Ze. He'll probably challenge the Marquis of Junshan in a few days, and there will be a lot of people going to support him."
Xuanyuan Hongzhi knew that Qiu Tianhe would cause trouble at Junshan Terrace, but he didn't have the mind to deal with that now. He got straight to the point. "We're going to kill a chief official of the Black Yamen, a favorite of Prince Jing. Yao Wenzhong and I will take action together. The two of you just need to cooperate. However, after the matter, the blame will have to be borne by the two of you. The reward for each of you is ten thousand taels of silver. After the matter, I'll arrange a way to send the two of you to Tiannan to lie low."
"..."
When Lord Fan the Eighth and Han Shaoping heard this, their expressions changed somewhat.
The two of them were already engaged in a dangerous business where they risked their lives. If they were caught by the court, they would lose their heads. They didn't care about the identity of their target. With the Chips of ten thousand taels of silver, they would even dare to try to kill the Prefect of Zezhou. It was only natural that they would bear the blame afterward.
But money was only truly theirs if they had the life to spend it.
When the two heard that Xuanyuan Hongzhi and Yao Wenzhong were joining forces and still needed their help, they knew that the person they were going to kill was not just special in terms of identity.
Lord Fan the Eighth thought for a moment and then asked, "Master Xuanyuan, with you and Hero Yao joining forces, you should be able to easily kill anyone below the Eight Great Chiefs. Why do you still need us to cooperate? Could the person we're going to kill be True Person Xuanji?"
Xuanyuan Hongzhi shook his head. "If it were True Person Xuanji, even my father wouldn't be able to deal with it. It would be courting humiliation for the few of us to join forces. The person we're going to kill is called Ye Jingtang. I fought against him yesterday. He's slightly weaker than the Eight-Armed Dizang, but he has learned too many diverse skills and knows a bit of everything.
"Yao Wenzhong and I joining forces, it would be easy to kill this person. But if he tries to run away, we might not be able to stop him. We must have multiple people surround him and block all his escape routes. I've contacted five people, and three of them are still on the way. I estimate that one more will arrive today..."
Lord Fan the Eighth knew that the frontal combat power of Junshan Terrace was unparalleled in the world, but their weapons were too heavy, making it difficult for them to move quickly. When facing a martial artist with excellent lightness skills, they could basically only look on in despair.
Hearing Xuanyuan Hongzhi's words, Lord Fan the Eighth held his spear and said, "As long as we're not dealing with a Martial Chief. Even if we were to kill the Eight-Armed Dizang, it would be enough for us to block the escape route and give the two masters a chance to strike. Where is the person?"
"He might come to Wanshui Town in the next day or two. It's still uncertain whether he will actually come and whether he will bring followers from the Black Yamen. It would be best if we can wait until everyone arrives. If he comes early, we'll just seize the opportunity according to the situation..."
...
——
On the other side, beyond the mountains.
A troop of nearly two thousand people, escorting King Wu and the captives, emerged from among the mountains.
At the front of the troop, Dongfang Liren, in order to demonstrate the demeanor of the founding emperor of "leading by example," did not have herself carried. Instead, she led the troops and trekked over the mountains and returned to the riverside town.
The troops from Zezhou had been busy in the deep mountains and old forests for nearly two days. Many soldiers were exhausted and set up camp outside the town to rest.
Because of the great achievement, Dongfang Liren specifically sent the imperial guards to gather good wine and delicious food in the town as a reward. After giving the orders, she returned to the inn in the center and looked at the gradually darkening sky. "It's only a hundred li to Wanshui Town via the official road. Ye Jingtang set out at noon, so he should be back by now... Isn't Ye Jingtang in the town?"
The imperial guard commander behind her replied, "Lord Ye left the town with two people on horseback just an hour or so ago. It should be that the sun was too fierce at noon, so he rested in the town for about an hour. Judging by the time, he should have just arrived in Wanshui Town now."
"Oh..." Dongfang Liren blinked her eyes. She originally thought it was okay for Ye Jingtang to take a rest at noon, but then she thought that Miss Luo Ning was also there...
This lecherous fellow! I was out in the mountains basking in the sun, and he actually slipped back halfway to bully the girl...
If he wanted to rest, couldn't he have accompanied me to rest at noon?
Dongfang Liren felt a bit annoyed. She originally wanted to ignore Ye Jingtang, but since Wuzhou was in chaos now, she was still a bit worried. After thinking about it, she said, "Master, take me to Wanshui Town to have a look. King Wu has already been captured. Let's not have any mishaps at the last moment before we return to the capital."
True Person Xuanji had to maintain the demeanor of a lofty expert and not appear too coquettish among the imperial troops. He had been holding back all day. Seeing that Liren wanted to go out for a stroll, he didn't say much. He raised his hand and put it around Dongfang Liren's waist. With a flash of his figure, he leaped onto the roof and sped towards the direction of the Wu River...
——
"Giddy up——"
Clip-clop, clip-clop——
The horses' hooves kicked up dust on the yellow dirt road. Three figures galloped along the official road around the mountains in the glow of the setting sun and gradually approached Wanshui Town along the Wu River.
Ye Jingtang was wearing the official robe of the Commander of the Black Yamen and rode at the front, observing the road conditions along the way.
The bird stood on his shoulder, facing the wind and looking at the glow in the sky. It chirped and cooed, probably muttering, "Having fought through three thousand li, a single bird has faced a million troops..."
Luo Ning was still brooding over what had happened at noon with the two "steamed buns" (a metaphorical reference). She followed behind without saying a word, just gazing at the mountain scenery that was about to enter autumn.
Pei Xiangjun had ridden for a while. Her thoughts, which had originally been immersed in the tenderness of their relationship, gradually calmed down. She rode in front of Ye Jingtang and played with the bird that was chirping happily.
When the sun had completely set behind the mountains, the three big horses arrived at the entrance of the town.
As the sky grew darker, the medicine farmers in Wanshui Town had already left, and the town gradually became quiet. Scattered lights could be seen along the streets, and there were not many pedestrians on the old street.
Ye Jingtang slowed down his horse and stepped onto the street paved with bluestones. His gaze scanned the street. He had originally been looking for the whereabouts of Zhang Wenyuan's son.
But when he was still some distance away from the gambling house alley where they had met last time, Ye Jingtang's ears twitched. Suddenly, from the depths of the quiet old street, he heard a conversation.
"Is this the person? There are three of them. They might be difficult to deal with..."
"The two behind are just lackeys. Their combat power is mediocre..."
...
The voices came from behind the window on the second floor of a restaurant over a hundred meters away. They were very faint. Ordinary people would definitely not be able to hear them. Third Lady Pei and Luo Ning, who were right next to him, didn't react, and even the bird didn't notice anything.
But ever since Ye Jingtang had opened up all his meridians, his six senses had soared. It could be said that he was aware of almost every movement in half of the town. Sensing something was amiss, he focused his attention there and heard the conversation clearly. He could even tell that one of the voices seemed to be from Xuanyuan Hongzhi...
"..." Ye Jingtang blinked his eyes. He felt a bit strange. To prevent alerting the enemy and scaring away Xuanyuan Hongzhi, who had come to their doorstep, he continued to move forward without showing any sign of suspicion. On the way, he gently raised his hand. "You two wait on the street. I'll go and pick up the person."
Luo Ning and Pei Xiangjun didn't notice that there were people hiding in the distance, so they didn't say anything. They stopped on the street and waited for Ye Jingtang to deal with his official business. The bird took off into the air and began to scout in the sky.
Clip-clop, clip-clop...
Ye Jingtang rode his big black horse and walked alone through the old street. By sensing the subtle movements, he discerned the situation in the houses on both sides of the street:
There were two people on the second floor of the restaurant. When he approached, they held their breaths, and he could no longer sense them. But he could hear the sound of them quietly picking up their weapons.
There seemed to be one person in the gambling house alley. His aura was almost imperceptible, and it should be Yao Wenzhong.
After passing a teahouse, the two martial artists drinking tea at the window of the teahouse put down their teacups and reached for something from the corner and under the table. There was no doubt that they were reaching for their weapons...
A pincer attack from three sides...
Ye Jingtang calmly walked into the Encirclement. He noticed all the subtle movements of his hidden opponents and could even predict the scene where Yao Wenzhong and the old spearman would come out one after the other later. This feeling was really quite special, similar to when he had just learned the Wind Listening Palm and playfully understood Luo Ning's reactions...
Seeing that the opponents didn't make a move, Ye Jingtang didn't speak first to arouse their suspicion. After approaching the gambling house alley, he dismounted from his horse.
Under the eaves outside the inn gate, the young man in yellow clothes was still sitting on the steps waiting. When he saw Ye Jingtang approaching, a look of joy appeared on his face, and he quickly stood up. "Sir, do you have any news about my father?"
"Your father is fine. You go inside first. I need to deal with some personal matters."
Ye Jingtang came outside the inn and slightly raised his hand to let the young man enter the house. Then he looked up at the entrance of the nearby alley. "There's a light in the alley, and the shadow of your hat brim is showing."
As soon as he said this, the old street became a bit quieter.
Tap, tap...
The dull sound of footsteps came from the alley.
Then Yao Wenzhong, who was of a sturdy build, emerged from the entrance of the alley wearing a black cloak. He carried a thick-backed broadsword on his back. With his face covered by a wide-brimmed hat, only his chin was visible. He slowly walked to the middle of the old street.
Ten zhang behind him, Lord Fan the Eighth held a long spear and leisurely rolled up his sleeves, blocking the way of retreat.
Han Shaoping, holding two sabers in reverse, walked behind and blocked the path for Pei Xiangjun and Luo Ning to come to the rescue.
Xuanyuan Hongzhi and a swordsman in black appeared at the window. Their faces were covered with black scarves, revealing only a pair of eyes that glinted with a cold light. He said in a cold voice, "Ye Jingtang, today I want to see where else you can run to!"