《The Emperor and His Thief》


 Chapter 1 - Blessings from Heaven

    Blessings from Heaven


    In a distant land, there exist two empires: Qin and Zhu. They had been at war with each other. It was foretold that the two could not co-exist. One must disappear for the other to stay but one of the descendants of the first Emperor of Qin decided to change that. He wished for peace so he worked hard at achieving precisely that. Unfortunately, he did not live to see it but the seeds of peace were sown. His son, managed to realize his dream and such, the two Empires became allies.


    The peace lasted for hundreds of years. That is, until an incident where the Crown Prince of the Qin empire and his party were assassinated while visiting the Zhu empire. In retaliation, the Emperor of Qin beheaded all the princes and princesses of the Emperor of Zhu. This retaliation was delivered despite the princes and princesses having been sent over for political marriages throughout the year. This, in turn, sparked the flames of war once more; one that raged on until present day.


    The lands of the Qin and Zhu Empires were stricken by droughts. For years, they had yet to receive a drop of rain from the heavens. It was said that the droughts had been brought on by the wrath of their ancestors. It was to the point that both Empires had to sign a truce because they couldn¡¯t even feed their armies.


    The Empress of Qin, who was currently pregnant, worried for her child. She worried that, because of the droughts, her child wouldn¡¯t be able to get enough nourishment to grow up. Months passed, and during one cold night, the Empress found herself in labour. She was struggling and her condition wasn¡¯t good enough to begin with. She fought for hours until finally the cry of a young child could be heard.


    ¡°It¡¯s a boy!¡± the midwife announced aloud, relief and bliss emanating from her words. The exhaustion from hours of struggle disappeared from the midwife¡¯s face the moment the baby¡¯s cries resounded within the room. She handed the crying baby to the Empress who gently held the boy, her face brimming with pure happiness. Outside, as if answering the boy¡¯s cries, the land which had not seen a drop of rain in years, finally received its blessings in the form of a heavy downpour. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, it seems the heavens answered this child by blessing us with rains¡­¡± the midwife seemed to cry in joy. Now that their droughts had ended, they finally saw the light. Just then, the door opened and a eunuch entered the birthing chambers.


    ¡°His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor has arrived!¡± he announced and after that declaration, a figure dressed in black clothes decorated with golden dragons entered. The Empress just smiled warmly as she saw him.


    ¡°Royal Husband¡­ our child¡­ is a child that is blessed by the heavens. His cries summoned the rain and one day¡­¡± the Empress didn¡¯t get the chance to finish her sentence as the Emperor interjected.


    ¡°One day, this child will succeed Zhen and rule this Empire after Zhen. He will lead this Empire with a resolute and firm decision, for he is the child of heaven. Steward Wong, send out the Royal Edict. From today onward, Qin YiJun, fourth prince of Emperor Qin WuZhen, the prince blessed by the heavens, is the crown prince of the Qin Empire!¡±

 Chapter 2 - Beginning of a Scheme

    Beginning of a Scheme


    After the Crown Prince¡¯s birth, the Emperor was so happy that he sent another Imperial Edict declaring all citizens of the Qin Empire were to be exempt from paying taxes until the Crown Prince turned five years old. Hearing this, the citizens rejoiced. Despite the few years of droughts, everyone celebrated for one hundred days as though the droughts had not lasted for the grueling four years. But, not all celebrated the matter. The Emperor had several Imperial Concubines, both female and male concubines. Although there were no objections from the male paramours, the same could not be said of the female concubines. Especially from the Imperial Concubines who birthed Princes and Princesses.


    With the change of seasons, time passed amicably. The Crown Prince was doted on by both parents and most of their subjects. The servants served the Crown Prince wholeheartedly; some of the older servants even treated the Crown Prince as they would their own child. Days turned to months, months into years and, without realizing, four years had passed since the birth of Qin YiJun. Despite years having passed, everyone was still grateful to the young prince. In fact, some even thought that the prince was actually a reincarnation of a god that came down in order to face trials in the mortal realm. There are few gods in the legends that could call out the rain, but citizens seemed to prefer to liken him to one of the four Dragon Gods, XuanLong.


    Imperial Concubine Xing, the mother of the eldest prince, had been the most hostile over the years. Although she did not publicly show it, there was a rumor that had been spreading to all that lived in the Imperial Palace that she disliked the fourth prince. There¡¯s a saying that the walls have eyes and ears everywhere, and the Imperial Palace was one such place where evil plots ran the deepest. Whether the rumors were true or not, those who heard it already assumed that Concubine Xing hated the fourth prince; that she saw him as thief. After all, if it were not for the Imperial Edict, her son would¡¯ve been the one to be crowned as the Crown Prince. And if that were to happen, her status would¡¯ve been that of the Empress while the current Empress would have been reduced to Imperial noble consort.


    ¡°If only that rain had not fallen just when that useless child was born!¡± she cursed under her breath. ¡°Don¡¯t think this is over yet! It was just coincidence that your child was born when the rains were about to fall!! Your luck is going to run out soon!¡± Concubine Xing seemed to be unable to control her anger anymore as her face mirrored the sinister thought in her mind and her lips curved up in a malicious smirk. The servants that attended Concubine Xing could only lower their heads while the concubine paced around her room with a calculating face, trying to think of a way to gain Emperor Qin WuZhen¡¯s favor toward her and her child.


    ¡°Mother¡­?¡± the quivering voice of a young boy snapped her out of her anger and she quickly turned to see her son. Concubine Xing noticed that her son looked scared and she suspected that the young prince had witnessed her earlier outburst.


    ¡°ChenJi, my beloved prince, how long have you been standing there?¡± Concubine Xing asked, her expression turned into pure concern as she approached her son. The servants who saw this retreated out of the room in a silent tacit understanding.


    ¡°Umm, I just arrived, mother. I just wanted to tell you that Imperial Father has just assigned a tutor for me! And also a martial arts tutor!¡± he announced happily. Qin ChenJi, was the first prince of Emperor Qin WuZhen. This young prince had only recently reached six years of age. Despite his youth, he was intelligent and cunning. There were several complaints from the eunuch and other servants about the first born prince. Some said that if you displeased him, you¡¯d have your arm broken as punishment. The things that Qin ChenJi would be displeased with could be as small as dropping a grain of rice while serving him a meal.


    ¡°Good, good, good. You must work hard and make the Emperor proud. That way, all may not be lost yet,¡± Concubine Xing gave Qin ChenJi a warm, gentle smile yet, her eyes shone malevolently as her mind filled with venomous thoughts. Concubine Xing then remembered her son was still around and let out a heavy sigh as she patted his head gently. ¡°If only I could make that bastard disappear,¡± she mumbled in a soft voice, making Qin ChenJi look up to her.


    ¡°Who are you talking about, mother?¡± the young prince asked. Though he appeared innocent, he clearly knew who his mother was talking about. Who else would it be if not the Crown Prince, Qin YiJun? With how most of the servants revered the Crown Prince, even Qin ChenJi felt that his limelight had been stolen. His mother used to tell him that he would be the future Emperor and that the Dragon Throne would belong to him. Then, Qin YiJun was born under the blessing of the heavens and suddenly, Qin ChenJi found his path to the Dragon Throne being blocked by his younger brother.


    ¡°That bastard YiJun of course!!¡± she hissed, her face turning ugly.


    ¡°Then, if he disappears, will mother be happy?¡± he asked, and his mother just gave him a smile.

 Chapter 3 - The Eldest Prince and the Crown Prince

    The Eldest Prince and the Crown Prince


    After his visit to his mother, Qin ChenJi decided to look for his brother, who was also his enemy within the palace. He knew, as long as Qin YiJun lived, his mother would never be happy. So, even at his young age, Qin ChenJi already harbored evil thoughts toward Qin YiJun. After questioning several servants and eunuchs within the Imperial Palace, he finally found out where Qin YiJun was and quickly made his way to the garden in YueXing palace. The gardens were just one of the many things gifted to the Crown Prince.


    The moment they entered the garden, they were greeted with a breathtaking scene. Within the garden were several flower beds filled with flowers of the season, tended by the most talented gardeners hired by the Emperor. There was also a small pond filled with Koi fish. Beside the pond was a majestic pavilion made out of stone marble. Further in, one could see the main building of YueXing palace. The Emperor had all of this built within six months after Qin YiJun was born. Rumors had it that every talented craftsman in the whole Qin Empire were invited to build YueXing palace. It must be said that amongst the Emperor¡¯s children, Qin YiJun was the only one who received such gifts.


    Jealousy rose within Qin ChenJi when he thought of how all of this would have been his if Qin YiJun hadn¡¯t appeared in his life. After giving the gardens a quick scan, his eyes finally landed on a small figure sitting under the pavilion, accompanied by a servant. The figure was of a young boy, not older than Qin ChenJi. His hair was a darker shade of brown than that of ChenJi but once the sunlight touched it, one could see that it presented a slight reddish hue. The clothes the young boy wore were of the grandest design. This was the beloved Crown Prince of the Qin Empire. ¡°Brother!¡± Qin ChenJi called once he was close enough to the pavilion.


    ¡°Eldest brother!¡± Qin YiJun greeted Qin ChenJi happily; he quickly made some space for his brother to sit. Qin ChenJi went over and sat down beside Qin YiJun and he saw that in his younger brother¡¯s hand was a bag of fish food.


    ¡°Have you been feeding the fishes? Can you let eldest brother feed them too?¡± Qin YiJun asked.


    ¡°En! Here! Just throw the food into the water and the fishes will come up to eat!¡± Qin YiJun happily explained as he handed the bag of fish food to Qin ChenJi. Seeing the two princes together, the eunuch accompanying Qin ChenJi decided to take a seat a little ways away to grant them some semblance of privacy but the servant that was with Qin YiJun continued to stay his ground.


    When Qin YiJun noticed that his servant had not done the same as Qin ChenJi¡¯s, he ushered the servant away, telling him to give them some privacy. Only when the servant moved slightly further away did Qin YiJun turn back to Qin ChenJi. ¡°So, eldest brother, eldest brother! Why did you come to see YiJun? Did you get some new toys to play with?¡± Qin YiJun asked innocently, yet there was a hint of excitement in his tone. His russet brown eyes shone with expectation as he waited for his brother¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Eldest brother didn¡¯t bring new toys for Imperial Brother. Eldest brother apologize for that. But¡­ eldest brother recently found out about a new game! Would you like to play? It is called hide and seek!¡±


    ¡°Hide and Seek?¡± Qin YiJun looked confused. Being only four years old, there were many things that he had yet to learn. Qin YiJun was very fond of Qin ChenJi because he always seemed to come with new stuff for him. To Qin YiJun, Qin ChenJi was a role model. He wanted to grow up to be knowledgeable and generous like Qin ChenJi.


    Seeing Qin YiJun¡¯s confused and curious look, Qin ChenJi inwardly smiled, thinking how easy it is to get his younger brother¡¯s attention. This would make executing his plan much easier. While he had the fourth prince¡¯s attention, Qin ChenJi began to explain the essence of hide and seek. After a while, he managed to get Qin YiJun to agree to play with him, even though the younger of the two was reluctant at first. Once Qin YiJun had agreed, Qin ChenJi¡¯s plan was set in motion.


    Qin YiJun had always been doted on by the Emperor, by the Empress and even by most of the servants in the palace. But, some of the servants were loyal to other families, or simply corrupt. With little bribery, they would agree to do whatever was asked of them. Some servants were willing to risk their lives to satiate their avarice; one such servant being the one that accompanied ChenJi that day. Qin ChenJi brought along Qin YiJun to play hide-and-seek and the seeker was the servant whose loyalty had already been bought by ChenJi¡¯s mother. Their mission was to just scare YiJun off but if the Crown Prince ended up being injured, that was even better.


    At that moment, Qin ChenJi brought his little brother toward the Cold Palace and Qin YiJun was starting to feel scared. After all, the Emperor had warned him not to approach the place before. The Cold Palace was almost bare with minimum decorations. As they went further, the fear within Qin YiJun¡¯s heart grew. He clung to his elder brother¡¯s robe and trembled a bit.


    A smirk formed on Qin ChenJi¡¯s face when he noticed his younger brother¡¯s hesitation and he almost wanted to ruthlessly push this younger brother forward. For the sake of his plan though, he controlled his desire to do so and instead, forced himself to run a hand onto Qin YiJun¡¯s head as if trying to assure the scared prince. ¡®Ah, I wonder if mother will be happy if she saw YiJun¡¯s expression right now. Will she praise me?¡¯


    ¡°Eldest brother, can we please leave? If Imperial father knew we came here, we both will be punished,¡± YiJun said in a worried tone as he looked up to his brother. His words were laced with awkward pauses due to the anxiety he felt while his eyes watered slightly, as if the tears were threatening to fall anytime soon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Leave everything to eldest brother. You want to win the game, right? No one will expect you will be in the Cold Palace. While you hide here, eldest brother will lure the servants away. When the time is up, you will win the game!¡± Qin ChenJi said as he faked a bright smile on his face. Then, he added in a slightly lower voice while his brown eyes had a malicious glint: ¡°Just trust your eldest brother, alright?¡±


    Qin YiJun never once doubted his older brother, so he just nodded his head. They finally entered a room within the Cold Palace. There was a stove made out of stone, and few barrels in the corner. In the middle of the room was an old wooden table. It appeared to be a kitchen. Because the Cold Palace had no one living in it, the palace had only been cleaned once in a while. Thus, that room had been collecting dust for the past few months.


    ¡°Fourth brother, come and hide here!¡± Qin ChenJi walked over to the barrels in the corner and began to move them to make space for Qin YiJun to hide.


    Qin YiJun eyed the place as he hesitated. ¡°Brother, can we just go somewhere else? This place is dark and scary,¡± Qin YiJun said, silently pleading his elder brother with his eyes. ¡°And it is also dirty¡­¡± he added as he looked down on the dust covered ground.


    Qin ChenJi was slowly getting annoyed with this little brother of his but he still held it in as he once again faked a smile. ¡°YiJun, it is only a little dirt! When you are older and start training, you will be covered in dirt everyday! Imperial father says that if boys don¡¯t get dirty once in a while, they can never grow up to be a brave man!¡± his tone was very convincing and Qin YiJun, who was scared before, suddenly got a surge of bravery.


    Qin YiJun walked over and took his place. He squatted down and looked up at Qin ChenJi with reverence. He had just learned something new from his older brother. ¡°If I do this, will YiJun grow up to be a brave man?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Now, I will move the barrel to cover you! Later, you be quiet or you will get found out!¡± Qin ChenJi said as he started to move the barrel to hide Qin YiJun¡¯s figure. When he was finally hidden, Qin YiJun heard his brother say: ¡°Remember! Just keep hiding and don¡¯t move from this spot. Eldest brother will go and lead the servants away. Don¡¯t worry, your eldest brother will make you win this game!¡± After Qin ChenJi left, Qin YiJun continued to hide. An hour passed, then another hour, and Qin YiJun was getting bored.


    ¡°Wait, elder brother never told me when the game ends. What if it already ended?¡± Qin YiJun wondered anxiously as he gripped at his clothes. More time passed and his anxiety grew. He wanted to get out and check but, in the end, he went against his instinct. Choosing, instead, to trust the words of his beloved eldest brother. ¡°Eldest brother said to wait. When the game ends, he will come pick me up,¡± Qin YiJun giggled to himself as he imagined the servant¡¯s face when he won the game. Suddenly, a loud crash was heard nearby, and Qin YiJun yelped in surprise.


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s here?¡± came a voice that Qin YiJun was not familiar with. It sounded rough, and based on the voice, Qin YiJun imagined the owner would look like a bear.


    ¡°The informant says he¡¯s hiding here. Let¡¯s just search around,¡± came another unfamiliar voice. The new voice sounded like one of the eunuchs YiJun knew, but he couldn¡¯t quite recall which one.


    YiJun became scared and he quickly covered his mouth, fearing that the sound of his breathing would give away his location. Unfortunately, even that did not help. He could hear footsteps getting closer and before long, the barrels that were placed in front of him were moved away. The action was crude and rushed, so when one of the barrel covers fell beside Qin YiJun due to the rough movement, he let out a fearful shriek.


    ¡°Brother! I found him!!¡± the one who sounded like the eunuch exclaimed. Qin YiJun saw that they had covered their face, so he couldn¡¯t figure out who they were. Seeing that he had been found out, Qin YiJun only had one thing to do. Run!!


    Qin YiJun grabbed the first thing he could reach, threw it at to the masked figure¡¯s face and then ran. He ran as fast as his small legs could take and even then, it wasn¡¯t enough. He had forgotten that there were two of them and the other one had now caught him.


    ¡°Oi! Are you okay?¡± the guy with the rough voice asked his partner.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. So, you caught him? What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Oi!! Your face!!¡± the rough guy yelled out and Qin YiJun saw that the cloth that covered the other guy¡¯s face had fallen off.


    ¡°Yang Ji! Help this prince!¡± Qin YiJun quickly screamed out when he saw the face of the eunuch he knew.


    ¡°You idiot!! Now that he has seen you, you don¡¯t have much choice. I could let him go, and you will end up dying or we could kill him and bury him where no one will know,¡± the one holding Qin YiJun said, and it made the blood within Qin YiJun grow cold.


    ¡°Killing him is too much! How about we just kidnap him? If we can sell him to the Zhu Emperor¡­¡± the eunuch¡¯s suggestion made both Qin YiJun and the other guy¡¯s eyes widen.


    ¡°You truly are a eunuch! If we could sell him, we could get reward enough to last several generations! Quick, get me that sack over there!¡± The gruff sounding man concurred with his partner in crime.

 Chapter 4 - Li FangMing

    Li FangMing


    It had been a while since the Li family patriarchs had been summoned. So, they felt that it was an honor. And seeing that the Crown Prince was almost the same age as the patriarch¡¯s seventh son, the elders decided it would serve them well if the young boy were to be brought along and introduced.


    ¡°Summon FangMing over,¡± the patriarch of the Li family ordered of a servant. A few moments later, the servant came back with a young boy in tow. The young boy was wearing an aqua coloured robe with a pale yellow sash around his waist. His black hair was tied up into a high ponytail. His pair of dark coloured eyes seemed to be filled with expectation.


    ¡°Father, you called?¡± Li FangMing asked, trying very hard to hide his eagerness. After all, this was the first time he had ever called by his father. He had, at first, thought that his father would ignore him for the rest of his life, treating him as air.


    ¡°You will join me at the Imperial Palace. I ask that you do not disappoint me,¡± the patriarch said in a cold tone. As soon as Li FangMing heard the tone his father used, the expectation within his eyes disappeared and replaced by disappointment. This did not escape his father¡¯s eyes, but the older male couldn¡¯t care less about Li FangMing¡¯s feeling.


    If it was possible, the patriarch would avoid bringing Li FangMing along. After all, he was the proof of his shame. Each time he looked upon Li FangMing, he would be reminded of the time when he was betrayed by a woman he thought loved him. But, as soon as Li FangMing was born, the woman disappeared without trace.


    ¡°Yes, father,¡± Li FangMing answered, bowing his head in respect. Li FangMing, despite his young age, knew that his father did not want him in the slightest. The only reason he was still in the Li household, being treated like a young master, was because the family had a plan for him. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but wish that, one day, his father would look at him just like how other children¡¯s fathers would.


    When they reached the Imperial Palace, Fang Ming couldn¡¯t help but be in awe of the scenery. Everything was just as he had expected but, something seemed to be wrong with the atmosphere. The guards seemed to be running around in a panic. When they got off their carriage, Li FangMing asked his father about what was going on, only to be shushed harshly. When their carriage finally stopped, he was told to wait as his father went to meet the Emperor. That was when the Li patriarch found out that the Crown Prince had been missing for more than an hour and no one knew his whereabouts. The eldest prince had told everyone that the Crown Prince was hiding within the Cold Palace but when the servants went to find him there, there was no Crown Prince. They only thing they found was some smashed vase and an old plate that had, seemingly, been thrown across the room.


    ¡°Let this humble servant help find the Crown Prince, Your Imperial Majesty,¡± the patriarch of the Li family didn¡¯t want to miss the chance to garner favor. If he could find the Crown Prince, he would surely be rewarded. The Emperor knew that the Li patriarch had an ulterior motive but as of that moment, he really did need all the help he could get so he simply nodded in agreement. The Li patriarch then bowed before he turned to return to his carriage. When he returned to his son, he just glanced at him coldly. ¡°FangMing, you wait here!¡± he told his son before he started to look around for the missing prince.


    After a while of waiting, the area that Li FangMing was in finally became empty with only him left. This made Li FangMing stand out despite his small stature. The young boy looked around and then walked over to the horse in front of the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s just you and me, horsie,¡± he said with a dejected sigh. He was just about to touch the horse to play with its pelt when he saw a suspicious man carrying a wriggling sack on his back out of the corner of his eyes. The way he crouched, and how his face was covered, it made him more suspicious. Li FangMing tried to call a guard, but no one was around so, he decided to follow the stranger.


    After following the suspicious man for a while, Li FangMing finally found out what the man had been carrying when he took it out of the sack. It was a young boy, who looked the same age as him. Li FangMing had never seen the Crown Prince before, so he had no idea who it was. What he knew was that the young boy must be of higher class because of his clothes.


    Li FangMing knew he had to save the boy. He looked around and saw a branch and a stone. The stone was not that big, but it was the size of Li FangMing¡¯s knuckles. He knew he could never dream of beating an adult. Making use of the stick and stone he found, as well as his sash, he created a makeshift flail. But just as he finished making it, he was found out by eunuch Yang Ji.


    ¡°Who do we have here? A rat sneaking around?¡± the eunuch reached out to grab Li FangMing. In his panic, Li FangMing swung the makeshift flail and the stone hit the eunuch smack on his right eye. The eunuch screamed out in pain as he clutched his eyes, blood trickling down his face. That alerted the suspicious man that Li FangMing had followed earlier.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡± he took out the dagger that he had hidden with him. At first, he thought that Yang Ji had been attacked by the guards but when he saw Li FangMing, he felt silly. ¡°Boy, what did you do to this Young Master¡¯s companion?¡± he asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.


    Li FangMing was immediately frozen in fear when he felt the pressure from the man. But Li FangMing gritted his inner cheek and braced himself. He knew how it felt to be hopeless. He knew how it felt when you were left alone when you clearly needed help. That was why, Li FangMing decided that he would not abandon that boy.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve already called the guards before I came! Release him and leave!¡± he yelled out. The man just laughed before he slowly approached Li FangMing.


    ¡°You actually dare to threaten this Young Master¡­ You must be tired of living. Fine, let this Young Master send you down to meet King Yama!¡± he said before he swung his dagger toward Li FangMing.


    Li FangMing was so scared that he tripped when he tried to take a few steps back. The dagger, that was aimed at his neck, grazed his chest instead. The cut wasn¡¯t deep but, for a child who hadn¡¯t even lived ten years yet, it was enough to make him cry. It was painful for Li FangMing. When he saw the man aiming another swing at him, Li FangMing clutched the makeshift weapon he was holding and quickly swung it.


    He wasn¡¯t really aiming at anything; he just wished the man would take a step back in surprise. But luck seemed to be on his side when the stone once again hit its mark. The man had suffered the eunuch¡¯s same injury and he yelled out in pain as he clutched his eye. The dagger he was holding fell to the ground and it took Li FangMing a few seconds to register that the weapon was no longer in the man¡¯s hand.


    When he did, Li FangMing quickly picked the dagger up, though it felt exceedingly heavy in his small hand. He went to the Crown Prince¡¯s side and cut the rope slowly, as to not accidentally injure the boy. When he finished, FangMing removed the cloth tied around Qin YiJun¡¯s mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s run!¡± FangMing said as he grabbed Qin YiJun¡¯s hand.


    Qin YiJun didn¡¯t even care that the boy before him was being rude. No. He didn¡¯t care at all, after all, the boy saved him. As they ran, he glanced back at the man who tried to kidnap him. He would make sure the Emperor executed the kidnapper, along with the traitorous eunuch, Yang Ji.


    When the two boys finally ran into the guards, Li FangMing felt relieved. The guards saw them, but when they saw the boy beside Li FangMing, their eyes widened and they quickly went to their knees. ¡°The servants see the Crown Prince!¡± the guards all cried out at the same time.


    ¡°Hurry and inform His Majesty that we have found the Crown Prince!¡± one of them, who seemed to be the leader of the group, barked his order. Following that, one of the guards started to run towards the direction of the Imperial Court Hall.


    Li FangMing immediately fell to his knees and kowtowed to the Crown Prince, making YiJun confused. ¡°This servant has been disrespectful to the Crown Prince! This servant is willing to accept punishment¡­¡± Fang Ming said fearfully. He wasn¡¯t scared that he might be executed for being disrespectful to the Crown Prince, he was scared that his father would find out about it. Seeing this, Qin YiJun frowned and he wanted to pull Li FangMing up. He wanted to assure the boy that he won¡¯t be punished for saving his life.


    ¡°YiJun!!¡± before Qin YiJun could do anything, a loud, imposing voice called out to him. The Emperor came, followed by the Li patriarch and a few royal guards.


    ¡°The Crown Prince greets the Imperial Father,¡± YiJun greeted the Emperor with a bow. But the Emperor quickly pulled him into a hug.


    ¡°Thank the heavens that you are safe!¡± was all the Emperor could say. Being an Emperor, he mustn¡¯t show any weakness. But when Qin YiJun was involved, he could not control himself.


    The Li patriarch, though glad that the Crown Prince was safe and sound, could only feel anger, and shame. He had seen how his son had kowtowed to the Crown Prince. He had put two and two together and assumed that his son had offended the Crown Prince. ¡°FangMing¡­¡± he hissed out in anger and YiJun heard it.


    ¡°So, he is called FangMing?¡± Qin YiJun asked with a smile, happy to know the name of his savior. ¡°He is really brave,¡± hearing the Crown Prince say that, the Li patriarch quickly kowtowed to the Crown Prince. He was about to apologize to Qin YiJun on behalf of his son when he heard something that made his eyes widen in surprise.


    ¡°He saved my life even though he was clearly sca-,¡± he trailed off, ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­? Imperial Father, why do these two people bow down to me like that when they did not do anything wrong?¡± Qin YiJun asked the Emperor.


    The Emperor just cleared his throat before he stood up. ¡°Rise, both of you,¡± he ordered, and the Li patriarch slowly stood up. But not Li FangMing; he was still too scared to see his father. Scared to see the disappointment in his father¡¯s eyes. The Emperor, seeing this, approached the young boy, followed by Qin YiJun. ¡°The Crown Prince has told Zhen that you selflessly saved him. There is no need to kowtow,¡± the Emperor said once he was close enough. Only then, did Li FangMing slowly raise his head.


    ¡°Your¡­ Ma-Imperial Majesty¡­ I¡­¡± FangMing¡¯s face was full of tears. He was about to say more when his vision darkened, and he fell face first to the ground.

 Chapter 5 - Youre injured so I will feed you

    You¡¯re injured so I will feed you


    When Li FangMing opened his eyes, he was laying on top of something soft. He noticed the ceiling above him looks unfamiliar but he was still not fully awake. ¡°So comfortable,¡± Li FangMing murmured in a soft voice, eyes drooping down once more. He was just about to fall back to sleep when he heard a sound of footstep accompanied by soft whispers of two women.


    ¡°The boy is still not awake, what should we do?¡± one of the two women speaks up as she looked over at the young boy who currently slept on the soft divan.


    ¡°What do you mean by that question? His Imperial Majesty had asked us to take care of him so we will do as ordered!¡± the other one scolded, thinking that the woman earlier wanted to shirk her responsibility.


    ¡°Sister! You know that is not what I meant. But His Highness has been asking about him.¡±


    ¡°I will go inform His Highness. You go prepare the bucket and warm water. It is time we change his bandage.¡±


    With how noisy the two were, Li FangMing were unable to go back to sleep. So he slowly opened his eyes again and looked over to the direction of the voice. Though by now, one has already left while the other is busy placing the dishes on top of the table nearby. ¡°Sister?¡± Li FangMing called out, making the female servant jump slightly in surprise.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake! That¡¯s great! Let me go and get His Highness!¡± the servant didn¡¯t wait for Li FangMing to say anything else as she rushed out to find the Crown Prince. Li FangMing was left alone once more, but now he is more awake than the first time he opened his eyes. He looked around the room and saw that the decoration was expensive.


    Even the place he¡¯s currently laying down on is very comfortable compared to the bed he had back home. Then his eyes landed on the table where he could smell the food. Suddenly, he was stricken with hunger and as if on cue, his stomach growled in protest. ¡®So hungry¡­ I can eat those, right?¡¯ Li FangMing thought to himself as he continued to stare at the table full of dishes. Li FangMing hesitated for a while, but when his stomach growled once more, he decided that he could at least have just one mouthful.


    Sitting up, Li FangMing¡¯s face contorted in pain as he felt a sting on his chest and his hand quickly went over it, clutching over it in hope to ease the pain. Tears pooled up in his eyes before it fell down on his cheek. The thought of eating disappeared and all his brain could register was the pain on his chest.


    This was the exact scene that Qin YiJun saw when he ran into the room. He was surprised when he saw the boy crying so he rushed over to the divan and looked over at Li FangMing worriedly. Not long after, the female servant from before came in. ¡°Your Highness, please don¡¯t run like that. If Your Highness fell down and get injured, this servant¡¯s life will be forfeited,¡± she said, face slightly pale. Li FangMing, because of the pain did not register what the servant was saying as he held his chest.


    ¡°Mei Ran! Hurry and call Old Pan!¡± Qin YiJun said in a panicked voice. ¡°He¡¯s hurting!¡±


    The servant, Mei Ran stay rooted in a stupefied manner, surprised at the sudden order. After a few seconds, she finally snapped out of her trance and once again, ran out. This time, her destination is the infirmary where the royal physician known as Old Pan, stays.


    Once the servant left, Qin YiJun¡¯s attention returned to Li FangMing who still has tears running down his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s alright. Mei Ran will come with Old Pan soon and then Old Pan will heal make the pain disappear,¡± Qin YiJun said as he tried to calm Li FangMing down. As the youngest within the Imperial Palace, Qin YiJun had zero experience in coaxing someone and the more he saw Li FangMing cry, the more he felt himself being affected. The tears are threatening to fall out of Qin YiJun¡¯s eyes but the young Crown Prince held it in.


    Then he remembered how his mother once coaxed him with sweet when his favourite toy broke so he quickly walked over to the table and looked over at the dishes that were spread on top of it. Seeing that there is an osmanthus cake, he felt relieved. He washed his hands with the bowl of water on the table before he picked one up and went back to the crying Li FangMing. ¡°Here, eat this and don¡¯t cry anymore, okay?¡±


    Li FangMing eyed the osmanthus cake that was held by Qin YiJun. The sweet smell of honey that was on the cake stimulates his taste buds and reminds him of his hunger. He sniffled and wiped the tears away from his face. Seeing that Li FangMing has now stopped crying, he held the cake up close to Li FangMing¡¯s lips. When Li FangMing finally ate it, Qin YiJun felt that his shoulder became lighter. ¡°Taste good?¡± he asked.


    ¡°En. Thank you,¡± Li FangMing¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse from the crying and his stomach had taken this moment to make its protest known once more. This made Li FangMing¡¯s face turn red.


    ¡°Hungry?¡± Qin YiJun asked and Li FangMing, just nods his head in response. ¡°You¡¯re injured, so wait here. I¡¯ll go and get more!¡± a smile finally appeared on Qin YiJun¡¯s face as he went to the table once more and picked up the dish containing the osmanthus cake. When he returned, he was just about to feed Li FangMing once more as he held it up for the young boy.

 Chapter 6 - The Crown Princes person

    The Crown Prince¡¯s person


    ¡°Umm¡­ I can eat on my own,¡± Li FangMing said with a hint of embarrassment. He had never been treated this way back in his home. So he really doesn¡¯t know how to act at the moment.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t washed your hand. Imperial Mother said that if you eat without washing your hand clean, you¡¯ll get sick!¡± Qin YiJun replied.


    To Li FangMing, the other boy¡¯s explanation is very convincing so he quietly ate the cake from Qin YiJun¡¯s hand. ¡°Wait, ¡®Imperial Mother¡¯?¡± it took Li FangMing a while before he finally realized what Qin YiJun had said. His face paled and his lips quivered as his eyes shows a hint of fear in them. Only then did he remember what happened before he passed out. Li FangMing wanted nothing more than to get off the divan and kneel down on the floor to ask for forgiveness but Qin YiJun stopped him.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured. Don¡¯t move too much! Wait for Old Pan to come,¡± Qin YiJun scolded Li FangMing.


    ¡°B-but,¡± Li FangMing was still scared. After all, this boy before him is the Crown Prince. He still fails to understand why the Crown Prince talks to him normally and not addressing himself as the royalty earlier.


    Qin YiJun saw the fear that is plastered on Li FangMing¡¯s face and he showed a hurt expression, but to Li FangMing, it looked like he is displeased instead. Li FangMing was just about to utter words of apology when Qin YiJun spoke up: ¡°Are you afraid because I am the Crown Prince?¡±


    The words Li FangMing wanted to say was stuck on his throat when he heard the tone that the Crown Prince was using. He could sense the loneliness within it. ¡°I-¡­¡± Li FangMing bit his lips as he hesitated. He thought for a while to construct his next sentences so he won¡¯t offend Qin YiJun. ¡°Your Highness, I am just a lowborn. After being rude to the Crown Prince, of course I would be afraid.¡±


    ¡°But you saved this prince¡¯s life. This can be your saving grace! So if anything happens in the future, you can come to me. No matter what it is, I will help you,¡± Qin YiJun said with a smile. Now that he knows why Li FangMing is scared, naturally he would want to make that reason disappear. ¡°Also, you are injured while saving me. So I asked Imperial Father to take care of you until you¡¯re healed. Right now, you¡¯re in YueXing palace. Imperial Father already sent your father home so you will be staying here until you¡¯re healed!¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡°


    ¡°No more buts!¡± Qin YiJun quickly stuffed another cake into Li FangMing¡¯s mouth to stop him from saying anything more. ¡°From now on, you are this prince¡¯s friend. I already asked Imperial Father to let your father know, and your father already agreed! Or do you not want to be my friend?¡±


    For a while, Li FangMing was left speechless. He just stared at Qin YiJun who gave him an expectant look. He remembered how Qin YiJun¡¯s tone had sounded lonely earlier. Somehow, he felt that they are similar. ¡°If Your Highness don¡¯t mind being friends with me, then I will be honored to be your friend,¡± he finally answered.


    ¡°Good! Now eat more,¡± Qin YiJun smiled as he continued to feed Li FangMing. When the servant finally returned with the Imperial Physician, they saw the two children chatting in harmony. Of course, the servant was fearful when she saw the Crown Prince feed Li FangMing, but the Crown Prince simply dismissed her.


    Few days passed and Li FangMing¡¯s injury had now fully healed. Not even a scar is left with the careful care of the palace servants. When the time for Li FangMing to return home came, Qin YiJun was very reluctant. Though it has only been a few days, the two had become close.


    ¡°Do you really have to go home?¡± Qin YiJun asked. Currently, he¡¯s standing before the gate leading to the outer court of the Imperial Palace. Li FangMing is standing before him, with the horse carriage belonging to a royalty behind the young boy.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll visit more in the future. I have to go home or else my father will be angry again,¡± Li FangMing told the young prince. These past few days, he was actually nervous. He had never expected to stay in the palace when he followed his father. It felt surreal to him.


    ¡°If your father scolds you, just come to this prince! I will scold him back for you!¡± when Qin YiJun said this, Li FangMing could only laugh. After once again promising to visit, the two finally said their goodbyes and Li FangMing entered the carriage.


    ¡°General Wu, when you send FangMing over, make sure to tell those people in Li family that FangMing is this prince¡¯s person! They better treat him well!¡± Qin YiJun told the general that was tasked to send Li FangMing home.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Leave everything to this general,¡± General Wu bowed to the Crown Prince before they finally set out. Qin YiJun continued to stare at the carriage until the gate to separating the inner court and the outer court is closed.


    ¡°Your Highness, remember that His Majesty is calling for you,¡± the eunuch who stood beside Qin YiJun suddenly reminded the boy.


    ¡°I know, Steward Wong. Do you think Li FangMing will be alright?¡± he asked the eunuch. This eunuch is considered his father¡¯s most trusted confidant so Qin YiJun naturally trust him too.


    ¡°Of course. That young boy is under the protection of His Highness the Crown Prince. No one will dare to go against Your Highness,¡± Steward Wong answered. ¡°Now then. Let us go see His Majesty in the imperial study. If we are tardy, this lowly steward might lose his head,¡± Steward Wong joked as he began to lead Qin YiJun to the direction of the imperial study.

 Chapter 7 - They say the most important thing must be mentioned three times

    They say the most important thing must be mentioned three times


    When Li FangMing returned home, he noticed the air around his home seems changed. His father was waiting for him by the gate with a big smile. ¡°Ming-er, welcome home! I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re alright. You don¡¯t know how worried I was when you passed out,¡± as soon as he stepped down from the carriage, Li FangMing found himself within his father¡¯s embrace. They stayed in position before the older of the two pulled away to look at the smaller one.


    Ever since Li FangMing could remember, this is the first time his father held him like this. Before, the older man wouldn¡¯t even touch him. Even the punishments for this son of his were left to others since he would rather not see Li FangMing at all.


    ¡°Have you eaten? The servants are preparing lunch. I have told the head chef to make your favorite,¡± Li FangMing¡¯s father continued, snapping Li FangMing out of his thought. ¡°Elder MoFan, please bring Li FangMing over to the dining hall to wait for lunch. I will speak with General Wu for a while,¡± he said as he pushed Li FangMing gently towards Li MoFan.


    Li MoFan is an old man. In fact, he is the brother of Li FangMing¡¯s grandfather. He is also the one who is responsible to keep Li FangMing from causing trouble for the Li family. ¡°Come and follow me, FangMing,¡± Li MoFan turned around and started to walk, not really caring whether Li FangMing followed or not. After all, Li MoFan knew that Li FangMing will always listen to his father just for that small recognition that he exists within the family.


    Before following Li MoFan, he turned to General Wu and gave him a deep bow as a gesture of thanks. Then he lifted his short legs to follow LiMoFan, leaving only his father and General Wu¡¯s escort.


    ¡°Li FangMing is a good child. Li SunXun, you have a good seed,¡± it was General Wu who speaks up first once Li FangMing was out of earshot. ¡°His Highness, the Crown Prince is very fond of him. It is for the Li family¡¯s good interest to take care of that child,¡± General Wu was smiling as he said this, but one could still hear the threat within those words.


    ¡°Of course! This loyal subject understand,¡± the Li patriarch, Li SunXun could only smile as he cupped his hand and bowed slightly towards General Wu even in the face of the threat.


    ¡°En. I have also came with orders from His Majesty,¡± when he said this, General Wu gestured to one of his men with one hand. A guard came forward with a tray on both hands. On the tray lays several scrolls. ¡°Due to Li FangMing¡¯s selflessness in saving His Highness the Crown Prince, the Li family will receive the Emperor¡¯s favor. Li Patriarch, Li SunXun, you are now conferred the title YinJing Hou. QingXiang city in HangJiang will be put under the jurisdiction of the newly appointed YinJing Hou to be managed. HouYe may send his trusted family member over to QingXiang city and they are expected to report within half a month,¡± General Wu finished relaying the Emperor¡¯s word and handed two scrolls towards Li SunXun.


    ¡°This is the Imperial Edict from His Majesty for HouYe and the person who will be placed in charge in QingXiang city. As for this last one,¡± he took the third scroll and looked straight at Li SunXun. ¡°This is for Li FangMing. His Majesty, the Emperor had heard how close the Crown Prince was with HouYe¡¯s seventh son. Therefore, His Majesty has decided to let Li FangMing be the Crown Prince¡¯s companion. HouYe should know what this mean, right?¡±


    Li SunXun, who was just happy that he had been given titles and land was shocked silly. Since Li FangMing was allowed to accompany the Crown Prince that means his son is free to enter and exit the Imperial Palace¡¯s inner court. At first, he only thought that it was because Li FangMing had saved the Crown Prince¡¯s life that the Crown Prince is fond of him. Now, he found out that it was because the two had become close these past few days.


    ¡°I understand. Please rest assured. No one within Li family will make things difficult for Li FangMing,¡± Li SunXun finally replied. With this one last edict, the Li family can no longer control Li FangMing. The young boy is free to do as he wished and no one in the family has any authority to reprimand him as long as Li FangMing has both the Emperor and the Crown Prince¡¯s favor.


    ¡°Good. I have one more last thing to say. This is more of a ¡®request¡¯ from His Highness the Crown Prince. Since the Crown Prince had taken Li FangMing as his person, the Li family must treat him well. Whenever YinJing HouYe is to attend the court meeting, he must bring Li FangMing along so the boy can accompany His Highness. That is all. This general will now excuse himself,¡± after saying all that he have to say, General Wu finally led his men away and return to the Imperial Palace to report to the Emperor.


    Once the figures of General Wu and his men disappeared from his view, only then did Li SunXun let out a sigh of relief. ¡°They say the most important thing must be mentioned three times and General Wu did exactly that. I wouldn¡¯t have thought this unfavored son of mine would actually receive heaven¡¯s blessing the first time I brought him out. Now even if I am reluctant, I have to treat him well even within the walls of my own home.¡±


    After lamenting for a while, Li SunXun finally went into the house and straight to the dining hall. He saw that most of the important member of the family is already waiting for him, and the food was already served. He took his seat and looked at everyone, who is waiting for him to finally announce they can eat.


    ¡°Since everyone is here, I believe now is the right time to announce this,¡± Li SunXun speaks up. ¡°From now on, no one is allowed to cause any difficulty towards Ming-er. Ming-er has received the favor of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. If anything were to happen to him, it would be the same as slapping the Son of Heaven and our family will be ruined. Do keep that in mind,¡± Li SunXun finished his words and swept his gaze along each and every one of the member within the hall.


    As soon as this was said, all eyes landed on Li FangMing who became even more timid. The stares were making him uncomfortable and he just bit his lips in an attempt to keep himself calm. Some of the elders were looking at him with a profound expression, probably wanting to curry favor with him. But the younger generations, especially the first son of Li SunXun were extremely unhappy. Yet, there was nothing he could do about it. After that, they finally have their meal and once it was over, Li FangMing was led to his new room within the household.


    This new room is larger in comparison to his old room, and it is located in the main house. All of his belongings had already been transferred into this new room but the furnitures were all new. ¡°Uncle Ren, is this really my room now?¡± Li FangMing asked.


    ¡°Yes, it is. Now that Ming-er has received the Emperor¡¯s favor, naturally the family must give Ming-er the best treatment. After all, people say that when one is enlightened, even his chickens and dogs will ascend to heaven. Because of you, our family will now rise to its prominence. Your uncle will take his leave now. Ming-er can just relax. If you want to go out, just tell the servant outside and they will be your escort.¡±


    After being left alone, Li FangMing once again took the scene in his room. Near the window is a large bed. To the side, there are small table and chairs and behind it is a shelf full of books and scrolls. It was clear that this room was for adult before it was given to him. Even the decorations in the room were not suited for a child like him. Li FangMing is not complaining though. ¡®When I go see His Highness, I must tell him all about this!¡¯ he thought excitedly as he went to the bed and lay down. ¡®So soft, ah! But it¡¯s not as soft as His Highness¡¯s divan¡­¡¯


    While Li FangMing was enjoying his new treatment back at home, the situation within the Imperial Palace was tense. The investigation on Qin YiJun¡¯s attempted kidnapping is finally finished and everything had come to light. The Emperor was still in his studies when he received the detailed report. When Qin WuZhen read the report, his expression was so dark that the eunuch accompanying him had almost wet himself.


    ¡°Call Concubine Xing and the first prince over!¡± Qin WuZhen roared out in anger. The hand clutching the paper that contains the report was shaking. ¡°To actually want to harm the Crown Prince¡­ Very good! It seems that Zhen has been very lenient this past few years that even Zhen¡¯s own concubine and son thought they could walk all over Zhen¡¯s face!¡±


    ¡°Begging His Majesty to calm down! His Majesty must not let anger control him!¡± the eunuch knelt down on the floor as he tried to calm the Emperor.


    ¡°Did Zhen not tell you to call Concubine Xing and the first prince over? What are you waiting for?¡± Qin WuZhen narrowed his eyes at the eunuch who is now trembling in fear. ¡°Or does the beloved servant want to tell Zhen what to do now?¡±


    ¡°This servant would not dare!! This servant have received his order and will now go find Concubine Xing and the first prince!¡± after saying this, the poor eunuch stood up and rushed out. The eunuch ran all the way to the palace where Concubine Xing resided, his face pale as a ghost.

 Chapter 8 - Debt Repaid

    Debt Repaid


    When the eunuch arrived at the courtyard of Concubine Xing¡¯s palace, it caused uproar. After all, who doesn¡¯t know that there was currently an investigation on going within the Imperial Palace?


    ¡°With how white xiao Lu¡¯s face is, do you think that the incident of the Crown Prince being kidnapped is related to our Lady Concubine Xing?¡± one of the maid servant whispered.


    ¡°After the incident, Steward Wong is placed beside His Highness the Crown Prince so it is only xiao Lu who stays beside His Majesty now. With how scared he looks, it seems that the Xing family¡¯s prosperous era has come to an end,¡± another servant whispered out.


    Gossips filled the whole courtyard that even Concubine Xing could hear it if she closed her ears. Regardless, she was still the Lady Concubine. She held up her head high as she walks out and greets the eunuch that was sent to her. ¡°What brings you to see this lady?¡± she asked, even though she already knows the reason. She just wanted to buy some time, hoping that as time passes, the Emperor would have calmed down. She knew if she go now, she might end up being executed on the spot.


    ¡°His Majesty is in a very foul mood. It is best that My Lady should not waste any time. Where is His Highness, Prince Qin ChenJi?¡± the eunuch known as xiao Lu asked.


    ¡°His Majesty is not even willing to spare his own flesh and blood?¡± when Concubine Xing heard that even the first prince is called over, her heart became uneasy. Qin WuZhen were known for being magnanimous. The previous Emperors of Qin would have their brothers either killed or castrated. But when Qin WuZhen ascended the throne, he did neither of it to his only brother, Qin LuoZhuo even though the two fought for the throne. Not only did Qin WuZhen forgive his brother, he also gave his brother the title of Fei Wang just so his brother could still have little words during court meeting.


    It was due to this forgiving personality that Concubine Xing was willing to endanger herself, thinking that Qin WuZhen won¡¯t lay his hand on his own flesh and blood. Though, looking at the situation now, she might have miscalculated Qin WuZhen¡¯s bottom line. ¡°Call over the first prince,¡± Concubine Xing can only surrender to her fate even though she is unwilling.


    Once Qin ChenJi arrived, the two are finally led towards the courtyard where the Imperial Study is located. The emperor was already waiting with several other guards. The eunuch went forward and bowed to the Emperor: ¡°Your Majesty, I brought the Lady Concubine Xing and the First Prince over.¡±


    ¡°You can leave. Do not allow anyone to enter the courtyard, nor allow anyone to eavesdrop what happens here. Once Zhen have settled all account, naturally Zhen will announce it to everyone,¡± the moment Qin WuZhen said this, Concubine Xing knew that her fate is already sealed. Even if she managed to keep her life today, her reputation will be ruined. Not only hers, but her family will also suffer the same fate.


    Once the eunuch left, the Emperor turned his attention towards the two. ¡°Still not coming forward to pay your respect?¡± Qin WuZhen¡¯s tone was cold that even Qin ChenJi was brought to tears. This was actually the first time he saw his father looking extremely angry.


    ¡°This Concubine greets the Emperor. May the Emperor live for ten thousand years,¡± Concubine Xing quickly knelt down on the ground and kowtowed to the Emperor.


    ¡°ChenJi greets Imperial Father,¡± Qin ChenJi quickly mimicked his mother as he too knelt down on the ground to pay his respect. After paying his respect, Qin ChenJi raised his body up straight but his mother, Concubine Xing continued to bow down to the ground. The Emperor also didn¡¯t tell her to rise.


    ¡°Do you know why Zhen have called you here?¡± Qin WuZhen went straight to the point. Just thinking how the two of them tried to harm Qin YiJun filled him with anger. When the two didn¡¯t answer, Qin WuZhen only sighed. He took the stack of paper and threw it towards Concubine Xing. The papers hit Concubine Xing¡¯s back before it fell to the ground.


    ¡°Father!¡± Qin ChenJi called out to Qin WuZhen. When the paper hit his mother, he felt pained in his heart. This was the woman who raised him up so he wanted to at least protect her. Even if the Emperor is his father, he felt that his mother should not be humiliated this way. Unfortunately, Qin WuZhen¡¯s next word froze the next sentence he wanted to say.


    ¡°An ungrateful child should stay quiet!¡± Qin WuZhen¡¯s voice was so loud that even the eunuch who stood outside the courtyard jumped in fear. ¡°Zhen have been generous enough to let you grow up in a safe environment despite the turmoil outside this palace for two years! Even though our land was stricken by droughts, all the resources in the palace were given to you just so you can grow up healthy! When the fourth prince was born, did Zhen not specifically tell you that as an older brother, you have to protect him? Zhen had also gotten you a good martial art master to teach you. Yet you try to harm him instead! Give Zhen one reason why Zhen should not have you killed right now!¡±


    Hearing this, Concubine Xing panicked in her heart. She raised her head up as she tried to plead to the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, the heaven covered the whole sky and the heaven is merciful. The first prince is still young and did nothing wrong! It was this lady that was wrong. If you have to kill someone, then you can take this lady¡¯s life! If this lady did not raise the first prince wrong, then he would not have thoughts of hurting the Crown Prince. I can only implore His Majesty to spare the first prince¡¯s life!¡±


    When Qin WuZhen saw this, he only narrowed his eyes even more. ¡°So you still have the compassion of a mother? Did you not try to take away a child¡¯s life from their mother before? Why did you not put yourself in the Empress¡¯s place if your plan succeeded?!¡± the Emperor asked, but without waiting for an answer, he continued. ¡°Not only the Empress would lose the child she had painstakingly protected and raised, even this Empire will lose its Crown Prince!¡±


    ¡°This lady knows her wrong! But the first prince is innocent! He didn¡¯t know anything. Everything is planned by this lady!¡± Concubine Xing still pleaded for her son¡¯s life. By now, Qin ChenJi was already crying. If he could turn back time, he would not try to harm Qin YiJun again just so he won¡¯t see his mother being humiliated like this.


    Qin WuZhen¡¯s expression did not change as he continued to stare at Concubine Xing. His gaze was still cold and ruthless. But when it landed on Qin ChenJi, he felt his heart wavered at the sight of his son crying. Despite all his anger, this boy was still his own flesh and blood. He had watched him grow up. In the end, his heart still softened for his son.


    ¡°Considering that Qin ChenJi is still young, Zhen will not have him killed. Instead, Zhen will strip him of his prince status and have him sent away from the palace into your family¡¯s home. As for you,¡± Qin WuZhen coldly glared at Concubine Xing. ¡°Harming the Crown Prince is a capital offense that warrants death by thousand cut. But as you have said, the heaven is merciful and as the Son of Heaven, Zhen will simply send you to the cold palace. You will spend the rest of your life there, never stepping out until you drew the last of your breath. Guards! Bring them away!¡±


    The two mother and son is separated. The former first prince, now known as Xing ChenJi was sent to his maternal family, out of the Imperial Palace. It was the same as if he had been chased away, giving the Xing family a bad reputation. When being compared to the Li family who is now rising up to their prominence, the people of Qin Empire cannot help but be envious of the young Li FangMing while disdaining the former first prince. The two children are always being spoken in a discussion as the difference was like heaven and earth.


    Though Concubine Xing is unwilling at first, to actually been let off with their life intact is more than she could ask for. It is just that this grievance is something she wanted to settle no matter what in the future. Her life in the cold palace was a lonely one. She only has few servants which are those whom she brought from outside the palace when she first entered the harem. They are loyal to the Xing family and would continue to stay with her through thick and thin. She spent her time planning her revenge in silence, hoping that the chance will come one day.


    Then, her chance finally came after two years. Because she is reduced to a mere female attendant, she had been called attendant Xing by the rest of the servant. She does not even have the right to be addressed as ¡®Lady¡¯ despite being a noble born before entering the palace. This was also part of her punishment. It was also due to this that attendant Xing could disguise herself as a servant and went out of the cold palace. When she first tried, she never went far but each time she went out, she would increase her distance from the cold palace.


    After two months, she managed to go all the way to the Empress¡¯s palace. She then spends another three months to observe the inner working of the Empress¡¯s palace. She wondered if it was too peaceful for the past two years or because no one recognizes her anymore but the guards around the palace had become lax. Even when she secretly joined the servants, they only called her as sister, thinking that she was a fellow servant.


    With this, she suddenly saw a path for her revenge. Attendant Xing first procured a deadly poison. She had one of her loyal servant to sneak out of the palace in order to get said poison. It took the servant a while, but she did manage to get it.


    After getting the poison in her hand, attendant Xing spent the next few days trying to find the chance to pour the poison in the Empress¡¯s meal. For someone driven by revenge, attendant Xing is unexpectedly patient despite her target is very close at hand. Soon, her patience paid off. She was finally selected as the poison tester for the Empress¡¯s meal one night.


    That night, the Empress was having her meal with the Crown Prince, Qin YiJun. Attendant Xing carried the tray of meals along with other servants. She made sure to keep her head low so that the Empress wouldn¡¯t recognize her. ¡®The little prince has grown up well these past two years. If he also died tonight then I can say that you have paid your debt along with the interest, isn¡¯t that right, My Empress?¡¯ her eyes glints with evil thought as she continued to act normal.


    When the time for her to test the food for poison had come, attendant Xing slowly approached the table. Her heart was beating loudly against her ribcage and she wondered if the Empress would be able to hear it. She tested every dish on the table and before she took a step back, she made sure to sprinkle the poison over the meal before bowing to the Empress and the Crown Prince. They waited for a while and only when nothing happened to her did the Empress dismiss her.


    As she walked out of the door, attendant Xing have a wide smile on her face, knowing that her revenge was a success. And if it was possible, her smile would¡¯ve widened even more when she heard the sound of ceramic falling to the floor and the scream that filled the area and the courtyard was thrown into chaos.


    She turned around and saw that the Crown Prince was shaking the Empress who had fallen to the floor, tears streaming down on the young boy¡¯s face. ¡®It¡¯s too bad that bastard didn¡¯t eat the food that has been poisoned¡­ But with you dead, the entire grievance between us is cleared. This is your payment for barring my path to be the future Empress,¡¯ was all attendant Xing could think of before she was held down by several guards.


    As the poison tester, she knew that once the Empress fell, she would be the first suspect. It can be said that she have already submitted her life to death the moment she pleads for her son two years ago. Which was why she was willing to go as far as to assassinate the Empress in order to get back at her for stealing what she thought was hers.

 Chapter 9 - Execution

    Execution


    When the Emperor heard that the Empress died due to poison, he became blinded with rage. He had the guards to bring the servant who were responsible to test for the poison over to him so he could ask the servant who paid them himself. So when he saw that it was one of his former concubines, the Emperor had a look of regret. ¡°Why is it you?¡± was all Qin WuZhen could ask.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me?¡± attendant Xing asked. ¡°Because of the Empress and the fourth prince, I have lost everything. So why can¡¯t I simply collect my debt and take everything away from the Empress?!¡±


    It might be because she knew that she will not survive that she didn¡¯t even show an ounce of respect for the Emperor. This action of hers only made Qin WuZhen become more livid. ¡°Zhen has been too kind in the past. Since you do not appreciate the kindness Zhen have given you, then accept Zhen¡¯s ruthlessness instead!¡± Qin WuZhen hissed out at attendant Xing and then he gave out his order to one of his personal guard. ¡°Go and get the Crimson Guard! Round up every single member of Xing family. There are no exceptions! Every single one of them will face Zhen¡¯s wrath!¡±


    Despite hearing this, attendant Xing was very calm. At first, Qin WuZhen thought it was because she had already gone crazy but when the Crimson Guards returned with every single family member of Xing family that they could find, he immediately noticed one missing person.


    ¡°Where is Xing Xing ChenJi?¡± Qin WuZhen asked out loud, but none of the member of Xing family answered. ¡°Very good! Not only do you plan to kill the Empress, you also planned to rise up a rebellion?! Do you think that Xing Xing ChenJi has the qualification to the throne?¡±


    Once again, the member of Xing family continued to stay quiet and Qin WuZhen lost all patience. ¡°Throw them all into the dungeon! Make sure they live through tonight. Tomorrow, execute them in public and let their corpse be hanged on the wall of the Imperial City for three months so others can see their ugly sight!¡±


    The entirety of Xing family was hauled to the dungeon and though some had tried to commit suicide, because of the Emperor¡¯s order, they were stopped in time by the guards responsible. The next morning came and they were dragged out one by one. The gate to the outer palace was opened to the public. At the centre of the vast area of the outer court were wooden stage that were made overnight. The stage itself was huge, and above it were several wooden pillars.


    The adult men of Xing family were first brought up and tied to the pillars. After that, everyone waited for the Emperor to arrive. It didn¡¯t take long for the Emperor to arrive with his Crimson Guards in tow.


    ¡°Your loyal subject sees the Emperor! WanSui! WanSui! WanWanSui!¡± the citizens who were present all bowed down to the Emperor as they chanted all at the same time. The scene was, in the eye of public, can only be described as magnificent. Yet the Emperor did not show a pleased expression. All they could see were the sorrow within their Emperor¡¯s gaze.


    Qin WuZhen kept his eyes cold, and he looked at the Xing family who are now waiting to be executed. ¡°Steward Wong, read the decree,¡± Qin WuZhen ordered the head eunuch. The head eunuch then bowed his head and went down the marble stairs before going up to the stage. In his hand is a scroll of which he started to read.


    ¡°All of you now gathered to witness the execution of the Xing family. Their crime consists of murdering Her Royal Highness, Empress Zhuan XiuYing as well as planning a rebellion against the Emperor. Among other crime includes bribery, having a hand in the salt trades, the weapon trades, trafficking human¡­¡± the list of crimes goes on. This was all the crime that the Xing family had accumulated throughout the years but Qin WuZhen turns blind eye on it before. Now that he no longer feels obligated to protect them, he simply laid it out for the public to see. ¡°With all of these crimes, the member of Xing family will be punished by lingchi,¡± the lists finally end and Steward Wong rolled up the scrolls he has been reading.


    After the steward finished, the executioners came up to the stage. They each carried their tools of trade and took their place. Then, they bowed to the Emperor and with a wave of the Emperor¡¯s hand, they finally began their execution. It did not take long for the outer court to be filled with pained scream. Those who came to witness, some could only pity the Xing family, while some chastised them in their heart for daring to go against the throne. Those with weaker heart were pale faced and some even fainted.


    One can try imagining the pain of being flayed alive. But none that is present can relate to the pain that the member of Xing family is experiencing. When one is dead, another one replaced them. It was a gruesome three hours before the men of Xing family is all dead. By now, the stage is covered in blood; some of the blood had already fallen to the marble ground, spreading towards the spectator.


    The executions were stopped for a while as the soldiers brought up the chopping blocks. There were eight blocks altogether and thus, eight women were brought up to the stage and forced down on the chopping block. The executioner by now had already changed their tools into that of a giant axe. One could see how heavy it is by its size alone.


    This time, there were barely any scream as the women were beheaded. This time, it didn¡¯t take long and when only attendant Xing was left, the Emperor suddenly stopped the execution. ¡°Let the children drink the poison first. Zhen wants her to see the end of her family.¡±


    The children were powerless to fight against the adult as they were forced to drink the poison. Some of the innocent one only requires a little coaxing and they drank the poison on their own. This scene was enough to cause pain to everyone, and also instil fear within their heart. One by one, the children slowly fell unconscious and then, there is only attendant Xing that is left.


    ¡°Qin WuZhen! You said I will see the end of my family! But I did not see ChenJi anywhere!¡± attendant Xiang screamed out at the Emperor. ¡°As long as ChenJi is alive, my family will live on!¡±


    ¡°It is unfortunate. The former first prince, Xing ChenJi, died during his pursuit,¡± Qin WuZhen simply said before he gestured at one of his general. The general went forward and lifted up a bloodied shirt belonging to Xing ChenJi. Seeing this, attendant Xiang¡¯s eyes finally lost all life and by the time she had her head on the chopping block she could only scream out in a crazed manner.


    The axe fell and her head wobbled down the stage. With that, the executions finally came to an end. ¡°Clean everything up,¡± Qin WuZhen gave out his order.


    ¡°Your Majesty, what about the children?¡± the one who asked was one of his eight general, General Wu.


    ¡°Make sure no one else know they only took a sleeping drug. Divide them up and send them to an orphanage far away from the Imperial City,¡± the Emperor replied. In the end, Qin WuZhen was not cold hearted enough to kill them so he just had them drink sleeping drug. ¡°As for Xing ChenJi, make sure to find him no matter what!¡± Qin WuZhen replied. The Emperor had even mobilized his army to find Xing ChenJi but it was to no avail. The young boy is nowhere to be found at all.


    ¡°Your Majesty!!¡± a female servant came running in panic. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince is locking himself in his room!¡±

 Chapter 10 - Becoming Blood Brothers

    After personally witnessing the death of his mother, Qin YiJun was extremely shaken. He didn¡¯t touch the meal that the servant handed him and when the servant tried to coax him, he became even more scared and in the end, he locked himself in his room.


    Of course, the guard could break the door down, but they were afraid that they might cause even more psychological fear to the Crown Prince. In the end, they could only wait for the Emperor to come and coax Qin YiJun.


    The Emperor arrived quickly and he managed to coax his son out of the room. As soon as the door was opened, Qin YiJun quickly latched himself onto the Emperor¡¯s robe. Qin WuZhen noticed that his son is shaking and he felt helpless as he picked his son up. ¡°YiJun, have you eaten?¡± he asked his son. Qin YiJun¡¯s face was pale and when the boy shook his head, Qin WuZhen let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Where is his food?¡± Qin WuZhen asked one of the servants who quickly brought the still steaming bowl of porridge.


    Just as the servant got near, Qin YiJun¡¯s eyes widened and his hand shot up and pushed the bowl away. ¡°No! Last night, mother Empress died while eating! YiJun don¡¯t want Imperial Father to die too!¡± Qin YiJun said as he started to cry.


    In the end, they could only try to calm Qin YiJun down until the boy cried himself to sleep. The Emperor gently placed his son down on the bed, tucking him in. ¡°When he wakes up, get him to eat something. If he is still reluctant to eat, inform Zhen,¡± Qin WuZhen said as he eyed his son for a while. If he could, he really wants to stay and keep his son company. But alas, as an Emperor, he has his duty. As the Emperor, he needs to put his citizens first, then the country second. So, with heavy heart, Qin WuZhen left YueXing palace and went to the Imperial Court Hall to begin their meeting. After Xing family is gone, there are few things that need to be resolved such as the vacant position that the head of the Xing family used to occupy.


    When Qin YiJun woke up next, it was already past noon and he realized that he is lying down on the bed. Seeing that no one else is around his room, he quickly locked the door to his room for the second time that day. Then, on the table in his room, he saw it, the object of his nightmare. He didn¡¯t dare to get close, fearing that demons may pop up anytime soon and forced him to eat. ¡®If I eat, I¡¯ll die!¡¯ was all Qin YiJun could think of as he continued to be huddled inside his room.


    This naturally, is reported to the Emperor. The Emperor is becoming more and more worried. ¡°Summon YinJing Hou over and tell him to bring Li FangMing along,¡± Qin WuZhen told the servant who quickly relayed his order.


    Not long after, a messenger arrived at Li family household and told Li SunXun about the summons. Coincidentally, Li FangMing was nearby and out of curiosity, decided to eavesdrop. Ever since two years ago, his treatment within the family had improved drastically. He won¡¯t he scolded no matter what he did. So whenever a messenger came from the palace, Li FangMing will always ask his father what it was about.


    This time, he heard it clearly that the Emperor had summoned his father. This piece of news made him excited that he quickly ran up to his father. ¡°Father, father! Are you going to the palace? I want to visit His Highness, can I?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I think His Highness needs you now more than ever,¡± Li SunXun knew of the matter that happened within the palace recently so he could guess why the Emperor had summoned him this time and even specifically told him to bring Li FangMing over. Though at first, he was told to bring Li FangMing whenever he attend morning court, once Li FangMing started his school, he was unable to do so and only bringing him whenever the young boy doesn¡¯t have school.


    Today, Li FangMing has a lesson in an hour, but since the Emperor had specifically said he have to bring Li FangMing, he can only tell his servant to inform Li FangMing¡¯s teacher. The journey to the imperial palace were quiet, which was the usual for Li FangMing and Li SunXun. The moment they got off the carriage, Li FangMing simply told his father to return home himself since he is usually sent home by the Crown Prince¡¯s men.


    Li FangMing¡¯s small legs brought him to the gate separating the inner and outer court of the imperial palace. As soon as the gatekeeper saw him, they didn¡¯t need to ask and simply just opened the gate for the boy. Usually, Li FangMing will need to wait for a servant to inform the Crown Prince before he would be led to YueXing palace. But this time, he saw Steward Wong is already waiting for him.


    ¡°Young master Li, please follow this old eunuch,¡± Steward Wong said with a gentle smile on his face.


    ¡°Okay, uncle Wong!¡± Li FangMing did not perceive anything wrong. He did not even realize the heavy atmosphere surrounding the palace due to his innocence. It was only when they arrived at YueXing palace did Li FangMing notice that something was wrong. ¡°Uncle Wong, where is His Highness? Usually His Highness would be waiting outside then we will go play,¡± Li FangMing said. When Steward Wong heard this, he knew that the news of the Empress¡¯s death were concealed from Li FangMing.


    ¡°His Highness is feeling a little sad. Her Majesty, the Empress had recently passed so, His Majesty hoped that you can cheer him up!¡± Steward Wong replied.


    ¡°Passed?¡± Li FangMing didn¡¯t understand what Steward Wong had meant but just as he was about to ask more, Steward Wong had already went ahead. So all Li FangMing can do now is just follow. They entered YueXing palace and went straight towards the direction of Qin YiJun¡¯s room.


    As soon as they have arrived, Steward Wong gently knocked on the door frame. ¡°Your Highness, Li FangMing has arrived to see you,¡± Steward Wong announced. They could hear a rustling sound then the sounds of hurried footsteps. Not long after, the door was unlocked and opened.


    ¡°Your High¡ªaaah!!¡± Li FangMing was just about to greet Qin YiJun when he was pulled in and the door was once again closed. Steward Wong who were left outside could only shake his head as he prayed that Li FangMing can pull their Crown Prince out of his fear and sadness.


    As soon as the door is locked, Li FangMing found himself being hugged by the Crown Prince. He was surprised by Qin YiJun¡¯s state. The boy was unlike the cheerful boy he used to know. ¡°Your Highness?¡± he called out but Qin YiJun didn¡¯t answer. Li FangMing tried the second time but there was still no answer, instead the Crown Prince only tightened his hug around Li FangMing.


    ¡°YiJun?¡± this time, Li FangMing tried to call the Crown Prince by his name. Ever since they had gotten close over the past two years, Qin YiJun has been urging Li FangMing to drop the formality and call him by his name whenever they are alone. At first, Li FangMing was reluctant but after much coaxing from the Crown Prince, Li FangMing finally agreed.


    ¡°FangMing¡­ my mother died. What should I do?¡± Qin YiJun asked as he pulled away from Li FangMing to look at his friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°Died? But Steward Wong said that¡ª¡±


    ¡°She died in front of me! We were just about to eat dinner when she suddenly clutched her throat in pain. She swiped all the dishes away from the table before she fell down on the floor and¡­ and¡­¡± Qin YiJun started to cry as he recounted what he had seen.


    Li FangMing didn¡¯t know what else to do so he just pulled Qin YiJun back into a hug as he let him cry on his shoulder. Li FangMing had never seen his mother ever since he could remember. The other kids told him that his mother ran away after he was born and that he was an unwanted child. His father never recognized him until recently. So Li FangMing is unable to understand Qin YiJun¡¯s pain of losing his mother. But seeing Qin YiJun cry does evoke that protective feeling he has for the boy.


    Li FangMing stays quiet as Qin YiJun cried and after a while, Qin YiJun finally stopped crying and has calmed down. While he was silently comforting the Crown Prince, Li FangMing noticed the untouched food on the table. He remembered what Qin YiJun said earlier about his mother died after eating and figured that Qin YiJun didn¡¯t want to eat. ¡°YiJun, you must eat,¡± Li FangMing said as he pulled away and helped wipe the tears away from Qin YiJun¡¯s face.


    ¡°No! If I eat, I¡¯ll die!¡± fear was evident in Qin YiJun¡¯s eyes as he said that and it only made Li FangMing worry more. So Li FangMing can only do what he can think of to make Qin YiJun believe that the food is not poisoned. He walked over to the table while Qin YiJun tried to stop him. ¡°FangMing! Don¡¯t go! What if the demon appear and then force you to eat? You¡¯ll die like mother!¡± Qin YiJun said in a panicked voice. Li FangMing pretended not to hear him as he picked up a bowl of porridge and ate them right in front of Qin YiJun.


    Qin YiJun¡¯s eyes widened when he saw what Li FangMing just did. He was afraid that Li FangMing would collapse anytime soon, but it did not happen. ¡°FangMing? You¡¯re alright?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you in pain anywhere? If yes, hurry and tell me so I can get someone to go get Old Pan!¡±


    ¡°YiJun, I¡¯m not in pain. See? I¡¯m alright! There is no poison on the food so hurry and eat before the porridge gets too cold,¡± Li FangMing said with a smile as he held up the spoon to feed Qin YiJun. The Crown Prince was reluctant at first but after a while, he finally opened his mouth and ate the porridge. ¡°See? Not poisoned, right? If I didn¡¯t eat it first, you wouldn¡¯t even want to eat it!¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you should do reckless thing like that! What if it really is poisoned??¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, YiJun, I know the food is not poisoned. Plus, if it helps to get you to eat, I will gladly do so,¡± Fang Ming answered. ¡°Now, hurry and eat more!¡± he said as he continued to help feed Qin YiJun. After the porridge, they ate the osmanthus cake together and finished them quickly.


    Once they have cleaned up all the food, Li FangMing went to the door, opened it and saw a servant waiting on them. ¡°His Highness has eaten! You can bring out the dish now,¡± Li FangMing said with a smile as he let the servant in. The servant came in and cleaned up the dish before leaving and Li FangMing closed the door once more.


    ¡°FangMing,¡± Qin YiJun called Li FangMing over once the door is closed.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Li FangMing turned around and walked towards Qin YiJun who is now seated on his bed.


    ¡°No matter what, you are not allowed to die. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Is that an order from the Crown Prince?¡± Li FangMing asked in a playful manner.


    ¡°FangMing, I¡¯m not joking¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It is just that, Steward Wong said to cheer you up. Did I fail?¡± Li FangMing looked at Qin YiJun worriedly. When he did not have any reply, he suddenly feels bad. ¡°Sorry,¡± he apologized again.


    ¡°No need to apologize. If it is you, I will always forgive you. Just promise me that you won¡¯t die and leave me,¡± Qin YiJun said, the last of his sentence contains a sense of urgency.


    ¡°If that is what you want, then I will do my best to live no matter what! I promise. So YiJun must promise me the same, okay? You must eat well when the servant gives you your food!¡± Li FangMing told the other boy.


    ¡°Good. I also promise,¡± Qin YiJun replied. Then, he went to his drawer beside the bed and took out a small knife. Li FangMing was confused as to why Qin YiJun would suddenly take out a knife. When he saw what Qin YiJun did next, his mouth opened in a silent scream.


    ¡°Yi-!¡± Li FangMing was about to scold Qin YiJun when his mouth was covered before he can even began. His eyes stared at Qin YiJun¡¯s bleeding palm. The cut is small, but for a Crown Prince to have it, it is enough to make a servant lose their life if the Emperor ever found out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just made a small scratch,¡± Qin YiJun said and when he saw that Li FangMing won¡¯t scream anytime soon, he slowly let go of the male¡¯s mouth. ¡°FangMing, I have a presumptuous request¡­¡± Qin YiJun said before he handed the knife he used before. ¡°Will you become my ¡®Blood Brother¡¯? One who will share my worry, and who will support me in my time of needs?¡±


    Li FangMing blinked a few times before he glanced at the small knife in his hand. His hand was shaking as he held the knife, not in fear, but in anger. ¡°YiJun! Next time you do something like this, tell me first! I was really scared earlier!¡± Li FangMing still scolded Qin YiJun. Then, without any hesitation, he too made a small cut on his hand. ¡°Do you even need to ask? Even if you don¡¯t ask me to be your blood brothers, I will still stay by your side and support you! Even if you don¡¯t want me anymore, I¡¯ll just become soldier and work up my way to be a general!¡± Li FangMing was smiling as he joked a bit. Soon, both boys say their oaths and became ¡®Blood Brothers¡¯.

 Chapter 11 - Leaving for the Imperial Palace

    Leaving for the Imperial Palace


    Since the day that Li FangMing managed to coerce Qin YiJun to eat and come out of his room, the Emperor had once again sent an imperial edict to the Li household. The edict stated that Li SunXun¡¯s seventh son, Li FangMing is to stay within the Imperial Palace to accompany the Crown Prince. In addition, Li FangMing was also conferred the title of XingLan Wang despite his age.


    As for his residence, he was given his own palace within the Imperial Palace and the location was the closest to the Crown Prince¡¯s own YueXing Palace. This news was being spread far and wide, and it made other officials and prominent families grow green with envy. It was clearly the case of: when one is enlightened, even his dogs and poultry will ascend to heaven.


    The Li family¡¯s reputation continued to rise within days and the day when Li FangMing has to leave the Li household finally came. These past few days, Li FangMing had been packing his belongings, especially the important ones. He had just placed the last of his belongings onto the silk clothes and wrapped his items up properly before he carried it.


    He then looked around at the now empty room he had been staying for the past two years. Somehow, he felt sad. Although the first few years of his life were not a happy one, after meeting Qin YiJun his life had turned for the better. The treatment was a lot better but Li FangMing knew it was only because of the Emperor¡¯s favor.


    Li FangMing was lost in his thought when the door to his room slid open. ¡°Ming-er? Are you done? General Wu is here to pick you up,¡± the one who came into the room was none other than his father, Li SunXun.


    ¡°En. Ming-er has just finished!¡± Li FangMing answered with a big smile on his face. ¡°In the future, can Ming-er come home?¡± he asked as he looked up at Li SunXun.


    ¡°Of course! Our house will always open its gate for Ming-er!¡± Li SunXun took the bundle from Li FangMing before he picked his son up. ¡°Now let¡¯s go. We can¡¯t have General Wu wait any longer, right? General Wu also said that His Highness, the Crown Prince is anxiously waiting for you. Do you still remember what father said once you stay in the palace?¡±


    ¡°I must not cause trouble? And I must always keep Yi¡ªHis Highness happy?¡± Li FangMing had almost slipped up and called Qin YiJun by his name. Luckily, he managed to correct himself. Li SunXun didn¡¯t seem to catch it as he only nods his head in satisfaction.


    When they arrived at the front gate, Li FangMing could see General Wu waiting with few other Imperial Guards of the palace. This level of escort is usually reserved for royalties. Even the nobility women who were invited to enter the harem will not have this kind of escort. At most, it would only be a simple soldier who will act as guards during the escort. This shows how much importance the Emperor placed on Li FangMing. The rest of the Li families are also waiting to send Li FangMing off.


    ¡°Good day, HouYe,¡± General Wu saluted Li SunXun before turning to Li FangMing with a smile and bowed slightly. ¡°WangYe, this general had been tasked to pick WangYe up. Once WangYe is ready, we can depart.¡±


    Li FangMing was then placed on the ground while his bundle of items was handed to one of the guards. The young boy turned to face the rest of the family before giving them a bow. After all, they are still the people who took care of him. When he got up, Li FangMing gave them a smile. ¡°Ming-er will come and visit whenever I can!¡±


    After saying his goodbyes, Li FangMing finally left the Li household. Few others who lived nearby had also gone out to witness the event. Only when the carriage that Li FangMing rode disappear did they finally disperse. Once they are sure the escort won¡¯t be returning, the Li family also went back into their house.


    Once they are inside, few of those who were dissatisfied with the outcome finally speaks up.


    ¡°Just because the Emperor favored him, that bastard dared to think this is his home¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! If it weren¡¯t for his luck that father decided to bring him that day, then it could¡¯ve been us!¡±


    The two who spoke up was Li FangMing¡¯s older brother, the first son and the fourth son of Li SunXun, born from his legal wife. They have been holding it in for two years and now Li FangMing is finally gone from their house, they felt liberated. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t last long because Li SunXun heard what they had said and got angry.


    ¡°You two better watch your tongue! The walls have ears and eyes, and the Emperor¡¯s reach is far and wide! If he knew don¡¯t think you will be let off!¡± Li SunXun reprimanded his two sons. ¡°Go to the ancestral hall and kneel down and recite the scripture until dinner! Elder MoFan, I will trouble you to make sure these two rascals do their punishment.¡±


    ¡°Of course, now, come along children.¡±


    The elder brought the two dissatisfied children earlier who now have the wronged expression. They couldn¡¯t believe that their father would side with the bastard child over them. Their mother also has a look of discontent but did not voice it out. It was only when she is alone in her residence did she threw a tantrum.


    ¡°A joke! Both my life and marriage is a joke! I gave birth to two sons and the one who ends up being favored is none other than that bastard child!¡± she hissed out. ¡°He¡¯s not even the son of a concubine and yet¡­ Aaaah!!¡± she couldn¡¯t help screaming out loud, feeling that if she held it in, it won¡¯t be good for her heart.


    The servants who waited outside was shocked by the sudden scream but knew the reason. If they were to enter now, won¡¯t that only inviting trouble to themselves? May as well stay put and let their Madam calm down a little.


    Meanwhile, the carriage that carried Li FangMing had finally entered the gate of the Imperial palace and is making its way to the inner court. Fortunately, because the envoy is being led by the well-known General Wu, their journey went smoothly.


    ¡°FangMing!!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness! Please slow down!!¡±


    As soon as they entered the inner court, Li FangMing could hear Qin YiJun calling him out followed by a servant¡¯s plea for the crown prince to slow down. It made Li FangMing stuck out his head on the small window of the carriage to look outside. Sure enough, he could see Qin YiJun running out to welcome him. With a wide smile, Li FangMing waved his hand towards the crown prince.

 Chapter 12 - Should I call you Jun-ge instead?

    Should I call you Jun-ge instead?


    The carriage finally comes to a stop and Li FangMing alighted from the carriage only to be pulled into a hug by Qin YiJun. ¡°You¡¯re finally here! Come with me! Let this prince show you to your residence!¡±


    Qin YiJun¡¯s excitement was not hidden at all. It was clear for all to see and Li FangMing also couldn¡¯t contain the smile on his face. He followed the excited prince obediently; listening to the other boy¡¯s excited chattering. General Wu followed after them, carrying Li FangMing¡¯s little bundles. The servant accompanying Qin YiJun is also helpless and could only keep quiet as he followed the three. After walking for a while, they could finally see the courtyard that was beside YueXing Palace.


    Although the size is smaller compared to the Palace beside it, it is still comparable to the Li household, making the young Li FangMing gape in amazement. ¡°Your Highness, do I have to stay here alone¡­?¡±


    ¡°Not alone. Imperial Father had already given you few palace servants to serve you!¡± Qin YiJun answered. ¡°Come on inside! Let¡¯s place your belongings in your room first, and then we can go look around your new place!¡±


    The crown prince held his hand and led Li FangMing to his room in the main building. ¡°This is your room, and that is the wardrobe. The clothes you sent a few days ago are there. That box over there at the corner is where your toys are. And then this is your bed!¡± Qin YiJun explained everything to Li FangMing. ¡°I chose the materials for your bed myself! Come over and see if you like it!¡±


    Li FangMing, went after Qin YiJun and felt the bed¡¯s mattress. The beddings were soft and felt comfortable to touch. ¡°I like it!¡± Li FangMing said with a big smile on his face.


    ¡°Good! I have the same materials for my bed!¡±


    The two children were enjoying themselves that they forgot about the existence of the servant and the general that had followed them over. General Wu¡¯s task should be over after he escorted Li FangMing to his new residence but because the Crown Prince had taken Li FangMing earlier, he has yet to excuse himself. With Li FangMing¡¯s status, he can¡¯t simply just leave.


    So, after waiting for a while, he finally decided to remind the two children of his existence. He cleared his throat to get their attention and when he succeeded, he saluted the two of them. ¡°Your Highness, XingLan Wangye, this general has other task to do. Asking for the Crown Prince and Wangye to excuse this lowly general.¡±


    Qin YiJun finally remembered General Wu and turned to dismiss him. ¡°Alright. This prince offer his gratitude to General Wu for escorting FangMing. You can go now,¡± he said before noticing the bundles on General Wu¡¯s hold. ¡°Oh, just give that to Pao. He¡¯ll settle everything here. FangMing, let¡¯s go out and play now!¡±


    Qin YiJun once more held Li FangMing¡¯s hand as he led his friend around the palace, leaving Pao and General Wu behind. He showed him the kitchen area, the side building where the servants live as well as the small pavilion in the garden. ¡°Everything here belongs to you, and all the servants here serve you. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything in the future!¡±


    By the time they finished looking around; it was already close to dinner. A servant came over to find the Crown Prince and Li FangMing, saying that the Emperor wished to have dinner together with them. They were escorted to the Emperor¡¯s dining hall and they found out that the Emperor had been waiting for them. This made Li FangMing nervous and he couldn¡¯t stop fidgeting even after he had taken his seat.


    A low chuckle travelled into Li FangMing¡¯s ear and he looked up towards the Emperor. ¡°There is no need to be scared, Li FangMing. Zhen heard a lot about you from YiJun. From now on, you will be living in the inner court. Zhen hopes that you can keep YiJun company throughout his life and to never betray his trust.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¨C¡­ umm¡­ this servant will keep the Crown Prince company for all his life!¡± though Li FangMing stuttered at first, he still managed to answer to the Emperor. After that, the Emperor simply gave him a gentle smile before turning to Qin YiJun. ¡°Tomorrow, you will bring Li FangMing along for your study. Zhen have already assigned a tutor for the two of you. Li FangMing will have extra lessons on etiquette. Zhen hope you won¡¯t cause trouble for Li FangMing during that time.¡±


    ¡°Er Chen understand!¡± Qin YiJun replied. ¡°FangMing, don¡¯t worry! We can learn together!¡±


    Their small talk was interrupted with servants delivering their meal. Only when the meal is tested for poison did they finally eat. Although Li family is one of the prominent family in the city, and it can also be said that they are quite rich, Li FangMing still found that the meal he ate back in the Li household could not be compared to what he is eating now.


    He did not realize how fast he was eating until he finished his food. Then, he saw that Qin YiJun and the Emperor is still eating. He felt his face became hot and he looked down in an embarrassment. He heard the Emperor¡¯s low laughter and he wished that he could find a hole to bury himself in.


    ¡°Steward Wong, get someone to bring more food for Li FangMing.¡±


    ¡°At once, Your Majesty.¡±


    After the steward left, Qin WuZhen glanced over at Li FangMing who seems to have become shy. ¡°Li FangMing, don¡¯t worry about eating a lot. As a growing boy, it is understandable. Zhen only hoped that YiJun would follow your footstep and eat a lot. After the death of his mother Empress, the amount of food he eats is getting less. Zhen always hear the servant reporting to Zhen how the Crown Prince didn¡¯t eat well.¡±


    When he heard this, Li FangMing turned to Qin YiJun who has now become nervous, with a questioning look. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°It¡­ might be true¡­?¡± Qin YiJun answered after a slight hesitation.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that! You promised that you will eat well!¡± Li FangMing scolded Qin YiJun, forgetting that he is at the presence of the Emperor. ¡°Here! Let me feed you!¡± Li FangMing went closer to Qin YiJun and started to force the prince to eat more.


    Seeing this scene, the Emperor can¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Only then did Li FangMing remember where he was and he was frozen in place. ¡°Don¡¯t mind Zhen. Continue. Li FangMing, Zhen will have to trouble you to take care of YiJun. If he doesn¡¯t eat properly, you have Zhen¡¯s permission to scold him. You have the Emperor¡¯s promise that you will not be punished for it.¡±


    Li FangMing who was nervous before after his rude action to the Crown Prince finally felt relieved. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty! Li FangMing will make sure the crown prince will eat properly! I won¡¯t let him be a picky eater too!¡±


    After that, dinner continued with Li FangMing making sure Qin YiJun finished his meal. Only then did Li FangMing finished his second servings. After dinner, Li FangMing and Qin YiJun returned to Li FangMing¡¯s courtyard. At first, Li FangMing thought that after sending him back, Qin YiJun will return to YueXing palace. But the young prince continued to follow him all the way to his room.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­ is there something the matter?¡± Li FangMing asked cautiously.


    ¡°En. I am feeling unsatisfied¡­¡± Qin YiJun answered as he crossed his arm. ¡°The whole day, you kept calling me ¡®Your Highness, Your Highness,¡¯ and I don¡¯t like that. We¡¯re alone now. Call me by my name!¡±


    Hearing the reason for Qin YiJun¡¯s dissatisfaction, Li FangMing can¡¯t help but show a helpless smile. ¡°Aiya! The crown prince being like this, what else can I do?¡± he teased the other. ¡°YiJun~¡± he called out Qin YiJun¡¯s name playfully. ¡°Or should I call you Jun-ge instead? You are a few months older than me, right?¡±


    ¡°En! That doesn¡¯t sound bad! Then I¡¯ll call you Ming-er!¡± Qin YiJun quickly agreed.


    ¡°Alright! But we can only do so when we are alone! Or else, the servants will talk and I might get into trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Who would dares to cause trouble to you?! Don¡¯t worry. I will protect you! If anyone dare, they will answer to Imperial Father!¡± Qin YiJun shamelessly announced that he will complain about it to his father.

 Chapter 13 - Choosing the Master

    Choosing the Master


    Time passed quickly and before long, winter has arrived. The trees had shed its leaves and most animals went into hiding. Li FangMing, dressed in thick clothes was walking through his courtyard. It has been a good five months since he lived in the palace and he still feels like everything was a dream. He approached the pavilion in the courtyard and as he got nearer, he noticed a small bird lying on the snow nearby.


    The bird isn¡¯t moving and Li FangMing thought that it might¡¯ve died from the cold. Feeling pity, he went closer and picked the bird up with the intention to bury it. Unexpectedly, the moment Li FangMing picked the bird up, it moved slightly. Li FangMing was squatting on the ground as he stared at the bird. He noticed the bird is having trouble moving its wing.


    ¡°Did you break your wing? It must¡¯ve hurt¡­ don¡¯t move too much¡­¡± Li FangMing¡¯s voice was gentle as he tried to coax the bird to stop moving so that it won¡¯t make its injury worse. It is unknown whether it was due to Li FangMing¡¯s gentleness or it was because the bird understood him but the bird did stop its movement and turned docile.


    ¡°FangMing!¡± a familiar voice sounded from behind and Li FangMing turned around to see Qin YiJun approaching him.


    ¡°Yi¨C¡­ Your Highness!¡± Li FangMing was about to call out Qin YiJun¡¯s name when he saw the eunuch behind the crown prince so he quickly corrected himself. He stood up and bowed to the crown prince, his hand still holding the bird.


    Qin YiJun looked at the bird on Li FangMing¡¯s hand and his eyes were suddenly filled with curiosity. ¡°What is that? A Bird? Did you catch it?¡±


    When he heard Qin YiJun¡¯s question, Li FangMing quickly shook his head. ¡°No. I found it lying down on the ground, motionless. At first, I thought it was already dead and wanted to bury it but when I picked it up, it moved!¡± Li FangMing explained to the crown prince. ¡°But it seems that it broke its wing¡­ See? It cannot move its left wing.¡±


    Li FangMing held the bird higher so Qin YiJun can see the bird with ease. ¡°En. The wing does seems broken. Pao, get the bird and have it treated. This Prince already found FangMing so we will go to the training hall now. No need to follow us,¡± Qin YiJun ordered the servant.


    Although the servant was reluctant, he still has to obey. He gently took the bird from Li FangMing and as soon as he did, Qin YiJun took Li FangMing¡¯s hand and pulled him along as they ran, leaving the poor eunuch alone with the bird. The eunuch can only watch helplessly as the two figures disappeared from the courtyard.


    Letting out a sigh, he looked down at the bird that is on top of his palm. ¡°I will just hand you over to Old Pan¡­¡± he mumbled in a soft voice as he started to walk away.


    Meanwhile, the two children were still running through the inner court. Wherever they go, the servants and guards would give them way. Li FangMing quietly followed Qin YiJun until they reached the entrance to the training hall.


    ¡°YiJun, why are you being impatient? What is in the training hall?¡± Li FangMing finally asked. He was feeling out of breath since they had been running all the way to the training hall.


    ¡°FangMing! We¡¯re now six! Of course it¡¯s time to start training!¡± Qin YiJun said with a huge smile on his face. ¡°Imperial Father had asked several masters to come, and they all finally arrived today!¡± the excitement was clearly visible in his eyes. He then dragged Li FangMing once more and finally entered the training hall.


    Inside, there were several men standing in waiting and as soon as they saw the two children, they immediately figured out their identity. They knelt down and clasped their hands together and as if they had practiced it, they all speak at the same time. ¡°Your Highness! Wangye! We are honored to be given the chance of teaching you!¡±


    Qin YiJun¡¯s excitement continued to rise in his heart while Li FangMing was somewhat overwhelmed. His eyes wandered on each of the men before him. ¡®These are all masters¡­ they must be strong¡­¡¯ he thought. Then, his eyes landed on one person. Unlike the others, his build is smaller and though others have sword, sabre or even an axe, Li FangMing only see a small dagger on the man¡¯s waist. It intrigued the young Li FangMing, wondering how one would fight with only a small dagger.


    ¡°Alright, please introduce yourself and explain to this prince the style of your martial arts!¡± Qin YiJun said in an excited manner. One by one, these masters started to introduce themselves. In the end, Qin YiJun picked Shen Guo, master of the sword¡¯s style. When Shen Guo was picked, the rest can¡¯t help but feel jealous at his luck. After all, being the master of the Crown Prince, it meant that he doesn¡¯t need to worry about earning money to live anymore. Life in Jianghu is always cruel and they wouldn¡¯t know when they would die.


    ¡°Okay, FangMing. Why don¡¯t you choose? Or do you want to have the same teacher as this prince so we can practice together?¡± Qin YiJun asked the boy whom he considered brother.


    ¡°FangMing wouldn¡¯t dare. His Highness must have undivided attention from Master Shen Guo so Fang Ming will pick another teacher,¡± Li FangMing answered with a smile on his face. Earlier, when he heard a certain master introducing himself and the style he used, Li FangMing had already made his decision. Li FangMing slowly walked over to where the masters stood and they eyed Li FangMing, hoping the young boy would pick them. After all, this boy is their only chance left to escape the lawless world of Jianghu.


    Li FangMing¡¯s feet finally came to a stop in front of the man that had managed to catch his attention earlier. He looked up at the man who seemed surprised that Li FangMing would suddenly stop before him. ¡°Master Hao Shuren, may this humble one have the honor to have Master as his teacher?¡± Li FangMing bowed in front of Hao Shuren to show his respect.


    Everyone was shocked, while Qin YiJun was confused. Even Hao Shuren never expected to be picked. After all, compared to the rest, his style is what others would say underhanded.


    ¡°Wangye, are you sure?¡± Hao Shuren asked. ¡°As I have explained, my style is seen to be unpleasant by most. If you win in a fight, you only win it underhandedly. My style does not have the dignity that sword style practitioner has, nor that it has the strength that the axe user have. It doesn¡¯t have any integrity¡­ And¡­¡±


    ¡°FangMing understand all that and still wants Master Hao to be his teacher,¡± Li FangMing said before he straightened his back and looked at Hao Shuren, eyes shining with determination. ¡°If I, Li FangMing can have the ability to protect His Highness, then even if it is using an underhanded method, I am willing! Master Hao, please forgive this child¡¯s selfishness and accept him to be your disciple!¡± Li FangMing went down on his knees and kowtowed to the older male.


    Li FangMing¡¯s determination moved the heart of the masters that was present and Hao Shuren finally yielded. ¡°Very well. Rise, disciple FangMing. From today onward, until the last of your breath, this Hao Shuren will be your master. I will impart unto you all the knowledge I have,¡± Hao Shuren said with a smile on his face.


    Li FangMing was happy that Hao Shuren agreed to be his master but little did he know that his choice today would be the bane that is used against him in someone else¡¯s plot.

 Chapter 14 - Framed

    Framed


    Ever since they have chosen their own martial art masters, both Qin YiJun and Li FangMing¡¯s day became busy. They would have lessons in the morning, then practice in the afternoon. At first, the two children had trouble keeping up but after repeating such harsh schedule for months, even a weak chicken would turn strong. Occasionally, they would spar with each other whenever they are free. As for the bird that Li FangMing found before, they had decided to release it when it was healed up.


    The bird left, only to return the next spring with its mate. The two birds even made a nest on the tree within YueXing Palace so Qin YiJun simply decided to keep them. Seasons continued to change and the two young boys grew up. Soon, ten years has passed and the two children had grown up to be strong young teens.


    The two were currently sparring when Hao Shuren came over to pick Li FangMing up. Unlike Qin YiJun¡¯s master, Hao Shuren would always bring Li FangMing out at night as a practical training. Qin YiJun doesn¡¯t know what the training entails and Li FangMing didn¡¯t tell him either. Whenever the prince asked this brother of his, Li FangMing would avoid answering it, telling him that it was a secret.


    ¡°Will you be back before dinner?¡± Qin YiJun asked Li FangMing who is about to leave.


    Li FangMing, didn¡¯t know the answer so he turned to Hao Shuren. Hao Shuren saw the questioning look from both teen and finally answered. ¡°Your Highness, this lowly one is planning to bring his disciple to the forest nearby.¡±


    ¡°Forest? At this time?¡± Qin YiJun frowned before he looked up to the sky which now had a tint of orange. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. This prince doesn¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Hao Shuren felt helpless. Whenever he brought Li FangMing out for training, the crown prince would always object it. ¡°This is the last step for Li FangMing¡¯s training on this technique. Once he mastered this technique, the rest of his training will be over. There will be nothing else for me to teach.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be done during the day? This Prince still remember last time that FangMing ends up with a lot of bruise and cuts on his body. Old Pan even had him rest for few days because of that¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, this technique can only be practiced during night time. What use is it during the day?¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡°


    Li FangMing decided that he should intervene now before Qin YiJun delay them even further. He tugged on Qin YiJun¡¯s sleeves and gestured with his head that they should talk elsewhere. When Qin YiJun agreed, Li FangMing just smiled at Hao Shuren before he walked away with Qin YiJun.


    ¡°YiJun, you have to trust me. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let myself get injured again,¡± Li FangMing said with a smile, trying to assure the prince. ¡°Once I mastered this technique, I¡¯ll have more free time. Then I can keep you company during dinner. But if you continued to delay¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. This is the last time, right? I¡¯ll wait for you to come back,¡± Qin YiJun finally relented. He pulled Li FangMing into a hug and buried his face on the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Stay safe.¡±


    ¡°I will. Thank you, Jun-ge~¡± Li FangMing replied playfully only to have Qin YiJun hug him tighter.


    ¡°You only call me that when you asked me for something or when you got what you wanted out of me. Ming-er is too playful.¡±


    Li FangMing let out a small laughter as he hugged Qin YiJun back. After a while, they pulled away and Qin YiJun can only watch as Li FangMing left with Hao Shuren. With nothing else to do, Qin YiJun decided to end his training and went back to YueXing Palace and settled for the day.


    Night came, and Li FangMing¡¯s training began. The reason why Li FangMing never told Qin YiJun about his training was because of the nature if his training. He held the dagger in his hand tightly as he heightened his focus. At night, it was hard to see, so he needed to make use of his other sense, especially his hearing.


    Usually, Hao Shuren would catch some wild animals for Li FangMing to use as practice. It began with a harmless rabbit, and Li FangMing will need to catch it in the dark. Then the animal he caught would go bigger and fiercer. Last time, Li FangMing had to kill a wolf which ends up with him getting injured. Now, since it was the last lessons, Li FangMing¡¯s opponent is none other than his own master, Hao Shuren.


    Unlike wild animals who act on instinct, Hao Shuren would conceal himself and made plan before launching an attack. Li FangMing knew this so he had made a mental preparation. ¡®One chance. I¡¯ll treat this as real life and death battle¡­¡¯ Li FangMing thought as he tried to find out where Hao Shuren currently is. Li FangMing had his back against the tree so that Hao Shuren cannot strike him from behind.


    Unfortunately, Hao Shuren is still the experienced one so he knew what Li FangMing is planning. He even managed to guess which tree Li FangMing would choose so he had long climbed onto it. The moment Li FangMing stood under the tree, he made his move. In his hand is a long, thin string and he had already tied one of his leg to the tree branch. He then dived down and with one swift movement; he wrapped the string around Li FangMing¡¯s neck.


    Li FangMing was also quick to react and lifted his dagger but the moment he felt the string around his neck tightened, he knew it was over.


    ¡°If this was a real situation, you would have lost your life. I would have lifted you up before you had the chance to raise your dagger and you would suffocate as I strangle you. Now, if I had a dagger, you would suffer for a shorter time,¡± Hao Shuren explained to Li FangMing. ¡°I will release you, and we will start again.¡±


    Li FangMing felt the string around his neck loosen and then Hao Shuren disappeared back onto the tree. He watched as Hao Shuren unties the rope on his leg before jumping down. ¡°Master, how did you know that I would choose this tree?¡±


    ¡°FangMing, in the past, how did you know where your prey would run to?¡±


    ¡°I predicted it. Based on their action, movement and line of sight, I can predict which way they plan to go,¡± Li FangMing answered.


    ¡°And there you have your answer. FangMing, do not think of me as your master right now. When we start again, think of me as your prey. In a battle between two hunters, you can either be the hunted or the hunters. Keep that in mind.¡±


    After advising Li FangMing, Hao Shuren started their training again. It wasn¡¯t until late at night did Li FangMing succeeded in defeating Hao Shuren and finally concluded his training.


    That night, Li FangMing returned to the Imperial Palace feeling happy that his training is over. Never did he think that he would be witnessing the Emperor¡¯s death.


    ¡°The Emperor has been assassinated!!!¡±


    That sentence reverberated throughout the Imperial Palace as Li FangMing was being held down by the guards. His clothes were stained with bloods, bloodied dagger lies on the ground near him and the Emperor lays lifeless before him. His eyes were wide, and there were trails of tears streaming down his face. What happened next was hazy to Li FangMing as he refused to accept what just happened.


    Just minutes before the incident¡­


    Li FangMing who had just returned from his training was walking towards his residence when he met with Kuanshe Wang, Qin LuoZhuo, the current Emperor¡¯s half-brother. At first, Li FangMing only wanted to give way to the older male and went on his way but Qin LuoZhuo seems to have a different idea. ¡°FangMing, you¡¯ve only returned now?¡±


    Li FangMing, not wanting to disrespect the male, gave him a low, deep bow. ¡°FangMing greets His Highness. This humble one had just returned from training, is there anything that Your Highness need from me? If it is something I can do, then I will do so,¡± he answered, not lifting his head up to meet the older male¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Li FangMing, it has been ten years since you started living within the Imperial Palace. Imperial brother had also given you the title of a Xinglan Wang and even treated you just as he did with his own son so you should stop acting like a servant,¡± Qin LuoZhuo said with a smile but deep in his heart, he wasn¡¯t thinking as such. To him, Li FangMing is just someone who was lucky enough to save Qin YiJun and was favored by the Emperor. If it wasn¡¯t for that incident, this boy would end up being a lowly servant. He had always abhorred the fact that Li FangMing is allowed within the Imperial palace in the first place.


    Li FangMing also knew this fact, so he had always avoided from meeting Qin LuoZhuo but he didn¡¯t know what winds blows this time as the older male took the initiative to speak to him. ¡°Li FangMing, Imperial brother called for you. He said he wanted to discuss something with you, concerning YiJun¡­ Alone.¡±


    ¡®The Emperor? Why? He has never called me alone before this,¡¯ Li FangMing thought as he frowned. He somehow felt that something is wrong. Though Li FangMing had met the Emperor before this, it was usually with Qin YiJun. ¡°Then¡­ I will go see the Emperor after I¡¯ve bathed myself,¡± Li FangMing said, trying to at least buy some time so he could see Qin YiJun before seeing the Emperor.


    ¡°No. The Emperor said he wants to see you now. He is already waiting by the pavilion within the Emperor¡¯s Garden. It isn¡¯t good to keep the Emperor waiting, Wangye,¡± Qin LuoZhuo said as he continued to urge Li FangMing to go see the Emperor. This made Li FangMing feels even more suspicious but if what Qin LuoZhuo said is indeed true, then he would be disrespecting the Emperor if he is tardy.


    ¡°Then¡­ I will go and see His Majesty now. This humble one thanks Wangye for informing him,¡± Li FangMing then excused himself and changed his destination to the Emperor¡¯s Garden. But, Li FangMing wouldn¡¯t have expected that in his life of sixteen years, he would see the Emperor laying on the marble floor of the pavilion which is covered in blood.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± the first thing Li FangMing did was call out for the Emperor before he rushed over to the Emperor¡¯s side. He carefully lifted the Emperor up and slowly turned his body around only to see the small dagger stuck on the Emperor¡¯s chest. What¡¯s worse, the dagger was his. The dagger was given to him, by the Emperor himself to commemorate his sixteenth birthday. But it was lost few weeks ago. He even told Qin YiJun about it and they searched for it together to no avail. And now, here it is, used as a murder weapon to kill the Emperor.


    ¡°F-Fang¡­Ming¡­¡± the Emperor¡¯s voice surprised him and when he turned his head from the dagger, he saw that the Emperor¡¯s eyes were open and was gazing at him sadly. Then, the dying Emperor¡¯s hand went to grab his clothes. ¡°Fang Ming¡­ You¡­ must get away¡­ L-live and p¡­-protect¡­ YiJun¡­ Luo-¡± the Emperor didn¡¯t get to finish as his hand slacked and his breathing stopped.


    Li FangMing has yet to realize the tears that streamed down his cheek. When he saw that the Emperor has passed, Li FangMing finally did something that turned his world upside down. Fearing that he may be implicated because of the dagger, he pulled it out, not knowing that someone was waiting for that very exact moment.


    ¡°Seize him! He has assassinated the Emperor!!¡± came Qin LuoZhuo¡¯s voice, followed by few footsteps. Before Li FangMing could register it, he was already roughly held down by the guards as servants began to scream out that the Emperor has been assassinated, waking everyone up.

 Chapter 15 - Becoming the Emperor

    Becoming the Emperor


    The news of the Emperor¡¯s assassination spreads quickly. The palace was in chaos and Qin YiJun who is the successor of the throne was rushed to protection. Qin YiJun who had lost his mother at young age now felt miserable after getting the news of his father¡¯s death. He was escorted to the Emperor¡¯s study by both the Crimson Guards and the Shadow Guards. When he arrived, he saw Qin LuoZhuo inside, waiting for him.


    ¡°YiJun, you¡¯re here,¡± Qin LuoZhuo said with an aggrieved expression on his face. ¡°The Emperor¡­ has passed and the court would be restless in the morning. You are the Crown Prince, and thus, you have to assume the throne,¡± as Qin LuoZhuo said this, he took out a scroll as well as the Imperial Jade Seal from the box on top of the table.


    ¡°This is the edict that my brother made, and also the Imperial Jade Seal which is the symbol of the true heir. And now, they belong to you. Only¡­¡± he paused as he looked over at Qin YiJun who seemed to be overwhelmed with all that has happened. ¡°YiJun, you are still young. Your grasp within the court is still non-existence. If you agree to it, your uncle can act as the regent until you solidify your influence in the court.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Qin YiJun hesitated before finally shaking his head. ¡°No. If I am to ascend the throne now, the citizens will talk. We must first catch the assassin. The news of¡­ Imperial Father¡¯s assassination must not be leaked outside,¡± Qin YiJun said as he approached the table and took the seal and the edict. ¡°I will hold onto this but until the assassin has been caught¡ª¡°


    ¡°YiJun¡­ I actually do not want to tell you when you are still in turmoil but seeing that you are calm, I believe you should be able to handle this news,¡± Qin LuoZhuo said as he went closer to Qin YiJun. Placing both his hands on Qin YiJun¡¯s shoulder, he looked at his nephew straight in the eyes. ¡°The assassin was caught earlier in the act. The assassin¡¯s identity¡­ is Li FangMing.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! Li FangMing has yet to return from his training with his master,¡± Qin YiJun immediately refuted. ¡°Royal uncle better not joke with this! I know Li FangMing well. He is like a brother to me, he won¡¯t harm Imperial Father!¡±


    ¡°I am not joking. We caught him red-handed! When he was found, royal brother¡¯s body were still warm and the dagger was on his hand! If he didn¡¯t do it, who did?!¡± Qin LuoZhuo asked back. He had already expected that this nephew of him would not believe him so he planned to simply pressure the younger male.


    ¡°It can be anyone, but it definitely won¡¯t be Li FangMing,¡± Qin YiJun replied.


    ¡°YiJun, I am not the only one who had seen it! There are several others! It really is unfortunate but this is the truth!¡± Qin LuoZhuo decided to lay out his card.


    ¡°No. I do not believe it.¡±


    ¡°Qin YiJun, you are blinded by your affection. That person who you treat as your brother has been planning this for a while now. Did you know that he had been training assassination technique from Hao Shuren?¡± Qin LuoZhuo asked.


    Qin YiJun glared at his uncle. ¡°What of it?¡± he asked back. He couldn¡¯t say that he knew because he truly doesn¡¯t. Li FangMing had promised to tell him tonight, but then this happened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it is weird that he¡¯s learning assassination technique? He said he¡¯s learning from Hao Shuren so that he could protect you but to learn assassination? What use is there?¡±


    ¡°Royal uncle¡­ why do I feel like you are trying to push all the blame to Li FangMing?¡± Qin YiJun couldn¡¯t help but ask. He is starting to feel that there is a deeper plot in this incident.


    Qin LuoZhuo just sighed and then walked away. ¡°It seems that no matter what your uncle say, royal nephew will not believe any of it. Then, your uncle can only give you more proof. Follow me to the court hall.¡±


    The two went to the Imperial Court Hall and then, Qin LuoZhuo proceeded to summon the witnesses, the court ministers, as well as Li FangMing. The witnesses and the court ministers arrived quickly despite how late it is but Li FangMing is still missing. While waiting, Qin LuoZhuo had decided to inform them of the current situation and the atmosphere within the court hall turned solemn. They were also condemning the assassin in their heart and couldn¡¯t wait to find out who had dared to kill the Emperor.


    They waited for a while until some became restless and impatient. The wait was finally over when several guards entered with a fully restrained Li FangMing.


    Qin YiJun could see that Li FangMing was full of injuries and he felt rage bubbling up within him. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Qin YiJun asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± one of the guards went forward and knelt down before Qin YiJun and Qin LuoZhuo. ¡°Please forgive our tardiness. The convict had tried to escape earlier so we had to¡ª¡°


    ¡°That is now what this prince is asking!¡± Qin YiJun roared out in anger before he took a long stride over to where Li FangMing is only to be stopped by the guards.


    ¡°Your Highness! Please keep your distance away. He¡¯s dangerous! He had already injured many of us when we tried to bring him over.¡±


    Qin YiJun was getting angry and he glared at the guard who stopped him. Then his eyes went to Li FangMing who was full of injury. The other had his head lowered so Qin YiJun couldn¡¯t see his face. ¡°Ming-er¡­¡± he called out in a low voice, not caring that the guards nearby would hear him or not.


    Upon hearing his name being called, Li FangMing finally lifts up his head. His eyes met with Qin YiJun and suddenly, there were so many things that he wanted to tell Qin YiJun. He had just opened his mouth when he saw Qin LuoZhuo behind Qin YiJun. He could see the older man smile at him mockingly, as if daring Li FangMing to open his mouth to speak.


    Li FangMing remembered what Qin LuoZhuo had told him before, and he glanced back to Qin YiJun, eyes filled with guilt before he looked away. He couldn¡¯t see Qin YiJun¡¯s expression but he could hear Qin LuoZhuo¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Royal nephew, you have seen it yourself. He didn¡¯t even bother to explain himself, it just shows that he is guilty,¡± Qin LuoZhuo told his nephew. ¡°And now, everyone present could see it. YiJun¡­ you must find justice for imperial brother¡­ this criminal must be punished.¡±


    ¡°No. There must be an explanation for this,¡± Qin YiJun said as he gazed at Li FangMing. ¡°Ming-er¡­¡± Qin YiJun called out again. ¡°Tell me what happened. You know that I¡¯ll believe you, right?¡±


    Li FangMing heard it but he can only shake his head. Remembering Qin LuoZhuo¡¯s threat, he couldn¡¯t risk telling Qin YiJun.


    ¡°We have seen what we needed to see. Earlier, Li FangMing had assassinated the Emperor and when he is brought over to explain himself, he decided to keep quiet. We do not know if he have other accomplice or not, but the severity of his crime is enough for his family up to 9th generation to be punishable by death,¡± Qin LuoZhuo said out loud for everyone to hear.


    Qin YiJun turned to Qin LuoZhuo and gave him a warning. ¡°Royal uncle, do not overstep your authority¡­¡±


    ¡°My dear nephew, how am I overstepping my authority? The Emperor had been murdered. As his brother, I have the right to give him justice. Everyone present here loves the Emperor and now that their beloved Emperor had been taken away from them, they also want to see the criminal punished. Is that wrong?¡±


    As if on cue, the court ministers, one by one started to kneel down and kowtowed to the crown prince. ¡°Asking the crown prince to punish the criminal and get justice for the Emperor!¡±


    The sentence kept on reverberating in the court hall until every single court ministers present pleaded Qin YiJun. Without even any proof, they have long decided that Li FangMing is the assassin and it made Qin YiJun feels disappointed and betrayed.


    ¡°SILENCE!!¡±


    Qin YiJun looked around in rage. He saw how the ministers are now shaking in fear. ¡°In accordance to Emperor Qin WuZhen¡¯s Imperial Edict, Crown Prince, Qin YiJun will ascend the throne the moment of his death. As it is the wish of Imperial Father, Zhen shall now take the Dragon Throne and assume the responsibility of the Emperor.¡±


    Hearing this, the ministers were shocked for a few seconds before they recovered and gathered their wits. ¡°The servants sees His Majesty, the Emperor! Wansui! Wansui! Wan Wansui!¡±


    Qin YiJun then turned to Qin LuoZhuo who is still standing in shock. It seemed that Qin LuoZhuo did not expect that his nephew would have taken this route.


    ¡°Still not kneeling before your Emperor?¡±


    Qin YiJun¡¯s voice was cold and devoid of any emotion. The coldness of his gaze was enough to tell Qin LuoZhuo how serious Qin YiJun was so he quickly got to his knees and kowtowed to the new Emperor. Seeing how everyone had finally turned obedient, Qin YiJun turned his attention back towards Li FangMing.


    Now that everyone had their heads on the ground, no one should be able to stop Qin YiJun from approaching Li FangMing and yet, just as he took a step forward, Li FangMing himself shook his head.


    ¡°Ming-er¡­?¡± Qin YiJun eyed Li FangMing, silently asking questions as to why he wouldn¡¯t let him near.


    In response, Li FangMing just smiled at the new Emperor. He then knelt down on the floor and despite his hands being bound behind him; he still lowered his head until they touched the floor. ¡°Li FangMing sees the Emperor¡­¡± he murmured in a soft voice.

 Chapter 16 - First Official Imperial Court Meeting as Emperor

    First Official Imperial Court Meeting as Emperor


    The moment the sentence left Li FangMing¡¯s lips Qin YiJun suddenly felt as if there is a huge distance formed between them. His heart felt heavy and he took one step forward only to be stopped by a single word from Li FangMing.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Li FangMing slowly raised his head up and straightened his back but he still kept his gaze down on the floor. It wasn¡¯t because he¡¯s unwilling to look at Qin YiJun, but simply because he felt that he is unworthy. There was silence within the court hall; the rest didn¡¯t dare to raise their head until Qin YiJun says so. ¡°Jun-ge¡­ now that you are the Emperor¡­ You mustn¡¯t always act on your own personal feelings. You should be a good Emperor.¡±


    ¡°From now on, you are the Son of Heaven, a dragon amongst the sky and I am only a speck of dirt on this earth¡­¡±


    Qin YiJun understood what Li FangMing is trying to do. As he is accused of the crime for murdering the previous Emperor, if the new Emperor is to use his authority to protect him, then it could be seen that it was Qin YiJun¡¯s dark plot to seize the throne. Thinking of it like this, Qin YiJun finally realized that everything was a set up.


    Taking a deep breath, Qin YiJun calmed himself down. Though he can¡¯t directly protect Li FangMing, he could still buy some time until it is proven that Li FangMing is innocent. ¡°Beloved ministers and subjects may rise. The matter of the assassination of the previous Emperor, Zhen will have people investigate about it. The accused Li FangMing will be detained in the dungeon until further proof is found. Tomorrow¡¯s morning court will not be held. There will be a three days of mourning period for the passing of the previous Emperor. If there is nothing else, everyone is dismissed.¡±


    Qin YiJun¡¯s eyes never left Li FangMing even as the other is escorted away. The court hall is slowly getting empty and soon, only Qin YiJun and Qin LuoZhuo is left.


    ¡°YiJun¡­¡±


    ¡°Royal uncle better pray that you do not have a hand on the plot against Zhen and Li FangMing or else¡­¡± he gave Qin LuoZhuo a cold look. ¡°Even if imperial father cared for you, Zhen will be the one to end your life.¡±


    The incident finally came to a temporary close that night but while everyone settled for the night, Qin YiJun immediately went to work. His first priority was to proof Li FangMing¡¯s innocence. He went into the Emperor¡¯s study and looked around. His father died an untimely death but luckily, he had taught Qin YiJun early in secret. Qin YiJun closed his eyes, recalling the things that his father had taught him.


    ¡°Yi, Er,¡± Qin YiJun called out in a low voice and almost immediately, two people appeared from the shadows and knelt down before Qin YiJun. ¡°Go to the dungeon and make sure no harm is done towards Li FangMing.¡±


    ¡°This slave receives the Emperor¡¯s order,¡± the two of them answered before disappearing into the shadows again.


    ¡°San, Wu,¡± Qin YiJun called out another two names and just like before, the two people appeared. ¡°Report to me what happened earlier. Who was it that my father see last?¡±


    The two shadow guards looked at each other uneasily before finally one of them answered. ¡°Answering to the Emperor. The person that the previous Emperor, Qin WuZhen sees last before his last breath is Li FangMing¡­¡± as soon as the answer left the shadow guard¡¯s lips, the room temperature suddenly became colder.


    ¡°But before that, Kuanshe Wang visited the late Emperor. And then, the late Emperor dismissed all of us so the two of them can discuss things in secret¡­ It wasn¡¯t until Li FangMing arrived and we were still not called did we notice that something was wrong. By then¡­¡± the other shadow guard quickly added but Qin YiJun¡¯s mood became even worse.


    ¡°Before Li FangMing, it was royal uncle? When he left, why did you not go and look for imperial father?!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough! Because of your blunder, not only did Zhen lose imperial father, Zhen might even lose someone important!¡±


    ¡°The slaves are willing to pay with his life¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to pay with your life. At least not yet. What I want you two do is do a thorough investigation on who else is related in this hideous plan. Go!¡±


    ¡°Thanking the Emperor for his benevolence!¡±


    The two shadow guards immediately left and Qin YiJun finally let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Ming-er¡­ wait for me. I¡¯ll prove that you are innocent¡­¡± he murmured in a soft voice as he began to work on his part.


    The next day began the mourning period for the previous Emperor. The funeral proceeded smoothly. There are some loyal generals and ministers that wished to accompany the previous Emperor to the yellow spring. Before doing so, those ministers and generals had introduced their successor to Qin YiJun who pledge their undying loyalty to him. Two of them, was Bai ChenYi and Bai MingHai from the Bai Family.


    When Qin LuoZhuo saw this, his face had turned ugly. Bai Family was known for their meritorious deeds within the military. For generations, it was their armies who always brought honors to their empire. He had tried to get them over to his side but the patriarch of the Bai Family always rejected it.


    The mourning period lasted for three days and on the fourth day of Qin YiJun¡¯s life as the Emperor, he finally experienced his first court meeting as the Emperor.


    ¡°His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor has arrived,¡± the head eunuch announced and everyone inside the hall kowtowed as Qin YiJun walked towards the dragon throne. The new head eunuch was nervous as he took his place. As the previous head eunuch, Steward Wong decided to accompany the previous Emperor, Qin YiJun randomly picked one of his personal servants to replace him.


    Qin YiJun looked around the hall to see his subjects after he had taken his seat. Other than the selected few who were introduced to him during Qin WuZhen¡¯s funeral, he did not trust the rest of them. If they wanted his trust, then they must first earn it.


    ¡°All of you may rise,¡± Qin YiJun said in a relaxed manner. There were no hints of sadness in his eyes as he had already mourned enough for three days. Though Qin YiJun is still young, he was taught how the court meeting goes ever since he was six. Then, at ten, Qin WuZhen slowly brought him over to attend the meeting. It can be said that even though this is Emperor Qin YiJun¡¯s first court meeting, he is experienced in it.


    ¡°It has been three days since the death of the previous Emperor¡­ the citizens still mourned for the loss¡­ Zhen has also mourned for the loss of imperial father,¡± he said before pausing for a while. He saw how some of the minister¡¯s expression changed and he caught the few who didn¡¯t show any remorse. Qin LuoZhuo is one of them. Qin YiJun sneered inside his heart before he continued.


    ¡°But now, it has fallen under Zhen¡¯s responsibility to rule and lead this Empire just as Zhen¡¯s imperial ancestors did. The time for mourning has passed for Zhen and it is time to turn Zhen¡¯s attention to this country. This shall be Zhen¡¯s first official Imperial Court Meeting as Emperor,¡± as he spoke, his cold expression never changed. Considering someone had plotted to assassinate his father, and they even framed Li FangMing, whom Qin YiJun trust with his life, it is better not to show them any weakness.


    Seeing how the ministers kept quiet with no one neither trying to speak up nor giving him any report, he could only sigh. His eyes landed on his uncle trying to figure out if there is anything else that this man is planning against him. ¡°Is there anything that the beloved ministers wish to bring to this Emperor¡¯s attention?¡±


    ¡°Imperial nephew¡­¡± Qin LuoZhuo stood up with a smile, but Qin YiJun narrowed his eyes and he felt a surge of killing intent aimed towards him.


    ¡°Kuanshe Wangye, is that how you address Zhen?¡±


    Finding out his wrong, Qin LuoZhuo quickly knelt down and begged for forgiveness. ¡°Your servant was wrong. Asking for the Emperor¡¯s forgiveness!¡± Qin LuoZhuo said though his heart was filled with rage. He had thought that since Qin YiJun is young, he could easily be manipulated. But instead, the young Emperor was even harder to manipulate than his late brother.


    ¡°Considering our blood relations, Zhen will forgive you. You may speak now.¡±


    ¡°Thanking the Emperor for his benevolence. May his rule last for ten of ten thousand years!¡± Qin LuoZhuo said before he stood up once more. ¡°Your Majesty, as the Emperor, the first responsibility is to secure an heir for the empire. The establishment of Imperial Harem should be considered. And Your Majesty needs someone to act as the Empress Dowager to manage the harem¡­¡±


    Qin YiJun scoffed before he waved his hand towards Qin LuoZhuo, signaling him to stop. He thought for a while before finally nodding his head. ¡°Very well. Zhen will let you deal with the matter of choosing the Empress Dowager,¡± Qin YiJun said before he turned away from Qin LuoZhuo. He¡¯s afraid that if he continued to look at him, he will be unable to control his anger. ¡®Since you want to choose your people, then let us see who you choose. I¡¯ll be sure to uproot every single person¡­¡¯


    ¡°Your Majesty, if this servant may say a few words¡­¡± one of the ministers speaks up as he stood up and bowed to the Emperor. Qin YiJun gestured for the old man to continue. ¡°It is about the traitor, Li FangMing¡­¡±


    Qin YiJun¡¯s mood became even worse and he quickly waved his hand, not allowing the minister to continue. ¡°Next!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty! Li FangMing¡¯s punishment must be carried out! How long are you trying to delay it?!¡±


    ¡°Are you questioning this Emperor?¡± Qin YiJun asked in a threatening manner and the minister¡¯s heart suddenly felt cold.


    ¡°N-no! This servant wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± he quickly refuted and lowered his head. ¡°Your Majesty, this servant only wished for the previous Emperor to receive the justice he ought to receive! If it was the previous Emperor¡ª¡±


    ¡°The. Son. Of. Heaven. Is. Zhen.¡± Qin YiJun made sure to emphasize every word clearly for everyone to hear. ¡°You said you would not dare and yet, why do you continue to speak on this subject? Do you have no respect towards Zhen because of Zhen¡¯s age?¡± Qin YiJun asked, not concealing his anger. ¡°Is there anyone else here who would wish to question Zhen¡¯s decision?!¡± Qin YiJun asked the whole court only to receive utter silence as the answer. ¡°Good. If there is nothing else, we¡¯ll continue with the court meeting.¡±

 Chapter 17 - Planning to Escape (Part 1)

    Planning to Escape (Part 1)


    Long hours passed and Qin YiJun was finally granted amnesty from entertaining the old men of the court. He had shown how dependable he was and Qin LuoZhuo¡¯s plan of becoming the regent was foiled on the first day. When the meeting was finally adjourned, Qin YiJun glanced at his uncle and saw how ugly the other¡¯s face was. ¡®This royal uncle of mine¡­ just how deep is your plot?¡¯ Qin YiJun can¡¯t help but wonder.


    From this one meeting alone, Qin YiJun only found few who are allied to Qin LuoZhuo. As much as he wanted to immediately clean them up, it is considered improper since he had just assumed the throne. In addition, he lacked evidence to do so. After a while, he stood up and left the court hall and only then did the rest dared to leave.


    Qin YiJun didn¡¯t return to his residence and instead, heading towards the dungeon. The guards following him were confused but they didn¡¯t say anything and obediently followed. When the guards on duty saw the Emperor coming towards the dungeon, they suddenly became nervous.


    ¡°This lowly guard sees the Emperor!¡± they greeted Qin YiJun with a clasped hand and bowed.


    ¡°En. Bring Zhen to where Li FangMing is held,¡± Qin YiJun said to the guards but he didn¡¯t even spare a look on them. His eyes rest on the entrance of the dungeon, and he has a complicated expression on his face.


    They walked through the dark, murky dungeon. The hallway were lighted by few torches and each time the guards patrolling saw the Emperor, they can¡¯t help but feeling nervous. They went to the deeper until they reached their stop. At the end of the dungeon is a huge cell. This cell was usually used for those with a special identity and right now, the occupant of the cell is none other than Li FangMing who was currently asleep.


    Qin YiJun glanced over at the warden in charge of the key. ¡°Open the cell door, then leave us. Zhen wish to speak with Li FangMing, alone.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, that is not proper¡­ We were ordered to keep an eye on the crimi¡ª¡°


    ¡°Order? Are you saying that this Emperor¡¯s word is worth less than whoever ordered you? Why don¡¯t you tell Zhen who is it that seems to have more authority than Zhen within this Empire?¡± Qin YiJun narrowed his eyes at the warden who immediately felt cold sweat covering his body.


    ¡°This servant knows his wrong¡­¡± the warden said before he rushed over and unlocked the door to Li FangMing¡¯s cell.


    Qin YiJun walked towards the cell but before he entered, he looked over at the warden then to his guards. ¡°When you leave, give the warden 40 stroke. If he struggles, add another 40,¡± Qin YiJun gave his order before finally entering the cell.


    The warden¡¯s face instantly turned pale. Before he could even beg for leniency, he was dragged away by Qin YiJun¡¯s personal guards. Finally left alone, the young emperor went inside and approached the bed where Li FangMing is sleeping on.


    He carefully sat down as to not wake Li FangMing up from his rest. He could see that his injuries from three days ago have started to heal. He had heard from Old Pan that Li FangMing¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t heavy but he still feels restless.


    ¡°Ming-er¡­¡± Qin YiJun called out in a soft voice, his finger gently tracing Li FangMing¡¯s face.


    Upon having the feeling of his face being touched, Li FangMing¡¯s eyes fluttered open. The moment he saw Qin YiJun, his drowsiness disappeared and he quickly sat up.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive this humble servant for his¡ª¡°


    ¡°Ming-er¡­ we¡¯re alone now. You don¡¯t have to bother with the formality,¡± Qin YiJun said as he gave Li FangMing a smile, his hand reaching out to caress Li FangMing¡¯s face. But before he could even touch, Li FangMing pulled away.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please don¡¯t jest. The Emperor is never alone. There should be several shadow guards around us right now, right?¡± Li FangMing kept his eyes lowered as he didn¡¯t dare to look straight at Qin YiJun. He¡¯s afraid that if he did, he won¡¯t be able to keep his emotions in check.


    When Qin YiJun saw how Li FangMing won¡¯t even spare him a look, he felt sharp pain in his chest. ¡°Ming-er, is it that now I¡¯m the Emperor, you won¡¯t even look at me anymore?¡± he asked but Li FangMing didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Ming-er, I¡¯ve just lost my father¡­ can¡¯t you at least comfort me for a while?¡±


    Li FangMing could hear the pleading tone that Qin YiJun used. He bit his lower lips before finally lifting up his head to face Qin YiJun. ¡°Jun-ge, how can you even ask the one who is accused of killing your father to comfort you?¡±


    ¡°Because I know you are innocent. I don¡¯t know why you didn¡¯t speak out to defend yourself that night¡­ But I do have an idea. It is related to my royal uncle, right?¡±


    Li FangMing¡¯s eyes widened. He did not expect that Qin YiJun would find out in a mere three days. But he also remembered Qin LuoZhuo¡¯s threat so he quickly shook his head. ¡°Jun-ge, please don¡¯t do anything that would put you in danger¡­ please. His plan is not shallow. He¡¯s planning to use your emotions against you. He¡­ he wanted to manipulate the citizens to think that you¡ª¡°


    He didn¡¯t get to finish because Qin YiJun placed a finger over his lips. Seeing that Li FangMing had stopped talking, Qin YiJun finally speaks: ¡°Is that what he told you?¡±


    Li FangMing nods his head.


    ¡°What else? Ming-er, you need to tell me. Tell me so that I can protect you.¡±


    At this, Li FangMing shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t. That¡¯s exactly what he wanted you to do. You don¡¯t worry about me¡­ I¡¯ll find a way to escape.¡±


    Qin YiJun frowned but seeing that Li FangMing¡¯s eyes full of determination, he could only sigh. ¡°My coronation is in seven days. Though the security will be tight, at least no one will think that there will be anyone to escape then. I will get someone to deliver you the key¡­ When you escape, stay hidden first. Once I have gathered enough evidence, I¡¯ll find you,¡± Qin YiJun said before he pulled Li FangMing into a hug. ¡°So wait for me¡­¡±


    Li FangMing felt warmth from the other seeping into his body. He lifted his arm and gently hugged Qin YiJun back. ¡®Just this once¡­ this will be the last.¡¯


    ¡®You are now the Emperor¡­ I am not worthy to even look at you. Jun-ge, please forgive me. This is the only way that I know that I can protect you¡­¡¯ he thought as he closed his eyes and tightened his hug. ¡®Once I escape I will take care of Qin LuoZhuo for you. After that, I hope you won¡¯t come looking for me. Just live well and be a good Emperor¡­ I¡¯ll look at you from afar. As long as you¡¯re safe, I¡¯ll be content.¡¯

 Chapter 18 - Planning to Escape (Part 2)

    A week passed and it was finally the day of Qin YiJun¡¯s coronation. Although it wasn¡¯t long since the late Emperor¡¯s death, the citizens still celebrated for Qin YiJun. Meanwhile in the dungeon, Li FangMing was preparing his escape. Unfortunately, before he could even do anything, the Minister of Justice came with a group of guards.


    Li FangMing frowned and looked over at the Minister of Justice suspiciously. ¡°What is the Minister doing here instead of attending the coronation of His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! The Emperor is too fond of you that it clouded His Majesty¡¯s judgment,¡± the Minister of Justice said, tone laced with disgust. The eyes were looking at Li FangMing as if he¡¯s a cockroach that wouldn¡¯t die.


    ¡°In order to protect His Majesty, Kuanshe Wang and the Empress Dowager had decided that Li FangMing and the rest of the Li Family will be executed in secrecy. This punishment will begin tonight. While Li FangMing will be executed with ¡®Lingchi¡¯. You will now be transported to the execution area. Guards!¡± with a wave of his hands, the guards immediately went to seize Li FangMing.


    When Li FangMing heard of his sentence, he grew colder and colder by the second. Especially when lingchi was mentioned. ¡®The execution will be executed in secrecy? YiJun doesn¡¯t know about this¡­ Qin LuoZhuo¡­ he never planned on letting me live at all or, did he notice that I¡¯d go after him?¡¯ Li FangMing thought as he was roughly handled by the guards. ¡®Well, with them bringing me out, that¡¯ll save me the headache of trying to escape those patrol guards¡­¡¯


    He was put into an inconspicuous carriage and in order to avoid suspicion, they even used the side entrance where there are less people. Li FangMing were bound and gagged in the carriage with the Minister of Justice sitting in front of him.


    He saw that they are now outside of the Imperial Palace and Li FangMing was about to prepare for his escape. He had been working on the rope ever since he¡¯s in the carriage and now it was slightly loose. He has to thank his master for this. If it were not for Hao Shuren¡¯s training, he wouldn¡¯t even know how to escape from being bound.


    Once the rope had loosened up enough, he was just about to start his escape but when he looked around once more, he saw that the scenery was very familiar. Though he lived in the Imperial Palace, he would sometimes visit home and whenever he did, he would go past this road. Fear gripped his heart and he looked at the Minister of Justice who smirked at him. Then, the carriage came to a stop.


    ¡°I am sure you can already figure out. The crime of killing the Emperor is punishable by death and such heavy crime is enough to have your family up to the 9th generation to be implicated.¡±


    Li FangMing¡¯s eyes widened and he quickly looked out of the small window. He was met with a scene of his family being dragged out of their house. His gaze met with his father and the older male¡¯s expression turned livid.


    ¡°YOU!! I SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU THE MOMENT YOU WERE BORN! YOU DOOMED US! YOU¡¯VE DISGRACED US! YOU¡¯VE BROUGHT DISHONOR TO THIS FAMILY! I NOW NO LONGER HAVE THE FACE TO EVEN MEET OUR ANCESTOR IN THE AFTERLIFE!!!¡± Li SunXun screamed at Li FangMing hysterically. Li FangMing watched with guilt as each of his family members were shoved into the prisoner¡¯s cart.


    He saw that even the smallest one was not spared and he glared at the Minister of Justice with eyes full of hatred. Now, his escape routes were cut off. If he was to escape now, he will put those children in danger. Li FangMing had no choice but put his escape plan on hold until he could think of on how to save his family too.


    Meanwhile, the two shadow guards that Qin YiJun ordered to follow Li FangMing were having a dilemma of their own. They can¡¯t leave Li FangMing, but at the same time, they need to report to the Emperor. ¡°Er, you go to the Emperor and report to His Majesty. I will follow them.¡±


    ¡°But His Majesty ordered us to stay by Li FangMing¡¯s side¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?! If no one reports this to His Majesty, do you think that the both of us can handle those guards? If anything happens to Li FangMing, not even death can spare us from the humiliation.¡±


    Er couldn¡¯t refute so he just turned back and rushed to the Imperial Palace while Yi continued to tail Li FangMing.


    When Er arrived at the Imperial Palace, the ceremony had already started. He couldn¡¯t appear until the ceremony is finished. He remained hidden during the duration of the whole ceremony. Only after the whole ceremony is finished and the Emperor is already in his personal palace to rest did he finally report to Qin YiJun.


    ¡°What did you say? Why did you not inform me earlier!?¡± Qin YiJun¡¯s asked in anger. ¡°Lead the way! Steward, assemble the Crimson Guards!!¡± Qin YiJun had the head eunuch call for the Crimson Guards and he quickly left his courtyard. But just as he stepped out of the courtyard, Qin LuoZhuo and the Empress Dowager came over.


    ¡°YiJun, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin LuoZhuo asked, feigning ignorance. ¡°Why are you assembling the Crimson Guards?¡±


    Qin YiJun didn¡¯t spare them any glance and quickly have someone prepare his horse. Being ignored, Qin LuoZhuo felt that he had lost his face.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this Empress Dowager wished to congratulate the Emperor for his coronation. As the Emperor, there are several things that need to be done. I have with me few scrolls of paintings of the ladies here. Most of them are from the prominent family and some are the daughters of the ministers¡­¡± the Empress Dowager¡¯s word trailed off because Qin YiJun just gave the two of them a cold glare.


    ¡°This Emperor is not interested in taking an Empress at the moment. There is something that Zhen need to do,¡± Qin YiJun told them.


    ¡°Then at least, pick someone to let them enter the imperial harem,¡± the Empress Dowager said as she tried to convince Qin YiJun.


    ¡°Zhen do not wish to have imperial harem at this time. If there is nothing else, leave!¡± Qin YiJun felt even more irritated. His heart was already in turmoil when he heard that Li FangMing was taken away and now that the two who is responsible is here, he wanted nothing more than to cut them down. Just as the thought crossed his mind, his horse finally arrived.


    Not wanting to waste any more time, Qin YiJun got on its back and quickly pushed his horse into a gallop. The scene of the Emperor leaving the Imperial Palace in a hurry was seen by the citizens who were present in the Imperial City. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had happened because for a Crimson Guard to appear, it must mean that something big is going on.


    Meanwhile, Qin YiJun continued to urge his horse to go faster while Er led them to where Li FangMing was brought to. Yi had left several marks for them to follow but because the duration of the ceremony earlier was too long, the Minister of Justice and his entourage had already gone quite far. ¡®Ming-er¡­ please be safe. Heavens, please let me arrive in time¡­¡±

 Chapter 19

    ¡°FIND THEM AND DON¡¯T LET ANY OF THEM ESCAPE!!¡± the Minister of Justice¡¯s voice cried out when he found that Li FangMing had long escaped. Not only that, the rest of the Li Family had also disappeared from their sight.


    They had been travelling through the forest in order to get to their destination when they were suddenly attacked by a group of bandits. Normally, these bandits would steer clear from attacking those protected by the Imperial Guards but because the Minister of Justice did not want to appear suspicious, he had the guards change their uniforms into something else.


    This, in turn, made the bandits thought that they were a normal group of merchants who were probably dealing with human trafficking. Thinking that they could make money off them if they seized them from the merchants, the bandits launched an attack.


    During this chaotic moment, Li FangMing saw his chance. He let go of the rope that had been binding him and in one quick movement, he pushed the Minister of Justice away, taking him by surprise. He saw one of the bandits rushing towards him the moment he steps out of the carriage.


    The bandit swung his saber at him, but Li FangMing easily evaded the attack with a simple sidestep. He then grabbed the bandit¡¯s arm that was holding the saber and twisted them roughly. A loud ¡®crack¡¯ sounded, followed by the bandit¡¯s scream. The saber fell on the ground and Li FangMing picked it up. By now, the Minister of Justice had already recovered but Li FangMing just grabbed the bandit from before and pushed him over to the Minister of Justice to buy him time.


    The bandit struggled and even fought with the Minister of Justice. After all, the Minister of Justice¡¯s clothes were luxurious and even an idiot knows that this was the most important person in the whole group. Unfortunately for the bandit, the Minister of Justice is not a vegetable at all. He was once a general, and his body still remembers what to do when he¡¯s in battle.


    By the time the Minister of Justice had subdued the bandit, Li FangMing had long disappeared. Looking around, he saw his target over at the prisoner¡¯s cart and the prisoner inside was even freed. ¡°HURRY AND KILL THE BANDITS!! THE PRISONERS ARE ESCAPING!¡± the Minister of Justice roared out as he tried to make his way over to Li FangMing but the bandits were not giving him an easy time.


    On Li FangMing¡¯s side, he was busy releasing his family members. But the number isn¡¯t small, and he had to be careful when dealing with the children. At this time, Yi who had always been in the dark came out to help him.


    Once everyone is free, all that is left is running away. Li FangMing had told his family member to follow Yi, but Li SunXun at first was indignant about it. He was already dissatisfied with Li FangMing, and he didn¡¯t want to entangle more with Li FangMing.


    ¡°Father! Yi is one of the Emperor¡¯s shadow guards!¡± although the identity of a shadow guards need to be kept secret, with how his father is acting, Li FangMing had no choice but to disclose it. Only then did the Li patriarch reluctantly move. They entered the forest and starts running with Yi leading them.


    They didn¡¯t even get far when they heard the Minister of Justice¡¯s voice behind them. ¡°FIND THEM AND DON¡¯T LET THEM ESCAPE!!¡±


    Li FangMing turned his head to look behind him. Sure enough, there are now few guards chasing them. Gritting his teeth, he turned towards Yi. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked.


    The shadow guard were taken aback at the sudden question and looked back at Li FangMing. ¡°This slave is called Yi,¡± he finally answered once he had recovered his wit.


    ¡°Good. Yi, listen to me. The guards behind us will catch up to us soon. There are children amongst us so it is inevitable¡­ that¡¯s why, I will take a separate path and lure them away,¡± Li FangMing told him.


    ¡°Wangye! You cannot do that! This slave is tasked to never leave your side. Where you go is where this slave will go!¡±


    ¡°If you go with me then who will lead my family to safety!?¡±


    ¡°Wangye¡­¡±


    ¡°If anything happen to them, then I will kill myself,¡± Li FangMing decided to use threat and the shadow guard finally kept his mouth shut. ¡°Just go. When you see His Majesty, tell him¡­ to keep my family safe.¡±


    As soon as he finished talking he stopped running and turned to wait for the guards to catch up. His grip on the saber in his hand tightened and he was preparing to dash to the side when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Turning his head he saw a young boy around the age of ten looking up at him fearfully.


    ¡°AnRui! What are you doing?!¡± Li FangMing asked in a panicked voice.


    ¡°Big brother Ming! Let¡¯s run together¡­¡± the young boy said with tears on his face.


    ¡°No! AnRui, listen. I will go and find you later, alright? Go and run now! Quickly!¡± Li FangMing said as he urged the boy to run but Li AnRui only shook his head.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Rui!!¡± another voice sounded and when Li FangMing turned towards the source, he saw a man running towards them.


    ¡°Uncle! Hurry and take AnRui away! I will go and distract them,¡± Li FangMing said as he pushed Li AnRui towards his the man. Then, without wasting any more time, Li FangMing rushed back to meet with their pursuer. At the moment, there are few of them so Li FangMing could still handle them alone. He bought as much time as he could before finally breaking through to another direction when the number is finally beyond his limit.


    He ran through the forest with the Imperial Guards hot on his trails. Because they had lost sight of the rest, the whole forces are focused solely on catching Li FangMing.


    Li FangMing tried to lose them by making sharp turn here and there, using the trees and bushes as covers but with their numbers, it was futile.


    ¡°He¡¯s here!!¡± the sharp voice of the guards made Li FangMing groan. He had been running for a while now and he has started to feel exhausted. At the end of his path, Li FangMing saw the edge of the forest.


    ¡®If I leave the forest, there won¡¯t be anything to obstruct them from shooting me down with an arrow but¡­¡¯ Li FangMing did a quick glance around and saw that there were already guards on his sides. ¡®I can only go forward or else, I will be surrounded!¡¯


    Thinking of this, Li FangMing continued to run and as soon as he reached the exit, he was forced to stop in his track. There were no other paths to follow because what greets him was the edge of the cliff. During his escape, Li FangMing did not realize that he was going uphill. He glanced down and saw that it was a long way down and it is not possible to climb down despite his skills. And even if he does try to risk it, he doubted that his pursuer will let him take his time climbing down.


    The guards caught up to him and encircled him. ¡°Give it up! No matter what you do, your fate is already sealed!¡± one of the guards speaks up.


    ¡°I can¡¯t die here¡­¡± Li FangMing replied as he brandished the saber. ¡°I made a promise to him that I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to survive,¡± despite his situation, Li FangMing was smiling. There were six guards; the number is enough for him alone to take care of. As long as he could finish them quickly before the rest arrived, he can try another path of escape.


    Unfortunately, luck was not in his favor. Just as he finished the last one, more guards arrived and the smile on his face disappeared.


    ¡°You really are like a cockroach,¡± from behind the guards, the Minister of Justice walked over. His clothes were stained with blood and the bloodlust in his eyes could no longer be hidden. ¡°Fine! Forget the lingchi! Just kill him now! He has no escape route left,¡± the Minister ordered the guard.


    One by one, the guards began to attack Li FangMing. Yet, Li FangMing still managed to defend himself and even managed to kill one of the guards. The face of the Minister of Justice turned ugly before he scolded his men. ¡°Are you guys stupid?! Who do you think taught him?!¡± he asked the guards. ¡°If you want to fight him one on one, then might as well deliver your head in a silver platter! Get him in groups!¡±


    ¡®As expected of a former general, he noticed¡­¡¯ Li FangMing can¡¯t help but curse under his breath. It¡¯s true that if they attacked him one by one, he still have a chance to survive. His fighting style is more focused on ambush and even if the ambush failed, their target would still either be alone or in a small group. But in a big group like this, it was harder.


    Time passed and Li FangMing was getting more and more exhausted. His movement became slower and sluggish but the fire in his eyes has yet to diminish. In the end, the Minister of Justice could no longer stand it.


    ¡°Get me a bow and the arrows!¡± he roared out and not long after, one of the guards handed him the bow and the arrows he wanted. Before this, the guards were afraid to use them because they might end up shooting their men instead. But if their leader is the one doing it, then even if it missed their target, they won¡¯t be blamed.


    The Minister of Justice aimed the arrow at Li FangMing and when the chance presented itself, he released the arrow. The arrow cut through air towards the unsuspecting Li FangMing and it pierced through Li FangMing¡¯s shoulder.


    By the time Li FangMing registered what had just happened, another arrow flew towards him, piercing him on his thigh. Li FangMing glared at the Minister of Justice¡¯s figure as the man aimed another arrow towards him. He knew the next one is aimed towards his head with the intention of killing him. He knew it very well, after all it was one of the first lessons that Hao Shuren taught him.


    The first arrow is to take him by surprise and in order for it not to miss; it was aimed at his upper body which is the biggest target. Next was to stop him from moving, aimed towards the leg and finally, an arrow to the head to secure the kill.


    It was as if his death is now imminent and Li FangMing can¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°So much for being the Minister of Justice¡­ Colluding with someone to overthrow the previous emperor, do you think His Majesty will let you live?¡± he asked, attempting to even buy some time.


    ¡°Spare your words. After you died, the blame will be pinned on you¡­¡± the Minister of Justice replied. The Minister still held onto the arrow because he felt that if he were to release it now, Li FangMing might be able to dodge it. ¡°What are you doing?! Hurry and get him!¡± he told his men who were rooted on their place.


    ¡°You want to kill me that much?! Let us see if the heaven is fair!¡± Li FangMing roared out and threw the saber high up in the air. Everyone¡¯s present looked up, thinking that Li FangMing is up to something. Seeing that his distraction was successful, Li FangMing smirked and threw himself backwards, letting himself fall down the cliff.


    The Minister of Justice¡¯s eyes widened and he quickly ordered the guards to find a way down to find Li FangMing. Though the chance of survival is low, seeing Li FangMing¡¯s body would give him more assurance that he truly is dead. An hour passed and the guards returned with a pale face.


    ¡°My Lord, when we found Li FangMing¡¯s body, he is already surrounded by three tigers. It is as if the tigers were waiting for Li FangMing to draw his last breath before they feast on him¡­ we¡­ when we try to approach them, they gave us a warning growl as if telling us not to steal their meal. So we don¡¯t dare to recover the body,¡± one of the guard reported.


    ¡°Idiots! There are several of you and there were only three tigers! Are my men this useless that they can¡¯t even kill three tigers?!¡± the Minister of Justice reprimanded the guards. ¡°Fine! Let us go find the rest of the Li Family! They have children in their midst, so they can¡¯t be too far.¡±


    But when they finally caught up with the Li Family, their whole body went cold. The Crimson Guards stood on the Li Family¡¯s side and that could only mean one thing. The Emperor is here.


    ¡°Minister, where is Li FangMing?¡± a cold voice sounded to confirm the Minister¡¯s fear.


    ¡°This Minister sees the Emperor, Wan Sui!¡± the Minister of Justice quickly went down on his knees and paid his respect. The guards behind him followed suit without wasting even a second. He had never thought that the Emperor would find them this quick.


    ¡°Zhen ask again¡­ Where is Li FangMing?¡± seeing that the Minister of Justice did not answer, Qin YiJun once again asked. By now, the guards behind the Minister had already started to shake. When there was still no answer, the Emperor changed his tactic. He pointed at a random guard before he asked the same question again, for the third time.


    ¡°Your Majesty!! Please forgive this servant! This servant is only following orders! Li FangMing¡­ he¡­¡± the guard hesitated to continue, fearing the Emperor¡¯s wrath. When he accepted this task, he thought that he could make a fortune. They were promised protection as soon as their task is finished and their hiding place was even prepared. Who could¡¯ve thought that the Emperor would be here then?


    ¡°Why are you stopping? Continue¡­¡± Qin YiJun¡¯s cold eyes were never changing. He wanted nothing more than to kill all of them but he wanted to know Li FangMing¡¯s condition. He prayed that Li FangMing managed to escape and has found safety.


    ¡°Li FangMing¡­ he fell down the cliff after the Minister shot him with two arrows. The Minister told us to retrieve his body but when we got there, the tigers were already feasting upon his body¡­¡± the guard ends up telling a lie. He did not dare to tell the Emperor that they left the still breathing and dying Li FangMing to the tigers because they were afraid to lose their life to the three beasts. But Qin YiJun noticed that his voice was too unusual even for a scared person so he knew the guard is lying.


    ¡°Where was it? Lead Zhen to where it is¡­¡± Qin YiJun forced the word out, his hand clenched into a tight fist. He could only took few deep breath to contain his fury. When the guard stood up to lead him, Qin YiJun¡¯s gaze landed on the Minister of Justice, eyes cold and full of killing intent. ¡°You better wish that Li FangMing is there, and still alive¡­ if not, Zhen will make sure you will suffer fate worse than death.¡±


    Hearing the threat, the Minister of Justice was scared witless that he had thought of killing himself to save him from the suffering but the Crimson Guards were quick. They held him and brought him along with them. They did the same with the rest of the Minister¡¯s men.


    When they arrived at the foot of the cliff, Li FangMing¡¯s body was no longer there, nor was there a hair of the tigers could be seen. The only thing left was a pool of blood and a piece of cloth that came from Li FangMing¡¯s clothing. Qin YiJun recognized the colour since that was the last colour he saw Li FangMing is wearing just a week ago.


    ¡°Crimson Guards¡­ tell Zhen¡­ What is the chance of Li FangMing¡¯s survival?¡± Qin YiJun asked as he silently gazed at the pool of blood.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive this servant. Based on the height of the cliff and the amount of blood¡­ even if the tree branches would somehow break his fall, he would still be heavily injured. The amount of blood on the ground meant that¡­ he had suffered a very serious injury and¡­ he would¡¯ve died of blood loss even if we found him now¡­¡± one of the Crimson Guard carefully answered. As much as he wanted to lie, he couldn¡¯t so even if it was a painful truth for their Emperor, he could only inform him truthfully.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Qin YiJun¡¯s voice was void of emotion before he turned around to face the Minister and his men. ¡°Crimson Guards, you have sworn you allegiance to this Emperor, and you will only answer to Zhen¡­ is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! This servant only answers to the Son of Heaven!¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Kill the guards who followed the Minister of Justice and bring back the Minister of Justice to the Imperial Palace so that Zhen can officially sentence him to his punishment. He shall become an example on what will happen if anyone else dare to go against Zhen,¡± Qin YiJun said as he looked straight at the Minister of Justice right in the eyes. Then he turned around to look at the pool of blood, as if willing Li FangMing¡¯s body to appear, hoping that if he prayed hard enough, Li FangMing would emerge, unharmed.


    Unfortunately, it did not happen and amidst the begging and pained scream sounded behind him, the Emperor¡¯s eyes never once left the pool of blood. His expression looks as if he had lost part of his soul with the death of Li FangMing.


    When they returned to the Li family, a young boy rushed out to meet them. The solemn expression on the Emperor¡¯s face made him slow down. He scanned the faces of the retinue, hope in his eyes.


    ¡°Your Majesty, where is big brother Ming?¡± he asked, voice shaking.


    Qin YiJun looked into a pair of eyes the same color as that of Li FangMing, into a face he knew so well. ¡°You must be Li AnRui¡­¡± Qin YiJun murmured in a soft voice. ¡°Ming-er always talked about you and your sister. He¡¯s really fond of you two¡­¡± His voice broke with sadness.


    ¡°Li FangMing¡­ is gone¡­¡± How could such a short sentence be so hard to say? His heart was heavy with grief, his eyes red from tears he dare not shed, his nails biting into his palm until they drew blood. He could feel the mood of the crowd shift to fearfulness, but knew they couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Zhen will make sure to compensate the Li family for all the trouble that the Minister of Justice has caused. As for Li FangMing¡¯s funeral¡­¡± Qin YiJun closed his eyes as he tried to suppress the sorrow in his heart. ¡°Zhen will handle it.¡±

 Chapter 20 - Saved by the Hermit

    ¡°Wang Lan, where are you taking me?¡± deep in the forest, a man was being led around by a tiger. The person had a stick in one hand, which the other end was in the tiger¡¯s mouth. A bandage was wrapped around his head, covering his eyes. ¡°Honestly, you and your brothers suddenly disappeared and then you came back to pull me somewhere. Did you three find lost children again? I did warn the nearby villager to not let the children play in the forest without adult¡¯s supervision¡­¡±


    The tiger let out a small snort as it continues to lead the male by the stick, and hearing this response, the man chuckled. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask anymore. I¡¯ll send that child home later.¡±


    The blind man allowed the tiger to lead him until they reached the foot of the cliff where the two other tigers were waiting. Almost immediately, the blind man scrunched up his nose. ¡°This¡­ this is the smell of blood. Did you guys accidentally harm someone? Because it is definitely not food. If it was, then you guys always bring them to me instead of bringing me to them¡­¡± he asked in a worried tone, but the tiger only replied with a soft roar. ¡°No? So, the three of you say you found this person already injured?¡±


    ¡®No! This person fell from the sky!¡¯ one of the tigers tried to tell the blind person but unfortunately, it only came out as several short roar.


    ¡°From the smell, I can assume that this person is heavily injured. Wang Lan, bring me to the injured,¡± he said, and the tiger understood. When they were close, the tiger nudged on the man¡¯s leg and the man knelt on the ground.


    He gently felt the ground until his finger touched the body, then as gentle as he could, he ran his hand over the body. His hand came across the arrow and he became worried. He continued moving them, until he found it resting on the chest. ¡°Still breathing, and his heart is still beating strongly despite his wound¡­ But if left alone, it¡¯s only a matter of time before this person have to cross over to the yellow spring,¡± he murmured in a grave tone. ¡°Wang Lan let¡¯s bring him home,¡± he said as he carefully picked the body up and set it down on the tiger¡¯s back.


    ¡°Wang Fan, Wang Zan, come on along. We need to treat him,¡± he said while letting the tiger guide him back home. When they reached their abode, the man placed the body onto his bed and then realized that because of his visual impairment, theirs is only little that he can do. ¡°Wang Lan let¡¯s go to the nearby village and get a doctor quick! Wang Fan, you follow! Wang Zan just stay here and keep watch.¡±


    He got onto the tiger¡¯s back and the two tigers rushed out to the exit of the forest. Once they neared the edge, the tiger stopped, and the man got off. The man walked forward, knowing that the village is nearby. The villagers knew of him and even knew he lived with three tigers. But because he had been helping them deal with the bandits nearby, they always welcome him and even trade with him.


    This time, after finding out that the blind man needed to find a doctor, a kind villager quickly rushed to get the doctor personally. Then the two rushed back to the cave where the blind man lived along with the tiger.


    The blind man let the doctor treat the young man he found earlier and after a while, he finally hears the doctor speak. ¡°His wounds were heavy; it seems that he had several traumas on the back of his body. I assume its from falling. His head is also heavily injured, and the two arrows on his body¡­ He might¡¯ve been attacked before and barely escaped death. From the clothes he¡¯s wearing, he seems to be from a well-off family. Anyway, as long as he lived past tonight, his life will not be in danger. In few days, I¡¯ll come over to look at him again,¡± the doctor informed him. ¡°I will also try to find out if there is any well-known family that have been attacked recently near here. They might want to know they have survivor.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Thank you, doctor. How about have Wang Fan send you back to the village?¡±


    At this, one of the tigers stood up, ready to send the doctor home but the doctor was too afraid. ¡°No need! No need! I can walk back myself,¡± he said with a nervous laugh. If the blind man was around, it is fine, but he is too scared to be with the tiger alone. ¡°The village is not far. Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t thanked you for saving my grandson before, right? At the time, I was attending a patient so I couldn¡¯t go out and see you. So, allow this humble doctor to thank you properly,¡± the doctor said as he bowed down even though he knew that the blind man couldn¡¯t see.


    ¡°No need thank me. The people in the village have all shown me kindness. It is natural for me to repay them with equal kindness.¡±


    ¡°En. I wished I could¡¯ve found the cure for the poison in your body back then¡­ then you might have not gone fully blind,¡± the doctor said with a hint of regret.


    ¡°Do not worry about it, doctor. This is just my fate. And I have long accepted it. Right now, I am just content living my life here¡­¡±


    After that, the doctor left, and the blind man went to the bed where the injured person is resting. He reached out and touched the forehead and felt that it was hot to touch. ¡°He¡¯s having fever now. Though the doctor would have given him medicine¡­ I still need try and keep his temperature down. Wang Lan, bring me to the lake,¡± the blind man said as he went around in the cave that he called home. He got the bucket and a cloth.


    When he reached the lake, he cleaned the cloth several time with water before filling the bucket with lake waters. When he returned, he proceeded to take care of the injured person he had taken in.


    Few days passed and the blind hermit tried his best to keep the person alive. He fed him herbs and congee and even changed his bandages. He was surprised by the will to live that this person has and taking care of him was actually an easier task than he first expected. The doctor came again to check on the patient and confirmed that he should be waking up soon before leaving again. Another few days passed, and the blind hermit was just making dinner when his patient stirred.


    ¡°Mmn¡­ Where¡­?¡± the person on the bed groaned. He tried to sit only to be pushed back on the bed gently.


    ¡°Careful. You¡¯re injured. You should rest more,¡± the blind man said in a gentle tone. ¡°Are you hungry? Wait a bit, the congee should be done soon.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­ are you? Where am I? I¡ª¡± the man stopped as he thought hard, noticing that something is wrong when he cannot remember anything. ¡°Who am I¡­? How did I get injured?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t remember?¡± the hermit sighed. ¡°Well since you don¡¯t remember¡­ how about staying here for a while? I¡¯m sure someone will come looking for you. Your clothes were made of silk¡­ So, you must be from a well-off family. Do you at least remember your name?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°I see. Your memory loss is a lot severe than expected. It would be rude to keep calling you, ¡®You¡¯, so how about I give you a name? Since we met in the forest¡­ how about I call you Lin Xiao? Is that alright with you?¡±


    As someone who didn¡¯t know his own name, he didn¡¯t have any problem with the name and nods his head. Then, he realized that the other won¡¯t be able to know if he nods his head or not, so he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°En. Thank you. And thank you for saving me,¡± he said with a smile. He gazed at the hermit before asking: ¡°What should I call you, kind sir?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m¡­ YinLian,¡± the hermit answered after a slight hesitation. ¡°Long YinLian¡­¡± he trailed off as he mentioned his name, as if it felt foreign even to himself.


    ¡°Then Lin Xiao thank Master Long for saving him,¡± Lin Xiao said with a smile on his face. Then he looked around his surrounding and noticed the place he¡¯s in. ¡°Does Master Long live alone?¡±


    ¡°No. Not at all. I have ¡®King¡¯ Lan, ¡®King¡¯ Fan and ¡®King¡¯ Zan with me,¡± Long YinLian answered with a small chuckle.


    Lin Xiao was a bit skeptical when he heard what Long YinLian had said. He doubts that Kings would live here. He once again looked around and noticed how clean the place is. ¡®This cave is neat, and everything is in its own place¡­ does this mean that he¡¯s been blind for a long time now?¡¯ he wondered before his stomach let out a loud grown, making him blush in embarrassment.


    ¡°Oh, guess you are hungry. I made some herbal soup earlier. You should eat this first since the congee isn¡¯t done cooking yet,¡± Long YinLian said as he helped Lin Xiao sit up. He then handed a bowl of soup for Lin Xiao to drink.


    Lin Xiao drank the whole bowl and handed the empty bowl back. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Now rest more. When the congee is done, I will wake you up.¡±


    With that, Long YinLian helped Lin Xiao lay back down on the bed and once again told Lin Xiao to have a rest while he continued to look after the congee he¡¯s making.

 Chapter 21 - The Three Kings

    After a while, Lin Xiao was once again woken up by a gentle shake. He opened his eyes and saw Long YinLian sitting at the edge of the bed. ¡°Up?¡± he heard the other¡¯s gentle voice.


    ¡°En. Is the congee done now?¡±


    ¡°Mmn. Come on up, I¡¯ll help you,¡± Long YinLian reached out to help Lin Xiao sit. Once the task was done, he reached out to where he placed the congee before and handed it to Lin Xiao. ¡°Eat up. My three sons will return in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sons?¡±


    ¡°Mmn. I found them about two years ago when they were still young. Their mom died so I took them in,¡± Long YinLian answered with a smile.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lin Xiao ate a spoonful of the congee and the moment it touched his tongue, he froze in place. He took a deep breath several time before finally forcing himself to swallow it. ¡°This¡­ Master Long, how much salt did you add in this?¡± Lin Xiao asked in a careful, polite manner as to not show any disrespect to the male.


    ¡°Hmm? Just a spoonful?¡± Long YinLian answered. ¡°Why? Is it bad?¡± as he said this, he reached out his own bowl and ate a mouthful. It didn¡¯t stay in his mouth for long before he spits it out while coughing. ¡°Lin Xiao, don¡¯t eat it! Let¡¯s just wait for my sons to return with their hunt. We¡¯ll eat meat instead,¡± Long YinLian hastily took the bowl from Lin Xiao. ¡°I might have used the wrong spoon earlier. This occasionally happen. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. If you don¡¯t mind, how about letting me look at it so I can¡­ at the very least, fix it?¡± Lin Xiao hesitantly suggested as he himself isn¡¯t confident that he could save the congee. For one, let alone experience in cooking, he didn¡¯t even have any memories in his mind.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s try that,¡± Long YinLian agreed for a while. He then stood up and helped Lin Xiao to stand. ¡°If it¡¯s too painful to move, just tell me, alright?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Long. It¡¯s not as painful anymore. In fact, I feel sore¡­ how long have I been laying down?¡± Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t help asking as he was supported by Long YinLian to the cooking area.


    ¡°Around ten days. The doctor came twice during that time. The first time was on the day I found you, then the second time was around five days after,¡± Long YinLian said as he continued to lead Lin Xiao. Luckily, he had lived here for a long time, so he already knew by heart the location where he cooks.


    Lin Xiao settled down before the pot of congee that was kept warm by the fire underneath. He opened the pot and carefully stirred it with a ladle before scooping it up. Having a small taste, he blanched before looking around the area until he found a jar of water.


    ¡°Master Long, is the water in the jar clean?¡± Lin Xiao asked just to make sure.


    ¡°En. The water was picked up earlier and was already boiled. They are clean,¡± Long YinLian answered.


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao didn¡¯t waste any time and quickly poured more water into the congee. He added about two cups of water before he stirred the congee again. He saw few other ingredients such as eggs and mushroom, so he quickly adds those too. After a while he finally felt that the congee should at least be edible and scooped a bit with the ladle to taste it.


    ¡°Mmn! Taste better now. Here, Master Long, have a try,¡± Lin Xiao said as he held the ladle close to Long YinLian¡¯s lips.


    Long YinLian parted his lips and he was surprised the salty congee from before can end up tasting like this. ¡°It tastes good. Luckily you managed to save it or else, it would have been a waste to throw it away,¡± he said with a small laughter.


    Lin Xiao scooped more into a small bowl and handed it to Long YinLian before he scooped some for himself. He was just about to eat when three tigers entered the cave, one of them dragging the carcass of a deer. Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes widened and the bowl in his hand dropped to the ground. ¡°M-master¡­ Master Long! T-Tigers!!¡± Lin Xiao exclaimed in a panicked tone before looking around to find any thing that he can use as a weapon to defend themselves.


    ¡°You sound scared. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Long YinLian said with a chuckle as he called the tigers over. ¡°Wang Lan, Wang Fan, Wang Zan, come over. Did you bring food?¡± he asked the three tigers.


    Upon hearing the tiger¡¯s name, Lin Xiao¡¯s mouth went agape. He stared at the three tigers who obediently walked towards Long YinLian. ¡°Wait¡­ so the three ¡®Kings¡¯ you mentioned is¡­¡±


    ¡°Kings? Ah, you must¡¯ve misunderstood me. ¡®Wang¡¯ is just a part of their name. Don¡¯t you think it suits them well? After all, they should be the king of this forest,¡± Long YinLian said jokingly. ¡°I found them when they were still a small cub. Their mother died because of poachers and they were about to be captured. But I happened to be around and saved them. Knowing that they won¡¯t survive alone, I decided to raise them myself,¡± Long YinLian explained.


    Lin Xiao gazed at the three tigers. They were big, and there was no way he can differentiate the three. But despite their size, they look docile. One of the tigers saw him eyeing him so it approached Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t move and when the tiger opened its mouth, Lin Xiao closed his eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to get eaten!¡¯ he thought to himself.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The pain did not come but instead, Lin Xiao felt something wet, and rough running across his cheek. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes to see the tiger staring at him.


    ¡°Huh¡­? Did you just¡­ lick me?¡± Lin Xiao asked the tiger who happily let out a chuffle before licking Lin Xiao once more.


    Long YinLian laughed when he heard Lin Xiao¡¯s confused voice. ¡°That one with you now is called Wang Zan. He¡¯s the youngest¡­ or at least I assume that he is. Seems like he likes you,¡± Long YinLian said with a smile. ¡°This one here is Wang Lan, the oldest and then here is Wang Fan. Since they¡¯ve brought dinner, I need to apportion them so they can eat. After that, I¡¯ll make some proper dinner for you.¡±


    Long YinLian quickly finished the congee and placed the bowl down. He went with the other two tigers who dragged the deer¡¯s carcass along to a table in the cave. Lin Xiao watched as Long YinLian picked the carcass up onto the table and grabbed a carving knife. He saw how Long YinLian¡¯s hand felt around the carcass before guiding the knife over.


    ¡°Master Long¡­ maybe I should do it? It¡¯s dangerous for you to handle the knife¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for a good year now. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Hearing the confidence from Long YinLian¡¯s tone, Lin Xiao didn¡¯t say anything again. He quietly scooped another bowl of congee and ate them quietly. After a while, his curiosity can no longer be contained. ¡°Master Long¡¯s eyes¡­ how did you lose it?¡± Lin Xiao asked with a slight hesitation.


    ¡°My eyes? I was poisoned. At first, it wasn¡¯t that bad at first. But I noticed my vision had slowly becoming worse and a year ago, I completely lose my sight,¡± Long YinLian answered.


    ¡°Do you know¡­ who?¡± Lin Xiao asked again. This time, Long YinLian didn¡¯t answer for a long time. When he did speak, he had changed the topic.


    ¡°Lin Xiao, how would you like your meat? Roasted? Or Braised?¡±


    ¡°I can eat anything you make. So Master Long can just cook however he wants,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    ¡°Are you sure? Though you don¡¯t remember, your palate may still remember the lavish food you tasted before this,¡± Long YinLian said as he began to prepare their dinner.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡±


    ¡°Alright, then don¡¯t blame me if it doesn¡¯t taste good.¡±


    Few hours later, Lin Xiao eyed the food on his plate. It was¡­ charred. It was a meat, and it is totally charred. He glanced at Long YinLian who ate it as if it¡¯s delicious. ¡®Maybe it does not taste bad after all¡­?¡¯ he thought to himself before he took a bite. He instantly regretted it.


    ¡°Master Long¡­ since I will be staying with you for a while, how about you let me cook? It is the least I can do,¡± Lin Xiao suggested. He was afraid that if he were to continue eating these, he¡¯ll end up getting food poisoning.


    ¡°Well¡­ alright then. That way, we can avoid having to waste food just because I accidentally added more seasonings. I¡¯ll leave the cooking in your care, Lin Xiao.¡±


    Since then, it was decided that Lin Xiao will be the one to cook food for them both. But Lin Xiao still let Long YinLian make herbal soup since he¡¯s good at it. In fact, Lin Xiao also noticed that Long YinLian can brew a good tea. So, after he had recovered, whenever he went to the village he would always buy some tea leaves so that Long YinLian can brew them some tea.

 Chapter 22

    Half a month had passed since Lin Xiao was rescued and he had almost fully recovered by now. He could walk around without needed support and have even started to help Long YinLian pick up herbs in the mountain.


    He also frequented down to the nearby village to sell some of their spoils and exchange them for some fresh ingredients. Of course, he had also asked around if there were any noble families looking for a missing son but so far, there is not even single news. In the end, Lin Xiao simply gives up trying to find out his own origin. In his mind, if his family did not come looking for him, then he must have already been abandoned.


    Meanwhile, the state within the Imperial Palace was stifling, to say the least. Qin YiJun had turned the Imperial Court upside down. He dismissed the corrupt officials and ruthlessly punished them. He also replaced the ministers that he found ¡®could no longer contribute to the betterment of the country¡¯. Of course, this was after he had gotten the concrete evidence of all the bad things they had done. Unfortunately, he could not uproot every single one of them.


    Afterward, the search for new officials took place. The Imperial Palace invited all scholars throughout the Empire of Qin to attend the Imperial Examination. The news of the Imperial Examination spread through far and wide, and before long, the guests¡¯ houses within the Imperial City were fully booked. Everywhere everyone went, there will always be a group or two of scholars hanging about. The third month after the news was released, the registration for the Imperial Examination was closed.


    Due to the huge number of participants, the Imperial Examination had to take place on three different days. The Imperial Scholars of Tiantang Xueyuan had to come up with three different papers in order to avoid any kind of cheatings to occur during the Imperial Examination.


    A week after the registration was closed, the examination finally took place. There were a lot of outstanding scholars that participated and there were also those children from noble families. In order to avoid biased evaluation, Qin YiJun personally oversees the marking of each paper. Because of this, the results which should have come out in a day was delayed. This made all participants nervous.


    Time continued to pass by and the anxiousness within each scholar¡¯s heart grew. Then, noon of the third day after the examination, the officials in charge finally pasted the list of participants that passed the exam on the announcement board outside the Imperial Palace.


    Some were overjoyed while some can only leave with disappointment. Qin YiJun did not bother to waste any more time and ordered the ministers to cultivate the scholars into an upstanding official. After this event, it took several more months until the Imperial Palace has finally calmed down.


    Qin YiJun was currently taking a walk through YueXing Palace. He walked quietly, appreciating the beauty within the palace. At the same time, his heart was filled with loneliness. For almost a decade, Li FangMing would always accompany him whenever he simply wanted to relax but now, Li FangMing is no longer by his side. He had always believed that they would be together for a lifetime and yet, he still lost him. ¡°You promised to stay by my side,¡± Qin YiJun murmured in a soft voice.


    Turning his head, his eyes landed on one of the trees planted in the courtyard. He slowly approached the tree and touched the bark. There were several marks on the tree bark, and they were all made by Li FangMing. He remembered how Li FangMing would always climb the tree to check on the nest that belongs to the bird he saved long ago. Though it had died a few years ago, its children seem to love staying at the old nest. Even when they already made a nest of their own, they would still fly over to this particular nest on this tree whenever they see Li FangMing and Qin YiJun around.


    Even now, they still flew over and they would always look down as if waiting for Li FangMing to climb up and play with them. Qin YiJun looked up and saw them, and he could not help but give out a sad smile. ¡°At least, Zhen is not the only one who missed him. Still¡­ are you two not a falcon? Isn¡¯t it about time for you to find a mate?¡±


    The two falcons stared at Qin YiJun before one of them glides down from the tree and perched itself over on Qin YiJun¡¯s shoulder. Then, it nuzzled its beak lightly against Qin YiJun¡¯s cheek. ¡°Are you trying to comfort Zhen?¡± as he said this, Qin YiJun lifts his hand up and stroked the underneath of the falcon¡¯s beak with his finger.


    Just then, a shadow guard came over and knelt before the Emperor. ¡°Reporting to the Emperor, we still could not find the remains of Li FangMing¡­ We have also asked around, but no one has seen him. We did find someone who looked like Li FangMing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Where?!¡± Qin YiJun quickly asked in a hopeful tone.


    ¡°At the small village near the Wujin Senlin. The villager called their village the Wujin Village.¡±


    ¡°Why have you not brought him to Zhen yet?¡± Qin YiJun was now anxious. He really hoped that the man in question is Li FangMing but the shadow guard¡¯s next answer crushed his hope.


    ¡°Answering to the Emperor¡­ When we approached him, he thought that we were¡­ thieves¡­¡± the shadow guard answered with much hesitation. ¡°He refers to himself as Lin Xiao, and when we asked of his origin, he simply answered that he was abandoned by his family so he¡¯s currently living in seclusion in the mountain with his benefactor. He also didn¡¯t look as if he¡¯s lying, and when we tailed him, we found that he lives in a cave with a visually impaired hermit.¡±


    ¡°Did you mention to him that Zhen was looking for him?¡±


    ¡°This slave has mentioned it. But he only told this slave that we got the wrong person. He said that if he was someone that is favored by the Emperor, then his family wouldn¡¯t have abandoned him in the first place¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Qin YiJun closed his eyes and tried to calm his heart. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed. Tell the rest to return. There is no need to look anymore,¡± Qin YiJun said with a heavy heart. ¡°His remains were not found, so he should still be alive. Zhen believes that he will return to Zhen¡¯s side one day¡­¡± although he said this, it seems that he himself doubts it. The shadow guard also understood this, but he didn¡¯t comment on it. They are just slaves that had sword their life and loyalty to the Emperor. It is not their place to question the Emperor.


    The falcon that was still perched on the tree suddenly spreads out its wings and flew away. At first, Qin YiJun thought it went back to its own nest but then, he saw it flew over YueXing palace¡¯s wall for the first time. ¡°See? Your sibling already left. Probably to look for a mate. You should go too,¡± Qin YiJun told the falcon that was on his shoulder. The bird just stared at Qin YiJun but didn¡¯t attempt to move away. ¡°Alright, stay if you want.¡±


    After that, Qin YiJun decided to leave and return to the Imperial Study to work. Just before he stepped out of YueXing Palace gate, the falcon on his shoulder flew away, going back deeper inside. This was how the falcon usually acts, not wanting to leave the courtyard at all.


    Qin YiJun looked up at the sky, towards the distance where the other falcon had long disappeared to. ¡°At the very least, you have a chance to find your happiness while Zhen can only live with regrets¡­¡±

 Chapter 23

    As the Imperial Palace had calmed down, so does the citizens. Before, the streets and taverns would be filled with gossips. Which ministers were replaced, which ministers were removed from their court¡¯s position, which officials were arrested for which crimes, there are no less of such gossips for a few months.


    Time continues to pass by and slowly, people started to forget about the topic and things proceeded as usual. Lives continued without any more major incidents and before anyone noticed it, two cycles have passed, and it is once again the season of spring.


    Over these two years, Lin Xiao had gotten used to living in the cave with Long YinLian and the three tigers. He even managed to differentiate between Wang Lan, Wang Fan, and Wang Zan.


    Wang Lan likes to act like the big brother out of the three. He would be the first to bring his brothers along when it is time to look for food. He is also the largest amongst the three.


    Wang Fan, on the other hand, prefers to laze around. He would sleep and eat the whole day if he could. Its favorite past time was swimming in the lake near the cave they are staying. What shocked Lin Xiao the most about Wang Fan is the fact that among the three tigers, he is the fiercest. He remembered how he ran into them hunting while picking up herbs for Long YinLian and he also remembered how he had shivered in fear as he watched how ruthless Wang Fan was.


    On the other hand, Wang Zan is the one that Lin Xiao is fonds of the most. Rather than a tiger, Wang Zan reminds Lin Xiao more of a domestic cat. He likes to be pampered and spoiled. He likes to play around and whenever he saw Wang Fan swims, he would drag Long YinLian and Lin Xiao for a swim too. This usually ends up with all of them, including Wang Lan to play in the water for several hours.


    Out of all of this, it was Long YinLian that gave Lin Xiao the biggest shock. It was not long after Lin Xiao had made his full recovery when he saw Long YinLian practicing with his sword. Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the blind male. Each movement was precise and concise. It was as if Long YinLian was not visually challenged at all.


    Of course, Long YinLian also noticed that Lin Xiao had been staring at him for a while now. Any martial arts practitioner would¡¯ve been able to feel that burning gaze locked on you. So, after he was done with his practice, he turned to Lin Xiao and asked if Lin Xiao wanted to learn, to which Lin Xiao immediately accepted in his excitement. Since then, Lin Xiao had learned a lot from Long YinLian.


    Currently, Lin Xiao sparred with Long YinLian and no matter what he did, Long YinLian always seems to have a counter for it. One particular move sent the wooden sword flying from Lin Xiao¡¯s hand and soon after, the tip of Long YinLian¡¯s wooden sword touched Lin Xiao¡¯s neck. ¡°Xiao-er, you still have much to learn,¡± Long YinLian said with a smile on his face. ¡°But compared to when I first train you, you have improved a lot.¡±


    ¡°Shizun is just too strong,¡± Lin Xiao answered with a smile of his own. Although he always loses to Long YinLian, Lin Xiao never once feel downhearted. In fact, he felt proud to have such a master teaching him. The tip of the wooden sword moved away, and Lin Xiao bowed to Long YinLian as a show of respect.


    Just then, Wang Zan came over and went to Lin Xiao¡¯s side. He nuzzled against the male and Lin Xiao¡¯s hand instinctively went to pat on the tiger¡¯s head. ¡°Zan-er, want to play?¡± Lin Xiao asked, and the tiger¡¯s eyes immediately shone with excitement. Seeing this, Lin Xiao chuckled before turning to Long YinLian. ¡°Shizun, I¡¯m going to take Zan-er for a quick walk.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Just be cautious, and don¡¯t stray too far. You remember, right? The last time we went to the village, they told us how the bandits seem to have become more daring lately,¡± Long YinLian reminded him.


    ¡°Shizun does not have to worry. Lin Xiao remembers. We will be back before it gets dark,¡± Lin Xiao informed Long YinLian before he turned to Wang Zan. ¡°Come on, Zan-er!¡± Lin Xiao got on top of the tiger and started to ride him further into the forest. They usually just patrol around the perimeter of their cave to make sure no bandits found out about them. This was kept as a secret from Long YinLian, and the reason why Lin Xiao decided to do this was that he found about Long YinLian¡¯s secret stash of gold one day.


    Thus, he made it a habit to take Wang Zan out to ¡®play¡¯ every day and if there are any bandits that managed to get close to their cave, they would immediately subdue the threat. Of course, Long YinLian knows nothing about this since they will always clean up before going back to the cave.


    They had only patrolled the northern side of their cave when they heard a shout.


    ¡°Release me this instant!!¡± from the voice, Lin Xiao could assume that the voice belongs to a young maiden. He patted Wang Zan¡¯s back and pointed at the direction where the voice came from. Wang Zan understood and began to quietly approach said direction. As they got closer, more and more voices could be heard.


    ¡°Ha! Even though her guards were killed right in front of her, she still acts defiantly!¡±


    ¡°The boss would love to break her first!¡±


    ¡°How much do you think we can get from her family?¡±


    ¡°Based on her carriage, it seems that she¡¯s from a very wealthy family¡­ huh? What¡¯s this¡­¡±


    By now, Lin Xiao and Wang Zan are already close enough to see the scene plays out before them. They continued to hide in order to gauge the situation before deciding on the best course of action. They watched as one of the bandits that were near the carriage held a long, red dress.


    ¡°Guys! Look! Isn¡¯t this a wedding dress?! So, this lady is about to be sent off for marriage! We¡¯ve strike gold!¡±


    Then the bandits all laughed. Hearing the laughter, the young maiden¡¯s eyes started to tear up but not from fear, but from humiliation. She held her fist and threw herself over to one of the bandits, hoping to take them by surprise so he could try to escape but of course, it was a futile attempt. The bandit noticed this and immediately hits her across the face.


    ¡°Heh, she even tries to fight back. This lady is really something. Maybe after we got our money, we can enjoy ourselves playing with her before returning her!¡±


    Another bout of laughter filled the area and Lin Xiao felt that the young maiden has suffered enough. He covered the lower half of his face with a piece of clothing that he always wears whenever he deals with a rogue bandit. Once it was properly tied around his face, he signaled Wang Zan to go around before he went out of his hidings. His mannerism was relaxed as if the number of bandits he¡¯s facing is not terrifying enough.


    ¡°Huh? Where did you come from?¡± One of the bandits noticed him and immediately asked.


    ¡°Whatever, we are feeling generous right now because we found such a good ¡®merchandise¡¯. So, hurry and scram off!¡± another said.


    ¡°Hey! What if he reports this to the authority before we can even get back to the family of this young lady?! That would be a disaster!¡± one more scolded the one who speaks up before. ¡°Well, since we can¡¯t let you go, we¡¯ll give you a swift death instead.¡±


    Lin Xiao simply ignored them and glanced at the young lady on the ground. ¡°My lady, please close your eyes and wait for a moment. Ignore whatever you hear and no matter what, you must not move unless you wish for death,¡± he said in a calm voice. Once she did as she was told to, Lin Xiao smiled behind his mask.


    After realizing that they were being ignored, the bandit¡¯s face all turned ugly. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to defeat us alone?!¡± one of the more short-tempered bandits sounded furious. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a weapon! And there are more than a dozen of us!¡±


    Lin Xiao just chuckled when he heard this. ¡°Say¡­ Do you think I need a weapon to deal with the likes of you?¡± he replied smugly.


    ¡°You¨C!¡±


    ¡°Oh, and if you think that I am alone, then you are hugely mistaken¡­¡± Lin Xiao was smirking as he stared at the bandits with a hint of pity in his eyes. ¡°Zan-er, it¡¯s time to play!¡± Lin Xiao called out and with a loud roar, Wang Zan finally came out of its hiding place.


    Seeing the tiger, the bandits became frozen in fear before they started to flee. Of course, if they were to work together, they could¡¯ve killed Wang Zan. It was only unfortunate that Lin Xiao is around to disrupt any teamwork they try to cook up. In addition, these bandits are all spineless and have no sense of loyalty. As they ran, the one acting as the leader of the group pushed one of the bandits down to be served as cannon fodder while the rest of them ran.


    ¡°Zan-er! Leave that one and chase the rest! Don¡¯t let them escape!¡± Lin Xiao told Wang Zan who is more than happy to listen. To the tiger, chasing those who ran is more challenging than those who were downed. Lin Xiao watched as Wang Zan did as told while he approached the abandoned bandit. ¡°Now, how to deal with you¡­¡± Lin Xiao had a sadistic smile on his face though the bandit couldn¡¯t see it due to the cloth covering his face.


    Lin Xiao eyed the bandit before his eyes landed on a dagger strapped on his waist. ¡°Oh? This dagger, I will be taking this,¡± Lin Xiao said as he reached out to take the dagger. Only then did the bandit realize what Lin Xiao was doing and he tried to snatch back the dagger away. Unfortunately for him, Lin Xiao was quick to react and with one swift movement, he cut off the bandit¡¯s hand. The bandit screamed out in pain as he held his now amputated arm, looking at it with tearful eyes as if willing his hand to grow back. ¡°Ah, my apologies. My hand¡­ slipped.¡±


    After saying this, he looked over at the distance where Wang Zan is having fun with the rest of the bandits. But slowly, he saw that Wang Zan is being overpowered. Thus, he decided to go and help the tiger.


    Both human and tiger worked together seamlessly. It looked as natural as breathing. Whenever the dagger in Lin Xiao¡¯s hand found it¡¯s mark, it would never fail to take the life away. Each time he made a move, he always targets the most vulnerable place. Sometimes, the bandits couldn¡¯t even let out a scream before finding out they are now dying with a deep wound on their throat.


    Moments later, Lin Xiao returned to the bandit who was abandoned before. The rest has already turned to corpses on the ground and he was the last one alive remaining. Lin Xiao squatted before the bandit and plays with the dagger in his hand. ¡°We¡¯re done over there, so now it¡¯s your turn. Do not blame me. Blame your luck for running into me today,¡± Lin Xiao said before he held the dagger to the bandit¡¯s throat and swiftly killed him.


    After he was done, he walked over to the young lady¡¯s side and knelt beside her. ¡°My lady, you can open your eyes now,¡± Lin Xiao said as he too removed his mask.


    When the young lady opened her eyes, she couldn¡¯t believe what she sees. The bandits were completely wiped out and she stared fearfully at the man before her.


    ¡°Are you going to kill me too?¡±


    ¡°What? What makes you say that? After all the trouble I went through to save you, why would I kill you after?¡± Lin Xiao felt wronged. Just because he¡¯s ruthless, does not mean he¡¯s heartless. To be misunderstood by a fair looking young lady makes any gentleman feels hurt.


    ¡°I¡­ umm¡­ then, thank you for saving me,¡± the young lady said, and she finally had a good look at Lin Xiao¡¯s face. Only then did she find how attractive her savior is. In fact, based on look alone, he could compete with the top-ranked attractive men within the whole of Qin Empire.


    ¡°Miss¡­?¡± Lin Xiao noticed that he had been stared at and can¡¯t help but feel slightly uncomfortable. ¡°Are you feeling alright? Let me escort you to the nearby village. We can find more help there,¡± Lin Xiao said before he turned to face Wang Zan. ¡°Zan-er! Come and help carry the young miss over,¡± Lin Xiao called the tiger who then walked over to them. ¡°This is Wang Zan, don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t bite,¡± Lin Xiao introduced the tiger to the young lady.


    It seems that the state Wang Zan is in is too stimulating for her. Wang Zan¡¯s maw is covered in blood and when Wang Zan opened its mouth to let out a low growl, her face turned white before her pupils rolled to the back of her eyes. Lin Xiao immediately caught her before she fell to the ground.


    ¡°Zan-er¡­ Did she faint? I have yet to find more information about her. Maybe she experienced too much today,¡± Lin Xiao sighed before he picked her up and placed her on top of Wang Zan¡¯s back. ¡°Oh well, since we can¡¯t do anything else now, let¡¯s just carry her home first.¡±


    After saying that, Lin Xiao looked around the area and decided to bring some of her stuff along, especially the wedding dress and other things that he deemed important. As for the dead bodies of the guards and servants, though Lin Xiao felt pity, he did not have the luxury to bury them. ¡°Well, I¡¯m really sorry. But since your Young Miss is safe now, I hope you will find peace,¡± Lin Xiao offered them his prayer before he left the area with Wang Zan who is carrying the young lady. This time, Lin Xiao decided not to clean up. After all, he must tell Long YinLian about the young lady and that means, he needs to tell him about the bandits too.


    After he left, a bird of prey lands on the nearby tree. It was an adult falcon, and though it has yet to reach its full size, it was already big enough to fly off with a rabbit. This time its gaze followed Lin Xiao and the rest. Whenever the three are about to leave its sight, it would spread its wings and with few flaps, it will choose to land on a nearby tree. This continues on all the way until Lin Xiao and the rest reached their dwellings.

 Chapter 24 - Any woman who marries him will be lucky, ah!

    Lin Xiao sat beside the bed as he waited patiently for the young lady to wake up. Earlier, Long YinLian had told him to escort her to Senlin village once she wakes up so she can get help from the officials there. It has been a good three hours since then but there was no sign of her waking up.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t accidentally die of shock from seeing Zan-er, right?¡± Lin Xiao wondered but he immediately threw those stupid thought away after confirming that she is still breathing. Another hour passed, and the sky was getting darker. Long YinLian had also returned from his bath with the three tigers in tow. Lin Xiao quickly went to the other¡¯s side and supported him out of habit even though he knew Long YinLian can manage on his own.


    ¡°Xiao-er, is she still not up?¡± Long YinLian asked as he settled down on a wooden stool with Lin Xiao¡¯s help.


    ¡°Not yet. She didn¡¯t even twitch,¡± Lin Xiao answered. ¡°I even finished making the stew for tonight¡¯s dinner! Shizun, how about we eat dinner first?¡±


    ¡°Mmn¡­ Alright. Let us eat dinner first,¡± Long YinLian agreed and Lin Xiao immediately went to work.


    He prepared the bowl for Long YinLian and handed it over to the older male as careful as he could. ¡°It¡¯s still a bit hot. So, blow on them a bit before you eat them,¡± he warned Long YinLian. Only after making sure that Long YinLian is eating did Lin Xiao grab his own portion.


    The three tigers already ate earlier so now they were only lazing around on the ground. Wang Zan would occasionally eye the figure sleeping on the bed in a curious manner. Wang Zan had wanted to go over but with one warning look from Lin Xiao, he stopped and went back to lay down on the ground.


    Dinner didn¡¯t last too long and they were both full after one bowl of stew. Lin Xiao was about to go and clean the dish when he heard a groan coming from the direction of the bed. Lin Xiao placed the dish back on the table and walked over to the side of the bed. ¡°Awake yet?¡±


    Not long after he said that, she finally opens her eyes. The first thing she saw was Lin Xiao and she immediately sat up straight and knelt on the bed. ¡°Thank you for saving me! I am really indebted to you,¡± she said as she bowed to Lin Xiao. ¡°The shock of the death of my family guards must have been too much because I had imagined you have a tiger beside you before passing out,¡± she said as she laughed in embarrassment. Then, she saw Wang Zan who had come over out of curiosity and her face went pale. ¡°Oh¡­ no¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait! Wait!! Don¡¯t pass out!!¡± Lin Xiao quickly grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her body so that she¡¯s facing him. ¡°Listen, you don¡¯t have to worry, alright? Wang Zan is very gentle. He won¡¯t hurt you,¡± Lin Xiao said with a gentle voice, trying to assure the young lady as much as he could. It seemed to be working because Lin Xiao could see her cheek gaining a slight reddish color and he let out a relieved sigh.


    ¡°Anyway, my name is Lin Xiao. And this here is Wang Zan,¡± Lin Xiao introduced themselves. ¡°Over there, you can see my shizun. Those two tigers over there is Wang Lan and Wang Fan. Don¡¯t worry, they will not harm you,¡± Lin Xiao quickly added the last sentence when he noticed that her body was shaking. ¡°I was supposed to send you to the village after you wake up but now it¡¯s already dark and it is not safe to travel through the forest at night. Sister can rest here for tonight. I will escort you to the village tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Umm¡­ thank you¡­¡± the young lady looked at Lin Xiao who only gave her a smile in return. Her heart started to beat faster and she quickly looked away. ¡°I¡­ My name is Fei YuXing,¡± she shyly introduced herself.


    ¡°Alright, then Lin Xiao will call you sister Fei from now on.¡±


    ¡°Xiao-er, come here for a second,¡± Long YinLian called Lin Xiao over.


    Lin Xiao glanced over at Long YinLian who is currently going through the items that Lin Xiao brought back earlier when he saved Fei YuXing. ¡°Sister Fei, please excuse me for a bit. When I come back, I¡¯ll also bring you something to eat,¡± Lin Xiao said to the young lady before he walked over to Long YinLian. Fei YuXing wanted to follow so she could also thank Long YinLian but when he saw the two other tigers, she decided to just stay quietly on the bed.


    ¡°Shizun, what is it?¡± Lin Xiao asked in a soft voice once he is seated beside Long YinLian.


    He saw that Long YinLian held a wooden token in his hand, gently rubbing his thumb against its surface. ¡°Xiao-er, you said you found this along with her belongings?¡±


    ¡°En. It looks important so I brought it along with the rest of her jewelry. I mean, with the red dress, it is already confirmed that she was sent over for marriage. Those jewelry must¡¯ve been her dowry,¡± Lin Xiao explained.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Long YinLian stopped the movement of his thumb and seemed to be pondering about something. After a while, he raised the token up to Lin Xiao for the other to take. ¡°Xiao-er, I have only felt the surface but, can you tell me what you see?¡±


    Lin Xiao blinked a few times before he looked over at the wooden token. ¡°Well, there is only a single character carved into it and it says ¡®Xia¡¯,¡± the moment the word left Lin Xiao¡¯s lips, Long YinLian stiffened. ¡°Shizun, is there something wrong with it?¡± Lin Xiao asked when he saw Long YinLian¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Long YinLian shook his head. ¡°Have you given the lady something to eat? She has woken up, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes! She¡¯s already up. If there is nothing else, Lin Xiao will go deliver the stew to sister Fei.¡±


    ¡°She is surnamed Fei?¡±


    ¡°En. She said her name is Fei YuXing.¡±


    ¡°I see. Alright, go on. Do not keep the guest waiting,¡± Long YinLian said as he stood up. ¡°After you give her dinner, come meet me outside,¡± Long YinLian told Lin Xiao as he walked out of the cave.


    Lin Xiao felt that there is something that Long YinLian is hiding. He wanted to ask, but he also felt that it is inappropriate. ¡®Shizun will tell me when the time is right¡­¡¯ he thought to himself as he went to scoop the stew for Fei YuXing. He returned to Fei YuXing with a bowl in his hand.


    ¡°Sister Fei, this is the stew I made. Hope the taste is to your liking,¡± Lin Xiao said as he handed the wooden bowl over to her.


    Fei YuXing at first hesitated to take it but then, she quickly snapped out of it and hurriedly took the bowl. ¡°Thank you, brother Lin,¡± she said with a smile. She knew that as a guest, she shouldn¡¯t be picky. ¡®So, what if I have to eat from a wooden bowl? I¡¯m lucky enough to even eat. If brother Lin didn¡¯t save me earlier¡­¡¯ as the thought run across her mind, Fei YuXing shivered.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling cold?¡± Lin Xiao looked at her worriedly. ¡°Hold on,¡± he said as he went over to the corner of the cave. When he returned, Lin Xiao had a fur of an animal on his hands. ¡°This is the pelt of a bear. It¡¯s already tanned so they¡¯re quite clean. You can use them as blanket,¡± Lin Xiao then placed the fur on the bed beside Fei YuXing. ¡°I will be going out for a bit with my shizun. If you need anything, just call out. We won¡¯t be far,¡± Lin Xiao said before he finally left her alone.


    Fei YuXing first looked at the bowl of stew, then at the fur pelt on the bed. She didn¡¯t know what to make of Lin Xiao¡¯s kindness, but she could feel her heart was moved. Unfortunately, she had to throw such thoughts away. ¡®Fei YuXing, you are already promised to someone else. Don¡¯t bring dishonor to your family now¡­¡¯ she reprimanded herself before finally eating the stew.


    When the taste of the stew hit her mouth, her eyes widened, and the pace of her eating quickened. Before long, she finished her bowl and was feeling satisfied. ¡°Brother Lin¡¯s cooking really taste good¡­ Any woman who marries him will be lucky, ah!¡±


    A/N: I have no excuse¡­ I totally forgot about this site x.x

 Chapter 25 - White Swan

    Lin Xiao left the cave to meet with Long YinLian outside. He saw the other sitting on a rock with Wang Lan resting beside him. For some reason, Lin Xiao could sense a melancholic atmosphere around Long YinLian.


    ¡°Shizun, I¡¯m here. Is there something you want to tell me?¡± Lin Xiao asked as soon as he was close enough.


    ¡°En. Tomorrow morning, go to Senlin village and bring this along,¡± Long YinLian handed a medium-sized box to Lin Xiao. ¡°Purchase a carriage for the young lady. Make sure they are comfortable to be used for a long journey. Any leftovers, use them to buy foods enough for two days journey. We are going to the capital,¡± Long YinLian paused for a while, before finally adding another sentence. ¡°And try to hire a few mercenaries as an escort. But whatever you do, never ever mention we¡¯re bringing the young lady. Not to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Is her identity special?¡± Lin Xiao asked in a curious tone.


    ¡°In a way¡­ you can say that she is related to me,¡± was all Long YinLian said before he finally stood up. ¡°You can take my bed. I can sleep on the ground tonight.¡±


    At this, Lin Xiao immediately stopped Long YinLian on his track. ¡°Nonsense! Shizun, you should sleep on your bed. Your disciple can sleep on the ground with Zan-er!¡± Lin Xiao said as he took Long YinLian¡¯s arm and began to lead him back into the cave. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a bit cold tonight. So, make sure you stay warm, alright?¡±


    Lin Xiao helped Long YinLian to his bed before he went to huddle together with the other three tigers. Because of them, Lin Xiao never once felt cold that night.


    The next morning, Lin Xiao woke up early to prepare breakfast. He caught some rabbits, then he roasted them before leaving a note for the young lady to eat them for breakfast. Then, he packed some for himself before going to the lake to clean up. Only once he¡¯s clean and proper did he go down to the village.


    When he arrived at the village, the sun had just finished rising. He could see the villagers are now all up and about, preparing to start their daily routine. The first thing that he did was going to the stable. He purchased a carriage and two sets of horses. Next, he bought a cart that is big enough to carry their ingredients, as well as to hide the three tigers. After that, he begins shopping for ingredients. With the amount he was buying, it attracted the villager¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Xiao, are you going to travel?¡± one of the villagers asked.


    ¡°Yes. Shizun and I are going to the capital,¡± he replied politely.


    ¡°Ah, is that so? Did your family finally found you and asked you to go back?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ yes. You can say that,¡± Lin Xiao answered. Since Long YinLian said that he can¡¯t tell anyone about Fei YuXing, he can only lie.


    After he finished stocking up, he checked on the box that Long YinLian had given him the night before. He had already spent so much and yet, the box he carried doesn¡¯t seem to be losing too much weight. ¡°Well¡­ this box is full of gold pieces and yet, I barely use ten pieces,¡± Lin Xiao murmured softly before he took out twenty gold pieces out. He then covered the box with a cloth and tied it to his back.


    His next destination was the mercenary guild outpost. Due to the increase of bandit¡¯s activities, the Officials decided to create the guild to help them clean up the bandits. But because of the way it is set up, in the end, even the Officials cannot abolish them. They are the citizen¡¯s hope when they cannot even get to the capital to get help. Lin Xiao entered the outpost and went straight to the counter.


    ¡°Welcome to Senlin¡¯s Mercenary Outpost! Are you here to look for a job to do or are you here to post a job?¡± the attendant asked.


    ¡°I am here to hire mercenary to be guards and escort for my shizun and I,¡± Lin Xiao answered before he took out ten pieces of gold and placed it on top of the table. ¡°The destination is the capital. Foods are provided. Prefer someone who knows martial arts. Because there may be some danger, my shizun told me to pay each who accepted the job a piece of gold. Then once we arrived, we¡¯ll pay another two pieces.¡±


    Lin Xiao said this without breaking eye contact and he could see that the attendant is already interested the moment the gold pieces were placed on the table. ¡°The job will begin today, at noon,¡± Lin Xiao added, and the attendant¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    ¡°This young master, to find people this quick is not¡ª¡±


    Lin Xiao didn¡¯t let him finish and quickly placed another five gold pieces onto the table. The attendant¡¯s eyes went wide, and Lin Xiao just smiled at him. ¡°Money is not a problem. Oh, this is just extra but if you can find me, someone who knows how to keep a secret, I¡¯ll throw in another five gold pieces as payment,¡± Lin Xiao added with a smirk.


    ¡°Consider it done! You¡¯re in luck. The White Swan had just arrived a few days ago and is free of jobs at the moment. Though they should be resting for another three days, I¡¯m sure I can convince them to accept your job,¡± the attendant informed Lin Xiao.


    Hearing the name White Swan, Lin Xiao felt a sense of relief. The White Swan is a group of mercenaries. They are only eight in number, but they are all what they call the top class. ¡°Tell them to wait for me at the southern entrance of the village by noon. Here is your five pieces of gold,¡± Lin Xiao said as he handed the payment over to the attendant. After that, he left the outpost feeling slightly cheated. ¡°Ai¡­ twenty gold pieces, ah! How much food can we buy with that? It¡¯ll enough to last us for a decade at least!¡± Lin Xiao sighed as he shook his head.

 Chapter 26

    While Lin Xiao went to the village, Long YinLian stays with Fei YuXing in the cave. Fei YuXing didn¡¯t say anything because she was feeling uncomfortable, especially with three tigers staring at her. It already took her everything she had not to faint on the spot.


    ¡°Young Lady Fei,¡± Long YinLian called out, breaking the awkward silence. ¡°If I may ask¡­ what is your relationship with the Xia family?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Fei YuXing hesitated for a while, contemplating whether to tell Long YinLian or not. In the end, she decided to trust him considering that this man is Lin Xiao¡¯s master. ¡°I¡¯m betrothed to the third son of Xia family¡¯s patriarch. His name is Xia WenYao. Although I have never met him before, it was something that our family had long decided before we were even born. But I heard he has a good temperament. It was said that it was because of his father. Throughout his marriage, his father never once taken any mistress. Everyone says he¡¯s the ideal husband!¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you, Miss Fei,¡± Long YinLian said before he stood up.


    When Fei YuXing saw this, she quickly reached out to hold Long YinLian¡¯s arm. ¡°Wait, wait¡­ Master Long, where are you going? Please don¡¯t leave me alone!¡± she said as she eyed the tigers worriedly.


    ¡°I am just going outside for some fresh air,¡± Long YinLian said with a small chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be alone. Lan-er, Fan-er and Zan-er will stay with you.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s exactly why I don¡¯t want you to leave, Master Long! I¡¯m afraid to stay alone with them!¡¯ Fei YuXing thought before she quickly said: ¡°How about I go with you? I mean¡­ you¡¯re blind, right? Won¡¯t you need help going anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Young lady, I¡¯ve already lived this way for years. I¡¯m used to it. You should just stay here,¡± Long YinLian said in a gentle tone. Even after assuring her, Long YinLian felt the hold around his arm only tightened and he let out a long sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not good for a lady to walk on the mountain alone with a man,¡± Long YinLian said before he then removed Fei YuXing¡¯s hold on his arm and sat back down.


    The awkward silence returned, until suddenly the three tigers stood up and faced the entrance of the cave. They let out a warning growl, as if an attacker is approaching them. Even Long YinLian¡¯s demeanor changed. Now he seems to emit an air of coldness.


    ¡°Miss Fei, please stay here. We have some unwanted guests,¡± Long YinLian said as he stood up. He also grabbed his sword as he walked to the cave entrance followed by the three tigers.


    Outside the cave, there was a group of bandits circling around it. Each holding different kind of weapon on one hand. The number of bandits reached twenty people.


    ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re here?¡± one of the bandits, who appears to be the leader asked.


    ¡°Yes, boss! I saw it with my own eyes! Those three tigers are surely inside! If we can catch them, we¡¯ll make good money!¡± another bandit answered cheerfully.


    ¡°Alright. You, you and you, go on inside and lure those tigers out!¡± the bandit leader said as he pointed at his men.


    The three bandits chosen, though their face shows trace of unwillingness, still did as they were told. They were just about to enter the cave when suddenly, a loud roar came from the cave. The roar was enough to make the three bandits from earlier to fall onto their butt before they scampered off, back to their group.


    The rest of the bandits had also raised their weapons when they heard the roar. Soon, right in front of their eyes, three tigers came out from the cave. The greed from the bandit leader¡¯s eyes can no longer be hidden but then, it changed into a frown when he saw Long YinLian behind the tigers.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me there¡¯s someone else here!¡± the bandit leader scolded the bandit who informed him of the tigers earlier.


    ¡°Boss! It¡¯s just one blind man. Plus, look at the sword he¡¯s holding! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll fetch some good money?¡±


    The bandit leader narrowed his eyes and focused his gaze onto the sword that was on Long YinLian¡¯s hand. Though it looked simple at one glance, but once one was to look at it properly, even someone with no knowledge of swords will know that the sword is something remarkable. Knowing this, the greed in the bandit¡¯s eyes amplified.


    ¡®And since he¡¯s blind, we can take advantage of this situation¡­¡¯


    ¡°That blind man over there! We¡¯re a mercenary group called Thunder Hawk. We were tasked by the mercenary guild to take those three tigers away because they have terrorized the locals nearby!¡± the bandit leader said, and it gained a look of confusion from his own men. The leader signaled his men to simply play along, then gestured to his eyes, then to Long YinLian.


    ¡°Ah! Yes! Yes! We have just picked this request up this morning from Senlin village mercenary outpost!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Are you the master of these three tigers? Just be obedient and hand them over! They have already injured and even killed people. In fact, as their master, you are also responsible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ah! Maybe if you hand that sword over, we can sell it and you¡¯ll be able to pay for all the damages that was done by your tigers!¡±


    Once they understood their leader¡¯s plan, these bandits all played along, showing their teamwork in weaving lies. Unfortunately, Long YinLian is not someone who is easily tricked, not to mention, he knows his little tigers well.


    ¡°I think all of you are mistaken. It is impossible for my sons to harm the villagers. In fact, people in Senlin village knows of them. They also know that these three sons of mine always helps lost children go back to their home so how can anyone post a job about taking them away because they¡¯re dangerous?¡± Long YinLian asked back.


    ¡°Are you saying that we, the Thunder Hawk, is lying?!¡± the bandit leader asked. The reason he chose to impersonate the Thunder Hawk is due to their reputation. Just like the White Swan, the Thunder Hawk is one of the top ranked mercenary group known for their righteous attitude. Also, compared to the White Swan, Thunder Hawk is bigger in group and their leader was said to be from a well-known family in the capital.


    ¡°I am not saying that the Thunder Hawk is lying,¡± Long YinLian replied. ¡°I am just saying that you are all mistaken. You might have identified the wrong tigers.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! In the end, are you going to hand them over, or forfeit your life?!¡± the leader blew up, unable to hold his anger back.


    ¡°If you have a son, and your son was unjustly accused of crime and someone came to take him away, would you hand him over?¡± Long YinLian asked back. He then unsheathed his sword; the blade made a sound that was close to the sound of a dragon¡¯s cry. ¡°The Thunder Hawk have three iron clad rule.¡±


    ¡°Never harm those who are innocent.¡±


    ¡°Never take advantage of those who are weaker.¡±


    ¡°And lastly¡­ Never use the Thunder Hawk¡¯s name for your own benefit.¡±


    Long YinLian said this calmly. He even used some of his inner force to amplify his voice so even though he spoke in a relaxed manner, every single one of the bandits around him can hear him clearly.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve broken one of the rules, as one of your predecessors, it is my responsibility to punish you. Only¡­ breaking the ironclad rule can only mean death.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Fei YuXing stayed in the cave just as Long YinLian told her to. But then, she heard Long YinLian talking about the Thunder Hawk¡¯s three iron-clad rule. ¡®Thunder Hawk? Isn¡¯t that the mercenary group that the Patriarch of Xia family is leading? It was said that he created it with a dear friend of his¡­ Wait! Master Long said he¡¯s one of Thunder Hawk¡¯s predecessor?!¡¯


    Several questions were running through her mind. She was curious. And in the end, her curiosity overcame her reason and she slowly approached the entrance of the cave. The closer she got; she can hear the sound of battle. Weapons clashing, tiger roars and people¡¯s pained scream.


    When she finally reached the entrance, her face paled at the scene that greets her. She covered her mouth with her hands and started to heave. The meal that she had for breakfast, threatening to come out of her throat.


    ¡°There¡¯s a woman! She must be his daughter or at least, someone important! Catch her!¡±


    Fei YuXing could hear one of the bandit yells at her. Her feet suddenly became weak and she couldn¡¯t move. Long YinLian had also heard the yell and his expression changed, looking slightly nervous.


    ¡°Zan-er! Quickly go and protect Miss Fei!¡± Long YinLian said as he proceeded to kill the bandit he was engaging.


    Wang Zan heard Long YinLian¡¯s order and quickly rushed over and stood before Fei YuXing in a protective manner. He roared at the approaching bandits, warning them to not come closer.


    ¡°It¡¯s just one tiger! What is there to be scared of?!¡± one of the bandits said.


    They were just about to rush over and attack Wang Zan when suddenly, they heard their leader yell at them to stop.


    ¡°Stop! Stop! STOP!!¡± the bandit leaders voiced out three times. When the bandits stopped and looked over at their leader, they saw that he was already on his knees. Behind him, stood a young man who held a dagger close to his neck and they could even see there was a trail of bloods trickling down to his collarbone.


    Fei YuXing saw this young man, and she can¡¯t help feeling relieved. ¡°Brother Lin! You came back!¡±


    Hearing her remark, the bandits turned to Lin Xiao and aimed their weapon at him.


    ¡°Everyone, stop right now and drop your weapon! Hurry!¡±


    The bandits were still a bit lost but one by one, they dropped their weapon. Some were feeling apprehensive. After all, their rewards are right before their eyes and though they have lost some comrade, they still outnumbered their prey.


    ¡°This young man¡­ my men have now stopped. Can you please release me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? No. Not yet,¡± Lin Xiao said as he eyed every single one of the bandits. ¡°Tell everyone to line up and get on their knees.¡±


    The bandit leader glared at Lin Xiao, but Lin Xiao ignored the silent threat and instead, made a deeper cut on the leader¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Everyone! Do as he say! Line up! On your knees, quick! Quick!¡±


    Lin Xiao scoffed at the leader¡¯s action. ¡®If you want to fight back then at least be more determined.¡¯


    When Lin Xiao saw that all the bandits did as they were told, he nods his head in satisfaction. ¡°Good. Good. Miss Fei!¡± Lin Xiao called out to the young lady. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you. Can you grab the ropes inside? There should be one near the tanning rack.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Alright! Give me a moment!¡± Fei YuXing went into the cave to look for the rope.


    On the other hand, Long YinLian had already cleaned up his blade and sheathed them back. Since Lin Xiao had already returned, everything seems to be almost solved now. ¡°Xiao-er, what do you plan to do with them?¡± Long YinLian asked.


    ¡°Well, I plan to send them over to the Mercenary Guild to deal with.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good choice. They say they are from the Thunder Hawk. So, let¡¯s just let the Mercenary Guild inform their leader about their conduct,¡± Long YinLian said.


    ¡°These people? The Thunder Hawk?¡± Lin Xiao glanced at the bandits. ¡°Shizun, no matter how I see them, they look like your typical bandits. How can they be the well-known Thunder Hawk? Shizun was just taken advantage of!¡± Lin Xiao informed Long YinLian before he smacked the bandit leader¡¯s head.


    ¡°Are they? I¡¯m glad then. At the very least, the Thunder Hawk didn¡¯t fall as I thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because Shizun couldn¡¯t see so they tried to take advantage of you. I¡¯ll be sure to make them pay,¡± Lin Xiao grumbled.


    Not long after, Fei YuXing returned with a coil of rope. ¡°Brother Lin! Here it is!¡±


    ¡°Good! Throw it to those scumbags over there,¡± Lin Xiao said as he gestured to the bandits who were lined up with his head.


    Due to her fear of the bandits, she didn¡¯t get close so, Fei YuXing threw the rope as hard as she could, but the rope still lands quite far from the bandits. Lin Xiao didn¡¯t mind this though. So instead, he pointed his dagger to the bandit at the very end of the line. ¡°You, go get that rope and tie up your comrade¡¯s hands together.¡±


    The bandit at first hesitated but he was quickly being scolded by the leader that he ends up doing as he was told. Thirteen bandits were tied up, left with two. Lin Xiao then gestured for the bandit who was chosen to tie up his friends to come over.


    ¡°Tie your leader up. Don¡¯t do anything suspicious or else, more blood will be spilt,¡± Lin Xiao warned, though his words were aimed more towards the leader since he has the final say. In the end, after the leader is all tied up, Lin Xiao personally tied the last bandit up.


    ¡°Alright! One last thing,¡± Lin Xiao used the rest of the rope and binds the bandit¡¯s together so they will not be able to escape. ¡°Shizun! Everything is done! Shall we go now?¡±


    ¡°En. Let me go and get my things. Then we can go,¡± Long YinLian replied as he went to the cave.


    After Long YinLian came out of the cave, only then did they begin their journey to Senlin village. Their first stop was the Mercenary Guild Outpost. Lin Xiao literally just dropped the bandits onto the hands of the Mercenary Guild to handle since he doesn¡¯t want anything to do with the officials in charge.


    Next, they went to the southern entrance of Senlin village. Lin Xiao could see that the carriage and the wagon he bought is already properly prepared. He could also see a group of people nearby. ¡®Eight people, exactly the number of the White Swan member,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself.


    ¡°Shizun, you will be in the carriage with Miss Fei. Come on, let me help you,¡± Lin Xiao said as he led Long YinLian to the carriage.


    ¡°No. Xiao-er, Miss Fei will be alone. I can walk,¡± Long YinLian told Lin Xiao.


    ¡°No way! Why do Shizun have to walk?¡±


    ¡°Xiao-er, a man and a woman cannot be alone in an enclosed space. Understand?¡± Long YinLian explained. ¡°It is not proper,¡± he added as he reached out and pats Lin Xiao¡¯s head. ¡°Go and help Miss Fei into her carriage.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Shizun should at least ride the wagon. Let me help you first,¡± Lin Xiao said as he then led Long YinLian to the wagon. He helped the man up and then told the three tigers to go in and rests. Only then did Lin Xiao helped Fei YuXing to the carriage.


    After everything was done, Lin Xiao went to greet the White Swan Mercenary group. He walked over and then cusped his hands together. ¡°Greetings, brothers and sisters from the White Swan. I am Lin Xiao, your client. I am relieved that you agreed to take the job to escort us to the capital. So, we will be in your care for these two days,¡± Lin Xiao said with a smile before he bowed slightly.


    ¡°Brother Lin, do not worry. We, from the White Swan is very reliable. There have yet a task that we failed to complete,¡± the leader said proudly. ¡°I am called Ruo An. Leader of the White Swan. This here is the captain, Wei Yan,¡± Ruo An continued to introduce the member of the White Swan to Lin Xiao. After the introduction, Lin Xiao once again explained of their task, and their contract.


    ¡°So, brother Lin¡­ Who is that young lady from before?¡± Ruo An can¡¯t help but ask. He had noticed Fei YuXing earlier, and can¡¯t help his curiosity. From her demeanor alone, he knew that she is a young lady from a very well-off family.


    ¡°Here is the first payment. The rest will be paid once we reached our destination,¡± Lin Xiao said as he handed Ruo An sixteen gold pieces, cleverly ignoring the question.


    Ruo An counted the number of gold and found that it was double of what was promised. ¡°Brother Lin! You¡¯re giving more than what you stated earlier. Did you miscalculate?¡± Ruo An asked as he divide the gold pieces into two and was just about to give it back to Lin Xiao.


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t miscalculate, brother Ruo. The extra are payments for your silence,¡± Lin Xiao said as he placed a finger up to his lips. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t ask anything about my lady anymore.¡±


    Ruo An was rendered speechless but he still cupped his hands together. ¡°I apologize for my rudeness, brother Lin. You have my word that we won¡¯t bring it up again.¡±


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s hope we have a pleasant journey,¡± Lin Xiao replied, feeling satisfied. ¡°Since you already know that the one in the carriage is a lady, I hope sister Yun can be the coachman for the carriage,¡± as Lin Xiao said this, his eyes landed on one of the female members of the White Swan who only nods her head.


    ¡°Of course. That is not a problem at all!¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s not waste anymore time. We¡¯ll depart now. In order to arrive at the capital within two days, we will need to set camps in the wilderness. Don¡¯t worry about food. I am quite confident in my cooking!¡± Lin Xiao said before he went to the wagon with the horses. Then he watched as the members of the White Swan made a final check on their inventory before they finally begin their journey.

 Chapter 28

    The group was just about to depart when a falcon suddenly flew down and went around Lin Xiao. ¡°Oh, its you again,¡± Lin Xiao said as he held out his arm and the bird landed on it carefully. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since your last visit. Where have you been?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    Few years ago, this falcon came to them and for some reason, it was very tame. It even liked to play with Lin Xiao. But the bird doesn¡¯t stay for a long time. It would stay for a month before leaving, only to return few months later. This continues for a while and even now, it still managed to find Lin Xiao even though he¡¯s not in the cave.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the capital today. Are you going to follow?¡± Lin Xiao asked the falcon who only screeches before it flew up and rests on the top of the carriage. ¡°Well, alright then,¡± Lin Xiao said with a smile.


    ¡°Brother Lin, are you done? We should really depart now. There¡¯s this path towards the capital that had been overrun by wolves recently. If possible, I wish to go past that path before nighttime. If not, we will have to camp before going there but the journey will be delayed by a day,¡± Ruo An informed.


    ¡°Ah, alright! We¡¯ll depart now!¡± Lin Xiao said as he went to the front of the wagon to act as the coachman.


    At the beginning, their journey was smooth and with the protection of the White Swan, they never had any trouble. Even bandits decided to steer away from them. But unfortunately, there was a group of merchants that was attacked by bandits and Lin Xiao¡¯s group was just going through the same path.


    The guards the merchants had hired struggled to keep up with the bandits¡¯ assault. There was only one path forward so in the end, some of the White Swan members decided to help, while the rest kept guard.


    ¡°Xiao-er, what¡¯s wrong? Is it bandit attack?¡± Long YinLian who were resting in the wagon asked Lin Xiao.


    ¡°En. There¡¯s a merchant¡¯s caravan before us that is being attacked by bandits. Don¡¯t worry, the White Swan is already working on subduing the bandits,¡± Lin Xiao replied as he watched the battle before him.


    Long YinLian who were resting inside the wagon then remembered that Lin Xiao do not have a weapon of his own other than a small dagger that was bought for him two years ago. ¡°Xiao-er, come here,¡± Long YinLian called for Lin Xiao. He felt the wagon shifts and soon, he could sense the younger male nearby. ¡°Here, take this,¡± Long YinLian gave his sword over to Lin Xiao. ¡°And go help them with the bandits. Remember to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Shizun, if you want me to help them, I can just use the dagger,¡± Lin Xiao eyed the sword in Long YinLian¡¯s hand. He knew how important this sword is to the other. After all, he always sees Long YinLian clean the blade with utmost care every night.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just take it and go. The faster the bandits are subdued, the better it is for us,¡± Long YinLian reasoned. ¡°Also, a sword¡¯s reach is farther than a dagger. Just listen to your master and take it.¡±


    Lin Xiao wasn¡¯t left with any leeway to reject it, so he took the sword in a carful manner. ¡°I will return this soon,¡± Lin Xiao said before he left the wagon. Outside, he saw that the number of bandits are decreasing, but they still outnumbered them.


    After telling the White Swan member who stays guard to keep watch on the wagon, he walked forward to join the battle. He had never used the sword before, but in just few swings, Lin Xiao was able to get used to it. The sword fits in his hand comfortably, as if it was made solely for him.


    ¡®Whoever the craftsman is, they are very talented,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought as he continued to cut down the bandits. Not only was the sword easy to wield, the blade was also sharp. They cleanly cut into the bandit¡¯s flesh. Time goes by and the bandits was finally subdued. Some of them escaped when they noticed that they were losing while the rest were either dead, or heavily injured.


    Lin Xiao glanced around the area and then turned to Ruo An. ¡°Kill them and deal with the corpse quickly,¡± Lin Xiao said as he cleaned the blade off the blood that was staining it.


    ¡°Brother Lin, about the one that are still alive, can we just bring them along? If we hand them over to the Mercenary guild¡­¡± Ruo An tried to talk over Lin Xiao about killing them. After all, there are rewards for any bandits caught. Of course, the leaders would pack more rewards alive. Unfortunately, the leaders had escaped earlier.


    ¡°They are heavily injured; do you think they can survive?¡± Lin Xiao asked Ruo An.


    ¡°There is a village nearby, and if we go there quickly, we¡¯ll be able to hand them over before they drew their last. Or if you¡¯d like, I can send some of my people to get them to the Mercenary guild and they can just catch up to us later,¡± Ruo An replied.


    Lin Xiao thought for a while before he glanced over at the wagon and the carriage. Then, he looked up at the sky, trying to determine the position of the sun. ¡°It is almost time for lunch. Let us just go to the village then. We¡¯ll have our lunch there,¡± Lin Xiao finally said after a while.


    Just as he said it, the merchant who owned the caravan approached him, escorted by the guards he hired. Lin Xiao frowned as he stared at the merchant, not liking the vibe he¡¯s getting. ¡°Brother Ruo, I¡¯ll leave this merchant to you. I¡¯ll go and see Shizun to inform him of our change of plan,¡± Lin Xiao said as he walked away.


    ¡°Wait, wait¡­ This young lord, please wait,¡± the merchant saw that Lin Xiao was about to walk away and he quickly called out to Lin Xiao to stop him. ¡°Please, young lord, can you tell me where you are going? Are you going to the capital? If so, can I tag along?¡±


    ¡°Tag along? Why should I let you?¡± Lin Xiao asked back. Having a merchant¡¯s caravan with them is simply like signaling the bandits to come over and loot them. It will only bring them nothing but trouble.


    ¡°Young lord, please! I can pay! Just let me tag along! I-¡­ at the very least, can you just take my daughter to the capital?¡± the merchant tried to compromise. But Lin Xiao simply ignored him.


    When Lin Xiao reached the wagon, the merchant was still following him. Even the price he¡¯s offering is getting higher and higher. It was unfortunate that Lin Xiao does not want to let them tag along.


    Long YinLian had heard the ruckus outside, and he heard what the merchant was saying. He lifted the sheet covering the wagon slightly and peeked his head up. ¡°Xiao-er, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Shi-¡°


    ¡°Lord! Please help this poor merchant. Please allow me and my caravan to tag along,¡± before Lin Xiao could even say anything, the merchant quickly cut him off and begged Long YinLian. He figured that since the other addressed Lin Xiao with a term of endearment, that means this person is the most probably the one with most authority.


    ¡°Are you also going to the capital?¡± Long YinLian asked.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Please, lord! After the bandits attack earlier, the guards I hired are mostly injured and I don¡¯t think it is safe for us to travel alone¡­¡± the merchant replied.


    ¡°Since the destination is the same, you can tag along,¡± Long YinLian said before turning to Lin Xiao. ¡°Xiao-er, make sure you help the gentleman properly, alright?¡±


    ¡°I-¡­¡± Lin Xiao just stared at Long YinLian for a while before letting out a heavy sigh. He should¡¯ve known that Long YinLian will agree to help the merchant since that was his nature. ¡°Alright. But we¡¯re going to the nearby village first. Brother Ruo said he wanted to hand the bandits who are still alive to the Mercenary guild and since we¡¯re there, we¡¯ll also have lunch there,¡± Lin Xiao informed the older male.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Go and inform Miss Fei too,¡± Long YinLian said before he went back to the wagon.


    Lin Xiao turned to the merchant with a dissatisfied expression on his face. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. Go and prepare your caravan. You heard what I said earlier. We are going to the village first,¡± Lin Xiao said before he went to the carriage where Fei YuXing is. After informing her of the small change, he returned to the wagon, but he saw the merchant was still standing around. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡±


    The merchant looked a bit nervous, but he still decided to speak to Lin Xiao. ¡°Young lord, I am called Ping Jianyu. When we arrived at the capital, I will make sure to reward you properly! Also, I noticed that you have the White Swan as your escort so, when we arrive, I¡¯ll compensate you too!¡±


    ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll talk more about it once we arrive at the capital. For now, just go and prepare your caravan to move. We¡¯ll depart as soon as the White Swan has finished dealing with the corpse.¡±


    _______________________________________________________________________


    A/N: If you guys like the story so far, you can read more at: https://tapas.io/series/The-Emperor-and-His-Thief


    I update more regularly there (actually, still once a week. But because of an event from before, they received more chapter release than here so it is more advanced there).


    Of course, I will still update here. Everything are still scheduled until January.

 Chapter 29

    When they arrived at the village that Ruo An mentioned, the time of the day has just entered Wei shi and their stomach has been calling for food. Though Lin Xiao had made sure his small group have few dry breads to snack on, it is not enough.


    The village was called Beiyun village and it is a peaceful village. The reason for this is probably because the official that oversee the village is a great person. Their carriage and wagon, as well as the merchant¡¯s caravan must be parked outside the village. Luckily, there are official guards guarding the area and they only have to pay 500 silver each. These were all borne by the merchant who tagged along with them. But while everyone else is gathering around, Lin Xiao slipped another three gold pieces to the guard, and informed him not to check the wagon. After all, his ¡®three little brothers¡¯ cannot go into the village.


    When Lin Xiao came over to the group, he finally saw the rest of the merchant¡¯s entourage, especially the merchant¡¯s daughter. She looked haughty, making Lin Xiao have a bad first impression of her. He decided to ignore her and went to Long YinLian¡¯s side. Fei YuXing was also there and thus; they finally entered the village. They only walked for a while and they saw a rest house with a tavern on the first floor.


    ¡°Brother Lin, this rest house is one of the best in Beiyun village and the food is also good. If you want to eat, I suggest you go here. Plus, the price is quite reasonable,¡± Ruo An said to Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Alright. Are you going to the Mercenary Guild outpost now? Should I help you order some meal?¡± Lin Xiao asked Ruo An. Since the White Swan is helping them, he felt that he should at least be more attentive to them.


    ¡°That would be great! Just tell the waiter inside that the White Swan wants the usual,¡± Ruo An said with a big smile on his face. Having their meal ordered early would mean that by the time they finished their business, their food will be done and waiting for them to eat. The White Swan member separated from them, dragging along the injured bandits which they did minimal treatment on. In any case, the White Swan is very knowledgeable in this area that even Lin Xiao knew that the bandits won¡¯t die any time soon.


    Lin Xiao then turned to the merchant¡¯s group and eyed them for a while, but he didn¡¯t say anything and instead, turned his attention back to Long YinLian and Fei YuXing. ¡°Shizun, Miss Fei, let¡¯s go inside and eat.¡±


    As Lin Xiao said this, he went over to Long YinLian and led him toward the rest house with Fei YuXing following close behind them.


    The merchant¡¯s daughter just stared at their figure with disdain in her eyes. ¡°Father, are we really going to be with them for the rest of our travel? The mercenary group earlier is the White Swan, right? Can¡¯t we just pay them more and have them escort us instead?¡± she asked.


    Ping Jianyu who heard this quickly reprimanded her daughter. ¡°This foolish child! What do you think the White Swan is? If they can easily be bought over by money, do you think they can keep their reputation clean like this?¡± he asked back. Then, he saw that his daughter¡¯s eyes had reddened slightly, and he suddenly feel guilty. ¡°QiaoLian, ah¡­ don¡¯t cause any trouble, alright? Once we get to the capital, our lives will be much better. Just endure it for a while, okay?¡±


    Ping QiaoLian just nods her head. She understood that her father had worked hard to get this achievement. From a simple merchant, to a well-known merchant. The man worked tirelessly and finally, they are able to expand their business to the capital. Their journey should¡¯ve been smooth and yet, they were attacked by bandits. It was only by luck that they were saved by the White Swan and their employer.


    She knew she should be thankful but when she saw another young girl came down from an expensive looking carriage, she felt that it was unfair. Not to mention, the young girl in question had covered her head with a sheet of muslin, making others unable to see her face clearly. This made her have a sense of inferiority and she does not like it in one bit since she is considered the most beautiful and richest young lady back in her hometown.


    The father and daughter duo entered the tavern with their remaining guards and then, they saw Lin Xiao and his party is already seated on the table, ordering their meal. They were seated in the corner and there were several other tables beside them that are empty, so the Ping Jianyu went over to pick a table nearby. When Lin Xiao saw this, he can¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°Master Ping, these tables are for the member of the White Swan,¡± Lin Xiao informed them. After he said it, he could see the expression on Ping QiaoLian change but before he could say anything else, Long YinLian lightly knocked on his head.


    ¡°Xiao-er, don¡¯t be rude. I don¡¯t think I ever taught you this way,¡± Long YinLian scolded Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao felt that he was wronged. He was only like this because he didn¡¯t want any danger to come their way during their travel. ¡®If Master Ping doesn¡¯t come with us, the travel would be easier,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought before he let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Lin Xiao admits his mistake, Shizun, don¡¯t be mad anymore, alright?¡± Lin Xiao said as he tries to appease the older male.


    ¡°En. Since we will be travel companion, let us all get along well,¡± Long YinLian said before he addressed Ping Jianyu. ¡°Master Ping, those tables are indeed for the White Swan members but there are some seats on out table. How about you come and sit with us instead?¡± Long YinLian offered.


    ¡°Is that alright?¡± Ping Jianyu asked, feeling touched with Long YinLian¡¯s generosity.


    ¡°Of course. But your guards will have to sit elsewhere,¡± Long YinLian answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem at all!¡± Ping Jianyu replied before he turned to the guards he hired and then handed them several pieces of silver. ¡°Here, you go and find your seat and eat your meal.¡±


    After he dismissed the guards, Ping Jianyu went to Lin Xiao¡¯s table with his daughter. Of course, since he didn¡¯t want his daughter to sit close to another men, he let his daughter sit beside Fei YuXing who is the only lady on the table.


    Ping QiaoLian didn¡¯t seem to be pleased with the arrangement, but she understood her father¡¯s thought, so she didn¡¯t say anything. But that doesn¡¯t mean that she likes it. Both Lin Xiao and Fei YuXing could sense her hostility, even Long YinLian felt it despite him being blind.


    The atmosphere was tense and Long YinLian felt that he needs to do something to remedy the tense atmosphere.


    ¡°Master Ping, why have you decided to travel to the capital? I hear that you are a merchant. It is quite unusual for a merchant to attend his own caravan,¡± Long YinLian asked after a careful thought. He felt that in order to ease the tension, it is better to get to know their travelling companion better.


    ¡°Ah, yes! That is true. Actually, this caravan is not only to deliver goods. I am moving to the capital since the business has gone well,¡± Ping Jianyu answered. ¡°My daughter has long dreamed about going to the capital and there is also rumors that the current Emperor is being pressured to establish his harem so if she could enter the palace, her life would be even better!¡±


    At the mention of the Imperial Harem, Lin Xiao just scoffed only to have his thigh pinched by Long YinLian. ¡°Behave,¡± Long YinLian whispered to him and Lin Xiao can only lower his head in defeat.


    ¡®Shizun is bullying me¡­¡¯ was all Lin Xiao can say in his heart.

 Chapter 30

    When their meal was delivered, Lin Xiao carefully watched the assorted number of dishes that the waiter placed on his table. They ordered a wide range of food, from different kinds of noodles to braised chicken, soup and assorted vegetables. They also got a large serving of stirred fried pork with peppers which was apparently the specialty of the rest house.


    Lin Xiao stared at his braised beef noodle and can¡¯t help swallowing his saliva. The way it was arranged, and in addition to its aromatic smell, it really awakened Lin Xiao¡¯s appetite. But before he started eating, he still made sure that Long YinLian is taken care of. Now that they are not in their home, everything is unfamiliar to Long YinLian. He¡¯s afraid that the older male might end up unable to enjoy his meal.


    ¡°Shizun, here is the chopstick,¡± Lin Xiao said as he helped Long YinLian hold the chopstick. ¡°In front of you is a bowl of spicy chicken noodles. If you want anything else, just tell me and I¡¯ll help you get it, alright?¡± Lin Xiao said with a tone full of gentleness.


    When Ping QiaoLian saw this gentle side of Lin Xiao, she can¡¯t help feeling slightly uncomfortable as her heart was filled with dissatisfaction. ¡®What is so good of that blind man? If he¡¯s blind, he should just stay at home! That man surnamed Lin called him ¡®shizun¡¯, but I doubt he can even teach anything!¡¯


    If Lin Xiao were ever to know Ping QiaoLian¡¯s thought, then he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to gouge her eyes out and see if she would dare to talk about his master again.


    Their lunch was uneventful, and Lin Xiao also felt satisfied with his meal. Although he was used to eating meat, occasionally eating these kinds of food is also good for him.


    Long YinLian, due to his lack of vision, ate slowly. He carefully moved his chopstick as to not waste any food. And since Lin Xiao had already finished his meal, he would occasionally help Long YinLian pick up the stir-fried pork and feed him.


    Their harmonious interaction was seen by everyone in the rest house and they can only praise Lin Xiao¡¯s filial piety. Fei YuXing felt jealousy bubbling up inside her, but she quickly pushed it down. ¡®YuXing, you¡¯re already engaged, already engaged, already engaged¡­ don¡¯t think of anything else, don¡¯t bring any dishonor to your family¡­¡¯ she repeated it in her head like a mantra. ¡®But Brother Lin is truly a fine man, ah!¡¯ she ended up adding when her eyes landed on Lin Xiao and Long YinLian again.


    At this time, the members of the White Swan finally came over and took their seats. Their meal had already been served so as soon as they were seated, they quickly ate their meal. As a mercenary who always travels around all the time, the way they ate can only be described with one word: Crude.


    Ping QiaoLian saw this, and she once more felt that they are nothing but barbarians.


    ¡®Aiya, even if you are displeased, can you at least hide it?¡¯ Lin Xiao said in his mind. After being reprimanded twice, he learned not to speak out his mind again lest Long YinLian will really get angry. Though it had never happened, Lin Xiao does not want to risk it. They say, if someone who is usually kind became angry, then they are scarier than the devil itself.


    After they finished their lunch, they went back to the village entrance and went to find the guards in charge of keeping their transportation. Lin Xiao gave them another tip and they soon continued their travel.


    Ruo An has already mentioned that he wanted to pass the path that was overrun with wolves earlier that day so they had picked up their pace. Unfortunately, Ping QiaoLian complained about how the journey became unbearable because of the fast pace and how it was uncomfortable in her carriage due to the bumps. When Ping Jianyu told Long YinLian about this, naturally Long YinLian asked the rest of the group to slow down slightly.


    In the end, Ruo An said that if they continue, they won¡¯t be able to go through the path since the sky is now tinted with orange color. ¡°Brother Lin,¡± Ruo An guides his horse closer to the wagon and started to speak with Lin Xiao. ¡°The sky will turn dark soon and at this rate, it will be dangerous to continue our travel. I suggest we find a place to camp out tonight,¡± Ruo An informed Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Alright. Brother Ruo knows best when it comes to traveling. Inform the rest of the group,¡± Lin Xiao agreed immediately.


    They had only just picked a spot to camp out when they hear a loud shrill from Ping Juanyu¡¯s caravan and Lin Xiao let out a loud groan. ¡®It must be that woman again. Let¡¯s see what it is about¡­¡¯ Lin Xiao got off the wagon and went over to meet with Ping Jianyu halfway. This way, Lin Xiao will be more assured that Ping Jianyu won¡¯t take advantage of Long YinLian¡¯s kindness. ¡°Speak. What does your daughter want this time, Master Ping?¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately asked Ping Jianyu.


    ¡°Young Lord Lin¡­ It¡¯s like this,¡± Ping Jianyu began with a nervous thought. ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t want to camp out. Is it possible that we go to a nearby town? If we can just go past this path tonight, there will be a town nearby,¡± Ping Jianyu explained to him.


    ¡°No. According to Brother Ruo, the path up ahead is overrun by wolves. They hunt in packs and are active at night. If we go, it will be dangerous,¡± Lin Xiao said, rejecting the merchant¡¯s idea.


    Apparently, Ping QiaoLian had walked over towards them and heard what Lin Xiao had said. This time, she could no longer hold back her anger and simply explodes. ¡°Lin Xiao! I¡¯ve just had enough of you!¡±


    ¡°Qiao-er¡­!¡± Ping Jianyu panicked and tried to calm her daughter before she said anything that would make them all regret. But Ping QiaoLian¡¯s mouth ran off without waiting for him to say anything else.


    ¡°Earlier, you deliberately told them to quicken their pace making the journey unbearable! And now, you told us to camp out?! If we just continue a bit more, father said we can stay a night at a town! Are you really going to let a lady sleep outside in the wild like this?!¡±


    While Ping QiaoLian ran out her mouth, Lin Xiao patiently waits for her to finish. And when she did, he just stared at her indifferently. ¡°Are you done? If you want to continue, feel free. But we are camping out tonight. If the wolves decided to attack you then, we don¡¯t care,¡± Lin Xiao said before he turned to Ping Jianyu. ¡°Master Ping, I suggest you discipline your daughter well. If she continues this way, who knows what will happen after she is married off, that is, if you are able to marry her off in the first place. After all, no one will want a spoiled, selfish and overbearing wife like her.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I what? Even if you ask everyone in the White Swan company, I doubt any of them would want you as a mistress, let alone as a wife!¡± Lin Xiao shot Ping QiaoLian down before she can even begin. A series of snickers could be heard from around them as the member of the White Swan felt pleased with how Lin Xiao dealt with Ping QiaoLian.


    Unable to handle the criticized look she¡¯s getting, Ping QiaoLian stomped her feet before returning to her carriage in a fit of rage.


    ¡°Young Lord Lin¡­ please forgive my daughter. I will go and talk to her. Later, I will tell her to go an apologies to you and the rest,¡± Ping Jianyu said as he went over to his daughter¡¯s carriage, wanting to comfort Ping QiaoLian and tell her to be patient.


    Meanwhile, Ruo An went over to Lin Xiao and placed an arm over Lin Xiao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Brother Lin! I can¡¯t believe you can be that ruthless to a woman!¡± though Ruo An said this, his face was all smiles, clearly loving the little face-slapping performance that Lin Xiao had given them to see earlier. ¡°Saying that no one would want her as a mistress¡­ her self-esteem will crumble.¡±


    ¡°What? Did I say something wrong? Or don¡¯t tell me you actually want her to be your mistress!¡± Lin Xiao said as he stared at Ruo An.


    ¡°What? No! If she becomes my mistress, I¡¯ll worry about my future children! She doesn¡¯t seem to be that dependable!¡± Ruo An replied. ¡°Actually, what is so bad with camping out anyway? I don¡¯t see the lady you¡¯re escorting complain about camping out,¡± Ruo An finally voiced out his displeasure on Ping QiaoLian.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that she¡¯s too self-entitled. The lady I¡¯m escorting is even a higher birth than her and yet, she¡¯s acting like a princess, wanting everyone to listen to every single whim of hers. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to let them tag along,¡± Lin Xiao said with a sigh.


    ¡°Your master is too kind. I fear that someone like him will always be taken advantage of¡­ If that continues, he might lose his life one day,¡± Ruo An turned to Lin Xiao worriedly but when he saw Lin Xiao¡¯s expression, he suddenly felt a shiver down his spine.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen. If anyone tries, they won¡¯t see the light of new day,¡± Lin Xiao said with a cold tone before he went back to the wagon to help Long YinLian down.


    Ruo An stood rooted for a while before finally returning to his senses. ¡°Those eyes from before is filled with murderous intent. It seems that his master is Brother Lin¡¯s reverse dragon¡¯s scales¡­¡± Ruo An quickly shook his head and immediately return to his group to prepare the camping area so that they night out would be more bearable.

 Chapter 31

    Before the night came, Lin Xiao had Long YinLian settled beside the campfire with everyone else then turned to few members of the White Swan. ¡°Brother Ruo, and three others come with me for a bit,¡± Lin Xiao said before he led them to the wagon. ¡°Wait here while I go and get the ingredient,¡± Lin Xiao said as he got into the wagon from the back.


    Inside the wagon is filled with ingredients that can be cooked. He grabbed a few cabbages, then a bag of rice before he went out and threw it over to the White Swan members who caught it skillfully. After that, he went in again and grabbed a few more ingredients, a barrel of water, as well as some cooking utensils. Before leaving the wagon, Lin Xiao made sure to prepare the dried meat he bought earlier and left them to the three tigers.


    ¡°Wait a bit more, alright? I promise it won¡¯t take long. When we¡¯re done escorting, we¡¯ll go home and the three of you will be free to play around again,¡± Lin Xiao said as he pats each tiger¡¯s head. Only after appeasing the three tigers did Lin Xiao got out of the wagon and handed some items to Ruo An. ¡°This should be enough, right? Do we need more?¡± Lin Xiao asked Ruo An.


    ¡°No, this is enough!¡± Ruo An said happily. ¡°When we received the task from the outpost, we thought that we¡¯d be eating a ready-made food. We were prepared to have a bad meal after a day, but it looks like our worry was unwarranted! Did not expect that Brother Lin will be cooking!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? When I said food will be provided, I only meant the basic ingredients. You still have to help me cook, ah! Or else, we will have our dinner late,¡± Lin Xiao replied, making Ruo An dumfounded. ¡°What? Do you want to go hungry instead?¡± Lin Xiao saw Ruo An¡¯s expression and can¡¯t help but narrow his eyes.


    Ruo An remembered the murderous intent he felt earlier from Lin Xiao and quickly shook his head. ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll help cook!¡± Ruo An answered.


    ¡°Good. You go and prepare dinner. Don¡¯t worry, Shizun and I are not picky eaters,¡± Lin Xiao said as he strapped Long YinLian¡¯s sword to his waist and checked on his dagger. After that, he reached out into the wagon again and this time, he took out some ropes, a bow and a quiver of arrows.


    ¡°Brother Lin¡­ what are you planning to do?¡± Ruo An looked at him, confusion written all over his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and try to hunt some wild animals. I won¡¯t be long,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    ¡°But it is nighttime. It is very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lin Xiao said before he let out a high-pitched whistle. Not long after, a falcon came over and Lin Xiao held out his arm and let the falcon rest. ¡°This little guy here will help me. Aren¡¯t you?¡± Lin Xiao smiled as he gently rubbed the falcon under its beak. As if understanding Lin Xiao¡¯s thought, the falcon screeched before it flew up to the sky again. Lin Xiao watched it go before turning to Ruo An again. ¡°I will be back before the first-night watch ends. While you¡¯re at it, prepare some seasoning for roasting meat. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be sure our belly will be filled tonight,¡± Lin Xiao grinned at Ruo An, his hand reaching into the wagon again and this time, he took out two sheets of blankets.


    He then walked over to Long YinLian and Fei YuXing. He handed one blanket to Fei YuXing, then carefully placed the blanket on Long YinLian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Shizun, I¡¯ll go hunt for some meat. Stay here, alright?¡± Lin Xiao said before he leaned down close to Long YinLian¡¯s ear. ¡°Lan-er, Fan-er, and Zan-er has already eaten some dried meat but I don¡¯t think it will be enough for our whole journey since we¡¯re being delayed. I¡¯ll have to restock some more,¡± he added in a soft whisper.


    ¡°En. Do be careful. Don¡¯t stay out too long. If you can¡¯t find any prey, just return first and you can go hunt again tomorrow,¡± Long YinLian said before he reached out and pats Lin Xiao¡¯s head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The falcon from before will be helping me,¡± Lin Xiao replied before he stood up straight. After giving out a few more instructions, Lin Xiao then left the camping area.


    Entering the forest, Lin Xiao did not immediately begin to track his prey. Instead, he just walked around leisurely, as if he is taking a stroll. It was only when he heard the falcon¡¯s familiar cries did he look up and whistled towards it. When the falcon saw Lin Xiao, it circled above Lin Xiao twice before it flew away again. This time, Lin Xiao made sure to follow it.


    The falcon led Lin Xiao deep into the forest where it found preys. When they are close by, the bird slows down its speed before descending and landed on one of the tree branches. Knowing that they are close, Lin Xiao crouched down and started to walk slowly, making as little noise as possible.


    Taking an arrow out from his quiver, he nocked it to his bow and waited near the tree where the falcon rests. Lin Xiao patiently waited, staring into the clearings before him. He knew few animals live nearby these kinds of clearings and sure enough, a deer appeared from the opposite direction. The deer is walking in a calm manner as it approached the clearings in the forest, not knowing that there is a predator nearby. Behind it, is a deer calf.


    Seeing that there are two preys, Lin Xiao frowned. If he was at least with Wang Zan, he could get both easily. Now, he needed to be more patient. What he has to do is to kill the adult deer with one shot, then quickly shot another arrow to the deer calf.


    While grazing, the deer are moving slowly and ate the grass. Lin Xiao quietly waited for the right moment and after a while, the deer finally revealed its side to Lin Xiao. Pulling the bowstring into a taut, Lin Xiao aimed right for the deer¡¯s heart region. While he aimed at the adult deer, he also took note of the position of the deer calf. Only when both are in a desirable position did he release the arrow.


    The arrow flew, cutting through the winds. The deer was startled by the sudden sound of the bowstring snapping but it was too late by the time it tried to run. The arrow hits the deer slightly above its armpit, piercing through its flesh and right into its heart. Before the deer fell, another arrow flew across the winds, this time it was aiming at the escaping deer calf.


    Lin Xiao only took a rough aim at the deer calf, knowing that he can¡¯t kill it in one shot. So, he only aimed to injure it seriously to slow it down before taking another shot to secure the kill.


    He approached the dead deer calf first, taking out the rope and tied its legs together. Then, he carried it over as he went to the adult deer¡¯s body next and did the same. Then, Lin Xiao paused as he came into a realization. ¡°How do I carry these two?¡± he asked out loud. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m so stupid! I was greedy for a moment and now, it¡¯ll be a waste if I don¡¯t bring both!¡± he berated himself.


    In the end, Lin Xiao called the falcon over and ordered it to return to where they are camping. ¡®Hopefully, Shizun understands my distress signal, ah!!¡¯ Lin Xiao thought as he prayed that someone will come over to help him carry his spoils.

 Chapter 32

    Three days later, the convoy finally arrived at the heart of the Qin Empire, the Capital City. During these three days, Lin Xiao earned around 10 gold pieces from Ping Jianyu, all from selling his spoils of hunts. The moment they entered the gate of the city, Ping Jianyu¡¯s caravan separated from their group. Before they left, he gave Lin Xiao the address to their shop, telling Lin Xiao to come over whenever he wanted. Ping Jianyu also helped to pay the escort fee of the White Swan mercenary group.


    ¡°Actually, didn¡¯t he suffer a loss instead?¡± Lin Xiao wondered and Ruo An who was nearby only shook his head at Lin Xiao¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Brother Lin, no amount of money can buy your life back after you died. Master Ping might lose money during these past few days, but as long as he¡¯s still alive, he can still recover those loss,¡± Ruo An informed Lin Xiao.


    ¡°True. But I still don¡¯t like that daughter of his¡­ if it weren¡¯t for her, we would¡¯ve arrived yesterday,¡± Lin Xiao grumbled in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Anyway, Brother Lin, we¡¯ve arrived at the capital, but I don¡¯t think you can manage the wagon and the carriage on your own. How about we escort you all the way to your destination?¡± Ruo An suggested. A good client like Lin Xiao is really hard to come by. In addition, Lin Xiao occasionally help them when they were attacked by bandits, and even hunted meat for them. Though, he can¡¯t help but feel curious why Lin Xiao would hunt so many meats every day. ¡®What happened to the meat that wasn¡¯t eaten? Isn¡¯t it a waste?¡¯ Ruo An silently thought.


    Little did he know that none of the leftovers were wasted. They were all used to fill up a certain stomach of Lin Xiao¡¯s three ¡®little brothers.¡¯


    Lin Xiao heard the offer that Ruo An made and he didn¡¯t waste any time to agree. The only problem was that, even Lin Xiao himself doesn¡¯t know where to go from here on out. He peeked into the wagon from his seat to see Long YinLian eating the dumpling they bought along the way earlier. ¡°Shizun, since we¡¯ve arrived, where are we going to next?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    ¡°En. First, ask around where the Xia family lives,¡± Long YinLian replied and Lin Xiao relayed it to Ruo An and the rest of the member of White Swan.


    Xia family is currently one of the most well-known family in the capital, all due to the fact that the current patriarch is the leader of one of the top mercenary group, Thunder Hawk. They lived in the inner city, where most nobles and high-class family¡¯s lives.


    After finding out their destination, the group proceeded going through the city into the inner city. By the time they arrived, the sun is already high up and it was time for lunch. Lin Xiao got down the wagon and thanked Ruo An for their escort.


    ¡°Brother Ruo, please accept this as a token of our appreciation,¡± Lin Xiao said as he handed another 10 pieces of gold as bonus. If it were not for them, the journey to the capital wouldn¡¯t be as smooth as they had.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mention it, Brother Lin. If fate wills it, we¡¯ll meet again in the future,¡± Ruo An said as he cupped his hands together. ¡°Thank you for hiring the White Swan. We had an enjoyable journey these past few days. Take care now, Brother Lin. And tell Brother Long as well as the young miss that too,¡± Ruo An said with a smile before he took his men away.


    Lin Xiao watched them leave and then, turned back to the wagon. He wanted to give the sword back to Long YinLian since they are now in the capital.


    ¡°Keep the sword, Xiao-er. It¡¯s alright,¡± Long YinLian said as he pushed the sword back towards Lin Xiao.


    ¡°But, Shizun, we already arrived¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Long YinLian smiled before he took out a wooden token from his clothes and handed it over to Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao saw that it was the same token that have the character ¡¯Xia¡¯ carved on it. ¡°Go and talk to the guard on the gate and show them this token.¡±


    Lin Xiao nods his head and then, he went to the guards who were guarding the gate. The guards actually noticed Lin Xiao¡¯s company when they arrived earlier, but they didn¡¯t bother with them. After all, their job is only to guard the entrance to their lord¡¯s manor. But then, they saw him approaching and they began to raise their guard up.


    ¡°Good day, sir,¡± Lin Xiao greets the guards who continued to look at him suspiciously. Their eyes were cold, ready to kick him out the moment Lin Xiao caused a commotion. Lin Xiao also noticed this and he can¡¯t help but prepare himself for the worse. ¡°Few days ago, I saved a young lady from bandits attack. I have escorted her here and she have this with her,¡± Lin Xiao handed the token to the guard who took it. After inspecting it, they suddenly became hostile.


    ¡°How do you have this?!¡± they asked as they pointed their spears towards Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao just raised both his hands up, not wanting to resort to violence. He repeated what he had said before, but the guards don¡¯t seem to listen to him. ¡°If that is true¡­ then where is this young lady you spoke of?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in the carriage! Brothers, you can go and check,¡± Lin Xiao answered, though he is already tempted to resort to violence. ¡®Tsk! If we¡¯re not in the capital and I¡¯m not afraid to get into trouble with the officials, do you think I¡¯m going to be this obedient?!¡¯ Lin Xiao sneered in his heart.


    The guards still did not believe him and instead, they pointed their spears to Lin Xiao. At this time, Long YinLian had gotten off the wagon. He already knew that the guards probably won¡¯t listen to them which was why he left the sword in Lin Xiao¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Xiao-er, they won¡¯t listen to you. The Xiao family guards are always like this,¡± Long YinLian said out loud. ¡°If they attack, just defend yourself,¡± he added as he used his wooden cane to walk towards the carriage.


    Lin Xiao on the other hand, started to sweat when he saw that the guards called for reinforcement the moment, they hear Long YinLian¡¯s word. Bandits, Lin Xiao still can manage even if he was overpowered. But this time, he¡¯s surrounded by well-trained guards so he can¡¯t let his guard down.


    ¡°Brothers¡­ can we just solve this peacefully?¡± Lin Xiao tried to negotiate but alas, it was a futile attempt. Now he knows why Long YinLian let him keep the sword.

 Chapter 33

    Lin Xiao warily eyed the guards as he took his stance while he was being surrounded. Without fighting back, Lin Xiao was sure to be unable to escape unscathed. Through all his memories, Lin Xiao disliked pain the most. After all, when he woke up after losing all his past memories, all he could feel the first few days was pain. Those few days were enough to give him a traumatic experience.


    ¡°Brothers, please¡­ I really do not want to cause a scene,¡± Lin Xiao said as he gripped the sheath of the sword in his hand tightly. ¡®I guess I really can¡¯t avoid trouble¡­¡¯ Lin Xiao let out a heavy sigh when the guards didn¡¯t budge.


    As the guards inched closer, Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes began to dart between each of them while his ears trained on those who were standing behind him. He had to make sure that none of them would be able to take him by surprise. A moment later, one of the guards finally let out a battle cry and rushed towards Lin Xiao. As if on cue, the rest followed suit.


    Lin Xiao sidestepped and drove the hilt of his sword to the first guard¡¯s abdomen. With the guard hunching down in pain, he used the other¡¯s body as a support and then, he proceeded to aim a strong kick to the next one that was closest to him. The battle continues with Lin Xiao dominating the guards, which came as a surprise even to Lin Xiao himself.


    ¡®These guards¡­ really don¡¯t have any battle experience! They¡¯re nothing but a vase!¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself as he continued to subdue each one of the guards.


    It did not take long for the commotion to catch the attention of the passerby and they stopped in their track to witness the fight. Soon, the road was congested as the audience grew. Most of them cheered for Lin Xiao while mocking the guards for unable to beat him despite the number advantage.


    Soon, the news of the fight spreads and it reached the ear of the Xia Patriarch who was currently in a business discussion with a merchant. When he heard how the guards he hired were beaten by a single young man, his face turned dark. The merchant in front of him can only shiver with how cold the atmosphere had become.


    ¡°Yuan shao-, maybe you would like to continue our discussion later? It seems that there is some trouble at your home¡­¡± the Merchant said in a very polite tone.


    ¡°En. Then I will excuse myself. I will come and see you again in few days,¡± the Xia Patriarch replied before he stood up and left the merchant¡¯s estate.


    Only when the Xia Patriarch left did the merchant let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Who¡¯s the idiot causing trouble for the Xia family? Didn¡¯t he know that the Thunder Hawk works directly under the Xia family?¡± the merchant shook his head as he pitied the poor young man in his heart.


    When the Xia Patriarch arrived at the scene, he saw the pitiful state of his guards and his anger rose. ¡°Who dared to cause trouble in front of my residence?!¡± he roared out before his eyes landed on Lin Xiao, then to the guards who were beaten into a sorry state.


    When the Xia Patriarch came, Lin Xiao immediately stopped all of his action and took a few steps away. Just from the look of the other, Lin Xiao knew this man is very influential and might even be the person they are looking for. Not only that, the crowd who had stopped by to watch the fight for entertainment quickly dispersed. No one wanted to offend the Xia family at all.


    ¡°Beaten by a brat? Looks like I must improve your training regime!¡± Xia Patriarch hissed out as he gave his guards a look of disdain. ¡°Go to the training hall and wait for your punishment!¡±


    As soon as the sentence was heard, the guards scrambled off in an undignified manner and rushed into the Xia family residence. Lin Xiao could only see them until they disappeared behind the wall.


    ¡°As for you,¡± Lin Xiao heard the other say and his eyes quickly went back to the newcomer from earlier. ¡°I will give you a chance to explain yourself. Depending on your explanation, I may let you off with only a few broken bones.¡±


    Now that his attention is not divided, he finally noticed the four guards that stood beside the others. With the way they carry themselves, Lin Xiao knew their martial arts are several ranks higher than the guards he faced earlier.


    ¡°My lord, you are scaring this Lin Xiao,¡± Lin Xiao quickly bowed his head and cupped his fist in a form of a respectful salute. If possible, Lin Xiao would not want to enrage the man even more, even though it looks like the man is already looking like a monkey breathing hot fire.


    ¡°Scaring you? If I don¡¯t let you know your place, then I am not surnamed Xia!¡± the older man huffed. ¡°Now speak!¡±


    Lin Xiao just sighed, and he took out the emblem once more. ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­ Few days ago, this humble one and his brother found a group of bandits harassing a young lady, so we saved her. And this lady has this in her belongings,¡± Lin Xiao took out the token once again. He carefully approached the other man and handed the token to him.


    Xia Patriarch eyed the token and knew that this was the same token that he had sent to the Fei family who lived in Danxing county within the Zhenwei region. This token is to serve as proof of identity for the young lady who will marry into his family.


    ¡°This is no doubt, my family¡¯s emblem carved in this token. Very well, I shall believe you. Now, where is this young lady you talked about?¡± the older male asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Lin Xiao suspiciously. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re just after a ransom money? I should just lock you up and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, that is enough, Feng-ge,¡± a gentle voice came from behind Lin Xiao. When he turned around, he saw Long YinLian coming over being helped by Fei YuXing. ¡°No one will be locking Xiao-er up. If you keep bullying my disciple like this, I will get angry,¡± he said as he placed a hand over Lin Xiao¡¯s head, giving him a gentle pat on the head.


    When Xia Patriarch saw Long YinLian, his expression changed to that of disbelief. ¡°Ah¡¯Yin¡­?¡± he called out in a shaky voice.


    ¡°It is me, Feng-ge, I am back,¡± Long YinLian answered with a smile.


    As if something snapped within the Xia Patriarch¡¯s mind, he rushed forward. Not caring about his own reputation, he pushed Lin Xiao aside and pulled Long YinLian into a hug. ¡°Ah¡¯Yin¡­ it¡¯s really you, ah! I knew that you can¡¯t be dead. Where have you been?!¡± he asked before he pulled away just enough to look at Long YinLian. ¡°And what happened to your eyes?¡± his hand went over to the cloth that was used to cover Long YinLian¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡­ got into an accident,¡± Long YinLian replied after a brief hesitation. ¡°After losing my vision, I¡¯ve just been around. There wasn¡¯t anything much that I could do,¡± he added. Then, Long YinLian called Lin Xiao over and introduced him to the Xia Patriarch. ¡°This boy is Lin Xiao. As mentioned before, he is my disciple,¡± after that, he turned to Lin Xiao. ¡°Xiao-er, this is Xia YuanFeng. Come and greet your¡­ martial uncle.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiao lowered his head and gave Xia YuanFeng a salute despite feeling confused. At first, this man before him acts very overbearing but as soon as Long YinLian made his appearance, the overbearing pressure disappeared. And with how Long YinLian addressed Xia YuanFeng, it made Lin Xiao even more surprised.


    ¡°So, you are Ah¡¯Yin¡¯s disciple. To actually beat the guards, I trained to a sorry state, you¡¯ve made your master proud,¡± Xia YuanFeng said with a friendly tone. Now that he¡¯s looking at Lin Xiao properly, he can¡¯t help but feel that he truly has failed to train the guards properly. ¡®I¡¯ve been too complacent. If this was an attack¡­¡¯


    ¡°Uncle Yuan,¡± Fei YuXing called out to Xia YuanFeng. ¡°I am the daughter of Fei JianYu. My name is Fei YuXing,¡± she said as she introduced herself while giving Xia YuanFeng a polite bow.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Fei JianYu¡¯s daughter,¡± Xia YuanFeng eyes finally landed on the young lady beside Long YinLian. ¡°I can see that your eyes look exactly like your mother. According to Lin Xiao earlier, you were attacked by bandits and then was saved by him?¡±


    ¡°Yes. YuXing was unlucky and many of the guards that father sent to protect me died, including the servants that was accompanying me. The dowry was also lost¡­¡± as she said this, her voice became lower and lower.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The dowry can be gathered again. At least, you still have your life,¡± Xia YuanFeng said. ¡°You must be tired from your journey. Allow me to welcome you to our residence,¡± as Xia YuanFeng said this, he signaled for the guards accompanying him to help lead the carriage and the wagon into the Xia family household.


    After that, Xia YuanFeng proceeded to lead Lin Xiao and the rest into his residence, only to be stopped by a scream coming from his guards. ¡°What is wrong now?¡± Xia YuanFeng asked, face slightly red from embarrassment. Those pitiful screams were enough to make him, Xia YuanFeng, lose face.


    When he turned around, he saw two of his guards had fallen to the ground, aiming their spears towards three tigers who peeked their heads out of the wagon.


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯ve nearly forgotten!¡± Lin Xiao who saw this quickly jogged over to the wagon. ¡°Lan-er, Fan-er, Zan-er, come on out now,¡± Lin Xiao said to the three tigers. Now that they have arrived at their destination, its now safe for them to come out. Plus, with Xia family¡¯s reputation, having three tigers won¡¯t cause too much commotion. At least, that is what Lin Xiao thought.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin¡­ are they your disciple¡¯s pet?¡± Xia YuanFeng asked, his palms slightly sweating. The tigers were bigger than normal. Though they looked pretty domesticated as they walked with Lin Xiao, he could still feel a sense of danger.


    When Fei YuXing saw Xia YuanFeng¡¯s face, she understood the older man¡¯s thought. ¡®I know, Uncle Yuan¡­ I understand your feelings.¡¯


    ¡°These three tigers¡­ as long as they are not vicious, they can stay in the courtyard,¡± Xia YuanFeng added when Lin Xiao reached them with the three tigers.


    ¡°Courtyard? Feng-ge, they are my children. I took care of them ever since they were a young cub¡­¡± Long YinLian informed Xia YuanFeng.


    This made Xia YuanFeng¡¯s attitude to the three tigers change and he immediately retracted his earlier sentence about making them sleep in the courtyard. ¡°Since it is like this, then they can sleep wherever they want as long as they don¡¯t pose any danger to the people in my household.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, martial uncle. My three brothers are very friendly,¡± this time, it was Lin Xiao who spoke for the three tigers with a big smile on his face. ¡°As long as no one make them angry or tries to harm me and Shizun, they won¡¯t attack people.¡±


    After hearing the assurance from Lin Xiao, Xia YuanFeng can only nod his head before he led them into his household. This time, there was nothing else that disrupted them from entering the gate.

 Chapter 34

    The moment they entered the Xia household, the first thing that Xia YuanFeng did was call for a servant to escort Fei YuXing to her room. Because they have already prepared to receive her, her room was long ready and only needed for her to move in. Lin Xiao and Long YinLian on the other hand, were an unexpected guest. Xia YuanFeng had to order the servants to clean the guest room quickly.


    ¡°While the servants are preparing for your room, how about we go for an afternoon tea?¡± Xia YuanFeng suggested. ¡°I think we also have some catching up to do¡­¡± he added as he gazed at Long YinLian.


    Lin Xiao who was staring at Xia YuanFeng found that the gaze used to look at Long YinLian was a bit too heated. ¡®¡­ Are you not a married man? Why are you looking at Shizun like that, ah!¡¯ Lin Xiao thought as he moved to stand in front of Long YinLian in a protective manner.


    ¡°Actually, martial uncle, we can just stay in a nearby inn. We don¡¯t lack the money,¡± Lin Xiao said to Xia YuanFeng.


    ¡°Nonsense! Since you are here, it is my responsibility to accommodate you. The inn¡¯s bed is not comfortable, and the meal is not as good as the meal cooked by my chef. I cannot let Ah¡¯Yin suffer such treatment,¡± Xia YuanFeng immediately rejected Lin Xiao¡¯s idea.


    ¡®We lived together for a good two years in a cave. Shizun lived in that cave longer than I did. The inn¡¯s bed and meal are already a luxury! What suffering are you talking about?!¡¯


    Lin Xiao just shook his head, not bothering to say more. If he really did tell Xia YuanFeng how they lived these past years, it may cause them more trouble than needed. In the end, the two of them followed Xia YuanFeng to his courtyard and sat under the pavilion.


    The three tigers were a curious bunch. Their eyes seem to shine whenever they saw something new but because they are in a new territory, the tigers never stray far from Long YinLian and Lin Xiao.


    While three people sat together and enjoyed the tea, the three tigers simply lazed around in the courtyard.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin, can you tell me what happened that year?¡± Xia YuanFeng began. ¡°Elder Xiang said that you fell off the ravine while chasing the remaining rebels¡­ we searched for you, but couldn¡¯t find your trace,¡± Xia YuanFeng said as he gripped on his teacup tightly.


    Long YinLian simply smiled and shook his head. ¡°It is already in the past. I also don¡¯t remember much of what happened that year,¡± Long YinLian said as he rubbed the edge of his teacup.


    Lin Xiao who noticed this can¡¯t help but frown. He had lived with Long YinLian for two years. He had seen how Long YinLian developed a habit of rubbing the edge of his teacup whenever he wanted to avoid answering a certain topic. This was all because Lin Xiao kept on asking about Long YinLian¡¯s origin. At first, the older male just lied but as time goes by, Lin Xiao would know when Long YinLian would lie so he chose to avoid the topic instead.


    ¡®Shizun¡­ it seems that there is something you wish to hide,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought as he glanced at Xia YuanFeng who only have worry in his eyes.


    ¡°If you remember anything, tell me. With your ability, I don¡¯t believe that some rebels would be able to push you off. At that time, the Thunder Hawk was still new, there might be a traitor amongst them. Though some of the members then are retired, I still have some form of contact with them, so I know where they lived,¡± Xia YuanFeng informed Long YinLian. ¡°If it is one of them, I promise you that I¡¯ll make sure you get the justice you deserve.¡±


    Hearing this, Long YinLian could only sigh. The truth of that year, he naturally still remembers. Unfortunately, he can¡¯t let Xia YuanFeng knows. ¡°How is your life so far, Feng-ge?¡± he asked, changing the topic.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Xia YuanFeng felt choked after hearing the question. He bit his lips as he stared at Long YinLian guiltily. Then, he looked down, staring at his teacup as he is unable to make himself face Long YinLian. ¡°After you disappeared, I spent a year looking for you, expending a lot of resources and men just for a trace of you. But alas, you couldn¡¯t be found and¡­ I was pressured by the family and end up marrying the woman of their choice.¡±


    ¡°En. It is a bit late, but congratulations on your marriage, Feng-ge. I heard you also have children now. Miss Fei is betrothed to your third son?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Xia YuanFeng¡¯s guilt turned worse and he lifts his hand to massage his forehead. ¡°WenYao is 13 this year¡­ the two will tie a knot two years later. Fei YuXing was sent here early so that the two can get used to being together and get to know each other better,¡± Xia YuanFeng explained. ¡°I have two other sons and a daughter. My eldest son is currently eighteen. He was born two years after you went missing. Then there is my daughter who is currently ten years old, and my youngest son who is only four.¡±


    Lin Xiao had been silently observing the two interact and there is one thing that he is sure of. ¡®This Xia YuanFeng and Shizun have a past together¡­ and since he is now married and have families, he¡¯s feeling guilty because he felt he betrayed Shizun?¡¯ he thought to himself. ¡®I should bring Shizun back as soon as possible. Staying here will only brings in trouble. With how Shizun acts, it doesn¡¯t seem like he wanted to go back to how they were in the past like Xia YuanFeng wanted to.¡¯


    With that, Lin Xiao decided that they should leave the next day.


    Just then, a servant came over and informed them that the guest courtyard has finished being cleaned up. Xia YuanFeng dismissed the servant before he turned to his two guests. ¡°Allow me to bring you to your room. Just leave the tea here. A servant will come and clean them up,¡± Xia YuanFeng said as he stood up.


    Lin Xiao and the rest followed Xia YuanFeng to their temporary room. The room was considerably large and for Lin Xiao who only remembers living in a cave, this room was extremely luxurious.


    ¡°This will be your room from now on. I¡¯ll leave you to settle down. Dinner will be ready at Xu Shi, a servant will call for you then,¡± Xia YuanFeng informed them. ¡°I will excuse myself now. I still have few guards to ¡®train¡¯,¡± he added before he left the place though Lin Xiao could see a hint of reluctance when he exits the door.


    ¡°Shizun, are we really staying here?¡± Lin Xiao asked immediately after Xia YuanFeng left. ¡°This room is too spacious and are lavishly decorated. It is not like a guest room at all¡­ it feels weird,¡± Lin Xiao added.


    Long YinLian only chuckled at Lin Xiao¡¯s complaint. He lifts his hand and pats Lin Xiao on the head. ¡°Only for a while, Xiao-er. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll leave.¡±


    After that, Long YinLian asked Lin Xiao to help him take a seat to which, Lin Xiao led him to the daybed in the living room and helped him sit down. After that, Lin Xiao decided to look around the room in an attempt to ease up his restlessness.


    Time passed by and Wang Zan could no longer stand with how Lin Xiao kept on moving in the room. It was to the point of making him feel dizzy just looking at Lin Xiao. In the end, Wang Zan let out a snort and tackled Lin Xiao down to the floor to keep the male from moving around endlessly.

 Chapter 35

    At Xu Shi, there was a knock on the door which made Lin Xiao pay attention to the door. After a brief ¡®Enter¡¯ came out of Long YinLian¡¯s lips, the door opened, revealing a young maidservant. She bowed down to them respectfully and said, ¡°Distinguished guests, dinner is ready. Please allow this servant to guide you to the dining hall.¡±


    After saying that, she stood up straight and she was just about to leave when Lin Xiao called her out. ¡°Wait, what about them?¡± Lin Xiao asked, referring to the three tigers that are with them.


    ¡°My master has already informed the servants about them. Their meal was also prepared, and they will eat just outside the dining hall,¡± the servant replied.


    Lin Xiao frowned when he heard what the servant said but he decided to keep his mouth sealed. ¡®We¡¯ll leave tomorrow anyway. I¡¯ll be sure to treat the boys with a good meal for this unfair treatment¡­¡¯


    When they arrived at the dining hall, most of the prominent members within the household is already waiting inside, including the patriarch, Xia YuanFeng. The elders of the family had heard that they received a distinguished guest today, so when the two arrived, all eyes landed on them.


    Both Lin Xiao and Long YinLian were led to their seat but Long YinLian had his head bowed throughout the journey. It was as if that he did not want to be seen. Whispers could be heard as soon as they are seated and Lin Xiao didn¡¯t know if it was Xia YuanFeng¡¯s arrangement, or it was a mere coincidence, but their seat was very close to the patriarch seat.


    ¡®I¡¯d bet all my belongings to say that he planned this¡­¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself while watching the servants deliver the food into the dining hall.


    The sound of whispers grew. At first, Lin Xiao tried to ignore it but as time ticked, the whispers grew into a discussion that the elders didn¡¯t even bother to suppress. Their eyes looking at Long YinLian, some in contempt and some in disbelief. Lin Xiao wanted nothing more to just stand up and confront them but Long YinLian¡¯s hold on his wrist prevented him from doing so.


    ¡°Xiao-er, let them be. You can¡¯t offend them,¡± Long YinLian said in a soft whisper that only Lin Xiao could hear.


    ¡°Shizun¡­ Is there anything that Lin Xiao needs to know?¡±


    ¡°I will tell you, later¡­¡± Long YinLian replied. ¡°For now, try not to attract any attention, alright?¡± Long YinLian murmured softly though he sounded very guarded.


    After the last meal was served, Xia YuanFeng raised up his hand and the whispers stops almost immediately. Just from the reaction before, Xia YuanFeng could guess that the accident that happens that year may have a deeper secret that he has yet to know.


    ¡°Everyone. Today is a joyous occasion. About twenty years ago, all of you told me that Ah¡¯Yin had fallen to his death in the ravine while chasing the rebels of the Southwestern King. I spent a lot of resources to find his trace but alas, nothing came up¡­¡± as Xia YuanFeng said this, he narrowed his eyes at the elders, gauging their reaction. ¡®Sure enough¡­ some of them have a hand in that accident¡­¡¯ Xia YuanFeng drew a conclusion as soon as he saw a few of the Elders¡¯ faces turned ugly.


    ¡°But now, Ah¡¯Yin is back. I failed to protect him back then, but this time, I will not fail again,¡± Xia YuanFeng said this as a warning to those who wanted to plan on harming Long YinLian. The room once again filled with murmurs and whispers but was quickly silence with Xiao YuanFeng¡¯s gaze. He then lifts his wine cup up for a toast. ¡°This toast is for Ah¡¯Yin¡¯s safe return,¡± he said and the rest in the room followed his action.


    Even if they don¡¯t want to, the patriarch has spoken. If they disobey, even if they are the elders, they will still get punished. So, while some of them appeared to genuinely toast for Long YinLian, they hid a dark thought in their mind.


    Lin Xiao who had been silent all this time, managed to get a hint of the matter. He now knew that the person who has harmed Long YinLian and forced his master to live in seclusion is someone within this dining hall. In fact, he also knew that Xia YuanFeng is definitely related. ¡®Since he¡¯s the patriarch now, that means he was the young master and the successor of this family. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t want the successor to be with another man¡­ although male pet is not uncommon amongst higher class family, with how this Xia YuanFeng acts, he probably rejected the idea of having Shizun have that title. So, these elders decided to do something about it¡­¡¯


    As the thought crossed Lin Xiao¡¯s mind, his eyes glints with murderous intent. Long YinLian seems to sense it and he gripped Lin Xiao¡¯s wrist tighter. ¡°Whatever it is you¡¯re thinking, forget it. Xiao-er, remember what I said¡­ we can¡¯t offend them,¡± he once again reminded Lin Xiao in a low voice.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Their backer is someone we cannot afford to offend¡­¡± was all Long YinLian said before he told Lin Xiao to eat.


    Everyone feasts in but Lin Xiao did not eat much. Most of his attention were given to Long YinLian. Picking up the side dish and placing it on Long YinLian¡¯s bowl, pouring more wine for his master, and he even helped picked up some meat and feed the older male. Whenever he did so, he could feel heated gaze aimed at him coming from a certain patriarch who¡¯s fuming with jealousy, but Lin Xiao simply ignored it.


    After dinner, Long YinLian and Lin Xiao walked back to their room, but Xia YuanFeng caught up to them. Lin Xiao could guess what Xia YuanFeng¡¯s intention is, so he quickly stood in between them. ¡°Martial uncle, do you need anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ want to talk to your master,¡± Xia YuanFeng said as he looked at Long YinLian, never once putting Lin Xiao in his eyes.


    Lin Xiao was just about to reply to reject the other when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over behind him and saw Long YinLian just shook his head, telling Lin Xiao that it was alright.


    ¡°Alright, talk,¡± Long YinLian addressed Xia YuanFeng.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin, can we talk in private?¡± Xia YuanFeng asked.


    ¡®This guy! Given a leg, wanting the whole thigh!¡¯ Lin Xiao grits his teeth as he narrowed his eyes at Xia YuanFeng.


    ¡°Whatever it is you want to say, you can say it in front of Xiao-er,¡± Long YinLian replied. Hearing this, Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but puff out his chest, feeling as if he has won a lottery.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin¡­¡±


    ¡°Martial uncle, we¡¯re really tired from our journey. We¡¯ve spent few days on the road so if it is not that important, let¡¯s discuss it tomorrow,¡± Lin Xiao cut the older male off. After that, Lin Xiao saluted Xia YuanFeng then he left with Long YinLian.


    Unknown to them both, one of the elders had saw them and his eyes glints dangerously. The elder scurried away and went to a different wing of the house.


    ¡°Master YuanFeng tried to meet that bastard alone,¡± he hissed as soon as he entered a room. Inside, few elders seem to be waiting for him. ¡°Luckily, that young man mentioned that they are tired so Master YuanFeng didn¡¯t manage to talk to him. But they did say they will talk tomorrow. Elder Xiang, did you not say that he¡¯ll be dead after consuming the poison and falling down the ravine? How is it that he¡¯s still alive and well?¡±


    ¡°How would I know!?¡± the one called Elder Xiang roared out. ¡°The poison should¡¯ve taken his life! The apothecary said that the poison will slowly take away his senses, then made his organs fail to work and finally taking his life away!¡±


    ¡°And yet, he returns after twenty years! If he speaks about that matter to Master YuanFeng¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough! I¡¯ll make it so that he won¡¯t be able to talk about it!¡± Elder Xiang said as he quickly put on his cloak. ¡°Regardless of how he manages to survive, we just have to make him disappear before he talks to Master YuanFeng. Since the fault is mine, I shall fix it myself. Leave everything to me,¡± Elder Xiang said before he left the room.


    The first thing he did after sneaking out of the house was heading to the taverns that was located at the outskirt of the Capital City. The outskirt at night is a dangerous place where rogues and other dangerous people who don¡¯t belong to the four classes is prominent. He was covered from head to toe and no one would¡¯ve known that he¡¯s the venerable elder of the Xia family or else, he might¡¯ve ended up being robbed until not even a bone is left.


    As soon as he arrived at the tavern, he went to talk to the mistress there. ¡°Is the ¡®Mad Dog¡¯ in?¡± he asked the mistress who only frowns at him.


    ¡°May I know who is asking?¡± she asked as her hands went to the hidden dagger under the table, ready to slit the throat of the man before her.


    ¡°Elder Xiang, of the Xia family,¡± he answered as he showed her the Xia family emblem before hiding it back. ¡°I have a task to ask of the ¡®Mad Dog¡¯.¡±


    ¡°It will not be cheap,¡± the mistress said though her eyes glints with greediness.


    ¡°Whatever the price, it will be paid. Just let me talk to the ¡®Mad Dog¡¯ or I¡¯ll inform the officials that you¡¯re harboring a wanted criminal!¡± Elder Xiang was getting impatient and as soon as he said that, he found a knife near his throat.


    ¡°You will do no such thing, Elder Xiang¡­¡± as soon as the mistress said that, some of the tavern¡¯s customers stood up and was prepared to attack Elder Xiang as long as the mistress gave them the order. ¡°Stand down, men. There was just a little bug on our ¡®esteemed¡¯ guest¡¯s clothes. I simply helped to rid of it. Anyway, Elder Xiang¡­ come this way,¡± the mistress said as she began to lead Elder Xiang to the back of the tavern.

 Chapter 36

    After Lin Xiao brought Long YinLian away, Xia YuanFeng continued to stand on the same spot for a long while. He still could not believe that Long YinLian was still alive and he even suspected that he was dreaming at first. But he knew that this wasn¡¯t a dream. The warmth he felt earlier when he hugged Long YinLian told him that this was a reality.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin¡­¡± he called out in a soft voice. Twenty years, he thought that Long YinLian is dead. He couldn¡¯t even find a body to bury and it made his heart ache. Twenty years, he tried to move on and focus on his family, but his heart just won¡¯t move on. For twenty years, he longs for Long YinLian, and several times, he thought of following the other to the Yellow Spring, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to. At first, he thought it was because he felt that he needed to fulfill his responsibility to his family but now, he knew it was because his heart had known that Long YinLian is alive all along.


    ¡®Since you¡¯ve returned to my side, I won¡¯t let you disappear again¡­¡¯ Xia YuanFeng thought to himself before he reluctantly leaves the spot he had been standing on.


    In the guest room, Lin Xiao helped Long YinLian to sit on the daybed before helping him take off his shoes. ¡°Shizun, would you like to take a bath?¡± he asked as he gently massaged the older male¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Hmm, a bath sounds nice. I¡¯m pretty sure that the Xia family have their own pools for bathing. Let us wait until Hai Shi before we go there. Usually, at those times the pool would be empty,¡± Long YinLian said before his tone turned into a more serious, somber tone. ¡°Xiao-er, what I am about to tell you next, I want you to keep it close in your heart and remember¡­¡±


    Lin Xiao heard this and stopped with his massage as he looked up to Long YinLian. He had never heard his master use such tone before and knew that whatever he hears next is bound to be more serious than he initially thought. ¡°Is it about the one backing the Xia family?¡±


    ¡°En. The one backing the Xia family is related to the Royal Family. Back then, when the previous Emperor passed away, there was a struggle for power. Although the previous Emperor only had two sons, the family of his Empress at that time were eyeing the throne. Not only that, even the Minister of War had greedily tried to usurp the throne,¡± Long YinLian said before letting out a heavy sigh. ¡°I was still young at the time, and I do not know much about politics nor do I know about all those dark, heavy schemes of the Imperial Palace. All I know is that the rightful heir should be the Emperor, so I supported the second prince at that time, Qin WuZhen.¡±


    ¡°Why the second prince?¡± Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Don¡¯t people usually support the first prince?¡±


    Long YinLian just smiled and reached out to gently pats Lin Xiao¡¯s head. ¡°Though the first prince is born earlier than the second prince, the second prince has more rights to the throne because he is born from the honorable consort while the first prince was born from a third-ranked concubine.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ then the backer for the Xia family is the second prince?¡±


    At this, Long YinLian shook his head. ¡°It is the first prince, Qin LuoZhuo.¡±


    When Lin Xiao heard the name, he felt something resonate within him. His heart started to palpitate, and he felt uneasy. His palm became sweaty and his breathing became uncontrollable.


    ¡°Xiao-er?¡± Long YinLian called out when he noticed that something is wrong with his disciple.


    Lin Xiao snapped out of his state when Long YinLian called him and the uneasy feeling inside him disappeared without a trace. He frowned and lifts his hand up to his chest, feeling that heart slowly returning to its normal rate.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Long YinLian asked in a worried tone when Lin Xiao didn¡¯t reply to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking of how things end,¡± Lin Xiao said as he avoids telling Long YinLian the truth. ¡°Did the second prince lose and the first prince won? Is that why you¡¯re wary of the Xia family?¡±


    ¡°Is the current Emperor not Emperor Qin WuZhen?¡± Long YinLian asked. He had lived in seclusion for a long time, so he did not bother with the news of the Empire. He didn¡¯t know that Emperor Qin WuZhen had been assassinated, nor did he know that the person in front of him was the prime suspect of the assassination.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Should I ask around?¡±


    ¡°No need. We won¡¯t be staying for long,¡± Long YinLian replied.


    ¡°Then, Shizun¡­ Lin Xiao apologizes if this question offends Shizun but,¡± Lin Xiao paused as he tried to think of a way of asking his question without sounding rude. In the end, he could only ask it outright without beating around the bush. ¡°What was your relationship with martial uncle? Seeing how he acts and how the other elders look at you¡­ it feels like Shizun has a relationship that is more than fellow martial brothers with martial uncle.¡±


    Long YinLian¡¯s whole body became tense at Lin Xiao¡¯s question. Then, he let out a heavy sigh before he leaned his back on the daybed. ¡°Xiao-er, what kind of relationship do you think that we used to have?¡±


    ¡°Lovers?¡± Lin Xiao answered.


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. Martial uncle already has his family so¡­ back to martial brothers?¡±


    ¡°En. No matter what we had in the past, it did not matter anymore. He already has a family, and tomorrow, we will go back to the mountain. Then we will each return to our daily routines,¡± Long YinLian said with a smile though Lin Xiao could see that the smile was actually forced.


    ¡®Shizun is bad at lying¡­¡¯ he thought as he continued to stare at Long YinLian. Then after a while, he finally spoke up. ¡°Shizun, if you want to, we can stay longer, and we can see what martial uncle will do. If¡ª¡±


    ¡°There will be no ¡®if¡¯, Xiao-er,¡± Long YinLian quickly cut off Lin Xiao¡¯s sentence. ¡°I do not wish to become someone who will destroy another¡¯s marriage.¡±


    The words that Long YinLian spat out were heavy and there was a hint of sorrow within. Lin Xiao felt his heart ache as he stared at Long YinLian. ¡°Lin Xiao understands. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll leave early. Let¡¯s forget about the bath and rest. If we leave at Yin Shi, we can avoid seeing martial uncle. Don¡¯t worry. Whatever it is that Shizun wants, let Lin Xiao helps,¡± Lin Xiao said as he then helped Long YinLian up and brought him to the bed. He also called for the three tigers to come closer so they could finally settle for the night.

 Chapter 37

    Deep in the night, several men dressed in black clothes leapt across the roofs of the buildings within the Capital City. They had their face fully covered, and weapons of different kinds in their hands. They only came to a stop when they are close to the Xia family¡¯s residence.


    ¡°According to the information given, our target stays with his disciple in the guest room in the west wings of the outer courtyard,¡± one of the men said in an imposing tone. Just by his tone alone, one could guess that he is the leader of the group. ¡°The guard patrol will end their shifts in a few moments. And according to our informants, the next guards on shifts will be delayed. We¡¯ll make our move then.¡±


    ¡°Boss, do we really need this many people to deal with two persons?¡± one of them couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, ah! Just one or two should be enough, right?¡± another chimed in.


    ¡°Our target is one of the founding members of the Thunder Hawk. Do you think he will be easy to deal with? Even if he¡¯s blind, there is still his disciple. In case you do not know, about twenty years ago, a single Thunder Hawk member can deal with a group of bandits,¡± the leader replied. ¡°We cannot afford to look down on them.¡±


    After hearing that, the group of men quieted down and didn¡¯t ask any further questions. Thunder Hawk¡¯s reputation could already speak for itself; the founding members are those who studied under the same martial art school with the current patriarch of the Xia family.


    Soon, the patrol guard¡¯s shifts end and finally, the Xia family household turned completely silent. The men dressed in black all began to move. Using the darkness as a cover, they easily sneaked into the guest courtyard and found the room where Lin Xiao and Long YinLian stays.


    They slowly crept closer and gently pried open the windows as to not alert the people inside. One of them entered the room in order to scout the situation. His feet were light as a feather as he threads carefully but when he reached closer to the bed, he noticed that something was wrong.


    ¡®Why is the bed empty?¡¯ he started to wonder.


    He was just about to look around when he suddenly saw a huge tiger staring at him in the middle of the room. Tigers are nocturnal creatures so even though it is dark, they could see the intruder very well. A low dangerous growl escaped the tiger¡¯s throat, making Lin Xiao wake up. ¡°Zan-er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked sleepily as he parted his eyelids.


    It took Lin Xiao a few moments to blink the sleepiness away and when he finally did, he saw the figure in the dark. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Lin Xiao immediately became alert. He quickly reached out for the sword that he kept near him and got up. Then, more figures entered the room following his earlier exclaim. Because of the noise caused, Wang Lan and Wang Fan also roused from their sleep and they began a defensive formation with Long YinLian and Lin Xiao at the center.


    Long YinLian, who had also woken up when he heard Lin Xiao¡¯s voice, stood in place. He could sense that there were more than ten people in the room, and he can¡¯t help but feel uneasy.


    ¡°What is going on?! We weren¡¯t told about the tigers!¡± one of the intruders said to the others.


    ¡°No matter! Our mission is only to kill the blind one! If we can just get him then our mission will be considered complete!¡±


    ¡°Oh, and where, pray to tell, is the blind one?! Can you see him?¡±


    Hearing their conversation, Long YinLian finally knew why they are here. ¡°Were you sent here to deal with me?¡± Long YinLian asked out loud even though he already knew the answer. ¡°By who?¡±


    ¡°There he is!¡± when Long YinLian spoke, they finally found him. ¡°Surround them and get him! There are only three tigers and one man. The blind one is disabled so it should be fairly easy since there are ten of us!¡±


    The intruders started to move to surround them and Lin Xiao, knowing that they came to kill Long YinLian, was furious. ¡°Lan-er, Fan-er, I will leave Shizun for you two to protect. If any of them come too close, kill them,¡± Lin Xiao said in a cold tone, eyes filled with murderous intent.


    Lin Xiao unsheathed the sword in his hand and took his fighting stance. If they were just a group of thieves, Lin Xiao may let them go with few bruises and a warning but unfortunately, they just have to touch his reverse scale. They had only arrived in the capital today and someone already tried to assassinate Long YinLian. Lin Xiao doesn¡¯t understand the specifics, but since it has come to this, he plans to uproot everything. ¡°You will tell me who sent you when I¡¯m done! Zan-er, come with me!¡± Lin Xiao roared out as he rushed towards the assassins. His roars were followed by another roar from Wang Zan which made the assassins flinch from fear and nervousness.


    Sounds of battles could be heard from outside the room and the guards who were patrolling became aware of what happened. One rushed to tell the Patriarch about it while the others rushed to figure out what actually happened. By then, two of the assassins are rendered unconscious, while one died after being mauled by Wang Zan. But Lin Xiao did not escape unscathed as he sported few injuries though none were too serious.


    Compared to the bandits in the mountain, these people are more skillful and agile. Each of their movements was carefully planned and they also worked together seamlessly. For some reason, being outnumbered like this felt familiar to Lin Xiao. It was as if he had once experienced something like this before.


    Regardless, as soon as the guards arrived, the tide changed. Noticing that they are now being found, the remaining assassins tried to escape but they were quickly subdued. Not one of them was able to escape since they are completely surrounded even from the outside.


    Not long after, Xia YuanFeng arrived at the scene. His eyes quickly found Long YinLian and when he saw that the other was safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief. When he heard that there was an attack, his heart fell, and he thought that he might lose Long YinLian again. Now that he knows the other is safe, his fear turned to anger, and he ordered for a direct execution for the assassins.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Lin Xiao quickly cried out, stopping the guards from doing as they were ordered. ¡°Martial uncle, they said it was a mission! Shouldn¡¯t we figure out who sent them first? If not, what we¡¯re doing is simply cutting off our only lead! This is only one time, if the one who sent them is being let off scot-free, who knows if he sends more in the future,¡± he told Xia YuanFeng.


    ¡°No need! I, YuanFeng, already have an idea who it is¡­ gather all the elders! And make sure to bring their heads,¡± he pointed at the assassins who were already subdued, ¡°Bring it to the meeting hall! Along with the dead!¡± Yuan Feng roared out before he went to Yin Lian¡¯s side.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin¡­ are you alright?¡± Xia YuanFeng¡¯s tone was different from his earlier authoritative tone. When he addressed Long YinLian, his tone was gentle and full of affection.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Feng-ge. What about Xiao-er? He was the one fighting with Zan-er earlier. Are they alright?¡± Long YinLian asked, worrying about the two whom he considered his children.


    Xia YuanFeng glanced over at Lin Xiao and Wang Zan, assessing their condition. ¡°Zan¡­-er is alright. He didn¡¯t get injured. Lin Xiao has few injuries, but I will call the physician over to treat him so don¡¯t worry,¡± Xia YuanFeng informed Long YinLian.


    After that, Xia YuanFeng pulled Long YinLian closer to him and he barked for the servants to come in. ¡°Clean all the blood! And prepare that empty room beside mine to be used. We¡¯re moving our guests there!¡± Xia YuanFeng ordered before he turned to Long YinLian once more. ¡°Ah¡¯Yin, my apologies but I will be needed your presence for the meeting. Lin Xiao as well.¡±


    Long YinLian could only sigh. He knew that with this incident, their plan of leaving can only be delayed. ¡°Alright. But Feng-ge, promise me that you won¡¯t go overboard¡­ I do not wish to cause a scene.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°If martial uncle won¡¯t, I will,¡± while Xia YuanFeng hesitated, Lin Xiao quickly chirped in. ¡°They tried to kill you, Shizun¡­ If I don¡¯t make the person responsible pay, then I would¡¯ve failed you as your disciple,¡± he added. He then turned to Xia YuanFeng, giving him a warning glare. ¡°Martial uncle will make sure that Shizun will get the justice he deserved, right? Or else¡­¡±


    ¡°Xiao-er¡­¡± Long YinLian tried to stop Lin Xiao but Xia YuanFeng¡¯s next word made him swallow whatever it was he wanted to say.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin was wronged within my residence. If I don¡¯t get him justice, then I am a bad host. You don¡¯t have to worry, I will get down to the root of this matter,¡± Xia YuanFeng said, giving his promise to Lin Xiao.


    ¡®Good,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself. ¡®It would¡¯ve been far easier to find out who was behind this by torturing them. But since you said you have an idea who, I will make sure you don¡¯t back out halfway.¡¯

 Chapter 38

    The physician was rudely woken up and with little preparation, was taken away from his clinic. By the time he arrived at the Xia family residence, he felt as if he was still in dreamland and if it were not for Xia YuanFeng¡¯s piercing gaze, he probably would¡¯ve fallen back asleep while standing. Luckily, his patient¡¯s injury was not so serious so after doing his job and getting paid, he was sent back home.


    Lin Xiao, who had his wounds treated, sighed as he stared at the bandages that are covering his wounded body. Then, he looked over at Long YinLian who is still talking to Xia YuanFeng. From this distance, Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about but just from their demeanor, he knew it was extremely important.


    ¡°Xiao-er, come here,¡± Long YinLian called out to him. He got off the chair he was sitting on and slowly went over to his master¡¯s side.


    ¡°Does Shizun need anything?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    ¡°Later, I want you to restrain yourself once we found the one behind this incident,¡± Long YinLian told Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Why? Someone tries to harm you! Why do I need to restrain myself?¡± Lin Xiao asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Because things may not be so simple,¡± the one who replied was Xia YuanFeng, and Lin Xiao can only narrow his eyes at the older male. ¡°I only know one person for sure, but there might be more. Rather than just dealing with this one person, I rather deal with the whole group at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. I promise I won¡¯t act recklessly. But I ask martial uncle to make the right choice,¡± Lin Xiao said in a serious tone.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Xia YuanFeng assured him. ¡°How are you feeling? If you are not feeling well, you can just rest while we¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Martial uncle doesn¡¯t have to worry. These are all flesh wounds, not even deep,¡± Lin Xiao replied quickly, cutting the older male¡¯s sentence off. ¡°We should go before those people can find some excuses.¡±


    With that, they all went to the Xia family¡¯s meeting room. The elders were already gathered there, waiting for them. The moment Lin Xiao set foot inside the meeting room, he could feel the eyes on him and in return, Lin Xiao just gave them a haughty look, daring them to try something.


    At the moment, all Lin Xiao wants to do is find out who¡¯s responsible, flay off their skin, rend the flesh off their bones and grind their bones to dust. Unfortunately, he had already promised to restrain himself so he can only put the idea to the back of his mind. ¡®But if the result of this meeting is unsatisfactory¡­ then they shouldn¡¯t blame me for being ruthless,¡¯ he thought as he glanced at ever elders in the room. Some seem nervous while some were confused as to why they were summoned in the middle of the night.


    Xia YuanFeng took his seat while Long YinLian and Lin Xiao stood at his side. ¡°Looks like everyone is here,¡± Xia YuanFeng speaks up after he scanned through the room. ¡°Good. I¡¯m sure some of you have an idea of what I¡¯m about to say, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Lord Patriarch, we have no idea why you have called us this late-night,¡± it was Elder Xiang who answered as he feigned innocence. Out of all the elders, he can be considered second only to Xia YuanFeng when it comes to the level of authority one possesses within the Xia family.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Xia YuanFeng had a look of ridicule as his eyes landed on Elder Xiang. ¡°Then allow me to inform you,¡± Xia YuanFeng paused as to gauge everyone¡¯s reaction. ¡®Sure enough, there are more than just one¡­¡¯ Xia YuanFeng thought as he reached a conclusion.


    ¡°Earlier, our guests were attacked by a group of assassins. They seemed to have known the patrol guard¡¯s schedule¡¯s for tonight. In fact, they also seemed to know that a certain patrol group would be delayed,¡± Xia YuanFeng said before his eyes rest on Elder Xiang¡¯s figure. ¡°Elder Xiang, can you tell me the reason why you hold back the leader of the patrol group in charge of patrolling in the fourth night¡¯s watch?¡±


    Elder Xiang was still acting calm as he replied, ¡°Lord Patriarch, it is a mere coincidence. The leader of that patrol group is none other than JingRui and his wife is about to give birth soon. I only called him over for a quick chat to tell him not to overwork himself since his child will be born soon.¡±


    Xia JingRui was Elder Xiang¡¯s second son. Although his achievement is lacking compared to his elder brother, Elder Xiang still spoiled him which was why he was able to live an easy life despite only being a leader of a patrol group within the family.


    ¡°Is it really a coincidence?¡± Xia YuanFeng asked and Elder Xiang nods his head. After a while, Xia YuanFeng called for a servant to make an appearance. The servant fidgeted as he entered the meeting room. His head bowed down as he trained his eyes down on the wooden floor below his feet, afraid to raise his head.


    ¡°Tell us what you see earlier,¡± Xia YuanFeng said to the servant.


    ¡°My lord¡­ at Zi Shi, this servant went to feed the koi fishes in the garden¡¯s pond as usual. Then, this servant accidentally saw a cloaked figure moving around suspiciously within the household, so this servant decided to follow the cloaked figure. Then, this servant saw that the cloaked figure entered Elder Xiang¡¯s room and¡­¡± as the servant continued to speak, Elder Xiang¡¯s expression had turned dark and ugly.


    ¡°So, what if I walked around late at night?! At that time, I was just coming back from drinking at the tavern! There is nothing suspicious about that,¡± Elder Xiang interjected. ¡°Lord Patriarch, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can simply ask the tavern I went to!¡±


    Xia YuanFeng narrowed his eyes and Elder Xiang shrunk back just from the cold gaze that was aimed at him. Just then, another person entered the meeting room and went straight to Xia YuanFeng to whisper something. Xia YuanFeng nods his head and turned his attention back to Elder Xiang.


    ¡°The investigation on the tavern is already done. I just received my report. Several eyewitnesses did say that you did go to the tavern,¡± Xia YuanFeng said and Elder Xiang¡¯s expression turned better. That is until he heard Xia YuanFeng¡¯s next sentence. ¡°But it was not to drink. One particular eyewitness mentioned that you were threatening the owner to help you find someone to hire¡­ will you tell me who you were trying to hire and for what reason you were hiring them?¡±


    Hearing this, Elder Xiang could not say anything. He remained tight-lipped for a while and Xia YuanFeng can only sigh. ¡°Elder Xiang,¡± Xia YuanFeng had said his name in a warning tone but the elder still did not say anything. ¡°You left me no choice¡­ bring her in.¡±


    At his order, the man who came to report to Xia YuanFeng before, left the room only to return not long after with a woman in tow. This was the owner of the tavern, and also the tavern¡¯s mistress that Elder Xiang had talked to earlier. When she entered the room, Elder Xiang¡¯s eyes went wide, and his face turned slightly pale.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡± and as soon as the word escaped Elder Xiang¡¯s lips, the woman flinched, and she sported a fearful look on her face. Seeing this, Elder Xiang¡¯s heart turned even more uneasy.


    ¡°Explain what happened in your tavern in detail,¡± Xia YuanFeng told her and she nods her head.


    ¡°It was just as I¡¯ve told your subordinate, my lord. I was serving drinks as usual in my tavern when he¡­¡± her eyes went to Elder Xiang, looking extremely fearful. ¡°He came inside. I thought he wanted to have a drink, so I went to him, asking what he wanted. Then¡­¡± as she continues, Elder Xiang¡¯s face turns even paler. The story was different from what had happened. But Elder Xiang could not say anything due to how real the mistress¡¯s acting is.


    The story goes as how Elder Xiang threatened to destroy her tavern if she does not comply and, in the end, she ended up asking her customer for help. ¡°Luckily¡­ one of my customers then heard rumors about a group of assassins¡­ after getting all the information he needed, he left the tavern¡­¡±


    ¡°What a lowlife,¡± Lin Xiao hissed under his breath, only to have his side pinched by Long YinLian who only shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shizun¡­¡± Lin Xiao mumbled in a soft voice.


    ¡°Just stay quiet, Xiao-er. Only speak when you are asked, alright?¡± Long YinLian said and Lin Xiao nods his head. Returning his attention at the scene before him, he could already figure out that the one behind the assassins earlier is none other than Elder Xiang. So, Lin Xiao had already begun to formulate some plan in case that Xia YuanFeng decided to go lenient because he is the elder of the Xia family.


    ¡°Alright, you may go now. And before you leave, you¡¯ll receive 100 pieces of gold as compensation for the emotional trauma our elder caused you. As the patriarch of the Xia family, I apologize for his behavior,¡± Xia YuanFeng said with his head bowed slightly.


    Once she had left, Xia YuanFeng glared at Elder Xiang before scoffing. ¡°Elder Xiang, as the respected elder of our family, your conduct is not acceptable. Not only you tried to harm our guests, you even threatened a civilian! With this alone, I could sentence you for your crime. You will be exiled from now onwards. But because of your contribution to this family for this past fifty years, I will give you a chance for leniency. In two days, this matter will be conveyed to the Imperial Court. Until then, you will be confined in your room to reflect on your wrongdoings!¡±


    When Elder Xiang heard Xia YuanFeng¡¯s words, he knew that his fate was sealed. ¡®A chance for leniency? This is clearly sentencing me to life in a dungeon! Being exiled is better than living in the dungeon!¡¯ Elder Xiang thought. He wanted to tell Xia YuanFeng that he¡¯s not the only one who planned it, but just as he was about to open his lips, he heard a light cough from his side. When he turned his head, he saw the elder beside him hands him a small note while his eyes contain a silent warning.


    At this time, Xia YuanFeng had already turned his attention to his guards to give out his orders, so he had missed this interaction. But Lin Xiao who was focused on Elder Xiang saw it. He wanted to go over and snatch the note away but Long YinLian stopped him in his track by holding his wrist.


    ¡°Whatever it is you see, don¡¯t act yet,¡± Long YinLian whispered to Lin Xiao. ¡°Since things are now brought to the Imperial Court, naturally it will be investigated thoroughly. If you act now, you might end up making the rest of them destroy the evidence¡­¡±


    Lin Xiao was unwilling at first but when he heard Long YinLian¡¯s explanation, he sighed, and he can only comply. After that, Elder Xiang was brought away by Xia YuanFeng¡¯s personal guards and the rest of the elders were dismissed.


    Once all the elders had left, Lin Xiao turned to Xia YuanFeng. ¡°Martial uncle, why did you even give him a chance for leniency?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young so you don¡¯t understand. There are still others in cahoots,¡± Xia YuanFeng replied. ¡°Hopefully by giving Elder Xiang this chance, he¡¯ll loosen up and tattle on the others are in cahoots with him. Plus, the Imperial Court is not lenient. Ever since two years ago, they have become more strict with cases like this,¡± Yuan Feng informed him. ¡°Now, I¡¯m sure the room is already prepared. Let me walk you tw-¡­ five to your room,¡± Xia YuanFeng quickly corrected himself. He still cannot believe that he has to treat three tigers as guests. The three tigers in questions were patiently waiting outside in the garden.


    When Lin Xiao and the rest came out, only then did the three tigers move. Xia YuanFeng led them to their new room which was the empty room that was beside his own living quarters.

 Chapter 39

    The matter within the Xia household being sneaked into by assassins did not spread under the order of Xia YuanFeng. If other people were to know, their reputation would be damaged. Two days after the incident, the case was conveyed to the Imperial Court. A day later, a letter came from the Imperial Court stating that their case will be heard two weeks later.


    A week passed since then, and Elder Xiang is still under house arrest. Within this one week, Elder Xiang did not say anything other than asking for tea or snacks. His meals were delivered to his room three times a day, and no one is allowed to see him unless Xia YuanFeng gave them permission. Xia JingRui once tried to sneak in to meet his father, but he was found out and Xia YuanFeng immediately punished him with ten lashes in front of the whole family as a lesson to those who try to defy his order.


    During this time, Lin Xiao had been trying to find an excuse to leave, but Xia YuanFeng at first said that he shouldn¡¯t since he¡¯s injured. The older male told him that he should wait for his injuries to heal before leaving. Then, the letter from the Imperial Court came and Xia YuanFeng went back against his word and had Lin Xiao and the rest to stay longer, saying that their presence will be needed in order to testify.


    ¡°I swear, that guy just wanted to keep Shizun here¡­¡± Lin Xiao grumbled under his breath as he complained to Long YinLian. They were currently sitting in the pavilion, enjoying their afternoon tea while the three tigers played in the garden. Ever since they stayed in this courtyard, the number of servants coming and going became less, as if Xia YuanFeng had limited the people who can come into the courtyard to the people who he completely trusts.


    ¡°He could¡¯ve just let us leave and when the court hearing takes place, he can send his men to come and get us,¡± Lin Xiao added as he continued to voice out his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Be patient, Xiao-er. If we leave, it will take us two days again just to come to the capital. And who knows what will happen during our journey. Remember what happened last time?¡± Long YinLian reminded Lin Xiao of how their journey before was delayed by a day because of a few circumstances.


    ¡°But, Shizun¡­¡± Lin Xiao whined in a childish manner. ¡°A week has passed! Sure, the food is good. I can¡¯t deny that but, I can¡¯t even go out! I feel like we¡¯re being caged here just like that elder.¡±


    Lin Xiao had even tried to escape from the household a few times but every time, he was caught by Xia YuanFeng¡¯s personal guards. Compared to the guards that he met by the entrance; these guards¡¯ martial arts were several levels higher.


    Hearing this, Long YinLian can only let out an amused chuckle before he reached out to pat Lin Xiao on the head. Lin Xiao, seeing his gesture, quickly moved his head so that Long YinLian¡¯s hand can easily find his head. ¡°Your martial uncle is only worried about your well beings. You were injured after all,¡± Long YinLian said.


    Lin Xiao just let out a heavy sigh. ¡°But my injuries are almost healed already. It doesn¡¯t even bleed anymore. As long as I am careful, it won¡¯t reopen,¡± Lin Xiao explained. ¡°Shizun, I had injuries worse than this before.¡±


    ¡°Then, how about this¡­ I will ask Feng-ge to let you go out later. But you must promise me to return before it gets dark,¡± Long YinLian suggested.


    ¡°Will Shizun also come?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before Long YinLian could answer, Xia YuanFeng had come over to join them. He had heard of their conversation and couldn¡¯t help but chirped in. ¡°If Xiao-er wants to go out and play, I will allow it as long as the physician says its okay,¡± Xia YuanFeng said out loud before he took a seat beside Long YinLian as if it was a natural thing to do. Only after hearing what Xia YuanFeng said did Lin Xiao notice the physician who came along with the other.


    Seeing this, Lin Xiao can¡¯t help the frown that formed on his face. ¡®Why do I feel like he¡¯s plotting against me?¡¯ he thought as he eyed Xia YuanFeng suspiciously. He then watched as the physician did a check up on him, starting with his pulse. While Lin Xiao had his checkup, Long YinLian and Xia YuanFeng engaged in small talk.


    ¡°Feng-ge, did you finish your paperwork already? You should spend some time with your youngest son more. Earlier, he came over and was looking for you with his older cousin,¡± Long YinLian informed Xia YuanFeng.


    ¡°That little rascal came again?¡± Xia YuanFeng frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. He¡¯s your son, Feng-ge. And he is a sweet young child,¡± Long YinLian said in a gentle tone. ¡°Xiao Shen is also a sweet young child. I noticed that he is interested in martial arts, but his father didn¡¯t allow him to practice martial arts. Why is that?¡± Long YinLian asked, referring to the cousin that accompanied Xia YuanFeng¡¯s child.


    ¡°Xiao Shen? Are you referring to YuShen?¡± Xia YuanFeng asked. He knew that his son has been playing with his cousins, but he wasn¡¯t sure which one.


    Xia YuShen is Xia YuTian¡¯s son, borne from a woman of the pleasure house. When his mother died, he was brought into the family. Xia YuTian¡¯s attitude towards Xia YuShen was indifferent. He only cared for Xia YuShen enough to make sure the child is alive, nothing more. Xia YuTian¡¯s wife was even worse as she treated Xia YuShen as air.


    ¡°En. I have also checked his body condition and he has the aptitude to learn martial arts. It¡¯s only been three months since he reached six, so it won¡¯t be too late for him to start training. As long as he works hard, I¡¯m sure that he can be an exceptional martial artist,¡± Long YinLian said with a smile on his face.


    ¡°I will bring this up to his father,¡± Xia YuanFeng said in return.


    Just then, the physician had just finished his checkup on Lin Xiao and turned to Xia YuanFeng to report, ¡°My Lord, although his injuries have stopped bleeding, there are still risks of some of them reopening. Until the wound has completely closed, I don¡¯t suggest he goes outside. After all, the capital is not as peaceful as it seems.¡±


    The moment Lin Xiao heard this, his expression turned dark and he quickly grabbed the physician by his collar. ¡°Alright, say it! How much did martial uncle pay you to say that?¡± Lin Xiao is now very close to exploding in rage. He felt that if he didn¡¯t go out today, he will go crazy from boredom. For someone who lived freely in the mountain, a week was his limit.


    ¡°This young master, I am not paid to say that. It is the truth!¡± the physician replied. In his mind, Lin Xiao is the precious young master within the Xia family. He never asked for his identity but since Lin Xiao stayed at the same courtyard as the patriarch, surely it meant that he¡¯s an important member of the family. If any mishap were to occur to Lin Xiao, the physician felt that he could be ruined. So, he treated Lin Xiao like a fragile ornament.


    Lin Xiao was just about to say more when Long YinLian speaks up.


    ¡°Xiao-er, listen to him. If the physician said you are not well enough, then you should rest more so that you can recover quickly. He is a qualified physician, there is no reason for him to lie,¡± Long YinLian said and Lin Xiao looked at him with a wronged expression.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes! How about this, I¡¯ll prescribe you the best medicine so that your wounds will heal faster. It will only cost you five gold coins!¡± the physician added, and Lin Xiao just glared at him, making him flinch.


    ¡°Five gold coins?! Scram! Why do I need your medicine when I am already healed!!¡± Lin Xiao made a gesture to hit the physician and the poor physician quickly scrambled away.


    Xia YuanFeng who was quietly witnessing this can only hold back his laughter. ¡°You heard the physician, Xiao-er. You should go back to your room and recuperate for now. What¡¯s more, next week we will go to the Imperial Court. You¡¯ll need to be in your best condition at that time,¡± Xia YuanFeng reminded Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Lin Xiao can¡¯t fight back against two people, so he just agreed verbally. But in his heart, he already planned on making his escape today. ¡®I don¡¯t care¡­ I must go out today and I will succeed this time. There is no way I can stand another day being cooped up in this place!¡¯

 Chapter 40

    After their afternoon tea, Lin Xiao head straight back to his room while Xia YuanFeng managed to coax Long YinLian to accompany him, saying that he needed some help with training the new member of the Thunder Hawk. Knowing that both adults are not around, Lin Xiao began to execute his plan.


    Lin Xiao glanced over at Wang Lan, Wang Fan and Wang Zan who seems content to have their afternoon sleep. Then, he looked out to the windows towards the sky gauge the current time of the day. ¡°Looks like it is still Wei Shi¡­ as long as I return before You Shi, I should be alright,¡± Lin Xiao murmured in a soft voice.


    He then looked around outside and saw that there were actually no guards at this time, ¡°Oh? Seems like someone will be in trouble for slacking off,¡± Lin Xiao said with a mischievous grin on his face. ¡°Not that I care. As long as I don¡¯t get found out, you won¡¯t be in trouble anyway,¡± Lin Xiao snickered as he jumped out from the window. When Lin Xiao left, the two guards who were supposed to keep guard nearby finally returned.


    ¡°Seriously, why do I need to keep you company just because you want to take a leak?¡± one of the guards asked his partner.


    ¡°Well, you know that there are three tigers living here. I don¡¯t want to go alone. Plus, can you handle standing guard alone? What if the tigers decided to make you their meal?¡± the other retorted. Hearing this, the first guard can only shiver at the thought.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Let¡¯s just stay together whenever we have our shift in the patriarch¡¯s courtyard¡­¡± the first guard muttered softly as they returned to their duty. Unfortunately, the person they were supposed to keep watch on has already left the area.


    Lin Xiao was careful as he made his way to the walls that surround the Xia family¡¯s residence. The walls were quite tall, so Lin Xiao had to look around to see if there is anything that he can use to climb the wall. This was the farthest that Lin Xiao had actually gone ever since he started his escape. While looking around, he saw a tree not too far from the wall and he made a mental calculation on the jump distance.


    ¡°I should be able to make it,¡± he murmured in a soft voice. He crouched towards the tree as to not attract any attention from the patrolling guards. He made sure to keep hidden, using the bushes and blind spots to his advantage. When he reached the tree, Lin Xiao patiently waited for the guards to go out of view before he climbed up the tree.


    Since he lived in the mountain for two years of his life, tree-climbing became one of his hobbies. In addition, when he¡¯s on a tree, it¡¯s easier for him to see the distance and even keep hidden from his prey as he takes aim with his bow.


    After climbing up the tree, he then jumped onto the wall and down to the other side. Having succeeded, Lin Xiao felt a sense of achievement. After finally getting out after a few days of feeling locked up, Lin Xiao was excited to finally see the capitals.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m here, I may as well see what the capitals have to offer! When we arrived before, Ping Jianyu mentioned that there is a market to the east side of the capital, but it is located in the middle district,¡± Lin Xiao once again looked up to the sky but this time, he wanted to get the direction. ¡°The middle district shouldn¡¯t be far, right?¡±


    With the decision made, Lin Xiao turned back to the walls and bowed down. ¡°Shizun, please forgive Lin Xiao for being mischievous¡­¡± he said in an apologetic tone before he finally walked away. Luckily, he has few gold pieces with him which were his profit from selling his spoils to Ping Jianyu a week ago. Before, he never would have thought that he would be spending them in the capital. Regardless, since he is now stuck here until the court hearing, he may as well enjoy himself.


    It did not take Lin Xiao too long to arrive at the market. Here, he learned that the market was divided into several parts, north, east, south and west, with the plaza as the center. The northern part is where they sell clothes and accessories. The eastern part is where they sell foods of all kinds. The southern part is where they sell raw materials and ingredients. The western part is the mercenary¡¯s favorite shopping area as they sell all kinds of equipment there.


    Lin Xiao first went to the eastern part of the market. He could see several stalls at the side of the road as well as some restaurants. Amazingly, the restaurant didn¡¯t drive away these food stall owners even if they set their stall near the entrance of their restaurant. In fact, they even work together to attract customers.


    If someone entered the restaurant to eat and wanted something from the stall, the restaurant employee would come out and help order from the stall. Meanwhile, if the stall near the restaurant still hasn¡¯t had their foods ready, they would suggest waiting inside the restaurant. This way, each of them will earn no matter what.


    Lin Xiao was amazed when he saw this kind of community. He thought that since there are many stalls and restaurants, the competitiveness will be ruthless. But instead, he saw how they all work in harmony. After walking for a while, he went to one of the stalls that sell meat skewers. The aroma had been calling out to Lin Xiao ever since he got close and it made his mouth water.


    ¡°Mister, how much for one?¡± Lin Xiao asked as he eyed the skewers that were currently being cooked.


    ¡°One for five copper coins! Buy five for twenty copper coins. My meat skewers are the best in this street, you won¡¯t regret buying from me, young man!¡± the owner replied with a smile.


    ¡®Oh? Five for the price of four? Such a good price!¡¯ Lin Xiao thought as he took out a gold piece. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have five,¡± Lin Xiao said as he handed the gold piece to the owner.


    When the owner saw this, his eyes went wide, and he gave Lin Xiao a nervous look. ¡°This¡­ Young master, do you have a smaller change?¡± the owner asked, changing the way he addressed Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Smaller change¡­? Well¡­¡± Lin Xiao was also feeling troubled now. When he sold his spoils to Ping Jianyu, he priced them as he usually would. So, all he has was gold, he didn¡¯t even have any silver on him.


    ¡°Brother Lin?¡±


    At this time, a soft, gentle voice called out to him and Lin Xiao can¡¯t help turning his head around. He saw Fei YuXing, accompanied by a maidservant and a guard from the Xia family.


    ¡°It is brother Lin. I wasn¡¯t sure if I got the right person before,¡± Fei YuXing said with a smile on her face. Then, she noticed that Lin Xiao actually looked troubled. ¡°Brother Lin, what¡¯s wrong? Are you in trouble?¡± she asked as she glanced between Lin Xiao and the stall owner. Figuring out the problem, she turned back to Lin Xiao, ¡°Did brother Lin not have any money to buy food?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No! I do have money with me but¡­ the owner asked for a smaller change which, I don¡¯t have with me right now,¡± Lin Xiao said with a sheepish smile. ¡°Ah, Sister Fei! Since you¡¯re here, you must be out to buy things, right? Can you help me and exchange this with smaller change?¡± Lin Xiao asked as he held out the gold pieces in his hand.


    ¡°So, this is the case. Sure, no problem at all!¡± Fei YuXing said before she glanced over at her guard. ¡°Chang Bo, give Brother Lin ninety silver and a thousand copper coins,¡± Fei YuXing said and Chang Bo, went forward as he took the pouch tied on his waist. Chang Bo carefully calculated a thousand copper coins before tying the pouch up once again. Then he reached into his cloth and took out another pouch and this time, he calculated exactly ninety silver before handing it over to Lin Xiao. In return, Lin Xiao handed a gold piece to Chang Bo.


    ¡°Many thanks, brother Chang! And to you too, Sister Fei! If you were not around, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do,¡± Lin Xiao said in a merry tone. Now that he solved his money problem, he should be able to enjoy his freedom.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to mention it, brother Lin!¡± Fei YuXing replied. ¡°Actually, since we¡¯ve met out here, how about going together?¡±


    Lin Xiao, who had just received his five meat skewers after paying the owner, turned to Fei YuXing once more. ¡°Go together?¡± Lin Xiao pondered about it for a moment as he took a bite on one of the meat skewers he has. ¡®Though it would be more advantageous if I go with Sister Fei¡­ Shizun said that it is not proper for a man and a woman to go together alone unless they are close. Though we spent a few days together, I don¡¯t think what we have can be considered close. But then again, she has a guard and a maidservant with her, so it¡¯s not considered alone¡­¡¯


    While Lin Xiao was in deep thought, a falcon suddenly flew over and circled above Lin Xiao. This made Lin Xiao look up and a smile formed on his face. ¡°Oh, hey! You¡¯re here again,¡± Lin Xiao said as he held up his arm so that the falcon can rest on his forearm. ¡°When we arrived at the capital, you flew off again. I thought I won¡¯t see you until a month later,¡± Lin Xiao chuckled before he lifts the meat skewer in his other hand close to the falcon¡¯s beak. ¡°Want some?¡±


    The falcon, in return, simply stared at the meat skewer in a confused manner but it didn¡¯t move to eat it. ¡°I guess not,¡± Lin Xiao concluded. ¡°Now where was I¡­ ah, yes! Sister Fei, if you don¡¯t mind, let us go together! This is actually my first time out in the market ever since we arrived a week ago, so if you could show me around, that would be great!¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s go to the northern part of the market. I heard that there is a new shipment of accessories and ornaments coming over at one of the popular shops. I also plan to buy something as a token of appreciation to Master Long. Maybe you can help me?¡± Fei YuXing¡¯s face beamed up when Lin Xiao agreed to go together.


    ¡°A present for Shizun?¡± Lin Xiao thought for a while. ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s actually a good idea. No, if I buy something, Shizun will find out that I went out¡­¡± Lin Xiao mumbled to himself. After a while, an idea popped in his mind and Lin Xiao grinned as he turned to Fei YuXing.


    ¡°Sister Fei, can you do Lin Xiao a big favor?¡±

 Chapter 41

    Lin Xiao accompanied Fei YuXing and her company to the northern part of the market. The contrast between the eastern part and the northern part was just like heaven and earth. If the owners in the eastern part can work together, the people in the northern part were simply at each other¡¯s throat.


    ¡®The competitiveness is crazy in this part of the market¡­¡¯ Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but thought as he watched how the owners are having both quality and price wars. Some even bickered with each other, making their potential customers avoid them. ¡®Aiya¡­ if you act like that, how can someone go over to your shop, ah!¡¯


    Lin Xiao simply followed Fei YuXing closely as they walked through the street while the falcon flew above them, occasionally resting on a roof of a building or on top of a stall. ¡°Sister Fei, about that favor I asked earlier, I hope you won¡¯t tell Shizun that it was from me. Since I sneaked out today, I can¡¯t let him know,¡± Lin Xiao once again reminded Fei YuXing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother Lin. Your secret endeavor is safe with me. Father once said that if a man did not act recklessly once, then they are not a man,¡± Fei YuXing replied with a slight giggle. She can¡¯t help but find Lin Xiao being cute with how he is acting currently.


    ¡®So different from when I first met him in the mountain,¡¯ she thought to herself as she continued to gaze at Lin Xiao.


    Occasionally, they would be stopped by merchants who wanted to drag them over to their shop to look at their items. Luckily, Chang Bo was with them so whenever the merchants went overboard, all he did is give them a cold glare and lifts his hand up to his sword strapped on his waist. As soon as the merchants see this, they all quiver in fear and restrained themselves.


    ¡°Here we are!¡± after walking for a while, they finally arrived before a bustling store. Just looking from outside, one can already see how busy the business is.


    Lin Xiao stared at the building before him, then he compared it to the other buildings nearby, then to the small stalls by the roadside. ¡°Sister Fei, this place is the one you mention before? The items inside¡­ are they not expensive?¡± Lin Xiao asked in a worried tone. The store was several times bigger than the rest, and it even has multiple floors.


    He knew Fei YuXing does not have much money on her. Especially not when she lost most of her dowries. The money she has now was simply the pocket money that Xia YuanFeng had given her for the month as a small compensation for the bad experience she had during her journey to the capital.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, brother Lin. After all, you and Master Long saved my life. The thing that I have to get for both of you must be something that has its worth,¡± Fei YuXing replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting one for me too?¡± Lin Xiao asked, feeling surprised.


    ¡°Of course, ah! If you didn¡¯t save me at that time, who knows what my life would be by now. I might suffer a fate worse than death!¡± Fei YuXing said before she took Lin Xiao¡¯s arm and dragged him inside. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s not waste any more time or else, the goods will be sold out!¡±


    When they entered the store, Lin Xiao could see that they have several clothes on display. He could see the price at a glance when he went past them. ¡®1 gold and 45 silver for a simple hanfu?!¡¯ Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but feel that the prices were being exaggerated.


    Fei YuXing continued to drag Lin Xiao over and soon, they reached the third floor of the store. On this floor, Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes almost turned blind from the price of the items on display. On the ground floor, the highest price Lin Xiao saw was only three gold pieces. But on this floor, even the cheapest one costs 10 gold pieces.


    ¡®That is almost all of my earnings from Ping Jianyu, ah!¡¯ Lin Xiao could only cry out in his heart as they continued to walk around.


    ¡°Brother Lin, what do you think about this jade hairpin?¡± Fei YuXing asked Lin Xiao as she held up a fine, jade pin with excellent craftsmanship. The design was kept very simple and yet, it still exudes the air of elegance that only nobles and royalties should have.


    Lin Xiao also felt that such jade hairpin would look good on his beloved master but when he saw the price, he almost vomited blood on the spot. ¡°Fifty gold pieces?! This store is simply outrageous with their pricing! Sister Fei, forget it. Let¡¯s just go downstairs, ah!¡± Lin Xiao said.


    ¡°What are you talking about? The items on the floors below this one are all mass-produced items. They¡¯re not good enough to be given as a present. Don¡¯t worry about the price. Uncle Yuan gave me a lot of money when I told him I wanted to buy gifts for you and Master Long,¡± Fei YuXing informed Lin Xiao.


    Hearing this, Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but feel that his martial uncle is also using this chance to buy gifts for his master. ¡°That¡­ Sister Fei, did martial uncle also tell you to buy two items as gifts?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    ¡°How did you know, brother Lin?¡± Fei YuXing sounded surprised that Lin Xiao knew about it.


    ¡°I just guessed. I mean, before¡­ we were attacked at his residence so I thought that since he gave you a lot of money, he may also ask you to help him pick a gift for Shizun as a token of apology,¡± Lin Xiao gave out his reasoning. Of course, in his mind, he thinks differently. ¡®Martial uncle¡­ you¡¯re so cunning. You knew Shizun won¡¯t accept your gifts normally, so you have sister Fei help you. How ¡®good¡¯ of you, ah!¡¯


    ¡°So, what do you think? Will Master Long like this jade hairpin?¡± Fei YuXing asked Lin Xiao once more, snapping Lin Xiao out of his thought.


    ¡°En. That is good. Since Shizun likes to put his hair up, it will look nice on him. He also has a set of clothes that is a matching color with this jade hairpin,¡± Lin Xiao said. Since he now knew Xia YuanFeng gave them a lot of money for buying gifts for his master, he won¡¯t show any restraint. ¡°And since we¡¯re getting this jade hairpin, how about we pair it with this Jinbu?¡± Lin Xiao suggested as he picked up the waist ornament and held it up in his hand.


    Just like the jade hairpin, it looked simple, but when Lin Xiao looked closely at the jade that was hung on it, he could see how detailed the craftsmanship was. At this, he quickly glanced back at the price tag and when he saw that it was ten gold pieces cheaper compared to the jade hairpin, he let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°That looks great. Alright, let¡¯s get both of them,¡± Fei YuXing quickly agreed. ¡°Next is your gift. Brother Lin, go on and choose! Don¡¯t worry about the money,¡± Fei YuXing said as she urged Lin Xiao to pick something up for himself.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Lin Xiao now has a troubled expression. He didn¡¯t mind helping to choose for his master but for himself, it¡¯s a different story. He really did not want to trouble a young lady to buy him a gift but seeing Fei YuXing¡¯s expectant eyes, he felt that if he says no, he will only hurt her good feelings.


    ¡°Let me look around first,¡± Lin Xiao said before he once again began to look around. Fei YuXing and her entourage patiently followed him around and it was only when he saw the cheapest Jinbu did he pick it up. Though it¡¯s the cheapest, it still costs exactly ten gold pieces. The Jinbu is simple and even the jade is smaller than the one they got for Long YinLian. ¡°I¡¯ll just have this one,¡± Lin Xiao said to Fei YuXing.


    ¡°Really? There are others that looks more elegant and beautiful,¡± Fei YuXing said but Lin Xiao didn¡¯t change his mind.


    In the end, Fei YuXing can only call for the employee to help put the items in a box and wrap them in a cloth made from silk. Since the money was with Chang Bo, she told the guard to pay for it and also to hold the items.


    ¡°No, actually¡­ take out brother Lin¡¯s Jinbu,¡± Fei YuXing suddenly changed her mind, making Lin Xiao confused.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me she wants to change it¡­ Sister Fei, please¡­ I really don¡¯t need anything expensive!¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself as he watched Fei YuXing took the Jinbu out of its box. Then she went closer to him and just as she was about to help tie the Jinbu to Lin Xiao¡¯s belt, Lin Xiao quickly took a step back because he felt that she was too close.


    ¡°Brother Lin, stay still and let me help you hang this on your waist,¡± Fei YuXing said with a slight reprimanding tone. When Lin Xiao moved earlier, she almost dropped the ornament down from surprise.


    ¡°Sister Fei, I can do it on my own,¡± Lin Xiao said as he tried to take the Jinbu off from Fei YuXing.


    ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯ve never seen you wear it; do you know how to put it on?¡± Fei YuXing asked, and Lin Xiao can¡¯t say anything else to retort against her.


    In the end, he can only let Fei YuXing help put the Jinbu on him and he could only push down the awkward feeling he has to the back of his mind.


    When they left the store, it was then that Fei YuXing realized that Lin Xiao has yet to pick a gift for Long YinLian. ¡°Ah! Brother Lin¡­ it was rude of me to forget that you also want to buy something for Master Long. How about we go back in so you can choose?¡± Fei YuXing said as soon as she remembered.


    Hearing this, Lin Xiao quickly shook his head. ¡°No need! What I want to buy for Shizun is something else. Let¡¯s go to the western district.¡±


    ¡°Western district?¡± hearing this, Fei YuXing showed a look of discomfort. ¡°Brother Lin, must we go there?¡± she asked for Lin Xiao¡¯s confirmation.


    ¡°En. I want to get something for Shizun. A small weapon that can easily be hidden and yet, deadly if used right. That way, if someone tries to ¡®take advantage¡¯ of Shizun, he can easily use them where it hurts,¡± Lin Xiao said with an ¡®innocent¡¯ smile on his face.


    ¡°I see. Though I shouldn¡¯t go there, since brother Lin says so, then let us go,¡± Fei YuXing said, though she was still feeling uneasy. For a lady to go over to a rough place like the western part of the market, it really is unsuitable.


    Noticing her look, Lin Xiao figured out that she was only forcing herself. ¡°Sister Fei, since you don¡¯t seem comfortable to go to the western district, how about I just go alone, and you continue to walk around? When I found what I need, I¡¯ll come and look for you,¡± Lin Xiao suggested.


    Fei YuXing was just about to reject the suggestion but her maidservant who had been staying quiet this whole time decided to save her young miss. ¡°That is actually a good idea, Lin-gongzi. We will be near the plaza waiting for you,¡± the maidservant said with her head bowed, and tone full of politeness. Fei YuXing shot her a glare and wanted to tell Lin Xiao that she doesn¡¯t mind going along with him, but Lin Xiao already agreed to the arrangement.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll come to look for you later. I promise, I won¡¯t take long!¡± Lin Xiao said as he turned around and left Fei YuXing and her companion.

 Chapter 42

    When he reached the western part of the market, he could sense how different the atmosphere was compared to the other parts. Though he has yet to go to the southern part of the market, he doubts that it¡¯s the same as what he¡¯s seeing now.


    On the street, there were mostly men with few exceptions of women, each with their own weapons. Some were walking in groups, which Lin Xiao assumed is a group of mercenaries. Most of them actually came to have their weapons repaired though there are few that came looking to buy a better weapon. This scene is a heavy contrast of what he had seen from the northern market where the majority of the customers are females.


    ¡®Oh, look at that glaive,¡¯ Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes shined as his eyes landed on one of the many glaives that were on display on the weapon racks placed just outside the shop. He also saw similar weapon displays on other shops which really made Lin Xiao felt that he¡¯s simply walking around on a big weapon shop instead of the street. ¡®Guess they¡¯re not worried about things being stolen.¡¯


    Lin Xiao continued to walk around until he saw a shop that specialized in making swords. He entered the shop and directly looked for the owner. The owner was a middle-aged man with a scar just underneath his eyes going all the way down to his chin. It was clear that he is a seasoned fighter. ¡°Good sir, I¡¯m looking for a gift. Preferably, something small and can be easily hidden,¡± Lin Xiao said to the owner.


    ¡°Something small and easily hidden?¡± the owner had a look of surprise when he heard Lin Xiao¡¯s inquiry. Usually, people who came to their shop only asks for a sword or a saber. For someone to ask for a dagger is already a rare occasion but what Lin Xiao requested is actually a first. He continued to stare at Lin Xiao and since Lin Xiao was young, he assumed that Lin Xiao is looking for a gift for his lover.


    ¡°Young man, if you¡¯re looking for a gift for your woman, there is another shop down the streets that specializes in making hidden weapons. From a sword hidden in an umbrella to a poison needle hidden in a jade pin, they have it there.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but¡­ those are not what I am looking for,¡± Lin Xiao replied. ¡°This gift is for my Shizun and my Shizun is a man,¡± Lin Xiao told the owner. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have something here, right?¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the case! Yes, yes! We do have what you need. I¡¯m sorry for assuming you were looking for a gift for your woman. I thought I was doing you a favor since a woman wouldn¡¯t want to have such a ¡®crude¡¯ looking weapon as a gift,¡± the owner said with a laughter.


    ¡°No one really asks for this kind of weapons but there are few who came for them. Not to brag or anything but¡­¡± the owner then leaned down and speak to Lin Xiao in a hushed tone. ¡°The Emperor had our shop made several such weapons based on Master Hao Shuren¡¯s design. That was about five years ago. I heard that it was a coming of age gift for Xinglan Wang, Master Hao¡¯s only disciple,¡± he told Lin Xiao.


    When Hao Shuren¡¯s name was mentioned, Lin Xiao suddenly felt a sense of familiarity and nostalgia. But he quickly shakes those feelings away since it was impossible for him to know such a person who seems to be related to the Emperor.


    ¡°Why are you whispering that, sir? I think if the Emperor had your shop to make weapons, I think its something to be proud of?¡± Lin Xiao was confused with how the owner acts.


    ¡°Because two years ago, Master Hao¡¯s only disciple was suspected of killing the previous Emperor. Thus, he was also implicated. Right now, no one knows where he is,¡± the owner replied, still in a hushed tone. ¡°Anyway, we still have the weapons with us. It was supposed to be taken this year but since such things happened, I doubt anyone will be taking it now.¡±


    Then, the owner gave Lin Xiao a grin, ¡°Since you¡¯re looking for such weapon, how about buying them from us? It¡¯s a shame for such fine weapons to collect dusts in this shop¡¯s storage room, right?¡± the owner said to Lin Xiao. ¡°It won¡¯t cost you much at all! There are thirteen of them, but I can let you have them all for ten gold pieces!¡±


    ¡°First, let me see them,¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t agree immediately. Though this owner is friendly, in the end, they are a businessman through and through. Lin Xiao could sense how he tried to bait him into buying it at a higher price. Plus, he was sure that when they made the weapons, all the raw materials were provided by the palace and their blacksmith was already paid. After all, it was a request made by the Emperor himself.


    The owner didn¡¯t say anything else but went to the back of the shop. When he returned, he held a box and placed it on top of the counter. The box itself was black in color, the wood was furnished, and the edge were round. Just seeing it and one would know that it was made by a high leveled craftsman.


    ¡°The box was given by the people from the palace?¡± Lin Xiao asked without waiting for the owner to speak.


    ¡°Ah, yes. I guess everyone could see that. No one would dare to make a storage box black in color. Only craftsmen hired by the Emperor would dare,¡± the owner replied. He then lifted the lid of the box to reveal the weapons inside.


    Just as the owner mentioned, there are indeed thirteen of them inside the box, except, each were designed differently. ¡°They are a set?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    ¡°I am not sure of that myself. I¡¯ve never seen the blueprint, only the blacksmith did,¡± the owner replied.


    ¡°Can I speak with the blacksmith?¡± Lin Xiao asked once again.


    ¡°Unfortunately, he has retired a year ago after he finished the final piece. He¡¯s no longer at the capital.¡±


    Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but frown as he heard that but there wasn¡¯t anything else that he can do about it. At first, he only wanted to buy one but when he saw that it was a set, he felt that he would suffer a loss instead since he would end up buying a non-completed item.


    ¡°Are ten gold pieces your lowest price?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    ¡°Well, maybe I can give you seven gold pieces, but nothing less than that,¡± the owner replied.


    ¡°Deal! I will take them all,¡± Lin Xiao said as he quickly took out seven gold pieces and handed it over to the owner.


    Seeing this, the owner¡¯s smile became wider and he can¡¯t help laughing. ¡°Good young lad! Pleasure doing business with you! Let me help you wrap your items,¡± the owner said as he put the lid back on then went reached down underneath the counter for silk cloth. He carefully wrapped the box in front of Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes before he handed the bundle over. ¡°Thank you for your patronage! If you ever need your weapons repaired, just come here and I¡¯ll give you a special price for the repairs!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Lin Xiao replied as he took the bundle.


    After getting what he wanted, Lin Xiao finally left the shop. He was just about to return to the plaza to meet with Fei YuXing when he had another idea. ¡®Since I am already here, I may as well go around and take a look. I still have few money lefts,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself. With that, he continued to walk around and browse the weapons on display.

 Chapter 43

    The further Lin Xiao goes from the center of the market, the less shop he saw. Just as he was about to reach the end of the street, he saw a rundown shop with its door open wide. The weapon inside seems to be either an antique or simply a display weapon but something displayed on the wall caught his eyes. It was a dagger and for some reason, Lin Xiao felt an attraction to the dagger. It was as if the dagger once belonged to him.


    ¡®Why though? This is clearly my first time in the capital unless¡­ I once lived here?¡¯ Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but walk into the shop and straight to the dagger. He was just about to reach out to it when he heard a voice coming from his side.


    ¡°Are you interested in this dagger, young man?¡±


    When Lin Xiao turned his head, he saw an old man. There was no one else in the shop, so Lin Xiao assumed that the old man is the owner of this shop.


    ¡°That dagger was sold to me by the Li family. After that incident two years ago, they have fallen from prominence to the point that they have to sell their valuables away,¡± the old man speaks, his voice contains a hint of contempt. ¡°Serves them right!¡± he grumbled under his breath, but Lin Xiao could still hear it.


    ¡°So, this dagger once belongs to the Li family? Then what is this incident about?¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t know why he asked, but before he even realized it, the question already escaped his lips.


    ¡°They say that the son of Yinjing Hou had assassinated the previous Emperor. An ungrateful bastard if you ask me! The previous Emperor took him in when he¡¯s young and he was raised in the palace along with the current Emperor and yet, he decided to bite the hand that feeds him!¡± the owner speaks in an angry tone.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± from the owner¡¯s word, Lin Xiao could figure out more or less on why the Li family was hated. ¡°But if the son from Li family assassinated the previous Emperor, why are they still around to even sell their valuables?¡±


    ¡®To harm the royal family is already punishable by death up to the ninth generation¡­ let alone the Emperor, ah! How are they still around?¡¯ Lin Xiao was curious to find out. He didn¡¯t even know why he was interested in this family or why he felt relieved that they are still around.


    ¡°Because the current Emperor owed them a life-saving grace. That son of Yinjing Hou had saved His Majesty when he was young¡­¡± the owner continued to grumble. Lin Xiao could sense how the owner was actually dissatisfied with the outcome. ¡°Anyway, are you buying or not?! Seeing this dagger every day is making me angry. If you¡¯re buying it, then hurry up!¡±


    ¡°How much are you selling it?¡± Lin Xiao asked the owner.


    ¡°Heh, this dagger once belonged to someone from the prominent family. The materials are all top grade and the craftsmanship is also excellent. For you, I¡¯ll give you a special price. Say¡­ ten gold pieces,¡± the owner said to Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Ten? You¡¯re robbing me! You said it yourself, they are ¡®once¡¯ a prominent family,¡± Lin Xiao emphasized on the word ¡®once¡¯ clearly. ¡°Now, they have nothing. Not even their reputation. Five, and I¡¯ll take it,¡± Lin Xiao gave out his price. Luckily, other than the earnings he got from Ping Jianyu, he has other savings on him. Pocket money which Long YinLian gave him every time he went down to Senlin village.


    ¡°Young man, even if they have fallen, they are still a family who once were related to the Emperor! Eight, and that¡¯s final!¡± the old man huffed.


    ¡°Four,¡± Lin Xiao cut the price by half again. He did not believe that the owner will not sell it to him. With the dagger¡¯s history, he doubted anyone would be interested after knowing the story behind it. Just as Lin Xiao suspected, the owner slightly wavered.


    ¡°Six¡­¡±


    ¡°Three,¡± Lin Xiao once again, counter-offered.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re the one robbing me, young man!¡±


    ¡°Fine, two gold pieces. Take it or I¡¯ll just leave,¡± Lin Xiao said, and the owner seems to have reached his limit.


    ¡°Then leave! See if I care!¡± the owner yelled at Lin Xiao who only snickered. Lin Xiao turned around and was just about to walk away when the owner called out to him. ¡°Wait!! Fine! Two gold pieces and it¡¯s yours!¡± the owner finally relented. ¡°Two pieces is better than nothing! Ever since this dagger came into my shop, no customers ever come and visit,¡± the owner grumbled unhappily.


    ¡°A wise decision, good sir. Here are your two gold pieces,¡± Lin Xiao said with a smile and he was just about to hand it over to the owner when another voice came from behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the dagger for ten gold pieces.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiao and the owner froze. He turned to see a cloaked man standing behind him, slightly towering him by one head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I¡¯ve already pa-¡±


    ¡°The dagger is yours, young man! Take it!¡± the owner quickly cut off Lin Xiao before he finished his sentence. The old man grabbed the dagger in display and handed it to the cloaked man before he received his ten pieces of gold as payment. ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± he said bowing at the generous customer, though Lin Xiao thinks that he¡¯s simply senile and greedy.


    Clearly he was the first one to show interest in buying the dagger and he even agreed selling the dagger to him at a price. But the owner changed his mind as quickly as the winds blow.


    ¡°And you! Scram!!¡± the owner hissed out at Lin Xiao when he saw that Lin Xiao was still in his shop.


    The cloaked man left, and Lin Xiao quickly rushed over to catch up. He was not satisfied. That dagger was supposed to be his. ¡°Wait!!¡± Lin Xiao called out loudly to the cloaked man.


    The man stopped and turned around. He watched as Lin Xiao approached him and saw how Lin Xiao is glaring at him. ¡°Is there anything that you need?¡± the cloaked man asked, his voice containing a hint of impatience.


    ¡°That dagger is mine. I was just about to pay for it!¡± Lin Xiao told the male.


    ¡°But the owner took my money and gave it to me. So now it belongs to me,¡± the cloaked man replied, and Lin Xiao just felt even more irritated.


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll give you ten gold¡­ just-¡±


    ¡°No. No matter how much you offer me; I will never give this away.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because Hi-¡­ I mean, my master wanted this dagger. Ever since we found out that the Li family had sold it away, my master has been furious,¡± the man replied.


    ¡°Then I will just¡­¡± Lin Xiao ducked down and grabbed the dagger. It had taken the cloaked man by surprise and the weapon simply slipped out of his grasp when Lin Xiao wrestled it away from him. ¡°Here is your gold! Find some other weapons!¡± Lin Xiao said as he ran, but not before throwing two gold pieces to the man.


    The cloaked man, of course, tried to chase after Lin Xiao but Lin Xiao was simply too quick at his feet. He tried to catch up but failed. At the same time, Lin Xiao was also having trouble to throw the cloaked man off his back. ¡®So persistent!¡¯ he thought as he continued to run through the street, heading to the center of the market. The closer they get, the denser the people on the street.


    Unfortunately, while running through the crowd, Lin Xiao didn¡¯t notice a similarly dressed group in front of him. He accidentally bumped into one of the cloaked figures and when he turned to mutter a word of apology, their eyes met briefly.


    The other was covered from head to toe, even his face cannot be seen clearly. But Lin Xiao could still see how the other¡¯s eyes are staring at him with disbelief. ¡°Ming-er¡­?¡± Lin Xiao heard him voice out and he felt his heart, which was erratic from his running, skipped a beat.


    ¡°Who¡ª¡±


    ¡°Someone, help me catch that thief!!¡± Lin Xiao heard the familiar voice of his pursuer from behind and can¡¯t help but clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for bumping into you! I have to go now! If we meet again, I¡¯ll treat you for a snack as an apology!¡± Lin Xiao said before he ran once more. The other cloaked figures that accompanied the one who speaks earlier was just about to chase after Lin Xiao but was stopped.


    ¡°Let him go,¡± the man who speaks earlier says and they immediately stopped in their track. The man continued to stare at the leaving figure until it disappeared into the crowd. Only then did he let out a heavy sigh. ¡®He really looked like Ming-er. But if he is, he would¡¯ve already recognized me just by my voice alone¡­¡¯


    Then, they turned to face another figure who dressed similarly like them, running over. ¡°Meng Chen, did you get the dagger?¡± the man asked.


    When the man who chased after Lin Xiao heard this question, he shivered. He was about to kneel down when someone grabbed him by the arm and stopped him from kneeling.


    ¡°Are you crazy? What do you want to do? Inform everyone of our identity?!¡±


    The man, Meng Chen, turned to look at the person who stopped him. ¡°General Bai¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Never mind, hurry and answer first.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes sir!¡± Meng Chen said before he turned back to the other man. He cupped his fist in a salute and bowed his head slightly. ¡°Answering to His Majesty, this servant had the dagger but¡­ some rascals stole it from this servant,¡± he said. ¡°Asking for His Majesty¡¯s benevolence and forgive this servant for his incompetence. This servant promises to find the thief and retrieve the dagger.¡±


    The other man, who turned out to be the Emperor of Qin, stays silent. The dagger was the only thing that reminds him of his most important person. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have given it to the Li family¡­¡¯ Qin YiJun really regretted it.


    Meng Chen suddenly felt nervous when Qin YiJun didn¡¯t speak. He knew how important the dagger was to his Emperor and he was happy that he was tasked to get it. Unfortunately, he blew up his chance of trying to get the Emperor¡¯s favor.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± the other cloaked figure called out to Qin YiJun.


    ¡°Zhen heard it clearly,¡± Qin YiJun answered. ¡°Meng Chen, can you recognize this thief if you were to see them again?¡± the Emperor asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Meng Chen answered timidly.


    ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s try finding this thief before we return to the palace. If we can¡¯t find him, get someone to sketch his appearance and spread it around the Empire¡­ I want him found no matter what,¡± Qin YiJun said in a cold voice. One could sense the anger he felt based on his tone. He never would¡¯ve thought that the so-called thief was the same person who bumped into him.


    ¡°As for you, your punishment will be to clean the stable at night for two weeks. Alone,¡± he told Meng Chen who only cowered in fear.


    If Meng Chen had arrived earlier, he would¡¯ve seen how the thief he chased had bumped onto the Emperor. Then, it would¡¯ve saved him the explanation.


    ¡°What about that other item?¡± Qin YiJun asked after a while.


    ¡°Meng Chen still hasn¡¯t found the shop, Your Majesty¡­¡± Meng Chen replied timidly. He already had his punishment, he¡¯s afraid that it would get worse since he had failed yet another task.


    ¡°¡­ General Bai, you go and find the shop. Make sure to retrieve the item. The rest of you, follow Zhen and find the thief that stole the dagger.¡±

 Chapter 44

    ¡°Sister Fei!¡± Lin Xiao called out once he reached the plaza. Lin Xiao was quick on his feet to escape. In no time, he found Fei YuXing and her group.


    ¡°Brother Lin. You¡¯re back,¡± Fei YuXing greets him with a smile. ¡°How was it? Did you find anything for Master Long?¡± she asked though, her eyes already found the silk-wrapped box on Lin Xiao¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I did. Here, please give this to Shizun and also, don¡¯t tell him that it is from me!¡± Lin Xiao handed the box to Fei YuXing while also reminding her about their promise from earlier.


    ¡°Of course. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Fei YuXing assured Lin Xiao as she took hold of the box.


    Just then, the falcon who had been quietly stayed with Fei YuXing¡¯s group suddenly let out a cry. Lin Xiao turned to look at it, only to see the falcon flew up, heading toward the western part of the market. Lin Xiao saw a familiar man with a cloak appears from the crowd and he let out a groan.


    ¡°How persistent,¡± Lin Xiao muttered under his breath. ¡°Sister Fei, I will go first! If anyone tries to find me, just tell him you don¡¯t know me,¡± Lin Xiao said before he turned around and once again, made his escape.


    When he left, more cloaked men appeared, led by none other than Qin YiJun. He raised up his arm and not long after, the falcon that was with Lin Xiao¡¯s company earlier perched down on his arm. ¡°You¡¯re here? Why didn¡¯t you return straight to the palace?¡± Qin YiJun asked as he raised his other hand and lightly touched the falcon under its beak.


    ¡°Your Majesty, there is a lot of people here. He might hide here somewhere¡­ please allow Meng Chen to search,¡± Meng Chen said respectfully.


    ¡°En. Bring the others with you. Zhen will go and wait at the center of the plaza,¡± Qin YiJun replied.


    ¡°Alone?!¡± Meng Chen suddenly feels worried.


    ¡°Zhen is not that weak for you to worry all the time. In addition, the shadow guards will accompany Zhen from the dark,¡± Qin YiJun replied before he walked away.


    Qin YiJun walked all the way to the center of the plaza, with the falcon flying above his head. Once Qin YiJun stops, the falcon then went down and rests on the Emperor¡¯s shoulder.


    Fei YuXing, who was still resting nearby saw the falcon and was surprised that it is acting friendly to another person other than Lin Xiao and Long YinLian. She can¡¯t help but approach the man out of curiosity.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir. That falcon on your shoulder¡­¡± Fei YuXing tried to strike up a conversation while gauging the man¡¯s reaction.


    Qin YiJun actually noticed Fei YuXing approaching, and he had already put his guard up. When she speaks up, he neither gave her a friendly look nor show her any hostility. In fact, he just acts naturally. ¡°This falcon is Zh-¡­ mine. I raised him from when he was young¡­ along with a dear friend,¡± Qin YiJun replied.


    ¡°Oh? Really?¡± when Fei YuXing heard Qin YiJun¡¯s words, she showed a look of surprise. ¡°This falcon used to follow my friend around too. It actually accompanied us during our travel from Senlin village all the way to the capital. I¡¯ve always tried to touch it, but it won¡¯t let me. The falcon only lets brother Lin and Master Long touch and feed it,¡± Fei YuXing said as her eyes went to the falcon on Qin YiJun¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Brother Lin? Master Long?¡± Qin YiJun took note of the name before he glanced over at the falcon on his shoulder from the corner of his eyes. ¡°As far as I know, this falcon only let those who are close to me touch it¡­¡± Qin YiJun said before he turned to Fei YuXing once more. Qin YiJun was just about to speak once more when the maidservant accompanying Fei YuXing spoke up.


    ¡°Young miss, we should go back soon. It is already close to You Shi,¡± she informed Fei YuXing. ¡°It is not good for a young lady to wander around when it is dark.¡±


    ¡°Already? Alright. If I stay out any longer, it might make Uncle Yuan worry,¡± Fei YuXing replied to the maidservant before she turned back to Qin YiJun. ¡°This brother, I am sorry to have troubled you. Maybe when you are free, you can come and vi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Young miss, it is not appropriate for you to invite another man home. What would other people say?¡± the maidservant reminded Fei YuXing.


    ¡°¡­¡± Fei YuXing was speechless and can¡¯t help but start to feel that this servant was placed by her side to make sure she doesn¡¯t do anything that can bring shame to the Xia family. ¡®But I only want to invite him so he can go and see brother Lin, ah!¡¯


    In the end, Fei YuXing can only apologize to Qin YiJun. She bowed her head slightly before leaving the plaza to make her way back to the Xia residence.


    ¡°An Yi,¡± Qin YiJun called out in a low voice. He waited for a while before a person finally appeared before him. This person is wearing a simple attire, but his eyes were void of any emotion.


    ¡°Your slave is here, Your Majesty,¡± the man, An Yi answered.


    ¡°Follow that young lady and find out where she lives. Report to Zhen later.¡±


    ¡°This slave received his order,¡± An Yi saluted Qin YiJun before he walked away. It didn¡¯t take long for him to disappear from the crowd and Qin YiJun finally turned away.


    ¡°Your Majesty, is it really worth to send An Yi over to follow that young lady?¡± suddenly, another person appeared from the crowd beside Qin YiJun. ¡°If Your Majesty wants her¡­¡±


    ¡°An Liu,¡± Qin YiJun called out the person¡¯s name. ¡°As the shadow guards, you only need to answer to Zhen¡¯s command. Consider this your first warning.¡±


    ¡°This slave was wrong. Thanking His Majesty for his magnanimous heart,¡± An Liu quickly replied before he once again blends into the crowd, protecting the Emperor from the dark.


    Time passed, and at You Shi, Meng Chen finally returned to Qin YiJun¡¯s side. ¡°How was it?¡± Qin YiJun asked, and Meng Chen can only lower his head, unable to meet Qin YiJun¡¯s eyes. ¡°Zhen assumes that you didn¡¯t find the thief. Later, go to the office of the Minister of Justice. Get someone to sketch the composite image of that thief,¡± Qin YiJun said after a while.


    Not long after, General Bai also found them and when Qin YiJun saw that he had come empty-handed, he can¡¯t help the frown that formed on his face. ¡°General Bai¡­ did you not find the shop?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, this General did find the shop but¡­ we were a step too late. The owner had already sold it to a young man,¡± General Bai replied with a regretful tone. ¡°I tried to inquire who the young man he sold the items to, but he said that he didn¡¯t know him. All he could tell me was that the young man doesn¡¯t seem to be from a prominent family since he even bargained with him.¡±


    Hearing this, Qin YiJun let out a heavy sigh. Today, he went out for two items. One, the dagger that belonged to Li FangMing. The dagger was given to the Li family for safekeeping but when he asked to look at it, he found that they had sold it to the pawn shop. And just when his men got the dagger, it was stolen by a thief.


    The second item is actually a set of weapons. His father once told him about this set of weapons that were made especially for Li FangMing. The weapons were all designed by Huo Shuren, Li FangMing¡¯s own master. They were supposed to pick it up this year but now, they were told that it was already sold away? Qin YiJun¡¯s heart was full of dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, there was nothing that he can do.


    ¡°Since things has gone like this, there is nothing that Zhen can do. Zhen will return to the palace first,¡± Qin Yijun said with a disappointed tone. With that, Qin YiJun and his men made a journey back to the Imperial Palace. Little did he know that the person who bought the set of weapons, and the person who stole the dagger from Meng Chen was the same person. Not only that, this person is none other than the one that he had been looking for, for the past two years.

 Chapter 45

    When Lin Xiao returned to the Xia family residence, it was almost You Shi. He used the same way as when he got out to get back into the household after making sure that there was no one around. Sneaking back into his room undetected, Lin Xiao finally let out a sigh of relief.


    Glancing down at the dagger in his hand, he can¡¯t help the sense of familiarity coming to him. ¡°Why do you look so familiar?¡± Lin Xiao wondered as he took the dagger out of its sheathe. The blade shone as it reflected the light and Lin Xiao could see how well it was crafted. ¡°And¡­ you even have the dragon design. Did your past owner not afraid of the Emperor?¡± Lin Xiao asked out loud.


    After inspecting it for a while, Lin Xiao finally sheathed it back in. ¡°Oh well, you¡¯re mine now,¡± Lin Xiao said without feeling the slightest remorse that he had cheated a guy 8 pieces of gold for the dagger.


    That night, after dinner, Lin Xiao eyed Long YinLian carefully. He saw that the older man received the gifts from Fei YuXing and Xia YuanFeng, but he didn¡¯t see Long YinLian bringing the box that contained his gifts. Feeling suspicious, Lin Xiao waited for Long YinLian to fall asleep before sneaking out.


    He had just closed the door to their room when he heard a voice nearby.


    ¡°Finally out?¡±


    When Lin Xiao turned his head to the source of the voice, he saw Xia YuanFeng holding a familiar box. ¡°¡­¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t say anything when he saw Xia YuanFeng. He should¡¯ve known that what Fei YuXing brought home would have to go through him first.


    ¡°Martial uncle, about that box¡­¡±


    ¡°This box?¡± Xia YuanFeng held the box higher. ¡°Why are you asking about it? Do you have anything to tell me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t answer right away. He stared at Xia YuanFeng while Xia YuanFeng patiently waited for him to answer. After a while, Lin Xiao finally decided to come clean. ¡°I went out earlier.¡±


    ¡°You went out?¡± Xia YuanFeng asked, but he emphasized more on the ¡®went out¡¯ that Lin Xiao was saying.


    Lin Xiao also noticed this, so he grits his teeth as he corrected himself. ¡°I sneaked out,¡± he said, and Xia YuanFeng didn¡¯t say anything else, so Lin Xiao took the silence as a sign for him to continue. ¡°I went to the market to look around. There, I met with sister Fei and she mentioned about buying gifts for Shizun, so I decided to go with her. That box¡­ contains gifts that I got for Shizun. Asking martial uncle to return it to me.¡±


    ¡°I will hand it over if you tell me where you have gone wrong,¡± Xia YuanFeng simply said as he continued to look at Lin Xiao.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Lin Xiao replied, and Xia YuanFeng narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have anything else to discuss about. Tomorrow, I will go and tell Ah¡¯Yin about this.¡±


    As soon as Lin Xiao heard this, his eyes widened, and he quickly rushed over to stop Xia YuanFeng. ¡°Martial uncle, martial uncle! Please wait,¡± Lin Xiao said as he went to block Xia YuanFeng¡¯s path. ¡°I was wrong for sneaking out. I¡¯m sorry! But¡­ I really cannot help it. Martial uncle, I am used to living freely. There is really no way for me to be able to stay put in one place for a long time¡­¡±


    Lin Xiao¡¯s explanation would have worked with others but not Xia YuanFeng. The older male continued to stare at Lin Xiao, as if trying to find out if Lin Xiao is truly feeling remorse or not. He could see that Lin Xiao was regretting his decision, but at the same time, he felt that Lin Xiao¡¯s regret was on something different. But since he can¡¯t prove it, he can only sigh.


    ¡°Alright. Since you already know where you went wrong. I¡¯ll return this to you,¡± Xia YuanFeng said as he handed the silk covered box. ¡°But you must promise me that you will tell Ah¡¯Yin the truth. And you must also accept your punishment.¡±


    Lin Xiao who happily took his master¡¯s present had a change of expression as he glanced up at Xia YuanFeng. ¡°Punishment?¡±


    ¡°En. Tomorrow, go to the training hall early and teach YuShen basic martial arts. Ah¡¯Yin did offer to teach YuShen but since he¡­ lost his sight, I think it¡¯ll be better if you¡¯re the one to teach the boy the basics,¡± Xia YuanFeng said. ¡°That way, you can correct the boy¡¯s posture if he ever made a mistake.¡±


    Lin Xiao didn¡¯t answer for a while, but after thinking about it, he agreed without any objection. ¡°Since I can lower Shizun¡¯s burden, Lin Xiao is willing to take his punishment. Thanking martial uncle for being lenient and not punishing Lin Xiao harshly for his disobedience.¡±


    As Lin Xiao said this, he gave Xia YuanFeng a slight bow to show his respect before finally returning to his room with a light foot.


    When he reached the room, Long YinLian was still asleep. Lin Xiao made sure to make as little noise as possible while going over to put his present for his master on a safe place before going to his sleeping area. When he reached his spot, Wang Zan actually woke up from his sleep and saw Lin Xiao getting ready for sleep.


    The youngest tiger of the three went over to Lin Xiao and rubbed its head against the male before plopping down right beside Lin Xiao. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Want to sleep with me tonight?¡± Lin Xiao asked, and he hugged Wang Zan¡¯s neck playfully. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go sleep.¡±


    After Lin Xiao settled down with Wang Zan, it didn¡¯t take long for him to fall asleep.


    The next day, Lin Xiao woke up early and informed Long YinLian of what happened. As he promised Xia YuanFeng, he told Long YinLian how he sneaked out and bought him a gift, though he didn¡¯t tell everything that happened that day.


    Long YinLian was not mad, but he still reprimanded Lin Xiao for not listening to his elders. He also agreed that Xia YuanFeng¡¯s punishment for Lin Xiao is too lenient, so he gave another punishment for Lin Xiao. That is, every afternoon after lunch, Lin Xiao has to copy ten sets of ¡®Book of proper conducts¡¯ until the time when they are required to attend the court.


    Since then, Lin Xiao¡¯s life became even more mundane. Luckily, Xia YuShen is a quick learner, so Lin Xiao actually enjoyed teaching the young boy more than he thought he would be.


    Before Lin Xiao could even realize it, the day for their court hearing finally arrived.

 Chapter 46

    On the day of the court hearing, Elder Xiang who was tied up was escorted by few guards who surround him to prevent him from escaping. Lin Xiao saw that the older man¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good, and he appeared to have aged even more compared to when he first saw him.


    ¡°Xiao-er, come on up into the carriage. The official¡¯s time is precious. If we¡¯re late, we won¡¯t be able to get proper judgment and then both you and Ah¡¯Yin won¡¯t receive the justice you deserved,¡± Xia YuanFeng said when he saw Lin Xiao stop to look at Elder Xiang.


    Lin Xiao turned away from Elder Xiang and quickly hopped into the carriage. Once inside, he went to sit beside Long YinLian right away, not giving Xia YuanFeng any chance to get close.


    ¡°Shizun, since we are going to the Imperial Court, are we going to enter the gate to the Imperial Palace?¡± Lin Xiao asked in a soft voice. But before Long YinLian could speak, Xia YuanFeng already began to answer Lin Xiao¡¯s inquiry.


    ¡°The House of the Imperial Court was moved a year ago. It is now located in the inner city, close to the Imperial Palace. This movement was made by the Emperor himself so that citizens can have better access to have their case heard,¡± Xia YuanFeng explained. ¡°The Emperor has made quite a few big movements ever since he ascends the throne. The old Imperial Court was renamed to Sovereign Court Hall where the court meeting takes place. Only high ranked officials and ministers are allowed there. I also heard that he has an army of his own, separate from the one the eight generals have. Other than that, there were also rumors that the Emperor is still looking for the one responsible for the previous emperor¡¯s death.¡±


    Lin Xiao hummed in acknowledgment but didn¡¯t show any further interest, so Xia YuanFeng tacitly kept quiet. He only speaks up again after a while to inform them that they will be arriving soon.


    ¡°Xiao-er,¡± Long YinLian who has been quiet called out to Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Lin Xiao is here,¡± Lin Xiao answered as he looked up to his master.


    ¡°Later, make sure that you behave yourself. Only speak when asked and whatever the result will be, just accept it calmly, understand?¡± Long YinLian gave Lin Xiao a warning.


    Lin Xiao frowned but he can only promise Long YinLian. ¡°I understand. I will be sure to behave myself,¡± he said, assuring the older man. ¡®As long as that guy receive what he deserved, I won¡¯t do anything.¡¯


    When they arrived at the Imperial Court, Lin Xiao could see how majestic the building was from the outside. ¡®If the Imperial Court is already this majestic, then I wonder how those palaces in the Imperial Palace look like¡­¡¯ Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but wonder as he stared at the buildings in front of him with awe.


    They were received by an official working at the Imperial Court and after checking for their documents to make sure nothing was amiss; they were finally led into the Court. As soon as they stepped inside, Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes landed on the three huge buildings in front of him. On the door to their entrance, Lin Xiao saw a huge plate. From the left building, it read: ¡®Hall of the Star¡¯, ¡®Hall of the Sun¡¯, and ¡®Hall of the Moon¡¯ respectively.


    ¡°Lord Xia, please wait inside the Hall of the Star. My superior will attend to your case soon,¡± the official that received them earlier said before he excused himself, presumably to inform his superiors about their arrival.


    Xia YuanFeng led everyone to the Hall of the Star and before they could enter, they were stopped by the guards who stood on duty. At first, Lin Xiao was confused but when Xia YuanFeng showed the guards their documents, the guards let them in. ¡®How strict. I guess this means it is not as easy to get your case be heard by the officials. Without proper documents, you won¡¯t be allowed in.¡¯


    Inside the hall, there were several wooden benches that could hold three adults, and everyone present took their seats. Lin Xiao was just about to go and sit at the back, bringing Long YinLian with him when Xua YuanFeng grabbed Long YinLian first.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin, you can sit with me here at the front,¡± Xia YuanFeng said in a gentle tone.


    ¡°¡­¡± Lin Xiao who was beaten by someone who he had to call ¡®Martial Uncle¡¯ felt like he had been cheated off of his own master. Ever since he came to the city, he found that he is spending less and less time with Long YinLian. In the end, Lin Xiao can only thicken his face and sat down on the empty spot beside Long YinLian.


    They didn¡¯t have to wait long before an official dressed in his purple robes, indicating his high ranks. Behind him, are two other officials dressed in green robes that signify that they are of lower rank than the purple-robed ones. In their hands are a few stacks of papers.


    The official in purple glanced over at Lin Xiao¡¯s group before he took his seat behind the desk and the two officials with him placed the papers on the table. The official in purple looked through the papers before finally speaking: ¡°I am the official in charge of the case brought forward by Xia YuanFeng from the Xia family. It is a case of familial betrayal; assassination attempts as well as misusing his authority to threaten the public by Elder Xia HaoXiang. Hmm¡­ this alone should be enough for the Patriarch to send them away in exile. Can Lord Xia tell me why he wishes for the Court to handle this case instead?¡±


    As he was being called out, Xia YuanFeng stood up and went forward, giving the official a cusped hand salute. ¡°Answering the Lord Official¡¯s question, I simply thought that sending them away will not solve this problem in the long run. I believe that he has others help within the family and yet, he won¡¯t say anything. Therefore, this lowly one can only ask Lord Official to help me solve this problem.¡±


    ¡°I see. You can return to your seat. Can I have the accused stand before me?¡± the official said and then, the guards brought Elder Xiang forward. Since Elder Xiang was the accused, he was forced to kneel before the official. ¡°Elder Xia HaoXiang, do you have anything to say in your defense?¡±


    ¡°My lord, I was wrongly accused! Someone is plotting against me! And that someone is here right at this moment!¡± Elder Xiang said.


    ¡°Is that so? Can you please tell me who this person is?¡± the official asked and Lin Xiao suddenly felt that something was wrong.


    ¡°Martial Uncle, why do I feel like the progression of this court hearing is wrong?¡± Lin Xiao asked Xia YuanFeng.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xia YuanFeng asked back.


    Before Lin Xiao could answer, he heard his name and his master¡¯s name being uttered by Elder Xiang and Lin Xiao¡¯s expression turned extremely cold. He looked over at Elder Xiang who is currently looking at them with a sinister smile on his face.


    ¡°What blasphemy are you spouting?¡± Lin Xiao can¡¯t help but ask. ¡°You tried to kill Shizun and now you want to place the blame on Shizun? How about I cut off your tongue and see what nonsense you will spout next?!¡± Lin Xiao hissed as he stood up. He was just about to go to Elder Xiang¡¯s side when he felt his arm being held in a tight grip.


    ¡°Xiao-er, calm your anger,¡± came Long YinLian¡¯s soothing voice, quelling some of Lin Xiao¡¯s anger.


    Unfortunately, this reaction was all that Elder Xiang needed as the elder then turned back to the official. ¡°My lord, did you see? That boy had wanted to cut off my tongue! I was only afraid that he will take my life away because his master told him so! The lord patriarch of my family wouldn¡¯t believe me so I can only defend myself by sending the assassins out! This is all a self-defense!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Lin Xiao roared out and Xia YuanFeng raised his hand up to massage his temple.


    ¡°Lin Xiao, listen to Ah¡¯Yin and sit down. Calm yourself first because the way it is going, it seems that Elder Xiang wants to shift the blame on the two of you. The official will be asking you two soon, so just answer the question honestly. I don¡¯t believe that Elder Xiang can shift the blame with all the evidence found but if you keep acting like this and the official found that you are dangerous, he may also hand out punishment for you,¡± Xia YuanFeng advised Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao could only grit his teeth as he sat back down and crossed his arm. His eyes stay on Elder Xiang, glaring daggers at him. If a look could kill, Elder Xiang would¡¯ve died several times already.


    While their court hearing was in progress, they didn¡¯t know that outside the hall, everyone was in a panic. The reason for their panic was because the Emperor had arrived for a visit, without informing them in advance. They didn¡¯t prepare anything so the small officials could only shake in fear as they kneel on the ground, thinking that they might be punished by the Emperor for their lack of preparation.

 Chapter 47

    Two weeks before the Court Hearing¡­


    The Emperor, Qin YiJun returned to the palace and went straight to his study in order to read his memorials. It was only close to sundown did he stop doing his work. Just as he put down his brush after writing a few reports, the shadow guard called An Yi came bringing news of his investigation.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this slave has followed the young lady as ordered and found out that she is currently living at the Xia family household. She is betrothed to the Xia Patriarch¡¯s son and will soon be wed together. But just a few days ago, the Patriarch of the Xia family had requested to have a court hearing. Apparently, the guests that were staying with them were attacked by assassins,¡± An Yi then proceeded to give out a detailed report about what happened.


    ¡°Also, there is a young man that has a striking resemblance with Xinglan Wang and this slave believes that he is the same young man that had bumped into His Majesty today,¡± the shadow guard added. He knew how important Li FangMing was to the Emperor and any news that may be related to him must be reported to the Emperor right away.


    ¡°Do you think that person is Li FangMing?¡± Qin YiJun asked. Though his expression didn¡¯t change, he was praying in his heart that it was indeed Li FangMing.


    ¡°This slave is not sure¡­ the people within the Xia household refers to him as Lin Xiao. When this slave wanted to go and investigate further, this slave was stopped by three fierce tigers who seems to be guarding the two guests.¡±


    ¡°Tigers?¡± Qin YiJun then remembered the report he received two years ago when he went to rescue Li FangMing. The soldiers had also mentioned tigers back then. ¡®Is it really Ming-er? Or is it just a coincidence?¡¯ Qin YiJun wondered.


    ¡°An Yi, you mentioned that the patriarch of the Xia family requested for a court hearing? Find out when they will be called to court. Zhen will go and see this person,¡± Qin YiJun said before he dismissed the shadow guard.


    As a result, two weeks later, the Emperor made a surprise visit to the Imperial Court which made the officials who worked there shake in fear. Qin YiJun only brought a few people with him as he did not wish to raise any commotion by his visit.


    He had only taken a mere ten-step from the entrance when an official with purple robes hurried over to greet the Emperor. Based on the patterns on his robes, it can be seen that he held the highest position in this Imperial Court.


    ¡°This minister sees the Emperor! May the Emperor live for ten thousand years!¡± the official kowtowed to the Emperor and the rest of the officials followed him.


    ¡°En. The beloved minister and officials may rise,¡± Qin YiJun said and the officials who were kowtowing on the ground slowly stood up one by one. ¡°Beloved minister, Zhen wish to ask if the Xia family has arrived for their court hearing or not. If they have, Zhen wishes to know which hall they are in.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± the one with the highest rank was none other than the Minister of Justice. He was just relaxing in his office this morning and most of the work was left to his assistant to handle. Matters regarding the Xia family, he really did not know.


    ¡°Do you not know?¡± Qin YiJun asked, eyes narrowing at the minister in a dangerous manner.


    The Minister of Justice began to shake in fear, but luckily his assistant came to his rescue. The assistant whispered into his ear before retreating a few steps. Only then did the Minister of Justice regained confidence to answer the Emperor.


    ¡°Answering to the Emperor, the Xia family is currently hearing their court procession at the Hall of the Star. Please allow this minister to be your guide,¡± the minister said as he bowed deeply towards the Emperor.


    ¡°There is no need. Zhen will be able to find the way. All of you, return to your post,¡± Qin YiJun said as he waved his sleeves, dismissing the officials that surrounds him.


    Since the Emperor has ordered so, they can only lower their head and return to do their work.


    Back inside the Hall of the Star, Lin Xiao¡¯s expression had turned extremely ugly. Elder Xiang¡¯s glib tongue had managed to drag out the procession and he was getting more and more impatient. More and more questions were aimed towards him and Long YinLian as if they were the ones who is guilty.


    ¡°Master Long YinLian, is it true that you once took part in hunting down the rebels back then? And when you encountered accidents, you decided that you were plotted against? Now that you have returned, you wanted to exact your revenge?¡± the official asked Long YinLian and the last string that was holding Lin Xiao¡¯s composure snapped in half.


    ¡°This official¨C!¡±


    ¡°The Emperor, Qin YiJun has arrived!¡± a shrill sounding voice entered the room and not long after, the door was opened.


    Qin YiJun entered the hall in a calm manner, followed by his entourage behind him. The arrival of the Emperor came as a sudden to the people in the hall and they had reacted slowly.


    The first one to react was the official in a purple robe. He quickly stood up and kowtowed to the Emperor. ¡°This official sees the Emperor! WanSui!¡±


    ¡°The servants see the Emperor! WanSui! WanSui! Wan WanSui!¡±


    Only after hearing the official greets the Emperor did the rest quickly followed suit. But Lin Xiao was still in a daze as his eyes continued to look at Qin YiJun. He truly could not shake off that sense of familiarity in his heart.


    Long YinLian seemed to have noticed that Lin Xiao has yet to pay his respect to the Emperor, so he quickly pulled Lin Xiao down to his knees. ¡°Xiao-er, you need to pay your respect to His Majesty¡­¡± Long YinLian said in a soft whisper, though one could hear the worry in his tone.


    Long YinLian knew that since Lin Xiao had forgotten his past, the boy has also forgotten things such as etiquette. He did remember that he had to teach Lin Xiao basic etiquette before when meeting people. Now that they are before the Emperor, he felt that he has failed as both master and parents for not teaching Lin Xiao the basic palace etiquette.


    ¡°Until the Emperor said so, don¡¯t raise your head,¡± Long YinLian whispered once more to Lin Xiao when he felt that Lin Xiao was lifting his head.


    Hearing this, Lin Xiao immediately lowered his head once more. Even though he was curious as to why he finds the Emperor¡¯s figure to be extremely familiar, he can¡¯t risk endangering his master. After all, they say that the Emperor¡¯s heart is a fickle. If he angered the Emperor, they might end up being punished heavily.


    When Qin YiJun had entered earlier, his eyes was also locked with Lin Xiao¡¯s and he almost felt that he was in a dream. He wanted to approach Lin Xiao when he saw the man beside Lin Xiao pulled him down to kneel, which made him frown. But at the same time, he understood that the man beside Lin Xiao is only worried about the other. After all, he has the identity of an Emperor and therefore, they have to pay their respect.


    With this in mind, Qin YiJun can only let out a sigh. ¡°Everyone may rise,¡± he said and only then did everyone in the hall stood up.


    ¡°Thanking His Majesty for his benevolence,¡± the officials said, and the rest repeated his word. This includes Elder Xiang who sported a sorry figure of being tied up in front of the Emperor.


    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s you!!¡± a voice, that is oddly familiar to Lin Xiao exclaimed. When he looked over at the source, he saw someone dressed as an imperial guard pointing at him. As soon as Lin Xiao saw his face, he began to feel his palm starting to sweat.


    Hearing that one of the people he brought along seems to be familiar with Lin Xiao, Qin YiJun can¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Meng Chen, is there something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Meng Chen cupped both hands as he bowed before the Emperor. ¡°This lowly guard wonders if the Emperor remembers about the thief, I mentioned two weeks ago. That¡¯s him over there,¡± Meng Chen said as he pointed at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao cursed under his breath as he quickly glanced at the Emperor. But the moment their eyes met; Lin Xiao felt an indescribable feeling bubbling inside him. That sense of familiarity was back, it was as if he had once met with the Emperor long before he lost his memories. The Emperor stood and walked towards him. His attendants following closely behind. Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the Emperor and only when the Emperor spoke up did he realize how close they are standing.

 Chapter 48

    The voice was low and yet, Lin Xiao could feel the gentleness being exuded by the tone that was used. Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes never left the Emperor¡¯s so he could see those myriads of emotions within the eyes of the Emperor. People say that the eyes are the windows to one¡¯s soul.


    Lin Xiao thought that he saw hope in those eyes, but he quickly threw the thought away, thinking that his mind is now playing tricks on him. After all, he himself knew how deeply in trouble he is currently.


    He remembered that the guard who was the cloaked figure from before had said that the dagger was something his ¡®master¡¯ had been searching for. If he had known that the so-called ¡®master¡¯ was the Emperor himself, would he still snatch the dagger?


    ¡°Xiao-er,¡± Long YinLian¡¯s voice pulled Lin Xiao out from his thought and Lin Xiao instinctively turned to look at the older man. ¡°His Majesty is asking you for your name,¡± Long YinLian reminded Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Oh, I¡­ am called Lin Xiao,¡± after a slight hesitation, Lin Xiao simply introduced himself as he normally did.


    As soon as Long YinLian heard this, he quickly went down on his knees and pulled Lin Xiao down once again. ¡°Begging His Majesty to forgive this foolish son of mine! It is this servant¡¯s fault for not educating his son properly. If His Majesty wish to punish him, please punish this servant instead.¡±


    ¡°Shi¡ª¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t get to finish even a word when he felt himself being pinched by the arm. So, he could only keep quiet and lowered his head.


    ¡°Son?¡± Qin YiJun looked at Lin Xiao and the blind man beside him. ¡°The two of you do not look alike¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, a son can also be someone who is not blood-related. Your humble subject is already like this, there will be no father who wants his daughter to spend the rest of her life living with someone who is disabled. Therefore, this servant decided to adopt a son instead,¡± Long YinLian replied.


    Qin YiJun continues to look at the two, then his eyes linger more on Lin Xiao. ¡°How did you get adopted?¡± he asked Lin Xiao.


    ¡°I¡­ was lost in the forest, without any recollection of my past¡­ and then, Shizun found me and took care of me these past two years,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    ¡®These past two years?¡¯ this sentence repeated in Qin YiJun¡¯s mind. The time frame fits the time when he lost Li FangMing. His suspicion that this person before him is indeed Li FangMing and not just someone looks like him became more solid. ¡®And he also lost his memories¡­ is that why you don¡¯t recognize me, Ming-er?¡¯


    As these thoughts ran through his mind, Qin YiJun¡¯s gaze became gentler. But before anyone could catch it, he quickly closed his eyes and put back his indifferent mask. ¡°Zhen¡¯s guard mentioned that you stole the dagger that Zhen has been looking for from him,¡± Qin YiJun raised up his hand in front of Lin Xiao. ¡°Zhen ask you to return it.¡±


    ¡®Return it?¡¯ Lin Xiao was reluctant as his hand rests on the dagger. He gripped the hilt of the dagger tightly, unable to bring himself to raise it up and place it on Emperor¡¯s hand.


    ¡°The dagger does not belong to you, return the dagger,¡± the Emperor spoke up and Lin Xiao just grits his teeth. Even though he¡¯s unwilling, he took out the dagger and handed it to Qin YiJun. But when the Qin YiJun was about to take it, Lin Xiao¡¯s grip on the dagger tighten.


    The young Emperor just frowned as he gazed at Lin Xiao who had a defiant look. ¡°Why are you so attached to something that is not yours?¡± he asked.


    ¡°And why are you so attached to it yourself, Your Imperial Majesty?¡± Lin Xiao asked back, a hint of sarcasm can be heard from his tone.


    This sentence was spoken out loud that everyone in the hall could hear it. There was a moment of awkward silence before it was broken by two voices.


    ¡°Insolence!¡± the official who was in charge of their case exclaimed as he pointed at Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Xiao-er!¡± Long YinLian called out almost at the same time. He then quickly lowered his head as he kowtowed to the Emperor, pleading for the Emperor to forgive Lin Xiao. ¡°Imploring His Majesty to forgive this foolish son of mine! Your humble subject is willing to give away his life in return for the crime of disrespecting the Emperor¡­¡±


    After hearing what Long YinLian had said, Lin Xiao¡¯s heart shook. He quickly unsheathed the dagger and knelt down before Qin YiJun. ¡°Let go of Shizun. I am already an adult so I will be responsible for my action. If the crime of disrespecting the Emperor warrants the death penalty, then let Lin Xiao pay with his own life,¡± as Lin Xiao said this, he pointed the tip of the dagger to his neck and was about to drive it through his throat.


    Seeing this, Qin YiJun quickly took hold of Lin Xiao¡¯s arm, stopping his action. In his panic, he roared out at Lin Xiao angrily. ¡°Did you not promise Zhen that you will not die?!¡±


    Hearing the Emperor¡¯s angry tone, everyone within the hall knelt and lowered their heard in fear. Only Lin Xiao has his head up, staring at the Emperor with wide, confused eyes. The room fell into complete silence as the two people stared into each other¡¯s eyes.


    The more Lin Xiao stare at the Emperor, the more he felt that the other is extremely familiar to him. As if this person before him is someone very important to him in the past. Just then, an image flashed within Lin Xiao¡¯s mind. It was an image of a young man, which coincides very much with the Emperor before him.


    A sudden splitting headache came down to strike Lin Xiao and because of the extreme pain, Lin Xiao closed his eyes and dropped the dagger. The clanging sound of the dagger falling down on the floor resounded in the hall, making the others can¡¯t help but raise their head slightly to the source of the sound.


    The image they see had almost sent their soul all the way to the yellow river. In order not to accidentally became the object of the Emperor¡¯s rage, they quickly lowered their head to the ground, eyes glued to the floor.


    It was only Long YinLian, who is unable to see what happened, called to Lin Xiao worriedly. ¡°Xiao-er, what¡¯s wrong? Your Majesty, please don¡¯t hurt him¡­¡±


    At the moment, Lin Xiao was wrapped in a warm embrace as he clutched his head in pain. He grits his teeth to hold back the pain and to not make a sound, but the headache only continues to get worse. When he heard Long YinLian called out to him, Lin Xiao wanted to answer. But what escaped his lips was only a pained groan.


    Qin YiJun, on the other hand, was kneeling down on the ground, holding Lin Xiao close to himself. He noticed that Lin Xiao seems to be in pain, so he used one of his hands to gently gave the other¡¯s head a massage. Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem to help with the pain at all. When he heard Long YinLian begging him to not hurt Lin Xiao, Qin YiJun only felt that he was wronged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Zhen will not harm him,¡± Qin YiJun murmured in a soft voice. The soft, gentle voice of the Emperor somehow soothed Lin Xiao¡¯s heart.


    Lin Xiao struggled to look up at the Emperor only to see the other looking at him with worry in his eyes. Lin Xiao parted his lips, but he couldn¡¯t hear what he himself was saying before finally passing out from the splitting pain in his head.


    Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t hear, but Qin YiJun heard it clearly. It made his heart beat faster as he held Lin Xiao closer to him, as if not wanting to let him go.


    ¡®YiJun¡­¡¯


    That was the only two words that came out of Lin Xiao¡¯s lips earlier and that alone made Qin YiJun certain that this is the person he¡¯s looking for this whole time. Qin YiJun leaned down and pressed his lips against Lin Xiao¡¯s forehead before whispering in a very low voice: ¡°Ming-er¡­ you¡¯ve finally returned to my side. Welcome home¡­¡±

 Chapter 49

    Seeing that the person in his arm has passed out, the Emperor took the liberty to scoop him up and carried Lin Xiao in a princess carry. Lin Xiao¡¯s head rested on his chest, and Qin YiJun could feel the warmth seeping through his robes.


    ¡°Meng Chen,¡± Qin YiJun called out a name.


    ¡°Meng Chen is here, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Deal with everything here. Not a word of what happened is allowed to escape this room. As for the blind one, bring him to Zhen later,¡± Qin YiJun said before he walked out of the hall while carrying Lin Xiao.


    Meng Chen watched as the Emperor carried Lin Xiao in his arm. He had served the Emperor ever since the Emperor rose to the throne and he has yet to see the Emperor let anyone get close. Now, he saw the Emperor taking the initiative to hold someone close, and even carry the other person. He can¡¯t help but think highly of Lin Xiao, despite his first impression of the thief.


    Turning his attention back to everyone in the hall, Meng Chen finally speaks up. ¡°I am very sure that you heard what His Majesty had said. No one is allowed to speak of what happened in this hall earlier. If anyone dares, then your family might find you missing¡­ no, they probably won¡¯t since they will go ¡®missing¡¯ along with you,¡± Meng Chen said, his words laced with hidden threat. ¡°Is that being understood?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course! This small official wouldn¡¯t dare to say anything. Today, only the Xia family is present, and there is nothing much that happened except the court decided that Elder Xia HaoXiang is guilty of the charges against him, and thus will be imprisoned for 50 years as punishment,¡± the officials who seemed to be very domineering earlier towards Lin Xiao and Long YinLian suddenly turned into a chicken. He had seen how the Emperor treat the younger man, so it was best if he did not offend anyone that he shouldn¡¯t offend.


    After that, Meng Chen nodded his head and went to Long YinLian¡¯s side. He was actually having trouble with how to treat the other. But remembering how the Emperor treats this man¡¯s adopted son, Meng Chen decided that it was better if he treats the other with the utmost respect.


    ¡°This esteemed master, please stand up,¡± Meng Chen said as he reached out and helped Long YinLian to stand. Long YinLian was about to open his mouth to ask but Meng Chen quickly cut him off. ¡°If you have any questions, I also don¡¯t know how to answer. Only His Majesty will be able to. His Majesty asks me to bring you to him, so you will be able to inquire about what the Emperor is thinking,¡± Meng Chen said in a calm tone.


    ¡°I¡­ alright. But nothing will happen to my son, right?¡±


    ¡®With how the Emperor treat your son, I doubt anything bad would happen, ah! You couldn¡¯t see it, but I see it clearly. The Emperor is treating your son like the most precious treasure!!¡¯


    Although Meng Chen wanted to say that out loud, he still holds himself back. ¡°How can we, His Majesty¡¯s humble subjects, know what is in the mind of a monarch? But I can assure you that nothing bad will happen to your son.¡±


    Long YinLian still wasn¡¯t feeling relieved but he could only follow Meng Chen. Just as Meng Chen and Long YinLian was about to leave the hall, Xia YuanFeng called out to them.


    ¡°Wait! Is it possible for me to accompany him? Ah¡¯Yin is visually impaired he would need someone to help him get by¡­¡± Xia YuanFeng said, hoping that he would be allowed to come along. After all, he didn¡¯t feel assured if Long YinLian goes by his own.


    ¡°The Emperor only named him. As his loyal servant, I do not dare to go over my authority and bring an extra person,¡± Meng Chen replied. ¡°Xia Patriarch don¡¯t have to worry. This Meng Chen will naturally be willing to help him get by,¡± he added after a while. After that, despite his unwillingness, Xia YuanFeng can only watch as Long YinLian left with Meng Chen.


    Meng Chen also did not mistreat Long YinLian. He asked for a carriage from the Court and helped Long YinLian inside before acting as the coachmen. He brought the carriage through the gate of the Imperial Palace and directly into the inner court.


    They alighted from the carriage and Meng Chen helped Long YinLian to the Emperor¡¯s study. But when they arrived, they were told that the Emperor is not in the study by the guards on duty. ¡°Meng Chen, His Majesty left you a message. His Majesty told us that if we see you, we have to tell you to bring the honoured guest to Tianlong Palace.¡±


    Hearing the word Tianlong Palace, even Meng Chen could no longer suppress the fear in his heart. ¡®Next time, I have to treat these two people better if I don¡¯t want to lose my head!¡¯ he thought as he then led Long YinLian once more.


    Tianlong Palace is the palace where the Emperor lives. The people who were allowed inside other than the working servants can be counted by a single hand. And it must also be said that not even the Emperor¡¯s Royal Uncle and living siblings were allowed into its wall. The only other person that Meng Chen knew is his general, General Bai.


    When they arrived, Meng Chen saw that his general is already waiting outside the entrance to the palace¡¯s courtyard. As soon as they got close enough, Meng Chen saluted the other person. ¡°Greetings to General Bai!¡±


    ¡°En. Is this the person that His Majesty is waiting for?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Meng Chen replied.


    ¡°Alright. I will take over from here. You can wait outside,¡± the general said before he went over to Long YinLian.


    ¡°Honorable master, please come with me,¡± General Bai said as he then helped Long YinLian into the courtyard.


    Long YinLian had been quiet throughout the journey. Based on what he hears, he knew that they are currently in the Imperial Palace. ¡®Since we are in the palace¡­ then Xiao¡¯er is also brought here?¡¯ it was only his worry for Lin Xiao did he dare to step into the Emperor¡¯s residence. After all, if he accidentally did something, or hear something that he shouldn¡¯t, then all that awaits him is death.


    When they entered the main residence of Tianlong palace, Long YinLian immediately noticed that something was wrong. The palace was too quiet.


    ¡°General Bai, help the guest to his chair,¡± Long YinLian heard the Emperor¡¯s voice. At first, he thought that he would be treated roughly but the general only politely asked for Long YinLian to follow him and even carefully helped him to his seat. ¡°You can leave us now. Zhen has a few questions for the guest.¡±


    From his sharp hearing, Long YinLian heard the footsteps getting farther and farther until he could no longer hear it.


    ¡°This person¡­ you said you adopted him. Will you please tell Zhen how you found him?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Zhen has been looking for someone these past few years, and your son looks similar to him. He was Zhen¡¯s most important person. Unfortunately, he was plotted against, and before Zhen could save him, Zhen was told that he had fallen to his death and his remains were eaten by the tigers living in the forest,¡± Qin YiJun spoke up again. ¡°Zhen heard that you brought along three tigers when you arrive at the Xia family residence?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty has been investigating me? That person¡­ My three tigers are not the one who ate him. It must be other tigers¡­¡± Long YinLian replied.


    ¡°Zhen is not accusing your tigers. Zhen only wants to know; how did you find Lin Xiao? Did those tigers of yours help you find him? How was his condition when you found him?¡±


    Long YinLian became more confused at the Emperor¡¯s questions. ¡®Indeed, us normal people cannot understand the thought of a monarch¡­¡¯


    From the beginning, Long YinLian began to recount on how he found Lin Xiao, and how the other had decided to live with him. If Long YinLian was able to see, he would be shocked that the son he is talking about, is currently laying on the Emperor¡¯s Daybed and his head rests on the Emperor¡¯s lap. Even the Emperor¡¯s hand is gently stroking the other¡¯s face occasionally.


    ¡°So, after waiting for a long time for his family to pick him up, he finally decided that he is an abandoned child? Thus, decided to live with you in order to repay your life-saving grace?¡± Qin YiJun asked after Long YinLian finished telling his story.


    ¡°At first¡­ that was how it is. Then, one day, he saw this humble subject practising his martial arts and he said he wanted to learn. Since then, our relationship changed to that of master and disciple¡­ Time goes by, and this humble servant grew more and more fond of him, so even without realizing, I have thought of him as the son that I would not be able to have.¡±

 Chapter 50

    When Long Yinlian finished recounting his tales, he waited for the Emperor¡¯s next request. No matter how hard it is, Long Yinlian was willing to do so as long as he can assure Lin Xiao¡¯s safety. He was tense with worry and would occasionally fidget. This could be seen by the Emperor himself.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Qin Yijun said to Long Yinlian. ¡°Zhen will not harm him. Did Zhen not say that before? Do you think Zhen will go back on his words?¡±


    ¡°No! I¡­ Your humble subject wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Long Yinlian managed to correct himself before he made a big blunder.


    ¡°Was he happy?¡± Qin Yijun suddenly asked, taking Long Yinlian by surprise. Seeing that Long Yinlian didn¡¯t answer, Qin Yijun thought that he wasn¡¯t clear enough, so he repeated the question. ¡°Was he happy? Did he ever experience any difficulties? Was there anyone who dared to bully him?¡±


    Long Yinlian took a moment to understand what the Emperor was asking him. ¡®It sounded like he is worried?¡¯


    ¡°Well?¡± Qin Yijun pressed on.


    ¡°Ah, no¡­ not at all,¡± Long Yinlian finally replied. ¡°Everyone in the village likes him, and he is quite popular with the young maidens.¡±


    As soon as the sentence left Long Yinlian¡¯s lips, he suddenly felt as if the temperature around him had turned cold. It was only unfortunate that Long Yinlian was unable to see, or else, he would have understood the reason.


    Qin Yijun¡¯s expression had turned extremely cold, and his mood turned sour. It was only after he looked down at Lin Xiao¡¯s face did he felt himself calm down. ¡°So, he is popular with the young maidens¡­ Did he welcome their advances?¡±


    Somehow, Long Yinlian felt that he is currently threading on a dangerous road. He felt that if he were to give one wrong answer, the Emperor would be furious. ¡°Your Majesty, Lin Xiao is still¡­ young,¡± Long Yinlian answered.


    ¡°But by law, he is already at a marriageable age,¡± Qin Yijun replied.


    ¡°Yes, but Xiao-er is not like that. Even if he is chased, he would always politely reject them,¡± Long Yinlian said. ¡°He said that he isn¡¯t interested in having a family of his own. This humble subject thinks that Xiao-er is not lying whenever he said that, so one day, I went ahead and asked him about it.¡±


    ¡°Mmn. And then?¡±


    ¡°He said, whenever he thought of himself being with someone else¡­ his heart becomes unsettled. He said that his heart couldn¡¯t accept anyone else.¡±


    At this, Qin Yijun¡¯s eyes narrowed as several hypotheses run through his brain. ¡°He couldn¡¯t accept anyone else¡­ does he already have someone in his heart?¡±


    ¡°This is something that only Xiao-er knows. He might have forgotten his past, but his heart probably still remembers¡­¡± Long Yinlian replied.


    Qin Yijun nodded his head, satisfied with Long Yinlian¡¯s answer. He was just about to say something when there was a movement from Lin Xiao. He held his breath and waited, his heart beating excitedly against his ribcage.


    The lashes trembled as Lin Xiao finally opened his eyes. His unfocused gaze landed on Qin Yijun as soon as he woke up, and it took him a moment to register what he had just seen. When he finally realized who it was, Lin Xiao was stunned for a few seconds before finally rushing to get off the divan. His action was so quick that one would think that the divan is on fire.


    ¡°Xiao-er?¡± Long Yinlian, whose hearing is sensitive, could hear the movement made by his disciple. He called Lin Xiao out worriedly, wondering if something happened.


    ¡°Shizun,¡± Lin Xiao turned to Long Yinlian and breathed out a sigh of relief. Then, he came to another realization. He is somewhere unfamiliar. Everything around him looked priceless as if no amount of money would be able to buy them. ¡°Shizun, where are we?¡± Lin Xiao asked as he warily looked around while walking towards Long Yinlian.


    Qin Yijun, who was feeling ignored by Lin Xiao felt his mood plummet down to the dark abyss. His eyes followed Lin Xiao¡¯s figure who is now settled to standing beside Long Yinlian. ¡°You are at Zhen¡¯s palace, Tianlong Palace.¡±


    Lin Xiao heard the Emperor speak and he nervously looks over to the monarch. He saw that the Emperor appeared to be a bit displeased and thought back about what happened when he woke up. ¡®I was hoping that it was only an illusion¡­ that the Emperor was just a fragment of my imagination. But why are you talking, ah! Now I can¡¯t pretend you¡¯re not here!¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself.


    Lin Xiao didn¡¯t speak afterwards, but Long Yinlian helped him understand their current situation. ¡°Xiao-er, you fainted earlier, and His Majesty brought you to the palace to recuperate.¡±


    ¡°En. Zhen was worried about your condition, so Zhen brought you to Old Pan to look over,¡± Qin Yijun added. ¡°Luckily, it is nothing serious.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t seem to believe what Qin Yijun said, but decided to play along since that was what Long Yinlian was saying. ¡°Since there is nothing wrong, then¡­ may Lin Xiao asked to be excused?¡± Lin Xiao has yet to get used to speaking to the Emperor, so his sentence had sounded awkward.


    ¡°Are you that eager to leave? This is Tianlong Palace. Not anyone can be allowed inside,¡± Qin Yijun said, trying to get Lin Xiao to stay a while longer. But unfortunately, his sentence was misunderstood by the others as a threat instead.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Lin Xiao promise not to say anything about what I¡¯ve seen here. If I ever say a word to someone else, then Lin Xiao is willing to pay with his life- ¡°


    ¡°Xiao-er!¡±


    Lin Xiao ignored Long Yinlian and continued to speak. ¡°Lin Xiao only asks His Majesty to spare Shizun.¡±


    Qin Yijun just stared at Lin Xiao with a look of disbelief. He didn¡¯t know if he should feel amused or disappointed that Lin Xiao had misunderstood his intention. ¡°Zhen didn¡¯t mean it like that. Zhen only wishes for you to stay awhile longer.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡®Because Zhen wished to spend more time with you!¡¯ Qin Yijun had almost blurted out his thought but managed to hold himself back. ¡°Ming-er¡­¡± he called out helplessly.


    The moment the words left Qin Yijun¡¯s lips, Lin Xiao felt something within him. The familiarity of the tone, the way the other said it, the gentleness that can be seen from the other¡¯s eyes. Lin Xiao felt as if he had experienced it before. But rather than joy, Lin Xiao became afraid instead.


    Lin Xiao¡¯s breathing started to become laboured, and he felt his palm became sweaty. Both Long Yinlian and Qin Yijun noticed his state, and both were worried.


    ¡°Xiao-er.¡±


    ¡°Ming-er!¡±


    Both called out to him, but with different names. Both called out to him, but both tones were different. One was full of worry that one would have for their child. While the other was filled with both worry and urgency, silently asking to be acknowledged.


    The was a sound of the ruffling of clothes, and Lin Xiao saw the Emperor had stood up. When he saw the Emperor took a step forward, Lin Xiao reflexively took a step back.


    Qin Yijun saw this, and his step faltered. He stood in place, and his hands were both clenched into a tight fist as he saw the fear on Lin Xiao¡¯s expression. In the end, Qin Yijun could only sigh in defeat. ¡®I guess this means that I shouldn¡¯t rush him to remember?¡¯


    As much as Qin Yijun didn¡¯t like the current situation, there was nothing that he could do. ¡°It seems that you are afraid of Zhen. Very well. Zhen will let you leave,¡± he said, and he could see that Lin Xiao was finally relaxing.


    ¡°General Bai!¡± the Emperor called out loudly, and soon, the general entered the residence. ¡°Help Zhen and escort the guest to their place of residence.¡±


    The general, Bai Chenyi raised an eyebrow at the Emperor¡¯s order. ¡®To their place of residence? Not just escort them out? Is there a need to go that far?¡¯ Bai Chenyi wondered but he did not say anything. The Emperor¡¯s words, it is better not to question them.


    ¡°Your servant obeys His Majesty¡¯s command,¡± Bai Chenyi replied with a salute. He then turned to both Long Yinlian and Lin Xiao before saying, ¡°Master Long, Young Master Lin, please come this way.¡±


    Bai Chenyi¡¯s tone is calm and his expression was serious. Long Yinlian stood up, about to follow Bai Chenyi when he felt Lin Xiao grab him by the arm, stopping him.


    ¡°Xiao-er?¡± Long Yinlian sounded confused as he silently questions Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao only tightened his grip on Long Yinlian¡¯s arm before he turned to the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, we don¡¯t need escort¡­¡±


    ¡°Zhen will not feel assured to let you go back on your own at your current state,¡± Qin Yijun replied, voicing out his worry. But what he did not expect was that it made Lin Xiao even fall deeper into the sea of misunderstanding instead.


    ¡°I guess Your Majesty really won¡¯t feel assured unless you have someone to keep an eye on us. Why not have someone act as our ¡®bodyguard¡¯ then?¡± Lin Xiao was being sarcastic, and Long Yinlian heard it. The older male wanted to scold Lin Xiao when he heard the Emperor¡¯s reply.


    ¡°That is indeed a good idea. General Bai, until Zhen says otherwise, you will become Min- Lin Xiao¡¯s bodyguard,¡± Qin Yijun said, making all that were present shocked.


    The Emperor¡¯s word cannot be denied. Bai Chenyi bowed his head and accepted his orders while Lin Xiao and Long Yinlian only expressed their disbelief. In the end, even Long Yinlian felt that this arrangement was a bit excessive.


    ¡°Your Majesty, your humble subject does not wish to offend but, asking General Bai to be Xiao-er¡¯s bodyguard is unnecessary,¡± Long Yinlian said. If it was a few simple guards, Long Yinlian could probably accept it but this is a General. Not to mention, to obtain the rank of general, one must first lead an army to war.


    ¡°Nothing that Zhen says in unnecessary. All of you should go now. Zhen wishes to rest,¡± Qin Yijun said as he waved his hand to dismiss them. He felt that if he were to continue looking at Lin Xiao, he might not be able to control himself from locking Lin Xiao up.


    ¡®I don¡¯t wish for him to be more afraid of me than he already is¡­ I will need to consult Old Pan about this matter.¡¯

 Chapter 51

    Without any choices, Lin Xiao and Long Yinlian can only accept Bai Chenyi to be their escort and bodyguard. Before leaving the Imperial Palace, Bai Chenyi had talked to Meng Chen and by the time he¡¯s done, Lin Xiao could see the look that Meng Chen was giving him. It was clearly asking him what he had done for the general to be demoted to a mere bodyguard.


    Lin Xiao, of course, didn¡¯t know what he did. In fact, he himself still could understand what happened before. He only knew that he suddenly obtained a bodyguard of a general class. So, to answer Meng Chen¡¯s questioning look, he only gave the other a shrug of his shoulders.


    Meng Chen didn¡¯t seem to accept his answer and walked over to him. Bai Chenyi saw this, and a frown appeared on his face.


    ¡°Meng Chen,¡± he called out. His voice contained a hidden warning, but Meng Chen didn¡¯t seem to realize it as he continued to approach Lin Xiao. ¡°Meng Chen, don¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± Bai Chenyi once again gave out his warning.


    ¡°But General Bai! How can you be content being his personal bodyguard? And for an indefinite amount of time too! Just because he can¡¯t protect himself, does he have to trouble you? A great general is being reduced to a mere bodyguard?¡± Meng Chen voiced out his dissatisfaction.


    Lin Xiao who heard it, felt insulted. He narrowed his eyes as he confronted Meng Chen, glaring at him. ¡°I don¡¯t even want your general to be my bodyguard! The one who ordered him to be one is the Emperor. If you have anything to say, say it to him! I¡¯d be more than happy to return without any escort,¡± Lin Xiao said before he grabbed Meng Chen by the front of his robe, pulling on it so he could look at Meng Chen in the eyes. ¡°And you dare say that I can¡¯t protect myself? I assure you if I want to¡­ I¡¯d be able to beat you up until you¡¯re crying all the way to your mother¡¯s bosom!¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡­ You-!¡± Meng Chen ended up being too angry to even form a proper sentence.


    ¡°¡¯You, you, you¡¯ what?! Did you turn stupid already? If you have anything else to say, say it now!¡±


    Long Yinlian rarely hears Lin Xiao getting angry. The only few times, it was because of bandits. But Meng Chen is a guard. No matter how low his rank is, he is still an official. Long Yinlian wanted to stop Lin Xiao when Lin Xiao first started to respond to Meng Chen, but he was suddenly stopped by Bai Chenyi.


    ¡°Let them have at it. They are still young, and have too much energy to spare,¡± Bai Chenyi said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let your son be hurt.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s not Xiao-er I¡¯m worried about¡­ that little guard doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s getting into,¡¯ Long Yinlian said in his heart. ¡°General Bai, if the Emperor got wind of this, won¡¯t you get in trouble?¡± Long Yinlian asked.


    ¡°I will be responsible for my own decision.¡±


    Meng Chen¡¯s blood raised up to his head, a vein could be seen on his forehead, showing just how angry he was. ¡°If you can protect yourself, then why would His Majesty send one of the best generals he has to protect you?!¡±


    ¡°How would I know, ba! Maybe your general had turned rusty, so the Emperor thought that your general had been too idle. Rather than letting him idle around, it¡¯s best to be a bodyguard instead!¡±


    Bai Chenyi: ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I apologize on behalf of Xiao-er,¡± Long Yinlian said in an apologetic tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ I know someone who would probably say the same thing as your son¡­¡± Bai Chenyi replied.


    As Lin Xiao and Meng Chen continued to make a scene with their argument, the officials and other guards had started to gather, curious about what is happening.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Is it a fight?!¡± one of the guards who had just arrived asked around.


    ¡°Yes. It looks like its Meng Chen. There¡¯s General Bai nearby but it doesn¡¯t seem like he plans on doing something about it¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Not doing anything? Is Meng Chen on the right here or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I heard from someone who came earlier than I say that the guy that¡¯s currently having a beef with Meng Chen even insulted General Bai so, maybe?¡±


    More and more whispers could be heard while both Lin Xiao and Meng Chen appeared to be deaf about it. With how much commotion had been caused, naturally more high-ranking officials would come to know about it. One particular general, known for his straight-forwardness and hot-headedness also came over out of curiosity.


    When he arrived, everyone moved to give him the way. He walked until he saw Meng Chen and Lin Xiao engaging in a word fight. ¡°Bah! What¡¯s this? I heard there was a fight and all I see is two men fighting with their mouth. How disappointing!¡± the general said. His voice was loud enough that every other whisper died down and finally, Lin Xiao and Meng Chen finally realized their surroundings.


    ¡°General Bing,¡± Meng Chen turned and saluted the other man respectfully.


    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Meng Chen! I see that General Bai is here too,¡± the man known as General Bing said with a huge smile. ¡°But what are you guys doing, ah! If there is any dispute, just throw them in the dungeon!¡±


    When Lin Xiao heard this, his impression of this general plummeted down to the lowest.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that, General Bing. They are the honoured guests of His Majesty,¡± General Bai replied. ¡°His Majesty placed them at utmost importance,¡± he added.


    Almost immediately, General Bing¡¯s expression changed. ¡°So, they are His Majesty¡¯s guest¡­ My apologies, young man,¡± General Bing said as he slightly bowed his head while apologizing to Lin Xiao. ¡°But why is Meng Chen fighting with you?¡±


    When General Bing apologized to him, Lin Xiao was surprised. ¡®Maybe, he is not that bad¡­¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself. When he was asked why Meng Chen was finding fault with him, Lin Xiao turned to glare at Meng Chen again. ¡°Because this idiot said that I¡¯m weak even though he¡¯s clearly weaker than me! He can¡¯t even give me a chase back in the market!¡±


    ¡°What was that?! If you were not so cowardly, would you even run when I chased after you?¡±


    The two once again engaged in word fight and General Bing wasn¡¯t interested. ¡°Alright, enough! Isn¡¯t this easy to solve? Since the problem lays on who is stronger, then just have a spar! Whoever wins is the stronger one. Men! Get me two of those wooden training swords!¡±

 Chapter 52

    The crowd now circled around Lin Xiao and Meng Chen, giving them more space to move while also spectating the upcoming sparring match. Not long after, a guard handed him and Meng Chen a wooden sword. Lin Xiao received it and swung it several times to measure its weight and to have a feel on how the wooden sword will cut through the wind.


    Meng Chen watched Lin Xiao¡¯s action and could not help the smirk that formed on his face. ¡°If you want, I can let you have some time to get used to it. I know that a young master like you probably haven¡¯t even¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need. Let us start, ba. Or is it that you need more time to get ready to have your pride trampled down to the ground?¡± Lin Xiao didn¡¯t let Meng Chen finish his sentence and even shot a question to the other, questioning the other¡¯s confidence.


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Again with ¡®you¡¯. I believe that you seriously need to brush up on your vocabulary, ah! Don¡¯t you know that in battle, no matter how strong you are, it¡¯s useless if you only fight blindly,¡± Lin Xiao said as he pointed the tip of the wooden sword towards Meng Chen. ¡°Come at me now. I¡¯ll be sure to teach you a lesson so that in the future, you¡¯ll learn to shut your mouth when you need to.¡±


    ¡°Y¨C!¡± Meng Chen was about to say ¡®you¡¯ again when he caught himself and bit back the word. In his anger, he quickly brandished the wooden sword and rushed forward, trying to get the first strike on Lin Xiao.


    Unfortunately for him, this was all part of Lin Xiao¡¯s plan. A riled-up opponent is always easy to deal with compared to the calm and collected one. Lin Xiao raised the wooden sword in his hand to meet with Meng Chen¡¯s diagonal slash. He then slightly shifted the wooden sword, guiding the other¡¯s sword away from him before he shot his leg out and trip the other to the ground.


    With Meng Chen on the ground, General Bing lets out a roar of laughter. ¡°Meng Chen, did you underestimate your opponent? Only people without eyes would do what you did before. Be careful, your General Bai is also here to spectate! If you make him lose face, who knows what punishment awaits you, ah!¡±


    Bai Chenyi who heard what General Bing had said just raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the tough-looking general. Although Meng Chen is indeed one of his men, he did not know what the correlation between Meng Chen losing and him losing face was. If Meng Chen loses, the one losing face would be Meng Chen alone. It should not affect him even in the slightest.


    ¡®Of course, if Meng Chen lose, it means his training is not enough. Maybe I should prepare another training manual for him to follow¡­ now that I won¡¯t be around His Majesty, Meng Chen should at least be capable to protect His Majesty,¡¯ Bai Chenyi thought to himself.


    ¡°Also, there are some officials who have stopped to watch you two fight. If you lose in front of these officials, words will spread and when that happens, let alone getting married, they won¡¯t even let their daughters come near you again!¡± General Bing continued jokingly as he added more oil to the fire.


    Hearing this, Meng Chen¡¯s face turned ugly and he quickly got up to face Lin Xiao once more. Gritting his teeth, he made his second move, in which, Lin Xiao only had to move his body slightly to avoid the attack. A light swing from Lin Xiao¡¯s hand and the wooden sword found its mark, hitting Meng Chen on his backside.


    ¡°If this were a real sword, you would either die or become heavily injured. If this is the strength of the guards in the Imperial Palace, I worry for His Majesty¡¯s safety, ah!¡± Lin Xiao said in a mocking tone. ¡°This level of strength is exactly just like a mountain bandit.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re that great, how about we fight with a real blade then?!¡± Meng Chen roared out in anger, to which Lin Xiao only shook his head.


    ¡°My apologies. But I do not think that you are worthy of it,¡± replied Lin Xiao with a smile on his face. ¡°This sword is being lent to me by Shizun. It is worth more than you can think of to me,¡± Lin Xiao added as he swings the wooden sword to parry another of Meng Chen¡¯s attack.


    While the two continued to spar, a shadow guard of the Emperor that was sent to look after Lin Xiao had rushed back to the Emperor¡¯s side to report on what had just happened. Qin Yijun had been working on his memorials when he heard that Lin Xiao is currently having sparring match with Meng Chen.


    ¡°Bai Chenyi is letting this happen?¡± Qin Yijun asked.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It seems that General Bai is also curious about Lin Xiao¡¯s strength,¡± the shadow guard replied.


    ¡°Who do you think will win the match?¡± Qin Yijun asked as he looked at the shadow guard who is currently kneeling on the floor.


    ¡°From what this slave had seen, the match is very much in favour of Lin Xiao. He is using words to lead Meng Chen along. Each time Meng Chen moves, Lin Xiao seemed to have already calculated several steps ahead of him,¡± the shadow guard answered earnestly. ¡°But¡­¡± the shadow guard hesitated to continue, fearing that he might incur the Emperor¡¯s wrath.


    ¡°But? But what?¡± Qin Yijun asked as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Go on, say what you have in mind.¡±


    ¡°Although it seems that Lin Xiao is leading the match, one could also see that he is overconfident. In a real battle, overconfidence is one¡¯s worst enemy. Not to mention¡­ he is handicapping himself by not moving from his spot. At least, from the several exchanges that this slave has witnessed, Lin Xiao was using his left foot as a pivot, and it has yet to leave the ground,¡± the shadow guard replied.


    Qin Yijun heard this, and he let out a heavy sigh. He stood up and started to walk to the door, intending to leave the imperial study. ¡°Zhen will go and take a look. An Yi, you go and take An Er along with you to look after Lin Xiao. That way, at least one of you will be able to keep an eye on him while the other comes to report to Zhen,¡± Qin Yijun said to the shadow guard.


    ¡°This slave received the Emperor¡¯s order,¡± the shadow guard, An Yi replied.


    Meanwhile, back at the outer court of the Imperial Palace, Lin Xiao¡¯s and Meng Chen¡¯s match had turned even more heated. When Meng Chen realized that Lin Xiao was taking it easy while dealing with him, his attacks became even more aggressive. Unlike before, Meng Chen is now a lot calmer as the match progressed.


    Lin Xiao also noticed this, and he also started to think of other ways to deal with Meng Chen. The playfulness in his expression is also gone and he wore a serious expression on his face.


    Meng Chen came at him once again, and Lin Xiao raised the wooden sword to block the attack. To his surprise, Meng Chen¡¯s move was actually a feint as the other suddenly crouched down and did a leg swipe.


    To avoid this move, Lin Xiao had to jump backwards and took a few steps back to get some distance away from Meng Chen in order to give himself some space to recover from his shock. Lin Xiao stared at Meng Chen who now have a big grin on his face.


    ¡°Finally using both of your legs. Do you think I am worthy enough to be your opponent now?¡± Meng Chen asked. Earlier, when he realized that Lin Xiao was taking it easy, he felt that Lin Xiao is not even looking at him as a worthy opponent. As a guard, he felt as if he was being ridiculed. The more the match progressed, the more he felt that he is losing face. Despite all of this, he still refused to give in and continued to persist.


    Meng Chen now understood that Lin Xiao indeed have the ability to protect himself. He also knew that it was him who was in the wrong, assuming that the other is weak which is why the Emperor had General Bai become his bodyguard. Even so, it was useless to cry over spilt milk. He can only apologize properly after this match. But as a man, Meng Chen refused to surrender even if he is already losing. ¡®If I am going to lose anyway, then I have to at least lose with dignity! I¡¯ll make him take me seriously!¡¯


    Lin Xiao who heard Meng Chen¡¯s question simply raised an eyebrow. ¡°I admit, your determination is indeed admirable. Very well. Since you wish for me to take you seriously, I shall honour you so. Do be careful,¡± Lin Xiao said as he changed his stance.


    With light feet, Lin Xiao jumped forward and he thrusts the wooden sword, aiming straight for Meng Chen¡¯s throat. This was the first offensive move that Lin Xiao made ever since the start of the sparring match. Meng Chen, who was used to Lin Xiao being on the defensive, almost didn¡¯t manage to avoid the thrust.


    He moved his neck to avoid the thrust, but he could feel the wind generated from the heavy thrust and it felt as if he had indeed, received a cut to his neck. His face paled as he thought of how vicious the single thrust had been. Meng Chen had yet to recover from the attack when he felt a force on his stomach and before he realized it, his body was forced to fly backwards. Luckily for him, he was quick to recover so he did not embarrass himself further.


    ¡°Ah, such a shame¡­¡± Meng Chen heard Lin Xiao¡¯s voice. He looked up to the other who was smiling, but Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°If that thrust hits, it could¡¯ve been over by now,¡± Lin Xiao continued.


    Meng Chen felt as if that Lin Xiao was seriously thinking of killing him. Suddenly, the wooden sword in Lin Xiao¡¯s hand became one of the dangerous weapons that Meng Chen had ever seen. His hand unconsciously went to his neck, remembering the cold wind that hits his neck as the wooden sword missed his throat.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, brother Meng? Don¡¯t tell me you are now afraid, ba? I have only just started. From now on, I am not going to defend anymore. Brother Meng, prepare yourself.¡±

 Chapter 53

    Lin Xiao¡¯s movement changed. The sword in his hand danced through the air as he continued his offensive move to Meng Chen who can only defend himself. Because Lin Xiao is now focused on Meng Chen, he failed to notice the gaze of the people witnessing the sparring match.


    Bai Chenyi was frowning as he stared at Lin Xiao. He then glanced at Long Yinlian who was standing beside him. ¡°Master Long,¡± Bai Chenyi called out in a low voice. ¡°Are you the one who taught Lin Xiao his martial arts?¡±


    ¡°En. But when we started, Lin Xiao already have the basic of martial arts. I only taught him a little bit,¡± Long Yinlian replied. ¡°He learns fast. I remember when I first learned the Soaring Hawk sword style, it took me eight years to master all move sets. But Xiao-er only took a good year to master them,¡± Long Yinlian¡¯s vision is non-existence, so he couldn¡¯t see what others could see. If he could, he would have known that the move that Lin Xiao is using is not the Soaring Hawk sword style.


    ¡°The Soaring Hawk Sword Style that came from Ruanyu Empire from across the sea?¡± Bai Chenyi sounded surprised. ¡°I heard that only the Thunder Hawk members can learn this sword style¡­¡±


    ¡°Lord Xia and I share the same master.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Bai Chenyi replied. ¡°But, did you ever get curious about how Lin Xiao could learn it quickly? Do you ever suspect that before this, he learned another set of martial arts style?¡±


    ¡°Considering that his form was solid, I knew that Xiao-er learned martial arts before we met. I have also asked him if he ever remembered who his previous master was. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t. Let alone his master, he did not even remember his own name.¡±


    Bai Chenyi heard this and did not pursue the topic any longer. But he couldn¡¯t help that familiar feeling he has when he watched Lin Xiao fight. ¡®That fighting style looks very similar to Hao Shuren¡¯s style more than Soaring Hawk Sword Style,¡¯ Bai Chenyi thought to himself. He then turned his head to see his fellow general, General Bing, is frowning with a serious expression on his face. ¡®It seems that I am not the only one who noticed it.¡¯


    The two people engaged in the sparring match was too focused on each other. Meng Chen is struggling towards the end and Lin Xiao continued his fierce assault.


    Qin Yijun arrived shortly after, and when he saw Lin Xiao, he felt that the other¡¯s movement was both familiar and yet, foreign. Some of his moves were something he used to see back in his childhood, but some moves look different that he knew, it was not Hao Shuren¡¯s style.


    As Qin Yijun approached the area, some of the guards who saw him turned pale and they were about to greet him. Knowing that it would cause a scene, Qin Yijun silently glared at them, warning them not to cause a scene.


    Understanding their Emperor¡¯s thought, the surrounding guards didn¡¯t open their mouth, but they also couldn¡¯t continue to cheer as they had before. In fact, they couldn¡¯t even bring themselves to lift their head to see the match, knowing that their Emperor is around.


    Satisfied, Qin Yijun quietly made his way and approached Bai Chenyi. ¡°General Bai, Zhen hopes that you have an explanation for letting this happen.¡±


    Bai Chenyi had long expected that this news would soon arrive at the Emperor¡¯s ear, so he was prepared to give his answer. But what he did not expect was that General Bing had spoken up before he could.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this general greets the Emperor,¡± General Bing said as he greets the Emperor with a salute. ¡°It is like this¡­ when this general arrived here, both Meng Chen and that young man were already having a dispute. I only gave them the easiest solution to their bickering.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then all of this is due to your idea, General Bing?¡± Qin Yijun asked with an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°Yes, ah! They are both young men, fighting with their mouth about who is stronger. Isn¡¯t that just a shame? So, I suggested that they spar. Who would¡¯ve known that the young man fighting Meng Chen is another disciple of that old man Hao Shuren. It was said that he no longer accepts disciple and yet, another one popped up!¡±


    As General Bing spoke, Qin Yijun¡¯s eyes were trained on Lin Xiao¡¯s figure who seemed to be dancing with the wooden sword in hand. His feet were light, and each swing of his sword is filled with a strong force. His figure would sometimes overlap with a silhouette that exists in Qin Yijun¡¯s memories before diverging again.


    Meng Chen, who is the victim of Lin Xiao¡¯s assault could no longer keep up. Knowing that the sword is only made of wood and that it would not cut his flesh, Meng Chen decided to cheat. He let Lin Xiao¡¯s wooden sword hit his body and though the force is enough to make him wince in pain, he quickly grabbed Lin Xiao¡¯s wrist to keep the other in place.


    Lin Xiao had not expected this kind of dirty move from Meng Chen. He tried to pull away, but Meng Chen held his wrist in a tight grip. ¡°Brother Meng, doing this kind of thing is cheating, ah! Since we are sparring, we should treat it as if we are holding a real weapon. Since you let the wooden sword in my hand hit you with such force, you would¡¯ve been severely injured so this can be counted as my win.¡±


    ¡°Says who? The match is not over yet!¡± Meng Chen growled as tightened his grip on Lin Xiao¡¯s wrist and pulled the other closer. ¡°When it comes to fights, one must do whatever they can to win! So, what if my method is dirty?¡± Meng Chen said as he pulled his head back slightly before moving them forward, attempting to give Lin Xiao a headbutt.


    Lin Xiao saw his move and his eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°Brother Meng is indeed right. Then please don¡¯t blame Lin Xiao for being ruthless,¡± Lin Xiao said before he lifted one of his legs and delivered a kick right between Meng Chen¡¯s legs.


    A collective hiss could be heard from those surrounding them. Qin Yijun still had a stoic expression on his face as he witnessed the scene, but he could feel his palm getting wet from the sweat. He turned his head to General Bing, and he could see the man¡¯s face had paled considerably. Both of General Bing¡¯s hands had unconsciously gone to cover his groin area.


    To his other side, Qin Yijun saw that General Bai had turned his head sideways with both eyes closed. When he returned his gaze to Lin Xiao, he saw that Lin Xiao had already pulled his leg down and was staring at Meng Chen.


    Meng Chen was also staring at Lin Xiao with disbelief before his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Then, his body slumped forward, and Lin Xiao simply side-stepped to avoid the other.


    ¡°Oh, I heard a body hitting the ground and the crowd is now silenced¡­ has the match been concluded? From the crowd¡¯s reaction, it seems that Xiao-er won the match?¡± as someone who did not get to see what had just transpired, Long Yinlian was the only person who did not get to share Meng Chen¡¯s pain.

 Chapter 54

    As soon as Meng Chen¡¯s body hits the ground, the crowd finally snapped out of their stupor. Their gaze landed at Lin Xiao for a while before finally, one of them voiced out their dissatisfaction at the outcome of the match.


    ¡°What kind of dirty move was that?! As a man, how could you bear to harm another man¡¯s family jewel?!¡±


    ¡°I was expecting to see something good! I did not expect to witness the event of monkey stealing the peaches!¡±


    ¡°What monkey steals the peaches, ah! That was clearly monkey destroying the peaches!¡±


    More and more guards started to speak up and most of them are of the same content. By now, Long Yinlian understood what happened and he also showed an uncomfortable demeanor.


    As the person who was subjected to the guards¡¯ harsh words, Lin Xiao not only felt satisfied, he also sported a haughty expression as he glanced at the people around him. ¡°Feeling unsatisfied? If you do not like the outcome, you can come forward. I¡¯m already all warmed up,¡± Lin Xiao said, taunting the rest of them. The guards were baited and continued to scold Lin Xiao verbally.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Qin Yijun no longer could stand the way the guards react and decided to intervene. ¡°General Bai, go bring Lin Xiao and his master home. Zhen hopes that you will no longer get side-tracked after this,¡± Qin Yijun said to Bai Chenyi.


    ¡°This general obeys,¡± Bai Chenyi bowed at Qin Yijun before he gestured for Lin Xiao to follow him while he helped Long Yinlian.


    ¡°As for the rest of you! Since you all appear to be idle, Zhen will be sure to give all of you a proper work!¡± Qin Yijun addressed the rest of the crowd. He then looked at General Bing with a serious expression. ¡°General Bing, Zhen will leave the disciplining of these guards to you. Until they are done, you are not allowed to go home. Is that understood?¡±


    Bing Dai noticed that the Emperor appears to be angry, and that most of it was directed at him. He wondered if he had done anything wrong but the only thing he could think of is the fact that he allows Lin Xiao to spar with Meng Chen. ¡°Your general understands, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°En. Everyone is dismissed. Don¡¯t forget to bring Meng Chen to the infirmary!¡±


    With that, everyone scampered off, unwilling to stay any longer in fear that they might anger the Emperor. On the other hand, Lin Xiao, Long Yinlian and Bai Chenyi had already left the Imperial Palace and is on their way to the Xia family household.


    ¡°Lin Xiao¡­ about earlier,¡± Long Yinlian speaks up after a little hesitation, breaking the silence. ¡°Did you really perform¡­¡± he trailed off once again, unable to finish his sentence. Just the thought of it made him uncomfortable. He was taught in the righteous way of swords, so Lin Xiao¡¯s move of stealing peaches was not something he taught.


    ¡°Shizun, it was an accident. I really didn¡¯t mean to kick him there,¡± Lin Xiao lied.


    The eyebrows of Long Yinlian furrowed but he didn¡¯t ask more. He felt that Lin Xiao was lying but since he did not see the scene before, he can¡¯t just scold the other. ¡°Alright. If you say so. When we return to Xia family household, there might be few people trying to ask questions about your relationship with the Emperor. Don¡¯t tell them the truth,¡± Long Yinlian warned.


    ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lin Xiao replied. ¡®Plus, there is nothing to tell anyway. What relationship? This is the first time I saw the Emperor and I already got onto his bad side,¡¯ Lin Xiao sighed defeatedly.


    When they arrived, Lin Xiao noticed the slightly tense atmosphere of the Xia household. Xia Yuanfeng were waiting for them by the entrance, worry plastered on his face. When he saw Long Yinlian arriving, he quickly rushed over and gently held both of Long Yinlian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ah¡¯Yin! Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Feng-ge. You know the Emperor won¡¯t hurt his citizens as long as they don¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Long Yinlian replied with a smile. ¡°The Emperor is kind. When Xiao-er passed out, he even had the Imperial Physician came to look at him. Not only that, he also let General Bai accompany us.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Xia Yuanfeng nods his head, but he still couldn¡¯t dispel the worry inside him. Then, he turned to Bai Chenyi with a grateful expression. ¡°General Bai, thank you for escorting Ah¡¯Yin and Xiao-er home.¡±


    ¡°It is my duty,¡± Bai Chenyi replied. ¡°I will trouble Lord Xia to prepare for my living quarter.¡±


    Xia Yuanfeng sported a confused expression when he heard what Bai Chenyi was saying. He looked at Long Yinlian, then at Lin Xiao, quietly asking him to explain what is happening.


    Lin Xiao saw his expression, and only shrugged his shoulder. ¡°His Majesty, the Emperor had ordered him to be our guard,¡± he informed Xia Yuanfeng in a nonchalant tone.


    ¡°That is wrong. His Majesty ordered this general to be ¡®your¡¯ bodyguard, Lord Lin,¡± Bai Chenyi corrected.


    Lin Xiao showed a displeased expression before he let out a huff. Then, he went to Long Yinlian¡¯s side and held the older male¡¯s arm. ¡°Shizun, let¡¯s go and rest now. Let martial uncle deal with Bai Chenyi in regards of his living quarter,¡± Lin Xiao said as he then led Long Yinlian inside, leaving Bai Chenyi and Xia Yuanfeng alone.


    The atmosphere between the two became even more awkward. Xia Yuanfeng nervously turned to face Bai Chenyi once more. ¡°Then¡­ General Bai. Please follow me. Though my household cannot be compared to your Bai Mansion, I hope it would still be to your liking.¡±


    ¡°No need to worry much. Just give me a room closest to Lin Xiao¡¯s.¡±


    ¡®Lin Xiao stays with Ah¡¯Yin and the room closest to them is my room, ah! General Bai, are you asking me to give my room to you?¡¯ Xia Yuanfeng thought in his mind.


    ¡°About this matter, General Bai, it would be difficult. Both Ah¡¯Yin and Xiao-er stays in my courtyard and the closest room is the master quarter. So¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then just give me an extra quilt. I will sleep on the floor of the same room as them,¡± Bai Chenyi replied, not waiting for Xia Yuanfeng to finish.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to stop me from executing His Majesty¡¯s order?¡± Bai Chenyi asked.


    Xia Yuanfeng was unable to reply so he could only sigh and then, led Bai Chenyi to his courtyard. On his way, he also asked the servants to prepare an extra quilt for Bai Chenyi¡¯s use.

 Chapter 55

    When Bai Chenyi said he¡¯d sleep on the floor in the same room as Lin Xiao and the rest, he did not expect to share the floor with three tigers. His eyes went over to Lin Xiao who is currently helping Long Yinlian to the bed.


    ¡°Is something the matter, General Bai?¡± Lin Xiao asked after he had finished helping Long Yinlian to the bed.


    ¡°These tigers¡­ are they feral?¡± Bai Chenyi asked, trying to be mindful of the fact that the three tigers have yet to pounce at him.


    ¡°If they¡¯re feral, you¡¯d be dead by now,¡± Lin Xiao replied. Taking the extra blanket, he called the three tigers over. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as you don¡¯t harm me or Shizun, they won¡¯t attack you.¡±


    Lin Xiao let the three tigers settle down beside the bed before he too finally lay down on the floor. He glanced over at Bai Chenyi who appears to still be rooted near the entrance.


    ¡°General Bai, there¡¯s a daybed over there,¡± Lin Xiao pointed at a direction. ¡°You can use them if you want. Also, dinner here is usually served at Xu Shi. There¡¯s still time, so you can rest a bit.¡±


    ¡°En. Thank you,¡± Bai Chenyi replied and Lin Xiao only waved his hand in return as he closed his eyes for a nap.


    Walking over to the daybed, Bai Chenyi noticed a few scratches adorning the wood, then his eyes went to the three tigers from before. He had his suspicion that the daybed had been used as a scratch post, but he decided not to talk about it.


    Placing the extra quilt on top of the daybed, Bai Chenyi sat down and began to ponder on what had just happened.


    He is one of the few Generals who had sworn his loyalty to the Emperor, Qin Yijun when he first ascended to the throne. He considers himself to be the Emperor¡¯s trusted aide, and also a close confidant. He remembered a few years ago, the Emperor had asked them to scour over their land to search for a missing person.


    When the Emperor brought Lin Xiao back to Tianlong palace, he heard the Emperor rescinding the order of the missing person search. ¡®Is Lin Xiao the person His Majesty has been looking for?¡¯


    Just then, there was a small shift in the wind and Bai Chenyi noticed there are two more people in the room. He glanced up, eyeing the ceiling above. ¡®Two? His Majesty didn¡¯t even send one shadow guards to protect the Empress Dowager, but he sent Lin Xiao two? Just how high is Lin Xiao¡¯s place in His Majesty¡¯s heart?¡¯


    Time continues to pass as Bai Chenyi is deep in his thought. When the time gets closer to Xu Shi, there was a light knock on the door, followed by Xia Yuanfeng¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Yin, Xiao-er, Lord General, it is almost time for dinner.¡±


    Bai Chenyi opened his eyes and turned his head towards Lin Xiao and the rest. He saw that one of the tigers have already woken up and let out a big yawn.


    Lin Xiao also woke up as he felt the movement and looked up at the tiger. ¡°Zan-er, is it dinner time?¡± Lin Xiao asked sleepily.


    The tiger, Wang Zan let out a snort and stood up. Following suit, the other two tigers also started to get up, stretch their body and walked over to the door. Lin Xiao was last to get up, but he first went to the bed to wake Long Yinlian up.


    ¡°Shizun, it¡¯s time for dinner. Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Xiao¡¯s voice was soft as he gently wakes Long Yinlian up.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ alright,¡± Long Yinlian replied as he slowly sat up. Getting off the bed, they walked over to the door. Bai Chenyi also stood up and followed them from behind.


    As they neared the dining hall, they could hear whispered discussion and most of it was about Bai Chenyi. When they stepped into the dining hall, the whisper died out as most eyes landed on Bai Chenyi.


    ¡°Lord General Bai, it¡¯s an honour to have you here in our humble household!¡±


    ¡°Lord General Bai, I heard that you have yet to be wed, I have a daughter who is close to your age¡­¡±


    ¡°Lord General Bai¡­¡±


    More and more voices joined the first one, and all of them seems to want to curry favour with the young general. Lin Xiao gave Bai Chenyi a sideways glance and saw that despite the stoic expression, the eyes appear to show a hint of annoyance.


    ¡°Everyone, I appreciate the kind thoughts but I am only here under the order of His Majesty. I will not entertain any of you,¡± Bai Chenyi told them. ¡°If you wish to socialise and get more connection, then you may wait for the longevity banquet of my father.¡±


    The members of the Xia family immediately quieted down. Who didn¡¯t know how scary the Old General Bai was. And his longevity banquet, only people with the invitation can go. Xia family is not that well known for them to be invited to the banquet.


    Not to mention, during the last war of the throne, they were in a different camp.


    When the situation has calmed down, Lin Xiao finally led Long Yinlian to sit at their normal place. Since Bai Chenyi was around, there was an extra seat beside them. But just as Bai Chenyi was about to take his seat, a small shadow beat him to it.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Shen!!¡± a stern yet panicked voice called out to the small shadow. ¡°Come back here!¡±


    But the small shadow ignored it and continued to rush over to Lin Xiao¡¯s side.


    ¡°Big brother Lin!¡± a voice of a young boy cried out. The boy turned out to be Xia Yushen, the boy whom Long Yinlian had decided to train.


    ¡°Xiao Shen!¡± Lin Xiao chuckled as he took the young boy onto his lap. ¡°Did you train well today?¡±


    ¡°En! Tomorrow morning, big brother Lin will train Ah¡¯Shen again like usual?¡±


    Lin Xiao raised his hand and pats the young boy¡¯s head. ¡°We will see,¡± he replied. He couldn¡¯t promise since training Xia Yushen was merely a punishment given to him by Long Yinlian and Xia Yuanfeng at first. But he had to admit, the young boy had grown on him.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xia Yushen¡¯s excited expression appeared to be deflated, and Lin Xiao felt slightly guilty.


    ¡°How about this, tomorrow¡­ you follow big brother Lin to the market. We¡¯ll buy you your first weapon,¡± Lin Xiao said as he tries to cheer Xia Yushen up.


    The effect of his word could be seen almost immediately and Xia Yushen beamed up at him. ¡°Then, that¡¯s a promise! Will Shizun also come along?¡± he asked as he looked over at Long Yinlian.


    Though Long Yinlian couldn¡¯t see, he somehow could feel Xia Yushen¡¯s pleading gaze on him. With a low chuckle, he also pats Xia Yushen¡¯s head. ¡°Alright. I will go and accompany you. Now, go to your seat and wait for dinner to be served.¡±


    ¡°Can I not eat here?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡¯Shen¡­¡± Xia Yushen¡¯s father, Xia Yutian called his name again, this time in a warning tone.


    Lin Xiao glared at Xia Yutian before he let Xia Yushen settle on his lap. ¡°You can eat with big brother Lin. Martial uncle, that¡¯s alright, right?¡± Lin Xiao glanced at Xia Yuanfeng for back up.


    ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it. Then its fine,¡± Xia Yuanfeng said before he looked over at the head servant. ¡°Go and tell them to serve dinner now.¡±

 Chapter 56

    The next day, Lin Xiao went over to Xia Yutian¡¯s courtyard and picked Xia Yushen up. He could see the young boy¡¯s father glaring at him, to which, he returned with a smirk of his own. Upon seeing the smug face of Lin Xiao, Xia Yutian stormed off in anger.


    ¡°ShenShen, ah! Your father seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Did your mother not satisfy him last night?¡± Lin Xiao asked in a joking manner.


    ¡°Father is angry because of what happened last night,¡± Xia Yushen replied.


    ¡°Last night¡¯s matter and he still angry until now. Did his face hurt so much?¡± Lin Xiao scoffed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault he tried to demean Shizun is it? Xiao Shen, you agree with what I did, right?¡±


    ¡°Father was wrong but big brother Lin shouldn¡¯t have shamed him in front of everyone, ah! Now, he won¡¯t be able to walk around the household without feeling embarrassed,¡± Xia Yushen said. But on his face, he didn¡¯t appear to be denouncing Lin Xiao. Instead, a big smile was plastered on his face.


    ¡°What a naughty child,¡± Lin Xiao smirked as he knelt down and pinched Xia Yushen¡¯s cheek when he saw the young boy¡¯s expression. ¡°Where is your filial piety, huh?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡¯Shen gave his filial piety to Shizun when Ah¡¯Shen gave him his three kowtows,¡± Xia Yushen struggled to reply as Lin Xiao continued to pinch his cheek. ¡°Father never treated Ah¡¯Shen well even when Ah¡¯Shen tries his best. He even punished Ah¡¯Shen when Ah¡¯Shen didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Xia Yushen complained.


    Lin Xiao let out a small chuckle as he finally released Xia Yushen¡¯s cheek. He then picked the boy up in his arm and carried him through the hallway.


    ¡°So you¡¯re secretly happy that big brother Lin bullied him last night? Your mouth says righteous stuff, showing filial piety but inside, you¡¯re rejoicing your father¡¯s suffering. What a bad boy. Who taught you like this, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Shizun is my master, but the things that Ah¡¯Shen learn are all from big brother Lin!¡±


    Upon hearing the young boy¡¯s answer, Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t help but burst out in laughters. ¡°Good. Very good! Shizun only teaches good things. So naturally these bad things are all picked up from me. ShenShen is very daring.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because Shizun and big brother Lin is spoiling Ah¡¯Shen too much. Big brother Lin must take responsibility!¡± Xia Yushen grinned widely at Lin Xiao. ¡°Speaking of which, where is Shizun?¡±


    ¡°Shizun is already waiting by the entrance with General Bai. Xiao Shen, you haven¡¯t ridden a horse, right? You¡¯re going to ride one today. Excited?¡±


    When Xia Yushen heard that he will be riding a horse, his face lighten up. Eyes turned crescent as he gave Lin Xiao a big smile. ¡°Yes, yes! Very excited, ah!¡± he said while nodding his head vigorously.


    While Lin Xiao planned to go to the market with Xia Yushen and Long Yinlian, a certain shadow guard had rushed over to the Emperor¡¯s side in order to give him a daily report.


    ¡°So, he is planning to go to the market to buy weapons for that child you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Answering to the Emperor. This is indeed what this slave heard.¡±


    ¡°En. You¡¯re dismissed,¡± Qin Yijun replied as he waved his hand. After the shadow guard left, he pondered for a bit as he stared at the memorials in his hand. He appears to be deliberating whether he would like to continue working on the memorials or grab the chanced meeting with Lin Xiao. In the end, his yearning won over his sensibility and he called over the head eunuch.


    ¡°Has Meng Chen recovered?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Answering to Your Majesty. This servant heard that Meng Chen is still bedridden and will be unable to get off bed for a while,¡± the head eunuch replied.


    ¡°¡­¡± Qin Yijun pitied Meng Chen¡¯s state, thus he could only let out a heavy sigh. ¡®Meng Chen is bedridden, and Bai Chenyi is with Lin Xiao. Who else should I bring out of the palace without causing a scene¡­¡¯


    Qin Yijun was deep in thought as he tried to name someone from the back of his mind. ¡°If Zhen am not wrong, the third young master of Bai family is currently on leave from duty? Is he in the city?¡±


    ¡°This servant can send someone to inquire.¡±


    ¡°En. Go, and if he is around, pass the order that Zhen wishes to see him.¡±


    The head eunuch bowed to the emperor before he left to do as the emperor ordered. Left alone, Qin Yijun stood up and left the Imperial Study, going straight to Tianlong Palace. Heading towards his bed chamber, he proceeded to walk over to his wardrobe. The servants within Tianlong palace was ready to serve him when they were all dismissed by Qin Yijun.


    ¡°Zhen doesn¡¯t require your service. You are all dismissed,¡± he said to the servant. The servant simply bowed and quietly left their emperor to his own.


    Qin Yijun then proceeded to take out few simple clothes and began to ponder what he should be wearing. ¡®It¡¯s decided. Zhen¡¯s identity this time is the distant relative of Bai family who came to the capital for a visit. This outfit will do,¡¯ Qin Yijun eyed the simple designed outfit, but upon closer inspection, the materials made were top notch.


    Moments later, Qin Yijun left Tianlong palace in his disguise. When he reached the gate to the outer court, he saw that the person he called for has arrived. This person, if looked from afar, looked similar to Bai Chenyi. But once you got closer, you¡¯d notice the difference between them.


    Standing before this person, Qin Yijun would can only wonder what he had eaten to have grown this big.


    ¡°Bai Minghai sees His Majesty,¡± the third young master of Bai family, Bai Minghai greeted Qin Yijun.


    ¡°En. Today, as soon as Zhen steps out of the Imperial Palace, Zhen¡¯s identity is that of your distant relative. Help Zhen think of an identity,¡± Qin Yijun said to Bai Minghai.


    When Bai Minghai saw the emperor dressed in a disguise, he had already figured out that the emperor wished to go out of the wall. But he did not expect that the emperor would wish to take the identity of being his distant relative.


    ¡°Then¡­ My uncle from the land of Ruanyu from across the sea have a son that is close of age with His Majesty. His name is Bai Ruohan,¡± Bai Minghai replied, though he sounded slightly uneasy. After all, though the Great Ruanyu and their Qin Empire have close relationship with each other despite being separated by the great sea, to take one of their great general¡¯s identity might cause a problem.


    ¡°Bai Ruohan, Hanxin Gong? The War God of Yilian?¡± Qin Yijun asked, as if to confirm the identity.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Bai Minghai replied with a slight bow of his head.


    ¡°Mmn¡­ Though this identity is a bit troublesome, it is fine as long as the people of Ruanyu doesn¡¯t know. Zhen will borrow this identity for the rest of the day.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, may this servant ask what Your Majesty wish to do outside the palace?¡± Bai Minghai asked in a slightly worried tone.


    ¡°Zhen wish to see someone. It has been a long time since we were separated. Now that Zhen know where he is, Zhen is unable to stop this yearning,¡± Qin Yijun replied as he then proceeds to walk out of the gate.


    Bai Minghai who heard Qin Yijun¡¯s answer thought that the Emperor had fallen in love with a young maiden outside the palace. He had to rein his curiosity and remind himself that this is the Emperor and thus, he mustn¡¯t let any rumours spread out.


    By the time Bai Minghai caught up to the Emperor, he suddenly heard the Emperor speak, already in his disguise¡¯s persona: ¡°Minghai, the readers here¡­ they should probably go to Tapas to continue reading. I heard this site is not the author¡¯s priority and the author kept forgetting about this site¡¯s existence. In addition, its free in tapas. In fact, I heard this particular chapter was released in tapas in August 29.¡±

 Chapter 57

    At the east side of the middle district, Lin Xiao once again returned to the marketplace. This time, he was accompanied by Long Yinlian, Bai Chenyi and also the little Xia Yushen.


    Going through the familiar road, Lin Xiao quickly led the other to the western part of the market where most of the weapon shop within the capital is located. When Lin Xiao first came over few weeks ago, he could walk around without raising attention.


    Today though, no matter where they go, eyes seems to turn towards their group and despite the noisiness of the streets, Lin Xiao could vividly hear some of the street-goers were talking about them.


    ¡®No, to be more specific, their attention rests on General Bai,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought as his eyes went towards Bai Chenyi¡¯s figure.


    Unlike when he was here before, Bai Chenyi didn¡¯t wear any disguise. Following his train of thoughts, he felt that it was more effective for others to know his identity in order for him to protect Lin Xiao and Long Yinlian better. After all, no one would dare to mess with the one dubbed as Demon General.


    ¡°General Bai, it seems that you are very popular,¡± Lin Xiao said to the young general. ¡°Everyone appeared to want to talk to you but is afraid to come over,¡± he added.


    ¡°Some only wishes to have a little connection with the Bai family. Don¡¯t worry too much. It won¡¯t hinder us,¡± Bai Chenyi replied.


    Lin Xiao didn¡¯t say anything else to Bai Chenyi after that and instead, turned his attention to Xia Yushen who is currently sitting on the horse. To actually ride horse within the walls of the Imperial City, it was only possible because they have Bai Chenyi with them.


    ¡°Xiao Shen, if you found something that you like, be sure to tell me, alright?¡± Lin Xiao told the young boy.


    ¡°En! But Big brother Lin, everything here is for adults¡­¡± Xia Yushen said as he looked around. Ever since they first stepped into the western street, he had been looking around excitedly. But none of the weapons displayed were something that a child like him can use.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We can just buy one and when you¡¯re much older, you can use them,¡± Lin Xiao reached out and pats the young boy¡¯s head.


    Long Yinlian, who had been quiet all these while suddenly stopped in his track. Lin Xiao who had his master¡¯s safety as his top priority has never stopped paying attention to Long Yinlian so this halt was naturally caught by him.


    ¡°Shizun, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    ¡°Xiao-er, is there a blacksmith nearby?¡± Long Yinlian asked.


    Hearing his master¡¯s inquiry, Lin Xiao immediately looked around the area but he didn¡¯t find any blacksmith nearby. ¡°There is none. But I do remember a shop with they own smiths¡­¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    ¡°Mn. Then let us go there first,¡± Long Yinlian said to Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao figured that Long Yinlian have something to be made for Xia Yushen. It was normal for a master to choose a weapon for their disciple, but for a master to have a weapon made for a disciple, it was a very rare event.


    ¡®My old dagger was also something Shizun asked the blacksmith from Senlin village to make. Xiao Shen is very lucky, ah!¡¯ Lin Xiao thought, feeling happy for his own junior.


    He led the group to the shop where he had bought Long Yinlian¡¯s gift before.


    ¡°This shop¡­¡± Bai Chenyi was also familiar with this shop. After all, just a few weeks ago, he came here in hopes to pick up something belonging to the Emperor. It was only unfortunate that it was already sold to another person. They have asked several people about it, from a well known mercenary group, to a small mercenary group, and even a wandering martial artists. None admitted to buying those weapons.


    ¡°Do General Bai know of this place too? I heard they used to have an exceptional blacksmith. I had wanted to meet the blacksmith before but alas, they say he was no longer in the city,¡± Lin Xiao said, his tone containing a hint of pity.


    ¡°I know. The blacksmith was called Ji Qingzheng. After the incident with Xinglan Wang, he immediately retired. Before that, even the warrior from Bai family went to him in order to have our weapon made,¡± Bai Chenyi replied.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes went to the sword strapped by Bai Chenyi¡¯s waist. Bai Chenyi seemed to also sense Lin Xiao¡¯s gaze so he rests his hand on the sword¡¯s grip. ¡°This weapon is also his handicraft. But it was not his best result,¡± Bai Chenyi informed Lin Xiao.


    ¡°His best¡­ should be those weapon sets that he made using that Old Man Hao Shuren¡¯s design. I had the honor of seeing one piece before but alas¡­¡± Bai Chenyi let out a heavy sigh as he lamented at the loss of those weapons.


    Hao Shuren¡¯s name was mentioned again and Lin Xiao immediately looked away. ¡®It seems that General Bai was also eyeing that weapon set. I must not let him know I was the one purchasing it,¡¯ Lin Xiao thought to himself.


    As they get closer Lin Xiao picked Xia Yushen off from the horse and let Bai Chenyi tie the horse to one of the hitching post nearby. Once the horse was secured, they continued on their path to the shop but the moment they were just ten steps away, they could hear a commotion from inside the shop.


    ¡°What do you mean the weapon set was sold?! That was my old man¡¯s best work and it was even a request from the previous Emperor. Who had the gall to buy them?!¡±


    ¡°Listen, young man! When I said it was sold, then its sold! Even if you pray on top of Mt Jiang Guan, it will still not be here in my shop!¡±


    ¡°Then tell me who you sold it to?!¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Do you think this honorable merchant will ask such personal questions?!¡±


    The argument could be heard from outside, Lin Xiao could only guess how loud the two of them were screaming at each other.


    ¡°In addition, even if that young man didn¡¯t buy it, it will still not be here! Not long after, General Bai came to take the weapon set away in the name of the Emperor!¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiao¡¯s suspicion that General Bai was also looking for that weapon was confirmed. ¡°They seem busy, maybe we should come again later?¡± Lin Xiao suggested.


    ¡°No. Let¡¯s go in,¡± General Bai said. ¡°Since he mentioned that it was his old man who made the weapon, I want to know if he really is Ji Qingzheng¡¯s son.¡±


    As the person who bought the weapon set, Lin Xiao naturally didn¡¯t want to turn himself into a target of their argument. But what Bai Chenyi said also pique his interest. ¡®The son of the blacksmith who made that weapon set¡­ I really do want to meet him. Maybe he can bring us to his father.¡¯


    With that thought, Lin Xiao made up his mind and they finally entered the shop. The screaming grew louder as they get close to the source.


    ¡°Look, young man! Even if you are Ji Daren¡¯s son, there is nothing that I can do when the weapon is no longer with me! How about you just leave? Why do you want to see it anyway?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to see my father¡¯s last workmanships! No matter what, I want to surpass my father¡¯s best work!¡±


    ¡°Then good luck finding that young man! The city is so big and there are thousands living here. You¡¯d have more chance-! By the heavens! General Bai, welcome!¡±


    As soon as the shop owner saw Bai Chenyi, gone was his angry and annoyed look, replaced by an amicable smile as he welcomed Bai Chenyi. Then his eyes landed on Lin Xiao¡¯s figure and his eyes went wide.


    ¡°General Bai! I didn¡¯t expect you to find the young man who bought the weapon set, ah!¡±


    The moment the sentence left the shop owner¡¯s lips, the young man¡¯s eyes who was arguing with the shop owner from earlier darted to Lin Xiao as quick as an arrow can fly. Bai Chenyi also turned to Lin Xiao with a slight narrowed eyes.


    Then, as if it was planned, Lin Xiao heard the same question aimed at him by the two people.


    ¡°Lord Lin, did you really buy the weapon set?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who bought my old man¡¯s weapon set?!¡±

 Chapter 58

    Lin Xiao inwardly cursed the shop owner for not having his lips sealed. He glanced over at Bai Chenyi, then at the young man who claimed to be the son of the blacksmith. In the end, he decided to give a half-truth while still feigning ignorance.


    Thinking that things might get messy, he gently put Xia Yushen down on the ground before he whispered to the boy to stand close to Long Yinlian.


    ¡°I did buy a weapon set here. But I am not sure if it is the same that the two of you are looking for.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. I still remember your face, young man. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to give it as a gift to your Shizun?¡± the shop owner intruded.


    Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t help but glared at the shop owner, who only have a friendly smile on his face. ¡®Now, not only did the blacksmith¡¯s son and Bai Chenyi who knew, even Shizun knew!¡¯


    ¡°The weapon set that you mentioned, is this dagger one of them?¡±


    While Lin Xiao tried to rake his brain to think of an excuse, Long Yinlian joined the conversation. He took out a small dagger out of the hidden pocket of his sleeves. With the proof out in the open, Lin Xiao no longer have an excuse.


    The son of the blacksmith was the first to react. He rushed over towards Long Yinlian only to be stopped by Lin Xiao who stepped in between them. ¡°What do you plan on doing?¡± Lin Xiao asked, eyes narrowing into a dangerous glare as he stood protectively before Long Yinlian.


    ¡°I only want to make sure if that is really my father¡¯s work!¡±


    ¡°Xiao-er, hand this over to him so he can inspect it,¡± Long Yinlian said to Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao turned to Long Yinlian, then begrudgingly took the dagger and handed it over to the other youth. The other carefully took it in his hand, slowly unsheathing the small dagger and he could only gasp in awe.


    ¡°So this is the work that my old man is most proud of,¡± he murmured softly. He gently touched the tip of the blade, then its sharp edge then moved to the spine of the blade.


    ¡°It¡¯s small, but very tough. The materials used is not the normal iron nor steel¡­¡± the young man said before finally focusing on the weapon¡¯s design. ¡°This dagger is designed for a quick, swift cut. It¡¯s small, the curve are just enough to easily slice through the flesh. This weapon is not made for warriors but assassins,¡± he concluded.


    Lin Xiao just watched as the other continued to mumble to himself, waiting for him to finish so that he can return the dagger back to Long Yinlian.


    Then, he turned to the shop owner, his eyes appeared to be filled with excitement. ¡°Boss! The materials that my old man used, can I have them?!¡±


    ¡°The materials? They were given by the Palace! It was all used up by Ji Daren when he made the weapon set!¡±


    Hearing the shop owner¡¯s word, the excited young man turned disappointed. Then, he turned to Lin Xiao and Long Yinlian.


    ¡°Esteemed master! May I buy the weapon set away from you? I wanted to smelt the weapons and craft a new one! Something that can surpass my old man¡¯s work!¡±


    ¡°Smelt your sister!¡± Lin Xiao hissed then quickly snatched the weapon back, sheathing it and handed it to Long Yinlian. ¡°The weapon set is something I bought as a gift for Shizun. I will never agree to selling it,¡± Lin Xiao added.


    ¡°That weapon set was originally a gift to Xinglan Wang by the previous Emperor. It is considered an Imperial Treasure. Destroying it on purpose would be considered treason,¡± Bai Chenyi informed them.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Both Lin Xiao and the young blacksmith was rendered speechless by what Bai Chenyi had just said.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it just a weapon set? A weapon set can also be an Imperial Treasure?!¡¯


    ¡°Young man,¡± Long Yinlian spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. ¡°Since you are the son of Ji Qingzheng, can you bring us to him?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to see him?¡±


    ¡°I wish to request for him to make a weapon,¡± Long Yinlian replied.


    ¡°Then, I have to disappoint you, Esteemed Master. He will not be able to fulfil your request anymore. He already passed away a year ago,¡± the young blacksmith informed them.


    ¡°Is that so? Then what about you? You came here to find your father¡¯s greatest work and want to surpass him. That means you are confident in your skills in blacksmithing. Will you be willing to hear this humble blind man¡¯s request?¡±


    The young blacksmith¡¯s ear twitched slightly when he heard what Long Yinlian said. A grin slowly forming on his face before he pounded his own chest. ¡°Of course! Ever since I was young, my old man had taught me everything! What he knows, I also knows. Only¡­¡± he paused for a while before letting out a sigh. ¡°No one believed that I could make a good weapon.¡±


    ¡°Xiao-er, hand me my sword,¡± Long Yinlian said to Lin Xiao.


    The sword in question was strapped by Lin Xiao¡¯s waist. So, Lin Xiao merely unfasten the bands and handed it over to Long Yinlian.


    The older male lightly touched the scabbard before finally gripping it by the space between the two Tillang. ¡°Young man, this sword was made by one of the greatest blacksmith in Ruanyu. The materials used is not as good as the one used for the dagger from before, but it is still something that is rare. I can provide you with the materials, but do you think you can make something like this?¡±


    ¡°Can I see?¡± the blacksmith asked and Long Yinlian gestured for him to take it. When he held the sword, he could sense how much work was being put into making the sword. From its design, ornaments, even the grip of the sword was made with attentions to details.


    Taking a deep breath, he carefully unsheathed the sword. The blade shines the moment light hits it, and to his surprise, the blade was quite light. ¡°The materials that was used¡­ Ronggang? No¡­ it¡¯s different¡­¡±


    ¡°The material for the blade is not Ronggang. It¡¯s Shuogang.¡±


    ¡°S-S¡­Shuogang?!¡± the shop owner who was listening in to their conversation couldn¡¯t help but voice out his surprise.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Lin Xiao asked. He hadn¡¯t expected the shop owner to speak so loudly so when he heard the other¡¯s voice, he admit he almost jumped from the surprise.


    ¡°No, what is wrong with you?! That sword was made from Shuogang, ah! Shuogang! That kind of steel is not available in this land! To get it, you must have them shipped from the sea but the risks is very high,¡± the shop owner told Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Is it?¡± Lin Xiao asked before his eyes landed on Bai Chenyi.


    ¡°Yes. The steel can be fetched at high price and because of that, any ships carrying that materials are targets for sea pirates,¡± Bai Chenyi said. ¡°Out of 100 shipments, maybe only less than 10 will arrive safely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± the young blacksmith suddenly exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ve had the chance to work with Shuogang with my old man before. I promise I won¡¯t waste too much of the materials!¡±


    ¡°Alright. I will prepare the materials. Tomorrow, come to the Xia family residence by Chen Shi to pick them up,¡± Long Yinlian said before gesturing to Lin Xiao and Xia Yushen. ¡°You will be making three sets. One of them is for this child here. The other two will be a pair, for both of them.¡±


    ¡°A pair? So one of the pair¡­ is for this boy?¡±


    ¡°For him, for when he have his coming of age ceremony,¡± Long Yinlian replied.


    ¡°I understand. Then, I will go and prepare my forge now! Please excuse me,¡± the young blacksmith saluted them and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered that he has yet to introduce himself.


    ¡°How rude of me. Esteemed master, I am called Ji Xiangru. May I have the honour of knowing your name, Esteemed master?¡±


    ¡°Long Yinlian. And the word you are forging for will belong to my two disciples, Lin Xiao and Xia Yushen,¡± Long Yinlian replied.


    ¡°I understand. Thank you, Master Long. I will see you tomorrow,¡± Ji Xiangru once again saluted Long Yinlian before finally leaving the shop.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Esteemed guest, can I speak with you?¡± the shop owner timidly called at Long Yinlian.


    ¡°If it is about Shuogang then I apologize. I will not sell it,¡± Long Yinlian quickly said before the shop owner could even voice out his request.


    Hearing that he was rejected even before he could say anything, the shop owner could only sigh. ¡°Not even 5 jins?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Long Yinlian once more, rejected him.


    ¡°Alright. Alright, I won¡¯t ask anymore. Now you already got what you wish, is there anything else that my humble shop can offer you?¡± the shop owner asked.


    ¡°Yes. The three weapons will take a while to be finished, but I promised my young disciple that I¡¯ll get him a weapon today. Do you have anything for him?¡±


    The shop owner looked over to Xia Yushen who shyly hid behind Long Yinlian. A low laughter escaped his lips before he beckoned for Xia Yushen to come closer. ¡°Boy, if you don¡¯t show yourself how will I know if I have anything that will be good for you?¡±


    Hearing this, Xia Yushen hesitated. Then he looked up at Long Yinlian, then at Lin Xiao, as if asking the two if he should listen to the shop owner.


    ¡°Xiao Shen, go on,¡± Lin Xiao coaxed. Only then did he come forward.


    ¡°This boy is small. Still a young sprout. Are you sure you want to give him a live weapon? What if he injured himself?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t! Shizun and Big brother Lin taught me well! Ah¡¯Shen won¡¯t make mistake and injure myself!¡± Xia Yushen quickly replied, gone was his nervousness from before and instead, confidence was plastered on his face.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the shop owner chuckled. ¡°Well, unfortunately, my shop doesn¡¯t have anything for a child like you anymore,¡± he added.


    Xia Yushen¡¯s face showed a hint of disappointment. But the shop owner¡¯s next sentence made him excited again.


    ¡°But, there is another shop down the streets that¡¯s specialized in making hidden weapons¡­¡±


    Lin Xiao upon hearing this sentence felt a sense of Deja Vu.


    ¡°From a sword hidden in an umbrella to poison needle hiddden in a jade pin, they have it there.¡±


    ¡®Sure enough! Its the same shop he tried to recommend me before!¡¯


    ¡°Although that shop is tailored for female warriors, I¡¯m sure they have something small and light enough for you to use,¡± the shop owner finished his sentence.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go there. But, Boss, before this you also recommended me the same shop. Usually, people would be competitive and tried to get more customer. But you happily recommend us that one particular shop¡­ Why?¡± Lin Xiao asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°There¡¯s no why, ah! I just want the best for my guest even if you didn¡¯t buy anything! Ah, maybe my explanation is not that clear. How about I go and lead you there instead?!¡± the shop owner excitedly offered himself.


    ¡°Your shop?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! I can close it for a while!¡± the shop owner replied before he got around the counter and went to his shop entrance. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go. The shop I mentions only open at specific time. If we go there now, we might still be able to see Xiao Me-¡­ I mean, we may still be able to make it before they close!¡±


    The slip up was enough for Lin Xiao and his group to have a slight suspicion on the shop owner¡¯s real intention.


    ¡®That excited face¡­ that impatient look¡­ you¡¯re going there to see a woman, aren¡¯t you!?¡¯ Lin Xiao thought as he then picked Xia Yushen up and helped lead Long Yinlian out. While Bai Chenyi, quietly followed as he performs his duty as a guard.

 Chapter 59

    The shop owner happily walked through the street. His steps are very light, that if Lin Xiao¡¯s group didn¡¯t quicken their pace, they might¡¯ve lost the shop owner already.


    Though Long Yinlian could walk on his own without a problem, Lin Xiao still took his hand to help lead him along. They went past four stores before they came face to face with a building that appeared less crude than the rest.


    Bai Chenyi felt that the building looks familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recall it. That is, until he saw a figure of a young woman working in the shop. Almost immediately, Bai Chenyi pulled up his cloak and covered his head, hiding his presence.


    Long Yinlian noticed this movement, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask the young general. ¡°General Bai, is there anything wrong?¡± he whispered his inquiry.


    ¡°Nothing is wrong. Please do not worry about it, Master Long,¡± Bai Chenyi replied.


    This short exchange went unnoticed by Lin Xiao whose attention are currently focused on the building before him.


    ¡°This is the place?¡± Lin Xiao asked the shop owner.


    ¡°Yes! This is the place,¡± the shop owner replied enthusiastically. Then his eyes seemed to have caught something because Lin Xiao could see it move, as if following a movement.


    Looking at the direction of the shop owner¡¯s gaze, Lin Xiao finally saw the one who made the shop owner lost his reason. ¡®Indeed, it was a young woman!¡¯ Lin Xiao finally confirmed his suspicion.


    The young woman in question was indeed beautiful. But for her to work at the western side of the marketplace, surely she is not your typical woman. Just with how she handled the weapon in her hand, Lin Xiao knew that she practices martial art.


    Then, Lin Xiao looked back at the shop owner¡¯s figure. Just from his lanky body, it was clear that the shop owner didn¡¯t practice martial art at all. This observation was only solidified when Lin Xiao hear his breath. Shaking his head, Lin Xiao wondered that even if the shop owner was successful in his pursuit, how can he satisfy his woman?


    The young woman also noticed the gaze of the shop owner and looked at their direction. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Mo Daren! Welcome!¡± she greeted them as she walked over towards them. ¡°Are you here bringing customers again?¡±


    Shop Owner Mo immediately nods his head. ¡°This Esteemed Master is looking for a weapon for his young disciple,¡± he said as he gestured to Long Yinlian then pointed to Xia Yushen who is currently within Lin Xiao¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything that is suitable for this boy, so I thought that maybe your shop would have it.¡±


    The eyes of the woman landed on Lin Xiao, then to the child in his arm. She took a few steps closer before reaching out to take hold of Xia Yushen¡¯s arm.


    ¡°His muscle is still developing. It seems that he started late?¡± she asked as she looked over at Long Yinlian.


    Before Long Yinlian could even answer, Xia Yushen spoke up first. ¡°Big sister, how can you know that?¡± he asked, surprised that the woman could figure out just by touching him.


    The young woman let out a small laughter when she heard Xia Yushen¡¯s soft, innocent voice. ¡°Young boy, once you become better in martial art, you will know,¡± she replied as she pats his head. Then she turned her attention back to Long Yinlian. ¡°What style of martial art are you teaching him?¡±


    ¡°Sword style,¡± Long Yinlian replied.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ We do have something but,¡± she glanced at their group then to the Shop Owner Mo. ¡°Mo Daren, do you not have duan jian at your shop? I thought you mentioned few days ago that a new shipment had just arrived.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiao turned his head and gave the shop owner a questioning look. The shop owner merely turned his head sideways, unwilling to meet Lin Xiao¡¯s gaze as his little lie had been found out.


    ¡°Duan jian?¡± Xia Yushen was able to catch the most important point from the woman¡¯s sentence. ¡°Big sister, what is that?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen duan jian before? They are just like a jian but smaller and shorter,¡± she replied to Xia Yushen in a gentle tone. ¡°Come, let big sister show you.¡±


    Then, she glanced over at Lin Xiao before she chides him. ¡°And you, how long are you going to carry him? Put him down. Walking is also part of training!¡±


    Lin Xiao was sceptical, but still placed Xia Yushen down. Unfortunately for him, his expression was caught by the young woman.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? Did you not remember how you first started martial art?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    The young woman seemed to want to speak more but when she observed Lin Xiao, she only let out a sigh. ¡°You said you don¡¯t remember but you clearly remember the basics well. In any case, don¡¯t spoil your shidi too much or it¡¯ll stagnant his growth,¡± she told Lin Xiao.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Her sentence only left Lin Xiao to be more confused, and he wanted to ask more but unfortunately, the young woman already started to speak with the shop owner from before.


    ¡°Mo Daren, thank you for bringing customers here. If you like, how about staying for a cup of tea? I will ask Xiao Ji to make them.¡±


    ¡°If it is not a trouble, then I will stay for a tea. I¡¯m also curious about this child¡¯s choice,¡± Shop Owner Mo replied, though Lin Xiao could clearly hear the lies.


    ¡°Then come on in,¡± she gestured for them to follow her.


    ¡°Xiao Ji!¡± she called out as soon as they stepped inside her shop. ¡°Go and make teas for our guests! And tell Xiao Mu to bring those newly acquired duan jian out!¡±


    Lin Xiao looked around the interior of the shop. There were several umbrellas, canes, staff, jade pins, fingernail guards, pendants, head dresses, armlets and bracelets. If the shop weren¡¯t located in the western part of the market, then Lin Xiao would¡¯ve suspected himself being in a jewellery shop.


    ¡°Please have a seat while my servants bring the tea and the duan jian,¡± she gestured to the tables that were provided inside the shop. ¡°Also, Chenyi biao di, until when are you going to keep hiding?¡±

 Chapter 60

    Unable to hide himself any further, Bai Chenyi pulled back the cloak covering his head and walked forward. He then cupped both hand to salute the young female. ¡°Tangjie,¡± he greeted. ¡°It has been a while.¡±


    ¡°En. You look well. That is good or else, your father would roll around his grave in disappointment. Why are you here though? Are you not supposed to stay close to the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°I am under His Majesty¡¯s order to be the personal guards of Lord Lin,¡± Bai Chenyi replied.


    ¡°Lord Lin?¡±


    Bai Chenyi didn¡¯t vocally reply and instead, simply gestured towards Lin Xiao. The woman, who turns out to be Bai Chenyi¡¯s cousin, eyed Lin Xiao even more carefully now.


    ¡°I see. For His Majesty to place you as his personal guards, His Majesty must think highly of you, Lord Lin,¡± though the words were full of praise, but her tone was filled with playfulness.


    ¡°Tangjie, don¡¯t cause trouble,¡± Bai Chenyi said in a warning tone.


    His cousin glanced over at him, and seeing his serious expression, she merely scoffed. ¡°I am not that rash. Now, where is my manner. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am called Sun Chengmei,¡± she introduced herself.


    For politeness¡¯ sake, Lin Xiao also introduced himself and even helped Long Yinlian with his introduction. Xia Yushen also introduced himself with an excited tone. His excitements were mostly because he is eager to see the duan jian that will soon be his. Only after the introduction did they took a seat by the table.


    Not long after, a servant came over with a tray with few small cups and a teapot on top. Steams could still be seen coming out of the teapot¡¯s mouth, showing that the tea was freshly made. The servant carefully placed the cup onto the table and gently poured the tea.


    ¡°Honoured guests, please help yourself,¡± the servant addressed them as soon as he finished his task.


    Lin Xiao grabbed a cup and carefully handed it to Long Yinlian. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s still hot,¡± Lin Xiao gently warned his master.


    ¡°You¡¯re really treating your master like your ancestor,¡± Sun Chengmei couldn¡¯t help but comment at Lin Xiao¡¯s behaviour.


    ¡°Shizun isn¡¯t simply just a master. Shizun is also my benefactor, and a father,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    At this time, the Shop Owner Mo whom Lin Xiao had forgotten his existence, spoke up. ¡°That¡­ Xiao Mei, how are you related to General Bai?¡± he asked in a nervous tone.


    ¡°Hmm? My mother and the late patriarch of Bai family are brother and sister,¡± Sun Chengmei replied. Then, she noticed that the shop owner¡¯s expression turned pale with fear. Worried that it might be something wrong with the tea, she quickly asked: ¡°Mo daren, are you alright? Is there something wrong with the tea?¡±


    ¡°No! No¡­ nothing is wrong with the tea! Hahaha¡­¡±


    At the nervous laugh, Lin Xiao couldn¡¯t help but turn his face to the other. He discovered that the shop owner¡¯s face was filled with nervousness. ¡®Is there something wrong with being related to General Bai¡¯s family?¡¯ Lin Xiao wondered. ¡®Did this man gave up in his pursue just because she¡¯s related to General Bai?¡¯


    ¡°Xiao Mei, thank you for the tea! I¡¯ll take my leave now. If there are anymore customers that is in need of your shop¡¯s specialty, I¡¯ll send them over to you,¡± Shop Owner Mo says before he finished the tea in one gulp, then quickly rushed out of the door.


    Seeing his disappearing figure, Sun Chengmei couldn¡¯t help but let out a heavy sigh. It was so heavy that even Xia Yushen, the young boy, could sense the disappointment within it.


    ¡°Big Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xia Yushen asked.


    ¡°Your big sister here has lost another suitor. I don¡¯t know how many that makes now,¡± she replied before letting out another sigh.


    Then, she looked over at Bai Chenyi with a wronged expression. ¡°Biaodi, ah! Do you think I won¡¯t ever get married in this life-time?¡± Sun Chengmei asked. ¡°No matter who it is, as long as they hear that I am related to you, they all ran. Chenyi biaodi, you must take responsibility for this!¡±


    ¡°If they ran away after hearing your background, then they are not worthy. Tangjie, you are still young. Why are you in such a hurry to get married?¡±


    ¡°Aiya, biaodi, ah! You don¡¯t understand. Although it was only recently that women have more freedom, in the end we¡¯re still less than a son when it comes to worth. So if I don¡¯t find someone to marry before the age of 25, father will definitely arranged a marriage for me!¡±


    ¡°There are still five years. The right one for you will come as long as fate wills it,¡± Bai Chenyi replied.


    Sun Chengmei only huffed before she crossed her arm. ¡°If father is going to force me to marry some stranger, I might as well take a wife of my own! Then let¡¯s see if he would dare to go against the Emperor¡¯s decree!¡±


    Both Long Yinlian and Lin Xiao was confused as to why the Emperor was brought up in this conversation. Lin Xiao was the most curious, but before he could bring it up, another servant of Sun Chengmei arrived.


    This servant has a larger built compared to the one that brought tea before. On both his arms, he carried a boxed crate that is around 2 chi long. He carefully placed it on the table then quietly excused himself.


    Seeing that the goods has arrived, Xia Yushen¡¯s eyes shone in excitement. He quickly tugged on Lin Xiao¡¯s sleeves, urging him to hurry and ask for the weapons.


    Understanding the younger boy¡¯s intention, Lin Xiao just let out a small chuckle and turned to Sun Chengmei. ¡°Sister Sun, my shidi is already excited. Can you please show us the item?¡± Lin Xiao asked in a polite tone.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Sun Chengmei then gestured for the servant who brought tea earlier to remove the lid. Inside the crate, there were only five different duan jian and each has their own unique designs and vary in length.


    ¡°So who will choose?¡± Sun Chengmei asked as he looked over at their group.


    Lin Xiao and Xia Yushen eyed each other before turning back to face at Sun Chengmei. Then at the same time, they voiced out their answer.


    ¡°Shizun.¡±


    Hearing this, Long Yinlian only let out a small chuckle as he shook his head. ¡°I think Xiao-er should help me choose. This is a gift, and I cannot see how the weapon looks like.¡±


    Long Yinlian thought that Xia Yushen would want something nice looking as his first weapon and since he cannot see, he was unable to do so.


    ¡°No. Ah¡¯Shen wants Shizun to choose.¡±


    To Long Yinlian¡¯s surprise, Xia Yushen was adamant to have him choose. He wanted to ask his disciple if he was sure but Sun Chengmei beat him to it.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sun Chengmei asked. Then, she playfully add: ¡°What if your Shizun ends up choosing something ugly?¡±


    ¡°Whatever Shizun choose, Ah¡¯Shen will accept. It is fine if it is ugly as long as Ah¡¯Shen can use it well! Having a beautiful jian is useless if it will break after few swings,¡± Xia Yushen replied.


    Xia Yushen¡¯s innocent face as he said his words seemed to have touched Sun Chengmei¡¯s heart. She then turned to Long Yinlian, and smiled. ¡°Master Long is blessed with a good disciple. If my father knew, he would be extremely jealous,¡± Sun Chengmei expressed.


    ¡°Having Xiao-er and Ah¡¯Shen as my disciple is also my blessing,¡± Long Yinlian replied. ¡°I will trouble Sister Sun to help with handing the weapon to me and telling me of their origin.¡±


    ¡°Of course, then let¡¯s begin with this one¡­¡± Sun Chengmei said as she took out one of the sword. Lin Xiao watched as the two started to get into a discussion then looked over at Xia Yushen whose eyes wouldn¡¯t leave Long Yinlian.


    ¡°Excited?¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    Xia Yushen only nods his head in return. ¡°Big brother Lin, were you also this excited when you received your first weapon? When did you get it? Five years old? Six?¡±


    Lin Xiao tried to think when he received his first weapon from Long Yinlian, but then, the image of a certain dagger that was taken by the Emperor flashed in his mind and he frowned.


    In that short time, he saw a figure, dressed in a dragon robe handing over the dagger to him. At that time, he seemed to be only around Xia Yushen¡¯s age, maybe slightly older. Following that image, Lin Xiao experience a slight headache and had to massage his temple to alleviate the pain.


    ¡®What was that¡­?¡¯ he wondered.


    ¡°Big brother Lin?¡± Xia Yushen saw Lin Xiao¡¯s expression and started to become more worried.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, yes. The first time I received my weapon was just over a year ago. Shizun gave it during the first anniversary of when I starts learning martial arts under Shizun,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    ¡°Oh. It took big brother one year then Ah¡¯Shen must be a good student since Shizun decides to give Ah¡¯Shen one in just a month!¡± Xia Yushen said. ¡°One year and one month, there is so much difference! Big brother Lin may need to be careful or else, Ah¡¯Shen will-¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xiao flicked Xia Yushen¡¯s forehead playfully. ¡°You¡¯re too ambitious. You are ten years too early to think that you can beat me,¡± Lin Xiao told the young boy.


    ¡°Then in next ten year?¡±


    ¡°No. By then, you¡¯ll be one hundred years too early,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    ¡°Big brother Lin, why did it become longer instead?¡±


    ¡°Because your big brother said so. Everything that you learn, came from me. So of course, as your senior brother, I will know every single move, habit and how you think. The only time you can beat me is when I can no longer lift up my weapon,¡± Lin Xiao said, lightly poking on Xia Yushen¡¯s forehead which had now turned red from the flicking earlier.


    ¡°Big brother Lin, did I ever tell you that you¡¯re a big bully?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m bullying you? Wait until we get home. Practice your stance for one shichen later!¡±


    Xia Yushen showed a disbelieved expression before he quickly tugged on Lin Xiao¡¯s sleeves and proceeded to beg Lin Xiao.


    ¡°Big brother, big brother¡­ you¡¯re the most magnanimous Shixiong one can ever ask! Ah¡¯Shen is blessed to have Shixiong teach him. Please let Ah¡¯Shen practice proper swordmanship with the duan jian later!¡±

 Chapter 61

    ¡°Xiao-er, don¡¯t bully Xiao Shen too much,¡± Long Yinlian said, deciding to rein Lin Xiao so that he won¡¯t go overboard. ¡°And Xiao Shen, there are nothing wrong in practicing your stance. The better you are at basics, the more solid your forms would be,¡± he advised his younger disciple.


    ¡°Ah¡¯Shen understand, Shizun. Later, Ah¡¯Shen will practice his stance,¡± Xia Yushen replied and Long Yinlian nods his head in satisfaction.


    ¡°It is good if you understand. Now, try this one,¡± Long Yinlian said as he handed one of the sword to Xia Yushen.


    Xia Yushen accepted the sword with care, looking at it with eyes filled with joy. He looked up at Long Yinlian, then at Lin Xiao, silently asking what he should be doing next.


    ¡°Sister Sun, is there a place for Xiao Shen to try the sword?¡± Lin Xiao asked Sun Chengmei.


    ¡°The space here is big enough. He can try them here,¡± Sun Chengmei replied, gesturing at the wide, open space that is the entrance of the shop.


    ¡°But won¡¯t it hinder your business if Xiao Shen swings the weapon around?¡±


    ¡°Where do you think this shop is located?¡± Sun Chengmei asked back. ¡°If someone here enters the shop and ends up getting hurt by a child who has yet to reach 5 chi tall can only blame themselves.¡±


    Being assured by the shop owner herself, Lin Xiao finally turned to Xia Yushen.


    ¡°You heard what big sister Sun said. You can try swinging it a few times to get used to its feel and weight. Then you go showcase your first forms of Soaring Hawk Sword Style and see if its comfortable,¡± Lin Xiao asked.


    It was only after Lin Xiao had said that did Xia Yushen jump down from his seat and walked over to the center of the open area. The length of the duan jian seems to be just right for him, and he had no trouble unsheathing the sword.


    ¡°Be careful, little brother. The edge is sharp,¡± Sun Chengmei warned.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Handling sharp edges is also part of his training. He has helped cleaning and sharpening kitchen knives before,¡± Lin Xiao assured Sun Chengmei.


    ¡°But Lord Lin, kitchen knives and a proper jian are two different things,¡± Sun Chengmei retorted.


    ¡°Sister Sun, just watch,¡± Lin Xiao chuckled.


    And with that, Sun Chengmei then focused on Xia Yushen¡¯s small figure. The young boy had already placed the qiao down on the floor beside him as he swung the weapon in different directions. From his movements, Sun Chengmei could see that even though it was still amateurish, there was a sense of confidence in each swings.


    After a while, Xia Yushen felt that he was ready and he had gotten used to the sword¡¯s weight. He picked the qiao on the floor and sheathed the weapon back.


    This action made Sun Chengmei raise an eyebrow before looking at Lin Xiao questioningly. Lin Xiao on the other hand, merely placed a finger on his lips, gesturing to Sun Chengmei that she should keep quiet.


    Seeing this, Sun Chengmei turned her attention back to Xia Yushen and saw that the boy has already strapped the weapons to his waist. She had thought that Xia Yushen would now practice the first Taolu of the martial arts he practiced but his next action left Sun Chengmei flabbergasted.


    Xia Yushen walked around, then proceeds to running, then jumping and even rolling on the floor. Sun Chengmei was unable to understand what was going on with Xia Yushen¡¯s mind, so she turned to Lin Xiao again only to see the other serving more tea to Long Yinlian.


    Knowing that her question won¡¯t be answered, she turned to her cousin, Bai Chenyi, and gestured for him to come closer.


    ¡°Why is he doing those silly acts?¡± Sun Chengmei asked in a whisper once Bai Chenyi was close enough. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the Taolu for Soaring Hawk Sword Style that was very renowned in Ruanyu is like this¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Bai Chenyi was glad that he had practiced how to hide his expression from young age. Keeping his usual expression, Bai Chenyi then whispered back to Sun Chengmei. ¡°Tangjie, he¡¯s only trying to get used having the sword by his side and make sure there are no discomfort.¡±


    ¡°I see, that is indeed a good idea. I guess Lord Lin and his master is very good at guiding him. If it was father, he would just mindlessly tell him to swing the sword until his arm is sore that it¡¯ll feel like it¡¯ll fall off the next swing,¡± Sun Chengmei muttered in a soft voice.


    ¡°That indeed sounds more like Uncle Sun¡¯s method.¡±


    After their short conversation, Xia Yushen finally stopped what Sun Chengmei had referred to as ¡®silly acts¡¯. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, calming his heart, body and mind.


    Slowly, he raised his hand over to the hilt. His movement of unsheathing the sword is not quick, but not slow either. Instead, the movement was fluid enough to exudes the air of gracefulness.


    Soaring Hawk Sword Style¡¯s first Taolu only consists of 5 moves. Quite short, but very helpful for a beginner. Xia Yushen had practiced this everyday, before finishing his training for the day. Even when Lin Xiao was not around to look after him, he would do so without fails.


    For Xia Yushen, he remembered every moves like it was natural for him. So by the time he was finished, he didn¡¯t even show a sign of being out of breath. After he sheathed his sword, he heard a clap coming from Sun Chengmei.


    ¡°Very beautifully done. Little brother, you look very good earlier. If any young lady sees it, they would have their heart stolen!¡± Sun Chengmei said as he showered Xia Yushen with praise.


    ¡°Thank you, big sister Sun!¡± Xia Yushen replied with a big smile on his face.


    ¡°Xiao Shen, answer honestly. Do you feel any discomfort while wielding it?¡± Long Yinlian asked.


    ¡°No. They feel just right. The grip on the hilt also feels comfortable,¡± Shen Jiayi replied.


    ¡°Xiao-er, what do you think?¡± Long Yinlian asked for Lin Xiao to give out his opinion.


    ¡°Xiao Shen didn¡¯t show any discomfort earlier. In fact, it looks like he had been using it for a long time already. The sword also didn¡¯t hinder him when walking, or doing movements, so I think it is good for him,¡± Lin Xiao replied.


    Long Yinlian simply nods his head before he turned to Sun Chengmei. ¡°Then, we will buy this one. Sister Sun, how much is it?¡±


    Sun Chengmei was just about to answer when suddenly, a loud voice came from the entrance. ¡°MeiMei-tangjie! Minghai is here for a visit!¡±

 Chapter 62

    With such a loud voice, it was impossible for someone to not turn to the entrance. There, they saw a large built man accompanied by a slightly smaller one.


    Bai Minghai casually entered the shop and went straight to greet Sun Chengmei. ¡°Tangjie,¡± he said before he turned towards Bai Chenyi. Before entering the shop, he had already known that his brother was here. So he also saluted Bai Chenyi as a greeting.


    ¡°Minghai, what are you doing here?¡± Bai Chenyi asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously.


    ¡°Dage, I am on my duty leave. Can I not go wherever I want?¡± Bai Minghai replied.


    What Bai Minghai said make sense but Bai Chenyi couldn¡¯t help the suspicion in his heart. He knew his younger brother well. This brother of his is currently responsible for the defence of Fort Beifang to the north of the Empire.


    The fort would occasionally be attacked by bandits or the invaders from the hostile nomadic tribe. So whenever Bai Minghai returns on his duty leave, he would rather stay at home and take as much rest as he can. Even if he were to be sent out on an errand by their mother, he would be reluctant.


    Seeing that Bai Chenyi did not believe him, he quickly tried to explain to his brother. Before, the emperor had mentioned that he didn¡¯t want his cover to be known by the three people who were with Bai Chenyi. So Bai Minghai wanted to try to get both his brother and cousin to play along before the emperor enters with the borrowed identity.


    ¡°Dage, Tangjie, earlier today, our distant family arrived for a short visit. They had crossed the vast ocean in order to come and look around at our city so mother had told me to bring him around,¡± Bai Minghai explained. ¡°But ge, you know me. It is my few days of precious duty leave. It is hard enough to return home, and now my rest has been¡­¡± Bai Minghai didn¡¯t get to finish as he sensed a cold gaze behind him.


    Knowing that it was from the emperor, he cut his sentence short and quickly changed the subject. ¡°Anyway! I do not know much about the city since I¡¯ve always been at Fort Beifang! I thought of asking Tangjie to give him a tour around the city,¡± Bai Minghai said. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ve heard that the one you¡¯re responsible for actually came from outside the city. How about letting them tour around the city along with¡ª¡±


    ¡°Xiao Ming, what makes you think I want to leave the shop to give this distant family of ours a tour?¡± Sun Chengmei finally spoke up when she saw that Bai Minghai had already talked about the matter as if she agreed.


    ¡°Tangjie, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want to give Ruohan-ge some face¡­ he came here all the way from Ruanyu in order to experience our rich culture!¡±


    Hearing Bai Ruohan¡¯s name, both Bai Chenyi and Sun Chengmei became more sceptical. Noticing the look that they gave him, Bai Minghai couldn¡¯t help but turn to the entrance. ¡°Ruohan-ge! Please come and save me, ah!¡±


    Addressing the emperor in such a way, Bai Minghai could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He knew if his father had heard this, a punishment would be due. Fortunately for him, his father had already accompanied the previous emperor to journey the yellow spring so he would be safe.


    When Qin Yijun heard Bai Minghai calling him, he finally entered the shop. His eyes scanned the area until they rest on Lin Xiao¡¯s figure. Lin Xiao seems to have sensed his gaze as he narrowed his eyes on his figure. Such a sharp sense, Qin Yijun couldn¡¯t help the smile that formed on his face. He slowly walked closer to the group as he pretended to look around the shop¡¯s interior.


    Lin Xiao¡¯s eyes were still trained on the figure who was referred to as ¡®Ruohan-ge¡¯ by who appears to be the brother of Bai Chenyi. Somehow, he felt that the figure is very familiar. As if he had seen this man before. But from the conversation before, he knew it should be impossible since this man is from the country beyond the vast ocean.


    ¡°Chenyi, it has been a long time since I first saw you,¡± the emperor, acting as Bai Ruohan, greeted the general. Both Bai Chenyi and Bai Ruohan were of the same age, so for them to speak casually, it was normal. But, Bai Chenyi who heard the voice of this supposed distant family member, froze in place.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one who realized the real identity of the newcomer. Even Sun Chengmei could be seen being visibly uncomfortable. After knowing the identity of this ¡®Bai Ruohan¡¯, Bai Chenyi and Sun Chengmei exchanged glances and with tacit understanding, decided to play along.


    ¡°Ruohan, why didn¡¯t you tell me that you would be arriving? If you had told me, I would¡¯ve made ample preparation for you,¡± Bai Chenyi replied with a smile. But the underlying meaning of his sentence was: ¡®Your Majesty, why didn¡¯t you inform me that you are going out of the palace? Now, I am not prepared for any of this.¡¯


    ¡°The visit was on a whim. Uncle Wuchen had me guard the shipment of salts and other spices to Qin Empire. And after I was done, there are several days to ourselves before we depart again to Ruanyu. So, here I am,¡± Qin Yijun replied. What he was saying is that, he was indeed supposed to work within the Imperial Study but couldn¡¯t help himself wanting to go out and play.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Bai Chenyi inwardly sigh. ¡°Tangjie, this should be the first time you see Ruohan, correct? This is Bai Ruohan, the son of Bai Wuming who is the cousin of our father up to the fourth generation,¡± Bai Chenyi said to Sun Chengmei. ¡°Ruohan, this is Sun Chengmei. Her mother is our aunt, Bai Yue¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°Sun Chengmei is honoured to have met the renowned War God of Yilian. The story of your merit has travelled all the way to our ears. This is indeed a pleasant surprise,¡± Sun Chengmei said as she stood up and gave Bai Ruohan a martial salute with a slightly lowered head to show her respect to the emperor while not giving away his cover.


    ¡°En. On our way here, Minghai has told me about you and your shop. Seeing it with my own eyes, it is indeed interesting,¡± Qin Yijun replied. ¡°Most of the weapons are very useful for female warriors,¡± he added.


    ¡°Of course! After the Emperor had amended some of our laws while introducing a new one that allows women more freedom in her choice of life, a lot of young females finally came out and voiced out their wishes to learn martial arts,¡± Sun Chengmei replied. ¡°But most weapons at that time were not suitable for women, especially since they have no prior training. So I decided to open this shop to help them,¡± she added.


    ¡°These are all achieved, thanks to His Majesty,¡± Sun Chengmei indirectly thanked Qin Yijun for allowing women to choose their own future.


    Faced with sincere gratitude, Qin Yijun was unable to say anything. He did not remember how much of the law he had changed or introduced. Back then, he only wanted to have more manpower to search for Li Fangming, be it man or woman, as long as they can help, Qin Yijun was willing to give it a chance.


    It was only unfortunate that even after a year, there was still no news of Li Fangming¡¯s whereabouts, nor was there a body if he truly was dead.


    Qin Yijun¡¯s eyes went to Lin Xiao¡¯s figure once more and his eyes were filled with longings. ¡®Fortunately, you are still alive. This time, I¡¯ll protect you and will no longer let anyone hurt you.¡¯