While all people in the capital city were focusing their attention on Yuwen family, the caravan from Tanyang finally entered the capital city.
There had indeed been another assassination attempt halfway to the destination, which, fortunately, had been more alarming than dangerous.
It was when the caravan was about to reach the capital city that Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong showed up. Seeing the two of them return safe, everybody felt a sense of relief.
“Young Master, has there been any trouble on your way back?”
“Not really. What about you? Did anybody get hurt?”
Ling Zhang scrutinized Wang Dashan and others one by one and observed that Yang Liuzi and a couple of others had injuries on them. “How bad are your wounds? What did the physician say?”
“Just some minor injuries. The physician said that our constitutions were strong and we would soon recover.”
Yang Liuzi and other injured ones embarrassedly scratched their heads. Actually all of them felt that the reason why they had got hurt was because their kung fu skills were not good enough. Yao Yi and his men were all unharmed, which showed a striking contrast that was making the injured ones feel rather awkward.
“Young Master, we are useless.”
With a solemn expression on his face, Ling Zhang informed Yang Liuzi and a couple of others, “None of you are useless if you tried your best. Don’t belittle yourselves. If you really feel that your kung fu skills are far from good enough to qualify your for your jobs, put more efforts into practice.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Ling Zhang began to consider whether he should hire a master of kung fu to train his security guards after he settled down in the capital city. They had been staying with Yao Yi and other bodyguards of Yuwen Tong’s all the time these days, and sometimes even an outsider could tell from the look in their eyes how much they admired their kung fu skills.
…
“The residence has already been cleaned. It’s big enough and not far away from Yuwen family, and there’s a spacious drill ground, too. Originally, I had wanted to make it more tasteful and elegant, but given that it would be inconvenient for guards to keep the residence under surveillance, I changed my mind and merely planted some bamboo along the yard wall of your courtyard house. There is also a garden in front of the drill ground.”
Yuwen Tong handed Ling Zhang the title deed of the residence that he had purchased for Ling Zhang in the capital city.
Ling Zhang put the title deed away and said, “I see.”
With the residence ready, he could soon fall to making necessary arrangements.
Before long, the caravan reached the outside of the capital city. There were a lot of people who had come to meet them. Among them, all men were wearing robes and their ranks seemed to be fairly high. The most obtrusive one of all was a female, who was sitting in a horse-drawn carriage. The carriage was unique and very luxurious. Unlike common carriages which usually focused on providing shelter from wind, this carriage had no carriage boards, only four bearing posts, a ceiling and layers of curtain hangings made of gauze which was fluttering in breezes. People of the caravan could smell wafts of perfume carried over by the breezes as well.
Most importantly, there were a lot of palace guards standing at attention behind this horse-drawn carriage and also some eunuchs and court maids in front of it. Only an member of the imperial family was eligible to own retinue of this kind. ‘Is she a princess? The Ninth Princess has gone to the Zhaohua Temple. The Eighth Princess is betrothed and it’s very unlikely that the emperor has sent her here to welcome Yuwen Tong. And the Tenth Princess has mental retardation. So exactly who is this one? It would be somewhat ridiculous if a young princess comes here to meet Yuwen Tong,’ thought Ling Zhang.
Apart from the owner of this sumptuous horse-drawn carriage, there was also a young man wearing a gold hat and a robe with the pattern of a four-clawed golden dragon on it. Though well-featured, this young man had a piercing and somewhat sinister look in his eyes. He not only didn’t seem cordial but also sent chills down the spines of people who laid eyes on him. Though unaware of specifically which prince this young man was, Ling Zhang could tell with half an eye that he was a member of the imperial family.
Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong got out of their horse-drawn carriage together. Seeing this, those people waiting for them came up to them. Even the female in that luxurious carriage got out of her carriage. It was just that she was wearing a veil. Though unable to see her features clearly, Ling Zhang could distinguish the elegant contours of her face. Clothed in rich floor-length attire, she was looking at Yuwen Tong with her sparkling, liquid eyes.
“Welcome back to the capital city, Marshal. We’ve been eagerly anticipating your return for quite a few days. Finally, you’ve come back,” observed the young man in a luxurious robe with the pattern of a four-clawed golden dragon on it, who was the first one to greet them.
Yuwen Tong made a bow with his hands folded in front. “I’m honored to bow before you, King Duan.”
As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Great Yue, Yuwen Tong had been granted the privilege of merely making a bow instead of kneeling down when having an audience with a member of the imperial family.
Ling Zhang, along with all others who didn’t enjoy such privilege, had to kneel down to pay his respect.
However, the King Duan, or the Third Prince, whose full name was Zhou Mingyuan, had probably been the one who had ordered Peng Fang to poison him. Ling Zhang lowered his eyes to conceal the coldness in them.
Zhou Mingyuan glanced at Yuwen Tong and then looked at Ling Zhang. With a smile on his face, he raised Ling Zhang to his feet and said, “This must be Childe Ling, I suppose? You are indeed of striking appearance and great presence. It’s true what they say, ‘Knowing a person by repute is not as good as seeing him in the flesh.’”
Zhou Mingyuan held Ling Zhang’s arms in a vise-like grip, using great strength. Ling Zhang secretly frowned, but the look on his face was very calm. In composure, he replied, “Thank you, King Duan.”
Yuwen Tong turned his head aside and stared at Zhou Mingyuan’s hands, a somewhat cold expression in his eyes.
Zhou Mingyuan’s face briefly froze and with that he released his grip and said, “Are you jealous, Marshal? I was just raising Childe Ling to his feet, but the look in your eyes makes me feel that you are going to eat me alive. Oh, Marshal, I never expected that you would end up in this kind of situation as well.”
All officials standing behind the prince dissolved into polite laughter.
But Ling Zhang felt an urge to hurl abuse at Zhou Mingyuan. ‘Bullshit!’
“Brother, you scared Childe Ling. Childe Ling, why don’t you come here and stay with me? Don’t lower yourself to the same level as men.” A gentle and lovely female voice suddenly chipped in.
Ling Zhang’s eyes briefly went cold. Seeing Yuwen Tong was about to flare up, he raised his hand and stopped Yuwen Tong, then said to that female, “May I ask who this lady of noble presence is? It must be that your veil blurs your vision, or the sound of wind hinders you from hearing clearly. As a man with a fair sense of decency, I think it’s advisable for me to just stay where I am lest I stain your reputation. If I keep you company today, people will think differently of you and your chance of finding a husband might be compromised, for which I will be held responsible.”
A hush descended over the crowd. Many people looked at Ling Zhang in shock. It had never crossed their minds that Ling Zhang would dare to directly answer the female back.
Saying that her veil blurred her vision was no different from saying that she had poor eyesight, and was almost synonymous with saying that she was blind. Likewise, saying that the wind hindered her from hearing clearly was no different from saying that she had poor hearing, and was almost synonymous with saying that she was deaf. Eventually, he had even spitefully implied that she might not be able to find a husband…
“Outrageous! You are but a commoner. How dare you talk to our princess like that! On your knees and admit your guilt!”
A brittle voice of a eunuch was heard. A fair-skinned beardless eunuch standing beside that female pointed at Ling Zhang and reprimanded him angrily.
“Each and every single word of mine was sincere and honest. I have no idea which one of them was offensive to Your Highness. Since Your Highness is so unhappy, I’ll have no alternative but to kneel down and apologize. Yuwen Tong, it seems that coming to the capital city with you was a bad idea. I haven’t even walked through the city gate yet, but I’ve already offended a member of the imperial family. I’m afraid my life will be a disaster if I stay in the capital city, which will make our marriage pointless. Whatever… it seems that this fancy military rank of yours, ‘Marshal’, is no big deal. You fooled me into believing that you were a high-ranking official. Shame on you. After I kneel down and apologize, I’ll go back to Tanyang where life will be easier for me.”
All people present were stunned by his words.
“It’s my fault. I apologize to you,” Yuwen Tong gently said to Ling Zhang in a low voice after turning around. “Please stop being angry.”
Then he twisted around, a much colder look on his face, and said to the female, “Your Highness, Ling Zhang is new to this place and has little acquaintance with the rules here. Please excuse him for his offensive words. If it really bothers Your Highness, I’ll kneel down and make an apology to you for his impertinence right now.”
After saying this, he twitched aside the lower front part of his robe and was about to kneel down.
“Marshal!”
Yao Yi and other bodyguards of Yuwen Tong’s cried out in alarm at the same time.
Faces of all officials present also instantly changed.
King Duan hurriedly stopped Yuwen Tong. “No, no. Please don’t, Marshal. My sister was just joking.”
The Ninth Princess, whose face was behind the veil, remarked in a quivering voice, “My brother is right. I was just kidding Childe Ling. It was all this flunkey’s fault. He made such a fuss about it and caused this misunderstanding. Guards, teach him a lesson.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The sound of someone’s face being slapped was heard repeatedly. The eunuch who had pointed at and rebuked Ling Zhang just now was punished. Soon his mouth became bloody.
King Duan winked at those standing behind him and with that someone among the crowd of officials walked forward and said, “Marshal must be tired after such a long journey. How about you go back to the city and have some rest? His Majesty is going to give a reception to welcome you back in the Taiqing Palace tonight. His Majesty has been eagerly anticipating your return all along. Our country owe you the complete victory of this war against the Wan Kingdom. Now they’ve come here to sue for peace with their tails between their legs, which gladdens the hearts of all of us!”
“Yes, Marshal. We’ve been looking forward to hearing you talk about how you inflicted a crushing defeat on the armies of the Wan Kingdom at the welcome banquet tonight. I’m sure your story will satisfy the craving of all people like me who didn’t have the chance to fight on the battlefield.”
“What do you say, Marshal? I think Childe Ling must be weary as well,” King Duan said with a smile.
Yuwen Tong replied, “Of course I’ll follow King Duan’s suggestion.”
On hearing this, King Duan dissolved into laugh. “Great. Then let’s return.”
Yuwen Tong inclined his head and then turned around to ask Ling Zhang, “Are you still mad?”
Ling Zhang slid him a sideways glance. “Was I ever? You are indeed plausible enough to talk white into black.”
Yuwen Tong immediately responded, “It was me who misunderstood. Let me guide you onto the carriage.”
Ling Zhang said, “I can manage it with my own hands and legs. There’s no need for you to go to such bother.”
However, Yuwen Tong still carefully helped Ling Zhang get onto the carriage. It was not until the curtain was let down that he heaved a sigh of relief. Then he turned around with the lukewarm face he had had a moment ago and said to King Duan, “Sorry to keep you waiting, King Duan. After you.”
With a brief and slight change of the look in his eyes, King Duan smiled, “This way, please.”
Those officials exchanged glances with each other and then all of them unnoticeably stole a glance at the horse-drawn carriage of Ling Zhang.
The caravan departed once again. This time, with the attendants of King Duan and those officials of all ranks and descriptions joining them, the column seemed even longer and mightier.
When they were leaving, the slap could still be heard. That eunuch was disregarded just like this, along with the Ninth Princess. She was so angry that she kept twisting the handkerchief in her hands with great strength, clenching her teeth so hard that they almost broke. The expression on her face was terrifyingly cold as well, leaving all court maids and eunuchs too afraid to raise their heads to look at her.
Ling Zhang, who was sitting in the horse-drawn carriage leaning against the inside of the carriage, also didn’t seem as tough as he had appeared to be a moment ago, his face sullen.
‘The Ninth Princess was supposed to be in the Zhaohua Temple, yet she specially came back here. What’s she thinking? That all assassins are dead and unable to rat her out?
And the King Duan…
This is so fucking coincidental. One of them tried to have me assassinated, and the other one tried to have me poisoned. Both of them came here to welcome Yuwen Tong.
It’s just that the King Duan is smarter than the Ninth Princess. Just now his pretence was excellent. Who could have guessed what he had done behind the scenes?
This is what members of the imperial family are like.
In the capital city, Yuwen Tong is the only one I can rely on. No matter in terms of attitudes or otherwise, I must keep up my own pretence.
Fortunately Yuwen Tong was sophisticated enough to take the hint just now or else I would really have to return to Tanyang!’
