Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Silver Condor thought for a long time but still couldn’t find the right words to describe the young Dragon King. The Khan wasn’t in a hurry, but he himself felt he was guilty of dereliction of duty, for which he secretly blamed himself.
He revered the old man in front of him, not as a god or the Khan, but more as a father or elder brother. The two were separated by a great difference in age and status but that didn’t affect the trust and tacit understanding between the two.
This wasn’t a friendship between an old King and a young guard because Silver Condor would never forget his identity and the old Khan would also never treat him as someone of equal status, even in private.
Many years ago, Silver Condor had thoroughly reflected on this and finally drawn a conclusion that he had been tamed.
He had transformed from a vicious wolf and a soaring bird, into a watchdog and falcon attached to his master.
He had once been frustrated by the changes in his personality and he missed the lost freedom, easiness, and satisfaction for a short while. The old Khan had seen everything in his eyes but instead of reprimanding him, he was given a year’s holiday.
He had returned to the southern area and reexamined the former martial arts world he used to wander, this time as a bystander. Three months later, he returned to the Royal Court, canceled his holiday, and completely abandoned his old name. From then on, he called himself Silver Condor even at home.
He found that there was no such thing as freedom. The Jianghu was yet another net, chaotic and broken, which, if compared with the Royal Court, did appear to be more free. But it was actually an illusion, and there was nothing substantial worth showing off.
The so-called avenging and satisfying oneself without hesitation was just another word for bullying the weak and fearing the strong. There was always an invisible line separating those they could kill and those they would be better off not touching.
Even the brotherhood of Jianghu was like a minuscule court, which appeared fair on the surface while concealing extreme inequality. There was always one person who above the crowd, and below him were those eulogists, supporters, profligates, and brokers who had their own place and could never overstep their line.
The one on top was also far from free. Many ‘brothers’ joined together like an indestructible system and bound him to their desires. The character and image of the ‘Invincible Saber King’ were determined by those around him and he himself was merely a tool that wielded the saber.
Since freedom was illusory, Silver Condor decided to be a down-to-earth wing guard of the Khan. The relationship between him and the Khan was like that of a loyal hound and a good master. He fully accepted his position without feeling any shame or pride.
It was exactly because of this rare and peaceful mindset that made the Khan think highly of him and place in him unusual trust, exemplified by that fact that he had been entrusted with the task of testing the Dragon King.
“There’s a kind of dog that can’t be tamed by temptation or coercion, and even if bones are placed on a plate, it will still eat while staying on guard, and may even bite its master’s hand at some point.”
“This kind of dog is called a mad dog.”
“Hmm, while the Dragon King is not a mad dog, he is a little crazy, and he’s channeled the madness into power.”
The Khan laughed out loud, his voice fading but his smile still holding on as if he had lost the strength he needed to laugh. Numerous people had told him that the Dragon King was insidious, cruel and heartless and that he did not act like a man in his early twenties. Only this wing guard around him described the Dragon King’s most defining characteristic as ‘madness.’
“You make him sound like a disciple of the Waning Moon Hall.”
Silver Condor was stunned for a short moment. He knew very little about this sect that was dominated by female disciples and didn’t understand the analogy.
With his mouth open, the Khan continued laughing soundlessly. Then he said, “A madman may not be a hero, but all heroes are madmen. Without a crazy will and ambition, no one can bear the loneliness, the setbacks, and the weight of killing that all takes place along the path of a hero. You have keen eyes. The Dragon King is a madman. How many men can build an army for revenge? How many vengeful people can keep their enemies’ children close by? I was also a madman when I was young, and maybe I still am, but there isn’t much madness left now.”
Silver Condor’s cold face also showed a smile. This was the most important reason why he had chosen to become the Khan’s wing guard; He was not a madman, and could not become a hero.
“Can a man like the Dragon King be tamed?” Silver Condor didn’t understand the psychology of the madman. And the things he felt were impossible might be possible for the Khan.
“Yes, death tames all. And the Dragon King is probably not as crazy as you think.” The old Khan kindly winked, indicating he had also observed the Dragon King through his own means.
Silver Condor still had to talk to the Dragon King. It was a necessary process. Just like the mysterious man who had sought him out, he was responsible for revealing the truth to the Dragon King, but it was up to the Dragon King to decide if he could accept it or not.
Gu Shenwei and Shangguan Fei arrived at the palace right on time and realized that this wasn’t the meeting they had imagined. As many as two hundred people had been invited, most of whom were winners of the various games of the Tournament of the Royal Court. At least half of them were ordinary herdsmen, someone who had had the fattest sheep or cattle, or someone who had the most excellent herding skills.
There were quite a few nobles present, but none of the ten kings attended.
It was more like a feast to bask in happiness with the common people.
Fang Wenshi had warned the Dragon King in advance that the real private meeting might be after the banquet and asked him to wait patiently.
As an honored guest, the Dragon King was arranged to sit very close to the main seat with Shangguan Fei on his left and a royal member on his right.
Shangguan Fei was so excited that he hardly touched the dishes and wine on the table and instead kept his eyes fixed on the Khan, hoping to hear a compliment or two. Unfortunately, the Khan seemed to have forgotten about this champion of the warrior contest in a moment and didn’t even look at him, not to mention praising him.
The Khan also only stayed for a very short amount of time. The eunuch beside him said a few words of encouragement on behalf of him when he raised his wine cup, then he sat down for a short while, and soon after left the table.
Shangguan Fei sighed deeply with disappointment etched into his face.
After the luncheon, he became happy again because most of the guests had left the palace to boast to their friends and family about how close they had sat to the Khan, but Shangguan Fei and the Dragon King had been informed to stay to attend a smaller dinner.
Gu Shenwei had been able to closely observe the Khan for the first time but still wasn’t able to form a clear impression.
He was a small old man whose back was not too hunched considering he was over seventy years old, but the patches on his face had obviously showed that he was very old and only those who admired him could ignore the obvious traces of death.
In the hearts of the Norland commoners, this was a godlike ruler; in the description of his descendants, this was a ruthless oppressor; in the mouth of his consorts, this was a lustful man; in the eyes of the masters, this was a dying man who sought immortality at all costs.
Gu Shenwei saw none of those descriptions.
The Khan covered up his true self so well that Gu Shenwei even began to doubt his original guess. Perhaps the Khan had no intention of buying him over at all, and he had been flattering himself.
During the intermission, the wing guard Silver Condor dispelled his doubts.
Shangguan Fei and several warriors that had performed well were called upon to take part in a small competition and everyone would be rewarded regardless of win or loss. Shangguan Fei knew very well that he had to control the power of his fists and needed to avoid hitting someone to the point of death or injury.
Gu Shenwei was sitting alone in the tent. Several female slaves brought in a large number of desserts and fruits, and not long after they left, Silver Condor came in uninvited.
Before he walked in, Silver Condor had prepared a polite plea in the vein of what he had learned from wandering in Jianghu, and was something that hadn’t changed for over ten years. But he changed his mind after seeing the Dragon King.
“Iron Harrier is an excellent wing guard.”
“Not as excellent as you.”
Silver Condor poured out a glass of wine. Gu Shenwei stopped him when he was about to fill the second cup, saying, “I don’t drink.”
Silver Condor finished the wine in his cup and continued talking. “The Khan has seven wing guards, whose names are passed down from generation to generation. It seems that the name of Iron Harrier has always been unlucky. Since I first entered the palace, three Iron Harrier have died in the line of duty.”
“What about Silver Condor?”
“Hehe, I don’t know. No one told me the end of the previous Silver Condor. I hope that he died naturally in bed.”
“Many people would rather die by the saber. Wine cups and women’s arms are also good endings that many people yearn for.”
“That’s the difference between fantasy and reality. I’ve seen many people who defied death yet panic and even kneel to beg for mercy in the face of death.”
Gu Shenwei was also very familiar with such people. He had forced many of them to open their mouth using death.
“If I could save my life through begging, I would do the same.”
Silver Condor nodded and poured himself another cup of wine. The more he learned about the Dragon King, the more blurred his image became. He had wanted to tell his story regarding his many years of experience but it felt redundant before he even opened his mouth. They were two different kinds of people. What had worked on him might be a joke to the Dragon King.
“The Khan’s family has ruled the Norland for nearly three hundred years.”
“That’s quite long.”
“Claiming the title of Khan is also a long process, it usually takes at least three generations. There were still unconquered tribes in the prairie when the old Khan succeeded the throne.”
“There are also examples of a rapid rise. It only took the ancestor of the Central Plains’ Emperor twenty years to unify the whole country.”
“Which way does the Dragon King think he’ll go?”
“I’m going the way that’s right in front of me.”
Silver Condor smiled and finished off a third glass of wine before taking his leave. He had wanted to tell the Khan that the Dragon King was not only a mad but also a dangerous man. If he could not tame him, he had to kill him at once.
Shangguan Fei returned. He had had a good time. It wasn’t a formal kung fu competition but more like a bunch of young people having fun together, which was a great temptation to him.
“I’ve just learned that the dinner is different. It was said that all the important nobles and counselors will attend, and it’ll also schedule the troop training competition that starts tomorrow. This is the most important show of the Tournament of the Royal Court. The warrior contest is a close second in terms of importance among all the games of the tournament.”
“The ten kings will also attend the evening dinner?”
“Of course. The war games are obviously about training their soldiers. It’s said that the ten kings haven’t been together for a long time. Every time there was one or two absent, but tonight all of them have to attend the dinner, since the Khan personally issued the order.”
“Will you execute my order at once, on my command?”
Shangguan Fei was surprised that the Dragon King would suddenly ask such a question. He looked at the Dragon King and said, “Of course, I’ve… I’ve never said no to the Dragon King’s orders.”
“It’s different this time. I want you to execute it immediately without asking why.”
“Yes.” Shangguan Fei answered with certainty, looking at the Dragon King in reverence and also having confidence in himself.
“Get ready. Don’t let your fists go soft.”
Shangguan Fei was startled, wondering why he hadn’t thought that the gathering of the ten kings might be a dangerous thing.
