“Oh. So you won’t accept it?” Leng Changxi handed the gold ingots to Qin Yunuan and said calmly, “Nuan, keep the money for loofahs well. Farewell to our guest.”
“Wait!” Wanyan Su stopped him, looking much determined, “My answer is yes. I promise you if you help me succeed, not only will I send you two clearance documents, but I will also order 500 excellent troops to accompany you to West Xia.”
Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi looked at each other and smiled. Lifting his head, Leng Changxi glanced at the shabby yard, “Now that we are partners, it seems inappropriate if we keep living in this yard.”
Wanyan Su gritted his teeth, “It will be the warrior competition in the capital in seven days. According to the prediction, I will arrive there at that time. If General Leng and Madam Leng would like to, I hope that you can come along with me.”
Smiling, Qin Yunuan entered the house, “It’s nice.”
Seven days later, at the capital of North Di, a neatly arranged queue entered the city through the entrance in the south of the city. The leading one was riding a tall horse, looking majestic. The sheepskin rope he wore had a gold rim, implying his fortune and nobility.
The structure of the business areas in the capital was imitating the Royal City of Qi. From lanes to markets, there were all signals of Chinesization. The businessmen on the streets were mostly North Di people and Persians. While they had seen much, they couldn’t help making some comments once seeing Wanyan Su, the leading one.
“Look! Although Fourth Prince was sent far away, his appearance and manners are much better than those of the brutal Grand Prince.”
“Hush! Don’t you afraid that your words will be overheard by someone? I’m telling you, the one butchering sheep in the east of the city had said something about the Grand Prince’s fault. As a result, he was missing and hasn’t been found by now.”
“You see. The ones sitting on the last carriage don’t look like people in North Di.”
Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi were sitting at the last four-in-hand covered by gauze curtain. Hearing the gossips, they simply glanced at each other. Qin Yunuan’s eyes were still covered with the white gauze. However, there came a gust of wind blowing up the white gauze around by a corner. Now the people outside could see clearly the ones behind the curtain. At that moment, there were screams around them.
“My God! Why does Fourth Prince bring back such a terrifying person?”
There was even a woman covering her child’s eyes, whispering, “My baby, don’t look at him! Don’t look at him, or you will be blind.”
“Monster! He is a monster!”
The so-called monster was nobody else but Leng Changxi. Qin Yunuan knew that Leng Changxi was good at making masks with human skin. When she learned that he was going to change his appearance with the mask made of human skin, she agreed. It never occurred to her, however, that he would go to the extreme. He changed his handsome face into a rough-looking man with sores all over the face and a scar on the forehead. He even changed his own voice.
“As long as you don’t abhor it,” Leng Changxi smiled to Qin Yunuan while drawing the true-to-life mask made of human skin.
“Why will I abhor? No matter what kind of mask you are wearing, you are still my Changxi. I don’t care about your appearance,” Qin Yunuan concentrated on watching Leng Changxi’s work. Under his skillful hands, a mask with a nose and a whole face slowly formed. “It’s even better. There will no longer be young beauties keeping staring at you from now on. I have had the thought that Third Miss Ren has a liking for you for a long time.”
Smiling, Leng Changxi skimmed the tip of Qin Yunuan’s nose and said in a pampering tone, “You are always thinking about things you shouldn’t worry.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” Qin Yunuan pouted, “My man is so great. It’s natural for me to beware of those women up to no good.”
Leng Changxi held Qin Yunuan into his arms backhand. His voice was low, “Great, am I?”
“Yes. Of course.”
Leng Changxi said in a self-deprecating manner, “Am I still great when I have nothing now?”
“Who says that you have nothing?” Qin Yunuan answered without any hesitation, “Judging whether a man is powerful or not is not according to the power he holds in hand, the gold and silver he stores in his mansion or the number of pearls on his sleeves but according to the courage, sense of responsibility and kindness in his heart. Changxi, you are rich in your heart. So you are great. This greatness will never be taken away by others.”
Leng Changxi was moved so much that the corner of his mouth twisted. He hugged Qin Yunuan with much more strength, “Nuan, thank you for understanding me. Thank you also for accompanying me when I have lost everything.”
While they were talking, the mask had been made. Leng Changxi tried to wear it. Its fitting his face perfectly implied Leng Changxi’s mastery.
Bringing his attention back, Leng Changxi lowered his head to touch the mask on his face. In others’ eyes, the ugly monster was covering its face blushingly. The ironical voices were getting louder. At the front, Wanyan Su got worried, sending people to ask whether they needed to rest in the hotel for a moment before they went to the mansion.
“Not necessary,” Qin Yunuan was quite unperturbed, “There are only two or three steps left. Don’t mind it.”
However, at this moment, there came another queue from the opposite direction at the other end of the street. Compared to Wanyan Su’s nobility, the other queue could be called luxury. Made up of over 100 people, the queue was long enough to reach both ends of the street. 20 honor guards were holding the flags high. Their shoes were made of silk. 50 guards were riding horses beside the carriage in order to protect it. Their boots were all made of cowhide. The carriage was cabriolet, pulled by eight horses, on which there were handrails over gilded. On its way coming, all the citizens were shocked. All the clothes and decorations on the servants in the queue were expensive enough to pay for all the living expenses of an ordinary family for a few years.
Nobody else could have the display of splendor equal to the one of Grand Khan of North Di except for Wanyan Ba, the Grand Prince who was most favored now.
Since the two princes met each other in the street, the number of people to watch the scene of bustle was increasing.
North Di attached much importance to the bloodline. Wanyan Ba, as the son of the empress, was born to be expected as the crown prince in the future. Wanyan Su, on the other hand, had a biological mother who was not only low in social position but also a woman of the Central Plains. She volunteered to be the sacrifice to the ancestors of North Di in order not to bring trouble and gossips to Wanyan Su’s future. Grand Khan was moved by her spirit more or less. That was why he treated Wanyan Su as a normal child reluctantly.
However, Wanyan Su was still a man of a different clan among the princes of North Di, which could be seen from Grand Khan’s sending him to guard the frontier for years.
Seeing Wanyan Ba’s troop coming from afar, Wanyan Su waved as the signal to tell his people to stop. However, the opposite troop was still getting closer. Wanyan Ba sat on the carriage, pompous and arrogant as if he hadn’t seen Wanyan Su’s troop at all. It was not until there were only 3 meters between the two troops when Wanyan Ba slowly ordered, “Stop.”
It had been the second time for Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi to see Wanyan Ba, the Grand Prince, since the warrior qualification test was held by him. Compared to the last time, now the way Wanyan Ba showed up was more exaggerated. His reckless luxury at the capital reflected Grand Khan of North Di’s love and indulgence to Wanyan Ba.
Others thought that Wanyan Su had no chance of winning at all, but Qin Yunuan wouldn’t agree. Although there were many differences between the traditions of North Di and the ones of Qi, people all shared the same mind. Wanyan Ba treated his inferiors brutally and violently. He could give a maid who had served him for years to a harsh warrior casually, which would only make people working for him frightened and scared. Wanyan Su, however, treated his inferiors with a true heart. No wonder why there had been so many people willing to follow Wanyan Su to save Qin Yunuan in Qi.
At the most front, Wanyan Su and Wanyan Ba glanced at each other. Nobody would like to get off the carriage and greet first. Wanyan Su looked around. There were all citizens surrounding them. He frowned, then forced a smile and got off the horse by himself. He bowed his fists to Wanyan Ba, “Big brother, long time no see.”
“Big brother?” Wanyan Ba’s words were full of disdain and irony, “Why don’t I know that? When did my father have a son of Qi, and I have a brother of Qi like you?”
To Wanyan Ba, embarrassing Wanyan Su in public needed no reason or excuse.
Observing carefully what was happening in the front, Qin Yunuan commented in a low voice, “Wanyan Ba is a man who has valor but lacks strategy. He only cares about speaking out what he likes, but he ignores that there are so many people witnessing it. Later when his stigma of overlooking brotherhood and acting arrogantly come out, it’s hard for him to whitewash himself.”
Leng Changxi also nodded, “Being arrogant is exactly what we wanted. The more complacent he is, the more likely we are going to win.”
Just when they finished their words, the actions and voices in the front seemed to become larger and louder. Although Song Lian kept persuading beside Wanyan Ba, he still got angrier, “What, you won’t let me say it? People of Qi are all too stubborn to be educated. A man without the pureblood cannot be the descendant of our royal family of North Di.”
Hearing the words, several people of Qi who had settled down in North Di were already unhappy.
The more arrogant Wanyan Ba was, the more modest Wanyan Su appeared, “There was already a peace treaty between North Di and Qi. The two countries have befriended each other. There’s no need to insist on the difference between them.”
“Alright. I won’t speak to you anymore,” Wanyan Ba leaned back and pointed at Leng Changxi’s carriage, “I’ve heard that you took in a man who was good at fighting on your way despite his ugly appearance. I have also employed a man doing well in martial arts recently. Let them have a competition. If your ugly slave wins, I’ll make way for you.”
Wanyan Su finally looked a little unhappy, “Tuoba is my honored guest, not my slave. Please forgive me that he won’t follow my orders.”
Wanyan Ba sneered, “How useless you are! You can’t even order your servants.” He turned his head and said to Leng Wu beside the carriage, “Chang Wu, now that the man won’t get off the carriage, use your strength to force him.”
Chang Wu was Leng Wu’s pseudonym when he worked for Wanyan Ba. Having seen Qin Yunuan from afar, Chang Wu knew that the ugly monster beside her was very likely to be his general. Finding Leng Wu hesitated, Wanyan Ba raised the whip and chopped towards Leng Wu’s back. It was lucky that Leng Wu was swift enough to escape from it.
“Be quick,” Wanyan Ba shouted coldly.
