Eternal Night - Chapter 83
"Heh, if the bandits who robbed the Marquis of Yong'an had such armor, they probably wouldn't have died so unjustly. At least they would have had a chance to survive when they ran." He meant that the people from Fenglin Village who were fleeing up the mountain were shot to death from behind by an arrow.
"Sigh, are you blaming me for not leaving a single one alive?" Yongye lowered her head and smiled bitterly. She had almost forgotten that Feng Yangxi was a great hero. The people who died at her hands were not just one or two people or a small group of bandits, but hundreds of lives.
Feng Yangxi sighed inwardly. It seemed she couldn't be blamed for this, yet he had already examined the bodies. Almost all the men had been shot through the heart with arrows before they could even draw their knives, and traces of sleeping pills remained in their mouths and noses. This was premeditated murder; even the unconscious were not spared. This forced him to re-evaluate Yongye, whom he had always thought to be weak and kind.
Yongye suddenly raised his head and said calmly, "Since I brought them out, I will naturally bring them home safely. Are the people of Chen Kingdom human beings, but my people are not? Besides, I cannot disgrace my father, nor can I lose face for An Kingdom! Hero Feng despises Yongye, so there is no need to worry about Yongye's life anymore. It is Yongye who has troubled Hero Feng."
A strategic retreat? And he's so eloquent! The expressive face he wears is enough to fool the whole world! Feng Yangxi almost burst out laughing, then straightened his face and replied seriously, "I will never regret what I promised. I will definitely escort you back to Anguo safely."
He looked at Yongye, a gaze that made her uneasy. She was most vulnerable to true masters like this, especially those with a strong sense of justice. If Feng Yangxi found out she had plotted against him, she didn't know what her fate would be. Since she had already done it, she couldn't show any weakness! Yongye vowed to herself that she had to eliminate Feng Yangxi. She lowered her head and sighed, "I'm sorry, Hero Feng, I'm sorry to have dragged you into this mess. I have no evidence, but the entire Chen Kingdom will be after you for assassinating me."
Looking at Yongye's dejected appearance, Feng Yangxi didn't know whether to laugh or shake his head and sigh. Tonight, Yongye had been quite a sight to behold! He lazily replied, "He can't catch me. I'll naturally appear when you're in danger. My lord, your trip to Chen has truly broadened my horizons." With that, he leaped into the rain.
"An eye-opener?" Yongye gazed at the boundless darkness, listening to the rain and sneering. "What will truly open your eyes is not just this ruthlessness. Yi Zhongtian can't catch you, but I can."
The Secret of the Misty Rain Pavilion
The Liang River is swift and turbulent, hundreds of feet wide, its waves surging, flowing from Chen to Song and Qi. The Liang River system contains numerous lakes, scattered like pearls throughout Chen. Cheng Lake is the largest lake in Chen, and the four surrounding cities are the land of plenty for Chen.
Chendu Zeya is located east of Chenghu Lake. Black-awning boats shuttle through the city, thousands of homes nestle along the water, and Zeya merchants trade on boats – this is the very essence of the capital.
After the procession entered the city at dawn, Yongye lifted the curtain of the sedan chair to look out. The fishermen who made way for him stood in a long row, all carrying large wooden buckets for delivering fish. The bamboo baskets hanging on the buckets were full of lively green-shelled shrimp.
A smile in the eternal night. These large prawns, heads removed, stir-fried with ginger and garlic until they release a fishy aroma, are a true delicacy. And then there's a group of friends sitting in the night market, carrying an ice-cold beer, peeling prawns until their hands are dripping with oil—that's what life is all about.
And what is life like now? It's all calculation and defensiveness. With his life hanging by a thread, how can he still indulge in delicious shrimp tails? Yongye chuckled. That's how people are; they crave what they lack. Perhaps as ordinary citizens, spending their days paying taxes, they yearn for rights because they feel powerless to resist the oppression of the wealthy.
She regained her composure and lowered the sedan curtain.
She was no stranger to Zeya; many years ago, in the former king's study, she had carefully examined the topographical map of Zeya sent back by spies. The city appeared to be built on a sandbar, with numerous bridges and streets as dense as a spider's web. However, the location of Chen Palace was actually a very vast plain.
A straight post road leads directly to the outer and inner city. In the center of the inner city is a rather spacious square, where the Chen Imperial Palace stands.
Looking into the distance, one sees a continuous expanse of pavilions and towers, rising and falling in a continuous line. Zeya is a plain, and such undulating terrain must have been created by dredging ponds to alter the land, allowing for the construction of halls at varying heights. As far as the eye can see, one can see winding corridors connecting the buildings like rainbow bridges.
The scenery is like a flower arrangement, dense yet sparse. One more pavilion wouldn't make a difference, but its absence would feel incomplete. More importantly, it reveals the grandeur and magnificence of a royal palace within its delicate and exquisite details.
The Anguo Imperial Palace has red walls and yellow tiles, while the Chen Imperial Palace has brown roofs against snow-white walls. Compared to Kyoto, Zeya is a graceful and elegant woman with natural charm, while Kyoto is a mature woman with boldness, generosity, and noble bearing.
As one of the three powerful states, the State of Chen has its reasons for being proud.
In comparison, Yongye preferred the color scheme of the Chen Palace, which was elegant and refined.
Chen State Post Station is also unique. Unlike the courtyards of Kyoto, which are arranged one after another, this post station has winding corridors leading to individual courtyards on sandbars in the water. Each courtyard consists of several small buildings, both independent and interconnected. Looking around, four or five waterside courtyards are built around the lake, visible across the water yet not interfering with each other. However, opposite is a naval camp, an arrangement that makes Yongye feel there is only one entrance and exit.
"This is the Misty Rain Pavilion, which was renovated specifically for Marquis Yong'an. Does the Marquis like it here?" Yi Zhongtian's cool voice came from the doorway.
Another person you wouldn't notice unless you were paying close attention! Yongye sighed; she could never be strong enough to contend with the likes of Yi Zhongtian and Feng Yangxi. Turning back, she smiled broadly and said, "Floating Dwelling on the Water, Misty Rain Pavilion on the Lake! Not bad. The names are nice too."
"I've heard that Anguo is mostly accessible by land, and there are few people who can swim."
Yongye looked at the lake outside the building and laughed, "Exactly. However, the north is good at horse warfare, and I'm sure Chen's army won't be used to it."
Yi Zhongtian's expression subtly changed, but he said with restraint, "The Emperor is hosting a banquet in the palace today. Please ask Marquis Yong'an to rest for a while and make preparations. I will wait outside the post station."
"Ah! I can finally see Xiu! Thank you for your guidance, General Yi!" Yongye's delighted expression made Yi Zhongtian unable to suppress his anger, and he stormed off.
"General Yi, please wait!" Yongye smiled. "My men are not skilled in swimming. If an assassin were to dive into this courtyard and set it on fire, cutting off the corridor... how would we deal with that?"
Yi Zhongtian's pupils contracted to pinpoints as he coldly replied, "Please have someone with superior martial arts skills use their lightness skill to save me!"
"If a skilled archer were to shoot an arrow from mid-air, wouldn't we become sitting ducks? I'm asking if the State of Chen has a foolproof plan?" Yongye looked very worried and afraid of death.
"I will personally stay at the post station, so Marquis Yong'an can rest assured." Yi Zhongtian said meaningfully.
Yongye watched him leave, her mood extremely cheerful. She leisurely admired the scenery inside the room, hands behind her back. From the animal-head stone carvings at the entrance to the lattice doors and windows, from the eaves and pillars to the roof caisson, she watched until Lin Duwei and Yi Hong's faces flushed with anxiety and frustration before finally sitting down and asking with a smile, "Is there something you need?"
"Young Master, what's going on? I can't understand what you're saying!"
Lin Hong asked, "Has Your Excellency discerned something?"
Yongye looked at Lin Hong with admiration and asked with a smile, "What does Commander Lin think of the layout of the Misty Rain Pavilion?"
Lin Hong, who also served as Yongye's bodyguard, had already carefully observed the place when he arrived at his lodgings. When Yongye asked, he replied, "There is only one winding waterway connecting this place to the outside, and the main house is separated from the outer house by an arched door for the sake of quiet. It is situated by the water and enjoys the breeze, with a superb view."
"This is top-quality pine wood. The south is humid, and pine wood is often susceptible to insect infestation, so we generally don't use this kind of wood. Moreover, the wood is new, and the paint is also new. Pine wood contains oil, and the arched door is narrow, with the inner room on the second floor." Yongye finished speaking without stopping and looked at the two of them with a grin.
Lin Hong and Yi Hong's expressions changed drastically. This building stood alone atop Shazhou. If a fire broke out, there would be assassins lying in wait. The Marquis of Yong'an, who knew no martial arts, would either be burned to death or drown. If the navy were mobilized and the inn surrounded, no one would be able to escape.
"Yi Zhongtian has such a vicious heart!"
"So, I want you to know that if anything happens and the gate is blocked, just shout outside. Remember, if you need to curse, curse; if you need to cry, cry; if you need to run, run!"
Yongye emphasized the last word, and looked at Lin Hong with a grave expression.
Her words were so clear that Lin Hong was extremely grateful. If Yongye hadn't spoken, and something had gone wrong, these nearly one hundred Leopard Cavalry would have certainly risked their lives to save him, resulting in heavy casualties. "Thank you, Lord Marquis! This humble general knows what to do."
Knowing she was going to die, yet still going without hesitation, Yongye felt an even greater fondness for the people of this world. In modern times, life is more important than anything else; someone like her who treats human life like dirt deserves to be killed a hundred times over.
Yongye smiled faintly: "Go back to Anguo and tell my father that I will definitely return home."
"My lord, take care!" Lin Hong strode out, his back straight, his hands clenched into fists. Yongye wondered if she should grant his wish.
Yihong knelt down, looking up at Yongye with tears in her eyes: "Yihong is sorry, young master. I shouldn't have... told Commander Lin about your martial arts skills."
Yongye knelt down and cupped Yihong's face in her hands, seeing only guilt and regret in her beautiful eyes. She suddenly asked, "Does falling in love with someone mean you have no secrets from them?"
"Yihong..."