Chapter 392: Exposed

The guards accompanying the carriage immediately followed. The maid jumped down after Hao Qingqing and hurried to catch up, anxiety all over her face. She deeply regretted telling the truth.

Huyan Wei had bought up the entire area around the Tofu House and incorporated it into the business's grounds. A lane ran inward through the middle, with men stationed there to guard the entrance.

"Honored guest, whom are you looking for?" one of the guards asked as he stepped forward to block the way.

Bang!

Hao Qingqing did not answer at all. She simply raised one foot and kicked him flying...

Within the small grove, Yuan Gang ran a hand along the blade of a Saber. Huyan Wei had brought it for him. Yuan Gang had been the one to ask for it.

After his previous saber broke, he had wanted a better weapon. Huyan Wei's visit today had partly been to deliver it.

One glance was enough to tell this Saber was no ordinary weapon.

Its design was ancient and imposing. The weight pressed heavily into the hand; Yuan Gang estimated it was nearly three times as heavy as the saber he had used before. The spine of the blade was broader as well. Three long-bodied tigers were worked along it from end to end.

One clung to the blade with its body arched and jaws open in a roar. One stretched all four limbs in a full sprint. The tiger nearest the hilt lay crouched in repose, seemingly asleep. According to Huyan Wei, the weapon was called the Three-Roars Saber.

If the force behind a strike was great enough, the blade could produce the roar of a tiger. Depending on how much force was used, it could release three different tiger roars. On a battlefield charge, that sound could be deeply intimidating.

Huyan Wuhen was a military commander, and his household possessed many fine weapons. This treasured saber was one of the blades in Huyan Wuhen's personal collection.

When he heard Yuan Gang wanted a good saber, Huyan Wuhen had Huyan Wei bring this one over.

"Does it feel right in your hand? I think it's too heavy," Huyan Wei asked when he saw how reluctant Yuan Gang seemed to put it down.

Yuan Gang stroked the blade and nodded. "Good saber."

The two were still talking when the sounds of shouting and fighting suddenly rose outside. A moment later came several piercing whistles. That was the alarm signal used here. Yuan Gang's head snapped around. He shot out at once.

Huyan Wei had naturally heard the fighting too. He stood with a grin. "Damn it. Who's tired of living enough to come here looking for trouble?"

He tugged both sleeves up his arms and strode out with fighting spirit blazing.

In the lane, a group of men holding clubs had blocked the way. Several of them had already been beaten to the ground.

Hao Qingqing's sword was resting against the throat of one Tofu House worker. She was demanding to know where Huyan Wei was.

There were courtyards everywhere here, one after another, and she had no idea which one held him.

Huyan Wei's retainer cultivators were also present, trying to stop her and persuade her not to make trouble here. Hao Qingqing's own retainer cultivators were likewise urging restraint.

Someone even warned her quietly that Supreme General Huyan Wuhen valued the proprietor of the Tofu House highly. Hao Qingqing did not care. She did as she pleased.

The sword at the worker's throat had already drawn a thin line of blood. Her cold gaze swept the crowd.

"If no one talks, I'll cut his head off!"

The men blocking the lane suddenly parted to either side. Behind them, Yuan Gang appeared with the Saber held diagonally in one hand. Hao Qingqing looked over. Her entire expression froze. Her lips parted slightly. Disbelief filled her eyes as she stared fixedly at Yuan Gang. Yuan Gang was also somewhat surprised to see her. His brows drew together. Trouble. His gaze shifted to the several brothers lying beaten on the ground.

He tilted his head slightly. "All of you, withdraw. This doesn't concern you."

"Who ate a bear's heart and a leopard's gall and dares..."

Huyan Wei came striding over, shouting at the top of his lungs. The moment he saw who had caused the trouble, his voice died. His face twitched. Then he saw Yuan Gang and immediately found his courage again. He knew his father valued Yuan Gang.

Seizing the opportunity, he pointed at Hao Qingqing and shouted angrily, "What are you doing?"

Hao Qingqing lifted her chin proudly. Still, she removed the sword from the Tofu House worker's throat. Every so often, her gaze flicked toward Yuan Gang with complicated emotion. The workers all obeyed Yuan Gang's order and retreated. The congested lane immediately opened up.

"Brother An, this is my wife. She's been spoiled and willful since childhood and has always loved making trouble. Don't take it to heart." Huyan Wei appeared magnanimous as he pleaded on his wife's behalf, while conveniently insulting her in the process.

Hao Qingqing immediately bared her teeth and pointed her sword at him. "Who's the 'wife' you're insulting? Say that again and see what happens!"

She strode toward him as though ready to cut him down.

"I'm warning you, don't act recklessly!" Huyan Wei shouted.

His mouth was fierce, but the man himself panicked and hurried behind Yuan Gang. This husband and wife were truly unbearable. The retainer cultivators from both sides had headaches. They certainly could not let Hao Qingqing do anything to Huyan Wei.

One after another, they stepped between the pair and urged the princess to calm her anger. The point of Yuan Gang's saber lowered.

He ignored whatever Huyan Wei was doing behind him, turned, and slowly walked away.

After another round of arguing in the lane, Huyan Wei shouted that he was going home to complain.

Once he had edged along the wall far enough, he immediately ran for it. His retainer cultivators followed him away.

"Princess, we should return as well," one of Hao Qingqing's retainer cultivators urged.

Clang!

Hao Qingqing sheathed her sword. Then she turned and walked toward the courtyard Yuan Gang had entered.

One retainer cultivator reached out to stop her. "Princess, the master of this place is not someone to provoke. You'll anger the Supreme General. If the Supreme General truly becomes furious, I'm afraid even Her Majesty the Empress may find it difficult to speak for you."

Hao Qingqing said, "You're thinking too much. I only want to ask the owner what that bastard keeps coming here for..."

In the small grove, the Three-Roars Saber had been thrust horizontally into the trunk of a tree. Yuan Gang rested one arm across it in silence.

He had never expected a princess of Hao Qingqing's standing to come here personally. He knew she had recognized him. He also knew his identity had been exposed.

He was afraid the Qi capital was no longer a place where he could remain.

He did not know whether Hao Qingqing would give him enough time to escape. Footsteps approached from behind. Hao Qingqing walked past him and stopped in front.

Slowly, she turned around and looked at him. "You're the proprietor of the Tofu House, An Taiping?"

Yuan Gang said, "Yes."

Hao Qingqing asked, "A frontier soldier framed by his superiors, pardoned because the Supreme General admired him. You changed your name and identity and came here. What exactly are you trying to do?"

Yuan Gang said, "I don't understand what you're talking about. Have you mistaken me for someone else?"

Hao Qingqing said, "You think I can't recognize you just because you turned your face red? That habit of treating everyone as though they aren't worth your attention is far too distinctive."

Yuan Gang fell silent.

Hao Qingqing suddenly said in a faint voice, "You and I met a little too late."

Yuan Gang remained silent.

"I'm married now," Hao Qingqing said.

"I know."

"I followed the proper rites. On the wedding night, Huyan Wei and I consummated the marriage."

Yuan Gang remained still. There was nothing he needed to say. As far as he was concerned, the matter had nothing to do with him. Hao Qingqing watched him for a while. At last, she stopped speaking of those unreliable things.

"What happened before is over. I don't care what your purpose is in approaching the Huyan family. On account of Niu Youdao once treating me to red-braised pork, I'll give you three days."

"Within three days, you must leave the Qi capital. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

Yuan Gang nodded once. "Fine."

Hao Qingqing moved to leave. As she passed beside him, she paused briefly and turned her head to look at the hard, sharply cut side of his face.

"Your face looks really ugly red."

With that, she strode away. The instant she turned, however, her eyes reddened. Tears glimmered in them. One slid down her cheek. It was an offering to something already lost. She raised her sleeve and wiped the tears away hard. Yuan Gang saw none of it... Qingshan Commandery, Maolu Villa. Niu Youdao held a watering pot and watered a flower. It was a black peony.

No one knew where Shang Shuqing had found it, but she had placed the plant in his courtyard. Guan Fangyi approached with her round fan swaying, hips moving gracefully. She glanced at the potted flower beside him and did not interrupt.

"Something happened?" Niu Youdao asked after setting down the watering pot.

Guan Fangyi stepped forward and handed him a sheet of paper. "Prince Ying Hao Zhen is remarrying. His bride is Shao Pingbo's younger sister, Shao Liuer."

Niu Youdao took the paper and read it. When he finished, he frowned in thought.

Then he gave a bitter laugh. "So that fellow has his eyes on Prince Ying too. Great minds really do think alike."

He sighed. "Another thirty thousand warhorses. Shao Pingbo truly knows how to make trouble. No matter what happens, the man simply refuses to stay down. It seems the death of the Princess Consort of Prince Ying very likely had something to do with Shao Pingbo. Hao Zhen, Hao Zhen. If you truly marry this woman, I'm afraid your two sons may be in danger."

Guan Fangyi blinked. "You mean Shao Liuer will kill Hao Zhen's sons?"

"I don't know whether Shao Liuer would. But I do know what kind of man Shao Pingbo is."

"If Hao Zhen never gains the supreme position, then nothing may happen. But if he ascends, Shao Pingbo will almost certainly eliminate the former Princess Consort's sons and clear the road for Shao Liuer's children."

Guan Fangyi said, "Didn't you say Shao Liuer already had another man and is no longer a virgin? Why not secretly tip Hao Zhen off and stop the marriage?"

Niu Youdao shook his head. "Hao Yuntu has agreed. Does Hao Zhen have room to refuse?"

"Besides, whether a woman is untouched matters to some people at some times, and doesn't matter at all at others. It depends on whether the man is marrying a wife or marrying for advantage."

"When it's time to pretend not to know, he can simply ignore it. Shao Pingbo has judged exactly what those people want, so he has nothing to fear. Why should I go out of my way to play the petty villain over a matter like this?"

"Shao Liuer has no control over her own fate either. There's no reason for me to torment that woman again and make her even more pitiful. It would gain me nothing."

Guan Fangyi asked, "Can you really watch those thirty thousand warhorses reach Beizhou? You don't want to stop them? I'd like to. Do you think they're so easy to stop? Thirty thousand warhorses can cross the State of Zhao without obstruction. Shao Pingbo must already have settled matters with the State of Zhao. Would he transport that many warhorses without guarding against sabotage? There may well be traps waiting for anyone who tries. Beizhou and Qingshan Commandery are too far apart. Our interests don't conflict. Tianyu Sect will not shed blood over something like this. If even the State of Han and the State of Yan can't stop the shipment, do you really think Liuxian Sect and the others can?"

The desert stretched vast and desolate without end. A Goldenwing descended from the sky. A group moving swiftly across the sands stopped atop a dune. Wrapped in a white cloak, Shao Pingbo looked out across the horizon.

After decoding the secret message, Shao Sansheng hurried to his side. "Eldest Young Master, your judgment was correct. That An Taiping really is connected to Niu Youdao."

"Lu Shengzhong replied. He says An Taiping should be one of Niu Youdao's trusted men. His true name should be Yuan Gang!"

Yuan Gang?

Shao Pingbo knew there was such a man beside Niu Youdao. He simply had not expected An Taiping to be Yuan Gang.

His cold gaze swept over. "Confirmed?"

"There should be no mistake. Lu Shengzhong said he once fell into Yuan Gang's hands. He's very familiar with him and recognized him at a glance."

Shao Pingbo frowned faintly. "Niu Youdao has already returned to Qingshan Commandery. Why would he leave such an easily exposed confidant behind?"

He could not quite make sense of it.

[End of Chapter 392]