Chapter 36: The Liu Clan of Beifeng!

After arriving in this world, there had been many nights when Zheng Fan lay awake in bed, tossing and turning.

Many people experienced a similar dazed sensation the first time they traveled abroad to a country with a different regional culture.

What Zheng Fan faced now, however, was a new world that had overturned every rule and familiarity he had once known.

He felt no sense of belonging to this world.

He had few memories tied to it.

That was why he was willing to go mad alongside these Demon Kings under him.

More precisely, this place, this world, to Zheng Fan felt more like a screen he was watching from a cinema seat.

No matter how realistic the effects, he could never completely immerse himself in it.

Would you cry in sorrow because you deleted an ordinary document from your computer?

“Master’s suggestion is unexpectedly good,” A’Ming said.

Fan Li nodded, still wearing his honest expression.

“They would be grateful to Master for removing the burden of their relatives.”

The direction of the conversation was gradually turning toward an extreme.

Just then, Xue San appeared below the dirt slope.

...

Xue San had been responsible for shadowing the escort team.

For him to return early could only mean something had happened.

The Blind Man Bei and Feng Siniang immediately stopped what they were doing and returned to the slope as well.

“This may be more complicated than we thought.

“While I was following the escort team, I discovered another group was watching them too.

“Obviously, another faction is also interested in that mounted-bandit leader Ding Hao.”

After listening, the Blind Man Bei sighed.

“Competition for private tutors is fierce these days.”

“We reserved him first.

“They should at least respect first come, first served,” Feng Siniang said as though it were only natural.

She had completely forgotten that they themselves had learned of the matter only last night from a maidservant in the Patrol Lieutenant Commander’s residence.

The Blind Man Bei turned toward Zheng Fan.

His tone was extremely sincere.

“We still need Master to make the decision.”

Zheng Fan looked at the saber in his hands, which he had been sharpening for ages.

“What’s wrong with having someone scout the road for us?

“The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

“Wouldn’t being the oriole feel even better?”

The Blind Man Bei, A’Ming, Liang Cheng, Xue San, Feng Siniang, and Fan Li all stepped backward at once.

They cupped their hands, bowed, and declared together, “Master is wise!”

...

“Wang Li.

“Little Li.

“Lieutenant Commander Wang.

“Lord Wang?

“Hehehe...

“Hahahahaha...”

Patrol Lieutenant Commander Wang—who was not actually Old Wang from next door despite being thoroughly “Old-Wanged” by Old Wang next door was a handsome man.

He wore the standard black armor of the Great Yan military, which made him look exceptionally valiant.

“Brother Hao, have some wine.”

Wang Li tossed the wineskin in his hand into the prison cart.

Ding Hao clamped it between his wrists, bit out the stopper with his teeth, then pressed his mouth to the opening.

With his backside sticking up, he began gulping down the wine.

The posture was far too awkward, and he drank far too quickly.

“Cough... cough... cough...”

Ding Hao dropped to his knees inside the cage and began coughing violently.

Wang Li turned his gaze away.

He could not bear to keep watching.

The man inside that prison cart had once been his superior.

His elder brother in all but blood.

His teacher.

Even Wang Li’s wife had been introduced to him by Ding Hao.

His wife was gentle and beautiful, educated and sensible.

So Wang Li had always been grateful to Ding Hao.

Perhaps this was fate’s idea of a joke.

Wang Li had never imagined there would come a day when he rode outside on horseback while Ding Hao, with the tendons of both hands and feet severed, knelt inside a prison cart.

“Thanks, Li.”

After he finished coughing, Ding Hao leaned against one corner of the cage.

A smile tugged at his lips.

“Tiger Head City isn’t far ahead.

“We’ll rest inside the city tonight.

“I’ll have someone make you a bowl of Tiger Head City minced-meat noodles and bring it over.”

“Hehehe...

“Hahahahaha...”

Ding Hao burst out laughing.

Then the movement pulled at his injuries and sent him into another fit of violent coughing.

He coughed like a dog.

Wang Li remained mounted.

The escort party consisted mostly of cavalry, but the prison cart could not move quickly.

So everyone had slowed their horses to match it.

“Li.

“Listen to your brother.

“Take the men under you and leave.

“Abandon me here.”

Wang Li looked at Ding Hao inside the cage in confusion.

They had not seen each other in many years, but he did not believe the man who had once been his elder brother had somehow become an idiot.

“They won’t let me live.”

“Who?”

“You sure you want to hear it?”

Wang Li shook his head.

A little lost, he said, “I don’t know.”

“The Liu Clan of Beifeng won’t let me go.

“It would have been fine if I died outside.

“But they can’t possibly allow me to return alive to Tiger Head City and stand trial.

“Especially not now, with His Majesty determined to weaken the feudal lords.”

The moment Wang Li heard the words “Liu Clan of Beifeng,” his eyelid twitched.

When people throughout the world—including the people of Yan themselves—spoke of the great clans of Beifeng Commandery, their first thought was naturally the Li Clan of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

But those who truly understood the situation, especially those within the aristocratic clan networks and imperial bureaucracy, all knew that there was another family in Beifeng Commandery standing alongside the household of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

The Liu Clan of Beifeng.

In fact, during the long and brutal years of the Great Yan–Barbarian Wars a century ago, the family that had rendered the most service and contributed the greatest effort had actually been the Liu Clan of Beifeng.

The ancestor of the Li Clan, by contrast, had achieved his greatest military feat on the southern battlefield against Qian.

Yet he had been enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhenbei.

That had been the balancing strategy of the Yan ruler of that generation.

Otherwise, once the war ended, the locally entrenched Liu Clan of Beifeng could likely have swallowed the entirety of Beifeng Commandery before long.

The establishment of the Marquis of Zhenbei’s household was therefore equivalent to driving a nail into Beifeng Commandery, one intended to restrain the local Liu Clan.

But circumstances changed over time.

A century later, the iron chain once used to restrain the evil dragon had gradually transformed into a new evil dragon itself.

The current Emperor of Yan, seeking to centralize power, now had no choice but to strike first at the household of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

Because that household controlled the Great Yan Dynasty’s most elite frontier field army the Zhenbei Army.

Whatever the case, the Liu Clan of Beifeng and the household of the Marquis of Zhenbei one hidden in shadow, the other standing openly in the light were the two greatest powers in Beifeng Commandery.

The Liu Clan might be unable to lay hands on Beifeng Commandery’s greatest killing weapon, the Zhenbei Army, but the sheer number of its descendants and the influence created by its clan-based social network were enough to cast a shadow across more than half the commandery.

“Back then, I led a detachment to arrest a group of smugglers.

“By sheer coincidence, we seized the wrong caravan.

“And then we discovered a massive quantity of weapons and armor.

“Those were military supplies the Liu Clan of Beifeng was sending to support the barbarian Royal Court.

“They were of exceptional quality—no different from the equipment used by the Zhenbei Army itself!”

As Ding Hao spoke, a profound hatred surfaced in his eyes.

Wang Li’s mouth went dry.

But by force of habit, he still asked, “So, Brother... did you report it to your superior?”

“You think I was stupid?”

Ding Hao suddenly laughed again.

Then came another bout of heart-rending coughing.

Only after it subsided did Ding Hao grit his teeth.

“That was the Liu Clan of Beifeng.

“The Liu Clan of Beifeng!

“How would I dare provoke them?”

“Then why did you...?”

“Hehehe.

“In the end, that superior of mine—I don’t know whether he wanted to curry favor with the Liu Clan or whether the Liu Clan had directly instructed him—sent men to seize my family.

“They used them to force me to submit and join their side.

“But then... then... your sister-in-law was frightened.

“She was already pregnant at the time.

“Because of the shock, she lost the child.

“I bowed my head.

“I submitted.

“I agreed to join them.

“I was even willing to make a blood pledge proving my loyalty!

“But my wife lost the child in her belly.

“And by the time I learned the news and returned home, I discovered that after losing the child, my wife had hanged herself!”

Ding Hao slammed both elbows violently against the floor of the prison cart.

His madness was plain.

“I hated them!

“I had already decided to become their dog!

“I had even agreed that next time, I would personally arrange troops to escort their goods and conduct trade with the barbarian Royal Court!

“I agreed to everything!

“All I wanted was to keep my family safe!

“And what did I get?”

“So...”

“Yes.

“That night, I went to my superior’s home alone.

“And wiped out his entire household!”

Ding Hao raised his head.

“Li.

“That night was the first time I ever felt grateful that I had become a graded Martial Artist.

“At least I still had the power to take revenge with my own hands!

“But at the same time, I thought—what the hell is a Ninth Grade Martial Artist worth?

“I couldn’t even protect my own wife and child!”

Only then did Wang Li finally understand what had truly happened years ago.

He still remembered that summer several years back, when news arrived from Tuman City.

He had been stunned beyond words.

The elder brother who had always promoted and supported him, after being transferred upward to Tuman City, had suddenly slaughtered his superior’s entire household and fled the city.

Half a year later, news arrived that Ding Hao had become an outlaw in the desert.

But at the same time, sweat suddenly began gathering in Wang Li’s palms.

“Li.

“Now you understand?”

Wang Li said nothing.

His teeth bit into his lip until blood nearly appeared.

“Beikang City.

“Tiger Head City.

“Tuman City.

“We’re almost at Tiger Head City now.

“A Zhenbei Army patrol under the Li Clan operates around Tuman City.

“For them to make a move there would be too dangerous.

“So they can only act within Tiger Head City’s territory.

“They cannot allow me to reach Tuman City alive.

“In the past, of course they wouldn’t have cared.

“I was a rebel with both hands stained in blood.

“An outlaw who had betrayed the Great Yan Dynasty.

“But now?

“Our emperor’s intention to weaken the feudal lords is already obvious.

“He has already moved against the Marquis of Zhenbei.

“How could he possibly spare the Liu Clan of Beifeng afterward?

“And I—

“I am the perfect excuse.

“The perfect justification!”

Ding Hao raised his head and looked at Wang Li riding beside him.

“Leave me here now and go.

“At most, you’ll be charged with privately releasing a major criminal.

“With some maneuvering, you might be demoted to a gate guard.

“At least you won’t die here with me.”

One of Wang Li’s hands clenched the reins so tightly that his face had begun to turn pale.

“There’s another road,” Ding Hao said.

“What road...?”

“Kill me right now.

“It will still be a serious crime.

“You’ll still be demoted.

“But there’s a chance you can establish a connection with the Liu Clan of Beifeng.

“They’ll be grateful to you.

“Even if the emperor wants to weaken the feudal lords, who knows whether he’ll actually succeed?

“And even if he does, a centipede dies but never falls over.

“The Liu Clan will still have roots.

“Perhaps from then on you’ll enter the service of a great household.

“And one day, you might even win your wife an honorific title.”

Wang Li’s breathing grew rapid.

Struggle appeared in his eyes.

“I don’t mind giving you my life, Brother.

“Use it to pave your road.

“That would settle the fate between us.

“But you’d better decide quickly.

“Don’t delay.

“Otherwise...”

Bang!

A muffled explosion suddenly tore through the previously calm air, throwing sand and dust into the sky.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Shrill whistles ripped through the air.

The armor worn by the Tiger Head City cavalry might as well have been paper.

Heavy bolts punched straight through it.

In an instant, men fell everywhere.

“They’ve made their move!

“Kill me now!

“Otherwise you’ll die too!”

Ding Hao roared at Wang Li outside the prison cart.

...

“Those military crossbows are damn powerful.”

Watching the scene ahead, Zheng Fan clicked his tongue in amazement.

The Blind Man Bei turned toward Feng Siniang beside him.

“Write that down.

“Buy them.”

“The sabers those assassins are carrying aren’t ordinary either, are they?

“They’re snapping the Tiger Head soldiers’ sabers straight apart.”

The Blind Man Bei solemnly instructed Feng Siniang again.

“Write that down.

“Buy them!”

“That thing that kicked up the sand just now—was it some sort of talisman scroll?

“The effect looks pretty good.”

“Write it down.

“Buy it!”

Zheng Fan drew a deep breath.

He raised his head and looked at the setting sun hanging in the dusk sky.

Ahead of him lay a bloody killing field, a scene of carnage perfectly matched by the evening glow.

Unable to help himself, he sighed.

“The sunset... is beautiful.”

“Write that down—

“Uh...”

(End of Chapter)