Chapter 123: Zheng Fan’s Revenge

“This decree— this Marquis does not accept it.”

For a moment, Zheng Fan instinctively swallowed.

Were they about to start fighting for real?

Out of the corner of his eye, Zheng Fan glanced at the personal guards beside him.

Every one of them looked perfectly calm.

Even though their Marquis had just spoken words of outright disrespect.

Even though they were standing in the capital.

Not one of them showed the slightest disturbance.

Zheng Fan very much wanted to say:

Brothers.

This is not Yinlang Commandery.

This is the capital.

There are enormous numbers of Imperial Guards here.

Did none of you hear what your Marquis just said?

Reason told Zheng Fan that continuing to point his saber at Eunuch Wei Zhonghe was a very improper thing to do.

After all, Eunuch Wei was old.

Threatening the elderly violated traditional virtue.

But asking Zheng Fan to lower his saber now?

He could not do that either.

Once you boarded the Marquis of Jingnan’s ship, jumping off now only led to death.

The imperial decree had been issued to Third Prince Ji Chengyue.

Not to the Marquis of Jingnan.

So when the Marquis said, “This decree, this Marquis does not accept,” what he meant was that he did not acknowledge the Yan Emperor’s disposition of the matter.

Naturally, there was no possibility the Marquis simply loved his “nephew” too much and felt the punishment was excessive.

It could only mean he believed the punishment was too light.

The corner of Wei Zhonghe’s mouth twitched.

He said, “Marquis.

“Please be cautious with your words.”

As Eunuch Holding the Seal of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Wei Zhonghe might be a castrated man, but his status exceeded ninety-nine percent of all men in Yan who were not.

At this moment, he carried an imperial decree.

They were in the capital.

Logically, this should have been Wei Zhonghe’s true home field.

Yet even with the Marquis speaking and behaving like this, Wei Zhonghe still had no choice but to remain cautious and respectful.

“Harming frontier soldiers is to destroy the foundation upon which Great Yan was established.

“If generations of Great Yan’s sons had not shed their blood and died for the state, then today Great Yan might already have become grazing land for the barbarians— or the northern frontier of Qian and Jin.

“Confinement?”

The final word carried unmistakable mockery.

Translated plainly—

What?

He still gets to live?

Wei Zhonghe pressed both hands downward.

The horsetail whisk in his grip lowered with them.

With absolute sincerity, he said, “Marquis.

“This is His Majesty’s decree.”

Wei Zhonghe had no other move left.

He could only use those words.

In truth, that sentence was a checkmate weapon.

But it was also something like a Seven-Injury Fist.

As long as matters had not yet reached the point where needle met awl, there remained room to maneuver.

But once the final layer of face was torn away neither side would have much road left.

Yet under the Marquis of Jingnan’s relentless advance, Wei Zhonghe understood that he could retreat no farther.

“Wei Zhonghe.

“What enormous courage you possess— to dare forge an imperial decree!”

The Marquis of Jingnan stood.

His gaze locked directly onto Wei Zhonghe.

The Marquis did not choose to openly defy the decree.

Nor did he choose to question whether the decree applied to him.

Instead he kicked the entire problem back toward Wei Zhonghe.

The paper covering the window between them was already impossibly thin.

Anyone could pierce it with a finger.

The crucial question was who would be the one to pierce it first?

The Marquis of Jingnan was domineering.

He was arrogant.

But today he had entered the capital, neither entered the palace nor returned to his clan residence.

He had ridden directly into the Princes’ Residence to demand an accounting.

He was not the kind of subject who became frightened the moment he entered the capital.

Nor was he the kind of general who held a little military authority and spent every day terrified that the Emperor might suspect him.

Wei Zhonghe drew in a deep breath.

Faced with the Marquis’s accusation he actually did not dare openly confirm that the decree he had just proclaimed truly came from His Majesty.

It was not because he was cowardly.

It was not because fear had overwhelmed him.

He simply understood this card table could seat His Majesty.

It could seat the great aristocratic clans.

It could seat the Marquis of Zhenbei.

It could seat the Marquis of Jingnan.

But there was one person who had no seat there.

Wei Zhonghe.

He did not possess the qualification to play a card.

The Marquis of Jingnan ignored Wei Zhonghe’s silence.

Instead, he turned toward the former Third Prince standing behind him.

“Ji Chengyue.

“You pride yourself on having read widely.

“Then this Marquis asks you— do you know the saying:

‘The carpenter’s line does not bend around crooked wood, and the law does not favor the noble’?”

Ji Chengyue bowed.

Even though his closest personal companion and tutor had just died before his eyes, he still maintained his composure.

Perhaps at this point, composure was the only thing he had left.

“Reporting to the Marquis.

“Chengyue has read it.”

“Read it?”

“Yes.

“Chengyue has also read:

‘Rites do not descend to commoners, and punishments do not rise to great officers.’”

“That is precisely why this Marquis looks down upon you and the people around you.

“You truly believe that with nothing but mouths, you can make the barbarians stop riding south?

“You believe you can make Jin and Qian never dare invade north?”

“Chengyue is not so naïve.”

“Naïve?”

“Chengyue lost.

“Father Emperor has punished me.

“That is the consequence Chengyue deserves.

“But in Chengyue’s view— it is precisely because Great Yan possesses people like you, Marquis of Jingnan, and the Marquis of Zhenbei because it possesses the Marquis of Zhenbei’s estate, the Zhenbei Army, and all the aristocratic clans under heaven people who do not respect ritual, who do not uphold morality, who disregard their sovereign, who forget the virtue required of ministers that Great Yan has reached its present condition!

“That is why the aristocratic clans can force Father Emperor to yield!

“That is why two hundred thousand Zhenbei troops now press against the frontier!

“That is why you, Marquis of Jingnan— dare stand before an imperial decree without kneeling!”

The more Ji Chengyue spoke, the more excited he became.

He shouted, “Without rules, no square or circle can be formed!

“Without the bonds of morality, the human heart cannot be ordered!

“Everyone pursues private profit and forgets righteousness!

“Everyone stares only at the boots beneath his feet and abandons the gods above his head!

“This— is Great Yan’s present state!

“This— is the sickness that has plagued Great Yan for a century!

“My teachers were willing to help Chengyue because they believed Chengyue could create an age of peace for Great Yan!

“Chengyue lacked talent and learning and ultimately failed to achieve it.

“Today, Marquis of Jingnan, if you wish to humiliate Chengyue, then humiliate me.

“Chengyue will accept it!

“Perfect.

“Let the entire realm see exactly what kind of man the Marquis of Jingnan of Great Yan truly is— a lawless brute who ignores his sovereign and acts without restraint!”

Ji Chengyue’s cheeks had turned red.

Sweat seeped from the pores of his skin.

Zheng Fan narrowed his eyes.

The Third Prince looked refined and elegant, but his constitution was surprisingly weak.

Damn.

Had he been taking mineral powder?

Truthfully, everything the Prince had just said sounded magnificent.

But to Zheng Fan it was almost laughably childish.

He did not feel moved at all.

Instead, he began wondering whether this bastard had already been brainwashed by Qian’s “cultural export” and become a Qian-worshipper.

Seriously.

In this era under these circumstances it was almost impossible to understand.

It was like later generations:

Someone who worshiped Germany?

Sure, you could understand the logic.

Someone who worshiped France?

Maybe less so.

Someone who worshiped Britain?

Fine.

But had anyone ever met someone who worshiped Portugal?

Just as Zheng Fan’s thoughts began drifting away he suddenly discovered that the Marquis of Jingnan was looking at him.

Was this a signal for him to speak?

Zheng Fan did not dare ask the Marquis directly.

That would make his boss lose too much face.

What Zheng Fan himself did not realize was this:

During his interactions with the Sixth Prince and the Marquis of Jingnan, all those cheap little sayings and later-generation quips he mass-produced had already convinced both of them that he was someone skilled at argument and reflection.

In other words, a king of verbal combat.

In ancient times, if you could speak well if your words sounded good if you were strong with your mouth that itself was a talent.

And powerful men valued that sort of talent greatly.

Zheng Fan stepped forward.

His mind began searching through everything he remembered about Yan etiquette.

But to avoid making a mistake he first dropped to one knee and saluted the Marquis of Jingnan.

The Marquis said nothing.

Zheng Fan turned.

He saluted Wei Zhonghe.

“This subordinate greets Eunuch Wei.”

Truthfully, after seeing the older eunuch’s emotional reaction when Wei Zhen died, Zheng Fan suddenly felt that if castration were not part of the package, taking this Eunuch Wei as godfather might not be such a bad deal.

Unfortunately, Zheng Fan already had Siniang.

They had not yet crossed home plate, but the gradual progression felt excellent.

He was nowhere near desperate enough to purify himself.

Wei Zhonghe glanced at Zheng Fan.

He said nothing.

Then Zheng Fan stood.

He looked directly at the Third Prince.

This man was already a commoner.

No salute required.

Besides, Zheng Fan’s own boss had already behaved this outrageously.

Following behind and indulging in a tiny bit of arrogance himself should not matter.

“Third Highness’s words just now were truly enlightening.

“They struck this humble officer like thunder and opened my mind.”

Ji Chengyue looked at Zheng Fan with some confusion.

“Who are you?”

Hiss…

That question genuinely hurt.

But Zheng Fan still answered, “Reporting to Your Highness.

“This humble officer is Zheng Fan, Garrison Commander of Willow Fort in Yinlang Commandery.

“I am the man Your Highness tried to kill.”

“You?”

“This humble officer himself.

“One question has troubled this humble officer for a very long time.

“Why did Your Highness want to kill me?”

“You disgraced an academy.

“You defiled a place of Great Yan’s culture.

“You deserved death!”

That was the only legitimate reason he could openly give.

Everyone understood the deeper reason.

Other people could say it aloud.

Third Highness could not.

“This humble officer received an order from the Secret Intelligence Department.

“Huaiya Academy was harboring Qian spies and obstructed the Secret Intelligence Department from making arrests.

“This humble officer therefore led troops to assist the Department in seizing them.

“The Secret Intelligence Department belongs to the palace administration and answers beneath Eunuch Wei.”

Wei Zhonghe narrowed his eyes.

In truth, the Yinlang Commandery branch of the Secret Intelligence Department had long since separated from direct central control.

Its person in charge had even climbed into the Marquis of Jingnan’s bed.

But Wei Zhonghe could not say that aloud.

Nor could he refute Zheng Fan.

Great Yan’s Secret Intelligence Department still required dignity.

“And Eunuch Wei follows His Majesty’s orders.

“By that reasoning— this humble officer was acting under His Majesty’s command when I went to the academy to seize criminals.

“So in Your Highness’s eyes—

His Majesty himself is also someone who disgraces culture and deserves death.”

“Insolence!” Third Highness roared.

Wei Zhonghe remained silent.

The Marquis of Jingnan remained silent as well.

“Your Highness, please remember.

“You are already nothing more than a commoner.

“This humble officer still calls you ‘Your Highness’ purely out of courtesy.

“By Great Yan’s rites, when an ordinary commoner meets a Garrison Commander, he should kneel, salute, and call him ‘My Lord.’”

“Heh.”

“Your Highness said earlier that everything you did was for Great Yan’s realm— that you wished to establish the destiny of Great Yan’s people and create ten thousand generations of peace.

“Listening to such words made even this humble officer’s blood heat and heart surge.

“This humble officer even thought— if the person Your Highness wanted to kill had not been me perhaps I would secretly support you.

“I might cheer for you.

“I might even praise you inside my heart.

“But Your Highness keeps declaring that the Marquis of Zhenbei disregards the sovereign and that the Marquis of Jingnan ignores law and order.

“Does Your Highness know— who made the barbarians fear riding south for a century?

“Who made Qian afraid to send even a single horse north?

“You chant morality and ritual.

“You hold the writings of sages in your hands.

“You dress yourself in elegance and purity.

“That— is Your Highness.

“But behind the curtain— you use private conspiracies, murder loyal officers, and frame your own brothers.

“That— is also Your Highness.

“This humble officer is only a rough man.

“But in this humble officer’s view— no matter how great the reason, no matter how great the slogan, no matter how great the goal if achieving it requires methods born from darkness then why does that goal deserve to be achieved at all?”

“You…”

The Third Prince pointed at Zheng Fan.

For a moment, he could not speak.

Zheng Fan remained perfectly calm.

Wei Zhonghe smiled faintly.

Then said, “Only today did We learn Garrison Commander Zheng possesses such talent for argument.

“We will remember it.”

“Eunuch Wei praises this humble officer too highly.”

Zheng Fan had finished his output.

He had no idea why the Marquis of Jingnan had shoved him forward to babble for a while.

But since the boss had given the signal, naturally Zheng Fan had to perform.

Now it was time to return to his proper lackey position.

Yet Zheng Fan had misunderstood.

Before he could step back the Marquis of Jingnan spoke.

“Zheng Fan.”

“This general is here.”

“Do you wish for revenge?”

The enemy stood directly before him.

Do you want revenge?

On the surface, it sounded like a question.

In reality, one possible answer had already been erased.

Ever since finishing the roast duck earlier the Marquis of Jingnan had led soldiers here with drums beating and gongs sounding, loudly proclaiming that he was taking revenge for Zheng Fan.

And now Zheng Fan was supposed to say:

Ah, I am magnanimous.

I forgive him.

Where would that leave the Marquis of Jingnan?

“Revenge.”

Zheng Fan gave the only answer.

The Marquis of Jingnan continued calmly, “Your enemy is standing in front of you.

“You are here.

“What are you still waiting for?”

“…”

Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan believed that if he had previously been nothing more than a background character in this era, then right now the spotlight had finally fallen directly upon him.

He was not the protagonist.

He probably did not even qualify as a supporting male lead.

But for a brief moment he had finally received the chance to step from backstage into the foreground.

The problem was this opportunity was a little too hot to hold.

Fortunately, Zheng Fan had one advantage.

He had already died once.

When something genuinely reached the point of no retreat, he was actually much better at letting go.

Identity?

Status?

Future consequences?

Hatred?

Fuck all of it.

The matter before him was actually very simple.

This little bastard had tried to kill him.

And he had nearly sent Zheng Fan, Xue San, and the Blind Man back into the furnace together for a complete remake.

Now the bastard stood directly before him.

Then Zheng Fan truly ought to teach him a lesson.

Zheng Fan walked toward Third Highness.

Wei Zhonghe’s gaze sharpened.

He looked at Zheng Fan.

A pressure surged directly toward him.

In old martial-arts films, eunuchs generally knew kung fu.

Zheng Fan knew that the eunuch before him probably possessed something far beyond ordinary kung fu.

The arts of a qi refiner, to normal people, were already nearly indistinguishable from immortal techniques.

But Zheng Fan had not grown up easily frightened.

He ignored Wei Zhonghe’s warning and continued until he stood directly before Third Highness.

The Third Prince calmly looked at Zheng Fan.

Inside that gaze, Zheng Fan suddenly recognized the same feeling he himself had possessed as a child when squatting on the ground and staring at ants.

Put simply it made you want to punch him.

“Your Highness.

“You should say now:

‘Try laying a hand on this Prince and see what happens.’”

“Why should this Prince say that?”

“Because it would make hitting you feel better.”

“This Prince would like to see whether you truly dare—”

“SMACK!”

One slap.

Third Highness spun half a turn.

His left cheek instantly turned crimson.

Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Wei Zhonghe’s eyes widened.

Even Great Yan’s foremost eunuch, a man who had witnessed countless storms, seemed unable to believe the scene before him.

A burst of humiliation and rage flooded Third Highness.

He shouted, “Even if this Prince has been reduced to a commoner, imperial blood still flows in this Prince’s veins!

“How dare you—”

“SMACK!”

Zheng Fan slapped him again.

Zheng Fan understood perfectly well that today, he was most likely being used as the spear in the Marquis of Jingnan’s hand.

But that was fine.

At least right now being that spear felt damned good.

In the next instant—

Zheng Fan grabbed Third Highness by his topknot.

He punched him in the abdomen.

Then yanked down hard by the hair.

Third Highness knew no martial arts.

And his body had already been weakened from secretly taking mineral powder.

He immediately curled up on the ground like a pale shrimp paste ball.

Zheng Fan originally intended to stop there.

He turned.

Looked toward the Marquis of Jingnan.

Only to discover the Marquis had already turned sideways.

He appeared to be admiring the scenery.

Still not enough?

“How dare you…

“How dare you…”

Truthfully, Princes were still human beings.

Strip away the mysterious veil around them.

Break apart their plots and schemes.

And they were not much different from ordinary people.

What people feared had never been the person himself.

It was the power represented behind him.

If this was not enough then increase the stakes.

Zheng Fan picked up his saber.

Wei Zhonghe immediately looked toward the Marquis of Jingnan.

“He is still an imperial Prince!”

The Marquis of Jingnan continued admiring the scenery.

Zheng Fan silently threw the saber itself onto the ground.

He kept only the scabbard.

Only then did Wei Zhonghe close his eyes.

His final line the one thing he could still accept was that the man could not die.

Zheng Fan drew in a deep breath.

Then slowly released it.

“Bang!”

He kicked the Third Prince.

The Third Prince rolled onto his back.

Zheng Fan sat directly across his legs.

He jammed the scabbard against the Prince’s knee.

Then, applied force.

“CRACK!”

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!”

The Third Prince screamed horribly.

Fuck.

Why am I a little excited?

Zheng Fan raised his head and looked toward the Marquis again.

The Marquis still seemed deeply captivated by the scenery of the Princes’ Residence.

Fine.

Continue.

Zheng Fan seized the Third Prince’s left arm.

He wedged the scabbard against it again.

Then—

“CRACK!”

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!”

Hoo.

Comfortable.

Truthfully, Zheng Fan did not enjoy torturing people.

But if the person being tortured was a Prince well…

Once human beings escaped the basic material needs of food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, did they not naturally begin pursuing a richer spiritual life?

Next the right arm.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!”

All four limbs were ruined.

Zheng Fan stood.

The violent mental stimulation left him faintly dizzy.

He believed it would not take long before everything the Marquis of Jingnan had done today spread throughout the capital.

Soon after throughout all of Yan.

And Zheng Fan himself the “executioner” who had personally crippled an imperial Prince’s four limbs would certainly become famous as well.

The Third Prince lay on the ground.

He could no longer even scream.

He was not dead.

But his eyes had become almost completely empty.

Wei Zhonghe’s face had remained rigid for a very, very long time.

Zheng Fan picked up the scabbard.

He stood.

Then looked toward the Marquis of Jingnan again.

The Marquis still had his back turned.

Still admiring the scenery.

Zheng Fan gritted his teeth.

He raised the scabbard in his hand.

Before Wei Zhonghe’s utterly stunned eyes—

Zheng Fan brought the scabbard crashing down between Third Highness’s legs.

“SMACK!”

(End of Chapter)