Chapter 713: Vengeance

Life ought to taste a little more like living.

Ever since the first dispute over what path they should take, back at the inn in Tiger Head City, that had been Zheng Fan's creed, and the creed of the Demon Kings around him.

You could choose to scrape by. You could choose to kneel.

But only on one condition: when you knelt and scraped by, you had to be able to see the light on the ground ahead of you.

Right now, the new sovereign had only just ascended the throne. There were far too many things requiring attention. This was, after all, a profound reshuffling of power.

As the publicly acknowledged backbone of the Sixth Master's faction, Marquis Zheng had cooperated with the new sovereign for years. In truth, their relationship had long since gone beyond mere political partnership.

He held military authority. His status was exalted. By all logic, this was precisely when he should remain beside the new sovereign and fish as many good cards as possible from the pool while power was being redistributed.

Even taking ten thousand steps backward, if he wanted to cultivate prestige by remaining unmoving as a mountain, there was still no need to rush out at a moment like this and strike at one of the true organizational pillars of the empire's second-highest center of power.

The new sovereign needed stability.

If something like this happened now, it would inevitably damage that stability.

Yes, the new sovereign had opened a convenient door for him.

But that was a compromise made after weighing interests. If the Emperor compromised here, then later, on other matters, he would inevitably try to earn that concession back.

At the highest level, business was the trade of favors.

Zheng Fan understood perfectly well that this time he was not merely spending favor.

He was damaging it.

But... he did not care.

He had crawled upward with enormous difficulty. He had not done all that merely so he could continue repeating the same timid motions after reaching the top.

For years, I've campaigned north and south, fought through life and death. What I wanted was exactly this: when the critical moment comes, when I need something, I can act openly and freely!

Old Tian had saved his life several times.

Old Tian had taught him many things as well.

And so... the vengeance Tian Wujing could not take...

Zheng Fan would take for him.

The man Tian Wujing could not kill...

Zheng Fan would kill.

Perhaps you thought the Prince of Jingnan of Great Yan could endure it, and had no choice but to endure it.

But perhaps you did not know...

Marquis Pingxi of Great Yan could not tolerate being wronged in the slightest.

What imperial succession?

What rise and fall of dynasties?

He had called Tian Wujing "Brother" more than once.

Old Tian had protected him like a younger brother more than once.

So today... he had to avenge his sister-in-law!

After walking out of the palace gates, Marquis Zheng drew in a deep breath.

He could smell it.

The scent of the jianghu.

He was clearly dressed in armor.

Behind him stood the vast imperial palace.

Yet somehow... at this very moment... it felt as though one step had carried him straight into the jianghu, that same jianghu he and Old Tian had always looked down upon.

A'Ming's carriage stood outside the palace gates.

Marquis Zheng climbed inside.

The Sword Saint was already sitting there.

The Sword Saint was not permitted to enter the imperial palace. The moment he stepped inside, experts of the Secret Intelligence Department would certainly move with him. Perhaps even Eunuch Wei himself would have to appear and invite the Sword Saint for tea.

But elsewhere in Yanjing, the Sword Saint could move freely.

After all, everyone knew it.

More than that, Yan people took pride in it.

See that?

The Sword Saint of Jin is nothing more than one of Great Yan Marquis Pingxi's running dogs!

Yet the Sword Saint sitting inside the carriage looked nothing like a running dog.

He was warming himself over a charcoal brazier with Marquis Zheng's snow-wolf blanket draped across his legs. When Marquis Zheng came in, the Sword Saint even frowned slightly, annoyed that Zheng Fan had let cold air into the carriage.

Marquis Zheng, by contrast, was practically glowing.

"Heh." The Sword Saint suddenly laughed.

Zheng Fan sat down.

"What are you laughing at?"

"If I told anyone, nobody would believe me. Right now, you remind me of some green young fool who has only just entered the jianghu."

Marquis Zheng rubbed his hands together and held them over the brazier.

He nodded.

"That's actually exactly how I feel."

"You're making your move?" the Sword Saint asked.

"Yes."

Zheng Fan admitted it without hesitation.

"Is this appropriate?"

"If you don't care, then there isn't much in this world that's inappropriate."

"True enough. So do I need to act?"

"Yes. We only have one chance. If it fails, trying to kill him a second time inside Yanjing will be almost impossible."

Unless Zheng Fan truly rebelled, brought troops into the city, and attacked openly.

Whether that could succeed was one question.

The larger problem was that he had promised Old Tian to keep the Black Dragon Banner standing.

He could not avenge Old Tian by destroying the very banner Old Tian treasured most.

"Once I draw my sword, there will be no hiding it."

When Longyuan cried out, all Yanjing would know.

Ordinary people could perhaps be fooled.

But some people could never be deceived.

No matter how cautious he was, no matter how carefully he restrained the clamor of his sword qi, once the fight ended, anyone with sufficient understanding could inspect the site and work out who had drawn a sword there.

The Sword Saint was reminding him of that.

"No need to hide it." Marquis Zheng looked at the Sword Saint and said very seriously, "From the very beginning, use your strongest sword technique. Don't hold anything back. Don't conceal anything."

The Sword Saint's expression became faintly amused.

"And if we're discovered?"

Zheng Fan smiled.

"They'll pretend they discovered nothing."

The Sword Saint nodded.

"Do you know? Someone once said almost the same thing to me with almost the same expression."

"Oh? Who?"

"Situ Lei."

The Sword Saint shifted into a more comfortable position and tugged the blanket higher.

"Back then I asked Situ Lei, what if we leave traces and someone discovers them? I can simply walk away afterward. What will you do? Situ Lei said: they'll pretend they know nothing."

At that time, Situ Lei had already monopolized power within the Situ Clan and stood first in line to inherit it.

Unless he literally chased the old patriarch of the Situ Clan through Yingdu with a saber in hand... as long as there remained one thin layer of plausible cover, everyone in Great Cheng would insist the old patriarch had died of illness and Situ Lei's succession was perfectly natural.

If your status was high enough, you could blur the rules.

Higher still, and you could bend them.

Higher beyond that... and you could write the rules yourself.

People liked to say that when an imperial prince broke the law, he was punished like a commoner.

But if that were truly normal, there would have been no need to single out the saying in the first place.

The fact that it had to be emphasized proved how rare it was.

And how unrealistic.

"It's an honor to be placed beside the Founding Emperor of Cheng State."

"How different are you from Situ Lei back then? Other than Yingdu not being in your hands."

"There is still a difference."

"Where?"

"Situ Lei was truly master of his own house. Me? Half yes, half no. The new sovereign needs me to stabilize eastern Jin. And once Old Tian returns, he'll need me to help stabilize Old Tian's side as well. On top of that, for Great Yan's future wars, he still wants to keep me hitched to Great Yan's chariot. So right now, I'm very free. If the family property isn't really mine, I don't need to fear smashing the vase while trying to hit the rat. Whoever cares more loses more."

"Freedom? Truly, it is rare to see you willingly make a losing trade."

"This isn't a trade."

"Not a trade?"

"No. Compared with the time you stood beneath Snow Sea Pass and went to kill Gelimu, this is nothing. You were wagering your own life. Me? I'm still doing rather well. At most, I'm giving up some benefits. Not even fundamental ones. You do business to make money. You make money so that someday you can do things that aren't business. Not merely eat, drink, and keep a household. Sometimes you repair a courtyard, raise an opera troupe... simply so you can waste money on something you enjoy."

"Heh. But you've forgotten something."

"What?"

"Every previous time you asked me to act, you negotiated a condition with me first. This time, you haven't."

"Because before, whenever I asked you to draw your sword, it was for military affairs or court affairs. This time it isn't."

"Killing the sitting Chancellor isn't a court affair?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"This time, I'm asking you as a friend to help me settle an old jianghu grievance."

"So we don't even need to discuss the terms?" the Sword Saint asked.

"Do we?"

The Sword Saint closed his eyes.

"No. We really don't."

At that moment, one night resurfaced in the Sword Saint's mind.

That woman... holding a child in her arms... had knocked on his door.

Then handed the child to him.

He had asked:

Do you know who I am?

She had answered:

Yes.

He had asked:

You know who I am, and you're still giving the child to me?

She had answered:

Yes.

That woman had already been dead for several years.

...

The carriage entered Marquis Pingxi Residence.

A map had been spread across the floor of the inner hall.

It showed half of Yanjing.

Zheng Fan sat in the seat of honor.

The Sword Saint sat in a chair below.

Everyone else, Siniang, A'Ming, Fan Li, Xue San, and Xu Chuang, stood on either side of the map.

This was a jianghu assassination.

Too many people would only get in the way.

Besides, with the Sword Saint anchoring the strike, the force gathered here already counted as the most luxurious possible lineup by jianghu standards.

"San'er. Explain it."

Over the past several days, Marquis Zheng had been wandering around clutching the Son of Heaven's sword and getting mixed up in the succession struggle.

Xue San, meanwhile, had spent all his time scouting, calculating, and planning this revenge assassination.

He was an assassin by trade.

Naturally, he understood this work better than anyone.

"Yes, Master."

Xue San walked onto the map holding a bamboo pointer.

He tapped the imperial palace.

"Every night, after Zhao Jiulang leaves his post, he exits the palace, takes Imperial Avenue, turns onto Xiping Street, follows Xiping Street to the end, then turns south into Nanping Ward and returns to the Chancellor's residence.

"Truthfully, there aren't many good places where we can strike."

Most residences belonging to princes, dukes, and great ministers stood within the inner city.

Yanjing resembled a set of boxes inside boxes. The largest, outermost area held the greatest population, so naturally it housed ordinary people. Even there, east and west were divided to mark the ridiculous differences between rich and poor.

The true powerful and noble lived inside the inner city.

It made going to court and going to one's yamen convenient.

Zhao Jiulang's Chancellor's residence had been granted to him by the Emperor of Yan years ago.

Naturally, it could not be too far from the imperial palace.

"Nanping Ward has too many powerful families. There are household guards everywhere, and some families keep experts as retainers. If we attack there, unnecessary trouble will come swarming in.

"Especially because this time we aren't openly carrying the Marquis Residence banner while going out to kill a man. If outsiders see the Chancellor's carriage being attacked, they will certainly intervene.

"So the best place for us to strike, with the least wasted effort, is here..."

Xue San drew an oval across the map around one street.

"Xiping Street."

He licked his lips and continued.

"Once the Chancellor's carriage leaves the palace and enters Xiping Street, we place five hundred Jingnan cavalry at the entrance and another five hundred at the far end. Seal both ends."

"We're using troops?" the Sword Saint asked.

Xue San immediately smiled apologetically.

"Only in case something unexpected happens. It's normal military movement. Normal redeployment. The troops won't participate in the actual strike. The real work is still ours."

Two cavalry detachments blocking both ends of Xiping Street would eliminate ninety percent of the outside complications.

Everyone in this room could then focus completely on the carriage carrying the Chancellor.

The Sword Saint looked at Zheng Fan.

"This is the jianghu you were talking about?"

Zheng Fan answered:

"Which great jianghu sect doesn't have the shadow of official power behind it?"

The Sword Saint nodded.

"Fair."

Very often, the jianghu existed precisely to do things that officials found inconvenient to do themselves.

Xue San looked around and concluded:

"When the time comes, Lord Sword Saint will be the main attacker. We'll support you."

"Good."

The Sword Saint showed no hesitation.

He had agreed.

So he would do it.

Zheng Fan then looked toward Xu Chuang.

"If this assassination succeeds, you regain your freedom."

"Thank you, Marquis!"

Xu Chuang dropped to his knees and kowtowed.

"This Marquis entered the capital with few people at his side, so I hope you will do everything you can to serve me. And I'm not afraid to tell you this either. Even if this assassination fails, it won't affect me in the slightest. I can still swagger straight back to eastern Jin. But your Wenming Mountain, no matter what connection it has with the Liang court, is something I can erase with a single thought."

"This humble one understands. This humble one will exhaust every ounce of strength to help the Marquis accomplish this!"

Zheng Fan waved.

"There's too much happening inside the palace today. Zhao Jiulang will certainly leave very late. Old Yu, go rest first. Xu Chuang, you too."

The Sword Saint walked out of the hall.

He had never liked listening to plans like these anyway.

Xu Chuang saluted and left as well.

Only Zheng Fan and the Demon Kings remained in the hall.

Zheng Fan reached into his robes, took out Demon Child, and placed the red stone on the side table.

Of the Seven Demon Kings... five were here.

"There's one thing I should make clear. I'll be participating in this assassination too. I'm not going to stand off to the side and watch the show."

The Demon Kings exchanged glances.

In the end, Siniang spoke.

"Naturally, Master. After all, this is your vengeance."

Vengeance was supposed to be enjoyable.

At its core, Zheng Fan wanted to help Old Tian vent that breath of resentment.

For Du Juan.

For Tian Tian's birth mother.

Tian Tian was getting older.

Someday... there would always be things worth telling that child.

For example:

I once followed your real father on campaign after campaign.

And:

I once avenged your real mother.

If Zheng Fan did not personally participate, what would that even count as?

His gaze swept across the Demon Kings.

"You've all worked hard."

Xue San immediately smiled.

"Listen to Master talking like an outsider. Whatever Master commands, we do. That's only proper."

A'Ming said:

"Assassinating the sitting Chancellor in the middle of the street sounds very entertaining."

"Actually, I've had a feeling for a while now."

"Master, go on," Xue San immediately prompted.

"For the last several years, we've mostly been playing at the edges. The true leading roles were always Old Tian and people like him. Pillars of the state. Great ministers. Fierce generals. At the end of the day, we've mostly just been tagging along.

"Especially over the last few days, when the succession struggle reached its fiercest point, we were basically standing to the side watching the excitement. I was carrying the Son of Heaven's sword, so my viewing angle was a little different from yours. But in truth, I didn't do a damned thing either.

"But we're Demon Kings, aren't we?

"We can't spend forever beating drums at the side of the stage. Forever standing there as cheerleaders and spectators while everyone else performs.

"We've watched one group finish singing and another take the stage. Gongs, drums, strings, flutes, noise everywhere.

"So I think... it's about time we actually walked onto the stage ourselves.

"When the Emperor of Yan died, when I heard the Departure Bell ring, that feeling came over me.

"The era that belonged to those men... is over.

"Perhaps the Yan people, Yan officials, and Yan nobles think the new sovereign's era has begun.

"Perhaps the people of Qian think the age has arrived for them to sharpen their weapons, march north, and wash away their humiliation.

"Perhaps the people of Chu think the age has arrived for them to rise from the ashes and restore Great Chu's glory.

"The Barbarians need even less explanation. They're already dreaming of the Golden Tent Royal Court's splendor from a century ago.

"But I think they're all wrong.

"I think... the era belonging to me... to all of you... to us... has finally begun.

"Do you still remember how miserable we were running that inn in Tiger Head City?

"Back then, San'er and A'Cheng had to perform acrobatics. A'Ming had to brew wine and eat blood curd. Hahaha.

"Even Siniang had to smile falsely and entertain those petty officials and clerks.

"Back then, when I saw the Commandery Princess, I had to kneel. When I saw Xu Wenzu, I had to kneel. When I saw Little Sixth, I had to kneel. Too many people. Fucking hell, I had to kneel to all of them.

"And now?

"Today, at the enthronement, I knelt once for Little Sixth. That was just me helping him put on a show. Other than that, I'm not kneeling anymore.

"We've worked this hard for so long.

"First we worked to see this world clearly.

"Then we worked to fit into it.

"Then we worked to climb upward inside it.

"Farm.

"Develop.

"And now... if I want to kill the Chancellor...

"I can kill the Chancellor.

"I think... we can finally step onto the front of the stage and let ourselves be seen."

"Master is wise," Xue San immediately said.

"So let's begin tonight." Zheng Fan lifted his teacup and drank. "Later I'll try communicating with Demon Child and see if he can break through on short notice."

Demon Child's advancement had lagged behind for a long time.

And once it began lagging... it kept lagging.

For a biological son, he seemed utterly unaware of urgency.

Siniang nodded.

"Then we'll go prepare first."

Siniang and the others were about to leave, giving Master and Demon Child enough space.

The Sword Saint would be present for this assassination.

But who knew what other experts Zhao Jiulang might have guarding him?

Sharpening the spear right before battle might not make it perfect.

But one extra fraction of strength was still welcome.

"Wait."

Zheng Fan stopped them.

The Demon Kings looked back.

Xue San immediately asked:

"Master, any other instructions?"

"Tonight's assassination still carries considerable risk," Zheng Fan said.

"Master need not worry. We will definitely help Master kill Zhao Jiulang successfully."

Xue San slapped his own chest.

A'Ming added:

"As long as it's fun. Risk? If there were no risk, it wouldn't be fun."

"So, to make our chances of success a little higher..."

Zheng Fan rose with the teacup still in his hand.

He closed his eyes.

The aura around his body suddenly fluctuated.

For an instant... the entire hall went quiet.

Siniang.

A'Ming.

Xue San.

Fan Li.

None of them spoke.

Even the red stone sitting on the side table quietly shifted its angle, balancing upright on one rounded corner without making a sound.

Then...

Zheng Fan opened his eyes.

Sat back down.

Lowered his head.

Took another sip of tea.

Spat a tiny fleck of tea foam from his lips.

Crossed one leg over the other.

Looked at the Demon Kings before him.

And said with perfect casualness:

"To be safe...

"I think I'll advance a Grade first."

[End of Chapter 713]