Chapter 449
Chapter 449
Shocked by Shen Lang's words, Zhuo Xiao'an took several long, deep breaths, her expression gradually returning to a state of calm. Soon, she flashed a seductive smile and asked in a cloying voice.
“Young Master Shen, there’s no poison down there. Wouldn’t you know if you tasted it yourself?”
“Miss Zhuo, I must decline. Too many have tasted it, so imagine how much saliva must be on it. It might even have traces of urine. It’s far too unsanitary.”
That remark was even more venomous. Zhuo Xiao'an could no longer bear it, and her enchanting face instantly froze over. She sat down, picked up the skirt that had fallen to the floor, and said slowly.
“Young Master Shen, do you know what the most vain and insubstantial thing in this world is?”
“The wind! For it blows this way and that.”
The wind the two spoke of was the king’s favor.
“A person’s affection is the same. One may like someone today, but not tomorrow. Some have exceedingly deep affections, while others are fickle. One might find this puppy adorable today and dote on it for a few days, only to soon grow tired of it.”
The meaning was clear: the king was extremely fickle. Today, you, Shen Lang, may be favored, but you won’t be tomorrow. Shen Lang merely shrugged, as if to ask, *is that so?* Zhuo Xiao'an cackled and said.
“It seems Young Master Shen is quite pleased with himself right now. I hope what happens next will make you clearly understand your own situation. Young Master Shen, I shall take my leave now. Sweet dreams.”
Then, with a graceful sway, Zhuo Xiao'an turned to leave. Shen Lang called out to her.
“Zhuo Xiao'an, I will absolutely not let the matter of you ordering Gou Duhuan to assassinate my father-in-law slide. I will definitely speak ill of you to His Majesty… ah, no. I will definitely go and tattle to His Majesty.”
Zhuo Xiao'an smiled prettily.
“Do as you please. Young Master Shen must get to the capital as quickly as possible, so don’t dally when you pass through Lang Prefecture. Perhaps an unexpected surprise awaits you in the capital.”
It was a very grave warning.
***
Two days later.
As Shen Lang passed through Lang Prefecture, he did not pay a separate visit to the Third Prince, Ning Qi. Instead, the other party came to the official inn where Shen Lang was staying. It was not his first time meeting Ning Qi, but this could be considered their true first meeting. The Third Prince Ning Qi, in both appearance and temperament, was different from the king. Ning Yuanxian was a delicate, handsome man; he had learned martial arts but disdained them. If one had to categorize him, King Ning Yuanxian of Yue was a monarch of the arts. In contrast, the Third Prince Ning Qi was a solemn man who did not laugh or speak needlessly. When he practiced the arts, he exuded a martial aura, and when he practiced martial arts, he exuded an artistic grace.
He had studied martial arts under several masters. His first master was the Grandmaster Yan Nanfei, his second was Zhong Yao, and his third was the Left Envoy of the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion. The list of his masters alone was a testament to his formidable nature. Otherwise, how could this man have become the Crown Prince's greatest rival? It was to the point that even the decision-maker, King Ning Yuanxian, could not decide whether to pass the throne to the Crown Prince or the Third Prince. This royal indecision had led to a struggle for the throne in the court, splitting the officials into factions supporting one of the two princes.
The Third Prince was truly a man of both letters and arms. As soon as Shen Lang approached him, he felt a chilling aura. It was the pressure that came from one who possessed both powerful martial prowess and authority, but it was veiled by a refined, civilized air, making him fundamentally different from someone like King Kang A'Lujiang, who relied solely on brute force to intimidate his foes. This man was not narcissistic, but strong and self-assured.
The Third Prince Ning Qi spoke.
“Shen Lang, what can I give you?”
He was not the Crown Prince, so it was not appropriate for him to use titles like ‘Gu’ or ‘Gua.’ But he had always used them, and the king had never said anything about it. Shen Lang thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“Then what is it that you want?”
Shen Lang thought for a moment before answering.
“Revenge.”
Ning Qi had anticipated Shen Lang's answer, but he was still inwardly astonished to hear it.
*What revenge? Didn't you annihilate the Su Clan after they ambushed the Count of Xuanwu's fortress? Who else are you seeking revenge against now?*
“Who do you wish to take revenge on?”
“I will take revenge on anyone who has ever harmed my family.”
The conversation had truly hit a dead end. There was simply no way to buy a man like Shen Lang. He had everything, wanted nothing, and regarded money and power as filth. He loved beautiful women, but he could woo them himself, so there was no need to gift them to him.
“Is there truly no way for you to resolve your grudge with the Xue Clan?”
Shen Lang shrugged as if to say he didn't know.
“Then when you carry out your revenge, you must have your priorities straight.”
The meaning was obvious. First, take revenge on the Crown Prince. Let the two of them unite to overthrow the Crown Prince, and only then settle the score with the Xue Clan.
“Your Highness the Third Prince, you are so remarkable you inspire a sense of awe. But I would rather have a pig for an ally than someone who sleeps in the same bed but dreams different dreams.”
As Shen Lang said this, the face of the big-bottomed princess suddenly appeared in his mind. He imagined her stunningly beautiful face glaring at him as she said.
*‘An ally with a pig,’ who are you talking about? Be careful, or I might just kill you for that.*
That foolish woman had caused Shen Lang trouble more than once. But as it happened, she had genuinely tried to do right by him.
The Third Prince Ning Qi said, “The Xue Clan are my people. If you make a move against them, you will become my enemy. Think it over carefully. I will ask you one last time: have you decided to become my enemy?”
Shen Lang sighed and replied.
“Your Highness, in life, nine out of ten things are beyond our control!”
“I understand. After tonight, we will be enemies, but for tonight, we can drink and talk together.”
Shen Lang raised his cup and asked.
“Your Highness, surely this wine isn't poisoned?”
Ning Qi's expression changed drastically, and he looked as if he wanted to flip the table. Shen Lang quickly added.
“A jest, just a jest. I’m fond of jokes.”
Shen Lang picked up the cup before him and drained it in one gulp. Ning Qi also raised his cup and drank it straight down without a toast. Then, the two of them continued to drink without exchanging another word. These two men admired each other, but they did not like each other.
Having drunk until evening, the Third Prince Ning Qi left the inn without so much as a warning to watch his back. The meaning of his actions was painfully clear. From this day forward, they were enemies. In the future, if his blade were to strike Shen Lang’s neck, Shen Lang should not complain of being wronged.
***
After the Third Prince Ning Qi left, Shen Lang was lost in thought. Originally, Ning Qi hadn't harbored the extravagant hope of recruiting Shen Lang, but he had hoped they could at least form an alliance to deal with the Crown Prince. But since Shen Lang had rejected the offer, the situation would now become extremely delicate. To Shen Lang, the sound of the Third Prince’s departing footsteps was like the beating of a war drum. A battle does not typically wait for the opponent to be ready before the drums sound. It might have already begun, or perhaps it had begun several days ago. The Crown Prince and the Third Prince coming to court Shen Lang, one after the other, was their way of seeing if there was any room for compromise. Since there was none, battle would commence immediately.
Under normal circumstances, one might think that with the Crown Prince and the Third Prince locked in a fierce struggle, it would be the perfect time for Shen Lang to jump in and muddy the waters. However, both the Crown Prince and the Third Prince felt that Shen Lang was not qualified to fight them. The incident where Gou Duhuan tried to assassinate Marquis Jin Zhuo had further escalated the conflict between the Crown Prince and Shen Lang. Would the Crown Prince allow Shen Lang to use that incident as a weapon against him? Absolutely not. The Crown Prince's side would strike first, dragging Shen Lang into their battlefield and leaving him with no time to worry about anything else. They must have already made a move to cause trouble in the capital, but what was going to happen?
***
The next day.
As soon as the sun rose, Shen Lang led his troops back to the capital. Because the Jin Clan's villa had been burned down, both Jin Mucong and Xiao Bing were staying at the residence of the Fifth Prince, Ning Zheng. The empire’s grand envoy, Yun Mengze, was not in the capital at that time. He had returned to the Yan Capital to finalize the annulment of Princess Ning Yan's marriage.
The last time Shen Lang returned from his diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Kang, he had achieved a considerable feat, and his triumphant return was met with a sea of people. Banners fluttered as countless people came out to welcome him. The king had held a grand ceremony for him, and at that time, Shen Lang had become the hero of the capital. This time, Shen Lang's accomplishments were far greater than before. He had annihilated the Su Clan and Zheng Tuo, single-handedly turning a perilous situation around—an unparalleled achievement. He could be called a hero who had saved the nation.
But when Shen Lang returned to the capital, his surroundings were utterly silent. There was no one on either side of the road to greet him, nor were there any officials to welcome his entry with a ceremony. Moreover, the king was still staying at his northern palace and had not returned to the capital. When entering Xuanwu City, Shen Lang even had to line up like everyone else and have his identification papers inspected. The gatekeeper even looked Shen Lang up and down for a long time before asking.
“Are you from White Night Prefecture?”
Shen Lang nodded. The captain guarding the gate immediately took several steps back and shouted.
“Everyone, fall back immediately! Men, surround that column.”
In an instant, a thousand soldiers swarmed in, encircling Shen Lang's two hundred men layer by layer. The captain who had just shouted addressed Shen Lang.
“Lord Shen, my apologies. There is currently a smallpox outbreak in White Night Prefecture. Anyone entering the capital must undergo a physical examination and be quarantined for five days. Only after it is confirmed that they are not infected with smallpox can they move freely.”
Shen Lang smiled and asked.
“Who issued that order?”
The gate captain replied.
“It is a joint order from the Department of State Affairs, the Bureau of Military Affairs, and the capital's Central Military Commission. I am merely following regulations. Please do not blame me, Lord Shen.”
He then commanded loudly.
“Escort Lord Shen’s column to the narrow walled passage of the quarantine building. Make sure they do not take a single step outside the quarantine zone.”
The retinue following Shen Lang was beyond furious.
*We fought with our lives on the line in White Night Prefecture, achieved great merit, and saved the State of Yue from a fatal crisis. Yet upon our return to the capital, not only are we not treated as heroes, but they want to imprison us?*
They were on the verge of exploding. Shen Lang asked him.
“And who might you be?”
The captain replied.
“I am Wang Dong, a Mobile General of the Tianyue Commandery!”
Tianyue City was the name of the capital. Even the names of several provinces were named in relation to the capital. Tiannan Province, Tianbei Province, Tianxi Province—their names indicated their positions to the east, west, south, and north of Tianyue City. Although the capital was just a single city, its status was equivalent to that of a province. Not only did this one city house the Tianyue Central Military Commission, but it also had the Tianyue Commandery. The Tianyue Central Military Commission was responsible for all major military and political affairs in the capital, while the Commandery was responsible only for the city’s defense.
Just from the title ‘Mobile General,’ it was clear this captain held a position that was by no means low within the Commandery. Normally, a Chiliarch would have been sufficient to guard the Xuanwu Gate. But for them to dispatch a Mobile General to guard the gate, just what grand scheme were they planning?