Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Tian Heng wasn't wrong. Liu Chengyan's move to imprison him was just for show. With the Prefectural Lord's Estate backing Tian Heng, they were practically in the same boat. He had no fear of entering the Xuanwu City jail.
"Shen Lang, let me tell you something in advance. I will be declared innocent and walk out of that jail unharmed within three days."
Not just Tian Heng, but Shen Lang too was certain of it. Tian Heng was a suspect in Zhang Chong's death, but with the help of the Prefectural Lord's Estate, he would easily shed the accusation. As for forcing Mrs. Zhang to falsely accuse Shen Lang, it would be ruled as nothing more than a lapse in his judgment.
"Shen Lang, what do you think I'll do once I get out of this crisis?"
"I don't know."
"To eliminate my weakness, I'll hand over the gambling den to someone else for the time being. Then, I'll use all my strength and time to kill you, by any means necessary. I'll spend every day thinking of nothing but how to kill you."
Tian Heng was burning with a powerful killing intent toward Shen Lang. It was a declaration that he no longer cared about business, ambition, or power; he would cast it all aside to destroy the enemy before him. Since coming to the State of Yue from the State of Pei, Tian Heng had never suffered such a significant loss. A fighting spirit surged within him, just like when he and his brother had fled Pei.
Shen Lang looked at Tian Heng as if he were already a dead man.
*'How amusing. We both resent each other to the point of wanting to kill one another, so why would I spare you? Tian Heng, aren't you being a bit too naive?'*
Then, Shen Lang flashed the classic smile of a handsome man, revealing a hint of his teeth.
"Indeed! But you will die soon!"
"Hahaha, this beast is sleep-talking again."
Prefectural Lord Liu Chengyan, who was standing nearby, glanced at Shen Lang as if looking at an idiot.
Tian Heng was their source of money, one of their sharpest weapons. Why would they kill him? The idea of them killing Tian Heng was nothing but a daydream of Shen Lang's. Prefectural Lord Liu Chengyan said calmly.
"Shen Lang, this case is not yet closed, so don't speak as if it's a foregone conclusion. I might even summon you to the Prefectural Lord's Estate tomorrow."
But with those last words, Liu Chengyan turned to leave, as if he had no desire to continue the conversation with Shen Lang. Arguing with Shen Lang, who was merely a live-in son-in-law of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, was beneath his dignity.
* * *
After leaving the Count's estate, Liu Chengyan's group bowed and followed behind Prefect Zhang Chong. There was no need to keep up the act, so they didn't drag Tian Heng along.
"Lord Prefect, how should we rule on this case?"
Prefect Zhang Chong paid him no mind and continued walking forward with Yan Wuqi. Liu Chengyan quickened his pace for a few steps and said.
"It's too much of a waste to let this opportunity slip by."
Zhang Chong and Yan Wuqi remained silent. At that moment, the thousands of people who had surrounded the Count's estate had not yet dispersed and were still shouting loudly.
"Bring out Shen Lang! A life for a life! Bring out Shen Lang! A life for a life!"
Zhang Chong furrowed his brow.
"Tian Heng, who told you to show up tonight?"
Tian Heng immediately knelt.
"This lowly one was shortsighted. I apologize."
Tian Heng, having a history of animosity with Shen Lang, should not have appeared on the scene tonight. However, he couldn't bear the thought of regretting it for the rest of his life if he didn't witness his enemy's downfall with his own eyes, so he had shown up.
But now that everything had failed, no words could express the displeasure Tian Heng felt. He had been certain that by gathering a large crowd and making a scene, he could drive Shen Lang into a corner. Yet, not only had he failed to harm a single hair on Shen Lang's head, he had brought trouble upon himself instead.
He would walk out of the Prefectural Lord's jail unharmed tomorrow, so Tian Heng had no worries about his own safety. The problem would be solved by pinning all the blame on Mrs. Zhang. But the fact that Shen Lang had escaped this disaster left him deeply displeased. He said to Zhang Chong.
"Lord Prefect, this is a golden opportunity to drive Shen Lang to his death and bring down the Count's estate as well. The key is that woman, Mrs. Zhang. The Prefectural Lord's Estate and the Prefect's Office just need to summon her as a key witness."
Tian Heng believed that if Zhang Chong made the request, the Count would have no choice but to hand over Mrs. Zhang.
"If she changes her testimony, Shen Lang is doomed."
Yan Wuqi, as if he could no longer bear to listen to Tian Heng, immediately boarded the carriage. Zhang Chong turned his head, stared at Tian Heng for a long moment, and then spoke.
"Are you trying to turn the situation around?"
The few people there nodded as if it were obvious.
"Your opponent sees three steps ahead for every one he takes, yet you, consumed by your desire to win, cling to the situation at hand and don't know when to retreat. Do you think Shen Lang is trying to win this lawsuit? That bastard intends to kill you!"
Hearing this, Tian Heng flinched slightly. He knew, of course, that Shen Lang wanted to kill him, but could Shen Lang kill him with just Mrs. Zhang's testimony? What was his relationship with the Prefectural Lord's Estate? What was his relationship with the Prefect's Office? He could easily escape by pinning the crime on a scapegoat and having them killed.
Zhang Chong boarded the carriage, closed the door, and said.
"Go kill Thirteen. I hope you're not too late! Let's go."
After Zhang Chong gave the order, the carriage sped off towards Nujiang Commandery. Zhang Chong had realized Tian Heng's plan had gone awry and wanted to return to Nujiang Commandery as quickly as possible to devise a new strategy to strike at the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. Meanwhile, upon hearing Zhang Chong's words, the expressions on Liu Chengyan and Zhang Jin's faces changed drastically. Only then did they realize Shen Lang's true intention.
The Zhang Chong case wasn't the important part. Recalling Shen Lang's actions so far, he would surely use this incident as a starting point for a terrifying scheme to drag down not only Tian Heng but also Liu Chengyan and Zhang Jin. What would happen if, while Tian Heng was imprisoned, all his evil deeds were exposed before the crowd? And who knew the most about Tian Heng's secrets? They immediately thought of Thirteen. Thirteen was Tian Heng's closest confidant; he would know all of Tian Heng's secrets. What if Shen Lang could win him over?
"Quickly, send men to kill Thirteen!"
Several groups of experts sent by Zhang Jin, Tian Heng, and others rushed like arrows toward Thirteen's house under the dark night sky.
* * *
"My lady, there's no time to explain, get on the horse quickly. How skilled are you in martial arts? How good are you?"
Jin Mulan nodded at Shen Lang's question.
"I'm skilled enough to protect myself."
"Liu Chengyan, Zhang Jin, and Tian Heng will each send experts. Can you defeat them?"
Jin Mulan watched Shen Lang's straightforward question for a moment before nodding.
"No problem."
*'She's that good? I can't believe a woman can defeat martial arts experts.'*
"Then quickly, my lady, take a few experts and go to Thirteen's house to save his life."
"Understood. Jin Hui, Jin Zhong, Jin Zheng, take the fastest horses and ride with me."
At Shen Lang's request, Jin Mulan gave the order without hesitation. Watching her, Shen Lang hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
"I'll go with you."
Mulan thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"My lady, I don't know how to ride a horse. May I ride with you? Don't worry, I won't let my hands wander."
Despite Shen Lang's promise, Jin Mulan said nothing, merely staring at him with a blank expression before tossing him onto the horse.
"Giddy-up!"
Mulan, with three experts and one useless person in tow, charged out of the Count's estate and galloped towards Thirteen's house.
* * *
Shen Lang really didn't let his hands wander. In truth, it wasn't that he wanted to sit still. He had planned to use this opportunity to wrap his arms around his wife's slender waist and "accidentally" touch her bottom. But he was seated in front of Mulan, and she rode the horse so fast that he had no choice but to cling to the horse's neck the entire way just to keep from falling off.
About halfway there, Jin Zhong couldn't contain his curiosity and asked.
"Young Master, we could have saved Thirteen earlier. Why are we rushing to save him only now?"
Shen Lang glanced at Jin Zhong. His gaze clearly said, *'The fact that you're the only one asking means you're the dumbest one here.'*
Jin Zheng answered in Shen Lang's stead.
"If the other side doesn't try to kill Thirteen, there's no point in us saving him. Then Thirteen and Tian Heng wouldn't become enemies, and we wouldn't be able to drive Tian Heng to his death."
Shen Lang's eyes narrowed.
*'Jin Zheng, you just had to show off. Out of the five of us here, you're the second dumbest.'*
* * *
Thirteen's house was outside Xuanwu City, and about a dozen warriors from the Black Clothes Gang always stood guard secretly around it. The experts secretly sent by Liu Chengyan, Zhang Jin, and Tian Heng moved so swiftly that they arrived in Thirteen's front yard in less than an hour.
Tian Heng had sent his two most skilled subordinates, Tian Da and Tian Qi. Tian Da looked at the shadow inside the window and said calmly.
"Thirteen, don't resent the Gang Leader for being ruthless. You know too much. If you don't die, the Gang Leader will be in danger."
Thirteen lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with dazed eyes. In just a few days, he had grown gaunt, his face was covered in stubble, and his eyes were sunken. Three days had passed since both his legs were broken. During that time, Thirteen hadn't been able to sleep properly, feeling as if most of the world around him had crumbled.
Among all of Tian Heng's subordinates, Thirteen was the most loyal and capable. He truly thought of Tian Heng as a father, an idol, and a master. In fact, Zhang Jin and Liu Chengyan had tried to recruit him several times, but he had refused, remaining by Tian Heng's side.
It was Tian Heng who had fed him and taught him martial arts when he came to Xuanwu City as a young refugee with his parents. Without Tian Heng, there would be no Thirteen today. But Tian Heng had broken both his legs over a mere matter of gambling den profits. From that moment, Thirteen could feel the solid loyalty he had for Tian Heng begin to crack.
There is a cause and effect for everything. His legs were broken because of Shen Lang, but he didn't feel any resentment toward him. Just as he had only followed Tian Heng's orders to capture Shen Lang's family, Shen Lang had only broken his legs to make an example of him. Shen Lang's true target was Tian Heng, not him. He was merely a pawn between the two of them.
On the day his legs were broken, Shen Lang had threatened Tian Heng, telling him not to visit Thirteen or send him money or a doctor for treatment. But Tian Heng had come to Thirteen's house himself that very night.
Tian Heng didn't offer any words of apology for breaking Thirteen's legs, but he did set the bones himself. He sent a hundred gold coins to Thirteen's parents, summoned the best doctor to treat his wounds, and sent the finest medicine. But Thirteen gave no reaction to Tian Heng.
That day, as Tian Heng was leaving, he said with apologetic eyes and a hoarse voice.
"Thirteen, don't you worry. I will tear that bastard Shen Lang to pieces and avenge you. Later, you, Thirteen, are the only one who can take my place."
In that moment, Thirteen's heart warmed ever so slightly. He hadn't forgiven the Gang Leader, but the wound in his heart had healed a little. He said nothing, but he knew clearly how he felt. The Gang Leader had broken his legs, but would he betray him for that? Never!
Thirteen expected Shen Lang to appear before him, offering money and status to bribe him into betraying Tian Heng. When that time came, Thirteen planned to spit at Shen Lang and curse him harshly, saying, "You wretched bastard, you're dreaming!"
*'It's true that I'm disappointed in the Gang Leader, but I will never be bought by a shameless bastard like you. Your scheme will not succeed.'*