Chapter 73: Yongning Prince Mansion; Highlights: Childhood Memories + Bowing Together + Little… part 1
A soldier from the city gate arrived outside the Prefect’s Mansion to deliver a report.
The gates of the Prefect’s Mansion were tightly closed, guarded by two disciples whom Jia Ruzhen trusted.
The soldier said he had urgent news, but the two disciples couldn’t act on their own, and knowing their master’s current unpredictable temper, no one dared to risk his wrath.
The two disciples let the messenger into the Prefect’s Mansion.
Deep inside the mansion, there was a scent of medicine. The furnishings were luxurious, and those serving were all young girls in their prime.
The messenger continued inward, his nose growing numb from the bitterness.
He pinched his nose as he reached the back hall, standing outside the door and bowing as he awaited an audience.
However, he did not wait for the Prefect’s summons.
Instead, he first heard the Prefect’s violent coughing—so intense it sounded as if his internal organs were being coughed up into shredded meat: “Cough, cough-cough-cough, cough…”
“I’m not drinking water!”
“Medicine—give me the medicine—”
“If you can’t cure me, I’ll make your entire family be buried with me!!!”
A teacup was smashed into pieces.
The messenger outside the door was terrified, shrinking like a quail.
Inside the room, Prefect Jia’s voice was shrill, but his words couldn’t help but make one think: The Prefect hadn’t climbed the walls to oversee the battle for days and only appeared this morning. Was the Prefect’s health failing?
The messenger held his breath.
Inside the room, a physician said in a tragic voice: “My Lord was struck by a heavy blunt weapon, the blow went deep into the meridians and struck the organs directly. At the very least, you must use precious medicinal ingredients and recuperate well for over a decade…”
“Over a decade!?”
How many decades are there in a lifetime?
Jia Ruzhen’s voice reached a peak, and he smashed another teacup: “You can’t even treat a simple internal injury! What use do I have for you! Fool! Fool! Go die, cough, cough-cough.”
Jia Ruzhen raised his sword and it fell, killing the physician. All the other doctors in the room immediately kowtowed: “Prefect, spare us! Prefect, spare us!”
A layer of cold sweat seeped from the messenger’s back.
However, the act of killing someone caused Jia Ruzhen’s internal injuries to flare up; he seemingly vomited a mouthful of blood.
The room immediately descended into chaos: “Master!” “Prefect!” “Hurry and bring the ginseng slices, quickly press a ginseng slice under his tongue.”
The confusion lasted for about half a tea’s time before the room finally quieted down.
So, the calm and collected appearance during the battle was just an act.
The messenger was suddenly terrified, thinking he had inadvertently learned a top military secret and would definitely not be allowed to leave.
Recalling the death of the innocent physician just now, the soldier felt that reporting the situation was far less important than his own life.
The messenger comforted himself: What harm could one spy do?
The messenger hurriedly rose.
But because he was so scared his legs were soft, he accidentally tripped on the steps of the back hall. The noise caught the attention of those inside.
Jia Ruzhen asked sharply: “Who is it—”
Over a dozen sharp figures surged out from the room!
That Prefect Jia, who just sounded like a sickly chicken, actually grabbed the messenger outside the door by his collar. His features were filled with a sinister expression as he asked coldly: “Who let you in?”
The soldier’s soul nearly left his body.
He felt as if he could already see himself meeting his end. His breath came with difficulty: “There… there is a spy using a short blade, carrying someone… they snuck… they snuck into the city…”
Jia Ruzhen: “Why didn’t you stop them?”
The soldier was being held up, and there was almost no air left in his lungs: “The spy… is a master. His movement is terrifying. The short blade… too fast…”
Such buck-passing and inaction—how was it any different from that useless physician?
Jia Ruzhen tossed the messenger aside. The soldier crashed into the corner of the wall and vomited a mouthful of blood. Jia Ruzhen raised his sword, intending to strike!
Before dying, the soldier had a sudden flash of inspiration and shouted: “The spy uses a precious blade! He’s definitely not an ordinary character from the Jingzhou Navy. Perhaps he’s an assassin specifically sent by the enemy Emperor to kill the Prefect!”
Jia Ruzhen’s brows slightly furrowed, and the sword’s glow stopped abruptly: “Keep talking!”
Seeing hope for survival, the soldier poured out everything: “That spy is over eight feet tall, radiating a demonic air. His blade is as fast as a flash of lightning.”
He gestured as he spoke, haphazardly imitating Ying Dang’s moves: “The squad leader first grabbed the arm of the person he was carrying. He backhanded a strike, and the squad leader lost two fingers!”
“We surrounded him. We tried to strike his wrist. His blade just spun and turned in his palm, changing directions unpredictably. In the blink of an eye, he wounded three or five brothers and leaped onto the roof to escape…”
Jia Ruzhen was a master of the jianghu with rich combat experience.
Even if the soldier only learned two or three parts of it.
Jia Ruzhen gestured with his Yuchang Sword: “Was it like this?”
The soldier was greatly shocked, yet it was within expectations.
Who in Guangling City didn’t know that this Prefect was a formidable character?
“The Prefect is wise! Yes, yes, that’s it!”
Jia Ruzhen’s brow suddenly darkened.
The moves he had just demonstrated were the signature techniques of those Imperial Guards he had sparred with in the past.
But those people were all quite old now. Could Ying Xi actually send them to assassinate him?
The more he thought, the more something felt wrong.
Jia Ruzhen said chillingly: “What kind of blade? Repeat it again.”
The soldier was trembling, racking his brains to describe it: “The blade is silver-white, and the pommel is set with a pigeon-blood ruby. The gemstone is crimson, incredibly flashy.”
With this description, a clear image gradually formed in Jia Ruzhen’s mind.
“Prince Yong, Ying Dang…”
It was that brat. He had been secretly learning martial arts from the Imperial Guards since childhood.
Once Prince Yong left the Fangzhi Hall and his identity shifted from shadow to light along with Ying Xi, his secret learning must have become open. All the Imperial Guards would have become his martial arts masters.
But would Ying Xi be willing to send his own brother to carry out an assassination?
Impossible!!!
Jia Ruzhen’s stagnant qi surged, and he wanted to vomit more blood, thinking he was confused from his injuries to make such an absurd judgment.
In the past within the palace halls, he had observed Ying Xi for many years.
Ying Xi deeply loved and valued this brother.
Even if he pretended to be distant from Ying Dang and ignored him for years, the care for this brother hidden in the small details… could absolutely not be faked.
In an instant, recalling many fragments of his past contests with Ying Xi, Jia Ruzhen’s expression became increasingly solemn.
Ying Xi’s willpower was incredibly resilient. He must die!
If Ying Xi does not die, it is I who will die!
Blood surged in his chest once more.
Jia Ruzhen forced down a mouthful of blood, his face turning a sickly pale.
He forced himself to arrange matters, holding his form steady: “All soldiers, hear my command.”
The disciples and aides in the room said: “We await the Prefect’s orders!”
Jia Ruzhen: “Divide the men in the city into two groups. One group will continue to search every household for quilts to deal with Xie Meng’s next assault.”
“The other group,” Jia Ruzhen raised his Yuchang Sword, “will follow me to search the entire city for Ying Dang’s whereabouts. Before he can kill me, I will seize the little Emperor’s weakness.”
The disciples and aides looked at each other, each offering advice:
“Master, you mustn’t!”
“The physicians just held a consultation and said you need to recuperate well. It’s not suitable for you to use force.”
“If Master wants to capture Prince Yong, we disciples will naturally do the work. How can Master take another risk personally?”
These people surrounded Jia Ruzhen.
Regardless of whether there was any genuine affection, their interests were now closely linked. Jia Ruzhen was the core.
Once something happened to Jia Ruzhen, Guangling Prefecture would surely fall.
At that time, everyone would lose the leader who took the heat for them.
If the Emperor or Xie Meng took out their anger and wanted to kill someone, they would be the ones to suffer!
The crowd once again blocked Jia Ruzhen.
Jia Ruzhen, however, pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the blood from his lips.
“The dignified Prince Yong is in Guangling—this is a piece of heavenly news. If you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how can you get the tiger’s cub?”
“Forget about a living Ying Dang; even for Prince Yong’s corpse, Ying Xi would be willing to trade several cities!”
“Heaven has decreed that we shall continue to enjoy wealth and glory. Grab your weapons and follow me!”
The Prefect’s Mansion’s private guards led out fast horses.
Jia Ruzhen mounted his horse, followed by dozens of soldiers and several of his most capable disciples.
Jia Ruzhen galloped out of the mansion!
Before the afternoon arrived, Ying Dang followed the familiar path. Even with someone in tow, he could climb walls and enter the Yongning Prince Mansion.
As soon as they landed, he assumed a defensive stance, warily guarding against any attacks from the surroundings.
They landed in the kitchen; all the doors and windows were tightly closed. There was no trace of anyone.
Ying Dang wiped the bronze lock; his fingertips were covered in accumulated dust. It seemed no one had used it for many years.
It made sense—since the death of the Yongning Prince and his wife, the Yongning Prince Mansion had become the largest haunted house in Guangling Prefecture. Who would dare to live here?
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