Chapter 77: Watching the Fire from the Other Side
As the morning light broke, carriages and horses stood in front of the gate of Huainan Prince's Palace.
Dozens of armored guards lined up, ready to march, their swords and halberds reflecting the rising sun, a chilling gleam. The Huainan Governor led his men to Shaopo Pavilion east of the city, only then reining in his horse. Gazing at the receding convoy, he closed his eyes and sighed, "King Huainan... what a pity!"
At noon, the gates at Shaopo Ferry were opened, and sailors were allowed to sail. The surface of the Ying River shimmered with golden light, and weeping willows along the banks gently brushed the water's ripples. A black lacquered ship sat quietly at the shore, its dark sails lowered.
From afar, the prince's moon-white python robe billowed slightly as he slowly ascended the sandalwood gangway to board the ship. A jade pendant dangling from his waist was faintly visible amidst the fluttering of his robe. The entourage held their breath and stood in silence, waiting for their master to enter the cabin before filing aboard.
The oars broke through the water and the ship slowly sailed away from the river bank.
The fleet reached Eagle Sorrow Bay. Night fell.
Here the river suddenly opens up like a mirror, the water flows stagnantly, the reeds on both sides are more than ten feet high, and the night wind blows through them, making a low whistling sound.
Commander Xiao stood at the stern with his sword in hand, his sharp eyes sweeping across the dark water, and he shouted in a deep voice: "Lower half the sail and sail slowly - the prince has rested, don't disturb him." After he finished speaking, he turned and walked into the cabin, his iron boots making a dull echo on the teak deck.
The candles in the main cabin gradually extinguished, and the entire ship gradually faded into the night. The eyes of a pair of bronze waterfowl on the prow shone a faint green in the moonlight. The only sound on the river was the gentle rustle of the boat breaking through the water, and the occasional croaking of a solitary frog.
Suddenly, several small boats appeared among the reeds on both sides of the river. Their hulls were so shallow that they didn't even cause a ripple. As the undercurrent surged, the small boats had already formed a circle around them, like a pack of wolves.
The guard on duty had just changed shifts when he suddenly saw dark shadows on the side of the ship. Dozens of wet figures climbed up the side of the ship like water ghosts.
"There's an assassin!"
Just as the warning sounded, a dart flew through the air! The guard blocked it with his sword, and amid the clanging of metal, the guard suddenly took advantage of the momentum and did a somersault into the river, not even a splash as he entered the water.
"Are all the people under the command of the King of Huainan cowardly and greedy for life?"
The mocking voices still echoed through the cabin as dozens of men in black burst through the windows. Amidst the flashing of swords and sabers, the guards they encountered feinted a few times before diving into the water. The leading black man hesitated before running to the main cabin, where he saw a flickering candlelight, illuminating a seated figure—dressed in a golden royal robe, his demeanor dignified.
The assassin kicked open the carved cabin door with a grim smile: "Your Highness is now deserted by everyone, even your personal guards have abandoned you!" As he spoke, a cold light flashed, and the long sword went straight for the back!
In a flash, "King Huainan" suddenly looked back!
The three men in black who had entered the cabin felt a chill in their throats before they could even see the man. They instinctively reached up to touch him, but their fingertips touched warm liquid. A line of blood slowly formed on his neck. Their eyes widened as they fell, one after another, to the deck with a dull thud.
The candlelight illuminated Commander Xiao's stern face. He knelt on one knee, draped his royal robe over a man, removed his jade pendant from his waist and tucked it into the man's belt. With a backhanded strike of his sword, he cut all the cords for the lights and candles in the cabin.
"boom--"
The entire ship was reduced to a fireball in a deafening explosion. Burning planks splattered everywhere, and the men in black, who had no time to escape, twisted and struggled in the flames, their screams tearing through the night sky.
Commander Xiao, like a hawk, leaped and dived among the burning wood, landing steadily on the waiting boat. He looked back at the center of the river. The fireboat had transformed into a twisted ball of flames. In the sea of fire, dark shadows were swooping into the water like moths.
"Your Highness is very smart." The personal guard on the boat handed over a handkerchief.
High on a cliff, the King of Huainan reined in his horse, facing the wind. The firelight on the river reflected in his deep eyes, like dancing blood-red stars.
"Just as expected." He stroked the horse's mane in a low voice.
Feng Yanyuan watched those burned by kerosene jumping into the river to escape, and said calmly, "Now that the King of Zhao has played the card of rebellion, he will not leave any room for maneuver."
The two looked at each other and understood each other tacitly.
They had already analyzed the situation thoroughly.
The King of Zhao initially poisoned the King because Wuchang was colorless and odorless, making it easy to obtain, and because a living King of Huainan was more valuable than a dead one. But after the forged edict was exposed, the King of Zhao was bound to become desperate. If Wuchang couldn't be killed immediately, his journey back to the capital would be filled with danger.
Therefore, the journey to Yingshui was a foreplay of testing: the ship was filled with carefully selected water combatants, each capable of holding their breath underwater for more than half a minute. If the journey was safe, they would sail downstream to Laoya Ferry. If ambushed, they would feign defeat and abandon ship. Once the assassins had boarded and searched the ship, they would ignite the hidden kerosene and launch a desperate counterattack. Once the fire was ablaze, the soldiers would seize the assassin's boat and escape unscathed.
The real King of Huainan only brought Feng Yanyuan and Yun Yuan with him, and traveled by land on horseback.
"Ruyin is full of Zhao Wang's minions." A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the King of Huainan. "If the charred corpse and the remaining robes could be seen by the King of Zhao's disciple, it might save some trouble on the way." A sneer curled the corner of his mouth. "It would also allow the King of Zhao to sleep peacefully for a few days."
"We still don't know who's behind this." Feng Yanyuan frowned slightly. The Guitou Gang always took money for their work. Although they killed people without mercy, they weren't good at strategy. But if the mastermind behind this was someone else...
The King of Huainan nodded, tapping the saddle with his fingertips. "The night is long and dreams are many. We must hurry to Laoya Ferry as soon as possible..."
He paused, then suddenly looked at Yun Yuan, his gaze lingering on her still youthful features. Back at the palace, he had initially refused to allow the girl to accompany him—firstly, he worried that her frail body wouldn't be able to handle the long journey, and secondly, he worried that the journey would be a burden. Unfortunately, he himself had been poisoned, and she swore she could identify the true form of the "King of Hell"—even if he had disguised himself. Who would have thought that this seemingly frail pharmacist could gallop all day without showing any signs of fatigue, her horsemanship even surpassing many soldiers.
"We still have to travel forty miles tonight... Can the pharmacist hold on?"
Under the moonlight, the girl's slender figure stood upright on horseback, her eyes as calm as water, intently gazing at the fireboat on the water. She raised her hand to tuck her scattered black hair behind her ear, the determination in her almond-shaped eyes like a sword unsheathed. "Your Highness, rest assured and continue on your journey. I will be no problem."
The Prince of Huainan suddenly chuckled, a rare touch of ease. Turning to Feng Yanyuan, he raised his eyebrows slightly and said with a mischievous smile, "As the ancients said, 'I envy the mandarin ducks, not the immortals.' Today I finally understand their true meaning." As he spoke, his eyes swept over Yun Yuan with a pointed look, "To have such a beautiful woman, as capable as any man, by my side is truly enviable."
Feng Yanyuan raised the corners of his lips slightly, and a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes: "When Your Highness returns to the capital safely, you will be reunited with the princess and the prince."
These words, like a blunt knife, sliced through the Prince of Huainan's forced composure. His eyes suddenly darkened, and his grip on the reins tightened unconsciously.
"If they weren't still in Luoyang..." His voice was low, his Adam's apple rolled slightly, and a flash of pain in his eyes, "I overestimated the bottom line of King Zhao after all."
The unextinguished fire in the distance danced on the water, making the stern face of King Huainan appear bright and dark. The light and shadow were like blood and embers, as if burning silently.
The night wind blew past the three of them, carrying with it the fishy smell of river water.
Feng Yanyuan was startled. He was riding his horse close to the King of Huainan when he heard a voice...
“Whoosh!”
A scimitar gleamed coldly like the fangs of a poisonous snake, aiming straight at the throat of King Huainan!
Feng Yanyuan's wide sleeves fluttered, and Canglang's palm power blasted out like a tidal wave.
“Zheng——”
Amidst the clanging of metal, the fatal blade was unexpectedly deflected three inches by the palm wind. The blade brushed past the side of the Prince of Huainan's neck, and a strand of broken hair slowly fell in the moonlight.
“Crack!”
From the shadows came the piercing sound of bone cracking. Feng Yanyuan's fingers gripped the assassin's wrist like a pair of iron tongs, and with a burst of his inner strength, the man's wrist bones instantly shattered into dust. With a shrill scream, the assassin stumbled backward, crashing into the ancient locust tree behind him, causing it to shake violently and startling the crows roosting in the tree.
"Ghost Head Gang?" Feng Yanyuan's voice was even colder than the night wind. "Are you seeking death again?"
Before he finished speaking, he swung his sleeves, and a second gust of wind whistled out. Ancient trees within a thirty-foot radius snapped at the waist, and lurking shadows scattered like startled birds. Several ghostly figures hurriedly leaped into the water, their splashes swallowed by the swaying reeds before they could even break through.
"The counselors under the King of Zhao have made every possible plan. It seems that the charred corpse cannot be delivered to Ruyin." The King of Huainan sneered, "I'm afraid there will be a tough battle tonight." After saying that, the prince whipped his horse and galloped away.
Feng Yanyuan stared across the river. In the swaying shadows, he seemed to see a pair of familiar eyes—a gaze that was like a thorn in his flesh, sending a chill down his spine.
On the north bank of the Ying River, Feng Yanhao stood with his hands behind his back, watching coldly as the members of the Guitou Gang leaped into the water in panic. Birds startled from the reeds skimmed across the water, casting fleeting shadows in his bottomless eyes.
"Waste!" Feng Wu spat fiercely. "The Guitou Gang has quite a few hungry ghosts, but they are a bunch of cowards! What a bullshit vicious monster! Ten of them are not as good as one Fengtie!"
Feng Yanhao's gaze fell on the wreck of the still-burning ship on the river. The flames made his profile flicker.
"They're just a bunch of wandering ghosts, testing the waters." He sighed softly, "As expected..."
"Hmph!" Feng Wu snorted, "The King of Huainan is indeed quite cunning!"
Feng Yanhao seemed to be completely oblivious to Feng Wu's anger. He just narrowed his eyes and watched the shadows of the trees on the other side of the river, muttering, "Since he is accompanying the King of Huainan, there is no need to let Feng Die die."
Feng Wu was slightly startled, and looked in the direction the young master was looking. He saw the bushes on the opposite bank swaying, and several black shadows suddenly floating by.
"It's the Third Young Master?!" Feng Wu gasped, "The King of Huainan actually allowed the Third Young Master to accompany him? Could it be... he still has no suspicions at all?"
Feng Yanhao replied with a deep "hmm." He hadn't expected that under such a series of killings, the King of Huainan would even abandon his most trusted commander, Commander Xiao, and only keep Feng Yanyuan by his side.
Feng Yanhao's clothes fluttered like ink as he stared at the cut-off trees on the opposite bank, a playful arc appearing at the corner of his lips.
"Prince Huainan..." He seemed to be muttering to himself, "Ever since the day the Demon Queen was poisoned, he's been a thorn in the side of King Zhao. Now, like a trapped beast, he's still able to keep that old fox in Luoyang awake and unable to eat or sleep..."
Feng Wu subconsciously looked towards Luoyang. In the twilight, the distant beacon tower was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, pointing straight to the sky.
Feng Yanhao suddenly chuckled, "Such courage... no wonder my noble third brother is willing to serve you." He paused, "Interesting."
The last three words were as light as a mosquito's whisper, but they sent a chill down Feng Wu's spine.
Feng Yanhao turned to leave, but suddenly looked back, his eyes blazing with fire, a flicker of almost intoxicated excitement. His slender fingers pointed at the burning wreckage on the river surface, and his voice was as alluring as the night wind:
"Remember to report back..."
The wind blew sparks across his pale lips. "Tell me about this fire. It was set by the Guitou Gang. They risked their lives to complete their mission, so they deserve the credit."
Feng Wu was startled. Before he could think about it, he heard the young master chanting leisurely, "Go and fish out a charred corpse that resembles the 'Prince of Huainan'. Then search the boat carefully. If you can find any of the prince's personal belongings, that would be great..." A playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "Send them all to the master in Ruyin."
His dark cloak billowed suddenly in the moonlight, like the wings of a night crow. As he turned to leave, a few eerie laughs drifted on the chill wind, stirring the reeds on the bank even without wind, making them rustle like weeping.
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