Chapter 2: So Faceful
On the street, the patrol officers and soldiers who heard the news surrounded the area tightly. The people and vendors fled in all directions. The remaining group of people held their breath and watched Wen Yao go and come back. He entered the room through the window with a bunch of heads in his hand, as easily as if he had bought a bag of osmanthus cakes from the pastry shop across the street.
Wen Yao placed the assassin's head on the table in front of the sweating people nearby and reached out to Chu Yutang.
Chu Yutang sat at the table, hands on hand, the Fengyue wine and kiln-baked chicken that Wen Yao had brought. The chicken wings were gone. The ghost market owner politely wiped his hands with a handkerchief, pulled out three hundred-liang silver notes from his sleeve, handed them to Wen Yao, and said approvingly, "The chicken is good."
Wen Yao put the money away, sat down across from him, and pulled the other wing of the chicken from the oven. The chicken was covered in sauce, tender and smooth. Wen Yao blew on it twice and said, "Someone's coming outside."
Bianliang's security was already tight, and with the recent emergence of a group of troublemakers, the Inspection Office has been intensively monitoring every corner of the city. As soon as something happened here, Xiang Dian notified the Inspection Office, and the streets outside were instantly filled with soldiers with swords draped across their waists. The leading man, holding his hat, glanced up before entering, taking a closer look at the cloud-patterned landscape logo on the restaurant's lantern. He immediately raised his hand to stop his subordinate from charging in with his men.
"You're so reckless! Are you stupid?" He whipped and scolded them, ordering the group to wait in the street. He turned around, took a few people and followed the shopkeeper up to the second floor. They stopped in front of the closed door and knocked three times with great restraint.
Chu Yutang held up his face, smiled nonchalantly, and asked someone to open the door.
The room was covered with layers of beaded curtains, so Chu Yutang couldn't be seen from outside. However, his face showed no sign of abnormality. He bowed and said to the person inside, "Mr. Chu."
"It's a family matter, and I'm sorry to have made such a fool of myself. I'm sorry to have asked you to come here on such a rainy day." Chu Yutang spoke in a calm tone, sitting as steady as a rock. His attendant stepped forward and, expressionless, thrust a bulging purse into his hands.
The man on the other side became more polite and whispered, "There are a lot of people in the city these days, so be careful."
With just a few words, a major issue was resolved. Wen Yao was amazed. As soon as the door closed, he pinched a piece of cake and flicked it at Chu Yutang's forehead, scolding him: "Bah, collusion between officials and businessmen."
Walnut kernels mixed with icing sugar clung to Chu Yutang's hair, glistening brightly. The others' eyelids twitched, their hearts churning with wonder and curiosity, wondering who this person was. They were all veterans close to Chu Yutang, but they had never heard of a female warrior with such prowess being so close to the Ghost Market Lord.
Chu Yutang brushed away the crumbs of pastry and told the others to get out. After everyone had left, he leisurely tapped his jade fan and asked, "Are you willing to come to Bianliang? How long do you plan to stay?"
"I'm here to repay a favor and help a friend take care of his apprentice for a few years. I guess I'll have to stay for three years."
Chu Yutang stopped moving: "Who?"
"Yan Cang."
Chu Yutang's smile immediately faded. He clenched his fingers around the fan and leaned slightly towards Wen Yao. "Yan Cang? The leader of the Three Divisions, Yan Cang, who died just a month ago? How do you know him?"
"It's a long story." Wen Yao was puzzled by his reaction: "What's the matter? Do you two have a feud?"
"No, it's best to stay out of each other's way." Chu Yutang sat up straight. "However, I've never heard that Chief Yan has a disciple."
Wen Yao: "He was worried that his young apprentice would be bullied, so he asked me to help as a guard for three years as a way to repay his kindness."
The Ghost Market Master's expression suddenly became extremely strange, as if he had smelled sour rice. He repeated Wen Yao's words, his tone somewhat incredulous: "So, you came to Bianliang with great difficulty just to serve as a guard for the Three Divisions?"
For years, he'd been too busy with work to go to the frontier. Every time he wrote, he'd fill pages with lengthy letters, but Wen Yao's replies never exceeded a hundred words. And he'd never go south, saying he loved the wilds outside.
Yan Cang, the leader of the Three Departments, held the emperor's swiftest sword, a name known throughout the land. His apprentice, Chu Yutang, was unknown, but presumably also employed by the Three Departments. A lesser-known figure within the Three Departments was, to put it bluntly, a lesser-known dog of the emperor.
Yan Cang was so shameless that he actually dared to let Wen Yao serve as a bodyguard for such a person?!
Wen Yao knew from Chu Yutang's expression that he had never met Yan Cang's young apprentice, nor did she know who this young apprentice was. She didn't say anything, simply pouring the wine and forcing Chu Yutang to drink it. The two of them devoured most of the oven-baked chicken, and Wen Yao wrapped the rest in the tablecloth and slung it over her shoulder.
She stood up and said, "Let's go to his grave and see him."
Wen Yao was able to stand in Bianliang now because he had been riding at full speed without stopping since receiving Yan Cang's letter.
Chu Yutang's cheeks flushed, and he leaned his elbows on the side, looking at Wen Yao with a strange look: "It's so late and you still go to see him, you really are close friends, and your feelings are deep and loyal..."
Wen Yao snorted and laughed, too lazy to pay attention to him, and walked away through the window.
Outside, the rain continued to fall, drenching the ground. The busiest spot in Bianliang City was Zhouqiao, where the wealthy and powerful gathered at the foot of the imperial city. Red plaques on gates, throngs of servants, and the sheer spectacle of wealth and splendor were everywhere.
Wen Yao had a clear goal and headed straight for Dongxing Street where the nobles lived.
Yan Cang's letter gave her the location, and she found it without much effort. The Guangliang Gate was dark and cold, with the three characters "Yanwang Mansion" written on it in a majestic manner.
Wen Yao wandered inside for a while before realizing how enormous it truly was. Absurdly so. She had assumed that with Yan Cang gone, Zhao Xuanxu, a helpless prince with no one to love him, would be a poor, helpless child ostracized by his brothers. But looking at this sprawling mansion, where she had to go in and out so many times, that didn't seem to be the case.
Just now, she walked all the way here by walking on the eaves, passing by the neighboring Yongwang Mansion, Qinwang Mansion and Xiangwang Mansion. The mansions of these powerful princes were not as big as Zhao Xuanxu's.
Wait, wait?!
Wen Yao suddenly reacted and his heart skipped a beat.
She paused, frowning as she carefully recalled Zhao Xuanxu's appearance. In her memory, the boy, about her own age, was pale, frail, and soft-tempered. He sat beside her, dignified and gentle, without a hint of temper.
Well, Zhao Xuanxu's mother was the sister of the ruler of Dali, and Zhao Xuanxu was half foreign. According to tradition, Zhao Xuanxu would not inherit the Zhao family throne. Furthermore, he was not favored by his princess mother, and his father, the emperor, treated him with inexplicable attitude.
After confirming this, Wen Yao breathed a sigh of relief in the shadow of the corridor.
Protecting a prince who cannot participate in the fight for the throne and protecting a prince who is at the center of the struggle are not of the same level of difficulty.
Especially in the past few years, she has heard a lot of rumors while wandering around.
The emperor had aged, no longer possessing the wisdom and might of his youth. Like many other old emperors, he began to summon alchemists, rely on eunuchs, and hesitated to appoint a crown prince. His sons were all young and strong, and two of the most powerful had long been eyeing the most prestigious chair under his father's butt, sharpening their knives.
At this critical moment, Yan Cang died, sending a letter across thousands of miles to Wen Yao, urging him to save Zhao Xuanxu's life. The weight of his life-saving debt weighed heavily on his head. Even though Wen Yao knew the pit of fire lay ahead, he could only jump with his eyes closed.
However, Yan Cang only asked Wen Yao to be Zhao Xuanxu's bodyguard for three years. As for what would happen to Zhao Xuanxu after three years, Yan Cang did not explain.
Wen Yao grinned, weighed the package in his hand and continued walking forward.
The glazed tiles on the roof made no sound beneath her feet, and the bright lanterns cast shadows between the vermilion pillars. Wen Yao's breath was completely restrained, and the several figures that had been hiding in the shadows didn't react at all. She glanced down and caught a glimpse of the top of a black-clad secret guard's head.
Is this the level of the secret guards around the prince?
Wen Yao couldn't help but frown.
Yan Cang is the leader of the Three Divisions after all, but he doesn't even assign useful people to his apprentice.
After a brief moment of thought, she had already reached the courtyard of the palace near the back street. It was only now that Wen Yao heard any movement of people.
Indeed, from the moment she climbed over the wall until now, there had been no movement in this vast and luxurious mansion, as if it were deserted. The servants and maids walked and swept, hushed their voices and held their breath, wandering in the rainy night like pale wandering souls.
He likes quietness and doesn't like his subordinates to make noise, which is very much Zhao Xuanxu's style.
Wen Yao landed silently on the banyan tree outside the yard and glanced sideways at the scene in front of him.
A steaming pool rose from the water, and several jade-carved semicircular racks sat beside it, from which a constant stream of hot water bubbled up and poured into the pool. A maid in a long, pink, double-breasted dress sauntered in. She was beautiful, with skin as white as snow, a slender waist, and delicate movements. The tray in her hands held either fruit or drinks. Even on this slightly chilly autumn day, Wen Yao could actually spot a drink filled with snow-white slush.
She uttered a silent "wow."
Just as the group was about to reach the only pavilion in the yard, the woman in the lead screamed, her legs went weak, and she fell down in front of the last step.
The wine cup in her hand rolled to the ground, and the wine spilled all over the ground, skillfully wetting half of her snow-white shoulder.
The pretty girl's eyes were filled with tears, her black hair fell down, covering the side of her face. She raised her eyes and looked up with tears in her eyes.
Wow.
Wen Yao blew a long whistle in his heart.
She had only seen this scene in costume dramas in her previous life.
The moment the wine jug fell to the ground, the faces of the people around him turned pale, and they all knelt down, their heads bowed. The previously peaceful atmosphere in the yard suddenly became oppressive and deadly, and everything was silent.
After a while, the curtains outside the pavilion ahead swayed slightly. A translucent jade ruyi parted the curtains, and the rustling sound of brocade could be clearly heard.
A tall figure opened the curtain and walked towards the girl lying on the ground.
Wen Yao restrained his expression and looked carefully at the man who came out.
The first thing she noticed was that the man had his hair untied.
Her hair was thick, black, and smooth, reaching her waist and hips, like Rapunzel's. It was a little difficult to see her face from this angle, but that was okay. She was tall and had long legs, and her back was full of grandeur, elegance, and intimidation.
Is this Zhao Xuanxu? He looks much better than when he was little.
Wen Yao thought about it, touched the tree trunk and prepared to move to another place to see what Zhao Xuanxu looked like now.
Zhao Xuanxu not only had a handsome figure, but also beautiful hands. His fingers were very white, with long, slender joints, and he could tell at a glance that he had lived a life of luxury. Now, this beautiful hand gently lifted the girl's chin, moved it down, and clasped it on the beauty's delicate neck.
Then he easily twisted the girl's head back 180 degrees.
The sound of bones being dislocated was clearly audible in the silent yard, and the skin quickly became swollen with blood after the blood vessels were broken.
The girl was probably a little bit surprised, her expression was frozen on the final smugness.
She opened her eyes wide, which were bloodshot inside. She fell backwards to the ground, and sticky blood kept flowing out from between her lips and teeth.
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