Chapter 82 Meeting Old Acquaintances Again

Yang Lian smiled without speaking, his gaze resembling fireflies in the night—possessing a unique and captivating charm.

Zhou Ehuang wiped her face, and seeing Yang Lian's mischievous grin, suddenly understood why he had acted this way. Lowering her hand, she said in a soft voice, "The Emperor's hunt this time was actually a pretext to assess the combat effectiveness of the Imperial Guards. The soldiers of the Shenwu Army passed the test admirably. However, this hunt was ultimately rather dull. We are planning to organize another hunting expedition. Would Young Master Yang care to join?"

Looking into her autumn-water eyes, Yang Lian nodded with a smile and said, "Those who go hunting this time will most likely be the scions of the capital's high-ranking officials."

Zhou Ehuang widened her eyes in sheer disbelief. He hadn't even been told yet—how could he possibly have known?

Without waiting for her inquiry, Yang Lian smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Rest assured, Young Princess, even if a tiger were to appear this time, I would kill it."

Zhou Ehuang momentarily lost herself in thought, recalling the heroic bearing Yang Lian had displayed when he beheaded that massive serpent by Xuanwu Lake. She had once believed that a man must be elegant, thoroughly versed in ancient and modern lore, and possessing a wealth of knowledge. Most of the people in her circle were of that sort: women who excelled in song and dance, and men who composed lyrics and played the zither. Yet Yang Lian was an anomaly. He knew how to fight, and he had saved her at the most perilous moment; yet he could also play unfamiliar melodies in a place like the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Those tunes were ones she had never heard before, yet they were hauntingly beautiful, filling her with endless curiosity about him.

Hearing Yang Lian declare that he would not be afraid even if a tiger came, she suddenly felt that this man was exceptionally reliable and worthy of trust. Nodding, she said, "That snake last time was terrifying."

Yang Lian smiled. "As long as Young Princess gives the word, whatever Yang Lian can do, he will not decline."

"Really?" Joy blossomed across Zhou Ehuang's face.

"Really. I, Yang Lian, never break my word." He nodded firmly.

She nodded emphatically as well. "I have remembered your words. If you go back on them, I won't let you off."

Yang Lian extended his palm, curling his four fingers while keeping his little finger outstretched. "In my hometown, there is a custom: when someone makes a promise to another, linking little fingers signifies taking a pledge."

"Taking a pledge? That is rather interesting." Zhou Ehuang held no ill will toward Yang Lian, nor was she overly conscious of the boundaries between men and women, so she didn't overthink it. Extending her fair palm, her delicate little finger hooked together with his.

"Since we have sworn an oath, you must not regret it later," she added.

Yang Lian withdrew his hand, a lingering sensation of coolness and smoothness remaining against his skin. "A true man never regrets his actions." He narrowed his eyes, recalling many things. After all, regret was useless; a person always had to look forward.

Soon enough, someone came to call Zhou Ehuang—another young woman who, although pleasant-looking, was certainly no match for Zhou Ehuang, falling far short even of Princess Huairou. After bidding them farewell, Yang Lian continued along the Qinhai River. Having thoroughly taken in the scenery on both banks, he walked back to the inn under the setting sun.

Seeing him return, Xiao Erhei hurried forward and reported, "Master, the Prince of Qi has arrived."

"The Prince of Qi?" Finding this somewhat strange, Yang Lian strode into the courtyard. The Prince of Qi was sitting there drinking tea, looking thoroughly worried.

"Yang Lian pays his respects to the Prince of Qi." Yang Lian stepped forward and bowed.

"Yang Lian, you've finally returned." Prince of Qi Li Jingsui put down his teacup, motioned for Yang Lian to take a seat, and said, "A few things have happened these past few days that have made me quite uneasy."

"My Lord, what has happened?" Yang Lian asked.

Li Jingsui shook his head. "These past few days, His Majesty has summoned me repeatedly, and each time it has been about the same matter." Pausing for a moment, he continued, "When the late Emperor passed away, His Imperial Brother swore before the late Emperor's bier that the throne would pass from elder brother to younger brother. At the time, I thought it was merely a passing remark. Besides, my brother and I are not far apart in age, while the Duke of Dongping is in the prime of his youth. As for who should inherit the grand position in days to come, the Duke of Dongping is actually a more suitable choice."

"Since the Duke of Dongping is suitable, and Your Highness has no desire to be the heir apparent, you need only decline the position," Yang Lian said calmly.

"This..." Li Jingsui was instantly blocked by Yang Lian's words, not knowing how to respond for a long time. Eventually, he stammered, "But the Duke of Dongping is narrow-minded. I..."

"Is Your Highness afraid that once the Duke of Dongping becomes the Son of Heaven—or even the heir apparent—he will make a move against you?" Yang Lian smiled. Seeing Li Jingsui's expression shift, he continued, "The Duke of Dongping is still young, and youth is inevitably given to arrogance. The fact that he could attempt to take my life during the martial trials a few days ago proves that he is a man who disregards his word. I fear that in his eyes, family ties amount to nothing."

"Even if Your Highness does not consider yourself, you must consider Princess Huairou. Is that why Your Highness is troubled, feeling lost and unsure of what to do?" Yang Lian asked directly. Sometimes, cutting straight to the point yielded better results.

Hearing this, Li Jingsui's expression grew even more unsightly, and he appeared utterly dejected. Yang Lian sighed inwardly; Li Jingsui's personality was simply too weak.

"Yang Lian remembers when Your Highness first came to find me, I was nothing more than a commoner. I recall telling Your Highness that only when one grasps one's destiny in one's own hands can one avoid being bullied by others. And to hold one's destiny in one's own hands, one must grow one's own strength and seize greater power. Your Highness is a member of the imperial family. Forgive my bluntness, but since ancient times, imperial struggles have been the most ruthless. To look no further back, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, both secured power through coups and thereby ascended to the supreme throne."

"It is lonely at the top. Since Your Highness is already in this position, certain things will happen whether you wish them to or not. If you wish to live well, to live brilliantly, and to keep your loved ones from harm, you must emulate Li Shimin and Li Longji. Your Highness is a wise man; surely you understand what must be done?"

Having spoken at such length, Yang Lian felt somewhat tired. Composing himself, he picked up his teacup and took a slow sip. Li Jingsui's greatest flaw was his lack of firmness and willpower; Yang Lian needed to encourage him from time to time.

Li Jingsui fell into deep thought. In truth, leaving aside Emperor Taizong and Emperor Xuanzong, Li Jingsui had witnessed firsthand how the current dynasty was founded—how could he not know of those fierce internal struggles? It was simply that his inherent weakness made him unaccustomed to such things.

The Prince of Qi remained deeply hesitant, leaving Yang Lian with no immediate solutions. After chatting for a little longer, the Prince of Qi departed for his manor with his guards.

After washing up, Yang Lian went to bed early, specifically instructing Xiao Erhei not to disturb him. Once the crescent moon had risen to the center of the sky, Yang Lian changed into a black outfit and covertly made his way toward the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Along the way, he eluded the patrolling soldiers, taking a full hour to reach the outer perimeter of the estate.

The surroundings of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion were pitch black, and even inside the buildings, only a few lamps remained lit. After all, at this deep hour of the night, even if there were patrons, they were busy with their own affairs, and no one noticed Yang Lian's arrival.

Yang Lian had long since memorized the layout of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Zeng Yiling resided in the innermost room of the row facing the Qinhai River on the second floor. As Yang Lian strolled quietly toward it, he discovered that the lights in her room had already been extinguished, presumably meaning she was asleep.

A self-deprecating smile touched Yang Lian's lips. To think he would engage in such clandestine behavior—he felt rather like a rogue stealing fragrance under the moonlight. Just as he was about to scale the wall and climb the building, he caught the sound of faint footsteps. Hastily concealing himself in the shadows, he listened as the footsteps drew closer, light and measured, belonging unmistakably to a woman.

The woman was likewise clad in black, lending her an air of deep mystery. She approached Zeng Yiling's room in a few swift strides and looked the place up and down.

Who could this be? Yang Lian pondered inwardly. He watched as the woman pulled a grappling hook from her tunic and tossed it upward. The hook caught firmly on the windowsill, and with remarkable agility, she began to climb, reaching the second floor in the blink of an eye.

Yang Lian narrowed his eyes slightly. Wondering no longer who she might be, he sprang into action, covering the distance in a few rapid strides until he reached the side of the building. Reaching up, he grabbed the rope and gave it a forceful downward yank. With a sharp snap, the windowsill fractured, and the grappling hook tumbled down.

Feeling the sudden lightness in her hands followed by a sharp crack, the woman instantly realized something was terribly amiss. Yet she did not panic; planting her feet lightly against the wall, she dropped gracefully to the ground. Landing with barely a sound, she tucked her body inward to absorb the impact of the fall.

When Yang Lian looked back, the woman was frowning, lifting a pair of bright eyes to glare at him.

Without wasting words, Yang Lian stepped forward and reached out to tear away the veil covering her face. Naturally, the woman refused to let him succeed so easily; enduring a wave of pain, she scrambled to her feet to block his outstretched hand. But Yang Lian was not only strong; his movements were astonishingly fast. Unable to withstand his onslaught and hampered by a throbbing ankle, she fell into a disadvantageous position in fewer than five moves. Pressing his advantage, Yang Lian launched a fierce assault.

*Clap!* With a crisp sound, their arms collided, and tears welled up in the corners of the woman's eyes from the pain. *What a brute,* she thought to herself.

Seizing an opening when she lowered her guard, Yang Lian thrust out his hand and ripped the black veil from her face.

"Ah? How is it you?" Yang Lian blurted out in sheer astonishment, staring at a face so familiar that it gave him a tremendous shock.

Hearing his voice, the woman froze as well. Capitalizing on his momentary distraction, she was the first to recover, lashing out to snatch the black mask from Yang Lian's face as she demanded, "Why are you here?"

Having been successfully ambushed, Yang Lian simply showed his true face, though he remained thoroughly bewildered. What was Mi Shiwei doing here? And why was she attempting to scale the walls of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion? Just as he was about to speak, the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed from nearby—evidently, the patrolling soldiers had heard the commotion and were hurrying over to investigate.

Yang Lian cursed inwardly. Although he now held official status as an official of the fifth rank, being discovered here in such garb would inevitably arouse suspicion. He immediately prepared to leave.

Mi Shiwei took two steps, only to let out a sharp cry of pain. Although her martial arts were impressive, her sudden drop from the second-floor roof had injured her ankle, rendering movement difficult.

Glancing back at her, Yang Lian knew she could not be allowed to fall into the hands of the patrolling guards. Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms, broke into a run, and vanished into the vastness of the night.