HXC Chapter60

The following afternoon, the envoy’s party arrived at the Khitan capital. The Khitan were a nomadic people who, in recent years, had grown in strength and established the Liao state. Ordinary folk still lived in felt tents, while the royal clan resided in palaces.

 

The Khitan king, who was over sixty years old, was still robust and energetic. To show the friendly relations between the two countries, he personally received the delegation at the palace gates.

 

Ji Zhen looked at the tall Khitan king through the half-closed carriage curtain and felt that, like father, like son, he was as majestic and burly as Yelu Qi.

 

The group laughed and chatted as they entered the palace, where Yelu Qi assigned people to settle the envoys.

 

“Esteemed lords from the Heavenly Empire, please settle in first. Tonight, there will be endless fine wine and delicious food.”

 

“Young General, we haven’t sparred in a long time. These next two days, this prince must have a good round with you.”

 

The two had “fought it out” in Jiang Yuyu’s military camp just last month, yet they pretended it had been a long time since they last saw each other. These words were, of course, for the envoys to hear. Ji Zhen’s heart suddenly fluttered. He had just revealed to Shen Yanqing last night that he had met Yelu Qi. Wouldn’t this be extremely contradictory?

 

He couldn’t help but look at Shen Yanqing. Meeting the other party’s meaningful gaze, his heart sank.

 

Fearing he had caused a great disaster, Ji Zhen waited until the Khitan attendants had left after they had settled into their quarters and immediately reported the matter to his elder brother.

 

Ji Jue pondered for a moment, then reassuringly rubbed his face. “It’s fine.”

 

Ji Zhen didn’t know if it was truly insignificant or if his elder brother just didn’t want him to feel guilty, but he promised repeatedly, “I won’t speak carelessly again.”

 

The two brothers’ residences were next to each other, directly opposite Shen Yanqing and Jiang Yuyu’s. When Ji Zhen finished talking to his elder brother and opened the door, he saw Shen Yanqing standing in his doorway while looking his way.

 

Ever since they had met again, Shen Yanqing’s gaze had been constantly fixed on him. Whenever Ji Zhen looked back, he could always catch that ardent look, as if there would be no more chances to see him again and he didn’t want to miss a single moment.

 

Because of the incident where Shen Yanqing tried to trick information out of him, Ji Zhen became even more convinced that Shen Yanqing’s presence in the desert was a sign of ill intent. He didn’t spare Shen Yanqing a kind glance, glaring from afar before slamming the door shut with a loud bang.

 

As night fell, the Khitan king hosted a banquet for the envoys.

 

The rich scent of grape wine filled the air, high-pitched string music played nonstop, and captivating dancers with twisting waists performed, displaying the Khitan’s rugged energy and fiery passion. Bonfires burned everywhere at the open-air feast, warding off the night’s chill. Everyone sat on soft cushions on the ground while singing and laughing together.

 

Ji Zhen hadn’t intended to overindulge, but the richly brewed, fragrant wine was exceptionally delicious. It left a lingering taste on his lips and teeth, making it impossible to stop. He couldn’t help but drink cup after cup, his cheeks becoming flushed.

 

Just as everyone was drinking heartily, the Khitan king, who was seated at the head of the table, suddenly said, “I’ve heard that the Great Heng Empire has many talented people, and the envoy, Lord Shen, is a triple top scorer. He must be well-versed in both scholarly and martial arts. The night is beautiful and the moon is bright; how about Lord Shen sparring with one of our Khitan warriors for our entertainment?”

 

Ji Zhen’s hand, which was holding his cup, paused. He instinctively looked at Shen Yanqing at the opposite table.

 

Envoys represent the face of their country and should be treated with the utmost respect, yet the Khitan king was asking Shen Yanqing to perform for entertainment. Had he drunk too much?

 

Shen Yanqing remained composed, but the other two envoys’ expressions had already changed.

 

Ji Jue and Jiang Yuyu exchanged glances, understanding that the Khitan king knew of the discord between Shen Yanqing and the two of them. This action was likely to show their resolve for cooperation, deliberately trying to humiliate Shen Yanqing.

 

Ji Zhen, who was unaware of these intricate maneuvers, was not in a position to speak out and could only fret.

 

After a moment, Shen Yanqing rose. He casually took off his snow-colored cloak and threw it on the sand. Facing the deliberate provocation, he remained as steady as a mountain. “It is this humble minister’s honor to be appreciated by Your Majesty. In that case, this humble minister will make a fool of himself.”

 

The Khitan king laughed heartily, “Lord Shen is forthright! Where are my Khitan warriors?”

 

The shouts echoed through the sky. The Khitan warriors were all eager to spar with Shen Yanqing. Finally, a burly man with a body full of solid muscle jumped onto the sand with two short-handled iron hammers. An attendant brought up a weapon rack for Shen Yanqing to choose from.

 

During this time, Jiang Yuyu stood up and said, “Your Majesty, wouldn’t it be boring to have only Lord Shen provide entertainment? Khitan warriors are brave and fierce, and this general, too, would like to learn from them.”

 

Jiang Yuyu was, after all, a general of the Great Heng Empire. Even though he had secretly allied with the Khitan, he couldn’t just stand by and watch the Khitan king make a spectacle of an envoy. He took the stage himself while also praising the Khitan warriors, thus both preserving the face of Great Heng and not losing courtesy toward the Khitan.

 

The Khitan king said in a coarse voice, “This king has already experienced the prowess of the Young General. How about a two-on-two match, and the winners will then decide the victor?”

 

“That’s excellent.”

 

Ji Zhen looked at the Khitan warriors, each more robust than the last, and his heart trembled.

 

Jiang Yuyu had practiced martial arts since he was a child and was an experienced fighter, so Ji Zhen wasn’t worried that he would lose. As for Shen Yanqing, he knew the man was not just a refined scholar who only read classical texts, but he couldn’t figure out his true depth. Seeing Shen Yanqing casually pick a simple long sword, Ji Zhen couldn’t help but half-stand up, holding onto the edge of the table.

 

“Zhen Zhen, have some roasted rabbit meat.”

 

His elder brother tore off a rabbit leg and placed it on his plate. He immediately remembered their “three-point agreement” before they departed and slowly sat back down.

 

After the match began, the watching Khitan people circled the field, cheering and making noise. The musicians loudly beat the drums. Boom, boom, boom—

 

Shen Yanqing stood holding his sword, his boots shifting slightly on the ground. When the big man came at him with his iron hammers, Shen Yanqing dodged with a slight turn of his body. He used defense as offense, barely making a move but repeatedly evading the big man’s fierce attacks.

 

Jiang Yuyu, on the other hand, was different; he was already engaged in a heated fight with the warrior.

 

Shen Yanqing once again dodged the warrior’s attack, flipping around to pat the warrior’s back with the flat of his sword. It looked like a very gentle tap, but it made the two-hundred-pound warrior stumble forward a few steps.

 

The warrior was completely enraged and babbled in a language Ji Zhen couldn’t understand.

 

On the other side, Jiang Yuyu’s silver spear was already at the warrior’s throat. In a match, it was customary to stop at this point, and the warrior cupped his hands and said, “The Young General is amazing.”

 

“You Central Plains person, why won’t you attack?” The warrior with the scarred face questioned Shen Yanqing in a strange accent.

 

The whole audience let out a long “woo, woo” cry.

 

Ji Zhen’s palms were sweaty, and he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles. Just as the furious warrior glared and swung his hammer at Shen Yanqing, a sharp glint of coldness flashed in Shen Yanqing’s eyes. In a flash of lightning, his long sword slipped through the gap between the two iron hammers, the blade flicking left and right, mercilessly striking the warrior’s wrists. The warrior yelped in pain, and the iron hammers barely missed Shen Yanqing’s face before flying out of his hands and hitting the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

 

Shen Yanqing slowly retracted his sword and stepped back, his voice gentle amidst the flying sand, “I accept your concession (It’s a polite phrase said after winning a match. It’s something like “thank you for letting me win.”).”

 

The sudden turn of events was so swift that even the Khitan king hadn’t expected a seemingly refined scholar to defeat one of Khitan’s top warriors, his eyes filled with shock.

 

Ji Zhen finally let out the long-held breath he had been holding.

 

“Good, good!” Yelu Qi stood up and clapped. “Worthy of a top scholar from the Heavenly Empire! What a brilliant strategy of retreat for advancement. My Khitan warrior is truly convinced he was beaten.”

 

Shen Yanqing humbly replied, “Your Highness overpraises me.”

 

He cast a glance at the sandy ground, noting Ji Zhen’s worried expression, but Ji Zhen avoided meeting his eyes. Shen Yanqing’s expression darkened once more.

 

Since Shen Yanqing and Jiang Yuyu had won, a duel was inevitable.

 

The two stood opposite each other. The cold night wind swept over, making their dark hair billow. The silver spear and long sword gave off a sharp, cold glint, adding a sense of lethal intent to the solemn scene.

 

The drumbeats started again.

 

Shen Yanqing’s wrist moved slightly, and he unexpectedly changed his strategy, launching the first attack.

 

He was a master of patience and restraint, but he had only taken the initiative to attack twice in his life. The first time was tonight’s duel with Jiang Yuyu, and the second was a struggle triggered while chasing Ji Zhen outside the capital.

 

The silver spear and long sword clashed, emitting a harsh metallic sound. Both Shen Yanqing and Jiang Yuyu used all their might. Their new grudges and old hatreds were all poured into this contest. It was less like a martial arts match and more like a fight to the death between sworn enemies, with every move and style holding nothing back.

 

The Khitan warriors watched in fascination and cheered loudly.

 

Ji Zhen had thought that since the two were both subjects of the Great Heng Empire, they would hold back during a friendly spar. He was surprised to see it was twice as intense as before. He watched the two seemingly battling to the death, his heart feeling as if it were being roasted over an open flame. He didn’t want either of them to get hurt.

 

The silver spear sliced off a small wisp of Shen Yanqing’s hair, and the sharp sword grazed Jiang Yuyu’s brocade robe. It was impossible to tell who would win.

 

The Khitan warriors whispered among themselves, also finding it strange that the two seemed like mortal enemies rather than kinsmen.

 

Seeing that the two were fighting more and more fiercely and refusing to stop, Ji Jue suddenly threw a wine cup, which shattered between them. The broken pieces of porcelain were like a signal to end the fight, and the two, who had been fighting desperately, separated as if waking from a dream.

 

Ji Jue stood up and said with a smile, “I was so engrossed that I let my hand slip. Please forgive me, Your Majesty and Your Highness.”

 

With the graceful exit provided by Ji Jue, Shen Yanqing and Jiang Yuyu knew when to stop. They bowed to each other and returned to their seats.

 

What had seemed like a friendly match but had actually turned into a farce thus came to an end. The crowd returned to singing and dancing wildly once again.

 

Shen Yanqing put his outer cloak back on, subtly using strong wine to suppress the faint taste of blood in his throat.

 

After the banquet, the half-drunk Ji Zhen walked back with his elder brother and Jiang Yuyu.

 

After all, they were in a foreign country, so they were all still somewhat sober. But even Jiang Yuyu, who loved to tease Ji Zhen, was silent.

 

As they neared their quarters, Ji Zhen finally couldn’t help but say to Jiang Yuyu, “Were you crazy just now? This is Khitan. If something bad happened to you, what would the people on the border do?”

 

Jiang Yuyu, with his excellent hearing, first heard footsteps not far away, then stopped and asked, “Are you worried about me?”

 

Ji Zhen was honest. “Shouldn’t I be worried?” He glared at the other party without much menace. “If my elder brother hadn’t interrupted, how long would you have kept fighting?”

 

Jiang Yuyu then asked, “Since you’re worried about me, who do you think would win if we kept fighting, me or him?”

 

Ji Zhen froze. He glanced at Ji Jue, who seemed to be waiting for an answer as well, then pursed his lips and chose his words carefully, whispering, “You’ve been on the battlefield for two full years, so you probably wouldn’t have lost, right…?”

 

Just as he finished speaking, Shen Yanqing slowly walked out of the corridor.

 

Jiang Yuyu smiled confidently. “I would have won, of course.”

 

Ji Zhen, not knowing Shen Yanqing was there, was inexplicably flustered. He said to Ji Jue, “Gege, I’m tired. Let’s go back quickly.”

 

Ji Jue nodded and led Ji Zhen away while holding his hand. Jiang Yuyu also followed suit, leaving only Shen Yanqing, who had heard their conversation, standing pale in the wind for a long time.

 

There was a time when he held the top spot in Ji Zhen’s heart, but now he didn’t know where he ranked.

 

He had recognized his feelings too late, leaving him with endless regret.

 

The author has something to say:

[Three Men, One Show]

Lord Shen: ?

Young Marquis: ?

Gege: ?