Chapter 584

When Li Chenzhou saw that jade pendant, his pupils dilated instantly, his normally steady face suddenly turned as pale as paper. Li Chenzhou pressed his lips tightly, his fingers trembling slightly as he picked up the jade pendant. The pendant had a warm, smooth luster, soft to the touch, its carving exquisitely fine, but the fish mouth and fish tail parts bore cracks; the pendant was incomplete. Judging by its shape, it should have been a paired fish jade pendant, split into two halves, and the half worn by Wen Boyuan on his chest should be one of them.

Gazing at that jade pendant, Li Chenzhou's mind went blank.

Tang Boxi also noticed his abnormal expression, and in a low voice said, "Brother, what's wrong?" He reached out and patted Li Chenzhou's shoulder, but Li Chenzhou suddenly roared, "Get lost!" He was like a furious male lion, his eyes bloodshot, his expression terrifying to the extreme. Although Tang Boxi was bold, he was startled by this sworn brother's uncharacteristic appearance and stammered, "You... what's wrong with you?"

Li Chenzhou looked at Wen Boyuan's lifeless, pale face, his heart feeling as if cut by a knife. He forcibly restrained his emotions, took a deep breath, and slowly rose to his feet.

Tang Bohsi, Li Chen Zhou.

Li Chenzhou's numb face forced out a faint smile as he said, "How could that be? Elder brother... I just find this person's death terribly strange. Have someone bring his corpse to my tent; I want to examine it carefully."

Tang Boxi wore a look of bewilderment; he hadn't misheard—Li Chenzhou wanted to bring this corpse into his own tent. Just moments ago he had wanted to claim that sword for himself, but the brothers had refused; now he wanted to take both the person and the sword away—could he have taken a liking to that blade as well? If the brother likes it, as the elder brother I naturally cannot contend with him.

Tang Boxi waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to follow Li Chenzhou's orders.

Hu Xiaotian gazed into the distance at the commotion over there. He saw several Da Yong soldiers lifting Wen Boyuan's corpse onto a stretcher, seemingly intending to carry it away. He instantly felt uneasy: among the hundreds of corpses, why single out Wen Boyuan's body? This was highly suspicious. Even Wen Boyuan's own retainers in life would not have allowed them to take his corpse without reason. He stepped in front of those soldiers and shouted loudly, "Why are you taking General Wen's corpse?"

Tang Boxi shouted, "This is my turf; I don't care who you are, you must obey my rules here and not meddle in my affairs." The Da Yong soldiers behind him simultaneously drew their swords.

Hu Xiaotian rose to intervene, saying, "Everyone, don't get worked up; we can talk things out, we can talk things out!"

Wu Jing Shan also hurriedly urged, "This is the Da Yong military camp. Everyone, stay calm, absolutely stay calm."

Under another's eaves, how could one not bow their heads? Even Wen Boyuan's few surviving retainers would not risk their lives for a corpse here; they swallowed their anger and retreated.

Hu Xiaotian sat down beside Zhou Mo, who also sensed the situation was unfavorable. He sent a mental transmission to Hu Xiaotian: "If the turn of events goes against us, we'll fight our way out."

Hu Xiaotian glanced at the Da Yong soldiers standing in strict readiness around them, slowly shook his head, and said, "Let's be patient and watch how things develop." He thought about breaking out of the Nan Yang water stronghold, but that would be as difficult as climbing to heaven; even with Zhou Mo and Zhan Peng such capable hands, it would be hard to guarantee everyone's safe retreat.

Several soldiers carried Wen Boyuan's corpse into Li Chenzhou's tent. Li Chenzhou dismissed everyone, approached the corpse alone, and trembling, took the blood‑stained jade pendant from Wen Boyuan's body. Then he reached to his own neck, pulled out the fish‑shaped jade pendant he wore there, and joined the two pieces together— a complete paired‑fish jade pendant appeared before him.

Li Chenzhou's inner stronghold collapsed in an instant; hot tears streamed down his cheeks like a breached river. His Adam's apple bobbed as he shook his head vigorously, his trembling hand reaching out to draw the Tiger Soul Blade from Wen Boyuan's chest. He then saw a red‑cord imprint left by the jade pendant on Wen Boyuan's neck. Li Chenzhou never imagined he would encounter his fellow countryman brother here. Raised since childhood beside his grandfather, the Da Yong Chancellor Li Xuan‑gan, he had often asked his grandfather why everyone else had parents while he had none. His grandfather merely told him he had been orphaned from infancy. Li Chenzhou had always believed he had no parents, no siblings, until fifteen years ago, when his grandfather lay dying and finally told him that he still had a father and a brother in this world, both now in Dakang. However, considering his young age, his grandfather had not revealed their names. He had only said that if one day someone arrived bearing the other half of the paired‑fish jade pendant to meet him, that person would be his brother, and upon their reunion the mystery of his parentage would be solved.

For those fifteen years, Li Chenzhou had countless midnight dreams of reuniting with his kin, never imagining reality would be so cruel—when he finally saw the other half of the paired‑fish jade pendant, it was on the corpse of the deceased Wen Boyuan.

Before his eyes appeared the scene of his grandfather on his deathbed, his gaunt hands gripping him tightly, using the last of his strength to whisper: "Chenzhou… one day your brother will bring the other half… of the jade pendant to meet you; then… you will know your origins… you will know where your birth father lies…"

Li Chenzhou's eyes brimmed with hot tears; he had finally found the other half of the jade pendant, found his brother—but the brothers would never meet again. Wen Boyuan was his brother; the mystery that had plagued him for over thirty years was now solved: his father was the Dakang Grand Preceptor Wen Chenghuan. No wonder his grandfather had refused to tell him where his father was; his grandfather feared that acknowledging their kinship would expose his father's identity.

Li Chenzhou clasped the paired‑fish jade pendant, pressed it tightly against his chest, and gazed at his brother's eyes that would not close in peace; his heart bled incessantly. He silently vowed that, no matter the cost, he would uncover the true killer of his brother and avenge him. His trembling hand reached out and closed Wen Boyuan's eyelids.

When Li Chenzhou strode out of the tent with bloodshot eyes, Tang Boxi, who had been waiting outside, came forward anxiously and asked, "How are you? Are you all right, brother?"

Li Chenzhou slowly shook his head and said, "I'm fine, elder brother, don't worry—I'm doing very well." He strode toward the drill ground. Tang Boxi sensed something amiss and hurriedly followed behind him.

The sun had already set, night gradually shrouding the Nan Yang water stronghold. The thirty‑six survivors each felt uneasy; even now no one from the Dakang side had appeared. Could it be that they had noticed nothing about such a massive ship sinking? Clearly the Da Yong side had already sent word; by reason and propriety the Dakang side should have dispatched someone as well.

The Da Yong navy's salvage operations continued, constantly pulling up corpses and also hauling up many crates, most of which contained Princess Anping's dowry.

Ever since Li Chenzhou and his group appeared just now, Hu Xiaotian had sensed that something was off; the surrounding Da Yong soldiers regarded them with suspicion. Wu Jing Shan lowered his voice and said, "Sir Hu, it seems they are treating us as prisoners."

Hu Xiaotian replied, "We can only wait for our people to arrive before we can negotiate with them."

While the two were speaking, Li Chenzhou's party departed and then returned; Li Chenzhou had a long blade hanging at his waist—exactly the Tiger Soul Blade that Wen Boyuan wore close to his person.

One of Wen Boyuan's personal guards rose to meet him, pointed at the long blade, and said, "This sword belongs to our general; where have you taken our general's corpse?"

Li Chenzhou ignored him and continued forward; the guard stepped forward to block his path, saying, "You—" Before he could finish, a flash of bright blade arced down from the guard's left shoulder, slicing diagonally; the blade's passage split the guard's body cleanly in two.

In an instant everyone gasped and cried out in alarm.

A drop of fresh blood trickled slowly from the icy‑cold blade. Li Chenzhou spared no glance at the corpse falling before him, slowly sheathed the Tiger Soul Blade, and stepped toward the group of survivors, saying in a low voice, "Where is Princess Anping now? You all only think of fleeing for your own lives, disregarding the princess's safety—you all deserve death!" His voice was grim and terrifying; his face no longer bore its former gentleness, but was filled with icy killing intent. Though Li Chenzhou's heart was shattered with grief, he could not openly avenge his brother, for if outsiders learned of his connection to Wen Boyuan, it might endanger his father, who still serves as Dakang's Grand Preceptor in Dakang.

His fury and grief needed an outlet, and that outlet was Princess Anping.

Watching helplessly as a comrade fell beneath Li Chenzhou's blade, everyone trembled with fear; having seen such a horrific sight, none dared to step forward again, lest they provoke Li Chenzhou and invite deadly retribution.

Li Chenzhou's stern gaze swept over the crowd, and he coldly demanded, "Where is Princess Anping?"

Wu Jing Shan stammered, "General Li, our princess fell into the water and remains missing to this day… you demand we hand her over… how would we know?"

Li Chenzhou said, "She is not only your princess but also the future consort of our Seventh Prince; you have failed to protect your master—you all deserve to die!" His hand clenched tightly around the hilt, and a fierce killing intent radiated from his body, pressing outward in all directions.

Standing beside Li Chenzhou, Tang Boxi also sensed this powerful killing intent; although Tang Boxi was rash, he also knew that these survivors were members of the Dakang envoy, among them men like Wu Jing Shan, a Dakang high official. If Li Chenzhou went on a slaughter spree, it would surely stir up serious trouble, so he hurriedly warned Li Chenzhou, "Brother, it's their princess who died." In Tang Boxi's view, as long as the princess had not yet married the Seventh Prince she was not truly his consort; her death meant nothing to Da Yong, and he could not fathom why Li Chenzhou was so enraged—having flown into a fury, he had already slain a Dakang warrior.

Hu Xiaotian rose and said, "General Li, even if Princess Anping meets with mishap, any responsibility we bear is a matter for our emperor; the Dakang emperor will hold us to account—surely it has nothing to do with your country?" (To be continued~^~)