Chapter 377: with translation of chapter title

At the foot of Qi Capital.

Carriages and horses flowed like water and dragons, crowds surged, prosperity shone like brocade.

All kinds of carriages stretched as far as the eye could see; people of every sort from every corner of the land, peddlers and small traders, brushed shoulders one after another.

Even though the tall, heavy city gate was ten zhang wide, forward movement was extremely slow.

Even the Sheji Academy pendant on Heng Xian's three‑person carriage was of little use; they had no choice but to follow the crowd inside.

However, Han Yu and Deng Wu looked outside with faces full of pride.

Deng Wu turned back and asked, "Sir, have you ever seen such a prosperous city?"

Heng Xian replied seriously, "Really, I haven't!"

Deng Wu laughed heartily: "Among all cities in the world, besides the Qin capital Xianyang, none can rival it!"

Han Yu also said, "For now it's still alright, but in a few days, on Empress Shengze's birthday, feudal lords and dignitaries from all over will enter the capital, commoners forbidden to go out, and the whole city will be filled with the offspring of families who feast on bells and tripods—that's when it will truly be magnificent!"

Just as they were speaking, a nasal voice came from nearby: "Yo ho! Who from the Sheji Academy is this? Let this marquis take a look!"

Then a carriage came up from behind, carrying three youths in white wide‑sleeved robes; the one speaking was the fat one among them.

Seeing Deng Wu, Heng Xian, and the third person, the three youths were slightly startled, then somewhat disappointed, saying, "Obscure nobodies, how boring!"

"Marquis Bo Geng's heir, you say we're nobodies?" Deng Wu flared with anger.

The fat one glanced at him: "What are you lot? Calling you nobodies is already this marquis elevating you!"

"I..." Deng Wu's face turned red as he slammed the curtain down: "Do not bully a poor youth; one day he will rise and roam the heavens!"

"Pfft... hahaha, foolish bird, do you think you're some genius monster? You've read too many petty books; lowly is lowly!" A wanton burst of laughter came from opposite.

Deng Wu's face grew even uglier.

"Who are they?" Heng Xian asked curiously.

Han Yu whispered: "They are students of the Imperial Academy; that fat one's mother combed Empress Shengze's hair for fifteen years—one attains the Dao and even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven; his father was made Marquis of Bo Geng County, yet he, merely the heir, constantly calls himself 'this marquis', bullying honest folk left and right, fawning and bowing before anyone stronger—what a piece of work!"

Heng Xian nodded: "A second‑generation rich kid—every world has its share!"

Deng Wu looked at Heng Xian, eyes red: "Sir, am I useless? I've only reached the second layer of Qi Condensation, while he's at the eighth; I can't beat him, and I lack his background!"

Heng Xian patted his shoulder: "Believe in yourself! Background and cultivation are temporary! You are by no means mediocre; your setbacks are just a temporary lack of savvy positioning—sooner or later you'll ride the wind and break the waves, roaming the heavens!"

"What does 'savvy positioning' mean?" Han Yu and Deng Wu said in unison.

Heng Xian narrowed his eyes: "When weak, borrow strength and use your wits; when strong, directly take down others—always keep yourself in an invincible position!"

"Ha! That's a must!" Deng Wu instantly spirited up.

"Foolish bird, silly fool, the Sheji Academy is a bunch of brainless idiots..." Outside again came the three youths' mocking laughter.

Han Yu and Deng Wu flared with anger again, wanting to fling open the curtain and retort, yet lacked the courage.

Heng Xian gave a light smile: "Want to deal with them?"

Deng Wu and Han Yu exchanged a glance: "Want to!"

"Excellent!"

Heng Xian lightly flicked his little finger.

"Whoosh!"

A blade of sword qi slipped out through the window crack.

Then,

"Crack!"

Outside came a rumbling crash as the carriage fell apart, followed by three anguished cries.

Deng Wu startled, hastily flung open the curtain to look—only to see the carriage of the fat one, Marquis Bo Geng's heir, and his two companions sliced into a pile of splintered wood by a sharp weapon, the draft horses knocked unconscious and lying on the ground, while each of the three bore two fresh bloody sword marks on their faces.

Nearby pedestrians and townsfolk instantly fell into chaos, and the city guards not far off rushed over.

Han Yu and Deng Wu's faces turned ashen: "It's over! It's over! Sir, we're completely done for!"

"Over what? Don't panic!" Heng Xian said calmly.

Han Yu's face grew grave: "If it were just the carriage breaking, that would be fine, but three people wounded makes it an assassination case; if officials from the Dàlǐ Sì came to handle it, that would be alright, but if the Shénwǔ Sī showed up, we're finished—they're sharper than dogs and could uncover Sir!"

Deng Wu also turned pale: "Sir, you should leave—quickly!"

"No problem!" Heng Xian leaned back in the soft seat, "I'm here to live off soft food; what do I have to fear from the Dàlǐ Sì, Shénwǔ Sī, or the princess's consort—I'm practically royal kin anyway!"

"Nie nie nie..."

At this moment, nearby officials and soldiers grew more numerous, while the crowd ahead had already been evacuated into the city.

The three's carriage followed through the gate, arriving at the broad, orderly inner‑city avenue.

Han Yu and Deng Wu still uneasy: "Sir, for your safety's sake, you'd better leave; although your cultivation is high, both the Shénwǔ Sī and Dàlǐ Sì have masters!"

Last year, a superlative loose cultivator at the middle stage of Yuan Dan entered the city, blocked the carriage of the Grand Princess's mansion's chief steward, shouted arrogantly refusing to admit fault, and ended up slain by a single palm strike from the Shénwǔ Sī's Commander Xiao!

Heng Xian still unconcerned, instead asked: "Do you know the Fifth Princess?"

"The Fifth Princess?" Han Yu and Deng Wu exchanged a glance, counted on their fingers, "We're not quite sure which is the current Fifth Princess, but the Emperor has seven daughters; four died young, only three survive, so who the fifth rank is we don't know—what do you mean, Sir?"

Heng Xian said: "Just asking casually; I heard this princess cultivates at the Da Luo Holy Sect."

"Ah, I get it!" Han Yu said: "You mean the most beautiful‑looking Tai Ping Princess, said to be the daughter of Consort De, cultivating in an outside sect, but..."

"Tai Ping Princess??? But what?" Heng Xian drifted off, wondering if Ji Yaoyue's title was Tai Ping Princess.

"My wife is the Tai Ping Princess?"

Han Yu lowered his voice: "However, she rarely shows up; the last time was apparently six or seven years ago, when she herself went to a small place outside to pick a husband, after the coming‑of‑age ceremony for a Zhou princess at sixteen, when she must choose a spouse,"

it caused a huge stir in the capital, an uproar that eventually the Emperor suppressed, even sending Ministry of Rites officials to settle the marriage!

However, Empress Shengze flew into a thunderous rage over this, rebuking the Emperor and Consort De, and the princess was also stripped of her stipend!

The last time she appeared was two years ago at the Zhongyuan Festival, when the princess went out to view the lanterns, stunning the city and the nation, outshining all; Empress Shengze's nephew, the Dongxiang Wang heir and the Boyang Wang heir—those cousins, together with several princes and princely nephews—tried to get close to her and almost came to blows!

"She and... who was getting close to her?" Heng Xian asked.

Han Yu said, "It seems not; they went back to the princess's residence. Actually, these things are just what I heard secondhand; I don't know the specifics. Sir, why are you asking so carefully?"

Heng Xian chuckled: "Just asking casually! You say, is it easy to get to the princess's residence?"

Han Yu said, "It's easy, right under the Imperial City in the Prince's Ward, the Princess Tai Ping's residence. However, sir, you must not approach—the imperial family is an exalted presence, very dignified..."

Pt pt pt

Suddenly, a hurried hoofbeat sounded from behind.

Han Yu hastily lifted the carriage curtain and glanced back, his face draining of color: "The people from the Dàlǐ Sì have caught up!"

Deng Wu hurriedly said, "Sir, run!"

Han Yu shook his head: "Too late!"

As expected!

"Stop the carriage and have those inside come out!"

The carriage halted, surrounded outside, a stern voice shouted in a low tone.

"It's over!" Han Yu and Deng Wu trembled.

Heng Xian indifferently pulled back the curtain, only to see dozens of horsemen surrounding outside.

The "horsemen" are second-grade spirit beasts, golden-horned horses; the "people" are a group of blue-robed officials, each with a dignified appearance.

The speaker was the leading minor official; seeing that he had understood, he shouted again: "Didn't you hear?"

"Reason?" Heng Xian asked.

(End of chapter)