Chapter 340: Brawl

Zu Zehong's interjection finally gave Zu Kefa a way out. Wu Sangui's disdainful attitude just now had enraged him to the extreme, but cowed by the other's martial prowess and reputation, he could only harbor his anger without daring to vent it.

Taking advantage of Zu Zehong's rescue, Zu Kefa pretended to be drunk, staggering over to another table and sitting down, while his gaze toward Wu Sangui carried a deep hatred.

"Third Brother, since Eighth Brother happens to be here too, how about the three of us brothers share a cup together? Your younger brother can't hold his liquor well, and I still need to accompany my mother back to the residence shortly—too much would be bad! Eighth Brother, come, let's join Third Brother in a toast!"

Wu Sangui pretended not to hear the mockery in Zu Zehong's words, rising with a dry laugh to fetch two jade bowls and fill them with wine from the flagon, then pouring one for himself before calling out to Zu Zeyuan, who sat at another table.

After Zu Zehong and the other two had toasted their aunt with a cup, they slipped back, while Zu Zerun and the others went table by table, drinking and toasting the elders who had come to the banquet. Since the feast was already in its later stages and everyone had drunk a fair amount, no one noticed the three's movements.

The reason the three had returned early was to get Wu Sangui drunk, then take advantage of the alcohol to beat him up and vent their pent-up anger, afterward claiming that a quarrel had broken out in their drunkenness and that's why they'd come to blows.

Such things were common beyond the Pass; everyone was used to drunken brawls. As long as no one died or was seriously injured, in the end the one who struck first would simply offer an apology and host a banquet to smooth things over.

These three were the closest of companions and the ones who most resented the Wu family's act of near-betrayal this time. Thus, at Zu Kefa's instigation, the three decided to teach Wu Sangui a lesson.

Watching Zu Zeyuan stagger over, Wu Sangui's heart immediately became clear. He sneered inwardly, pretending not to see through the other's intent, and instead picked up the wine bowls and handed them to Zu Zehong and Zu Zeyuan.

"Regional Commander Wu, after we finish this cup, I, Zu, will deal with you strictly by the book! Your Wu family now has several thousand horsemen, and among them are no small number of men and horses my Zu family originally gave you—this is a debt your Wu family owes my Zu family! Now that Jianzhou will soon send another great army, to protect Jinzhou's safety, these men and horses must return to prepare for battle against the enemy! Otherwise, if anything goes wrong in Jinzhou, even if you've thrown in your lot with someone, you won't be able to bear the consequences!"

Zu Zehong spoke with a cold smile after draining the wine in his bowl, and Zu Zeyuan likewise wore an expression of utter self-righteousness.

The anger in Wu Sangui's heart blazed up: "Third Brother, you'd best not push me too far! Whether my men and horses are handed back isn't for you to decide—Jinzhou belongs to my several maternal uncles, so who do you think you are?! Besides, over the years my Wu family has contributed no small amount of money and effort to western Liaoning; if we're counting debts by that measure, who knows who owes whom! Today is the last time I'll call you Third Brother! If anyone dares go too far again, don't blame your younger brother for being rude! I still have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now!"

Having said this, Wu Sangui set his wine bowl down hard on the table, rose, and made to leave. Zu Zehong, furious and humiliated, was first stunned, then casually hurled his wine bowl to the ground. With a sharp "crack," the jade bowl that had just been radiating a warm luster shattered into pieces.

He grabbed hold of Wu Sangui's robe collar and was about to throw a punch, but Wu Sangui swung his arm, putting force into that single limb, and Zu Zehong was flung off-balance by the great strength, staggering backward several steps.

Beside him, Zu Zeyuan swung his right fist at Wu Sangui's ear. Wu Sangui quickly twisted his body aside to dodge, then shot out his right hand to seize Zu Zeyuan's wrist and twisted it back. Zu Zeyuan cried out in pain as his body bent low and contorted. Wu Sangui gave a cold snort and slowly released his wrist, and Zu Zeyuan straightened up clutching his now limp and powerless right wrist with his left hand, glaring at this elder cousin with eyes full of both hatred and fear.

Watching Wu Sangui defeat his two cousins in the blink of an eye, Zu Kefa's anger burned even hotter. Cursing loudly, he abruptly rose, grabbed a rosewood armchair, and charged at Wu Sangui. In an instant he was upon him, swinging the chair down at Wu Sangui's head and face.

Wu Sangui twisted his body and sidestepped, then lashed out with his right leg, kicking the off-balance Zu Kefa—whose chair had swung through empty air—to the ground.

Zu Zehong lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Wu Sangui's waist from behind, straining with all his might to throw Wu Sangui to the ground.

Wu Sangui bent his legs slightly, grabbed hold of Zu Zehong's two arms, and with a soft grunt, forcibly pried Zu Zehong's arms away from his waist, then prepared to throw Zu Zehong down.

Beside them, Zu Zeyuan let out a strange cry and threw himself forward, sending the entangled Wu Sangui and Zu Zehong tumbling to the ground. The three immediately rolled into a tangled brawl.

Zu Kefa, who had fallen to the ground, quickly scrambled to his feet and, enduring the pain in his ribs, charged over to help—but the three were so tangled together that he couldn't find an opening to strike. Zu Kefa simply hurled himself forward and pressed down hard on top of Wu Sangui.

Wu Sangui's arm was locked together with Zu Zehong's and couldn't be separated for the moment. Zu Zeyuan seized the chance and drove a punch into his face. Wu Sangui let out a muffled grunt, tasting saltiness in his mouth and feeling a sharp pain in his nose bridge, followed by blood streaming from his nostrils.

That punch thoroughly ignited Wu Sangui's fury.

Although he had just successively repelled the three's rotating attacks, in truth he hadn't dared to exert much force, afraid of accidentally seriously injuring them and making it hard to explain to his several maternal uncles afterward. So he'd only wanted to extricate himself as quickly as possible, get away from this place and back to his residence, and all would be well.

He hadn't expected these three cousins to have no sense of their own mortality, stubbornly determined to tangle with him.

Wu Sangui let out a low tiger's growl, bent his legs, and kicked out sharply. Zu Kefa, who was lying on top of him, was sent flying off again like a ball, and when his body hit the ground, he knocked over the square table laden with fine wine and delicacies. In an instant soup and sauce were everywhere, a rich aroma of wine wafting through the air. Zu Kefa's body was also cut open in several places by the shattered bowls and dishes, and blood began to flow.

Before Zu Zeyuan's second punch could land, Wu Sangui wrenched one arm free from Zu Zehong's entanglement, seized Zu Zeyuan's fist, and shoved it forward hard—right into Zu Zeyuan's own face. Zu Zeyuan cried out in pain, his right eye socket immediately swelling up.

In his fury and desperation, Zu Zehong slammed his head into the back of Wu Sangui's skull. Wu Sangui instantly felt the world spin, stars bursting before his eyes, his mind going blank for a moment.

He instinctively swung his elbow backward with force, the hard joint smashing into Zu Zehong's mouth. Several front teeth, mixed with blood, quickly flooded Zu Zehong's mouth.

In a flash, Wu Sangui's senses returned. Taking advantage of Zu Zehong loosening his grip in pain, Wu Sangui sprang upright with a carp's leap and made to run out of the hall. Zu Zeyuan, lying on the ground, rolled over and lunged forward, firmly clutching his legs.

"You son of a bitch! I'll kill you today if it's the last thing I do!"

Zu Kefa, covered in soup and blood, climbed up from the ground, bent down to pull a short blade from his boot, drew the weapon and tossed the sheath aside. With a furious roar, he charged at Wu Sangui like a mad tiger.

Zu Zehong, meanwhile, scrambled to his feet and ran toward the side door.

A household servant passing by outside the courtyard where the banquet hall stood vaguely glimpsed what appeared to be a fight inside. Hesitating in uncertainty, he neither dared approach to look nor dared report it to his master, afraid of being retaliated against afterward by the young masters involved in the brawl. He could only pretend he'd seen nothing and hurriedly slipped away.

Since being adopted as a righteous son by Zu Dashou, Zu Kefa had never suffered such a great loss. Seeing three against one yet still being beaten soundly—not only injured, but once word got out, who knew how many people would mock him—the utterly enraged Zu Kefa lost all reason.

Seeing this, Wu Sangui was both shocked and furious. By now he had vaguely concluded that this banquet was a conspiracy by the Zu family—to keep the Wu family from turning to the court, they intended to leave his life here in western Liaoning.

With Zu Zeyuan clinging tightly to his legs, Wu Sangui struggled several times but couldn't break free, his lower body momentarily immobile. Zu Kefa lunged forward and raised his blade to stab at his left chest, the gleaming blade reflecting his face—twisted and ugly with rage.