Chapter 146: Of Course, We Are Mortal Enemies!

Invited by the Crown Prince of Ying?

Li Guanyi lowered his gaze; this time, the other had formally delivered a letter of introduction—such a situation was, in fact, safe. Li Guanyi informed Xue Lao, changed his attire, fastened at his waist the sword gifted by Master Yan Daiqing, and stepped onto the luxurious carriage.

The driver's skill surpassed Zhao Da Bing's.

The carriage carried Li Guanyi to the temporary imperial palace where the Crown Prince of Ying was staying.

The aura of Bai Hu circled in the sky, signaling Yuwen Lie—the famed general of the realm—now stationed beside the palace. Li Guanyi remained silent, stepped down, and, under the guidance of attendants, proceeded to the palace's front hall.

"I've long heard of Mr.'s reputation, yet only now do we finally meet."

"I truly regret it."

Li Guanyi had waited only a short while when the Crown Prince of Ying came out to greet him; this prince, renowned across the land for his wisdom, smiled as he approached his thirties—handsome, with slightly downturned eyes and a warm, gentle expression.

Li Guanyi rose and bowed slightly in return.

Jiang Gao gripped Li Guanyi's forearm, pulling him along with a laugh: "Mr., why be so formal? Please, please…"

Thus, only the two of them remained.

After three rounds of wine, conversation flowed merrily; Jiang Gao dismissed his attendants and said: "I've heard that great talents of the world are like phoenixes, seeking Roosting Wutong to settle. Amidst the warring states, the people suffer. I, Gao, harbor the ambition to pacify the realm—I only wish Mr. would lend me your aid."

Li Guanyi said: "What did Your Highness say?"

Jiang Gao laughed: "Common folk say: do not speak deeply with shallow acquaintances. Yet seeking a partner for great ambitions is no ordinary matter—it demands sincerity from the first meeting. I treat you with honesty, offering you my very heart."

"Whether we succeed or fail is our fate—but we must be sincere."

Li Guanyi saw Jiang Gao's expression—sincere, open, bearing the bearing of a noble and benevolent gentleman.

Li Guanyi fell silent, rose, bowed deeply, and said: "My nature has always been reckless; I've already stirred trouble in Jiangzhou, even lost my official robes and jade belt. How could a man like me harbor great ambitions?"

"I only hope for a peaceful era, where the people live in peace and health—streets alive with music, nights bathed in soft moonlight. I ask for only a few acres of poor land, to till it myself—that is all I desire."

Jiang Gao froze, then thought carefully and said seriously:

"Then, I beg Mr. to accompany me in forging this great era."

Li Guanyi looked at Jiang Gao before him and grinned.

He felt like a man frantically pulling from a limited-edition card pool.

He declined again: "There are many heroes in the world. I am merely an unworthy wandering swordsman—loud temper, little skill. Your Highness overestimates me."

Jiang Gao gazed deeply at Li Guanyi, then smiled, no longer pressing, only self-deprecating:

"It seems I lack such fortune."

"Come, drink!"

"If I can't persuade you today, I'll just get you drunk—hahaha! Please!"

He raised his cup and drank with Li Guanyi. For a long while. Li Guanyi's outward age was fifteen—he could drink, but others never forced him to overindulge. After drinking, Jiang Gao saw him off and said: "Today you spoke of many heroes in the world."

"Yet I feel I may never meet another like you. I don't know why—perhaps it's because you hold the people in high regard."

Jiang Gao smiled gently, "Still, you just said—peaceful times, the people safe and well, streets alive with music, nights bathed in soft moonlight… I too hope to see that."

The Crown Prince of Ying smiled warmly and solemnly promised:

"So I will spare no effort to make it real. When that day comes—if it ever does—I will come to you for wine. Beneath that soft moonlight, may you pour me a cup of wine you brewed yourself?"

"Even if, by then, you and I are both old."

Li Guanyi paused. He felt the youth's calm sincerity. He fell silent, then answered:

"If that day comes, we shall not part until drunk."

Jiang Gao smiled gently and said softly: "Also, someone told me you are a master strategist. The world is the age of divine generals; true strategists are rare. He urged me to spare no effort to recruit you."

"If I fail, he said, kill you."

"After you leave, be careful."

Li Guanyi paused. "Why tell me this?"

Jiang Gao smiled: "I invited you here. At least here, I see you as a rare friend. A man of your heroic bearing—you were young when you served in the Gold Guard. One day, you will be a general."

"If you lead Chen's Night Gallop Cavalry, we will meet on the battlefield. Then, we will be enemies."

"Enemies need not hold back—fight with all your strength."

"But now, we are still friends. To friends, one must be honest."

"They told me to crush enemies at their inception—but if I view all great souls as enemies, then every hero in the world becomes my foe. Is that not a path too lonely?"

Jiang Gao smiled: "To such heroes of the world, treat them with sincerity."

"Whether friend or foe, I shall never regret this meeting."

He extended his hand, smiling, signaling Li Guanyi to leave. Li Guanyi nodded and departed the palace. Jiang Gao turned back only after Li Guanyi had vanished far into the distance, as if deeply regretful, sighing. Yet, just as Li Guanyi left the hall and had not yet gone far, a laugh rang out.

"Mr. Li, please stop."

Li Guanyi paused slightly. Something flew toward him. He reached out and caught it—a gold coin. He turned to see a radiant young man, around twenty, his features wild and free, his aura like a tigerspringing dragon. He laughed loudly:

"Mr., your reflexes are impressive."

The youth leaned against a tree, then leapt down with bold, effortless grace, bowing:

"I am Jiang Yuan, Imperial Prince of Ying. I watched as my elder brother invited you, and saw how you responded."

"Did it fall apart?"

He spoke with such unrefined, martial ease. Li Guanyi replied with calm dignity: "The Crown Prince's ambitions are vast. I simply lack such grand vision—I cannot walk beside him. Nothing 'fell apart.'"

"Oh? Really…"

Jiang Yuan looked at Li Guanyi, smiled, idly plucked a bowstring, and said carelessly: "My brother is rigid to the point of death. With him, it's always the world or the people—boring. Come, come—I'll show you something fun."

"You've come all this way. Don't leave so easily."

Jiang Yuan casually tossed his bow to an attendant.

He strode forward, slung an arm around Li Guanyi's shoulder, and pulled him along:

"Come on—I've wanted to meet you for ages. Everyone talks about Geshu Yin and Xu Huiyang as great, but my eyes don't lie—you're the finest among them."

After drawing with everyone, winning by just one move is even harder than beating them all.

Come, come, drink and play music.

Li Guanyi's heart stirred slightly; he too wished to meet the young heroes of the various states, so he went along. Jiang Yuan pulled Li Guanyi to the banquet, which was a world apart from the Crown Prince of Ying's feast—extravagant beyond measure, with utensils and wine vessels exquisitely ornate.

Jiang Yuan and Li Guanyi spoke only of horseback hunting and archery, exuding luxury yet occasionally revealing a bold spirit beyond the mundane. Dressed in hunting attire and seated cross-legged at the head, Jiang Yuan said, with a beauty plucking the qin, "I've heard you, sir, possess extraordinary literary talent. Jiangnan has always been famed for its refined culture—how do you find my musician's playing?"

Li Guanyi said: "Very good."

This was not Li Guanyi flattering or being polite.

He had grown up with his aunt, listening to her play the qin, and had studied diligently himself, developing his own understanding of music theory. The musician's playing was clear and serene, unmistakably the result of immense effort; Li Guanyi felt her skill surpassed even his own.

Of course, not as good as his aunt.

Li Guanyi silently added.

Jiang Yuan laughed loudly, clapped his hands, and said: "Come out." The qin music ceased, and a beautiful girl stepped forward, barely seventeen or eighteen, delicate in appearance, bowing respectfully. Jiang Yuan boasted: "This is my musician. She is eighteen, and has played the qin for fifteen years."

"She has never slackened for a single day, and that is why her skill is like this."

"What do you think?!"

Li Guanyi said: "Miss, your qin music is excellent."

The girl nodded gently, her manner soft. She extended her hand—pale, slender, yet marked with roughness, revealing humble origins. The calluses on her fingertips showed years of relentless practice. Jiang Yuan took a sip of wine and roared with laughter: "If you like it, I'll give her to you!"

Li Guanyi could not possibly accept.

Yet he could not help a faint, almost imperceptible dislike for this flamboyant second prince's words, and merely said:

"No need. Such a musician, who has labored so hard—just look at her hands. She must have come from a poor background, her palms calloused, yet she has achieved this level of artistry. Clearly, she has poured every ounce of herself into playing, grasping this one chance."

"For over a decade, she has never once slackened. Let her remain with Your Highness. I am merely a wandering swordsman—I cannot let her practice daily."

Jiang Yuan dropped the subject and drank until nearly nightfall.

In Jiangnan's summer plum rain season, humidity rose further. Li Guanyi sensed rain was coming; tomorrow's duel awaited, so he took his leave. Jiang Yuan escorted him out, smiling: "Meeting you today, Mr., has been truly like meeting an old friend—I am delighted. I have a gift for you."

Someone nearby handed over a box, exquisitely carved and extravagantly ornate.

Jiang Yuan passed it over: "Please take a look."

Li Guanyi was about to refuse, but suddenly sensed a faint trace of blood. His pupils shrank violently—he yanked open the box. On red silk lay two palms.

The palms were slender and long, the fingertips and palms bearing the unmistakable marks of fifteen years of daily practice.

They were still twitching.

They could no longer play the qin.

They were the musician's hands.

Li Guanyi's mind exploded with a boom.

Instinctively, his hand flew to his sword—but instantly, killing intent locked onto the boy. His temple veins bulged as he glared at Jiang Yuan. Jiang Yuan had escorted him out; Li Guanyi stood below the steps, Jiang Yuan above.

Jiang Yuan wore splendid robes—a crimson python robe. The sunset's blood-red glow mingled with the lanterns' dim yellow, casting him like some monstrous dragon-beast. Jiang Yuan narrowed his eyes: "You don't like it?"

"She was my favorite musician. You liked her music, but refused to take her. So I gave you her hands instead. From now on, I won't listen to her music anymore."

His voice remained bold and calm, but Li Guanyi's heart surged with uncontrollable killing intent.

He understood now why he disliked Jiang Yuan.

He understood now how he differed from this empire's imperial clan.

He and the world's nobility had one essential difference: here, people truly saw humans as objects—tools to impress warlords, to display one's grandeur. It was genuine, bottomless indifference and dehumanization.

Li Guanyi's hand trembled slightly; his killing intent nearly broke free.

He did not know how he restrained himself from lunging—perhaps Yuwen Lie's aura, perhaps his reason. He took the box, turned, and walked away. Then his pace quickened, faster and faster, until he was sprinting.

Jiang Yuan watched the boy. Thunder cracked overhead, blinding white.

"Not one of our kind."

When Jiang Yuan returned, he saw Yuwen Lie beneath the tree. The world-renowned general regarded him coldly: "Why cut off your own musician's hands?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Just to test Li Guanyi."

Yuwen Lie said: "Oh?"

Jiang Yuan sneered: "My elder brothers are too naive—they think we can coexist peacefully with the common folk. They're wrong. We are not the same as them. If the world is a forest, we are lions and tigers—we must eat meat!"

"Every silken robe my brother wears, every delicacy he eats—whose sweat went into it? Hmph. The paper he writes on when he speaks of peace with the people is worth a month's grain for them."

"He talks of peace with the people—ha! He fools the fools, but does he fool himself?"

"We are born above others. We are meant to be sustained by the masses. We must tread on their heads—or what if our shoes get dirty?"

"And Li Guanyi—just now, his eyes dared to hold killing intent… He stands with the mud-stained peasants. Doesn't my brother know? Such a man is our enemy at the most fundamental level?"

Jiang Yuan touched his neck and smiled: "He is, at his core, our enemy."

"Such a man cannot be recruited."

"The more talented he is, the sooner he must be killed."

"Do you think it's not worth it—to use a mere musician's hands to uncover this? Besides, I've prepared another gift for him…"

Jiang Yuan smiled: "Also, your elder brother betrayed you."

"General Yuwen, he told Li Guanyi your advice."

Silence. Deathly stillness.

Thunder raced through the air, illuminating the still Yuwen Lie and the slightly raised brow of Jiang Yuan.

………………

Li Guanyi sprinted through the rain, smelling blood. At a place where common folk dumped trash, he saw the musician. Several guards approached, rubbing their hands, grinning with malice. Her hands had been severed at the wrists.

She remained delicate, but like a doll stripped of all life, sitting in the refuse, eyes gray and hollow, devoid of light.

"Heh, such a face—even without hands, she's not useless."

"Come on, brother gets first taste, then the rest of you. It's just a noble household's servant girl thrown out—happens all the time. The authorities won't care. We're lucky, eh?"

They drew near, and the musician's eyes showed no ripple.

Then suddenly, a roar rang out: "GET OUT!!!!"

The ruffians were flung flying, slamming into the wall, spitting blood. The musician suddenly felt someone standing before her; she lifted her head and saw the boy gasping for breath, rain falling upon him, sparkling with a faint glow.

The musician's face broke into an instinctive gentle smile, her hands severed at the wrists.

She smiled softly: "Young Master…"

Li Guanyi clenched his fist, his body trembling slightly. He seized the girl musician, immediately pressed acupoints to stop the bleeding, slung her onto his back, and sprinted forward. The musician rode on Li Guanyi's back, rising and falling with each step; she stared at the boy's neck, a glimmer of light kindling in her eyes, her lips parting.

On her tongue lay a silver needle; the Second Prince's command still burned before her.

"The Ghost Market's legend—he acts to win great fame. Hah, seeking empty glory. If you fall into that situation, he won't abandon you. At that moment, killing him will be effortless."

"You are the most crucial pawn. You must not fail."

The musician did not know how she had agreed or how she ended up sitting there; she intended to kill Li Guanyi.

As a killer should.

But suddenly, she realized no rain touched her body.

The boy had used his true Qi to disperse the rain around her.

The musician froze. She saw the boy's eyes wide, his body trembling, his palm pressed against her severed arms, warmth continuously flowing into her. Drops fell upon her arms—were they rain?

For no reason, the musician suddenly felt she could not bring herself to strike.

No, I am a killer… a crucial pawn.

All great heroes of the world are heartless men—he is, and the Prince is too.

But the next moment, the musician saw Li Guanyi enter the Ghost Market's territory.

The musician knew how the Ghost Market regarded Li Guanyi; she froze, then watched as the Ghost Market's elite emerged in unison, weapons drawn, all pointing at the boy. Someone gritted his teeth and shouted: "Li Guanyi, how dare you come here again?!!"

"We can't do any business now."

The boy stood straight, his voice clear: "The Nightless Marquis said those people have nothing to do with you."

"And the Ghost Market can accomplish any transaction, isn't that so?"

"Opening its gates to guests from all directions is only right."

The Ghost Market folk had no reply.

"Oh? What do you want?" The Nightless Marquis's voice echoed out.

The only place Li Guanyi could think of to achieve what he desired was here. He looked at the Ghost Market men whose blades and swords pointed at him, exhaled, and said: "I need a pair of hands. The girl on my back still has hers—your Ghost Market has the finest physicians in the world. I believe you can reattach them!"

The Nightless Marquis replied: "Oh? It can be done. But what is her relationship to you?"

"Strangers who met by chance."

"Oh? Strangers who met by chance—and you dare come here?"

Li Guanyi said: "... I did not kill Bo Ren, yet Bo Ren died because of me."

"She is a person. I cannot stand by and let her die."

The heroic boy bowed deeply, hands clasped: "I beg you."

The Ghost Market folk exchanged glances in silence, then silently sheathed their weapons.

The musician's body trembled slightly; the killer's killing aura vanished.

She opened her mouth, facing the boy's back—finally unable to strike. She closed her eyes, tears streaming endlessly; she was a killer, a pawn, yet she could not bring herself to act.

Long after, the Ghost Market gates swung wide open.

The Nightless Marquis said: "In the mortal world, heroes command even ghosts and gods to revere them."

"Come in!"