Chapter 570: Enemies Face to Face
If great figures did not occasionally erupt, how unbearably dull would an auction full of courtesy and civility be?
He Lingchuan had already taken a seat beside Fushan Yue. At this point, he lowered his voice and reminded him, “Zhongsun Ce is close to giving up.”
Zhongsun Ce’s gaze had begun to wander, and even his bids came more hesitantly than before. He no longer had the same firm resolve.
He had clearly considered simply letting the blood-infused vine fall into Fushan Yue’s hands. Whoever spent 15,000 taels to bring that thing home would be the real fool.
Fushan Yue grinned at Zhongsun Ce and produced a stack of banknotes. “This is the money your brother paid in compensation to my envoy on the day he disappeared. A full 50,000 taels. I’m using it to buy the blood-infused vine.”
The moment Zhongsun Ce saw the notes, his eyes reddened. In a low, harsh voice, he said, “Sixteen thousand taels!”
Good, that’s more like it. Fushan Yue smiled.
Not one of the banknotes He Lingchuan had earned with his own hands would ever make its way to Fushan Yue. Fortunately, Zhongsun Ce had already been angered past reason and had no mind left to examine the details.
The bidding continued until it reached 19,000 taels.
The entire hall fell silent.
The auctioneer called the price out twice. Zhongsun Ce stared at Fushan Yue with murderous hatred, as though he wanted to choose him for his next meal and tear him apart.
Fushan Yue sighed. “Let him have it.”
The little wooden hammer rapped down a few times.
Sold!
When Zhongsun Ce took possession of the blood-infused vine, his eyes were as red as blood.
It was only when it came time to pay that he fully recovered his senses and realized what the hot-blooded rush had cost him.
But at that point, there was nothing more he could say. All he could do was hear Fushan Yue toss out a final line, “From now on, you’d better pray you never fall into our hands.” And then, Fushan Yue strode off.
As for that sort of stock line used whenever a villain exits the scene, Fushan Yue cared nothing for it. He stretched lazily as he stood and headed for the door, saying to He Lingchuan as he went, “That was satisfying. Truly satisfying.”
He Lingchuan replied, “From the look of it, the Zhongsun Family is in a foul mood. They’ll probably try to take revenge on you.”
“Let them.” Fushan Yue could not care less. “The old man of the Zhongsun Family still has a bit of ability left, but at a time like this, he can barely look after himself. How would he dare come looking for trouble with me?”
Cen Boqing had sworn that Zhongsun Chi had privately used the elixir of youth. That was a buried mine waiting to blow. The Zhongsun Family was now glaring daggers at the Cen Family and the Minister of Finance’s family, all because it was desperate to prove its innocence.
To provoke Fushan Yue on top of that would be sheer stupidity.
In the elixir of youth case, Chiyan was the injured party, and the Crown Prince of Chiyan himself had rendered meritorious service in the investigation. Anyone with sense ought to know this was not the moment to offend him.
The two of them had just stepped out the door when someone came forward to meet them, lightly applauding.
“Splendid. Who would have thought a few stalks of medicinal vine could bring about a clash worthy of dragons and tigers?”
The voice was somewhat familiar.
Fushan Yue did not find anything especially remarkable in it, but the moment He Lingchuan saw the speaker, his pupils contracted sharply, and his scalp went numb.
Tall, broad-shouldered, with strong features and a commanding presence.
It was another old acquaintance.
He Lingchuan had never imagined he would run into him here.
Damn this accursed chance encounter!
Fushan Yue recognized the man as well and exclaimed in surprise, “General Hong, when did you return to Lingxu City?”
“Last month.” The man’s gaze was burning hot, fixed on He Lingchuan as though it meant to sear a hole straight through him. When he first entered the hall, he had thought he was mistaken and had rubbed his eyes several times before finally confirming it.
Seeing this, Fushan Yue asked at once, “You two know each other?”
He Lingchuan said nothing. Inside his sleeves, his fists had already clenched tight, and his back had gone rigid from the sudden sense of danger. But the man answered, “I don’t think so. Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“This is He Xiao, my special envoy for the investigation.” Then, turning, Fushan Yue added, “He Xiao, this is General Hong Chenglue, one of Beijia’s famed commanders.”
In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through He Lingchuan’s mind.
Hong Chenglue knew exactly who he was.
Hong Chenglue also bore against him a blood-deep hatred.
What was he supposed to do now? Turn and flee? Draw his blade and strike first?
Or should he do nothing at all?
Hong Chenglue was no Nian Zanli, blind and clueless. How would he choose to deal with him?
“An investigation?” Hong Chenglue seemed to be steadying his own breathing as well. “What investigation?”
“The elixir of youth case. Haven’t you heard?”
Hong Chenglue nodded slowly. “So it was He Xiao who handled that. Impressive for one so young. Where did Your Highness find such talent?”
He put unusual weight on the two words “He Xiao.”
“He’s from the State of Fu.”
“Ahhh, the State of Fu, huh?”
It was already late autumn. He Lingchuan felt as though every breath he drew into his lungs was ice. Even so, he forced a smile toward Hong Chenglue. “And what brings General Hong to Dun Garden?”
Hong Chenglue had seen him first, and by now the first sharp surge of emotion had already subsided. “I heard that this session of the auction included boundless gold. Even if I couldn’t buy it, I still wanted to come and see.”
Fushan Yue also remembered the treasure in question. “Right, the sale of the boundless gold is worth seeing. Has it started already?”
“Any moment now, in Fragrance Hall.” Hong Chenglue even managed a faint smile. “Shall we go watch together?”
No one objected, so they descended the steps and headed back toward Fragrance Hall.
Along the way, Hong Chenglue asked about the elixir of youth case.
This was one of Fushan Yue’s proudest exploits, and once asked, he answered freely and at length.
Having gone through life-and-death trials alongside Hong Chenglue more than once, He Lingchuan also managed to shed that first, involuntary tension with surprising speed. He even interjected now and then while Fushan Yue was speaking.
Since Hong Chenglue had not immediately cried out his true identity or drawn a weapon, the situation still had room to turn.
For now, all he could do was take it one step at a time.
Strangely enough, the conversation among the three of them was almost harmonious.
Fushan Yue then asked, “The war on the eastern front is tense. What are General Hong’s plans in the near future?”
“None yet.” Hong Chenglue’s smile stiffened slightly. “I only just returned not long ago. A plum assignment like going out to war may not be my turn this time.”
Just as Fushan Yue had said earlier, Beijia had no shortage of famous generals, yet it had also enjoyed peace for a long while. Opportunities to win military merit were few. Who would not want to lead troops east and fight?
When He Lingchuan heard that, his thoughts began spinning rapidly.
* * *
Fragrance Hall was crowded with the eminent and powerful.
He Lingchuan looked up. The previous lot had already been removed, and the next had been placed on the platform. Several people seemed to have exchanged a few words with the auctioneer, who nodded several times in succession.
Before everyone had even properly taken their seats, the auctioneer raised his voice and announced, “Lot number 1,111, the unknown curiosity resembling a horn, will now go up for bidding!”
He Lingchuan was taken aback.
Isn’t that the very item the divine bone amulet had taken a liking to earlier? Didn’t the attendant beside the display case say that it would be auctioned in Heavenly Rain Tower? Why is it suddenly being auctioned here?
Then again, the temporary reshuffling of lots between halls and changes to the order of sale were perfectly normal at an auction, so he did not dwell on it.
At that moment, two of Fushan Yue’s old acquaintances came up to him, laughing and clasping his arm in greeting.
With Fushan Yue momentarily gone as a buffer between them, Hong Chenglue’s gaze immediately shifted to He Lingchuan. “Shall we talk?” After saying that, he gestured toward a corner with his eyes.
Fragrance Hall’s main chamber was very large. Since the auction had already begun, most of the crowd was gathered in the center, while the corners were occupied only by attendants and guards.
He Lingchuan drew a quiet breath and followed him over.
The platform was in an uproar behind them, but he no longer had the mind to listen.
Once they were alone, Hong Chenglue spoke first, “You spy. You’ve got some nerve.”
“Foreigners traveling in Beijia come from all over the world. Are they all spies?” By now, He Lingchuan had forced himself to be fully calm. A fine jar of wine stood close at hand, but he had no intention of making even the smallest gesture that might provoke Hong Chenglue.
“After the Han River campaign, I spent a long time regretting that I didn’t stab He Chunhua a few more times.” Hong Chenglue had believed that he had avenged himself by killing an enemy, but he had not. “It was only after I returned to Beijia that I learned He Chunhua was still alive. Heaven truly shows me mercy, placing you right in front of me!”
“Once I kill you, I’ll send your head to He Chunhua. And before much longer, I’ll send him down the same road to join you!” The venom in his eyes practically burst outward. The energy around his body was already surging, as though the next instant would bring a thunderbolt strike.
He Lingchuan immediately gathered his true energy, and Fleeting Life was already on the verge of appearing in his hand. He had fought Hong Chenglue before. He knew just how terrifying this man’s full-force blow could be.
Even if they were no longer amidst ten thousand troops.
In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through He Lingchuan’s mind. If Hong Chenglue truly cast caution aside and struck openly within Dun Garden, how could he withstand it?
This battle would be more difficult than the fight against Fan Sheng in Baishajue.
And even if he could force Hong Chenglue back, how would he deal with the endless trouble that followed?
The attendants nearby could feel the sword-drawn tension and murderous intent between the two men and instinctively retreated a couple of steps, yet none of them thought to step in and mediate.
And just then, a tiny thing suddenly flew between them and spoke in a human voice, “Honored guests! Tea, or wine?”
It was a little figure no taller than half an arm, with wings beating behind its back like those of a hummingbird. In its hands, it held up a tray bearing tea cups and wine goblets.
Had his whole attention not been fixed on Hong Chenglue, He Lingchuan might have thought that he had wandered into the wrong kind of story entirely. Even little fairies had started appearing.
He had, in fact, heard of this sort of thing. In the Giantwood Forest to the west, it was said that a kind of tree spirit, born in human form with four wings on its back, could be trained to speak human language.
But this one had a stiff face, lifeless eyes, and movements that were slightly mechanical. It was clearly not alive.
In truth, it was not the only one. There were seven or eight others like it flitting to and fro around the hall, carrying tea and wine to guests. Some even delivered chewing tobacco and snacks.
Yet the sudden appearance of this little tree spirit broke the taut, interlocked pressure between Hong Chenglue and He Lingchuan in a single stroke.
That feeling that the situation could erupt at any moment vanished just like that.
The two men stared at one another, wide-eyed and silent.
Both of them had cooled down.
Rather amusingly, the little tree spirit also remained hovering motionless between them.
After a long moment, He Lingchuan reached out and took a cup of wine.
That action meant he was offering a truce.
In a serious tone, he said, “A’Jin’s death had nothing to do with me.”
Hong Chenglue’s smile twisted into something savage. “When Zhao Pan and Nian Zanli fought their war, what did that have to do with my wife A’Jin? Why, then, did He Chunhua have to kill her?”
He Lingchuan let out a long sigh. “The poison she swallowed wasn’t given by us.”
No one had foreseen that A’Jin would swallow poison.
The killing intent in Hong Chenglue’s eyes did not diminish. “I know. That’s why Wu Qing is already dead.”
Wu Qing had been Beijia’s contact assigned to him. He was the very person who handed the Cold Dove Powder to A’Jin. Hong Chenglue had endured in silence the entire time he remained in Yuan, only killing Wu Qing after returning to Beijia and regaining both office and rank.
Once rank and power were his again, killing a man like that was easier than slaughtering a dog.
“If that man hadn’t acted deliberately, A’Jin would never have gotten hold of real poison in the first place. So...” He Lingchuan lowered his voice. “...the one who really killed A’Jin was the Beijia behind your back.”
When he first followed He Chunhua, he was still too green to see that layer.
Only after gaining experience and looking back over the past had the truth become plain enough.
