Northern Town Prefectural Commissioner, Public Hall.
The panlong zitan hall case bestowed by Emperor Taizu of Wei to the Imperial Guard, had already shattered into pieces of wood debris on the floor.
The entire hall looked as if a bull had plowed back and forth countless times, with a broken floor, scattered seats, and human-shaped pits everywhere.
Shen Fa lay sprawled in the center of the hall, gasping for breath, spewing blood, and angrily shouting, "Why didn’t you just kill me? Is this how you treat a friend?"
Yang Ge was also slightly gasping for breath. Hearing this, he sneered, "If you weren’t my friend, do you think you’d still have the chance to spout such nonsense?"
He had fought without using True Qi, fearing that he might accidentally kill Shen with a real blow, merely relying on physical strength to shatter Shen’s golden bell shield and iron-cloth shirt indeed required considerable effort.
Shen Fa fell silent, yet inside he still felt outraged by Yang’s ungratefulness and ingratitude, all those nights he spent going gray in order to ease Yang’s tensions with the court...
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"Don’t bite the hand that feeds you!"
Once Yang Ge caught his breath, he looked at Shen’s angry expression and said with a smirk rather than a smile, "I went far away to Dongying precisely because I took into account your status as Shen, so you could avoid the raging storms. But damn you, you turned around and made me take the bullet for the court, not to mention stirring up a conflict between me and the White Lotus Sect... What? Did you think that if you could deceive your brainless little wife, you could deceive me too? Is this how you treat a friend? Are you not afraid I’d die by Tang’s hands?"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became, cursing three times in succession.
He truly regarded Shen as a friend; Shen had indeed once genuinely considered his well-being... although Shen’s considerations were somewhat wishful, the underlying loyalty was real.
And it was precisely because he considered this devious fox a friend that he felt so enraged.
Shen Fa’s expression changed and he forced a smile, "We’ve been together for so many years, when have you ever seen me undertake anything I’m not sure of? That bandit Tang has been causing trouble in the southwest borders since the Jingping years, his information in the archives is much more thorough than yours. I’ve completely figured him out; he’s fierce in appearance but cowardly at heart, cunning yet indecisive, ambitious yet unwilling to risk his life, lured by small gains and losing sight of his ambitions. With your reputation at that time, he would never dare to engage you in a life-and-death battle!"
"In fact, I was surprised afterwards that the old harpy actually dared to meet you. Just by that alone, it proved I did right; He was indeed plotting against you. Rather than letting you fall into his trap and into the hands of the White Lotus Sect unwittingly, it was better to clarify this early and let you see clearly what the White Lotus Sect truly was!"
Yang Ge sneered, "Are you truly confident? Or was it not your life you were playing with?"
Shen Fa pointed to the scar on his left cheek, "What do you think, how did I get this scar?"
Yang Ge, provoked to laughter by him, gave a thumbs up, "Well, I really did underestimate you; you truly are ruthless!"
Shen Fa stared directly into his eyes without flinching and said loudly, "In this world, Yang Er is not the only person who sticks to his principles. I, Shen Fa, dare not boast of unwavering resolve, but I can also say: ’I have never, for a single day, abandoned my beliefs!’ "
"It’s a pity, I don’t have your extraordinary martial arts talent, nor do I have your carefree attitude free of any concerns. I can only painstakingly and cautiously employ these disgraceful tricks, all for the sake of serving my emperor and country, for peace within our nation, and to prevent the frontier soldiers from dying innocently—even if it means gambling with my own life, I, Shen Fa, have never flinched!"
"You are noble, you are remarkable, you don’t cut corners, and you may look down on these sly tactics of mine, but you can’t insult my patriotic heart!"
"And also, as a friend, I dare say that I, Shen Fa, have been true to you, Yang Er; whether you damn well believe it or not!"
Yang Ge narrowed his eyes and said with a light chuckle, "So according to you, am I the one in the wrong? Why don’t we make a bet, then—bet on whether you played any tricks in my house during the time I was in Dongying. If I have wronged you, I’ll chop off one of my hands as an apology, but if I haven’t wronged you, you chop off one of your hands as an apology to me. Do you dare to take that bet?"
Shen Fa’s eyes suddenly widened, his righteous indignation from a second ago replaced instantly by an embarrassed smile.
He faltered, unable to speak, but the result was already crystal clear.
They were both age-old foxes; who didn’t know what games the other was playing?
"Yume no Kitsune, what am I supposed to say about you..."
Yang Ge was not surprised by the outcome; considering what he had done while in Dongying, it wouldn’t be Shen if he hadn’t set traps in his home.
Yang Ge even guessed that those traps at his home were just like when Shen insisted on pulling him into the Imperial Guard; beneficial to both the court and to Shen himself.
At least, that’s how Shen saw it.
As for how Yang saw it, it was never within that sly fox’s consideration.
Yang could understand Shen’s perspective—a condescendent attitude based on his bureaucratic mentality, looking down on everything.
But he could no longer accept the way Shen disregarded his wishes and unilaterally arranged his life time and again.
"Let’s end our friendship here!"
Yang Ge sighed softly, "Being your friend is too exhausting, letting your guard down for a moment leads to mischief, allowing you to commit all manner of deeds in the name of friendship. I’m afraid sooner or later I will have to kill you."