Chapter 449: Chapter 433: Brawl
Han Ziqi tasted blood at the back of his throat, fresh crimson spraying onto the snow-covered ground. He raised a hand to wipe his lips. "A true gentleman argues with words, not fists. This is hardly dignified, is it? Whoever made you angry, go throw your tantrum at them, not me."
"Say what you just said again, and I’ll have you crawl out of West State." Fang Chuning’s voice was icy to the extreme.
Fengyu quietly mused—it must have been Han Ziqi who provoked Fang Chuning. Neither he nor Xie Xun were the type to swallow their pride unless it involved someone they cared deeply about. If anyone else troubled them, they would retaliate without hesitation, no matter who the opponent was.
"Fine, fine..." Han Ziqi raised his hands. "It was my mistake. You’re the bigger person."
The owner of the West State Inn came out amid the snow and, seeing the aftermath of chaos, couldn’t help but shout, "Honorable guests, if you’re going to fight, don’t do it inside the inn! You’ve ruined a perfectly good room!"
"He’ll pay!" Fang Chuning’s figure disappeared to the second floor.
Han Ziqi propped himself up from the snow, his expression displeased. Noticing the shopkeeper bowing toward Fengyu, Han Ziqi finally realized that Fengyu and Fang Lingjun had been watching this farce from the sidelines. It also dawned on him that the West Wind Inn belonged to Fengyu.
He chuckled, saying, "How much silver do I owe? I’ll pay."
Fengyu had no idea what negotiations between Han Ziqi and Fang Chuning had fallen apart so dramatically. Han Ziqi seemed to fear Fang Chuning greatly. As Fang Chuning emerged from the inn, Han Ziqi had intended to exchange pleasantries with Fengyu, but Fang Chuning was already standing before him. "Consider carefully what I said before and give me your answer in two days."
"Fine!" Han Ziqi rubbed his wrist, nearly dislocated from the fall. "I’ll think it over seriously."
"Brother..." Fang Lingjun asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"
"I’m fine."
Fang Chuning departed alone. Fengyu noticed that he wasn’t heading toward the direction of the City Lord Mansion. She hesitated—why wouldn’t he stop by the mansion to visit Second Brother while in West State? Where could he be headed instead?
"Third Miss, regarding the iron mine issue, when will you give me a definite answer?" Han Ziqi tightened his cloak. "Our Sannan enjoys spring-like weather all year round; here in West State, it’s freezing cold. I can’t stand it and would like to return home as soon as possible. Whether it works out or not, Third Miss, please give me an answer promptly."
"Very well!" Fengyu didn’t dally. "In five days."
"You have my word!"
The matter had long since been decided—they were merely stalling Han Ziqi. Second Brother had also already obtained intelligence from the Jiangnan garrison. It was supposed to be a done deal, but everything was thrown into flux yesterday. Was it because Fang Chuning had come to West State? She couldn’t help but wonder if this might complicate matters further. For now, it was best to delay things a little longer.
Taking Fang Lingjun by the hand, Fengyu prepared to continue strolling the streets when Han Ziqi suddenly asked, "Ningzhou and the Imperial Court are divided by the river, with twelve states under Ningzhou’s jurisdiction. Yet Fang Chuning, as the commander of Zhongzhou, has the audacity to parade openly through the city. Doesn’t that concern either you or His Highness in the slightest?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"An enemy is an enemy, no matter how close you once were, no matter how righteous their character. When positions differ, one day swords will inevitably cross. Kinship, love, friendship—they’re as fragile as paper when a blade is at one’s throat." Han Ziqi burst into laughter and returned to the inn.
Fang Lingjun bit her lip, her eyes reddening slightly.
Fengyu said, "Junjun, don’t listen to his nonsense. You and Brother Fang in West State—no one will hurt you."
"I know. My brother didn’t escort me to West State just for my sake. He..." Fang Lingjun paused. "He’s here on official business. Perhaps... perhaps it might harm you."
"That’s his business, not yours."
"How can it not involve me?" Fang Lingjun said sadly. "One day, the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry will come to our doorstep, and my father and brother will inevitably don their armor for battle. A clash between the two sides is unavoidable. I can’t detach myself from this, yet I feel powerless. I escaped the prison of the Capital City, and yet it feels like I can’t escape my fate."
"Junjun..."
"I’m fine." Fang Lingjun forced a bitter smile. "Too much has happened these past years. I suppose I’ve been caught up in my own head."
"Some things are beyond our control. All we can do is live in the moment; let future matters be dealt with in the future."
"Alright!"
Fengyu chuckled softly, taking her shopping once more. While Han Ziqi’s remarks had affected Fang Lingjun’s mood, she soon recovered as they happily perused shops, picking out all sorts of West State specialties and foods Fang Lingjun had never seen before. Fengyu genuinely wanted Junjun to be happy, so she spared no effort in cheering her up.
Fang Lingjun could sense Fengyu’s good intentions and, as Fengyu hoped, happily accompanied her through the streets.
City Lord Mansion.
As Fengyu and Fang Lingjun returned to the mansion, the sunset bathed the long streets in warm hues, the orange light contrasting beautifully with the white snow. West State resembled a secluded paradise. The moment they stepped through the gates, they heard Nuanyang say that Xie Xun and Fang Chuning were sparring in the courtyard.
Their hearts skipped a beat—surely it wasn’t a real fight?
Both Fengyu and Fang Lingjun assumed it was a friendly bout with swords. To their shock, it was barehanded combat. Both men were already battered and bruised. When Fengyu and Fang Lingjun arrived at the training grounds, a crowd had already gathered.
Xu Zhou, Nuanyang, Feiying, and nearly all the personal guards had surrounded the training ground, leaving no room to pass. Their cheers for Xie Xun made the atmosphere overwhelming. In terms of morale alone, Fang Chuning was clearly at a disadvantage—this was the City Lord Mansion, Xie Xun’s domain, after all.
The guards parted to let Fengyu through. She pulled Fang Lingjun along, joining the onlookers. The moment she got a clear view of what was happening inside the training ground, Xie Xun landed a heavy punch on Fang Chuning’s face. Fengyu could swear she heard the dull thud of flesh meeting flesh. Knowing Xie Xun’s temperament, he was undoubtedly going all out. Watching that blow to Fang Chuning’s face made her wince in empathy.
"Brother..."
Fang Chuning, after taking the hit, staggered back but steadied himself with a firm backward step. Bending his right leg, he braced himself, then rolled swiftly to the side as Xie Xun lunged at him. Using one hand for leverage, Fang Chuning sprang up and delivered a fierce kick to Xie Xun’s chest.
Fengyu: "..."
Just looking at it hurt!
Xie Xun only felt his chest grow numb, an intense pain radiating through his body. The force of the impact sent him flying, crashing into the large drum at the edge of the training ground before rebounding off it. He tumbled across the snow-covered ground for five or six rotations before stopping. Propping himself up with one hand, he began to rise, only for Fang Chuning to slam his knee into Xie Xun’s chest. The pressure could have easily cracked ribs. Xie Xun, desperate, grabbed a handful of snow and flung it toward Fang Chuning’s face. As the latter dodged, Xie Xun landed another punch squarely under Fang Chuning’s chin. The force knocked him backward.
"Stop fighting!" Fengyu shouted, but her voice was swallowed by the biting wind and snow. Nobody paid her any mind. As soon as Fang Chuning got back to his feet, he charged forward again, and the two men, like wild beasts, collided and clashed with raw brutality.
Xie Xun, for reasons unknown, seemed to have a vendetta against Fang Chuning’s face, aiming punches almost exclusively there. By now, Fang Chuning’s face was a patchwork of bruises, grotesque and swollen.
Fang Chuning, on the other hand, aimed every blow at Xie Xun’s chest and abdomen, targeting places hidden from plain sight. Watching this, Fengyu couldn’t help but think Xie Xun’s ribs were surely close to breaking.
This was a fight to the death. She grabbed Nuanyang. "Go get the Second Young Master."
"Already sent for him. The Second Young Master said, ’Let them fight to the death, then we’ll deal with the corpses.’ He told us not to intervene."
Fengyu: "..."