Chapter 334: Chapter 324: Clash
Fengyu was not born with a body suited for martial arts; she was terribly frail. After Xie Xun’s soul transmigration, her constitution improved through training. Although Fengyu practiced swordsmanship daily, mostly for fitness, her combat effectiveness was worlds apart from Xie Xun’s. Against petty bandits or common folk, she might stand a chance, but confronting someone like Li Pengfei, who had trained in martial arts since childhood, she possessed no fighting ability.
Li Pengfei still brought soldiers from the Prefecture Mansion to surround her. Fengyu, outnumbered and overwhelmed, found even evasion extremely difficult. She could not afford to get entangled with Li Pengfei; Xie Xun could return at any moment, and any misstep during such a confrontation might cost her life. She had to stall Li Pengfei, so Fengyu ran outward.
But she couldn’t escape the courtyard. Li Pengfei, being a deputy commander of Jiaozhou Prefecture, had authority over the mansion, and he had already dismissed the guards outside. Xue Yu had warned Xie Xun to be cautious of Li Pengfei; as a newly arrived governor, Xie Xun might not command the same control over the Prefecture Mansion.
"Someone, help!" Fengyu shouted, but the area beyond the courtyard lay deserted. Li Pengfei and his soldiers completely surrounded her. Fengyu grew desperate and prayed for Xie Xun to return quickly!
Outside Jiaozhou City, Feiying finished delivering the message and left. Xie Xun glanced at the time—it hadn’t yet been a stick of incense. Ayu was clever; she was bound to be waiting for him in the room.
"Nuanyang, come in!"
"Yes!"
Nuanyang, upon seeing Feiying leave camp, knew it was his master and not the Third Miss who had dispatched him. His master clearly had instructions to convey, so Nuanyang had waited outside the tent all along.
Within Jiaozhou City, Fengyu clutched her wounded arm, blood oozing between her fingers and dribbling to the ground. She watched Li Pengfei and his soldiers with vigilant eyes.
"Every soldier in Jiaozhou City obeys my command. Little Marquis, you can shout until your voice breaks, but no one will save you tonight." Li Pengfei held his longsword horizontally before him. "So this is all the famed Xie Xun, undefeated in battle, amounts to—just a flowery pillow stuffed with fluff!"
Li Pengfei thought well of Xie Xun’s mounted archery skills. During the archery banquet, Xie Xun had shot and killed his steed from a hundred li away. Their feud had started during that banquet.
Later, within the Kyoto Capital Guard, Xie Xun greatly valued Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin while ignoring him, intensifying his resentment.
On the sixth day of June, chaos erupted in the Capital City, and Deputy Commander Li died in the stormy night, leaving their enmity as deep as the sea.
"I came to negotiate with the Jiaozhou State Mansion. Six thousand cavalry await outside Jiaozhou City. If I die within this city, Li Pengfei, you’ll join me in the grave. I advise you to think carefully." Fengyu remained composed under pressure, relying on rhetoric to disorient Li Pengfei. "Did you consult anyone in the Jiaozhou State Mansion before deciding to assassinate me?"
Xie Xun was accommodated in the guest room with proper courtesies, as the mansion had yet to make decisions, treating him like a distinguished guest. Li Pengfei’s motives clearly stemmed from personal grievances. "Are you prepared to sacrifice the lives of Jiaozhou’s citizens for your private vendetta?"
"What do the lives or deaths of Jiaozhou’s citizens have to do with me? My hatred for you and Xie Xun runs as deep as the sea. Tonight is your death night!" Li Pengfei’s eyes burned with rage, red with hatred. "The Marquis Zhenbei is dead. You and Xie Jue raised an army in rebellion. You killed my father, and now you’ll pay with blood—a life for a life!"
"The ones who killed your father were the Yuwen Family!" Fengyu retorted sharply. "Your father died during that rainy night because the Yuwen Family incited the war. It wasn’t only your father who perished in that calamity. If you seek revenge, go after the Yuwen Family. Oh, but you won’t—you’re a coward. Since childhood, you’ve hid behind Lin Xiao, revolving around Lin Yu Yan. You’re just Lin Yu Yan’s pawn. Ever since that archery banquet, you’ve harbored hatred for me... and Fengyu, haven’t you? But you lack the skill for revenge and were even exiled to the Kyoto Capital Guard to serve under my command. During that rebellion, Yuwen Jing was the true culprit behind the disaster. But he holds the highest throne, and you dare not go after him. So you shift your hatred onto me. You’ve hidden behind Lin Xiao all your life, carrying no accountability—not even for your hatred. You’re truly pathetic!"
"Xie Xun, shut up!" Li Pengfei snapped, driven to madness by the painful truths. "You’re injured and fighting desperately. Attack! Kill him!"
Fengyu’s heart surged with panic. Zhixu, if you don’t come soon, I’ll end up needing a burial!
Blades gleamed brightly as five or six sabers struck simultaneously. Fengyu retreated ceaselessly, at a loss to evade them. The sharp edges drew closer within her pupils.
Suddenly, three figures darted in from outside the courtyard. All Fengyu could hear was the chilling clash of blades, followed by the muffled groans of injured soldiers. Three tall men in black robes dispatched the attackers, leaving them wounded and immobile on the ground. Fengyu began to calm, then noticed a young man clad in loose, blue robes standing at the Moon Gate, thoughtfully observing her. His gaze seemed both probing and confused.
Who is he?
Fengyu’s heart thumped violently. Zhixu, return quickly!!!
She realized she needed to warn Xie Xun—when they swapped again, all the details must be revealed. If not, their deceit would unravel. Fengyu steadied herself, urging calmness and resilience. She mustn’t panic.
She needed to stall. Surely, an incense stick’s time had passed—Xie Xun should be back any moment!
Fengyu and Xie Xun had exchanged places countless times, but she had never endured such a perilous scene.
Yet she betrayed no trace of alarm on her face, fixing an unwavering gaze upon the man in light blue garb. His appearance was refined, his brows and features meticulously crafted—a face that signaled intelligence at first glance. With a scholarly air and an unparalleled grace, he resembled a scion of the Yanyang Family. He wore only plain blue attire, without official robes, revealing no rank. Fengyu, for now, could not determine his identity. She had never encountered him in the Capital City. Anxiety gnawed at her, but the more frantic she felt, the more reticent she became.
Li Pengfei, clutching his heavily injured waist, dropped his longsword in agony. He seemed to realize his doom, as pain and despair clouded his eyes.
Kneeling on the ground, Li Pengfei opened his mouth to call for reinforcements, but Lin Helin raised his hand, intercepting his words. "Li Pengfei, how dare you!" he said coolly.
As Li Pengfei prepared to retort, Lin Helin’s gaze flicked subtly, and one of the black-robed men pressed his longsword against Li Pengfei’s throat, silencing him. "Kill me if you will! Do as you please!"
Lin Helin paid him no further heed, turning his attention to Fengyu. His gaze seemed to hold some curiosity, settling on her injured arm.
Blood continued to gush from her fingers.
Absolute silence enveloped the courtyard. No one exposed Lin Helin’s identity, but Fengyu’s heart pounded violently. Other than in front of the Second Young Master, this marked the second time she felt thoroughly seen through—her pulse raced, her breath faltered, and cold sweat drenched her back.
Such formidable presence!
His eyes were clearly warm, gentle as the wind, yet carried a latent killing intent she distinctly perceived.
He was waiting for her to greet him first.
But who was he?
"Why didn’t you wait until an incense stick’s time had passed to come and collect my corpse!" Fengyu, unsure of his identity, dared not utter his name recklessly—she could only seize the initiative and resort to audacious remarks.
Lin Helin’s eyes remained genial, as he replied, "Did I overestimate you, or underestimate Li Pengfei? I didn’t expect you’d end up being defeated so... gracefully?"
He knew of Li Pengfei’s deep hatred for Xie Xun and had learned of Li Pengfei dismissing the guards, but he hadn’t thought much of it.
It wasn’t that Lin Helin had intentionally ignored the situation; he simply believed Li Pengfei posed no true threat to Xie Xun. To his surprise, matters had spiraled into such an embarrassing defeat.
"I did it on purpose!" Fengyu, increasingly anxious, forced herself to remain composed, maneuvering with sharp wit, "I wanted to see just how long you’d continue ignoring this!"
Her cold sweat grew heavier under Lin Helin’s overwhelming pressure. She couldn’t discern his motives, his identity. Fear of misspeaking and arousing suspicion paralyzed her words.
Zhixu, if you delay any longer, I’ll have to feign unconsciousness!
Lin Helin smiled gently. "Zhixu, have you no manners? What should you be calling me?"
Fengyu, "... ..."