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He leapt through the air towards the consul, fearless of death, and pierced through the Observatory’s encirclement.
As Qin Yunian collapsed in terror, Mo Shuchong showed a twisted smile for the first time. “Villain, you really do remember me!”
But when his scimitar slashed through him, Qin Yunian’s figure wavered. Mo Shuchong was startled to realise that what he hit was only a mirage, and by the time he came back to his senses, Qin Yunian was nowhere in sight. Somehow, the Observatory had interfered with his senses.
“What magic is this!” an assassin disguised as a dancer blurted, “It’s a trap!”
Iron-Clad Guards holding doctored knuckledusters1These have a longer history than you might expect (first documented in India during the 12th century) and are known to have existed as a type of concealed weapon during ancient China. Since these ones are described as drugged/doctored, I’d guess they’re of the spiked variant. surrounded Mo Shuchong tightly. Scouts hidden outside had already sent retreat signals — their actions tonight had already been predicted by the enemy, they wouldn’t be able to gain any advantage and might even fold here.
As the assassins turned to retreat without hesitation, Qu Lingxin let out a cruel grin. “Guards, stop them. Catch one alive.”
The knuckledusters the Guards used were smeared with sedatives. A female assassin couldn’t move fast enough, was hit, and immediately went down. Liwei Court had only mobilised three core assassins this time, including Mo Shuchong. The others tried their best to protect Mo Shuchong’s retreat, but seeing the situation, he had to turn and give the female assassin a knife.
“Those are just small fry,” Qu Lingxin said to Bai Jing’an, “can’t you see that they can be abandoned without hesitation? So you see, this is why Commander Bai still can’t exterminate them.”
Bai Jing’an frowned. “You mean I’m not ruthless enough?”
Qu Lingxin neither agreed nor disagreed as Bai Jing’an’s Iron-Clad Guards took out a barbed net and threw it towards Liwei Court’s assassins. One of the two remaining assassins pushed Mo Shuchong out before taking his own life, and perfectly blocked the net with his own fallen corpse.
“Troubled times are coming, Commander Bai. Mercy is no longer suitable,” Qu Lingxin drawled as he observed the body lying in its pool of blood.
“Commander! It’s bad, there’s a crowd rioting outside, calling themselves revolutionaries who are protesting against Iron-Clad Guards killing people on the street…!”
Despite this evening’s chaos, those who had stirred up the muddy water sat peacefully within the post house. Lan Jue held a cup of wine as he played weiqi2Better known by its Japanese name Go with Chu Xiang.
To be honest, both of them were bad at weiqi. Chu Xiang had long forgotten the rules, because who would play this in space? People would rather spend time on real-time strategy games, or simply go online for a PVP mecha battle. If someone really wanted to play a board game, there were had maniacs who invented 3D Connect Five,3An actual, real life game. See Backyard Games NZ for an example. not to mention those who were in the process of designing 3D weiqi, xiangqi, and even chess…43D chess already exists and has since at least the late 19th century. There’s also a computer game called 5D Chess with Multiverse Time Travel and it’s exactly as bonkers as it sounds. See Steam and Wikipedia; I recommend reading the Steam reviews.
And as for Lan Jue, he had little opportunity to play weiqi in his life, so he was still learning.
However, Chu Xiang’s brain contained Xie Zhiwei.
An AI able to control an entire mothership condescended to use his abilities to cheat at weiqi; the result was that Lan Jue lost miserably the entire night.
“Can’t you let me win once in a while?” he asked half-seriously.
Chu Xiang, pretending to be self-righteous, pinched a stone. “The dignity of a monarch isn’t achieved by being given it.”
A moment passed, then Lan Jue looked down at the board. “Bai Mo told me you pulled out Longque.”
“I did.” Chu Xiang placed the stone on the board with a soft clack.
His surprisingly calm attitude left Lan Jue with practically no way to respond, but he couldn’t let go of the topic so easily. As the legend went, Longque was a blade exclusive to the emperor, and indeed no one had been able to unsheathe it in the past. Now, rather than being ecstatic that he was able to pull it out, Lan Jue was more curious as to why Chu Xiang was able to do the same.
“Maybe it’s as your sister said — if you’re an evil star who came from the sky, it would be reasonable for you to be able to wield a demonic sword.”
“Do you really believe that, Your Excellency?” Chu Xiang smiled.
“I don’t,” Lan Jue replied, “but I need others to believe it.”
“It’s better if Your Excellency believes it,” Chu Xiang said, “otherwise I’ll worry if one day you might drag me out to be executed.”
Lan Jue, looking at him with amusement in his eyes, said meaningfully, “It’s hard to say.”
Chu Xiang rubbed his neck. “It’s a bit wretched to be decapitated, I’d rather be granted poisoned wine,” he said casually.
Lan Jue said nothing, to which Chu Xiang smiled and picked up another stone. “However, once you’ve conquered the world and transformed barren dirt into fertile soil, if you really want to kill me, you can just hang me on a city wall afterwards. By then I can probably be at peace watching the great rivers and mountains.”
As they talked, a light noise came from further within the building. Lan Jue pulled out his sword on the spot, only to see Mo Shuchong walk out from a hidden corner.
Blood dripped from his arm as he knelt. “This subordinate is guilty, I failed to assassinate the consul for My Lord. It was my fault for being reckless, which caused us to fall into a trap and be chased all the way back…”
“Bandage your injury first, talk about it later,” Lan Jue said.
The street outside erupted in noise. “Fortunately there are rebels making trouble on the streets,” Mo Shuchong said as he carelessly smeared himself with medicinal paste.
“You think I know nothing about your little tricks?” Lan Jue asked rhetorically. “Although you didn’t ask for my permission before the assassination attempt tonight, I don’t care about your motivation — however, since your services are now mine, I won’t allow you to be wiped out so quickly. I was the one who ordered Yang Feng to contact the rebels. I have no intention of taking them in, but they’re still useful once in a while.”
“Thank you, My Lord…” Mo Shuchong said guiltily. “This time, it was the Observatory who intervened. I shouldn’t have disturbed you, but…”
“Is the Lord of Western Tang here! Iron-Clad Guards’ Commander Bai Jing’an asks to see him!”
Mo Shuchong’s expression abruptly changed. “No, I made sure not to leave any traces!”
Chu Xiang pointed to beneath the bed. “Hide, quickly.”
Outside, Yang Feng shouted, “Presumptuous, how dare you break into the lord’s residence without permission?! My Lord is resting, you — hey, stop right there!”
“Yang Feng can’t stop the Guards, it seems like that Qu Lingxin has some real skills,” Chu Xiang said as he stood.
Lan Jue heard Yang Feng’s warning; but he yelled so loudly that Bai Jing’an could of course also guess that he was warning someone.
“We won’t be able to hide Mo Shuchong.”
“Hurry, we’re almost out of time, Excellency.” Chu Xiang suddenly grabbed Lan Jue and pushed him onto the bed. “Excuse me!”
“What…?”
Before Lan Jue could react, Chu Xiang tore open his own clothes and sat astride Lan Jue, who subconsciously held his waist, rough calluses against tender skin. At the same time, Bai Jing’an opened the door —
“Who let you in!!!”
Bai Jing’an was, after all, someone who had experienced many things, so his face hardly twitched as he respectfully saluted Lan Jue. It was the Guard behind him who couldn’t hold back his wandering eyes for a moment —
It turned out that the rumour was true — the Lord of Western Tang preferred the male sex.
Although many nobles had strange hobbies, perhaps only Lord Lan would refuse to restrain himself even after having his marriage proposal rejected…
“My Lord, the Iron-Clad Guards are handling a case. There are assassins loose in the city, I only want to ensure your safety and did not mean to disturb…”
Before he could finish, Lan Jue had already gritted his teeth and shouted, “Get out!”
“Yes sir!”
Without hesitating for a second, he left the room before the Lord of Western Tang’s anger erupted, accompanied by Yang Feng’s mocking eyes all the way. However, Yang Feng admired this Commander of the Guards quite a bit — not even his eyebrows moved at such a spicy scene, which contrasted starkly against the younger Guard next to him who was red down to the base of his neck.
The atmosphere inside the room became very strange. Underneath the bed, Mo Shuchong didn’t dare to move an inch, whether that be because he feared the Guards would return or something else.
Only Xie Zhiwei could continue chattering, safe as he was within Chu Xiang’s mind. “Tsk, Captain, you’re taking advantage again. But let me remind you that the beauty you’re hugging has elevated blood pressure and accelerated heart rate, I think he’s more than a bit angry.”
Chu Xiang slowly slithered out of Lan Jue’s arms and then, as if nothing had happened, he straightened his clothes, shrugged his outer robe which had fallen to his waist back on, then saluted. “Please forgive me, Your Excellency.”
The man regained his gentlemanly demeanour as soon as he put on his clothes properly, as gentle as the jade-like moon, with only a faint trace of red at the corners of his eyes remaining from his affectionate look a moment ago.
Blue veins popped along Lan Jue’s hands as he snarled, “You, get the hell out as well!”
“Yes.”
Chu Xiang ran away at the speed of light. It took half a day for Mo Shuchong to dare to crawl out from beneath the bed, and he thought for a long time before gathering up the courage to say, “This matter happened because of me, My Lord. Please do not blame Sir Chu.”
Lan Jue waved him away irritably, not even caring why the assassin wanted to kill the consul.
* * *
By the time he attended morning court the next day, Lan Jue was still absent-minded.
After the events of last night, Chu Xiang disappeared early in the morning and even his instructions for the day were handed to him on notes via Chu Hexing.
Frustration brewed within him. It was obviously that person who pounced on him, but why did it seem like he was the one who would eat someone now?
Various ministers and lords rose to speak, one after another. Consul Qin Yunian also reported on this season’s spring banquets, without sparing even half a word on the assassins he encountered the previous evening.
At this time, the Lord of Chen suddenly interjected. “Your Imperial Majesty, last night I received an urgent message from my territory: traces of wild Night Tribesmen from the plains were found in a forested border area. I ask Your Majesty’s permission to depart for my territory in advance, in order to prepare for a crusade against them.”
Returning early?
Lan Jue’s heart moved slightly, so he tentatively said, “Your Majesty, Western Tang is going through a calamity. Although I can enjoy myself here, I’m still worried that those hooligans will run crying to my door after a single day with no food, so please, let me go back with relief supplies soon!”
As he made his vulgar remarks, he glanced over at the emperor and internally sneered at his muddled, drunken state.
He wanted to see how the emperor, or the Observatory, would stop him.
Author:
Today, Chu Xiang teased a certain Mr. Lan to the point of explosion… these actions of his, he’ll have to pay back one day!
Translator:
As planned, this novel is officially dropped and free for other translators to pick up. My next project is A Transmigrated Figure Skater Becomes an Author by 菌行, of which I’ll translate 21 chapters.
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- 1These have a longer history than you might expect (first documented in India during the 12th century) and are known to have existed as a type of concealed weapon during ancient China. Since these ones are described as drugged/doctored, I’d guess they’re of the spiked variant.
- 2Better known by its Japanese name Go
- 3An actual, real life game. See Backyard Games NZ for an example.
- 4
