Chapter 77: The Outcome Is Decided

The drill ground was filled with a roar like a crashing tide. Li Hongji’s petty maneuver had been subtle and swift, noticed by almost no one. Although the outcome was already determined, Yang Lian remained highly vigilant. Suddenly, he sensed a thread of danger and looked up just in time to see a gleaming arrowhead streaking toward him. He hurriedly raised his arm, swinging his long blade to meet the projectile; the arrowhead gave a faint ring as it clattered to the ground.

Seeing this, many breathed a sigh of relief. Chen Tie, snapping out of his shock, bellowed, "Damn that cur! He has no sense of decorum!"

Yang Lian narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Instead, he raised his left hand and crooked his little finger at Li Hongji. This naked provocation sent Li Hongji into a towering rage. He spurred his warhorse forward, charging directly at Yang Lian.

Yang Lian gripped his long blade tight, then took a strip of white cloth and bound the hilt firmly to his hand.

"Commander Yang, let me handle this!" Chen Tie shouted. His opponent was wielding a horse lance, the same weapon as his own.

Yang Lian shook his head, his voice low and firm. "Let me deal with this one." With that, he spurred his own steed and rode forward.

The two had been separated by over three hundred paces, but as they galloped, they soon came within clear sight of one another.

"Let’s see how long you can remain so arrogant," Li Hongji thought, a glint of murder in his eyes as he tightened his grip on the lance. Even if he lost this bout, it would be worth it if he could severely injure or kill Yang Lian.

Yang Lian tightened his hold on his blade. The roar of the crowd seemed to fade from his ears; in that moment, he could see nothing but the face hidden behind Li Hongji’s black cloth and mask, the eyes flashing with lethal intent. As they closed the distance, their horses crossed, and both men lunged with their weapons at the same time.

However, while their movements were similar, their targets were not. Li Hongji aimed for the man; he wanted to kill Yang Lian, for a life-or-death contract had been signed, and heaven would decide the outcome.

Yang Lian’s blade, however, was aimed at Li Hongji’s mount. Even though the blade was wrapped in thick cloth, the sheer force of the impact was too much for the horse to bear. It let out a mournful whinny, its front legs buckled, and it collapsed to the ground. The immense momentum sent Li Hongji flying. Though he was a skilled horseman and had stirrups to help maintain his balance, the force of the strike was simply too great.

Li Hongji tumbled to the ground, but fortunately, he landed on the horse that was now writhing in pain. Though uninjured, the situation was humiliating.

Yang Lian turned his horse around slowly and looked at him coldly, pointing his blade at Li Hongji. "Get up. Let us fight!"

Li Hongji’s face turned scarlet; had it not been hidden by the black cloth, he would have died of shame. The bout had been far too dramatic, and no one had expected that, even before Li Hongji could display his true prowess, he would be unhorsed.

Princess Huairou suddenly broke into applause and smiled, saying, "He won!" She caught herself, noticing that in the pavilion, Li Jing, Empress Zhong, and Li Jingda were all staring at her. She quickly lowered her head and fell silent.

The Prince of Qi, Li Jingsui, stood up and said, "Imperial Brother, this battle has ended."

Li Jing nodded. That his son was unhurt was the best possible outcome—though he had looked a bit disheveled, it was good for a young man to suffer a few setbacks.

Empress Zhong said with concern, "Is Hongji alright?"

Li Jing smiled. "He is at an age of youthful vigor; a small tumble like this is nothing to worry about."

On the drill ground, Li Hongji gritted his teeth and stood up, his body stained with the horse’s blood. He narrowed his eyes at Yang Lian, then glanced at the twitching horse on the ground. He sneered, "Very well. I will have my revenge for this."

"Yang Lian does not hide his name or surname. I shall wait for your revenge. However, I am curious—you operate in such shadows and with such vicious methods, who exactly are you?" Yang Lian’s voice was clear and carried well, audible to many soldiers on the field.

Chen Tie gripped his lance and shouted, "Indeed, who are you?"

Li Hongji snorted, his gaze cold as he looked at Yang Lian and Chen Tie. "You are not worthy to know my identity." With that, he limped away.

Yang Lian watched him go, tempted to expose him, but reconsidered. Revealing Li Hongji’s identity would likely invite more trouble. One must endure hardship to achieve greatness, just as the King of Yue once did. Yang Lian still needed to bide his time.

At this moment, the Prince of Qi, Li Jingsui, stepped out and announced in a loud voice, "The winner of this bout is Commander Yang Lian of the Shenwu Army."

Yang Lian saluted the Prince from his horse, though his arm was trembling. The destructive force of colliding with a charging warhorse was immense, and Yang Lian was, after all, made of flesh and blood. He felt the webbing between his thumb and forefinger tear, but he could not show it—he had even continued to challenge Li Hongji.

He was grateful the Prince had stepped in to announce the winner so quickly. After dismounting and unwrapping the cloth from his hand, he saw that the skin had indeed split, and blood was flowing freely. He wrapped it hastily with a clean cloth and went to see the Emperor.

Led by the Prince of Qi, he entered the pavilion. Yang Lian sensed the atmosphere was off; Empress Zhong’s face was flushed, and she seemed agitated. Yang Lian surmised that he had likely offended her with this victory. Li Jing, meanwhile, remained calm—his composure was indeed deep, making his true feelings impossible to read.

"Yang Lian of the Shenwu Army pays respects to His Majesty and the Empress," Yang Lian said, bowing.

"Rise," Li Jing said, waving his hand. He suddenly smiled. "Minister Yang, this battle truly opened my eyes."

"Through the grace of Your Majesty, I was merely lucky. I dare not claim the credit," Yang Lian replied, feigning relief. "If the two armies were truly at war, such a tactic might not work. One must know that the situation on a battlefield changes in an instant; no one can claim victory until the very last moment."

Li Jing stroked his beard, his estimation of Yang Lian rising. The man was not arrogant in victory and possessed many fine qualities. It was a pity, though—while Li Jing wanted to promote him, his very name was a thorn in his side that made the Emperor uncomfortable.

"Do you know who you were fighting?" Li Jing suddenly asked.

"The man had his face covered with black cloth; I was too foolish to know," Yang Lian replied.

Li Jing nodded. "I do not blame you." He gestured behind him. "Hongji, come out."

Li Hongji, wearing his black armor, walked out slowly. His expression was grim and melancholy. The black cloth had been removed, and Yang Lian instantly recognized him as Li Hongji.

"So it was the Duke of Dongping," Yang Lian said, quickly bowing again. "I did not know it was the Duke. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness."

"Haha, since you signed a life-or-death contract, what crime is there to forgive? Besides, I saw quite clearly that Hongji fired an arrow. Had you not reacted quickly, I might have lost a great general today." Li Jing laughed heartily, appearing completely unbothered.

"Many thanks for your clemency, Your Majesty," Yang Lian said, bowing again with an expression of sincere gratitude.

The Prince of Qi, Li Jingsui, smiled slightly. "Your Majesty, Yang Lian has won. Is there to be a reward?"

Princess Huairou glanced at Li Jing, bit her lip, and slowly moved closer.

"To have earned Your Majesty’s trust and been tasked with managing the Imperial Guard is already the greatest honor. I dare not ask for further rewards," Yang Lian said hastily.

Princess Huairou couldn't help but roll her eyes; she had intended to put in a good word for him, but he had once again used a show of modesty to advance his position.

Li Jing laughed and said, "Before the match, I promised a reward for the winner. I am a ruler whose word is law; how could I treat it like a child's game?"

Yang Lian looked troubled and arched his hands. "I am grateful for Your Majesty’s favor. However, we have strong enemies without and the people are in need within. The reward should not be too heavy, lest I be unable to bear such a burden."

Li Jing hummed. "You are currently a Commander of the fifth rank, yet you live in an inn—that is hardly appropriate. I have a manor near the Imperial Academy; I shall grant it to you. Furthermore, there are many fertile fields outside Jinling; I shall grant you three hundred acres of prime land. As for your soldiers, I shall also provide rewards for them."

Li Jingsui laughed. "Since the Emperor has set the example, how could I not show my own appreciation? How about this, I..."

Before Li Jingsui could finish, Yang Lian spoke clearly, "I, Yang Lian, thank Your Majesty for your grace. As for the manor, that is fine, but as for the fields outside the city, I do not know how to farm—what use would I have for them?"

Li Jing cast an imperceptible glance at Li Jingsui, and seeing him look rather foolishly stunned, he couldn't help but smile. He knew Li Jingsui was simple-minded, but Yang Lian was no fool; he had interrupted the Prince specifically to decline his favor. After all, the realm belonged to the Emperor, not the Prince of Qi.

"Shrewd and sensible," Li Jing thought to himself, further elevating his opinion of Yang Lian. This man, if used well, could become a great minister or general. A plan was already forming in Li Jing’s mind.

"Minister Yang, you are truly pedantic," Li Jing said with a smile, though he thought to himself that the man was not pedantic at all, but rather quite clever.

"Even if you don't know how to farm, you can hire laborers. If you are too busy, you can simply find a steward to manage them," Li Jing laughed.

Seeing Li Jing insist, Yang Lian quickly replied, "In that case, I thank Your Majesty." To refuse further would be insincere. Li Jing had not become Emperor without a high degree of intelligence and social acumen.

Li Jing waved his hand. "It has been a long day, and I am tired. You may all retire to rest. We return to Jinling the day after tomorrow."

"Understood!" Yang Lian replied and retreated.

Li Jing narrowed his eyes, watching Yang Lian’s retreating figure. Seeing him bow respectfully until he reached the door before turning to leave, he couldn't help but smile. Though Yang Lian was a bit calculating, he was at least loyal to the imperial court.

The results of his several tests had left Li Jing satisfied. He walked away in good spirits. Empress Zhong also rose and went to Li Hongji, checking on her son. "Hongji, were you injured?"

"Thank you for your concern, Mother. I am not injured," Li Hongji replied.

Empress Zhong nodded. "Hongji, that Yang Lian is a rare talent. Though he defeated you today, it was a fair contest between two armies; there is no room for personal grievances. Since you are uninjured, you must not seek trouble with him again."

"I understand," Li Hongji promised.

Empress Zhong then smiled. "Look at you, covered in blood. Go back, wash up, and come join me for a meal. It has been a long time since we’ve had a chance to talk."

Li Hongji realized it had been over a month since he had entered the palace. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but the constraints of ritual and law prevented him from entering at will. He nodded quickly and said, "As you command, Mother."