Chapter Forty-Seven: A Brawl

The army pressed steadily southward, yet Li Zhenggu showed no urgency. They covered barely thirty li a day; though partly due to waiting for supplies from the rear, the pace was not swift. The famed advantage of speed in warfare was nowhere to be seen in Li Zhenggu’s approach. Yao Feng, Li Ping, and others whispered their doubts, unable to fathom what the commander had in mind. Yang Lian discussed it privately with Lin Renzhao and Chen Tie, and all agreed: this campaign seemed more a pretense than a true battle. It took more than ten days before the troops finally reached Changzhou.

For Yang Lian, Changzhou was a special place. Here, he had once rescued Princess Huairou, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

Li Zhenggu encamped outside the city, claiming he awaited supplies, for after all, the army marches only as quickly as its provisions. Without food, how could they fight? Though Changzhou had amassed some grain, it was far from sufficient.

On the second day, Yang Lian and Lin Renzhao led their soldiers in a run, sandbags tied to their bodies as usual. The troops of the Shenwu Army were accustomed to this, but the Tianxiong Army watched in bewilderment, muttering that such men must be mad. Yang Lian and his comrades, long used to ridicule, paid no heed. After running for half an hour, drenched in sweat, Yang Lian returned to rest.

Just as he approached the Shenwu Army’s quarters, he heard curses and the anxious neighing of a warhorse—a sound he recognized instantly. His expression changed, and he hurried towards the stables. There, a dark-faced man was leading Yang Lian’s black steed out. The horse, unfamiliar with the man, was snorting and struggling, but the man was strong and dragged it away.

Seeing this, Yang Lian’s anger flared. Who was this man, daring to seize his horse? Without hesitation, Yang Lian rushed forward and landed a punch on the man's face. With a cry, blood streamed from the man's nose.

“Scoundrel! Who are you to steal my warhorse?” Yang Lian roared, his voice echoing painfully in the ears.

The man, startled, wiped his bleeding nose and shouted, “You, a mere junior officer, dare strike me—”

Before he could finish, Yang Lian threw another punch. His body, honed by rigorous training, was as solid as an ox; the second blow sent the man stumbling into a pointed post in the stable, blood gushing from his head. Yang Lian continued to pummel him, unconcerned, for he held the moral high ground—so long as he didn’t kill the man.

Dazed and battered, the man lost track of when Yang Lian stopped. Yang Lian led his horse back to the stall, instructed his soldiers, and the beaten man slunk away, head lowered, under the watchful eyes of many.

A kindly soul warned Yang Lian, “That man is Chen Decheng of the Tianxiong Army, a Captain. Best be cautious.”

Yang Lian clasped his hands in thanks. “Appreciate it, brother. But whether he’s a Captain or a Commander, anyone who tries to take what’s mine is deluded.”

Some, uncertain of Yang Lian’s rank, thought him reckless—how could a junior officer contend with a Captain or Commander? He must be a hotheaded fool, they mused, and departed with sighs.

Yang Lian ignored them, continuing his drills on the parade ground. Near noon, shouts arose—a crowd surged forward like waves, someone yelling, “Who is Yang Lian?”

Lin Renzhao glanced at Yang Lian and shook his head, indicating he should stay put.

But Zhou Hongzuo heard clearly and asked, “Which unit are you from? What business have you here?”

“Yang Lian injured our Captain. He must come out and face death!” the man declared arrogantly.

Zhou Hongzuo’s brows shot up. “What happened?”

Yang Lian replied, “He tried to steal my horse, so I beat him.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Zhou Hongzuo’s eyes. Though Southern Tang had known peace for years and promotions came by seniority, a Captain was still a significant rank. Yang Lian dared strike him—he had guts. Zhou Hongzuo, not one to shy from trouble, snorted and ordered, “Open the gate. Let’s see what they intend.”

Several soldiers opened the camp gate. Zhou Hongzuo nodded. “You caused this. Handle it yourself. But remember—do not disgrace the Shenwu Army.”

Yang Lian answered, clenching his fists as he strode out, with Lin Renzhao and Chen Tie following, uneasy.

“I am Yang Lian,” he announced to the nearest man.

“Well then, you struck our Captain. How will you settle this?” the man demanded, eyes cold.

“I hit him, so what? Who are you, here to champion Chen Decheng?” Yang Lian retorted.

“I am Lei Zhen, junior officer under the Captain,” the man declared.

“So you’re eager to prove your loyalty. Too bad you lack the skill,” Yang Lian sneered.

“You—” Lei Zhen’s fury flared, but before he could speak, Yang Lian snorted and swung his fist.

Lei Zhen was caught off guard; Yang Lian moved so quickly that his face burned with pain, nearly coughing up blood.

“That’s what you get for trying to steal my horse!” Yang Lian shouted, striking with righteous indignation.

The Tianxiong Army’s soldiers, seeing Lei Zhen beaten, were stunned for a moment before howling and charging forward.

“Hit them!” Chen Tie, young and hot-blooded, shouted as the crowd surged at Yang Lian.

“Hit them!” cried the Shenwu Army soldiers. Idle most days, they welcomed a bit of excitement; the coming battle was still distant, and they were still in Changzhou. A dozen fierce Shenwu soldiers—mostly Yang Lian’s men—joined the fray against the Tianxiong soldiers.

Shouts, curses, and screams mingled as chaos erupted. Amid the melee, some struck their own comrades; confusion reigned.

From afar, Zhou Hongzuo was astonished. Yang Lian had not only started a fight but incited the whole crowd—a wild, unruly brawl.

In the midst of the chaos, someone shouted, “The Deputy Chief of Staff is here!”

But the fighting was so fierce, no one heard, and the melee continued.

Li Zhenggu watched, frowning slightly. These fools—hadn’t the battle even begun, and already internal strife?

Gao Shensi was displeased. Who had started this brawl?

Zhu Kuangye's face was dark as thunder. From the look of things, his Tianxiong Army was taking a beating. As their commander, he felt humiliation—he had to find a way to redeem their honor.

Li Zhenggu’s personal guards stepped forward, forcefully dispersing the soldiers. Zhou Hongzuo, sensing trouble, hurried over, ordering the troops to scatter. When the crowd finally broke up, Yang Lian was at the center, clutching a man and beating him mercilessly; the man cried for mercy.

Yang Lian released his grip, his palm stained with blood—Lei Zhen’s blood. Lei Zhen, hair disheveled and blood streaming from his features, was a pitiful sight. Freed, he managed a weak smile, saying, “Thank you, brave Yang, for sparing my life.”

At these words, Li Zhenggu’s expression shifted.

Gao Shensi’s feelings were complicated. When he recognized Yang Lian, he was perplexed—wasn’t this just stirring up trouble? No matter what, beating Lei Zhen so badly would surely bring punishment. Yet, considering Yang Lian’s connection to Prince Qi, Gao Shensi was uncertain. Still, it would ultimately be up to Li Zhenggu; if need be, he could plead for leniency, and Prince Qi would not blame him.

Zhu Kuangye glanced at Gao Shensi, saw him deep in thought, and snorted coldly, saying nothing. Though he disliked Yang Lian, seeing Lei Zhen beg for mercy left him feeling utterly disgraced. For a moment, he did not know what to say.

Yang Lian swept his gaze over Li Zhenggu, Gao Shensi, and Zhu Kuangye, strode forward, and bowed deeply, declaring, “Junior Officer Yang Lian greets the Chief of Staff and the Commander.”

Zhu Kuangye’s face changed subtly; like most, he was deeply shocked upon hearing Yang Lian’s name. He scrutinized Yang Lian—this man bore not the slightest resemblance to the former crown prince.

Li Zhenggu, however, narrowed his eyes, sizing Yang Lian up. Seeing his robust physique and the knife scar across his face, which lent him a fierce air, Li Zhenggu nodded. “You are Yang Lian? Good, very good.”

At these words, Gao Shensi could not help but glance at Li Zhenggu, wondering what was going on. Li’s tone seemed off.

Zhu Kuangye’s heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble, but he refused to yield. He sneered, “Yang Lian, you have some nerve.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Commander Zhu. If I have any merit, it’s that I’m bold—even walking at midnight, I’m not afraid of ghosts,” Yang Lian replied, seizing the opportunity to banter, nearly making Zhu Kuangye spit blood in anger.

Li Zhenggu nodded. “Yang Lian, what exactly happened here?”

Yang Lian recounted how Chen Decheng had tried to steal his horse and been beaten, how Lei Zhen had brought men to cause trouble, and concluded, “Chief of Staff, though I may be at fault, these men went too far—not only stealing my horse but storming in to confront me. Though I am unworthy, I know this is no different from defending home and country. If outsiders can come in and bully us without resistance, the nation will surely fall.”

With this grand statement, Yang Lian admitted his mistake but also claimed moral justification, winning Li Zhenggu’s favor. Gao Shensi nodded repeatedly—Yang Lian spoke with dignity and composure, and Gao was quite satisfied.

Zhu Kuangye, expressionless, said coldly, “So it seems you’ve done nothing wrong, but are rather a hero.”

“I wouldn’t dare claim that. I simply speak the truth. If Commander Zhu doubts me, he can ask them—or ask Lei Zhen and Chen Decheng themselves,” Yang Lian replied.

Zhu Kuangye knew his own men well and snorted, saying no more.

Li Zhenggu looked at Lei Zhen, who was bloody and disheveled, recalling his pleas for mercy, and felt nothing but contempt. Though a scholar, Li Zhenggu prided himself on his integrity, often comparing himself to the resilient bamboo, and thus found no favor for Lei Zhen—instead, he admired Yang Lian’s straightforwardness, considering him a true man, albeit somewhat reckless and still bearing traces of his wandering past.

With this in mind, Li Zhenggu said, “Yang Lian, though your actions may be understandable, you still injured Lei Zhen. Go and apologize at once.”