Chapter Sixty-Eight: We Meet Again

Blood spattered all over Yang Lian, carrying a thick, foul stench. Zhou Ehuang stared in stunned disbelief, and it was not until Yang Lian finished hacking the giant python into eight pieces and slid his long blade back into its scabbard that she finally came to herself.

Zhou Zong had been splashed with blood as well, and the smell was especially vile, but he still kept his composure. Only after watching Yang Lian sever the serpent into several sections did he speak slowly. “Do not imagine that because you saved me, I have changed my opinion of you.”

“You worry too much, Military Governor Zhou,” Yang Lian said coolly. “This commander merely saw a giant python wreaking havoc and stepped forward. Even if the person was my enemy, I would not betray my true nature.”

At that, Zhou Zong nearly choked in anger. This Yang Lian truly had a silver tongue.

Covered in blood, Yang Lian stood there with majestic bearing, like a war god. At least, that was how Zhou Ehuang saw him. Seeing her father spar with Yang Lian in words, she tugged at Zhou Zong’s sleeve and said softly, “Father.”

Zhou Zong thought his daughter was frightened, and said in a low voice, “The giant python has been slain. There is nothing to fear.” Then he looked at Yang Lian again. “I, Zhou Zong, never default on a debt of gratitude. This time you saved both my daughter and me. Speak—what do you want? I will grant it if I can, and my word is absolute.”

Yang Lian raised his brows and gave a cold smile. “Is that really so, Military Governor Zhou?”

“Of course it is. As long as I can produce it, I can afford it.” Zhou Zong looked proud, as though there was nothing under heaven he could not procure.

Yang Lian narrowed his eyes with a faint mocking smile, lifted an arm, and pointed at Zhou Ehuang. “Since ancient times, beauty has been paired with heroism. Ehuang is a rare beauty, enough to bring down kingdoms. Why not betroth her to me?”

“What?” Zhou Ehuang was startled by his words. What did Yang Lian mean? Did he have feelings for her? Her heart began to pound wildly at once. Shame and shock flooded her. How could he bring up such a matter in front of her father, and right before her?

Time seemed to freeze. Zhou Zong was stunned as well. His narrow eyes fixed on Yang Lian, and with a displeased flick of his sleeve, he said, “Though Ehuang is not without merit, I will not betroth her to you. Do not indulge in foolish fantasies.”

“Father.” Zhou Ehuang spoke, her emotions tangled. She glanced at Yang Lian, fearful that he might fly into a rage, but instead she saw the blood-soaked man suddenly burst into laughter.

“Hahaha.” Yang Lian laughed long and loud, then looked at Zhou Zong with open amusement. “Military Governor Zhou, who was it just now that said you would agree to whatever I asked? And did you not swear that as long as you could produce it, you could afford it?”

Zhou Zong drew a sharp breath. He had not thought the matter through. He had assumed Yang Lian would ask for rank or wealth. Since Yang Lian was already a fifth-rank official, promotion held little appeal; and Zhou Zong did not possess enough power to elevate him much further. Naturally, then, Yang Lian must want gold, silver, and treasures.

But this demand had caught Zhou Zong completely off guard. This brat actually dared covet his daughter? Unforgivable!

His expression changed dramatically, and he was about to berate Yang Lian when he realized the smile on Yang Lian’s face had grown even deeper.

“If there are things you cannot do, then it is better not to promise them. Otherwise you only make yourself a laughingstock. Besides, do you think everyone acts only for gain?” Yang Lian said lightly. He turned and walked away. He was too filthy; he needed a wash.

Zhou Zong’s mouth moved. He wanted to say something, but no words came out. Suddenly he tasted something strange in his mouth and remembered that it was snake blood. His expression changed at once, and he spat again and again, retching.

Zhou Ehuang watched Yang Lian’s retreating figure, her expression complicated. This man was accomplished in both letters and arms. Though his looks had some flaws, they were more than made up for by everything else.

After Yang Lian left, he felt some of the foul air in his chest finally ease. Zhou Zong truly was the sort of man who looked down on others, but Yang Lian could not be bothered to quibble with him.

When he returned to camp, Lin Renzhao was shocked to see him covered in blood. Yang Lian merely said that he had slain a giant python on the road, and he kept silent about the conflict with Zhou Zong.

Lin Renzhao’s eyes flashed. Yang Lian’s slaying of the snake—could it be an omen of something?

Yang Lian had hot water prepared, washed himself clean, even laundered his clothes with his own hands, changed into fresh garments, and went out to patrol.

A giant python had appeared by Black Tortoise Lake; the area here was probably equally dangerous. Though the Divine Martial Army was not charged with protecting the imperial clan, many prominent figures were staying in this vicinity, including Song Qiqiu, Han Xizai, Sun Sheng, and Zhou Zong, with whom he had just clashed. Regardless of whatever conflicts they might once have had, they were all important court ministers and absolutely could not be allowed to come to harm. This, too, was Yang Lian’s duty. He would never let public duty be compromised by private resentment.

The Divine Martial Army’s garrison lay on the western edge of the entire encampment, closer to Black Tortoise Lake. After inspecting it, Yang Lian felt the defenses were not strict enough. Although no enemy would likely appear in Jinling, the giant python proved that this vicinity was still dangerous. They had to remain cautious.

He summoned the company commanders and ordered them to lead the soldiers in repairing the main camp. Only with strict demands in peacetime would they avoid panic in wartime. Yang Lian had always been severe in his standards.

The commanders took orders and hurried off with the soldiers to work. Yang Lian joined in as well, and before sunset they had finally made a first round of repairs. Even so, he was still not satisfied and planned to reinforce it further the next day.

Early the following morning, the sun shone brightly as imperial princes and court ministers accompanied Emperor Li Jing in an inspection of Mount Zhong. Yang Lian was only a fifth-rank official and did not yet have the qualifications to join them, so he led his troops to cut down trees, strengthen the palisades, and set up chevaux de frise and sharpened stakes outside the camp. If not for the fact that this was a spring hunt, he would even have dug a moat.

By nearly noon, Yang Lian had finished having the camp fortified. Looking at the impregnable defenses, he felt a surge of satisfaction. In the future, when he led troops into battle and camped on the open field, the encampment would be the first line of defense—how could it be anything but solid?

The soldiers under Yang Lian were busy at his direction, while the men of the other commands stood by and watched the show. Zhou Hongzuo also strolled over slowly. Seeing Yang Lian hard at work, he could not help but sneer. This fellow’s luck really was excellent. He would see how many more lucky breaks he could enjoy.

Yang Lian watched his men line up row by row and was quite pleased. He had introduced drill-style standing postures into the army, and in his view, the most important purpose of standing drill was to emphasize military discipline. After saying a few words in a loud voice, Yang Lian had everyone report their numbers. First the adjutants reported the headcount to the company commanders, then the commanders consolidated it and reported to Yang Lian.

Not a single man was missing from any unit. Yang Lian then told everyone to go eat and rest at midday. The soldiers shouted in unison and dispersed in all directions.

Not long after the garrison had been established at Mount Zhong, Li Jing did not rush into the spring hunt. Instead, he wandered around the area with Li Jingsui, Li Jingda, Li Hongji, and others. They normally lived deep within the palace, and although there were mountains and water there, they were mostly artificial. How could they compare to the wonders of nature’s own handiwork? Mount Zhong stretched broad and vast for more than sixty li, and since Li Jing had finally managed to come out, of course he wanted to see enough to satisfy himself.

At noon, they happened to reach Yang Lian’s camp. Hearing the shout from within, Li Jing jerked in surprise and almost thought someone was rebelling. When he came to himself and saw the sturdy palisade, with chevaux de frise and sharpened stakes outside the camp, his curiosity was piqued. Pointing ahead, he asked, “Whose encampment is this?”

Li Hongji hurriedly said, “Your son will go and take a look.”

With Li Hongji’s eye, he could tell at a glance that this commander had managed his troops with great rigor. Still, he found it odd. Since when had the army produced such a talent? With the thought of winning him over already forming in his mind, Li Hongji volunteered to investigate.

When he approached not far from Yang Lian’s camp, Li Hongji shouted, “Who is your commanding officer? Tell him to come out and meet me.”

The camp guards did not recognize Li Hongji. Seeing only a martial-looking man, they naturally looked down on him. After Li Hongji called out twice, one soldier gave a cold laugh, raised his bow, and aimed the arrowhead at him. “Who is making a racket here? If you do not behave, I will put two arrows into you.”

Li Hongji was furious and was about to speak when the guard loosed an arrow. The feathered shaft fell three paces in front of him, and Li Hongji’s face flushed red with rage. “I am Li Hongji. How dare you be insolent?”

The soldier’s face went pale. Who in Jinling did not know the name Li Hongji? He was the emperor’s eldest son. Though His Majesty had not yet named an heir, the Prince of Dongping was highly likely to become the future successor to the Tang throne. The moment he realized he had just aimed a weapon at the Prince of Dongping, his hands and feet went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

Li Hongji sneered and said again, “Hurry and have your commanding officer come see me.”

The soldier felt as though a great weight had been lifted from him. He quickly got to his feet and went to find Yang Lian.

Yang Lian was pacing inside his tent, engrossed in a copy of The Art of War. The soldier rushed in and stammered, “Commander Yang, the Prince of Dongping has arrived.”

“What is he here for?” Yang Lian asked. He had no favorable impression of Li Hongji.

“I do not know, sir,” the soldier replied.

Yang Lian put the book away, thought for a moment, and said, “Come. Let us go and see.”

Li Hongji wore a smug expression. Seeing others fear him gave him a strong sense of accomplishment. After a short while, he saw a figure in armor appear on the watchtower and fixed his gaze on him. It was no matter at first, but once he looked more closely, Li Hongji felt the man seemed strangely familiar.

“Who are you?” Li Hongji called out loudly.

“I am Yang Lian, commander of the Divine Martial Army, here to pay my respects to the Prince of Dongping. May I ask what business brings Your Highness here?” Yang Lian said calmly.

Li Hongji’s body jolted. So it was Yang Lian—the man who was on close terms with Prince Qi, Li Jingsui. Li Hongji knew very clearly the circumstances of Yang Lian’s rise in rank, but he considered him merely lucky. After all, he came from humble origins. What skill in command could he possibly have?

And yet the layout of Yang Lian’s camp was strict and orderly, unlike anyone else’s. That gave Li Hongji a faint sense of crisis.

He must never be allowed to join Prince Qi’s side. Otherwise, he would become a troublesome enemy in the years to come.

Thinking this, Li Hongji said, “So it is Commander Yang. Why do you not hurry and open the camp gates, so I may enter?”

“Open the gates? Does the Prince of Dongping have state business to discuss, or has he brought an imperial directive?” Yang Lian asked coolly, boxing Li Hongji in with his words. Yang Lian could be certain that Li Hongji had no idea this camp was his own garrison; otherwise he would not have asked such a question. In other words, Li Hongji had come here by sheer accident and had no official business at all.

Li Hongji was taken aback. “Yang Lian, His Majesty is not far from here. Why do you not go at once to pay your respects?”

Yang Lian gave a cold laugh. “Prince of Dongping, one moment you want to come in, and the next you want this official to go out and see His Majesty. Which one exactly are you asking me to believe?”