Right in the center of the training grounds stood a three-story-high Luota Tower, its four corners anchored to the surrounding tall, dark-gray stalagmites of various sizes by thick iron chains. At the very top of the tower fluttered a banner in the wind. At first glance, the entire setup looked less like a trial ground and more like an execution plaza.
Although it seemed hard to believe, Yu Xingliang had indeed arrived unhindered, or rather exceptionally smoothly, right in front of the Luota Tower bearing the banner.
Standing some seven or eight meters away from the tower, Yu Xingliang bit his thumbnail and pondered: Could it be that because I am a divine constable, I was able to reach this place so easily? Is the imperial court deliberately going easy on us, intending for the Governor to be chosen specifically from among the constables?
This thought was entirely dispelled the moment Yu Xingliang caught sight of Zeng Yong and Peng Liuhui.
A bruised and battered Zeng Yong was supporting a limping Peng Liuhui as they hurried over from the side. Upon seeing an unhurt Yu Xingliang, they wore looks of utter admiration.
Catching sight of Yu Xingliang, Peng Liuhui immediately waved his arms and wailed, “Brother Gu, I almost did not make it to see you!”
Stepping forward, Yu Xingliang asked, “What on earth happened?”
Peng Liuhui recounted, “I had the worst luck imaginable and ran into a giant black bear. My sedatives were completely useless against it, and if Brother Zeng had not stepped in to save me, you would not be seeing me today!”
Zeng Yong chimed in, “I had just stepped out of a snake den when I heard Peng Liuhui calling for help, so I rescued him along the way. But as for Brother Gu, you truly live up to your name as the Southern Shaoyuan, arriving here completely unscathed.”
Yu Xingliang twitched the corner of his mouth, preparing to explain, when his attention was suddenly hijacked by three figures emerging from another direction.
“A-Ren!” Yu Xingliang dashed toward Meng Ren, who was unconscious and carried on Huang Zilan’s back.
Noticing that Meng Ren’s neck and arms were covered in wounds and his face completely drained of color, Yu Xingliang asked anxiously, “What happened?”
Huang Zilan parted his lips slightly to speak, but losing his balance entirely, he tipped backward.
Yu Xingliang caught Meng Ren instantly, while Azu rushed over to steady Huang Zilan.
Azu glared furiously and spat, “To rescue your Yichuan constable from a pack of wolves, our head constable almost got eaten by vicious beasts!”
Astonished, Yu Xingliang echoed, “A pack of wolves?”
Lifting his head to survey the talented participants arriving from all directions, Yu Xingliang saw that every single one of them was severely wounded.
“In the middle, cough, cough, that is the banner!” someone shouted loudly, “If we seize the banner, we can get out of here!”
Another person responded, “That is right! Grab the banner and be promoted to Governor.” With that, he charged toward the Luota Tower, but before he even reached it, a flying dart pierced his skull, killing him on the spot.
In an instant, the people who had moments ago been helping one another erupted into a bloody brawl of flashing blades. Showing not a shred of mercy, every single person struck with lethal intent.
Biting his thumbnail, Yu Xingliang grew increasingly unsettled. It cannot possibly be this easy.
Channeling his full ten-percent power with unstoppable force, Zeng Yong rapidly scaled the Luota Tower.
As if realizing something terrible, Yu Xingliang’s pupils dilated in horror as he screamed toward Zeng Yong, “Brother Zeng, no!”
By then, Zeng Yong had already touched the banner and pulled it upward with all his might. The banner failed to budge, but the surrounding dark-gray stalagmites instantly unleashed a hail of hidden arrows, riddling him like a beehive.
With Zeng Yong’s lifeless body plunging to the ground, the crowd abruptly halted their mutual slaughter.
Damn it, one step too late. Remorse gnawed at Yu Xingliang’s heart.
At that moment, Peng Liuhui shrieked in terror, “Listen!”
Creeping sounds echoed from the surrounding forest as wild beasts began closing in from all directions. Panic gripped everyone present.
Azu cried out in absolute terror, “We are surrounded!”
“Brother Gu, what do we do now?” Peng Liuhui asked anxiously.
Biting his thumbnail, Yu Xingliang’s brain operated at breakneck speed.
If they tried to fight their way out against the ferocious beasts of the forest right now, their chances of survival were slim to none. Moreover, A-Ren was still unconscious. Wait! This is a martial trial, meaning the imperial court would never want every single participant to die here; there must be a way out.
Sweeping his gaze across the terrain of the trial ground, Yu Xingliang’s eyes suddenly lit up. “That is it!”
Peng Liuhui asked, “Brother Gu, have you figured out a way to avert this crisis?”
Smiling, Yu Xingliang answered by posing a question, “Brother Peng, what do you think the arrangement of these stalagmites resembles?”
Peng Liuhui shook his head, indicating he could not spot any clues.
Pointing at the embroidered damask flower on his own chest, Yu Xingliang said, “Look, does not the layout of this training ground look just like a damask flower?”
Comparing the flower embroidered on Yu Xingliang’s chest with the layout of the plaza, Peng Liuhui broke into an expression of delighted realization, “It really does!”
A reassuring smile spread across Yu Xingliang’s face as he entrusted Meng Ren into Peng Liuhui’s care. “Brother Peng, I leave A-Ren in your hands.”
With that, Yu Xingliang leaped onto a stalagmite positioned where the stem of the damask flower would be. Sure enough, at the highest point of the stalagmite was a raised stone block. Pressing it down lightly with his foot, he leaped to another stalagmite and depressed its protruding stone as well. Following the pattern of the damask flower’s petals in this manner, he hopped all the way to the center of the blossom, which was none other than the Luota Tower holding the banner.
Someone shouted anxiously from the edge of the plaza, “Divine Constable Gu, you must be careful!”
Turning back with a confident smile, Yu Xingliang answered, “Do not worry, the martial trial is about to end!”
Just as Yu Xingliang turned around to pull up the banner, a cloud of white powder was flung directly into his face. Instantly, his limbs grew weak, his footing slipped, and he tumbled backward. Before his vision blurred into complete darkness, he caught sight of Peng Liuhui grinning broadly as he yanked the banner out of the ground. His leg injury was all an act the whole time.
Yu Xingliang plunged into a state of utter chaos. Amidst the swirling darkness, he felt a piercing, bone-crushing pain, as if some invisible force were tearing his body apart.
He could not help uttering sounds of plea, as though his supplications took effect, because the agonizing sensation slowly began to recede.
…
“Boss, Boss, please do not scare me anymore!”
It was A-Ren’s tearful voice.
“Stop crying already! The imperial physician said there is nothing life-threatening, so stop blubbering!”
Why was Huang Zilan’s voice mixed in as well?
“Wuwuwu… It is my fault… I… Boss! Boss! You are awake!!”
With considerable effort, Yu Xingliang propped his upper body up, leaned against the head of the bed, and patted Meng Ren’s head. “Your eyes are swollen shut.”
Clutching Yu Xingliang’s hand, Meng Ren wept tears of joy. “Boss, do you feel any discomfort anywhere in your body?”
Just as Yu Xingliang opened his mouth to reply, he noticed Huang Zilan walking out of the room with a sour, disgruntled expression on his face.
Pouting, Yu Xingliang muttered, “Old Huang over there looks so unhappy that I woke up. Looks like he really despises me.”
“No, that is not true!” Meng Ren shook his head to defend him. “Head Constable Huang definitely does not hate Boss. While you were unconscious, he came to check on you all the time and even specially invited the imperial physician to perform acupuncture for you. He is just someone with a sharp tongue and a soft heart; once you get to know him, you will realize he is actually a really good person.”
“Oh?” Yu Xingliang narrowed his eyes.
“B-Boss… why are you looking at me like that?” Meng Ren’s gaze darted around nervously.
Yu Xingliang let out a soft chuckle. “A-Ren, looks like you know him quite well, hmm?”
“I… I… I… I do not!”
“Hahahaha…” Seeing Meng Ren’s shy panic, Yu Xingliang laughed so hard his sides ached. “Ouch, A-Ren, hurry up and massage my back, my waist is aching to death.”
Climbing onto the edge of the couch, Meng Ren carefully massaged Yu Xingliang’s lower back while grumbling indignantly, “Boss has been unconscious for seven whole days, and the first thing he does upon waking up is make fun of me.”
Sitting bolt upright from his prone position, Yu Xingliang bellowed in fury, “How long? Seven days?! Peng! Liu! Hui!”
In a quiet pavilion within the imperial city:
“Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!” Peng Liuhui sneezed three times in a row.
A man nearby, dressed in a violet-blue damask robe, asked with concern, “Does the Governor require a visit to the imperial physician?”
Peng Liuhui replied, “No need, no need. It is probably just a slight cold I caught over the past few days, nothing serious.”
“You really should go get it checked!” Yu Xingliang’s chilling voice rang out from behind. Jolting in sheer terror, Peng Liuhui turned around to see Yu Xingliang standing right behind him with an icy expression.
“B-Brother Gu… y-you… you are awake?” Peng Liuhui forced a hideous, terrified smile.
The corners of Yu Xingliang’s mouth lifted into a smile. “Governor, you still remember me? I am truly flattered.”
“B-Brother Gu, l-let me explain…” Trembling uncontrollably, Peng Liuhui stammered out of fear.
“Heh, explain? Why do you not go lie in bed for seven days first, and then come back to explain to me!”
The moment the words left his mouth, Yu Xingliang raised his hand to strike Peng Liuhui down, but a sword scabbard belonging to the man in the violet-blue damask robe abruptly intercepted his palm strike.
“Governor, please take your leave first.” The man turned to tell Peng Liuhui.
“Right, right, right! Brother Gu, I will take my leave first. I will let you explain things once you have cooled down!” Peng Liuhui fled in an ungraceful panic.
“Divine Constable Gu, the Governor has already left. You have given him quite a scare, so you can withdraw your palm strike now, right?”
Withdrawing his hand and smoothing down his hair, Yu Xingliang asked, “How did you know I was just trying to scare him?”
With a smile, the man replied, “If you had truly wanted to kill the Governor, ten of me would not have been able to stop you.”
Taking a closer look at the man before him, Yu Xingliang found his refined and handsome features vaguely familiar.
“You…” Yu Xingliang smiled. “You are the friend from the martial trial who reminded me to pay attention.”
Bowing respectfully, the man answered, “Indeed. I did not expect the divine constable to still remember me.”
Pulling up a seat nearby, Yu Xingliang asked, “May I ask your esteemed surname, friend?”
“My name is Yan Lingbo, from Hesha in the Western District.” Yan Lingbo sat down beside him.
“Hesha? Is that not where Divine Constable Zeng…” Yu Xingliang’s expression dimmed slightly.
Yan Lingbo offered, “Divine Constable Gu, please do not blame yourself. The death of Divine Constable Zeng has nothing to do with you.”
Taking a deep breath and putting on a smile, Yu Xingliang asked, “What happened to Divine Constable Zeng’s remains afterward? Were they sent back to Hesha?”
Shaking his head, Yan Lingbo replied, “I am not sure about that. When the Governor pulled up the banner, thick smoke filled the surroundings, and everyone passed out from the fumes. When we woke up, we were already outside the training grounds.”
Yu Xingliang mused, “As for those who died inside the training grounds… Never mind, since you do not even know how you got out of there yourself, what else could you possibly tell me?”
Yan Lingbo continued, “I truly do not know what happened afterward. The last thing I saw before I passed out was Lord Beiyu catching you.”
What? Beiyu?
Surprised and bewildered, Yu Xingliang sought confirmation, “The one wearing a mask? The one from the North District? Prime Minister Cao’s adopted son, Beiyu?”
Nodding with certainty, Yan Lingbo said, “Lord Beiyu was the only person wearing a mask in the entire training ground, I could not possibly be mistaken.”
Biting his thumbnail, Yu Xingliang analyzed inwardly: This masked fellow really is someone whose exterior is cold but whose interior is warm. Makes sense, after all, he did help me out before… He must be an extremely shy person, which is why he always wears a mask and struggles to express goodwill toward others directly.
Nodding to himself as he entertained this thought, Yu Xingliang firmly validated his own conclusion.