Chapter 27: Turning the Tables

After the city of Linjiang was built, the Emperor of Southern Liang, Li Chengdao, sent men to investigate. The mysterious substance called cement astounded him. Spies hidden in Eastern Zhou transmitted information back to Jinling, reporting that Long Chen was a man of great talent.

Li Chengdao had long heard of Long Chen’s victory over Yu Shinan in the literary contest, and his published “The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons” was revered by the literati of Southern Liang as a guiding light. Such a man, it was said, had once served in the Long Family Army, which left Li Chengdao restless and sleepless; he decreed that Long Chen’s background must be thoroughly investigated.

The spies reported that Long Chen was merely Long Ye’s bodyguard, nothing more. Li Chengdao refused to believe it; a man of such talent within the Long Family Army could not have escaped his notice. He issued an imperial edict—spies throughout Eastern Zhou were mobilized. Coincidentally, Long Chen was about to visit Hell Mountain to inspect the coal mines, and Manager Cao devised a scheme to capture him there.

Manager Cao approached with a cold sneer, his movements betraying no hint of age. Long Chen had always demonstrated the cultivation level of an early-stage warrior, and Manager Cao, after careful inquiry, knew Long Chen’s martial skills were poor.

“If you surrender quietly, you’ll suffer less,” Manager Cao said. “The Emperor has decreed: if you defect and return to Southern Liang, you’ll be given high office!”

Though his words were arrogant, Manager Cao’s actions were cautious. The punch earlier had warned him—even the weakest prey will fight desperately; a lion hunts a hare with full strength.

“Ha! I’ll never stop fighting that mongrel Emperor!” Long Chen retorted.

Manager Cao stomped the ground, sending a splash of muddy water. Long Chen raised his arm to block, but Manager Cao was already upon him, kicking toward his chest. Long Chen did not evade; instead, he advanced into the kick, thrusting his dagger at Manager Cao’s calf. Manager Cao sensed danger and quickly withdrew.

“As expected of the Long Family Army—quite the spirit!” Manager Cao picked up a wooden stick as a weapon and lunged. Long Chen sidestepped and stabbed at Manager Cao’s vitals; Manager Cao dodged and landed a punch on Long Chen’s shoulder.

Bang!

Long Chen was knocked down, rolling several times before barely regaining his footing.

“So weak—how did you survive in the Long Family Army?” Manager Cao sneered, yet his posture remained guarded. Clearly, his words were only probing; he never relaxed his vigilance. Long Chen cursed Manager Cao as an old fox in his heart.

As Manager Cao approached, Long Chen suddenly grabbed a handful of mud and hurled it. Manager Cao blocked with his hand, and Long Chen seized the chance to leap onto his horse and bolt away.

Manager Cao hadn’t expected Long Chen to flee and immediately gave chase. If Long Chen reached other people, his plan would fail.

“Stop right there!” Manager Cao rode after him, but Long Chen’s horse had barely gone far before it collapsed, sending Long Chen tumbling into the mud, his body stained black.

“Damn!” Long Chen cursed—the horse had been poisoned. Both horses had been chosen by Manager Cao; it was no surprise they were poisoned. If only he’d seized Manager Cao’s horse earlier.

Manager Cao caught up, stabbing his stick at Long Chen’s thigh. He wanted him alive.

Long Chen rolled in the mud, scrambled up, and ran uphill. Manager Cao’s horse got stuck in the muck and couldn’t proceed, so he dismounted and chased on foot.

Long Chen climbed higher; Manager Cao pursued relentlessly.

“You can’t escape! I won’t kill you—the Emperor seeks your allegiance, offering you the post of Minister!” Manager Cao tossed out his honeyed bait.

Long Chen scoffed inwardly. Such childish lies!

The small hill was covered in snow, making the climb arduous. Long Chen was ahead, Manager Cao behind, closing in. Suddenly, Long Chen flung muddy water backward.

Manager Cao dismissed it and blocked with his arm.

“Ah!” Mud splashed into Manager Cao’s eyes, and he cried out in agony.

Earlier, Long Chen had spotted a small puddle tinged yellow—a sign of high sulfur content. He’d soaked his scarf in it and kept it hidden. Now, he threw it, and it splashed into Manager Cao’s eyes, burning fiercely.

Such a chance would not come again. Long Chen lunged from above, stabbing his dagger into Manager Cao’s body, raining blows like a storm until Manager Cao slipped into unconsciousness.

Clip-clop, clip-clop...

Hoofbeats approached. Long Chen cursed his luck—if reinforcements arrived now, he was doomed.

“Little Dragon, are you alright?” Qingyue leapt from her horse, embroidered shoes splashing in the mud as she raced to the foot of the hill.

Long Chen, wary, gripped his dagger, suspecting Qingyue might also be a spy.

“What happened?” Qingyue asked anxiously.

More horses arrived, bearing female soldiers from the Western Palace. They dismounted together. Seeing so many, Long Chen finally relaxed.

“Southern Liang spies—they tried to kill me!” Long Chen said, breathless.

Qingyue was astonished. “Southern Liang spies? Manager Cao?”

Long Chen now looked no different from a coal miner, utterly disheveled.

“If he’s alive, take him back for interrogation. We might trace other spies hidden in court,” Long Chen said, exhausted.

Qingyue checked Manager Cao’s carotid—he still had a pulse.

“Take him back!” she ordered.

The female soldiers seized the captive. Qingyue gave Long Chen a horse, and together they returned to the palace.

“Are you hurt?”

Qingyue’s heart ached for Long Chen.

“I’ll live.” Long Chen gave a wry smile. Had he not been cautious and worn extra protection, he would surely have been caught by Manager Cao. Caution never hurts.

Back at the Western Palace, Di Luoxi saw Long Chen’s bedraggled state and asked in alarm, “What happened?”

Qingyue replied, “Manager Cao is a Southern Liang spy—he tried to assassinate Little Dragon.”

Di Luoxi was furious. “Kill him! Tear him to pieces!”

Long Chen urged, “No, interrogate him properly. Find out how many spies are hiding in the court—I don’t want to go through this again.”

Di Luoxi waved her hand. Qingyue immediately dragged Manager Cao away for questioning.

“Are you alright?” Di Luoxi, unmindful of Long Chen’s filth, went forward to check his injuries.

“I’m fine. I’ll take a bath—this grime is unbearable.”

“That Hell Mountain is full of coal; I can solve the fuel problem,” Long Chen said.

Di Luoxi, distressed, replied, “At a time like this, you’re still worried about firewood? Go wash up.”

Long Chen returned to the side courtyard. Xiang Ning was startled by his appearance; he asked her to boil water.

Xiang Ning scrubbed him for a long time before he was clean—the coal oil had seeped into his pores and was hard to wash away.

Phoenix Song Palace.

Shadow Phoenix entered the Empress’s chamber and reported softly, “Southern Liang spies tried to assassinate Long Chen on Hell Mountain, but failed.”

The Empress raised her brows and asked, “Where is Long Chen? Is he hurt?”

Shadow Phoenix replied, “No. He killed the spy. Fourth Princess revived him, and he’s being interrogated now.”

The Empress breathed a sigh of relief. “Send Xingwan—she’s an expert.”

Shadow Phoenix immediately issued the order for Di Xingwan to take over the interrogation.

Western Palace.

Long Chen emerged from his bath, hair still damp, and entered Di Luoxi’s bedchamber, just as Second Princess Di Xingwan arrived.

“Little Dragon!” Di Xingwan greeted him affectionately.

Di Luoxi scowled, “Little Dragon, you call him that? Who gave you permission?”

As the sisters were about to quarrel, Long Chen intervened, “The Second Princess must have important business—let’s hear it first.”

Di Xingwan’s expression cooled. “Mother sent me to interrogate the spy. Guards, take him away.”

With that, Di Xingwan left the Western Palace.

She’d come hoping to tease Long Chen, but had not expected Di Luoxi to be so protective.