Chapter 45 – Dining with Me

Chapter 45 - Dining with Me

The inner quarters were reserved for the womenfolk, forbidden to men from outside.

On the path of the martial world, there was a code: one's grievances and debts should be settled between the parties involved, sparing the elderly, the young, and the women. Cang Ang never expected that Yang Su, an official, would be less principled than the men of the Canal Gang, hiding some of the abducted women in his inner quarters!

And his true inner family, clearly unaware of this matter, was thrown into turmoil.

"This Lord Yang is quite something, offering up his wife and daughter to serve the Boss!"

A Qi spoke crudely, his heart burning with anger. He had been by the Boss's side all along and knew exactly what was going on. It seemed Yang Su had prepared multiple schemes, attempting to frame the Boss. How could it be that Lord Yi Songxue wasn't enough, and now he was using his inner quarters as bait, gambling that the Boss couldn't investigate or wouldn't dare enter? Once the label of 'dishonoring another's wife and daughter' was slapped on, the Boss would have no way out!

Cang Ang: "Enough talk, save the people!"

He took the lead, charging forward!

Finding this place was unexpected. He had communicated with Wen Ruan through the bone whistle and received a response. Wen Ruan boldly took on the matter of Lord Yi Songxue, urging him to focus here without hesitation. He trusted Wen Ruan and moved forward without looking back, not shrinking away.

Some situations required weighing the pros and cons, calculating gains and losses, but some didn't. He hadn't even considered the possibility of being framed later, facing overwhelming charges he couldn't resist. Saving people was most important!

A Qi was anxious. "But if that corrupt official clings to the Boss—"

If their mission tonight didn't go smoothly and the corrupt official continued to hold his position, he would certainly punish the Boss; there was no escaping it. If their mission went well and the official fell from grace, knowing his days were numbered, he would surely want to take someone down with him, and the Boss would still be the target!

Once they crossed that gate, the Boss would be damned either way. The damage to his reputation in the martial world was a minor issue; how could they dodge the capital punishment prescribed by the law?

"I will die then."

"There's nothing to regret."

Cang Ang's towering figure didn't pause. "If anything happens, my mother and brother will be in your care. I trust you!"

A Qi's teeth ground together. "Yes!"

The few men who had followed Cang Ang into the garden also clenched their jaws. "Yes!"

Since Yang Su had set up this trap, he would have made preparations. Soldiers disguised as servants and guards rushed out, engaging them in battle.

A Qi, skilled in footwork, took advantage of Cang Ang holding off the main assault and dashed into the front parlor first—

"Boss, over here!"

This was just a side room. The mansion of the Prefect was vast, and even a single secluded room wasn't small. There wasn't much furniture inside, and about twenty to thirty girls lay sprawled on the floor, seemingly drugged. Some were awake, others still asleep, their consciousness mostly hazy, unable to react with fear or screams, somewhat dazed.

The Canal Gang men, led by Cang Ang, fought with protective intent, shielding the girls. But those from the Prefect's side didn't care about the girls' lives. They had received orders from the Prefect and saw the girls' lives as expendable. The clash became more intense, swords and shadows dancing in the air.

As some of the girls slowly regained consciousness, their eyes shifted from blank to startled. Before tears could fall from their eyes, they saw a Canal Gang man lunge forward to shield her from a knife thrust by a Yang family guard.

That knife, which should have pierced her chest, now stuck in the man's back.

It was she who should have died.

"Little girl, why are you crying." The man, not used to comforting others, had a scar on his face, making him appear unappealing. His attempt at a reassuring tone only made him seem more frightening.

The girl cried harder. "Why...?"

"Why?" The man was in pain, sweat beading on his forehead, yet he still managed a smile. "Of course because you're a girl. You should be beautiful, comfortable, living like a flower. You shouldn't be here, suffering at the hands of that corrupt official... Such a pretty girl, once we get out of here, live a good life, okay?"

The girl's voice trembled. "You..."

"Young Brother Yong fears no..." The man closed his eyes. "Forget it, don't remember my name."

The Boss was right. In this world, it was hard for women to survive. Those who did wrong were men, but those who suffered were women. Women couldn't resist, nor could they fight back. This wasn't the women's fault, and as men, they should understand this.

When they couldn't protect someone, they shouldn't casually form attachments. Otherwise, when they died someday, it would be others who suffered.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit heavy, but I can't move now. Give me a push," the man comforted the little girl. "Don't be afraid to trust others. See, there are good people in this world, right?"

The girl felt the man's breath weakening and sobbed uncontrollably. "Don't die... I'm scared."

"Big Yong—"

A Qi watched the blood seeping from the man's back, his eyes bloodshot, and charged straight ahead—

In his blind spot, a Yang family guard approached diagonally, aiming his blade at A Qi's vital points.

Cang Ang instantly threw a knife, hitting the guard right in the chest. However, due to this action, his defense had a gap, and he was slashed on his left arm by another guard!

"Don't act rashly!"

While ordering everyone not to act rashly and to form a defensive formation against the guards, he himself, wounded, leaped beside Big Yong, protecting him from all sides.

No one knew if Big Yong was severely injured or dead, but he wouldn't retreat.

"Girls who have woken up, don't be afraid. Those who can stand, help those who can't, and slowly move to the south wall. Today, the Canal Gang will save everyone, not leaving anyone behind!"

As the girls' eyes shifted from numbness to having a glimmer of hope, they gathered by the wall, watching the fierce battle before them, their lips tightly pursed.

Not all of them were abducted. Some were new followers of the Empress Sect, realizing too late that they had been deceived. Their naivety, their misplaced trust, their mistakes had caused so much trouble...

But these men seemed to be telling them in their own way that they weren't at fault. It was those who deceived them who were wrong. They were just young, and perhaps with age and experience, things would be different. They shouldn't lose hope for the future or their ability to trust others...

There were indeed good people in this world.

Sometimes, one didn't need to give anything extra to receive kindness from the world. There were always those willing to risk everything for justice.

But how could they accept such favors without feeling they deserved it? How could they think it was their right?

"There..." One brave girl pointed in a direction. "Over there, there are people from Sister Feng..."

Cang Ang turned around, the hastily bandaged wound on his left arm still bleeding, yet he nodded solemnly to her as if he couldn't feel it at all: "Thank you."

...

Young Master Huo and the astute steward from the Liang family, with the assistance of the Sixth Prince, had already precisely and swiftly zeroed in on a cluster of riverside courtyards, successfully surrounding the people inside like dumplings.

"Search for me! Search every inch of ground! I don't believe that there's nothing impressive in this base of the Empress Sect!"

After a tough battle, there were still members of the evil sect resisting in the shadows, raising their voices to shout —-

"Leave us a way out, I advise Young Master Huo not to push too hard. Do you think we don't know you brought your sworn brother, the precious young master, to Sizhou? You have no idea what's happening at the Prefect's night banquet right now. If you dare to come any closer, don't blame us for being ruthless and showing no mercy!"

Young Master Huo bared his white teeth: "Oh, I'm so scared. Come on, send a signal right now to make them move over there, quickly, I can't wait!"

He was a bit worried earlier, after all, the Empress Sect seemed to be deeper than expected, unfathomable, and he wasn't sure of their capabilities. But he and Wen Ruan had quietly arrived in Sizhou, and these people only just now let slip that they knew, which was indeed a bit late.

Regardless of how deep the Empress Sect was or whether it existed elsewhere, at least here, it wasn't as powerful as they had imagined.

And who was the young master, and who was his fiancé? The Sixth Prince was already here, could they let the young master suffer? If they couldn't even protect the young master, then the prince might as well quit!

Seeing him so arrogant, the other side fell silent, seemingly unsure how to react.

Young Master Huo gave them a response: "I'll tell you this, tonight you will all die here, but our young master will remain unscathed, not a single hair will fall! Don't think you're invincible, there are plenty more powerful people outside! If you behave, put down your weapons, come out, and tell us everything you know, I might still try to save your lives. Otherwise —- none of you will live!"

As a mere merchant, without any aspirations to enter politics or any grand ambitions for the country and its people, never dreaming of being a hero, pursuing profit was the only goal in his life. Yet, over the years, by the young master's side, influenced day by day, drop by drop, he could no longer bear to see innocent people suffer.

"Young master, oh young master, you really..."

Being by your side for too long has made me a saint!

"Attack! Whoever captures the most people, extracts the richest confessions, and uncovers the most evidence from every nook and cranny, will receive generous rewards!"

I'm in a good mood tonight, without any profit or external wealth, I'm willing to spend money!

What's wrong with the people of the martial world? The world needs people of the martial world! What's wrong with merchants? Not all merchants are deceitful and harm others, the world cannot function without merchants!

And how ironic is it? The so-called Empress Sect, said to be built for women, harms women instead, the true decision-makers are men, and those who come out to fight are also men.

...

In the capital, under the same waning moon.

"...Empress Sect, Brother Luo, have you heard of it?" Chen Yongan poured a cup of wine for his good friend, Luo Linchang.

Luo Linchang had his hands behind his head, eyes vacant, lying in the courtyard, slacking off: "Don't tell me about all this nonsense, I've been busy in the fields for days, feeling like I've done a lifetime's worth of farm work... my mind and limbs are already unable to move."

Chen Yongan: ...

"Don't you love farming the most?"

"You know nothing." Luo Linchang looked at him with a faint gaze.

Liking something is one thing, being forced to do it is another, just like if you love braised pork, making you eat it every day, every meal, and nothing else, wouldn't you get sick of it?

"That little young master is not human... clearly looking so obedient and adorable, yet he dares to use me, an old man, like this... how dare he teach me so much at once, making me want to try each one individually..."

The old man's eyes were almost devoid of light.

Chen Yongan: ...

After his release from prison, he had been very busy, promoted to a higher position, with a pile of cases on his desk. Luo Linchang had also been very busy, leaving no time for them to meet for a drink or a meal, but what Luo Linchang was doing and what he was encountering, he had always known.

"I know you're happy."

"Happy my ass!" Luo Linchang sat up abruptly, his eyes shining brightly, "That little young master is a black-hearted one! Always using the most obedient smile to say the scariest things, and you don't even realize he's manipulating you! When you finally figure it out and want to scold him, he always knows if you're thirsty or hungry, and offers you something at the right time, making you unable to open your mouth; when you finish eating and drinking and want to scold him for being lazy, he works faster than you in the fields; when you want to put on airs and rely on your seniority to give some advice to the younger generation, oh, he knows more than you; when you finally think of a way to discipline him, he disappears, you don't know where he went, whether it's dangerous or not, isn't that infuriating!"

Chen Yongan watched his friend become more spirited with each curse, becoming more spirited with each additional curse, finishing with a surge of energy, and then lifting the wine cup to drain it in one go...

"Isn't this great? The fields are full of hope, the future is getting better, the people have something to look forward to, and the Empress Sect won't happen again."

The common people are actually the easiest to satisfy, they really don't ask for much, as long as their lives are peaceful and they can have food to eat, they don't mind working hard or suffering a little.

What they want is simply the word 'hope', the hope to live well.

Luo Linchang: "What's this Empress Sect? You've been talking for half a day, what exactly is the Empress Sect?"

Chen Yongan: "An evil cult, using the guise of giving people hope, but in reality, cultivating greed in people's hearts, hiding malicious intentions and evil deeds under a facade of kindness, causing great harm to the finances and grain supplies of various regions... It emerged from the folk at some unknown time, now rampant in other places, but due to its short time of infiltration into the capital, many people are still unaware of it."

Something was off.

Luo Linchang scrutinized his friend: "Why aren't you sleeping this late at night, insisting on dragging me out for a drink? Are you afraid of falling asleep and using this as a way to stay awake?"

Chen Yongan: ...

Luo Linchang frowned: "What are you going to do?"

"What can someone newly transferred to the Three Departments do?" Chen Yongan lowered his eyes, looking at the untouched cup of wine, the moonlight reflecting on the wine, though waning, but bright enough, "Naturally, I'm waiting for news to arrive in the capital."

It would surely be a monumental event, capable of overturning certain forces.

...

Wen Ruan never would have thought that he would encounter Zhu Yan at Yang Su's residence in Sizhou.

When he heard Cang Ang's whistle, knowing that Cang Ang had new discoveries, he wanted to investigate in a certain direction. He began to cooperate, saying he wanted to stroll through the garden, actually diverting attention to himself to facilitate Cang Ang's actions. That steward sent by Yang Su to 'guide' him, actually observing and testing him, was not easy to deal with. However, since he didn't intend to do anything bad, just wandering aimlessly, the steward had no tricks up his sleeve.

Cang Ang was extremely efficient, before he had wandered for long, a new whistle sounded. He pondered for a moment, casually plucking a leaf and giving it to Nanxing, pretending to be whimsical, wanting to make things difficult for the servants, having Nanxing blow the leaf to respond, telling Cang Ang to focus on that side, he would take care of Yi Songxue.

Dealing with the steward was simple, directly having Nanxing knock him out and hide him to the side. As for being discovered later that night or tomorrow... what did it have to do with them? They would ask why the promised guide suddenly played hide-and-seek and disappeared? Was this how guests were treated?

He took Nanxing and swiftly headed towards the inner courtyard, but alas, it was too late. Yang Su had already arranged everything below and started his move, carrying Yi Songxue away to the pavilion.

Wen Ruan, of course, immediately followed, wanting to see what Yang Su was up to and preparing himself to seize the opportunity to rescue Yi Songxue.

The dark night served as Yang Su's camouflage, just as it was for him and Nanxing. Yang Su deliberately walked in places where the candlelight couldn't reach, ensuring no one would notice anything amiss with Yi Songxue. He and Nanxing also hid in the shadows, avoiding detection.

As for why Yi Songxue was so cooperative...obediently being led away without panic, struggle, or even attempting to speak, it was because he recognized the faint scent that, while unfamiliar, was deeply etched in his memory. When he subtly turned around at the corner, he identified Wen Ruan.

He tried to avoid the gazes of those around him, discreetly signaling to Wen Ruan with his hand, telling him not to worry, that he had means to protect his life.

Thus, Wen Ruan wasn't anxious, until that door was knocked open—

It was his fiancé?

The prince?

He belatedly realized that perhaps the Sixth Highness had been granted a princedom during the days he had been away from the capital. This was good news!

When Wen Ruan left the capital, he didn't feel he had done anything wrong, and now, his demeanor was relaxed. Smiling, he approached, genuinely delighted: "Your Highness!"

Zhu Yan gave Lan Tian a fleeting glance.

Brief, without a word.

But Lan Tian could understand the subtle superiority in his master's gaze—it was as if he was saying, "See, I told you he missed me."

Wen Ruan was truly happy, circling around Zhu Yan. "How did you get here? When did you arrive? Have you been here all this time?"

Seeing the empty table except for the tea set, and noticing the creases on Zhu Yan's clothes and the slight dust on his shoes, indicating he had been sitting there for quite some time, possibly in haste,

"Are you hungry? Would you like me to join you for a meal?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he remembered the social death baggage of the Sixth Highness in the cave on Mount Feng, who was extremely concerned about appearances. Wen Ruan quickly changed his tone: "Uh, actually, I...only ate two crabs earlier, and I'm still hungry. The crabs here are really delicious. Why don't you try them?"

The youth's evident joy, his curved eyes filled with his reflection, somehow instantly smoothed out the accumulated fatigue from the day and night journey. Zhu Yan looked at Wen Ruan, unable to say anything else: "Yes, this Prince is also hungry."

This was a very ordinary conversation, happening anytime, anywhere, in any household. It was so normal that it was abnormal.

Lan Tian was inwardly shocked for a long time.

No one would understand his feelings at this moment.

Since thirteen years ago, his master had never directly expressed his desires. Whatever he wanted—be it thirst, hunger, beauty, ugliness, or anything—his master would never say it himself. He believed it was a sign of weakness. Why should one need to speak their wants when they could take it themselves? And yet, now...

Now, he could be so honest and admit he was hungry.

Lan Tian took a deep breath to calm his emotions, looking at Wen Ruan with gratitude.

Having received a definite response, seeing that Zhu Yan had no intention of further conversation, Wen Ruan began making pleasant arrangements: "Nanxing, please escort Lord Yi downstairs and call for a doctor. Take good care of him...Lan Tian?"

Lan Tian responded loudly: "Here!"

Wen Ruan: ...

Do all of you who serve by His Highness' side have such loud voices?

But under the circumstances, there was no one else available, and matters concerning Zhu Yan were best handled by his own people. Wen Ruan smiled: "Would you mind personally checking the kitchen? You know which dishes His Highness likes best."

"Master, rest assured, I'll go right away!"

Lan Tian gave his master a meaningful look. Don't worry, Your Highness, I've already inquired about the young master's preferences. Everything will be prepared!

He wasn't worried about the proverbial skilled housewife lacking rice to cook. If this skill wasn't enough, then this was the wealthy Jiang Nan, the residence of the great corrupt official, Yang Su! With all this night-time revelry, how could the kitchen lack ingredients or fail to prepare dishes?

It was impossible.

Yang Su: ...

What about me? In my home, using my pavilion, about to eat food prepared by my chef, have you forgotten about me?

"Please accompany us, Lord Yang."

Wen Ruan extended a polite invitation. Zhu Yan neither agreed nor disagreed, so how dared Yang Su sit at the table? He could only stand obediently to the side.

The wine and dishes were quickly prepared, filling the table. Though not overflowing, it was enough for two people, with excellent presentation, aroma, and taste. Especially the crabs that Wen Ruan mentioned; eight of them were served at once. There was more than enough quantity, certainly not lacking.

Yang Su felt something was off. Perhaps he had misjudged the situation, underestimating this young master whose name he still hadn't learned?

This wasn't neglect; this was extraordinary attention!

The prince was personally serving him dishes...and dissatisfied with the rhythm of the servants attending to hand washing, personally taking a damp cloth to help the young master wipe his hands!

This wasn't just a deep friendship!

The two didn't talk much, eating in a quiet, harmonious atmosphere, peaceful and serene like an ordinary family, yet there was something different. The way they looked at each other...especially the way the prince looked at the young master. It seemed calm, no different from how he looked at others, but you just knew there was a difference, something not quite right.

Yang Su couldn't decipher it. Although he had a wife, concubines, and children, he had never been in love...

No, didn't you hear the commotion outside! A fight has broken out, such a huge disturbance. Are your ears deaf, enjoying a peaceful meal like this?

Zhu Yan placed a serving of vegetables on Wen Ruan's plate: "Try this."

Wen Ruan obediently accepted it, ate it, and his eyes lit up: "Mmm, delicious! Is this fish from Sizhou? How can it be so delicious!"

He had spent many years in Sizhou, but Sizhou was vast, and the place he resided in was merely a small village. Over these years, it wasn't that he didn't want to indulge in culinary delights, but he simply didn't have the conditions or the time. His focus and attention were entirely on crop seeds. This was the first time he tasted such fish, such flavor that wasn't from an ordinary fish—it must be a precious variety, rarely seen!

He skillfully disassembled a crab with swift precision: "Your Highness, do try it. This crab is truly delicious!"

Zhu Yan could tell that the youth was genuinely eager to share. Despite not having a particular fondness for crabs in the past, he found this one a delightful surprise: "Indeed, it's good."

Yang Su: ...

Wasn't it strange? They were still eating crabs when they should have heard the clashing of weapons outside, swords flying and embedding themselves into the windows!

Wen Ruan shot him a fierce glare, as if scolding him for making a fuss. Can't you see we're in the middle of a meal?

Seeing Wen Ruan's attention drift away, Zhu Yan's gaze grew even more piercing, making Yang Su's scalp tingle as if saying: If you don't want to live, you can die right now.

Yang Su: ...

He felt that his life would be over in the next moment.

If these two weren't eating, fearing it might spoil their appetite, they might have killed him already!

But was he the only one in a hurry? What on earth was happening outside... Aaah! Another sword flew and impaled itself into the window again! Aaah!