Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 10
Huo Fenghua hurriedly pulled his clothes closed, then chased after Su Zeyang toward the exit. The two corpses on the floor lay at awkward angles, and he almost tripped over the innkeeper’s body. A thought struck him. He reached out and pulled the packet of knockout powder from the innkeeper’s belt, stuffed it into the inner pocket of his clothes, and only then said in a rush, “Senior Brother, wait for me,” as he chased him up the stairs.
These were two underground rooms. The passage spiraled upward the whole way. When they climbed out of the hidden tunnel, Huo Fenghua realized he was in a spacious kitchen, probably the inn’s kitchen.
Su Zeyang said, “This is a shady inn.”
Huo Fenghua asked curiously, “How did you find this place?”
Su Zeyang glanced at him. “Didn’t you leave me a sign? I guessed they were probably heading to Xichou. Based on the route your mark indicated, I got here a day earlier than you.”
Huo Fenghua thought it over. “So Jia Duo’s stomachache was because they drugged him?”
Su Zeyang pushed open the kitchen door and headed for the back courtyard. “They drugged the food, but you didn’t touch either of the two things.”
Huo Fenghua followed. The moment he stepped outside, he felt the strong wind and heavy rain lashing at his face. He had to lower his head and raise a hand to shield himself.
Su Zeyang led a horse out from the stable and said to Huo Fenghua, “Get on!”
Huo Fenghua quickly said, “I can’t ride a horse.”
Su Zeyang grabbed his arm with one hand and supported his waist with the other, lifting him onto the saddle. Then he sprang lightly onto the same horse, sitting behind Huo Fenghua. When he took the reins, he also pulled Huo Fenghua into his arms.
“Senior Brother,” Huo Fenghua tried to speak, but the moment he opened his mouth, rainwater poured in. He could only turn his head and bury his face against Su Zeyang’s chest.
Su Zeyang squeezed the horse’s belly with his legs. The horse immediately galloped toward the open gate. Right then, thunder cracked, and the downpour pounded the ground so violently it almost drowned out the sound of hooves. The two of them on one horse slipped out of the inn without a sound.
The rain had soaked his clothes through. His inner and outer robe were plastered to his body. Huo Fenghua could barely open his eyes. When he managed to look ahead, he saw only darkness. Occasionally lightning split the sky, and he couldn’t help trembling. In that brief flash, he saw the outline of a ridge in the distance, like a giant beast crouching in wait.
He wished he could turn around and cling to Su Zeyang instead. All he could do was press his lips close to Su Zeyang’s ear and say, “Senior Brother, it’s so dark. Do you even know the way?”
Su Zeyang didn’t answer.
Huo Fenghua said again, “We’re drenched. If we keep going like this, I’m afraid I’ll get struck by lightning. Why not find somewhere nearby so we can shelter from the rain?”
Su Zeyang finally replied, “We’re going up the mountain.”
They had already ridden far from the town and onto a mountain road. The path was rough to begin with, and in a stormy night like this, the horse slowed more and more, occasionally sinking into mud. Eventually, even when Su Zeyang tapped it with his scabbard, it refused to move.
Huo Fenghua said, “Senior Brother, stop hitting it. That’s cruel.”
Su Zeyang jumped down and said, “Get down. We’ll walk.”
Huo Fenghua froze. When he swung himself off, he nearly fell, but Su Zeyang grabbed his collar and steadied him. Huo Fenghua asked blankly, “What about the horse?”
Su Zeyang had already turned and started walking forward. Huo Fenghua held the reins and called out, “Hey!” Seeing Su Zeyang had no intention of stopping, he could only tell the horse, “Go back the way you came, to that town. Better wait until the rain stops before you move. Find somewhere to shelter first.”
Only then did he hurry after Su Zeyang, stumbling along the muddy road, wiping rain from his face now and then. “How long are we going to walk?”
Su Zeyang didn’t answer, only said, “You’re kind to a horse, at least.”
Huo Fenghua said, “It’s still a life.”
Gamblers were more or less superstitious. He had even followed his dad for a time to eat vegetarian meals and go up the mountain to release turtles. Gambling was basically cheating people, so he felt especially soft toward animals, like he was trying to make up for something. As for what he was making up for, even he couldn’t say clearly.
He followed Su Zeyang along the mountain road for nearly half an hour. Su Zeyang never slowed. Huo Fenghua couldn’t take it anymore. He dropped to the ground and said, “Senior Brother, I really can’t walk anymore. Why don’t you go on without me?”
Su Zeyang stopped and looked back.
Huo Fenghua panted, pressing a hand to his chest. “I’m serious. I can’t.”
Su Zeyang tilted his head and scanned the surroundings. After a moment he said, “Less than ten feet ahead there’s a cave. We’ll take shelter there for now.”
Huo Fenghua propped himself up and tried to look, but ahead was nothing but darkness. He couldn’t see any cave at all, so he said, “Senior Brother, you’re lying to me.”
Su Zeyang said coldly, “Suit yourself,” and turned to walk on.
Huo Fenghua swallowed. The rain in the mountains roared in his ears, and he couldn’t see anything around him. If he left Su Zeyang, he truly might not survive. So he followed again.
This time Su Zeyang hadn’t lied. They went less than ten feet, and there really was a cave above the slope. Su Zeyang sprang up to the entrance and held out a hand.
Huo Fenghua rose onto his toes, took his hand, and was pulled up.
The cave was shallow. After barely a dozen steps, it ended. Still, it didn’t leak, and it was dry inside.
Huo Fenghua pulled out an oilpaper-wrapped bundle from his chest. Inside were the token and manual Gu Guangji had given him, the knockout powder he had just taken off the dead man, and a fire striker.
He blew the striker to life. He had just made out Su Zeyang’s outline when Su Zeyang reached over, snatched the fire striker, and capped it with the bamboo tube. “Put it out.”
Huo Fenghua asked, “Why?”
Su Zeyang said, “This cave is too shallow. If someone comes after us, they’ll spot the firelight easily.”
Huo Fenghua hugged himself. “But I’m freezing. At least let us light a fire to dry our clothes.”
“No,” Su Zeyang said, leaving no room for argument.
“Then if I…” Before he could finish, Huo Fenghua sneezed twice in a row. Only then did he add weakly, “If I freeze to death, I’ll have to trouble you, Senior Brother, to bring my body back. Don’t bury me too far. Bury me in the front courtyard of the General’s Manor. When you pass by now and then, spare me a glance, and I’ll be satisfied.”
“Shut up,” Su Zeyang said. He shifted and sat down beside Huo Fenghua, then pulled him into his arms.
Huo Fenghua leaned against his chest, stunned, and murmured, “Senior Brother.”
Su Zeyang closed his eyes and circulated his internal qi.
Huo Fenghua felt the faint warmth from him. It was still cold, but much better than before. He adjusted his position, pressing his cheek to Su Zeyang’s chest, smelling rainwater on him. “Senior Brother, is your white robe turning gray?”
Su Zeyang didn’t respond at first. After a while he said coldly, “So much nonsense. If you still have energy to talk, should we keep traveling?”
Huo Fenghua immediately shut up. He closed his eyes and rested quietly in Su Zeyang’s arms.
He seemed to have dozed off. He didn’t know how much time had passed when a chaotic rush of hoofbeats startled him awake. He opened his eyes. The cave was still pitch-black, but the rain outside seemed to have stopped. Everything was eerily quiet.
As the hoofbeats neared the cave, they suddenly slowed. He heard someone say, “Commander, we’ve chased this far and still haven’t seen them.”
Another voice sounded very much like Tao Yifei. “Since the horse is on the mountain road ahead, they must have fled this way. Keep chasing.”
In the darkness, Huo Fenghua widened his eyes and didn’t dare move. He barely breathed. He could feel that Su Zeyang above him had also awakened, and the arm around him tightened abruptly.
The cave was too close to the road. The voices outside were perfectly clear. After a few more words, the group didn’t stop. They continued chasing forward.
Huo Fenghua finally let out a breath, but he also felt uneasy. That voice had sounded like Tao Yifei, yet the hoofbeats were far more than three horses. Had Tao Yifei met up with more men and was searching everywhere for him?
Worried, Huo Fenghua braced one hand on the ground and sat up. He turned to Su Zeyang and asked, “Are they gone?”
Before Su Zeyang could answer, an arrow suddenly tore through the air. It came from far away and struck into the earth at the cave entrance, burying itself deep in the mud. The feathers at the tail still trembled.
Su Zeyang gripped his sword and rose in a blur. “No.”
Huo Fenghua hurried to his feet, but Su Zeyang pressed a hand lightly to his chest and said, “Wait here.” Then Huo Fenghua heard Su Zeyang draw his blade and leap out of the cave.
The instant Su Zeyang appeared, Huo Fenghua heard arrows slicing through the air outside. Tao Yifei shouted, “Take him down! It doesn’t matter if he’s dead or alive!” Then came the shrill, grating clash of weapons.
Huo Fenghua held his breath in the cave. Outside, torchlight flared at some point. Screams rang out now and then. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He ran to the entrance, pressed himself to one side of the cave wall, and peeked out.
Five or six torches burned along both sides of the mountain road. Seven or eight men in black were surrounding and attacking Su Zeyang alone. Another three or four were hidden in trees, longbows in hand, loosing cold arrows at Su Zeyang whenever they had a shot.
Su Zeyang’s white robes flared as he moved. His sword flashed like silver. Fighting eight men by himself, he still looked unhurried, batting away incoming arrows with his blade now and then.
The clashes grew fierce and rapid. Su Zeyang’s sword moved faster and faster. With a flash of his sword, he severed one attacker’s arm. The man screamed and staggered back. Tao Yifei, who had been watching from horseback, drew a long saber and leapt down, charging at Su Zeyang with murderous force.
Huo Fenghua watched in terror and couldn’t help leaning his head out a little more.
An archer hidden in a tree noticed and called, “Someone’s there!” He raised his bow and shot an arrow straight toward Huo Fenghua.
Tao Yifei looked up and roared, “Stop! Don’t hurt him!”
But it was too late. The arrow had already left the string, whistling straight for Huo Fenghua’s face.
A white shadow flashed. Su Zeyang sprang back to the cave entrance, chopped the arrow in two, grabbed Huo Fenghua’s hand, and dragged him as they jumped down together.
Huo Fenghua was still sweating cold. Scheming, he said, “Use me as a shield. They won’t dare kill me.”
Su Zeyang held his wrist with one hand and used his sword to drive enemies back with the other. “They can shoot my back.”
Right then, an arrow aimed at Su Zeyang’s back flew in, and he knocked it aside with a slash.
Huo Fenghua said, “Don’t remind them!”
Tao Yifei met Su Zeyang head-on, saber swinging. Sparks burst when saber and sword collided. Tao Yifei said, “Your Highness, come back with us. Don’t forget you’re from Xichou!”
Huo Fenghua blurted nonsense, “I’m not. Marry a chicken, follow the chicken*. I married Feng Tianzong, so I’m a Donglin man now!”
*It’s an idiom referring to a woman will unconditionally follow her husband after marriage. The full idiom is “A woman follows her husband wherever he goes, whether he’s a chicken or a dog.”
Tao Yifei’s blood surged with fury. “You!” His rage intensified, and he poured true qi into his strikes, hacking at Su Zeyang again and again.
Su Zeyang had fled all night with Huo Fenghua, then faced an eight-man siege. No matter how strong he was, his strength was running thin. With his left hand gripping Huo Fenghua’s wrist, he could only fight with his right. Tao Yifei’s fierce yang qi surged into the sword. Su Zeyang couldn’t hold and retreated two steps.
Two archers in the trees had been aiming for a long time. They released their arrows one after the other. The two shafts flew close together, both aimed at Su Zeyang’s back, while Su Zeyang’s one hand barely held off Tao Yifei’s saber.
Huo Fenghua’s heart jolted. He didn’t have time to think. He spun and threw himself behind Su Zeyang. The first arrow struck squarely into his left shoulder. The second arrow followed, about to pierce his right chest, when a sudden force from behind shoved him outward off the mountain road.
One side of the road was a cliff face, the other a drop. It wasn’t a sheer plunge, but it was high.
After he was shoved, a clump of grass snagged his foot. He pitched forward, stepped into empty air, and tumbled down the slope. He couldn’t even focus on the pain in his shoulder. Shocked, he cursed, “Which bastard pushed me?”
Both sides wanted him and didn’t dare kill him. Even in the middle of this fight, he should have been the safest one. Instead, he had taken arrows for someone and then been shoved off a cliff.
He rolled only a short distance before a white figure appeared above. Su Zeyang grabbed his arm and went down with him. They rolled a bit more, then the slope suddenly turned steep, and the ground vanished beneath them as they dropped.
Su Zeyang drove his sword hard into the rock wall, anchoring it between cracks and stabilizing them for a moment.
Huo Fenghua hung there, terrified. He looked up and said, “Senior Brother, someone pushed me.”
Su Zeyang said, “I did.”
If he hadn’t shoved Huo Fenghua away, Huo Fenghua would have two arrows in him by now.
Su Zeyang was gripping Huo Fenghua’s left arm, and the arrow was in Huo Fenghua’s left shoulder. The pull was agony. His face went pale. “Senior Brother, let go. I can’t. My arm’s going to tear off.”
Su Zeyang looked down and saw blood soaking the entire shoulder. His heart lurched. Afraid the arm would be ruined, he drew in a breath and said, “Then I’m letting go.”
Huo Fenghua glanced at the empty void below and thought he was going to die if he fell. Su Zeyang really was going to abandon him. A sudden sadness rose in him. “Senior Brother, in the end I truly loved you. When you come to collect my body someday, find a beautiful place to bury me. Don’t take me back to the General’s Manor. I don’t want to watch you and the General being sweet together.”
Su Zeyang had heard enough. He yanked the sword out of the cliff and let them drop.
Huo Fenghua felt them plunging again and saw Su Zeyang still holding his arm. Stunned, he blurted, “What?” He had no strength left to speak after that. His lips were white, his face drained, helpless as they fell.
Su Zeyang held the sword in one hand and drove true qi into it, letting the tip scrape shallowly along the cliff wall to slow their descent.
At the final, critical instant before they hit the ground, he wrapped an arm around Huo Fenghua and turned, taking the impact himself. Huo Fenghua landed on top of him.
Both of them fell unconscious.
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