Yet now, it is as though the god of destiny were making fools of them. The great Prince
of Qi, whose strength once shook all the land, could only now hide here as the
situation worsened.
Yuwen Xian, upon noticing everyone's dejected silence, took the initiative to ask Shen
Qiao: "Daozhang, what plans do you have now?"
Shen Qiao thought for a moment, before responding: "I must ask if the Prince of Qi
knows of Bian Yanmei's whereabouts?"
Yuwen Xian shook his head.
"Right after the death of the former Emperor, every member of the Bian residence
disappeared in the span of a night. No one knows where they've gone. I believe that
Bian-xiong most likely knew of what would take place today, so he quickly left as soon
as he could. Now that I say that, it seems that he had more foresight than I did."
"If you do not dislike it, Shen-daozhang, you can remain at the Su residence a little
longer," Su Wei said. "You treated us, the Su family, with kindness that day. My mother
thinks about you from time to time, and my younger brother has great respect for your
skills and your character. A coincidence that we met today. I could bring my mother
and brother out to pay their respects to you."
Yuwen Yong was dead, and Bian Yanmei was nowhere to be found. On top of this, as
much as Shen Qiao wanted to find Yan Wushi as fast as he could, he did not know
where to even search. He could only slowly listen for the movements of both the
Huanyue and Hehuan Sects. Many roads led to Chang'an; sooner or later, news would
pass through here more quickly than it would anywhere else. For the time being,
remaining here was very well the only choice that he could make.
After thinking of these things, Shen Qiao said: "Then it seems that I must trouble the
Duke of Meiyang for the time being."
Su Wei smiled: "There's no need to treat me like a stranger. You may call me Wuwei."
While they spoke amongst each other, a knock came at the door. When Su Wei came
to open it, he saw his most trusted servant standing outside: "Langjun, there are two
people at the rear gate. An adult and a child. One calls himself Yan Ying, His Highness
by one and hide them in safe areas, in case the Emperor were to fly in a rage and
commit some sort of atrocity!"
Yuwen Xian asked: "Then the Princess had you bring Qilang out?"
"Yes. The princess said that Qilang was the youngest, and that his name had yet to be
added to the family register. If something were to happen, then he would be the
hardest to find. She then had me bring Qilang here specifically to see you."
That his wife, the Princess, had considered even the very worst of circumstances, struck
Yuwen Xian with sorrow. He could only hold the child in his arms more tightly.
Su Wei, however, spoke in a severe voice: "You said that it was Wei Xu who told you to
do this? Did you discover anyone following you and Qilang on the way here?"
Yan Ying thought hard: "There shouldn't have been. I was very careful…"
The moment he said this, Shen Qiao's expression darkened as he stood.
The others could not help but glance at him: "Shen-daozhang?"
"There are troops closing in on us right now!" Shen Qiao said.
As everyone's reactions changed fearfully, Su Wei shouted: "Hurry! Everyone into the
hidden room!"
Yuwen Xian responded: "We won't make it. The others were most likely tailing after Yan
Ying, and preparing to surround the Su household. They intend to draw a net over all
of us. If the Su residence doesn't give us up, His Majesty won't rest!"
"That bastard, Wei Xu!" Yan Ying cursed, slapping his thigh as he did. "He wanted me
to search for the Princess on purpose. He knew that she would trust me and tell me
where you were, so he trailed me as a result!"
As they said these things, the troops had already reached the outside of the Su house.
They beat at the doors with a force that shook the heavens and weighed menacingly
upon them. Even though they were in the parlor, they could hear all of it.
The head housekeeper of the Su residence appeared and said to them: "Master, it's
very bad. There are many people outside, saying that they received an order from His
Majesty. They wish to apprehend the Prince of Qi. If we don't open the doors, they
said that they will force themselves in! What can we do?!"
Yuwen Xian sighed: "Luck and misfortune share the same realm; but it is misfortune
that we cannot hide from. It seems that I can't escape what fate has in store for me.
Open the gates. I will go along with them; I will not allow them to harm a single
member of the Su family!"
"Like hell if you're going anywhere!" Su Wei shouted, stamping his foot. "Even if you
didn't, the Su family would not be able to escape from the crime of harboring a
criminal on the premises. Why must we make such a big deal anyway? You hurry and
hide first, I will deal with them myself! I don't believe that they will dare to tear down
this Su household!"
"Seems like the Duke of Meiyang does not think very much of His Majesty. He'd rather
shelter a traitor of the Emperor and bring disaster to his family instead!" A cold laugh
reverberated through the air. Despite its distance, they could make it out distinctly.
For those without any cultivation, like Su Wei, every word struck their chests like that of
lightning striking them.
Amidst the people who had entered, there was Yuwen Qing, the man that Shen Qiao
had met that time he had passed through the country of Chen. But the man speaking
was not Yuwen Qing. Rather, it was someone behind him.
This man was no stranger to Shen Qiao. The moment he caught sight of Shen Qiao, his
expression betrayed a sense of astonishment, before putting on a sneer:
"Shen-daozhang. From one end of the world to the other, where would we be unable
to meet? Why do we always run into each other wherever we go?"
"Murong Qin." Shen Qiao said this name with a cool indifference. "I trust that Chen
Gong is doing all right?"
Murong Qin laughed. "Naturally he's doing very well. I forgot to tell you,
Shen-daozhang. Because of our young lord's great service in offering the Tai'e Sword,
His Majesty has now conferred him the title of Duke of Zhao."
Yet a sheathed sword's blade appeared before his face.
And the man wielding it was beautiful—fair and slender like that of the finest jade,
without a single flaw.
However, Murong Qin had no intent on enjoying the view. He grabbed at the sword's
sheathe. The moment that he laid one hand upon it, he suddenly remembered what
this sword was, and the identity of its master.
Then, he remembered how, in the ruined city of Ruoqiang, the way that Shen Qiao had
fought the horde of monkeys on his own.¹
For this reason, his movements came to a short pause.
It was at this moment that the sword was drawn back beyond his reach. Murong Qin
quickly stepped back, barely missing a strike to his face.
When he fixed his eyes upon the man before him, he could see that Shen Qiao had not
yet unsheathed his sword.
His Daoist robes floated up with the wind, complementing his graceful, exquisite
beauty, repelling the dust of this mortal world, free of all impurity. He looked the most
incapable of causing any harm compared to anyone else present.
However, Murong Qin knew that this was a false appearance. Though he had once
underestimated Shen Qiao, he did not dare to look down upon him after what had
happened in Ruoqiang—this man who possessed enormous strength within him.
He composed himself, before asking in a cold voice: "Shen-daozhang, are you no
better than a dog? Why do you constantly stick your nose into anything that catches
your eye?"
"You have not yet reached a final conclusion regarding the crimes of the Prince of Qi,"
Shen Qiao said. "Yet you want to implicate an innocent child?"
Murong Qin smirked: "He had the nerve to kill the former Emperor. Naturally his family
is guilty by association."
Dou Yan could not stand this any longer. She said aloud in a sharp voice: "The Prince of
Qi didn't kill the former Emperor! The former Emperor was killed by Yuwen Yun!"
T/N: Did Yuwen Yun really kill his father in history? I doubt it—remember that this is
historical fiction. However, all the motives were there. And since Yuwen Yong had a weak
constitution, it wouldn't be too difficult. Coupled with knowing that Yuwen Yun had been
an especially shitty guy, it really isn't something to put past the Crown Prince.
1 FRRRR IS THAT WHAT YOU REMEMBERRRRR LMAOOOOOOOO IM … WOW