Yanjing City (Part 2)

PS: Helping a little friend with some advertising.

Treasure Sword www.cmfu./showbook.asp?Bl_id=13265

The writing is very good, full of flavor. Also very intense.

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Li Feng blinked, and as if suddenly realizing something, he shouted, "Shopkeeper, it's that pretty boy from Suzhou Prefecture, the one fighting with you over the girl. He sent people to deal with us. What do you think we should do? I did say I'd let these three fellows live, but..."

Zhao Xi understood. He said with a sinister grin, "But the shopkeeper didn't agree, did he? Guards, kill them all. Throw the bodies in the woods to feed the wild dogs. We should finish this quickly while there are no pedestrians on the road, to avoid trouble with the local authorities... One of you go back and tell Old Zhao that it's my order. I want that brat hunted down. I want all the men in his family dead, and the women sold into the pleasure quarters to be prostitutes for generations."

Li Feng looked at Zhao Xi's distorted, ashen face and couldn't help but marvel inwardly, 'Good heavens, when this guy gets angry, he looks so imposing. But he can be so good-tempered one moment and fly into a rage the next, isn't that like being crazy?' Li Feng shook his head and looked at the carriage shed and the carriage walls that had been blown apart by Zhao Xi, and suddenly burst into laughter.

Zhao Xi looked around and couldn't help but laugh along. He elegantly picked up the folding fan from the ground, gently brushed off the dust from his clothes, and gently ordered, "Guards, return to Hangzhou Prefecture and get a new carriage... Hmm, tell Old Zhao to send more men to escort me back. Hmph, what is this? Assassins right after leaving Hangzhou, it's simply lawless. These local officials in Hangzhou Prefecture, hehe... Hmph." A sinister glint flashed in Zhao Xi's eyes, and then he bit his teeth with a hint of helplessness.

Upon hearing that Zhao Xi had been ambushed outside the city, Old Zhao nearly wet himself from fright. He insisted that Zhao Xi stay in Hangzhou for two more days, then he quickly had a carriage modified, reinforcing its walls, roof, and floor with thick iron plates. Only then did he dispatch fifty expert guards to escort Zhao Xi on his way. Zhao Xi strictly ordered him to investigate the whereabouts of the Netherworld Palace and assassinate them. Old Zhao looked at the silk shop, which was now empty with hardly any staff left, and agreed with a bitter smile.

There was no further incident on the journey. After a period of hurried travel, the convoy of three carriages, escorted by over eighty experts, finally arrived outside Yanjing City. It was the coldest time of winter in the north. The radishes Li Feng carried had frozen into ice lumps, but Li Feng still peeled them with his sword and ate them with a cheerful crunch, making Zhao Xi and Little Li's scalps tingle. They couldn't figure out what Li Feng's teeth were made of, to be able to bite through something so solid.

Hearing the cheers of the scouts ahead, Li Feng quickly poked his head out, and then his head couldn't be retracted.

Yanjing City, the Yanjing City ruled by Prince of Yan Zhu Di of the Great Ming Dynasty, stood like a divine statue in the vast plains. The outer city walls were towering, and Li Feng had an illusion that the gray-brown walls seemed to reach the clouds, stretching out to seemingly endless sides. With Li Feng's eyesight, he could see teams of soldiers in iron armor patrolling the city walls. Even from miles away, Li Feng could keenly feel the overwhelming killing intent emanating from them. A troop of cavalry just rushed out from a city gate and was slowly circling the city walls. The riders on their horses had solemn expressions, their bodies steady on their mounts, as if cast from steel.

Li Feng swallowed a mouthful of saliva and exclaimed in shock, "Damn it, is this Yanjing City? This city, I think it should be where the emperor lives. Damn it, those soldiers are so fierce, such strong killing intent. Compared to them, the soldiers in the Suzhou Prefecture garrison are all useless."

Zhao Xi's face suddenly lit up with joy, then he immediately covered Li Feng's mouth and whispered sternly, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? This is Prince of Yan's territory. The current emperor's capital is in Nanjing City. Don't talk nonsense... Hmm, but what do you think of this city?"

Li Feng shook his head and snorted, "Damn it, I've learned quite a bit of Qi Gazing Technique on the mountain. When it comes to reading Qi, not many people can compare to me. Take Yanjing City, for example, it's perfectly situated on a Dragon Vein, surrounded by Dragon Qi..." Li Feng was about to show off his meager Feng Shui Geomancy skills, which he had read about in the Daoist Scriptures of the Yiyuan Sect. Although he hadn't studied them thoroughly due to lack of interest, they were enough to bluff people. Especially Yanjing City, which indeed gave him an indescribable sense of pressure.

Zhao Xi smiled broadly, cast a glance at the escorting experts, who immediately lowered their heads, not daring to look at him. After fully demonstrating his authority, Zhao Xi chuckled and said, "A Feng, you know Feng Shui? That's wonderful, hehe... I also like to associate with people from beyond the mundane world, and I know a few powerful individuals. I'll introduce you to them then." After their exchanges along the way, he had become so friendly as to call Li Feng "A Feng."

As they spoke in low voices, the carriage arrived at the gates of Yanjing City. It was deep winter, and there was about a foot of snow on the ground, yet a contingent of Yanjing City soldiers, sweating profusely, ran from the open space between the inner and outer city walls. Clad in thin clothing, they made sword-swinging motions under the command of a deputy general.

A troop of about a hundred soldiers was stationed at the city gate. Seeing over eighty people escorting three carriages approaching, the gate official was about to order them to stop, but Zhao Xi poked his head out of the window and gave a soft "Hmph." The gate official was stunned and immediately cleared the way. Fifty soldiers silently joined the escort, surrounding Zhao Xi's carriage as it moved forward. Who knew what those soldiers would think if they knew that the second and third carriages they were so closely guarding were filled with radishes, ham, and other such items.

Upon entering the inner city of Yanjing, Zhao Xi finally let out a long sigh. He looked at Li Feng and smiled, "According to the Great Ming Dynasty's ancestral laws, feudal lords and their children are strictly forbidden from leaving their territories without permission. That's why I didn't dare to bring many guards on my trip south, for fear of the watchful eyes of the Imperial Clan Court. They would have severely punished me. Hehe, this trip has been quite fruitful. I've experienced the southern customs, gained a young expert like you, A Feng, and acquired so many treasures. It was truly a worthwhile journey."

Li Feng feigned surprise, and asked blankly, "You, you, you..."

Little Li chuckled proudly and whispered, "This is His Highness Prince of Yan's eldest son, His Highness Zhu Xi. Li Feng, you are truly fortunate. Following our Prince, getting promoted and making a fortune is a trivial matter, isn't it? Hehe..."

Li Feng's face was full of joy, and he quickly bowed deeply in the carriage, "This humble one truly has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. To think the true person was right before me, this, this..." Li Feng cursed wildly in his stomach, 'Damn you, Little Li, I knew you were a eunuch, I wasn't wrong about you, was I? You dead eunuch, you can't even pee standing up, and you dare to act smug in front of me? I can stand when I pee, what about you? Hehe... I knew long ago that you, Zhao Xi, were no good. So you're the eldest son of some Prince. Hmm, probably the eldest son? Not born to a concubine... Oh my, then he can become Prince of Yan in the future? And I can finally become a Great General.'

Zhu Xi waved his hand proudly and said gently, "Ah, A Feng, you don't need to be so polite. In front of outsiders, we maintain some master-servant etiquette, but between ourselves, we don't need to be too formal, just like usual... Little Li, go back to the mansion to rest for a bit, then go report to my father. Hmm, I'll take some people to see my father, you take A Feng to see Chief Eunuch Lü, and have A Feng's name added to the inner registry. Say he's my personal guard, hmm? And ask Eunuch Lü for advice on how you can rapidly increase your cultivation, understand?"

Little Li quickly bowed his head and replied, "Yes..."

The carriage slowly moved down the street. Li Feng saw that the snow on the street had been cleared, revealing clean, wet stone slabs. The common people on the street were all dressed in ordinary coarse cloth, but their faces showed a look of prosperity and contentment. Compared to the shrewd expressions on the faces of the people on the streets of Suzhou Prefecture and Hangzhou Prefecture, the people here had a more simple, heartfelt sincerity. Li Feng praised in a low voice, "As expected of the north, unlike Suzhou Prefecture where the markets are flashy and people's hearts are restless. Heh, I wonder what the people here will be like a thousand years from now."

As the carriage passed, Li Feng saw that large-scale construction was underway in some areas, clearly for building grand palaces. But Li Feng couldn't be bothered to ask about these things. It was just building houses, perhaps Zhu Xi's father found his residence not big enough for him, the Prince of Yan, so he was expanding it. This was only natural. Ordinary people, with a little spare silver, would upgrade their thatched huts to courtyards, then to multiple courtyards, and then to gardens. What more could be said for a prince?

In contrast, Zhu Xi's mansion was just an ordinary four-story courtyard house, not even as grand as the residences of medium-sized wealthy merchants in Suzhou or Hangzhou. There weren't many servants in the mansion, but there were groups of guards, all looking extremely sharp. They eyed Li Feng as if the constables in Suzhou Prefecture were sizing up street thugs and petty thieves. Li Feng held his head high, young and spirited. He looked at the guards with disdain, muttering to himself, 'What are you so proud of? What are you proud of? With my 'Lightning Control Art', I can send all of you flying. Believe it or not?'

His thieving eyes scanned the guards, and Li Feng suddenly felt delighted, 'Heaven bless me, these guys are all rich! Look at the material of their clothes, their golden belts, the purple gold waist tokens at their waists, and the rings and thumb rings on their fingers. Hehe... I'm rich... Oh, I just hope the pawnshops here aren't in cahoots with them, otherwise it'll be troublesome to fence the goods.' Strange ideas swirled in Li Feng's mind, and his shifty eyes darted around, sending a chill down the spines of the guards.

A guard in purple stepped forward and respectfully greeted Zhu Xi, "Your Highness, you've returned? Everything is well in the mansion. It's just that the Third Prince and his brothers often came to pay their respects, and they left calling cards each time when they didn't see you return... The Fourth Prince just delivered his New Year's gift yesterday. I took the liberty of accepting it and have stored it in the treasury for Your Highness's inspection."

Zhu Xi nodded majestically, "Hmm, the Third and Fourth are thoughtful. What about the Second?"

The purple-clad guard quickly replied, "The Second Prince trains his troops all day and hasn't come by once... Hmm, three days ago, when the Prince was drinking, the Second Prince tore apart a black bear caught in Changbai Mountain with his bare hands. The Prince praised him highly and even awarded him his personal sword."

Zhu Xi's lips twitched, and he sneered, "Oh? The Second's strength has increased again. Tearing apart a wild bear... And Father awarded him his personal sword? Hmph." Zhu Xi seemed a little annoyed, and he quickly tapped his palm with his folding fan, striding into the mansion. Li Feng followed Zhu Xi with a grin. As he passed the purple-clad guard, he lightly touched the man's waist with his finger, confirming that he was indeed carrying something. Li Feng felt inexplicably happy.

Zhu Xi walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned around, saying, "No, I'm going to see my father now. Who did Old Zhao send to bring the account book? Bring it with me. Hmm, A Feng, this is Dugu Sheng, the chief leader of the guards in my mansion. Dugu, this young brother is called Li Feng. Later, Little Li will take him to Eunuch Lü to have his name registered. Make him your deputy. Don't look at his youth; his swordsmanship is superb. I saw it with my own eyes, he cut down seven... Ah, what is it called, the 'Blood-Breaking Saber'?"

Li Feng's face, rarely, turned red again. The experts who escorted Zhu Xi back to Yanjing quickly lowered their heads, while Dugu Sheng and the others looked astonished. Although they were guards of the Prince's mansion, they knew a little about the martial arts world. The 'Blood-Breaking Saber' was a signature technique of the Netherworld Palace. To have Li Feng cut down seven of them with one sword? That level of skill was extremely rare. Dugu Sheng immediately signaled to Li Feng and said, "That's perfect. Murong Tian has been causing trouble for our mansion's brothers lately. Dugu admits his swordsmanship is inferior to Murong's, so I avoid him when I can. Now that Brother Li is here, he's exactly the opponent for him."

Zhu Xi sneered, "Murong Tian, he's causing trouble for us again? Hehe... Hehe... Hehehe..." Killing intent surged in Zhu Xi's eyes again. Without another word, he led a group of guards, experts, and soldiers out.

Little Li stuck out his tongue and whispered to Dugu Sheng, "His master is angry. It looks like Murong Tian is in for it."

Dugu Sheng sneered, "Hmph, hmph. He's just relying on the Second Prince, who is a commanding general. Swordsmanship isn't my specialty, Dugu. If it were about palm strength, I could beat ten Murong Tian to death. Brother Li, if your swordsmanship can surpass Murong Tian, you can walk sideways in Yanjing City... Eunuch Li, as the master said, go and have Brother Li's name registered? I'll prepare a waist token and brocade for Deputy Leader Li. Ah? We'll have a small drink tonight to welcome Deputy Leader Li."

Li Feng heard someone call Little Li "Eunuch" for the first time and felt a strange discomfort. Looking at Little Li's smiling face, Li Feng curled his lips, glanced at his lower body, and remained silent. Little Li nodded proudly, signaling Li Feng to follow him, and turned out of the mansion gate.

A guard saw Little Li leave with Li Feng and sidled up to Dugu Sheng, asking in a low voice, "Boss, why did the master appoint such a young kid, who still has milk teeth, as deputy leader? I don't think he's very capable. He probably just pleased the master, so he recruited him, right?"

Dugu Sheng grinned sinisterly, "Why are you asking so many questions? It's the master's will, just obey it. If this Li Feng truly has excellent swordsmanship and can even deal with Murong Tian, it will be our brothers' good fortune. In the future, we can walk around Yanjing City with our shoulders squared and no one will dare to say anything. If he is defeated, it won't be a loss for us either. Anyway, no one among us can deal with that Murong kid now. It's no shame for another Li Feng to lose to Murong Tian. You guys have lost more than ten or twenty times, and you still have the face to lose?" His words made the guards blush to the roots of their ears, unable to speak.

Little Li ambled slowly through the streets of Yanjing, constantly muttering, "Brother Feng, do you know now? In the Prince's mansion, you must follow the rules, otherwise you'll definitely be beaten. You can't use those common slang words anymore, and you must be careful in your actions, never offending those who cannot be offended. Of course, in front of the common people, you absolutely cannot lose face for our master. Anyone who dares to offend us will be beaten to death. They're just lowly peasants, what's so precious about them?"

He paused and continued, "Originally, you belonged to our master, but Prince Yan is very strict. He's afraid that his sons will randomly recruit people from the martial arts world, creating a mixed bag and corrupting the mansion's atmosphere. Therefore, any new guard must have their name registered with Eunuch Lü. This is for your own good, lest the people under Eunuch Lü are unfamiliar with you and a conflict arises, causing you to suffer unfairly... Eunuch Lü has unparalleled divine skills. His eunuchs, and countless experts under him, are more than ten times more skilled than our mansion's guards!"

Li Feng chuckled inwardly, 'Unparalleled divine skills? He's just an old eunuch, what's so great about him?... Oh, the beauties of the north are also quite good. That girl carrying the vegetable basket, her skin is quite tender. It's just that she's a bit too big. Tsk tsk tsk tsk... Girls should be petite and delicate, making them easier to hold in one's arms... But maybe some people like to be held by girls?' He couldn't be bothered to listen to Little Li's nagging, his head darting around, his thieving hands itching.

The sound of horses' hooves arose, and a troop of cavalry came from the street ahead. Little Li shivered all over and immediately stood by the roadside, bowing, not daring to look in that direction. Seeing Li Feng still standing on the street looking around, Little Li reprimanded in a low voice, "Brother Feng, stand aside. The Second Prince is coming. Be careful he doesn't deliberately find an excuse to punish you."

Li Feng heard this and immediately looked up. In the cavalry troop ahead, a tall, stern-faced young man, as unyielding as mountain rock, with dark skin and exuding a savage aura, looked over with cold eyes. Their gazes collided in the air, and both felt a sharp pain in their eyes, quickly averting their gaze from each other. The tall, silver-armored young general behind the young man's eyes lit up, and his right hand immediately rested on his sword hilt.