Ten Calculations in Every Step

Changsun Yunxuan was in so much pain he had nearly passed out. Curled up on the ground, he trembled without stop. Ning Chen stepped forward, then seemed to recall something. Turning sideways to look at the woman who had brought him the ink, he flashed a brilliant smile. "Sister, this ink won't wash off, will it?"

The woman's delicate body trembled instinctively. Somewhat frightened, she said, "No. This is thousand-year ink."

Ning Chen's eyes lit up at those words, and the smile on his face became even more chilling.

Not far away, Yue Hanyi frowned but did not intervene. Since this young man knew Changsun Yunxuan's identity and still dared act so recklessly, either there was something wrong with his head, or his background was astonishing.

There was also something else. Even now, she still did not understand why that fleeting disgust had appeared in his eyes. Was it directed at her, or at Lingyan Pavilion?

All these doubts led Yue Hanyi to stay out of it for now and watch how things unfolded. As long as no one died here, the trouble would not implicate Lingyan Pavilion.

With his back to the others, Ning Chen crouched down. A moment later, two large, crooked characters appeared on Changsun Yunxuan's face. Only upon close inspection could one barely make out the words "Changsun."

Then, without a sound, Ning Chen took out the Moon-shaped Jade Pendant Changsun had given him, dipped it in ink, and viciously stamped it onto the brat's forehead.

"Why haven't the authorities and Changsun Manor's people arrived yet?" Having finished all this, Ning Chen glanced outside. Apart from the growing crowd of onlookers at the door, there was not even a shadow of an officer in sight. He could not help complaining about the authorities' efficiency.

The Young Marquis of Changsun Manor had been beaten. The news had undoubtedly spread already. Changsun Manor and the authorities would surely arrive before long.

"May this humble woman ask your identity, sir?" At that moment, Yue Hanyi stepped forward and asked politely.

"No time." Ning Chen cast her a cold glance. No longer willing to suppress the disgust rising within him, he answered in a vicious tone.

A courtesan was not to blame. Those who deserved blame were the leaders of these brothels and pleasure houses, beautiful on the outside yet cold and heartless within.

Yue Hanyi's breath caught, and her expression changed several times. Yet with the situation still unclear, she could only suppress her anger and say evenly, "May I ask where Yue Hanyi has offended you, sir? I hope you will tell me."

Faced with Yue Hanyi's question, Ning Chen had lost even the interest to reply. He turned and walked over to the woman who had brought him the brush and ink, returning them to her with a grin. "Thank you, sister."

"N-No need to thank me," the woman replied nervously as she accepted the brush and ink.

The woman's fear left Ning Chen helpless. Had he been a little too violent earlier?

Ning Chen's self-doubt lasted only an instant before vanishing without a trace. Ahem, it was not his fault. Changsun Yunxuan was simply unlucky—and far too useless.

He brazenly righted a chair and sat down, then poured himself a cup of tea and drank as if no one else existed. It had only been a short while, yet he was thirsty again. Beating people up really was tiring work.

Yue Hanyi and the other women stared at this "master," unsure how to deal with him for the moment. They could only wait for the authorities to handle it.

"Make way! Make way!"

Before long, the authorities indeed arrived. The lead constable took one look at Changsun Yunxuan, beaten unconscious on the ground, and immediately felt his head swell.

This was Marquis Taiping's only son, the biological nephew of Empress Changsun. And he had been beaten like this?

Then he looked at the "master" seated nearby as though nothing had happened. The officers all felt their minds turn into a mess.

"Take him away!"

The lead constable gritted his teeth and shouted. There was no time to worry about so much now; they could only take one step at a time. If this really was someone with a background towering to the heavens, those above him would naturally bear the burden.

When Ning Chen finally saw the officers arrive, it was like seeing family. Without waiting for anyone to arrest him, he eagerly got up and went to meet them, making the already bewildered crowd feel their brains were no longer enough.

Not long after they reached the authorities' offices, Changsun Manor's people arrived and took Changsun Yunxuan away directly. Ning Chen, naturally, was thrown into a cell to await judgment.

This was Ning Chen's first time in prison in his life. Since he knew he would be out soon, he felt no worry at all.

Bored, Ning Chen sat in his cell and used a small wooden stick to draw a chessboard on the ground. He played against himself. At first, he moved quickly, but as more and more pieces filled the board, every move slowed. A deadlock gradually emerged, and every step became difficult.

Life was like a game of chess—nothing more than setting a board and breaking one. No matter how slow Ning Chen was, he understood now that he had inadvertently barged into someone else's game. If he failed to break through, he would be trapped to death among the pieces.

Ning Chen's brow furrowed ever more deeply. His eyes stayed on the board as he considered every move.

Why had someone been so desperate to assassinate Changsun?

If something happened to Changsun, who would benefit?

He had been in this world too short a time and knew little about many things. Yet all things had something in common. Qing Ling and Changsun's unusual reactions last night, coupled with Changsun's hasty departure from the palace early this morning, made it clear that Changsun's assassination attempt was inseparable from Yinghuo Shouxin.

Yinghuo Shouxin symbolized war and disaster. He had not cared much at first, because it was hardly some earth-shattering event. It occurred roughly once every fifteen years—sometimes obvious, sometimes faint. If Great Xia's foundations could be shaken by this alone, then this thousand-year dynasty would have perished countless times already.

If that was so, why had Changsun reacted so strongly?

Ning Chen sighed softly and tossed aside the wooden stick in his hand. If he had guessed correctly, Changsun had most likely left the palace this time carrying the Xia Emperor's secret decree—a decree that could not be known to the world.

It concerned Yinghuo Shouxin, yet could not be known to the world. The conclusion could not have been clearer. The Xia Emperor intended to deploy troops, and they were the troops of the Changsun Lineage.

Then Changsun's assassination attempt made sense. Someone had guessed the Xia Emperor's intentions early on, and had even anticipated when Changsun would leave the palace. They wanted to use the assassination attempt to drive a wedge between the Changsun Lineage and the Xia Emperor, delaying the deployment of troops.

At that thought, a chill ran down Ning Chen's back. If all this was true, the mind of the person who had set this board was truly terrifying.

He could see so much only because these events had already happened, making it much easier to infer from the signs. But the person who had laid this board had foreseen events that had not yet occurred and led them into the trap. Such calculation was far beyond what an ordinary person could achieve.

Unfortunately, Qing Ling had dragged him into this game. Even if he wanted to run, he could not escape.

If possible, Ning Chen truly did not want to face someone whose scheming was demonic. One careless move, and he could die without ever knowing why, without even a chance to struggle.

For now, his only option was to save Changsun first, then deal carefully with the person behind the board.

Fortunately, none of these schemes targeted him. The onlooker saw more clearly. As long as he did not carelessly stumble into another game, he would not end up as bedraggled as he had today.

"They should be here soon enough."

Ning Chen rose to his feet and looked toward the cell door. Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon.

At Changsun Manor, in Marquis Taiping's study, Changsun Yunxuan knelt on the floor with a terrified expression. Before the desk stood a middle-aged man with a frosty face. The veins bulging on his tightly clenched fists showed just how fiercely he was suppressing his rage.

"Beast!"

Marquis Taiping slammed his palm onto the desk. In his fury, he seized the inkstone on the table and hurled it out.

Bang!

The inkstone struck Changsun Yunxuan's forehead, splashing blood. Beside him, a beautiful middle-aged woman rushed forward with an anguished expression and wrapped her son in her arms. Glowering at Marquis Taiping, she cried, "Marquis, your own son was beaten, and not only will you not stand up for him, you want to beat him to death too?"

"Shut up!" Marquis Taiping's fury surged. The air around him shook, and with a forceful press of his hand against the desk, the entire desk exploded into pieces.

"The fact that I do not hit women is not a reason for you to act so outrageously. Get out!" As his words fell, Marquis Taiping swept his sleeve. A gust from his palm sent the woman flying straight out through the study door.

With a clang, the door shut. In the vast room, only Marquis Taiping and Changsun Yunxuan, still kneeling on the ground, remained. At this moment, Changsun Yunxuan trembled even more violently.

"Do you know something happened to your aunt?" Marquis Taiping asked coldly.

"I know," Changsun Yunxuan replied, his head lowered as he shook.

"The entire manor is searching for your aunt's whereabouts. Do you know that?" Marquis Taiping's voice grew even colder.

"I-I know."

"Good. Very good."

With those words, the hatred in Marquis Taiping's heart could no longer be suppressed. He stepped forward and slapped Changsun Yunxuan across the face. With a bang, Changsun Yunxuan flew five paces away before finally stopping when he crashed into a screen.

Marquis Taiping had shown no mercy in that slap. He could tolerate anything, but this one matter could not be indulged in the slightest.

"Puh!" Changsun Yunxuan hit the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood. Trembling all over, he no longer even dared cry out in pain.

"Reflect on your actions in this study. Without my order, you are not to take a single step outside."

Having said that, Marquis Taiping strode outside. When he saw the furious woman at the doorway, his gaze turned even colder. "If you dare release him without permission, or if he takes even half a step out of this room himself, you know the consequences. Changsun Manor is not a place that can accommodate just anyone—not even the wife and son of Marquis Taiping."

At those words, the woman trembled with rage, but she did not dare say another word. She knew that if Marquis Taiping said it, he would certainly do it.

Half an hour later, in the authorities' prison, the cell door creaked open, and the two men's eyes met for the first time.

Marquis Taiping and Ning Chen—two men who should never have crossed paths—now stood facing each other. Nothing could be read from their calm gazes.

"What is your name?" After an unknown stretch of time, Marquis Taiping was the first to speak.

"Ning Chen."

"A hero emerges in youth." Marquis Taiping did not conceal the admiration in his voice as he praised him.

"You flatter me, Marquis," Ning Chen replied modestly.

"What a pity." Marquis Taiping suddenly sighed.

Though heroes were said not to be judged by their origins, in truth, one's origins often determined the height a hero could reach.

"Heh." Ning Chen remained unmoved. He knew what Marquis Taiping meant by pity, but it did not matter to him.

"Is the Empress Dowager well?" Marquis Taiping stepped forward and asked solemnly.

"She is safe and unharmed," Ning Chen answered.

"Let us go. Take me to the Empress Dowager," Marquis Taiping said.

"Only you, Marquis?" This time, it was Ning Chen who was surprised.

"Heh." Marquis Taiping smiled faintly. "I alone am enough."

The simple words carried not a trace of fluctuation, so calm that they seemed to state nothing more than an ordinary fact.

One of Great Xia's ten strongest Martial Marquises—the two words Taiping weighed heavier than Mount Tai!

The Changsun Lineage, with two marquises in one house, represented not merely imperial favor, but strength so powerful that the world could only look up at it.

At Changsun Manor, in the study with its doors tightly shut, Changsun Yunxuan struggled to his feet. The word "Changsun" was still clearly visible across his blood-streaked face. The next moment, violent coughing erupted from him, wrenching at his heart and tearing at his lungs. His hair and brows fluttered apart, and vaguely, a crescent-shaped mark appeared and disappeared—a black as ink mark, glaringly conspicuous...