Royal Road Chapter 114

Published at 1st of August 2022 06:29:24 AM

Liang Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it wasn't quiet either, and besides, the blade and the blood on his throat were there for all to see. The maidservants beside them shrieked and scrambled to get away; the subordinate officials, noticing the incident, were disturbed from their dancing. Instantly, everyone was in an uproar. Even the music abruptly broke off.

Who could've imagined that something like this would happen?! 

Not Yan Ji, at any rate. There was a knife at his throat, which hurt from being pierced and felt cool and wet as well. He didn't know if it was because he was bleeding. Both panicked and frightened, he stammered, “I, I am only infatuated with you, I wasn't degrading you!”

“Infatuated?” Liang Feng sneered coldly, “Even the Duke of Dongying holds me in esteem. Yet here, I must serve you with my body? How dare you, cretin!”

Their exchange enlightened the whole room as to what was going on. Could it be that Grand Administrator Yan had tried desperately to trifle with the beauty, but hadn't expected his temperament to be so fierce, thus resulting in a disagreement? Now this was awkward!

Staff Officer Sun was sweating furiously as he got off his seat and said, “Don't be hasty, Adjutant Liang! His Excellency didn't mean any harm, he was only deceived. We can talk this out, we can talk this out….” 

“That-that's right. I was merely overcome by a bout of delirium!” Yan Ji got his wits about him and hurriedly shifted the blame, “It was all because that vile wretch, Li Lang, mislead me…..”

Hearing the commotion inside, the guards rushed in; some thought to rescue him upon seeing this scene. Staff Officer Sun quickly raised his arms to halt them, “Don't provoke Liang-lang, this is all a misunderstanding….”

Some were obstructing, some were trying to assuage, some were pleading, it was a mess all round. Met with their interference, even the elite Xiongnu soldiers began to hesitate, unable to make sense of the situation.

Liang Feng ignored the unimportant rabble. With a slight tug, he bent Yan Ji's skinny arm behind his back, wringing a pained gasp out of him, and stood up slowly. A delicate foot clad in white socks stepped on the low table in front.  

“Misunderstanding? I think not!” saying so, he kicked the table over, spilling teacups, flipping plates, everything crashed onto the floor. 

The overturned table drew everyone's attention, and in that moment, a dark shadow leapt out from the corner, right towards the Xiongnu! 

※

Amidst the cheer of song and dance, Yi Yan's head was bowed low and his fists tightly clenched. He couldn't hear the music, and he couldn't see the dancing. His head buzzed as if all his blood had rushed into his head. 

This wasn't what they had discussed! He hadn't stood to propose a toast, hadn't smashed a teacup as a signal, and he definitely hadn't disengaged. His lord had just walked up to the head seat and sat together with that bastard!

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How dare he!!

Hatred and killing intent intertwined, leaving Yi Yan with no choice but to bow his head to conceal the burning rage in his heart. He saw the warning in the eyes of the man sitting on the platform, and he could certainly guess the reason behind his deference and indulgence. Still, he couldn't accept it! That poisonous flame seared inside him, consuming his reason, making him tremble from head to toe. 

That bastard was unworthy! Unworthy!! How could he be worthy to sit aside his lord?! How could he be worthy to converse so blithely with his lord?! How could he be worthy to invite his lord to dance?!

His anger didn't change any of the events playing out on stage. When he heard Yan Ji say the words “infatuated with you,” a wound-up string in Yi Yan's head went snap. 

That's right. He couldn't accept it, nor could he tolerate it. Because he was infatuated with his lord!

The thought that rushed into Yi Yan's mind tore apart his self-restraint. With a loud crash, a table flipped over, goblets and cups were overturned. Like a tiger that'd received its signal, Yi Yan burst towards the nearest Xiongnu!  

His short sword bit into flesh and blood, its metallic smell filled his nose. One stab to the back, and the Xiongnu gave a full-body shudder, dead. Yi Yan didn't pause, his bloodstained dagger veered toward the next one. Neck, groin, chest…. his movements were swifter and more violent than ever before, using lethal techniques difficult to defend against; he was a wolf tearing into a flock of lambs!

The last stab, perhaps because it was too forceful, stuck on a rib. Crack – the blade snapped in two, but Yi Yan deftly reached for a saber and swung! 

A severed head rolled, stopping by the foot of a nearby aide.

The string of killings had happened too quickly; in the span of an instant, fast as the leap of a hare or the swoop of a falcon, four people had lost their lives. The aide choked out several halting gasps as his weakened knees hit the floor. The stench of blood rushed up his nose as some began to shriek like madmen! 

Only now did the remaining four Xiongnu finally react. This was no game, this was a real assassination! They were undeniably the cream of the crop, for the four of them acted immediately, three charging at Yi Yan while the remaining one turned and bounded towards the head seat. So long as the mastermind restraining the grand administrator was captured, that Jie slave would be forced to surrender! 

But he had hardly taken three steps when he abruptly lurched and fell face forward, his remaining momentum making him skid right beside Yan Ji's feet, who quavered in fright. He looked down and saw the crossbow bolt that had run through the man's heart from behind. Fresh blood was already seeping down the short bolt and dripping onto the expensive carpet beneath his feet.

A crossbow! That Jie had brought a crossbow! Anyone, no matter how stupid, would realize that this wasn't a fit of pique, it was a preplanned attack. When he lifted his head once more, the remaining three people had also fallen to the ferocious Jie slave. 

In just a few breaths' time, how had he killed eight people? Yan Ji's teeth chattered. Suddenly, he began to struggle. 

That's right, there was someone behind him. A frail, helpless, sickly invalid! There was no way Liang Zixi dared to actually kill him. He could easily fling this minor threat from himself. And when he seized Liang Feng, he would also stop that rabid beast, and he'd be saved!

Yan Ji was in his prime and he practiced the six arts, in a life or death situation, he could exert tremendous strength if he gave it his all! He didn't get away though because the blade at his neck had already sunken in deep.

His free hand weakly reached out, grasping nothing. Yan Ji swayed and staggered by the platform. In that moment, as the floor got closer, he looked in disbelief at the incomparably beautiful yet harshly icy man beside him. How dare he kill him? Wasn't he going to take him hostage? Shouldn't he use him to threaten those guards and officials?

In denial and despair, Yan Ji withered to the ground. His open eyes had lost their light. 

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Those officials who were truly loyal to Yan Ji tried to avenge them but had their lives cut short by a ruthless saber. Those who were left were either sitting paralyzed on the floor or huddling in a corner. They'd all had their souls scared out of them by the out-of-the-blue massacre.

After finishing off the Xiongnu, Yi Yan immediately strode towards the head seat, “My lord! This subordinate is incompetent!”

He kneeled on the floor, his anger not yet abated. Jealousy, shame, and guilt surged inside him. He was not a fitting subject; in fact, he was exactly like that lifeless fish-eyed reprobate, harboring evil intentions, cowardly and hateful!  

Liang Feng slightly raised his brow, “If this counts as incompetence, I'm afraid no one is competent. Go, continue the operation.”

His hand clapped encouragingly on Yi Yan's shoulder. However, to Yi Yan, his lightly cool hand was like burning coal, making him shudder from its scorching heat. This wasn't the time to think about it. He clenched his teeth, got off the ground, rushed outside, took out a bamboo whistle, and blew it hard. 

The whistle's keen wasn't very sharp. All the same, though, it penetrated room after room, corridor after corridor, until it reached the listeners' ears.

Zhang He, lying in wait near the prison, made a hand signal towards the men behind him. Twelve crossbow bolts shot forth simultaneously. More than half of the prison guards toppled over without the chance to scream. The remaining few found that a band of vicious soldiers, disguised as servants, was lunging towards them. 

At the same time, similar sounds of battle could be heard in the main hall, the main entrance, and the armory. Unlike the clamorous ruckus of Yan Ji's coup, this was quiet, short, traceless, vanishing into the ether in the time it took to take a few breaths. Most of the guards, including the elite Xiongnu soldiers, died a violent death. The rest quiveringly begged the terribly fearsome men for mercy.

Shortly, a troop of soldiers arrived at the inner hall. Their leader reported, “Master, every guard post has been successfully destroyed. The officers in the prison are all safe and unharmed.”

“Excellent!” Liang Feng nodded, “Yi Yan, bring a squad with you to eliminate the remainders in the inner residence. Make sure no one escapes.”

Yi Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded in acknowledgment. Leaving five people behind to help Liang Feng control the inner hall, he and the others dashed towards the inner residence. 

After killing those he had to kill and capturing those he had to capture, Liang Feng scanned the shell-shocked mass of mediocre people; fright had stolen their wits. He walked towards a shivering figure curled up beneath a table.

His steps were neither fast nor heavy, on the contrary, they were light and casual as when he was dancing. That pair of silken socks was sullied with blood, almost looking like they were clad in red shoes. 

Liang Feng stopped before the table and asked politely, “Staff Officer Sun, are you well?”

Hiding under the table, Staff Officer Sun saw those bloodstained socks, and thought he might be losing his mind! How did there exist a person who could so calmly lead soldiers in conquest of the mansion? He'd even killed Grand Administrator Yan! With his own hands! Just what kind of monster had Li Lang urged them to invite?! 

“Staff Officer Sun?”

The table shielding him pushed away, that flawless jade-like face appeared before his eyes. Staff Officer Sun broke.

“M-Mar-Marquess Liang! I wrongly trusted the traitorous faction! I am willing to serve you, Marquess!” With tears and snot all over his face, and dampened pants, he started bawling.

“Oh?” Liang Feng smiled, “That would be great. There just so happens to be something I wanted to ask you about……” 

The author has something to say:

Young Liang: I'll kill anyone who dares to get any ideas about me! 

Small wolfdog: *sobs* QAQ

Chapter end