That night, a gentle evening breeze blew across the broad surface of East Lake, wrinkling the water into rippling waves that reflected the lantern lights on the lake.
From the painted pleasure boats along the shore came faint singing, languidly scattering across the surface of the water. Along the lakeside, there were also many small stalls lit by lanterns, selling all sorts of ingenious and curious trinkets. A round moon hung in the night sky, making the night seem even more deserted and quiet, while its reflection illuminated the bustling prosperity beneath the night sky.
Jun Huailang and Shen Liufeng had brought no servants with them. The two of them alone passed through the night market by the lake and made their way to the shore.
The pleasure boat Shen Liufeng had chartered was already waiting there.
The boat was not large. At the front was a small deck, with tables, chairs, and lanterns already arranged. Inside the canopy was where the cook prepared the food, and a basket held freshly caught fish, shrimp, and crabs. At the stern stood the boatman, waving at the two of them and smiling as he invited them aboard.
“Today’s cook is someone I specially brought from home,” Shen Liufeng said as he walked onto the boat.
He had never learned even the slightest bit of martial arts. Distracted while talking, he stumbled the moment he stepped aboard. Fortunately, Jun Huailang was quick enough to reach out and steady him, preventing him from falling straight into the lake.
Jun Huailang followed him onto the boat, and Shen Liufeng continued, “He’s been making Suzhou cuisine for more than ten years. His skills are the best. I told my uncle that I was inviting you to dinner, and he insisted that I bring this cook along. He said I absolutely had to let you try his cooking.”
As the two chatted idly, the boatman pushed away from the shore and slowly rowed toward the middle of the lake. The cook brought them wine that had been warmed beforehand, then went inside the canopy and lit the fire.
The boat slowly cut through the surface of the water, carrying with it the slightly cool summer breeze from the lake. Along the shore, the willows swayed gently and the lantern lights flourished. The lanterns on the boat flickered, the round moon hung high overhead, and the wine in their cups gave off a faint fragrance of osmanthus.
The boatman had been given instructions beforehand. Knowing that Young Master Shen preferred peace and quiet, he slowly rowed the boat toward the northern part of East Lake.
There were hardly any boats traveling through the wharf there at night; they were all moored along the shore. There were few pleasure boats in the surrounding area either, and in the distance they could still see a row of bright lights along the southern shore.
Before long, the surroundings gradually fell quiet.
The cook brought dish after dish to the table.
Taihu Three Whites, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, crab roe with mustard greens, silverfish soup—all were seasonal Suzhou dishes. There was also a dish of wine-marinated black carp, specially made by marinating the fish in lees before frying it. The moment it was placed on the table, a clear fragrance of wine filled the air.
Shen Liufeng urged Jun Huailang to pick up his chopsticks.
Jun Huailang could not help smiling. “I had always heard that Jiangnan was beautiful. Now that I have come to Jiangnan myself, it truly lives up to its reputation.”
Shen Liufeng smiled. “Then don’t go back to Chang’an. It isn’t easy for me to find a friend I get along with so well. I’m rather reluctant to let you leave.”
Jun Huailang smiled faintly and shook his head, looking toward the gradually receding lights on the southern shore.
The shore stretched alongside the water, a brilliant and flourishing scene of lights.
If he had not lived a second life, he could never have imagined that before long, this peaceful and splendid land would be shattered by a great flood.
His smile gradually faded, and his gaze darkened.
Shen Liufeng did not notice at all. He continued drinking and eating, happily chatting with him. The wine flavor of the marinated black carp was especially strong and suited him perfectly. After finishing the meat on the upper side, he struggled to dig out the fish meat underneath with his chopsticks.
“Wouldn’t it be much easier just to turn it over? But my uncle always says that when eating fish on a boat, you mustn’t turn it over. I have no idea what sort of rule that is…”
Just then, a short cry for help broke across the quiet surface of the lake.
“Help!”
But there was only that one cry. Just as the word “help” left the speaker’s mouth, it was as though someone had covered the caller’s mouth, causing the rest of the sound to abruptly disappear.
Jun Huailang immediately withdrew his gaze and looked toward the surface of the lake.
Not far away was a small painted pleasure boat. No one was rowing it; it had originally been sitting there motionless. But at this moment, the boat was rocking unnaturally, as though someone inside was struggling and fighting.
Jun Huailang frowned.
Beside him, Shen Liufeng froze for a moment before staring fixedly ahead.
“Why does that voice sound like Miss Xiaoqian?”
Jun Huailang naturally could not recognize the voice, but he could tell that the person crying for help was a woman. This place was secluded, and no one was moving around the wharf in the distance anymore. The surrounding boats, apart from theirs, were all very far away.
Jun Huailang knew that there were not many people on their boat. If they did not intervene, there would be no one to save that young woman tonight.
“Row over and take a look,” Jun Huailang said to Shen Liufeng. “Let’s make sure nothing has happened.”
Just then, the two of them clearly saw a young woman struggling to push open the window of the pleasure boat. Her clothes were already somewhat disheveled.
“Let go of me!”
But immediately afterward, a man grabbed her and pulled her back inside.
“Want to jump down and kill yourself? Not so easily…”
With a bang, the window slammed shut, blocking out the rest of his words.
This time, Shen Liufeng clearly heard the woman’s voice and saw her face.
“It’s Miss Su Xiaoqian!”
He abruptly stood up from his chair, making the boat sway. But he could not care about that now. He hurriedly ordered the boatman, “Quick! Row over to that boat!”
Hearing the urgency in his voice, the boatman immediately pushed hard against the water, turning the boat around and rowing toward the pleasure boat.
“What kind of beast would do such a thing!” Shen Liufeng paced anxiously around the boat. “What are we supposed to do…”
Jun Huailang raised a hand and patted him in reassurance. He then stood as well and called loudly toward the pleasure boat, “Who is on that boat? What are you doing?”
The person had managed to take the boat this far, so he must have deliberately gone somewhere secluded, afraid of being seen. If they made their voices heard, it might temporarily halt their actions. Even if they wanted to force the young woman, they would not dare expose their disgraceful, disheveled state in front of others.
Sure enough, rustling sounds came from the boat. A man hurriedly pushed open the door of the pleasure boat, seemingly intending to run to the stern and row the boat farther away.
But their pleasure boat was far less agile than this smaller boat. Before long, the two boats came alongside each other.
Through the open boat door, Jun Huailang immediately saw a young master sitting inside the pleasure boat.
It was the very same young master who had thrown silver onto the stage at the restaurant that day.
Several men stood around him. They appeared to be servants, restraining a woman dressed in a pale yellow skirt. Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes had been pulled open. At this moment, she could only barely cover herself and looked utterly miserable.
“Who are you to meddle in someone else’s business here?”
Seeing the approaching boat, that young master clicked his tongue impatiently and set the wine cup in his hand heavily onto the table.
Shen Liufeng’s eyes turned red with anger.
“What kind of beast are you to run wild here?!”
He shouted angrily and headed straight for the other boat. The two boats were very close. With a leap, he jumped onto the other boat.
“Liufeng!”
Jun Huailang could not stop him and followed him to the edge of the boat.
He saw Shen Liufeng bend down and enter the pleasure boat, reaching out to wrest Su Xiaoqian away from them. The servants became flustered for a moment. Some grabbed Su Xiaoqian, while others pushed Shen Liufeng outward.
Yet no one knew where Shen Liufeng had found such brute strength. He actually managed to pull Su Xiaoqian partway free.
But immediately afterward, they grabbed hold of Shen Liufeng.
“Come out first!”
Jun Huailang reacted quickly and reminded Su Xiaoqian.
Su Xiaoqian gathered her clothes around herself and ran several steps toward the outside of the boat. Just as the boatman there dropped his bamboo pole and reached out to grab her, she stretched out her hand toward Jun Huailang.
Jun Huailang seized her arm and, with a pull, dragged her onto their boat. He immediately took off his outer robe, covered her with it, and pressed her into the cabin.
“Liufeng, come!”
Immediately afterward, he turned around and shouted at Shen Liufeng.
Unexpectedly, the young master inside the boat was this bold. Seeing Su Xiaoqian being rescued, he instantly flew into a rage and shouted, “Throw this busybody into the lake!”
The household servants immediately began pushing and shoving Shen Liufeng. Shen Liufeng did not know martial arts to begin with, and with people attacking him from several directions, he had no idea how to respond. He was immediately pushed out of the cabin.
Jun Huailang hurriedly reached out to catch him.
But immediately afterward, the servant holding the bamboo pole raised it and struck Shen Liufeng, knocking him into the lake.
With a splash, Shen Liufeng fell into the water.
Jun Huailang’s heartbeat seemed to stop.
East Lake was a naturally formed lake, connected to the Yangtze River, the largest river in Dayong. It was completely different from the artificially dug lakes within the palace.
If someone fell into it, even their body might never be recovered.
“Liufeng!”
He could not spare a thought for the people on the other boat. He bent down and leaned over the side of the boat.
Fortunately, the lake water was not cold, and Shen Liufeng was still struggling on the surface.
Facing the pitch-black water, a wave of fear suddenly rose from deep within Jun Huailang’s heart, making even the hand gripping the side of the boat tremble with cold.
But he had no time to care about that. He leaned his body out and stretched his hand toward Shen Liufeng, trying to pull him up.
“Bring the pole over and let him grab it!” Jun Huailang ordered the boatman at the stern.
The boatman hurriedly handed over the pole and leaped into the lake to rescue him.
But the young master on the opposite boat leisurely walked out of the cabin.
“Beat him back down,” he said with a smile, waving the fan in his hand. “If he dies, it’s on me.”
The servants on the boat immediately took up their oars and bamboo poles and began beating the two people in the water, forcing them downward.
Although the boatman was highly skilled in swimming, he was already old. He was struck until he swallowed several mouthfuls of water, making it impossible for him to reach Shen Liufeng.
“Do you know who he is?!” Jun Huailang shouted angrily. “He is…”
“I don’t care who he is.”
The young master coldly interrupted him.
“In this wretched place, even if it’s the Heavenly King himself, I’m still not afraid to offend him.”
As he spoke, he ordered, “Isn’t there another person on that boat? Throw him into the lake too!”
The household servants became even more brazen. Upon receiving the order, they immediately jumped toward Jun Huailang’s boat.
Jun Huailang gripped the side of the boat with one hand and stared at them, his teeth clenched tightly.
Just then, several black shadows flew over from not far away.
Those shadows were incredibly fast, like swift ospreys skimming over the surface of the lake. With several sharp sounds of wind, one of the figures landed on the roof of the pleasure boat.
He landed so lightly that the boat barely rocked.
Immediately afterward, two more black shadows leaped into the water. With a single motion, they rescued Shen Liufeng and the boatman, then leaped up and brought the two of them back onto the boat.
Immediately afterward, a young boy, more than half a head shorter than Jun Huailang, landed on their boat.
His back was toward Jun Huailang as he faced the people on the pleasure boat.
For a moment, the air fell silent.
The young master froze. Then he angrily shouted, “What are you standing there for?! Hurry up and tie up those two busybodies and bring them here!”
One of the servants summoned his courage and took a step forward.
Immediately afterward, a sharp long saber was placed against his shoulder, its edge pressed tightly against the side of his neck.
“My master has ordered: whoever comes, dies.”
The young boy held the saber in one hand as he spoke.
He had not yet gone through voice change, so his boyish voice was somewhat hoarse and not particularly pleasant to hear. Combined with his lack of emotional inflection, it sounded rather chilling in the night.
The servant immediately did not dare move an inch.
Only under the lantern light did that young master finally see clearly who had arrived.
The several men were all dressed in identical flying-fish robes, with embroidered spring sabers hanging at their waists.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The young master froze, and immediately fell silent.
The person capable of commanding the Embroidered Uniform Guard was someone whom even his father and grandfather in Chang’an could not afford to provoke.
“…Go.”
After a moment, he gritted his teeth and ordered bitterly.
The pleasure boat began moving, fleeing dejectedly into the distance. The bird-like figure standing on its roof leaped lightly to the stern, took up the bamboo pole, and began rowing the boat toward the wharf.
There were suddenly many more people on their boat.
Yet none of the newcomers said a word. Each stood ramrod straight, like statues.
The young boy in front of Jun Huailang skillfully and silently sheathed his saber. A flash of cold light illuminated a scar at the outer edge of his left eyebrow.
It stretched horizontally from his brow toward his eye, cutting straight through his eyebrow.
“…Where are we going?” Jun Huailang could not help asking.
The young boy did not look at him. He merely turned around and efficiently clasped his fist toward him.
“The Prince of Guangling requests your presence,” he said.
Jun Huailang did not understand for a moment.
“…The Prince of Guangling is?”
The young boy did not speak again.
Instead, the Embroidered Uniform Guard beside him—the one who had rescued Shen Liufeng—spoke.
“Replying to you, Young Master, it is Fifth Highness. Just now, Fifth Highness heard your voice from a distance, so he ordered us to come and rescue you.”
…Xue Yan?
For a moment, Jun Huailang could not recover his senses.
The suddenness of this left him feeling as though a lifetime had passed, yet at the same time, as though he were still trapped in a dream.
Why would Xue Yan come here?
He could not come back to his senses and remained speechless.
“Fifth Highness…?” The drenched Shen Liufeng came over. “An imperial prince from the capital has arrived?”
Jun Huailang looked at him, and for a moment, he did not even know whether he should nod or shake his head.
It simply did not feel real.
Just then, he raised his head and saw a large ship not far away.
The ship had three levels. It was tall and enormous, and from a distance, it looked like a giant beast lying in wait upon the surface of the water.
A person stood on the deck, facing them and quietly waiting.
Even from this distance, Jun Huailang recognized him.
It was Xue Yan.