The Legend of Su Kuang By Piao Deng - Chapter 07
Chapter 7: « Prelude: Breaking the Formation – Dragon’s Roar » (7)
Seven. The Thief Also…
Six… Roar
…Lonely…
Dream held, then woke again
Hate the towering pillar
Hate the encircling ring
Bearing the weight of a single feather
The Dali Lake is like a whole piece of pure blue glass. A gentle breeze passes by, making it unclear which is the lake, which is the sky, which are the clouds, and which are the snow geese. The snow geese flap their wings in pairs, dancing gracefully in flight, their white feathers seeming to claim half of the blue sky. It is both soothing and enviable to behold.
Feng Xi lay on the grass, shouting at the blue sky: « Sky Lord—if you dare to rain today, you’re nothing but a coward! »
Long Qing removed her outer garments one by one, her face showing a gentle yet sorrowful expression.
Feng Xi was startled: « What are you doing? Bullying someone who’s injured? »
Long Qing spat out a mouthful of water: « Nonsense, what could I possibly be doing? » Her face began to flush red, as layers of barriers in her heart gradually dissolved, allowing the moment to continue.
Feng Xi chuckled mischievously: « You’re such a silly goose, always in such a hurry. How could you possibly understand the charm of West Lake? »
Long Qing’s face turned so red it seemed about to bleed, muttering: « Stop talking nonsense… Ah, hold me. »
Feng Xi casually tossed the clothes onto the bed, saying, « Put these on. The lake is cold. »
If she refused, Long Qing feared she might really leave. Gritting her teeth, she pulled Feng Xi closer, lying down and wrapping her arms tightly around her neck, trembling as she whispered, « Okay… »
Feng Xi patted her back gently. « Be good and get dressed. Stay with me for a while, alright? »
Long Qing, flushed with anger, bared her fangs and glared at Feng Xi with piercing eyes: « Still hiding, Feng Xi? Do you think I can’t see through your tricks? »
Feng Xi said bitterly, « Miss Long, how could you be so foolish as to steal from a brothel? »
The phrase « steal from a brothel » was so absurd that Long Qing burst into laughter, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Feng Xi wiped away her tears and whispered softly, « Qing, don’t cry. I don’t dare to cry anymore, otherwise— »
« Otherwise what? » Long Qing’s body burned with warmth as she pressed closer.
Feng Xi sneered, « You cry, she cries, what a disgrace! The fifth son of the Feng family from Monan is such a coward, harming others for no reason. »
With these words, Long Qing could no longer hold back. She burst into loud sobs, crying and cursing in anger, « Feng Xi, how could you be so heartless? »
Feng Xi pushed the door open angrily and shouted, « What kind of obscene nonsense is this? Do you really think you can treat me like livestock? Long Qing, have you lost your mind? » She picked up the clothes and threw them at Long Qing. « Are you forcing me to side with that Su guy? »
Long Qing stumbled back a few steps, steadied herself, then suddenly raised her head: « Sui Yun, you deserve this! »
Feng Xi lazily turned around: « Pretend, pretend, keep pretending to be foolish. I prefer seeing Qing cry and wail. » His lips curled slightly, his fingers trembling as they clutched the grass stalks, their tips turning deathly pale.
Long Qing finally sat down in proper attire, looking somewhat embarrassed. « Let’s go, brother. I’ll tell you everything over a drink—let’s catch up properly. »
Feng Xi asked, « Qing’er, do you really want me to tell you? Are you sure you won’t regret it? »
Long Qing was stunned for a moment, then turned her head with a bitter smile. « Why must you always be the one to break such news to me? »
Feng Xi smiled faintly, « Your swordsmanship is unparalleled, truly remarkable. »
Long Qing suppressed a mocking smile and said, « Su Kuang is truly a stubborn fool. »
Feng Xi’s gaze was sharp and piercing. « You owe me a debt, and today you shall repay it. Even if the entire imperial court were to stand against me, would Feng be afraid? »
« Awesome! So domineering! » Long Qing clapped her hands. « Come on, Feng Xi, don’t you like this kind of domineering? If you do, I’ll arrange it for you—just bear with it a little. Don’t hold grudges over past grievances, alright? »
Feng Xi’s gaze was sharp, yet softened with tenderness: « Qing’er, even if it’s a last request before death, I still have one thing to ask of you. Don’t let your mind wander with wild thoughts about the King of Hell… Just answer me honestly, will you? »
Looking at Mo Ting, Long Qing’s eyes dimmed. After a long pause, she slowly said, « Your father and my father were sworn brothers. Your father was my father’s elder brother… How could I possibly stay uninvolved… »
« Your father’s full name was Long Zheng—Zheng as in ‘unyielding as steel.’
For over twenty years in the martial world, they were known as the ‘Three Heroes of the Drunken Sage, Tea Master, and Sword Saint.’ My father was the Drunken Sage, while Xiao Ming was the Tea Master. The Sword Saint, Mo Ting, formed the third pillar of this trio. Yet, they were… the closest of brothers. As time passed, things gradually changed. My father married my mother, and Xiao Ming found his own love. Their bond grew even deeper in secret. Eventually, both fathers chose to retire to a peaceful life, leaving the martial world behind. But how could Mo Ting bear to let them go so easily? He took his sword to the capital, seeking fame and glory. It is said that there, he met Tie Ao, forging a deep friendship with him. »
Feng Xi couldn’t help but interject: « Wait, what about the sixth one? »
Long Qing sighed: « If he hadn’t been so stubborn back then and refused to abandon his sword, perhaps today’s situation wouldn’t have escalated to this point… Forget it, let’s continue. »
My father lived in seclusion at Hibiscus Manor by West Lake, with me—well, technically I was his disciple—residing in the bamboo grove next door, living almost like immortals. As for my mother… she was rather troublesome. To put it bluntly, her family had bandit origins. When my mother first met my father, he was already a notorious lone thief. After solving a major case that shocked the capital, he retired to the countryside, yet still couldn’t escape the relentless pursuit of the Iron-Clad Constables. These people kept harassing my parents, and precisely because of that past incident, they set a trap—using my mother’s former sworn brothers as bait to lure her into their snare.
« Mother was fiery-tempered by nature. Furious upon hearing the news, she stormed into Qingling Mansion that very night to rescue you. Father suddenly learned of Mother’s actions and, in a frantic hurry, entrusted you to me, rushing to save her. But in the end, he was one step too late. Mother had already broken through the encirclement, only to be mistaken for an enemy by his sworn brothers—they crossed blades, and she fell. By the time Father arrived at Qingling Mansion… it was already… already too late. For five years, I harbored hatred, believing Father had conspired with the authorities to harm Mother. Blinded by rage, I severed ties with him. No one could stop Father—I swore to kill Tie Ao for revenge. But Father endured my bitterness in silence. In the end, Tie Ao brought reinforcements… The Qingling soldiers surrounded Father, and I… I fought through rivers of blood in his place. Carrying Mother’s body, I fled the city. I knelt before him, but Tie Ao was the only one who showed no personal grudge, treating me with fairness despite my youth. If Father wishes to blame anyone, let him kill me—I bear the hatred for my sister-in-law’s death alone… »
Daddy… where are my brothers? They chased mother away, daddy gave me the Wu Hook Sword and entrusted me to… sob… sob… I… I was too young back then, and couldn’t do anything. Don’t be ashamed, if I had wielded the sword to the end, I could have stopped them… I swore to master this sword, to fulfill my duty. That night… mother cried so bitterly… I… I wanted to cry too, but I couldn’t… not until now.
Feng Xi tightly grasped Long Qing’s hand, murmuring: « Qing… »
Long Qing smiled bitterly: « Thank you… for pretending to be gentle and warm with me, for treating me like a sister, for pushing me to practice martial arts so strictly, for bearing the burden. I hid it from you, kept everything from you, letting you make your own decisions… to free you from the shadow of vengeance, to let you live freely. »
Feng Xi said: « Senior Xiao’s magnanimity is truly admirable. I— » His words suddenly choked off as if something had caught in his throat.
Long Qing said: « Let me tell you, my parents, though they died by Mo Ye’s hand, were not entirely blameless. Had my father lived, he would have hoped I’d seek vengeance against Mo Ye, but… friends and loved ones, once entangled in hatred, no matter whose wounds run deeper, the pain ultimately multiplies a hundredfold. Mo Ye abandoned his sword and fled, bearing his torment—perhaps greater than mine. Over time, the fire of vengeance in my heart gradually cooled… But five years later, when the Iron Constables unexpectedly found Mo Ye and forced him back into the jianghu with drawn swords—why should I, the injured party, be the one to rage? Yet my friends kept urging me to embrace hatred, so I left in anger, wandering to the northern frontier… Such is fate, what more can I say? »
Feng Xi was startled: « Iron-clad, could it be him? »
Long Qing sighed bitterly: « Su Kuang is still missing, and Tie Ao is being pursued by the authorities. » She gently stroked Feng Xiyu’s brow, her voice low. « Xiyu, tell me, what exactly happened in Jiangnan? »
Actually, it’s quite amusing when you think about it. » Feng Xiyu pulled Long Qing into his arms, but for a long while, he remained silent. Finally, he murmured, « Don’t mention abandoning the sword—living in seclusion was supposed to be peaceful. But who could have foreseen this? Living in seclusion, yet still forced to pick up a butcher’s knife. Heh, Qing’er, it’s truly laughable, but also somewhat humiliating.
Long Qing grew angry: « Are you mocking me? »
Feng Xiyu lowered his head, kissing away the tears at the corner of her eye. « A promise weighs a thousand pounds—even a thief has their principles. »
Shoulder to shoulder, filled with worries, lying by the lakeside on the grass, the geese fly away in an instant, leaving only desolation behind.
Long Qing leaned against Feng Xi’s injured left arm, closing her eyes, unwilling to open them again. Feng Xi tried to pull his arm away, but she clung to him stubbornly, rolling around playfully. « Alright, let’s sleep then, » she said.
She tried to pull her arm back, but Long Qing tightly shut her eyes: « Don’t move! »
Feng Xi pleaded for mercy: « My lady, can we switch to something else? My arm is full of bugs, they’re crawling all over my face. »
A glimmer flashed at the corner of Long Qing’s eyes, tears sliding down to her ears. She stubbornly muttered through gritted teeth: « Even if it’s a tiger, I’ll do it! »
Ah… » Feng Xi sighed softly, slowly extending his right hand. Inch by inch, he moved toward Long Qing’s cheek, her stubborn lips, her stiff shoulders, gently pressing on the acupuncture points at her back, transmitting a warm current of energy. Before Long Qing could resist, she involuntarily let out a sigh: « Just sleep for a while. When you wake up, everything will be fine.
Wake up, wake up, the chaotic thoughts in your mind are driving you mad, kill Feng Xi, disrupt the disorderly arrangements! The deep slumber gradually drowns consciousness, chasing after a faint glimmer of hope, running until utterly exhausted, finally sinking into the roar of darkness—
The city has fallen!
Wake up!
After waking from a long, heavy slumber, Long Qing’s vision was still blurry. His two eyes barely open, he saw a figure in red rushing toward him.
With a loud « clang, » Long Qing kicked open the door, his face twisted in fury. He grabbed the person by the collar and roared, « Where is Feng Xi? »
« Fifth Master… Fifth Master… » Feng Xi’s voice trembled as she clutched the account book, her hands shaking uncontrollably.
« Fifth Master has gone with that Su fellow. Before leaving, he told us brothers that whoever dares to save him will be betraying brotherhood. »
Long Qing was stunned: « Trapped… what do you mean? »
Secretary Chen hurriedly explained: « The Fifth Master has urgent matters to attend to. He requests Miss Long to temporarily take charge of the affairs here and select a few capable individuals to assist. »
Long Qing’s expression shifted between light and shadow, as if hesitating over some decision.
In the main hall, over a hundred subordinates knelt in unison: « At your command! »
Long Qing suddenly slammed the table and shouted, « Nonsense! I am Long Qing, and she is Feng Xi! How dare you say she shares my surname? Should I save her or not? Bah, what a joke! You—how dare you harm the innocent, rob the poor, and plunder treasures? And now you even dare to snatch my Feng Xi? What kind of logic is that? »
Chen’s eyes widened in shock, expecting the young lady to burst into tears like a rain-soaked pear blossom, perhaps even faint from the distress. Yet to his surprise, she suddenly erupted in fiery anger. Someone nearby hastily reminded, « Miss Long, remember what Fifth Master taught—even among thieves, there is honor! »
« Bullshit! » Long Qing drew her Wu Hook Sword. « You’re the ones who are bandits and robbers, yet you dare accuse me of betrayal? If saving Fifth Master makes me a traitor, then so be it! I don’t give a damn about your stinking rules. If you want to save him, crawl over here and follow me! »
The crowd erupted in a frenzy, the bandits’ cries of righteousness mingling with the wails of the doomed disciples. Long Qing’s voice pierced through the chaos, shouting incessantly amidst the clamor.
Chen’s records mentioned that Feng Xi was entrusted with an important task. Though bandits and robbers were all cut from the same cloth, the fierce killing intent on the face of this « grandaunt » was truly something else.
With a vigorous swing of her sword, Long Qing pointed forward and declared: « Feng Xi’s orders—today we eradicate the northern bandits’ stronghold. Those who disobey will be executed! »
« Yes! » came the unified and resolute reply.
Long Qing issued the command: « Pass the order—surround and attack that Su fellow. No matter how long it takes, don’t let him escape. Block every possible path—don’t let him get away! »
Feng Xi swiftly deployed his forces. In mere moments, blades were drawn from their sheaths, and the ranks stood in perfect formation. Though numbering only a few hundred, they moved as one, like a single entity.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
The signal arrow whistled through the air, summoning the hidden members of the gang from the forest.
Long Qing narrowed her eyes slightly, sizing up the disciplined and well-trained team before her. She let out a soft sigh—Feng Xi, if you were here, what would we do with this patch of grassland? The bandits running rampant here are causing harm to the common people, aren’t they?
« Wrong, wrong! » Long Qing pursed her lips and let out a sharp whistle, her red robe billowing as she galloped away without a trace.
« Go— » With a leap, she whipped her horse’s flank and pointed her whip toward the distant southern horizon.
« Boom— » A sudden, muffled yet earth-shaking roar erupted, its terrifying force beyond description.
The bandits exchanged bewildered glances when Registrar Chen suddenly shouted, « It’s the imperial army’s red-coated cannons! The cavalry has arrived— »
Shameless Su Kuang! » Long Qing clutched her stomach in pain. « Fire at will!
A hundred steeds charged down the steep slope, kicking up clouds of crimson dust.
