Title: Xiang Jian Huan by Fei Tian Ye Xiang
Translated by xing
Edited by Nata and Asaki
Duan Ling turned around and ran away.
Lang Junxia hurriedly put on his robe and came out barefoot, and the door of Duan Ling’s room snapped shut.
Lang Junxia pushed the door open but Duan Ling was already lying on the bed, pretending to be asleep. Lang Junxia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He went to the front of a basin and wrung the wet cloth towel in the basin and his robe was thrown onto the ground. Naked, he began to wipe his body. Duan Ling opened his eyes and peeked at Lang Junxia’s every move. Lang Junxia turned sideways as if to appease some restless emotion, wrapping the tall and arrogant thing with the damp cloth. He wiped it down to make it obedient.
A figure appeared outside the pane.
“I’m going to sleep now, I won’t leave anymore.” Lang Junxia whispered.
As the footsteps went away, Duan Ling turned over and faced the wall. After a moment, Lang Junxia put on his underwear and drilled into the bed. His chest was against Duan Ling’s back. Duan Ling turned over and Lang Junxia raised his hand and placed Duan Ling’s head on his arm. Duan Ling recovered his peace and fell asleep in Lang Junxia’s arms.
The temperature of Lang Junxia’s muscles and the smell of his body made him return to the winter in the south in his dream, like he was embraced by a fiery sun.
That night, Xichuan started to drizzle, the raindrops pattering, covering the sky and the ground.
The candlelight reflected the shadows of people outside in the promenade onto the window pane. Two figures walked slowly along the corridor, followed by two guards.
“Twenty thousand soldiers and horses surrounded him and yet he still escaped.”
“You don’t have to worry, I already laid traps and sealed the Liangzhou road and the northeast road. Unless he grows wings, he won’t be able to escape this mountain.”
“I said that it was inappropriate to hand him over. The man had been fighting for many years and is familiar with the terrain. Once he entered the forest, we could no longer find him!”
“Now the one above has been comatose, no matter what the political affairs are, the four princes are sick again. You and I have already started, and there is no way out. Even if he returns now, he can also be charged with a crime of negligence of his duty. Right? “
“You!”
The man who was called the “general” in a uniform was the mainstay of Nanchen and the marshal of the world, Zhao Kui.
The man who was walking with him was wearing a purplish mantle and was a high-ranking member in the army, with a distinguished status.
The two figures were reflected on the outside wall of the promenade, and each fell into silence. Behind them, followed two guards, each respectively holding their own arms, silent.
There is a white tiger inscription tattoo on the left side of the assassin’s neck. He was wearing a hat which was blocking half of his face but showed the arc of the corner of his mouth, seeming like a smile.
The right guard was tall, almost reaching eight feet (around 243.84cm). His whole body was covered up, except for his eyes. His hands were covered with gloves, he was also wearing a cloak and he covered his face. His sharp eyes over casted at a glance, absent-minded.
Zhao Kui coldly said: “We must send someone to intercept him immediately, now we are in the bright, he is in the dark, the night is long and the amount of dreams increases, and there is a fear of change.”
The distinguished man said: “Outside the Yubi gates, it is no longer a place where you and I can place troops. The only way to do this is to wait for him to show up.”
Zhao Kui sighed: “If he went to rely on the Liao people to borrow the soldiers and horses to return to battle, I’m afraid it would not be as simple as it is now.”
“The Liao emperor will not lend him troops.” The distinguished man said: “The South side has already been arranged, he will certainly die on the way to the capital.”
“You think too simply of him.” Zhao Kui turned around, facing the humid rain in the courtyard, staring at each other, saying word for word:
“Under Li Jianhong, there was a hybrid, mixed with Xianbei and Han people’s blood. Although I don’t know his name and origin, from my conclusion, I’m guessing he’s the one you haven’t been able to find for a long time. No one even knew what his name was, but it is the last chess piece Li Jianhong held in his hand.”
“If that is the case.” The noble man replied: “Presumably Wu Du and Cang Liujun would like to meet him for a while. After all, there are not many opponents in this world today. Have you heard of this person before?”
The masked guard behind him replied: “I don’t know his name, I only know his personality. Someone called him a nameless guest. This person is so bad that he is extremely difficult to control. There’s more than half the possibility that he would not listen to Li Jianhong’s dispatch.”
Zhao Kui asked: “Any misdeeds?”
“Betrayed his master, killed his master and father, sold his master’s disciples out… He is cruel and hardworking. When he takes action, there would be no one left alive.” The masked guard said: “Blood spills by the green sword, a slice to the throat to silence. This phrase is talking about him.”
“It isn’t weird for an assassin.” The distinguished man said.
“A slice to the throat to silence.” The masked guard softly said: “That means not listening to anyone’s explanation. An assassin’s duty is to kill, but not to kill unnecessary people.”
“Even if he killed the wrong person, this fellow will not even blink.” The masked guard said at last.
“If I remember correctly,” the distinguished man said, “In Li Jianhong’s hands rest mountains, towns and rivers, all under his name. This means that this person must listen to his orders.”
The masked guard said: “Even though Li Jianhong owns mountains, towns and rivers, he is still required to use his sword to command everyone.”
“Forget about it.” Zhao Kui finally interrupted the conversation.
There was silence again in the backyard. After a long time:
“Wu Du.” Zhao Kui said.
The assassin wearing the hat behind his back answered.
“Get on the road tonight.” Zhao Kui said: “Work day and night, until you find Li Jianhong. When you find him don’t do anything first, I will send someone to you and when the deed is done, be sure to bring back his sword and head.”
The assassin’s mouth twitched slightly, he arched his hand, turned around and left.
The carriage left the alley outside the rear door of the general’s palace, and the wet stone road still reflected the distant lights.
“Have you ever seen the green sword?” The noble man asked.
“Everyone who saw the green sword is dead.” The masked guard said thoughtfully, flicking the whip, driving the distinguished man to the road.
“As you see,” the distinguished man leaned on the carriage’s couch and said casually: “How does Wu Du compare to the nameless guest?”
The masked guard replied: “Wu Du has concerns but the nameless guest doesn’t. Wu Du’s concerns are that he’s too competitive and he can’t afford to lose but the nameless guest has none at all.”
“No concerns?” The distinguished man said.
“One that has no care about others is a competent assassin.” The masked man said lightly: “If you want to take a human life, you have to let go of your life first. Once you have a child or significant other, the assassin will unconsciously love his life and cherish it, and will dare not to die, this means the assassin is already defeated. The nameless guest is said to have no relatives, killing to him is not a merit, nor a reward. Perhaps killing is just a hobby for him, this makes him slightly better than Wu Du, and he’s all in one.”
The distinguished man asked again: “How do you think you compare to Wu Du?”
The masked guard said leisurely: “I would love to fight with him at least once.”
“Unfortunately there would be no such opportunity.” The distinguished man said gracefully.
The masked guard did not answer.
“Then how do you think you compare to Li Jianhong?” The man asked with confidence.
“Stop!”
The masked guard stopped the horses, lifted the curtain, and let the man down. Lanterns with the ‘Mu’ surname painted on were hanging outside the residence’s entrance.
Nanchen’s Prime Minister: Mu Kuangda.
“The subordinates, Wu Du, and the nameless guest joined forces with Zheng Yan.” The masked man answered: “There’s a possibility that we will fight against the three lords.”
The next day was full of sunshine, after a shower of snow, the Qionghua courtyard was like a fairyland. The maidservant brought breakfast and said: “Madam invited Mr. Lang to chat after eating.”
“No need.” Lang Junxia replied, “There are still some things I want to settle today. Staying too long here will cause many inconveniences. Help me pass the word to her, thank you for your kindness.”
The maidservant left, and Duan Ling asked again: “Are we going shopping?”
Lang Junxia nodded and said: “When we go out, you can’t talk too much.”
Duan Ling made a sound of agreement, thinking that he seemed to have disturbed Lang Junxia last night, but he didn’t know what he was doing in the next room, and he didn’t dare speak indiscriminately. Fortunately, Lang Junxia seemed to have forgotten about it. After breakfast, he and Duan Ling walked out from the back alley.
There was a carriage parked outside, the curtain rolled up, and Ding Zhi was sitting inside. Ding Zhi said: “You only stayed one night, where are you going again? Didn’t you say that once you stay you won’t leave anymore? Come up.’’
Lang Junxia took Duan Ling’s hand and seemed to hesitate, but Duan Ling tugged Lang Junxia and wanted to leave.
Lang Junxia looked towards the carriage and replied: “I don’t dare to bother you, there are still some things I have to settle.”
Ding Zhi had to give up, and Lang Junxia took Duan Ling to the downtown area. On the way there, Duan Ling was dazzled. At that time, Shangjing was the only distribution center for goods throughout the north. Outside the gates, the three cities and forty one different Hu tribes, all bartered there, and the birthday of the Liao empress was around the corner. Nanchen envoys entered the city to celebrate, the whole street was filled with hardened sugar syrup shaped into animals, antique treasures, mountain herbs, hairpins and cosmetics…… all very dazzling.
Duan Ling wanted to eat everything he saw, but the one thing that he wanted to taste the most was the mouth-watering donkey rolls. Lang Junxia first brought Duan Ling to tailor two sets of clothes for him, then went to the pen and ink store and bought him the four treasures of studies.
“Can you write?” Duan Ling asked curiously.
The shopkeeper took the four treasures out piece by piece, an inkstone from the Duan province, ink from the Hui province, pen from the Hu province and paper from the Xuan province.
“This is for you to use.” Lang Junxia said, “You must be enlightened by learning to write, otherwise it will be too late.”
“Mister, you have a good taste.” The shopkeeper smiled, “This is something brought by a merchant who went north the previous year. The paper hadn’t arrived, we had to get another outlet to deliver this here.”
“Liao people don’t pay much attention.” Lang Junxia said casually, “But it’s just for good luck, tomorrow he will be sent to school before the sun sets.”
“It’s too expensive.” Duan Ling’s heart hurt for Lang Junxia’s money, because the money Lang Junxia paid was like the sum of a huge loan.
Lang Junxia replied: “The book has its own golden house, and the books have colours like jade. The ability to read and compose is priceless.”
“Am I going to study already?” Duan Ling asked.
When he was in Runan, he saw a child going to school and he was so envious. He never thought that he would be able to enter school one day, and he felt so much joy in his heart. Once again grateful, he stopped and stared at Lang Junxia.
Lang Junxia: “What’s wrong?”
Duan Ling had mixed feelings in his heart and said: “How do I repay you?”
Looking at Duan Ling, Lang Junxia seemed to think he was pitiful, and with a little tenderness, he grinned reluctantly and replied earnestly: “Reading and going to school is the will of heaven and you don’t have to repay me. You will have plenty of other people to repay in the future.”
After buying the four treasures of studies and eating a lot, Lang Junxia bought a hand warmer and an embroidered cloth bag for Duan Ling. The semicircular jade ornament that Lang Junxia gave Duan Ling was placed in the cloth bag, which is carried against the underwear.
“You can’t lose this ornament at any time.” Lang Junxia urged, “You must keep this in mind.”
Lang Junxia took Duan Ling out of the downtown area, turning into a secluded long street. There was a quaint building with white walls and black tiles, and a layer of snow stacked on the corrugated wall, with a simple atmosphere. There were pine and cypress trees in the courtyard when the voice of children came.
Duan Ling was refreshed when he heard the voices of children. He hadn’t seen his peers ever since he started to follow Lang Junxia, everyday was about rules and regulations. It’s not like going to the wild and acting wild in mud and puddle water in Runan city. He didn’t know what his peers in Shangjing played on weekdays and weekends.
Lang Junxia led Duan Ling in. Duan Ling saw that the snow in the courtyard was cleaned up, and three teenagers who were one head taller than him stood ten steps away, each holding an arrow and throwing it into the pot that was not far away. Hearing the sound of footsteps, the teenagers looked towards Duan Ling. Duan Ling was a little uneasy, and he stuck closer to Lang Junxia.
Lang Junxia did not stay still. He led him all the way into the inner hall. An old man with his hair turning white sat in the hall, drinking tea.
“Wait for me here.” Lang Junxia said.
Duan Ling, dressed in an indigo robe, stood at the corridor. Lang Junxia walked into the hall by himself and from the hall came sounds of conversation. Duan Ling lost his focus for a moment, and after seeing behind a pillar, a young teenager came and seized him, standing in front of a clock. Gradually, more children gathered in the courtyard, almost all of them looking older than him. Each of them looked at him from afar and whispered amongst themselves. Someone wanted to go over to talk to him but was blocked by the tallest boy in the group.
That tallest boy stood under the clock and asked Duan Ling: “Who are you?”
Duan Ling replied in his heart: I am Duan Ling, my father is Duan Sheng…… but he didn’t say anything and had a hunch that trouble was near.
Seeing that Duan Ling was afraid, the children laughed one after another. Although Duan Ling did not know what they were laughing at, he felt angry in his heart.
“Where did you come from?” The teenager took an iron rod, patting it in his hand, and stepped forward.
Duan Ling was about to hide instinctively, but the young teenager placed his empty hand on his shoulder, hugged Duan Ling by the shoulder, and pressed the iron rod against Duan Ling’s chin, making him slightly raise his head : “How old are you?”
Duan Ling wanted to escape the teenager’s hand, but was caught making him unable to move. He was finally able to push him away, but dared not to leave, because Lang Junxia asked him to stand there, so he had to stay.
“Yo.” The teenager was taller than Duan Ling, dressed in a northern costume, with a wolf fur jacket and a fox tail hat. There was a touch of star blue in his eyes and he had tanned skin, standing in front of Duan Ling as if he were an adult wolf.
“What is this?” The teenager reached out to Duan Ling’s neck, and pulled out the red string tied to the cloth bag and Duan Ling hid again.
“Come here.” The young teenager saw that Duan Ling tolerated everything. It’s just like punching cotton, nothing is interesting about it. He patted his face again, saying, “I’m asking you something, are you mute?”
Duan Ling looked at the teenager, clenching his fists tightly, showing his fierce eyes. In the eyes of the teenager, Duan Ling was just a young and handsome kid of a rich and wealthy family. Just one hit with the rod, and he will cry for mercy. However, before moving the rod, the teenager seemed to rethink his previous plan and thus decided that he wanted to tease him some more…
“What’s this?” The teenager leaned towards Duan Ling’s ear and held out his hand, swiftly and smoothly pulling the string on Duan Ling’s neck and teased him, saying, “Was it your father or brother that went in just now? Is he your groom? Was he kowtowing, asking for advice from the master?”
PR note: Kowtow which is the act of deep respect. It’s kneeling and bowing so low as to have one’s head touching the ground. In East Asian culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence.
The children behind laughed one after another. Duan Ling was afraid that the cloth bag would be torn off. Following the teenager’s movements, he was taken to the east and then to the west, protecting the red thread of the bag.
“Go–!” The young man pretentiously commanded, “A donkey.”
The children watching were laughing loudly, and Duan Ling’s face was flushed.
Before the teenager could say the next sentence, he watched Duan Ling’s fist grow bigger, and then a burst of pain came from the bridge of his nose. He was beaten back and fell to the ground.
A scuffle started. The young teenager’s nose was bleeding, but he did not retreat. He rushed forward to lift Duan Ling, but Duan Ling stooped down to the level of the teenager’s waist, and threw him towards the corridor. The teenager fell into the garden. The children immediately shouted for help and formed a circle, just watching the two wrestling in the snow.
Duan Ling took a punch to his face, a kick to his chest, while stars appeared in his vision. He was hit continuously by the teenager who was sitting on top of him. His neck was full of the teenager’s blood. He was beaten so hard that his eye sockets turned black and blue and his strength had reached its limit. Suddenly, he grabbed the teenager’s ankle and harshly overturned him to the ground.
Duan Ling then rushed up like a mad dog, biting on the teenager’s hand, and all the children went into an uproar. The teenager screamed in pain, grabbed Duan Ling’s collar, and smashed his head against a bronze bell.
This made a loud sound as Duan Ling fell to the ground softly. His mouth, nose, and eardrums were all buzzing.
Flex Tape Translation 
Thank you for all the hard work!
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