Yuwen Xuan’s gaze fell onto the two young people, and he looked them up and down for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter, saying, “You people of Da Liang are real characters, you two look like elegant gentlemen of n.o.ble birth, where did you pick up the tempers of the Northern Yan – resorting to fists when words are not to your liking?  I beg your pardon, you two are….”

His a.s.sistant immediately bent and whispered in his ear.

“Oh, so it is the Young Masters Xiao and Yan, what an honour, what an honour.”

Xiao Jingrui and Yan Yujin were both on the Langya Lists, and so it was natural that Yuwen Xuan should know their names, but for some reason, the words “what an honour” coming from his mouth coupled with the expression on his face carried with it an undeniable sense of mocking.

“Do you dare fight me or not?  If not, say so and be quick about it, no one likes listening to you sharpening your teeth¹,” Mu Qing said angrily.

“Of course I dare, whyever would I not?”  Yuwen Xuan’s gaze turned suddenly cold, as he reached out a hand to stroke the pendant dangling from his cap.  “But we are gathered here today to see the Princess off, and should this disintegrate into a fistfight, that would be disrespectful to the Princess.  Everyone in my humble nation knows that I would dare to do anything, except offend a beautiful lady.  And so, for today… even if the ladies and gentlemen present were to carve me into eight pieces, I would not lift a hand.”

“If you don’t dare face me, then say you don’t dare, why be so long-winded about it?”  Mu Qing glowered as he turned to pull at his sister.  “Let’s go up to the pavilion and ignore this person with a mouth but no guts.”

“I have not finished speaking, why is the little lord Mu in such a hurry to leave?  Is he afraid that, if he is not careful, I might accept the invitation?”  Strangely, there was a wide smile on Yuwen Xuan’s face, and stranger yet, there was no hint of a smile in his steady gaze.

“Hunh,” Mu Qing glared at him.  “You are really only a little skilled at provoking people with words, I’ve gotten used to it by now, so if you have no new moves to show, then I fear I will not linger long to keep your company.”

Seeing how quickly Mu Qing had controlled his emotions and stopped letting Yuwen Xuan rile him up as he pleased, the corner of Princess Nihuang’s lips lifted, and Xia Dong, who had stood by observing silently also nodded in approval.  The masters Xiao and Yan were not by nature driven by their emotions, and they had only spoken up just now in Mu Qing’s place to lend a hand, and seeing that he had calmed down, they saw no reason to continue this pointless argument, and so turned away.  Yuwen Xuan looked at one, then at another, and suddenly burst into laughter again.  “Fascinating, how fascinating, do you all truly believe I cannot put my words into action?  Although I will certainly not lift a hand today….”  As he spoke, he turned his gaze onto Xiao Jingrui and smiled.  “I have a friend who has long since admired the name of Master Xiao and would cherish this opportunity to learn from him, I wonder whether he would do us the honour?”

His attention had shifted so suddenly that everyone was a little taken aback.  Yan Yujin c.o.c.ked his head and stared at his friend.  “When did you become so famous?  Xia Dong jiejie is standing right here, but they didn’t challenge her, and chose to challenge you instead?  Even if they win against you, what prestige could they gain?”

“You don’t get it,” Xia Dong glanced over and put a hand on Yan Yujin’s shoulder, saying with a smile, “Xiao Rui may not be on the Langya List of Martial Artists, but regardless he is still a master of the first tier, so naturally there will be jianghu visitors of the second tier who are seeking to make a name for themselves by defeating him, what is so strange about that?”

“Oh…”  Yan Yujin widened his eyes in understanding as he nodded.  “Jianghu visitors of the second tier…that makes sense, it makes a lot of sense….”

As the challenged, Xiao Jingrui took this much more seriously than the other two, and he stepped forward slowly and said, his face solemn, “I am at your service.”

Yuwen Xuan gazed at him steadily for a moment, his smile disappearing abruptly, and his tone grew solemn as he answered, “Our thanks to Master Xiao.  ……Nian Nian, Master Xiao has already accepted, come on out.”

There were eight others in total who had accompanied Prince Ling of Da Chu to the city gates, and from their attire, two were carriage drivers and five were guards.  The last was dressed in a blue-green archer’s robe, a slender figure with a golden hoop in his hair and no other accessories except an exquisitely embroidered ta.s.sel around the waist, and from attire alone, it was impossible to guess at this person’s ident.i.ty.

At first glance, this person appeared to have average features and a rather wooden expression, but as he stepped closer, Nihuang and Xia Dong, who had their share of jianghu experience, saw quickly that he wore a face mask of real human skin that hid his true features.  Xiao Jingrui’s eyes narrowed, as if he too had noticed the abnormality.

With regards to human skin masks, no matter how intricately they were made, the material was still dead skin and could not replicate the delicate and subtle changes of a living person’s face, therefore it was very difficult to fool the truly observant.  For this reason, since the creation of these masks, jianghu persons seldom used them, and when they did so, it was only as a sort of face veil that was particularly difficult for enemies to remove, as if to say, “I don’t care that you can tell I’m wearing a mask, as long as you cannot see my true face.”

“Master Xiao, please.”

“Please.”

The two turned to face each other, unsheathed their swords, and took up a starting position as they bowed.  Yan Yujin couldn’t help laughing.  “Jingrui has always been one for manners, who could have guessed this Nian Nian would be just as concerned about etiquette?”

But Xia Dong and Nihuang exchanged a glance, their expressions serious.

Although it was only the simplest of positions, the two lady masters had already seen enough to guess at what kind of a person this challenger was.

After a moment of silence, a cacophony of clashes rang out as the two swords flashed in dazzling symphony, the two swordsmen exchanging blows so quickly that their figures grew blurred.

The swords flew through their air, their strength undeniable, each stroke br.i.m.m.i.n.g with qi, the weapons wielded so smoothly they seemed to be extensions of the swordsmen’s bodies, as if the swords themselves had spirits that had been awoken by this dance.  The meeting of these spirits was not vicious in the least, but it stirred up an energy like a great wind sweeping through the observing crowd, and they felt their hairs stand up on end.

This was truly a compet.i.tion, not a duel, not a fight to the death, but merely a contest between two schools of swordsmanship.  The two compet.i.tors seemed to have a silent understanding, as neither made any moves with truly hostile intent, and yet both fought with every ounce of their ability.  Every move was received with another in a dance so intricate it could have been ch.o.r.eographed, and neither had the clear upper-hand.  As the fight went on, even the observers couldn’t help being drawn in, their expressions growing serious as they studied the leaping figures carefully.

Just as the climax of the fight had come abruptly, its end arrived just as swiftly.  Xiao Jingrui’s sword suddenly slowed, and he twisted his arm and turned, his brow furrowing, as his sword first flicked upwards in the ‘Sky maneuver’ and then erupted forward in the ‘Fountain maneuver’, and he descended upon his opponent like a celestial flood.  His opponent faced the the attack boldly, not to be outdone, and he grasped his sword in both hands as he redoubled his attack.  To the onlooker’s eye, just as the two swords flashed in the dazzling sunlight, the two blurred figures suddenly halted, like a song that had swelled to its climax only to stop abruptly.  When the dust settled, it was Nian Nian who bowed first, and Xiao Jingrui immediately returned the bow, saying, “My thanks, you permitted me to win².”

Nian Nian did not say anything for a long time, and although it was impossible to see his expression under his mask, his gaze was dazed, as if he was stunned.  Yuwen Xuan hurried over, his face concerned, and put a hand on his back, asking lowly, “Nian Nian, are you hurt?”

Nian Nian shook his head gently and straightened to look at Xiao Jingrui for a long moment.  When he finally spoke, his voice was as calm and pleasant as always.  “Master Xiao is well-versed in the Tianquan method, and my training in the Eyun method is insufficient, so for today’s battle, it is I who have lost to Master Xiao, and not the Eyun method that has proven inferior to Tianquan’s.  Please pa.s.s a message to your esteemed father – he must not forget his prior agreement.  My master has arrived in Jinling, and will soon be at your door to pay a visit.”  When he finished speaking, he turned and walked away, his departure as clean as his arrival.

“May the Princess have a smooth journey, I will not tarry here any longer, farewell!”  Yuwen Xuan bowed, then gestured to his subordinates and followed after Nian Nian.

Xiao Jingrui gazed doubtfully after the shadows of the retreating figures, his expression sober.  Yan Yujin scratched his head and mused thoughtfully, “The Eyun method?  Could it be that this Nian Nian’s master is….”

“Yue Xiuze, one of the heads of the Chu emperor’s palace, and sixth-ranked on the Langya List of Martial Artists, or, I should say, now fifth-ranked….”  Xia Dong tossed her head, dislodging the hair that had fallen over her face, her gaze grim.

“Isn’t Jindiao Chaiming of Da Yu ranked fifth?” Yan Yujin asked.

“I received the news a few days ago – about a month ago, Yue Xiuze dueled Chaiming and defeated him on the 79th move……looks like he’s made quite a bit of progress in this short year.”

“He’s already beaten Chaiming, does that mean he’s going to go looking for Uncle Zhuo next?”  Yan Yujin turned to look at his friend.  “Jingrui, from what that person said, it sounds like Uncle Zhuo has some kind of old agreement with Yue Xiuze?”

Xiao Jingrui nodded.  “My Zhuo dad has fought with Yue Xiuze twice before, and beaten him both times, but it’s not unlikely that they made some agreement to duel again in the future.”

Princess Nihuang murmured, “Yue Xiuze is a high-ranking official of Da Chu, but he did not show his ident.i.ty this time when he entered the capital with the rest of the envoy, so it seems his purpose is truly detached from any official business, and he only seeks to challenge those martial arts experts who are ranked higher than he.”

Yan Yujin saw Xiao Jingrui’s somber expression and hit his arm, saying with a smile, “Uncle Zhuo has traveled jianghu for so many years, and he always received a dozen challenges in one year alone.  This is our home ground, what can Yue Xiuze do to him?  As long as it’s a fair fight, and the winner is determined by skill alone, there will be pride in victory, but no shame in loss either, so what are you so worried about?”

Xiao Jingrui smiled warmly at him.  “I’m not worried, the Eyun method is not Tianquan Manor’s match, our swordsmanship is always improving, and my Zhuo dad has not been sitting idle this year, so what do I have to be worried about?  I was only thinking, if it’s Yue Xiuze who is preparing to challenge my Zhuo dad, then why was that Master Nian Nian so eager to try his hand against me?”

“What’s so strange about that?”  Yan Yujin scoffed.  “He is an heir of the Eyun method, and you are an heir of Tianquan Manor, and since his master is preparing to challenge your father, it’s only natural that he was curious and wanted to test out the mettle of the Tianquan method for himself.”

“I understand that, but if he wanted to try himself against the Tianquan method, why find me?  By all rights, he should be looking for Qingyao dage, no?”

Yan Yujin looked confused, but Xia Dong, watching from one side, smiled and shook her head.  “He was right to find you.  I examined him carefully just now, and although that Nian Nian covered his true face, his bones have not yet grown fully, and his swordsmanship is still a little immature, he must be twenty years old at the most.  I suppose he knew his own skill was not sufficient to challenge Zhuo Qingyao, and since our Master Jingrui is widely known not only for his reputable swordsmanship but also for his generous nature, who else could he find, if not you?

Nihuang sighed slowly.  “But although this Miss Nian Nian is young, her skill is undeniable, and it looks as if Yue Xiuze has trained her well.  It is too bad I must leave today, and cannot witness for myself the duel between Tianquan and Eyun.  I can only entreat you all to write to me with the results.”

Xia Dong grinned.  “Of course.”  Her gaze flickered to the side.  “Hey, what are you youngsters gaping at?  Didn’t you hear the Princess’ orders?”

Yan Yujin took several deep breaths and said, his eyes nearly bulging out of his sockets, “What did the Princess say just now?  Miss……Nian Nian?”

“That’s right,” Xia Dong c.o.c.ked her head.  “Didn’t you notice?”

Yan Yujin turned to Xiao Jingrui, dumbfounded.  “Jingrui, did you notice?”

Although Xiao Jingrui did not give off a stupefied appearance, he was just as shocked as Yan Yujin, and at his question, he shook his head numbly.  “I…I wasn’t paying attention….”

“Nevermind,” Mu Qing said consolingly.  “I didn’t notice either.”

Yan Yujin eyed the little lord, clearly thinking, “of course you didn’t notice,” but as they weren’t too close, he swallowed these words and didn’t speak them out loud.

“Alright, the hour is late, the Princess ought to be leaving.  It is said that one can escort a king a thousand miles, but in the end, he must still depart.  Let us part ways here.”  Xia Dong reached out and pinched Yan Yujin’s cheek out of habit, and then turned finally to Nihuang, saying lowly, “Princess, take care on the road.”

Xiao Jingrui heard her words and said apologetically, “We came to see the Princess off, and instead this turned into a pointless fight, and delayed the Princess’ journey, I’m so sorry.”

Princess Nihuang laughed brightly.  “I am not in such a hurry that a little bit of time like this would make any difference, what is there to apologize about?  Besides, the excitement of that fight makes for a good start to my journey.”

“Jiejie,” Mu Qing looked reluctant to let her go.  “Since you want to see the duel between Tianquan and Eyun, why not stay a few more days before leaving?”

“What nonsense.”  Although Princess Nihuang’s words were scolding, her gaze was warm as she reached out to caress her brother’s head.  “I have reported my departure to His Majesty, how can I change it on a whim?  Since I cannot watch myself, you will have to watch it for me, and that will be just as good.”

Yan Yujin laughed and pulled Mu Qing over to him, purposefully lightening the atmosphere as he said, “Then we will have to gang up on Jingrui!  The fight between Yue Xiuze and Uncle Zhuo will be a private one, and if we don’t have Jingrui reporting back to us, who knows where or when it will happen!”

Xiao Jingrui answered seriously, “Only if my Zhuo dad gives his permission.”

Yan Yujin turned to him.  “Never mind, I know you well, although Uncle Xie has always been strict with you, Uncle Zhuo treats you like a treasured jewel, so as long as you beg a little and throw a tantrum, I know he’ll agree to anything.”

During this distraction, Mu Qing had managed to get his emotions under control, and in order not to cause his sister worry or grief, he bravely gathered his spirits and smiled sweetly, “That’s true.  I think it won’t be long before the Emperor lets me return to the South, so jiejie doesn’t need to worry.”

Nihuang smiled and patted her little brother on the shoulder, then gently brushed back the hair that had blown into his face.  The iron will of the lady general held back the turmoil of emotions just beneath the surface, and she took a few steps back, and then turned and jumped onto her horse, a faint smile lingering at the edges of her lips.

“Yunnan is not the end of the world, until we meet again.”

And with a light echo of horse hooves, the caravan officially departed for Yunnan.  Princess Nihuang turned for a last look at the capital, then turned her horse and nudged it gently into a trot, following the yellow road away from the city.

¹one of those things where I couldn’t think of the English idiom so I just translated it literally (lol I’m out of practice)

²it is literally impossible to translate this – it’s part of the jianghu / dueling etiquette, and it’s what you say to be polite after you win.  It’s not that you actually think the other person let you win, if you see what I mean.

Translator’s Notes:

I hate translating sword fights.  I hate translating sword fights.  I hate translating sword fights.  And all action scenes in general, actually.  (This bodes well.)

Also, I don’t even know why, it’s hardly the most emotional scene in the book so far, but Nihuang and Mu Qing’s farewell almost made me cry.