Chapter 550: Being Surrounded

The news spread like snowflakes and stopped suddenly in the wee hours.

Fang Wenshi had spent considerable money on the officials of the Norland Court which had reaped benefits, he and the Dragon King were able to learn about the situation at the slums first hand.

At first, it did look like a rebellion. Rumours spread aboutthe great number of soldiers who took part and about the details of the accident, Wang Fenshi had started to formulate an emergency plan thathad not been carried outwhen yetmore news came that there was no revolt butjust a riot. Various parties in the slums area had clashed and soldiers went to suppress it.

However this riot was not small. Half the slum had been affected, including the craftsman area. A conflagration and the sound of panicking horses rang throughout the night, causing much insomnia. The Norland officials estimated that fatalities were in thetens of thousands. Even thosethat had spread the news found it hard to believe, and advised Fang Wenshi to hearwhat news daybreak would bring.

The timing of the riots was unfortunate. In order to attend the Dragon Court Conference and prepare for the war with the Central Plains, officials and dignitaries from the North Court had gathered together and brought a large number of soldiers and hencewere able to respond quickly and suppress the riots in just two or three hours and completely close access to the entire area. No one was to enter or leave.

The news hadstopped by that time. Officials who had gained benefits from Fang Wenshi felt that they had paid their debt and retreated unilaterally, without even saying their farewells.

It was not only the Dragon Kingthat was snubbed. The camp from Fort Jin Peng, opposite the road that was originally visited by many people ,too was forsaken.

“What happened?” Fang Wenshi asked in disbelief. “I’m going to find out what is happening; can’t be being paid for nothing.” He added.

“No need, they will come knocking on our doors soon.” Gu Shenwei interrupted, still not clear on what had happened but one thing was for sure, the riots in the slum had ended and the remaining vagabonds would be dispersing to the aristocratic areas.

Immediately, he called out Shangguan Fei, Han Fen and Han Xuan.

Shortly after the three men had returned to their camp, the blood stains on Shangguan Fei’s body had not been cleaned. He was shocked and was assisted by Han Fen all the way, running back. He trembled the whole way and only giggled sheepishly upon seeing the Dragon King without saying a word. He had to be represented by two bodyguards who narrated what had happened in the slums, including his last-minute decision to go there.

“Many, many people,” and so saying, Han Fen was elated. “You cut me and I cut you- I wanted to start cracking but Han Fen pulled me away.”

“We are there to protect Shangguan Fei not to fight.Nevertheless, isn’t it sothat we should fight in secret even though we wanted to ?” They said.Han Fen had an advantage- she treated her responsibilities seriously. She said,”I saw a killerfrom Fort Jin Pengwho ran as fast as Shangguan Fei. That is a reaction a killer should have.”

Usually, it was Han Xuan who taught Han Fen butshe was neglected this time and knew she was wrong. However, the elder was not happy and said, “I know, I know but Shangguan Fei had run too fast and was caught. Had we not caught up in time, we would have been chopped up into meat paste.”

Gu Shenwei looked at Shangguan Fei who was covered in blood and asked, “Did you take action?”

Shangguan Fei laughed lightly and replied, “Yes, it’s me who pulled a few punches. He made me do it.”

Han Xuan could not believe it and asked in vicious awe,”You punched? Why did I not see?”

Han Fen seemed to remember something, pointing at Shangguan Fei to say, “did you hit that person? The body was torn apart and the intestines were all over the floor. Wow, you are really… super… look, there seems to be an intestine on you.”

Shangguan Fei shivered, twisted and flapped like he was on fire, in abidto get rid of the ‘intestine’. Han Fen came over to help and picked up something from his back and said,”I’m wrong. It’s not an intestine.”

Shangguan Fei sighed in relief before Han Fen threwit in front of him saying, “It’s like human liver.”

Shangguan Fei grasped his stomach and threw up, Han Fen taking a few steps backward in disgust and slapping her body several times, scaredof his vomit.

Han Fen was puzzled and said,”What’s there to be afraid of ? It’s justa body organ. Look, even the Dragon King is not afraid.”

Gu Shenwei was not afraid but his strategists were. They took the food on the table and almost spit it out, swearing to themselves never to share a bed with the ladies of New Moon Hall, even if seduced.

“Change your clothes immediately and clean off the blood stains. Don’t leave any. Hide in the tent and don’t move a muscle without my order.” Gu Shenweisaid quickly.

Shangguan Fei heard the severity of the issue andstopped vomitting, raising his head to ask, “We only happened to pass by and won’t be implicated right?”

“Hard to say,” Gu Shenwei replied, he felt that the North Court officials had suddenly stopped sending news andfeared itwasn’t as simple as receiving orders.

Shangguan Fei turned paler than the Dragon King and said, “Dragon King, I am working for you. You have to…”

“Clean yourself up first.” The Dragon King silenced him.

Shangguan Fei ran into his tentas the two Hans walked out too beforeHan Fen remembered an important question while she was at the door. She asked,”Can I poke my head out of the tent?”

“No,I will cut anything that pokes out of my tent with a knife.” He replied.

This time the order was clear enough. Han Fen spat out her tongue and threw away whatever was in herhand and decided to carry outher mission faultlessly whileHan Xuan decided to ask how New Moon Hall trained its disciples.

“This time, the disturbances are really odd.” said Fang Wenshiwho was far away from the filth and tried his best to follow the Dragon King’s thoughts even wanting to surpass him.

“Well.” Gu Shenwei looked at the two guards shovel away the filth and said after waiting for them to leave, “There are many martial arts figures from the Central Plains and the Western Regions who have come, they could probably be related to the riots.”

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“Moreover, the officers ofthe North Courthad reacted too quickly. Do you still remember, at the very beginning, there was news saying that there were soldiers at the scene of the riots. This could not be a coincidence and was more like a deliberate trap.” He added.Fang Wenshi thought about this and felt increasingly suspicious of how things had gotten odd. He asked,”And what were the killers from Fort Jine Pengdoing there? Was it a coincidence too?”

The problems grew and before the two men could analyze an outcome, a bigger problem came from the camp.

The two cavalrieshad surrounded both the camps of the Dragon King and Fort Jin Peng.

Fang Wenshi went to the door of the camp and talked to a leader of a thousand soldiers, questioning the other party’s motives.

“We are here to protect the Dragon King,” the leader of the thousands said politely,whilegiving the soldiers around him a nasty look, ordering them to enter the camp.

The camp inFort Jin Peng had encountered the same problem thus causinga squabble. Fang Wenshi opened his arms and shouted, “Stay outside the tent to protect the Dragon King, there is noneed to come inside.”

The soldiers only listened to the order of the leader of a thousand soldiers and dozens of people rushed in, eyeing the tent in the camp, apparently searching the place.

Fang Wenshi gave his suggestions angrily but did not seem to achieve any success. Finally, it were the guards of the Dragon King whostopped the soldiers of the North Court.

Gu Shenwei had only brought tensto this trip, most of whom were swordsmen from the Great Snowmountain. This time, it was up to Long Fanyun to lead, as they lined up, flashing the heavy swords in their hands.

“This is the Dragon King’s camp. Outsiders are not to enter.” Long Fanyun held the patronus’ sabre in bothhis hand anddid not care if there were many people or not, or whose territory this was. He would not let anyoneenter as long as the Dragon King did not givethe order.

The soldiers of the North Courtalso pulled out their swords, they had never been threatened in this way on the grasslands and were extremely dissatisfied towards the swordsmen from the Great Snowmountains.

Fang Wenshi protested with his both hands. “I am not responsible for the fighting. This is the camp of the Dragon King. You provoked me first. I would like to know if the promise ofLao Hanwang still stands and whetherthe NorthCourt treated the Dragon King as its guest oras its prisoner.”

Fang Wenshi had already discovered that the words “Lao Hanwang” had magical powers inthe North Court. As long as someone said it, the atmosphere would turn stern no matter what the other side looked like.

The leader of the thousand soldiers was clearly hesitated by saying, “No, we did not provoke… we shall stay outside sincethe Dragon King feels he could protect himself.”

Fang Wenshi laughed coldly asking, ” What Dragon King would you be if you couldn’t even protect yourself ?”

The leader of the thousand soldiers pretended not to listen and ordered the soldiers to retreat from the camp as the security outside tightened rather than disperse.

Fang Wenshi looked at Fort Jin Peng’s camp opposite, seeing soldiers ofthe North Court that wereholdingtorches search the tent.

Before long, the day had brightened and one North Courtofficial wanted to see the Dragon King. The official had received bribes from Fang Wenshi and had secretly passed him the news anhour ago. This time, he looked steely,like he had important business to tend to.

Immediately after entering the tent and talking privately with Dragon King and the military counselor, he smiled and said, “I have offended you, please don’t blame me. I have no choice.”

Fang Wenshi was slightly irritated andblocked thefront of the Dragon King, feeling the moneyhe had spenthadn’t been worth it. He asked”What exactly happened? Hadn’t the disturbance outside been suppressed? Why do we have to be surrounded?”

“Yes, yes, the riot was quelled but…but…,” the official replied.

The official hemmed and hawed asFang Wenshi became increasingly impatient and asked, “But what? Don’t tell methe North Courtsuspects that the Dragon King had planned the disturbance? We have a total of fifty people here.Are we capableof occupyingthe royal court in one masterstroke?”

“No, no.” the official waved his hand. “The Dragon King would not do such a thing and no one suspects him either. But I ask, did the Dragon King send someone to infiltrate the slums area yesterday night?” He asked.

The other party was a low-ranking official and Gu Shenwei did not speak but let the military counselor do the work for him. The official knew his own status as well and even though he talked to the Dragon King, his gaze turned towards Fang Wenshi.

“No.” Fang Wenshi replied justly.

The officials seemed puzzled andsprang up suddenly, changing their tone. “Did someone sent by the Dragon King enter the slums area yesterday night ?”

Removing a “faction” word madethe meaning appeared different and Fang Wenshi did not have the means to refute ityet the other party seemed to be armed, but he replied, “Yes, someone went to drink because he did not know the way and walked accidentally into the slums area. What’s the matter with that ?”

The officials clapped their hands seeming relieved saying, “That’s right.”

“If you’re not clear about it again, I will throw out all the money that you have kept.” Fang Wenshi threatened harshly.

The officials enthusiastically gathered around Fang Wenshi and one of them said, “I have to hand up half of those taelsyet what I have is really little.”

Fang Wenshi glanced at the Dragon King and said unwillingly, “I will make up the other half for you, but will kill you, with silver, if you don’t tell the truth again.”

The officials were all smiles and as long as there was silver, even the most unpleasant words could make one happy in his heart. “I have long prepared against the riots and sent out countless mento ambush the slums. There was a prince who was the biological sibling of the King Kuari and wanted to join but was found out and beaten to death. He died such a horrible deaththat hewas torn to parts. Someone said the Dragon King’s surbodinate and the killers of Fort Jin Pengwere in the vicinity hence I came to ask- just to ask. This matter would not have anything to do with the subordinates of the Dragon King.”

Fang Wenshi did not know how to answer the question and thusturned to the Dragon King with pleading eyes.

Outside a few tents, Shangguan Fei, who had changed into his new clothes, was still shivering. He lowered his head to look at his own fist, as if it no longer belonged to him whilehis blood surged and his breathran faster than ever, which made him jumpy even more.

What kind of kung fu did the Dragon King and Lotus girllet themselves practise ?