by Tony Tran
While everyone was worried about possibility of the Dark Legion and themselves being caught up in a civil war after Red Thorn City’s lord passes away, while the forces of Aurora were steadily moving south. Zhang was delighted to hear this piece of news.
If civil war broke out in the Red Thorn Province then the Southern Alliance would not be able to reinforce the province's acting as frontlines any longer and without reinforcements these provinces would fall to the forces of Aurora in a matter of weeks if not, days.
“Maybe I should send the good lord on his trip early.” Zhang thought.
“But first I need to figure out which of his two sons is the better one to support. Since relative to the previous lord, he is always more accepted by the people.” Zhang said in his mind as the thought of assassinating Red Thorn City’s lord popped up in his mind.
However, there was one problem to Zhang’s thought. He did not know the layout of Red Thorn City’s provincial lord's mansion and did not know where the provincial lord resides in the mansion.
Although it is fairly simple to guess where the provincial lord’s courtyard is, there is always the likelihood that he does not reside in his courtyard but somewhere else.
“What kind of illness does the provincial lord have?” Zhang asked the other soldiers as a thought appeared in his head.
“I hear that after sustaining a wound on a hunting trip, Red Thorn City’s lord came down with a fever and before long hundreds of sores appeared on his body. I also heard that anyone who comes in contact with him soon receive the same illness. But of course, these are all rumors that I've heard.” Someone said.
“Is that so?” Zhang muttered as he began to formulate a plan in his mind.
Roughly an hour later the news of young master Tang Wei’s arrival reached Zhang's ears and thus his plan began. Withdrawing a tiny vial from his interspatial ring and dipping a small needle made by condensing essence with the power of the Underworld Heart into it when no one was looking, Zhang waited for Tang Wei.
This vial of course, was something that he had gotten off of Lingqi and was capable of making someone fall incredibly ill. Their skin would turn purple as reddish blisters would begin to form on their body while their mouths would foam.
“The young master is coming, everyone get ready.” Someone said, signaling for all of the soldiers to form two neat rows of soldiers standing beside their beds.
Before long, a young man dressed in white robes with the air of a scholar entered the room with a small group of guards around him.
“He should be Tang Wei.” Zhang thought as his eyes glinted and with a flick of the finger launched the poison coated needle toward a soldier standing not too far from him.
Although the thought of poisoning Tang Wei had come into mind, Zhang decided not to do so, because of the likelihood of someone noticing any traces left behind by the needle. He could have also poisoned one of his soldiers mixed into the Dark Legion but by doing so, he may attract too much attention to his own men and risk being discovered by the enemy.
Once the needle shot out of Zhang’s hand, it pierced through the air and made a small cut across the right shoulder of its target before dispersing into the air. To the man who was now infected by Lingqi’s deadly poison, the needle had felt like a mosquito bite.
“I would like to welcome you all it our fine city.” Tang Wei said as he walked down the aisle of soldiers. As he neared where Zhang and Ai were, the soldier who had been infected by the poison began to sweat and his body began to shake and convulse uncontrollably.
“You there, what are you doing!?” A captain within the Dark Legion said as he caught site of one of his men acting strangely in front of an honored guest.
Upon catching Tang Wei’s attention, the man stumbled over onto ground. Before long his skin began to turn purplish which served to further draw everyone's attention.
“What's wrong with him!?”
“Someone get a doctor!?”
A mixture of yells and cries broke out within the large hall.
Due to one of their own falling over, the soldiers and officers of the Dark Legion within the room disregarded Tang Wei and gathered around their comrade.
“Now to create a bigger commotion.” Zhang thought as he shot a few more poison laced needles at a few more unsuspecting people.
In a few seconds, about a dozen or so, people had fallen over and the room was filled with hysteria.
“Whatever is happening seems to be highly contagious, let's all get out of here!” Ai yelled, adding new to the chaos.
“No! No one is to leave this room! We can't risk infecting anymore people!” Tang Wei said.
“Seal the gates! No one is permitted to leave or I'll have them hung above the city walls!” He added.
“Everyone help me lay them onto beds! So, I can have a look at them, I might be able to help them.” Zhang yelled as he pushed his way through the crowd of soldiers.
Once the dozen or so, ill people were each laid atop a bed, Zhang walked up to the first infected person and began to pretend to examine them.
“Eyes dilated, high fever, red blisters and purplish skin.” Zhang mumbled as he looked at the men he poisoned one after the other.
“Someone give me a brush, some paper and ink.” Zhang said.
“You heard the man! Give him the things he asked for.” Tang Wei said with a commanding tone.
“Ask for anything you need, lives are at stake here.” Tang Wei said as he arrived behind Zhang.
After receiving the things, he asked for, Zhang wrote down a large variety of herbs, many of which he could use to concoct some simple poisons that Lingqi had showed him.
Upon receiving Zhang’s list, a soldier slipped it under the door to the people who were standing guard outside. Since no one was permitted to leave the room due to fear of spreading whatever was ailing the ill.
Once he relieved the variety herbs and various things arrived, Zhang was given space to concoct medicine. Of course, he already had the antidote to the poison so, Zhang simply began making a variety of poisons and medicines that he figured would be useful to further his plans.
Also, since he had to put up a show, he might as well go through all of the stops.
While no one was looking, he withdrew a small green vial from his interspatial ring and mixed it with some water.
“Brother Shu Ai I'll be needing some help.” Zhang called out to Ai who had been simply observing as a part of the crowd.
Once Ai joined him, Zhang handed her the antidote to the poison that everyone was infected with while he continued to make more poisons and medicines.
It was not until roughly an hour passed did Zhang and Ai stopped “working”.
“All done!” Zhang said in a loud voice as he and Ai walked over to where their patients were lying with two trays filled with bowls of medicine.
After all of the patients were given the antidote to the poison their symptoms subsided almost instantly, making everyone present look in awe.
“If everyone would form a line, I'll check to see if any of you have caught the strange disease.” Zhang said.
Without having to say another word, the hundred or so, people within the hall all lined up to be examined. Strangely for someone of his status, Tang Wei had let everyone else be examined before himself.
“Alright it seems no one else has caught the illness. If anyone happens to show symptoms of the illness, then seclude them from everyone else and alert me.” Zhang said with a smile after he took a look at Tang Wei.
Apart from the dozen or so, people who had been infected by Lingqi’s poison and were laying in their beds resting after taking the antidote, everyone else was free to go. Of the previously infected, nine were regular soldiers while the remaining three were all captains or lieutenants in the Dark Legion. Zhang figured having them owe him a favor would come in handy later on.
“Meals should have been already prepared in the dining hall so, everyone go have your meals.” Tang We
i said as he signaled to his men to usher everyone out of the room.
“You two stay.” He said as his gaze shifted onto Zhang and Ai.
“My name is Lee Ming and this is Shu Ai, how may we be of service to you my lord.” Zhang said with a bow.
“Brother Lee no need for the formalities, I'm interested in knowing how were you able to cure a disease like that so, easily? Such a thing would make other doctors look down in shame due to their lack of knowledge.” Tang Wei said.
“It is simple my lord, my teacher had taught me instead of curing an illness as a whole, one should cure its symptoms one by one. That way instead of facing an army, one would only have to face a single soldier at a time.” Zhang explained.
“If there is nothing you need my lord then I'm quite hungry.” Zhang said with a smile as he and Ai began to walk.
“Wait! I have relative who has caught a strange disease and none of the doctors in the city have been able to come to a conclusion as to what the person is ailing. Would Brother Lee accompany me and help cure that person?” Tang Wei said with a sincere face.
“I would love to but I fear someone like me who has only dabbled in medicine cannot hope to cure what none of the doctors in the city could not cure.” Zhang said modestly.
“Brother I'm getting hungry…” Ai complained adding a sense of urgency to the conversation.
Although Zhang wanted to enter the provincial lord mansion and meet the city’s lord, he had to make it seem like he didn't. Only after Tang Wei pleaded to him would Zhang “reluctantly” go.
“You can come to the provincial lord’s mansion, there's plenty of food there. As for you Brother Lee, I'll have a talk with your higher ups and have them give you permission to take a leave from your duty.” Tang Wei said.
After Tang Wei’s mouth went dry from trying to persuade Zhang to help him did Zhang finally agree.
With the provincial lord’s heir guiding them, Zhang and Ai headed toward the provincial lord’s mansion.
“Now to figure out if I should poison him or cure him…” Zhang thought as he and Ai stepped onto Tang Wei’s horse drawn carriage.
“If I cure him I would gain the support of this fellow right here, if I poison him then I would undoubtedly cause a lot of turmoil in this province.” Zhang pondered as he sat beside Tang Wei.
It was certain that whatever Zhang’s decision was, the Red Thorn Province would certainly undergo great changes.
But whatever changes the Red Thorn province undergoes, it would all end the same once the other beauties arrive with their armies.
==================================
While Zhang and Ai were heading toward the provincial lord’s mansion and while the sun began to set, trouble was brewing elsewhere.
As the kingdom of Aurora marched southward, the continent's second strongest empire began to march on a path of blood also.
Far off from the western coast of the Warring States Region, a massive naval fleet consisting of hundreds if not thousands of ships had headed to sea.
Everyone single one of these ships had the flag of the Siwang Empire hoisted high up on their sails and many hundreds of thousands of soldiers on board.
Perhaps what had happened years ago, would repeat itself and the Siwang Empire would once bring terror to its neighbors.
Perhaps the Siwang Empire's path would once more cross with Zhang’s. But the Zhang of today is not the Zhang of yesterday.
Chapter 54: Kill or Save
Throughout the trip from the barracks to the provincial lord’s mansion, utter silence filled the inside of Tang Wei’s carriage.
Due to their roles, as mere soldiers of the Dark Legion and Tang Wei’s role as the next provincial lord, neither Zhang nor Ai spoke. Rather instead of not wishing to speak, Ai was rather captivated by the view of the scenery outside.
It seemed like Tang Wei wanted to strike up a conversation but did not know what to talk about.
Before long the carriage stopped and an attendant opened the carriage door for Tang Wei, Zhang and Ai to disembark.
“If you two would follow me.” Tang Wei said as he gestured for Zhang and Ai to follow him.
Compared to the other provincial lord mansions Zhang had been in, the one in Red Thorn City was rather plain.
Whereas the other mansions resembled small imperial cities, this one was simply decorated and there did not seem to be many servants at all.
As Zhang and Ai were lead through a series of hallways, they spotted a few people in servant uniforms packing sacks onto dozens of carts.
“Up until recently our province had gone through a terrible famine for a very long time and only thanks to this war and the aid coming from the other provinces have we been able to keep afloat.” Tang Wei said as he spotted Zhang and Ai looking at the carts curiously.
“There was even a point when my father had to sell off various things in the mansion to buy grains and rice to feed our people. But now when everything is becoming better he isn't able to enjoy the fruit of his sacrifices.” Tang Wei said with a sigh.
Before Tang Wei could even utter another word and as they walked into a small courtyard, a loud voice rang into everyone's ear.
“Tang Wei what are you doing here? Didn't I tell you and your whore mother to scram!?” The loud voice said. Once Zhang looked toward where the voice came from he saw a bald young man in his late twenties with a medium build surrounded by dozens of people in the clothes of a scholar.
“Tang Shiang, your telling me to leave? I'm the one father chose to replace him once he is gone. And do not talk about my mother like that or else I'll kill you.” Tang Wei said in a furious tone.
“Ha! You guys here that!? He wants to kill me.” Tang Shiang laugh.
“Go teach him a lesson.” He said to some hulking men who stood behind him and the group of scholars.
“But my lord, he is your brother and this is the provincial lord’s mansion after all. On top of things he's the next provincial lord. One of the hulking men said in hesitation.
“Hpmh you think my father's bastard has a right to be the next lord while I'm still alive? Go teach him a lesson or else I'll have everyone here go teach your families a lesson.” Tang Shiang said to his guards.
After hearing Tang Shiang’s words, all of his guards steeled themselves and charged toward Tang Wei.
“My lords I don't know what issues you two have with each other but if you can wait for another time.” Zhang said with a smile as he withdrew a sword that hung from his waist. This sword was of course, a standard issue from the Dark Legion.
“Kill that son of a bitch.” Tang Shiang said as he pointed to Zhang.
“Come and try!” Ai yelled as she too drew a sword.
“Call off your men! Do you want to encode the wrath of the Dark Legion!” Tang Wei yelled.
“Dark Legion?” Tang Shiang asked as a hint of confusion appeared on his face.
“My lord, the Dark Legion, you know the one that is heading to the front lines to fight the forces of Aurora.” One of Tang Shiang’s people whispered into his ears.
“I'm General Hei Ang’s nephew, if you dare to lay a finger on us then my uncle will turn your city to ashes before the armies of Aurora even makes it here!” Zhang said in a haughty voice.
“Young master, if his words are true and we anger General Hei Ang and the Dark Legion then let alone ourselves, the entire city may be implicated.” One of Tang Shiang’s followers said.
“This is Red Thorn City and you're in the provincial lord’s mansion, even if I were to kill you, who would know?” Tang Shiang said.
“Do you know what this is!?” Zhang asked as he pulled out his magical communication jade after pretending to search through his robes.
“If I simply activate it and say a single word then my uncle and the rest of the Dark Legion will be here in a matter of minutes.” Zhang said.
Once the magical communication jade came into view Tang Shiang and his people began to buy into Zhang’s bl
uff.
“Hmph since the Dark Legion is our guest, as a proper host I’ll let things slide this time.” Tang Shiang said as he flicked his sleeves and walked off with his entourage.
“Brother Lee Ming you're related General Hei Ang?” Tang Wei asked after his half-brother departed.
“If you don’t mind keeping a secret for me. We aren’t related, I’ve never even met the general.” Zhang said in a whisper as he leaned toward Tang Wei.
“Shall we resume the purpose of today’s visit?” Zhang asked as he began walking down the hallway once more with Ai by his side. As a grin crept onto Tang Wei’s face caught up to Zhang and Ai.
