Chapter 112: Dragon and Tiger Meet in the Capital (8)

"Liang Shimeng punched Long Chuan in the face, shattering his nose; blood sprayed high into the air."

Tie Xinyuan gestured toward the two men brawling downstairs, speaking to the pair beside him who were currently lost in each other’s eyes, filled with tender affection.

Yang Huaiyu pushed a plate of cheese toward Tie Xinyuan, continuing his hushed conversation with Su Mei.

Tie Xinyuan took a large bite of the cheese and pointed downstairs again. "Long Chuan is fighting back! He actually ripped out a handful of Liang Shimeng’s hair. Liang Shimeng is screaming in pain."

Su Mei glanced at Tie Xinyuan and pushed the cup of jasmine-scented tea in front of her—which she hadn't touched—over to him.

Heaven knows what they found to talk about for so long. Yang Huaiyu, who only moments ago had been passionately declaring his readiness to die for his country, had completely abandoned those ambitions. Judging by his current state, he would likely die with a smile on his face if he could just perish in this lap of luxury.

Tie Xinyuan felt that he might be being a bit too pretentious.

The reason martial artists in Song society were treated like circus monkeys was, in truth, entirely their own doing. Ever since Dong Zhuo led his troops into the capital of the Eastern Han, the image of the ambitious usurper had been deeply carved into the character of military generals.

Following that, one brawny, power-hungry man after another emerged, plunging the entire Middle Kingdom into two terrifying crises. Thus, it was perfectly logical for the common people of the Song Dynasty to harbor a deep-seated contempt for this bunch of scourges.

It was also logical that the annual military parade at Jinming Pool had turned into a spectacle of acrobatics; the goal was simply to make everyone forget the suffering that war brought to the world.

The two men, now battered and bruised, were carried away. A great deal of blood had pooled on the ground. A waiter from the Fan Tower poured some stove ash over the bloodstains and swept them away, leaving the blood-spattered floral tile floor clean once more.

Cao Ba, who had also been at the Fan Tower, watched Yang Huaiyu and Su Mei with a mix of shock and suspicion. Finally, he walked over, patted Yang Huaiyu on the shoulder, and said, "Brother Yang, sitting in a high tower with a beautiful woman while watching two men fight—what a carefree and romantic life you lead."

No one saw how Yang Huaiyu threw the punch. They only saw Cao Ba’s entire body fly backward, crashing heavily onto a table. He curled into a ball of agony, sending countless cups, plates, and bowls tumbling to the floor.

After dealing the blow, Yang Huaiyu elegantly straightened his outer robe and invited Su Mei to leave with him. As for Tie Xinyuan, he had already run to the stairwell.

Servants dared not intervene in the squabbles of their masters. If they did, Yang Huaiyu would likely strike to kill.

Punching Cao Ba once was an act of venting anger. If the beating were too severe, however, Cao Ba’s mother would come charging over with a group of family retainers to thrash Yang Huaiyu. Of course, when it came time for Yang Wenguang to meet Cao Ba’s father, they would still be all smiles, happily continuing to collude to reap the benefits granted to military families by the Song Dynasty.

It sounded like children’s play, but this was the code of conduct for the wealthy scions.

In the Song Dynasty, the military clans were a group that huddled together for warmth. If one did not join this vast self-preservation organization, the outcome would be grim. One would end up like the famous fierce general Di Qing, who was banished to Zhending Road as a deputy commander. Just because he whipped a singing girl who had humiliated him, his superior, Han Qi, had his trusted subordinate, Jiao Yong, executed on the charge of cruelty.

Yang Huaiyu and Su Mei, who had been about to leave, changed their minds after beating Cao Ba. This forced Tie Xinyuan to return and sit at the table, anxiously awaiting the revenge that was sure to come from Cao Ba.

A long, hearty laugh erupted from the table where Cao Ba had fallen. The first thing this fellow did once he caught his breath was to laugh out loud. Despite the fact that Yang Huaiyu’s punch had brought tears and snot streaming down his face, he wore a smile of agonizing pain.

"Is the grudge between us settled now?" Cao Ba asked, not even bothering to wipe the snot from his face as he stood up.

Yang Huaiyu picked up the scented tea Tie Xinyuan had been drinking to moisten his throat. "Two more punches! I’ll land them whenever I see you."

"Yang the Elder, don't go too far. Do you know who my grandfather is? Being punched by you once is already a favor..."

Yang Huaiyu glanced at Cao Ba. "If you had beaten me up, even if it were a heavy beating, I would have returned one punch and let the matter go. But you went too far this time. Rigging a device on an animal to make it go mad—I’m confident that even if I were riding it, I wouldn't be hurt. But a maddened beast has no reason. If it had run wild and harmed an innocent person, the consequences would have been dire. That is why, Cao Ba, you went too far this time. If not for the friendship between our parents and my own father, I would have had the heart to kill you."

Cao Ba was silent for a while, then beckoned to someone behind him. A middle-aged scholar wearing a *lanshan* robe walked over.

Cao Ba grinned viciously at Yang Huaiyu. "This rotten man came up with the idea. I will give you an account right in front of your eyes."

The white-faced scholar in the *lanshan* robe, sporting a short beard, walked over with a smile and bowed to Yang Huaiyu. "Student Zhang Gongyuan from Hebei greets the young master."

Cao Ba pried a leg off the wobbly table, walked silently behind Zhang Gongyuan, and struck him on the head with the club.

With just one blow, blood began to flow from beneath the hat Zhang Gongyuan was wearing. Zhang swayed, but gritted his teeth and stood his ground.

Cao Ba’s club slammed into his shoulders and back again. It was clear the blows were heavy; Zhang Gongyuan staggered, grabbing the table to keep from falling, allowing Cao Ba to beat his back like a drum.

Seeing Yang Huaiyu remain silent, a fierce glint flashed in Cao Ba’s eyes. He struck Zhang Gongyuan behind the knee.

Zhang Gongyuan collapsed onto the floor, his face drained of all color.

Yang Huaiyu stood up, tossed a piece of silver on the table, and prepared to leave with Su Mei and Tie Xinyuan.

As he passed Cao Ba, he let out a long sigh. "Cao Ba, if you had just stood there and taken two more punches from me, I would have respected you as a man who dares to take responsibility. But now, taking your anger out on a subordinate like this—although you’ve avoided the two punches—makes me, Yang the Elder, truly look down on you. From now on, other than calling each other brothers in front of our elders, let us not speak again."

Cao Ba laughed. "I won't participate in the martial examinations; that should suffice, right? Yang the Elder, is this enough to repay you?"

Yang Huaiyu laughed loudly. "I’m afraid that’s not up to you. Do you think you’re the only one who knows about that imperial decree that hasn't been issued yet? I know it too. Just wait. Once we reach the northwest frontier, we will see who is a hero and who is a coward. Cao Ba, don't use me as a shield. You aren't participating in the martial exams because you're afraid of losing your life on the northwest frontier; that has nothing to do with me. Even if you were to win the top honors this time, hahaha, you will still have to take a trip to the frontier. I don't believe you can be like the previous winners, skipping the frontier and just keeping a name in the guard camp to draw pay and idle your life away. The Emperor is watching from above!"

After saying this, Yang Huaiyu left with Su Mei and Tie Xinyuan, leaving behind only a fuming Cao Ba who wished he could smash the club into his own head.

Blood-stained Zhang Gongyuan struggled to stand and said to Cao Ba, "Young Master, Yang Huaiyu is more shrewd than we imagined. The 'bitter flesh' tactic didn't work. What a pity."

Cao Ba threw away the table leg and sat on the floor. "We anticipated everything, except for how furious the Emperor would be this time. My sister said the Emperor was in a rage in the inner palace, and no one dared to step forward to speak a word for us. She also said I am definitely going to the northwest... and will likely face the most terrifying circumstances. Yuanheng, thank you for your hard work this time."

Zhang Gongyuan said weakly, "It is nothing, Young Master. In my opinion, Yang Huaiyu’s path is actually quite good; you could follow it too. It is rare for the Emperor to value the martial exams; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As long as you endure three years on the frontier, you will surely be promoted upon your return. With your father working behind the scenes, you could very well hold a vital position. Unlike now, even if you enter officialdom, it’s only a honorary title. There are countless sons of nobility in Tokyo with honorary titles; when will you ever stand out?"

Cao Fang groaned. "I know that logic, but the mere thought of going to the frontier makes my hair stand on end. How could we possibly go to those desolate, barbaric places?"

Zhang Gongyuan leaned closer to Cao Fang and whispered, "Young Master, have you forgotten how your ancestors rose to power? What hardships did the old ancestors not endure during their conquests? It was precisely because they endured such hardships that the Cao family has its current glory. The saying 'wealth does not last beyond three generations' is not just a saying; it is a lesson learned in blood and tears by countless noble families. The Cao family’s wealth has reached the third generation with your father. As the fourth generation, seeing the power of the military clans gradually waning, do you not feel even a hint of crisis?"

Cao Fang lay flat on the floor, waving a club to drive away a waiter who had come to check on him. After rolling on the ground in agony for a moment, he said, "But if I go to the northwest, I really might lose my life. If I lose my life, no matter how high the office, I won't be around to hold it. That bastard Yang Huaiyu is different from us; he has truly put in the hard work in martial arts. I’ve spent all these years doing nothing but fooling around. If I really hit the battlefield, I’d be destined to be captured as a slave by the Western Xia."

Zhang Gongyuan forced an ugly smile. "Does the Young Master truly think your father would let you go to the frontier alone? Do you think the Lady would let you go to your death without family guards to protect you?"

Cao Fang sighed. "I’ve trapped myself in a cocoon. Even if I don't go to the northwest now, it won't work. We must win over the 'Iron Lion.' In Tokyo, we are the masters, but once on the battlefield, men like the Iron Lion are the true powerhouses."

Zhang Gongyuan helped Cao Fang up and patted his own chest. "Men like the Iron Lion are easy to deal with. All he wants is to bring glory to his ancestors and earn a good future for his wife and children through his martial skills. Since he has desires, he has weaknesses. The Gao family has been too harsh on him. As long as you lower your status and treat him with courtesy, he will surely serve you with his life. Leave this matter to me, Young Master; you only need to step in when necessary."

Cao Fang nodded. "Three days. Three days from now is the true competition. I want to see results by then."