The man in coarse clothes held a black chess in his hand. The fingers placing down the chess had clear joints, slender and powerful, the tips looking more crystal in the steaming frog.
As the chess fell on the chessboard, the hand turned around in a palm of courtesy. His lips arched into a moon, and a cello-voice came, “Your turn, brother Lu…” The man in dark-blue brocade clothes held a white chess, throwing it back to the chess box after a moment of pondering, and made a small smile, “Excellent move, brother Ning. I lose, indeed. Allow me to make a toast.”
Then, he picked up a cup, using tea as wine, toasted to Ning Shaoqing sitting opposite him, and drank up.
Ning Shaoqing smiled and also drank up the tea.
The two looked more like drinking wine than tea.
Lu Zhengyang put down the teacup, head slightly raise to feel the lingering after taste of the tea, saying, “Wine would be better.”
Ning Shaoqing laughed loudly, “Bring wine. Tonight, let’s be drunk.” Obviously, the first sentence was an order for the guards outside the room, and the second was for the man before him.
This imposing man in dark-blue was exactly Ning Shaoqing’s intimate friend—lord Lu Zhengyang.
The people outside quickly brought over wine. Not having met each other for a long time, the intimate friends didn't talk much after taking the wine but just kept toasting and drinking up.
All the sentiments and emotions were in the wine!
A jar was empty soon. Silently looking at Lu Zhengyang who was indulging himself in the wine, Ning Shaoqing was reminded of their first encounter.
It was six years ago…
The reason why the super families was so daunted by the Emperor was not only because they had conquered the world together with the First Emperor, but also because of the fiefdoms in their own glorious surname.
Although those fiefdoms weren’t very nice and far from the capital—the Ning’s fiefdom was ever farther, which was already a deserted land, a fiefdom represented identity, glory and a way out.
On that year, he was fifteen years old. In view that he had completed his education, his father believed that he should go out to experience more and learn to stand on his own. Hence, his sent him to their fiefdom to crack down all the riots in the fiefdom and, at the same time, to take over the hidden forces there.
The fiefdom was far and remote, so without the presence of a lord, people there gradually became less loyal. This was also the reason why, before taking his post, each family master would go to the fiefdom to personally make a clearance, take over the hidden force, as a way to deter the authorities and make a reshuffle.
He always kept a low-profile and didn't like his identity known to others, so he always wore a gold master whenever he acted. This was also one of the reasons why there were so few people who had really seen his look. When he just finished the education, he was exactly at a most arrogant age. He set off, without any guards, except for the shadow guard of course, who played the role of his shadow all the time.
The first time he met Lu Zhengyang, he was trying to wipe out a gang of bandits who gathered soldiers with an evil intention. He alone defeated hundreds of bandits, none of whom survived. Just as he felt so complacent, Lu Zhengyang, carrying a sword completely mismatching with his elegant figure and demeanor, showed up.
He didn't seem to have seen the corpses or the pools of blood on the ground and provoked dauntlessly, “What? You think you’re the number one in the world after killing a bunch of little vogues? Look at your mask. A true hero doesn't hide himself.”
His weapon was a soft sword, while Lu Zhengyang’s was an epee. As the sayings goes, the soft is able to defeat the hard.
He was enjoying the fight, but all the useless bandits were knocked down one by one, even the lead bandit. At this time, Lu Zhengyang, dressed stylish, with imposing momentum, showed up. At one glance, he knew he wasn't one of those useless bandits. A good opportunity to test the true power of his Sword Chill. Hence, he pointed him with the sword, “If you don't agree, fight with me. You can come to the conclusion only if you’re still live by then.”
“Why not? Start your move.” The words were articulated with firmness. The epee broke out of its sheath. Lu Zhengyang grabbed the handle, eyes sharp, legs steady.
The sunrays falling on the blade reflected to his body, as if wearing him a gleaming armor over his dark-blue clothes. In an instant, the man looked entirely different, as his elegance turned into sternness.
Upon this moment, he knew he had met a rare opponent…
He leveraged the soft to resolve the hard, while Lu Zhengyang utilized the powerful to break the tender; his swords ran agile and swift, while Lu Zhengyang’s epee swung heavily and drastically; his steps moved as illusion, while Lu Zhengyang followed closely like a shadow.
The two men battled for numerous rounds, but came out even. In the end, like diamond cutting diamond, they began to appreciate and cherish each other as a unique friend.
At last, the two gazed at each other, smiling and taking back their weapons. Lu Zhengyang lay down on the ground, took out a bottle of wine, the air of killing disappearing into null, leaving only unguarded free and easy, “It’s been a long time since I fought to the full. I treat you to my wine.”
He was a clean freak but, touched by his free mind, also sat on the ground. One casual and carefree, the other soft and gentle, the two men became bosom friend through the furious fight.
The wine was difficult swallow. He couldn't figure why a lord like Lu Zhengyang should carry such low-quality wine but still enjoy it heartfelt.
He didn't ask why Lu Zheng appeared there, and the latter didn't mention it either. However, on that day, after the wine, he took off the mask and told Lu Zhengyang solemnly, “I am Ning Shaoqing, the eldest lord of the Ning family in the capital.”
Judging from that man’s demeanor and martial art, he couldn't be an ignorant person. Here was the Ning’s fiefdom on which deserted land, everybody knew what eldest lord Ning represented.
As he disclosed his identity to Lu Zhengyang, he also prepared himself to see this man either standing up instantly out of fear and respect and stuttering greetings, or drawing out his epee again and pointing at him due to family feuds or interest…
To his surprise, Lu Zhengyang still drank his wine, maintained the same expression, not stopping for a second before he finished, and patted his chest, “I am a villager Lu Zhengyang.”
After introducing himself, Lu Zhengyang stopped being serious, gazing at him and teasing, “Look at you! You’re much better-looking than I am. You aren’t afraid of being dragged away to marry a strange woman, are you?”
The breath-depriving surname Ning seemed the same insignificant with Lu in Lu Zhengyang’s eyes, and the first lord a common person that he could joke with.
Instantly, his laughed joyfully in a bright mood. The blood-stained banditry turned into a booster of their encounter and drinking.
He had no friends since he was young. He had been so lonely. Everybody respected him and kept a distance from him. He never knew what friendship meant… Therefore, they stood shoulder to shoulder and killed all those rebellious people. Father had suggested to use tough methods in a turbulent time. In order to gain recognition faster and rule over this wild land, he could only rely on an iron wrist.
Certainly, it was more than mere killing. There were schemes and blood everyday… No person was born to be perfect with a flawless mind. It was hardships, training and obstacles that pushed him to grow up step by step.
Only by then, he came to realize how dangerous it was to go alone into this den of monsters. Luckily, he had Lu Zhengyang around him, to deal with the enemies, to grow up with him, and to stick together in the face of life-and-death situations.
The terrifying name gradually spread across the land. Everything ended. He walked onto the stage and revealed his true identity. Everybody willingly became his subordinates. Once again, the deserted land was totally under the control of a Ning.
However, who knew the two men that were exhausted and injured and tumbled ahead…?
Those days were joyful and happy in retrospect. In his life, for the first time, he had a friend, with whom he could drink or fight when lonely, with whom he could joke about life and death, with whom he could pour out his mind…
Also because of this experience, when he returned to the capital, the elders of the clan all viewed him as the future master.
After that, he didn't invite Lu Zhengyang to follow him to the capital and work together, because he understood that on the surface, Lu Zhengyang thought little of everything, but in the bone, he was proud.
Although Lu Zhengyang didn't go to the capital, the two kept in touch. This time he was poisoned, although the guiding herb wasn't from him, the strange doctor agreed to treat him because of Lu Zhengyang.
At this vital time, Lu Zhengyang, who never cared for political affairs, came to the capital, only to give him a hand.
Lu Zhengyang called himself a villager, but he had uncommon demeanor and martial art. Yet, indeed, he was of a humble origin—a son of businessman in Pei province in the west.
The Lu family was rich but lacked political power. The ancestors had nothing to do with the Lu family in the capital.
When Lu Zhengyang was young, he was luckily to have met a master to be his teacher. He himself was clever and talented, and born with pride. However, his straight-forward and out-going character enabled him to make a lot of friends and gradually set up his reputation in the west.
Therefore, even he himself didn't, others wouldn't look into the background of a person he was so close to. Without asking, the news of him would be known to him, and relevant materials put on his table silently.
“Now the situation is interesting. I’m wondering how brother Ning will break it through.” Lu Zhengyang didn't put down the glass but played with it in his hand. Only this subtle movement diminished the carefreeness that he displayed while drinking and gave him a tough of playfulness.
“The enemy is in the dark and I’m in the light. I’ll just stay unchanged to tackle with all the up-coming changes.” Ning Shaoqing’s words were meaningful.
Then, Lu Zhengyang’s playfulness turned into ruthlessness, “The Xie mother and son is pushing hard. If you find it inconvenient, then I can step out for you and let them kneel under your feet.”
In contrast to the indignation on Lu Zhengyang’s face, Ning Shaoqing looked indifferent, “Those two were only small ants. I don't dare to bother you.”
Despite his refusal, he was still grateful for his offering of help.
Lu Zhengyang didn't give an answer, “You just think too much.”
Ning Shaoqing looked up at Lu Zhengyang, with a rarely serious countenance, “Believe it or not, I never took them seriously. In the past, I cherished the relations, but this time I return to the capital, all the emotions have been long cut off.”
“Oh?” Hearing this, Lu Zhengyang leaned back carelessly on the chair, “Tell me more!”
The man in coarse clothes held a black chess in his hand. The fingers placing down the chess had clear joints, slender and powerful, the tips looking more crystal in the steaming frog.
As the chess fell on the chessboard, the hand turned around in a palm of courtesy. His lips arched into a moon, and a cello-voice came, “Your turn, brother Lu…” The man in dark-blue brocade clothes held a white chess, throwing it back to the chess box after a moment of pondering, and made a small smile, “Excellent move, brother Ning. I lose, indeed. Allow me to make a toast.”
Then, he picked up a cup, using tea as wine, toasted to Ning Shaoqing sitting opposite him, and drank up.
Ning Shaoqing smiled and also drank up the tea.
The two looked more like drinking wine than tea.
Lu Zhengyang put down the teacup, head slightly raise to feel the lingering after taste of the tea, saying, “Wine would be better.”
Ning Shaoqing laughed loudly, “Bring wine. Tonight, let’s be drunk.” Obviously, the first sentence was an order for the guards outside the room, and the second was for the man before him.
This imposing man in dark-blue was exactly Ning Shaoqing’s intimate friend—lord Lu Zhengyang.
The people outside quickly brought over wine. Not having met each other for a long time, the intimate friends didn't talk much after taking the wine but just kept toasting and drinking up.
All the sentiments and emotions were in the wine!
A jar was empty soon. Silently looking at Lu Zhengyang who was indulging himself in the wine, Ning Shaoqing was reminded of their first encounter.
It was six years ago…
The reason why the super families was so daunted by the Emperor was not only because they had conquered the world together with the First Emperor, but also because of the fiefdoms in their own glorious surname.
Although those fiefdoms weren’t very nice and far from the capital—the Ning’s fiefdom was ever farther, which was already a deserted land, a fiefdom represented identity, glory and a way out.
On that year, he was fifteen years old. In view that he had completed his education, his father believed that he should go out to experience more and learn to stand on his own. Hence, his sent him to their fiefdom to crack down all the riots in the fiefdom and, at the same time, to take over the hidden forces there.
The fiefdom was far and remote, so without the presence of a lord, people there gradually became less loyal. This was also the reason why, before taking his post, each family master would go to the fiefdom to personally make a clearance, take over the hidden force, as a way to deter the authorities and make a reshuffle.
He always kept a low-profile and didn't like his identity known to others, so he always wore a gold master whenever he acted. This was also one of the reasons why there were so few people who had really seen his look. When he just finished the education, he was exactly at a most arrogant age. He set off, without any guards, except for the shadow guard of course, who played the role of his shadow all the time.
The first time he met Lu Zhengyang, he was trying to wipe out a gang of bandits who gathered soldiers with an evil intention. He alone defeated hundreds of bandits, none of whom survived. Just as he felt so complacent, Lu Zhengyang, carrying a sword completely mismatching with his elegant figure and demeanor, showed up.
He didn't seem to have seen the corpses or the pools of blood on the ground and provoked dauntlessly, “What? You think you’re the number one in the world after killing a bunch of little vogues? Look at your mask. A true hero doesn't hide himself.”
His weapon was a soft sword, while Lu Zhengyang’s was an epee. As the sayings goes, the soft is able to defeat the hard.
He was enjoying the fight, but all the useless bandits were knocked down one by one, even the lead bandit. At this time, Lu Zhengyang, dressed stylish, with imposing momentum, showed up. At one glance, he knew he wasn't one of those useless bandits. A good opportunity to test the true power of his Sword Chill. Hence, he pointed him with the sword, “If you don't agree, fight with me. You can come to the conclusion only if you’re still live by then.”
“Why not? Start your move.” The words were articulated with firmness. The epee broke out of its sheath. Lu Zhengyang grabbed the handle, eyes sharp, legs steady.
The sunrays falling on the blade reflected to his body, as if wearing him a gleaming armor over his dark-blue clothes. In an instant, the man looked entirely different, as his elegance turned into sternness.
Upon this moment, he knew he had met a rare opponent…
He leveraged the soft to resolve the hard, while Lu Zhengyang utilized the powerful to break the tender; his swords ran agile and swift, while Lu Zhengyang’s epee swung heavily and drastically; his steps moved as illusion, while Lu Zhengyang followed closely like a shadow.
The two men battled for numerous rounds, but came out even. In the end, like diamond cutting diamond, they began to appreciate and cherish each other as a unique friend.
At last, the two gazed at each other, smiling and taking back their weapons. Lu Zhengyang lay down on the ground, took out a bottle of wine, the air of killing disappearing into null, leaving only unguarded free and easy, “It’s been a long time since I fought to the full. I treat you to my wine.”
He was a clean freak but, touched by his free mind, also sat on the ground. One casual and carefree, the other soft and gentle, the two men became bosom friend through the furious fight.
The wine was difficult swallow. He couldn't figure why a lord like Lu Zhengyang should carry such low-quality wine but still enjoy it heartfelt.
He didn't ask why Lu Zheng appeared there, and the latter didn't mention it either. However, on that day, after the wine, he took off the mask and told Lu Zhengyang solemnly, “I am Ning Shaoqing, the eldest lord of the Ning family in the capital.”
Judging from that man’s demeanor and martial art, he couldn't be an ignorant person. Here was the Ning’s fiefdom on which deserted land, everybody knew what eldest lord Ning represented.
As he disclosed his identity to Lu Zhengyang, he also prepared himself to see this man either standing up instantly out of fear and respect and stuttering greetings, or drawing out his epee again and pointing at him due to family feuds or interest…
To his surprise, Lu Zhengyang still drank his wine, maintained the same expression, not stopping for a second before he finished, and patted his chest, “I am a villager Lu Zhengyang.”
After introducing himself, Lu Zhengyang stopped being serious, gazing at him and teasing, “Look at you! You’re much better-looking than I am. You aren’t afraid of being dragged away to marry a strange woman, are you?”
The breath-depriving surname Ning seemed the same insignificant with Lu in Lu Zhengyang’s eyes, and the first lord a common person that he could joke with.
Instantly, his laughed joyfully in a bright mood. The blood-stained banditry turned into a booster of their encounter and drinking.
He had no friends since he was young. He had been so lonely. Everybody respected him and kept a distance from him. He never knew what friendship meant… Therefore, they stood shoulder to shoulder and killed all those rebellious people. Father had suggested to use tough methods in a turbulent time. In order to gain recognition faster and rule over this wild land, he could only rely on an iron wrist.
Certainly, it was more than mere killing. There were schemes and blood everyday… No person was born to be perfect with a flawless mind. It was hardships, training and obstacles that pushed him to grow up step by step.
Only by then, he came to realize how dangerous it was to go alone into this den of monsters. Luckily, he had Lu Zhengyang around him, to deal with the enemies, to grow up with him, and to stick together in the face of life-and-death situations.
The terrifying name gradually spread across the land. Everything ended. He walked onto the stage and revealed his true identity. Everybody willingly became his subordinates. Once again, the deserted land was totally under the control of a Ning.
However, who knew the two men that were exhausted and injured and tumbled ahead…?
Those days were joyful and happy in retrospect. In his life, for the first time, he had a friend, with whom he could drink or fight when lonely, with whom he could joke about life and death, with whom he could pour out his mind…
Also because of this experience, when he returned to the capital, the elders of the clan all viewed him as the future master.
After that, he didn't invite Lu Zhengyang to follow him to the capital and work together, because he understood that on the surface, Lu Zhengyang thought little of everything, but in the bone, he was proud.
Although Lu Zhengyang didn't go to the capital, the two kept in touch. This time he was poisoned, although the guiding herb wasn't from him, the strange doctor agreed to treat him because of Lu Zhengyang.
At this vital time, Lu Zhengyang, who never cared for political affairs, came to the capital, only to give him a hand.
Lu Zhengyang called himself a villager, but he had uncommon demeanor and martial art. Yet, indeed, he was of a humble origin—a son of businessman in Pei province in the west.
The Lu family was rich but lacked political power. The ancestors had nothing to do with the Lu family in the capital.
When Lu Zhengyang was young, he was luckily to have met a master to be his teacher. He himself was clever and talented, and born with pride. However, his straight-forward and out-going character enabled him to make a lot of friends and gradually set up his reputation in the west.
Therefore, even he himself didn't, others wouldn't look into the background of a person he was so close to. Without asking, the news of him would be known to him, and relevant materials put on his table silently.
“Now the situation is interesting. I’m wondering how brother Ning will break it through.” Lu Zhengyang didn't put down the glass but played with it in his hand. Only this subtle movement diminished the carefreeness that he displayed while drinking and gave him a tough of playfulness.
“The enemy is in the dark and I’m in the light. I’ll just stay unchanged to tackle with all the up-coming changes.” Ning Shaoqing’s words were meaningful.
Then, Lu Zhengyang’s playfulness turned into ruthlessness, “The Xie mother and son is pushing hard. If you find it inconvenient, then I can step out for you and let them kneel under your feet.”
In contrast to the indignation on Lu Zhengyang’s face, Ning Shaoqing looked indifferent, “Those two were only small ants. I don't dare to bother you.”
Despite his refusal, he was still grateful for his offering of help.
Lu Zhengyang didn't give an answer, “You just think too much.”
Ning Shaoqing looked up at Lu Zhengyang, with a rarely serious countenance, “Believe it or not, I never took them seriously. In the past, I cherished the relations, but this time I return to the capital, all the emotions have been long cut off.”
“Oh?” Hearing this, Lu Zhengyang leaned back carelessly on the chair, “Tell me more!”
