Chapter 7

When Jin Qiyi was first selected as a guard, he stood by Wang Douxiang’s side for the first time, just as several nobles came to request an audience. Those nobles seemed like deities to ordinary people, but on that day, he saw them bowing with full smiles on their faces...

This was a baptism, making him realize the immense power and pervasive influence of the Wang family. From then on, he was utterly devoted to the Wang family.

He felt lucky to become a guard for the Wang family. However, the young man in front of him did not hesitate... He swore that Yang Xuan, upon hearing his words, lifted his head and politely declined the opportunity in less than a breath, almost without thinking.

Jin Qiyi was slightly taken aback, and Huang Laoer’s face turned slightly red. "Do you know the prestige of the Wang family?"

When Yang Xuan was in the village, Chang'an seemed like a place where deities lived. Some people had been to the county town, or had traveled far, and upon returning, they would boast about Chang'an. From their descriptions, he vaguely learned about the Five Great Families.

Mentioning the Five Great Families, the villagers always had a look of admiration, as if ants looking up at deities. They could not touch them, and would do anything to be their lackeys.

"I know." Yang Xuan’s heart stirred slightly, and then he became resolute.

Jin Qiyi’s face was cold. "Have you thought it through?"

Yang Xuan nodded.

Jin Qiyi sighed inwardly. He had meant well, but this honest young man did not understand the rarity of such an opportunity. He naturally could not persuade him further, as that would be beneath him. So he gave Huang Laoer a look and slowly left.

Huang Laoer lowered his voice. "This world is not just the emperor’s, but also the Five Great Families’. Being part of the Wang family is as prestigious as serving the emperor. In the future, you can walk with your head held high, and if anyone dares to bully you, just mention the Wang family..."

He thought that such a wonderful opportunity would make anyone eager to seize it, and Yang Xuan’s refusal was likely due to not knowing the prestige of the Wang family’s guards.

So he huffed in annoyance, waiting for Yang Xuan to realize his mistake and then apologize to Jin Qiyi.

Yang Xuan was grateful but said sincerely, "Thank you, but it’s really not necessary."

This young man is foolish! Huang Laoer turned back, and Jin Qiyi was looking at him. He shook his head slightly.

What an unintelligent boy! Jin Qiyi sneered and then reported to Wang Douxiang.

"Let him be." Wang Douxiang said indifferently. He was very busy, and if not for Yang Xuan saving his niece, he would never have given him a second glance. Since he did not want it, so be it.

Outside, Huang Laoer felt that Yang Xuan had given up a golden opportunity, and it made him angry.

Yang Xuan sat on the ground, watching the people start a bonfire.

He had been tempted, knowing that joining the Wang family would secure his future. His clothing, food, shelter, and family would all be under the protection of the Wang family.

The young man said softly, "A tiger sought to eat a hundred beasts and caught a fox. The fox said, 'You dare not eat me! The Heavenly Emperor appointed me to rule over the beasts. If you eat me, you will defy the Heavenly Emperor’s command. If you think I am lying, I will go first, and you follow me. Watch the beasts and see if they do not run away.'"

This was a story from a scroll, very short.

His voice was soft, but his eyes were bright. "The tiger believed it and went with the fox. The beasts saw them and ran away. The tiger did not know that the beasts were running from him, but thought they were afraid of the fox."

Huang Laoer was talking to Jin Qiyi near a tent, glanced at him, and shook his head, feeling very regretful.

The young man’s back was straight, and his voice became even softer but was resolute, as if even the gods could not stop him.

"I will not be a fox, I will be a tiger!"

Night fell.

The sky was faintly lit but gradually covered by darkness. The stars were like grains of sand, densely hanging in the sky.

"It’s like a river!"

Huang Laoer looked up at the Milky Way. "I want to write a poem."

"Can you write a poem?" Yang Xuan waited eagerly.

Huang Laoer thought for a long time, then got up. "I need to go to the toilet."

Yang Xuan said expectantly, "Squatting might help you think faster."

Huang Laoer ran off.

Yang Xuan sat there, looking at the starry sky, thinking about his family.

What would Yang Ding think? He would probably be furious. What about the Wang family? They would surely curse him, calling him a short-lived son, a lowly dog...

Their three sons, the older two were about to get married and would likely live by farming; the youngest was mischievous and spoiled, and would probably be a trouble in the future.

But with that tiger, the county magistrate would agree to some of the Yang family’s requests, and their lives would be much better.

Shouldn’t I hate them? Why do I feel relieved?

Yang Xuan suddenly felt lost.

Yang Ding and his wife raised him for money. Five hundred coins a month, in Xiaohexi Village, was almost like being a wealthy person. Over the years, they had saved a lot of money, enough to last for many years.

Three months after Yang Lue disappeared, Yang Ding and his wife finally showed their true colors. From then on, he became a bitter flower in the fields, a bitter water in the pharmacy...

Hate them?

Yang Xuan thought about the five years of suffering, nodded, and then slightly shook his head.

He was not a pushover, but he could not forget the years of care, even if it was for money. The Yangs gave him a home during those years.

"Home." Yang Xuan rubbed his face with his hands, and when he lifted his head, his face was already wearing a sunny smile.

"Teenagers shouldn’t pretend to be profound!" The returning Huang Laoer laughed at the young man’s attempt to look cool and kicked him from behind. "Get ready to sleep."

Lying in the tent, it was pitch black, and he could not see the stars. Yang Xuan still felt uncomfortable. He preferred to sleep under the starry sky, on the ground, with the sounds of birds and beasts.

Huang Laoer lay down and said in a low voice, "In the future, when you sleep with others, be cautious. It’s just me, but if it were a thief, would you still be alive?"

"Yes." Yang Xuan responded and moved his bedding to the side.

A string was pulled next to him, one end tied to his finger. He was lying on his side, his right hand holding a short knife, ready to swing it if disturbed.

Yang Xuan lay down and closed his eyes contentedly.

In the mountains, he had camped outdoors countless times. The beasts that thought they had found food all became his prey.

After a while, Yang Xuan felt a tingling in the back of his head and his spine bristled.

In the darkness, he opened his eyes.

Huang Laoer’s light snoring was steady.

Yang Xuan listened carefully.

Snoring sounds came from all directions, some loud, some soft, some long, some short. The longest snore was intermittent, as if it would stop breathing at any moment.

Apart from that, the world was eerily quiet.

Yang Xuan retracted the string and gently patted Huang Laoer.

"Who?"

Huang Laoer jumped up, a knife in his hand.

In the darkness, his eyes were full of killing intent.

Yang Xuan lowered his voice. "It’s me."

"What’s the matter?" Huang Laoer stepped back, then laughed. Yang Xuan had saved the young lady, so he wouldn’t try to kill him, right?

Yang Xuan leaned against the tent, feeling the numbness at the back of his head and the cold on his spine. "I feel something is wrong."

"What’s wrong?" Huang Laoer listened carefully, puzzled. "There’s nothing unusual. Are you having a nightmare?"

Yang Xuan lifted the curtain slightly, and the cold wind blew in, making Huang Laoer shiver.

"I don’t have nightmares."

Yang Xuan lied. Since he was ten, he had occasional nightmares. In those nightmares, many people wanted to kill him, led by Yang Ding and the Wang family.

Huang Laoer put on his clothes and followed.

"Don’t move around." Huang Laoer warned. "There are guards at the entrance. If you go there without warning, you’ll be shot with arrows."

Yang Xuan squatted outside the tent, squinting at the front, and grabbed something with his right hand, bringing it to his nose to sniff.

Huang Laoer was puzzled. "What did you grab?"

Yang Xuan shook his head. "I caught an unsettling scent."

He hunched over and moved forward slowly.

"Be careful." Huang Laoer bent down and followed. "Don’t cause trouble."

Yang Xuan did not look back. "I don’t want to cause trouble. But the journey to Chang'an is long, and I don’t want to eat dry biscuits."

So he had to protect the client of this trip to have hot water, good food, and a warm tent.

Just for that?

Huang Laoer pursed his lips.

Yang Xuan seemed to know what he was thinking and added, "I won’t let you be ambushed and killed."

Huang Laoer found it absurd. "With dozens of guards, do you think you need to protect us?"

Yang Xuan nodded slightly, and Huang Laoer really wanted to slap him.

Yang Xuan suddenly stopped.

He looked ahead, under the starry sky, and the night wind made Huang Laoer feel cold. But watching the motionless young man, he held back his impatience and was about to speak when Yang Xuan slowly raised his hand...

Shut up!

Huang Laoer understood the gesture and gritted his teeth, ready to deal with the young man.

Yang Xuan felt as if a group of demons were crouching ahead, ready to pounce.

He took out his bow and arrow, and Huang Laoer tried to suppress a laugh, whispering, "Are you going to shoot the moon?"

Yang Xuan shook his head and said softly, "How many enemies does the Wang family have?"

He knew the Five Great Families were like deities, but he did not know how powerful they were.

Huang Laoer was taken aback. "What did you see?"

Yang Xuan knelt on one knee, tied a strip of cloth to the arrowhead, and the smell of oil spread.

"What are you doing?"

Huang Laoer’s face changed. "If you wake up the Second Master and the young lady, we’ll both be in trouble..."

Yang Xuan took out a flint, blew on it, and brought the cloth close.

Puff!

The cloth caught fire, and Yang Xuan stood up, slightly tilted his head, and aimed the bow.

Huang Laoer shouted in a low voice, "Stop!"

The camp was surrounded, but there was an opening. Behind the opening, five guards were crouching. They turned around in surprise.

The young man stood in front of the camp, the firelight illuminating his face.

Whoosh!

The arrow flew out of the camp.

As the arrow landed, everyone’s eyes followed it.

The arrow, with its fiery light, illuminated a dark figure.

The dark figure crouched there, looking up in surprise, clearly not expecting to be discovered.

Huang Laoer was shocked. He did not know how Yang Xuan knew someone was preparing to attack the camp, but he knew one thing... without Yang Xuan, they would have had a big problem tonight.

Behind the dark figure, a group of people stood up, their faces obscured.

Clang!

Clang...

The sound of swords being drawn was as dense as the hooves of cavalry charging into battle.

The dark figures lowered their heads, and their leader pointed his sword forward.

The guards did not have time to give Yang Xuan a grateful look and started shouting wildly, their voices piercing.

"Enemy attack..."

...

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