Chapter Fifty-Nine: Kill!

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Kill!

After most of the performance had passed, Kang Xian finally descended from the main building ship, made his way back to his own vessel, exchanged greetings with some people on the first floor, then ascended to the upper level. He chatted briefly with the younger generation he encountered, and when he glanced toward one side of the pleasure boat, he noticed something peculiar.

There were two pairs of people sitting by the windows, watching the show while playing chess.

“How odd, isn’t it? Every time I see you, the most leisurely one is always you, this young man. It’s infuriating. The ladies below are performing so diligently, yet here you are, splitting your attention between the show and the game. Aren’t you afraid someone will see and curse you for wasting such a fine seat?” Kang Xian never missed an opportunity to tease Ning Yi whenever they met, but upon seeing the chessboard, he grew puzzled. “Hm, this game looks strange…”

He turned to look at the chessboard in front of the siblings by the other window. The sister’s brow was furrowed in annoyance, calculating her next move with a chess piece in hand, while the brother seemed exhilarated. “Sister, if you don’t block here, you’re going to lose.”

Kang Xian had never seen such a situation before. After Ning Yi explained the rules of Five-in-a-Row with a smile, Kang Xian understood. “You always find such games to play.” He walked over to observe the other pair; the sister had already lost, and when Kang Xian approached, one called him, “Grand-uncle,” and the other, “Prince Consort Grand-uncle.” Kang Xian laughed and introduced them.

“So, you all know each other now. This is the Ning Yi you’ve often asked about, Ning Liheng… Liheng, these two are younger members of the family, the sister Xiaopei, the brother Junwu, thirteen and eleven years old, respectively. Xiaopei is a renowned talent in the family and has long been eager to challenge you.”

Kang Xian introduced them cheerfully; the two children’s faces darkened, especially the sister, who turned away in displeasure. The brother complained, “Grand-uncle, he told me earlier that he wasn’t Ning Liheng.”

Kang Xian was momentarily surprised, but after hearing the story, he smiled. “You always want to test people the moment you meet them; naturally, it doesn’t go well. Remember that lesson in the future… Liheng too, always playing leader to the children, thinking up ways to amuse them… Xiaopei, Junwu, do you have any questions for him now? I guarantee he’ll answer.”

The sister, Xiaopei, turned away. “If he fears being tested, it’s because he lacks true knowledge and feels guilty. I’ve already reached my conclusion, so there’s no need to ask.” With that, she walked off to collect the chess pieces. Junwu smiled, “Then I won’t ask either. I’ll play chess with my sister.” Whenever they played Go, he could never beat his sister, but after learning Five-in-a-Row, he had won several rounds and was quite pleased. His dislike for Ning Yi faded, while Xiaopei’s displeasure toward Ning Yi likely stemmed partly from the Five-in-a-Row defeats, but she was persistent and continued playing, determined to master the game and reclaim her honor.

With others coming over to talk, Xiaochan had already risen from her seat. Kang Xian sat down on the chair, glanced at the chessboard, and casually played a piece. “It’s amusing, really. Xiaochan calls you ‘Grand-uncle,’ they call me ‘Prince Consort Grand-uncle.’ I used to be called ‘Prince Consort,’ now it’s ‘Prince Consort Grand-uncle.’ Just adding a word extends the generation…”

He then remembered to lower his voice and signaled to the two children. “These are the children of Prince Kang Zhou Yong’s household, and they’ve always spoken highly of you, eager to meet you. Pei’er is indeed a talented girl of the Zhou family—versed in poetry, literature, and various arts, excelling at anything she learns. Her greatest strength is mathematics; last year, when the family was balancing accounts, she took the ledger and, without an abacus, calculated all the numbers perfectly. Her brother Junwu is slightly less gifted; with such an accomplished sister, he’s often at her beck and call. Quite amusing…”

Ning Yi looked back. The girl, Zhou Pei, was frowning intently at the chessboard, and she shot Ning Yi a glare. Ning Yi chuckled. “It seems he’s found the only game where he can outdo his sister.”

The performance below continued. Kang Xian, of course, couldn’t stay with the younger ones for long; after playing half a game and grasping the concept of Five-in-a-Row, he departed. Ning Yi and Xiaochan watched the show, while the siblings continued their chess game. Zhou Pei was peculiar; though she kept losing, she didn’t switch to Go or give up but persisted, and soon managed to turn the tide somewhat.

The evening’s performance came to a successful close, followed by the grand announcement of the four leading courtesans: Feng Xiaojing, the previous year’s queen, Qilan backed by the Puyang family, Yuan Jin’er of Golden Wind Pavilion, and the newcomer Luo Miaomiao. Lu Caicai, one of last year’s top four, failed to make the cut.

Ning Yi had come just for the show; these rankings were of no concern to him. All in all, the performance was enjoyable, and the night proceeded smoothly. As the crowd began to disperse, some lingered for socializing and networking, but most headed for the exit. Ning Yi and Xiaochan disembarked, and there was a hint of chaos at the gate. Hearing others talk, it seemed a group supporting Lu Caicai was unhappy with the results and got into a quarrel, leading to a small scuffle.

Such occurrences were hardly rare—almost every year brought similar disputes. The soldiers maintaining order had already rushed over, and the situation would likely be resolved soon. On the main building ship, many officials and dignitaries were conversing; for many, the night’s revelry wasn’t yet over, as banquets awaited. Kang Xian was saying goodbyes, and when Ning Yi and Xiaochan approached, he smiled and suggested they needn’t hurry off. “My ship is heading back, so we can leave together. You two didn’t bring a carriage, and walking home might be tiring.”

Groups gathered and dispersed across the grounds, lanterns stretching along the road toward Jiangning city. As the crowd thinned, another unexpected event unfolded before Ning Yi’s eyes. Perhaps because of the heat, someone had knocked over a candle in a large tent behind the stage, igniting a fire that spread across the riverbank, consuming the tent and surrounding items.

People from the brothels rushed out; luckily, there weren’t many left in the area—mostly those still socializing, officials, dignitaries, their entourages, soldiers, and a few lingering spectators—so there was no risk of a stampede. Someone called out, “Quick, put out the fire…” Many hurried over. Ning Yi thought of Nie Yunzhu and asked Xiaochan to wait while he went to check. Along the way, he met Nie Yunzhu coming his way. As for Yuan Jin’er, she was celebrating her new title, surrounded by a crowd, but she was unharmed.

“That’s the main tent of Fragrant Courtyard, quite far from us. The news of the fire startled us, but no one was harmed; everyone got out. The tent is so large, though, that putting out the fire won’t be easy…”

From a distance, the blaze by the riverbank looked fierce, mainly because of the tent’s size and the abundance of items nearby. But its reach wouldn’t extend far; it was just a spectacle of people bravely fighting the fire. Ning Yi returned to the hillside, found Xiaochan, and leisurely watched the commotion. Tonight, everything seemed normal—the fire would cause no real harm—and they just had to wait to go home.

Standing there, he almost yawned. A cool breeze swept by, and a sudden thought flashed through his mind, making him freeze for a moment.

He looked toward the fire below, then at the crowd, searching for a target as clues came together in his mind. Yes… when the fire broke out, Commander Chen Yong of the Martial Fierce Army shouted, “Go put out the fire…” He called not just the soldiers maintaining order, but also some of his own guards, who were now active around the fire…

He called them over because the crowd was leaving, and with that earlier scuffle, the official arrangements couldn’t keep up; there weren’t many soldiers left here…

“That’s the main tent of Fragrant Courtyard…” Yunzhu had said. Fragrant Courtyard—earlier, that same Chen Yong from the Martial Fierce Army supported the top courtesan from Fragrant Courtyard, who was now standing at Chen Yong’s side… which was why he sent his guards over…

Song Xian was nowhere to be found—likely had something to attend to and left when the crowd dispersed. Then the fire broke out, Chen Yong dispatched his guards to help, Song Xian left some of his own guards, but was already gone…

The wind swept across, fanning the flames on the riverbank higher. Ning Yi’s face flickered in the firelight. Last night, amidst the crowd, he had considered many plans—if he wanted to kill Song Xian, how would he do it? But the layout last night was different, and tonight he hadn’t thought about it. Now, however, if he wanted to kill Song Xian, if these two accidents weren’t mere coincidences…

He pulled Xiaochan’s hand and walked toward Kang Xian nearby. Xiaochan’s face flushed bright red. “G-g-g-g-g-grand-uncle…”

“Kang Lao, do you have a carriage prepared here?”

“Liheng, is something wrong?”

“Something urgent just occurred to me. I’ll need to take Xiaochan home first.”

Kang Xian didn’t ask further, nodded, “I’ll have A Gui take you there.”

Soon after, a carriage bearing the insignia of the Prince Consort’s residence left the venue and turned onto the main road. Though crowds returning to Jiangning lined both sides, the central lane was kept clear, allowing the carriage to travel at a moderate speed. Ning Yi occasionally flicked the whip, eyes fixed on the city ahead. The dispersing crowd was already approaching the city gates…

Two carriages marked with the Martial Fierce Army insignia entered Jiangning, weaving through the city.

The competition at Egret Isle had ended not long before, and most people had yet to return to Jiangning. It was late; those who stayed in the city had mostly gone to bed. The two carriages sped through streets bright and dark, heading toward the city’s far gate. The sounds of wheels and hooves echoed, leaving the shifting streets behind. About halfway, they reached a relatively open but quiet road, flanked by shuttered shops, racks, trash, and signs. Some rooms glowed with lamplight, and a few lanterns hung dimly at the corners. The moment the whip cracked, the driver of the front carriage shouted, “Who’s there?”

The answer came instantly, like two beams of light colliding, ripping each other apart at the moment of contact—

Destruction, shattering, disintegration, blood flooding the night—

Another sleepless night. Please vote for the monthly ticket—ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah—