VGAB Chapter 14

Inside the cabin, Wei Chao had arranged a seating area. After Qi Heng and his companions took their seats, he clapped his hands, and a tremor of strings filled the air. Several dancers gracefully swayed their hips and entered from either side of the cabin, with the lead dancer cradling a pipa in her arms.

As the dancers moved, the bells on their ankles jingled melodiously. At the end of the cabin, someone began playing a bamboo flute, and the clear, melancholic notes blended with the plaintive strings, creating a captivating melody.

The dancers surrounded the red-clad dancer in the middle, who held the pipa. Qi Shao held his wine glass, and his gaze inadvertently fell on the face of the red-clad dancer. He was momentarily captivated.

“Do you like it, Brother Wang?” Wei Chao asked with a mischievous smile. “These dancers were hired recently. If you like them—”

Qi Shao’s heart wavered. This woman was exceptionally beautiful, even more so than any beauty he had seen before. He had encountered alluring beauties, but when he locked eyes with her, her melancholic and enigmatic gaze seemed to ensnare his own.

Although Qi Shao was tempted by Wei Chao’s proposal, before he could respond, he felt an abrupt chill enveloping him and saw a warning gaze that seemed to say “Don’t you dare.” Despite the canopy obscuring Qi Heng’s view, Qi Shao still sensed that the warning gaze came from Qi Heng.

“N-No, no!” Qi Shao’s body stiffened momentarily. His survival instinct prompted him to vigorously shake his head in refusal. Then he realized he had reacted too strongly and forced himself to regain composure.

“I appreciate Brother Wei’s intentions. But how could I compete for such exquisite beauties? I already have a virtuous wife at home – she is gentle, beautiful, and highly capable. With a loving wife by my side, my heart has no room for anything else,” Qi Shao paused for a moment and continued with a clear conscience.

Zheng Er cast a sidelong glance at Qi Shao. His expression was sincere as if he were truly a devoted man. However, everyone in the capital city knew that the Crown Prince’s residence had numerous beautiful women, even before the Crown Prince’s official consort had arrived, there was already a concubine. 

“Brother Wang actually has a wife? Then wouldn’t that mean…?” Wei Chao’s smile faltered slightly, and a hint of regret seemed to well up within him. Since Brother Wang had already married, as the elder brother, it was clear that the established customs would dictate the hierarchy. However, for someone as aloof and cold as Young Master Wang, what kind of woman had managed to capture his heart?

“Could it be that Brother Wei has not yet taken a wife?” Qi Shao asked in a seemingly surprised tone. Wei Chao blinked in mild astonishment and admitted somewhat embarrassedly, “Indeed, I have not taken a wife yet. My elders often pester me about it, so I decided to take a trip with my men.”

The reason behind Wei Chao’s lack of marriage prospects was his pursuit of perfection. He, with his icy demeanor, found people’s faces not perfect enough. When they were beautiful, he found their temperaments too mundane. When they were delicate and lovely, he thought they were too timid. No matter what kind of woman stood before him, Wei Chao could always find some flaw.

But in this world, no one was truly flawless, and as time passed, Wei Chao’s reputation grew. Even his own father had given up hope for his marriage prospects.

Unable to physically discipline or harshly scold his son, Wei Chao’s father had no choice but to let him be. After all, he was his own flesh and blood; he couldn’t just abandon him. He decided to let him do as he pleased.

“By the way, I heard that Brother Wang and your party came to Fufeng City to search for relatives. I wonder if there’s been any progress?” Wei Chao inquired further. “I have some acquaintances in this city, and I’d be willing to inquire on your behalf.”

Qi Shao thought to himself that this was just an excuse, but he replied, “Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Wei. We’ve been inquiring these past few days, but it seems that the person we’re looking for moved away many years ago.”

He gave a wistful smile and displayed his innate acting skills, wiping away imaginary tears. “My older brother and I are likely to be disappointed again. It’s just a pity that my mother… she’s probably going to be disappointed once more.”

Wei Chao hesitated. Although he suspected that this Brother Wang might be his uncle’s son, he lacked concrete evidence. If he were to ask his uncle about it, there was a chance his uncle wouldn’t even remember the woman from the Wang family.

With a sigh, Wei Chao shifted his gaze to the side.

“Why isn’t Brother Wang eating? Is the cuisine not to your liking?” Wei Chao suddenly remembered the purpose of the feast he had arranged and quickly asked.

He harbored some expectations. Since they were going to eat, surely the moment had come to remove the canopy that was obscuring Qi Heng’s identity.

Wei Chao didn’t have any ulterior motives; he was simply curious about what the person looked like, and whether they matched his imagination.

Qi Heng glanced at him indifferently, and as if to fulfill his wish, he raised his hand, ready to remove the canopy.

“Sir!” a guard hurriedly entered, walking straight to Wei Chao’s side. He lowered his head and whispered a few words into Wei Chao’s ear.

“There’s been a change in plans. Please return to the main camp to discuss the specific arrangements.”

The guard’s voice was extremely low, and although Qi Heng and his party were at some distance, and the music was serving as a cover, Qi Heng was already a cultivator, his senses far surpassing those of ordinary people. So, even though the two were talking quietly, it was as if they were speaking directly in his ear.

Qi Heng put down his hand, which had been about to lift the canopy, and stood up, calmly saying, “It seems that something has come up for Brother Wei suddenly. Besides, it’s getting late. It’s time for us to return to the inn.”

Wei Chao was quite disappointed, and he didn’t hide it at all. However, the important matter had to take precedence, so he didn’t try to keep them any longer. He could only apologize, saying, “I had hoped to enjoy the sunset with Young Master Wang and your party, but unfortunately, there’s an urgent matter at home, and someone came to find me. I can’t stay with you any longer.”

“We’ll make amends next time with fine wine and cuisine,” Wei Chao bowed, “I must take my leave now.”

He knew in his heart that there might not be a next time. Once the battle started, he would be tied up, and after the battle, he would have to return to the capital. It might be years before they could meet again, and he regretted that he hadn’t been able to see the true face of Young Master Wang as he had wished.

Wei Chao and his two guards disembarked from the pleasure boat and walked about fifty meters when they suddenly realized that something was amiss in the atmosphere.

It was too quiet, not a single passerby in sight.

Even the women who usually came to the riverbank to wash clothes were nowhere to be seen.

“Be cautious, young master,” when things appear unusual, there’s usually a reason. The two guards flanked Wei Chao, observing their surroundings.

A rush of air signaled the arrival of danger, and one of the guards instinctively raised his sword, intercepting an arrow that had been swiftly aimed at them.

But this was just the beginning. Out of the seemingly peaceful riverside, dozens of masked figures dressed in black suddenly emerged.

“There are assassins, protect the young master.”

A black-clad figure perched on a tree, wielding a bow and arrow, drew back his bowstring. The arrow he had previously shot had been merely a warning. His eyes were filled with determination as he focused on Wei Chao and his two guards.

“Attack, spare no effort to kill the Third Prince.”

Wei Chao was alarmed, “You know my identity. Who sent you?”

“The Third Prince is cornered like a trapped turtle now. You’re about to meet your end. What’s the use of asking so many questions?” The man with the bow and arrow had a hoarse voice that grated on the ears.

“We’ll do our utmost to protect His Highness,” one of the guards whispered, “Your Highness, stay behind us.”

“No,” Wei Chao raised his head to look at the black-clad figure in the tree, his tone mocking, “Even if I die, you should at least let me die with some clarity. After all, you don’t believe you can definitely kill this prince. Even if you tell me, what’s the use? A dead man can’t speak, can he?”

The black-clad man nodded, “You’re right.”

He pulled out an arrow from the side, and Wei Chao’s guards quickly pulled him aside. The arrow in the black-clad man’s hand was shot straight into the ground where Wei Chao had been standing, “But I just don’t want you to die with too much clarity.”

With his arrow as a signal, the other black-clad people no longer hesitated and rushed forward.

Even though Wei Chao’s two guards were skilled, they couldn’t handle four assailants at once. Both guards had been wounded in several places, and they had to split their attention between protecting Wei Chao and defending themselves. They were momentarily overwhelmed.

“Concentrate on yourselves, no need to divert your attention to me,” Wei Chao gritted his teeth, watching as one of the guards had a deep cut on his arm. He angrily pulled a short sword from his belt. Unfortunately, his martial arts were just for show, emphasizing the aesthetics of his moves rather than practicality.

Wei Chao struggled to fend off an attack with the soft sword, but the immense force made his arm numb, and he couldn’t even hold the soft sword steadily.

“Splurt.”

Time seemed to slow down as Wei Chao saw the satisfaction in the eyes of the black-clad figure and the pain and anger in the eyes of his two guards.

Drip, drip,

Wei Chao slowly lowered his head and saw a black arrow deeply embedded in his chest, with only the tip of its white feather visible on the outside.

It turned out that sometimes, good-looking things were just superficial.

All those flashy moves that looked handsome couldn’t protect him from his enemies.

Wei Chao tugged at the corner of his mouth, a wave of pain radiating from his chest. Unfortunately, he had learned this lesson too late.

The black-clad figure in the tree lowered his bow and sneered, “Hurry up, don’t keep our master waiting.”

“Your Highness.”

Wei Chao’s body trembled, and his chest was soaked in a large pool of black blood. “You don’t need to worry about me anymore. This arrow is poisoned. Even if the arrow is removed, I won’t survive…”

It seemed that the person behind this was determined to let him die in the city of Fufeng.

Due to excessive blood loss, Wei Chao’s body grew cold, and just before losing consciousness, he felt as if someone had caught him.

“How dare you! In broad daylight, under the clear sky, you dare to kill with your knives!”

The satisfaction in the eyes of the black-clad figure in the tree vanished as he looked critically at the three newcomers. “I advise you not to meddle in this affair and leave early.”

“Wang Gongzi!” Two guards blocked the attackers and were relieved to see the newcomer. They urgently said, “This place is dangerous. Could you please take our young master to the Lord’s Mansion? We will hold off these people.”

While speaking, one of the guards suffered another deep cut.

“You keep an eye on them.” Qi Heng gently laid Wei Chao on the ground. Qi Shao hid behind Zheng Er and nodded obediently. He held up two fingers. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave Zheng Er’s side for a step.”

Qi Heng extended his hand, and the discarded short sword on the ground flew straight into his palm. He infused it with internal energy, causing the sword to vibrate and emit a buzzing sound.

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