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After all, no one wanted to make things worse. After a reprimand, Fan Xian waved a hand and ordered his men to withdraw. The Imperial Guard set once again to clearing things up outside the courtyard gate. Commander Wei spat on the ground and thought about how ridiculous Chang Anhou’s men were. If they had only come for a duel, why did they allow this famous playboy to sneak attack Fan Xian? Things were no longer as they were in the days of Northern Wei’s unification; why did these envoys from Qing see fit to provoke things further?

At that moment, a strapping young fellow suddenly walked past. Seeing the chaotic scene, he could not help but frown. His feet kicked up dust from the ground as he threw himself into the fray, extending a fist to strike a blow and a leg to deliver a kick. Moving cleanly and efficiently, not sloppy in the least, within the blink of an eye he had thrown out half a dozen blows, striking at each of the Overwatch Council officials who had yet to stay their hands.

The man’s blows were simple, yet quick and powerful, catching the officials of the Overwatch Council on the back foot and forcing them to retreat. A number of those who had been ordered to step back by Commissioner Fan caught kicks to the leg and, in a flash, almost tumbled to the ground.

Fan Xian turned his head. Where had this fighting master come from? He could not tell his exact level of martial skill for the time being, but his natural strength and viciousness had forced his subordinates to step back.

After the man had helped Chang Anhou’s men out of their predicament, he stood tall on the spot, his eyes narrowed. He seemed confused that all of his previous vicious blows had not managed to knock any of his enemies out. He then saw that Fan Xian, standing on the stone steps, was their leader. He frowned. “You Qing diplomats are an impressive group. I didn’t think that I’d be met by sixth-level fighters!”

Fan Xian looked at him for a moment. “When one is sent to represent one’s country abroad, it is of chief importance to ensure that one does not diminish the nation’s prestige. Since you are clearly a military man, how can it be that you do not understand this principle?”

The man glanced at the people around him, who moaned in pain on the floor. He frowned. “But these are mere flunkies. As rude as you are, don’t tell me that you rely on these weaklings for power?”

Fan Xian narrowed his eyes. “So as you see it, I should turn the other cheek?”

The man was alarmed. It wasn’t clear what he was thinking. His face darkened. Commander Wei had realized who the young man was, and his face was reverent as he saluted him. “General Tan, what are you doing here?”

The army man, surnamed Tan, did not immediately recognize the commander of the Imperial Guard. “I am Wei Wuji, sir,” said Commander Wei hurriedly.

At first, General Tan Wu had been a capable subordinate of the northern general Shang Shanhu. He had fought against the barbarians in the frozen north, and last year he had followed Shang Shanhu when he was recalled to the capital. Unexpectedly, he found himself with nothing to do and no duties, except for occasionally having to turn up for morning roll call at the Ministry of War. Although Shang Shanhu, his army colleague in the capital, had always been considered heroic and brave and had always been respected, he felt somewhat upset. Today, he had been out walking, and had not expected to bump into this chaotic scene involving the diplomatic mission from the south.

Tan Wu looked at Commander Wei and felt he had no choice but to say something. “How can you let these southerners run amuck in Shangjing?”

Wei Wuji forced a smile. “By order of the palace, we must ensure their safety. I dare not neglect matters of state.”

Tan Wu thought of Qi’s successive defeats over many years. He and Shang Shanhu had never had the chance to wage war in the south, and he could not help but feel gloomy. He looked again at the injured officials and felt contempt and anger. He suddenly raised his head and cupped his hands in salute to Fan Xian, who stood on the stone steps. “Sir, may I ask if you are Master Fan Xian, head diplomat of this mission?”

Fan Xian cupped his hands in return. “That is correct.”

Tan Wu looked to be in awe. “I am Tan Wu of Northern Qi,” he said in a stern voice, “and I humbly beg your guidance, Master Fan.” Having said this, he gently placed the blade that he wore on his waist upon the floor.

Fan Xian shook his head. He knew that his opponent did not claim an official position, and this was about to be done according to folk dueling customs. “Master Tan,” he said calmly, “before you came along, I have already received two sacks’ worth of daggers. Even if I wanted to duel, you would likely have to wait for a number of days.”

Tan Wu frowned. “There is no time like the present, as they say. Master Fan, I ask that you bestow me your guidance.”

Fan Xian shook his head again.

“I know that you are not merely an exceptional poet, Master Fan,” said Tan Wu angrily. “You are also highly skilled in martial arts. Last year you singlehandedly fought and killed Cheng Jushu, a fighting master of Northern Qi. Could it be that you hold me in contempt?”

Fan Xian looked at him, knowing that this soldier was unyielding. He laughed. “Although I am head of this diplomatic mission, and it appears that we are causing trouble, I have always respected men on the battlefield. I know that you have spent all year fighting back barbarians in the snowy north. Is it too late to offer you my respects? Why must we insist on declaring a winner with our fists?”

Tan Wu was a straightforward sort of fellow. Hearing Fan Xian’s calm words, his face softened slightly, but his temper remained. He cupped his hands in mid-air.

Fan Xian sighed and shook his head. “Take care not to overdo it,” he said to Gao Da, who stood behind him.

Gao Da slowly withdrew the blade from his back and lay it on the ground, stepping off the stone steps and steadily extending his right hand to this valiant young man in a gesture of invitation.

Tan Wu narrowed his eyes. He could sense a slight air of danger from this bodyguard. He knew that his opponent was an expert, and the southern diplomatic mission sending him out to compete with him was no dishonor upon him. He spat on the ground, placed his palms together, and advanced toward Gao Da to attack.

They set to each other, with loud groans, their strengths pitted against one another, kicking up dust from the ground. After the dust had settled, Gao Da had caught a blow to the right side of his chest, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, and Gao Da’s cold, heavy right hand was wrapped around Tan Wu’s throat! The calluses on his hand, formed by years of daily sword practice, scraped against the skin on Tan Wu’s neck. This Northern Qi military officer had never once known fear. Now, he trembled.

Gao Da slowly stepped back, releasing his right hand.

Tan Wu looked at this master, his name unknown to him, and felt a sense of shock. The diplomatic mission had casually sent out this fellow who had given him no chance to hit back! In the blink of an eye, as he had chopped at his opponent’s chest, he had not seen the man’s hand reach out toward him. He knew that if Gao Da had not shown lenience, his throat would have been crushed long ago!

Tan Wu also knew full well that if this were a fight to the death, this man, a clear master of the blade, would not allow him the opportunity to even get close to him with his sword. He bowed deeply toward Gao Da, and saluted Fan Xian once more. After admitting defeat, he departed, not looking back.

Although it had only been one move, it had shaken him to the core.

The carriage went along the streets of Shangjing toward the Ministry of Rites, protected on all sides by stern-faced Imperial Guardsmen who refused to give anyone a chance to get anywhere near the Qing diplomatic mission. Fan Xian sat in the carriage, his eyes lightly closed. “Why did you take that blow just now?”

Gao Da cleared his throat. “My opponent was a military man, so I wanted to be direct, and I did not want to reveal my own strength too much.” He looked at Fan Xian and lowered his head. “And it seemed that you wanted to make friends with him, sir, so I thought I should go easy on him.”

Although the Tiger Guards were the Qing Emperor’s secret bodyguard force, they had after all been personally chosen by Count Sinan, so Fan Xian saw the seven Tiger Guards who had accompanied him on his journey north much like he had seen Teng Zijing. He fixed Gao Da with a look that was amiable yet strict. “I don’t know a thing about Tan Wu. Why in the hell would I want to make friends with him? There are plenty of powerful fighters in this world. Tan Wu might be brave, but there’s nothing else interesting about him. Even if he is a skilled fighter, why does that mean I have to make friends with him? Am I meant to work myself to death? Are you going to let me eat? Are you going to let me have any fun at all?”

Gao Da was stunned. Was making friends with capable people not the favored pastime of every son of a noble family? What had he done wrong? If there was a problem, what did it have to do with eating and amusement?

Fan Xian fished around inside his breast pocket and finally pulled out a pill which he handed to Gao Da and asked him to take.

Sitting next to them, Wang Qinian poked fun. “Is that orange peel too?”

“It’s for your injuries,” said Fan Xian grumpily.

Gao Da took it, but still didn’t understand. “I thought you told me to go easy?”

“Which finger did you touch Tan Wu with?” he scolded him.

Gao Da was silent.

“I’m not sure whose idea it was to send Chang Anhou’s son to cause trouble.” Wang Qinian was still thinking about the previous events. “Logically, since the Emperor of Northern Qi wants to fulfill the obligations of the agreement and admires Commissioner Fan, ordering the Imperial Guard to ensure our safety, then that should be enough to show a clear signal to everyone in Shangjing. To still have people come and make trouble is rather odd.”

“Do not forget that the agreement between the two countries seems to have been leaked.” Fan Xian lightly tapped the window frame of the carriage. The Northern Qi soldiers were outside, so the three of them kept their voices low. “It appears that things in Northern Qi are even more tangled than they are for us in the south. The young Emperor, it would seem, does not have a firm enough grip on his power.”

“As long as it doesn’t affect our business, then it’s fine.”

He had been quite busy today, entering the palace early in the morning, then chatting with the young Emperor, walking along with Haitang, and getting caught up in the chaos outside the diplomatic mission’s lodgings. His first day in Northern Qi had been awfully busy, and he hadn’t had a chance to eat, his stomach filled only with the tea he had drunk with the Emperor.

His stomach began to rumble. Fan Xian laughed at himself. Life was tiring him out. The reason he had tired himself out today was because he had settled on a plan – he would quickly get Yan Bingyun out of Northern Qi’s strict, ice-cold prison. Otherwise, if he were seen to be eating and drinking well, he feared that he would not be able to enjoy it.