What did the mysterious and powerful Prince Zhong, Yang Qi, do to Fang Jie while he was in Fan Gu?
It's likely that no one except Yang Qi himself knows. Including Fang Jie, no one else knows. This might seem unfair to Fang Jie, but it's also his good fortune. He had many opportunities and benefits because of Yang Qi. The reason he's still alive is because some people say he's Yang Qi's successor.
Fang Jie has already been marked by this person. Perhaps for a long time to come, those in the know will mention Fang Jie with the phrase… "the successor of Prince Zhong?"
Fang Jie secretly passed on the message in the stone chamber. What he didn't know was that if Luo Weiran hadn't helped him divert another spy, his seemingly secretive act wouldn't have escaped the notice of the Imperial Guards. Fang Jie underestimated the professionalism of the Imperial Guards. He had already placed great importance on them, but little did he know that what he saw was only the tip of the iceberg.
As the most terrifying judicial and intelligence agency in the Sui Dynasty, the Imperial Guard held an extremely superior position. In terms of interrogation and arrest, their power surpassed that of the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review. In terms of intelligence, even the Sui military relied heavily on their support.
It would be no exaggeration to say that Luo Weiran and Hou Wenji were the two people in Chang'an who knew the most secrets.
It was precisely because of the ambiguous relationship between Fang Jie and Prince Yang Qi—seemingly a simple encounter with only one meeting—that no one knew what actually happened that day. Even Su Tu Gou and the proprietress, who were present at the time, didn't know what methods Yang Qi, whom they respectfully addressed as "Master," had used on Fang Jie. No one knew what Yang Qi had discovered about Fang Jie.
Xiang Qingniu sat somewhat dumbfounded in front of Luo Weiran, listening to Luo Weiran recount the past of his second senior brother, Xiang Qingzheng, which he knew nothing about.
No, it should be said that it was the past of Prince Yang Qi of the Sui Dynasty.
He remembered asking his second senior brother why his name was Qingzheng. The second senior brother smiled and said that while one is young, it's always best not to back down while there's still a chance to compete. His explanation was simple, but Xiang Qingniu felt he didn't quite understand. In his eyes, the second senior brother was always so unfathomable; simple words spoken by him might not be simple at all.
He had immense respect for the second senior brother, regarding him as an idol.
Therefore, he was willing to follow Xiang Qing in vying for the surname Xiang, and even insist on having his name listed first. Although Master Xiao often teased him about the name "Qingniu," he still felt it carried a certain air of authority.
He thought he understood the second senior brother, his thoughts, and his personality.
But today, he suddenly realized that he knew nothing about the second senior brother. He never imagined that the second senior brother would actually be the renowned Prince Zhongqin of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Qi. Everyone in the Sui Dynasty knew of the Prince Zhongqin; the people praised his wisdom and loyalty. But it was impossible to connect him with a martial arts master with extraordinary cultivation; these were two identities that were difficult to reconcile.
"Why did you hide your identity, second senior brother?"
Xiang Qingniu asked. Luo Weiran shook his head and said, "What happened back then is impossible to verify. Perhaps His Majesty knows, but he certainly won't mention it. I've told you all this simply to make you understand one thing… because Fang Jie and Second Senior Brother have an unclear relationship, he'll be safe for now."
He looked at Xiang Qingniu earnestly and said, "But if you listen to Fang Jie now and secretly take Da Quan and the others out of Chang'an, you'll only be harming him. Not only will you harm him, but you'll also endanger many others. Even if you could take them away, have you considered how many people would die? Those Fei Yu Pao guards outside the Sanjin Marquis's residence will be implicated—that's dozens of lives!"
"And what about the people inside the Sanjin Marquis's residence? If Fang Jie's friends escape, will they have a good ending?"
Luo Weiran said, "You still have the same personality you had when you were young, always willing to do anything for your friends. But you always think so superficially, without considering other things. That's why I came..." "Let me remind you, I'm keeping an eye on this matter. You don't need to rush into anything... I have no personal relationship with Fang Jie, but he has connections with Second Senior Brother. Just based on that, do you think I would stand idly by?"
Xiang Qingniu remained silent for a long time, then nodded and said, "This time I trust you."
"Things will take a turn for the better."
Luo Weiran said, "I'm in charge of the Imperial Guards. My words on Fang Jie's behalf are far more effective than your help in taking his friend away... And as you know, there's also the Intelligence Bureau and Hou Wenji within the Imperial Guards. Therefore, many things aren't within my control. For example, I know you're planning to leave Chang'an with your men tomorrow morning, and Hou Wenji might know that too. If he blocks you, what do you think the consequences will be?"
He stood up, patted Xiang Qingniu's shoulder, and said, "I've already arranged for someone to inform Da Quan and the others that they won't be coming out of the Sanjin Marquis's residence tonight."
"Why would they listen to you?"
Xiang Qingniu asked. Luo Weiran smiled and said, "Because their feelings for Fang Jie are much deeper than their feelings for you. I only need to tell them eight words: if you escape, Fang Jie will die. They will never take the risk."
Xiang Qingniu nodded and sighed, "When it comes to shamelessness, those wearing official robes are indeed more adept."
Luo Weiran rolled her eyes at him and walked towards the door.
"You don't need to get involved in this matter anymore. You can't, and you can't control it. Also, I have some good news for you… Today His Majesty met someone from Fangu at Changchun Garden. I secretly reminded her beforehand to try and portray Fang Jie and Second Senior Brother as close as possible, confirming that Fang Jie is indeed Second Senior Brother's successor. That way, His Majesty will surely have some reservations."
Luo Weiran smiled and said, "She did a good job, at least better than you."
Xiang Qingniu nodded, still a little confused: "Third Senior Brother, why do you seem much more agreeable today?"
"Because you used to be blind."
Luo Weiran chuckled and walked out of the room.
"On behalf of my ancestors, I thank you for not calling me an idiot!"
Xiang Qingniu muttered, his mind a complete mess.
…
…
At the foot of the north side of Half-Moon Mountain.
Fang Henshui, carrying the old monk Zhihui, found a secluded spot to hide beneath the roots of a towering ancient tree. It was virtually unnoticed unless one looked closely; hidden beneath the dense undergrowth was a sizable hollow. However, Fang Henshui wasn't worried about any wild animals lurking in the hollow, as there were no animals on Half-Moon Mountain.
The old monk remained as arrogant as ever. Even without the young monk by his side, he refused to walk, insisting that Fang Henshui carry him. As Fang Henshui descended the mountain, carrying only a day's worth of rations in one hand and supporting the old monk's backside with the other, he nearly collapsed several times. But he gritted his teeth and persevered. Now, even he himself didn't know what he had become.
He crawled into the tree hollow, took off his dirty shirt and spread it on the ground for the old monk to sit down. He then respectfully said to the old monk, "Please rest here for a while; I'll go out and get some water."
"Wait."
Ever since the old monk had publicly berated Dean Zhou and Master Xiao on the day they escaped, he hadn't spoken to him. So, Fang Henshui was somewhat surprised when the old monk stopped him.
"What are your orders?"
"We've reached the foot of the mountain..."
The old monk was silent for a moment before continuing, "We can't rush off. Once we're down the mountain, it's flat and open; those Sui people can easily find us. To be honest, I'm injured and need to rest and recover. It will take at least three to five days to fully heal. If I continue with these injuries, I might not be able to withstand the Sui people's attack."
Fang Henshui hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll go out and find more water and food. If I can't find any... "Just cut off my flesh. We're already at the foot of the mountain; if we keep going, we should find some farmhouses, and food shouldn't be hard to find."
"No!"
The old monk Zhihui shook his head. "If you go to farmhouses to beg for food, it won't be long before the Imperial Guards find you. I faintly heard dogs barking earlier; those Sui people must have used mastiffs to search for us. Don't go looking for food now. Do you remember the large patch of yellow wildflowers you saw on the way down the mountain? The fragrance was very strong."
"I remember."
Fang Henshui nodded. "Go and collect some pollen. Remember not to damage the flowers, just the pollen. Be gentle. Sprinkle it along the path we'll take down the mountain. The flower is called 'Fragrant Beauty,' a good material for making perfume. It can mask other scents, though it won't hide them for long, maybe a day or two. Remember, don't just sprinkle it along the path we'll take down the mountain, sprinkle some in other places too."
"I understand."
Fang Henshui replied, subconsciously glancing at the old monk.
"I know what you're thinking."
The old monk said calmly, "Are you thinking that I'm too injured to do anything to you? You can try, see if you can escape. Think again, because you've killed several students from the Martial Arts Academy, does the Great Sui still tolerate you?"
Fang Henshui's heart tightened, and he quickly shook his head. He carefully climbed out of the tree hollow, looked around to make sure no one was there, and followed the path down the mountain back to the patch of blooming Fragrant Beauty flowers. Squatting by the flowerbed, Fang Henshui hesitated for a long time, wondering whether he should just run away like this. But the thought of the old monk's earlier words sent a chill down his spine. Ultimately, he obediently followed the old monk's instructions, then fetched some water and returned to the tree hollow.
By the time he returned, it was already dark.
"I will not make you cut flesh again."
Back in the tree hollow, the old monk, with his eyes closed, said to him, "I will now teach you the art of tortoise breathing. After you learn it, you can go three to five days, even seven or eight days without eating. Remember, this is a secret technique of my Buddhist sect. By learning the art of tortoise breathing, you will be considered a member of my Buddhist sect."
"Greetings, Master."
Fang Henshui shuddered, then, quite sensibly, knelt down and kowtowed three times.
"Enough..."
The old monk Zhihui waved his hand and said, "With your talent, you were not originally qualified to enter my Buddhist sect, let alone become my disciple. But times have changed, and I will no longer insist. Since you have kowtowed three times, I will accept you as my disciple. My Buddhist sect takes promoting good as its mission; you must remember this."
When Fang Henshui heard these words, his stomach churned. But he dared not show it, and respectfully bowed his head in response.
"As for your Dharma name..."
The old monk said, "The one who died at the hands of the Sui people was your senior brother, whose Dharma name was Chenya. He was a person of great wisdom, but unfortunately, his luck was bad. In the end, he still failed to reach the other shore, remaining so close to perfection. Your Dharma name will be Chenxiao. So don't worry about dust anymore. Even if you are covered in filth and your mind is full of impurities, as long as you understand that you are a member of the Buddhist sect, that's enough. Your talent is too poor, and I don't have any hope for you."
"After we return to the Great Snow Mountain, I will have someone record your Dharma name. You will then be a third-generation disciple of my Buddhist sect... In the Western Paradise, your status will be even more noble than that of ordinary kings and ministers. When you walk in the world, countless people will grovel to welcome you."
"Thank you, Master!"
Fang Henshui kowtowed again, letting out a long sigh of relief: At least he wouldn't die.