NEW MENACE

"We don't want to argue. What we want is... your death!"

Xu Gechang smiled sarcastically. "Zhou Wang, your father has brutally killed those who were loyal to him during his reign. My father was brutally murdered just because he got caught in a bribery case. Yet he never corrupted instead, he worked sincerely and devoted himself to Ming, but Jinyiwei caught him and cruelly killed him!"

Wei Han continued. "The same with my brother and father. Only because of being Hu Weiyong's * subordinates they were immediately suspected of helping him, and the Emperor soon executed them!"

"My father too! Just because he wrote inadvertently the word "bald", then your father, who felt insulted since he was a monk in the past, sentenced him to severe punishment!" Ma Ya shouted.

Zhu Su looked at all of them. "So you want to take revenge because of my father, and vent it to me because I'm his son?"

"Absolutely!" Xu Gechang raised his sword high, then ran quickly towards Zhu Su.

"Don't you dare be disrespectful to His Highness!"

The junior soldier escorting Zhu Su rushed forward, put himself as a shield to protect his lord. He brandished his sword, ready to fight against the four of them.

"Huh, little boy, how dare you challenge me!" Xu Gechang threw a punch. It went straight to the soldier's stomach. Screaming loudly, he immediately fell onto the ground.

"I have known that you are no match for me only in a glance!" Xu Gechang grinned.

Zhu Su pressed his lip, automatically froze in worry. His martial arts skill was below average, on the other hand, he could feel that these four members of Bai Lian Jiao were not just anyone. He began to regret his decision by opposing Zhu Youdun and A Nuo's advice, now his life was at stake. Letting out a sigh, he looked at the young soldier, who totally could not move and just clutched his painful stomach.

Xu Gechang fiddled with his sword before Zhu Su's eyes. "Well, Zhou Wang? You don't want to fight us and are willing to give up your life just like that?" He smiled mockingly.

"Ah... or perhaps, His Highness Zhou Wang can't do martial arts?!" Wei Han laughed in disdain.

"Ha! You're right, Wei Han! His Highness can't do martial arts! Haha! Very good, this makes my job easier!" Xu Gechang brandished his sword, screaming in joy. "Die you!"

"Stop that!!!"

Standing in front of Zhu Su, Hu Nayin spread out both her arms. Trembling, she said. "If you want to kill His Highness... then kill me first!"

"Nayin!" Zhu Su shouted worryingly.

"Ma'am Nayin?!" Bao Mei was startled. "Why do you protect him?!"

"That's right, Ma'am Hu. Don't protect him! He's been mean to you, he doesn't love you... He doesn't deserve to be protected!" Ma Ya also shouted.

"You are wrong. This is all enough for me. His Highness is a Fan Wang, an elite royal family member, everyone should worship him and he can do whatever he wants... but, he has been so kind, going here just to meet with me and willing to forgive me, something that prideful rulers would never do... So... why doesn't he deserve to be protected? Hence, to repay his great kindness, I have to do everything for him, even including giving my life!"

A strong wind blew Hu Nayin's hair and made it messed up, but her eyes emitted an unshakable determination. Zhu Su looked at Hu Nayin, touched, "Nayin..."

Xu Gechang laughed. "Zhou Wang! How embarrassing you are, must rely on women to protect you?!"

Zhu Su gritted his teeth. He tried to push Hu Nayin away. "Move aside, Nayin... Let me face his challenge..."

Hu Nayin did not move. "They won't kill me. So, let me protect you."

"Nayin!..."

Xu Gechang slammed his sword into the grass furiously. Hu Nayin was right. They would not have the heart to kill Hu Nayin because they considered her as a companion in arms. Hu Nayin's attitude really made him trap in deadlock, confined in hatred without being able to vent it. On the other hand, Bao Mei looked at Zhu Su sharply, trying to survey him.

"Humph! Zhou Wang, I'm curious, what kind of person you are actually, hence you can get such sincere love from a woman?"

Yes, as woman, she could not help but be bothered with her action. Hu Nayin got light trauma just because she was separated from Zhu Su, and now, she was even willing to sacrifice her life for that man. From her perspective, Hu Nayin had become too stupid just because of love, and she really disliked it. Because she herself was unwilling to love a man with all her heart even to that point she became stupid.

"Well, I think it's an unfair assault if the four of us keep fighting against Zhou Wang. I change my mind, I don't want to attack him."

"Bao Mei! Why?!?"

"Instead, let's replace the duel with another test. Zhou Wang, I heard that you are an intelligent person. Knowledgeable in every field and even has created incredible works. So! Let us test your intelligence! If you succeed, we let you go!"

Bao Mei glanced at Xu Gechang. "We are knights. Although we manage to kill Zhou Wang it won't give us contentment because we can do it easily. So let us give him such the opportunity, then our dignities won't be tainted, right?"

Xu Gechang thought for a while. "If we win, we can kill him?"

"Of course!" Bao Mei stared back at Zhu Su. "Are you ready, Zhou Wang?"

...

* Hu Weiyong = In the Hongwu Emperor's elimination of the traditional offices of grand councilor, the primary impetus was Hu Weiyong's alleged attempt to usurp the throne. Hu was the Senior Grand Councilor and a capable administrator; however, over the years, the magnitude of his powers as well as involvement in several political scandals eroded the paranoid emperor's trust in him. Finally, in 1380, the Hongwu Emperor had Hu and his entire family arrested and executed on charges of treason. Using this as an opportunity to purge his government, the Hongwu Emperor also ordered the execution of countless other officials, as well as their families, for associating with Hu. The purge lasted over a decade and resulted in more than 30,000 executions. (Wikipedia)