A Visit in the Night 1

It took Du Chenyong more than an hour to settle everyone back down, to order the waiters back to the tavern and to chase what onlookers that had sneaked into the Arena away. While he was busy with that, Qin Feng was surrounded by the Three Sworn Brothers, who were busy consoling him for having fallen into Xu Yanzhi's trap.

"I think she had just come up with that ... ploy when she decided that she couldn't win earlier, which is why it seems so ... unpolished. But it was the only way that she could get away without any lasting harm to both you and her Sect's reputation. Physical harm to you, I mean. Although I am not sure that she is aware of just she had done, by making you a Public Enemy to all of those young impressionable fellows on both sides."

The one telling him that was Lin Liushui, who was still fanning himself in that bothersome, elegant manner that irritated the hell out of Qin Feng. At his side, Du Yan was still trying to control his amusement, that was threatening to express itself as laughter, once again. His eyes were like inverted crescents, that could not see anything, other than the joke.

The Second Ducal Prince almost kicked him then, but knew that it would not be enough to wake his Brother Yan from that state. After all, hadn't this been the reason why he had left Yanyun City in the first place? So that he could openly save Yuan Qianlei, and openly claim her as his bride? Who could avoid being so happy, now that he had succeeded?

So it was no surprised that he rushed off at once, to meet with his mother, to give her the good news. Something that had left all of his companions laughing.

All of them, save Qin Feng. The youngest of them was obviously still affected by the anger that he had generated in the crowd, during his fight with the girl from the Snow Swallow Palace. And quickly claimed that he had to deal with his injuries, ducking back into his room. But whether it was to avoid the angry gazes of the rest of the men at the tavern, or to cool himself down, Li Changhai didn't really know.

And even Lin Liushui sighed as he turned his head back to stare in the direction of the room, as the young man shut the door behind him. Shutting them out. Which gave Li Changhai an uneasy feeling in his heart. Was something the matter? Wasn't it just a simple ploy, so that she could avoid further fighting with that as an excuse? Didn't Qin Feng realize that?

To be honest, the Second Ducal Prince was already feeling a little bad for the younger man, and how he had been so relentlessly teased by the girl from the Snow Swallow Palace earlier. It was rather humiliating. And it left everyone with a great number of questions, regarding him and his relationship with Snow Swallow Palace. It was a miracle that Qin Feng had not started beating people up or smashing things.

Then again, that was the reaction that he had usually witnessed. And what he felt like doing himself, when he was caught up with similar passions. As for Qin Feng, he was a little too quiet, wasn't he? As if he had internalized all that humiliation, and forced himself not to erupt.

"He is too quiet. That is a bad sign. I hope that he does not end up harboring a hatred for the girl. Or for her Snow Swallow Mountain Palace. He is no match for their influence. Or her martial abilities."

Ah. So that was what Lin Liushui had been concerned about as well! No surprise there, Li Changhai told himself. After all, the good-looking man was in love with someone from the Palace, and it stood to reason that he would wish to keep their relationship with the same warm. Well, cordial, at the least.

So it would seriously throw a huge rock in his path, if Qin Feng ended up forming a feud with one of its most famous Inner Court Disciples!

"Honestly, I had not expected one of the more well-known of their disciples to show up. Or to challenge us. Much less the fact that Qin Feng had been her target. How did she know that he had trained in the White Jade Beauty Hands? Was it true then, the story that they threw out, about them having met before?"

The Second Ducal Prince nodded in response to Lin Liushui's questions, and sighed before he replied. "I suppose it was so long ago, and was of so little significance that I had forgotten all about it. He was stopped by them a good while back, in the depths of Winter. There was a report that he made about that, and how they had exchanged blows.

"But I never thought that the ones involved included Xu Yanzhi."

Then he cocked his head at the scholarly gentleman in front of him, and tried a weak smile. He couldn't let this dire mood continue, after all. They had just won a great victory, and like Du Yan, they needed to celebrate, to put down the weight in their hearts.

So he teased the handsome-looking man. "A pity that you never got to approach her. She would be someone who would have information on the person that you are searching for, wouldn't she? As an Inner Court Disciple, it should not be difficult to find the girl that you have been pining for, all this time?"

Lin Liushui laughed a little more awkwardly this time, as a light flush spread across his cheeks. Which was enough to make the Second Ducal Prince's smile widen. It seemed that he had caught the gallant by surprise this time, so that he was not expecting such a jibe.

But the handsome man only waved his hands at the Second Ducal Prince, and pointed at the Captain of his Guard, who was already waiting at the moon gate at the rear of the tavern's flower garden. Before he turned, and walked away, deeper into the lightly wooded spot.

As for Li Changhai, the Second Ducal Prince stamped off to greet his Captain, and to arrange a visit to the troops outside the Town Gate. And to let them know about the persona that he had decided to put on. He would need to walk a bit with those who had approached him with gifts, and promises of friendship too. So that by the time that he arrived at the camp, it should be sufficient for him to fix into everyone's mind, that he was a gruff, simple fellow, who was loyal to his friends and more partial to simple things in life.

He could only hope that Lin Liushui and Du Chenyong would be successful, in quashing all attempts to make things difficult for Qin Feng. As for why the girl from the Snow Swallow Mountain Palace had done such a thing, he certainly could not begin to understand.

*

Qin Feng was angry. Not an ordinary sort of angry, which demanded death and destruction, and endless rivers of blood. No, not that sort of angry. He was fuming, but was certain that it was something that could not be alleviated by blood.

After all, it had only been humiliation that the girl had poured all over his head. So, to balance the scales, it was only fair that he did the same to her! And that was not something that could be repaid with violence!

No. The revenge that needed to be wreaked upon her would have to match the quality of the barbs that she had shot at him today. Or something even more grating, more painful. Something that she would never forget, and never wash away!

So he began to consider the possibilities, and the methods in which he would exact his revenge! And since Xu Yanzhi had actually dared to humiliate him like that, in front of a crowd, and turn all of them against him, how could he not pay her back?

He would have to make this a most terrifying revenge!

* * *