CH 10

Was he reaching out in support? Liang Feng looked at him bemusedly. Was he the one who’d stood up the soldier earlier? He was surprisingly good at fighting. It was thanks to this brave fellow that they’d repelled the bandits without casualty.

Feeling appreciative towards him, Liang Feng casually laid his hand on his arm. He was still drained after being bedbound for two days, and this human crutch was sturdier than Lüzhu. 

“Master! He, he’s too dirty….” Lüzhu exclaimed in alarm and disapproval.

Only after being scolded did Yiyan realize how unseemly his appearance was. His clothes hadn’t been washed in ages and had a strange odor to them. His face and hands were still streaked with mud and blood. In contrast, the man next to him had hands pale and immaculate as the finest jade and wore fabrics he couldn’t even name. Close as he was, he could smell the other’s faint fragrance. They were as different as the white clouds above his head were to the sludge beneath his feet.

Yiyan instantly felt an inexplicable shame. He took a step back and tried to retract his arm, but Liang Feng held on firmly. He smiled as if he didn’t notice the other’s embarrassment and said, “Help me walk over to take a look. Lüzhu, stay inside the carriage.”

A hellish scene like this wasn’t something a young girl should witness. As for the dirt and blood, Liang Feng wasn’t bothered. Who had the time to fuss about that on the battlefield? 

Yiyan pressed his lips into a thin line. He couldn’t help but soften his motions as though he were handling a jade statue worth more than a city. He carefully guided Liang Feng towards the other side of the barricade.

The remaining bandits laid prone on the ground. Most were dead, some were still hanging on to their last breaths. Liang Feng strode over to one of the survivors. Blood was pooling on the ground from his bashed-in shoulder. He was ashen and wheezing; his injuries were fatal. Even so, he struggled to attack Liang Feng when he approached.

Liang Feng was far from alone, two of his serfs instantly stepped forward and clubbed the bandit in the chest. The blood splattered on Liang Feng’s shoe, staining a patch of embroidery.

Yiyan’s expression grew stormy. The bandit started cursing, “Damn slave… how dare you kill Boss Zhang, I’ll eat you alive ….grk….”

He didn’t get a chance to finish before having a saber run through his throat. Yiyan didn’t even let go of Liang Feng’s hand during the entire process of kicking the saber off the ground, catching it, and chucking it at the bandit, cleanly ending the crazed mutt.

Liang Feng lifted a brow, “I still had questions to ask.”

Yiyan had been afraid his actions might startle Liang Feng, but now, all he could do was nod sheepishly. Liang Feng didn’t scold him. He turned his gaze toward another bandit. This one was more cooperative, perhaps frightened by Yiyan’s brutality, and blurted, “It’s all Boss Zhang…. Zhang Lu, that sonofabitch who made us do it! Spare me, noble! Please, spare me….”

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So it was an assassination attempt after all. That explained why the bandit leader had locked on to his carriage and mentioned reward money. Liang Feng asked, “How many days ago was this?”

“Two days! Two days ago!” The bandit continued like he’d grasped a lifeline, “It was a man on a horse! There’s definitely crooks out for your life, master! I can point him out…”

“No need.” Liang Feng could already guess who it was. Based on the timing, it was his dear cousin, no doubt. There simply wasn’t any other possible culprit. He just hadn’t expected that speaking a few words at the assembly would be enough to provoke Li Lang into sending hitmen. He frowned, “Ah-Liang.” 

The steward came forward, “Master, are we turning him in?”

Even if they had witnesses, the government wasn’t likely to do anything to a noble like Li Lang. He’d have to plan for the long run. Liang Feng glanced at the miserable survivors and sighed, “Clean up this mess. We’ll resume traveling.”

The hidden instigator and the escaped bandits were both ticking time bombs. He couldn’t afford to take any chances with his life; it was better to get back to the Liang Estate as soon as possible.

He returned to the carriage with Yiyan’s help. Soon, all the sounds outside died down. 

As soon as he was back behind the makeshift blockade, Lüzhu instantly rushed over and took his hand, “Master, you’re still feverish, you mustn’t tire yourself out…”

Liang Feng smiled reassuringly at the young girl, then addressed Yiyan, “Tidy yourself up a bit. I’ll summon for you in a while. Lüzhu, find him a set of new clothes.”

Lüzhu glared indignantly at the strange-looking Jie. Only after gingerly getting Liang Feng back into the carriage, and serving him hot tea, did she huffily dig out a set of servant’s garb and stuff it at Yiyan, grumbling, “Hurry and clean up! Don’t sully master’s eyes!”

Yiyan stiffened but didn’t lash out. He found a private place to change. It took him quite some time to finally get the new clothes on and return to Liang Feng’s carriage. He’d even wiped his face clean. 

Ah-Liang was giving a report on something. Liang Feng nodded slightly, “Let the injured ride on the supply carts; if there’s medicine, be generous with it. Reward those who got kills according to my earlier statements, and since they were working in groups, I’ll give a one-year tax exemption to the rest as well.”

“What about the Jie?” Ah-Liang asked.

“If there are any who want to leave, give them money and send them on their way. I’ll form those who stay into a private militia.” Liang Feng said decisively. He’d seen just how dauntless the Jie were in battle. Their potential was too exceptional to be wasted planting fields. Plus, they’d seen blood already; it’d be best to train them and form them into a personal army. The Liang Estate was sorely lacking in combat ability. The guards they had at the moment were barely more than janitors. He had a lot of restructuring to do.

Ah-Liang nodded, peered at the freshly tidied up Yiyan, and took his leave. 

Having gotten the rewards sorted out, Liang Feng appraised the half-grown kid. His valiant, ruthless aura was nowhere to be seen. After changing clothes and wiping his face, he seemed innocent and shy, clumsy and flustered as a college student taking an interview for the first time.

Liang Feng reckoned that the so-called “Jie people” were partially of Caucasian descent, like the legendary Xianbei people. The young man had fair skin, deep-set eyes, and a high nose bridge. His features were sharp as if they’d been chiseled by a knife; his blue-gray eyes shone spiritedly, intense beyond compare. Two small braids hung by his ear, seeming almost childish, but strangely exotic. He wasn’t ugly at all. With his lean, tall physique, he was quite eye-catching.

Yiyan suddenly became nervous upon being pinned by those black eyes. He knew his looks differed greatly from the Han’s and that he had weird eyes too. After he left Wu Township, he’d experienced no shortage of harassment for his ugly appearance. Would the man who’d bought him be disgusted as well? After cautiously observing for a while, Yiyan didn’t detect any disdain in Liang Feng’s expression, on the contrary, he looked interested, perhaps even approving. His heart started racing with what felt like joy.

“You did very well,” Liang Feng said after a moment, “What is your name? Where do you hail from?” 

“Yiyan, Wu Township.” Yiyan said stiffly, trying hard to make his voice sound level.

“How old are you? Have you fought before?”

“Seventeen. I haven’t; I used to plant fields. Although, I did often go hunting with my father when I was young…” Yiyan paused, then somewhat anxiously added, “My father also taught me some woodworking and masonry.”

Liang Feng wasn’t looking for a carpenter. One must know, killing was an acquired skill. Most people, even when they were faced with a life or death situation, would find it difficult to overcome their mental barriers and actually kill someone. Even if they did, they definitely wouldn’t be so composed afterward. Liang Feng himself had only become desensitized after numerous missions. 

However, the young man standing before him was different. Despite seeming somewhat awkward now, he’d already revealed his natural aptitude in the skirmish earlier. He was a diamond in the rough. He had excellent alacrity and combat instincts. Even rarer was that he wasn’t arrogant or sadistic by nature. People like him were born for battle. What would he become, once polished?

Liang Feng leaned back lightly and smiled radiantly, “I’ll award you ten thousand for killing the bandit leader, as promised. If you want to leave, you can take the money and depart…”

Liang Feng slowed to observe the young man’s reaction: clenched fists, and what looked like an urge to speak. With a good idea of his inclination, he continued leisurely, “… or you can stay. I need a personal bodyguard to help me establish my private militia.”

“I want to stay!” Yiyan declared unhesitatingly. 

“Being my bodyguard means putting your life on the line for my sake. Perhaps you’ll find yourself facing innumerable enemies, including your own people. Are you still willing?” Liang Feng asked solemnly.

“I… ” his severe expression gave Yiyan pause for a moment, but he continued, “As long as you aren’t unjust, I’ll convince them to swear fealty to you and serve you!”

Liang Feng hadn’t anticipated that kind of reply. It seemed he wasn’t very servile, although Liang Feng preferred him that way. He suddenly remembered the “Romance of Three Kingdoms” that he’d read many years ago. Did this count as collecting his first general?

Liang Feng grinned and said, “Very good. You can address me as ‘my lord’, then.” 

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Hahaha it’s good that everyone likes the little wolfdog, come pet him~~