Chapter 121: Pride and Aloofness Deep in the Bones

Kong Sheng felt as though he had been trapped in a long and harrowing nightmare. In the dream, he was desperately fleeing on his horse, Zhui Feng, surrounded by an army of thousands. War drums thundered, cold winds howled, and banners whipped in the air. Everywhere he looked, there were mountains of corpses and rivers of blood; the sound of galloping hooves, battle cries, and the clashing of blades exploded in his ears.

Suddenly, Li Xuan, clad in green, appeared in mid-air, brandishing a precious sword. With an unstoppable momentum, she lunged forward, barking, "Little thief, surrender your life!"

Kong Sheng jolted awake, his forehead covered in a fine sheen of cold sweat.

Mu Changfeng was overjoyed and smiled from the side, "Young Master, you have finally awakened."

Kong Sheng slowly opened his eyes, feeling a heavy lethargy in his limbs and a soreness throughout his body. He couldn't help but offer a bitter smile: "Brother Mu, where is this? How long have I been asleep?"

A trace of awe flickered in Mu Changfeng's eyes. "Young Master, you have slept for a day and a night. The day before yesterday, your divine prowess was invincible; you forced Nangong Wang and his band of water bandits to retreat in fear. Afterward, due to your many wounds and excessive blood loss, you fell into a coma. We rescued you and brought you here."

"This place is called the Wang Family Manor; it should be one of Princess Fengyang's secret private estates," Mu Changfeng said with a smile. "Fortunately, your injuries are merely superficial and did not damage your core. The physician has examined you and fed you medicinal soup; you will recover soon."

Kong Sheng was startled. "Li Xuan's territory?"

Just then, Li Xuan's cold, arrogant voice drifted in from outside the hall: "What is it, you little thief? This Princess saved your life and arranged for you to recuperate, yet you show not the slightest gratitude for my benevolence?"

Li Xuan floated into the room. She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, and two gorgeously dressed maids rushed forward to take her cloak and stand respectfully to the side.

Li Xuan approached slowly, a mocking smile playing on her delicate face. "You little thief, you have finally woken up. Do you realize that this time, your pathetic life was nearly lost?"

Lying there, Kong Sheng let out a long breath. "In that case, I must offer my thanks to the Princess!"

Li Xuan turned and glanced at Mu Changfeng.

Mu Changfeng hesitated for a moment but then retreated in silence. This was Li Xuan's domain; if she wanted to harm Kong Sheng, she could do so at any time without needing to treat his wounds first. Having seen much of the world, Mu Changfeng knew that while the Princess was sharp-tongued, she was not as cold-blooded as she appeared.

Li Xuan stared intently at Kong Sheng. "Kong Sheng, you little thief, have you ever imagined that you would one day fall into my hands?"

Kong Sheng struggled to move his body. He had wounds on his waist and upper torso, and the movement sent sharp stabs of pain through him, with blood faintly seeping from the bandages. Yet, gritting his teeth, he propped himself up to a sitting position and forced a smile: "If the Princess has something to say, please speak plainly; there is no need to beat around the bush. We are on your turf now, like meat on your chopping block, subject to your will."

"Kong Sheng, I ask you: knowing full well that Henan is engulfed in the chaos of war, why did you venture there? Answer me honestly. If there is even a shred of deceit, do not blame me for turning heartless!" A flash of killing intent crossed Li Xuan's eyes.

She could let bygones be bygones and overlook his previous offenses, but if he dared to cross her bottom line—to defect to the rebels in Henan—she would show no mercy.

Kong Sheng sighed. "I merely admired the scenery of the Central Plains and wished to travel to broaden my horizons. Could it be that this, too, is a taboo for the Princess?"

Li Xuan was furious, pointing at Kong Sheng and berating him: "You little thief, how dare you continue to quibble and use falsehoods to deceive me!"

Kong Sheng instinctively shrugged, but the movement tugged at his wounds, sending agony through his heart and lungs. He couldn't help but groan softly, "Princess, I am speaking the truth; how would I dare deceive you?"

Li Xuan's indignation boiled over. She knew he was stalling, yet she had no evidence to refute him. She stamped her foot in frustration, enunciating each word: "Kong Sheng, I consider you a talent and have shown you repeated leniency, overlooking your grave offenses. Yet you, you little thief, possess not a shred of gratitude. You are truly detestable!"

Kong Sheng had long understood that Li Xuan's "forgiveness" was merely a ploy to recruit him to serve under the command of her father, the Prince of Guo. Theoretically, this was a generous offer, but she did not know that Kong Sheng held the Prince of Guo in low regard; he had no intention of becoming a lackey for Li Ju.

Thus, Kong Sheng had been playing dumb. As for his appointment in Henan, he could not reveal a word to her. After all, as the Magistrate-designate of Songcheng County in Suiyang, he was under the jurisdiction of the Prince of Guo. If she knew his true identity, she would surely feel justified in ordering him to abandon his post in Suiyang and join the army in Pengcheng instead. With the Prince of Guo lobbying the Imperial Court, it would be all too easy for him to be reassigned to a different post.

Kong Sheng's expression turned serious. "I am deeply grateful for the Princess's generosity and your kind intention to promote me. However, I am by nature free-spirited and unconstrained; I do not take well to being governed. I must therefore decline your kindness, and I ask for your forgiveness!"

Li Xuan's face turned ghastly. This was the second time Kong Sheng had rejected her offer. The first time had led to a fierce conflict, and this time...

Li Xuan's gaze was like a blade, fixed on Kong Sheng. "In your poetry, you speak generously of rushing to the nation's aid. Is all of that merely for vanity and empty talk? My father currently leads an army of one hundred thousand against the rebels in Pengcheng, and all the righteous men of the world are flocking to his banner. If you had the slightest shred of ambition, you would not repeatedly ignore my well-intentioned recommendations."

"You do not seem like a coward. The rebel An Lushan has brought chaos to the Great Tang, and he is a man all should strive to kill. You possess both literary and martial talent; if you were to serve under my father, I could guarantee your future success!" Li Xuan tried to persuade him, her tone softening with earnestness.

Kong Sheng felt a bitter smile in his heart, but his face remained calm. He shook his head. "Princess, I am but a scholar. I can write poetry and affect a refined air, but joining the army to kill in battle is not my strength. The Prince of Guo’s army is filled with fierce generals and wise strategists; one more or one less of me makes no difference... I beg your understanding!"

"You ungrateful little thief!" Li Xuan finally lost control of her temper and stormed out. The moment she left the hall, her expression turned murderous. By nature, she was willful and proud; since Kong Sheng would not be used by her, he had lost all value, and the desire to kill him sprouted in her heart once more. Furthermore, in her subconscious, she still suspected him of being a potential traitor.

Li Xuan walked away, her face dark and sullen. After barely a hundred paces, she decided to make an end of him, once and for all, to prevent future trouble.

After Li Xuan left, Kong Sheng knew that this young woman’s moods shifted faster than the turning of a page. Because of his refusal, she would certainly harbor murderous intent toward him again. Now that they were injured and trapped in her territory, if he didn't decide to leave the Wang Family Manor immediately, their prospects would be dire.

Mu Changfeng walked back in, his expression peculiar. He had been guarding outside and had seen Li Xuan leave with a furious, threatening air, knowing that their conversation had ended in discord once more.

"Young Master, how did it go?"

Kong Sheng sighed softly. "Brother Mu, how much further are we from Sizhou or Pengcheng?"

Mu Changfeng replied, "According to my inquiries, we are not far from Sizhou, and we are only two or three hundred miles from Pengcheng. However, there are bandits in the Chemen Mountains. If we detour through Sizhou, we can avoid them entirely."

Kong Sheng was silent for a moment before asking, "How are the injuries of Wu Xian and Wu Jie?"

"They both have multiple wounds, but after the medicine and the high-quality ointment, they are recovering quickly. I estimate they will be able to travel in a day or two. But your injuries, Young Master, combined with the extreme physical exhaustion from your battle with the Hongze water bandits, will make it hard to recover for at least ten days or half a month," Mu Changfeng said, his voice grave. He could hear that Kong Sheng was planning to leave.

Kong Sheng forced a smile. "Brother Mu, I am not that delicate. They are just superficial wounds; it’s of no consequence. We can recover slowly on the road. Brother Mu, prepare yourself—we may have to..."

Kong Sheng suddenly cast a sharp gaze toward the hall entrance and shouted, "Who is there?"

"Young Master, it is us!" Wu Xian and Wu Jie strode in, wearing broad smiles. "How are your wounds, Young Master?" They bowed and offered a greeting.

Kong Sheng smiled faintly and waved his hand. "Do not be so formal. My injuries are fine. You two, however, were severely wounded; you should rest well for these two days. In ten days or half a month, we shall continue our journey!"

"Yes, we understand."

Hearing Kong Sheng say this, Mu Changfeng realized that he still did not fully trust Wu Xian and Wu Jie. Of course, this was not a malicious lie, but a well-intentioned one.

Trapped in a dangerous place and at risk of falling victim to Li Xuan’s "vicious hand" at any moment, Kong Sheng had to be cautious. He had been unconscious when they arrived, and had he been awake, he never would have agreed to come to the Wang Family Manor. But it was too late for regrets.

Wu Xian and Wu Jie dared not disturb his rest and withdrew after paying their respects. Once they were gone, Kong Sheng’s voice dropped to a whisper: "Brother Mu, prepare the horses. We leave tonight!"

Mu Changfeng was shocked. "Young Master, your physical condition won't allow it... please, let's rest for two more days."

Kong Sheng shook his head. "No, there is no time to lose. Any later, and I fear we won't be able to leave at all! Li Xuan is treacherous; I worry that in her rage, she will take action against us. As for my health, do not worry—a few superficial wounds won't kill me!"

Kong Sheng’s voice was firm and resolute, brooking no argument.

Mu Changfeng sighed. He had wanted to ask how Kong Sheng had offended Li Xuan again, turning someone who had chosen to return kindness for grievances into an enemy. But having been by his side for so long, he knew Kong Sheng’s character well: gentle and humble on the outside, but proud and high-minded to the core. Once Kong Sheng made a decision, no one could influence him.