Death Scripture

Senior Shou had been packing up for a while, but he eventually gave up. He did not want to leave.

This place was not just his home. It was everything to him. In royal court, he was middle-class. He could live a decent life without superb skills or peerless kung fu. He did not know what to do if he left royal court.

Stay on the grassland? He knew nothing about pasture; Go back to the Central Plain? Border garrison would probably regard him as a spy. He didn’t look like a Central Plain resident except for his Central Plains Chinese.

Senior Shou took a sigh and sat on a high stool. He decided not to leave, and comforted himself: King Kuari might not retaliate. There was no point in an elephant trifling with a rat.

There was a hint of reason in his heart reminding him how hypocritical this comfort was, but Senior Shou could not let it show. “One hundred and two taels, take it, it’s the salary and compensation for this month. Now go.”

“Where,” asked the macheteman Bo Sang uneasily.

Senior Shou sighed again. In his career, his self-protection relied on accurate judgment and eliminating danger as early as possible. So he rarely used bodyguards. That was why he hired Bo Sang, a mediocre but loyal macheteman.

“I will shut down the business. Go find another job.”

“Why? The business is going well.” Bo Sang was still confused.

“Loyal people aren’t very smart,” Senior Shou thought to himself. Then a rage suddenly rose in his heart: why was King Dari was so stupid that he came to see Dragon King in person and completely exposed the middleman? Why did Senior Shou defect to King Dari? He was reluctant to recall the reason: money.

That yellow-faced person who claimed to be a confidant of King Dari was willing to pay 5,000 taels of silver each year to buy all information. And he would have an extra reward if he performed meritorious service.

Senior Shou could not resist the temptation and betrayed his decades-old principle for only 5,000 taels of silver.

In the end, his judgment was wrong and he failed to recognize Dragon King. He knew this young man was somebody, and that was why he told King Dari in advance. But he never thought it would be Dragon King himself.

On the contrary, the yellow-faced servant immediately confirmed the identity of the young man and taught King Dari a set of rhetoric.

It was all his own fault and he resented himself because of that. But he was only an ordinary person and did not want to abuse himself or even blame himself, so he projected his anger on somebody else, ” Idiot! ‘Going well’? Don’t you have eyes? We let King Dari meet Dragon King! Don’t you think King Kuari will be furious? He will never allow us to stay in business! Take the silver and get out of here!”

Bo Sang was completely unprepared for the storm and stunned for a moment. He was all flushed, “I’m your bodyguard, and I won’t let anyone hurt you, not even Khan.”

Senior Shou sighed again. Loyal people were really not smart. He wanted to ask Bo Sang what he could do to protect his master, but the anger in his heart was extinguished and he felt a little sorry instead. “Then you can stay. Maybe I am just overthinking. Maybe everything will be fine.”

It is human nature to hope that someone stays by your side in a time of crisis. It is better to die together than die alone.

Bo Sang nodded, “I’ll stay, but you can’t call me idiot anymore.”

Senior Shou almost laughed out loud. He never knew the young bull-like macheteman had a strange self-esteem. “I made an indiscreet remark. You are not an idiot.” Senior Shou thought to himself, “Just not smart enough.”

Bo Sang solemnly nodded again, then drew his saber and threw the extra sword and scabbard to the ground. Senior Shou was frightened, “What are you doing?”

“Preparing to fight.”

“There is no need to draw your saber so early. Like I said, maybe everything will be alright.”

“Dragon King said I am slow in drawing out my saber, so I must prepare in advance. Assassins may attack at any moment, so I can’t afford to waste any time.”

Senior Shou whispered, “Do as you please.” He did not practice kung fu but he knew Bo Sang was at best a middle-level macheteman. Drawing out the saber faster made no difference.

As the candle burned shorter and shorter, Senior Shou had an ominous premonition, as if it represented his own life. When the candle died, he quickly found a new candle and lit it. Just then, the people he feared came uninvited.

A tall, thin macheteman lifted the curtain and entered the room. He looked around, but not at the two men. He then stood aside.

Bo Sang held the hilt tightly, “Who are you looking for?”

The thin macheteman did not answer, and a second one entered. He stood opposite to the first macheteman, also ignoring the tent’s owner.

In all there was a total of six machetemen, split into two lines. The tent immediately appeared cramped and crowded.

Bo Sang stood in front of Senior Shou and stared warily at the enemy. He never considered the issue of strength disparity, he only knew one thing: he was a paid bodyguard and had to protect his master.

The last intruder was not a macheteman, but looked like a butler.

Senior Shou knew this man and realized that he was doomed. He began to regret not running away, “Mr. Han, I can explain.”

Mr. Han was around thirty. He was one of the butlers in King Kuari’s residence, and well-trusted. He was responsible for external contacts and had dealt with Senior Shou. Fang Wenshi was introduced to him by Senior Shou.

Butler Han shook his head, “No need. The fact is that the prey has been taken away and you didn’t even leave us any scraps.”

Senior Shou forced himself to remain calm. “I am willing to work for King Kuari. King Dari trusts me, I can provide–”

“Well,” Butler Han smiled and shook his head. “Another betrayal. You didn’t even give me the chance to bribe you.”

“Heh heh.” Senior Shou smirked. It was a chance to stay alive, “No need. I’m willing to–”

Butler Han waved impatiently, “Take him back.”

Senior Shou’s face changed. Bringing him back to the residence of King Kuari meant that his value in use was only on the information that he already knew. He would be of no use in the future, “I… I…”

“Dragon King will come to see Senior Shou again the day after tomorrow. You should let him stay,” Bo Sang interjected.

Senior Shou nearly knelt down to his bodyguard and wondered how he could forget such an important thing. “Yes, right! Dragon King said he wants to meet King Kuari and will come the day after tomorrow.”

Butler Han looked cold. “We have our own way of finding Dragon King. It’s not your business anymore.”

The atmosphere stagnated for a moment. Butler Han was enjoying the fear he had caused. Senior Shou was anxiously thinking of means to save his own life. The six imperial guards of King Kuari hesitated to arrest the people immediately, but Bo Sang took the initiative.

Bo Sang believed that it was his fastest move ever.

But it was still not fast enough.

The guards in front stepped away, and the guards at the rear leaped towards him, hitting the back of his head with stone-like fists.

Bo Sang fell down but continued struggling. Then he was hit again on the head and finally blacked out.

The guards held their hilts and turned back to Butler Han, awaiting further orders.

Butler Han enjoyed knowing that with a wave of his hand a life could be ended.

Senior Shou held the counter tightly, as if he could avoid being taken away by doing so. He did not take a look at Bo Sang, and seemed to forget about the existence of his bodyguard.

Then, the most disgusting thing happened to Butler Han: someone interrupted his order.

“It is better to let him live.” No one found out when the man came into the tent. All the six guards were surprised and pulled out scimitars almost simultaneously, much faster than Bo Sang.

Senior Shou was full of fear and surprise at the same time. He could no longer bear it. He called out “Dragon King,” and fell down to the ground. Although he did not faint, he did not have the strength to remain standing.

Butler Han looked at the newcomer and immediately put on a kind smile. “That’s great. It is Dragon King.”

The six guards did not immediately put away their scimitars or relax their vigilance to Dragon King until the butler gave a clear indication.

“I thought Dragon King was with King Dari.”

“I was, but I left. King Kuari was the one I wanted to meet.”

“Have you already seen Military Counselor Fang,” asked Butler Hang.

“Yes.”

“I knew Dragon King was hard to fool. King Dari was thinking wishfully.”

“Take me to King Kuari,” Dragon King requested.

“Er…” Butler Han was put in an awkward situation, “Lord didn’t give that order…Dragon King, please wait here. I’ll report to him immediately.”

“I thought King Kuari was eager to meet me,” Gu Shenwei said coldly.

“I dare not to speculate his highness’ mind. Please allow me to report it. It will only take a moment.”

Either the ButlerHan was too rigid, or King Kuari was extremely strict. Gu Shenwei started to form a new impression of this lord and it was different from what Fang Wenshi had said. In the eyes of the military counselor, King Kuari was a perfect noble, treating worthy men with courtesy, friendly to others, and knew how to adjust to changing circumstances. He would never keep talking about the interests of Norland like King Dari.

All of a sudden, Gu Shenwei turned back and drew his saber.

An imperial guard had been kneeling in front of Bo Sang. The order he received was to kill the bodyguard. He waited for a while and Butler Han did not revoke the order. According to his understanding, the order should be executed.

But the scimitar in his hand was gone and stabbed onto the counter. The shock in his mind was beyond comprehension; he did not even know where the force came from. Dragon King turned his back on him and did not seem to look back at all.

“I say, let him live.” Gu Shenwei looked at Butler Han and spoke in the tone of a command, which was the only effective way to communicate with King Kuari’s subordinates.

The other guards raised their scimitars again.

Butler Han was stunned for a while, “Put your scimitars down. Just leave him there.” Then he made the decision, “Well, please come back to the palace with me. I believe our lord will make an exception for Dragon King.”

Senior Shou sat on the ground, thinking it was time to end his middleman business and buy a batch of cattle and sheep. He figured Bo Sang would be a good candidate to pasture for him.

The night was not over yet. On the way to King Kuari’s tent, Butler Han kept flattering Dragon King. It made him feel that King Kuari really thought highly of him.

So he asked about the yellow-faced servant next to King Dari, and Butler Han smiled. “His name is Fu Yuan. King Dari treats him as a brilliant military counselor and trusts him. But he was only a slave captured from the border of the Central Plain a few years ago. Who would have thought that he could win the favor of King Dari?”

Wei Song once claimed that there were supporters of the Central Plain in Norland, but he refused to reveal the identity. He made it as one of the rewards for Dragon King’s assassination plan. Gu Shenwei was eager to get this reward in advance.