Chapter Eighty-Six: An Unruly Heart

Despite being well known in the city of Bright State, Old Liu of the noodle stall was a man whose exact home few people could identify. The three of them split up and asked around for a while, but found little.

With no other choice, they first went to seek out the young master from the previous night, Heingtang. They reckoned that as a local power broker in the city, he would know more ways to find someone.

When he heard they were looking for the missing beauty, Jade Ring, Heingtang agreed without hesitation. He had not slept a wink through the night, his mind filled with her graceful dancing form, and had been eager for a chance to make the others’ acquaintance. At once he devoted himself to helping them.

Before long, he led them to the low tile-roofed house where Old Liu lived.

Since the matter was urgent, Yu Lang did not stand on ceremony. He kicked the tightly shut door open. Inside, there was no one.

“The charcoal fire went out not long ago. He can’t have left long before us,” Yu Lang said.

Heingtang’s nose was astonishingly keen by nature. He closed his eyes and sniffed. “There’s still the fragrance of that Miss Jade Ring who was with you yesterday in this room.”

Heingtang flew into a rage. “That old fellow looked so respectable, and yet he would dare do such filthy work as abducting a proper young woman!”

Yu Lang could not be bothered to explain any further. “Many thanks, Young Master He, for your righteous help. Leave the rest to the three of us. You may go back now.”

Heingtang’s hot temper did not change. He glared at Yu Lang. “What do you take me for? A lackey to be summoned and dismissed at will?”

Yu Lang had no patience for idle talk. He unleashed the cultivation of the upper realm of Awakening the Profound, using his power to hurl Heingtang backward until he landed in the middle of the street.

Heingtang no longer had any trace of his former bravado. He stood there like a wooden chicken, a deep sense of inferiority rising in his heart. So young, and yet already an Awakened Profound master. No wonder... no wonder Miss Jade Ring liked him. Beauty belongs with a hero.

Having lost Jade Ring, Yu Lang’s mind was in turmoil. Naturally he had no time to care about Heingtang’s feelings, yet he also did not know where to go next. If they went to Chang'an, they would only face the wrath of the Emperor Xuanzong; death would likely be unavoidable. And Yangzhou could no longer be returned to, either.

Yu Lang’s thoughts turned another way. With Jade Ring’s intelligence, she could not have failed to realize that her departure would drive the others into a deadly corner. She ought not to be so heartless.

“Brother Lang, there’s a letter here from Sister Jade Ring,” said Xue Wenyang. He and Xie Zhiqian had searched inside and outside the house and finally found something.

The envelope bore in Jade Ring’s own hand the words “For Yu Lang’s eyes only.” After reading the letter, the grave look on Yu Lang’s face eased somewhat.

“Mr. Yu, my leaving this time was by no means meant to put you all in danger. I truly have reasons I must go. If certain matters do not have an answer, I will never be able to let them go. By coincidence, Mr. Liu and I have old ties, and he once owed me a favor. So I asked him to take me out of Bright State City so I could settle this matter. No matter the outcome, I will meet you at Willow Brook Village outside Tang State City. Whether I stay or go then, I will give you all an explanation. You need not worry about my safety either. With Mr. Liu and Eagle protecting me, I will be out of harm’s way.”

Xue Wenyang and Xie Zhiqian passed the handwritten letter around. Each of them, too, ruled out the possibility that Jade Ring had been abducted. There must truly have been some urgent wish she could not leave unfulfilled.

“What sort of matter would make Sister Jade Ring willing to take such a risk and leave?” Xie Zhiqian asked.

Yu Lang was quite close to Jade Ring, and after reading the letter he had guessed a few things. His feelings were mixed and complicated. “I suppose she’s gone to ask a man for an answer. If she can’t get one, she’ll never be willing to serve Xuanzong from now on.”

“What kind of man could win Sister Jade Ring’s favor so thoroughly?” Xie Zhiqian asked curiously.

Xue Wenyang patted him on the shoulder. “Why don’t you get a bronze mirror and take a good look at yourself...”

Xie Zhiqian looked delighted. “You mean Sister Jade Ring likes refined, scholarly men like me?”

Xue Wenyang shook his head. “I’m only teaching you how to eliminate the wrong answer.”

After a bout of roughhousing, neither of them seemed as heavy-hearted as before. According to Jade Ring’s letter, all they needed to do was continue on toward Tang State City.

When they returned to Zhang Heng’s house, Yu Lang did not explain much to Old Guo. He only told him that their next stop would be Tang State first, and after that they would detour to Chang'an.

Old Guo was not a talkative man. Since Yu Lang did not wish to say more, he naturally did not ask. After bidding farewell to his old friend Zhang Heng, he led the group onward toward Tang State.

With Jade Ring no longer deliberately slowing them down, their pace was much faster than before. Only when they reached Gourd Pass did they face a difficult choice.

Old Guo had always favored caution, insisting they take the official road and make the long detour to avoid needless trouble.

Xie Zhiqian and Xue Wenyang, however, thought that the detour would add at least five days to the journey, and that cutting straight through Gourd Pass would save a great deal of time.

Old Guo knew these two boys were reckless, but they had always looked to Yu Lang as their leader. He hurriedly tossed the question to Yu Lang. “Yu Lang, you tell us: what’s the best way to go?”

Unexpectedly, this time Yu Lang did not side with Old Guo. Instead, he pointed toward the entrance of Gourd Pass.

Old Guo was quite annoyed. “You lad, you had been rather sensible before. How did you end up so muddled now? When we left, Chen Wuning specifically told me this road would not be peaceful, and that we might be intercepted and killed. He warned me to be careful at every step. Just look at Gourd Pass—what better place for an ambush? And what’s more, it’s deep winter now. A sudden snowfall could make you suffer terribly here!”

His words made perfect sense. Even Xue Wenyang and Xie Zhiqian kept nodding after hearing them and changed their minds. It was not worth courting danger for the sake of momentary convenience.

Yu Lang still shook his head with great resolve, as though he had long since considered this. “It’s precisely because we’ve been too cautious all along that we’ve never given the people who wanted to intercept Jade Ring enough opportunity. Now that Jade Ring is gone, I want to draw them out and see just what manner of demons and ghosts they are.”

Old Guo immediately understood Yu Lang’s intention. “I see what you mean. Their target is only Jade Ring. By drawing them out while she’s absent, we actually gain a bit of the advantage.”

“Exactly. Even if we are not their match, they would not recklessly kill us. At the very least, they will be interested in Jade Ring’s whereabouts. That is our bargaining chip,” Yu Lang explained.

He then took some silver from his bundle and offered it to Old Guo. “Uncle Guo, we’ve received much care from you along the way, and the boys are deeply grateful. Since we’ve reached this point, you may be considered to have fulfilled my master’s request. Gourd Pass is perilous. Let the rest of the road be walked by us alone.”

Old Guo immediately bristled. He slapped the money from Yu Lang’s hand and shouted, “What kind of man do you take me for? I may be only a coachman who roams the roads, but I believe above all in keeping one’s word! I promised Chen Wuning I would escort you to Chang'an, and I will certainly keep that promise! Never mention this again!”

He had not expected this old coachman to possess such unbending pride. Yu Lang could do nothing against him and had no choice but to agree to let him enter Gourd Pass with them.

Once the plan was set, they advanced into Gourd Pass together with their horses.

Yu Lang leaped into the carriage carrying Red Silk, guarding her carefully. Among the party, she was now the only woman, and it was highly likely that assassins might mistake her for Jade Ring.

The light grew sallow with evening. Within Gourd Pass, killing intent lay everywhere.