Chapter Twenty-Two: Ripples

“Could it be the Solitary Soul?”
“Impossible! How could it be the ‘Solitary Soul’ Divine Spear?”
“Has the Emperor lost his mind, offering such a weapon as the prize for the Lantern Festival exams?”

On both sides of the Vermilion Bird Divine Road, not only did tens of thousands of East Capital’s citizens gather, but beneath the distant trees, many distinguished figures, hearing the news from the Grand Tutor, hurried to witness the scene. The moment Li Fu produced the black spear, many of these prominent people could not conceal their shock, exclaiming in astonishment.

Many candidates who had finished the Lantern Festival exams had not yet departed. Hearing the commotion, they turned their gaze to the black dragon spear in Li Fu’s hand. Though not everyone recognized its origins, the mere mention of ‘Solitary Soul’ made their expressions turn grim.

Led by Li Siyie and Gong Ao, the top ten stood at the southwest corner, not far from Li Fu. As Li Fu pulled the spear from its brocade box, their faces betrayed envy and helplessness.

The ‘Solitary Soul’ was the Emperor Taizong’s personal weapon!
And now the imperial reward was none other than the ‘Solitary Soul.’
How could this not be shocking?
How could it not stir the heart?

Yet now, all they could do was watch as this legendary divine spear ended up in Li Fu’s hands. Their anger and unwillingness ultimately dissolved into bewilderment, for they were not the champion and had only paved the way for another.

Suddenly, a powerful aura descended, landing right before Li Fu—or rather, before the hand holding the spear.

“Marquis of Valor, what are you doing?” Yang Ning, recognizing the man, stepped forward with caution.

The Marquis of Valor’s eyes openly coveted the spear in Li Fu’s hand. His aura rose steadily, as if he might seize the weapon at any moment.

“Clip-clop... clip-clop...”
Just then, from the third transverse street connecting the Vermilion Bird Divine Road, hundreds of black-armored cavalry emerged, the moonlight and starlight shining coldly upon their armor, without a hint of warmth. Their stern faces and the black banners behind them, bearing the characters “Celestial Strategy,” were illuminated.

At the forefront was the grim and formidable General of Loyal Might, Xu Changhai.

Though hundreds of feet away from the Divine Road, their stance was clear, targeting the Marquis of Valor. It seemed if he dared reach for the black spear, these cavalry would charge without hesitation.

“The Marquis Martial has returned to the capital!”

With the appearance of the Celestial Strategy cavalry, the Marquis of Valor instantly recalled the figure of a certain man, withdrew his aura, cast a cold glance at Li Fu’s spear, and left the crowd. The cavalry on the third transverse street quietly departed as well.

Outside the Imperial Palace, on the Vermilion Bird Divine Road, the atmosphere had grown chaotic simply due to the appearance of the black spear in Li Fu’s hand. Though the Dragon Martial Guards strove to maintain order, keeping the citizens at bay, they could not block the gazes and voices.

Thousands of eyes—shocked, curious, and probing—focused on the spear in Li Fu’s hand, making him uneasy.

“Let’s put it away for now.”
After the Marquis of Valor’s disruption, Yang Ning felt a lingering dread. The spear’s reputation was just too great; not even he, nor the Marquis of Valor, could remain indifferent.

“That was the Marquis of Valor just now?”
Li Fu felt a chill down his back and quickly returned the black dragon spear to its brocade box.

Looking around, it wasn’t just the Marquis of Valor—many distinguished figures nearby cast fervent glances his way, making Li Fu feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

“Let’s get back to the inn first.” Yang Zixu whispered nearby.

“The inn might not be safe tonight. Better come to my place instead…” Yang Ning thought aloud.

Li Fu nodded in agreement. After all, a man with a treasure is vulnerable; the spear’s fame was too great, and there was no telling what might happen at the inn tonight.

The three reached the end of the Divine Road and gazed at the crowd flooding the street like a tide, feeling a headache coming on.

…………….

The reins flicked lightly, the wheels rolled slowly, and the eager shouts from the crowd lining both sides of the main street never ceased.

Seated at the rear of the carriage, Li Fu lifted the curtain of the back window, looking toward the Cheng Tian Gate. Under the moon’s baptism, a solitary figure could be seen at the end of the Divine Road, atop the steps, slightly bent and aged, alone and untouched.

The wheels crushed the bluestone pavement. Though it was already midnight, the voices in the capital’s streets and alleys showed no sign of diminishing.

“What was the Marquis of Valor after just now?” Yang Zixu asked Yang Ning.

Yang Ning, uneasy, replied, “How would you react if someone much weaker than you possessed the ‘Solitary Soul’?”

Yang Zixu took the hint and did not press further. Thinking of the Marquis of Valor’s reaction outside the palace, he sighed, “If not for the Celestial Strategy cavalry, I imagine he would have tried to snatch it.”

Yang Ning mocked, “I almost wish he had. Sooner or later, we’ll have to break with him; it would have been better to kill him openly now.”

Li Fu was puzzled. “Why is that?”

Yang Ning explained, “Those cavalry were the Marquis Martial’s personal guards.”

Li Fu finally understood: after seeing Xu Changhai appear on the third transverse street, the Marquis of Valor had departed as if his throat had been seized. Laughing, he said, “He must be thoroughly disgraced now.”

Li Fu suddenly asked, “Why is this year’s reward so different?”

Yang Zixu glared at him. “Are you really clueless or just pretending? Sometimes I wonder if you’re a fool. You’re now the Grand Tutor’s disciple. Who would dare touch you in the capital? The Marquis Martial commands the strongest army in the empire, and the Three Dukes are the Grand Tutor’s junior brothers. Even the Wine Master favors you. What do you think?”

“Is the Master truly the Grand Tutor?” Li Fu murmured, gazing toward Liangzhou, his heart heavy. At that moment, he felt the urge to drink.

…………….

The Emperor of Great Tang returned from the Tai Chi Hall to the Ziying Hall, his expression unchanged. His corpulent body sat upon the throne, gazing at his own waistline, suddenly letting out a cold laugh.

“Send word to the Imperial Clan Office. Investigate the background of this Li Fu. Is he the posthumous child of that person? I want precise information! If he is, you need not return; you know what to do.”

The Emperor opened his eyes and addressed the shadowy corner of the hall, his voice icy.

…………………………

That night, not a soul in the capital failed to hear of Li Fu—echoing the events of two centuries past, when another youth became famous in a single night!

Li Fu claimed the championship in the Lantern Festival exams, prompting the royal family to award him the very spear once used by Emperor Taizong. Many families in the capital had sleepless nights.

Some worried about the royal family’s attitude toward Li Fu and the Grand Tutor. Some fretted over the hundreds of Celestial Strategy cavalry on the third transverse street. But most were troubled by their losses in the Lantern Festival betting.

Statistics showed that over two hundred betting events took place that night in the capital’s major gambling houses, with the seventy largest wagers tied to the exam rankings. Li Fu’s unexpected rise, coupled with Yang Zixu and Yang Ning’s withdrawal, led to countless upsets—few managed to win.

Ordinarily, if the bettors lost, the house would profit. Yet this year, the three largest gambling houses in the capital made little from the night’s bets, for just before closing, all three received heavy wagers from the Eastern Feather General’s Residence.

To run such vast betting events in the capital required formidable backing. While the house might win or lose, if its patrons were powerful enough, it was not unheard of for them to default or underpay.

But this time, none dared think of reneging, for the Eastern Feather General’s Residence not only delivered the silver for their wagers, but also a long list of names—sons of noble households throughout the capital, with sizable bets. Thus, not only the General’s Residence, but nearly half the noble houses in the capital were involved, all orchestrated by Yang Zixu…

This was but a small glimpse of the night’s happenings in the capital. Most people were more concerned with the Wine Master and Li Fu…

After the Grand Tutor’s double victory in the Lantern Festival exams two centuries ago, the Wine Master vanished from public view, news of him scarce. Even when away from the capital, he never appeared. If not for the lack of an official announcement of his passing, most would have assumed he had joined the ranks of departed spirits in the Lingyan Pavilion.

Tonight, the Wine Master not only appeared, but seemed to harbor some estrangement with the current emperor. Personally tying the hair of the Grand Tutor’s protégé—a gesture reserved for the Crown Prince—was a clear statement of dissatisfaction with the imperial family’s treatment of the Grand Tutor over the years.

Those privy to the secrets of that night decades ago were either slain by the Grand Tutor or perished during the imperial purges. The few survivors remained silent, as if nothing had ever happened in the capital.

Yet with Li Fu’s arrival, everything began to shift—not just in the capital, but across the entire Tang court.

Of course, these changes were only superficial; the true impact lurked beneath the surface, awaiting its moment to emerge—perhaps within the next month or two, when the events of that night fifteen years ago would come to light. No one knew what waves lay beneath the ripples on the water…

Li Fu knew nothing of these things, but he understood that tomorrow the capital would change because of his actions tonight. What those changes would be, and how great, he could not say.

Yang Zixu was equally unaware—or rather, unconcerned. His only interest now was the dragon spear in Li Fu’s possession. No sooner had they boarded the carriage than Yang Zixu, unabashed, half-snatched the spear from Li Fu and placed it before himself, like a starving man facing a sumptuous feast, greedily admiring it.

The carriage arrived at Yang Ning’s residence—the Celestial Strategy Academy.

The night in the capital was still bitterly cold, yet the people’s enthusiasm could not be dampened. The gate before the academy was bustling, with frequent shouts of congratulations and lively discussions.

The talk was not only of Yang Ning and Yang Zixu, but even more so of Li Fu.

“Yang Ning is here! Ah—the champion is in the carriage too!”

No sooner had the three stepped out than the crowd recognized them. Yet most attention was given to Yang Ning and Yang Zixu, with Li Fu almost overlooked.

The crowd had waited outside for some time, and upon seeing the three arrive, surged forward en masse. Every voice rang out, reaching their ears. As the scene grew livelier, some even tried to drag Yang Zixu to their own mansions.

“You’ve got the wrong man! I’m neither the champion nor Yang Ning!”
Amid the chaos, Yang Zixu struggled to break free from the grip of a wealthy gentleman.

“Yang Scholar, I assure you I’ve got the right one. You haven’t visited my daughter in ages. Such a fine night—how can you let her wait alone in her chamber…”

“Let go of me, I’m not your young master! Who are you, anyway? I don’t even know you!” Yang Zixu blushed, annoyed. Such matters should not be discussed on the street, in front of everyone.

Thankfully, the academy’s guards maintained order at the gates, or the three would have been carried off by the enthusiastic crowd.

The chaos did not last long. Soon, two squads from the General of Loyal Might’s residence arrived, and the crowd quieted.

Thus, the three managed to escape into the academy in disarray.

By then, their regal bearing from the palace was gone. Their clothes were torn; Yang Ning’s sleeve was half missing, exposing his bronze arm. Li Fu fared slightly better, but his robe was pulled open, and his purple-gold crown hung askew. The neat hair the Wine Master had arranged was now a mess.

Yang Zixu suffered the worst. Somehow, when the General of Loyal Might’s men found him, he had been cornered by a group of young maidens in the street. Both his face and clothes were smeared with their cosmetics, his face covered in lipstick marks, looking utterly ridiculous by the lanterns at the gate.