Chapter Four: Severing the Banner

In less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the two of them arrived at the center of Chang’an Avenue.

The first destination Li Fu was headed to lay precisely at the intersection of Chang’an Avenue and Vermilion Bird Boulevard. That was the location of the Imperial Ceremonial Bureau, the traditional workplace of the Three Excellencies throughout the dynasties.

Not far away, diagonally across the street, stood the residence of the Loyal and Mighty General.

Delivering these two letters proved uneventful. The messages were handed smoothly to the doorkeepers of the respective residences. Li Fu did not wait for a reply but turned away and set off toward the next location.

“Aren’t you supposed to wait for a response from inside after handing over the letters?” Yang Zixu asked in puzzlement.

Li Fu had merely handed the letters to the doormen, but Yang Zixu had caught a glimpse. These two letters were no ordinary missives.

One was addressed to the current Grand Preceptor. The other bore the name “Xu Changhai”—none other than the Loyal and Mighty General, one of the Eight Great Generals of the present day.

“No need. My master only instructed me to deliver the letters. Everything after that is not my concern,” Li Fu replied with a shake of his head, admitting he too did not understand his master’s intentions.

“So the next stop is the Shangguan family?” Yang Zixu’s curiosity about the matter only deepened. Who in the world delivers letters this way?

“Yes,” Li Fu nodded, then asked, “Aren’t you going home?”

“Of course I am! If my father doesn’t see me at the manor again today, he’ll overturn every pleasure barge on the White Dragon River…” Yang Zixu shrank his neck as he spoke.

“Then why are you still with me?” Li Fu asked.

“Who said I’m with you? My way home just happens to pass by the Shangguan residence,” Yang Zixu spread his hands, grinning.

Li Fu did not seem particularly hurried. He strolled along, admiring the fallen plum blossoms on either side of Chang’an Avenue. The rows of plum trees were of various kinds—white, pink, and red. Petals drifting with the wind settled on the street, lending it a beauty of its own.

Soon, a grand and imposing mansion appeared before Li Fu, encircled by high vermilion walls. Hundreds of soldiers clad in black armor stood guard, lending the place a formidable air. At the massive red gate, two elegant and noble violet qilin statues stood sentinel. The craftsmanship was so lifelike—their eyes wide and fierce—that they exuded a sense of overwhelming authority and unfathomable depth.

Before the mansion stood a massive nanmu pillar, so thick it would take two men to embrace it, standing beside one of the violet qilin. It was nearly thirty feet tall, and at its top hung a great banner, displaying the qilin as it appeared on the gate.

“There, that’s the Shangguan residence. That flag was a reward from His Majesty upon ascending the throne, in recognition of the Shangguan family’s loyalty to the royal house. Though, the one hanging now isn’t the original,” Yang Zixu remarked, glancing askance at the violet qilin flag atop the pole.

“The painting is hideous—it looks more like a crazed, clawing cat than a qilin,” Li Fu blurted after staring at it for a while.

“Hush! Must you say it so loudly? Afraid no one will hear you?” Yang Zixu clapped his hand over Li Fu’s mouth, though his eyes shone with admiration.

“I’ve always thought it looked like a mad cat too, but brother Yang Ning insists it’s a qilin. Glad you see it as I do.” Yang Zixu seemed to have found a kindred spirit, and his fondness for Li Fu grew.

“All right, you’d better get back home. Once I’m done here, I’ll come find you at your residence,” Li Fu said, patting the last letter in his breast.

The final letter was addressed to himself. Before he departed, his master had repeatedly warned him: Only open it in front of Number Four, Chang’an Avenue.

Now, standing before the gate of Number Four, Li Fu found himself at the residence of the Shangguan family, stewards of the Imperial Divine Strategy Office, and the family of the current imperial consort.

He tore open the envelope and drew out the letter. Written on it was a single, brief command:

“Cut down the flagpole bearing the mad cat banner.”

Li Fu was momentarily stunned.

Why did his master want him to fell this banner?

What did this have to do with his own past?

Could it be that his master bore a grudge against the Shangguan family?

But that banner was an imperial gift. To cut it down would be to slap the face of the royal house itself.

For a nobody, newly arrived in the Eastern Capital, to commit such an act seemed wildly inappropriate.

Yet since his master had mentioned it in the letter, there must have been contingency plans in place.

No doubt, the two letters he had just delivered were closely connected to what he was about to do.

Having followed his master for years, Li Fu understood, even if the letter said only a single line, what lay between those words.

Do as you wish—no matter the consequences, others will clean up the aftermath.

With that realization, Li Fu stepped toward the nanmu pole bearing the violet qilin banner.

He had to admit, his master’s opinion matched his own—the qilin did indeed look like a crazed cat, all claws and fangs.

Before the guards outside the Shangguan mansion could react, Li Fu drew his sword and struck down without hesitation.

It was as if he were cutting down not a symbol of the Shangguan family’s honor, but a nameless wild tree behind the rice-scented village.

The thirty-foot-tall flagpole crashed to the ground, smashing heavily into the violet qilin statue at the gate and snapping in two.

Now, at last, the servants at the Shangguan gate and the black-armored soldiers around the residence realized what had happened.

Someone had dared to cut down the imperial banner before the residence of the Divine Strategy Shangguan family in the heart of the Eastern Capital!

It was unthinkable—eight hundred years since the founding of the Great Tang, and never had there been such brazen insolence!

Yet for a moment, neither the soldiers surrounding the Shangguan residence, nor the servants beneath the colonnades, nor even Yang Zixu, who had heard the commotion from not far off, could react. They all stood frozen, unable to decide what to do next.

“Someone! Seize him! Quickly!” The servant at the Shangguan gate was the first to come to his senses, trembling as he shouted to the soldiers nearby, cold sweat beading on his brow and his voice quavering.

The greatest symbol of the Shangguan family’s honor had been destroyed by a plainly dressed, even rather impoverished-looking youth!

Panic overtook the servant. Though the guards were right there, he still shouted for help, hoping that seizing Li Fu might lessen the punishment he himself would face.

The panic was not his alone—even the nearby soldiers had not expected Li Fu to be so bold.

That banner had stood for more than two centuries, not only as a symbol of the Shangguan family’s glory, but as the faith of the Divine Strategy Office, one of the highest martial forces in Tang.

“Insolent wretch! How dare you defy imperial authority—you court death!” The leading officer bellowed, thrusting his spear at Li Fu like a bolt of lightning.

The soldiers following behind wore expressions as cold as death, gazing at Li Fu as if he were already a corpse.

To offend the most powerful family in Great Tang—how could this youth hope to walk away from Chang’an Avenue alive? Especially since the one attacking was a deputy general of the Divine Strategy Guards. How could a mere youth survive?

Yet what followed defied all expectation.

With a light step, the youth’s sword flashed down, shearing the steel spear in two, then with a single brutal kick, he sent the deputy general stumbling backwards, unable to dodge in time.

Shock, shame, and fury flickered across the deputy general’s face in rapid succession.

“Are you all dead men? Seize the criminal at once!” the deputy general roared, drawing his sword and glaring coldly at Li Fu.

Only after their brief clash did he realize that the seemingly frail youth possessed martial skill even stronger than his own.

If he was right, the youth had reached the Upper Heaven stage! This forced him to regard Li Fu with utmost caution and seriousness.