Side Story: Boundless Devotion (I) Owed Bonus Chapter~

It was a day of great celebration. The newly crowned top martial arts scholar had been personally appointed by the Emperor as the commander of the Imperial Guard, making him the youngest commander since the founding of the Jin Dynasty.

The vibrant young man was only sixteen years old at the time.

Instantly, countless rumors about him spread throughout the palace, and everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of what this youth truly looked like. The palace maids, harboring romantic dreams, were especially eager to behold his demeanor.

"Sixth Brother, didn't you also see the new top martial arts scholar? What kind of person is he really?" Princes Jiang Yun, Jiang Ye, Jiang Chen, and Jiang Xuan were practicing archery together at the training ground.

The reigning Emperor of the Jin Dynasty valued both literature and martial arts equally, so his sons did not dare to neglect either discipline.

"He's just an ordinary person, nothing extraordinary," Jiang Ye replied as he drew a bow.

Jiang Yun laughed. "Fourth Brother, you're just upset because you lost to him. Never mind, Third Brother will avenge you. In a few days, I'll summon him to the training field. We'll see whether he's a true steed or just a mule once we put him through his paces."

"Third Brother, you'd better drop this matter. Sixth Brother has been depressed about it for days. You know what Sixth Brother's skills are like; for someone to become the top martial arts scholar at such a young age proves he's no mediocrity. You mustn't underestimate the enemy, Third Brother."

"We shall see. Ninth Brother, even though you're still young, we mustn't lose the imperial family's dignity in terms of spirit," Jiang Yun said to the young boy standing nearby.

That year, Jiang Xuan was only twelve years old, still a childish boy. Though not very tall yet, his handsome facial features were already clearly defined. Standing beside a horse, he barely reached a little above its neck.

Hearing Jiang Yun call him, he glanced back, pressed his lips together, and remained silent.

Jiang Ye remarked, "You're expecting something from Ninth Brother? At most, he can whisper a few secrets to the horse. Look at his height—it'll be a miracle if he can even climb onto a horse's back right now."

Jiang Yun retorted, "Fourth Brother, don't talk about Ninth Brother like that. He's still growing. Besides, as long as our spirit doesn't flag, that's enough. Even if Ninth Brother hasn't learned these things yet, he can at least cheer us on from the sidelines, can't he?"

"Third Brother, do you already have a plan?" Jiang Chen asked, noticing Jiang Yun's confident expression.

"I don't have a specific plan, but this Crown Prince will certainly not lose to some martial arts scholar."

The next day, the sun shone brilliantly.

Jiang Xuan was feeding the horses in the stables when, suddenly sensing some movement, he involuntarily looked ahead. Through that glance, he caught sight of a dashing and spirited youth.

Under the blazing sun, Jiang Xuan's vision seemed to blur, and the radiant aura emanating from the youth made it impossible for him to look away.

"Are the horses here under your charge?" The youth approached, his voice clear and crisp, yet somewhat stern.

Jiang Xuan was momentarily stunned and had not yet spoken when he suddenly saw Jiang Yun and Jiang Ye walking over from behind. "Are you Long Zhan?"

Long Zhan? Was this not the very same top martial arts scholar whom the palace maids and eunuchs whispered of as if he were a divine being? So it was him!

Jiang Xuan's gaze fell upon him once more, as if genuinely wanting to check whether this legendary figure truly possessed supernatural powers. Noticing Jiang Xuan's stare, Long Zhan frowned slightly. In the inner palace, it was one thing for maids and eunuchs to whisper behind his back with such blatant stares, but why was this person looking at him the same way? Was he not a man, for goodness' sake?

Before anyone could speak further, Jiang Yun demanded, "This Crown Prince asked you a question. Why aren't you answering?"

Long Zhan cupped his fists in salute. "This humble subject is indeed Long Zhan. What business does Your Highness the Crown Prince have in summoning me?"

Jiang Yun looked him up and down and said, "From what this Crown Prince can see, you're nothing special! I called you here simply to check whether the rumors are true. Well? Do you dare to have a contest with me?"

"You are the Crown Prince. Forgive this humble subject, but I dare not."

Jiang Ye chimed in, "Is it that you dare not, or that you're afraid?"

Long Zhan swept a glance over Jiang Ye and said, "The Fourth Prince is already a defeated opponent. Do you still have the qualification to talk about fear or the lack thereof?"

"You—" Stung by Long Zhan's words, Jiang Ye instantly felt he had lost face.

Jiang Xuan, on the other hand, felt a surge of secret delight upon hearing this. Jiang Ye frequently bullied him, always acting arrogant and tyrannical even within the palace walls, with hardly anyone daring to provoke him. Yet now, Long Zhan had left Jiang Ye speechless with just a few sharp words, and Jiang Xuan found it immensely satisfying.

With that thought, he cast a few more glances at Long Zhan.

This gaze was naturally noticed by Long Zhan as well, but with Jiang Yun to deal with at the moment, he had no spare energy to care about the stable boy.

"True heroes aren't made by wagging their tongues. Who is superior and who is inferior—let us see the true measure of our skills on horseback, shall we?"

Long Zhan had no desire to pick a fight with Jiang Yun; his duty was to protect the palace and ensure the Emperor's safety. He knew better than to provoke someone of the Crown Prince's status, well aware of the stakes involved.

"My duties require me to patrol the palace. Please forgive this humble subject for taking my leave."

***

Long Zhan turned to leave, but Jiang Chen stepped forward with one arm to block his path. "If you refuse to compete with us, you must loudly tell everyone that you are no match for Third Brother, that winning against Fourth Brother was purely a matter of luck, and willingly forfeit your title as the top martial arts scholar. Only then will we let you go today!"

Long Zhan shot Jiang Chen a chilling look. Startled by the gaze, Jiang Chen froze for a fraction of a second and instinctively pulled his hand back.

Jiang Yun, who had not yet seen Long Zhan's expression, echoed, "Sixth Brother is right. Either you compete, or you leave the palace. His Majesty does not need a coward for protection."

Watching Long Zhan's back, Jiang Xuan chanted inwardly in his heart: *Compete! Compete! Compete!*

"Very well!" Long Zhan answered with firm resolve.

Cheers erupted inside Jiang Xuan's heart.

Jiang Yun stepped forward to select a horse, and Long Zhan followed suit.

"I'll take this one." Long Zhan pointed to the horse standing right beside Jiang Xuan.

That was Jiang Xuan's favorite horse, named Qingfeng. Although Jiang Xuan was not skilled in riding or archery among the four princes, he held a deep affection for this steed and shared a very close bond with it.

"Long Zhan, you certainly have an eye. The moment you pick a horse, you choose one just like its master—a coward who has never dared to set foot on a battlefield," Jiang Ye taunted with a sneer.

Humiliated by Jiang Ye's remark, Jiang Xuan lowered his head in embarrassment. He knew he was the one dragging down Qingfeng's reputation.

"I want this one." Long Zhan spoke with the absolute air of someone who had already secured victory. The confidence in his gaze was something Jiang Xuan envied more than anything else.

Ordinarily, Jiang Xuan would never have allowed anyone else near Qingfeng, but hearing Long Zhan speak in that manner made him change his mind. Perhaps Long Zhan could help Qingfeng restore its honor. In any case, for Jiang Xuan to mount a horse and display martial prowess would probably take a few more years—at least until he grew taller.

Jiang Xuan handed the reins to Long Zhan. Long Zhan nodded slightly to him, then led the horse out of the stable before executing a fluid, dashing mount into the saddle.

By this time, Jiang Yun and Jiang Chen had also mounted their horses.

The competition consisted of two rounds: one for equestrian skill and one for archery. The equestrian test involved racing to a designated finish point to see who could arrive first and seize a colorful ribbon hanging high above. The archery test naturally compared their accuracy.

Beneath the blazing sun, the three youths all radiated high spirits. Dust flew into the air as the race proceeded fiercely.

In the horse-riding test, Jiang Yun and Jiang Chen lacked experience and ultimately lost to Long Zhan.

An unyielding Jiang Yun dismounted immediately, grabbed a quiver of arrows, and challenged Long Zhan, "Let's compete in this next. This Crown Prince refuses to believe I can't beat you here! Fourth Brother, get up here too!"

"Right!"

The four of them stood in a row. After several rounds of shooting, Long Zhan hit the bullseye every single time.

Jiang Ye felt thoroughly disgraced. If Long Zhan were to defeat all three of them simultaneously, it would be an even greater blow to the imperial family's pride. Catching Long Zhan off guard, he stealthily aimed his arrow straight at him.

Long Zhan did not notice this, but Jiang Xuan, standing off to the side, saw it clearly.

Although Jiang Xuan did not want Jiang Yun to win, neither did he wish to see Jiang Ye resort to such underhanded tactics just to secure victory for Jiang Yun. The moment Jiang Ye released his bowstring, Jiang Xuan cried out, "Long Zhan, look out!"

Startled, Long Zhan saw the arrow hurtling toward him. With a swift lean backward, he nimbly dodged it. However, the deflected arrow sped straight toward Jiang Xuan instead.

Frozen in shock, Jiang Xuan was too slow to react or dodge.

At that exact instant, Long Zhan drew his bow without a moment's hesitation and loosed an arrow. The projectile shattered the incoming arrow mid-flight and embedded itself straight into the pillar right beside Jiang Xuan.

Jiang Xuan was paralyzed with fright, but his fear was immediately replaced by awe at Long Zhan's miraculous archery skills.

"Ninth Brother, are you alright?" Jiang Yun and Jiang Chen lowered their bows simultaneously and rushed over to ask.

Long Zhan frowned. *Ninth Brother?* This young boy before him was actually the Ninth Prince, Jiang Xuan? And here he had foolishly thought the lad was merely a stable hand.

"Third Brother, Sixth Brother, I'm fine!" Jiang Xuan shook his head nonchalantly. "Did you two figure out who won?"

"What's there to figure out? He missed one shot; as long as Third Brother hits every target, you win," Jiang Ye said as he walked over.

Knowing full well that Jiang Ye had fired a treacherous shot, Jiang Yun declared, "There's no need to continue. Even a victory won this way lacks honor. Fourth Brother, how could you pull a stunt like this? What if you had hurt Ninth Brother?"

Jiang Ye defended himself, "My hand just slipped for a moment, and my aim went astray. But Ninth Brother was wholeheartedly helping an outsider. With our own family lacking unity, it's no wonder we can't beat him."

Jiang Xuan pressed his lips together and remained silent.

***

Jiang Yun found it difficult to pursue the matter further, knowing that pressing on would only fracture the harmony between brothers.

"Very well. Long Zhan, let's compete another day; we'll call today a draw, how about that?"

Naturally, Long Zhan could not disregard the Crown Prince's face. Since Jiang Yun called it a draw, a draw it was. Long Zhan nodded slightly. "If the Crown Prince has such refined interests, this humble subject is willing to accompany you at any time—provided it does not interfere with my official duties!"

"Good. Competing with you today has truly shown me the valor of a young hero. Father Emperor has an excellent eye; I can rest easy regarding the palace's safety from now on." Seeing that Long Zhan understood the ways of the world, Jiang Yun offered him some praise as a way to gracefully step down.

"Then this humble subject takes his leave!"

"Go ahead."

Long Zhan flicked his cape and strode off, seeming to tread upon the wind itself.

Jiang Xuan kept his eyes fixed on the retreating figure, unable to withdraw his gaze for a long time.

"He's already gone. Why are you acting like your soul has left your body?" Jiang Ye taunted. "You were even willing to let him ride Qingfeng. Ninth Brother, whose side are you actually on?"

Not knowing how to respond, Jiang Xuan could only lower his head.

Jiang Yun hurried to smooth things over. "All right, Fourth Brother, why do you always have to target Ninth Brother? He just didn't want you to cause trouble. Do you really think I believed that excuse about your hand slipping? The competition was meant to let off steam, but if it creates a disaster, we won't have a good way to explain it to Father. If you want to vent your frustration, let's just practice diligently. I refuse to believe we can't beat him. When we make him bow in submission, nobody will have anything to say."

"Exactly, Fourth Brother. Practicing on our own is far better than resorting to tricks, otherwise we really do lose the imperial family's dignity."

"You two just go on taking Ninth Brother's side! I'm going back to my quarters!" Fuming with anger, Jiang Ye turned and walked away.

"Fourth Brother!"

"Fourth Brother!"

"Let's go coax him. Fourth Brother suffered a blow to his pride at Long Zhan's hands, so it's somewhat understandable he acted that way."

Jiang Yun nodded. "Very well. Ninth Brother, you should come along too."

"No, Third Brother, I need to take the horses back first."

"Alright then, join us later."

As Jiang Yun and Jiang Chen left, Jiang Xuan led the horses back to the stables.

Noticing the pleasant sunlight and feeling somewhat fatigued, he decided to lie down right there on the training ground. Bathed in the warmth of the sun, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, but he was too lazy to wipe them away.

In the summer heat, people easily grew drowsy, and the baking sun induced a lazy languor—so much so that he failed to notice someone approaching him.

"It's very hot here. If you sleep like this, you'll easily get heatstroke!"

A voice came from above. Startled, Jiang Xuan snapped his eyes open and saw Long Zhan leaning slightly over him. With his handsome face and upright posture, the man possessed an extraordinary presence.

Why was he back?

Rolling his eyes, Jiang Xuan sat up, looked him straight in the eye, and retorted, "This Prince is sleeping here. What business do you have coming over to disturb me?"

Long Zhan thought to himself: *Just a moment ago he didn't utter a word, and now he's putting on the airs of a proper prince? But when all is said and farlo, he's still just a child—look at that, his voice is even soft. Where is the majesty in that?*

Long Zhan chuckled softly. "This humble subject was simply worried that the Ninth Prince had been frightened and was here grieving alone!"

"Bah, bah, bah!" Jiang Xuan snapped indignantly. "You're the one who wet his pants from fright! This Prince is doing just fine!"

To prove he was doing quite well indeed, Jiang Xuan deliberately straightened his upper body even more and repeated, "This Prince is doing *fine*, did you hear that—"

Accompanied by the movement of straightening his back, before he could finish his sentence, his forehead collided squarely with Long Zhan's chin.

Jiang Xuan thought: *Why on earth did this Long Zhan have to lean down so close?*

Long Zhan thought: *You little brat, why did you have to straighten your back while talking? You're clearly only this tall!*