Chapter One Hundred and Eight: Ambushed?

Having finished speaking, Yanhong looked at the gathered crowd and then drew a small jade pendant from her bosom. The pendant was remarkably plain, the kind of cheap trinket that could be bought by the dozen on any bustling street. Yanhong retrieved six such pendants, distributing four of them to the young gentlemen Zhang, Zhou, Liu, and Hua, while the remaining two went to Li Zisheng and Baliang.

Li Zisheng carefully scrutinized the small jade pendant in his hand. It looked utterly ordinary, completely devoid of any intrinsic value, let alone exquisite carving or fine craftsmanship. It appeared to be nothing more than common market trash, and Li Zisheng had no inkling of what Yanhong's true purpose might be.

Yanhong offered a smile to the visibly perplexed Li Zisheng.

"Esteemed young masters, this jade pendant is naturally an ordinary object. However, our upcoming journey to Lingwu County is for the sole purpose of contending for the Eye of the Heavens, which lies within the Flying Dragon Valley of Lingwu County. The Flying Dragon Valley is exceedingly difficult to enter, and thus the major top-tier factions observe an unwritten rule: one must possess a token of passage to gain entry. For this expedition to Flying Dragon Valley, even the imperial court has given its tacit approval, leaving it to the contending factions of the current pugilistic world."

"And what exactly does Hall Master Yan mean by this?"

The speaker was Young Master Hua, his tone tinged with a subtle, unreadable undertone.

"Naturally, it means an alliance."

"Hmph! Has Hall Master Yan lost her mind from drinking too much water? You think a mere Eye of the Heavens is enough to bring our factions under your thumb? That is nothing short of wishful thinking and sheer delusion!" Young Master Hua's temper remained fiercely hot; without even grasping the full context of the situation, he launched straight into an attack on Yanhong. The other three remained silent, tacitly endorsing Young Master Hua's attitude and interrogation.

Standing off to the side, Li Zisheng watched coldly. There seemed to be more behind this jade pendant than met the eye, and this moment offered a prime opportunity to understand it.

"Young Master Hua, pray do not be hasty. This jade pendant can directly command the outposts of our Three Tastes Pavilion throughout the Guannei Circuit, allowing us to receive advance intelligence on internal matters."

Rather than directly answering Young Master Hua's rude skepticism, Yanhong lightly hinted at the pendant's function. Yet the ability she claimed—being able to mobilize the Three Tastes Pavilion's outposts across the entire Guannei Circuit—was a utility of immense magnitude.

However, turning to look at the other four young gentlemen, they showed not the slightest reaction or change in expression upon hearing Yanhong explain the pendant's use.

"Hmph! I have long heard that the Three Tastes Pavilion's intelligence-gathering network is unmatched throughout the Great Tang. But a mere intelligence network is of little use to the likes of us. I repeat: if you think to make us serve you with such paltry trinkets, it is the greatest joke under heaven." Young Master Hua continued his scathing mockery, refusing to spare Yanhong even a shred of face.

Hearing these words, Yanhong remained utterly composed, her expression unchanging as she offered another faint smile.

"Do the four young masters know why the imperial court would permit all factions to participate in the contest for the Eye of the Heavens? Do you truly believe the reigning Emperor is entirely oblivious to the Eye of the Heavens? Do you think he would casually allow anyone and everyone to contend for a divine artifact rumored to grant immortality?"

As Yanhong finished speaking, her gaze turned sharp and piercing.

Upon hearing her words, the expressions of the four men finally began to shift.

"What is Hall Master Yan implying?"

The speaker this time was the leader of the four for this expedition, Zhang Huatong.

"Young Master Zhang possesses some influence within the court; how could he be unaware of this?" Yanhong replied with yet another cryptic remark. Regardless of what the four men understood, Li Zisheng and Baliang were left completely in the fog.

No sooner had Yanhong finished speaking than Zhang Huatong abruptly shifted his gaze toward Li Zisheng, a rare and piercing sharpness flashing in his eyes.

Li Zisheng naturally noticed Zhang Huatong's shift and instantly felt the weight of that burning stare.

"Hmph, I never imagined Hall Master Yan would strike first. I am impressed. Your proposal for this trip—I accept it."

"Eldest Brother!" The others stepped forward, attempting to dissuade Zhang Huatong, but a single gesture from him instantly stopped them in their tracks, signaling the other three to say no more.

Then, he cast another casual glance toward Li Zisheng, though in the next instant, he averted his gaze entirely and paid him no further mind.

Despite the blinding speed with which Zhang Huatong looked away, Li Zisheng still managed to catch it.

Catching that look sent a sudden chill running down Li Zisheng’s spine, breaking him out in a cold sweat almost instantly.

This unprovoked panic made Li Zisheng extremely uncomfortable. Why had such a shift occurred? Why would he suddenly feel such a profound sense of danger? It was all deeply suspicious.

The feeling was as though he were on the brink of imminent catastrophe, enough to make his hair stand on end. The danger he faced must surely threaten his very life. If that was the case, then the garbled conversation between Yanhong and the four men moments ago must have been couched in secret language he failed to understand—a plot to secretly harm him. What a treacherous woman Yanhong was!

Gritting his teeth in silent fury, Li Zisheng cursed Yanhong for her malicious intent to entrap him. Yet, despite the rage burning in his heart, his outward expression remained steady; for now, he could only take things one step at a time.

Ever since crossing over into this Great Tang dynasty, his heightened intuition had helped him evade countless crises. But this time, the premonition came with far greater intensity. Such a crushing sense of danger meant the perils of this journey would vastly exceed anything he could imagine. What should he do? What could he do?

As Li Zisheng listened to the empty pleasantries exchanged between Yanhong and the four men, he frantically racked his brain for a subsequent plan.

Whether it was Yanhong or the four young men, all of them had powerful factions backing them from the shadows. He, on the other hand, had zero support save for the empty reputation of Elder Zhang. What was he to do?

Yanhong and the four men continued discussing matters beyond Li Zisheng's comprehension, but he no longer cared what else they said. One thing was certain: he now realized these people intended him harm.

"We leave at once." Abandoning any further hesitation, Yanhong directly summoned five carriages, as did the other four men.

Seeing this, Li Zisheng and Baliang boarded the rearmost carriage. Strangely enough, though all five carriages shared the same ultimate destination, their initial departure routes diverged completely. The two of them were assigned to travel with the perpetually taciturn Young Master Liu, while the other three each took separate paths.

As for Yanhong, it remained a mystery what method she intended to use to depart the scene.