Chapter Twenty-Four: The Audacious Rogue

A pale light began to spread across the eastern horizon, the red sun rising from the sea, casting ten thousand beams of golden radiance. The morning sun spilled its colors, melting gold across a thousand miles. Out on the ocean, a serpentine line surged forward, racing straight toward the eye. In an instant, the rocky shore before him was swept by golden waves, two fathoms high, foaming like molten snow. The day burst forth from the earth, the Yellow River flowing in from beyond the heavens.

The battlefield was strewn with corpses, a harrowing sight that shook the soul and chilled the heart. The mutilated remains of slaughtered eunuchs lay scattered in every direction, blood soaking the palace, and the carnage continued unabated.

At once, the air was thick with the scent of blood, the entire world seemed to tremble, mountains crumbling, earth splitting. In the blink of an eye, one life after another was extinguished. They seemed to be suffering a death by a thousand cuts, their bodies torn asunder, limbs shattered, torsos fragmented. In this moment swallowed by blood and light, it was impossible to tell what was a weapon anymore. Crimson hands, sharp teeth, impatiently tore faces to pieces.

Zi Fan gazed at the headless corpse of the one named Zhang Rang for a long time in silence, then finally spoke: “Though Zhang Rang was a eunuch, he died for his master. In this, he was a man of loyalty and honor. Let his body not be desecrated—find a proper place and bury him well.”

The bloodshed within the manor had been more intense than anyone expected. These cornered eunuchs had erupted with formidable ferocity, each resisting with desperate courage, holding off the Black Riders again and again. Using the advantageous terrain, they fought with wild abandon, and repeated assaults only cost the soldiers several of their own.

“A cornered beast fights hardest, but only to a point.” Zi Fan decisively ordered the soldiers to concentrate their attacks on several key locations, encircle three sides and leave one open, giving a path to escape. In despair, people often discover a surge of strength; fighting with their backs against the wall can yield remarkable results. Conversely, life is precious, and everyone wishes to live—fleeing with one’s tail between the legs is the true path.

As expected, with an escape route open, the eunuchs rushed out in a panic. Already frightened, they seized upon the chance to survive, unwilling to fight to the death against armored, well-trained soldiers. Once one escaped, others followed, fleeing in droves. In a blink, these young eunuchs seemed to sprout wings on their feet, bursting with energy, throwing away all their gold, silver, and valuables as if paying a toll for passage.

Watching the precious treasures tossed aside, it was as if they were telling the soldiers: We have no quarrel with you, peace is best—after all, we're mere eunuchs, seeking only wealth. Please, have mercy and let us live.

Zi Fan could only smile and shake his head. “Take their money, relieve their troubles—why bother? There’s no enmity between us, so why go to such lengths... Ha! Let others bear the burdens, happiness is what matters most. Isn’t the purpose of life to pursue joy?”

The tumultuous cries of slaughter within the imperial city gradually faded. The soil had long since turned a reddish-brown, the blood refusing to coagulate, the gloom overhead refusing to dissipate. Occasionally, on a broken branch, a limb hung, unrecognizable. The sounds of fighting, shouting, and clashing weapons that had filled the air moments ago vanished, leaving a silence so grim it seemed monstrous. Everything was gone, everything...

Zi Fan was just about to step out of the palace gates when a soldier hurried over, bowing to report: “Lord Governor, news from the central camp—eunuch Zhao Zhong and others have fled to the right, taking the Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu with them. Lord Governor, please dispatch troops quickly to recover the Emperor and the Prince.”

“I see, you may go.” Zi Fan waved his hand with closed eyes, paused, then slowly opened them, his face alight with excitement. “Chaos, chaos is good...! In such turbulent times, it’s the perfect opportunity for a pig to eat a tiger.”

Luoyang was in utter turmoil. Officials summoned their staff and retainers, shouting as they organized their estates and fought fires. Some officials led troops personally to rescue the Emperor, determined to find the young sovereign no matter what, even if it meant digging up the earth.

“Lord Governor, there’s a report—a carriage ahead, its horses startled, sped recklessly and crashed into a roadside tree. The carriage overturned, but no wounded were found. Judging from the scene, there were likely two passengers, who left only half a minute ago and must still be nearby,” a scout on horseback reported.

“Oh, nearby? How interesting.” Zi Fan examined the carriage, wrapped in exquisite silk, its windows inlaid with gold and jewels, veiled by pale blue gauze so no one outside could see within. Such luxury was not for ordinary folk. It seemed the big fish had taken the bait...

“Send the order—every division form up in battle formation, advance in line!”

“Yes, sir!” The Black Riders immediately received the command, forming a straight line, advancing to scout ahead and missing nothing. Their thorough search startled countless small creatures—rabbits and monkeys fleeing in every direction.

Disrupt the enemy’s balance, confuse their formation—that is the true aim of strategy. The result is either the enemy’s collapse or their easy defeat in battle. Sure enough, a shrill cry came from the grass...

“Stay alert!”

“Yes, sir!”

All soldiers instantly readied themselves for attack, gripping their swords tightly.

Some people earn a lifetime’s trust with a single glance; others never gain an ounce of trust, no matter how long they live. In this army, Zi Fan held absolute authority. Among the soldiers, a saying was often heard: “Those who trust Zi Fan shall live forever.”

The wind swept up a storm of crimson leaves, sword energy filling the air, infusing heaven and earth with a sense of bleakness and death. Zi Fan drew his sword in a reverse grip, holding it level across his chest, his eyes fixed on the distant wild grass. In such a vast expanse, hiding a few people was child’s play.

“Swish!”

The Seven-Star Dragon Spring sword sliced through the air, a jet-black gleam flashing overhead. Zi Fan was not aiming to kill—only to draw the snake from its hole...

Sure enough, as the blade fell, a golden flash shot from the grass—a big fish was indeed hiding there.

Zi Fan stepped forward quietly. Two big fish, in fact. One wore a blue smoke-colored robe, a pleated skirt of misty green, and a soft blue gauze cloak. Her shoulders were delicate, her waist slender, her skin like creamy jade, her breath fragrant as orchids. The other, with black hair cascading like a spring, coiled into a bun and pinned with a jade hairpin, adorned with a golden step-shake, long pearl tassels trembling at her temples, her brows unpainted yet dark. Two beautiful snakes indeed. Recognizing these familiar figures, Zi Fan mischievously struck both their backsides with the flat of his sword. Remarkable elasticity—a crisp sound echoed...

“Ah... ah...”

“Scoundrel, you’re asking for a beating...”

With a scream, a white-clad figure leapt from the grass, flipping her wrist and sending a small knife flying toward Zi Fan’s thigh at lightning speed.

Zi Fan sidestepped, seized the knife in her left hand, and wrapped his other arm around her shapely hips...

This white-clad figure was none other than Princess Taiping, the only daughter of Emperor Ling of Han... A big fish indeed—a beautiful mermaid.

“Scoundrel! How dare you... You’ve already bullied me once, how can you still try again?”

At that moment, a green-robed figure stumbled out from the grass, her movements clumsy. “Let go of my mistress... Let go, let go!” Zi Fan’s armor was impenetrable to her blows. The little maid, anxious to protect her mistress, bit down without hesitation.

“Ouch! It hurts... hurts... let go quickly...”

Seeing this, Princess Taiping struggled with all her might, but as a weak woman, she could not escape those iron arms. Tears streamed down her face in frustration.

“Mighty, Lord Governor!” The Black Riders jeered, making the scene even more chaotic.

“Ha... ha...” Amid the soldiers’ laughter, Zi Fan, delighted, could not resist raising his dark hand once more, smacking that shapely backside with a loud slap... Princess Taiping’s eyes swelled with tears, gazing at Zi Fan with the look of a ripened peach—her eyes full of longing, not hatred, more like a wife yearning for her husband’s return.

“Come, escort Her Highness back...”