Li Xian's elite warriors assembled in the spacious courtyard of the inn, while the lesser soldiers gathered in a field beyond the town gates. They boasted nearly a thousand spearn and three hundred Qi Warriors. Li Zhuang had already inspected the warriors and returned.
The innkeeper, approached the cart carrying the noble who had knelt all night. Li Xian grinned, and Li Zhuang sensed trouble brewing.
"You there, innkeeper!" Li Xian's voice echoed across the courtyard. "Your hospitality leaves much to be desired. The service was subpar, the wine inferior, and you dared to ddle in matters that don't concern you. What say you?"
The innkeeper placed his hands on his hips, ready to engage in a debate. Li Zhuang shook his head in disbelief.
Before the innkeeper could utter a word, one of Li Xian's attendants delivered a swift kick to his head, knocking him unconscious. Laughter erupted among the other attendants.
Li Xian tossed a small purse of coins onto the fallen man. "Consider this a lesson in proper conduct. Burn the inn!"
As their convoy moved out, a plu of smoke began to rise from the town, ascending high into the sky.
An hour later, Li Zhuang rode beside Li Xian as they encountered the local lord that they had co all the way to visit and his entourage at the crossroads. The lord had a sizable force of thirty Qi warriors and was fully armored. He sent a ssenger inviting Li Xian and his company to et under the shade of a solitary oak tree.
Li Zhuang smiled at the lord's prudence. "Here is a man who understands the ways of the world," he remarked.
"Let's go greet him," Li Xian suggested. "He's accompanied by six Qi Warriors—let's match his numbers."
The Earl spoke as they approached. "Are you Li Xian, the Master of Ruyi?"
Li Xian nodded. "You may not recall, but I was quite young when you visited the west. This is my cousin, Li Zhuang, Lord of Yuyuan."
The Earl exchanged bows with both n. His own Qi Warriors observed silently, their faces hidden and weapons at the ready.
"Did you encounter any issues in Jingdu?" the Earl inquired, gesturing toward the rising smoke in the distance.
Li Xian dismissed the concern. "No issues. I rely imparted so much-needed wisdom. These people have lost their respect for the way of the warrior. A local Noble challenged , and naturally, I bested him. I plan to present him to his clan and get rewards for disciplining him "
"We set the inn ablaze," Li Zhuang interjected, finding his cousin's actions increasingly vexing.
The Earl's eyes narrowed at Li Xian. "Which inn?"
Li Xian retorted, "I don't appreciate your tone, my lord."
Li Zhuang intervened, "The Twin Dragons Inn. Are you familiar?"
The Earl was visibly upset. "You burned down the Twin Dragons? It's one of the oldest establishnts!"
Li Xian was unapologetic. "A lesson was necessary. They'll rebuild."
The Earl sighed. "You've brought a formidable force. Three hundred Qi Warriors? We might have four thousand in all of Tianqin kingdom."
Li Xian glanced at his cousin and then responded to the lord, "You requested a strong force, and here we are. By spring, we'll negotiate new terms. But we will deliver what you needed; you will get the marquess title."
The Earl's attention shifted to the cart in the middle of the column. "Which noble clan is the Local noble from?"
Li Zhuang spoke, "He ntioned so clan nad Yuanjing."
The Earl gave a surprised look, "By the heavens, is that Yuanjing clan mber you've captured? Have you lost your mind?"
Li Xian yanked his steed's reins so forcefully that Li Zhuang noticed blood on the bit. "You shall not address in such a manner, my lord!" Li Xian declared.
Ignoring his own attendants' efforts to keep up, the Earl rode swiftly to the cart.
Li Zhuang observed his cousin intently. "You won't slay this Earl rely because he irks you," he advised softly.
"He questioned my sanity," Li Xian retorted, his eyes ablaze. "We could annihilate his thirty Qi Warriors in a matter of hours."
"Without the local lord's help, how will you capture your dukedom?" Li Zhuang cautioned.
The Earl had the Guan mounted and returned, his Qi Warriors closely aligned behind him.
"Master," he began, "I've spent ti in the west and understand the root of this misunderstanding. However, in eastern kingdoms, we don't strictly adhere to the Code of Battle. We have sothing known as the Code of Righteousness. Lord Guan is the offspring of one of the eastern kingdom's most influential noble clans— Yuanjing, which is ruled by a powerhouse Qi lord.
If the clan hears about this, they will never let you have your dukedom. These clans are millennia old and have very deep roots in the northeast. Lord Guan acted as any eastern noble would. He wasn't obligated to be in armor at that ti. By our laws, you attacked him dishonorably, and you can be held accountable."
Li Xian scoffed. "Then your law is a crutch for the weak and a hindrance to the strong. He chose to spar and lost. The heavens have spoken; no more needs to be said."
The tension was palpable. The Earl's Qi Warriors were on the brink of conflict. Li Zhuang sensed it.
"Apologize for the ruthless demise of his attendants, or our pact is null," the Earl insisted, his hand steady on his axe. "You can't keep this man for ransom. Even Tianqin kingdom's king won't offend Yuanjing."
"There aren't enough warriors in this land to capture ," Li Xian retorted.
The Earl's attendants unsheathed their blades.
Li Zhuang raised his unclad, armored hands and positioned his steed between the two n. "Honored ones! A misunderstanding has occurred, as often happens when the East ets the West. My cousin acted within his rights as a Qi warrior and a noble. You claim Lord Guan was also within his rights. Must we, who have traveled great distances to assist you, Lord Qian, bear the cost of this misunderstanding?
By the grace of the Heavens, we are all n of good intent. I, for one, will extend my apologies to the young noble." Li Zhuang shot a stern look at his cousin.
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