Mysterious Organisation
Peach blossoms shimmer with radiance,
Countless paths adorned with fleeting splendor.
To witness the smiling forest in all its glory,
I ventured forth with the warm tree, not seeking return.
In the peak of March, as peach blossoms bloomed, the journey became a spectacle. Pink clouds floated, and the fragrant scent of flowers filled the air, bringing joy to the heart. However, even the most beautiful flowers become dull with prolonged observation. Especially for someone like Yan Ge, a caged bird who finally had the opportunity to venture outside, staying inside the carriage was unbearable.
At first, Huangfu Yuchen tried various ways to alleviate Yan Ge’s boredom. They would let him feel the breeze from the carriage’s shaft, go for a horse ride, or play chess together. But after trying all these options, Yan Ge became so bored he wanted to scratch the walls.
Huangfu Yuchen eventually gave up and let Yan Ge be.
Observing him became an amusing sight—sometimes he would prop his chin and daydream, other times he would gaze out of the window, and occasionally he would jump onto the roof of the carriage, sighing. He even made unsuccessful attempts at meditation, but it was all quite entertaining.
“Young Master, Madam, there is a sheltered mountain pass ahead, near a river. We shall camp there tonight,” Yang Zhuo reported upon returning from scouting.
“Very well, make the arrangements,” Huangfu Yuchen replied.
Once the convoy came to a halt, everyone got to work—pitching tents, gathering firewood, fetching water, and preparing food. Song Chaobang and Physician Zhang didn’t want to idle and assisted in gathering firewood nearby.
It was the third day since they set out, and Song Ruhao had fully “recovered” from his illness. He roamed freely, gradually drawing closer to Huangfu Yuchen. Du Zhengfeng followed him closely.
“Why do you always follow me?” Song Ruhao asked.
“Young Master, I am your personal servant. If I don’t disturb you, please allow me to accompany you,” Du Zhengfeng dutifully played his role as a personal servant, his expression filled with deference. This made Song Ruhao feel powerless, wishing he could roar and say, ‘Brother, show some tact. Just because you don’t want to get close to the Emperor doesn’t mean others don’t!’
Song Chaobang shouted from a distance, “Little Du, come help me move this pile of firewood.”
Du Zhengfeng remained motionless, “You can ask A Fei to do it. I must attend to Young Master.”
A Fei quickly ran over and effortlessly lifted the pile of firewood.
Song Chaobang: “…”
“Papa!” Yan Jin ran to Yan Ge’s side. He wore a white fur cap, a red cotton robe, and a white fur-trimmed cotton jacket on top, resembling a round snowball. Jiang Gan cherished him and feared he would get sick, so he insisted on dressing him this way.
“Let’s go play by the river,” Yan Jin said.
“Okay,” Yan Ge held his hand.
Huangfu Yuchen followed along.
Yan Jin flashed a toothy smile at him, revealing an innocent expression. Of course, he didn’t mind Huangfu Yuchen’s constant presence with Yan Ge. The better Huangfu Yuchen treated Yan Ge, the faster Yan Ge would progress, and the more benefits he would receive.
What he minded was that throughout the journey, Huangfu Yuchen always left him in Minister Jiang Gan’s carriage to have alone time with Yan Ge. Although he enjoyed acting like a child, there were times when he grew tired of it and wanted to act more mature.
Song Ruhao watched them, jealousy growing in his heart like wild grass in spring.
As the sun gradually set, the aroma of the two pots of hot soup and hot pot, cooked by Du Juan and Deng Mande, wafted through the cold evening breeze, making everyone salivate uncontrollably.
Deng Mande, Du Juan, the five guards, and four carriage drivers shared one large pot, specially prepared to accommodate them all. The remaining individuals shared the other pot, as there couldn’t be too many luxuries while traveling.
Jiang Gan was afraid Yan Jin would burn himself, so he held him in his arms, feeding him while eating.
Yan Jin smiled blissfully, leaned in and kissed Jiang Gan’s face with his oily lips and left a mark there, making Jiang Gan both amused and exasperated.
After dinner, as usual, they went for a walk. The lunar calendar indicated it was around the twelfth or thirteenth night, and the moonlight was enchanting. The shadows of the tree branches fell on the ground, swaying gently, creating a unique ambiance.
Huangfu Yuchen patted Yan Ge’s belly and silently noted to eat less hot pot in the future. Every time they had hot pot, Yan Ge would overeat.
Song Ruhao glanced at the others, realizing that besides Du Zhengfeng, almost no one paid attention to him. He walked towards Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge, disregarding Yan Ge, who was busy picking flowers by their side.
“Can we chat for a moment?” Song Ruhao gazed at Huangfu Yuchen with earnestness.
Huangfu Yuchen remained silent, his expression stern, clearly indicating his disagreement.
The blunt attitude made Yan Ge delighted. He held Yan Jin’s hand, confidently saying, “Chen Chen, Little Jin and I are going to wash our hands by the river.”
Huangfu Yuchen’s brow twitched. Chen Chen?
‘Chen Chen?’ Song Ruhao’s jealousy almost exploded, but he struggled to compose himself and calmly said to Du Zhengfeng, “You can go ahead.”
Du Zhengfeng was worried that staying behind would raise suspicions from Song Ruhao, so he reluctantly turned and left.
Yan Jin looked at Yan Ge curiously, “Master, are you really letting them—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a white shadow appeared before him.
Yan Ge’s figure drifted over, like a white snowflake, silently landing on a wild peach tree not far from Huangfu Yuchen and Song Ruhao, secretly observing them.
Yan Jin looked up at the sky speechlessly.
Huangfu Yuchen looked at Song Ruhao and calmly asked, “What do you want to say?”
Song Ruhao’s eyes shimmered with a mixture of sadness and longing. His eyes shining under the moonlight as he said, “Since the day I understood the meaning of ‘liking,’ I have known that I like you. Do you not have any feelings for me?” He approached Huangfu Yuchen.
Yan Ge wrinkled his nose from the tree.
Huangfu Yuchen took a few steps to the side and indifferently replied, “We have always been good friends.”
“What aspect of mine is inferior to his?” Song Ruhao passionately pursued.
“Comparison has never been made, nor is it necessary.”
Yan Ge’s face flushed. Was Huangfu Yuchen implying that he was unique in his heart?
“That’s enough.” Huangfu Yuchen turned to look at Song Ruhao. “I have given you enough time.”
Song Ruhao felt a chill spread through his body. He stared at Huangfu Yuchen for a long time but received no response. He could only bow and turn away, his departing figure carrying a hint of madness.
“Aren’t you coming down?” Huangfu Yuchen looked up.
His smile under the moonlight was truly captivating. Yan Ge leaped down from the tree, smiling at him without saying a word.
“Let’s go.” Huangfu Yuchen took his hand.
“Where are we going?”
“For a walk.” Huangfu Yuchen turned to look at him. “Or do you feel like lazing around today?”
Yan Ge shook his head, gripping his hand tightly.
After they crawled into bed at night, Yan Ge initiated a deep and lingering kiss with Huangfu Yuchen, then nestled in his arms and closes his eyes to sleep. His dependant appearance softened Huangfu Yuchen’s heart, and he held him tightly as if he were holding a priceless treasure, afraid that it would be taken away.
The night grew darker, and despite the serene night sky, dozens of dark figures emerged from all four directions, swiftly surrounding the camp.
Yang Zhuo, who was on night watch, suddenly opened his eyes, his sharp gaze even more piercing in the glow of the campfire. He immediately leaped to his feet.
Gao Feng, Gao Yun, A Fei, and Jun Xiang were only lightly asleep and immediately awakened. The five of them positioned themselves around the three tents. After a few exchanges, the four carriage drivers, who could only rest at night, were also awakened and joined the fray.
Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge opened their eyes alertly but remained lying down, listening to the commotion outside. After nearly a stick of incense burning, the sounds of the fight had not ceased.
Yan Ge rose to his feet and exclaimed, “They are skilled.”
The two of them stepped out of the tent, each holding a sword. With a single glance, their expressions turned serious. The assailants all wore identical black masks and black attire, indicating that they were more than mere bandits.
Minister Jiang Gan and the others had also been awakened, but they had no martial arts skills. They huddled together, remaining silent, afraid of interfering with Yang Zhuo and the others. Du Zhengfeng pretended not to possess any martial arts skills, while Yan Jin had been strictly instructed by Yan Ge not to reveal his abilities unless absolutely necessary.
Yang Zhuo and his companions had already killed three assailants, but facing fifteen opponents while protecting the tents behind them made the battle extremely difficult.
Yan Ge was about to draw his sword when one of the black-clad assailants glanced in their direction, pausing slightly on him and Huangfu Yuchen. He exchanged a subtle gesture with his two subordinates, and the three of them attacked simultaneously. Two faced Yang Ge, while one confronted Huangfu Yuchen.
Huangfu Yuchen’s eyes darkened, and his strikes became faster and fiercer.
Song Ruhao also noticed that these people were clearly targeting Yan Ge. Although he didn’t know why, a surge of wild joy filled his heart, followed by a dark thought: Could he take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of Yan Ge? If Yan Ge hadn’t deceived the emperor, the person the emperor favored would surely be him!
These mysterious people were all highly skilled in martial arts. The battle grew increasingly intense, and as the fight spread and approached Jiang Gan and the others, they screamed and scattered to avoid them.
Yan Ge combined his Flowing Sand Sword technique with his true qi, sweeping his sword horizontally and cutting the neck of one of the black-clad assailants. The man instantly went limp and fell to the ground lifeless. The other assailant was their leader- he didn’t even spare a glance at the fallen body. With a whistle, two more people leaped out from the nearby battle and joined forces with him.
Huangfu Yuchen was about to go and assist when Yan Ge gave him a restraining look, causing him to furrow his brows and halt his steps.
The three assailants simultaneously executed the “besiege from all side” technique, attacking Yan Ge from three different directions. Yan Ge swiftly evaded, ending up standing in front of Song Ruhao.
Song Ruhao’s hand slowly reached towards Yan Ge’s back, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. But before he could make up his mind, Yan Ge had already leaped away.
A profound sense of regret filled Song Ruhao’s heart. He had missed such a perfect opportunity. If only he had been resolute from the beginning.
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of sharp eyes watched his every move, the owner of those eyes put back the concealed weapon in their right hand.
Gao Feng and Gao Yun heard Huangfu Yuchen’s voice transmission in their minds.
“You two have traveled the martial world. Can you discern their martial arts style?”
“In response to Your Majesty, it appears to be a style from Nanmo.”
“As expected.” Huangfu Yuchen acted decisively, his sword aura dazzling as he swiftly defeated two assailants, then darted to Yan Ge’s side, piercing the heart of another black-clad assailant.
Seeing that the situation had become unfavorable, the leader let out a whistle and hastily fled with the remaining two.
Huangfu Yuchen commanded, “Pursue! Make sure to capture one alive!”
The Imperial Guards moved upon hearing his order.
Huangfu Yuchen looked furious and Yan Ge asked cautiously, “Are these people somehow special?”
The others also approached, wearing expressions of curiosity.
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “If my guess is correct, these people belong to a mysterious organization that emerged five years ago. This organization is known for targeting wealthy merchants and nobles, showing no regard for the laws and regulations of the court. They never give up until they achieve their goals, and so far, no one they have set their sights on has been able to escape. The previous emperor made great efforts to deal with this organization but failed to eradicate it. Since this organization has no official name, people have taken to calling it ‘Centipede’ because a centipede can die but can never fall down.”
He embraced Yan Ge’s waist. “Just now, I noticed that they specifically targeted Little Ge. It’s highly suspicious. Could it be that they know Little Ge’s true identity?”
Jiang Gan said, “Madam is in disguise. It shouldn’t be so easy for the true identity to be exposed. Nowadays, everyone knows about the love between the Young Master and Madam. If Madam is exposed, it would be the same as exposing you, Master.”
Song Chaobang’s expression tightened. “Young Master, do you think we should cancel this southern expedition?”
Mysterious Organisation
Peach blossoms shimmer with radiance,
Countless paths adorned with fleeting splendor.
To witness the smiling forest in all its glory,
I ventured forth with the warm tree, not seeking return.
In the peak of March, as peach blossoms bloomed, the journey became a spectacle. Pink clouds floated, and the fragrant scent of flowers filled the air, bringing joy to the heart. However, even the most beautiful flowers become dull with prolonged observation. Especially for someone like Yan Ge, a caged bird who finally had the opportunity to venture outside, staying inside the carriage was unbearable.
At first, Huangfu Yuchen tried various ways to alleviate Yan Ge’s boredom. They would let him feel the breeze from the carriage’s shaft, go for a horse ride, or play chess together. But after trying all these options, Yan Ge became so bored he wanted to scratch the walls.
Huangfu Yuchen eventually gave up and let Yan Ge be.
Observing him became an amusing sight—sometimes he would prop his chin and daydream, other times he would gaze out of the window, and occasionally he would jump onto the roof of the carriage, sighing. He even made unsuccessful attempts at meditation, but it was all quite entertaining.
“Young Master, Madam, there is a sheltered mountain pass ahead, near a river. We shall camp there tonight,” Yang Zhuo reported upon returning from scouting.
“Very well, make the arrangements,” Huangfu Yuchen replied.
Once the convoy came to a halt, everyone got to work—pitching tents, gathering firewood, fetching water, and preparing food. Song Chaobang and Physician Zhang didn’t want to idle and assisted in gathering firewood nearby.
It was the third day since they set out, and Song Ruhao had fully “recovered” from his illness. He roamed freely, gradually drawing closer to Huangfu Yuchen. Du Zhengfeng followed him closely.
“Why do you always follow me?” Song Ruhao asked.
“Young Master, I am your personal servant. If I don’t disturb you, please allow me to accompany you,” Du Zhengfeng dutifully played his role as a personal servant, his expression filled with deference. This made Song Ruhao feel powerless, wishing he could roar and say, ‘Brother, show some tact. Just because you don’t want to get close to the Emperor doesn’t mean others don’t!’
Song Chaobang shouted from a distance, “Little Du, come help me move this pile of firewood.”
Du Zhengfeng remained motionless, “You can ask A Fei to do it. I must attend to Young Master.”
A Fei quickly ran over and effortlessly lifted the pile of firewood.
Song Chaobang: “…”
“Papa!” Yan Jin ran to Yan Ge’s side. He wore a white fur cap, a red cotton robe, and a white fur-trimmed cotton jacket on top, resembling a round snowball. Jiang Gan cherished him and feared he would get sick, so he insisted on dressing him this way.
“Let’s go play by the river,” Yan Jin said.
“Okay,” Yan Ge held his hand.
Huangfu Yuchen followed along.
Yan Jin flashed a toothy smile at him, revealing an innocent expression. Of course, he didn’t mind Huangfu Yuchen’s constant presence with Yan Ge. The better Huangfu Yuchen treated Yan Ge, the faster Yan Ge would progress, and the more benefits he would receive.
What he minded was that throughout the journey, Huangfu Yuchen always left him in Minister Jiang Gan’s carriage to have alone time with Yan Ge. Although he enjoyed acting like a child, there were times when he grew tired of it and wanted to act more mature.
Song Ruhao watched them, jealousy growing in his heart like wild grass in spring.
As the sun gradually set, the aroma of the two pots of hot soup and hot pot, cooked by Du Juan and Deng Mande, wafted through the cold evening breeze, making everyone salivate uncontrollably.
Deng Mande, Du Juan, the five guards, and four carriage drivers shared one large pot, specially prepared to accommodate them all. The remaining individuals shared the other pot, as there couldn’t be too many luxuries while traveling.
Jiang Gan was afraid Yan Jin would burn himself, so he held him in his arms, feeding him while eating.
Yan Jin smiled blissfully, leaned in and kissed Jiang Gan’s face with his oily lips and left a mark there, making Jiang Gan both amused and exasperated.
After dinner, as usual, they went for a walk. The lunar calendar indicated it was around the twelfth or thirteenth night, and the moonlight was enchanting. The shadows of the tree branches fell on the ground, swaying gently, creating a unique ambiance.
Huangfu Yuchen patted Yan Ge’s belly and silently noted to eat less hot pot in the future. Every time they had hot pot, Yan Ge would overeat.
Song Ruhao glanced at the others, realizing that besides Du Zhengfeng, almost no one paid attention to him. He walked towards Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge, disregarding Yan Ge, who was busy picking flowers by their side.
“Can we chat for a moment?” Song Ruhao gazed at Huangfu Yuchen with earnestness.
Huangfu Yuchen remained silent, his expression stern, clearly indicating his disagreement.
The blunt attitude made Yan Ge delighted. He held Yan Jin’s hand, confidently saying, “Chen Chen, Little Jin and I are going to wash our hands by the river.”
Huangfu Yuchen’s brow twitched. Chen Chen?
‘Chen Chen?’ Song Ruhao’s jealousy almost exploded, but he struggled to compose himself and calmly said to Du Zhengfeng, “You can go ahead.”
Du Zhengfeng was worried that staying behind would raise suspicions from Song Ruhao, so he reluctantly turned and left.
Yan Jin looked at Yan Ge curiously, “Master, are you really letting them—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a white shadow appeared before him.
Yan Ge’s figure drifted over, like a white snowflake, silently landing on a wild peach tree not far from Huangfu Yuchen and Song Ruhao, secretly observing them.
Yan Jin looked up at the sky speechlessly.
Huangfu Yuchen looked at Song Ruhao and calmly asked, “What do you want to say?”
Song Ruhao’s eyes shimmered with a mixture of sadness and longing. His eyes shining under the moonlight as he said, “Since the day I understood the meaning of ‘liking,’ I have known that I like you. Do you not have any feelings for me?” He approached Huangfu Yuchen.
Yan Ge wrinkled his nose from the tree.
Huangfu Yuchen took a few steps to the side and indifferently replied, “We have always been good friends.”
“What aspect of mine is inferior to his?” Song Ruhao passionately pursued.
“Comparison has never been made, nor is it necessary.”
Yan Ge’s face flushed. Was Huangfu Yuchen implying that he was unique in his heart?
“That’s enough.” Huangfu Yuchen turned to look at Song Ruhao. “I have given you enough time.”
Song Ruhao felt a chill spread through his body. He stared at Huangfu Yuchen for a long time but received no response. He could only bow and turn away, his departing figure carrying a hint of madness.
“Aren’t you coming down?” Huangfu Yuchen looked up.
His smile under the moonlight was truly captivating. Yan Ge leaped down from the tree, smiling at him without saying a word.
“Let’s go.” Huangfu Yuchen took his hand.
“Where are we going?”
“For a walk.” Huangfu Yuchen turned to look at him. “Or do you feel like lazing around today?”
Yan Ge shook his head, gripping his hand tightly.
After they crawled into bed at night, Yan Ge initiated a deep and lingering kiss with Huangfu Yuchen, then nestled in his arms and closes his eyes to sleep. His dependant appearance softened Huangfu Yuchen’s heart, and he held him tightly as if he were holding a priceless treasure, afraid that it would be taken away.
The night grew darker, and despite the serene night sky, dozens of dark figures emerged from all four directions, swiftly surrounding the camp.
Yang Zhuo, who was on night watch, suddenly opened his eyes, his sharp gaze even more piercing in the glow of the campfire. He immediately leaped to his feet.
Gao Feng, Gao Yun, A Fei, and Jun Xiang were only lightly asleep and immediately awakened. The five of them positioned themselves around the three tents. After a few exchanges, the four carriage drivers, who could only rest at night, were also awakened and joined the fray.
Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge opened their eyes alertly but remained lying down, listening to the commotion outside. After nearly a stick of incense burning, the sounds of the fight had not ceased.
Yan Ge rose to his feet and exclaimed, “They are skilled.”
The two of them stepped out of the tent, each holding a sword. With a single glance, their expressions turned serious. The assailants all wore identical black masks and black attire, indicating that they were more than mere bandits.
Minister Jiang Gan and the others had also been awakened, but they had no martial arts skills. They huddled together, remaining silent, afraid of interfering with Yang Zhuo and the others. Du Zhengfeng pretended not to possess any martial arts skills, while Yan Jin had been strictly instructed by Yan Ge not to reveal his abilities unless absolutely necessary.
Yang Zhuo and his companions had already killed three assailants, but facing fifteen opponents while protecting the tents behind them made the battle extremely difficult.
Yan Ge was about to draw his sword when one of the black-clad assailants glanced in their direction, pausing slightly on him and Huangfu Yuchen. He exchanged a subtle gesture with his two subordinates, and the three of them attacked simultaneously. Two faced Yang Ge, while one confronted Huangfu Yuchen.
Huangfu Yuchen’s eyes darkened, and his strikes became faster and fiercer.
Song Ruhao also noticed that these people were clearly targeting Yan Ge. Although he didn’t know why, a surge of wild joy filled his heart, followed by a dark thought: Could he take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of Yan Ge? If Yan Ge hadn’t deceived the emperor, the person the emperor favored would surely be him!
These mysterious people were all highly skilled in martial arts. The battle grew increasingly intense, and as the fight spread and approached Jiang Gan and the others, they screamed and scattered to avoid them.
Yan Ge combined his Flowing Sand Sword technique with his true qi, sweeping his sword horizontally and cutting the neck of one of the black-clad assailants. The man instantly went limp and fell to the ground lifeless. The other assailant was their leader- he didn’t even spare a glance at the fallen body. With a whistle, two more people leaped out from the nearby battle and joined forces with him.
Huangfu Yuchen was about to go and assist when Yan Ge gave him a restraining look, causing him to furrow his brows and halt his steps.
The three assailants simultaneously executed the “besiege from all side” technique, attacking Yan Ge from three different directions. Yan Ge swiftly evaded, ending up standing in front of Song Ruhao.
Song Ruhao’s hand slowly reached towards Yan Ge’s back, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. But before he could make up his mind, Yan Ge had already leaped away.
A profound sense of regret filled Song Ruhao’s heart. He had missed such a perfect opportunity. If only he had been resolute from the beginning.
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of sharp eyes watched his every move, the owner of those eyes put back the concealed weapon in their right hand.
Gao Feng and Gao Yun heard Huangfu Yuchen’s voice transmission in their minds.
“You two have traveled the martial world. Can you discern their martial arts style?”
“In response to Your Majesty, it appears to be a style from Nanmo.”
“As expected.” Huangfu Yuchen acted decisively, his sword aura dazzling as he swiftly defeated two assailants, then darted to Yan Ge’s side, piercing the heart of another black-clad assailant.
Seeing that the situation had become unfavorable, the leader let out a whistle and hastily fled with the remaining two.
Huangfu Yuchen commanded, “Pursue! Make sure to capture one alive!”
The Imperial Guards moved upon hearing his order.
Huangfu Yuchen looked furious and Yan Ge asked cautiously, “Are these people somehow special?”
The others also approached, wearing expressions of curiosity.
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “If my guess is correct, these people belong to a mysterious organization that emerged five years ago. This organization is known for targeting wealthy merchants and nobles, showing no regard for the laws and regulations of the court. They never give up until they achieve their goals, and so far, no one they have set their sights on has been able to escape. The previous emperor made great efforts to deal with this organization but failed to eradicate it. Since this organization has no official name, people have taken to calling it ‘Centipede’ because a centipede can die but can never fall down.”
He embraced Yan Ge’s waist. “Just now, I noticed that they specifically targeted Little Ge. It’s highly suspicious. Could it be that they know Little Ge’s true identity?”
Jiang Gan said, “Madam is in disguise. It shouldn’t be so easy for the true identity to be exposed. Nowadays, everyone knows about the love between the Young Master and Madam. If Madam is exposed, it would be the same as exposing you, Master.”
Song Chaobang’s expression tightened. “Young Master, do you think we should cancel this southern expedition?”
