Chapter 312: Rain Brings the Fourth Demon, Rain Stops with the Third Sword Immortal Present

On the day of the palace coup, Dunhuang City was truly a mix of joy and sorrow. The Mao and Lu families were instantly annihilated. In the city’s northeast, powerful families were concentrated, with many influential clans, whose might could shake the entire city, living as neighbors. One could even witness a neighboring family’s home being raided from just across a wall.

The Mao family residence was situated between the Yuwen and Duanmu families. The young descendants of the latter two families watched the spectacle from the top floors of their respective tall buildings, their schadenfreude barely concealed. Through the pouring rain, they vaguely made out several pale-faced, beardless old eunuchs leading a vast number of Jinwu Guard soldiers, storming into the Mao household. All adult men, regardless of resistance or surrender, were hacked to death. Some men skilled in martial arts attempted to scale walls and escape, but were easily intercepted and killed by low-ranking martial artists lying in wait at the base of the walls. Occasionally, a few individuals, relying on their resilience and superior martial arts, managed to climb over the high walls, only to be impaled by spears from the waiting elite guards of the two families upon landing, pinned to the ground or walls, or shot into porcupines by rows of crossbows. Several talented young men from the Mao family, whom the youths of the two other families considered thorns in their side, also showed great defiance, leading their sworn retainers to fight to the death. Even some young women who usually kept a low profile drew their blades. However, they could not withstand the surging attacks and were all slaughtered on the spot. The Mao family, with its five hundred elite cavalry, was once among the most prominent families in Dunhuang, where even their servants and slaves walked with their noses in the air, full of arrogance. Most of them now met a tragic end. How could the men of the two families, watching with cold detachment, not feel a sense of vindication? Some men who had only dared to secretly covet the Mao family’s women and daughters-in-law felt a tinge of regret amidst their satisfaction, thinking how wonderful it would have been if these beauties, who usually feigned aloofness, had been sent to the military brothels. They wouldn’t have minded spending tens or even hundreds of taels of silver in one night.

Influenced by the gentry of the Central Plains, many prominent families in Dunhuang City established private schools and libraries. The Yuwen family, perhaps due to their name’s connection to literature, particularly emphasized their private family academy. Their old scholars and masters were all minor literary figures well-known within Ju and Jinxi prefectures. In Beiman, finding skilled martial artists was as easy as picking rotten cabbages, but finding genuinely learned scholars was like looking for a three-legged toad. The Yuwen clan’s expenditure in this area far exceeded that of other families of their standing. This was due to the Yuwen patriarch himself being a highly educated scholar. Their private academy and library, Wenhui Tower, housed 80,000 volumes, most of which were acquired by looting after scholars fled north. Yuwen Liang had always been proud of this. He even commissioned a renowned seal carver to craft a Tianhuang stone seal, naming himself "Old Man of Eighty Thousand."

Today, Yuwen Liang personally led nearly a hundred family soldiers and retainers to "attend to the monarch" outside the Juxian Palace. Upon returning, while distributing rewards based on merit, he also instructed his steward to lead a team of trusted sworn retainers through a secret passage connecting the three families. Their first task was to rescue several women who had married into the Mao family, preventing them from being caught in the crossfire. Then, they were to seal off and destroy the secret passage. The reason Yuwen Liang saved them amidst the chaos was not out of compassion. Rather, it was because he would need these shrewd women, who were familiar with the Mao family’s affairs, to take over their numerous assets later. In fact, the original marriage alliances were not made with good intentions. The same applied to the Mao family women who had "condescended" to marry into the Yuwen and Duanmu families. Yuwen Liang had always treated these fierce daughters-in-law and even granddaughters-in-law, whose maternal families were powerful, with utmost courtesy. He often severely reprimanded his own sons and grandsons in front of them. But after today, he wondered if they would still dare to boss their husbands around, or forbid them from taking concubines! By now, they were probably already on their knees, sobbing and begging for mercy.

Yuwen Liang sat on a small daybed by the window in the top-floor attic of Wenhui Tower. He slowly sipped his tea, smiling as he watched the upheaval at the Mao family residence. He was in an excellent mood. Unlike Mao Rou, who had a peculiar fondness for incense, he was a tea enthusiast. On the daybed was a large tea table, displaying twelve tea utensils, including a tea stove, tea roller, tea grinder, and water kettle. These were elegantly called "The Twelve Gentlemen." When Yuwen Liang drank tea, he never allowed maids or servants to prepare it; he brewed and drank it himself. At most, one person would accompany him; it was rare for more than two people to share tea with him. In the words of this "Old Man of Eighty Thousand," "Tea is like women; only solitary enjoyment is truly satisfying. What decorum is there in collective enjoyment?" Today, his spirits were clearly high. Two men were exceptionally seated on the daybed: the older one was Duanmu Qingsheng, the patriarch of the Duanmu family; the younger one was Yuwen Duan, Yuwen Liang’s eldest legitimate son. He was imposing in appearance and captivating in his gaze; one could tell at a glance that he was a sophisticated figure from a prominent family.

A knock sounded at the door, and a middle-aged man, bearing a striking resemblance to Duanmu Qingsheng, entered the tea room. He took off his heavy straw rain cape and casually hung it on a corner of the screen. Outside, the heavy rain was falling like soybeans, and the rain cape was dripping incessantly. Yuwen Duan squinted his eyes when he saw this, but then immediately put on a warm, amiable smile, got off the daybed, put on his shoes, and greeted him, "Brother Chongyang." The latter waved his hand, sat down nonchalantly on the daybed, and took a tea towel to wipe his face. Yuwen Liang let out a clear laugh and said, "Duanmu Chongyang, you ruffian, your vulgarity has completely dispelled the elegance of this room! How unlucky, how unlucky!"

"Uncle Yuwen, if you keep being so merciless, beware, I might go corrupt your granddaughter. She's quite pretty and to my liking," the man said jokingly. He laughed playfully, then gulped down a cup of tea like an ox quenching its thirst, proving his vulgarity.

This man named Duanmu Chongyang was the second young master of the Duanmu family, and his status was comparable to Yuwen Duan's. However, their personalities were polar opposites. He was thirty years old, a time for settling down and establishing a career, yet he still showed no sign of marriage or a stable career, which caused his father, Duanmu Qingsheng, to gain many grey hairs. Duanmu Chongyang was a renowned swordsman on the border between the two prefectures. He often went out to kill horse bandits for fun and, in his killings, even ended up becoming sworn brothers with the leader of a large group of horse bandits. If not for his family’s intervention, he nearly persuaded his own sister to become a bandit leader’s wife. Duanmu Chongyang was also the only man who dared to discipline a Mao family descendant when the Mao family was at its peak. The three families were neighbors, observing the saying "a near neighbor is better than a distant relative," and with their intermarriages, they seemed harmonious on the surface. Duanmu Chongyang, Yuwen Duan, and the siblings Mao Chong and Mao Rou were all childhood playmates. However, in recent years, he had grown somewhat estranged from Yuwen Duan, whether intentionally or not. In their youth, these two premier young masters of Dunhuang City enjoyed trailing behind Mao Chong like henchmen. Unfortunately, Mao Chong died young, meeting an untimely demise before reaching adulthood. He died suddenly near Caiji Buddha Grottoes, and to this day, it remains unknown whether it was a revenge killing or a crime of passion.

Duanmu Qingsheng had endured for a long time, and seeing his son’s perpetually nonchalant expression, he finally couldn't help but slam the table and angrily say, "What were you doing at the Mao residence? Did Mao Chong's widow bewitch you? She's nothing but a harlot, aren't you ashamed? You've ruined the important affairs of our two families, what will you use to compensate us?!"

Yuwen Duan squinted his eyes again, lowering his head to sip his tea. Yuwen Liang continued to smile without speaking. Duanmu Chongyang raised an eyebrow and spoke provocatively to his father, "What's the big deal? Is it a big deal for our two families to secretly scheme for profits behind our master's back? Aren't you afraid of being suspected by that little shrew, Yan Zhi? If you ask me, in this division of the Mao and Lu families' territories, and Tao Yong's land, we shouldn't have been so aggressive, relying on our supposed merit in protecting the monarch. Do you really think we protected him? It was just a trap set by our master long ago, waiting for those old foxes to jump into the fire themselves. Besides, if we're talking about real credit, the young man who single-handedly blocked the city gate with his sword deserves the most. I haven't heard him clamoring for rewards either. It can't be that just a private session with Yan Zhi would be enough, right? Why haven't I seen him become a Jinwu Guard Commander? Heh, this is just a pretense for us to see, a warning not to push our luck. Father, if you don't go and cause some trouble at the Mao family, deliberately leaving some leverage for that woman to make a fuss over, then I'd like to see if the meat you've bitten into will upset your stomach."

Duanmu Qingsheng made a move to pick up the jade-like, ice-clear Dongyue celadon cup to smash his unruly son, who was spouting nonsense. Yuwen Liang quickly intervened, grabbing his in-law's arm and joking, "Don't throw it, don't throw it! That boy isn't afraid of pain, but I'd be heartbroken over the cup."

Duanmu Qingsheng fumed, "Brother Yuwen, listen to what this brat says! 'Bitten into'? Am I a dog?!"

Yuwen Duan held a delicate tea whisk, bent his waist, lowered his head, his lips slightly curved into a cold, narrowed-eyed smile.

Once Duanmu Qingsheng's anger subsided, Yuwen Liang gazed at the scene of the Yue celadon's blue contrasting with the tea's green, stroking his beard and calmly smiling. "Actually, what Chongyang said isn't entirely without reason. Our 'eating habits' aren't very elegant, and it's inevitable that we'll draw resentment. Our two families are pawns of Beiliang that cannot be exposed, sharing both fortune and misfortune. We truly don't need to worry that the mysterious young lady will mistreat us. We can openly take less, and secretly take more; there's no harm in that. This way, it will be easier for Juxian Palace to appease the people. To put it bluntly, don't mind the word 'dog' sounding unpleasant, but our two families are simply their lapdogs. Before biting, we must tuck our tails and remain silent. When it's time to bite, we must do so with all our might. And when it's finally time to eat, how much we get still depends on our master's expression and mood."

Duanmu Qingsheng's face was flushed with anger. He was a crude man who wielded spears and staffs, incapable of eloquent speech, so he couldn't think of any words to retort and could only sulk. Duanmu Chongyang, however, burst out laughing, "Uncle, your words are truly insightful."

Yuwen Liang chuckled, "So, we'll set the tone this way: eat less but more frequently, take it slow? My in-law, how about we both 'spit out' a few pieces of meat first?"

Duanmu Qingsheng hesitated, then turned his head and caught sight of that good-for-nothing brat, the laughingstock of the city, stealthily slipping a teacup into his sleeve. He was furious but found it difficult to expose him, so he could only grunt and nod. "Anyway, for years, all major decisions have been up to you."

Having absentmindedly finished his tea, Duanmu Qingsheng practically dragged his son out of the tea room and library. Just as Yuwen Duan was about to speak, Duanmu Chongyang, who was never one for proper conduct, jogged back in and, smiling, took the straw rain cape hanging on the screen.

Yuwen Liang waited until the footsteps faded before glancing at the incomplete tea set on the tea table, missing one of its "little gentlemen." The entire set was now ruined. He sighed softly.

Yuwen Liang no longer had the inclination to drink tea; he only felt annoyed. Looking out at the curtain of rain, he asked, "Do you know that good-for-nothing, Xu Pu, will become the greatly favored new power in Dunhuang City?"

Yuwen Duan forced a smile and said, "I already know."

Yuwen Liang asked, "Now that you know his identity, do you know how to interact with him?"

Yuwen Duan said with a grim expression, "At worst, we'll send that shameless harlot back to him. Duanmu Zhongqiu is just a good-for-nothing who only knows how to recite dead texts and dabble in literature. They're a pair of shameless scoundrels; just looking at them makes me furious. Breaking them up would solve everything. I heard Duanmu Zhongqiu recently took a liking to a courtesan and wants to take her as a concubine. We'll have that harlot pretend to be jealous, giving her the perfect excuse to be labeled a jealous wife and divorced. It will be perfectly legitimate, and that good-for-nothing Xu Pu won't mind such a thing anyway."

Yuwen Liang, furious, picked up the teacup and hurled it at him. Yuwen Duan, bleeding from his forehead, looked stunned. Yuwen Liang cursed, "Idiot! Do you really think Xu Pu is just a brute? Which sworn retainer from Beiliang is an ordinary person? Even if his intellect isn't greatly useful, there are other powerful figures in Beiliang operating behind the scenes, giving advice. But that terrifying plague god Xu Pu, is he someone our Yuwen family can afford to provoke?"

Yuwen Duan, touching his forehead as blood seeped through his fingers, defiantly said, "I'm getting his woman back for him; how is that a bad thing?"

Yuwen Liang's anger intensified, and he grabbed another cup, ready to throw it again. But seeing his eldest legitimate son's resolute gaze, he sighed dejectedly. "You, oh you, why do you think so linearly? A woman's heart has always been unpredictable. Your sister has always had a fierce temperament. After enduring such humiliation, even if she were forced to remarry, fulfilling our father-son wishes, do you really think she wouldn't, in a fit of rage, lose her mind and go complain to Xu Pu? Throughout history, how many high officials and famous generals, who didn't die on the battlefield, met their end due to insidious plots from the monarch's inner circle? Do not mention this matter again!"

Yuwen Duan habitually narrowed his eyes. After releasing his hand, he slowly picked up a tea towel to wipe himself, then smiled slightly and said, "I have a plan that can redirect this trouble to the Duanmu family."

Yuwen Liang's eyes lit up. Half-believing, half-doubting, he said, "Oh?"

Yuwen Duan extended a finger and caressed the smooth, round tea bottle, smiling, "I have a trusted confidant who is close to Duanmu Zhongqiu; he can encourage him to take a concubine. Duanmu Zhongqiu is a hypocrite, timid and fickle, easily swayed, and extremely concerned with his reputation. This confidant happens to know that Duanmu Zhongqiu is bad at management and has a dead account, six to seven hundred taels of silver, which should rightfully be Duanmu Zhongqiu's money. If we return it to him now, his finances will be comfortable. A man who suddenly has a considerable sum of private money will inevitably develop mischievous thoughts, even if he didn't have any before. I'll then have my confidant work on two fronts: on one hand, indirectly inquire at the brothel. Now that the Duanmu family is helping us suppress the Mao clan, the brothel must understand the implications. A courtesan who would normally cost eight or nine hundred taels to redeem could now be bought for six or seven hundred. On the other hand, my confidant will feed Duanmu Zhongqiu stories, saying that Xu Pu holds grudges and if he dares to keep that harlot, he will target the entire Duanmu family, with the Mao family as a warning. Father, do you think this good-for-nothing will willingly hand over a divorce letter? Then, our Yuwen family will properly console that shameless harlot, while she turns against the Duanmu family, openly breaking ties. With one side gaining and the other losing, who will be the future leading power in Dunhuang City?"

Yuwen Liang carefully pondered, cautiously weighing the pros and cons and assessing the plan's feasibility. His smile grew increasingly broad.

Outside the building, the Duanmu father and son gradually walked away, heading towards the backyard, and climbed into an inconspicuous carriage. The sound of hooves was lost in the sound of the rain.

Duanmu Qingsheng closed his eyes to rest, folding his sheepskin umbrella. Duanmu Chongyang, who had not removed his straw rain cape, also sat upright and dignified, showing no trace of his usual carefree demeanor.

Duanmu Chongyang lifted the curtain and glanced at the high wall, then chuckled, "If I'm not mistaken, those pretentious, effeminate father and son are now starting to plot against our Duanmu family. They turn against people faster than they turn pages. That boy Yuwen Duan has been full of malicious schemes since he was little. He acts aloof, yet he mistakenly believes no one can see through him. It's truly laughable."

Duanmu Qingsheng whispered, "Chongyang, how do you think they will plot?"

Duanmu Chongyang sneered, "Putting ourselves in their shoes, they'll definitely start with my elder brother and his wife. It'll be an immediate effect, and that's the extent of the Yuwen family's foresight and ambition."

Duanmu Qingsheng opened his eyes, interlaced his fingers over his abdomen, and smiled faintly, "Your elder brother is timid and afraid of trouble, he doesn't even have the courage to compete with you for the patriarch position. I've given up on him. As for you, back then you dared to single-handedly assassinate Mao Chong, and you did it cleanly. That makes me, your father, very pleased. This time, Yuwen Liang and Yuwen Duan want to harm your elder brother. Go watch over it; just make sure no major incidents occur. There's no need to stoop to their level, otherwise, if they see through our hidden strengths, it won't be good. We father and son are real men; don't haggle over every trifle with those two effeminate types. The Duanmu family has never considered Dunhuang City a place for grand ambitions."

Duanmu Chongyang burst into hearty laughter, mockingly saying, "Drinking tea is merely about drinking in the 'harmony' of a peaceful atmosphere. Looking back at Yuwen Liang's sinister schemes over the years, he's truly wasted hundreds of catties of tea."

Duanmu Qingsheng did not indulge in this topic but spoke with a heavier tone, "Just now, you went to the Mao family to rescue people. It showed both compassion and loyalty, which is very good. Your conduct these past years has always been a performance for the Beiliang master. Now is the time to pluck the ripe fruit. Your father can forgo anything else, but I will make sure you become the Grand Commander of the Jinwu Guards. You, Xu Pu, and that young man should interact more, perhaps go for drinks at brothels. Don't be hasty; as long as you proceed step by step, you'll eventually have opportunities to make your mark in Beiliang. Dunhuang City is still too small a stage for you to fully display your talents. Join the Beiliang army and strive to become a trusted confidant of the heir apparent to the Beiliang King, whose title is hereditary. If this heir isn't someone you can entrust your life to, you can always switch your allegiance to Chen Zhibao; he's just as good. But remember to stage a 'self-inflicted injury' plot, otherwise, if you're seen as a rebellious subordinate, you'll never rise in Beiliang."

Duanmu Chongyang leaned against the carriage wall and murmured admiringly, "Chen Zhibao, the White-Clad War Immortal, the ruthless man who slew Wang Xiu, the Spear Immortal... I've long yearned to meet him."

Duanmu Qingsheng shook his head and said, "The power struggle between the Beiliang heir apparent and Chen Zhibao isn't as one-sided as outsiders imagine. I believe as long as Xu Xiao lives, Chen Zhibao won't rebel. But as long as Chen Zhibao doesn't rebel and this situation drags on, the heir apparent will have increasingly more room to maneuver."

Duanmu Chongyang asked in confusion, "Wouldn't it be easier for Xu Xiao to just kill Chen Zhibao with one strike? Although doing so might scatter half the morale of Beiliang's 300,000 cavalry, isn't a short, sharp pain better than prolonged suffering?"

Duanmu Qingsheng's expression turned serious, and he shook his head, saying, "This is precisely the brilliance of the Beiliang King's way of managing people: knowing that some people cannot be killed, and knowing how to 'raise a tiger to cause trouble.' In my opinion, for the mighty Beiliang army, which dominates the land, Chen Zhibao is someone the heir apparent can kill, but Xu Xiao simply cannot. Perhaps this vassal king of a different surname also can't bring himself to kill him."

Duanmu Chongyang greatly cherished the time alone with his father, and even more so the opportunity for him to impart his experience. He pressed, "Then, Father, do you think Chen Zhibao has truly rebelled?"