Chapter Seventeen: The Belligerent Scion of a Noble Family

However, Zheng Shi'an is perfectly safe!

Zheng Yanqing was certain of this. Even if Zheng Dashi were to die, Zheng Shi'an would still be able to live quite comfortably at Anyuan Hall.

Zheng Renji hoped that Yanqing would stir up trouble in Luoyang. Even if he didn't care for Zheng Shi'an, he would still behave with great courtesy toward him. He would ensure Zheng Shi'an remained oblivious to his true intentions while keeping him content at Anyuan Hall.

It was evident that Zheng Renji was changing as well.

Back when Zheng Dashi was alive, Zheng Renji had no need to worry about the fate of the Lianshan branch; if the sky fell, Zheng Dashi would be there to hold it up. But now that Zheng Dashi was gone, Zheng Renji had to learn to stand in his former place and consider matters. Yet, keeping Zheng Shi'an in Xingyang was likely not something Zheng Renji would have conceived; it was almost certainly the handiwork of Zheng Dashi.

Of course, Yanqing did not want Zheng Shi'an to remain in Xingyang—to him, it was a constraint.

However, there was no need to be overly anxious about this. As long as a suitable opportunity arose, Zheng Yanqing would naturally find a way to bring Zheng Shi'an back.

Xue Shou arrived at the Bamboo Garden in the afternoon.

He did not come alone; accompanying him was a sturdy, energetic youth.

"My name is Xue Wanche. I heard you are going to play a polo match against Mai Fei. I’d be very happy to watch that scoundrel crawl back to Luoyang with his tail between his legs."

The youth spoke with a resonant, powerful voice.

"Who is Mai Fei?" Xu Shiji asked curiously, stepping forward.

Pei Xingyan laughed. "Mai Fei is Mai Zizhong. That guy was morbidly obese as a child. He’s thinned out a bit over the last few years, making him look like a normal person. When we were in Chang'an, we called him Mai Fei; you can call him that too."

It seemed that Mai Zizhong was not very popular.

First, Pei Xingyan spoke of him with disdain, and now Xue Wanche did the same. Zheng Yanqing found it strange: what on earth had Mai Zizhong done to offend so many scions of noble families? Judging by Xue Wanche's tone, he seemed to view Mai Zizhong as a sworn enemy.

In private, he asked Yao Yi, "Brother Pei and Brother Xue don't seem to think very highly of Mai Zizhong?"

Yao Yi replied in a low voice, "Mai Zizhong comes from a background of fierce bandits. Relying on the Emperor’s favor toward his grandfather, he acts arrogant and domineering in Chang'an. Young Master Pei and Young Master Xue come from high-ranking noble clans and naturally look down on him... Young Master Xue also has a wild personality and has never accepted the fact that Mai Zizhong and his cronies style themselves as the 'Tyrants of Chang'an,' so they often clash."

So that was how it was!

No wonder there was a saying passed down through the ages: wherever there are people, there is a world of strife.

Even among the "Crown Prince’s Party," there were hierarchies. Whether it was the Xue family or the Pei family, which of them wasn't a prestigious clan of several hundred years? Although Mai Zizhong had a grandfather who was a Pillar of State General and a regional lord, the background of Mai Tiezhang doomed Mai Zizhong to never be able to mingle on equal footing with scions from illustrious families like Pei Xingyan and Xue Wanche.

Yet, he didn't know how to restrain himself, leading to him offending many people without even realizing it.

In fact, among the "Four Little Tyrants of Chang'an," aside from Dugu Xiude, who was a genuine descendant of a prominent clan, the others—including the Yuwen brothers—did not have particularly distinguished backgrounds. The ancestors of Yuwen Shu were originally called Poyetou, servants to the house of the Xianbei noble Sidougui. They only adopted the surname Yuwen after taking their master’s family name. Thus, no matter how noble Yuwen Shu eventually became, his background meant that even as the Duke of Puyang, he could never truly enter the eyes of the high-born.

Once Zheng Yanqing understood this, he no longer found it strange.

If he were not a scion of the Xingyang Zheng clan, he wondered if Pei Xingyan and Xue Wanche would have looked at him with the same disdain.

This was the advantage of the aristocratic clans...

Xue Wanche pulled Zheng Yanqing aside. "Brother Zheng, I heard you have more stock?"

"Stock?"

"The *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*," Xue Shou laughed. "My brother here also likes your *Three Kingdoms*. When I first told him about it, he wasn't interested. But I told him that you tell a new story every day, and that’s what convinced him to come out."

Zheng Yanqing couldn't help but laugh. "Since everyone likes to hear them, I'll tell a story every day."

"Ha, after staying in Luoyang for so long, today is the first day I’ve felt truly happy... Enough talk, let's play a match; it'll be good to get the blood moving."

Neither Xue Wanche nor Pei Xingyan lacked fine horses.

In particular, Xue Wanche’s father had just crushed the Tuyuhun in the Western Regions, winning a sweeping victory. They had captured countless treasures, including Western steeds. Beyond what was gifted to the Emperor, Xue Shixiong had kept over twenty heavenly horses for himself. The same went for Pei Xingyan; his granduncle had administered the Western Regions for three years and had obtained many fine mounts. The Red Charcoal Fire Dragon steed he rode was one obtained by Pei Shiju in the Western Regions. In terms of pedigree, it was not necessarily inferior to Yanqing’s Jade-Hoofed Steed.

Shen Guang, Xu Shiji, and the others also mounted their horses to join the scrimmage.

However, after one match, Pei Xingyan looked at Zheng Yanqing and asked, "Brother, do you actually know how to play polo?"

Zheng Yanqing scratched his head and gave a bitter smile. "I told you, I’m not good at polo."

"You aren't good at polo, yet you agreed to a match against Mai Zizhong?"

"You think I wanted to? Pillar of State General Yu just gave the nod; he didn't even ask if I could play."

Xue Wanche waved his polo mallet. "That is indeed the habit of the old Pillar of State. If he decides on something, it’s not easy for you to refuse, Brother Zheng... But it will be very difficult for you to defeat Mai Fei with your current level."

***

The two experts both concluded that Yanqing was more likely to lose than win, which left him feeling quite discouraged.

Xu Shiji said, "That is why Brother Shen and I only let Yanqing practice hitting the ball, rather than teaching him how to coordinate. We felt that it was clearly impossible to master all the techniques in a few dozen days. Even if Yanqing is clever, those techniques wouldn't be very useful on the field. It’s better to focus on one thing: making him a striker."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of Pei Xingyan and the other three brightened.

Xue Shou said, "That’s a way to do it. But the formations we used before will likely need some adjustments. Brother, don't practice with the team for now; just focus on your striking. When the time comes, as long as we coordinate well and open up space for you, you should have a chance to shine. It could even be a surprise tactic."

Pei Xingyan nodded. "That seems to be the only way."

Thus, the six of them huddled together to discuss specific tactics, while Zheng Yanqing was sent off to practice on his own.

Time passed day by day.

In the blink of an eye, five more days went by. The Dou family had finished renovating their polo field, and the six of them began practicing according to their new tactics. As for Yanqing, he remained in the Bamboo Garden, repeatedly practicing the dull and tedious art of striking the ball. Zheng Yanqing even had a strange illusion: was this still his match against Mai Zizhong, or had it become Pei Xingyan and the others' show?

But since his skills were lacking, he couldn't blame anyone else.

Zheng Yanqing remained calm, and aside from practicing, his life was not much different from before.

"Young Master!"

After Yanqing finished hitting one hundred wooden balls, he took a short break.

Mao Xiaonian quietly approached, handed him a towel, and whispered, "The White-Clad Maitreya seems to have suddenly vanished."

Zheng Yanqing did not react immediately. "Vanished?"

"Yes. According to the schedule, the day before yesterday was supposed to be a day for alms-giving. But the Maitreya disciple who introduced my parents told us that it had been canceled. We waited two more days, and yesterday, my father couldn't wait any longer, so he went to find that disciple... The guy is gone! When we asked others, they all said the disciple seemed to have left."

Zheng Yanqing was stunned!

"Did you reveal any flaws?"

Mao Xiaonian shook her head. "I thought so too, but later I realized that no one else knew where the disciple had gone either. My father has been a bit dazed these past two days... Young Master, do you think... something happened to him?"

Mao Xiaonian did not want to call Mao Xiaoba by name, so she always used "he." Zheng Yanqing thought for a moment and felt it was unlikely anything had happened, as he had only briefly mentioned it to Xue Shou and no one else.

If it wasn't a problem on his end, then it was a problem within the White-Clad Maitreya themselves.

Yanqing mused for a moment, then suddenly said, "Xiaonian, don't worry. I suspect there might be internal issues with them, so they suspended the alms-giving. Just wait patiently. If my guess is correct, they will contact you sooner or later... Before that happens, I want you to go to Xingyang."

"Go to Xingyang?"

"Yes. Old Grandfather is currently in Xingyang, handling the funeral arrangements for the Eldest Grandfather. I am truly worried about him being alone. I want you to go over and look after him for a while. When things are settled, you and the Eldest Grandfather can come back together. Xiaonian, you know there aren't many people I can trust. After thinking it over, you are the most suitable."

Mao Xiaonian’s heart felt sweet.

Yet, she was reluctant to leave the Bamboo Garden, or rather, reluctant to leave Zheng Yanqing. She lowered her head and whispered, "Young Master, what about the family? What if the White-Clad Maitreya comes looking, and I'm not there?"

He reached out and gently rubbed her hair.

Zheng Yanqing was surprised to realize that at some point, he and Xiaonian had grown to be the same height.

"Don't worry. Since the White-Clad Maitreya has vanished so suddenly, I doubt they will reappear anytime soon."

"Then... I will follow your instructions."

Mao Xiaonian agreed.

Zheng Yanqing breathed a sigh of relief.

Regardless of whether Zheng Renji wanted to hold Zheng Shi'an hostage, Yanqing had decided that, by the New Year at the latest, he would find a way to bring him back. As for the traces of the White-Clad Maitreya, Zheng Yanqing was in no hurry. Although he didn't know why they had disappeared, he believed they would eventually resurface—especially after Yang Guang set out on his spring tour; they would definitely appear then.

***

In the afternoon, after reading for a while, Zheng Yanqing prepared to continue his practice.

Suddenly, there was a clamor of shouting and horse neighing outside the bamboo pavilion. Yanqing walked out and saw Pei Xingyan and the others looking dejected.

"What happened to you all?"

"Brother Zheng, the match can't go on..."

Pei Xingyan dismounted and slumped onto the porch. "The Dou family just received news. That kid Dou Xiaoxuan got into a fight in Chang'an ten days ago and had his leg broken. They say he won't be able to get out of bed for at least a hundred days."

Zheng Yanqing was shocked. "Who was he fighting with?"

"They say it was at the Western Market in Chang'an, in a clash with a group of foreign merchant scions. It sounds serious. Not only was Dou Xiaoxuan injured, but the son of the Left Yiwai General Yin Shishi is still in a coma, life or death unknown. Those foreign merchants have been detained in the Chang'an County jail... Brother, if Dou Xiaoxuan can't come, we are still one person short."

Zheng Yanqing was dumbfounded!

At first, he thought it was an excuse from the Dou family, not wanting Dou Xiaoxuan involved in the conflict between him and Mai Zizhong.

But hearing Pei Xingyan describe it this way, it couldn't be a fabrication. Otherwise, one inquiry would reveal the truth. Furthermore, Dou Wei had been the one to volunteer Dou Xiaoxuan. Zheng Yanqing felt helpless! These wealthy scions really had boundless energy.

First the "Tyrants of Chang'an," and now brawls with foreign merchant sons...

But upon reflection, it wasn't surprising.

Most of these noble scions started learning martial arts from a young age, so their energy was naturally more abundant than ordinary people's. In any case, the scions Yanqing knew all seemed this way. Whether it was Pei Xingyan, Xue Wanche, Mai Zizhong, or even Xue Shou and Yao Yi, they all possessed a strong sense of chivalry and were prone to clashing with others at the slightest provocation.

Yanqing thought for a moment. "Can we find someone suitable to replace him?"

"That... is really not easy to find."

They needed someone who could play polo, was of the right age, and was not afraid of the Mai family. If it were just one condition, it wouldn't be difficult. But to find a noble scion meeting all three was a headache for the group of youths. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Even those familiar with the Luoyang aristocracy like Xue Shou couldn't think of anyone, and Zheng Yanqing was at a loss.

"I don't know if there's enough time, but we can try."

"Oh? You have a suitable candidate?"

Zheng Yanqing thought for a moment. "I do know someone. Coincidentally, he is a clansman of the two Xues... Xue Rengao."

Xue Shou and Xue Wanche looked at Yanqing in surprise. After a long moment, they asked, "Who is Xue Rengao?"

"The eldest son of the Jincheng Commandant, Xue Ju. You don't know him?"

"Oh, you mean the son of our Sixth Uncle... I've heard the name, but I haven't met him, so I didn't think of him right away."

Xue Ju had left Fenyin in his early years to establish his own branch of the family, so Xue Shou didn't know him well.

Xue Wanche, however, had heard of Xue Ju, because when General Xue Shixiong attacked the Tuyuhun, Xue Ju had participated. After the war, Xue Ju was promoted to Commandant of Jincheng Commandery due to his military achievements.

Yanqing said, "I have some acquaintance with Xue Rengao. I previously sent someone to ask Commandant Xue to provide some horses. Counting the time, they should be arriving in Luoyang soon... I don't know if Xue Rengao will come, but if he does, we can make up the eight people."

"So, it’s not certain he will come?"

Yanqing scratched his head. "I don't know, but we can write a letter; maybe it will reach him in time."

"That's all we can do."

After discussing it, they decided to have Xue Shou write the letter. Xue Shou had two fathers; his birth father was Xue Daoheng, but he had been adopted by his uncle Xue Ru from a young age. Both men held great prestige in the Xue clan. Therefore, if Xue Shou wrote the letter, surely Xue Ju would not refuse... Once they agreed, everyone dispersed.

Yanqing sat on the porch, a bitter smile on his face.

A small polo match had turned into such a series of twists and turns.

May all these unfortunate events end here! Please, let there be no more trouble...