A Step into the Past-Volume 22 Chapter 6
Book 22 Chapter 06 - A Fight To The End
There are several major changes to Feng Fei’s ‘The Immortal Phoenix Arising’, showcasing a moving storyline with stages upon stages of spellbinding dances. Feng Fei had just composed an excellent opening song sang together by all the courtesans, singing about the Immortals in the Heaven Realm and the humans having a celebration on the Human Realm.
Feng Fei’s talent in the Song & Dance industry is without a doubt and her only concern is lack of inspiration. With Xiang Shaolong lighting a spark of creativity, the overflowing of ideas that followed resembles the bursting of a river dam. Presently, she has an abundance of materials to work on and there is no looking back.
As Xiang Shaolong was cheering and clapping with the other serving maids, Feng Fei came to his side with her eyes glimmering. She joyfully enquired, “Shen Liang, is it much better now?”
Xiang Shaolong sincerely praised, “Mistress’s performance is like a magical journey, with the main concept delicately inserted multiple times into the routine, just like a master weaving cotton. This results in a dazzling and attention grabbing sequence. If Mistress were to add your singing to the finale, even the stubborn rocks will bow.”
An indescribable pleasure flashed across Feng Fei’s lovely eyes. For the first time ever, she held the corner of his sleeve, pulling him to a corner far away from the crowd. She gestured to Dong Shuzen and her fellow courtesans, instructing them to continue the rehearsal before emotionally sighing, “Feng Fei (I) has never heard such a moving portrayal about my production. Ai! Will the stubborn rocks really bow when they are impressed? This is the greatest glory a singer can ever receive. Shen Liang ah! What should I do with you?”
Xiang Shaolong cursed himself for stealing the limelight again, repeating his past deed of using the phrase ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’ to win the affections of Talented Lady Ji. He has inadvertently made inroads into Feng Fei’s heart. However, this proves that Zhang Quan’s theory is correct.
If Feng Fei did not have a secret lover, she would not have sigh and fall into a dilemma. He naturally would not snatch her away from her lover and has no desire to get involved with this peerless beauty, despite having feelings for her. He humbly admitted, “My own creative mood has been unleashed after watching Mistress’s performance, causing me to come up with these proverbs.”
Feng Fei stared deeply into his eyes, her shoulder slightly touching his and began chirping like a little girl, “My main song is almost completed save for a few amendments. Heaven has really been kind to me, allowing me to meet a bosom friend like you before my retirement.”
Using this opening, Xiang Shaolong began, “If Mistress can place all her trust and share all her secrets with me, I, Shen Liang, can guarantee with my life that Mistress will have all her dreams come true.”
Feng Fei was taken aback, “Are you implying that I am hiding information from you?”
If Xiang Shaolong do not display some might, it will be impossible to force her to succumb. His eyes shimmering with deathly cold rays, his stare pierce straight into her enthralling eyes as he hissed, “Does Mistress know who is the perpetrator behind Zhang Quan?”
Feng Fei cannot bear to look at him and lowered her eyes, replying, “Isn’t it Suzhen?”
Xiang Shaolong icily laughed, “Second Mistress is just another pathetic victim fighting for her own survival.”
Feng Fei is offended, “What are you talking about?”
Facing Xiang Shaolong for a moment, she lowered her glance again and pleaded, “Can you stop staring at me?”
Xiang Shaolong is feeling wonderful, knowing that she will no longer be able to control him like before. He pressed on, “Zhang Quan is now serving Lu Buwei.”
Her face losing colour, Feng Fei exclaimed, “What?”
Xiang Shaolong repeated, “Mistress is now in grave danger. Lu Buwei is on intimate terms with the people of Qi and with the power he wields in Qin, there is hardly anyone who would dare to offend him. If he wishes to obtain Mistress, it is not an unachievable task.”
Appearing to have lost her self-control after hearing the name of the man and his evil doings, Feng Fei grabbed Xiang Shaolong’s shoulder and gasped, “What should we do? Why don’t I sack Zhang Quan immediately?”
With her petite hand pulling his own shoulder, Xiang Shaolong can feel his heart melting. Preventing other feelings from arising, he seriously articulated, “Mistress needs to make a choice. One, you put your complete trust in me. Two, you let me go. If you are indecisive, the consequences will be unimaginable. For example, Lu Buwei can send him men to take Mistress away by force and at the same time, announce to the world that you have decided to retire and marry into his family. I doubt there will be anyone who will contest his words or even raise an objection. Mistress should know better than me that once you have spent a single night in his custody, your future will be gone.”
Feng Fei was at a loss, “Do you have a plan to counter him?”
Xiang Shaolong smiled, “I will make use of Zhang Quan to convey a false message to Lu Buwei that Mistress’s lover is someone that even he (Lu Buwei) cannot afford to antagonize. Thus, he can only wait for you to leave before launching a covert attack, buying us more time.”
Feng Fei heaved a sigh of relief and scrutinized him with suspicion before muttering, “You are really formidable and do not fear Lu Buwei one bit. You even speak like you are very familiar with his methods. Ai! Without you, there will be no one else can I can depend on.”
Xiang Shaolong realized that she had gathered her wits and apparently decided, “Mistress is only depending on me but has yet to trust me. Since I am unable to secure your confidence, I, Shen Liang, will depart tomorrow morning once we arrive in Lin Zi. I do not wish to die a meaningless death.”
Feng Fei glanced at him with confusion for some time before submitting, “The more I get to know you, the more I realize that you are not as simple as you look. Fine! Let’s talk in my room.”
Xiang Shaolong was jubilant. Using a combination of hard and soft tactics to keep up the pressure, this beauty has finally made concessions.
Feng Fei sat down by his side with a kind expression. She gently inquired, “What do you want me to tell you?”
Xiang Shaolong interrogated, “Since Mistress has the courage to go to Lin Zi, there must be someone guaranteeing your safety. Who is this person?”
Feng Fei delayed, “There is indeed such a person. Can I reveal his identity at a more suitable time in the future?”
Xiang Shaolong does not want to push his luck and nodded, “Fine. After the disbandment of the Song & Dance Troupe, may I ask what are Mistress’s plans for the other courtesans and where is Mistress intending to retire to?”
Showing signs of hesitation, Feng Fei lightly exhaled, “I have made appropriate plans for them. Can Manager Shen not interfere in these matters?”
Xiang Shaolong was irritated, “How can I ignore this matter? Right now, all the courtesans are feeling restless precisely because they are worried about their future. I, Shen Liang, may be down and out but my fighting spirit has not deserted me. I will not allow Mistress to destroy their (courtesans) future.”
The captivating eyes of Feng Fei flashed with anger before calming down. She dolefully justified, “We are all forced by circumstances and some things cannot be prevented. If that lass Dong Shuzen did not leak the news of my retirement, there would not be so many complicated matters right now.”
Xiang Shaolong clarified, “I believed you have misunderstood Second Mistress. Based on my analysis, it is probably Zhang Quan who leaked this information to Lu Buwei and Lu Buwei intentionally broadcasted this news, thereby creating the conditions for him to openly seize you for his own gratification.”
Feng Fei appeared to be deep in thought. Subsequently, she insisted with determination, “But I have already given my word to somebody about the future of Dong Shuzen and the courtesans. This cannot be changed. Moreover, this person is someone I dare not offend.”
Xiang Shaolong could not be bothered, “There is nothing in the world that cannot be changed. Putting this aside for the time being, Mistress has yet to answer my question.”
Feng Fei whined, “Must I really answer you? As long as you bring me out of Lin Zi without anyone’s knowledge, there will be a person to receive me and you can walk away a free man. On top of that, you will be handsomely rewarded and need not worry about money for the rest of your life.”
Flapping his sleeve, Xiang Shaolong stood up, “At the end of the day, you are still unwilling to trust me. I know Tian Dan is somewhat involved and he must be the same person who is supposed to guarantee your safety. That explains your earlier anxiety and why you are treating me with such kindness! Forget it! From this moment on, we have nothing to do with each other.”
Feng Fei was utterly shocked and in a moment of fear, she hugged him and wailed, “There is nothing I can hide from you. Heavens, what kind of person are you? Pray take your seat again and let us discuss this further.”
Xiang Shaolong scorned, “This is just a simple assumption. Since you have someone in Lin Zi guaranteeing your safety, why do you need Shen Liang (me) around?”
Feng Fei placed her exquisite face against his wide chest and gave a flustered response, “You are able to make a correct guess because you are aware of the friendship between Lu Buwei and Tian Dan. Ai! If not for Lu Buwei personally telling me that Tian Dan will guarantee my safety, I would not have made this trip to Lin Zi. I did not expect Lu Buwei to harbor such hideous motives.”
Xiang Shaolong reminded, “You must not forget that I have served both Great General Lian (Po) and Prince Wuji. Of course I will know about Lu Buwei and Tian Dan’s partnership. Both of them are lustful perverts while the ladies in the Song & Dance Troupe are all rare beauties; how can they not bear malicious intentions? Even if your safety is guaranteed by someone else, unless he is your lover, it will probably be another trap.”
Feng Fei’s world came crashing down and she is using all her strength to hug him tightly. She mourned, “What should I do?”
Ever since she discovered that Zhang Quan is working for Lu Buwei, her normal confidence and calmness have vanished into thin air. Xiang Shaolong lent his support to her and simply questioned, “First of all, you must tell me the truth. Besides Lu Buwei, is there anyone else who is interested in you?”
An embarrassed Feng Fei straightened her posture in front of him. With a complicated look in her eyes, she confessed, “It is obviously someone with considerable standing. On this trip to Qi, the cause of my greatest worry is Zongsun Long. He does not hold any official appointment but his influence in Qi is not below Tian Dan . The talented men serving him are immeasurable and he supports the Second Prince Tian Jian. He is at loggerheads with Tian Dan who supports the First Prince Tian Sheng. When I was in Daliang (Wei Capital), he came all the way to look for me but was harshly rebuffed by myself. Disillusioned, he took his leave and swore an oath that since he is unable to lay his hands on me, others can forget about doing the same.”
Xiang Shaolong frowned, “Are you referring to that bloodthirsty loan shark?”
Feng Fei is no longer surprised at his wealth of knowledge. She nodded, “That is the man. It is rumoured that his net worth has exceeded that of Wu Shijie and he has spies, followers and debtors in every state. Now you can understand the reason for my uneasiness.”
Xiang Shaolong quizzed, “And who is the man unafraid of Zongsun Long?”
Feng Fei whispered, “He is Han Chuang. You should have heard of his name!”
Xiang Shaolong rolled his eyes, “Han Chuang?”
Feng Fei was astonished, “You know him personally?”
Xiang Shaolong lied, “I have heard of this person but did not expect it to be him. This man is famous for his lust. How you can trust a man like that?”
Feng Fei divulged, “He may hanker after pleasures of the flesh but he is quite a nice person. Since we are talking about him, I might as well tell you everything! I have pledged to reward him with Dong Shuzen and the courtesans, as a form of thanking him for his aid. There! I have told you everything.”
Xiang Shaolong prompted, “There is just one more thing. Who is Mistress’s secret lover?”
Feng Fei contemplated for some time before she suddenly embraced him around his shoulder and waist, gently demanding, “I can tell you who he is but you must swear not to tell anyone else.”
Xiang Shaolong was stunned and forcefully held back his own desire to embrace her in return. He proceeded to give his word and Feng Fei dreamily disclosed, “This man is famous beyond words. Recently, he created plenty of trouble for the Six Eastern States.”
Xiang Shaolong can feel his head becoming numb. Could it be that Feng Fei is in love with himself? Is she heading to Qin to find him after disbanding the Troupe? Feng Fei announced, “He is Xiang Shaolong, the most feared man amongst the Six Eastern States.”
Despite expecting her to mention his own name, Xiang Shaolong could not help but shuddered, “Does he love you?”
Feng Fei raised her face and look at him, astounded, “What are you asking such a strange question?”
Xiang Shaolong suddenly realized that she is still keeping this secret from him and is just using another name to satisfy his curiosity. His mind evaluating her words like a super computer, he is confident that her secret lover cannot be himself. Otherwise, Dan Meimei would have told him so.
At the same time, he concluded that this person is from Qin. All he has to do is to escort her back to Xianyang and she can reunite with her lover. He joked, “In this case, I will have to deliver you to Zhongmou.”
In his mind, he could understand her reason for keeping this an absolute secret. If the mystery man’s identity is exposed, Lu Buwei will surely kill him. Recalling the time at Drunken Wind Brothel when she was supposed to assassinate himself but subsequently changed her mind, it could be due to her newfound love with this man. This man could be the same reason behind her desire to retire and settle down. As anticipated, Feng Fei objected, “No! He has given instructions for me to wait for him in Xianyang. All you need to do is to send me to Xianyang.”
Enraged, Xiang Shaolong locked Feng Fei in a bear hug and wildly kissed her with a vengeance. Feng Fei put up a fierce struggle but eventually capitulated to his warm lips. There were signs of resistance but she ultimately accepted this invasion. Breaking the kiss, he scanned her perfect complexion and well-defined features before elaborating, “This is me punishing Mistress for withholding information from me. You can hate me all you like but presently, only I, Shen Liang, am able to prevent you from being Zongsun Long’s prisoner. Except for me, anybody else would have a hidden agenda for helping you.”
Feng Fei’s shapely body turned into jelly and collapsed into his bosom, “Don’t you have a hidden agenda too?”
Since she did not deny lying to him, Xiang Shaolong retained his goodwill towards her. Putting his arms around her shoulder, he advised, “If I had come to you with ill intentions, I can easily force myself on you, taking Mistress’s precious chastity right now. Think about it!” Finishing his words, he strode off.
Although he is unable to explain it, Xiang Shaolong can feel his heart brimming with happiness. Ever since Li Mu beat him to a pulp and causing him to lead a fugitive life, all his accumulated frustration has been released in that one long kiss. He can feel his fighting spirit soaring, reminding him of the time he disguised himself as Dong Horse Fanatic, and heading to Handan City to capture Zhao Mu. The only difference is that besides Xiao Yuetan aiding him, he can only depend on the sword hanging around his waist. He may have to hide his sword as someone may identify him through it. In this moment, he made up his mind to indulge in another round with Lu Buwei and Tian Dan. No matter what, he must do his best to liberate these oppressed ladies. This is his way of giving back to society.
