Chapter Eighty-Four: Who Else?

"Your... Your Highness, the Princess!" Chen Ying could scarcely believe Li Xiuning would arrive at the Chen residence at such a moment. In fact, it hardly seemed like an official visit—it felt more like a military campaign.

The elite guard of the Princess of Pingyang's household, more than a hundred armored soldiers, stood in full battle array. Shields bristled at the front, crossbows behind, with long halberds, iron spears, unfamiliar long blades, and pikes arranged in scales, tier upon tier. The cold gleam of their weapons sent a chill through the air.

Luo Shixin, who blocked the gate, turned visibly pale. His martial prowess was renowned—enough to count him among the foremost warriors of the realm. With Qin Qiong and Yuchi Jingde yet to pledge allegiance, few in all of Great Tang could rival him. Perhaps only Xue Wanche of the Eastern Palace or Li Yuanji, Prince of Qi, could stand as his equals. Yet at this moment, Luo Shixin was without his favored iron spear, unarmored, and with at least fifty military crossbows trained on him, he knew he had no chance of survival should matters turn violent.

A flash of panic crossed Wei Zheng's face as well.

Chen Ying, his back to Wei Zheng, muttered in a voice just loud enough for the two of them, "You have three breaths to decide—will you agree or not? Speak plainly!"

With that, Chen Ying strode toward the door.

"Your Highness, Princess, I beg your pardon for not coming to greet you sooner!"

Wei Zheng heaved a long sigh, barely forcing out three words through clenched teeth, "I agree."

Li Xiuning's face was cold as frost, her gaze severe. "Luo Shixin, was it you who struck Chen Ying?"

Her eyes were sharp. While Chen Ying's martial skills were not formidable, his explosive strength and willingness to fight desperately were clear. Wei Zheng was certainly not capable of beating Chen Ying so severely. Luo Shixin, with that fierce glint in his eye and his imposing frame, fit the part of the assailant precisely.

"It was I..." Luo Shixin began, intending to explain, "We were only sparring—"

But before he could finish, Li Xiuning turned to Ma Sanbao. "Sanbao!"

Ma Sanbao slowly raised his saber. "Show your weapon!"

At the sight of Ma Sanbao, Luo Shixin recognized a true expert. Despite the thirty-pound armor Ma Sanbao wore, he moved as if unburdened, his steps light. His stance was unremarkable, blade raised for a standard downward strike, but the momentum radiating from every gesture marked him as a formidable foe.

If he was to pledge himself to the House of Li, he would test the quality of their heroes.

"Your Highness, this is all a misunderstanding!" Chen Ying tried to explain to Li Xiuning, but Luo Shixin, itching for a fight, paid no heed to the fifty crossbows aimed at him.

Luo Shixin swung his iron fists and lunged at Ma Sanbao. Ma Sanbao met him head-on, his saber slashing relentlessly for Luo Shixin's vital points.

Luo Shixin was a warrior honed on the battlefield, relying on brute strength to overcome skill. He cared nothing for Ma Sanbao's techniques, fighting with reckless abandon. Ma Sanbao's attacks missed their mark; after more than ten rapid exchanges, not only had he failed to drive Luo Shixin back, he found himself in increasing peril.

"Villain, how dare you! Let me deal with you!" came a thunderous shout. Chen Ying turned, exasperated beyond words.

The newcomer was none other than Captain Duan Zhigan of the Second Merit Battalion. He had known Ma Sanbao for some time and was well aware that the Princess of Pingyang was Chen Ying's patron. Seeing Ma Sanbao in combat with Luo Shixin, it was obvious Luo Shixin was the villain threatening Chen Ying.

With Duan Zhigan's saber joining the fray, Luo Shixin remained undaunted, holding his own against both opponents.

With a metallic clang, Luo Shixin struck Duan Zhigan's blade with his fist, sending him stumbling aside.

By now, the Second Merit Battalion soldiers, fully armed, swarmed into the Chen residence. The small front courtyard was soon packed to overflowing with armed men.

In the Sui and Tang dynasties, the military system allowed soldiers to own their own weapons and armor. The Second Merit Battalion was distinguished by its use of the hooked scythe spear—a weapon rare for the era. Hundreds of soldiers formed a tight phalanx, filling the entire Chen residence.

"These are your men?" Li Xiuning asked, marveling at the fierce, disciplined ranks. "You've trained them well!"

"It's all just haphazard practice," Chen Ying replied, inwardly bemoaning the situation. He had no idea how to extricate himself. Li Yuan was not a forgiving man. Without a military order or imperial edict, gathering troops like this could be deemed, at best, a breach of discipline, at worst, outright rebellion.

With matters spiraling out of control, Li Yuan would surely be alerted. How this would end, even Chen Ying did not know.

Luo Shixin's blows did not slow; he handled both opponents with ease.

"You call this haphazard? With soldiers like these?" Li Xiuning smiled. "If this is your casual effort, what would the great military families say if you trained in earnest?"

Chen Ying was about to reply when he glanced at the melee and his heart tightened.

With his attacks thwarted again and again, Duan Zhigan grew furious. He deliberately exposed an opening at his chest, hoping to lure Luo Shixin into striking.

If Luo Shixin took the bait, Duan Zhigan could sever his arm with a single slash.

The plan was sound, but reality was unkind. Luo Shixin's fist was too fast. Before Duan Zhigan could bring his blade down, Luo Shixin's fist crashed into his chest.

It felt as if he had been rammed by a raging bull. Duan Zhigan staggered back five or six steps and collapsed.

Just then, a dark shadow burst onto the scene. A spear nearly twelve feet long lunged at Luo Shixin.

It was none other than Duan Zhixuan, commander of the Black Armored Iron Guard of the Prince of Qin's household.

When Duan Zhixuan arrived at the Chen residence with Prince Qin Li Shimin, the guards found it impossible to enter. Li Shimin, Lei Yongji, Chai Shao, Duan Zhixuan, and the others squeezed into the front courtyard.

They arrived just in time to see Luo Shixin knock Duan Zhigan to the ground—a heavy blow indeed.

Though the two brothers, Duan Zhigan and Duan Zhixuan, often quarreled and challenged each other, in moments of crisis, their differences vanished and they stood together. Seeing his brother bested, Duan Zhixuan thrust his spear at Luo Shixin without hesitation.

Amidst the chaos, Luo Shixin remained vigilant, his senses keen. He detected Duan Zhixuan's sneak attack and, unfazed, twisted his body aside just as the spear's point came within a foot of his chest.

As Duan Zhixuan tried to withdraw his spear, Luo Shixin seized it.

"Let go!" Luo Shixin roared, twisting his wrist.

Suddenly, the spear was torn from Duan Zhixuan's grip and found its way into Luo Shixin's hands. The spear and the pike were both long-handled piercing weapons. The difference lay in their construction: the spear had a shaft of waxwood, the pike of tuomu, and the halberd used hardwood, typically ironwood or wild mulberry—making the halberd heavier than the spear, with the pike in between.

With his new weapon, Luo Shixin swept his long spear in a wide arc, knocking Ma Sanbao to the ground. Were it not for Ma Sanbao's heavy armor, the blow would have been deadly. Even so, he lay dazed on the floor, unable to rise.

Luo Shixin glared, eyes wide and fierce, and bellowed, "Who else dares to challenge me?"