Chapter Forty-Five: Fan Ying and Cao Qi

“Impudent scoundrel! How dare you act so brazenly in Fuxu Town!” The tall officer seemed to feel his authority was being challenged, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he barked out another order, his right hand tightening on his sword hilt.

Clang! Scrape!

Two sharp sounds rang out in quick succession as Ding Li, swift as lightning, pressed the half-drawn blade back into its sheath. The tall officer hadn’t expected Ding Li to dare resist; surprise flashed across his face. He tried to wrench the sword out again, but the blade seemed rusted in its scabbard, and he couldn’t move it a hair’s breadth.

“Insolence!” Fire blazed in the officer’s eyes. With a deep shout, he snatched his hand from the hilt, clenched his fist, and swung it hard at Ding Li.

“Here you go!” Seeing this, Ding Li moved even faster. Just as the officer’s fist rose, Ding Li pressed down on the sword hilt and shoved, forcefully pushing the officer back and causing his punch to strike only empty air.

Clang! Clang! Clang...

At once, the officer’s subordinates drew their blades and surged forward, forming a wary semicircle around Ding Li. Yet, after regaining his footing, the tall officer abruptly raised his hand to halt his men—he had spotted Zhang Wu strolling calmly to Ding Li’s side.

“Brother Zhang Wu? What are you doing in Fuxu Town?” The tall officer was full of confusion, but he was no fool. At a glance, he saw that Zhang Wu and the so-called “suspect” Ding Li were together. He no longer seemed as wary, though his gaze lingered on Ding Li, as if trying to discern something.

“Brother Fan Ying! Why trouble yourself over such a trivial matter?” Zhang Wu smiled faintly, nodding and cupping his hand in greeting. He then turned and whispered to Ding Li, “He’s one of us—under the jurisdiction of the Military Governor!”

“I see...” Ding Li responded coolly. Since Zhang Wu had vouched for him, he let go of the earlier tension. Taking the initiative, he cupped his hand toward the officer and introduced himself with calm brevity, “Greetings, Brother Fan. I am Ding Li.”

“You’re Ding Li?” Fan Ying, across from him, was clearly familiar with the name. He paused, then quickly returned the salute with a smile. “So it’s Brother Li of the Nanhai Guild in Guangzhou! I’ve long heard of you! If I was rude just now, I hope Brother Li will forgive me.”

“Not at all, Brother Fan, you are too kind!” Ding Li returned the salute again, inwardly marveling at the intricate and powerful network of the Zhang family’s merchant association. His gaze slid to the side, where the man in the green robe was trembling uncontrollably. Ding Li turned the subject, addressing Fan Ying, “Brother Fan, there was a small altercation here just now—right beside you, that scoundrel! He’s been consorting with a woman from the Western Regions, and now has abandoned his wife and even struck that young lady over there. I acted only because I could not bear to see such a wretch go unpunished! That is the whole story, and everyone present can testify to it!”

“That’s right! That’s exactly what happened!”

“Yes! That wretch is vile beyond words!”

“Such a man deserves a thousand cuts!”

...

A chorus of furious voices broke out from the crowd, all glaring murderously at the man in the green robe, their eyes wishing to tear him limb from limb. Some even remembered Ding Li’s earlier words.

“General! If this scum can abandon his wife for a foreign woman, who’s to say he wouldn’t betray our Tang Dynasty one day? He ought to be executed on the spot by military law!”

The crowd grew even more incensed at this, the words adding fuel to the fire and stirring the masses to louder, more violent agreement.

“That’s right! He might just betray us one day!”

“General, don’t hesitate—kill him!”

“Yes! Kill him! Kill him!”

The atmosphere turned so heated that even Fan Ying felt unsettled. In all his years in Fuxu Town, he’d never seen the people of the Tang so united—even if it was only against an unfaithful husband, the fervor filled Fan Ying himself with a surging sense of righteousness. Were it not for a sliver of reason remaining in his mind, he might have drawn his own sword and struck down the man in the green robe himself.

“No! General, please, I would never do such a thing!” The man in the green robe was stunned—he hadn’t expected his petty vengeance to cause so much trouble. When he saw the mob threatening to execute him on the spot, his knees gave out and he collapsed, too weak even to kneel properly. In desperation, he pleaded, “Please, General, spare my life! I know I was wrong, but I don’t deserve to die...”

Suddenly, as if struck by a new idea, he found renewed strength and scrambled toward his wife, weeping and kowtowing before her. “Wang Die, please, say something for me! For the sake of our marriage, please, I don’t deserve to die!”

“Ha, ha ha...” Supported by a group of women, Wang Die began to laugh, but her expression was wretched and full of despair. Tears streamed anew from eyes that had just been dried, and she never once looked at the man who had once shared her bed.

Everyone around looked at the man with contempt and disgust. The women supporting Wang Die seemed eager to kick him away, only restraining themselves out of deference to Fan Ying and his men.

Wang Die, now utterly hopeless, was unmoved by her husband’s pleas. Perhaps because Zhang Wu had agreed to take her and her child in, she turned her eyes to Ding Li and Zhang Wu for guidance.

Seeing this, Fan Ying stepped forward, pondering a moment before lowering his voice, “Brother Li, Brother Zhang Wu, what do you think should be done with this matter?” He leaned in and whispered, “Here in Fuxu Town, this can be a big matter or a small one. That man—his fate is in our hands.”

Ding Li gave a wry smile and glanced at Zhang Wu, who looked equally troubled—neither had ever dealt with such a situation before. After a brief hesitation, Fan Ying let out a sigh, turning away.

Suddenly, Fan Ying’s vision went dark—no one expected the man in the green robe to launch an attack. In fact, he lunged for the sword at Fan Ying’s waist.

Clang!

There was a flash of cold steel as the blade was drawn, sending the crowd scattering. Fan Ying was forced to retreat by the wild swings of the man in the green robe, shock flashing in his eyes as he barked, “Watch out!”

After slashing at Fan Ying, the man turned, his face now twisted with fury, and viciously swung the blade at the stunned Wang Die.

“Miss, look out!” Ding Li, reacting instantly, shouted in alarm and sprang forward like a tiger, tackling Wang Die to the ground.

“Brother Li!” Zhang Wu, ignoring his own injuries, leapt after him, his fist crashing down like a hammer toward the man’s head.

With a sickening thud, Ding Li managed to shield Wang Die, but took a slash to his own back. Perhaps considering Wang Die’s dignity, Ding Li immediately rolled away after hitting the ground, but the pain from his wound forced him to grit his teeth and gasp for breath.

At the same moment, the man in the green robe took a blow to the head from Zhang Wu and collapsed in a heap. Fan Ying rushed forward, kicked the sword from the man’s hand, and struck him several more times with the sheath until he was sure the man was fully unconscious. Only then did he spit in disgust and bark at his men, “What are you waiting for?! Take him away! We’ll deal with this dog back at camp!”

His subordinates didn’t dare make a sound and hurried forward—only to be interrupted by a new voice.

“Hold it! What’s going on here? Who’s committing violence in the street?”

Everyone turned to see another officer, moustached and dressed like Fan Ying, approaching with thirty soldiers in tow. As he recognized Fan Ying, he put on a chillingly insincere smile, saluted, and sneered, “Ah, so it’s Captain Fan! On official business, I see?”

He glanced at the sword on the ground and the sheath in Fan Ying’s hand, his eyes mocking. “Looks like Captain Fan’s health isn’t what it used to be—can’t even hold a sword steady!”

“Hmph! Captain Cao, you worry too much!” Fan Ying, already furious, didn’t bother to hide his displeasure. He tossed the sheath to a subordinate, saluted with cold formality, and ground out, “My health is just fine! But thank you for your concern, Captain Cao!”

“Cao Qi, the Inspector’s distant nephew,” Zhang Wu murmured quietly for Ding Li’s benefit. “A devious schemer, ruthless and dangerous—best not to cross him.”

“Well, if it isn’t Brother Zhang Wu from Second Master Zhang’s household!” Though the words were polite, Cao Qi’s tone was dripping with sarcasm, his intentions obvious. He looked Zhang Wu up and down, then, knowing of the recent ambush, sneered provocatively, “Brother Zhang Wu, it’s been a while! What brings you to Fuxu Town, battered as you are? Things aren’t safe these days—I heard Second Master Zhang was ambushed just yesterday. You’d best watch your back!”

“You—!” Old grudges flared at the taunt, and Zhang Wu nearly lost his temper, only to have Ding Li seize his arm and step forward with a calm, smiling salute to Cao Qi.

Before Zhang Wu could react, Ding Li spoke, his words astonishing all present. “Captain Cao is quite right—these are troubled times. But let me set one thing straight: neither Brother Zhang Wu nor Second Master Zhang need fear for their lives. Rather, there are two men named Cao whose days are numbered. If Captain Cao would kindly pass along that message, I would be much obliged.”

A naked threat—nothing less.

“What are you? How dare you speak to me like that?” Cao Qi, never known for civility, had only restrained himself with Fan Ying and Zhang Wu out of respect for their backers. Now, faced with a stranger’s insolence, his rage burst forth.

Yet Ding Li, calm and imposing, met his furious gaze with a voice loud and clear. “Ding Li! Remember that name!”