Chapter 102: No Achievement of Prestige

“Is he really that formidable?” A flicker of doubt crossed Jiang Cheng’s eyes.

“Mr. Jiang, are you not going to make a move?” Jiang the Escort Captain was teaching his daughter, but Zhao Zongyong grew impatient. Zhao Xuedai, speaking on behalf of his master, said, “The Wang Residence does not keep idlers.”

Those words were heavy, and Jiang Cheng felt an inexplicable fury ignite within her. She couldn’t afford to get angry at her father or Zhao Xue, so she turned to Shen Shi instead. “Alright, Father, you’ve praised him so highly; let me give him a try.”

“Ah!” Seeing his eager daughter beside him, Jiang the Escort Captain could only sigh helplessly.

His daughter was good at many things, but she was a martial arts enthusiast to a fault. Yet, he didn’t intend to stop her. This young man before them might indeed be a master, but as Zhao Xue said, the Wang Residence did not tolerate freeloaders. The princes were always courteous, but the stewards of the residence were not. Jiang the Escort Captain well understood the principle that it was easier to deal with the King of Hell than with troublesome little devils.

“This is truly a master,” Jiang the Escort Captain warned his daughter once more.

“It’s fine, Father. My martial arts are not weak,” Jiang Cheng answered confidently.

Gifted from birth, Jiang Cheng was not only skilled but also fearless, possessing the bold spirit of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.

Jiang the Escort Captain, a seasoned traveler of the martial world, did not rush into combat. Instead, he smiled and stepped forward, cupping his fists. “I didn’t know young sir was also a fellow in the martial world. I am Jiang the Escort Captain. May I ask where you hail from and who your master is?”

Years roaming the martial world had taught him to be cautious. Though he served the Prince of Runan’s residence, he was merely a guest, not a sworn retainer.

There was a difference between being a retainer and a guest. A retainer pledged absolute loyalty, even to the point of death for the lord’s disgrace. A guest, however, was simply supported as a warrior and could choose whether or not to assist. Their service was more akin to employment with freedom.

Of course, this was also because Shen Shi wore the official’s robe. In the Song Dynasty, civil officials were untouchable by the emperor, and Shen Shi had no desire to offend one of the Prince of Runan’s sons.

“Jiang the Escort Captain?” Shen Shi thought it unwise to give his own name. Had he used his daughter’s, perhaps Shen Shi might have remembered something.

But seeing Jiang the Escort Captain’s demeanor, Shen Shi naturally held back. After all, Zhao Zongyong’s display of might had left no trace to conceal. Moreover, Shen Shi was merely retreating tactfully—Zhao Zongyong was determined to get the warhorse, but the Shen family would not hand it over.

Since their people showed no intent to strike lethally, Shen Shi did not wish to make things uncomfortable for the Prince of Runan’s residence, the future imperial family.

After a moment, Shen Shi shook his head lightly. “I am not one who practices martial arts. If pressed, I might be called a cultivator.”

“A cultivator? Of the Daoist sect?” Jiang the Escort Captain became increasingly convinced Shen Shi was a practitioner.

Before he could ask more, even Zhao Zongyong grew somewhat impatient. His purpose was the warhorse. Having asserted his authority, he wanted the horse. He believed this was his father’s will; otherwise, they would not have been sent.

The Shen family were military men. As long as they won, everything could be negotiated. They were no scholars—words alone would not suffice.

His impatience explained why his achievements were the lowest among his brothers.

“Mr. Jiang!” Zhao Zongyong spoke coldly.

“Prince, leave this man to me,” Jiang Cheng said without much thought, only eager for a fight.

Zhao Zongyong smiled approvingly. He truly liked her fiery temperament.

Such a temper indeed.

Shen Shi surveyed those around, including Zhao Zongyong, sensing their palpable hostility.

Then he looked at the woman before him—tall, handsome, and heroic in bearing. Stepping down, every movement was graceful yet powerful; her slender waist bent with the breeze, accentuating a breathtaking silhouette that radiated a unique martial spirit.

No doubt, Shen Shi thought. If she won, it would be bullying a girl, and Zhao Zongyong would surely not mind helping him “make a name.”

Verbal prowess was strong—losses could be spun as victories, black as white… this was a standard skill in the Song Dynasty.

Moreover, this was on a tower ship, not a place for a fight.

After some thought, Shen Shi spread his hands. “I am but a cultivator, skilled only in Qi refinement. Since the Prince does not welcome us, we shall leave. Father, let us go.”

Shen Shi could not hand over the warhorse. Doing so would mean betraying Bao Zheng and siding with the Prince of Runan’s residence—no benefit to his Daoist heart or cultivation. If he refused, and yet won, he would surely be slandered. He felt it was time to disembark.

“Hmph, you think you can leave? Guards, do not let them leave the ship,” Zhao Zongyong said, unwilling to let Shen Shi go.

But Shen Shi sought to settle matters peacefully; Zhao Zongyong would not allow it.

“I have heard that Shen Wenxue defeated the Liao forces and is extraordinary in martial arts. Though my guest’s martial skills are not refined and internal strength not yet mature, our family’s boxing techniques have some merit. You can guide her,” Zhao Zongyong proposed.

There was no way Zhao Zongyong would let Shen Shi leave without handing over the warhorse. If not for concern over the residence’s reputation, he would not bother with such effort.

Of course, the Shen family was being unwise. Had they promptly and respectfully offered the warhorse, the prince might have spared them. Now… hmph! The horse was his. How to deal with the government’s reproach? They could only pray for their own luck.

“Ah.”

Shen Shi shook his head. Seeing Jiang Cheng already poised and wearing a stern expression, he knew that leaving without showing his skill was impossible.

He plucked a petal from a nearby peony, condensed his true energy, and flicked it with his finger.

“Whoosh!”

A streak of red and white shot out like lightning, slicing past Jiang Cheng’s cheek and striking the wood of the tower ship behind her.

With a resounding “thud,” the petal collided with the fine wood, causing the entire hall to tremble.

“Watch out!”

Jiang the Escort Captain’s face changed instantly the moment Shen Shi flicked his finger; the warning escaped his lips, but the petal had already embedded itself into the ship’s hull.

“What is that?” Jiang Cheng was stunned, unable to react. Her long hair on the right side was cut cleanly at the root, and the swift airflow even severed her earring.

How could this be?

She had seen cultivators at the Wang Residence but never close up—their methods were unpredictable. When close, she was not afraid of them.

Yet now, touching her cheek, she found a faint trace of blood. He had not shot her, but the sharp wind had injured her. Turning around, she saw the petal embedded deep into the wood like an iron shard.

“Flying petals and plucked leaves can all cause harm?”

Jiang the Escort Captain’s heart leapt into his throat. That was his daughter. If the other party intended to kill to assert dominance, she would be dead. He never expected the young prince to provoke such a formidable figure.

Had he known, he would never have obeyed the Wang Residence’s orders to come here.