Chapter 54 I'll Count to Three

The cold wind howled, and the outside world was a boundless expanse of white snow.

Inside the celestial prison, two men sat facing each other.

The braised pig trotters on the table were steaming profusely.

Perhaps the alcohol was too potent, causing beads of sweat as large as beans to break out on Yang Daniu's forehead despite the bitter cold.

Directly opposite him, Yang Zhan was watching him calmly.

Even with such a tranquil gaze, it sent a chill of terror from the depths of Yang Daniu's soul.

It made Yang Daniu tremble uncontrollably.

Suddenly, Yang Zhan reached out his hand.

Bang!

With a muffled thud, Yang Daniu instantly overturned his stool and fell straight to his knees on the ground.

The kitchen knife at his waist fell to the floor, clanging twice.

"Second Master, please hold your hand! The Prince has something for me to deliver to you."

His hurried speech was already laced with a trembling tone before he even realized it.

Panic-stricken, he fished a letter out from inside the breast of his robes and held it up reverently with both trembling hands.

Only then did Yang Daniu dare to raise his head for a quick peek.

To his surprise, Yang Zhan had merely reached out to lift the jar of wine and pour himself a bowl.

Yet, Yang Daniu still didn't dare to breathe a single loud breath.

If he had previously harbored thoughts of striking first—after all, catching someone off guard—then right now, with Yang Zhan uttering those words, his identity had been firmly exposed.

At this moment, he no longer had the slightest chance.

Yang Zhan leisurely poured and drank a bowl of wine by himself.

Putting down the wine bowl, he finally looked at Yang Daniu, who was kneeling on the ground, holding up a letter, tense, terrified, and shivering all over.

Yang Zhan took the letter, yet without saying a single word, leaving Yang Daniu to remain kneeling on the ground.

At this moment, Yang Zhan's gaze fell upon the letter paper. The paper was somewhat yellowish, and the ink stains upon it did not look fresh.

Written on the envelope were the words: "To be personally opened by my Second Younger Brother!"

Yang Zhan looked somewhat surprised. "Prepared so early? The Prince of Wu truly lives up to his far-reaching scheming; he's almost a match for the old emperor."

"His Highness the Prince of Wu knew that this day might come, so this letter has been in my hands for a long time."

Seeing that Yang Zhan had not dealt a fatal blow, Yang Daniu's mind settled slightly, and his voice steadied a bit.

Yang Zhan glanced at Yang Daniu. "If he had succeeded this time, would I still have gotten to see this letter?"

"Not necessarily. If the plot failed, it was to be given to Second Master; if the plot succeeded, it was also to be given to Second Master. If Second Master had fallen in battle ahead of time, it would have been burned for you."

"Heh, so you're saying the contents here are very important to me? If it were just some words of apology written by the Prince of Wu, it wouldn't warrant all this, so what is actually inside?"

Yang Daniu lowered his head. "This subordinate does not know, but the Prince said that once Second Master reads it, your murderous intent will dissipate."

Yang Zhan raised an eyebrow. "Then I must take a look!"

Yang Zhan opened the envelope and shook out a piece of burnt cloth from inside.

It was a bright imperial yellow, but scorched by smoke, making the color distorted!

Since the other parts had all been burned away, only this single remnant piece remained.

The material was silken gauze paper, and two words were visible on the remnant: Yellow Temple!

Yang Daniu, still tense, cautiously raised his eyes and saw Yang Zhan turning the remnant piece over and over, studying it intently.

At that instant, Yang Daniu breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as the Prince had said, once Yang Zhan saw what was inside the envelope, he would no longer harbor the intent to kill.

After studying it for a moment, Yang Zhan looked at Yang Daniu. "Where did the Prince of Wu get this thing?"

Seeing Yang Zhan asking questions, Yang Daniu's hanging heart finally dropped completely.

Because the Prince had told him that if Yang Zhan looked at it and started asking questions, he would no longer be in danger.

Yang Daniu tentatively asked, "Second Master, may I get up?"

"Did I tell you to kneel?"

"Yes, yes!"

Yang Daniu's heart grew even clearer. He hurriedly stood up, righted his stool, and sat down again.

Then he proactively helped pour wine for Yang Zhan, saying as he poured, "The Prince said that with Second Master's peerless divine might in the military, if Second Master were to join hands and march forward with the Prince, no one in this world could compare, no one could rival—"

"I'm asking you a question!"

Yang Zhan coldly interrupted Yang Daniu's endless stream of flattery.

Yang Daniu's expression stiffened. Having finished pouring the wine, he remained standing. "Second Master, the Prince said this item was obtained from a massacred village."

"How much does he know?"

Being stared at, Yang Daniu grew a bit tense again, and his speech became somewhat faltering. "The Prince said that if Second Master wishes to know, please come to Tianbei. The Prince will send men to escort you the entire way, ensuring that Second Master reaches Tianbei safely without harassment. At that time, the Prince will explain everything in detail to Second Master."

Having said this, Yang Daniu hurriedly added, "If Second Master agrees, this subordinate can definitely arrange it all, including your four subordinates as well. They can come along, and you won't need to worry about the imperial court's interception."

Yang Zhan put the remnant piece away.

He picked up his wine and drank another large bowl.

At this moment, even though Yang Zhan's neck was completely exposed right before Yang Daniu's eyes, Yang Daniu did not feel the slightest urge to kill.

He only looked at Yang Zhan apprehensively, hoping, just as the Prince had said, that Yang Zhan would find it impossible to refuse.

Though Yang Daniu did not know the specific reason, their Prince was all-knowing and unfailing in his calculations, so it ought to be thus!

Yet at that very moment!

Bang!

The wine bowl slammed onto the table.

It instantly shattered into pieces, and a sharp shard fiercely slashed across Yang Daniu's neck.

Yang Daniu clutched his throat, staring in disbelief at Yang Zhan.

Yet Yang Zhan had suddenly vanished right before his eyes.

Bang!

Unable to sustain himself, Yang Daniu collapsed to the ground.

Fresh blood gushed out from between his fingers, and his eyes gradually grew hazy.

He muttered haltingly and intermittently from his mouth:

"Clearly... the Prince said... you... you... you... would find it impossible... to refuse..."

At this moment.

Yang Zhan suddenly appeared around the corner and threw a punch.

Bang!

"Urgh!"

A muffled groan accompanied a flying figure as it emerged.

Bang!

This figure crashed heavily into the snowdrift.

Revealing a face covered in snow, yet rather delicate and pretty.

"Second Master, why did you hit me..."

Only then did Yang Zhan clearly see that the person who had arrived was Qiuyun.

Yang Zhan walked forward, looking down from above at Qiuyun, who was deeply embedded in the snow.

He looked at Qiuyun's piteous expression, and also watched as Qiuyun reached out a soft hand, hoping that Yang Zhan would pull her up.

However, Yang Zhan turned a blind eye, seemingly feeling that talking from such a distance was inconvenient.

Thus, acting very understanding, he squatted down, shortening the distance between them.

"Qiuyun, you and I have known each other for a while. I'll give you a chance—give me a reason not to kill you!"

With that, Yang Zhan kindly offered a reminder: "Let me remind you, trying to use the Yellow Temple Village to blackmail me, Yang Daniu is your fate."

Qiuyun's slightly parted red lips instantly snapped shut.

At that moment, Yang Zhan spoke once more: "I'm counting to three!"

As he spoke, Yang Zhan began to count: "One!"

"Two!"

Qiuyun's eyes widened in panic, and she hurriedly blurted out: "Wait, I'll talk, I'll talk! You still owe me money!"

Yang Zhan's expression froze momentarily.

"Damn it, am I discussing money with you right now?"

"Then pay me back first! It's been three years, most of the time you've been eating and drinking for free... sob..."

Yang Zhan nodded in deep agreement: "That's true, debts must be paid, mustn't they? If I kill you, the account is settled."

Qiuyun's eyes widened in horror: "Then pay me back before you kill me!"

"Too much trouble. If I give it to you and then kill you, wouldn't I just be taking it back anyway?"

"At least let me take a look before I die, let me touch it, then I won't have any regrets."

"How much?"

"One hundred and twenty taels!"

"Bulls***, how could it be that much? Could I possibly have eaten that much in three years?"

"You didn't just eat by yourself; what about your four subordinates? They didn't eat and drink for free any less than you. And when they went to Yuhong Pavilion to listen to music without money, they came to borrow from me, and all those tabs were charged to your name."

A black line crossed Yang Zhan's forehead: "Those four scoundrels actually ate their way onto my tab!"

With that, Yang Zhan felt around in his money pouch and pulled out the ten taels of silver he had extorted that day, along with a single ingot of gold.

He placed them into Qiuyun's hand: "This is all there is, make do with it. Anyway, it's just going through the motions!"

Qiuyun suddenly burst into tears.

"Heartless..."