lovenovelstory Chapter 46 The Gravedigger of the Sui Dynasty
Chapter 46 The Gravedigger of the Sui Dynasty
"Get out of our way! Don't block our path!"
"What are you all doing crammed here, a bunch of peasants? Are you going to someone's funeral?"
The sound of horses' hooves clattered, and dust billowed.
Accompanied by an extremely arrogant shout, a dozen or so young men in bright clothes and on spirited horses, like a colorful whirlwind, ruthlessly tore apart the originally solemn atmosphere of the training ground.
Yang Yan was originally immersed in the emotional connection he had established with the veterans, but now he had to squint his eyes and look at this group of uninvited guests who had suddenly barged in.
The dozen or so horses were all fine steeds from Ferghana, brought as tribute from the Western Regions. Their coats were glossy and smooth, their saddles were gilded and inlaid with silver, and even their stirrups were inlaid with agate.
The two leading figures, spurring their horses on, exuded an imposing aura.
The man on the left wore a narrow-sleeved purple robe and a jade belt. What was most striking about him was his exaggeratedly manicured sideburns. The beard was curled like hooks, slicked back with oil, and each hair stood upright. A thumb-sized cat's-eye stone was set in the golden crown on his head.
Although this attire is within the framework of Sinicization, it exudes an intense and unmistakable Xianbei style, flamboyant and extravagant, yet also carries a touch of the noble air unique to the powerful.
That was Yuwen Zhiji, the second son of Yuwen Shu, the Left Guard General.
The man on the right was handsome and had a towering figure, a perfect model of a top-tier nobleman.
But as he rode around, his narrow eyes occasionally revealed a chilling ferocity, like a hungry tiger dressed in fine clothes.
Yang Xuangan was the eldest son of Yang Su, the Duke of Yue.
Looking at those two faces, Yang Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he even felt a chill of absurdity.
If others saw this scene, they might only sigh, "A tiger cub from a military family" or "A spoiled brat."
But Yang Yan is a time traveler from the future!
He knew all too well what those two people meant.
These two men are now like brothers, and they are both under the banner of Prince Yang Guang of Jin. They are the top "crown princes" in Daxing City today (of course, they are the future crown princes).
But in the original timeline, these two people were practically the "Black and White Impermanence" of the Sui Dynasty!
Yang Xuangan was a formidable figure who spearheaded the first wave of rebellion at the end of the Sui Dynasty, completely uprooting the foundations of the Sui Dynasty.
Yuwen Zhiji was even more ruthless; he was the executioner who strangled Yang Guang in Jiangdu, effectively sealing the fate of the Sui Dynasty.
Now, the gravediggers and funeral processions of the Sui Dynasty have gathered on this training ground because of a small polo match.
Yang Yan felt his eyelids twitching wildly, and a suffocating sense of irony washed over him.
"Snapped!"
A crisp sound interrupted Yang Yan's thoughts.
A servant lashed his whip hard into the air, making a loud crack, and ruthlessly drove away the exhausted soldiers who had just finished their drills.
"Hey you upstairs, are you deaf? Clear this space! My young master wants to play polo!"
Although the soldiers held swords and had just shown their mettle in front of Yang Yan, they instinctively chose to retreat in the face of such absolute class oppression.
That was an ingrained fear of the powerful and wealthy.
Their coarse linen clothes were covered in dust and grass clippings, making them look like a flock of chickens that had wandered into a peacock's flock compared to the opponent's bright and shiny Shu brocade battle robes.
The scarred-faced captain was now trembling with rage.
His rough, large hands gripped the knife handle tightly, his chest heaving violently, clearly trying his best to suppress the urge to suddenly kill.
But he dared not.
He had over a hundred brothers behind him, and every one of them had elderly parents, wives, and children at home. The only consequence of his actions would be a massacre.
This is Daxing City, right under the emperor's nose, not that frontier where words are spoken with swords.
"Your Highness...this..."
Li Mi, who had been following Yang Yan closely, now looked extremely grim.
As a scion of a prominent family, he was used to such scenes, but having just experienced Yang Yan's "soul-cleansing" experience, he found the scene incredibly jarring.
"Your Highness, shall we go and say hello?!"
Li Mi stepped forward, his tone carrying a hint of seeking instructions.
In his view, as the eldest grandson of the emperor, Yang Yan would not dare to be so presumptuous if he revealed his identity.
However, a hand reached out silently and patted Li Mi's shoulder lightly.
Yang Yan stood beside Li Mi, his eyes calm to an almost frightening degree, his gaze passing over the arrogant cavalry and landing on the two men who stood tall and proud.
Now, rush up and fight these spoiled brats?
That's the work of a brute.
These two were core members of Yang Guang's inner circle after his death; who knows what their relationship is now?
If he were to step forward now, not only would he completely expose his talents, but he might also receive a memorial tomorrow accusing the Prince of Changning of "inciting a brawl, violating royal decorum, and associating with bandits."
But doing nothing is certainly impossible.
Moreover, now is truly an opportunity to win over the hearts and minds of these soldiers.
This would give him the opportunity to completely subdue Li Mi and bind this future "Hidden Dragon of Wagang" to his own chariot.
Yang Yan turned his head to look at Li Mi's young, spirited, and indignant face, a meaningful smile curving his lips.
"Li Mi."
Yang Yan's voice was soft, yet every word was piercing.
"You must be a soldier too, right? Your grandfather, Duke Pushan, Li Zhuguo, also earned his title by fighting his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood."
"Now, on the training grounds of the Great Sui Dynasty, they are bullying your people and trampling on the 'foundation of the Great Sui Dynasty' that you value. Don't you have anything to say?"
Li Mi was stunned, and the surge of passion in his chest instantly rose: "I..."
"Oh, I forgot."
Yang Yan suddenly smiled. He withdrew his hand and gently patted away non-existent dust from his cuff.
"You, Li Mi, are also from a noble family, a nobleman in brocade robes, riding a spirited horse. They..."
Yang Yan raised his hand and pointed at Yuwen Zhiji and Yang Xuangan, then pointed at Li Mi.
"No, it's you guys."
"You are the ones on our side."
"As for those peasants..." Yang Yan glanced at the soldiers with pity, "they're probably only fit to make room for you."
These words were like an invisible slap in the face, landing hard on Li Mi's cheek.
If someone else had said this, he might have dismissed it with disdain.
But it was precisely this Prince Changning who had just discussed "beliefs and attitudes" with him and had just won his heart!
An unprecedented sense of shame and anger at being misunderstood instantly broke through the dam of reason.
"Your Highness has mistaken me for someone else!"
Li Mi let out a low roar, his voice trembling with excitement.
"I, Li Mi, cultivate both literary and martial arts, and study the classics of sages. I am by no means a spoiled brat who only knows how to chase dogs and fight cocks!"
Yang Yan looked at him, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but simply took a half step back and made a "please" gesture.
The meaning in his eyes was clear: all talk and no action is useless; now you can put your skills to the test.
Li Mi took a deep breath and strode towards the group of powerful servants who were still waving their whips.
His steps were extremely fast, each step landing on the dusty training ground, carrying an aura of determination.
"stop!"
A loud shout, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly drowned out the sound of horses' hooves and the cursing.
Just as Hao Nu was about to lash out with his whip to drive away the old soldier again, his hand trembled, and the whip froze in mid-air.
Yuwen Zhiji was proudly boasting to Yang Xuangan about his newly acquired steed when he heard this roar. He frowned and turned his horse around unhappily.
"Which blind bastard dares to meddle with my business..."
Before he finished speaking, Li Mi had already pushed through the crowd, grabbed the whip that the servant was waving in mid-air, and pulled hard!
"Get down here!"
Caught off guard, the servant was pulled from his horse by a tremendous force and slammed face-first to the ground.
"Li Mi?! What are you doing? Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner."