Chapter 12: Deep Night

The night was deep and autumn had already set in. There were no insects chirping; only the continuous sound of waves from the dark lake echoed in their ears. A solitary moon hung in the sky, illuminating the path ahead.

The two walked quietly along the lakeshore, neither speaking. Xu Xian felt slightly awkward and tossed out a few topics to break the silence, but they were like stones sinking into the sea—yielding no response beyond the metaphorical splash.

Pan Yu was quietly lost in thought. Ordinarily, given his temperament, he could have conversed pleasantly with even the most wooden and inarticulate person, never letting a conversation stall. According to his original plan, he should have been deep in discussion with Xu Xian right now, making the other man see him as a rare, lifelong confidant. Yet, for reasons he didn't understand himself, he simply didn't feel like speaking.

Suddenly, a rough hand grabbed Pan Yu's in the darkness. Startled, Pan Yu was about to wrench it away, inwardly wondering if this Xu Xian had the cut sleeve habit. A wave of disgust rose in his heart; he decided that regardless of whether he wanted to make this connection or not, he would give the man a thorough lesson.

"Shh, don't stop. Someone is following us," Xu Xian’s voice whispered.

Only then did Pan Yu calm down. However, he felt no fear; instead, he smiled and said, "With Brother Xu's divine might, they wouldn't dare approach." He seamlessly slipped his hand out of Xu Xian's grasp.

Xu Xian inwardly cursed this pampered young master for not knowing the heights of the heavens or the depths of the earth. At most, I’ll take a beating or lose my life, but if you fall into the hands of that perverted creep, you’ll truly wish for death but find none!

Xu Xian’s spiritual sense was far superior to an ordinary person's. Sensing the group slowly closing in, he said with a hint of urgency, "When I say run, follow me. Whatever you do, don't get separated."

"We are scholars of Jintian Academy. They wouldn't dare act recklessly!" Pan Yu's voice remained calm, devoid of any trace of fear. His poise was truly extraordinary.

Seeing that this pretty young master was still acting so nonchalant, Xu Xian snapped irritably, "You idiot! If they have the guts to surround us, why would they care about some scholars?"

Being called an idiot was likely a first for Pan Yu. he was momentarily stunned, though not angry. "Oh, then I'll do as you say," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

A literate man stood on a small slope, gazing out at the deep night. The night wind ruffled his long robes; to any observer, he would look like a patriot concerned for his country and people. Only the sliver of ruthlessness in his eyes betrayed his identity as a "hero of the greenwood." Having failed the imperial examinations for half his life, he had turned to banditry. He had started as a strategist, but after the original chieftain was captured by government troops, he used his schemes and methods to become the new leader.

He had brought his brothers to Hangzhou to handle some business, never expecting to run into such trouble. His second-in-command had a strong Longyang's preference. Having spotted such a handsome scholar in the tavern, the man had gone over to flirt. The leader hadn't wanted to cause trouble, but he couldn't restrain his subordinates too strictly; he had intended to let the man have his fun and be done with it. He hadn't expected the scholar next to the pretty one to be so fierce, striking without a word. His martial-artist brother had actually been knocked down, making the situation serious. If he didn't avenge this insult, his authority would vanish.

He inwardly cursed the scholar who had started the fight for escalating things. It didn't occur to him to wonder why someone should endure such an insult; even if Xu Xian had swallowed his pride, the bandits might not have stopped at a simple joke.

People often say the ancients were conservative, but in truth, the "male wind" blew quite strongly in those times. The more prosperous the era, the more prevalent it was. Unlike the hidden nature of modern homosexuality, some people in the past were not ashamed to flaunt it publicly. Among the scholar-officials, keeping a catamite was practically a fashion.

"Mister, those two fat sheep are almost here." Although he was a bandit chief, he disliked the typical titles of the underworld, insisting his men call him "Mister."

"Bi—Big brother... Mister. Wait until I skin that brat alive and then properly train the other one," the man who had been beaten said with a savage expression. His martial arts were actually quite good, but he had been caught off guard by the sudden escalation. Taking a stool to the face in front of his brothers was a massive embarrassment; he was now gnashing his teeth in rage.

Suddenly, a scout's call came through the darkness: "They're running! Mister, the two of them are running!"

"Damn it, after them!"

In the pitch-black forest, Xu Xian pulled Pan Yu along in a wild sprint, trees blurring past them. Pan Yu allowed himself to be pulled, feeling the warmth radiating from Xu Xian’s palm, his heart churning with an unidentifiable emotion.

Xu Xian felt the commotion behind them drawing closer. He was deeply anxious. He had hoped that with his ability to see in the dark, they could lose their pursuers, but he hadn't accounted for the bright moonlight or the fact that these men were seasoned trackers. He couldn't shake them; instead, they were gaining. Dragging a frail young master like Pan Yu made it impossible to move quickly.

Xu Xian suddenly stopped and pulled Pan Yu into a hollow on the hillside, hidden by a large patch of shadow. He pushed Pan Yu inside and lowered his voice. "Hide here and don't make a sound. I'll lead them away. Once they pass, head in the opposite direction."

In the darkness, Pan Yu’s bright eyes gazed at Xu Xian, clear and deep as a mountain pool. He opened his mouth to speak. "I—"

But Xu Xian didn't have time for talk. He sprinted off into the distance.

From afar, a cry of "Ah!" rang out from Xu Xian, sounding as if he had tripped.

A small smile played on the corner of Pan Yu's mouth.

"Over there!" "There he is!" "Don't let him get away!" The trackers in the dark quickened their pace and rushed toward the sound.

Pan Yu looked at his own hand in the darkness. It was truly so dark he couldn't see his fingers, yet a lingering trace of warmth remained on his palm. He sighed and stepped out. His expression was as unruffled as if he were strolling through his own backyard to admire flowers as he walked toward the direction Xu Xian had gone.

In a sparse clearing in the woods, Xu Xian looked around. Figures surrounded him; he was trapped in the center. The cold glint of blade edges shimmered in the moonlight. Xu Xian’s palms were slick with sweat. He knew these men weren't petty thugs like Li Si—they were mountain bandits or river pirates. While fundamentally the same, these men were far more ruthless.

The literate man stepped out from the darkness and smiled. "I merely wished to invite the young master for a chat. Why must you be so timid?"

Xu Xian was stunned. He hadn't expected someone like this. But since the opponent wasn't attacking, he was happy to stall for time while waiting for Pan Yu to bring help—even if they likely wouldn't arrive in time. Tucking his hands into his sleeves, he asked, "And what does Mister wish to talk about?"

"You injured my man, young master. Did you think you could just walk away?"

Xu Xian said calmly, "I accidentally injured that brave warrior and feel deep remorse. I was actually thinking of going home to get some money for his medical fees, but I didn't expect you all to be so impatient." There was, however, no trace of remorse on his face.

The second-in-command, seeing his enemy, felt his eyes turn red with hate. If the chieftain hadn't been trying to play the refined scholar, he would have charged already. Now, he couldn't hold back. "Damn it, I'm going to slaughter you today!"

The literate man held back the fuming "Old Second" and said with a gentle face, "I see you're just a poor scholar. We are all people with hard lives; I don't want to make things difficult for you. The other one looks like he comes from a wealthy family. Tell me where he is. We'll hold him, and once you've raised a thousand taels for the medical fees, we'll let him go."

Xu Xian immediately looked hesitant, appearing moved by the offer.

The literate man felt smug. He always prided himself on "battling with wits rather than strength," believing his silver tongue could achieve what others failed to do through effort. He was intentionally offering Xu Xian a lifeline, planning to dispose of him once he tricked the location of Pan Yu out of him. Seeing Xu Xian waver, he felt contempt. It was always people like this—lacking both wit and courage—who sailed through the imperial exams, while a man of state-governing talent like himself was forced into banditry. His disdain for the examination system grew.

But Xu Xian hemmed and hawed, several times appearing as if he were about to speak only to pull back. After a long time, he finally let out a long sigh. "He's probably at the magistrate's office by now! Hahaha! You moron, no wonder you couldn't even pass the Juren exam and ended up here doing this shameful business. You probably aren't even a scholar. Hahaha!" Xu Xian's loud laughter startled several birds, which took flight from the treetops with a frantic flapping of wings.

The literate man’s face turned livid instantly. Xu Xian’s words had struck his sorest point—the weakness of every frustrated scholar in the world. He glared fiercely at Xu Xian, who didn't back down, meeting his gaze head-on.

Eventually, the literate man involuntarily looked away. He suddenly recalled the "noble spirit" he had read about countless times in books but never possessed, and for a moment, he felt a sense of shame. Of course, he wasn't truly moved by it.

He only felt a massive insult. Consumed by rage, he wanted nothing more than to hack Xu Xian into a thousand pieces. Just as he was about to give the order, a calm voice made the command stick in his throat.

"Brother Hanwen is truly a peerless hero, remaining fearless in the face of danger."

Upon hearing this praise, Xu Xian—who had been calm and composed—saw his expression change drastically. He cursed in exasperation, "You brainless fool!"

A figure slowly stepped out from the shadows of the forest. It was Pan Yu.

The moonlight was like water, flowing down over his green robes. The night wind blew, his black hair dancing in the air, making him look like a celestial or a ghost. Pan Yu walked out with absolute composure. For a moment, the bandits didn't even dare to block him, allowing him to walk straight to Xu Xian’s side.

Xu Xian let out a barrage of scolding, but Pan Yu only smiled and remained silent.

The bandit "Mister" considered himself a rare talent, but both scholars he saw tonight possessed a grace and aura far beyond his own. His "brilliant schemes" felt like gutter trash in the face of their poise.

Jealousy flared in his heart. He gave the order, and the bandits swarmed. Xu Xian tried to pull Pan Yu behind him, but his hand caught only air. He saw the figure in green begin to move, weaving through the crowd. Wherever he went, men were sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground without a further sound. The celestial dance in the moonlight had become a messenger of death. Terrified, the bandits began to scatter.

But Pan Yu was not inclined to let them go. With a flutter of his robes, he caught up to them, pressing a palm lightly against a man's back. The man's spine caved in instantly, and he followed his companions into the afterlife.

The second-in-command was at least brave. Seeing that flight meant death, he took a steel saber and lunged at Pan Yu's back while the youth was pursuing another bandit.

"Watch out!" Xu Xian shouted.

Pan Yu turned back and gave Xu Xian a slight smile. He didn't even look at the man behind him. As if he had eyes in the back of his head, he reached back and caught the steel blade with one hand, while the other—fingers joined like a sword—tapped the man's forehead. The man's eyes bulged, and he collapsed, bleeding from the seven apertures. Pan Yu casually tossed the saber aside. His fair hands were completely unharmed, while several shallow finger-indentations were left on the blade.

Xu Xian watched from the side, dumbfounded. Anyone who saw a little lamb suddenly transform into a fierce tiger would likely react the same way.

Pan Yu waved a pale hand in front of the stunned Xu Xian. "Hanwen? Let's go back. We'll let the authorities clean this up tomorrow." His expression was so natural it was as if he hadn't just killed several people, but was simply returning from a moonlit stroll.

Xu Xian finally snapped out of it and asked, "You know martial arts!?"

Pan Yu said somewhat bashfully, "I must ask Brother Hanwen not to speak of this. It’s a pity the leader escaped."

Xu Xian took a deep look at the "Gentleman like jade" before him and said, "Let’s go." He turned and headed back toward the academy.

Pan Yu followed behind him, walking softly with light, silent steps. Occasionally, Xu Xian felt as though no one was behind him at all, but when he turned back, he saw the other man smiling at him.

The lights of the academy were finally in sight. Xu Xian felt a knot of frustration in his chest. He finally stopped and asked, "Did I look like a total fool tonight?"