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Chapter 38 Don’t be impulsive

Cheng Yaojin's roar was like a thunderclap, making the leaves on the trees in the courtyard of the inn tremble.

Although the heavy Xuanhua axe in his hand was still hanging on his back, his eyes were wide open like copper bells, fixed on Wei Zheng under the tree!

"You, Wei Zheng! You treacherous, self-serving old bastard!"

Cheng Yaojin pointed at Wei Zheng's nose and launched into a tirade of curses, spittle flying everywhere.

"I, Old Cheng, have followed the Crown Prince in countless battles, and finally, we can all enjoy a few days of peace and tranquility! And what do you do?! You jump out here, all red-faced, to incite war! What are you up to?! Are you trying to kill us old brothers of the Prince of Qin's Mansion? You troublemaker!"

Li Jing's face turned pale at this moment.

Judging from Cheng Yaojin's demeanor and the words he uttered, every sentence involved the most sensitive conflict between the former officials of the Qin King's Mansion and the former officials of the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

He was most afraid of getting involved in trouble, and instinctively wanted to mediate, "Oh dear! Duke Cheng... Duke Cheng! Calm down! Calm down! Let's talk this out, there must be some misunderstanding! Brother Xuancheng, please don't..."

He wanted to persuade Wei Zheng and Wei Xuancheng not to act impulsively.

But Wei Zheng couldn't stand it! He was tough, and even tougher!
"You scoundrel! You ignorant fool!" Wei Zheng's shout, like a thunderclap, silenced Li Jing's remaining words.

He was so angry that his beard bristled, and his withered fingers almost poked Cheng Yaojin's chest. "Cheng Yaojin! You're spewing filth! Those Turkic wolf cavalry are ready for battle, their blades already near the Jing River! If we don't fight now, are we going to wait until they storm into Chang'an and slaughter your Duke's mansion like a sheepfold?!"

"Look at what you've been doing lately! Cutting beacon towers to cover 'savings'? How could you parasites even think of such a thing! You're sucking the blood of the Tang Dynasty! You're digging up its very foundation! With the nation in peril, you're only concerned with indulging in comfort and living a life of debauchery! How are you any different from those giant rats that empty the national treasury? You deserve to die!"

Li Jing, listening nearby, felt his heart tremble.

"Oh no... why are they cursing even more..."

He was so anxious he was jumping up and down, trying to separate the two. "Calm down! Calm down! Don't be anxious, don't be anxious! Duke Cheng, you've had too much to drink, and Brother Xuancheng, watch your words! This is an inn! Be mindful of court etiquette!"

Cheng Yaojin was furious when Wei Zheng scolded him, especially the word "worm"!
"Well, you old thief! You've gone too far! I'll teach you a lesson!" He made a move to swing his Xuanhua axe.

Chen Guangrui, who had been observing coldly, almost burst out laughing in the corner.

These two are really entertaining when they argue; each one has a louder voice and a sharper tongue than the other.

He knew perfectly well: a fight wouldn't break out, at least not real weapons. But this was going to be a spectacle!
Just then, Cheng Yaojin, probably feeling that Li Jingguang's attempt to mediate was lacking in "brotherly loyalty," turned his attention to him.
"And you! Li Jing, the Pharmacist! What are you doing hiding here pretending to be a peacemaker?! I think you're a coward too! When Wei Zheng was spouting nonsense, all you could do was 'Brother Xuancheng, Brother Xuancheng' and advise him not to be impulsive? What a spineless coward! If you ask me, you two are two bastards!"

The words "good-for-nothing" were like a red-hot branding iron, scalding Li Jing's most sensitive nerve! His previous cautious, fearful, and "calm" expression vanished instantly!

Li Jing's face, which was usually "deeply thoughtful" or "worried," suddenly turned a deep liver color!

Veins bulged on his forehead instantly, and with a "whoosh," the standard-issue sword at his waist was drawn nimbly, its tip pointing directly at Cheng Yaojin. His eyes burned with rage, and his voice was shrill and distorted with extreme fury.
"Cheng Zhijie! You slut! How dare you insult me!!!"

This was ten times fiercer than Wei Zheng's earlier scolding! He looked ready to pounce and fight to the death, just like a raging lion.

This sudden change stunned everyone. Even Cheng Yaojin was startled by the terrifying ferocity that Li Jing suddenly unleashed, and subconsciously took a small step back. Wei Zheng was also stunned. He had been full of murderous intent just now, but he knew that Cheng Yaojin wouldn't dare to touch him. After all, he had just submitted his memorial, and Cheng Yaojin was already being violent towards him? The new crown prince would make him pay.

But now that he saw Li Jing was really going to get serious, he felt a pang of anxiety.
I, Cheng Yaojin, will not fight, but the two of you may! If you really fight and Cheng Yaojin or Minister Li Jing are injured, that would be a terrible disaster!

He quickly grabbed Li Jing's arm, "Pharmacist! Pharmacist! You mustn't! Put down the sword! Why are you arguing with this scoundrel! Don't be impulsive! Please don't be impulsive!"

"Don't pull me away, I'm going to kill him today!"

The situation has completely reversed! Li Jing, who was trying to mediate the fight, has become the powder keg that was lit, while Wei Zheng, who was being tried to mediate, has become the firefighter.

Wei Zheng was a scholar, and he was so anxious that he was covered in sweat after being dragged a long way by Li Jing.

Chen Guangrui watched with great interest, thinking to himself: Pharmacist Li's temper seems calm, but he's quick to anger and explodes at the slightest provocation.

Cheng Yaojin was a bit bewildered by Li Jing's pointing and Wei Zheng's sudden change in attitude, and he sobered up a bit.

He glanced at Li Jing, whose face was full of murderous intent, then at Wei Zheng, who was blocking his way, and then at Chen Guangrui, who was watching the show in the corner. Suddenly, most of the anger in his heart dissipated.

He snorted heavily, withdrew his hand from the axe, pointed at Wei Zheng's nose, his voice still loud, but now filled with resentment.
"Fine! Fine! You're all so high and mighty! You're all so concerned about the country and its people! I, Old Cheng, am a parasite! A brute! A fool!"

He turned around and kicked a nearby innocent flowerpot hard, sending it flying and shattering it with a loud crash!
"Wei Zheng! I'm too lazy to argue with a poor, good-for-nothing like you! You want to go to war, huh? Fine! You submitted the memorial yourself, Wei Zheng! Then you figure out a solution yourself!"

"I'll open my eyes and see for myself which of the old brothers in the Prince of Qin's mansion, inside and outside the capital, is out of their mind and would listen to your 'loyal minister's' shouts and risk their lives for this worthless war! Bah! Dream on!"

Having said that, he angrily flung his sleeve, stormed out of the courtyard gate again, and strode away, leaving behind a mess in the courtyard and three men looking at each other with different expressions.

Li Jing, still seething with anger and wanting to pursue and kill, Wei Zheng, feeling both fearful and helpless, and Chen Guangrui, who watched the show with complete satisfaction.

Just as Chen Guangrui was thinking that this farce should come to an end, he saw Li Jing suddenly turn to Wei Zheng, his chest still heaving violently, but the raging anger in his eyes seemed to have found a new and legitimate outlet.

He swiftly sheathed his sword with a "whoosh," his movements swift and ruthless. His voice, heightened by excitement, roared at Wei Zheng, as if venting the humiliation he had suffered at Cheng Yaojin's hands and his burning desire to achieve great deeds.
"It's just war! Let's fight! What's the big deal! Who's afraid of who! Wei Zheng! What are you looking at! I, Li Jing, will fight this battle! I refuse to believe that without Cheng Yaojin's three axe blows, without those greedy bastards from the Qin Prince's mansion, I, Li Yaoshi, can't win this battle!!!"

"Brother Pharmacist!" Wei Zheng was startled by the shout, then overjoyed, but even more so by immense shock and worry. "You...you want to volunteer? Be careful what you say! Be careful what you say!"

He knew Li Jing's abilities, but at this juncture... was this impulsive request to fight reliable?

Beside him, Chen Guangrui looked at Li Jing, who was passionately volunteering for battle, and then at Wei Zheng, whose face was filled with astonishment yet secretly ecstatic. His smile deepened.

Things... seem to be developing step by step in the direction he envisioned: "needing an experienced veteran."

This play was definitely worth watching.

(End of this chapter)