Chapter Seventy: Dare to Pretend as a Ghost to Frighten Me

Inside the eagle's tent, it was a scene of utter chaos.

Feathers flew, and the air was thick with a smoky haze. Scattered on the ground were half-devoured remains of lambs, fawns, wild pheasants, and rabbits.

The Bald Eagle King belched contentedly. “Oh my, the gods have arrived! Welcome, welcome! Your divine presence lights up my humble abode.”

The intelligence of the eagle clan was not enough to produce a refined phrase like “gracing my humble dwelling,” but their feelings were clear enough.

Lu Hu cooed, “Brother, was the dinner to your liking? How’s everything here? Is the family living comfortably?”

“Wonderful, more than satisfactory! Following the gods is like being swept by a wing right into a heap of good fortune,” the Eagle Queen replied, expressing her gratitude again and again.

“Achoo—” Quan Dounan couldn’t help but sneeze loudly.

“God, save me!” Suddenly, a wretched scream came from the corner.

“The children are full and bored, so they’re tormenting that old wretch over there,” the Bald Eagle King explained quickly when he saw Lu Hu glance at the corner.

Shi Zhenxiang took a lantern from the Longli guard and shone it in that direction.

There was only a single dim sheep-tallow lamp burning near the entrance of the tent, at the Bald Eagle King's own request. The whole family was used to moving in the dark at night, and too much light disturbed their sleep.

Thus, the depths of the tent were shrouded in darkness.

“Ghost!” Quan Zhenzhu shrieked and leapt into Lu Hu’s arms.

“What do you mean, ghost? I’d beat you even if you were one,” Shi Zhenxiang retorted, though he’d also been badly startled.

When the lantern illuminated the corner, a large head—bloody, with wild, disheveled hair—appeared in the dim light, more terrifying than any ghost.

“Ow, ow, please, not so hard! Easy, easy!” came another string of miserable cries.

Shi Zhenxiang’s foot had landed squarely on flesh—he realized immediately that this wasn’t a ghost.

His heart, pounding with fear, settled at last.

Wretched servant, trying to play ghost and scare me.

Gritting his teeth, Shi Zhenxiang kicked him again and again.

“Zhenxiang, stop. He’s still of use to us,” Lu Hu recognized the voice of the servant Sun Zi in the cries. He gently handed Quan Zhenzhu to Quan Meiyu and walked over himself.

“Troublemaker!” Shi Zhenxiang quickly withdrew his foot.

“You horrible man! Did you get my permission? How dare you hit him at random!” Suddenly, Ying Bangbang darted out and angrily confronted Shi Zhenxiang.

Shi Zhenxiang stared, not understanding a word of the little eagle’s cooing tirade.

“Beating up our toy just like that—if you kill him, what will we play with? You?” Ying Qilai leapt out as well, furious and eager to peck Shi Zhenxiang.

“Bangbang, Qilai, come here, good children. Stay by Mother’s side, don’t touch that wicked man—he belongs to the gods,” the Eagle Queen called to her two children.

Lu Hu laughed. “What’s gotten these two adorable children so riled up?” he asked, hoping to get to the bottom of things.

The Bald Eagle King and his queen exchanged a few coos, and Lu Hu pieced together what had happened:

After the family returned to the tent, the adults squabbled and pecked at each other while everyone chased after and devoured the young beasts brought by the guards. Once sated, the king and queen belched and reminisced about the tender, fragrant meat.

Ying Bangbang and Ying Qilai, still full of childish energy, bounded around the tent and then spotted the servant Sun Zi cowering in the corner, feigning death.

“Brother, let’s torment him.”

“Of course—let’s do it!”

“What if he won’t play with us?”

“Dare he? We’ll beat him.”

“Yes, beat him.”

The two little brothers hopped over to Sun Zi.

Sun Zi, terrified, squeezed his eyes shut.

The boys had long heard from their parents how wicked men tormented eagles. Now, it was time to return the favor.

“Old man, open your dead eyes and look at us. Let us torment you properly,” said Ying Bangbang.

“Playing dead, are you? I’ll give you a lump on your head!” Ying Qilai leapt and pecked hard at Sun Zi’s skull with his sharp beak.

“Ow! That hurts!” Sun Zi howled, opening his eyes.

His scalp was already covered in lumps, and now one had been split open, blood oozing out.

Ying Qilai’s keen eagle eyes stared unblinkingly at Sun Zi.

The look was so fierce that Sun Zi dared not meet his gaze and closed his eyes again.

Trying to sleep? Not a chance!

When people tormented eagles, they kept them awake until the eagle submitted. Now, the eagles would use the same method on their human captive.

Ying Bangbang leapt up and pecked him again.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Sun Zi, in pain, had no choice but to open his eyes once more.

Eyes closed, eyes open, over and over, again and again. Each time he closed them, he was pecked. After nine bloody holes were pecked into his scalp, Sun Zi finally understood what the little brothers wanted.

Alright, I’ll play with you.

He forced his dead-fish eyes wide open, full of pleading and misery, and stared back at the two little eagles.

The brothers, delighted with their game, were worried their toy might run out of strength and brought over scraps of leftover meat to feed Sun Zi.

You survive on nothing but raw meat—must I do the same? This stuff is so rank, how am I supposed to swallow it?

But swallow he must, or his battered skull would suffer again.

Gritting his teeth, Sun Zi endured this hellish training.

After all, Ying Bangbang and Ying Qilai were still young; their courage hadn’t fully formed. When Shi Zhenxiang approached with the lantern to thrash Sun Zi, the two were so frightened they scurried away.

So that was it. Lu Hu took a closer look and, sure enough, Sun Zi’s mouth was covered in animal fur, his face smeared with blood and stuck with bits of fur and wild pheasant feathers.

No wonder he’d looked like a ghost in the lantern’s glow.

“Well, well, isn’t this the Left Wise Prince? My respects, Prince, are you well?” Now certain it wasn’t a ghost, Quan Dounan mustered his courage and strode over, recognizing Sun Zi.

You beat me so miserably—if not for my good son-in-law’s medicine, I’d still be bedridden!

So you’ve fallen to this state! See how arrogant you are now!

I won’t beat you or curse you—that’s for crude men. I’ll use my words to wound you, drive you mad with spite!

“Your Highness, both my daughters are here. Will you honor us by marrying them both together? I’d be most grateful for your immense favor,” Quan Dounan said through gritted teeth, old grudges and new rising in his heart, his words sharp with sarcasm.

If he could incite the god to burn Sun Zi to ashes, all the better.

With a thud, Sun Zi dropped to his knees, begging through sobs and snot: “Your Excellency Quan, please show mercy and spare your humble servant Sun Zi.”

“When you tied me to a post and beat me half to death, did you ever think of mercy?”

“I am not worthy to be called a man. The gods have already punished me. I am filled with regret—please, Your Excellency, don’t stoop to my level. Let me go like a fart on the wind!”

“A fart? You, a fart so precious, I could never let go,” Quan Dounan sneered, intent on seeing him suffer.