《The Enemy General is a Bondservant》


 CH 1

    After a great war, what was previously the country of Yao was now subjugated to the country of Nanchu.


    [Nighttime, the red light district in the Capital]


    The most famous brothel house in the Capital, Yixiang Court, was conducting a particularly special auction tonight; the subject of the auction was very famous.


    ¡°Thank you, everyone, for your patience. I, Yulan, do apologise for the wait.¡±


    The boss of Yixiang Court, Shen Yulan, appeared on the second floor of the brothel house. His voice was gentle, like the tinkling of a small bell in the faint summer breeze. He wore a plain, long robe in pure white. There was something indescribably tender and charming about him.


    Everyone was stunned into silence the moment he appeared.


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s auction will begin very shortly. Your patience is greatly appreciated,¡± Shen Yulan said evenly. He raised his hands and clapped softly twice.


    Behind him, two burly men with shoulders like tigers and waists like bears dragged a man out.


    That man wasn¡¯t short; he was in fact a whole head taller than Shen Yulan. He had broad shoulders that tapered beautifully into a narrow waist, forming a perfect triangle, and he was clad in a flame-red long robe that was both modest and enticing at the same time.


    Zhan Tianbai had refused to raise his head up since he was brought out by those two burly men. He didn¡¯t want to look at the vomit-inducing, leering smiles of the Nanchu men who had caused him to lose his home, his country, and his family. He also didn¡¯t want to let these men see his face.


    Clang!


    The sound of heavy chains clanking together mixed with the laughter of the gathered guests at the auction.


    Zhan Tianbai was chained up. His two hands were fastened securely with great chains to two beautifully carved pillars of white jade.


    Shen Yulan now walked down the stairs and stood next to Zhan Tianbai.


    ¡°I hereby declare tonight¡¯s auction open! Allow me to first introduce the star attraction, the subject of this current auction¡­¡± Shen Yulan said, raising his chin in Zhan Tianbai¡¯s direction.


    ¡°And he is¡­ the invincible, infamous Great General of Yao Country, who recently was felled by us Nanchu! The ¡°Red Flame General¡±, Zhan Tianbai!¡±


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s hands, which were still firmly chained up, balled up into tight fists, so tight that the veins stood out one by one on the back of his hands. Zhan Tianbai wished with all his might that he could just faint from the fury building in his body, so as not to hear these humiliating ¡°titles¡± heaped on him.


    He shut his eyes tightly, his eyebrows knitting together. In his mind¡¯s eye, he replayed each deadly scene of the war that had just ended, trying to distract himself from the shame and anger that lashed his heart and soul.


    However, the real show was just about to begin.


    Zhan Tianbai heard the good-for-nothing wealthy young men of his enemy Nanchu start critiquing his appearance.


    ¡°Hey, hey, look at this! This Great General has a little tear mole just below his left eye!¡±


    ¡°His face really fits better on a woman, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°How did someone like him get to be the Great General of Yao Country?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s precisely because Yao Country had a General like him that their entire country was exterminated!¡±


    Zhan Tianbai clenched his teeth tightly together. All the small hairs on his body were standing straight now, and his brain was roiling with anger.


    A man wearing a gold guan1inlaid with white jade was moving closer and closer to Zhan Tianbai when a voice suddenly roared, ¡°GET LOST!¡±


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s eyes were blazing with extreme fury.


    The wanton noblemen of Nanchu who had been making snide remarks about Zhan Tianbai were immediately rendered speechless, like a bunch of wooden chickens.


    However, they came to very quickly. Zhan Tianbai was no longer a Great General of Yao Country. He might have the beautiful face of a woman, but he was courageous, strong and principled ¨C all the makings of a fine general.


    Unfortunately, however¡­


    ¡°Huh! He¡¯s throwing his weight around as if he¡¯s still some mighty general!¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten your place? Or did your brains get addled while fighting battles? My dear Red Flame General, you¡¯re nothing but the lowly newest gigolo of Yixiang Court!¡±


    ¡°A defeated general should act like a defeated general!¡±


    Mocking laughter filled the room. To Zhan Tianbai, that laughter felt like a giant axe cutting into his skull.


    Zhan Tianbai had put up a great show of resistance earlier, but this somehow seemed to sap him of all energy. His beautiful dark eyes slowly became empty, and his whole body went limp.


    ¡°Announcing the arrival of Li Wangye2!¡±


    A servant¡¯s bright, clear voice suddenly sounded from Yixiang Court¡¯s main entrance. The hands that were reaching out greedily toward Zhan Tianbai suddenly stopped and retracted. A moment later, everyone at the auction fell to their knees and kowtowed.


    Zhan Tianbai was deathly pale now, but he raised his eyes slowly to look at the newcomer, and as he did so, the outline of this newcomer¡¯s person imprinted upon Zhan Tianbai¡¯s empty black irises.

 CH 2

    The man was around nine feet tall. He wore a golden dragon guan inlaid with green jade, a dark cloak with a faint snakeskin pattern embroidered onto it, and under that cloak, he was clad in a navy-coloured long robe with dark-coloured dragons embroidered on it. His stern dressing only served to enhance his powerful, domineering aura.


    The air in Yixiang Court seemed to freeze the moment this man appeared. No one dared to raise his head; practically no one dared to even breathe too loudly. Before this man, they could only cower and submit.


    ¡°So we meet again, Mr ¡®Red Flame General¡¯. I trust you¡¯ve been well?¡± the man said. His voice was deep and had a magnetic quality to it.


    That voice also pierced painfully through Zhan Tianbai¡¯s eardrums.


    Duanmu Li¡¯s mouth split open in a wide grin. His smile was seven parts cruel and three parts mocking, and his deep black eyes practically overflowed with a fierce interest in Zhan Tianbai.


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s entire being spasmed as if struck by lightning out of a perfectly clear sky. His whole being felt like it was burning up in the flames of vengeful hate, and his heart and spleen felt like they were about to explode.


    The person standing before him¡­


    This was the one man he would absolutely never forgive!


    ¡°DUANMU LI!¡± Zhan Tianbai roared so fiercely that he sounded like he wanted to eat Duanmu Li alive. His dark eyes suddenly turned a gorgeous, mesmerizing red, the same color as the blood that flowed through his veins.


    ¡°DUANMU LI. DUANMU LI!!!¡±


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s hands were still bound with chains, and they clanged wildly as he struggled against them fiercely. It seemed like the chains would break at any moment.


    Shen Yulan and the other customers at Yixing Court were all scared out of their wits.


    A frighteningly powerful energy was emanating from Zhan Tianbai¡¯s body, the same kind of energy that one felt from a fierce wild beast. It was as if Zhan Tianbai was dying to bite off Duanmu Li¡¯s neck.


    The air in Yixiang Court seemed to have sharpened into a thousand knives. The good-for-nothing young noblemen in Yixiang Court had never been on a battlefield before, and they all cowered before Zhan Tianbai¡¯s powerful aura, shaking like leaves in the wind.


    Duanmu Li was the only one who remained calm and unshaken, solid as a rock, as if he would be able to hold even the sky up if it fell.


    This indomitable, powerful man was not the least bit threatened.


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s teeth were bared, and his arms were flailing wildly at Duanmu Li, but the latter merely beheld him silently, his dark eyes narrowing ever so slightly with interest as he looked Zhan Tianbai up and down.


    ¡°How very, very astonishing¡­¡± Duanmu Li said, his thin lips parting slightly as he spoke. ¡°I heard tell that Yao Country¡¯s ¡®Red Flame General¡¯ had fae blood in him, and that his eyes would turn red when agitated or excited, but I hadn¡¯t thought that it would be¡­ so incredibly beautiful.¡±


    As Duanmu Li¡¯s roughly calloused hand caressed Zhan Tianbai¡¯s cheek, Zhan Tianbai struggled even more violently.


    However, no matter how he strived, there was nothing he could do; his two hands were bound, and his body had no strength.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    Duanmu Li laughed a deep belly laugh. He was both pleased and amused by this sight.


    Zhan Tianbai felt all the small hairs on his body stand.


    ¡°I want to kill you! Duanmu Li, I want your blood!!¡± Zhan Tianbai screamed. He was agitated again, and his eyes turned into brilliant red rubies once more.


    The corners of Duanmi Li¡¯s mouth turned upwards slightly as his smile deepened.


    ¡°Sure¡­ come kill this Wang then! If you can, that is,¡± Duanmu Li said, an evil smile spreading across his face. His bitterest enemy on the battlefield could do nothing now as he bullied him. This gave Duanmu Li a deep, twisted sense of satisfaction that words could not describe.


    In the very next moment, he was bitten hard by Zhan Tianbai.


    ¡°Pei1!¡±


    Duanmu Li¡¯s sharp brows furrowed together. The blood trickling down his fingertips was as red as Zhan Tianbai¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Ha, hahaha!¡± Zhan Tianbai laughed loudly. At that moment, he saw Duanmu Li raise his huge hand.


    Slap!


    That harsh blow knocked Zhan Tianbai¡¯s head to the side.


    His face burned hotly with pain as he spat out the blood in his mouth. He turned to glare at Duanmu Li, his crimson eyes filled with anger, rage and defiance.


    That gaze electrified Duanmu Li.


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s skin was very fair. The droplets of blood on his skin and the spreading redness from that last blow looked like red spider lilies blossoming on his face, breathtaking and captivating all at once.


    ¡°Zhan Tianbai, at this juncture, you really think you have the ability to refuse being made use of by my Nanchu Country? Actually, you have always had the choice of choosing to seek refuge with me¡­ this Wang will give you a chance. Say you¡¯ll work for me, say you¡¯ll be loyal to me, and I¡¯ll get Boss Shen to let you go.¡±


    That magnetic voice spoke sonorously, forcefully. Zhan Tianbai knew that Duanmu Li was serious.


    And that was also why he also gave a serious response.


    Pei!


    Zhan Tianbai spat roundly on Duanmu Li¡¯s handsome face.


    Beansprout: Ha, one thing I really love about Zhan Tianbai is his sass and attitude, no matter how terrible his circumstances are.

 CH 3

    All the gathered Nanchu noblemen went pale.


    In the whole of Nanchu ¨C no, make that the entire world ¨C there wasn¡¯t a single person who dared to treat their Li Wangye this way.


    ¡°Insolence! How dare you be so insolent toward Wangye!¡±


    ¡°Li Wangye, you must teach this loser general a good lesson!¡±


    The aura emanating from Duanmu Li¡¯s body now was sharp like a sword, and as cold as an icy mountain, freezing the whole of Yixiang Court.


    As Duanmu Li wiped off the spittle on his face, the look in his eyes as he gazed at Zhan Tianbai changed.


    Zhan Tianbai instantly felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    It was as if a giant, deadly snake had fixed its eyes on him, readying itself for attack. Zhan Tianbai didn¡¯t dare to move a muscle.


    ¡°Zhan Tianbai¡­ you¡¯ve got guts. This Wang likes that,¡± Duanmu Li said, his handsome face spreading into a smile. It was a smile, but Zhan Tianbai saw lethal danger in it.


    That smile told Zhan Tianbai exactly what Duanmu Li was about to do.


    ¡°You can see for yourself, can¡¯t you? Everyone here, the many people gathered here tonight, they¡¯re all here because of you¡­¡± Duanmu Li said, extending a finger and tapping it gently on Zhan Tianbai¡¯s chest as he spoke. Zhan Tianbai immediately bit down hard on his lip, so hard that it started to bleed.


    ¡°All you need to do is open your mouth and beg me. I¡¯ll spend money to buy you, and from then on, you will only belong to this Wang. However¡­¡± Duanmu Li¡¯s magnetic voice trailed off, the last syllable deepening darkly. His finger pushed forcefully against Zhan Tianbai¡¯s chest, breaking the skin there.


    ¡°If you refuse¡­¡± Duanmu Li¡¯s eyes flicked over to the wanton Nanchu noblemen. ¡°This Wang will pay the silver for them.¡±


    When Duanmu Li finished speaking, the entire Yixiang Court was pin-drop silent for a brief moment, as if time had stopped.


    In the very next second, all the noblemen started cheering and whooping wildly. They all knelt as one to kowtow to Duanmu Li in thanks.


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s bloodred eyes quivered violently as he stared at Duanmu Li, but all he saw was Duanu Li¡¯s cold, cruel smile.


    He knew that this man would never let him get off easily!


    Even though the whole reason he was now in this terrible state was thanks to Duanmu Li, Duanmu Li would never show him any mercy!


    Shen Yulan¡¯s lips moved slightly, but he didn¡¯t dare to say anything to Duanmu Li. He was standing to Zhan Tianbai¡¯s side, and he moved closer to the latter. ¡°Great Crimson Flame General, it¡¯s probably best to be realistic and take up Li Wangye¡¯s offer¡­¡± he said, speaking in a low voice directly into Zhan Tianbai¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Do NOT address me as that!¡± Zhan Tianbai bit out. He closed his eyes with force, his brows furrowing into deep troughs.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Duanmu Li laughed unkindly. He shrugged his shoulders, glanced once at Shen Yulan, who was clearly made uncomfortable by this whole exchange, before looking back at Zhan Tianbai¡¯s tortured features. ¡°Boss Shen Yulan is such a kind soul¡­¡±


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s eyes flashed open. He glared furiously at Duanmu Li, balling his fists up so tightly that his knuckles turned white.


    ¡°Beg me,¡± Duanmu Li said, waving a hand imperiously in the air. Servants immediately brought a chair made of pure gold forward, and Duanmu Li sat down on it right in front of Zhan Tianbai. He folded his arms in front of his chest, looking arrogant as could be.


    Zhan Tianbai felt like his brain was about to explode with rage.


    As he looked at Duanmu Li, clad in his opulent huafu and a smile like ice on his lips, he couldn¡¯t help thinking back to his time on the battlefield not too long ago.


    Countless soldiers had died at the hands of this cold, heartless man.


    And now, he himself had been sold into this brothel house. The man sitting in front of him wanted to use the cruellest and most unusual ways to torture him, and also wanted to force him to submit to him!


    Pure hatred. That was what Zhan Tianbai felt at this very moment.


    He hated Duanmu Li to the core!


    Duanmu Li watched calmly as the rancorous flames in Zhang Tianbai¡¯s eyes blazed brighter and brighter. A satisfied smile lifted the corners of his lips.


    ¡°This Wang will count to three. You will give me your answer by the end of those three counts,¡± Duanmu Li said, raising his index finger. ¡°One.¡±


    Zhan Tianbai: ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    Duanmu Li¡¯s threat reverberated in Zhan Tianbai¡¯s ears. Zhan Tianbai lowered his head and clenched his teeth together tightly. Waves of pain rolled out from his heart through his chest, formed from bottled up rage and humiliation.


    The entire Yixiang Court was silent. Not even the cawing of crows of the chirp of sparrows could be heard.


    Duanmu Li continued watching Zhan Tianbai calmly. The smile on his face became more and more confident.


    Zhan Tianbai, you¡¯re mine!


    ¡°I choose them.¡±


    Zhan Tianbai¡¯s sudden pronouncement was thin, cold and calm. The words seemed to disappear into thin air the moment they left Zhan Tianbai¡¯s chapped lips.

 CH 4

    Crash!


    Duanmu Li suddenly stood up, and the golden chair he was sitting on fell backwards with a loud sound.


    His eyes were like dark, unfathomable pools, and his face was the picture of disbelief.


    ¡°Hahaha! Hahahaha! Duanmu Li, I, Zhan Tianbai, will never, ever beg you! Give up on this stupid notion!¡±


    ¡°Zhan Tianbai!!¡± Duanmu Li bellowed. He was in a real rage now.


    He had never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, that Zhan Tianbai would be as stubborn as this.


    ¡°Did you think I was only kidding?¡± Duanmu Li said menacingly. He reached out a hand and gripped Zhan Tianbai¡¯s neck hard in a stranglehold. Zhan Tianbai couldn¡¯t breathe, and his face turned red.


    Duanmu Li¡¯s deep voice was laced with danger. He moved closer to Zhan Tianbai and released his killing aura, which shot out like a thousand knives to pierce Zhan Tianbai¡¯s skin.


    But Zhan Tianbai laughed instead.


    ¡°Huh¡­ I¡¯d be so happy if you were.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    Duanmu Li was really enraged by Zhan Tianbai.


    However, the look in Zhan Tianbai¡¯s eyes made it clear that he was being deadly serious. He was absolutely prepared to be bullied and humiliated by the Nanchu noblemen if that was the only way of rejecting him.


    Suddenly, an image of Zhan Tianbai on the battlefield flashed through Duanmu Li¡¯s mind. Zhan Tianbai, invincible in his flame-red battle armor, with might equal to a thousand men.


    That was right. Zhan Tianbai had every reason to hate him.


    Because, whilst Zhan Tianbai had lost to him, that loss had not been suffered on the battlefield.


    That loss had been caused by his villainous machinations outside of that.


    In truth, Yao Country should have fallen very shortly after the war began. The Emperor was an immoral wastrel, and his people were suffering. The only reason Nanchu could not conquer Yao Country was because of one person: Zhan Tianbai.


    As such, he sent his people to bribe the Yao Emperor¡¯s most beloved eunuch. At his instruction, that eunuch helped lead the Emperor to the conclusion that Zhan Tianbai and his entire Zhan family harbored intentions to revolt.


    Zhan Tianbai was a person of the fae, and even though he had been born and raised in Yao Country, the people of Yao always had their guard up against him.


    For this reason, the Yao Emperor was not difficult to convince. He passed an Imperial edict to exterminate the entire Zhan family, and Zhan Tianbai himself, who was on the battlefront at that time, was trussed up like a turkey and forced to drink poisoned wine.


    The Yao Emperor had expected Zhan Tianbai to die, and had even prepared fine memorial wine used in funeral service for him. He had never dreamed that Zhan Tianbai would somehow manage to survive. However, Zhan Tianbai did not come of this unscathed; he lost all his martial arts ability and internal force. He couldn¡¯t even lift large swords that were just a little heavier than average.


    Zhan Tianbai thus became an invalid. With him out of the way, Nanchu achieved a great victory over Yao, and Zhan Tianbai was sold to a brothel house in a red light district.


    Duanmu Li¡¯s eyes, which were still fixed on Zhan Tianbai, became colder and colder with each passing second. He suddenly felt like there was a strange, piercing pain in his chest.


    ¡°This is entirely your own doing¡­¡± Duanmu Li said through clenched teeth. Every word was as cold as frost, and his eyes never left Zhan Tianbai¡¯s face. ¡°This Wang will ask you one more time. Will you choose me¡­ or them?¡±


    This time, Duanmu Li didn¡¯t use the word ¡°beg¡±.


    However, Zhan Tianbai was in no state to notice this minute difference. All that was in his mind right now was that he would never, ever, show any weakness in front of this man!


    ¡°Li Wangye, you¡¯re the Great Fuguo {¡®Fu¡¯ means something like ¡®auxiliary help¡¯, and ¡®guo¡¯ means country, but in this context, the meaning of ¡®Fuguo¡¯ is more like ¡®a bastion of the country¡¯.} General of Nanchu¡­ How can it be that you¡¯re hard of hearing at this young age? Or, is it that you¡¯re going senile?¡± Zhan Tianbai taunted. Sadistic glee filled his heart as he saw Duanmu Li¡¯s handsome face cloud with anger.


    He would NEVER let this man get what he wanted!


    ¡°I choose them¡­ Duanmu Li, I tell you, and I tell you truly, I CHOOSE THEM! I¡¯d rather die than choose you!!¡± Zhan Tianbai roared, his voice reverberating powerfully in Yixing Court.


    No one made a sound, it was as if they had all had their tongues tied.


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    Duanmu Li¡¯s reply was a forceful bellow.


    ¡°This Wang gave you a choice. You made this decision. You had better not blame this Wang after this!¡±


    He turned angrily on his heel, his expression dark and dangerous as he signalled with a hand towards the eager Nanchu nobles.