Mo Yangshuo's face changed. He had counted on that three-inch tongue of his that never wears out to bring everyone there over to his side.

What was the jianghu? It was the world outside the court — put plainly, everywhere the court couldn't really keep a grip on.

Jianghu people loved their freedom and hated the court's rules and regulations. That was why the jianghu and the court were two different worlds.

But he had forgotten that jianghu people admired heroes even more, and Ning Chen was the Great Xuan's hero.

Ning Chen was deeply moved by the sight.

Jianghu people loved their freedom and could be contrary by nature, but that didn't mean they couldn't tell right from wrong.

Mo Yangshuo was furious and flustered. He said angrily, "You call yourselves jianghu men, and you throw in your lot with these hawks and hounds of the court? It's laughable!"

Ning Chen looked at him and laughed coldly. "They'd rather throw in their lot with a hawk and hound of the court like me — they'd be ashamed to be counted among you. Haven't you asked yourself why? Because you don't even qualify as human.

The jianghu and the court have never been enemies. Dwelling high in the court, one worries for the people; living far off in the jianghu, one worries for one's sovereign... (TL Note: From Fan Zhongyan's "The Yueyang Tower" (1046), one of the most famous lines in Chinese prose; Shen Miao half-quoted it at Ch. 735.) Everyone here is a man of virtue and purpose, and Ning here admires every one of them.

They aren't throwing in their lot with Ning here. They're protecting their own country... And you are a traitor who wants to destroy it."

Mo Yangshuo's eyes were vicious. "Ning Chen, do you really think that with them on your side you can sleep easy?"

Ning Chen said indifferently, "I know you've got something up your sleeve. But you seem to have forgotten that this prince has campaigned north and south. When have I ever been afraid? Honestly, a rabble like you —…