Chapter 21: I Am Not Sun Wukong

  The hunting lasted for three days. During the three days, Kang Fan and Hui Feng escorted Guangxu closely, never leaving his side, and had no time to pay attention to Mei Xiang. But Mei Xiang was not lonely either, this civilian woman who was in no way inferior to those palace ladies in terms of appearance, speech, and behavior quickly won the favor of everyone, and was able to move freely. On the way back, Guangxu's enthusiasm did not decrease, he led the horse to gallop at the front of the team, Kang Fan and Hui Feng closely followed. When they arrived at a mountain ridge, a golden leopard suddenly rushed out from the slope, its tail like a steel whip sweeping across the horse's eyes. Guangxu's horse was suddenly frightened and stood up straight, Guangxu let out a cry of surprise, almost falling off the horse. The leopard did not slow down, rushing towards the mountain below, directly towards Kang Fan who was guarding at the back. Kang Fan quickly raised his hand, fired one shot, hitting the target. The powerful 8mm caliber Mannlicher rifle bullet blew the leopard into the air, flipping over and falling more than ten meters away, its four legs still twitching.

  Master Kang, hurry and save him! The sound of Hui Feng's hoarse shouting suddenly came from beside his ear. He quickly turned his head to look back and saw Guangxu and Hui Feng rushing down the mountain one after another at an incredible speed! Hui Feng was urging on his horse behind, but he couldn't catch up with Guangxu in front. Guangxu must have been frightened out of his wits, holding onto the horse's neck tightly, his body shaking violently on the horseback, and he might fall off at any moment. Guangxu's horse is startled!

  Kang Fan suddenly realized that this was a rare opportunity to show himself! He was hot-blooded, threw away the Manli Xia riding gun in his hand, turned the horse's head, and chased after him urgently. Chi Tu had the excellent bloodline of Arabian horses, at this moment, under Kang Fan's almost frantic urging, its long legs flew, its large hooves trampled the ground like a stormy rain, making a thunderous sound, shooting forward like an arrow!

  Everyone who followed had discovered the danger on this side, but it was still far away, and they couldn't help. Looking ahead, there was a cliff not far away, and once they fell down, the consequences were unthinkable! At this time, everyone was sweating for Kang Fan and Hui Feng, and Mei Xiang was standing in the crowd, stomping her feet and cheering for Kang Fan, anxiously with tears flying everywhere!

  Kang Fan's horse was fast and took a shortcut, cutting off Guangxu along the side of the cliff. As he overtook Guangxu, Kang Fan dangerously threw off his stirrups and crouched on the horseback! Hui Feng, who was desperately chasing behind, was shocked with his eyes wide open.

  Your Majesty, let go of the stirrup and release your hands, I'm coming to save you! Kang Fan shouted at Guangxu.

  Two horses galloped side by side, Chi Tu's horse was more than a foot taller than Guangxu's, and Kang Fan stood upright on Chi Tu's back, facing the strong wind that came rushing towards him, standing tall and majestic like a god. Guangxu, who had always been high above others since birth, was shocked and stunned, his expression bewildered, he loosened his tight grip on the horse's neck with both hands, and his feet also let go of the stirrups. Just as he was about to fall off the horseback, Kang Fan jumped up from Chi Tu's back, embracing him in mid-air, and they fell off the horseback together! Chi Tu's body tilted to a surprising angle, but it took advantage of the momentum and made a jump, dodging Guangxu's frightened horse, whinnying as it stood up on its hind legs, then stopped steadily. Guangxu's frightened horse failed to stop in time, and plunged down the cliff, disappearing from sight, its mournful neigh echoing in the mountains for a long time.

  Kang Fan really took a fall for Guangxu, and the speed of the horse combined with Guangxu's weight left Kang Fan in agony all over, unable to help but grit his teeth and suck in cold air. Just as he was caught by Guangxu staring at him. Guangxu, still shaken, although pale-faced and disheveled, his hands and feet still trembling uncontrollably, couldn't help but smile when he saw Kang Fan's comical appearance. Although Kang Fan only stood on the back of the red hare for a brief moment, this scene must have been deeply etched in Guangxu's mind like a branding iron, which can be seen from his subsequent gentle and affectionate attitude towards Kang Fan.

  Hui Feng rushed up, jumped off his horse, and rolled over to run over.

  Support me and let me rest. Guangxu said as he affectionately grasped Kang's hand.

  Emperor Guangxu felt his hands were cold and wet. He was a good emperor, able to accept progressive ideas and had the heart to seek change and become stronger, but he was born weak and lacked courage, which destined him to fail in the later struggle for power with Empress Dowager Cixi, and directly led to the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform. Although at this moment his pity for Kang Youwei was obvious, Kang Youwei's mood was complex.

  Huifeng had already taken off his official robe and laid it on the stone, while Kangfan helped Guangxu sit down. Guangxu was protected by Kangfan, safe and sound, without even a scratch on his skin! After drinking some water, his emotions gradually calmed down, and his face also became rosy.

  Your steed is tall and powerful, with extraordinary agility, definitely not a product of our country. Guangxu said.

  Kong Fan bowed and replied, "This was obtained by your humble servant from the Japanese pirates."

  Income? Guangxu smiled, it should be 'robbed' instead?

  Kang Fan also smiled, and said: "Your subordinate has captured several hundred Japanese pirates' horses in Weihai, this is one of them."

  Huì Fēng stood beside him with a look of admiration, clasped his fists and bowed: "Lord Kāng single-handedly resisted the Japanese pirates' hundreds of men, seized silver and horses, and retreated unscathed. Truly a divine being! Huì Fēng had long heard about this matter, today he got to see it, what an honor!"

  Kang Fan hastily returned the courtesy.

  Guangxu sighed: "Alas, my great Qing dynasty has fallen to the point where even a small country like Japan can defeat us in battle. The war of 1894 was a disaster, with countless lives lost and territory ceded, the indemnity paid was more than what we had to pay to Britain and France before! How could I not be heartbroken? If all my people were as capable as you, would we have allowed Japan to stir up trouble at our doorstep?"

  Just then, the attendants arrived one after another, all of them kneeling down on the ground, their faces pale and trembling. Guangxu did not blame them, waving his hand to signal everyone to get up. The crowd then swarmed forward, surrounding Guangxu as he got into the carriage and set off back to the palace.

  Mei Xiang left the team and ran towards Kang Fan, patting her own chest and shouting: I'm scared to death, I'm scared to death!

  Kang Fan gently pulled her onto the Red Hare. Huifeng was on the left, Kang Fan was on the right, following closely beside Guangxu's carriage, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

  Guangxu poked his head out of the carriage, looked at Kang Fan and Mei Xiang, and said: "You two siblings are elegant and refined, with an extraordinary demeanor that is hard to match. I have long heard about you two: your ancestors sailed across the ocean and traveled to a foreign land many years ago, but still remembered the great Qing dynasty after decades of wandering, which is truly admirable."

  Kang Fan and Mei Xiang didn't know what to say, they could only listen attentively.

  Guangxu smiled and looked at Meixiang, who had heard that her younger sister's medical skills were exceptional, with the ability to revive the dead. The Empress Dowager has been unwell lately, would you be willing to follow me to try?

  Mei Xiang felt a bit embarrassed and hastily replied: "Your Majesty has heard rumors from passersby, which must not be taken lightly. I am just a novice in medicine, how can I have the skill to bring people back from the dead? As Your Majesty commands, I will do my best."

  Guangxu nodded and turned to ask Kang Fan: How is your relationship with Hu Pingzi, the governor of Shanxi?

  The lower official had never met Lord Hu before, said Kang Fan.

  Guangxu thought for a moment and said: "Hu Pingzi is approaching his 60th birthday, while you are in your prime. The two of you can complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, and work together to govern Shanxi. The current Ningwu Prefectural Magistrate is about to be transferred elsewhere, so I will issue an imperial edict appointing you as the new Ningwu Prefectural Magistrate, concurrently holding the rank of Fourth-Rank Commander, to return to Shanxi and assist Hu Pingzi."

  Kong Fan bowed his head and accepted the order, saying that he would do his best to serve. After finishing speaking, he thought to himself: The Magistrate is a fourth-rank civil official, while the Commander is a fourth-rank military official. If someone holds both positions, what rank would they actually be?

  At this time, the strong wind was blowing, and the snow was blown up by the wind, flying around. Kang Fan covered the window of Guangxu's car with his hand. Mei Xiang drilled into Kang Fan's windbreaker from behind, hugged Kang Fan's waist, and didn't dare to show her head. Kang Fan loaded the Mannlicher rifle, standing upright in the wind and snow, with piercing eyes. Hui Feng also loaded the gun, being cautious and vigilant. The two men's eyes met unexpectedly, and they saw appreciation in each other's eyes, so they nodded to each other without prior agreement.

  Back in the capital, Guangxu first went to the military camp to inspect Kang Fan's cavalry regiment. The fierce fighting style and superb tactical skills of the cavalry regiment in the battle of Yunzhongshan shocked the capital, and they became famous overnight. At this moment, the fully armed cavalry regiment stood in formation on the drill ground, with over a hundred tall and powerful war horses and over a hundred officers and soldiers standing upright, motionless and majestic!

  Guangxu couldn't help but applaud and praise, asking: "I heard that all of your official army's weapons were confiscated, why are they so complete today?"

  Kang Fan smiled and said: "I didn't surrender, I actually cooperated voluntarily. It was only two days ago that I returned."

  Guangxu sneered, "Can Ronglu's military power be so mighty?"

  Out of the military camp, Mei Xiang took the medicine box and followed Guangxu to Cixi's bedroom. Kang Fan wanted to follow, but was stopped by Hui Feng.

  Lord Kang, the Empress Dowager's chambers are not ordinary. Without the Empress Dowager's personal permission, no man is allowed to approach. At this point, Hui Feng smiled and said, Lord Kang seems to be completely ignorant of palace etiquette.

  Kang Fan shook his head, completely clueless. Luckily, thanks to your repeated reminders, I'm grateful. After finishing speaking, he made a fist and bowed in respect.

  Huifeng returned the courtesy, and Mr. Kang bid farewell, hoping to work together again in the future if fate allowed it.

  Kang Fan saw him off for a long distance before returning alone to the military camp.

  Mei Xiang has gone, and there is no news of her. Kang Fan is getting anxious, and he has gone to the palace several times to ask Hui Feng about Mei Xiang's whereabouts. Hui Feng told him that Mei Xiang was still attending to the Empress Dowager in the palace. Kang Fan knew that Rong Lu had a close relationship with the Empress Dowager, and after what happened at the wedding, he must be holding a grudge against him. If Rong Lu really wanted to take revenge on Mei Xiang for his two subordinates, then Mei Xiang would be in trouble! A week has already passed, and Kang Fan couldn't just wait around anymore.

  He Shuikuo had been staying in his own shop in the capital, waiting for Kang Fan. The accountant thought he was there to check the accounts and hastily presented a large stack of account books, only to be met with a scolding from He Shuikuo that left him bewildered. Since arriving in the capital, He Shuikuo had been so shocked by the events that had transpired that he hadn't even thought about checking the accounts. It wasn't until he learned that Kang Fan was safe and sound that he came to the military camp with his clansmen to visit. The two clansmen had been present in the palace when Kang Fan and Mei Xiang entered, so they were familiar with the situation. When they saw Kang Fan, they fawned all over him, speaking words of flattery that were music to his ears. Kang Fan was annoyed and dismissed them, pulling He Shuikuo aside instead.

  I'm going to the palace now to bring back Mei Xiang. If I don't return within an hour, you and the cavalry officers will immediately return to Jin; if I and Mei Xiang come back, that's a different story. Kang Fan said, after returning, he instructed Zhong Hanqiang to take good care of those students. Remember!

  He Shui nervously agreed, and the dark clouds that had just dispersed from his mind gathered again.

  Guangxu understood that Kang Fan was worried about Mei Xiang, so he sent someone to bring Mei Xiang from Cixi's bedroom to the front of the hall. Mei Xiang finally saw Kang Fan and, regardless of the crowd watching, tightly hugged him, tears streaming down her face. Kang Fan saw her pitiful appearance and couldn't help but feel his liver fire burning!

  Isn't Rong Lu giving you a hard time? Kang Fan's voice was not loud, but there should be people in the temple who could hear it. However, all around was quiet and still, for some unknown reason.

  Mei Xiang shook her head, "No. Empress Dowager Cixi just had indigestion, I gave her some medicine and she's fine now. These days she's been forcing me to enter the palace as a concubine, I refused, so she won't let me leave. Why didn't you come earlier? Now that you've been promoted, you don't care about me anymore?"

  Kang Fan was anxious, what are you talking about? How could I not care about you?!

  Mei Xiang's face lit up with a smile, "Alright then, let's go now!"

  Kong Fan nodded in agreement, turned around and bowed to Guangxu, saying: Your Majesty's wise judgment is well-known. My younger sister has been drifting overseas with me for a long time and finds it difficult to adapt to life in the palace. Now that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager intends to invite my younger sister into the palace as a concubine, she refuses. I humbly request Your Majesty to inform the Empress Dowager: The Empress Dowager's kindness is deeply appreciated, but we must follow my younger sister's wishes and immediately take her back to Shanxi to assist me with official duties.

  Guangxu smiled and said: "Your younger sister is talented and beautiful, surpassing ordinary people, and has won the favor of the Empress Dowager, which is also reasonable. Moreover, entering the palace as a concubine is a glorious thing for your family, why not do it? I think that you calling each other 'brother and sister' is false, but the affection between you two is true!"

  Kang Fan and Mei Xiang exchanged a silent glance, speechless.

  Guangxu said: "If I were to give your brother and sister a crime of contempt for the imperial court, would you want to leave or not?"

  Need to go. Mei Xiang is more anxious than Kang Fang.

  Guangxu asked again: According to the Great Qing Code, contempt for the imperial court should be punished by decapitation. Can you still escape?

  Mei Xiang was frightened, she tightly grasped Kang Fan's hand, and fine beads of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose, tears flowed down uncontrollably, but her reply remained firm: Reply to the Emperor: Still want to leave.

  A gust of wind rose above the Golden Temple.

  Kang Fan was deeply moved. In his heart, he pondered: If they couldn't escape, they would have to tear their faces apart and fight to the death. As long as he and Mei Xiang could rush out of the palace within a short period, they would receive support from the cavalry officers and soldiers, and it would be easy to handle afterwards. But thinking again, he had just saved Guangxu, and Mei Xiang had cured Cixi's illness, so no matter how you looked at it, it was unlikely that they would be executed? Besides, Cixi wanted to take Mei Xiang as a concubine because she liked her, so she wouldn't really punish them, would she?

  Guangxu suddenly smiled and said: I did not expect that you would be unwilling to enter the palace as a concubine! Since this is the case, I grant your request.

  Kang Fan suddenly realized: it turned out that Guangxu was just playing a not-so-big-or-small joke on himself and Meixiang! Overjoyed in his heart, he hastily pulled Meixiang down to kneel together and thank him.

  Guangxu and Yan Yuese instructed: After you return to Jin, take good care of the Ningwu Mansion, don't disappoint my expectations!

  Kang Fan bowed his head in gratitude, and amidst the whispers of the civil and military officials, he pulled Mei Xiang out of the grand hall. As they walked, Mei Xiang suddenly burst into tears. Kang Fan held her tightly, warming her icy face with his own.

  "You're very brave, Mei Xiang," Kang Fan said emotionally.

  Mei Xiang didn't say anything, she just kept crying nonstop.

  After leaving the palace, Kang Fan handed over Chi Tu to He Shui Kuo and took him back to Ningwu Fu. He personally drove Mei Xiang's carriage, loaded with Mei Xiang, and headed towards Tianjin. The cavalry team's officers and soldiers disobeyed orders and escorted them for a while before being forced to retreat by Kang Fan, watching as the two disappeared into the distance.

  Mei Xiang, who had been traveling with Kang Fan, had experienced too many thrilling events and was physically and mentally exhausted. At this moment, she truly saw and touched the real Kang Fan, and her repeatedly stimulated nerves finally couldn't hold on anymore. Before long, she fell into a deep sleep in the carriage's bumps. Kang Fan, who was driving the horse at the front of the carriage, didn't hear Mei Xiang's movements for a while and became worried, so he got into the carriage to check on her. Mei Xiang was sleeping quietly, with tears still seeping out from the corners of her eyes. Kang Fan pulled over a thick coat to cover her, then turned around and continued driving the horse.

  The carriage compartment was enclosed with imported canvas, and the four sides had wooden windows with transparent glass inlays that could be opened and closed to block the wind and rain while allowing ventilation. Since it was always used by Meixiang alone, after removing the passenger seats, the interior of the carriage was very spacious. The carriage was decorated with a feminine touch, clean, colorful, and filled with a faint fragrance, with all kinds of daily necessities available, making it very comfortable to stay inside. The two horses pulling the carriage also had shiny coats and were spirited.

  Mei Xiang slept until the afternoon before waking up, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and saw Kang Fan smiling at her, then dazedly asked: "Kang Fan, where are we?"

  Kang Fan laughed and said: On our way to Tianjin. After we arrived in Tianjin, we took a boat to England. How's that?

  Mei Xiang was stunned, going to England? Kang Fan, you really are taking me to England?!

  You don't joke. Kang Fan replied solemnly, for your sake, I wouldn't even mind not becoming a noble consort or being beheaded, how could I deceive you?

  As soon as Kang Fan said that, Mei Xiang's consciousness suddenly recovered, and the thrilling scenes she had experienced before flashed back one by one, and tears poured out again.

  Sorry to have wronged you, Mei Xiang. Kang Fan held her tightly, his heart aching with each beat.

  Mei Xiang leaned against Kang Fan's chest, silently shedding tears.

  In Journey to the West, Sun Wukong, who is not afraid of any monsters or ghosts, is only afraid of being recited by Tang Monk's tight head spell. You are just like Tang Monk, when you cry, it's like reciting a tight head spell, and then this Sun Wukong is finished. Kang Fan said.

  Mei Xiang finally smiled and said with tears in her eyes: I don't want you to be that Sun Wukong!

  "What's up?" Kang Fan asked with a smile.

  Mei Xiang suddenly felt a little shy and whispered: Sun Wukong is not close to women. If you were him, I would have to live in chastity.

  Kang Fan burst out laughing after hearing that. Mei Xiang's face turned red as she hurriedly covered Kang Fan's mouth. Kang Fan once again felt that familiar sensation in his consciousness, but this time it was different, the urge came exceptionally strong! He couldn't hold back no matter what. Mei Xiang sensed the change in Kang Fan and suddenly felt her whole body go weak. Both of them understood each other's desires and were eagerly awaiting the arrival of that moment.

  Finally arrived at a town, Kang Fan didn't do anything else but find an inn. In a satisfactory inn, he opened a room, locked the door, and didn't care if Mei Xiang was cold or not, quickly stripping her naked in three to five seconds.

  Mei Xiang smiled and watched him busily, with sparks jumping in her misty eyes.

  You are truly a beauty, Mei Xiang. Kang Fan's voice was trembling, beautiful to the core!

  Kang Fan has long since thrown away any sense of mission or responsibility: after experiencing so many things, he is now reckless and does whatever he wants, following his emotions and feelings... He clings to Mei Xiang, not leaving the house for three days.

  Plum fragrance, it's great to be Sun Wukong!