Chapter 79 (1/2)

Chapter 79 Remembrance: Li Hengba

Feng Luodi sat with Situ in the stateroom, a game of chess between the two of them. Cheng s.h.i.+fei stood beside Feng Luodi, acting as her tactician. However, despite their best efforts, Feng Luodi's pieces were wiped off the board in less than 15 minutes. She gritted her teeth and stared at Situ, who sipped his tea calmly.

“You…are good.”

“Good game.” His tone as nonchalant as it could be.

Feng Luodi glared at him. His moves are always in antic.i.p.ation of something else, it's as if he's always playing for the future! Worst of all, I can't recognise the potential dangers at all!

“Must be burdensome for you to have to play with me, General.” Feng Luodi's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Situ shook his head. “Not at all, seeing as how s.h.i.+fei is guiding you along.”

Cheng s.h.i.+fei was the tactician of the army, a man with a gentle demeanour. He smiled warmly. “You speak too highly of me, General. I'd still caused the lost of Miss Feng in the end.”

“General Cheng was a good tactician, but my skills were too poor to carry out his ideas.” Feng Luodi pursed her lips, and got out of the seat. “Come and play instead, General Cheng. It's best if you could win him.” Feng Luodi was upset, having lost nothing less than 10 games in the span of a morning.

Cheng s.h.i.+fei smiled lightly, and took the seat. “I've never won General Situ in chess since the day I met him.”

“You can do it today! Believe in yourself.” Feng Luodi poured him a cup of tea and encouraged him. Situ stayed quiet, his gaze trained intently on Feng Luodi.

Unfortunately for Feng Luodi, Cheng s.h.i.+fei surrendered before ten minutes was even up. “General, your prowess on the board is as deadly as ever.” He looked bemusedly at Situ. “I could tell that you'd treat our match very seriously, General. Was it perhaps because of Miss Feng watching our game?”

Feng Luodi ignored the underlying meaning in his words. “He just wants to show me the difference between the two of us.”

Cheng s.h.i.+fei was stunned for a second, not expecting such a reply. He burst into laughter. “General, it seems like you still have a long way to go ahead of you.”

Situ looked up at Feng Luodi who avoided his gaze, and raised an eyebrow. The distance would be much shorter if she stopped pretending to be clueless about everything.

“My turn!” Feng Luodi gritted her teeth, and challenged Situ again.

The game went on, but a soldier came to the tent. “General, the Third Prince of the Huns wishes to see you.”

“Li Hengba?” Cheng s.h.i.+fei laughed. “Finally, he's here. We've been waiting for a long while now.”

“Let him in.” Situ ordered.

“Yes, General.” The soldier turned to leave.

Feng Luodi stood up hurriedly. “I'll head back first, then.”

“No need for that.” Situ pointed to a screen behind him. “Just wait behind there for a while, we'll continue after I'm done.”

“But…” Feng Luodi glanced at Cheng s.h.i.+fei, but the General did not object. Sighing quietly, she stood up and moved behind the screen, cradling her cup in her hands.

Before long, the soldier returned with a man in a heavy cloak. The man, Li Hengba, took off the hood of his cloak and greeted the two Generals, clasping his hands together. “General Situ, General Cheng, it's been a long time. I've been missing the two of you dearly.”

“Missing the days where you got destroyed, huh?” Situ exposed him immediately.

“Hah!” Li Hengba ignored the taunt in his words. “I see that you're still the same man as I knew.”

“What business do you have with us, Third Prince?”

Li Hengba smiled. “I heard that my eldest brother had disturbed you a few days ago, even after I'd reminded him many times that the rumour about the legendary weapon is nothing but smoke and mirrors. I'll like to apologise on his behalf, General Situ.”

Situ waved his hand casually, and leaned back in his chair. “No need for that. I'm sure you'll know better than anyone else the source of the rumours. Please, just cut the pointless talk.”

Li Hengba hid his discomfort quickly, and waved his hand generously through the air. “I see. My explanations would be pointless, if you already have someone in mind, General.” He laughed a little. “But I'm not here for that today, General. I'm here to talk about something much more important than that elder brother of mine.”

“Oh? What's that?” Situ looked at Li Hengba. “If there's something so important, shouldn't you be discussing it with those brothers of yours?”

“They can't compare to you, General.” Li Hengba chose his words carefully. “The people of the North all know of your heroic deeds and prowess, General. Although you're currently limited by your position as the mere Duke of Anping, I'm sure the North can be yours and yours alone, if you so desire.”

Feng Luodi listened to their conversation intently from the other side of the screen. Is this Li Hengba inciting Situ to join forces with him, so that they can split the lands of the North between the two of them? I'm sure he has the ability to do so, but I'm also sure that he wouldn't.

Situ sneered. “So you're saying that the Huns are willing to submit to the rule of my kingdom?”

Li Hengba shook his head. “The Huns are a tough nut to crack. Why don't the two of us extend our horizons? If we work together, Xianbei, Fuyu and the rest of the other countries will be ours to split in less than three months.” He looked intently at Situ's expression.