Chapter 90 (1/2)

Chapter 90 Remembrance: The Way of the General

Now Li Hengba knew that it was all a show put up by Situ and the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was aware of the fact that he was the target of an a.s.sa.s.sination, but openly let his guard down to give the a.s.sa.s.sin a chance to strike. He then faked his own death to uncover the mastermind behind the plot, and to identify the supporters that were truly loyal to him. Not only did he manage to get rid of the Fourth Prince who'd threatened to be a huge obstacle between the throne and him, but he'd also effectively snuffed out the ambitions of the other princes. Of course, his results were mainly due to Situ's involvement in the plot, a clear signal that he has been chosen by Situ as a partner in a relations.h.i.+p against the other forces in the North.

What exactly did he do to deserve Situ's support?

Meanwhile, Li Hengba had already lost to the Crown Prince and Situ the moment he'd joined forces with the Four Prince. They'd made endless preparations, from faking the tattoo on the body of the attendant to the actual poisoning of the Crown Prince himself. But it all went to naught the moment Situ stepped in. Li Hengba was filled with hatred. Why did he choose the Crown Prince of the Xianbei instead of me? He'd even helped my First Brother to work against me just to secure the throne for the Crown Prince! Am I that incomparable to the two of them? No matter. One day, I'll show him my worth, and I'll rule the North with or without his help. Everyone in my way will be destroyed and sent to the depths of h.e.l.l.

Let's start with my foolish First Brother, then. Li Hengba smiled.

Of course, Situ could not possibly know what was going on in Li Hengba's head. In any case, he was more preoccupied with what was going on in Feng Luodi's head. The journey back to Yunzhong Pa.s.s had been smooth and mundane, the two of them spending their time together as they usually did. However, Situ could clearly feel the increasing chasm between the two of them. The lady whose walls he had taken so long to knock down, had closed her heart to him again.

When they reached the camp, Feng Luodi quickly disappeared into her tent. Music floated out quickly from the tent, but the usual soothing music made him restless and uneasy. Uneasy, huh? How is it possible that the word “uneasy” can be used to describe me?

He shook his head, trying to clear it of the jumbled thoughts. Striding into the meeting hall, he quickly started working on the reports stacked up high on his desk.

“General! The boy you'd brought back with you is such a wild thing! Just look at my arm!” Zhang Xin stomped into the meeting hall, rolling his sleeves up on his right arm, revealing a series of red welts left my fingernails. “What's his name? He's as feral as a wolf when provoked!”

The boy in question was one who'd barged into Situ's courtyard back in the Crown Prince's residence. When he'd heard that Situ was leaving to return to Yunzhong Pa.s.s, he'd fought his way to the entourage, asking to be taken along.

“You're the strongest person of the North! I'll only follow the strongest!”

The Crown Prince had shrugged helplessly, knowing that there was nothing he could do about the situation. The boy followed the entourage back to Yunzhong Pa.s.s, taken care by the officer throughout the journey.

Situ thought for a moment. “He's…Zuo Lang*.”

“Are you kidding me? He's really a ‘wolf'?” Zhang Xin chuckled. “Let me check him out again. If we could raise him well, he'll definitely prove to be a lethal force on the battlefield.”

Situ picked the reports again, but was unable to quell his unease.

Feng Luodi's gaze landed on Remembrance, sitting on a low tea table in the corner of her tent. She walked over unconsciously, running her fingers across the strings. She stood there for a long while before she reached over and placed Remembrance on the table, setting her hands to the strings. Music flowed from the Guqin.

The blood-soaked kingdom that is mine

Pales in comparison to the red mark on your brow

They say

The rains and mists of Jiangnan are the best of the world

If I knew the pain that was to come with it

I would have let you disappeared amongst the crowd

Even when I dream of you

You feel so far away from me.

The events of the past few months flashed before her eyes, and she realised with a start the effect Situ had on her, unable to forget any moment spent with him. Her hands stopped and she pressed them against the strings. Slowly, painfully, she began to laugh.

So I am the one who can't let go, huh? How I wish that it will all go away when I wake up from a good night's sleep.

A cry broke her train of thoughts.

“Stop running, Zuo Lang! How can a man be scared of a bath?” Zhang Xin's rough voice echoed through the camp. The flurry of footsteps got louder.

Is someone in the tent? Feng Luodi stood up and lifted the entrance of her tent. The orphan that Situ had brought back to Yunzhong Pa.s.s, Zuo Lang, was das.h.i.+ng about the tent. Mild panic could be seen in his emotionless eyes.

“You…” Before Feng Luodi could make heads of the situation, Zhang Xin threw aside the flap of Situ's tent and stomped inside.

“Oh! I didn't know that you were here, Miss Feng.”