Chapter 141 (2/2)

“You're so lucky to have such a powerful group of Covert Guards working for you; all you need to do is to give commands.” All her thoughts surmounted to these words.

“I can give them to you.” Situ turned to face her, his intense dark eyes making her uncomfortable. “Luodi, leave Chang'an for the time being. I'll bring you back when everything is clear.”

The unsettling feeling grew stronger. Feng Luodi did not reply but gave a wide grin instead. Now, she finally knew what she wanted. If I am to die right now before I can return to my world, that wouldn't be too bad either. Well, it's not my choice to not return to my world, after all.

“No.”

“Why are you looking so solemn?” Situ said helplessly as he walked closer to her. The unsettling feeling in her stomach disappeared. “n.o.body will hurt you.” Situ promised.

But I'm scared that they will hurt you. She hid that sentence in her heart.

Their eyes met in the air, and for a moment, the world was silent.

Then a voice shattered the romantic atmosphere. “I don't care anymore, Situ! You have to help me this time! I don't want to be the Imperial Treasurer anymore!”

“Gan Qingjia?” Feng Luodi quickly struggled out of Situ's embrace.

Gan Qingjia entered to see Situ's cold expression, Feng Luodi standing by the desk. Both of them had their backs to each other.

Gan Qingjia blinked and took a good look at Situ. “Did I interrupt something?”

“Cough, cough!” Feng Luodi choked.

Gan Qingjia quickly changed the topic. “You have to help me this time, Situ!” He reached forward, grabbed Situ by his arm and started dragging him out of the room.

“Uhm, get dressed properly before you go out.” Feng Luodi did not turn around.

Gan Qingjia raised an eyebrow and shot a look at Situ, dressed in nothing but bedclothes and an outer robe. Situ calmly put on his clothes and headed out of the room with Gan Qingjia, grabbing Feng Luodi by the hand as he pa.s.sed her.

They came to the pavilion in the courtyard and sat down. “What is it?”

Gan Qingjia started his complaint. “I don't know how the previous Imperial Treasurer had done his job, but the entire bureau is a mess. None of the officials can get anything done!”

“Then just keep a selected few, and find a chance for the Emperor to fire all of them.” Situ was unfazed.

“What makes you think that his Majesty would listen to me?” Gan Qingjia did not buy it.

“You're very popular with the Emperor right now,” Situ stated a matter-of-factly, “you are the important one in his plans to reform the court.”

Gan Qingjia rubbed his chin. “Now that you put it that way…I'm pretty d.a.m.n good, right?”

Feng Luodi mentally facepalmed. No wonder Jianqiu will like him; the two are so alike in some areas.

“Also, why does the Imperial Treasurer have so many things to take care of? Not only do I have to oversee the distribution of resources, I even have to keep track of the trades of iron, salt and even the tenure of lands! What is this!”

Situ threw him a sideward glance. “Do you still want to get married?”

“Yes!” Gan Qingjia was frank.

“Then do your job properly.” Situ raised an eyebrow. “Or what are you going to propose with?”

“Well, that's a good reason for me to work hard.” Gan Qingjia guffawed, but his face quickly changed. He lunged for Situ's neck, wanting to hold him in a playful choke. “You're not the one spending his days in the Bureau! You can feign sickness, but I can't!”

Feng Luodi quickly stood up to come between the two of them. Gan Qingjia grinned wickedly as his eyes darted between the two of them. “Speaking of which, what are you going to propose with, Situ?”

Situ's face changed as he quickly glanced at Feng Luodi, panic seizing his heart as he feared the worst.

Feng Luodi smiled, her eyes narrowing. “Did you tell Jianqiu before you visited the zither parlours?”

Gan Qingjia froze for a second and turned to run out of the courtyard. “Situ! I'll be borrowing your a.s.sistant Generals for the time being!”

Feng Luodi did not see the look on Situ's face.

Meanwhile, in the Jiang residence.

Jiang Moyin opened his eyes as he leaned against the pavilion in his courtyard. “Seems like the worst has happened.” He murmured.

“Do not worry, Master. We will always be in your service.” A few men dressed in plain clothes approached the pavilion.

Jiang Moyin closed his eyes again, sighing tiredly. “I see that none of you had joined his forces.”

The men exchanged a look and replied confidently in unison. “We are, and only will be, your followers.”

Jiang Moyin smiled lightly. “Then let me entrust one last thing to you as Jiang Moyin: stop the Heir.”

“We will do our best.”

The courtyard descended into silence again after the departure of the men. The silence was deathly; even the wind did not seem to make a sound as it gently breezed through the courtyard. All that was left was the pa.s.sage of time, and the cut-flower sound of a man waiting to die1.

“How can I make you stay, Luodi, when I have so much time left to call out to you like that.”

Outside the courtyard, Lu Bo stood watching his Master and made a decision. The dealings in the darkness will have to surface one day; such things are never the way.

Disclaimer: This beautiful phrase was stolen from The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and I just had to steal it because it was so apt and beautiful! ↩