Chapter 201 (1/2)

With the ongoing war in the deserts of the North, people entering and leaving Yunzhong Pa.s.s need to go through strict screening before they could pa.s.s to and fro.

Feng Luodi was currently sitting in a teahouse not far away from the city gate. She seemed to be enjoying her tea leisurely, but her gaze subconsciously floated to the busy crowd pa.s.sing through the city gate.

Standing not too far away from Feng Luodi was Covert Guard Quattor disguised as a manservant, his appearance respectful and courteous.

Time went by quietly, and the people visiting the teahouse came and went one batch after another. Feng Luodi was still sitting there as steady as Mount Tai[1], and just as Covert Guard Quattor was about to remind her of the time, Feng Luodi finally spoke in an unhurried manner.

”Miss Linglong, there's one thing I would like to ask you about.”

Sitting at the table behind Feng Luodi was a simply-dressed woman, who looked like a married woman from the countryside that seemingly came to pay a visit to her relatives here in the city.

As soon as Feng Luodi finished speaking, several groups of people sitting at the tables around her got up and left one after another, and at last there was only one table left behind.

Feng Luodi wasn't in a rush as she unhurriedly poured more tea for herself and drank a few sips. In the end, the person behind her couldn't keep her cool; she stood up and walked towards Feng Luodi's table. That person was undoubtedly dressed in coa.r.s.e hemp garment and there was also something smeared on her face to make her appear older, yet her graceful movements brought out a sophisticated bearing that couldn't be concealed.

”It looks like Miss Feng has followed General-in-Chief all the way to this bitter cold place.”

Linglong no longer disguised her voice and deportment.

”For what reason did Miss Feng point out my ident.i.ty? I'm merely an ordinary citizen now, and I'm no longer competing for splendor with the girls in that prosperous Chang'an City. ”

Feng Luodi, on the other hand, remained indifferent towards her humble stance. She slowly put the teacup in her hand and said,

”Moyin pa.s.sed away, did you know that?”

Hearing this, Linglong's pupils abruptly contracted. She finally recovered after a while and tried to conceal her emotions again, but it was already too late. In that short interval, Feng Luodi had already gotten the answer she wanted.

”You were the one who placed that poisonous seed in the flower pot in Moyin's room…”

Feng Luodi suppressed her sorrow and said those words in affirmation.

”Although Moyin was sickly to begin with, your poison has only accelerated his pa.s.sing. But, Linglong…”

Feng Luodi stared straight at Linglong with an indifferent expression, and saw the latter's body tremble slightly.

”Linglong, I know that you like Moyin. I have got to hand it to you for harming him for the sake of your country. As expected, the Third Prince, no, the King of the Huns' means are truly ruthless. ”

Feng Luodi didn't beat around the bush with Linglong. After Situ had told her about Linglong's ident.i.ty, all the doubts in her heart had been pieces together and she understood everything.

Linglong was a spy planted in the Xuan Kingdom by Li Hengba, the former Third Prince of the Huns. She was usually responsible for collecting intel, but her main mission was to encourage the Eight Prince to commit treason when an opportunity presented itself. In this case, Li Hengba would be able to use this as an excuse to start a war, and persuade other countries to join forces with him to seize control of the Xuan Kingdom.

During Linglong's stay in Chang'an, she fell in love with the prodigy Jiang Moyin, yet she had to feign civility with Gan Qingjia and other Young Masters. She originally wanted to use Gan Qingjia to control the Minister of the Left and incite disharmony between the deposed Heir's faction and Situ. At the same time, she'd also wanted to get close to Jiang Moyin. Although she liked him, she had no choice but to scheme against him to frame the deposed Heir.

Unfortunately, her first source of intel, Gan Qingjia, had been cut off with the appearance of Qi Jianqiu, and likewise, Feng Luodi's appearance had destroyed her second source, Jiang Moyin.

When Linglong fled back to the Huns, she was no longer of use to the King of the Huns. Although she grumbled and resented her fate, at the same time, she felt aggrieved and didn't want to resign herself to fate. They were all human beings, but some people's journey were bound to be smooth sailing, some people were fated to be well-liked and supported by many, and some people had no choice but to do the dirty work for others in order to survive.

Linglong still remembered the bitter days she had experienced. She was still a child back then when Li Hengba brought her back to his residence and from that moment onwards, she'd started receiving training. Those despicable means and those torturous days had, in the end, nurtured a vicious heart. She initially thought that she had long forgotten the emotions that a human being should have. However, upon meeting Moyin, she'd started to antic.i.p.ate that man's appearance and his gentle gaze. Yet, that man was one of the targets she was ordered to kill. In the end, that man's gentle gaze was reserved for another person and not her…

”What are you trying to say?”

Linglong no longer masked her feelings and asked, her gaze fixed on Feng Luodi. This woman in front of her was one of the few that she resented and envied.

Feng Luodi smiled playfully and gently moved her vermillion lips to say, ”I just need you to say a few words in the King of the Huns' presence.”

The next day, the King of the Huns himself went to battle and led an army of five hundred thousand to challenge Situ Muye in a fight thirty miles away from Yunzhong Pa.s.s.

Situ acted as the General-in-Chief of the Northern Army and led three hundred thousand soldiers to confront the enemy.

This was a b.l.o.o.d.y battle where both parties had a.s.sumed that their opponent on the other side had fallen into a trap, struggling futilely on the battlefield.

The banners were dyed red with blood. Broken golden daggers were stuck randomly on the ground with rivers of blood and corpses everywhere.

The fierce battle ended with the victory of the Northern Army.

After their defeat, not only was the King of the Huns not discouraged, but he was quite vigorous as he led the rest of his troops to rendezvous with the armies of Xianbei, Fuyu, Shushen, and the other allied countries. As such, he was commanding an enormous army once again.

When Feng Luodi heard that Situ was wounded, she immediately dropped the needlework in her hand and rushed to the medical camp. Meanwhile, Mama was sitting peacefully at her original spot with a peculiar smile on her face.

”Situ!”

Feng Luodi abruptly lifted the curtain of the tent and what came into view was the military doctor talking to Situ in a low voice. When the two men realised that someone had broken in without being announced, they looked up in surprise and saw a worried Feng Luodi.

”咳咳。”

”Cough, cough.”

The military doctor dry coughed a few times and bade his farewell, leaving behind Situ, who was in the midst of twirling the bandage around his hand as he gazed at Feng Luodi's worried expression with interest.