Chapter 225 - A Second Draw (2/2)

“They thought we’d be afraid to lose and back out of it. How’s that even possible?” Ji Feng rolled up his sleeves in a combative mood, eager to make his riding skills known.

But Ling Zhang was thinking that if a.s.sa.s.sins did show up later during the horse race, this private compet.i.tion of theirs would once again be interrupted. He felt a trifle guilty, but it was inconvenient for him to disclose these things to any of them, so he had no choice but to keep silent.

Just now his eyes had searched the whole racecourse, but Yuwen Tong’s men were nowhere to be seen, and he hadn’t even spotted Yuwen Tong.

“These guys are so good at hiding,” he mumbled under his breath and then looked at Miao s.h.i.+ba and a couple of others behind him. After a moment’s thought, he still said to Yuwen Jin and the others, “There’s something I need to consult Professor Li about. I’ll be back in just a little while.”

Yuwen Jin and his other schoolmates didn’t suspect anything. Ling Zhang, accompanied by Miao s.h.i.+ba and a couple of bodyguards, walked away.

Originally Ling Zhang had wanted to bring only Miao s.h.i.+ba as he usually did, but eventually he’d still decided to have Xie s.h.i.+ and a couple of others go with him. Firstly, the situation might get very dangerous in a while, and secondly, as Yuwen Tong had reminded him previously, the a.s.sa.s.sins were fully aware that he knew they were going to make another attempt on him, which meant that he would arouse their suspicions if he went alone without bringing any guards with him, so he might as well have more men accompany him.

This was why on this occasion Ling Zhang had a group of bodyguards in his wake wherever he went. All students of the Imperial College were somewhat familiar with a scene like this, and they recalled someone else who had done such a thing before Ling Zhang – Jiang Yu of Jiang family. Currently Jiang Yu, because of his injuries, was staying at home confined to bed, and Ling Zhang had taken his place doing the same thing. Moreover, all the bodyguards behind Ling Zhang seemed to be even tougher than those of Jiang family. Because of this, students of the Imperial College were sneaking appraising glances at Ling Zhang, their countenance somewhat subtle.

Ling Zhang, who was aware that many students were staring at him, was not disgruntled, for he had antic.i.p.ated this situation.

The princ.i.p.al, however, seeing him walking in his direction, mistakenly believed that Ling Zhang was coming to talk to him, but Ling Zhang merely bowed to him in salutation and then turned his head around to look at Professor Li beside him.

“May I have a few moments of your time, professor? There’s something I’d like to consult you about,” Ling Zhang said to Ji Yin.

Ji Yin, who guessed that the matter Ling Zhang wanted to talk with him about was probably supposed to be kept in confidence, rose to his feet and led Ling Zhang a couple of steps away.

The princ.i.p.al suspiciously looked at them. There had been several occasions when Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong went to meet Professor Li in private, and the princ.i.p.al had some time ago suspected that the relations between them were not common. Now he was even more certain of this. But he was perplexed as to what kind of relations Ling Zhang had with this new professor exactly.

“Grandfather, there might be some trouble in a while. You need to be careful, and you should remind the princ.i.p.al to evacuate students when it happens,” Ling Zhang said to Ji Yin.

Ji Yin, who seemed to have some time ago guessed something, inclined his head. “I’ll give him a prompt reminder. Is the trouble coming for you?”

Ling Zhang gave him an honest answer. “Yeah. Someone wants to kill me.”

Ji Yin knitted his eyebrows. Soon something occurred to him and he asked, “In the hunting ground of the western suburbs, the a.s.sa.s.sin’s target was not Marshal Yuwen but you?”

Ling Zhang nodded. “I have no idea who it is that wants me dead, but I think they’ll make another attempt today, given how good an opportunity this is.”

A piercing and disgruntled look flitted across Ji Yin’s eyes. Clearly news of someone intending to kill Ling Zhang displeased him. “There’s n.o.body you suspect?”

Ling Zhang hesitated for a brief moment. “There is someone, but neither I nor Yuwen Tong knows why he wants to kill me.”

Ji Yin said, “I see. I’ll keep a close watch on these students, and I think it’s needless for me to remind you that you should be careful not to get more injuries – you’ve already hurt your arm.”

“I’ll be cautious,” replied Ling Zhang in the knowledge that his grandfather was saying this out of concern for him.

Ji Yin’s eyes moved to the bodyguards behind him. He sized up all of them one by one and then withdrew his gaze.

Miao s.h.i.+ba, Xie s.h.i.+ and the others, who were appraised, noticed a formidably piercing look suddenly appear in the eyes of this nondescript-looking old man who seemed to be seeing straight into their souls. This made all of them jumpy, a mixture of dismay and wariness involuntarily rising inside them.

But Childe Ling called this old man grandfather…

The old man withdrew his gaze after sizing them up, the air about him mild and restrained. He didn’t strike them as hostile.

Miao s.h.i.+ba, Xie s.h.i.+ and the others still had instinctive trust in Ling Zhang, so although astonished by the awe-inspiring martial-arts attainments that this old man had briefly displayed, they managed to maintain their usual demeanor.

“These bodyguards are pretty good. You probably have your own plans. Remember that safety always comes first, whatever the circ.u.mstances,” said Ji Yin.

Ling Zhang smiled, “I will.”

Since it was inconvenient for the two of them to have a long talk, Ling Zhang soon parted from Ji Yin and returned to the side of Yuwen Jin and his schoolmates.

“Brother Zhang, the horse race will soon start, and there will be a second draw,” said Yuwen Jin.

Ling Zhang gave a bob of his head and walked up to the draw-pot with Yuwen Jin and the others, ready to draw lots for a second time. However, he was just about to reach into the draw-pot when Xie s.h.i.+ stopped him and said, “Allow me do it for you, Childe Ling.”

Ling Zhang was briefly surprised and then withdrew his hand. “All right.”

The teacher standing behind the draw-pot, who was also fleetingly astonished, furrowed his brow and wanted to say something, but Xie s.h.i.+ had already fished a piece of bamboo out of the pot and show him the number on it.

The teacher had no choice but to hold back the words that had sprung to his lips, pretending he hadn’t noticed.

Some of the other students were not very happy about this, but none of them said anything, for Ling Zhang was now a celebrity in the Imperial College, and they all knew what Ling Zhang was capable of and didn’t dare offend him for no good reason. Besides, Ling Zhang had a group of bodyguards at his back, who they could tell at a glance were no common people. A lot of students were muttering in their heads, ‘Marshal Yuwen is spoiling Ling Zhang. He’s actually sent his bodyguards here. Is it really necessary? And Ling Zhang seems to be getting better at putting on a show.’

<script>