427 A Package Wrapped in Blue Cloth (1/2)
Chapter 427: A Package Wrapped in Blue Cloth
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
Ning Que asked, ”Why do you think he was bragging?”
Chen Pipi answered, ”Because even if the armored cavalry is invincible, Second Brother can just run away from them.”
Ning Que said, ”But you just said that it is impossible for you to run away from it.”
”Second Brother is different from me.”
Chen Pipi said, ”He runs faster than me, and even your Big Black Horse can't catch up with him.”
A question suddenly occurred to Ning Que. He asked, ”The problem is, if Second Brother was really trapped by the army, do you think he would choose to run away?”
Chen Pipi thought for a moment and said, ”No, he won't.”
Ning Que said with pity, ”In this way, it is right to say that no one can defeat the army.”
Chen Pipi shook his head and said, ”But I think if Second Brother was surrounded by the army and didn't run away, he could kill two thousand people using all his power, and then the others left would be too scared to fight against him.”
Ning Que muttered, ”That makes sense.”
Then he said, ”Only imagining this scene makes me excited. It is a shame that we can't actually see it.”
They chatted while walking through the forest. Now that they had come to the Vermilion Bird Avenue, it was time for them to part.
Ning Que held his two fists together and bowed to Chen Pipi. He said sincerely, ”Thanks, Senior Brother.”
Chen Pipi sighed.
Ning Que did not say anything.
Chen Pipi asked, ”Why do you want to do that?”
Ning Que knew what he was asking about.
He was asking why he wanted to kill people, why he wanted to fight against the Military Ministry of Tang, and why he held a grudge towards the general who was about to come back.
Ning Que looked down at the grass at his feet, silent.
He didn't admit anything when Xu Shi asked him the same question. And no matter who asked him this question, he would just say that he was innocent. But he didn't want to hide from Chen Pipi.
Raising his head and looking at Chen Pipi's eyes, Ning Que said, ”Xia Hou killed my whole family.”
Chen Pipi was taken back by this answer, and his expression changed suddenly. After a long time of silence, he reached out his hand and patted Ning Que on his shoulder to comfort him.
”Then you really should be angry.”
”But Xia Hou is not an ordinary person. You can't kill him whatever you do, because he is too powerful for you.”
Chen Pipi looked at Ning Que and said in concern, ”And he is both an important general of Tang and a visiting professor at the West-Hill, with these two identities, he is really influential. Even if the Headmaster won't stop you from trying to kill him, do you think Eldest Brother and Second Brother will agree to help you? I can't defeat Xia Hou for you.”
Ning Que understood his words and he was touched.
Chen Pipi asked at last, ”What do you plan to do when he comes back to Chang'an in the late autumn?”
Ning Que shook his head and said, ”I don't know.”
...
It was in the Palace of Tang.
The Palace, being washed by the rain for a whole day, looked brilliant against the blue sky.
Xu Shi had been looking at this Palace for more than ten years, and although he was so familiar with it, he was never bored looking at it. He was old and haunted by some old illness in his lung, but deep in his heart, he was just as active and passionate as when he just joined the Military camp in his youth.
The Emperor put the bowl of medicine down and furrowed his brows. It seemed that the medicine was too bitter for him. He signed to the eunuch to leave and looked at the old general beside him. ”Although we both cough a lot, our illness is different, so I can't share my medicine with you. Speaking of that, I said you should stay in the south and recover from your illness, why did you come back?”
Xu Shi appreciated His Majesty's trust and care, but it didn't mean that he would agree with all of his decisions. He replied, ”The Nanzhaoshan tribe have surrendered last spring, and the south had returned to peace. I only need to leave some army there as a deterrent to the Yuelun Kingdom. There is no need for me to stay there. And although the humid temperature there is good for my lungs, I am not used to the humid air.”
The Emperor said, ”Fine. With you back to Chang'an and watch over the Military Ministry for me, I can relax a little.”
Xu Shi said, ”But there is one thing His Majesty should pay more attention to.”
The Emperor was silent.
Xu Shi said, ”Please write to the Academy and ask the Headmaster to punish Ning Que.”
The Emperor turned around to look at him and asked, ”Do you have solid proof?”
Xu Shi said, ”No, I don't.”
The Emperor asked again, ”What did you say when I wanted to punish Xia Hou?”
Xu Shi said, ”I didn't say anything.”
The Emperor said, ”But my brother, my prime minister, the minister of Dali Temple and the Empress said something. They all said that the law of Tang Empire wrote that when there was no proof, no one was allowed to be punished.”
He looked at the most loyal general in Tang and said mockingly, ”At that time, I didn't oppose them after thinking for a long time, and you didn't either. Do you want to oppose them now?”
Xu Shi was silent for a long time and said, ”Even if we can't punish Ning Que because of the lack of proof, I still think it was wrong to give the God-stunning Array to him.”