Volume 4 Chapter 10 (1/2)
Book 4 Chap 10 – Each executing own strategies
Xiang Shaolong stepped into the main hall of Hidden Dragon Abode and Wu Tingfang, Ting Fangshi together with the 4 maids were kneeling along the door to welcome him according to the procedures required of a wife and concubine to welcome the return of a long absent husband.
He did not expect Wu Tingfang to be so obedient and was feeling quite lost because he’s not quite sure what he’s supposed to do according to procedure. Wu Tingfang smilingly invited him to be seated at the main chair and personally helped to remove his clothes together with Ting Fangshi while the 4 maids happily went to the bathing pool behind to prepare hot water for him.
As Xiang Shaolong was enjoying the warm family atmosphere, he can’t help but think of the ill-fated Lady Ni. Especially when he was soaking in the pool, he remembered how he frolicked in the water with this alluring beauty right before he left.
Wu Tingfang is a lot more mature and voluptuous now, and more understanding as well. Not only did she not blame him for being moody, she even attended to him meticulously together with Ting Fangshi, using their pretty bodies to sooth his seriously injured heart.
In his daze, together with the fatigue from a long travel, Xiang Shaolong did not even know how he got onto the bed and when he woke up, it’s already deep into the night.
On the huge bed, beneath the warm blanket, there was only the flimsily clad Wu Tingfang hugging him tightly, sleeping sweetly.
Once Xiang Shaolong moved, she woke up immediately; obviously her concentration is totally upon her beloved.
Wu Tingfang asked gently, “Hungry? You haven’t had dinner yet!”
Xiang Shaolong hugged her tightly, “With you in my arms, everything else is forgotten.”
Wu Tingfang exclaimed happily, “It’s so good that you’re back. Without you, everything lost its interest and meaning. Fang’er did not want to ride horses, play archery, nothing at all, but everyday I’ll be counting the days when you’ll be back. I never thought that pining for a person could be so painful!”
“After Sister Ya returned, Fang’er went to bothered her everyday to tell me about what happened during your journey. Both of us totally idolizes you. I’ve long said that no one will be able to defeat you.”
Xiang Shaolong thought of Lady Ni and felt a stab of pain. He went closer to her ear and whispered, “I’ll eat my obedient Fang’er first before eating my late dinner, all right?”
Wu Tingfang exclaimed, “Of course! I’ve been waiting for your loving for so long that my neck is growing long from the wait.”
Early the next morning Master Wu sent someone to ask him and Wu Tingfang to join him for breakfast.
Xiang Shaolong hugged Ting Fangshi and cuddled with her for a short while, then kissed the 4 maids who had been ‘painfully waiting’ for him before hurrying to the main residence with the recently ‘nourished’ and exuberant Wu Tingfang.
Once Wu Tingfang saw her grandfather, she expertly used her wiles and mischievous behavior to make him so happy that he was grinning from ear to ear.
During the meal Master Wu told Xiang Shaolong, “After Wu Zhuo returned, he gave me a detailed report of Shaolong’s trip to Wei. I am very pleased with what I heard, Shaolong not only are you more intelligent than others, you’re also brave and heroic. It really is Fang’er’s good fortune to have you as her husband.”
Wu Tingfang saw how her usually picky grandfather was complimenting her husband and was so happy she can’t help but smile sweetly.
Just as Xiang Shaolong was expressing his modesty embarrassingly, Master Wu said, “We’ll choose a time within these 2 days to hold a secret wedding between you and Tingfang. That Ting Fangshi will become your concubine, does Shaolong have any objections?”
Xiang Shaolong rose to bow and offer his thanks while Wu Tingfang lowered her pretty face in bashfulness and joy.
After he returned to his seat, Master Wu continued, “Whether we succeed or fail, Zhao Ya is the key point. Only through her will it be possible for you to get in touch with Ying Zheng and his mother. Luckily she is enamored with you so Shaolong should make use of this relationship well.”
Wu Tingfang pouted, “Grandfather! Sister Ya and Shaolong are truly in love with each other.”
Master Wu sighed, “Little girl! What do you know?”
Xiang Shaolong has no wish to argue with him over this, and he can’t really blame him for this thought because Zhao Ya’s reputation is really too horrible. No one will believe that she will remain true to one person, and even he himself is not totally confident.
Master Wu said, “Last night Guo Zhong sent a messenger over to invite Shaolong to his residence tonight for a feast to celebrate the success of stealing ‘Lu Gong’s Secret Manual’. The other invited guests are Zhao Mu, the Juzi from Zhao Mohism Yan Ping and the person I mentioned to you yesterday, Zhao Ba from the Zhao Warrior Association. With such an arrangement, I’m afraid it’s not going to be something so simple as a celebratory feast.”
Xiang Shaolong furrowed his brows on hearing that and asked, “Can I bring some men along?”
Master Wu replied, “Of course you can! Now that you are our Wu family’s Grandson-in-law, and has made great military contributions, your status is different from the past. How can you not have some family warriors following you?”
Xiang Shaolong thought for a moment before asking, “There’s one matter which Shaolong is unable to figure out. King Xiaocheng and Zhao Mu all have the family name Zhao, do they have any blood relations with each other, but why is it they can mess everything up, and even have marriages between those of the same family name?”
Master Wu looked at him in surprise, “You’re confusing me instead. People from the wild mountains like you have never placed much consideration on marriages between blood relatives, so why are you so particular about this matter?”
Only now did Xiang Shaolong remember his ‘real background’ and he pulled off a nonsensical reply, “I’m just perplexed that the royalty would learn from us as well.”
Master Wu would never imagine that he came from another dimension, and even if Xiang Shaolong told the truth, he would not have believed him. He explained, “There are 2 groups of people with the family name Zhao. One of the group is really from the Zhao family tribe, but after so many generations, the blood relations has been thinned greatly so everyone ignores it with some even encouraging marriages within the same family name. The other group are those bestowed the family name ‘Zhao’ by the King, and Zhao Mu is one of the examples.”
Xiang Shaolong nodded his head in understanding.
Master Wu said, “There are 2 people whom Shaolong must be on guard against, and they’re Prince Xinling from Wei and Tian Dan from Qi. These 2 people are extremely formidable and have a lot of expert fighters under them. You’ve stolen the ‘Lu Gong’s Secret Manual’ and killed Xiao Weimou, they will definitely not let you off. Unless they decide not to strike but if they do, it will certainly be after much planning and consideration and their strategy will be astounding, it’s not going to be something easy to deal with.”
Xiang Shaolong raised his brows as he replied, “Shaolong is already mentally prepared, Grandfather please rest assured!”
Master Wu raised his head heavenward and chortled as he reached out his hand to pat his shoulder, saying, “Good! That is my good grandson-in-law.”
Knowing oneself and one’s enemy well is the key to winning a hundred battles.
Even in the 21st century, gathering information is the most important task. It’s just that during that time they can rely on satellites, but here they have to rely on people’s ears and eyes.
Because of this Xiang Shaolong had a discussion with Tao Fang to decide how to find out what Zhao Mu’s strategy against them is. They also extended their spying network to Guo Zhong, Zhao Ba, Yan Ping as well as Zhao Mu’s 2 lackeys, the Physician Guo Kai and General Yue Cheng etc. After that he went with Wu Tingfang to Lady Ya’s residence situated outside the Palace.
Teng Yi and Jing Jun became his personal bodyguards. Once he steps out of the house, they will follow him like a shadow.
Wu Zhuo also chose another 10 excellent fighters to be his followers. All these people went to Wei with him so they have already established strong ties with him, therefore they can naturally work well with one another.
The streets of Handan is livelier and more crowded as well. Looking at the dressing and hearing the accents, a lot of them were traders from other places. Obviously Zhao is now slowly recovering after it’s serious defeat at Changping.
Xiang Shaolong and Wu Tingfang rode alongside each other, followed by Teng Yi and Jing Jun with the Wu family soldiers following right at the end and everyone on the streets turned to look at them.
He can’t help but feel a surge of emotions.
Thinking back on the day he just arrived in Handan, he couldn’t even protect Ting Fangshi then and can’t help but have mixed feelings about this.
But all these in front of him, is like a sandcastle built on a beach. One large wave is all it takes for everything to disappear without a trace.
In fact the whole country can use this analogy as well.
Again he felt as if this is a big dream.
Why does life always feel like a dream?
Only during special moments, for example when fighting a battle or when enjoying himself like last night with Wu Tingfang can he clearly feel the presence of life.
No matter how he was thrown into this era, it’s difficult for him to feel for what is happening in front of him like the others. Because after all he is from another era, with 2000 more years of experience, that’s why he can see more clearly, more deeply and more objectively than any scholar of this era.
Wu Tingfang kept throwing sweet and beguiling smiles at him and soon, they were entering Lady Ya’s residence.
Zhao Ya received them in the main hall.
Xiang Shaolong specially introduced Teng Yi and Jing Jun to her and said quietly, “Jing Jun is very good in stealth work at night, going over walls and into houses easily. If there is anything urgent I want to inform you, I will tell him to look for you.”
After settling on some simple communication signals, Lady Ya smiled smugly, “Qian’er is waiting for you inside.”
Xiang Shaolong was overjoyed and curious at the same time, “King Xiaocheng really agreed to your request?”
Lady Ya led him and Wu Tingfang into the inner hall while Teng and Jing remained in the outer hall. As they walked, she explained, “I gave Imperial brother a proposal, saying that I want to teach Qian’er the secrets to enticing men so that when she becomes the concubine of another state, she can also make use of her natural beauty to push things that are beneficial to our Great Zhao. Imperial brother is not a person with a mind of his own so after I pointed out to him the advantages to it, he agreed.”
Xiang Shaolong secretly admired Zhao Ya for her quick and tactical ideas. He reached out and hugged her slender waist, tapped her buttocks lightly twice and said, “So Zhao Mu’s family name is not originally Zhao, I wonder who is he and what is his background?”
Zhao Ya replied, “No one in Handan dares to mention this, because Zhao Mu will go to unscrupulous lengths to deal with those who pursue his background. When he came to Zhao he was only 14 years old, and was introduced by an attendant. Because Zhao Mu’s swordsmanship was excellent and was obedient, and at the same time he has the same habit of liking men like Imperial brother so very quickly he won the heart of Imperial brother. At that time Imperial brother has not yet ascended the throne but because of their close relationship, even we could not say anything. I just did not expect that now that Zhao Ni’s death is so full of loopholes, Imperial brother still allowed Zhao Mu to cover everything up. Now everyone in the palace has given up on Imperial brother, but what’s the use of that?”
Xiang Shaolong forced himself not to think of Lady Ni and asked calmly, “Is the attendant who brought him in still around?”
Zhao Ya replied, “Not long after Imperial brother ascended the throne, that attendant was found to have lost his footing, fell into a well and drowned by someone. At that time we did not suspect anything at all but now that you’re asking about it, I think this person is killed by Zhao Mu to prevent him from revealing the secret of his background.”
Xiang Shaolong asked, “Is that attendant from Zhao?”
Lady Ya thought for a moment before replying, “I’m not sure, but it’s not difficult to find out.”
Xiang Shaolong reminded her, “This investigation must be done secretly.”
Lady Ya pouted, “All right! Do I still need you to tell me that?”
Xiang Shaolong was about to speak further when Zhao Qian ran into his arms like a fragrant breeze, her delicate body trembling and using all the strength she has to hug him tightly.
Wu Tingfang laughed, “3rd Princess, so you’re equally enamored of him as well!”
Zhao Qian left Xiang Shaolong’s safe embrace embarrassingly and holding Wu Tingfang’s tiny hand, led her towards Lady Ya’s tranquil little building, the 2 girls chattering non-stop, behaving very closely towards each other.
The 4 of them went to the small building and drinking the fragrant tea served by Xiao Zhao and the rest, enjoying the nice morning weather.
The large garden outside the building has turned into a silvery white world, with snowy petals on the trees.
Xiang Shaolong told Wu Tingfang and Zhao Qian, “My 2 obedient lasses, the garden is so pretty, why don’t you take a walk downstairs?”
Naturally the 2 ladies will listen to his every command and knowing that he has business to discuss with Lady Ya, they obediently went down to admire the snowy scene in the garden.