873 Trus (2/2)
”Not yet. Or maybe I should say that I haven't found any specific proof yet. But he lied to me, which is the most intolerable deed.”
Shangguan Hong was wavering between lowering his head and continuing to look at the Dragon King in the face. Eventually, he decided to lower his head. ”Lies are the beginning of betrayal.” It was not until he finished the last word that he recalled that this was an aphorism he had heard from Zhang Ji.
”Um. That's right. Shangguan Fei sent someone to stalk you. It was him who claimed with great assurance that you're the murderer, and that it is you who is responsible for those assassinations last night.”
”That's a vicious slander. Last night, I was supervising a couple of craftsmen making robes all night. A lot of people can stand as my witnesses. Shangguan Fei may not know it, but City View Alley is not just a filthy alley full of dirty things and crimes. The best tailors in Jade City also live there.”
”I believe you,” Gu Shenwei said flatly, ”because I also had someone spy on Shangguan Fei. He said that he was in the army camp all night long and he used his timidity as an excuse. However, I know that he sneaked into the city last night. His destination was those sabersmen villages and then someone picked him up and sent him back with a fast horse.”
For the first time, Shangguan Hong became interested in and also started to trust the Dragon King's previous promise. ”Shangguan Fei… Do you want me to do anything, Dragon King?”
Gu Shenwei shook his head. ”Shangguan Fei will be your reward. Don't do anything to him before you make a contribution.”
”Yes.” There was more certainty and confidence in Shangguan Hong's voice now.
After Shangguan Hong left, Gu Shenwei felt a little tired. Although he had every reason to cooperate with Prince Xiao instead of wage a war between the Norland and the Central Plains, he still sometimes wondered whether the latter option was simpler and more preferable.
Once he raised his arm and gave the order, hundreds of thousands of troops would rush into the battleground and fight his enemies to the death, and they would be heroes no matter if they won or lost. In any case, this was an appealing scene.
However, Gu Shenwei had stepped into a maze of intrigue once again. Like a spider waiting at the center of a giant web with only the slight quiver of its spider silk as its sole means of detecting its prey, it had to stay awake both day and night.
He tapped the surface of the table twice. Tie Linglong walked out of a corner, a confused look on her face. ”Was it really Shangguan Fei? But he's just a coward.”
”I don't know.” Gu Shenwei had allowed Tie Linglong to listen on the side, so he had to be honest with her. ”I just know that Shangguan Fei snuck out of the camp last night. His horse ran too fast, and the one spying on him wasn't able to follow him, so I don't know where he went at all. Maybe he just went to meet with Madam Meng.”
Tie Linglong was even more confused now. ”I believe that many of Shangguan Hong's remarks were lies. Why do you believe him instead of Shangguan Fei?”
Tie Linglong was an innocent girl. She was so innocent that Gu Shenwei somewhat envied her. ”It is Madam Meng who I don't believe. Shangguan Fei is timid and won't resist unless pushed. But with his mother motivating him, there's nothing Shangguan Fei won't do. Thus, I have to take some precautions.”
Tie Linglong began to understand. ”Oh. So the Dragon King incited Shangguan Hong to handle Madam Meng and Shangguan Fei, but you also forbid Shangguan Hong to take action-”
”Shangguan Hong won't listen to me, and that's for the better.”
Tie Linglong didn't fully understand. She was still young, and she didn't know the difference between doing something of one's own account and doing it under an order. The Dragon King was offering Madam Meng and her son a true enemy instead of an obedient puppet.
Tie Linglong was too embarrassed to ask any further questions, so she said, ”Shangguan Hong must have been lying when he said that he was secretly practicing the Daoless Divine Power. Judging by his prior manner, there were several occasions when he wanted to attack Dragon King. Where does his confidence come from? Even if he started practicing it a year ago, the total amount of time of his practice is still several years less than the Dragon King's. He must have learned some kind of evil cultivation method.”
Gu Shenwei nodded approvingly. ”My guess is that Shangguan Hong learned his evil cultivation method from Waning Moon Hall. Did you notice his voice?”
Tie Linglong was somewhat bemused. ”I didn't pay any special attention to it. Anyway, I know that Shangguan Hong is not a good liar.”
”Shangguan Hong's voice sounds like that of a man again.”
Tie Linglong was even more bewildered. ”But he is a man, isn't he?”
”He used to be, but Shangguan Fei turned him into an eunuch.”
Gu Shenwei thoughtfully said this in a casual tone, but Tie Linglong still blushed slightly. She only had a vague concept of these things, but she had decided to become a killer free of taboos, so she nodded solemnly. ”You suspect that… even Waning Moon Hall doesn't have this kind of kung fu, right?”
”I don't know much about Waning Moon Hall, but if this kind of evil cultivation method does exist, then it has to be one of Waning Moon Hall's secret arts.”
”We can ask Han Wuxian. She seems to be very honest and also terribly afraid of Lotus. She doesn't even dare leave the army camp.”
”Old Man Mu is a better alternative.”
”That's true. Old Man Mu once helped the Waning Moon Hall improve their kung fu skills, and he's probably more familiar with those secret arts than Han Wuxian. He's also more obedient.”
Actually, it was another issue that had occurred to Gu Shenwei. There were some cultivation methods which were so evil that even disciples of the Waning Moon Hall refused to practice them, and Old Man Mu was the only one who had ever tried practicing them. ”The last remark of yours was wrong. Old Man Mu is not as obedient as he seems to be. He's just as untrustworthy as Han Wuxian.”
Tie Linglong widened her eyes. ”This one's untrustworthy, and that one's untrustworthy too – you barely have any trustworthy men at your command, Dragon King.”
On this occasion, Gu Shenwei could just name Tie Linglong's name and then she would surely become more loyal to him. But instead, he said, ”This is the reason why I have allowed you to listen to my conversation with him and freely ask questions afterwards – to let you know about my true thoughts. I don't trust anyone, including you.”
These words were like a basin of cold water poured over Tie Linglong's head, perplexing her.