884 Divulgence (1/2)
Two corpses were placed in front of them. They were so deathly pale that they looked like two dummies in the rough shape of a human. The prince of the Shule Kingdom glimpsed at them and his face became just as deathly pale. Gagging, he quickly turned around, walked to the gateway, and refused to face the bodies again.
Shangguan Fa stretched out his hand and pressed down on the wound in the first body's chest. ”A saber wound.”
The murder weapon was right beside the body. It was a typical narrow saber of Golden Roc Castle. The victim was Ma Lian's bodyguard, and he had died from a stab to the heart. The cut on the skin was just the size of a fingertip, which suggested that the stab wasn't deep and that the saber had pierced into and then been pulled out of the body very quickly, indicating that the assassin was a kung fu expert.
The second body was tentatively labeled as the assassin's.
It was a very young man. His slightly open mouth gave him a slightly puerile look. There were two wounds on him: one in the temple and the other in the side of the abdomen.
”Sword wounds,” said Gu Shenwei. ”The first sword blow caught the side of his abdomen, and the second one his vitals.”
These two sword wounds didn't seem as clean as the saber wound in the first body, but given that the assassin's kung fu was very good and that he had been vigilant, the one who had killed him should have had better kung fu skills.
The two who had just examined the bodies raised their heads and exchanged a glance, both feeling that this was incredible: they were standing in the same tent and talking politely instead of fighting.
It would take some courage for anybody to look the Unique King in the eye. Gu Shenwei wasn't afraid of doing so. The longer he was around Shangguan Fa, the less nervous he became. From time to time, the impulse to whip out his saber even surged within him, but this impulse didn't concern vengeance. It was only because he wanted to prove his strength.
Killing the Unique King was one of Gu Shenwei's most potent sources of hatred, but at this moment, it became insignificant.
”You know very well who did this,” Shangguan Fa said, totally indifferent to the aggressive look in the young man's eyes.
Shaking his head, Gu Shenwei refused to be the first one to name the killer. ”I don't know who this assassin is and neither do I know who killed him.”
Shangguan Fa's eyes were as deep as the sea, as if no storm was able to penetrate its surface. However, the corner of his lips curved into the ghost of a sneer. ”I believe that this assassin was a disciple of the Waning Moon Hall. The one who killed him should be Lotus.”
Deep eyes and a cold sneer: these two completely different expressions appeared on the same face, as if a poised old lion king was facing the challenge from a young male lion but only responded with a languid yawn.
Gu Shenwei was provoked. ”There are no male disciples within Waning Moon Hall, and Lotus is not the only one who uses a sword.”
”Maybe. But then who do you plan to hand over to the Central Plains? Some sabersman in a shabby alley of southern Jade City?”
Gu Shenwei discovered that he had been tricked. This was what Zhong Heng called the difference between ”the truth” and ”a solution.” Hand over a murderer that seemed reasonable to the Central Plains was more important than finding the true mastermind. When he had denied that the Waning Moon Hall and Lotus were responsible, he had actually shackled himself to ”the truth.”
”It was not a random assassination. It was well-planned,” he said, subduing the fleeting impulse to whip out his saber. ”The murderer is the one who benefited the most from it.”
”Didn't the Waning Moon Hall benefit from it?” Shangguan Fa moved his eyes aside, as if he were more interested in the two corpses. ”I heard that those lunatics' purpose is to throw the whole world into chaos so that they can profit from the chaotic situation. Isn't luring the Central Plains army into the Western Regions in accord with this purpose?”
”The Waning Moon Hall is not the only side that wants the Central Plain army to come here. You want that as well.” Gu Shenwei paused for a while, observing the reaction of Shangguan Fa. ”Two months ago, you handed over Thousand Horsemen Pass to the Central Plains. Didn't you do that because you wanted a war?”
Unexpectedly, Shangguan Fa nodded. ”That's true. But back then you had more than 200,000 Norland cavalrymen at your command. Golden Roc Castle can only benefit from a war between two evenly matched sides. But now, the army of the Central Plains is overwhelmingly stronger than all the other sides here. Why would I lure them here given that?”
”I can still summon the Norland cavalry.”
Shangguan Fa stared at Gu Shenwei again, the look on his face more callous than flat. ”No, you can't. You have begun to care about the lives of the troops, and you're afraid of heavy casualties. Besides, you know that a final showdown is pointless to you. No matter which side wins, the Norlanders will retreat to the grasslands, and you will have to face the Central Plains' attack alone. So, once the army of the Central Plains starts advancing towards the Western Regions, you will immediately attack Golden Roc Castle, and after that, you will be on the run just like you used to be.”
Neither Golden Roc Castle nor the Dragon Army could benefit from the intervention of the Central Plains. Gu Shenwei had no choice but to admit this, but he loathed Shangguan Fa's condescending tone. ”I want to see the body of the envoy of the Central Plains,” he said, abruptly changing the topic.
Wei Song was waiting for them in another tent. Upon hearing the Dragon King's request, he shook his head seriously. ”I don't know about the customs of the Western Regions, but the Central Plains respects the body of a noble very much. It was already unfortunate enough that Lord Ma had to be assassinated in the city, and his body is already in the coffin. I can't open the coffin and let him suffer an autopsy.”
The Unique King didn't seem to care much about it. He took his leave and returned to Jade City with his guards.
When there were only two people left in the tent, Wei Song's attitude became amiable. ”In front of the Unique King, I have to behave in a businesslike manner. If you really want to check the body, I'll see what I can do.”
Gu Shenwei shook his head. He had changed his mind. He decided not to ask Wei Song for any help for the moment. ”That won't be necessary. I don't think I'll be able to find anything. In three days' time, I'll give you the murderer, Lord Wei.”
Wei Song slightly lowered his voice. ”This is a good chance to take revenge. If there is any evidence that Golden Roc Castle was involved in the assassination of Lord Ma, I can give the order to capture Shangguan Fa without the Imperial Court's official consent.”
The intent look on Wei Song's face was so sincere that Gu Shenwei would have believed Wei Song if his will were a sliver weaker. Gu Shenwei's acting skills were also not bad. He nodded approvingly. ”This is indeed a good opportunity. I just sounded him out. Shangguan Fa really might be involved in the assassination of the envoy.”
”As long as you provide a motive… ” Wei Song intimately patted Gu Shenwei's shoulder and repeated, ”As long as you provide a motive…”