Chapter 104: The Second Verbal Duel with Yuwen Qi
Ling Zhang ran so fast that he failed to notice the sudden appearance of Yuwen Tong, while Yuwen Tong had never expected that Ling Zhang would abruptly hurtle out of the bathroom. Thus the two people bumped against each other.
“Ouch!” Ling Zhang held his nose and gasped. Yuwen Tong’s chest was as hard as rock and caused him great pain.
“Let me have a look.” Yuwen Tong tossed the clothes in his hands aside, held Ling Zhang’s shoulder with one hand and raised Ling Zhang’s chin with the other, scrutinizing his nose. Seeing that Ling Zhang’s eyes had gone red and there were even tears, Yuwen Tong knew that this bump must have been pretty hard.
“You … Hiss… Why did you suddenly come back?!” Ling Zhang asked with a heavy nasal accent.
“There’s something I forgot to tell you.” Yuwen Tong stared at Ling Zhang, painfully concerned. “Don’t hold it. Let me see whether you got hurt.”
Ling Zhang shot him a dark glance and moved his hand off his nose.
After checking his nose carefully, Yuwen Tong breathed a sigh of relief. “Your nose is okay. It’s just a little red. The pain should go away in a short while. Why did you rush out so abruptly? Was there an emergency?”
“I was afraid that I might catch a cold, so I ran very quick,” replied Ling Zhang.
Since this incident had happened so fast, it was not until this moment that Yuwen Tong observed that Ling Zhang was merely wearing a pair of water-soaked shorts. His face instantly darkened. “Why didn’t you grab that blanket?”
“I didn’t notice.” Ling Zhang told a thinly disguised lie.
Yuwen Tong knitted his eyebrows and made way for Ling Zhang. “Go to your bedroom. Hurry!”
Ling Zhang slid him a sideways glance. ‘If it weren’t for that you suddenly came back and bumped into me, I would have been in my bedroom for some time now. Yet you still have the nerve to yell at me?’ he thought angrily.
Ling Zhang walked back to his bedroom. Seeing Yuwen Tong following him, he asked, “Why are you still here?”
“There’s something I need to talk to you about. Go and change clothes first.”
Ling Zhang stood speechless.
Silently, he took some clean clothes and went behind a screen to change.
While changing, he asked Yuwen Tong, “What is it that you want to talk with me about?”
“Tomorrow morning I’ll join you for breakfast. Wait for me to come back.”
‘So this trifle was why he came back and almost hurt my nose?’ Ling Zhang could barely forbear to curse.
“I have to go now.” Probably having sensed that Ling Zhang was on the verge of beating him up, Yuwen Tong made this remark and left.
After getting changed, Ling Zhang walked out and was somewhat amazed to find that Yuwen Tong was gone. ‘He really left?’
Suspicious, he went to the outer room and looked around. Confirming that Yuwen Tong had really left, he heaved a soft sigh of relief, as if that bump had caused him some kind of psychological shadow.
But he still had an inexplicable feeling that something was not right, and for the first time, it struck him that this house he had been living in was somewhat too spacious.
In the Green Bamboo Mansion next door, Yuwen Tong, who had just changed clean clothes, intended to leave. Before leaving, he asked, “Why is Yuwen Qi so quiet?”
The guard answered, “His wrist aches, so he doesn’t have the strength to make any more trouble.”
“Keep a close watch on him. Don’t be careless.”
“Yes, Marshal.”
After a brief pause, Yuwen Tong added, “If by any chance Ling Zhang comes here and requires a meeting with Yuwen Qi, you… Never mind. If he wants to do this, don’t stop him, but remember to offer him help if he needs any. Don’t let Yuwen Qi get the best of him.”
The guard was surprised but still responded quickly, “Yes, Marshal!”
It was not until these arrangements had been made that Yuwen Tong appeared slightly satisfied and left the Green Bamboo Mansion.
Ling Zhang stealthily came to the Green Bamboo Mansion only a few moments after Yuwen Tong left. First, he tentatively called, “Yuwen Tong.”
There was no response.
“Yuwen Tong – ”
“Childe Ling, I’m afraid Marshal is not in.” A guard in black suddenly craned beyond the edge of the rooftop.
Taken aback by his appearance, Ling Zhang somewhat embarrassedly gave a soft cough. “I see.”
“May I ask if there is any particular issue that you came here to talk with Marshal about? Would you like me to take a message?” asked the guard in black, watching Ling Zhang.
Ling Zhang waved his hand. “Nothing special. I’m just taking a walk.”
The guard in black grunted, “Oh.” Then he returned to his original position, thinking, ‘Marshal’s guess was right. Childe Ling did come here.’
Ling Zhang, who was “taking a walk”, gradually approached the wing-room. Seeing this, the guard in black on the rooftop mumbled, “Unbelievable. He’s really here for Yuwen Qi.”
The candlelight in the room was not very bright. Yuwen Qi was lying in bed. Ling Zhang had no idea whether he was asleep or not.
Ling Zhang deliberately made his footsteps more detectable but Yuwen Qi still made no reaction.
Ling Zhang couldn’t help frowning. ‘Is he really asleep?’ he wondered.
“Beat it.” Yuwen Qi abruptly spoke.
Ling Zhang sneered, “Yuwen Qi, didn’t you try to threaten me? Is there any chance you’ve already given up?”
Yuwen Qi immediately opened his eyes and flintily looked in the direction of the doorway. “It’s you?”
He sat up from the bed and sneered, “You think you have my cousin at your back, so you came here to swagger before me? Ling Zhang, has it ever crossed your mind that you’re courting death by doing this?”
“You’re locked up in my place. Actually, it’s no exaggeration to say that you’re a prisoner. Are you sure you still want to act so arrogantly?” responded Ling Zhang.
“A prisoner? You really think my cousin is going to punish me? Well, I can’t really blame you, a guy who was born in an impoverished family, for being so ignorant.” Yuwen Qi sized up Ling Zhang, as if Ling Zhang was a hateful sight that would dirty his eyes. “As a man, you actually stoop so low as to compete against women for a man. What makes you think you stand a chance of winning? Attractive looks? Good figure? Noble identity? High status? You have none of these, which is why spending your whole life in this God-forsaken shitty place is exactly what you deserve, yet you’re stupid enough to have the fond hope of marrying into Yuwen family?”
These words didn’t arouse the faintest twitch of anger or any other emotion whatsoever in Ling Zhang, since he had already heard of these words in his last life. Compared with what he had been through in his last incarnation, these remarks were nothing.
However…
He intentionally put on an angry face and glared at Yuwen Tong. “There’s an engagement between me and Yuwen Tong, which is undeniable.”
Seeing that Ling Zhang “got angry”, Yuwen Qi was very pleased. “That engagement is nothing. Do you have any idea how many ladies from noble families are eager to marry my cousin? Even if we stand by, as long as word spreads out, numerous people will take action to force you into breaking off the engagement. You really believe that engagement paper is something you can rely on? What an uneducated clodhopper.”
“Ladies from noble families?”
“And there’s also a princess. What’s wrong with your tone? You’re scared?”
Ling Zhang was eager to roll his eyes but still said, “You can’t fool me. Whether the princess wants to marry him or not won’t make any difference. We are already engaged to be married. Even His Majesty cannot inflict arbitrary interference on this. Is he not afraid to become the laughing stock of the whole world?”
“You’re so naive. Who would care about that engagement if you’re dead? Eradicating Ling family is as easy as blowing away a speck of dust for us,” replied Yuwen Qi, a venomous look on his face.
Ling Zhang secretly frowned. It suddenly occurred to him that, in his last incarnation, people of Yuwen family were fully aware that Ling family was confronted with a crisis of life and death, that Ling family would be thrown into everlasting perdition if the engagement was broken off, but they still chose to end it. ‘Is there any chance that Yuwen Qi was telling the truth? That there was someone behind that misfortune who was only too anxious to see me die immediately?’ he wondered.
The more time Ling Zhang spent with Yuwen Tong, the better he was aware of what Yuwen Tong was capable of. Having the whole Northwestern Army at his command, Yuwen Tong might even be able to usurp the throne if he wanted to. The very reason why Zhang Chong feared to launch an attack on Ling family at that crucial juncture in his last life was because of his engagement to Yuwen Tong. Once he actually married Yuwen Tong, neither Zhang Chong nor Imperial Concubine Shu nor the Sixth Prince would dare to cause him any harm. At least Ling family would have the power to fight back against them instead of being powerless to resist.
But people of Yuwen family – or Yuwen Zhi’s men, to be precise – arrived too soon. The moment they declared the annulment of the engagement, Zhang Chong immediately took action, as if he was afraid that undue delay might bring trouble.
This was why Yuwen family broke off the engagement in his last life but merely came here to threaten him in his current incarnation…
Because this matter had already come to the knowledge of Yuwen Tong.
Ling Zhang’s face darkened. Coldly staring at Yuwen Qi, he suddenly found that his determination to break off his engagement to Yuwen Tong was no longer as firm as it always had been.
But Yuwen Qi mistakenly believed that Ling Zhang was scared. He added, “Here’s my advice for you, Ling Zhang. Break off the engagement on your own account, if you wish to live.”
The guard in black crouching on the rooftop was unaware of what was on Ling Zhang’s mind, but he felt that Ling Zhang had been at a disadvantage from the very beginning during his verbal duel with Yuwen Qi. ‘How can I stand by and watch this happening? My task is to protect Childe Ling and make sure that Yuwen Qi doesn’t bully him.”
“Yuwen Qi, I’ll tell Marshal each and every word that you just said. Shut your mouth if you don’t want to be beaten to death by Marshal.”
“You goddamn lackey. Are you blind? Have you any idea who your master is?!”
“My master is Marshal. Childe Ling is Marshal’s wife-to-be, which means he is also my master-to-be. You’re neither of these.”
“You…”
Ling Zhang, however, was somewhat amazed. ‘It turns out that Yuwen Tong’s guards see me this way?’
“Childe Ling, don’t fall for Yuwen Qi’s shit. Marshal got your back and nobody dares to lay hands on Ling family, not even His Majesty,” said the guard in black, thinking, ‘So just say ‘yes’ to Marshal and cling on to him for shelter, Childe Ling!’
Ling Zhang was indeed swayed. ‘Don’t those people want me dead? Their disappointment is certain. It’s true that Zhang Chong and Jia family are hateful, but aren’t these people hateful as well?!’
The reason why he hadn’t cared much about his engagement to Yuwen Tong before this day was because he could console himself that the man his grandfather had rescued was an ungrateful bastard, but now, it came to his knowledge that there had been so many hidden facts behind the annulment of his engagement to Yuwen Tong in his last life, that he had been blaming Yuwen Tong wrongly all along, that he hadn’t even figured out whom he was supposed to hate. Anger surged through him.
‘I was so stupid.’
Ling Zhang’s mouth tightened, his fists clenched.
“Childe Ling?” Seeing that Ling Zhang had stood there silently for such a long time, the guard mistakenly believed that Yuwen Qi’s words had hurt his feelings. He hurriedly consoled him, “Childe Ling, it’s totally unnecessary for you to mind Yuwen Qi’s remarks. Just take his words as bullshit.”
“That’s foul,” replied Ling Zhang abruptly.
“What?” The guard was puzzled.
Ling Zhang turned around and was just about to leave when suddenly a weird odor was smelled. He paused and twisted his head back to look at Yuwen Qi.
“What are you looking at? If you’re scared, break off the engagement.” Yuwen Qi coldly looked back at him.
Ling Zhang’s eyes swept through Yuwen Qi from head to toe. He was rather suspicious. There was a strange, fishy smell just now. It was faint but he was positive that he had smelled it. The medicinal jade he wore before his chest happened to give off a very light herbal smell which negated that fishy one.
‘What kind of weird thing is Yuwen Qi carrying?’ he wondered.
“I’m looking at you because you’re uncommonly ugly,” replied Ling Zhang flintily. Then he turned his head back and left the doorway of the wing-room.
“You!” Angered, Yuwen Qi smacked his fist onto the bed.
“No. I can’t stay here any longer.” He took out the bamboo tube from behind him and stroked the plug. “Tonight Yuwen Tong will surely be absent. Otherwise that Ling Zhang wouldn’t have been allowed to come here. This is the perfect opportunity I need…”
Meanwhile, after walking out of the sight of Yuwen Qi, Ling Zhang informed the guard, “Yuwen Qi is carrying something weird on him. I think it’s some kind of poisonous creature.”
The guard was taken aback. “Poisonous creature? Did you see it?”
“I didn’t, but I smelled a disgusting fishy odor. If it were harmless, my… Just be careful.”
Believing that Ling Zhang wouldn’t slander anybody, the guard replied seriously, “I will. Thank you for reminding me, Childe Ling. By the way, Childe Ling, don’t ever believe any of Yuwen Qi’s bullshit. Don’t be fooled by him.”
Ling Zhang smiled. “I know. Just now I was merely trying to worm some information out of him. Those words of his were nothing to me and caused me no harm. Okay. I have to go now. If Yuwen Tong comes back… Uh… Never mind. He definitely has already guessed that I would come here to talk to Yuwen Qi.”
