The problem, according to Qin Yunuan, was the sleeping Sima Ray definitely. She touched his pulse and discovered that though it was faint and hard to perceive, Sima Ray’s internal organs, muscles and vessels were all in operation.
“It’s like hibernation.” For the sake of saving energy, his body only supplies the heart with sufficient one. Qin Yunuan watched his pale face and said, “His breath and pulse beat are tuned to body’s extreme. He’s seemingly dead, like a turtle in hibernation. No sensation, cannot hear, cannot feel the temperature, though I’m unwilling to recognize, he was still alive.”
“I’d rather die than live like this.” Leng Changxi bent to scan Sima Ray closer. He walked around him, stared at his eyes, and suddenly laughed out, “He isn’t that annoying when he shut his mouth up.”
Qin Yunuan was shocked. She coughed to remind Leng Changxi that Sima Ray was still here.
“Any problem?” Leng Changxi shrugged. He showed a child-like ignorant look and said, “He cannot hear anything, can he?”
Leng Changxi stood straight. He frowned thoughtfully, looked at Qin Yunuan, and said, “Heiying told me that Xu Ji, who was Sima Ray’s assistant, was dead. If Baili Ai had been there, Xu Ji might survive, though he might not speak normally as before. I doubt that Xu Ji’s and Qiu Shuihan’s death had the same traits. Could it be possible that Sima Ray is another prey of Yu Haitang?” Leng Changxi soon self-denied. Because the way Sima Ray died was quite different from theirs.
Killing Qiu Shuihan, Yu Haitang could inherit her ability of Insanity. Killing Xu Ji, he could inherit his ability of talking with the Spirits. But what could he inherit from Sima Ray? In terms of martial skills, Yu Haitang surpassed Sima Ray much more.
At this moment, a scout came in bringing news that several strange strategies they had never seen before were set around Ping Cheng. Mr. Cang, alias Heiying checked them. He made a deduction that these were products by Xu Ji.
“How could it be possible? Xu Ji is dead. It should be a person who has the same level as Xu Ji.”
“No,” A low voice came from outside of the tent. Heiying opened the curtain and strode in. He was travel-stained, with slime under his shoes. Nobody knew when the road was getting muddy due to the continuous raindrops, “I’m sure Xu Ji made them.”
“Though the method to set strategies could be duplicated, one’s habit was hard to change. The Xu Family was strict in training. Every set of strategies must be accurate to li. I’ve researched Xu Ji’s strategy and discovered that he would use rice grains as labels to make the distance more precise. This is a prominent trait of his strategy.” Heiying pulled out a white handkerchief from his pocket. Inside it was crimson rice, “No one other than Xu Ji would use such crimson rice to make marks.”
Leng Changxi was quite nervous. Compared with him, Qin Yunuan seemed to pay attention to the handkerchief which a dragonfly stitched on. It was well-made, that apparently it was a product of a lady. It was surprising that Heiying was carrying such a girlish thing with him.
“Nice handkerchief,” Qin Yunuan smiled to Heiying and said, “Moreover, nice stitchwork. Mr. Cang, I suppose you got it from a nice lady.”
Heiying distracted himself to touch the lively dragonfly stitched on the handkerchief. Fluttering thin wings and drooped tail of it reminded him of the appearance of Leng Shuang giving it to him that day.
“This is my first time to do the stitchwork. Just tell me you like it.”
All along, he thought she was adept at handling weapons. He was surprised to find that she had such dexterous hands. Actually, in his mind, no matter how she stitched, he’d love it.
Leng Changxi smiled deliberately. Watching Heiying’s expression got shy unconsciously, he said, “Where were we before? Hm, this strategy is a work of Xu Ji, right?”
Heiying got distracted from his memories and nodded dully.
“That’s strange,” Leng Changxi turned around and ordered Heiying, “Fetch your Leng Shuang back. She had studied martial skills in different schools that it’s her excellency to recognize strange ones.”
Heiying was stunned, again. Leng Changxi raised his head naturally and said, “What? Did I say anything wrong? If Leng Shuang wasn’t yours, how could she be mine? I already have Nuan and currently speaking, a concubine is below consideration.”
“General, I…”
“Then go, right now.” Leng Changxi ignored the fact that Heiying was awkward and at a loss. He indulged himself in Sima Ray, who was in a coma.
Currently, Ping Cheng.
Yu Haitang was quietly sitting inside the central tent that used to be the one for Sima Ray to deal with military affairs. Around him, the little lion-faced monkey seemed to have intelligence. Knowing his master was in deep thought, it squatted aside honestly, without making any noise.
Outside came the voice of little steps. It was the servant girl to serve up Longjing tea. Yu Haitang’s old servant was guarding outside the tent. It was an unpeaceful day: the army changed its master and general. How big a thing! Though Yu Haitang had a sublime position initially, a prince of Qi died that easy. Even his body wasn’t brought back. According to Yu Haitang, Sima Ray’s fate was due to his wrong estimation to the situation so that he rushed to West Xia to sneak attack.
However, Shangguan Yuen, who sent fake information, was rescued. Without testimony and physical evidence, the deputy general was unaware of whether to believe this news, but now he had to consider it true. On the first day Yu Haitang assumed office, he arranged sophisticated strategies around Ping Cheng. They didn’t know that such an older person could set it up, but watching the reaction from West Xia’s military camp, it seemed that the strategy’s power was, at least, as good as the one deputy general Xu Ji arranged before.
“You lack vision! Why you prepare Longjing tea and Sweet Olive cakes for Mr. Yu? These are the things the general loves.” The old servant dropped on the servant girl. He lowered his voice as possible to avoid being heard. He was afraid that Yu Haitang would be displeased.
The maid suffered from colossal injustice. She mumbled in a low voice, “We only prepare tea breaks His Majesty loves. Now Mr. Yu unexpectedly wants to have some late snacks that he likes. I can’t find anything else.”
“Such a useless little b*tch!” Then it was a slap on her face. When a man gets to the top, all his friends and relations get there with him. It was right. The dwarf old servant began swaggering.
“Just let her in.” Yu Haitang said inside. The servant girl was stunned by his Sima Ray-like voice and tone. She kept reminding herself in her mind that her master was dead. If she failed to do so, she would believe the person who sat here was still Sima Ray.
The servant girl served the Longjing tea. Yu Haitang was reading something under the candlelight. On his fingertip was a cinnabar writing brush used for annotation. He descended the writing brush tip that only his index finger and middle finger clamped the tube. He looked up at the servant girl and said, “Put it down.”
Finishing his words, he opened the lid of the cup of Longjing tea. It seemed to be overheated that he swirled the tea and put it aside. He then picked up a Sweet Olive cake. Before eating it, he put it above the tea for a while. As if he wanted that cake to be immersed with tea’s flavor.
The servant girl was stunned. The way he ate Sweet Olive cakes was the same as what Sima Ray did in the past.
“What are you looking at? Once finish your work, get out.” Yu Haitang glanced at the servant girl. Though he was over nighty, he was like an ambitious young man planning for his future and the overall arrangement.
That servant girl got bewildered even though she left. Wasn’t that person in the hall His Majesty?
Wind roaring at night, as if it traveled from southeast Ping Cheng to the Royal City thousands of miles away. The city tonight was also unrest. Under the seemingly peaceful night sky, crimes were happening in small alleys.
In a dim black alley, a group of rogues was surrounding a young man who seemed to be a weak student. The young man looked like to be raised up in a wealthy family. He was white-skinned and tender that water could be squeezed out from his face. His dressing got messed, but mess couldn’t hide it gorgeous.
“This money is not enough for us to have a drink.” The boss rogue weighed the light money pocket in his hand and estimated the money inside it. His lackeys counted the number flatteringly and said, “Boss, it was just a few copper plates rather than taels of silver.”
“Copper plates?” The boss got angrier, “The master of Shangguan Family only got a few copper plates. It seems that your family does lose the position and influence. Otherwise, you will not be bullied by us. But I’m quite interested in your dressing. It may worth a few. Come, strip him.”
As they were about to take action, someone said “stop” from the alley entrance.
The rogue turned around his neck, then his body with arrogance, “Stop? I’m so curious that who dares to poke his nose into other’s business in these turbulent days.”
“Boss, this is the carriage from Prince Ning’s Mansion.”
The boss paused, “The Prince Ning’s Mansion, so what? Prince Ning’s arm got broken. He is not able to protect himself right now. Do you still consider him as the person before that could shake heaven and earth? You must be kidding me.”
