The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 226- 228

Chapter 226: A Groom

First the horse race had been interrupted due to the sudden appearance of an assassin, and then horses of students of the Imperial College had run wild, leaving many injured. The succession of incidents had demoralized all participants in the horse race, especially students of the Imperial College, some of whom lost their fight the moment they mounted their horses and naturally underperformed.

The principal sitting in the stands watched one round after another, a scowl on his face.

Ling Zhang swung himself onto his horse. He and Snowflake were still the focus of attention in the racecourse. Miao Shiba and the other bodyguards, along with Ling Zhang himself, all found themselves tensing their backs after Ling Zhang mounted. They were all poised to rush to Ling Zhang’s help at the first sign of anything.

But curiously enough, nothing had happened from start to finish. Everything was so normal that it seemed as though this was going to be an utterly uneventful day.

Ling Zhang felt that something was not quite right. Had he made a wrong guess, by any chance?

Speculations exploded in his mind, but it didn’t change the fact that nothing unusual had happened. Ling Zhang couldn’t help but look around the whole racecourse. His eyes raked faces of all people in view and even the mound on the side but still didn’t spot anybody who might be an assassin.

He himself, however, had performed pretty well on the back of Snowflake despite his injured arm and broke into the top ten with ease.

So far, all today’s occurrences had struck Ling Zhang as unexpected, and the quieter the current situation, the more strongly he felt that something was wrong.

After returning from the track, Ling Zhang dismounted, his face somewhat pale. Though Snowflake had run very fast as usual, he was still recovering from his arm injury after all, and the jolt had given him a hard time.

“Childe Ling,” Xie Shi walked up and supported him off his horse. “Your arm needs nursing, and it’s inadvisable for you to subject it to another bumpy ride.”

“There’s one more round. I’ve already gone this far. It’ll be a shame if I give up at this point,” said Ling Zhang.

The main reason was that he kept feeling something was not quite right – he had finished so many rounds, but there had still been nothing unusual, which left him rather worried.

Right at the time when Ling Zhang was talking to Xie Shi, he noticed out of the corner of his eye someone walking over. After finding that it was a groom, Ling Zhang wasn’t really on the alert, for after each round, some grooms would help the students groom, feed and water their horses to make sure that the horses were in fit states.

Although Snowflake didn’t like it when strangers approached it, all grooms of this racecourse were very experienced. They knew where the limit was and never crossed it while tending Snowflake, which was why Snowflake had been fairly cooperative so far. Ling Zhang had gone several rounds in a row, and it had been the same groom who served him.

Ling Zhang had observed this groom some time ago. After a couple of rounds, he had found that this groom was dutifully doing his job, so he didn’t stop him from approaching Snowflake.

But this time around, at the moment the groom passed him, Ling Zhang suddenly sensed a murderous air. This feeling was very subtle and even made his scalp prickle somewhat. As if something dangerous was imminent, he instantly tensed his muscles and almost at the same instant heard a whizz coming from behind him and unhesitatingly dodge aside!

“Die!”

The assassin thought that his attack was soundless and Ling Zhang had let his guard down, so it was impossible for Ling Zhang to sidestep this blow of his, but unexpectedly, his saber missed the target. His nondescript face instantly went murderous and the dagger in his hand abruptly jerked shooting at Ling Zhang from a direction that made this dagger attack very difficult to defend against!

Ling Zhang, after dodging the first strike, had come to realize that the assailant was the groom. Though he had narrowly escaped death, it was evident that this groom was a kung fu practitioner. The dagger followed him in a second attack like his shadow and the tip of it was within an inch of reaching Ling Zhang’s clothes!

Bang!

When Ling Zhang had dodged the first blow, Xie Shi standing opposite him had reacted. Though that broom was very quick, Xie Shi still managed to parry the second blow in time by giving him a kick on the arm which deflected his dagger.

Ling Zhang, taking advantage of this opportunity, left the striking distance of the groom and finally turned around to face him.

The groom’s kung fu was not as good as that of Xie Shi. After his first and second blows were dodged and parried respectively, he had no more chance to make an attempt on Ling Zhang. Miao Shiba and other bodyguards had quickly clustered around Ling Zhang, keeping a weather eye on possible accomplices of the groom.

But what was rather surprising on this occasion was that the groom was the only assassin and was soon restrained by Xie Shi.

Xie Shi took the dagger away from the groom. All this had happened too quick; many students were watching the horse race with rapt attention, and Snowflake was blocking the view of people in the stands, so when some people finally noticed, the incident was already over.

A supervior of the Imperial College came over and asked, “What happened?”

Ling Zhang said, “This groom was trampled by my Snowflake and hurt his leg. It was my fault. I should’ve kept Snowflake under better control. I’ll take him to see a physician right away and cover the medical expenses as well.”

Seeing the groom was pale-faced and supported and indeed seemed to have trouble walking, the supervisor didn’t suspect anything after hearing that the groom had been wounded by a horse and that Ling Zhang was willing to take him to see a physician. Besides, he had heard much about Ling Zhang’s reputation and didn’t want to cross him, so he said, “All grooms in the racecourse are subordinates of the General Zhongwu (AKA the General of Loyalty and Valor). You need to inform the supervisor of this place first before taking him to see a physician.”

“I see. Thank you for reminding me, supervisor,” said Ling Zhang.

The supervisor, seeing Ling Zhang was fairly respectful to him, felt somewhat pleased, turned around and left.

Ling Zhang winked at Miao Shiba and the others and with that Miao Shiba took that groom away.

Watching the groom being supported away, Ling Zhang was secretly relieved, thinking, ‘No wonder it had been quiet all along. It turns out danger had been lurking right by my side. Also, this assassin is so cunning – he managed to attack me from close quarters instead of trying to assassinate me from a distance like the last one did in the hunting ground that day. And it was very smart of him to unnoticeably gain my trust first before making his move. Had I not sensed the murderous air, I would have wound up either dead or seriously injured.’

The assassin had been captured, and Ling Zhang who had been tense all along finally relaxed in the knowledge that he had turned the corner. Moreover, they had caught that groom. In order to prevent that groom from poisoning himself as the assassin in the hunting ground had done, Xie Shi had dislocated the groom’s lower jaw and blocked some of his acupoints, so the situation should be perfectly under control now, and all they needed to do was interrogate the assassin and find out who had sent him.

But since the assassin had posed as a groom, Xie Shi and the others were keeping a close watch on all other grooms of this racecourse and he had even personally talked with the one in charge of this racecourse sounding him out. They found that all these people were behaving in a very normal way and none of them seemed to have any knowledge that that groom was an assassin.

Xie Shi secretly sent out a message to inform Yuwen Tong hiding in the dark of what had just happened in this place.

Yuwen Tong had been staking out the racecourse all along, and naturally he had seen the incident. The groom had been brought to him immediately after Miao Shiba took him out of the racecourse, and all staff members of the racecourse were now under surveillance of Yuwen Tong’s men.

Students in the racecourse were not alarmed, and the horse race was still going on as planned.

Ling Zhang was in the last round. Though the assassin had been caught just now, he was still on the alert. Eventually, by dint of Snowflake, he finished in second place. It was because his arm was wounded and he had to spare some attention guarding against possible attack that he missed the championship. But all people present were aware that he was still recovering from his arm injury. Seeing he had come second with an wounded arm, every one of them was green with envy.

Ling Zhang didn’t have the time to dwell on these people’s opinions, and there hadn’t been a second assassin attempting to kill him until he left the riding track. Yuwen Jin and the others all excitedly gathered around him.

A while ago, when the assassin had made his move, Yuwen Jin had happened to be riding in the track, and Ji Feng and the others had gone to the other side, so none of them was aware of what had happened earlier on this side.

Yuwen Jin said, “You’re so badass, Brother Zhang! You came in second with an injured arm!”

Ling Zhang, seeing they were rapturous and unaffected by the incident, also felt happy. He said, “Pity the title was taken by someone of the Oriental Rite Academy.”

“That’s because you’re still recovering. Otherwise you’d have won the title,” said Yuwen Jin.

The third winner was also a student of the Imperial College, which somewhat came as a surprise to Ling Zhang and the others. Though having more than once claimed that many of the students of the Imperial College were excellent riders, subconsciously they had believed that the Oriental Rite Academy would probably defeat the Imperial College in this horse race, for after all, the latter had indeed been performing rather badly in recent years.

But because of this, Ling Zhang also vaguely came to understand why the principal had been so anxious to hold this horse race – clearly he had started making preparations some time ago.

“Two of the top three are from our college. On top of that, anybody not blind knows that you would have been the champion were it not for your wounded arm, which I’m sure has brought the Oriental Rite Academy down a peg or two.”

“Do any of you know the second runner-up?”

“Oh, that guy. He’s the principal’s nephew.”

Light dawned on Ling Zhang.

“Brother Tao and his schoolmates are coming,” said Ji Feng excitedly.

This time, because of Ling Zhang, their overall performance was better than that of Tao Yi and five of his schoolmates, so the Imperial College was the winner of this private competition between them.

“You guys win the bet. It happens to be about time for lunch. What do you say we go to the Taibai Tavern?” said Tao Yi crisply after walking over with his schoolmates, accepting their defeat with good grace.

Their gracefulness was just to the liking of Ji Feng and the others. Immediately, they threw their arms around their shoulders addressing them as brothers. “The Taibai Tavern it is. Let’s go, let’s go.”

Xie Shi asked Ling Zhang, “You’re going with them as well, Childe Ling? I think you should go back and have your dressing changed first.”

On hearing this, all others twisted their heads around to look at him. “Your injury worsened during the horse race, Brother Zhang?”

“It was impossible for the wound to remain unaffected by a ride that bumpy. How about you return and change your dressing for a fresh one, Brother Ling?” one of the couple of students of the Oriental Rite Academy also said. Since Ling Zhang had defeated them despite his injured arm, they had all been convinced.

Ling Zhang, who didn’t want to be a buzzkill, said, “That won’t be necessary. I’ll just have my dressing changed in the carriage.”

Ling Zhang had come to the racecourse in a horse-drawn carriage in the morning, just in case, and there were all kinds of vulneraries available in the carriage.

Ling Zhang looked at Xie Shi. “I’m afraid I’ll have to put you to the trouble of changing my dressing in the carriage in a while, Guard Xie.”

Xie Shi, after a brief moment’s thought, inclined his head. The main reason why he had asked that question was that he wanted to give Ling Zhang an excuse to take his leave. Now that Ling Zhang was in no hurry, naturally he’d let Ling Zhang make all the decisions.

Chapter 227: A Set of Interlocking Stratagems

The group of people arrived at the Taibai Tavern, all in high spirits, heading directly for the third floor where private rooms were. Fortunately, there were still some private rooms available, and it didn’t take them much time to settle themselves in a suitable one.

“Order whatever you want, guys. None of us is going home sober today.” Students of the Oriental Rite Academy seemed much more unstinting than those of the Imperial College.

Ji Feng and the others, who found these people the very kind they liked to mix with, rolled up their sleeves and started ordering dishes without any hesitation, showing no concerns whatsoever about how much students of the Oriental Rite Academy would have to pay for this meal.

Tao Yi, watching Ji Feng and the others launch into ordering dishes, pulled a wry face, squeezing his wallet and sighing in his head, ‘It seems that I’m doomed to suffer a hemorrhage today.’ As his eyes fell on Ling Zhang, something occurred to him and he said, “Brother Zhang, given your arm injury, I suppose it’s inadvisable for you to drink liquor, isn’t it?”

Ling Zhang inclined his head. “I’m not drinking any.”

Though students of the Oriental Rite Academy felt it rather regrettable that Ling Zhang couldn’t drink liquor with them, Ji Feng quickly said, “It’s okay. We’ll handle all the liquor that Ling Zhang is supposed to drink but couldn’t on this occasion. None of you are to order less liquor on the pretext of this, not even a single pot.”

“You may rest assured that nobody’s going to find himself short of liquor today, and we will take offence if the cup of any of you is not empty at the end of this meal,” said a student of the Oriental Rite Academy.

Ji Feng and the others giggled, rubbing their hands.

As the liquor was served and Ling Zhang had smelled it, he suddenly had a feeling that he indeed shouldn’t have come here, for the liquor smelled so good but he could only watch others drink it. It struck him that he had made a rod for his own back.

“Wow, this is the best liquor people could find in this tavern. My goodness, it’s really so generous of you to order this,” exclaimed Yuwen Jin, his eyes glittering.

The couple of students of the Oriental Rite Academy exchanged glances, smiling. Though they were not studying at the Imperial College and their status might not be as high as that of Ji Feng and the others, they were definitely no less rich than Ji Feng or any of the others. One of them was even son of the richest man of a prefecture. If there was anything these people would never have to worry about, it was money.

At the sight of the liquor, Tao Yi, who was begrudging the money he’d have to pay, came to realize that his worry was unnecessary. As things stood, he probably wouldn’t have to pitch in a single coin.

Ling Zhang was the only one in misery. It was virtually a torture for him to smell the liquor knowing that he couldn’t drink it. Frustration was washing over his face.

All others burst into laugh at the sight of this, showing no compassion for him whatsoever. “Alas, what a pity. This liquor is so good, but you cannot drink a single drop of it, Brother Zhang.”

Ling Zhang frostily looked at him, his face impassive. “Cheer up, Brother Zhang. I’ll drink it for you,” snickered Yuwen Jin, thrown his arm around Ling Zhang’s shoulders.

Ling Zhang jabbed Yuwen Jin with his left elbow. “Beat it.”

He could barely refrain from kicking his ass.

After all their courses were served, a waiter entered bringing their place settings. He walked around the table getting everything ready very quickly. Ling Zhang, who was the last one to be served and was talking with Tao Yi sitting beside him, subconsciously gave a downward glance and saw the waiter make a strange hand movement when setting his bowl and chopsticks – fingering the brim of his bowl, and whether it was intentional or unintentional was unknown to Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang didn’t get suspicious immediately and was still listening to Tao Yi, but then he flicked a look at the waiter only to find that his eyes quickly moved away after a brief eye contact with him.

Ling Zhang felt even stranger. After the waiter left, he fixed his bowl with a gaze and pondered for a few moments. Seeing Yuwen Jin and the others had started to pour the liquor, he said, “Wait.”

On hearing this, all the others looked at him and were fleetingly surprised at the sight of the serious expression on Ling Zhang’s face, and they all involuntarily put down their wine pots.

“What seems to be the problem, Brother Zhang?” asked Yuwen Jin.

“Don’t touch the liquor yet.” Ling Zhang told them to stay put and then summoned Xie Shi who was waiting outside. “Guard Xie, I want you to check my bowl and see if there’s anything wrong with it.”

Xie Shi’s face slightly changed. He immediately picked up the bowl in front of Ling Zhang, scrutinized it carefully and even sniffed at it. After a while, with an uncertain look on his face, he simply fished a porcelain phial out of his bosom and tipped a droplet of potion of a somewhat weird color out of it onto the brim of the bowl. Instantly, the droplet of potion hissed with white bubbles where it touched the brim and a very foul odor started spreading.

“What is this?!” All the others were shocked.

Ling Zhang’s face also went cold, his eyes looking at Xie Shi.

Xie Shi’s also had a rather grave countenance. “Poison. It’s colorless and odorless but dries very slow, which was why I perceived something weird.”

“Just now that waiter stroked the brim of my bowl with his finger pulp before leaving, and he showed signs of guilty conscience when his eyes met mine,” Ling Zhang informed them and then described the looks of that waiter.

Xie Shi immediately put down the bowl and said to Ling Zhang, “Stay here and don’t go outside, Childe Ling. I’ll be back soon.”

Ling Zhang inclined his head.

Xie Shi walked out of the room, exhorted the guards at the doorway not to let anybody in and then hastened off.

“There’s no telling whether your bowls were poisoned as well. Anyway, just don’t touch them,” Ling Zhang told the others.

It was after hearing his words that others in the room realized how serious this was. Yuwen Jin immediately rose from his seat and said with a worried face, “Why did someone try to have you poisoned?”

Ling Zhang shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on either, but I’m afraid we won’t be able to continue this meal.”

He had a faint inkling that these two attempts on his life this day had been a set of interlocking stratagems. They had thought that they would be fiercely attacked in the racecourse, but it turned out that only a groom had made his move and been easily overpowered, who clearly had been designed to have them lower down their guard. It was in the Taibai Tavern that they had planned to deal him a deadly blow.

This was probably the reason why there hadn’t been a massive attack in the racecourse. Those who wanted him dead had known that he would come to the Taibai Tavern, which meant that he had been aware of the bet they had made with students of the Oriental Rite Academy. No matter if they won the bet or not, their coming to this tavern was certain, and once he entered this tavern, they would have a chance to poison him. Had he not observed the waiter’s strange conduct and flicked a glance at him, he’d probably have fallen prey to the poison already.

Ling Zhang had a sneaking suspicion but didn’t tell anybody in the room about it for fear of alarming his enemies.

Either the bet concerning a meal in the Taibai Tavern was disclosed on that day or one of them had been in collusion with his enemies. If he expressed his suspicions right away, it would be very difficult to find out who that person was.

The mood in the private room had instantly gone grave. This turn of events had been so unexpected that all of them had been caught flat-footed.

“Do you have any idea whom you might’ve offended, Brother Ling?” inquired a student of the Oriental Rite Academy.

Ling Zhang’s reputation had even come to the knowledge of students of other colleges. After all, he was now a real celebrity of this city.

Ling Zhang smiled wryly, “A lot of people have taken a dislike to me ever since I arrived in the capital city. Honestly speaking, I really don’t have a clue who wants to poison me.”

The couple of students of the Oriental Rite Academy looked at each other in dismay and then one of them said, “It surprises me how difficult life has been for you, Brother Ling.”

Ling Zhang responded, “Well, I wouldn’t use the word ‘difficult’. Actually I’d anticipated it before I chose to come to this city.”

Tao Yi quietly fixed him with a gaze for a few moments and then sighed, “I’m not envious of you at all now.”

Ling Zhang was astonished. “What did you once envy me?”

“I envied you being engaged to the Marshal, of course,” replied Tao Yi.

Ling Zhang was not at all surprised by this answer.

And then Tao Yi continued in a serious tone, “But this time they really went too far. On that day they tried to assassinate the Marshal in the hunting ground in the western suburbs, and now someone attempted to poison you. This is outrageous!”

“We got him, Childe Ling.” Xie Shi walked inside and added, “The Marshal is here.”

As expected, before long, Yuwen Tong entered the room. All others inside hurriedly rose to their feet to pay their respects to him.

Yuwen Tong just briefly gave a bob of his head and then looked at Ling Zhang. “It’s time to go back.”

Ling Zhang, who was also aware that he shouldn’t stay here long, stood up and said to the others, “I have to return now, guys. As for this meal…”

“We’ll find another time. Our word cannot be fulfilled without your presence,” said Tao Yi.

All others left the table, obviously agreeing with Tao Yi.

Ling Zhang smiled, “Okay, then. Let’s arrange a meal some other time. Since I’m the one responsible for this wasted meal, next meal’s on me.”

“Then it’s settled.”

…

Ling Zhang’s face darkened the moment he walked out of the Taibai Tavern.

“Where’s that waiter?”

“Dead.”

Ling Zhang rubbed his forehead. “This is so troublesome.”

“Don’t worry. We’ve already got a clue,” said Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang looked at him in amazement. “What kind of clue?”

Yuwen Tong said, “Let’s go back first and talk later.”

The two of them got on the horse-drawn carriage and left the Taibai Tavern.

In the carriage, Yuwen Tong first checked out Ling Zhang’s injured arm. With a darkened face, he observed, “It went somewhat swollen.”

Ling Zhang, who knew that this had been caused by his insisting on participating in the horse race, felt fairly guilty.

“You are not to do anything else without my prior consent until you fully recover.” Yuwen Tong stared at him.

Sure enough Ling Zhang immediately gave a nod of agreement. “You’re the boss.”

Yuwen Tong seemed to have really gone mad, and Ling Zhang didn’t dare anger him any further.

“What kind of clue is it?” Ling Zhang couldn’t help but query.

“The King Hui,” said Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang was amazed. “The King Hui? Not Shan Congwen?”

Yuwen Tong said with a flinty and darkened face, “Shan Congwen is not above suspicion yet. I just found a clue pointing to the King Hui.”

Ling Zhang, who got a general idea of what Yuwen Tong meant, was eager to ask for details, but at the sight of the scowl on the face of Yuwen Tong who was still examining his wounded arm, he came to realize it was not persisting with his questioning but coaxing Yuwen Tong out of his temper that was what he should do first.

…

“How’s it going?” Yao Yi was leaning against the door of the private room, watching Xie Shi who had just finished checking all bowls, chopsticks, food and wine in the room.

Xie Shi shook his head. “Childe Ling’s bowl is the only thing poisoned.”

“They were indeed targeting Childe Ling,” huffed Yao Yi, his face falling.

The reason why the two of them had been uncertain was because that waiter had committed suicide not by poisoning himself but by stabbing himself. To be on the safe side, they had still checked everything in this private room lest there be a mistake.

“Did you send some men to look into the couple of students of the Oriental Rite Academy?” inquired Xie Shi.

Yao Yi inclined his head. “I did. The results should come out by dusk.”

Xie Shi said, “What about that groom?”

“I locked him up in the residence. The Marshal personally interrogated him and he made a full confession, but there wasn’t much useful information. That groom was bought by someone, not sent there by the mastermind. The one who hired him only provided him with a method of communicating, which is probably useless now, but the Marshal has found something else.”

Chapter 228: A Clue

In the courier hostel.

“Your Highness, we… failed!”

Shan Congwen sprang to his feet. “How could you? Wasn’t the plan watertight?”

“We have no idea what happened in there. Ling Zhang wasn’t poisoned. The waiter trying to poison him has committed suicide.”

Shan Congwen paced up and down in the room twice, looking very anxious. “What about the groom of the racecourse?”

“He was taken away. Yuwen Tong’s men had him. Fortunately that groom is merely a contract killer. He doesn’t know it was us who hired him to do that. Just now I’ve had the go-between disposed of beforehand.”

Shan Congwen’s countenance slightly softened but was still sulky.

“The King Hui probably has been informed as well. Given that we’ve failed to kill Ling Zhang twice, I’m afraid there might be a change of the deal between us and the King Hui.”

Shan Congwen, cold-faced, said, “There won’t. As long as he still wants to ascend the throne, cooperating with us will remain his only choice, for besting the King Duan, the King Yu and the Crown Prince unaided is no easy job.”

“Then… what do we do now?”

“We wait for another opportunity,” said Shan Congwen through gritted teeth, clenching his fists tightly.

“But… the emperor has already begun to suspect us because of what happened in the hunting ground and would probably have us leave the Great Yue immediately after the hunting, which means we’re running out of time. Your Highness, the most important purpose of this journey of us to the Great Yue is to keep Yuwen Tong from contracting an alliance with the imperial family of the Great Yue by marriage, cast in a bone between Yuwen Tong and the imperial family and eventually have the emperor of the Great Yue kill Yuwen Tong, but we’ve stayed here for such a long time and the mission is still unaccomplished. Is pinning our hopes on the King Hui really going to help us get what we want?”

Shan Congwen’s face grew impatient and fretful. “I’m just as anxious to get this fucking job done as you are. It’s all that goddamn Ling Zhang guy’s fault. His fucking arrival upset many of my plans. Originally I believed that the Ninth Princess not marrying Yuwen Tong meant our task was half fulfilled, but then the emperor’s attitude became uncertain because of it – Yuwen Tong had a falling out with Yuwen Zhi and intends to marry a man, which means that he won’t have any children, and he also willingly let the emperor get the goods on him. Now the emperor is not as determined to kill Yuwen Tong as he used to be before, leaving me no fucking choice but to go to so much trouble to cooperate with the King Hui, which is unbelievably unfortunate.”

“How about we directly have Yuwen Tong assassinated?”

Shan Congwen spat, “You think I would’ve waited so long if that’s an option?!”

His subordinate felt rather awkward in the knowledge that what Shan Congwen said was true. They wouldn’t have gone to so much bother had they stood a chance of assassinating Yuwen Tong.

Shan Congwen continued, “Besides, having Yuwen Tong assassinated is too risky. We’ll be the first ones people suspect. What we’re supposed to do is split the North-western Army, rather than give them an excuse to launch an attack on our country with boosted morale. We must figure out a way to have Yuwen Tong die at the hands of people of the Great Yue. It would be best if a member of the imperial family takes his life. Only in this way can we shake the foundations of the North-western Army’s allegiance and get the opportunity we need.”

Shan Congwen had gradually calmed down while making these remarks. “The Crown Prince of the Great Yue claims to be ill, but there’s no telling whether it’s true or not, and we couldn’t even have an audience with him. There’s no conflict of interest between Yuwen Tong and the King Duan or the King Yu, and the latter two are even bent on curry favor with the former. Cooperating with them would be a very risky move as well, for they’re too inclined to switch sides; one mistake and we’ll be doomed. Driving a wedge between Yuwen Tong and the emperor of the Great Yue is our best choice. It’s a pity that the emperor, though having a very suspicious mind, is also fully aware of Yuwen Tong’s value, otherwise he wouldn’t have put up with Yuwen Tong for so many years. He’s a wily old fox. We can but make some covert arrangements, and we cannot afford to let him find out that we’re involved in this, or else it’d be having the opposite effect. This also makes me feel my hands are tied. Yuwen Tong is the one to blame for this – it was because of him that all the important pawns we planted in the capital city of the Great Yue were eliminated. Now I have nobody at my disposal except for some insignificant lackeys.

“Though our cooperation with the King Hui promises no quick results, it’s likelier to succeed. Since we have something on him, he’d have no choice but to execute Yuwen Tong after ascending the throne, even if he regrets. On top of that, it’ll be easier for us to keep the new emperor under control if the King Hui is the one to be enthroned, and it’ll also be easier to take the Great Yue. We may also incite civil strife in the Great Yue to undermine its power while assisting him in striving for the throne so that our country wouldn’t be disturbed during the period of recuperating and building up strength.”

His subordinate, after hearing Shan Congwen’s analysis, lowered his head and said, “You’re so wise and visionary, Your Highness. Just now I was being impulsive. If I understand you correctly, cooperating with the King Hui is a must for us. But the King Hui stated categorically that the prerequisite of him cooperating with us is we kill Ling Zhang. Given that we’ve suffered a spate of failures and the Great Yue has begun to suspect us, do we still stand a chance of getting it done?”

Shan Congwen said through gritted teeth, “We’ll create another chance if we don’t. That Ling Zhang guy has to go to the Imperial College every day, doesn’t he? Although it won’t be easy to gain entry into the Imperial College, current circumstances leave us no alternative. Figure out a way to infiltrate into that college.”

That subordinate of his, though finding this task of a very high level of difficulty, still earnestly bobbed his head. “I’ll go and start collecting intelligence right away. The courier hostel is under very close surveillance these days, and I think we have to wait a few days before contacting the King Hui once again lest we be identified.”

Shan Congwen waved his hand. “I know. Just go and do what you’re supposed to do.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After his subordinate left, Shan Congwen abruptly smacked his fist down onto the table. “Shit! That Ling Zhang guy actually escaped from death twice in a row. Does he really have some kind of guardian angel who always helps him get out of the jaws of danger, by any chance?”

He didn’t believe that he couldn’t kill this man named Ling Zhang.

…

Meanwhile, in the Ling Mansion.

“What do you mean you have a clue pointing to the King Hui?” Ling Zhang inquired of Yuwen Tong after sitting down, bursting with impatience. After all, he had never suspected the King Hui before this day, and Yuwen Tong had once said that the King Hui acted very normally making no special response in the hunting ground in the western suburbs on that day.

Yuwen Tong said, “Someone interfered with the line-up of the horse race in the hunting ground in the western suburbs on that day. The official in charge of the draw tampered with the draw-pot at the King Hui’s behest.”

Ling Zhang was astonished. “How did you come to be suspicious of the line-up?”

Yuwen Tong answered, “There’s a long distance between the wood and the riding track. The waiting area where students stay is even further away and there are trees in between, too, which means it was very difficult for the assassin to see with his own eyes you were in the next round. Didn’t you find that given the distance between you two, the assassin could only see you face clearly when you were very close to him? Furthermore, though you’ve been very famous in the capital city recently, there are not really many people who can recognize you, so the assassin must’ve been informed beforehand of which round you’d be in.”

Ling Zhang carefully thought back to that horse race and found that what Yuwen Tong said was true. No wonder Yuwen Tong had become suspicious of the official in charge of the draw.

Yuwen Tong added, “That master of ceremonies has admitted that he made some underhand arrangements, but but I cannot mete out punishment to him straight away because the mastermind might be alarmed if I do.”

Ling Zhang inclined his head. “I understand.”

Then he continued, “That assassin was also a subject of the Great Yue. Was it really the King Hui not those from the Wan Kingdom who sent him, by any chance?”

Yuwen Tong shook his head. “That crossbow was by no means from the residential compound of the King Hui. As early as the time when I was still in border areas, I had heard rumors that the Wan Kingdom had been secretly developing ingenious crossbows, but it’s never been confirmed. That day, after hearing what you said, I basically narrowed down the suspect list to the Wan Kingdom. Even if it wasn’t those from the Wan Kingdom who sent the assassin, it’s unmistakable that they were involved in this matter.”

Ling Zhang exhaled deeply. “That accounts for it. If I understand you correctly, you’re saying that the King Hui is in league with the Wan Kingdom?”

Yuwen Tong inclined his head. “It’s very likely.”

Then he added, “The diplomatic corps of the Wan Kingdom have been laying low all along lately, touring the city with either the King Hui or the King Duan, which makes it convenient for them to make contact with the King Hui. Previously I’d always been suspicious of the purpose of their prolonged stay in the Great Yue. After this thing happened, I vaguely guessed something.”

Ling Zhang asked him, “What is it?”

Yuwen Tong shook his head. “It’s only a speculation, and I have to do some digging before I could confirm it. You’ll have to take a few days off from school. Just tell them that your arm injury worsened after the horse race and need nursing. The trade caravan will enter the capital city in approximately nine days. I know you want to go there to make arrangements yourself very much, but it’s not the right time for you to go outside. I’ll have some men help Wang Qing handle it. Just wait until I rid ourselves of all threats. If you feel bored, I’ll invite your grandfather around. What do you say?”

Ling Zhang first gave a nod and then looked at him in confusion. “How do you know the trade caravan will arrived in the capital city in nine days?”

Even he himself had just come to know this after receiving a letter from his uncle who was in Tanyang. Because of the attempted assassination and the belief that it would take the trade caravan another few days to arrive, he hadn’t consulted with Yuwen Tong about this matter immediately. Had he had a lapse of memory and actually already told Yuwen Tong about it?

The look in Yuwen Tong’s eyes unnoticeably flickered and with that he replied, “Your uncle sent me a letter as well.”

Ling Zhang looked at him curiously. “What does he say in the letter?”

Yuwen Tong said, “He wants me to take good care of you.”

Nothing else? Ling Zhang didn’t suspect anything. He just felt that this was somewhat too simple.

Yuwen Tong immediately steered the conversation away from this topic. “Anyway, the matter of the trade caravan can wait. Even if they had already arrived, I’d be able to have everything handled properly.”

On hearing Yuwen Tong talk in such a serious tone, Ling Zhang who had a sense of propriety came to realize that this matter was probably related to something of great severity which had made the one wanting him dead determined to kill him.

“I know. I’ll stay here,” said Ling Zhang.

Yuwen Tong, seeing his meek bearing, felt that his sweetheart was so adorable, his heart brimming over with affections for Ling Zhang.

But if anybody tried to do Ling Zhang harm, he definitely wouldn’t let the threat exist. Now that some people were so insistent on flirting with the line he’d drawn in the sand, he didn’t mind have them know how it felt to regret.

“Young Master, Childe Tao came,” someone reported outside the room.

Ling Zhang was surprised. “Tao Yi? We parted just a while ago. Why did he come again?”

“I don’t know, Young Master, but judging from his countenance, Childe Tao is rather anxious,” said the servant.

Ling Zhang rose to his feet, exchanged glances with Yuwen Tong and said, “I’ll go and meet him. Maybe it’s something urgent.”