Chapter 41 The Forty-First True Spy
The sword stopped in front of a rugged-looking man in red with a full beard. It wasn't that Lu Huantang had withdrawn his sword, but rather that there seemed to be a wall in front of the man, making it impossible for Lu Huantang to get close or retract his sword.
"This sword looks familiar," the man said, examining it closely. "Where have I seen it before?"
Jiang Linzhi also came over. The master and apprentice looked at the sword like two lion cubs cut from the same mold, curiously observing everything around them.
Now we know who Jiang Linzhi took after.
After watching for a while, Jiang Linzhi shook his head, "You're older, you've seen more, I don't know."
Fan Wubai didn't think much of it and gently raised his hand, sending the sword flying back into its sheath. He said, "Last time you brought a woman, this time a man. Girl, not bad, you've truly mastered your master's teachings."
"Real friends my foot! We're legitimate friends, not your bed partners," Jiang Linzhi retorted sarcastically.
"In bed? Sometimes we're not in bed..."
Jiang Linzhi covered her ears and quickly interrupted her master, "Hey! Stop being so disrespectful to your elders. I brought him here for you to take a look, and now that you've seen him, we're leaving."
Fan Wubai, like a ghost, quickly blocked their way, saying, "No, no, if you're here, stay a little longer. I'll give him a chance for divination."
Jiang Lin angrily said, "You old man, I've begged you for so many years before you finally agreed to give me a fortune reading, and the moment he arrives you immediately give me one."
Fan Wubai had already put his arm around Lu Huantang's waist, and Lu Huantang couldn't help but shiver, but still followed him inside.
"Watch the door for your master, my precious disciple!"
"I know, but I will not inquire into or pry into the secrets of heaven."
When Lu Huantang came out, Jiang Linzhi had already taken care of the flowers and plants in the yard. The flowers and plants grew towards the moonlight, and their leaves were also covered with the shimmering moonlight.
Jiang Linzhi was lying by the stream, teasing the fish in the water. Seeing him come out, Jiang Linzhi shook the water off his arms and said, "Fan Wubai, let's go!"
After the two had walked a long way, Fan Wubai's low voice, which sounded like a sigh, came from the stone forest: "Him? I don't see anything different about him."
The divination result just now was slightly different from the one Huang Banxian had given, but they didn't contradict each other. Lu Huantang looked at Jiang Linzhi, who had appeared in both divination results, and reached out to pluck a single white hair that had sprouted from her head.
Jiang Linzhi hissed in pain, but said nothing.
Throughout the journey, Lu Huantang's mind was filled with a poem that had appeared out of nowhere on Fan Wubai's sand table, hovering in his mind like a vulture: "When a traveler returns to his hometown, let not the beauty be left in vain. When the sword is raised, where is the beauty? Do not be foolish or hateful, for you will eventually become king."
What does this mean exactly?
What does Master Huang mean by saying, "If you let her go, you will live a peaceful and joyful life for the rest of your days"?
Lu Huantang thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure out the connection, so he simply put it out of his mind. This kind of metaphysical thing can't be understood just like that. Thinking too much about it is just worrying yourself unnecessarily.
The Regent's faction wasn't entirely secure either, and Lu Huantang observed this coldly without intervening. On the third day at court, a decision was made regarding the remaining 50% of the Jiang family's members.
After going through a lot of red tape without getting to the point, Lu Huantang glanced around without making a sound and couldn't help but frown slightly—most of the officials who were usually the regent's "vanguard" led by Qi Lingjun were nowhere to be seen.
Lu Huantang found it strange, but since he hadn't received any instructions from the Regent, he didn't take it too seriously and just silently noted it down in his mind.
The right to sell 50% of the shares was not revoked, and the long corridor was empty again after the court session. It is estimated that the regent is getting impatient and will urge him again.
Suddenly, countless armored soldiers surged in from the north and south gates of Changyong, surrounding Lu Huantang in layers. The captain at the head of the group said, "His Majesty has decreed that whoever captures Zhu Huantang alive will be enfeoffed as a marquis of a thousand households."
The owner of a wonton shop on the street sighed, looking at the bluestone pavement in front of the Kanggan Gate, which hadn't been washed clean by the two rains. He then vividly described the scene to his customer: "You didn't see it! Thousands of soldiers surrounded him, but the sword in his hand was as fast as a hummingbird's wing. One after another, a dozen men fell to the ground. Another after another, and another dozen men fell. Wow! I reckon the entire Imperial Army would be wiped out here trying to capture him!"
One customer listened intently, but it sounded too incredible, so he couldn't believe it: "Just one person, and he's that amazing?"
The boss raised an eyebrow and said, "If I hadn't seen him, I certainly wouldn't believe it either. But think about it, have you ever heard of him before? To be favored by the Regent and then by that person from the Jiang family, and to rise to the position of Marquis in just four years, can he be an ordinary person?"
Another customer was still skeptical, "Didn't they say he was just a kept man?"
The crowd burst into laughter. Seeing that they still didn't believe him, and recalling the clean and efficient breakout from the day before yesterday, the boss felt it was a real loss that no one agreed with him, and continued, "Living off women? Have you forgotten those two guys from the Gao and Su families who wanted to live off women? Their graves are probably overgrown with weeds by now, aren't they?"
Everyone fell silent. Jiang Jinyi and Jiang Linzhi were both ruthless characters.
Finally, someone asked the most crucial question: "So, did they catch them?"
"It's been three days already, they'll probably be back at the border soon. I heard they're the grandson of a feudal lord."
The fact that such a highly skilled spy hadn't been caught caused a wave of panic among the people. They quickly finished their wontons and dispersed.
The person they were talking about was so audacious that he did not return to the Kingdom of Wu.
Zhu Huantang sneaked into Jiang Linzhi's boudoir under the cover of night. He had been to this room countless times, and often at night as well.
Zhu Huantang walked easily to Jiang Linzhi's bedside and looked at Jiang Linzhi, who was curled up in a corner sleeping like a puppy. Normally, he would pull her into his arms, slowly unfold her curled-up body, and hold her until she fell asleep.
But today was different. He was afraid that the smell of blood on him would scare her. She already didn't feel very safe, and if he scared her like that, she would probably sleep in the closet next time.
Zhu Huantang tiptoed to the side room, took a bath, bandaged his wounds, and changed into new clothes before coming out. He knelt beside Jiang Linzhi's bed, quietly watching her sleeping face.
Jiang Linzhi did not sleep soundly, curled up in the quilt like a silkworm cocoon, with her eyes tightly closed.
She seemed to sense someone was there, and slowly woke up to see Zhu Huantang by her bedside. Their eyes met, but Jiang Linzhi neither cried out nor got angry, showing none of the behavior Zhu Huantang had anticipated. She quietly looked at Zhu Huantang in the moonlight and calmly asked, "Why aren't you leaving?"
Faced with Jiang Linzhi's calmness, Zhu Huantang felt there was still room for negotiation, and grinned earnestly, "We agreed to get married."
Jiang Linzhi looked at him. Even though Zhu Huantang had tried his best to clean himself up after three days, the stubble on his lip and the scars on his face still showed his haggardness and exhaustion.
Suddenly, Jiang Linzhi turned his head away, hiding in the shadows and trying to conceal the tears welling up in his eyes, and said, "I am going to marry Lu Huantang. Who are you?"
These words provoked Zhu Huantang. He rushed forward and cupped Jiang Linzhi's face in his hands, intending to tell her that he had no choice, but he saw the tears falling from her eyes.
A drop of water slipped between his fingers, easily extinguishing the anger in his heart. Jiang Linzhi was suffering just as much as he was, which meant that Jiang Linzhi still cared about her. He gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and explained in a deep voice, "Yes, I was sent by the Wu Kingdom. The Wu Kingdom is in dire need of talent right now. When I return, I will be granted a title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households or higher. You can come with me and live just as carefree as you do here."
Hearing his incoherent ramblings, Jiang Linzhi pushed him away and growled, "You want me to stand on the side of being hostile to my motherland? How do you think they will treat a person from an enemy country like me?"
The disappointment in Jiang Linzhi's eyes extinguished the last remaining hope in Zhu Huantang's heart that Jiang Linzhi would go with him. He could not give up his right to pursue it. He did not want to be like his ancestors and fathers, who could only guard the sacrificial furnace outside with the eunuchs when they went to the capital to pay tribute.
Zhu Huantang's abilities and ambitions do not allow him to fail.
Therefore, he cannot compromise for her and become an ordinary person.
Now that he has been exposed, he must return to the State of Wu. Fortunately, he has obtained the method of making snuff bottles, so he can still have the opportunity to be ennobled and appointed as a general, and to show his talents.
Victory is still in his hands; the only flaw is that he can't let go of Jiang Linzhi. He can't wait a few short years to conquer Sui Kingdom, as too many things could change in that time.
With a sense of farewell, Zhu Huantang bound her hands and feet, easily lifting Jiang Linzhi's hands above her head and pressing them down. He kissed Jiang Linzhi passionately, starting with her lips, wanting to make her succumb to his tenderness.
After a chaotic and fruitless struggle, Jiang Linzhi's tears flowed into the mouths of the two entangled individuals, chilling the heart of the icy crowd.
Zhu Huantang gradually calmed down, his head resting against Jiang Linzhi's head as he breathed heavily.
Jiang Linzhi said resolutely, "Go quickly, don't make me go back on my word."
Their lips and tongues intertwined, sticky and frenzied, yet they couldn't pull Jiang Linzhi into the mire of emotions. Helpless, Zhu Huantang finally loosened his grip, slowly pulling away from her, and said in a trembling voice, "Do you know I love you?"
Jiang Linzhi just kept pushing him.
Zhu Huantang got up and slowly walked towards the window.
Just as Jiang Linzhi turned to wipe her tears, he suddenly turned back, raised his hand, and touched Jiang Linzhi's sleep apex.
He was a ruthless man by nature, and sincerity never mattered. He wiped away Jiang Linzhi's tears, concealed the look of shock and regret in her eyes before she fainted, erased his affection and love for her, and laughed, "Hate me, the power is mine, and so are you."
The only sounds at night were the chirping of insects. Zhu Huantang carried Jiang Linzhi over the city wall, heading to the Jinwuwei military camp to steal a fast horse, when he saw a torch as small as a pebble in the distance. More and more light appeared behind the torch, and as the pebble was thrown into the lake, it stirred up ripples, and the flame spread out in layers.
The night was as bright as day. Several civil officials from the emperor's faction emerged from the shadows into the light, one of whom was Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Rites, a close confidant of Zhu Huantang. Their faces beamed with barely concealed excitement. Yet, their words were utterly sarcastic: "Minister Zhu, your reward is getting higher and higher. With this achievement, we colleagues will have a better place in the court, won't we? It's better for us than for others to benefit."
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