Xu Ziling was met by Lei Jiuzhi and was brought into the residence; along the way, he was introduced to the four new servants. Upon entering the hall, he saw Ren Jun, disguised as Situ Furong, standing in a corner with strange expression. Astonished, he asked, “What’s the matter?”
Immensely proud of himself, Lei Jiuzhi said, “Did you notice anything different on Furong Ye?”
Ren Jun revealed a helpless expression, indicating that Lei Jiuzhi forced him to stand over there, waiting to be inspected.
Xu Ziling casually swept his gaze over, he smiled and said, “Xiao Jun not only takes Situ Furong disguise, he also disguises himself as me; is that right?”
Ren Jun happily said, “Xu Ye’s eyesight is really sharp, I was afraid you could not see through Lei Ye’s trick.”
Lei Jiuzhi proudly said, “This is exactly a necessary course of action in response to martial art masters, hence I added some height to Xiao Jun’s boots, so that his height is more or less identical to Ling Shao. I also broadened his shoulders, so that when we need Ziling to take Situ Furong disguise back, no one will be able to see through.”
Xu Ziling understood the situation, being tactful, he praised him a few good words first before asking, “Is there a way to make some kind of powder that can stick to the painting’s silk fabric, but not only it won’t be detected, it will also emit some kind of scent?”
Pointing to his own head, Lei Jiuzhi said with a laugh, “This fellow can solve anything for you, but it would be best if you tell me the real situation first, otherwise, missing a hundredth of hairsbreadth might result in a thousand li error.”
Thereupon Xu Ziling laid out his idea. Lei Jiuzhi only said, “Let me think about it,” and then he slipped away.
Ren Jun came to Xu Ziling’s side and sincerely said, “Xu Ye is indeed formidable, unexpectedly you can come up with this kind of unimaginable brilliant scheme.”
Xu Ziling smiled and said, “You have been cooped up inside the house all day long, aren’t you bored?”
Shaking his head, Ren Jun said, “How could I be bored? Every day, Xiaozi learn new things from two Qianbei. Kou Ye is resting in the bedroom, he asked that when Xu Ye arrives to immediately go see him.”
“Where’s Song Ye?” Xu Ziling asked.
Lowering his voice, Ren Jun replied, “Since he came back from seeing Shang Changzhu, Song Ye has been sitting blankly in the middle courtyard’s pavilion, we do not dare to disturb him.
Xu Ziling felt uneasy. Nodding his head, he said, “Let me see Kou Zhong first, then we’ll talk later.”
※ ※ ※
Xu Ziling sat down at the edge of the bed. Kou Zhong, who was lying supine on the bed, using his arms as a pillow, saw him coming, he sighed and said, “I have two difficult problems I want to share with you.”
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Smiling wryly, Xu Ziling said, “Looking at how you are with a worried frown now, I know that your brain is full of replacement-guaranteed-if-not-genuine difficult problems. Ay! Difficult problem, you said? I also have some.”
Kou Zhong got up and sat cross-legged, he laughed and said, “I said it first, so I have the priority. I haven’t told you this, but I had a fight against Wanwan last night.”
Xu Ziling understood that Kou Zhong did not want Hou Xibai to know about this matter, because it was related to Shi Zhixuan. He said, “What kind of formidability level has her virtuous-achievements-come-to-their-successful-conclusion [idiom] Tianmo Da Fa reached?”
“I have not tested it thoroughly,” Kou Zhong replied, “But I have an extremely unclear feeling that her Tianmo Da Fa happen to be able to restrain my Eight Methods of the Well, just like water can restrain fire, that kind if immutable character of natural substances restraining each other.”
Xu Ziling said, “Things may not necessarily be that serious, just because she understands our true qi, which uses the Long-Life Qi as its foundation, better than anybody else. Why did you fight anyway?”
“It was she who forced me to fight in order to prove that only her Tianmo Field could trap Shi Zhixuan,” Kou Zhong replied, “Herein lies the difficult problem: will we cooperate with her, or will we refuse her? We must give her a definite answer today. We don’t have time to drag this matter longer.”
Xu Ziling said, “Perhaps it is because I have seen her miserable appearance when she was weeping with grief that I feel that she is still a human being with flesh and blood. This is the moment where she is confined in an on-all-sides-the-songs-of-Chu situation, whether it is for others or for ourselves, we ought to support her. Besides the cooperation is limited to dealing with Shi Zhixuan. Afterwards, we will no longer get involved in anything with her.”
Kou Zhong sighed and said, “You sympathize with her, because you think Shi Zhixuan is the big bullying the small, but I have a feeling that most likely Wanwan is just another Shi Zhixuan, there will come a day where no one in the world will be able to control her.”
Xu Ziling stared fixedly at him for half a day. He said, “Her performance last night must have made you palpitating a lot, am I right?”
The divine light in Kou Zhong’s pair of eyes flashing, suddenly a hint of smile escaped from the corner of his mouth; he said, “Arousing me is more like it. Her Tianmo Field is nimble, the fantastical changes, have deeply aroused my pursuit of the martial art way, just like Shi Zhixuan’s Bu Si Yin. All right! Let’s just cooperate with her like you said, we’ll make a fierce his Niang’s bet. But if we fail to ambush and kill Shi Zhixuan, how are we going to respond?”
Xu Ziling spoke heavily, “We will withdraw immediately. Furthermore, we’ll abandon Situ Furong plan, otherwise we might implicate a lot of people, because we will stir up Shi Zhixuan’s murderous intent that he will do whatever it takes to deal with us, and that is not a joking matter.”
Kou Zhong said, “The first problem is solved. The other problem, I’m afraid that even you will have the desire but not the power to solve it.” And then he explained Song Shidao’s concerns.
Xu Ziling muttered to himself irresolutely for half a day. Noticing that Kou Zhong was staring blankly at him, he asked in astonishment, “Why are you staring blankly at me like that?”
Kou Zhong dejectedly replied, “I just wanted to know whether you will take this opportunity to persuade me to give up contending for hegemony over the world. Ay! Right now I have a terrible guilty conscience. This could be considered Song ErYe’s only chance to obtain happiness. If it hits a snag, he would lose interest in life, perhaps he might go to Niang’s tomb and kill himself to die together in the name of love. That is something that I do not want to see the most.”
Xu Ziling spoke heavily, “Looking at the shape of how things are developing, if you give up your fight over the world, Luoyang will inevitably fall, Song Que might be so angry with you that in his discouragement he might tuck his hands inside his sleeves and no longer care about what happen in the Central Earth. Li Yuan might recall Li Shimin back to Chang’an, and assign Li Yuanji to preside over the general situation. Due to Luoyang obtaining Guanzhong’s support, Dou Jiande and Liu Dage might be defeated without any chance of victory, Bashu will surrender to the Tang in accordance with the agreement. Like dominoes, the outstanding heroes all over the world will answer the call to surrender or maybe lose the war and their empire fall. Under such circumstances Li Shimin will definitely be assassinated by the demonic school people. At that time, if the House of Tang’s world does not fall into the demonic school’s hands, it will still be difficult to escape the fate of the invasion and conquest of the allied armies of the people beyond the Great Wall.”
Severely shaken, Kou Zhong said, “This seems to be the first time that you are supporting me in the battle to unify the world?”
Xu Ziling replied with a bitter smile, “I am simply laying down the fact. Looking at how Li Yuan’s lecherous weakness is being exploited by the demonic school’s Yin Zuwen, also the Dugu Clan, the Yuwen Clan and the Li Clan’s three-in-one situation, plus there is still Wanwan outside Shi Zhixuan, Li Shimin absolutely has no chance, Feixuan’s hope will fall through. Moreover, just like you said, under their system, Li Shimin practically has no way of gathering his troops to proclaim his independence; he is unwilling to do so anyway.”
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Kou Zhong said, “Supposing I can really kill Li kid and defeat the Tang Army, what would happen?”
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“The fire of war is merciless,” Xu Ziling replied, “If you don’t kill me, then I will kill you. What else can Xiaodi say? But didn’t you say that you only have the ambition to strive over the world and enjoy that kind of course of events, but you don’t have any interest to become the emperor? Under permissible circumstances, Li Shimin can be let go, and in the future, let him become emperor and be done with it.”
Smiling wryly, Kou Zhong said, “Listening to you, my heart is itching. Honestly, looking at how hard it is for Li Yuan to be the emperor, only an idiot would want to be the emperor, only too bad we have lunatic ravings. In light of the recent development, even if I can capture Jiangdu, it will still be difficult to escape the inferior position of the troops defeated, death in battle. Honestly, I don’t see that I have any chance. Not to boost Li Shimin’s spirit, but in terms of strength and strategic deployment, there is still a gap between Li Shimin and me.”
Shaking his head, Xu Ziling said, “Because of the devastating setback you received from Li Shimin at Cijian, your mind suffers from pent-up frustrations and thus not only you underestimate yourself, you also underestimate your future father-in-law ‘Heavenly Saber’ Song Que. As long as you can hold up the current situation, when Song Que leads the southern main forces to go up north, the situation in the world will be reversed, it won’t be entirely one-sided situation leaning heavily on the Li Clan.”
Staring blankly, Kou Zhong said, “Unexpectedly Song Que will come to help me.”
“This matter is absolutely true,” Xu Ziling replied, “Shen Luoyan and Li Shimin told me so. Song Que is calling Lingnan’s various tribes’ Liliao Army, the training is underway. If from Lingnan they go up north by boat along the coastal area, they might arrive in a few months.”
Half believing, half doubting, Kou Zhong said, “In that case, why didn’t he, the Senior, immediately come to help me?”
Xu Ziling said, “After the troops are gathered, they still have to undergo training, which will need at least three months’ time, plus the boat journey, that will be more than four months. Therefore, the quickest the Lingnan main forces can rush over to help you will be in the tenth month. But Song Que is a great expert in military affairs, he absolutely will not advance north at that time.”
Kou Zhong blurted out, “Why the delay? By that time, I, Kou Zhong, might have to rely on you to recover my remains from Li kid, to have you bury me by Niang’s grave.”
Xu Ziling sighed and said, “Zhong Shao, this is called you are so worried that your heart is in chaos. Southern people going to war in the north, in the first place they must try to overcome the problem of water and soil [i.e. natural environment, climate]. In the north the tenth month is the beginning of the severe winter. In the frigid weather, the soldiers and generals’ military strength of the southern troops, which are not capable of enduring the bitter cold wind and snow, will be greatly reduced. Based on Song Que’s intelligence, no matter what, he will wait for the warm spring and flowers blooming time to start the troops deployment. Only when that time comes will he begin to inform you about this plan.”
Drawing out a mouthful of cold air, Kou Zhong said, “Won’t that mean I still have to endure for nine more months?”
Xu Ziling said, “Then we’ll see how long Luoyang will be able to hold out. I am willing to help you to obtain Jiangdu, and this is not an impulsive desire due to momentarily being moved emotionally, but it is a decision after careful deliberations. I don’t want to fight Li Shimin, but I don’t have that kind of scruple against Li Zitong.”
Kou Zhong stared blankly at him for half a day. “Very well,” he said, “Whether our plan to ambush and kill Shi Zhixuan succeed or fail, as long as I don’t die, I will immediately rush back to Pengliang and will do everything possible to subdue Li Zitong.”
Xu Ziling said, “I am very happy that you recovered your fighting spirit, while not knowing whether it is a good fortune or a disaster. After our business here is done, I am going on a trip to Bashu, and then I’ll go to Pengliang to meet with you.”
Kou Zhong said, “That being the case, how are we going to solve the intractable problem between Song ErGe and Meiren’er Changzhu before our eyes? I am really afraid that because she is giving thought to the Ranch, Shang Xiuxun might give her body to Li Jiancheng. We definitely cannot tolerate this.”
Xu Ziling said, “We will look for an opportunity to talk with Shang Xiuxun in an open-heart-sincere-meeting manner, hoping that she will delay making decision in this matter until Luoyang falls.”
Kou Zhong nodded and said, “That is a way within no way, I hope Meiren’er Changzhu really incline her heart toward Song ErGe, then everything can be managed well. We seem to have solution to my two difficult problems; what about your side? What is your new problem?”
Xu Ziling told him everything concerning Hu Xiaoxian’s affairs, and then he said, “If we can confirm that in stealing the painting Li Yuan is harboring other intention, we must change our grand plan of stealing the painting, plus we will have to brave an even greater risk. Currently we are linking the two matters: stealing the painting and ambushing and killing Shi Zhixuan into one. If something goes wrong in either one of these two, we will have to pack our bag and leave before finish eating.”
Kou Zhong spoke in concern, “If Li Yuan dispels his idea of having Song ErGe coming to authenticate the treasured painting, or perhaps he waits several months for the rumor to pass before resuming this plan, won’t we be in a passive position of waiting foolishly?”
Xu Ziling answered affirmatively, “My gut feeling says that within these next few days, Li Yuan is going to invite ErGe into the palace, because he has to make sure whether the famous painting in his hands is genuine or a reproduction, otherwise he will be a laughingstock. If Song ErGe is really Shen Wenjiang, Li Yuan only needs to say one word, he will not dare to make thoughtless remark; therefore, there is no need for him to wait until the rumor dies down. The fact is that Hu Xiaoxian is extremely charming, no wonder Li Yuan is moved. However, whether he really has his heart on Xiaoxian, we still have to wait for Hou Gongzi to confirm.”
Kou Zhong was excited. He said, “Tonight, we are going to explore the mystery of the underground tunnel leading into the palace, to find a path inside the palace. His Niang’s, Yangzhou’s Shuanglong [twin dragons] and the Passionate Prince are coming!”
Xu Ziling was not infected by his excitement, he spoke coldly, “You ought to say Cao San is coming!”
“Cao San?” Kou Zhong blurted out.
“Of course it’s Cao San,” Xu Ziling replied, “We are going to disguise ourselves as Cao San leading away a goat while passing by, taking away a national treasure from the Tang Palace. Next time stealing the painting will not be too unexpected; furthermore, he won’t suspect that it is Song ErGe who is leaking the secret.”
Knitting his brows, Kou Zhong said, “Won’t that make Li Yuan strengthen his guard and increase his wariness even more? To us, it will only be harmful without any benefit.”
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Sneering, Xu Ziling said, “You really think there will be any difference? In order to guard against Shi Zhixuan, also because of Sha Fang being murdered, Li Yuan already elevated the alertness inside the palace to the highest level; practically there won’t be any difference.”
Kou Zhong breathed out a mouthful of air, he said, “You, this kid, is even more extremely daring than me. I like to think that I am a soldier in the affairs of the heart [lit. love field], but you are the vanguard general in the affairs of the heart, my superior in the affairs of the heart. Ha! Not only Cao San has not escaped far away, he even steals things from the imperial palace, regarding the Li Clan as nothing. What kind of reaction will it provoke?”
Looking at the sky, Xu Ziling said, “It will be dusk in a couple of sichen! Shall we go see Shang Xiuxun?”
Kou Zhong said, “Xiaodi thinks that if you go alone, it will be a bit easier to talk to her. I am going to see Er Wenhuan, to tell him that we must cancel tonight’s gambling party. This is called in order to capture, one must let loose. I’ll see what he is going to propose. For instance, if he is going to wait for us outside Shang Lin Yuan, we’d better slip out across the street to gamble his Niang’s a couple of hands, or things like that, pretending that we are finally persuaded by him, because greed has become second nature to Taihang Shuang Jie, plus they are men who only care about themselves.”
Xu Ziling said, “In the end, you want me to face Meiren’er Changzhu alone, you want to put this black pot on my back.”
Kou Zhong patted him on the shoulder and said, “One lifetime two brothers, this is called group planning, group effort; it is also called division-of-labor cooperation!”
Right this moment, warning sign went off in the two boys’ heart, they looked at the bedroom’s west window at the same time.
Like a ghost, Wanwan was standing outside the window, smiling sweetly, her dazzling pretty eyes were fixed on the two boys.
The two boys were shocked; their soul flew away and scattered.