Chapter 312: Battle of Wits (7)

After some playful teasing and tussling with Xiang Zhijie, Le Wuya grew increasingly drowsy.

All told, he had been up for a full three days and two nights straight.

He yanked off his soaked shoes and socks, then rolled onto the makeshift cot: "Move over, move over."

"...Teacher?"

"Just hiding out here for some peace and quiet." Le Wuya scooted to the inside, helping himself to the blanket without asking, squeezing in beside him. He looked up at him with tired, smiling eyes. "Haven't slept in days. I'm dead tired."

Xiang Zhijie tried to act calm, speaking softly: "Teacher, there are people outside."

Le Wuya pretended to be a cozy cat, shrinking into the blanket until only his lovey-dovey eyes were visible.

...Xiang Zhijie's heart skipped a beat.

Le Wuya had no idea what he was doing to Xiang Zhijie.

He'd just come over to tease, closing his eyes, fully expecting to catch Xiang Zhijie in the act when he came in for a kiss.

Unexpectedly, the moment he pressed against Xiang Zhijie's warm body and caught a whiff of sandalwood on him, he was out like a light.

Better than any sleeping pill.

Only once the breathing beside him steadied did Xiang Zhijie, who'd finally calmed down, dare to move.

His fingers rolled the beads on his wrist twice, then slipped them off, worried they'd dig into Le Wuya.

Then, Xiang Zhijie reached his dry, warm fingertips toward that sleeping face, but stopped just an inch short.

He mimed caressing and tracing Le Wuya's face in the air.

...God, so itchy.

His fingertips tingled, like feathers were trying to grow out of his skin, and only by touching his teacher would it go away.

But he still held back.

Luckily, Xiang Zhijie soon found something to keep busy with.

...Tidying up his slightly messy curls.

Gently smoothing those raven-black curls really calmed his nerves.

And Le Wuya slept on, none the wiser.

Everything was quiet, except for the rain drumming on the shed roof.

...

While Le Wuya was off hiding for some peace and quiet, Wang Cheng naturally took charge outside.

After logging, counting, and arranging escorts for all the surviving garrison soldiers in groups, Wang Cheng met up with Qin Xingyue.

When the mudslide occurred, Le Wuya had ordered him to chase down the fleeing soldiers, rounding up the escapees—deceiving them if possible, knocking them out and bringing them back if not.

...Think you can be an accomplice and then just run? Dream on.

Qin Xingyue, having served in the military, knew exactly what these lower-ranking soldiers were thinking.

He first led the evacuation, saving a bunch of lives, then trotted out the old lines: "the law can't punish everyone" and "you were just following orders, so what's it got to do with you?" to bewilder these people who'd lost their nerve.

He went alone, but when he returned, a line of dejected soldiers trailed behind him.

After handing these people over, only when he looked up and saw how thoroughly Xiaolianzi Mountain had collapsed did the fear hit him. He grabbed Wang Cheng and asked: "Is the master okay?"

Wang Cheng gave his shoulder a reassuring pat: "Don't worry, he's fine."

Qin Xingyue breathed a huge sigh of relief and looked around: "Where's the master?"

"The master said he was tired, so he probably went off to rest somewhere."

Qin Xingyue made an "oh" sound and automatically fell into step behind Wang Cheng.

He knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, so he had a lot of respect for book-smart people.

Thus, despite being a few years older than Wang Cheng, he was especially deferential around him.

After silently assisting him for a while, Qin Xingyue noticed that someone had been quietly following behind him.

Qin Xingyue was startled at first, then asked in his usual loud way: "Who're you? Why you keep following me?"

Qiu Sinian gave him a cold look, then glanced at Wang Cheng.

"This is Brother Qiu." Wang Cheng knew this guy wasn't just anybody, and feared that Qin Xingyue's bluntness might inadvertently offend someone and cause trouble for the master, so he took the initiative to introduce him: "He just saved my life, and he's also the one who got the master and the Sixth Prince down the mountain safely."

Qin Xingyue didn't stop to wonder "why was this guy on the mountain anyway."

He gave a hearty salute: "Oh! Then thank you! You saved the master, so you're a friend of mine!"

Qiu Sinian just nodded.

He didn't think badly of Qin Xingyue.

He genuinely cared about the master.

Seeing this guy stay all cold and quiet, Qin Xingyue looked away, elbowed Wang Cheng, and whispered: "Hey, why's he not talking?"

Wang Cheng was speechless.

He pointed at his throat.

Unfortunately, Qin Xingyue got the wrong idea.

"Got a cold?" Qin Xingyue generously stepped back, limping along as he threw an arm around Qiu Sinian's neck, "I got a home remedy that works like a charm for colds and sore throats. My young master used to take it and swore by it. I'll write it out for you when we get back."

Qiu Sinian handed him the rain-dampened paper and brush.

Qin Xingyue quickly understood his meaning and laughed: "You're fancy, carrying paper and a brush around! Hang on, I'll write it now. My handwriting's terrible, so don't laugh at me!"

Seeing these two hit it off unexpectedly well, Wang Cheng couldn't help but smile a little.

He then thought back to the last thing Le Wuya said to him before they split up:

"This ain't over." Le Wuya had patted his shoulder. "Is this all a Bangyan's got?"

Wang Cheng wondered what that meant.

As he was thinking it over, Ji Zhun came to report: "The guy who set off the explosives is awake now."

As he spoke, he couldn't help sneaking a glance at Qiu Sinian.

By this time, Qin Xingyue had already learned that Qiu Sinian had no tongue, but he didn't waste much time feeling guilty about it. Instead, he was actively discussing with Qiu Sinian how to stop the bleeding quickly and effectively when cutting off a tongue.

Wang Cheng pretended not to see Ji Zhun's look and asked straight out, "Did he say anything or not?"

"He did talk..." Ji Zhun hesitated, "but this guy's a bit weird..."

"How so?"

Even though Ji Zhun was a greenhorn who hadn't been through much, he was still a Changmen Guard.

He'd already formed his own take on all the mess in Dansui.

But this guy's confession didn't quite line up with what he'd figured.

After hearing Ji Zhun's report, Wang Cheng could barely believe his ears: "...What?"

Ji Zhun repeated: "He said it was Zhou Wenhuan who sent him to set off the explosives."

Qin Xingyue was stunned too.

He was the first to curse: "He's full of crap! Before the mudslide, I was with the lord the whole time. That guy was Zhou Wenchang's personal attendant. I saw with my own eyes Zhou Wenchang whispering something to him, and then he left and never came back. The mountain blew up right after—how can they blame Zhou Wenhuan for it?"

"But that's what he said," Ji Zhun said. "He claimed he'd actually been working for Zhou Wenhuan the whole time. Zhou Wenchang only told him to go up the mountain to fetch Brother Wang and me back. It was Zhou Wenhuan who told him to blow up the mountain and stash the explosives."

Qin Xingyue was dumbfounded: "That doesn't add up—didn't Zhou Wenhuan know his own brother was down at the foot of the mountain too? If the mountain blew, what if his brother got killed too?"

"He knew," Ji Zhun said. "He said Zhou Wenhuan had tipped him off..."

Ji Zhun repeated the attendant's words: "'If it comes down to it, kill them all together.'"

As he spoke, a belated chill of sweat broke out on his body.

Qin Xingyue turned to Wang Cheng, opening his mouth.

He was truly confused now: "Come to think of it, that Qingyun who literally cooked A Shun to death—he was one of Zhou Wenhuan's men..."

...Could it really be that Zhou Wenhuan acted on his own?

Qin Xingyue was confused, but Wang Cheng was not.

He stood frozen in place, clenching his fists.

The lord had spoken well.

...What a fine talent, that Bangyan—truly deserving of the name!