Chapter 111: Feel-out
Translator: Antonia
The masked men were in such high spirits that they chasing behind desperately. From time to time, arrows from the dark were shot onto the carriage.
“Lord, there is a hill in front. We can use it as a cover.” Awu drove the carriage and observed terrain, driving the carriage to the hill over there.
Asan was busy too. All the arrows on the carriage were drawn out and shot back to the assassin group, so constantly there was sound of people falling off their horses.
The shadow guard stood on the top of the carriage to protect the compartment so that no arrows might hurt lord or lady in it.
However, he was confused. Almost all the arrows targeted at either the horse or wheels. No arrows aimed directly at the compartment.
They didn’t seem to act in accordance with the head’s order which was to leave no one alive.
“Brothers, attack! The man in the carriage was poisoned and can’t use martial arts. The woman in it doesn’t know martial arts at all. As long as we kill the guards, the mission is completed.”
The leader of the masked group seemed to know psychology well. His words raised the group’s morale to a higher level at once.
Awu hadn’t stopped the carriage yet, and Asan flew to the group and fought with them.
Distance meant life. He couldn’t let these masked men get too close to the carriage, or lady might by hurt accidentally.
No matter how excellent Asan was, he couldn’t defeat dozens of enemies alone. Soon, there was blood all over him.
Ning Shaoqing and the shadow guard also joined the fight. Obviously, they were much better than Asan. None of the masked men could get near them.
Some weak ones were knocked down upon facing to them. The rest were also easily dealt with after a few rounds.
Yet, with the number of the assassins, it still took some time to solve all of them. Ning Shaoqing, his clothes floating in the air, flashed up and down among the dozens of masked men. Constantly, blood gushed out of their bodies, but not a stain was sprayed on his spotless clothes.
Basically, all the assassins attacked around Ning Shaoqing and no one went to the carriage in which Mo Qianxue sat. The neighing horses, clanking swords, shrieking people and roaring wind constituted a purgatory on earth.
Mo Qianxue didn’t need to lift up the curtain to know how fierce the battle was, but now she had no mercy to the situation. The faster the masked men died, the better.
Otherwise, they would all be in danger.
Awu sat in the front of the carriage and, worrying Mo Qianxue might be scared, frequently comforted her that lord’s palm was able to crash people coming in every direction or lord soared up to attack the assassins with one move.
Hearing the horrible yet thrilling sounds of colliding swords, painful screams and rapid horse hoofs, along with Awu’s on-site live commentary, Mo Qianxue actually wanted to get out to see with her own eyes the authentic version of chase and slaughter.
However, she never reached out to lift up the curtain, because now she was literally too feeble to truss a chicken. She even didn’t have a weapon.
If a masked man really rushed at her, she could only wait for her death. She was afraid that as long as her head stuck out, it would instantly become an arrow target, so sat obediently in the carriage so as not to become a burden for Awu or distract Ning Shaoqing.
These assassins came in a fierce momentum in three waves and totaled fifty people, but within a quarter, all of them were killed.
The leader of the group was caught by the shadow guard, but when he pinched his draw to prevent him from suicide, a blow of wind came from the mountain forest teeming with tree shadows. When the shadow guard looked down at the leader again, he had already died of poison.
Ning Shaoqing took a glance in the direction of the forest, and the shadow guard flashed and instantly disappeared.
The air suddenly turned silent. She thought the fight must have ended. In a hurry, she pushed open the door of the carriage.
Hearing the noise, Ning Shaoqing flew over and blocked her sight with his body, “Don’t look.”
His tone was soft, but the murderousness around him didn’t dissipate so soon and made Mo Qianxue felt a little cold.
“I need to.” If she didn’t dare to look at corpses, how could she face with him the future storms of blood? Mo Qianxue stubbornly pushed away Ning Shaoqing and looked outward.
It was eleven o’clock in the night. By the moonlight, the sky wasn’t completely dark. In the dim light, what came in her sight were corpses of humans and horses piling up in the pool of blood scattered with separated limbs…
Expect on TV, Mo Qianxue had never seen corpses with her eyes, let alone such a horrible scene. Although she had prepared herself to see it, she still threw out at once.
After a day of torment, she had barely eaten anything, so the vomit was mostly stomach fluid.
Ning Shaoqing hurriedly patted her back and gave a look to Asan, who, upon receiving it, together with Awu, began to do their work.
After the impulse of vomiting passed, Mo Qianxue looked up at Ning Shaoqing, “Is it the heartless mother and son?”
He looked into her eyes and replied, “No. If it was them, they wouldn’t have sent over so many useless people.” The mother and son were still searching in the smoke he had set off. They couldn’t find him so soon.
He already knew the answer as to the person who had dispatched the assassins as soon as the fight began. Now he only needed the confirmation from the shadow guard’s investigation.
Ning Shaoqing’s seriousness compelled Mo Qianxue to trust him, “Really?” Somehow, she trusted his judgment for no reason. However, if it wasn’t the mother and son, then who could it be? Had they ever offended anyone?
Ning Shaoqing combed her hair with his fingers to calm her down, “I think it should be some bandits and robbers. It’s not strange we fell target of them since we have started workshops and restaurant and bought land in a short time.”
While he spoke, he held her onto the carriage, “It’s useless to think too much. You’d better take a rest in the carriage.” Seeing she was so baffled by the question, Ning Shaoqing comforted her again, “It’s no big deal.”
Asan and Awu worked with clear division of labor. One dug pits, and the other threw the corpses into them. And then one swept snow, and the other paved leaves on the snow…
Evidently, they were old stagers in dealing with this kind of follow-up work. In a while, the land was stored to take on the old appearance—snow fluttering and leaves drifting above the land. It was impossible to find any trace of fight and killing.
When Mo Qianxue looked out again, the horrible place had become a beautiful landscape again.
Tomorrow, no one would possibly find out the storm of fight that had taken place. No one would possibly figure out how dreadful this place could be.
Of course, more importantly, no one would investigate on it, let alone stirring up troubles for them because of these masked men.
*
In the study of Tong mansion, old Mr. Tong was sitting there appreciating a famous painting, one of his hand hanging in the midair trying to copy it, when a person entered the room and got down on one knee.
Old Tong even didn’t look at him, as if he had been waiting for him for long, asking in his old hoarse voice, “Oh, our guard leader, how was it going?”
The leader of Tong guards replied, “Forgive me please. Ning Shaoqing and his shadow guards are extremely powerful. They solved all our people in less than a quarter.”
“You don’t need to blame yourself. This time, the people we sent were weak ones. It’s a waste of rice to keep them. They aren’t top guards of Tong family but merely men of sacrifice to be eliminated. Now, they died a worthy death. You don’t have to feel pity for them.”
These people would offer their lives for the master, only to be called men of sacrifice, a waste of rice and the so-called worthy death.
The leader’s stiffened bodily with a frozen heart, forcing a reply, “Yes.”
Even his master didn’t feel pity for those man, he did. After all, they were sent out alive by him and then died right before him.
Although these people weren’t top ones among the Tong guards, they had been loyal and fought to their best. It was fair to say that they died a worth death.
Mr. Tong didn’t look at the leader guard and continued, “As for Ning Shaoqing, I didn’t mean to kill him or wished to solve him with a dozen useless assassins. This is only a feel-out aiming at disturb his mind and potential steady actions to be taken.”
Then, he remembered that last time the leader was discovered by Ning Shaoqing’s shadow guard and stopped copying the painting, shooting his sharp eyes over, “Didn’t you…leave any clues?”
The leader guard shivered by the gaze and replied hurriedly, “No. None of the men were alive. I was also especially cautious when I came back. I’m so I wasn’t followed by anyone.”
Mr. Tong took back the sharpness and the old eyes felt a little dizzy, waving his hand, “Alright. You should be tired now. You can leave.”
“Yes.” The leader sweated like a pig and left.
After he left, Mr. Tong snorted, with ruthlessness and cruelty in his eyes.
He had once heard the strange doctor mentioned that the one who had the cold poison shouldn’t casually use his authentic qi.
Otherwise, his blood would retrograde and triggered the poison to break out. He couldn’t and didn’t want to wait for one more year until the strange doctor found the cure for Ning Shaoqing.
It couldn’t be wrong to have a plan B! He had always done things quickly and neat-cuttingly.
He hadn’t applied tough methods on Ning Shaoqing because on the one hand, it wasn’t necessary, and on the other hand, he didn’t want to arouse Mo Qianxue’s suspicion.
More importantly, he didn’t want to mess up with the incumbent master of the Ning family. It wouldn’t be hard to solve Ning Shaoqing, but it was difficult to do it without leaving any clues. If his shadow guard managed to escape and reported to the Ning master, then things would be troublesome.
He didn’t care but he must pave the way for Jing.
Although he had gotten the news that the Ning master now was sick in bed motionlessly, he didn’t want to believe it easily or take rashly actions.
In the capital, if to say anyone that could daunt old Tong, the Ning master was one of them.
Old Tong had to consider the consequence before killing the Ning’s son.
*
After cleaning the carriage, Ning Shaoqing let Asan to explore the road ahead and let him tell sister Fang to make some food. By the time the carriage arrived home, sister Fang also finished cooking.
Mo Qianxue really had a long day. Exhausted and starving, she, after having the meal, quickly fell asleep to the beat of Ning Shaoqing’s gentle patting.
Mo Qianxue went to sleep but Ning Shaoqing couldn’t. Shadow guard was back, so he had important things to deal with.
Shadow guard, Asan and Awu had long waited outside the doors. Now at the inner courtyard, there were only them and lady. Since lady fell asleep, so the shadow guard didn’t have to hide in the dark.
They went to the study, and the shadow guard quickly stepped forward and reported, “I followed those people. Judging from their movement, they should belong to the hidden guards that Tong family sent over last time. They turned and twisted but at last still entered the Tong mansion…”
Asan and Awu were shoucked. But Ning Shaoqing wasn’t a bit surprised. He only said calmly, “As I expected, it’s him.”
Asan asked, “Why? We never had or have conflicts with old Mr. Tong. Why did he attack us?”
Awu answered, “Speaking of it, he should be grateful instead of hating lord and lady.”
Why? He just wanted to pave way for his retarded son. Ning Shaoqing was crystal clear of it. He had figured it out when old Tong had visited last time. This was also why he had suggested Mo Qianxue to take Tong Zijing back here.
Only with Tong Zijing staying within his eyesight could he guarantee the safety of Mo Qianxue.
However, unfortunately, the old man would never expect that his own son was desperate to get rid of him even in his dream. Ning Shaoqing sneered and ordered, “Don’t tell lady about this.”
Asan didn’t understand, “Why not to tell lady that the one behind this assassination is exactly old Tong? If she knew this, she will definitely drive the Tong boy out…” Wasn’t it a good chance to remove the thorn in the flesh?
Awu also agreed with Asan, “Yes, lord. I also think it’s better to let lady know. We can get rid of the Tong boy as well as venting our anger.”
Following Ning Shaoqing everywhere all day long, the shadow guard knew their lord better than Asan and Awu.
If lady knew this, naturally she would kick the body out of their house. However, in fact, the boy wasn’t as stupid and naïve as he appeared to be. He was actually a cunning boy.
So far, he had made a huge change. After a month of learning from Ji Xuyao, he had already formed a sense of propriety, learned to obtain what he wanted in a tactful and roundabout manner as well as utilizing coercing and threatening.
If he knew the reason why he was sent back, there would be a huge conflict between him and old Tong, then he would ‘fall sick’ again. By then, as old Tong became anxious to save him, very likely he would carry out all his plots in advance at any price.
The Tong guards weren’t all weak ones. By then, when old Tong decided to go all out, there was no good to the Ning couple.
“Tong Zijing is Tong Zijing, and old Tong is old Tong. Don’t identify them with each other. I’ve made the decision. No more arguing.”
Ning Shaoqing pulled his face and conclude in a cold voice. Awu and Asan didn’t dare to say more, getting down on knees and replying, “Yes.”
Ning Shaoqing waved his hand to let them up and took out one thing from his pocket, telling Awu, “Tomorrow, lady will go downtown to buy servant girls. Give this to Su Qi.”
“Yes.” Awu took over a cowhide envelop, which was the one that uncle Yu had brought last time. In it was probably a title deed of a mine.
The mine boasted a kind of rare mineral and was obtained after lord’s several times of endeavor after he left the capital.
Just give it to Su Qi like this? He was perplexed but didn’t to ask why. Just now, his questioning out of confusion was already a sort of offending. He was afraid that lord would piss off if he asked more questions.
Anyway, as long as it was lord’s decision, it was a right thing for him to perform.
Awu put the envelop in his pocket, but at this moment, Ning Shaoqing was no longer able to control his shaking hands.
The light-colored lips turned pale instantly and then blue and then purple. In a while, every inch of his body turned cold, as if there was a layer of frost around him.