A glint of cold light flashed in the seated man’s eyes, and his voice turned icy: “The longer he delays, the greater the chance of failure. How can I not be anxious?”
The deferential man pondered before responding, “Your Highness, though frustrated, should refrain from faulting Commander Shao. He owes everything to Your Highness and is a rare talent who will undoubtedly give his all to this mission. Moreover, Your Highness must remember, he is key to obtaining the Ling Long Eye from the Huo family. It is unwise to risk alienating him.”
The person seated in the hall sneered coldly. “If not for the imperial decree granting the marriage, how could the eldest daughter of the Huo family from Ling Long Manor be so easily betrothed to him? Shao Jizu should be too grateful to me to dare harbor any resentment.”
The man standing nearby responded cautiously, “Your Highness has waited a long time for the marriage of the Huo family’s eldest daughter. However, it seems that Commander Shao has deep feelings for Miss Huo. He is sharp and perceptive. If he were to discern Your Highness’s intentions, I fear—”
The person in the hall slowly interrupted him, speaking in a deliberate tone, “Have you never heard that when a man falls in love, no matter how sharp his mind once was, he becomes a fool? Even if Shao Jizu was once exceptionally clever, now he is firmly within my grasp.”
Amid the curling incense smoke, the man’s face twisted into a sinister expression. With a cold smile, he murmured, “Huo Ling Long, oh Huo Ling Long. If it weren’t for the tradition that the eldest daughter of the Huo family only unlocks the ‘Ling Long Eye’ on the day of her wedding, would I have waited this long for you?”
* * *
Huo Xiao Di felt as if his head was about to burst, his chaotic emotions mirroring the restless night wind. He marched forward aimlessly, and before he realized it, he had already covered more than ten miles.
The hand of the boy, Chang Hong Bi, was gripped so tightly it must have hurt, and Huo Xiao Di’s face was raw from the mountain wind. Yet, the peculiar boy endured the pain without a word. To him, having his arm held by Huo Xiao Di seemed to bring a strange sense of contentment.
As they continued, Huo Xiao Di suddenly stopped in his tracks, exclaiming, “This isn’t right! Something’s wrong!”
His abrupt halt caused Chang Hong Bi, who had no martial skills, to stumble and nearly fall forward.
Realizing he was still gripping the boy’s arm, Huo Xiao Di quickly steadied him and spoke gently, “Careful now!”
Under the night sky, his gaze met Chang Hong Bi’s eager eyes. Though the boy’s small eyes still held traces of fear, for the first time, there was no suspicion or distrust.
A pang of guilt surged through Huo Xiao Di. Squatting down to meet the boy’s gaze, he spoke softly, “I know you’re the Chang Hong Bi of Han Shui Palace. My name is Huo Xiao Di. Don’t be afraid—I won’t hurt you.”
Chang Hong Bi nodded and, with some effort, replied haltingly, “I know—”
Huo Xiao Di was puzzled. “You know what?”
Chang Hong Bi stammered, “I—I know you won’t—hurt me.”
Amused, Huo Xiao Di smiled. “And how do you know that?”
The question seemed to stump Chang Hong Bi. After hesitating for a long time, the extraordinary boy finally stammered, “I don’t know—why. I—just—know.”
Huo Xiao Di couldn’t help but smile again at the boy’s illogical reasoning. “Don’t worry. I’ll take you to a safe place where the people of Han Shui Palace won’t be able to find you.”
His expression turned serious. “But before we set out, you have to tell me—how is it that you’re able to speak now? Don’t tell me you’ve been pretending to be mute this whole time just to fool me?”
Chang Hong Bi gave a shy smile and slowly said, “I didn’t… lie… to you. Just now… my throat felt terribly itchy… my whole body was restless and uneasy. When I saw you fighting that man in black… I somehow… shouted without realizing it.”
At the mention of Zhan Ri Fei, Huo Xiao Di fell into a peculiar daze again and murmured, “This isn’t right!”
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