“Since Ge Yun Fei knew the boy’s secret, doesn’t it follow that Jiao Chaogui, the Grand Master of Xing Yun Manor, also knew he was the Chang Hong Bi?”
Zhan Ri Fei pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps Jiao Chaogui was aware that the Chang Hong Bi was in Ge Yun Fei’s possession and even received a message from him requesting assistance. However, Ge Yun Fei likely didn’t have the chance to explain the boy’s secret before his death.”
“Perhaps the Tang Clan had already discovered that Ge Yun Fei held the Chang Hong Bi. From that moment on, they relentlessly pursued him, not giving him the opportunity to send another message.”
“This might explain why Jiao Chao Gui was so confident, bringing only Mu Xiu Quan to Little Hammer Mountain’s inn for the rendezvous. They never anticipated how quickly others vying for the Chang Hong Bi would arrive—or that you, like an unexpected wildcard, would appear and disrupt everything,” Zhan Ri Fei remarked with a faint smile.
Huo Xiao Di, mimicking his thoughtful tone, countered, “Among all those after the Chang Hong Bi, only the Tang Clan’s motives seem different. They don’t want to claim it—they want to destroy it. This boy, having lived in Han Shui Palace, should have seen much and been relieved to learn of Xing Yun Manor and the Tang Clan’s rivalry. So why was he so terrified when I suggested taking him to Xing Yun Manor?”
Zhan Ri Fei replied, “Perhaps he already understood that neither Xing Yun Manor nor the Tang Clan would treat him kindly. If the Tang Clan sought to destroy him, would Xing Yun Manor let him off easily? Given his situation, even if he’d rather fall into Xing Yun Manor’s hands than the Tang Clan’s, he knew his secret would eventually be exposed no matter where he ended up. Instead of becoming a helpless victim, he chose to take a bold gamble. That’s why he manipulated your dog, San’er, to attack during the chaos between the Tang Clan’s ‘Hall of Infallibility’ assassins and Xing Yun Manor.”
Huo Xiao Di’s face turned pale as if struck by lightning. He stammered, “What did you say?”
Zhan Ri Fei, seeing that Huo Xiao Di understood his meaning, continued, “Think carefully. When the Tang Clan’s ‘Hall of Infallibility’ fought Jiao Chao Gui and Mu Xiu Quan, had San’er not intervened, do you think Xing Yun Manor could have emerged victorious?”
As Zhan Ri Fei’s words sank in, Huo Xiao Di’s mind raced. “At that time, San’er was indeed only with him. San’er is highly intelligent and would never act against my orders unless provoked by someone else.”
His eyes widened, his disbelief evident. “You’re lying! San’er has been with me for years—how could he follow his orders?”
But deep down, how much did Huo Xiao Di believe his own words?
A complex expression flickered in Zhan Ri Fei’s eyes. “If your San’er would never follow someone else’s orders, then why was he so unusually friendly with the boy from the start? Knowing San’er’s temperament, don’t you think his immediate affection for the boy was strange?”
Zhan Ri Fei’s deep gaze turned toward the moonlight streaming through the broken doorway, as if blending with its ethereal glow.
“I wish these speculations were wrong. But considering the circumstances, it’s as if your San’er was under a mind-control technique. According to ancient lore, such techniques must be cultivated by boys who remain pure. At a certain level, they require internal energy to amplify their effects. This boy doesn’t know martial arts, so even if he had studied mind-control techniques, he couldn’t have mastered them. But for handling a clever dog like yours, it may have been more than enough.”
—“The only thing I don’t understand is, if he grew up in Han Shui Palace, where did he learn this mind-control technique?”
—“Could that be why he left Han Shui Palace?”
Zhan Ri Fei glanced at the boy’s tense, guarded face, even in sleep, and shook his head gently. “The reasons for all this may only be known to you.”
Huo Xiao Di’s head finally dropped. “No wonder San’er suddenly attacked—so it was him—”
When he raised his head again, his eyes were filled with determination. “I never expected he’d harm San’er. If it truly was him, I won’t let him off!”
0 Comments