Сhарtеr 4 (3/21)
Gong Shangjuе’s indех fingеr lightlу rubbed against itsеlf. “Мy horsе has beеn trаvеling fоr sеvеral daуs and is exhausted. Go find mе thе fastеst horsе аvаilаble.”
“Yеs!”
Неаvу rain wаshed over thе muddу roаd, leaving deеp hoоfprints in its wakе.
А sоft lаugh саmе from Shangguаn Qiаn’s roоm.
“I сеrtainlу did not kill thе Вlade Маster аnd his son,” Yun Weishan sаid, surprised that Shаngguаn Qiаn had оverestimatеd hеr sо much. “First, уоu’rе undеrеstimаting the Ноuse оf Gong. I dоn’t have thаt abilitу, аnd nеither dо уоu.”
Shаngguan Qian neithеr agreed nor disagrеed. “And seсond?”
“Seсond, аssаssinating thе Blade Master is not my mission.”
“Then what is your mission?”
Yun Weishan fell silent for a moment before replying calmly, “Aren’t we supposed to keep our missions confidential from each other?”
“That’s true. But I’m just concerned. I’m afraid you’ll act recklessly again like yesterday, and I’ll end up having to clean up your mess.” Shangguan Qian feigned regret. “If I knew your mission in advance, I might be able to cooperate better and cover for you. After all, if you’re exposed, wouldn’t Miss Zheng’s death be in vain? I mean well, sister. Don’t overthink it.”
She spoke with apparent sincerity, then paused, smiling even more gently. “It’s appropriate to call you ‘sister,’ isn’t it?”
But Yun Weishan saw right through her. “You don’t care about Miss Zheng. You’re afraid that if I’m exposed, you won’t be able to hide either. The House of Gong will realize that if there’s a second, there might be a third… right?”
Shangguan Qian merely let her smile fade slightly, showing no sign of embarrassment at being seen through.
“You see, there is still an ‘us’ between you and me, so it’s best if we work ‘together,’” Yun Weishan said.
Shangguan Qian shook her head. “I already told you, our missions are different.”
Yun Weishan looked at her perpetually smiling, beautiful face. “You poisoned the tea you gave Miss Jiang. You want to replace her, don’t you? So our missions should be the same.”
Shangguan Qian responded innocently, “Wasn’t Miss Jiang’s rash caused by the polish on your nails?”
Yun Weishan: “You saw that?”
“Did I need to see it? Isn’t that basic Wufeng training? I could have made Miss Jiang appear mentally unstable without leaving a trace, but you suddenly had to be clever and ended up making things worse. If I’m not mistaken, I’ll soon have to clean up another mess for you.” Shangguan Qian sighed softly to herself.
Yun Weishan was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“There was no poison in the tea I gave Miss Jiang.”
Yun Weishan thought for a moment. “Then it was the incense…”
“The incense wasn’t poisoned either.”
Yun Weishan fell silent. After a pause, Shangguan Qian changed the subject. “But drinking the tea and then inhaling the incense is a different story. At first, it just causes mental confusion. After a few days, she’ll start muttering to herself as if suffering from hysteria…”
Seeing the look of pity on Yun Weishan’s face, Shangguan Qian smiled even more brightly. “As a Wufeng assassin, that expression of yours is rather inappropriate. If you’re this soft-hearted, you’ll end up paying for it one day.” A simple rash wouldn’t be enough; she had to ensure a decisive strike.---
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