Chapter 117
Book 11 Chapter 08 – An Earth-Shaking Conspiracy
After journeying for more than twenty days, Huang Lung Ling was within sight. Situated on the Zhao-Qi border, the tall mountain protruded out of the flat plains surrounding it. The mountain peak is covered with thick layers of snow.
Everyone is feeling burdened emotionally and can hardly find any reason to be happy. They no longer enjoy the same energy as when they first left Xianyang City.
The only conversation going around was how to cover their tracks or counter the enemies’ spying.
Halfway through the trip, they have shaken the pursuers off their trail.
Xiao Yuetan is surprisingly quiet and seems to have a lot on his mind.
After the night of chatting with Xiang Shaolong, he seems to be hiding something.
He may be oversensitive, but the closer he got to Hung Lung Ling, the more uneasy Xiang Shaolong feels.
Last night, he even had a dream. He dreamt about Zhao Qian and the four maids. They were dressed up beautifully and were smiling like blossoming flowers. They insisted on bringing him back to Xianyang. When he woke up, his face is wet with tears and his heart was akin to being sliced apart.
So although Teng Yi wanted to cover more distance, Xiang Shaolong insisted on camping on a flatland with their backs to mountain. He wanted more time to rest and think.
Before evening, Jing Jun, the Meng brothers and the hunters came back with prey and cooked them over a burning fire. To evade detection, they put out the fire at nightfall. In winter, sleeping at night without fire in the open wilderness is most unbearable.
With their goal in sight, everyone is excited and was chatting with joy.
Ji Yanran and Wu Tingfang were chatting secretly in their tents.
Xiao Yuetan got Li Si to chat with him at a nearby waterfall. They have a serious expression on their face.
Teng Yi and Xiang Shaolong were sitting among some scattered rocks near the campsite. Dazed, they watch the sun slowly set into the horizon.
Out of the blue, Li Si came over and invited them to join him.
Xiang Shaolong and Teng Yi exchanged looks. Their heartbeat began to quicken at the same time. With Li Si, they approached Xiao Yuetan. Xiao Yuetan was staring blankly at the clear water falling down and his eyes are moist.
Li Si shook his head and sighed.
Even a patient man like Teng Yi could not hold back and questioned: "We are all close like family. Brother Xiao, please be straight forward about your thoughts."
Xiao Yuetan sighed deeply. Glancing at both men, he replied emotionally: "That night, I told Shaolong I love to let my mind wander. Regrettably, I did not find my thoughts as meaningless as before. Now, I am seriously asking myself ‘What if’ and the answer lies there."
He pointed strongly to Huang Lung Ling.
Xiang Shaolong and Teng Yi were trembling uncontrollably and their limbs turned ice-cold.
Li Si revealed: "Just now, Brother Xiao got me to a.n.a.lyze deeper regarding the red pine forest a.s.sa.s.sination. We discovered many suspicious points and came to a frightening conclusion. I am afraid we have become the sacrificial lambs for Premier Lu."
Xiang Shaolong and Teng Yi looked at each other with their eyes full of surprise.
Xiao Yuetan started: "This trip should be extremely easy. The six states have always been fighting among themselves. With the recent Qi-Chu conspiracy against Zhao, it is harder for them to see eye-to-eye. This trip is actually unnecessary. In addition, Master Lu has been grooming his own clansmen and this will be a great opportunity to gain credit. However, this mission is given to Shaolong. Ai! There are many things I do not regard as important but now that we have suffered such a blow, I can find meaning in those things after deeper contemplation."
Teng Yi’s face is completely white. In a deep voice, he commented: "I just could not understand how the enemy can attack us using the best opportunity and strategy. And it is just about the time when Lu Xiong and Qu Dou Qi had left with Yan in pursuit. Even if they are spying on us all the time, it is night time and snowing heavily. How can they be so sure we retreated into the forest and are letting our guard down? There must be a spy among us."
Xiang Shaolong could feel his head becoming numb and his bones chilly. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his emotions and asked: "How does it benefit Premier Lu? We are his men, and he has three hundred family warriors with us. If Meng Wu and Meng Tian perished as well, Meng Ao will be devastated too."
Xiao Yuetan lifted his sleeve and wiped away some tears. Sighing, he declared: "I have been with Master Lu for almost twenty years. To attain his goal, he is completely ruthless. It is the same in his business and power mongering."
Pausing, he threw back a question: "If it is really done by Lord Yangquan, how will he benefit?"
This should be an easy and straightforward question. But under these circ.u.mstances, no one could give a ready answer.
King Zhuangxiang has always been thankful for Lord Yangquan’s intervention. When he promoted Lu Buwei to be the Right Premier, he promoted him to be the Left Premier. He also prevented Lu Buwei from giving trouble to Lord Yangquan.
If Xiang Shaolong and his entourage were annihilated, with rumours circulating that Lord Yangquan is scheming against them and among those dead were Lu Buwei’s own family warriors, no one will suspect that the entire setup is masterminded by Lu Buwei.
King Zhuangxiang and Zhu Ji adored Xiang Shaolong. If they were led to believe that Lord Yangquan killed Xiang Shaolong, Lord Yangquan will be in trouble. Even Lady Hua Yang will not be able to protect his brother.
With that, Lu Buwei will get rid of this thorn in his flesh and dominate the Qin politics.
Who else is closer to King Zhuangxiang and Zhu Ji other than himself?
Looking at the ashen face of Xiang Shaolong, Xiao Yuetan state in a deep voice: "Among all those that I have come across, there is none more scheming than Master Lu. If he succeeds, he can kill many birds with one stone."
Quivering, he continued: "First, he can be rid of you Xiang Shaolong. You have been too outstanding. The King and Queen hang onto your every word and even the Crown Prince respects you greatly. With the grand Wu Family Farm behind you, you will soon take some s.h.i.+ne away from him. The people of Qin love heroes and military contributions. They need men like you who are intelligent and courageous. How can Lu Buwei just watch by the side?"
He no longer addressed Lu Buwei as Master Lu and used his full name instead. The three of them can sense the transformation in his att.i.tude and understood the pain of betrayal by his master.
Li Si added: "He can use the death of