Chapter 643

Zhou Jinhua supported the man's arm, stood up, and walked to the table to sit down.

He leaned against the chair back, pondered for a moment: "You say, who sent that secret letter and that little garment?"

The man was startled, knelt on the ground: "Your subordinate doesn't know; please, Marquis, punish your subordinate for dereliction of duty!"

Zhou Jinhua waved his hand: "I know your skill."

"This person could evade your and the manor's many eyes, place things in my bedchamber; only his skill could be above yours. Get up."

"Thank you, Marquis!" the man stood up.

"Marquis, tomorrow night I will take my brothers to Ning Prince's Mansion and seize the young master back!"

Zhou Jinhua shook his head: "It's not that simple."

"Once Yunniang and the child disappear, Qing Wang will know without thinking that it was me."

"Nowadays Jingcheng belongs to him and Chen Wang."

"If I openly seize them, I will be completely at odds with them."

"Even if we could flee Jingcheng overnight, we would likely not escape his pursuers."

He rested his hand on his forehead, rubbed his brow: "I regret it!"

"It was I who ordered you to open the city gate, I who handed Jingcheng over to them, I who caused Jing'an's death!"

The man dared not speak, stood silently to the side.

After a moment, Zhou Jinhua lifted his face, his gaze fixed on the man: "If I welcome Xiao Jieyun back again, will I be laughed at by the world?"

The man startled: "The Emperor of Xibei?"

Zhou Jinhua gave a bitter smile: "Wei Ming, you have followed me for many years; tell me the truth—if I really did this, would I be reviled for all eternity?"

Wei Ming looked at him, knelt with a thud: "Marquis! What's the point of empty fame after death?"

"The young master is your sole flesh and blood in this world."

"Your subordinate believes the young master's life is more important!"

"Good!" Zhou Jinhua, upon hearing this, steeled himself, reached out to help Wei Ming up: "Then I will return Jingcheng to Xiao Jieyun exactly as I had offered it!"

"What about the bundle containing the secret letter?"

Wei Ming hastily pulled the bundle from his bosom and presented it before him.

Zhou Jinhua looked at it; it was just an ordinary piece of cloth: "Tie this cloth to a conspicuous spot on the main gate."

"Yes! Marquis, what do you mean?"

Zhou Jinhua smiled: "No matter who sent the items, they must be from Xiao Jieyun or Xiao Yuanhang's people."

"The purpose is merely to stir up conflict between me and the two princes."

"I have already made a grave mistake; even if I now wish to defect, I need a token of allegiance, otherwise they would hardly trust me."

Wei Ming felt somewhat gloomy; his lord had followed the wrong person, betrayed the Emperor, and now must also betray Qing Wang and Chen Wang—indeed difficult.

"Marquis, it's late; please rest."

"Go on." Zhou Jinhua nodded.

He took the pale blue little dudou from the drawer beside him, his fingers continuously rubbing it.

"Child, even if I gamble my old life, this marquisate will surely let you return to your ancestral line!"

At the same moment,

Chen Wang and Qing Wang stood before the Masked Man.

"Exalted One, rumors spread throughout Jingcheng—what can be done?"

The Masked Man looked at the two: "What do you think caused the recent surge of rumors in Jingcheng?"

Qing Wang said without hesitation: "There must be Xibei spies in Jingcheng!"

Chen Wang pondered: "What does the Exalted One think?"

The Masked Man chuckled: "If I'm not mistaken, Xiao Yuanhang's great army will likely arrive soon."

"This is a contest for the people's hearts of Jingcheng between us!"

Qing Wang gasped: "What?"

Chen Wang's face darkened.

The Masked Man shouted: "What's there to fear? They have only fifty thousand troops, while you have a hundred and ten thousand inside and outside Jingcheng!"

"Even if Xiao Yuanhang is called a War God, a clever woman cannot cook without rice; he cannot conjure men out of nothing!"

"This battle is inevitable; whoever wins will claim the world!"

"Starting tomorrow, you must go to the army more often, rally the troops, and prepare to meet the enemy!"

Chen Wang hesitated: "Then, what about the rumors in Jingcheng?"

The Masked Man said: "You need not worry; I have my own plan."

"Yes!"

A few days later, the rumors gradually dissipated.

In the Guoshi Residence, Xiao Ningyuan wondered: "How did Zhou Jinhua just move a bit, and then there was no further movement?"

Xiao Er also couldn't figure it out: "Yeah! I thought he would cause a big disturbance in Jingcheng!"

Tuan Tuan found it strange: "Shall we go take a look to find out?"

"If he doesn't want that aunt and little brother, I'll go fetch them over!"

She stroked Xiao Feifei's ears: "To be a companion for Xiao Feifei!"

"Er," Feng Zhou choked, "Little Alliance Leader, you really want to pick up everything—you don't even let go of unwanted people."

Tuan Tuan held Xiao Feifei's tail and waved it at him: "Is that not allowed?"

Feng Zhou laughed: "However, I guess the Jinghai Marquis doesn't not want them; rather, he doesn't want to break faces with Chen Wang and Qing Wang, so he can't take them."

Xiao Ningyuan pondered: "Xiao Er, go check the Jinghai Marquis Manor again tonight to see if anything is amiss."

"Yes!"

Xiao Ningyuan paused: "Be extremely careful; last time you went into Zhou Jinhua's bedroom, their guards are probably even tighter now."

Xiao Er gave a slight smile: "Don't worry, Eldest Young Master; although the marquis's manor has some capable people, they're still far inferior to our Prince's Mansion."

Tuan Tuan came over: "I want to go too!"

Chu Yuan and Xiao Ningyuan said in unison: "No!"

"Why not?" Tuan Tuan couldn't figure it out: "I can go to the Imperial Palace, so why can't I go to that shabby monkey's house?"

Chu Yuan pulled her to his front: "Xiao Er is just going to have a look; he doesn't need your help and will be back soon. What would you go do?"

Xiao Ningyuan nodded: "If Lu Qi were also there, the two of them going together, I wouldn't stop you from following..."

As his words fell, a figure lightly leapt in from the walltop.

Xiao Ningyuan and Feng Zhou reached out at the same time, yanking Tuan Tuan sharply behind them.

Xiao Er leapt forward and struck.

That person, familiar with the moves, deflected his strike: "Brother Xiao, it's me!"

Xiao Er stared: "Brother Lu?"

The two landed in the courtyard, and Tuan Tuan pattered over, throwing herself into the person's arms: "Uncle Seven! You're back!"

Xiao Ningyuan: "..."

No way! I spoke too soon!

Xiao Er asked: "How did you come back so quickly? Has the Eldest Young Master's item been delivered?"

Lu Qi laughed: "Coincidentally, after I left the city I traveled a few days and met the disguised Second Young Master, to whom I already handed it over."

"He seemed delighted, urging me to hurry back to protect the young lady; he'll take care of the rest himself."

Tuan Tuan rejoiced: "Has Second Brother arrived?"

Lu Qi shook his head: "They have many people and are leaving in batches, so it won't be that fast."

"Oh." Tuan Tuan suddenly realized: "Big Brother, didn't you just say that with Uncle Seven here I can go?"

Everyone lowered their heads and chuckled.

Xiao Ningyuan, choked by his own words and unable to respond, sighed: "Ah, Tuan Tuan, whatever you want to do, even heaven seems to help you!"

"All right, all right, go."

Tuan Tuan happily jumped up: "Let's go! Let's head to that shabby monkey's house!"