When called out by name, the surface panic in Huo Hong's eyes disappeared instantly. He no longer pretended as he coldly laughed at Ye Xiao, "I am actually a bit surprised to see Commander Ye here." He really hadn't expected Ye Xiao's actions to be so fast.
The clear wind brushed their faces, the bright moon hung high in the sky.
Under the moonlight, both Huo Hong and Ye Xiao could clearly see each other's changing expressions.
After scanning the entire scene and not seeing any signs of nervousness, Huo Hong tilted his head slightly. "To be honest, I thought I would first meet my enviable uncle." When he spoke the last nine words, Huo Hong dragged out the tone, with a complex emotion that not even he could discern.
Even though they were in such a tense standoff, as soon as Huo Hong's voice fell, Ye Xiao incongruously remembered the scene when Slarm had imitated Huo Hong's expression, and almost burst out laughing.
Huo Beng, who knew nothing because he arrived late: "What's with that expression?"
"This is not something you need to be concerned about." Not intending to explain at all, Ye Xiao stood straight, with his hand on the hilt of the embroidered spring knife, and raised his chin, "Let's talk about your surname, Huo, and why you are mixed with the people of North Xinjiang." If it were not for the fact that the other person had half of the Huo family's blood, Ye Xiao would have drawn his embroidered spring knife the moment he saw the other person.
The founding emperor of the Great Zhou, Huo Xin, once served as a horse slave in the Northern Xinjiang Imperial Court. Over the past hundred years, amidst the bloodshed between the Great Zhou and Northern Xinjiang, the conflicts have long been irreconcilable. However, now...
Ye Xiao's expression suddenly turned cold, and a full blast of murderous intent was directed towards Huo Beng.
—Flowing with the blood of the Huo family, yet collaborating with the people of Northern Xinjiang, deserves death.
"You should be grateful that although you bear the surname Huo, you are not the son of the commoner Huo Feng." Otherwise, Huo Beng would have been killed by the people of Northern Xinjiang when he first sought to cooperate with them. It wouldn't have come to the point of standing here having a conversation with him.
The overwhelming killing intent stabbed at Huo Beng's eyes, and only when he truly felt the threat of life and death did Huo Beng realize that his psychological expectations and suggestions were of no use. However, despite the panic in his heart, Huo Beng did not show it on his face. He even sneered at Ye Xiao again, "Although my surname is Huo, I don't carry the 'fire' character."
"You don't acknowledge me at all!"
"So, what does it have to do with you?"
Huo Yang (Third Prince) had never left anything for him. If he had not found the opportunity to try to visit his father at that time, let alone take away the remaining men and horses of Huo Yang, he might not have been able to leave the capital at all.
Thinking of that noble and dignified woman who could be considered his mother, despite being shrouded by Ye Xiao's murderous intent at the moment, Huo Beng couldn't help but sneer—he was ridiculous, but that woman was even more ridiculous.
Without any intention of investigating why Huo Beng suddenly sneered, Ye Xiao, who was not moved at all by the other's words, remained expressionless. "You're right, so..." Releasing his hand from the hilt, Ye Xiao directly raised his hand. "Let's do it."
"Hold on!"
"Hmm?" Stopping his motion, Ye Xiao tilted his head lightly towards Huo Beng and asked, "What do you want to say?"
Completely unexpected that Ye Xiao was the kind of person who would act without even bothering to negotiate, Huo Beng struggled to maintain a calm appearance. "Are you going to act without even wanting to talk to me again? For example..." Huo Beng, who had already hid behind two of his subordinates, coughed lightly, finding some sense of security. Then he continued, "talk about why I dared to come to this rundown temple?"
Faced with the three questions posed nervously by Huo Beng, Ye Xiao crossed his arms and calmly countered, "Don't you want to know what's underneath?"
Without needing any further hint from Huo Beng, Ye Xiao directly provided the answer, "The Thunderbolt of the Thunderbolt Gate."
"How did you know?!" Flustered, Huo Beng's surprise was evident on his face. He couldn't help but question Ye Xiao again, "Why do you know?"
Why did he know?
As soon as he discovered the blow dart of the Thunderbolt Gate, even if he didn't know if the Thunderbolt Gate was involved, Ye Xiao had already remembered the Thunderbolt Gate. In the interval while waiting for Huo Beng, who might or might not come, not to mention the weeds on the eaves of the Guanyin Temple, his men dug more than three feet under the temple. As a result, it was proved that indeed, a lot of interesting things were discovered.
The Thunderbolt Gate?
Very well, he remembered it.
Without explaining, Ye Xiao directly smiled at Huo Beng, who was trying to delay. Then he lowered his hand.
As soon as Ye Xiao's hand came down, the Jin Yi Wei on the eaves suddenly released their drawn bows, and the Jin Yi Wei and soldiers standing on both sides rushed towards Huo Beng and his men.
Even though the twenty men following Huo Beng were skilled, they quickly and neatly fell under the siege. In the end, only Huo Beng was left alive.
When Huo Beng, who had been hiding behind his subordinates loaded with arrows, cautiously looked up, Ye Xiao's embroidered spring knife had reached his neck. "If you have something to say, tell it to the Crown Prince." Not knowing what he thought of, Ye Xiao once again showed the expression that had made Huo Beng feel extremely strange at first. "I'll give you the chance to meet your enviable uncle."
Huo Beng: "..." He felt like something was not quite right.
Having captured Huo Beng and found that Wula and Sili Much didn't know much, and the leader of North Xinjiang had already been cut down when the Long-Earth Uprising occurred, Ye Xiao directly gave the two people, who were lucky enough to not have been involved in the uprising due to getting lost, a clean and quick end.
After the task was finished, Ye Xiao handed over what came next to his deputy, Du Yu, and with Huo Beng tied into a "ball", he headed straight back to the county yamen.
As the dust settled, the first light of day appeared.
A new day, had begun.
...
Different from Gong Sunxun who needed to see the doctor, the indifferent Huo Ling was not at all frightened. After being taken back to the county yamen, he freshened up, and then went directly to visit Gong Sunxun.
Discovering that the other party was not seriously injured, Huo Ling patted Gong Sunxun on the shoulder and said, "Young man, you still have a lot more to learn..."
"Your Highness?"
Huo Ling clicked his tongue at Gong Sunxun, who was completely clueless about how miserable he was. Gong Sunxun had no choice but to smile and express his sincere thanks to Huo Ling, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern. There are indeed many things I can still learn from Sir L.".
Suddenly feeling noticed, Li Gongming quickly said "I dare not" while pretending not to notice the strange atmosphere.
—He was already old and couldn't keep up with the thinking of young people.
"That's right." Huo Ling smiled openly without realizing anything, and even clapped his hands lightly. "Rest well; take care of yourself while you're away from home."
After expressing his concern for Gong Sunxun, for some reason, Huo Ling added, "Just think about it, tomorrow you will have to handle the accumulation of county yamen affairs with Sir L together. I think you won't even need any calming soup to rest well."
Gong Sunxun: "..." He must have been out of his mind earlier.
With nothing to say, Gong Sunxun could only maintain a smile.
Huo Ling responded with a smile, appearing completely at ease.
The atmosphere suddenly fell silent, and the sudden stillness even made Li Gongming feel like he had regained the vigor of a young man, and his heartbeat raced.
Of course, this was just an illusion, and the situation was heading towards an uncontrollable direction. Li Gongming quickly intervened, "Your Highness, you must be tired and shocked; how about I accompany you back to your room rest?"
Huo Ling tilted his head towards Li Gongming, then towards Gong Sunxun, and blinked, seemingly aware of something, and said, "...Alright." He turned to Gong Sunxun, "You rest well, and don't think too much about what I said just now." He had really just casually mentioned it without any intention of taking responsibility for his words. Fearful of shouldering responsibilities, Huo Ling added, "After all, one's own happiness is the most important."
Gongsun Xun: "..." Holding the slightly cool soothing soup, he tried to maintain a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."
"See you tomorrow."
"Take care, Your Highness."
Watching as Huo Ling and Li Gongming walked out of his room and everything returned to the original quiet, Gongsun Xun lowered his head and quietly looked at the bowl of soothing soup in his hand.
For a long time, Gongsun Xun slowly lifted his lips and said, "Your Highness is right, I indeed have a lot to learn."
Touching his still slightly aching chest, thinking about his behavior at the moment of life and death, Gongsun Xun's voice gradually became inaudible.
On the other side, Huo Ling, who felt that he had achieved the achievement of "caring for subordinates" today, didn't let Li Gongming escort him back to his room. Instead, after letting someone escort Li Gongming back, he took the "Grand General's" dog leash and strolled back to his own yard with his "little brother" at a leisurely pace.
Back in his room, Huo Ling lay down and fell asleep, dreaming until dawn.
When Huo Ling woke up the next day with a yawn, Ye Xiao had been sitting at the table waiting for him for a while.
Rubbing his eyes, Huo Ling, who was now less sleepy, greeted Ye Xiao, "Is there something you need?"
Under Ye Xiao's expressionless yet oppressive gaze, with the help of the attendants, Huo Ling quickly tidied himself up. When he emerged from behind the screen, he was clean and tidy, exhibiting the demeanor expected of a crown prince.
Sitting directly next to Ye Xiao, Huo Ling called out to him again, "Ye Xiao?"
This time, Ye Xiao did not remain silent. He casually flicked away the hair that had stuck to Huo Ling's collar, then gestured for him to look toward the corner of the table.
Following the gaze, Huo Ling saw the bound-up Huo Peng.
Huo Peng: ...?
Huo Ling: ...!
After a long silence, Huo Ling suddenly realized, "So, this is my elusive.. grandnephew?"