The black figure moved in a half-crouched position, entering the inner room with the help of the moonlight, and stood before the bed. In the darkness, the weapon in his hand glimmered. Heng Wen and I were by the part.i.tion, and I couldn't help saying, "On the bed are two people, it's pitch dark, how can he tell which is Tian Shu and which is me? With this light from the blade, he wouldn't have to be afraid of making mistakes."
Just as I said that, Nan Ming stopped by the bed, the thing glimmering with light in his hand turned out to be a night pearl the size of a pigeon's egg. His other hand, holding a blade, lifted the blanket. Tian Shu happened to be sleeping on the side he was standing on. Nan Ming used the night pearl to see and could make out Mu Ruoyan.
I slid across to the head of the bed with Heng Wen and watched with my neck stretched out. Inside the bed curtains, Mu Ruoyan reacted a little, then shot up to sit on the bed. The couple's eyes meet in the light of the pearl, and everything went still in that moment.
They both were unafraid of waking up *me, Li Siming, who was lying just on the other side.
Heng Wen said, "It's your turn now. Still not getting back in there?"
I said, "No rush, no rush."
Shan Chengling grabbed Mu Ruoyan's arm and pulled him up from the bed. He lifted the blade that radiated with coldness then neatly and smoothly striking down at the other side of the bed. But Mu Ruoyan's hand stretched out to stop him. "Do not harm his life."
This whisper, I heard clearly.
"And why?" Shan Chengling enunciated, each word like thousands of sharp ice blades.
Why talk so much?! Running away is important, people.
But, the two insisted on not running away and kept on talking.
"He hasn't done anything yet. He's not a bad person." Mu Ruoyan's tone was ever so light, as though he was talking about a napa cabbage.
Heng Wen teased, "Tian Shu has such deep feelings for you, ah."
Shan Chengling said coldly, "You don't want me to attack him. Was it because you fear for his life, or to not let me taint my blade?"
Tian Shu stayed silent.
Shan Chengling let out a snide laugh and suddenly raised his voice. "So much ruckus near the lord's bed and for so long. Although you held back your breath, aren't you already awake? Good sir, why not get up and talk?"
Now *my show can begin. *I plunged into Li Siming and mixed our breaths into one.
When confronting an expert, you must remain calm and steady. So, I slowly opened my eyes, slowly got up, slowly felt for the flintstone and lit up the lamp, and slowly rolled out of the bed.
Slowly thinking, just where did I hide my sword?
Shan Chengling already put the pearl back in his bosom, and used his free left hand to hold onto Mu Ruoyan's arm. As *I looked at the two before me, I felt joy, worry, and also anguish.
I had treated Tian Shu like that, but he still stopped that attack for me; that was the joy.
I treated him like that, yet he actually said I wasn't a bad person. If it wasn't that I had yet to fan the fires enough, then it must be that the fire had fried his brain; that was the worry.
As for the remaining anguish…
Heng Wen behind me said, "Your sword is inside the large vase in the corner."
*I spoke at once, "Good sir, you entered my room in the middle of the night. I was unable to welcome you in time, excuse my lack of manners. To do hard and coa.r.s.e job as menial all day is truly doing general Shan wrong. I am truly sorry. But, pray tell what general Shan wishes to do by kidnapping my person in the middle of the night."
With a smiling face, my hand settled behind me. I ambled to the vase and took out the sheathless long sword.
Shan Chengling said, "At first I didn't want to taint my blade with your life. But fine, I shall allow an animal like you to make your struggle for the last time before your death.” His glance flashed from the corner of his eye, full of contempt. "Those ten-something guards outside are already down and might not be of any help."
And I let out an 'oh'.
Can't count on them? With Heng Wen here, there would be a way out even from the grasps of the judges of Black and White, let alone only getting knocked out. "Shall we move to the garden?"
General Shan took long strides and gladly went out of the room. I took a glance at Mu Ruoyan during the gap of actions. His face was pale white. He turned away and also went out to the garden without glancing at me.
Under the clear bright moon, *I uttered a "pardon me" and then shouted for the guards. About ten guards jumped out from their hiding and surrounded Nan Ming and Tian Shu. Weapons clashed, metal rang, and cold glints cut through one another.
I stood outside the encirclement watching the fight. Only when Nan Ming's attacks slackened could I attack him without a problem.
Heng Wen had left the room to wake up the guards and only now got back. Standing in the garden, he watched the fight from afar. "This method of yours is underhanded."