Chapter 11 Dark Storms Ahead (1)

Xu Linghe was always wary of Ni Shang. Di Qing was in good spirits now that there was a beautiful woman by his side. Di Li did not like that woman and sat by herself, keeping a far distance from the group. The presence of this woman by her brother's side made Di Li more well-behaved. After the battle at the inn, Xu Linghe and Di Qing agreed on taking the state highway. Along the way, they came across many kinds of people and the generals from the frontier fortress making their way up north in disguise left the deepest impression on Xu Linghe. He asked Di Qing about them on several occasions but Di Qing was too engrossed in flirting with his lady. Xu Linghe recognized some of these generals and several were even on good terms with his father. Di Qing and Ni Shang were drinking heavily but Xu Linghe knew that this was only a deception tactic by Di Qing. Xu Linghe noticed that Di Qing would gaze outside once in a while and in his eyes were not filled with love with the woman in front of him but it was a piercing stare of one hunting down his prey, filled with the desire for power. Xu Linghe had never underestimated anybody, neither did he dare to trust anyone blindly. Xu Linghe was willing to go through fire and water for his friend but he was wary of doing the same for the King of Jiangdu. This was a man who had been brought up in a struggle for authority since childhood. He wondered what the Holy Mother Empress's birthday banquet would be like this year, who were these generals in disguise looking for and what was their relationship with his father. After they crossed the border of the capital, Di Qing decided to stay within the capital on a whim. Xu Linghe had no objections either. They would soon arrive in the capital city so it would be good to rest for a night. Di Li was very well-behaved this time and did not kick up a fuss, probably traumatized by the previous time. In a surprising turn of events, it was Di Qing who wanted the most expensive room. Xu Linghe looked at his friend and smiled teasingly. The woman named Ni Shang hardly spoke during the journey but Xu Linghe knew that this woman was afraid of him. They had exchanged a few words and he caught the fear in her eyes each time. She seemed to be terrified of him but Xu Linghe knew that it was merely an act. When the moon rose, Di Li wanted to appreciate the nightlife of the small town and asked her brother to accompany her. However, Di Qing rejected her and said that he wanted to retire for the night. Xu Linghe clocked Di Li's excitement and found it hard to reject this girl's request. Winter had just begun so the night was chilly. Xu Linghe wore a cloak made of peacock feathers on top of his silk robes and exuded the elegance of a nobleman. Di Li was from the South and was not used to the bitter chill of the North. She wrapped herself up in her fur coat so that only her eyes could be seen and Xu Linghe could not hold back his laughter at the comical sight. When she saw him laugh, Di Li burst out laughing too. The furry Di Li walked along the streets with Xu Linghe. Due to the geographical difference between the north and south, Di Li was very interested in northern cuisine, especially their spicy food. Xu Linghe found a clean place in a quiet corner of the streets. After Di Li had finished her food, he handed the stall owner a few pieces of silver. They walked in a single file and occasionally stopped to admire the scenery. Di Li walked to a stall that sold blown sugar figures and was absolutely fascinated by the art of blowing sugar figures. Xu Linghe stopped and stooped down to closely observe the stall owner's actions. He had seen such sugar figures a few months ago. He had been so blissful then, with the person he liked by his side. He still remembered how touched his woman had been as she watched the sugar figures. "Old man, how do you make these sugar figures?" Xu Linghe could not help but ask as he watched the busy stall owner. Di Li was thrilled at the thought that Brother Xu was going to personally make a sugar figure for her. She looked at her Brother Xu and her heart brimmed with tenderness. As his hands kneaded at the malt sugar, they seemed exceptionally white. Di Li's eyes grew even wider as she watched Xu Linghe's fingers deftly moving through the sugar. This was the first time she had witnessed such an art. After the small sugar figure was completed, Di Li raised her hands high and waited for Brother Xu to present the sugar figure to her. Xu Linghe took a closer look and saw that one part of the sugar figure was not transparent enough and heated it over the fire for a while longer. By the time the shiny sugar figure was formed, beads of sweat had formed on his face. As he looked at the sugar figure in his hand, Xu Linghe knew that this was his woman. It might only be a sugar figure but Xu Linghe knew that this was Jiang Wuyou. This was his deepest desire and he was deeply attached to Jiang Wuyou. He really wanted this woman by his side at this instant. He wanted to hold her and tell her that he really missed her. He wanted to let her know that it was alright to rest if she was tired and that she could always rely on him. "Brother Xu, that sugar figure is not for me, is it?" Xu Linghe did not want to break her heart but he still nodded. Di Li's eyes filled with tears as her heart broke into pieces. Brother Xu did not love her after all. She rose to her feet, not wanting Xu Linghe to see her in such a state and increased her pace. She only stopped when her feet hurt from walking and panted for breath. She looked at him from a distance and under the lamplight, she could still make out Brother Xu making sugar figures. He had never looked at her that way. She had realized that while she had thought Brother Xu liked her, he had merely been putting up with her spoiled temper the entire time. Di Li cried bitterly. This was the first time she had cried with such abandon in 16 years. A black figure, hidden in the dark, had been keeping a close watch on this miserable young girl. The black figure's original target had not been this girl but the young master of the Xu family. However, the appearance of this young girl made things even better. First, she was the sister of the King of Jiangdu and did not know martial arts, so kidnapping her would be a lot easier. Second, this young maiden had headed out with Xu Linghe. What would the King of Jiangdu think when Xu Linghe returned safely without his sister? Xu Linghe would not be able to talk his way out of this. The person in black could not help but feel pleased with himself. "Xu Linghe, you're doomed this time." The man in black waved his black sleeve and rolled Di Li into it, then disappeared. Poor Di Li was blindfolded and was sent on a bumpy journey to an unknown compound. Xu Linghe who continued to make sugar figures did not realize that his negligence was a huge mistake. By the time he remembered Di Li, he could no longer see her on the road. He returned to the inn to ask the innkeeper but Di Li was nowhere to be found. This little girl had gone missing under his watch, so how was he going to explain this to Di Qing? Xu Linghe's heart grew cold. "Who has been spying on me? It's clear from this person's action that he does not want Xu Linghe to return to the capital." This person could not be his father, which meant that it could only be his two brothers. His brothers had probably kidnapped Di Li to drive a wedge between Di Qing and himself. Their aim was to leave him helpless and without support, but Xu Linghe was not about to let them have their way. Xu Linghe rushed up the second floor toward Di Qing's room and wanted to explain the situation to Di Qing. The candles on the wall were all blown out by a gust of wind and the entire corridor suddenly seemed eerie. Xu Linghe stopped and knocked softly on the door a few times, but there was no response. He then knocked even hard. The door creaked open and the room was very dark. Xu Linghe flicked his finger and a flame danced on the candle on the desk. He looked closely and noticed that the candle was brand new. Di Qing could not have been groping his way in the dark all night. Xu Linghe held the candle in his hand and roamed around the guest room. There was nothing strange about the room so he proceeded toward the inner room. The inner hall was a mess. The bed and blankets were untidy and rumpled and a female outer garment was thrown in a corner. There was no sign of Di Qing or Ni Shang. Xu Linghe's mind went blank and he told himself not to panic. He observed the inner room and saw that other than the messy bed, there were no signs of a struggle. This seemed premeditated. Someone had kidnapped Di Qing when he was not around. "Who could this person be?" He ruled out his brothers. It made sense if his brothers kidnapped Di Li, but kidnapping Di Qing along with her would only complicate matters. It would not have done them any good to kidnap Di Qing as well. That only left Ni Shang. She probably had a secret motive for kidnapping Di Qing. It was too much of a coincidence that it happened when he was not around. This person was intentionally avoiding him to prevent herself from directly clashing with him. She had even been monitoring him in secret, keeping a close eye on his movements.