Simply Trading 42 First Trial 4

"Initial Realm? He's already Initial Realm? How old is he?"

Li Sanlang smiled as his uncle raised his eyebrows at him, as he asked those questions. He had been expecting that, since they gathered that morning. It was about time that someone asked him for his impression of this Qin Feng. After all, hadn't he been the one a.s.signed to pay close attention to the fellow?

"He should be about seventeen, I believe. He mentioned that he had quietly remained for about a year after his sixteenth year, without picking a specific Master at Heaven Sword School, so that was why he had to leave. But I think grandfather has sent someone to double-check that."

Then he c.o.c.ked his head at the older man. "Although I think it shouldn't be that much of a surprise, considering how he has someone who is likely to be at the Peak of the Completion Realm at his side. And as a manservant, no less."

"What? He has such a powerful manservant? What is he? Some heir to a Hidden Family or something like that?"

Li Sanlang turned to look at the Logistics General, who looked clearly shocked to hear that particular detail about the man that he was supposed to be recruiting as a courier. Nor did he stop there, as he went on to direct another question at the Marquis:

"Is that why you have a.s.signed my men to pay more attention to him? And to the others that have showed up for this particular Trial?"

Logistics General Ling Yongjian looked somewhat aggrieved as he asked his question. Li Sanlang was rather surprised that he would speak out, since the tall, thin man had always given him the impression that he was behind his uncle no matter what he did. Or was he just trying to show the Second Ducal Prince that he was capable of independent thought?

But his question was directed at the Marquis, and not him. There was a hint of challenge in the tone of the same, so Li Sanlang simply held his tongue, and left it to his uncle. Feng Laixue, however, answered him simply, without any show of temper at all.

"Yes. We are still unsure if he was sent here by the Heaven Sword School, to pay closer attention to what we are doing with regards to the Barbarians. So we shall have to keep an eye on him, regardless of how he does in the Trials."

"You think that they sent him here, to see what we are doing? With regards to the Barbarians, I mean? That he is a spy?"

The Logistics General was not particularly clever, Li Sanlang decided, as soon as he heard the older man ask his questions. Did he have to ask the Marquis to clarify something like that? Without checking to make sure that there weren't anyone else around the same who might hear him? The Second Ducal Prince found himself staring at the bearded general in askance, even before his uncle made a reply.

Which, surprisingly, he did:

"That is a possibility. But this is hardly the time or the place to discuss this, is it? You are asking to get yourself demoted again, if you cannot control your tongue, Older Brother Yongjian. Have you forgotten why you were taken off the front-line already?"

The old general's face went red at that. Which warned Li Sanlang that there was a lot more about him that he didn't know about. Including his relations.h.i.+p with his uncle. Why was he calling Ling Yongjian Older Brother?

"Bah! How could I forget? Why do you think I have been banned alcohol in the camp for the last six months?" grunted the general, as he nodded back at the Marquis.

But he said nothing more after that. Something that was supposed to show the Marquis that he was capable of keeping his mouth shut, despite the urging of his curiosity. The smile on the Marquis face was enough to tell the Second Ducal Prince just how much his uncle appreciated that too.

Then Feng Laixue turned back to Lei Kongwei, who had been standing motionless in the center of the tent, since he made his report. And the Marquis gave the man a simple nod, which Li Sanlang recognized to be all the praise that the spy would receive, for a good job.

"Continue to keep an eye on him, and alert us when he returns. It should be interesting to see if any of the others can keep up with him, given his unusual movement capabilities. Perhaps he has picked up a technique from outside the Heaven Sword School, hmmm?"

*

Qin Feng stopped once he arrived at a small knoll overlooking a stream. He peered around him and sighed, as he realized that he didn't recognize any of the hills or the curves in the riverlet at all. And they certainly did not match what was marked on the sc.r.a.p of map that he had on him.

He seemed to have lost his way.

Which had him cursing at the narrow flow of water beneath his eyes. The stream was barely wide enough to be considered a riverlet, in Qin Feng's opinion. But it couldn't be the same one that had been marked on the map, could it? That one looked a lot wider and more obvious, to tell the truth.

As for the one below him ... If he had not been looking out for it, and keeping his ears open for the sound of trickling water, he might have missed it altogether!

Qin Feng had always been cautious about his surroundings, especially if it was the first time that he visited the place. He was more than aware that he didn't have a very good sense of direction, which was why he had always stuck to the main roads when he traveled. Even though they were made for the common folk, rather than someone who possessed martial arts.

So when he came across that little riverlet, he had thought it to be the stream that so clearly depicted on the map that he had been given. After all, that was supposed to be such an obvious landmark that he wasn't about to miss it.

How was he to know that the stream that he came across was another one altogether? And he had already turned to follow it, back towards its source, for close to two hours! Now it looked like he would have to turn around, and seek out the real river that he was supposed to follow.

What a waste of his time!

Then he sighed. There was no other way, he decided, so he might as well get on his way.

After all, who could he blame for his terrible sense of direction?

* * *