"I ... see."To be honest, the Second Ducal Prince was still in the dark when it came to the practices of the merchant cla.s.s, as Qin Feng had implied. Well, that was no surprise. He was a n.o.bleman, and had a golden spoon in his mouth from the day that he was born. How was he to know about the trials and tribulations of the working cla.s.ses?
Then he remembered. His job was to find out more about Qin Feng"s abilities, and not to dwell on the issue of the prize for the compet.i.tion. So he forced a smile back onto his face, and plowed ahead.
"Well, with Brother Qin"s abilities ... Your Lightness-of-Body arts have already astounded my uncle and his general, so you should not have any difficulties finishing the other two Trials," he began smoothly.
Which set himself up for the crucial question that he had intended to ask:
"I do wonder just how far you have managed to reach, with your Flowing Wind Steps?"
"Ah! You know the name of my Lightness-of-Body martial arts? Well, it is no surprise. The Heaven Sword School has been around for a while, so there should be a number of its disciples in your father"s Duchy as well as your maternal uncle"s fief."
Qin Feng did not seem upset at all, when Li Changhai identified his movement abilities. And he even smiled as he started to talk about the same:
"I have attained a slightly better grade than most, with regards to that. That was one of the reasons why I was so confident, when I applied to join your uncle"s couriers. Of course, I was a.s.signed to the Medicine Fields back when I was at the School, so I had to depend on my Lightness-of-Body arts more than the usual disciples."
"Ah! So you have already achieved ... Mastery in your Lightness-of-Body martial art?"
The Second Ducal Prince was merely being polite, and was waiting for Qin Feng to demur, and to reveal just what stage he had managed to attain for his movement arts. Which was why Li Sanlang was more than a little astounded when Qin Feng merely nodded, and picked up another piece of pickled vegetable with his chopsticks.
What was this? Had he really achieved Mastery? How could he have done this?
Li Sanlang managed to keep himself from immediately questioning the younger man however, and took another sip of tea to calm himself down. Before he began to take up his questions once again:
"Then that explains how you ... were able to outperform all the other partic.i.p.ants, no doubt?"
"Indeed. I was lucky that most of them did not have anything that could match me in that aspect. I would have been in trouble then. After all, I had barely made the Accomplished grade, when it comes to swordplay," chuckled the younger man.
"No wonder you were able to make such good time! You left all of the other partic.i.p.ants eating your trail dust! Well, metaphorically speaking, that is. It would be more accurate to call it the snow in your wake."
Qin Feng laughed politely at that. Admittedly, the Second Ducal Prince was more than aware of just how weak his attempt to make a joke was. Still, he managed to contain his shock better than he thought, given what he had just learned.
He certainly had something to report to his uncle now!
Then he saw how Qin Feng"s expression became a little more serious. And the younger man"s next words came as yet another a surprise:
"I should probably let you know that I ... spotted something unusual while I was trekking through the Forest earlier today. There was a small campfire, hidden in the hills that overlooked the camp. I have a feeling that there are a few ... Barbarian spies who are watching the place carefully.
"Could it be that the Barbarians in the South are ... gathering earlier than they usually do this year?"
Qin Feng was leaning closer to the Second Ducal Prince as he said that. And his low tone resulted in Li Changhai leaning in towards him as well. Although his words were enough to make the Second Ducal Prince draw himself up to his full height at once!
"Barbarian spies?"
The younger man nodded gravely. "That seems to be the case. They were using ... a type of wood that our soldiers would usually avoid for their fire. And there were signs to indicate that they were watching the movement of your uncle"s troops."
"This ... This is something that we should tell my uncle at once! So that he can send someone out to take a look at the place!"
Qin Feng simply shook his head at the Second Ducal Prince when he heard that. "What would the remains of a simple campsite like that tell us? All that we would be able to tell would be that they are paying quite a bit of attention to your uncle"s soldiers. And that is normal in times like this, isn"t it?
"Far better to keep our eyes open, and our mouths shut."
Li Changhai had to admit that Qin Feng had the right idea. It would not do to let too many people in on this particular secret. Perhaps he should just tell his uncle, and that young spy of his. They should be able to find out more, if they wished.
Then Qin Feng"s question suddenly intruded into his revelry:
"I do wonder what the Second Trial is going to be. Would the Second Ducal Prince happen to know ... what I am to expect?"
For a moment, Li Changhai wanted to frown at the fellow, and scold him for even asking that question. Then he remembered that Qin Feng had shared everything so openly with him earlier.
Besides, if he truly was a spy, wouldn"t it help if he really took up a courier"s role in the Marquis" Third Army? Especially if he could keep an eye on the forest as well, to help spot such intruders in the same.
So the Second Ducal Prince leaned a little closer, as if he was about to reveal a great secret. Hoping, of course, that Qin Feng would not think it a little overdone.
"It isn"t that much of a secret, to tell the truth. And I think some of the other partic.i.p.ants, who had taken part in these trials before, should be able to guess what"s going on. The First Trial is always one on speed, while the Second always tests the partic.i.p.ants on their ability to avoid the enemy. That is what I was warning you about earlier, when we were headed here.
"You will have to weave your way through the woods, and infiltrate one of the other camps. Which should have a good number of guards on the lookout for the lot of you. So you will certainly not have an easy time of it," warned the Second Ducal Prince.
"Oh? Can"t I just speed past them? Like what I did today?"
Second Ducal Prince Li Changhai shook his head at him. "No, no! That will only give your position away! And no matter how fast you are, you can"t beat a signal flare! That will be what they"ll use, to warn the camp of your approach. And the direction from which you will be arriving. You will end up facing the entire garrison there, if you do that!
"So you should take particular care, when you prepare for the Second Trial tomorrow!"
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