Chapter 728: The Heaven and Earth Net
“Tang Kuo Bian?” Huang Rong suddenly recalled the man she had severely injured with her dog-beating staff technique. “It seems I struck his spine—he’ll probably never be able to stand again for the rest of his life.”
Song Qingshu gave a bitter smile and replied, “Not only will he be unable to stand, but the only consolation is that he’ll never have to worry about it again… because he’s already dead.”
“Dead?” Huang Rong gasped. “I don’t think I struck him that hard!”
“It wasn’t because of you—it was someone else…” Then Song Qingshu briefly recounted how Wanyan Liang had dispatched assassins to murder Tang Kuo Bian.
“The Jin people are like dogs biting each other—they deserve it!” Huang Rong said bitterly. This plan had failed mainly because they’d fallen into the treacherous trap laid by Tang Kuo Bian and Wanyan Liang. Seeing the enemy reduced to such a state, how could she not be pleased?
“They really are fighting like rabid dogs, but having Wanyan Liang’s family dominate the scene isn’t necessarily a good thing.” Song Qingshu smiled ambiguously at her outburst.
Huang Rong’s brow furrowed. “Since Wanyan Liang wants to k!ll him, isn’t your impersonation of Tang Kuo Bian just like sending a lamb into the tiger’s den?”
Song Qingshu smiled faintly. “Wanyan Liang does indeed wish to kill him, but Tang Kuo Bian holds a unique status in the Jin state, and his family’s influence is enormous. That means Wanyan Liang must act covertly. Last time, because of your assassination attempt, he could pin all the blame on you. But if ‘Tang Kuo Bian’ returns in broad daylight, it will be difficult for him to strike.”
Huang Rong had always been clever, though lacking the broader vision and experience of high-ranking officials. As soon as Song Qingshu explained, she quickly grasped the subtlety. “Exactly—if Tang Kuo Bian were to swagger back to his mansion, Wanyan Liang wouldn’t kill him. Instead, he’d send extra guards to protect him, so that any mishap wouldn’t be mistaken for murder.”