Chapter 66: The Traitor and the Poisonous Plot

Long Chen was a little taken aback. He had served Princess Di Luoxi for so long, bathed her countless times, but she had never asked him to carry her into the water.

He thought to himself, What is she up to now? Could she really be falling for me? A princess in love with a eunuch?

"Carry me!"

Seeing that Long Chen had not moved, Di Luoxi grew annoyed. Her coquettish expression quickly shifted to one of haughty pride.

"As you wish."

Long Chen wrapped one arm around her supple waist and lifted her thigh with the other—a flawless, textbook princess carry.

Di Luoxi hooked her arms around Long Chen's neck, her face pressed against his muscular chest, eyes fixed intently on him.

Entering the hot spring, Long Chen slowly crouched and set Di Luoxi into the water.

As his hands loosened, Di Luoxi slipped from his embrace, but her arms remained around his neck. Instead, she pulled him into her own embrace.

Their noses nearly touched, lips almost brushing—just a fraction of a millimeter apart. Di Luoxi gazed at Long Chen with burning eyes and said, "If you were truly a man, I would claim you as mine!"

A rush of masculine passion surged within Long Chen. For a fleeting moment, he wanted to reveal everything and hold her tight.

"Wow!"

Xuan Ying and Qing Yue, clad in pink undergarments, leapt into the hot spring. The warm water soaked their thin garments, which clung to their snow-white skin.

Seeing Long Chen and Di Luoxi locked in an embrace, gazing deeply into each other's eyes, the two teased them playfully.

"Princess, Little Dragon is a eunuch—he's useless."

"He's useful enough. He knows the Shaolin Finger Zen technique."

Di Luoxi blushed suddenly, released her grip, and scolded him, feigning indifference, "Useless eunuch—maybe in your next life!"

Long Chen was speechless. Suppressing the desire within him, he shook his head with a smile and changed the subject: "Tonight was very strange. When Shangguan Qixiu attacked the west gate, they knew exactly where our ambush was. They were fully aware of our defenses."

At this, Di Luoxi grew serious, and Xuan Ying and Qing Yue stopped their banter.

Zhang Qian spoke up, "When we rushed to the west gate, we saw Shangguan Liang leading troops to slaughter our ambushed brothers—very precise!"

The playful mood vanished. Di Luoxi's face darkened. "You mean we have a traitor?"

Long Chen swam beside Di Luoxi, then hugged her from behind, tracing circles with his hands as he said, "I'm not certain. It could be that their spies inside the city are exceptionally skilled, but even so, it shouldn't be so precise."

Qing Yue added, "I found it odd as well. In this raid, Shangguan Wei attacked the south gate, and both east and west gates faced assaults. But at the west gate, there were four family generals leading troops. They clearly knew it was our weakest point."

Di Luoxi said coldly, "There's definitely a problem, and whoever it is, their rank is not low. Find them—dig them out!"

Very few had access to the city's entire defense map. Not even middle-ranking officers could know such things.

...

Outside the city, at the main camp.

Shangguan Wei sat in the tent with a look of dejection. The dim candlelight flickered, casting a shadow over the somber faces within.

Shangguan Xiu sat beside him, coughing intermittently, clearly in discomfort.

Standing in the middle were Shangguan Qixiu, Shangguan Li, Shangguan Liang, Shangguan Feng, and the burly Shangguan Yi.

Of the Seven Shangguans, only four remained—three had perished.

"Seeing your mask, I thought you were dead."

Shangguan Wei's voice was low and unreadable. Was he relieved that Shangguan Li survived, or resentful that he escaped death?

Shangguan Li once more wore his ghost mask, his gaze dull, expression unreadable.

Shangguan Feng spoke solemnly, "I failed in battle. General, please punish me."

Shangguan Xiu took a deep breath, then let it out in a long sigh. "Long Cheng'en—always Long Cheng'en. Since he appeared, he's ruined my plans time and again!"

"Have you determined Long Cheng'en's true identity?"

Feng He, who was in charge of intelligence, stepped forward and saluted. "I've found some clues. Originally, it was said that Long Cheng'en belonged to the Long Family Army, but after thorough investigation, all the Longs in that army are dead. This Long Cheng'en might not even be surnamed Long."

"It's even possible that he has no connection to the Long Family Army at all. He's deliberately using it as a smokescreen to mislead us."

When Feng He finished, Shangguan Li's eyes flickered behind the mask, but he said nothing.

Shangguan Wei pondered for a moment and nodded. "Your reasoning makes sense. I know the Long family well—their skilled fighters, their brilliant strategists. I know exactly who they are. All of them are dead."

"Someone as cunning as Long Cheng'en—there was never anyone like him in the Long family."

Long Ye and Shangguan Wei were political rivals. Shangguan Wei knew all the formidable figures of the Long family—none were as difficult as Long Chen.

Thus, he believed Long Chen might have no connection whatsoever to the Long family.

All the information they had gathered before was just a fabrication to mislead them.

"I think so too. We need to investigate Long Cheng'en again."

Feng He was nearly certain of his deduction.

In the corner sat Yu Fuguo, the military inspector, who spoke in a strange, sarcastic tone, "Well, you have your theory. Investigate thoroughly—the higher-ups are waiting for news."

"General Shangguan must be eager to know the truth, right? Decades of warfare, yet bested by a mere eunuch."

Shangguan Wei had been defeated by Long Chen, and Yu Fuguo felt a twisted satisfaction, as if Long Chen had vindicated eunuchs everywhere.

Shangguan Wei raised his cold, steely eyes—he was truly angry.

Yu Fuguo shivered, hurriedly rose, and slipped out of the tent. Once outside, he muttered under his breath, "Old fool—he doesn't even realize he's near death!"

A soldier nearly collided with Yu Fuguo as he rushed past, prompting a furious curse, "Are you blind? Watch where you're going!"

The soldier burst into the tent and reported, "General, the Eastern Zhou has thrown out our wounded brothers and the bodies of the fallen."

The officers inside stirred, all looking to Shangguan Wei.

"Rescue them—bring the wounded back, and recover the bodies for proper burial."

Shangguan Wei knew this was a poisonous tactic. Caring for the wounded was a burden, and seeing their injuries would haunt the other soldiers in future battles.

But he had no choice—if he did not rescue them, who would fight for him next time?

"Dismissed. Rest well tonight."

Shangguan Xiu rose and led the officers from the tent.

After everyone left, Shangguan Wei sighed softly, "Long Cheng'en, what a clever strategy."

Outside, Shangguan Liang immediately arranged for rescue teams.

Shangguan Li followed Shangguan Xiu into another tent. Shangguan Xiu sat down, coughing again.

"Young General, I suspect Long Cheng'en is Long Chen."

Shangguan Li's tone was somewhat agitated.

"Do you have proof?"

Shangguan Xiu recalled what Shangguan Mu had once said.

When Princess Di Luoxi attacked Linjiang City, Long Chen shot an arrow into Shangguan Mu's left shoulder. At the time, Shangguan Mu had remarked that Long Cheng'en might be Long Chen.

After returning to camp, Shangguan Xiu carefully reviewed today's battle. Long Cheng'en's spear technique was not the Long family's style, yet it carried traces of it.

Truth and falsehood, reality and illusion—it all gave Shangguan Xiu a headache.

"When Tiger was killed, he was using Lion Pounces Rabbit."

Shangguan Li recounted the course of battle and the details of Shangguan Hu's death.

"What does that prove?"

Shangguan Xiu asked, puzzled.

Shangguan Li replied, "I remember Long Chen once said, 'Lion Pounces Rabbit is dangerous. Against a skilled opponent, leaping like that turns you into a target.'"