The Glory After Rebirth

187 - 189

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong came to a temporary separation at the gateway of the residential compound of Yuwen family. Both of them had a lot to say to each other, but they knew this was not the right time to talk.

After Yuwen Tong left, Ling Zhang said to Tao Yi, “Elder Brother Tao, I’m really sorry to have put you through all this today.”

Tao Yi, whose tense back muscles finally relaxed as he walked out of the front gate of the residential compound of Yuwen family, shook his head and responded, “We’re friends. This is a mere trifle. It’s just… I never expected that things would be so difficult for you in Yuwen family. Just now, what happened back there on the street was so dangerous. If it weren’t for that thing you carried that could detoxify poison, there might have been unimaginable consequences.”

Ling Zhang said, “I think they’ll behave themselves for some time after this.”

Tao Yi, however, was not as optimistic as he was. “I’m afraid Yuwen Zhi and his family hate you to the core after what happened today. The influence they wield in this city is far greater than you can imagine. You must be extremely careful. Because of the Marshal, they won’t dare to overtly do anything to you, but they might resort to underhand means. You must make sure you’re accompanied by enough guards when going out, and…”

Tao Yi had a frown on his face. In his eyes, Ling Zhang thoroughly offended Yuwen Zhi on this day, and there would definitely be a lot of trouble in the future. Ling Zhang was new to the capital. As the saying goes, ‘A spear thrust from front is easy to dodge, but an arrow shot from ambush is difficult to guard against.’

“I understand. Thank you for reminding me, Elder Brother Tao. I’ll be cautious. It’s you I’m worried about. You offered me help today, so Yuwen Qi definitely has put your name on his enemies list. I implicated you. If anybody of Yuwen family make trouble for you in the future, you must come to us and never fight them head-on on your own.”

Ling Zhang had a somewhat guilty conscience. Tao Yi could have avoided getting involved in this.

Tao Yi smiled, “My teacher is not someone anybody dares mess with either. He loves me dearly. Yuwen Qi is a junior and certainly doesn’t have the balls to offend my teacher. As for Yuwen Zhi, if he dares to do anything to me, my teacher will handle him.”

Tao Yi’s attitude suggests that nothing in the world scares him, that even if the sky collapsed, people taller than him would hold it for him. This is so…

Ling Zhang, somewhat resigned, could only repeatedly exhort Tao Yi to be careful.

“Okay, okay. You’ve said that many times. I won’t forget,” observed Tao Yi, “and you and the Marshal may rest assured that I won’t breath a word to anyone about what the Marshal and Yuwen Zhi said today.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need for that. By the way, given that it was on a street that you came into conflict with Yuwen Qi, I’m afraid news of it has already reached a lot of people’s ears. If anybody tries to bust your chops with irritating words, just regard them as farts and ignore them.”

After seeing what happened this day, Tao Yi had come to realize that Yuwen Tong cared about Ling Zhang very much. Marshal Yuwen even suggested he and Yuwen Zhi break up the family and live apart, which is an unmistakable indication that his feelings for Ling Zhang are uncommonly deep, he thought. It was just that there were a lot of outsiders who were unaware of this and not afraid to spread all kinds of ungrounded rumors which he worried Ling Zhang might be displeased to hear.

Ling Zhang, who understood what he meant, said, “I know. It’s not any of those gossips that I’m going to marry.”

“I’m glad you see it this way. Then… should we pay the book market another visit? We lost all the books.”