Chapter 375: The cat is out of the bag! (1/2)
Chapter 375: The cat is out of the bag!
Translator: Sparrow TranslationsEditor: Sparrow Translations
There was a saying - if one isn't involved, don't get involved.
Nangong Hao was doing just that. He looked like an observer, unwilling to participate or speak.
In fact, all of the candidates knew that Nangong Hao was somehow connected to it all. However, other than Nangong Hao, there was one more person who was silent.
That was Fang Zhengzhi.
Fang Zhengzhi was calm and composed throughout the entire sequence of events.
This stumped all of the candidates.
Why was this so?
If Fang Zhengzhi was suspended, it would be horrible for him. If he wasn't suspended, Nangong Hao would be the one at a disadvantage.
So why were both of them acting like mere observers?
”Why are they this calm?” These candidates could not understand what was happening.
In actual fact, Fang Zhengzhi did not say anything because his participation in the examination did not matter much to him. However, the other candidates did not know this.
As for Nangong Hao...
It was because he understood what was happening.
He knew that the key to the Great Xia Dynasty's plan was the Icy Monkey Settlement. He also knew that the Crown Prince would never allow Fang Zhengzhi to take it. At the very least, Fang Zhengzhi would not be allowed to take it before they had put their plan into action.
As such, what did he have to worry about?
The Crown Prince did give those orders verbally. There was no doubt about it. No messenger would have the audacity to falsify something like that.
However, just as Xing Qingsui asked, did the Crown Prince put it in writing?
No!
That was the key problem.
The Crown Prince was the invigilating on behalf of the Emperor. His role was to ensure that the rules were followed and no innocent lives were lost.
Did he have the right to disqualify a candidate?
Of course not! The Chief Invigilator was still the Emperor himself!
The Crown Prince was supposed to report back to the Emperor. The Emperor would have the final say as to whether Fang Zhengzhi was disqualified or not.
The Crown Prince, Nangong Hao, Xing Qingsui, and all the candidates all knew this. However, the candidates were happy to see Fang Zhengzhi suspended.
As such, why would they question the messenger?
They wanted to believe that it was true.
Nangong Hao knew exactly what the other candidates were thinking. He also predicted how they would react. The Crown Prince's move was quite predictable.
He would sacrifice the pawn for the king!
Fang Zhengzhi was the sacrificial lamb here. However, the Crown Prince would never do something without giving himself a way out.
He only issued a verbal order. That was his escape ticket.
If it came down to it, the Crown Prince would just deny giving such an order. The person at fault would be the messenger.
He would simply accuse the messenger of being bought over by the Southern Mountain Range!
Xing Qingsui's actions was just pinning the charges on the messenger a few days in advance.
Would the Crown Prince take this to heart?
Even if he did, would Xing Qingsui care? He was the heir to the Stabilization Constabulary. As for the Crown Prince, would he go up against the leader of the 13 Constabularies because of this?
If he did, he could forget about being the Crown Prince.
Nangong Hao had predicted all of this. He could also predict what Xing Qingsui would do after capturing the messenger.
...
Fang Zhengzhi never expected Xing Qingsui to appear in the Southern Mountain Range. He did think that Xing Yuanguo may make an appearance, but Xing Qingsui's attendance was unexpected. That being said, he could still understand the reasoning behind it.
The entrance to the Icy Monkey Settlement.
After Xing Qingsui gave the order for the messenger's capture, he subconsciously glanced at Nangong Hao. Then, he began walking towards Fang Zhengzhi.
Fang Zhengzhi did not speak immediately.
He did not know the details of the Great Xia Dynasty's plan. Of course, he did not want to know, and did not want to participate in it.
His only aim had been to find Yan Xiu.
He had brought along 500 silver horned wolves to conquer the Thunder Light Settlement. Then, he had snuck up on Chen Feiyu and Wu Feng and the Thunderous Lion Settlement.
He did this to build up his power.
He knew Yan Xiu very well.
If he had simply participated in the combat examinations, Yan Xiu would not join up with him. Yan Xiu would have treated him as an 'opponent'.
However, if Fang Zhengzhi attacked Nangong Hao, things would be different.
Yan Xiu would definitely meet up with him.
Fang Zhengzhi's plan had been going smoothly all the way till this point. As for defeating Nangong Hao at the Icy Monkey Settlement...
That was a different plan altogether.
In fact, it was his promise to Nangong Mu.
His 40,000 strong army was already at the gates. He had to make a show of attacking.
More importantly, if Fang Zhengzhi had called for a retreat after seeing Yan Xiu, what would Yan Xiu think?
Defeating Nangong Hao was something Fang Zhengzhi had to do.
However, he never expected that there would be this many twists and turns along the way. After all that happened, he seemed to be back where he started.
But...
Was it really the case?
Xing Qingsui had smuggled his way into the ranks a long time ago. For him to choose to reveal himself now meant that he wanted to do something other than blocking this 'fake' order.
”Fang Zhengzhi, if I ask you to pull back, will you?” Xing Qingsui stopped at a point five steps away from Fang Zhengzhi.
”Pull back?”
”Xing Qingsui wants Fang Zhengzhi to pull back?!”
”What is going on? Is the Stabilization Constabulary interfering with the court examinations?”
All of the other candidates did not understand why Xing Qingsui would ask such a question. They were all guessing why the Stabilization Constabulary was in the Southern Mountain Range, but they could not figure out why Xing Qingsui would ask Fang Zhengzhi to retreat.