“Jiang Wenbo and Yu Furen have gone to scout Shelter Forest. If Yu Furen is an undercover agent for Fengliu Shop, wouldn’t Jiang Wenbo’s mission be dangerous?” At dusk, Tang Lici was reading in his room when Shen Langhun walked in slowly. “He launched a sneak sword attack last night, clearly showing his stance is not aligned with the Sword Society.”

Tang Lici still held that copy of the “Three Character Classic,” still seemingly reading either the third or fourth page. “Whether the Sword Society has undercover agents will be known tonight.” Shen Langhun walked to his side. “You mean the undercover agent absolutely isn’t Yu Furen?”

Tang Lici smiled slightly. “To be an undercover agent in the Central Plains Sword Society, one must have considerable status and position, otherwise they couldn’t participate in the most important discussions or obtain useful intelligence. Although Yu Furen’s martial arts are not weak and his prospects are bright, his qualifications are still shallow. If I were Miss Hong, I would never choose him… Besides, although Yu Furen comes from an assassin background, he’s not someone with deep schemes and cunning…” His gaze returned to the book. “I guess he’s just a filial son, purely hating me because of Yu Qifeng’s matter.”

“Haha, the whole world believes you killed Yu Qifeng and destroyed the Yu Family Sword Manor,” Shen Langhun said indifferently. “Why do you never explain? The person who shot the poisoned needle that killed Yu Qifeng wasn’t you, and the person who used explosives to blow him to pieces wasn’t you either. Strictly speaking, Yu Qifeng’s death has nothing to do with you.”

Tang Lici’s lips curved slightly in an ambiguous smile, changing the subject. “Where’s Chi Yun?”

“I don’t know.” Shen Langhun said slowly. “I’ve already searched around the courtyard, and the child isn’t there either.” Tang Lici’s eyes moved slightly, glancing toward the tallest tree in Shanfeng Hall. “Hmm?”

Shen Langhun followed his gaze and saw Chi Yun lying on the treetop with his arms pillowing his head. A bamboo basket hung from the high branches, with Fengfeng poking her head out from the basket’s edge, waving her arms excitedly. She was clearly delighted with this game of being suspended high in the air, constantly making “clucking” sounds like a little duck.

“He’s certainly living carefree.”

“He’s not carefree either,” Tang Lici’s gaze returned from the tree to his scroll. “He’s troubled inside, but doesn’t understand his own feelings.”

Shen Langhun was slightly stunned. “Feelings?”

Tang Lici said, “He’s still bitter about his failure and capture last time, unable to forget that setback. Chi Yun’s martial arts excel in momentum – that fierce, swift, strike-without-return momentum is his key to defeating enemies. Losing that momentum affects him greatly, and moreover… his inner turmoil isn’t solely about being captured…”

Shen Langhun said indifferently, “Related to Bai Suche?”

Tang Lici smiled. “Yes.”

Shen Langhun fell silent for a moment, then said slowly, “Next time he fights someone, I’ll look out for him more.”

Tang Lici nodded. Shen Langhun suddenly asked, “If the Sword Society truly has undercover agents, they’ll surely know about Jiang Wenbo and Yu Furen’s night reconnaissance of Shelter Forest. If you were in their position, how would you change the situation?”

Tang Lici turned a page of his book. “Regardless of whether either Jiang Wenbo or Yu Furen is a spy, or even whether there are spies in the Sword Society at all, tonight’s reconnaissance mission to Shelter Forest will have the same result. First, Jiang Wenbo and Yu Furen’s abilities are far insufficient to break through Shelter Forest’s outer defenses; second, for Shelter Forest to remain hidden and undiscovered for so long, there must be formations, secret passages, and mechanisms. Neither of these two is skilled in formations or mechanisms, so even if they break in, they’ll surely return empty-handed; third, since Yu Furen has tracked Shelter Forest’s experts before, Shelter Forest has certainly strengthened its defenses and arrangements.” He smiled slightly. “Fourth, given such a disparity in strength, why wouldn’t Fengliu Shop simply capture them? Tonight’s reconnaissance mission will definitely result in Jiang Wenbo and Yu Furen being captured alive.”

Shen Langhun frowned. “By this reasoning, you deliberately revealed Shelter Forest’s location, enticing Shao Yanping to deploy people for night reconnaissance, essentially delivering people to Fengliu Shop to be captured?”

Tang Lici smiled slightly. “Exactly.”

Shen Langhun’s brow furrowed deeply. “I can’t see what benefit giving the enemy hostages could have?”

Tang Lici rolled up his book and lightly tapped the bed’s edge. “If there are Fengliu Shop undercover agents in the Central Plains Sword Society, they’ll certainly know about the night reconnaissance. If these two are captured alive, the matter of Fengliu Shop’s base will naturally be exposed; if these two are allowed to return, the base’s location will naturally be revealed as well. Since the result is the same either way, capturing two people as bargaining chips is better than letting them return.” His lips curved up like the pointed, graceful tip of an early summer lotus. “If I were Miss Hong, learning from the undercover agent that the plan to isolate Haoyun Mountain has been broken and that our side intends to take the initiative, this would be the perfect time to play a risky gambit…”

“Risky gambit?” Shen Langhun seemed to understand, pondering, “Could it be—”

Tang Lici gently placed his book on the table and smiled. “Since they already intend a decisive battle, and Haoyun Mountain has lost two capable generals, while we think their next step will target two small sects, with such an excellent opportunity, if they don’t strike immediately, should they wait for us to unite with ‘Small Knife Society’ and ‘Silver Seven Alliance’ to take the initiative against Shelter Forest?”

Shen Langhun was greatly shocked, saying in horror, “You… you… by offering two hostages to Fengliu Shop, you’re forcing them to strike immediately, to have a decisive battle at Haoyun Mountain tonight?”

How could he make such a major decision alone without consulting anyone? This was unacceptable!

“If—the Sword Society has traitors, tonight will be the night of decisive battle.” Tang Lici smiled lightly. “If—the Sword Society has no traitors, perhaps Yu Furen and Jiang Wenbo will return safely, but… the chances aren’t great.” His smiling eyes curved slightly, somewhat fox-like in their cunning glance. “I don’t believe the Central Plains Sword Society has no problems whatsoever. Cheng Yunpao encountered a Wudang sect Taoist who lied through his teeth, was deceived into going north to Cat Sprout Peak, then ambushed and severely injured—how could this be mere coincidence? Without being someone from the Sword Society, one couldn’t know Cheng Yunpao’s whereabouts, right?”

Shen Langhun slowly exhaled. “You’re not certain who the traitor is, so you act independently and keep absolutely silent about the decisive battle, leaving the Sword Society completely unprepared… Aren’t you afraid of heavy casualties? If tonight’s battle is lost…”

“The Sword Society completely unprepared?” Tang Lici laughed softly, the sound part mockery, part jest, and part provocation. “Shao Yanping is a true old fox. When I wanted him to send people to Fengliu Shop as hostages, he sent out Jiang Wenbo and Yu Furen. What does that mean?” His eyes slowly lifted at the corners, looking at Shen Langhun with extreme cunning. “Yu Furen attacked me with a sneak sword strike last night, and Jiang Wenbo… he stood together with Cheng Yunpao, so they must have a close relationship. Learning of his whereabouts wouldn’t be difficult—Shao Yanping sending these two out means he doesn’t trust them.”

Shen Langhun’s gaze flickered. “Indicating he understood your underlying plan?”

Tang Lici said softly, “Yes…” After a slight pause, “Will Master Puzhu arrive at Haoyun Mountain today?”

Shen Langhun said indifferently, “That’s right.”

Tang Lici’s eyes half-closed. “As expected, tonight will be a bitter battle.”

Shen Langhun frowned. Tonight was already going to be a bitter battle—what did Master Puzhu’s arrival at Haoyun Mountain have to do with it? “Do you think Puzhu is also their undercover agent?”

Tang Lici laughed lightly. “Of course not. Master Puzhu is upright and principled, devoted to righteous rescue—that’s absolutely certain. Cough… cough cough…”

Shen Langhun suddenly asked, “How are your injuries?”

Tang Lici lightly touched his temple with his finger, answering irrelevantly, “It’s nearly sunset, why hasn’t Shao Yanping rung the bell yet?”

Shen Langhun was puzzled. “Ring the bell?”

Tang Lici opened his eyes. “Today’s dinner should be an hour earlier than usual, shouldn’t it?”

Just as he smiled, the clear sound of “clang clang” rang out. Indeed, the dinner bell was sounding—Shao Yanping was calling everyone to eat.

There would be a great battle tonight, so they started dinner early. Only with full stomachs would they have strength to fight later. Shao Yanping’s arrangements were indeed thorough. At this moment, as daylight gradually faded, Yu Furen and Jiang Wenbo had already departed. If Fengliu Shop intended a night assault, they would already be on their way. The overall situation was set, and it was time to inform everyone of the arrangements and deployments for the coming moments.