Such serious look on Dong Ling’s face was strange to Concubine Lin and the latter realized that something must be wrong with Feicui.

She asked, “Tell me. Is there anything wrong with Feicui? It’s okay. Just tell me. I’m okay with that!”

Dong Ling got her to sit down on the chair before she explained slowly, “Don’t worry, Mom. It turned out that Feicui worked for Mrs. Dong. The other day, she stole some of your valuable things and tried to go back to the Dong family to give information! But I’ve killed her!”

“I know,” replied Concubine Lin when she felt like weeping, “but if Mrs. Dong knows Feicui is missing, she will find fault with us. What should we do…?”

Before she finished, Dong Ling smiled and replied, “Don’t worry. Whatever happens, I’ll protect you! I’ll always be with you. It’s too late. Go back to sleep! We’ve still got oceans of time to deal with them!”

Concubine Lin stayed in a daze for a while. She felt relieved to see her daughter grow so mature and replied, “Thank you, my dear daughter!”

Having walked Concubine Lin back to her room, Dong Ling returned to the lobby where Old Li, his son Li Fugui and Zhumo were still waiting. She squinted and looked rather serious.

Well, well, time to get prepared for something.

“Ahem, you did a good job this time.” Said Dong Ling.

With one hand holding her chin, she put the other hand on the table and rapped the table. Old Li and Li Fugui let out a sigh of relief.

Then Dong Ling took out a little bottle and a small ingot of gold. She said, “It’s your reward.”

Old Li swallowed. His eyes were even gleaming when he saw the gold!

Hearing her words, he suddenly dragged his son forward and took the gold. He then took the bottle and asked, “And this is?”

“It’s the antidote for the next few months.” replied Dong Ling.

All smiles, they got relieved. At least, they didn’t need to worry for the next months.

“Be loyal and compliant, and you’ll be rewarded!” Dong Ling said in an august manner.

“Yes. Yes!” Old Li and his son nodded. Even if they had been unreconciled, they would be perfectly happy to take her order for the sake of gold!

“I’m always at your service if you need me! I’ll take care of everything!” Old Li sounded more flattering.

Dong Ling glanced at him. She knew alternating kindness with cruelty was the best way to control her subordinates.

“Leave me.” ordered she.

After they left, Dong Long looked at Zhumo who had been standing aside quietly. She took out another small ingot of gold and out it on the table. She said, “It’s yours, Zhumo. From now on, I’ll teach you the way to make secret letters. In case of any trouble, send me the letters with the specially trained pigeons.”

Zhumo lifted the lower hem of her dress and replied with great respect, “Yes, Miss Ling. Thank you.”

Time flew!

Busy guys could never realize how fast time was fleeting. Soon, it came to the tenth day when Dong Ling had agreed to meet Wu Jitian.

It was quite a good day, which fitted Dong ling’s happy mood perfectly. Early this morning, she left her home for the magistrate’s mansion.

Oh, this time, no one dared to stop her again! She showed the dragon-phoenix jade pendant to the guard and the latter got her in respectfully.

“Oh, there you are!” greeted Wu Jitian. Lin Zang had told him about her coming already and he asked the guard to bring her directly to his study when she came.

“Yeah!” answered Dong Ling casually. She walked to Wu Jitian’s desk and seemed to be very interested in his painting. She asked, “What are you painting?”

Wu Jitian suddenly looked gentler, which made Dong Ling more curious. She craned her neck to look, but the painting was totally kept out from her. She failed to see anything.

“You really want to see it?” asked Wu Jitian. He found her so cute when she craned her neck.

“Fine. Forget it if you don’t want to show it to me. I guess you just fell in love with some girl and is painting her.” replied Dong Ling who pretended she didn’t care for that at all.

However, she still kept stealing a glance!

Such a groundless charge made Wu Jitian burst into laughing. Well, he guessed Dong Ling was getting jealous.

“You agreed to escort me back to the capital. I don’t think you like any cosmetics as your reward. And I’ll be stingy if I give you that. So… what do you think if you make you a military officer?”

Since Dong Ling asked to be a general, he had been thinking about it carefully. Mm, he was just in trouble and in great need of help. Maybe, he was just predestined to meet Dong Ling.

That was quite a pleasant surprise! Dong Ling looked as happy as a clam!

Wow, was that a yes to her request?

Of course, she was so pleased, but on the surface, she restrained herself. She raised her eyebrows and asked in reply, “Are you serious?”

It wasn’t an easy thing to make her a general as she requested. But he just agreed! She couldn’t help suspecting if he was teasing her.

Dong Ling’s question met Wu Jitian’s expectations. Anyway, the post of a general couldn’t be used as a joke.

Thinking of this, Wu Jitian replied, “Do you think I may joke with such an important thing?”

They stared at each other for quite a long time. It was so quiet as if time had stood still. Looked like they were diametrically opposed to each other.

In the end, Dong Ling yielded and said, “Fine, then. Let’s call it a deal.”

After all, she tried to find Prince Jitian just because she wanted to be a general. She didn’t have a reason to argue over that.

“We’ll leave in two hours.” Wu Jitian replied quickly as if he had known Dong Ling’s choice ahead.

“Okay. I’ll meet you here in two hours.” said Dong Ling when she left with a light heart.

Looking at her receding figure, Wu Jitian clasped his hands behind his back, looked down at the girl in his painting and whispered, “Dong Ling. A name for fierceness. The name fits her!”

“My Lord. Done?” asked Lin Zang, who suddenly appeared in the study.

“Mm!” replied Wu Jitian casually without even looking up. He added, “Hatred is the last thing to let go!”

After he finished, he took up the painting and walked out.

The recollection sprung up. The day before, Wu Jitian and Lin Zang stood, facing each other in the study. They looked extremely grave.

“What did you say?” asked Wu Jitian in anger! Rarely did he forget himself like this!

Crack! He broke the writing brush in his hand.

“My Lord. We’ve lost contact with our men on the border. I think they’ve been killed!” repeated Lin Zang who also looked bad and even guilty. Those were his comrades for years, but he failed to know if they were still alive!

He couldn’t help blaming himself. What was worse, he got Prince Jitian involved. He must be seriously punished!

He explained, “It was my bad. I was too careless to control our men so that they failed the mission.”

Wu Jitian was in bad temper, but he knew it clearly that Lin Zang wasn’t the one to blame.

Unfortunately, he lost his power on the border. After he returned to the capital, he might have to suffer a lot. He really wondered who was. .h.i.tting him below the belt! d.a.m.n IT!

Wu Jitian pulled a long face, gnashed the teeth in anger, and said to Lin Zang, “Fine. It’s not your fault. What we need is an immediate solution. Well, let’s do this. Send some of our guards to the border and check what happened!”

“No way!” refused Lin Zang, “Or how can we protect you?”

Hearing such an order, Ling Zang rejected immediately, regardless of his inferior position.

The trip to the capital could be perilous. Danger lurked everywhere!

Moreover, many guys always tried to kill Prince Jitian! If some of the guards were sent away, who else could protect him?