Tang Fei left, and Zhong Daolong refilled his and Yan Wenli’s cups with wine, setting the scene for a night of deep conversation by candlelight.
Yet Zhong Daolong did not start speaking; instead, he just kept lifting his cup, inviting drink after drink.
The extinguished Romeo y Julieta cigar was lit once more, and amidst the swirling smoke, both men’s expressions grew dark and profound.
After downing three strong drinks in a row, Yan Wenli waved his hand, smiling as he said, "I don’t have the same capacity for liquor as you do, drinking and I’ll get drunk."
Yan Wenli, also known as Yan Sanbei, enjoyed drinking but couldn’t hold his liquor—three drinks and he’d be done.
So, after three drinks, he stopped drinking.
"What’s wrong with getting drunk? It’s good to clear your mind once in a while." Zhong Daolong finally said, "You’re always too cautious, and that can be exhausting."
"We might afford to clear our minds, but you can’t." Yan Wenli said with a laugh, "As King, you bear the weight of the Empire’s military secrets. If you get drunk, the state would be incapacitated."
Zhong Daolong burst into hearty laughter, pointing at Yan Wenli as he said, "Did you learn that from the kid? I remember you weren’t one to flatter in the past."
"Nowadays, young people are too smart, and they put a lot of pressure on me. To avoid being outdone by these youngsters, I’ve been busy developing new skills," he said.
"Yes, young people these days are smart," Zhong Daolong agreed, his words laced with implication: "Compared to them, we’re old."
Yan Wenli smiled without responding.
Zhong Daolong could say he was old, but Yan Wenli couldn’t echo that he indeed was old.
What are you implying?
That this old guy should retire and make room for the younger generation?
What is your relationship with Zhong Tianque? Is he getting impatient?
Not wanting to insincerely compliment him on his youth either.
No matter how much technology advances, changing the natural course of life remains as difficult as ascending to heaven.
All that can be done now is to delay and repair...
Keeping you looking young.
But when you’re old, you’re old—how can one disguise that?
Cigar between his fingers, Zhong Daolong looked at Yan Wenli and asked, "What do you think, Wenli?"
"You’re playing dumb with me?"
Yan Wenli gently shook his head, saying, "I don’t understand."
"What, do you think he can’t be trusted?"
"It’s not that I don’t trust him. Considering motives and intentions... it wouldn’t surprise anyone that he did such a thing," Yan Wenli spoke up, "Striving for love is understandable. To choose to bow out now for survival... that makes sense too..."
"Then why do you still say you don’t understand?"
"I just think this young man is too clever, and you know... I’ve never liked clever people. When someone’s clever, their minds are cluttered and they take more risks."
"Having both wisdom and courage, such people enjoy taking risks. Some risks we can accept and control. Some we cannot accept for fear of losing control..."
"Both of us can’t control it?" Zhong Daolong asked, laughing.
He was the ruler of the nation, and Yan Wenli was the Director of the Supervision Institute, both at the pinnacle of the Empire’s pyramid.
What kind of matter could it be that even they couldn’t control?
"I was just making a comparison," Yan Wenli said, looking meaningfully at Zhong Daolong, "No matter how powerful the Sun Monkey is, can he escape The Buddha’s Five-Finger Mountain?"
"You haven’t told me the truth," Zhong Daolong said out loud.
Yan Wenli forced a bitter smile, "Didn’t I mention to you before? I suspected he was involved with the white-clad assassin who murdered numerous officials and caused terror throughout the Imperial City... The investigation by the Zhong Jiayuan of the Monitoring Bureau even reached his doorstep."
"However, Zhong Jiayuan later reported to me that they had searched the house thoroughly but indeed found no trace of the white-clad assassin..."
"If nothing was found at the time, why bring this up now?"
"To take down that assassin, I had invited Ye Shenyi for assistance. Ye Shenyi said that he was patrolling that area that very night and felt a sharp intent to kill, then immediately gave chase..."
"I know about this," Zhong Daolong nodded, "New Year’s Eve, the stroke of midnight, I deeply remember that night... Didn’t the Monitoring Bureau lose a few men as well?"
"Yes." Yan Wenli nodded gravely and continued, "That night several of the Bureau’s undercover agents were silently taken care of. When Ye Shenyi reached the Imperial Square, he found only Tang Fei and Sheng Xinhua, daughter of Sheng, ringing in the new year together..."
A twitch barely perceptible played across Zhong Daolong’s face; that damn kid had just been swearing oaths in front of him saying, "I love your daughter, I would sacrifice everything for her, including my life..."
And now, from Yan Wenli’s mouth, he heard that the kid had gone off to spend New Year’s with another woman, how could he, as her father, bear this?
Should I tear you to shreds, or should I tear you to shreds?
Yan Wenli didn’t know Zhong Daolong’s thoughts at the moment, and even if he did, it wouldn’t concern him.
In the face of great national affairs, what did a little love affair count for?
They had more important matters at hand.
"From that night on, that assassin completely disappeared. New Year’s Eve had festivities, the best opportunity for a breakout. I knew it, and the assassin knew it too. They must have left that night."