We Need to Talk
We Need to Talk
'This place is more interesting than what I thought.'
The next day, Wei Liuying woke up early and headed to the training area for the soldiers. The people there didn't say anything and resumed their training as usual while Wei Liuying was watching from the sides.
She didn't do anything but watching.
Time passed swiftly.
"Strategist Liu only watched the soldiers?" General Hao asked when it was evening. The meeting was over, and he needed to get the report of what happened that day.
"Yes. Strategist Liu didn't do anything but staying by the sidelines and watch."
General Hao walked to the training area and fixated his gaze on the side. There, he could see a young kid standing while leaning to the wall. While it was not the best position as a soldier because of how leisurely it looked like, he could see that Liu Ying's right hand was close to her sword.
If there was any threat nearby, the sword would move for the kill.
"You're dismissed."
"Yes."
Walking to Liu Ying's direction, General Hao tried to follow the young strategist's line of sight. It was then he realized that the young strategist was looking to the servant that was following behind Xie Jing.
"Strategist Liu."
"Good evening, General Hao," Wei Liuying greeted.
General Hao nodded. "I thought you come here because you wish to study more of the tactics."
"Battle tactics will not work as well, so I'm planning to wait until you come and have a short chat. Besides, your training is more interesting because I can see that you're trying to make the soldiers have balanced built," Wei Liuying responded with a smile.
"Balance is important."
"Indeed."
"What would you like to ask me, Strategist Liu?"
"I heard that there's going to be a confrontation with Nu Tribe, so I'm wondering whether there's any preparation ongoing or not?"
"There's obviously some preparations. I wouldn't want to face Nu Tribe without preparing my soldiers beforehand. Going to the battle blindly is the same as asking for the opponents to defeat you so badly."
Wei Liuying nodded. It was the basic of wars for them to gather information about their enemies before going to a war. Tapping the wall behind her with her fingers, Wei Liuying decided that it would be best for her to ask directly.
"If there's both internal and external battle ongoing, what's your position would be, General Hao?"
Position?
The question was vague, and it was only comparing two types of battle. General Hao thought that Strategist Liu came here because he wanted to find out about whether he would support Prince Ji Sheng or not. But the question asked was clearly out of his expectation.
Looking at the side profile of the young strategist, General Hao felt that it was hard to guess what was inside the young kid's mind.
"Isn't it better to keep neutral stance unless it's necessary to participate in?"
Wei Liuying laughed lightly. "Don't you mean, you plan to become the third party, General Hao?"
General Hao felt cold sweat started to form on his back. He looked at the young strategist carefully, fearing that he might have missed something from the short conversation just now. However, he couldn't see any trace of emotion on his face.
"The training is almost over. Thank you very much for allowing me to stay here, General Hao."
"The pleasure is all mine," General Hao forced himself to speak. He felt that the more he talked to Liu Ying, the more information that he would give to the young strategist. It was as if he was an open book that Strategist Liu could pry open at any time.
Even a single sentence was more than enough to reveal so much thing about him.
'Am I getting paranoid?'
While General Hao was disturbed, Wei Liuying walked to Xie Jing, who had finished his training. Xie Jing might be appointed to accompany Wei Liuying around, but since she only stayed here, Xie Jing was ordered to join the practice. His result was not that good, so it was clear that the superiors wished for him to join in the practice for better result.
"Would you like to return back, Strategist Liu?"
"Yes. Before I return back, can you tell me any good place to eat?"
"Sure. Please follow me."
By now, Xie Jing was using half polite and half casual words. It was hard for him to keep on using polite words when he was facing Wei Liuying, who would push him to act more casual.
There were several restaurants in Zhuang City. Xie Jing brought Wei Liuying to one of them, and she directly booked a room.
"I won't disturb you any longer, Strategist Liu," Xie Jing said with a sheepish smile. He didn't want to intrude on her.
Wei Liuying passed a smile. "There's no need to worry, Soldier Xie Jing. I won't force you to come with me."
"Thank you…"
"However, I would like to talk with the soldier who have been following you all this time. Is that fine?"
Xie Jing's smile froze. He looked at Wei Liuying with stiff expression, yet he knew that he couldn't possibly reject without making himself looked suspicious. Slowly, he turned his head to the side where the soldier or servant or the man who have been following him all this time was standing.
The man seemed to notice the gaze as he stepped forward. He cupped his hand. "Is there anything I can do to help you, Strategist Liu?"
"I don't like calling you out of the blue like this, but there's something I need to talk with you," Wei Liuying said with a smile. "Is that fine?"
Xie Jing opened his mouth, yet the man glared at him, signaling for him to shut up. He nodded. "I understand."
"In that case, please excuse me, Soldier Xie Jing."
Xie Jing couldn't do anything but watch as Wei Liuying and the man entered the room. He felt like slammed his head on the wall. Hopefully, there wouldn't be anything wrong from their conversation.