ITF Chapter87

The next morning, Zhong Xiao arrived bearing a message from Zhong Maoru.

Defying the new decree to initiate a private war was tantamount to directly declaring war on the royal family. Zhong Maoru’s near-mad behavior had caused an uproar among the nobility, but in the eyes of the Urdan people, this development carried an entirely different implication.

Zhong Maoru had finally made his decision by choosing to stand on their side.

Everything was moving in a favorable direction, yet the atmosphere in the outer hall was somewhat stiff.

Bei Yang kicked his foot against the floor, causing his wooden chair to scrape out a piercing screech as it moved. “I say,” he propped both hands on the long table, finally reaching the end of his patience, “can we not… find another place to talk?”

His tone was deeply irritated, and a hint of hesitant awkwardness could be detected beneath it.

For a young Alpha, this was indeed not an ideal location to discuss matters. The air was suffused with a lingering scent of fir pheromones, a fragrance so cloyingly sweet that anyone capable of sensing pheromones could easily deduce the condition of their owner.

Zhong Xiao untied a hairband from Lin Qian’s wrist and coiled her long hair into a bun.

It felt much cooler now.

“Do you think it’s possible for him to leave this place?” She cast a meaningful glance toward the bedroom door and chuckled softly. “If it were you, you wouldn’t agree to it either.”

“It’s useless talking to him about this.” Lin Qian helped her adjust the knot into a beautiful shape as a flicker of ridicule appeared on her face. “He’s a virgin; he wouldn’t understand.”

Shame and anger surged through Bei Yang simultaneously, bringing him to the verge of slamming the table.

An Alpha would not easily leave a partner who was in heat; this behavior was beyond reproach. However, Lin Qian’s blunt words caused Lin Zaichang to furrow his brows. He cleared his throat and brought the discussion back to the main topic, “When can we expect to receive news from the capital?”

“By tomorrow at the latest.” Bei Yang walked over to the window with a cold expression, taking a deep breath of the fresh air outside before speaking. “But the outcome should match our expectations. In the current situation, playing deaf and mute is their most rational choice.”

“We must still prepare for every contingency.” Lin Zaichang turned his gaze toward Zhong Xiao. “Should the royal family decide to stake everything on a single throw, please have the Earl ensure his own safety first.”

“No need to worry,” Zhong Xiao said with a smile. “My father never fights a battle he isn’t sure of winning.”

Luo Congye remained silent throughout.

The nobles were all watching to see how the palace would react. If the king chose to sit idly by and ignored the matter, private warfare among the nobility would only intensify, and the prestige of the royal family would cease to exist entirely.

However, rather than a slow death like a frog in warming water, he hoped that Bai Jiashu would show some backbone for once.

Let everything come to a swift and clean end.

He was still deep in thought with his head lowered when a soft click suddenly came from the bedroom door. The several people turned their heads to look at the same time and simultaneously revealed expressions of surprise.

Bai Heting swept a glance over them, paced forward, and placed an unfolded sheet of paper in front of Luo Congye, saying in a flat voice, “Help me send a message.”

His expression was cold and detached, and though his clothing was plain, it was neat and proper. Were it not for his weary voice and the flush floating on his face, no one would have been able to tell that this was an Omega currently in heat. A few beats later, Luo Congye rose to his feet and reached out to steady him. “Why did you get up?”

Without waiting for his assistance, Bai Heting sat down on his own accord in the chair next to him, then tapped his finger against the paper placed on the tabletop.

The handwriting on the paper was very neat, and even with Bei Yang standing by the window, he could clearly read the four large characters written on it—”Indigo Feather”.

“Find Su Xingchuan and find a way to pass this secret code to him.” Bai Heting added.

“No way,” Bei Yang refused resolutely. “We don’t know what this code phrase means.”

Bai Heting was exhausted to the extreme. He leaned back against the back of the chair, closing his eyes to rest for a moment, and spoke as patiently as possible, “Do not let my good intentions go to waste. I am reducing the difficulty of the revolution for you.”

As his words fell, the hall quieted down for a few seconds.

Everyone noticed his choice of words. “Revolution,” rather than “rebellion.” This biased terminology made the atmosphere turn somewhat subtle.

“Furthermore,” Bai Heting then placed another sheet of paper in front of Luo Congye, upon which an address was written, “arrange for someone to wait for him here.”

He paused before continuing his instructions, “I have no descendants, so my property has likely long been reclaimed by the royal family. It might take some effort for you to find him. However, a steward is neither a soldier nor a general, so he shouldn’t stand out too much. Just act with caution.”

Luo Congye did not chip into the conversation; he merely pushed the sheet of paper with the address to the center of the tabletop and sat back down in his chair.

He knew very well that demanding to know the reason behind this command was pointless. Bai Heting never explained his true intentions to others.

Bei Yang’s gaze lingered between the two sheets of paper for a moment before he finally raised his eyes, attempting to find a single flaw within those calm eyes, “How do we know if you are genuinely helping us?”

Bai Heting replied flatly, “Only by doing as I say will you get your answer.”

The situation fell into a complete deadlock, and no one spoke another word.

This was an expected silence. After waiting quietly for a moment, Bai Heting supported himself on Luo Congye’s shoulder to stand up, intending to retrieve the two sheets of paper from the tabletop, when Lin Zaichang suddenly said, “Do as he says.”

The other few people were all startled.

Even Luo Congye was surprised by these words, and Bei Yang found it even more hard to believe, “You trust him?”

“It is not him that I trust.” Lin Zaichang cast a glance at Bei Yang before looking back at Bai Heting. “I have only one question: why are you helping us?”

Bai Heting remained quiet for a brief moment, then replied composedly, “The person I pledged my loyalty to is no longer in this world. Now, I decide my own stance.”

Zhong Xiao, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up out of nowhere, “And what is General Bai’s stance?”

The hand pressing on Luo Congye’s shoulder suddenly tightened its grip. The pressure caused his shoulder to ache, and as he looked up, he found that Bai Heting was not looking at anyone. His gaze fell upon an empty space, the depths of his eyes as cold as if frozen over.

Yet that trace of killing intent vanished in a flash, and the hand pressing on his shoulder quickly loosened its strength.

Bai Heting did not answer that question, merely lowering his head to look at him and asking, “How much longer?”

Luo Congye couldn’t help but froze for a split second. Bai Heting’s hand continued sliding upward along his neck, curling his fingers to lightly hook his chin.

“Stop talking nonsense.” He looked rather displeased while urging in a commanding tone, “Wrap it up quickly. I’m hungry.”

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