Chapter 397 - Surrender
Sheng Li and Hu Jingguo were in the market. Sheng Li saw a bangle seller and went to him while Hu Jingguo followed him. The Crown Prince found the variety of colored bangles in the basket and asked about the price of one bangle.
"It is 5 cents," the woman replied. Hu Jingguo leaned closer to Sheng Li's ear to whisper. "You can buy a golden bangle for her, then why are you purchasing this?" The woman kept staring at the two, trying to hear the whisper.
Sheng Li handed the 5 cents to her and picked the red ceramic bangle. They walked ahead when Hu Jingguo asked him the same question again. "She likes it. When we were in the South-Western Province, she told me that she would prefer to buy bangles from them. So, I bought it," Sheng Li answered, looking at the wide red bangle. He put it inside his pocket. "She did not tell you," he was glad there's something which Hu Jingguo did not know about Lili. However, his smile faded when he heard him.
"Umm... She wants their products to get sold. That's why she prefers purchasing from them," Hu Jingguo stated. "But the red color will not look good on her," Hu Jingguo remarked.
"I know better than you which color will look good on her," replied Sheng Li as he put the bangle inside his pocket.
"Buy something for me as well. As a friend, you shall gift something to me. Don't you think so?" Hu Jingguo wanted Sheng Li to give him a present as a symbol of their friendship. However, he was not sure whether Sheng Li would do so!
"What do you want? I will give you," Sheng Li waited for his reply.
Hu Jingguo was a little astonished since Sheng Li accepted his request. "Ahh...umm," he looked around.
"What are you looking around at?" Sheng Li curiously asked him.
"I am just looking for the most expensive thing, which you can give me," stated Hu Jingguo and passed him a smile. Sheng Li chuckled.
"There is nothing expensive here. You can ask for that expensive gift in the Capital," Sheng Li suggested to him. He kept his voice as low as possible.
"No, I want a present from here," Hu Jingguo stubbornly said. Sheng Li hummed and put his hand around his neck. "Alas! There is nothing expensive here. We need to go specifically to gold or silver shops to find something for you," Sheng Li proclaimed.
"I do not want a gold or silver accessory. I just want a present which will be the only one in this world. Then, I can flaunt that present to everyone. That's the definition of expensive for me," Hu Jingguo answered. Sheng Li understood him.
"We shall return as I do not want anyone to recognize me," Sheng Li whispered in his ear. Hu Jingguo agreed to him, and they left for Feng Yao's house. While walking on the route towards the village headman's house, Sheng Li felt as if someone chased them. He halted, and so Hu Jingguo was.
"What happened?" Hu Jingguo asked him.
"I think I hurt my foot," Sheng Li lied and bent down.
"Oh, really?!" Hu Jingguo also bent on his knees when he heard Sheng Li, "There's someone following us. Let's change route and lure the person to an isolated place."
Hu Jingguo nodded. "Your foot is completely fine, Elder Brother," Hu Jingguo acted, and the two stood up. They continued walking. But this time, instead of going to Feng Yao's house, they changed the route.
Sheng Li and Hu Jingguo continued their random talks. They did not let the people who were chasing them know that they had found out about them. Sheng Li halted when he heard the sound of high-speed poisonous needles in their direction. Sheng Li's reflex acted swiftly. He wrapped his arm around Hu Jingguo's back and pushed him forward at the same time he also bent forward.
The needles went ahead and then fell on the ground. Sheng Li took out the dagger hidden in his boot and turned back when a masked man attacked him. "Run," Sheng Li commanded Hu Jingguo, who had fallen on the ground because of the force.
A clanking was heard as the sword's blade in the hand of the masked man, hit the blade of the dagger in Sheng Li's hand. Sheng Li punched him in the stomach, and the masked man was pushed back. Sheng Li turned to the left and dodged the attack of another masked man with a sword in his hand. Sheng Li was now behind him and kicked him.
Hu Jingguo thought to help him when he heard Sheng Li, "Run away. Listen to my orders." Hu Jingguo gulped.
Sheng Li, on the other hand, got busy with those attackers. Three more had appeared, and one of them slashed the sword towards Sheng Li's right arm. The blade ripped his clothes, and it cut his skin.
Sheng Li winced in pain, but he could not step back. He caught the arm of the attacker, who just slashed his arm and twisted his arm. He stabbed the dagger in his chest and, from the left hand, took his sword.
He marched towards the attacker on his right and killed him, followed by the third one. Hu Jingguo stepped forward to help Sheng Li when he shouted at him. "Run! I will join you in a few minutes," Sheng Li affirmed. Hu Jingguo forgot to bring a dagger with him, so even if he would go ahead, he would get harmed before even helping Sheng Li.
"Stupid fool! Listen to my orders," Sheng Li once again screamed at him. Hu Jingguo hummed and stepped back. He turned away and ran away from there.
Sheng Li had killed the four of the attackers by then. But then he saw more attackers joined the fifth one. How did they find out? He wondered. Sheng Li jumped towards the fifth attacker and slashed his throat. He grabbed the sword from his hand and glared at the attackers who had surrounded him.
"If you want to live, then just surrender," Sheng Li warned them.