Years turn into wind

Chapter 149 Undercurrent of Crisis

The morning sun streamed through the window lattice into the room, softly gilding everything with a golden glow. Ling Xiaotian was still asleep, his face unusually devoid of its usual sternness, now serene and gentle.

Cheng Yuwei pushed open the door and walked in with a bowl of porridge. Seeing the person on the bed, she couldn't help but smile softly and gently put the tray aside.

"Are you still pretending to sleep?" She walked to the bed and raised her voice deliberately.

Ling Xiaotian slowly opened his eyes, a hint of teasing in his eyes: "Why, you saw through me?"

Cheng Yuwei sat on the edge of the bed and glared at him unhappily: "You are so leisurely. It's almost noon. If those people in the Marshal's Mansion knew that their Marshal was a lazy sleeper, they would probably laugh at you."

Ling Xiaotian raised a smile and deliberately dragged out his words: "As long as you don't say anything, who would dare to laugh?"

Cheng Yuwei couldn't help but hum: "Let's eat, the porridge is freshly cooked, it will make your stomach feel better."

Ling Xiaotian propped himself up, leaned against the headboard, and took the bowl she handed him. After a mouthful of hot porridge, he sighed softly, "Sure enough, your cooking is still the best for my taste."

Cheng Yuwei blushed slightly, but pretended to be calm and changed the subject: "What are you going to do today? It's a rare opportunity, you don't plan to continue hiding here, do you?"

Ling Xiaotian put down the bowl, his eyes a little more thoughtful. "We need to strengthen the defenses of the mansion. Yesterday's incident exposed our weaknesses. Also, there's something else I need your help with."

"Tell me, what's the matter?" Cheng Yuwei raised her eyebrows and looked at him.

"Although Gu Chengwen's men have been eliminated, I suspect there are others behind them. I need you to analyze the medicines and poisons they left behind from a medical perspective to see if you can find any clues."

Cheng Yuwei nodded and said seriously: "Okay, I'm good at this. But you have to promise that these things won't hurt me."

Ling Xiaotian smiled and raised his hand to gently ruffle her hair: "Of course not, protecting you is my top priority."

Cheng Yuwei slapped his hand away and stood up impatiently: "Stop talking nonsense, I'll go to the lab to prepare, you wait for the news."

Undercurrent of crisis

At the same time, in the streets outside the Marshal's Mansion, an unremarkable black carriage pulled up to the side of the road. Inside, a middle-aged man in a black suit stared expressionlessly out the window, holding a copy of the latest intelligence.

"Ling Xiaotian really did keep her in his mansion." A sinister smile curled up at the corner of his mouth. "It seems that she is more important to him than I thought."

The subordinate beside him whispered, "Sir, what should we do next?"

The man's eyes were deep as he spoke slowly, "Start with Cheng Yuwei. She has a clean background and isn't too defensive, making her the easiest to break through. First, have someone get close to her, gain her trust, and then wait for an opportunity to take her away."

"What if she doesn't cooperate?" the subordinate asked tentatively.

"Then create an accident." The man's tone was icy and devoid of any warmth. "Make Ling Xiaotian completely lose his mind."

Peace in the Palace

Cheng Yuwei was busy all day and didn't come out of the laboratory until the evening. As soon as she walked out, she saw Ling Xiaotian standing in the yard waiting for her, holding a bunch of wild flowers he had picked from somewhere.

"Where did you get this flower?" Cheng Yuwei was slightly stunned.

Ling Xiaotian handed the flowers to her, his smile showing a rare childishness: "I picked them from the roadside. I think they suit you very well."

Cheng Yuwei took the flowers and couldn't help but smile: "A great commander actually has such leisure time."

Ling Xiaotian shrugged: "It's rare for me to have time to accompany you, so it's not too much to do something romantic, right?"

The two sat side by side on a bench in the courtyard. Cheng Yuwei held a flower in her arms and asked softly, "Xiaotian, have you ever thought that one day we can live a truly peaceful life without having to worry about everything?"

Ling Xiaotian was silent for a moment, then reached out and held her hand: "As long as I'm here, I'll definitely let you live like that."

Cheng Yuwei looked at his profile, her eyes moist, but she didn't say anything. She knew that the man in front of her seemed omnipotent, but in fact, the burden on his shoulders was heavier than anyone else.

The conspiracy begins to emerge

Late at night, outside the Marshal's residence, a man in ordinary clothes knocked on the side door. He claimed to be a medicinal herb merchant and had important information to provide. The guard led him to the side hall, where Cheng Yuwei happened to be present.

"You said you have information?" Cheng Yuwei looked at the person in front of her, frowning slightly.

The man nodded and pulled out a small bottle of powder from his pocket. "I found this on the outskirts of the city. I wonder if it has anything to do with the recent raid."

Cheng Yuwei took the medicine bottle, her heart alert, but her face remained calm: "I need to test these things to confirm. What's your name?"

"My name is Li An, and I'm the shopkeeper of a pharmacy in the east of the city." The man lowered his eyebrows and looked respectful.

Cheng Yuwei nodded: "Okay, I'll accept the things. I will report your purpose to Marshal Ling, you go back and wait for news."

After the man left, Cheng Yuwei immediately handed the medicine bottle to Ling Xiaotian: "Xiaotian, there's something wrong with this guy."

Ling Xiaotian took the medicine bottle, his eyes sharpening: "Do you think there's something wrong with him?"

Cheng Yuwei nodded. "He's being too cautious, which makes me think he's deliberately hiding something. And the ingredients of this powder... I've seen them in Gu Chengwen's laboratory."

Ling Xiaotian's eyes darkened, and he whispered, "Come here, send a few people to keep a close eye on him and investigate his background."

That night, both Ling Xiaotian in the mansion and the man in black in the secret room were secretly competing. What kind of storm would this undercurrent of competition bring about?