The Scum Is A

"… huh?" they asked, puzzled, as they stared at him. 

But, he just shook his head. "Nothing, nothing!" he muttered as he waved his hands. "We're all going to the Drunken Moon City." He told them. 

"Huh? Why?" they asked. 

"Boss' order." He answered and hopped on his horse. 

Meng Gui's people heard them, but they didn't react. They also didn't hear their own leader spoke, so they just shrugged. Then, they all resumed carrying the palanquin, and head to the direction of the Drunken Moon City. 

But, unlike his subordinate's wild 'imagination', Shang He's reason for going to the Drunken Moon City is simple. "Unity." He told Meng Gui. 

"… huh?" Meng Gui muttered, as puzzled as Shang He's people. 

"Ma Wen is expecting for both of us to die together with Du Xiang in the Plum Blossom City." Shang He spoke. "But, as calculative as he was, he would also consider us surviving today. So, he would be expecting us to go back to our respective territories – Drunken Moon City for you, and Fire Dragon City for me. So, he would be placing his people in both cities to spy on us. Worse, to even kill us." He explained. 

Meng Gui sneered. "You are afraid of Ma Wen?" he asked. 

"I'm not." Shang He answered. 

Meng Gui stared at him. Shang He calmly stared back. After seeing Shang He's clear and spirited eyes, Meng Gui confirmed that Sheng He is indeed telling the truth. Shang He hasn't lost his balls and feared Ma Wen because of what happened today. 

Of course, these things are just a common occurrence to Shang He's 'lively' life. "But, both of us have brought almost all, and best, of our people. So, the ones left on our cities should be weaker than the ones we brought today." He spoke. "And, since we've experienced an arduous battle today, naturally, there were casualties. Our strength would be halved or greatly lessened, and Ma Wen is just waiting for this opportunity to arrive to attack us." He explained. 

Meng Gui didn't speak. He just stared at Shang He for a long time. 

Shang He suddenly paused. That stare again… he thought as he lowered his gaze to avoid Meng Gui's peach blossom eyes. "Am I wrong?" he asked him. 

"No." Meng Gui finally spoke.

"Then what are you staring at me for?" Shang He asked. 

Normally, one should answer, "Because you are handsome." or "Because you are good-looking." But, Meng Gui's brain waves don't work normally. 

"I didn't expect for you to be actually smart." Meng Gui answered. "And chatty." He added after some thought. 

Shang He's lip twitched. "… thank you for the compliment." He said. 

"You're welcome." Meng Gui calmly spoke. He knows that the other is sarcastic, yet he wanted to infuriate him as a payback for infuriating him earlier. He is this vengeful – a stark contrast to his outward appearance. 

Shang He pursed his lips, wanting to curse. 

But, Meng Gui acted as if he cannot see Shang He's dark expression. "Please continue." He told him, ignoring his rising anger. 

All their subordinates outside could hear their respective leaders' childish bickering. They don't know whether to laugh and cry. Laugh because their leaders are acting childish. Cry because it is always the subordinates who are being greatly affected when their superior is in a bad mood. 

Shang He, although his face dark, suppressed his anger. Now he knows what it feels like to be stifled. "As we speak right now, Ma Wen should be sieging our territories." He said. 

"And yet, you still want to go to my Drunken Moon City?" Meng Gui asked as his eyes narrowed. "You are willing to part with your Fire Dragon City?" he said.

Hearing this, the corners of Shang He's lips rose. "Of course not." He answered. 

Meng Gui's brows shot upwards. "Oh?" he muttered as he sat upright. Looks like Shang He has an ace up his sleeve? He thought as he stared intently at the other. 

Shang He chuckled when he saw that the other was baited. "Who do you think I am?" he asked. 

"Huh?" 

"Although I have my best people with me right now – " Shang He spoke. " – but none of the people I took in are useless." He said. "Right now…" his lips curled up. "… Ma Wen must be having a hard time." He grinned. "If he fails to siege my city, then he can only watch as his own territory be sieged." He told him. 

Meng Gui's eyes widened in shock. "You don't mean…" he muttered as his pupils constricted. 

"I have three forces with me." Shang He spoke. "One of them are the ones I brought to the Plum Blossom City with me today. Another one is the ones left guarding the Fire Dragon City." He said, then paused. "The other one is an espionage team." He looked at Meng Gui whose face paled. "It's as what you are thinking. Not only did I plant my people in the Heavenly Eye City, but also in the Drunken Moon City." He told him. 

Meng Gui's mouth open to speak, but no words came out. After a while, he finally found his voice. "Shang He, you…" he muttered through his gritted teeth. "I didn't know you are such a person!" he hissed as he glared at Shang He. 

Shang He blinked. "Meng Gui… no, Ah Yan – " he called Meng Gui's nickname when they were kids. " – did you misunderstand me?" he asked. 

Meng Gui ignored his address of him. "I misunderstood you? What are you trying to say?" he asked. 

"I really planted some of my people on your Drunken Moon City, but…" Shang He stared at Meng Gui. "… to protect your territory. And…" his voice trailed off. 

"'and'?!" Meng Gui grabbed his collar and pulled him to him as he glared at him murderously. 

Meng Gui's and Shang He's people silently listening outside can't take it. Leader Meng, are you this dense?! They thought. 

"And…" Shang He spoke. "And to spy on you." He finally answered. 

"What for?!" Meng Gui asked, mad. "You're really harboring evil intentions towards me!" he said as he pushed Shang He away from him. "Shang He, after all those years… after all those years, you… you - !" he said. His expression looked betrayed. 

The subordinates outside. "…" did leader Meng finally figure it out yet? Wait, why does he sound different? Could it be as boss Shang said? Leader Meng misunderstood him? 

"I also want to protect you!" Shang He said. 

Meng Gui's eyes widened. "… protect me?" he asked. 

"Yes." Shang He nodded. "Why else should I do this thankless task of escorting you back to the Drunken Moon City and help you defend it?" he asked. 

Normally, anyone would feel sweet and grateful after listening to Shang He's words. 

But, Meng Gui's brainwaves aren't normal. "What 'thankless task'?!" he asked as he pulled Shang He by the collar again and glared murderously at him. 

The subordinates outside. "…" leader Meng, your focus is on the wrong point?! They thought, feeling exasperated for both their leaders. 

Shang He was just about to speak to defend himself when they heard the sound of a horse galloping towards them. 

One of Meng Gui's people recognized the man riding on the horse. "Leader! It's xiao Ming!" he said. 

Xiao Ming stopped in front of them. He saw Shang He's people, but didn't react. He walked towards the palanquin and knelt before it. "Leader. Ma Wen's people disguised themselves as emigrants we led to our city last time. By sunrise, they attacked us." He spoke. 

"Any casualties?" Meng Gui asked in a low voice. He looked at Shang He and Shang He nodded at him. 

"None, leader." Xiao Ming answered. "We managed to suppress them, and…" he glanced at Shang He's people. "Boss Shang's people saved us in time." He finished. 

Silence fell when they didn't hear any voice coming from inside of the palanquin. 

After a while, Meng Gui spoke. "How is the situation now?" he asked. 

"Everything is under control." Xiao Ming answered. "But, we suspect there are still some of Ma Wen's people hiding in the emigrants and we're rooting them out." He explained. 

"You go back first." Meng Gui spoke. "Relay my message: I'll kill every one of them when I arrived if they wouldn't tell us who are Ma Wen's people." He said. 

"Yes." Xiao Ming answered and bowed. 

"Also – " Meng Gui spoke. Then, a hand that looked like a jade came out of the curtain of the palanquin. A bottle of magic pills is in his hand. 

Meng Gui's people saw the bottle and they all understood. "Understood, leader." Xiao Ming answered before he left with his horse. 

"Increase our speed!" Meng Gui spoke. 

"Yes!" they all answered as they carried the palanquin again. 

"What are those magic pills for?" Shang He asked Meng Gui. 

"For insurance." Meng Gui answered. 

"'insurance'?" Shang He asked and he suspiciously looked at Meng Gui. 

But, Meng Gui just smiled - that bewitching smile of his as he opened his fan.