#683 - Carousel

Compared to the wealthy and peaceful Shu Prefecture, Liang Prefecture, located in the far north, was never considered very prosperous to begin with. Moreover, with the outbreak of war, many people in the city fled, further diminishing the city's former glory.

However, it was still the capital of a prefecture, so even in its decline, there were still some lively places in the city.

At this moment, in a bustling market in the west of the city, a man and a woman appeared.

The woman had a delicate appearance and was at the age of blossoming youth.

The man had ordinary looks and wore black clothes that seemed somewhat gloomy.

Although the two walked side by side on the street, they gave people a feeling of estrangement.

Or rather, the man was deliberately keeping his distance from the woman, simply walking forward with his eyes straight ahead.

The woman, on the other hand, was more lively, looking around as she walked, her expression very relaxed.

"Young Master Tang, how many hidden sentries do you think are around us?"

Turning her head to look at Tang Chen, Li Zimu asked softly, "Can you tell where they are hiding?"

"I don't know."

Tang Chen shook his head, his eyes falling on several pedestrians not far away, then quickly looking away again, "In any case, there will definitely be many."

"Hehe, you're quite good."

Li Zimu followed his gaze and looked, then praised with a smile, "You found three at once."

"..."

Tang Chen glanced at Li Zimu, clearly not in the mood for banter, and simply sighed helplessly.

"Sigh, Miss Li, where exactly are you taking me?"

"Nowhere, just strolling around."

Li Zimu blinked, "Young Master Tang, have you never done this kind of thing with other women before?"

"No, I've been in the mountain sect since I was young..."

Tang Chen stopped mid-sentence, pausing and becoming vigilant, "You're trying to trick me into talking."

"Tch, there's nothing to hide about your little secrets."

Li Zimu curled her lips and said casually,

"You..."

Exposed so thoroughly, Tang Chen couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

He held it in for a long time before silently asking in return:

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What is your background? Clearly your position is not low, but why is there no mention of you in Da Jue's previous intelligence?"

"Oh, that..."

Li Zimu replied very casually, "Because I've only been following Young Master Wei for less than two months."

"Less than two months?"

Tang Chen's gaze froze, and he nodded meaningfully, "Then it seems you must have some extraordinary abilities."

"That's for sure."

Li Zimu didn't stand on ceremony, smiling as she leaned in a little closer, "Young Master Tang, do you want to know what my abilities are?"

"What are they?"

Tang Chen's question was a little hasty, revealing his tense mood at the moment.

But Li Zimu shook her head with a smile and didn't answer.

She simply suddenly stopped a hawker selling candied haws and asked with a smile:

"Uncle, how much are they?"

"Girl, my candied haws are five coins a skewer."

"Then I want two skewers, give me the biggest ones!"

"Alright!"

"..."

Taking out her small purse and handing over ten coins, Li Zimu quickly took two skewers of crystal-clear candied haws from the hawker's hand amidst Tang Chen's slightly surprised gaze.

"Here, this is for you."

She held one skewer in front of Tang Chen, who hesitated for a long time before taking it, but didn't take a bite.

"What? Have you never eaten this before?"

Li Zimu already had a hawthorn in her mouth, speaking a little unclearly, "Or are you afraid I poisoned it and don't dare to eat it?"

"Oh dear, there's no poison! Try it!"

"..."

Li Zimu ate while urging Tang Chen to eat as well, her cheeks slightly bulging, looking somewhat cute.

And Tang Chen actually, after a moment, really raised the candied haw to his mouth as if possessed and took a small bite.

"Is it good?"

On the other side, Li Zimu asked with some anticipation.

"It's, it's okay..."

Tang Chen nodded somewhat awkwardly.

The sun was warm, and passersby hurried by.

A man and a woman stood on the street eating snacks that only children would eat.

The two of them looked somewhat childish in their current state, especially Tang Chen, who didn't seem like a disciple from a sect like the Ghost Valley Sect, which was extremely good at manipulating people's hearts.

And Li Zimu's way of interacting with him in this "naive" way seemed very inexplicable.

After all, this didn't look like an "interrogation" at all, but rather like "making friends", or even "flirting".

Therefore, the hidden sentries around the two of them who saw this scene were a little confused, not knowing what Li Zimu was doing.

However, there was a saying in a past life that might explain her current behavior—

If she is new to the world, take her to see all the splendor of the world; if she is worldly-wise, take her to ride the carousel.

Although in a past life this saying was about how to pick up girls, it applies to men as well.

And clearly, Li Zimu was now taking Tang Chen to "ride the carousel".

"..."

"Young Master Tang, are we friends now?"

Under the sunlight, Li Zimu's eyes sparkled.

She looked at the suddenly stunned Tang Chen and said very sincerely, "Now that Young Master Wei and your Highness have reached a peace agreement, the two countries are no longer enemies."

"Since that's the case, then we can be friends, right?"

"At least, that's what I sincerely think."

"By the way, don't you know how to read minds?"

"Then why don't you read my mind and see if I'm sincere or false?"

"..."

Holding the candied haw, Li Zimu stared unblinkingly into Tang Chen's eyes.

But the latter didn't dare to look at her, and his breathing gradually became rapid.

Although Tang Chen had all his main meridians sealed by Liang Zhen, and he couldn't mobilize even a bit of internal force.

He could still use the supernatural power through the Mo Leopard.

So he could actually immediately determine whether Li Zimu's words were true or false.

However, several breaths passed, but he still hadn't done so.

This was the second time Tang Chen had chosen not to use mind-reading when he needed to.

And the last time was when he was facing his benefactor who had raised him since he was a child...

Mind-reading.

Such supernatural power was indeed very powerful.

But "knowing people's thoughts" was not necessarily a good thing sometimes.

The reason for this was perhaps the same as why Wei Changtian was unwilling to give Xu Qingwan, Ning Yuke, Wei Xianzhi, Qin Caizhen, or even Zhang San, Li Yang, and others the puppet pill.

With the identities of these people, if any one of them betrayed, the consequences would be very serious.

So if Wei Changtian was absolutely rational, then he should give them all the puppet pill.

But no one is absolutely rational.

Whether good people or bad people, gentlemen or villains, everyone should have a few of these most intimate people, this kind of existence that can make them make choices beyond rationality.

For Tang Chen, he only had one master before.

But now...

Staring blankly at Li Zimu, Tang Chen didn't know why he hadn't summoned the Mo Leopard to use mind-reading.

And the former, seeing that he had no reaction, smiled and turned around, striding towards a teahouse not far ahead.

"Young Master Tang, let's go!"

"I'll treat you to tea!"