The Double-Chapter 496 - 153 Xiao Hong_5

Jiang Li beckoned her to come closer, whispered a few words in her ear, to which Tonger, upon hearing, showed a puzzled face but still responded, "Miss, rest assured, your servant will get it done momentarily."

"This matter must be kept secret," Jiang Li said, "No one must know."

"Your servant understands," Tonger nodded firmly.

"Bai Xue, I also have a task for you," she whispered a few words into Bai Xue’s ear. Upon hearing them, Bai Xue too showed a look of surprise similar to Tonger’s, and nodded, saying, "Your servant knows."

"I’m relying on you for this matter," Jiang Li sighed, "The only ones I can truly trust are you all now."

While Jih Heng’s men were useful, it was difficult to ask for their help over and over again. Jiang Li felt she owed Jih Heng a great deal, hence it was better not to involve him in matters she could handle alone. He was different from Shen Yurong; he didn’t owe her anything, so there was no need for him to make sacrifices.

From outside the window, the faint chirping of birds could be heard, but at this time of the year, where would the birds be from? The Jiang Family did not raise birds specifically; it must have been her own illusion.

Jiang Li couldn’t help but think of the myna that was disposed of by Jih Heng, and her eyes darkened with sadness.

It was truly a pity.

...

In the Duke Residence, the study was lit with lamps.

Lu Jiu had been waiting inside for quite some time. When he saw Jih Heng enter, he immediately stood up and said, "Sir, there’s news from Prince Cheng. Troops in Yuzhou are amassing in large numbers; I fear..."

"It will be at least after the New Year," Jih Heng said at a leisurely pace. He pulled something out from his sleeve and placed it in his palm. Lu Jiu was surprised, only to see a fuzzy black ball lying in Jih Heng’s palm.

Given its freedom abruptly, the black ball let out a flapping noise and flew to a sword hilt hanging on the wall, tilting its head to look at them.

Lu Jiu looked at it for a long time and then asked, "Is this a crow?"

No sooner had he spoken than the black bird began to cry out towards Jih Heng, "Beauty! Beauty!"

Lu Jiu: "..." That’s it, the bird is ruined, to openly flirt with Jih Heng right to his face, not knowing who had trained it.

Contrary to his expectations, Jih Heng wasn’t angry; he seemed rather amused and said, "Quite the sweet talker." ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Without any trace of resentment.

Lu Jiu was puzzled. Was Jih Heng actually planning to keep this myna that looked like a crow? The Duke Residence didn’t keep birds, and the old general used to be a bird lover, he had many interesting birds but every single one of his birds was foul-mouthed. Whenever they were let out of the cage, they would peck at the flowers in the garden. The flowers in the Duke Residence were no ordinary flowers; consuming a bit could kill a person instantly, let alone the birds. As a result, all of the old general’s birds were poisoned to death by the flowers in the garden. The old general was deeply affected, and he could not bear to uproot all the flower seedlings, so he simply stopped keeping birds thereafter. In fact, besides people, there were no animals in the Duke Residence at all, to know of such a large presence of poison within the residence, an accidental death would be a serious fault.

Certainly, Jih Heng himself did not have the kindness or patience to look after an animal.

However, for now, it seemed he was rather fond of this myna.

"Sir, are you planning to keep a bird?" Lu Jiu said, "But you should keep it in a cage, don’t let it fly around everywhere."

"Keep?" Jih Heng turned his head to look at the myna; the myna looked back at him for a while, then opened its mouth: "Beauty, beauty!"

Lu Jiu thought to himself, this bird seems like a flirt. He then saw Jih Heng laugh and ask the myna, "What’s your name?"

Though the myna seemed clever, it couldn’t respond to questions and just kept calling "beauty," unable to say anything else.

Jih Heng said, "Since you have no name, you shall be called Xiao Hong."

Lu Jiu: "...Sir, isn’t this myna black?"

"Mmm," Jih Heng said, "But it’s called Xiao Hong."

Lu Jiu was at a loss for words and thought to himself that it wasn’t his bird to worry about. He then shifted the focus away from the myna and shared the purpose of his visit that day, discussing the following plans with Jih Heng before departing.

Before leaving, he gave Xiao Hong another puzzled look, then went out the door.

After Lu Jiu left, Jih Heng walked over to the sword beside which Xiao Hong was perched and took it down. Xiao Hong tilted its head to look at him, cooed, and Jih Heng then placed it on the desk. From his sleeve, he took out a handkerchief, laid it on the desk, stood Xiao Hong upon it, wrapped the bird tightly with the handkerchief, and placed it on a small table beside the brazier.

With the biting cold outside, the room was certainly a few degrees warmer, so Xiao Hong would not freeze to death.