Chapter 25 – Domestic troubles and foreign invasion, Part 2
Grand Martial Uncle Zhou said: “Mmm, your intentions are good. If you hadn’t told me, this Mischievous Old Urchin could have been killed.”
Zhao Zhijing replied: “I also took a great risk by finding out where the royal flag is. Grand Martial Uncle Zhou, please come along with me.”
But Zhou Botong suddenly said: “Don’t tell me, don’t tell me! If I can’t find it, then I must admit defeat.”
The bet to find the flag was an amusing game. But if Zhao Zhijing gave him directions, he would feel bad even if he won because this kind of game required stealth.
Zhao Zhijing felt anxious. Then suddenly, he remembered,” He is known as the Mischievous Old Urchin, his mood is not ordinary. I must tempt him first so he can get hooked.”
He said: “Grand Martial Uncle, I also want to steal the flag. Let’s have a race to see who finds it first.”
After saying that, he quickly rushed towards the hills. When he got there, he turned to find Zhou Botong following behind. He then darted to the third hill, pondering aloud: “They said that it’s in a cave between two elm trees but where are these two elm trees?”
He rushed around the place but actually did not approach the cave where Fawang hidden the flag. Suddenly, he heard Zhou Botong exclaim; “I found it first!” He was standing between the two elm trees.
Zhao Zhijing smirked, thinking, “He stole the Prince’s flag. He’ll surely favor me now. What’s more, I stopped him from setting the camp on fire. He thinks I saved his life. Everything is going exactly as Fawang planned.
Satisfied, he started to step inside the cave.
Suddenly, he heard a loud shout, the sound extremely sharp. Zhou Botong cried out: “Poisonous snake…Poisonous snake!”
Shocked, Zhao Zhijing quickly withdrew his foot that was already inside the cave. He asked: “Grand Martial Uncle! There’s a poisonous snake inside the cave?”
Grand Martial Uncle Zhou replied: “It’s not a snake… it’s not a snake…”
The voice was already getting weaker.
Zhao Zhijing anxiously gathered some twigs and lit them, using it as a torch so he could see inside the cave.
He saw Zhou Botong on the ground, his left hand still clutching the flag. He was brandishing it as though trying to keep him away.
Zhao Zhijing asked: “Grand Martial Uncle, are you all right?”
Zhou Botong replied: “I have been poisoned…venom…venom…was bitten…”
But before he could finish his statement, his hand had gradually grown limp.
Zhao Zhijing had seen him enter the cave but despite his high kung fu, he was still seriously injured. That was why he did not want to rush in without knowing what kind of fierce poison it was that afflicted him. What’s more, the flag that Zhou Botong was clutching was not the same color as the king’s flag.
He thought, Fawang had connived with me to trick him into entering the cave but it was really his intention to harm him by poisoning him.
He was extremely vexed. He wanted to flee. So, without even bothering to see what it was that harmed Zhou Botong or what kind of poison it was, he just turned around and ran away.
The fire from the torch that he dropped on the way out was beginning to die out.
Halfway out, he was stopped by someone who was holding out a hand to him.
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