When Luo Wei rejoined with Luo Qi's forces, Si Ma Zhu Xie had already sent a delegate to Luo Qi's camp and seek to parlay.

“So talk to him,” Luo Wei said to Luo Qi, “It's not like we have the resources to trap Crowned Prince Zhu Xie to death in the mountains.”

Luo Qi answered, “It's Liu Wu Sheng who wants to go.”

“Liu Wu Sheng?” Luo Wei grinned, “I bet he's just chomping at the bit right now to go and explain himself to Si Ma Zhu Xie.”

Luo Qi had been suffering from having to endure Liu Wu Sheng lately, “Let's just arrest Liu Wu Sheng.”

“Now isn't the right time,” Luo Wei said, “Let's go parlay with Crowned Prince Zhu Xie with our good old General Liu.”

Luo Qi had been worried to death about Luo Wei defending the city at Ye Qie. Now this kid wants to go and parlay with Si Ma Zhu Xie in person, how could Luo Qi be comfortable with letting him go? So he shook his head in an absolute no.

Luo Wei raised his hands for his older brother to see, “Look, big brother, I've killed people.”

“Xiao Wei?” Luo Qi's brows locked together, his face full of regret.

Luo Wei looked down at his own hands, “No matter how hard I wash my hands, it always seems to smell of blood.”

Luo Qi walked up to Luo Wei, crouching down halfway to hold Luo Wei's hands in his own, “Xiao Wei, this is what battle is like, no one can come away clean from war.”

Luo Wei answered, “Ye Qie, Huang Sha, so many people died. They wouldn't have died if not for this war. Those people who've lit the beacon to start the war, I will never forgive them!”

Luo Qi questioned, “What will you do?”

Luo Wei replied, “I want them to taste the fruit of their labors.”

Luo Qi's eyebrows were almost a knot now. Luo Wei was his brother by blood, and yet he couldn't understand a single thing that goes around in his little brother's head. “Xiao Wei,” Luo Qi asked him, “Tell me, how did you know Xu Huo would take soldiers to Huang Sha?”

Luo Wei answered, “Liu Wu Sheng's tactics all centered around it, didn't it? If big brother lost, then Xu Huo would send reinforcements and become a hero. Who else at Yun Guan would be able to bear this hero's mantle other than him?”

Luo Qi didn't understand, “Why must it be Xu Huo?”

Luo Wei lowered his voice, “Xu Huo's only daughter is the second prince's concubine, does big brother not remember?”

Luo Qi was struck dumb for a good while, watching the smile on Luo Wei's face bloom slowly, “How can you manage to smile right now?!”

Luo Wei grinned even brighter, “Don't you think these people are funny?”

Luo Qi couldn't smile or find anything funny. He only felt absolute hatred! But with Luo Wei here, he felt at peace inside. Luo Qi thought himself rather funny as he thought about it. How could a big brother like him find peace in his little bother? Isn't this hilarious?

But Luo Wei broke the silence with his question, “Big brother, how's Ten doing?” When Luo Wei left for Ye Qie, he especially made sure to leave Ten with Luo Qi. The whole business with Si Ma Qing Sha wasn't something he wanted Ten to know about.

Luo Qi answered, “He's doing well, but he's worried about you.”

Luo Wei nodded, “He's one of the Dragon's Secret Guard. Big brother, he will report your every action to His Imperial Majesty in detail.”

“That's the reason you left him with me?”

“Sitting where you are, big brother, you might not have even realized, but there's a lot of people who wants to sit on your seat as Yun Guan's commander.”

Luo Qi brought both of his hands up to his forehead.

Luo Wei continued, “Big brother, he's seen it all. All of your merits, your tactics, your martial abilities. His Imperial Majesty will understand you more now too, and will trust in you.”

“Xiao Wei,” Luo Qi called Luo Wei's name, but followed it with a sigh, “Let me… Let me take a look at your injuries.”

Luo Wei had quite a few wounds on him. Between the lot of them, the cut on his calf was the most severe. It'd been wrapped in layers of linen already, but blood was still seeping out and staining the fabric.

“Does it hurt?” Luo Qi asked his heart ached with protectiveness and worry.

Luo Wei didn't seem to care much at all, “Compared to those who lost their lives, what do I have to complain about with a little cut like this?”

“And you're still riding around on a horse with an injury like this?” Luo Qi was regretting now that he hadn't thought of looking over Luo Wei's injuries right at the start, before they'd started this whole conversation, “This won't do, we have to use heavier bandaging on this.”

“Okay,” Luo Wei answered without ha.s.sle. Even though the army physician had just bound it for him, but he was no longer that ungrateful Luo Wei of the past. He knows that Luo Qi was being good to him, and he won't reject this kindness again.