Chapter 144

Chapter 144

[Isn’t the Villain Tempting? Not Really – 14]

North and south were at war, but contact through the contested region could not yet be severed completely. Both sides had planted spies before hostilities began. Thus, Yu Sixian soon received results after ordering an investigation into Tan Yan’s teacher.

“Tan Yan’s teacher is known as Master Bolu. He once held office, then resigned and withdrew from the world. When Tan Yan entered He Kanglin’s service, Master Bolu remained in the mountains with several study attendants.”

Delight entered Yu Sixian’s eyes. “Find an opportunity to bring him to Jingzhou without alerting anyone. He raised Tan Yan from childhood. With him in our hands, we can control Tan Yan. With Tan Yan working for us from within, how could our great enterprise fail?”

He paused. “Inspection along the border has grown strict. One captive may pass; several will cause trouble. Bring only Master Bolu. Kill the attendants where they stand and dispose of the bodies cleanly.”

His subordinate bowed and left.

The tension in Yu Sixian’s brow eased. Feeling tired, he rose and stretched beneath the veranda. “Where is Lulu?”

“Miss Bai grew bored and rode out.”

Yu Sixian stopped intending to find her. Fond exasperation colored his voice. “She can never stay still. When she was little, she was too small to run outside alone. Now she spends every day roaming wild.”

The attendant flattered him. “Why not find a way to tie Miss Bai down?”

Yu Sixian smiled. Sensing something, he turned and saw Zhou Shuhui peeking from beneath a distant veranda. His pleasant mood curdled into disgust. “The Zhou Family is eminent, Madam Zhou well-bred, and Old Madam Zhou respected. How did they raise such a daughter? She was born debased.”

The attendant knew her flaw. Only her usefulness protected her-and fortunately she was a woman. Were their sexes reversed…

“Soon,” Yu Sixian estimated. “We have raised this pawn for years. It is time she served her purpose. Once she finishes…”

His gaze turned glacial. “Gouge out her eyes and send her to the army camp. Since she loves men so much, let her have her fill.”

The attendant chilled but showed nothing, lowering his head in silence.

Yu Sixian cared no more about such a minor figure. He went to the rear residence to visit Prince Su, long confined to bed.

Unaware of his hatred, Zhou Shuhui followed several steps after he left. Only when he vanished did she lower her head and return to her rooms.

How could anyone be so handsome?

She covered her warm cheeks and smiled secretly.

…

Bai Lu rode in a wide circuit. After confirming no one followed, she turned toward a smithy in southern Jingzhou.

Raised in Prince Su’s residence, she possessed the finest of everything. Even her horse was sleek and conspicuous. Someone inside spotted her from afar and hurried out.

“Miss, why have you come now?” The blacksmith glanced behind her. “No one followed?”

Bai Lu shook her head. “Inside.”

After checking again, he left an apprentice at the door and led her in.

“Fuzhou is too close to Jingzhou. Yu Sixian intends to campaign and has targeted He Kanglin’s adviser Tan Yan. He will abduct Tan Yan’s teacher, Master Bolu, and force Tan Yan to become an agent.”

Bai Lu said solemnly, “Uncle, please travel to Fuzhou, warn Master Bolu, and meet Chancellor He’s nephew He Kanglin. Judge his character and whether we can ally with him.”

The blacksmith scowled. “A treacherous coward, unwilling to fight openly and resorting to filthy tricks!”

He agreed, then said, “Warning the man is easy. I see no need to cooperate with Young Master He. It is not about trust. Why involve outsiders in something we can accomplish ourselves?”

“Yu Sixian killed my father and destroyed my family. How could I forget such hatred?”

Coldness filled Bai Lu’s face. “One stroke would be too merciful. I want his life, but first I want him to watch the power he and his father spent decades building vanish into nothing.”

“Killing him and Prince Su would be easy. Destroying their Jingzhou regime requires cooperation with Chancellor He, striking from within and without.”
Hatred had accumulated for years. Bai Lu breathed deeply before continuing calmly. “I hear Chancellor He loves the people and hates evil, and that official conduct transformed under his rule. His nephew, Governor He Kanglin of Fuzhou, has long been famous for wisdom and upright character without pedantry. But reputations can exceed reality. I dare not decide rashly and alert the enemy, so I need Uncle to sound him out first.”

Interest flashed in the blacksmith’s eyes. He nodded heavily. “Yes. A simple death would be too kind. They must watch Jingzhou fall before my hatred is satisfied.”

Bai Lu smiled. “Yu Sixian planted agents in Fuzhou long ago, and carrier pigeons travel faster. If you cannot save Master Bolu, find Tan Yan. An adviser Yu Sixian values so highly should be no ordinary man.”

After a few more words, the blacksmith changed clothes and left for Fuzhou. Bai Lu rode outside the city, circled several times, then returned to Prince Su’s residence.

The blacksmith was Sun Jianghai, sworn brother to Bai Lu’s father. He had been away when his brother was murdered. By the time he returned to mourn, the Bai residence stood empty.

Sun Jianghai had served in the army. Investigating carefully, he discovered suspicious circumstances. Yet the court had closed the case, his sworn brother was buried, and his sister-in-law dead. He persisted for years, finally reached Jingzhou, and contrived to meet the orphaned Bai Lu. Comparing what each knew, they confirmed Yu Sixian had killed her father.

After receiving Bai Lu’s warning, Sun Jianghai wasted no time. He rode from the city that morning and reached the mountain below Master Bolu’s retreat at dusk.

The ranges stretched endlessly, and directions were difficult. Though villagers described the location, by the time he found the cottage, the bright moon hung high among countless stars.

From a distance, Sun Jianghai smelled faint blood. A veteran was sensitive to such things. Alarmed, he urged his horse closer and found the cottage locked as though its owner had gone out.

He climbed the wall. Not a soul remained.

His heart sank. Searching nearby, he found freshly disturbed earth. The study attendants had likely been murdered.

This was outside the inner city and far from the outer walls. With difficult mountain roads and no knowledge of the kidnappers’ route, pursuit was nearly impossible.

Sun Jianghai did not dig up the earth. He galloped down the mountain to the government offices and asked for Tan Yan, identifying himself as Master Bolu’s relative.

Tan Yan had not retired. He immediately ordered the visitor admitted and looked surprised upon seeing him.

The matter was urgent. Sun Jianghai concealed Bai Lu and his source, stating only that Yu Sixian’s spies had abducted Master Bolu to Jingzhou to force Tan Yan’s submission.

Tan Yan’s face changed. Without questioning him further, he dispatched pursuit parties along several roads. “Come with me to see the governor.” He strode toward the door.

Sun Jianghai followed in surprise. “You mean to tell Governor He? Yu Sixian seized your teacher precisely to coerce you into secretly assisting Jingzhou. If he learns you revealed everything, your teacher may…”

“Because I cherish my teacher, I refuse to be coerced through him!”

Tan Yan said, “My teacher is fierce and upright. If he learned I betrayed my lord because he was captive, would he cling to life? He would bare his throat and kill himself rather than leave me wavering between loyalties.”

He walked rapidly without turning. His voice remained firm in the bleak wind. “I know him as he knows me. If I colluded with Yu Sixian and abandoned righteousness for his sake, he would refuse to live even if spared. Loving family and friends means more than preserving their lives. It means understanding what lives within their spirit.”

Deeply shaken, Sun Jianghai reached the governor’s residence with him. An attendant announced them; lamps soon lit the inner room, and He Kanglin came out in a robe.

Tan Yan explained swiftly. “Yu Sixian took my teacher to coerce me. I dispatched several pursuit parties. If they catch him, well and good. If not, Yu Sixian will know the governor has learned of the plot. We shall see how he responds.”

Worry entered He Kanglin’s brow, then eased. “Yu Sixian is brutal, but he publicly honors great scholars. Master Bolu is highly respected. He likely will not kill him. He wanted an agent in Fuzhou; now the plot is exposed, murdering a scholar in spite would smash the mask he always wears. We need only await his letter.”
Tan Yan steadied himself, then remembered the other man. “Thank you, brave sir, for bringing this warning.”

Sun Jianghai looked ashamed. “I deserve no thanks. I meant to rescue Master Bolu but arrived too late and accomplished nothing.”

Tan Yan smiled and shook his head.

The man had traveled extraordinarily fast. He was late not from delay or negligence, but because Yu Sixian had already located the retreat and sent his orders first.

By the timing, his source had learned the plan early and held a high position inside Prince Su’s residence. Their only disadvantage was having no ally in Fuzhou.

Whoever opposed Yu Sixian was clearly his enemy-but whether the quarrel was with Yu Sixian alone or Prince Su’s entire faction made a vast difference.

Tan Yan thanked him repeatedly but did not broach the issue. After polite conversation, he had rooms prepared for Sun Jianghai.

Once the man left, Tan Yan asked, “What does the governor think of him?”

He Kanglin replied, “He and his allies may coordinate with us from within and without to take Jingzhou.”

Tan Yan smiled. “Great minds think alike.”

…

The abduction of Master Bolu succeeded and failed.

The kidnappers brought him to Jingzhou, but news spread, making it impossible for Tan Yan to serve as an agent.

Yu Sixian invited Bai Lu to visit Master Bolu. She refused. “What is there to see in an old scholar? If he were a martial master, perhaps he would be worth meeting.”

Zhou Shuhui eagerly went instead.

Master Bolu would not even look at them. He kept his eyes closed and treated every word Yu Sixian spoke as wind.

Displeased, Yu Sixian maintained the pose of a courteous patron of talent and withdrew politely.

Zhou Shuhui scoffed. “A prisoner, yet still so arrogant.”

Yu Sixian treated her words as wind as well.

Unable to turn Tan Yan secretly, he converted intrigue into an open challenge. He sent Fuzhou a letter in Master Bolu’s voice, inviting his disciple to Jingzhou. It claimed the old man had fallen gravely ill and wished to see Tan Yan once before death.

Zhou Shuhui dismissed the idea. “He isn’t stupid. Why would he come? Jingzhou obviously cannot beat the north. Would he abandon his career for a teacher? He Kanglin won’t release an adviser who knows so many secrets either!”

Tan Yan read the letter several times, then went gravely to He Kanglin. Sun Jianghai accompanied him, uncertain whether to urge him onward or beg him to remain.

Tan Yan entered and bowed. “Governor, I…”

He Kanglin was watering flowers. He smiled gently. “Go.”

Setting down the pot, he said, “Being coerced because Master Bolu is captive is one matter; visiting him in Jingzhou is another. Since Yu Sixian made this display, he likely will not kill either of you. Master Bolu is elderly and may truly have fallen ill from fright. If you never meet again, you will regret it forever. Guanzi says a nation that abandons human bonds and acts like beasts will perish within ten years. If that holds for nations, how much more for men?”

Weeping, Tan Yan bowed again. He Kanglin helped him rise, poured wine for his journey, and escorted him from the city.

The next day, Tan Yan reached Jingzhou and was led to Prince Su’s residence to meet Master Bolu.

Zhou Shuhui had expected him not to come and Yu Sixian to kill the old man in rage. When Tan Yan truly arrived-and He Kanglin truly let him go-she was stunned, then laughed. “A saintly fool never changes. Without his powerful uncle cleaning up after him, he would have been cheated senseless long ago!”

Overflowing with mockery, she found Bai Lu feeding fish along a corridor. “Aren’t they idiots?”

Seated on a stone bench, Bai Lu felt the warmth of the letter hidden in her sleeve. Its handwriting was upright and elegant. Compared with her uncle’s description, it suggested a young governor as honorable and luminous as clear wind beneath a bright moon.

She glanced at Zhou Shuhui, then looked away. “A summer insect cannot comprehend ice. Someone like you will never understand.”