Chapter 455 - 279: Upper Fifth Grade
Chapter 455: Chapter 279: Upper Fifth Grade
"Just because he valued Liu Wu before doesn’t mean he does now."
Cui Qingwu’s expression grew more serious. "How can you be so sure his actions won’t bring disaster to Shu State?"
"Think about it. If horse bandits from the Poshisu Country and soldiers from the Barbarian Race show up in Shu State, the entire Great Wei Dynasty will be shaken."
"You and I know it’s a sham, but others won’t. In fact..."
She glanced north of the Spring Rain Building, her words loaded with meaning. "In fact, a certain someone might even seize this opportunity to take complete control of the Dingyuan Army!"
Lou Yuxue’s expression wavered. "I... I trust him!"
Seeing her reluctance to elaborate, Cui Qingwu gave her a long, hard look and didn’t press the matter further.
She rose and walked toward the door. "I’ve said my piece. The rest is for you to consider."
Just as she reached the door, she paused, turned back, and broke into a smile.
"Of course, I do hope what he’s doing is truly just to take the Ji State Trading Company down a notch."
"If that’s the case, it would be a great service to you, to me, and to our White Tiger Guard."
With that, Cui Qingwu glanced at Lou Yuxue, gave a wave and a quick "I’m off," then vanished through the doorway.
Lou Yuxue watched her disappear, mouthing a name.
"Simurgh Phoenix..."
"Bastard!"
As she cursed, an inexplicable mix of vexation and embarrassment crept onto Lou Yuxue’s face.
It was unclear whether she was flustered for having lost their verbal spar with Cui Qingwu, or for some other reason.
In any case, she was in a foul mood.
She sat in silence for a long while.
Finally, Lou Yuxue let out a long sigh.
She still held firm to her judgment: ’This man, Liu Wu, can be trusted!’
Even if the Lord Pavilion Master hadn’t invited Liu Wu to join the White Tiger Guard, she would still believe him to be trustworthy.
The reason was simple.
A man who would kill Lv Jiunan and take on the Ji State Trading Company could hardly be an enemy of the White Tiger Guard.
She judged him by her own standards.
If it were her, she would have killed Lv Jiunan given the chance, as the Great Wei Dynasty and the Poshisu Country were already enemies.
By the same token, she wished for nothing more than the destruction of the Ji State Trading Company.
Therefore, based on these two actions alone, she trusted Liu Wu.
His true identity was a secondary concern.
With these thoughts in mind, Lou Yuxue summoned a subordinate. "Send word to investigate any suspicious individuals entering or leaving Shu State."
"Their description is as follows: short in stature, with a treacherous face and vicious eyes."
The subordinate acknowledged the order and departed.
Just as Lou Yuxue began to relax, another voice called from outside the door.
"The Lord General requests your presence."
"Oh?"
"One moment."
Lou Yuxue’s expression flickered. She rose, put on her bamboo hat, draped a black cloak over her shoulders, and left her private room.
After a moment’s thought, she asked the messenger to wait again, returned to her quarters, and retrieved a letter to bring with her.
「Not long after.」
The two of them left the Spring Rain Building and made their way to a tailor’s shop in the West Market, one following the other.
The General, dressed in a long, blue robe, was waiting by the door.
Lou Yuxue was about to bow when the General smiled and waved her off. "Let’s talk inside."
Lou Yuxue nodded and followed him into the back room of the tailor’s shop.
The messenger stood guard at the entrance.
Once the door was closed.
Lou Yuxue bowed with her fists clasped. "Sir, was your journey a success?"
The General sat down at the table, first shaking his head with a smile, then nodding. "Not entirely, but I’ve made some headway."
"I’ve called you here this time because I’d like your advice."
"Please speak freely, Sir."
"On my trip to the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, I didn’t get to see King Landu, but I did get a firm answer from him."
"If I want to trade for that ’evidence’ he holds, he needs me to do something for him."
Lou Yuxue asked hesitantly, "Is this about Lv Jiunan?"
From the reports she had been receiving, it wasn’t hard for her to deduce King Landu’s intentions on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road.
’He wants to avenge his brother, Lv Jiunan!’
The General sighed. "His reaction was understandable, yet still surprising."
"I only learned when I arrived that Lv Jiunan wasn’t just his brother. He had also arranged a marriage alliance for him with another horse bandit clan."
"With Lv Jiunan dead, the Peacock King Banner has lost a key ally. No wonder King Landu is so furious."
Lou Yuxue’s expression eased slightly. "So, does this mean he’s determined to have Liu Wu killed?"
The General nodded and looked at her. "I won’t hide it from you."
"King Landu’s condition is that we reveal Liu Wu’s whereabouts to his men."
"His men?"
A thought struck Lou Yuxue. "Sir, are you talking about... Du Cang?"
The General let out a sound of surprise. "How could you know about that?"
"Has Du Cang already appeared in Shu State?"
Lou Yuxue grumbled inwardly. She gave a wry smile and shook her head. "There’s something you don’t know, Sir."
"I just saw Liu Wu an hour ago. He... he already knows that Du Cang is in Shu State. He even asked me to help track him down."
"Well, that’s... quite the coincidence."
’How strange.’
The General found the whole thing odd.
He knew for a fact that Du Cang had come alone. Never mind the general populace of Shu State; very few people even within the Peacock King Banner were aware of his mission.
’So how did Liu Wu find out?’
With this in mind, the General mused aloud, "Then tell me what you think. Would it be feasible to reveal his whereabouts to King Landu?"
Lou Yuxue’s immediate impulse was to shake her head, but she caught herself, suppressed the urge, and said with a neutral expression:
"I believe... that would be unwise."
"Oh? Continue."
"Sir, please take a look at this."
Lou Yuxue took a letter from her sleeve and handed it to him. "Liu Wu gave this to me. It’s a letter written by Lin Huai’an of the Ji State Trading Company to King Landu regarding a trade for ironware."
"Ironware?"
The General opened the letter. One page was written in the Poshisu script, the other in the official language of the Central Plains.
He focused, however, on the page with the Poshisu script.
After a moment, a faint smile graced his lips, and he muttered "Good, good..." a few times.
"It seems I no longer need to consider making a deal with King Landu."