Chapter 567 - 324: A Sudden Wind Rises, Frost Covers the City
Chapter 567: Chapter 324: A Sudden Wind Rises, Frost Covers the City
The intruder was dressed entirely in black. He wore a bronze mask of an archaic design, its edges speckled with verdigris rust.
The only visible features were a pair of clear, bright eyes that carried a hint of mockery, reflecting the figures of Liu Hong and his son.
Liu Taoyao recovered from his shock, stood up, and unsheathed the long sword at his waist. Pointing it directly at the intruder, he demanded, "Who are you to dare trespass into the Liu family’s home?"
In contrast, Liu Hong shed his previous solemnity, revealing a look of surprise. His gaze became subtly complex—a mixture of dejection, panic, and relief, among other emotions.
The intruder glanced at Liu Taoyao and let out a scoff. "They say a tiger father begets no dog son, but from what I see, that’s not always true." He shifted his gaze to Liu Hong. "What do you say, Lord Liu?"
Just as Liu Taoyao was about to speak again, Liu Hong abruptly cut in. "Yao’er, remember what I just told you. Leave now."
"Father, but he..."
"He is an old friend of mine. This has nothing to do with you. Go!"
Seeing his father’s stern expression, Liu Taoyao froze for a moment. He then cast a wary glance at the man in the bronze mask, sheathed his long sword, and left in a hurry.
Though his mind was swirling with questions, years of receiving Liu Hong’s teachings made it clear to him that something major was unfolding. He would simply have to wait until he was away from here to find another opportunity to investigate the situation in Shu State.
The bronze-masked intruder did not stop him. He waited quietly until Liu Taoyao was far away before taking a seat opposite Liu Hong. "Lord Liu is a smart man. You should know that it was no easy feat for me to make this trip here."
Liu Hong nodded in understanding, his tone laced with bitterness. "I ask for nothing else, only that you spare my son’s life."
The intruder smiled and shook his head. "Lord Liu, we have known each other for years. You should know my temperament. Whatever the Lord commands, I execute."
Hearing this, Liu Hong fell silent for a moment. He took a deep breath, and his demeanor recovered a fraction of its former dignity. He was still the Governor of Shu State. "Song Jinjian, there’s no need to beat around the bush. Tell me, what did that lord send you to Shu State for?"
The intruder, Song Jinjian, smiled and nodded. "Now this is the Liu Hong, the Lord Liu, that I know.
"However, even if you hadn’t asked, I would still have to properly complete the task the Lord entrusted to me."
Pausing briefly, his eyes turned serious. "The Lord wants you to do nothing more. Just wait obediently for the Holy Emperor’s decree."
"The Holy Emperor’s... decree?" Liu Hong tipped his head back and burst into laughter, as if he had just heard the greatest joke in the world, though his voice carried a faint undercurrent of sorrow.
A few moments later, his laughter subsided. He looked at Song Jinjian across from him, a mocking expression on his face. "Over all these years, I’ve done so much for him, only to end up with such a fate. Isn’t he afraid that I’ll fight to the bitter end and drag him down with me?"
Unsurprised by his reaction, Song Jinjian shook his head. "This is precisely one of the reasons the Lord sent me here.
"Lord Liu, the Lord is not a heartless man. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have pushed so hard to make you the Governor of Shu State in the first place.
"You should be well aware that this was a mutual agreement, not something the Lord forced upon you."
After speaking, Song Jinjian raised his hand. A guard of the Liu family, dressed in green, briskly walked over, serving a jug of wine, two cups, two pairs of chopsticks, and four plates of cold sliced meat.
"I came in such a hurry that I haven’t eaten all day. You don’t mind me borrowing your estate’s cook, do you, Lord Liu?"
Liu Hong caught a glimpse of the retreating guard from the corner of his eye and silently took the wine jug, filling both their cups.
Seeing this, Song Jinjian smiled and shook his head. "Don’t worry, Lord Liu. This wine is also from your estate. It’s not poisoned wine bestowed by the Lord."
Despite having his thoughts read, Liu Hong’s expression remained unchanged. He raised his cup and said, "Please."
Song Jinjian said no more, lifting his own cup to clink against his.
CLINK.
The two of them downed their drinks in one gulp.
Setting down his cup, Song Jinjian’s gaze turned solemn. "Do you remember the first time we drank together and shared our thoughts?
"Back then, I saw that you were ambitious and deeply calculating. Naturally, the Lord saw it too.
"But His Excellency didn’t think it was a bad thing. He even told me that capable people are never content to trail behind others.
"Because of this, I’ve kept those words to heart all these years and never been overly harsh on you.
"And, of course, you didn’t let down my expectations; you executed several tasks exceptionally well."
He paused for a moment before abruptly changing the subject. "So why did you bungle things so spectacularly this time?"
Meeting his gaze, Liu Hong calmly replied, "Someone got in the way."
"Oh? And who might this person be?"
"’Dragon Tiger’ Liu Wu."
"Liu Wu? One of the Jianghu people?"
Song Jinjian pondered for a moment before letting out a mocking laugh. "Lord Liu, you might as well be completely frank. It will make it easier for me to put in a good word for you when I return to report to the Lord."
Liu Hong simply stared at him with a placid expression, offering no response.
Understanding his intentions, Song Jinjian sighed. "Although the Lord hasn’t said much, the disaster you’ve caused this time is far too grave. His Excellency has no way to protect you."
"A disaster I caused?" A cold sneer tugged at the corners of Liu Hong’s mouth. "Heh. His Excellency truly thinks highly of me."
"Whether he thinks highly of you or not is His Excellency’s business," Song Jinjian said noncommittally. "I’ll only ask you one thing. Do you still want your eldest son to leave Shu State alive?"
Liu Hong gave a straightforward "I do," before adding, "And I want him to stay by your side."
"Me?" Song Jinjian pointed at himself, somewhat surprised. "Has Lord Liu lost his mind?
"I am a nameless nobody. Wouldn’t having your eldest son follow me completely ruin his future?"
Liu Hong shook his head. "I only ask that he preserves the very last bloodline for the Jing State Liu family."
"Oh? What makes you so certain that something will happen to the Liu family?"
"If the Liu family were safe, with that lord’s cunning, even if he couldn’t protect me, he wouldn’t just sit idly by."
Hearing this, Song Jinjian smiled and uttered two words: "What a pity."