“Humph,” Shan Congyi sneered. “You’ll see. I’ll get my vengeance on each and every single one of them. This time I’m going to make Yuwen Tong pay for what he did. Luohai dared plot against us, and they shall find the price for it quite heavy.”
“You’re truly a wise leader, Your Highness,” remarked his henchman obsequiously.
…
In another house of the same courier hostel.
Hai Feng, the Prime Minister of the Fangcun Kingdom, was playing Chinese chess with an envoy. After a while, someone walked inside to deliver a message to him.
“Your Lordship, their meeting’s over. Shan Congyi has returned to his room.”
Hai Feng fingered his mustache. “How did he look when he left?”
“Shan Congyi didn’t look very happy when he walked out of the house, but he was not as angry as he was the last time either.”
Hai Feng and the envoy looked at each other for a moment before the former said aloud, “I see. You may leave.”
“What do you think Shan Congyi and Mu Rongfeng are up to exactly, Your Lordship?” asked the envoy.
Hai Feng pondered for a little while and then replied, “As for their specific plans, your guess is as good as mine, but considering the overall situation, I think they’ll either do something in Jiangzhou, or tamper with something in Cangzhou, or resort to assassination.”
The envoy was taken aback by these words. “So they’re bent on making trouble for the Great Wen?”
Hai Feng responded, “I’ll be surprised if they’re not. Yuwen Tong is too formidable an opponent. He took the throne from the Zhou family with barely any bloodshed and then stabilized the political situation within a very short time. Currently he only needs some more time to rebuild strength. Under no circumstances would the Wan Kingdom or the Luohai Kingdom allow such a strong enemy to return to full strength. The two countries have both fought Yuwen Tong and been defeated by him before. They fear Yuwen Tong, and there’s no doubt they’ll do something to hinder Yuwen Tong from strengthening his position.”
The envoy was secretly startled. “Your analysis sent a chill down my spine, Your Lordship. No wonder you’re in such a hurry to get out of this country. I really admire your insight.”
Hai Feng gave a chuckle at the compliment. On the surface, he looked like a rich merchant, and his smile was genial and seemingly inoffensive, but the envoy sitting opposite him was aware that Hai Feng was definitely a formidable political figure as well. Although he didn’t work in the capital city of Fangcun, he had long since heard about Hai Feng’s reputation.
“My unwillingness to be dragged into the upcoming rough-and-tumble between the three countries is indeed part of the reason why I’m leaving in such haste, but His Majesty does want me to return as soon as possible,” said Hai Feng.
On hearing this, the envoy hastened to smile, “I should’ve thought of that. Please pardon me for my lack of perception, Your Lordship.”
Hai Feng asked, “I heard that Luo Sang’s trading fleet and the Ling family are pretty close. Is that true?”
The envoy hadn’t thought that Hai Feng would suddenly bring this up, but he didn’t dare keep anything back. “Yes. The Ling family own a large herb farm in Tanyang, and a lot of the herbs they plant there can’t be found in our country. In addition, the Ling family have Ling Zhang at their back, so their businesses will no doubt thrive. Luo Sang has always been in cooperation with the Ling family, and this time he took advantage of the opportunity and furthered their partnership. I can’t say for sure how things would turn out in the long run, but in the next few years, the Ling family will rely on Luo Sang’s trading fleet to do business with our country.”
After saying this, the envoy, seeing Hai Feng was silent, asked, “Is there anything particular you want me to do about it, Your Lordship?”
Hai Feng responded, “Disclose to Luo Sang the secret talk between Mu Rongfeng and Shan Congyi. Tell him there’s a very high chance they’re conspiring against the Great Wen. Have him intimate it to the Ling family if the occasion arises.”
“Are you saying that we’ll give Yuwen Tong a word of warning?” asked the envoy.
Hai Feng smiled, “You still haven’t got the point. You don’t seriously think Yuwen Tong needs me to forewarn him of this? I’m just doing him a favor that costs me nothing. No matter where the Great Wen will be standing with the Wan Kingdom and the Luohai Kingdom in the future, our friendship with the Great Wen will make things a lot easier for us during our future dealings with it.”
The envoy’s eyes lit up. “You’re so visionary, Your Lordship. I really admire you. I’ll go and repeat this to Luo Sang.”
…
Ling Zhang had someone deliver a message to Ling Zhaowu, who gave it some thought after receiving it and then sent Luo Sang an invitation.
Luo Sang, who had just finished his talk with the envoy when Ling Zhaowu’s invitation came, instantly broke out in a cold sweat. ‘The emperor of the Great Wen has indeed become suspicious. This matter might be the very reason why Ling Zhaowu sent me an invitation,’ he thought.
Luo Sang went to the appointed place at the agreed time with unease. At the sight of Ling Zhaowu looking at him with a smile, he hastened to greet him. “It’s an honor to bow before you, Earl Taichang (AKA the Earl of Prosperity). There’s no need for you to be so courteous, Your Lordship. You could’ve just summoned me. Had you done that, I would immediately go to your abode to visit you.”
Ling Zhaowu said, “You’re being too polite, Captain Luo. We’re business partners, so you may see me as a businessman. ‘Earl Taichang’ is nothing but a fancy title. It’s unnecessary for you to bother with the formalities because of it.”
With frequent, polite chuckle, Luo Sang chatted with Ling Zhaowu for a while and then inquired, “May I ask what it is that Your Lordship want to see me about? Have there been any changes in our cooperation?”
“Don’t worry, Captain Luo. Our partnership is very solid. It’s not about business,” answered Ling Zhaowu.
If it was not about business, then it must be about the matter that he was thinking of. ‘I knew it,’ Luo Sang thought, his face becoming much more serious. “If there’s anything I can do for you, all you have to do is ask, Your Lordship.”
Ling Zhaowu said, “Thank you in advance, Captain Luo. I invited you here because there’s something I want to ask you about. I heard that the diplomatic corps of your country is going back. Is it because of something urgent?”
‘Oh, here it comes, here it comes,’ Luo Sang muttered madly in his head. Affecting a calmness he did not feel, he replied, “Our king’s birthday is coming up. I think the Prime Minister is going back to help with the preparations for the party.”
“It’s said that the Fangcun Kingdom is seething with talents. His Majesty’s birthday party is indeed very important, but it doesn’t strike me as necessary to specially have your prime minister travel thousands of miles to go back to help. If you know some inside information, would you please confide it to me? Our countries are on friendly terms, and I’m really worried that it’s because the Great Wen is not hospitable enough that your diplomatic corps are leaving in such great haste,” said Ling Zhaowu.
On hearing this, Luo Sang came to realize that there was no need for him to be evasive about this matter, for Ling Zhaowu’s question was explicit enough.
So he said with a smile, “I’ve indeed heard something on the grapevine, but I’m not sure whether it’s true or not.”
After he said this, the smile on his face disappeared and his countenance grew a lot more grave. He continued, “This message might be of some importance to your country, so please relay it to His Majesty after I tell you, though whether there’s any truth in it is still unknown.”
Ling Zhaowu’s heart did a somersault. Looking at Luo Sang, he said, “Please go ahead, Captain Luo.”
“I have a distant relative who works in the capital city of our country and came here as a member of the diplomatic corps this time around. Right now he’s staying in the courier hostel. He once told me that the prince of the Wan Kingdom and the prince of the Luohai Kingdom seem to be plotting something, that they’ve been acting stealthily as though they harbor malicious intentions. Both the two countries were defeated by His Majesty, and there’s no telling whether or not they’re unreconciled to their defeat and seeking to do the Great Wen harm, so please be careful.”
As he finished these words, the expression on his face was replaced by an embarrassed one. “Of course, it was through the grapevine that I heard this. I have no intention whatsoever to make mischief. Just take it as a word of warning. It does no harm to be more vigilant.”
Ling Zhaowu looked at him and smiled, “Relax, Captain Luo. I know what you mean. I’ll figure out a way to mention to His Majesty what you just told me.”
Luo Sang felt a sense of relief, feeling that he’d finally got the job done.
Ling Zhaowu observed the unnoticeable relieved expression on Luo Sang’s face, drinking tea without the slightest change of his countenance. Luo Sang had clearly made preparations for this talk. The so-called “distant relative” and “grapevine” were just a smokescreen he’d put up to hide the fact that the Fangcun diplomatic corps had sent him here to deliver a message. Still, as things stood, the reason why the Fangcun diplomatic corps were leaving with great urgency must be that they’d perceived the two princes of the other two countries were plotting something, something they didn’t want to be dragged into. Given that that wily old fox from the Fangcun Kingdom was leaving in such haste, it was by no means a trivial matter.
Ling Zhaowu, after taking his leave of Luo Sang, had someone deliver a message to the palace, along with his own opinions.
Ling Zhang, after receiving the message, mulled over it for a few moments before he went to see Yuwen Tong.
“Considering even Hai Feng is leaving to stay out of it, this thing is probably going to happen very soon. It’ll either endanger this city or affect their return trip…”
Ling Zhang analyzed the situation in a quiet voice. With only two small groups of men under their command, the two princes, if they wanted to cause severe harm to the Great Wen in a short time, would have to either stir up trouble in the capital city or make mischief by means of the current situation in some area. Otherwise they wouldn’t be able to achieve anything, given what they had in hand presently.
It was very difficult for them to stir up trouble in the capital city. Currently, it could be said that the Shadow Battalion were keeping everybody in this city under constant watch, that Yuwen Tong had absolute control over this city. The diplomatic corps of the two countries couldn’t do anything without being immediately spotted, which was a fact Ling Zhang believed the two princes were not too stupid to be aware of. And that Hai Feng guy from the Fangcun Kingdom probably had perceived it as well. Therefore, their only option was to make mischief by taking advantage of local situation. As for situations that the Wan Kingdom and the Luohai Kingdom could make use of…
Knitting his brows, Ling Zhang recalled what Yuwen Tong had said to him that day and immediately looked up at Yuwen Tong.
He saw that Yuwen Tong was quietly looking at him and thinking about something, his face very calm.
Surprised, Ling Zhang asked, “Why are you looking at me like that? And why are you not worried?”
Yuwen Tong chuckled, “There’re not many things they could do in these circumstances. I’ve guessed it already. How about you tell me what you think first?”
Ling Zhang, “…”
That would be so boring. Yuwen Tong was depriving him of his sense of accomplishment by doing this.
“Forget it. You’ve already come to know about it anyway. What’s the point of me expressing my opinions?”
As Yuwen Tong perceived that Ling Zhang’s temper began to fray, his survival instinct kicked in and he quickly apologized and explained, “I thought of it only a short while ago, just a little bit earlier than you did. Think about it, apart from anything else I’m several years your senior, so you shouldn’t be surprised that I guessed it sooner than you did. Had I not guessed it in advance, you would be worried about my competence in being an emperor, wouldn’t you?”
Ling Zhang quietly gave it some thought and felt that Yuwen Tong had got a point. He was the emperor after all, so he had to be smart.
This thought dissolved his anger instantly. Also, it struck him that he was being a little unreasonable just now. With a somewhat embarrassed look on his face, he said, “I think they’re going to do something in Jiangzhou. Ji Yanlai also reminded you that something was not quite right in Jiangzhou, that there was going to be some kind of trouble.”
Seeing he was no longer angry, Yuwen Tong came to know that he’d successfully got off the hook. His explanation was a trifle lame and Ling Zhang would find out he was lying if Ling Zhang gave it some more thought, but clearly Ling Zhang trusted him completely and wouldn’t dwell on this kind of details. Yuwen Tong was happy about this but at the same time also felt that Ling Zhang’s gullibility might not be a good thing. What if he got tricked by others?
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