Why Does Everybody Know?

"Has the Minister of Rites really committed treason, and is the Shuntian Army already threatening the capital?" Qianqian asked curiously. "Of course not," Li Yunxiu said, shaking her head, though her expression was grim. "Then how could Song Jingzhou have gotten in touch with the Shuntian Army? Isn't he afraid of dying?" Qianqian's eyes curved in amusement, a look of pure gossip on her face. "And how did the Emperor find out?" "I don't know." Li Yunxiu shook her head again, her delicate brows knitting slightly. "But His Majesty shouldn't have executed him." "Why?" Qianqian asked. "He bit the hand that fed him. What was the Emperor supposed to do, keep him around to celebrate the New Year?" Li Yunxiu replied in a low voice, "Because Song Jingzhou's wife is surnamed Wang and hails from the Northwest. Her elder brother is Wang Bin, the garrison commander of Ding'an Prefecture." Qianqian raised an eyebrow as understanding dawned on her. "No wonder the Emperor didn't go to the commanders of Yumen Prefecture or Ding'an Prefecture and came to you instead. So the Northwestern Army is already unreliable." Anxi Circuit lay far to the northwest. Beyond the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor stationed in Longshan Prefecture to guard against the Qiang people, further west lay Ding'an Prefecture, Yumen Prefecture, and Ningxi Prefecture, connecting to the northern frontier and the Western Regions. Because the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor was stationed there, the Northwestern Army was not particularly large, numbering only ten to twenty thousand men. Among them, Wang Bin was the garrison general of Ding'an Prefecture—and Song Jingzhou's brother-in-law. For the first time, Li Yunxiu felt a touch of dissatisfaction toward the Emperor. If she knew the situation, how could the Emperor not? Even if he intended to execute Song Jingzhou, he should have considered the fallout. Any emperor accustomed to executions knew that no matter how high and mighty a civil official in court might be, killing him was a simple matter. But as soon as military commanders holding actual troop commands were involved, the matter had to be handled with extreme care. Unless one was certain the commander would never dare rebel, or that an imperial decree alone would strip him of his command, one had to proceed with utmost prudence—especially given the current unrest across the realm. "Wow! Since the Northwestern Army is already unreliable, and the Emperor is still sending you in person to fetch the treasure in the Western Regions, could he be trying to borrow someone else's knife to kill you?" Qianqian began sowing discord. Li Yunxiu said coolly, "Wang Bin wouldn't dare." If Wang Bin dared move against Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu, the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor would make him pay dearly before any chaos could take root. At least within the Northwest, no overt faction dared target them. "Seems the Emperor has a bit of a brain after all," Qianqian remarked with solemn nodding, before adding, "Though not much of one." Li Yunxiu shot Qianqian a sidelong glance, looking down at the secret decree as though gazing at a scorching hot potato. Right now, she was overseeing the civil governance of the Northwest's three prefectures, which had just gotten on track and was developing well. Yet hidden dangers persisted, not least because the Demonic Cult represented by Qianqian had also set its sights on the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor. If she and Wang Yu led a party to the Western Regions, would Qianqian take the opportunity to seize control of the manor? Yet if they refused to go, it would amount to defying an imperial decree. What was more, this was the very first command the Emperor had issued them. What kind of official fails to deliver on their very first assignment? Unless… Li Yunxiu looked at Qianqian. "Have you ever been to the Western Regions?" Qianqian shook her head. "Never!" Li Yunxiu smiled faintly. "Would you like to see the magnificent sights—where solitary smoke rises straight across the boundless sands, and the setting sun hangs round over the long river?" Qianqian was certainly no fool. "You just don't want me staying behind in the manor alone." Li Yunxiu replied indifferently, "If you don't wish to go, suit yourself. I shall simply travel with my husband." Qianqian said playfully, "Brother Yu hasn't agreed to go retrieve the treasure with you yet." Both women turned their gazes to Wang Yu. Wang Yu nodded, his eyes glowing. "Go? Of course I'll go! I haven't been to the Western Regions yet. I've heard the Hu dancing girls there have porcelain-white skin, gorgeous faces, and willow waists. I definitely have to see that for myself." Both women rolled their eyes at him simultaneously. Qianqian snorted with a shake of her head. "Don't try to bait me. Of course I'm going—not to see any desert scenery, but to keep Brother Yu company." She reached out, wrapping an arm around Wang Yu, and arched an eyebrow at Li Yunxiu. "Your martial arts are far too weak. You'll only drag Brother Yu down." Li Yunxiu and Qianqian exchanged glances, each wearing a thin smile. Li Yunxiu deduced that Qianqian likely wanted to cast the Demoness Heart-Captivating Technique on Wang Yu, which required him to fall for her. Naturally, she would never allow Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu to leave together while she remained at home. Qianqian was well aware of this, but naturally refused to admit it, using Li Yunxiu's weak martial arts as an excuse to seize the initiative. Wang Yu looked at Li Yunxiu, then at Qianqian. Seeing both women looking as though victory was already in their grasp, he could not help but sigh. "Don't you two ever get tired?" Li Yunxiu huffed softly. "I will arrange the troops. It is not advisable to take too many into the Western Regions, but our route passes through the Qishan Mountains, and Wang Bin's stance remains uncertain. With desert bandits and official renegades roaming the Western Regions, we must bring at least three hundred cavalry." Qianqian curled her lip, turning on her heel to leave. "I'll go gather some intelligence regarding Song Jingzhou's children and the Shuntian Army." Li Yunxiu narrowed her eyes, thinking to herself that the Demonic Cult indeed had deep roots in the Northwest and plenty of informants in the Central Plains. Only Wang Yu picked up the spring steel from the table. "Good thing I forged this in advance. Otherwise, on such a long journey, either my thighs would be rubbed raw or my backside would be bounced to pieces." Li Yunxiu and Qianqian: "…" *** For an ordinary household, constructing a carriage would take considerable time. But for the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, Wang Yu had only to give the order, and within two days, a redesigned carriage suspended by steel springs was completed. Meanwhile, with Li Yunxiu's approval and Wang Yu's official seal, the deployment order was dispatched. Three hundred Iron Eagle Cavalry rode outside Longshan Prefecture to pitch camp, while all necessary logistical supplies were thoroughly prepared. Qianqian returned with several pieces of intelligence. "Song Jingzhou was executed on charges of colluding with the Shuntian Army, but the direct cause was his open denunciation of the Emperor at court." "The Shuntian Army's Left Military Strategist, Niu Zilian, is from the same hometown as Song Jingzhou. It's said that after Song Jingzhou's execution, Niu Zilian personally presided over a memorial service for him and openly denounced the Emperor's crimes." "Song Jingzhou's household was slaughtered, but a pair of siblings indeed escaped: his son, Song Chengyue, and his daughter, Song Qingchuan. Song Chengyue is a lay disciple of Great Vajra Monastery, while Song Qingchuan is a lay disciple of Taiyi Palace." "What?" Li Yunxiu could not help exclaiming. "How are Great Vajra Monastery and Taiyi Palace involved in this?" Great Vajra Monastery and Prajna Monastery were known together as the two great Buddhist sects, standing at the pinnacle of Buddhism. Taiyi Palace was by no means inferior, holding the undisputed leadership among Taoist sects in the south, with influence every bit as formidable as Great Vajra Monastery. Qianqian cast a sidelong glance at Li Yunxiu. "Scared?" Li Yunxiu said calmly, "What is there to fear? Treason against the state is an unpardonable offense. Even if they were direct disciples of Great Vajra Monastery and Taiyi Palace, neither sect could justify shielding them, let alone when they are merely lay disciples." Qianqian chuckled. "That is true. The Buddhist and Taoist sects are entirely subservient to the imperial court, devoid of any backbone. When Brother Yu casually snatched Great Vajra Monastery's elixir, they didn't utter a peep." Li Yunxiu gave a quiet scoff. "Would you dare go to Great Vajra Monastery, reveal your identity, and say that to Master Zongshan's face?" Qianqian did not answer, merely offering a cheerful wave as she walked away. "I'm going to pack my bags." *** Early the next morning, Wang Yu, accompanied by the two women, Zhao Shan, Zhao He, and ten manor guards, met up with the three hundred Iron Eagle Cavalry outside the city and rode westward. Not far outside the gates, they caught sight of an expansive convoy winding along the official post road. There were over a hundred large wagons. Aside from the merchants and laborers riding camels or sitting in the lead carriages, nearly a hundred caravan guards and over a dozen escort masters flanked the convoy. The manor's contingent was naturally far swifter than a trade caravan, quickly overtaking them and pressing on ahead. Wang Yu peered out through the slit of the carriage curtain, casually striking up a conversation. "Is that a caravan protected by an escort agency? How far can an escort agency from the Central Plains protect them? As far as Yumen Pass, or all the way into the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions?" Li Yunxiu replied, "Normally, escort agencies from the Central Plains do not venture beyond the pass. But if the pay is high enough, going into the west isn't out of the question." Qianqian chimed in, "I've heard several escort agencies can take caravans as far west as the western edges of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms, but I haven't heard of any going further than that." As the three conversed, their party gradually pulled away. Back at the convoy, the chief escort master rode up to the lead carriage. The curtain lifted, revealing a middle-aged merchant. "That was the Prince of Zhenxi's party just now. The carriage out front was luxurious and magnificent, flanked by a full three hundred Iron Eagle Cavalry. In all likelihood, Zhao Yu is leading the party himself," the chief escort master reported. The middle-aged merchant nodded. "It appears the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor also knows about the Loulan treasure." A sharp glint flashed in the chief escort master's eyes. "Wealth stirs the heart. It's said the King of Loulan buried a century of imperial coffers beneath the yellow sands back then, worth tens of millions." The merchant chuckled. "Tens of millions might be an exaggeration, but as long as we can bring back five million, this journey will not have been in vain." The chief escort master looked ahead, gravity pooling in his gaze. "Yet Zhao Yu brought three hundred Iron Eagle Cavalry." Stroking his beard, the merchant laughed softly. "If we were within the three prefectures of the Northwest, I would turn right around upon facing three hundred Iron Eagle Cavalry. But once they enter the desert, they will be like rootless trees. Two days without water would be enough to wipe them out completely." With that, the middle-aged merchant retreated into the carriage, leaving a simple command: "Speed up. The Song siblings are likely growing impatient." "Understood!" *** Leaving Longshan Prefecture, they crossed into Ganliang Prefecture. Since they had arrived in Ganliang Prefecture, a courtesy visit to the Ma family was naturally in order. White Horse Manor was situated in the outskirts of Ganliang Prefecture, nestled at the southern foot of Mount Liang along the northern bank of the Gan River. The surrounding land for a dozen li belonged to the Ma family, serving as their horse-breeding grounds. Paying his respects, Wang Yu naturally met the head of the Ma family—who was also his nominal uncle, Ma Bojun. "Did you also come for the Loulan treasure, Yu-lang?" Ma Bojun's very first question caught Wang Yu and the two women beside him completely off guard. "You know about the Loulan treasure too?" "If not for the Loulan treasure, what could possibly warrant you leading troops in person?" Ma Bojun stroked his beard with a laugh. Li Yunxiu could not help asking, "How did Uncle find out?" Having the famed female Zhuangyuan address him as Uncle pleased Ma Bojun immensely. "It was purely by chance. Western Region horse bandits dispatched a messenger to the Mount Qi bandits, and one of our Ma family disciples happened to intercept him. "The letter mentioned the Loulan treasure. Supposedly, the newly crowned King of Loulan has caught wind of it as well, sending thousands of troops scouring the mountains and plains in search of it. That is why they invited the Mount Qi bandits to ride down the mountain and collaborate with them once more." Li Yunxiu drew in a deep breath, at a total loss for words. "Why does everybody know about this?"