âDid you think weâre going on a leisure trip?â Wu Du says to him, frowning.
âI want to stay with you.â Duan Ling says without missing a beat, âIf itâs not at your side, Iâm not going anywhere.â
One sentence and Duan Ling has left Wu Du speechless. Next thing heâs covering his forehead with a hand and waving the other as he heads inside without a word.
Duan Ling stares at Wu Duâs back with a curious look on his face. Wu Du doesnât even know what to say to him anymore.
âDonât you want to get ahead?â Wu Du sounds dumbfounded. âYou have such a good opportunity being a study partner for the young master, and instead of treasuring that, youâre choosing to run off to Tongguan at a time like this. Whatever are you trying to do?â
âI ⌠This is one way a person can get ahead, you know.â
Wu Du keeps getting the feeling that Duan Ling is keeping something from him, and now sitting in the room he considers Duan Ling with a puzzled look as though thereâs something unusual surging just beneath the surface, the shape of it barely discernible, as if thereâs a layer of chiffon in the way.
âWhat on earth are you hiding from me?â Wu Du asks.
All this time, heâs had this feeling that something isnât right, but he canât quite put his finger on it. This is the closest heâs ever been to the truth.
In that precise moment, Duan Ling has a sudden impulse to say it, and very nearly blurts it out.
âI want to go find my dad.â In the end thatâs the excuse Duan Ling uses.
Wu Du gets it then. The tight furrow between his brows relaxing a smidgen as he gives Duan Ling a nod.
âThe last time I saw him was outside Tongguan. Even though I donât think I can find him anymore ⌠I still want to at least try looking.â
âThen when weâre out you have to listen to me. You cannot act on your own.â
Duan Ling nods, agreeing, and that seems to calm Wu Du. He tells Duan Ling, âGo pack for our trip.â
Duan Ling starts packing their rudimentary luggage while thinking to himself that heâs dodged another arrow again. As soon as he gets away from here, then itâs the literal meaning of the common saying:Â the sky is high and the emperor lives far away;2Â no matter how much Lang Junxia may want to kill him he wonât be able to find him. As for what happens when he gets back, well, thatâs something to worry about for later.
But Wu Du is staring at Duan Ling as he packs, not taking his eyes off of him. Suddenly, he says, âBut no matter what you end up finding, you mustnât try to kill yourself again, got it?â
Duan Ling turns around, smiling at Wu Du. âI wonât do that again. With you around, Iâll definitely stay alive.â
Under Duan Lingâs care, amidst the courtyard houseâs garden, many splendid flowers are blooming brilliantly, a backdrop as colourful as a painting; the picture of a young man turning with a smile on his face has startled Wu Du out of the blue without rhyme or reason at all.
In the afternoon, more gifts arrive. This time itâs clothes for the trip made with first-rate fabric, as well as money theyâll need for spending on the road; thereâs even a dagger for Duan Ling for self-defence.
When itâs night time, Wu Du and Duan Ling plan out their itinerary. This is the first time Duan Ling has ever formally embarked on a long journey, so heâs actually rather excited.
âMake sure you donât talk too much while weâre out. If nothing goes wrong Iâll disguise myself as your servant. A young master doesnât need to do everything himself.â
Duan Ling just nods, and in the end he asks, âWhatâs the Zhenshanhe?â
This is clearly a question he knows the answer to; as soon as he heard that the sword of the realm had gone missing, he knew that the sword had been gone since the day Shangjing fell. If they can recover the Zhenshanhe, does that mean they can direct the four assassins?
âA weapon that stabilises the empire. The crown prince is looking for it as well.â
âIs it in Bian Lingbaiâs keeping?â Duan Ling asks.
âNot necessarily. But he was among the last of the reinforcements to arrive in Shangjing.â
Duan Ling suspects that it is more likely to have fallen into Mongol or Khitan hands, but since its whereabouts are unknown, they may as well see if they can find it while theyâre there.
They discuss for a time in the evening, and as theyâre about to go to bed, Mu Kuangda summons them to a meeting. When they get to the study it is a private meeting as before, and Mu Kuangda hands the two their mission.
âChang Pin is in Jiangzhou, so itâs too late to ask him for a plan. I improvised something with what little time I have, and Iâm not sure if itâs entirely advisable; heâs usually the one whoâd come up with ideas for something like this. Weâll talk about it together, and if anything feels amiss, either of you can tell me.â
Then Mu Kuangda explains to Duan Ling and Wu Du that the general plan is nothing more than to first win Bian Lingbaiâs trust by passing Duan Ling off as Zhao Kuiâs nephew. Heâll express his wish to convene Zhao Kuiâs former subordinates, to claim some territory and set himself up as a local lord so he can take revenge for his uncle. This way, Wu Du wonât have to put on a disguise, making it less likely to give the game away.
As for Duan Ling, his mission is to gain Bian Lingbaiâs trust first, then probe for information, try to find some way to steal some correspondence between Bian Lingbai and Xiliang. On the one hand the letters can act as evidence that they can present to the emperor after they kill Bian Lingbai, and on the other hand, Mu Kuangda needs to know what Bian Lingbai is planning.
After all, there are many beneficial relationships between the Tangut tribe and the empire of Chen. Xiliang used to be an independent state, then it was annexed by Liao, and its allegiance has always wavered between Liao and Chen. If all goes as planned, Mu Kuangda intends to find some way to gain Xiliangâs support.
There are factions within Xiliang as well; ever since Helian Bo and his mother returned to their homeland, their government has been split into two factions, one advocating the Helian family leaving Liao control and gaining independence, while another believes it is best for them to bide their time.
All of this is giving Duan Ling a bit of a headache. He had recommended himself3Â in order to survive, but now that he thinks about it, heâs going to have to install himself with a general heâs never met, and itâs one at the commander-in-chief level too â it wonât be easy to fool him. While he hasnât been found out at the Mu estate, heâs never had to explain his origins in front of Mu Kuangda, and the identity he made up has been quite limited. In front of Bian Lingbai heâll have to fabricate an entire set of lies. What he has done so far cannot hold a candle to what he must do on this trip.
âI just worry that I wonât be able to gain his trust and things will easily go wrong,â Duan Ling says.
âThat doesnât matter.â Mu Kuangda smiles, looking fully like a cunning old fox. âWe have something in exchange that will give him no other option but to meet with you.â
Speaking, he hands over a tiny wooden box. Duan Ling opens it to find a rolled up silk tapestry, yellowed with age and drawn with mountains, rivers, and general terrain.
Duan Ling stares at it in amazement.
Mu Kuangda says, âThis is a treasure map taken from Zhao Kuiâs storage when his property was confiscated by the government.â
Duan Ling is staring with his mouth agape at the treasure map. Itâs thin as a cicadaâs wing, every last line distinct.
âBian Lingbai has been hankering after it for a long time, but heâs been unable to find it through all his searching after Zhao Kuiâs properties were confiscated; even His Majesty himself knows not of its whereabouts. I had foreseen the need for this plan a long time ago, and thus I have been hiding it. And I also have a letter forged in Zhao Kuiâs handwriting ostensibly written prior to his death that you can take with you.â
Duan Ling looks over the treasure map carefully. âWhatâs buried here?â
âGold, silver, treasure â enough money to rival the imperial treasury.â Mu Kuangda drinks his tea without any sign of nervousness. âPresumably Zhao Kui made contingency plans while he was planning his coup, and if the coup failed he would have unearthed the treasure and ran away, find some small place in Xiyu where he could keep a private army of a hundred thousand or so, and became the ruler of a small state. It would have made an acceptable living.â
Duan Ling has no more misgivings, and he puts the treasure map away. Mu Kuangda then warns him once more, âOf course, Bian Lingbai isnât going to trust you. And with just yourself youâre not going to be able to get to the core of his secrets; heâs tremendously ambitious. However, with these terms on your side, it wonât be hard for you to infiltrate his army along with Wu Du.â
In an instant, Duan Ling comprehends his intentions; neither his identity nor the treasure map are significant at all. All he has to do is to buy time for Wu Du.
âI understand. I definitely wonât fail.â
Satisfied, Mu Kuangda nods. âThen, Wu Du, youâll have to act as our gentleman thief.â
âI got it,â Wu Du replies.
This chapter is scrapped from readlightnovel.org
âFirst, steal the classified information. If itâs possible, steal both his ledgers and letters. As for the value of each piece of information, you two must figure it out amongst yourselves what to take and what mustnât be touched. Get rid of him before you leave. Only once we have evidence can we arrange negotiations with Xiliang. Bian Lingbai has always wanted to turn against the central government, and after Zhao Ku died no one could keep him in check. The longer we allow him to live the more things can go awry. We must resolve this as soon as possible.â
Wu Du gives him a nod, knowing that once he finishes this job Mu Kuangda definitely wonât treat him lightly, which precisely fulfils the way to âget aheadâ that Duan Ling mentioned. But getting ahead isnât going to be easy; this is the first assassination he has been tasked with since he came under Mu Kuangdaâs patronage, and it is also a blood pledge â but he has already run out of other options.4
âWhat if heâs innocent?â Duan Ling asks suddenly .
A look of alarm flashes across Wu Duâs face.
Mu Kuangda though, has started smiling, staring right at Duan Ling.
Duan Ling knows full well that this is the one question he should never ask, but he asked it anyway.
âVery good.â Mu Kuangda nods slowly. âIf heâs innocent, will you or will you not kill him?â
To his surprise, Mu Kuangda has kicked the ball right back into Duan Lingâs court, with a shrewd, calculating look in his eyes.
Duan Ling takes a deep breath, about to answer, but then Mu Kuangda is telling him, full of poise, âIf heâs innocent, then you may do as you see fit.â
âCertainly,â Duan Ling feels a great weight coming off his chest.
Mu Kuangda does not move his eyes from Duan Ling, as though he wants to see right through into his heart.
âCome back as soon as possible,â Mu Kuangda adds, âThe exams will happen right after the capital is relocated. You mustnât neglect your studies.â
Duan Ling rises with Wu Du, and they take their leave.
On the way back, the more Duan Ling thinks about the meeting the more he appreciates Mu Kuangdaâs meticulous planning, how he has taken every possibility into account. At the end of it he even emphasised several times that they must create the illusion that Bian Lingbai passed away from natural causes. For that is the only way the imperial court can assign a general to take over the army stationed beneath Tongguan, stopping the chance of further turmoil.
âEven if he is innocent weâll still have to kill him,â Wu Du says quietly.
âI know. But you wonât, will you? I wonât either. There arenât that many generals whoâre capable of safeguarding the border. As long as he doesnât turn against the empire, then he should not be killed indiscriminately.â
At the end of which he closes the gates of the courtyard house behind him, and once theyâre back inside the house, he says to Wu Du in a barely audible whisper, âI only said that to give him pause. And if we donât find anything, then you donât have to make this blood pledge anymore. Killing good and loyal men is going to end up costing no one but you in the end.â
With a deep furrow between his brows, Wu Du turns his gaze onto Duan Ling, and it just so happens that Duan Ling was also watching him. There is a shared understanding in their gaze that cannot be put into words.
âGet some sleep.â Wu Du says, âWeâll have to be on our way in the morning. Donât think about this anymore.â
Duan Ling goes to his floor bedding, but thatâs when Wu Du says to him, âCome sleep on my bed. Itâs been raining for days. The floorâs too damp.â
Duan Ling doesnât bother being polite either, and just climbs up to the bed to sleep, while Wu Du sits in front of the desk, looking at the treasure map by the dim light of a lantern.
Half way through the night Duan Ling wakes up once and says to Wu Du, âNot going to sleep yet?â
Wu Du hums something in reply. He has the treasure map pinched between two fingers, and turning the silk tapestry backwards and forwards, he looks at it through the lamplight. Itâs quite a while before he gets on the bed with all his clothes on, lying down next to Duan Ling, and gets under the same covers.
Duan Ling is all muddled in his sleep. Turning over, he throws a leg over Wu Duâs waist and clasps his arms around him, and subconsciously lean against him, putting his head on Wu Duâs arm, wrapping nearly his entire body around Wu Du.
Wu Du is at quite a loss; he canât exactly push him away, and itâs even weirder if he holds onto him. Being embraced by a young man this way gives him a peculiar feeling, and heâs all at once frozen in place.
I do not monetise my hobby translations, but if youâd like to support my work generally or support my light novel habit, you can either buy me a coffee or commission me. This is also to note that if you see this message anywhere else than on tumblr, do come to my tumblr. Itâs ad-free. âŠď¸
The sky is high and the emperor is far away is a common saying, as in âfar away from the central government, the local magistrates can embezzle as they likeâ basically. âŠď¸
The idiom for recommending oneself for a job is âMao Sui recommends himselfâ. It has a wikipedia entry if youâre interested in history. âŠď¸
The words for a blood pledge is more like a âcontractâ, but it means an act that ensures your loyalty. It originates in Water Margin, where Lin Chong was asked to kill someone and bring back their head in order to join the gang on Mount Liang. I translate this generally to blood pledge, since it is a pledge in which you get blood on your hands. âŠď¸