Volume 10 Chapter 11 There’s More to it than What Meets the Eye
How they were going to reach Jiangnan and then prepare in addition to what they were going to do with Luo Clan was unanswered aloud.
Hong Jiu made it to Nanjing in the evening of the same morning he set out from Huzhou. Mount Daluo members certainly had signals and codes to send messages over distances, but they delivered important messages in person. Besides, Hong Jiu wanted to help Ming Feizhen and Ming Suwen get together.
“Six Evils dwell at Nieyao?”
Mount Daluo couldn’t neglect their duty if they knew of a Six Evils’ existence. Ming Suwen knew more about them than even Ming Feizhen, so she also knew they would still lose people even if they had their entire sect just as last time. It was folly for a group of warriors from the imperial court who had no idea what they were going to be up against to challenge the mutants. Therefore, she understood why Ming Feizhen summoned Mount Daluo’s disciples. Hong Jiu was aware Ming Suwen would make the best general against the monster, which was the second reason, arguably the primary reason, he reported to her.
“What do you think, Grandaunt?”
“Is that a question you need to ask? If Feizhen says we have to go, we have to go. Since when were disciples allowed to ignore the instructions of our patriarch?”
Because Ming Suwen accosted powerbrokers in the imperial court whilst cracking cases in Shen Yiren and Ming Feizhen’s absence, those people were trying to get back at her using shady means. Outside Liu Shan Men’s office were secret agents from several different groups monitoring their every move. Training the female disciples into her arms is one thing. Training them to be able to replicate her abilities is a totally different beast. If she left them behind to go hunt with Ming Feizhen, it would be tantamount to sending them to the slaughter.
“Grandaunt, there’s no reason for you to feel stressed. This mission is our job as young disciples. Leader is not our patriarch, so he cannot order you around.”
“Shiba, you have the wrong idea.” Ming Suwen shot Hong Jiu a glare. “Even if Feizhen does become patriarch, I won’t obey him.”
“I have no doubts about that.”
“Having said that, I will be worried sick if he goes on his own. You guys go on ahead, and I’ll catch up later. We’ll rendezvous before entering Nanjiang.”
“Third and the others are rather far. I heard Xia’er is way off in Luoyang. I shall return to Huzhou to report to Leader tonight. Do you want me to pass on anything to him?”
“Two words: me too.”
Nobody heckled Liu Shan Men as days went by. Ming Suwen deliberately leaked to the six ministries and three law enforcement offices that Liu Shan Men was preparing for a journey to Nanjiang. In addition, Liu Shan Men interviewed a large pool of people from the south to recruit. The six ministries and three law enforcement offices knew what they had to do since His Majesty would notify all his vassals of his plans sooner or later.
Ming Suwen successfully created the impression to those who didn’t know the whole story that His Majesty was giving Liu Shan Men special treatment and promoting them. The other offices must be out of brain cells if they were to impede Liu Shan Men’s work now when they were working for His Majesty. At the same time, it led to speculation that Liu Shan Men had been aggressive recently because His Majesty was backing them. When the time was ripe, she caught one of the people spying on their office, galvanising all those who planted scouts to call back their scouts.
When Ming Suwen felt she had erected a safety net around Liu Shan Men, she started looking forward to travelling to Nanjiang with Ming Feizhen. Alas, another batch of scouts - more than double the previous number - started spying on Liu Shan Men after the fifth day. She noticed the spies came from various backgrounds and were much superior to the previous batch. Despite there being a lot of adepts in the capital, it didn’t make it any easier to organise a group of spies compromised of disciples from various sects.
Curious, Ming Suwen interrogated two spies, consequently discovering the six ministries sent them, though they refused to disclose who it was specifically.
“Tell whoever sent you that I know what they are playing at. I want to know what they want.”
Having been subjected to Ming Suwen’s torture, the two sprinted off as fast as their legs could take them. Subsequently, the other spies also pulled out.
At noon two days later, Ming Suwen went to the female constables’ dining hall, which was unusual for her since she usually ate in her own room, burning Chu Yinghua’s face. Shen Yiren never deprived her subordinates of food, and thanks to Ming Feizhen’s advice, the taste of their food was better than ever. As a growing maiden with many jobs to tackle daily, Chu Yinghua had to stoke her fire with food. When Ming Suwen entered, Chu Yinghua had rice on her face and a bowl of rice that had been filled beyond the top.
“I-I usually eat…”
“Puhahaha, you should eat or you won’t grow, Yinghua.”
Yinghua set her bowl down and ducked behind Lan Kelan upon noticing Ming Suwen’s gaze fixed on her growing breasts.
“Did something come up, Sister?” inquired Lan Kelan, surprised to see Ming Suwen at the dining hall at noon.
“Yeah, someone placed some stuff at our front door.”
The female constables assembled as fast as lightning.
At the forefront, Lan Kelan queried, “Do you know who placed it there?”
Unexpectedly, Ming Suwen shook her head: “I’ve interrogated them. They hire coaches who aren’t privy to deliver the items. There are no clues to work off.”
“What did they deliver?”
“Go see for yourselves.”
As they couldn’t derive anything from Ming Suwen’s expression, they headed to the office entrance. Despite constables having gathered there, nobody inspected the goods.
“Move aside. What are you? Commoners or constables? Men…”
The male constables instantly skedaddled when they heard Lan Kelan for they all feared the female constables. Now it was her turn to stand there stunned at the sight of the horse cart transporting three big chests, one of which stored premium-quality silk. Inside the other open chest were nine items all made from top-of-the-line jade, pearls and so on. In another chest were a red phoenix coronet and wedding gown for a bride.
Although they may look down on the lazy men, at the end of the day, the female constables wanted to be pretty, doted on, loved and have a charming young man riding on a white horse beside them.
Chu Yinghua squeezed through the crowd to quietly ask Ming Suwen, “Sister, the items are all for women. What would they send them here for?” In any even softer voice, she then questioned, “Is it from your admirer?”
“He’s not this rich. If it really is from him, I’ll grab him by the ear and teach him a thing or two about being a spendthrift.” Anyone there could’ve picked up the affection in Ming Suwen’s tone.
“Who would it be then?”
… The spies can’t be from different factions but one person. My strategies weren’t ineffective. They just don’t care even if His Majesty is shielding us because they’re not after Liu Shan Men but someone specific at Liu Shan Men.
“What… are they after?”
