“Take this letter out of the city and tell the handler to have it delivered to my father as soon as possible.”

In a courier hostel in the capital of the Luohai Kingdom, Xue Yi handed a letter sealed in a thin bamboo tube to his trusted bodyguard, a sulky look in his eyes. Recalling that earlier this day the Luohai monarch had once again postponed making a reply, he felt really annoyed.

“Yes, Young Master.” Xue Yi’s bodyguard took the secret letter, put it away, disguised himself and then left the courier hostel, heading for the city gates.

A man working for the Jiahe Chamber of Commerce, who had been covertly staking out the courier hostel, soon reported the bodyguard’s acts to Lian Hai.

“Childe Ling, Xue Yi sent a letter back to the Wan Kingdom.”

It was early in the morning. Ling Zhang, after being informed of this matter, said with a head bob, “I see. Keep a close eye on Xue Yi. Someone will deal with that letter he sent.”

“Yes, Childe Ling,” Lian Hai answered and then took his leave.

Ling Zhang sat down and started thinking. Some of Yuwen Tong’s men were in the Wan Kingdom, and they could handle this matter. As for the letter Xue Yi had sent back to the Wan Kingdom, he had a shrewd idea what was in it. It was probably about the death of his half-brother, the delaying tactics of the Luohai monarch and, of course, his anger at the various sides in the Luohai Kingdom. Xue Yi had orders from the Wan monarch to come to this city, and he wouldn’t leave until the mission was accomplished. In that private letter to Xue Chi, he might well have asked his father to give him some advice. The man who’d been killed in the inn was Xue Yi’s half-brother and also his most trusted adviser. Without him by his side, Xue Yi didn’t even have anybody to talk about his grievances with in the Luohai Kingdom.

It struck Ling Zhang as quite baffling that Shan Congli had sent Xue Yi to the Luohai Kingdom. Given Xue Yi’s relatively low rank, wasn’t it inevitable that Mu Hengtian would make a fool out of him? Besides, Xue Chi was the General-in-chief and enjoyed a high prestige among the troops. After being reinstated, he would no doubt be wielding great power in the army once again. Had Shan Congli not feared that if he sent Xue Yi, Xue Chi’s son, to the Luohai Kingdom, Xue Yi might strike some kind of secret deal with the Luohai Kingdom? Or was it because there were fewer and fewer people in the Wan Kingdom that Shan Congli deemed trustworthy?

Ling Zhaowu came to the house to have breakfast with his son. On walking through the doors, he caught sight of Ling Zhang pondering.

“What’s wrong?”

Ling Zhang jerked out of his trance, settled Ling Zhaowu in a chair and then told his father his conjectures about the domestic situation in the Wan Kingdom. “To my knowledge, Shan Congli reinstated Xue Chi because the Chen family was getting increasingly powerful, and he needed to make sure the Chen family had a relatively small say in military affairs, but why Shan Congli sent Xue Yi to the Luohai Kingdom has always been a mystery to me. After all, forging an alliance is an important issue. Though Xue Yi is Xue Chi’s son, he’s a military officer, and negotiating for an alliance is a task typically assigned to a civil official.”

As a result, Ling Zhang had every reason to suspect that Shan Congli had nobody else he could entrust such a task with, which was why he had sent Xue Yi here to negotiate, though it was like forcing a donkey to dance.

“Xue Chi is a member of the faction led by the monarch. The Xue family has been loyal to the royal household of the Wan Kingdom for generations. Although the prestige of the Xue family concerns the royal household, the incumbent monarch, like several of his predecessors, knows very well that in times of crisis only the Xue family would come to his rescue, so it’s not really surprising that Shan Congli trusts the Xue family and Xue Yi,” explained Ling Zhaowu.

Ling Zhang also knew a thing or two in this regard. Yuwen Tong had once told him that the Xue family’s status was quite special in the Wan Kingdom. In the past, it had been when Xue Chi was in the prime of his life that the Wan Kingdom ran roughshod over the Great Yue. Had Yuwen Tong’s grandfather not exerted himself with might and main, the Great Yue would have long since been flattened by Xue Chi’s troops. Afterward, Yuwen Tong had made his presence felt. As a budding young general, he had been on a par with Xue Chi. At a later stage, he had even driven Xue Chi out of the Great Yue, recovering all lost cities, bringing Xue Chi down a peg. After Xue Chi suffered several defeats in a row, the Wan monarch had become suspicious of Xue Chi, relieved him of his command and appointed Chen Feng in his stead. Since then, Xue Chi had been staying idly at home.

However, Xue Chi was a military officer after all. Though Xue Yi also enjoyed some fame, it was limited to the armies of the Wan Kingdom.

“Xue Chi was quite composed when he first entered this city. He once said that he would patiently wait for two months if that was what it took for Mu Hengtian to grant his request. I think you know why he suddenly became so restless,” said Ling Zhaowu.

Ling Zhang nodded. “It’s because of the death of Xue Fang, his half-brother. He’s not only Xue Yi’s half-brother but also his adviser.”

Wait a moment. Ling Zhang looked at Ling Zhaowu. “Father, are you saying that this Xue Fang guy was the key to the success of the Wan Kingdom’s negotiations with the Luohai Kingdom? That he was the very reason why Shan Congli sent Xue Yi here to negotiate?”

“Exactly,” replied Ling Zhaowu. “Xue Fang was a very secretive man. On the surface he was merely Xue Yi’s adviser, but he was very intelligent and resourceful. In fact, he was also a member of Xue Chi’s think tank. The Wan monarch is fully aware of this. The Chen family has been growing more and more powerful in the Wan Kingdom, and Shan Congli reinstated Xue Chi in an attempt to maintain the balance of power. The Xue family needs to perform an exceptionally meritorious service to be restored to its former glory. By sending Xue Yi here to negotiate, the Wan monarch was offering the Xue family an opportunity to perform such a meritorious service. Xue Chi’s identity is rather sensitive, and the Wan monarch would never let him leave the Wan Kingdom, which makes Xue Yi the only suitable candidate. Besides, there are not many people in the Wan Kingdom who know that Xue Yi has covertly come here.

I once met Xue Fang before in the past, which is why I know a thing or two about him. He was definitely not what he seemed, but it never crossed my mind that he would die so easily in a conflict like that.”

Ling Zhang had departed for the Luohai Kingdom immediately after being informed of the Wan Kingdom’s plan to make an alliance with the Luohai Kingdom, and it’d been halfway through the journey that he was told that Xue Yi was the envoy Shan Congli had appointed. He didn’t know much about Xue Fang. The Dugu family’s men had been behind that conflict. Killing Xue Yi’s adviser had been an advice he instructed Lian Hai to give the Dugu family. After all, that man had been not only an adviser but also Xue Yi’s half-brother, which meant that killing him would deal Xue Yi a heavy blow. It had never occurred to him that that man was of such great importance. He had hit the mark by a fluke.

It took Ling Zhang a few moments to express to Ling Zhaowu enough how lucky he felt. Then he said, “Xue Yi has now become impatient, which means the Luohai Kingdom has a firmer grip on the initiative. I need to make preparations to have a meeting with Mu Hengtian.”

Ling Zhaowu gave a nod. “That might not be a bad idea.”

Worrying that Ling Zhang was hungry after such a long talk, Ling Zhaowu had the servants deliver the breakfast into the room. The two of them breakfasted together.

…

In the royal palace of the Luohai Kingdom.

“This way, please, Prime Minister Dugu. His Majesty granted you permission for an audience with him.”

Dugu Shan the Prime Minister rearranged his robes before walking into the royal study.

“It’s an honor to kneel before you, Your Majesty.”

“You may rise, Aiqing Dugu (Aiqing is a term of endearment used by an emperor or an empress to address an official in feudal China).”

Mu Hengtian was sitting in a chair behind a desk, leaning against the back of it. What with the various diseases he’d been suffering from for years, his whole body appeared faintly swollen. Even sitting there was an ordeal for him. Sweat would well up on his face if he sat for too long. Overall, he looked in very poor health.

Dugu Shan expressed his gratitude and then rose to his feet, looking at Mu Hengtian. “Your Majesty, you look much better than you did a couple of days ago. It would seem the court physicians’ medicines are effective.”

Mu Hengtian smiled, “I know about my physical condition well. Those medicines the court physicians have been giving me merely serve to delay my end.”

“Your Majesty, you’re loved by all your subjects and blessed by the providence. Your diseases wouldn’t be troubling you for long. Actually you seem much better today. I’m sure you’ll make a full recovery in a few days, and when you do, I’ll accompany you to the hunting ground to gallop as we did in the past,” said Dugu Shan.

Though fully aware of his physical condition, Mu Hengtian still drew comfort from Dugu Shan’s words, and he couldn’t help but recall the good old days when he would gallop on the hunting ground with his courtiers.

“You may take a seat. Today I summoned you here because I want to hear your opinions about the Wan Kingdom’s offer.” Mu Hengtian told Dugu Shan to sit down and asked him his opinions about the terms for an alliance laid out by the Wan Kingdom.

The look in Dugu Shan’s eyes flickered and with that he said, “Your Majesty, I’m positive the Wan Kingdom will accept our conditions. The Wan Kingdom have harbored hatred towards the Great Wen for generations, which is why they’re exceptionally wary of the Great Wen, scared of the Great Wen’s rise in strength, and are making an attempt to align themselves with us to fight against the Great Wen. At the end of the day, they just want to use us to help them be rid of the threat from the Great Wen. However, as things stand, it’ll be more beneficial to us if the balance of power between the three countries stays the way it is. We have to either annex the Wan Kingdom and the Great Wen or maintain the balance of power. Once we help the Wan Kingdom get rid of the Great Wen, the Wan Kingdom would, without doubt, turn against us, given the Wan monarch’s wild ambitions.”

“You’ve got a point,” observed Mu Hengtian, struggling to shift his position.

Dugu Shan gave a smile and continued, “Currently, it is not us but the Wan monarch who is frightened of the Great Wen. If Your Majesty have no intention to annex the Great Wen and the Wan Kingdom for the moment, I believe it’s not such a bad idea to accept the Wan Kingdom’s offer. Firstly, the Great Wen has indeed been growing stronger at an alarmingly fast rate, and there’s necessity for us to slow it down a little; secondly, the more scared the Wan monarch is, the more benefits we’ll be able to get from the Wan Kingdom. As a result, I think Your Majesty’s decision is very wise, and the terms you laid out are very much in our national interest. I really admire you.”

Mu Hengtian also smiled, “Spare us both the act, you wily old fox. I know exactly what you’re thinking about. Xue Yi is running out of patience, and I think it’s about time I relented. As for Xue Yi’s bottom line – or the Wan Kingdom’s bottom line – I believe you could do me a favor and find out about it, couldn’t you, Aiqing Dugu?”

Dugu Shan gave it a brief thought and caught on to what Mu Hengtian meant. Then he rose to his feet and replied, “Consider it done, Your Majesty.”

Mu Hengtian nodded. “Okay, then, I’ll be expecting your message.”

“I won’t let you down, Your Majesty.”

…

After Dugu Shan took his leave, Mu Hengtian’s face instantly became serious. He opened a memorial to the throne, picked up a secret letter in it and carefully reread it.

“Yuwen Tong…”

Mu Hengtian put the letter down and gazed ahead emptily as though he were seeing Yuwen Tong the emperor of the Great Wen thousands of miles away. However, Mu Hengtian actually had never seen Yuwen Tong before. He had always been in the capital of the Luohai Kingdom. He’d never been to the borderlands, and neither had he ever been to the Great Wen, but he had heard of the various legends of Yuwen Tong. Given that even Shan Congli was so frightened of Yuwen Tong as to seek alliance with the Luohai Kingdom, Mu Hengtian knew that Yuwen Tong’s reputation must be well-earned.

This secret letter from Yuwen Tong had arrived shortly after Xue Yi’s arrival in the Luohai Kingdom. Yuwen Tong even had an intimate knowledge of the Wan Kingdom’s intentions.

The Great Wen also wanted to make an alliance with the Luohai Kingdom. After reading the letter, Mu Hengtian had been astonished at first, and then he’d felt smug, but eventually he had cooled down. As Yuwen Tong’s counterpart, he could guess a small part of the reason why Yuwen Tong was doing this, and he couldn’t help but admire Yuwen Tong. On the surface, the rulers of the other two countries were racing to ingratiate themselves with him, but in fact, they both were up to the same thing. In the final analysis, they just wanted to use the Luohai Kingdom as a pawn. However, now that the two of them dared to regard his country as their pawn, he would turn the situation to his advantage and charge them high prices.

Mu Hengtian’s eyes went cold and with that he solemnly put the letter on the desk away. According to the letter, someone would come to talk with him face to face. He decided to wait and see who this person was.

After Mu Hengtian put the letter back into the envelope and locked it up in a secret compartment, a weary look appeared on his face. He struggled to his feet and let out an exhalation of smelly air. He knew about his physical condition well and was aware that he might well depart this life in a couple of years. Presently, in the Luohai Kingdom, both the Dugu family and Nian Feng were wielding unduly great power. It probably wouldn’t be easy for the crown prince to ascend the throne after his death, but if he took action to eliminate the Dugu family or Nian Feng, the other side would be alarmed and there might be unimaginable consequences. The only option was to let them be each other’s counterbalance, and then figure out a way to undermine them step by step, but the problem was that it would take time, and time was a luxury he no longer had…

Mu Hengtian stood in the royal study for quite a while, an inscrutable expression on his face.