Blade - Unbound

“What?!” The old woman's eyes filled with shock. “Li Siyuan intends to sit back and do nothing? Then, were those rumors released by the Li Family?”

Lu Kang's expression had already returned to normal as he spoke again. “No. Do you not know me after all these years? Only by leaving no flaws in my actions was I able to reach my current position. If I truly intended to move my wealth, there would have been no signs whatsoever.

“I deliberately leaked the news about the secret escort. It was merely a way to determine the Li Family's attitude.”

The old woman stared at him in disbelief. “Why would you...”

Lu Kang raised a hand, cutting her off. Looking out the window, a cold smile appeared on his lips. “Previously, my schemes nearly pushed the Li Family into an irredeemable abyss. Why would they simply let the matter go? During the journey, Li Siyuan remained motionless even after several rounds of probing. I almost believed the matter could be forgotten.

“But in the end, he still revealed himself. We were merely the first layer of disguise. The secret escort was the second layer. It existed solely to stir up the greed of the bandits. Even if the bandits of Niubei Ridge had shown no interest, I would have created the illusion of danger myself and requested military assistance from the garrison.

“Commander Tang Yang has long since pledged himself to Li Siyuan. He's likely been monitoring my movements the entire time. To demonstrate magnanimity, Li Siyuan refrained from openly settling accounts with me. But if a corrupt official carrying silver home is killed by bandits, I suspect he would be quite pleased to see it happen.”

The old woman could not understand. She couldn’t help but ask, “Since he hasn't made a move, why can't we simply return home peacefully? We can carefully nurture our descendants. The Lu Family might not decline.”

“Foolish!” Lu Kang shook his head. “Li Siyuan is now a regional governor, holding both military and civil authority over Shanzhou. When a man reaches that position, does he still need a knife to kill? He doesn't even need to speak! Those seeking his favor will gladly make life difficult for the Lu family on their own initiative.

“I dare say that for at least two generations, no member of the Lu Family will even be able to earn the title of a minor official. Without official status to protect us, no amount of wealth will last long.”

The old woman was no stranger to the darkness of officialdom. She knew exactly how ruthless local officials could become in their pursuit of promotion.

Immediately, panic crept into her heart. “Then... Then what should we do?”

Lu Kang did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked out the window. “Madam, what do you think of this relay station?”

She answered honestly. “It has already fallen into disrepair.”

Lu Kang nodded. “Since the beginning of this year, the imperial court has argued endlessly over one issue. They wish to open official relay stations to merchants and charge lodging fees, using the money to maintain and repair them. However, those wealthy merchants travel in luxury. Why would they ever choose to stay in a run-down station like this? The true goal is to elevate the social standing of merchants.”

“The current court struggle is between two factions. One represents the local garrison and insists that agriculture remains the foundation of the nation. The other consists of coastal elites who believe commerce can strengthen the country and should not be suppressed.

“The Lord Wang whom I served belonged to the local faction, as did the Li Family. But midway through, they changed sides. They gambled their entire fortune on overseas ventures. Although that decision nearly ruined them, they benefited from favorable timing and ultimately gained the upper hand. To tell the truth, even if I had managed to retain my position, I likely wouldn't have kept it for long.”

The old woman immediately understood. “You mean the local faction is destined to lose?”

Lu Kang sighed, “There are things you don't understand. Right now, the imperial court lacks money. His Majesty's ambitions extend across the seas. How can he remain bound by the rules and traditions left by his ancestors? The tide of the age has already changed. When the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain intact?”

The old woman was horrified by the sudden realization. Her voice trembled when she asked, “I-I don't understand court politics. What should our Lu Family do?”

Lu Kang calmly replied, “I already have a plan. Five years ago, while I was still in office, I helped a fengshui master survive a calamity. To repay the favor, he revealed the location of a hidden geomantic treasure site.

“After verifying it, I secretly had him killed. That treasure site is both extraordinary and extremely well concealed. After my death, bury me there in secret. If managed properly, it can protect two generations of prosperity for the Lu Family. I will then leak information and die at the hands of bandits.

“The valuable cargo will be stolen, but at that point, the garrison will naturally intervene. When I'm dead and the money is gone, the Li Family's anger will be satisfied. They will no longer trouble you.

“Over the years, I have secretly established businesses in Shandong. After returning home, you must immediately relocate the family there once the situation settles.

“Xiaowen is the elder son. But because he followed me through my rise in office, he has been surrounded by flatterers. He appears fierce but is weak inside with a poor temperament. He cannot shoulder great responsibility.

“As long as I am alive, I can control him. But after I die, he will inevitably cause trouble. Even the finest fengshui cannot preserve fortune against such behavior. When the time comes, you must not be softhearted. But Xiaowu is exceptionally intelligent and patient. He is the Lu family's hope. I have already entrusted him to old friends. When the time comes, send him directly to Taishan Academy.

“Yu'er has a gentle temperament and is educated and courteous. You should find her a suitable husband among the maritime merchants. She can help support Xiaowu. Jinan Prefecture is rich in literary fortune and enjoys the advantages of a seaport. It connects northward to Tianjin and southward to Jiangsu and Zhejiang. That will be the place where the Lu Family rises again!”

As she listened to Lu Kang calmly arrange the affairs of his death, the old woman felt as though her heart were being torn apart.

Tears streamed down her face as she trembled. “Why... Why must it be like this? Why must it be like this?!”

Lu Kang smiled peacefully. “In ancient times, Qin struggled through six generations before finally unifying the Divine Continent. No family's prosperity is built in a single generation. These years of navigating officialdom have exhausted both my body and spirit.

“Even if I return home, I have little time left. Rather than that, I may as well enter the game myself and secure a future for our family.”

He took her hand and smiled. “I was born poor. Only because you favored me did I come this far. You never looked down on my poverty, so I have never betrayed you. That is why I never accepted any of the concubines you arranged.

“It's a pity that in my final years, I must still burden you. This time, I shall go first. I entrust the future of the Lu family to you.”

“Master Lu...”

The old woman was already sobbing uncontrollably. She failed to speak another coherent word.

Lu Kang's voice turned serious. “One more thing. That scholar we met yesterday.

“Though he tried his best to hide it, and his learning and speech were impressive, there was a bandit's nature in his eyes. He is undoubtedly a bandit scout. I intend to use him as a piece in my game.

“You must remain vigilant.”

With that, he looked at the blue sky beyond the window and laughed. “I was born with poor circumstances and spent my entire life struggling against others. Unfortunately, fate was never on my side.

“This time, I will make myself the game piece and place the final move. Twenty years from now, remember to burn paper offerings and tell me the result.”

***

As evening approached, bonfires blazed across the clearing. Li Yan fiddled with the small wooden box Luo Mingzi had gifted him, taking out its contents one by one. He split the yarrow stalks equally with Wang Daoxuan, and tucked the Thunderfire Pills in his sleeve.

Wang Daoxuan looked worried as he asked, “Shouldn't we leave Qilipu for a while and avoid the trouble until everything blows over?”

Sha Lifei walked in from the inn at that moment. Shaking his head, he said quietly, “We can't avoid it. I just got news. A secret escort team near Shilipu was ambushed. They disguised themselves as villagers but still couldn't escape detection. Several skilled fighters were all beheaded.

“The bandits have probably already descended from Niubei Ridge in overwhelming numbers. Once they see us hauling a coffin, they'll definitely make a move. We're safer here where there are more people.”

Wu Mao suddenly hurried over and sat beside the bonfire. Looking helpless, he said, “Brother Li guessed correctly. The garrison isn't sending troops.”

Sha Lifei laughed. “Looks like Bastard Lu is as good as dead. We had better stay far away from him.”

Li Yan said nothing and merely looked at Wu Mao, who smiled awkwardly. “Don't worry, Brother Li. If the bandits really show up, I'll accidentally lose the escort assignment. Besides, nobody can blame us for this situation.”

Only then did Li Yan nod. “Uncle Sha, bring Master Zhou and his troupe over. We'll join forces and defend ourselves until this is over.”

Sha Lifei nodded and immediately ran back to the inn. Before long, every member of the Spring Breeze Troupe had left the inn. Since the women and children had remained at home during this long journey, everyone present knew at least some martial arts.

Troupe Master Zhou himself was an expert in the Dark Jin Realm. All of them carried clubs and weapons, looking ready to fight to the death. With the addition of the Spring Breeze Troupe, Li Yan’s group immediately expanded to more than twenty people.

The other jianghu travelers and merchants also began gathering with acquaintances as they had naturally received the same news.

The greatest problem now was that bandit informants had almost certainly infiltrated the crowd. The only people anyone could trust were those they already knew.

Li Yan's group sat silently around the bonfire.

Seeing the oppressive atmosphere, Wu Mao's eyes rolled around and he thought of something. He removed the three-stringed lute from his back and casually plucked a few strings.

Dang dang dang.

The sound immediately attracted attention.

Raising an eyebrow, he laughed. “Come on, Young Hero Li, don't look so grim. This is the jianghu. One stretch of wind, one stretch of rain, then another stretch of fighting and chaos. We only need to survive the next couple of days.

“You can spend them frowning, or you can spend them drinking and singing. When it's time to draw blades, draw blades. When it's time to laugh, laugh. Why make life difficult for yourselves?”

“You've got a point.” The tension in Li Yan's eyes eased slightly. “Right, Brother Wu knows how to play the tunes?”

Wu Mao winked. “I'm from Yulin. I studied it for a while. Otherwise, how could I pull off this disguise? I would have been exposed immediately.”

As he spoke, his left hand pressed the strings while his right hand plucked.

Dang de er dang, de er dang...

A humorous melody filled the air, and he began singing with exaggerated expressions:

"In the first watch of the night, the little nun sat firmly in the meditation hall. Holding a wooden fish, she worshipped Buddha and burned incense. Enduring hardship within the temple while chanting Amitabha. Guarding a lonely lamp beside the clay altar, how bleak and desolate..."

All around Long Wind Inn, countless bonfires flickered as the lute and the lively storytelling songs of northern Shanxi drifted through the night air.

***

On the second floor of the inn, a short, ugly man listened to the distant singing.

“Bah. Those idiots are still enjoying themselves.”

He was still writing notes under the light of the oil lamp. The paper contained a list of everyone he suspected of escorting the secret cargo.

Li Yan and Wu Mao were both prominently listed.

After reviewing it once more, he folded the paper away.

Huff.

The candle went out.

Then he slipped out the inn window and leapt onto a nearby tree. Like a wildcat, he kicked off the thick trunk and rolled silently to the ground. The area was so remote and dark that no one noticed him.

Passing through the weeds and following a dry riverbed, he quickly climbed toward the mountains. Within moments, he disappeared into the darkness.

***

Late that night, at Zhongnan Relay Station.

“Murder!”

A shrill scream awakened the entire station.

“Who's there?!”

Guard Fengping and his companions burst through the door. Just in time, they saw a shadow vault over the wall and their expressions changed drastically.

Yet rather than pursue, they rushed toward Lu Kang's room.

The moment they entered, they froze. The relay master had also been awakened and hurried over carrying a lantern. When he saw the scene inside, his vision nearly went black.

In the room, Madam Lu and her daughter were crying hysterically. Lu Kang sat slumped in a chair with a dagger protruding from his chest. His head was tilted toward the window and his last breath had already left him.

There was neither sorrow nor joy in his eyes.

Fengping roared, “It was that scholar!”

Remembering the kindness Lu Kang had once shown him, he turned to chase after the killer.

But when he saw Madam Lu collapse unconscious from grief, he gritted his teeth. “Chengsi, Wangda, you two give chase! The rest stay with me and protect Madam Lu!”

“Yes!”

The two guards immediately disappeared into the night.

Fengping's right hand trembled as he stepped forward and closed Lu Kang's eyes. Grinding his teeth in self-reproach, he thought bitterly, The master had been clever his entire life. How had he allowed himself to be deceived by that scholar at the very end?

Just a few conversations, and he had treated him like a confidant, even staying up through the night talking by candlelight. I should have stood guard beside him...

***

“Hahahaha!”

Two fast horses raced through the darkness of the ancient road. The riders were none other than the two bandit scouts from the inn.

“Third Brother, no, Young Master, you are truly brilliant!”

“Hmph. Some old fox they claimed him to be. Wasn't he still dancing in the palm of my hand? Now that we've got this list, not a single secret escort will escape.”

“Young Master... um... we just killed a former minister. What if—”

“There are no what-ifs!”

“Old Fogey Lu sent people to request aid from the garrison. Unfortunately for him, no troops were dispatched. He was depressed, got drunk, and revealed everything to me. Otherwise, why would I have acted ahead of schedule? Can't you see? The people who wanted him dead weren't us!”

“Hahaha!”

“Hurry, release the carrier pigeon, tell Big Brother to make his move tonight!”

Flap! Flap! Flap!

The pigeon disappeared into the darkness.

Ordinary carrier pigeons were active during the day and roosted at night. Any pigeon capable of delivering messages at night had undergone special training.

Those skilled in such methods were always masters of their craft. What they did not know was that inside the relay station's rear stable, another pigeon was also taking flight beneath the cover of darkness. Its destination was the military garrison at Yingpan Relay Station.

***

The night grew still and bonfires crackled softly. The hour of the ox had arrived. Around Long Wind Inn, many people who had remained tense all night had finally succumbed to exhaustion and fallen asleep.

Of course, no one dared lower their guard completely. Almost every group had assigned sentries. Some had even placed warning traps in the darkness beyond their camps. These were standard jianghu methods whose sole purpose was to provide warning.

Li Yan had already rested briefly during the first half of the night. Now fully alert, he sat beside the fire. His Guanshan blade rested across his knees as he closed his eyes in feigned sleep.

Suddenly, his nose twitched and he shot to his feet. Using hidden force, he slammed a palm onto the Thundersound Divine Drum.

BOOM!

The drum sounded like thunder exploding through the night, instantly waking everyone.

“The bandits are coming down the mountain! If you don't want to die, fight with everything you've got!”

Li Yan's furious shout echoed through the darkness. At the same time, he signaled his group to prepare.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

People from numerous camps jolted awake. Drawing their weapons in panic, they frantically looked around.

“Where are the bandits?!”

“Where are they?!”

Even though they were screaming and preparing for battle, the mountains remained shrouded in darkness. Nothing could be seen.

In a distant group, a cart driver relaxed after waiting for a moment.

Seeing no movement, he cursed, “There's nobody there. Which bastard's shouting nonsense—”

Before he could finish, an arrow shot out of the darkness. It passed through his eye and pierced straight into his brain. He didn’t even grunt as he collapsed.

“The bandits are here!”

“Watch out for hidden projectiles!”

The entire camp erupted into chaos. As though a signal had been given, arrows suddenly rained in from every direction. The dark wilderness seemed filled with enemies, as though an entire army had surrounded them.

Fortunately, many groups had prepared for such a situation. Some raised wooden boards while others held iron pots overhead. Anything that could block the incoming arrows was used.

Li Yan's group was even better prepared. Master Zhou and the Spring Breeze Troupe had dismantled the wooden lids from their equipment crates to use as makeshift shields.

Even so, they remained trapped in a defensive position.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes. “Uncle Sha, you and the others protect the group. There aren't many archers. I'll go kill them.”

Without waiting for a response, he immediately rushed into the darkness. Moments later, several screams rang out from the enemy lines.