"Father, last night assassins wreaked havoc, leaving Prince Shu's Estate practically in ruins. There are many matters that require my personal attention, so if Your Majesty has nothing further to discuss, I shall take my leave."
Inside the Hall of Diligent Government, even though the Great Wei Emperor wore a warm smile, his overwhelming imperial aura and pressure were inescapable. Especially Lu Qi's deep, penetrating gaze, which seemed capable of discerning the finest details, making Lu Xuanlou sit on pins and needles.
"Prince Shu's Estate certainly ought to be thoroughly renovated. But how is it that I heard you recently purchased a new residence in Daliang City?" the Great Wei Emperor asked with a smile.
"Father's eyes are like torches, nothing escapes your notice!"
Lu Xuanlou said, "Your son is accustomed to extravagance and possesses few family resources. Renovating Prince Shu's Estate would require a massive sum, and a clever housewife cannot cook without rice, so I was forced to resort to this alternative plan."
"You can make do for a while; I will instruct the Ministry of Works to rebuild Prince Shu's Estate. After all, as a prince of Great Wei, you cannot live in such shabby conditions and become a laughingstock," Lu Qi said.
"Thank you for your consideration, Father."
Saving a vast sum of silver, Lu Xuanlou was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
"Enough of these trivial matters, let us discuss business."
Lu Qi tossed the token left behind by Song Qingming to Lu Xuanlou and asked, "Do you know the origin of this token?"
"Your son does not know, I ask Father to enlighten me," Lu Xuanlou replied, shaking his head.
"Do you know of the Song State?" Lu Qi asked.
"The Song State was originally a small nation in the Eastern Wilderness. Twenty years ago, when Great Wei established its rule over the Central Plains, it was conquered and is now our Great Wei's Song Commandery."
Lu Xuanlou recounted it fluently. While living in seclusion at Prince Shu's Estate, in order to understand this world, Lu Xuanlou had read extensively, especially the history of Wei, which finally came in handy.
"Then do you know why, despite the Eastern Wilderness being a small country, it was the very last nation conquered by Great Wei?" the Great Wei Emperor Lu Qi asked.
"Because the country was small yet skilled in warfare?"
The historical texts of Great Wei only mentioned that they conquered the Song State last, without explaining why, leaving Lu Xuanlou to merely guess.
"Our Great Wei Iron Cavalry roamed far and wide, invincible across the Eastern Wilderness. What use is the Song people's skill in battle? It was nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating their own strength," Lu Qi said with disdain.
"Then what was the reason?" Lu Xuanlou asked.
"Because an extraordinary figure once appeared in the lands of Song, causing even the entire Great Wei Dynasty to tread carefully," the Great Wei Emperor Lu Qi said with a sigh.
"What kind of person could be so formidable?"
Lu Xuanlou asked in astonishment.
"Song Liancheng, the Sword Saint of the Eastern Wilderness. In less than sixty years of cultivation, he stepped into the Nirvana Realm, making him one of the most astonishing sword cultivators in the Eastern Wilderness for thousands of years," Lu Qi replied.
"Our Great Wei has three generals and seven marquises, all of them Three Calamities Tycoons. Why would we fear a single sword cultivator of the Nirvana Realm?" Lu Xuanlou asked in puzzlement.
"Sword cultivators are the most lethal in combat and are hailed as invincible within the same realm. Furthermore, that Song Liancheng is no ordinary Three Calamities Tycoon; he has survived three great tribulations and is merely a step away from the Nirvana Realm. His battle prowess is terrifying, and ordinary Three Calamities Cultivators are naturally no match for him." In his words, Lu Qi held Song Liancheng in the highest regard.
"Then how on earth did our Great Wei manage to conquer Song?" Lu Xuanlou asked.
"How else? Two fists cannot beat four hands."
Lu Qi said, "In the battle to destroy Song, all our Great Wei Three Calamities Tycoons were dispatched. Although we succeeded in conquering the nation, we still let him escape. This has remained a lingering concern of mine for all these years. An astonishing sword cultivator like Song Liancheng—if he cannot be made to serve Great Wei, we cannot allow him to live and remain our enemy."
"This token has the character 'Song' carved upon it. Could its master be Song Liancheng?" Lu Xuanlou asked.
"If Song Liancheng had made a move, you would have been sent to our Great Wei Ancestral Temple long ago."
Lu Qi said, "Song Liancheng had twenty-four disciples, bearing the surname Song and named after the twenty-four solar terms. The vast majority of these people died in battle during the conquest of Song. The small handful who remained changed their identities and frequently assassinated our Great Wei officials. Therefore, the person who tried to assassinate you should be one of Song Liancheng's disciples."
"Indeed, his name is Song Qingming!" Lu Xuanlou nodded and said.
"After their nation was destroyed, the surviving elders of Song refused to accept their demise. They constantly run about, flirting and colluding with the Xiong Chu. Considering Song Liancheng, and the fact that our Great Wei was overly ruthless during the conquest, leaving the people of Song with grievances in their hearts, I turned a blind eye to it all."
Lu Qi's tone suddenly turned icy, and the temperature in the Hall of Diligent Government seemed to plummet as well, causing goosebumps to instantly break out across Lu Xuanlou's skin.
"Yet of all things, they should never have attempted to assassinate a prince of Great Wei—and right within the imperial capital of Great Wei at that. This is a blatant attempt to humiliate me and humiliate Great Wei. I can no longer tolerate them."
"Then we shall uproot them completely and eradicate any future trouble," Lu Xuanlou said resolutely.
"Mercy is weakness. My son shares the same view as me."
The Great Wei Emperor laughed heartily. He had never imagined that Lu Xuanlou would turn out to be such a decisive person, and he had to admit that Lu Xuanlou had given him far too many pleasant surprises lately.
"Over the years, you have lived in luxury and indulgence, enjoying every splendor, yet you have never contributed anything to Great Wei."
Lu Qi said mockingly, "Since that is the case, I order you to see this matter through to the end."
"Father, your son is simply incapable of this!"
Lu Xuanlou refused repeatedly. Even with all the Three Calamities Tycoons of Great Wei deployed, they had failed to slay Song Liancheng; telling him to go kill Song Liancheng was practically sending him off to report to King Yama!
"He who eats the ruler's stipend must share the ruler's burdens. Do you take the salary of Great Wei for free? You must accomplish this task whether you are capable of it or not," Lu Qi declared domineeringly, leaving no room for refusal.
"Father, aren't you making things difficult for an honest man?" Lu Xuanlou said weakly.
"Now you know what it means to make things difficult for others? When you were running amok before, why didn't you realize you were making things difficult for others?"
The Great Wei Emperor Lu Qi retorted irritably, "Rest assured, naturally I would not entrust such an important matter entirely to you."
"Your task is very simple: flush out those restless surviving elders of Song, force Song Liancheng to show himself, and then I will order the Three Calamities Tycoons of Great Wei to strike. After that, your part will be finished."
"So in other words, I am the bait?"
Lu Xuanlou found it hard to believe. Anyone with half a brain knew that being the bait was the most perilous position of all.
"What, unwilling?"
Lu Qi said playfully, "Shall I have the Three Calamities Tycoons of Great Wei serve as the bait instead, and you can go slay Song Liancheng?"
"Then I suppose your son will be the bait after all!"
Though he agreed on the surface, Lu Xuanlou was already calculating his chances of survival. Sensing what was going on in Lu Xuanlou's mind, Lu Qi could not help but say, "Rest assured, you are my son. Even if I do not favor you, I would not send you to your death."
"I will dispatch the Shenwu Guards to protect your safety. As long as Song Liancheng is not hell-bent on killing you, staying alive will not be difficult."
"I truly thank you, Father!"
Although the Great Wei Emperor Lu Qi felt that Lu Xuanlou's choice of words was somewhat eccentric, he did not take it to heart and smiled as he said, "Though we are father and son, we are also ruler and subject. You should address me as Father, and not break protocol."
"There is nothing more for you here. Withdraw."