Everyone was harboring a worry they dared not voice aloud: whether Uncle would betray his own disciple.
The possibility was slim, as betraying either one’s master or one’s disciple was considered a grave violation of the code, punishable by the "three blades and six holes" ritual—a cold, lethal end. Yet, who could truly guarantee that Uncle wouldn't do it?
The master and disciple held diametrically opposed views regarding the blockade of the Duan Canal. If the sub-branch were to follow the Young Lord’s orders and botch the operation, the first target of the Grain Transport Yamen’s retaliation would undoubtedly be Uncle, as the head of the sub-branch. From the very beginning, all actions had been carried out in Uncle’s name; apart from the upper-level leadership, the brothers below had no idea this was the Young Lord’s initiative. To protect himself, might Uncle be blinded by greed or fear?
Chapter 163