The night was already deep. In the General Command Office in Yun City, the room assigned to Liu Su was still brightly lit. He was still busy reviewing official documents when suddenly a knock came from the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in." Liu Su examined the official reports before him by the candlelight, noticing that the intelligence coming out of Jiyun Province bore little resemblance to the reports he had gathered through private channels.
"My lord, it is so late; you should rest," a graceful and pretty woman said as she walked in carrying a bowl of meat broth.
"Oh, Xiaolan. Just set the broth down. I am not tired yet, there is no rush to rest," Liu Su said, looking up at the spy he had cultivated over many years, his gaze softening somewhat.
"My lord, Jiyun Province is in the cold north, and the nights are chilly. Would you like this handmaiden to warm your bed first so you can rest comfortably later?"
"..." Liu Su narrowed his eyes, stared at Xiaolan for a long time, and asked, "Liu Lan, how many years has it been since I took you in?"
Hearing Liu Su use her full name, Liu Lan couldn't help trembling all over. Knowing that Liu Su was displeased, she said cautiously, "My lord, ever since this humble girl was taken in by you at the age of twelve, it has been twelve years."
Liu Su rubbed the bridge of his nose, let out a long sigh, and said, "I have raised you for twelve years, and I have long regarded you as my own daughter. Between you and me, there is only the bond of master and servant, the affection of father and daughter, and no other desires. Do you understand, Xiaolan?"
"But ever since I began following you these past dozen years, my lord, you have had no one by your side, and you have carried such a heavy burden."
Liu Lan stole a glance at Liu Su and, seeing no sign of anger, continued, "If my lord wished for me to use my skills as a spy to please others, I would gladly do so. Yet in all these years, every other woman you took in has been sent away on assignments, leaving only me with nothing to do."
"Do you not feel that I am of no value, my lord?"
"Hmph, nonsense!"
Liu Su slammed his hand onto the desk and said, "Our bond as master and servant is deep, and our affection as father and daughter is profound. Although I initially took you in to train you as a spy, over the years there have been more than enough others for that. You were the first child I adopted, and now I simply cannot bear to send you down a path of no return."
"Sometimes I think perhaps I should let you leave, find a decent family to marry into, and live out your life in peace instead of spending every day as a spy living in fear. What do you think?"
Hearing Liu Su's words, Xiaolan's expression dimmed, but unwilling to give up, she asked one final question, "Can Xiaolan truly never stay by your lord's side forever? I have no feelings for any other man; I only wish to stay by your lord's side."
"Hahaha, what would you want staying beside an old codger like me with one foot in the grave? Off with you now, and put such thoughts out of your head for good."
With a final, yearning look, Xiaolan saw that Liu Su's mind was completely made up, and she could only murmur her assent and withdraw.
Liu Su's decrees had been in effect throughout Jiyun Province for three years. During this time, the prominent clans in many of Jiyun Province's major cities had been severely shaken, and wealthy merchants and powerful local gentry had also suffered harsh blows.
The three great clans of Guining City were among those targeted. Liu Su cared not a whit which families were struck. A short time ago, a pawn of his back in Guining City had sent word, offering to present the wealth plundered from the suppressed major clans as a tribute to Liu Su in exchange for his continued support in the region.
After pondering for a good while, Liu Su finally remembered that a traitor of the Su Clan had indeed sent him one half of the Kunlun Yin-Yang Jade Pendant, hoping to use his influence to take revenge on the Su Clan of Guining. At the time, he had given his tacit approval. Now that he thought about it, their efforts must have borne fruit.
That jade pendant was quite fine—an artifact bestowed by the dynastic founder himself—and he certainly saw its value as a collector's item. But as for this Su Clan of Guining... over a hundred years ago, which of their ancestors was it again?
It must have been Su Zhe, General Su who once commanded the troops in northern Jiyun Province, right? But later the Su Clan declined, lacking the strength to make a name for themselves at the capital, and instead planted roots in Guining City within Jiyun Province, where their founding ancestor had won his merits. This time, they had simply been swept up by Liu Su alongside the other local gentry.
With Liu Su pressing down from above over the past three years, the Su and Li clans of Guining City had indeed grown weaker with each passing year. Though they had not entirely fallen apart, their businesses were suppressed, and their profits were steadily siphoned away by rivals. To make no profit was equivalent to suffering losses.
"Alas, at this rate, I fear our clan will be on a downward spiral in another three to five years."
"The decrees targeting our local gentry have only been enforced for three years. Look, there isn't much time left; if we just hold on a little longer, we'll get through it."
"The Provincial Governor's decrees may be in effect for three years, but that traitor won't let us off so easily. Never mind three years; he'd make things difficult for us for thirteen." Su Liangchen, who was currently laboring over clan affairs, had begun to sprout white threads in his hair, though his spirits today were still fair.
"Master! Master!" A servant rushed in looking somewhat flustered. Su Liangchen's expression tightened, and he demanded, "What is it?"
"Master..." The servant hurried forward, whispering a few words into Su Liangchen's ear. Su Liangchen's previously calm face suddenly twisted with rage, and he cursed in a low voice, "That bastard Su Luo, resorting to such despicable tricks!"
"What has happened?" Su Liangming, Su Liangchen's elder brother who shared the room, asked hastily upon seeing his younger brother's unsightly expression.
"Yú'ér and Qingping went to the temple to pray, and on their way back they were waylaid by men sent by that scoundrel Su Luo. Fortunately, Yú'ér acted in time, and now they are safe and sound."
An hour ago, Su Yú'ér had accompanied her mother, Li Qingping, to burn incense and pray at the temple, beseeching the deities to bless the clan and keep them safe. Although her mother had often visited this temple to pray in the past, today Su Yú'ér had insisted on coming along no matter what.
Unable to withstand Su Yú'ér's persistent entreaties, Li Qingping had finally agreed. In truth, Su Yú'ér had known that something was bound to happen today, which was why she had resolved to go out with her mother to prevent the adversary's scheme from succeeding.
The two of them traveled all the way to the temple outside the city, finished offering their incense, and encountered no mishaps on the outward journey. But on the return trip, as they passed through a wooded area, a band of men dressed in tight black clothes and wearing face masks suddenly leaped out from the roadside. Without a word, they drew their blades and charged directly at Li Qingping and her daughter.
Although the two of them had brought household servants, there were only ten in total. Even with the mother and daughter ringed tightly in the center for protection, they were no match for the more than thirty men in black, a clear indication of how much effort the perpetrators had expended in plotting to kidnap or assassinate Su Yú'ér and Li Qingping.
At first, their guards managed to put up a fight to thwart the enemy, but two fists could never conquer four hands. In less than a quarter of an hour, the family's servants found themselves in dire peril, on the verge of perishing beneath the blades of the men in black. At that critical juncture, Su Yú'ér dropped all pretense, drew her own treasured sword, and stepped into the fray.
With a single sword in hand, Su Yú'ér merely raised it slightly to achieve a pace of a kill with every step. Within the span of a few breaths, the ground was littered with corpses.