Book 5 Chap 4 – No route for advance or retreat
After breakfast, Xiang Shaolong went to see Master Wu and his son but he did not see Wu Zhuo and Tao Fang.
He remembered the suspicious Chu who was in contact with Zhao Mu and knows that those two must be away because of this matter.
When he reported the situation last night when he saw Zhuji, Master Wu and his son turned somber.
Wu Yingyuan furrowed his brows and said, “This woman is extremely formidable, no man can escape her allure. But why is Guo Kai so bold, the servants there should all belong to Zhao Mu, so how can he hide his visits from Zhao Mu?”
Master Wu replied, “Zhao Mu allowd Guo Kai to handle a lot of matters for him, for all you know those people there are all placed by Guo Kai. That’s why he can steal what he’s supposed to protect without any fear at all.”
He turned towards Xiang Shaolong and said, “The 2 new family warriors you recruited are rare talents. Treat them well, wealth and women, just give it to them.”
Xiang Shaolong replied, “I understand!” but he secretly thought to himself that a relationship based on such material goods, how can it sustain?
Wu Yingyuan replied, “It seems that Shaolong can easily smuggle them out now, the question is how to leave Handan and avoid the pursuing soldiers along the way?” He paused and asked suspiciously, “Isn’t this a little too easy!”
Xiang Shaolong was only worried about the other aspect, “Our Wu family has such an extended family, easily more than a thousand, how can we escape out of Zhao?”
Wu Yingyuan smiled, “I’ve arranged for this since 2 years ago. The Wu family has business all over the world, so all along there’s always been people who were sent to other areas to take care of business and the farms. Recently, with the excuse of setting up a new farm, even Tingwei has been sent out, in case he lets slip of our plans when he’s out merrymaking.
Xiang Shaolong was suddenly enlightened, no wonder he have not seen Wu Tingwei. He asked, “Since the King of Zhao is aware of father-in-law and Lu Buwei’s being in correspondence, and now that we keep sending our family people out of Handan, how can he not be suspicious?”
Wu Yingyuan replied, “They can only suspect! They have never gathered any concrete proof. Besides, both the Guo family and us have connections with the various powerful people in other states and sometimes we even helped the King of Zhao in overseas secret missions. If not for Zhao Mu fanning the flames at the side, what’s the big deal about having relations with Lu Buwei?”
Xiang Shaolong is even more perplexed, “Why is Zhao Mu so intent on getting rid of the Wu family?”
Master Wu slapped on the table and exclaimed angrily, “It’s all because of that fellow Guo Zhong who caused all these. I don’t know how he managed to find out that one of our family ancestors is a Qin, and investigated that the family name Wu is a major family name over at the Qin side, that’s why the King of Zhao’s suspicions of us grew day by day. Zhao Mu is just following the King of Zhao’s wishes and taking the opportunity to trample us!”
Only now did Xiang Shaolong manage to find out what happened.
Wu Yingyuan returned to the earlier topic, “Since Guo Kai has secretly entangled himself with Zhuji, we have to think of a way to make use of this matter to affect the relationship between Guo Kai and Zhao Mu. Without Guo Kai around to give nasty ideas to Zhao Mu, it’ll be easier to handle Zhao Mu.”
The corners of Master Wu’s lips revealed a slight mysterious smile as he said, “We’ll talk about this later.” He turned towards Xiang Shaolong and said, “You better think of a more concrete plan so that you can strengthen Zhuji’s confidence when you see her tonight, then it’ll be easier to cooperate in future.”
At this time a servant came to report that there’s a guest looking for Xiang Shaolong.
Xiang Shaolong was feeling perplexed, who could be looking for him?
By now Xiang Shaolong’s status in the Wu family is even greater than before, and is obviously the most important person after Master Wu and Wu Yingyuan, so he received the guest in the main hall of the main mansion.
He went to the hall, and his visitors turned out to be the old family warriors of Prince Shaoyuan, Liu Cao and Pu Bu.
Xiang Shaolong came forward joyfully and helped the 2 of them up, asking with a mixture of surprise and joy, “I’ve been waiting for you to arrive everyday, and finally my wait is over.”
The 2 of them saw how Xiang Shaolong holds them in such high regard and were so grateful that hot tears welled in their eyes.
Xiang Shaolong asked about the situation in Daliang.
It turns out that ever since Xiang Shaolong escaped out of Prince Xinling’s residence, Prince Xinling has been livid. After he found out that besides the front section of the ‘Lu Gong’s Secret Manual’, the rest has been swapped and stolen, he was so upset he almost committed suicide. He even suspected his sister Lady Pingyuan had leaked the news to Xiang Shaolong and started behaving coldly towards her and her son.
Because of this Prince Shaoyuan became very bad tempered and kept on scolding and beating his family warriors. Pu Bu and the rest took the opportunity to resign.
Without the support of Prince Xinling, Prince Shaoyuan faces the difficulty of supporting 200 odd family warriors so he might as well dismiss them. Therefore Pu Bu and 40 odd other men returned to Handan.
They are familiar with the surroundings here and after finding out that Xiang Shaolong is safe, came to find him immediately.
Xiang Shaolong suddenly has an idea and after summoning someone to borrow from Wu Yingyuan a large sum of money, he stuffed the money to the 2 of them and said, “Find a place to settle down but you must remember not to reveal your relations with me. Have fun and make merry all you can, when I need your help, I will look for you.”
The 2 of them knew that he is now in a life and death fight with Xhao Mu and on hearing what he said, understood his meaning. They also saw that he is 10 times more generous than Prince Shaoyuan but his character is a 100 times better, so obviously they will want to follow him loyally.
Liu Cao said, “We’re very popular in Handan, and now that we’ve officially left the Pingyuan Residence, why don’t we pretend to throw in our lots with Zhao Mu’s devious faction so we can become your eyes and ears.”
Xiang Shaolong secretly thought that this is indeed a good idea, who would have thought that the family warriors of Pingyuan Residence who used to be his enemies would now belong to him. They discussed who they should align themselves with and decided on how to make contact before the 2 of them left happily.
Xiang Shaolong felt more relieved and went to look for Teng Yi. Seeing that he was training the warriors of the Wu family, he thought of the idea of the special task force and told him, “See if my suggestion is doable, among these 2000 warriors, choose about 100 of the best and name them ‘Superior Troops’. Bring them to the farm and train them separately, let them learn the various different skills. If every one of them has half the skills of you and Jing Jun, it won’t be an impossible task when the time comes to force our way into the hostage residence to save people.”
At first Teng Yi furrowed his brows deeply when he heard that, secretly thinking how can a hundred people accomplish anything great, until Xiang Shaolong explained the method of keeping the strong and eliminating the weak as well as the strict training he underwent while in the special task force. This extremely experienced and ferocious warrior had to admit defeat and say, “This is the first time I’ve heard of such training methods, Shaolong you’re absolutely an incomparable military genius. War in your hands has become a form of art.”
Xiang Shaolong secretly laughed, if he can change the sabers, swords and arrows into guns and cannons, just this ancient special task force will be able to conquer the 6 states and unify the world. By then would he need to fear a mere Zhao Mu.
The 2 of them discussed in detail the methods of training and equipment needed before Xiang Shaolong led Jing Jun and that 10 personal bodyguards towards Lady Ya’s residence.
While riding on the road, Xiang Shaolong thought of the missing Mei Canniang and had the urge to immediately turn his horse around and go to Mulberry Village to take a look for himself.
He then remembered Ji Yanran at faraway Daliang, and for a moment was helplessly filled with sadness.
Jing Jun who was riding alongside him was looking at his surroundings and looking at the pedestrians on the streets, he suddenly said earnestly, “Xiao Jun is very grateful towards Brother Xiang and Brother Teng. Without both of you who brought me to such an exciting and fun place, I don’t know how I am going to spend my life?”
Xiang Shaolong cast aside his troubles and said with a laugh, “But it may also cause you to lose your life!”
Jing Jun grinned and said suavely, “Then I can only accept my fate! Precisely because of this danger that I may lose my life anytime, it makes fun time with beauties all the more interesting. That feeling is just like when I was 5 years old and the first time I helped my father hunt tigers.”
Xiang Shaolong asked hoarsely, “A 5 year old kid can’t even walk steadily, what help can you render?”
Jing Jun laughed as well, “That I forgot, I only remember when the ferocious tiger fell into the trap, the horrible roars were so frightening that I peed in my pants.”
Xiang Shaolong can’t help but chortle loudly, his sadness momentarily forgotten.
Behind them hoof beats were heard.
Everyone turned their heads back in unison on hearing it.
A horse came nearer, the rider’s cloak covering the whole head and for a moment they can’t see the face clearly. Only when it got near did they recognize the person.
Jing Jun’s eyes brightened immediately.
Xiang Shaolong was slightly surprised as he called out, “Where is Miss Zhi going?”
Zhao Zhi slowed her horse down and went to Xiang Shaolong’s other side, turned her face towards him and looked at him frostily, “Where is Commander going then?”
It’s finally time to leave this great ancient city.