Setting sail.
The ship swayed gently. In an ordinary cabin, over a dozen black-clad figures stood with bowed heads in solemn silence. A woman in purple robes sat on a three-sided couch, at the center of which rested a carved low table. Upon it was a porcelain cup, white as mutton fat, filled with amber-colored medicinal brew, its steam curling upward.
Her slender fingers, adorned with crimson nail polish, lightly tapped the table’s surface. After a long while, she finally lifted her red lips and took a delicate sip from the cup. The bitterness spread across her tongue, so intense that it eventually gave way to a sweet aftertaste—a sensation so exquisite that no amount of sugar could compare. Those who were overwhelmed by the initial bitterness would never have the chance to savor this hidden delight.
The woman slowly finished the cup of medicine, and only then did the attendant beside her dare to speak. “Master, the Shadow Wraith who took Cui Yichen’s name has been killed—by the Crane Control Army.”
“That waste only died now?” The woman wiped her lips with a handkerchief, her dark brows arching slightly. “It seems the Crane Control Army truly exists in name only.”
Tucking the handkerchief into her sleeve, she asked, “What of the Madman?”
“He’s in the lower hold, accompanied by Lu Danzhi.” The attendant quickly added, “Lu Danzhi is also known as Cui Huyai, the younger brother of Cui Huling. Years ago, for unknown reasons, he severed ties with the Cui family. Though his talent is worlds apart from his brother’s, he is highly skilled in extraordinary techniques.”
The woman stroked her crimson nails thoughtfully, murmuring, “So, there was a fish that slipped through the net.”
“Master, there is also news regarding the Lou and Mei families.” The attendant kept his head lowered. When no response came, he continued, “Lou Mingyue, originally the designated future head of the Lou family, has joined the Crane Control Army. The position of family head has fallen to Lou Xiaowu. As for the Mei family, their new head is Mei Zhengjing, and they have rebuilt their presence in Bianjing. The Shadow Wraith seeks your instruction—should we eliminate them root and branch?”
“No need.” Her tone was indifferent.
The attendant was inwardly astonished. This was entirely unlike his master’s usual ruthless methods. She had never been one to show mercy, let alone spare a lineage of the Crane Controlling Families.
“No word on Elder Zhi of the Mei family?” she asked.
“Elder Zhi has yet to be released,” the attendant replied.
“Hmph. That old fox—let’s see how long he can hide.” Her fingers traced the porcelain cup, pressing harder until faint cracking sounds emerged. Only then did she relent.
A faint smile curled her lips. “Have Wei Yuzhi strike a deal with the Emperor of the Great Song—trade Yun Daozhang’s whereabouts for Elder Zhi.”
Legend had it that Yun Daozhang had attained an immortal body, wandering the world and often cultivating atop lofty peaks or amidst sea-like clouds. The Emperor had dispatched men multiple times to seek traces of the immortal, but all efforts had been in vain. Once merely the abbot of an obscure little temple, Yun Daozhang had gained fame five years prior during a great famine in Lizhou Circuit, where he miraculously conjured a Grain Mountain out of thin air before summoning rain to alleviate the drought.
On another occasion, passing through Jiangning Prefecture, he divined an impending catastrophe for a riverside village and promptly warned the local magistrate.At that time, Jiangning was in the midst of the rainy season, and the village was right by the embankment. The prefect immediately thought of a "breach" and broke out in a cold sweat. The embankment had just been repaired at the end of the year, so even with heavy rainfall, it was unlikely to fail. But if it did breach, the entire Jiangning Prefecture would be affected. So, deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, the prefect personally led a team to inspect it urgently. Upon arrival, they found the embankment on the verge of collapse. Water had already overflowed, and everyone watched helplessly as the riverbank was about to give way. The prefect quickly evacuated nearby villagers. In the end, the embankment did breach, but thanks to the early preparations, casualties were minimal.
After the incident, villagers along the river wanted to build a shrine for Yun Daozhang, but he dissuaded them. Yun Daozhang said he had revealed heavenly secrets and must bear divine punishment, not accepting any credit.
From then on, Yun Daozhang disappeared without a trace, and his deeds were passed down through word of mouth, growing more and more legendary.
The woman in purple stood up and straightened her clothes. Thinking of something pleasant, she suddenly smiled, radiant as spring flowers. "I'm going out for a walk. Don’t follow me."
"Yes."
Absolute obedience—no one dared to dissuade her, nor was there any need to.
Though young, she knew exactly what to do and what not to do. Like this trip to the Song Dynasty, she had made thorough preparations. Her schemes against the Song were planned over a decade ahead. Unless she ordered otherwise, the Shadow Wraiths would continue executing them, even after her death.
The boat sailed for three hours, and dusk deepened.
An Jiu sensed many highly skilled martial artists on board, so she and Chu Dingjiang stayed quietly in their room, observing the situation.
Since the imperial court imposed certain restrictions on weapons, especially within Bianjing, martial artists who never parted with their weapons would never gather in the capital en masse. The guards and retainers of the city’s nobility were generally below the fourth rank, while most high-level martial artists were in the Crane Control Army. The sudden appearance of numerous seventh- and eighth-rank experts on this boat was highly unusual.
At dinner, the two went out together.
Cooking on the boat was inconvenient, so provisions were limited. The boatmen didn’t provide hot meals for those in the lower cabins, but passengers who could afford cabins usually brought maids or servants. The boatmen prepared meals for each cabin and waited for them to be collected. (To be continued...)
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