Chapter 100: Sacrificing Himself to Set the Trap

“Ah?!”

The old woman’s eyes filled with shock. “If Li Siyuan turns a blind eye, could it be… that the rumors came from the Li family?”

“No.”

Lu Kang’s expression had returned to normal; he said calmly, “Do you not know me, Madam? I move with perfect secrecy—that’s how I’ve reached this point. If I were to transfer my wealth, there would be not a single ripple.”

“The whispers about the hidden escort? I leaked them myself—only to test the Li family’s stance.”

The old woman stared in utter shock. “Master, why did you…?”

Lu Kang waved his hand to cut her off, gazing out the window, a cold smile curling his lips. “I once schemed to bring the Li family to the brink of ruin. Do you think they’d let it go?”

“On the journey, the first few probes—Li Siyuan never moved. I almost thought the matter was over. But he finally slipped up.”

“We are the first layer of disguise; the hidden escort is the second—designed solely to stoke the bandits’ greed. Even if the Niubeiliang bandits had no interest, I would have engineered a false crisis to summon the garrison’s aid.”

“The Regional Military Commissioner Tang Yang has already pledged allegiance to Li Siyuan. He’s been watching my every move. Li Siyuan, to appear magnanimous, hasn’t punished me—but a corrupt official carrying silver home, killed by bandits? He clearly finds that pleasing…”

The old woman struggled to comprehend. “Master, if he hasn’t moved against us, why not return home in peace? Nurture the next generation—Lu family need not decline.”

“Foolish!”

Lu Kang shook his head. “Li Siyuan now holds the reins of Shaizhou’s military and civil authority. Does he need a knife to kill?”

“He doesn’t even need to speak. Sycophants, eager for his favor, will naturally harass the Lu family. I guarantee: for at least two generations, your family won’t produce a single scholar.”

“Without official protection, no matter how much wealth you hold, it will vanish quickly.”

The old woman, well-acquainted with the darkness of officialdom, understood how local officials would stop at nothing to climb higher. Fear gripped her. “Then… what should we do?”

Lu Kang did not answer directly. He looked out the window. “Madam, what do you think of this official inn?”

The old woman replied honestly. “It’s already in ruins.”

Lu Kang nodded. “Since this year, the court has been locked in bitter debate over one matter: opening official inns to merchants, using the fees collected to maintain and repair inns across the realm.”

“These wealthy merchants travel in luxury—they’d never deign to stay in a ruin like this. Their true aim is to elevate the status of merchants.”

“The court’s factions: one side represents the local gentry, insisting agriculture is the foundation; the other, coastal magnates, arguing commerce can enrich the state and should not be suppressed.”

“The Lord Wang I rely on belongs to the local faction. The Li family does too—but they switched sides mid-game, betting all their wealth on overseas ventures. Though it plunged them into peril, it gave them the advantage of timing—and now they hold the upper hand.”

“In truth, even if I had won my position, I doubt I could have held it…”

The old woman suddenly understood. “So Master means the local faction will fall into decline?”

Lu Kang sighed. “There are things you don’t understand. The court is short on funds. The Emperor’s ambitions stretch across the Four Seas—how could he be bound by ancestral rules and rituals?”

“The tide has turned. Under a toppled nest, no egg remains whole.”

The old woman, horrified, trembled. “Master, I’m just a woman—I don’t understand court politics. What should the Lu family do?”

Lu Kang spoke calmly. “I’ve long had a plan.”

“Five years ago, when I was still in office, I helped a fengshui master survive a calamity. To repay the debt, he revealed a secret, superior burial site. After verifying it, I secretly sent men to kill him.”

“That burial site is extraordinary and hidden. After my death, you will secretly bury me there. If managed well, it will protect the Lu family’s wealth for two generations…”

“I will then leak word that I was killed by bandits. The valuables will be stolen. The garrison will intervene. With me dead and the silver gone, the Li family’s anger will subside—they won’t trouble you further…”

“Over the years, I’ve secretly established assets in Qilu. When you return home, once things calm, immediately relocate the family…”

“Xiaowu is older, but with my rise, he’s been surrounded by flatterers. His character is spoiled, outwardly fierce but inwardly weak—unfit for great responsibility.”

“While I’m alive, I can keep him in check. But after I’m gone, he’ll bring disaster. Even the finest fengshui cannot save his fortune. Madam, do not soften your heart when the time comes!”

“Xiaowu is exceptionally clever and patient—he is the Lu family’s hope. I’ve already entrusted friends and old associates. When the time comes, you may send him directly to Mount Tai Academy. Yu’er is gentle, well-read, and courteous. Marry her to a capable sea merchant—let her aid Xiaowu…”

“Jinan Prefecture is rich in scholarly spirit and holds the advantage of a seaport—linking north to Jinmen and south to Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It will be the birthplace of the Lu family’s resurgence!”

As she listened to Lu Kang’s final instructions, the old woman felt her heart and liver tear apart. Tears streamed down her face as she trembled. “Master, why must it be this way? Why must it be this way…?”

Lu Kang smiled calmly. “In ancient times, Qin endured six generations of legacy before unifying Shenzhou. A family’s prosperity is never the work of a single generation. I’ve weathered the tides of officialdom for years—I’m already worn to the bone. Even if I returned home, my days are few. Better to enter the scheme myself, and secure the Lu family’s future.”

He took her hand, smiling. “I was born lowly. I’m fortunate you took pity on me. You never scorned my poverty, so I never betrayed you—every concubine you arranged, I refused.”

“Yet, even at the end, I must burden you. I go first. The Lu family is now yours to guide.”

“Master…”

The old woman could no longer speak—only weep.

Lu Kang said gravely, “Also, the scholar we met yesterday—he hid it well, and his speech and knowledge were refined, but his eyes carried the aura of a bandit. He’s a scout.”

“I will use him as a pawn. Madam, be vigilant.”

He gazed out at the blue sky and white clouds, smiling. “I was born lowly. My whole life has been a struggle against others. But fate was never on my side.”

“Now, with my own body as the pawn, the final move…”

“Twenty years from now, remember to burn paper and tell me the outcome!”

…………

Night fell. The bonfire blazed on the open ground.

Li Yan arranged the small wooden box gifted by Luo Mingzi, taking out its contents one by one: the divination grass split evenly with Wang Daoxuan, the Thunderfire Pill tucked into his robes…

Wang Daoxuan looked worried. “Shouldn’t we leave Qili Pu for now? Hide until things calm down?”

“We can’t run.”

Sha Li-fei arrived from the inn, shaking his head low. “Just heard: a hidden escort near Shili Pu was ambushed. They disguised themselves as villagers—still didn’t escape. All the skilled ones had their heads cut off.”

“The bandits must’ve already descended from Niubeiliang. They’re numerous. Seeing our coffin cart, they’ll strike. Better here—more people, safer.”

At that moment, Wu Mao hurried over, sat by the fire, and sighed. “Li Shaoxia was right—the garrison didn’t send troops…”

Sha Li-fei grinned. “Looks like the Lu man’s dead. We should keep our distance.”

Li Yan said nothing, but looked at Wu Mao.

Wu Mao gave an awkward smile. “Li Shaoxia, don’t worry—if bandits come, I’ll ‘accidentally’ drop the escort. After all, this isn’t our fault.”

Li Yan finally nodded. “Uncle Sha, go get Master Zhou and the others. We’ll form a defensive formation and wait it out.”

Sha Li-fei nodded and sprinted back to the inn.

Soon, the Chunfeng Troupe emerged from the inn. This journey, their families stayed home; all who came knew some martial arts. Master Zhou himself was an expert in Hidden Force. Each carried sticks or weapons, ready to fight.

The group now swelled to over twenty.

Other travelers and merchants also gathered with familiar faces.

They’d heard the news too—but the biggest problem was: bandit spies must be mixed among them. Only trusted companions could be relied upon.

Li Yan’s group sat silently around the fire.

The escort Wu Mao, sensing the oppressive silence, rolled his eyes, unslung his three-stringed zither, and plucked—Dang~ Dang~ Dang~

The sound drew everyone’s attention.

He raised his eyebrows and grinned. “Li Shaoxia, don’t look so grim. The Jianghu is this way: wind one stretch, rain another, fighting and brawling another. Survive these two days, and it’s over.”

“Sorrowing won’t change it. Drinking and singing won’t kill you. When you must fight, fight. When you can laugh, laugh. Why make things harder on yourself?”

“True enough,” Li Yan’s eyes softened slightly. He smiled. “Wu Laoge, you play this?”

Wu Mao winked. “From Yulin. Learned a bit. Otherwise, how’d I pull off this disguise? One poke and I’d be exposed.”

He pressed the strings with his left hand, plucked lightly with his right.

Dang-de-le-dang~ de-er-dang!

To the zither’s playful tune, he squinted and sang:

“At the first watch, the young nun sits calmly in the meditation hall,

Hugging her small wooden fish, bowing to Buddha, offering incense,

In the temple, enduring hardship, chanting Amitabha,

Guarding the mud altar, lit by a lone lamp—how lonely…”

Around the inn, bonfires glowed. The zither’s melody and Shaanbei folk song drifted into the night…

……

On the second floor of the distant inn, a short, stocky man heard the faint song, spat. “Pfft. Even a fool’s got a good mood…”

Beneath the oil lamp, he scribbled furiously—his paper listed suspects in the hidden escort case. Li Yan and Wu Mao were both clearly marked.

After one last glance, he rolled up the paper, blew out the candle, and leapt out the window onto the side tree.

Like a cat, he kicked off the thick trunk, rolled mid-air, and landed silently.

!.

The place was dark and deserted—no one noticed. He slipped through tall grass, followed a dry riverbed, and climbed the hill—swift, silent, vanishing into the night…

…………

Night deepened. Zhongnan Inn.

“Murder!”

The shrill cry woke the entire inn.

“Who is it?!”

Guards Feng Ping and his companion burst out the door—just in time to see a shadow leap over the wall. Their faces paled, but they didn’t chase. Instead, they rushed to Lu Kang’s room—and froze.

The innkeeper, also awakened, arrived with lanterns. He saw the scene inside, his eyes rolled back, and nearly collapsed.

Inside, Lu’s wife and daughter wept uncontrollably.

Lu Kang slumped in his chair, a dagger buried in his chest, his head tilted toward the window—lifeless, eyes empty, neither sorrowful nor joyful…

“It was that scholar!”

Feng Ping roared, remembering Lu Kang’s patronage. He turned to rush out—but saw Lu’s wife fainted. He gritted his teeth. “Cheng Si, Wang Da—you chase him. The rest, protect the Lady!”

“Yes!”

Two guards vanished into the night.

Feng Ping’s right hand trembled as he stepped forward and closed Lu Kang’s eyes.

He gritted his teeth, blaming himself endlessly, thinking: the old master had been shrewd all his life—how could he have been deceived by that scholar, swayed by a few words into taking him as a bosom friend, even staying up all night to talk by candlelight?

I should have stayed by his side…

…………

“Hahaha!”

In the night along the ancient road, two swift horses raced like the wind.

On their backs were unmistakably the two bandit spies from the inn.

“Third Brother, no—Master, your wisdom is unmatched!”

“Hmph, that old fox—he still fell right into my palm. With this list, not a single covert escort will escape!”

“Master, that… we killed the Left Censor. What if—”

“No ‘what ifs.’ Lu’s men begged the garrison for aid, but no troops came. Frustrated, he got drunk and confided in me—otherwise, how would I have moved ahead of schedule? Don’t you see—”

“It wasn’t us who wanted him dead… Hahaha!”

“Hurry! Send the carrier pigeon—tell Brother One to strike tonight!”

Whoosh!

The carrier pigeon spread its wings and vanished into the night.

Normally, carrier pigeons are active by day and return to roost at night; any pigeon capable of flying and delivering messages after dark has been specially trained.

Those who master this art are invariably experts.

What they didn’t know was that in the stable behind the post station, another carrier pigeon, under cover of night, flew toward the encampment’s garrison post…

…………

Deep into the night, the campfire crackled.

It was now the hour of Chou; around the Changfeng Inn, many who had been tense all night could no longer fight sleep and sank into heavy slumber.

Still, under these conditions, no one dared to be careless—nearly every group kept a night watchman, and even set up warning traps in the darkness farther out.

All were martial arts tactics, serving only one purpose: to sound the alarm.

Li Yan had dozed off during the first half of the night; now wide awake, he sat by the fire, the Guanshan blade resting on his knees, eyes closed as if napping.

Suddenly, he sniffed the air, sprang to his feet, and struck the Yunlei Divine Drum with hidden force.

Dong!

The drumbeat echoed like a thunderclap in the dark, jolting everyone awake.

“Bandits are coming down the mountain! Fight for your lives if you don’t want to die!”

Li Yan roared, then signaled his group to go on alert.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Many from other groups jolted awake, frantically drawing their blades, staring wildly around: “Where are the bandits? Where are they?”

But the surrounding hills and fields were pitch black—nothing could be seen.

From a distant group, a caravan man, tense for a moment, saw no movement and cursed: “No one’s there! Damn it—who’s yelling nonsense—”

Shhh!

Before he finished speaking, an arrow shot from the darkness, piercing straight through his eye socket into his brain.

The man didn’t even groan—he collapsed, stiff as a board.

“Bandits are here! Watch out for hidden projectiles!”

This finally set off a full-blown panic.

Like a signal, arrows rained from all directions in the dark, as if they were surrounded by an army.

Fortunately, many groups had prepared in advance—some raised wooden boards, others held up iron cauldrons to block the arrows from the shadows.

Li Yan’s group was even better prepared.

Master Zhou had the Chunfeng Troupe dismantle the lids of their trunk boxes and used them to shield all sides.

But under the current situation, they could only endure the attacks passively.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and whispered: “Uncle Sha, guard the group—there aren’t many archers hiding in the dark. I’ll go kill them.”

Saying this, he immediately stepped back and vanished into the darkness.

Soon, several screams echoed from across the way…

(End of Chapter)