Chapter 521 – Battle on Three Fronts (Part 5)
Silence enveloped the surroundings, and a slight chill swept through a corner outside Xiangyang City, causing all the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.
Ta Xue, dressed in female camp attire, waited in the shadows for a while when suddenly, rustling sounds came from the nearby grass.
Before long, a small figure wrapped in heavy black cloth emerged from the thicket.
This strange individual was remarkably short, standing only slightly taller than the lush grass surrounding him. If he bent down, he would be completely hidden. He moved cautiously towards Ta Xue, letting out a peculiar, chuckling sound from his throat.
With a raspy, jarring voice, he commented in a bizarre tone, “A lady as precious as a princess is hard to meet, isn’t she?”
Ta Xue, leaning against the city wall, dropped her arms from her chest and tossed a bundle toward the man.
“Here’s what you wanted—take it and scram,” Ta Xue said, tossing the item into the man’s arms and preparing to leave.
“Wait, young lady!” the short man cackled, his voice taking on an odd inflection as he asked, “I’ve heard that Xiangyang is rich beyond measure, even the priceless Colored Glaze Artifacts flow out from here… After serving that young master for so many years, don’t tell me you haven’t heard a whisper of useful news? All you seem to bring back are useless trinkets fit for beggars!”
Ta Xue shot him a sideways glance, coldly looking down at the man. “I typically don’t pay attention to beggars. If they dare to pester me, they’ll end up in a tragic state. Let me ask you this: if you’re a beggar, how should I deal with you? I’m just a mere maidservant to her; I can’t breach places like the study, much less obtain anything of value. I’ve done my best…”
Seeing that Ta Xue was getting annoyed, the man tried to soothe her, “Don’t get mad, young lady. I’m left with no choice! You know well that you haven’t returned much useful information over the years. Those above are furious. If you keep slacking off, we’ll both be in trouble. I think you wouldn’t want your beautiful sister to end up in that kind of place, would you?”
Ta Xue scoffed, saying coldly, “You really are useless, threatening me over and over like this.”
The man laughed maliciously and shamelessly replied, “No matter how old the trick, it works! I’ve heard that Liu Xi treats you rather well. If he takes you as a concubine, and you bear him a son or daughter, considering your master-servant bond, you’ll have a decent life. You’re my only leverage with your sister; if I don’t hold onto her tightly, savvy as you are, you won’t sell your soul for me!”
Ta Xue displayed a look of disdain, lowering her head as if pondering the man’s words, weighing her options.
The man continued, “Alright, I’ve heard that the Colored Glaze Artifacts are priceless and belong to Lord Xu from the interior, something mere mortals cannot touch, and now they’re all being bought by those barbarians from the North with heavy gold. I don’t expect you to fetch me Colored Glaze Artifacts, but you must find a way to get the crafting method for that blue brick. Don’t tell me that after all these years by Liu Xi’s side, you can’t manage even this?”
Ta Xue bit her lip, showing signs of struggle, as if engaged in an inner battle.
After some time, she replied, “I’ll do my best, but I can’t guarantee I’ll get it. You know Liu Xi’s level of vigilance; she trusts no one but herself. Even I don’t have access to all her secrets. The crafting method for the blue brick is probably hidden away in secret. I can only say I’ll try… Let’s say you come back in six months…”
“Six months?” The man’s voice suddenly rose.
Ta Xue smirked coldly, “Six months is already tight. Liu Xi isn’t the gullible kid she used to be; she’s wise like an old fox. Any hint of abnormality will raise her suspicions. If I’m exposed, then your last available piece in her domain is finished. Who will relay her messages to you? Xun Mei has already been turned; don’t expect her to help anymore.”
The man hesitated, feeling that six months might be too long.
Ta Xue added, “Currently, she takes me everywhere. The guards at the county office are stringent. If it weren’t for her being out on this expedition, I wouldn’t have found the opportunity to meet you! Six months is already quite a challenge; if that’s too long for you, arrange your own pawn!”
The man nearly choked on his own words in disbelief.
If it were that easy to place a pawn, would they have only two people—Ta Xue and Xun Mei—after all these years?
Xun Mei had long since clung to Liu Xi’s leg, marrying off into propriety.
Luckily, Xun Mei didn’t know any important confidential information; otherwise, she wouldn’t still be alive.
But Ta Xue was different, ruthless and cunning, smart enough to have done plenty of their dirty work.
Such talents are hard to come by; those who can evade Liu Zhi’s keen eyes are rarer still.
Though Liu Zhi had been in despair after the death of his beloved wife, his oversight of the back courtyard was no joke, and he had quietly eliminated any excessive spies as if they were nothing, one after another, leaving behind gruesome scenes, his methods vicious.
This was clearly him channeling his frustration over his wife’s death into exterminating these pawns.
Even when Liu Zhi went to Hujun, the Liu Residence still had Gu Zhen and Lady Die keeping a tight watch, leaky as a sieve.
To maintain these two pawns, he had invested considerable effort.
Now, having to give up Ta Xue was something he wouldn’t accept.
“Fine, I’ll give you six months; you must get the blue brick crafting method,” the man stated.
Ta Xue nodded, her previously cold expression softening a bit.
Before leaving, she hesitated and asked, “How is my sister doing these days?”
The man replied irately, “Her life isn’t much worse than a princess’s; she’s doing just fine.”
“That’s good to hear.” Ta Xue sighed with relief.
Before departing, the man asked again, “Are there really no other daughters in the Liu Residence?”
Ta Xue replied, expression unchanged, “No, there’s only the illegitimate daughter, who’s already married into the imperial family, right?”
The man muttered to himself and took the small package Ta Xue had given him before leaving.
As he departed, he didn’t forget to issue a warning.
“Ta Xue, we’ve known each other for over ten years; let’s be clear about something we both know: don’t be foolish like Xun Mei. We must remain loyal to our Master if we want to savor good days ahead. Remember, we’re the most obedient dogs to our Master. If she tells us to bark, then we can bark; otherwise, it’s just mindless howling, and that’s the behavior of mad dogs. Don’t let Liu Xi win you over…”
After saying that, the man slipped back into the grass.
The night wind blew, concealing Ta Xue’s cunning and chilling expression.
“Who said I owe my loyalty to your master or Liu Xi…?”
After a long pause, a trace of distant mockery vanished into the night wind.
