Chapter 634: - Getting Things Done, Conducting Yourself

Yingdu.

Hidden Bamboo Pavilion.

It was one of Prince Cheng Residence’s properties, a quiet restaurant that practiced the art of hiding in plain sight.

Marquis Pingxi owned no property in Yingdu, and staying at a relay station would have looked a little shabby, so this place had been chosen for his lodging.

Clearing the premises was a necessity. For the duration of his stay, Hidden Bamboo Pavilion would have only one guest: Marquis Pingxi.

Truthfully, if one judged the matter purely by ordinary human relations, what had happened was rather improper.

They had invited you here.

They had invited you to stay in their property.

And in return, you slapped them across the left cheek, then turned their face and slapped the right one too.

But politics was politics, and personal relations were personal relations. After Marquis Zheng moved in, he felt no discomfort whatsoever.

Look at it from another angle.

Were not the properties beneath Prince Cheng Residence all built from the blood and sweat of the common people? He had come to Yingdu and stabilized the situation so those same common people could live and work in peace. Surely it was only natural that they contribute a little tax revenue toward entertaining him?

Still, the music and dancing for which Hidden Bamboo Pavilion was famous were naturally absent.

First, Marquis Pingxi had never cared much for that sort of entertainment. Second, this was not the Marquis Residence, and Yingdu had only just suffered an assassination. How could large numbers of outsiders possibly be allowed to come and go?

So the heated room remained quiet and secluded.

Only the charcoal brazier occasionally sent a spark or two flying into the air.

Marquis Zheng lay on the couch in his usual Ge You Slouch, dozing lightly.

Below him, Gou Moli sat behind a small table with a large pile of case files spread before him.

Hero Chen crouched beside the brazier roasting potatoes. He was quite fond of them.

The Sword Saint had long since settled into a corner with a fur blanket draped over him. His breathing was slow and even. He was plainly asleep.

After a while, He Chunlai came in and asked quietly:

“Marquis, would you like a late-night meal?”

Zheng Fan kept his eyes closed and shook his head slightly.

He Chunlai then looked toward Gou Moli.

Gou Moli smiled and pointed at the potatoes Hero Chen was roasting.

If Marquis Zheng was the sort who, whenever circumstances allowed, insisted that food be as refined and meticulously prepared as possible, then the Savage King genuinely had almost no requirements whatsoever when it came to eating and drinking.

He Chunlai understood and prepared to leave.

Gou Moli waved him back.

“Take a look too. Mr. Bei said you’ve started learning how to handle affairs from him.”

As he spoke, Gou Moli pushed the files toward He Chunlai’s side of the table.

He Chunlai really had begun studying under the Blind Man whenever he was not cooking.

Before this, he had thought himself reasonably capable of getting things done. After all, he had once been a mid-level leader in one of the righteous resistance organizations.

Only after studying under the Blind Man did he discover that what he had once run could not even be called a proper makeshift operation.

At last, he had learned what it meant for there always to be someone beyond you, and another heaven beyond the heavens.

He Chunlai had already read these files on the road.

“Make a table and draw some lines between them,” Gou Moli said. “Among the people poisoned to death, see what differences you can find. The masters behind each household, their patrons, that sort of thing.”

He Chunlai understood immediately.

“You think the assassins’ target wasn’t the Fifth Prince at all, but the people truly intended to die were those poisoned by the wine?”

Gou Moli shook his head.

“You are Mr. Bei’s student.”

He Chunlai visibly brightened at those words.

“So I can teach you something. Most things in this world are not like a table, where there is an upper side and a lower side. More often, they are like chopsticks. Two sticks are held together.”

He Chunlai nodded.

“I understand. Thank you for the lesson.”

“So in my view, there is no contradiction between the Fifth Prince being attacked and the poisoning. There was already a natural separation between the two. The Fifth Prince had offered sacrifices to Heaven for the disaster victims. He had burned incense, bathed, eaten vegetarian food, and abstained from pleasures. At a public occasion, there was no possibility he would drink wine. So the poisoned wine was not prepared for him. But the assassination afterward was aimed directly at him. Two things that happened together may have served two different purposes, and those two purposes may ultimately benefit the same person.”

He Chunlai said:

“Suddenly everything in my head feels much clearer.”

Gou Moli pointed at the files.

“Start looking. Divide the dead more carefully. With this many people killed, some of them were definitely there only to die as cover. Remove those first. Then look for clues among the people who absolutely had to die.”

At that moment, Marquis Zheng spoke from the couch without opening his eyes:

“Sometimes, the reason so many people are killed is precisely to hide the person they truly wanted dead.”

Gou Moli immediately answered:

“Marquis is wise. Straight to the heart of it.”

Then he turned to He Chunlai.

“Go work.”

“All right.”

He Chunlai gathered the files, moved to the corner on the other side of the room, and sat beside a candle to begin his analysis.

He had once been active in Yingdu. As someone who had lived underground, he could often see the tangled relationships on the surface more clearly than people standing within them.

Once the work had been handed off, Gou Moli went over to Hero Chen and took a roasted potato from him.

It was painfully hot, so he had to keep tossing it from his left hand to his right while slowly circling the brazier.

Hero Chen, still crouched beside the fire, said irritably:

“You know it’s hot. Why not wait until it cools before picking it up?”

Gou Moli stopped.

He turned toward Hero Chen.

Hero Chen blinked.

“That’s it.”

Gou Moli gave a startled cry and hurried to the couch.

“Marquis, this subordinate has figured something out.”

Marquis Zheng, still with his eyes closed, lifted one hand.

“Speak.”

“Could the person behind the assassins have anticipated what everyone would do afterward?”

“For example?”

“For example, that Yingdu’s powerful families would invite you here to take charge and steady the situation.”

“And?”

“And perhaps the person behind the assassins could even predict what you would do once you arrived.”

At that point, Gou Moli suddenly dropped to his knees.

He set the roasted potato aside, kowtowed respectfully, and said:

“No. More precisely, the person behind this should have predicted long ago what this subordinate would advise you to do. But Marquis, your eyes are like torches. You saw through everything in advance. That is why you deliberately refused to follow this subordinate’s proposal. You did it precisely to frustrate the mastermind’s plan. Marquis, your foresight runs deep. This subordinate admires you!”

Marquis Zheng opened his eyes.

He turned his head and looked at Gou Moli kneeling below the couch.

“What?”

“Yes, Marquis. The attempt on the Fifth Prince’s life was the bait. No matter how many Yingdu dignitaries died, it would never have been enough to disturb you. You are a Marquis raised through military merit. Without a major affair, you should not leave your territory. But the Fifth Prince carries Ji Clan blood. The moment his safety was threatened, every side would inevitably be shaken. With the Prince of Jingnan withdrawn into Litian City and everyone knowing perfectly well that no one can invite him out, only you could come to this former imperial capital and steady the situation. The Fifth Prince was attacked precisely to bring you here and make you take the next step they wanted. And that step was exactly the advice this subordinate gave you: loosen the restraints on Prince Cheng Residence.”

Zheng Fan did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“That’s a stretch...”

“Stretch past the fog and past our own assumptions, and the matter really does become clear.” Gou Moli pointed at his own face. “This was this subordinate’s mistake. I took too much for granted. I saw only that we could seize this opportunity to prepare a foundation for the Marquis Residence if we ever wanted to expand westward in the future. What I failed to realize at first was that the bait itself may have been deliberately left there by that person. We followed it exactly as intended. Everything may have been within his calculations from the beginning. That person’s purpose was to loosen Prince Cheng Residence’s restraints. In this age, only three powers can do that. One represents the imperial court. One is the Prince of Jingnan. And the third is us, the Marquis of Pingxi Residence, closest to Yingdu. After all, appearances at the official level still have to be maintained. The play must be performed for all beneath Heaven, so the Situ line cannot openly be treated too harshly. But behind closed doors, it should be dismembered where it needs dismembering and suppressed where it needs suppressing. The Situ Clan absolutely cannot be allowed to recover its former glory. That is the momentum of the age. It is inevitable. Only those three possess the qualifications to push against that current. But the only one both able and likely to act is our Marquis Residence. So the poisoning at the banquet may have been a forced reshuffling. Those great shopkeepers, those great families, those powerful figures: once the leading sheep die, the people below will inevitably fight over authority, divide that authority, and push new men into power. The mastermind is clearing positions so his own people can take over, or so the businesses can be carved apart. The method is far too violent and direct. Under normal circumstances, no one would use it like this because the backlash would be enormous. From preparation to cleanup, the other side acted cleanly, decisively, and with extraordinary precision. That is why this subordinate believes they dared use poison to force a concentration and redistribution of power because they possessed some other support. And that support may have been our Marquis Residence. According to their plan, once you arrived, Marquis, you would loosen Prince Cheng Residence’s restraints. At that point, Prince Cheng Residence could openly absorb the power vacuum and the businesses left behind.”

“Everyone knows this Marquis wants to...”

“Marquis is right. The masses are muddled. How could ordinary people see things so clearly? In their eyes, Marquis, you are Great Yan’s new generation God of War, a pillar of Great Yan. But some things can be hidden from the countless common people and still never be hidden from certain eyes. They can piece together from countless scraps of information what we did in Shengle City, what we did at Snow Sea Pass, and what we are doing now in Fengxin City. Settling the people, establishing trust, promoting commerce, registering households, and all the rest. Even the simplicity and restraint within your own Marquis Residence. To anyone truly paying attention, all of it proves one thing. You harbor grand ambitions.”

Throughout history, intelligent men, especially great generals, sometimes deliberately lived extravagantly. Before a campaign they would intentionally ask the emperor for estates, houses, and other rewards.

Did they truly lack those things?

Of course not.

They were deliberately staining their own reputations to reassure the man above them.

If you sought no pleasure, worked tirelessly, grasped the hearts of both the people and the army, then what exactly were you trying to accomplish?

“Marquis, it is also true that the Prince of Jingnan standing in front of us has shielded us from far too much wind and rain. The fact is, the Tattoo-Faced Chancellor of Qian was a military man with clean sleeves and far too fine an official reputation, and that was exactly why he... So in truth, we have never hidden ourselves particularly well. The first foundation supporting our Marquis Residence is the Prince of Jingnan. With the Prince of Jingnan standing ahead of us, so long as the Prince of Jingnan does not fall, so long as the Prince of Jingnan does not... we can keep standing. The second is His Majesty the Emperor of Yan. His talent and vision are vast enough that he allowed the two Marquises to become powerful and control Great Yan’s two most battle-worthy field armies. He even issued decrees forbidding the rear from dragging down the front lines. His Majesty’s breadth of vision is simply on that level. Perhaps he genuinely does not care. Perhaps, in His Majesty’s eyes, a man without ambition is also a man without ability, someone he would not even bother using. Third, our timing has always been excellent. Like a Chu melody, every step landed on the beat. Back at Snow Sea Pass, we were not yet conspicuous. Master, you may already have been a Count, but your wings had not fully grown. This time, your elevation to Marquis at Fengxin City happened to land exactly on the right moment. The Prince of Jingnan supported you. Your military achievements were piled high enough. Great Yan was hollow inside and desperately needed a strong man stationed in eastern Jin to stabilize the situation. That was what raised you to your present position. Countless coincidences converged into a single great momentum and allowed you to establish your own headquarters and raise your command standard. But the people who do not care may not care. That does not mean no one can read the signs in what we have done. So that person used those signs against us. He counted on our own instincts to draw us into Yingdu and loosen Prince Cheng Residence’s restraints.”

Zheng Fan thought the entire argument sounded reasonable.

At the same time, it all seemed to fit a little too smoothly.

He could only say:

“It still might not be...”

“Marquis is right. The true mastermind may not actually be Prince Cheng Residence itself. But Prince Cheng Residence probably participated.”

“What I meant was, it might not be...”

“Marquis is right. It may not be Situ Yu. He has matured somewhat, but he is plainly not yet capable of holding together something on this scale. The great Situ house has stood for centuries and even founded a state. Back then, because the Yan army still needed to prosecute the war, it pacified the Situ Clan and never carried out a sweeping purge or reform in Yingdu. So there must be many old loyalists and young remnants still here. Rebels across the Jin lands, people like He Chunlai used to be, often dream of one day fighting their way back into Yingdu and holding up Prince Cheng Residence as a banner to rally the Jin people. So there is one question this subordinate has always considered. The last time we were in Yingdu, Sun Youdao’s eldest son was making trouble. But Sun Youdao himself had already withdrawn from the board long ago. This subordinate confirmed it personally. That old man really was tired. He no longer wanted to struggle. All he wanted was for his family line to continue. That is why this subordinate has always been curious. People outside are dreaming. They dream of dragging Prince Cheng out one day and using him. But what about the people who have always been inside? Do they truly have no thoughts at all? No. Impossible. They were once the true men standing at the top of Great Cheng. They once tasted the addiction of power. How could they willingly spend year after year watching officials from Yan stand over their heads and flaunt their authority? They have remained obedient because they are cautious. They have been waiting for an opportunity. They know that if they themselves act, the result will be more effective, more useful, and more direct. That is precisely why they cannot afford to lose. But that does not mean they are a flock of meek lambs. This subordinate was blinded by being inside the game, and I was too confident in myself. Fortunately, Hero Chen’s remark just now opened my eyes.”

Zheng Fan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

By the time the conversation reached this point, Hero Chen, who had been peeling roasted potatoes beside the brazier, was already completely stunned.

He could hardly believe all of this had somehow been inspired by a single sentence from him.

Was he really that intelligent?

In the other corner, He Chunlai’s mouth had fallen slightly open.

Following Gou Moli’s line of reasoning, he had already circled several names in the files. The families behind those names had all given Situ Lei their full support when, shortly before his death, Situ Lei had made his last desperate strike against the Savages and rebels.

They possessed deep roots of loyalty.

Even the Sword Saint, who had fallen asleep long ago, opened his eyes.

He looked at Gou Moli.

He did not bother considering whether Zheng Fan had truly had everything figured out from the beginning.

But of one thing he was certain:

Gou Moli had connected the entire affair.

The Savage King’s intelligence...

Perhaps he really should find an opportunity and simply kill the man after all?

Zheng Fan smiled.

“There’s no evidence...”

Gou Moli immediately raised his voice:

“Marquis is wise! Exactly! When has the Marquis of Pingxi Residence ever needed evidence to act?”

“...” Zheng Fan.

In the end, Zheng Fan sighed.

He said nothing else.

He merely waved one hand.

“Leave. I’m tired.”

Marquis Zheng wanted to be alone for a while.

“Yes, Marquis. Rest easy. This subordinate will go make the preparations immediately.”

Gou Moli withdrew.

He Chunlai followed him out.

Hero Chen remained where he was, peeling potatoes.

The Sword Saint leaned back into the corner and began dozing again.

Neither of them would leave.

Otherwise, Marquis Zheng would not be able to sleep.

...

Outside the room, He Chunlai hurried after Gou Moli.

Before they departed, the Blind Man had specifically reminded him to learn as much as he could from Gou Moli.

An ordinary Savage of no noble birth had spent half his life traveling north and south, learning and thinking, until he had nearly accomplished a great undertaking.

The word “outstanding” was no longer enough to describe such a man.

“Following what you said just now, I’ve already marked out several possibilities,” He Chunlai said.

Gou Moli nodded.

He Chunlai hesitated.

“If you have something to say, say it. Stop swallowing your words. The Marquis does not like people who hem and haw.”

“I just thought... some of what you said in there went a little too far.”

“Too far how?”

Gou Moli turned toward him.

“If Marquis had already seen through everything in advance and avoided the other side’s plan, then that whole deduction you made just now felt a little too much like showing off. Oh, I understand. You weren’t really saying all that for Marquis’s benefit. You were explaining it to us, weren’t you?”

Gou Moli shook his head.

“No?”

“Of course not. I’ll tell you the truth. I have no idea why Marquis changed his mind in advance and avoided stepping into their trap. But I suspect Marquis did not actually know the whole picture either. What happened just now was not Marquis opening his mouth to guide me. I deliberately spoke over him and made it look as though Marquis had understood everything from the beginning and was now guiding me toward the answer.”

“This...”

“You’ll manage affairs yourself in the future. You’ll have people working under you too. Remember this. When your subordinates begin speaking in your name, claiming they suddenly understood your intent and were enlightened by some casual hint you gave them, and then proceed to analyze everything clearly and logically, it does not mean you possessed some miraculous foresight. It does not mean: Ah, so that was what I had been thinking all along, and somehow you managed to say it aloud. What it actually means is that your subordinate is preserving your dignity while slipping in a more sophisticated piece of flattery. Anyone with half a brain understands that coincidences cannot possibly line up that perfectly, and no subordinate can possibly understand his superior’s thoughts that thoroughly.”

“You were fooling the Mar...”

“You think Marquis is you? Marquis understood perfectly well.”

“Then why did you do it?”

Gou Moli beckoned.

He Chunlai bent down slightly.

Imitating Marquis Zheng’s favorite gesture, Gou Moli patted He Chunlai on the shoulder.

With deep sincerity, he said:

“If you want to get things done, first learn how to conduct yourself.”

[End of Chapter 634]