10. Chapter Ten #2
Quanyu sighs and slumps back down, he rests his elbow on his knee and cups his face into his palm. “You keep insisting it’s urgent and then turn around and talk about girls instead.”
Quanyu is a free spirit with very little in the ways of patience.
However, he is a cunning martial artist and has been loyal to me since the day we met so I often overlook his poorer personality traits.
Wen, however, is incapable of doing such a thing.
As is evident by his disgusted glance in Quanyu’s direction.
While Quanyu is carefree and wild, Wen is cunning and calculated.
Every movement, every action has already been weighed in his head as to whether it will uphold the carefully crafted image he maintains.
Every word is painstakingly selected to lead a person to believe only what he wants them to believe.
With Wen there is never a wasted conversation or a misused expression in his act.
He wants the world to believe that he doesn’t actually care, and meanwhile Quanyu puts on an act of caring about too many things.
Between the two of them I have the perfect qualities looked for in a general. I have a strategist and a fighter. I only wish that there was some way to make them get along with each other.
I watch Wen as he studies Quanyu, who is taking every ounce of his patience not to explode.
I see the tendons on his other hand whitening as he grips his knee.
Sitting patiently is one skill that Quanyu will probably never achieve.
He can fight better than the emperor’s personal guard, run faster than the wind, and when he holds a sword, he moves so gracefully that one could almost imagine that he is dancing.
But sit still?
No, that’s too much to ask of the master martial artist.
And Wen knows it. The corner of his mouth turns up slowly as each second passes and Quanyu becomes stiffer.
Finally, Quanyu opens his mouth.
“I believe that the emperor is beginning to grow suspicious,” Wen says, finally speaking up and cutting him off completely. “It can be no coincidence that he married you to the Mu family the very week I am assigned the second daughter of the Mu family as my partner.”
“I did think that was awfully suspicious,” Quanyu mutters to himself as he reaches into the front pocket of his robe and pulls out a small bag of sunflower seeds. He takes a bite, spitting the shell to the side.
I balance my fingers on my knees as I lean forward. “Do you think he realizes that you have been covering the operation’s tracks rather than investigating it?”
“Or does he just suspect you of being incompetent,” Quanyu asks, spitting out more outer casings.
Wen slices his gaze toward Quanyu, probably wishing his gaze was a knife. Honestly, it’s a marvel and a testament to my leadership skills that they haven’t killed each other. “I could turn in the smuggler tomorrow if I so desire, so do not speak to me of incompetence.”
Quanyu moves his hand to rest on the hilt of the dagger strapped to his side. “As if I would give you the chance.”
“Please,” Wen says with a snort. “My failure or success in turning in the smuggler has nothing to do with you. I serve the Xiao family name, and last I checked, you were not a Xiao.”
I release a heavy sigh and reach up, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You speak of me as if I’m not in the room.”
Quanyu gestures toward Wen. “Do you really want me to just sit here while he threatens you?”
I roll my eyes. “Wen is not turning me in, and you know that. He is an integral part of our operation just as you are.”
Wen and Quanyu are my left and right hand in this smuggling operation that I started in tandem to my spirit catching duties.
To hunt spirits required that I be on the road for long months on end.
I decided to make use of that by building connections and using my prestigious title to move items across city borders without being caught.
Quanyu aids me with the operations and Wen, well, Wen is my liaison in court who makes certain that no one gets too close to figuring out what I’ve truly been up to behind the cover of sending spirits to their eternal rest.
“But we are straying from the purpose of this meeting,” I say leaning forward. “I agree, it seems as though these Mu sisters are pieces being put in place to maneuver against the Xiao name.”
Wen studies Quanyu with a sneer before turning back to me. “I believe that the emperor is beginning to suspect your involvement in this. This morning, I received orders to travel to Yanzhou.”
I feel my eyebrow rise just as Quanyu leaps to his feet. “But we haven’t even set up operations in Yanzhou yet.”
“Precisely,” Wen says leaning forward. “Someone has begun to take note of your travels and the smuggler’s path and realize that there is a connection.”
I purse my lips behind my mask. I have tried to avoid this very thing from happening, there are many cities I pass through without establishing connections or moving goods.
However, it is difficult to hide the fact that the larger cities that hold the most spirits also are the ones where the smuggling operation is most active.
I reach out scraping my thumb against the dirt on the crate before I nod. “It sounds to me that while your gaze is focused so closely on me, that would be a perfect opportunity to move some goods on the other side of the map.”
I have a small group of highly skilled martial artists in my employ that work in my smuggling network.
They are called the Midnight Runners, and they are masked vigilantes in my service.
All were hand selected and trained by Quanyu.
He handles all of the communication with them.
None of these men have any idea they serve the Lord Xiao.
Quanyu nods, leaping to his feet. “I can even arrange for a special appearance of the boss so that we can start to quell some rumors that you are him.”
I shake my head slowly. “No, you need to stay by my side. If my head guard is absent, especially after I have gotten wed that will only serve to draw more suspicion.”
Quanyu glances at Wen and arches a brow. “And what, is he going to mention my absence to his majesty personally?”
Wen purses his lips as if he is considering if he can get away with that.
“You forget I’m not the only one on this case.
And my partner Ren Shang is quite sharp.
It’s been enough of a struggle to lead him on false trails.
This man is determined to close this case so he can return to some girl he left behind.
” He shakes his head. “I could never imagine being so moral and upright, but the fact still stands, he would notice immediately. He has an eye for these sorts of details.”
I nod once. “No, it would be best to leave nothing for Ren Shang to report. We must be above suspicion for the next several weeks. The Midnight Runners can continue operations as usual for a bit and hopefully turn his majesty’s gaze to suspect someone else.
” I hold up a finger, pointing to Quanyu.
“Tell them to keep operations as far from Yanzhou as possible. We will kill two birds with one stone, prove my innocence and make a tidy profit while their eyes are focused on me.”
Wen smirks as he languidly fans himself. “You’re never one to turn down an opportunity to make a profit, are you cousin?”
Quanyu looks like he wants to argue, I’m sure he will bring up a counter argument later. Anything to go against Wen. I brace myself for that. I hate politics and yet I always get embroiled in it, even family politics between my sworn brother and my cousin.
I shrug in response as I push to my feet and grasp my sword. “And in the meantime, I will put on a show in Yanzhou, solve a crime, and it will be all right.”
Wen nods once, also pushing to his feet. “And I will put on a show, not solve a crime, and try to have a good time.”
Quanyu frowns. “Which leaves me to put on a show of my own, help solve a crime, and avoid your good time.”
“Well, if that’s all settled then I will be off.” I have a very busy day tomorrow to be spent finally meeting my in-laws and setting out for Yanzhou. I blow out a disgusted breath at the thought.
Yanzhou. There’s a reason I have not set up operations in Yanzhou in spite of its proximity to the Imperial City. And now, against my wishes, the emperor is sending me there tomorrow. Straight into the tiger’s den.