The secret letter was from Gu Jinghong. Its contents revealed that Chu Dingjiang had arranged with him to jointly attack Misty Mountain Manor.
“I thought it was just the two of us,” An Jiu said, setting down the letter. She felt somewhat relieved. She didn’t fear death, but she hadn’t even seen Mei Yanran’s face yet. She couldn’t die now, as this life was given to her because of Mei Jiu.
Even with most of its forces drawn to Bianjing, Misty Mountain Manor wasn’t a place where one or two people could storm.
“Gu Jinghong has a hundred men under him, but the Crane-Controlling Army’s factions are complex. It might be difficult to mobilize them. The situation remains unfavorable,” Chu Dingjiang paused, then added, “But with a 30% chance of victory, it’s worth a try.”
An Jiu disliked Gu Jinghong. With little social experience, she judged people purely on instinct.
“Why is he taking this risk?” An Jiu asked.
“He wants to support the Second Prince, needs to build power for him, and seeks to earn merit in the Emperor’s eyes,” Chu Dingjiang said slowly. “The truth of this reason is uncertain. He’s not driven by self-interest. Perhaps he’s doing all this out of world-weariness.”
“World-weariness?” An Jiu didn’t understand.
“He’s tired of his situation, dissatisfied with the world. So he wants to destroy or change it,” Chu Dingjiang, having met countless people, could roughly discern Gu Jinghong’s mindset.
He joked, “I only know him superficially. Perhaps he’s a Liao spy?”
An Jiu asked no more. Gu Jinghong’s letter said the Emperor had approved his request. The letter was from a few days ago, plus delivery time. Gu Jinghong might already be nearing Yangzhou.
“Let’s go,” Chu Dingjiang stood, brushing pine nut shells from his clothes.
Before reinforcements arrived, they needed to scout the terrain and enemy forces.
With no high vantage points near the dock, they couldn’t observe from above. They’d have to enter to investigate.
Chu Dingjiang had An Jiu dress as a married woman with a light disguise. He donned a human skin mask. After discussing strategy, they entered the dock.
The dock bustled as usual.
Chu Dingjiang and An Jiu walked among the crowd. At first, as they headed towards a passenger ship, nothing seemed amiss. Later, as An Jiu began walking north along the riverbank, she felt countless hidden eyes watching them.
When An Jiu pretended to admire the scenery while looking around, the feeling vanished.
Generally, lower spiritual power can’t detect higher levels, but this isn’t absolute. An Jiu dared not freely use her spiritual power here.
“Excuse me, young man. Where’s the privy?” Chu Dingjiang stopped a thin man who looked like a foreman, secretly slipping him a silver coin.
The thin man pocketed the coin. “I’ll show you.”
“Many thanks!” Chu Dingjiang hurriedly pulled An Jiu along. “Wife, let’s go.”
An Jiu’s expression froze momentarily: They hadn’t planned this!
Chu Dingjiang casually held her hand as they followed the thin man.
Along the way, piled goods like mountains gradually blocked their view, leaving only a narrow path. These goods seemed randomly stacked, but a careful look revealed a hidden pattern.
“We’re here,” the thin man stopped, pointing to a wooden shack ahead. “Hurry up. Goods are everywhere. Outsiders aren’t allowed to wander. If the higher-ups find out, I’ll be punished!”
Chu Dingjiang slipped him another silver coin. “Thank you, young man.”
Chu Dingjiang pushed An Jiu into the privy. “Wife, I’m outside. Be quick! Don’t delay!”
The privy was crude, just a hole dug in the ground with stones on either side. The stench was overpowering, with swarms of green flies. An Jiu frowned.
Knowing Chu Dingjiang needed time, An Jiu stayed inside a while longer.
“Are you done yet?” the thin man asked impatiently.
“Wife, are you finished?” Chu Dingjiang urged.
“Almost!” An Jiu replied irritably.
Chu Dingjiang apologetically approached the thin man, slipping him another coin. As he did so, his finger flicked slightly.
The thin man didn’t notice this tiny movement. He took the coin, still grumbling, “Taking so long, a child could be born by now!”
As he spoke, his vision suddenly darkened. Before he could react, he passed out.
“Done,” Chu Dingjiang said, wiping powder from his fingertip with a handkerchief.
An Jiu emerged, scowling.
Chu Dingjiang smiled, “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Chu Dingjiang’s figure blurred as he silently vanished.
In about half a shichen, Chu Dingjiang circled the entire dock and returned, looking grim.
The thin man groggily awoke, feeling someone shaking him.
He abruptly opened his eyes to see Chu Dingjiang’s anxious face. “Young man, are you alright?”
The thin man’s face darkened. His narrowed eyes coldly assessed Chu Dingjiang, a hint of malice in his brow.
“Oh, young man, you don’t look well! Possessed by a ghost?” Chu Dingjiang exclaimed, quickly pulling An Jiu behind him. This protective gesture masked her odd expression.
Chu Dingjiang knew she was trying her best to cooperate, but her acting skills were poor.
The thin man’s spiritual power detected nothing suspicious. Though still doubtful, his expression softened slightly. “How did I pass out?”
“We don’t know either. If you hadn’t woken up, we’d have missed our ship!” Chu Dingjiang said.
“Let’s go,” the thin man rubbed his temples and led them back to the dock.
Chu Dingjiang and An Jiu immediately boarded a passenger ship.
The ship soon left the dock.
Chu Dingjiang had deliberately chosen a small vessel. With limited capacity, it carried only enough food and water for a day or two, necessitating a stop not far out.
The ship headed north. As Chu Dingjiang expected, it docked briefly at a private pier near Chuzhou.
Only after disembarking did An Jiu ask about his findings.
Chu Dingjiang said gravely, “There is indeed a formation at the dock, but it’s just that—a formation. There’s no place to hide many assassins. Misty Mountain Manor’s true lair is in the town.”
An Jiu nodded. “The entire town must have that power-concealing formation. When I waited for you that day, I detected several martial artists entering the town, but then I lost their auras.”
“Now that we’re certain, it’ll be easier,” Chu Dingjiang smiled slightly. His spiritual power differed from An Jiu’s. She couldn’t detect ordinary people, but he could. The town wasn’t large. He just needed to identify crowded areas, and then eliminate them one by one. They’d surely find the place.
The thin man at the dock was skilled in martial arts, possibly one of many assassins. Despite Mo Sigui’s colorless, odorless sleeping drug, passing out for no reason would inevitably raise suspicion. They couldn’t risk any more moves for now.
“Let’s go to Chuzhou and meet with Gu Jinghong,” Chu Dingjiang said.
An Jiu suddenly remembered something. “If you’d already decided to scout ahead, why arrange for Yu family goods to go through the Feng dock?”