Chapter 360: Sovereignty (1/2)

Nan Xun's eyes were dark and his face tight with fury. It took some time for him to gain control over himself. “Find out everything about Tianyu. Whatever it takes! And don't forget about Ji Bo and the House of Heavenly Fiends. Be discreet with the investigation. Don't let anyone notice you.”

The shadowguard nodded. He wanted to tell Nan Xun to take care of himself but decided against it. He walked away.

Ji Bo had foreseen that Nan Xun would find him. Therefore, he'd moved Jun Hao and his men in advance. When Jun Huang arrived, he was the only one left.

The man who had taken Jun Huang to him was one of his deathsworns, who comitted suicide after completing his mission by swallowing poison.

He'd predicted Nan Xun's arrival, but not the speed at which Nan Xun had found his way to them. Therefore he hadn't had the chance to turn Jun Huang to his side. Once Nan Xun's men went after him, he immediately fled through the tunnel.

He knew Nan Xun's men would follow him down, so he destroyed the exit as soon as he left through it. Then he met up with an ally and made his way to Eastern Wu at night.

“It was a close call, sir. We have to...”

“Shut up.” Ji Bo shot the man a glare and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. It had been a close call. He'd been distracted by his memory. He should've been more careful.

The man considered Ji Bo carefully and asked, “Am I right to a.s.sume that Jun Huang isn't willing to join us?”

Ji Bo's eyes grew sharp, but he didn't say anything.

The man knew he'd guessed right. He smiled, offering some plat.i.tudes. “Judging from the way you look, it seems that Jun Huang at least believes she's a Tianyu's descendent. That's good. What do you plan to do next?”

Ji Bo ignored the man and said nothing. The man took the silent treatment with grace. He stared at Ji Bo as the strategist closed his eyes and leaned against the window of the coach.

They soon left Northern Qi. The coach had been moving quickly. Ji Bo managed to go through the checkpoint before Nan Xun's order arrived, and he did have the permission to cross the border.

They entered Eastern Wu. The soldiers let Ji Bo in as soon as they saw his face. The man next to him turned to him curiously. Ji Bo scoffed and closed his eyes, ignoring the unspoken question.

They soon reached the palace. The patriarch of the royal clan, who was in power at the moment, welcomed them into the palace. He gave the man following Ji Bo a considering look.

“He's my subordinate,” Ji Bo interrupted coolly. “Let's get to business.”

The patriarch nodded and looked away. They entered the main hall and dismissed the servants.

“I've looked into it,” said Ji Bo. “It was General Nan Xun of Northern Qi who spread the news about the emperor and caused the chaos last time.”

“Why would he do that?” asked the patriarch.

Ji Bo huffed, his eyes cold. “Remember, patriarch, Northern Qi and Eastern Wu may have reached a temporary truce, but Nan Xun had stayed in the imperial city for a long time and ordered his men to stay at the border. What do you think he's doing? Why did he infiltrate Eastern Wu?”

“Do you mean his retreat is merely for show, and his true purpose is to defeat us from within?” The patriarch widened his eyes. That seemed to be the most likely explanation. In his eyes, everyone in Northern Qi was a hypocrite whose actions always contradicted their words.

Ji Bo silently let the patriarch come to his own conclusion, which was best for his goal.

The patriarch realized belatedly how devious Nan Xun's plan had been. Eastern Wu's court had almost fallen apart. If Qi Yun hadn't forced him to retreat, Nan Xun would've invaded the imperial city.

He broke into a cold sweat. His resentment for Northern Qi deepened. “There will be no peace between Eastern Wu and Northern Qi. However, we're not powerful enough to rival them.”

“Ha, don't worry, patriarch,” Ji Bo said faintly, waving his fan. “I have a plan.”

Overwhelmed by the recent development, the patriarch didn't question Ji Bo's words. “The gentleman is known for your wisdom. You must have an idea about how we're going to protect Eastern Wu and make Northern Qi pay.”

Ji Bo threw the patriarch a cool glance in response and said slowly, “We have to catch them off guard.”