Chapter 86: The Long Journey to Ningzhuo 2 (1/2)
Ningzhuo, northern Wei
Late in the night at a candlelit study, a robust-looking tall man sat at one end of a Go board, while a slender woman in red sat at the other end of the board. He held up a white go piece, silently calculating the right step to take.
A lot of strategies ran through his might yet he couldn't decide on the right step to take. His opponent had him locked in an unfavourable position, he glanced at his opponent. Whose red lips curved up, on seeing his obvious indecision. Her delight at his current condition was obvious.
She didn't even bother to hide it, ”don't keep me waiting my dear, make your move”.
The man shook his head and glanced at her for a second before he placed the white go piece on the Go board while following a set strategy. When a man in the light full body armour belonging to a military guard rush in and fell on one knee.
”Master, a message from the capital just came in,” the guard said. He raised a small cylindrical-shaped black leather letter holder, with his head bowed low.
The man and woman tinted to him as soon as they heard the words message and capital.
”What a relief,” the man thought with a crooked smile. He returned the Go piece to the small woven basket beside the Go board. He glanced at his partner, apart from her narrowed eyes, she looked calm. He stood, walked to the guard and took the black letter holder. ”You may leave”.
The guard nodded and left the room. The man unclamped the top of the leather jacket. He pulled out the rolled-up letter and spread out the letter.
The woman tapped the table gently, ”who is it from?”
”It is from our contact in the capital” he replied and walked to the table.
The woman leaned her head in her hands and rubbed her temple gently, ”Not the palace?”
”Yes!”
She sighed, ”What does it say?”
”His Majesty has appointed a new military governor from the Capital”
”What? I thought he had decided to pick from someone here? Hasn't he been sending us the olive branch for the past few months” she slapped the table and stood? ”Just what game is the lousy Emperor playing?”
”He must have decided to drop us because the new governor is General Lu Yaozhu”
”What! then who got the royal contract this time?”
”Who else”
”That Bastard! I knew that the stupid Emperor would betray us. Tell our men to all pull out” the woman said as she pulled the letter away from his hand and schemed through the letter.
”We are pulling out?”
She set brought the letter to the lit lamp on the small table next to the Go board, set it on fire and threw it into the ashtray on the ground. ”Yes, his Majesty has made his choice. We will respect it”.
”just like that, what if he comes after us?”
She laughed ”he doesn't have the guts but if he does, we can join hands with someone else. The Emperor is such a detestable man, he doesn't have a shortage of enemies”.
*******
Back at Su Liya's end.
The Imperial edict came the next day and five days later Lu Yaozhu and Su Liya left the Capital for Ningzhuo. They left the capital with a small military company of fifty soldiers from the Lu family's soldier. Lu Yaozhu didn't wish to show tge real mass of their army. He instructed the remaining soldiers to follow them closely in secret.
The Emperor made a show of support by meeting them at the city gates to see them off. Before leaving, Su Liya and Lu Yaozhu went up to the city gates to greet the Emperor before leaving the capital.
After greeting the Emperor, Lu Yaozhu and Su Liya returned to their horse and carriages. They left with three carriages, one was for their luggage, the second was for their female servants. While the last was for Su Liya and her maids.
The soldiers surrounded the carriages while Lu Yaozhu, Yu Tao and his generals rode in front. They travelled during the day and made camp at night to rest. They travelled at a slow rate because of the ladies. There had been reports of bandits attacks at a few small towns outside the capital so they were careful when travelling.