Chapter 578: The Chu Clan has to have a plot (2/2)
“He sent a letter saying that the entire situation is fishy, but he refuses to draw any rash conclusions. He’ll need more time to think it over,” Chu Xifeng replied honestly.
The Chu Clan’s recent movements had been nothing short of strange. They clearly had a plot afoot, but even Chu Xifeng himself couldn’t read his master’s thoughts. Whether or not they’d follow the Chu Clan into the caves was still up for debate. It was very possible they’d fall into a trap if they went. But if they didn’t, they would lose a golden opportunity to enter the Thousand Buddha Caves again.
Long Feiye didn’t speak nor sleep the entire night. He spent the whole time guarding Han Yunxi while staring blankly at the map of Thousand Buddha Cave. No one could tell what he was thinking.
—
Three days passed. There were only two more days before the empress cloistered herself for prayer, but the Chu Clan had yet to receive any replies from the Duke of Qin. This time, Chu Yunyi remained calm and didn’t send any more messages.
“How is the situation with Witch Aunt?” he asked.
“The child can definitely be born successfully next month. Arrangements have already been made,” General Chu replied.
“Heheh. Duke of Qin, you’re the one who forced our hand. Don’t blame our Nether Clan for being ruthless!” Chu Yunyi laughed coldly.
Chu Yunyi didn’t even receive any letters the day before the empress’s trip, but Long Feiye and Han Yunxi both showed up at the Chu Clan’s courtyard that very night. General Chu had a fright before delight overtook him. “Heheh, Your Highness Duke of Qin, our clan head has been waiting for a long time.”
The first thing Chu Yunyi did upon seeing them both was ask, “Your Highness Duke of Qin, esteemed wangfei, will we be traveling together tomorrow?”
“Your lordship wants to know why it’s necessary at all? Your lordship is guarding the secret of your Nether Clan, but the Nether Clan Head wants your lordship and wangfei to risk themselves to steal the Wood of Ten-Thousand Poisons. Your Nether Clan isn’t the Di Clan. Aren’t you a little too skilled at making deals?” Long Feiye mocked.
Chu Yunyi replied in a helpless tone, “Your Highness Duke of Qin, you should know that it’s difficult to enter the Thousand Buddha Cave! For the sake of going in early, my Chu Clan utterly offended Emperor Kang Cheng!”
“What do you mean by that?” Long Feiye asked while Han Yunxi sat quietly on the side, extremely curious.
“Has Your Highness Duke of Qin seen the map sent by this old man?” Chu Yunyi asked.
“I have,” Long Feiye took out the paper.
“Your Highness Duke of Qin, take a look at the entrance to the bodhisattva’s cave. Then compare it to the position of the thousand-year ginkgo tree.”
Long Feiye glanced at the map and saw that the distance between the two points was very great. While the ginkgo tree was located at the foot of the mountain, the cave entrance was nearly halfway up the same peak.
“Your Highness, this old man only gave up on the original date after I saw this map! The day of worship for Boddhisatva Avalokitsvara will open up the west gates of the Thousand Buddha Cave, which is located farthest from the ginkgo tree. This time, the empress is withdrawing to pray right in the Thousand Buddha Cave located directly behind the tree. If she wants to go into the temple by the cave, she’ll have to bypass the ginkgo tree!”
After Chu Yunyi finished speaking, General Chu piped up, “Your Highness Duke of Qin, for the sake of forcing the empress to withdraw for prayer, the Chu Clan even cut down Crown Prince Ye, our main pillar of support! For the sake of the Chu Clan’s good faith, please help us out! Moreover, you wouldn’t gain anything by our failure this time, would you?”
So the Chu Clan had implicated Crown Prince Ye of misappropriating military funds just to force Empress Xue into seclusion at the caves?
Han Yunxi had long heard of Western Zhou’s empress and her custom of prayer and abstinence from meat to atone for her sins. The Chu Clan’s methods did make sense on paper, but her instinct told her that there was still something suspicious about the whole thing. However, she couldn’t put her finger on it. She looked over at Long Feiye and saw him nod.
“Your lordshop had been wondering why the Chu Clan wouldn’t fear retaliation from Emperor Kang Cheng after cutting down Crown Prince Ye. So this is it…” he smiled coldly.
“We have no choice but to sacrifice the Chu Clan’s military power in exchange for keeping the secret of the Nether Clan,” Chu Yunyi sighed. His eyes flashed with a sinister light, however, as he reckoned that his words had dispelled all of the Duke of Qin’s suspicions.
Indeed, Long Feiye only asked, “What are your arrangements for tomorrow?”
“When the empress enters Thousand Buddha Cave, there will be an old mama by her side—one of our Chu Clan’s agents. She’ll arrange for every single one of the footmen and retainers that accompany the empress. I’ll have to trouble Qin Wangfei to disguise herself as a servant girl and follow them in. As for the Duke of Qin, I hope you’ll condescend to make the journey disguised as a guard. This old man and General Chu will accompany you both with the Chu Clan’s top archers to enter the caves, after which…”
Chu Yunyi paused to point at the map before elaborating in detail how he’d planned ot the mission. The gist of it was to cause a disturbance to attract everyone’s attention while a portion of their men accompanied Qin Wangfei to hunt for the Wood of Ten-Thousand Poisons. Han Yunxi listened while marveling at the fact that the Chu Clan could even install spies by the side of the empress. Their plan for tomorrow looked solid as well, but she still felt it was unreliable. Although time was tight, she was certain Long Feiye wouldn’t agree to the plan so easily, but he simply accepted without a word. He even agreed to stay overnight at the Chu estate tonight, all the better to prepare for tomorrow’s trip.
Han Yunxi kept quiet until they reached their rooms before she asked him in a low voice, “Long Feiye, we’re really going?”
“We are!” Long Feiye replied.
Just what would happen tomorrow?