Book 14: Chapter 15
Shifu’s Brain
I should’ve been able to vividly hear my brisk pacing in the silent prison, but I was focused on trying to think from the White Princes’ perspectives. Regardless of how many scenarios I imagined, my conclusion remained the same: the best moment for them to turn around and catch His Majesty of guard was when their relationship seemed mended. When one was celebrating how they caught another in their trap, that was when they were most vulnerable to forgetting they, too, weren’t impervious to traps. That last realisation spawned numerous more thoughts.
Even in the scenario that they had a grand plan, the White Princes still needed to account for possibilities – unless they were planning to mindlessly fight it out, which would be ridiculous considering they lacked the manpower to conquer the imperial city. What gave them the confidence to bite the imperial court? Emperor’s Entourage kept a pulse on Jiangnan at all times, which was the reason the Qilin Guards stationed at the borders had to be summoned back to the capital. Who in their right mind would go pick a fight with a fully-equipped army? Whatever they were aiming for, their only viable approach was relying on small groups of elites. This fact overturned my theory that the White Princes would soon make a move.
How many elites would they have? How would they enter the capital? Gongsun Chu had spent a century studying the capital, yet he didn’t dare to enter and even fled straight after deploying his mirage strategy, let alone after the Qilin Guards just carpet swept the capital for his spies. And, just as he suspected would happen, he ate a beating not long after he provoked the imperial court in the capital. If the White Princes were to send their elites into the capital under these conditions, they’d be waltzing to the doors with a “just arrest me now“ sign on their chests.
I sat down on the ground in defeat.
Was I wrong? Although they’re colluding with Gongsun Chu, all they’ve achieved is turning around the predicament Luo Ming put them in. Giving themselves a year or two to breathe is just an average move. There’s no reason for them do just stall… And this only benefits the six of them. Gongsun Chu despises the entirety of Li Dynasty, and the White Princes played a pivotal role in Li Clan’s ascension, so he can’t be supporters of the six. Sacrificing a group he invested decades into only to provide the six with an opportunity to catch their breath didn’t benefit him. How are they planning to take down the imperial court? Am I thinking in the wrong direction?
I scrubbed my head vigorously.
I tried exploring another avenue, but I only grew increasingly confused.
At times like this, I need to adopt Shifu’s perspective. Ah, damn it! His blasted face just ruined my concentration!
Shifu would always crack a grin when it appeared that the game was over and drop his opponent’s jaw with a play they never imagined was possible. At the same time, that gave me unshakeable confidence. If Shifu was playing this game… he wouldn’t be defeated yet.
If Shifu was at the board, he’d choose to make his move now. Guard the capital as tightly as you like, he’d still be able to bypass all the security. Why could he bypass security when the six couldn’t? Idiot, is it so strange that a goshawk can fly over a wall that a fly can’t? If a fly wanted to be able to fly over the same wall… they’d need someone to open a hole for them. In other words, for the Champion White Princes to infiltrate the capital undetected, they’d need someone in the capital to help them. The further I went down the hole, the more I was confident that it was a blind spot.
If there’s a secret passage in and out from the capital and the person inside could arrange for them to sneak in… nah, that’s unreasonable. The imperial family has run the place for a century. The three offices keep surveillance day and night. If it’s not the Mount Daluo trio digging at night, then the only way someone could dig a tunnel of that magnitude without anyone realising was if His Majesty personally had his family dig one. Damn, another dead end?
I sighed, then got up to leave, but something clicked for me.
Li Clan? Northern Wondrous Warrior Manor! Damn! Now I get why they were involved!
I was right. It was impossible to dig a tunnel of that size in the capital unless it was the imperial family. Northern Wondrous Warrior Manor’s original master was His Majesty’s brother. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone who also contended for the throne had access to such a secret tunnel and then passed it down in the family.
Northern Wondrous Warrior Manor was a clan that had a penchant for travelling underground to avoid detection from Emperor’s Entourage. The tunnel itself wouldn’t suffice for a conquest of the capital; however, if it was utilised for smuggling people into the capital, then it was a far safer approach than Gongsun Chu sending spies in that only took Jingan a few days to locate.
Gongsun Chu didn’t set up Li Muye to have a scapegoat; he wanted to motivate Northern Wondrous Warrior Manor to side with the Champion White Princes on their own accord. Think about it: who would Li Muye’s mother most likely choose to ally with once she was disappointed in His Majesty and the imperial court? Had Hong Jiu not intervened, Northern Wondrous Warrior Manor would’ve already bitten the bait Gongsun Chu gave them.
I get it now! I finally get it now! Gongsun Chu, ah, Gongsun Chu, you are one sly coot. I nearly cursed once I realised your plan. I shouldn’t have let you go.
Their scheme was no longer fearsome now that I knew it. Moreover, Li Muye was very likely to be released, so Northern Wondrous Warrior Manor didn’t have much of a reason to help the White Princes anymore.
Shifu said, “It’s normal for a man to accidently fall into a few hundred traps while in the pugilistic world, but it’s a grave sin to climb out of the holes empty handed. If a thief doesn’t pinch meat, what is he pinching? The old village chief’s wife?” His teaching stuck with me all these years.
Heh, good luck with your plans now.
I jovially headed out, coincidentally bumping into Long Zaitian, who was returning from his meal.
“Where are they?! Where have they all gone?! Didn’t you tell me you’d explain?”f𝔯e𝘦𝒘e𝑏𝙣𝑜𝚟𝚎l. co𝑚
“I released them.”
“Ming Feizhen, I’m going to strangle you to death!”
I dodged Long Zaitian’s charge. “Do you want an explanation or not?”
“I’ve had enough of your crap. Is there anything left for you to explain?” Long Zaitian raised his fist.
“Sure. One sec.” I cleared my throat and yelled, “Long Zaitian released the prisoners!”
“Oi! No, no, no, I didn’t! Hehe, they’re still here! Listen to me, guys! They’re all still here!”
While Long Zaitian was busy trying to salvage the situation, I sneaked off and bolted as fast as my legs could take me.