Chapter Seventy-One: The Scheme
“Hmph, just a mere bandit chief. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Zou Ping, standing nearby, immediately leaped forward with a furious shout. A violet aura shimmered across his body, accompanied by faint echoes of wind and thunder—a display of formidable might.
“What? Do you intend to teach me a lesson?”
Hu San showed no fear, stepping forward with an air that suggested he was ready to fight at the slightest provocation.
Seeing Hu San’s stance, his followers, though inwardly hesitant, had no choice but to close ranks around him.
With a sudden clamor, all the mountain bandits in the great hall drew their weapons, surrounding the twelve martial experts in a tight circle.
The martial artists, led by Chen Ce, were not to be outdone. Each brandished his weapon, and it seemed a violent clash was about to erupt in the stronghold.
Suddenly, Chen Ce cleared his throat softly. A hint of a smile returned to his previously grim face as he addressed Hu San, “Chief, please calm your anger. This is entirely my fault for not explaining the matter thoroughly, nearly causing a misunderstanding and disturbing our harmony. I beg your forgiveness.”
“Put down your weapons!” Chen Ce snapped at his subordinates, eyes fixed on Zou Ping. Zou Ping had no choice but to spit grudgingly and sheathe his longsword.
With Zou Ping relenting, the other Chen clan disciples could not continue the standoff and all withdrew their arms.
Hu San, seeing the situation in hand, signaled for his bandits to stand down as well.
“This matter absolutely requires the chief’s presence due to its unique nature. Could I trouble you to send away all unrelated parties? I would like to speak with you privately,” Chen Ce added, now that the confrontation had subsided, his expression easing as he stroked his goatee.
“Very well,” Hu San agreed after a moment’s thought, and commanded his men, “All of you, wait outside the hall. No one enters without my order.”
“You too, all of you, outside. No one comes in without my command,” Chen Ce instructed his followers.
The bandits and Zou Ping’s martial artists acknowledged the orders, warily eyeing each other as they exited the hall. The doors were shut tightly behind them, leaving only Hu San and Chen Ce inside.
“Well then, Elder Chen, what is it you wish to say?” Hu San, as host, was the first to speak.
“Heh, of course,” Chen Ce replied with a smile. “I assure you, once you hear the reason, you will be eager to cooperate. Are you aware that Chen Zhou had two sons?”
Hu San merely smiled faintly at this, thinking to himself, “Naturally I know. I was the one who killed his second son.”
Outwardly, he replied in a measured tone, “I know. His youngest was killed by Chief Wu Xiong of Black Bear Stronghold. As for his eldest, there’s been no word of him for years.”
“It’s not that there’s been no word, but that the truth has been deliberately concealed. This is a closely guarded secret of the Chen family. Were it not for the pressing need of your full cooperation in this investigation, I would never reveal it. Though Chen Zhou was the patriarch’s youngest brother, he was only one among many. Why would the deaths of Chen Zhou and his son draw two top masters into action?” Chen Ce’s tone grew mysterious, and he continued, “It’s all because of Chen Zhou’s eldest son. If you know the history of the Chen family, you’ll know an immortal once emerged among our ancestors—a true cultivator. Ten years ago, Chen Zhou’s eldest, Chen Hai, encountered fate and was accepted into an immortal sect.”
“Chen Zhou came to these desolate Qilian Mountains for two reasons: to lay the groundwork for gaining power within the family, and to find rare treasures for his son’s cultivation.”
“Now, with both Chen Zhou and his younger son dead here, if word reaches Chen Hai, you, my dear chief, may soon face the wrath of a cultivator.”
“But if you assist us to apprehend the murderer, not only will it appease the young master, but I can personally guarantee to intercede with him on your behalf. Should he be pleased, he may even reward you with precious pills from his sect.”
“My intentions are sincere, chief. Do not let them be in vain!”
This final statement, more threat than persuasion, made it clear why these twelve warriors acted so fearlessly—they had a cultivator as their trump card.
Hu San betrayed no reaction, but inwardly, his heart churned like a stormy sea. This was the worst possible news. Clinging to a shred of hope, he asked, “Elder Chen, how long before the young master learns of this? Will we have time to investigate the true murderer? You haven’t told him yet, have you? If so, we might still have some room to maneuver.”
But his hopes were dashed as the old man smiled, “Chief, you jest. With an incident of this gravity, even the family head wouldn’t dare conceal it. Messengers have already been dispatched to seek out the young master on his immortal mountain. Even with the sect’s barriers, he’ll know soon.”
“So we must act quickly. If the young master arrives before we do, none of us will be able to answer for it.”
Despair settled in Hu San’s heart. He forced a smile. “Then I must cooperate with you, Elder Chen. I hope you will speak kindly of me. I would be most grateful.”
Chen Ce only smiled in response.
Hu San continued, “In that case, we should not delay. Do you have any suspects?”
“On the way here, I’ve already made inquiries. In my estimation, while I can’t speak for others, that Hu San is definitely involved—whether in the second young master’s death or Chen Zhou’s, he cannot be separated from it.”
“We should start with Hu San. Let’s seize his elders first, then interrogate the villagers nearby. I’m confident we’ll have our answer soon.”
Chen Ce’s words were resolute, making Hu San’s heart pound all the more. If things were investigated so thoroughly, it would be a miracle if he remained undetected.
He quickly asked, “And if it turns out not to be Hu San, where do we turn then?”
Chen Ce didn’t hesitate. “If it’s not Hu San, we keep searching until the murderer is found. If we truly can’t find the real culprit, we’ll lay it all on Hu San. Only he can serve as a convincing scapegoat. We certainly can’t blame the dead Wu Xiong; even we wouldn’t believe that, let alone the young master.”
At this point, Hu San knew there was nothing more to say. He forced a laugh. “Very well, let’s start with Hu San. But he’s deep within Wolf Fang Stronghold, which has twice routed regular kingdom guerrilla forces and has backing from the Wu Zang Kingdom. Capturing him won’t be easy. Let me send out scouts for information first.”
“Besides, Elder Chen, you’ve traveled far. Though your cultivation is deep, fatigue is inevitable. If we make a careless move and let Hu San escape, neither of us could face the young master. Why not rest tonight, eat well, and move once we have the information?”
“Haha, chief, your caution is commendable. I see now I was right to confide this secret to you—otherwise, perhaps Hu San really would have slipped away.”
“Then please arrange a place for us to rest, along with some food and wine. To be honest, I am quite hungry,” Chen Ce said with a pleased nod, finding Hu San’s plan much more sensible than his own.
“Very well. Attend me!” Hu San called.
Chizhen and Scarface entered, followed by the eleven warriors. Seeing the tension gone, both sides breathed easier.
“Escort Elder Chen and our honored guests to the Serene Retreat in the rear mountains. Second Chief, Third Chief, summon Commander Ge Xiang and Commander Iron Wing to join them, drink in my stead, for I have pressing matters to attend.”
The two deputy chiefs quickly accepted the order and left. Elder Chen smiled thoughtfully. “No rush, chief. We can gather information tomorrow.”
He assumed Hu San meant to gather intelligence.
“This is a delicate matter, and Hu San is cunning. If we’re not careful, the news may leak. I must go in person. Please be at ease; within ten days, there will be results.”
Hu San then personally escorted Chen Ce and his party to the Serene Retreat, a place where the chief himself sometimes stayed in leisure. Very few knew of its location; it was tranquil and secluded.
The houses were handsomely built, and even the kingdom’s high officials would have found little to fault.
The guests expressed their gratitude, and after Hu San settled them in and chatted briefly, the two deputy chiefs arrived with Ge Xiang and Iron Wing.
Hu San instructed the four to entertain the guests well, then excused himself.
Though some wondered why he would search for information so urgently, the chief was always mysterious and never dined with his subordinates. Hence, their doubts were left unspoken.
On the way, the two deputy chiefs quietly informed Ge Xiang and Iron Wing of the envoys’ true purpose and, seeing the chief’s attitude, the two sensed an opportunity for advancement.
Clearly, the chief now intended to move against Hu San. With these envoys from Great Wan, Hu San’s fate was sealed.
With the chief’s stance shifting, the positions of the deputy chiefs might also change.
Ge Xiang and Iron Wing exchanged a look, each reading the meaning in the other’s eyes, both determined to ingratiate themselves with the envoys—whether they could rise depended on this very moment.
Scarface and Chizhen saw this as well and were equally eager to please.
Thus, upon entering, the four engaged Chen Ce’s group in lively conversation.
Finding the four to be of decent cultivation and hearing their tales of mountain life, the envoys from Great Wan, intrigued by the novelty, soon found themselves chatting like old friends. The atmosphere was soon bustling with camaraderie.
Meanwhile, in the mountain stronghold’s kitchen, several bandits were preparing dishes and fine wine to be sent to the retreat. Suddenly, Hu San entered.
They hastened to greet him, and Hu San nodded. “Stand watch at the door. These are honored guests—if anything goes amiss, I’ll be to blame. I want to inspect the dishes myself.”
None dared object.
Hu San entered, his gaze sweeping over the food before finally settling on the jars of fine wine.