Chapter 226: Merchandise

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“What do you mean they escaped?!” the City Lord shouts at him, his face incandescent with rage.

“I mean they escaped.” Liu Jin shrugs. “I fail to see how I could possibly make the sentence any clearer.”

A vase strikes the wall and shatters into tiny pieces. It is followed by a chair and a table. Neither one breaks as spectacularly.

“You had thirty men with you! Thirty!” The City Lord shouts. His Qi flares violently around him, scaring away the servants.

“It was actually a little more than thirty, City Lord,” Liu Jin corrects, untouched by the City Lord’s rage. He is seated in one of the City Lord’s comfortable couches, an alcoholic mixture of some sort in his hand. “You should really sit down.”

“I will not sit down! You lost the men you had with you and still couldn’t capture the Brotherhood! How could you let that happen? How?!”

“I am surprised you care so much about the men,” Liu Jin says, stopping to take a small sip from his drink. It is overly sweet, but Liu Jin likes it. “Only ten of those were yours, as I recall.”

“I don’t care about the men!” The City Lord shouts, throwing another vase at the walls. His face has gone from red to purple. Liu Jin is reminded of an overly ripe plum. “You told me you could capture the Brotherhood! How did you let them get away? They’re nothing more than a pack of ill-bred idiots! When the general sent you here, I expected you to be competent at your job!!!”

Liu Jin grabs the bottle next to him and pours himself another drink. Despite the room’s diminishing number of vases, chairs, and tables, everything within six feet of Liu Jin remains unbroken.

“If I recall correctly, those ill-bred idiots have been a thorn in your side for quite some time, and it was your complacency that let them grow as they have, City Lord,” Liu Jin reminds him, making the City Lord flinch at the rebuke. “I am flattered you have so much confidence in me, but I must act within the boundaries the general has set for me. We do not wish to make him angry, do we?”

It is remarkable how quickly color fades from the City Lord’s face. He does not know of the restrictions Murong Bang placed on Liu Jin, but just the insinuation that he might be going against Murong Bang’s wishes is enough to cow him.

“N-no, we wouldn’t want that,” City Lord Lei says, nervously biting his lower lip. “But the men-”

“We have more men,” Liu Jin says confidently. “You know that, and I know that. Defeating the entire Brotherhood in one afternoon, pleasing as the notion might sound, was never feasible. Even if I had killed the ones who attacked us, there would still be scores of them out there. I believe the City Lord knows this as well… which is why I find the City Lord’s anger so puzzling.”

City Lord Lei studiously avoids his eyes. Liu Jin takes a long sip of his drink, not stopping until the glass is empty.

“Could it be,” Liu Jin begins, setting his glass down, “that City Lord Lei used the opportunity to try to send a real caravan in secret while I escorted the fake one? Perhaps hoping that the Brotherhood would attack one and not the other? And could it be that the Brotherhood didn’t only attack the fake one but the real one as well?”

There is no need for the City Lord to answer. The way his face convulses in multiple, fascinating ways says more than words ever could.

“You are not angry because you lost men,” Liu Jin says. “You are angry because you lost merchandise.”

“How could you possibly know…?” The City Lord stops and takes a deep breath. His hands clench and unclench multiple times. Liu Jin can see his veins threatening to burst. “Spies. Is that it? Is that how you know?”

“City Lord, I have spent exactly one night in your city before today,” Liu Jin points out. “I am glad you think so highly of me, but there is no way I could put spies in your house in so little time.

And if the City Lord tries to learn otherwise, he’ll find himself disappointed. Liu Jin could tell Quan to report that he is secretly a Spirit Beast in human form, and the man would probably do it. The thought is amusing enough that Liu Jin seriously considers going through with it.

But no, this is no time for games, even if it feels like everyone is playing one.

“I merely guessed, City Lord. Judging by your reaction, it is safe to say my guess was accurate,” Liu Jin says. “You went behind my back, City Lord. That is a problem. I cannot help you with your problems if you do not include me in your plans.”

“Should I apologize for not being particularly keen to share my city’s affairs with someone who was a servant of General Dan mere weeks ago?!” The City Lord shouts at him.

Liu Jin thinks it over, hums, and nods.

“Fair enough. I believe things would go more smoothly if we cooperated, but that does not seem to be an option. Perhaps, it is better if we simply don’t get in each other’s way then.”

“That might be true, but perhaps… Perhaps, there is a way we can build trust between us,” City Lord Lei says, measuring his words carefully. A glimmer of an idea takes shape in his eyes. “If Commander Qing were to make a suitable offer-”

“I am not offering Lei Kong to you,” Liu Jin says before the City Lord is done speaking.

City Lord Lei clicks his tongue. “Is he really worth that much to you?”

“Lei Kong is a cultivator in the Earth Realm who has sworn unquestionable loyalty to me,” Liu Jin explains. “I am afraid the trust of the City Lord is not an equivalent prize.”

“Ah, but it would not be just my trust and gratitude,” the City Lord says, smiling for the first time in the meeting. “It would be the trust and gratitude of the Lei Clan. Like I said during our last meeting, my uncle would be pleased to see Little Kong again.”

Left unsaid is that rejecting his offer and standing by Lei Kong would earn Liu Jin the enmity of the Lei Clan.

Liu Jin pretends to think it over.

“You make a fair point,” Liu Jin says. “But I do not believe it is prudent to answer just yet. I still have a duty assigned to me by General Murong. After that is done… I would be open to that sort of negotiation.”

City Lord Lei’s eyes shine. “Ah, I understand. I understand perfectly. We will talk more at that time then. Yes, I believe that will be for the best. However, that still leaves the matter of the Brotherhood. What do you plan to do about them, commander?”

“What else?” Liu Jin asks. “Travel visiting towns until someone talks.”

The door opens before the City Lord can reply.

“Am I interrupting, or are you done already?” Lu Mei asks as she enters the room with two servants walking behind her.

“I believe we are done,” Liu Jin says, rising from his seat. He smiles when he sees the many boxes the servants are carrying. “I see you have found something to amuse yourself with.”

Lu Mei shrugs and flips her hair. “Some of the dresses sold here were adequate.”

The City Lord preens at that. “Your lady has good taste, commander. My city has some of the finest clothing shops in the Storm Dragon Empire.”

Unfortunately, that is not the achievement the City Lord thinks it is.

“They must be if they met Mei’s approval,” Liu Jin says instead. He tilts his head lightly. “And yet, I cannot comment on how wise it was to buy so much when we’re going to be leaving this city so soon. Ugly little towns are no places for beautiful dresses.”

“I am glad you agree,” Lu Mei says. “That’s exactly why I’m going to stay here.”

Liu Jin blinks.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I will be staying here,” Lu Mei repeats. “It is like you said. Ugly little towns are no place for beautiful dresses. They are also no place for beautiful flowers such as myself. I am afraid I have hit my limit of living on the road surrounded by a bunch of smelly men.”

Liu Jin and Lu Mei stare into each other’s eyes. It is only for a few seconds, yet a whole conversation passes by without a single word being uttered.

“…Very well,” Liu Jin says at last, sighing as he looks away. “City Lord, it seems I will abuse your hospitality a little more.”

“Oh, there is no need to worry, Commander Qing. I was the one who wished you to stay in this city longer, remember?” the City Lord says. “It is as you said. We have a lot of business to discuss after the Brotherhood is dealt with. You might even consider this an opportunity to broaden your horizons. I hear even towns have lovely sights here and there.”

“Perhaps I will. Perhaps I will.”

The City Lord laughs. “Oh, commander. I really hope you make the right choice after this little problem is over.”

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~~~

“Do you believe he was fooled, my lord?” Lei Kong asks him after they leave the city.

“Almost certainly not,” Liu Jin replies. “For all his flaws, I do not believe your cousin to be completely foolish. He suspects something but has decided that playing along is the better choice, not that it matters. A man like that can only think in certain ways.”

Lei Kong does not look reassured. He glances back at the city shrinking on the horizon. “Even so, do you think those two will be fine?”

“Almost certainly,” Liu Jin replies right away. “Like I said, a man like that can only think in certain ways.”

“What about Lady Lu?” Lei Kong asks him. “Leaving her there was basically giving my cousin a potential hostage to use.”

Liu Jin takes a deep breath. Under other circumstances, he’d be glad that Lei Kong has finally decided to start questioning his choices. Right now, he has very little need for Lei Kong to parrot what the more doubtful voices in his mind are saying.

“Mei is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Far more so than you or the City Lord suspect,” he says. “Besides, there is a reason why I asked Big Sister Bai to stay with them.”

“It will be good training for my Dao.”

That is what she said to him when he asked for her help. With her hidden as Lu Mei’s servant, Lu Mei is as safe as she can possibly be.

“And if the City Lord tries something still?” Lei Kong asks him.

“Then I expect there won’t be a city for us to find when we return,” Liu Jin says. After a moment, he adds, “I sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that. We’ll need to settle things with the Brotherhood soon.”

He takes a moment to think about their encounter with the Brotherhood.

“All things considered, things went better than expected on that front.”