Chapter 44: A Ruler's Magnanimity, A Perilous Journey

"Mother, why is this?" Ke Tu stopped in his tracks and asked in surprise.

"The title of Grand Master of Zhanghua was originally granted to compensate the Lu family because Lu Wu was difficult to bestow with a proper ministerial rank. Now that Lu Wu is unwilling to serve the state, a single title of Grand Master of Jinwu is quite enough. Why bother granting two grand master titles to the Lu family?"

Madame Ming Ji's lingering anger had not yet subsided, and she continued, "Furthermore, the very name 'Zhanghua' originally implies proper upbringing and good cultivation. Yet Lu Wu abandoned his post as the Deputy Commander of the Jinwu Guards and departed without leaving a single word. Where is the upbringing in that? How could Lu Luhe possibly be worthy of the two characters 'Zhanghua'?"

"Mother, please calm your anger." King Ke Tu thought for a moment, then said, "This son believes that would be inappropriate."

"Oh?"

"How can a ruler go back on his word and alter decrees from morning to evening?" Ke Tu said. "Besides, General Lu will eventually have a day of return. If he learns that I stripped his father of the Zhanghua Grand Master title, how will he view me? Chu is strong while Wu is weak; there will inevitably come a time when we must rely on General Lu's military prowess.

Mother, in your opinion, given General Lu's temperament and disposition, could I use wealth and glory to compel him to serve me?" Ke Tu asked in return.

Madame Ming Ji was at first left speechless by her son's words, but then a look of gradual delight spread across her face.

She took a step back, carefully sizing up her newly enthroned son, and finally nodded with a satisfied smile. "My son truly possesses the bearing of a monarch now. Since my son has such breadth of vision, let it be done according to your wishes—how does my son plan to handle this matter?"

"Mother, I will bestow the rewards upon the Lu family as usual, and issue orders for the shadow guards to track General Lu's whereabouts.

Since younger brother said that Lu Wu departed in a rush and took only five personal maidservants with him, he must surely encounter many inconveniences along the way. If I dispatch some men to rush after him and attend to miscellaneous chores, General Lu will surely feel some degree of obligation toward us, will he not?

Even if General Lu feels no gratitude, being able to place a few trusted aides by his side will prove useful in the future—at the very least, it will allow us to keep track of General Lu's movements." Ke Tu said with great confidence.

He did not even need to dispatch any formidable experts; it would be quite enough to send seasoned veterans who were experienced in the ways of the world and adept at handling mundane tasks.

Such men were considered treasures to others, but in the royal court of Wu, having one more was not too many, and one fewer was not too few. To trade a few such fellows for the goodwill of a military commander, Ke Tu felt he was making a tremendous bargain.

As for winning Lu Wu's loyalty, Ke Tu did not hold high expectations—Lu Wu had executed Prince Jiu as effortlessly as slaughtering a chicken, clearly showing not the slightest reverence for royal authority.

Such a person was extremely dangerous. If Lu Wu had not been entirely devoid of ambition for power and had actually agreed to serve as the Deputy Commander of the Jinwu Guards, Ke Tu would have had to prepare a backup plan to guard against any rebellious inclinations on his part.

As long as someone possessed ability, employ them even while harboring doubts; if someone posed a threat, employ them while maintaining vigilance—this was the infallible secret of a monarch's rule.

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At the three-way intersection, a tavern.

Lu Wu and the others were in the midst of a meal when a small caravan consisting of a dozen or so carriages pulled into the intersection.

The caravan staked their horses and carriages, leaving half the men behind to keep watch while the others walked into the tavern.

The moment they stepped through the door, Ban Liao's nose twitched slightly.

His expression changed, and he murmured in a low voice, "There is the smell of blood!"

"Then should we leave?" The members of the caravan who had just entered the tavern instantly halted their steps.

"It might not be directed at us, but we must exercise caution. Let's buy some dry rations and leave," said Li Shi, the second uncle.

Having journeyed this far, they had heard tales of fugitives being waylaid and killed, and had even witnessed corpses by the roadside with their own eyes, hence their utmost caution.

"Very well. Let's set off earlier, reach Yunmen Town by afternoon, and rest for the night," Ban Liao nodded.

He was extremely familiar with this route and was adept at calculating travel times and speeds, making it a point to lead the caravan to a town before dusk every day, never camping out in the wilderness.

In truth, regardless of who was traveling abroad, one always needed a guide or had to travel alongside a merchant caravan. Someone like Lu Wu, who dared to embark on a long-distance journey with five maidservants who had never ventured far from home, was virtually unheard of—not to mention the sinister nature of people on the road, the mere problem of getting lost would be enough to confound anyone.

The reason Lu Wu and his party had not gotten lost thus far was thanks to this era's imperial highways, which were difficult to build and maintain; there was usually only a single imperial highway between two cities, and as long as one did not stray from it, getting lost was practically impossible.

"Everyone, sit down and rest for a moment. We'll leave as soon as the waiter brings the dry rations," Ban Liao said, while carefully observing the expressions of the people in the tavern.

The smell of blood was quite fresh, likely stemming from an event that had occurred just moments ago.

That table of guests clearly consisted of the scions of military noble houses who had overtaken their caravan that morning, and the waiters had been extremely cautious and visibly wary while serving their dishes. Those who could run a business in a place like this possessed some means of self-preservation, and these waiters were all quite sturdily built, yet they remained so cautious—the smell of blood might very well be connected to those people.

Just as Ban Liao was about to remind everyone to be careful and avoid trouble, a voice rang out beside him: "Oh, those big sisters over there look rather familiar. The one in the green dress, isn't that the sister who shot down the giant bird just now?"

Hearing someone mention her, Qingzhu raised her head and glanced in their direction.

"Green Dress Sister, your archery is so impressive! And that Yellow Dress Sister, Second Uncle said your horsemanship and saber skills are also extraordinary! I truly envy the fact that you can ride horses. Second Uncle won't let me ride, and I can only sit inside the carriage—it's been so miserable all the way here. Sisters, where are you from?"

The blue-clad girl, Li He, had likely been cooped up in the carriage for too long. Seeing other girls freely riding horses and shooting arrows filled her with boundless envy. Her little mouth chattered incessantly, pouring out a flood of words in an instant.

Ban Liao's face turned green, and he resolved that next time, he would definitely leave this girl confined inside the carriage.

Qingzhu said nothing, but Jin Ju, having received a couple of compliments, immediately brightened up: "Your second uncle has a pretty good eye. We are all from Songjing. Rest easy and eat your meal; we are heading to the State of Chu for leisure, and we're not here for you."

"What a coincidence, we are also—" Li He, the girl in blue, was about to say more when Li Shi hurriedly interrupted her.

"We are also heading to the State of Chu. I wonder where in Chu you are bound for?" Li Shi chimed in hastily, terrified that his niece might blurt out, 'We are also from Songjing.'

"We haven't really thought about that. Our young master wants to travel through the Central Plains and hasn't settled on a fixed destination yet," Jin Ju said guilelessly, speaking off the top of her head.

"If you are traveling through the Central Plains, the State of Chu is indeed a necessary stop. I suggest you visit the Mengshui Marsh first. The Mengshui Marsh is known as the greatest marsh under heaven, spanning a thousand miles with misty waves like a vast sea, and legend has it that divine dragons dwell within it. Additionally, Chu boasts three famous mountains: Yunze Mountain, Taiming Mountain, and Qiheng Mountain, where immortals are said to live in seclusion," Li Shi introduced. Having lived in the State of Chu for ten years, he was quite familiar with its scenery, and his few concise words were utterly captivating.

"Young Master, shall we go take a look at these places?" Jin Ju turned her head and asked Lu Wu.

"Very well. But before that, we still need to kill a few people," Lu Wu said, setting down his chopsticks and gazing outside.