Messenger of Calamity

Chapter 107: Doubt

“Lord Xuanwen is over there! It seems there’s an assassin ambush!”

“What vile scoundrel dares to plot against the Prime Minister of Great Liang? Surrender at once!”

“Father, Qiao’er is here!”

Medicine Master Wen let out a sigh. She suddenly rolled forward, picked up the Heaven-Reliant Sword dropped by Shang Xuanwen, and glanced sideways at Ying Ru Shi, who was still pursuing him. “White Fox.”

However, Ying Ru Shi ignored Medicine Master Wen’s call, continuing her relentless advance. With both swords drawn—the Brave General Sword and the Hidden Blade of the Return Vault—she targeted Shang Xuanwen’s vital points, seeking the moment to strike a fatal blow.

Though both wished to assassinate Shang Xuanwen, their interests did not align. In today’s Central Plains, the Zhou Kingdom held strategic terrain, the Liang Kingdom commanded the vast fertile Jiangnan plains, and the Qi Kingdom boasted the most Secret Realms and the strongest national power. Thus, despite ongoing conflict and shifting tides, the three nations adhered to the underlying pattern of “Zhou and Liang resisting Qi.”

To Medicine Master Wen, killing Shang Xuanwen meant gaining a weaker, more manageable ally. Success was favorable, but failure held little regret—neither the gains nor losses were significant. For Ying Ru Shi, however, success would eliminate a major threat to Qi, plunging the rival court into power struggles—a windfall too tempting to forgo.

Clang!

Medicine Master Wen’s broken spear swept out casually. Even though Qian Gongyu crossed her arms just in time to defend, she was no match for the overwhelming strength of a Third-Stage Messenger. She was slammed into a wall, shattering half of it and raising a cloud of dust several meters high.

“White Fox!” Medicine Master Wen shouted sternly. This was her final warning.

Beneath the White Fox Mask, Ying Ru Shi clenched her Silver Teeth so tightly they nearly cracked. She watched helplessly as Shang Xuanwen endured the vulnerable window when his defense had faltered and re-formed the Sevenfold Mirror. Though reluctant and bitter, she knew they had to retreat. They could no longer kill him before reinforcements arrived. A moment longer, and they’d be surrounded.

But seeing Shang Xuanwen gravely wounded, his face pale yet still gripping his long sword with no joy or sorrow, Ying Ru Shi felt at peace. They had no excuse this time. In terms of timing, they struck at dawn with surprise. Geographically, they had lain in ambush. As for manpower, Shang Xuanwen was in poor shape before even stepping into the trap, with no guards by his side—yet the Prime Minister of Great Liang still had to face two enemies alone in Jiangnan City.

They had seized every advantage in timing, terrain, and manpower, yet still failed to bring down one ailing, retired Third-Stage. This could only prove one thing: they weren’t strong enough to kill this man.

If they couldn’t win, they just couldn’t win. If not for heaven’s favor granting them the ideal conditions to exploit, they wouldn’t have pushed Shang Xuanwen into this predicament at all. So what was there to regret? This world was no game where effort always bore fruit.

Watching the two thieves leap onto a rooftop and vanish from sight, Shang Xuanwen still didn’t relax. He walked slowly toward the collapsed wall. “Head of the Qian Family, how are you?”

“I’m fine!” Qian Gongyu pushed aside debris and flipped up like a carp, her round face and dusty figure resembling a dirty little tiger cub. Standing beside Shang Xuanwen, she muttered, “Head of the Qian Family… hehehe…”

Shang Xuanwen didn’t know why she was laughing. It was rare. He could usually hear the hidden thoughts in others’ words, but Qian Gongyu’s laughter held no secrets—just pure self-satisfaction. It sounded foolish, but he wasn’t surprised. He had trouble understanding today’s youth as it was, let alone girls the same age as his daughter.

“Lord Xuanwen! Forgive this late rescue!”

“Father, Healing Pill!”

“Quick, find Physician Yu at the Medical Bureau!”

Rotten Persimmon Tangerine Alley was suddenly flooded with people like never before. Dozens of military Messengers, lanterns in hand, crammed the small street. Some ran ahead in pursuit of the assassins; others ran out to fetch physicians. Everyone revolved around Shang Xuanwen. He consumed three Healing Pills in succession, feeling a slight ease in his pain and a cool sensation fill his body.

“Father, eldest brother already left for the garrison this afternoon. Should I send someone to inform him?”

“No…” Shang Xuanwen instinctively wanted to refuse but reconsidered. “Wait until tomorrow after the reports are compiled. Write him a letter about what happened tonight. How’s the household?”

“All right. Just one wall collapsed, burned some trees. No injuries,” Shang Qiao leaned close and whispered, “The palace is on lockdown. It seems an assassin infiltrated.”

“Not necessarily an assassin. Might be a thief,” Shang Xuanwen said calmly. “Thieves from the Thieves' House.”

“Thieves' House!?” Shang Qiao reflexively repeated, visibly shocked. Shang Xuanwen cast a puzzled look at him, but Shang Qiao fell silent, his eyes shifting slightly.

Shang Xuanwen recognized that look well. Great Liang’s bureaucracy was full of officials who masked their emotions. They had heard the rumors of the Prime Minister reading minds. Whenever he posed unprepared questions, they would pause, feigning contemplation while actually fabricating a self-serving narrative—a web of truthful lies.

Shang Xuanwen was adept at hunting such bureaucrats. He could extract key ‘hidden’ facts embedded in their truths, cornering them until they had no choice but to hand over incriminating details. From the central court to local governments, he could implement his policies unimpeded because no one dared cross or deceive him.

This wasn’t the first time Shang Qiao tried to conceal something. Shang Xuanwen was long used to it. Soon his son would present a plausible explanation, and he would nod and let it go… Yet tonight, he suddenly didn’t feel like maintaining this bureaucratic ritual. He reached out and patted Shang Qiao’s shoulder. “If you don’t want to say it, don’t. You’ve worked hard tonight.”

“Huh?” Shang Qiao was startled. Rather than relief, his father’s words made him suspicious: could Father already know about Xinlei? What now? Did Xinlei really bring people to kill Father?

Funny how the only two people in the world who knew Shang Xinlei was a thief both simultaneously suspected she was out to kill her father.

Shang Xuanwen suddenly looked around and saw that Qian Gongyu had somehow been squeezed out by the soldiers. She was hopping and waving at the outskirts, clearly trying to get his attention without calling out. He beckoned the tiger-faced girl over. “Head of the Qian Family.”

“Head of the Qian Family?”

“Why does she have a tiger face?”

“Head of the Qian Family? I heard she’s not really…”

“This’ll be the Qian Family’s big break…”

“Hmph, just lucky.”

Whispers of envy swirled. Many begrudged the girl who caught the Prime Minister’s eye. Qian Gongyu relished such amazed, envious stares. She slowed her pace deliberately, savoring the attention before stepping forward. Shang Xuanwen handed her a Healing Pill. “Treat your injuries.”

“I’m not hurt, just sore.” Qian Gongyu took the pill but didn’t consume it, instead stuffing it into her pouch. Then she blurted urgently, “Uncle, Xinlei is missing! You must send someone to look for her!”

“Xinlei’s missing?” Shang Xuanwen froze, then turned to Shang Qiao and asked, confused, “Where could she have gone this late?”

Thanks to Alliance Leader ‘Six Paths Cangxuan.’