The Steward Demonic Emperor

ait the good news tomorrow.”

“But my son…”

“He won’t be harmed.”

Zhuo Fan sighed, letting two guards escort him away.
Shangguan Feiyun spoke out of earshot, “Prime Minister, did Grandmaster Gu really switch sides?”

“He wasn’t close to them to begin with.
Thanks to my smooth and enlightened words, he has surrendered to us.”

Baili Jingwei spoke, “Most of what he told us fits with the report Shangguan Yulin gave us through the jade slip.
The only discrepancy is the missing chat between him and Shangguan Qingyan, but that’s normal.
He has no business butting into a private chat.
Shangguan Feixiong’s pragmatic plan had to have been discussed with his high elders late in the night, making Shangguan Yulin unaware of it.”

“Now that I believe.”

Shangguan Feiyun nodded, “Shangguan Feixiong loves to play the nice guy, but that ends when his clan’s future’s at stake, all niceties are thrown away.
Humph, nothing but a rotten hypocrite.”

“Don’t say that.”

Baili Jingwei smiled, “It comes with the territory.
Even Shangguan clan’s Clan Head would sometimes place his clan first.
I can sure understand it.
Ha-ha-ha, Sword King Feiyun, I find you rather biased about your brother.
“

Humph!

Shangguan Feiyun huffed in anger.

Baili Jingwei smiled, his mouth quivering with a confident grin in Zhuo Fan’s direction, “We finally got the alchemist grandmaster to switch sides.
I’ve yet to lose my touch, ha-ha-ha…”

“Prime Minister Baili!”

Danqing Shen, who had been keeping silent while the two mighty actors played their role, finally spoke up, “Since we trust Grandmaster Gu now, then the eyes that are on him…”

Baili Jingwei cut him off with a flick of his hand, “One is reality and another is necessity.
He has just switched to us, but even if we do believe him, the monitoring can’t stop.
It’s only for a day anyway.
I’d rather not have my plan fall to ruin from a simple slip up.
“

Shangguan Feiyun and Danqing Shen shared a nod.

[Baili Jingwei is meticulous and cautious…]

Despite the house arrest he was under, and the couple of Soul Harmony experts watching him outside his door, Zhuo Fan was sporting a weird smile.

[The plan’s moving along nicely.]

The next night, Shangguan Feixiong assembled his experts in the garden and looked at the bright moon, ordering, “Begin!” 

“Yes, sir!”

The men saluted and faded into the night sky, closing in on their prey, the Flying Cloud manor.

Shangguan Yulin looked at Shangguan Qingyan, smiling, “Yan’er, they’re off.
When the manor turns to chaos, the security for the city entrances will slack.
We’ll use this chance to get out, go to the meeting place with uncle.”

“I’ll take young Sanzi.”

Shangguan Qingyan nodded and left to find Gu Santong.

Shangguan Yulin’s face fell in annoyance.

[Is he your kid? Why do you even care so much?]

Shangguan Qingyan suddenly cried out and rushed over, “Oh no, something bad happened…”

“Yan’er, what is it?” Shangguan Yulin asked.

Shangguan Qingyan panted in panic, “Y-young Sanzi is gone…”

“Tch, the brat is nothing but trouble.
Where could he have run off to? Forget about him.
Time waits for no one.” Shangguan Yulin snaked.

Shangguan Qingyan glared, “How can you talk like that? He’s but a child who’s now lonely and sad without his father.
We can’t just leave him.
Did you forget how much his father helped us?”

[To hell with his help.
Come dawn, it won’t matter, he-he-he…]

Rolling his eyes, Shangguan Yulin smirked inside.
Once the curtain fell on tonight, Baili Jingwei promised him the Shangguan clan’s top experts would be done and Gu Yifan would become a traitor hunted by the eastern lands leaving him with no choice but to take asylum with the Prime Minister.
And the juniors escaping from here would be led by him, to restore the Shangguan clan. 

Then, as a central area spy, he’d work with the Sword Star Empire to unify eastern lands.
Shangguan Feiyun would become the leader and he would become Shangguan Feiyun’s right hand, ruling over everyone else, ha-ha-ha…

“Oh no!”

Shangguan Yulin’s fantasy was cut short by a cry, “Young Sanzi must think his dad is at the manor so he must be going there.
I never told him his dad left and his dad didn’t say goodbye fearing he couldn’t let go.
I have to go to the manor and find him.”

“Yan’er, uncle is attacking the manor, you can’t go there! It’s too dangerous!” Shangguan Yulin grabbed her shoulder.

Shrugging his hand away, Shangguan Qingyan ran off, “That’s why I must go.
Young Sanzi is just a child!”

Shangguan Qingyan was gone.

Shangguan Yulin gnashed his teeth and followed.

Their exchange was, however, under the watch of a red and cute figure behind a tree, looking on with guilt.

“Dad and I want to step on your bodies for our job, but you still went back to save me.
Dad, I’m sure you won’t step in even if auntie is about to die.
Then…”

Gu Santong faded into the night…

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