First Mission

Not that evening, but on the following one, Chao summoned Wuyi. Filled with curiosity, Wuyi ascended the stairs. However, upon reaching the top, he realized that his questions would have to wait. Chao sat at the lacquered wooden table, a scroll partially unraveled before him, and a cup of wine anchoring one end. His finger traced lines on a list of villages and dates, each entry accompanied by tallies of warriors, merchants, livestock, and more. Wuyi took a seat across from Chao, understanding the importance of not disturbing him prematurely.

"Young Wuyi," Chao spoke softly, his eyes still fixed on the scroll. "How would you deal with a bandit who strikes you from behind but only when your back is turned?"

Wuyi pondered the question briefly before responding, "I would feign distraction, holding a weapon in my hands. As he attempts to strike, I'd whirl around to counter his move."

"Hmm. Indeed," Chao mused. "We've tried luring them, but the demonics seem to always know when it's a trap, especially the ones from the borderlands. Those are the ones causing the most damage."

"But why?" Wuyi inquired.

Chao looked thoughtful. "You see, Wuyi, we're no strangers to raids. Our people have learned to adapt—plant extra crops, raise additional livestock. But these demonics aren't just plundering; they're devastating whole communities. They scorch fields, ruin stock, and reduce villages to rubble. There's no discernible reason for this malevolent destruction. It's beyond the simple motivations of a thief; it's sheer devastation. They want to weaken us."

He sighed, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts, and then shifted his gaze toward Wuyi. "You'll be accompanying Young Master Jianyu when he travels to negotiate with Baron Qingzhu in Jingwan."

"So, you have questions?" Chao queried.

Wuyi nodded. "Yes. I've always wanted to explore new places. But I doubt that's why Jianyu is taking me along."

Chao chuckled. "Jianyu isn't the type to concern himself with the finer details of his entourage. No, he doesn't know why you're going. He will be told that you're trained for scouting. That's all he needs to know for now. Are you prepared for it?"

Chao's direct gaze made the gravity of his question sink in. Wuyi hesitated before responding, "Will it involve... taking a life?"

"Perhaps. The choice will be yours to make. It's different when you have to decide for yourself. I'm not sure you're ready."

Wuyi attempted to grin but ended up grimacing instead. A shiver passed through him.

"You will serve as an attendant. Make yourself part of the entourage, and you'll have access to all sorts of places and conversations without raising suspicion."

"And my primary mission?"

"To observe and gather information. We suspect that demonics have insider knowledge about our strengths and strategies. Baron Qingzhu has been less than diligent in defending Shu Prefecture borderlands, leading to multiple attacks. We need to know whether it's mere negligence or something worse."

"And if it turns out to be treachery?"

Chao uncovered a dish on the table, revealing a packet of fine, white powder. "I have prepared this. It's tasteless and colorless, and we trust you'll find the right moment to administer it."

"And its effects?"

"It won't be immediate. He'll likely feel unwell and retire for the evening, never to wake again."

Wuyi took the packet carefully and slipped it into his pocket. "Is Jianyu aware of this plan?"

"Jianyu is a young master of the clan but not skilled in deception. In this particular mission, subtlety is our best weapon," Chao looked at Wuyi, his eyes locking onto his. "You're on your own, guided solely by your own judgment."

Wuyi spoke, "What if it is not treachery but he's just a lazy noble who cares only about his selfish needs and doesn't care about the people and the borderlands? As much as I have seen, most of them are like that."

Chao responded, "Yes, all nobles are like that, but his carelessness is affecting the whole lordship, making it weak. Maybe Jingwan needs a new ruler."

Wuyi spoke, "I am just ten years old. What if I fail?"

Chao shook his head, "You are better at this than anyone I have seen. I don't think you will fail, but you are expendable. Congming can easily shirk responsibility if anything goes wrong, saying the boy was manipulated by demonics or something."

Wuyi sighed.

Chao's voice softened, "I know it's not the right thing to ask, but we follow orders. Don't overreach; if you feel it's undoable, do not push yourself and get into any danger."

Wuyi understood what Chao meant; even if he failed, someone else would be assigned who would take care of it, but this was a test for Wuyi. If he was caught, he would be killed; if he failed and didn't do anything and they found out Baron was at fault, then Wuyi might lose some of his value. After a few weeks, Wuyi left with Young Master Jianyu's entourage for the journey to Jingwan.

"This came too early," Wuyi sighed. There was no escape from it; if he did not perform well in Chao's training, he might have lost his value, but since he performed well, now more was expected from him.

A few days later, their journey began.

Wuyi's role was straightforward: he was positioned midway through the procession, managing their baggage mule and attending to the horses and hounds that had joined their procession. The road meandered along the shoreline, stretching the travel to a complete sixteen days before they glimpsed Jingwan. Except for two modest hamlets, their vista was a mix of rolling cliffs, seabirds, open fields, and sporadic clusters of gnarled, dwarfed trees. Yet, for Wuyi, the route was rich with allure and marvels. Every twist and turn introduced him to previously unseen landscapes. This was the first time he was seeing so much greenery in the world. The borderlands were just borderlands in name; it was a vast area that had forests, beaches, and blue-water lagoons and lakes. To Wuyi, the greenery was in more than ample quantity. He used to believe that being on the edge of the desert, it would be all dry and dead sandy land everywhere.

On the morning of the seventeenth day, the smoky outline of Jingwan came into view. By midday, they could distinguish its significant structures and the watchtower perched atop its cliffs. Jingwan offered a less rugged setting compared to Lujingbao Fort. They descended through an expansive valley, and the serene blue expanse of Jingwan's waters unfolded before them. The beaches were composed of soft sand, home to an array of shallow-draft boats and small, agile skiffs that danced on the water as effortlessly as seabirds. Unlike Lujingbao Fort, Jingwan didn't possess a deep port, making it unsuitable for extensive trade, but it still struck Wuyi as a delightful place to reside.