Chapter Fifteen: The Fox Borrows the White-Foreheaded Tiger’s Might

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Gu Liubai merely gave a faintly mocking smile.

Chen Tu’s eyes looked as though they wanted to stab someone. “But even if they’re figures of that stature, collecting some evidence of their crimes may not be enough to bring them down, right?”

“Why must we bring them down?” Gu Liubai sneered. “When people like that all have dirt on one another, it becomes much easier to trade favors.”

Chen Tu felt deeply uncomfortable.

But Gu Liubai’s next words made him feel even worse.

“Don’t assume you’re nobler than those people.” Gu Liubai glanced at him. “I know killing is what you’re best at, and that you’ve grown accustomed to solving problems with murder. But don’t forget who you used to kill and who you’re killing now. In order to survive, you’ve already begun abandoning your principles.”

“Chen Tu, since you can make some of the choices on their behalf, don’t forget what sort of people you once were.” Gu Liubai’s voice grew colder. “You may think Liang Fengning and He Fenglin are fools for recognizing only military orders and not people, but are they really fools? It is only because there are people in this world who stubbornly uphold the rules that others can still care about what is fair and what is not.”

Chen Tu forced out a difficult laugh. “Damn you, you’ve made me feel so ashamed I want to draw my knife and slit my own throat.”

Gu Liubai was clearly in no pleasant mood either, and did not reply.

So this was what happened when the desire to survive took precedence—one unconsciously became so disgraceful?

Chen Tu drew a deep breath. For some inexplicable reason, he suddenly felt a measure of respect for the young man.

“He Fenglin can’t offer us any real benefits.” He grew worried again. “Why would the Turks cut off their own escape route? Fifteenth Brother, do you think Liu Muyu is a fool, or are you the fool? Would they really tell this junior officer about Han Yanqing’s crimes?”

“Isn’t it possible that you’re the fool?” Gu Liubai chuckled. He was somewhat unable to fathom Yin Shiniang’s intentions. He could not overpower her in a fight, and therefore did not dare say such things to her—but he did dare say them to Chen Tu.

Because the facts seemed to prove that he himself was the fool.

Liu Muyu answered directly, “I can provide it, but not without conditions.”

With that, he turned to look at Gu Liubai.

Gu Liubai nodded, leaned close to his ear, and whispered a few words.

“Damn it… The benefits He Fenglin can’t offer, Gu Fifteen can.” Chen Tu’s face burned with embarrassment. Only now did he realize that Gu Liubai must have already thought everything through. Liu Muyu had surely seen where things were headed as well.

The only one who had failed to notice was himself—the fool.

Chen Tu had no idea what Gu Liubai had said to Liu Muyu, but Liu Muyu’s body trembled slightly. Without the slightest hesitation, he said to He Fenglin, “Du Hui, Lu Chenxin, and the Puhai Money House.”

These were clearly key figures and locations involved in the transactions. A simple investigation would certainly expose the problem.

He Fenglin was no fool.

He could naturally see what role Gu Liubai had played as the intermediary.

He committed the names firmly to memory, then bowed deeply to Gu Liubai. “If this information proves true, all of us brothers will owe you our lives. But if he has given us false information, then even as ghosts, we won’t let you off.”

“If you can bring them back alive, they won’t need to become ghosts.” Gu Liubai glanced at him and said calmly, “If the intelligence does turn out to be false, you alone can bear the responsibility.”

He Fenglin paused briefly, then understood. “That’s true. This was indeed my decision alone.”

“What is the background of the distinguished personage at Egret Grass Relay Station? If you can tell me, then tell me. If it’s inconvenient, forget I asked.” Gu Liubai spoke softly.

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He Fenglin frowned, but did not hesitate for long. “I don’t know much. I only know that this person has no border troops stationed there, merely a retinue brought along personally.”

Gu Liubai nodded. “If you manage to return, don’t try to uncover the truth. Don’t try to obtain an explanation for your dead brothers. Whatever entanglement exists between this person and Han Yanqing is beyond anything you and your superiors can interfere with. I didn’t have time to think it through earlier. Otherwise, at least a few fewer people might have died here.”

He Fenglin remained silent for the span of a breath before asking, “What benefit do you gain by helping us?”

Gu Liubai answered seriously, “I’m not helping you. I’m helping ourselves. In that distinguished person’s scheme, you are merely one link in the chain. As you said before, even if the people of the Yinshan Horde killed you solely because they wanted to survive, the Tang military would remember them for the rest of their lives. Besides, I don’t believe that person’s scheme is as simple as this.”

He Fenglin bowed deeply once more. “Thank you.”

Gu Liubai returned the salute.

Yet worry began to rise in his heart.

It seemed that a vast web of conspiracy had already descended. This was only the beginning.

Watching He Fenglin return to camp, and seeing his subordinates silently carry away the bodies of their comrades, Chen Tu suddenly felt that perhaps his group’s habit of trying to solve every problem through killing really ought to change.

Gu Liubai had apologized earlier, but perhaps he was the one who truly ought to apologize.

Looking at the silent young man, Chen Tu asked casually, “How will they send the news out as quickly as possible?”

“I can’t guess. Perhaps by eagle? The border troops around Shazhou like using eagles. But it could be some other bird. Who knows? I’ve even seen some foreigners use martens and rats to carry messages.” Gu Liubai was unwilling to dwell on what had already happened, and quickly shook off his low spirits.

The sight of He Fenglin and the others had easily brought Liang Fengning to mind.

“What did you say to Liu Muyu that made him agree?” Chen Tu hesitated before asking.

Gu Liubai replied evenly, “That cannot be spoken of.”

“You bastard…” Chen Tu’s neck thickened as he prepared to curse, but he restrained himself. Narrowing his eyes, he said, “Gu Fifteen, I understand now. You were right. When survival is at stake, we’re no nobler than those people.”

Gu Liubai frowned slightly. “Did you go out of your way just to say that?”

“When soldiers come, we block them; when floods come, we build dams. I’m fairly capable when it comes to directing our people in killing. But most of that is because this group of old comrades is far stronger than ordinary men.”

Chen Tu’s expression suddenly darkened. He looked at the calluses on his hands and spoke slowly. “As for schemes beyond killing, or guessing what others are plotting, I’m far inferior to you. I don’t know how you came by such a monstrous mind, but I do respect you now as a true man. Yet since I’ve agreed to take you to Chang’an, that means you’ll see through everything we have. If you deliberately keep putting on airs like this in the future, we may well fall out completely. My brain may not be much good, but at least I’m not as straightforward as He Fenglin.”

“Oh?” Gu Liubai paid no attention to the threat. He imitated Chen Tu’s expression and smiled slyly. “Why drag He Fenglin into this?”

“And how noble are you?”

Chen Tu ground his teeth darkly. “You’re obviously no good person. Every other word out of your mouth is about the men under him, and you keep picking at the words that cut deepest. Then you put on a false show of concern and tell him not to seek an explanation for his dead brothers, not to interfere in the affair between that distinguished person and Han Yanqing. I can practically hear your devious little schemes making me sick.”

Gu Liubai snorted. “I never said I was a good person.”

Chen Tu sneered contemptuously. “If all these men make it back alive, He Fenglin will wish he could pluck off his own head and hand it to you.”

“Isn’t it perfectly normal for me to gain something from this?” Gu Liubai showed no shame. “I’ll have to deal with the border troops often enough in the future.”

Chen Tu spat on the ground. “I can’t stand treacherous people like you.”

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“Forget it. As if I can’t see through you. After all that talk, you still just wanted to know what Liu Muyu and I discussed.”

Gu Liubai nearly laughed at Chen Tu’s attempt to look clever, and his mood inexplicably improved. “The greater the background of the distinguished personage, the greater the appetite. Since they’ve set their sights on Han Yanqing’s network, it will be difficult to preserve everyone commonly involved in it. We might as well throw out a few pieces first to limit the losses. Han Yanqing can take the opportunity to settle the aftermath properly.”

Chen Tu’s old face flushed slightly. “That does make sense.”

“Liu Muyu is a clever man as well. He knows that the sooner Han Yanqing handles this matter, the smaller the losses will be.”

Chen Tu felt as though his heart had been stabbed yet again.

Fortunately, Gu Liubai continued. “However, as part of the exchange, I still had to tell Liu Muyu a secret first.”

“What secret?”

“I told him that their Arab connection could no longer be used either. I knew about the matter with their mares because I knew that one of the Arabs they trusted had gone bad and had already been bought off.”

“The Arab who did business with them was secretly bought off?” Chen Tu sneered. “It seems the credibility of that trade route is deeply suspect.”

“That is precisely why someone like me is so valuable,” Gu Liubai explained. “Liu Muyu had already begun to suspect something when I mentioned the mares. I merely made it explicit. I also told him who had bought off that Arab.”

Chen Tu glanced at Liu Muyu. “You’re all cunning bastards.”

His tone was somewhat dejected.

He had always prided himself on his intelligence, yet the facts had beaten him into utter rubble.

Gu Liubai tried to console him. “Everyone has their own strengths.”

Chen Tu felt that he might as well not have bothered.

“What did you ask them to do?”

A moment later, he saw Shuerhan begin fiddling with a fire striker.

“I told them to send word to the White-Browed Khan. I’m having them bring two hundred Black Riders to seal this place off. We’ll shut the door and catch the turtle inside.” Gu Liubai smiled. “Give your people a warning. Don’t get into a confrontation with them.”

Ordering the most powerful cavalry in the world around?

He really did not stand on ceremony.

Chen Tu felt that if it were him, he would not even dare imagine such a thing.

Gu Liubai soon grew cheerful.

Within the borders of the Great Tang, the distinguished personages naturally held the advantage. But here, it had always been whoever had the bigger fist who got to speak.

Since the Black Riders were coming anyway, it would be good to let them display their might.

Today, the Black Riders would help him block the way. Once word spread, his reputation as the gravedigger of Mingbo Slope would grow another notch.

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