The Steward Demonic Emperor

Proofreader: Papatonks

Whoosh!

On the half a meter wide table between Baili Jingwei and Shangguan Feiyun were placed the finest drinks and dishes, adding to the enjoyment of the tranquil lake nearby.

The two were relishing the view, the company and the wine without a care.

There was a sound and Baili Jingwei held out his hand for a jade slip to land in it.

Shangguan Feiyun’s eyes flashed, “Ha-ha-ha, already?”

“I have to say, Sword King, your nephew is certainly a go-getter, ha-ha-ha…” Baili Jingwei chuckled.

Shangguan Feiyun waved him off, “As if, it’s more like that brother of mine is too rushed, or, like Prime Minister said, greedy. How else do you explain his hastily drawn out plan?”

Their eyes met and burst out laughing with ridicule.

Baili Jingwei scanned the jade slip closely and nodded with a smile. Though something did catch his attention, so much so he was feeling suspicious.

“What is it, Prime Minister? What is the problem?”

“Shangguan Feixiong will strike three days after we leave.”

“Isn’t that great? The trap is set and all that’s left is for them to spring it. Prime Minister, is there something nagging you?” Shangguan Feiyun looked curious at first, but dismissed his worries after he heard the info inside the jade slip.

Baili Jingwei’s doubts remained, “Shangguan Feiyun plans to raid the Jade Falls with his experts while the three strongest venerables will be going after your resting room to kill you. If all goes well, great, but if not, they will hold you back while the others steal the Soaring Sword.”

“Humph, a mere pipe dream!”

Shangguan Feiyun disregarded his worry, “They want to cut me off? Then I’ll lay two traps, real experts in my room where I’ll stay guard as well and send the rest of the men to Jade Falls, where Prime Minister will direct with brother Danqing’s assistance. They can get in, but there’s no leaving with two Sword Kings around, ha-ha-ha….”

Baili Jingwei nodded, but his conscience wasn’t eased, “Be that as it may, something is strange here…”

“Prime Minister, what is it now? Is something off?”

“The plan is solid, only the details are weird.”

Baili Jingwei’s eyes flashed and passed the jade slip over, “Sword King Feiyun, notice the map Shangguan Yulin attached inside.”

Shangguan Feiyun was starting to be suspicious as well.

[I let that Grandmaster Gu make it so what’s there to see? It’s not like I don’t know my own home.]

“Three days later, the Shangguan clan will split in two before attacking. Shangguan Feixiong will lead his men to attack the easternmost area of the manor, Jade Falls, and steal the Soaring Sword. While the three venerables will ambush Sword King’s room, the northernmost place. To kill and to stop the enemy so the Clan Head can succeed, ugh…”

Shangguan Feiyun was casual as he read, but then his eyes landed on the map, “Jade Falls in the east? But it’s in the west side. And then my room in the north is actually in the southeast. Just what is up with this map?”

Baili Jingwei wore a mask of doubt, “Shangguan Yulin supplied this map and, by all accounts, shouldn’t be an attempt at cheating us. At least he was so blatantly obvious about it. He is oblivious to everything in the Flying Cloud manor, unlike us. The only logical explanation is that this is the same map he got from Shangguan Feixiong, this fake. The clan got a fake map!”

“A fake?!”

Shangguan Feiyun was baffled, “How in hell is it fake? You’re saying Grandmaster Gu handed this fake to them? Why would he do that?”

Baili Jingwei frowned, deep in thought.

[Logic says Gu Yifan is relying on Shangguan clan, a crutch to lean on and ride their coattails to success.]

[But he gave them a fake map, botching their plans and turning from their confidante to a traitor. He only gets to lose from it.]

[Is he committed to becoming the Sword Star Empire’s alchemist? Is that why he’s breaking it off with the Shangguan clan?]

[That’s not right either or he’d be throwing his lot with us by using the fake map to catch the clan in one fell swoop.]

[Any betrayal should be done fully, not randomly, or he won’t get anything out of it.]

The Shangguan clan had patched their lacking knowledge with the fake map, but they wouldn’t lose that much because of it. And with the failure of the second ambush, they would no longer have any chance of attacking the manor while the Shangguan clan would hate Gu Yifan’s guts.

While on the manor’s side, being in the dark to the source of this fake map, they couldn’t give Grandmaster Gu any credit for the results.

[He gets nothing from either side. So why?]

The Prime Minister Baili Jingwei was having a headache as well with this conundrum, let alone Shangguan Feiyun.

Baili Jingwei finaly shouted, “Who were the ones watching over Grandmaster Gu in the manor? Call them here, now!”

“Yes, sir!”

Someone shouted and soon two guards were before him, bowing, “Prime Minister, Sword King, how may we be of service?”

“Are you two the ones who looked after Grandmaster Gu during his stay at the manor?”

“Per the lord’s order, we kept Grandmaster Gu safe!”

“Was anything off about Grandmaster Gu’s actions?”

Baili Jingwei’s eyes flashed, his words startling the guards as they replied, “Many things earned our suspicion. Like constantly asking about the path between Jade Falls and Sword King’s home, about the restricted areas. Prime Minister and lord might not know, but he also had us show him the way…”

“I get it. We already know about that, but is there anything else?” Shangguan Feiyun waved him off.

[That’s something I allowed so Gu Yifan could finish his map.]

Baili Jingwei’s brow shook and jumped in, “Wait, you mean he constantly asked you? Why?”

“Prime Minister, what’s wrong about that? All spies will inquire…”

“We’ve taken him everywhere through the manor, so why is he still asking others? And not just once either.” Baili Jingwei cut him off with a serious look.

Shangguan Feiyun was stumped.

[Yeah, now why is that? Afraid he won’t be found out? We personally toured him around the place so why? Maybe…]

Shangguan Feiyun glanced at Baili Jingwei, who was fixed on the guards.

One guard finally spoke, “Grandmaster Gu is very suspicious. He kept saying he’ll go to Jade Falls, but always ended up at the barracks saying the manor was too big every time…”

“All right, we get it. You may go.”

Baili Jingwei dismissed them.

The guards bowed and left puzzled.

Baili Jingwei chuckled, “Sword King, you get it now?”

“Of course, the guy has a direction problem.”

Shangguan Feiyun’s face twitched and sighed, “Who’d have thought a great 11th grade alchemist ends up being directionally challenged? What makes it worse, he’s a spy! Ha-ha-ha, well that’s a first, using a guy with poor direction as a spy. Of course the map is all jumbled, not knowing which is north, south, east or west. I bet Shangguan Feiyun would’ve spurted blood feet high if he knew his map was drawn by a disoriented guy, ha-ha-ha…”

Baili Jingwei smiled, “Nobody’s perfect, being drafted by them, he acts like the terrible spy he is. Of course he’s liable to slip up, ha-ha-ha…”

“Slip up? Such poor direction is worse than anyone’s!” Shangguan Feiyun mocked, but then frowned, “Though are you sure he’s directionally challenged? An 11th grade alchemist at that?”

Baili Jingwei’s brow shook, and paused, “This is the only explanation for what I know so far. Consider him having poor direction.”

“Then our plan…”

“We stick to it. The only change is that we’ll be following this fake map.”

Baili Jingwei grinned, “Even with the twisted reality thanks to the fake map, the Shangguan clan will be caught all the same, ha-ha-ha…”

Shangguan Feiyun nodded, “I thought of moving the Soaring Sword, just in case, but since the map is fake, there’s no point…”