Chương 37: Consider It Done!

Su Luoyao lingered outside the wooden door of Commander Su Ming's quarters. Her fist hovered over the wood. She glanced left, then right down the quiet corridor, before knocking twice.

"Enter," a strained voice called from within. Su Luoyao pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room smelled of medicinal paste and dried herbs. Su Ming lay propped against a firm pillow on the bed, white linen binding his fractured ribs and torso. Seeing her enter, the Commander widened his eyes. He pressed a hand against the mattress, sitting upright to clasp his hands in greeting.

"Ah! Second Miss. What brings you here?"

"Commander Su Ming," Su Luoyao said, straightening her spine and stepping toward the bed.

"I—I came to thank you. You and your men fought bravely. The Su Clan will not forget your sacrifices." Su Ming lowered his hands, a weary smile touching his pale face.

"Thank you, Second Miss. We were only doing our duty."

"Um… Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked, shifting her weight.

"Just tell me…" Su Ming fell silent. His gaze flickered toward the shuttered window before settling back on her face.

"Actually, Second Miss… there is something I could use your help with."

"Tell me what it is," Su Luoyao replied, planting a fist over her puffed chest and raising her chin.

"Consider it done!" … A short while later, Xiao Xuan walked down the corridor toward the resting quarters. He turned the corner, preparing to knock on the Commander's door, but stopped. Su Ming stood in the hallway, dressed in plain clothes, devoid of his usual commanding aura.

"Commander?" Xiao Xuan stepped forward, his brow furrowed.

"Why are you out of bed? You should rest." Su Ming paused, turning to face him.

"Young Master Xuan! I have urgent matters to discuss with Lieutenant Su Han. Besides, my wounds aren't fatal, and as a Qi Da Shi (Qi Grandmaster), I can manage. What brings you here?"

"I came to speak with you about the ambush," Xiao Xuan said, glancing past him toward the empty quarters.

"I heard Luoyao came by as well. Has she left?"

"Yes," Su Ming nodded.

"The Second Miss came to offer her gratitude." He paused, his expression softening.

"It meant a lot coming from her. What did you wish to discuss, Young Master?"

"I hoped to get specific details about the bandits," Xiao Xuan said.

"I cannot join you in battle, but I can help with the investigation." Su Ming exhaled, shaking his head.

"I appreciate the thought, Young Master. But your focus must remain on the Tang Auction House. The ambush was abnormal! A Qi Ling expert standing among the ranks of the bandits was unexpected. We lacked intelligence earlier, but we now know they originate from the capital." The Commander drew in a measured breath.

"That being said, they do not pose an immediate threat. We are determining whether they act alone or under the backing of a greater power. I urge you to remain within the estate for now. There is nothing to worry about." Xiao Xuan sighed.

"I understand. But inform me the moment something surfaces. This concerns me and the Tang House deal after all."

"Of course, Young Master," Su Ming bowed.

"I shall take my leave first." Xiao Xuan watched the Commander walk down the hallway. Just as the man disappeared around the corner, a cramp seized Xiao Xuan's abdomen.

"Ugh…" Xiao Xuan pressed a palm against his gut, his eyebrows knitting together. It was the same dull ache that had struck him three days ago on the way back from the market square. Finding no other reason to linger, he turned back toward his chambers. Around the corner, a maid slipped from the shadows, trailing Su Ming's steps. … Inside his chambers, Xiao Xuan secured the door and sat cross-legged on his bed. He regulated his breathing, letting the ache fade as his mind stilled and centered on his dantian.

His fifth star hummed, brimming with surplus refined Qi. Splitting his concentration, he directed a thin veil of Qi upward to coat his mind, then focused the remaining energy downward. Like a drill, he drove the Qi through the last remaining impurities clogging the meridian pathways leading toward his sixth dantian star. He got engrossed in the process and continued for hours. The morning Sun had switched positions to the opposite side, but Xiao Xuan did not stop. Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Young Master! Young Master, there is an emergency!" Wei Tu's frantic voice shattered the silence. Xiao Xuan snapped awake, reeling his circulating Qi back into his core. He sprang from the bed and pulled the door open. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Wei Tu stood on the threshold, pale, sweat rolling down his temples.

"Speak clearly," Xiao Xuan demanded, gripping the servant by the shoulders.

"What happened?"

"Young Master… the Second Miss!" Wei Tu stammered.

"She's gone! She has gone missing!" Xiao Xuan's grip tightened.

"What?!"

"A maid discovered parchment left in her quarters," Wei Tu gasped.

"It's a ransom demand! No one has seen the Second Miss since early afternoon!"

"Has Luoyang returned from the ambush site?" Xiao Xuan asked.

"Yes, she is in the Council Hall right now!" Wei Tu replied. Xiao Xuan released him and sprinted down the corridor toward the council hall. … The Clan Council Hall was in disarray. Armored guards stood at alert along the perimeter while branch elders argued in raised voices. Su Luoyang stood at the center of the hall, her white and silver robes dusted with grime, her expression dark. A parchment was crushed beneath her tightly clenched fingers, blood seeping through.

First Elder Su Zhongyong occupied the seat reserved for the Patriarch.

"Spread patrol units across all four estate perimeters!" Su Zhongyong barked at the soldiers.

"Lock down every route leading out of Xianghai!"

"Luoyang!" Xiao Xuan rushed toward her, panting.

"I heard what happened. What is the ransom?" Su Luoyang turned to him, hesitated, then handed him the crumpled parchment. Xiao Xuan opened it. Su Luoyang must deliver one hundred million silver coins alone to the eastern ridge beyond the border forest. If troops are dispatched, the girl dies. Xiao Xuan clenched the parchment tightly.

"So this was all a distraction?"

"Seems like it. Most of our estate troops were busy investigating the bandits," Su Luoyang said, gritting her teeth. Xiao Xuan had never seen her so shaken; she had always been the picture of poise and self-control.

"What do we do? This could still be a trap…" Xiao Xuan said.

"What if they have more powerful backing? They already have a Qi Ling (Qi Lord)."

"Qi Ling (Qi Lord) or not, they cannot stand against the might of the Su Clan! We will eradicate their lineage today!" an elder shouted.

"We cannot act in haste! Su Luoyao is still with them. We must get her to safety first," Xiao Xuan said.

"Xiao Xuan is right, Elder. I must go alone as they demand. Until Luoyao is safe, we cannot act recklessly," Su Luoyang said.

"That is fine. You go first. We will dispatch the troops after you leave—" Su Zhongyong said. Before the First Elder could finish, the doors flew open. A clan scout stumbled inside, dropping to one knee before the dais, his breath ragged.

"Report!" the scout gasped.

"The Gu Clan has mobilized their strike battalions from their main barracks!"

"What?!" The First Elder shot up from his seat. The hall fell silent. Second Elder Su Jiang slammed his fist against the armrest, splintering the polished wood.

"This cannot be a coincidence! First our consignment is plundered, then the Second Miss is abducted, and now the Gu Clan mobilizes their vanguard!"

"What do we do without the Clan Leader present?" another elder cried in distress.

"If the Gu Clan assaults our compound while our defenses are scattered…!"

"Calm yourselves," Su Zhongyong commanded, raising a steady hand.

"Let us not act on assumptions. We have yet to confirm if the Gu Clan is acting in concert with the bandits, nor do we know the objective of their troop movements."

"No, Uncle. We cannot afford that risk," Su Luoyang stepped forward, her voice cutting through the panic.

"If the Gu Clan is on the move, our clan forces must deploy immediately to secure the border."

"But with Elder Brother out—" Su Zhongyong stopped. Reaching into her spatial ring, Su Luoyang retrieved a dark jade tally engraved with the roaring visage of a beast.

"The Jade Command Token!" Su Zhongyong's eyes widened.

"So Elder Brother entrusted it to you before his departure…" Su Luoyang placed the token into the First Elder's palm.

"You must rally our forces and hold the line against the Gu Clan. I will retrieve Luoyao myself." Su Zhongyong's fingers closed over the jade emblem, his expression turning grave.

"Very well. Exercise extreme caution, Luoyang. You may have achieved the rank of Qi Ling (Qi Lord), but we can no longer underestimate the strength behind these assailants…"

"I understand, Uncle," Su Luoyang replied.

"Let us hope this does not escalate into war." She turned to Xiao Xuan.

"Don't worry about Luoyao. I will get her back safely. Return to your room. We cannot risk another casualty." With that, she turned and left the hall.

"Elders, you heard her. Prepare the troops!" Su Zhongyong declared as he rushed out of the room, followed by the others. Second Elder Su Jiang turned toward Xiao Xuan.

"You heard Luoyang. Return to your quarters and stay out of the way." Then he followed the others. They were right; he could not help them right now. Gritting his teeth, Xiao Xuan left the hall. …

"What happened, Young Master?" Wei Tu asked as Xiao Xuan returned.

"More problems. Su Luoyang has gone to pay the ransom while the elders mobilize our troops for potential war. The Gu Clan is already on the move," Xiao Xuan replied, pacing the floor.

"What!" Wei Tu gasped.

"So this was planned from the beginning—they were waiting for the Patriarch to leave…" Wei Tu muttered.

"I'm afraid so…" Xiao Xuan slammed his fist against the wall. Knock. Knock. Xiao Xuan and Wei Tu snapped their heads toward the door. Wei Tu approached the door and cautiously opened it. The corridor was empty. Looking down, Wei Tu noticed a folded slip of coarse paper resting on the threshold.

"Young Master…" Wei Tu turned, lifting the note.

"There is no one outside. Only this." Xiao Xuan snatched the paper and unfolded it. His eyes widened as he read the ink, his grip tightening until the paper crinkled.

"Young Master, what does it say?" Wei Tu asked, anxious.

"Su Ming… I need to check Su Ming's quarters!" Xiao Xuan shoved the letter into Wei Tu's hands and bolted out. Left behind, Wei Tu looked down at the brushstrokes on the page. Su Ming has betrayed the clan. He has taken Su Luoyao to the old hut beyond the southern forest. Inform the elders.