33. Counter-Surveillance
At dusk, in the Peace Inn of Zhizhen.
To remain inconspicuous, Zhao Chengxian and his companions disguised themselves as travelers and checked into a modest inn. The Peace Inn was far from the finest in Zhizhen; it catered primarily to commoners. If those tracking Zhao Chengxian knew his true status, they would never suspect him of staying in such a place, making it a relatively safe haven. They waited in their room for Chen Gui.
Haiyang said with a hint of worry, "I wonder if Chen Gui can successfully tail that man? Will he be discovered?" Among the four elite guards of the Prince's Mansion, Chen Gui was the most reliable.
Zhao Chengxian smiled, his tone reassuring. "Trust in his work. So far, he has never failed a mission I’ve assigned him." In truth, he had chosen Chen Gui for this task because of his extraordinary memory—he could recall the features of anyone he had seen even once—as well as his composed temperament. He was not prone to impulsivity and would not endanger himself out of an eager desire for merit.
Haiming laughed lightly, taking a sip of tea. "Brother, worrying here won’t change anything. You’d be better off waiting with peace of mind." Perhaps the greatest difference between the twins was their personalities. It made sense; they already looked identical. If their personalities were also the same, they would be indistinguishable. Still, there were surely twins who looked different but shared the same character.
Just then, the door opened. Chen Gui stepped inside, his sword in hand. He clasped his hands toward Zhao Chengxian and said, "Your Highness, I followed that man to a mountain. There stands an old house that appears to have been abandoned for a long time, battered and dilapidated. Once he entered, he never came out. I peered through the window but saw nothing, so I went inside. I dared not disturb anything for fear of alerting the enemy, but I did find this on the floor." He produced a leather purse embroidered with a soaring eagle.
Haiyang snatched it, looking at it with indignation. "The Tatars are truly bold! To dare such schemes of sowing discord—it seems they really harbor ambitions of devouring the Linyan Kingdom, and they are even using our Jiaoyang Kingdom to do it. It is infuriating!" The Eastern Continent was comprised of six nations: Xueyu, Jiaoyang, Linyu, Linyan, Chechi, and the northern Tatar tribes. The Tatars were an alien people of the north, inherently at odds with the other five nations. Such friction was a constant spark for war.
Zhao Chengxian knew the Tatars had long intended to use the Linyan Kingdom as a gateway into the nations of Han culture. As the weakest country on the Eastern Continent and the one closest to the Tatar borders, Linyan was the perfect target. If the Tatars could isolate it from its neighbors, no one would come to its aid when they launched an invasion, making its conquest effortless. Was this the Tatars' grand design? Zhao Chengxian pondered. Sometimes, relations between nations were much like relations between people; one could not judge a person by a single act, and a nation was far more complex.
Haiming mused, "Your Highness, should we go and investigate tonight? Regardless of the circumstances, we must see for ourselves before drawing any conclusions." They were well aware of the danger. The Tatars were tall and brawny, skilled in martial arts, and there was no telling how many were hidden there. The mission was fraught with peril.
Zhao Chengxian understood that they had to go to confirm the threat. He steeled his resolve. "Very well, we shall investigate tonight. Haiming, find Fei Shu and Yang Wentai. Tell them to lead the troops to hide at the foot of the mountain and be ready to provide support at any moment. The signal will be a flare. If we find anything, we will launch it, and you are to move up immediately." He added, "Remember to bring plenty of bows and arrows. The Tatars are physically formidable; we must use archery to minimize our casualties." Zhao Chengxian was a meticulous leader; he would not gamble with the lives of his soldiers.
Haiming stood up, clasped his hands, and replied, "Yes, Your Highness. I shall obey. Everyone, take care." He took his sword and departed. Zhao Chengxian and the others began their own preparations, for they all understood that a hard battle might lie ahead.