Chapter 396 - 236: Assassination

Chapter 396: Chapter 236: Assassination

A young man, accompanied by two beautiful women and an old servant, walked slowly along the official road.

After leaving Xiangzhou Capital City, Su Mu did not summon his Garuda again. Instead, he chose to walk the whole way with Luo Anning and Xiang Xiaoyuan.

Moments of leisure were rare in Wuling City, and with the beautiful scenery of Xiangzhou, Su Mu was in the mood for some sightseeing.

On the other hand, Su Mu also wanted to learn more about the local customs and culture of Xiangzhou.

After all, he had come to Xiangzhou to assume his post and would not be leaving for some time.

Although a Taiping Bureau Governor’s duty was to slay demons and devils, he was now in Xiangzhou. If he didn’t understand the region, fulfilling his duties would likely not go smoothly.

He traveled toward Songjiang Prefecture at a leisurely pace, turning what should have been a one or two-day journey into a full seven or eight days.

When he finally appeared outside Songjiang Prefecture City, the various factions that had been lingering outside the city walls finally breathed a sigh of relief.

They had been waiting for several days!

"Yang Yungzhong, Taiping Captain of Songjiang Prefecture, greets Lord Su."

A young man dressed in the Brocade and Ink Shirt of a Taiping Captain clasped his hands in a salute to Su Mu. His face was filled with deep admiration as he looked at the five cloud patterns on Su Mu’s collar.

Anyone in the Taiping Bureau knew what these cloud patterns represented.

One cloud pattern signified a special merit.

Countless lives could be lost without ever earning a single special merit.

And Governor Su had actually obtained five of them!

What did this mean?

It meant Governor Su had completed five suicide missions!

In the entire history of the Taiping Bureau, no one had ever earned so many special merits!

Even setting aside Su Mu’s status as a Governor, these five special merits alone were enough to earn him the respect of everyone in the Taiping Bureau.

"Captain Yang, there’s no need for such formalities."

Su Mu said with a smile, "Were you waiting here specifically for me?"

"Yes."

Yang Yungzhong replied respectfully, "The Vice Governor in the capital city sent word that Lord Su would be arriving in Songjiang Prefecture soon, so I have been waiting here for you."

This was something that could probably only happen in Xiangzhou.

In Wuling City or Hujue Pass, the Taiping Bureau was so severely understaffed that everyone was busy to the point of death. Who would have the time to wait specifically for one person?

In Xiangzhou, including Songjiang Prefecture, demons and devils rarely appeared, so the Taiping Bureau was usually quite idle.

"Zhang Luzhong greets Governor Su."

Before Yang Yungzhong could finish, a middle-aged man in a green shirt standing beside them spoke up with a smile.

"And you are?"

Su Mu turned his head to look at him.

"I am the Master of Songjiang Prefecture. I have come to welcome Governor Su under the orders of the Lord Prefect."

Zhang Luzhong continued with a smile, "Governor Su, my Lord Prefect has already prepared a welcome banquet at his residence. We ask that you grace us with your presence."

"I appreciate the Lord Prefect’s kind intentions, but the welcome banquet won’t be necessary. I have official business to attend to."

Su Mu said flatly.

"Governor Su, why be so distant?"

Zhang Luzhong’s smile didn’t waver. He continued, "Our Songjiang Prefecture is a bit challenged, it’s true. The Lord Prefect is paying for this banquet out of his own pocket. He also wishes to report to you on the situation in Songjiang Prefecture."

He adopted a very humble posture.

You can’t hit a smiling man.

Su Mu pondered for a moment before nodding slowly. "Since that’s the case, it would be rude of me to refuse.

Captain Yang, you will come with me."

"Yes, my lord."

Yang Yungzhong clasped his hands.

"Governor Su, please."

Zhang Luzhong called over a horse-drawn carriage and gestured.

Su Mu stared at the carriage Zhang Luzhong had summoned, slightly taken aback.

Not because it was too luxurious, but because it was too plain.

It was perhaps the most dilapidated carriage he had seen since entering Xiangzhou.

The carriage was so shabby that Su Mu worried it might fall apart with the slightest jolt.

"Please forgive us, Governor Su. Our Songjiang Prefecture is facing economic hardship. I had to specially borrow this carriage. Our Lord Prefect usually travels by ox-cart."

Zhang Luzhong explained.

"Is that so?"

Su Mu said with a half-smile, then boarded the carriage with Luo Anning and Xiang Xiaoyuan.

As for Yang Yungzhong and Shi Ziran, they walked alongside the carriage, one on the left and one on the right.

"Husband, isn’t Songjiang Prefecture overdoing this act a bit?"

Inside the carriage, Xiang Xiaoyuan couldn’t help but say, "Everyone knows Xiangzhou is wealthy. No matter how incorruptible the Lord of the Prefecture of Songjiang is, he wouldn’t be in *this* state, would he?"

"He’s likely doing it on purpose."

Luo Anning said thoughtfully, "He’s probably afraid you’ll ask him for the silver to build Bailu Academy."

Miss Luo usually didn’t like to overthink things, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t see through these schemes.

Su Mu said with a laugh, "Pleading poverty. It’s normal.

If it weren’t for the Wu Family, and I had to rely on Songjiang Prefecture to build Bailu Academy, I’m afraid the academy might not even be built by the time the Demon Court’s fiends arrive next year."

"Husband, you thought of all this already? So you were planning to use the Wu Family from the very beginning?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan blinked.

"You could say I was just turning their own scheme against them. At first, I had no idea the imperial court would send me to Songjiang Prefecture to be the Governor.

And I never expected Wu Yifan to be so reckless."

Su Mu chuckled.

He had indeed planned to cause trouble for the Wu Family for a while. Back when he destroyed the Array Plate for the Nine Dragon True Flame Array because of Wu Qiuyuan, he hadn’t forgotten that debt.

However, his initial plan was merely to extort the Wu Family for a sum to cover the loss of the Nine Dragon True Flame Array, and that would be the end of it.

It was Wu Yifan’s actions that truly angered him, which led to the decision to make the Wu Family bleed.

It was a happy accident, really. It solved the problem of funding the construction of Bailu Academy at the same time.