Chapter 365 - 273: A Lurking Plot, a Death Trap Emerges

Chapter 365: Chapter 273: A Lurking Plot, a Death Trap Emerges

It was now dusk, the lanterns just beginning to glow. The entire Yokoyama family estate was ablaze with light. Everyone was gathered in the dining hall, yet no one dared to eat.

After all, Wu Liangchen had not yet returned, and no one dared to start eating.

The moment Wu Liangchen entered the dining hall, Yokoyama Misaki’s and Takizawa Sayon’s eyes lit up, and they immediately hurried over to greet him.

"Master Wu, please wash your hands," Yokoyama Misaki said with the utmost respect, holding out a hot towel.

The suffix she used was an honorific in the East Sea nation that implied both respect and a hint of intimacy.

Having dared to address him this way, Yokoyama Misaki was overcome with anxiety, terrified that Wu Liangchen would become enraged.

However, Wu Liangchen paid it no mind. He simply washed his hands in the basin held by Takizawa Sayon, took the towel to dry them, and then scanned the dining hall.

He saw that Graham and the Folangji merchants were present, as were Yokoyama Daisuke and Ota Masayuki, who waited in attendance at the side.

No one dared to speak. The vast dining hall was unnervingly silent.

Wu Liangchen smiled faintly. "What is everyone staring for? Serve the food. I’m getting hungry."

His words instantly broke the tense atmosphere, bringing the room to life.

"Right away!" Yokoyama Daisuke immediately ordered someone to tell the kitchen to begin cooking.

Soon, dishes began to arrive in a steady stream.

Wu Liangchen was indeed quite hungry. He sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat.

Meanwhile, Yokoyama Misaki and Takizawa Sayon stood on either side of him, ready to pour his wine and serve him food.

’Being waited on by beautiful women is a damn good feeling, I have to admit.’

But Wu Liangchen refused them flatly.

He was not some hedonistic scion from a noble house, and he refused to let the gentle temptations of the mortal world dull his edge.

’Don’t underestimate such a seemingly trivial thing. All corruption begins with the smallest, most insignificant indulgence.’

And so, Wu Liangchen finished his dinner, wolfing down his food with a complete lack of aristocratic etiquette. He then utterly ignored the longing, almost overflowing glances from Yokoyama Misaki and Takizawa Sayon, turned, and returned to his room.

After he left, both women were left feeling dejected.

This was especially true for Takizawa Sayon. She considered her beauty to be among the finest in all of Tokyo, and since she was a child, countless men had wracked their brains just to win a single smile from her.

Yet before Wu Liangchen, all that charm might as well have been thin air. It was completely useless.

Sensing the two women’s disappointment, Ota Masayuki suddenly sighed. "Even with the world at his feet, he refuses to indulge himself. It’s no wonder he has achieved such astonishing things at so young an age."

He then looked at the two women. "You need not feel disheartened. A man like him is a divine dragon among men; he cannot be ensnared by mere beauty."

"Then what are we to do?" Takizawa Sayon asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

"Do everything in your power," Ota Masayuki said. "And the rest... depends on his mood."

Meanwhile, as Wu Liangchen retired to his room, a secret meeting was underway in a forgotten corner of Tokyo.

The Silver Moon Building was an obscure, little-known tavern in a remote part of the city.

Its usual patrons were wandering Warriors or destitute scholars, but today, the little Silver Moon Building’s doors were shut tight. A sign hung at the entrance: "Closed due to national mourning."

But if one were to pass through its doors and ascend to the top floor, they would find it brightly lit and crowded with people.

About a dozen people dressed in the traditional garb of East Sea Warriors were crammed into a small private room, their expressions grim.

At their head was a woman. She wore a magnificent warrior’s uniform, embroidered with dark patterns. Though her features could only be described as delicate, a vermilion beauty mark at the corner of her eye added a touch of allure.

Her expression was solemn as she scanned the room, her voice heavy with sorrow as she spoke.

"The Monarch is dead, killed by a foreigner. What’s tragic is that the great families remain indifferent. They even secretly fawn over this outsider, trying to curry his favor. These scum, these traitors who sell out our nation for their own glory, are a disgrace to the East Sea!"

At her words, the expressions of the Warriors present filled with grief and pain.

The woman continued, "If we do not eliminate this man, we Warriors of the East Sea will never be able to hold our heads high again. It will be as if the very backbone of our nation has been snapped. This cannot be allowed to happen. Therefore, I have decided...."

Her gaze swept across the Warriors’ faces. Then, she spoke, enunciating each word. "The Loyalty to the Monarch Alliance is hereby formed, and we will begin to carry out the Kill-Wu Plan!"

Hearing the words "Kill Wu," everyone flinched in alarm. Even the kerosene lamp on the table seemed to startle, its flame flickering twice.

After all, in the East Sea nation, the name Wu Liangchen had become something of a taboo.

People spoke of him only in hushed, guarded tones, not even daring to say his name aloud, as if the very act might invite calamity.

The faces of the Warriors paled, but not one of them backed down.

The woman was quite satisfied with this.

That they could hear this much without fleeing in terror was already commendable. She couldn’t ask for more.

"We are all subjects of the East Sea. The grudge for our Monarch’s murder is a blood feud; we cannot live under the same sky as his killer. We will have our revenge, even if it means we are all destroyed in the process!"

"I have decided we will strike tomorrow at noon. Are there any objections?" the woman asked, scanning the room.

After a moment, a large, scar-faced man kneeling to her right spoke in a low rumble, "Why noon tomorrow?"

"Because we must act sooner rather than later; any delay invites complications. Furthermore, if we were to strike at night, he would likely be on guard. A surprise attack at noon, while he is dining, is more likely to catch him off guard."

At this, the woman unrolled a map.

"This is a layout of Yokoyama Daisuke’s estate and the surrounding streets. The defenses are currently very weak, so we won’t have to worry about any obstacles on our way there. We only need to focus all our attention on Wu Liangchen."

The Yokoyama estate used to have guards, but they have all been withdrawn.

After all, with Wu Liangchen in residence, who would dare cause trouble? Keeping guards around might only lead to misunderstandings, so they were all dismissed.

This development played right into the woman’s hands. She then proceeded to explain the plan in detail.

When she was finished, she looked at the Warriors and said in a grave voice, "Are there any objections?"

They exchanged glances and then shook their heads. "None!"

"Good. Then it is settled. Now, eat and rest. No one is to take a single step outside the Silver Moon Building before noon tomorrow," the woman commanded.

"Yes!"

...

Before the morning mist had dispersed, Yokoyama Misaki was already walking through the covered corridor toward Wu Liangchen’s room, carrying a red-lacquered food box.

Her steps were light, and she did her best not to make a sound, lest she wake the distinguished guest from his slumber.

She had deliberately chosen a pale lavender dress for the day, with a golden butterfly brooch pinned to her chest that fluttered gracefully with her movements, making for an eye-catching sight.

But upon arriving, she found that Takizawa Sayon was already there, brewing tea under the eaves. The rich, steamy aroma of the tea slowly diffused through the garden, a refreshing and pleasant scent.

Yokoyama Misaki was displeased.

She hadn’t expected her best friend to be so calculating, and she regretted not having thought of it herself.

But before she could say a word, the wooden door slid open with a CREAK, and Wu Liangchen emerged.

"Master Wu, did you sleep well?"

Yokoyama Misaki and Takizawa Sayon quickly set down the items in their hands and bowed in unison to greet him.

Whether intentionally or not, as she bowed, the collar of Takizawa Sayon’s robe gaped slightly, revealing a flash of her snow-white skin.

"Well enough."

Wu Liangchen, however, didn’t even glance at the tempting sight. He simply strode past, leaving the two women standing awkwardly in his wake.

Yokoyama Misaki then looked at the impeccably dressed Takizawa Sayon and said coolly, "Saya, were you up all night?"

Takizawa Sayon smiled, her lips pursed. "And you, Misaki? That food box must be filled with pastries you spent all night preparing. Such a pity, isn’t it?"

"Hmph!" Yokoyama Misaki snorted and turned to leave, her heart filled with regret. ’Why did I ever tell her to come here?’

’I just created a rival for myself for no good reason.’

Takizawa Sayon, however, paid her departure no mind.

Her thoughts turned again to the message her father had sent.

’Win Wu Liangchen’s favor, no matter the cost. If you can become his woman, you can have anything you desire.’

At this thought, a determined glint flashed in her eyes, and she secretly clenched her fists.

’Everything... will be mine. No one will take it from me!’