Chapter 1329 - 1005: Don’t Miss the Opportunity

Two days later, a lone rider galloped into the Western Turks’ yatai.

A short while after, Ashina Zhuxie walked out from the main tent and followed a small path to a tent in a corner of the camp. They hadn’t known in advance that there would be an envoy from Luoyang coming, much less staying on, so this tent had been hastily set up for Wang Shaoqiu after his arrival. He hadn’t brought many attendants, just two or three, cramped together in a much smaller tent on the other side.

So there was no guard posted in front of his tent, and it seemed he himself didn’t care. Ashina Zhuxie lifted the flap with his hand and walked straight in.

As soon as he entered, he saw Wang Shaoqiu sitting inside, holding a powder-pink object in his hand.

It seemed to be a handkerchief.

He held the handkerchief to his nose, as if smelling the scent lingering in it. His expression was somewhat dazed, as though his soul had been ensnared; he didn’t even notice Ashina Zhuxie coming in. Only when a tall shadow fell across his field of vision did he jolt back to himself, hastily stuffed the pink handkerchief back into his robe, and rose to greet him: "When did the Khan arrive?"

Watching him swiftly pull his composure together, careful and cautious, Ashina Zhuxie said evenly, "Did I disturb the envoy?"

"Not at all. Please sit, Khan."

Ashina Zhuxie raised his hand as well, and the two of them sat down.

Once they were seated, Ashina Zhuxie looked up at the man opposite him. Wang Shaoqiu clearly knew that what had just happened had fallen into his eyes; though he remained prudent and solemn, his expression was still a bit unnatural. Ashina Zhuxie gave a faint smile. "The envoy doesn’t look well. Is it that you’re feeling unwell?"

Wang Shaoqiu forced a smile. "My health has always been like this."

"Oh? Then traveling a thousand li to come here this time must have been hard on you."

"It is my duty."

"But staying here waiting these past two days is no longer your duty, is it?"

At these words, Wang Shaoqiu froze for a moment, but quickly guessed something from the flicker in Ashina Zhuxie’s eyes. He asked, "Has there been news from Lu—Shang Ruyi’s side?"

"There has."

"When will they get here?"

Seeing the burning light in Wang Shaoqiu’s gaze, Ashina Zhuxie was silent for a moment before saying, "They may... not be coming here at all."

"What!?"

At that, Wang Shaoqiu’s face changed at once. The faint, inexplicable tenderness still lingering in his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by calm and reason. He said, "Shang Ruyi left Chang An with her men for Xiazhou, did she not? How could she not come here?"

Only then did Ashina Zhuxie lift his hand. Wang Shaoqiu noticed that he was holding a slip of paper with only a few lines written on it—it looked to be an urgent report sent back by scouts at the front. Ashina Zhuxie said, "I too thought that Princess Qiancheng petitioned Chang An for aid, and Yu Wenquan ordered that Princess Qin lead a force out of Chang An precisely to relieve Xiazhou’s crisis. I didn’t expect that this was not the case."

"..."

"She didn’t go out via Yanmen, but headed for Sui State instead."

"Sui State?"

The mention of a place that meant nothing to them at this moment made Wang Shaoqiu’s expression even more puzzled—Shang Ruyi had chosen this time to leave Chang An, not to come to Xiazhou, but instead to go to Sui State. What was she trying to do?

Could it be—

Wang Shaoqiu immediately said, "Is there something in Sui State?"

Ashina Zhuxie looked at him with a glimmer in his eyes. "That is something I must ask the envoy. After all, I am not familiar with the affairs and people of your Central Plains."

Wang Shaoqiu sensed something. "Whom and what affairs does the Khan wish to ask about?"

"For example—Zuo Heng."

"..."

"For example, the Left General’s Tomb."

At the words "Left General’s Tomb," Wang Shaoqiu’s expression changed at once, his gaze growing even deeper and more incisive. He lowered his voice, speaking heavily: "How does the Khan know of this? And why ask about the Left General’s Tomb at a time like this?"

From the subtle change in his face, Ashina Zhuxie felt all the more that the Left General’s Tomb was of great importance, yet his manner remained bland as he said, "My men have been following Shang Ruyi and that Lu Xiao all the way. They’ve found that along the road they mentioned Zuo Heng more than once, and also spoke of the Left General’s Tomb. Originally I thought that once they passed Tongguan, they would head straight north via Yanmen to come to Xiazhou’s aid. I did not expect them to turn toward Sui State instead."

As he spoke, a cold gleam flashed in Ashina Zhuxie’s eyes. "I know of this man Zuo Heng—he once troubled Chu Yang to no end. As for this Left General’s Tomb, what exactly is it?"

"..."

Wang Shaoqiu thought for a bit, then suddenly smiled. "My congratulations to the Khan."

"Oh?"

"The information the Khan has obtained this time may well bring greater profit than taking Xiazhou."

"Oh? How so?"

"The Left General’s Tomb—"

Wang Shaoqiu told Ashina Zhuxie everything he knew—indeed, everything known to nearly all former officials of the previous dynasty—about the many fake tombs Zuo Chen An had arranged, and the possibility that those tombs concealed the wealth of enemy nations.

At the phrase "enemy nation’s wealth," a muscle twitched slightly at the corner of Ashina Zhuxie’s eye.

As for what his true aim was in marching south this time, where he fought was not important, nor whom he fought. After all, he had no deep grudges with any of the Central Plains factions; even if there were grievances, they could be smoothed over with profit. His primary purpose in coming south was to seize profit through war—this was the most vital survival skill of any hegemon in a time of chaos. And now, to learn that there might be a place hiding a trove of priceless treasure—how could one not be tempted?

Only—

He looked at Wang Shaoqiu. "You mean that Shang Ruyi is heading to Sui State this time to seek out the Left General’s Tomb?"

"That’s what it looks like."

Lowering his voice again, Wang Shaoqiu spoke in a husky tone that was like the lure of a demon. "Khan, you must not let this chance slip by."

Ashina Zhuxie pondered for a moment, then said with a half-smile, "Since it is called a ’tomb of doubt,’ it can’t be something everyone knows about. If everyone knew where Zuo Chen An was buried, whatever lay inside would long since have been divided up."

Wang Shaoqiu said, "The Khan is perceptive."

"Then—"

"The one who truly knows the place of Zuo Chen An’s burial should be his own son, Zuo Heng."

"Wasn’t he also killed in battle a few years ago?"

"He may be dead, but the people around him might well have obtained clues about the Left General’s Tomb from him."

"You mean—"

"Xiao Yuansui."

At this, a somber gloom flashed through Wang Shaoqiu’s eyes; he seemed to grit his teeth before continuing, "And Lu Xiao was once Xiao Yuansui’s concubine."

Ashina Zhuxie narrowed his eyes slightly. "You’re saying that Xiao Yuansui very likely learned certain clues to the Left General’s Tomb from Zuo Heng, and that he may have passed those clues to Lu Xiao. So now, Shang Ruyi’s purpose in going to Sui State is—"

Wang Shaoqiu looked at him, eyes gleaming. "Khan, do not let this chance slip by!"