Chapter 613
Chapter 613
“Master. Are we really staying in Jiangling?” When Dong Zhi returned home, there was someone to pour tea for him and massage him. The one massaging him was a new concubine. He was truly a distinguished and gifted scholar as he already had six wives at the age of thirty.
The reason the concubine asked this is because she was afraid. She lived a peaceful life when Jiangling was under Dong Zhi’s governance. She could easily keep herself fed. However, Dong Zhi had lost his position. He who used to be able to order others around now had to lower his head. The concubine was dissatisfied. She was also afraid of Jingzhou’s men.
The concubine knew nothing of Yangzhou’s navy defeating Jingzhou’s navy so she did not know how powerful Yangzhou was. What she do know is that Jingzhou had at least a hundred thousand men while Lu Xun only had about ten thousand men. How could they win?
“Sigh. We can only take things step by step.” Dong Zhi was also panicking. After rebelling against Jingzhou, he would be finished Jiangling were to fall. Yet, he could not run. He could not return to Jingzhou and he would need a ship if he wanted to escape towards Jiangdong or the Central Plains. However, the Yangtze River was blocked so he could not leave. The only other way was the Huarong Road but that was too risky. On top of that, he would not be able to take his wealth with him.
“Master. Have you ever thought about staying with Jingzhou?” The concubine asked.
“Stay with Jingzhou?” Dong Zhi could not understand what his concubine meant.
“I mean to stay as a governor working for Jingzhou!” The concubine suggested plainly.
Dong Zhi’s eyes grew wide as he realized what his concubine was saying. “Careful. The walls have ears.” Dong Zhi was no longer in power. He was just a surrendered general. That was why he was afraid.
“What are you afraid of? Master, this is our residence. Can that Yangzhou Army even come to our residence when they are lacking people to guard the walls?” The concubine said without a care.
Dong Zhi nodded at this. Due to the lack of people, it was unlikely for Lu Xun to dispatch someone to keep him under surveillance.
“Master, if it is possible, are you willing to stay as Jingzhou’s official?” The concubine asked.
“Of course!” Dong Zhi quickly replied. At Jingzhou, Liu Pan was his patron but if he goes to Yangzhou, who could he rely on? It would be a fresh start where he would have serve even the likes of Lu Xun carefully. Dong Zhi did not want to start anew. At Jiangling he was the Governor but if he joins up with Yangzhou, it would be a miracle to be employed as a county officer even with Lu Xun’s good word.
Besides that, Dong Zhi can feel Wu Mi’s hatred towards him. Dong Zhi wouldn’t have cared about just one girl but this girl actually brought a map to Yangzhou and helped them cross the Huarong Road. This then caused him to lose Jiangling. At this point, Dong Zhi knew that he could not underestimate her.
Wu Mi was also beautiful. If she gives herself to a high ranking person in Yangzhou for revenge, then Dong Zhi can only wait for his death.
“But I can no longer stay in Jingzhou!” Dong Zhi shook his head bitterly. He already betrayed Jingzhou so Liu Pan would not spare him. Dong Zhi have already chosen the worst option. If only he could, he would have taken his family to the Central Plains and join up with Cao Cao.
“Who said so?” The concubine asked.
“I have already betrayed Jingzhou!”
“We can make up for our faults by doing good deeds!” The concubine enticed.
“Make up for our faults by doing good deeds?” Dong Zhi asked skeptically.
“Master, we have surrendered to Yangzhou but we were forced to do this by the circumstances. If we had fought against these traitors, we would have died and lost Jiangling. That is why we pretend to be on their side and gain their trust. Then while they least expect it, we open the gates and let our army in. We can even capture Lu Xun. Wouldn’t Master be meritorious then?” The concubine’s words were so attractive. She believed that Dong Zhi would immediately agree.
She never expected Dong Zhi to look at her with suspicion. Dong Zhi was not an idiot. He was a politician worthy of being appointed as Jiangling’s Governor. Hearing his concubine’s words, he became more vigilant instead.
“Who are you?” Dong Zhi stared at his new concubine.
“I am just a servant! I am your concubine!” The concubine laughed as she approached Dong Zhi. She tried to seduce him to bluff her way out but Dong Zhi was not so easily fooled.
Dong Zhi pushed her away and said. “You still refuse to tell me at this point?” Dong Zhi would not believe that this concubine could come up with this plan. After all, in the past it is a woman’s virtue to not have any talents. Although they could scheme, it is only in regards to the matters in the backyard, not on political or war matters like this. The concubines words made Dong Zhi feel suspicious of her.
“Master, what is wrong?” The concubine continued to act spoiled.
“You refuse to say? In that case, I will hand you over to General Lu Xun! Let us see how he interrogates you!” Dong Zhi threatened.
“Master! Do not do this!” The concubine panicked. That is because her identity must never be revealed. If she was sent to Lu Xun, she was dead. But then she saw Dong Zhi looking at her with a smile and said, “Master, you are so annoying. You really know how to scare people! I was so frightened my liver was about to jump out!”
“So you are afraid? Then let me comfort you.” Dong Zhi said and then took the lead as he played with her breasts. “Come, be good. Tell me where you are from. Why are you with me?”
“Master. Who do you think sent me here?” Dong Zhi was so experienced that the concubine’s face was already red.
“Is it the Lord?” Dong Zhi thought for a moment and then shook his head. Liu Biao did not need to put someone next to him. If he wanted Dong Zhi removed, he could have done this easily.
“Master, it is starting to hurt! I will speak, I will speak! It is the Second Lord!” The concubine was so soft and weak. She laid on Dong Zhi’s body and her fragrance blew in from his side.
“The Second Lord?” Dong Zhi’s eyes grew wide with disbelief. “Why does the Second Lord want to place someone by my side?” Dong Zhi felt uncomfortable because before this, he had become Liu Pan’s subordinate. He was prepared to have Liu Pan as his supporter. The fact that someone was placed by his side meant that Liu Pan did not trust him. Liu Pan could just kill him whenever he wanted and Dong Zhi would not even notice.
Dong Zhi felt a chill in his heart. As a result, he loosened his grip on his concubine.
“Aiya!” The concubine stumbled from Dong Zhi’s actions. “Master, is there a need to be so angry? The Second Lord is simply worried about you which is why he sent me to support you! If it is not for me, how would you continue to work for Jingzhou and atone for your crimes?” The concubine stood up and looked at Dong Zhi.
“Continue working for Jingzhou? Atone for my crimes?” Dong Zhi was moved. If this woman truly worked for Liu Pan, then that future is possible. There is no need to worry that Liu Pan would not believe him. Besides that, if he could capture Lu Xun, being rewarded after that may even be a possibility.
After thinking that, Dong Zhi hugged the concubine tight. “My darling, did it hurt when you fall? It is all this Master’s fault. This Master should be punished!”
“How should you be punished?” The concubine asked seductively.
“Haha. Of course it would be to…” Dong Zhi said as he led his concubine to the back of the room.
***
Dong Zhi had thought that no one heard his conversation. Little did he know that someone was watching his every move.
Opposite his residence was a restaurant. Sitting on the second floor was Wu Mi who was holding a telescope. Her face was red from anger.
The telescope in her hands was Lu Xun which he had given to her to help repair their relationship as cousins after forbidding her from killing Dong Zhi. Lu Xun did not expect her to monitor Dong Zhi. Wu Mi had been looking for the opportunity to kill Dong Zhi the entire time but Dong Zhi surrounded himself with guards as though he knew that Wu Mi was going after him. Wu Mi did not have the chance to attack him.
But this time, Wu Mi discovered something important. Though Dong Zhi’s residence and the restaurant was a street apart and too far to hear anything, Wu Mi knew how to lip read. Initially, all she saw was a boring conversation but suddenly she found out that Dong Zhi was planning a betrayal.
“That concubine is Liu Pan’s person?” Wu Mi was astonished. She never expected that this concubine had such an identity. Wu Mi then gnashed her teeth in anger. If her anger towards Dong Zhi simply settled at ‘kill him’, then her anger towards Liu Pan would be along the lines of ‘eat him alive’.
“Should I tell my cousin?” Wu Mi thought of telling Lu Xun and got up but then she suddenly hesitated. Lu Xun might not believe her. After all, everyone already knew that Wu Mi wanted Dong Zhi dead. Lu Xun might think that Wu Mi was saying this just to get her revenge.
Wu Mi gritted her teeth. “Dead cousin! Smelly cousin! If you are not going to help me, I will do it myself! I want to see your expression when the gates are open!” Wu Mi had a firm resolution. She chose not to expose Dong Zhi until Dong Zhi had acted. At that time, Lu Xun would not stop her from having her revenge.
Wu Mi started to act. First of all, she would need to pull out the snake from its hole.