Chapter 149: Butterflies Among the Blossoms

A few butterflies unfolded their brilliantly colored wings, fluttering gracefully in the air one moment and settling leisurely among the blossoms the next. They looked like beautiful flowers that had grown wings, dancing between blooms and leafy gaps, gradually dazzling the observer's eyes.

A small hand precisely pinched the beautiful wings of a colorful butterfly amid the blossoms, and carrying the struggling, helpless creature, dashed like flying toward the courtyard where Tang Xiaochi lived. Who else could that mischievous boy be if not Bo Liangqi?

Seeing this scene from afar, Lu Liaoliao shook his head with a helpless smile, but suddenly a thought struck him, and he strode briskly back to his study.

The four heavyweight ministers of the Great Tang court represented three distinct factions. Right Chancellor Li Linfu and Grand Censor Wang Yifang belonged to the ministerial faction. Vice Censor-in-Chief Yang Guozhong, backed by the reigning Emperor, represented the imperial faction. Left Chancellor Chen Xilie, though lacking in strong influence, represented the scholarly elite.

That farcical Jianghu Decree to Execute Traitors—targeting the treacherous Right Chancellor Li Linfu, the treacherous Left Chancellor Chen Xilie, and the treacherous minister Yang Guozhong—encompassed representatives from all three major political forces. Although the probability of success was virtually nonexistent, such audacity was both laughable and somewhat admirable.

Who on earth had masterminded this farcical campaign against the traitors? Lu Liaoliao had once suspected the utterly inconspicuous Crown Prince Li Heng, but quickly dismissed the thought. The reigning Emperor was at the height of his power and prime, while Chancellor Li Linfu, who loathed the Crown Prince, held immense and formidable authority. Presently crouching low to bide his time, how could the Crown Prince possibly devise such a clumsy scheme?

By sheer coincidence, the decree omitted Grand Censor Wang from the list of treacherous villains to be eliminated. If the other three heavyweights were killed, he seemed to be the sole beneficiary. Yet, a moment's reflection revealed this to be utterly impossible.

With the backing of Li Linfu, Wang's path to the chancellor's seat was broad and smooth, practically within arm's reach. Eliminating three senior court officials at once—not to mention lacking the sheer strength for such a feat—even if he managed to kill his own patron, Li Linfu, a man long accustomed to high office would never conceive of such a low, laughable, and foolish trick.

Unable to make sense of it, he simply decided to keep his eyes fixed on the butterfly hiding among the flowers; eventually, the time would come for it to flap its wings. When that moment arrived, everything would become crystal clear.

At dusk, Guo Yan came to the Lu residence in person.

"The background of that young man beside the plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan has been investigated. He is Wei Hui, the prefectural secretary of the Prince's Manor, and the half-brother of Wang Yao, who is the son of Princess Anding and Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards. Unlike his cautious and timid brother Wang Yao, Wei Hui is bold, impulsive, and fond of associating with Jianghu swordsmen and gallants. It is hardly surprising that he has taken up with Ren Haichuan."

Guo Yan accepted the cup of tea personally poured by Lu Liaoliao, but without taking a single sip, he set it aside.

"I have also made inquiries and heard that the plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan is deeply versed in the arts of geomancy and physiognomy. In Chang'an, he has won considerable flattery and patronage from prominent and powerful aristocratic families. You sent men to follow him all the way; have you discovered whose residence he is staying in during his visit to Chang'an?"

Lu Liaoliao thought to himself that as long as they found out whose mansion the Jianghu diviner was staying in, everything that followed would become effortless.

"I dispatched four of my best operatives adept at concealment and tracking to tail him ever since the Anti-Treason Heroes' Assembly at Zhongnan Mountain. To my surprise, two days passed without a single message being sent back. Later, in the woods near Louguan Terrace, we found their corpses. Every single one of them had been pierced through the heart by a single sword strike, dying instantly. The force applied was exquisite to the absolute peak, not a fraction too much nor a fraction too few."

Guo Yan's expression turned gloomy; losing four brothers at once clearly weighed heavily on his heart.

"It seems that this plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan is not only skilled in physiognomy, but his swordsmanship has also reached the pinnacle of perfection. He didn't even bother to hide the bodies after killing them; it appears he is making a show of intimidation toward those who were tracking him."

Lu Liaoliao frowned slightly.

"Brother Lu, you could also manage to kill my four brothers without a sound. But you always prefer to sever heads with a single blade, which is rather brutal. Compared to this Ren Haichuan, you are like a graceful, elegant young gentleman, while he is an unreasonable, unpolished brute."

Guo Yan cast a flickering glance at Lu Liaoliao, phrasing his words with great tact.

"Hmph! You are trying to say that my control of force falls short of this plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan, and that my swordsmanship is likely inferior to his, aren't you? Clearly just an uneducated beggar chieftain, yet trying to sound like a scholar."

Lu Liaoliao let out a dissatisfied huff, thoroughly unconvinced in his heart.

"I was merely drawing a comparison," Guo Yan muttered.

"I simply refuse to believe that this fellow will stay holed up in Chang'an City and never come out to move around. Have your men watch the entire city of Chang'an for me. Once you spot his tracks, do not act rashly. Send word to me, and let this unpolished brute go and meet that gentleman."

Lu Liaoliao rose to his feet, eager to try his hand.

Scarcely two days later, Guo Yan appeared once more in Lu Liaoliao's study.

"Well? Have you found his trail?" Lu Liaoliao asked eagerly.

Guo Yan shook his head, cast a peculiar look at Lu Liaoliao, and dropped his voice to a barely audible whisper.

"At the Drunken Moon Pavilion in Jincheng Ward, the entourage of Jade Rakshasa, leader of the Five Poisons Cult, has been spotted residing there. That pretty young matron who smiled at you the other day is also among them."

Lu Liaoliao froze, his heart beating wildly and uncooperatively. He lightly slapped Guo Yan on the arm, his tone tinged with annoyance.

"I told you to investigate the whereabouts of that plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan. Why on earth were you keeping tabs on members of the Five Poisons Cult!"

"Hehe!" Guo Yan laughed foolishly, though in his heart he knew that this time, he had evidently done the right thing.

As the old saying goes: a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a stolen affair. Between him and Fang Gege, there were still entangled and irreconcilable grudges of love and hatred. Instead, this held a fatal attraction for Lu Liaoliao, pulling him deep into the whirlpool, unable to extricate himself.

Renting a secluded little courtyard in Jincheng Ward was a trivial matter for Lu Liaoliao now. Sending someone to secretly convey a message for Fang Gege to come for a tryst was equally effortless.

Women were very strange creatures. Often, after surrendering their bodies to a man, they ended up tethering their souls as well. Coupled with her lingering guilt toward Lu Liaoliao, Fang Gege entirely forgot her status as a married woman, yielding to Lu Liaoliao in every possible way and completely losing herself.

"Just relying on these Jianghu folk, how could they possibly shake those heavyweight ministers in the court? Trying to assassinate them is nothing short of throwing your lives away. Your Cult Leader Jade Rakshasa cannot possibly fail to understand this logic. Why hasn't she left Chang'an, but instead lingered here?"

Causing his hand to roam over Fang Gege's soft, delicate skin, Lu Liaoliao could hardly bear to imagine what she would look like lying in a pool of blood.

Fang Gege crawled softly onto Lu Liaoliao's chest, her eyes carefully scanning her surroundings.

"I secretly heard that plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan tell the Cult Leader that they have already arranged their men. They plan to start fires simultaneously in the East Market and West Market to cause chaos, and then seize the opportunity to capture the Kaiyuan and Jinguang Gates; only then will they have a chance to kill several senior court officials. As for whether the Cult Leader will involve my Five Sacred Cult, I simply don't know."

Lu Liaoliao was inwardly startled. He had not expected that a moment of passion leading to a tryst with Fang Gege would lead him to stumble upon the plan of the plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan. It was obviously impossible for these Jianghu figures to succeed in assassinating several senior ministers, but setting a few fires to create chaos was the kind of threat that was impossible to guard against entirely.

The news Fang Gege had overheard was incomplete; it seemed that to prevent this impending chaos, he had to capture that Ren Haichuan. Yet, where on earth could one find this elusive plain-clothed physiognomist who showed his head but never his tail?

After a spell of further tenderness, the two dressed themselves neatly and slipped out through the back door. In the secluded, quiet alley, they happened to brush past a middle-aged man of refined and elegant demeanor.

Looking up inadvertently, the two froze at almost the exact same instant.

"The plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan!" Talk of the devil and he appeared; after an exhaustive search, success had come effortlessly. Without a second thought, Lu Liaoliao directly drew his Qiushui sword.

Ren Haichuan looked the two of them over; indulging in passions in broad daylight, the lingering amorous glow on the faces of the two who had just finished their tryst was impossible to conceal. For reasons unknown, Ren Haichuan, who did not even know Lu Liaoliao, suddenly found his eyes filled with fury.

"This young gentleman, you and I are complete strangers. Why do you draw your sword against me the moment you set eyes on me?"

Ren Haichuan suppressed his anger, staring unflinchingly at Lu Liaoliao without a trace of fear.

"I have heard that you, the plain-clothed physiognomist, read the destiny of heaven, earth, and monarchs. Though lacking in talent, this humble one would also like to ask you to read mine." Lu Liaoliao maintained a relaxed demeanor, toying with his Qiushui sword as he squarely blocked Ren Haichuan's path.

"Licentious and depraved, with a flawed character. Though you may have some learning, you will ultimately fail to achieve greatness!" Ren Haichuan stared coldly at Lu Liaoliao, sparing no harshness in his words.

"Whether I achieve greatness is not something for you to decide with a single word. However, you, a mere Jianghu diviner, intend to stir up trouble in Chang'an City; no person of insight could possibly allow you to run amok."

Annoyed, Lu Liaoliao pointed his Qiushui sword straight at Ren Haichuan.

"Meddlesome!" Evidently in a very foul mood, Ren Haichuan drew his long sword, thrusting it toward the space right before Lu Liaoliao's eyes in the blink of an eye.

Drawing the sword, sweeping the sword—Ren Haichuan's movements were smooth as flowing clouds and water, entirely natural, leaving one practically powerless to parry.

Never before had Lu Liaoliao been placed in such a passive position. His figure flashed repeatedly, barely dodging the oncoming blade. Before he knew it, a tremendous force struck his chest and abdomen as Ren Haichuan hit him with a single palm strike, sending his entire body flying backward.

Ren Haichuan did not press his advantage. Leaping high into the air, his figure vanished into the deep courtyards behind the high walls in an instant.

Fang Gege, who had been watching in near-stupefaction, stood frozen for a long while before letting out a cry of alarm and rushing forward to help the fallen Lu Liaoliao to his feet, gazing at him with an expression full of worry.

"Liaoliao, are you all right?"

Lu Liaoliao felt his chest and abdomen; there wasn't the slightest trace of injury. Gazing blankly in the direction where Ren Haichuan had disappeared, he shook his head in a daze.

After parting ways with Fang Gege, Lu Liaoliao found Guo Yan, who had been keeping watch nearby.

"Is this so-called plain-clothed physiognomist Ren Haichuan really that formidable in his martial arts? In front of him, I was practically completely unable to put up any defense."

Upon hearing this, Guo Yan blankly rubbed his head.

"In the Jianghu, this plain-clothed physiognomist does have some reputation. However, I've never heard of him fighting anyone. If even Brother Lu here had no power to retaliate, it seems this plain-clothed physiognomist is someone we simply cannot afford to provoke."

A butterfly fluttered past Lu Liaoliao; with a flash of sword light, its body was cleaved in two. Its beautiful wings could no longer flap as it fell lifelessly to the ground.

Lu Liaoliao stared blankly at the corpse of the butterfly divided in half. A profound sense of failure caused him to instinctively strike out with that sword. He shook his head and offered a bitter smile. A butterfly was a butterfly, and a person was a person. Thinking he could easily capture Ren Haichuan now seemed far too simplistic.

The sound of urgent hoofbeats rang out, and the white horse carrying Wang Zhu, foremost among the capital's playboys, flashed past.

Watching Wang Zhu's high-spirited, incomparably arrogant retreating figure, Lu Liaoliao lowered his head and sank into deep thought.

Since he could not catch the butterfly hiding among the flowers, he would simply let someone else catch it instead.