Chapter Four: Ulterior Motives

Since turning thirty, Zhu Li had rarely engaged in physical combat with others. After all, entrenched in officialdom, backed by powerful aristocratic families, and favored and deeply trusted by the head of the Zhu clan, he could command unimaginable resources. No matter how thorny an issue might be, a single word from him would see it properly and thoroughly resolved. There was simply nothing that warranted him dirtying his own hands.

Consequently, over the years, no one knew what rank Zhu Li had achieved in martial arts. Although Du Mingyu had prepared himself mentally, the moment he faced Zhu Li's overwhelming pressure, his breath caught instantly. It felt as though a thousand-pound hammer was relentlessly pounding against his chest, rooting his hands and feet to the spot and rendering him barely able to move.

Yet Du Mingyu was no ordinary person. Shifting his weight slightly onto his soles, drawing power upward from the earth, and settling his breath into his dantian, he suddenly flicked his right hand forward. His long sleeves fluttered gracefully with fluid elegance, and he retreated three steps like flowing clouds and moving water, finally breaking free of Zhu Li’s imposing aura. His entire body instantly relaxed, a thin layer of sweat slicking his spine.

"Otherwise, the million believers of the Celestial Master Dao will never forget the stab in the back delivered by the Zhu clan!"

"Hahaha!"

Zhu Li looked up and laughed aloud. Rising slowly, he said, "Go back and tell Du Jingzhi that the bloody crimes he committed in Yongning County will sooner or later be settled by me. The death of Xi Yuanda was merely a reminder to him."

Yongning County lay under the jurisdiction of Yongjia Commandery, and as the Grand Administrator of Yongjia, Zhu Li bore the responsibility of pacifying the populace and securing the territory. The Liu clan of Yongning County had been utterly annihilated by Xi Yuanda through a poisoned venison plot. At the time, compelled by circumstances, Zhu Li had been unable to intervene. Now that the tides had turned and the positions of offense and defense were reversed, how could he miss the chance to strike a drowning dog?

"Furthermore, the Celestial Master Dao represents the orthodox path for all people under heaven. How dare a mere Du Jingzhi, a dog and chicken of no consequence, treat the Celestial Master Dao as something within his grasp?"

Du Mingyu said coldly, "In that case, there is nothing more to discuss. I take my leave!"

He turned to leave on the spot. Zhu Li suddenly exchanged a glance with Zhu Cong. Startled for a moment, Zhu Cong instantly grasped his meaning and intentionally raised his voice so that Du Mingyu could clearly hear. "Armies at war do not slay envoys, but perhaps I should see him off?"

Appearing still nursing lingering anger, Zhu Li gave a muffled grunt after a long moment and said, "Go!"

Zhu Cong hurried after him and smiled, "Master Du, please!"

With a calm expression, Du Mingyu cupped his fists and said, "Please!"

After the two men departed, a young woman in red emerged from the side door. Not yet sixteen years old, she possessed exquisite features with delicately traced eyebrows, pearl-white teeth, and bright red lips. Her dark-jade eyes sparkled with playful intelligence and sharpness. Crouching beside Zhu Li, she gently massaged his thigh and coaxed, "Father, although Big Brother Ziming is well-read and understands principles, he lacks worldly sophistication. If you send him to negotiate with the people of the Celestial Master Dao, won't he..."

A look of deep indulgence crossed Zhu Li's face as he stroked her long hair. "Ziming is jestingly called a 'two-legged book,' but he is far from a mere bookworm who only knows how to rot over texts. If you ask your father, he is actually far shrewder and more worldly than many people in this world. It's just that you are still too young to see through these things..."

Refusing to relent, the young woman tugged playfully at Zhu Li's long beard, wrinkled her nose, and pouted coquettishly, "Father, you're underestimating people!"

Zhu Li let out playful cries of pain. "Gently, gently! Your father's beard is very delicate and cannot withstand such violent shaking..."

"No way! Unless you explain to me how Big Brother is worldly, see if I let you off!"

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" To save his beard, Zhu Li had no choice but to surrender. A hint of playful amusement flickered in his eyes as he said, "Take just now, for instance. He clearly knew that the Du surname originated from Gongsun Zidu of the State of Zheng, yet he feigned ignorance and asked me for instruction. Why? Because the day before, he happened to run into me while I was perusing the *Zuo Zhuan*. Given his learning, a mere glance from afar was enough for him to know that I had read up to the fourteenth year of Duke Zhuang, where Gongsun Zidu was about to meet his death, thus making him familiar with that historical allusion. Asking me for instruction was merely a deliberate attempt to curry favor with me."

"Ah?" The young woman blinked, a look of utter disbelief washing over her pretty face. "I thought Big Brother really didn't know..."

"A 'two-legged book,' a 'two-legged book'—without ten thousand scrolls in one's chest, who could possibly shoulder such a title?" Zhu Li smiled and said, "Ziming possesses great talent. As the eldest legitimate son of your eldest uncle, and your eldest brother as well, he is bound to succeed as the head of the Zhu clan. Being a bit worldly is far better than not being worldly at all. Only..."

"Only what?"

"Only that his mind is not broad enough, his vision remains mediocre, and he loves to display petty cleverness. Compared to Ziyu, he still falls short."

Though Zhu Rui appeared crude, his disposition was actually bold and straightforward, and his actions decisive. He could be described as both wise and courageous, earning deep devotion from the clan's retainers. In contrast, Zhu Cong enjoyed playing with ink and brush, his tactical mind leaning toward the cunning of a literatus, and he gathered mostly strategists and flattering courtiers around him. With their different personalities, each had formed their own faction. For now, they managed to maintain an uneasy peace, but once their spheres of influence expanded and overlapped, internal clan strife would not be far off.

"Hmph, Sixth Brother only knows how to bully people. How can he compare to Big Brother, who is so refined, elegant, and well-versed in books?" Zhu Li tapped the tip of her nose. "Ziming leans toward literature, while Ziyu leans toward martial prowess. The paths they walk are fundamentally different. Your eldest uncle always says that the future of this world belongs unquestionably to the scholars. But let us not forget that for three hundred years, our Zhu clan has relied precisely upon military might to dominate the Three Wus and stand tall without falling..."

Zhu Li's eldest brother, Zhu Ren, was the current head of the Zhu clan. His martial arts were inferior to those of the third brother, Zhu Li; his magnanimity could not match that of the second brother, Zhu Yi; his strategic intellect fell short of the fourth brother, Zhu Zhizhi; and his fierce bravery could not rival that of the fifth brother, Zhu Xin. Yet, having served as clan head for thirteen years, he commanded universal respect and renowned fame throughout the realm. What he relied upon was his unique foresight and keen eye for talent. While many powerful martial clans remained intoxicated by past glories and complacent in their achievements, he had already sharply perceived that Emperor An Zidou of the State of Chu was about to launch a massive purge against these aristocratic families possessing private armies. The Xu family of Yixing was a bloody testament to this, and within thirty to fifty years, this world would transform into the domain of scholars!

Therefore, he was wholeheartedly bent on reform. Starting with Zhu Cong, he invited numerous Confucian scholars into their home to impart learning, striving to transform the Zhu clan from a military powerhouse into a cultural powerhouse. But like all reforms, his approach sparked controversy within the family. Especially in recent years, these controversies had escalated into confrontation, and once confrontation morphed into outright hostility, the consequences would be truly unpredictable.

The young woman in red understood only half of it, but being naturally clever, she acutely sensed the contempt and distrust Zhu Li revealed when mentioning Zhu Cong. Hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Father, do you like Sixth Brother more?"

Leaving the residential compound, Zhu Cong and Du Mingyu followed a small path down to the Fuchun River. A single flat-bottomed boat was moored to the bank. Reeds swayed in the biting northern wind, and human figures were absent from the river, leaving only several distant peaks gazing toward the hazy horizon.

"Prefect Du, there is something I do not know whether I should say. To speak of it might be crossing boundaries since our acquaintance is shallow, yet to remain silent would leave me unable to bear watching you walk knowingly into a desperate abyss..."

"You finally deign to call me Prefect!" Du Mingyu retorted with a hidden barb. It wasn't quite impatience, nor could it be called listening with rapt attention; his demeanor remained detached. "If you have something to say, please speak plainly!"

Inwardly, Zhu Cong was provoked with annoyance. The prefect of the Yangzhou branch was certainly not to be underestimated, but when all was said and done, it was merely an internal title within the Celestial Master Dao—neither bestowed nor appointed by the imperial court. What was there to be proud of?

"According to news transmitted from Jinling, upon receiving the memorial from Qiantang, the Sovereign flew into a rage during the morning court session and has issued a strict command for the Department of Sili to investigate the case thoroughly. You know what kind of place the Department of Sili is; over the years, not a single case handled by them has ever ended well. In other words, Du Jingzhi’s ruin is imminent. With your great talent, why must you insist on boarding his sinking ship?"

Du Mingyu remained silent.

Knowing he had struck a chord, Zhu Cong continued, "Du Jingzhi is arrogant and conceited enough to speak such words to my third uncle—it is utter foolishness. I can predict that within a month, Du Jingzhi will inevitably be removed from his post, and whether he can even preserve his life remains uncertain. Surely you, Prefect, are not a man of blind loyalty and filial piety..."

"I am loyal to the Hundun and filial to the Celestial Master. Toward Libationer Du, I have only ever held reverence. Where does loyalty and filial piety enter into this?"

"My tongue slipped."

Zhu Cong's patience had reached its absolute limit. A cold smile surfaced inwardly as he said, "When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. The evil deeds committed by Du Jingzhi are too numerous to record, and when reckoning comes, neither of the two prefects nor any of the five spirit officials of the Yangzhou branch will escape unscathed. But I know that you, Prefect Du, are different. Your actions in Juzhang County were motivated by benevolence. Although you used the divine deer's venison scheme to seize the property of the Juzhang Wu family, you took no human life, which is understandable. With a little maneuvering at court, I can guarantee that the Sovereign will pursue the matter no further!"

Du Mingyu remained silent for a long time. Standing by the riverbank, his expression shifted abruptly. After another long pause, he sighed, "The Yangzhou branch represents the lifelong blood, sweat, and tears of the Celestial Master. If it is destroyed just like that in the hands of the Libationer, I truly cannot reconcile myself to it."

"Precisely my point!" Zhu Cong lowered his voice. "Once Du Jingzhi is removed from office, the seat of the Yangzhou branch Libationer will become vacant. If Prefect Du is interested, our Zhu clan can offer a modest helping hand."

Without committing either way, Du Mingyu boarded the flat-bottomed boat directly and instructed the boatman to cast off. Standing at the bow, he waved to Zhu Cong and said, "Twenty days from now is the Xiaayuan Festival. I will be holding a ritual and fasting ceremony in Wu County to dispel calamities and comfort the departed. If the lord has leisure, you are welcome to come to Wu County for a chat."

The Xiaayuan Festival was the morning when the Water Official absolved calamities and represented a major holiday for the Celestial Master Dao. Catching the underlying hint, Zhu Cong was overjoyed and said, "I will certainly attend the appointment!"

"Do you like Sixth Brother more?"

Zhu Li’s face darkened. Frightened, the young woman in red said timidly, "Daughter shouldn't have asked..."

"There is nothing that should or should not be asked. Even your eldest uncle knows that I indeed like Ziyu more. His temperament, character, thoughts, and methods of handling people and affairs are very much to my taste. It's only a pity that Ziyu is not the eldest legitimate son..." Zhu Li’s gaze drifted toward the doorway, his hand gently rubbing his long beard as he murmured, "Duke Zheng defeated Duan at Yan, yet who was Duke Zheng, and who was Lord Duan..."

Watching the boat recede into the distance, Zhu Cong returned to the estate and halfway there encountered the young woman in red. He smiled and said, "Lingbo, who upset you? Why are you puffing out your cheeks like that?"

The young woman was Zhu Lingbo, Zhu Li’s seventh daughter and the youngest among the Zhu clan’s current generation, greatly cherished by all her older brothers. Hearing this, she glared with her bright eyes and said, "Who else! Of course it's you!"

Befuddled, Zhu Cong asked, "I was minding my own business, how did I provoke you?"

"It was you, it was you! Step aside, I want to go out!"

Pushed aside by Zhu Lingbo, Zhu Cong shook his head, utterly baffled. However, the joy of reaching a secret agreement with Du Mingyu overshadowed everything else. Disregarding her foul mood, he went straight to see Zhu Li to discuss the matter.

Zhu Lingbo cast a backward glance, her heart heavy with frustration. The final remark Zhu Li had made originated from an allusion in the *Spring and Autumn Annals*. Duke Zheng referred to Duke Zhuang of Zheng; he and Lord Duan were brothers who had fallen into conflict over the throne, resulting in Duke Zhuang's victory and Lord Duan's flight to the city of Gong. Assuming she disliked reading and would certainly not understand such references, Zhu Li had lowered his voice without reservation. Yet Zhu Lingbo happened to have overheard this very story while lingering at the clan school, which sent a chill through her heart.

Who was Duke Zheng, and who was Lord Duan?

Though willful and headstrong, Zhu Lingbo was exceptionally clever. Having heard Zhu Li's remarks today, many previously murky matters instantly crystallized in her mind. Zhu Cong appeared loyal and kind, but in reality possessed a profound and calculating depth. If even Zhu Li implicitly or explicitly supported Zhu Rui, then in the near future, Zhu Cong would inevitably launch a fierce counterattack. Brothers clashing within their own walls boded ill for the future of the Zhu clan.

Could they not simply remain as they were in childhood—brothers loving and respectful, living together in peace and joy?

Could power truly extinguish familial affection and blind men as capable as her eldest and sixth brothers?

No, I must go see Sixth Brother and tell him to stop fighting with Eldest Brother!

Acting on impulse, Zhu Lingbo hurried to the stables, fetched her favorite little red horse, packed a few changes of clothing and traveling money, and galloped northward at top speed.

Entering the room, Zhu Cong found Zhu Li, his steps slightly unsteady with excitement though he forced his face to mask his smugness. "Third Uncle, Du Mingyu has intentions of seizing power for himself and has invited me to attend the Xiaayuan Festival."

"The Xiaayuan Festival?" Zhu Li frowned. "The festival is in twenty days, right at the critical juncture of the Department of Sili's investigation. If you appear there abruptly, won't you attract their attention?"

Appearing supremely confident, Zhu Cong replied, "It matters not. I am going to worship the Water Official—it is entirely proper and justified. Afterward, I can find a suitable opportunity to meet with Du Mingyu; I am not foolish enough to provoke the Department of Sili."

Unable to contain himself any longer, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Du Mingyu is truly a petty man. Moments ago before Third Uncle, he spoke with righteous eloquence, and anyone lacking insight would have thought him Du Jingzhi's most devoted confidant and pillar of strength. Who could have imagined that with a mere three sentences, I would cause him to turn against his own side? Ha!"

Zhu Li smiled faintly, stroking his long beard with a serene and leisurely demeanor, offering no further comment. Sensing something amiss, Zhu Cong abruptly halted his laughter and asked suspiciously, "Third Uncle, did I say something wrong?"

Zhu Li sighed. "Is Du Jingzhi a fool?"

Shaking his head, Zhu Cong answered, "As the Libationer of the Yangzhou branch, Du Jingzhi has stood as firm as a monolith in Yangzhou for years, with no one daring to touch him. If he were a fool, wouldn't everyone else be even less than fools?"

"Precisely! Since Du Jingzhi is no fool, he naturally understands that his current plight hangs by a thread. Put yourself in his shoes: if you were Du Jingzhi, would you send someone to the Zhu clan at a time like this to swagger, intimidate, and issue empty threats?"

A sudden dread seized Zhu Cong. "Indeed! Either he would send no one and swallow this bitter pill, or he would humble himself and admit fault. He would never act as arrogant and overbearing as Du Mingyu did—not only accomplishing nothing, but infuriating us and making the situation even more uncontrollable... You mean to say, Third Uncle, that Du Mingyu..."

"If my estimation is correct, the message Du Mingyu brought was entirely his own fabrication, not Du Jingzhi's true intent."

Zhu Cong's jaw dropped, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Why would Du Mingyu do such a thing?"

"It is very simple. Because Du Mingyu wants Du Jingzhi to die that much faster, so that the seat of the Yangzhou branch Libationer can change hands all the sooner. His coming to Fuchun this time was precisely to seek our assistance. All his previous posturing was merely a tactical retreat—dangling bait to catch a fish."

Covered in shame and thoroughly deflated, Zhu Cong murmured, "Third Uncle, if not for you, I would still be basking in self-satisfaction and thinking myself clever, unaware that I had walked straight into someone else's pre-arranged trap. I am truly ashamed."

Zhu Li stood up, walked to the doorway, halted, and said indifferently, "Ziming, you must understand that if you wish to be the head of the Zhu clan, currying favor with me is useless. You must display twelve-part capability and win the genuine admiration of everyone. Was Du Mingyu's trap really so shallow and naive that you couldn't see through it?"

Panic stricken, Zhu Cong stammered, "Third Uncle, I..."

Without giving him a chance to speak, Zhu Li continued, "In truth, you saw long ago that Du Mingyu came seeking cooperation, yet you deliberately feigned ignorance. Such petty maneuvers—it is best to avoid using them in the future if possible."

After Zhu Li departed, Zhu Cong slowly leaned back against his chair. The shame and panic on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a terrifying coldness. After an unknown length of time, he raised his head, his eyes shining with an intensely resolute gleam.

For the future of the Zhu clan, I can do anything.

I can become anyone.

Sometimes, for a noble goal, I can resort to any means necessary!