Ren Feihong had someone specially prepare wine and arrange music and dance. She then sent invitations to the leaders of the powerful clans currently stationed in Chongsui and discreetly paid a visit to a family surnamed Ji – one of the more influential households in the area.
“Elder Ji, I have something to discuss.”
The head of the Ji family was initially startled, but quickly regained his composure and said, “Lord Ren, there is no need to rush. Please speak slowly.”
Ren Feihong clasped her hands in a respectful gesture, a trace of a bitter smile appearing on her face. “To be honest, I am not entirely certain myself. But I have heard from my subordinates that the Ying family seems to be planning to send someone to Wu’an.”
The Ying family was another powerful clan currently stationed in the city. In a single city where the heads of multiple influential families coexisted, a clear hierarchy was bound to emerge. Given that the Ji and Ying families were of comparable strength, there had long been tensions between them. Since Ren Feihong suggested the other party was up to no good, the head of the Ji family was immediately inclined to believe her, at least in part. Frowning, he asked, “If they truly intend to go to Wu’an to report us, what should we do then?”
Ren Feihong smiled and said, “Elder Ying is always surrounded by close guards. As long as we subdue the people around him and interrogate them carefully, we can find out the truth. If it turns out he has no secret dealings with Wu’an, then that would be our good fortune. In that case, you can simply say you were incited by me. I will then host another banquet to apologize to Elder Ying.”
The head of the Ji family nodded slightly. Had Ren Feihong been solely intent on provoking conflict between the two families, the Ji clan might have suspected her of ill intentions. But now, she suggested apprehending the Ying clan first, carefully questioning them, and then making decisions accordingly, which made him trust her even more.
“How do we capture them, then?”
Ren Feihong chuckled. “On this journey, I brought along some fine Western spirits called ‘Oblivion’s Melody.’ The taste is no different from ordinary wine, but its aftereffects are strong. Since Elder Ying has always had a fondness for good wine, we just need to persuade him to drink a little more.”
The head of the Ji family nodded again, signaling his agreement.
Ren Feihong clasped her hands and took her leave, repeating the same words to the Ying family. When the banquet began, the clan leaders and their trusted aides took their seats, constantly toasting and urging each other to drink. Each side was eager to lure the other into their trap. Ren Feihong herself moved among them, sharing a cup with everyone she encountered – ever since her family’s decline, she had spent time mingling among the common folk in the Western regions, learning many tricks of deception. Under the watchful eyes of all, no one noticed how she repeatedly poured her wine onto the floor.
It was no wonder the Ji family and others trusted Ren Feihong. She rarely deceived people, but her close confidants knew that whenever she began to lie, it meant she was preparing to achieve her goal in one decisive move, leaving no room for future complications. Moreover, influenced by the spirit of the times, from the imperial court down to the common people, scholars were held in high regard. Coming from an old, established family, Ren Feihong carried an especially strong air of a learned scholar. As long as she maintained a slight touch of aristocratic dignity, the clan leaders were inclined to believe what she said.
Ren Feihong silently estimated the timing in her mind. When she judged it was about right, she openly summoned her trusted aides, had everyone in the hall tied up, and left behind a written letter. She then took the official seals from these individuals, used them to trick the guards into opening the city gates, and declared that reinforcements would soon arrive, ordering the defenders not to close the gates again. Using the excuse of going out to welcome the reinforcements, she confidently left with her trusted aides.
In this era, most educational resources were monopolized by the scholar class. While the retainers of the powerful families were courageous and strong, they lacked knowledge of military affairs, making it easy for Ren Feihong to deceive them.
Ren Feihong and her party rode swiftly on horseback, changed their clothes in the forest, and then hurried westward along a small path.
About an hour later, Ren Feihong suddenly pulled on the reins and said quietly, “Hold.”
Her trusted aides gathered around her, holding their breath and remaining silent.
Though Ren Feihong’s actions often seemed bold and unrestrained, she was actually meticulous and cautious. When she noticed that the chirping of birds around them had inexplicably grown sparse, she immediately became alert.
Just then, a voice of admiration came from ahead –
“As expected of a strategist from the Western regions, such sharp perception.”
Since he had already been discovered, Song Nanlou no longer hid. He led his armored soldiers out into the open, blocking Ren Feihong’s path.
A cold sweat trickled down Ren Feihong’s back, but she was quick-witted and resourceful. Without batting an eye, she spun a web of lies, stepping forward instead of retreating and offering a polite bow. “Lord Ren has already taken the lead. She instructed me to convey a message to you, General: the enemy leaders in Chongsui City have all been captured. Please march swiftly and seize the opportunity without delay.”
She said this in the hope of misleading the other party, making them believe she was not Ren Feihong herself but merely an insignificant subordinate sent by her.
The person blocking the road ahead chuckled upon hearing this, removed his helmet, and also took two steps forward.
Ren Feihong realized that the leader was actually a young general of only seventeen or eighteen, with a handsome and elegant appearance. His features looked vaguely familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
After a brief moment of thought, it dawned on her – the Yun family had many marriage connections with other prominent families in Jianzhou. Ren Feihong had a cousin whose father happened to be from a collateral branch of the Song family. Her feeling of familiarity did not come from having met him before, but rather because he somewhat resembled that cousin of hers.
If Ren Feihong found Song Nanlou familiar, it was clear that Song Nanlou felt the same way. Beyond their familial ties, he had also seen a portrait of the previous head of the Yun family – a common practice in the Great Zhou dynasty, where portraits of certain renowned officials were painted and displayed in official halls. At the time, although the Yun family had been wrongfully imprisoned and their portrait torn down, after the downfall of the eunuch faction that had framed them, their old allies in Jianzhou managed to rehabilitate the family’s name and commissioned a new portrait. Having frequented the palace, Song Nanlou had naturally had the chance to see it.
Seeing a glimmer of understanding flicker in Ren Feihong’s eyes, Song Nanlou realized that she, too, had recognized him. Without further ado, he placed a piece of gold and a knife on the ground and said, “At this point, Lord Ren, you may choose your own path.”
Ren Feihong paused for a moment, picked up the gold, and then clasped her hands in a respectful salute to Song Nanlou. “Are you Song Nanlou, General Song? Are you planning to take me to Wu’an?”
Song Nanlou smiled. “I was just about to invite you to Wu’an as a guest.”
Ren Feihong nodded. “Before we set off, I have a question. How did you know I would appear here?”
Song Nanlou blinked. “How could I possibly guess your movements? I was merely following orders.”
In truth, this hidden path was so well-concealed that under normal circumstances, Ren Feihong, who had chosen to escape through it, would have easily slipped away. However, after a certain update, Wen Yanran’s seemingly mediocre system surprisingly developed an exceptionally detailed map function. To say the least, her knowledge of the various small paths surrounding the city likely surpassed that of any long-time local resident.
Having put so much effort into helping her play the role of a tyrannical ruler, Wen Yanran couldn’t let the system down. From the comments section, she had learned that Ren Feihong’s way of doing things was rather unconventional. In this era, most advisors were bound for life, much like the previous Cui Xinbai, who remained loyal to Wen Jinming until death. In contrast, Ren Feihong charged by the task – each piece of advice came with a fee – and had no qualms about switching employers, making her an ideal target for poaching.
