Chapter Twenty-Nine: Conversation and Plans

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Liu Zhengde’s residence was nestled in the southern mountains of the city, nearly spanning the entire urban area away from the train station. In these times, few owned cars, but because of the many pedestrians, even within the city the speed of vehicles was limited; just traveling the route took nearly two hours.

Liu Zhengde, the only one with a valid Red Cloud Empire driver’s license, took the wheel. Liu Wenhan sat in the front passenger seat, while Liu Yun and Liu Tian flanked Liu Wenqian, squeezing him into the middle.

“Why did you come to pick us up yourself this time, Second Brother? Where’s the driver?” Liu Yun asked as the car rolled along.

“Heh!” Since they were family, Liu Zhengde dispensed with any airs, entirely different from his usually reserved demeanor with outsiders. “I’m on leave, after all. If I have the time, how could I let the driver fetch you instead?”

“Besides, this is my first time meeting my nephew—such a memorable occasion, how could I let the driver take my place? If your sister-in-law hadn’t just happened to return to her parents’ home, I’d have brought her along too.”

“But it’s a good thing she’s not here, otherwise with the car this small, we couldn’t all fit—someone’s blocking the road ahead again. Had I known, I would’ve brought the military vehicle...”

“The roads in Pei County need work, they ought to be widened,” Liu Yun replied. “There are too many one-way streets—it’s inconvenient. In the Kingdom of Blossoms, the main roads are all eight lanes wide, and even the narrowest have at least four. After all these years, why are the roads here still so cramped?”

“Isn’t that the City Lord’s fault?” Liu Zhengde laughed. “The higher-ups gave him funds, but he’s greedy. You know, he spent a lot to get that position, so if he doesn’t make it back tenfold, how would he be satisfied?”

“Has the Red Cloud Empire really fallen so far?” Catching the critical words, Liu Yun frowned. “Selling offices and titles—this is what you see at the end of a dynasty. It’s only been a few years.”

“Since the defeat in the war ten years ago, all three great empires have been in decline, except for the newly-founded Dawn Alliance. Both Red Cloud and Morning Star have steadily decayed.” To others, such things might be secrets; for Liu Zhengde, they spilled out in idle conversation. “Having lost their greatest colony and the most profitable exploration projects, yet still needing to maintain the lavish lives of the elite—how else but by selling official posts?”

“An empire of eight centuries—if not for the timely end of the Storm, the Red Cloud Empire would have collapsed long ago. Even now, its days are numbered; the good times won’t last...”

“Those bloated parasites are like leeches—unable to suck blood from elsewhere, they feed on their own. In my view, within ten years, if there’s no foreign war, there’ll be civil strife. And if disaster strikes on top of that—well, the Red Cloud Empire’s end will be plain to see.”

“Fifth Brother, your decision to leave was a wise one. These days, the situation is treacherous and uncertain—who knows, one day we might be the ones seeking your help.”

Though still considered upper class within the Red Cloud Empire, and holding power in the military, the whole Liu family seemed to be thriving. Yet in Liu Zhengde’s words, there was no hope for the empire’s future; in fact, he was already making plans for what lay beyond.

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“Enough of that,” Liu Zhengde cut in before Liu Yun could reply, steering the conversation toward Liu Tian. “Speaking of which, my nephew has been awfully quiet. Are you shy?”

“Me?” Liu Tian, who had been staring out the window at the common sight of security guards beating vagrants, turned at the mention of his name. “No, I just have nothing much to say.”

“Nothing much to say?” Liu Zhengde seized the thread, words tumbling out in a rush. “Then tell me, how did you all end up together? And, nephew, do you have a betrothal yet? Should your second uncle arrange something for you? Oh, but I forgot—the beauties of the Kingdom of Blossoms are famous far and wide. Surely you already have someone in mind?”

“No,” Liu Tian replied crisply, not giving Liu Zhengde any room for speculation. “Women would only slow my martial progress. Until I become the world’s greatest, I have no interest in love and romance.”

Liu Zhengde burst out laughing. “Worthy son of my fifth brother—you’ve inherited his ambition! The world’s greatest? When I was young, I had the same dream. But this world is too vast: in words, there is no first; in martial arts, there is no second!”

“Don’t mention it,” Liu Yun sighed. “My son is too stubborn. No matter how I persuade him, he’s bent on this ‘number one under heaven’ nonsense, and won’t turn back until he hits a wall.”

“Ah, but that’s not so bad. Young people need dreams; as they grow, they’ll change naturally,” Liu Zhengde consoled. “I remember you, Fifth Brother—you used to say you’d roam the green hills and never age, insisting on seeing the world’s wonders by sea, no matter how we tried to talk you out of it. Yet, you married and had a son in the end, didn’t you? If only you’d come back—Father often mentions you.”

“Don’t comfort me, Second Brother. Father has five daughters and seven sons—all accomplished. One more or less doesn’t matter,” Liu Yun said calmly, as if speaking of another’s life, his past mistakes now water under the bridge. “Especially with you here, why would Father spare a thought for his prodigal son? Last time I returned, he didn’t even recognize me.”

“Well, Father is old now—he’s a hundred, and who knows how much longer he has. We take each day as it comes,” Liu Zhengde agreed. “If things were stable, I would have tried to persuade you to stay rather than return to the Kingdom of Blossoms. But now... let’s just live each day as it comes.”

“Don’t be too pessimistic, Second Brother. Even a rotten ship has three nails left. The Red Cloud Empire has weathered centuries—it won’t topple so easily,” Liu Yun said. “By the way, my son has taken a liking to Lost Empire antiques recently. Didn’t you fight over there once? Do you have any souvenirs left? Let my son see them.”

“Of course! I still have quite a few—nothing too precious, but consider them a welcome gift for my nephew,” Liu Zhengde replied generously. “They’re all in the warehouse. Wen Tian, pick out a couple you like when you visit.”

“Thank you, Second Uncle.” At the mention of antiques, Liu Tian perked up, quickly offering his thanks. “But there’s no need—just seeing them is enough.”

“How could you just look? At least take one—if you refuse, I’ll just smash one at random. I grew up with your father, full brothers of the same mother—don’t deny me this little gesture.”

“Then let me thank you in advance, Second Uncle.” Seeing that Liu Zhengde’s mind was set, Liu Tian accepted without further protest. After all, from what he’d seen today, trouble was bound to find them soon; he would just need to expend a bit more effort to protect his second uncle’s family when the time came.

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...

Late at night, in a small manor, a nondescript man knelt on one knee, one fist pressed to the ground, the other resting on his knee, reporting on the day’s work.

“You’re saying you were discovered by a youth?” The speaker, a man hidden in shadow, had a low, slightly hoarse voice. “To be noticed so keenly in a bustling crowd—seems the Liu family still has some depth.”

“Because of my failure, I disrupted your plans, Master. I deserve death,” the man said, bowing low and pleading. “Please punish me!”

“Heh.” Sensing his subordinate’s fear, the man lifted him gently. “No need to worry, Mouse. Even if you hadn’t been discovered this time, I would have found a way to let them know—a force lurks in the shadows, watching them.”

“I know Liu Zhengde as well as I know myself—he would never change his plans over a possible threat. Instead, he’ll prepare more meticulously, act more boldly, trying to catch all spies in one net.”

“If we didn’t let Liu Zhengde know—if we didn’t let him strive and believe himself invincible—how could I savor the sweetness of this wine of vengeance?”

Hearing these words, the previously anxious man finally relaxed.

“At your command.”

“Go now—don’t worry too much, but above all, don’t get caught, Mouse.”

“As you command.”

With that, the unremarkable man quietly slipped away.