Chapter 173: Report (Patreon)

Meixiu Xia was sat on a chair, quietly examining the vibrant blue-purple blossoms of a small bush. They had turned out especially gorgeous this year, a testament to the skill and dedication of her gardeners…

“… Elder Zhong deemed this too risky a situation, so she didn’t go ahead with the assassination. She requests additional time for the task.”

With a small sigh of annoyance, Meixiu Xia pulled her gaze away from the beautiful bloom, facing the man whose unsightly features were disturbing her sanctuary’s carefully curated perfection.

Hengting Xia, having finished his report, stood suspended in a deep bow, waiting for her response.

“You may rise.”

The chubby, somewhat naïve-looking man did as she said, giving her an apologetic smile as if it could excuse what he’d just told her.

Meixiu Xia knew that Hengting liked to consider himself her right-hand man, but she personally preferred to think of him as an errand-boy. Still, in spite of his many shortcomings, he was at least a somewhat at following her commands and good help was hard to find, so, though she somewhat loathed to admit it, he had indeed become the primary executor of her schemes as of late, whenever she wasn’t personally involved.

Though, considering his report, she probably should have handled everything herself to begin with.

“The library you say… have you confirmed that she is telling the truth?”

“I have taken the liberty of contacting our informant in the Enforcement Hall, and they have corroborated the account. Yesterday, late in the evening, Elder Wei’s disciple was suddenly approached by her bodyguard, who privately told her something. Upon hearing whatever he’d said, she hastily departed the hall and headed off in the direction of the library. If you wish, we can send someone to investigate…”

“No, no… that’s enough. I don’t want you stirring up any trouble there.”

The library. Meixiu Xia slightly shook her head. To think Elder Yuan would be the one to get in the way of her plans… highly inconvenient. She hated to admit it, but Elder Zhong had probably made the right call.

“That old geezer is much more dangerous than his reserved demeanor would let on.”

Meixiu Xia almost winced at the memory. Mistaking his neutrality for weakness was a mistake she’d already made once, several decades back – one of the select few throughout her time as an elder. As a consequence, the library was among the only institutions in the sect the Xia Family well and truly lacked any sort of presence in.

“As you wish, honored Matriarch!”

“The boy… Elder Zhong reported that he hasn’t been able to speak, or remember the incident that led to his injuries, yes?”

“Yes, Matriarch! That’s what she said.”

“I see…”

Meixiu Xia trailed off.

She’d been hoping that the boy’s coma would drag out for a couple weeks more. But this – him losing his memory of the incident – was actually even more convenient. A little too convenient, almost.

Could she trust Elder Zhong’s account? What if she was trying to withhold the truth about the situation from her? What if the boy had already revealed what he’d overheard, and that was the real reason Elder Wei’s disciple was staying by his side?

No… that wasn’t too likely. If he had, Elder Shi would probably have showed up on her doorstep to confront her about it by now. She wasn’t the type to stand back and consider things carefully when something she perceived as injustice was being committed. She still remembered how she had rushed to defend the Training Hall when she’d put Elder Bai up to attacking it in Elder Wei’s absence.

It would be another thing if Elder Rong was around to offer her his advice, but without him… No. Meixiu Xia couldn’t imagine that hothead sitting back.

Besides, just the threat of her reacting like that should be enough to dissuade Elder Zhong from lying to her. She knew that if Meixiu Xia found out about such a thing, it would lead to further punishments for her daughter, and she was way too caring of a mother to risk that.

“Well… we will consider it a stroke of luck then.”

“Indeed, honored Matriarch! Fate favors the Xia Family.”

Meixiu Xia chuckled. As if fate had anything to do with it. Their family’s fortune, all of it, was the result of her work. It was only fair that fate compensated them at least somewhat, when it had already interfered with their plans in such an unfortunate way.

“How do you wish me to answer to Elder Zhong’s request?”, Hengting asked, bowing again.

Meixiu Xia took a moment to think about it before answering. She could hardly punish Elder Zhong for not following through on her orders when the alternative would have endangered her entire plan. Still, they couldn’t wait forever to go through with it, no matter the circumstances. It wouldn’t be long before Elder Wei returned to the sect with a grudge against the Zhong Family… by then, his disciple had to have been killed at their hands.

“She wants time, so give it to her. But her task remains the same. If she needs to get past Elder Yuan to accomplish it, that is a problem for her to figure out. Tell her this: If his disciple isn’t dead by the time Elder Wei passes the sect’s gates, I will personally present her her daughter’s beating heart while the girl is still breathing.

A sinister grin spread across Hengting’s friendly face.

“With the greatest pleasure, Matriarch!”

“Oh, and have the library monitored from now on. If the girl takes even a single step outside, I want to know.”

“As you wish, Matriarch!”

“You are dismissed.”

“Yes, Matriarch.”

He bowed deeply before turning around and heading towards the garden’s exit. Before he could get there, Meixiu Xia spoke up again, her voice stricter than before.

“One more thing.”

He stopped in his tracks and Meixiu Xia could see his body inadvertently tense up. He’d probably been hoping that she’d just have forgotten that it was his mistake that had caused this entire disruption. Unfortunately for him, her memory was working just fine. If this idiot had just killed the boy on the spot, Elder Wei’s disciple wouldn’t have had any reason to be at the library yesterday.

“Yes, honored Matriarch?”, Hengting asked, bowing deeply in an attempt to hide his nervous expression.

“You can thank the spirit of your ancestors that the boy hasn’t been able to reveal the details around this entire situation to Elder Shi. Still, we wouldn’t have to deal with this unfortunate development at all if it hadn’t been for your mistake. It is inopportune at this time, but ready yourself to accept appropriate punishment once this ordeal is over.”

“Of course, Matriarch!”

He bowed again, his forehead almost touching the tall grass. If there was one thing this man was good at, it was groveling at the appropriate times.

“Your penchant for those little dramatics is going to be your undoing one day, be it by someone else’s hand or by mine. Next time, slit their throat and bring back the body instead of kicking them down a cliff, understood?”

“I understand, Matriarch! I shall not repeat this mistake.”

Meixiu Xia sincerely doubted that this was the case. Hengting was far too inclined to his sadistic antics to permanently cut back on them. Not that she really minded. When it didn’t lead to outcomes such as this it was a good disposition for a schemer, and it had been part of the reason she’d chosen him in the first place.

“Good. Now off with you.”

“Yes, Matriarch!”

Meixiu Xia watched for a moment as the chubby man scurried off, before returning her attention to her garden. It would be fine. This was merely a momentary disruption. Soon, her plan would blossom and bear fruit, just like these flowers. And the sect that she’d cultivate from it would be a work of beauty even the best gardeners on the continent wouldn’t be able to match.