Chapter 29: Find a Secluded Spot and End It All!

Su Wu had consumed quite a bit of wine and would likely spend the night in the mountain village.

At that very moment, Ximen Qing arrived at the residence of Assistant Regional Commander Yun Liwan. Upon seeing Yun, Ximen Qing was so exhilarated that he skipped the usual formalities, stepping forward to exclaim, "Commander, it is incredible! This time, it is truly incredible..."

Yun Liwan remained composed. "Speak clearly... did you manage to secure the person?"

Ximen Qing nodded repeatedly, unable to contain his excitement. "Secured, yes, I have secured him."

"Who is it? What makes you so overcome with joy?" Yun Liwan’s brow relaxed.

"A truly fierce figure from the underworld, not like that braggart and mediocrity Yu Baosi," Ximen Qing replied, still withholding the name.

Yun Liwan grew impatient. "Who?"

"None other than the great bandit from the Liangshan Marshes, known as the 'Red-Haired Devil' Liu Tang. You must have heard of him, Commander. He is one of those who robbed the one hundred thousand strings of birthday gifts meant for Prefect Liang of Daming Prefecture. Consider the likes of Zhu Tong and Lei Heng from the Yuncheng County office—they were utterly helpless against him. Even He Tao of Jizhou, who led a large force to capture them, ended up in total disarray, barely escaping with his own life..."

Ximen Qing had clearly done his homework on the recent exploits of the Liangshan gang.

Yun Liwan slapped his thigh. "Excellent! Excellent! Such a man is perfect. Tell me, how did you persuade Liu Tang? How much money did you promise him?"

Ximen Qing chuckled. "It was pure coincidence—or perhaps not. I already knew where Zhu Gui’s tavern was, as it serves as an outpost for Liangshan, so I headed there to investigate. Zhu Gui is a businessman and proved easy to talk to. After I spent some money and asked if he could find me some experts to handle a task, he offered to inquire on my behalf... Who would have thought that just then, Liu Tang would return from the ancestral home of Clerk Song in Yuncheng and be calling for a boat at the ferry crossing behind the tavern?"

"Go on... continue," Yun Liwan nodded intently.

"Zhu Gui introduced us on the spot. As soon as Liu Tang heard the target was a county constable, he agreed without a second thought. He said he had been hounded by government agents everywhere and needed to kill a few in the surrounding prefectures to establish his reputation. Since Su Wu has gained such fame, and the Liangshan gang intends to make their mark by killing him to strike fear into the hearts of the local officials, he was more than willing."

"And where is he now?"

Yun Liwan was clearly satisfied. To have such a notorious bandit—a man who defied the Imperial Court itself and ranked among the most formidable outlaws in the entire Song Dynasty—meant that no matter how capable Su Wu might be, he was no match for a villain of this caliber. If such a man was willing to strike, the task was as good as done.

"He is outside the city. Liu Tang’s appearance is far too conspicuous, and wanted posters with his likeness are still plastered all over Yanggu County. I feared that bringing him into the city would alert the prey, so I rushed here to consult you, Commander, on how best to proceed."

"How many men did he bring?" Yun Liwan frowned in thought.

"Not many. Just over a dozen fierce followers. With Liu Tang himself, the number of men is secondary; they are merely there to assist."

"Not many, that is good..." Yun Liwan nodded.

Ximen Qing asked anxiously, "Commander, should I have a trusted man crack the city gate open tonight and sneak them inside?"

Yun Liwan pondered carefully before shaking his head. "That would be unwise. Getting them in is easy, but if they kill Su Wu in the city, his martial prowess will surely lead to a fierce struggle. The commotion would alert the bailiffs and draw the townspeople out to watch. With so many eyes, it would be difficult for them to escape the city afterward. If something goes wrong, wouldn't it implicate us both?"

Ximen Qing nodded. "True, your foresight is impeccable, Commander. What do you suggest?"

"We must find a way—a time and a place—to lure Su Wu outside the city. We kill him and bury him on the spot. With no body and no trace, there will be no way to investigate. We can simply let the local authorities chase shadows and blame the Liangshan bandits. That is the only safe course of action."

Yun Liwan was no simple man; he was exceptionally cautious.

"That will be difficult to arrange..." Ximen Qing frowned. Because he had previously looked down on Su Wu, he had never interacted with him. They lived in entirely different circles, and he couldn't think of anyone who could trick him.

The two men fell into a dilemma. In his desperation, Ximen Qing suggested, "What if... if there is no other way, we just do it in the city? As long as he is dead, it is better than having him alive."

Yun Liwan shook his head again. "Bandits are bandits. Even if we do this, we must never be linked to them, especially to such a notorious outlaw known to the Imperial Court. Do you have any idea who Grand Tutor Cai and Prefect Liang are? If things go south, you and I won't even know how we died."

Ximen Qing nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, indeed..."

As they sat in deep thought, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Ximen Qing. "Commander, I have a plan."

"Don't hold back, speak..."

Ximen Qing continued, "Who could lure Su Wu away? Who would he chase if he saw them? I’ve been thinking..."

"Yu Baosi!" Yun Liwan answered immediately, his face lighting up. "Exactly! As soon as Su Wu sees Yu Baosi, he will surely pursue him. A brilliant plan!"

"Precisely. We just need Yu Baosi to let Su Wu catch a glimpse of him from afar. Su Wu will certainly recognize him, and fueled by his own arrogance and disdain for Yu Baosi's skills, how could he resist giving chase? Once Yu Baosi spurs his horse out of the city, he will lead Su Wu right into our trap..."

Ximen Qing was a man of endless devious schemes.

"We shall proceed with this plan," Yun Liwan agreed.

"I will go find Yu Baosi first thing tomorrow morning," Ximen Qing said, beaming.

"It is quite a coincidence," Yun Liwan added, stroking his beard with a laugh. "Yu Baosi sent a letter today saying he is passing through on his way to Daming Prefecture and was hoping to squeeze some funds out of me for the families of his fallen comrades. I was just wondering how to refuse him, but now, there is no need. I shall give him even more, and have him handle this task instead."

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!" Ximen Qing clapped his hands. "Heaven is helping us! This time, we shall ensure Su Wu is buried without a trace, and we can finally live in peace."

Yun Liwan rose from his seat and gripped Ximen Qing’s hand. "I entrust this matter to you. See that it is carried out flawlessly. Do not let any mistakes occur. As for the money, give him whatever he needs—you handle the details."

"Rest assured, Commander, I will see it done," Ximen Qing promised. He then suddenly asked, "By the way, is Su Wu in the city?"

"He went to the prefectural office earlier for official business. He returned, but then left the city again. I don't know where he went, but since he is on duty, he will surely return..."

It was clear that Yun Liwan had been keeping a close watch on Su Wu’s movements.

"That is good. We shall set the time for tomorrow evening. Once he is lured three or five miles outside the city, we will find a secluded spot and finish him once and for all!"

Ximen Qing was already calculating the details, his teeth gritted in a mix of malice and mounting excitement.