Bian Lingbai quieted at once. Eyes squeezed shut, Duan Ling pictured Helan Jie pressing his hook against Bian Lingbai’s throat.
“If you go now, who will take Helian Bo’s damned life?” Bian Lingbai demanded, though his voice was much weaker now. “Don’t forget, your master Helian Da may not want him to die in Southern Chen, but he’d be even less pleased if he died within the borders of Western Liang.”
Duan Ling’s heart lurched.
Helan Jie gave a hard, angry snort. “I will, of course, succeed in my mission.”
“How can you be so certain—”
“This is not your concern,” Helan Jie cut him off.
“Then when will you be back?” Bian Lingbai asked, sounding just as grim. “Give me a set time. My agreement with Helian Da remains unfulfilled; this matter must be resolved. We can’t drag it out any longer.”
“Choose a location for an ambush. I’ll meet you there in seven days,” Helan Jie replied. “As for how to lure Helian Bo out—that’s your problem.”
“There’s nowhere suitable…” Frustration crept into Bian Lingbai’s voice, and the sound of pacing feet echoed on the other side of the door.
Duan Ling glanced up and noticed the utter confusion in Wu Du’s eyes. He lifted a hand, intending to trace some words of explanation on Wu Du’s back, but before he could begin Wu Du caught his arm. He gave a small shake of his head—Duan Ling should remain still so as not to draw attention.
At the end of what little patience he had, Helan Jie snapped, “Right here, then. Now stop yapping.”
“No!” Bian Lingbai scooped the map from his table in a panic. “This isn’t a battle map!”
But Helan Jie didn’t say another word—he’d left the room and disappeared in a gust of wind.
“Wait!” Bian Lingbai put away the map and ran after him.
Once the sound of footsteps faded completely, Duan Ling and Wu Du opened the hidden room’s door, stumbling into the bedroom drenched in sweat.
“Quick,” Wu Du urged, “Bian Lingbai will be back any moment.”
Duan Ling was still preoccupied by what they’d just heard. Distracted, he flipped through the remaining books and replied, “Ah…okay. Wait, found it!”
Wu Du stuffed the book Duan Ling held into his arms, picked him up, and leapt out the window. The second they dropped from view, the door clicked open—Bian Lingbai had returned.
That was close, Duan Ling thought, suddenly in awe of how precisely Wu Du had controlled their timing throughout the night’s adventure.
Dawn was approaching by the time the two returned to their room. As Wu Du drew water to wash their dirty feet, he asked, “Did you get the right one?”
Duan Ling flipped through the stolen booklet, examining it in the early morning light. “Yes.”
The untitled booklet was a record of horse sales, equipment expenses, and unpaid bills. Bian Lingbai apparently owed the Tanguts 112,000 taels of silver—no wonder he was so eager to unearth the treasure.
“We’ll make our move today,” Wu Du said. “Take a nap. I’ll wake you once I’ve poisoned him, and we’ll take our leave during the commotion.”
“No.” Duan Ling immediately shot down the idea. “We can’t kill him now. Helian Da wants control over trade at Tong Pass; we just heard how big an army he has lurking nearby. If Bian Lingbai dies without paying his debts, Helian Da is sure to launch an attack, and Xichuan is right in the middle of moving the capital. If our defenses in the northwest fall now, the country will be thrown into chaos.”
Wu Du frowned. “So we’ll kill him and go back as fast as possible so we can tell Prime Minister Mu to send another general to hold the pass.”
“Send who, though?” Duan Ling asked. “If we kill Bian Lingbai today, one round trip to Xichuan—even on the fastest horse—will take six full days and nights. Too much can happen in six days.”
Wu Du grunted and lapsed into silence. When he noticed Duan Ling watching him expectantly, he snapped, “Well, you think of something! What’re you looking at me for? Didn’t I bring you along specifically to deal with stuff like this?”
Duan Ling contemplated the problem—and a brazen idea occurred to him. Helan Jie had gone after the mysterious assassin for revenge. The loss of a hand… Had the sword-wielding assassin been the one who cleaved off Helan Jie’s? If so, Helan Jie would be utterly determined in his pursuit; he would very likely be gone the whole seven days he’d declared. Seven days was more than enough time for Wu Du to make a round trip to Xichuan and return.
Helan Jie’s absence meant Duan Ling was temporarily safe. If Wu Du could deliver the ledger along with Duan Ling’s letter to Xichuan and urge Mu Kuangda to dispatch an imperial envoy who could broker an alliance with Helian Bo, then find a way to take control of Tong Pass’s garrison at the second Bian Lingbai died…