Chapter Seventy-Four: Is This the Eagle’s Beak Cliff?

When the news first arrived, the city lord refused to believe it. The young lord of the Guo clan was accompanied by more than a hundred elite guards—who could possibly have the skill to abduct him without a sound? But when he heard that Guo Yuan had gone to Eagle’s Beak Cliff, his face instantly turned ashen, silently cursing that all was lost.

Eagle’s Beak Cliff was a remote place, long notorious for the presence of pirates. Though they had faded from sight for many years, recently signs of resurgence had appeared. Once a person fell into the hands of these sea bandits, the only way to save them was through a hefty ransom. Knowing how highly Guo Yuan valued Meng Yi, who must have been someone of great ability, the city lord hurried over to discuss a solution.

“Why did the young lord go there?” Meng Yi asked, puzzled. He had heard Eagle’s Beak Cliff was neither blessed with salt fields nor graced with scenic beauty; it was a place few ever set foot.

“The young lord admired the achievements of the Grand Marshal and went to pay homage at his former residence,” replied a servant who had accompanied the war chariots. Fortunately, the rugged roads had forced Guo Yuan to leave some men at the foot of the mountain, or there would have been no one left to deliver the news.

“Tian Rangju!” the city lord blurted out, his face growing even more troubled. The name of Grand Marshal Tian Rangju was a taboo in Langya. In his heyday, the city lord had ordered his former residence restored and maintained; all scions of the Tian clan took pride in it. Then, rumors of his sudden death began to circulate. Mysterious masked figures in black scoured the estate inside and out, and those who went to pay their respects often vanished without a trace.

Knowing the depth of the danger, the city lord had never dared inquire further. Over time, the house fell into decay.

“The Grand Marshal’s former residence is at Eagle’s Beak Cliff?” Meng Yi inquired.

“Not exactly. There’s a small path behind the house that leads to the cliff,” the servant explained.

Meng Yi nodded, understanding now. Seeing the city lord still frozen in fear, he asked, “Why not send troops to wipe out the pirates? I’ve heard Qi’s navy is formidable—surely they could handle mere pirates?”

“Alas, the waters around Eagle’s Beak Cliff are riddled with reefs; large naval vessels cannot approach. And since this concerns the young lord’s safety, we dare not act rashly. Ransom is our only option.”

“Does the city lord mean for me to go and ransom him?” Meng Yi stroked his chin.

“Precisely. According to pirate custom, only representatives of the victim’s side may approach; our own appearance would only worsen things. The Guo clan is far away in Linzi, so I must trouble you, brother Han, to make the journey,” the city lord pleaded with a pitiful look. If he could just pay a price to ransom the young lord back, it would be worth it. But if anything happened to Guo Yuan, the city lord knew he’d be doomed as well.

For now, the city lord could only seal off the news and dared not report to the Guo clan.

Meng Yi fell silent. He had planned to visit Su’er’s father’s grave anyway, so this matter could be handled along the way. But naval combat was not his strength; if a confrontation broke out on the open sea, he couldn’t be sure of escaping unscathed.

He glanced at Tian Chang, who had at some point put his bamboo hat back on and was nodding insistently for him to accept.

“Very well,” Meng Yi agreed.

The city lord was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly, saying, “My household still has some wealth left; whatever their terms, we will agree.”

Making an excuse that he needed to prepare, Meng Yi sent the anxious city lord back to his residence. Turning to Tian Chang, he asked, “What are you planning, Master Tian?”

“The young lord and I are close friends. Now that he’s in trouble, I cannot stand by. While you’re there, brother Han, try to find out if he discovered any relics of the Grand Marshal,” Tian Chang said, his eyes gleaming.

“Oh? So you, too, admire the Grand Marshal?”

“He is the pride of the Tian clan, and I have always revered him. If any relics are found, I would see them enshrined in our ancestral hall.”

“Master Tian, at this point, you might as well speak plainly. If you keep being so evasive, don’t blame me for breaking off all ties.” Meng Yi was tired of being dangled with promises of trade routes.

“Very well!” After a moment’s hesitation, Tian Chang slapped his thigh and revealed the whole plan.

Even though Meng Yi had anticipated much, he was still secretly shocked by Tian Chang’s ruthlessness.

Their true aim was Tian Rangju’s “Marshal’s Code.” The original plan had been to wait for Guo Yuan to find it, then ambush him on his way back. However, a rebellion among a collateral branch of the Tian clan had prevented Meng Yi from entering the city, causing a great stir at the gates. On learning of this, Tian Chang and his father decided to call off the operation to avoid alerting the Guo clan.

That was why Tian Chang had hurried here to cover their tracks.

Now, with news that Guo Yuan had been captured by pirates, Tian Chang saw a new opportunity and decided that Meng Yi should use the ransom as a pretext to search for the “Marshal’s Code.” He suspected Guo Yuan might already have it.

“In any case, whether or not the code is found, Guo Yuan cannot be allowed to return alive!”

“You’re plotting all this so carefully—aren’t you afraid the Guo clan will find out?” Meng Yi asked.

“All of it will be blamed on the pirates,” Tian Chang said with a grim smile.

It was a clever plan, but it had one flaw: Meng Yi himself. He knew that if Guo Yuan died, any investigation would soon reveal that his own party was suspicious, and the Tians would never let an insider live.

So much for the promised trade route—the real purpose was to silence him. The Tian clan’s appetite was indeed vast, but Meng Yi had his own calculations.

“Brother Han, the ‘Marshal’s Code’ rightly belongs to the Tian family. If it’s recovered, we will be eternally grateful. Together, we could monopolize trade between Yan and Lu and perhaps become the richest men under heaven!”

Now he was painting grand visions again. Meng Yi sneered inwardly, but regardless, he still intended to visit Tian Rangju’s old home—at least this trip to Langya would not have been in vain.

After a few polite exchanges, Meng Yi, Su’er, and a handful of sharp-witted guards borrowed swift horses from the city and departed under the city lord’s hopeful gaze.

By midday, they reached their destination. The former residence lay shaded by trees on the mountainside, its walls crumbling but still faintly retaining the shape of a home.

“Father!” Su’er rushed into the courtyard, tears streaming down her face.

“You lived here as a child?”

“Yes. My father taught me swordsmanship in this very yard. That cypress tree—he planted it with his own hands.”

Su’er had never imagined she would one day return to this place. Thinking of her childhood, when she had only her father for company, and now forever separated by death, her grief poured out in sobs.

Meng Yi comforted her softly, and only after a long while did she regain her composure.

The house had long since collapsed; nothing remained hidden from view. Su’er wandered around the courtyard, standing motionless as if trying to recall her childhood memories.

Suddenly, a figure flickered through the woods. Meng Yi, trained from youth in archery and keen-eyed, shouted, “Who’s there?”

The guards rushed out, but the mountain wind rustled the leaves and branches—there was no sign of anyone.

The interruption forced them to collect themselves and carefully examine their surroundings.

At the edge of the woods, a narrow path slanted toward the distance. They exchanged a glance, guessing it must lead to the back mountain.

Indeed, along the way, they found many broken branches and fresh tracks—about as many as Guo Yuan’s party would have made.

Both skilled and courageous, the pair followed the path. Soon, the trees opened up and the sound of waves filled their ears—they had emerged from the forest.

Ahead lay a cliff. Someone stood at its edge, hands clasped behind his back, the sea wind whipping his robes.

From behind, his hair looked silvered with age. Meng Yi guessed this man must be connected to the pirates, so he stepped forward and called out in a clear voice, “Elder, may I ask—is this Eagle’s Beak Cliff?”