I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 514 Northern Barbarian Spies, Their Ambition

Qin Mu looked at her, his gaze calm as still water.

"That depends on what you can offer me."

Su Wan'er closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

The breath she inhaled, carrying the cool, stagnant air of the hall, made her feel more awake.

She opened her eyes, and the hesitation and struggle in them were gradually fading away, replaced by a resolute determination.

"I...I confess."

Her voice was hoarse, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from her throat.

"This Drunken Moon Pavilion is the largest intelligence outpost of the Northern Mang within the Qin territory. I... I am one of their spies."

She paused, her voice becoming even softer, almost as if she were talking to herself.

"They made me gather intelligence here. I had to report on any officials, merchants, or江湖客 (jianghu people) who came and went, as long as they were of value. I've been here for eight years, eight years. Every day I have to face those disgusting men, every day I have to force a smile, every day I have to memorize those shady things, then write them down word by word and hand them over."

Her tears flowed even more fiercely, but she kept talking, like a flood bursting its banks, unstoppable.

"I wanted to escape, but I couldn't. Their people were everywhere, and if I dared to run, they would kill me. I once saw one of my sisters run away, and the next day she was beheaded and her head was displayed at the city gate. Since then, I have never dared to run away again."

Her lips trembled violently, and her voice choked with sobs.

"My lord, I know I was wrong. I don't want to do these things anymore. I want to leave, to go somewhere where no one knows me, and start over. Please... please take me with you."

She knelt down, her knees slamming onto the gold bricks with a dull thud.

She looked up at Qin Mu, her eyes filled with pleading.

Qin Mu looked down at her, at her humble, desperate, yet still struggling appearance.

"How many such strongholds does the Northern Barbarians have within the territory of the Qin Dynasty?"

Su Wan'er's body trembled slightly.

She gritted her teeth, her voice hoarse.

"I don't know. My rank is too low; I can only contact people in Yanmen City. But I've heard that the Northern Barbarians have an intelligence network throughout the Nine Provinces of the Great Qin, with outposts in every important city. Their goal... is to annex the Great Qin."

Qin Mu's eyes flickered slightly.

"To annex the Qin Dynasty?"

Su Wan'er nodded, her voice even lower.

"Over the years, the Northern Barbarians have been accumulating strength, training their army, stockpiling grain, bribing Qin officials, and spying on Qin. They are waiting for an opportunity, waiting for Qin to fall into internal strife, waiting for Qin to weaken, and waiting for Qin to be unable to hold on on its own, so that they can march south and annex the entire Qin."

Her voice was trembling, and every word seemed to be shouted out with all her might.

Qin Mu looked at her for a long time.

His gaze was calm and still, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"What's your name?"

Su Wan'er was taken aback. "This concubine... Su Wan'er."

Qin Mu shook his head. "I'm asking for your real name."

Su Wan'er's tears welled up again.

She bit her lip, her voice very soft, as soft as a withered leaf falling from a branch.

"My name is Su Wan. Wan means graceful and gentle. Wan'er was the name given to me by my madam after I entered Zuiyue Tower."

Qin Mu nodded.

He turned around, walked back to the window, stood with his hands behind his back, and gazed at the deep night outside the window.

"I can take you away. However, you must do one thing for me."

Su Wan's heart skipped a beat, as if a lamp had suddenly been lit in the darkness.

She looked up, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Please speak, my lord. I will go through fire and water for you, as long as it is within my power."

A cold smile slowly curved Qin Mu's lips.

"Use every method you can think of to deliver a message to Xu Longxiang in the North."

Su Wan paused, looked up, her eyes filled with confusion. "What message are you trying to convey?"

Qin Mu smiled and said, "Just say that the Northern Barbarians want to form an alliance with their Northern Territory."

Su Wan's pupils suddenly contracted, as if she had been pricked by a needle.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

She suddenly understood something, understood what the man in front of her was going to do, and understood what kind of pawn she would become.

She didn't ask why, she didn't ask about the consequences, and she didn't ask any unnecessary questions.

She simply lowered her head, her forehead touching the cold gold brick, her voice hoarse yet firm.

"I understand. I will certainly deliver the message."

Qin Mu nodded, turned around, and walked towards the door.

He took two steps, then stopped without looking back.

"After this is done, I will take you away."

He stepped across the threshold and disappeared into the night outside.

Su Wan knelt on the ground, staring at the empty door, tears silently welling up in her eyes.

She didn't know why she was crying; was she crying because there was finally hope, or because there was no turning back?

All she knew was that from this night onward, she was no longer the Su Wan she once was.

As Qin Mu stepped out of Zuiyue Tower, a night breeze swept over him, carrying the chill of early winter.

The moonlight shone on him, making his pale figure stand out clearly.

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the brightly lit restaurant across the street, a smile still playing on his lips.

Yunluan emerged from the shadows, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze sharp as a knife. "Young Master, have you gone back?"

Qin Mu nodded. "Let's go."

The four of them crossed the street and walked back to the restaurant.

There were hardly any people left in the lobby, except for a few drunk guests dozing in a corner.

The waiter, who was yawning while leaning on the counter, quickly stood up with a big smile when he saw them return.

"Welcome back, sir. Hot water is ready, please see..."

Qin Mu waved his hand. "No need. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

He stepped onto the stairs, his footsteps echoing softly in the empty stairwell.

Jiang Zhaoyue followed behind him, Xu Fenghua walked in the middle, and Yun Luan walked at the very back.

Back in his room, Qin Mu sat down in a chair.

Yun Suxin sat in the corner, head down, without saying a word.

She was still wearing the moon-white outer garment that Han Xin'er had given her, her hair was neatly tied up, and the tear stains on her face had dried, but her eyes were still red.

Han Xin'er saw Qin Mu enter and quickly stood up, giving a slight curtsy.

"His Majesty."

Jiang Zhaoyue walked behind Qin Mu, placed her hands on his shoulders, and massaged them gently.

Xu Fenghua sat on a chair to the side, holding a cup of tea in her hands, but did not drink it.

Her gaze fell on Qin Mu's face, then on Yun Suxin, then on Han Xin'er, her heart churning like a pot of boiling oil.

Yunluan stood at the door, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping across every corner.

Jiang Zhaoyue's hands continued massaging her shoulders, her voice soft and tinged with curiosity. "Your Majesty, did you already know that courtesan was a spy?"

Qin Mu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and the smile still lingered on his lips. "It wasn't that I knew all along. It was just a guess."

Jiang Zhaoyue's fingers paused slightly. "A guess?"

Qin Mu nodded, opened his eyes, and gazed at the deep night outside the window. "The Northern Border is holding a martial arts tournament, gathering heroes from all over the world. How could the Northern Barbarians not get involved at a time like this? They've been operating in the Northern Border for so many years; they won't let this opportunity slip by."

Jiang Zhaoyue's eyes flickered. "So, His Majesty went to Zuiyue Tower tonight not to see the courtesan, but to gather information?"

Qin Mu smiled. "Not entirely. Look at the courtesan, she's real too."

Jiang Zhaoyue pursed her lips and didn't say anything, but the hand massaging her shoulders was a little heavier than before.

Xu Fenghua held the teacup and gently stroked the rim with her fingers.

Her mind raced: Northern Mang spies?

Did Xu Longxiang know that the Northern Barbarian spies were actually in this city?

Her fingers trembled slightly, and the tea rippled in the cup.

Han Xin'er stood in the corner, listening quietly without saying a word.

Her gaze fell on Qin Mu's face, then on Yun Suxin's face, as if she were plotting something.

Yun Suxin sat in the corner, never raising her head from beginning to end.

Given her current state, whatever happens is basically none of her business, so she's too lazy to listen to these things.

Qin Mu leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest. "Alright, everyone go and rest. We have a long journey ahead tomorrow."

Jiang Zhaoyue released her grip and took a step back.

Xu Fenghua stood up and placed the teacup on the table.

Han Xin'er also stood up.

Yun Suxin stood up, lowered her head, and followed him out.

Only Qin Mu and Yun Luan remained in the room.

Qin Mu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest. "Yunluan, do you think the Northern Barbarians will make a move?"

Yunluan remained silent for a moment, her voice cold and clear. "Yes. Northern Mang has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. They won't let it go."

Qin Mu smiled, opened his eyes, and gazed at the deep night outside the window. "Yes. They won't let it go."

He paused, his voice even softer, almost as if he were talking to himself. "Then let them come. As many as they come, I will take them all."

Yunluan lowered her head and didn't speak, but simply placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and straightened her back.

The night breeze seeped in through the cracks in the window, causing the candlelight to flicker gently.

Outside the window, the lights of Zuiyue Tower were still on, and the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments still lingered.

Su Wan stood by the window, gazing at the restaurant across the street, at the window that was still lit, and felt as if a river was churning in her heart.

She held a small piece of paper in her hand, on which was written a line: "The Northern Barbarians wish to unite with the Northern Border to jointly attack the Great Qin."

She knew that once the note was sent, it could never be taken back.

She bit her lip, stuffed the note into her sleeve, turned around, and walked towards the door.