His origins were mysterious, his mind devious, and he excelled at scheming. Many of Black Tiger Hall's highly profitable yet unsavory dealings bore his shadow behind them.
Seeing Mr. Wen, Black Heart Tiger's tense muscles relaxed slightly, though his gaze remained sharp.
"Hmph! What brilliant advice does Mr. Wen have? The Martial Arts School and the county yamen have made it clear they intend to protect him. Forcing the issue would cost too much."
With a swish, Mr. Wen opened his folding fan and gently waved it, looking rather strange amid the ice and snow.
"To kill someone," Mr. Wen said, snapping his fan shut and lightly tapping his palm with its ribs, "why must one wield the blade personally, splashing blood three feet high and drawing attention?"
"Oh?" Black Heart Tiger tilted his head slightly. The gloom on his face receded somewhat; clearly, his interest had been piqued.
If this trouble could be dealt with without spilling blood, silently and unseen, that would naturally be the best possible outcome.
Mr. Wen stepped half a pace forward, bent close to Black Heart Tiger's ear, and began speaking softly, at a pace only the two of them could hear.
His speech was unhurried yet well organized; clearly, he had long since prepared his plan.
As he spoke, the dark expression on Black Heart Tiger's face gradually dissolved. First came confusion, then realization, and at last the corners of his mouth slowly spread into a grin.
"...Brilliant!" When Mr. Wen finished, a sharp gleam flashed in Black Heart Tiger's eyes, and he could not help murmuring in praise. "This plan is excellent! It can remove the thorn in my heart while muddying these waters. Perhaps... there may even be unexpected gains! We'll proceed as you suggest, Mr. Wen!"
Mr. Wen straightened up,