Ivan and Romanov moved with extraordinary speed. To force the "Witch Ancestor" to submit, they swiftly issued an edict granting him a fief in the name of the Imperial Council and the Imperial House.
They also used every channel available to spread the news that "the Witch Ancestor has been granted the perilous lands of the south" throughout the nation, seeking to bind this reclusive "guardian deity" with public opinion and his own prestige.
When the news reached a certain fief in Daluo, Sergei learned of it immediately. His heart tightened, and he cursed inwardly, Those two old foxes! What a vicious move! They're putting Master over the fire to roast!
He could already picture the surging tide of public sentiment if his master refused to go: anticipation turning to disappointment, then hardening into contempt.
Anxiety burned within him, but then he reconsidered. What sort of man was his master, Li Chen?
His wisdom was as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea, his calculations never overlooked a thing. How could he fail to see through such a shallow, openly laid scheme?
It was like a match between two peerless players. Since the opponent had made a move, his master would surely have an answer-and a counterstroke of exquisite brilliance at that.
At this thought, much of Sergei's agitation subsided, giving way to anticipation. He reined in his impatience and prepared to watch quietly as his master unraveled this seemingly unsolvable predicament.
Yet at that very moment, the "master" Li Chen in whom Sergei placed such high hopes was not directing affairs from the Sacred Palace.
Instead, in an inner chamber of the Shufsky Family's residence, where an intimate fragrance lingered in the air, he was riding to his heart's content through the tender paradise offered by