"Stop making fun of me. Wasn't this disguise your idea? And look at you-you actually switched to another identity yourself. You're dressed as a merchant or something now, aren't you?"
"Not at all." Milger shook his head, seemingly reproaching him for his complete lack of perception. "This is a gardener's outfit. Perhaps you couldn't tell because I'm not carrying any shears."
"All right, let's get down to business." Zeng Mu looked around and probed his surroundings. Once he confirmed no one was nearby, he turned back, sat cross-legged on the grass, and began discussing matters with him.
Milger sat down as well and said softly, "Six days from now, Yan Xia will celebrate his sixtieth birthday. That will be our best opportunity to assassinate him on this trip. If we miss it, we'll probably have to wait another month or two for the next ideal chance. Of course, that's no great issue if you can afford to wait."
He took a roll of paper from inside his clothes and spread it out, revealing densely packed writing. Presumably, he had refined it during his journey. "Now let's go over the details of the operation, along with everything you must watch out for during the assassination."
"First, never strike while anyone else is present."
"Second, never strike while you're alone with the target."
"Third, never discuss the target's details at length with anyone else. That will arouse suspicion afterward."
"Fourth..."
Even the best memory was no substitute for written notes. As a spy, he treated every minor matter this way, let alone something so important. His plan was therefore extremely detailed, with thirty-four prohibitions concerning the assassination alone.
There were also many rules to follow:
"First, carry out the operation along the predetermined route. If something unexpected happens, use your own judgment,