Chapter 42: Feng Ruonan

Supporting his grief-stricken third brother, Song Quan could understand the pain in Song Shu's heart. Song Yanqing had been his only son.

"Grand Commander, my Song family has wronged you!"

Song Jiuming sighed deeply, cupped his hands toward Wang Heng, and bowed. Wang Heng's thoughts were in chaos. Yet he also understood that this matter could not be blamed on the Song family.

An order from above was difficult to defy, and the one who had died was a descendant of the Song clan. The Songs were even more devastated than he was.

By rights, Song Yanqing's death ought to have pleased him. More than once, Wang Heng had cursed that bastard and wished him dead.

But now that it had actually happened, he had no idea how he was supposed to explain it to his daughter. By this time, the guards who had come with him had roughly realized what had happened as well.

One of them asked coldly, "Who did it?"

Killing intent was unmistakable in his voice. Wang Heng finally came back to himself somewhat.

"What background does this Niu Youdao have? He even dares kill a son of the Song family. Has he grown tired of living?"

Still supporting his third brother, Song Quan explained, "He's Dong Guo Haoran's disciple."

"Dong Guo Haoran?"

Wang Heng knew the man.

When Prince Ning was still alive, Dong Guo Haoran had been the cultivator closest to him. He had once been a notable figure in the capital as well, and Wang Heng had seen him more than once. Back when Prince Ning held military authority, even Wang Heng had not dared lightly provoke Dong Guo Haoran.

Now he gritted his teeth.

"So he's that old thief's disciple. I'll grind master and disciple both to bone and scatter their ashes!"

"Dong Guo Haoran has already passed away," Song Quan said.

"Dead?"

Wang Heng was startled.

Because the Shangqing Sect had deliberately kept the matter quiet, news of Dong Guo Haoran's death had never spread widely. Once Wang Heng recovered, savagery returned to his face.

"Prince Ning is dead, and the Shangqing Sect still dares behave arrogantly? I'll flatten the Shangqing Sect!"

Song Jiuming raised a hand.

"The Shangqing Sect cannot be touched recklessly. Matters above are still watching it. Grand Commander, you'd best not act on your own, or you'll only bring trouble upon yourself."

Wang Heng snapped, "What matter could possibly be so serious? If something goes wrong, I'll go before His Majesty and plead guilty myself!"

Song Jiuming shook his head, plainly signaling him not to ask further.

"Grand Commander, you'd best listen to me. There are things I cannot explain openly. But I can tell you this: if you act recklessly, a simple plea for forgiveness will not settle it. His Majesty will not spare you!"

There were certain things Song Jiuming could not tell Wang Heng directly. The matter of the hundred thousand Crow Generals was far too important. Those above had long suspected there might be some connection to the Shangqing Sect and were still observing. If Wang Heng dared disrupt that matter, he would inevitably provoke imperial fury. Ten heads would not be enough for him to lose.

"Then are we simply supposed to let this go?" Wang Heng demanded angrily.

Song Jiuming remained calm.

"A killer pays with his life. Leave it at that for now. We can discuss the rest later."

Wang Heng understood.

Niu Youdao could be killed.

The others, for the moment, could not be moved recklessly.

His face cold, he said, "I'll handle this."

Song Jiuming immediately warned him sternly, "He's with Shang Chaozong. Shang Chaozong cannot be touched right now. Don't do anything foolish."

"Your Excellency can rest assured," Wang Heng said. "I'll immediately send word to Feng Lingbo and have him intercept them. I won't touch Shang Chaozong. I'll simply have Feng Lingbo seize Niu Youdao and send him to the capital. I want to cut him to pieces with my own hands!"

Song Jiuming said nothing.

That counted as tacit approval.

He knew very well that although Feng Lingbo was holding troops for his own ends and resisting the imperial court, he had not actually rebelled.

If someone of Wang Heng's position asked him to seize one minor cultivator, it would cost Feng Lingbo little. He was unlikely to deny Wang Heng that much face.

Before openly breaking with the court, Feng Lingbo still had people and property in the capital. He had not severed all ties there. Offending Wang Heng over one insignificant cultivator would not be worthwhile.

If Feng Lingbo refused him, Wang Heng would certainly turn around and make trouble for Feng Lingbo's interests in the capital. Having received Song Jiuming's tacit agreement, the rough soldier Wang Heng revealed a rare look of desolation.

"Your Excellency... I want to take Fang'er home to stay for a while."

Song Jiuming nodded and sighed.

"That may be for the best. Although Yanqing is gone, this will still be her home. If the Wang family ever needs anything, speak freely. So long as it lies within our power, the Song family will not refuse."

It was a guarantee.

He hoped the Wang family would not abandon the relationship between the two clans merely because Song Yanqing was dead.

Wang Heng nodded.

He did not even complete the usual courtesies before turning and leaving.

His thoughts were a mess.

He genuinely had no idea how he was supposed to tell his daughter. Song Quan personally escorted him out. After returning, he glanced at his third brother, who sat blankly in a chair, then sighed softly. Once Third Brother's wife learned what had happened, who knew how badly she would weep and rage? Song Jiuming stood with his hands behind his back, facing the doorway. Suddenly he gave a cold snort.

"Tang Susu has quite a lot of nerve. We told the Shangqing Sect not to send anyone to Shang Chaozong, yet she actually dared obey in public and defy us in private!"

Song Quan said, "Father, judging from the report, Tang Susu probably had selfish motives. Yanqing was likely used by her. Otherwise, after Niu Youdao had followed Shang Chaozong for so long, why didn't Yanqing report it? Yanqing probably had private motives of his own and deliberately concealed the matter."

Song Jiuming nodded slightly.

He understood what his eldest son meant. Wang Heng did not know the internal situation of the Shangqing Sect, but the Song family had it thoroughly mapped. Song Yanqing's feelings for Tang Yi were no secret.

For a spoiled young master like Song Yanqing to remain in remote mountains for so many years, one could imagine how much he liked Tang Yi. If the Song family had not applied pressure, Song Yanqing probably would never have given her up.

The moment they read the secret report, those who knew the situation had more or less understood what had happened. Song Jiuming looked at the distracted Song Shu and gave a flat instruction.

"For now, it is inconvenient to move against the Shangqing Sect. But that self-righteous old woman ought to be taught a lesson. Notify our people at the Shangqing Sect. Expose this matter."

"Yes!"

Song Quan accepted the order.

Within Guangyi Commandery's capital, Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang returned to the inn after their excursion. The three personal guards sent out to gather information were already back and waiting for them. They met in one room and closed the door.

One guard spread out a rough map of the commandery seat and pointed to the dense web of streets at the city center.

"Master Dao, this is the Commandery Governor's residence, Feng Lingbo's usual headquarters. Heavy troops guard the surrounding area. Ordinary people have difficulty approaching. His eldest son, Feng Ruoyi, has long commanded troops at a strategic position east of Guangyi Commandery. His second son, Feng Ruojie, has long held a strategic position to the west. That matches what we've always known. His daughter Feng Ruonan commands troops inside the commandery seat. According to what we learned, she normally doesn't live at the Governor's residence. Most of the time she stays at the barracks near the main eastern gate."

His finger tapped a marked location near the eastern city gate. Niu Youdao studied the map in silence for a while.

"Is Feng Lingbo inside the Governor's residence? Is Feng Ruonan at the barracks?"

The guard answered, "We asked around. Merchants near the Governor's residence say Feng Lingbo only returned this morning from an inspection outside the city. People around the eastern barracks also saw Feng Ruonan riding about and shouting orders while a group of soldiers trained. They should both be there."

"No time to lose. Then let's not delay."

Niu Youdao turned toward Yuan Gang.

"Wake the brothers."

Before long, the group left the inn and rode directly toward the eastern city gate. Along the way, they also rented a carriage. Near one corner of the eastern gate, all civilian housing had been cleared away for military use. A fenced training ground lay outside, guarded by soldiers. Unauthorized people were forbidden to approach. Niu Youdao and his party arrived and were naturally shouted to a halt by the guards.

"Please report to General Feng that an old acquaintance, Niu Youdao, has come to visit."

After dismounting, Niu Youdao gave the guard a smiling request. He did not believe Qu Wu could have watched them all the way without reporting anything back here. Presumably, Feng Ruonan had already heard the name Niu Youdao. People judging others by appearances and status was common enough everywhere. The guards did not simply drive them off as they might ordinary civilians.

After all, the entire party had arrived on horseback. One glance was enough to tell they were not common folk. Someone immediately went inside to report. They did not wait long before permission came for them to enter.

The horses, however, were not allowed inside. They would also have to submit to a search and temporarily surrender their weapons. Niu Youdao tossed his sword to one of the personal guards. He told the others to wait outside and brought only Yuan Gang with him. A guard led the way, taking the two men into a drill ground. A group of soldiers was practicing with sabers and spears, shouting in unison as they trained.

On the command platform stood an armored general of imposing height, a spear planted against the ground in one hand, watching the soldiers drill. A deputy beside the general murmured something.

Only then did the armored figure turn and look toward Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang standing below and to one side of the platform. The moment she turned, Niu Youdao froze. A trace of sweat nearly broke out on him.

If not for certain features revealing that the person was a woman, he would have taken her for a man. This female general was taller and more heavily built than most men.

Broad-backed, thick-waisted, and powerfully muscled, she had strong brows and large, bright eyes. She plainly did not spend her time applying powder or rouge.

Her gaze was forceful and direct, though her bearing still retained a trace of refinement that distinguished her from a man.

Niu Youdao seriously wondered whether this was the same woman he had encountered years ago while drifting downriver on his bamboo raft.

Back then, she had been covered in travel dust and seated on horseback. He had never gotten a clear look at whether she was truly a woman and had only identified her by her voice. The female general raised one hand from the platform. The commotion of training stopped instantly. The soldiers gathered, jogging into formation, and were then led away by their officers.

Silence returned to the surroundings.

After watching the formation depart, the female general slowly turned back. The spear in her hand abruptly spun. With a sweep of her powerful arm, she hurled it.

Whoosh!

The long spear screamed through the air toward Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao stood where he was, smiling, without moving so much as an inch. Just before the spear reached him, a large hand shot out from beside him. Yuan Gang caught the shaft in one grip and stopped the incoming spear dead. He turned his wrist and swept his arm. The spear howled away toward a flagpole twenty meters distant.

Crack!

It punched straight through the flagpole and lodged there roughly ten meters above the ground. Getting it back down was likely to be troublesome. That was Yuan Gang's way of expressing his displeasure. The strength of the throw and its precision made the female general's eyes brighten. Her gaze toward Yuan Gang suddenly shone with interest.

She was not inexperienced.

She could tell Yuan Gang was not a cultivator. When he exerted force, there had been no outward burst of qi—no fluttering of clothes, no visible wave of force.

She did not believe someone this young could already have cultivated to the level where every trace of his aura was perfectly restrained and not even a corner of his clothing stirred. Then there was only one explanation.

Real physical strength.

The instant Yuan Gang acted, a curtain behind the command platform moved. Four figures flashed out and landed to either side of the female general. All four wore black, swords on their backs. Every one of them was a woman. Their cold gazes fixed on Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang. Niu Youdao only needed one look to know all four were cultivators. Judging by their speed, the cultivation of two of them was probably beyond his own.

With cultivators serving as guards, there was little need to guess any further. This powerfully built woman was almost certainly Feng Ruonan.

The female general walked toward the front of the platform and stopped at its edge, looking down at the two men. Her eyes moved between their faces.

"Which one of you is Niu Youdao?"

Her gaze remained focused mainly on Niu Youdao's face. Plainly, she had already guessed which man was the principal figure.

[End of Chapter 42]