Chapter 79: I'm Not as Devious as You

"Ten thousand elite troops, yet they were routed so easily! Xiang Wuren deserves ten thousand deaths!"

Inside the main hall of the Provincial Inspector's Residence in Nanzhou, Zhou Shouxian's roar nearly lifted the roof. A teacup had shattered across the floor.

He had sent Xiang Wuren with elite troops to support the assassination, only for the man's force to become a burden instead, turning the entire operation into a failure. Not only had Shang Chaozong survived, but as Zhou Shouxian himself had just shouted, ten thousand of his elite troops had proved so pitifully incapable. What were others supposed to think of that? The furious roaring was only a way to vent. After sitting back down, Zhou Shouxian slowly closed his eyes and fell silent...

In Guangyi Commandery, Feng Lingbo flew into a rage when the report arrived. The truth was obvious enough. No one involved was a fool.

The Wolf Fang Bandits?

Anyone could guess the attack had been carried out by Nanzhou troops. Whether those men truly had been Wolf Fang Bandits no longer mattered. Feng Lingbo put the debt squarely on the imperial court. Forces throughout Guangyi Commandery immediately adopted an offensive posture.

The instant troops began moving, a guest from the Provincial Inspector's Residence in Nanzhou appeared at the Commandery Governor's residence to negotiate with Feng Lingbo. No one knew what benefits were promised to placate him.

In any case, neither side truly wanted the affair to spiral out of control. What had looked ready to become a major conflict quickly subsided again...

In the capital, within an elegant little courtyard of the Song Residence, Song Jiuming stood beside a pond without speaking.

Steward Liu Lu hurried over and reported, "Third Master was furious when he heard the news. He's throwing a terrible temper."

Song Jiuming frowned slightly. He could understand his son's feelings. The Shangqing Sect had circulated a proclamation throughout the cultivation world listing one offense after another committed by his son Song Shu, announcing his expulsion from the sect and fastening the enormous charge of betraying his master and ancestors onto his head. Even an ordinary mortal would find the accusation of betraying one's master and ancestors almost impossible to bear. Song Shu's reputation had effectively been ruined. How was he supposed to show his face outside from now on?

Worse, the matter was difficult to explain clearly. People in this world were often instinctively inclined to sympathize with the weaker side. Who would believe that the Shangqing Sect, weak as an egg before a stone, had deliberately gone looking for trouble with the Song clan? No one on the Song side had expected the Shangqing Sect to dare openly tear relations apart with them. Another sect they had incited to visit the Shangqing Sect had arrived only to discover the entire mountain empty.

The people of the Shangqing Sect had vanished without a trace. That group too had made the journey for nothing.

Song Jiuming slowly asked, "Still no news of the Shangqing Sect?"

Liu Lu replied, "They left too suddenly. No one knows where they went. We're still investigating."

Song Jiuming clasped his hands behind his back and said nothing. His brows knitted tightly. Lately, he had the vague sense that something unusual was happening. One matter after another had abruptly begun changing, slipping beyond anyone's control. The Shangqing Sect had broken free of the Song clan's control. Shang Chaozong had broken free of the imperial court's control. The assassination in Nanzhou had failed as well... With infantry slowing them down, the cavalry could not travel quickly either.

A journey that should have taken only a day or two was dragged out across several days. After a few days on the road, Feng Ruonan noticed something unusual.

Everyone was traveling on horseback. They had seized a large number of warhorses from the attackers, enough to let their own wounded ride as well. Yet several days later, the wounded on her side still barely dared move for fear of tearing their injuries open.

The wounded on Shang Chaozong's side, by contrast, could already climb on and off their horses without assistance. Some could even limp around cautiously on their own. Their injuries were clearly recovering far faster. Feng Ruonan knew perfectly well what faster battlefield recovery meant. It reduced the burden on supplies and attendants, and more importantly, restored fighting strength more quickly. On campaign, this was no small matter. As for Shang Chaozong's wounded personal guards, once they realized how quickly they were recovering, their fear of suturing vanished almost entirely.

Faster healing eased their worries about what would happen after an injury. Everyone became noticeably more cheerful. Soldiers who fought on battlefields naturally respected those who could save their lives. Whenever they saw Yuan Gang or the monks of Nanshan Temple now, they treated them with great courtesy.

"Master, the brothers found these bird eggs in a nest in the woods. They've already been boiled."

One evening while the group was making temporary camp, a wounded soldier who had been treated by Yuan Fang came over and pressed several green-shelled bird eggs, each about the size of a chicken egg, into Yuan Fang's hands. Yuan Fang tried to refuse, but the man simply forced them on him and left. Gratitude for the Nanshan Temple monks' treatment was one thing. Respect was another. And everyone had heard that these monks would later be responsible for removing their stitches.

People were naturally uneasy about unfamiliar things. Trying to ingratiate themselves early so the monks would be gentle later was hardly unreasonable. The freshly boiled bird eggs were still hot in Yuan Fang's hands.

He murmured, "Amitabha. Sinful, sinful."

Eating bird eggs still involved taking life. Yuan Fang could not bring himself to eat them. He handed the eggs to the other monks and told them to give them to the wounded instead. The monks accepted them with smiles and went to do as he asked. Yuan Fang had a smile on his face as well. Recently, the monks had all clearly felt the way everyone else's attitude toward them had changed.

Whenever there was something good to eat, people thought of them first. The best food and supplies were often delivered to their hands before anyone else's. Being respected like this truly felt rather pleasant. The monks gradually discovered that following this group might not be so bad after all. Yuan Fang himself began feeling that the Buddha's teachings really were correct. He started lecturing the monks more often about doing good and finding joy in helping others.

Beside a campfire, Shang Chaozong looked around and saw that his brothers were in good spirits. A rare smile appeared on his face.

"Qing'er still has the better eye. It seems Master Dao's method for treating wounds truly is effective."

Shang Shuqing pursed her lips in a smile. Lan Ruoting nodded in agreement. He understood battlefield wounds well. Take a deep saber cut across the leg. Under ordinary circumstances, without half a month or even a month of recovery, who would dare get up and walk around? Yet how many days had it been here?

He pondered for a moment before saying, "Those monks learned the method only recently and are already using it. It seems the technique itself isn't difficult to master. If Master Dao is willing to teach it to us, it would be tremendously useful for treating battlefield casualties in the future."

Shang Chaozong fell silent. He was worried it might be some inherited art that Niu Youdao would not casually teach others.

He looked toward Shang Shuqing and tentatively said, "Qing'er, perhaps you could find a chance to test Master Dao's attitude?"

"All right."

Shang Shuqing nodded. While they were talking, a disturbance arose among their own people. Feng Ruonan had come over with several attendants. No one knew what she intended. She stopped beside one of the personal guards. Shang Chaozong and the others immediately rose and walked over to see what was happening.

"Princess Consort!"

The guard beside the fire scrambled upright and saluted. Feng Ruonan circled him twice.

Then she suddenly said, "Take off your trousers."

"Uh..."

The guard stared at her in astonishment, then looked toward Shang Chaozong, who was approaching. Shang Chaozong's face immediately darkened. Feng Ruonan was his wife now. How was he supposed to feel hearing her tell another man, in public, to take off his trousers? Her next sentence, however, immediately clarified matters.

"I want to see the wound on your leg."

Even so, Shang Shuqing remained somewhat speechless. This sister-in-law of hers truly was fierce. Even with a reason, what kind of woman publicly told a man to take off his trousers? Could she not simply pull him aside and explain first? In the end, the personal guard still lowered his trousers enough to expose the sutured saber wound on his leg. After examining it and confirming what she wanted to know, Feng Ruonan motioned Shang Chaozong and the others aside.

With a perfectly expressionless face, she said, "Your wounded are recovering well."

Shang Chaozong replied calmly, "Master Dao's methods are extraordinary."

Feng Ruonan said, "We're family now. There's no reason to favor one side and neglect the other. Have him treat the wounded on my side too."

So that was what this was about. Lan Ruoting's expression became a little strange.

Getting this woman to say the words "we're family now" to the prince was no easy thing.

Still, he could understand her feelings. As the commander of an army, if there were a way to help the soldiers under her recover, how could she stand aside and ignore it? In a certain sense, this was Feng Ruonan lowering her head before Shang Chaozong. Shang Chaozong considered it.

"This is Master Dao's skill. I'm afraid we'll have to see whether he's willing."

Feng Ruonan had already expected that answer. Back on the battlefield, seeing Niu Youdao remain safely behind while everyone else fought had made it obvious that Shang Chaozong did not exercise much influence over him. Their relationship seemed limited. Unfortunately, Feng Ruonan's own relationship with Niu Youdao had deteriorated badly, making it difficult for her to approach him directly. That was why she had come to Shang Chaozong, hoping he could serve as an intermediary. Shang Chaozong did not think too deeply about it. He did not refuse.

He brought her along to see Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao was sitting cross-legged inside his tent, meditating and cultivating. Before the group had even reached the entrance, Yuan Gang appeared from nowhere and blocked their path. Yuan Fang emerged as well, though with considerably less confidence, taking up position beside Yuan Gang. The two stood left and right like the Heng and Ha Guardian Generals. Yuan Gang had already given Yuan Fang his instructions.

Protecting Master Dao's safety was partly Yuan Fang's responsibility now. If anything happened to Master Dao, Yuan Fang should not expect to come off well either. Yuan Fang also knew he currently depended on Niu Youdao for protection. Willing or not, he could only obey. The monks of Nanshan Temple gradually appeared as well, watching the approaching group. Without realizing it, these people had begun forming a small circle centered on Niu Youdao.

Under Niu Youdao's deliberate guidance, like rain that nourishes all things without a sound, they had gathered around him as companions outside the authority of either Shang Chaozong or Feng Ruonan. The instant Feng Ruonan saw Yuan Fang, her teeth almost began itching. But she had come for a reason and forced herself to endure it. After a few words were exchanged outside, Niu Youdao's voice came from within the tent.

"Let them in."

Only then did Yuan Gang and Yuan Fang step aside. The group filed into the tent. Niu Youdao rose from his seated position and cupped his hands in greeting. Shang Chaozong explained Feng Ruonan's request.

While he spoke, Niu Youdao noticed Lan Ruoting subtly shaking his head and signaling with his eyes, apparently telling him not to agree. Shang Shuqing, observant by nature, noticed Lan Ruoting's reaction as well. After hearing the request, Niu Youdao sighed.

"It's a little late to stitch the wounds now."

Feng Ruonan's face tightened.

"If I offended Master Dao in the past, then the fault was mine. I apologize to Master Dao here and ask you not to take it to heart. I hope you can let bygones be bygones and show us some mercy. I guarantee the earlier matters end here. I won't keep pursuing them or looking for trouble afterward."

Niu Youdao raised a hand and scratched his nose. He knew she had misunderstood.

With a bitter smile, he said, "Princess Consort, I think you're reading too much into this. If we'd stitched the wounds immediately, that would have been fine. But after all these days, the flesh has already begun closing and healing. Suturing them now genuinely isn't appropriate."

Feng Ruonan pleaded several more times. The answer remained the same. At last she gave a cold snort, turned, and left. Niu Youdao was helpless. He suspected his image as a petty villain had become too deeply rooted in this woman's mind. She still thought he was deliberately refusing her. One person after another left. Eventually only Lan Ruoting remained, smiling at him.

Niu Youdao leaned closer and asked, "Mr. Lan, what did you mean when you signaled for me not to agree?"

Lan Ruoting adopted a furtive expression and leaned in to whisper beside his ear.

"The Princess Consort still refuses to sleep in the same quarters as His Highness. I very much agree with Master Dao's earlier idea of turning Feng Lingbo's troops into His Highness's own. As a commander, the Princess Consort certainly cannot bear to watch the soldiers under her suffer when there is a way to help them. If Master Dao could use this treatment method to bring the Princess Consort and His Highness together beneath one roof, it would also be helping a marriage flourish. The two are husband and wife in both name and fact already. For the Princess Consort, it shouldn't be anything impossible to accept."

Niu Youdao suddenly understood. Why dress it up in all that high-sounding language? Lan Ruoting simply wanted to use treatment for Feng Ruonan's wounded as leverage to make her sleep with Shang Chaozong. This fellow was devious enough. Niu Youdao stared at him.

"Mr. Lan, I'm not as devious as you. I didn't refuse on purpose. Every word I said was true. It's genuinely too late to suture those wounds now!"

[End of Chapter 79]