Chapter 101: Jinzhou Prefectural Capital

Keep it from Yuan Gang? Shang Shuqing did not understand. Niu Youdao had already turned away, offering no explanation whatsoever.

Watching him go, Meng Shanming asked, “Are you certain those two stones he set out were meant for you to see?”

Shang Shuqing was also watching Niu Youdao’s departing figure, her expression complicated. She gave a bitter smile. “I wasn’t certain before. Now I am.”

Meng Shanming gave a soft sound of acknowledgment. “How so?”

“Until just now, he hadn’t revealed the slightest hint. It was only after we met Mr. Gongsun and told him this place was a secret armaments-production site that he said he was going to Jinzhou. I don’t believe he gave no thought beforehand to something like this, and I don’t believe he made such a decision on a sudden impulse. Those stones were set out for me to see. After placing them there, he avoided Yuan Gang and appeared here to wait... He couldn’t have waited here forever.”

Meng Shanming pondered for a moment, then slowly said, “I understand. He was testing our sincerity. If we didn’t tell him, he wouldn’t ask, and he wouldn’t have said he was going to Jinzhou either.”

“He knew the connection between those two stones, so he must have noticed something long ago. Perhaps he had been waiting all this time for us to tell him, but we never did. This time he put the stones out for me to see. It was as though he were giving us one chance, one last chance. If we still kept it from him...” Shang Shuqing’s voice grew grave. “I have a feeling we wouldn’t have been able to keep him. He would probably have taken Yuan Gang and gone far away, rather than telling us he was going to Jinzhou.”

Meng Shanming smiled bitterly as well. “I understand now. He was weighing whether we were worth it. It seems he believes this trip will be dangerous.”

A trace of worry tightened Shang Shuqing’s heart. She had realized that too, but she could not stop him. Tianyu Sect and Feng Lingbo would not give the siblings much time, and as things stood, this seemed to be their only chance to annex Qingshan Commandery. To some extent, having seen what Niu Youdao was capable of, she hoped his abilities could lend the siblings a hand.

Yet that very hope filled her with guilt. Her own self-interest was sending someone else to take the risk...

“Where are we going?”

In the courtyard, Yuan Gang had just finished his exercises and cleaned himself up. The answer he heard left him surprised.

Niu Youdao said calmly, “To find something I need for cultivation.”

Yuan Gang nodded. “When do we leave?” His meaning was obvious: he intended to prepare in advance.

“Tomorrow. You don’t need to come. I’ll take Old Bear.”

“I’m not going?” Yuan Gang froze, clearly not having expected Niu Youdao to leave him behind.

Niu Youdao explained, “There’s nothing much to it. We don’t have to worry about anyone keeping an eye on us when we leave from here. If we return to Canglu County through the secret passage and set out from there instead, that would actually be more dangerous. An enemy might spot us. So I plan to take Old Bear and head directly across the mountains. The mountain roads are difficult. You’d have trouble keeping up with all that climbing.”

Yuan Gang fell silent for a moment, thought it over, and found that reasonable. “How long will you be gone? When will you be back?”

“We haven’t traveled independently in the outside world yet, and there’s a great deal we don’t understand. I can’t say for certain right now, but it shouldn’t take too long.”

“Do I wait here?”

“You can stay here, or you can go to Canglu County. See what Shang Shuqing arranges. When I’m done, I’ll probably return quietly and go straight to Canglu County. If you go there, keep an eye on Old Bear’s people. And Lu Shengzhong too. If Shang Chaozong’s plan goes smoothly, put that chess piece to use.”

Yuan Gang nodded. Turning to Yuan Fang, he said, “Once you’re outside with Master Dao, stay sharp and move smart. Otherwise, don’t blame me for sending that pack of monks to meet the Buddha.”

Yuan Fang’s face twitched. He squeezed out a smile. “Don’t worry, Master Yuan.”

The next day, before the dressing table, Shang Shuqing was unusually meticulous as she arranged Niu Youdao’s hair. The man reflected in the mirror sat with his eyes closed, saying nothing.

When the two emerged from the room, Yuan Fang was already waiting outside with a bundle on his back. Yuan Gang presented Niu Youdao’s sword to him.

Niu Youdao reached out, took the sword, and strode away. Yuan Fang followed.

Shang Shuqing and Yuan Gang stepped out of the courtyard to watch them leave. Meng Shanming, seated in his wheelchair, watched from a corner as well.

They walked out of the village at an unhurried pace. Then Niu Youdao and Yuan Fang suddenly accelerated, one behind the other, streaking up a high mountain.

At the summit, the two stopped. Yuan Fang followed Niu Youdao’s gaze back toward the village hidden among the towering ranges. Then each took out a small emerald-green leaf and placed it in his mouth. The leaf had originally had no name. The villagers called it “Clearheart,” and keeping one in the mouth helped ward off the miasma that permeated the mountains.

“Go!”

At Niu Youdao’s word, his body launched from the mountaintop like an arrow loosed from the string. Qi surged from within him and condensed into wing-like forms. Using the speed of his launch and the height he had gained, he flew by controlling his qi.

Yuan Fang glided after him on his own qi.

A mountain loomed directly ahead. The two tilted sideways in succession, using the lift of the air to sweep swiftly around it, passing between two peaks like a pair of great birds.

Wind roared past their ears.

Yuan Fang’s cultivation was clearly inferior to Niu Youdao’s. After only a short while of high-speed friction against the air, his qi-wings collapsed. He dropped rapidly onto a mountainside and broke into a sprint, then launched himself out once more and gathered new qi-wings to continue the chase. Niu Youdao needed to replenish his qi far less often, but he still stopped from time to time to wait. Otherwise, Yuan Fang might truly lose him.

Over level ground they bounded in long, rapid leaps. At smaller mountains they either skimmed over them or swept around. At high peaks they kicked off sheer cliffs and climbed upward in surging bounds. Once they reached a summit, they launched again, gliding swiftly through the air.

Amid the endless mountain ranges, two figures traveled one behind the other, as free as birds in flight...

Several hours later, the rise and fall of the terrain had eased noticeably, and the miasma hanging among the mountains was no longer visible. Niu Youdao estimated that they had left the region behind.

They did not stop until they saw an official road below, winding like a ribbon. By then Yuan Fang was exhausted almost to the point of collapse. He spat the leaf from his mouth with a “ptui,” braced himself against a large tree, and dropped to his knees, panting hard. Half a day of that relentless pace was simply too much for him.

Niu Youdao’s complexion was not good either. He had consumed far too much spiritual power. If not for the need to make haste, he would never have traveled this way. In such a weakened state, encountering anyone looking for trouble would be trouble indeed.

The two hid in the woods beside the official road, ate and drank a little, then sat cross-legged to recover.

Niu Youdao recovered quickly. For one thing, he had not expended as much as Yuan Fang. For another, he could draw on the Transmission Protective Talisman inside his body.

Yuan Fang recovered more slowly and did not finish until near dusk. There was no helping it. Neither of them carried any spirit pills that could restore them quickly, so he could only recover at the normal pace.

Niu Youdao had possessed some before. He had found a small quantity on Song Yanqing and his two fellow disciples, but had used them up while testing them. He had also found some on Lu Shengzhong and given all of those to Yuan Fang, who had never tried them before and promptly sampled the lot.

In a certain sense, the two of them were poor men in the cultivation world, and not merely poor, but utterly penniless by cultivator standards.

They stopped a passing carriage on the official road. After asking the route, a single gold coin was enough to persuade the driver to change course and take them to the nearest county seat.

The carriage hurried on and finally delivered them inside the city before the gates closed at nightfall.

They found an inn and took rooms. Niu Youdao ordered a table full of fine dishes to reward Yuan Fang for the journey.

At the table, Yuan Fang watched Niu Youdao gaze pensively at the street outside the window and asked, “Master Dao, where exactly are we going?”

“Jinzhou Prefectural Capital.”

“That still sounds like a long way.”

“Eat quickly. We still have something to do after dinner.”

“Oh!” Yuan Fang immediately began shoveling food into his mouth and soon filled his stomach.

When they settled the bill, Niu Youdao tossed the waiter a silver coin as a tip. The man bowed and scraped, delighted.

Niu Youdao waved a hand. Naturally, the money had not been given for nothing. “Waiter, I want to ask you something.”

“Of course, sir. Ask away.”

“Do you know where the County Relay Administrator lives?”

The waiter thought for a moment, then pointed in one direction. “Not far from the county yamen. In the alley to the left, diagonally across from it. Ask for Administrator Li once you get there and anyone can point you to the house. Do you have business with Official Li, sir?”

Niu Youdao smiled. “Nothing important. A friend of his asked me to deliver a letter.”

He dismissed the matter casually, then took Yuan Fang out of the inn and headed toward the place the waiter had described. After asking around, they found the County Relay Administrator’s residence.

Naturally, he had not come to see the man for any other reason. He needed an identity that would let them borrow relay-station horses. It was not that he could not afford horses, but horses from the relay system could be exchanged at stations all along the route, making fast travel much easier. There was no difficulty to it, and no need to threaten anyone with force. In fact, force would only make matters worse. Money would do.

A handful of gold coins scattered across the table settled the matter at once. He and Administrator Li agreed to meet the next morning.

The following day, at a secluded place outside the city, Administrator Li brought two relay horses, two sets of courier clothing, and the official dispatch he had prepared. He also had them carry a dispatch for him along the way, neatly combining public business with private gain.

Payment on delivery. Niu Youdao handed over the second agreed-upon handful of gold coins.

He and Yuan Fang changed clothes, mounted up, and galloped away. They exchanged horses at relay stations all along the route and rode without pause toward Jinzhou Prefectural Capital.

Two days later, dusty from the road, they arrived without incident. They delivered the official dispatch to the yamen and left the relay horses there as well. There was no reason to keep them and invite trouble.

At Fulin Inn, Yuan Fang conspicuously carried a flower in his hand as the two approached the entrance. A man immediately came over and, drawing near, said in a low voice, “Fang Zhe.”

Niu Youdao looked him up and down. “Niu Youdao.”

The man named Fang Zhe visibly relaxed and immediately gestured them inside. “Master Dao, please.” He led them into the inn and up to his room.

This meeting had naturally been arranged with Shang Shuqing before Niu Youdao departed. Shang Shuqing had sent an urgent message to Shang Chaozong, asking him to have the contact he had previously stationed in Jinzhou meet Niu Youdao.

Once inside the room, Fang Zhe shut the door and immediately asked, “His Highness sent word that I was to cooperate with Master Dao. How would you have me assist you?”

“The situation.” Niu Youdao said, “Tell me everything you know about Hai Ruyue, in detail.”

“Very well.” Fang Zhe immediately began laying out everything he knew.

Niu Youdao interrupted from time to time with questions. The conversation went on for a long while before finally ending.

Once he had a general understanding of the situation, Niu Youdao rose. “We’ll rest for the night. Get us a room here. Tomorrow, take me to the Provincial Inspector’s Residence.”

Fang Zhe stood as well. “Master Dao, I’m afraid tomorrow may not be suitable. It’s Hai Ruyue’s fortieth birthday. A great many guests will be calling on her. She may not see you... These days she already finds me tiresome and is reluctant to receive me.”

“No matter. Tell her the skilled physician His Highness found for her son has arrived. Forget a fortieth birthday. Even if she were getting married again, she’d make time to see me.”

[End of Chapter 101]