Chapter 163: Burning Down the Restaurant

The others understood. The point was to leave in precisely the way no one expected them to leave, while no one yet believed they would do such a thing.

What they did not understand was why Master Dao had decided Shao Pingbo was so dangerous after barely interacting with him.

Niu Youdao had no intention of wasting words explaining it. He walked to the long row of kitchen worktables, bent down, caught hold of a handle set into the floor, and lifted a wooden cover. River water was visible beneath it.

The kitchen was large. Like the restaurant itself, half stood on the bank while half was built out over the water.

This opening in the floor was specifically for dumping kitchen refuse. Whatever rubbish remained after the kitchen was swept and cleaned went straight through this hole into the river.

In fact, all of the restaurant’s household waste was discharged directly into the water. Niu Youdao had been observing from the moment he entered the kitchen and noticed the opening almost immediately. Without actively looking for such things, one would hardly notice a panel that appeared to be part of the floor itself.

“Go. Quickly. Make as little noise as possible.”

At his urging, Black Peony and the others jumped down one after another, floating lightly into the water and disappearing beneath the surface.

Niu Youdao replaced the cover and hurried to the kitchen door. Standing behind it, he listened for movement outside.

One reason he had sent Black Peony and the others first was to test the situation. If they were discovered, he would still be inside the kitchen and could find some excuse to explain matters.

After confirming that nothing had happened, he hurried to a corner and lifted the lid from a wooden barrel.

It was full of lamp oil used for starting fires in the kitchen.

He picked up the barrel, found a water dipper, scooped out the oil, and splashed it directly across the kitchen’s wooden wall panels.

He soaked a length of hemp rope in the oil, flicked it out, and dragged one end to the refuse opening.

Then he blew his fire striker alight and ignited that end.

He lifted the floor cover, slipped through the opening, and quietly vanished into the river below.

Behind him, open flame raced along the oil-soaked rope toward the corner. Once it reached the wall, fire climbed the panels soaked in lamp oil and began spreading outward across the surrounding walls.

Tang Yi did, after all, still share that nominal bond with him.

Shao Pingbo wanted him to cook for the two of them?

Niu Youdao was not that generous.

Of course, neither was he so petty that he would fuss over a meal.

No food for you, but I can burn down a restaurant for you instead.

Let us see whether the two of you can stomach that.

At first, when people outside smelled scorched smoke, they assumed it was normal kitchen smoke.

Only when thick smoke began pouring out, even drifting into the restaurant itself, did they realize something was wrong.

Someone immediately ran toward the kitchen to investigate and saw flames licking outward.

He kicked the door open.

That made everything worse.

Fresh air rushed inside, and the flames roared outward with a whoosh, startling the cultivator into leaping back.

Before long, people outside the restaurant noticed the fire as well.

“Fire! Fire!”

Someone shouted at the top of his lungs.

The restaurant owner screamed even more hysterically.

Most of the building was timber, and because it stood beside the river, its exterior had been coated with tung oil against the damp.

Once a fire took hold, the whole place was finished.

Shao Pingbo had been discussing matters with several generals on the viewing terrace.

He noticed it too.

Dense smoke was pouring from one end of the restaurant, flames licking outward.

The drifting smoke soon reached the terrace and sent everyone into fits of coughing.

A cultivator flashed over.

“Eldest Young Master, this restaurant is no longer safe. Please move elsewhere.”

Shao Pingbo barked, “What happened?”

“The kitchen caught fire.”

“That’s the kitchen?”

Shao Pingbo paused.

The river channel was naturally windy. The moment the flames reached open air, the wind fed them viciously. Thick smoke rolled toward the terrace in wave after wave.

The cultivator said, “Eldest Young Master, the fire is difficult to control. This place is dangerous. Please move.”

Shao Pingbo coughed into his fist, swept the smoke away with one sleeve, and strode back into the restaurant.

The smoke inside was even thicker, making it difficult to keep one’s eyes open.

A cultivator caught his arm and quickly guided him outside.

Only after the coughing crowd reached the upwind side did they escape the smoke.

When they looked back, hardly any time had passed, yet the entire restaurant was already engulfed in dense smoke and flames had swallowed nearly half the building.

Once Shao Pingbo recovered his breath, he looked around.

“Where are Zhang San and the others from the kitchen?”

A cultivator replied, “Eldest Young Master, they are cultivators. The fire itself could hardly hurt them. And since the flames started in the kitchen, logically they should have been able to extinguish them immediately instead of letting the fire spread this far. In my view, they may well have set it themselves.”

Shao Pingbo’s gaze snapped toward the burning kitchen.

For an instant his eyes were frighteningly bright, sharp and cold.

He cast a seemingly casual glance toward Tang Yi and the others nearby, then narrowed his eyes at the blazing restaurant.

His voice was quiet, but the command admitted no doubt.

“They probably escaped by the river. Search!”

Men and horses were guarding the bank. They could not possibly flee overland without being seen.

Hearing that Niu Youdao might have set the fire, Tang Yi and the others were stunned.

Then Shao Pingbo gave the order, and Tang Yi suddenly understood what Niu Youdao had meant when he pointed out the forest across the river.

He had already been planning to burn the restaurant before leaving and had worried he might not escape cleanly.

He wanted them to help cover for him.

“Yes!”

Everyone accepted the order.

Tang Yi beckoned to Tang Susu and Su Po, then swept away in one direction.

The three flew over the river and took responsibility for searching that sector.

Since they had occupied that direction, everyone else naturally spread out elsewhere instead of crowding after them.

Seeing Tang Yi personally join the search, Shao Pingbo’s cold gaze swept over her.

He gathered his cloak behind him and clasped both hands at his back.

Still staring in Tang Yi’s direction, he tilted his head toward two men beside him.

“You two follow her personally. The moment you see Zhang San and his people, ask nothing. Leave no survivors. Kill them all.”

One cultivator hesitated. “Eldest Young Master, they are Lord Zhuge’s people. Wouldn’t killing them outright be inappropriate?”

Shao Pingbo’s cold gaze returned to the burning restaurant.

According to their agreement, once Zhang San and the others finished cooking one meal, he would let them go.

But after noticing the strange behavior between Tang Yi’s group and Zhang San’s group, how could Shao Pingbo possibly have let them leave so easily?

Naturally, he first intended to learn what connection existed between them.

Who could have expected the other side to do something as extreme as set the restaurant ablaze and flee?

He had promised to release them after the meal.

Why take the risk of escaping?

There was only one answer.

They feared he would not let them go, so they had decided to flee first.

Shao Pingbo had revealed nothing.

He had made no move at all.

Yet someone had seen through his intentions.

After repeated dealings with Tang Yi’s group, he already knew their measure.

The person who had seen through him was probably not one of them, but someone among Zhang San’s people.

He could not yet determine exactly which one.

But whoever had seen through his thoughts made him deeply uncomfortable.

He even sensed an inexplicable danger.

He rarely felt that way.

His voice sank again.

“If anything happens, I will take responsibility. Kill them.”

“Yes!”

Two Golden Core Realm cultivators shot through the air, skimming across the waves in pursuit of Tang Yi’s party.

Dusk was approaching.

The sunset burned like fire along the horizon, while the riverside restaurant below was truly burning in raging flames.

Not far from the firelight, Shao Pingbo stood on the riverbank beneath the glow of sunset, hands clasped behind his back, his eyes thoughtful.

“Eldest Young Master! My restaurant! Eldest Young Master, that was my entire fortune! My whole family depends on it to live!”

The restaurant owner ran over and dropped to his knees nearby, wailing.

It was certainly part of his fortune, though hardly all of it.

He merely wanted to make his suffering sound as miserable as possible in hopes that the Eldest Young Master would compensate him.

His crying interrupted Shao Pingbo’s thoughts.

Shao Pingbo glanced indifferently at the kneeling man.

Then he casually reached sideways, seized the sword hanging from a nearby general’s waist, and drew it with a shhk.

Pfft!

The restaurant owner’s eyes flew wide in disbelief.

Both hands clutched his chest around the blade that had pierced his heart.

His lips trembled as he stared up at Shao Pingbo, who looked down at him without emotion.

Shao Pingbo pulled the bloodied sword free and tossed it aside.

With a sweep of his cloak, he turned and walked away.

The general caught his sword, returned it to the sheath, and hurried after him.

“There is no need to trouble the prefectural capital to transfer military supplies. On this trip to the capital, I spent a great deal of effort securing a batch myself. They will be sent to Beizhou before long. Once they arrive, distribute them locally. That will save us hauling them back and forth, and every bit of transport loss we can avoid is one bit saved.”

“Beizhou suffered a widespread drought the year before last, and floods again this year. The people are already struggling to survive. It is not easy for the Provincial Inspector to provide relief across the entire province.”

“Of course, we stand wedged between the three powers of Zhao, Han, and Yan, so military preparedness must come first. The Provincial Inspector may shortchange anyone else, but he will never shortchange the brothers serving below. We cannot let them go hungry. Once the supplies arrive, the arrears will be issued immediately. You need to explain that carefully and reassure the men. Tell them to endure and overcome the hardship a little longer.”

“And one more thing. Make absolutely certain the men below understand that Beizhou is our foundation. The foundation cannot be allowed to fall into chaos. No matter how difficult things become, no one is permitted to loot the common people.”

“Banditry is not to arise within Beizhou under cover of the disasters. If bandits appear, wipe them out as quickly as possible. Disturbing the people will not be tolerated.”

“If the common people are frightened into fleeing, who will replant the fields after the disaster? Me? You?”

“If everyone turns into refugees and runs, where will our future soldiers come from?”

“If the people are gone, next year will only become even more difficult. That benefits none of us.”

“So this is a matter of the highest importance. No one is to interfere with post-disaster farming. Relief grain must arrive on time. Seed grain must be distributed promptly.”

“You are to assign troops to supervise the local authorities. No one is permitted to embezzle any of it. If you catch someone doing so, you may execute first and report afterward.”

“Keep your own relatives under control as well. If anyone dares profit from the nation’s calamity, I do not care what connections he has. Find one, deal with one.”

“I may as well tell you plainly: soon I intend to cut off a batch of heads for everyone to see.”

“Do not put yourselves beneath my blade. If you do, no amount of pleading will save you.”

“Once we endure this stretch, things will become easier.”

“Beizhou belongs to all of us. Understand that doing this is for your benefit too.”

“Keep your people under control.”

Shao Pingbo spoke as he walked.

“Yes! Eldest Young Master speaks with reason!”

The accompanying generals answered.

At the riverbank, Niu Youdao burst from the water and landed ashore.

Black Peony and the others immediately poked their heads from the forest.

“Master Dao! Over here!”

Niu Youdao looked back.

A pillar of smoke was rising across the river.

He suddenly slapped his forehead.

He could simply have slipped away in secret.

Why had he gone to the extra trouble of burning the restaurant?

Only now did he realize that damned pair had still gotten under his skin and disturbed his emotions.

He had failed to remain calm and rational.

He flashed into the forest.

“Quickly. Move!”

[End of Chapter 163]