Chapter 231: A Virtuous Wife

Seeing this, Su Zhao immediately circulated her spiritual power to smooth Shao Pingbo's breathing, quickly suppressing his violent coughing fit.

Shao Sansheng had already told her about Shao Pingbo coughing blood from anger. Since she was there, she examined him as well. When she finished, she sighed. "In your fury, you've injured your heart and lungs. It seems Niu Youdao truly angered you badly. Don't lose your temper so easily anymore. Your heart and lungs are already damaged. Every time anger attacks your heart, you're injuring yourself again. If you keep reopening the old wound like this, not even miraculous pills and medicines will be able to keep up."

"I'm fine." Shao Pingbo shook his head. "Liuer was lured away by them. There are only two possible outcomes: either she dies in their hands, or she falls into Niu Youdao's hands and becomes leverage against us. Old Shao, have Father immediately order the forces everywhere to search for her. Since that girl insists on courting death, I'd rather she die than fall into Niu Youdao's hands. Tell Father that heading straight for the State of Yan would make their destination too obvious. There's a strong possibility they'll detour through the State of Zhao or the State of Song. They might also travel by water through the State of Song to the sea, then take the sea route around to Qingshan Commandery. Have Father order the naval forces at the Pinglan River to seal the river. No vessels are to pass!"

Su Zhao said anxiously, "Can you just rest properly? Stop wearing yourself out. In your condition, you can't tax your mind, or the damaged channels around your heart will never heal. Since you're being confined here anyway, put aside all that tedious official business. Don't think about anything. Calm yourself and recuperate."

She turned and asked Shao Sansheng, "Old Shao, when did Liuer run away?"

Shao Sansheng considered it. "Judging from what the guards said, no more than six hours ago."

"Then there's no problem." Su Zhao nodded, then said to Shao Pingbo, "Leave this to me. I guarantee Liuer won't get out of Beizhou."

Shao Pingbo immediately turned toward her. "You're certain?"

He was extremely anxious about this. That she was his younger sister was only part of the reason. Niu Youdao had already reduced his side to this state. If Niu Youdao then managed to take his own sister as well, how was he supposed to endure the humiliation?

Su Zhao said, "When I heard the situation here was urgent, I immediately brought some useful people from the organization as a precaution. One of them is an expert tracker. Don't worry. She's only been gone six hours. She can't have gotten far."

She turned back to Shao Sansheng. "Go to Liuer's quarters immediately and find something carrying her scent. An unwashed undergarment she wore against her skin would be best. Hurry!"

"All right!" Shao Sansheng nodded.

He was just about to leave when Shao Pingbo called out in a deep voice, "And tell Father to thoroughly investigate the Provincial Provincial Inspector's Residence. Where did that girl get the poison? If there was cooperation between inside and outside, someone had to be passing messages. Dig that person out for me!"

The thought that Niu Youdao might have infiltrated the Provincial Provincial Inspector's Residence as well sent a chill through him. If this person was not rooted out, Shao Pingbo feared he would never again eat or sleep in peace.

"Yes!" Shao Sansheng's expression turned grave. He too realized how serious the matter was.

Su Zhao waved for him to hurry, then soothed Shao Pingbo again. "I know how much you care about that sister of yours. Stay here and recuperate. I promise I'll bring Liuer back safe and sound."

Shao Pingbo said heavily, "I'm coming too!"

He wanted to see for himself who had come here to make trouble. Part of him even suspected Niu Youdao had personally arrived.

Su Zhao pointed around the prison. "Dachan Mountain's people are guarding outside. How are you supposed to leave? They won't let you out of here for the time being."

Shao Pingbo said, "After we took control of Beizhou, I had men secretly dig a tunnel beneath the Provincial Provincial Inspector's Residence leading outside the city. There's an entrance in the dungeon too. We'll meet outside the city!"

Su Zhao was speechless. This man truly never left himself without another card to play... After leaving the Provincial Provincial Inspector's Residence, Su Zhao took several attendants and went straight to Lingbo Residence.

Inside one of Lingbo Residence's halls, four people sat two to each side. Like Su Zhao, all four were wrapped in black cloaks that concealed their faces. They sat as still as statues.

The moment Su Zhao entered, she pushed back her hood with both hands and revealed her face. The four rose and greeted her politely. "Incense Master!"

Su Zhao nodded slightly, strode to the first person on the left, and took a dudou from her sleeve. "Find the person who wore this!"

The dudou was one Shao Liuer had changed out of. Normally, a servant would have washed it for her that morning, but Shao Liuer had summoned the servants to eat before they could do so and poisoned them all instead. The person Su Zhao addressed wore long gray-white bangs beneath the hood, so long that even the eyes were hidden.

He took the garment from her, held it beneath his nose, and sniffed for a while. Then he raised his head, nostrils flaring as though searching for a scent in the air.

Only when he lifted his face could one see what lay beneath those bangs. Both eye sockets were sunken and empty. He had no eyes at all... The carriage continued to jolt along the road. Shao Liuer rested silently against Tan Yaoxian.

In the past, her father and elder brothers had sheltered her from everything, and she had never needed to worry about much. Now she had left them behind and had brought along a frail scholar as well. She had no choice but to start thinking for herself and face matters on her own.

She remained deeply suspicious of the "Brother Li" whom Tan Yaoxian trusted. She had already prepared what she wanted to say in hopes of persuading Tan Yaoxian to change routes.

But when she asked who had arranged the coachman and heard that "Brother Li" had arranged him too, she immediately stopped herself from making any rash move.

She knew a little martial skill, but whether she could even protect herself was uncertain. What worried her most was Tan Yaoxian, a frail scholar. If protecting herself would already be difficult, how was she supposed to protect him too?

After weighing the matter again and again, she did not dare gamble with Tan Yaoxian's safety. She could only wait and act according to circumstances. Even so, she repeatedly lifted the window curtain to look outside along the way. The sky was already nearing dusk.

When she realized the carriage had reached the riverside and could see the great river stretching across the horizon, Shao Liuer lowered the curtain and whispered into Tan Yaoxian's ear, "My dear Tan, can you swim?"

"Uh..." Tan Yaoxian stared at her in surprise and shook his head. "No. Why do you ask?"

Shao Liuer's heart sank, but she smiled. "I can't swim either. Boats frighten me. What if I fall into the river? You wouldn't be able to save me."

Tan Yaoxian's face was full of tenderness. He gently stroked her cheek. "Boats don't capsize that easily. Don't worry. Nothing will happen."

"True enough." Shao Liuer smiled and said no more, simply enjoying the warmth of his embrace.

The carriage reached the riverside and finally stopped. The two climbed out. Lu Shengzhong, who had arrived ahead of them, stood on the dock with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling as he watched them.

Seeing that Shao Liuer had successfully been lured all the way here, Lu Shengzhong was ecstatic inside. Unless something unexpected happened, this meant the job was already more than half done.

If he could present Shao Pingbo's own sister to Niu Youdao, surely Niu Youdao would have nothing more to complain about. He was very much looking forward to becoming Sect Leader of Wuliang Mountain! Tan Yaoxian and Shao Liuer approached hand in hand.

Seeing Lu Shengzhong, Tan Yaoxian smiled as well. He released Shao Liuer's hand and cupped his hands. "Brother Li."

Lu Shengzhong returned the greeting. "Brother Tan, you've finally arrived. I've been waiting for quite some time." His gaze shifted to Shao Liuer. "I presume this is Miss Shao, whom Brother Tan has been unable to forget?"

Tan Yaoxian beamed and took Shao Liuer's hand again. "Exactly! Liuer, Brother Li is our benefactor. Come greet him."

Things truly were different after a man and woman had become intimate. Before, even holding hands had made their hearts race with nervousness. Now Tan Yaoxian dared hold hers openly in front of someone else.

Shao Liuer's bright eyes blinked innocently. With an appropriately shy expression, she said, "Greetings, Big Brother Li."

"Haha, no need for ceremony." Lu Shengzhong laughed heartily while cursing the silly girl inwardly. She had a perfectly good life in the Shao family, yet insisted on eloping with a penniless scholar.

That was what he thought, but he turned and pointed to a black-canopied boat moored beside the river, considerably larger than an ordinary small one. "Brother Tan, the boat is ready. There's no time to lose. Let's board!"

"All right!" Tan Yaoxian nodded and led Shao Liuer after him.

Shao Liuer, however, kept glancing at the sword hanging from Lu Shengzhong's waist, and her heart sank another degree. Tan Yaoxian had noticed it too. He had never seen Lu Shengzhong carry a sword before, but he thought little of it. Plenty of the scholars he associated with wore swords as ornaments, so it seemed perfectly ordinary to him.

Shao Liuer's eye was not his. With one glance, she could tell the sword at Lu Shengzhong's waist was no decorative blade. It was a substantial weapon, heavy enough that an ordinary person could hardly wield it. Trying to swing it by brute strength alone could easily injure the wrist. It was the sort of sword most often used by cultivators.

"Careful!" Seeing how gingerly Shao Liuer boarded, Tan Yaoxian hurried to support her.

Lu Shengzhong chuckled and teased, "Brother Tan, you're truly attentive to your lady!"

Tan Yaoxian looked embarrassed as he helped Shao Liuer aboard. "She's afraid of water and doesn't dare take boats. This trip really is asking a lot of her."

Hearing that she could not swim, Lu Shengzhong relaxed even further. With a faint smile, he gestured for the boatman to cast off.

The moment Shao Liuer boarded, she quickly surveyed the cabin. Her gaze paused on a bulging goatskin air bladder tied near the stern.

It had been made by inflating an entire goatskin. Some boatmen kept one aboard in case the vessel capsized. People even bound several together to make goatskin rafts.

The boatman untied the mooring rope, tossed it aboard, and jumped onto the deck. He planted his bamboo pole against the bank. The boat rocked away from shore and gradually drifted downstream. Shao Liuer glanced back, her gaze passing over the boatman as well.

The horizon was yellow with dusk and it was time to eat. Lu Shengzhong had prepared for a long journey, so naturally the boat carried food and drink.

When Lu Shengzhong moved to lay everything out, Shao Liuer quickly rose and insisted on doing it herself. "This is women's work. Let me, let me."

She was determined to take over. Lu Shengzhong had no choice but to sit back down with a smile. He raised a thumb at Tan Yaoxian. "Your lady is virtuous and capable. Brother Tan, you're a fortunate man!"

Tan Yaoxian grinned foolishly, so delighted he could hardly close his mouth.

As they ate, drank, and chatted, Shao Liuer rose again. Carrying a bowl of water to the bow, she offered it to the boatman. "Boatman, you've worked hard. Have some water!"

"I couldn't!" The boatman hurriedly waved his hands, but her hospitality was difficult to refuse. In the end, he accepted the bowl and drank.

Lu Shengzhong once again raised a thumb toward Tan Yaoxian. Tan Yaoxian gave another foolish grin, his eyes full of tender affection whenever he looked at Shao Liuer.

After sitting for a while, Shao Liuer's gaze fell on the sword Lu Shengzhong had set beside him. She said, "My father happens to be fond of swords and sabers. I grew up seeing such things, so some of that rubbed off on me. Big Brother Li, may I have a look?"

Smiling, Lu Shengzhong picked it up and slid it across the table toward her. "It's rather heavy."

Tan Yaoxian looked surprised. "You like swords and sabers?"

"Looking down on me? I'll perform a sword dance for you!" Shao Liuer seized the sword and stood. She moved to the stern and drew the blade, but seemed unable to wield it properly, exclaiming again and again, "So heavy!"

Lu Shengzhong smiled and shook his head. A sword of that weight was hardly something she could handle.

Seeing Shao Liuer stagger about as though she might tumble from the boat at any moment made Tan Yaoxian's heart jump into his throat. He hurried over to stop her. "Don't dance with it. Be careful you don't fall in. Stop."

Shao Liuer planted the sword down and stopped. Tan Yaoxian came over to steady her, and she caught hold of him as well, refusing to let him return to the cabin. So the two stood together at the stern, admiring the beauty of the sunset over the river. Splash! At the bow, the boatman suddenly swayed and toppled headfirst into the water.

Lu Shengzhong whipped around. In a flash, he was at the bow, staring suspiciously into the river and searching for the fallen boatman, unsure whether the man had gone over accidentally or deliberately. Then his vision suddenly blurred. His head felt muddled. He shook it hard.

At the stern, Shao Liuer had been watching him closely. The sword in her hand flashed, severing the rope that secured the goatskin bladder. She decisively kicked the bladder into the river.

Tan Yaoxian was still staring in astonishment toward where the boatman had fallen when Shao Liuer suddenly seized him by the front of his robe and shoved him overboard with a splash. Then she hurled Lu Shengzhong's killing sword into the river and leapt in after him.

"Bitch!" Lu Shengzhong seemed to realize what had happened. He pointed at her and roared, instinctively reaching for his sword to throw it and kill her, only to remember that the weapon was no longer at his waist.

Forcing down the discomfort in his body, he flashed toward the stern. The moment he landed there, however, he staggered. His steps were weak, and he nearly fell into the river himself. He hurriedly sat cross-legged, took out an antidote pill, and swallowed it. Tan Yaoxian bobbed up and down on the surface, thrashing and shouting wildly. Shao Liuer surfaced, seized the floating goatskin bladder, and swam toward him. Who said she could not swim? As she swam, she repeatedly looked back to keep watch on Lu Shengzhong.

She had not used up all the knockout powder Lu Shengzhong had given her before. This time, she had.

[End of Chapter 231]