Chapter 237: Passing the Buck

"Uncle Meng, have you ever seen troops trained like this before?" Shang Chaozong asked.

Meng Shanming shook his head. "Never."

Shang Chaozong said, "Why don't we select some men of our own and send them over to learn?"

He did not dare underestimate the strange new methods used on this side. Somehow, they always seemed able to come up with something useful.

Meng Shanming said, "We still don't know what these men are being trained for. This kind of training isn't suited to armies meeting head-on in formation and charging one another on the battlefield. These boys are clumsy and have only just begun. This should be basic conditioning. I don't know what else will come later." At a glance, he had already discerned a few things.

Shang Shuqing, who had been looking around, suddenly said, "Brother, Master Dao is here."

Everyone turned. Niu Youdao was approaching with several people.

"Your Highness honors us with your presence. Forgive me for not coming to welcome you. Sir Meng, Mr. Lan." Niu Youdao stepped forward and exchanged greetings. As for Shang Shuqing, there was no need for ceremony. She came here every day.

After the pleasantries, Shang Chaozong asked Yuan Gang, "Brother Yuan, are you training soldiers?"

"You could say that," Yuan Gang replied.

Shang Chaozong smiled. "This is the first time I've seen troops trained this way. How about I send a few men over to learn from you?"

"Your Highness, I'm only doing this for my own amusement. It isn't suited to clashes between battle formations. For battlefield fighting, your own training is better than mine. Speaking of which, Sir Meng is the expert. If there's an opportunity, I hope he can give these boys a few pointers." Yuan Gang's gaze held clear anticipation. He had heard of Meng Shanming's reputation.

A famous general tempered by countless battles was not someone Yuan Gang would underestimate. A man like this naturally possessed knowledge unique to him. In certain areas, Yuan Gang did not believe the experience from his previous life could necessarily surpass Meng Shanming's.

Meng Shanming nodded slightly. "As long as you don't disdain a cripple like me."

Yuan Gang, unusually for him, immediately cupped his hands and thanked him in advance. The group gathered around Meng Shanming's wheelchair and strolled along the edge of the training grounds while talking.

"Has Your Highness come because there's something you need?" Niu Youdao asked.

Lan Ruoting answered, "Master Dao, it's like this. You've been to the hidden refuge before. Old Master Gongsun Tieniu has brought a group of disciples out of the mountains to forge weapons for His Highness. You have plenty of open land here, and there are many cultivators around who can keep an eye on things, so it's relatively safe. We were hoping to select a place nearby and set up the forges. What do you think?"

"No problem on my side." Niu Youdao agreed readily, then asked, "How is the training of His Highness's Yingyang and Wulie Guards progressing?"

Ever since they had established a direct line of communication with Hai Ruyue, that woman kept asking about the matter. Even if she had not, he himself was paying considerable attention. Yet there had not seemed to be much movement.

Shang Chaozong said, "We can only say the work has just begun. We're selecting suitable recruits now. The current problem is that a large cavalry force requires a great many warhorses, and purchasing them is difficult. Tianyu Sect has already sent people to the State of Qi, where horses are plentiful, to handle the matter, but..." He shook his head.

"Not enough money?" Niu Youdao asked.

Lan Ruoting said, "Money is secondary in this case. Warhorses are an important military resource to every state. No country will freely allow them to be exported and used to threaten itself, so checkpoints are set up along the routes. The greatest difficulty is that the State of Qi itself tightly controls the export of warhorses to other states. Tianyu Sect's latest message says they've suffered a serious setback and probably won't be able to bring the horses back anytime soon. They didn't explain the precise circumstances."

"Oh." Niu Youdao nodded in understanding and said no more. Tianyu Sect made a great deal of money from this side. It was only right that they put in some effort.

Shang Chaozong and the others were busy with official affairs. Qingshan Commandery had to rebuild almost everything from scratch, and there was far too much to handle. They did not have Niu Youdao's leisure, so after exchanging what needed to be discussed, they soon took their leave. Yet they had only just finished talking about Tianyu Sect when Tianyu Sect itself arrived. Sect Master Peng Youzai came in person. He did not go to the commandery city, but headed straight here.

Niu Youdao had expected Tianyu Sect to come sooner or later. He had halted their liquor supply.

When the two sides met atop the cliff, Peng Youzai opened with a scolding. "Boy, what's the meaning of withholding the liquor? Planning to go back on your word?"

The liquor was selling spectacularly well, with enormous profits. It was easy money. Then this side had suddenly cut off the supply. Tianyu Sect had already taken deposits from certain customers. If they failed to deliver when the time came, they would offend far more than one or two people. Anyone able to afford liquor that expensive was no ordinary person. There would be trouble.

So Peng Youzai had immediately brought people over to resolve the matter. The manpower Tianyu Sect had stationed here was not enough to force Niu Youdao to comply, especially with members of Liuxian Sect, Fuyun Sect, and Lingxiu Mountain all gathered here as well.

At the mention of liquor, Fei Changliu and the others standing nearby understood perfectly well what was happening. They knew Niu Youdao was trying to secure a share of the profits for them.

"Sect Master Peng, don't be so impatient. Have some tea and cool your temper." Niu Youdao gestured toward the tea.

"Spare me!" Peng Youzai waved a hand. "I'm asking you one thing. Does our agreement still count?"

Niu Youdao glanced toward Bai Yao at the side. "Didn't Bai Yao report my conditions to your sect?"

"Enough nonsense. We agreed on a price. That means the price is settled. You think you can change it whenever you feel like it?"

"That's true as far as it goes, but if you're eating the meat, you should at least let others drink some broth. They're working for His Highness too..."

Peng Youzai looked at Fei Changliu and the others and cut him off. "What have they done for His Highness? When the territory was conquered, it was Tianyu Sect disciples who died. Fine, they came later and picked up a bargain. But even now, Tianyu Sect is the one deterring outsiders. Let them tell you themselves what they've done for His Highness since arriving. Nothing! Half of Qingshan Commandery was handed over to them anyway. Tianyu Sect keeps its word. What we promised, we delivered. And now they want to reach out for more? Is there any such principle beneath Heaven?"

Niu Youdao said, "Guarding territory for His Highness and assisting Tianyu Sect doesn't count as work?"

"Heh!" Peng Youzai sneered. At last he sat down at the table and slapped one hand on his thigh. "Fine. There's no point arguing when everyone has their own reasoning. Let's talk about something practical instead. Commandery Prince Yongping now needs large numbers of warhorses and draft oxen. The State of Qi is a land of grasslands and has no shortage of cattle or horses. Sect Master Fei, if your three sects can go there and buy the livestock His Highness needs, then you'll have done real work. If Tianyu Sect yields part of the profits after that, we'll have nothing to say. Sect Master Fei, Sect Master Xia, Sect Master Zheng, what do you think?"

Niu Youdao was speechless. He understood now. Peng Youzai had not come here to pick a fight at all. He had come to pass the buck.

Shang Chaozong and the others had only just told him that Tianyu Sect had encountered setbacks trying to procure the horses. From the look of things now, the difficulty was considerable. Otherwise, Tianyu Sect would never have surrendered a share of the profits this readily.

But with the matter framed this way, how could the three sects refuse? They wanted a share of the money while refusing to do any work? There was no justification for it. Niu Youdao cursed inwardly. This time he'd been had.

He had never expected Tianyu Sect to suddenly pull a trick like this. Lately he had been absorbed in cultivation and had paid less attention to outside affairs. They had found the gap and exploited it. Without knowing the exact circumstances, he had no immediate response. He had been caught unprepared.

"Sect Master Peng, Tianyu Sect suffered a loss over in the State of Qi, didn't you?" Niu Youdao asked with a faint, mocking smile. The remark was also a warning to the three sects.

Peng Youzai gave him a sidelong look. Tianyu Sect had indeed taken a considerable loss in the State of Qi. They had spent a great deal of money to buy a batch of warhorses, only for the animals to be intercepted before they could even leave the State of Qi. Altogether, Tianyu Sect had lost more than a hundred disciples as well. The losses had been enormous.

It was an infuriating setback, yet retaliation was impossible. Tianyu Sect was still not powerful enough to travel all the way into the State of Qi and run wild on someone else's territory. The sects guarding their own domains within the State of Qi were no easy prey either.

Then, conveniently, the three sects here wanted a larger share of the profits. Tianyu Sect's senior leadership discussed it and decided to dump the troublesome task onto them. If even Tianyu Sect could not accomplish it, they did not believe these three sects could.

"This has nothing to do with you. This is a negotiation between sects. Go cool off somewhere. I'm talking to the three of them. If they agree, Tianyu Sect will give up a share. If they refuse, why should Tianyu Sect do all the hard, exhausting work while they follow along collecting the benefits?" With one sentence, Peng Youzai pushed Niu Youdao out of the discussion.

"Heh." Niu Youdao sneered as well, his face openly contemptuous.

At this moment, Peng Youzai's skin was thick enough to stop a saber. He acted as though he had seen nothing and calmly drank his tea.

Fei Changliu, Xia Hua, and Zheng Jiuxiao all frowned. None of them had ever personally handled the purchase of warhorses from the State of Qi, but they knew it was difficult. Yet with Tianyu Sect using this as the condition for yielding profits, they had no way to refuse. The three temporarily stepped aside and conferred.

When they returned, Fei Changliu said, "Since His Highness needs them, naturally we'll do our utmost. But who pays for the cattle and horses?"

Peng Youzai pointed at Niu Youdao. "He's willing to spend money to help His Highness restore the people's livelihoods. How could Tianyu Sect stand by and do nothing? We've also promised His Highness that we'll fund the purchase of warhorses and draft oxen. So long as you can bring them back, Tianyu Sect will pay."

This was not an empty promise. First, the enormous profits from the liquor gave Tianyu Sect enough confidence to spend freely. With money in hand, they could naturally afford generosity. Without this new source of income, they could never have put up the funds.

Second, and most importantly, Tianyu Sect wanted to claim all of Nanzhou as its own territory and reap even greater gains from it.

In the end, whether or not the three sects managed to accomplish the task, Tianyu Sect stood to benefit and would not suffer a loss. Otherwise, it would never have yielded so readily.

Fei Changliu and the other two exchanged looks. At last, all three nodded. "Fine. It's settled."

The two sides reached an agreement on the spot. At Tianyu Sect's insistence, they even signed a written compact then and there.

There was nothing Niu Youdao could do. The three sects themselves had agreed, so he could only release the liquor he had been withholding.

The mighty Sect Master Peng had personally made one trip and resolved the matter with ridiculous ease. He had no interest in lingering. He simply took the liquor and left.

After watching Tianyu Sect escort the liquor away, Niu Youdao sighed softly. "If even Tianyu Sect couldn't manage it, you've probably taken on a serious problem."

Xia Hua smiled bitterly. "We know it's troublesome too, but after he put it that way, how could we refuse?"

Zheng Jiuxiao sighed. "We'll do what we can. If we can't accomplish it, there's nothing more we can do."

Niu Youdao turned to the three of them. "Have any of you handled the purchase of warhorses before?"

All three shook their heads. Fei Changliu said, "We've heard a little about it and know it's difficult, but none of us has personally dealt with such a matter."

Niu Youdao pondered for a while, then slowly said, "Then start by trying. His Highness will have to solve the warhorse problem sooner or later. Send your people to the State of Qi first and have them investigate the exact situation. If it truly can't be done, we'll think of another way afterward."

[End of Chapter 237]