Chapter 242: Ouch!

Several days later, a party from Jinzhou led by Hai Ruyue arrived and went directly into Qingshan Commandery City. She did not see the result she had wanted. Naturally, Shang Chaozong received a scolding and was told to move faster. That was about all that came of it.

For Hai Ruyue personally, now that her son's illness had been cured, whether the Yingyang and Wulie Guards were successfully formed was no longer as important as before. Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion was the side with greater expectations. Once she offered this excuse for making the journey, they immediately agreed.

Just as Niu Youdao expected, after failing to see what she had supposedly come to inspect, Hai Ruyue's itinerary for the next day brought her out of the city to his valley.

Early the following morning, freshly washed and dressed, Niu Youdao personally waited at the entrance to the valley to receive her.

Hai Ruyue's party dismounted. Only Hai Ruyue and a few attendants were permitted inside; everyone else was stopped at the entrance.

"What is the Grand Princess looking at?" Niu Youdao asked with a smile as they walked into the valley. He had noticed her eyes repeatedly sweeping over the people on his side.

Hai Ruyue replied, "Am I not allowed to admire the mountain scenery here?"

She was looking at people, searching for Mr. Ming. If she saw him here, every question would immediately be answered. She believed that if Niu Youdao truly had been behind that matter, he would never have entrusted it casually to some random person. The man involved would certainly be one of Niu Youdao's confidants.

"How could I forbid it? Grand Princess, look as much as you like." Niu Youdao laughed heartily. She was obviously studying people. What mountain scenery was she talking about?

On the way toward Niu Youdao's residence, Hai Ruyue dismissed the rest of her attendants and would not let them follow.

Li Wuhua, who had accompanied her as a guard, looked somewhat displeased, but with so many people present, it was inconvenient for him to say anything.

They climbed halfway up the mountain to the cliff and came upon a thatched cottage. Hai Ruyue looked surprised. "You work yourself to the bone for Shang Chaozong, yet you live in this broken-down place?"

Her next sentence had been going to ask whether he wanted to consider joining her instead.

Niu Youdao pointed toward the opposite mountaintop. "There is a good place, but it's still under construction. It won't be finished anytime soon. I doubt I'll be moving in this year."

Hai Ruyue followed his gesture and could faintly make out the outlines of pavilions and halls, with craftsmen moving up and down the mountain. She nodded and said no more. Niu Youdao invited her to sit at the stone table outside the cottage. Black Peony came forward and served tea.

"Let's speak alone." Hai Ruyue glanced at Black Peony and spoke indifferently.

Niu Youdao waved Black Peony away, then took up the teapot and poured for Hai Ruyue. As though asking casually, he said, "How has your son been feeling?"

Hai Ruyue's eyelid twitched. She had been wondering how to broach the subject. If this fellow had not been behind it after all, saying too much would be the same as voluntarily handing him leverage against her.

She had come precisely to verify this matter. It was far too serious. The uncertainty sat in her throat like a fishbone, leaving her tossing and turning night after night, unable to rest. If she could not get a firm grasp on the truth, she would remain perpetually anxious. Otherwise, she would never have rushed here so quickly.

For that very reason, she had exhausted every possible means of convincing Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion to keep her son's recovery from his terminal condition secret. It was exactly as the note had instructed: Do not spread word of it. Cover it up yourselves! She hated the feeling of being invisibly led around by the nose.

Slowly lifting her tea, she gave a cold snort. "Thanks to you, he's doing very well!" The words carried an obvious second meaning.

Niu Youdao smiled, then sighed. "As for the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit, I really am sorry. But I truly did my best at the Ice and Snow Pavilion. I'm sure you've heard something about what happened. I nearly got into serious trouble and came back defeated. I was too ashamed to face the Grand Princess."

"Pfft... cough, cough..." Hai Ruyue choked on her tea and began coughing repeatedly. She had still been wondering how to ask about that matter, yet before she could say anything, this fellow had directly denied it.

Niu Youdao looked surprised. "Grand Princess, drink slowly. If you like the tea that much, I still have some here. I'll have some packed for you to take back."

Hai Ruyue set down her cup, pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve, and dabbed at her lips. Once she had caught her breath, she stared at him for a long time.

His immediate denial only made her more suspicious. The first thing out of his mouth had been a question about her son's health, followed almost at once by a denial concerning the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit. The connection between the two was impossible for her not to notice.

Niu Youdao touched his own face. "Am I that good-looking?"

Hai Ruyue nodded. "Very. Why don't you come with me and become my male favorite?"

Niu Youdao grinned at her. He knew the words were half joke, half not. Only after becoming more familiar with the affairs of the courts in this world had he learned that princesses and similar noblewomen in the various states, even after marriage, often kept one or two male favorites to relieve their loneliness. It was almost an open secret. Rumor had it that some princesses kept more than one.

Generally speaking, few men could compare with a princess in family background or power. Even a husband often had to watch his wife's expression and would hardly dare interfere. Add comfortable food and clothing, little to occupy their time, and the old truth that full bellies and warm clothes breed lust; there were also plenty of men hovering nearby, flattering and fawning. Once someone stirred the waters a little, ending up in bed together was nothing unusual.

So long as things did not become too outrageous, no one would loudly expose it. Of course, matters were different for a princess married to a husband who wielded great power. She would naturally have to restrain herself somewhat.

Now the Xiao household was ruled by Hai Ruyue herself. No one could really constrain her, and she was a widow besides. It was hardly strange for her to say something like this outright.

"I'm still young. It wouldn't be appropriate," Niu Youdao teased.

Hai Ruyue became a little angry from embarrassment. She thought she had maintained herself rather well, yet he was plainly implying that she was too old.

She turned away with a snort, then returned to the real subject. "Thank you for the person you sent to me a few days ago."

Niu Youdao looked utterly astonished. "Sent someone? Who did I send? I didn't send anyone!"

Hai Ruyue clenched her teeth and sneered. "Stop pretending you don't know. Who else could it have been?"

Niu Youdao looked even more surprised. "Grand Princess, the more I hear, the less I understand. What exactly happened?"

Hai Ruyue stared at him coldly. How was she supposed to say it? The same problem remained: if he truly had not been behind it, telling him would only create trouble for herself.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Hai Ruyue demanded through clenched teeth.

Niu Youdao looked genuinely baffled. "I haven't done anything at all. Grand Princess, what are you talking about?"

Hai Ruyue slowly sipped her tea, her eyes shifting with thought. Finally, she set the cup down. "I'm serious. Come help me. My power isn't something Shang Chaozong can compare with, and I can give you things he never could. Wealth, resources, women—whatever you want, I can provide it. Name your terms!"

Whether he had done it or not, she had decided the safest course was to pull him over to her side first.

Niu Youdao shook his head and refused outright. "There's no need. I appreciate the Grand Princess's goodwill."

"What is so good about Shang Chaozong?"

"I don't like picking fruit someone else has already grown. Peaches taste sweeter when you grow them yourself."

Hai Ruyue's voice sank. "There's no room to discuss it?"

Niu Youdao shook his head. "Things are fine as they are. There's nothing to discuss."

"Fine!" Hai Ruyue nodded. "If you won't come, then give me one person!"

This time Niu Youdao truly was puzzled. "Who do you want?"

"Yuan Gang!"

Niu Youdao froze. He had to admit the woman had a good eye. She had actually seen that Yuan Gang might be useful to her. He shook his head. "I can't decide that for him."

Hai Ruyue asked, "Isn't he your subordinate?"

Niu Youdao smiled bitterly. "This really isn't mine to decide. Put it this way: if he's willing to go, I won't stop him. If he doesn't want to go, I won't force him."

Hai Ruyue looked around. "Where is he? Why haven't I seen him? Call him over. I'll speak to him myself."

Niu Youdao rose, walked to the edge of the cliff, and beckoned. Black Peony quickly flew over.

"Have Yuan Gang come here," Niu Youdao instructed.

"No need. Take me to him instead. I happen to want someone familiar with the paths to show me the scenery around here." Hai Ruyue had risen too.

Niu Youdao gestured as she pleased and let Black Peony lead her away. He did not believe Yuan Gang would go with her. Standing at the cliff's edge, he watched the woman descend and smiled.

He could never admit to that matter. It was enough for Hai Ruyue to know that what Xiao Tianzhen had taken was the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit stolen from the Ice and Snow Pavilion. Otherwise there would have been no reason to go to such elaborate lengths to treat Xiao Tianzhen in the first place...

Glancing at the beautiful woman walking beside him, Yuan Gang felt somewhat puzzled. Master Dao had actually told him to accompany her on a walk? Presumably Black Peony would not lie about something like this. He felt neither dislike nor fondness toward Hai Ruyue.

He did not dislike her because he knew her life had not been easy. He did not particularly like her because he disliked her habit of pressing herself against men at the slightest opportunity.

"You really won't consider it? You don't need to worry about Niu Youdao. He's already agreed. All that's missing is your nod."

As they strolled along a mountain path, Hai Ruyue watched Yuan Gang with bright eyes.

"He'd have to have something wrong with his head to agree," Yuan Gang replied coldly.

Hai Ruyue froze. Anyone who could talk about Niu Youdao like that really did not sound much like his subordinate. She tried again. "I can give you things this place can't."

"You can't give me what I want."

Hai Ruyue's eyes glimmered. "Why not tell me what it is?"

Yuan Gang shook his head. "I've already said you can't give it to me. There's no point discussing it." He glanced down at her skirt. "Grand Princess, you should head back. You're not dressed for mountain paths."

"Fine!" Hai Ruyue smiled and nodded. She had only just turned when her body suddenly swayed. "Ouch!" she cried, looking as though she could not keep her balance.

Yuan Gang instinctively reached out and caught her. "What's wrong?"

"I twisted my ankle." Hai Ruyue wore an expression of obvious pain.

Yuan Gang helped her sit on a rock, then crouched and supported the supposedly injured foot while feeling around it.

"Ow... ow..." Hai Ruyue repeatedly cried out in pain.

He could not find anything obvious. The injury was beneath flesh and skin, and he did not know the cultivators' method of examining such things with spiritual power. Yuan Gang frowned. "Wait here. I'll call someone to take a look."

Hai Ruyue glanced around. "You're just going to leave me here? What if some villain comes along?"

"Don't worry. Cultivators from several sects guard this area. Outsiders can't easily slip in."

"What if a wild beast or a snake comes? I'm afraid to stay here alone. Why don't you carry me down the mountain?"

"Fweee!"

Yuan Gang put two fingers to his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. There was a sudden rustle behind them, startling Hai Ruyue badly enough that she nearly jumped. Turning around, she saw a youth covered from head to toe in grass abruptly emerge from concealment. Someone had been hiding there the entire time, yet she had walked straight past without noticing him.

And it was not just one. Three or four youths dressed the same way emerged from around the area and ran over. Hai Ruyue was left speechless.

She could not help feeling fortunate. Fortunately, she had restrained her earlier urge to lean against Yuan Gang. If so many people had seen it, how embarrassing would that have been? The four scruffy youths lined up in front of Yuan Gang.

Yuan Gang pointed toward Hai Ruyue. "Keep an eye on her. I'll be back shortly."

"Yes!" the four answered together.

Hai Ruyue's confidence instantly deserted her. If someone came and examined her and discovered that she had never twisted her ankle at all, how humiliating would that be? She hurriedly said, "Forget it. I can probably walk slowly." She stood, tried a few steps, then smiled. "Seems fine."

Yuan Gang stared at her coldly...

[End of Chapter 242]