Chapter 251: The Overly Clever Die Young

Fei Changliu, Zheng Jiuxiao, and Xia Hua were waiting there as well.

When the two sides met, Niu Youdao asked, "Everything ready?"

Fei Changliu pointed toward the fifteen people waiting nearby. "Each sect sent an elder to lead the group. They're all capable hands from the three sects. Our people already in Qi will cooperate with you as well."

Niu Youdao tilted his head slightly.

Gongsun Bu understood. He left two disciples beside Niu Youdao, then led the other three toward the fifteen experts from the three sects. Cupping his hands, he said, "Everyone, come with me first."

The fifteen men were taken aback. They looked at Niu Youdao, then at Fei Changliu, plainly confused.

Fei Changliu voiced their question for them. "Aren't they supposed to protect you? They're not traveling with you?"

"There's no need for them to follow me." Niu Youdao looked toward the group. "Go with him. He'll tell you what to do."

No one knew what he was planning. He was being mysterious and offered no explanation. In the end, the group followed Gongsun Bu away. They did not take the main road, but vanished through the depths of the mountain forest.

After exchanging a few final words with Fei Changliu and the others, both sides bade each other farewell and wished one another well. Niu Youdao left and headed straight for the valley entrance.

Linghu Qiu, Hongxiu, and Hongfu were already waiting there. Black Peony and Duan Hu were present as well; the two of them would accompany Niu Youdao on this journey. Wu Sanliang and Lei Zongkang had been left behind to watch the home front.

As everyone mounted, Linghu Qiu glanced around and smiled. "Little Brother, you're not bringing more manpower? I hear you've made quite a few enemies."

Niu Youdao laughed loudly. "No need. There are people from several sects over in Qi already. Besides, with Elder Brother beside me, who would dare touch me? If trouble comes, I'll simply announce Elder Brother's illustrious name!"

Is this fellow going to go around telling everyone we're sworn brothers? The thought crossed Linghu Qiu's mind. The corner of his mouth twitched. He gave a dry laugh and did not comment.

From a slope above, Shang Shuqing watched the party thunder away on horseback. Even after they disappeared from sight, she remained standing there for a long time without moving.

Under the sunlight, her face looked even more fierce. The birthmark over her eyelid created an optical illusion that made one eye appear larger than the other.

The group galloped out of the valley. Once they reached the official road, Niu Youdao pointed toward the commandery city and led everyone in that direction.

Linghu Qiu called out in surprise, "Brother, do you have business in the city?"

Niu Youdao replied, "Elder Brother has come all this way, but you haven't properly toured Qingshan Commandery City. I'll show you around."

"No need. I went there before I came to see you. The place is packed with people and not suited to sightseeing. Better to keep moving."

"We need to buy a few things for the road."

And so several riders entered the city and wandered about from place to place. Black Peony casually bought a few supplies, after which the group left the city again and let their horses stretch into a full gallop.

Along the way, Linghu Qiu kept glancing at Niu Youdao from time to time. He had the persistent feeling that entering the city just now had not really been about buying things.

He had paid attention to what Black Peony purchased. There were relay stations all along their route. None of those things had been essential to buy in advance. Besides, Niu Youdao had plenty of people at his command. If the supplies were needed, anyone could have prepared them beforehand. Why wait until after setting out, then personally turn back to buy them? And for a few ordinary supplies, they had actually made a full circuit through the city.

Linghu Qiu felt as though Niu Youdao had deliberately wanted to be seen moving around the city, yet he could not tell what the purpose was... Beizhou, Lingbo Residence. After receiving word, Shao Pingbo hurried over specifically to see Su Zhao off.

The moment they met in the inner residence, he asked, "Did something happen? It isn't easy for you to make a round trip here. If there's nothing urgent, why not rest for a few more days?"

Su Zhao sighed. "What difference would it make if nothing happened? You're buried in official business all day. Even if I stay, you don't have time to keep me company."

A trace of apology appeared on Shao Pingbo's face. He took her hand and smiled bitterly. "I truly can't get away for now. Later, when—"

Su Zhao pressed one finger against his lips and stopped him from continuing. "Stop making promises to me. Tell me yourself: how many times have you said the same thing? Have you ever fulfilled it even once? After all these years, have you ever spent a single full day properly accompanying me? Even the last time you were locked in a cell, you still had endless official business to handle."

Shao Pingbo sighed. "Give me a few more years."

Su Zhao stroked her own cheek. "In a few more years, I'm afraid I'll already be old and faded. Will I still catch your eye?"

"Sister Zhao..."

Su Zhao blocked his mouth again and smiled. "I'm teasing you. Something really did happen. It's your affair, and I need to hurry over and make arrangements."

Shao Pingbo's eyes brightened. "The warhorses?"

Su Zhao shook her head. "Niu Youdao. Our eyes in Qingshan Commandery reported that after turtling up in the mountains for so long, he's finally come out. Judging by his direction, he seems to be leaving Qingshan Commandery. This time I'll pull out that thorn in your eye and spike in your flesh!"

Shao Pingbo immediately became alert, then his expression turned grave. "That man is very difficult to deal with. Sister Zhao, you absolutely must not be careless!"

Su Zhao was silent for a moment before nodding. "He truly isn't easy to handle. I'm afraid finding a chance to strike may be troublesome."

Shao Pingbo focused on her. "Did you discover some problem?"

Su Zhao met his gaze but hesitated to speak.

Shao Pingbo asked, "Is there something you can't tell me?"

Su Zhao sighed. "Linghu Qiu! Linghu Qiu went to Qingshan Commandery and stayed with Niu Youdao for several days. Now that Niu Youdao has left the mountains, Linghu Qiu is beside him. That makes it difficult to strike! I made contact with Linghu Qiu before, and the organization discovered it. They specifically warned me that Linghu Qiu's background is complicated and ordered me not to act recklessly and provoke him!"

Shao Pingbo's cheeks tightened. He raised a fist to his lips and began coughing repeatedly, his complexion alternating between red and pale.

Su Zhao hurriedly placed a hand against his back and used spiritual power to calm his breathing. "You! I knew I shouldn't tell you. The moment I mention him, you become agitated. Niu Youdao really has become a sickness of the heart for you!"

Once his breathing settled and the coughing stopped, Shao Pingbo said bitterly, "That fiend actually thought of the same thing I did. He was after Linghu Qiu too, and he got there one step ahead of me! Cough, cough..."

Time and again, he had lost to Niu Youdao by a single move. Now it had happened once more. The frustration truly made the fire in his heart difficult to suppress.

Su Zhao said, "Don't worry. One Linghu Qiu won't be enough to protect him. I'll find an opportunity to strike and remove this grave threat for you!"

Shao Pingbo countered, "That fiend has stayed hidden for so long. He wouldn't suddenly leave the mountains for no reason. He must have some objective. Do you know what he's going to do?"

Su Zhao rolled her eyes. "How would I know that?"

"You at least know which road he took and what direction he went, don't you?"

Su Zhao had barely nodded when Shao Pingbo abruptly turned and strode away. She froze, not knowing what he intended, then followed him all the way to his old study. Shao Pingbo stopped before the large map hanging on the study wall and waited.

Su Zhao understood. She shook her head helplessly, stepped forward, pointed at the map, and said, "There's a road northwest of Qingshan Commandery City. He went northwest."

"Northwest..." Shao Pingbo stared at the map and muttered. He had plainly fallen into deep thought. His hand slowly rose and traced across it. "Northwest runs opposite the direction of Guangyi Commandery, so Guangyi Commandery can be ruled out. He's kept himself hidden all these years either because he fears the Yan court or because he fears my side. Either way, he wouldn't casually run around. The number of places he can reasonably go should be limited."

"Northwest... Jinzhou is possible. Did your eyes there report whether the people beside him were carrying Goldenwings for communications?"

Su Zhao nodded. "Yes. Two people traveling with him carried two cages between them, six Goldenwings in total. Linghu Qiu's people also carried two Goldenwings."

"Linghu Qiu wanders everywhere. It's only natural for him to carry the communication means he needs, so his Goldenwings can be excluded. Six..." Shao Pingbo tapped a finger against Jinzhou. "Qingshan Commandery borders Jinzhou. If he were only going to Jinzhou, there would be no need to bring so many Goldenwings. That means Jinzhou can basically be ruled out as well... So where exactly is he going?"

He lowered his head and pondered for a while. Suddenly, his head snapped up. His gaze swept northwest across the map and locked onto another state.

His voice dropped. "He may be going to the State of Qi!"

Su Zhao looked surprised. "What makes you think he's going to Qi?"

Shao Pingbo ground out two words. "Warhorses!"

Su Zhao's surprise deepened. "You mean he's also going to Qi to procure warhorses?"

Shao Pingbo slowly walked beneath the section of the map showing Qi, staring upward. "Shang Chaozong's two commanderies are actually in much the same situation as Beizhou. Both are going to face the same crisis. I refuse to believe Shang Chaozong can't see that, so he must urgently need warhorses as well! And even if Shang Chaozong can't see it, Lan Ruoting certainly can."

"Back when Prince Ning was alive, Luo Shaofu at his side possessed talent capable of ordering the realm. Unfortunately, he died unexpectedly. Lan Ruoting was accepted by Luo Shaofu as a direct disciple and personally taught strategy. He is no mediocre man. Otherwise Luo Shaofu would never have valued him, and Lan Ruoting could not have helped Shang Chaozong escape the capital."

"I've known Shang Chaozong since childhood. He joined the army young, but he had little contact with civil administration. For his two commanderies to develop this quickly, the achievement must belong largely to Lan Ruoting!"

"With Lan Ruoting's strategic mind, it's impossible that he failed to foresee the danger ahead. They should have sent Tianyu Sect to Qi long ago to procure warhorses, yet I've never heard that they achieved anything. They must have run into difficulties. Those two commanderies are Niu Youdao's foundation. How could he sit by and ignore it? Linghu Qiu went to see him. I myself once thought of making use of Linghu Qiu. Tianyu Sect has had no success all this time. With circumstances pressing him, how could Niu Youdao leave Linghu Qiu's excellent network unused?"

He raised a hand and pointed at the map. "The crisis is imminent. After staying hidden for so long, he finally leaves the mountains. His direction is northwest. He isn't going to Jinzhou. Linghu Qiu is accompanying him personally. Put those clues together, and even if I can't be absolutely certain, the likelihood that he's heading to Qi for warhorses is extremely high."

"Unless some unexpected circumstance exists that we know nothing about. But that possibility is very small. Since he deliberately chose to stay hidden, he would not casually provoke new trouble during that period. That makes it unlikely he emerged to solve some other problem. Going to Qi to obtain warhorses is by far the most probable explanation!"

He suddenly turned and fixed Su Zhao with a hard stare. "You can prepare ambushes in advance along the routes leading to Qi. If my judgment is correct, the chances of intercepting him will be very high!"

"..."

Su Zhao was left speechless. She had to admit his reasoning made sense. Precisely because she agreed with it, she was somewhat shaken despite already knowing how intelligent her cousin was.

From a handful of seemingly unrelated clues, he could infer where Niu Youdao was going and what he intended to do. Su Zhao truly did not know what to say. Even she felt that Niu Youdao had made a frightening enemy!

She could not help sighing. "You worry about far too many things. Since I've already picked up his trail, naturally I have ways to find him. You don't need to spend this much thought on it. If you keep going like this, when will your illness ever truly heal?"

Shao Pingbo smiled. "Perhaps I worried unnecessarily. But I'll repeat what I've said before. That fiend is dangerous. Since he dares leave the mountains, he will not be unprepared. He will never be easy to deal with. You must be careful."

Su Zhao looked steadily at him. "Pingbo, there's a saying among ordinary people. I'd like to give it to you."

Shao Pingbo smiled. "I'm all ears."

Worry showed in Su Zhao's face. She spoke one word at a time.

"The overly clever die young!"

[End of Chapter 251]