Chapter 283: Leave Not a Single One Alive

Worry appeared on Qin Mian's face. "Proprietress, don't forget Mr. Bai's warning!"

Su Zhao lowered her feet, rose, and paced. "Naturally I'll obey Master's instructions. There's no need to use the organization's people either. The Qi capital is where winds and clouds converge. Now that he's come here, whether he can still leave will depend on his own fortune!"

Qin Mian reminded her again, "Proprietress, Young Master Shao also said you should avoid provoking him for now. It's better not to create unnecessary complications."

Su Zhao turned and spread her hands. "I won't provoke him. If someone else provokes him, that has nothing to do with me. Where is he staying?"

Qin Mian said, "He only just entered the city. His lodgings haven't been confirmed yet."

Su Zhao said, "I've wanted to meet this man for a long time and see exactly what sort of person he is. Hearing a man's reputation is never the same as meeting him. Find some way to arrange it."

Qin Mian frowned. "Proprietress, I don't agree. Given your identity, you shouldn't actively meet him face-to-face! From what Young Master Shao has said, and from several other things we've seen, this man truly is dangerous. If you approach him yourself, an accident could happen very easily. The slightest mishap might expose your identity!"

"What happened at Boundless Pavilion has already alerted the snake by striking the grass. He must be on the highest guard now. Any anomaly could arouse his suspicion. Zhuo Chao's death is deeply suspicious. Until we've figured out what happened, I don't agree with you getting close to him!"

Su Zhao fell briefly silent and did not raise the matter again, tacitly accepting Qin Mian's advice.

Instead, she changed the subject. "He came for warhorses. As long as I'm here, he can forget about succeeding!"

Seeing Qin Mian about to say something again, she raised a hand to stop her. "You're overthinking it. There's no need for us to show ourselves in this matter. A man fears fame as a pig fears fattening. He killed Zhuo Chao and caused the Golden Core Ranking to change, making his name famous beneath Heaven once again."

"I doubt many people believe his actual strength was enough to kill Zhuo Chao. There may not be many who dare challenge Zhuo Chao, but I imagine there are plenty who would dare challenge a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator like him."

"When he was hiding in Qingshan Commandery, Tianyu Sect was there and no one bothered him. But now that he's come here, it may no longer be up to him. What better chance to make a name than by killing the man who killed Zhuo Chao? I imagine plenty of people won't want to miss it."

"Spread the word immediately. Say Niu Youdao, the man who assassinated an envoy of Yan, has arrived!"

Qin Mian smiled when she heard that and nodded. "Good method. We can also use the opportunity to weigh his true ability, see whether we can force out the truth behind Zhuo Chao's death, and find out whether some other expert is secretly backing him."

In a prosperous district of the capital, amid the bustle yet screened from it, stood a deep residential compound with courtyard after courtyard.

Linghu Qiu led Niu Youdao through the garden, then asked, "Little Brother, what do you think of this place?"

Niu Youdao nodded repeatedly. "A prosperous district, and no one dares cause trouble here. If anyone disturbed the residents, they'd inevitably alert the cultivators who guard the capital for the court. Safety shouldn't be a problem. Elder Brother's connections really are formidable. We only just arrived, yet you managed to secure lodgings this good."

"Spare me that!" Linghu Qiu gave him a disdainful look. "Let's talk seriously. What do you plan to do next?"

Niu Youdao said, "We've traveled a long way. Everyone should rest properly for a day. I also need time to understand the situation."

"Fine. Then rest first. You have more people, so the main compound is yours. If you need me, come to the western courtyard." Linghu Qiu left those words behind and departed with Hongxiu and Hongfu.

Niu Youdao's side then made arrangements for the accompanying personnel. Once everyone dispersed, he asked Gongsun Bu, "Do we have the broad picture here yet?"

Gongsun Bu said, "The scouts in the capital are already prepared. Now that they know where we've settled, they should deliver what we've gathered as soon as possible."

Niu Youdao nodded.

After Gongsun Bu withdrew, Black Peony said, "I'll prepare hot water."

She knew Niu Youdao's habits. Now that they had finally settled in, he would definitely want to soak in a bath.

Unexpectedly, Niu Youdao gave a slight shake of his head. "Go wait by the entrance. Monkey's people should arrive soon. Receive whoever comes."

Just as he predicted, someone came to the residence before long. It was Yuan Feng, disguised. Black Peony led him to the original owner's study in the inner residence, where Niu Youdao was already waiting.

"Master Dao!" After greeting him, Yuan Feng said, "Boss is being watched by people from Among the White Clouds. He says it isn't convenient for him to meet you, so he sent me instead."

Black Peony immediately looked toward Niu Youdao.

Sure enough, Niu Youdao's face darkened. "What the hell is Among the White Clouds?"

Yuan Feng said, "It's the largest brothel in the Qi capital."

"A brothel?" Niu Youdao froze, then asked suspiciously, "Monkey isn't someone who goes to brothels. How did a brothel start watching him? What's going on?"

"Boss doesn't know for sure either. He thinks it may be connected to that time he stepped in to help someone..." Yuan Feng recounted how Yuan Gang had rescued the maidservant that day.

"You know how alert Boss is, Master Dao. It's difficult to tail him without being noticed. After that incident, Boss realized someone was watching him. He arranged people to counter-surveil them and traced the watchers back to Among the White Clouds. The people there also seem to be deliberately trying to approach Boss. For now, Boss doesn't know what they want."

Niu Youdao asked, "The largest pleasure house in the capital couldn't operate without substantial backing. What's the situation with Among the White Clouds?"

Yuan Feng said, "The proprietress, Su Zhao, is the exclusive woman of Hao Yunsheng, Prince of the Western Court. Huyan Wei personally confirmed that, so it should be reliable."

Niu Youdao frowned. Why had a Prince of the Western Court suddenly appeared, and why was he watching Monkey? Su Zhao, proprietress of Among the White Clouds... His brows suddenly trembled violently.

The words "Sister Zhao" flashed through his mind.

But he dismissed the thought almost immediately. It should be impossible. Given what he knew of Shao Pingbo, if Shao Pingbo had truly identified Yuan Gang, there was no way they would still be deliberately trying to make contact with him. What, were they afraid his side might not notice?

Niu Youdao said, "Tell Monkey that if a suitable opportunity arises, he can make contact with this Su Zhao and sound her out. Also have him remember her appearance carefully. I have another use for that information."

Yuan Feng nodded. "All right. Master Dao, if there are no other instructions, I'll head back."

"Not yet!" Niu Youdao's face sank. "What's with your people selling tofu pudding on the streets?"

"That was Boss's arrangement..." Yuan Feng explained the whole process in detail.

Once she understood what had happened, Black Peony secretly clicked her tongue in amazement. That Yuan Gang really was something. He had actually used this method to bring so many people openly and brazenly into the Qi capital. And even more boldly, the moment he arrived, he had kidnapped the son of Qi's Supreme General. Niu Youdao kept a taut expression. He temporarily set aside the matter of the tofu pudding, only to be struck speechless by something else.

Monkey had actually brought more than two hundred men into the Qi capital and was openly drilling them. The fellow truly did not seem afraid of causing trouble.

Niu Youdao asked heavily, "Even if the identities of you five can withstand scrutiny, what about those two hundred-plus men? Can their backgrounds survive investigation?"

Yuan Feng said, "Master Dao, Boss made thorough arrangements for their identities long ago. They'll stand up to scrutiny."

Since Yuan Feng said that, Niu Youdao trusted that Monkey was not a fool. What genuinely worried him was something else.

"You five assumed the identities of border soldiers. What happened to the dozen or so wronged border soldiers you rescued?"

At that question, Yuan Feng scratched his head. "Near the Zhao border, we prepared a secret place. If anything unexpected happens here, people who scatter and withdraw can regroup there. Boss sent those soldiers to hide at that location."

"Once our business here is finished, the injustice hanging over them will naturally be cleared up. They won't need to worry about being silenced anymore, and then they can go wherever they please."

Niu Youdao asked expressionlessly, "You're not afraid they'll leak the secret?"

Yuan Feng said, "We worried about that at first too. Boss said they're afraid of being silenced and don't dare return to Qi, so there's no need to worry about them leaking anything."

Niu Youdao questioned him in detail about the secret hideout's location. He knew Monkey too well. The man had a ruthless side and a softhearted side; it depended entirely on who he was dealing with. Just as Niu Youdao had expected, the thing he feared most had happened after all.

"Monkey has shown his face openly beside me before. Someone here may recognize him. Tell him to be careful and show himself as little as possible."

"Master Dao, don't worry. Boss basically doesn't need to handle the Tofu House personally anymore."

After Yuan Feng left, Niu Youdao closed his eyes and stood where he was for a long time without moving. Black Peony returned after seeing the guest out.

Niu Youdao slowly said, "You heard the location where those border soldiers are hiding. Have Gongsun Bu send people there and deal with them."

Black Peony froze, then hesitated. "Actually, Master Yuan's reasoning isn't wrong. They're afraid of being silenced. They won't dare come out carelessly."

Niu Youdao said calmly, "Listen carefully. Leave not a single one alive. Even if one person escapes, I want to know immediately. Go handle it now."

"Yes!" Black Peony could only accept the order. She turned and left to make the arrangements.

Niu Youdao slowly opened his eyes and paced within the study. Perhaps Monkey's judgment was correct. But there were too many unpredictable variables in a matter like this. What if one of those men suddenly missed his homeland and returned early? If anything unexpected happened, Monkey could suddenly and unpredictably fall into mortal danger. There were some things Monkey would not do. Then Niu Youdao would have to do them for him. In any case, he had never thought of himself as a good man.

Not long afterward, Gongsun Bu brought over a stack of papers containing information Niu Youdao had wanted concerning the Qi capital. Niu Youdao soaked in the hot water Black Peony had prepared and slowly read through them...

By midafternoon, Niu Youdao sat in a pavilion in the courtyard, still reading and considering what was written on the pages.

Black Peony sat beside him with one leg crossed over the other, reading through pages he had already finished. From time to time, she glanced toward Niu Youdao and found that when he became serious, he was rather pleasant to look at.

Gongsun Bu arrived again and reported, "Master Dao, someone leaked the news that you've come to the capital. Even the location of this residence has been exposed. Our scouts have heard rumors that quite a few cultivators who are looking everywhere for patrons and opportunities seem to want to challenge you."

Black Peony gave a disdainful sneer. "Looks like some people who don't know whether they want to live or die are hoping to borrow Master Dao's light and make names for themselves."

When she finished, however, she noticed Niu Youdao was still reading the pages in his hands without even raising his head.

"Master Dao, someone leaked the news that you secretly came to the Qi capital..." Gongsun Bu thought he had not heard and repeated the report.

Niu Youdao still did not look up, but this time he answered faintly, "I know."

His complete lack of concern made the two exchange bewildered looks.

Just then, Linghu Qiu's voice came from outside. "Little Brother, what are you busy with?"

Seeing Linghu Qiu arrive, Niu Youdao rose with a smile. "Reading up on the situation here in the capital."

As he spoke, he casually handed the pages in his hand to Black Peony.

[End of Chapter 283]