Chapter 294: A Match for Ten Thousand Men

Compared with Niu Youdao, Linghu Qiu was only an observer. If something went wrong, it had little to do with him, so naturally he felt no real pressure. Niu Youdao, however, found it impossible not to think about the matter.

Yet he truly could not imagine what qualification he possessed that would make the emperor of the State of Qi personally move against him. If Yan wanted to harm him, he could understand it. But as far as he knew, he had no grudge with the State of Qi. He was destined to toss and turn that night...

"Princess, where are you going?"

The sun had risen. Hao Qingqing came bouncing out of her room, the small braids covering her head swaying with every step. When she reached the courtyard gate, Lady Pei suddenly appeared and blocked her path.

Hao Qingqing lifted her chin. "To see Imperial Mother."

Lady Pei said calmly, "His Majesty has issued an order. From today onward, without His Majesty's permission, the princess may not leave this courtyard."

Hao Qingqing's eyes widened. "You're putting me under house arrest? What did I do wrong? I can't even go see Imperial Mother?"

Lady Pei shook her head. "No."

Hao Qingqing exclaimed, "Why?"

"I don't know either. This is His Majesty's order."

Hao Qingqing said angrily, "I don't believe it. I'm going to Father Emperor and demand an explanation!"

She tried to force her way past. Lady Pei caught her arm.

"His Majesty also ordered that if the princess dares disobey, she is to be tied up."

"..."

Hao Qingqing was left speechless. After persuading her back inside, Lady Pei ordered a female cultivator to remain constantly at Hao Qingqing's side. Whatever happened, Hao Qingqing was not to be allowed out. When Lady Pei left the courtyard, she happened to meet Chai Fei.

The moment he saw her, Chai Fei asked, "Senior Sister, have you heard the news? Niu Youdao may be in serious trouble."

"Ah." Lady Pei sighed softly. "His Majesty wouldn't take Niu Youdao seriously enough to target him personally. Niu Youdao simply happened to walk onto the edge of His Majesty's blade."

Chai Fei gave a quiet acknowledgment. "Indeed. His Majesty wouldn't put him in his eyes, which also means he won't care whether Niu Youdao lives or dies."

Lady Pei looked up at him. "You have an opinion?"

Chai Fei spread his hands. "What opinion could I have? Would our opinions matter?"

"Once His Majesty makes a move, who can change anything except His Majesty himself?"

"His butcher's blade is already raised. A storm of blood is inevitable. I simply don't know how many people will die!"

Lady Pei smiled bitterly. "Sometimes the cultivation of people like us really isn't much use."

"His Majesty is the true match for ten thousand men!"

At the residence of the Grand Herald, Zuo Desong returned from morning court. Qian You, who had been pacing near the entrance waiting for him, came forward and accompanied him inside, whispering as they walked.

In the courtyard, Zuo Desong abruptly stopped. "When did this happen?"

Qian You said, "The news only began spreading this morning. Lord Zuo, do you think it could really be true?"

Zuo Desong asked in return, "Who in this capital would dare publicly fabricate a rumor in His Majesty's name?"

Qian You silently nodded. "True. Lord Zuo is right. It seems the matter really is genuine."

Zuo Desong turned and looked toward the imperial palace.

"Tell your fellow disciples to keep their heads down. For the time being, don't let them casually involve themselves in anything."

"Those cultivators have already displeased His Majesty."

"His Majesty is preparing to kill people."

Qian You said, "Lord Zuo's warning is well taken. I simply never expected Niu Youdao to become the opening through which the blade falls."

Zuo Desong chuckled. "It takes a fierce dragon to cross the river. Let's see what he can do now that he's crossed it..."

At the residence of Supreme General Huyan, Huyan Wei swaggered toward the main gate. Zha Hu stepped out from among the nearby pavilions.

Seeing him, Huyan Wei cupped his hands. "Morning, Uncle Tiger."

"Morning?" Zha Hu lifted his chin toward the sun already high in the sky. "Look at the hour."

Huyan Wei grinned. "I'm injured, aren't I?" He pointed toward his backside.

Zha Hu asked with a smile, "How's the injury?"

Huyan Wei thumped his chest. "I may not have steel sinews and iron bones, but I'm still a man. I can walk."

"Oh?" Zha Hu said. "Then who was crying for his father and screaming for his mother that day, with snot and tears all over his face?"

"Ahem, ahem!" Huyan Wei coughed awkwardly and glanced around.

Lowering his voice, he said, "Uncle Tiger, it was bad enough that you watched me suffer without helping. Why rub salt in the wound afterward?"

"Fine. I won't." Zha Hu asked, "Where are you going?"

Huyan Wei instantly grinned again. "I just made a new friend and promised to take him around Among the White Clouds."

"Uncle Tiger, the girls at Among the White Clouds really are something. Want to come broaden your horizons with us? My treat!"

Zha Hu laughed. "Looks like the Tofu House really is making money. You've actually remembered to treat me."

Huyan Wei grinned. "I could forget anyone, but never Uncle Tiger. As long as Uncle Tiger says a few good words for me in front of my father from time to time, I'll remember you whenever something good comes along."

Zha Hu nodded. "Mm. Forget treating me. I'm more interested in money. How about I speak to your father and have him confiscate your entire share of the Tofu House profits?"

Huyan Wei's eyes went wide.

He hurried forward, grabbed Zha Hu's arm, and pleaded repeatedly. "Uncle Tiger, your nephew is already miserable enough. You can't kick a man when he's down!"

"You're not a woman. Stop clinging to me." Zha Hu shoved him away.

"What kind of woman couldn't I have if I wanted one? Even if I slept with the proprietress of Among the White Clouds, the Prince of the Western Court wouldn't say anything."

"I don't need you to treat me. I appreciate the thought, but I have no interest in places of wine and pleasure."

"By the way, who are you inviting? Niu Youdao?"

Huyan Wei raised a thumb. "Brilliant. Nothing gets past you."

Zha Hu said, "Settle down for a while. Don't go wandering outside these days. Stay home and treat it as time to recover from your injury. That's your father's meaning."

"Come on, Uncle Tiger. I already promised him. How can I break my word?"

"Besides, my injury is almost healed. Walking around outside will help me recover faster. Ah...!"

A miserable scream suddenly tore out of him. Zha Hu had abruptly kicked him in the backside, sending him flying before he crashed to the ground. Zha Hu waved a hand. Two men immediately came over. He pointed at Huyan Wei, who was lying on the ground groaning as though he were dying.

"Take Third Young Master back to recover. Until his injury is healed, he's not allowed out."

"Yes!"

The two men immediately hauled Huyan Wei up and dragged him away. Heng Tianduan, drawn over by the screams, stopped and watched. Zha Hu walked toward him. Heng Tianduan inclined his body slightly. Zha Hu gave him a cold sidelong look.

"Things may not be peaceful in the near future. Tell your fellow disciples to keep their eyes open and their ears sharp. Guard this household carefully."

"If anyone in the Huyan family comes to harm because someone neglected his duty, my temper is not particularly good."

The words were anything but polite. Heng Tianduan's cheek tightened.

He glanced at Zha Hu with a trace of wariness, then inclined himself again. "I'll pass the word along."

At Among the White Clouds, a group of dancers moved gracefully through one of the pavilions while Su Zhao personally played the qin for them. Qin Mian approached along the corridor, came to Su Zhao's side, and bent to whisper into her ear. The qin music stopped abruptly. Su Zhao snapped her head around, then immediately rose and gestured for the waiting qin musician nearby to take over. As the music resumed, the two women moved to a secluded corner.

Su Zhao asked suspiciously, "The Grand Princess of the State of Qi owes Niu Youdao two million gold coins and one hundred thousand warhorses? Could that be why Niu Youdao took his time all the way here?"

Qin Mian said, "Does that still matter now?"

Su Zhao smiled. "Niu Youdao has brought an enormous problem down on his own head. There's going to be a good show!"

At that very moment, Niu Youdao stood inside his bedchamber with both arms spread while Black Peony straightened his clothes. He was going out to meet important people, so courtesy demanded that his appearance be properly arranged.

"At this hour, the high officials who attended court should all have finished, shouldn't they?" Niu Youdao asked.

Black Peony said, "They should have. Anyone not on duty who was supposed to return home should already be back."

"Good. Let's try to visit three or four households today."

His clothes had just been set in order and he had barely stepped out when Linghu Qiu came hurrying over from a distance.

"Little Brother! Something happened! Something happened!"

Niu Youdao asked, "Elder Brother, what has you so alarmed?"

Linghu Qiu reached him and said heavily, "Last night's matter. Something really has happened."

The affair from the previous night had been hanging over Niu Youdao's mind all along.

His expression immediately sank. "What happened?"

Linghu Qiu said, "The matter of the Grand Princess of Qi owing you money, what happened last night... the news suddenly started spreading this morning!"

"Not many people on our side know what happened last night..."

Niu Youdao stopped halfway through. His eyes abruptly lifted toward Linghu Qiu.

"Is the emperor of the State of Qi mentioned in the rumor?"

Linghu Qiu nodded. "Clearly and explicitly. The emperor of Qi paid his daughter's debt and gave you exit permits for one hundred thousand warhorses!"

Niu Youdao understood instantly. The news had suddenly spread through the capital. Who would dare fabricate a rumor about the emperor right beneath the emperor's eyes? Who would dare expose the Grand Princess's unreliability and publicly air the imperial family's dirty laundry in the capital? Was there any need to ask which side had leaked the story? Linghu Qiu's expression was extraordinarily grave.

"Exit permits for one hundred thousand warhorses! Little Brother, you've become the target of every arrow. You're in enormous trouble this time!"

Niu Youdao did not know whether to laugh or curse.

"What exactly does this emperor of Qi mean? He can't even tolerate this little mess between me and his daughter?"

"Would he really smear his own daughter's face just to set me up? If he wants to deal with me, does he need to make things this complicated?"

"Ah!" Linghu Qiu stamped his foot and pointed at him.

"Little Brother, you're thinking far too highly of yourself. You still think this is aimed at you?"

"Of course, when I first heard the news, I thought the same thing. But then I considered it again and realized something was wrong."

"He's targeting the cultivators who came to Qi with ulterior motives for the warhorses!"

"Exit permits for one hundred thousand warhorses are no longer merely about money. They'll shake every major faction. People will fight until their heads split open over them."

"How many lives will it take, how much blood will have to flow, before this affair settles down?"

"I'm afraid His Majesty has long been dissatisfied with all the cultivators gathering in the capital."

"You simply happened to walk onto the edge of his blade and hand him an excuse to make his move!"

Black Peony, who had been frowning, suddenly went pale. Niu Youdao sucked in a cold breath. At that instant, everything he had failed to understand the night before suddenly had an answer.

Only now did he realize that his perspective still had limits when compared with an emperor looking down upon all beneath Heaven. He had been focused on the fact that the emperor had no reason to target him. And he had been right. The emperor truly had no reason to target him.

Niu Youdao had assumed that as long as his own side kept the matter secret, the emperor's side would surely keep it secret as well. After all, what emperor would want outsiders knowing how unreliable his own daughter was? Family disgrace should not be aired in public. Who could have imagined that Niu Youdao himself was merely the spark? An insignificant pawn. The emperor intended to deal with a vast number of cultivators. He meant to turn the blade on an enormous group and make countless cultivators slaughter one another.

Niu Youdao had kept his eyes fixed only on his own gains and losses, on whether the situation posed danger to him. The thought of using this affair to kill so many cultivators had never even entered his mind.

He had spent so long as a cultivator that, without realizing it, he had absorbed some of the cultivation world's self-important sense of superiority. When had he ever imagined that a man of the secular world would dare move against so many cultivators? Yet in truth, there really were men with the bearing to swallow mountains and rivers. There really were men who dared! Viewed this way, there was no imperial family disgrace at all. To outsiders, none of it was disgrace. It was all the emperor's handiwork.

And on the smaller scale of gains and losses, the emperor had conveniently wiped away the debt Hao Qingqing owed Niu Youdao at the same time.

[End of Chapter 294]