Chapter 305: A Storm Is Brewing

Niu Youdao glanced at Linghu Qiu with a cheerful smile. There was one question he had never stopped finding strange: what exactly did this man want from him? Niu Youdao had made it perfectly obvious that he had designs on Linghu Qiu's women, yet Linghu Qiu still refused to abandon him. Even with matters reaching this point, he would not leave until the very end.

After finishing a cup of tea, Linghu Qiu swept away with his broad sleeves. Before long, he returned with Hongfu.

He had originally intended to leave Hongfu here to look after Niu Youdao. But the moment he saw the ill-intentioned look Niu Youdao gave her, he changed his mind. Instead, he decided to move in with Niu Youdao himself. His excuse was that Niu Youdao was now the only person left in this courtyard anyway.

Niu Youdao did not object. Instead, he took out the ten warhorse exit permits and walked outside with them in hand.

"Where are you going?" Linghu Qiu called after him.

Receiving no answer, he quickly put down his teacup and followed. Hongxiu stood guard at the main gate. With everyone else gone, either she or Hongfu had to watch the entrance.

Niu Youdao walked straight past her, stepped through the gate, descended the stone steps outside, and stopped in the middle of the alley. Then he raised the ten exit permits high in one hand.

The instant he appeared, the people who had been moving back and forth through the alley like ordinary passersby gradually turned to look at him, then at the papers in his hand. For a moment, everyone froze. Linghu Qiu and the two women also stood at the gate, staring blankly at him.

"What you want is right here!" Niu Youdao suddenly shouted, infusing his voice with spiritual power. "Who dares come take it? I'll give it away for nothing!"

The motionless people on either end of the alley looked at one another.

"Does anyone dare take it? Does anyone dare take it...?"

Niu Youdao called several times, slowly turning in place as he held the papers aloft and swept his gaze around. The surroundings remained completely quiet. No one answered. No one moved. Only the faint clamor of the distant streets drifted into the alley. Just then, a stir arose at the alley entrance. A group appeared. Niu Youdao turned and saw Third Madam Pei approaching with Chai Fei and the others behind her. At the sight of her, Linghu Qiu relaxed halfway.

Third Madam Pei had said that if the emperor agreed to raise his hand and spare Niu Youdao, she would come deliver the news. If he refused, she would not come. Linghu Qiu only hoped there would be no further complications.

Niu Youdao lowered the papers, folded his arms loosely across his abdomen, and watched Third Madam Pei's group approach.

She stopped in front of him and glanced at the documents in his hand. Then, without saying anything, she slowly turned and led her people into the residence.

Niu Youdao raised the permits again and waved them from side to side at the watching people before clasping his hands behind his back, carrying the papers with him as he returned inside. In the main hall, Linghu Qiu hurriedly told Hongfu to serve tea.

Third Madam Pei ignored the preparations. She stared at Niu Youdao as he walked in from outside and asked, "What were you doing just now?"

Niu Youdao said, "I waited and waited, but you never came. Everyone is looking out for his own survival, and the people around me have been leaving one after another. Now the only person still beside me is my sworn brother. What else do you think I could do?"

"Your sworn brother?" Third Madam Pei turned to look at Linghu Qiu.

Only now did she learn that Niu Youdao and Linghu Qiu had sworn brotherhood. The corner of Linghu Qiu's mouth twitched.

Third Madam Pei looked back at Niu Youdao and said blandly, "Brother Niu, His Majesty has agreed to your request. As long as you handle the matter properly, he will leave you a road to live."

Delight appeared on Linghu Qiu's face, and he repeatedly winked at Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao gestured for everyone to sit, including Chai Fei and the others. After sitting beside Third Madam Pei, he asked, "Why did it take you so long to come? You saw what I was doing outside. If you'd arrived one step later, I might already have destroyed the permits in front of everyone."

"Some matters had to be communicated to my sect, and we also had to prepare what you asked for." Third Madam Pei took out a small porcelain bottle and pushed it across the table.

"Word will be released today. The auction is set for tomorrow morning. Early tomorrow, people from Daqiu Sect will come escort you to the auction site."

"There are ten prepared wax pellets inside. They're colorless and odorless on the surface. Crush them before use."

"Remember: before you set out tomorrow, smear the contents onto the exit permits. One pellet for each permit."

Niu Youdao picked up the small porcelain bottle, removed the stopper, and poured its contents into his palm. There were indeed ten small wax pellets. He put them back into the bottle, sealed it, and nodded.

"I'll remember. Many thanks for Elder Sister Pei's help. I will repay this great favor one day!"

"Look after yourself." Third Madam Pei rose as soon as she finished speaking. She had not touched the tea on the table.

Niu Youdao stood and hurriedly asked, "Does His Majesty have any other instructions?"

Third Madam Pei paused at the doorway and looked back slightly.

"No."

Then she stepped out and left with Chai Fei and the others. Linghu Qiu personally escorted the group away.

When he hurried back, he found Niu Youdao standing in a daze with the little porcelain bottle in his hand. Linghu Qiu came forward laughing.

"Little Brother, you've found life in a dead end! As long as you make it through tomorrow, there shouldn't be any further trouble."

"Let's hope so." Niu Youdao sighed, filled with emotion...

Outside the city, on the vast grasslands beyond the ring of mountains, a group of masked men swiftly departed after surrounding Feng Entai and the others. They had been stopped and searched. After politely trying to persuade the people blocking the road, Feng Entai's group had chosen not to resist.

The masked men searched everyone, found nothing they wanted, and did not make things difficult for them. They simply left. The group watched the masked figures skim away until they vanished. Everyone looked around. When no one else appeared, they finally relaxed. This was already the eighth search they had endured on the road.

"Looks like no one else is going to stop us." Black Peony surveyed the surroundings.

She was still somewhat disgusted inside. As a woman, she had already been groped during searches several times.

Feng Entai said, "Let's leave this troublesome place first. We can always come back after the storm passes."

Black Peony said, "Master Feng, I'm afraid we can only travel with you this far."

Feng Entai looked surprised. "Where are you going?"

"According to the agreement between Tianyu Sect and Master Dao, Master Dao has taken this matter onto himself, so the missions of the three sects and our people are finished. Naturally we're returning to Qingshan Commandery."

She added pointedly, "I trust Tianyu Sect won't break its word again?"

Feng Entai frowned. "You're not waiting for Niu Youdao?"

"This is Master Dao's arrangement."

Feng Entai started to speak, then stopped. In the end, he kept silent. There was something he had wanted to warn them about. If Niu Youdao met with disaster and died here, what use would there be in their returning?

Without Niu Youdao's powerful influence over Shang Chaozong, would Shang Chaozong oppose Tianyu Sect to keep them from being pushed aside? If Niu Youdao died, did they still expect to receive a share of the liquor profits?

And if Shang Chaozong learned they had abandoned Niu Youdao and ignored whether he lived or died, Shang Chaozong himself would probably be the first to erupt in fury. But as a Tianyu Sect disciple, there were some words Feng Entai could not conveniently say. He could hardly tell them that Tianyu Sect might break its promise. What sect did not consider its own interests?

If these people had done nothing, why should Tianyu Sect simply hand them several million gold coins in profits every year?

"Fine. We still have to continue running around over the warhorses. Then we'll part ways here," Feng Entai said indifferently.

"Master Feng, take care. We'll say farewell here!" Black Peony cupped her hands.

Feng Entai returned the gesture. "Safe travels!"

"Let's go!" Black Peony swung into the saddle and shouted.

She led the group away in a thunder of hooves. After they had ridden some distance, the one-armed Wu Shaohuan urged his horse forward and caught up beside her. His voice was heavy.

"Black Peony, abandoning Niu Youdao like this is inappropriate."

Black Peony turned her head. "How so?"

"Our interests, and those of the three sects, are all tied to Niu Youdao!" Wu Shaohuan said.

"You should know how deep the Commandery Prince's relationship with Niu Youdao is. Even the Commandery Princess personally waits upon him."

"If something happens to Niu Youdao and Commandery Prince Yongping learns that we abandoned him without caring whether he lived or died, the Commandery Prince will certainly fly into a rage."

"If the Prince is displeased with us, Qingshan Commandery can survive without us. Add Tianyu Sect's desire to swallow the liquor profits for itself, and under all those conditions Tianyu Sect could very easily develop malicious intentions."

"When that happens, Qingshan Commandery may no longer have room for us."

"We cannot simply return like this!"

Back then, Wu Shaohuan had led men to destroy Shangqing Sect and, after the attempt failed, cut off one of his own arms. Later, he had led men toward Ice and Snow Pavilion intending to kill Niu Youdao. Now he had instead become worried about Niu Youdao's safety. The world was unpredictable and life was a play. In the end, interests drove everything.

Black Peony laughed. "Elder Wu sees the situation clearly. Naturally we aren't really going back like this."

"Heading east first is only a diversion."

"Once we've shaken off whatever eyes may be following us, we'll change direction. We have somewhere else to go."

Wu Shaohuan asked, "Can you explain it clearly first?"

"No." Black Peony refused outright. "This is Master Dao's arrangement. For now, it remains secret."

Then she turned to Gongsun Bu.

"Brother Gongsun, shouldn't you leave some people behind here so Master Dao and the rest of us can communicate?"

Gongsun Bu said, "Master Dao arranged that long ago. Wuliang Mountain still has people hidden around the capital whose identities haven't been exposed."

"Master Dao knows where they are. If necessary, he'll contact them himself."

Black Peony's eyes flickered. No wonder when she had told Gongsun Bu it was time to leave, he had shown no intention of saying farewell to Master Dao. It seemed Master Dao had already communicated with him privately... By midafternoon, a piece of news suddenly spread through the cultivation circles of the Qi capital:

At noon tomorrow, Niu Youdao would auction the exit permits for one hundred thousand warhorses on Moon Island in Heavenly Mirror Lake, fifty li north of the capital, in order to escape his predicament! Sitting beneath the eaves, Niu Youdao accepted a sheet of paper Linghu Qiu handed him. The message written on it was precisely that rumor. After reading, Niu Youdao smiled.

"Second Brother, you really can know the affairs beneath Heaven without stepping outside your door."

"I haven't seen you go out to gather information, and I haven't seen you surrounded by informants either, yet you still learn what's happening outside whenever you please."

Linghu Qiu gave two dry laughs to cover himself.

"I know a few people in the Qi capital."

Niu Youdao handed the paper back and asked, "What's Heavenly Mirror Lake like? Is it suitable for an auction?"

Linghu Qiu pondered.

"It should be."

"Heavenly Mirror Lake spans roughly a hundred li. There's an island in the middle called Moon Island."

"Anyone seriously intending to obtain the permits now knows the location in advance and has plenty of time to deploy people beforehand."

"The lake is so large that if someone obtains the permits and leaves by water, it will be difficult to determine where he went ashore or from where he later departed."

"With additional people coordinating and false faces used to confuse pursuers, it would be very difficult to work out who carried the permits away or which route they took."

Niu Youdao nodded slightly.

"In that case, there should be quite a few people bidding tomorrow."

"A storm is brewing."

"I wonder what sort of people will participate."

Linghu Qiu said, "Probably sects from the various states that are neither high nor low in standing."

"The truly great sects can influence an entire state. If they want warhorses, they'll negotiate directly with the court of the State of Qi. They wouldn't bother fighting one another to the death over something like this."

"Those who come to compete will probably be backed by regional lords like Shang Chaozong."

[End of Chapter 305]