Chapter 317: Someone from Yan

Even Bu Xun, normally so calm and composed, could not help going blank for a moment. He had never expected Niu Youdao to suddenly drag Shao Pingbo into the conversation.

Once he recovered, he smiled faintly. "Beizhou in the State of Yan? Doesn't Beizhou belong to the State of Han now?"

"Heh. Commandery Prince Yongping considers Beizhou part of the State of Yan. I've gotten used to following his phrasing." Niu Youdao had no intention of arguing state affairs with him and deftly brushed the point aside before returning to the subject. "The important thing is that Shao Pingbo is intelligent. He really would be exceptionally well suited to become the Chief Steward's disciple."

Bu Xun smiled. "'King of Beizhou, King of Beizhou...' There are rumors that you were the one who started that rhyme. Looking at you now, I'm beginning to believe them. Shao Pingbo is presently one of the pillars holding up Beizhou. No matter how clever he is, why would he come all the way to the State of Qi to become my disciple? Even if he agreed, Dachan Mountain probably wouldn't."

"As long as the Chief Steward offers Beizhou enough benefit, it would be easy enough to lure Shao Pingbo to the Qi capital. Once he's here, whether they agree or not won't be up to them!"

If Shao Pingbo knew that this man thought about him wherever he went and was now actually discussing ways to turn him into a eunuch, who knew what he would feel.

Bu Xun said, "You certainly think highly of him. Unfortunately, I don't. The person who takes over my position will have endless miscellaneous affairs to handle and will work himself to exhaustion. He needs a robust constitution and cannot afford to fall ill and delay matters. Shao Pingbo isn't a cultivator. He won't do."

"So that's the reason. Then it truly is a pity." Niu Youdao shook his head and sighed.

One thing, at least, had now been confirmed. Bu Xun really was a cultivator.

Bu Xun had no time to sit here trading nonsense with him. He moved to the real business and asked, "Why did Commandery Prince Yongping send you here?"

Niu Youdao stopped fooling around as well.

"I won't hide it from the Chief Steward. I came for warhorses."

He understood perfectly well that there was no point lying to someone like Bu Xun about such a thing. Since Bu Xun had specifically mentioned Shang Chaozong sending him here, how could he not already know what Niu Youdao had come to do? Bu Xun said nothing further. He reached into his sleeve, took out a token, and tossed it over.

Another token?

Niu Youdao caught it and stared for a moment before turning it over in his hands.

This one plainly lacked the imposing presence of the dragon-patterned token from earlier. One side was carved with the image of a horse. The other bore the character meaning "Office."

He did not understand what it represented and felt vaguely uneasy. This old fellow wasn't really planning to force him into the palace and turn him into a eunuch, was he?

He asked cautiously, "Chief Steward, what is the meaning of this?"

Bu Xun said, "With this token, at any time and through any border pass in the State of Qi, you may transport ten thousand warhorses out of the state."

"For Shang Chaozong's territory of two commanderies, ten thousand warhorses should be enough."

"Once they're outside the State of Qi, how you get them home is your own affair."

Niu Youdao stared at him in bewilderment. He truly could not make sense of this anymore.

"Is the Chief Steward giving me this token on some condition?"

"There is no condition whatsoever. And I'm not the one giving it to you."

"His Majesty is."

"His Majesty is giving it to me?" Niu Youdao was astonished.

As far as he was concerned, it was already good enough that Hao Yuntu had not killed him. Why would the emperor give him warhorses? Bu Xun's manner abruptly turned solemn. He enunciated each word as he spoke.

"Every step is reasoned and grounded. He advances one move at a time, and when the moment comes to decide, he decides without dragging his feet. He knows when to bend and when to stand firm. A true hero. A true man indeed!"

"At such a young age, he possesses such breadth of mind and such ability. If he can cross the many barriers before him, he will become a figure of consequence one day."

"I think highly of him."

"Doesn't he want warhorses?"

"I will give them to him!"

He was repeating Hao Yuntu's words, though with some omissions and alterations.

In particular, he had changed "I intend to show him goodwill" into "I think highly of him."

He was not about to repeat the emperor's words before an outsider in a form that made Hao Yuntu sound weak. Niu Youdao listened in a daze. Who else could speak of himself as a sovereign in that fashion?

He asked suspiciously, "Those were His Majesty's words?"

Bu Xun returned to his ordinary tone and nodded.

"His Majesty's own words."

"After learning that you defeated Kunlin Shu, His Majesty's impression of you changed considerably. He now thinks quite highly of you."

"This token is a small token of His Majesty's appreciation."

Niu Youdao did not know whether the man was telling the truth. He turned the token over in his hands and found the entire situation rather amusing.

If it was true, then across both his lives, this would be the first time someone on an emperor's level had ever thought highly of him. It was probably not a lie. There was no reason for anyone to play this kind of joke on him.

Seeing him silent, Bu Xun said, "His Majesty has ten thousand affairs to attend to each day and seldom pays attention to outsiders. There are not many people beneath Heaven who ever have the opportunity to enter His Majesty's notice."

"You won't refuse, will you?"

Niu Youdao said, "I have no reason to reject His Majesty's goodwill."

"Good!" Bu Xun nodded.

"You and I can count as acquainted from today onward."

"If you ever need to find me, go directly to the imperial palace. Tell the guards at the palace gate to pass word inside for you."

"This old servant has too many matters tying him down, so I won't continue disturbing you."

With that, he rose. Niu Youdao immediately stood to see him out. They had not gone more than a few steps when Bu Xun suddenly beckoned toward the token in Niu Youdao's hand. Niu Youdao did not understand, but he handed it back.

With a wry smile, he asked, "Wasn't this supposed to be for me?"

"Someone will bring the token back to you later."

Bu Xun continued, "You are a man of the State of Yan. There is another person from the State of Yan here in the Qi capital."

"That person has been away from home for several years without returning and has always missed the homeland."

"Having heard that someone from the State of Yan has come, that person would like to meet you."

"You might as well agree."

There had to be hundreds, perhaps a thousand, people from the State of Yan in the Qi capital. Anyone important enough for Bu Xun to mention personally could not possibly be ordinary.

Niu Youdao naturally asked, "Who?"

Bu Xun lifted the token in his hand slightly.

"Later tonight, someone will come to your door carrying this token."

"When the time comes, you'll naturally know who it is."

"As for Tianhuo Sect, you needn't worry."

"There are Tianhuo Sect disciples outside even now. Word that I came here will reach Tianhuo Sect very soon."

"Once they know I personally came to see you, they'll give me at least some face. They won't lightly make another move against you."

Niu Youdao cupped his hands.

"Many thanks to the Chief Steward for resolving this trouble."

"One more thing."

"That sworn brother of yours outside has behaved abnormally for years. It is not the behavior of an ordinary cultivator."

"Either he's harboring some scheme or he's after something that isn't his."

"He may not be walking the same road as you."

"Keep your eyes open."

That warning before Bu Xun left counted as another gesture of goodwill toward Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao sighed inwardly.

So many people in the cultivation world could not see what was happening at all, yet this man who lived deep within the imperial palace seemed to understand everything as though looking into a clear mirror. Perhaps the detached observer really did see things more clearly. So many cultivators thought themselves high above ordinary men and did not put so-called mortals in their eyes. Who exactly was the muddleheaded one? Outwardly, however, Niu Youdao looked as though he did not take the warning seriously.

Seeing that, Bu Xun said nothing more. His arm lowered, his sleeve covering the token in his hand, and he walked out. Niu Youdao accompanied him the whole way and personally saw him to the main gate. Just before boarding his carriage, Bu Xun stopped and turned. He gave Niu Youdao a long, penetrating look.

"The fact that you still dared return to the capital surprised me somewhat."

"You really are a bold man."

Without giving Niu Youdao any chance to explain, he turned, climbed into the carriage, and disappeared behind the falling curtain. Third Madam Pei gave Niu Youdao another meaningful look. The image of Niu Youdao severely injuring Kunlin Shu still remained in her mind. Bu Xun personally coming here to find him was something else she could not understand. The carriage rolled away. Niu Youdao, Linghu Qiu, and the others cupped their hands and saw it off.

Only after the carriage vanished at the alley entrance and the guards stationed around the lane withdrew did everyone return inside.

With outsiders gone, Linghu Qiu immediately asked, "Little Brother, what was that about?"

"What was what about?" Niu Youdao walked inward at an unhurried pace.

"Bu Xun!" Linghu Qiu's face was full of questions. "He wouldn't personally come here for no reason. What did he want with you?"

"Just what he said a moment ago."

"What he said? What did he say?"

"Didn't he say it before getting into the carriage? He was curious why I'd come back to the capital, so he came over to ask."

Linghu Qiu stared at him as though he had lost his mind.

"Just for that?"

"Impossible!"

"The dignified Chief Steward of the Inner Palace came personally to see you just to ask that?"

"Would such a trivial matter require him to come himself?"

"He could've sent Third Madam Pei over to ask and been done with it."

Niu Youdao casually brushed him off.

"I find it strange too."

"..."

Linghu Qiu was left speechless. Niu Youdao did not return to the courtyard Feng Entai had occupied. Instead, he went back to the main courtyard and paced through it in thought. He had abandoned the idea of escaping through the tunnel. Bu Xun had personally appeared here.

A man of his position carried weight in every word and deed and had no need to put on an empty show for Niu Youdao. It seemed the affair had truly passed. There was no longer any reason to flee. Only the emperor's behavior remained shrouded in clouds and mist, impossible for Niu Youdao to grasp.

Niu Youdao had already clenched his fist, ready to strike back the moment anything went wrong and throw the entire Qi capital into chaos. Then the other side suddenly made a move like this. The target he had prepared to hit simply vanished. All the preparations he had made in secret had become useless. He did not know whether he had escaped a calamity, or Hao Yuntu had escaped a catastrophe.

In any case, facing that emperor left him with the uncomfortable feeling that he was always one move behind.

"Sir, Bu Xun definitely came to see him for some reason."

"He absolutely didn't tell us the truth."

"He's definitely hiding something from us."

Inside the pavilion, Hongfu watched Niu Youdao pacing around the courtyard and murmured the words to Linghu Qiu. Linghu Qiu could see that too. But if Niu Youdao refused to say, what could he do? Who didn't have secrets of his own? Linghu Qiu himself was hiding things from Niu Youdao. Could he speak openly about them? Night descended. The Qi capital glittered with brilliant lamps.

Standing atop the pavilion, Niu Youdao immersed himself in the night and gazed toward the distant prosperity of the city. He had been in the Qi capital for many days and had yet to properly look at it. He had wanted to. But nothing had been under his control. Every step of this journey had been perilous, leaving him no freedom to indulge himself. Nearby, Linghu Qiu sat against the railing with an air of refusing to leave Niu Youdao's side.

From time to time he lifted a finger and teased the Moon Butterfly dancing around him, occasionally glancing toward Niu Youdao to observe his reaction. Hongxiu approached quickly and flew directly onto the upper floor. She first gave Linghu Qiu a meaningful look, then presented a token to Niu Youdao with both hands.

"Master Dao, someone outside asks to see you."

"The visitor said you would understand once you saw this."

"Third Madam Pei is there as well."

"Some of the people accompanying her also seem to be the same ones who escorted Bu Xun here during the day."

Third Madam Pei had come again? Linghu Qiu's gaze flickered. He rose and immediately reached out to take the token first, turning it over for a look. It was different from Bu Xun's dragon-patterned token.

Another token!

He muttered inwardly. Niu Youdao took it from him and examined it. It was the very token Bu Xun had taken back earlier that day.

Holding it in his hand, Niu Youdao said calmly, "Invite them in."

Hongxiu left. Niu Youdao clasped his hands behind his back, turned, and descended the pavilion without haste. He wanted to see exactly which person from the State of Yan had come to meet him. Before long, a group entered. Third Madam Pei was among them. The others surrounded a figure wrapped in a cloak. Judging from the clothing and build, it seemed to be a woman. That only made Niu Youdao more curious. The visitor's head remained covered.

She walked gracefully with her face lowered, so that only the area below her nose could be seen. Her features remained hidden. The same rules from the daytime were followed. Linghu Qiu and the others were once again cleared away and kept at a distance. Only Niu Youdao and the cloaked woman remained.

"Please." Niu Youdao extended a hand toward the mysterious visitor.

She followed quietly and gracefully. Together, the two entered the main hall.

[End of Chapter 317]