Chapter 350: Linghu Qiu Falls into the Net

There was nowhere to retreat and nowhere to run. Linghu Qiu was alarmed and uncertain. Thoughts flashed through his mind one after another. He could not tell what was happening. The only thing he could be certain of was that he had run into serious trouble.

The people before him represented the greatest powers in the State of Qi. He could not oppose them, and even if he tried, resistance would be useless. Faced with such people, struggling was meaningless. He knew he had only two choices: kill himself or obey. Once the disciples of the three major sects had closed the circle around him, they stopped advancing. Linghu Qiu did not even understand what was happening. How could he casually take his own life?

He turned toward the eunuch and cupped his hands.

"May I ask Your Excellency's honored name?"

The burly eunuch's voice was dark.

"Who I am isn't important."

Linghu Qiu gestured toward the people surrounding him.

"Have I committed some crime?"

The eunuch said, "Whether you've committed a crime, I don't know."

"Then I truly don't understand what this means. Has the capital suddenly lost all its rules?"

"You only need to follow the rules. I don't need any rules to do my work. I only need to obey orders."

"..."

With the eunuch speaking like that, what could Linghu Qiu possibly say? Judging by their behavior, he faintly sensed that they were waiting for something.

Outside the courtyard gate, a young eunuch appeared and nodded toward them.

"I have a few things to ask you. Come with me."

The burly eunuch made a gesture. Two men immediately stepped out from among those surrounding Linghu Qiu and approached. Linghu Qiu was caught in an impossible position. Resisting seemed wrong. Not resisting seemed wrong too. While he was still hesitating, the two men suddenly moved. They restrained him at once and escorted him toward the gate. Linghu Qiu had surrendered without resistance and was still desperately thinking through his options when another group appeared ahead.

They were dragging in two women who had already been beaten unconscious.

Hongxiu and Hongfu!

Linghu Qiu was shocked.

Bang!

A heavy blow suddenly struck the back of his head. His vision went black, and he lost consciousness instantly. The burly eunuch stared coldly at Linghu Qiu's hanging head.

"Hold them in secret. Not a word of this is to leak!"

Across the vast, rolling grasslands, five riders thundered onward: Niu Youdao, Guan Fangyi, Old Six Xu, Uncle Chen, and Shen Qiu. Niu Youdao had refused to let Guan Fangyi keep the rest of Fufang Garden's people with them. Too many people would draw attention, and traveling together would not necessarily be safer.

Instead, he had broken them into separate groups, given them the destination, and ordered them to make their own way toward Qingshan Commandery. All five riders had disguised themselves.

Niu Youdao had once again become the bearded man he had used before, while Guan Fangyi was dressed as a man. Linghu Qiu normally visited Fufang Garden every day to ask when the meeting with Hao Yuntu would take place.

After seeing him for the final time the previous day, they had secretly slipped out of the capital before the gates closed at dusk. The five of them could be considered the last people to leave Fufang Garden. They had remained behind to attract attention and make sure everyone else could withdraw smoothly. From dusk the previous evening until now, the five riders had traveled without rest, riding through the entire night. They were already far from the Qi capital.

The grasslands were different from other places. Everywhere was a road. Finding their exact route now would not be easy. From the previous night until the present, Guan Fangyi had barely spoken. It was obvious that leaving the Qi capital and Fufang Garden in this manner had affected her deeply. Aside from directing their route, Niu Youdao had not spoken much either. His mood was low as well. Because of Yuan Gang. They had no idea whether the sky over the Qi capital was clear.

Here, the heavens were overcast, which only made the mood heavier. A Goldenwing descended from the sky. Shen Qiu raised a hand to catch it, took out the secret message, read it, then urged his horse forward and reported to Niu Youdao. The group crested a hill. Ahead lay the edge of the dark cloudbank.

Beams of sunlight poured through gaps in the clouds and struck the earth. Green grass rolled like waves beneath the wind. A winding river shone like a ribbon of light, with scattered herds of cattle and sheep faintly visible along it. The scene was magnificent, a powerful assault on the eyes. Surprise entered Guan Fangyi's gaze.

The grandeur before her, and that boundless sense of open space, seemed to pull her out of her heavy mood in an instant. She even became faintly excited. How many years had it been?

She had lived in the Qi capital for so long that she could no longer remember how many years had passed since she had last seen such a vast and magnificent natural landscape. At this moment, she finally understood what Niu Youdao had once said to her. She had been a bird. Now she had finally escaped the cage. Heaven was high, the earth was vast, and she could spread her wings and soar freely.

"Ah..."

Guan Fangyi suddenly threw both arms wide and shouted at the top of her lungs. Uncle Chen and Old Six Xu exchanged a glance. The whole group charged down the hillside amid her cry. Riding beside her, Niu Youdao was infected by her mood as well. He looked out over the immense scenery ahead and seemed to understand what she was feeling. Then he looked at the bright-eyed, white-toothed woman riding a tall, powerful horse with a glossy coat.

Only now did he discover that even dressed as a man, this woman possessed a different sort of charm. Perhaps that was only because he knew she was a woman. There was one thing he had to admit. Looking at her now, he could almost glimpse what she must once have been. How beautiful had this woman been in her youth? How many men must have gathered around the hem of her skirts?

"Stop howling like a ghost," Niu Youdao reminded her. "Keep shouting and you'll call the wolves over."

"Get lost!" Guan Fangyi spat.

She snapped her whip at him, but Niu Youdao flicked his own and knocked hers aside.

"Haha!" Old Six Xu and Shen Qiu burst out laughing.

Even the normally unsmiling Uncle Chen showed a faint smile. All of them could feel Guan Fangyi's delight.

"Hey, you can tell me now, can't you?" Guan Fangyi seemed to have recovered enough spirit to care about something else.

Niu Youdao looked puzzled.

"Tell you what?"

"Bu Xun. What did you write in that letter you sent him?"

Niu Youdao sighed.

"He treated me without righteousness, so he can't blame me for returning the same. But we did swear brotherhood. As long as we never tore off the mask completely face-to-face, I still hoped to leave him a way to live. I wanted to save his life if I could."

"Linghu Qiu?" Guan Fangyi exclaimed in surprise.

Niu Youdao fell silent. On the surface, Linghu Qiu did not guard his food or drink against Niu Youdao's side. Niu Youdao had actually possessed many opportunities to act against him. Yet he had still asked Bu Xun to control Linghu Qiu instead.

Part of the reason was to buy himself more time to get away and prevent Xiaoyue Pavilion from reacting too quickly.

The farther he could get from the Qi capital, the wider the search area became and the harder it would be for Xiaoyue Pavilion to find him. He did not know how powerful Xiaoyue Pavilion was within the State of Qi. But he had to prepare for the worst. First, slip away quietly. Then use Linghu Qiu to delay Xiaoyue Pavilion's reaction. Finally, use Tianyu Sect to draw away Xiaoyue Pavilion's pursuit. Expose one layer, then delay them again. Layer after layer of delay.

Only by weakening the danger on his own side as much as possible could he withdraw more safely. His thoughts lingered briefly on Linghu Qiu, then shifted to Feng Entai. Once Xiaoyue Pavilion caught up with the Tianyu Sect disciples and realized what had happened, would they let them go? Keeping himself alive amid circumstances this tangled was difficult even for Niu Youdao...

Inside the imperial palace, Hao Yuntu sat in a lakeside pavilion and slowly enjoyed a bowl of soup while sunlight glittered across the water. Bu Xun approached from afar, entered the pavilion, and smiled.

"Your Majesty, is it to your taste?"

"It's acceptable." Hao Yuntu answered, then asked, "You brought the man in?"

Bu Xun immediately tilted his head toward the attendants in the pavilion.

Only after the others withdrew did he reply, "We've detained him."

Hao Yuntu asked, "Aren't they sworn brothers? Why detain Linghu Qiu? Without restraining him, could Niu Youdao not have left?"

"I don't know. There was no chance to ask. By the time the letter reached us, that fellow had already run. He's slippery as a ghost. He only said he hoped we would hold Linghu Qiu for as long as possible. A lifetime would be fine! But our people did search something interesting from Linghu Qiu and the others."

Bu Xun drew a small wooden box from his sleeve, slid it open, and placed it on the table. Two pills lay quietly inside. One red. One black.

Hao Yuntu asked, "What are they?"

Bu Xun pointed as he explained, "We've already had them examined. The red one is a Spirit-Torment Pill. The black one is its antidote. According to rumor, once the Spirit-Torment Pill takes effect, the pain is something even an immortal could not endure. That's why it's called the Spirit-Torment Pill. As for the antidote, its relief is incomplete. It only suppresses the effect for three months. After three months, another dose must be taken. This is Xiaoyue Pavilion's proprietary method for controlling people."

His last sentence carried obvious meaning. Hao Yuntu raised his eyes toward him.

"You're saying Linghu Qiu belongs to Xiaoyue Pavilion?"

"Looking back at Linghu Qiu's past behavior now, it is entirely possible."

"Heh!" Hao Yuntu gave a cold laugh. "This is rather interesting. Xiaoyue Pavilion actually planted someone specifically beside that bastard Niu Youdao. Judging by the situation, Niu Youdao seems to have known Linghu Qiu's identity already! He slipped away in secret, shook Linghu Qiu off, and still borrowed my hand to detain him. What is he trying to do?"

"Either he wants to leave Linghu Qiu a path to survival, or he doesn't want the reputation of killing his sworn brother. Perhaps both."

"Oh? Explain."

"The reasoning is simple. Linghu Qiu clearly did not know that Niu Youdao had discovered his identity. Otherwise, he would never have walked straight into the trap without the slightest caution. That means Niu Youdao must have had plenty of opportunities to act against him, yet chose not to. Niu Youdao's power cannot be compared with Your Majesty's. If Linghu Qiu fell into Niu Youdao's hands, Xiaoyue Pavilion would not care much. Falling into Your Majesty's hands is different. Xiaoyue Pavilion will be afraid. From the moment Linghu Qiu fell into Your Majesty's hands, his identity within Xiaoyue Pavilion became useless. Xiaoyue Pavilion can no longer tolerate him and will cut off every connection to him. Yet Linghu Qiu still has a path to survival while he's in Your Majesty's custody. Xiaoyue Pavilion cannot act recklessly under Your Majesty's nose."

"Does Xiaoyue Pavilion know Linghu Qiu was captured?"

"The arrest was secret. I can't be certain whether they know. But the Goldenwing Linghu Qiu used for communications is now in our hands."

"What do you intend to do?"

"This old servant believes Xiaoyue Pavilion must have its own methods for containing risk. Spending time probing elsewhere now probably has little value. Some things can be treated as though we don't know them. We can close one eye and leave them for the day they become useful. But where they have already exposed themselves, they should be taught a lesson. We need to make them understand that the State of Qi is not a place where Xiaoyue Pavilion may do whatever it pleases. In this old servant's view, we should release the Goldenwing immediately, then dispatch flying mounts to pursue the contact point it returns to. Give them no time to react. Follow the chain upward with the speed of thunder, mobilize men at once, and encircle them!"

Hao Yuntu reached out, pinched the red pill between two fingers, and examined it before his eyes. Then he spoke indifferently.

"Kill them. Kill as many as you can."

[End of Chapter 350]