Chapter 357: Crossing a Thousand Mountains and Ten Thousand Waters to Seek a Master

Inside the imperial palace, Hao Yuntu sat fishing by the lakeside. Bu Xun approached carrying a food box. He stopped nearby, took out the pastries inside, and arranged them on a small table beside the emperor.

"Her Majesty the Empress made these herself."

Hao Yuntu gave an "Mm," glanced back at the pastries, picked up one, and put it into his mouth.

After he swallowed, Bu Xun handed him tea. Only after taking back the cup did he say, "Mr. Yucang will arrive soon. General Huyan has personally gone to the southern city gate to receive him."

Hao Yuntu nodded slightly. "Huyan once received his instruction. Yucang can be counted as half a teacher to him. A student going out to welcome his teacher is only proper..." At this point, he seemed to remember something and slowly turned his head. "What is Qingqing doing?"

Bu Xun did not understand why the emperor's thoughts had suddenly jumped to Hao Qingqing, but he quickly grasped something and smiled. "Her Majesty the Empress is making the Grand Princess embroider."

"Embroider? Her?" Hao Yuntu plainly knew his daughter very well and burst out laughing. "She'd sooner put on a flower show!"

Bu Xun said, "The Grand Princess tried sneaking out of the palace again this morning to find Niu Youdao. Her Majesty caught her and brought her back for punishment."

"So it's punishment." Hao Yuntu shook his head. "I've spoiled that girl. I wonder whether the man she marries someday will pamper her the way I do." Then he asked, "Have Niu Youdao's whereabouts been confirmed?"

Bu Xun replied, "Confirmed. They changed mounts at several horse ranches. The Office of Investigation's people stationed there observed them carefully one after another. It should be Niu Youdao, Guan Fangyi, and the others in disguise, five people in all. They've been heading west the entire time."

Hao Yuntu asked, "That Linghu Qiu still hasn't confessed?"

Bu Xun said, "He refuses to let go of Niu Youdao. He says he won't confess unless we bring Niu Youdao to him. From the look of it, he hates Niu Youdao to the bone!"

"Heh. Sworn brothers!" Hao Yuntu's face was full of mockery. "No hurry. Take it slowly. I want to see whether there are people from Xiaoyue Pavilion around him."

Bu Xun said, "This old servant has already set the trap and is waiting. Whether they come to silence him or rescue him, once they show themselves, they won't escape!"

Hao Yuntu said, "Why do I have the feeling Niu Youdao wants me and Xiaoyue Pavilion to tear into each other?"

Bu Xun replied, "That is probably exactly what he intends. The boy is exceedingly crafty."

"A little craftiness is good. If everyone around Shang Chaozong were incompetent, I would have given away those warhorses for nothing..."

At the southern city gate, Zha Hu stood atop the wall and gazed into the distance. When a convoy of carriages and horses appeared far away, he immediately signaled to the officer beside him.

At a command, troops rushed out from within the city and swiftly took control of the entire southern gate, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving. Huyan Wuhen emerged from the gate tower.

Accompanied by Zha Hu and guarded by experts from the three major sects, he descended the wall, went outside the city, and waited for the approaching procession. The convoy arrived and stopped. The curtain of the lead carriage lifted, revealing Mr. Yucang seated inside. Huyan Wuhen cupped his hands.

"Greetings, Mr. Yucang."

Mr. Yucang smiled from within the carriage.

"Supreme General, there's no need for such ceremony. Why not come aboard and talk?"

Huyan Wuhen immediately boarded. Zha Hu gave a wave of his hand. A group mounted their horses and pushed Mr. Yucang's own escorts farther back, while Huyan Wuhen's men took over protection of the lead carriage. The convoy began moving again and slowly entered the city. Inside the carriage, Mr. Yucang and Huyan Wuhen sat side by side, looking out at the city through the window.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Huyan Wuhen asked, "Sir, do you have a place to stay in the capital? This student has prepared a guesthouse. If Sir does not disdain it..."

Mr. Yucang raised a hand to interrupt him.

"There's no need to trouble the Supreme General. I've already purchased a residence here."

The two reminisced as the convoy moved through the city. Only when it stopped outside Fufang Garden did Huyan Wuhen discover that the residence Mr. Yucang had purchased was actually Fufang Garden. Mr. Yucang had already sent people ahead to take possession and clean the estate. He could move in directly.

"Won't you come in and sit for a while?" Mr. Yucang invited him.

Huyan Wuhen still declined politely and got out of the carriage. Mr. Yucang merely smiled and did not insist. He understood that everyone had his own difficulties. Huyan Wuhen could welcome him publicly and could appear with him in public, but he would not meet him privately.

After all, Huyan Wuhen was Supreme General of the State of Qi, holding vast military power, while some of Mr. Yucang's students were enemies of the State of Qi. After Huyan Wuhen left, the convoy drove directly into Fufang Garden. Once inside, the lead carriage pulled aside and Mr. Yucang descended.

He stood beside the road, cupped his hands, and bowed as he watched the remaining four carriages continue toward the main residence—the courtyard that had once belonged to Guan Fangyi, the former mistress of the estate. Only after those four carriages had disappeared did Mr. Yucang straighten. He walked around Fufang Garden for a while, admiring its elegant surroundings, and could not help praising it.

"A fine place. A great deal of thought went into it. Hongniang of the Qi capital certainly knew how to enjoy life. It really is a pity to sell a place like this."

His disciple Guo Xingshan, walking beside him, smiled.

"Presumably she was reluctant to sell it as well."

While they were strolling through the garden, someone suddenly came to report that the palace had sent a messenger. Emperor Hao Yuntu had arranged a banquet inside the palace.

San Qianli, Sect Leader of Daqiu Sect; Bei Xuan, Sect Leader of Xuanbing Sect; and Yuwen Yan, Sect Leader of Tianhuo Sect, were already there. With such a gathering, Mr. Yucang could hardly refuse. Not going would be refusing to give them face. He took two disciples and left Fufang Garden for the imperial palace. Someone was already waiting at the palace gate to receive him. Chief Steward of the Inner Palace Bu Xun personally welcomed the guest, so naturally they passed through without obstruction.

The emperor had arranged the banquet within the imperial gardens, beneath Lingxiao Pavilion. Mr. Yucang's disciples stopped below. Only Mr. Yucang followed Bu Xun upstairs. Disciples of the three major sects guarded the pavilion level by level. At the top floor, from which one could overlook the capital's scenery and shifting winds, host and guests finally met.

"Your Majesty. Brother Qianli. Brother Bei Xuan. Brother Yuwen!"

"Mr. Yucang. Brother Yucang. Brother Yucang. Brother Yucang!"

They exchanged greetings and sat. Five long tables had been arranged into a five-sided circle, with no distinction of upper or lower seat. Hao Yuntu wore ordinary informal robes and waved for wine and dishes to be served. Afterward, everyone unnecessary withdrew. Only Bu Xun remained to oversee the banquet and summon palace attendants whenever anything needed replenishing.

Following a round of polite conversation, San Qianli asked, "I hear Brother Yucang purchased Fufang Garden?"

Mr. Yucang said, "I heard the garden was quite good, and it happened to be for sale, so I bought it. Before coming, I had actually intended to visit someone there. Unfortunately, when I arrived, the man had already left. I truly regret missing him."

The others exchanged glances, all somewhat surprised.

San Qianli asked curiously, "Whom did Brother Yucang wish to see?"

"Niu Youdao!" Mr. Yucang answered. "I won't hide it from any of you. I came on this journey because of Niu Youdao. Unfortunately, he left before I arrived. Missing him was truly regrettable."

Now all four were even more puzzled.

Yuwen Yan said, "Niu Youdao may possess some small reputation, but surely not enough to make Brother Yucang cross a thousand mountains and ten thousand waters just to meet him?"

Mr. Yucang sighed. "It isn't precisely that I wished to meet him. My sister-in-law wishes to see him. She wants my nephew to take Niu Youdao as his master!"

The four were surprised yet again. Naturally, they knew who he meant by his sister-in-law. Hao Yuntu glanced back at Bu Xun.

Seeing Bu Xun give a tiny shake of his head to indicate he knew nothing of this, Hao Yuntu asked in puzzlement, "Sir is a great scholar of broad learning. Who knows how many people beneath Heaven wish to become your disciples? What is there that Sir cannot teach your nephew, such that he must take Niu Youdao as his master?"

Mr. Yucang waved a hand.

"Your Majesty's words are mistaken. When three walk together, there is sure to be one from whom I can learn. Niu Youdao is a master of poetry and verse. My sister-in-law greatly admires his work, and I too must admit I am inferior to him in that field. In poetry and verse, Niu Youdao is fully qualified to be my nephew's teacher. A mother wishes to find a worthy teacher for her son. Her feelings are understandable."

The others listened as though hearing some fantastical tale.

Bei Xuan asked doubtfully, "Niu Youdao is still so young. Calling him a master of poetry and verse may be overstating matters. Forgive my ignorance, but why have I never heard any of his poems?"

"Haha!" Mr. Yucang threw back his head and laughed.

When his laughter faded, he raised his cup, contemplated it, and slowly recited:

"In Peach Blossom Vale stands Peach Blossom Hermitage;
Beneath Peach Blossom Hermitage dwells a Peach Blossom Immortal.
The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees,
And plucks peach blossoms to trade for wine.
Sober, he sits only before the flowers;
Drunk, he comes again to sleep beneath them.
Half sober, half drunk, day after day;
Flowers fall, flowers bloom, year after year.
I only wish to grow old and die amid flowers and wine,
Never to bow before carriages and horses..."

Before everyone present, he recited Niu Youdao's peach-blossom poem.

When he finished, he asked them, "Gentlemen, what do you think of it?"

Everyone fell silent, turning the poem over in his mind. Hao Yuntu was the first to recover.

"This poem was written by Niu Youdao?"

Mr. Yucang smiled without answering. He drained his cup, lifted the wine flask, poured another, and slowly recited a second piece:

"The rolling Yangtze sweeps eastward,
Its waves washing all heroes away.
Right and wrong, success and defeat—
All turn empty in the blink of an eye.
The green mountains remain unchanged;
How many times has the sunset reddened?
White-haired fishers and woodcutters on the river isles
Have long watched autumn moons and spring winds.
Gladly meeting over a jug of cloudy wine,
How many affairs of ancient and present
Are all consigned to laughter and talk!"

The moment the verse ended, everyone present was visibly moved. San Qianli slapped the table in praise.

"What a line—'The rolling Yangtze sweeps eastward, its waves washing all heroes away!'"

Bei Xuan slowly nodded along with the cadence.

"'The green mountains remain unchanged; how many times has the sunset reddened?'"

Yuwen Yan narrowed his eyes and added, "'White-haired fishers and woodcutters on the river isles have long watched autumn moons and spring winds.' Transcendent! That is precisely the bearing of cultivators such as ourselves!"

"'The rolling Yangtze sweeps eastward...'" Hao Yuntu too murmured the words, savoring them.

Mr. Yucang raised his cup and invited everyone to drink. The others accompanied him for a cup.

After setting his wine down, Hao Yuntu said, "It is indeed excellent verse, though perhaps somewhat too detached and pessimistic. Sir, are both of these Niu Youdao's works?"

Mr. Yucang nodded.

"Correct. These are the only two I know. Whether he has other fine works, I cannot say. But from one spot, one may know the whole leopard. With such a foundation, he cannot possibly be poor."

San Qianli clicked his tongue in admiration.

"No wonder Madam Zhong crossed a thousand mountains and ten thousand waters to seek a master for her son. I truly never imagined Niu Youdao possessed talent like this hidden so deeply. Had I known earlier, we should have summoned him here to meet us!"

Hao Yuntu stroked the beard on his chin. A thought had risen in his mind as well. Should he bring Niu Youdao over to teach his own children and grandchildren?

"My sister-in-law has suffered through such a long journey. Having missed him this time, who knows how far she may need to travel before she can meet him again." Mr. Yucang sighed, then suddenly looked at Hao Yuntu. "Your Majesty, do you know where Niu Youdao has gone? Could you tell me his whereabouts?"

Hao Yuntu chuckled.

"I hear he eloped with that Hongniang. As for where they went, I don't know clearly either. Presumably they've returned to the State of Yan."

Mr. Yucang looked toward Bu Xun with a faintly amused expression.

"Your Majesty's words sound somewhat contrary to your heart. Here on the soil of the State of Qi, so long as the Office of Investigation wishes to find someone with a clear identity and destination, I doubt it would be very difficult. The question is only whether Your Majesty is willing."

The implication was scarcely different from asking whether the emperor was willing to give him this face. Bu Xun lowered his eyes and remained silent. Hao Yuntu smilingly changed the subject.

"I hear General Huyan personally went out to welcome Sir when you entered the city."

Mr. Yucang said, "The Supreme General was merely being courteous."

"Ai!" Hao Yuntu waved a hand. "Sir once instructed General Huyan. It is only right that he greet you with the courtesy of a disciple. Speaking of General Huyan, I too have a headache over the younger generation of our two families. Since Sir happens to be here, I have a favor to ask."

[End of Chapter 357]