Chapter 369: First, Put These Monks Under Control

At the Provincial Inspector's Residence in Beizhou, Shao Sansheng and Shao Pingbo entered the study one after the other.

Once Shao Pingbo was seated, Shao Sansheng served him tea and reported, "Miss Su sent word. The Grand Princess of the State of Qi and the son of the State of Qi's Supreme General have just married, so there have been a great many celebrations lately. The Prince of the Western Court may summon her to accompany him at any time, so she cannot come here."

Shao Pingbo fell silent.

There was nothing unreasonable about the explanation, yet he had always been keenly sensitive to such things. Something about Su Zhao's attitude felt subtly different.

In the past, the moment Su Zhao heard he had business, she would do everything possible to rush over. The last time, when Madam Ruan and her son were killed, Su Zhao had even used Xiaoyue Pavilion's flying mounts for private ends and hurried there to extricate him from danger. This time, he did not know whether it was merely his imagination.

After a while, he said slowly, "After this marriage alliance, Hao Yuntu will have essentially no worries at home for quite some time. Hao Yuntu... truly a ruler who has restored the State of Qi to strength."

News of the marriage alliance between Hao Yuntu and Huyan Wuhen had reached them long ago. Dachan Mountain was hardly going to block even information like that from him.

He let the matter drop and turned his gaze back to the map. "The fleet has slowed considerably of late."

Shao Sansheng replied, "They've run into storm after storm and lost several more ships, so their progress has slowed. Twelve ships have been lost so far, along with more than a thousand warhorses. A pity."

Transporting thirty thousand warhorses overland would have meant unavoidable losses, much less transporting them by sea. But that was not what concerned Shao Pingbo.

He rose, walked to the map, and clasped his hands behind his back. "Everything went smoothly before. Why have mishaps begun happening one after another just as they're getting close? Could there be a problem?"

Shao Sansheng knew that any irregularity could arouse this young master's suspicion. "The weather at sea is unpredictable. Mishaps are unavoidable. There's nothing unusual about it."

"But one mishap after another..." Shao Pingbo turned his head. "Have they entered a storm belt?"

Shao Sansheng was speechless. There were enough matters on land that he could not fully understand; naturally he paid even less attention to affairs at sea. He was not that broadly learned. With a bitter smile, he said, "This old servant isn't sure."

Shao Pingbo said, "See whether you can find people who regularly sail those waters and ask them."

"Yes!" Shao Sansheng answered.

Dozens of riders thundered into Qingshan Commandery.

Outside the Commandery Governor's Residence, Shang Chaozong and the others came out in person to receive them. Peng Youzai, Sect Leader of Tianyu Sect, had personally brought a group of senior sect figures. Feng Entai, who had already returned from the State of Qi, was among them.

The group entered the residence.

About an hour later, they came out again. This time Shang Chaozong and the others joined them as they rode straight out of the city toward the valley beyond.

Fei Changliu, Zheng Jiuxiao, Xia Hua, and the others had received word and were already waiting at the valley entrance. They greeted Peng Youzai and the others as they dismounted and escorted them inside.

Fei Changliu and the others invited them to rest at their sect quarters, but Peng Youzai waved the suggestion aside. "No need for formalities. We'll talk here."

He pointed toward the brewing site ahead and walked over first. He held the highest standing present, so everyone could only follow his lead. They stopped outside the cave where the liquor was brewed. No one was allowed to enter casually.

Breathing in the fragrance of alcohol, Peng Youzai stared at the cave mouth for a while before turning back. "Two or three months have passed without any word from Niu Youdao. His Highness hasn't received anything either. Sect Leaders, what exactly is going on?"

Fei Changliu, Zheng Jiuxiao, and Xia Hua exchanged glances.

Fei Changliu shook his head. "We don't know either. If we'd received any news, we would have informed His Highness long ago."

Peng Youzai said, "Are you joking with me? The disciples of your three sects should all be at Niu Youdao's side, shouldn't they? Hundreds of your disciples have gone months without contacting you. Is that possible?"

Xia Hua said, "Sect Leader Peng, we're even more anxious about this than you are. Several hundred elite disciples from our three sects have lost contact. We want to know what happened as well, but the truth is that we simply cannot reach them."

At the mention of it, Shang Shuqing, who stood nearby, looked anxious too. Everyone was worried that something might have happened. Otherwise, how could there have been no news at all?

Peng Youzai said, "Your three sects and Niu Youdao sent my Tianyu Sect disciples back and took responsibility for the warhorse matter yourselves. Now you can't even give an explanation. If this delays a major affair, can you bear the responsibility?"

The three sect leaders ground their teeth inwardly. This had clearly been Niu Youdao's decision, yet Peng Youzai insisted on binding the three sects to it as well. His intent was obvious.

Zheng Jiuxiao cupped his hands toward Feng Entai. "Brother Feng, you and Niu Youdao are sworn brothers. You should know more clearly than we do what happened, shouldn't you?"

Hearing this, Peng Youzai glanced sideways at his junior brother.

Feng Entai answered expressionlessly, "You people sent us back before you. How would I know what happened? I should be asking you."

Peng Youzai said, "Sect Leaders, there are rumors in the Qi capital that Niu Youdao and Linghu Qiu were captured by the court of the State of Qi. Is it true?"

Fei Changliu immediately cupped his hands toward Shang Chaozong. "Your Highness, that is absolutely a rumor. After those rumors appeared, Niu Youdao sent us a message telling us to wait patiently. You know about that. If he had been captured, how could he have sent us a message?"

Even if those on this side knew something had happened to Niu Youdao, they could not admit it. The instant they did, Tianyu Sect would not have come merely to exchange words.

Shang Chaozong's expression was grave.

Tianyu Sect had plainly come looking for trouble.

Peng Youzai said, "I hear Hongniang's people from the Qi capital have already arrived here. Call one over and ask."

Those from Fufang Garden who had split up to travel separately had been arriving here in secret one after another, apart from the people with other assignments. At Peng Youzai's order, Old Third Zhang from Fufang Garden was summoned. He was a rather wooden-looking man. After arriving, he cupped his hands to everyone present.

Once he understood the question, Old Third Zhang answered calmly, "All of you ask me almost the same thing every day. My answer is still the same. I can't contact the Proprietress and the others either. Farewell."

With that, he turned and left.

Tianyu Sect elder Chen Tingxiu immediately shouted, "What kind of attitude is that?"

Old Third Zhang ignored him and kept walking.

"You..." Chen Tingxiu was about to flare up when Peng Youzai raised a hand to stop him.

"What about Yuan Fang? He's one of Niu Youdao's trusted people. He should know something. Call him over."

Before long, Yuan Fang was summoned.

The moment he heard what this was about, he began sighing. "Aren't you asking what you already know? None of you is unaware of how anxious I've been these past few days. I can't contact Master Dao and the others either!"

On this point, he truly was anxious.

Peng Youzai stared at him coldly. "This is no game. You can't speak carelessly. If you do, you'll bear responsibility for it."

Yuan Fang's eyes widened. "Sect Leader Peng, I'm not out of my mind. Why would I lie about something like this?"

Peng Youzai nodded. "Good. Then you dare take responsibility for what you just said?"

Yuan Fang thumped his chest twice. "Of course I do. I have no reason to lie!"

Peng Youzai waved a hand. "Men. First, put these monks under control."

People immediately flashed out from both sides and seized Yuan Fang before he could react.

Held fast, Yuan Fang shrieked, "Peng Youzai, what do you mean by this?"

Peng Youzai said, "Once it's proven that you didn't lie, naturally I'll release you."

Seeing Tianyu Sect disciples already dispersing to seize the monks of Nanshan Temple, Yuan Fang immediately screamed toward Shang Chaozong, "Your Highness! Your Highness! What is going on?"

Shang Shuqing was about to step forward and speak on their behalf when Lan Ruoting reached out and stopped her. He gave her a slight shake of the head, signaling her not to act rashly.

Shang Chaozong's face darkened. "Sect Leader Peng, this is hardly appropriate."

Peng Youzai turned back. "Your Highness, how long has the warhorse matter already dragged on, and how much longer can it drag? Niu Youdao spent all this time on it, then suddenly vanished without a trace after sending Tianyu Sect's disciples home. If he has simply run away, are Tianyu Sect's disciples supposed to return to the State of Qi and start over from nothing? Nanzhou's Provincial Governor Zhou Shouxian is already getting restless. If something happens, someone has to bear responsibility. If Niu Youdao has run, are we supposed to let all his subordinates run too?"

Shang Chaozong's cheeks tightened.

He badly wanted to ask what Tianyu Sect had been doing while taking the largest share of the benefits if all responsibility for the warhorses was now being dumped onto Niu Youdao. Yet there were words he could not say at present. An arm could not overpower a thigh.

The monks of Nanshan Temple were no match for Tianyu Sect cultivators. Before long, every one of them had been captured, and even Yuan Fang, who had been squawking without pause, had his mouth stopped. Fei Changliu, Zheng Jiuxiao, and Xia Hua all looked grim, yet none dared openly confront Tianyu Sect. By now, anyone could see it. Everything Peng Youzai had said was merely an excuse. Tianyu Sect had come for these monks.

Yuan Fang and the others possessed the secret formula for brewing the liquor.

Fei Changliu spoke up. "Sect Leader Peng, we still don't know what is happening on Niu Youdao's side. Arresting his people now is inappropriate. How about this: hand these monks to our three sects for safekeeping. We guarantee they won't run. If they do, our three sects will bear responsibility."

"Exactly!" Zheng Jiuxiao and Xia Hua agreed together.

Peng Youzai said, "No need. You're all wearing the same pair of trousers. If all of you run too, who am I supposed to go after?"

Fei Changliu said, "If you do this and Niu Youdao returns, how are we supposed to explain it to him? Sect Leader Peng, don't forget that Niu Youdao also knows the brewing formula. If you anger him enough that he makes the formula public, this entire source of profit will become worthless."

Peng Youzai said, "You're overthinking it. Tianyu Sect is not unreasonable. Ten days. I'll give you ten days to contact him. In ten days, a message can make a round trip to any corner beneath Heaven. As long as you can reach him and have him give an explanation, I'll release them immediately. But if no one can contact him at all, are all of us supposed to sit here forever and wait? How many matters are waiting to be handled? Ten days. If I receive no answer in ten days, Tianyu Sect will immediately send disciples back to the Qi capital to handle the warhorse affair ourselves. Conduct yourselves accordingly. I won't keep you company any longer. Your Highness, let us return together."

He extended a hand in invitation toward Shang Chaozong. They had come quickly and left just as quickly. Yuan Fang and the others were taken away under guard. The three sect leaders looked terrible. Shang Shuqing bit her lip and said nothing.

Xia Hua said indignantly, "They came for the formula. They want the secret in their own hands. Even if Niu Youdao comes back afterward, even if he successfully obtains the warhorses, I'm afraid the division of profits will no longer follow the proportions we originally agreed on."

The others understood her meaning.

Even if Niu Youdao threatened to make the formula public, Tianyu Sect could find some pretext to threaten this side with force and compel everyone to renegotiate the shares. Would they accept a smaller benefit and settle the matter, or fight to mutual destruction and get nothing at all?

And if something truly had happened to Niu Youdao and he could never return, Tianyu Sect would lose nothing by holding the formula. They could cast this side aside, operate it themselves, and profit just the same.

Fei Changliu ground his teeth. "They've found an opening and taken the moral high ground. What can we do?"

[End of Chapter 369]