Chapter 374: Ghost Mother Arrives

If Niu Youdao had not mentioned the ships, it might have been another matter. Once he did, the Tianyu Sect party looked out at the fleet and realized that the expense truly could not be small.

People from their side had already gone aboard some of the vessels and seen the condition with their own eyes. The interiors of the horse transports really had been dismantled almost beyond recognition. Partitions, small cabins, and similar structures had all been torn out and rebuilt into pens for confining horses. To turn them back into cargo ships, they would certainly have to be refitted again. Feng Entai had nothing to say.

Leaving aside the argument about the ships, it was undeniably true that Niu Youdao had kept Tianyu Sect's people out of danger. Thinking again of Black Peony's death, and of the five giant flying birds sent in pursuit, he could not help feeling somewhat ashamed.

Their sworn brotherhood might have been entered into hastily, and perhaps Niu Youdao had only been wary of involving Tianyu Sect, but this sworn brother of his had still treated him well enough.

Of course, if Feng Entai knew that Niu Youdao had once intended to use his group as bait to draw the enemy out, and that he had escaped disaster only because Xiaoyue Pavilion happened to see through Niu Youdao's scheme, one could only wonder how he would feel. In the end, Tianyu Sect's senior figures left first. The five million gold coins were still paid to Niu Youdao.

On horseback, Chen Tingxiu complained, "Senior Brother, five million is no small amount. We just gave it to him like that?"

Peng Youzai said, "It was only bargaining. Thirty thousand warhorses transported all this way—five million isn't an excessive total cost. Money that should be paid has to be paid. If we force him into making the liquor formula public, our losses will be even greater. Given his present circumstances, it would be difficult for him to leave this side anyway. As long as we still have him in our grasp, we can deal with him whenever necessary. What we want is all of Nanzhou. Don't lose sight of the greater prize over something small. His ability is still useful to us. "And if we refused to pay when we weren't the ones who obtained the warhorses, what would everyone throughout the two commanderies think of Tianyu Sect? The hearts of the people have value too. Besides, we won't truly be out the full five million. We can recover some of it elsewhere."

Everyone looked toward him.

Chen Tingxiu asked in surprise, "Recover it from where?"

Peng Youzai said, "With a commotion this large and so many warhorses arriving, do you think we can hide it from everyone else? Jinzhou maintains its own army and needs warhorses as well. Once they hear the news, they'll certainly come looking for us. We can't avoid an ally who comes to our door. For our expansion afterward, we'll still need the support of Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion and Jinzhou. We'll certainly have to give them several thousand horses. Five thousand should do. Keeping too many warhorses here is expensive anyway. When they come to us, we'll sell them five thousand at a high price."

Everyone understood.

So that was his plan.

Peng Youzai said, "Everyone, hear out what I intend to do next and think it over carefully."

"Please speak, Sect Leader," Chen Tingxiu said.

The others turned their attention to him as well.

"The warhorse matter has been settled. We only need to keep pressure on Shang Chaozong and make sure he follows through. The next step is all of Nanzhou. Everyone already knows that. Before then, Tianyu Sect needs to consolidate all of its strength. Our forces are too scattered. The other three commanderies must be integrated with the two we hold here, and Tianyu Sect itself must relocate here as a whole. "This side has the foundation left by Prince Ning, Shang Jianbo, so it is developing rapidly, and we also have Jinzhou as an allied support. Once everything is consolidated here, it can become the foundation for Tianyu Sect's expansion."

Feng Entai pulled a face. "Sect Leader, those three commanderies are scattered all over the place and separated by great distances. There's no way to merge them together."

"We can negotiate with the imperial court. Have the court carve three commanderies out of Nanzhou and exchange them for the three scattered commanderies we currently control. Those three distant territories tie down a great deal of our strength. From the court's perspective, they're also worried about disturbances breaking out in several places at once. Concentrating us in one region would make it easier for them to deal with us as well. Each side gets something it wants. "As long as we're willing to sacrifice some interests and give the court a way to save face, there's a good chance the agreement can be reached. Nanzhou has eleven commanderies. If we can occupy five of them and concentrate our strength there, it will clear away a considerable obstacle to unifying all of Nanzhou in the future. "We need Shang Chaozong to take Nanzhou, but that doesn't mean Nanzhou must ultimately be handed to him. He is Shang Jianbo's son. We still need to guard against him. Once the troops from the other three commanderies are moved here, they can restrain him if necessary."

Everyone took those words seriously and fell into thought. They more or less understood his intent. For quite a long time to come, Tianyu Sect would at best be able to secure its hold over Nanzhou. Its strength would not support greater ambitions anytime soon. The sect could expand its number of disciples rapidly, but cultivation could not be raised overnight. That required a great deal of time. Tianyu Sect's foundation was still too shallow. They had to act within their means.

Shang Chaozong's ambitions, however, were unlikely to stop at Nanzhou. He might very well intend to settle accounts with the Emperor of Yan, Shang Jianxiong. If Tianyu Sect was not strong enough, Shang Chaozong might introduce other major powers to balance Tianyu Sect. That was not something Tianyu Sect wanted to see.

The name Feng Lingbo flashed through more than one mind. A few people secretly glanced at Peng Youzai, wondering whether the Sect Leader intended to hand Nanzhou to Feng Lingbo instead... Niu Youdao watched Peng Youzai and the others depart.

Guan Fangyi glanced at the gold drafts in his hand and sneered. "Master Dao, you're ruthless enough. You robbed Beizhou's warhorses and then sold them to your own people. You're awfully smooth at one thief robbing another. Doesn't look like your first time doing this."

Niu Youdao looked back at her. "Didn't you say I was supposed to support you? How am I supposed to keep you without money?"

Guan Fangyi's eyes immediately lit up. "How much are you planning to give me?"

Niu Youdao lowered his head, counted out a hundred gold drafts, and waved them before her eyes.

Guan Fangyi snatched them from his hand and hugged them to her chest, beaming. "Now that's more like it. I'll gladly accept."

Niu Youdao counted out another hundred gold drafts and handed them to Old Six Xu beside him. Old Six Xu took them blankly, not understanding what they were for. He looked at Guan Fangyi, who had received exactly the same amount.

Guan Fangyi raised an eyebrow and gave Niu Youdao a cold look, seriously suspecting that the bastard was trying to sow discord among her people.

"Master Dao, what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Niu Youdao said to Old Six Xu, "Take this money to the fleet and give it to them."

Guan Fangyi froze. "Give it to the fleet? Their employers already paid them a large deposit. There isn't much more we owe them. A few hundred thousand would be enough to cover their losses. Did you spend so long fooling Tianyu Sect that you managed to fool yourself too?"

Niu Youdao said, "Take people with you and find out exactly who stands behind those shipowners and how to contact them. I like making friends. Give them the entire million and make our friends happy. We may deal with them again in the future. I don't let my friends suffer losses. Do you understand what I mean?"

Guan Fangyi turned and looked at the harbor of Qingshan Commandery, thoughtful.

Then she turned to Old Six Xu. "Go."

"All right." Old Six Xu nodded and left.

Niu Youdao counted out another million and casually handed it to Gongsun Bu. "This year's expenses."

Gongsun Bu looked embarrassed. "Master Dao, this is too much."

They had originally agreed on five hundred thousand a year. Niu Youdao said nothing more. He simply pressed the money into Gongsun Bu's hands, then turned and walked toward Lu Lijun and the others. When he reached Lu Lijun, Niu Youdao held out the remaining stack of gold drafts.

"Two million."

Lu Lijun frowned. "What is this supposed to mean?"

"Everyone worked hard along the way, and the whole affair depended on your cooperation. A small token of appreciation."

"There's no need for money. I only want the person."

A woman's sinister voice came from behind Lu Lijun. Lu Lijun immediately stepped aside. The ghost cultivators behind him also moved rapidly to either side, revealing a tall, graceful woman dressed in black. Her skin was whiter than snow, her long hair drifted loose, and a black veil covered the lower half of her face beneath a pair of cold eyes. Seeing the attitude of the ghost cultivators, Niu Youdao immediately realized who she was.

His heart tightened in secret.

When had this woman boarded the ship? He had not sensed her at all. The round fan in Guan Fangyi's hand suddenly stopped moving. Her lips pressed together. She too had realized the woman's identity.

The woman in black walked slowly forward and stopped in front of Niu Youdao. Green light appeared faintly in her cold eyes.

"You said what you wanted done, and I did it. I hope you'll keep your word as well. That isn't an excessive request, is it? Where is he?"

Niu Youdao turned his head. "Go to the relay station and get us a clean room."

Then he extended a hand toward the woman in invitation. "Please."

The two walked side by side toward the relay station. In the distance, the leaders of the three sects and the others who were discussing the allocation of warhorses with Shang Chaozong all looked over, wondering who the woman in black might be.

Once they entered the room prepared at the relay station, Niu Youdao cupped his hands to the woman. "Greetings, Ghost Mother."

The woman in black was indeed Ghost Mother.

"Cut the nonsense. I want the person."

"Please sit. We can talk slowly after we sit down."

Niu Youdao invited her to sit, then took the seat opposite. He placed the stack of gold drafts on the table once more and pushed it toward her.

"What I did this time was not exactly honorable. This is a small token of apology. Please accept it."

"I want the person, not money."

Niu Youdao turned toward Guan Fangyi. "Send word to Old Second Wu. Have him return the man safely and securely. Not a hair on him is to be harmed."

Guan Fangyi immediately nodded to Uncle Chen.

Uncle Chen turned and left.

"I'm releasing him. Please accept this token as well." Niu Youdao gestured toward the money.

Ghost Mother said, "I haven't seen him yet, and you think this is enough to send me away?"

Niu Youdao smiled. "I'm afraid that even after you see him, Ghost Mother, you don't intend to let me off easily."

Ghost Mother's eyes flickered.

Niu Youdao sighed. "He's still in the State of Qi, not here. But I can guarantee there will be no problem whatsoever. The question now is this: Xianyin Mountain helped me, which means you've offended the Prince of the Western Court. How will you deal with him in the future?"

"That is no concern of yours. He failed to keep a secret he was supposed to keep. He has no standing to demand an accounting from me."

Niu Youdao nodded. "I understand. I've also heard that Xianyin Mountain is suited to ghost cultivators. Back when you sought Xianyin Mountain as a place to establish yourself, the State of Jin happened to be invading the State of Qi. You reached an agreement with the previous emperor of the State of Qi: you would help repel the enemy, and you guaranteed that if the State of Qi were invaded by another state in the future, you would step forward to help again. That was why the court of the State of Qi granted Xianyin Mountain to you. Naturally, Hao Yunsheng, Prince of the Western Court, would not dare openly move against Xianyin Mountain."

Ghost Mother said, "Good that you understand."

Niu Youdao said, "There's only one thing I find strange. Judging from Zhang Xingrui's situation, he lives freely enough and doesn't seem to be a hostage Hao Yunsheng uses to threaten you. Xianyin Mountain therefore appears to have no need to do anything so dangerous. A group of ghost cultivators finding a place to settle is no easy matter. Surely you know the State of Qi's national policy. Why, then, did you help the Prince of the Western Court smuggle warhorses out of the state?"

Ghost Mother said, "Do you truly think the court of the State of Qi didn't know this shipment of warhorses was leaving the state?"

[End of Chapter 374]