Chapter 385: Best Wishes from Qingshan Commandery

Those determined to leave could not be kept. Ghost Mother had no wish to linger; once she said she was going, she left.

Niu Youdao personally saw her off. She had no intention of taking the proper road through the valley. Instead, she slipped into the vast mountain forest behind the villa and vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Judging by your expression, you seem very reluctant to see Ghost Mother leave," Guan Fangyi said from beside him when she noticed something amiss.

"Ah!" Niu Youdao let out a long sigh.

It was not that he did not want Ghost Mother to leave. What he did not want was for Ghost Mother to go to Duyun Mountain.

Ghost Mother and Yun Ji were sworn sisters. He and Yun Ji's son were sworn brothers. And now he and Ghost Mother were sworn siblings as well.

Ai! Even thinking about that relationship himself was awkward. If Ghost Mother ever found out, it would probably be rather awkward for her too...

In the imperial palace of the Qi capital, Hao Yuntu looked up from the memorials he was reviewing, somewhat surprised. "He wants Linghu Qiu released?"

Standing nearby, Bu Xun bent slightly at the waist. "Yes. Niu Youdao sent a letter asking the favor. He said Linghu Qiu is his sworn brother, after all, and that he cannot bear to see his brother suffer any longer. He earnestly asks Your Majesty to release him."

"Can't bear to see his brother suffer?" Hao Yuntu gave two cold chuckles. "Wasn't he the one who got his own brother thrown into prison to suffer in the first place? That fellow is all false sentiment. He robs Beizhou's warhorses, then pulls something like this. He has far too many tricks. What exactly is he up to?"

Bu Xun said, "This old servant also finds the matter suspicious. Your Majesty, do we release Linghu Qiu or not?"

Hao Yuntu set down his brush and leaned back in his chair. After thinking for a while, he slowly said, "Now that Linghu Qiu has fallen into our hands, Xiaoyue Pavilion should already have cut every connection that needed cutting and made whatever preparations it needed to make. Keeping him is no longer useful. We may still have use for that fellow on Shang Chaozong's side later. Linghu Qiu has already lost most of his value. At best, he can lure over a couple of flies for us to swat. Tasteless to keep, so let him go. But keep an eye on him if possible. See what Niu Youdao is playing at. That fellow managed to rob even such a vast number of Beizhou's warhorses. He has real ability when it comes to getting things done. Watch him and see."

"Yes!" Bu Xun answered.

At dusk, Dugu Jing hurried into a secluded little courtyard within Fufang Garden.

Mr. Yucang was pacing restlessly inside. The moment he saw Dugu Jing arrive, his spirits lifted and his eyes filled with inquiry. Dugu Jing gave a slight nod.

Mr. Yucang immediately swept his sleeve toward the house. They would speak inside. Master and disciple quickly entered and shut the door behind them.

Mr. Yucang turned, unable to wait another moment. "Where is it?"

Dugu Jing reached inside his robes and took out a bundle wrapped in white cloth. He spread the cloth open, revealing the bronze mirror inside, and presented it with both hands.

Mr. Yucang snatched it up and examined it front and back. Then he strode quickly to the desk, opened the old booklet once more, turned to the page bearing rubbings of the bronze mirror, and carefully compared the patterns. Dugu Jing stood nearby, holding his breath and watching intently.

After quite some time, Mr. Yucang slapped the booklet shut with one hand and pressed the bronze mirror against his chest. His face wore the deep satisfaction of a man savoring fine wine.

Dugu Jing could already tell the result from his master's rare loss of composure, but he still could not help asking for confirmation. "Master, how is it?"

Mr. Yucang smiled in complete satisfaction. "It matches. Everything matches."

"Good!" Dugu Jing nodded repeatedly, then cautiously added, "Master, could it still be fake?"

Mr. Yucang said, "One final verification remains."

Dugu Jing asked, "What do you need? This disciple will prepare it at once."

Mr. Yucang glanced at the sky outside the window. "Some things you can prepare. Some things are beyond you."

Dugu Jing cupped his hands. "Whatever Master needs, simply give the order. This disciple will obtain it at any cost."

"Haha!" Mr. Yucang laughed heartily. He reached out, patted Dugu Jing on the shoulder, then pointed toward the window. "The hour has not arrived. Even if you wanted to prepare it, you could not. We must wait until night, when the bright moon hangs high in the sky. Can you arrange the turning of the Dipper and the shifting of the stars?"

"Tonight?" Dugu Jing asked suspiciously.

Mr. Yucang turned the bronze mirror over in his hands again, running his fingers over it repeatedly. At last, he personally tucked it into his robes and kept it close against his body. Only then did he smile and ask, "How did the bargaining go during the transaction?"

Dugu Jing came back to himself. "We saved five million gold coins."

Mr. Yucang sighed. "That fellow had better not have tampered with it. As long as this is genuine, what would it matter if we gave him the full ten million?"

Dugu Jing said, "Master, Niu Youdao also asked us to pass a message to you."

"Oh?" Mr. Yucang said. "Let's hear it."

"He said, 'We came to know one another through conflict. What's past is past. We don't necessarily have to remain enemies. A road is easier to walk with one less enemy, and friendship is another choice...'"

Dugu Jing relayed Niu Youdao's original words in full.

After listening, Mr. Yucang fell into thought. Stroking his beard, he murmured, "Among the people and affairs beneath Heaven, everyone can be formidable, everyone deserves respect..." Then he smiled faintly and shook his head. "This man is rather interesting. He truly is clever. What do you think of his proposal?"

Dugu Jing considered it. "This disciple feels there is some reason to it."

Mr. Yucang paced slowly around the room. "Young people do have nimble minds. By comparison, perhaps we have become somewhat rigid. Yes. Now that relations between us have already reached this point, there is no necessity for us to fight until one side dies. If a suitable opportunity arises, why shouldn't we cooperate? It would benefit everyone."

Dugu Jing asked tentatively, "Master, you mean we should agree to establish a direct channel of communication with him?"

Mr. Yucang stopped and looked up at the roof beams. With a sigh, he said, "At bottom, he still wants to steady us. But from another perspective, he truly is a capable young man. A fool would have no qualifications to cooperate with us."

"Establishing direct contact seems to carry no particular disadvantage for us either. What do you think?" He turned back toward Dugu Jing.

Dugu Jing nodded. "Very well. This disciple will arrange it at once."

Mr. Yucang said, "That boy is clever. There are advantages to dealing with such people, and he has value we can use, but that also means enormous danger. Make the arrangements carefully. That boy is treacherous as they come. Don't let him feel his way through us."

"Understood," Dugu Jing replied. "This disciple will make the arrangements with utmost caution."

After saying this, even he could not help feeling a measure of emotion.

A fellow they once would not even have looked at twice now forced them to treat him with great care and attach tremendous importance to him.

The fact that he could make them suffer such a heavy loss and still turn hostility into peace with them was proof enough.

The setting sun was infinitely beautiful, but dusk was already near. The entire Qi capital lay beneath a hazy wash of yellow.

In the depths of a gloomy dungeon, a burly eunuch appeared outside a cell and stood with his legs spread apart. He was the very man who had captured Linghu Qiu.

Inside the cell, lying on a pile of straw, was Linghu Qiu himself. Shackles bound his wrists and ankles. His hair was disheveled, his clothes ragged, and his body bore many wounds. The burly eunuch tilted his head.

Men on either side immediately stepped forward, unlocked the cell, entered, and removed Linghu Qiu's wrist and ankle shackles. The thick iron chains crashed noisily to the side. Linghu Qiu was hauled out.

The burly eunuch turned and walked away, while Linghu Qiu was dragged along behind him.

The moment he emerged from the dungeon, Linghu Qiu quickly shut his eyes. After so long without seeing daylight, the brightness stabbed painfully at them. Once he had adjusted a little, two familiar voices reached his ears.

"Sir!"

He slowly opened his eyes. Two filthy, disheveled women stood before him. Even in that state, he recognized Hongxiu and Hongfu at once. Tears were already spilling beyond either woman's control. The burly eunuch gave a wave.

Several men immediately stepped forward and jabbed a number of fingers into the three of them, releasing the restrictions on their bodies. Spiritual power suddenly began circulating within them again.

The three master and servants, weakened for so long, instantly regained some vigor. That long-lost sensation made all three breathe out involuntarily.

Comfortable!

Linghu Qiu clenched both fists, then loosened them again. He looked at the burly eunuch, not understanding what was happening.

The eunuch said heavily, "You may leave. Linghu Qiu, those above instructed me to tell you one thing: it was your sworn brother Niu Youdao who secured your release!"

Linghu Qiu could hardly believe it. "He secured my release?"

The eunuch said, "This place does not keep guests. If you don't leave now, then don't leave at all. Pick up your clothes and get the hell out immediately!"

The cultivators to either side stared at them coldly, watching like tigers. Linghu Qiu pressed his lips together. He dared not waste any more words. Turning, he called Hongxiu and Hongfu and left with them.

The place was plainly inside a military encampment. Squads of armored soldiers patrolled back and forth.

The three passed through the camp gates and found that the few people outside looked at them as though they were monsters. They looked at themselves and understood why.

Their hair was tangled, their clothes were in tatters, they were barefoot, and one glance was enough to tell they had suffered punishment. Fortunately, the area was rather remote and few people passed through.

"He didn't save us. He plainly wants us dead." Linghu Qiu lifted his face to the sky and laughed bitterly.

He knew Xiaoyue Pavilion far too well. They had fallen into the hands of the court of the State of Qi, only for the court to release them for no apparent reason. Even if they claimed they had never betrayed the organization, would the organization believe them?

Their identities had already been exposed, and they knew some of Xiaoyue Pavilion's secrets.

That alone was enough reason for Xiaoyue Pavilion never to let them go.

Hongxiu and Hongfu instinctively looked around in alarm. Both understood what he meant.

Just then, a small boy ran over and stopped in front of Linghu Qiu. His clear eyes blinked as he asked in a childish voice, "Are you Linghu Qiu?"

Linghu Qiu looked at him. After hesitating for a moment, he answered, "I am."

The boy held out a letter with both hands. "Niu Youdao asked me to give this to you."

Linghu Qiu took the letter. The boy immediately turned and ran away. Linghu Qiu looked around but saw no suspicious figures. Carefully, he tore open the envelope, obvious caution in his movements. Only after confirming nothing was wrong did he pull out the letter, unfold it, and read. It said:

"By the time Elder Brother sees this letter, your younger brother will already be out of danger. There is no need to see me off. That Elder Brother suffered the calamity of imprisonment was my doing. Yet has Elder Brother ever considered this: when you sought to harm me, how was I supposed to conduct myself? Surely I could not bare my neck and wait for slaughter."

"At first, I intended to return your own methods upon you. Yet after spending our days together, I could not help retaining some faint affection. After my entanglement with Xiaoyue Pavilion, fortune allowed me to extricate Elder Brother. I have already secured a promise on your behalf: Xiaoyue Pavilion and Elder Brother will forget one another in the jianghu and trouble each other no more."

"My meager strength can do no more than this. I ask no gratitude, only that you bear me no hatred. Those whose paths differ cannot make common cause. From here on, the mountains are high and the waters long. I hope Elder Brother will take good care of himself and not forget the bond of our sworn brotherhood."

"Your younger brother, Niu Youdao, sending distant good wishes from Qingshan Commandery."

[End of Chapter 385]