Chapter 406: Return

"Rats?"

Shao Dengyun's eyes widened. Could Madam Ruan truly have done such a thing? He found it difficult to believe. But Madam Ruan and her children were already dead. Shao Pingbo seemed to have no reason to fabricate this now merely to slander them.

Shao Dengyun's breathing grew hurried. "If something like that happened, why didn't you tell me after I came back?"

Shao Pingbo still did not turn around.

"Tell you? How was I supposed to tell you?"

"Did I never complain to you about Madam Ruan?"

"With one sentence, she would say she was only disciplining us as though we were her own children. Then she'd wipe away tears and say how difficult it was to be a stepmother: if she failed to discipline us, people would criticize her; if she disciplined us too strictly, people would criticize her for that as well. You heard her and thought her words perfectly reasonable. After that, you handed all authority over the inner household to her. What use would telling you have been? I told you more than once when I suffered wrongs. Madam Ruan said I was lying. The servants all testified for her and said I was lying too. So you came to believe I had turned bad and was deliberately making things up. Have you forgotten how you used the family discipline to punish me back then?"

"When Mother was alive, you never treated me that way."

"After you returned that time, I hoped someone would tell you what your son and daughter had suffered. But no one did."

"Madam Ruan was the mistress of the Shao household, and you doted on her. Even if she had done something wrong, would you have divorced her?"

"No."

"Afterward, she would still be mistress of the Shao household. Which servant would dare offend her? Who would dare tell you what happened to us?"

"Did you never notice? After Mother died, every servant who had once attended her was driven out one after another under some excuse Madam Ruan found."

"Can you still find a single servant Mother left behind in the Shao residence?"

"There was no one to speak for us."

"If Madam Ruan said I was wrong, everyone said I was wrong, and you believed I was wrong."

"After nearly dying in that cellar, I finally understood something completely."

"Without strength, if I kept making trouble, I might not even know how I died one day. Before Mother died, she told me to take good care of my younger sister. So I had to survive. After that, I showed weakness before Madam Ruan. I swallowed everything and lived beneath her hand. I pleased her at every turn. That fool was actually not difficult to handle. My mistake in the beginning was that my own state of mind had been wrong. Then, when I finally gained strength and found an opportunity, do you know what I did?"

"The first thing I did was cut away the outside wings that had helped Madam Ruan act like a tiger with borrowed power. Not one member of the Ruan clan outside the Shao residence was spared. I locked every one of them in cellars I had specially prepared for them. Then I released countless starving rats inside and let those rats gnaw them all down to white bones. Afterward, I staged the discovery of the scene and had Madam Ruan herself go identify the remains of her family. She knew at a glance that I had done it. But she did not dare explain why she suspected me. She could not admit that my sister and I had once suffered the same treatment."

"From that day onward, I saw fear of me in Madam Ruan's eyes. Her attitude toward my sister and me began to change. But I did not let her go. I would never give her another chance to strike back. I first cut away every outside supporter she had. Without outside help, Madam Ruan was nothing. Then I immediately began cleansing the inside of the Shao household. One group died in an 'accident' while out handling business. Another group was dealt with through a theft case I deliberately arranged to implicate many people."

"The few who remained were cleaned out one by one afterward."

"From then on, Madam Ruan and her children—the three of them—were firmly under my control. They had to watch my expression before they dared act."

"For Father's sake, I originally intended only to let them suffer. I had no intention of killing them."

"Who knew they would make the first move against me instead?"

"I had no choice."

"I could only execute them all."

By the time Shao Pingbo finished, tears were already streaming down Shao Dengyun's aged face. He understood now. At last, he understood what all those disturbances inside the Shao household years ago had truly been about.

"Father, Liuer was too young then. She never understood what happened. Don't tell her about the cellar. Don't let her learn what she ate down there."

"Your son takes his leave."

Shao Pingbo left those words behind and walked away. From beginning to end, throughout everything he had said, his back had remained turned. He never looked around. Shao Dengyun broke into sobs. Leaning against a pillar, he beat it again and again with one fist.

"Yang Shuang, did you really notice nothing about any of this back then?"

Yang Shuang was crying too.

"Master, I did notice some things. But Master had handed control of the inner household to Madam. Everything in the residence was under her authority. Any servant she disliked was driven out. No one would tell this old servant the truth. Madam was the mistress. I was only a servant. Without evidence, what could I say? All this old servant could do was protect Eldest Young Master and Young Mistress where possible and keep people from going too far. If not for that, Eldest Young Master's purge inside the Shao household probably would not have spared this old servant either. As for the cellar, this old servant truly knew nothing. Back then, Master followed Prince Ning to rescue the emperor. This old servant also took every useful household guard we had and followed you. Master knows that."

"I wasn't at home."

"Had I been there, Madam probably would not have dared go that far."

"Heavens! What sin have I committed?"

Shao Dengyun wailed and repeatedly struck his head against the pillar.

Outside the courtyard, Shao Pingbo ran into Zhong Yangxu, who had come over. He immediately saluted.

Zhong Yangxu asked, "I heard Liuer was dragged away just now. Are father and daughter both blaming you over the marriage?"

He had come after hearing the news and had been preparing to persuade Shao Dengyun. After all, Shao Pingbo's arrangement served Dachan Mountain's interests.

Shao Pingbo said, "It's fine. They'll think it through and consider the larger situation. What matters more is Liuer's safety in the coming days. I'll have to trouble Dachan Mountain to watch her closely. I'm worried the State of Yan or the State of Han may try to sabotage the marriage alliance."

Zhong Yangxu said, "You can rest assured. After receiving your message, Dachan Mountain already sent additional manpower here. Nothing will happen to your younger sister."

Qingshan Commandery. A giant flying bird approached and began circling above Maolu Villa, immediately putting the cultivators throughout the area on high alert. Niu Youdao and Guan Fangyi were both alerted. One after another, they came outside and looked up. The giant flying bird circled lower. When it was only several zhang above the ground, one person jumped down. The bird beat its wings, climbed back into the sky, and rapidly departed. Guan Fangyi did not know who the newcomer was.

She only saw a smile appear on Niu Youdao's face as he walked over. Duan Hu and the others went to meet the man as well, so she followed to see what was happening. The newcomer was none other than Yuan Gang. As Niu Youdao walked toward him, he raised his head and watched the giant flying bird recede into the distance.

"Master Yuan!"

Duan Hu and the others greeted Yuan Gang one after another. At the form of address, realization dawned on Guan Fangyi. She more or less knew who this was. She had heard of Yuan Gang since coming here, but had never met him. Old Six Xu happened to come over and tug lightly at her sleeve.

In a low voice, he said, "Big Sister, that's An Taiping, proprietor of the Tofu House in the Qi capital. I've seen him before."

Fufang Garden had been in business. Knowing people's faces was important. After the Tofu House became famous in the Qi capital, people from Fufang Garden naturally went to have a look. It was no surprise Old Six Xu had seen him.

"..."

Guan Fangyi stared in shock and quickly looked back at Yuan Gang.

An Taiping was Yuan Gang?

And An Taiping had been highly valued by the Huyan family. A spy arranged by Niu Youdao? She hardly needed to think further. That story about a frontier soldier being falsely accused and then having Huyan Wuhen clear his name had to have been fabricated. Yuan Gang gave Duan Hu and the others a slight nod in greeting. Then he looked at Niu Youdao.

"Master Dao."

Niu Youdao gave a sound of acknowledgment, then lifted his chin toward the departing bird.

"Who sent you here?"

Yuan Gang glanced up as well. "I don't know who they were either."

Niu Youdao slowly turned his head and stared at him, confusion all over his face.

"Don't tell me the sort of people who control flying mounts like that are so bored they pick up random passengers by the roadside. Are you really that charming?"

Yuan Gang said, "Xuan Wei of the State of Wei took me to Boundless Pavilion. I don't know where she arranged it from, but someone there found a flying mount to bring me back."

When Xuan Wei had invited him to the State of Wei, Yuan Gang had indeed been tempted. At the time, he did not know where he should go. But he also understood clearly that a Chancellor of an entire state would not invite him for no reason. She must want something from him. Once interests like that became entangled, if trouble arose, he might not be capable of handling it. He could very easily cause problems for Master Dao. After thinking it through, he refused.

In truth, Xuan Wei had not merely taken an interest in Yuan Gang. She had also intended to use Yuan Gang as a bridge to draw Niu Youdao toward the State of Wei. Yuan Gang refused her. Xuan Wei found it regrettable, but having started the favor, she still saw it through to the end. She turned back to Boundless Pavilion with him and arranged another flying mount there to carry Yuan Gang home. Naturally, she could not personally escort Yuan Gang all the way to Qingshan Commandery.

She was the Chancellor of a state and had many matters to handle. Her time was planned and allocated in advance. When the two sides parted at Boundless Pavilion, each invited the other to visit someday and allow the host to return the hospitality. Xuan Wei specifically told Yuan Gang to bring Niu Youdao with him if he came.

"Xuan Wei of the State of Wei?" Niu Youdao froze.

The name felt both familiar and distant.

He asked suspiciously, "You don't mean the female Chancellor of the State of Wei, do you?"

"That's her," Yuan Gang said. "I happened to run into her. Ximen Qingkong, the number-one expert on the Golden Core Ranking, was with her as well."

Everyone listening was surprised. They exchanged glances. Someone of Xuan Wei's status was not a person ordinary people could meet even if they wished to, much less encounter by chance. Niu Youdao naturally found it strange.

"How did you run into her?"

"It's a long story," Yuan Gang said.

There were some things he did not want to discuss in front of so many people.

"If it's a long story, we can talk slowly later."

Niu Youdao looked him up and down.

"Why is your face red?"

Yuan Gang pulled up one sleeve, revealing an arm that was just as red.

"My whole body is red. I'll explain later."

Niu Youdao gave a sound of acknowledgment. There was no need for much ceremony between them. He waved a hand.

"Go wash up first."

Yuan Gang turned to leave. Guan Fangyi, however, stretched out her round fan and blocked his path. Pretending not to know, she greeted him with a smile.

"You're a new face. How should I address you?"

Yuan Gang glanced coldly at her. He lifted one hand and simply brushed her arm aside. He could not even be bothered to answer. Without a single word, he strode away with the great saber strapped across his back. Guan Fangyi stared after him in disbelief.

Then she snapped irritably, "What kind of man is that? Does he have no manners at all?"

Niu Youdao smiled knowingly. Yuan Gang was back. Only now did the weight in his heart truly lift. He could finally relax. Duan Hu and the others laughed as well. Guan Fangyi did not know Yuan Gang's temperament, but they did. Playing the coquettish beauty had no effect on Yuan Gang. He simply did not respond to that sort of thing. Before long, Yuan Fang also heard the news and came running over. He deliberately went to see Yuan Gang.

Afterward, he ran back out of the villa and told people to prepare food and wine.

[End of Chapter 406]