Chapter 415: Two Brocade Pouches

Peng Youzai was both shocked and furious. "What do you mean, they've all disappeared?"

The disciple lowered his head in alarm. How was he supposed to answer that? The senior members in the hall looked at one another. They had been afraid that moving against Niu Youdao too early might enrage Shang Chaozong, so they had kept waiting. They waited until Shang Chaozong had been separated from the military power under his command, waited until Shang Chaozong himself was under control, and only then prepared to seize Niu Youdao.

Who could have imagined that, after waiting until the perfect moment and finally kicking open the door, they would find the room empty? Everyone realized at once that Niu Youdao vanishing at precisely this juncture could not possibly be coincidence or accident. They had been waiting. The other side had been waiting too. Both sides had acted at the same moment. Clearly, both had been planning for this for a long time.

It was precisely that possibility that left Peng Youzai beside himself with anger. He strode back and forth through the hall, fury written across his face. More accurately, he felt as though he had been slapped. Both sides might have been plotting, but the implications were completely different. He had known nothing of the other side's preparations, while the other side had apparently seen through his own. And because Niu Youdao might have seen through Tianyu Sect's plan, unease began to gnaw at Peng Youzai.

No matter what Niu Youdao had done in the past, both Peng Youzai and Tianyu Sect had always possessed a sense of superiority when dealing with him. They had looked down from above, secure in the knowledge that Niu Youdao needed Tianyu Sect's protection and was making his living on Tianyu Sect's territory. Only now, with Niu Youdao suddenly gone, did everyone realize something was wrong. Only now did Peng Youzai feel the knife twisting in his heart, even a faint chill of fear.

If Niu Youdao had simply fled, that would have been one thing. What worried him was that the fellow would never sit back and watch Shang Chaozong suffer. Once Niu Youdao intervened, no one knew what kind of trouble he might create. Peng Youzai finally stopped pacing and raised his face with a long sigh. If it had been anyone else, perhaps it would not have mattered. But this man was...

The things Niu Youdao had done in the past exerted enormous pressure on them. Peng Youzai could not stop himself from worrying. Feng Entai's feelings were complicated. He was relieved, yet anxious. Relieved because Niu Youdao had escaped, meaning Feng Entai himself would not be placed in a difficult position. Anxious because Niu Youdao might now act against Tianyu Sect. This campaign mattered too much to the entire sect. There could be no mistake.

"What are you still standing here for? Send people to find him!"

Peng Youzai knew perfectly well that the chances of finding Niu Youdao were slim. This was a man who had escaped Xiaoyue Pavilion's pursuit. Tianyu Sect's limited forces had little hope of finding him without even knowing where to search. Even so, Peng Youzai could not stop himself from roaring at the disciple who had brought the report.

"Yes!"

The disciple hurriedly acknowledged the order and left with his head lowered. After a brief silence, Peng Youzai faced the others.

"Discuss it. Do you think he will interfere on Shang Chaozong's behalf after fleeing? If he does, how might he interfere? We need everyone's ideas so we can prepare early."

"Maybe he simply sensed danger and ran."

"Not necessarily. His relationship with the Shang siblings runs deep. He may very well intervene."

"Then tell me how he could intervene. Here in Yan, the three major sects have already agreed to this matter. Who unrelated to the dispute would dare get involved? Whoever Niu Youdao approaches within Yan, it will be useless."

"If Yan won't work, could he seek help from outside Yan? Jinzhou, for example. He seems to have some friendship with Hai Ruyue. Hai Ruyue even went to Qingshan Commandery in person. If Jinzhou's forces intervene, we'll have a problem."

"Impossible. Hai Ruyue has survived to where she is today because she knows how to weigh advantage and harm. She's a practical woman. She cannot fail to understand that having an ally control Nanzhou benefits Jinzhou. Besides, this isn't something Hai Ruyue can decide by herself. Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion would never sit by while its own interests were harmed. They would never let Jinzhou send troops and openly fall out with us."

"His relationship with Ice and Snow Pavilion also seems somewhat unclear. Could he go to them?"

"Even if he does, Ice and Snow Pavilion might at most provide him shelter. They are unlikely to break the rules and suddenly intervene in an affair like this."

The group argued back and forth, but after all their discussion, they still could not identify any plausible way for Niu Youdao to intervene. Feng Entai stood silently to one side. There was little he could say.

"Could he directly command Shang Chaozong's troops?"

Someone suddenly raised the possibility. Peng Youzai's vigilance surged at once.

"Notify Feng Lingbo. Have the supervisory forces tighten their watch. Under no circumstances can Niu Youdao be allowed to contact the generals under Shang Chaozong..."

At a residence halfway up the mountain, Meng Shanming sat in his wheelchair beneath the eaves while Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting stood nearby. All three were silent. Under the pretext of enforcing military discipline, Feng Lingbo had taken control of every Goldenwing used for outside communication. Shang Chaozong's side was naturally no exception. That meant every message they sent outside now had to pass through someone else's hands. Shang Chaozong could no longer directly command or control his own troops.

At the same time, they were under tight guard. Leaving was impossible. Ever since Feng Lingbo had been nominated Commander-in-Chief of the Five Commanderies, they had understood that something like this might happen. Yet actually facing it was still difficult to accept. But they had no choice. There had always been many Tianyu Sect disciples assigned to protect Shang Chaozong. Those people could protect their lives. They could also take them.

A personal guard ran in from outside and reported, "Your Highness, the Commandery Princess has arrived."

Shang Chaozong brightened. "Did Master Dao come?"

At this point, they truly had very few choices left. Everything remained under Tianyu Sect's control, leaving them no room to act independently. All they could do was place their hopes on Niu Youdao. As they spoke, Shang Shuqing was already hurrying over. Reaching the eaves, she saluted the three men.

"Elder Brother, Uncle Meng, Mr. Lan."

"Commandery Princess."

Meng Shanming and Lan Ruoting returned the greeting together.

Shang Chaozong waved the guard away and immediately asked, "Where is Master Dao?"

Shang Shuqing shook her head. "Master Dao didn't come. He said he still has matters to handle and will come tomorrow. Before we parted, though, he gave me a brocade pouch. He said that if Elder Brother asked about him, I should open this pouch for you."

She drew from her sleeve a brocade pouch tied shut with a black silk cord. In truth, Niu Youdao had given her two brocade pouches. He had merely instructed her again and again about when each one was to be used. One was to be produced and opened for Shang Chaozong under exactly these circumstances. The other was to be opened only if they encountered a genuine crisis.

Before that moment, she was not to reveal it or let anyone know it existed. If word leaked out, the situation might change. The matter was too important, involving all of Nanzhou and the years of effort invested by so many people. Niu Youdao had been exceptionally solemn when giving her those instructions. For once, Shang Shuqing had truly turned her elbow outward. She followed Niu Youdao's instructions exactly and temporarily concealed the existence of the second pouch.

The eyes of all three men on the steps immediately fell on the brocade pouch. Shang Chaozong jumped down and quickly took it from her. He was about to open it when Lan Ruoting suddenly frowned.

"If he's coming tomorrow, why send a brocade pouch today?"

The question struck directly at the heart of the matter.

Meng Shanming's brows twitched sharply. "I'm afraid he isn't coming."

Shang Chaozong immediately grew anxious. At this point, they were depending entirely on Niu Youdao's help. If Niu Youdao had run off, then everything was finished. He tore open the pouch at once, desperate to see what was inside. Seeing his agitation, Shang Shuqing hurriedly reassured him.

"Elder Brother, don't panic. Master Dao isn't that kind of man."

She still had confidence in Niu Youdao. She did not believe he would simply abandon them. And his actions did not look like abandonment either. She still had another brocade pouch in her possession, one prepared for what came later. If he truly intended to leave them to their fate, there would have been no reason to prepare a second one. Shang Chaozong opened the pouch and found nothing inside except a single sheet of paper. It was a letter. He read it quickly.

As he did, his agitation gradually subsided and his expression turned thoughtful. Lan Ruoting stepped down from the stairs and moved closer.

"Your Highness, what does the letter say?"

"Ai."

Shang Chaozong sighed without answering and simply passed the letter to him. Lan Ruoting held it flat and read. When he finished, he too said nothing. The letter's meaning was straightforward. Niu Youdao asked Shang Chaozong's forgiveness. He had already withdrawn temporarily to avoid disaster, both for his own sake and for Shang Chaozong's. Tianyu Sect had developed malicious intentions. With such enormous interests at stake, Tianyu Sect would show no mercy to anyone who blocked its path.

Whether Tianyu Sect intended to move against Niu Youdao or not, he could no longer remain. If he stayed, every one of them would be in Tianyu Sect's hands, and Tianyu Sect alone would decide whether they lived or died.

Once the campaign succeeded and Tianyu Sect no longer had any worries behind it, Niu Youdao himself might be in danger, and Shang Chaozong might be in danger as well. Only if Niu Youdao extricated himself and gave Tianyu Sect something to fear could Shang Chaozong remain safe. The final instruction was still what Niu Youdao had always advocated: Go along with Tianyu Sect's wishes and help Tianyu Sect take Nanzhou. At the very end was another line: Destroy this letter after reading. That was all.

The letter mainly explained why Niu Youdao had left. It still did not say what he intended to do. The letter then passed to Shang Shuqing. After she read it, she handed it to Meng Shanming... Several days later, the relevant figures gathered again inside the temporary command center halfway up Tianyu Sect's mountain. Peng Youzai had brought a group of Tianyu Sect's senior members as well.

At present, Feng Lingbo held the highest military authority in the room. He stood at the head, his two sons positioned behind him on either side in full armor, looking imposing. Tianyu Sect had no experience whatsoever commanding forces on this scale. For military matters, its people could only stand aside. Feng Lingbo swept his gaze over everyone present and spoke in a firm, ringing voice.

"Our scouts have obtained new intelligence. The imperial court has secretly mobilized five hundred thousand troops and is quietly concentrating them in Nanzhou's six upper commanderies. Large quantities of grain and fodder are also being transported there in secret."

"The situation is highly unfavorable to us. Does anyone have a good proposal?"

Silence filled the room. Peng Youzai had no solution either. He estimated that Xiaoyao Palace, Zijin Cave, and Lingjian Mountain could hardly object to the imperial court's actions.

The court could not simply watch Nanzhou be lost without doing anything. Otherwise, Emperor Shang Jianxiong would have no way to answer to the people of Yan. Nor could the three major sects simply tell the court to let the rebels occupy Nanzhou and be done with it.

If the court were that easy to command, there would be no need to fight at all. The three major sects could simply issue a decree and settle the matter. Affairs tangled through layer upon layer of restraint. The imperial court was still the greatest secular power in the State of Yan. Moving recklessly against Shang Jianxiong would inevitably throw the whole state into turmoil, which would not benefit the three major sects either.

Since the court had chosen not to announce the mobilization and instead act secretly, the three major sects had little grounds to stop it. They could only turn one eye blind and close the other.

[End of Chapter 415]