Chapter 508: Because You're Here

"Could this have something to do with Niu Youdao?"

After the whole affair was over, Xi Haitang returned to the main hall to meditate. When Qiu Shan came to report on the investigation, Xi Haitang asked him the question.

Chen Tingxiu's death had involved Hongniang, so it was difficult not to suspect Niu Youdao, the man behind her.

That was especially true for these two. Chen Tingxiu had once asked Qiu Shan for help, so both men knew very well that Chen Tingxiu had probably come here because of Niu Youdao. It was therefore not difficult to understand why Chen Tingxiu had gone to Tianxing Sect and brought up Hongniang. With a little thought, they could guess he had wanted to use Tianxing Sect against Niu Youdao.

The matter had been settled, but regardless of how it was resolved, Myriad Beasts Sect still had to investigate for itself. How had Chen Tingxiu learned that Wen Xinzhao had slapped Hongniang? The sect had issued a ban on discussing the incident. Who had leaked the news?

Some things could not withstand investigation. They discovered that Chen Tingxiu and Uncle Chen had gone to Tianxing Sect's guest quarters almost one after the other.

Qiu Shan said, "I just questioned Niu Youdao. He claims he had no idea Chen Tingxiu had come here until now. According to him, one of Hongniang's old subordinates was furious that his mistress had been struck. Since he knew Du Yunsang from years ago, he went over to confront him and happened to see Chen Tingxiu there. Niu Youdao says he only learned Chen Tingxiu was here after that man returned. Whether he truly knew nothing or is deliberately washing himself clean, there is simply no evidence proving this had anything to do with him."

Xi Haitang considered the matter for a while before asking, "Who leaked the news to Chen Tingxiu?"

Qiu Shan hesitated. "There are two possibilities. Tianyu Sect's disciples had contact with several disciples on our side. The other is that Senior Brother Chao's grandson, Chao Shenghuai, happened to pass Chen Tingxiu's courtyard and was persuaded to stay. Some disciples saw the two of them talk for a while, though no one knows what they discussed."

Because the matter involved Chao Jing, Xi Haitang's brow twitched. Lowering his eyes, he asked, "Have those disciples been questioned?"

"Yes. None admits to leaking the matter. On the contrary, all of them said Tianyu Sect had approached them to verify whether Wen Xinzhao had indeed slapped Hongniang. They themselves were surprised Tianyu Sect knew about it. Judging by the timing, Tianyu Sect only began verifying the rumor after Chen Tingxiu met Chao Shenghuai."

Xi Haitang asked, "You suspect Chao Shenghuai leaked it?"

Because Chao Jing was involved, Qiu Shan chose his words carefully. "It is certainly possible. If he did, I doubt it was deliberate. According to the disciples who witnessed it, Chao Shenghuai was merely passing by. He looked down on Chen Tingxiu entirely and even spoke somewhat rudely. It was Chen Tingxiu who shamelessly insisted on keeping him for tea. Later, though, the two seemed to talk quite happily."

"I dealt with Chen Tingxiu myself, so I have some measure of the man. He tried to flatter me before. It would be perfectly natural for him to flatter Chao Shenghuai in hopes of digging out useful information. A young man may not be able to withstand an old schemer like Chen Tingxiu. A few compliments and he could easily have let something slip."

Xi Haitang fell silent briefly. "Have you questioned Chao Shenghuai?"

"Not yet. Since the matter involves Senior Brother Chao, I was worried about attracting attention and wanted to ask Sect Leader's opinion first."

Xi Haitang said, "That boy's talent for cultivation is limited. He doesn't have much of a future. If Junior Brother Chao were gone, he'd probably just muddle along for the rest of his life. The matter isn't serious, and it has already been resolved. There's no need to expand its impact within the sect. Let it end here. Junior Brother, Myriad Beasts Sect has a great household and great holdings. There are many people, each with thoughts of their own. Managing them is no easy matter." He sighed.

Qiu Shan understood what he meant. This was nothing serious. Even if they dragged Chao Shenghuai out, what then? It would only embarrass Senior Brother Chao. They belonged to the same faction. There was no need to slap their own side in the face and create an opening for others. Qiu Shan answered, "Understood."

Yet after leaving, Qiu Shan still told Chao Jing what had happened and asked him to question the matter himself. In essence, he was making sure Chao Jing knew that he and the Sect Leader had suppressed it.

Chao Jing naturally accepted the favor. He went back, hauled Chao Shenghuai in, and interrogated him.

Chao Shenghuai cried. He even dropped to his knees. In short, he refused to admit anything and insisted he had been falsely accused. He acted aggrieved enough to demand a confrontation with the Tianyu Sect people.

The grandson understood his own old man's temperament rather well.

Naturally, Chao Jing could not let him go confront anyone, nor could he enlarge the matter himself. Whether Chao Shenghuai had done it or not, Chao Jing cursed him out, docked several months of his stipend, and quietly allowed the matter to die there.

...

Over on Niu Youdao's side, he sat alone in the pavilion, pinching stones between his fingers as he contemplated the Go board, playing against himself.

The affair had developed somewhat beyond his expectations.

The moment Uncle Chen returned alive, Niu Youdao knew his guess had been right. Du Yunsang's abandonment of Hongniang years ago had not been as simple as it seemed. Once Uncle Chen came back safely, Niu Youdao also knew Chen Tingxiu was doomed.

What he had never expected was for Tianxing Sect to openly kill Chen Tingxiu. Was that not simply inviting trouble onto themselves?

More surprising still, Wen Xinzhao had personally appeared and ordered the killing. What was that supposed to mean? She had nearly left him confused.

According to Niu Youdao's original design, Tianxing Sect would quietly dispose of Chen Tingxiu without creating trouble for itself, and Niu Youdao's side could remain entirely outside the matter. Instead, the killing had caused a public disturbance. Once Myriad Beasts Sect investigated, they naturally traced part of the chain back toward him, making suspicion unavoidable. That was why Qiu Shan had come to question him.

Gradually, Niu Youdao sorted out part of the situation and sighed. "Looks like Du Yunsang and Wen Xinzhao's relationship isn't quite as bad as I thought."

Yuan Gang, standing nearby, said, "The concern is that they'll trace this to Chao Shenghuai and drag you into it."

Niu Youdao gently pressed the stone in his hand onto the board. "You're overthinking it. Chao Shenghuai may not be much of a man, but he's still clever enough. He knows perfectly well that even if they discover he leaked the news, at worst he'll be punished for letting something slip."

"If he drags me into it and all the connected matters come spilling out, then his trouble becomes enormous. He can tell what matters and what doesn't. There's no chance he'll mention me. The problem is..." Niu Youdao shook his head and sighed again.

The immediate problem of Chen Tingxiu had been swept away, but Niu Youdao's plan to exploit the marital conflict between Du Yunsang and Wen Xinzhao and have Du Yunsang deal with Wen Xinzhao had failed. The moment Wen Xinzhao personally made her move, Niu Youdao knew that line was dead. For now, it seemed he would have no chance to vent Hongniang's anger for her.

His plan to kill two birds with one stone had only succeeded halfway. The borrowed knife had killed its target, but the second bird had escaped.

At that moment, Guan Fangyi, who had not shown herself for some time, finally appeared. She approached with her hips swaying gracefully, gathered her skirts behind her with both hands, and sat opposite Niu Youdao. Looking at the board, she smiled. "You really are idle. You still have the leisure to enjoy something this refined."

Niu Youdao placed a stone, then smiled. "Finished with your seclusion?"

Guan Fangyi took a white stone from the bowl and placed it on the board. "Playing Go with you is frightening. You kill people without anyone even seeing the blade. Great Elder Chen was killed because of you. If I stayed shut inside any longer, who knows what else might happen."

The affair had become somewhat too serious. Uncle Chen had felt it was no longer right to hide things from her and had just told her what happened.

Niu Youdao knew Uncle Chen must have told her. He placed another stone. "Being wronged by someone else was bad enough. There was no need to wrong yourself too. And in the process, you were wronging me as well."

Guan Fangyi raised her eyes. "What are you feeling wronged about?"

Niu Youdao sighed. "The most beautiful woman beneath Heaven hid herself in her room and refused to come out. So near, yet as far as the horizon. I couldn't see her, and it made my heart itch. One day apart felt like three autumns. Every day dragged like a year."

"Heehee!" Guan Fangyi laughed until her whole body shook. "If you wanted to see me, how hard could it be? You can barge in even while I'm bathing. Do you think one door could stop you?"

Yuan Gang truly could not stand listening to the two of them flirt any longer. He turned and walked away.

Guan Fangyi glanced at Yuan Gang's retreating back, then her laughter faded. Very seriously, she said, "Thank you. I understand what you were trying to do. But it really wasn't necessary. You didn't need to interfere."

Niu Youdao said, "Looks like I was meddling in other people's business."

Guan Fangyi stared at the board and shook her head. "It wasn't meddling. I just don't need that kind of revenge. Revenge like that wouldn't make me happy. It wouldn't stop her from still standing above me and looking down."

"What I want is for there to come a day when I can stand openly in front of her and look down on her just as she looked down on me. Just as I once didn't dare offend her, I want her to stand before me and not dare speak, not dare offend me. Before, I would never even have dared imagine such a thing. But now I have confidence."

Niu Youdao looked puzzled. "Where does that confidence come from?"

"Because of you." Guan Fangyi placed another stone. "Because you're here, I have confidence. So nothing can happen to you. At the very least, you can't fall here because of some small matter. I'm still counting on you!"

Niu Youdao gave a self-mocking smile. "That's Tianxing Sect you're talking about. Your ambitions are lofty enough to put quite a bit of pressure on me."

After joking with her for a while, Niu Youdao suddenly became serious too. "From what I can see, Du Yunsang probably abandoned you back then because he was forced by circumstances. There is a good chance he did it to protect you. He probably still has you in his heart."

Guan Fangyi was silent for a while. "I suspected that long ago. I waited many years, hoping he would come back one day and give me an explanation. The facts proved that the direction of all his efforts over these years never leaned toward me. He already made his own choice. So it's all in the past now."

Niu Youdao gave a slight nod. "I understand. As long as you've let it go."

Guan Fangyi said, "I've seen the red dust in all its forms and sold smiles for a living. What is there left that I can't let go of? You're the strange one. You never seem to involve yourself in relations between men and women. You're frighteningly mature. At your age, you should be yearning for romance. And with what you have to offer, you certainly wouldn't lack beautiful women. That's what I can't understand."

Niu Youdao sighed. "Feelings hurt people. With you as the cautionary example in front of me, I'd rather not invite the trouble."

"Don't use me as an excuse. You don't have some kind of problem, do you?"

"You're the one with a problem."

The two were still talking when Yuan Gang returned. He bent down beside Niu Youdao and murmured, "Master Dao, the flag's been hung."

Niu Youdao grabbed a handful of stones and scattered them across the board in surrender. "I'm done."

He rose and left immediately.

Guan Fangyi spat after him. "Sneaking around all day long. Villain!"

...

In the mountain ravine, Niu Youdao paced back and forth. Chao Shenghuai had asked to meet again and immediately gave him a furious scolding, complaining that Niu Youdao had nearly gotten him implicated and asking why he had not warned him in advance. Chao Shenghuai had almost exposed himself because of it.

Niu Youdao brushed the complaints aside without much effort.

"My preparations are almost complete. I'm about to make the move. Be ready on your side to receive us."

That was Chao Shenghuai's real reason for seeking him out.

The latest affair had also pushed Chao Shenghuai into deciding to act as soon as possible. He wanted to send Niu Youdao away quickly. One incident after another kept erupting, and his nerves could hardly bear the fright anymore.

Living every day in fear was miserable. He woke from nightmares constantly.

He was the one for whom every day truly felt like a year.

[End of Chapter 508]