Chapter 527: Inducing Surrender

How could Yang Shuang possibly dare move aside?

The Dachan Mountain disciples outside had already heard the commotion and flashed into the hall. Several of them stepped forward together to take Yang Shuang's place, forming a barrier in front of the long table.

One of them said heavily, “Niu Youdao, what are you trying to do?”

Shing!

The treasured sword in Niu Youdao's hand, still only half drawn, slid back into its scabbard. He slowly planted it before him again and spoke past the men blocking his way.

“By my own inclination, I ought to kill him with one stroke and sever Shao Pingbo's support. But when Commandery Prince Yongping learned I intended to come to Beizhou on business, he repeatedly instructed me that he cared about nothing else. He had only one request: Shao Dengyun must not be harmed.”

Shao Dengyun, seated firmly behind the table, froze.

The force in his face weakened at once. He stared through the gaps in the human wall at Niu Youdao, seemingly wanting to ask something but unable to speak.

Niu Youdao continued, “Shao Dengyun is Shao Dengyun. Shao Pingbo is Shao Pingbo. Shao Dengyun was an old subordinate of the late Prince Ning, a man who shared bloody battlefields, life, and death with him. Had Prince Ning still lived, Shao Dengyun would never have betrayed him.”

“Prince Ning died suddenly, and the entire situation changed. Shao Dengyun's rebellion against Yan was forced by circumstance. He must have had his own bitter difficulties.”

“If there was wrongdoing, the fault was not Shao Dengyun's. It was I who failed the brothers my father left behind and caused them grievance.”

“Better that the Shao family betray me than that I betray them. If I slaughter my father's old brothers, then I would be without benevolence or righteousness, loyalty or filial piety. With what face could I look up to my father's spirit in Heaven?”

The entire speech was delivered in the unmistakable voice of Commandery Prince Yongping, Shang Chaozong.

Shao Dengyun's eyes widened.

The words “Better that the Shao family betray me than that I betray them” reddened his eyes in an instant. Both hands on the table clenched into fists, and his breathing grew heavy.

Yang Shuang turned to look at him.

Niu Youdao took in every detail of his reaction and continued, “The Prince is benevolent and righteous. I, Niu, do not agree. To me, this is nothing more than the mercy of a woman. Spare you today, and you will inevitably become a future danger!”

“I ought to kill you. But the Prince pleaded for you again and again. If I insisted on acting as I wished, I fear it would damage the harmony between the Prince and me. So I'll spare your dog's life.”

With that, he turned and left.

At the doorway, he stopped again. Without looking back, he tossed over one final string of words.

“I invited you to take a walk because I originally intended to tell you these things in private. Who knew you would turn out to be nothing but a cowardly rat?”

“A regional lord? You merely bask in the reflected glory of a dead man.”

“Grand General Shao, you ought to burn a few more sticks of incense and thank the spirit in Heaven of Prince Ning, Shang Jianbo.”

Then he walked out.

Silence filled the hall.

After the Dachan Mountain disciples exchanged glances and withdrew, Shao Dengyun could no longer face Heaven in silence. He raised his head, closed his eyes, and tears streamed down his old face. Faint choking sobs escaped him.

Yang Shuang's expression was sorrowful as well. He raised his sleeve to wipe his eyes.

Of everyone here, no one understood better than he did what Shao Dengyun had carried in his heart all these years...

In the courtyard, Guan Fangyi kept looking back every few steps. She hurried after Niu Youdao, then lowered her voice beside him.

“You rattled off that whole divine proclamation. Was that really the Prince's instruction?”

Niu Youdao kept walking. He turned his head slightly and said just as quietly, “Send a message to the Prince. Have him seek Shao Dengyun's surrender.”

Guan Fangyi stared. “Surrender? Whose? Shao Dengyun's?”

Niu Youdao gave her a string of secret instructions.

Guan Fangyi rolled her eyes again and again as she listened. Once he finished, she spat softly and whispered, “You're too wicked. So you don't even intend to leave Beizhou to Tianyu Sect. Will this really work?”

“From now on, don't complain that I hide things from you. Explaining everything takes forever. When I tell you to do something, just do it. Stop nagging.”

That earned him a thorough cursing...

At Fufang Garden, Dugu Jing hurried into a small courtyard.

He reached the main hall and knocked open the tightly shut doors. Inside, Yucang sat cross-legged in meditation on a cushion in the otherwise empty room.

Dugu Jing knelt to one side and presented a letter with both hands. “Master, a letter from Niu Youdao.”

Yucang slowly opened his eyes and took it.

After reading, he frowned. “He wants Shao Pingbo handed over. Could Shao Pingbo's departure from Beizhou have something to do with him? Do we have any news on what is happening in Beizhou?”

Dugu Jing replied, “Not for now. It'll probably take some time to investigate.”

Yucang considered the matter. “Shao Pingbo ran to the State of Qi with only one attendant. What does he mean by that?”

This side was somewhat baffled.

They had received word from Shao Pingbo saying he needed to escort someone whose importance concerned the situation in the Qi capital. Yet when their people went to receive the party, the person being escorted turned out to be Shao Pingbo himself.

Dugu Jing said, “He's almost here. Once he arrives, we can simply send someone to ask. But Niu Youdao is demanding Shao Pingbo. How should we answer? He says any terms are negotiable. Do we negotiate?”

Yucang shook his head. “His position in Nanzhou is still only half established. Behind Shao Pingbo, however, stands all of Beizhou. Hand Shao Pingbo over to him? Is he joking?”

“Still... don't refuse too quickly. Reply and ask what he can offer us. Drag things out first while we find out what happened.”

“All right.” Dugu Jing accepted the instruction.

...

At the Provincial Inspector's Residence in Nanzhou, inside the Hall of Martial Valor, Shang Chaozong stood before a map with his hands on the back of Meng Shanming's wheelchair. Meng Shanming sat in the chair while several generals gathered around them, pointing at the map and discussing something.

Lan Ruoting entered from outside. He glanced over the situation, then raised a fist to his mouth and coughed twice.

Everyone turned.

Meng Shanming knew he had business to report. “You all go outside and discuss it among yourselves first. We'll continue later.”

“Yes!” The generals cupped their hands and withdrew.

Once they were gone, Lan Ruoting took a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Shang Chaozong. “Your Highness, Master Dao has sent word. He wants us to seek Shao Dengyun's surrender.”

“A traitor to the state! How could we tolerate him?” Shang Chaozong snapped.

He seized the letter and immediately lowered his head to see what this was about.

Meng Shanming looked puzzled. “Seek Shao Dengyun's surrender?”

Lan Ruoting nodded. “The letter doesn't explain the details. It only says Shao Pingbo has abandoned Beizhou and fled, that Beizhou is about to undergo major change, and that we can exploit the opening by using old ties to try to win Shao Dengyun over.”

Meng Shanming was confused. “One in the south and one in the north, separated by an immense distance. We couldn't support both ends even if we tried.”

“Taking a step back, wouldn't seeking his surrender now simply create trouble for ourselves? How could the imperial court sit by and ignore it?”

By then Shang Chaozong had finished reading. He handed the letter to Meng Shanming, much calmer than before but with his brows tightly furrowed.

“The letter says Shao Dengyun still remembers his old ties to Father and can be won over through them. It isn't asking Shao Dengyun to surrender openly. It wants him to submit in secret and give us his heart, to be used in the future.”

Meng Shanming read the letter and murmured, “Shao did not betray Yan. He endured humiliation and bore the burden in order to repay Prince Ning...”

“If we can persuade him with that reasoning and promise to clear his name as a traitor, then seeking his surrender truly does become feasible.”

The three exchanged glances.

They all understood Niu Youdao's meaning now.

As long as Shao Dengyun was willing to submit, when the time came they could simply say he had never betrayed the State of Yan at all. He had only endured humiliation in order to preserve strength for Prince Ning.

Put plainly, they would use the promise of clearing Shao Dengyun's name as a traitor to persuade him to surrender.

Silence hung inside the Hall of Martial Valor for a while.

Then Meng Shanming, still somewhat lost in the clouds, asked doubtfully, “Why would Shao Pingbo suddenly abandon Beizhou and flee when everything was fine?”

Lan Ruoting said, “You can guess without being told. Master Dao and that Young Master Shao are mortal enemies. Nine times out of ten, the two of them have started fighting again.”

“Those two go back and forth trying to put each other to death. Neither will stop until one of them is finished.”

“Shao Pingbo would never abandon Beizhou for no reason. This has to be one of Master Dao's fine deeds.”

Shang Chaozong muttered to himself, “With Dachan Mountain protecting him, and with Beizhou's secular authority still in the Shao clan's hands, how could he have been forced to flee?”

Meng Shanming handed the letter back to Lan Ruoting and sighed.

“Our Master Dao has always done things through clouds and mist. He rarely nails anything down completely, leaving himself room to adapt as circumstances change.”

“The process can leave you dazzled. Until the very end, no one can tell what he truly intends.”

“Stop guessing. We'll see the result when it's over.”

Shang Chaozong tested the waters. “Then we do as Master Dao says?”

Meng Shanming smiled. “What does Your Highness wish to do?”

Shang Chaozong immediately gave an awkward grin. “Better to do as Master Dao says. We lose nothing by trying, and it isn't a bad thing in any case. I'll write a letter now and have someone send it.”

“Not appropriate.” Lan Ruoting raised a hand. “This letter should not be written by Your Highness. It would be most suitable for Marshal Meng to personally write it on Your Highness's behalf.”

“If Marshal Meng gives his word as guarantor, Shao Dengyun will have no doubts. He will believe it.”

Shang Chaozong nodded.

He understood the logic. He himself did not carry much authority in Shao Dengyun's eyes. When Shao Dengyun was already ranging across battlefields, Shang Chaozong had still been a child.

Meng Shanming was different.

His words carried weight with Shao Dengyun.

Meng Shanming thought for a moment, then slowly nodded. “Very well. This old man will write the letter.”

Lan Ruoting added, “We should not be blindly conciliatory. There may as well be a faint note of rebuke between the lines.”

Meng Shanming glanced at him. “Mm. Little Lan is gradually acquiring some of Luo Shaofu's flavor. You're nearly ready to finish your apprenticeship.”

“Uh...” This time it was Lan Ruoting who smiled awkwardly.

“Hahaha!” Shang Chaozong burst out laughing.

Meng Shanming smiled as well.

...

Towering city walls rose high and broad.

Peddlers, laborers, and travelers flowed constantly through the gate, while the number of people dressed in respectable clothing was noticeably greater than in other places.

Several dozen advance riders reached the outskirts of the city and reined in.

Travel-worn Tang Yi lifted her head to look at the lofty gate tower above them.

At last, she had reached the capital of the State of Wei, the wealthiest and most prosperous of the Seven States.

The gate guards approached to ask who they were. Once Tang Yi's side identified themselves as Shangqing Sect, a guard immediately ran back to report.

Before long, a woman descended from the gate tower. She approached Tang Yi and held out a sheet of paper.

Tang Yi immediately dismounted and produced another sheet of her own. The two brought the papers together for comparison.

The tally matched perfectly.

Together, the markings formed the complete character Tang.

Once the identity was confirmed, the woman relaxed and smiled. “Sect Leader Tang, you've had a hard journey. My master ordered me to wait here for you. Please follow me.”

Hearing that the Chancellor of Wei had personally sent someone to receive them, Tang Yi felt the courtesy was almost too great. She hurriedly cupped her hands. “Thank you for the trouble.”

The woman beckoned for a horse to be brought over, mounted, and personally led Tang Yi and the others into the city.

With her clearing the way, none of the guards dared inspect them.

On a hill outside the city, beneath a tree, stood a slovenly man with a wine gourd hanging from his waist.

It was Zhao Xiongge.

He had secretly escorted the Shangqing Sect all the way here.

Now, seeing them safely make contact and enter the city, he finally breathed out softly.

There was no need to dwell on the prosperity of the wealthiest land among the Seven States.

The Shangqing Sect party arrived outside a heavily guarded estate enclosed by high walls and roofed in green tile.

Above the tall steps, a plaque over the gate bore two characters: Tianwei.

The calligraphy had been personally bestowed by the previous emperor of Wei.

This was the residence of Xuan Wei, Grand Princess of Wei, and also the official residence from which she exercised the authority of Chancellor.

Not everyone was permitted inside.

Tang Yi was allowed to bring only one person with her, and Tang Susu accompanied her.

The woman led the way, avoiding the estate's most tightly guarded areas and turning instead into the depths of its magnificent pavilions and towers. From time to time, they encountered women dressed in palace attire.

At last they reached a waterside pavilion.

The woman asked them to wait, then left to report their arrival.

[End of Chapter 527]