Chapter 612: Is This Meant to Welcome Me?

Niu Youdao no longer mentioned anything about Shang Chaozong’s women being stolen, or people being killed and robbed until Shang Chaozong was enraged enough to send troops.

No one present was a fool. Everyone knew those were merely legitimate pretexts for sending an army. In front of Long Xiu, there was no need to drag those excuses out again.

Yi Shu’s lips moved slightly. She had always been prejudiced against Niu Youdao and had never liked the sight of him, yet after hearing those words, even she fell silent.

Privately, she too felt the imperial court had gone too far. Again and again, it had tried to kill him. No one could endure that forever. It was hardly strange that this side had finally exploded and sent troops. If she put herself in his place, she too would have wanted to teach the court a ruthless lesson.

She also understood why Niu Youdao had asked whether her master wanted him dead. No matter what the court did, her master only restrained Niu Youdao. That was practically holding him down while others butchered him. How could he not misunderstand and think her master wanted him dead?

Of course, whatever she thought privately, she still had no intention of speaking on Niu Youdao’s behalf. The reason remained the same: she simply could not stand him.

Guan Fangyi’s bright eyes flickered beside them. She muttered inwardly that if she did not know the truth behind everything, even she might have been moved by this speech.

Seeing Long Xiu remain silent, Niu Youdao spread his hands and added, “Palace Master, if I stop now, does the imperial court simply get away with everything? And if I stop now, what happens if the court moves against me again in the future? Am I supposed to keep sitting here waiting to die?”

Long Xiu said indifferently, “Rest assured. The imperial court will not do this again.”

Niu Youdao pressed him. “And if they do?”

Long Xiu swept him with a cold gaze, his voice abruptly sinking. “Who gave you the courage to speak to me this way? Those new sworn elder siblings of yours?”

Niu Youdao once again raised his sword and cupped his hands. “I wouldn’t dare! It’s only that I know the truth too well, and the Palace Master understands it too. A dog can’t stop eating shit. So long as Shang Jianxiong gets another chance, he will still try to kill me! Palace Master, I have no road left to live. I cannot be this lucky every time. I can guard against him for a while, but not for the rest of my life. Surely you have to leave me some way to survive?”

Long Xiu’s face remained expressionless. “Then what do you want?”

Since Long Xiu had asked, Niu Youdao shamelessly spoke his mind. “Then I’ll say it directly and hide nothing. I don’t think Shang Jianxiong is fit to remain on the imperial throne. If he continues sitting there, the whole of Great Yan will be ruined in his hands. Replace him.”

Guan Fangyi nearly jumped in fright. Is that something you can say?

Sure enough, Long Xiu’s expression changed. “Impudent! Replace him? With whom? Shang Chaozong, the man you support? Even I do not dare speak lightly of deposing one sovereign and enthroning another. What are you, to decide who rules Great Yan?”

Replacing Shang Jianxiong was no small matter. Although parts of Yan had fallen under the control of various regional lords, Shang Jianxiong still controlled most of the state. This was not merely a question of territory. From top to bottom, it was an entire web of shared interests involving far too many people. Shang Jianxiong could not simply be replaced at will.

If anyone moved recklessly against Shang Jianxiong, the resulting chaos would not be limited to Nanzhou and Dingzhou. The territory involved was too vast and the people too numerous. Even if all three major sects came out in full force, they could not control the situation.

Niu Youdao replied, “Palace Master, calm your anger. I know these are not words I should say, and it is not my place to say them. But Shang Jianxiong has simply gone too far.”

“Let me ask the Palace Master this. Before Shang Jianxiong prepared to send troops against Nanzhou, did he consult the three major sects? Before he sent people to attack this place, did he consult the three major sects? Shang Jianxiong seems to have forgotten one thing: this realm is a realm of cultivators! He has become a little too accustomed to doing whatever he wants. If no one teaches him a lesson, I fear he may no longer know who he is. If he is indulged like this and allowed to keep running out of control, even if Nanzhou does not send troops against him, someone else eventually will!”

“That is for me to consider,” Long Xiu said. “It is not your place to point fingers. What you need to do now is have Nanzhou’s army stop attacking immediately!”

Niu Youdao countered, “Having Nanzhou stop is easy. But what if Dingzhou refuses to stop after Nanzhou does?”

Long Xiu’s voice turned cold. “Are you bargaining with me?”

“I wouldn’t dare!” Niu Youdao bent slightly in acknowledgment. Then, after straightening, he turned to Guan Fangyi. “Contact His Highness immediately. Tell him the Palace Master has personally intervened. Nanzhou’s army is to stop its offensive at once!”

“Good.” Guan Fangyi nodded and turned away.

Seeing him obey, Long Xiu’s anger eased somewhat. He asked, “I hear Zhao Xiongge was here?”

“He was here earlier,” Niu Youdao replied. “But that man comes and goes like a ghost. He appears suddenly and disappears just as suddenly. I can’t make sense of him either.”

“Can’t make sense of him, or don’t want to explain?”

Niu Youdao smiled bitterly. “I truly can’t make sense of him.”

“Why would he come help you?”

“Palace Master, I know you may not believe me even if I explain. I truly don’t understand it myself. How could I possibly have the ability to make him bow his head and obey me? I asked him the same question and never received a definite answer. He said he was repaying a favor he owed my master, Dong Guo Haoran. I don’t believe that explanation myself...”

The two remained there discussing Zhao Xiongge for quite some time. Niu Youdao kept circling through clouds and mist, never giving Long Xiu anything solid.

After a while, a Xiaoyao Palace disciple hurried over and whispered into Long Xiu’s ear, “Palace Master, something outside doesn’t look right.”

Long Xiu’s eyes narrowed slightly. He swept Niu Youdao with a cold glance, then turned and went to see for himself.

At a side gate of the villa, the doors suddenly opened. Yuan Fang ran out with a bundle on his back, followed by a crowd of monks carrying large and small packs.

Yuan Fang abruptly stopped. The monks running behind him nearly crashed into his back.

He stared dumbstruck at the scene ahead. From the surrounding mountains and forests, disciples of Liuxian Sect, Fuyun Sect, and Lingxiu Mountain were closing in. Even more numerous were dense ranks of soldiers converging from every direction.

The troops arriving in position immediately began assembling the components of siege crossbows. Their movements were crisp and efficient, and before long row after row of massive crossbows stood ready, steel bolts flashing coldly as they were cranked into firing position.

More troops streamed in and formed square formations. Ranks of archers drew arrows from their quivers, all facing Maolu Villa.

The villa had been surrounded by an army. The monks stood there in a daze.

Yuan Fang was speechless. He had only felt that the situation was turning bad and wanted to take everyone into the mountains to hide for a while. If things truly became impossible, then he would have had no choice but to lead them away altogether. He could not let the incense of Nanshan Temple be extinguished.

Who could have imagined he would run into this formation the moment he stepped outside?

Since there was no way to flee now, he could only go back. He hurriedly waved to the monks. “Go, go, go! Back inside! Hurry! Arrows have no eyes. Get indoors and hide under the tables!”

The monks immediately scurried after him. They had come out quickly and returned even faster. The rear gate slammed shut behind them with a bang.

Long Xiu walked out through the main gate and stood outside the villa, watching the army close its encirclement. The cold gleam from row upon row of siege crossbows was dazzling, and large numbers of cultivators had gathered among the troops.

“Is this meant to welcome me?” Long Xiu turned his head and asked Niu Youdao coldly.

Niu Youdao hurried to explain. “How could that be possible? We didn’t know the Palace Master was coming. This was prepared for the people from Lingxiao Pavilion and Tiannü Sect. If they went too far, I don’t know whether I could stop them from escaping, but without an order from me, I can at least guarantee that under the combined barrage of siege crossbows and arrows, not a single flying mount inside this villa would be able to get away.”

In truth, the formation really had been prepared for Long Xiu.

If Long Xiu dared push him too far today and leave him no road to live, then Niu Youdao had no intention of remaining polite.

So long as Long Xiu could not kill him with a single strike, Long Xiu himself would not get away clean. Even if Niu Youdao could not kill Long Xiu, he could still kill his flying mount.

If the army’s obstruction could delay Long Xiu even briefly, Niu Youdao could break away. A flying mount would then come to pick him up.

And once he escaped, the years he had spent building influence in Nanzhou were not for nothing. Even if Shang Chaozong died, Niu Youdao could still command the troops and forces throughout Nanzhou.

At that point, whoever had the final say in Nanzhou would still have the final say. The three major sects could rage all they liked. Given Yan’s present situation and the pressures from its neighbors, the state simply did not have the strength to send an army into Nanzhou to suppress a rebellion.

The people from Lingxiao Pavilion and Tiannü Sect were already here, and their attitude had been made perfectly clear. If Long Xiu completely tore off all pretense with him, what need would there be to keep so many reservations? Niu Youdao had no objection to joining forces with the powers of Han and Song.

Naturally, none of these calculations could be spoken aloud. Instead, Niu Youdao lowered his voice. “Palace Master, everything here is ready. Give the word, and I’ll have our people move against those two sects immediately!”

Long Xiu warned him at once, “Don’t act recklessly. Just send them away.”

Given the present situation, unless there was no other choice, Long Xiu did not want to touch the people from Lingxiao Pavilion and Tiannü Sect. The armies of Han and Song were already pressing Yan’s borders. Killing elders from those two sects for no good reason might truly provoke the two states into sending troops. There was no need to court that possibility merely to vent momentary anger.

“Fine. I’ll send them away now.” Niu Youdao cupped his hands and turned back.

Inside the villa, he ran into Guan Fangyi, who had already sent the message and was on her way out.

Niu Youdao pulled her aside for a moment and said quietly, “Send one more message to His Highness. The offensive can stop, but without an order from me, not one inch of the territory already taken is to be surrendered.”

Guan Fangyi looked surprised. “He agreed that easily to let you keep the territory you’ve occupied?”

“Agreed to what? I can’t say this to him, and neither can you. The moment it is spoken aloud, we won’t get it. Some things can only be done, not said. Everything that needed saying was already said earlier. In any case, asking me to hand back the territory we’ve taken is impossible.”

Guan Fangyi frowned slightly, then finally understood what he meant. She spat, “You schemer!”

She turned and went to send the supplementary message. Niu Youdao headed toward the two newly sworn relatives who were still under guard.

With Long Xiu here, finding a suitable excuse was not difficult. Sending the two of them away was easy.

Before long, two flying mounts rose into the air. Hui Qingping and Quan Taifeng left with dark expressions, without even saying farewell to Long Xiu.

They had not gained nothing. At the very least, they had picked up a sworn younger brother at bargain price.

Whether either of them took the bond seriously or not, the reputation of having sworn it was now fixed. Neither even knew how they were going to explain the matter after returning to their sect.

Standing outside Maolu Villa, Long Xiu watched the two flying mounts disappear into the distance.

After Niu Youdao returned to report, he waved toward the army assembled outside. The cultivators of the three sects and the troops immediately withdrew like a receding tide.

Long Xiu had done nothing unexpected, so there was no longer any need for the contingency they had prepared.

[End of Chapter 612]