Chapter 616: The Treatment Was Truly Terrifying

That single sentence—“I am not his equal”—made Taishu Xiong regard Shao Pingbo with even greater appreciation. His eyes were full of approval. There were countless people in the world who were inferior to others, but few who would willingly admit it, especially when speaking of an opponent.

Among the ministers beneath him, there were hardly any who could stand before him and openly say that they were incapable and another man was better.

Shao Pingbo continued, “Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion is intent on preserving what it has and fears chaos in Jinzhou, so it never dared publicize Hai Ruyue's poisoning. The fact that Ghost Doctor's disciple could be summoned openly was most likely Niu Youdao's idea. He had Hai Ruyue detoxified, killed the Song envoy to provoke conflict between Yan and Song, and used that pressure to force the Yan court to withdraw its troops, preserving Nanzhou. Then he had Nanzhou's forces press toward the State of Zhao and present a united front with Jinzhou, forcing the Zhao court's army to retreat and preserving Jinzhou as well.”

“At first, I thought that was all. Who would have imagined that he would then turn those forces around and exploit the preparations already made for war to send Nanzhou's army against Dingzhou? Who could have imagined that, with Yan's three major sects presiding over Great Yan, he would dare send troops to attack? No one expected it, yet that is exactly what he did.”

“Dingzhou robbing Shang Chaozong's women was nothing more than a pretext for sending troops. Not long ago, Nanzhou was trembling beneath the pressure of an imperial army bearing down on it. Where did it suddenly find the courage to attack in return? The reason is simple: killing the Song envoy tied the Yan court's hands. Once that was done, the imperial court's surprise attack on Maolu Villa became a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on its own foot. With the affair blown this wide open, whether the Yan court had reason on its side or not, it now looks unreasonable. The hat of 'foolish ruler' has been placed on Shang Jianxiong's head. I fear he will have great difficulty taking it off.”

“Niu Youdao turns his hand and makes clouds, turns it again and makes rain. He reverses an adverse situation and turns disadvantage into advantage. His ability to shape momentum is breathtaking. He preserved Nanzhou, stabilized Jinzhou, and even used the Yan court's own hand to establish his position in Nanzhou in one stroke. From this day onward, no one will dare move lightly against Maolu Villa. Dachan Mountain cannot touch Maolu Villa, while Shang Chaozong's entire faction belongs to Niu Youdao. From this point on, Dachan Mountain has become nothing more than a puppet on strings in Niu Youdao's hands. Nanzhou no longer has any internal threat behind it.”

Taishu Xiong nodded, his eyes flickering. “Truly an extraordinary talent of this age!”

Shao Pingbo said, “With Nanzhou's internal troubles settled, look at the territory around it. To the west lies Jinzhou, Nanzhou's shield against the State of Zhao. For now, Niu Youdao will only protect it, not move against it. To the south lies the vast sea, no place to employ an army. Looking in every direction, that leaves Dingzhou to the northeast, pressing Nanzhou into a corner and looking for all the world like a piece of fat meat before its eyes. If Nanzhou wants to expand, it must take Dingzhou. Does Your Majesty think Niu Youdao will let Dingzhou go?”

Taishu Xiong asked, “You mean this war will continue?”

“Probably not. If it goes on, only Han and Song will profit. If Yan's three major sects are truly driven into becoming dogs without a home, losing their protection would do Nanzhou no good. Until he has enough strength to expand openly, he won't dare act recklessly. But one thing is certain: sooner or later, he will swallow Dingzhou.”

“Before I send my armies east, I do not want anyone among the Four Eastern States growing too powerful. Stability is enough.” Taishu Xiong nodded. “Still, judging by the fighting, Nanzhou's army looks more like it is seizing territory than merely venting anger.”

“Since Niu Youdao has acted, he will not consume Nanzhou's resources for nothing and come away without profit. Once something enters his mouth, making him spit it back out will not be easy. He won't have gone to all this trouble for nothing. I imagine he'll take as much territory as he can. The hateful thing is that no one at the Yan court can stop him from behaving so wantonly.”

Taishu Xiong waved a hand. “It isn't necessarily that the Yan court has no capable men. Anyone who can claw his way up through that much infighting cannot be simple. The difference lies only between public duty and private interest.” His tone and expression carried particular feeling when he said this.

Shao Pingbo bowed. “Yes. This minister has been taught.”

Taishu Xiong seemed unwilling to continue that topic. He sighed and turned, beckoning with one hand.

Tao Lue understood and nodded. He left the pavilion and soon returned carrying a white fur cloak in both hands, snow-white and fluffy without a single stray color.

Taishu Xiong reached out and stroked the white fur. “The weather has turned cold. Someone below presented me with two cloaks, one black and one white. This one is made of silver-fox fur. Wearing something this white would look affected on me, but it suits your temperament. I brought it along for you.”

Shao Pingbo hurriedly declined. “This is Your Majesty's cloak. How would this minister dare wear it?”

Taishu Xiong left no room for refusal. “If I say you can, then you can. Put it on and let me see!”

Tao Lue smiled as well. “Lord Shao, put it on.”

Faced with such generosity, Shao Pingbo could only accept with a smile. He raised his hands and untied the clasp of the fur cloak already around his neck.

Shao Sansheng, who had been standing outside and was covered in snow, quickly came into the pavilion to assist him.

Once the pure-white fur cloak settled over his shoulders, it made Shao Pingbo look even more refined and scholarly.

“Good! You look like my silver fox!” Taishu Xiong burst into hearty laughter. Still laughing, he turned and strode away.

Tao Lue smiled and nodded to Shao Pingbo, then turned and followed.

“No need to see me out.”

Shao Pingbo had been about to follow and escort him, but Taishu Xiong called back as though he had eyes in the back of his head. The command stopped Shao Pingbo on the pavilion steps, leaving him there to watch the Emperor depart.

Only after someone outside reported that Taishu Xiong had indeed left did Shao Pingbo slowly turn and return to the pavilion.

He walked back to the half-raised bamboo blind and stood alone against the cold wind. Clad in elegant white, his brows knit as his thoughts sank inward, his worries impossible to dispel.

Just as he had told Taishu Xiong, Niu Youdao had already eliminated the hidden dangers within Nanzhou. Shao Pingbo truly envied him—and hated him for it.

Yan was plagued by troubles within and enemies without, precisely the kind of situation in which Shao Pingbo could have displayed his abilities. Yet he had been forced to flee. Now Niu Youdao was the one profiting from it. The thought alone made his heart ache.

Shao Sansheng quietly brushed the settled snow from his shoulders.

...

Everyone beneath Heaven knew that Nanzhou was one of Yan's regional powers maintaining its own army, while Dingzhou was directly controlled by the Yan court. Nanzhou attacking Dingzhou was no different from declaring war on the imperial court itself. The news shook the realm.

Add to that the attack on Maolu Villa and Zong Yuan's death, and people everywhere were astonished. No one had expected a mere Maolu Villa to possess such formidable strength.

It had defeated the surprise attack and then sent troops against the imperial court. For a time, the eyes of every major power beneath Heaven gathered on this battlefield.

At Rainbow Inn, Chu Anlou sat behind the counter listening to the inn hands whispering among themselves in front of him.

When guests arrived, the workers stopped talking and went to receive them. Chu Anlou rose from behind the counter as well and strolled into the lush green garden behind the inn. His thoughts wandered, and every so often he gave a soft sigh.

He truly had not expected it. In only a few short years, Niu Youdao had developed to this point, to the point where he dared openly move against the Yan court.

Something he had almost forgotten rose again in his mind: the slaps he had once given Niu Youdao across the face.

It was not that he feared Niu Youdao. With his own background, there was no need for fear.

But if the man standing before him back then had been Huang Lie instead, Chu Anlou would at most have given him a warning. He would never have humiliated him with those slaps. He had done it only because he had considered Niu Youdao weak.

Now those slaps had become something he himself could not quite put out of his mind.

...

The grasslands lay wrapped in white as wind and snow swept through the passes. Inside Prince Ying's Residence, Hao Zhen and Shao Liuer sat warming themselves before a brazier.

After reading the report in his hand, Hao Zhen passed it casually to Shao Liuer and sighed. “No wonder he managed to drive your brother out of Beizhou. This Niu Youdao is formidable.”

Shao Liuer read the contents in silence. Only after a long while did she set the paper down and ask about an entirely different matter. “I heard Ghost Doctor's disciple is treating Imperial Uncle's leg at the Western Court today. The disciple of Ghost Doctor is displaying his miraculous skill, and a chance to witness it is rare. Your Highness isn't going to take a look?”

Hao Zhen shook his head. “Bu Xun went. I won't join the crowd.”

Shao Liuer nodded in understanding.

...

The gates of Prince Sheng's Residence—the residence of Hao Yunsheng, Prince of the Western Court of Qi—opened, and Bu Xun emerged with several attendants.

Once outside, Bu Xun looked back at the plaque over the residence. Suddenly he shuddered all over. With his cultivation, it almost seemed as though even he had been chilled. He drew his fur cloak tighter, apparently unwilling to remain a moment longer, and quickly boarded his carriage.

The carriage headed straight for the imperial palace and entered the palace city without obstruction.

After getting out inside the palace, Bu Xun hurried directly to an opulent warm pavilion. Outside, he removed his fur cloak and cleaned the snow and ice from his shoes before entering.

The pavilion was warm as spring. Hao Yuntu, seated behind a desk reviewing memorials, looked up. The moment Bu Xun finished his salute, the Emperor asked, “How did Ghost Doctor's disciple do treating Old Fifth's leg?”

Bu Xun looked awkward. “It's already finished.”

Hao Yuntu noticed his strange expression. “What do you mean, finished? I asked how the treatment went.”

Bu Xun grimaced. “Your Majesty, this old slave thinks it would be better not to say. The treatment was truly terrifying.”

“What's so terrifying about it? I've seen mountains of corpses and seas of blood. You think this will frighten me? Speak!” Hao Yuntu set down his brush and barked the order.

With no other choice, Bu Xun shook his head for a while and sighed. “Your Majesty ordered this old slave to go and look, so naturally I watched the whole treatment with my own eyes. But what happened was truly beyond imagining. First, Wuxin put the Prince of the Western Court into a deep unconscious sleep inside a room made bright as day. Then he ordered a pig that had been prepared beforehand slaughtered and removed a section of tendon and bone from one of its legs. After that, Wuxin cut open the Prince's crippled leg with a knife and cut away some of the necrotic tendon and bone within the flesh. He then trimmed the pig's tendon and bone to fit, set them into the missing portion of the Prince's leg, and fixed them in place. Finally, he stitched the cut flesh of the Prince's leg back together with needle and thread, just like sewing clothes. Once he'd applied some medicine, it was finished.”

Hao Yuntu's face had twisted into an expression difficult to describe. Fear shone unmistakably in his eyes, and he was plainly chilled to the bone. He swallowed dryly and asked in a faintly trembling voice, “He put a pig's tendon and bone inside Old Fifth's body?”

Bu Xun nodded. “Yes!”

“And that can cure Old Fifth's leg?”

“Wuxin said he needs to recuperate for half a year before he can recover.”

Hao Yuntu asked, “Then... will Old Fifth be half man and half pig from now on?”

“That...” Bu Xun shook his head. “This old slave can't say. All I know is that watching it nearly made me vomit. Every hair on my body stood on end.”

Forget Bu Xun watching it. Hao Yuntu felt nauseated merely hearing the description. His stomach churned. The moment he imagined seeing Old Fifth in the future, gooseflesh rose all over him, and he could not help shuddering.

“Ghost Doctor...” he sighed. “No wonder they call him Ghost Doctor. Forget it. That Wuxin or whatever his name is—I don't want to see him again. Fire. Stoke the charcoal higher.”

“Yes!” Bu Xun immediately turned and ordered the attendants to do so.

[End of Chapter 616]