Chapter 631: Two Sleeves of Clean Air

In the mountains and forests outside Nanzhou Prefectural Capital, one flying mount descended while two others continued into the city. Niu Youdao did not go in. He remained outside to wait.

After Meng Shanming had been delivered safely, the other two flying mounts left the city again and landed in the same mountain forest.

“You all head back first.” Niu Youdao waved a hand. Everyone except Guan Fangyi mounted up and flew away.

“Come on.” Niu Youdao glanced back and called to Guan Fangyi. The two of them also mounted a flying beast and rose into the air.

After looking left and right for a while, Guan Fangyi realized their direction was wrong. She had no idea what trick he was playing. He had claimed they were here to escort Meng Shanming, yet he had not even intended to show his face inside the city. Now he was behaving strangely again. Unable to hold back, she asked, “Master Dao, just where are we going?”

Niu Youdao answered calmly, “The capital.”

“Ah!” Her reaction was the same as Yuan Gang’s, only stronger. Guan Fangyi instantly lost her composure. “Have you gone mad? Shang Jianxiong wishes he could grind your bones to dust and scatter your ashes, and you still dare deliver yourself into the wolf’s mouth? If you want to die, you don’t have to go looking for death like this!”

“You’re thinking too much. Nothing will happen.”

“Nothing, my ass. If nothing was going to happen, why drag me along? All these years, just because I have plenty of talismans on me, you’ve always treated me like your personal bodyguard. You think I don’t know?” Guan Fangyi gave him a contemptuous look, then tested him. “You arranged people in the capital to protect us?”

“No. The fewer people who know about this trip, the better. How could I make a spectacle of it?”

Guan Fangyi’s eyes widened. She stared at him in disbelief. “Master Dao, don’t tell me the two of us are going into the capital alone. Are you serious? Have you grown tired of living? I still want a few more years myself.”

“Of course I’m serious. Are you coming or not? If you really don’t want to go, you can still catch up with them and return together.”

They were riding a Scarlet Hunting Eagle. Catching the two Black Jade Eagles that had just departed would be no problem.

Guan Fangyi was afraid of danger and did want to go back, but some things had already become habit. If Niu Youdao truly left her behind and refused to take her, she would instead feel uncomfortable all over, perhaps even resentful. She curled her lip and snorted. “There’s definitely something fishy going on. Fine. I want to see what game you’re playing.”

Niu Youdao smiled.

...

Seen from high in the sky, the sheer scale of Yanjing was enough to inspire awe.

The Scarlet Hunting Eagle plunged deep into the surrounding mountains. Two men emerged in disguise: Niu Youdao and Guan Fangyi. Guan Fangyi too was dressed as a man.

Niu Youdao looked at the full swell of her chest and lifted his chin toward it. “Like that, anyone can tell you’re a woman. Bind your chest.”

Guan Fangyi snapped, “And with you staring at me like that, how am I supposed to do it? You want me to strip in front of you?” She looked around, spotted a hollow among the hills, and said, “Wait here. I’ll go sort it out.”

She looked like a man, yet spoke in a woman’s voice. The result was rather strange.

“No need to hide. I won’t take advantage of you. Take your time here. I’ll go alone and be back soon.”

Guan Fangyi stared. “What do you mean? You’re leaving me here by myself?”

“If you don’t stay, who watches the mount?”

Guan Fangyi cursed on the spot. “Bastard! Don’t tell me you dragged me here just to watch your mount for you. The capital is right there in all its splendor, and you want me sitting alone in the mountains?”

“Bringing the mount into the city would attract too much attention. I’m not asking you to guard the mount. I’m asking you to handle the extraction.”

“Bullshit. You certainly know how to dress things up. After all that circling around, you still mean I’m staying here to watch the mount.”

“Hongniang, you’re the foremost beauty beneath Heaven. Every other sentence out of your mouth is crude. It hardly becomes you.”

“Spare me.”

“Whose fault is it? You think the fragrance on your body can be concealed that easily? The moment you enter the city, anyone will know you’re a woman. I’m always telling you to use less perfume, but you never listen.”

“I...”

“If you don’t want the two of us dying here, stay put.” Niu Youdao turned away.

Guan Fangyi stamped her foot in fury, then suddenly called, “Wait!”

Niu Youdao continued toward the edge of the forest without looking back. Guan Fangyi flashed in front of him and blocked his path, kicking the sword he had planted against the ground askew.

“The sword. Don’t tell me you’re planning to walk into the capital leaning on it like that. Anyone who knows you knows that signature habit. If you enter the city this way, you’ll probably be recognized the moment you step through the gate.”

Niu Youdao looked down and realized habitual movements truly were difficult to change. Slowly, he fastened the sword at his waist instead. “I don’t need your reminder. Naturally I would have changed it before going in.”

Guan Fangyi glanced back at the setting sun. “At this hour, how long are you expecting me to wait?”

“I’ll be out later.”

“Later means when? Once it gets dark, all four city gates will close. They won’t open casually without military orders. Don’t tell me you plan to force your way out through the air. If the cultivators guarding the city come after you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“You’re overthinking it. If I couldn’t handle something this minor, there’d be no point in me roaming the world.”

Guan Fangyi reached into her sleeve, pulled out a Heavenly Sword Talisman, and offered it to him. “Take this.”

Niu Youdao looked around. “Keep it on yourself for protection.”

“I’ll be fine. If anything happens, I’ll get on the Scarlet Hunting Eagle and take to the sky immediately.”

“You’re still the foremost beauty beneath Heaven. If you run into someone intent on taking your virtue, that would be troublesome. Better keep it on you.”

“Master Dao, what exactly are you going into the capital to do?”

“When it’s time for you to know, naturally I’ll tell you.” Niu Youdao turned and left, still refusing the Heavenly Sword Talisman.

Guan Fangyi called after him, “Come back early. I’m afraid of the dark. Don’t leave me alone too long.”

Niu Youdao waved without looking back and flashed away.

Leaving the forest, he entered the open plain and made his way to the city. Under the watchful eyes of the gate guards, he walked inside as though nothing were amiss.

He strolled through the streets, watching the people come and go and taking in the prosperity of the capital. There was almost no sense that Yan was in the middle of a war.

Taverns and teahouses rang with noise. Music and dancing drifted from houses of pleasure. Everyone went on doing whatever they normally did. Those who lived amid wine-soaked luxury continued drowning themselves in glittering excess, while those without enough to eat still begged along the streets.

Passing a jewelry shop, Niu Youdao was drawn by the shop assistant’s extravagant hawking. He thought of Guan Fangyi waiting so long for him and went inside, intending to buy her a piece of jewelry as a gift and stop that woman’s mouth for a while.

His clothes did not look poor. The assistant immediately welcomed him in, and the proprietor personally came over to make an enthusiastic presentation.

A gold hairpin caught Niu Youdao’s eye. The proprietor instantly praised his excellent taste and placed it carefully in his hands.

Niu Youdao examined it, then asked, “How much?”

The proprietor brought his ten fingers together. “Only ten gold coins. You won’t find a better price anywhere on this street.”

Niu Youdao set the gold hairpin on the counter and reached into his sleeve.

Nothing.

He was briefly speechless.

Only then did he remember that he generally carried no money on his person. He was accustomed to going about with nothing but clean air in his two sleeves.

He could not help blaming Guan Fangyi inwardly. She had watched him leave alone and had not even thought to give him some money.

He asked the proprietor, “Can I put it on credit? I’ll pay you double later.”

The proprietor’s smiling expression stiffened instantly. He looked Niu Youdao up and down, took the gold hairpin back, and shook his head. “This establishment does not extend credit.”

Niu Youdao could only give up and leave.

Behind him, he could hear the proprietor and assistant muttering to each other, saying things along the lines of how respectable he had looked.

This was Niu Youdao’s first time in the capital, but for someone who liked studying maps, many things already existed clearly in his mind. Finding his destination was not difficult.

...

At the residence of the Grand Minister of the Masses, a young servant ran in through the gate and delivered a small box to Fan Zhuan, who had been waiting inside.

Fan Zhuan opened it and looked at the gold hairpin lying within. He seemed somewhat puzzled. After waving the servant away, he remained there waiting.

Just then, a guarded carriage stopped outside.

Gao Jiancheng had returned.

Fan Zhuan hurried forward to receive him.

Master and servant headed inside. Looking at the half-darkened sky, Fan Zhuan accompanied him and asked, “Master, why have you returned so late?”

Gao Jiancheng sighed. “What else could it be? Another reinforcement army lost a battle. His Majesty is furious.”

Fan Zhuan glanced around and lowered his voice. “Master, an honored guest is waiting in your study.”

Gao Jiancheng was surprised.

Not just anyone could enter his study, and the steward certainly understood that.

“Who?”

Fan Zhuan lowered his voice further. “Niu Youdao.”

“He...” Gao Jiancheng’s heart tightened and his steps stopped. He was genuinely surprised. He had not expected Niu Youdao to dare come to the capital at a time like this. “How many people did he bring?”

“Only himself.”

Gao Jiancheng narrowed his eyes slightly. “He has nerve. Coming at a time like this... he is probably here because of the war.” He sighed faintly. He was afraid Niu Youdao had come to burden him with some troublesome request.

But there was no helping it.

His son was in the other man’s hands, while he himself had deceived the imperial court by claiming his son was dead. If he angered Niu Youdao and Niu publicly produced Gao Shaoming alive, the Gao clan would be finished.

Whatever Niu Youdao wanted, Gao Jiancheng would probably have no choice but to comply.

He asked, “No one saw him, did they?”

“Master, rest assured. He came in disguise. It is perfectly normal for people to enter and leave this residence.”

Gao Jiancheng lifted a hand, and master and servant continued toward the study in the inner residence.

Along the way, he noticed the box in Fan Zhuan’s hands. It looked like a gift case. He casually asked, “Who sent a gift?”

“Uh... It wasn’t a gift from anyone. That guest asked this old servant to buy something for him.”

“What?”

“Nothing valuable. Just a gold hairpin.”

In Fan Zhuan’s eyes, something worth ten gold coins naturally did not count as valuable. Gifts outsiders normally sent to the Gao residence would be embarrassing if they were worth only ten gold coins.

“A gold hairpin?”

Fan Zhuan opened the box and showed it to him.

It was indeed a gold hairpin for a woman.

Gao Jiancheng took it out, examined it, and found nothing unusual. Suspicion appeared on his face.

Men like him rarely thought of anything too simply.

Instead, he began wondering whether there was some deeper meaning.

Niu Youdao was not short of money. There was no need for him to grasp at petty advantage. Why would a man like that ask the Gao residence to purchase a mere gold hairpin on his behalf?

Gao Jiancheng was thinking too much.

He had no idea Niu Youdao simply had not brought any money.

Master and servant reached the heavily restricted study in the inner residence. Before entering, Gao Jiancheng even paused outside to straighten his robes. Only then did he push open the door.

Inside the study, behind a folding screen, Niu Youdao had already removed his false face. He was sitting in Gao Jiancheng’s usual seat, casually leafing through some of the official papers Gao Jiancheng normally reviewed.

“Oh!” Seeing the man Fan Zhuan escorted inside and judging from his bearing who he must be, Niu Youdao stood and smiled. “This must be the Grand Minister of the Masses.”

Fan Zhuan hurriedly introduced them.

Gao Jiancheng immediately cupped his hands and bowed. “Greetings, Master Dao.”

For a man as lofty as the Grand Minister of the Masses, that waist could truly bend whenever necessary. There was not the slightest insistence on his own dignity.

“I wouldn’t dare.” Niu Youdao quickly came around the desk and reached out with both hands to help him straighten.

[End of Chapter 631]