Chapter 648: I Can’t Hate Him Anymore

Guan Fangyi had been waiting outside the villa.

When Huang Lie and Niu Youdao came out, she came out as well and watched from a distance the entire time.

Once Niu Youdao returned, she asked suspiciously, “What were the two of you doing?”

Niu Youdao chuckled. “Nothing.”

“Was Huang Lie bowing to Black Peony just now?”

“The dead are to be honored. He was only being polite.” Niu Youdao smiled as he walked past her.

Not long after the two returned to the villa, another guest arrived.

This was the guest Niu Youdao had been waiting for.

Situ Yao, Sect Leader of Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion in Jinzhou, had rushed over with his people. The moment he heard Nanzhou was marching out, he traveled through the night without stopping.

Inside the waterside pavilion, the old tea service was removed and replaced with a fresh set for the guests.

Situ Yao had no mind for tea either. The moment he sat down, he asked, “Little Brother, is Nanzhou truly sending troops to destroy the Cangzhou rebellion?”

Niu Youdao, who had lifted his own cup first, took a small sip and set it down with a nod. “Indeed.”

Situ Yao’s expression tightened. “Han and Yan have massed armies against each other, leaving Han with no attention to spare for restraining Zhao. Now Nanzhou’s army is leaving Nanzhou to suppress the rebellion as well.”

“Jinzhou will be hanging alone. Hai Wuji has never swallowed his anger from last time. How could he let Jinzhou escape now? Even Zhao’s three major sects may not be able to restrain him!”

“Our two sides are allied. With something this important, shouldn’t you have warned me beforehand?”

When Situ Yao had first learned Nanzhou had intercepted the Yan court’s military grain, he had assumed Niu Youdao had some other plan.

Who could have imagined that in the blink of an eye Nanzhou would suddenly be wearing the same pair of trousers as the Yan court?

It was not only Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion that had been caught off guard.

Countless people had been thrown into confusion by the reversal.

After all, Shang Jianxiong wanted Niu Youdao dead!

Niu Youdao shook his head. “Sect Leader Situ, before this, forget you—I even kept Shang Chaozong in the dark.”

“What was involved was too important. I could not reveal the truth to outsiders. I had no choice.”

“You had no choice?” Situ Yao said. “With one ‘no choice’ from you, Jinzhou now faces destruction. Is this how an ally behaves?”

Niu Youdao waved a hand, signaling him to calm down and drink his tea. “If Yan collapses, once Han and Song are busy dividing it up, do you think the Zhao court will spare Jinzhou even if Nanzhou never sends troops?”

Situ Yao opened his mouth.

Niu Youdao raised a hand to stop him and continued, “I know what Sect Leader Situ wants to say.”

“You want to say Nanzhou could still join hands with Jinzhou against Zhao.”

“But what about Yan? Once Yan is gone, if Nanzhou’s army runs over to join you against Zhao, do you think the armies of Han and Song will simply leave Nanzhou untouched?”

“Where do all the people of Nanzhou go then? Remain in Jinzhou and continue resisting Zhao?”

“With enemies pressing from front and rear, how long could the two of us hold?”

Situ Yao said, “I know the situation is difficult...”

Niu Youdao raised a hand again, cutting him off. “It is difficult. More than that, it is a dilemma.”

“At a time like this, you would not ignore Jinzhou’s interests for my sake. I would not ignore Nanzhou’s interests for yours.”

“You want me not to send troops. Is that possible?”

Situ Yao was angered. His voice sank. “According to you, when disaster comes, every bird flies its own way. Is our alliance supposed to end just like that?”

“Not at all!” Niu Youdao waved a hand. “I discussed this matter with Meng Shanming.”

“Whether Nanzhou succeeds in suppressing the rebellion or not, Jinzhou is probably destined to face this calamity.”

“The only hope still lies in suppressing the rebellion successfully.”

“Only if we destroy the Cangzhou rebels cleanly and stabilize Yan will Han give up attacking Yan and turn its attention toward the internal disorder in Zhao.”

“Then, once my rebellion-suppression army wheels around and rushes to reinforce Jinzhou, the two sides together may be able to force Zhao to let go.”

Situ Yao knew the reasoning was sound.

But Jinzhou was the one standing before disaster.

How many generations of effort had Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion poured into the place?

A trace of grief and anger entered his voice. “Then when will that be?”

“How long will it take to suppress Yan’s rebellion? How long can Jinzhou possibly wait for Nanzhou’s reinforcements?”

“If the Zhao court attacks with all its strength, Jinzhou cannot hold for very long!”

“Jinzhou must do everything it can,” Niu Youdao said. “Hold for as long as you can.”

“Nanzhou’s forces will not all march out. A considerable force will remain behind.”

“If Jinzhou truly cannot hold, then stop resisting. Withdraw your men into Nanzhou and join the Nanzhou forces that remain behind in defending Nanzhou. That should buy a little more time.”

“If Zhao’s forces dare enter Nanzhou, and if even then we cannot hold, continue withdrawing.”

“Retreat together with the Nanzhou forces left behind and fall back into Dingzhou...”

“Sect Leader Situ, given the present situation, arranging this much for you can already be called the utmost benevolence and righteousness.”

Situ Yao fell silent.

The senior figures of Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion beside him all looked dispirited.

Everyone understood that Niu Youdao was right.

At a time like this, the matter was no longer personal. This was not a time when emotion could dictate decisions.

Jinzhou would not die for Nanzhou.

Nanzhou would not die for Jinzhou.

For Niu Youdao to assist them this far truly did count as the utmost benevolence and righteousness.

The reasoning was simple.

Perhaps Zhao would not invade Nanzhou.

But the moment Nanzhou allowed Jinzhou’s forces to retreat into its territory and gave them shelter, that alone could provoke Zhao into invading Nanzhou.

Nanzhou would be accepting one more enormous danger on Jinzhou’s behalf.

If the other side was willing to go this far and had even risked itself to leave Jinzhou a road of retreat, what more could Situ Yao say?

If it had been Dachan Mountain in Niu Youdao’s place, it probably would not have taken such a risk for Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion.

Not probably.

Certainly not.

Fortunately, Niu Youdao was the one who could decide Nanzhou’s affairs.

...

Inside the rear gardens of the Nanzhou Provincial Inspector Residence, Shang Shuqing happened to pass a courtyard in the inner residence.

She suddenly stopped.

Under the eaves within, Feng Ruonan sat alone on a corridor bench.

Thin and haggard, she wore a lost expression, as though she passed every day in a haze.

Shang Shuqing looked surprised and walked in, heading directly beneath the eaves.

“Princess Consort, the Commandery Princess is here,” a maid inside called softly.

Only then did Feng Ruonan come back to herself.

She rose and forced a smile as she went to meet her. “Qing’er is here.”

“Sister-in-law.” Shang Shuqing climbed the steps and saluted, then looked her up and down with some confusion. “The army has finished preparing and is about to depart. Why haven’t you changed yet?”

The question left Feng Ruonan stunned.

The army was marching—what did that have to do with her changing clothes?

She could not help asking, “Qing’er, am I supposed to see them off? His Highness never gave the word. I cannot go out casually.”

She said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

There was nothing left of the high-spirited, thorn-covered female general she had once been.

After everything she had endured, the sharp edges had been ground away.

She had already accepted her fate and lived almost like a piece of dead wood.

Generally speaking, life was much easier for her now than before.

Ever since Niu Youdao had driven away Shang Chaozong’s two favored concubines, no one here had dared behave insolently toward her again.

That was not because they respected Feng Ruonan herself.

They respected Niu Youdao.

With Niu Youdao standing behind her, even the Prince did not dare provoke him. Even the Prince had obediently dealt with those two favored concubines.

Naturally the servants all behaved themselves.

But that did not mean Shang Chaozong could suddenly love her.

First, her looks truly were not especially good.

Second, some grievances had already reached the point of drawn blades and deaths.

The Feng clan had killed Shang Chaozong’s brothers.

Shang Chaozong, in turn, had killed Feng Ruonan’s elder brother.

How could the crack between husband and wife be repaired merely because someone wanted it repaired?

Hearing Feng Ruonan speak this way, Shang Shuqing’s nose suddenly stung.

At last she understood why Master Dao had wanted her sister-in-law to accompany the campaign and take the risk of marching out.

A thought even flashed through her mind.

Did Master Dao know everything happening inside the Provincial Inspector Residence?

She stepped forward and took both Feng Ruonan’s hands.

“Sister-in-law, Elder Brother is taking you on campaign this time. You didn’t know?”

“Taking me on campaign?” Feng Ruonan looked confused and shook her head.

“Elder Brother never told you?”

Again Feng Ruonan shook her head with a strained expression.

She truly knew nothing.

She and Shang Chaozong had long lived separately. They rarely met, much less spoke.

Shang Shuqing could not help blaming herself.

When she returned, she had deliberately come to pay respects to her sister-in-law.

But before Meng Shanming spoke and before her elder brother agreed, Shang Shuqing had not dared say anything.

If her brother refused, she feared it would only create another conflict between husband and wife.

Later, she had personally watched Meng Shanming raise the matter and personally watched her brother agree.

She had assumed this courtyard would naturally be informed afterward.

Who could have imagined Feng Ruonan still knew nothing?

“Sister-in-law, Uncle Meng spoke to Elder Brother and asked him to take you on campaign. Elder Brother already agreed.”

“This was Master Dao’s intention. When we left Maolu Villa, Master Dao specifically raised the matter with Uncle Meng...”

Shang Shuqing clearly explained everything Niu Youdao had instructed.

As Feng Ruonan listened, tears began pouring down her face.

By the end, her whole body trembled with sobs.

She had never imagined it.

She truly had not imagined that at a time like this, Niu Youdao would still remember her, still think about the situation she was living in, and this time speak openly on her behalf.

She had once thought that even her own parents could not be relied upon.

Yet apparently, somewhere in this world, there had always been someone who treated her as though she mattered, someone who had kept her in his heart and never forgotten her.

“The ten thousand gold coins he cheated me out of...”

Feng Ruonan choked out the words like someone talking in a dream.

Then she completely lost control of her crying.

She crouched down on the ground, sobbing so hard it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or heartbroken.

In her mind appeared the scene of someone shamelessly tricking money out of her.

Whether her life today was good or bad, she could not separate it from that man.

Niu Youdao’s intervention back then had truly and completely altered the course of her entire life.

Before this, no matter how Niu Youdao tried to make amends, some hatred had always remained in Feng Ruonan’s heart.

But after this moment, she truly could not hate him anymore.

She could never hate him again.

No matter how Shang Chaozong treated her in the future, no matter what became of her own fate, after what happened today she would never resent Niu Youdao again.

Even if there were ten thousand reasons to hate him, she would not.

She understood perfectly well that the Niu Youdao of today was hardly a man who lacked ten thousand gold coins.

He was hardly a man incapable of repaying ten thousand gold coins.

Shang Shuqing was crying too.

She crouched beside Feng Ruonan and comforted her.

From outside the courtyard came the familiar rumble of wheelchair wheels.

Shang Shuqing wiped her tears and looked over.

Shang Chaozong entered pushing Meng Shanming in his wheelchair.

Shang Chaozong was already dressed in battle armor.

Shang Shuqing hurriedly reminded Feng Ruonan.

Feng Ruonan quickly stood and wiped her face as well.

But she simply could not control herself.

Tears continued spilling out.

Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming looked over Feng Ruonan’s clothes.

She clearly had made no preparations at all.

Both men turned toward Shang Shuqing.

When the matter had been settled earlier, Shang Shuqing had been present. Both had assumed she would come tell Feng Ruonan.

Judging from the present situation, Feng Ruonan seemed to have learned only moments ago.

There was no point pursuing that now.

Meng Shanming gave a soft sigh. “Princess Consort, the army is about to march. Crying at a time like this is inauspicious. For the sake of all the officers and soldiers, hold it in for now.”

The method of consolation was rather stiff.

But it worked very well.

“Mm!” Feng Ruonan nodded repeatedly, wiping her tears over and over as she forced herself to stop crying.

Shang Chaozong looked as though he wanted to speak several times.

The two had not talked for so long that he hardly knew how to address her anymore.

In the end, he forced out one blunt question.

“Can you still mount a horse and lift a spear?”

“Mm!” Feng Ruonan nodded hard again.

Fresh tears betrayed her and began spilling out once more.

She scrubbed them away.

Shang Chaozong said, “The time is fixed. The army departs in half an hour. Is half an hour enough for you to change into battle gear?”

“Mm!”

Feng Ruonan still only nodded.

Shang Chaozong said, “We’ll wait for you.”

Shang Shuqing immediately took Feng Ruonan by the hand and pulled her inside.

[End of Chapter 648]