Chapter 899: Break the Bones, and the Sinews Still Connect

Xia Hua acted as though nothing were unusual and laughed lightly.

"There is such a matter. We were preparing to tell Master Dao about it during this visit."

"Zhao Dengxuan and the others married with the approval of Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain. In other words, they are allowed to take their wives back to their own sects."

"The couples are separated by such a great distance that meeting even once is difficult, so all three men have had the same thought. They want to take the three female disciples from our side back with them."

Zheng Jiuxiao added, "Because Master Dao specifically gave us instructions concerning this matter, we did not agree immediately. We only told them we would discuss it after the present situation stabilizes."

Fei Changliu sounded him out.

"What does Master Dao think?"

Niu Youdao replied neither warmly nor coldly, "Taking them back to Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain doesn't seem necessary."

"Their marriages were hardly welcomed by those sects to begin with. Now our side has thrown in with Zijin Cave as well. One can easily imagine Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain's present attitude. They're still in a rage."

"At the end of the day, I'm thinking of those three women too. I don't want them running over there only to humiliate themselves."

"Better to wait until the present storm has passed. Once Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain have calmed down, it'll save the women some trouble as well. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, yes, yes. Master Dao is entirely right."

All three nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Inside, however, they were muttering to themselves.

As if you would truly spend this much thought worrying about those women.

Niu Youdao abruptly changed direction.

"Since they're married now, carrying on the family line is naturally their responsibility."

"They themselves may have certain concerns, but as their elders and teachers, you ought to reassure them and urge them more often."

"Of course, their husbands may not have such intentions yet. But whether this responsibility is fulfilled or not, the women's bodies are their own. They are the ones with the real initiative, and they should be able to manage the opportunity."

"The key depends on them."

"Or rather, it depends on whether the three of you truly have the will to see it done."

The three Sect Leaders looked at one another.

This was already the second time Master Dao had deliberately concerned himself with whether those three female disciples became pregnant and bore children.

Niu Youdao added one more sentence.

There was no room for negotiation in his tone.

"Move quickly on this."

"Yes. We'll make sure to urge them."

The three accepted the instruction.

A loud drum needed no heavy beating.

Niu Youdao waved the matter aside and moved on to the real business.

"Dachan Mountain is leaving Nanzhou."

"Leaving?"

All three spoke almost at once, openly surprised.

Niu Youdao said, "They're relocating the entire sect to Guangzhou. That will leave a vacancy in Nanzhou's cultivator defenses."

"The three of your sects have followed me for all these years. I intend to hand Nanzhou over to the three of you."

"There won't be any problem, will there?"

This was an enormous gift.

All three Sect Leaders shot to their feet.

Xia Hua declared excitedly, "Through boiling water and blazing fire, we will not refuse!"

Every one of them was exhilarated.

At last they had not followed this man all these years for nothing.

They had finally risen with him.

Niu Youdao pressed one hand downward, signaling them to sit.

Then he continued.

"Strictly speaking, the strength of your three sects is still not sufficient to hold an entire province."

"But Nanzhou has strong troops and powerful cavalry. More importantly, Zijin Cave has dispatched a considerable number of experts to guard key positions."

"So your responsibilities will not be especially heavy. Guarding the home should not present much difficulty."

"You now have ample room and favorable conditions."

"Take this opportunity to develop the strength of your respective sects as quickly as possible."

He paused, then his tone became serious.

"One more thing. Remember this clearly."

"Nanzhou is our foundation."

"The instructions I gave His Highness are to gather broad popular support, build deep stores of grain and provisions, and rigorously train elite troops while awaiting Heaven's timing."

"We need to use this time to accumulate strength in Nanzhou."

"I am handing Nanzhou to you, but do not behave recklessly."

"Cooperate properly with His Highness. Achieving the objectives already laid down is the matter of greatest importance."

"If any of you becomes insatiably greedy, stretches out your hands where you shouldn't, drives the people into misery, or throws Nanzhou into disorder, don't blame me for turning my face and refusing to recognize old ties!"

"In these chaotic times, Nanzhou must be built into a model for others to see."

"I am not worried about His Highness's ability to govern."

"The people I worry about most are cultivators like all of you!"

Fei Changliu answered solemnly, "Master Dao can rest assured. We know what should be done. We will restrain the people below us and absolutely will not allow them to run wild."

The three Sect Leaders repeatedly gave their guarantees.

The exhilaration on their faces was impossible to hide.

This time, when they returned, they would finally have a magnificent account to give every disciple in their sects.

The foundation accumulated by generations of their forebears would at last flourish in their hands.

While they were still talking, Old Six Xu, standing guard outside the door, coughed once.

Wen Mo'er was approaching.

She entered and reported, "Master Dao, Tianyu Sect Leader Peng Youzai has arrived. He is waiting outside the mountain gate and requests an audience."

Niu Youdao gave a soft sound of surprise.

"He came quickly. Looks like he didn't stop his horse once along the way."

"His timing is good. Invite him in."

"Yes!"

Wen Mo'er accepted the order and left.

Niu Youdao then signaled for the three Sect Leaders to avoid the next meeting.

The three immediately excused themselves.

Niu Youdao walked out of the hall as well.

He turned to Old Six Xu, who was standing outside.

"Go invite the Princess Consort over."

"Mm."

Old Six Xu acknowledged the order and left.

Fei Changliu, Xia Hua, and Zheng Jiuxiao temporarily withdrew to a side courtyard.

After sitting inside a small pavilion, all three looked as though they wanted to speak but stopped themselves.

In the end, none of them said the words aloud.

They all knew what the others wanted to say.

There was one of Master Dao's informants inside their sects.

But knowing that changed nothing.

Unless they intended to rebel against Niu Youdao, they did not dare dig out the traitor.

If they truly did such a thing, there would be no explaining it afterward.

The principle was exactly the same as Niu Youdao knowing that Gongsun Bu was one of Misty Pavilion's informants yet not daring to move against him casually.

But who exactly was the traitor?

How high was that person's position?

The unanswered questions lodged uncomfortably in all three men's hearts.

Until they solved them, the three sects would truly not dare play any tricks behind Niu Youdao's back in the future.

...

Feng Ruonan, who had only just been taken sightseeing by Guan Fangyi, returned again.

She did not know what Niu Youdao wanted.

He merely smiled and lifted his chin toward the entrance.

Feng Ruonan turned to look.

The instant she saw the man approaching, she froze.

It was none other than her maternal grandfather, Peng Youzai, Sect Leader of Tianyu Sect.

The two had not seen each other for many years.

To some extent, Peng Youzai had been quite fond of this granddaughter in earlier days.

But once the greater situation forced choices upon them, many matters had been subordinated to larger interests.

The result was enough to make one sigh.

Peng Youzai arrived covered in travel dust.

After receiving Niu Youdao's summons, he truly had rushed without stopping.

He had changed horses along the way without resting himself, traveling day and night so he could arrive at the first possible moment.

Niu Youdao had suddenly become an Elder of Zijin Cave and just as suddenly summoned him here.

Peng Youzai knew perfectly well how much influence Niu Youdao held over the Beizhou forces.

Add the old grievances between the two sides, and Peng Youzai had not possessed the slightest confidence in what awaited him.

He had traveled here with his heart hanging the entire way.

Part of the reason for arriving covered in dust and without delay was that he wanted Niu Youdao to see the effort he had made.

The moment he saw Niu Youdao, Peng Youzai felt briefly dazed.

He remembered years ago.

Back then, this man had been little more than a dog sheltering under Tianyu Sect's eaves.

Now they met again.

Which of the two looked more like the dog?

A hundred complicated flavors filled Peng Youzai's heart.

He was still looking at Niu Youdao when the woman beside him turned around.

The familiar face made Peng Youzai stop dead.

Feng Ruonan's figure had filled out considerably.

Her skin had become fair and delicate, and she now possessed far more of a woman's softness.

The aura of the female general she had once been had completely vanished.

Remembering how their family had torn itself apart, Peng Youzai could only feel helpless.

"Elder Niu, congratulations. Congratulations."

He quickly collected himself and hurried forward, greeting Niu Youdao first.

Niu Youdao chuckled.

"Forget congratulating me. Sect Leader Peng probably has someone else to congratulate. Your family has another new member."

He jerked his chin toward Feng Ruonan.

Peng Youzai looked at his granddaughter and forced out a smile.

"Ruonan came as well."

Feng Ruonan lowered her voice.

"Grandfather."

That single word warmed Peng Youzai's heart slightly.

He sighed with emotion.

"I hear you've had a son?"

Feng Ruonan gave a soft "Mm."

"Good, good, good. Your belly did you proud. This is a good thing—a very good thing!"

Peng Youzai nodded repeatedly.

The words were not false courtesy.

He was genuinely happy for Feng Ruonan.

The reason was simple.

She had borne Prince Yong's eldest legitimate son.

That boy stood first in line to inherit the princely title.

From this point onward, no matter whether Shang Chaozong personally favored this granddaughter of his or not, one fact could never be changed: a mother gains status through her son.

Unless Shang Chaozong intended to deal with his own son as well, then if Feng Ruonan ever suffered some wrong, that son would eventually seek justice for his mother.

With that boy in existence, Feng Ruonan's position beside Shang Chaozong was finally secure beyond doubt.

No one anywhere in Nanzhou would dare treat Feng Ruonan harshly without careful thought.

To do so would be to make an enemy of the young prince.

Hearing the genuine warmth in those words, and seeing that her grandfather's hair and beard had grown far whiter than in earlier years, Feng Ruonan's eyes reddened.

She could not help thinking of the parents she had not seen in so many years.

Seeing this, Niu Youdao smiled.

"Princess Consort, allow me to fulfill my duty as host first. The two of you can catch up as family afterward. How does that sound?"

Feng Ruonan nodded.

Shang Shuqing came over and took her sister-in-law gently by the arm.

She felt sympathy for her.

Shang Shuqing knew perfectly well how painful it was for Feng Ruonan that her family had ended up like this.

Years ago, a struggle for power had erupted into sudden upheaval.

Feng Ruonan's family had tried to put Shang Chaozong to death.

Shang Chaozong, in turn, had killed Feng Ruonan's own brother.

The family had slaughtered one another.

Every scene from those events remained vivid in Shang Shuqing's memory.

She also knew exactly how difficult Feng Ruonan's life had been afterward.

Peng Youzai turned and took a gift box from Feng Entai, then presented it with both hands.

"Elder Niu, I came in such haste that I had no time to prepare anything proper. This is only a small token of regard. I hope you won't disdain it."

Niu Youdao accepted the gift and handed it to Guan Fangyi, who received it with a bright smile.

Then he looked toward Feng Entai.

"Big Brother came as well."

Feng Entai nodded awkwardly.

For a moment, he did not quite know how he ought to address Niu Youdao anymore.

His heart was filled with emotion too.

This bastard had actually maneuvered his way into becoming an Elder of Zijin Cave.

Given Niu Youdao's present status, Feng Entai was not especially surprised that he still acknowledged him as "Big Brother."

Through the matter involving Linghu Qiu, Feng Entai had long since understood that Niu Youdao was a man who honored loyalty and righteousness.

Peng Youzai had deliberately brought Feng Entai along.

If anything went wrong, he hoped Feng Entai's old relationship with Niu Youdao might help smooth things over.

"This isn't the place to talk. Please, inside."

Niu Youdao extended a hand in invitation.

The group went inside.

After tea had been served, Peng Youzai spoke cautiously and offered polite words, never daring to raise the real matter himself.

He waited for Niu Youdao to explain why he had summoned him.

Peng Youzai did not believe Niu Youdao had called him here for no reason.

After several irrelevant exchanges, Niu Youdao suddenly sighed.

"Seeing Sect Leader Peng and the Princess Consort meet again makes the events of those years difficult to look back upon."

"But no matter what happened, family is still family."

"Break the bones, and the sinews still connect them. Blood ties cannot be changed."

"Sect Leader Peng, don't you agree?"

Peng Youzai had no idea what Niu Youdao was planning.

He nodded carefully.

"Elder Niu speaks reasonably."

Niu Youdao said, "Since you are family, and since all of us here are our own people, I won't keep circling around with empty words."

"Let's speak openly."

"If I say something you find improper, Sect Leader Peng, I hope you won't take offense."

Guan Fangyi, who had been listening closely outside, walked in and took her place behind Niu Youdao.

Her bright eyes flickered.

She had no idea what sort of scheme Master Dao intended to stir up this time.

[End of Chapter 899]