Chapter 901: In Quick Succession

Peng Youzai nodded and went along with him on the surface, while inwardly cursing Niu Youdao's ancestors. Tianyu Sect might not even follow through on what had just been discussed, and now you are already lining up more work for us afterward?

At the same time, he was wondering what sort of perfectly legitimate grounds Niu Youdao intended to hand Tianyu Sect for taking action.

With the serious business concluded, Niu Youdao knew Peng Youzai was the sort of man who would not be convinced until the facts were before him. He would never lightly gamble the interests of his own sect and would certainly weigh the matter again afterward, so Niu Youdao was in no hurry to press him for a firm commitment.

Besides, with a matter like this, a promise was not reliable. One had to guide things along with the circumstances; only once the momentum had formed could the result be brought about.

Everything Niu Youdao was doing now was part of the layout, all of it groundwork. He only had to wait for matters to fall naturally into place.

His expression therefore changed to a genial smile as he cheerfully shifted the subject. "Sect Leader Peng, judging by the travel dust on you, you must have hurried here without stopping."

Peng Youzai smiled along with him. "When Elder Niu summons me, naturally I dare not delay."

"Then I feel rather guilty for putting you to the trouble." After reproaching himself, Niu Youdao turned his head. "Hongniang!"

"Hm?" Guan Fangyi answered.

Niu Youdao said, "When Sect Leader Peng leaves, remember to give him a large flying mount. Consider it a gift from me to Tianyu Sect."

Guan Fangyi's smile instantly stiffened. She had the urge to strangle Niu Youdao and was furiously cursing him as a wastrel inside, but outwardly she still answered with a beaming smile, "All right!"

Such generosity brought Peng Youzai not the slightest surprise or delight. Instead, his heart gave a jolt, and he hurriedly waved the offer away. "No, no. Such a valuable gift is truly more than Tianyu Sect can accept!"

Niu Youdao pointed at him. "A guest follows the host's wishes! This is a small token of my regard, and of my sincerity. Sect Leader Peng must accept it. If you insist on refusing, then I can only say that you lack sincerity and have no wish to accept my goodwill."

"This... this is far too much. The gift is too valuable, truly too valuable!" Peng Youzai's smile was painfully awkward. Accepting a gift at a time like this made this particular case of "kindness too generous to refuse" feel positively scalding in his hands. Anyone who saw it would have a hard time not drawing conclusions.

Niu Youdao waved a hand. "It is not a private favor. It will also make it easier for us to stay in contact later. I would feel uneasy making Sect Leader Peng rush back and forth like this again. Accept it. You must accept it!"

Unable to refuse, Peng Youzai could only thank him awkwardly, putting on the appropriate air of someone overwhelmed by favor.

He no longer wanted to remain here. Staying any longer was making him increasingly uneasy. He rose, asked whether Niu Youdao had any other instructions, and, if not, proposed to take his leave.

Niu Youdao rose as well, caught him by the wrist, and said with a smile, "Sect Leader Peng, aren't you being a little too heartless?"

Peng Youzai froze. "What makes Elder Niu say that?"

Niu Youdao jerked his chin toward the outside. "You and the Princess Consort haven't seen each other for quite some time, have you? A grandfather and granddaughter have finally had the chance to meet. Do you not even want to speak with her a little longer? Do you truly mean to sever even family affection? Nothing urgent is happening right now. Surely there is no need to hurry off this very moment."

Peng Youzai hastily nodded. "Elder Niu is right to remind me. I'll go see the Princess Consort now."

Niu Youdao laughed heartily and looked toward Feng Entai. "Perfect. Brother Feng and I haven't seen each other for a long time either, and I have been wanting to catch up with him. We won't disturb Sect Leader Peng and the Princess Consort while they renew their family ties." He then turned his head toward Guan Fangyi. "Hongniang, go invite the Princess Consort over. Be sure to tell her to show Sect Leader Peng around properly!"

Guan Fangyi had spent many years moving through the circles of the Qi capital and knew how to read expressions and intentions. Catching the meaning beneath his words, she smiled and answered, "Yes!"

"No need to show me around. Just find somewhere for us to talk!" Peng Youzai hurriedly objected.

But Niu Youdao kept hold of his wrist. "You rarely come here. You might as well see the scenery of Zijin Cave. If I neglect my guest, won't people say I lack hospitality?"

Guan Fangyi turned away with a smile, skirts swaying as she hurried off.

A little later, led by a female Zijin Cave disciple under Wen Mo'er, Peng Youzai, unable to refuse such enthusiastic hospitality, walked out of the Maolu Annex with Feng Ruonan.

Back in the courtyard, Niu Youdao and Feng Entai strolled together. Niu Youdao broke the silence. "Brother Feng, have these past years treated you well?"

Feng Entai gave a wry smile. "Well enough, I suppose. Certainly not as well as they have treated you."

"There is nothing for brothers like us to compare." Niu Youdao paused, then asked, "By the way, what about Second Brother Linghu? Have you had any contact with him?"

"An occasional letter. Not many."

Walking with his sword as a staff, Niu Youdao lifted his eyes to the sky and sighed. "The situation changes a thousand times over, difficult to read and harder to predict. Between brothers, I only hope we can remain of one heart. Brother Feng, I need your help..."

The scenery of Zijin Cave was naturally extraordinary, yet the two people walking through its mountains were somewhat silent, neither knowing what to say.

Peng Youzai glanced around from time to time. Every so often he saw Zijin Cave disciples looking their way, and he smiled bitterly to himself. Niu Youdao plainly wanted the people of Zijin Cave to see this, to remind outsiders of Peng Youzai's connection to Feng Ruonan.

First he wanted Tianyu Sect to lend this side a hand, then he gave Peng a flying mount, and now he had arranged this public stroll. Niu Youdao's moves came one after another, each following hard on the last, relentless and overwhelming, until Peng Youzai felt as though he could hardly breathe.

It felt as though Niu Youdao meant to cook the raw rice into cooked rice by sheer force.

Their status and standing were no longer what they had once been. In the past, Niu Youdao would never have dared treat him this way. Now he could openly press him step by step.

"Ruonan, worldly affairs are inconstant. Rights and wrongs, favors and grudges—none of us asks for them. What is past is past. There is no need to keep brooding over it; arguing over right and wrong now would only make things harder on yourself. Since Niu Youdao is making his intentions clear, I imagine Shang Chaozong won't object either. Your mother often thinks of you. After I abolished her cultivation, she aged a great deal. When you have the chance, you should still go see her. Don't leave yourself with regrets in the years to come..." Since matters had already come to this, Peng Youzai set aside his other thoughts and was the first to break the silence.

Before leaving Zijin Cave, Peng Youzai still went to pay a visit to Gong Lince, Sect Leader of Zijin Cave. Having come all the way here, it would have been improper not to call on him.

Naturally, Gong Lince asked why Niu Youdao had summoned him.

Nothing had yet been settled, and Peng Youzai could not speak carelessly without inviting trouble for himself. He only said that Niu Youdao seemed intent on winning him over.

Gong Lince responded with a warning, his words repeatedly hinting that Peng Youzai should keep his distance from Niu Youdao.

After that exchange, Peng Youzai could more or less see what was happening. A struggle had already begun inside Zijin Cave between Niu Youdao and the others; calling it a struggle for power and advantage would not be going too far. In the end there were only three possible outcomes: this side suppressed that side, that side suppressed this one, or neither could overcome the other and they remained locked in a stalemate.

Then again, wherever there were people, things were much the same. Tianyu Sect was hardly one harmonious family either. Anyone with ambitions of his own was fighting for his own interests.

Once Peng Youzai left Zijin Cave, the journey back was considerably easier. He made use of the large flying mount Niu Youdao had given him.

He had already accepted it, so why not use it? Yet receiving such a valuable gift brought none of the happiness it ought to have. Instead, he spent the journey worrying about Tianyu Sect's future...

As soon as Peng Youzai was gone, Niu Youdao drafted a secret letter and arranged for it to be sent to Gao Jiancheng, now Grand Minister of Works, in the capital. There were matters in Beizhou that would still require Gao Jiancheng's cooperation.

Not long after that secret letter was sent, another guest arrived. Situ Yao, Sect Leader of Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion, came hurrying in, worn from travel.

Niu Youdao had not invited him. Situ Yao had come on his own after hearing the news, specifically to offer congratulations.

The reason he had taken the initiative to come was that he felt deeply uneasy. Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion had been wearing the same pair of trousers as Niu Youdao for far too long, until the relationship was almost impossible to untangle. Most of all, when Shang Chaozong had rallied a vast army to confront Yan's three major sects, Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion had helped protect the gravely wounded Niu Youdao. Afterward, they had even deceived the three sects and slipped away on the excuse that they had business elsewhere. That was an open act of opposition against the three sects. The name "Niu Youdao" might as well have been branded deeply across their foreheads.

Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion was in too deep. With Nanzhou's forces right beside them as well, so long as Niu Youdao remained alive, they no longer had many choices. It took little thought to realize that Niu Youdao would never let Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion slip easily out of his control.

Situ Yao had come to sound things out, to see how matters stood on Niu Youdao's side and whether he could hold the situation steady.

The State of Zhao had been destroyed, so Hai Ruyue's title of "Grand Princess" had also been dropped. Situ Yao had specifically instructed those beneath him not to address her that way anymore.

Jinzhou was now territory of the State of Yan. Because of Niu Youdao, it had naturally fallen within Zijin Cave's sphere of influence, and Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion had likewise become a sect within Yan's borders.

"Master Dao, congratulations, congratulations! I suppose I should call you Elder Niu now!" The moment he entered the courtyard gate, Situ Yao laughed and clasped his hands in greeting from a distance.

His change of address went beyond "Elder Niu." Even the two words "Master Dao" at the beginning were telling. He had never addressed Niu Youdao as Master Dao before.

Niu Youdao smiled, pointed at him, and offered two words in return. "A joy for us both!"

Situ Yao repeatedly agreed. "Yes, yes. With Elder Niu looking after us from now on, this is naturally a happy occasion for Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion as well."

Niu Youdao first invited him inside. Only after they had taken their seats did he ask, "I hear Shang Youlan, Zhao's empress dowager, has settled with Hai Ruyue now?"

"She has. Zhao's destruction must have been hard on her. According to reports from below, she cries often." Situ Yao briefly described the situation. Seeing that Niu Youdao was paying attention to her, he probed, "Does Master Dao have some objection to that old woman? Do you think it is inappropriate for her to remain there?"

Niu Youdao shook his head. "She has neither power nor influence left. Whatever else, she is Prince Yong's grandaunt and Hai Ruyue's birth mother. It would be difficult to justify treating her harshly now. I was only thinking that although Hai Wuji fled, surely he hasn't gone so far as to completely ignore his own mother?"

Situ Yao understood. "Master Dao wants my side to keep watch on her?"

Niu Youdao gave a slight nod. "I have a deep blood feud with Zhao's three major sects. That group of experts escaped, and there is no telling when they may emerge again to do something against me. When the chance comes, I need to cut the weeds and pull up the roots."

"Right. We should eliminate the future danger completely!" Situ Yao nodded in agreement.

Niu Youdao said, "Keep her under close surveillance. See whether you can uncover any traces that lead us to those people's whereabouts. Remember, this is the only lead we currently have for finding them. Above all, do not beat the grass and startle the snake!"

"Don't worry. I'll make the arrangements carefully."

The two then spoke at length inside. Situ Yao wanted to sound out the true state of affairs, while Niu Youdao was equally intent on reassuring him.

Once their business was finished, Situ Yao did not rush to return. At Niu Youdao's invitation, he stayed the night.

At the same time, Niu Youdao said that he would give Situ Yao a large flying mount afterward, sparing him the trouble of rushing back and forth.

Situ Yao was naturally delighted and thanked him again and again.

[End of Chapter 901]