Chapter 1205: Stabilizing the Situation

Guan Fangyi grew even more curious. "Who exactly is it?"

Niu Youdao smiled enigmatically. "A mute who can't speak!"

"A mute?" Guan Fangyi stared, then thought suspiciously. "A mute connected to the State of Song..." She suddenly paused as someone from the reports out of Song flashed through her mind. Tentatively, she asked, "You don't mean Jia Wuqun, the Hidden Chancellor?"

Niu Youdao nodded. "That's right. Jia Wuqun, known as the Hidden Chancellor and now mockingly nicknamed 'Tongueless Jia.'"

"Him?" Guan Fangyi was doubtful. "I know of him from our intelligence out of Song. He's lived in seclusion for years within the Song Chancellor's residence, rarely showing himself in public. Rumor says he has considerable influence over Song Chancellor Zi Pingxiu. Perhaps he does have some influence over Zi Pingxiu, but he's still only an unaffiliated guest living in the residence. It would be perfectly natural for him to offer Zi Pingxiu advice and strategy. But his actual ability when forced onto the public stage has never been tested. If you mean to make him an opponent for Shao Pingbo, who's been tempered by years of storms, aren't you perhaps thinking too highly of him, Master Dao?"

Niu Youdao chuckled. "You're the one underestimating him. I underestimated him in the past too. I knew of him, but I never truly paid attention to him because he keeps far too low a profile. Whatever he does, he almost never shows his hand. Whatever he accomplishes, he never claims the credit. Fame, rank, and profit have never tempted him. He simply stays hidden in silence. Someone who barely has dealings with the outside world and almost never exposes himself to public view is naturally easy for everyone to overlook."

"But the truth? It was only during this trip to the Sacred Realm that I learned he was the one who struck at me from behind and got me sent into the Tiandu Secret Realm in the first place. I nearly lost my life without even knowing what had happened. And the freezing of the wars between the various states? That was his handiwork too. Most people only know that he overestimated himself, barged into the Misty Pavilion, angered them, and had his tongue ripped out. They don't know what he privately said to the Misty Pavilion. Song's ability to escape disaster that time and win itself breathing room was all his doing."

"The overthrow of the Mu clan's imperial rule in Song was also his doing from behind the scenes."

"Wu Gongling's rise to the throne was also his doing."

"And as for Zi Pingxiu's rise to the chancellorship—in truth, even Zi Pingxiu's ability to remain standing in Song's court all these years is due to him."

Guan Fangyi was astonished. "One man pushed so many major events from behind the scenes?"

Niu Youdao gave a low laugh. "Even the people of the Zi residence thought it was because Jia Wuqun's father had once served as the household tutor, and that Jia Wuqun had grown up in the Zi residence and built a lifelong friendship with Zi Pingxiu. He's done so much without allowing word of it to spread, to the point that even the people inside the Zi residence were fooled. Isn't that ability? And you still think it's a small ability?"

Guan Fangyi asked, "You learned all this from the Misty Pavilion?"

Niu Youdao sighed. "Unfortunately, he's only an ordinary mortal. The people of the Misty Pavilion are arrogant and never took him seriously in the first place. Of course, his way of conducting himself matters too. He keeps himself apart from worldly contention and isn't tempted by anything, so he's difficult to use. Perhaps that's one of the ways he protects himself."

"To tell the truth, if he were wildly ambitious, I wouldn't dare use him. Precisely because he has no ambition and regards fame and profit lightly, I insist on dragging him out of seclusion!"

From the side, Yun Ji suddenly interjected, "If you know that, how can you possibly persuade him to come?"

Guan Fangyi nodded in agreement.

Niu Youdao smiled faintly. "If I want him to come, can he hide from me? Soon. He'll be coming to Nanzhou very soon."

Coming to Nanzhou soon? Yun Ji and Guan Fangyi looked at each other. Guan Fangyi in particular had not seen him make any move at all. How had he quietly arranged this without anyone noticing?

"Shao Pingbo..." Niu Youdao sat down beside the desk, picked up an intelligence report, and murmured the name with a faint smile.

Judging from the information Sha Rulai had provided at different times, Jia Wuqun was unquestionably an expert. And an expert who kept his edge hidden was the truly frightening kind.

In a troubled age, it was a waste for such a talent to remain hidden in the Zi residence and never come out.

Niu Youdao could not conveniently make moves himself at present. He was therefore rather looking forward to seeing this reclusive Jia Wuqun emerge and match wits with that ruthless strategist Shao Pingbo, if only to keep Shao Pingbo from thinking there was no one else beneath Heaven capable of opposing him.

He also looked forward to meeting Jia Wuqun in person. If the man proved to be a truly fine blade once tested, many things would become much easier.

Within Yan, or more precisely within Nanzhou, Gong Lince could help him control the situation and keep it stable. There would be no need to worry about the inside.

External affairs could then be entrusted to Jia Wuqun. Anything requiring someone to travel about and show his face could be handled by Jia Wuqun, while Niu Youdao needed only issue instructions from behind the scenes. Who would ever imagine that a man with no apparent connection to him whatsoever was actually acting on his behalf? Forget everyone else—even if Jia Wuqun and Shao Pingbo fought until both were bloodied, Shao Pingbo probably still would not think of Niu Youdao.

That was exactly the effect he wanted. No suspicion could be allowed to fall on him.

As for external war and military deterrence, he still held the powerful, well-trained forces of the Shang faction in his hands.

With that arrangement, Maolu Villa's entire network could truly fade from notice. No matter what it did from behind the scenes, the outside world would gradually forget Niu Youdao altogether.

Niu Youdao pressed down the intelligence report and suddenly tossed out another remark. "Hongniang, stop wandering around Nanzhou City all the time. What's so interesting that you need to keep roaming back and forth? Maolu Villa needs to settle down and go to ground. With such a stable environment, this is precisely the time for you to cultivate in peace." His reminder carried a deeper meaning.

Guan Fangyi understood what he meant. "I know. Things just haven't completely settled yet."

They were indeed about to settle.

Gongsun Bu was walking through the streets with several attendants when he saw large numbers of craftsmen stacking masonry and carrying out construction. He stopped to watch.

After observing for a while, he sighed inwardly. The outcome had been somewhat beyond his expectations. He had not imagined Shang Chaozong would prove such a man of sentiment, remembering old ties strongly enough to protect and retain the people of Maolu Villa regardless of the cost.

And Shang Chaozong had succeeded. Zijin Cave had agreed. Even the flying mounts they had swallowed were returned.

The large-scale construction before him was precisely in preparation for Maolu Villa's people. The Prince's residence had spent money to requisition buildings across several nearby streets and intended to wall off the designated area into a single compound, rebuilding it as quarters for Maolu Villa's people.

From now on, the people of Maolu Villa would remain at Shang Chaozong's side.

As for whether he himself should stay or leave under these circumstances, Gongsun Bu had sent word to the Misty Pavilion. The Misty Pavilion's reply contained only one instruction: continue watching.

Watching what? His main assignment had originally been to watch Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao was dead. What was left to watch?

Once he received the reply, he understood. The Misty Pavilion did not actually care about Wuliang Mountain's future. It regarded Wuliang Mountain only as one secretly planted point. Whether that point ever proved useful was unimportant. What mattered was that if anything happened within its range, there would always be people on hand ready to activate.

For that reason, the Misty Pavilion would not casually allow Wuliang Mountain to leave this place. If it did, they would have to plant another point here from scratch.

Gongsun Bu understood, but there was nothing he could do. He could only sigh.

He suddenly raised his head and saw three flying mounts approaching through the sky. Flying abreast, they swept overhead and glided toward the Prince's residence. Gongsun Bu murmured, "People from Liuxian Sect, Fuyun Sect, and Lingxiu Mountain have arrived..."

Fei Changliu, Xia Hua, and Zheng Jiuxiao, the three sect leaders stationed in Nanzhou, had arrived. Shang Chaozong personally went out to receive them.

Inside the reception hall, the three sect leaders were cordial. They stated clearly that they would give Shang Chaozong their full support and obey all deployments and orders.

Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting exchanged a glance. Both were filled with emotion. Master Dao truly was Master Dao. The moment he returned, even without showing his face, the various disorders were immediately pressed down.

For the three sect leaders, refusing was not an option. Gong Lince had met with them privately and told them in unmistakable terms that Shang Chaozong was now his man. He ordered all three sects to cooperate fully. If they showed the slightest negligence, they should not blame him for showing no mercy.

His man, not Zijin Cave's man. Could the meaning have been any clearer?

At the same time, Huang Lie, Sect Leader of Dachan Mountain in Guangzhou, and Peng Youzai, Sect Leader of Tianyu Sect, were also on their way to Nanzhou.

Huang Lie had been forced to run back and forth repeatedly. Gong Lince's position toward him was equally explicit: cooperate fully. If he dared play tricks, he was welcome to try and see what happened.

Huang Lie was helpless. He had hoped to exploit the disorder by maneuvering among the three great sects, seizing benefits and gaining greater authority. He had not expected Gong Lince to place such trust in Shang Chaozong so quickly, much less stabilize the situation so fast that Dachan Mountain was given no room at all to maneuver.

Did he dare refuse? Then he truly could try and see what happened. The forces of Nanzhou and Jinzhou had already assumed a posture for a joint attack. Let him try defecting to Xiaoyao Palace or Lingjian Mountain and see who could protect Guangzhou for him. If he refused the toast offered in goodwill, he would be made to drink the penalty wine.

Peng Youzai was equally helpless. The inducements offered by Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain were substantial, but the forces of Shao Dengyun's faction stationed in Beizhou were diehard loyalists of Shang Chaozong. Tianyu Sect had already sounded them out. Their position was absolute: they stood with Shang Chaozong. If Tianyu Sect switched sides recklessly, Beizhou would immediately descend into chaos.

On a personal level, Peng Youzai was also inclined toward Shang Chaozong. Shang Chaozong was his granddaughter's husband, after all. But as a Sect Leader, he had to put the sect's interests first and could not openly favor family ties. Now that Shang Chaozong had steadied his control over the situation, Peng Youzai could finally justify his position to the people within his own sect.

Together with Gong Lince's warning, that meant Peng Youzai was coming this time ostensibly to visit family, but also to declare Tianyu Sect's position.

By now, the sect leaders could all see it clearly. Gong Lince had taken full control of the forces Niu Youdao had left behind.

The Shang faction would listen only to Gong Lince. Toward the other forces within Zijin Cave, they would agree to their faces and ignore them in practice. On this point, they were resolute.

Some of Zijin Cave's elders privately grumbled without end. After all that turmoil, everything had fallen into Gong Lince's hands. From now on, among the forces Elder Niu had left within Zijin Cave, the Sect Leader alone would have the final say. And what had looked like Yan Li making trouble for the people of Maolu Annex before? So that dog had merely been putting on an act for Gong Lince!

In Yanjing, at the residence of the Grand Minister of Works, Gao Jiancheng hurried back. Steward Fan Zhuan personally met him, and master and servant quickly returned to the study.

The moment Gao Jiancheng entered, a man turned around. Tears instantly welled in the man's eyes. He dropped to his knees with a thump and choked out, "Your unfilial son pays his respects to Father!" He immediately kowtowed.

"Get up, get up." Gao Jiancheng hurried forward and helped him to his feet. Who could it be but his own son, Gao Shaoming?

Wasn't Gao Shaoming under the control of Niu Youdao's people? How had he suddenly returned?

Father and son had been separated for a long time, and Gao Jiancheng was deeply moved by the reunion. His reason remained intact, however. He urged, "Shaoming, stop crying for now. Tell me first: how did you get back?"

[End of Chapter 1205]