Chapter 1215: This Niu Has Long Awaited You

What made Zi Pingxiu even more uncomfortable was that Nanzhou had already tricked Jia Wuqun into going there, yet had not taken the opportunity to detain him, had not made things difficult for him in the slightest, and had simply allowed him to return without incident. What were they trying to do? Put on a show of benevolence and righteousness to win his heart? Truly, what hypocritical villains!

Yet this was not something Zi Pingxiu could decide entirely on his own. Unless he forcibly restrained Jia Wuqun, he still had to ask the man's opinion.

Convinced that Nanzhou's benevolence was false and meant only to win Jia Wuqun over, but uncertain how Jia himself saw the matter, Zi Pingxiu tentatively asked with some unease, "Since Nanzhou intends to recruit Sir, may I ask what Sir thinks?"

Jia Wuqun lifted his brush and wrote: I was born here and raised here. The Zi Residence is my home. I will not allow my home to be broken and its people scattered. Chancellor, there is no need to worry!

At those words, Zi Pingxiu let out a great breath of relief and smiled. "I knew Nanzhou's false benevolence and righteousness could not fool Sir."

Jia Wuqun wrote: Chancellor, regarding the message I sent from Nanzhou before, have you learned anything about the situation there?

"Yes!" Zi Pingxiu immediately drew a roll of paper from his sleeve and pushed it across. "What we can learn for now is limited. This is all we have at present."

Jia Wuqun took it at once and opened it. There were no fine details, but the broad situation had already been established.

The so-called Shang faction was essentially the power Niu Youdao had built in the past. Various parties had already noticed signs of fragmentation among those forces after Niu Youdao's death.

That was precisely what Jia Wuqun wanted to examine. He wanted to see whether Shang Chaozong possessed the ability to integrate the forces Niu Youdao had left behind. If he did not, then relying on Shang Chaozong's own direct power alone, with the imperial court pressing him from above and cultivation factions constraining him from the side, everything Jia had been told in Nanzhou would have been empty boasting.

Yet the intelligence now in his hands showed nothing unusual in Beizhou. What had happened there amounted almost to an open declaration of position: from far away, Shang Chaozong had directly appointed a local official in Beizhou. The appointment itself appeared unremarkable, but Beizhou had gladly carried it out. That was the statement. Beizhou obeyed Shang Chaozong alone!

Jinzhou required even less explanation. It had cooperated with Nanzhou's military movements, mobilizing its army to form a joint posture with Nanzhou for an attack on Guangzhou. Guangzhou had already been forced into submission. Its Provincial Inspector had gone to Nanzhou to pay respects to Shang Chaozong in the manner of a subordinate official calling upon his superior.

After finishing the report, Jia Wuqun slowly set it down and stroked his beard in thought.

Combined with what he had indirectly probed and learned while in Nanzhou, there had been no change at all in Nanzhou's governance, nor had he heard of any reshuffling among its officials.

What did that mean? It meant everything in Nanzhou continued as before. Shang Chaozong still had the final say. Jinzhou, Beizhou, and Guangzhou had all submitted, while Maolu Villa had also placed itself under Nanzhou.

Every sign indicated that Shang Chaozong had fully taken over and brought Niu Youdao's surviving power under his control, without suffering interference from the cultivation world. That in turn meant Shang Chaozong had also settled the cultivation forces behind the scenes.

Jia Wuqun had originally asked Zi Pingxiu to investigate only because he wanted to see whether Shang Chaozong was capable of consolidating what Niu Youdao had left behind. Who could have expected the man to complete the entire consolidation with thunderous speed, before anyone could react, and already have everything firmly in hand?

Such ability, such speed, quietly shocked Jia Wuqun. He fell silent for a long time, weighing how many regional lords beneath Heaven could have accomplished the same thing.

After a long while, he leaned back in his chair and gave a soft sigh. "Ah..."

Zi Pingxiu had watched him quietly for some time. Not wanting him to remain preoccupied with Nanzhou, he changed the subject. "Sir returned at just the right time. There is something I do not understand, and I was hoping to ask your advice."

Jia Wuqun sat upright again and nodded, indicating that he should continue.

Zi Pingxiu said, "Yesterday I received a report of unusual developments in Yan. Dou Hai, the Provincial Inspector of Fangzhou, was suddenly demoted and placed under investigation by the Yan court. The affair is extremely strange. Dou Hai is one of Shang Jianxiong's trusted men and a great territorial official in his own right. Normally, action against a man like that should show signs beforehand. Yet this happened so suddenly that no one can make sense of it. There was no warning at all, and we are still investigating why he was demoted. His Majesty asked me today whether I knew what Shang Jianxiong intended. I could not explain it clearly either. Does Sir have any insight?"

"..."

Insight? Jia Wuqun froze. If Zi Pingxiu had not brought it up, he truly would not have thought of Dou Hai immediately.

"Sir?" Seeing him stare blankly, Zi Pingxiu prompted him.

Jia Wuqun came back to himself and smiled, but it was an increasingly bitter smile. He shook his head helplessly.

Zi Pingxiu did not understand. "Why is Sir laughing?"

Jia Wuqun pulled over a sheet of paper and densely covered it with writing before pushing it across. What he had written was precisely the wager he had made with Niu Youdao that day.

Zi Pingxiu was startled after reading it. "Sir named him, and that led Shang Chaozong's side to deal with Dou Hai?"

Jia Wuqun wrote: The other man spoke wildly. How could I believe him so easily? Whether his claim was true or false, I merely named someone at random to make things difficult for him, so he would understand that he was boasting beyond measure. Who could have imagined the jest would become reality? As the Chancellor said, Dou Hai is one of Shang Jianxiong's trusted territorial officials. For him to suffer this calamity so suddenly, I fear it truly was caused by one idle remark of mine!

Zi Pingxiu grew even more astonished. "It has only been a few days. Before Sir even returned from one casual remark, a major minister of a state was removed just like that. Could Shang Chaozong truly have control of Yan's court?"

Jia Wuqun smiled bitterly. Was there even any need to doubt it? Without the power to sway the court, how could a great territorial official like Dou Hai, and one of Shang Jianxiong's trusted men at that, be dealt with so abruptly and without warning?

He lifted his brush and wrote: Could the Chancellor possibly believe Dou Hai's fate and my idle remark were merely coincidence?

Zi Pingxiu fell silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head. Other coincidences were possible. How could this kind of coincidence exist? He murmured, "It seems Yan's court has long been under Shang Chaozong's secret control. So he truly is merely choosing not to take it for now... Ah!" He raised his face and let out a long sigh, filled with emotion.

He had known Shang Chaozong wielded considerable influence within Yan, but he had never imagined it had already reached this degree. The man had truly concealed himself deeply.

Jia Wuqun felt even more strongly about it. Niu Youdao had barely died, yet Shang Chaozong had immediately seized control of the power Niu left behind with lightning speed and rapidly neutralized interference from the cultivation factions. That alone was beyond what most people could accomplish.

And now it had been proven that Shang Chaozong had long since taken Yan's court under secret control as well.

Clearly, when the other side said they did not regard Wu Gongling or Chancellor Zi Pingxiu as anything worth worrying about, it had not been a joke.

Then there was the writing board before him. They had actually taken the things he personally used and transported them all the way to Nanzhou for him. What degree of thought had gone into that?

They had revealed Nanzhou's secrets directly to him without fear he would leak them. They had neither detained nor coerced him, but simply let him choose for himself. That confidence carried the bearing of one who could look across all under Heaven and ask: if not me, then who?

They had brought him there and shown him, step by step, what it meant to turn clouds and rain with a hand.

Jia Wuqun exhaled slowly, then took up his brush again: I once thought Nanzhou could not do without Niu Youdao. Yet now the remarkable Niu is gone, and Nanzhou still holds wind and cloud in its grasp, moving as leisurely as one strolling through a quiet courtyard. It even spurs me onward, showing no sign of restraint, only an ever more expansive bearing. Clearly Nanzhou is a place of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. That Shang Chaozong has come this far is indeed the result of deep plans and long preparation, not mere luck!

Zi Pingxiu nodded. He was no common man from the marketplace. He understood what Jia Wuqun meant by "deep plans and long preparation." To ordinary people, those words might be no more than praise. To someone in his position, however, they meant plans backed by genuine strength. Fine words alone were useless. Without real foundations, thinking farther ahead achieved nothing.

Those few words revealed just how deeply Shang Chaozong had laid his foundations step by step.

"I underestimated Shang Chaozong before," Zi Pingxiu said.

Jia Wuqun raised his brush again: Chancellor, do you still remember the anonymous letter we once sent to cultivate goodwill with Niu Youdao?

Zi Pingxiu said, "Naturally. But Niu Youdao is dead now. Why does Sir bring up that matter again?"

Jia Wuqun wrote and turned the board toward him: What we did then was because we saw storms gathering beneath Heaven and wanted to leave ourselves a road of retreat!

Zi Pingxiu slowly nodded.

Jia Wuqun continued: The storms are gathering, and Nanzhou senses the same. What they said was not false. Sooner or later the Zi Residence will have to face what is coming. When that day arrives, where can Wuqun hide? Since I must face it eventually, then rather than wait, I should act according to our earlier thinking and plan a road of retreat for the Zi Residence. Emperor Wu is obstinate and self-willed, a petty opportunist. Once the world undergoes great upheaval, he does not possess the ability to contend for supremacy beneath Heaven, nor is he capable of fully weathering such change. He is no enlightened ruler. What the Chancellor did in those years was merely forced upon you for self-preservation.

Zi Pingxiu looked uncertain. "Sir means...?"

Jia Wuqun wrote: I intend to emerge from seclusion and lend Shang Chaozong my strength!

"..."

Zi Pingxiu was left speechless. He even stammered when he finally said, "This... this... if so, wouldn't Sir still be accepting his recruitment?"

Jia Wuqun pulled over another sheet and wrote at length before pushing it across.

Zi Pingxiu took it and read: No. Shang Chaozong allowed me to come and go freely, which shows he does not intend to force me. As for Shao Pingbo, Shang's side could handle the matter themselves. There is no necessity for me to act. What does that mean? Shang Chaozong's ambitions are clearly enormous. How could someone as insignificant as me satisfy his appetite? His ultimate objective must be to annex the State of Song. Asking me to handle this affair is meant to make me state my position, but in truth it is the Chancellor whose position he wishes to see. Through this matter, he wants to know where the Chancellor will stand and whether, in the future, you can act in accordance with his wishes.

Zi Pingxiu repeatedly nodded as he read. So their earlier judgment about the secret invitation had been correct. In the end, the true target was still him. That did make sense. "Sir speaks truly. But if you go and serve him, you may leave evidence that can be used against us."

Jia Wuqun wrote: What evidence? Even if something changes, I will be acting on my own. If trouble comes, I have ways to bear it alone. The guilt will rest with me alone, and the Chancellor can sever all connection!

Zi Pingxiu pondered. "Sir has already made up your mind?"

Jia Wuqun wrote: Shang's side set a deadline, and their meaning was clear: the opportunity will not wait forever. I also know their secrets now. If I refuse to go at this point, I cannot know what measures they may take next, cannot judge their intentions, and cannot predict the consequences.

"Hm..." Zi Pingxiu rose and paced back and forth, turning it over carefully.

In the end, a message was sent to Nanzhou, setting the date on which Jia Wuqun would depart.

...

Inside the upper room, Niu Youdao received the message in his private chamber and threw back his head in loud laughter. He said to Guan Fangyi, "That fellow must think I'm plotting to take Song!"

Guan Fangyi giggled. "When actually you're doing it for him, right?"

"Once you have the man, the state follows naturally!" Niu Youdao tapped the letter and gave a cold chuckle. Then he read from it, "'In thanks for Nanzhou's generous hospitality, I shall return the favor with what little strength I can offer...' He certainly knows how to make his calculations. But once you're aboard my boat, I'm afraid whether you can turn back for shore will no longer be up to you. This Niu has long awaited you!"

Whatever Guan Fangyi thought of at those words wiped the smile from her face. She pursed her lips slightly. "How should we reply?"

Niu Youdao swept out one hand. "Two words: await orders!"

Guan Fangyi stared. "He's agreed to come, and you're telling him to await orders?"

Niu Youdao gave a strange smile. "A fine sword should go to a hero, and a fine horse deserves a fine saddle. Let him wait for now. It won't be too late once the person I'm waiting for arrives. Sharpening the blade does not delay the cutting of firewood!"

[End of Chapter 1215]