Chapter 1277: If You Make Any More Trouble, I'll Lock You in the Pigpen!

Over the Song capital, three flying mounts circled in the sky. After giving brief explanations to the men intercepting and checking traffic above the city, they dove down and landed inside a secluded residence.

Two of the mounts carried Guan Jitai, Sect Leader of Lingxiao Pavilion, together with two Elders and three accompanying disciples.

The other carried two visitors from Nanzhou in the State of Yan: Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang.

Lingxiao Pavilion disciples inside the residence came out to pay their respects. Feng Guan'er also emerged when she heard the commotion and bowed. "Greetings, Sect Leader!"

Guan Jitai's face was taut. "Come with me."

After throwing down those words, he strode straight toward the inner courtyard. Feng Guan'er had no idea what was happening and could only follow.

Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang moved to follow as well, but one of the Lingxiao Pavilion Elders raised a hand and blocked them.

"You two may remain here."

He glanced back, signaling the Lingxiao Pavilion disciples to keep an eye on them.

In the inner courtyard, Feng Guan'er stopped behind Guan Jitai, then silently glanced back at the two Elders who had followed.

Guan Jitai abruptly stopped and turned around.

Expressionless, he asked, "Guan'er, did Yuan Gang of Nanzhou in the State of Yan come looking for you?"

Lingxiao Pavilion's disciples had already reported the matter earlier. At first, the sect had paid it little attention. Later, suspicions arose, and now those suspicions had clearly been confirmed.

Feng Guan'er lowered her head slightly. She knew there was no point denying it. Lingxiao Pavilion's people had seen Yuan Gang come to find her.

"Yes," she answered softly.

Guan Jitai asked, "Why did he come?"

Feng Guan'er pressed her lips together, unsure how to answer.

Guan Jitai stared at her and slowly said, "Did you ask him to help Luo Zhao?"

Feng Guan'er looked up in shock.

She had been confined here and cut off from outside news. She could not understand how he knew about this. No one else should have heard her conversation with Yuan Gang.

After hesitating for a while, she said quietly, "That is my personal affair. It has nothing to do with Lingxiao Pavilion."

"Nothing to do with Lingxiao Pavilion?" Anger entered Guan Jitai's voice. "Then answer me this. Why would he listen to you and go help Luo Zhao?"

Feng Guan'er bit her lower lip.

Guan Jitai's voice sharpened.

"What exactly is the relationship between the two of you?"

Feng Guan'er lowered her head and said nothing.

"You think I won't know if you refuse to speak?"

Guan Jitai took a letter from inside his sleeve and handed it to her.

"Read it. This is a personal letter from Shang Chaozong, Commandery Prince Yong of Nanzhou in the State of Yan."

"He wrote to Lingxiao Pavilion demanding a person."

"He wants you!"

Feng Guan'er's heart churned.

She accepted the letter and opened it.

The farther she read, the uglier her expression became.

In the letter, Shang Chaozong plainly laid out the relationship between Yuan Gang and Feng Guan'er. Feng Guan'er had enticed Yuan Gang into helping Luo Zhao. Now Yuan Gang had already begun fulfilling his promise, so Feng Guan'er should fulfill hers as well.

Since Lingxiao Pavilion had confined Feng Guan'er, Shang Chaozong requested that Lingxiao Pavilion release her and hand her over to Nanzhou.

The key point came at the end.

If Feng Guan'er broke her promise and toyed with Yuan Gang, or if Lingxiao Pavilion refused to release her, then Nanzhou would publicly reveal the relationship between Feng Guan'er and Yuan Gang to the entire realm.

By the time she finished, Feng Guan'er was beside herself with shame and anger.

Guan Jitai asked, "Is what the letter says true? While you were still married to Luo Zhao, did you already have an illicit relationship with Yuan Gang?"

Grief and fury appeared in Feng Guan'er's eyes.

Yet she did not explain that she had been abducted back then.

Nor did she explain that she had been drugged.

She merely clenched her teeth.

"This is my own affair."

Guan Jitai finally lost his temper.

"You still dare call this your own affair?"

"Have you forgotten who looked after you all these years?"

"Have you forgotten who your grandfather was?"

"Your grandfather was Lingxiao Pavilion's previous Sect Leader!"

"You committed something this disgraceful. If Nanzhou makes it public, where is Lingxiao Pavilion supposed to put its face?"

"If the sect does not punish you, what becomes of Lingxiao Pavilion's discipline and reputation?"

Feng Guan'er was both ashamed and furious.

"Lingxiao Pavilion raised me for many years. Whatever punishment the sect chooses, I will accept it."

Guan Jitai swept his sleeve and strode away.

One Elder stepped forward and sighed.

"Guan'er, are you truly determined to help Luo Zhao?"

Feng Guan'er said, "The fault was mine. I owe him."

The Elder said, "Yuan Gang has already helped part of Luo Zhao's army cross the Boundless Desert into Qi..."

He then explained the present situation.

Using sand scorpions?

Feng Guan'er froze.

Yuan Gang actually possessed such an ability?

Finally, the Elder reminded her, "Yuan Gang is, after all, one of Shang Chaozong's men. You have now angered Shang Chaozong. If Shang Chaozong gives an order, everything Luo Zhao has done may end in failure."

"If you truly wish to help Luo Zhao... matters have already reached this stage. If you insist, we will not stop you."

"But Lingxiao Pavilion raised you for all these years. Should you not also consider Lingxiao Pavilion's face?"

Feng Guan'er asked, "What does Elder want me to do?"

The other Elder slowly said, "Lingxiao Pavilion can no longer control you."

"Since you care nothing for the sect, there is no meaning in keeping you here."

"You may as well leave."

"That way, you cannot blame Lingxiao Pavilion for restraining you."

Feng Guan'er whipped her head toward him.

Her lips trembled faintly.

How did one leave?

With nothing more than brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Inside a pavilion, Feng Guan'er finished writing and set down the brush, a bitter smile on her face.

With her own hand, she had written a declaration voluntarily severing herself from Lingxiao Pavilion.

From this day forward, whether she lived or died, whether she met fortune or disaster, honor or disgrace, none of it would have any further connection to Lingxiao Pavilion.

One Elder picked up the signed declaration.

After reading it, he nodded slightly to the other Elder.

The latter said coldly, "Lingxiao Pavilion has done everything it could for you."

"From now on, whatever you choose to do is no concern of the sect."

"Take care of yourself."

The two Elders had obtained what they wanted.

There was nothing more to say.

They left with the declaration, intending to take it back and show the others in the sect.

Feng Guan'er herself had chosen to sever ties with Lingxiao Pavilion.

Standing alone in the pavilion, Feng Guan'er was already weeping uncontrollably.

Even though this too had been her own choice.

In truth, Lingxiao Pavilion had long since become angry with her.

Even when Luo Zhao was still in Song, husband and wife had already infuriated the sect repeatedly.

When Lingxiao Pavilion participated in overthrowing the Mu imperial house, Luo Zhao, that bastard, had actually stood on Mu Zhuozhen's side.

Even after Mu Zhuozhen died, Luo Zhao had refused to repent.

Feng Guan'er, in turn, stood with Luo Zhao, forgetting who had helped support everything they possessed.

When the spoils were divided afterward, Blood God Hall and Heaven-Splitting Palace seized on the matter.

Lingxiao Pavilion lost face, and its interests suffered as well.

But there was little they could do.

Because of Feng Guan'er's family background, they could not easily deal with her.

Later, Wu Gongling wanted to kill Luo Zhao.

Blood God Hall and Heaven-Splitting Palace wanted him dead as well.

Who wanted to keep a man of divided loyalty beside them?

At that time, Lingxiao Pavilion had once again stepped forward and protected him.

And what was the result?

Lingxiao Pavilion had spent its influence and strength protecting Luo Zhao, only for Luo Zhao to flee the State of Song and go serve Qin instead.

It had nearly driven Lingxiao Pavilion mad.

The affair became something Blood God Hall and Heaven-Splitting Palace brought up whenever it suited them, leaving Lingxiao Pavilion embarrassed again and again.

Inside the sect, dissatisfaction with Feng Guan'er was no small thing either.

Yet because of her background, no one among Lingxiao Pavilion's senior figures dared handle her carelessly and risk staining his own reputation.

They could only continue tolerating her.

Now matters were finally convenient.

Feng Guan'er herself had committed a disgraceful act.

All Jia Wuqun had done was instruct Nanzhou to lay everything out openly and demand the person.

He had merely handed Lingxiao Pavilion an excuse to cast off a burden.

Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang entered the inner courtyard.

They walked to the pavilion.

Duan Hu extended a hand.

"Miss Feng, come with us."

Feng Guan'er glanced at him through tear-filled eyes and ignored him.

Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang exchanged a look.

Then both stepped into the pavilion, each seized one of her arms, and simply dragged her away.

Feng Guan'er was startled and struggled.

"What are you doing?"

"I have an agreement with Yuan Gang!"

"I said after he succeeds—after he succeeds...!"

She had stayed at Maolu Villa before and knew both men.

But the two men dragging her paid no attention whatsoever.

Whether Yuan Gang had succeeded yet was not their concern.

Nanzhou had given them only one instruction:

Bring the woman back.

They dragged her into the front courtyard, leapt onto a flying mount, and rose into the sky.

No one stopped them.

Feng Guan'er could not break free of their hold either.

...

They crossed countless mountains and rivers.

In less than a day, Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang completed their assignment and successfully brought Feng Guan'er back to Maolu Annex inside Nanzhou's prefectural capital.

They handed her over to Guan Fangyi.

Their part in the matter was finished.

Inside a room, Feng Guan'er's restrictions were released.

The moment she could move again, anger erupted.

"This is kidnapping...!"

She went on and on, furious and indignant, plainly ready to make a major scene.

No matter what she said, Guan Fangyi merely listened with a pleasant smile.

Before long, Yun Ji arrived.

Wang Xiao entered behind her.

After listening to Feng Guan'er rage for a while, Wang Xiao—Niu Youdao—abruptly spoke.

"Shut up!"

Feng Guan'er whirled toward him.

"Who are you?"

"Who I am is unimportant."

Niu Youdao stared at her.

"I'll ask you only one question."

"Do you know what Yuan Gang is doing for you right now?"

"For the sake of your former husband, you actually sent Yuan Gang to throw his life away."

"Now that you've come here, you still dare throw a tantrum."

"Who do you think you are?"

Throw his life away?

Feng Guan'er looked uncertain.

"I only asked him to help. I never told him to do anything that would cost him his life."

Niu Youdao said, "Don't tell me you don't know he's now using sand scorpions to transport Qin's army into Qi."

Feng Guan'er's confidence faltered.

She tried to answer, "I know. So what?"

Niu Youdao's voice turned cold.

"You fool. Do you even understand what that means?"

"It means that apart from Xiping Pass, Yuan Gang himself has become a second route between east and west for the states beneath Heaven."

"Jin intends to swallow Qi and Wei and has fought desperately to choke off Xiping Pass. How could it possibly tolerate another route like this?"

"And no matter who ultimately controls Qi, that side will never tolerate a route that could threaten it at any moment!"

"To help your Luo Zhao, Yuan Gang has staked his life."

"You're going to get him killed."

"What right do you have to make noise here?"

"If Yuan Gang had not entrusted you to us, do you think you would even be qualified to stand in this place?"

"Not every stray cat or dog has the right to enter here!"

This time Feng Guan'er understood.

She was stunned.

"Slut!"

Niu Youdao's voice fell like a hammer.

"You'd better stay here quietly."

"If you make any more trouble, I'll lock you in the pigpen!"

He flung his sleeve and strode away.

...

The vast army of sand scorpions thundered across the boundless desert.

High above, a brightly feathered flying mount flew directly into the patrol zone maintained by the army's flying mounts.

The patrols moved to intercept it.

Then one of the men dressed in black displayed a Misty Pavilion token.

The interceptors immediately backed off.

They could only allow the other side's mount to circle freely above the sand-scorpion army and inspect everything below.

Beside the black-robed man stood a burly figure whose upper body was partly bare.

Bronze-colored muscles rippled across his powerful frame.

His heavy brows slanted upward.

A pair of tiger-like eyes looked down indifferently on the people below.

His loose, disheveled hair streamed in the wind.

Below, Yucang and the others had already received the report that the newcomers carried a Misty Pavilion token.

They raised their heads and watched.

An Elder of Xiaoyue Pavilion flashed over and landed on the large sand scorpion carrying Yucang.

He lowered his voice.

"That man in black looks like Hei Shi, an Elder of Tianmo Sacred Land."

"The man beside him... for Hei Shi to treat someone with such respect, could the newcomer be...?"

He did not quite dare speak the name.

[End of Chapter 1277]