Chapter 1341: An Appointment with the Hidden Chancellor

Tears welled in Xue Luo'er's eyes again. She believed she understood what he meant by "humiliation." She believed she understood how much pressure he had endured by marrying her, and she knew how sensitive he was to the rumors and gossip surrounding him. Because of that, she also understood why he had suddenly forced Han to lend him the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron.

All the unease and anxiety she had felt before now turned into heartache for him. She even felt that she was the reason he had been made to suffer.

Once a person truly fell in love with someone, they gave up part of themselves and began thinking of the other person in everything.

Because they loved them.

Granny Xue understood the implication in his words as well. She glanced at Xue Luo'er's reaction and gave a soft chuckle, neither confirming nor denying anything.

She did not remain there long. Nor could Chuan Ying simply say he had returned the cauldron and have the matter considered settled. She still had to verify it herself, and she also had to confirm that the object returned was genuine.

Before leaving, however, she secretly issued strict orders to the people at the Ice and Snow Pavilion: without her permission, Chuan Ying was not to leave the pavilion on his own again.

...

A small skiff drifted across the lake.

Niu Youdao sat alone aboard it. He had laid out wine and dishes from a food box and was leisurely pouring and drinking for himself.

When the boat reached the middle of the lake, someone suddenly emerged from the water, climbed aboard, and sat opposite him at the little square table. The newcomer picked up a pair of chopsticks and sampled the food.

"I've heard the food and wine from Maolu Villa are good. They really are." The voice belonged to Sha Rulai.

Niu Youdao poured him a cup of wine. "What matter was important enough to trouble you to come personally?"

Sha Rulai said, "You must have heard about the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron. I was ordered to come out and verify whether it had truly been returned. This was merely on the way."

Niu Youdao asked, "And what did you find?"

"I confirmed it. The one Chuan Ying returned is genuine."

Niu Youdao gave a soft "Oh." His eyes flickered faintly.

That was enough to confirm that Wu Chang had already used the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron to verify the Demon Canon's record. In other words, Wu Chang had already gone to the Fifth Domain.

A slight smile appeared on Niu Youdao's face. "Now that's interesting."

Sha Rulai tested him. "Do you know something?"

"Nothing much. Wu Chang is simply making trouble behind the scenes." Niu Youdao looked at him. "You came all this way just to tell me that?"

Sha Rulai drained his cup and set it down. "I came to tell you that one of the matters you asked me to watch has finally produced something."

Niu Youdao picked up the wine pot again and refilled his cup. "Which matter?"

There were too many things he had asked Sha Rulai to keep an eye on.

"Zhuge Chi, former Chief Steward of the Inner Palace of Zhao."

Niu Youdao's pouring hand paused.

Then the pot slowly tilted again. Only after the cup was full did he set it down. "You've found where he is?"

"Not his exact location yet, but we should be very close. Misty Pavilion has made meticulous arrangements. It looks as though they've already followed the vine quite far toward the melon and are closing in on the target. They haven't alerted the snake by striking the grass yet. Their people are still lying low and watching the clues under surveillance. The moment the target makes contact with one of those lines, they can close the net at once."

Niu Youdao said, "This feels rather sudden. You never gave me the slightest hint before."

"Before this, I had no convenient way to ask openly about the matter. Misty Pavilion has now expanded the scope of personnel involved, and some of my own people have been drawn in. That's how I learned about it."

Niu Youdao sighed. "They searched for so long and found nothing. By rights, Zhuge Chi should have had a secure place to hide. How did he still get watched? Was he really that careless?"

Sha Rulai picked up his chopsticks and sampled several dishes, chewing as he spoke. "If he keeps maintaining contact with the outside world, then against a force as vast as Misty Pavilion, sooner or later he'll expose a flaw."

Niu Youdao said, "So he never cut off outside contact. Looks like Hai Wuji still hasn't given up. Even after what happened with Zhuge Chi, he's still clinging to fantasies. Human hearts..." He suddenly fell silent.

Sha Rulai noticed the change. "What is it?"

Niu Youdao slowly said, "Hai Wuji is no longer Emperor of Zhao. Once stripped of that identity, Hai Wuji is nothing."

Sha Rulai frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"That Zhuge Chi is far too loyal to Hai Wuji."

"I don't understand what you're getting at."

"I mean he isn't worth me taking a risk for." Niu Youdao's tone remained calm. "I've suddenly become more interested in the Misty Pavilion person behind Shao Pingbo. Who do you think that person is?"

Sha Rulai was increasingly unable to follow the way Niu Youdao kept jumping from one matter to another. He shook his head. "I don't know who it is. But someone able to mobilize Misty Pavilion's people in Jin and Qi at any time can't have a low position."

"That's what I think too."

Niu Youdao raised his cup in a toast. Sha Rulai drank with him.

The lake and surrounding mountains were pleasant. The two sat together for a while longer before parting and going their separate ways.

...

At the Shao Residence in the Jin capital, the gatekeeper received a letter and passed it to the steward, Shao Sansheng.

Shao Sansheng was seated behind a desk handling miscellaneous affairs. The moment he opened the letter and saw its contents, he shot to his feet, then hurried away.

In the garden, Shao Pingbo was playing the qin while Taishu Huan'er danced gracefully before the instrument.

Seeing Shao Sansheng repeatedly signaling from outside the pavilion, Shao Pingbo knew something urgent had happened. His finger hooked sharply.

Tang!

A string snapped.

Naturally, the dancing stopped as well.

Taishu Huan'er hurried forward, took his hand, and examined it. "Your finger isn't hurt, is it?"

"I'm fine."

Shao Pingbo rose and, with a few casual words, brought their amusement to an end.

Taishu Huan'er had already noticed Shao Sansheng waiting outside. She knew men had men's affairs to attend to. When Shao Pingbo said there was official business, she tactfully withdrew.

Only then did Shao Sansheng enter. He took the letter from his sleeve and presented it, lowering his voice. "A letter from Jia Wuqun."

Shao Pingbo's hand stiffened slightly as he took it.

Then he opened it quickly.

The contents made his expression darken.

Shao Sansheng had already read the letter and naturally knew what it said.

Jia Wuqun had directly exposed Wuxin's identity as Tan Yaoxian, the Ghost Doctor's disciple, and congratulated Shao Liuer and Wuxin on renewing their old bond in the Qi capital.

He also lavished praise on Shao Pingbo for establishing the Imperial Academy, commending the long reach of his planning and remarking that in the future, the sons and grandsons of the court's ministers would all have to become Shao Pingbo's students.

Finally, he invited Shao Pingbo to the Song capital for a meeting, saying he wished to warm wine with him and discuss all beneath Heaven.

As for the excuse for making the journey, Jia Wuqun told Shao Pingbo to find one himself. He would wait for him in the Song capital.

After reading the letter, Shao Pingbo tore it to pieces with two quick rips and ground out through clenched teeth, "This man is a mortal danger at my side!"

Shao Sansheng immediately crouched and carefully gathered every scrap of paper thrown to the ground. He dared not leave even one behind. If anyone saw even part of the contents, the consequences could be disastrous.

After rising, he bundled the fragments together and stuffed them into his sleeve so he could destroy them completely later.

What worried him now was the matter before them. "Eldest Young Master, this is plainly a threat forcing you to attend his appointment. If you refuse and Eldest Miss's affair is exposed, she won't be able to clear herself no matter how she argues. How is Prince Ying Hao Zhen supposed to feel? How is Eldest Miss supposed to live with herself? It could drive her to death. And if the matter of the Imperial Academy is exposed for what it really is, the court officials will surely strangle it before it can mature!"

Shao Pingbo paced back and forth through the pavilion with a dark expression, apparently turning over countermeasures at speed. He muttered angrily, "Niu Youdao dies, and then a Jia Wuqun appears. If you want to know what it means for future trouble never to end, this is it. I have no grievance with this man. Last time he targeted me, and I haven't even settled that account with him. Now he comes again. Why does he oppose me again and again?"

Shao Sansheng said anxiously, "Eldest Young Master, what do we do now?"

Shao Pingbo suddenly stopped. His eyes flickered for a while, then he held out a hand. "Give me the letter."

"Uh..." Shao Sansheng pulled the torn fragments from his sleeve and showed them to him.

Only then did Shao Pingbo remember he had ripped it apart. He waved the matter aside and walked to the railing with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

He remained deep in thought for quite some time.

At last, he made his decision and spoke two firm words.

"I'll go."

"Ah!" Shao Sansheng was alarmed. "Eldest Young Master, think carefully! Last time he tried to put you to death. This time he surely harbors no good intentions either. I'm afraid he intends to lure you there and kill you!"

Shao Pingbo shook his head slightly. "He isn't an ordinary man. He should understand that if I go to this appointment, I won't be so easy to kill. Without guarantees for my safety, I would never go in the first place. He holds secrets of this magnitude yet has kept them concealed. I want to see what exactly he's after."

He repeated thoughtfully, "Warm wine and discuss all beneath Heaven... warm wine and discuss all beneath Heaven..."

After another long silence, he suddenly looked back. "Write a reply. Say I've long heard that Old Master Fang Changqu of Song possesses profound learning. I wish to invite him to Jin to teach at the Imperial Academy. Ask Mr. Jia to lend me his assistance."

The reply went out.

Several days later, Jia Wuqun's answer arrived. He was willing to assist with all his strength.

Once he received that reply, Shao Pingbo immediately sought an audience with Taishu Xiong and stated that he wished to go personally to Song to invite a learned great scholar to teach at the Imperial Academy.

Taishu Xiong felt there was no need. He also mentioned the past enmity between Shao Pingbo and Jia Wuqun and believed the journey too dangerous.

Shao Pingbo argued that only going personally would show enough sincerity, then produced Jia Wuqun's reply.

Taishu Xiong was surprised. Jia Wuqun was actually willing to help Shao Pingbo.

He had no idea what contest of schemes these two were engaged in now, but he knew this son-in-law of his was no ordinary man either. If Shao Pingbo dared go, he would not be easy prey.

In the end, Jin first sent word through Song's envoy, formally stating Shao Pingbo's intention to visit Song and asking the Song court's position.

Once the Song court gave its reply, Shao Pingbo's formal status as an envoy was settled.

Shao Pingbo traveled with his wife, Taishu Huan'er, accompanied as a matter of course by expert guards.

After reaching the Song capital, Shao Pingbo first paid a formal envoy's visit to the Emperor of Song, Wu Gongling. Their discussions concerned matters between Jin and Song.

Only on the following day did he take his wife to the Chancellor's residence.

Zi Pingxiu naturally knew why he had come. Jia Wuqun was at his side.

Seeing Jia Wuqun again, Taishu Huan'er's expression shifted uncertainly.

How could she easily forget the time she and her mother had both been played for fools by this man? Beneath the surface, she could not help grinding her teeth a little.

Once host and guests were seated, Jia Wuqun stood silently behind Zi Pingxiu with a faint smile on his face. Yuan Cong stood nearby.

Shao Pingbo exchanged polite words with Zi Pingxiu, but his eyes repeatedly drifted toward Jia Wuqun, studying him.

At last, he had met this Hidden Chancellor.

When the formalities were over, Zi Pingxiu urged his guests to remain, saying the Zi Residence would host a banquet in their honor.

Shao Pingbo could hardly refuse such hospitality and readily agreed.

Zi Pingxiu left to make preparations, instructing Jia Wuqun to keep the guests company.

Jia Wuqun soon summoned women of the household to accompany Taishu Huan'er separately. She was somewhat reluctant, but Shao Pingbo told her to go.

Afterward, Jia Wuqun invited Shao Pingbo to stroll through the garden.

Once they reached the garden, Shao Pingbo ordered his attendants to stop and went on alone with Jia Wuqun and Yuan Cong.

At the edge of a pond, Shao Pingbo stopped.

"Mr. Jia, I've come."

Jia Wuqun smiled and nodded. His fingers began writing on Yuan Cong's back.

Yuan Cong spoke for him.

"Lord Shao has courage. You did not disappoint Jia."

[End of Chapter 1341]