Su Zhao stared at the map and pondered for a while. She nodded slowly and seemed relieved. "Since you're prepared for this, it shouldn't be a problem."
Shao Pingbo said, "Alright, I'll leave the Qi Kingdom to you. The situation is pressing, so we can't delay any longer. The sooner the better."
"What?" Su Zhao looked back and teased, "I just came back and you can't wait to get rid of me?"
Shao Pingbo laughed. "You know that's not what I mean."
Seeing that the two of them started flirting, Shao Sansheng lowered his head and left quietly. He didn't want to disturb them.
Now that there were no outsiders, Su Zhao's bright eyes suddenly became a little clingy. She slowly approached Shao Pingbo with affection.
Shao Pingbo leaned back slightly as if he was trying to avoid her, but in the end, he still reached out and grabbed her hand with a smile.
Su Zhao took the opportunity to lean into his arms. The two of them hugged and rubbed against each other's ears.
"You won't despise me and will marry me, right?" Su Zhao murmured in his arms.
Shao Pingbo said, "I said that I won't marry anyone but you. But you know that now is not the time. If I don't have enough strength, you won't be able to get rid of your organization. Everything we're doing now is for me, for you, and for our future."
Su Zhao sighed. "I hope so!"
Shao Pingbo said, "You don't seem to believe me."
"No!" Su Zhao shook her head and closed her eyes. There was something she wanted to ask and do, but she couldn't because of her identity. She was afraid that he would look down on her.
After a moment of silence, Shao Pingbo suddenly coughed again. He pushed her away and stopped coughing. He asked, "What's the situation with Niu Youdao?"
Su Zhao looked at him and shook her head. "You! I think Niu Youdao has become a sore point in your heart. Whenever you think of him, you get angry and can't help but cough. "
Shao Pingbo turned around and took a sip of tea to moisten his throat. "You're thinking too much."
Su Zhao said, "I've sent people to keep an eye on Qingshan County, but they haven't seen Niu Youdao at all. The place where he was hiding was heavily guarded, with cultivators from several sects gathered there. It was impossible to get close, and no one knew what he was doing there. I reckon that he should be much more carefree than you. He is not bothered by worldly affairs and seems to be hiding in the mountains to cultivate. If he keeps hiding like a turtle and doesn't reveal any flaws, I can't do anything to him. "
Shao Pingbo was speechless. He realized that this was the reason why he was at a disadvantage. Shang Chaozong was in charge of the mundane affairs. Niu Youdao was a cultivator, he did not command the army nor was he in charge of government affairs. Even if he tried to spread rumors, the dirty water would be poured on Shang Chaozong instead of Niu Youdao.
Now that he's not even popping up, it's even more impossible for you to find an opening.
"Still brooding over it?" Su Zhao asked, then comforted him, "Don't worry, he can't hide forever. There will be a time when he shows up, and he'll find an opportunity to make a move."
Shao Pingbo denied it flatly. "No, I was just thinking that Shang Chaozong's situation is similar to the Northern Prefecture's situation. They're both in the same boat, and I'm afraid they also need warhorses. You might as well pay attention to them."
"Mm!" Su Zhao nodded and pondered.
Taking a deep breath, Shao Pingbo asked again, "Oh right, did you introduce Linghu Qiu to me?"
He had always been interested in this person and wanted Su Zhao to help recruit him. However, Su Zhao didn't have a way to do it, so he wanted to meet Linghu Qiu and see if there was a possibility for him to do it himself.
Su Zhao smiled bitterly and sighed. "Don't be angry if I tell you."
"Angry?" Shao Pingbo was surprised. "If I can't introduce him to you, why would I be angry?"
Su Zhao said, "You looked for him and told him that you wanted to meet him. But he said, 'What's there to meet a mortal like you?' He said that he only interacts with cultivators, and he even specially mentioned that he knows the sect master of Great Zen Mountain, Huang Lie. He said that Huang Lie would more or less give him some face. He also said that there are so many people in the world, and he wouldn't be able to get to know all of them. "
"…" Shao Pingbo was speechless. The meaning in that person's words was obvious. He looked down on a mortal like him.
When he mentioned Huang Lie, the meaning was even more obvious. You're just a lackey of Great Zen Mountain, and it's enough that I know the master behind you. Is there a need to talk to you?
Shao Pingbo sneered, and there was anger in his heart. However, he suppressed it. Thinking about it, what the person said was right. There was no need to have any relationship with the people in the mortal world. If there was anything, the person could just look for the force behind the mortal world. If the force behind them spoke, would he dare to disobey?
"Looks like there's no chance. I was thinking too much," Shao Pingbo said plainly.
Su Zhao sighed. "This person has connections with many people, and his background is complicated. I can't figure out his relationship network, so I don't dare to act rashly. I think it's not too late to decide after seeing the situation. There's no rush. "
Shao Pingbo sneered. "One day, he will come and beg me. I want to see how he will swallow his words!"
Su Zhao smiled bitterly and shook his head. He realized that this person was good at everything, except for his lack of breadth of mind. He was too arrogant. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been angered to the point of vomiting blood …
After returning from the county capital, Niu Youdao returned to the manor in the mountain.
It wasn't a big manor, and it wasn't luxurious either. It was simple and elegant, decorated with flowers and trees. It was built on the peak of the mountain, and the terrain was higher. One could see the surrounding mountain scenery and the outline of Green Mountain County City.
This manor was built three months ago, and Niu Youdao had been living there for more than a month.
The relevant personnel had also moved in, and so had Shang Shuqing. It wasn't good to let the princess continue living in the thatched cottage, so Shang Shuqing also occupied a rather elegant small courtyard.
As soon as he entered the manor, the thoughtful Niu Youdao told Wu Sanliang, who was walking over, "Go and invite the Sect Masters of the three sects over."
"Yes!" Wu Sanliang replied and quickly left.
With his hands behind his back, Niu Youdao strolled to a pavilion. This was the best place to admire the surrounding mountain scenery. Leaning on the railing, he could see the majestic and beautiful mountain range.
Knowing that the Sect Masters of the three sects were coming, Black Peony quickly went to prepare tea.
Not long after, Fei Changliu, Zheng Jiuxiao, and Xia Hua each led a few people over. The disciples stopped at the foot of the pavilion, and the three of them flew up to the pavilion.
Landing next to Niu Youdao, Xia Hua turned around and looked around. "Although it's not a very beautiful place, it's still quite interesting. It's not a bad place in this area."
Niu Youdao turned around and smiled. "The three of you are almost done with the construction, right?"
Xia Hua said, "We're all a little short."
Niu Youdao chuckled. "Who told you to make it so big?"
Xia Hua said, "It's not as simple as you think. You only have a few people here, so you can do whatever you want. We have so many disciples, so we can't keep living in caves. We have to have a place to stay."
Fei Changliu asked, "Why did you summon us here?"
At this moment, Black Peony brought tea over. Niu Youdao turned around. "It's not proper hospitality to have you all stand. Sit down and drink as we talk."
They sat down, and Black Peony poured tea for them.
After taking a few sips, Niu Youdao put down his teacup and said, "I've been cultivating in seclusion for the past year, so I didn't ask about the outside world. I just went to the county capital and asked around, only to find out that the Prince's urgent need for warhorses is related to the safety of two counties. Since you haven't given me an answer yet, and the Prince can't force you to do anything, I've invited you all here to ask about the progress of the purchase of warhorses. "
At this point, the expressions of the three of them darkened.
Xia Hua shook her head. "The situation isn't good. It's very troublesome, very troublesome. That place is very far away, and we're a foreign power. It's a little difficult for us to get things done in the State of Qi. Together with the Heavenly Jade School, our four families have already lost five to six hundred disciples. We've suffered heavy losses! "
Niu Youdao said, "Even if it's troublesome, there has to be an explanation! Let me tell you, if this matter isn't resolved, and the two counties are no longer under our control, we'll all become stray dogs. There's no way we'll be able to cultivate in peace. Get ready to run for your lives! "
Zheng Jiuxiao said, "How could we not want to resolve this matter as soon as possible? As long as this matter isn't resolved, the Heavenly Jade School won't give up their profits. There are so many people in the three sects, and we all need to spend money. Do you think we're not anxious?"
Niu Youdao rapped his fingers on the table. "Don't complain to me. You asked for it. Tell me the problem. What's the crux of the problem?"
Fei Changliu said, "There's a whole bunch of problems. First, there's the State of Qi. Most of the land in the State of Qi is made up of grasslands and pastures. There are countless fine horses, so buying warhorses in the State of Qi isn't a problem. The crux of the problem is how to transport the warhorses out of the State of Qi. "
Xia Hua said hatefully, "The State of Qi is a huge pit. You can't even pay for it with your life. You can buy and sell horses as you please, but in the end, no one can easily transport the warhorses out of the State of Qi. The terrain of the State of Qi is mostly surrounded by vast deserts. It's basically impossible to transport horses out of the State of Qi. And because of the terrain, there aren't many passageways that can be used to enter and exit the State of Qi. They've sent a large number of soldiers to guard the passageways that can be used to enter and exit the State of Qi. That way, no one can easily smuggle the warhorses out of the State of Qi. "
Zheng Jiuxiao sighed. "The State of Qi is too ruthless. They let you spend money to buy horses, but they can't transport them out. In the end, even if you give them the money, the horses will still be theirs."
The situation was actually quite simple. It was easy to understand. Niu Youdao furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment. Slowly, he asked, "Is there no other way to transport the horses out of the State of Qi?"
Fei Changliu said, "It's not that there aren't any, but it's impossible to completely eliminate it. The prerequisite is that you can establish a connection with the State of Qi. If you can establish a connection, the horses will naturally be released. The trouble lies in this aspect. The State of Qi is heavily regulated, so it's not that easy to establish a connection with them. Even if you can get them out, there's still another problem. It's a long journey, and you'll need to establish a connection with the various checkpoints along the way. Sigh! The Heavenly Jade School is also having a headache over this problem. "
Niu Youdao had Black Peony fetch a map and hung it in the pavilion. He stood in front of the map with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed.
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