The Valiant Martial Hall, inherited from King Ning, was an important place to plan military affairs. Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting were in front of the map, deducing all sorts of possible future situations.
Now that Shang Chaozong had more than a thousand King Ning's old subordinates under his command, he had also recruited more than a thousand new soldiers to maintain local order and train the new soldiers. There was also someone to manage Cang Lu County's government affairs. With the Heavenly Jade Order and Feng Lingbo's support, the situation had changed greatly. With a foothold and room to maneuver, they began to plan for the long term.
Most people were not allowed to trespass on important military affairs, but Shang Shuqing was clearly an exception. He could enter directly without any notice.
Shang Shuqing told them about Niu Youdao's situation. Shang Chaozong was stunned. "Delayed seclusion because of something?"
Lan Ruoting, who had been staring at the map, slowly turned around and asked, "Princess, did he say why he delayed it?"
Shang Shuqing, "He didn't say, and I didn't ask. Brother and Teacher both know him. If he doesn't want to say something, you won't get anything out of him."
That was the case. Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting looked at each other, wondering what Niu Youdao could be doing here.
It couldn't be to plant vegetables, right? Recently, Yuan Gang had been leading the monks of Nanshan Temple to plant vegetables with great enthusiasm. Shang Shuqing had originally planned to plant some flowers and plants on that piece of land, but with Yuan Gang's interference, Shang Shuqing had no choice but to keep quiet and let her subordinates do it.
Delayed seclusion because of growing vegetables? No matter how he thought about it, it didn't seem very realistic.
Right at this moment, someone outside requested an audience. A personal guard came in to report, "Your Highness, Yuan Gang came to us and asked our men to investigate the background of a stationery shop called 'Quiet Ink Pavilion'. He even specially instructed us not to act rashly and alert the enemy!"
Shang Shuqing was stunned on the spot. Her bright eyes were filled with a strong sense of doubt.
"Quiet Ink Pavilion?" Shang Chaozong muttered, "Why does it sound so familiar?"
Lan Ruoting stroked his beard and reminded him, "Prince, you're the one who said, 'Those who have seen the ocean cannot be water.'"
"Oh!" Shang Chaozong was suddenly enlightened as he recalled the poem. However, it made him even more puzzled. "Why would I want to know the background of a literary house?"
Lan Ruoting shook his head slightly. "I'm afraid it's not Yuan Gang who's behaving inexplicably, but Daoye. Daoye is used to doing things that leave people scratching their heads in advance."
Shang Chaozong deeply agreed with this. He was also the one who had the deepest experience. That Daoye said he went to Broad Meaning Commandery to borrow soldiers, but ended up arranging a marriage alliance. He reminded him to go to the bridal chamber, but ended up drugging him.
Shang Shuqing turned to the personal guard and said, "Do as he says."
Seeing that Shang Chaozong did not object, the personal guard cupped his hands and said, "Yes!" He turned and left quickly.
Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting stared at Shang Shuqing. The latter muttered, "I'm afraid the matter of delaying seclusion has something to do with this Quiet Ink Pavilion."
Lan Ruoting was astonished. "Why do you say so?"
Shang Shuqing said, "Not long ago, I mentioned this poem for him to appreciate. He even asked about the origin of this poem and praised it as a good poem."
Lan Ruoting asked curiously, "What does this have to do with finding out the background of Quiet Ink Pavilion? It's just a stationery shop. Even if the poem is good, is there a need to specially instruct us not to alert the enemy? "
Shang Shuqing said, "Teacher might not know this. Just now, when I mentioned going to the mystic realm, he still agreed to it. Before I mentioned this poem, he had already agreed to go to the mystic realm. After I mentioned this poem, he suddenly changed his mind. Don't alert the enemy … It seems that he might have noticed something wrong with that shop. "
The Heroic Martial Hall temporarily fell into silence. Everyone was thinking about this matter. In fact, they all wanted to ask Niu Youdao what was going on. However, it was just like what Shang Shuqing said. If Niu Youdao didn't want to say something, you wouldn't be able to get the truth out of him.
Finally, Shang Chaozong Slowly said, "We might as well wait and see!"
That afternoon, there was news. Yuan Gang returned to the small courtyard.
On a recliner, Niu Youdao was leisurely lying under the shade of a tree. His eyes were closed as he pretended to sleep.
His treasured sword was propped outside the armrest of the recliner. His fingers on the sword hilt were rhythmically tapping, proving that he wasn't sleeping.
There was a stool prepared beside the recliner. Yuan Gang walked to the side and directly sat down. It just so happened that he was close to Niu Youdao's ear. He didn't beat around the bush and directly said, "Quiet Ink Pavilion is the best stationery shop in the city. The original shopkeeper isn't here. It is said that because of the commotion in the county town, he temporarily returned to his hometown to avoid the limelight. Recently, there have been many similar situations in the city. The current shopkeeper is said to be the cousin of the original shopkeeper. He is temporarily helping the original shopkeeper to look after the shop. The neighbors said that he is the only one managing the shop for the time being. Currently, they haven't seen any assistants helping them. This is all that we have confirmed. In order to avoid alerting the enemy, we haven't investigated too deeply. "
Niu Youdao was silent, as if he had fallen asleep. However, his fingers on the sword hilt were still moving. After his fingers stopped moving, he spoke, "Don't investigate anymore. We still don't know the situation of the other party's arrangements. If we go deeper, we might alert the enemy. Just set up a hidden guard and keep an eye on the shop."
Yuan Gang asked, "Daoye, what do you want to do?"
"The other party probably doesn't know that this poem is related to me. Otherwise, they wouldn't have taken it out to alert the enemy. So what is the other party's intention in taking out this poem?" Niu Youdao slowly opened his eyes and asked. Then, he answered himself, "They want to use this poem to get closer to this place and find an opportunity. Otherwise, they won't be able to get close. This proves that the other party is afraid of the Heavenly Jade School's strength and doesn't dare to act blindly without thinking. In other words, the other party's strength is limited. They aren't a match for the Heavenly Jade School. We are safe in this villa. "
Yuan Gang listened and didn't say anything. He waited for Chu Li's specific plan of action.
Niu Youdao chuckled and continued speaking slowly, "To think that they could think of starting from the stationery shop. Think about it, there are so many people here. It's inevitable to buy brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Even if they just sit there and wait, they could still easily come into contact with this place. It's not easy to arouse suspicion. I wonder who thought of this idea. Interesting. I really want to meet them."
He got up from the recliner and stood up. The recliner swayed behind him as he held his sword in front of him. With a deep gaze, he said, "They clearly know that the Heavenly Jade School is protecting them, yet they still dare to come here. It seems that as long as I'm alive, the Song family won't give up so easily!" He turned to Yuan Gang, who had also stood up, and said, "Find a way to arrange for the shopkeeper to meet with me. Tell him that the Princess likes his poem and invited him over to make friends through poetry! Oh yes, invite a few of the other famous scholars in the city as well. As for the commotion, it's neither too big nor too small. It's neither ostentatious nor secretive. "
Yuan Gang understood what he meant and turned to leave.
Niu Youdao also left the courtyard and went straight to Bai Yao's residence in the manor.
This was not a place he could enter as he pleased. He was stopped by the guards at the door and questioned. Niu Youdao said, "Please help me pass a message that Niu Youdao wishes to meet Senior Bai Yao."
After waiting at the door for a while, someone came out and invited him in. They brought him to a pavilion inside. Bai Yao was sitting opposite his fellow disciples, and it was unknown what they were discussing.
"Greetings to the two seniors." Niu Youdao cupped his hands and bowed.
Bai Yao, who was indifferent, held his tea and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Someone wants to kill me!" Niu Youdao replied with a smile.
Bai Yao paused and slowly turned his head …
"I made friends through poetry?"
In the Valiant Martial Hall, when Shang Shuqing heard the news, he choked and was speechless. This was obviously using her as a pretense to deceive others. He obviously did not intend to hide the matter from them. If this wasn't using her as a pretense to deceive others, what else could it be?
Lan Ruoting frowned, "He even invited other scholars to cover up. Since he's being so cautious, it seems like there's something wrong with that shop."
At this moment, another person came to report, "Prince, the mage went to Mage Bai Yao's place."
Lan Ruoting asked, "Did he invite him over?"
The person replied, "No, the mage went over himself."
The three of them looked at each other. This was the first time they saw Niu Youdao take the initiative to look for Bai Yao. Instead of looking for them, he went to look for Bai Yao. Combining this with the current situation, the three of them felt that something was going to happen. The problem was that they didn't know what was going on. Niu Youdao's way of doing things was really annoying …
In the city, in a narrow and secluded alley, a frail scholar whose clothes had turned white from being washed hurriedly arrived at the door of his house. He pushed open the small courtyard door with a bang, startling the chicks in the courtyard and causing them to run towards the hen.
In the courtyard, a young woman with a sickly expression was collecting the clothes that were drying on the bamboo poles. She was also startled by the commotion. When she saw that her husband had returned, she couldn't help but glare at him. She patted her chest and heaved a sigh of relief, "Scared me to death. I thought he was going to arrest someone to kill again. Do you want to push the door down?" She scolded.
The scholar was extremely excited. He waved an exquisite invitation in his hand and unfolded the words inside, "Madam, take a look at this."
The young woman rolled her eyes at him, "I don't know how to read, how would I know what it is? Why is your face so red? Did you eat rat poison? "
The scholar ignored his wife's mockery and continued to speak excitedly, "An invitation! Princess Shang Shuqing sent me an invitation, inviting me to Prince Yongping's villa for a gathering tomorrow to make friends through poetry! "
The young woman was stunned for a moment and was also a little surprised. She then said with disdain, "What do you mean by making friends through poetry? Isn't it just not speaking the human language and speaking words that people don't understand? Then eating and drinking? What's the use of that? At most, it's enough to fill your stomach. Can it fill your entire family? In my opinion, it's more practical to give a bag of wheat flour! "
The young woman said with disdain, "Vulgar!"
The young woman said with disdain, "If you're so capable, then show me how you're not vulgar. If you're so capable, make friends through poetry and eat one meal, then go back and don't eat for a year!"
The scholar waved the invitation in his hand and straightened his neck, saying, "Women's opinions! Do you think that anyone can get the princess's invitation? Don't you see who's in charge of Canglu County now? If your literary talent can be appreciated by the princess, it's better than going to the capital to take the imperial examination in this chaotic world. You might even be able to become an official and earn a salary in the future! "
Hearing that one could become an official and earn a salary, the young woman asked suspiciously, "Really?"
The scholar pointed outside and said, "Didn't you see that Wu Fu, the restaurant owner, has already become a county magistrate?"
The young woman blinked her eyes and immediately said, "Since you don't have anything important to do, just go. Just treat it as going to drink. Hmm, tomorrow, put on the clothes you're saving for the New Year."
Coincidentally, the hen walked past with a flock of chicks. The scholar's eyes lit up and pointed at the hen, saying, "Kill the hen. I'll eat it tonight to nourish my brain so that I can perform well tomorrow."
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