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Chapter 730

Sister-in-Law, Here I Come

Qiao Yi traveled toward Xiaodu aboard a merchant vessel. When they were still thirty-some li from the city, numerous warships appeared on the water. Many bondservants stood on their decks in full battle array, weapons in hand. As the ships drew close, a warship moved forward to hail and inspect them, but Nian Shangyou brushed them off with a few perfunctory words. Inside the cabin, Qiao Yi watched the outfitting of the warships and the weapons held by the bondservants, his expression growing increasingly grim. "Xiaodu raises private troops, and their weaponry is so sophisticated. By doing this, where does Li Qi place me?" Nian Shangyou tried to soothe him. "My lord, these don't count as private troops for Li Qi. He submitted a memorial—these are merely escorts he uses to protect passing merchant vessels." Qiao Yi frowned. "Have you ever seen escorts like this? Their warships and armaments already rival the navy." Nian Shangyou said, "The Tie family boasts superb craftsmanship, and having swallowed up the assets of both the Yu and Ao families, it is hardly surprising they can build warships of this caliber. But to say they rival the navy is a far cry. When two armies clash, it is not merely weaponry that is tested; the discipline and training of the soldiers matter far more. These bondservants fall far short." Nian Shangyou came from a martial background, making him a true expert at assessing combat strength. After sailing another few li, a cargo ship came speeding toward Xiaodu, pursued by two warships. Judging from the insignias on the pursuers, they appeared to hail from Haocheng, though it was unclear why they were chasing a cargo ship. Xiaodu's warships deployed at once, cutting off the vessels from Haocheng. When negotiations bore no fruit, fighting erupted on the spot. The two Haocheng warships were somewhat dated. While their soldiers were well trained, their weapon systems were inferior to those of Xiaodu. After only a few exchanges, both Haocheng warships suffered severe damage, sprang leaks, and were forced to withdraw. Qiao Yi asked Nian Shangyou, "And how do you explain this battle?" Nian Shangyou replied, "That was because the disparity in weaponry was simply too vast. My lord need not worry; Chaoge's warships are far superior to Haocheng's." The cargo vessel had narrowly escaped destruction, though it was battered and scarred. Xiaodu's warships sailed up to receive it, taking everyone aboard ashore. These people were all bondservants. The ship had not been transporting freight—it had been used to help bondservants escape. Qiao Yi's concern deepened. He had already seen three such cargo ships carrying bondservants along the way. "Just who is helping these bondservants flee to Xiaodu?" Qiao Yi knew that the bondservants could never have obtained such ships on their own. Nian Shangyou had already deduced the answer. "Most likely people from the White Falcon Alliance. Over the years, they've taken away many bondservants. Supposedly, they sheltered most among their own ranks and sent some to the Outer States. Now they are delivering them all to Xiaodu, which spares them a great deal of trouble." Qiao Yi frowned. "You make it sound so effortless!" Nian Shangyou hurriedly softened his tone. "Please calm your anger, my lord. Your subordinate was merely addressing the facts. Li Qi certainly has dealings with the White Falcon Alliance, but as for the bondservants brought to Xiaodu, it is hardly of great consequence. How large is Xiaodu, after all? How many bondservants could it possibly hold? My lord need not exhaust mind and spirit over this—" The more Qiao Yi listened, the angrier he became, yet Nian Shangyou abruptly cut himself off. He stared out the porthole, looking as though he had frozen solid. Qiao Yi asked, "What happened?" Nian Shangyou murmured under his breath, "Those are my family's bondservants... bondservants from my fief. I recognize them..." Qiao Yi pursed his lips and twitched his nose. Nian Shangyou nearly lunged out of the cabin, only to be held back by Qiao Yi's guards. "My lord, those are my family's bondservants! How dare Li Qi plunder my private property? Li Qi colludes with the White Falcon Alliance and subverts the ancestral institutions of Great Shang! If this is left unpunished, where is Great Shang's peace? The very foundation of the state will be shaken!" Qiao Yi poked at the charcoal embers and continued brewing tea. "Shangyou, do not be rash. Your words just now lacked all propriety. Your bondservants fled—why should the foundation of the state be shaken? Weigh your phrasing once more." Nian Shangyou was correct; some of the bondservants had indeed been delivered with the aid of the White Falcon Alliance. Zuo Anna was in Xiaodu right now, having tea with Li Banfeng. "Our leader conveys his respects for your magnificent feat in Xiaodu," she said. "No one expected you could shake the institution of bondservants within the Shang State. He hopes you will reconsider joining the White Falcon Alliance, and he is willing to offer you every assistance within our power." Li Banfeng raised his cup in thanks. "Bringing more fugitive bondservants here is the greatest assistance you can offer me." He did not say a word about joining the White Falcon Alliance. Zuo Anna said, "I tend to speak rather bluntly, and I hope you won't take offense, but I'm curious: do you genuinely care about these bondservants? What you're doing doesn't seem aimed at saving bondservants at all. You are using your own methods to disrupt the situation in the Shang State so they have no leeway to harass Puluo Province. It seems to me your ultimate purpose is still to protect Puluo Province." Li Banfeng switched to fresh tea leaves and boiled fresh water. "Do you think saving bondservants and protecting Puluo Province are in conflict with one another?" Zuo Anna shook her head. "No conflict. Frankly speaking, we are doing the exact same thing. A friend of mine just accomplished something similar. He's lying in Sui'an Town right now. You should know him—would you like to go see him?" Li Banfeng declined her invitation. "I have a great deal to take care of right now. I'll visit Sui'an Town another day." A spider quietly crawled onto Zuo Anna's leg. She stood up. "I should get going. My friend isn't in good shape, and I need to procure some medicine." Li Banfeng nodded. "I don't know whether Xiaodu's medicine suits your friend, but if you need help, come find me at the Imperial City. Also, send my regards to Da Binzi." Zuo Anna's heart shivered. Even a spider so small had failed to escape Li Qi's notice. No sooner had she walked out than Nian Shangyou arrived at the Imperial City. After exchanging courtesies, Nian Shangyou requested that Li Qi find a suitable place to speak in private. Li Banfeng led Nian Shangyou to Frostleaf Palace. Accompanying Nian Shangyou was a guard. Though disguised, Li Banfeng recognized him at a glance: the guard was Qiao Yi. "Lord Qiao, what leisure brings you to tour Xiaodu today?" "Leisure?" Qiao Yi sneered. "Ever since Prince Pingyuan graced us with his presence, when has this old man ever enjoyed leisure?" "Look at you, well on in years—why carry such a fiery temper? If you have no leisure, what brings you to me?" Qiao Yi dispensed with pleasantries and stated his purpose outright. "Autumn draws near, and Tufang will inevitably come to plunder. I have already issued administrative decrees to muster forces and march to the frontier to safeguard our borders and people." Li Banfeng understood what Qiao Yi was driving at. "So you're going to war? That's a good thing. Tufang State is scummy; they should have been thrashed long ago. But what does that have to do with me?" Qiao Yi frowned. "How could it have nothing to do with you? Your Highness is the Prince Pingyuan of our Great Shang. For this expedition, Qiao wishes to nominate Your Highness as commander-in-chief." Li Banfeng waved a hand. "Old Qiao, you think too highly of me. I know nothing of military strategy, and I cannot treat the lives of soldiers as child's play. You had better seek someone more capable." Qiao Yi did not insist. "It matters not if Your Highness refuses to take command. The Tufang are fierce and skilled in combat. Our two states have fought for years, with Great Shang suffering more defeats than victories. In this clash of arms, we must wipe away our past disgrace. Yet while this old man has the will, my strength falls short. We still need Your Highness to secure some support for Great Shang." "What kind of support?" "Support from Puluo Province. Could Your Highness secure a detachment of reinforcements from Puluo Province to fight shoulder to shoulder with Great Shang?" Li Banfeng chuckled. "I go to Puluo Province to recruit an army to fight shoulder to shoulder with you? Old Qiao, how much did you drink before coming here?" Qiao Yi sighed. "Your Highness, pray do not make light of this. Allow this old man to explain the stakes. As the crown prince of Puluo—" Li Banfeng waved his hand. "Not crown prince!" "Your Highness holds prominent standing in Puluo Province and ought to know how vicious the Demon Lord is. Over the years, Tufang State has repeatedly launched campaigns against Puluo Province, causing immense suffering, as I need not recount in detail. I have already signed covenant deeds with Your Highness, and Great Shang will no longer be an enemy to Puluo Province. Your Highness should have no worries on that score. For our two sides to unite with one heart to slay the villainous bandits brings only benefits and no harm. I urge Your Highness to consider this carefully." "Fine, I will consider it carefully and get back to Brother Qiao in a few days." Qiao Yi lifted the teapot and poured Li Banfeng another cup. "Your Highness cannot brush me off with such words. This is a matter of life and death for both Great Shang and Puluo Province." Li Banfeng genuinely failed to understand. "Why is a war between the Shang State and Tufang a matter of life and death for Puluo Province? Let's speak plainly: whether it's the Shang State or Tufang, aren't both mortal enemies of Puluo Province?" Qiao Yi shook his head. "Enemies are not all the same. If the Shang State wins a great victory in this war, we can forge an alliance with Puluo Province in the future, turning weapons into silk and jade." Li Banfeng did not buy it. "The Shang State wants to occupy Puluo Province. The hostility between the two can never be resolved, no matter what." Qiao Yi countered, "Your Highness is mistaken. What the Shang State contends for is merely a place bathed in sunlight. To put it bluntly, all we want is a place with a sun. The Slumbering Lands of Lavsha, Niflheim of Norge, the Golden Sacred Lands of Amican, the warring Wansheng Province, and the Land of Warm Sunshine in the bitter permafrost... There are far too many places we could go. The entrances to these lands originally belonged to Great Shang, but now they are controlled by Tufang State. As long as we reclaim those entrances, Great Shang will never need to fight Puluo Province again. Places with sunshine are plentiful, and the folk in those other lands are far simpler and honest than in Puluo Province. But Tufang State is different. Having secured so many exits, it still insists on attacking Puluo Province. If Great Shang should one day submit to Tufang, Puluo Province will never know another day of peace." Li Banfeng was truly baffled. "With so many passages and so many places to go, why is Tufang fixated on Puluo Province? Couldn't they go anywhere else?" Qiao Yi smiled. "That question ought to be asked of Tufang State. With so many places to go, why does Shan Chengjun keep making trouble in Puluo Province? Why does he invest so heavily each time? Is it truly just because the Sage has a personal grudge against you?" Indeed. Shan Chengjun had led men to assault the Suihuang Plains, and later besieged the peddler. Each time, he had paid a staggering price. Was it really just to vent anger on the Sage's behalf? While Li Banfeng was still pondering the underlying reasons, Qiao Yi had no intention of elaborating further. "Qiao speaks with utter sincerity, and I hope Your Highness considers this deeply. This campaign carries immense stakes. Advance or retreat—weigh it carefully, Your Highness." Finishing his tea, Qiao Yi rose to take his leave. Before departing, he added a warning: "Within a month or two, Tufang State will make another move in Puluo Province. Your Highness must prepare in advance." Qiao Yi had Nian Shangyou hand over ten pairs of covenant deeds to Li Banfeng. With that, the debt for turning the three-headed people into one-headed people was settled. Qiao Yi boarded his ship and departed Xiaodu. Li Banfeng sat atop the ruins of the great hall, silent for a long time. Help the Shang State wage war? That was something Li Banfeng had never considered. Even setting aside the enmity between the Shang State and Puluo Province, merely considering the Shang State's weapon-crafting prowess, it was hard for Li Banfeng to imagine just how devastating a war between Shang and Tufang would be. In a war of that scale, even if Puluo Province wanted to participate, in what capacity could it do so? Qiao Yi wanted Puluo Province to muster an army and enter the fray. One hardly had to think twice: Puluo's soldiers would unquestionably be used as cannon fodder. That option was entirely out of the question for Li Banfeng. If Puluo Province did not participate, was the Shang State guaranteed to lose? If defeat were certain, Qiao Yi would never dare gamble. The fact that he dared mass troops on the border proved he still possessed means to seek victory—or at least, the situation remained within his control. He claimed that Tufang State would make a move on Puluo Province within a month or two—was that true? If they did make a move, where would they strike? Li Banfeng didn't know much about warfare; he ought to consult his lady about this. He returned to the companion dwelling, where his lady happened to be about to introduce a newcomer to him. This newcomer was not tall, with a boxy, squared-off build and a square face. He had no neck, his head as thick as his torso. His skin was golden-yellow, and his face was marked with deep, crisscrossing grooves that divided his face into segmented grids, with dark spots dotting the segments. Li Banfeng asked, "What should I call you?" The newcomer replied, "Just call me Old Seven." Li Banfeng froze. Hong Ying stood up and scolded, "Is 'Old Seven' a name you have the right to use?" Ba Suan explained from the side, "This brother came out of Room Seven, which is why he calls himself Old Seven. If you find it inappropriate, his name can be changed." Room Seven was a Peeping Cultivator. Li Banfeng had borrowed techniques from him before, but he hadn't expected him to look like this. His lady said to Li Banfeng, "Room Seven has rendered many merits, so I had Red Lotus craft a body for him. Red Lotus fashioned it in accordance with his soul." Li Banfeng nodded. "My lady may decide on such matters. 'Old Seven' is indeed prone to misunderstandings. Since you came from Room Seven and are a Peeping Cultivator, from now on you shall be called Pineapple." The man from Room Seven pondered for a long while before asking Li Banfeng, "Does the name Pineapple have any connection to Room Seven or Peeping Cultivators?" Hong Ying chimed in from the side, "Isn't it enough that it has a connection to you? Look in the mirror—don't you look just like a pineapple? It's settled, then." Room Seven was somewhat dissatisfied. "I feel there should at least be a 'Seven' in my name. Even 'Seven Pineapple' would be nice." Hong Ying wouldn't hear of it. "Look at your appearance. If we let you carry the character 'Seven', wouldn't you tarnish our Seventh Brother's reputation?" Room Seven did not talk back to Hong Ying, so the name Pineapple stuck. His lady said, "Husband, take Pineapple out to examine the other two first-grade weapons. Perhaps he can identify their functions." Li Banfeng walked out of the companion dwelling with his lady and Pineapple. Just as he was about to bend down to pick up the key, he heard his lady give a soft cough. She had something to say. Li Banfeng bent down to adjust his shoelaces, leaving the key behind in the ruins of the great hall for the moment, and the three of them went together to the imperial garden. Arriving in the garden, his lady brought out a box containing two Xuanyun Pills. The box had been meticulously crafted by his lady to seal in the medicinal aroma. After verifying there were no flaws, she handed the pills to Pineapple. "These are a gift from my husband and me." Pineapple pushed the box back. "Madam, as I said before, one should not receive rewards without merit. Accepting this body already makes me feel unworthy; to accept such precious pills on top of that would simply be unjustified." His lady said, "These pills are not given for nothing. I want you to do something. Starting today, keep watch over every move made by Red Lotus and the Fifth Chamber, and report the details to me every day." His lady had asked Red Lotus to craft a puppet body for Room Seven precisely so he could leave the companion dwelling, making it convenient to assign him tasks. Preventing Li Banfeng from bringing the key was for fear the companion dwelling would follow along, allowing Fifth Lady to peer outside through it. As for the possibility that Red Lotus had left hidden tricks within the puppet, the gramophone had also taken precautions, using her hook-removal methods to treat the body several times over. Pineapple hesitated a moment, then accepted the pills. "I am willing to do this. If the day comes when Red Lotus and Wu Niang find out, even if my soul is dispersed, I will not utter a single word about this affair. But I have one request, and I hope both of you will agree: from now on, please do not borrow techniques from me ever again." Li Banfeng truly couldn't understand. "I borrowed a technique from you once back then. Is that really enough to hold a grudge against me to this day?" "It is not a grudge," Pineapple said, looking around to confirm that Hong Ying was indeed not present before straightening his back. "I was once someone else's house spirit. That Home Cultivator always treated me kindly. Even though that person is gone, I am unwilling to serve as anyone else's house spirit. In this matter alone, please do not press me further." Li Banfeng asked, "Can the hook I placed at Qingyuan Building in the Underground City still be used?" That hook had been placed using Pineapple's technique. Pineapple nodded. "We signed a covenant deed for that matter, and the hook was successfully set, so naturally it remains effective." Li Banfeng nodded. "Then we have a deal. From this day forward, I will no longer borrow techniques from you." With Pineapple's matter settled, Li Banfeng and his lady discussed the impending war. The exit at the Suihuang Plains had been locked by the peddler, yet his lady remained uneasy. "That exit has no Boundary. If Tufang State opens the lock, they will certainly bring weapons across. Puluo Province's situation will become exceedingly dire then." Li Banfeng recalled Yu Yunqiu's description. "Aren't Tufang's weapons much inferior to Great Shang's?" His lady shook her head. "Even if not half as good as Great Shang's, they are still not something Puluo Province can withstand." This matter had to be conveyed to the peddler. Yet before leaving, the affairs in Xiaodu had to be put in order. Li Banfeng went to Tie Baisheng first. To protect Xiaodu, Tie Baisheng had invested enormous resources, building dozens of warships and vast quantities of weaponry—even the weapons for the bondservants had been provided by him. Having contributed so much, he rightfully deserved a reward. Li Banfeng entrusted half of Xiaodu's governance to him. The remaining half of the administrative affairs Li Banfeng divided among the other high officials. His lady asked, "Does my husband distrust Tie Baisheng?" Li Banfeng flew above the Imperial City, looking down across all of Xiaodu. "Other matters are one thing, but this matter is different. The institution of bondservants is deeply ingrained. If I were a high official here, I fear I wouldn't even trust myself." They came to the subterranean chamber beneath Jinghe Palace. His lady turned on the radio and tested the frequencies, picking up the voices of Tie Baisheng and Banchi Ling. "Old Tie, this is an urgent job of mine. Borrowing two people from you can't be that hard, can it?" "Lingzi, take a look around my factory. If there's anyone idle, you can take them right now." "Fine, Old Tie, we'll both remember today. When you're in a pinch, don't come crying to me!" The radio fell silent for a good while; Banchi Ling had likely left. Tie Baisheng's voice came through again: "So what if it's an urgent job? I'd rather give the workers a holiday than let you get the better of me!" This radio was a first-grade Peeping Cultivator weapon. Within the boundaries of Xiaodu, there was virtually nowhere it could not probe. Pineapple said from beside them, "I have already set hooks on Old Grandfather Clock and Eight Immortals Table. In an emergency, they will coordinate and handle it. Through the hooks, I can also obtain information from the radio and relay messages to you. However, it cannot be received inside the house, and whether it can be received outside the Inner States depends on the circumstances." Li Banfeng praised, "Fine methods. This doesn't count as borrowing your technique, does it?" Pineapple shook his head. "You haven't used the Sprawling Compound technique, so this doesn't count as borrowing a technique." Li Banfeng prepared to depart. His lady said, "Husband, check whether the sunflowers are ripe." "How could it be that fast?" "There's no harm in looking. Let Jiu'er out to undo the tactical formation and take a look first." Li Banfeng swapped Jiu'er out. He had planted thirty sunflowers in the Imperial City. Jiu'er deactivated her technique and found that the sunflowers had bloomed, but the flower heads were all drooping to the ground. Jiu'er gave a start. "What happened? Are they lacking water, or infested with pests?" Li Banfeng lifted a flower head to look: every single one was covered with divine statues, weighing the stalks down so heavily they could not stand upright. Jiu'er exclaimed in delight, "Ah Qi, coming to Xiaodu was truly the right choice!" His lady wore a smile. "This was earned by my husband himself." Li Banfeng plucked the divine statues one by one, studying each one for quite a while. Arriving at the docks, Li Banfeng saw a ship pulling ashore. Bondservants rushed down from the vessel onto the pier, running at full tilt toward the city gates. Li Banfeng tipped up the brim of his hat and stood by the shore, watching for a long time. Two days later, with the aid of Tianyi City, Li Banfeng returned to Qishuiyao. He immediately phoned Luo Zhengnan to inquire about the peddler. According to Luo Zhengnan's calculations, the peddler would arrive at Black Rock Slope tomorrow. Li Banfeng rushed without pause to Black Rock Slope to wait. He waited three full days, but didn't see the peddler. Where had he run off to again? Waiting aimlessly was no solution. Li Banfeng returned to Xiaoyaowu and, using the Cloud Gate technique, ascended to the peddler's cloud. Walking up to the house, Li Banfeng knocked on the door. "Senior Brother, are you home?" There was no reply from inside. "If you're not home, I'm setting fire to it!" Li Banfeng pulled out a lighter. "Don't you dare!" a woman's voice called from within. "Sister-in-law, I have an urgent matter with my senior brother. If he's with you, have him come out and say a word." "He's under my covers. Come on in." Li Banfeng weighed his options carefully. "Since Senior Brother is still resting, I suppose I won't come in." "What are you afraid of? Brothers shouldn't be so particular! Come squeeze in with us!" "Is there room to squeeze?" "If you don't come in, where else are you going to find your senior brother?" With a creak, the door swung open. Truth be told, Li Banfeng really didn't want to go in. Neither this house nor this sister-in-law was easy to deal with. Steeling himself, he walked into the main hall and called out, "Senior Brother, if you can still speak, answer me!" "Come on up, brother, it's not convenient for me to come out!" Li Banfeng heard the peddler's voice coming from the second floor. He ascended to the second floor and entered the corridor. There were five rooms along the hallway, and the door to the second room near the stairs was open. Li Banfeng reached the doorway and saw the peddler wrapped in a quilt, reclining against the headboard. The quilt rose and fell slightly; there was evidently another person underneath. "Brother, come in and sit! What did you need me for?" Li Banfeng said, "I'll just speak from here. I just went to the Inner States—" The peddler grew displeased. "If you have something to say, come in and say it. What manner of behavior is standing at the door?" Li Banfeng checked several times with his Golden Eyes of Keen Detail, confirming he wasn't trapped in an illusion, before stepping cautiously into the room. "Worthy Brother, come!" The peddler waved a hand—and vanished. The quilt vanished, the bed vanished, and all the room's furnishings disappeared. Li Banfeng looked at the staircase before him, chuckling out of sheer exasperation. He was in the stairwell of the Dark Star Bureau once again. Unlike before, this time Li Banfeng could roughly deduce the reason. "Broadening the Bridal Chamber, is it? This sister-in-law is a Home Cultivator!" No wonder the stairwell was usually kept so clean despite nobody sweeping it—it was because the house spirit loved cleanliness! The house on the cloud was his sister-in-law's dwelling, and the stairwell in the Dark Star Bureau was also her dwelling. Through the Broadening the Bridal Chamber technique, Li Banfeng had been sent straight to the Dark Star Bureau. This was infuriating! One day, when she steps out of her dwelling, I'll send her straight to Daoguiling! Gritting his teeth, Li Banfeng pushed open the stairwell door, only to find that what lay ahead was not the elevator lobby. Before him was a massive iron door. Had the stairwell's eerie phenomenon been triggered? Where one entered was where one exited; changes only occurred in the stairwell when changing floors. Why had it been triggered right away today? The massive iron door was firmly shut. Li Banfeng pulled out the glove. "Brother, can you open it?" The glove was nervous too. "Master, opening the door isn't hard, but once we go in, it's hard to say what happens." They had entered through doors twice before—once seeing the heavenly maiden's statue, and once encountering Old Man Train. The glove hadn't forgotten either encounter. "Open it first; we'll play it by ear!" Li Banfeng now possessed cultivation at the eighth layer above the clouds. Even if he ran into the old train again, escaping wouldn't necessarily be impossible. The glove opened the door with great care. By the light of the projector, Li Banfeng peered inside. Beyond the iron door was yet another iron door. On it hung a sign bearing four characters: Cell No. 6. The Cell No. 6 that Zhong'er spoke of! The Cell No. 6 that Li Banfeng had searched for multiple times to no avail—he had actually stumbled upon it. "Sigh." Li Banfeng heard a sigh. Judging from the sound, a woman was locked inside. He didn't step into the cell. Standing before the entrance, he asked, "Who are you?" The woman inside did not answer for a long time. Just as Li Banfeng was about to have the glove try opening the cell's iron door, he heard the woman inside sing softly: In spring, green grass sprouts; battle robes are finely sewn. In summer, red blossoms bloom; drums and bugles rumble deep. In autumn, yellow leaves fall; before the lines, claim the enemy's head. In winter, white snow flies; shed blood to mourn heroic souls. Hearing her sing each and every word, goosebumps broke out all over Li Banfeng's body.