Daoyan gestured for everyone not to be overly tense, smiling as he looked at Meng Jianqing sitting cross-legged before him: “It’s been a long time, Lord Meng.”

Meng Jianqing also smiled in response: “I dare not accept such an address from the master.”

Daoyan sighed softly: “What puzzles this humble monk is why the arrows just now targeted Li Mo rather than me.”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Meng Jianqing with surprise.

Instead of answering, Meng Jianqing counter-questioned: “I would also like to ask the master why you returned after first leaving camp?”

Daoyan studied him for a long while, then laughed heartily: “I see. Chiliarch Meng still has his old habits – never doing anything without certainty. Chiliarch Meng is such excellent material that Prince Yan has long admired. What are your thoughts?”

Meng Jianqing smiled: “His Majesty had me train and command the Fish Intestine Army, so I must leave some contingencies. What if I targeted the wrong assassination subject?”

Taking hostages was the most convenient and effective contingency.

Since the Jingnan Campaign began, north-south communications had been difficult. Meng Jianchen, stationed at the frontier, had known nothing of family news. Hearing these words, Meng Jianchen was startled and opened his mouth to ask. Meng Jianqing glanced at him and said, “Before I took over organizing the Fish Intestine Army, my father was transferred to the navy. We don’t even know where he’s drifting now – only one letter comes back per year.”

Meng Jianchen’s mother had died four years ago, while Meng Jianqing’s mother had traveled to Mount Putuo after Meng Jianqing’s marriage to Yun Yanjiao, taking monastic vows to serve Guanyin Bodhisattva. Putuo was Guanyin’s sacred ground – Emperor Jianwen could never openly detain a nun serving Guanyin Bodhisattva as a hostage.

It seemed Meng Zhiyuan had escaped to sea with premeditation.

That old fox.

Meng Jianchen secretly sighed, then shifted his gaze: “Are sister-in-law and nephew in the palace now?”

Meng Jianqing replied flatly: “I don’t know.”

A period of silence followed. Within the silence, the distant sounds of battle were particularly harsh.

Daoyan sighed: “In that case, wouldn’t Chiliarch Meng only be able to serve whoever controls you?”

If he couldn’t be won over, he could only be eliminated to prevent future troubles.

What a pity – both Prince Yan and he would feel regret.

But how could someone like Meng Jianqing simply surrender? Did he still have some unexpected winning move? Daoyan sensed no killing intent from him, which made him even more puzzled.

Meng Jianqing raised his eyes to look at him: “What other instructions does the master have?”

Daoyan studied his eyes and only after a moment said: “Training the Fish Intestine Army was extremely difficult. Your side will never give up easily. Who is your successor?”

Meng Jianqing smiled with narrowed eyes.

Looking at his expression, Gongsun Yi suddenly had a thought he found absurd: “It’s not sister-in-law, is it?”

Having always called her sister-in-law following Meng Jianchen, he naturally blurted this out.

Everyone’s expressions changed.

Meng Jianqing laughed despite himself: “You could guess that? It seems your good luck has some merit after all.”

He turned to Daoyan: “I know the master has doubts – how could those Confucian scholars around His Majesty agree to entrust the Fish Intestine Army to a woman?”

Daoyan had regained his composure: “Those Confucian scholars may not know of this army’s existence. Besides, apart from Madam Meng, no second suitable candidate could be found.”

Indeed, it was difficult to find a second person who could both earn Meng Jianqing’s trust and Emperor Jianwen’s acceptance. Or conversely, who could earn both Emperor Jianwen’s trust and Meng Jianqing’s acceptance.

He continued asking: “I just wonder whether Madam Meng’s position represents the Overseas Immortal Mountain or merely herself?”

Meng Jianqing said: “My wife has privately mentioned that neither the Overseas Immortal Mountain nor she wishes to interfere in His Majesty’s family affairs. However, as husband and wife are one body, she cannot stand aside regarding my matters.”

Another period of silence.

Though Yun Yanjiao indicated her position didn’t represent the Overseas Immortal Mountain’s stance, everyone had family and friends they desperately wanted to protect – even those seemingly otherworldly masters of the Overseas Immortal Mountain were no exception. Today, it was Yun Yanjiao being drawn in; tomorrow, it might be her brother who devoted himself to training the navy and preparing to sail to Southeast Asia. Thinking of the consequences and troubles if that navy, after successful training, sailed north instead of south, Daoyan felt truly headache-inducing. Then who would it be the day after…

The expression on Daoyan’s face changed unpredictably like clouds in the evening sky.

At this moment, Gao Qianhu said coolly from the side: “Releasing a tiger is easy, but binding one is difficult. The master should think thrice.”

Daoyan frowned slightly with displeasure.

Meng Jianqing smiled: “Gao Qianhu’s concerns are indeed reasonable. Even if the master graciously lets me return, I cannot withdraw the Fish Intestine Army – that would require His Majesty’s order.”

Daoyan’s eyes brightened: “Just unable to withdraw the army?”

Meng Jianqing looked directly at him: “Commanders in the field need not accept all imperial commands. Moreover, military situations change rapidly – His Majesty, far away in the capital, naturally won’t directly command how the Fish Intestine Army fights.”

Jianwen, raised in the deep palace, cannot probably command these frontline generals in combat, Daoyan thought privately.

He began bargaining with Meng Jianqing without hesitation, negotiating the period for the Fish Intestine Army to temporarily cease assassinating Yan army generals.

Zhang Fan’s deputy generals, seeing this high monk’s true nature for the first time, couldn’t help feeling dazzled and confused.

The final agreed time was three months. Since this was somewhat short of Daoyan’s initial demand, Meng Jianqing threw in a bottle of antidote for the arrow poison, and Zhang Fan’s two deputy generals immediately looked much better.

Three months would be enough to accomplish many things, Daoyan thought.

Besides assassination, many other things could be done, Meng Jianqing thought.

Gao Qianhu looked at Meng Jianqing with some resentment: “Congratulations to Brother Meng for once again turning danger into safety.”

Meng Jianqing nodded slightly: “Congratulations to Brother Gao for still being a sensible person, not insisting on the ‘releasing a tiger is easy, binding one difficult’ opinion. Otherwise, Master Daoyan might suspect that Brother Gao intentionally used this opportunity to drag the Overseas Immortal Mountain into serving His Majesty.”

They looked at each other.

Meng Jianqing smiled and rode away.

Daoyan was also smiling.

Meng Jianchen, who had been silent for a long while, now said lazily: “I remember Instructor Gui once had us memorize a battle example where Emperor Taizong of Tang retreated one hundred and eighty thousand Turkic troops with just one hundred cavalry.”

Gongsun Yi cooperatively continued: “I remember too. Emperor Taizong merely spoke privately with Tuli for a while, and Jieli retreated because he suspected they had a secret agreement.”

Meng Jianchen’s eyes rolled around, unable to suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth: “Now we’ve talked privately with my older brother for so long, and after letting him return, we’re having a three-month ceasefire. What do you think the South will think?”

If some other rumors were spread, Meng Jianqing probably couldn’t clear himself no matter what. With cause but no evidence, killing would be inconvenient while using him would be unreliable – Emperor Jianwen and his strategists would probably have endless headaches.

Everyone looked at each other, all feeling very pleased. Daoyan couldn’t help but smile as well.

Prince Yan’s methods of recognizing and employing people were truly brilliant.