Wu Tian Nan smiled fawningly and glanced around. Then, he leaned his head towards the table, intending to whisper something to them.
The brothers' expressions immediately changed. It seemed the matter was truly important.
Wu Tian Nan whispered everything he had learned. After this, the two brothers slowly rose and slammed the table.
Brother dared to use the Ice and Snow Palace? How could Dachang Mountain withstand such pressure if this became known? If this became known, not only would the Ice and Snow Palace, but even Dachang Mountain would sever ties with them!
Shao Wu Bo asked gravely:
"Is this true?"
Wu Tian Nan: My lord, even if I were a thousand times braver, I wouldn't dare deceive you!
They glanced around, then whispered:
"How did you learn of this?"
Wu Tian Nan: I have a compatriot from Pingchuan. He's also a cultivator and knows a little about the affairs in the cultivation world. I met him recently and learned of this during a conversation. He told me to stay away from Shao Ping Bo. Everyone knows that Niu You Dao was in the Ice and Snow Palace. But ordinary people like me couldn't have known.
Shao Wu Bo: Where is he now?
Wu Tian Nan, loyal to his friendship with Lu Sheng Zhong, replied:
"I met him by chance, and he has already left. That cultivator is fickle by nature. I don't know where he went."
In truth, he didn't do this out of loyalty to Lu Sheng Zhong, but because of Tao Yan Er. He hoped she would treat him well in the future.
Shao Wu Bo said gravely:
"This is no trivial matter. Without proof, how can I ascertain if it's true or false." He then frowned and added:
"Perhaps Elder Brother sent you?"
He doubted, wondering if Shao Ping Bo was trying to frame them this way.
Wu Tian Nan immediately replied:
"My lord, you yourself said this is no trivial matter. Even if I concocted all of this, wouldn't that mean my death? Who would speak like this without cause? Even if I wished to deceive you, would the ruler of Beizhou let me go?"
Seeing his predicament, and how he was ready to pluck out his heart as proof, the two brothers still believed him.
By coming here, he was already taking a great risk.
However, with this risk came potential reward. The greater the risk, the greater the reward he might receive. If the brothers could overthrow Elder Brother, they would gain power. And then they would, naturally, reward him accordingly.
He had sought opportunity for so many years, enduring countless grievances from those of higher rank, and finally, an opportunity presented itself. How could he refuse it now?
The brothers exchanged glances as well. Indeed, if Elder Brother wanted to frame them, would he have bothered with such an elaborate scheme?
And the most crucial point was that Elder Brother truly had a conflict with Niu You Dao. They just didn't think that Shao Ping Bo would dare to use the Ice and Snow Palace.
"Brother, what do you think?" Shao Fu Bo asked. He seemed agitated.
Shao Wu Bo frowned, as if deep in thought. He looked at Wu Tian Nan:
"We need to think about this, while you return and await news."
"As you command. Whatever the lords say." Wu Tian Nan nodded and departed.
Wu Tian Nan left the palace and hadn't gone far when a person emerged from an alley and bumped into his shoulder.
"The street is so wide, is there nowhere else for you to walk..." bumping into someone, Wu Tian Nan was just about to start cursing when someone grabbed him from behind and clamped a hand over his mouth.
That person glanced around, then dragged Wu Tian Nan into the alley. There, another person held Wu Tian Nan.
"Mmmmph..." Wu Tian Nan struggled with all his might.
One person whispered:
"Don't shout. The two lords said that the information needs to be verified. For now, you'll have to stay here. If all goes well, you'll receive your reward too."
Wu Tian Nan blinked his eyes and began to behave obediently...
Inside the ruler's palace, the two brothers paced back and forth in the hall. A person came from outside and quietly reported:
"My lords, he has been apprehended."
The brothers exchanged glances. They couldn't blindly trust Wu Tian Nan. And if something went wrong, they could simply pin it on him. Only with Wu Tian Nan in their hands could they act with greater confidence.
Shao Wu Bo said gravely:
"You must keep a close eye on him. Hide him well. If he goes missing, you will answer with your head."
"As you command!" The person cupped his hands in salute.
After this, the brothers exited the hall and made their way to their mother.
Elder Brother held great influence. And if one wished to influence him, external power would be required. Father listened to their mother, and if anything happened, their mother might somehow appease Father.
The two brothers entered the inner courtyard.
Ruan Shi was just instructing the maidservants who were moving things. Ruan Shi herself was no longer wearing lovely, exquisite clothes; she had changed into simple hempen clothes.
"Mother!" The two brothers greeted their mother. Shao Fu Bo watched as maidservants continuously carried items out of the house, and he asked in surprise:
"Mother, what is this? Where are these things being moved?"
"Ah!" Ruan Shi sighed. This was no place for conversation, so she led her sons into a quiet room.
When they were alone, Shao Wu Bo asked:
"Mother, why are you sighing?"
Ruan Shi said:
"Your Elder Brother has introduced a new policy. He says everything must be economized. So he said we must abandon luxury. And as an example, he decided to start with the ruler's own residence. As the top acts, the bottom follows. If we abandon luxury, then everyone else will also abandon luxury. Everyone is now forbidden from wearing luxurious items and silks. And these items are being taken away to be sold and replenish the treasury for Beizhou's rapid rise!"
Shao Fu Bo said angrily:
"That bastard even stripped Mother of her clothes! He's already crossing the line!"
He thought that Shao Ping Bo was intentionally insulting his mother.
Ruan Shi shook her head:
"Your father also agreed to this. Even Father started wearing simple hempen clothes and says that Elder Brother also dressed in simple clothes."
The two brothers frowned. It turned out that ever since the children's rhymes reached here, Father not only didn't become wary of Elder Brother, on the contrary, he began to support Elder Brother even more. Soon he would hand over all power to Elder Brother.
Shao Ping Bo no longer paid them any attention. Many of their responsibilities he had transferred to more capable people.
The two brothers had spoken to their father about this, but it was all useless. And Mother had spoken to Father, but that too was useless. Father always supported Elder Brother.
Thus, would there even be a place left for them in Beizhou?
Ruan Shi waved her hand and, disregarding their current situation, asked:
"Why have you come? Shouldn't you be performing your official duties?"
Shao Fu Bo said irritably:
"Our duties have been taken from us, what else is there for us to do?"
"Ah!" Ruan Shi sighed. She herself knew why her sons were sighing, but she couldn't help them.
Shao Wu Bo turned and said to the two maidservants:
"Go outside and make sure no one enters here."
Although these were their mother's maidservants, some things must absolutely not be heard by outsiders.
"As you command!" The two maidservants replied.
When the two maidservants exited, Ruan Shi asked doubtfully:
"What is this important matter?"
"That bastard sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind. His end has come..." Shao Fu Bo said with a laugh. He approached his mother and whispered everything he had heard from Wu Tian Nan into her ear.
However, he didn't know that at that moment, one of the two maidservants had pressed herself against the wall, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.
After listening to the end, Ruan Shi asked:
"And what do you think?"
Shao Fu Bo said with a cold smile:
"He wanted to use the Ice and Snow Palace and eliminate Niu You Dao. He violated the prohibition of the Ice and Snow Palace. If this is reported, even Dachang Mountain, to prove its innocence, will not let him go!"
Ruan Shi said fearfully: You intend to report it?
The second brother, Shao Wu Bo, said slowly:
"Mother, an opportunity has arisen. And such an opportunity won't come again!"
Ruan Shi was startled. She shook her head:
"Enough! Haven't we suffered enough from him already? We can't defeat him. I'm afraid of him. We shouldn't provoke him any further. You two shouldn't touch Shao Ping Bo either. As long as Father is here, he won't dare cross the line. All of Beizhou's power is in Father's hands. Even if we have to endure grievances, we'll bear them, at least we'll be safe."
Shao Fu Bo said discontentedly:
"Mother, you've been under his pressure for so long that you've become so afraid of him! Do you think he'll let us go? Look at yourself. You're already wearing simple clothes. If he won't let you dress properly even now, with Father here, do you think he'll treat us better later? Father constantly favors him! His next move will simply be to kill us. For this, there's no need to blame us!"
Shao Wu Bo said calmly:
"Mother, have you forgotten how cruelly Grandfather's family was murdered? How savagely they were dealt with! Although there was no evidence left in that matter, everyone knew the truth. And Father always pretended not to know the truth. Mother, do you not wish to avenge the death of Grandfather's family? Will Grandfather truly remain unavenged?"
When her sons mentioned this, Ruan Shi immediately recalled how cruelly her parents had been murdered. Now she couldn't say anything to her sons...