Chapter 913: Someone Speaks at Xinan
Deep in the mountain forest, there was a clear, shallow stream. On the rocks by the bank sat a grill rack, along with some leftover fish meat.
Senior Brother Qiushan took a freshly grilled fish from the rack and stuffed it into Baicai’s hands, saying, “Let’s see if you can learn to shut your mouth while eating fish.”
Baicai was a bit nervous. He took the grilled fish and began eating earnestly, not daring to make any comments.
The disciples of Lishan Sword Sect drew their swords and went into the stream to spear fish. For a moment, the water splashed noisily, and laughter rang out continuously.
Senior Brother Qiushan washed his hands in the stream and sat down on a rock with Gou Hanshi.
Gou Hanshi said, “I didn’t expect that after leaving Songshan Military Prefecture, you would take a detour all the way back from Hanqiu City, arriving several days later than your letter said.”
Senior Brother Qiushan replied, “After leaving Banya, I went to Songshan Military Prefecture, saw my family there, and then followed along the way.”
Gou Hanshi was exceptionally sharp and immediately caught the issue in those words. He asked, “Who?”
Senior Brother Qiushan was silent for a moment before saying, “Chen Changsheng.”
When he and Gou Hanshi began their conversation, the noise in the stream had already quieted down considerably.
When he spoke Chen Changsheng’s name, it drew the attention of all the junior brothers.
And after he finished telling the story of what happened at Banya Horse Ranch, the stream fell into an even deeper silence. Everyone was quiet for a long time.
Gou Hanshi was also speechless. He looked at him as if wanting to say something but ultimately didn’t speak.
Baicai’s face turned bright red, and he nearly choked on the fish meat he hadn’t yet chewed properly.
“What do you all want to say?” Senior Brother Qiushan asked, expressionless.
Gou Hanshi smiled and shook his head, indicating he had no comment on the matter.
Baicai struggled to swallow the fish meat and shook his head repeatedly, saying he dared not make any comment about the senior brother.
Senior Brother Qiushan looked at him and said, “If you want to say something, say it.”
Baicai hesitated for a long time before muttering quietly, “Senior Brother… weren’t you two a bit bad with your eyesight?”
…
…
“Chen Changsheng is a decent person.”
Senior Brother Qiushan paused for a moment, then continued, “It’s a pity we can’t be friends.”
He didn’t know that Chen Changsheng had once felt the same way.
Gou Hanshi smiled and said, “In this regard, I’m better than both of you, because I can be friends with either of you.”
Baicai squeezed onto the rock and crouched beside Senior Brother Qiushan, saying, “Senior Brother, you’re truly remarkable. No matter how powerful Chen Changsheng is, he still had to rely on you today to make a clean getaway.”
This referred to how Senior Brother Qiushan had used over a dozen paintings to persuade Bieyang Hong and thwart the Great Western Continent’s conspiracy.
But on Senior Brother Qiushan’s face, there was no pride or complacency—only a hint of gloom.
“I didn’t like Bie Tianxin, so at first I didn’t pay much attention. I underestimated this matter. I never thought the people from the Great Western Continent would dare to make a move against him.”
He was silent for a moment before continuing, “If I had been more alert, perhaps he wouldn’t have died.”
Gou Hanshi was silent for a moment, then patted him on the back and changed the subject, asking, “Nanxi Zhai is merging. Should we do something?”
“When it comes to the junior sister’s affairs, there’s never any need to worry.”
“Zhexiu seems to be having some problems.”
“We’ll talk about it when we get back.”
Senior Brother Qiushan stood up and walked out of the forest.
The Lishan Sword Sect disciples quickly emerged from the stream, dried their clothes with true essence, picked up a dozen fresh fish, and followed him.
The mountain path remained quiet and serene. The birds, feeling safe again, returned to the woods, and cheerful chirping could be heard everywhere.
From somewhere among the peaks and cliffs came the playful cries of monkeys.
Senior Brother Qiushan listened for a moment, took a sip from his wine flask, and led his disciples down the mountain path, his robes fluttering lightly.
…
…
The cliffside terrace at the peak was now empty, but the terrace in front of Nanxi Zhai was packed with people. Among the green trees and flower groves, several hundred inner disciples of Nanxi Zhai stood quietly. They were no longer as tense as in previous days. When the fragrant scent of flowers wafted over, some of the younger girls couldn’t help but take a gentle sniff.
The problem hadn’t been resolved yet, but since the Saintess had emerged from seclusion, what did these disciples have to worry about?
Deep within the Nanxi Zhai complex, at the top of the thatched hall, two meditation cushions were placed. Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng sat on them.
Seeing this scene, Huaishu frowned slightly in displeasure, while Huaibi remained silent, lost in thought.
Huairen spoke slowly, “His Holiness the Pope has suffered considerable injuries. He should go rest first.”
The meaning of this highly senior grand-aunt of Nanxi Zhai was very clear.
No matter what Xu Yourong thought about the merger of the academy, or how she viewed their actions upon returning from their travels, this was ultimately an internal matter of Nanxi Zhai.
Since it was an internal matter, it should be resolved by Nanxi Zhai itself. Even if Chen Changsheng was the Pope, he had no place sitting here.
However, her words received no response.
The several hundred Nanxi Zhai disciples standing inside and outside the thatched hall, among the flowers and trees, remained calm and silent, as if they hadn’t heard her.
Xu Yourong also acted as if she hadn’t heard those words. She simply gazed quietly at Pingxuan and Yichen.
Before entering the stone chamber at the peak to go into seclusion, she had entrusted the affairs of Nanxi Zhai to these two senior sisters.
Now, her calm gaze clearly demanded an explanation from them about today’s events.
Huairen sighed, wanting to say something.
Xu Yourong still ignored her, continuing to look quietly at Pingxuan and Yichen.
Although they were disciples of the same generation, Pingxuan and Yichen could no longer stand. They had already knelt down.
Yichen’s eyes were slightly moist, and she said in a trembling voice, “I truly didn’t know what to do.”
Just saying that one sentence brought tears streaming down her cheeks.
Xu Yourong knew that Yichen had always been gentle-natured. She must have been overwhelmed by her teacher’s pressure last night, which was why she agreed to the merger on the terrace today.
Pingxuan was relatively calmer. She said, “Your disciple admits guilt. However, the master is old and frail, and she harbored no ill intentions. I beg the Academy Master to show mercy.”
Huairen was slightly stunned. She hadn’t expected that this disciple, who had repeatedly defied her wishes on the terrace today, would now plead for mercy on her behalf.
But she did not accept those words, because even now, she still believed she was right.
She calmly recounted to Xu Yourong everything that had happened over the past few days, just as she had last night and today, explaining why she wanted Nanxi Zhai to merge for ten years.
From beginning to end, Xu Yourong did not speak. She just listened quietly.
Huairen said, “Today’s matter seemed to be resolved peacefully, but you, Saintess, breaking out of seclusion must have come at a great cost.”
Chen Changsheng glanced at Xu Yourong.
Huairen continued, “What if such things keep happening? How many more times can you, Saintess, pay such a price? How many more times can Saintess Peak pay such a price? The imperial court and the Li Palace—why must the disciples of our academy shed blood in the war between that master and his disciple?”
At this point, Xu Yourong finally spoke.
Her voice was soft but clear, loud enough for all the Nanxi Zhai disciples among the flowers and trees to hear clearly, and it struck directly into Huairen’s heart.
“Aunt is an elder, and it’s natural for you to concern yourself with academy affairs. But you are not the Academy Master. Or… do you want to take my seat?”