Chapter 102: The Downtrodden
Someone looked at the pawnshop owner, who was spouting saliva as he spoke, and shouted angrily, "Which eye of yours saw that?"
The pawnshop owner looked at him with a contemptuous gaze and said, "My sister's nephew studies at the National Academy. With so many disciples of Southern Creek Studio living there, how could they not see it? It's not just him—many people saw it clearly. The Holy Maiden and Chen Changsheng were standing by the window upstairs, chatting."
The street fell into complete silence.
On a beautiful night with stars twinkling, a young man and woman stood by the window, their silhouettes cast against the frame—a very beautiful scene.
Yet no one was willing to applaud such a scene.
No one knew how long it took before the crowd finally snapped out of it, shock giving way to confusion. Since last year, rumors had been spreading that Chen Changsheng had forcibly broken off his engagement with the Xu family. Although after the battle at Naihe Bridge, Chen Changsheng seemed to have changed his mind... but was the Holy Maiden really so quick to forgive him? Was she just moving into the National Academy like this, and did she actually intend to marry him? Then where would the Xu family's dignity be? Would Xu Shiji, the Eastern Defense General known for his cold, sharp eyes, become a laughingstock?
At dawn, Tang Thirty-Six, Xuan Yuan Po, and Su Moyu, accompanied by the disciples of Southern Creek Studio, entered the small building to retrieve their luggage, preparing to move to the eastern side of the National Academy. Zhe Xiu wouldn't do such a thing; his somewhat shabby belongings were carried by Xuan Yuan Po.
They stood before the tightly shut door, luggage in hand, looking somewhat pitiful and downtrodden.
"You have to at least save him some face. After all, this is the National Academy, and he's the dean," Tang Thirty-Six shouted toward the closed door. "Even if you're doing this for his safety, isn't this too extreme? Why surround this place with Southern Creek Studio's sword formation and drive us away? This is the capital, not Cold Mountain. Even the Demon Lord wouldn't dare come here."
This room was Chen Changsheng's residence, but he was speaking to Xu Yourong.
After a night had passed, the disciples of Southern Creek Studio and the teachers and students of the National Academy all knew she hadn't left the room.
The door remained tightly shut, neither opening nor letting out any sound.
Xu Yourong sat at the desk by the window, watching Chen Changsheng sleeping soundly on the bed, occasionally reaching out with her fingertips to gently smooth the furrow between his brows, caused by pain.
The Tung Bow was held in her left hand, emitting a faint aura that formed a barrier, ensuring that outside noises wouldn't disturb Chen Changsheng's rest.
But she could hear Tang Thirty-Six's words.
She knew that bringing the Southern Creek Studio disciples back to the capital would inevitably spark much discussion and shock, but she didn't care.
She had the Southern Creek Studio sword formation surround this small building, even driving away Tang Thirty-Six and the others, which seemed somewhat heartless. But given Chen Changsheng's current condition, to ensure true safety, it was best he didn't see anyone. Isolating him from Tang Thirty-Six and the others was beneficial for both sides.
Seeing the door still tightly shut, Tang Thirty-Six grew annoyed and turned to walk downstairs.
Leaving the small building and stepping onto the lawn, passing through the hidden, unmanifested sword intents, they suddenly saw a middle-aged man standing under a green tree by the lake.
That middle-aged man had thick eyebrows as dark as ink, a cold expression, and an intense aura of killing intent. As his clothes swayed in the morning breeze, a faint, faint smell of blood emanated from him.
Ye Xiaolian and over a dozen female disciples of Southern Creek Studio stood blocking this middle-aged man, their expressions somewhat tense, but they couldn't do anything about him.
Because he was the Studio Master's biological father, the Eastern Defense General Xu Shiji.
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"Back in the capital, why don't you come home, but instead stay here? You're really disgracing the Xu family's face!"
Xu Shiji looked at the undeniable weariness between his daughter's delicate brows, feeling no pity but rather discomfort. Before leaving the house, he had planned to speak as gently as possible when they met, but his voice couldn't help turning cold, full of chill, like a reprimand.
The lawn by the lake was quiet. The cloth curtain blocked prying eyes from afar, but the Southern Creek Studio disciples all heard this remark and felt displeased.
Even if you are the Holy Maiden's father, how can you speak to her in such a tone?
Some of the younger female disciples, like Ye Xiaolian, regarded Xu Yourong as sacred and inviolable, like a deity. Stirred emotionally, sword intent and hostility began to rise within them.
Feeling those hostile intents and sword intents, and seeing his daughter standing silently by the lake, Xu Shiji's anger flared even more. He roared, "What, do you dare to commit patricide?"
Xu Yourong turned around, looked at her father, and said, "Father, what are you saying?"
Her voice was very calm, very light, very faint, so this explanation didn't sound like an explanation, and certainly not like an admission of fault.
Xu Shiji's face grew even uglier, recalling many things from the past.
When she was very young, Xu Yourong had been raised personally by the Grand Preceptor; her parents had no say. At age five, the true phoenix bloodline within Xu Yourong awakened, and she was taken into the palace by the Holy Empress. Coincidentally, she met the Holy Maiden, who had come to the capital to visit the mausoleum and ease her mind, and so she became the student of two saints. Thus, it was even less his place to educate her.
The world's assessment of Xu Shiji wasn't high, but that mainly concerned his private morality—like his attitude toward the Tianhai family and his earlier stance on Chen Changsheng. No one would deny his ability, which was certainly worthy of a Great Zhou general. On the northern snow plains, he had earned many military merits. He governed his army strictly and his household like an army. Whether it was the deputy generals with special family backgrounds at Snow Pass or the old retainers in his house, they all trembled in his presence, daring not to voice any opposition. Yet... he couldn't control his own daughter.
Because he wasn't qualified.
This fact wouldn't bring any pleasant feelings to any father, but since the Xu family was to enjoy the glory and benefits brought by Xu Yourong, they had to bear all this.
But still, he was her father, and she was his daughter. He thought she should at least show him some respect, as she had in past years.
Yet this morning by the lake at the National Academy, he realized that his thoughts were nothing but self-deception.
"What an unfilial daughter..."
Xu Shiji's voice was as cold as ice, his right hand trembling slightly, as if the next moment it would strike Xu Yourong's face.
Xu Yourong looked calmly at her father. Of course, she wouldn't fight back.
The eyes of the Southern Creek Studio disciples grew sharp, especially the young girls like Ye Xiaolian, who tightened their grips on their sword hilts.
Just then, a thin old man arrived on the scene. The Southern Creek Studio sword formation had no effect on this old man, not because he was powerful, but because he was the chief eunuch of the Great Zhou palace, a trusted close minister deeply favored by the Holy Empress. Moreover, when he arrived, he held a imperial decree high above his head.
"Her Majesty says, don't let such a small matter affect the bond between father and daughter."
The chief eunuch looked at Xu Shiji expressionlessly.
The Holy Empress's words were clearly directed at both of them, but he only looked at Xu Shiji, making the meaning very clear.
This was a warning.
Xu Shiji's face grew even uglier. Was such rebellious behavior really a small matter?
Was she his daughter, or Her Majesty's daughter?
These thoughts could only remain in his mind; on the surface, he couldn't show anything, and he even had to force his expression to calm down.
He glanced at Xu Yourong, said nothing more, and turned to walk out of the National Academy.
His back looked somewhat downtrodden, like an old lion driven out of the pride.
Xu Yourong watched her father's retreating back, silent, not knowing what she was thinking.
The chief eunuch turned to her, his demeanor instantly becoming several degrees more humble, and said in a low voice, "Her Majesty requests your presence at the palace."
Xu Yourong took the imperial decree and said, "Wait for me a moment."
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"I don't know how to face her, and between the National Academy and her, I can't possibly side with her."
Chen Changsheng refused the idea of going to the palace with Xu Yourong. The "her" in this sentence naturally referred to the Holy Empress.
Xu Yourong said nothing. She too was very clear that bringing Chen Changsheng to the palace was an extremely risky thing—she knew that the one who bore the world in her heart, even more of a saint, looked down on worldly emotions with such condescension and indifference. The Holy Empress hadn't done anything to Chen Changsheng in the past two years, perhaps due to considerations regarding the Li Palace, or perhaps because she had never been certain. Now that various clues pointed to that unsolved case from over a decade ago, no one could guarantee what would happen if she saw Chen Changsheng in the palace.
"Don't worry about me." Chen Changsheng looked at her expression, knowing what she was thinking, and said, "You only used the Holy Light Technique once before entering the capital. Last night, Uncle Master bathed me with holy water, adding another layer of protection. There shouldn't be any problems in the short term. Besides, won't the Southern Creek Studio sword formation be outside?"
Xu Yourong said nothing more and left.
Standing by the window, watching her gradually receding figure, Chen Changsheng's expression grew heavy.
He knew his current situation better than anyone—better than her, better than the Pope.
His meridians had been completely burned and severed by starlight, impossible to repair.
His soul had seeped into his flesh and blood along with his blood, with no way to eliminate it.
His injuries now seemed suppressed, but his life force was constantly draining away.
His body and fate had long been riddled with holes, tattered and broken.
If it were anyone else, at a time like this, they would have been utterly dejected and lost, but he remained calm.
He walked straight down from the small building, heading toward the National Academy beyond the cloth curtain.
With Xu Yourong gone, the Southern Creek Studio disciples had no way to stop him from leaving. Though the sword formation was fearsome, how could it be directed at him?
Outside the main building of the National Academy stood many statues, still bearing traces of the shocking upheaval from over a decade ago. The fountain had been repaired, but the stone beast statues were still somewhat damaged.
He looked at Su Moyu and said, "From now on, this place may have to be entrusted to you."
He turned to Tang Thirty-Six and said, "If possible, it would be best to delay your return to Wenshui by a year."
Then he looked at Xuan Yuan Po and said, "Don't keep thinking your injuries are healed. You still need to stick to taking your medicine."
Finally, he looked at Zhe Xiu and said, "I can't continue treating you anymore, but I'll try to get the medical case out as soon as possible. Whatever you do, don't give up on treatment."
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(Over the past three days, I went on a trip to Yichun with four families of friends, driving there. The distance was indeed far, and it was very tiring, but also very enjoyable. I really recommend everyone to go out and play more. The beauty of the mountains and rivers can't be fully appreciated in books. Although work is busy and life is tiring, you must never give up on enjoyment. As the old saying goes, life should be wasted on beautiful things.)