Chapter 869: Becoming a Scenery That Can Only Be Viewed from Afar
The people of Fengyang County Town still knelt on both sides of the long street, a dense black mass, silent as crows.
“Everyone, disperse. I imagine you all have many tasks to attend to,” Chen Changsheng said.
Ever since that small town at the foot of the Cold Mountain years ago, he had grown accustomed to being knelt to by crowds of believers, but even now, he still found it somewhat uncomfortable.
In other words, this discomfort was shyness or perhaps bashfulness, so his voice was a bit low, unable to reach more people.
“Hurry up and scatter! Those who need to open shop, open shop; those who need to work, get to work; those who need to go to school, go to school!”
Tang Thirty-Six shouted at the crowd on the street.
His voice was loud, his expression natural, as if he himself were the Pope.
Naturally, no one listened to him.
Soon, the county magistrate of Fengyang dispatched soldiers to maintain order.
The people on both sides of the long street stood up but did not leave. They stared fixedly at Chen Changsheng, their faces filled with a wide range of emotions—awe, reverence, fervor, excitement, and more.
For the people of this remote small town, this might be the only chance in their lives to see His Holiness the Pope with their own eyes. How could they be willing to leave?
The priests from the Fengyang County Daoist Temple also rushed over, but they were not much different from ordinary believers. Seeing Chen Changsheng, they became so nervous they couldn’t speak, their robes instantly soaked with sweat, their legs weaker than Xiao Zhang’s. They were utterly useless.
The green-robed Daoists and the imperial experts did not leave either.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at them and said, “What? Do you intend to assassinate the Pope in front of tens of thousands of people, to achieve a foolish and tragic spectacle unseen in millennia?”
Such harsh, mocking, and crude words had their use, because they struck at the heart too directly, so directly that everyone could understand.
Countless angry gazes from the people fell upon the green-robed Daoists and the imperial experts, and of course, the officials were not spared either.
The officials and imperial experts retreated to a distance, and the Divine Crossbow Battalion removed their crossbows to avoid being seen as disrespectful.
The few green-robed Daoists stood more than ten zhang away but showed no intention of leaving.
Chen Changsheng took out some pills.
Hu Thirty-Two went to Seven Treasure Stronghold to fetch a bowl of clear water.
Xiao Zhang took it and, with the bowl of water, swallowed a full handful of pills directly.
Chen Changsheng hesitated for a moment and said, “That’s a three-day dose.”
Hearing this, the white paper on Xiao Zhang’s face rustled loudly.
“No wind… could it be his breath? No wonder he’s a strongman on the Unfettered List—even his anger makes such a commotion.”
Tang Thirty-Six said very seriously.
In the past, he wouldn’t have feared Xiao Zhang, let alone now.
These three years of confinement in the old mansion and the ancestral hall, especially the last six months, had truly stifled his mouth too much.
At some point, the rumor that Young Master Tang and Su Li were very similar had spread across the continent. Xiao Zhang knew there was no benefit in bickering with this guy and couldn’t be bothered to respond. He said to Chen Changsheng, “Don’t expect me to sell my life for the Li Palace.”
“Life is not something to be sold,” Chen Changsheng said.
Tang Thirty-Six interjected, “Who says it can’t be sold? Have you considered how my idol brother makes a living? How was I supposed to play that last card in the ancestral hall?”
Chen Changsheng looked at him but said nothing.
Tang Thirty-Six waved his hand, indicating he understood and wouldn’t speak carelessly again.
Chen Changsheng looked at the green-robed Daoists not far away and said, “Guilt or innocence is just a word from the court. I can pardon all the false charges they’ve pinned on you, but they can always fabricate new crimes and keep hunting you endlessly.”
Xiao Zhang said, “Back then, the moment I thrust my spear in Luo River, I didn’t think that far ahead. So now, I don’t need to think about it either.”
“Your injuries are too severe and too numerous. You need to recuperate, so I want to arrange a place for you to lie low for a while.”
Chen Changsheng said to him, “I am not Wang Po. There is no enmity or bond between us. You don’t need to refuse my goodwill.”
Xiao Zhang was silent for a moment, then said, “Actually, I did think about finding a place to hide.”
Being hunted by the court for three full years—how could he not feel exhausted? No matter how arrogant he was, he knew this couldn’t go on.
Not long ago, after suffering a severe injury, he truly wanted to find a place to rest, but the problem was that such a place was hard to find.
Very few sect gates dared to defy the authority of Daoist Shang Xingzhou and had the power to protect him.
Places like Huaiyuan and Li Mountain Sword Sect had old grudges with him, and he would rather die than bow his head to them.
The place he ultimately chose was the same place Chen Changsheng planned to take him.
Holy Maiden Peak.
Hearing Xiao Zhang’s words, Chen Changsheng and the others were surprised, thinking, since you already went to Holy Maiden Peak, how did you end up being chased here by the court?
“I couldn’t enter Holy Maiden Peak.”
Xiao Zhang’s gaze passed through the two black holes in the white paper and grew somewhat deep, as if recalling the scene that day.
“Those young girls’ sword formations were troublesome to deal with, and since they weren’t willing, was I supposed to beg them?”
Chen Changsheng found it even stranger. After the Battle of Luo River, the court began hunting Xiao Zhang. Everyone knew what attitude the Li Palace would have toward him. Even if Xu Yourong was in seclusion and Nanxi Zhai had no one in charge, and the people there disliked Xiao Zhang’s past behavior, why would they be so harsh?
As he pondered these questions, his eyes met Xiao Zhang’s.
He suddenly understood that Xiao Zhang was trying to tell him that something might have happened at Nanxi Zhai.
“When I left Nanxi Zhai, I ran into the court’s forces and quickly avoided them.”
“Why?”
“Because there were two sedan chairs among them. I wasn’t sure who was inside, but they were both much stronger than me.”
Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six exchanged a glance and knew the answer.
“It was Prince Xiang and Wujiong Bi… Where were they going?”
“I’m not sure. Then I was ambushed by a monster. To expel the poison, my old injuries flared up, and these flies kept chasing me. Annoyed, I decided to come here for some tea.”
Tea could indeed clear the mind and calm the spirit, but Chen Changsheng and the others knew that Xiao Zhang must have felt his life was near its end to come here for tea.
The same act of drinking tea, but with different reasons and moods.
Chen Changsheng vaguely guessed who that monster was.
Who else could poison and injure someone like Xiao Zhang?
“Have you been eating well lately?” Chen Changsheng asked.
Xiao Zhang said, “I can eat my fill, but not well.”
Constantly on guard against assassins and poison, it was hard for anyone to enjoy their meal.
Seven Treasure Stronghold had a restaurant. They found a private room and sat down. Soon, a lavish feast was brought out.
Chen Changsheng was also eating, so naturally, no one dared to poison the food.
Xiao Zhang ignored the others. His chopsticks moved like the wind, quickly finishing the best dishes on the plates.
He didn’t drink any wine, only half a pot of winter wild tea.
For him now, eating so relaxed was already a luxury.
Full and satisfied, too relaxed, Xiao Zhang fell asleep as soon as his head hit the table, his snores seeming to echo through the entire county town.
Chen Changsheng and the others watched him quietly, saying nothing.
Outside the restaurant, countless people watched him quietly, also saying nothing.
…
…
(We agreed to be each other’s angels, but instead, I saw a birdman—Birdman is Brother Lin Hai’s nickname. I was looking at old photos of him and his wife a couple of days ago and suddenly thought of this not-so-funny joke. Then, because of this chapter’s final scene, which I really like, I chose this chapter title.)