I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

Hearing Xie Yi's question, the two distinguished figures moved slightly.

The middle-aged man with three long tufts of beard and a graceful demeanor bowed:
"Thank you, Patriarch. My Patriarch has already rushed here from Qinghe. But he cannot get too close to the capital, otherwise he might be affected. But if necessary, the Patriarch should be able to enter the capital within one stick of incense."

This middle-aged man was naturally the elder of the Qinghe Cui family. According to him, the current head of the Cui family, Grandmaster Cui Cheng, who ranked fourth on the Tianlong List, had already left the clan and was waiting not far from the capital.

Upon hearing this, Xie Yi nodded slowly and looked at the elder on the other side who looked a little more elegant.

This elder was Wang Junlin, the foreign affairs elder of the Wang Clan of Langya. He said solemnly:
"The head of the family has naturally made all preparations. However..."

Xie Yizheng nodded, and seeing that he had more to say, he said in a deep voice:

"Elder Junlin, please speak."

Wang Junlin said slowly:

"The Patriarch wants to know what the two Patriarchs think the worst outcome will be this time?"

Cui Tong, the elder of the Cui family, frowned and said firmly:

"The head of the family said that the worst outcome would be a major battle in the capital, ending the unfinished fight of the year. No matter what, the war cannot be fought in our family's territory - it must be fought in the capital, so that the Xue royal family can also taste the bloodshed!"

Seeing Cui Tong's fierce words, Xie Yi nodded slightly and said:

"Of course, this is only the worst possible outcome. Things may not necessarily go this far. Although the emperor still wants to kill us, he will definitely consider whether to pay such a high price."

"The head of the family thinks the same way. He feels that he may not go to the last step."

Wang Junlin nodded slightly, then sighed:

"The Emperor wants to summon the head of the family to serve as an official in the imperial court and rule the country. This is actually a trick of retreating to advance, and he wants to put our Wang family in an unjust position. What is his back-up plan?"

Xie Yi comforted:
"Everyone in my Xie and Cui families knows what the Xue family is up to. Elder Junlin, don't worry about it. The three families have been related for nearly twenty years. As for the emperor's methods... the royal family still doesn't have a grandmaster, right?"

Xie Yi asked the two of them.

When a warrior breaks through to the Grandmaster level, there will be a sense of intuition, and the living Grandmasters will know more or less. Unfortunately, the Xie family does not have a Grandmaster now, so he can only ask others. As the head of the family, Xie Yi feels a little heavy in his heart.

Cui Tong shook his head firmly:
"The head of the family has already said that the Xue family does not have a grandmaster. However, they have ruled the world for a thousand years. With the help of the magic weapon in the capital, I am afraid that the old prince can exert a combat power very close to that of a grandmaster."

Xie Yi nodded and said:
"If the two family heads are here, we have nothing to worry about. The worst-case scenario is that the emperor has colluded with the Kitchen God Cult and is sure that we will take risks and use the strategy of luring the enemy into a trap."

Wang Junlin frowned:
"We really have to be on guard. His plan to ask the head of the family to be the prime minister is so simple, maybe he is just waiting for our reaction. His Majesty the Emperor is very scheming and has very strong tactics. Perhaps we have to guard against it as if the royal family has two great masters."

Xie Yi smiled slightly and said:

"That's why I informed you two in advance. However, it's hard for the Zao Sect to produce another Grandmaster. We don't know whether the demon girl is dead or alive, and the whereabouts of the Sect Leader are unknown. There are also Jade Void Immortal and Master Zhiling watching us. At most, the demon girl may not be dead, but it's hard to predict whether she can still be as powerful as she was in the past."

Back then, the three great masters besieged the Saint of the Kitchen Goddess. Although Xie Xuan died and the other two returned injured, the Saint of the Kitchen Goddess was obviously also seriously injured. She has not appeared for so many years, and her life or death is unknown. Even if she really recovered from her injuries, she would have suffered an impact that is difficult to recover from.

Cui Tong nodded immediately:

"So, all in all, the Xue family is at most on par with us! And we also have a master like Patriarch Xie who is worthy of being a Grandmaster."

Xie Yi smiled and said:
"That's not worthy of me, but apart from the old prince who holds the magic weapon, no one else in the royal family can rival me. My Xie family already has nearly ten grandmasters who have entered the capital ahead of time."

Cui Tong smiled and said:

"Master Xie is too modest. My master said that you are wise not to enter the realm of Grandmaster... Well, my Cui family also has ten Grandmasters on standby in the other courtyard."

Wang Junlin nodded and said:

"The same is true for Wang's family."

Xie Yi clapped his hands and smiled:

"In this case, even if it is the worst case scenario, we can handle it. With confidence, we can sit down at the table and talk with the emperor.

"I wonder what you two think he wanted to do in his last days?"

Wang Junlin thought for a moment and said slowly:

"In fact, the head of the family believes that the emperor may still want to negotiate. After what happened that year, not only us, but they can't afford it to happen again."

Cui Tong laughed softly:
"Now we are very sincere in the negotiation. I wonder if the emperor wants it."

Wang Junlin reminded:

"You should be prepared for the enemy's misfortune, but you must be on guard against his misfortune."

Cui Tong nodded:

"That's why we came here. I, Cui Tong, have already prepared to shed blood in the imperial city. What happened back then must never happen again."

At that time, the royal family unprecedentedly joined forces with the professional rebellion sect, the Zaojiao, and caught the eight major families off guard. For example, the Nanjing Yao family was almost wiped out, and there were only a few masters left. Fights broke out in the other seven families, and each suffered heavy losses.

Now that the emperor's death is imminent, there is a sudden signal of action. The three families have learned from their mistakes over the years, discussed many times in secret, and made various plans to prevent the emperor from making desperate moves again. Now that there are signs, the three families decided to turn the tables and come to the capital first to prepare for any changes. In the clan land, they left behind powerful masters and magic weapons to wait for battle, preparing in advance to ensure safety.

Xie Yi's voice was deep:

"It's best not to resort to violence, but if it really comes to that, I have no choice but to bear the name of regicide in order to survive."

By then, there would probably be no room for maneuver between the noble families and the royal family. But since the Eight Gates Rebellion, the relationship between the royal family and the noble families had already reached a freezing point.

If the king is really assassinated, whether to establish a new king to control the government, or to separate the three families, or other plans, still needs to be considered carefully.

And now, we must not allow this emperor who wants to destroy the aristocratic family while in office to continue following the script he has set.

Wang Junlin frowned, nodded slowly, and sighed:
"I really don't want it to come to this. It would be best to resolve the issue in the negotiation arena."

Cui Tong laughed and said:

"Whether it's a fight or a talk, we'll be there for you."

Xie Yi glanced at the two of them and understood the opinions of the Cui and Wang families. Since the three surnames were all of the same strength, they would have the confidence to fight against the royal family that had ruled the world for a thousand years, even if they had to tear their faces to the end.

In the secret room, they lowered their voices and continued to discuss, thinking about various situations, from late at night until dawn.

……

The private room on the second floor of Chunjiang Tower.

Cui Lei took the main seat without hesitation, waved to Wang Qishi casually, and said with a smile:

"Sister Qishi, nice to see you again."

Wang Qishi blessed the emperor politely:
"Meet Brother Cui Lei."

Cui Lei hissed and sighed:

"Sweet-talking sister, Wang Qiwen, you are so enviable. I wonder what kind of blessing you have earned in your previous life. If I had a sister like this, I would be willing to exchange my ten brothers for her."

Cui Fang and others stood nearby:

"?"

Cui Lei glanced at them, then saw Xie Yuan still looking at them from the other side, and couldn't help but cough:
"Brother Yong, take the brothers to have dinner. I want to chat with my friends from the Wang and Xie families."

Although Cui Yong was the oldest among the few, his status was obviously not as high as Cui Lei, the most outstanding of the younger generation of the Cui family. He just nodded when he heard this:
"Okay, then we'll go to the empty...box over there."

He paused when he remembered that it was left behind by Xie Yuan and his companions.

Several people, the Wang brothers and sisters, and Xie Yuan bowed to each other. When facing Xie Yuan, they all felt a mixture of admiration, fear, and dissatisfaction.

Cui Fang in particular felt that Xie Yuan was clearly on the same side as him, so why was he protecting the little witch?
Could it be that he was attracted by her beauty? A man who is obsessed with beauty will never achieve great things!

Although this little witch... does have the potential to bring disaster to the country and the people.

Wang Qishi and Xie Lingyun were both the most beautiful girls in their families. Normally, they looked like fairies descending to earth; but when they stood next to the little witch, they could sense that they were a little pale in comparison.

Although there were not many, the fairy flowers of the past had now become green leaves, which further highlighted the almost perfect features of Situ Qin. And Situ Qin was so dazzling and bright that even the children of the noble families who were used to seeing beauties dared not look directly at her.

Cui Fang snorted, stared at Xie Yuan, and walked away, his eyes still seeming to curse him for being a bad son.

The Wang brothers and sisters all stared at Xie Yuan. Wang Qishi took a step forward, knelt down and bowed, saying:
"Thank you... Sir, how are you? I see you today, you look even more charming than when you were in the Ten Thousand Monsters Mountain."

Before Xie Yuan spoke, Situ Qin glanced at Wang Qishi sharply, then stared at Xie Yuan with a gaze that seemed to have penetrating power.

Xie Yuan felt the vague gazes from the side, and his back tightened.

However, in response to Wang Qishi's polite greeting, Xie Yuan still bowed and said:
"Miss Wang, how are you? What happened that day was for a reason. I had to hide something from you. I hope you can forgive me."

Wang Qishi waved his hands repeatedly:
"How can you say thank you, Master? You saved Qishi from death, and Qishi is so grateful that she can't express it in words. How can she blame you?

"It's just that Qi Shi thought about how Master Xie was trapped in danger, surrounded by enemies, and how much hardship he had to endure without anyone to share it with. Qi Shi didn't know Master Xie's true identity, so she couldn't share her worries with you. Although he has finally escaped from the predicament, every time I think of this, I can't help but feel ashamed that Qi Shi didn't do well enough."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yuan sighed with emotion.

What a thoughtful and caring sister! Wang Qiwen is so lucky. Look at Xie Lingyun next to him... She is gritting her teeth again. She always has the temper of a big lady. She pales in comparison.

He turned his eyes and saw that Situ Qin was also looking at them unkindly, looking back and forth between them with hostility. Suddenly his eyes became clear:

"Miss Wang, you are too serious."

"Okay, stop talking nonsense, let's sit down and eat, the food is getting cold. Brother Wang, can you show me that... 'Haoran Zhengqi'! The righteousness is mighty, strong and masculine, and you are good at steaming dishes."

Wang Qiwen was a very elegant man, but when he saw Cui Lei, his forehead twitched and he said expressionlessly:

"Brother Cui, you are joking. The righteousness is a magical skill passed down in my Wang family. How could I use it to do such a trivial thing?"

Cui Lei heard this and said regretfully:
"Really? You guys are really inflexible."

Although it was winter, Wang Qiwen felt his forehead was a little hot, so he had to open his folding fan and fan himself.

Everyone took their seats. The Wang brothers and sisters watched Situ Qin and Xie Yuan being inseparable. Although they were puzzled, they were cautious in their words and actions.

When Cui Lei saw Situ Qin, he just looked her up and down, glanced at Xie Yuan, and then ate his food, pretending he didn't see her.

Situ Qin felt that she seemed out of place here, but it didn't matter. She only had eyes for Xie Yuan - and at most two girls in the room who were good-looking, of high social status, and had ulterior motives.

Cui Lei did not consider himself an outsider. He sat at the table reserved by the Wang brothers and sisters, stretched out his hand and placed it under the table. After a while, the soup and vegetables on the table began to boil. The effect was exactly the same as Wang Qiwen's righteous spirit.

Wang Qiwen's eyes narrowed slightly and he smiled:
"Brother Cui's Heavenly Star Mysterious Skill seems to be not far from reaching the Grandmaster level."

Cui Lei smiled:
"Brother Wang, why are you being so modest? I think your righteousness is not lower than mine."

Wang Qiwen did not comment, but asked curiously:
"Brother Cui, I believe I have not revealed my whereabouts. How did you know I was here?"

He thought to himself that more than just hiding his whereabouts, he knew that this troublesome guy would come when he saw the people from the Cui family, so he hid there on purpose; however, as soon as Cui Lei arrived, he discovered his whereabouts. Could it be that this guy's detection ability was far superior to his own?
Wang Qiwen's eyes couldn't help but become solemn.

Cui Lei laughed:
"I heard that Chunjiang Tower is very popular among the young men in Beijing today, and your Wang family's motorcade entered the capital yesterday. So today, either at noon or at dinner, you, Wang Qiwen, must come to take advantage of the situation, have some fun, recite a few lines of poetry, and act like a scholar, right? I just called out to you casually, and you actually came!"

Wang Qiwen opened his mouth, and Xie Yuan and his two companions also glanced at Cui Lei, obviously none of them expected that he was just guessing.

This guy seems to be very familiar with Wang Qiwen... But Wang Qiwen looks like he doesn't want to be familiar with him.

Xie Yuan thought secretly.

The Xie family had been keeping a low profile for more than a decade since the Eight Gates Rebellion, while the Cui and Wang families began to compete with each other.

Among the young men of the top three surnames in recent years, Wang Qiwen and Cui Lei are the best, and both are said to have the potential to become future grand masters.

The two are of the same generation, even the same age, and have been competing since childhood. They can be said to be rivals who know each other well.

However, Cui Lei's personality is as carefree as the wind, and he has the usual carefree style of Qinghe.

Wang Qiwen is a typical descendant of the Wang family, well-mannered and gentle. I'm afraid the two of them can't see eye to eye.

Wang Qiwen was wondering how to respond when Cui Lei said with a smile:

"The one who knows you best is Cui Lei! Brother Wang, since we are destined to be together, shouldn't we have a drink together?"

Wang Qiwen looked embarrassed, but seeing Cui Lei pouring wine enthusiastically, he had no choice but to drink three cups.

Cui Lei drank three cups at a time, then poured more wine and went to find Xie Yuan:

"Thank you, brother! Haha, I said at the beginning that I would go to Jinling to visit you once I got out of the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain. Later, I heard that you went to Chen County. I thought it was not appropriate to look for you at this juncture, so I never went. Now that we finally meet in the capital, I must toast you with this wine!

"In the Immortal Sect on the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, if it weren't for Brother Xie's great power, it would be hard to say whether I, Cui Lei, could have a drink here today. I was quite neglectful to Brother Xie at the beginning because I didn't know your true identity and true strength. If I had known, I would have been your vanguard, waiting for your final decision!

"Come on, let's drink this wine! Cui Lei, thank you brother!"

After saying that, Cui Lei drank the wine in the jar in one gulp. Then, still feeling unsatisfied, he tilted his head back and poured the wine jar in his hand into his mouth until it was empty.

"happy!"

Cui Lei wiped the corner of his mouth and laughed:
"The food and drinks at Chunjianglou are really good, and they are not exaggerated. Otherwise, I would definitely ask the boss to settle the bill!"

At the counter downstairs, Old Wu suddenly jumped and muttered:

"Is someone plotting against me, Old Wu, again?"

Seeing Cui Lei being so bold and straightforward, Xie Yuan put aside the slight prejudice he had just formed against the Cui family and said with a smile:

"Brother Cui can drink a lot! So I can't be stingy with this wine."

He drank the wine in his hand, then opened the jar next to him and drank it all.

Cui Lei was a straightforward person with a quick temper. Although he had spoken rudely on the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, he immediately praised Xie Yuan when he saw how capable he was. Now that he was a bachelor, he was very clear about toasting and explained the cause and effect clearly. Xie Yuan thought he was a good person.

Cui Lei saw this and praised again and again:
"Thank you, brother, drinking is more generous than pretending to be gentle and generous."

Wang Qiwen's face turned dark, and his hand holding the wine glass froze in the air, neither putting it down nor raising it.

Xie Lingyun and Situ Qin had already eaten. Xie Lingyun was very full, but it was no problem for her to have two more chopsticks. Situ Qin herself did not eat much, so she could have a little more.

Wang Qishi glanced at the three men toasting each other, then blinked at the two men here and said with a pure face:
"This is Sister Situ, right?"

Situ Qin glanced at her and saw that she had a gentle and kind face, eyes as clear as water, and was very likable when she looked at people steadily. She looked very considerate and almost developed a good impression of her.

But thinking of what she just said, Situ Qin always recalled Aunt Hong's teachings and secretly became alert:

"Is this the most annoying type of woman Auntie Hong mentioned? All the older men like her, and men generally can't see it. They think she's a good sister even if the king of heaven comes..."

Situ Qin became alert and said in a neutral tone:

"Hello, Sister Wang. I think I am younger than you."

Wang Qishi paused, tilted his head and counted on his fingers, saying innocently:

"I was born in the first month of the 30th year of Chengyun, and I am not even 20 this year."

Situ Qin nodded:
"You're right to call me sister. I've also been a carrier for thirty years, but a few months later than you. Hello, Sister Wang!"

Xie Lingyun heard Situ Qin's vigilance, and when she saw the two men's expressions, she immediately smiled.

She originally didn't have a good impression of Situ Qin, but when she saw that she also didn't like Wang Qishi, her sense of alliance and favorability towards her suddenly increased.

Wang Qishi's face froze slightly, then he quickly adjusted his expression and looked at Situ Qin:
"Then Sister Situ, can Qi Shi ask you a question?"

Situ Qin looked at her and said:
"But there's no harm in talking."

Wang Qishi said firmly:

"With your status, how could you be so close to Master Xie? I'm afraid that based on your position, it would make it difficult for Master Xie, right?"

Xie Lingyun opened her eyes wide, looked between the two of them, and suddenly held her breath.

Even she didn't dare to say this to Situ Qin or Xie Yuan. She only asked once, and seeing Xie Yuan's attitude, she never mentioned it again.

But it was true. Whether it was Situ Qin's status as a royal family or her mother's status, the noble families were very sensitive to her. Whenever they saw Xie Yuan and Situ Qin together, Cui Fang and Wang Qishi would feel very surprised. If there were other reasons, they would have to say it out loud.

Seeing her directness, Situ Qin leaned back and said directly:
"Why, are you also interested in Xie Yuan?"

Wang Qishi blushed when he saw this and lowered his head slightly:
"I'm sorry... Father did say that he might consider a marriage between the Wang and Xie families. And the most suitable candidate is..."

When she spoke to this point, her voice was as low as a mosquito's, but Xie Lingyun and Situ Qin could hear it clearly.

Xie Lingyun was stunned and suddenly shouted:
"No! I don't agree!"

Situ Qin was also surprised, but when she saw Xie Lingyun expressing her disagreement again, she glanced at her and thought to herself that it was a good thing that she disagreed this time.

However, she frowned slightly. Although there were many marriages among the three surnames, most of them were with children from side branches.

The three families have existed for thousands of years and have many in-laws; however, only those involving the most core descendants are considered to have the intention of forming an alliance.

At the core level of the three families today, the first wife of Xie Yi, the head of the Xie family, is the younger sister of Cui Cheng, the head of the Cui family. But in fact, the two fell in love with each other when they were young, and their family members could not stop them and could only let it go.

The three upper surnames, which had always been in fierce competition and had countless cooperation and entanglements, put aside their prejudices and disputes after the Eight Gates Rebellion and united against a common enemy for nearly twenty years. The relationship between the Cui and Xie families naturally became close allies and in-laws.

Now the Wang family actually wants to form an alliance with the Xie family, and the marriage between the daughter of the family head and the son of the former family head and the nephew of the current family head. This kind of marriage between the two is basically a life-and-death alliance.

Situ Qin could understand Wang Qishi's attitude to some extent. Even if it was a marriage of convenience, this noble lady from a big family would definitely not want her future husband to have someone else in his heart.

But Situ Qin didn't know if she cared too much about Xie Yuan. She always suspected that the girl from the Wang family had bad intentions towards Xie Yuan. However, Wang Qishi's thoughts were obviously much harder to guess than Xie Lingyun's.

Wang Qishi looked at the excited Xie Lingyun and chuckled:
"Why would Sister Xie disagree? We already have a good relationship, and now we are even closer, isn't that a good thing?"

"What good news! Who would be on good terms with you? If I let you become my sister-in-law, I will be in trouble!"

Xie Lingyun was so anxious that she almost jumped up and pointed at Situ Qin:

"It's better to let her come!"

Situ Qin looked at that slender finger and was stunned. What did you mean by "Why not let me do it?" It didn't sound like a good thing...

Wang Qishi was also somewhat dissatisfied and said softly:

"Xie sister, why am I not as good as her?"

Xie Lingyun opened her mouth, thought for a long time, and squeezed out a sentence:
"She doesn't look as bad as you!"

In fact, the most important thing is that it seems to be quite generous, allowing me to follow it all the time...

Wang Qishi was stunned, with a look of grievance on her face: "Xie sister, we have known each other for so many years, but in your heart, I am not as good as her? Oh, it's my fault."

Xie Lingyun looked at her and said disdainfully:
"Don't give me that! Even if the elders don't know me, I don't know what you're thinking. You're not that bad—"

Wang Qishi smiled when he heard it, and then heard the second half of the sentence:

"But Yan'er is still a bad guy, a black-bellied guy!"

Wang Qishi's smile suddenly froze, he gritted his teeth, and then said softly:
"But Sister Xie, if you want to choose her as your sister-in-law, have you ever thought about whether your family will agree?"

Xie Lingyun glanced at her and sneered:
"That guy said that he was willing to run away from home for Sister Situ."

There was some surprise in Wang Qishi's eyes. He glanced at Situ Qin, then at Xie Yuan, and felt a little heavy in his heart.

Their love was so deep that they were willing to give up the wealth and glory of the Xie family?

Or is he just trying to trick a girl? But Mr. Xie doesn't seem like that kind of person...

Wang Qishi shook his head in disbelief, feeling that he was in trouble.

She took a breath and said softly:

"It's okay. This matter is still under discussion. The final decision will be made by the elders of the two families."

Situ Qin smiled and finally spoke:
"Xie Yuan has the final say."

Wang Qishi looked at her extremely confident appearance and was secretly annoyed, but he remained calm, straightened his hair, and said:
"Really? I heard that Master Xie has an old friend who is a genius master of the Mu family in Beidu Mountain. What about a wonderful woman? Sister Situ, do you know her?"

Situ Qin's eyes widened. She knew this too? It seemed like she had put a lot of effort into it...

She opened her red lips and said:

"It seems that there is."

Wang Qishi smiled slightly:
“In that case, if Master Xie had the final say, I wonder if he would say this or that?
"I guess she's a good sister. Sisters are sometimes more caring than sisters."

She said this with a hint of meaning, and immediately Situ Qin and Xie Lingyun looked at her at the same time, with cold lightning flashing in their eyes.

Situ Qin was hit on the point now. She looked at Wang Qishi and snorted coldly and said quickly:

"I won't choose you no matter who I choose!"

"It's not even your turn!"

Xie Lingyun added.

Wang Qishi's eyes turned cold, and he said in a thin voice:
"It's better not to talk about some things too early."

The three women's gazes intertwined, and it seemed that purple lightning appeared out of nowhere.

On the other side, three men seemed to be drinking, but they pretended to chat while secretly listening to the conversation here.

Later, seeing that the battle was very intense, the three of them stopped hiding their feelings, put down their glasses, listened quietly, and forgot about any actions.

Cui Lei was naturally excited, he enjoyed listening to it and felt it was very appetizing; but Xie Yuan and Wang Qiwen had different expressions on their faces and seemed to be hesitant to talk.

Seeing the three women confronting each other directly, Wang Qiwen coughed, trying to break the deadlock:

"Qishi, although Dad mentioned it, but..."

"Brother, why did you stop drinking? Is it not tasty?"

Wang Qishi turned his head quickly and looked at him intently.

"Uh... I'll drink it now."

Wang Qiwen was startled and quickly blocked his mouth with wine.

Cui Lei sneered and lowered his voice:
"It seems that my brother Wang has little experience with women. When a woman pulls her hair, you must not intervene, or you will be the one who dies.

"Brother Xie, you are the same. Look at these sisters. They are all fairies from heaven, but they are fighting for you. Hey! I think you look like someone with good luck in love. You should remember what I said in the future."

Xie Yuan seemed to understand, but didn't quite understand, and nodded quietly.

During the dinner, Cui Lei did not mention the conflict between Xie Yuan and the Cui family just now. He spoke and laughed calmly. Driven by his bold demeanor, the atmosphere was quite lively.

After the conversation was over, Cui Lei said with a half-smile:
"Brother Xie, you have extraordinary cultivation and are a generous person. We get along well. But you have embarrassed my Cui family. Even if we have a friendship of fighting side by side, I am still the young leader appointed by the clan leader. I cannot just stand by and watch.

“But my brother drank too much today, so I won’t keep you… hehe.

"But if we meet at the Hidden Dragon Banquet, don't blame my brother for being ruthless."

After Cui Lei said this, his face was stern, his aura was vigorous, and the pressure came naturally.

Xie Yuan smiled:
"Brother Cui, don't worry. I won't treat you like I did to the Fire Envoy."

When Cui Lei heard this, his eyes lit up and he suddenly laughed:
"Good boy, you are so arrogant. I am waiting to see if your ability is as big as your words!"

He patted Xie Yuan's shoulders twice, then said to the Wang brothers and sisters:
"Brother Wang, see you at the Qianlong Banquet! And sister Qishi, will you cheer for me or your brother?"

Wang Qishi lowered his eyebrows and said:

"Qishi hopes that the brothers can show off their prowess and make the trip worthwhile."

Xie Lingyun and Situ Qin rolled their eyes at the same time, while Cui Lei laughed:

"Great! Everyone is like a hidden dragon, it's so exciting!"

He, Xie Lingyun and Situ Qin also waved their hands. It seemed bold but actually very comprehensive. Then they joined the Cui family members who were waiting in the distance.

Wang Qiwen looked at Xie Yuan, holding his folding fan and bowing:
"Brother Xie, see you at the Qianlong Banquet. Qiwen would like to learn Brother Xie's axe skills then."

Xie Yuan looked at Wang Qiwen, who was smiling and seemed to know everything, and a light flashed in his eyes:
"I will definitely make you happy."

"So good."

Wang Qiwen clapped his hands and smiled, then politely greeted the two women next to Xie Yuan, and left with Wang Qishi.

Wang Qishi bowed to Xie Yuan and said softly:
"Thank you, Master. I wish you a great success at the Qianlong Banquet."

"Thank you Miss Wang."

Xie Yuan cupped his hands.

Wang Qishi looked at Situ Qin and Xie Lingyun again, and said goodbye to them with a smile, which made Xie Lingyun sigh and Situ Qin secretly alert.

This time I met an expert.

Situ Qin gained confidence in his match against Xie Lingyun, a poor chess player, and even had the illusion that he was very powerful. Now he realized that there were capable people around Xie Yuan.

She glanced at Xie Yuan and curled her lips.

It was already dark, and Xie Yuan and Situ Qin reluctantly took a short walk under the moon, recalling the many moonlit nights they had spent together.

The residence of the Chief Justice, the Lantern Festival in Yunzhou Prefecture, and the residence of Situ Qin, and the sound of the zither in the pavilion by the lake...

Situ Qin felt a little regretful:
"I didn't expect to meet you today. I forgot to bring my piano to play for you."

Xie Yuan smiled and said:

"It doesn't matter. It will be the same if I listen to it tomorrow!"

Situ Qin said reluctantly:

"The one today was the Fourteenth Prince. He came to me to tell me that His Majesty summoned me to the palace tomorrow. I'm afraid I can't accompany you."

“Ah? So…”

Xie Yuan sighed:

"See you later then."

Situ Qin walked for a long way with Xie Yuan reluctantly, wanting to send Xie Yuan back to the Xie family villa; but Xie Yuan didn't want Situ Qin to walk alone, and insisted on sending her back.

The two of them walked back and forth many times in the middle of the road, until Xie Lingyun could no longer bear it:

"Are you guys going to sleep tonight?"

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin smiled at each other after hearing this. Xie Yuan looked at the graceful red-clothed woman who suddenly appeared beside him, knowing that he could not delay any longer, and sighed:

"Auntie Hong, thank you for your help."

Aunt Hong nodded, looked Xie Yuan up and down, and praised softly:
“I’ve grown a lot.”

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin said goodbye reluctantly for the last time. They looked back every few steps, which made Xie Lingyun roll her eyes.

When the two separated, only the brother and sister were left here.

Under the moonlight, Xie Lingyun walked along Xie Yuan's arm, her heart filled with peace.

Even though it's only for a moment, it's not bad.

When she walked back to the Xie family villa, she inevitably felt some regret and sighed subconsciously.

Xie Yuan asked with concern:
"Lingyun, what's wrong?"

"nothing."

Xie Lingyun said casually:

"Hmm, did she just say that the one today was the Fourteenth Prince? It seems like we rarely hear about this person, and he doesn't look like the portrait."

Although Xie Lingyun looked like a spoiled little girl, she was actually carefully nurtured and educated by Xie Yi and Cui Pingjun. Not only her cultivation, but also her qualities were top-notch. And even though she was a girl, politics was a compulsory course.

Especially given the relationship between the royal family and the aristocratic families, the elite children of the aristocratic families must know which outstanding descendants, favorite ministers and capable generals the current emperor has.

"Really? He seems to be a low-key prince."

Xie Yuan nodded.

From the first impression we got when we met, this prince doesn't seem to be very ostentatious.

Xie Lingyun said thoughtfully:

"The emperor is very powerful now, and the crown prince and other princes are not very prominent. They are all unpredictable."

Xie Yuan was not very interested in politics. When he entered the Xie family villa and did not see Xie Yi, he and Xie Lingyun said good night to each other and went to rest.

After returning to his room, Xie Yuan tidied himself up and lay down on the bed, recalling the battle during the day as usual.

There was nothing much to say about the sword fight. Cui Fang had underestimated him a little, so it was reasonable for him to lose against a player of the same level.

But during the second gun fight, Xie Yuan closed his eyes slightly and tried to recall the feeling at that time.

Kenshin...flaw...gunmanship...

Xie Yuan took a breath. He had just started practicing the Burning Heaven and Destroying Dao Spear. Could he already have the ability of "Spear Heart" after just mastering the first move?
It seems impossible.

But in today's game, his actual performance can indeed be called "Gun Heart".

Xie Yuan had a vague understanding, but he couldn't grasp that flash of inspiration and felt that he was still lacking a little accumulation.

Perhaps we have to look for the answer in the Black Book.

At the beginning, Li Xingtuo said that if he found something in the investigation of the Jinling case, he could go back to Jianfeng to gain insights. Later, he not only gained something, but also made great achievements. In particular, many of the things he did later uncovered the entire population-plundering route of the Qian and Yao families, making the current situation of the two families very embarrassing.

The Yunshan Sword Sect rewards people according to their merits. I should be able to jump up and down on the sword peak, eat, drink, defecate and urinate as I please. That shouldn't be too much, right?

However, Xie Yuanzhen had a feeling that he had no control over his own affairs in the martial arts world. What happened afterwards was completely unexpected, and he didn't know when he could go back to Yunshan to take a look.

Maybe it will be possible after this Qianlong Banquet. There won’t be any major problems that could happen during the competition in front of the emperor, right?

The next morning, Xie Yuan was getting up early to do his homework when he suddenly saw a servant walking towards him quickly and saying:
"Master Yuan, someone is looking for you. He is waiting at the door."

"Looking for me? Who?"

Xie Yuan subconsciously looked forward to it. Could it be Situ Qin? Was she not going to the palace today?

The servant said respectfully:

"He is a monk who claims to be your old friend."

"Monk?"

Xie Yuan was a little surprised. He only knew one monk. Could it be that...

Xie Yuan hissed and walked to the door. As expected, he saw a shining bald man with a pure face and elegant monk's robes. Who else could it be but Huijue?

Xie Yuan laughed loudly and said:
"Master Huijue! Why are you here?"

"Amitabha."

Huijue put his hands together:

"Thank you, benefactor. I have been begging for alms along the way and somehow ended up here. I looked up and saw, 'Thank you, sir.' Isn't that a coincidence?"

"I believe you have a ghost!"

Xie Yuan laughed and scolded:
"Come in and sit down!"

He pulled Huijue into the yard, sat down in the house, and started talking.

The two met again after a long separation. They looked at each other and found that they had both made breakthroughs in cultivation. They nodded secretly, chatted about small things, and then discussed martial arts.

During this time, Xie Lingyun ran over to see her monk friend Xie Yuan. She felt that the two were talking about profound martial arts theories. With her cultivation level of the Second Transformation Realm, she could not keep up. She felt a little dizzy and had to leave in a depressed mood.

Xie Yuan and Huijue talked for a long time and felt that the other party was worthy of being the favorite disciple of the grandmaster, a young eminent monk from the Prajna Temple, with unfathomable knowledge of martial arts. No matter what they talked about, he could continue and what he said was even more inspiring. The gains were really great and he couldn't help but stop.

The chat lasted until almost noon. Xie Yuan was still not satisfied, but seeing that it was almost time for lunch, he stopped.

He wanted to talk about lunch, but suddenly his mind moved and he asked:

"Monk, the amulet you gave me... can it help me find the rhythm of Buddha?"

Huijue had a calm expression:
“Amulets naturally have a Buddhist feel.”

Xie Yuan's eyes flashed:
"But I haven't found the Buddha's affinity for a long time. Can the monk teach me?"

Huijue blinked and smiled:
"Thank you, benefactor. It's already noon. Why do you want me to preach on an empty stomach?"

Xie Yuan pouted and said with a smile:

"Just tell me if you're hungry! I'll ask the kitchen to prepare the food right away."

"Hey, wait."

Huijue stopped Xie Yuan with a smile and said:

"Eating at home is so boring. I know a good place. I'd better thank you for inviting me to eat there."

"where?"

Xie Yuan was somewhat surprised.

After a while, Xie Yuan and Hui Jue stood beside Chunjiang Tower and said with a smile:

"Monk, is this the good place you mentioned?"

"Yes."

Huijue blinked:

"I have heard the name 'Chun Jiang Lou' many times when I was begging for alms. It seems to be the busiest restaurant in the capital recently. So I would like to ask you to bring me here. It can be regarded as a good karma."

Seeing that he looked somewhat expectant, Xie Yuan felt both angry and amused:

"Monk, you are a monk! How come you are tempted by food?"

"Monks also need to eat, otherwise how can they worship Buddha? Thank you for saying this, you don't seem to have much wisdom."

Huijue said calmly:
"Besides, I have read a fortune today and I feel that I should come here to eat today."

Xie Yuan was already used to his nonsense, so he walked forward and said nonchalantly:

"Isn't fortune-telling a monk's skill?"

"Thank you, benefactor. I am obsessed with appearances again. As long as there is Buddha in your heart, everything in the world is Buddhist law. Well, the food here smells really good. It seems that this divination is correct..."

Huijue had just stepped over the threshold of Chunjiang Tower with one foot, and then suddenly stopped in mid-air. He turned 180 degrees, and his foot unexpectedly landed outside the door again:
"Thank you, benefactor. I suddenly have to go to the bathroom. Please go find a seat first and I will follow."

"Monk, there's a toilet inside...eh? Monk, monk?"

Xie Yuan looked back and saw Huijue walking quickly with his hands clasped together and his head lowered. In the blink of an eye, he was far away. He couldn't help but laugh and cry:

"Are you so anxious? What did you eat to make your stomach sick?"

He shook his head and had to go in first. He saw Old Wu behind the counter:
"Boss Wu, is there any room left?"

"Oh, thank you Escort Captain again! It is an honor to have you here. It is an honor to have you here. How can there be no room for me? Hmm..."

Old Wu looked around and found that there was really no room in the hall, and the private rooms were full. He couldn't help scratching his head:
"Hey, thank you, it's really unfortunate. Please sit for a while. I will make room for you right away."

"No hurry, my friend hasn't arrived yet."

Old Wu was busy as the wind, and Xie Yuan was standing at the counter when he suddenly heard a vague greeting:

"Come sit here."

Xie Yuan immediately looked up and looked in the direction of the voice. He found two hooded figures in the corner of the hall, one sitting and one standing, with their backs to everyone. The voice seemed to come from there. (End of this chapter)