The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 309 Zheng Wan, Xuan Lan

"This Xue Bangzhu has truly played a brilliant game of chess."

Li Miao sighed.

"She left three safeguards after her death to ensure Xue Hanmeng's safety."

"One is Yan Fan, who guides the martial arts world to dig out 'Bu Liu Xing'. It would be best if she could kill him, but even if she couldn't, she could still dig out her own remains and guide Xue Hanmeng to discover his true colors so that she could get rid of his control as soon as possible."

"Secondly, it is Xue Hanmeng herself."

"When she was telling Xue Hanmeng about this place before she died, I guess 'Bu Liuxing' was eavesdropping nearby, and Xue Bangzhu knew that he was eavesdropping."

"So those words of hers were also meant for 'Bu Liuxing'."

"What do you think 'Bu Liu Xing' will do after she finds out that she has left behind a secret treasure?"

Zheng Yi suddenly realized.

"He wouldn't be in a hurry to harm Xue Hanmeng... Moreover, he would actively conceal Xue Hanmeng's identity and create a suitable environment for her to practice martial arts, so that she could meet the conditions for excavating this place as soon as possible!"

"Xue Bangzhu is also using 'Bu Liu Xing'!"

Li Miao smiled.

"Yes."

“She knows her daughter too well. Xue Hanmeng will not come to explore this place before she has cultivated the two paths of the Celestial Realm, nor will she tell ‘Bu Liuxing’ the secret of this place.”

"When she died, Xue Hanmeng was only fifteen years old. She had not yet mastered martial arts and was not yet mature enough to live alone."

"So she used the secret of this place as bait, luring him in front of 'Bu Liuxing' and asking him to take care of Xue Hanmeng for her."

Li Miao took a few steps and continued speaking.

"With Xue Hanmeng's aptitude, it would take her at least twenty-seven or twenty-eight to master both paths."

"By then she was old enough, mature enough, and skilled enough to protect herself with martial arts—so 'not leaving a mark' was no longer of any value."

"Given Xue Hanmeng's foolish mind, if Yanfan fails, she will definitely be completely devoted to 'Bu Liuxing'. When she comes to excavate this place, she will definitely bring 'Bu Liuxing' with her."

“And ‘Bu Liuxing’ would definitely be afraid that Xue Bangzhu would leave unfavorable statements about him in the relics, so he would probably follow Xue Hanmeng into this place to destroy the evidence when Xue Hanmeng is not paying attention.”

"Then—he's doomed."

"And Xue Hanmeng can take the relics she left behind, along with the realms of two Celestials, and leave this place, burying everything in Kaifeng, where no one will ever know again."

Zheng Yi remained silent for a long time.

How much did Xue Bangzhu actually consider for Xue Hanmeng before he died?
After giving birth to Xue Hanmeng, she was already exhausted, her martial arts skills were gone, and she coughed up blood every day. Yet she still endured the pain and left behind so many methods to ensure Xue Hanmeng's safety.

The more truths she uncovered, the more concrete Xue Bangzhu's image became in her mind... and the more she hated Xue Hanmeng with a burning rage.

After a long pause, Zheng Yi finally raised her head and spoke.

"My lord, what is the third backup plan?"

"You just said that Xue Bangzhu's methods were also intended to deal with the Penglai disciples. What do you mean by that?"

Li Miao smiled.

"Do you still remember what I said to you yesterday when you wanted to take your sword and go out to look for someone?"

Zheng Yi nodded.

"You said that nearly fifty years have passed, and the surviving members of the Penglai sect probably won't help me take revenge on Yingzhou. They might even attack me when I come looking for them..."

Her eyes widened suddenly.

"I understand!"

"Xue Bangzhu is the kind of person you described... She doesn't want revenge on Yingzhou, or rather, Xue Hanmeng's safety is far more important to her than revenge on Yingzhou!"

"The clues she left outside can only keep out outsiders, but not the disciples of Penglai."

"She left behind a test."

Zheng Yi said in a deep voice, "First of all, if it is a member of the Penglai Sect who finds Xue Hanmeng, then Xue Hanmeng will definitely tell him what Xue Bangzhu left behind before he died before he comes in."

"If this person is strong enough to protect Xue Hanmeng in front of Yingzhou, then he can naturally come in and take away the treasures she left behind."

"If this person is not strong enough and has not heeded Xue Hanmeng's warning, then he is likely to be a disciple like me, eager to take revenge on Yingzhou."

"Xue Bangzhu doesn't want Xue Hanmeng to get involved in Yingzhou's affairs. If the people who come are able to protect Xue Hanmeng, that's fine, but if not... then they will die here just the same way."

"This is the third contingency plan left by Xue Bangzhu."

After saying that, Zheng Yi let out a long sigh and didn't speak again for a long time.

Times change, and people's hearts change.

Fifty years have passed, and even the disciples who escaped from Penglai back then have long been sculpted by time into different forms.

Xue Bangzhu was a firsthand witness to the massacre of the Penglai clan back then... For Zheng Yi, only her mother died; but for Xue Bangzhu, almost all his fellow disciples, teachers, relatives and friends died.

But she still made that choice.

How could Zheng Yi, who had always held beautiful illusions about her fellow disciples, not be disappointed and feel dejected?

Li Miao had no intention of interrupting her thoughts. He turned around and walked to the innermost stone wall of the stone chamber. He looked it over, then reached out and touched the stone wall, pulling out a hidden compartment at waist height.

There was a booklet lying inside.

This booklet is made of tanned sheepskin, and after decades of storage, only the edges have turned slightly yellowed and curled up. However, sheepskin is not as thin as paper, and this booklet is not thick, with only about a dozen pages.

On the cover of the booklet, Xue Bangzhu left a line of poetry carved with the tip of his sword.

Li Miao glanced at it, then tore off the cover and threw it in front of Zheng Yi.

"This Xue Bangzhu isn't as heartless as you think."

Zheng Yi reached out and took the cover. She was puzzled and was about to ask a question when her eyes swept over the roll of paper.

She froze, reaching out to touch the sword mark on the cover.

When Xue Bangzhu escaped from Penglai, he had already reached the realm of two Celestial Beings, and his swordsmanship was effortless. However, the sword marks on this sheepskin cover, with each stroke exceeding the original pattern, pierced through the back of the sheepskin.

Even after decades, Zheng Yi could still feel that Xue Bangzhu's hand was trembling as he carved that poem.

She read it aloud softly.

"The sound of snow falls softly, beside the bamboo..."

"Hanmeng...never leaves home."

"Xue Bangzhu, Xue Hanmeng".

"I see……"

Zheng Yi felt a lump in her throat, pressed the roll of sheepskin to her chest, and let out a long sigh of relief as if finally free.

"You haven't forgotten Penglai."

"I understand...I understand."

Zheng Yi carefully flattened the sheepskin in her palm, turned it over, and finally found what she wanted to know on the back.

"I know your name now."

"Zheng Wan".