Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 196 Farewell
"I heard you did something big again yesterday evening?" The next day, when Ye Tinglan arrived at the office, she still had her arms crossed and legs propped up, watching Lu Xingzhou enter with a half-smile.

Lu Xingzhou laughed, "Can't do anything else, but can't you beat someone up? So, did the Huo family complain? What punishment will the Pill Academy give?"

"Three-day break from classes."

"Is there such a good thing?"

"...Add another thousand words of self-criticism and post it at the main entrance."

Lu Xingzhou stroked his chin: "Are they sure they want me to write it? They'd better not regret it..."

"No need to write anymore," Ye Tinglan said irritably. "Do you think I don't know what kind of nonsense you're capable of writing?"

Lu Xingzhou smiled, revealing his neat white teeth: "Sir, you understand me best."

Ye Tinglan glanced at him: "So are you planning to beat up the Huo family every time you see them in the future?"

Lu Xingzhou laughed even harder: "Since you understand me so well, I feel a little embarrassed..."

"Don't give me that crap. Huo Heng is attending the Prince of Jin's banquet this time. He won't be bringing any shadows or protectors. What about next time? High-ranking protectors will be hiding on the sidelines. Are you going to your death?"

“I will naturally look for similar opportunities again.”

“He’ll probably bring it with him in similar situations too, this time it was too tragic.” There was a hint of a smile in Ye Tinglan’s eyes, but knowing that she couldn’t encourage such a mess, she still said, “In the end, this kind of thing can only vent your anger, it doesn’t mean much. You should focus on the bigger picture.”

"Hmm. How's the situation in the North?"

"The convoy heading to the north set off last night. The capital is not too far from the border, so I think the Huo family will soon be too busy to bother you."

"The Imperial Advisor is this efficient?"

"In minor matters, His Majesty is happy to show respect for the Imperial Advisor's advice, so it's easy for things to go smoothly." Ye Tinglan leisurely sipped her tea. "The problem now is, it seems you've offended more than just the Huo family?"

Lu Xingzhou smiled but did not answer.

Prince Gu Yicheng of Jin... Regardless of whether he was offended or not, he was a natural adversary. Just based on the fact that he instigated the Incense Burning Pavilion to suppress Shen Tang and poached Jin Mingxiu from the Heavenly Sword Sect, Lu Xingzhou would not have a good relationship with him.

Similarly, Gu Yicheng viewed Lu Xingzhou as a natural enemy. If it weren't for the Huo family's influence, Gu Yicheng might have tried to win him over; but with the Huo family's involvement, even superficial harmony was impossible. Gu Yicheng had already made his move during the Demon-Slaying Domain trial; wasn't Chen Yu one of his men?

Ye Tinglan said, "With your attitude, you're seen as an enemy by the Prince of Jin, and you don't take it to heart at all?"

"What can he do? He has to put on the appearance of a wise king, but he can do even less than the Huo family. The Huo family would have to choose a place like the Demon Subduing Domain to kill me, they wouldn't dare to do it openly in the capital, and he's the same."

Ye Tinglan said coldly, "If you send a high-ranking assassin, you won't even have a chance to call for help, and it will become an unsolved case."

"The Huo family doesn't dare to do that because no matter how clean they try to be, it's easy for others to suspect them. Even if they're not guilty, they'll still be guilty. There's no need to do that unless absolutely necessary. In their eyes, I'm not really that threatening. The same goes for Prince Jin, especially since we had a conflict yesterday and I was assassinated right afterward. His reputation as a wise prince is also ruined."

Ye Tinglan shook her head: "The key is that you're not too threatening. You haven't reached the point where they'd be willing to kill you. If you really reached that point, they wouldn't care about these trivial matters. But in reality, it's just a matter of their whim. If they're in a bad mood one day, they might use you as a scapegoat. I still think you should leave the capital and stop acting so arrogantly and provoking them."

Lu Xingzhou agreed with this point. He had come to the capital too early. Not only did he have few retaliatory measures at his disposal, but he also put himself in danger at any time. It all depended on whether the other party was willing to pay a certain price.

Previously, I went to the capital only for further studies at the Dan Academy. Now that I have a mentor, and even my mentor thinks we should change locations, then my goal of going to the capital has been perfectly achieved, and I can indeed move with my mentor.

Am I supposed to continue studying here for another year?
But if I'm planning to leave, it seems I should finish some things first...

Thinking of this, Lu Xingzhou finally spoke: "Sir, back in the Demon Subduing Domain, there was another third-rank swordsman who launched a sneak attack during the sandstorm. The Pill Academy has been investigating for so long, have you found anything?"

Ye Tinglan shook her head: "No, at present we can only assume that it was sent by the Huo family or Prince Jin."

Lu Xingzhou blurted out, "Definitely not."

"Because of Chen Yu's identification? That may not be a valid reason. Although Chen Yu is a man of the Prince of Jin, he may not be involved in the Prince of Jin's inner circle. He may not know what other measures the Prince of Jin has taken."

"No. This isn't an event where everyone acts independently; they share a common goal. Since they're all subordinates of Prince Jin or the Huo family, why not have them cooperate? Is this some kind of test for each of them? That doesn't make sense."

Ye Tinglan's expression turned serious: "You believe there is another third party?"

"Confirmed."

"But on the surface, you haven't offended any other forces."

"Indeed not."

"Given your recent conflict with Prince Jin and Huo Heng, if you were suddenly assassinated by this person, wouldn't everyone assume that Prince Jin or the Huo family were behind it, without suspecting a third party?"

Lu Xingzhou nodded: "That's right. Right now is my most dangerous moment."

Ye Tinglan asked curiously, "Judging from your tone, you already have a judgment? Then why are you so calm?"

Lu Xingzhou said with a forced smile, "Now I'm not fighting alone anymore, I have a master with me."

Ye Tinglan scoffed and looked him up and down: "So you've already included me in your calculations, haven't you? I'm just your alchemy mentor, what does that have to do with your personal grudges?"

"Sir, you wouldn't want to see your prized student lying dead in the street, would you?"

“Who said I don’t want to? I want to very much.” Ye Tinglan waved her hand like she was shooing away flies. “The sooner you die, the sooner I can take Lu Nuonuo home.” Lu Xingzhou seemed not to have heard what she said at all, and said to himself, “I’ll invite people out to the garden to create an opportunity for them. How about you take some people to lie in wait? This is also a matter for the Dan Academy, not our personal business. We can have the Dan Academy set up a trap.”

Ye Tinglan: "...Where should we arrange it?"

"What about Qingyao Garden? This is the only place I'm familiar with."

Who are you planning to take to the park?

"Chu Yun is strong enough that she is not easily hurt. Moreover... if I were to leave, the person I should say goodbye to most is Chu Yun."

Ye Tinglan pondered for a moment and thought it was feasible: "Okay, I'll go and tell Qin Yuanzheng."

Ah Nuo: “…”

You really need a mentor to communicate with older women.

Ye Tinglan banged on the table: "This isn't the time to set up a fishing trap. What are you two standing there like idiots for? Didn't you come here to attend class?"

Lu Xingzhou obediently took out the questions he had prepared the night before and sat down next to Ye Tinglan to begin the question-and-answer session.

The female tutor still exuded a delicate fragrance, but Lu Xingzhou had no interest in experiencing it at the moment. Since he was about to leave the capital, he needed to at least master the written material before leaving, so that he could finally put his mind at ease and continue to follow his mentor to other trial sites.

…………

"A stroll in the garden?" At the Imperial Academy, Pei Chuyun, still holding a stack of manuscripts, stood there gracefully, looking at Lu Xingzhou, who had come to visit, with great surprise: "How kind of you to suddenly invite me to a stroll in the garden."

"What are you saying? Shouldn't I be the one inviting you out?"

"You didn't even bring Anuo." Pei Chuyun took a small step back: "You're either up to no good or a thief."

"You guessed right, it's the former."

Pei Chuyun had to mentally process what he was saying before she realized what he was talking about. Her face flushed, she glanced left and right furtively, and spat out, "We're all human, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"Then let's find a secluded place to talk?"

Pei Chuyun almost burst out laughing: "Alright, alright, where to? Qingyao Garden again?"

"Yes, I heard that the trumpet creeper is in full bloom and looks beautiful right now. I haven't been to see it for a while, so I have to go and take a look."

Pei Chuyun said happily, "Let's go then."

Don't you have classes this afternoon?

"I ran away, so my dad would think I was in class. Otherwise, how could I go out with you..."

Lu Xingzhou felt that he had played the role of the corrupt young lady with yellow hair to the fullest extent, and could even forget that Pei Chuyun was a witch. He played the role of the aloof and pure flower in the Imperial Academy so well.

"I'm about to leave the capital, Ayi." Lu Xingzhou said suddenly only after entering Qingyao Garden and seeing the lake in front of him.

Pei Chuyun stopped in her tracks, turned to look at Lu Xingzhou's profile, her expression somewhat complicated.

The matter between the sect and the Pei family is clearly going to be a long-term affair, possibly taking two or three years before it truly reaches its climax. Pei Chuyun didn't expect Lu Xingzhou to stand by and act as the pillar of support; in fact, Lu Xingzhou's strength was insufficient to get involved in such a matter.

But she never imagined the separation would come so soon.

She never imagined that eighteen years of education in the Hehuan Sect would make her feel so uneasy about parting from a man.

I really shouldn't have done that.

“I don’t know if you’ll blame me…” Lu Xingzhou said in a low voice, “My farewell to you wasn’t a romantic stroll in the garden… I also planned to use this opportunity to lure out an enemy.”

Pei Chuyun smiled and said, "I knew you were up to no good. But it's good that you explained it to me."

"What, do you think I would hide something like this from you?"

“No, that won’t happen.” Pei Chuyun said leisurely, “In fact, even if our stroll through the garden was mixed with something else, it seems normal. Just like our relationship, it has never been a true romantic love affair.”

"Why not? Even if there was mutual scheming from the beginning, does it still exist now?"

Pei Chuyun looked up and thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "To say that we were mutually calculating at the beginning is not really true. In reality, I was just your prisoner... and I still am."

Lu Xingzhou turned to look at her.

Pei Chuyun blinked: "Isn't that right? Your captive of poetry, your captive of tenderness, and... your pillar of support who will stand up for me no matter what."

Seeing that Lu Xingzhou wanted to say something, Pei Chuyun placed her slender finger on his lips and whispered, "I don't regret giving you my body... but Lu Xingzhou, I still want to try to see if I can break free from your influence and be my own master. I suddenly feel that it's good that you can leave for a while; it seems to help me find myself."

Lu Xingzhou grabbed her hand and moved it away: "What if we can't break free?"

“You know, there are plenty of men who would give their lives for me.” Pei Chuyun smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Let’s see if you have the ability to truly capture my heart for a lifetime.”

(End of this chapter)