Promise!

Chapter 116, Backstab

In the following days, Zhuang Jin was quite free—as the ward ...

The two guard squads were the standard configuration for the town's garrison. One squad leader was Bi Kai, and the other was Qian Wende—he had benefited greatly from following Zhuang Jin and had now broken through to the third level of cultivation.

Zhuang Jin only needs to hold the line when attacking on the front lines; otherwise, he has nothing to do and can focus on his cultivation.

In the past few days, Liu Licheng has come over from time to time. His Pingshuibo is next to Dongqiaowu, and his residence is only one street away.

Knowing that the other town wards were indifferent to Zhuang Jin, Chen Yun deliberately protected the relationship between Zhuang Jin and Liu Licheng. Every time the two had a small gathering, she would cook different dishes. When she saw that Liu Licheng liked fermented bean curd, she even gave him a jar.

Perhaps because of Chen Yun's excellent cooking skills and generosity, Liu Licheng has been much more attentive when he comes over to chat with Zhuang Jin recently, and the two have quickly grown closer and their relationship has improved.

That day, Liu Licheng came over again. Zhuang Jin stopped practicing martial arts, sat down next to him, and had a drink with him.

“Every time I come here, I see Zhuang Zhenshou practicing martial arts diligently. It’s true that the legend of him being a ‘martial arts fanatic’ was not false. His hard work and self-discipline are truly admirable!” Liu Licheng exclaimed.

"It's just because of the current situation that I don't want to bleed and lose my life at a critical moment due to insufficient strength, so I can only work harder on ordinary days."

"That's absolutely true. It's just that everyone has different talents. For example, someone like me who's stuck at a bottleneck doesn't even have the opportunity to be this diligent!"

As Liu Licheng spoke, his expression was complex, and he sighed with emotion, "Zhuang Zhenshou has exceptional talent; he is truly lucky!"

"Those of us with martial arts talent can all be considered lucky, I'm just a little luckier."

Zhuang Jin wholeheartedly agreed, and recounted an incident: "When I was teaching martial arts at the main campus, I met a student who could be described as diligent, but lacked any talent in martial arts, and left dejectedly..."

As the two chatted, the topic turned to Xing Yan, the garrison commander of Qianfang Town. Perhaps because they had become familiar with each other recently and their relationship had reached a certain level, Liu Licheng paused for a moment and suddenly said, "I heard that Garrison Commander Zhuang also participated in the selection of the Eighth Prince's personal guards?"

"Yes, that's true, but it was ultimately rejected."

"I have information that in the selection process, Zhuang Zhenshou has reached the final stage. I heard that the Eighth Prince is the one who is most favored among the three finalists."

At this point, Liu Licheng sighed regretfully, "The final elimination was not due to bad luck, but rather... human error!"

"Xing Yan... in his evaluation... mentioning August and September... and his final comment was particularly insightful: 'He was too cautious, perhaps hiding his true abilities...'"

Hearing this, Zhuang Jin recalled Zou Qingfeng's hesitation at the end of last month and already had some guesses in her mind. However, without evidence, she would not suspect someone for no reason. Now, hearing such detailed information, she believed it to some extent, but she stared intently, waiting for Liu Licheng to explain further.

—Liu Licheng and Xing Yan had a good relationship, so why did he betray Xing Yan and tell him all this? Also, why did Liu Licheng know all this so clearly?
"To be honest, Commander Zhuang, I was also on the preliminary list, but I didn't make it in the end. I suspect that Xing Yan did something. Besides, now that Xing Yan is gone, my partner is Commander Zhuang, and we're closer now. The reason I know all this is because I have some connections with the Shen family headquarters!"

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly. This explanation made sense. After learning about this, she remained calm, as if nothing had happened. She chatted with Liu Licheng about other things, and after a short while, he took his leave.

……

After Liu Licheng left, Chen Yun came over and asked, "I heard that Xing Yan was very helpful to my husband, so why did he do such a thing during the selection of personal guards?"

“Yunniang, do you still remember Miao Lun’s matter? It’s nothing more than ‘the world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for gain.’”

Zhuang Jin spoke casually, as if she were an outsider: "Xing Yan has indeed been very helpful to me. He saved me a lot of trouble with my uncle Zhuang Yutang's matter; he also took good care of me in the north of the city in August and September; and regarding Miao Lun's matter, he asked me to go there immediately..."

"Judging from all this, Xing Yan is a magnanimous person, considerate of his subordinates, caring for the younger generation, and cultivating many good relationships... He puts aside petty gains in these everyday matters to build such an image... However, what is given is what is received, what is sown is what is reaped. This opportunity to personally guard the body has enormous benefits, so naturally, this person..."

He shook his head slightly, putting it more bluntly: "In other words, we didn't do anything before, it was just that the price wasn't right, but this time... it's enough, that's all." "This..." Chen Yun understood the logic, but she still felt somewhat unable to accept it.

Zhuang Jin strolled to the edge of the pond, picked up some fish food, and threw it into the water: "Look at these fish. I feed them every day. In their eyes, I am naturally a good person, but they don't know that it is for the purpose of taking it all back at a certain time."

Chen Yun understood what Zhuang Jin meant. This matter was like feeding fish; Xing Yan's previous performance and pretense were all for the purpose of fulfilling his promise at the crucial moment.

There's a deeper meaning to this: past events should be considered as a pre-existing bond. This time, the bond has been overdrawn, and Zhuang Jin won't hold a grudge or do anything, but their feelings will fade from now on.

Looking at Zhuang Jin, who remained completely calm throughout, Chen Yun asked with some concern, "Husband, aren't you angry?"

"Angry? Not really, just a little disappointed. The opportunity to become a bodyguard that Xing Yan values ​​isn't actually that appealing to me. If he were to bring it up with me, it wouldn't be impossible for me to back out on my own..."

As Zhuang Jin spoke, he thought of Miao Lun, that perfect-level beast treasure. If the other party had negotiated properly and offered compensation, he might not have been unable to give it up. However, faced with the test of huge profits, the other party chose to launch a sneak attack and act ruthlessly... This was even under the condition that the other party had saved his life.

With Miao Lun's example in mind, Xing Yan's situation is not so hard to accept. He's already experienced anger and sadness over this kind of thing, so now he's naturally at peace.

This tranquil state of mind is not the indifference, lack of emotion, or cold-heartedness that comes after betrayal, but rather akin to the objective, composed, and open-mindedness of the 'way of the sage, where emotions are not burdened and one moves with the times.'

Zhuang Jin's explanation put Chen Yun at ease.

"By the way, Xing Yan sent an invitation yesterday, saying it was to celebrate becoming the Eighth Prince's personal guard. Is my husband still going?" Chen Yun asked.

Her question about the past was not meant to celebrate, but to expose and confront the truth.

"Let's not go!" Xing Yan assumed that since Zhuang Jin wasn't going, he understood.

Zhuang Jin knew Xing Yan betrayed him, Xing Yan knew Zhuang Jin knew he betrayed him, and Zhuang Jin knew Xing Yan knew he knew she betrayed him. If they met again, they could still exchange greetings, but they could never go back to the way things were before... That's how the adult world is.

At this moment, his attention wasn't on that, but on something else entirely: 'On the surface, I went from the Sixth Scripture to the Seventh Scripture in less than two months, including completing the accumulation of the Sixth Scripture realm and breaking through the bottleneck between the Sixth and Seventh Scriptures… Now everything seems calm, but has it really not attracted any attention? Those with a keen eye might see through the first layer. In August and September, I concealed my strength… Who were the people who discovered this first layer? Xing Yan, the Eighth Young Master, the high-ranking officials of the General Affairs Department?'

'Even if I penetrate this barrier, among the martial arts students recruited from outside, I still stand out like a crane among chickens. You should know that, apart from me, the highest-ranking martial arts student is still Du Shiyuan, at the Fifth Classic Realm… That's a bit of an exaggeration!'

'While this can be explained by talent, and that's true, did it really go unnoticed?'

Zhuang Jin thought of Liu Licheng, who seemed to be visiting a little more frequently lately. This could be explained by 'Chen Yun's cooking is delicious, satisfying his appetite'; it could be explained by 'the two workshops are partners, advancing and retreating together'; or it could be explained by 'seeing my extraordinary potential and wanting to befriend me'... But was recounting Xing Yan's betrayal really because the two of them were now closer? Did he really know the details of this matter through his own connections?
He takes a cautious approach to this. After the incident with Miao Lun, he has repeatedly considered and thought about many things, becoming increasingly careful and cautious, as if walking on thin ice.

……

That evening, Xing Yan celebrated becoming the Eighth Prince's personal guard by hosting a banquet for relatives and friends.

The banquet was about to begin, and Xing Yan was still at the door, waiting and looking around.

"Who is Father waiting for? It's already this late. Guests who were willing to come would have arrived long ago, and those who weren't probably won't come. Shall we begin? Otherwise, the food will get cold."

"Yes, it's cold, it's cold!"

Xing Yan seemed to have thought of something, sighed, looked back one last time, and then turned back.

……

(End of this chapter)