Descargar la aplicación
5.74% Way of Choices / Chapter 68: The White Crane as Proof (II)

Capítulo 68: The White Crane as Proof (II)

Gou Hanshi was truly worthy of being one of the leaders of the Mount Li Sword Sect's young generation, truly worthy of being the second Law that Qiushan Jun relied on for his intellect. He had kept quiet all this time, but when he finally spoke, he made it very difficult for the other party to respond. This was because his words hovered between reasonable and unreasonable, yet they seemed quite sensible.

Chen Changsheng was silent for a few moments. He had just prepared his response, but when he was about to open his mouth, preparing to continue no matter what tribulations this world sent against him, he, just like everyone else, heard the cry of a crane from outside the hall.

The cries of a crane were normally called crane calls.

This crane call was clear and unyielding.

A White Crane flew out of the darkness, its entire body as white as snow. It lightly drifted down to the floor of the great hall, its slender neck slightly turning, its expression proud and indifferent.

Quite a few people present recognized this crane. For example, when Xu Shiji saw it, the look on his face grew even more unsightly. When the disciples and the martial aunt from Holy Maiden Peak saw it, they felt rather nervous. When Gou Hanshi and the disciples of Mount Li saw it, they recalled that they had seen this White Crane several times outside their eldest brother's cottage.

Chen Changsheng also recognized the White Crane, but he had not seen it for several years. When he saw it now, he felt rather complex.

This White Crane came from the south, bringing Xu Yourong's letter.

...

...

Mo Yu finished reading the letter, then gazed at the crowd within the hall. She was met by only silence. She gave a soft sigh, then declared, "Let's just end it here for tonight."

The hall buzzed with the constant and rather annoying sound of discussion. Everyone was quite astonished, mystified as to the contents of the letter. Why did Lady Mo Yu want to directly declare the end of the Ivy Festival? With a gloomy expression, Xiao Songgong asked, "Are the contents of this letter inconvenient to divulge?"

Mo Yu lightly raised her brows. She naturally supported the marriage proposal of the southern diplomatic mission, but upon hearing the words of this Mount Li elder, she couldn't help but grow a little angry. She thought to herself, I just wanted to leave you all a little face by ending the Ivy Festival early, but since none of you can tell good from bad, forget about it.

She offered the letter to Prince Chen Liu then ceased to concern herself with this matter.

When Prince Chen Liu saw the letter, the expression on his face became rather brilliant.

Then he began to read the letter to the crowd, which had been one of the writer's requests in the first place.

The contents of this letter were very simple, only ten or so lines, but the meaning they wanted to convey was crystal-clear.

Contrary to the expectations of everyone in the hall, although this letter came from the south, it was not from Holy Maiden Peak. Xu Yourong was not at Holy Maiden Peak, as several weeks ago, she had gone to the Southern Sea to cultivate. If one calculated time, it was right before the southern diplomatic mission had left.

The tone of Xu Yourong's letter was calm and indifferent. She indicated her extreme respect for all parties involved in this matter, and she also gave her thanks to her teachers and elders that had come to the capital to make this marriage proposal, because this signified how much her teachers and elders cared for and were concerned for her. However, she held a different view towards this matter.

As the first half of this letter came to an end, she had not brought up any sort of matter, but many people within the hall knew the matter which she wanted to bring up. She had no idea that the southern diplomatic mission was coming to the capital to propose. In other words, before the southern sect took on this task, they had not asked for her opinion.

The looks on many people's faces became rather unsightly while some seemed relieved of a great burden. In brief, there were all sorts of wondrous expressions.

Yes, a marriage ultimately rested upon the order of the parents, the words of the matchmaker, and the approval of the heavens and earth, the sovereign, the parents, and the teachers. It had little to do with the marriage partners themselves and in the engagements of ordinary people, there truly was no need to obtain the approval of the bride. But Xu Yourong was not an ordinary person, especially given the fact that someone had just said certain things.

The gazes the crowd turned to Gou Hanshi were somewhat complex.

Tang Thirty-Six jeered, "So this is your so-called respect."

Gou Hanshi had earlier said that Chen Changsheng should respect Xu Yourong's view to have the bearing of a man.

Yet the southern sects had never even asked Xu Yourong for her opinion before sending people to the capital to propose. Was this respect?

Gou Hanshi was silent. He had not known that Junior Sister Xu was actually unaware of the situation. He was very confused over what the elders of Holy Maiden Peak were thinking, and he was even more confused over why Junior Sister Xu had sent the White Crane to deliver this letter. Could it be that she…really did not wish to marry his senior brother?

No, it shouldn't be this way.

He wanted to know what was written in the second half of the letter.

Many people thought the same, all of them looking towards the thin sheet of paper in Prince Chen Liu's hands.

In the second half of this letter, Xu Yourong did not express any rage or hate. Just as was mentioned before, for her teachers, elders, and family members to arrange a marriage for her could always be understood as out of concern and love.

She was the reincarnation of the true Phoenix, the sole candidate to be the next Holy Maiden of the south, and possessed a talent and potential envied and revered by countless people. She could possess even more freedom, was worthy of even more respect, thus Gou Hanshi's words, thus when her letter ever so faintly hinted that she did not approve of this marriage proposal, the crowd within the hall reacted in such a way. However, before she truly matured, she was first of all the young lady of the Divine General of the East's estate, the disciple of Holy Maiden Peak.

She could mention her opinion of the plans made by her family and teachers, but before the common people, she had to present a calm and deferential stance. Only this way could she be the perfect and flawless woman in the eyes of the common people. Of course, that the common people all thought her to be a perfect match with Qiushan Jun was perhaps also because she was so calm.

Yet the second half of this letter directly told everyone that they were all mistaken.

Xu Yourong clearly wrote in her letter that only the friendship of fellow disciples, the affection of brother and sister, existed between her and Qiushan Jun.

She respected her senior brother, but she had never thought about being with him.

She also wrote in her letter that she did not know if this letter would arrive in time, but regardless of whether it did, in brief…

She would not marry him.

...

...

It was a very simple ten or so lines, a very clear meaning, but it was lacking a bit in reasoning.

Everyone in the hall stared in shock at the letter in Prince Chen Liu's hands, incapable of speech.

Why? Just what was the reason for all this? How could she speak so calmly, so certainly?

This marriage was a marriage alliance between the southern sects and the Great Zhou Dynasty, the combined will of the Divine Empress, the Pope, the Holy Maiden of the south, and the Mount Li Sword Sect. In the face of this terrifying will, even if she was Xu Yourong, what reason did she have to reject it?

Xu Yourong used the final sentence of this letter to give an explanation to the entire world.

This explanation was very simple, yet irrefutable.

It was very similar to the explanation given for why Chen Changsheng opposed her engagement with Qiushan Jun.

"Because I already have an engagement. I have a fiancé called Chen Changsheng."

...

...

The hall was absolutely silent.

Earlier, no one had believed Chen Changsheng's words. Even when it was proved that his marriage contract was real, no one had sincerely acknowledged this matter, until the White Crane brought the letter, brought Xu Yourong's stance. This letter seemed to deliver a slap to everyone's faces.

Previously, when Mo Yu had been reading the letter, she was silently thinking, this stubborn girl, just what does she want to do?

Luoluo's eyes twinkled with stars as she sighed in praise, "She really is Xu Yourong…so cool."

Chen Changsheng slightly lowered his head, looking at his reflection in the golden bricks of the hall. When Prince Chen Liu had been reading the letter to the entire crowd, his expression had gradually grown calmer as the letter was read, his mind more relaxed, yet in the end, he was still left with a tinge of indescribable confusion.

You clearly don't want to marry, yet tonight you wrote this sort of letter. Just why did you do all this?

Just then, the White Crane slowly walked over to him and extended its neck to enthusiastically prod at him.

Chen Changsheng raised his head. Seeing the White Crane, he chuckled and snuggled its thin neck in the crook of his arm as he softly petted it.

Seeing this sight, the hall grew even quieter.

Everyone knew that other than when it was sending mail, this White Crane was inseparable from Xu Yourong, and it was extremely proud and aloof. Its closeness with Chen Changsheng could only mean that it and Chen Changsheng were old friends, extremely familiar with each other.

If the crane was like this, then what of the person?

It turned out that everything within the letter was true, not an excuse. And it wasn't because Xu Yourong was respecting her grandfather's dying wish and compelled into this marriage.

Perhaps she and this youth called Chen Changsheng were the true childhood sweethearts.

"Childhood sweethearts? Love more solid than gold?"

Tang Thirty-Six said as he looked at Gou Hanshi and the people of the southern diplomatic mission.

These were both phrases Gou Hanshi had used to describe the feelings between Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong.

Tang Thirty-Six's seemingly indifferent smile contained much jeering and ridicule.

"It looks to me like he was just imagining things, no?"


Capítulo 69: The White Emperor as Surname (I)

To spend one's entire life hunting geese but then have an eye pecked blind by a goose, or be slapped in the face by a goose—this saying was truthfully not completely appropriate for tonight's situation, but after Xu Yourong's letter and Tang Thirty-Six's two comments, many people really did get this sort of feeling, their faces seeming to be in scorching hot pain.

(TN: The line about hunting geese but being blinded by one is uttered by Sun Wukong in the Chinese novel 'Journey to the West'. It is said when Sun Wukong, who usually swindles things from others, is swindled by the Bull King.)

Xu Shiji had a very nasty expression. Of course, since the opening of tonight's Ivy Festival, the look on his face had seemingly never been very good. Separated by a large distance, he stared at Chen Changsheng, dark flames burning in his eyes. At this moment, for the sake of redeeming the dignity of the Xu Estate, for the sake of regaining the Empress's trust, he was required to do a few things—even if this was the Imperial Palace, he still wanted to kill Chen Changsheng.

Amongst the Imperial Guards surrounding Chen Changsheng and Luoluo was his most loyal subordinate, a so-called suicide soldier. This person tightly held the hilt of his blade, his expression equally frustrated and helpless as the rest of his compatriots, but his gaze was fixated on Chen Changsheng's nape. This person's gaze was not at all cold, so as not to arouse the attention of others, but it was extremely focused.

Xu Shiji only needed to narrow his eyes to send the signal, and Chen Changsheng's neck would be cut by a swift blade—this blade truly was very swift.

But this gory scene had no chance to occur, because just as Xu Shiji was beginning to harbor the notion, two indifferent gazes fell upon his body. One gaze was from the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. This elder who often had his eyes shut, seemingly greedy for sleep, was still able to open his eyes and say a few words at the most crucial of moments, or even just open his eyes—opening one's eyes was an extremely simple action, faster than waving a hand, swifter than drawing a blade. The other gaze falling on Xu Shiji's body came from a person he absolutely did not expect: Lady Mo Yu. Xu Shiji's expression fluctuated, but he ultimately chose to do nothing. If it were just the archbishop's warning, perhaps he would have strived for a single strike, but Mo Yu's gaze utterly drained him of resolve.

The situation within the hall was extremely tense and also extremely embarrassing, so it also became extremely quiet. When Tang Thirty-Six spoke his two jeering comments, the southerners naturally grew angry, yet they were unable to respond. Just then, a voice suddenly rose up from the scattered seats in the hall.

"A deceased grandfather's order ought to be respected, but…what sort of major event is a marriage alliance between the north and south? In order to oppose the demons, what do a few sacrifices made by one person amount to?"

From the position of the seat, the speaker seemed to be an ordinary student who had passed the pre-examination for the Grand Examination. No one knew exactly why they said these words, but it was probably because they were a youth who had spent their life in study, and the reason they studied and cultivated was naturally for the continued future of humanity, thus causing them to say such words.

After these words were said, the silent hall grew even quieter. Every person was silent, but they were not using the silence to express their disapproval. It was because they clearly knew that though these words were completely unreasonable, they were also the final hope for this marriage to succeed. Thus, the crowd used their silence to remove themselves from the matter and to allow the youth who had spoken these words to take center stage.

Chen Changsheng turned towards the origin of the voice and saw a youth with a slightly frustrated and serious expression. He understood that this person really did think this way, so he wasn't angry, only somewhat sorrowful. Emperor Taizong had clearly led the united army of the humans and demi-humans to drive the demons back to Xuelao City, yet humans were still unable to pull away from the shadow of the past.

"Humans turned out to be truly very shameless."

Another voice echoed through the quiet palace. This was a seemingly ordinary remark, but in reality, it was an assessment of the entire human world delivered from a very high place or the very cold opposite bank of a river. What made the humans in the hall even angrier was that because of that previous moment of silence, they found themselves incapable of refuting this assessment.

This marriage between the north and south was, at the beginning, a grand occasion for the human world, yet when the southerners came to propose marriage, they concealed the matter from Xu Yourong. If any problems popped up afterward, the southern sects and the Great Zhou Imperial Court would probably have used the 'order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker' argument. But when Chen Changsheng appeared with marriage contract in hand, the crowd finally thought to respect Xu Yourong's opinion. Then, however, the White Crane gracefully landed, bearing Xu Yourong's clear stance, and now someone had actually spoken of needing to put the benefit of humanity above all else…

If one spoke with these people about benefit, they would speak about feelings. If one spoke with them about feelings, they would bring up virtue. If one spoke with them about virtue, they would counter with reason. In brief, if these people could not win the argument, when they were lacking in justification, they would constantly change the subject until matters proceeded according their view, their imagination.

This was truly very shameless.

The person who uncovered the pretense and exposed the shamelessness of everyone present under the light of the Night Pearls was Luoluo.

She made no effort to conceal her anger and contempt, saying to everyone in the hall, "Do any of you care for your dignity?"

The southerners sitting at the front of the hall found their fury difficult to suppress. Guan Feibai, who had already been restraining himself for a very long time, suddenly stood up and shouted, "Impudent!"

Luoluo glanced at him, wanting to scold him back a word or two, but was concerned that Chen Changsheng would get angry and so only gave two grunts.

Chen Changsheng rubbed her head and smiled. "There's no need to engage in a battle of words with these people."

On the side, Tang Thirty-Six shook his head. "Since you want to fight, it's vital that you not lose on the cursing aspect."

Chen Changsheng thought this over, then replied, "That's reasonable, but I'm really not skilled in that aspect."

"If you want to learn, I'll teach you."

Tang Thirty-Six said to him, then he turned to the seating area for the southern diplomatic mission, his gaze falling on Guan Feibai, cursing, "She's talking about you lot! Even a girl can see how shameless your conduct is; are you saying that none of you can sense it? Impudent? Impudent your mother!"

Guan Feibai flew into a rage, his eyes turning frigidly cold.

Just then, the White Crane lightly prodded Chen Changsheng's palm with its beak.

A little startled, Chen Changsheng glanced at it. Although they had not met for several years, they had still once interacted with each other, so he could vaguely understand its intentions. Of course, it was undoubtedly her intention as well. He pondered: since tonight's goal was achieved, they truly should leave as soon as possible, or else it would…make some people feel very awkward.

"Let's go," he said to Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six.

"Go?"

Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong stared at them, his expression cold. "You three little things think you can just leave?"

Hearing this, Luoluo slightly perked her slender brows. Chen Changsheng wanted to take her and Tang Thirty-Six and leave so that the southern diplomatic mission would have a way out. However, to outsiders, it looked like they were the ones yielding ground. She was already rather uncomfortable, and seeing that the other side was still not prepared to let the matter drop, she was determined to not show weakness.

"You old thing, you would dare to obstruct us?"

Elder Xiao Songgong's complexion turned even nastier, every wrinkle on his face beginning to exude a vicious Qi. With his cultivation only one step from the Saint Realm, from the first moment he saw Luoluo, he was able to faintly understand that she was not a human. Because of some certain matters from the past, he had never had any good impressions about demi-humans. To be more precise, he had nothing but malice for them.

With his status, how could he care about a little demi-human? What would it matter if he randomly exterminated her?

Xiao Songgong coldly declared, "Without discussing anyone else's business, earlier, you, little girl, spoke rudely to this elder. I might be forced to discipline you in place of your family's elders."

At the words 'your family's elders', Luoluo's brows rose up as she rather angrily said, "Just what sort of thing are you that you dare boast so shamelessly!"

On the first night of the Ivy Festival, she had said something similar to the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy.

On the third night of the Ivy Festival, she spoke similar words, but Xiao Songgong was an elder of Mount Li, far more respected than the Heavenly Dao Academy. However, in her eyes, how were these two people any different?

Xiao Songgong had originally thought that since he was in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, he should give the people of Zhou a little face, especially in case he alarmed the Divine Empress, which would be highly inappropriate. But tonight's successive humiliations, especially this little girl's utter lack of respect for him, made it impossible for him to control his emotions, so he let out a sudden shout!

The Night Pearls within the hall flickered. Elder Xiao Songgong still remained at his original position, his sword still in his sheath, but an extremely swift and forceful sword intent had already left the sheath and was now shooting towards Luoluo!

Although Luoluo had already proved her strength on the first night of the Ivy Festival, she was still a young girl. Let alone her, even Qiushan Jun was no match for Xiao Songgong who was only a step from the Saint Realm. In the face of such powerful sword intent, how could she possibly have any strength to withstand it?

Xiao Songgong was clearly still afraid of the consequences, so this sword intent was not too fierce. It would probably not threaten Luoluo's life, but injuries were inevitable.

Only this way could he vent his anger from tonight, could he leave a deep enough lesson in these juniors.

He felt himself to be lenient enough, yet he had not expected that there were some people that could not be injured.

"You can't!" Prince Chen Liu's complexion somewhat paled as he hurriedly shouted.

Mo Yu's expression suddenly turned cold, her willowy eyebrows rising like swords as she shouted, "Stay your hand!"

Xiao Songgong's cultivation was too high, so they simply could not block his strike. They could only hope that he could hear their cries and rein in the horse before it galloped off the cliff.

In the hall, the only expert able to match strengths with Xiao Songgong was Mao Qiuyu, Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy. He was the only one capable of blocking Xiao Songgong's strike.

Mao Qiuyu's cloth robe lightly swayed as he stared at the sword intent flying through the air. His two eyes were like those of a god, filled with dense mists of rain.

Prince Chen Liu, Mo Yu, and Mao Qiuyu were the people in the hall who reacted fastest to Xiao Songgong's attack, but they were not the first to react.

The first to react was Chen Changsheng.

No one noticed when he managed to stand in front of Luoluo.

Just like that night, and just like that other night as well.

From the time Luoluo took him as her teacher, he truly regarded Luoluo as his student, so he had to ensure her safety.

This was his responsibility that then became instinct.

Chen Changsheng appeared before the quick and forceful sword intent.

Xiao Songgong expressionlessly gazed at him. Since he couldn't kill anyone in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace but wanted to injure someone to show his power, being able to heavily injure this youth would be even better.

If he could cripple this youth in a single strike, would Xu Yourong really marry him in the future?

Of course, if this youth's luck was not good and he died, that might be even better.

Mao Qiuyu was already prepared to move.

His two sleeves lightly swayed as if dancing in a cool breeze.

Yet right after, his two sleeves suddenly went still.

Not because he saw that Chen Changsheng was going to die, but because someone else had acted first.

A figure exploded onto the scene from a shadow in the corner of the hall!

This figure was fast to a nigh unimaginable level, his momentum as intense as a flame, so much so that an ear-grating howl ripped through the air!


Load failed, please RETRY

Regalos

Regalo -- Regalo recibido

    Estado de energía semanal

    Desbloqueo caps por lotes

    Tabla de contenidos

    Opciones de visualización

    Fondo

    Fuente

    Tamaño

    Gestión de comentarios de capítulos

    Escribe una reseña Estado de lectura: C68
    No se puede publicar. Por favor, inténtelo de nuevo
    • Calidad de Traducción
    • Estabilidad de las actualizaciones
    • Desarrollo de la Historia
    • Diseño de Personajes
    • Antecedentes del mundo

    La puntuación total 0.0

    ¡Reseña publicada con éxito! Leer más reseñas
    Votar con Piedra de Poder
    Rank 200+ Clasificación PS
    Stone 3 Piedra de Poder
    Denunciar contenido inapropiado
    sugerencia de error

    Reportar abuso

    Comentarios de párrafo

    Iniciar sesión

    tip Comentario de párrafo

    ¡La función de comentarios de párrafo ya está en la Web! Mueva el mouse sobre cualquier párrafo y haga clic en el icono para agregar su comentario.

    Además, siempre puedes desactivarlo en Ajustes.

    ENTIENDO