章 11: Chun Fei Seeks an Audience
編集者: Atlas Studios
Wenyuan Pavilion had been the place where the imperial family kept various classics for the past hundreds of years. The martial arts manuals hidden in it were indeed incomparably better than those of most first-class sects in the world.
Perhaps only a few top schools — such as the Shaolin Temple, Wudang Mountain, Chunyang Gate, and Sword Imperial City, all of which had stood for more than a thousand years and had a longer history than the Great Xia Dynasty — might have more martial arts secrets and manuals hidden in their own sect.
And thus, to most martial arts practitioners, Wenyuan Pavilion had a great appeal.
Lin Ping had known about the existence of Wenyuan Pavilion since a few years ago, and after his cultivation reached grade-8, he would also slip in to secretly read and browse through the many martial arts secrets and manuals.
However, after flipping through them, Lin Ping had no interest anymore.
There were indeed many martial arts manuals recorded in the Wenyuan Pavilion, and many of them allowed one to reach the top-tier grandmaster realm.
However, Lin Ping, who had a check-in system, was not short of peerless martial arts, merely time.
Moreover, there would be extra gifts that came along when he checked in using the System, allowing the process to be simple and easy. Thus, there was really no need for him to learn other martial arts.
…Unless it was a martial art that could allow people to regrow their severed limbs.
If there was such a martial art, then without a need to even consider, Lin Ping would definitely do everything possible to get it and then practice it day and night.
It was a pity that after searching the Wenyuan Pavilion, he didn't manage to find any such martial art.
And thus after a few times, Lin Ping lost interest in the Pavilion.
If it hadn't been for the current check-in location being in the Wenyuan Pavilion, Lin Ping would not have come.
"It turns out they are the Black and White Impermanence?"
Lin Ping hid in the dark. After hearing the whispers of the two men, he managed to guess their identities.
One donned a black robe, while the other donned a white robe. They were supposedly inseparable, and although they each had a cultivation base of grade-8, they were able to contend against a grade-9 if they were to join forces.
The elder brother liked to collect various martial arts manuals, while the other younger one was lecherous…
Combining all the clues, it was not hard for him to guess the identities of the two.
Although Lin Ping had only focused on cultivating silently and in a low-key manner while checking in whenever he could, he was still up to date and knew about the current situation in the Jianghu and the few top martial arts masters.
After seeing the two whisper for a while before slipping into the Pavilion, Lin Ping quickly left quietly and returned to the Changmen Palace.
Being nosy was not his personality.
Although he had stayed in the imperial compound for almost eight years, he did not really have anything to do with it. Why would it matter to him if a culprit snuck into the Wenyuan Pavilion? Even if the Emperor's concubine was taken away, it had nothing to do with him.
It was not his wife anyway!
Furthermore.
Listening to the conversation between the Black and White Impermanence and their tone, it seemed that when they joined forces, they were not even afraid of going against a grade-9 great grandmaster.
As a result, Lin Ping couldn't even bother to stop them!
Although he felt that with his current strength, it should not be a problem for him to deal with both of them, but what if he couldn't?
And even if the Black and White Impermanence were really not his opponent, his identity would be exposed once they fought.
When that happened, he would no longer be able to check in in peace anymore.
…
…
When Lin Ping returned to Changmen Palace, he found out that Chun Fei was gone once again, and the maid Yun Su was alone in the palace.
Lin Ping didn't really care about such a situation as he had already been used to it over the years.
Since the incident six years ago where he killed Zhu Dayong, the deputy chief of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Chun Fei and Yun Su's attitude towards him had changed drastically. They no longer regarded him as a sweeping eunuch, but rather as a backer.
However, under Lin Ping's request, the two sides did not interfere too much with each other's lives.
Chun Fei was still Chun Fei, while Lin Ping continued to be the eunuch that was in charge of sweeping the floor. What happened that night was assumed to have never happened.
However, because of Chun Fei's role in helping Lin Ping keep things secret, when there was a problem or danger that Chun Fei could not deal with, Lin Ping would help her depending on the situation. However, that was provided that it was within his capabilities.
However, Lin Ping had also told her upfront that his strength was not as strong as the speculations that were spreading!
Ever since Zhu Dayong died in the Changmen Palace, there had been rumors that there was a grade-8 grandmaster hiding there. However, Lin Ping told the two that he only had a grade-7 cultivation base.
The only reason why he could kill off the assassin so easily that night was because of his good luck and his opponent letting down his guard.
And thus, if an assassin of grade-6 or below came to the Changmen Palace, Lin Ping would take action.
But if it was a grade-7 grandmaster, then Lin Ping would make the decision after looking at the situation.
As for the arrival of a grade-8 grandmaster, Lin Ping might not even be able to take care of himself, let alone make a move against him!
After Chun Fei heard this, she merely thought about it for a moment before quickly agreeing.
There were not so many grade-7 grandmasters in the imperial compound. Even the dead Zhu Dayong was ranked top 20 among the 100,000 eunuchs. As long as Lin Ping could help deal with those of grade-7, it was already of sufficient help.
As for those in grade-8, not to mention the imperial palace, even the entire capital didn't have many of such grandmasters.
She and Yun Su knew of Lin Ping's true strength, but the others didn't.
Lin Ping's record of easily killing Zhu Dayong was there, and the outside world speculated that he was most likely to be in the grade-8 realm. Those people would not easily take action until they had clearly investigated everything about Lin Ping.
Of course, Lin Ping's warning was also regarded as a restriction on Chun Fei, making sure that she did not dare to act too recklessly.
In the past six years, even though she had figured out the secrets about the incident regarding her sister Li Guifei, she did not dare to act rashly until she had conclusive evidence.
After all, if she couldn't gather sufficient evidence to have the Empress punished as the mastermind behind the framing of her sister back then, it would result in an act of crazy revenge from the Empress.
At that time, even if there was a suspected grade-8 grandmaster hidden in the Changmen Palace, it would probably be useless.
There would definitely be a real grade-8 grandmaster at their doorstep.
And her current backer, Lin Ping, was actually only of grade-7.
Therefore, although Chun Fei would go out every few nights, she did not make a lot of commotion and was carefully carrying out her own plan and collecting evidence.
As a result, Lin Ping had never needed to make a move in the Changmen Palace in the past six years!
Lin Ping was happy with such a situation.
Wasn't it good for him to cultivate peacefully and easily? What was the point of all the fighting and killing?
However, tonight seemed a little different…
When Lin Ping returned to the Changmen Palace, Yun Su was not resting in her room but was walking around in the courtyard, her eyes obviously a little anxious.
"Lin Ping, you're back."
Seeing Lin Ping, Yun Su quickly stopped to greet him nervously.
"Miss Yun Su, what's the matter?" Lin Ping asked.
"No—nothing. I'm just waiting for Her Majesty to come back." Yun Su shook her head.
Lin Ping merely nodded in response.
He could see that Yun Su was different tonight. There should be a situation, but since she didn't say anything, Lin Ping didn't bother with it and turned back to go into his house.
…
…
At night, the Changchun Palace where the Empress lived was brightly lit.
The Emperor who had not stayed over in this palace for a long time came here tonight.
No one knew what had happened, but the sound of a cup smashing onto the ground could be heard.
Empress Xie Feiyan hurriedly asked the maid to come and clean the ground.
"Trash! The huge Eastern Depot is a bunch of trash! They were given so much power and financial resources at ordinary times, and yet, at such a critical moment, they couldn't even invite a grade-9 great grandmaster!" the Emperor scolded angrily.
The Empress persuaded softly at his side. "Your Majesty, please calm down. I heard that Dugu Xiong of the Bashan Sword Masters had already agreed, no?"
The Emperor said in a deep voice, "He did agree verbally. But only half a month is left before the barbarian envoys enter the capital. Yet, Dugu Xiong is nowhere to be seen. Who knows if he will really come by then? Even if he really arrives, just one grade-9 great grandmaster is not enough to support us."
Although this was what he said, the Emperor was clear in his heart. The rights and financial resources he usually gave the East Depot were great indeed. However, the responsibility of the East Depot was not to win over the big sects but to try to weaken and suppress the sects.
Now that the imperial court was in trouble, how would it be easy for the East Depot to win over the great experts from any of the various sects?
Therefore, although the Emperor was angry, he couldn't remove Feng Bao from his position as the superintendent of the Eastern Depot. Instead, he had to win him over.
After all, the eunuch Feng Bao was now rumored to be only one step away from grade-9, which would be of great use to him.
After that, the Emperor turned to look at the Empress and asked unhappily, "What did your brother say? I have asked him to invite his master, 'Invincible Iron Fist' Shi Chengtian, to come out of the mountains. Why didn't he give me an answer?"
The Empress's brother Xie Feihong was the General Who Stabilizes the North, one of the Four Great Generals of the Great Xia Dynasty, and his master Shi Chengtian was also a great grandmaster who had long been a grade-9.
The Empress knew that this was the most important reason for the Emperor staying in her Changchun Palace tonight.
And thus, she was also very witty and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, my brother is making every effort to persuade his master this time. I believe he will give Your Majesty a satisfactory answer."
The Emperor snorted coldly. "I hope that's the case! The others are fine, but your brother is part of the imperial family. If he can't even do this, how can he be the General Who Stabilizes the North?"
At the same moment.
Noises could be heard outside the Changchun Palace, and a guard shouted, "Be careful! There are assassins!"
"Protect the Emperor and the Empress!"
"Eh, isn't this Your Majesty Chun Fei? Why are you not staying at the Changmen Palace but have come to the Changchun Palace instead?"
The Emperor and Empress quickly heard what was happening outside.
The Empress's face changed slightly, and she immediately stood up and scolded, "Someone, come here and quickly escort Chun Fei back to the Changmen Palace!"
No one knew what the Emperor was thinking. He suddenly shouted loudly, "Let Chun Fei come in. I want to hear the reason why she has come to the Changchun Palace tonight."
The Empress looked very anxious when she heard this and quickly tried to persuade him. "Your Majesty—"
The Emperor waved his hand and interrupted, "There is no need for you to say anything. If Chun Fei has no suitable reason, please be rest assured that I will help you punish her!"
After which, Chun Fei was escorted into the palace quickly.
-- 贈り物
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