Chapter 73: Resolving Old Grudges

The next day.

Central Heaven City, Xingping Ward.

Chen Yi and the others arrived at the residence. As soon as they met, he laughed heartily, ‘Why did you hide here? If Big Brother hadn’t told us, we wouldn’t have been able to find you.’

‘It wasn’t to hide from Zhao Juhan and those students from the Literature Institute,’ Ding Suian said with a wry smile.

The incident at Yunshao Tower the night before had two direct consequences.

One was that his Zhongji Acupoint felt blocked and congested, remaining in a state similar to a low fever to this day.

The other consequence was that his house in Chilao Alley was surrounded.

He didn’t know who had leaked the news, but in short, from daybreak today, a group of Literature Institute students had come knocking, wanting to ask him for academic advice.

Asking for academic advice my foot!

If I talk about ‘Deng Lu Pan Xiaoxian’ or ‘Immortal Cave under the Grapevine,’ would you even listen?

Among them, that Zhao Juhan, who had inscribed ‘Jiaoniang Quaking,’ insisted on taking Ding Suian as his master.

That guy was even older than Li Baicheng!

‘But having said that, your ‘Memories of Qin’e’ is indeed a rare masterpiece. Even Princess Xingguo praised its majestic spirit,’ Chen Yi said, then asked doubtfully, ‘How many years did you study, Yuanxi?’

‘I learned some characters from my father when I was young, but I never attended a school,’ Ding Suian replied truthfully.

Currently, the new house was empty; he hadn’t even had time to buy tables and chairs.

The group sat in a line on the stone steps.

Hearing this, Li Meimei leaned over to look at Ding Suian and asked in surprise, ‘Could it be that you are a genius gifted by heaven? To be able to compose such heroic verses after only learning a few characters from your father makes me feel like all the books I’ve read over the years were read into a dog’s stomach.’

‘Who hasn’t?’

Chen Yi chimed in and added, ‘You don’t know yet, do you, Yuanxi? After you left last night, Second Brother observed the poem and broke through his Realm, entering the Yugang Realm!’

‘There’s such a happy event?’

Ding Suian was also quite pleasantly surprised.

Body Refining, Manifesting Elemental State, Astral, Yugang Realm—reaching the Yugang Realm meant one was close to the top combat power of Great Wu.

The Duke of Zhenguo, Xia Jiye, who was known as the God of War of Great Wu, was also in the Yugang Realm, only he was at the Peak of the Yugang Realm.

It was said he had hope of breaking through to a higher Realm, but unfortunately, he died for his country.

Ding Suian knew very little about anything above the Astral Realm. With such a Second Brother in the Yugang Realm by his side, he could always ask for experience and advice on the path of cultivation in the future.

‘It’s not just Second Brother who benefited from your poem, Yuanxi. It is said that Zhao Juhan also broke through his Realm that same night. Otherwise, why would he be clinging to you so shamelessly to become your disciple?’ Li Meimei added.

Ding Suian was very surprised that a single poem could cause two people to break through their Realms.

In his opinion, the heroic spirit and unyielding character contained in the poem ‘Memories of Qin’e’ were one aspect.

On the other hand, it was related to the unwillingness and resentment of people who had nowhere to vent after the disastrous defeat in the national war.

It was like a balloon filled with water; ‘Memories of Qin’e’ was the needle that gently pricked it, causing the balloon to burst and water to splash everywhere.

Just then, the attendant waiting outside the mansion gate hurriedly entered.

‘Your Highness, someone is asking to see you outside.’

‘Oh?’

Chen Yi looked at Ding Suian. This was his house, so naturally, Ding Suian would decide whether to see them.

‘No, no. They are quite well-informed to have found this place so quickly.’

Ding Suian assumed it was that group of students again.

But the attendant whispered, ‘The person who came is Headmaster Tao.’

The people sitting there turned their heads sharply. Gao Gan and Li Meimei said in unison, ‘Headmaster Tao of the Literature Institute?’

‘Exactly.’

The few of them looked at Ding Suian again.

Great Wu had a saying about the ‘Two Academies and Two Bureaus’.

The two bureaus referred to the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

Among the two bureaus, the Imperial Academy trained reserve officials for the country; although the Imperial Astronomical Bureau did not hold imperial examinations, the Bureau Chief Teacher personally took in a few students, and his status was relatively transcendent.

The two academies referred to the State Religion’s Literature Institute and the Law Academy.

Similar to preparatory classes, after studying at these two academies, outstanding individuals might become Cultivators of the State Religion.

With the current momentum of the State Religion, the influence of the two academies naturally could not be underestimated.

The Headmaster of the Literature Institute was also a resounding figure in Great Wu.

Ding Suian thought for a moment, stood up and said, ‘Everyone, wait a moment. I will go to the front to see.’

The group watched his back, feeling a bit worried.

About half an hour later.

Ding Suian returned, his expression somewhat strange.

The group looked at each other, and finally, Chen Yi asked, ‘Yuanxi, what did Headmaster Tao come for?’

‘Headmaster Tao wants to hire me as a Dharma Protector of the Literature Institute.’

‘.’

‘.’

The room fell silent instantly.

You must know that the catalyst for their sworn brotherhood was the joint killing of a Green-Robed Cultivator.

If this matter were leaked, they would be mortal enemies with the State Religion.

Now, the Literature Institute was hiring the mastermind as a Dharma Protector?

How bizarre.

Gao Gan couldn’t help but whisper, ‘Yuanxi, how did you refuse?’

‘Refuse? Why would I refuse?’

Ding Suian sat on the steps, looked around at everyone, and laughed, ‘I accepted.’

The group looked at each other in dismay.

Finally, Chen Yi reacted first, laughing loudly, then cupped his hands in greeting, teasing, ‘Hahaha, good. Greetings, Dharma Protector Ding. I hope you will take care of us in the future.’

‘Haha, easy, easy.’

It was not hard to guess why the Literature Institute hired Ding Suian as a Dharma Protector.

It was probably still because of that poem ‘Memories of Qin’e’. One poem helped two people break through their Realms; why wait to recruit such a treasure into their own camp?

It was also a fact that Ding Suian and the seven others had killed an Immortal. But no one knew that!

The Sixth Brother would blend into the interior of the State Religion with a transcendent status. If there was any disturbance, everyone would be able to know in advance.

Now, sitting in front of you was: the youngest Dutou of the Great Wu Imperial Guard, the up-and-coming talent of the West Yamen’s Shadow Division, the highly paid Dharma Protector of the Literature Institute, the mole of the Seven of Zhongyin who infiltrated the State Religion, the male confidant of the Princess Consort of Lanyang.

On the same day.

Lanyang Prefecture City.

Early in the morning, a convoy of four carriages drove out of the City. When they reached the Ten-Mile Pavilion east of the City, Prefect Li Fengrao led the assistant officials, including the Vice Prefect and the Magistrate, to wait in the hall in person.

Lin Hansu got off the carriage and expressed her gratitude to the parents and officials for seeing her off.

Her response was appropriate, with courtesy and etiquette.

Although the widowed Princess Consort before them was a woman, none of the officials present dared to underestimate her.

A few months ago, no one would have thought that the Princess Consort, who was about to mourn her husband, would be able to turn the clouds and rain with a flip of her hand, uprooting the Du Family, a few months later.

Her temperament was firm and decisive, her methods sharp and ruthless, and with the shadow of the West Yamen vaguely behind her—aside from the status of Princess Consort, she was also a formidable figure.

‘The Princess Consort has received the decree from Her Highness to return home for mourning. In the future, if the Princess Consort has leisure, you may return to Lanyang to visit.’

Li Fengrao gave a heartfelt speech.

But it didn’t make sense for so many officials to see her off in person just because of ‘respect’.

What was more important and concrete was that when the Princess Consort cleared out the land forcibly and secretly occupied by the Prince’s Mansion, she gave out ten thousand acres of public land to win the cooperation of the Prefectural Government.

Although the high officials took the big share, the small officials took the small share, and the yamen runners drank the soup, it was an undeniable fact that the entire Prefectural Government benefited.

At parting, Li Fengrao lowered his voice and said, ‘Before the Princess Consort leaves, the Prefectural Government has prepared a small gift. It is at the Chensagang five miles ahead. Please, Princess Consort, accept it with a smile.’

Lin Hansu must have known what this gift was, and replied steadily, ‘Thank you, Magistrate Li.’

At the hour of Si, Lin Hansu boarded the carriage, and the carriage rattled eastward.

Of the four carriages, except for her own, the other three were only enough to hold some bedding, jewelry, and clothing.

The remaining large items, such as the bed she was used to sleeping on, the vanity case, the long couch, etc., were transported by boat via the waterway.

Compared to the bumpy carriage, traveling by boat was undoubtedly more comfortable.

The reason Lin Hansu chose the land route was precisely to personally collect the ‘gift’ from the Prefectural Government.

‘Hook this side, hook this side!’

‘.’

‘Zhao Yan, you are so stupid. Just hook this side and it will form a ‘flowered cross’!”

Inside the carriage, Ruan Ruan and Zhao Yan were playing a game of ‘cat’s cradle’.

Lin Hansu had stopped playing this kind of childish game that only little girls played when she was eight.

Lin Hansu watched listlessly for a while, when the carriage, which hadn’t gone far, stopped again. She only heard Granny Zhang whisper outside the carriage, ‘Your Highness, we have arrived at Chensagang.’

‘Hmm.’

Lin Hansu responded, and with the support of Granny Zhang’s hand, she got out of the carriage.

There was a dense forest on Chensagang.

At the foot of the ridge, Head Constable Jiao seemed to have been waiting here for a while.

Seeing the Princess Consort and Granny Zhang walking up to the ridge, Wang Xigui gave a look, and he and Gongye Ni followed on the left and right.

On Chensagang, in the dense forest.

Two yamen runners unlocked the heavy shackles on Second Master Du and Third Master Du.

Seeing the yamen runner handing over clear water and flour cakes, Third Master Du’s mind became active, ‘Brother, people have ups and downs in fortune. Don’t look at us brothers having bad luck now, but sooner or later, we will make a comeback. At that time, I will definitely reward you heavily.’

The yamen runner heard this and teased, ‘Then this little one will thank the Third Master in advance.’

‘Easy, easy.’

Third Master Du stretched his sore neck and started wolfing down the flour cake.

Three months ago, because of the farce in front of the Prince’s Mansion, the two were detained by Li Fengrao for the crime of ‘false accusation’.

At that time, although the brothers were anxious, they still had some confidence.

But this confidence turned to ashes with a loud bang on the night of the seventeenth of the first lunar month.

Since that day, the supply of good wine and food was suddenly cut off, and the jailers’ attitude toward them gradually turned cold from the initial flattery and enthusiasm.

Later on, Li Fengrao personally sentenced the two to ‘one hundred strokes of the heavy staff, exile for two thousand miles, and banishment to Hongzhou’.

Last month, that beating almost killed both of them.

Now that their wounds had just healed, they had embarked on the road of exile.

Thinking of all this, it was all because of that little punk and Lin Hansu, Third Master Du couldn’t help but grind his teeth with hatred.

The chewing force increased a bit.

‘Crack~’

The sound of stepping on dry branches made both brothers look up at the same time.

In the forest, a slender figure walked slowly.

A moment later, Lin Hansu walked gracefully to a spot three zhang away from the two, stood still, and looked down at them.

‘Why did you come!’

Third Master Du couldn’t stand Lin Hansu’s gaze. Indifferent, extremely indifferent.

There wasn’t even any hatred.

More than four months ago, this woman was still a lamb waiting to be slaughtered in his eyes.

‘You look down on me? You dare to look down on me? You, a merchant’s daughter, why do you look down on me?’

Lin Hansu’s gaze hurt Third Master Du. He roared and got up, intending to force his way forward.

But he was kicked over by Wang Xigui.

Compared to the emotionally wounded Third Master Du, Second Master Du had already sensed something was wrong and looked around in a panic to observe the surrounding environment.

At this time, Head Constable Jiao stepped up to the two, chuckled,’Second Master, Third Master, the Princess Consort is kind-hearted and does not want to see you two suffer. Now that the shackles are open, you two should run quickly.’

‘.’

Third Master Du was stunned and looked at Lin Hansu in confusion.

But Second Master Du’s words made him fall into an ice cellar, ‘If we run, won’t Head Constable Jiao kill us on the spot? Head Constable Jiao, you are an official of the Prefectural Government. Aren’t you afraid that the officials of the Prefectural Government will punish you for aiding and abetting?’

‘The officials? Hahaha.’

Head Constable Jiao seemed to have heard some ridiculous joke. After laughing loudly, his face turned cold instantly,’Since the two masters don’t know what’s good for them, then this little one will be rude.’

After speaking, he tilted his head, and the two yamen runners in charge of the escort immediately walked forward with whistles in their hands.

After getting close, without saying a word, a stick swung down.

‘Wait, I…’

Third Master Du subconsciously raised his hand to block. Before he could finish his sentence, the whistle stick, wrapped in the sound of breaking wind, had smashed down on his head.

‘Thud~’

With a muffled sound, a dent was visible on Third Master Du’s head.

Fresh blood streamed down his forehead.

Third Master Du’s arm-raising movement froze there. He maintained his sitting posture on the spot, and after two or three breaths, he leaned back.

He was dead.

Seeing this, Second Master Du couldn’t care about anything else. He crawled up with his hands and feet and ran towards the depths of the dense forest.

He ran and wailed, ‘Help! Help…’

This time, Head Constable Jiao chased after him personally.

Second Master Du had been beaten with the heavy staff last month, and his injuries had not yet healed. How could he run faster than the ferocious Head Constable Jiao?

After only ten steps, he was caught up by Head Constable Jiao behind him, and a knife was stabbed into his heart.

‘Save… save me… save me.’

Second Master Du didn’t die immediately. While crawling forward, he muttered indistinctly, blood foam gushing out between his lips.

Head Constable Jiao stepped forward again, stepped on his back, and pulled out the knife that had penetrated his body.

‘Chirp~’

It brought out a line of blood.

Second Master Du’s body lying on the ground trembled. He looked at the dense forest and died without understanding why, when he was just mourning a woman with little power, it ended up like this?

Where did it go wrong?

His eyes gradually lost their luster.

Head Constable Jiao reached out to check his breath, bent down to wipe the blood on the knife on Second Master Du’s body, and then walked towards Lin Hansu.

‘Heh, Your Highness, it’s handled properly~’

Lin Hansu nodded calmly. Granny Zhang on the side took out silver notes and handed them over, speaking for the Princess Consort, ‘Head Constable Jiao, take this silver to buy tea for your brothers.’

‘Heh, thank you for the reward, Your Highness~’

At the third quarter of the hour of Si.

Lin Hansu, who had not said a word from beginning to end, stepped down from Chensagang. Before boarding the carriage, she looked back at Lanyang City, which was only a black dot more than ten miles away.

She had lived here for more than six years.

To say she hated it, that wasn’t the case; everything was fate.

The only thing she regretted was that her best years were wasted. If she had been eighteen, and met the eighteen-year-old Young Master, how good that would have been.

She turned back and got into the carriage.

‘Zhao Yan, you hook this one, yes, yes, yes, this is called noodles.’

‘Eh, I thought it was very difficult. I learned it, I learned it, come again!’

Ruan Ruan, who was playing cat’s cradle with Zhao Yan, saw Lin Hansu return and asked, supporting the string with her hands, ‘What did Big Sister Princess Consort go to do?’

Lin Hansu smiled, ‘I handled a small matter. Now that I’m done, let’s set off.’

‘Does Big Sister Princess Consort want to play cat’s cradle?’

‘. Good!’

‘Ruan Ruan! We were playing well, are you not going to include me?’

‘Stupid! Three people can play together.’

‘Hmm, come on, I’ve already learned it.’

‘You’ve only learned a little bit, don’t be arrogant and complacent. You still have a song you haven’t learned yet.’

‘A song? Sing it for me to hear.’

‘Ahem. The string is new, turns into a square towel; the square towel breaks, turns into a thread weight; the thread weight is messy, turns into sliced noodles. Big Sister Princess Consort, sing along!’

‘Uh… this Palace…’

‘Oh, anyway, there are no outsiders, sing it together!’

‘Alright.’

‘The string is new, turns into a square towel; the square towel breaks, turns into a thread weight; the thread weight is messy, turns into sliced noodles; the noodles are few, turns into chicken feet; the chicken feet always want to scratch, turns into an old ox trough; the old ox comes to eat grass, it says the string is flipped well. Hahaha~’

‘Hahaha~’

The convoy headed east, facing the morning sun.

A string of silvery laughter was scattered along the way.

This chapter is over four thousand characters.

I read everyone’s suggestions last night and didn’t sleep much all night.

This book has achieved much better results in the new book period than before, but precisely because of this, I am more afraid of disappointing everyone’s expectations, and thus I am anxious and worried.

This poem ‘Memories of Qin’e’ was originally in the outline, involving the subsequent absorption of Protective Aura and the foreshadowing of the protagonist infiltrating the State Religion.

But after writing it yesterday, I already felt some problems, so I didn’t sleep last night, waiting for the chapter to be published to see everyone’s comments.

Sure enough, the reaction was not very good.

Today I deleted and edited, combined two chapters into one, and let’s get past this plot as soon as possible.