tender as Tong Yan's, which were there naturally. Her childish countenance was due to

lack of sufferings.

Jing Jiu felt that he had seen her face somewhere; then he remembered that he met her

at the Jing house last year when he was grinding his right arm against the demon bone,

and that she poured a cup of cold tea, which was boiled one day ago, for him.

Then, he remembered that this young woman seemed to be the granddaughter of the

current prime minister and have a loving affair with Jing Li.

As such, she should be the future wife of his nephew?!

These matters were kind of complicated, but Jing Jiu sorted them out soon. He thought

that this young woman's fortune was not bad though she was a little slow, because she

happened to meet him again.

It was much easier for the young woman to recognize Jing Jiu. Seeing his face, she

yelled in surprise, "Uncle, how come you are here?!"

The tears were still on her cheeks as she spoke.

The Net-Perception Temple was the royal Zen temple, so it was normal for the family

members of Prime Minister to come here. However, for a woman of her age, she either

came here to pray to the Buddha for a wish to come true, or she was here because she

was grounded in this place.

It was evident that she was facing a difficult issue in her life.

Her situation was the same as the Emperor.

Thinking of the att.i.tudes of the prime minister and other officials in the imperial court,

Jing Jiu suddenly said, "I want to drink tea."

…

…

Jing Jiu led Gu Qing to the Jing house after departure from the Net-Perception Temple.

The eaves of Taichang Temple had collected dusts, which couldn't be blown away by

the spring wind, and no spring rain had occurred recently; as such, the eaves couldn't

draw people's attention any longer.

Jing Jiu didn't look in the direction of Taichang Temple, nor did he press that green

brick. Rather, he asked Gu Qing to knock on the door.

As the door was pushed open, a young and mature face poked out of the door.

Seeing Gu Qing, an aghast and joyful expression suddenly showed on that face.

"Teacher!"

Jing Li happened to have the day off, so he was not in the palace.

He was the study partner of Prince Jing Yao and was taught by Gu Qing for a long

while, so he could be regarded as Gu Qing's student.

Gu Qing flashed a smile but didn't say anything; he stepped aside to reveal Jing Jiu

behind him.

Jing Li was taken aback initially but regained his senses quickly. He bowed to Jing Jiu

hastily and reverentially. His att.i.tude toward Jing Jiu was obviously different from his

att.i.tude toward Gu Qing.

This unaffectionate relations.h.i.+p between family members was abnormal.

Yet, Jing Jiu didn't feel displeased at his att.i.tude; on the other contrary, he felt

comfortable with it. "Tell your father to come here," he said to Jing Li.

Usually, Jing Jiu didn't need to speak under the circ.u.mstances, and all he needed to do

was to utter "hmm". But he realized over the years that not everybody could understand

him like Liu s.h.i.+sui, Zhao Layue and Gu Qing. They could understand his intentions

simply based on his eyes and bodily gestures. Even Yuan Qü couldn't achieve the feat.

As such, instead of explaining everything later, it would be much easier to lay everything

on the table in the very beginning.

The arrangements in the study room were, as expected, the same as before. Jing Jiu

reached out his hand reflexively to grab the bamboo chair, but he only grabbed the

empty s.p.a.ce. Then he remembered that he had left the bamboo chair for the Snow Girl

in that stone room. He had no choice but to walk to the desk and sit down; his sitting

posture was a bit rigid.

Gu Qing boiled a pot of tea, poured into a teacup and brought it to Jing Jiu.

Though Jing Jiu didn't take a fancy to tea, he had some knowledge about the qualities

of tea. Looking at the clean and thick tea water, Jing Jiu mused that the tea boiled by

Gu Qing was indeed much better than that poured by that young woman of Jing Li's.

The sound of footsteps could be heard outside the window. It was Jing Shang who

came back home in a hurry after being informed. He walked into the study room and

greeted Jing Jiu in a discreet manner.

The situation in the snowland was not as dangerous now. The Plum Meeting resumed.

The zither tournament had finished a few days ago; it was the chess tournament today.

All of Zhaoge City was busy due to the event.

Jing Shang had an unimportant position at Taichang Temple; so he was not as busy as

those officials of the Pure Heaven Bureau. Yet, he still had to stay at the temple all day

long.

Seeing the gray hair on his temples, Jing Jiu suddenly remarked, "I shouldn't have let

you bet on the outcomes of the chess tournament of the Plum Meeting and win money

back then. It was too much work. You should have simply given you a box of golden

leaves."

Jing Shang was taken aback slightly, wondering why he suddenly mentioned the event

that had happened so long ago.

"What are your thoughts on Jing Li's marriage?" Jing Jiu asked.

Jing Shang was startled this time, wondering why he cared about such a trivial matter.

"What…what is your suggestion?" Jing Shang stuttered after a pause.

"If you have no objection and Jing Li wants to marry her, then she should be brought

into this house."

Jing Jiu went on, "Gu Qing will be in charge of this matter. You people will listen to him."

Jing Shang looked at Gu Qing, his eyes full of helplessness. He wanted to tell Gu Qing

that Jing Jiu might not know the entanglement of the matter, but that Gu Qing had to tell

Jing Jiu about it.

With a smile, Gu Qing led Jing Shang out of the study room. As they arrived in a quiet

corner of the back garden, Gu Qing stared at Jing Shang's eyes and said seriously, "Go

to the Manor of Prime Minister and propose the marriage."

Jing Shang was stunned speechless, wondering what Gu Qing meant. Gu Qing didn't

explain his position, as he continued, "I heard that the son of State Duke Shan would

propose the marriage in eight days. As such, we have to go there earlier or on the same

day. Which day is more suitable in your opinion?"

"Now that you know the Manor of Prime Minister and the Manor of State Duke Shan

intend to build a bond by marriage, why do you still want us to propose the marriage?"

Jing Shang continued with a bitter smile, "As far as I know, that young mistress was

sent to the Net-Perception Temple waiting to be married. The att.i.tude of the Manor of

Prime Minister is evident."

"We have to try our best in this matter," Gu Qing said.

Jing Shang said after a sigh, "State Duke Shan has a connection with the Center Sect,

and is close to the Palace of Prince Jing Xin in recent years. I'm only an unimportant

official at Taichang Temple; how can I contend with them?"

Gu Qing said with a small smile, "You have the support of State Duke Lu, His Majesty,

and the Green Mountain Sect; so you can contend with anybody if you want to."

After returning to the study room, Gu Qing intended to tell Jing Jiu about Jing Shang's

att.i.tude and worries; but he held his tongue when he saw Jing Jiu looking at the

reflection in the mirror and paying no mind to this matter.

The relations.h.i.+p between his Master and the palace was quite enigmatic; no one knew

the truth up to now. Yet, it couldn't fool all the people in the world forever. If they

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forcefully intervened with the marriage between Jing Li and the young mistress of the

Manor of Prime Minister, the Center Sect would definitely believe that this was the

att.i.tude of the Emperor and a challenge from the Green Mountain Sect; more turbulence

would ensue as a result.

Jing Jiu set down the bronze mirror in his hand and remarked, "If we can't even settle

this marriage, how can Jing Yao become the Crown Prince?"

Gu Qing finally understood his Master's intention; if the marriage were successful, the

Prime Minister's att.i.tude would change, which could influence the opinion of the One-

Cottage House, at least making those scholars maintain a neutral stance, which would

again influence the censors of the imperial court and the scholars of the imperial

inst.i.tute. But...to make this marriage become a successful fruition, the att.i.tude of Prime

Minister had to be changed first, which meant that the One-Cottage House had to

change their view on Jing Yao; it was nearly impossible.

All of Chaotian knew that the hardest thing to change in this world was none of the oral

mantra of Green Mountain or the family name of the Center Sect, but the ideas of those

scholars at the One-Cottage House.

"I don't know that much about these sort of things. But I do know one thing: you have to

pay the matching price if you want to obtain anything. For instance, you should pay the

golden leaf for the goods you want to buy."

This reminded Jing Jiu of buying the conical hats without any money back when he and

Zhao Layue left Green Mountain for the first time. He continued after a pause, "You can

pay in silvers too."

Gu Qing listened to what his Master said carefully. It seemed that his Master's words

were sensible, and Jing Jiu used a logic he had never heard.

Jing Jiu added, "If we intend on persuading the One-Cottage House, we have to use

something in exchange."

Gu Qing had enough of this sort of conversation, as he thought everybody knew this

and it would indeed work; but what thing could they use in exchange to persuade the

One-Cottage House to change their view? Those scholars regarded the wealth the

same way they did the scattering clouds, and their views on power and status were no

different; and it probably wouldn't work even if the reign of the world were rewarded to

them in exchange.

For those scholars, their ideas were more important than ruling the world.

As the most outstanding disciple of Shenmo Peak and the candidate for the future sect

master of Green Mountain, Gu Qing was fully aware that it would be fruitless to discuss

this sort of issues with his Master, that he had to resolve it eventually on his own.

"Should I go to the Plum Meeting to take a look?" he asked Jing Jiu.

The Green Mountain Sect, as the leader of the orthodox Cultivation sects, had taken

part in the Plum Meeting.

What Gu Qing intended to do was remind Jing Jiu that it would make a difference when

the Green Mountain Sect offered their opinion instead of Shenmo Peak alone on

something as important as inheriting the throne.

"Fine," Jing Jiu said.

Gu Qing pressed, "Zhuo Rusui is the leader of the group this time. Should we let him

make the proposal?"

Though Zhuo Rusui's generation status was a bit low, he was nevertheless the personal

disciple of the Immortal Sect Master; so his ident.i.ty was special enough and his status

significant enough. Jing Jiu had a high opinion of Zhuo Rusui to begin with, which only

increased after their shared experiences in the Illusionary Realm of the Green Sky

Mirror. He agreed to Gu Qing's suggestion, saying, "Make sure he will have a clear

mind on the proposal day; don't let him doze off."

Gu Qing left the study room after receiving the command, and closed the door quietly

behind him.

Jing Jiu picked up that bronze mirror and took another look at it, finally deciding on a

spot. He doused his right hand in the tea water and started grinding. Though it was the

same study room, the tea was much better than the cold tea served last year, and the

Green Sky Mirror was much better than that demon bone, so he was in a much better

mood today and even generated a desire to talk to someone.

"Are you going to stay inside and never come out?"

He was talking to the Green Girl. After Jing Jiu locked the Snow Girl in the Sword Jail,

the Green Girl had gone back to the inside of the Green Sky Mirror and hadn't come out

since.

Jing Jiu went on, "I promised Tong Yan that I would return the Green Sky Mirror to him

later. But I'm having this weird thought, debating if I should change my mind."

The Green Girl flew out from the Green Sky Mirror, flapping the transparent wings of

hers. "How can you be so wicked?" she exclaimed crossly while staring at him.

Jing Jiu said seriously after some thought, "I don't think I'm a wicked person."

Gu Qing came to the back garden. He felt a heavy burden on his heart as he thought of

the task given by his Master. He then thought of his Master, who was lighthearted about

all of mortal affairs; he couldn't help but admire his Master's att.i.tude, thinking that all the

Cultivation pract.i.tioners should behave like his Master, living a life like the immortals no

matter what Cultivation state they had, whether they stood, sat or lay down.

Unfortunately, it was too late for him to adopt that lifestyle.

…

…

The high platforms that looked like the plum branches and flowers were hidden in the

clouds and fog in the new Plum Garden, resembling the fairy realm. But not so many

people were in attendance today.

Most of the partic.i.p.ants of the Plum Meeting had gone to the Chessboard Mountain to

watch the chess tournament. Gu Qing didn't go to the Chessboard Mountain, because

he knew that Que Niang would be the winner again without a doubt, and he believed

that Zhuo Rusui probably didn't go there either.

Gu Qing went to the immortal residence for Green Mountain instead. He found Zhuo

Rusui there as expected…He found that Zhuo Rusui was not sleeping, but nurturing his

sword.

A faint and pure steam was coming out of his head, a sword of the fairy state hovering

and rotating amid the steam.

Seeing the scene while standing outside the window, Gu Qing couldn't help but sigh

inside.

Zhuo Rusui always showed a drowsy appearance in front of others, but he cultivated so

diligently when n.o.body was watching. But he was of natural Dao quality; why would he

work so hard?

It was said that Zhuo Rusui behaved the same as his Master; but it looked like there

was a difference. His Master was truly lazy in comparison.

Sensing his approach, Zhuo Rusui opened his eyes and retrieved the flying sword; the

expression in his eyes changed a bit.

When nurturing the sword, Zhuo Rusui would always employ the formation of Inherited

Heaven Sword to insulate himself from the outside; but he wondered why Gu Qing

could come to the window so easily.

Zhuo Rusui remembered the rumor and asked, "Are you really learning the Inherited

Heaven Sword style?"

"Yes, Big Brother."

Gu Qing didn't offer any more explanation after this confirmation.

Thinking of the relations.h.i.+p between Jing Jiu and his own Master and other matters,

Zhuo Rusui got up and asked, "How come you came to Zhaoge City as well?"

"My Master is here. He asks you to go see him," said Gu Qing.

Zhuo Rusui was somewhat bewildered, but said, "Okay."

Yet, Gu Qing didn't take him to the Jing house. He led Zhuo Rusui to a different place,

which was the residence for the disciples of the One-Cottage House.

Fortunately, all those people Gu Qing looked for today didn't like watching the chess

games.

The scholars of the One-Cottage House were good at calligraphy as well as chess

playing, but Xi Yiyun only liked reading books or compiling them. He was the personal

disciple of Bu Qiuxiao, performing remarkably during the Dao Compet.i.tion in the Green

Sky Mirror. As such, he was thought of highly by the masters of previous generations in

the Cultivation circle, and would most likely become the house master of the next

generation.

On the other hand, the status of both Zhuo Rusui and Gu Qing was not inferior in

comparison though. Moreover, Zhuo Rusui, like Xi Yiyun, had died in the Illusionary

Realm of the Green Sky Mirror in an effort to a.s.sa.s.sinate Bai Qianjun. As such, the two

of them shared a common experience and idea, and their conversation was rather

friendly until Gu Qing made the suggestion.

Xi Yiyun exclaimed with furrowed brows, "You want me to be the teacher of Prince Jing

Yao?! Gu Qing, do you intend to insult me?"

"As I remember, there is a saying at the One-Cottage House: 'Teach anyone regardless

of where they are from'," Gu Qing said calmly.

Xi Yiyun said while staring into Gu Qing's eyes quietly, "But he is not from our race."