Chapter 69

While spending the whole day hunting geese, one might get pecked in the eye or slapped in the face by a goose. This saying did not entirely match the actual situation tonight, but after Xu Yourong's letter and Tang Sanshi's two sentences, many people indeed felt as if their faces were burning with pain.

Xu Shiji's expression was grim. Of course, from the start of the Qingteng Banquet today, his expression had never been good. From a distance, he stared at Chen Changsheng, with a fierce fire burning in his eyes. At this moment, to save the face of the Xu family and to regain the Empress's trust, he had to do something— even if this place was the imperial palace, he still wanted to kill Chen Changsheng.

Regardless of the marriage contract, the white crane, or the commands of his ancestors, nothing could serve as proof. As long as that young man died.

Among the court attendants surrounding Chen Changsheng and Luoluo, there were his most loyal subordinates, including so-called assassins. One of them tightly gripped the hilt of his sword, his expression as bewildered as if he were lost, but his eyes were fixed on the back of Chen Changsheng's neck. His gaze was not cold to avoid arousing suspicion, but it was very focused.

As soon as Xu Shiji narrowed his eyes and gave the signal, Chen Changsheng's neck might be severed by a swift blade— that blade was truly very fast.

However, this bloody scene did not happen because, at the moment Xu Shiji's mind wavered, two indifferent gazes fell upon him. One came from the Bishop of the Teaching Hub, an elderly man who often seemed to be very sleepy with his eyes closed, but who could always open his eyes at the most critical moments to say a few words, or just open his eyes— opening his eyes was a very simple action, faster than waving a hand or drawing a sword. The other gaze came from a person Xu Shiji did not expect— Miss Moyu. Xu Shiji's expression changed repeatedly, but in the end, he did nothing. If it were just the Bishop's warning, he might still have taken a desperate action, but Moyu's gaze made him unable to make up his mind.

The situation in the hall was now extremely tense and awkward, and thus extremely quiet. After Tang Sanshi sarcastically said those two sentences, the southerners were naturally angry but did not know how to respond. At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded from somewhere in the hall.

"Our ancestors' commands should be respected, but... the marriage between the north and the south is a major event. For the sake of resisting the demons, what is a personal sacrifice?"

Judging by the seating position, the speaker should be an ordinary student who had passed the preliminary examination of the Grand Examination. No one knew why he said this; perhaps he was a young man who had become too absorbed in his studies, thinking about the survival and future of humanity, and thus spoke these words.

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent, even more so than before. Everyone was silent, not to express opposition, but because they knew that these words, though illogical, were the last hope for the success of the marriage. Thus, people used their silence to distance themselves from the matter, leaving the passionate young man who spoke to stand at the forefront.

Chen Changsheng looked at the young man, seeing that he was slightly serious and earnest. Realizing that this person truly believed what he said, he did not feel angry or upset, but rather a sense of sorrow— even though Emperor Taizong had led the combined forces of the demons and humans to drive the demons back to Snowy Elder City, humans still could not shake off the shadow of the past.

"Humans are really despicable."

Another voice echoed in the silent hall. This statement, though seemingly ordinary, was actually a high-level or very cold-hearted commentary on the entire human world. What made the humans in the hall even angrier was that, due to the previous silence, they could not refute this statement.

This north-south marriage, which initially seemed to be a grand event in the human world, had a problem: the southerners proposed the marriage without informing Xu Yourong. If there were issues afterward, the southern religious sect and the Great Zhou court would likely bring up the parents' command and the matchmaker's words. When Chen Changsheng suddenly appeared with the marriage contract, people began to think about respecting Xu Yourong's own opinion. When the white crane arrived, bringing Xu Yourong's clear attitude, someone still said that the interests of all humans should be prioritized...

When you talk about interests, they talk about sentiment; when you talk about sentiment, they talk about morality; when you talk about reason, they talk about the nation. In short, when these people cannot argue with you or have no reason, they will keep advancing until things proceed according to their ideas or imagination.

This is really despicable.

The person who exposed the pretense and revealed everyone's despicability under the light of the night pearls was Luoluo.

She did not hide her contempt and anger, looking at the people in the hall and saying, "Do you have any shame?"

The southerners sitting at the head of the hall were furious, and Guan Feibai, who had been holding back for a long time, suddenly stood up and shouted, "Ridiculous!"

Luoluo glanced at him, wanting to retort but worried that Chen Changsheng would disapprove, so she huffed.

Chen Changsheng reached out and rubbed her head, smiling and said, "Why argue with these people?"

Tang Sanshi shook his head and said, "If we are going to fight, we can't lose in the verbal sparring."

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "That makes sense, but I'm not good at this."

"If you want to learn, I can teach you."

Tang Sanshi looked at him and then turned to the seats of the southern delegation, his gaze falling on Guan Feibai, and said, "I'm talking about you! Even a little girl knows you're despicable. Don't you feel it? Ridiculous? Ridiculous my ass!"

Guan Feibai was extremely angry, his eyes cold to the extreme.

At this moment, the white crane gently touched Chen Changsheng's palm.

Chen Changsheng was slightly stunned, looking at it. Although they had not seen each other for several years, they had once had a connection, and he vaguely understood its meaning, which was also her meaning. He thought for a moment and, since the purpose of the night had been achieved, it was indeed time to leave early, otherwise, it would make... some people very difficult.

"Let's go," he said to Luoluo and Tang Sanshi.

"Go?"

Elder Xiaosonggong of Lishan looked at them coldly and said, "You three little brats, do you think you can just leave like this?"

Hearing this, Luoluo's fine eyebrows raised slightly. Chen Changsheng wanted to take her and Tang Sanshi away, giving the southern delegation a way out, but to outsiders, it seemed like they were the ones backing down first. She was already uncomfortable, and now the other party seemed unwilling to let it go, so she was not about to show weakness.

"You old thing, do you dare to stop us?"

Elder Xiaosonggong's expression became even grimmer, every wrinkle on his face exuding hostility. With his realm of one step from sainthood, he had immediately sensed that Luoluo was not human, due to a past event, he had never had a good impression of the demons, to be more precise, he was filled with animosity.

With his status, why would he care about such a minor demon? He could easily destroy her.

Elder Xiaosonggong said coldly, "Let's not talk about trivial matters. You, little girl, were disrespectful to me. I must teach you a lesson for the sake of your elders."

Hearing the words "elders," Luoluo's eyebrows raised, slightly angry, "What are you? How dare you speak so arrogantly!"

On the first night of the Qingteng Banquet, she had said almost the same thing to the Dean of Tiandao Academy.

On the third night of the Qingteng Banquet, she said it again. But to her, what was the difference between the Dean of Tiandao Academy and Elder Xiaosonggong of Lishan?

Elder Xiaosonggong had been thinking that, since they were in the Great Zhou imperial palace, he had to give the Zhou people some face, especially if he alarmed the Empress, which would be very inappropriate. But after being humiliated several times tonight, especially by this little girl who showed no respect, he could no longer control his emotions and roared.

The light from the night pearls in the hall suddenly dimmed and then brightened. Elder Xiaosonggong remained in his place, his sword still in its sheath, but a very fierce sword intent had already left his body and was heading towards Luoluo!

Although Luoluo had proven her strength on the first night of the Qingteng Banquet, she was still a young girl. Even Qiu Shan Jun would not be a match for Elder Xiaosonggong, who was one step from sainthood. Faced with such a powerful sword intent, how could she possibly defend herself?

Elder Xiaosonggong was clearly still restrained, so the sword intent was calm and not fierce, and it would not endanger Luoluo's life, but she would inevitably be injured.

Only in this way could he vent his anger and give these young people a profound lesson.

He thought he had been lenient enough, but he did not realize that some people could not be injured.

"Stop!" Chen Liwang's face turned pale, and he shouted anxiously.

Moyu's expression turned stern, her eyebrows like swords, and she shouted, "Stop!"

Elder Xiaosonggong's realm was too high, and they could not stop him. They could only hope he would hear their shouts and pull back at the last moment.

The only person in the hall who could match Elder Xiaosonggong was Dean Ma Qiuyu of Tiandao Academy, and only he could stop him.

Ma Qiuyu's robe fluttered lightly, his eyes like the eyes of a deity, with misty rain in them.

Chen Liwang, Moyu, and Ma Qiuyu were the fastest to react to Elder Xiaosonggong's attack, but they were not the first to react.

The first to react was Chen Changsheng.

No one noticed when he had moved in front of Luoluo.

Just like that night, just like another night.

Since Luoluo had bowed to him as her teacher, he truly saw her as his student and felt responsible for her safety.

This was his duty, and then it became instinct.

Chen Changsheng stood in front of the fierce sword intent.

Elder Xiaosonggong looked at him expressionlessly. Since he could not kill in the Great Zhou imperial palace, he just wanted to injure to establish his authority. Severely injuring this young man would be even better.

If this sword crippled this young man, would Xu Yourong really marry him in the future?

Of course, if this young man had bad luck and died, that might be the best outcome.

Ma Qiuyu was already prepared to act.

His sleeves fluttered lightly, as if he were about to dance in the breeze.

But in the next moment, his sleeves suddenly stopped.

Not because he wanted to watch Chen Changsheng die, but because someone had already acted first.

A figure suddenly darted from the shadows in the corner of the hall!

This figure was so fast it was unimaginable, its momentum fierce like fire, causing a sharp whistling sound in the air!

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