Chapter 107: Chapter 78: Watching the Rise and Fall of the Tides, the Peacock "Buddha" Mother
Sheng Chuanxiong: ...
He clenched his fists, veins bulging, and let out an angry roar before sitting down, gritting his teeth and articulating every word, "Continue, speak slowly, explain it clearly to me!"
...
...
The examination results had not yet been released.
Li Xuan was leisurely eating and drinking as usual at the Governor’s Mansion.
Without a cultivation technique to practice and no one to gather information for him, waiting at the Governor’s Mansion for the results was a pretty good option.
Moreover, he knew that as long as there was nothing majorly wrong with his paper, he would certainly pass.
Not only pass but also take first place.
His title of "Master Li" could gently evolve into "Li Jieyuan."
Nowadays, the examinations were not conducted anonymously, and the Prime Minister’s faction essentially controlled the promotion pathways in Great Yin.
A truly talented individual with an obvious connection to the examiners was sure to be the top scorer.
Avoid suspicion?
Avoid for whom to see?
Is it necessary?
Who cares?
In the sunlight, Commandery Princess Chunyang carried a basket of food, placing warm pastries in front of Li Xuan and Zhou Jihai.
Li Xuan took a bite of the crisp yet tender pastry, feeling that life was indeed leisurely.
Out there, who knows how fierce the fighting and bloodshed had become, yet here he was living a comfortable life.
However, if he insisted on investigating and meddling in others’ affairs, by now he would’ve been caught in some terrible danger.
At the very least, the examination would have been ruined, his path to promotion blocked, and the cultivation technique matter delayed.
Commandery Princess Chunyang looked at him gently, just like she looked at Zhou Jihai.
Li Xuan couldn’t help but find it amusing.
He was nineteen, and Commandery Princess Chunyang was at most eight or nine years older than him; how did she manage to look at him with the gaze of observing a child?
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but glance at the beautiful lady.
The beautiful lady was wearing a dignified cinnabar skirt, exuding stability yet carrying an air of elegance and charm.
At this moment, she rested her chin in her hand, seemingly in thought, a tear mole at the corner of her eye adding a touch of allure.
Seeming to notice, she met Li Xuan’s gaze and smiled, "Why are you looking at Aunt?"
After thinking for a while, she suddenly realized, "Is it because there’s no drink today? Aunt will go make some."
With that, she got up, swaying her waist as she left.
Before long, instead of returning, movements could be heard from the front courtyard of the Governor’s Mansion.
Li Xuan heard it clearly; it was the rapid clinking of metallic scales, accompanied by heavy footsteps.
Li Xuan quickly deduced: it should be people from the Ministry of War rushing into the Governor’s Mansion, heading towards... the Governor’s study.
Time ticked by second by second...
Commandery Princess Chunyang remained absent for a long time.
Li Xuan knew that whenever there was a big event, Commandery Princess Chunyang would surely be listening in, and now that she hadn’t returned, it must mean that something significant had happened, likely related to recent events.
Indeed, after about half an hour, Commandery Princess Chunyang returned.
She wasn’t carrying any drink, and her complexion was slightly pale.
"What’s going on, Aunt Yun?" Li Xuan naturally wouldn’t let go of the chance to gather information.
Commandery Princess Chunyang looked at him, then suddenly turned to Zhou Jihai and said, "Jihai, you eat first, I will take a walk with your Brother Xuan outside."
Zhou Jihai hesitated, then complained, "Mother, is it something I can’t hear?"
Commandery Princess Chunyang had no choice and began to narrate what had happened.
What she spoke of was about Liang Shigu, Xinci Temple, the Demon Buddha, and the black membrane nun.
Zhou Jihai listened, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, with a trace of fear on his face; then he clenched his fists, furious, "Those damn demon monsters, harming people again!! They deserve to die, deserve to die!!"
Even at his young age, Zhou Jihai understood that his missing father was likely long gone, and the one who killed his father must be a monster.
Li Xuan also showed slight astonishment and asked for more details.
Commandery Princess Chunyang withheld nothing in her responses.
As they exchanged information, combined with what Li Xuan had previously learned from Rose, he connected all recent events together.
First...
The one who identified and slew his demon servants was from the Yu Sect.
The rebel army expanded like a snowball, mixed with both good and bad, and people from the Yu Sect took the opportunity to invest.
They used a divine summoning method to identify the demon servants, causing large casualties among them.
The goal was to control the rebel army and thus draw out Liang Shigu’s thirty thousand provincial soldiers, facilitating some kind of secret ritual.
The deity connected through the divine summoning method, unknown what kind of demon it was, but it must be of a higher rank to identify the demon servants, which wasn’t surprising.
Next...
Liang Shigu was fishing.
He remained inactive, even when the rebel army captured northern cities of Cyan Wood Province, paying no heed.
He aimed to force the big fish to reveal themselves.
And the big fish indeed couldn’t resist, using the rebel army to lure him.
This was effectively double fishing.
Liang Shigu, seeing the bait, identified the fish, and capitalized on the situation, splitting his forces in a show of a Confucian general’s spirit.
The northbound troops moved in an orderly manner, their formations ever-changing, openly in a tug-of-war with the bandits, but secretly detaching the main force to cut off the retreat, recapturing the cities previously taken by the bandits in one swift move.
He personally led a thousand elite soldiers, equipped with special gear, to swiftly strike at that big fish.
Indeed, the big fish was out.
It’s Xinci Temple!
But... events are unpredictable. The general planned everything, except for the terror of the Demon Buddha.
Li Xuan reflected, deep in thought.
He considered his own situation.
If he were caught up in such events, under those circumstances, would he become a victim?
The pilgrims had been expelled, the nuns exterminated, the headless Buddha statue shattered.
This clearly appeared to be a resolved situation, with everything settled.
Liang Shigu was ready to lead his forces to wipe out Xinci Temple.
