Chapter 672: Chapter 655: Giving You a New Sword Spirit, Will You Take It?
It was still the garden pavilion from last ti, Cui Wenjing still stood beside the pavilion with his hands behind his back, watching the flowing water.
What was different was that back then, Cui Yuanyang didn’t even dare to co in and eavesdrop, but this ti, despite the many guards blocking the way and shouting “Miss, please do not enter,” Cui Yuanyang kicked one over, furiously dragged Zhao Changhe all the way into the garden, and no one dared to stop them again.
Zhao Changhe had been smiling the whole way, having once quietly worried that Yangyang might be confined to crying his eyes out, but now it seed one shouldn’t underestimate their own bunny, that silly look of crouching in the corner embracing his knees in the rain had long since vanished…
It made sense when you thought about it; the younger generation of the other families had already shown signs of decline, but the siblings Cui Yuanyang and Cui Yuanyong, both recognized by the Qinghe Sword, were a rarity. And with war experience to boot, they were treasured among the families and clans, truly the backbone for the next several decades. Under their father’s position as Clan Leader, it would not be easy to foolishly push them aside…
Perhaps even now they were starting to enter the center of the family’s power structure, not so easily bullied by anyone.
On the way, Cui Yuanyang didn’t talk much to Zhao Changhe, just pulled him along by the hand, stord into the garden with an imposing air, looking less like a suitor coming to propose and more like soone seizing a bride by force, much to Zhao Changhe’s amusent.
Instead, it was Cui Wenjing who had once looked dignified and elegant, standing by the pavilion’s edge and watching the water, his silhouette now slightly stooped. Viewed from behind, his hair had grown much grayer.
Upon hearing the approaching sound of the young man and woman, Cui Wenjing spoke indifferently, “Coming back from a battle at Yann, Yuan Yong has been reprimanded with months of confinent, barely improving a bit, only to return to military life. Now, not only can Yuan Yong not rid his mouth of cursing, but Yangyang has also started to be impetuous, truly a misfortune for our family.”
Zhao Changhe: “…”
Cui Yuanyang retorted angrily, “Don’t start with that! If I weren’t fierce, so people would have dragged away to confinent by now. What did I do wrong to deserve confinent? Huh? If I don’t kill them, I…”
Cui Wenjing said coolly, “If you dare to utter the rest, ‘his mom doesn’t bear the Cui surna,’ I’ll see if I dare confine you. You really think I’m dead, and you can be lawless?”
Cui Yuanyang: “…I have Brother Zhao here, so I won’t swear.”
Zhao Changhe finally laughed out loud.
“Have a seat. There’s tea on the table; help yourself and your Brother Zhao,” Cui Wenjing said, still not turning around.
Cui Yuanyang pouted, pulling Zhao Changhe to sit at the pavilion’s stone table.
Zhao Changhe, however, shook his head, gestured a decline, and walked over to stand shoulder to shoulder with Cui Wenjing, watching the water together.
This was the scene of a father-and-son-in-law conversation from years before, when Cui Wenjing had asked, “By what right do you stand shoulder to shoulder with ?”
Now, as Zhao Changhe stood there, in the eyes of the watching servants and guards from afar, it was completely natural and as it should be. Putting aside all other identities, just considering the Chaotic World List, Zhao Changhe was currently second on the Earth List. Although he was one rank below Cui Wenjing, he was actually only three places behind, clearly a person of the sa level.
And there were few among the onlookers who doubted Zhao Changhe’s qualifications for the Heavenly List; what was mostly missing was just a battle, and with any mishap, he might directly…
Cui Yuanyang remained silent, propping his chin and listening to the conversation between his Brother Zhao and his father.
Zhao Changhe spoke first, “Uncle seems to still be in poor health.”
Cui Yuanyang was taken aback. Was his father’s injury not healed? It wasn’t evident on normal days…
Cui Wenjing sighed, “The injury has healed… but having sustained such severe, near-fatal wounds, the impact on my body cannot be understated. After recovering, I distinctly feel much older, and my vitality and spirit have diminished.”
Zhao Changhe looked up in thought, then sighed as well, “Yes… my father always thought he had an iron constitution, but after falling seriously ill once, he visibly aged a lot afterward.”
People once thought his father was Xia Longyuan; now saying it like this, they would think it was a deceased mber of Zhao Mansion… Cui Wenjing didn’t find it incongruous, instead, he sighed, “I didn’t expect such a small place as Zhao Mansion to produce a genius like you.”
Zhao Changhe: “…”
Our Zhao Mansion is quite large…
Cui Wenjing sighed, “They say a daughter is like a little cotton-padded jacket, always by the bedside to assist when tis are tough. Yet, a certain soone’s shadow cannot be seen, while their dog-like barking afterwards is louder than anyone else’s. I really don’t know where this black-hearted cotton cos from.”
“… I was at war at that ti,” Cui Yuanyang muttered, his voice much lower.
Although he was at war at that ti, he indeed hadn’t shown much concern for his clearly aged father afterwards, and hadn’t even paid much attention to it… Scratching his head, he felt a bit… well, because he had also just returned for two days, the battle had just ended…
Cui Wenjing said, “Do you think that going to war necessarily requires you to be on the front lines? Has the Cui Family really run out of people?”
Cui Yuanyang was stunned for a mont, then heard his father continue, “I intend to cultivate a force of trusted aides under your absolute control. Because sotis… your father may not be able to stand entirely by your side, and you must have so support in advance. When the ti cos, for example, if soone in the Cui Family tries to force you to do sothing, you need to have the confidence to speak out loudly for yourself, and it should be strong enough that even your father can’t press you. If the Qinghe Sword were still here, it would be even better. With you in control of Qinghe, no one would dare to pressure you.”
Cui Yuanyang was completely stunned there, unable to speak for a long while.
“Moreover, if the Cui Family must turn against soone, you can leave ho to pursue what you seek and not be bullied too much,” Cui Wenjing said with a smile. “Of course, if it cos to a falling out, you won’t have an easy ti either… just like Yuan Yong’s wife, who now has to endure cold stares. There’s no helping that…”
Cui Yuanyang asked subconsciously, “Can’t we just not have a falling out?”
Cui Wenjing didn’t answer that question, instead talking to himself, “I have advised Yuan Yong that these matters have nothing to do with his wife, and it’s unnecessary to go that far. Now, Yuan Yong and his wife’s relationship has ward a bit, and they even shared a room the day before yesterday… So interpret this as a signal that I am reconciling with the Wang Family, others see it as Yuan Yong chastising the Wang Family, all such low-level interpretations. When people look at everything from the perspective of gain and loss, they always forget the most basic filial affections of being human. Aristocratic Families, if even kinship is gone, then what difference does the existence of this family have from an ordinary organization ford rely for warmth?”
Cui Yuanyang sat hugging his knees, feeling once again as if he had regressed to a rabbit.
“I also believe that no matter what happens to the Cui Family, Changhe is a person of deep feelings and will not harm you,” Cui Wenjing’s voice remained calm. “Similarly, regarding Changhe… as long as the family does not obstruct his matters with you, no matter how bad the relationship gets, it will not beco too terrible.”
Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “Old Cui, are you using the words you teach your children to hint at ? Telling to always treat Yuan Yang well, regardless of what happens to the Cui Family?”
Cui Wenjing said indifferently, “I’m simply telling the truth. I don’t need to say these words; you wouldn’t treat Yuan Yang poorly. If soone bullies her, you would protect her anyway. That’s just your nature, I believe.”
Zhao Changhe could only nod, “Yes.”
Cui Wenjing scoffed, “In fact, you coming here and asking to marry Yuan Yang would not et opposition. Marry her and take her away, under the current circumstances, your engagent cannot affect any other matters, just as the Wang Family’s daughter’s marriage does not affect their upcoming deploynt of troops. Therefore, the words you shouted at the city gate may seem heroic, but in reality, they are childish.”
Zhao Changhe said, “… it affects the signal you send to the outside world, doesn’t it?”
“It does,” Cui Wenjing said with a slight smile. “What kind of signal is sent to the outside world depends on the bridal gifts we choose. This is sothing you don’t understand, is it?”
Zhao Changhe cursed, “Damn.”
Cui Wenjing sighed, “So stop talking about coming to ask for a bride or fulfilling an engagent; drop it. If you want, go to the bridal room now, nobody cares. What we should really be discussing, let’s discuss that properly, shall we?”
Zhao Changhe fell silent for a long while, then suddenly reached out and took out several fragnts of a broken sword, “This is the Qinghe Sword, even the smithereens are here, not a piece missing.”
Cui Wenjing looked at the broken swords, his pupils constricted, feeling an indescribable heartache. His face appeared even older.
“Could you reforge it to see if the Sword Spirit can be reborn?” Zhao Changhe said, “I won’t hide it from you, uncle, I’ve just forged a Divine Sword myself. I know how to create a Sword Spirit. Need any help?”
Cui Wenjing looked for a long ti, finally sighing softly, “It would no longer be Qinghe…”
“Yes, it’s impossible to return, even if it’s reforged, it will be a new Sword Spirit, quite different from the original spirit of the landscape… But if you want to pass down the Sword Spirit to future generations, it can still be done, simply with so changes to the lineage. It doesn’t seem to affect your needs greatly… Uncle, do you want to do it?”
Cui Wenjing remained silent.
“Is it because, in fact, the most essential thing is not the lineage, but that the original Mountain and River Four Swords had the ability to influence the Qi Veins of the land, and now that ability is gone?” Zhao Changhe pointed out the issue that aristocratic families had been hiding, “What you’ve lost is the ability to balance the imperial power. With Xia’s strike, he has hit your very lifeline.”
Cui Wenjing did not deny it, “That’s true.”
“Based on my understanding of your vision, uncle, you should be actively adapting to the era of losing the Mountain and River Four Swords, moving to the forefront of the new wave, yet you hesitate so far and are even prepared for war with the Capital… Let guess, could it be that a God Demon has promised to give you back such power?”
Reviews
All reviews (0)