Chapter 64: Sun Shicai’s Suspicion
Chen Ming and the others entered the Admiral’s mansion.
Led by a servant, they arrived at an imnse garden, complete with pavilions, towers, rockeries, winding streams, and an open courtyard—it was indeed an ideal place for a gathering.
Quite a number of people had already gathered, forming small clusters of three or four as they chatted.
At a glance, Chen Ming didn’t recognize a single face.
According to Zhang Mingyu, only four people in Qingfeng City were qualified to participate in this martial gathering.
Aside from the two of them, there were Gu Yuantao of the Gu Family and He Da from the Sihai Trading Company.
This indicated that Qingfeng City’s younger talent pool was indeed dwindling—there were only a handful of seventh‑rank warriors under thirty.
Of course, there was one more person who could have qualified: Sun Shicai. But since he held an official position, he wouldn’t take part.
“Why are there so many won?” Chen Ming observed.
Among the thirty‑odd people present, more than half were won, most dressed in elegant skirts—hardly typical attire for a fight.
Would they be changing clothes later?
Given the habits of these wealthy families’ daughters, it wasn’t impossible.
Zhang Mingyu remarked, “Today, we’ve gathered most of the young, handso talents from Jiangzhou. If your family had a daughter of suitable age, wouldn’t they try to get her in here?”
“Oh,” Chen Ming replied, realizing they were here for matchmaking.
He glanced around—and to be fair, the quality was not bad.
Two of the won stood out as particularly striking—even prettier than Huo Qianqian.
He rated them an easy 8 out of 10—they were genuine beauties.
One couldn’t deny that beauties existed in this world; it was just that ordinary people rarely saw them.
Coincidentally, beside one of those 8‑point beauties stood two n and another woman.
One of the n, wearing a blue robe, had been mocking Chen Ming earlier—now he pointed at him and laughed, seemingly using Chen Ming as fodder to amuse the beauty.
When the beauty glanced at Chen Ming, her gaze flickered, and she hid the lower half of her face behind a fan.
It was obvious she was smiling.
“Don’t look,” Zhang Mingyu whispered. “She’s the admiral’s daughter.”
No wonder she was surrounded like a star at the center of the sky.
Chen Ming diverted his gaze.
Zhang Mingyu pointed to another young man and said, “That’s Gu Yuantao.”
Upon hearing the na, Chen Ming studied the young man a bit more.
He looked severely burdened, as if afflicted by deep sorrow.
Gu Yuantao was the legitimate heir of the Gu Family.
He wasn’t the top talent of his generation—his younger brother was more outstanding, but tragically died half a year ago.
What had once been the carefree life of a noble youth abruptly collapsed overnight, with nearly his entire clan wiped out.
The weight of reviving the family fell heavily upon his shoulders.
No wonder he appeared so serious.
If he couldn’t let go of it, he would probably remain trapped by those burdens all his life.
As Chen Ming pondered this, suddenly his eyes brightened.
Not just his—almost everyone present turned to look.
A woman in white stood there, slender and graceful, fresh and ethereal, unforgettable.
He ntally rated her an 8.5 out of 10.
Of course, that was subjective—though the only flaw he noted was that she would never rate him that highly.
That woman had to be Xiao Zhuyun, the peerless beauty from the Xiaoshui Sect that Zhuang Xiaotian had ntioned.
Especially since Chen Ming spotted Huo Qianqian trailing behind her.
Even Huo Qianqian, herself considered a beauty, dimd in comparison when standing behind Xiao Zhuyun.
The mont Xiao Zhuyun entered, she beca the focus of all eyes.
She walked toward the admiral’s daughter and said with grace, “Xiaoshui Sect’s Xiao Zhuyun, greetings to Miss Zhao.”
Miss Zhao’s eyes lit up. “I’ve long heard that Sister Xiao is a national beauty. Seeing you today, Sister is even more lovely than the rumors said.”
“You flatter , Miss. You are noble and refined—this humble girl is not your match,” replied Xiao Zhuyun with modest poise.
Chen Ming watched as the two beauties exchanged polite flattery. After a mont, they warmly clasped hands, as if they’d known each other forever.
He found it amusing, thinking they were putting on quite a show.
Do beauties truly recognize one another’s kindred spirits?
Perhaps they genuinely felt that way, but it certainly didn’t apply between two young beauties under twenty.
Most likely, the two were rely performing—to showcase their grace, generosity, and approachability to everyone.
“Third Senior Brother.”
At that mont, Huo Qianqian approached Zhang Mingyu to greet him. She glanced at Chen Ming but offered no greeting.
“Little Junior Sister, are you comfortable staying at the inn? Why not co ho instead?” Zhang Mingyu asked, his voice tinged with a hint of reproach.
Huo Qianqian explained, “Before we left, Master instructed that we must obey Third Senior Sister in everything. Third Senior Sister said we should stay at the inn, so I could only follow her.”
Zhang Mingyu didn’t say much more but felt a pang in his heart. His little junior sister was no longer the sa—as of now, she was first and foremost a disciple of the Xiaoshui Sect.
Chen Ming observed from the side and sensed the distance between the two.
Despite returning to Qingfeng City, Huo Qianqian refused to stay at the Huo Residence and instead went to the inn. His inference was straightforward—the “Third Senior Sister” she referred to was probably Xiao Zhuyun.
She was likely worried about gossip if she lodged at the Huo Residence.
After all, Zhang Mingyu was a man and still unmarried.
Perhaps she was overly concerned about propriety?
At that mont, Zhang Mingyu said, “This is Chen Ming—you should know him.”
“Mm.”
Huo Qianqian only nodded.
Chen Ming also nodded and greeted, “Greetings, Senior Sister.”
Zhang Mingyu continued, “Junior Sister didn’t know, but Fellow Disciple Chen has now reached Seventh Rank.”
Huo Qianqian was clearly surprised. Her eyes widened, her disbelief evident.
“Is it hard to believe? Co to think of it, Master truly misjudged. If he had accepted not Wen Zehao but Fellow Disciple Chen back then… that old hag might not have been able to win him over.” Zhang Mingyu ntioned “Grandfather,” causing Huo Qianqian’s expression to dim.
He quickly realized his mistake and didn’t know how to redy it, so he glanced at Chen Ming.
At that mont, Chen Ming spotted soone familiar and quietly said, “Senior Brother Sun has arrived.”
He then noticed Huo Qianqian’s expression shift. She said, “Third Senior Brother, Senior Sister is calling ,” and departed.
Chen Ming thought to himself: It seed she still resented Senior Brother Sun for not attending Huo Chengkun’s funeral.
She wouldn’t even greet him.
Sun Shicai, dressed in cyan official robes, walked over without saluting and rely called out, “Third Senior Brother.”
Then, his eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, landed on Chen Ming. “Fellow Disciple Chen, I heard you’ve broken through to Seventh Rank—it’s truly astonishing.”
His domineering attitude was sowhat unsettling.
Chen Ming said, “Thanks to your guidance, Senior Brother.”
Sun Shicai offered a faint smile. “He isn’t capable of that.”
His words didn’t spare Zhang Mingyu any face.
Zhang Mingyu’s expression soured, but he didn’t retort.
In this setting, if they quarreled publicly, everyone would realize the Huo Sect was fractured.
So he endured.
Sun Shicai continued to regard Chen Ming as if trying to see through all his secrets. “I even suspect Master secretly accepted you as a disciple and passed the mantle to you.”
At these words, Zhang Mingyu froze montarily and reflexively looked toward Chen Ming.
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