C5 – This’s My Written
Ni Huibo stumbled and nearly fell. He steadied himself against the doorfra, his brow furrowed in confusion.
What had just happened?
Had he done sothing wrong?
And what was Ni Situo implying? His father was the second brother of his eldest uncle, wasn’t he? Why was the Ni family telling everyone that he was the second son of Ni Xianjian? It seed he was the only one in the dark about this.
Ni Huibo couldn’t make sense of it all. He considered asking Ni Situo for clarification but then rembered his recent words and decided against it. Instead, he turned and retreated to his room.
He chose to avoid the issue.
That way, he wouldn’t invite any new problems.
But after a short while, the people from the main hall followed him to his room.
Ni Huibo looked up from where he was starting a fire; his hands and face sared with soot, he resembled a chef.
At the sight, soone couldn’t suppress a chuckle.
Ji Fanwei wore a smirk and even stepped forward to wipe the soot from Ni Huibo’s cheek, much to Ni Situo’s irritation.
Suddenly serious, Ji Fanwei gestured for soone to bring a piece of calligraphy and placed it before Ni Huibo, asking, “Did you write this?”
Ni Huibo gave it a look and nodded.
“Are you certain?” Ji Fanwei held up the scroll, leaning in to scrutinize Ni Huibo. “If I’m not mistaken, the pri minister once penned a famous poem before his talent test, but the original has been lost for ages. You claim you wrote this? Yet, why do I feel it might actually be the pri minister’s authentic work?”
Many were taken aback by Ji Fanwei’s words. Could this calligraphy be the pri minister’s original work? It did possess a certain saintly quality at a glance! But how could such a treasure end up with an ordinary person?
Ni Situo also frowned, sensing that sothing was amiss.
As expected, Ji Fanwei’s next remark was laced with derision.
“This is unmistakably the pri minister’s creation. Yet you have the audacity to assert it’s your own work, even brazenly affixing your na to it. Can it be that the esteed Second Young Master of the Ni family indulges in such childish and shaless antics? Or perhaps, you are as simple-minded as the rumors suggest?”
The search by officials from the City Hall and the Immortal Cultivation Hall turned up nothing in Ni Huibo’s room. Of all the rooms in the Ni family estate, his was the most spartan, furnished with just a table, a chair, a bed, a water tank, and a stack of books. There seed to be no conceivable hiding place for a thief.
Yet, Ji Fanwei’s visit was not fruitless.
The Pri Minister was a figure of legend in the Croburg Kingdom, held in high esteem by all. His works were exceedingly rare and highly valued, particularly those from before his ascension to the Pri Minister’s office, which were considered beyond price. The “Castle Wave” was among his most renowned pieces. Sadly, it had been lost for years, and the world thought it would never be seen again.
To Ji Fanwei’s astonishnt, the long-lost “Castle Wave” had surfaced in the residence of the Ni family’s second son. The discovery thrilled him. But his excitent turned to ire when he saw that the signature on the painting was not Xue Gui’s, but Ni Huibo’s.
As a cultivator and a scholar, Ji Fanwei cherished the scholarly temperant above all else. Ni Situo, despite his high status, was known for his love of fa and his ruthless nature—traits Ji Fanwei despised. What shocked him even more was that Ni Situo’s younger brother, seemingly untouched by worldly desires, appeared to be cast from the sa mold. They were cut from the sa cloth, indeed.
The thought of the Pri Minister’s original work in the hands of such a person seed to Ji Fanwei a desecration. He instructed his scribe to secure the painting, declaring that the Pri Minister’s work should not be left to languish in obscurity. He intended to take it to City Hall for the mayor to decide its fate.
Ni Situo, naturally, objected. The painting was a Ni family possession, and if it were to be presented to City Hall, it should be by his own hand. Ji Fanwei had no right to intervene. Ni Situo reached out to reclaim the painting.
Ji Fanwei had anticipated this reaction. Blocking Ni Situo’s path, he smiled and said, “I am authorized to conduct this investigation. I have the right to take any item from the Ni family to City Hall for examination. Are you attempting to obstruct justice? As a mber of the Immortal Cultivation Hall, you surely understand the gravity of such an action.”
The City Hall indeed had such a regulation, but as a cultivator, Ni Situo was acutely aware of the value of the Pri Minister’s genuine work. If he could present the authentic work to the Mayor, his prospects would be boundless. Thus, for Ni Situo, this was not just about the artifact; it was about his future.
Neither party was willing to yield, and the tension escalated.
Without warning, Ni Situo made his move. With a single step, he transford into a blur, materializing behind Ji Fanwei. Regrettably, he couldn’t stabilize his stance before Ji Fanwei spun around and delivered a heavy kick to Ni Situo’s hand.
Ni Situo evaded with swift agility. Once again, he executed his movent technique, darting behind the scribe at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, with Ji Fanwei in hot pursuit. Then, in an unexpected twist, Ni Situo halted and retreated a step, dodging Ji Fanwei and seizing the opportunity to snatch the painting.
Ji Fanwei, taken aback, spun around and lunged forward, also grasping the painting. As he tugged it back, he realized Ni Situo’s grip was firm. Concerned that the Pri Minister’s authentic work would be irreparably damaged if he didn’t release it, Ji Fanwei was caught off guard when Ni Situo yanked the painting away.
Both n staggered backward. Ji Fanwei could only watch in dismay as the Pri Minister’s authentic work tore in two before his eyes. Staring at the fragnt in his hand, he was montarily stunned.
Ni Situo, too, was taken aback. He had anticipated Ji Fanwei would be the first to release his hold, which is why he had applied force.
“Ni Situo, this is the Pri Minister’s authentic work!” Ji Fanwei exclaid, his face losing its usual smile for the first ti.
With a sneer, Ni Situo retorted, “This belongs to the Ni family; it cannot be taken from you.”
“I will report this to the Mayor!” declared Ji Fanwei, shooting a fierce glare at Ni Situo before storming off.
Ni Situo sneered again and followed. He was convinced he had done nothing wrong. The room fell into a sudden hush.
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