Chapter 274 - 140: Old Friends in Jiangyin, a Funeral at Celestial Blade; Though Grandmasters Look Askance, Our Gallantry Won’t Be Tamed

Chapter 274: Chapter 140: Old Friends in Jiangyin, a Funeral at Celestial Blade; Though Grandmasters Look Askance, Our Gallantry Won’t Be Tamed

"Just a moment ago, they came and invited me to join them. They’re digging up old grievances to hunt that kid down and wipe him out for good."

"At a critical time like this, don’t you dare cause trouble for your grandpa..."

As Cai Shoujing’s words fell, Cai Ling’Er’s original plans scattered like dark clouds. Her dark, lustrous eyes flew wide open.

"What?"

"Colluding with a Divine Fiend?"

"Wait, do those people have any sense of reason at all?!"

"I saw what happened back then with my own two eyes! Ye Ningzhi of the Ye Family even learned Ji Xiu’s Secret Martial arts. And that former County Magistrate from the Wine Shop, he was practically sworn brothers with him."

"All of these people can vouch for him and clear his name. How can they just rush off to arrest him?"

Cai Ling’Er stomped her foot, her eyes filled with indignation.

Cai Shoujing’s face was stern.

"What’s the status of Chen Jing and Old Huang in the prefecture? And what’s the status of that kid named Ji Xiu?"

"The Jiangyin Nine Lords have the authority to govern the prefecture on behalf of the Prefecture Lord. And this year, the title of ’Thirty-Six Industry Leaders’ just so happens to fall to Chen Jing."

"They want to arrest someone on suspicion of colluding with a Divine Fiend and have even brought out the Prefecture Commander of the Northern Garrison Command. Who needs evidence?"

"That kind of power *is* the evidence!"

"Faced with such overwhelming power in the prefecture, unless Wang Xuanyang came back to life or Marquis Beicang himself showed up, no one has enough influence to intervene. You..."

Cai Shoujing was still speaking when he saw his precious granddaughter kick the table over. A look of astonishment had just crossed his eyes when he saw Cai Ling’Er flick her ponytail and storm off without a backward glance.

"How can something like this happen in broad daylight?"

"I’m going to find my Master! Doesn’t he have a personal relationship with the Prefecture Lord?"

"I refuse to believe that in this Jiangyin Prefecture..."

"There’s no justice at all!"

Sigh!

Cai Shoujing reached out a hand, only to find the little spitfire had already vanished from sight.

His hand instantly clenched into a fist, the jade thumb rings on each finger CREAKING loudly. He couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

"You little brat, you’re just like your dead father. Neither of you gives a damn about your grandpa!"

"It was one thing when your father’s wings hardened, but I’m the one who raised you..."

But in the end, as Cai Shoujing watched her figure recede into the distance, his angry expression slowly softened.

His eyes, narrowed to slits, slowly lowered as the room fell silent. His expression changed, his gaze becoming as deep and calm as a lake.

He looked at the sandalwood abacus, spattered with Pu’er tea, that had fallen to the floor when Cai Ling’Er flipped the table.

He wasn’t angry. He simply picked it up in silence and flicked the beads back and forth. Listening to the clatter, he murmured softly.

’Still, she’s got some fire in her, just like that brute of a father of hers.’

’This trip will offend a few of the old geezers from the prefecture’s professions, but it’s no big deal. It’s just a squabble among the younger generation, nothing worth getting worked up over.’

’Those old bastards wouldn’t dare come questioning me about this. If they did, I’d smash their heads in with my abacus!’

’If that Ji Xiu doesn’t live up to expectations, then we’ll just write this off as a bout of youthful impulsiveness from my dear little hellion. After all, who wasn’t young once?’

’But if he *does* live up to them...’

Cai Shoujing looked through the screen, recalling the year he had humbled himself to go to Golden Turtle Island to meet the Sect Leader of the Celestial Blade Style, Wang Xuanyang. He had been so overwhelmed by the man’s presence that every muscle in his body trembled, as if he were facing the boundless sea and sky...

He couldn’t help but shiver and let out a soft sigh.

"Well, that would be something else entirely."

...

「In a similar scene.」

Jiangyin Prefecture, Embroidery Lineage.

Ye Ningzhi pressed her lips together. Dressed in a pure white gown, she looked at the hard-faced Lineage Master before her, ’Granny Ye’, who was leaning on an ebony cane, and spoke with utmost seriousness.

"Duan Chenzhou once gave me guidance, so he was my nominal Master. Ji Xiu taught me Secret Martial arts, and I have always treated him as my Senior Brother."

"My nominal Master is dead. Even Senior Brother Ji is attending the funeral, so I must go too!"

The woman, competitive and proud her whole life, lifted her slender neck. Granny Ye, the Lineage Master of the Embroidery Lineage, stared at her, holding her tongue for a long moment before finally saying coldly:

"Do as you wish."

"But this time, people from the ’Six Great Mountains’ might show up for the Celestial Blade Style. If you go, won’t you be slapping the face of your Jinghong Sword Sect’s Ancestor? If you run into them, won’t it look like your loyalties lie elsewhere?"

Ye Ningzhi had her back to her. She paused at these words, but with the rapier still at her hip, she did not turn back.

...

The Wine Shop.

"Get the hell out!"

"If you dare go today, I’ll pretend I never had you as a son! I’ll pretend I just shot you on the wall back then!"

CRASH!

The Wine Master, Zhao Ding, his nose red and bulbous from drink, smashed the wine pot in his hand to pieces with a loud SMACK. Cursing, he kicked a figure out of the room.

"I actually thought that after you came back from Anning, you felt guilty about losing the position of County Magistrate so easily. I thought you came to your old man today to properly admit your mistake, to put on a show of a loving father and a filial son’..."

"But after a few rounds of drinks, it turns out this is what you were waiting for?"

"You want your dad to go pick a fight with the Medicine Shop over what happened to you in Anning, and bring that Little Brother Ji of yours along too?"

"Do you think Old Huang is some kind of pushover?!"

"You’re a good-for-nothing hedonist who does nothing but womanize and waste his life away! A pure, spoiled brat! I know exactly what kind of person you are, so don’t you pretend to be all loyal to your ’brother’."

"If it weren’t for your capable brother making a name for himself over in Cangdu, just for losing the title of ’Lord of Anning County’ this time..."

"I’d whip you to death!"

"Let me ask you, that kid is facing a disaster himself. What’s the point of helping him?"

Clutching his head, which now sported a large, greenish bump, Lord Zhao the County Magistrate winced. Hearing his father’s tirade, he grew frantic.

"You old coot! My brother is skilled enough to be valued for a Title! That’s his own ability, and it’s a hell of a lot better than you just guarding this little patch of land of yours."