Ze Tian Ji

Nothing less was expected from the head of the younger generation of Mountain Li’s Sword Sect. As the Second Rule who even Qiu Shan Jun sought advice from, Gou Han Shi’s words were difficult to respond to. Why? Because his words were in the gray territory of logical and illogical, it was understood and felt by everyone.

Chen Chang Sheng was silent for a moment, but he was prepared to answer. Just when he was about to open his mouth and was ready to continue even if it meant enduring the mockery from the entire world, he heard a crane’s cry from outside of the palace.

A crane’s cry.

This crane’s cry was strong and firm.

A white crane slashed through the night. Its body consisted entirely of white feathers and it landed on the floor of the palace as if it was a piece of snowflake. Its thin neck was turned slightly and its expression was cold and prideful.

A lot of people in the field, for example, Xu Shi Ji knew this crane. His face turned even gloomier. The aunt and the disciplines of Mountain Virgin became a little nervous. Gou Han Shi and other disciplines of Mountain Li had seen this white crane outside of their senior’s house couple of times.

Chen Chang Sheng also knew this white crane, but it had been a few years since he last saw it. Looking at this white crane, his mood was a little complex.

This white crane came from the south and brought a letter from Xu You Rong.

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Mo Yu read that letter and glanced at the people in the palace. The entire place was silent and she sighed, “Tonight is over.”

Discussion started in the palace and it was kind of annoying. People were shocked because they didn’t knew what was in the letter and why Lady Mo Yu announced the end of Ivy Festival. Xiao Song Gong asked gloomily, “Can we know the context of this letter?”

Mo Yu raised her eyebrow slightly. She obviously supported the proposal from the southern ambassadors, but hearing the words from the elder from Mountain Li made her a little angry. She thought, she wanted to help save some face for them by asking to end the Ivy Festival early. But since they don’t know what’s good for them, it’s all up to them.

She handed the letter to Prince Chen Liu and didn’t bother afterwards.

Prince Chen Liu read the letter to himself and his expression turned a little funny.

Then he started reading the letter in front of the public because it was asked in the letter.

The context of this letter was simple. It only consisted of a few lines, but its meaning was clear.

Different from anyone’s expectations in the palace, although this letter came from the south, it didn’t come from Mountain Virgin. Xu You Rong wasn’t at Mountain Virgin. Instead, she went to xiuxing in the southern sea. If one actually calculated, it would be known that she actually began right before the southern ambassadors started their trip.

The tone of Xu You Rong’s letter was calm. She respected everyone present today and thanked the proposal started by her sect because it represented the care and love of her elders. However, she had a different opinion about this event.

Before the end of the first half of this letter, she didn’t make clear of anything but many people in the palace understood what she was trying to get at. She didn’t know that the southern ambassadors were going to propose in the capital. In other words, the southern sect didn’t ask for her opinion before deciding on this event.

Many people’s faces turned ugly and some were relieved. All in all, there was a wonderful change.

True, marriage was based on the wishes of the parents and the words of the matchmaker. The heaven, earth, ruler, parents, and master were above them all and the actual couple had nothing much to do with it. Proposals of ordinary families didn’t need the consent of the bride but Xu You Rong was no ordinary person — especially when someone had said some certain things not too long ago.

People looked at Gou Han Shi with complicated expressions.

Tang Thirty Six mocked, “Wow, so this is the so called ‘respect’ you guys asked for.”

Gou Han Shi previously stated that Chen Chang Sheng should respect Xu You Rong’s opinion and that he should have the attitude suitable for a man.

But the southern sect sent people to the capital to propose while never asking for Xu You Rong’s opinion. Was this respectful?

Gou Han Shi was silent. He didn’t knew that sister Xu never knew about the proposal. He didn’t understand what the elders on Mountain Virgin were thinking. The thing that he didn’t understand the most was why sister Xu sent the white crane to deliver such a letter. Did she….really not want to marry his senior?

No, this shouldn’t be it.

He wanted to know what the second half of the letter consisted of.

Many people in the palace had the same thought. They all stared at the thin piece of paper in Prince Chen Liu’s hand.

In the second half of this letter, Xu You Rong didn’t express a trace of anger or hatred. Just like what she previously said, her elders and parents were setting her up in a marriage. No matter how it was observed, it should be understood as love and care.

She’s the reincarnation of the True Phoenix. She’s the only candidate for the next Virgin of the Southern Sect. She had the talent that was admired and respected by countless people. She could have more freedom and hold more respect. So in response to Gou Han Shi’s words, she didn’t even know about the proposal. Even before she actually grew and developed completely, she was the daughter of Dong Yu General’s Mansion and a discipline of Mountain Virgin.

She could speak her opinions against her family and sect but in front of the world, her attitude must remain calm and respectful. The entire world saw her as this flawless girl. Of course, everyone thought she liked Qiu Shan Jun as well and thought this was the reason for her calmness.

In the second half of the letter, she directly told everyone that they thought wrong.

In the letter, Xu You Rong clearly stated that the only relationship between her and Qiu Shan Jun was that they disciplines of the same sect and close siblings.

She respected her senior, but never wanted to be together with him.

She also wrote in the letter that she didn’t know if this letter would arrive on time. However, no matter late or on time, she stood by her decision that…….

she would not marry to him.

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In just a few dozens of lines, she expressed her thought clearly but it lacked explanations.

The people in the palace all looked at the letter in Prince Chen Liu’s hand. They were so shocked that they couldn’t speak.

Why? Why is this happening? Why is she so calm? So sure?

This marriage was the bond between the southern sect and Zhou Dynasty. It was the will of the Divine Queen, the Pope, the Virgin, and Mountain Li’s Sword Sect. In front of this enormous will, what reason did she have to object?

Xu You Rong used the last sentence of the letter to give an explanation to the entire continent.

This explanation was simple, yet undisputable.

It was similar to Chen Chang Sheng’s explanation of objecting Qiu Shan Jun’s proposal.

“Because I’m already in a vow to be marry. My fiance is Chen Chang Sheng.”

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Silence filled the palace. Not a sound was heard.

Previously, no one trusted Chen Chang Sheng’s words. Even if his marriage vow was real, no one accepted this fact until the white crane bought this letter and revealed Xu You Rong’s true feelings. This letter was like a slap to the face for everyone.

Mo Yu previously read this letter and thought to herself, what does this idiot girl want to do?

Luo Luo’s eyes were sparkling and she praised, “Xu You Rong is so……cool!”

Chen Chang Sheng lowered his head slightly and saw his reflection on the golden bricks in the palace. Previously when Prince Chen Liu was reading the letter, his expression got calmer and calmer as the sentences went on. The pressure was lifted from his heart. But why in the end did confusion fill his heart?

Why did you write a letter like this even if you don’t want to marry me? Chen Chang Sheng thought.

Just this moment, the white crane walked up to Chen Chang Sheng and extended its neck to greet him warmly.

Chen Chang Sheng raised his head and smiled at the white crane. He raised his arm, wrapped around its neck and patted its head.

Looking at this scene, the people in the palace fell into a deeper silence.

Everyone knew that this white crane always followed Xu You Rong around when it was not delivering messages. Its personality was cold and prideful but right now, it was so close with Chen Chang Sheng. This meant that Chen Chang Sheng knew the white crane from way back.

He was already so close with the crane, what more could be said about the girl?

So everything said in the letter was true and not an excuse. Xu You Rong wasn’t forced to follow her grandfather’s will but accepted this marriage as her wish.” *

Perhaps she and this youngster named Chen Chang Sheng were actually childhood friends.

“Childhood friends? Unbreakable as gold?”

Tang Thirty Six looked at Gou Han Shi and the southern ambassadors.

Those were words that Gou Han Shi previously used to describe the relationship between Qiu Shan Jun and Xu You Rong.

Tang Thirty Six’s smile may seem indifferent, but mockery and insult was hiding within.

“From what I see, isn’t this just wishful thinking?”

*Translator Note: Just in case readers forgot, it was mentioned very early in the story that Xu You Rong’s grandfather was ill and Chen Chang Sheng’s master cured him. To thank his work, Xu You Rong’s grandfather made a vow to marry Xu You Rong to the master’s apprentice.