Chapter 120 A Strategic Retreat: The banquet just now was to welcome those who came to observe the ceremony…

The banquet just now was to welcome the important guests who came to witness the ceremony. Even though Wu Chen only drank a little each time, he had drunk a bit too much by the end of the night. He walked slowly along the mountain path, letting the night breeze carry away the effects of the alcohol.

The banquet was still held at Zhanghua Terrace. He had been preoccupied with many matters lately and had no intention of undertaking any major construction. He still handled affairs in the front hall of Zhanghua Terrace, still resided on Nukun Peak, and still disliked large crowds. Even slightly tipsy, he only brought two young attendants. The two attendants, one in front and one behind, carried lanterns and led the way. As they slowly made their way to a rugged part of the mountain path, Wu Chen suddenly stopped, gazing at the faint lights of the peaks in the night, and let out a soft sigh.

A boy mustered his courage and asked, "Sir, what's wrong?"

Wu Chen shook his head.

He simply missed Lu Qing.

Lu Qing has been gone for more than twenty days. She is still on her way. I wonder what she has encountered, whether anyone is making things difficult for her, whether she has found any clues about Yixian Lake, and when she will be able to return.

He stood silently at the edge of the cliff, his hands hanging down, letting the mountain wind flutter his wide robes.

The two boys looked at him with adoration, thinking that even gods couldn't compare.

Wu Chen stood there for a long time, his drunkenness subsiding. He sighed inwardly at his own foolishness; how could Lu Qing possibly return if he just gazed into the distance like this? He should go back and make more arrangements so that he could go out and find her after the succession ceremony. "Let's go."

After bypassing this spot, the mountain path ahead became much easier. The moonlight, like water, cast the shadows of mountain flowers and leaves onto the bluestone, shifting with the light of the lanterns. Wu Chen lowered his head, silently appreciating the scene, until a strange fragrance wafted over. He slowly raised his head and saw a person standing on the mountain path ahead.

The person was a woman with a graceful figure, and her fair hand holding the lantern shone white in the moonlight.

When the boy approached her, the woman bowed gracefully and said, "Greetings, Master Wu."

Wu Chen didn't say anything, and continued walking forward without stopping, until he passed by her.

She actually reached out and grabbed Wu Chen's arm. "Lord Wu, you dare not pay attention to me, is it because you have a guilty conscience and dare not see me?"

Wu Chen looked at the hand gripping his arm tightly and said, "Let go."

The woman stood up and faced him. "Lord Wu, please don't misunderstand. I'm not here to throw myself at you. I'm not in the mood for that either."

Wu Chen's gaze fell on her face.

To be fair, this woman was extremely beautiful, with willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, and cherry-like lips. Her skin seemed to be exquisitely carved from a piece of mutton-fat jade, almost shimmering in the moonlight. Even the Spirit Fruit that Wu Yan conjured that day was no match for her. Moreover, Wu Chen felt that she looked somewhat familiar. "You are... what is your relationship with Luo Heqing?"

"It seems Lord Wu hasn't had too much to drink," the woman said coldly. "I am his younger sister, Luo Heyi."

Wu Chen smiled, but his next words were extremely disruptive to the atmosphere: "Let go."

Luo Heyi not only didn't let go, but he exerted even more force.

Wu Chen calmly advised, "Miss Luo, let go. If you don't let go, I will have no choice but to cut off your arm with my sword."

"I've always heard that Lord Wu is gentle, humble, and tolerant, but it turns out he actually does things this way! Those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish. No wonder he became a priest." Luo Heyi mocked, finally releasing his grip.

Wu Chen straightened his sleeves. "What is it, Miss Luo?"

How did my brother die?

"Killed by the High Priest, who beheaded me with a single sword strike." Wu Chen made no attempt to hide anything.

Luo Heyi shook his head. "Impossible."

Wu Chen was too lazy to argue with her. "I never lie."

Luo Heyi's beautiful eyes welled up with tears of pain in an instant. "Lord Wu, I only want the truth from you. How did my brother die? If you tell me the truth, I will stop bothering you."

Wu Chen laughed, "I don't care what you want, but my answer is only one truth: he was killed by the High Priest, who beheaded him with a single sword stroke."

"That's impossible. My brother is also a grandson of the Zou family. How could the High Priest possibly kill him?"

“The High Priest even killed his own direct descendant, the Divine Servant Zou, so I don’t find it strange that he killed your brother,” Wu Chen said, stating the facts as they were.

"Then why don't you make this public?" Luo Heyi asked again.

Wu Chen glanced at her, his expression calm and ruthless. "What does the Divine Palace's actions have to do with you?"

Luo Heyi trembled all over, tears streaming down his face. "Wu Chen, did you kill my brother? And I'm afraid you even killed the High Priest, didn't you?"

Wu Chen chuckled, shook his head, and took a step to leave.

Luo Heyi's voice was low and pained, "Wu Chen, I have loved you for many years."

Wu Chen looked at her.

"Ten years ago, I came back to celebrate my grandfather's birthday. At the banquet, I fell in love with you at first sight." Her voice had a poignant and moving quality, a desperate and reckless devotion that made the two children's hearts clench.

“From then on, every time my brother returned to Zhanyantai to visit our mother, I would ask him about you. Whether you become a priest or not, I was thinking... I was thinking of finding an opportunity to tell you my feelings.” Luo Heyi covered his face and wept, crying with great sorrow, his face streaked with tears, looking utterly pitiful.

Unfortunately, Wu Chen remained expressionless and showed no reaction whatsoever.

Luo Heyi looked up at him in despair, "But I never expected that you would kill my brother for the position of priest, and even frame the high priest for such a reputation. Wu Chen, you can fool others, but you can't fool me. I will die with you!" She suddenly pulled a dagger from her sleeve and stabbed it fiercely at Wu Chen.

The two children exclaimed in surprise.

With a flick of his sleeve, Wu Chen broke the dagger in two with a clang.

Luo Heyi was knocked to the ground by his force, looking up at him with tears streaming down her face.

Wu Chen raised his voice, "Someone come here."

Someone emerged from the shadows and asked, "What are your orders, sir?"

“Someone attempted assassination. Send them to the Discipline Hall for strict interrogation,” Wu Chen said.

The two guards behind him were stunned for a moment.

This kind of behavior is less like an assassination attempt and more like a heartfelt confession. And yet, it's sent to the disciplinary hall for a severe trial?!

Wu Chen glanced at them and said, "If she runs away halfway or is rescued, you will be punished."

The girl looked utterly despondent; even if you asked her to leave, she wouldn't. With this thought in mind, the guards escorted Luo Heyi to the Discipline Hall. However, less than an hour later, they returned to Nukun Peak, looking utterly defeated, to report, "That Miss Luo has been kidnapped."

Wu Chen seemed to have anticipated this. After returning and bathing, he did not rest but had the boy brew tea. Now, while sipping the tea, he asked, "Why did this accident happen?"

"We didn't expect that girl to make a move so suddenly."

"Since she dared to assassinate me, why didn't she attack you instead?"

"I...I thought she was deeply shocked and had lost all hope."

"Deeply hurt? Where did you see that she was hurt?" Wu Chen asked with amusement. "What, just because you say a few words of deep affection, you can do whatever you want? Didn't you ever consider that Miss Luo's every move tonight was practiced repeatedly? That every word she said was carefully considered, and not a single word can be believed?"

She might be Luo Heqing's sister, but he didn't believe a word of that nonsense about love at first sight and dying together. This tactic of retreating to advance was novel, much better than those who directly expressed their feelings from the start. Unfortunately, he wasn't interested.

The two guards were flushed. They were newly selected disciples of the Divine Palace. They had no background and little experience. Apart from their decent cultivation, they were practically blank slates.

Wu Chen sighed, "It's not just this Miss Luo. In the future, there will probably be countless women who claim to be deeply in love and cry that they will marry no one but me. If you believe everything they say, you might as well leave now and I'll replace you with other clear-headed people. That way, I can walk and sleep with peace of mind."

The two guards were so ashamed that their faces bled. "Sir, we know we were wrong. If we are negligent again in the future, we will accept any punishment."

Wu Chen nodded. "Considering this is your first offense, each of you will receive ten lashes to teach you a lesson and keep you vigilant in the future."

The two guards obeyed and withdrew, only returning to rest after receiving their whips.

Before long, all the newly recruited secret guards knew about it.

Some people gasped, "I'd heard before that adults don't like women, but I never thought it was true."

Others sneered, "What else can you do? Just whine and cry a little and they'll accept it. Who do you take adults for!"

Some who had met Lu Qing said, "It depends on who you're talking to. You haven't met the Madam, but the Master treats her like a dragon egg."

The moment Lu Qing was mentioned, the guards shuddered. Yes, they were only thinking of the pitiful beauty; if Madam Wu returned and found out they hadn't stopped those swarming suitors, they'd probably face more than just ten lashes each.

From then on, it was extremely difficult for women in the Divine Palace to meet Wu Chen by chance unless they had important business to attend to.

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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 21:07:36 on October 9, 2020 and 18:04:11 on October 10, 2020!

Thank you to the little angels who threw landmines: Flowing Clouds and Repigon (1 each);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!