Mo stood up, paced around for a while, and then said, "Brother Jiang, I am so grateful for your prior reminder. Otherwise, I, Ling Mo, would have made a terrible mistake."
Jiang Huaiyu smiled gently, his eyes full of relief: "Brother Ling, you flatter me. There's no need for such formalities between us. I only know a little bit, and I never expected that I could be of any help to you."
The Taoist temple where the two were located was nestled in a secluded valley, with ancient trees reaching for the sky and incense smoke curling upwards. Inside the temple was a quiet room, furnished with elegance and tranquility, which was where Jiang Huaiyu was currently sitting.
Looking at Jiang Huaiyu's face, Ling Mo asked with concern, "Brother Jiang, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Jiang Huaiyu shook his head gently and said, "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired from being busy with many things lately. Brother Ling, I've heard about what happened at the Princess's residence today."
Ling Mo sighed and said, "Yes, I went to the banquet with the invitation, intending to apologize to the princess, but she didn't blame me. She even said that if you hadn't reminded her, she might have misunderstood me."
Jiang Huaiyu smiled and said, "Her Highness the Princess is intelligent and wise, so she naturally wouldn't easily blame others. However, Brother Ling, do you know why she doesn't blame you?"
Ling Mo thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps it's because of my sincere apology."
Jiang Huaiyu gently shook his head and said, "No, Brother Ling. Her Highness the Princess doesn't blame you because she knows you meant no harm. And the reason you were able to let her know this is because you have a clever friend."
Ling Mo was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "Brother Jiang, you are always so modest. In fact, I know in my heart that if you hadn't reminded me, I would definitely have been in trouble today."
After a moment of silence, Jiang Huaiyu suddenly asked, "Brother Ling, who else do you think could be your ally at the banquet in the princess's residence?"
Ling Mo pondered for a moment and said, "Besides Brother Jiang, I'm afraid there's only that mysterious white-clad swordsman. His performance at the banquet impressed me greatly."
A glint of surprise flashed in Jiang Huaiyu's eyes as he asked, "The white-robed swordsman? Who is he?"
Ling Mo said, "I don't know who he is either, but I do know that he has superb swordsmanship and an extraordinary temperament. He seems to care a lot about Her Highness the Princess, so perhaps we can try to befriend him."
Jiang Huaiyu nodded and said, "Good idea. However, before that, we need to find out more about him."
As the two were talking, Jiang Huaiyu suddenly felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. He gently rubbed his temples and said, "Brother Ling, I'll rest for a while. If you need anything, just call me anytime."
Ling Mo nodded in agreement and left the quiet room, thinking to himself: Brother Jiang is indeed overworked. I must help him share some of the burden.
Soon it was time to eat, and the Taoist priests in the temple entered the dining hall one by one and sat down quietly.
Master Qiu was the last to enter when he smelled the aroma of chicken. He couldn't help but smile and walked over to Ling Mo, who was busy at the table, saying, "Fellow Daoist Ling Mo, today's meal is truly fragrant. I am fortunate to be able to taste such delicious food; I am truly blessed."
Ling Mo smiled upon hearing this and was about to respond when Master Qiu's expression suddenly changed. His gaze fell on a plate on the table, where a golden-brown roasted chicken was placed.
"This is—this is my old hen!" Master Qiu pointed at the plate of chicken, his facial muscles trembling involuntarily.
Ling Mo was taken aback, then smiled wryly and said, "Fellow Daoist Qiu, Jiang Huaiyu is weak and needs to be nourished. A five-year-old hen is just right to help her recover."
Master Qiu's eyes widened as he glared at Ling Mo: "Ling Mo, what do you mean by this? That chicken chanted scriptures and meditated with me; it already possessed human-like qualities. How could you be so cruel as to slaughter it?"
Ling Mo frowned. He hadn't expected that Daoist Qiu would care so much about a chicken: "Fellow Daoist Qiu, I'm only doing this for Jiang Huaiyu's health. That chicken has been around for five years and has already fulfilled its mission. It's better to let it make the most of its last bit of value."
Master Qiu's face turned ashen. He stared intently at Ling Mo, his tone icy: "Ling Mo, you are desecrating life. Even a chicken has a spirit. Aren't you afraid of divine retribution for treating it like this?"
Ling Mo sighed. He knew that Master Qiu was a compassionate Taoist priest, but he also understood that Jiang Huaiyu's physical condition could not be ignored. He looked at Master Qiu deeply and said in a deep voice, "Fellow Taoist Qiu, I know your intentions, but I must be responsible for Jiang Huaiyu's health. I hope you can understand me."
At this moment, Jiang Huaiyu, who had been sitting to the side, spoke softly: "Master Qiu, I know you have feelings for that chicken, but I do need to replenish it. This chicken has been around for five years, and it's time to let it make the last bit of use. Please understand."
Master Qiu looked at Jiang Huaiyu; her face was pale and her eyes were filled with exhaustion.
His anger slowly subsided, replaced by a trace of helplessness and sorrow. He sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "Since that's the case, then I won't say anything more. I just hope you can respect life and not easily harm the innocent."
Ling Mo and Jiang Huaiyu nodded at the same time, and then Master Qiu sat down again and began to eat.
But his gaze remained fixed on the chicken, as if he were reminiscing about something.
The atmosphere in the canteen was somewhat heavy, but everyone tried their best to remain calm.
After the meal, Master Qiu got up and left, his back view appearing somewhat lonely.
Ling Mo watched his retreating figure, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.
...
After dinner, Jiang Huaiyu strolled along the winding path behind the Taoist temple to aid digestion.
Although it was the time when the sun was at its most intense, the forest was pleasantly cool. She continued on and unexpectedly found a smooth stone table with a spacious stone bench beside it, clearly where Master Qiu usually enjoyed tea and meditation.
Jiang Huaiyu sat down on the stone bench, where the view echoed the distant, rolling mountains, and the scenery before him was quite enchanting.
Suddenly, she felt a surge of interest and called out softly, "Yingxiang, bring me my flute."
Before long, Yingxiang handed her the short flute.
Jiang Huaiyu gently touched the short flute to his lips and slowly began to play a tune. The initial melody was like a slowly flowing stream, carrying a hint of solemnity, as if it were expressing the sorrow and regret in his heart, and also seemed to contain an unspeakable indignation.
Just then, a white figure swept past like a bird and landed lightly on the grass.
Ling Mo held the long sword and slowly began to wield it. His movements were like a dragon playing in the water or a startled swan flying by. The tip of the sword sliced through the air, and the low hum of the blade echoed in the air.
Jiang Huaiyu was slightly taken aback, but then understood his intention and responded with a flute melody.
This time, the flute music changed significantly. Watching Ling Mo's magnificent sword dance, her flute music also became more stirring, like a gust of wind passing through a dense forest, or waves crashing against the shore. The flute music carried a soul-stirring spirit, echoing through the forest.
When the music ended, Ling Mo also sheathed his sword.
He walked over, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said, "I have come uninvited and have disturbed Miss Jiang's leisure time."
"Not at all. Young Master Ling's sword dance is truly a rare sight in this world. It is my great fortune to witness it today."
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