"Grand Preceptor, there is no need for such harsh words. I am here today to make peace with you."
"oh?"
Wen Zhixuan sat upright and motionless, still maintaining that aloof and otherworldly demeanor.
"It is only natural for the Imperial Preceptor to harbor resentment after suffering misfortune in the past. Although Jiang Qi shares the surname Jiang, he is not very close to our Duke's mansion. Naturally, his abuse of power and misconduct are also the responsibility of the family, which I dare not shirk. To be honest, it is shameful to say that a family and clan, with its many descendants, will inevitably breed worms if it remains for too long. Therefore, my father ordered my elder sister to clean up the house and restore peace."
Jiang Yiqing looked somewhat wistful. “Since the Grand Preceptor has denied it so vehemently, I dare not disbelieve him. In that case, the Grand Preceptor has not held a grudge against my Jiang clan because of Jiang Qi’s mistake. This shows his magnanimity, which we admire.”
Wen Zhixuan was astonished to see that he had taken the initiative after just a few words, even putting himself in a morally constrained position. Indeed, scions of noble families were not fools.
He took a sip of tea and said, "Lord Jiang, please speak frankly. There's no need to beat around the bush."
Jiang Yiqing said earnestly, “The Imperial Preceptor is a Taoist practitioner, yet he willingly enters the mortal world. He saved His Majesty, established the imperial examination system, and eradicated the plague. From this, we can see that the Imperial Preceptor has a great sense of righteousness. My Jiang family has been loyal and valiant for generations, and we also fight for the people, which can be considered as our common goal. Of course, I know that the Imperial Preceptor and the Jiang family have a grudge that is hard to let go of, and I do not seek to reconcile with the Imperial Preceptor. I only hope that we can live in peace and serve His Majesty together, which is also for the sake of the people. I wonder what the Imperial Preceptor thinks?”
No wonder Emperor Hongde wanted to put him in the Censorate; his eloquence is indeed quite good.
Wen Zhixuan did not respond.
Those who cultivate the Tao have many taboos, but once they make a promise, they will definitely keep it.
Just like he promised to marry Shen Qinghe, he couldn't go back on his word.
If he agrees to Jiang Yiqing's request today, it will be as if he has sworn an oath to the heavens that if he opposes the Jiang family again in the future, his Dao heart will surely be destroyed.
However, if they do not respond, it would be tantamount to declaring war on the Jiang family.
He no longer has the resources or confidence to do so. In particular, Emperor Hongde trusts the Jiang family and would certainly not want him to be their enemy.
Jiang Yiqing has already made thorough preparations.
It seems that the expert in the Jiang family is indeed extraordinary.
He smiled faintly and said calmly, "I have a question, and I hope the Crown Prince can answer it."
Jiang Yiqing politely replied, "I'm all ears."
"On his way back to the capital after suppressing the rebellion, General Gu fell off a cliff but miraculously survived. It was later learned that his younger sister had given him a talisman to help him before he left."
Wen Zhixuan observed the slight change in his expression, but his tone remained unchanged. "That yellow talisman originally belonged to my Taoist school. Your younger sister is still young, so I imagine the one who drew the talisman was someone else. Your words just now were very sincere, and I was deeply moved. Since we are both Taoist practitioners, I wonder if Your Highness could introduce me to this master? I would also like to learn a thing or two from him."
Jiang Shumiao closed the mental space.
Fuqu stammered, "My Lord, it seems he already suspects you."
Wen Zhixuan's meaning was clear: if he wanted to reconcile and make peace, he needed to know the Jiang family's trump card.
If not, then he did not make a direct promise.
In the future, I will still seek justice for wrongs and revenge for wrongs.
“Two years ago, I stopped him from injuring someone with his horse, and I already had my suspicions. Later, he attacked my family several times, but each time it ended in backlash. Even if he was stupid, he should have guessed that there was a cultivator in the Jiang family who was going to fight him. Besides, he is very shrewd.”
Fuqu sighed, "No wonder Uncle Ginseng said that humans are cunning."
She looked at Jiang Shumiao.
"So what are you going to do?"
Jiang Shumiao's eyes darted around as she said, "I'm going to see him tonight. You keep watch at the door for me."
Fuqu stammered again, "No, no, that won't do. What if the Princess finds out..."
Jiang Shumiao waved his hand.
"I can cast an illusion spell, so when Mother comes, she'll only see me sleeping and won't notice anything amiss."
All illusions require the use of physical objects as substitutes.
For example, when Fuqu pretended to sell herself to bury her father, that 'father' was actually a lotus petal. But Jiang Shumiao could conjure up a living person out of thin air with a wave of his hand.
Indeed, demons and gods are not comparable.
Fuqu was tired of saying anything envious, so she could only obediently be a gatekeeper... oh no, a gatekeeper demon.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
