As Teacher Song's most prized student, Shen Qingchen's guess was correct.
This sentence does indeed contain a word puzzle—in the vast expanse of heaven and earth, there is a Xu character that can blot out the sky. Xu Silin's surname is Xu, the Xu of Xu Yan. Whatever Teacher Song's purpose, he was indeed trying to give a hint.
But she didn't realize that this was actually a double entendre, with another, simpler meaning.
The world is vast, but two people are more than enough.
But precisely because it was so obvious, Qingchen didn't even consider that possibility. The golden autumn wind swept by, causing her to squint slightly. She could only see Song Yue's crimson robe fluttering in the wind, as splendid as the sunset in the sky.
Shen Qingchen had never been to the legendary Northern Garrison. Upon arriving at the gate of the Garrison Command, he saw a plaque with the four characters "Northern Garrison Command" hanging high above the lintel, with Imperial Guards holding swords guarding both sides of the entrance. From the eaves and walls to the guards, everything about them, like Lu Shenyun, gave off a cold and austere feeling.
The guard went in to deliver the message, and soon someone rushed out to greet him. It was Huang Yu, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Upon seeing Song Yue, he bowed and said, "It's Grand Secretary Song! Please, please come in. What brings you to the Garrison Command today, Grand Secretary?"
Song Yue led Qingchen through the door and explained his purpose directly: "I heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guard brought back a girl yesterday. I think there must be some misunderstanding. So I came here today with my student to clarify things."
"Your Excellency is too kind. Since we mistakenly arrested someone you know, Your Excellency could have simply sent someone to inform us and we would have released him. The court knows that Your Excellency is very busy with official duties, so how could we dare to trouble Your Excellency to make the trip in person?"
“It’s my student’s business, so as his teacher, I should come.” He said calmly.
As Huang Yu ascended the steps, he glanced back at Shen Qingchen, who was following behind Song Yue. The man was refined and handsome, with a gentle demeanor, and dressed in a simple blue robe. Huang Yu then turned back and said, "Your Excellency is very thoughtful."
As soon as the group entered the gate, they were greeted by a man who had just been released from prison.
The man looked to be over fifty years old, with a listless expression, disheveled hair, and his white undergarment was stained with blood from torture.
Upon seeing Song Yue, he suddenly widened his eyes, rushed over, and hugged Song Yue's legs, saying, "Grand Secretary Song, Grand Secretary Song, how many good people are still imprisoned in the Imperial Prison? How many bad people are sitting under that plaque of 'The Mirror of Justice'? You know that, Grand Secretary. It's no pity if we die in the Imperial Prison, but to come out and see this chaotic world, with treacherous officials in power, is even more tragic... Grand Secretary, you can no longer sit idly by, please listen to me!"
His voice was dry and hoarse, with a hint of sobbing, which sounded especially mournful in this bleak season.
Seeing this, Huang Yu reached out to pull his wrist, "Lord Jiang, Lord Lu has already informed the Emperor that you are innocent and has also requested that you be released. You should go home first. Grand Secretary Song is here today to help his students with some matters. You can say what you have to say later. Why kneel here like this?"
The old man refused to let go, clinging tightly to the black boots beneath his scarlet official robe. He glanced up at Shen Qingchen and said, "I can't wait any longer. What student can compare to the affairs of the state?"
Qingchen listened, feeling slightly guilty, and lowered his head, fidgeting with the sleeve of his green robe.
There is only one Song Yue, who is not only her teacher but also a minister of state. Her personal matters cannot be compared with national affairs; she can distinguish between what is important and what is not.
"I'll listen to what you have to say, Lord Jiang. Please get up." Song Yue helped the man up and said to Huang Yu, "I'd like to trouble Lord Huang to take my student to see Miss Mingxiang first."
As he spoke, he turned to face Qingchen, his voice gentle and reassuring, "You go ahead first, I'll be there in a bit."
Qingchen nodded and replied, "Yes." After taking a few steps with Huang Yu, she couldn't help but turn back to look at him, only to find that Song Yue was also looking at her.
He stood in the golden sunset, beneath the solemn gates of the Zhenfu Division, his jade-like face serene, his gaze calm and gentle. He silently mouthed two words to her:
Don't be afraid.
Qingchen turned around and continued to follow Huang Yu. She didn't know if she had seen correctly, but she felt a slight swelling in her heart.
Huang Yu is Lu Shenyun's subordinate and also his longtime friend.
Ever since Ming Xiang was brought back to the Zhenfu Division yesterday, he had found it strange and had been subtly questioning Lu Shenyun until he learned the whole story. Today, seeing that Song Yue had indeed brought his students to the door, he could only secretly admire Lu Shenyun's skill; he had gotten such a rare favor from Grand Secretary Song so easily.
"Did you save Lu Shenyun?" Huang Yu asked suddenly as she was walking.
Qingchen paused for a moment, then hesitated slightly before replying, "My lord, I retrieved half an arrow for Lord Lu..."
"That's you. Apart from that half arrow, he's far from death."
As Huang Yu spoke, he looked the young man in front of him over again. He had a handsome face, slightly thin shoulders, and a gentle, scholarly air about him. He was nothing like the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) who always seemed to carry a sense of menace.
Especially Lu Shenyun, who wasn't actually that dark-hearted, just a bit aloof, always wore a gloomy face, acting like a moving iceberg, and his eyes seemed to look at people so intently they could kill them.
I don't know why he lives such an awkward life.
Huang Yu smacked his lips as he thought about it, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards Shen Qingchen. As a spy, he had already analyzed Shen Qingchen in his mind.
The fact that he was valued by Song Yue, the most talented man in the Ming Dynasty, shows that he has some real skills; the fact that he lowered his head in shame when he heard what Old Man Jiang said shows that he knows what's important and has a broad mind; the fact that he used his connection with Grand Secretary Song to save a neighbor shows that he is kind-hearted; the fact that he could snatch someone back from the brink of death with a blunt knife shows that he is calm under pressure and is bold and meticulous... No wonder Lu Shenyun was interested in him, capturing a pure and innocent girl just to ask him a few questions.
Who was Lu Shenyun? He was the top martial arts champion of his time, the fiercest general of the Ming Dynasty, with tiger-like arms, a wasp waist, and mantis-like legs, and he moved like a leopard. Because he had practiced martial arts since childhood, he was skilled in everything. Except for the time he took a knife for the emperor and got a scar under his eyebrow, the word "weak" did not exist in his life, let alone begging for mercy to survive.
He had shown his most vulnerable side in the past half of his life in front of this little sage, and yet she became his savior, making him both lose face and indebted.
Thinking about it this way, Huang Yu felt that she could understand why Lu Shenyun used Shen Qingchen. It was awkward, it was innate!
“Lu Shenyun is a ruthless person.” Huang Yu suddenly added, “When you saved him last time, he was still injured, and he already looked quite cold and ruthless, right? Now his injuries are almost healed.”
Upon hearing this, Qingchen frowned. "Does Your Excellency mean..."
"Whether your Mingxiang can leave or not depends on his decision. My word is not valid. Unfortunately, he just tortured someone today, and he probably hasn't even washed his hands yet, he's covered in blood. You'd better be prepared when you see him later."
"..."
“That guy doesn’t listen to reason. He doesn’t care if you’re a benefactor or an enemy. If he gets angry, he can send you flying out of Chengtian Gate. I see you’re so frail and weak, I’m worried you can’t handle his temper, so I’m just giving you a heads-up.”
Shen Qingchen felt a slight throbbing in his temples and nervously clenched his robe. "...Thank you for the reminder, sir."
Huang Yu observed her reaction and chuckled to herself.
A short while later, the two arrived at a house. Huang Yu pointed to it and said to Qingchen, "Lu Shenyun is in here. Go in and ask him for the person. I'm leaving."
Although she really wanted Huang Yu to take her inside, Huang Yu was, after all, a deputy commander, so Qing Chen didn't dare to make any demands and could only nod in agreement.
The door was ajar, and the setting sun shone through the crack, casting a ray of light on the floor inside.
Shen Qingchen gently pushed open the door and saw a neat ebony desk, a hanging plant on a tall table next to it, and several blue-covered books on a display shelf. The furnishings were very simple.
There were several armchairs in the room, and someone was sleeping on one of them.
He leaned back in his chair, head tilted to one side, chin resting on his arm, his long legs straddling his imposing figure beneath his gold-embroidered flying fish robe. A dark cloak draped down from the armrest behind him, fluttering slightly in the breeze.
The light filtering through the slatted window softly illuminated his face, revealing his still handsome features. He appeared calm and composed, less ruthless than when he was awake. The scar beneath his right eyebrow was still discernible, and even in full armor, it betrayed a hint of vulnerability within him.
Lu Shenyun was asleep. Although Qingchen was very worried about Mingxiang, she didn't dare to disturb her and hesitated for a moment before deciding to leave.
"stop."
Just as she was about to close the door, this voice suddenly rang out, its tone somewhat cold.
Qingchen's heart skipped a beat. She turned around and bowed to him, saying, "I greet Lord Lu."
Lu Shenyun maintained his previous posture, glaring at his savior, "Now that you're here, why are you leaving?"
"I was afraid of disturbing your rest, sir..." Qingchen took a breath, glanced at his leg, and politely asked, "Is your leg injury any better, sir?"
Lu Shenyun tilted his head slightly and raised his eyelids, saying, "You care about me?"
"I used you, repaid kindness with enmity, and you still care about me?"
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