Zhao Feng's expression was more solemn than ever before.
He told his friend with an unwavering tone, "I will pretend you never said or heard what you said today. Once you leave my tent, do not mention it to anyone else. This is absolutely impossible!"
The scholar lowered his eyes: "We didn't come here to probe your intentions."
Zhao Feng continued, "I never suspected you were here to probe! That's why I'm willing to help you conceal your thoughts. When did you even have such an idea? Although our lord does have some flaws, it's far from this."
He had suffered a lot of frustration over the past two years, as an outsider who could never be accepted by the local Tianhai faction, but Wu Xian's kindness to him was also an undeniable fact. Zhao Fengping despised ungrateful people more than anything, so how could he betray Wu Xian for such a reason? If he were capable of doing that, he wouldn't have risked his life to save Wu Xian back then.
The scholar said, "It has been there for a long time."
"Long ago..."
Zhao Feng was speechless.
He couldn't help but reflect on himself. Had he been too careless, failing to notice his old friend's predicament, leading to such strong dissatisfaction with their lord, Wu Xian? Of course, this was also related to his old friend's personality; the latter never hid his principle of "people strive for higher positions, water flows downhill." If he couldn't see satisfactory value in Wu Xian, he might very well quit.
Zhao Feng: "What has my lord done to displease you?"
The scholar, however, did not wish to say more, and simply said, "I don't think much of it."
Zhao Feng: "..."
The scholar tapped the table with his sword fan to draw Zhao Feng's attention back, saying, "You and Gongsu are both of the type to endure as much as possible, hoping that the lord will improve and give you trust and important responsibilities. But 'trust and important responsibilities'—do we need to wait for that? Can't we find someone who can deliver on those promises immediately? Waiting and waiting, when will it ever end? What if the lord becomes even more muddle-headed and suspicious?"
Zhao Feng's face suddenly darkened: "You've gone too far!"
The scholar, however, remained unfazed and said calmly, “If that’s the case, you and Gongsu will only keep yielding, forbearing, and indulging. Our lord is just a lord, not a husband. Why should you compromise like a woman? Ordinary women, because they lack skills to make a living and because of their young children, find it difficult to sever ties with their husbands and can only swallow their anger. But why are you and Gongsu going to such lengths?”
Zhao Feng could no longer maintain his composure and burst into a tirade: "You old bastard, your words are getting more and more outrageous! Do you think I'm that kind of person? Our lord has many shortcomings, but he also has his merits. As a subject, I should assist him and help him correct them, instead of thinking about leaving all day like you."
The scholar said, "Our lord will not change his mind."
Zhao Feng said angrily, "How do you know he won't change?"
The scholar sneered, "If things had changed, why would he be so wary of you? Do you think our lord really doesn't know that those petty people are provoking you like this? He knows, he knows it perfectly well, he's just watching coldly. He's long been unhappy about your close relationship with Shen Jun. Isn't Xu Jie a prime example? Think about it carefully, how long has it been since our lord mentioned Xu Wenzhu? If there were no conflict between the two, would Xu Wenzhu be hogging the military rations?"
Zhao Feng was speechless.
But he was not swayed by the scholar's words.
He never considered dumping Wu Xian and going elsewhere.
He tacitly allowed his daughter to stay with Shen Tang only because he trusted Shen Tang; Shen Tang was the best and safest place for his daughter.
The scholar concluded quietly: "Xu Wenzhu has devoted all his wealth to helping our lord over the years, yet he still ends up being estranged. How long can your gratitude for saving our lord's life last?"
Zhao Feng frowned deeply: "Does Gong Su know what you're thinking?"
The scholar chuckled and said, “Gong Su is not like you. It’s fine if you know what we’re thinking, but if he finds out, do you think he’ll have a good time? Our lord has always valued him and treated him with kindness all these years. How could he tolerate others speaking ill of our lord? Of course, we’ve kept it a secret from him and have only told you so far.”
Zhao Feng breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."
He was genuinely worried that Qin Li would find out, and another thought then popped into Zhao Feng's mind: "Could it be that you have secretly sided with Shen Jun? Is that why you came here today to persuade me?"
The scholar chuckled, patting his fan. "Your sense of righteousness is more comprehensive than before, but you're overthinking things this time. We didn't do anything so stupid. People who offer themselves up are looked down upon. Although that Lord Shen is somewhat different from the rumors, he wouldn't value someone who betrayed their former master."
Even if he really intends to change jobs, he won't do it voluntarily.
At least in the eyes of the new master, he was not the one who took the initiative.
Zhao Feng: "..."
He had genuinely believed that his old friend had been sent by Shen Tang.
He asked curiously, "Why does it have to be Shen Jun?"
Even though Zhao Feng thought Shen Tang was a good person, possessing a youthful vigor and the chivalrous spirit that Wu Xian had long abandoned, Shen Tang's apparent qualities weren't top-tier within the Allied Forces. Clearly, Alliance Leader Huang Lie would be more likely to win over his friends.
Is it simply because Shen Jun might possess the Imperial Seal?
The scholar took a small sip of tea, his eyes slightly narrowed as if in enjoyment, concealing the deep emotions swirling within them: "It cannot be spoken."
Zhao Feng scoffed, "Still keeping us in suspense."
Zhao Feng was supportive of his old friend's desire to seek other opportunities, unwilling to see him waste his time and bury his talents. His lord, for some reason, didn't particularly like his old friend, and naturally, he wasn't given any important position, only a minor, insignificant post. Qin Li recommended him several times, and Wu Xian only verbally agreed, but no action was taken.
After a while, Qin Li realized that Wu Xian was doing it on purpose. Being a scholar, he wouldn't do something so insincere, so he simply stayed put. Zhao Feng found this quite regrettable, but there was nothing he could do.
The scholar remained silent, but a smile seemed to appear at the corner of his eye.
He brought up another topic.
"We met the eldest young master before we came."
"Young Master?"
The "eldest son" they were referring to was naturally Wu Xian's eldest legitimate son. Wu Xian only allowed his concubines to have children after his principal wife had given birth to two sons in a row. His intention was to prevent disputes between legitimate and illegitimate sons, but who knew that his two legitimate sons would cause such a ruckus.
The scholar said, "He seems to want to come and see you."
They just lingered in the same spot for a long time without coming.
Zhao Feng couldn't help but furrow his brow, his already serious face becoming even more solemn. After a long while, he finally asked, "Do you know why the eldest young master has come?"
The scholar casually replied, "I don't know, but I know without asking that they've come to you for advice and to get closer to you."
Zhao Feng's brain swelled upon hearing this.
People in this world tend to settle down and start families early.
While Wu Xian was still in his prime, his two sons were already quite grown up. Although they were brothers born of the same mother, their temperaments were completely different. The older one was more introverted and didn't like to talk much, while the younger one was a spitting image of a young Wu Xian.
The second son possessed some talent in cultivation, training diligently through the coldest and hottest days of winter. He was incredibly hardworking and enjoyed emulating the ways of chivalrous knights, wielding his sword to help those in need, and readily offering alms. He could easily become friends with anyone around him, regardless of their social status. Once, upon hearing of bandits harassing the people of a certain region, he grabbed his sword, gathered a few friends, and headed straight for their hideout to rid the people of this menace.
Finally, he returned carrying the bandit leader's head and covered in wounds. When Wu Xian heard about this, he was not furious at all. Instead, he laughed and joked with those around him that this young man had the same spirit as him when he was young.
In contrast, the eldest son was not as outstanding.
He lacked aptitude for literature and was unable to cultivate literary energy. His physique was also weak, and after many years of cultivation, he had only barely managed to condense his martial courage. While his brothers were at an age where they could kill bandits and make them cry for their mothers, he was only a second-class upper-level cultivator. In terms of strength, he couldn't even defeat a younger illegitimate son. His personality was also unremarkable; apart from being the eldest son, he was inferior to his younger brother in every way.
The eldest son was also a bit slow to react.
By the time he realized that everyone around him preferred his younger brother and was dissatisfied with him, his brother had already become the group's darling. Most of the Tianhai faction had gathered around Wu Xian since he was young, and seeing the second young master was like seeing their lord in his youth, so naturally they favored him.
While most people favored the second son, Zhao Feng and his brothers preferred the eldest son. There was no other reason than a simple belief: the wealth and fortune that commoners had worked their entire lives for should go to the eldest son. Zhao Feng, having come from a humble background, had witnessed this firsthand, and naturally, his choice reflected this. Even if his other sons were more likable, their disregard for the rules could easily lead to discord among the brothers.
Qin Li and the others simply didn't like getting involved in their lord's family affairs and didn't take sides. Zhao Feng also knew the implications, but he couldn't easily avoid it, because he was nominally the eldest son's martial arts teacher. It's only natural for a student to be close to their teacher.
Zhao Feng felt sorry for his cheap apprentice.
He had hinted to the eldest son not to care about outside opinions and attitudes. He was the eldest son and held the right of first mate, so what was there to panic about? As for Wu Xian's favoritism towards his second son, what parent doesn't like a child who resembles their own? It's normal to be a little biased.
But for some reason, the child wouldn't listen to Zhao Feng at all, and instead grew increasingly jealous of his younger brother. As he got older, he started making some more subtle moves. These moves seemed subtle to the eldest son, but to Wu Xian, they were crystal clear. He hoped his sons would be kind and respectful to each other, and help one another. The eldest son's behavior could be described as "narrow-minded."
Therefore, they naturally dislike it even more.
Zhao Feng sighed and said, "No matter how much we try to get closer... it's still our lord's family matter. How can outsiders have the right to point fingers?"
Moreover, Zhao Feng hasn't had an easy time these past two years either.
Getting close to him won't do the young master any good.
The scholar said, "Instability within the inner quarters is the beginning of chaos."
The lord's two sons are no longer innocent children; they have reached the age where ambition is growing. Yet Wu Xian seems unable to grasp this issue, and isn't he afraid of causing trouble? The scholar had a vague premonition that Wu Xian might suffer a major setback on this matter!
Zhao Feng muttered, "It can't be that serious, can it?"
The scholar simply smiled and remained silent.
The two sat and rested for a while, chatting about this and that, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. Just as the scholar finished a cup of tea, Zhao Feng was about to lift the newly boiled water from the small stove when he saw the scholar turn his head to look in the direction of the tent flap.
Zhao Feng asked, "Has someone arrived?"
The scholar had cast a spell on his tent, so he wouldn't know what was happening outside unless he deliberately investigated. The scholar tucked the handle of his sword fan into his waistband and stood up: "Yes, let's not disturb you any longer."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and removed the spell.
He lifted a corner of the curtain, stepped out of the tent, and gestured for the people lingering outside to come in: "I almost forgot the time while chatting with Dayi. I still have some things to finish. Has the young master been waiting? Dayi is inside."
The boy's face was sallow, and he seemed restless.
He only snapped out of his daze upon hearing the scholar's words.
He hurriedly returned the scholar's greeting, and only after the scholar left did he muster the courage to enter Zhao Feng's tent. Before Zhao Feng could speak, he first called out "Teacher" mournfully and gave Zhao Feng a deep bow. Zhao Feng was so startled that he almost dropped the teacup in his hand.
He hurriedly asked, "What are you doing, young master?"
The eldest son refused to get up, but Zhao Feng was too strong, and he said with a sorrowful expression, "Teacher, please save your student!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng immediately straightened his face and became stern.
"What nonsense are you spouting, young master?"
The eldest son said, "Someone wants to harm the students."
Zhao Feng: "If there are any evil people, we should inform our lord."
If there's danger, why would the lord not seek help from his parents but from him?
The eldest son's dry eyes were about to well up with tears again. He gritted his teeth and said, "The one who wanted to harm me was my second brother. How could I tell Father? Father never listens to such things and only scolds me... I had no other choice but to seek out my teacher."
Zhao Feng's face turned green upon hearing this.
I'm increasingly suspicious of how the eldest son's brain works.
Is this something you can just casually talk about?
"Does the eldest son have any physical evidence?"
Zhao Feng had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue asking.
The eldest son said, "...There's no physical evidence, but I overheard my second brother talking to someone last time...They wanted to take advantage of the chaos of war to harm the students. If they're lucky enough to be left with only a disability, they'll support them for life. But if the students are unlucky enough to die on the battlefield, they can rest easy..."
Zhao Feng asked, "Are there any witnesses?"
The eldest son said, "It happened before, and my attendant overheard it, but I was afraid that if I told anyone, my father wouldn't believe me... Who knew that the attendant went out yesterday and never came back. He must have been silenced by my second brother and the others..."
Zhao Feng: "..."
How could he possibly give the eldest son any advice?
You shouldn't have come to him with this kind of thing.
Left with no other option, Zhao Feng could only reassure the eldest son, saying he would send someone to investigate the attendant's whereabouts. Not returning home overnight didn't necessarily mean he'd been silenced; perhaps he was simply lost.
As it turns out, Zhao Feng spoke too soon.
The attendant was indeed silenced, but not by the second young master's men, but by the two brothers' father—Lord Wu Xian.
Zhao Feng's investigation led him to his superior.
How could the boss not care?
Left with no other choice, Zhao Feng had to tell the whole story.
Even with his head down, he could feel Wu Xian's gaze from above, so he could only say tactfully, "The eldest young master is still young and may have been misled by villains, causing discord between brothers... Please, my lord, do not blame the eldest young master for this..."
That kid wasn't very brave to begin with.
If they get scared a few more times, they might really become stupid.
Wu Xian looked very dissatisfied: "Young? When I was his age, I knew things too. How could I be led by the nose? That servant was sent by his uncle. What good intentions could his good-for-nothing uncles have?"
Zhao Feng: "..."
There's another reason why Wu Xian dislikes his eldest son.
The eldest son was too close to his maternal uncle and obeyed him without question. Anyone who didn't know the situation would think Wu Xian was the outsider.
Hehe, 96 has finally started a new book.
It's still her forte: ancient romance novels. Those who like it can click the book title link to support her (and urge her to update!). "The Return of the Swallow"—Lin Yunyan's rebirth begins with a terrible hand.
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