Chapter 118 One Hundred and Eighteen
Chapter Summary: Upon hearing those four words, Lan Wangji's gaze sharpened, Wei Wuxian's pupils contracted sharply, and his right hand seemed about to support...
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Upon hearing those four words, Lan Wangji's gaze sharpened, and Wei Wuxian's pupils contracted sharply, his right hand seemingly about to touch Chenqing. Just as the air was thick with tension, ready to explode at any moment, someone suddenly called out, "A-Xian!"
Hearing that voice, Wei Wuxian felt relieved and turned to ask, "Senior Sister?"
Jiang Yanli waved to him and said, "A-Xian, stand behind me."
Wei Wuxian was taken aback and before he could move, Madam Jin quickly grabbed her hand and said, "A-Li, you shouldn't get involved in their affairs." Jiang Yanli smiled apologetically at Madam Jin, stepped forward, stood in front of Wei Wuxian, and bowed to Jin Zixun and the others.
Jin Zixun and the others were unsure how to respond. Some returned the greeting, while others did not. Jiang Yanli spoke softly to Jin Zixun, "Young Master Jin, from what you just said, it seems that A-Xian has taken 30% of the prey in Hundred Phoenix Mountain by himself, breaking the rules and being too arrogant. I... have never heard of such a thing before. It must have caused you all trouble. I apologize on his behalf."
Having said that, she bowed again, seemingly offering a sincere apology. Wei Wuxian said, "Senior Sister!"
Jiang Yanli didn't get up. She looked at him and shook her head almost imperceptibly. Wei Wuxian could only clench his fists and remain silent.
Jin Zixuan watched from afar, his expression complex. Jin Zixun and the others, however, made no attempt to hide their smugness; they were extremely pleased.
“Sister, you…” Jiang Cheng was not present that day, and all the information he had heard was hearsay. Although he did not agree with Wei Wuxian’s idea of letting the Jiang Clan stand out in the hunt, he never thought that he would apologize to Jin Zixun when he was being so difficult and insulting.
Hearing Jiang Yanli's words, which sounded like apologies, everyone in the space felt a tightness in their chest.
Jiang Yanli's short sentence made the matter very clear.
As human beings, we all engage in social interactions to maintain relationships with each other to some extent. But is it wrong not to engage in such interactions?
In retrospect, this apology seems completely unfounded.
Jiang Yanli patted her younger brother's hand, gave him a comforting smile, and gestured for him to continue reading.
Jin Zixun laughed and said, “Miss Jiang is truly generous and sensible, and understands things clearly. What your junior brother did was indeed very inappropriate and caused a lot of trouble. However, since you know it was inappropriate, for the sake of Miss Jiang and Sect Master Jiang, there is no need to apologize. The Yunmeng Jiang Clan and the Lanling Jin Clan have always been like brothers.”
He was practically bursting into arrogant laughter. Wei Wuxian's anger surged, his clenched fists cracking. Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Yanli finished bowing, straightened up, and said seriously, "However, even though I have never participated in a hunt, there is one thing I know—throughout history, there has never been a rule that forbids one person from hunting too many."
The smug smiles on everyone's faces froze before they could even fully register.
Jiang Yanli said, "So, you said that A-Xian doesn't follow the rules, but which rule exactly is he breaking?"
This time, it was Wei Wuxian's turn to burst out laughing.
Jin Zixun's face turned pale, but he didn't utter a word in rebuttal. There were two reasons for this. First, he had never seen Jiang Yanli speak up before, and he didn't know how to respond appropriately. Both Madam Jin and Jiang Cheng valued Jiang Yanli highly, so he dared not offend her. Second, if he were to investigate further—he really couldn't find this rule!
At this moment, someone in the crowd couldn't hold back any longer. In such situations, Sect Leader Yao was always the first to jump out. He said, "Miss Jiang, you're wrong to say that. Although some rules aren't written down, everyone knows them and follows them."
One of them shouted, "How many prey are there in Hundred Phoenix Mountain? Five hundred or so? How many people participated in the hunt? More than five thousand! There was already a fierce fight over them, and he took so many prey by malicious means. What are the others supposed to do?"
Wei Wuxian chuckled and was about to speak when Jiang Yanli stopped him and whispered, "Don't say anything."
One of them complained, "Yeah, otherwise I wouldn't still be here without catching one!"
Jiang Yanli said, "But... it's not his fault that others can't hunt them."
The man choked, and she continued, "Isn't the hunt only about strength? Even if there are no more ghosts, aren't there still demons and monsters left? Even if he doesn't take that third, or even if he doesn't participate in the hunt, those who can't be hunted still can't be hunted. Although A-Xian's method is different from others, it is still a skill he has cultivated. You can't say that someone is a heretic just because others don't have a chance at that third of the prey."
Many of those who had joined Jin Zixun in his clamor immediately turned ashen-faced as he had, but out of consideration for Jiang Yanli's status, they dared not directly refute her.
Jiang Yanli continued, "Besides, a hunt is a hunt, so why bring up family discipline? A-Xian is a member of my Yunmeng Jiang Clan, and he grew up with my sister and me; our bond is stronger than that of siblings. I cannot accept him calling me 'the son of a servant.' Therefore…"
She straightened her back and raised her voice, "I hope that Young Master Jin Zixun will apologize to Wei Wuxian of my Yunmeng Jiang Clan!"
"Great! Senior sister is right!!"
After reading Jiang Yanli's calm yet reasoned rebuttal, the Jiang family's fellow disciples were the first to applaud and cheer.
Jiang Cheng, Jiang Fengmian, and the others standing nearby also breathed a sigh of relief, their faces showing a proud expression.
The children of the Jiang family will never back down, no matter what.
Qinghengjun, who was standing to the side, also raised his hand and said with a smile, "Brother Jiang, your children are all outstanding individuals."
Jiang Fengmian smiled and returned the greeting, then, as if remembering something, said loudly, "A-Xian is the son of my old friend, the eldest disciple of my Yunmeng Jiang Clan, and the brother of A-Cheng and A-Li. From now on, I do not want to hear anyone gossiping about his background behind his back."
Although Madam Yu's expression remained indifferent, she did not utter a word of rebuttal.
The reason why everyone dared to attack Wei Wuxian back then was because he didn't have a powerful family protecting him.
Now that Xiao Niangui is helping him, and the Jiang family has all returned, Wei Wuxian will no longer be alone.
If it had been anyone else speaking instead of Jiang Yanli, Jin Zixun would probably have already slapped them. His face turned ashen, and he remained silent. Jiang Yanli also stared at him quietly, refusing to look away. Madam Jin said, "Ali, why are you taking this so seriously? It's nothing, don't get angry."
Jiang Yanli said softly, "Madam, A-Xian is my younger brother. It is no small matter for me to hear others insult him."
Madam Jin glanced at Jin Zixun and snorted coldly, "Zixun, did you hear that?"
Jin Zixun said, "Auntie!"
Asking him to apologize to Wei Wuxian was absolutely out of the question. Madam Jin was well aware of his character. But the situation was already unpleasant, and the thought of Jin Zixun causing a scene at Jinlintai after his apology only fueled her frustration. She wished she could grab him by the neck and force him to apologize immediately. Just then, two sword lights flew in; it was Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen.
Lan Wangji said, "Brother."
Lan Xichen asked in surprise, "Wangji, what are you doing here?"
Jin Guangyao then asked, "Everyone, what's going on here?"
His arrival instantly provided an outlet for the pent-up anger in both of them. As soon as Jin Guangyao landed, Madam Jin berated him, "You're still laughing! After such a terrible incident, how dare you laugh! This is the hunting party you organized? You're utterly useless!"
Hearing this unwarranted scolding, everyone couldn't help but look at Jin Guangyao.
Jin Guangyao withdrew his gaze from Jiang Yanli and lowered his head, deep in thought.
If someone could see his eyes at that moment, they would have seen the envy and regret in them.
There were many people his age present.
Let's not even mention Jiang Cheng. From a young age, aside from the strict and domineering demands of Madam Yu, his father and sister doted on him. Even after the Jiang family was destroyed, Wei Wuxian was there to protect him, even offering him his golden core. As for Nie Huaisang, the Nie family had Nie Mingjue to shoulder the burden. Aside from being severely scolded by Nie Mingjue for practicing swordsmanship, his older brother handled all his affairs, big and small, allowing him to live a carefree life. Lan Wangji, on the other hand, was exceptionally talented and extremely disciplined, enjoying immense prestige within the Lan family. He and his brother Lan Xichen were known as the "Twin Jades of the Lan Clan."
Even now, Wei Wuxian is rumored to be nothing more than a pitiful child living in the Jiang family. Jiang Yanli is not his biological sister, yet when everyone is condemning him, she stands up and speaks righteously for him, protecting him behind her thin back.
And what about him? Jin Guangyao couldn't help but give a self-deprecating smile.
Growing up in a brothel, his mother was nothing more than a pitiful woman, barely able to care for herself, only remembering to make him acknowledge his ancestors and give him a respectable lineage. Later, when he went to Jinlingtai to find his father, he was kicked down a hundred steps. He went to the Nie family, then to the Wen family, and finally succeeded in being seen by Jin Guangshan, returning to the Jin family. Because of his mother's words, his path was already wrong, one wrong step after another, struggling and stumbling along the way. He would do anything to reach the top. Even in his interpersonal relationships, while others might say he was shrewd and diplomatic, in reality, he had to be obsequious to those in higher positions and maintain relationships with those in lower positions so that no one would look down on him to his face.
But when no one was around, he had wondered why he had to do this, and why he was the one who was so humble.
He also wanted to be like Wei Wuxian, daring to say and do anything, and to be as carefree and unrestrained as him.
But that won't work. Wei Wuxian has the Jiang family, and now he has Lan Wangji. In addition, he himself is exceptionally talented and has been nurtured by the Jiang family. He, on the other hand, has nothing.
Perhaps... there was such a time, and there was once someone who was willing to believe in him wholeheartedly.
But his heart was wrong, and he pushed those who once believed in him further and further away.
So he was envious, and he also regretted it.
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