Thinking of how everyone had encountered a great disaster and had been traveling for nearly two months, they were already exhausted. The old man asked Zhen Youcai—the middle-aged man who had just led everyone into the Chrysanthemum Garden and was now standing to the side, the biological brother of Zhen Shibei—to lead the Shi Mansion group to rest.
"I see the style of the military in them," the old man said.
"Indeed, they were brought up by Shi Xin, after all. The military discipline is strict, and they strictly abide by the rules. You saw it yourself; after traveling with me to the entrance of the Chrysanthemum Garden, they insisted on waiting for me to go in first to report before they would enter," Nangong Yan replied.
"This is not necessarily a good thing, but it will change slowly. That said, although Long Yao is protective of his own, he shouldn't have been so extreme. Not a single one of his disciples was saved, and apart from an Adopted Daughter, Shi Xin couldn't even protect any of his five biological sons, his grandsons, or his daughters-in-law." The old man had his doubts, but he didn't find it appropriate to ask in front of Luo Piaoling and the others just now.
"Therefore, my deduction is that it wasn't that Long Yao didn't want to protect them, but that he couldn't. The opponent's action this time was clearly meant to bury the entire Shi Mansion. Those with close relationships to Shi Xin were bound to bear the brunt. Long Yao had no choice but to settle for the next best thing," Nangong Yan replied.
"You also deduced from this that there was intervention from the imperial court? That makes sense; if they cannot be used, they must be eliminated quickly," the old man understood.
"After all, as one of the Five Tiger Generals of the State, Shi Xin chose to retire and return to his hometown because he was completely disappointed with the current imperial court. This act was a public Betrayal of the collective's profit and benefit. Furthermore, he was once the Grand General guarding the border in the southwest Yunze region. Although he retreated to Yudu, his prestige remains. How could the various factions of the imperial court watch him collude with the Jianghu ruffians again to establish his own Prestige? By then, the southwestern counties would surely break free from their control," Nangong Yan said.
"Little do they know that when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold. The situation at the borders throughout Zhongzhou is already precarious, with rumors spreading like wildfire. Without the Grand General who guarded the southwest, the Red Robe Cult has gained another path for Erosion into Zhongzhou. The Netherworld Cult and Doushuai Gang, which have already firmly taken root in the southwest region, can also use this to grow their influence within the Yunze Realm... If no one stops those greedy, treacherous villains and lets them continue to do evil deeds, fool the masses, and treat human Life like grass, can Zhongzhou still survive a catastrophe like the one sixteen years ago?" The old man spoke with righteous indignation.
After the Annihilation of the Shi Mansion, the Righteousness Alliance, the Nine Provinces Alliance, and the Four Seas Alliance in the southwest quickly made a response to stabilize the situation, minimizing the losses caused by the fall of the Shi Mansion.
The matter of the Shi Mansion group also came to a temporary end.
"Chen'er, come here," the old man said, adjusting his mood.
Jiang Yichen, having received the Summon, then came before the old man and Nangong Yan.
"Old man, Uncle Nangong," Jiang Yichen said, cupping his hands.
"Good child, not bad. Your Uncle Yi gave you twenty days to get from Gusu to the Chrysanthemum Garden. Twenty days is more than enough for someone who knows the way, but for you, who are unfamiliar with the world and leaving the island for the first time, it must not have been easy," Nangong Yan estimated that the old man would play the white-faced character, so he would have to play the red-faced one.
"This was, after all, the trial for this journey," Jiang Yichen replied.
"Heh, did you know that there are government Post Stations? Every day, there is more or less official mail traffic between various places. You only need to pay some Silver and follow the post messenger from Gusu to arrive directly at the forked road before the Thousand Peach Forest. From there, you could have come to the Chrysanthemum Garden on your own. You could have arrived in less than eight days," Nangong Yan said, teasing him a little.
"This, I do not know." Jiang Yichen really hadn't thought there was such a method. Uncle Liu Qi, Sister Ruolan, and the Innkeeper had not mentioned this to him at all. Looking at Nangong Yan and then at the old man, he felt a bit ashamed.
"Haha. Silly child, I'm just joking with you. If you had really done that, you would have arrived at the Chrysanthemum Garden quickly, but if you had, you would have missed many friends, many interesting events, and much experience, right?"
"Since you chose to leave the island, you must try to do everything. Regardless of the outcome, even if you make a mistake, the experience will allow you to grow. Only then can you truly help the old man. Strive, youth!" Nangong Yan lightly patted the shoulder of the tender youth before him, then walked out of the Taoran Pavilion.
"Yes, thank you for your guidance, Uncle Nangong," Jiang Yichen said, cupping his hands in thanks, but Nangong Yan's figure was already gone.
The room fell into silence. Since finishing the discussion about the Shi Mansion with Nangong Yan, the old man had shifted his attention to this youth, observing Jiang Yichen for a long time and thinking for a long time.
Because of his awe for the old man and thinking of the purpose of this trip, Jiang Yichen felt restless. He still remembered what Uncle Yi had said: whether he stayed or left was entirely up to the old man to decide. If the old man decided to send him back to the island, he would have to return obediently.
"Do not be nervous. Just pretend you are on West Mountain Island," the old man finally spoke.
"You need not worry too much that I will send you back without a word. Regardless, since you have made your choice, I will certainly consider your wishes. However, the journey from Gusu to the Chrysanthemum Garden was only the first trial. Afterward, I will give you a few more trials to prove to me whether you are suitable to stay," the old man continued.
"Yes." Hearing that the old man did not directly send him back to the island, Jiang Yichen breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking of the subsequent trials, he felt both worried and excited. Although he did not know what trials were waiting for him, and the trials given by the old man would certainly not be easy, at least he had the opportunity to strive.
"I know about the things on your journey. You did a good job with the Thousand Bamboo Forest Winery. Arrangements have already been made in secret in the garden and in Taoyuan Town, so you don't need to worry about that. I am more interested in what happened on the Ningbi Mountain path. I really want to know how you see it?" The old man affirmed Jiang Yichen's progress during this period but threw out a question that Jiang Yichen had not expected.
Having heard about the Shi Mansion group just now, Jiang Yichen's thoughts were tangled in it. He had originally thought that the old man and Uncle Nangong kept him here to let him gain some Knowledge and understand the blood and gore of the Jianghu and the tense and ready for conflict situation, and then ask him for his thoughts. He hadn't expected that the two of them wouldn't ask him a single thing related to it. Everything had been his own wishful thinking and guessing.
For a moment, Jiang Yichen was at a loss for words, not knowing where to start. His gaze flickered, trying to find the direction of the answer in the old man's gaze.
"Do not try to guess my thoughts, and do not think that there is any answer that can cater to my wishes. Speak your own feelings," the old man said, looking displeased.
Hearing this, Jiang Yichen met the old man's eyes, then lowered his head in confusion.
The room fell into silence again. After a long while, the old man remained patient and finally waited for the response from Jiang Yichen.
"In the end, it is just to earn a living," Jiang Yichen managed to squeeze out a few short words.
There was silence again. Jiang Yichen did not dare to look up at the old man, his gaze locked on the ground, waiting quietly for the old man's response.
"Chen'er, in matters of the martial world, there is no absolute right or wrong. It is just that the stance is different. So, you don't need to always cater to others; you should have your own views."
"Yes, just as you said, the Jianghu is just like that—it's all to earn a living. But to earn this living, you may very well give up your principles, give up the principles of being a person. In order to survive better in the Jianghu, you might use any Method to achieve your purpose: betrayal, killing your own kin, or even being abandoned by everyone, despised by the world! It is also very likely that you could lose your Life at any time and any place! Would you still enter such a Jianghu?"
The old man's gaze was locked tightly on the child before him, his eyes full of love. Unconsciously, his vision became a bit blurry, but his speech speed went from slow to fast, and his tone went from gentle to intense. Unable to control his emotions, the old man did not force himself to suppress them, and the child before him did not dare to look up at him.
"Would you still enter such a Jianghu?" Jiang Yichen also asked himself in his heart.
The old man's words echoed in his mind, and he no longer knew how to answer.
"You don't need to rush to answer this question. It won't be too late to answer me after you pass the subsequent trials," the old man said.
"Good," Jiang Yichen replied.
"Since leaving the island, you have been travel-worn all the way. I suppose you haven't rested peacefully either. Go and rest first. Don't think about these problems and trials for these two days. Walk around the Chrysanthemum Garden and relax your mood," the old man said.
"I will follow the old man's arrangements," Jiang Yichen replied.
"Silly child, don't be so restrained. When you should let go, let go. You are too constrained," the old man said earnestly.
"Then Chen'er will take his leave," Jiang Yichen said, trying to appear natural. He cupped his hands to the old man to take leave, then turned and walked toward the door.
"After you go out, keep walking to the west side. Old Zhen is arranging side rooms for Luo Piaoling and the others; let him prepare one for you too," the old man said, shaking his head with a smile. Watching Jiang Yichen's departing figure, he realized the child didn't even know where the side rooms in the Chrysanthemum Garden were and was just walking out so foolishly, so he hurriedly called out.
Outside the door, Jiang Yichen stumbled upon hearing this. He had really made a fool of himself, and in front of the old man, no less.
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