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Uncle Qi asked Chen Xiong why he was here. Chen Xiong explained that he had come specifically because his niece's husband was going to compete in the martial arts tournament today.
As for who would ultimately win the position of General, Uncle Qi had never cared. The position of a king held little meaning for him; if given a choice, he would prefer to retreat to the countryside with San Chun.
He yawned and said, "Then you all should fight well." He then looked towards the high platform ahead and ignored them.
At this moment, the previous pair of strong men had finished their match, and another pair had stepped up. One was thin and emaciated, while the other was as fat as a pig. It didn't take long for the outcome to be determined, with the shorter and thinner man emerging victorious.
Uncle Qi yawned again. "Continuing like this is pointless. Is there any way to make them fight faster?"
San Chun laughed and said, "Selecting talent can't be done carelessly. The position of General isn't something just anyone can handle. Even if we find someone talented, if they have ulterior motives, they could be a great harm to the country."
Uncle Qi replied, "How can we tell who has ulterior motives? Do you expect their faces to be marked with words?"
"That's not something you can see," San Chun said, "but we can try."
"How do we try?"
"I'll punch him. If he punches back, then he has ulterior motives; if he doesn't retaliate, then he is of good character."
Ping Rong, who had been listening nearby, couldn't help but exclaim, "How could that possibly prove anything?"
Of course, it wouldn't prove anything; she was just making a point. However, judging by his reaction, it was clear that he was a very rigid person who didn't understand jokes. It was indeed surprising that someone as humorous as Master Yu Rong valued him.
She asked, "What method do you think should be used?"
"As the saying goes, time reveals a person's heart. You can't judge someone based on one or two incidents; however, sometimes events can reflect a person's thoughts. But loyalty to the country cannot be determined by that alone; it must be verified. When major events occur, that's when true intentions are revealed. But when disaster strikes, many may struggle to maintain their true selves."
This is indeed true. As subjects, they are also human, and when personal interests conflict with national interests, most people still choose to protect themselves. At this moment, she somewhat admired Ping Rong; there are not many who dare to speak the truth.
Ping Rong was like this, and he would continue to be so in the future. When the day comes that the State of Yan is destroyed, he will be one of the few who remain loyal to the country. He proved his words through actions; he is someone who can withstand the test.
Chen Xiong originally intended to let Ping Rong chat more with the king, as it would be beneficial if he could serve in the State of Yan in the future. However, the conversation was all about San Chun, while Uncle Qi merely watched from the sidelines, occasionally sipping tea, seemingly indifferent to everything. This made him anxious; wanting Ping Rong to perform well, he said, "It's about time; you should go up on stage."
Ping Rong acknowledged and had just stepped out of the teahouse when he suddenly saw a carriage rushing towards them from a distance.
The carriage was moving extremely fast, almost colliding with pedestrians several times. A person on the carriage waved a whip and shouted loudly, "Get out of the way, get out of the way—"
San Chun immediately turned pale upon seeing who was driving the carriage and ran outside without thinking.
Uncle Qi was drinking tea when he saw her run out; he hurriedly stood up after pushing his teacup. His push was too forceful, spilling tea everywhere, splattering all over Chen Xiong.
Chen Xiong jumped up from the scalding heat, shaking his clothes and shouting repeatedly. As a gentleman, it was truly embarrassing for him. At that moment, he couldn't care less about drinking tea; he grabbed his collar and rushed outside. In an instant, all four of them were out.
The two behind were furious and cursed loudly, saying that the gentlemen were eating for free and ran off without paying. But despite their complaints, they did not dare to chase after them to demand money.
Uncle Qi reached outside to find San Chun already chasing after the carriage. He followed behind and shouted loudly, "What are you doing?"
San Chun replied, "Zhong Xue, Chengyang Jun is in that carriage."
Her voice was loud enough for many people around to hear; Chengyang Jun's fame was simply too great. You might not know who your country's king is, but you definitely know who Chengyang Jun is.
Suddenly word spread quickly—one person told ten, ten told a hundred—and many people exclaimed, "Chengyang Jun! Chengyang Jun is here!"
San Chun did not expect her words to cause such a commotion. More and more people gathered around her, and by the time she wanted to find that carriage again, it had already disappeared from sight.
Uncle Qi chased after her and coldly asked, "Where did you see him?"
San Chun thought to herself that it was Kazama driving the carriage, and the person inside must be Zhong Xue. However, she was the only one following Zhong Xue. If others found out she was here, would it be dangerous?
She couldn't guarantee whether Uncle Qi would pose a threat to him, so at that moment, she dared not say anything and simply shook her head, saying, "I might have seen it wrong. How could Zhong Xue be here?"
Uncle Qi seemed to ponder for a moment. Seeing how nervous she had been earlier, it didn't seem like an act. Unless she truly had seen it wrong, it meant that Zhong Xue had indeed arrived in Yan Country.
He said, "Since you saw it wrong, let's go back and continue watching the competition."
San Chun nodded. The two of them did not return to the teahouse but stood below the platform, watching the matches above. Although she was looking at the high stage, her mind was elsewhere.
Zhong Xue had come; did that mean he had found the divine medicine?
At this moment, Ping Rong had already ascended the high platform, showcasing his skills and dominating the crowd. His martial arts and swordsmanship seemed to come from a prestigious lineage; each display was impressive, contrasting with his plain appearance.
However, San Chun couldn't focus on that; all she could think about was Zhong Xue.
Seeing her like this, Uncle Qi said, "If you don't want to watch, then let's go back."
San Chun also had no desire to stay any longer; remaining there felt torturous. She nodded in agreement.
The two of them walked toward the palace, weaving through the bustling crowd. By the roadside, the guards were waiting by the carriage. They got in and headed toward the palace.
Once back in the palace, she bid farewell to Uncle Qi and hurried off to see Ji Xun.
Uncle Qi watched her rush toward his quarters with a thoughtful expression. After a moment of contemplation, he instructed someone to summon the guard captain Peng Yu Case and said, "Go check if Chengyang Jun has come here."
"Yes." Peng Yu Case responded and asked, "What if Chengyang Jun is really here?"
He made a gesture of 'kill.' It would be fine if he didn't come, but if he dared to come alone to his territory, there was no way he would let him live.
Peng Yu Case was shocked. "My lord, this could trigger a war."
Uncle Qi sneered, "If you don't attack Wei Kingdom, do you think Wei Kingdom won't attack us?"
He simply didn't like Steward, but he wasn't a fool. As long as Zhong Xue was not eliminated, he couldn't eat or sleep peacefully. He could barely tolerate Ji Xun; adding Zhong Xue into the mix, especially since San Chun was different towards him and Ji Xun, made him extremely jealous. Therefore, he had to die without a doubt.
When San Chun went to see Ji Xun, he was playing the guqin. It was rare that in such a palace, facing countless mundane faces, he could still maintain a good state of mind. His music was melodious and particularly moving.
After listening for a while, she sensed a hint of nostalgia and reluctance in his playing; surely he didn't want to end his life too soon.
She sighed softly.
Ji Xun heard the sigh and couldn't help but look up, then smiled, "Why are you here?"
She said, "I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
Ji Xun raised an eyebrow slightly. "What's the good news?"
"The good news is that Ji Xun has arrived."
"And the bad news?"
"The bad news is that I don't know where he is right now."
Ji Xun let out a soft sigh; knowing he had returned was truly good news for him. With Zhong Xue's personality, he wouldn't have come here if he hadn't obtained the medicine.
He said, "Even if we don't know his whereabouts for now, he will show up sooner or later. What are you worried about?"
San Chun sighed again. She was genuinely worried because her heart ached with concern.
"Do you think I'm only worried about Zhong Xue? I'm worried about Uncle Qi. This child can be too serious at times, and I'm afraid he might do something harmful to Zhong Xue."
That person, Zhong Xue, was not so easy to deal with. If someone dared to bite him, he would retaliate tenfold, and each bite would be fiercer than the last.
Ji Xun said, "That... shouldn't happen, right?"
"I hope so."
If that day were to come, she probably wouldn't know what to do. She couldn't choose between the two and could only pray that Uncle Qi wouldn't do anything foolish. He really couldn't compete with Zhong Xue.
※
When Zhong Xue arrived in the capital of Yan Country and could see the gates of Yan Palace, he suddenly shouted, "Stop."
Kazama halted the carriage and turned back in surprise, "My Lord Jun, aren't you going to meet Yan Wang?"
Zhong Xue shook his head. "I still need to meet him, but it depends on how I meet him. For now, I won't go see him."
After all, he was a Lord Jun of a nation; he couldn't just barge into the palace like this. Moreover, coming here so quietly meant that if something went wrong, no one would even know. He was anxious and had come without bringing anyone along, not considering the consequences at all.
Thinking to himself, Ji Xun wouldn't die anytime soon, and San Chun wouldn't become someone else's wife right away, so it would be better for him to wait a bit longer.
They had been waiting, but trouble had come. They settled into an inn, and as soon as they checked in, they heard someone asking if two men had arrived, describing appearances that were very similar to theirs.
Zhong Xue was quick-witted; upon hearing this, he sensed something was off. He hurriedly called Kazama, and the two slipped out through the back door, leaving their carriage behind in the inn.
Walking along Main Street, Kazama asked, "Lord Jun, where should we go?"
Zhong Xue replied coldly, "To Ju Mansion." Where could be safer than there?
He had already sensed that someone wanted to harm him. No matter who that person was, hiding in Ju Rong's residence would surely be a good choice. Especially since this was Ju Dan's home, the one in the palace should consider his face for San Chun's sake.
Those who dared to harm him should wait and see how he dealt with them.
The two turned the corner and headed toward Ju Mansion. Kazama couldn't help but ask, "Lord Jun, do you have any idea who is watching us?"
Zhong Xue smiled slightly, "I have my suspicions, but since they haven't made a move yet, I can't just pin it on them."
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