Chapter 439: First Encounter

The woman stood up from the desk and classics. Her lower garment was like a skirt, and her upper garment was a light shirt as pale yellow as white, like the color of a winter jasmine bud. The style was very simple and plain, but the material was very good, and it didn't look poor.

This actually didn't look much like the common attire for women, but of course, it couldn't be called men's clothing either. Her long hair was pinned in a bun, and her face was clear and white. Pei Ye had already straightened his posture, cupped his fists, and bowed: "I really thank you for your rescue. Staying in prison for a few more days is really nothing. It's just that this case is so troublesome, it has burdened you, I'm afraid it's somewhat obstructive..."

The woman said it was a "detour" that day, but she had extracted him in just one day. Although Pei Ye didn't know the woman's status and power, nor was he very clear about the matters involved, but by performing such a cicada shedding its shell, handles would definitely be left behind. Even if waves were stirred up, they could be easily smoothed out, but a handle was a handle after all, and a risk was a risk after all.

The woman stood quietly, and the lady on the left was tying her sleeve buttons: "Young Hero Pei, you were so spirited when you assassinated the Governor in the courtyard, why are you so hesitant now?"

Pei Ye was stunned: "This..."

This was of course because it was someone else's contribution. He could sacrifice his life, but he couldn't help but care about the interests others had paid for him.

The woman smoothed her cuffs and waved her hand: "The dead ashes of Wuyang, how can they achieve success."

"."

The woman walked out from in front of the desk. Pei Ye looked at her, still stunned at this moment, because... she was also a bit too young.

Pei Ye certainly didn't stare at the other person's face rudely, but in a few glances, it was enough to form an impression—she must be a few years older than him, but she was probably younger than Qi Qi Zhaohua.

Was this the 【Hall Master】 and 【Benefactor】?

But there was not a trace of the light soaring that a young person should have on her. Pei Ye suspected again if it was some method of preserving youth.

And in the silence, the woman didn't avoid looking at him from head to toe carefully and came to his front: "Good first encounter. My name is Xu Chuo, and I am the owner of the Cultivation Hall."

". Hello! I am Pei Ye."

Xu Chuo nodded, signaled slightly, and walked towards the window along the corridor. Pei Ye followed behind.

"This poem is called 'Song of the Sword of the Spring Workshop Correcting Characters'." She pointed to the poem Pei Ye had just asked about. "'Spring Workshop' is the official office under the Crown Prince's Palace. 'Correcting Characters' refers to the official who collates classics. 'Sword Child' is his sword."

"'Predecessor' refers to the successful candidate who has already passed the examination. 'It is truly Jing Ke's heart, do not let it reflect the characters of the Spring Workshop' means not wanting the famous sword to be hidden in old paper. This is the backbone of the whole poem. The seven-story Collection Jade Building in the Hall has poems of this dynasty. If you are interested, you can go and read them."

". Oh, oh, thank you."

The black cat and the two ladies didn't follow behind. The two walked through the corridor and stood by the window. Xu Chuo looked out the window and suddenly said slowly: "More than two years ago, I first communicated with Yue Yue Muzhou."

Pei Ye was stunned.

"At that time, he probably sensed the date of his 'Nirvana', so I made a flying immortal appointment with him." Xu Chuo narrated slowly, "When he ascends to the Heavenly Tower, he will come to the Divine Capital."

"." Pei Ye looked at the person in front of him in astonishment. He had never thought that the two years the old man spent lying on the bed in his withered body were connected to the Divine Capital, and he had never discovered it.

But thinking about it, it didn't seem strange. He grew up in Fenghuai, but in the old man's fifty years of life, too many wonderful years had been spent in this city. Someone must remember him, and he would also make preparations for his plans after ascending the tower.

"Do you know Grandpa Yue?"

"Not really, I just heard of him." Xu Chuo said softly, "To this day, we haven't met."

"."

"But at that time, we hit it off, and we trusted each other." Xu Chuo looked back, "This is also an experience I haven't had again."

"." Pei Ye didn't quite understand. If the two had never met and never understood each other, then where did the trust come from?

"I originally wanted to move him to the Divine Capital, but 【Receiving Salary】 doesn't rely on external forces, and it's the same everywhere. Moreover, he said that a flower has already grown well in the cliff rock crevice for sixteen years, and it's about to bloom, so there's no need to move it into a greenhouse flowerpot." Xu Chuo said, "It is indeed so. I sent people to investigate. Fenghuai is a very quiet, remote, and therefore very safe place. There is no better place for seclusion than that. Bringing him back to the Divine Capital would only cause extra trouble."

"So I didn't cast my gaze again and have been making preparations in other aspects. Although it was difficult, they all succeeded one by one..." Xu Chuo turned her head back, as if seeing through the youth's confusion, "Yes, I went to such great lengths. Yue Yue Muzhou and I are not just simple friends. I racked my brains to find him actively. Asking him to come to the Divine Capital is not just for friends to meet... because what we want to do is the same thing."

Xu Chuo looked at him: "Twenty-one months ago, I started publishing 'Heroic Bones Remaining'."

"."

"At the end of the chapter, the withered bones fly as immortals, four swords go north, beheading the head and returning." Xu Chuo looked out the window and sighed lightly, "But you experienced the accident behind it yourself. The heroic bones are buried in the mountains, so this matter had to be interrupted."

Pei Ye was completely stunned.

Xu Chuo turned her head and looked at him with a pair of bright eyes. The autumn wind blew in, and she coughed twice. The clear and weak aura slightly covered the calmness, but it was only for a moment.

"Two people who want to walk the same path must first see clearly the road under the other's feet," she said earnestly. "I already know about the matters in Fenghuai, Bowang, Great Kongdong, and Shaolong. I know what kind of person you are. Telling you these things today is just to tell you what I want to do."

She looked at Pei Ye: "I want Prince Yongbei to die."

A cold chill suddenly rose on Pei Ye's body. He looked at the woman in front of him in a daze and suddenly understood why "The three-foot water in the predecessor's box" was written here, and understood what "It is truly Jing Ke's heart" meant.

"So you don't have to be hesitant for me, thinking you are living under someone else's roof." Xu Chuo seemed to be a bit impatient with the autumn chill and gently wrapped her arms, "To do things, one must bear risks. To do big things, one must be prepared for total destruction... You are here to complete Yue Yue Muzhou's unfinished business, right?"

She stretched out a hand, spread it flat in front of Pei Ye, and looked at him quietly.

Pei Ye was dazed for a long time. Only the autumn wind brushed his hair. Finally, he slowly raised his hand and placed it on hers.

Xu Chuo smiled, curled her fingers to hold his, and let go after her cool skin lingered for a moment. The woman's smile also restrained at the same time, her voice clear and steady: "No matter what crime you have committed or where you are trapped, I will save you; if one day you perform the deed of Jing Ke, I will not act as the Crown Prince Dan of Yan."

She looked at this youth she met for the first time: "I will personally hold the box and offer the map for you."

【The dead ashes of Wuyang, how can they achieve success】

Pei Ye didn't know what to say for the first time, and finally just pursed his lips, took a step back, and bowed again.

Xu Chuo smiled faintly again and turned to look at the autumn scenery of the flat lake: "I still have urgent matters later, but since you are out of prison, I must see you first."

Pei Ye nodded and was quiet for a while before suddenly asking somewhat hesitantly: "Then, Hall Master, is my case over like this?"

He had gone onto the platform with the determination to die at that time, and after that, he had been either unconscious or imprisoned. When he learned the news from the outside world, it was already today.

He didn't know at all how he got out.

"The biggest wave stirred up by this case is the Jianghu's intrusion into the imperial court. For many officials and for the entire imperial court, this is an unacceptable thing." Xu Chuo said, "But this is just wanting the 'Pei Ye' who assassinated the Governor to be guilty. As for who 'Pei Ye' actually is, it doesn't matter."

"." Pei Ye was slightly enlightened.

"Now that the criminal is being dealt with by the Immortal Terrace, the imperial court's attitude on this matter is clear, which is the result people want." Xu Chuo said peacefully, "Actually, when you were transferred back to the Divine Capital, this case should have ended. In the Immortal Terrace's own prison, we have countless ways to get you out. But the Southern Office's intervention was too firm."

". Why is that?"

"Of course, it's because there are also people pushing behind the scenes." Xu Chuo tilted her head to look at him, "Prince Yongbei's Mansion."

"."

"The wild people came from the north, didn't they?" Xu Chuo withdrew her gaze, "The waves in the Divine Capital are actually very simple, going back and forth, nothing more than those few things. But once you break them down, it's always a thousand threads. No one dares to guarantee that their boat won't capsize. Don't worry, you'll understand after seeing more later."

"Oh." Pei Ye was silent for a moment, "Then, Meng Li is taking the prison for me. Can I still show my face later? Also, what should I do next?"

At this time, the two ladies walked over. Xu Chuo let go and spread her arms, letting them put an outer robe on her: "Of course you can. The Divine Capital is so big, just live your own life. Once a matter has a result, no one will care anymore. Shaolong has been blocked very well, and the wind can't blow here. Now the right to investigate this matter is in the hands of the Immortal Terrace, and since no one comes to investigate, it's as if this matter doesn't exist. If you are willing to be more cautious, use that snow sword of yours less."

". Oh."

Pei Ye probably understood the woman's meaning... this case wasn't flawless, but it was over.

As long as it was over, he didn't need to hide his head and tail anymore. The Immortal Terrace wouldn't announce this case file to everyone. Even if the Shaolong heroes came to the Divine Capital one day in the future and were astonished to see him still living well, it would just be astonishment.

Evidence plus power would bring risks. Who would investigate the evidence, and who would dare to provide power in front of the Immortal Terrace and this woman?

This was obviously not the rules Pei Ye was familiar with. He tried his best to understand.

"As for what to do next, don't be in a hurry." Xu Chuo's autumn robe was tied up, and every part was exquisite and neat. Then she put on a cloak—she seemed to be indeed more afraid of the cold than ordinary people, "Rest for these two days and nourish your body first. Then go and handle the admission to the Cultivation Academy. Cultivation is the first priority, and..."

She looked at the youth, "That Immortal Hunt said you like reading books and writing lyrics, but you don't recognize characters. I'll arrange a position for you in the Imperial Academy. It's indeed rushed today. Wait... in two days, I'll take you there, and we can talk in detail then."

"."

"Hmm?"

"No, nothing. Good, thank you very much."

"Hmm."

The two parted ways. Xu Chuo put on her hood and went downstairs followed by the two ladies. Pei Ye stood by the window and looked down. That flower-dotted cloak was walking out of the building door.

Another carriage had already been prepared. She walked to the side of the carriage. Qi Qi Zhaohua turned sideways and bowed. This cloak stopped and had a small head-tilting action. The two talked for a few sentences, then Qi Qi Zhaohua smiled, and then this cloak got on the carriage and went away under Qi Qi Zhaohua's gaze.

Pei Ye also watched, suddenly frowned and turned his head. A little cat like a jade ball jumped onto his shoulder.

This was also a long-lost weight, but Pei Ye first picked it up and glared: "What are you talking nonsense outside? What do you mean 'I like reading books and writing lyrics, but I don't recognize characters'?"

The black cat hung in his hand, still holding a small piece of soft cake: "Pei Ye, if you hide your illness and avoid the doctor, you will never make progress."

"." Pei Ye pinched its face, "You have always been conveying words for others, why didn't you tell me! People asked me to go up, and I even said 'What business is it of yours'!"

"If you were respectful enough to me usually, you wouldn't be so ashamed now."

"."

"The ugly one is yourself, I am just a mirror."

Pei Ye didn't want to talk to it anymore. He stared at this calm jade ball and actually had an idea—if it entered into a contract with Qu Xin, he didn't know what the situation would be?

Pei Ye sighed lightly and put it back on his shoulder. The two looked at this vast Hall together. Several wild ducks were flying up on the lake.

It was an unfamiliar place again, truly a drifting life.

Pei Ye inexplicably felt some melancholy, and thought that at least this time he should be able to settle down in the Divine Capital, at least until next spring and summer.

But at this time, the little cat beside him was still biting the cake, and the taste was truly sweet. Pei Ye frowned and looked at it, and thought of his own bitter days these days: "How can you climb high branches wherever you go?"

"Who would make things difficult for a little cat?"

Pei Ye stared at it gloomily: "Has our 【Contract of Life and Death】 been concluded or not?"

The black cat was silent for a moment, and handed the cake in its claws to his mouth.

Pei Ye swallowed it in one bite and felt more satisfied.

The attendant arranged by Qi Qi Zhaohua arrived quickly. Pei Ye took the most satisfying hot bath in many days, using up five big buckets of water.

After removing the True Qi ring, bandaging the wounds, receiving acupuncture and pills, and finally trimming his hair and face, when he walked out in light clothes, he was truly reborn.

But this was not the end of the day. The carriage that brought him was already waiting in front of the door. The sky was already dim. When Pei Ye put on his boots, Qi Qi Zhaohua was already urging him impatiently.

Finally getting on the carriage and driving out of the Cultivation Hall, the Divine Capital was just lighting up with lanterns. In the night, round lights were dotted, and the red eaves and towers were the dim background.

Pei Ye knew where he was going—Qi Qi Zhaohua said that several friends had already booked a table at the Star-Plucking Tower and had been waiting for him to go over for a long time.

Pei Ye lay by the window, looking at this unimaginably flat and wide street, feeling this fascinating prosperity. The carriages clattered, pedestrians laughed and talked, the lake surface was reflected by the night lights like pearls, and in the distance, the high towers and palaces with unknown layers of eaves... this city seemed vast without boundaries.

He had been shocked by the vastness of Shaolong Prefecture, but at this time he felt that it was indeed a cold, vast, and dry city, which was the appearance of the empire's western frontier.

So at this time, he re-understood Xu Chuo's sentence "The Divine Capital is very big, just live your own life." Everyone seemed to have their own laughter and worries. Indeed, who would pay too much attention to the name "Pei Ye"? No matter how wonderful a story he carried, he was just one of them.

Perhaps what the Divine Capital lacked most was not pavilions and towers and flowing gold and silver, but people with stories.

How many fish and dragons from all over the world were intertwined and met here?

He had been silent for a long time, and the black cat couldn't help but pat his face: "What are you thinking about?"

"."

Pei Ye was silent for a while and said gloomily: "I discovered one thing, little cat."

"What?"

"It turns out I didn't grow taller."

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xs007zhuikereadw23zw ===== CHAPTER 440 =====