Chapter 639

The Empress's carriage hadn't arrived yet, and the sky gradually darkened, turning from cold white to dim yellow. The scent of flowers dispersed, and a line of palace maids walked into the venue, serving pastries on the tables. Each of them had fluttering ribbons and light skirts, and even their figures were carved from the same mold.

"Excuse me for asking, Your Excellency... are you Young Hero Pei Ye?" Li Chen crossed his hands and bowed slightly; it was a very solemn hand-crossing salute. After he finished saluting, his lips pursed slightly, and he was a bit reserved.

Pei Ye saw this black robe with dragon patterns and was recalling the title in his heart when he suddenly saw the other party bow first. He couldn't help but say "Ah?" in his heart, and hurriedly clasped his fists to return a bow.

If speaking of figure, this person was similar to Zhang Dingyun, but a bit taller, so there was less joy, and instead, there was more of a silent and reticent meaning.

Although Cui Zhaoye, under Jiang Yiner's urging, didn't tell Pei Ye the joke about her mistaking the cousin at the Phantom Tower, Pei Ye had flipped through the materials of the Immortal Platform before entering the palace, and his brain turned to match the name.

"Yan Inspector Pei Ye, wishing the Ninth Highness peace."

"No need, no need, I, I have some private matters I would like to ask Young Hero Pei Ye for advice on. I don't know if it's convenient for Your Excellency."

"Please speak, Highness."

Li Chen turned around, returned to his seat, poured him a cup of wine, and offered it. Pei Ye, who had become accustomed to following behind Li Xizhou and listening to orders, felt truly flattered at this moment and hurriedly took it with both hands.

Li Chen's seat should probably be in the front row, but he just sat down in front of Li Bijun. Pei Ye looked back along the order and saw the Eighth Princess, whom he had gripped by the wrist last night, looking over with a changing expression.

"Because, on the day of the sword gambling at the Zhu Que Gate, I was also watching the sword on the stage." Li Chen was a bit stuttering, but his tone was very sincere, "I think Young Hero Pei's sword is really very powerful; I have never seen such a sword."

"..." The unexpected flattery made the young man inexplicably hot-faced. He touched his head and smiled, "Is, is that so?"

"Yes!" Li Chen saw him smile and also smiled, "Later I found Cui Zhaoye to ask, wanting to ask her to introduce Young Hero Pei Ye to me. She, she let me join that hobby group first. Then I sponsored them to print some booklets and held a few activities. Later, Cui Zhaoye said I could come to see Young Hero Pei Ye, so I came to greet Young Hero Pei Ye today."

"..." Pei Ye felt ashamed, "I'll let Cui Zhaoye disband this hobby group as soon as I leave the palace; she's all cheating the Highness's money..."

"No, no! It's all my own willingness, and playing with the people in the group is also very interesting." Li Chen waved his hand immediately.

Beside him, Li Cannan frowned: "What group did you join again?"

She looked at Pei Ye vigilantly.

"Ah, it's Young Hero Pei Ye's hobby group, organized by Cui Zhaoye, very serious." Li Chen explained earnestly, "Ah, right, you haven't seen Young Hero Pei Ye. He is the most sudden genius sword practitioner in the Divine Capital last autumn and winter. Before the New Year, at the sword gambling in front of the Zhu Que Gate, he defeated the Fourth Highness who had cultivated 【Tianlin Yi】 with one sword—didn't I tell you last time how powerful Tianlin Yi is after cultivation?"

"Stop talking nonsense! How could he be more powerful than elder brother?"

Li Cannan glared at him and glanced at Pei Ye with resentment.

Originally, she was annoyed to see Yongji and Li Youlong come together, and this straight-talking brother's opening made her even more ashamed and angry.

How could she not have seen this person? Last night, he gripped her wrist like an iron hoop, and it only started to hurt when she went back at night, and there was still a circle of deep blue and purple left. She remembered his cold gaze completely, as well as the sentence after that red dress came, "This is my person."

She could only leave.

It was clearly the Qingsi Palace deliberately sabotaging her marriage!

Now it was broad daylight, and she was going to be the protagonist of the banquet. Her mother and elder brother would be here in a while. At this time, she ran into this person again. She could proudly lift her head high, but who knew that her stupid brother's first sentence was "he defeated your elder brother with one sword." Can't he tell whose stage he is tearing down?

"What do you know? My elder brother doesn't practice sword." Li Cannan said, "That competition is like him standing there without moving, betting on whether others can stab him with one sword. Can this also be called a competition? If they really fought, why would he be my elder brother's opponent?"

After speaking, she lifted her chin slightly and looked at Pei Ye coldly.

"..." What she said was not wrong; gambling tests are not equal to actual combat, but winning is winning... Li Chen thought in his heart and looked at Pei Ye apologetically.

Pei Ye had long since not been angry about such things and reached out to pick up a snow-white, soft, and glutinous pastry that had just been served on Li Chen's table.

Li Chen tugged at Li Cannan's sleeve. Seeing no response, he had to turn to Pei Ye: "Young Hero Pei Ye, this is my sister. Let's talk about our own things."

His expression was a bit annoyed.

"It's alright, I recognize them all."

Li Chen also left his seat, and the two leaned to the side, standing under a pear tree full of pale white flowers, their noses full of lingering fragrance.

Pei Ye looked at the upper seat. Li Yujin had already returned, but Yongji still hadn't taken his seat, standing by the railing in the pavilion, and before he looked over, he was already watching him quietly.

Pei Ye raised his hand and took a bite of the snack, moved his gaze away, and moved it to Li Zhi. This Fourth Highness was still the heavenly appearance he saw at the Phantom Tower, and didn't seem to have moved again after taking his seat.

He withdrew his gaze: "Does Highness also like sword?"

"I practice sword." Li Chen stood in the shade of the tree, his body seeming to relax a bit, "That day at the Phantom Tower, I also went to attack He Jiu's 'Seven-Step Sword Imperial,' and walked four steps."

"Hmm, that's very powerful."

"There are still many places that need improvement." Li Chen lowered his head and smiled, then said, "Young Hero Pei, Cui Zhaoye said you have no master, then do you usually find swords to practice yourself?"

"Mm, about that." Pei Ye swallowed the small snack called "Snow Doll" in two or three bites, feeling it was quite delicious, took two steps forward, and picked up another one.

"I am the same, but since this is the case, doesn't Young Hero Pei feel there is any problem?"

"What problem?"

"I usually search for swords to practice like this, but because there is no fixed master, the problems encountered when practicing sword are strange and scattered."

Li Chen said: "For example, I ask a sword master; he can solve my confusion on these few swords, but after changing to a sword, he doesn't know much about it either, so I have to change sword masters or find someone to ask... So I think this path is not that it doesn't need a master, but that there must be masters everywhere in the world, don't you think, Young Hero Pei Ye?"

"..."

"Mm?"

"I don't feel I've encountered many problems."

"..." Li Chen was silent for a moment, "Then, is it that my natural talent is insufficient, and I'm not fit to walk this path... but I also can't join a sword sect."

"Not really." Pei Ye thought carefully and said earnestly, "I feel that practicing sword is actually like writing a storybook. It's always spread out first, and finally collected back. And not joining a sword sect is just not walking the system of the Dongting Sword, Yunlang Sword, and the like that already exist in the world, but it's not that there is no system of one's own."

"The first thing after stepping on the path of practicing sword is to decide what kind of sword technique you want to practice and how big a stall you can spread. If you feel that practicing is very strenuous and you can't control the sword technique that is spread too wide, you might as well tighten it and find the width you can just control."

Li Chen was stunned for a moment: "So that's how it is."

"Mm." Pei Ye swallowed the snack into his stomach and clapped his hands.

Li Chen was quiet for a moment, a smile appeared on his face unconsciously, and he looked at Pei Ye: "Young Hero Pei, you are really powerful; not only can you use such miraculous sword techniques, but you also have such high-level insights."

"Ah, Highness is too flattering."

Li Chen put his hands behind his back. At this time, his small movements looked even more like a fifteen-year-old boy talking about things he was interested in, and he smiled and said: "Not flattering, really Young Hero Pei. I often watch people compete with swords in the Divine Capital these years. Sometimes I can see swords that are amazing for several days, but when your sword came out that day, those memories were all eclipsed."

He is too good at praising people, Pei Ye thought.

Compared to Cui Zhaoye, who always said strange things that made his heart stop and body stiff, the young man's efforts to restrain himself and his sincere words were obviously more enjoyable.

Li Chen swayed with his hands behind his back for a while, hesitated, and tilted his head again: "Young Hero Pei, I have one more thing I want to ask."

"You can ask whatever you want." Pei Ye was now compliant.

"That is, I heard Cui Zhaoye say," Li Chen paused, "say you know the Yunlang Bright Ming Ming Jianzhu... may I ask if it's true?"

"..."

Pei Ye slowly turned his head to look at him.

Li Chen opened his two black, bright eyes.

Some distant memories flooded into his mind.

"False." Pei Ye said.

"... Ah?"

"I... can't even talk about any friendship with the Liuli Ming Ming Jianzhu; I've only seen her a few times." Pei Ye clasped his hands and looked at him, "Do you have any business finding her?"

"Oh, so that's how it is." Li Chen was a bit disappointed, "No business."

He looked at the pear blossoms for a while: "I just want to see her."

"Mm?"

"Because besides the sword technique being unique in the contemporary era, which makes me yearn for it, and... also..." he paused for a moment, "it is said that she has a heart of a bright mirror ice mirror that is never disturbed. In such a dusty world, what an incredible realm that must be."

He tilted his head, his gaze dazed. Pei Ye suddenly seemed to return to the night at the Bowang Martial Arts Hall. Li Piaoqing, whom he met for the first time, was also looking at the sky like this, saying "I really want to see the Bright Ming Ming Jianzhu... she is so good."

Pei Ye was stunned for a moment: "I thought you wanted to beg her to take you to Yunlang to learn sword or something; after all, your problems are best solved in Yunlang, the sword sect of the world."

"How is that possible." Li Chen lowered his head and smiled. He clasped his hands in front of him, "I can't leave the Divine Capital, and I haven't thought about pursuing that kind of life."

"Then what kind of life do you want?"

"Want?" Li Chen smiled and looked at him, as if he had said something very inexplicable, "Nothing I want; I'm living like this, and it's very good."

"Fine clothes and food, swords to seek, and most of the sword techniques and famous teachers I want can be touched." The shadow of the fifteen-year-old boy faded from him at this time, his tone was peaceful and like an adult, and he looked at the banquet field chatting and laughing, "Young Hero Pei Ye should not be clear, but my mother passed away early, so I have no worries, just played with Sister Nan since I was young, and recognized Cui Zhaoye when I was a little older. As long as the two of them live well, I am satisfied."

"... Hmm, that's very good."

"So, I am disturbing you, and I want to ask Young Hero Pei for some private matters." Li Chen nodded apologetically and looked at the young man solemnly and earnestly.

Pei Ye was slightly stunned: "You speak."

"Young Hero Pei, do you have a marriage or a partner?"

"..."

"Excuse me."

"No, no, why?"

Li Chen lowered his eyes: "If Young Hero Pei Ye has no one you admire, would you be willing to consider... being a son-in-law of the Great Tang."

Pei Ye raised his hand, but the Snow Doll had already been eaten.

Li Chen looked at the banquet field silently for a while, his gaze looking at the back of the girl who was standing tall and slightly lifted: "The relationship between Yong and Li is not a matter of you being good and me being good. Sister Nan can't see anything; she marrying to the north is not a happy event."

"..."

"Sister Nan was actually like this when she was young. She cares very much about the Empress and her elder brother, cares very much about how others see her, and doesn't like to talk about the topic of Qilin Blood at all. Everything is written on her face." Li Chen said, "I don't know why she lost her temper with you just now, but her temper goes away very quickly, and she never holds grudges."

Pei Ye understood about this at this time. From them downwards, there were children like Li Bijun and Li Wuyan; from them upwards, Li Youlong came and went alone, Li Zhi didn't speak, Li Yujin was already an adult... In this huge palace, the Eighth Highness and the Ninth Highness should be each other's only playmates.

"Sister Cui is very smart, sees everything clearly, has her own ideas, and doesn't need me to worry about anything. So the only one I worry about is Sister Nan." Li Chen said softly, "Sister Cui said you have a bright character, are sincere, resolute, and courageous, so I want..."

"Sorry, I don't have this idea."

"Mm." Li Chen nodded, seemingly within expectations, "It was me who was presumptuous, just asking for now. Sister Nan's marriage is not urgent, but I don't want her to marry Yongji for now."

Because he is Li Xizhou's person, Pei Ye thought, probably figuring out some of the ideas here. Li Cannan's birth on which side cannot be changed, but to resist the pulling of the five surnames, naturally, binding with Her Highness Jinyang is the best.

If Li Xizhou also has the idea of letting her person enter the core of the palace through the position of son-in-law, then it would probably be the best of both worlds.

Pei Ye guessed so, not necessarily the Ninth Highness thought so. He looked at this round young man beside him, smiled, "Why talk about being presumptuous, but I will definitely not be favored by the Eighth Princess, wasting your good intentions."

Li Chen shook his head, and after a while he said: "Young Hero Pei, the Bright Ming Ming Jianzhu will come to the Divine Capital when the Feather Scale Test comes. At that time, I will try my best to seek an opportunity to meet the Bright Ming Ming Jianzhu. If it succeeds, let's go together."

"..." Pei Ye was silent for a moment. He hadn't felt guilty for a long time. He pursed his lips, "It doesn't have to be that troublesome. I'll help Highness deliver a visiting card at that time, but whether she is willing or not depends on the Ming Ming Jianzhu."

Li Chen was slightly stunned: "Young Hero Pei Ye, don't you know the Bright Ming Ming Jianzhu?"

"... Sometimes, I also know her."

Li Chen was silent for a moment, withdrew his gaze thoughtfully, and thought in his heart that Cui Zhaoye's introduction might not be objective. The word "sincere" used on this Young Hero Pei Ye still needs to be considered.

Pei Ye smiled politely: "Then let's part for now; I'll go over there and ask about other things."

Li Chen responded, and Pei Ye walked toward Li Zhi.