Chapter 41: A Gift That Cannot Be Refused

Cheng Xi's gaze was burning, reflecting the starlight, and the corners of her lips curled slightly into a faint smile. Li Zhi'an subconsciously avoided her eyes, then spoke: "Back then, the Empress Dowager indeed wanted to install Prince Ke as Emperor, but Prince Ke was physically frail, so she had to give up on the idea."

Suddenly hearing a royal secret, Cheng Xi gave Li Zhi'an a somewhat strange look. "What does this have to do with whether I join the Demon Suppression Pavilion or not?"

"Naturally, it has everything to do with it. The Empress Dowager now feels guilty toward Prince Jing and is at odds with the Emperor, so I fear she has other plans in mind."

Cheng Xi understood; so, the Empress Dowager was supporting the Demon Suppression Pavilion to seize power from the Little Emperor.

"That day, the Empress Dowager begged me to save the Little Emperor. I actually thought she had some genuine sincerity toward her son."

"There might be a point or two of sincerity, but under the weight of power, that counts for nothing."

The Empress Dowager wanted an obedient son, but the Little Emperor clearly was not very willing to listen to her.

"When the Empress Dowager first established the Demon Suppression Pavilion, why didn't you stop her?" Cheng Xi looked at Li Zhi'an. "With your prestige in the Imperial Court, it wouldn't have been difficult to step forward and stop it."

It might not have been a case of one call and a hundred responses, but at the very least, he could have delayed the time it took for the Empress Dowager to establish the Demon Suppression Pavilion. As long as he dragged it out, he could have waited for the Little Emperor to return.

"The Two Realms Seal is loosening. Once a Demon invasion occurs, people are needed to protect Jindu and the common people of the world. The Tongtian Division is a thorn in the Empress Dowager's side; rather than letting her drag her feet, it is better to let her exert her full strength."

It was merely giving up a portion of power; to him, it was no great matter.

"The Division Master truly has noble character and is devoted to the public good."

Li Zhi'an lowered his eyes to look at Cheng Xi. If not for her solemn expression and look of admiration, he would have thought she was mocking him.

"Originally, I wanted to ask if you would join the Tongtian Division, but now that I think about it, I know the answer without asking."

"Indeed. This humble girl is untalented, yet I am deeply honored to be valued by both the Division Master and the Pavilion Master. However, feeling my talents are shallow and unable to shoulder such a heavy responsibility, I can only regretfully decline."

Hah, didn't Li Zhi'an come over specifically to make her choose neither side, to remain neutral and maintain the balance?

This man had more schemes than a sieve, yet he wore the appearance of a true gentleman devoted to the world. It made one feel uncomfortable, yet one could not find fault with him.

This gentlemanly style was the most detestable.

If he were a true villain, one could just beat him up to vent, but with a true gentleman like this, if you beat him, you would be the one feeling guilty for a lifetime.

Kill one hundred enemies, lose one thousand of your own.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Cheng Xi turned and headed home.

With a "Bang," the gate shut tight.

Li Zhi'an stared at the gate for a long time, then smiled, and only then did he turn and leave.

After summer arrived, Jindu had several heavy rainstorms in succession. Such abnormal weather left people feeling anxious, and many commoners went spontaneously to the Tongtian Tower to pray.

Last night, there was thunder and lightning with a terrifying momentum. Some saw a giant bolt of lightning strike a mountain outside the city, and the entire mountaintop was reduced to ashes.

The Demon Suppression Division and the Tongtian Division mobilized overnight. It is said that the two offices nearly came to blows over a piece of Lightning-Struck Wood.

Lightning-Struck Wood is a fine raw material for making Dharma Artifacts. Such things are rare and hard to find; when encountered, one naturally has to snatch it.

If Cheng Xi had been on the scene, she would have had to snatch it too.

"Eldest Miss, please have breakfast."

Cheng Xi threw on an outer robe and walked out. Because of the rain, the weather was much cooler.

On the table were three simple dishes and a soup. After Cheng Xi sat down, she first took a small sip of the soup. The new cook hired by the manor had exceptional skills; a single bowl of soup could be prepared in hundreds of different ways.

With delicious food, eating became a pleasure.

After finishing her meal, Cheng Xi leaned against an armrest, eating candied fruit with a cup of clear tea at hand. The beaded curtains were half-rolled, and she listened to the rustling rain. It was a pity there was no zither music to accompany it; these days were truly comfortable.

"Eldest Miss, Lord Jiang is here."

Cheng Xi was stunned. What was Jiang Boyu doing here?

"Invite him in."

Jiang Boyu strode in through the rain. Seeing Cheng Xi enjoying the rain and tea under the eaves, then looking at himself covered in yellow mud, he fell silent for a moment.

Cheng Xi also looked at Jiang Boyu with considerable surprise. It seemed he really had fought with the Demon Suppression Pavilion last night.

"Lord Jiang, please sit," Cheng Xi invited.

Jiang Boyu shook his head. "I am covered in filth, I won't disturb the Eldest Miss. This is something the Division Master asked me to deliver to you."

Jiang Boyu took a bundle wrapped in coarse cloth off his back and handed it to Zhao Kang.

Zhao Kang hurriedly reached out to take it and delivered it to the Eldest Miss.

Mulan came out holding an umbrella at this moment and handed another umbrella to Jiang Boyu, along with a clean towel. "My Lord, please take shelter from the rain."

Jiang Boyu was startled. A soft towel was stuffed into his hand, an umbrella was held over his head, and the little girl's thin arms pulled him under the eaves to avoid the rain. As he moved, his black armor made a faint clinking sound.

Cheng Xi opened the bundle; inside was actually a three-foot-long piece of Lightning-Struck Wood, its entire body black yet faintly glowing with a lustrous sheen.

She had just been lamenting that she would have to snatch such a good thing if she saw it, never expecting it to be delivered to her hands without needing to snatch it.

She looked up at Jiang Boyu. Jiang Boyu had already wiped his hands and face clean with the towel. The white towel was now covered in black stains and yellow mud, and he looked at Mulan with some embarrassment.

Mulan placed the towel into a copper basin, took the items away without a care, and gave Jiang Boyu a curtsy before leaving.

"Lord Jiang, have a cup of hot tea to ward off the cold."

This time, Jiang Boyu was too embarrassed to refuse again. He stepped forward, took the hot tea, and drank it in one gulp. The warm tea flowed down his throat, and a wave of heat spread through his limbs and bones, making his whole body feel light.

This tea was extraordinary.

"I heard the Demon Suppression Pavilion and the Tongtian Division clashed last night. Was it over the Lightning-Struck Wood?" Cheng Xi asked, looking at Jiang Boyu.

Jiang Boyu's face turned dark at the mention of the Demon Suppression Pavilion. He was quite familiar with Cheng Xi, so he spoke without reservation: "Those bastards, they dare to snatch anything, not even checking whose it is. The Supervisor of the Observatory informed the Division Master that there were omens in the sky, and our Division Master waited outside the city early on, using all his strength to ensure the thunder didn't strike within the city. The Demon Suppression Division wanted to pick up a bargain—of course that wouldn't do."

Cheng Xi frowned slightly, refilled Jiang Boyu's tea, and asked, "This piece of Lightning-Struck Wood delivered here is only one part. What about the rest?"

"Most of it is unusable; this piece is the best quality. Later, find an Artifact Master, and you can make a Dharma Artifact out of it." Jiang Boyu was envious; he didn't even have a weapon of such quality to use. "The rest has to be handed over to the Imperial Court, but it's just a formality; in the end, it will still return to the Tongtian Division."

He wondered if he could ask the Division Master to reward him with a section.

This gift truly hit the mark. Cheng Xi could not refuse, but she did not want to owe a favor. She looked at Jiang Boyu and said, "If you can't find a suitable Artifact Master, send it to me later. I will forge the Dharma Artifact for you."

"Oh, alright, I'll send it over later..." Jiang Boyu paused mid-sentence, then suddenly looked up at Cheng Xi.

The Eldest Miss could also forge Dharma Artifacts?