Chapter 47: Standoff

With the Yangqi Talisman, the weapon workshop of the Tongtian Division became bustling with activity, as they began to re-forge all the weapons throughout the Tongtian Division.

Li Zhi'an went to the Seal Land every night to lead men in hunting Demons, and Cheng Xi heard Jiang Boyu mention that the Deans of the Four Great Academies had gathered at the Seal Land to reseal the Seal, so as to prevent more Demons from entering the Tianshuo Kingdom to wreak havoc.

These matters were still far removed from Cheng Xi's life; after the Du Mansion was renovated, she moved back in.

Li Zhi'an was still leading his team to fight against the Demons, and the entire Jindu was focused on this matter; the day after she returned to the Du Mansion, she heard that the Demon Suppression Pavilion had also received orders to head to the Seal Land.

Cheng Xi knew that this was because the Empress Dowager saw that the general situation was about to be settled and wanted the Demon Suppression Pavilion to get a share of the spoils from the Tongtian Division.

Such behavior was nothing short of despicable, but no one dared to say it directly.

It was another morning, and Cheng Xi rose lazily; with a cup of clear tea and a burner of sandalwood incense, the early summer morning felt somewhat chilly, so she wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and rested her chin on her hand, watching the banana trees in the courtyard.

When Yan Yu vaulted over the wall, this was the scene that met his eyes: a beauty lost in thought with her chin in her hand, tassels swaying, her appearance even more vibrant than the fresh flowers in the courtyard.

"Lord Yan, vaulting over walls is hardly the conduct of a gentleman."

Yan Yu gazed at Cheng Xi; the beauty was like a flower, yet her face was as cold as frost, and the light in those eyes was even more incomparably icy.

"The matter was urgent, so I visited uninvited; I ask that Eldest Miss Cheng forgive me." Yan Yu showed not the slightest embarrassment at having vaulted the wall. "I have come today to ask for your advice on a matter."

Cheng Xi waved her hand to dismiss Mulan, who had hurried over upon hearing the sound, and she lifted her head slightly to look at Yan Yu, who was walking over slowly.

Yan Yu's pupils held a hint of amber luster, while the depths of his eyes were pitch black, as if even light could not penetrate them. Yet the whites of his eyes were as clear as spring water; when watched by such eyes, a sense of oppression rushed toward her.

Cheng Xi frowned slightly; by comparison, although Li Zhi'an also gave off a cold feeling, his coldness carried warmth, whereas Yan Yu's coldness made one's skin crawl.

"Guests are welcome; Lord Yan, please sit." Cheng Xi withdrew her gaze and said indifferently.

Yan Yu took his seat. "Cheng Xi, does the Tongtian Division's Yangqi Talisman have anything to do with you?"

Cheng Xi looked at the handsome face opposite her, with its firm brow ridge, high and straight nose bridge, and thin lips, which gave off a cold, sharp, and aloof air.

She smiled faintly and said slowly, "Since Lord Yan has sought me out, I imagine you already have your answer, so why bother asking?"

"Are you working for the Tongtian Division now?"

"Lord Yan, you are overstepping your bounds; this is my private affair." Cheng Xi withdrew her smile. "I am a person who dislikes being threatened most of all."

Yan Yu raised an eyebrow as he looked at Cheng Xi. "Are you intending to set yourself against the Empress Dowager?"

Cheng Xi had not expected that Yan Yu, despite his refined appearance, would so brazenly bring out the Empress Dowager to pressure her; the two locked eyes, sparks flew, and the atmosphere instantly stagnated.

"In my life, I hate being threatened most of all; Lord Yan, you had best stop while you can," Cheng Xi said.

"What a coincidence; I also loathe those who disrupt order most of all."

Cheng Xi smiled gently. "Is plucking the fruits of others' labor considered disrupting order?"

This sarcasm was truly maxed out, and Yan Yu's expression darkened. "Cheng Xi, before you speak, you had best consider whether these words should be said."

"Before asking for a favor, Lord Yan had best consider your attitude when asking."

"I never answer meaningless questions."

"And I never do meaningless things."

"What is called meaningful, and what is called meaningless? Cheng Xi, you have not stood in that position, so naturally, you do not know what it means to be unable to act of one's own will."

"I am but a small woman; it is useless for you to speak of these things to me, my lord."

Yan Yu had never encountered someone as bold and uninhibited in speech as Cheng Xi.

Then again, if she were like an ordinary woman, how could Li Zhi'an care so much?

"I will buy your Yangqi Talisman; name your price."

"I am not selling."

"Not selling?" Yan Yu frowned. "Even if you look down upon the Demon Suppression Pavilion, why go against silver?"

"The Yangqi Talisman was something I gave away as a gift; how could I put a price tag on it and sell it? Lord Yan, please return."

Those with different paths cannot make plans together.

Yan Yu was surprised that Cheng Xi would actually give away something like the Yangqi Talisman as a gift, and then thinking of the item appearing in the Tongtian Division, it was self-evident who she had given it to.

Yan Yu sought it at a high price but could not obtain it, yet Cheng Xi could give it to Li Zhi'an for free.

"You, very good!" Yan Yu said through gritted teeth.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Yan Yu flicked his sleeves and left.

Cheng Xi watched Yan Yu's retreating back, lost in thought, but in an instant, she cast it to the back of her mind; what did his inability to act of his own will have to do with her?

She had thought this matter would just pass, but she never expected that Yan Yu would actually publicize the fact that Cheng Xi had drawn the Yangqi Talisman.

The reason the Tongtian Division was able to win in this encirclement of the Demons was because of the Yangqi Talisman!

Who drew the Yangqi Talisman?

Cheng Xi!

The name Cheng Xi was brought up, and it instantly made people think of how Cheng Xi had once had her engagement broken; for a time, matters concerning Cheng Xi, Jiang Weiran, and Cheng Fenglan spread wildly.

If Cheng Zhouxing were still alive and held an official post, others might have restrained themselves, but Cheng Zhouxing had already lost his life, and Cheng Fenglan had also disappeared from Jindu with her brother.

Now, all the focus fell upon Jiang Weiran!

When the engagement was broken, the State Duke Mansion's public explanation was that Cheng Xi was a waste with no talent; could someone with no talent draw something like a Yangqi Talisman?

The State Duke Mansion was pushed to the forefront of the storm and truly lost all face.

Cheng Xi remained behind closed doors, and by the time she learned of this, it had already spread everywhere outside.

It was said that the State Duke Madam had been angered into illness and was lying in bed, unable to rise.

Yan Shengyu came to see Cheng Xi as soon as she received the news; seeing that Yan Shengyu treated her as before, Cheng Xi knew that Yan Yu had not mentioned his feud with her to his younger sister.

Since Yan Yu did not mention it, Cheng Xi naturally did not either.

Yan Shengyu was Yan Shengyu, and Yan Yu was Yan Yu.

"It is truly laughable; the State Duke Madam actually has the face to tell people that you deliberately hid it, just to force them to break the engagement—listen, is that human speech?" Yan Shengyu said indignantly.

Cheng Xi smiled. "Whatever she wants to say, let her say it; none of it is important."

"How could that be? Whether or not you have talent is your own business, but whether or not to break off the engagement is the business of the Zhenguo Duke Mansion. Furthermore, your mother saved Jiang Weiran's life; based on this kindness alone, even if you had no talent, their family could not treat you poorly!"

Cheng Xi had once slashed off Jiang Weiran's arm with a single blade, and that grudge was settled as far as she was concerned.

Yan Shengyu looked at Cheng Xi and said very earnestly, "Xi Xi, now that you can produce the Yangqi Talisman, you have a foothold in Jindu and will inevitably become a talent recruited by the major noble families. Do you have any thoughts on this?"

Cheng Xi looked at Yan Shengyu, "Why do you ask this all of a sudden?"

Yan Shengyu looked at her, "I want to go to the Four Great Academies, and with your talent, you should go too; staying in Jindu will only hinder you."

Cheng Xi looked at Yan Shengyu and smiled; the Empress Dowager and Yan Yu were bent on binding her to the Demon Suppression Pavilion, and if they knew Yan Shengyu said this, they would likely be so angry they'd cough up blood.

Before Cheng Xi could speak, Mulan hurried in, "Eldest Miss, the Empress Dowager's imperial decree has arrived!"