Chapter 435: Meaningful: A Tree That Can Support the Wind and Rain!

【Two old men walked out from behind the Crane Pine Hall, one a Confucian, one a monk.】

【Zhuge Jian's divine sense moved slightly, and he knew that both were cultivators who had ignited the divine fire of the Primordial Spirit, their bodies surrounded by clear Qi, clearly possessing profound cultivation.】

【Auras floated faintly around the courtyard, and several pressures no weaker than those present were quietly approaching. Although the Xie family had taken away many experts in the clan due to Xie Ling's transfer, the Xie family members or retainers remaining in the main family, martial artists of the Upper Three Realms and divine fire cultivators, numbered at least two hands on the surface.】

【Li Nantian's gaze darkened, and he thought to himself: The Xie family is ranked among the Nine Great Surnames but has always been low-key; in reality, its foundation is profound, not inferior to illustrious families like the Zhuge and Zhao families.】

【A thousand-year family heritage is truly not just a name.】

【Suddenly, a servant hurried over and bowed before the steps to report: "Old Matriarch, there are guests visiting outside the mansion."】

【Lady Yuan's gaze narrowed. This was a critical moment for the clan; if the visitors were not of high status, the servant would never dare to report rashly. The teacup in her hand paused slightly: "Who is it?"】

【"The visitors are the Eldest Princess and an old gentleman who calls himself Dongshan."】

【The teacup in Lady Yuan's hand paused abruptly, the celadon base knocking against the sandalwood table with a crisp sound. Cold light flashed in the depths of her eyes; she could not suppress the nameless anger in her heart.】

【"What is she doing here!"】

【The Eldest Princess of Great Qi, a name that had been silent for nearly ten years, had a very deep connection with the Xie family.】

【If not for that palace upheaval ten years ago, this woman should have been a Xie family wife, married to Xie Ling.】

【Three years after Emperor Xianhe ascended the throne, he united with the Zhu family and the powerful Wang family in the military to plan a palace coup over a banquet, attempting to turn the tide, restore imperial power, and was finally suppressed by Su Xiang.】

【The Xie family also participated, but because of Xie Ling's secret report, they escaped and became one of the Nine Great Surnames today.】

【Since then, Emperor Chen Yan had been addicted to the path of mysterious cultivation, and national affairs had gradually fallen into ruin.】

【And that Eldest Princess, who had been in charge of the Supreme Court and the Imperial Prison, cleaning up the court with iron-fisted means, and whom even men dared not compete with, had gradually disappeared since then and no longer asked about court affairs.】

【Today, this long-silent Eldest Princess had actually appeared at the Xie family again!】

【Li Nantian, however, captured a name that few people noticed, "Master Dongshan," which might be strange and unfamiliar to ordinary people.】

【But among the Nine Great Surnames, it was like thunder to the ears; this was the true proprietor behind Yuehua Pavilion.】

【Rumors about him were varied: some said he was the twin brother of the Great Master of the Academy, connected by blood; some rumored he was a high-ranking outsider living in seclusion in Above Bianjing, eating clouds and drinking dew; some said he had deep ties to the Academy and was the Master's copyist boy; and some swore he was a wealthy merchant outside the Nine Great Surnames of Above Bianjing.】

【If it weren't for the fact that this person did not enter the court and had no descendants, this person would be a great family himself.】

【The Nine Great Surnames also had to give him some face, and even Su Xiang, who held power in the court, looked up to him and specially reserved a bed for him in the Su Mansion.】

【Why did this person also come to the Xie family?】

【Li Nantian's eyes moved slightly, his peripheral vision sweeping over Xie Guan standing quietly below the hall, and a thought flashed through his mind: Could it be that this elusive Master Dongshan also came for this youth today?】

【The Old Matriarch's brows were locked, her gaze sweeping over Zhuge Jian and the others, and after pondering for a moment, she finally said slowly: "Please come in."】

【Lady Yuan hurriedly tried to dissuade her: "Old Matriarch!"】

【"The Xie family... ultimately owes her."】 【The Old Matriarch closed her eyes and sighed.】

【Seeing this, the servant hurriedly bowed and retreated to pass the message.】

【The air in the main hall was stagnant; Xie Yuan stood side by side with you, and undercurrents surged all around.】

【Hearing the Eldest Princess, you thought of the proprietor of the Qimo Chunfang, who was this Eldest Princess.】

【But after half a cup of tea, the sound of jade pendants jingling came from outside the door, and a figure walked in.】

【Seeing the person approach, she wore a cape of golden thread woven with flowing light and color, and a twelve-paneled Xiang skirt that trailed like clouds; though not of peerless beauty, she possessed a natural air of nobility and elegance.】

【Lady Yuan narrowed her eyes, and when she saw the visitor's face clearly, her fingers tightened on her sleeves.】

【Chen Zhirong walked forward gracefully and bowed to the Old Matriarch: "Zhirong greets the Old Matriarch."】

【Her voice was unhurried, but it seemed to carry the frost and snow of years of accumulation.】

【The Old Matriarch's hand holding the staff trembled slightly, and she said with a complex expression: "My legs and feet are inconvenient; forgive me for not being able to give the Princess a full salute."】

【The Old Matriarch looked directly at this uninvited guest: "I wonder why the Princess has come to my humble home today?"】

【Chen Zhirong did not rush to answer. She looked around, her gaze sweeping over the ancient pines in front of the hall, the bronze bells on the eaves, and finally landing on the outline of the Grand View Garden in the distance, saying softly: "Ten years, not a brick or tile of Crane Pine Hall has changed, and the scenery of the Grand View Garden is as it was."】

【She looked at the ladies in the hall, and suddenly changed the subject: "But the people in this mansion have long since changed beyond recognition; things are different, and people are different."】

【Zhuge Jian and the others bowed: "Greetings, Eldest Princess."】

【As officials in the court, they were ultimately subjects of Great Qi.】

【A faint smile appeared on Chen Zhirong's lips, but the smile did not reach her eyes: "Zhirong's visit today is not for those old accounts. Since time has passed, they have long been forgotten, and no one will mention them."】

【The Old Matriarch's eyes narrowed.】

【Chen Zhirong's gaze fell upon the youth in green robes in the center of the arena, "I have long heard that the Xie family has produced another precious jade, whose reputation in the West Wing Pavilion is as boiling as water. Today, I make bold to come and plead a favor for this Young Master Guan."】

【"I hope the Old Matriarch will give Zhirong some face."】

【Lady Zhao's eyes were unkind.】

【Lady Yuan did not speak, but her eyes were even colder than they were toward Xie Guan.】

【The Old Matriarch looked directly at her: "Why is this? I do not understand."】

【Chen Zhirong suddenly chanted: "Alas for the virtue that stops the machine, worthy of pity is the talent of chanting catkins." She turned her back to the crowd and looked at the painting hanging in the main hall: "The Old Matriarch should just take it as... my palace cherishing talent, not wanting talent to break here."】

【Hearing the Eldest Princess's words, you bowed to her, your green shirt hanging down, your posture neither humble nor arrogant.】

【The Old Matriarch listened and remained silent.】

【Beside them, Li Nantian's gaze shifted, and he couldn't help but interject: "Princess, I wonder if Master Dongshan has come?"】

【"Master Dongshan has already left first."】

【Li Nantian felt a bit of regret; he had wanted to see this legendary Master Dongshan for many years, but had never had the chance. It was said that this person was a true high-ranking outsider who viewed power, money, and fame as dirt.】

【Chen Zhirong took an object from her sleeve, and a Qingtian stone seal appeared in her palm. The seal was as black as ink, with only the two characters "Dongshan" engraved in vermilion seal script, shimmering with a warm luster under the candlelight.】

【Li Nantian and the others had already recognized that this was Master Dongshan's private seal.】

【"When Master Dongshan left, he left this object, and also left a sentence."】

【The Old Matriarch came back to her senses, her tone carrying a bit more respect: "What instruction does Master Dongshan have?"】

【Chen Zhirong said slowly: "Next time, I will definitely come to the door to ask Young Master Guan for a piece of calligraphy."】

【Chen Zhirong was actually quite surprised to see Master Dongshan at the gate of the Xie Fu today, and the other party seemed to have come for Xie Guan as well. Thinking of this, a faint smile could not help but flash across her lips—this trip today was indeed worth it.】

【The Old Matriarch's brows furrowed even deeper; Master Dongshan had a great kindness to the Xie family. When Xie Hong fell into the lake back then and his old illness did not heal, it was also thanks to this person's intervention.】

【That shocking upheaval back then also had his guidance behind the scenes.】

【Master Dongshan seemed to have said nothing, only leaving a sentence: "Come to the door to ask Young Master Guan for a piece of calligraphy."】

【The meaning within was already thought-provoking.】

【Li Nantian looked at the youth in the hall with burning eyes. The Eldest Princess personally visited, and Master Dongshan came to pay attention; these two extraordinary things were both tied to this seemingly ordinary youth in green.】

【He thought to himself, could it be that this youth really has extraordinary abilities?】

【Xie Yuan saw this, and joy appeared in his eyes.】

【Chen Zhirong said to you with a smile: "If Young Master Guan has leisure, you might as well come to Qimo Chunfang for a chat."】

【She did not wait for the Old Matriarch to answer, and was already preparing to bid farewell and leave, leaving only a meaningful sigh: "It would be quite good if this Xie family were not visited."】

【Chen Zhirong left, coming like a startled swan, going like flowing clouds.】

【The Old Matriarch's eyes were stunned, and she remained silent for a long time.】

【Xie Xuan watched the Eldest Princess leave, his eyes full of hatred; a mere illegitimate son, today he had actually attracted various nobles to appear one after another, living to turn this Xie family ancestral hall into his place of fame.】

【The people in the main hall were thoughtful.】

【Zhuge Jian and his companion also stopped talking, just waiting for Old Matriarch Xie's final decision.】

【The Old Matriarch sat in the high hall, holding the deer-head staff, the candlelight in the hall casting uneven shadows on her face.】

【Lady Zhao opened her mouth several times but stopped, finally pressing her lips tightly. Xie Renfeng's face was livid, the veins on his forehead jumping faintly.】

【At this time—】

【A burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence. A servant rushed in in a panic, knelt on the ground and reported: "Old Matriarch, a group of Academy students have gathered outside the mansion, as well as onlookers, totaling hundreds of people, all saying they want to see... the Old Matriarch."】

【Hearing this, Zhuge Jian couldn't help but stroke his beard and laugh softly.】

【"Absurd!" Lady Zhao slapped the table and stood up, "How can the Xie family allow these sour scholars to run wild?"】

【Lady Yuan asked coldly: "What kind of people are they?"】

【The servant lowered his body and reported: "Most of them are poor students from the Academy, and there are not many disciples of the Nine Great Surnames..."】

【"Among them are many flower queens from the West Chamber Building..."】

【"Then what are you waiting for?" Lady Zhao flicked her wide sleeves, "Drive them all away! Is the threshold of the Xie Fu something these poor scholars are worthy of stepping on? Flower queens also dare to come to the Xie Fu; this is not a filthy place like the Willow Lane brothels."】

【Cold sweat broke out on the servant's forehead, and he said tremblingly: "But... but there are several highly respected people among them, including the old Master Jin Zitan from the Academy, Master Xu Wei..."】

【Lady Yuan asked, "Then what are they doing seeing the Old Matriarch?"】

【She sneered, "These people also dare to say they have face to come to the Xie Fu to plead? Just by them? They are worthy of coming to the Xie Fu to ask for favors."】

【Everyone was silent, and they were caught off guard by such changes.】

【The candlelight in the hall flickered violently, making the servant's face pale. He shrank back and stole another glance at the youth in green standing quietly in the hall, his throat rolling, but he dared not speak again for a long time.】

【"You bastard!" Lady Zhao stood up abruptly, "If you dare to stammer again, I will peel your skin!"】

【The servant fell to his knees with a thud, his forehead against the blue bricks and said hurriedly: "Back, back to the Lady, the students are not pleading... but..."】

【His voice grew lower and lower, "But they are volunteering to take the punishment for Young Master Guan, and they are all waiting outside the mansion gate."】

【Lady Yuan was stunned again.】

【Lady Zhao could no longer endure, "Good, good, good, it's really turned upside down!"】

【Li Qinlan stared blankly at the scene in the hall, her fingertips unconsciously touching the skirt-pressing knife tied to her leg. Today, the wind and clouds in this Crane Pine Hall were changing, and the youth who seemed to be tottering was like a small boat in the middle of the river—let the wind be wild and the rain pour down, but he never capsized.】

【That green shirt had been straight as a pine since stepping into the main hall, and even though thousands of people pointed at him, he had never bent his spine by half; Li Qinlan could no longer look away.】

【The Old Matriarch's gaze fell on you for the first time. That gaze was like a knife, as if to dissect the skin and see the bones.】

【You met it calmly, neither avoiding nor retreating.】

【When the Old Matriarch slowly shifted her gaze, the deer-head staff in her hand tightened a bit.】

【This illegitimate son, the Xie family's disaster, who had not yet reached the age of twenty, had already... grown into a tree that could support the wind and rain in silence.】

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 436 =====