Chapter 261: Decision

"Eating is very simple, but what to eat, how to eat, and when to eat is the most important point of walking the Jianghu."

Li Miao said while eating.

"First, never eat until full, otherwise food accumulates in the stomach, and blood and energy accumulate around the Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian, and you can only exert eight out of ten of your power. Also, never fight on an empty stomach, otherwise, it is looking for death."

"Second, never eat beside people you don't know; any fool knows to sneak attack while people are eating or sleeping; this is no different from sticking your neck out to someone else's blade."

"Eating everywhere is also looking for death."

"Third, do not drink alcohol."

"Did you understand?"

Shen Xunning opened her eyes wide, her gaze circling Li Miao, a belly full of words stuck in her throat, not daring to spit them out.

"Grandmaster, are you bluffing me!"

"You are clearly eating and drinking beside an unknown expert, and you are drinking! This is already the second pot!"

"And you are still drinking!"

Li Miao gulped down a cup with a "zi" sound and swept a glance at Shen Xunning.

"Have something to say?"

Shen Xunning nodded weakly.

"Spit it out."

"Grandmaster… isn't that person also an expert, and an expert who can casually control a first-class expert in the air, and you don't know him, you this…"

Shen Xunning's gaze swept toward the wine cup in Li Miao's hand.

Li Miao sneered and didn't answer.

But laughter came from outside the door.

"Young lady, what the Pacification Commissioner said to you are all golden words that can benefit you for a lifetime. And he didn't violate what he said in the slightest."

Duan Jue lifted the door curtain and walked in, looking at Shen Xunning with a smile.

"But…"

Shen Xunning hesitated.

Duan Jue shook his head.

"Young lady, what the Pacification Commissioner said, summarized, is actually one rule—do not reveal flaws in front of time, places, and people that threaten you."

"And at this time and place, no one can pose a threat to the official. Therefore, the official can naturally follow his heart, eat as full as he wants, and drink as drunk as he wants."

"Official, is what I said correct?"

Duan Jue seemed to be talking to Shen Xunning, but most of his attention was on Li Miao. What he said was not out of kindness to point out Shen Xunning, but to test Li Miao.

At this moment, he looked at Li Miao with a smile, watching Li Miao's reaction.

Li Miao pointed at him with chopsticks and smiled.

"Not bad."

"You are someone who understands human nature."

This one sentence almost broke the elegant posture Duan Jue was maintaining.

What kind of talk is this!

That little girl got a "small fry," and to me, I'm not even considered a person, right?

Li Miao put down the wine cup, swept a faint glance at him, and pointed to his side.

"Come sit, let's chat while eating."

An Embroidered Uniform Guard hurriedly stood up, gave up his seat, took a new set of tableware, and placed it down.

Duan Jue bowed to him, walked over and sat down, pulled his left sleeve with his right hand, took a pair of chopsticks from the chopstick holder, also shaved off the outer skin with his fingers, and then reached out to pick up a piece of vegetable and put it on the plate in front of him.

Like his attire, his posture was also extremely elegant, every move carrying a sense of literary and noble air that didn't know how many generations it had been passed down. None of the aristocratic children Li Miao saw in the capital could compare to this tone.

Duan Jue slowly raised the chopsticks to his face, about to send them into his mouth.

"Finding me wasn't easy, right?"

Duan Jue's hand stopped.

He slowly turned his head to look at his side.

Li Miao was holding the cup to his face, his fingers slowly rubbing the rim of the cup, not looking at him at all, just talking to himself.

"I have only been down from Hengshan for half a month, galloping and changing horses all the way, staying at post stations at night, rarely entering cities. If it weren't for the fact that I am not far from Emei, I would never have entered this Sinan Prefecture city."

"The news my subordinates gave me a while ago was that you were still near Lin'an Prefecture a month ago. At this distance and this time, either you were changing horses all the way like me, or you used light-body technique to rush here."

"How did it happen to be such a coincidence that we bumped into each other?"

Li Miao swept a glance up and down at him.

"Looking at this posture of yours, you even changed clothes before seeing me? The incense sachet was also newly changed."

"Nearly two thousand li of road, carrying a bundle on one side, and inquiring about my news on the other. Seeing me enter the city, you hurriedly found a place to change clothes and come in, using the incense sachet to cover the dust on your body."

"It wasn't easy, right? You've worked hard."

Duan Jue's hand stopped in mid-air, not moving for a long time.

Shen Xunning opened her eyes wide, her hand already touching the sword hilt by her feet.

Although she understood little, she still knew who to side with. If it were truly as Li Miao said, this person had planned for a long time and rushed nearly two thousand li to "bump into" Li Miao, then one could imagine there must be a plot.

If they were to fight, although she was a "small fry," she could throw a scabbard to help Grandmaster cheer.

Li Miao glanced at her, smiled, and didn't speak.

After a long time, Duan Jue put the vegetable he picked into the bowl, put the chopsticks aside, and said with a bitter smile.

"Pacification Commissioner, you saw through it from the beginning?"

"Otherwise?"

Li Miao raised an eyebrow.

"Ever since the New Year's matter last year, the Heaven-Men and hidden sects in the Jianghu have been restless. The Sword King Pavilion was the first, wanting to force the Tang Men out of Bashu, and I forced them back."

"Ordinary Jianghu people only think this news is a rumor, but you hidden sects who are watching all know it is true."

"I returned directly to Hengshan after coming out of the Sword King Pavilion and haven't descended the mountain since; you have all been waiting anxiously, right?"

"If you don't figure out my foundation and test my attitude toward you, you won't be able to rest easy and show your heads. That is why you were so eager to see me, revealing a flaw in time."

"Am I right?"

Duan Jue nodded with a bitter smile.

"Yes, the official is right."

"As far as I know, on your way to Emei, there should be at least two Heaven-Men waiting to 'bump into' you."

"I was impatient and wanted to be the first, but I revealed a flaw; it is indeed my negligence. I have displeased the official, and I apologize ten thousand times."

"Heh."

Li Miao sneered and pushed over a pot of wine.

"Whether you reveal a flaw or not, it is the same."

"Otherwise, what do you think I descended the mountain for this time?"

Duan Jue reached out and picked up the wine pot, first filling a cup for Li Miao, and then pouring one for himself.

"This cup of wine will be my apology to you."

Duan Jue raised his hand, about to drink.

Li Miao stopped him.

"Don't be in a hurry to drink; I have one more question."

"If you answer satisfactorily, you are qualified to drink. If you don't satisfy me, then eat the wine pot."

Li Miao swept a faint glance at Duan Jue.

"Those five people just now, they are all dead, right?"

Duan Jue nodded.

"Yes."

"Those five people, were they plants you invited?"

Duan Jue frowned.

"Official, I—"

Li Miao raised his hand to stop him.

"Think carefully, answer carefully."

"Think for a while longer."

"This answer will determine my attitude toward you and will also determine whether your Duan family is qualified to walk the Jianghu."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 262 =====