Imperial Cultivation

53: Chapter 51: Coping

53 -51: Coping

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It’s not yet meal time, but there are quite a few people in Qi Yun Tower.

The first floor is the most lively.

Many people who have nothing to do after a meal stay, order a pot of tea, two or three servings of fruit, and four or five servings of snacks, drinking tea, eating snacks, and engaging in conversation.

They chat for half a day, only leaving after finishing the next meal to return home.

Such is the boring life of these wealthy idlers.

Chu Zhiyuan and his party went directly to the second floor, and someone noticed the crane-shaped waist token at Chu Zhiyuan’s waist, and their complexion changed slightly.

Among those idly drinking tea and chatting in Qi Yun Tower, there were also some retired officials who immediately recognized the token at his waist.

They knew it was the Prince Heir.

Even if they didn’t recognize Chu Zhiyuan, the Princely Heir of King Qing, they knew not to provoke him.

Chu Zhiyuan came to a square table by the window.

Zou Fang, knowing his habits and preferences, stepped forward and opened the window.

Bright sunlight and cold air flowed in together, mixing warmth and chill, enlivening the spirit.

Chu Zhiyuan sat down, “The pen and ink.”

Guo Chi went to the shopkeeper and quickly brought back pen, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Zou Fang stood by the window, leaning against the wall to grind the ink.

Chu Zhiyuan appeared leisurely, seemingly idly gazing at the scenery outside.

On both sides of the street were various shops and stalls, and the white jade-like ground was clean, with most of the passing crowd’s boots also clean.

There were always people cleaning the street, sweeping over and over, as if never stopping.

There were also City Patrols and Military Suppression Department personnel mingled within the passing crowd.

The expressions of the people in the crowd were relaxed, even slightly bored, as if troubled by how to spend their leisure time.

Chu Zhiyuan admired the flourishing and bustling scenery, enjoying the prosperity and liveliness.

Zou Fang finished grinding the ink and handed a Purple Brush to Chu Zhiyuan with both hands.

Chu Zhiyuan, scanning the street outside, was writing two letters with his right hand flying across the paper.

Zou Fang took the brush, blew the letters dry, and folded them into envelopes.

Chu Zhiyuan sipped tea and whispered to Guo Chi, “Find a waiter to deliver a letter, one to Master Huang – Huang Shiron, and one to the old Feng at the mansion.”

“Yes.”

Guo Chi glided out gracefully.

…

Huang Shiron was walking in the bustling crowd, accompanied by two young women in white.

The two women, clothes fluttering, created intangible force pushing away those around, looking enviously at Huang Shiron moving effortlessly like a fish in water.

Huang Shiron, in an apricot yellow robe, had most of her exquisite figure concealed, yet her graceful gait was hard to hide.

A beautiful round-faced young woman in white said, “Senior Sister, more experts are squeezing into the Inner City.

Should we limit them in advance?”

Another elegant oval-faced young woman in white said, “If we limit them, won’t it show weakness?”

“Showing weakness is fine as long as nothing happens.”

“Showing weakness may make something more likely to happen.”

“We can’t just watch them grow more and more numerous.

If chaos breaks out, it will be serious trouble, implicating many innocents!”

“…”

“Special times call for special measures, not restricting all day, every day.

Once the Da Zhen Mission departs, we can resume normalcy.”

“We still need to think it over…”

“Alright.” Huang Shiron interrupted their debate, “These aren’t matters you should worry about.

Just pay more attention, observe more, and see who is among them, whether any of those wanted in sea arrest notices or patrol orders have sneaked in!”

“Yes.” The two girls obediently agreed.

“To keep others silent you must make achievements, accomplishments in your current positions, not worry about higher affairs.” Huang Shiron said softly, “Don’t look up, look down!”

“Yes, Senior Sister.” The two girls answered obediently.

“You two…if you weren’t my junior sisters, I wouldn’t even bother saying this!”

“Sen—ior—Sister!” the beautiful round-faced young woman laughed coquettishly, “We know Senior Sister has our best interests at heart, guiding us carefully.”

Huang Shiron said, “Think more about everything before speaking or acting, the Military Suppression Department is not our White Cloud Sword Palace!”

The elegant oval-faced young woman laughed, “Senior Sister, we only say these things in front of you, never in front of others.”

Huang Shiron snorted, “I can’t always be by your side, you’ll have to stand on your own eventually.”

The two girls’ eyes lit up with delight, “Senior Sister, are you getting promoted?”

Huang Shiron waved her jade hand.

At that moment, a young servant in gray squeezed out from the crowd, came respectfully forward, and bowed deeply, “This humble one greets Master Huang.”

Huang Shiron stopped and looked at him, saying lightly, “You are…?”

“This humble one is a runner at Qi Yun Tower, tasked by a noble person to deliver a letter to Master Huang.”

He carefully took the letter out from his bosom and presented it forward with both hands, lowering his head not daring to look at the three ladies.

In his eyes, the three ladies were like fairies standing on clouds.

Merely looking at them filled him with a sense of inferiority, not daring to look anymore.

The beautiful round-faced young woman responded swiftly, reached out, and took the letter to look over, “Who is this noble person?”

“That noble person said, you’ll know once you see the letter.”

“Qianqian, let me see.” Huang Shiron said.

The beautiful round-faced young woman Wen Qianqian returned to Huang Shiron’s side, handed over the letter with a smile, “Who is it, Senior Sister?”

Huang Shiron took one look at the handwriting on the letter, her jade-like face instantly fell, and she solemnly asked the young servant in gray, “How’s this noble person now?”

“The noble person is resting at Qi Yun Tower.”

“Anyone else besides that?”

“…Only the noble person’s attendants, it seems no one else.”

Huang Shiron nodded, drew out the plain paper and quickly scanned it.

The elegant oval-faced young woman took out a small piece of silver from her sleeve and lightly tossed it to the young servant in gray, “Thanks, little brother.”

The servant caught it skillfully, but then showed a face of struggle.

He wanted to return it but was reluctant, torn by conflicting feelings and stalled momentarily.

Huang Shiron waved her hand.

The elegant oval-faced young woman smiled sweetly, “Little brother, you may go back now.”

The young servant took a deep breath, held onto the silver tightly, bowed deeply again, and turned to dive back into the crowd.

“Senior Sister, who is it?”

“Junior Sister Wen, go find Brother Hu Chunlai, …

Junior Sister Xu, go find Brother Zheng Lang, have them get to the midsection of Xinghua Alley within an hour to protect the Princely Heir of King Qing, …

They all recognize the Princely Heir of King Qing, let them follow the Heir’s commands.”

“Senior Sister…”

“Go quickly!”

“…Yes.”

The two girls resignedly clutched their fists in salute and accepted the order.

“Also, don’t follow along.”

“Then what about you, Senior Sister?”

“Opposite Xinghua Alley is Baosheng Tower, we’ll meet up there.”

“Okay!”

The two girls turned, dove into the crowd, and their white figures disappeared in the blink of an eye.

…

After finishing the meal, Chu Zhiyuan stood up leisurely, “Let’s go.”

Most of the dishes on the table had been consumed by Guo Chi.

Zou Fang ate both elegantly and quickly, finishing in advance.

The three went downstairs, talking as they walked out.

“We’ll take a shortcut to Xinghua Alley, it’s too crowded and noisy here.”

“Yes.” The four Prince Mansion Guards surrounding them replied in deep voices.

They stood in four directions, pushing the crowd aside to make space, allowing Chu Zhiyuan to walk leisurely, and then turned left into a narrow alley.

This was Xinghua Alley.

This alley was winding and required several turns; so narrow that only two people could walk side by side, and carriages couldn’t pass.

Such a place was unsuitable for an ambush.

Zou Fang and Guo Chi guarded Chu Zhiyuan in the middle one front and another back.

With Super Sense, two Grandmasters of the Military Suppression Department were already pressed against the walls at the bottom of the courtyard on both sides of the alley, ready to jump into the alley at any time.

The three middle-aged men trailing 50 to 60 meters behind were all Grandmasters.

Each wore a dull, black face, clearly masked.

Was this Yuding Sect’s revenge?

But they didn’t have Yuding Sect’s small jade cauldron.

Perhaps it was to hide their identity.

However, hiding their identity didn’t match Yuding Sect’s arrogance.

More importantly, they didn’t have killing intent.

Very strange indeed.

…

Chu Zhiyuan stopped and pondered, also pausing his footsteps.

The others followed his lead and stopped.

Chu Zhiyuan said, “Manager Feng.”

Feng Xi swooped in from the other end of the alley, riding a cold wind, and arrived in front of Chu Zhiyuan, respectfully saluting, “Your Highness, have I come late?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, “Just in time.”

Feng Xi’s arrival meant they now had three Grandmasters on their side, enough to hold them off one on one.

“Mr.

Hu, Mr.

Zheng, flank from the rear.” Chu Zhiyuan called out loudly.

His position inadvertently allowed the tailing three Grandmasters to pass by the two Military Suppression Department Grandmasters not far away.