Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 297: Chapter 294 Rejection

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Chu Minghou smiled and said, ”In any case, this is Yuan’er’s plan. Of course, it’s just a plan and hasn’t been disclosed yet, so don’t shout about it to outsiders.”

”Naturally!” Bai Ningyu quickly responded.

Chu Minghou said, ”If you really want them to advance to Grandmaster early, then start with this battalion.”

Bai Ningyu hesitated, ”But they have already been discharged.”

Chu Minghou laughed and patted his shoulder, ”If I say more, your eldest sister is going to get angry.”

Bai Ningyu glanced at the front hall, shrank his neck, his ears still warm.

Thinking of Bai Ningshuang’s stern face, he shivered, the shadow of being scolded since childhood still there, he quickly said, ”Alright, I’ll find a way to squeeze them in,... otherwise, I’ll just follow them, to keep an eye on things.”

”That depends on Yuan’er’s plan.”

”Alright, I’m leaving now.”

Bai Ningyu immediately lost his thoughts.

This nephew of his is no simple character and surely not an easy character.

As his uncle, he might as well not meddle in his presence.

After Bai Ningyu left, Chu Minghou returned to the front hall, where Bai Ningshuang was already seated with Chu Yi and Li Suyue.

”That mischievous boy!” Bai Ningshuang said angrily, ”Getting involved unnecessarily.”

”It’s inevitable.” Chu Minghou smiled and said, ”Who can resist? If it were us, it would be the same; as for Yuan’er, he...”

He shook his head, quite dissatisfied with Chu Zhiyuan’s actions.

If it were someone else, avoiding them would be fine, but avoiding his own uncle was not right.

There should be some sense of closeness and distance.

The Prince Mansion has been sealed for so many years, yet Bai Ningyu has never distanced himself from the mansion.

”Yuan’er did well!” Bai Ningshuang huffed, ”If he opens a door for his uncle, what about the other uncles? All should be sealed, treated equally.”

Chu Minghou sighed, ”Sometimes good deeds can turn out bad.”

He felt he had been under too much pressure lately.

In comparison, he would rather the mansion remained sealed, without having to deal with these social niceties.

Bai Ningshuang said, ”As long as the gates are well-kept at the start, rules will naturally form later.”

At the beginning, people have a gambler’s mentality, wanting to take advantage.

Once people realize there are no loopholes to exploit, they will obediently follow the Court’s rules, ranking by merit.

Chu Yi laughed, ”Brother is truly being selfless, shouldn’t Imperial Grandfather give some reward?”

”This is what should be done, what reward is there.” Chu Minghou laughed, ”Yi’er, train well, you don’t need to go to the Martial Arts Hall.”

”What about Sister Li?” Chu Yi said, ”Brother wouldn’t also let her go to the Martial Arts Hall, right?”

Chu Minghou laughed, ”That still depends on what your brother says.”

”Hmph, if even Sister Li has to enter the Martial Arts Hall, then I’ll ignore him!” Chu Yi huffed.

Li Suyue hurriedly tugged her sleeve.

Chu Yi laughed, ”Sister Li, don’t worry, Brother will definitely agree.”

Li Suyue quickly said, ”I also want to join the Military Suppression Department.”

”Entering the Military Suppression Department is different from entering the Martial Arts Hall.” Chu Yi said, ”Ranking by merit, how long will that take!”

”Talk to your brother, we’re not concerned with it.” Bai Ningshuang said.

——

Chu Zhiyuan was with Gao Lingfeng on the third floor of the Bright Moon Tower.

They were leisurely having their meal.

Gao Lingfeng sighed, ”Sir, the Military Suppression Department is about to get chaotic.”

The so-called interests move people’s hearts.

For martial arts experts, anything involving martial arts realm, involving grandmaster realm, is enough to make them fight fiercely.

Though the Court has set the order by merit, merit is inanimate, people are not.

What if merits are equal?

Within the Military Suppression Department, there are many cases where the merits are the same, a few ninth grades plus a few eighth grades, and so forth.

By that time, there will inevitably be open and secret strife endlessly.

More importantly, the Military Suppression Department was initially recruiting from the military ranks and the Four Great Sects, now the Five Great Sects.

Many retired military personnel, weary of battles, do not wish to enter the Military Suppression Department.

Many disciples of the Four Great Sects also do not wish to enter the Military Suppression Department; it’s too dangerous.

So, the staffing of the Military Suppression Department is indeed insufficient.

Now it’s different.

It can be foreseen that this time many discharged soldiers and disciples of the Five Great Sects will enter the Military Suppression Department.

The experts from the Four Great Sects and the military have always been at odds, openly and secretly contending, and this time it might even be more intense.

It’s not the secret fights that are feared, but the escalation into open conflict that could tear the Military Suppression Department apart.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”We can’t manage much, let them be.”

”It’s just me worrying needlessly.” Gao Lingfeng smiled self-deprecatingly, ”Just worry that without the Court’s mediation, they will have an all-out fight and completely fall out.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”For so many years, they haven’t really fallen out; they already know each other’s limits.”

Gao Lingfeng hesitated, ”I’ve also received a few invitations meant for you, it’s really hard to decline.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”Do not accept any invitations.”

”Then I will refuse them on your behalf.”

”Who are they from?”

”The other three sects, except White Cloud Sword Palace, all sent invitations.”

”That’s quite neat.”

Gao Lingfeng smiled, ”They also know you won’t accept, yet they insist on sending them.”

The Four Great Sects have always been arrogant.

They neither flatter nor offend the princely heir, actually keeping a respectful distance, clearly because Prince Qing Mansion is disliked by the Emperor.

Over the years, with their strong strength, the Four Great Sects have become quite confident, even treating the princely heir the same.

Among the Four Great Sects, only White Cloud Sword Palace, due to Huang Shiron, has quite a good relationship with the princely heir.

The other three sects have essentially had no contact, making it somewhat awkward, even having no way to send invitations.

The reason they came to me, asking to forward the invitations, is certainly because they faced closed doors at Prince Qing Mansion.

Chu Zhiyuan said nothing.

”I will convey your wishes to them.” Gao Lingfeng smiled, ”Now they are truly anxious.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”It will be fine after some time.”

Currently is the time of the strongest impact, after a while, the impact will not be as strong, and once people’s hearts settle down, they will not fly around aimlessly like headless flies, eager to curry favor by kneeling before me.

As they were talking, Guo Chi quietly approached and whispered, ”Princely Heir, Elder Hu Jin from the Flying Sky Sect is here.”

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand, ”Don’t meet.”

”...Yes.”

Guo Chi did not expect Chu Zhiyuan to give no face to Hu Jin, nor to the Flying Sky Sect.

Hu Jin is an elder in the Flying Sky Sect, someone whose every move can cause ripples in the entire Martial Arts sphere.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Tell Elder Hu that none of the elders and high-ranking members from the Four Great Sects will be met.”

”Yes!” Guo Chi respectfully clasped his fists and turned to leave.

Gao Lingfeng felt a bit restless.

This was different from refusing the invitations, as this was directly turning away an elder seeking an audience.

This was too disregarding of Elder Hu’s face, and even of the Flying Sky Sect’s face.

Seeing his expression, Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”What does High Official Gao think?”

”...Sir, simply dismissing them in this way seems somewhat inappropriate, doesn’t it?” Gao Lingfeng hesitated, but couldn’t help saying, ”It would be better to be more tactful.”

”What difference does it make if it’s tactful or not?” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”It’s a refusal anyway.”

”But it hurts their face too much.” Gao Lingfeng said, ”These martial arts people highly value face.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”If ordinary martial arts experts value face more, then these elders are not so easily shamed.”

”But...” Gao Lingfeng was still not at ease.

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