Peace Order-Chapter 103 - 70: Changes in the World

The one who had climbed up to the corner of the wall was the eldest of the current generation of the Yin Yang Family, the Siming, with snow-white hair. Baring his teeth in a smile, he waved at Li Guanyi and then, with an "ah" sound, tumbled forward, falling down, accompanied by a flow of light invisible to the naked eye, as the Mystic Turtle appeared, supporting the old man.

"Hahaha, long time no see, Zu."

The old man was in high spirits upon seeing Li Guanyi.

Li Guanyi did not want to ask how the old man had managed to get inside the Xue Family home.

The East Continent Stargazing School is one of the Three Sects of the World outside society, and the Yin Yang Family is a prominent school; the paths of the two have some similarities, mainly focusing on the spirit and qi. Shaking Light could come in unnoticed, so it wasn’t difficult for the Siming, who was clearly much older than Shaking Light, to have such abilities.

Li Guanyi said something to his aunt, took a few pieces of silver, and led the old man to the outside tavern’s shop, where today the elder ordered slightly better wine, three coins a cup, which was worlds apart compared to the one coin a cup wine.

That meant it had less water mixed in.

The old man tilted his head back and drank it down in one gulp, the strong alcohol making his cheeks flush red.

After smacking his lips, he expressed his approval, "Not bad, not bad."

"It’s much better than the imperial wine in the palace; that’s too mild, lacks a kick, and only gets you slightly tipsy. They’re no different than sweet dew and yogurt if they can’t get you drunk."

Li Guanyi did not agree with the old man’s opinion.

He was merely curious and asked, "It’s been almost half a month, old man, why have you come back?"

The Siming quite liked this nickname and laughed heartily, "Of course, the business has been taken care of. If I don’t come back, should I keep shamelessly hobnobbing with those nobles and officials? Zu has entered the Court and is in charge of the Imperial Observatory, and that young fellow Wang Tong has become a Grand Scholar."

"Yue Qianfeng’s ambition has also been fulfilled, though I am unsure when he will return."

"Those decked in reds and purples within the palace have lost, yet they must still pretend to be amiable, playing the game of exchanging banquets, when deep down they can hardly wait to flay each other alive. Nevertheless, they manage to squeeze out smiles. As an old man, I truly fear that I won’t be able to hold back my laughter and might die from it, so I came back to find you."

The old man laughed as he spoke of the palace affairs.

Even the Mystic Turtle in front got himself a cup of wine to drink. When speaking, there wasn’t an intentional effort to disguise their words, but the people around them simply ignored the old and the young, probably due to the tricks of the Yin Yang Family lineage. The various schools and the Three Sects of the World were no match for martial artists in close combat.

But their cultivation was not solely for fighting.

They possessed mysterious methods.

After drinking several cups of wine, the old man picked up a few peanuts with his chopsticks, tossed them into his mouth, and chewed slowly, saying, "Now, the situation has reached a state of calm; both parties are waiting for a turning point. Speaking of which, it’s somewhat mysterious; it’s about the grand sacrifice of Chen Country happening in forty to fifty days."

"Hmph, the grand sacrifice is usually held between ten to twenty years after the Emperor’s ascension."

"It is to comfort the ancestors and the spirits of society that over the years, one has worked diligently, ensuring peace and prosperity for the country. It’s an act of showcasing one’s achievements, yet it’s going to cost who knows how many ten thousand pieces of silver coin. This time is a bit special; it seems all countries will be attending."

"The prince from the Jiang Family of Ying Country, the kings from above the Turkic grasslands, the Imperial Family of Tuyuhun from the Western Regions."

"The smaller tribes are even more numerous."

"Hosting so many nobles coming and going is Chen Country’s responsibility. With the standards of the Chen Kingdom Royal Family, the cost of hospitality certainly won’t be low. Such a major event, the country’s grand sacrifice, is of equal importance to warfare; there’s often a declaration of amnesty for the world."

"It is to report one’s achievements to the ancestors, and in such circumstances, it is inappropriate to shed blood. Only under this circumstance is it the best chance for Yue Pengwu to be pardoned. However, the other countries coming here certainly aren’t doing so just to congratulate the prosperity of Chen Country."

Li Guanyi said, "Is it to get rid of General Yue?"

The old man nodded, "Chen Country’s pillar, to Ying Country, he is a mortal enemy."

"When they come to Chen Country, naturally they have the intention to seek benefits for their own nation."

The old man sighed deeply, "It’s a mess of porridge."

Li Guanyi said, "With General Yue’s strength, why was he imprisoned?"

The old man said, "He is powerful, but the strength of the Military School and martial artists also has solutions. With the accumulation, strategies, and the presence of extraordinary figures in a big country, it’s possible for the unexpected to happen to martial artists when calculated by others with intent, especially since Chen Country’s prime minister is a highly esteemed Confucian scholar."

Li Guanyi did not say anything more, merely feeling that the grand sacrifice of Chen Country in a little over a month would be quite troublesome.

The old man laughed, "You’re not attending, so why the sigh?"

Li Guanyi said, "I have to go."

The Siming paused in his drinking.

Li Guanyi said, "The Emperor has decreed it, so I must go."

He explained the situation to the old man.

The old man’s eyes widened, and then he suddenly became angry. He slammed his cup heavily on the table and burst out cursing, saying:

"The descendants of Chen Xingguo, how could they lack the nature of their ancestors? For the sake of balancing civil and military power in the Court, they want to strip the General of his military authority; to cater to the mood of the aristocratic families, they want to put a youngster like you in the limelight?!"

"His ancestors had at least a bit of boldness.

"With martial achievements such as theirs, how could his descendants turn into such weaklings and cowards!"

"Fools! What fools!"

The old man cursed vehemently, then suddenly began doubting himself, saying:

"Could it be that those few drops of my urine on his ancestral grave years ago extinguished the green smoke from his family’s gravesite? It can’t be; that tree was flourishing with dense foliage."

Li Guanyi couldn’t help but crack a smile.

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