Chapter 167: The West Palace
After all, the An'guo Duke's mansion was in decline.
A fallen phoenix is not as good as a chicken. A declining Duke's mansion can most clearly feel the fickleness of the world and the indifference of people. The gate is deserted, and social interactions are sparse.
Those who come to the banquet are often eager to curry favor in order to gain benefits. Other Duke's mansions and powerful figures rarely interact.
Interactions are merely out of etiquette, maintaining ancestral traditions, and superficial efforts. Since the engagement with the Qing Prince's mansion, the situation has suddenly changed.
The An'guo Duke has become a very busy man.
He can only eat at home in the morning. At noon and in the evening, he is always pulled by colleagues or friends to have a few drinks. He accepts it calmly.
This is still when the Qing Prince's mansion is losing power and the heir has not yet taken on important responsibilities. In the future, after the heir comes to the fore, his father-in-law will be even busier. He doesn't feel flattered, and he has long seen through the ways of the world.
To be calm in prosperity and to be in prosperity when calm is also a kind of carefree and comfortable life. "Father actually isn't coming back!"
"If he comes back, we'll feel uncomfortable."
"...Hehe, that's true." Xiao Ruoyu laughed, "Whenever Father comes back, he always pulls Brother-in-law to talk about important court matters, which makes my head spin."
"Xiao Hu, you... you should still listen to matters of the court," Xiao Ruoling smiled, "You will eventually enter the court as an official in the future. Listening to these things will only benefit you."
"I don't want to listen," Xiao Ruoyu quickly said, "I just want to practice hard now. When my martial arts are high enough, I'll go to the military and get a position. At that time, I'll speak with military achievements. Why bother with these roundabout tactics?!" The Duke's title is hereditary. As long as he doesn't make any major mistakes, he doesn't need to pay attention to the rules of the officialdom and the ways of the court.
Xiao Ruoling shook her head with a smile, "You..."
After all, he is still young. There is nothing wrong with not liking to listen to these things. When he is older, he will actively listen even if he is not told to. It's not too late to learn then.
As a young duke, as long as he doesn't make any major mistakes, he will have guaranteed wealth and status, so there is no need to be too demanding. As the two were talking, the chief steward of the Duke's mansion ran over to report that the son-in-law had arrived.
Chu Zhiyuan was welcomed into the mansion by Xiao Ruoling and Xiao Ruoyu and went directly to the back garden.
With the An'guo Duke not in the mansion, they were much more relaxed and didn't need to be too formal. So, they simply didn't eat in the front hall and went directly to the back garden.
In a small pavilion on the lake in the back garden.
Xiao Ruoyu was very curious about this trip and kept asking questions, especially when it came to the Ying Prince, Chu Mingrui, he was even more curious. Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Ruoyu, haven't you met Tenth Uncle?"
"I've only seen him from afar, but I haven't been able to ask him for guidance in person."
"Tenth Uncle is still very easy to talk to."
"Easy to talk to?" Xiao Ruoyu quickly said, "The Ying Prince is famous for his iron face and cold heart. Who dares to say more to him? ...Even if you talk to him, he won't pay attention."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "He seems that way on the surface. If you are truly close to him, he is not too indifferent."
It is indeed difficult for others to get close to Chu Mingrui. As the military god of Da Jing, he has always kept people at a distance, otherwise he would have endless social engagements. He can be so close to him because of Chu Minghou.
When these young dukes of the Duke's mansion stood in front of him, their hearts would be timid first, their bodies tense, and they could hardly speak loudly. After hearing about this journey, the two couldn't help but become nervous.
Especially after hearing that the Treading Cloud Iron Cavalry attacked and Chu Zhiyuan led the crowd to charge, both became excited. Xiao Ruoling showed worry and couldn't help but grab his hand.
Xiao Ruoyu was filled with enthusiasm and wished he could take his place.
"With the Ying Prince present, why bother?" Xiao Ruoling said softly. Her bright eyes were filled with reproach.
Chu Zhiyuan held her jade hand tightly and smiled, "Tenth Uncle's strategic planning is unmatched, but when it comes to charging into battle, he is really not as good as me." Super-sense covers everything, illuminating like a god.
Finding flaws is extremely easy. As long as there are enough soldiers around, he can be invincible and win more with less. But the world has not yet reached the point where he, the heir, needs to charge into battle, so there is no need to show off.
Xiao Ruoyu sighed, "The Treading Cloud Iron Cavalry, ah, I heard they are extremely powerful, but in the end, they are still no match for the Wind Chasing Iron Cavalry. It's just that this situation... Losing Fuyuan Town is easy, but taking it back is difficult."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "This time, Tenth Uncle will be able to recover Fuyuan Town quickly and relieve the court's crisis."
Xiao Ruoling said, "Unless our iron cavalry is stronger, but after all, we are not grassland people, and we always suffer when we go to the grassland."
"Alas..." Xiao Ruoyu sighed.
Chu Zhiyuan fell silent.
If Da Jing and Da Zhen join forces and truly form an alliance, then there is hope to counterattack Da Meng, but looking at the current situation, it is probably good enough to maintain the status quo.
Just look at what Cheng Tianfeng did.
Xiao Ruoling said, "Let's not talk about these things. This time, with the imperial decree, the court should reward merits, right?"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "I don't know what rank of merit I will be awarded, but I should gain a lot. Also, this time, Tenth Uncle gave me a Gang-Piercing Divine Weapon."
He took off the Evil-Slaying Sword from his waist and handed it to Xiao Ruoling, "It's just right for you to defend yourself."
Xiao Ruoling was stunned and quickly wanted to decline.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "This can also be regarded as Tenth Uncle's intention."
"Sister, why are you being so polite among family members?" Xiao Ruoyu looked enviously at the Evil-Slaying Sword. Chu Zhiyuan looked at his waist, "The mansion should have one too, right?"
A Gang-Piercing Divine Weapon can only be exchanged for a third-rank merit, but even if the An'guo Duke's mansion is in decline, it still has a foundation, which is not comparable to the Qing Prince's mansion. "We have them, but it's not our turn," Xiao Ruoyu said helplessly, "They are all in the hands of the guards."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded.
A Gang-Piercing Divine Weapon can indeed exert its magic better in the hands of the guards.
Even so, there are still too many people who keep them on themselves, even if their martial arts are lower, and they don't need to take action. The An'guo Duke is indeed extraordinary.
Xiao Ruoling took the Evil-Slaying Sword, gently pulled it out of its sheath, felt the coldness of the sword body, and sighed softly, "Good sword." She thrust it into the air several times, and the cold light flickered, making the void slightly cold.
Chu Zhiyuan was very happy to see that she liked it.
"By the way, the West Palace Consort invited me to meet her in the palace tomorrow morning," Xiao Ruoling said softly, "I don't know why."
"The West Palace Consort? Have you ever met her?"
"The last time the imperial palace held a night banquet to invite the Ninth Princess, I happened to sit with the West Palace Consort to watch the opera."
"The West Palace Consort is a disciple of the Moon Invitation Palace," Chu Zhiyuan said.
"Could it be...?" Xiao Ruoling was slightly surprised, and then frowned. Chu Zhiyuan pondered, "Could it be that she is also practicing the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Skill?"
Only those who also practice the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Skill can detect traces of Xiao Ruoling's cultivation.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Skill is too powerful in concealing aura and Qi, and it can even hide from Super-Sense, so it is even more difficult for others to detect.
"The West Palace Consort is as pure as white jade, untouched by the mundane world, but she makes me feel very close, a kind of inexplicable closeness," Xiao Ruoling nodded gently, "It does look very much like the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Skill."
She then asked in confusion, "Why is the Consort looking for me?"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "Maybe she is curious about how you cultivated the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Skill?"
"...I hope so," Xiao Ruoling frowned slightly.
She always felt that it wasn't that simple.
The West Palace Consort seemed to not care about anything, detached from the world, so why would she want to see herself? Just because of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Skill?
"You'll know after you meet her," Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
He recalled what Xu Yingying had said, that the Moon Invitation Palace was selecting a saintess. Could the West Palace Consort's search for Xiao Ruoling be related to this? But he only thought about it and didn't tell Xiao Ruoling.
