Book 15: Chapter 29

Let Spring Leave. Autumn Keeps One.

The fragrance of the new tea Boss poured into my cup was appetising, but I couldnt feel any excitement to try it as I watched it the liquid fill the cup.

Whats the matter? Not to your liking? This is a gift from Uncle.

N-no, its nice. Maybe its too hot

The only way I could describe my mood was returning empty handed after diving deep into the mountains for a treasure.

Did I lose something so valuable without realising it?!

I followed the trajectory of my cup that was stolen from me, raising my head to see Boss holding it carefully in her hands to blow it.

Here. Boss tenderly placed the cup in my hand and smiled. Its okay now.

I blankly stared at the cup in my hand for a moment before swooping down for a nip. The moment the warm tea pa.s.sed down my throat, all of my disappoint vanished.

When did Boss learn this magic spell?

I greedily, yet slowly, finished my drink, then giddily pa.s.sed it back to Boss for a refill. She gave me a playful glare, then refilled my cup whilst saying, Uncle wants you to teach them.

I thought about that possibility, but I couldnt comprehend the full scope of His Majestys thinking. He hadnt minded that previous attempts to recruit Mount Daluo didnt bear fruit, and he was probably just riding the wave this time, too. Based on Boss logic, though, he didnt care too much about whether or not we supported a Prince.

Ive mentioned supporting the Princes already. Thats not Uncles true aim, so you can take it in stride. If it works out, great. If not, so be it. Uncle wont take issue with it. Im quite confident his main goal is to have you mentor them.

Thats the most perplexing part. What would he want me to mentor a Prince for? Does he want them to be worse than they already are?

How would it make any sense to accept missing out Mount Daluo and choosing me? There were only two possible reasons I could think of. Firstly, he wanted to use me as a lever to control Mount Daluo, so thered be hope even if we didnt align with a Prince. I thought this was the most probable explanation until hearing Boss opinion. She had started to convince me that he didnt have high hopes for recruiting Mount Daluo. Otherwise, he wouldnt have pa.s.sed up so many opportunities to discuss it with me after we returned from Nanjiang. The second possible reason was that he saw through my weakling faade. It didnt seem probable after the act I put on with Zero.

There mightve been more possible explanations; however, I couldnt think of any plausible ones. If it was the second one, I shouldve been packing my luggage and running. Even if he knew my true skills, he shouldnt have discovered I was Lord San Shen yet, which wasnt to say that he wouldnt start questioning everything related to me prior to his discovery. Therefore, my days in the imperial courts employment would be in peril.

Why cant you accept that perhaps Uncle genuinely values you more than Mount Daluo?

I guess its acceptable to say that hes confident in recruiting me but not Mount Daluo, albeit pus.h.i.+ng it. After all, hes never interacted with s.h.i.+fu, while he has gone through some rough stuff with me. That being said, Im not a deviant, but neither am I prim and proper. His Majesty thinks so highly of me?

First, theres no proof that he hasnt interacted with your s.h.i.+fu before. Second, why cant you accept that Uncle doesnt think highly of Mount Daluos mighty successor, but simple Ming Feizhen?

For some reason, it sounded as though Boss had an answer for my query ready for a long time already.

Me? For?

You want to know?

Yeah.

Boss suddenly went silent, probably to decide whether to answer the question or not, but she blushed for some reason as if it was something embarra.s.sing to say. She poked my forehead and said, Probably your stupidity.

I suddenly had a dj vu moment. The last time I remembered this happening was also at Liu Shan Men, but the girl that day had changed.

Theres this guy whos stronger than a monster, done so many unbelieve things that many would consider him a hero, yet he chooses to work as a low-income constable at Liu Shan Men. He told me he sticks by my side because Im stupid, but Id argue hes stupider. Hes the strongest martial artist Ive met, yet he desires neither power nor authority. Instead, he only cares for food and wine. Hes done lots of things people would be considered a waste of time. Hes ordinary. He looks ordinary, speaks in an ordinary manner, likes ordinary things, and everything following him is ordinary. His hobbies are also ordinary. There are so many things out there that he could take as long as he wanted to, but he isnt interested in them. Still, hes always clear on whats most important to him. I can understand the things he cares about.

I had no clue how to react when Boss removed her finger from my forehead, but I saw her smile with a tinge of embarra.s.sment.

Hes an idiot, but he knows whats most important in life. Though he possesses supreme might, he remembers to eat, sleep, make friends, live, and he knows how to live as a human being. Many who acquired his might forget, or perhaps they stopped caring, but hes continued to care.

I was sure those were words I shouldve said. Her eyes, the upward curve at her lips, they gave me the impression that she was pouring out her heart, but I couldnt focus on anything besides what my eyes saw. I felt she had been avoiding me today, trying to hide something from me, and I now realised there was a tinge of gentleness in her eyes that justified shyness.

What?

N-nothing, just, uh just shocked.

Y-yeah?

Whatever came to Boss mind next led her gaze underneath my nose a tad, and then she coughed.

Back on topic. Based on my understanding of Uncle, Im 80% sure I know why he holds you in high regard.

Reflecting on big events, I had confidence in Boss confidence.

Each Prince had his temperament and strengths. However, they grew up sheltered and treated as special people, so they dont understand the peoples hards.h.i.+ps. Or rather theyre indifferent. I believe Uncle wants them to learn to sympathise with the people.

The peoples hards.h.i.+ps, huh?

I was an expert on that field and definitely overqualified to teach the subject, but

I still cant take them under my wing.

Why?

I explained my woes and the unacceptable risk of bringing them into Mount Daluos direct disciple line. It wasnt a risk I could overlook. Even if their family was blessed, even if his sons werent ambitious in the wrong way although that sounded so ridiculous to me even if his sons didnt want to be involved with Six Evils, even if they were too cowardly, or even if they feared Mount Daluo, who couldve continued guaranteeing that remained true in the future? It took one precedence to trigger an avalanche. Humans had a limited lifespan; Six Evils didnt. Who couldve foreseen whatd happen once Grandmaster, s.h.i.+fu and I were gone? If I let one of them through our doors, how would I know if a future patriarch of Mount Daluo would have the b.a.l.l.s to stand up against pressure and refuse another member of the imperial family through our doors if I was struggling already?

Even if the Prince I took under my wing swore to not sabotage our sect if he didnt ascend to the throne, I still had to seek approval from Grandmaster and s.h.i.+fu. It wasnt something I could haphazardly agree to. In this day and age, people would eat and then righteously walk out the front door without paying the bill. Ask them to pay, and theyll deny it until you give up, let alone obtaining the authority to rule the world. What if they agreed to my terms and then dishonoured it a few years down the track?

Thats what you were worried about? Not all teachers require people to become an official disciple to teach them literacy, martial arts or recite wisdom from sages, right, Cant-fight Head Constable Ming?

I I Thats a good point.