Chapter 1380 – South Prosperity, the Autumn of Chaos (Part Six)
“Han Mei, have you encountered some troubles in the past few days? Why do you always look so troubled?”
Li Yun was just finishing up his meal, ready to head to the military camp for roll call, when he was unexpectedly called out by his father.
He blinked in confusion and retorted, “What troubles? I’ve had a smooth day, no trouble at all!”
Taking advantage of Shangguan Wan’s absence, Xie Qian quietly pressed his son for answers.
“No trouble at all? Then why do you come back every day looking deeply concerned?”
Xie Qian, now the carefree Old Patriarch, was enjoying his retirement, with his daily routine consisting of martial arts practice, leisurely walks, and teaching his granddaughter Li Nuan.
Since students in the Golden Scales Academy are required to study body-refining techniques, Xie Qian had even taken a detailed diagram to ensure his granddaughter gets a head start. Fortunately, Li Nuan, being a descendant of a renowned general, had exceptional talent, even surpassing her father’s abilities. The body-refining techniques meant for women were remarkably useful, paired with the family’s secret martial arts, Li Nuan was improving rapidly. Xie Qian could confidently say that by the time his granddaughter reached the age for starting school, she would undeniably be the undefeated champion among her peers!
With a promising granddaughter and a son-in-law who was a trusted confidant of Jiang Pengji, Xie Qian’s retirement life was incredibly comfortable.
He did not want any unforeseen variables to disrupt the current situation.
Li Yun was puzzled by his father’s concern, but as Xie Qian was both his father and teacher, he naturally answered all questions without holding back.
“I’m just a little confused…”
Xie Qian raised an eyebrow and said, “As long as it doesn’t involve critical secrets, what confusion can’t you share?”
At this point, Xie Qian couldn’t help but feel a bit of a headache.
To ensure that Li Yun could defend himself and avoid potential enemies, Xie Qian had imposed harsh training requirements on his son’s martial arts.
He had crafted a simple, peaceful living environment for Li Yun, enabling him to focus wholeheartedly on mastering martial arts. For over a decade, the teacher and student had lived like wild men in the mountains. This approach had its pros and cons: the benefits were obvious, but the drawbacks were also clear. It seemed Li Yun’s talent was primarily directed at martial arts and commanding troops, with a straightforward path ahead of him, but those under Lan Ting were… all dark-hearted!
Every time he saw his son, a white sesame seed among a group of black sesame seeds, he worried that Li Yun might not fare well.
Born lacking, he had to make up for it fiercely; he didn’t seek to be as cunning as a fox, just to have some means of self-defense.
However, the results were minimal.
Li Yun was aware of his weaknesses and had some dilemmas that he sought to consult his father about.
“This matter, it’s not that I can’t speak of it,” Li Yun said. “A few days ago, the Lord assigned me a task to look out for anyone resembling Lord Zheng Ze, Yang Tao, and Yan Lin. At first, I thought nothing of it, but the more I pondered, the more terrified I became.”
Li Yun had been keeping an eye on various city gates these past few days, anxious in his thoughts, and being not very good at concealing his emotions, it was evident he was burdened.
“Terrified? Why’s that?”
Even Xie Qian, sharp as he was, couldn’t grasp what Jiang Pengji was plotting.
Li Yun might appear simple on other matters, but his instincts were remarkably accurate.
“The Lord’s territory is peaceful, and the only disturbance comes from the Tao Clan. At such a critical time, if someone resembling Lord Zheng Ze or Yan Lin appears, I worry there’s something fishy going on,” Li Yun elaborated. “The Lord never engages in battles without preparation, and her targeting these two must have a significant meaning. My only concern is missing them and giving them an opportunity to cause trouble—that would be my failure.”
Xie Qian asked, “You suspect that the two people Liu Xi had you keep an eye on are related to the Tao Clan?”
Li Yun nodded.
Xie Qian tapped the table, his brow slightly furrowed.
As a member of the old folks’ retirement group, Xie Qian had little involvement in politics and few information channels, making it hard to form a clear analysis.
However, he needed to remind Li Yun of one thing.
“If these two really show up, you must keep an eye on their movements; always have someone monitoring them,” Xie Qian warned. “Even if they only resemble Yang Tao and Yan Lin, in the eyes of common folk, they are practically the real deal. If something happens involving them in Wanzhou, and someone spreads it, it could easily be misunderstood as Liu Xi humiliating and slandering Yang Tao. You must be careful.”
Li Yun nodded, looking teachable.
Unbeknownst to him, perhaps due to Xie Qian’s toxic positivity, the very next day he received news of the targets’ appearance.
He hurried to inform the Lord.
Jiang Pengji’s previously dull eyes suddenly lit up.
“It’s been so boring these past few days; finally, someone is here to spice things up.”
Li Yun stifled the words that wanted to bubble to the surface—
How can the Lord so leisurely say “so boring” when everyone else is busy?
Looking at the numerous teachers, none yet middle-aged, with receding hairlines, didn’t the Lord feel any guilt at all?
“My Lord, you should still…”
Li Yun dutifully reminded her that it was still working hours and as the Lord, she couldn’t set a bad example by slacking off.
Jiang Pengji replied, “As the main authority, shouldn’t everything be done by me? Don’t those on my payroll feel guilty?”
Li Yun opened his mouth, speechless and unable to retort.
The logic of the Lord was quite sound; he had no words to counter.
【Li Family Never Worries】: I, my Lord, am slacking off!
【Withering into Dust】: Being a boss is all about slacking off shamelessly; otherwise, what’s the point of such high wages, huh?
【Shen Yi You】: Darkly excited, wondering how similar the imitations of Yang Tao and Yan Lin look to the original.
Yang Tao and Yan Lin were both high-ranking pretty boys; the former was sunny and energetic while the latter was graceful and charming. Yet, as Jiang Pengji’s perspective was followed in the livestream, the appearances of the two were few and far between. A group of beauty fans could only cling to old screenshots from past streams, having licked their screen for many years, which was no longer fresh, and they eagerly awaited new material. Even if it was just an imitation, it would still satisfy their cravings.
【Old Driver Alliance】: Can you stop picking on our angel Han Mei? He’s just too adorable!!!
Li Yun, Xie Ze, and Qin Gong were all recognized as the three major mascots under Jiang Pengji.
Li Yun was still the beloved of the first generation, with countless fans!
Looking at Li Yun’s face, Jiang Pengji let out a soft sigh.
“If he weren’t so good-looking, how would he have the right to be bullied?”
Didn’t she have a thing for looks?
Hitting is love, scolding is also love; when feelings run deep, one might even kick!
Not having pummeled Li Yun as an expression of her love was already her greatest restraint.
Li Yun looked utterly perplexed.
Soon, he thought he found the answer.
Even though he knew those two were imposters, their looks were undeniable.
“Lord Zheng Ze and Master Yan Shaoyang are truly rare beauties in the world; it’s just a pity they haven’t grasped a fraction of their charm; what a shame.”
Li Yun spoke earnestly, but Jiang Pengji asked, “Don’t you think… these two down here look a bit… gay?”
Li Yun blinked, “Gay?”
Jiang Pengji muttered to herself, “Forget it, I won’t pollute your pristine mind with such thoughts.”
The livestream chat exploded with comments, thanking Jiang Pengji for sparing their angel Li Yun.
Li Yun was left more confused than ever.
