Chen Chao bent down and entered the carriage, immediately feeling a warmth.
"You're already a sword cultivator, can't you handle a bit of chill?"
Chen Chao muttered, but still reached his hands out to warm himself by the stove before raising his head to look at the girl in front of him.
They met briefly on that night in the Divine Capital, but he had not had his fill.
Well, with a girl like her, who would not want to see more?
Xie Nandu looked at his somewhat pale complexion and said, "You seem to haven't rested well lately."
Chen Chao rubbed his forehead, somewhat tiredly saying, "I took a nap in the office earlier, but I didn't sleep well. Earlier, killing that deputy commander was actually a bit troublesome. Taking it slow would have been better, but in that situation, I could only act swiftly. Otherwise, I wouldn't achieve the desired effect."
Killing Lin Shan was something that could not be delayed. He had to suppress and kill that deputy commander with swift measures in order to be able to suppress the Left Guard. Otherwise, even if he took back the official seal, the Left Guard would remain in a state of disunity, and no one would listen to him.
Xie Nandu gave an "oh", seeming uninterested in this matter. She just asked, "Do you want to sleep a little more? I heard you chatted with that princess in her carriage all night."
"That's my cousin."
Chen Chao scrutinized Xie Nandu.
Xie Nandu continued on his own, "I heard that the princess is very beautiful. Among the princes and princesses, she resembles the empress the most."
Chen Chao nodded and said, "Indeed, she's very attractive, those legs... aren't as attractive as yours, though."
Realizing that he had almost gotten into huge trouble, Chen Chao pulled back from the edge of the cliff. His face was still somewhat pale, and he felt a lingering fear.
Xie Nandu seemed indifferent to this matter and said, "Since you chose to remain silent, why did you come out to see Senior Brother?"
Chen Chao frowned and asked, "Don't you know about that piece of news?"
Xie Nandu gave Chen Chao a glance, the meaning in her eyes clear - idiot, why would I not know about this?
Seeing the disdain in Xie Nandu's eyes, Chen Chao did not find it strange. The girl in front of him appeared much more lively and spirited these days compared to before. The first time they met, although she was a living person, she seemed more like a fairy descended to the mortal world and less like a real person.
Chen Chao continued, speaking to himself, "Since this news has spread, it forces those people to make choices. I'm situated in the plot, how can I escape? I am definitely required to make a choice as well."
Xie Nandu made a sound of agreement, then suddenly asked, "So, what did Senior Brother say to you?"
"He didn't say anything."
Chen Chao continued, "Actually, I feel that him not saying anything is the answer I want."
Xie Nandu remained silent.
Chen Chao quickly expressed his judgment, "In the current Divine Capital, it's definitely not just the two princes contending for the throne. Among the two princes, there's at least one of them who can see the current situation clearly. As for the other one, if he can't see through it, by the time things settle down, he basically won't have a chance to become the emperor. In the shadows, there should be two groups of people. One group should be the remnants of the previous dynasty. With the support of the foreign cultivators, they are doing things in the Divine Capital. Lin Shan was bought over by them. As for the other group, it's related to me."
Chen Chao looked at Xie Nandu.
He believed that the girl in front of him could understand what he was saying.
Xie Nandu said, "Back then, when His Majesty entered the city, all the members of the First Prince's lineage died in the sea of fire, except for you. But that doesn't mean all those who supported the deposed emperor were completely eliminated. Over the years, they have been accumulating strength, presumably waiting for this day to come."
Chen Chao said, "I think when His Majesty went to the Northern Frontier and released the news, and the Lord Warden Commander left the Divine Capital, it was all part of their plan. It's just that when I look at it, I find this plan somewhat simplistic. How could they believe it?"
Using normal means, it should not be like this. If the Great Liang Emperor was going to the Northern Frontier, the Lord Warden Commander should not leave the Divine Capital.
Xie Nandu said, "It doesn't necessarily mean he's not in the Divine Capital right now."
Chen Chao raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
Xie Nandu continued, "There are layers of schemes in this. The Lord Warden Commander is actually in the Divine Capital, but ordinary people would think he has already left the Divine Capital. However, those who truly intend to take action in the Divine Capital would know that he has always remained in the Divine Capital. To put it simply, the Lord Warden Commander is the mantis, and those people, in his eyes, are cicadas. But in reality, they are also the orioles, and the Lord Warden Commander might be playing the role of the hunter behind the orioles."
"So complicated."
Chen Chao rubbed his head. He was indeed a bit tired. These things were originally things he should think about himself, but because he was a bit exhausted at the moment, he left them to Xie Nandu to think about. Fortunately, it was never a problem for Xie Nandu to think about things; she was a very clever person.
Chen Chao asked, "So, which side do you think Mr. Wei is in contact with?"
Xie Nandu frowned and said, "There's no evidence to prove that Senior Brother has had any contact with anyone."
Chen Chao did not speak.
There were some things in the world that absolutely did not require so-called evidence.
There must be someone contacting Wei Xu during this period.
"But I think Mr. Wei is a clever person. Since he understands the current situation, he definitely won't take any further action."
Chen Chao nodded, "But I believe the Dean must know about these things. Can I meet him?"
Xie Nandu shook her head.
Currently, no one in the Divine Capital could meet the dean.
Chen Chao frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled, "Even if the Dean doesn't need to openly declare his stance in this conflict, can't he say a few words for the juniors and answer some questions?"
Xie Nandu looked at Chen Chao and said, "Because it's very difficult to choose."
The Dean stood between Xie Nandu and Wei Xu, there were many times he would not choose.
Chen Chao said, "Are you really going to start contending for the position of the dean with Mr. Wei? Isn't it a bit too early? The Dean seems to be able to live for many more years."
Xie Nandu said, "Indeed, if Teacher were to die now, then the position of the dean would definitely belong to Senior Brother."
Chen Chao fell silent. Although Xie Nandu was a genius and undoubtedly a remarkable woman, she was still young. No matter how exceptional she was, she could not possibly compare to Wei Xu, who had cultivated for many years. The gap between the two was just too great. One was a formidable figure in the Nepenthe Realm, while the other had only been cultivating for a few years.
"Talking about the position of the dean and the head of the Xie Family, I always feel it's very far away. But since it's you, I don't see any problem with it."
Chen Chao looked at Xie Nandu and rubbed his palms.
Xie Nandu did not mind, she put down the book in her hand and calmly said, "It's all a matter of time."
Chen Chao fell silent for a moment and suddenly asked, "I've always had a question. A woman like you theoretically shouldn't have much interest in this kind of authority. Why insist on holding the reins on both sides? Is it just so you can head North?"
Xie Nandu did not answer this question.
Chen Chao felt his question was a bit silly and chuckled.
Xie Nandu just asked, "Where are you going later?"
Chen Chao replied as a matter of course, "Of course, I'm going spy hunting."
Xie Nandu looked at Chen Chao with some curiosity and confusion.
Chen Chao knew what she was thinking. After a moment of silence, he went straight to the point, "Although I've never been interested in the throne and find their struggles annoying, and it's boring to see others betting on me, in reality, aside from all that, I'm still very interested in catching spies."
There were many spies in the Great Liang Dynasty; this was a well-known fact.
Those foreign cultivators hid many spies in the Great Liang Dynasty, and now, with the Great Liang Emperor's arrangements, the primary goal was probably to catch spies.
The Great Liang Dynasty had to face the demons in the North, the cultivators in the South, and the spies within the Great Liang Dynasty.
The entire dynasty seemed prosperous, but it was full of problems.
"Clearing the spies in the Great Liang Dynasty is a good thing for the dynasty."
Chen Chao gripped the hilt of his sword, raring to go.
Xie Nandu reminded, "What if you encounter spies that you can't catch?"
Still the same words, although Chen Chao was pretty good, he was only a cultivator in the Bitter Sea Realm after all, not a true powerhouse.
If he encountered those powerhouses, it might indeed be a bit troublesome.
Chen Chao said, "I'm not stupid, I only pick the easy targets."
Xie Nandu said, "I was overthinking it. I forgot that you are actually very good at judging the situation."
This was referring to back then in Tianqing County.
Chen Chao frowned and said, "Back then, I was broke, truly poor. Don't read too much into it."
Xie Nandu raised an eyebrow.
Chen Chao continued, "It's also because we weren't that close back then."
Xie Nandu still did not say anything.
Chen Chao felt a little headache and said, "I don't know why, but I feel like I have no way to deal with you."
Xie Nandu smiled and said, "Take a nap."
Hearing this, Chen Chao did not refuse. He quickly nodded and leaned against the carriage, falling asleep.
Cultivators seldom needed to sleep, but if they expended too much mental energy, they would still need a nap to recover.
The sound of snoring gradually filled the carriage.
Xie Nandu picked up the blanket draped over herself and covered Chen Chao with it.
Looking at this young man in front of her, and the tightly furrowed brows even in his sleep, she could not resist reaching out, gently brushing her slender and fair fingers across his forehead.
She did not know if she could erase his troubles, but she felt that it might help in some way.
Whether Chen Chao was truly asleep or not, when Xie Nandu ran her fingers over his glabella, his furrowed brows seemed to genuinely ease up.
Xie Nandu said, "In the bustling secular world, trying to control one's destiny doesn't seem easy no matter how you look at it."
Chen Chao did not hear her; he was in a deep sleep.
He had a dream.
This time, he did not dream of that girl in the coffin.
He dreamed of the massive fire in the capital city more than a decade ago, of his imperial brother who had never shown much affection towards him. In the dream, his imperial brother seemed to be standing in the midst of the flames, looking at him with eyes full of complex emotions.
Chen Chao did not evade the gaze, he just met his gaze.
"You are you, and I am me, and we have always been different."
Chen Chao bent down and entered the carriage, immediately feeling a warmth.
"You're already a sword cultivator, can't you handle a bit of chill?"
Chen Chao muttered, but still reached his hands out to warm himself by the stove before raising his head to look at the girl in front of him.
They met briefly on that night in the Divine Capital, but he had not had his fill.
Well, with a girl like her, who would not want to see more?
Xie Nandu looked at his somewhat pale complexion and said, "You seem to haven't rested well lately."
Chen Chao rubbed his forehead, somewhat tiredly saying, "I took a nap in the office earlier, but I didn't sleep well. Earlier, killing that deputy commander was actually a bit troublesome. Taking it slow would have been better, but in that situation, I could only act swiftly. Otherwise, I wouldn't achieve the desired effect."
Killing Lin Shan was something that could not be delayed. He had to suppress and kill that deputy commander with swift measures in order to be able to suppress the Left Guard. Otherwise, even if he took back the official seal, the Left Guard would remain in a state of disunity, and no one would listen to him.
Xie Nandu gave an "oh", seeming uninterested in this matter. She just asked, "Do you want to sleep a little more? I heard you chatted with that princess in her carriage all night."
"That's my cousin."
Chen Chao scrutinized Xie Nandu.
Xie Nandu continued on his own, "I heard that the princess is very beautiful. Among the princes and princesses, she resembles the empress the most."
Chen Chao nodded and said, "Indeed, she's very attractive, those legs... aren't as attractive as yours, though."
Realizing that he had almost gotten into huge trouble, Chen Chao pulled back from the edge of the cliff. His face was still somewhat pale, and he felt a lingering fear.
Xie Nandu seemed indifferent to this matter and said, "Since you chose to remain silent, why did you come out to see Senior Brother?"
Chen Chao frowned and asked, "Don't you know about that piece of news?"
Xie Nandu gave Chen Chao a glance, the meaning in her eyes clear - idiot, why would I not know about this?
Seeing the disdain in Xie Nandu's eyes, Chen Chao did not find it strange. The girl in front of him appeared much more lively and spirited these days compared to before. The first time they met, although she was a living person, she seemed more like a fairy descended to the mortal world and less like a real person.
Chen Chao continued, speaking to himself, "Since this news has spread, it forces those people to make choices. I'm situated in the plot, how can I escape? I am definitely required to make a choice as well."
Xie Nandu made a sound of agreement, then suddenly asked, "So, what did Senior Brother say to you?"
"He didn't say anything."
Chen Chao continued, "Actually, I feel that him not saying anything is the answer I want."
Xie Nandu remained silent.
Chen Chao quickly expressed his judgment, "In the current Divine Capital, it's definitely not just the two princes contending for the throne. Among the two princes, there's at least one of them who can see the current situation clearly. As for the other one, if he can't see through it, by the time things settle down, he basically won't have a chance to become the emperor. In the shadows, there should be two groups of people. One group should be the remnants of the previous dynasty. With the support of the foreign cultivators, they are doing things in the Divine Capital. Lin Shan was bought over by them. As for the other group, it's related to me."
Chen Chao looked at Xie Nandu.
He believed that the girl in front of him could understand what he was saying.
Xie Nandu said, "Back then, when His Majesty entered the city, all the members of the First Prince's lineage died in the sea of fire, except for you. But that doesn't mean all those who supported the deposed emperor were completely eliminated. Over the years, they have been accumulating strength, presumably waiting for this day to come."
Chen Chao said, "I think when His Majesty went to the Northern Frontier and released the news, and the Lord Warden Commander left the Divine Capital, it was all part of their plan. It's just that when I look at it, I find this plan somewhat simplistic. How could they believe it?"
Using normal means, it should not be like this. If the Great Liang Emperor was going to the Northern Frontier, the Lord Warden Commander should not leave the Divine Capital.
Xie Nandu said, "It doesn't necessarily mean he's not in the Divine Capital right now."
Chen Chao raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
Xie Nandu continued, "There are layers of schemes in this. The Lord Warden Commander is actually in the Divine Capital, but ordinary people would think he has already left the Divine Capital. However, those who truly intend to take action in the Divine Capital would know that he has always remained in the Divine Capital. To put it simply, the Lord Warden Commander is the mantis, and those people, in his eyes, are cicadas. But in reality, they are also the orioles, and the Lord Warden Commander might be playing the role of the hunter behind the orioles."
"So complicated."
Chen Chao rubbed his head. He was indeed a bit tired. These things were originally things he should think about himself, but because he was a bit exhausted at the moment, he left them to Xie Nandu to think about. Fortunately, it was never a problem for Xie Nandu to think about things; she was a very clever person.
Chen Chao asked, "So, which side do you think Mr. Wei is in contact with?"
Xie Nandu frowned and said, "There's no evidence to prove that Senior Brother has had any contact with anyone."
Chen Chao did not speak.
There were some things in the world that absolutely did not require so-called evidence.
There must be someone contacting Wei Xu during this period.
"But I think Mr. Wei is a clever person. Since he understands the current situation, he definitely won't take any further action."
Chen Chao nodded, "But I believe the Dean must know about these things. Can I meet him?"
Xie Nandu shook her head.
Currently, no one in the Divine Capital could meet the dean.
Chen Chao frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled, "Even if the Dean doesn't need to openly declare his stance in this conflict, can't he say a few words for the juniors and answer some questions?"
Xie Nandu looked at Chen Chao and said, "Because it's very difficult to choose."
The Dean stood between Xie Nandu and Wei Xu, there were many times he would not choose.
Chen Chao said, "Are you really going to start contending for the position of the dean with Mr. Wei? Isn't it a bit too early? The Dean seems to be able to live for many more years."
Xie Nandu said, "Indeed, if Teacher were to die now, then the position of the dean would definitely belong to Senior Brother."
Chen Chao fell silent. Although Xie Nandu was a genius and undoubtedly a remarkable woman, she was still young. No matter how exceptional she was, she could not possibly compare to Wei Xu, who had cultivated for many years. The gap between the two was just too great. One was a formidable figure in the Nepenthe Realm, while the other had only been cultivating for a few years.
"Talking about the position of the dean and the head of the Xie Family, I always feel it's very far away. But since it's you, I don't see any problem with it."
Chen Chao looked at Xie Nandu and rubbed his palms.
Xie Nandu did not mind, she put down the book in her hand and calmly said, "It's all a matter of time."
Chen Chao fell silent for a moment and suddenly asked, "I've always had a question. A woman like you theoretically shouldn't have much interest in this kind of authority. Why insist on holding the reins on both sides? Is it just so you can head North?"
Xie Nandu did not answer this question.
Chen Chao felt his question was a bit silly and chuckled.
Xie Nandu just asked, "Where are you going later?"
Chen Chao replied as a matter of course, "Of course, I'm going spy hunting."
Xie Nandu looked at Chen Chao with some curiosity and confusion.
Chen Chao knew what she was thinking. After a moment of silence, he went straight to the point, "Although I've never been interested in the throne and find their struggles annoying, and it's boring to see others betting on me, in reality, aside from all that, I'm still very interested in catching spies."
There were many spies in the Great Liang Dynasty; this was a well-known fact.
Those foreign cultivators hid many spies in the Great Liang Dynasty, and now, with the Great Liang Emperor's arrangements, the primary goal was probably to catch spies.
The Great Liang Dynasty had to face the demons in the North, the cultivators in the South, and the spies within the Great Liang Dynasty.
The entire dynasty seemed prosperous, but it was full of problems.
"Clearing the spies in the Great Liang Dynasty is a good thing for the dynasty."
Chen Chao gripped the hilt of his sword, raring to go.
Xie Nandu reminded, "What if you encounter spies that you can't catch?"
Still the same words, although Chen Chao was pretty good, he was only a cultivator in the Bitter Sea Realm after all, not a true powerhouse.
If he encountered those powerhouses, it might indeed be a bit troublesome.
Chen Chao said, "I'm not stupid, I only pick the easy targets."
Xie Nandu said, "I was overthinking it. I forgot that you are actually very good at judging the situation."
This was referring to back then in Tianqing County.
Chen Chao frowned and said, "Back then, I was broke, truly poor. Don't read too much into it."
Xie Nandu raised an eyebrow.
Chen Chao continued, "It's also because we weren't that close back then."
Xie Nandu still did not say anything.
Chen Chao felt a little headache and said, "I don't know why, but I feel like I have no way to deal with you."
Xie Nandu smiled and said, "Take a nap."
Hearing this, Chen Chao did not refuse. He quickly nodded and leaned against the carriage, falling asleep.
Cultivators seldom needed to sleep, but if they expended too much mental energy, they would still need a nap to recover.
The sound of snoring gradually filled the carriage.
Xie Nandu picked up the blanket draped over herself and covered Chen Chao with it.
Looking at this young man in front of her, and the tightly furrowed brows even in his sleep, she could not resist reaching out, gently brushing her slender and fair fingers across his forehead.
She did not know if she could erase his troubles, but she felt that it might help in some way.
Whether Chen Chao was truly asleep or not, when Xie Nandu ran her fingers over his glabella, his furrowed brows seemed to genuinely ease up.
Xie Nandu said, "In the bustling secular world, trying to control one's destiny doesn't seem easy no matter how you look at it."
Chen Chao did not hear her; he was in a deep sleep.
He had a dream.
This time, he did not dream of that girl in the coffin.
He dreamed of the massive fire in the capital city more than a decade ago, of his imperial brother who had never shown much affection towards him. In the dream, his imperial brother seemed to be standing in the midst of the flames, looking at him with eyes full of complex emotions.
Chen Chao did not evade the gaze, he just met his gaze.
"You are you, and I am me, and we have always been different."
