"I forgot that there was still Liu Qing."
Shang Xingzhou sighed, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't even have remembered his name."
Even though he was the de facto number one in the world, he would not disregard a terrifying assassin like Liu Qing.
So if he couldn't remember, he truly couldn't remember, not to express his contempt or indifference.
Xu Yourong said, "He truly is very easy to forget."
"The best assassins should be like this."
Shang Xingzhou said with some admiration, "After Su Li and that person left, he improved a lot."
Xu Yourong knew that he was not speaking of her teacher, but that legendary assassin leader. "Yes, so I am confident that Prince Chen Liu will die."
Shang Xingzhou fell silent, then asked, "Presumably, you have similar arrangements in many other places?"
Xu Yourong replied, "The other plans are much more careless. The newly appointed Archbishop of the Hall of Illustrious Persons, Guan Bai, will return to the Heavenly Dao Academy in a little while, but I am not sure what will happen next."
Shang Xingzhou nodded. "Zhuang Zhihuan is rather dissatisfied with this matter. If the situation becomes unstable, perhaps he will move against Guan Bai."
Xu Yourong said, "I also think the same. Then Guan Bai will die."
She was clearly talking about the death of an important figure on her side, but her expression was still so calm, like she was talking about something that had nothing to do with her.
Shang Xingzhou calmly gazed at her, then suddenly smiled.
Only now did he truly treat her as an opponent.
"And then?"
"All kinds of deaths."
"How?"
"It's just that you kill me and I kill you … just like that night."
Xu Yourong's eyes became rather faint, like she was looking at an extremely distant place, perhaps the past.
On that night three years ago, she and Mo Yu had been escorted out of the capital by the Divine Empress, so she had not been able to see it.
… …
… …
Ten-some Red Geese took flight. Some landed, others flew off to even more distant places.
The news from the Mausoleum of Books began to spread through the streets of the capital, and the approaching dust over the plains of early spring proved those rumors.
The crowd in front of the Li Palace grew restless and quickly dispersed, but the Grand Examination still continued.
The bishops and deacons hurried to and fro in front of the palace, and the Divine Avenue was filled with running figures. The Orthodoxy cavalry had long since set off, and all was somber.
Linghai Zhiwang solemnly said to Chen Changsheng, "It's about to begin."
Chen Chang Sheng walked to the door of the palace and said, "If ….."
Linghai Zhiwang, Hu Thirty-Two, and the others looked over nervously.
Chen Chang Sheng had been indifferent to the affairs of the world for many days. If it was a tacit agreement with Xu You Rong, or if he was preparing some trump card, then he would definitely use it today.
"… I mean if."
Chen Chang Sheng was silent for a while, then turned around to look at them and said, "Forget it, there are no ifs. Just follow the instructions on the paper."
After saying this, he took out a paper dragonfly from his sleeve and handed it over.
Linghai Zhiwang and the others opened the paper dragonfly, glanced over it, and were instantly stunned.
They didn't know what ridiculous order Chen Chang Sheng had given them, but they had to carry it out.
…
…
The clear water in the stone pond overflowed from the edge and flowed out of the hall along the bluestone path.
Only when the water in the pond was stirred would it emit a clear sound like the cry of a sword.
Chen Chang Sheng scooped a ladle of water.
Qing Ye was not here, so the water was naturally not used to water it.
He raised it to his mouth and drank it slowly.
Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and asked, "Just what do you want to do?"
Chen Chang Sheng used his sleeve to wipe away the water on his face and said, "Drinking water can help clear the heart."
Tang Thirty-Six solemnly said, "You never drink water that isn't boiled, much less wipe your mouth with your sleeve."
Chen Chang Sheng looked at him and said, "Have you not noticed that I've already changed a lot?"
Tang Thirty-Six asked, "How have you changed?"
Chen Chang Sheng seriously replied, "I live more freely, more casually."
Tang Thirty-Six looked into his bright eyes, saw his serious expression, and felt a surge of anger. "You should go look in the mirror."
Chen Chang Sheng clearly did not understand the meaning of these words and was rather perplexed.
Tang Thirty-Six listened to the activity outside the hall and slightly frowned. "You're really not worried?"
Chen Chang Sheng shook his head. "Since they won't fight, why worry?"
Confused, Tang Thirty-Six asked, "What do you mean?"
Chen Chang Sheng turned to look at the stone room. For some reason, he felt rather complicated.
"I understand my master even more than Yourong. When he is not prepared, he will never give his opponent a chance to start a fight."
The two sides were now in a stalemate in the Mausoleum of Books. Tang Thirty-Six found it impossible to believe Chen Chang Sheng's judgment and could only believe that he was comforting himself.
He had not been present when Chen Chang Sheng had given the paper dragonfly to Linghai Zhiwang and the others.
"You really don't want to use the Imperial Design?"
He looked into Chen Chang Sheng's eyes, his expression unprecedentedly serious and solemn.
Chen Chang Sheng said nothing.
Tang Thirty-Six said, "If you are confident that His Majesty the Emperor will stand on your side at the crucial moment, then today is the best opportunity."
The Lingyan Pavilion had already been destroyed by the Tianhai Divine Empress using the Frost God Spear, but the array pivot of the Imperial Design was still in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, although the Tang Old Master maintained his neutrality, he could not stop the Tang clan's main branch from gradually gaining power. The First Master had sent many attendants into the capital, and they were now stationed in various shops and guilds, ready to obey Tang Thirty-Six's orders at any time.
With the Tang clan's help, Yuren could activate the Imperial Design at any time.
At that time, even if the various armies under the control of the princes entered the capital, they would still be no match for his senior and junior brothers.
This was not the first time Tang Thirty-Six had mentioned this matter to Chen Chang Sheng.
Chen Chang Sheng still maintained his silence.
Tang Thirty-Six finally understood. He was not hesitating, but was using his silence to express his intentions.
Chen Chang Sheng believed that if they really were in front of the abyss, his senior brother would assuredly protect him.
But for various reasons, he did not want to use the Imperial Design.
"Why?" Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and asked.
"If I use the Imperial Design, it will be too similar to that night three years ago."
Chen Chang Sheng paused for a moment, then continued, "I will also be too similar to Master."
Tang Thirty-Six understood his meaning. After a few moments of silence, he patted Chen Chang Sheng on the shoulder to express his support and comfort, and then walked out of the hall.
Chen Chang Sheng returned to the stone room.
In the last few days, he had been practicing the sword in this stone room.
The layout of the stone room was very simple, so simple that it was rather shabby. Other than the prayer mat on the ground, there was nothing else.
But at this moment, another person suddenly appeared in the stone room.
When had this person come?
And how had he managed to conceal himself from the several thousand priests of the Li Palace?
It was a white-haired elder. In his right hand was a brush that had yet to dry, and in his left hand was a painting plate.
The paint in the painting plate was gray, and the elder's clothes were also gray. His hair and eyebrows, which should have been white, had been dyed gray, the same color as the walls of the stone room.
Could it be that this elder had painted himself on the walls of the stone room?
If this was true, what sort of mystical painting technique was this?
The elder looked at Chen Chang Sheng, somewhat satisfied. "Fortunately, you still understand the principle of placing the world above all else."
Chen Chang Sheng fell quiet for a while, then said, "In truth, I don't really understand."
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