The word "traitor" was actually not appropriate, or perhaps not accurate enough. In this story, it was more appropriate to call it a spy or something else. For example, the following words that broke the silence of the crowd: "Chen Changsheng, you scoundrel! You actually colluded with the demons to kill the talents of Mount Li, and now you even forced Young Master Huanyu to death!"
"Forced to death? I think some powerful figure used some shameful method! This is a shameless murder! Too shameful! "
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
After viewing the monoliths in the Mausoleum of Books, Chen Changsheng was no longer the target of hostility and hatred of the people of the capital. Many people had already begun to treat him as the glory of the Great Zhou. Some people loudly criticized Chen Changsheng, and naturally, there were even louder people who defended him. For a moment, the streets of the capital were filled with the sounds of quarreling and bustling with noise.
Chen Changsheng looked at the curtains and listened to the noise outside the carriage in shock. On the road, he had finally learned of all the details of what had happened outside the Garden of Zhou through Hua Jiefu. He had originally thought that after returning to the capital, the first thing he would do would be to confront Zhuang Huanyu. Who would have thought that last night, Zhuang Huanyu … would actually die?
The noise outside the carriage grew louder and louder. The quarrels of the crowd grew fiercer and fiercer, their words sharper and sharper. It was noisy and vexing. Chen Changsheng wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing. He lowered his head in silence, his eyelashes trembling. The childishness on his face was finally about to disappear.
Whether it was the cheers of the crowd or the accusations of the crowd, Chen Changsheng returned to the capital under the gaze of countless people of the capital. Only when the convoy drove into the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane did the world outside the window finally calm down.
With Li Palace clergy guarding the perimeter of the Hundred Blossom Lane, no one was able to approach. Chen Chang Sheng looked at Orthodox Academy's still very new gate and the green vines that were still very old. Feeling the solemn and quiet atmosphere that came from all around, he felt a little uncomfortable.
One day of viewing the monoliths of the front mausoleum, one night of starlight bathing the capital. It had not been too long since the Pope had established his position as the successor of the Orthodoxy. Moreover, after leaving the Mausoleum of Books, he had entered the Garden of Zhou. The days in the Plains of the Unsetting Sun felt like years. What followed next was the ten thousand li of snowy plains. He had been in such a hurry to escape that he had no time, nor did he have the opportunity to experience any changes. Now, he felt like a lifetime had passed.
Many things had changed. The Orthodox Academy that had once been surrounded by countless enraged commoners of the capital was now a place that ordinary people simply could not approach. Although it was still far from recovering its former glory, its atmosphere was completely new.
Fortunately, there were still many things that had not changed. Jin Yu Lu was still standing in front of the Tradition Academy's gate. The silk robe that he was wearing, which was covered with patterns of copper coins, was still as smooth as water. Xuanyuan Po was still as mighty and majestic as ever. His arms were thicker than trees. When he hugged Xuanyuan Po, Jin Yu Lu always felt like he was being swallowed.
Luoluo was still Luoluo. She entered his embrace like a cool breeze, her hands wrapped around his neck, her forehead rubbing against his chin, a satisfied smile on her face.
…
…
Standing on the great banyan tree by the lake, Chen Changsheng and Luoluo talked for a very long time. He told the little girl everything that had happened in the Garden of Zhou, as well as everything that had happened on their journey south, without missing a single detail.
"That elf girl … was she very beautiful?"
Luo Luo only cared about this. She widened her eyes, looked at Chen Chang Sheng and asked curiously. There were so many things. There was a grand battle, there was a conspiracy and assassination, there was a sword that traveled ten thousand miles, there was an unsheathing of ten thousand swords, there was an iron blade that broke through the wind and rain. Luo Luo only cared about these.
Chen Changsheng naturally could not forget that girl called Chen Chujian, but he suddenly realized that he could not clearly remember her appearance. For some reason, he felt a chill run through his body, as if he was losing something.
Luoluo could sense the change in his mood. She looked at him sympathetically and grabbed his sleeve. She softly said, "Teacher, don't worry. I'll think of a way to have someone investigate."
The journey from Xunyang City to the capital was very long. There was a lot of time. Besides clearing his memories and preparing for the capital, Chen Changsheng naturally did not forget to ask the people of the Orthodoxy to help find the whereabouts of Lady Chujian. However, neither the priests of the Li Palace nor the people of Hanqiu City could confirm that there was such a girl among the Ethereal Opening cultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou. Thus, it was naturally even more impossible to confirm that she had survived.
Hearing Luoluo's words, Chen Changsheng felt a little more at ease. The elves had a very close relationship with White Emperor City and the Great Western Continent. Luoluo's mother was the Eldest Princess of the Great Western Continent and her father was the White Emperor of the demi-humans. It should be more convenient for her to ask someone to investigate.
Luoluo added, "Zhuang Huanyu is dead."
She had long forgotten that when she was studying in the Heavenly Dao Academy, she had once seen that genius classmate of hers in Principal Mao's garden. She only mentioned it now because she was worried that Zhuang Huanyu's death would bring trouble to her teacher.
Chen Changsheng was quiet for a while, then said, "Mm, I know."
Luoluo added, "Teacher, I went to the Imperial Palace twice to have them release Zhexiu, but I didn't succeed."
Chen Changsheng rubbed her head and smiled. "So you're to blame?"
Luoluo rubbed her head against his palm. She had a tiger's head and was very cute.
The sunlight fell on the spring lake and then reflected off the branches of the great banyan tree, transforming into countless motes of light that could change shape at any time. One of these motes fell on Chen Changsheng's face. Luoluo stared at this mote of light and began to giggle. She was very happy because her teacher did not blame her, nor did he thank her. In order to make her happy, he even copied her words.
… …
… …
Following that, Chen Changsheng used an hour and three large buckets of hot water to clean himself from head to toe. Then he and Luoluo went to the Li Palace.
The Pope was waiting for him in the Li Palace.
It was not the Great Hall of Light, but that quiet side hall.
The light in the hall was very dim. Only the tender green of the Green Leaf in the pot leapt into one's eyes. Then, he saw the Divine Staff carelessly placed on the wall, saw that clear pond and that magnificent crystal throne, as well as that indescribable Yin Yang Crown on the throne. Finally, he saw that old man dressed in hemp garments. Different from the fanatical worship of the believers of the world, the supreme Pope seemed just like an ordinary old man. He was not even as eye-catching as those external objects like the Divine Staff or the Divine Crown.
Seeing the Pope's back as he watered the Green Leaf, Chen Changsheng's thoughts were somewhat disorderly. Everyone knew that he was the Pope's chosen successor, and some powerful figures even knew that he was the Pope's martial nephew. To put it another way, he had always been the Pope's sole successor in this world. But the problem was that he had only met the Pope twice. He was truly not familiar with the Pope, and it was even more difficult to say that he was close.
The Pope took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, then turned around and smiled at him. "I remember that Su Li is very fond of gourmet food. Following him, did you eat anything good?"
The Pope's expression was clearly so amiable, his voice so gentle, as if an elder was asking a junior who had returned from a long journey, and in order to not make the junior too nervous, he had asked a very trivial question at the beginning … but Chen Chang Sheng felt as if a great mountain that spanned across the heavens and earth was pressing down on him.
From the snowy plains of the land of demons to Xunyang City, many people wanted to kill Su Li. Behind those people stood a lofty figure that seemed like a god.
It was the Pope.
But Su Li had survived, to a large extent, because of Chen Changsheng. Thus, he could not help but think that the Pope's words had some hidden meaning, so he could not help but be nervous.
… …
… …
(This nervousness is probably the nervousness of paying respects to my father-in-law? Tomorrow, there will be two chapters.)
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