Chen Changsheng and the Orthodoxy returned to the Daoist church.
The snowstorm did not stop, continuing for an entire night.
He had also waited for an entire night.
There was no sign of activity from the Tang clan, no sign of unrest.
In the last three years, the Tang Second Master had managed the clan's business and internal affairs. He was unquestionably the most important person in the city.
But his disappearance seemed to have no effect on the city.
This proved once more that Wenshui City would forever be the Tang clan's city, and the Tang clan would forever be managed by the Tang Old Master.
What made Chen Changsheng and the Orthodoxy uneasy was that after an entire night, the gate to the ancestral hall remained tightly shut.
Tang Thirty-Six had still not been released.
When the first ray of dawn fell on the Wenshui River, the last snowflake also fell, and then the snow stopped.
The cessation of the snowstorm was so sudden that no one was mentally prepared. It was like the Tang clan's old estate had delivered a letter to the Daoist church.
The streets of the city were covered in a thick layer of snow, reflecting the warm red glow of the morning sun and looking like a burning meadow.
Chen Changsheng and the Orthodoxy's party once more arrived outside the old estate. This time, the treatment he received was much grander than yesterday. The Tang Old Master was personally waiting for him in the courtyard.
"I should have gone to the Daoist church to pay my respects to His Holiness the Pope, but this cold has yet to recover, and this old man's body is unbearable," the Tang Old Master said to Chen Changsheng.
There was no sincerity in his expression or tone. Of course, there was no need for sincerity. Both sides knew that this was just an act for others to see.
Chen Changsheng followed up by asking, "How is the chief branch's illness?"
The illness here was naturally poison.
The Tang Old Master replied, "Yesterday, someone went to the Longevity Sect to invite an expert to treat him."
The treatment here was naturally referring to the fact that the Tang clan had already confirmed that the Longevity Sect had the antidote. With the Tang clan's abilities, it was naturally possible to obtain it.
Chen Changsheng finally relaxed at these words. Although the Yellow Springs poison in Chusu's body could not poison him or Nanke, he and Nanke were not confident that they could expel the poison from someone else's body.
As they spoke, the two entered the room. With all gazes cut off from the outside, there was naturally no need for hypocritical pleasantries and they directly entered the main topic.
"It would naturally be best if the antidote could be found, but it doesn't matter even if it couldn't. If one dies, then one dies."
The Tang Old Master indifferently said, "Second Brother also did not understand this point. Even if he had killed Brother Tang yesterday, I would not have chosen him."
This was because he had many sons, and he should still be able to live for decades or even centuries. He still had time to educate and nurture a qualified successor to the family head.
Chen Changsheng did not believe the Tang Old Master's words.
If Tang Thirty-Six had really been killed yesterday, the Tang clan would assuredly face the counterattack of Chen Changsheng and the Orthodoxy. Even if it was to obtain the support of Shang Xingzhou and the Imperial Court, he would still push the Tang Second Master to the position of clan head.
But Chen Changsheng understood why the Tang Old Master had said this.
The Tang Old Master wanted him to know that in yesterday's situation, he could refuse to give the Tang clan to the second branch, but in today's situation, he could still refuse to give it to the chief branch.
Because the relationship between Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six was too close, the relationship between the chief branch and the Orthodoxy had always been too close.
The Tang Old Master had abolished the Second Master's position as clan head, but he still chose to stand on the side of Shang Xingzhou and the Imperial Court.
He looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Do you not understand why I so firmly support your master?"
Chen Changsheng thought of the dog he had seen on the street yesterday morning. After a moment of silence, he said, "I can roughly understand, because you two walk the same path."
"You use the word 'walk the same path' very well, because many years ago, after the siege of Luoyang was lifted, I, your master Shang, and Yin truly did walk the same path back to the capital."
The Tang Old Master gazed at the well in the courtyard, his gaze falling on the snow on the edge of the well.
"In those few years, I was traveling the world, but when they found out that I was the young master of the Tang clan, whether it was the previous dynasty, the Daoist sect, or those rebellious princes, none of them dared to show me the slightest disrespect. I simply didn't have the chance to experience the dangers of the world. I originally believed that the affairs of the world were just like this. Even if some people lived more difficult lives, what did that have to do with me? In the end, I was that noble young master that no one dared to provoke, but who could have expected that Luoyang would be besieged by the demons for three whole months, countless tragedies … In the end, who would care that you were the young master of the Tang clan? "
The Tang Old Master slightly narrowed his eyes, the occasional wrinkle at the corner of his eyes tinged with self-mockery, but even more with pain.
The flames of war raged for three months, and even the Red Falcons used to carry messages in Luoyang had been stealthily slaughtered and eaten by some expert, so there was no hope that there would be any tree bark left. The demons raped, killed, and pillaged outside the city, while the scattered human soldiers went crazy from despair within the city. The demons ate people on the two shores of the Wei River, and the people of Luoyang also ate people. White bones littered the waters.
Even though he was a cold-hearted person, he did not want to recall those scenes from back then.
Of course, he was even less willing to see those scenes reappear before his eyes.
So.
"Can't fall into disorder. These are the three words that I care about the most in my life.
"Exterminating the demons is the thing that I want to accomplish the most in my life.
"The Tang clan is strong enough and has the right to choose, so how should I choose between the Orthodoxy and the Imperial Court?
"I choose the strongest side.
"What is strong? Besides whose fist is bigger, it also depends on whose fist is steadier. "
The Tang Old Master looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "Your fist is still not big enough, and as for steadier, you're far lacking compared to your teacher."
Chen Changsheng knew that this was the Tang Old Master's final stance, so he made no further comment.
"I have nothing else to say. I just want to take him away. I originally came to Wenshui to take him away, not to convince the Tang clan to change its mind."
That day in the Daoist church, he had said the same thing to the Tang Second Master.
But the Tang Second Master did not believe him and responded with a soundless and mocking smile.
The Tang Old Master's insight was far superior to his son's, so he could naturally tell that Chen Changsheng was speaking from the bottom of his heart.
The entire matter was just this simple, and the way young people did things was just this simple.
The Tang Old Master recalled those interesting things that had happened countless years ago when he and Shang Yuzhou had left Luoyang, and he fell silent for a very long time.
Almost everyone in his generation was now dead, and even he and Shang Xingzhou were getting on in years, but they had still been young.
"I promise you." The Tang Old Master looked at him and said, "Now that I think about it, he should already be out."
… …
… …
Wenshui City was much livelier today than it had been a few days ago.
The Tang Second Master had been imprisoned somewhere and the second branch had lost power. The accounts were being checked and purged at the same time, but the shops along the street were already open for business and the number of pedestrians had increased.
The main street in front of the ancestral hall was even noisier. The stewards and shopkeepers of the Tang clan's main branch, as well as the servants, were guarding Madam Tang as they waited outside the gate.
Suddenly, the heavy wooden gate of the ancestral hall slowly opened.
Tang Thirty-Six walked out from within.
Just like when he walked out of the Mausoleum of Books many years ago, his hair disheveled and his face dirty, his body covered in dust, his body much thinner, as if he had suffered a great deal.
But his eyes were even brighter, his expression much calmer, his temperament much more composed.
Madam Tang's eyes became slightly moist as she gazed at her son. She forcefully suppressed her emotions, not daring to cry.
What happened next proved to the crowd that he was still the Tang Thirty-Six of the past.
Regardless of the fact that after being imprisoned in the ancestral hall for half a year, his expression and temperament were very different from before.
He asked the crowd, "Where's that old bastard?"
… …
… …
(Tang Thirty-Six has finally left the ancestral hall, and Lord Threadhead has also gotten married. Glancing at the wedding photo, the bride is truly beautiful. It truly makes one angry ~ I wish you all the best for your white hair.)
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