The son of the Canal Guild's boss?
Chen Kuang narrowed his eyes and glanced down through the window.
This room had been equipped with special formations: it prevented anyone from peeking in, could ward off a fair degree of attacks, but did not hinder the people inside from observing the outside.
It was essentially one-way bulletproof glass.
A true VIP treatment... Qi Sibai was, after all, ranked thirty-fourth on the Canglang Evaluation, even among cultivators, he was a recognized figure.
As for the true identity of the proprietor of the Envious Fish Hermitage, that remained unknown.
But the fact that they were able to maintain the only cultivator-run inn on the most scenic edge of the Eastern Court Lake meant they were certainly not someone ordinary.
Otherwise, the inn would have likely been turned into rubble the very next day.
In this world, cultivators didn't care much for rules. Power was everything.
To receive VIP treatment from the Hermitage's owner was a recognition in and of itself.
...
"What's the matter? Didn't you just speak so boldly? Why fall silent now? Unless what you said can't be seen in the light of day?"
Fan Chuan sneered as he stepped forward, striding into the center of the gazebo.
The group of young scholars instinctively retreated, leaving only Chen Ning and two other youths in scholar's robes standing firm.
These two were named Gu Zitao and Liang Zhi, both highly regarded young talents of Jishao Prefecture. They had already passed the provincial exams at a young age.
If not for recent upheavals, they would have been preparing for the metropolitan exams in the imperial capital.
With a bit of luck, they might have entered officialdom, serving the old Liang Dynasty with spring winds at their back.
But fate had changed overnight. The Liang Kingdom had ceased to exist...
Optimistically, they might still get a chance to sit for the metropolitan exams in the Zhou Dynasty, but realistically, things were likely much worse.
Emperor Ji Chengtian would almost certainly not recognize the Liang Kingdom's exam system. Everything would now be under the Zhou Dynasty's standards.
And the Zhou and Liang exams were vastly different.
In other words, decades of study by Liang scholars had now gone to waste.
Who wouldn't be furious?
That was exactly why this poetry gathering, originally meant to ease depression, had turned into a venting session full of indignation, escalating rapidly.
Since ancient times, literature despises prosperity. Now, with the fall of a nation and the end of dreams, bitterness naturally surged forth.
Gu Zitao and Liang Zhi, both proficient poets, composed a few passionate and scathing verses condemning the Zhou Dynasty as thieves and mocking Liang's corrupt officials.
These verses, under different circumstances, could have spread like wildfire, stirring the hearts of Liang's people and becoming legendary works.
Unfortunately, someone overheard them at the wrong time...
And that someone just happened to be, the son of the Canal Guild's leader!
Who didn't know that the Enlightenment Envoy of the Zhou Dynasty had stayed a night at the Governor's residence, and the very next day was hosted as a guest by Fan Hailong, the local tyrant?
A man of pragmatic instincts, Fan Hailong knew that Liang had fallen. Finding a new patron was only natural.
No one understood the importance of changing allegiances better than a man who rose from nothing.
Fan Chuan scanned the young scholars, his gaze lingering on Chen Ning with a hint of veiled lust.
"Afraid to speak? Then let me speak for you!"
He sneered, pacing slowly while reciting mockingly:
"Lowly men flatter great men, twisting truth to please them;
If such is considered filial piety, then we have many dutiful sons indeed!"
Clap clap clap!
He clapped exaggeratedly. "What a poem! A truly excellent poem! I wonder which genius among you composed it?"
"My father may be a rough man, but he has always cherished talent. He's funded many private schools across Jishao Prefecture."
"Now that I've witnessed such youthful brilliance, surely he would be absolutely delighted!"
Though the words were praising, his eyes gleamed with cold hostility, there was no joy in them.
He raised his voice toward the group of students:
"If any of you can name the author of this fine poem, I shall personally recommend him to my father. I guarantee he'll never have to worry about food or clothing again. No need to slave over the imperial exams, he could gain office directly!"
It sounded generous, but he never actually said whether he was recommending the author, or whoever identified the author...
At that, the crowd began to stir.
Chen Ning clutched her scroll tightly and turned to glare at her fellow students, silencing them with a look. She turned back toward Fan Chuan:
"You, a dignified cultivator, bullying mere scholars like us, don't you think it's shameful?"
Fan Chuan gave a fake smile, interrupting her.
"Young Miss Chen, don't speak carelessly. Accusing me of bullying requires evidence, does it not?"
"I speak only kindly, hoping to offer a path to survival for Jishao Prefecture's struggling scholars. And that is somehow wrong? On the contrary, trying to silence people without cause, that's the real abuse of power, wouldn't you say?"
He then turned to the scholars again, raising his voice righteously:
"Speak freely, all of you! Don't fear retaliation from the Chen family! I, Fan Chuan, will stand behind you all!"
His shameless reversal of black and white stunned Chen Ning into silence. Despite her talent, she was only sixteen and had never encountered such manipulative tactics before. For a moment, she was at a loss.
And Fan Chuan's speech worked. The hesitation among the students turned into temptation. They looked at one another, hesitant.
One of them finally gritted his teeth and pointed at Gu Zitao.
"It- it was him!"
Gu Zitao's face instantly turned pale. He looked back, devastated.
"We've been classmates for ten years, how could you?!"
Fan Chuan approached Gu Zitao and clapped him on the shoulder, smiling:
"Truly a talented young man. Why not come visit my home? We can discuss your poetry in peace."
Gu Zitao collapsed, trembling. The thugs behind Fan Chuan hoisted him up and dragged him away.
He screamed in panic, "It wasn't me! It really wasn't me!"
From upstairs, Chen Kuang watched the scene unfold with a calm gaze.
These scholars had written those bold poems in a moment of righteous indignation. But if they dared to recite them aloud in public, they should've anticipated the consequences.
If Gu Zitao had any backbone, he would have stood up and taken responsibility. If he had, Chen Kuang might have stepped in to save his life.
But instead, he cowered and let Chen Ning do the talking, only to later flat-out deny everything.
Daring to curse, but not daring to bear the consequences?
That was hard to respect.
But what caught Chen Kuang's eye was that Fan Chuan didn't seem all that concerned about the poem. His real target... was Chen Ning.
He blew on his tea gently.
Though the Chen family had ties to the Canal Guild, Fan Chuan showed no respect whatsoever.
As the Guild's heir, Fan Chuan naturally represented Fan Hailong's position.
And given the turbulent state of the world, it seemed the Canal Guild no longer intended to share power.
Especially considering that the Chen family, in South Wharf, held more sway than even the Guild, it was no longer tolerable.
Fan Chuan stepped forward again.
"I seem to recall a few other poems being equally marvelous. For example-"
Chen Ning blocked his path.
"This gathering was already reported to the governor. Even if you disregard the Chen family, shouldn't you at least respect the governor's authority?"
Fan Chuan leaned in and said quietly, "Little Miss, your scope is too narrow."
"Right now, even the Enlightenment Envoy is a guest in my father's residence. And you think some petty governor matters?"
He turned to Liang Zhi beside them, who was visibly trembling.
"You. Liang Zhi, right?"
Liang Zhi nodded cautiously.
Fan Chuan's face suddenly turned grim.
"You dare call yourself Liang Zhi? The Liang Dynasty is gone. How dare you still carry its name under the Zhou Dynasty? That's high treason, punishable by death!"
He flicked his hand.
A cultivator stepped forward and drew his sword, striking toward Liang Zhi. Whether by accident or design, the sword's arc swept toward Chen Ning's neck.
She froze, ice filling her veins. She closed her eyes, bracing for death.
Zheng-
A sharp string note resounded.
The attacker froze mid-strike, then collapsed backward. Only now did a thin red line appear on his neck.
Immediately after, the rest of Fan Chuan's thugs dropped silently to the ground, dead without a sound.
Gasps of horror and shock filled the air.
Chen Ning opened her eyes, stunned by what she saw.
That sound... that distinctive note of a Zither... it was too familiar.
Fan Chuan's face paled, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead.
"Wh-which senior is here?"
A voice rang out from the upper floor:
"Senior? Are you saying I'm old?"
"I absolutely despise being called old. You dare call me senior? You should be executed."
Fan Chuan panicked. "N-no, that's not what I meant! I meant, was there another senior present, I wasn't talking about you!"
The voice replied:
"Oh? That so... Well, I won't be unreasonable."
Then, magnanimous he said:
"Since your words were careless, why don't you simply cut off your tongue."
Cut off a tongue?
How many tongues does a man have?
Fan Chuan's face turned completely green.