Taiping Inn

There are three ways to go from Jinling Prefecture to Qizhou, or to be more precise, to the 108 islands where Qingwei Sect is located. One is by land, that is, through Luzhou and Qizhou Prefectures; one is by water, taking a boat on the Grand Canal; and the other is by sea, going directly to the sea from the port of Jinling Prefecture.

The last time Li Xuandu returned to Qingwei Sect, he disguised himself and followed the Qian family's caravan, taking the Grand Canal waterway. This time, he didn't want to take the waterway again, and planned to take the seaway instead.

The reason for this decision was that when he and Qin Su went from Liaodong to Chuzhou, they took Qin Su's boat and took the sea route. After they landed and went to Taiping Sect by land, Qin Su's boat set off on its own to Jinling Prefecture to dock, while Li Xuandu and others took the Taiping Sect's boat to Jinling Prefecture. After finishing the business in Jinling Mansion, Li Xuandu will go to Qingwei Sect to meet his old mentor, but this time he is not alone like last time. Not to mention Qin Su and others, there are also many other accompanying personnel, so Qin Su's boat is more convenient.

Li Xuandu's return to Qingwei Sect this time is of great significance and unusual. It is not just Li Xuandu's business, or even the business of Qingwei Sect. It is a major event involving the righteous way, the Taoist sect, the rivers and lakes, and even the general trend of the world. Li Xuandu's identity is no longer the former Qingwei Sect's fourth master, but the leader of Taiping Sect, and the middleman between Zhang Jingxiu and Li Daoxu.

This cannot help but remind people of Situ Xuance's old story. Situ Xuance made friends with the five sects in Liaodong and advocated peace talks between Qingwei Sect and Zhengyi Sect. This move was deeply appreciated by the great heavenly master Zhang Jingxiu, so he invited Situ Xuance to meet at the Great Zhenren Mansion. Situ Xuance was invited to Yunjin Mountain, where he met with the great celestial master Zhang Jingxiu for several days and reached the first peace agreement between the two sects. When Situ Xuance left Yunjin Mountain, Zhang Jingxiu personally escorted him to Shangqing Town, and Zhang Jingchen led Zhang Yueshan, Zhang Luanshan, Zhang Daishan and others to escort him another thirty miles before returning. However, no one had expected that Situ Xuance would be ambushed on his way back to Qizhou from Wuzhou. Even though Situ Xuance had already entered the realm of good fortune, he was still outnumbered and fled back to the East China Sea with serious injuries. He was already dying and would not live long.

This time, of course, Li Xuandu could not repeat the mistakes of Situ Xuance, so Zhang Jingxiu prepared a large number of entourage for Li Xuandu, including Bai Xiushang, the leader of Cihang Sect, who is now the number one on the Taixuan list. Zhang Jingxiu could not go there in person, and Li Xuandu represented the middleman, so Zhang Jingxiu also sent his personal representative, Zhang Luanshan, who was also an old friend of Li Xuandu and had just returned from Xijing. In order to ensure Zhang Luanshan's safety, Li Xuandu specially asked Ning Yi to go to the northwest and personally escort Zhang Luanshan back to Jinling Mansion.

Li Xuandu arrived in Jinling Mansion on the sixth day of February and settled in the Qian family's courtyard. On the seventh day of February, he visited Bai Xiushang and encountered a sneak attack by Shangguan Wan. On the same day, Li Xuandu visited Yan Feiqing again. On the eighth day of February, the great heavenly master Zhang Jingxiu arrived in Jinling Mansion alone, one day earlier than the scheduled date, and went to see Yan Feiqing first. On February 9, the leaders of the righteous sects arrived at Jinling Mansion. At the same time, Qinghe Layman mobilized the people to surround the Qian family's villa. Qian Qingbai discussed with all parties and changed the meeting place of Li Xuandu and Zhang Jingxiu to Da Baoen Temple. On February 10, Li Xuandu and Zhang Jingxiu officially met at Da Baoen Temple. Many things happened on this day. Master Hu died, and Qinghe Layman took Shangguan Wan away. It was also on this day that Li Xuandu and Zhang Jingxiu agreed on a new Taixuan list.

On February 11, Qin Su woke up, and Li Xuandu handed the Taixuan list to Sikong Zao, who returned to Taiping Sect. Two days later, on February 13, Taiping Sect officially distributed the new Sanxuan list. On February 14, at the order of Li Xuandu, Li Rushi arrived in Jinling Mansion secretly. On February 15, Zhang Luanshan rushed to Jinling Mansion accompanied by "Blood Knife" Ning Yi, and Shi Wuyue also came with him. This was Li Xuandu's own team. At this point, Li Xuan will not reveal all his cards, but it is not the time to hide them. He continues to lay out his plans without interruption, but he also has to ensure the safety of his "veteran".

Xiao Shiyu will personally see Li Xuandu off, which means that Xiao Shiyu and Shi Wuyue will meet again.

On the other hand, Zhang Haishi will meet Li Xuandu halfway with Taiwei Zhenren and Li Feiyan of Donghua Sect, and Li Yuanying will wait for Li Xuandu and others at Wanghai Tower with his wife Gu Yusheng.

The righteous people occupy six seats on the Taixuan list. This time, in addition to Wuzhen and Zhang Jingchen, four masters of the Taixuan list were dispatched. Even if Li Yuanying is removed, there are three people, and they are all in the top five. If you want to assassinate Li Xuandu like you assassinated Situ Xuance, it will be difficult to do it. Even if the remaining six hermits come together, even if the two immortals do not take action, it is not easy to succeed. But everyone knows that whether it is Zhang Jingxiu who stays in Jinling Mansion or Li Daoxu who has been dormant in Penglai Island, they will always pay attention. Whoever dares to act rashly at this time will be caught in a trap.

February 17th is the day when Li Xuandu and others board the ship from Jinling Mansion to go to sea. Xiao Shiyu sent them off on behalf of Zhang Jingxiu. Li Xuandu wanted to take this opportunity to resolve the misunderstanding between Shi Wuyue and Xiao Shiyu. He asked Bai Xiushang and Ning Yi to accompany them respectively, so that the two could have a good talk without conflict, and it would be best to untie the knot in their hearts over the years.

After the two sisters met, they stared at each other for a long time, and no one spoke for a while.

After a while, Xiao Shiyu said to Bai Xiushang and Ning Yi: "Suyi, Mr. Ning, please wait here for a while. I have a few words to say to Mrs. Shi."

Ning Yi glanced at Shi Wu Yue, who nodded slightly, "Just right, I also have something to say to my senior sister."

Ning Yi replied briefly, "Okay."

Bai Xiushang looked back at the direction of the dock. Li Xuandu and Qin Su had already boarded the ship and were standing on the bow, close together. Bai Xiushang, a veteran, smiled knowingly and was a little envious. Then she retracted her gaze and said to the two of them, "Regardless of status, age and seniority, you two are both seniors. Don't delay for too long and let the juniors wait."

"Don't worry." Xiao Shiyu had already walked to a secluded place not far away. Shi Wu Yue's foot injury had not healed, but after recuperating for so long, he was not able to move around, but he had no problem walking, and followed Xiao Shiyu to the distance.

Xiao Shiyu walked to a large rock, stood with his hands behind his back, and turned his back to Shi Wu Yue who was following her, without turning around.

Shi Wuyue also stopped, standing about ten feet away from Xiao Shiyu, and quietly looked at Xiao Shiyu's back.

Many years ago, Shi Wuyue looked at her senior sister's tall back like this, and followed her into Xuannv Sect. She remembered that it snowed heavily that day, and the entire Xuannv Sect was in mourning. Her senior sister was also dressed in white, as if to blend into the whole environment. But since she slapped the man in front of her that day, she never looked at her like this again.

Shi Wuyue sighed softly.

Xiao Shiyu slowly turned around and looked at Shi Wuyue. There was no anger or hatred as Shi Wuyue imagined, but only the true calmness of an old man who had experienced many vicissitudes of life. No matter how young Xiao Shiyu looked, she was an old man, which was also the intention of Bai Xiushang's words just now. She was not afraid that Li Xuandu and other juniors would wait in vain, but to tactfully remind them that the two of them who were very old should not act on impulse like children.

This stone seemed to be very large, as big as a millstone. Because of long-term exposure to wind and sun, it did not have many edges and corners, but was very smooth. So Xiao Shiyu sat on the stone and said, "Sit down and talk."

Shi Wuyue also sat on the stone, but the two soldiers did not sit side by side, but back to back, each facing a different direction.

Xiao Shiyu was silent, waiting for Shi Wuyue to speak, but Shi Wuyue did not know where to start, so the two of them remained silent together.

Finally, it was Xiao Shiyu who spoke first, "Shitou, you are also old this year, right?"

Shi Wuyue said, "Can we not mention this? I think I am still young, only in my thirties, still in my prime, still charming."

Xiao Shiyu shook his head, "You can not mention it, but I can't, I am already sixty years old."

Shi Wuyue said softly, "How terrible, every time I see Qin Su and other little girls, I always feel that I have become younger, and I can still be sisters with them. But you always have to remind me that I am actually an old woman. If I didn't have a skin that can keep my youth, my hair would be 70% white and my face would be full of wrinkles, and no one would even look at me."

"That's not what I want to say." Xiao Shiyu shook his head. He shook his head, "I want to say, white-haired sisters, you are over fifty, there are still a few fifty years."

Shi Wu Yue lowered her head and looked at the tip of her shoes sticking out of her skirt: "There is no one left, so I came to see my senior sister today."

Xiao Shiyu raised her head, "You didn't want to listen to my explanation back then, and you didn't believe my explanation."

Shi Wu Yue sighed, "It doesn't matter."

Xiao Shiyu asked; "Did you see Song Zheng in the Golden Tent?"

Shi Wu Yue replied: "I didn't see him, but it doesn't matter anymore."

While speaking, Shi Wu Yue raised her head and looked in the direction of Ning Yi. Bai Xiushang had left. Ning Yi's arms drooped naturally, her eyes were calm, and after meeting Shi Wu Yue's eyes, she avoided it and turned to the direction of Li Xuandu.

Shi Wuyue retracted his gaze and smiled slightly, "It really doesn't matter."

Xiao Shiyu couldn't see the smile on Shi Wuyue's face, and asked in confusion: "This is not like you. I have locked you up in the Jade Prison for so many years, and I haven't seen you show any remorse. Why do you suddenly don't care?"

Shi Wuyue didn't answer directly, but said: "Tan Taiyun doesn't care, so why should I care, or does Senior Sister have a knot in her heart?"

Xiao Shiyu was silent for a moment and said; "I don't have any knot in my heart, it's best if you can think it through."

Shi Wuyue said: "I like the name Senior Sister called me just now, but I don't want to use this name now, I hope to use it in the future."

Xiao Shiyu suddenly understood that Shi Wuyue had someone in mind, so she could not care about everything in the past. Xiao Shiyu knew that she should send a blessing at this time, which would resolve the grievances between the two for many years, but she still asked inexplicably: "Does he mind?"

Xiao Shiyu did not say whether this "he" refers to Song Zheng or the person that Shi Wuyue cares about. She did not ask what she minded, but the sisters of many years still made Shi Wuyue understand. Shi Wuyue did not answer her, but got up and left directly, walked towards the boarding direction, leaving Xiao Shiyu alone behind.

Xiao Shiyu got up and turned around, looking at Shi Wuyue's back, and was speechless for a long time.

At this moment, Xiao Shiyu knew that her question had hurt this junior sister's heart again. She wanted to explain that she did not mean to look down on Shi Wuyue. She just knew that men care about women's past. Even if they don't say it, they will mind it in their hearts. She didn't want Shi Wuyue to repeat the same mistake.

But until Shi Wuyue disappeared from her sight and boarded the big ship, she did not say a word, and even couldn't move her feet.