Chapter 48 - Strategy of Governance
Edited by Ea
When Xiao Lingyang saw that he didn’t respond, he became very upset at Lin Shu’s unsatisfactory reaction and looked left and right in the room, trying to find fault.
However, looking at this bamboo house only made His Highness more irritable.
The reason was none other than the fact that the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls were from Phoenix Mountain Villa’s collection. The spiritual vines and fairy vines climbing on the walls and the roof, the incense burner in the corner of the room, and even the candlestick on the table were all rare treasures. They definitely weren’t items that Lin Shu, who was born in the ordinary world, could possess. It was clear at first glance that this was all Big Miss’s handiwork.
Xiao Lingyang looked around, and his att.i.tude became even worse. He asked, “Are you two still going to Huandang Mountain together?”
Lin Shu: “Yes.”
Xiao Lingyang exclaimed: “Preposterous!”
Lin Shu felt very strange.
In the past, Xiao Lingyang didn’t know that he was Big Miss’s fiancé and thought that Ling Fengxiao was about to embark on the road of no return by raising a pretty boy. Thus, he was very displeased with Lin Shu and was full of criticism, which was understandable. But now, when he displayed the jade ornament token, Xiao Lingyang also recognized it, so how could he still have this att.i.tude?
Xiao Lingyang tugged on the fairy vine, rubbed it viciously, and said to Lin Shu: “I’m warning you, if you become conceited just because you’re Ling Fengxiao’s fiancé and bully her or do anything that makes her unhappy, I will not spare you!”
Of course this won’t happen.
Bully Ling Fengxiao?
Who has the guts to do such a thing?
Lin Shu: “Won’t happen.”
“Better not!” Xiao Lingyang huffed through his nostril: “Hmph, men!”
Lin Shu: “…”
Xiao Lingyang was obviously a younger brother who loved his elder sister. But how come he always faced Ling Fengxiao with an extremely bad att.i.tude? It seemed that he had a terrible att.i.tude no matter whom he faced.
After understanding this, Lin Shu became calmer.
No matter how Xiao Lingyang jumped around, he didn’t get any response from Lin Shu. In any case, it was really boring. After a lot of splashing, he finally decided to leave: “I’m leaving, you’re on your own!”
Lin Shu looked at his expression, which made people feel irritated, and felt that it was really hard for Big Miss, who had to study hard, practice martial arts, deal with various affairs, and discipline such a jealous and resentful brother.
The ancient book says, “If you have that position, then you should earnestly handle matters related to that office.” Now, Lin Shu had no choice but to fulfill the obligation of alleviating some worries for the person who’s raising him.
Lin Shu straightened his face and calmly said, “Since you love Big Miss, why don’t you study hard and make her less angry?”
Xiao Lingyang immediately resembled a cat with its tail trampled on. He was almost about to bounce up: “Why do you care? Go to h.e.l.l!”
With that, he left in a huff.
Several dark shadows turned around in the bamboo forest and also followed him away—they were the Dragon Guards whom Ling Fengxiao ordered to protect His Royal Highness.
Lin Shu continued to read the book peacefully and felt a little tired. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw 《Recounting the Twelve Evil Deeds of Ling Fengxiao》, the monumental work that Xiao Lingyang worked his heart out and burned the midnight oil for seven whole days to create. He took the book off the table and began to study it.
Apart from some improper usage of words, the wording was smooth.
The First Evil Deed: Cruelty by Nature.
It described in detail the fact that in order to practice the saber, Ling Fengxiao applied for the corpses of several pigs to be placed in an ice cellar and cut up their bodies.
Then, Xiao Lingyang made an annotation with huge scarlet letters: “Ling Fengxiao regards life as mere gra.s.s. Flaying skin and removing bones is as easy as cutting melons and vegetables to her, which shows her vicious nature. How can we know that today’s pig will not be you in the future? If you obstinately persist in walking down the wrong path, the ice cellar of Phoenix Mountain Villa will be your burial ground in the future.”
Lin Shu: “…”
To be honest, when he practiced sword back then, he also chopped pigs for a few days. Ling Fengxiao practiced the saber according to the normal method. This had no causal relationship with Lin Shu’s future death in the ice cellar.
He scrolled down, The Second Evil Deed: Cold-blooded and Ruthless.
The previous evil deed was already false, and this evil deed was even more ridiculous—Xiao Lingyang denounced how Ling Fengxiao had lived in Phoenix Villa for a long time. Except for the birthdays of his father the Emperor and their Queen Mother, it was difficult to see this person return to the Imperial Palace even once.
Then came the same big batch of scarlet letters: “Thousands of miles away from the palace, with no thoughts of her family; this can be seen as cold blooded and heartless. I’m the brother of this person, yet even so, I still receive such a cold treatment. Then, what about a pretty boy like you? The me of yesterday is the you of tomorrow. Today, she is caring and attentive to you, tomorrow you will be abandoned, so you’ll have to fend for yourself!”
Lin Shu was about to break into laughter at those words.
Xiao Lingyang was really interesting.
He was about to scroll down again to see what flowery words Xiao Lingyang could write to criticize Ling Fengxiao when footsteps came from outside the door. Big Miss had returned.
Before she got any closer, Big Miss asked, “Has Xiao Lingyang come to see you?”
Lin Shu: “En.”
It could be seen that the Dragon Guards were Big Miss’s eyes and ears, and Xiao Lingyang’s whereabouts couldn’t be hidden from Big Miss.
Ling Fengxiao looked at him: “Did he bully you?”
Lin Shu: “He failed.”
Big Miss then smiled: “That’s good. When I’m free, I’ll teach him a lesson immediately.”
Then, Ling Fengxiao walked over to him. At once, she saw the 《Recounting the Twelve Evil Deeds of Ling Fengxiao》 in his hand.
Ling Fengxiao picked it up from the table and began to look through it.
Lin Shu touched his nose.
My brother-in-law, you’re on your own.
Ling Fengxiao flipped through it very quickly, and said coldly: “Utter nonsense.”
She looked at Lin Shu again: “Xiao Lingyang was talking nonsense, you must not believe it.”
Lin Shu obediently answered: “I don’t believe it.”
Ling Fengxiao was satisfied with his answer—but she still confiscated the item.
Actually, Lin Shu still wanted to finish it.
After confiscating the extracurricular reading material, Big Miss said: “The Dragon Guards caught one of Northern Xia’s spies, who’s currently being interrogated in Reflection Cave. Do you want to go look?”
Lin Shu tilted his head.
Big Miss did not ask for other people’s opinions very much. Lin Shu thought that in the past few days, except for yesterday, when she was angry with him about the cylinder and refused to meet him during the day, they had spent the rest of the time together. Therefore, although the words were “Do you want to go look?”, they were actually, “You’ll accompany me to go look, right?”
He said: “Okay.”
There was a little smile in her eyes.
The Reflection Cave was located in Hexu Heaven. It was a cave behind the Weeping Star Waterfall. It was probably because there were no dungeons in the academy, so the culprit could only be interrogated in Reflection Cave.
Ling Baochen and Ling Baoqing were waiting outside the cave. When they saw the two coming over, they shouted “Big Miss” and followed them in.
After entering, Lin Shu realized that this cave was different from what he had imagined. It was not narrow and dark, but it was full of enchanting scenery instead. It was artificially expanded into a large s.p.a.ce. It was illuminated by an altar lamp, and the cave walls were polished smooth. Disciples who committed crimes would reflect on their own actions while facing the cave walls.
Because it was behind the waterfall, the cave would inevitably be a little damp. When going up the steps, Ling Fengxiao held Lin Shu’s wrist through a layer of clothing.
Lin Shu’s heart reflexively skipped a beat, then tried to calm down. He understood that Big Miss’s action was entirely out of good intentions to prevent him from slipping, and he was only held loosely, so he slowly adjusted himself.
There was nothing to say all the way. After pa.s.sing this slippery section, she suddenly said softly: “You might as well gain more weight.”
The sound was rendered by the cave’s stone walls, so gentle that water could drip out.
Lin Shu felt that he had gained some muscle and was taller than when he first came to the academy, but Big Miss did not seem satisfied.
Big Miss added: “I heard that the mortal world’s food is more nourishing. After we come back from Huandang Mountain, we will live in the mortal world for a while.”
A few days ago, Lin Shu was still planning what to do during the break. Now he no longer had to worry about this. He felt very relaxed.
He answered: “En.”
The two stopped talking. Ling Baochen chuckled while covering her mouth, after which Ling Baoqing hit her once.
After walking for a while, Ling Baochen suddenly asked, “Will Xie Zishe be there?”
Ling Baoqing: “Maybe.”
Big Miss did not speak.
Turning another corner, a stone chamber appeared in front of them.
Two Dragon Guards stood at the door. They saw Ling Fengxiao coming over: “Your Highness.”
Ling Fengxiao led Lin Shu inside.
In the stone chamber, there were several Dragon Guards, as well as several Daoists and gentlemen from various inst.i.tutions.
A young woman on the edge turned her head when she heard the sound.
She was wearing a disciple’s uniform from the Confucian Inst.i.tution. She was tall and had a lonely air between her eyes, and her eyebrows were like orchids and plum blossoms.
Ling Baochen whispered in Lin Shu’s ear: “Her name is Xie Zishe. She is the Confucian Inst.i.tution’s Eldest Martial Sister.”
Because of this introduction, Lin Shu looked at Xie Zishe more, but he saw that Xie Zishe was also looking at him, and then her gaze shifted downwards—Lin Shu always felt that she was looking at his hand, which was being held by Big Miss.
After a while, she turned her gaze to Ling Fengxiao: “You’ve come.”
Big Miss only nodded slightly. She led Lin Shu forward, past Xie Zishe, then let go of his hand.
The National Advisor said: “Your Royal Highness, please look at this person.”
Lin Shu raised his head and looked forward. His view had been blocked by human figures before. At this time, he saw that in the shadow of the cave, a chain was pierced through the stone wall, and a young disciple with messy hair was bound.
Xie Zishe said: “The Dragon Guards found out that several disciples in Crystal Heaven had objects that were North Xia’s property. They were all disciples of the Confucian Inst.i.tute. All these disciples were innocent in their backgrounds and behavior, but they all joined the ‘Tangdi Poetry Society’. In the poetry club, it was common for them to exchange poems and give gifts to each other. All the witchcraft objects from Northern Xia that we found were given by this person to his fellow poets. He was born in the border area between Northern and Southern Xia, and both his parents are dead. He has no relatives and no motive; it’s really suspicious.”
Ling Fengxiao looked at the leader of the Dragon Guards next to the man and asked, “What did you find out?”
“This subordinate is ashamed,” said the leader, “even if his spirit is burned, the man has not revealed a word.”
Lin Shu looked at the disciple and saw that his eyes were half-closed. His expression was weary, and he looked pale and haggard. Although there was no obvious injury on his body, he looked half-dead. The torture on the spirit was a hundred times more painful than the punishment on the body.
Ling Fengxiao: “Continue.”
The Dragon Guard said, “Yes.” Then, his five fingers formed into claws, and they clasped the disciple’s forehead.
The disciple’s body tensed and trembled. His eyes were tightly shut, and his throat gave out a pained hissing sound.
Lin Shu became aware that Ling Fengxiao was looking at himself.
He looked back.
Big Miss moved her steps and got a little closer to him.
He felt that there was a piercing gaze, and turned his head to see that it was Xie Zishe.
——Once upon a time, people had looked at him with various kinds of gazes, so he was always sensitive to others’ gazes.
Looking at each other, Xie Zishe calmly moved her gaze away and turned to the disciple who was being interrogated.
The Dragon Guard sternly said: “Still won’t confess?!”
The disciple trembled even more when he heard the words and hissed, “…Let me die! Let me die!”
The Dragon Guard said: “If you tell the truth, you can suffer less, and you won’t have to die.”
The disciple’s spirit was still burning, and he was in agony. However, he burst out into intermittent laughter, which made people’s hairs stand on end: “You…even if you torture me…for another hundred days, I still…can’t say it!”
The Dragon Guard furrowed his brows and exerted force in his hands, and the disciple’s pained cries rose suddenly, which was really horrible.
Ling Fengxiao ordered, “Stop.”
The Dragon Guard let go.
The disciple was sweating all over and gasping for breath hard, as if he was dying.
Ling Fengxiao stepped forward, but cut the man’s shirt with the tip of her blade, cutting a one-foot-long hole, and then flicked apart the clothes.
At this time, even Lin Shu could see Ling Fengxiao’s intentions. Under the disciple’s clothes, two inches under his ribs, there was a strangely shaped black mark the size of a thumb.
“Mantra Curse,” Ling Fengxiao said. “It’s branded upon the mind. If the spellcaster doesn’t want him to reveal something, then even if he wants to say it, he still can’t say anything, just like a mute.”
The Dragon Guard: “I have never seen this kind of curse before.”
Ling Fengxiao frowned: “This is one of Northern Xia’s evil curses. It has been lost for a long time, but now it actually reappeared.”
The Dragon Guard asked, “Is there a method to dispel this?”
The disciple gasped out a few breaths, grinned a little, and looked up at Ling Fengxiao.
Ling Fengxiao: “None, kill him.”
“Yes.” The Dragon Guard said with a solemn voice.
Just as he was about to raise his sword, Big Miss changed her words: “Kill him after I leave.”
Then added: “Since there’s a Mantra Curse, the Northern Witch must be behind this. Send ten people to investigate this person’s hometown; the rest will stay in the Academy.”
The Dragon Guards naturally carried out her orders.
In the silence, Xie Zishe said: “Your knowledge is really extraordinary. It really is admirable.”
Ling Fengxiao only replied to her with two words: “Absurd praise.”
After that, she took Lin Shu and left Reflection Cave as fast as they had entered.
Once out of Weeping Star Waterfall they came to the sh.o.r.e of Xingluo Lake. In Qiong Forest, the flower petals still fell like rain.
Ling Fengxiao spoke slightly apologetically: “I thought they had already finished the interrogation and that only the discussion was left, which was why I brought you here. Now, this has stained your eyes.”
——It turned out that Big Miss walked so fast for the sake of his eyes.
Lin Shu shook his head: “I’m fine.”
The scene was ugly, but it was acceptable.
Lin Shu had no interest or curiosity in matters between Southern Xia and Northern Xia. He simply treated today as seeing more of the world.
However, Ling Baoqing said: “Miss Xie was really unusual towards Big Miss.”
Ling Baochen said: “I told you about this a long time ago, but you didn’t believe it—Miss Xie Zishe is definitely different from other girls. Haven’t you heard her remarks?”
“I have heard that she has rejected countless men’s courtships, saying that all the men in the world are unbearable to look at, and only a few women look pa.s.sable.”
Ling Baochen smiled: “You don’t know the next sentence. She said that she has read countless people in this life and only admires the character of the Ling family’s Eldest Miss, who is decisive and firm in killing.”
Big Miss asked coldly: “What do you want to mention her for?”
“Miss Xie is one of the most outstanding women in the world.” Ling Baochen said, “It’s said that she once wrote the book 《Three Strategies》. Not only the great scholars, but also His Majesty once claimed that she had the talent to govern. I also quite admire her. It’s just that my admiration is not like her ‘admiration’ for Big Miss.”
“I remembered,” Ling Baoqing let out a soft “ah” and continued: “It was rumored that she bluntly stated that only her own strategy of governing the world can match the talent of the Eldest Miss, and the rest of the people are far inferior.”
“The strategy of governance is nothing more than an unrealistic Utopian construction,” Big Miss said lightly. “The governments of various states have acc.u.mulated a long history of malpractices, and they have been entangled with the immortal sects. Her rhetorics are beautiful, but she can’t implement them. What’s more…”
Lin Shu felt that Big Miss was jealous again.
Listening to Ling Baochen’s words, it seemed that Xie Zishe was really talented, but Big Miss insisted that Xie Zishe was an unrealistic idealist.
As he was thinking about it, a piece of Qiong petal fell from the branch and landed on his hair.
Just as he was about to pick it, Ling Fengxiao reached out her hand and gently picked the flower petal off. She didn’t withdraw her eyes. Her gaze stayed on Lin Shu and continued the words she had not finished before: “What’s more… If I like a person, how can I trouble her with managing worldly affairs?”
Lin Shu blinked his eyes. He always felt that Big Miss meant something more in her words.
Ling Baochen said with a smile, “Big Miss, you’re so good. If I like women, I’m afraid I’ll also like you!”
Then she looked at Lin Shu and dragged him in: “Little Lin Shu, don’t you think so?”
Lin Shu naturally couldn’t say no, “Very much so.”
As soon as the words were spoken, Big Miss looked at him, but her gaze suddenly intensified, and then became thoughtful.
“You have no memory of the past, so naturally you don’t know…” Big Miss frowned. “Do you like women?”
Lin Shu didn’t know why Big Miss asked this, but he naturally couldn’t like men, so he said, “Should be so.”
__________
TL’s Mini Theatre:
Zaki: Hmnnn..I also want to write “The 12 Evil Deeds of Ea.”
First Evil Deed- Cruelty in….
Ea: Zaki what are you writing? *looks over* “The 12 evil deeds of….” *stabs Zaki*
Ea: What’s that again? *sharpens knife*
Zaki: *wipes blood, tears and snoot* The 12 Heavenly Virtues of Ea”..*cries*
Ea: good girl…