Chapter 79

Before he left, Zong Ming He ordered Zong Zi Heng to stay in the palace to assist the emperor and empress together with his fifth brother, and to manage the affairs of Daming.

Zong Zi Heng did not expect that he would not be allowed to leave Daming yet. Perhaps, as Shen Shi Yao said, Zong Ming He was afraid of his friendship with Xu Zhi Nan and Qi Meng Sheng, or perhaps there were other reasons. In any case, he could feel Zong Ming He guarding against him since the Jiaolong assembly.

He could only agree on the surface, intending to wait for everyone to leave before sneaking out of the palace.

Zong Zi Xiao was very upset to learn that he was not going to Kunlun with him and wanted to go and beg Zong Ming He.

Zong Zi Heng immediately rushed to Bailu Pavilion and stopped him.

"Why can't big brother come with me? This trip can be as short as a month or two, or as long as ... who knows how long it will take, and I've never been separated from big brother for that long." Zong Zi Xiao wrinkled his face and said indignantly, "Father even let you assist the empress, who knows how the empress will make things difficult for you."

"You don't need to worry about me, you just need to protect yourself." Zong Zi Heng said worriedly. There was no telling what would happen on this journey, and he didn't know when he would be able to be by his brother's side, and Lu Zhao Feng, who was hiding in the shadows waiting for an opportunity, would never miss this divine sword. He was really worried that something bad might happen to Xiao Jiu, and what will happen if he’s not by his side.

"I'm with Father and many high ranking cultivators, so naturally I’m safe. I'm just worried about you. Let me go beg Father and we'll go together, okay?"

Zong Zi Heng shook his head, "Father won't agree. At this time, don't make trouble over nothing, just be obedient."

Zong Zi Xiao said disappointedly, "In fact, I'm still worried about my mother. With Father being away, the Empress will definitely take the opportunity to bully my mother. Big brother, you have to take care of her for me."

"Don't worry, I will." Thinking of Chu Ying Ruo, Zong Zi Heng had complicated feelings, but no matter what, she was Xiao Jiu's mother, and he was bound to protect her.

"You have to eat well, you can't lose any more weight."

Zong Zi Heng snorted, "Talking more and more like an adult. I got it."

Zong Zi Xiao stared at Zong Zi Heng's gentle and handsome face and his heart thumped, "I originally wanted to go to the Cangyu Sect with big brother to have a look."

"Big brother wants to go too. Next time then. Flying Plume Ambassador will welcome us."

"I heard that the Cangyu Sect is unique in how it cultivates immortality."

"Well, the Cangyu Sect is different from the Chinese sects, there are not so many rules and regulations, so it is unique."

"I heard that some of them do dual cultivation*." Zong Zi Xiao blinked, "And it's not restricted to men and women."

"Who did you hear that from?"

"Who else doesn't know?" Zong Zi Xiao stole a glance at Zong Zi Heng, "It's not uncommon for couples to engage in double cultivation behind closed doors, but for a sect like the Cangyu Sect to openly treat double cultivation as a monastic art, it's no wonder it's despised by the Chinese sects."

"As long as it doesn't harm anyone, I don't think we need to stick to the rules."

"I think so too." Zong Zi Xiao quickly said, "It's a good thing for those who practice the same lineage to improve at the same time."

"You're so young, why are you thinking about this?" Zong Zi Heng said warily, "You won't be like your second brother ..."

Zong Zi Mo indulged in female charms and had not been well-behaved since young. At the age of twelve or thirteen, he had already taken on a concubine's maid with Li Xiang Tong's acquiescence, and at the same time, he had hooked up with all sorts of people, but Li Xiang Tong had suffered a disadvantage before and had not allowed any of Zong Zi Mo's female companions to conceive a child. Now she's probably regretting it instead.

Zong Zi Heng had never been comfortable with this, but he had never been one to judge people by their rights and wrongs, not to mention the fact that he was dead. When the words reached his mouth, he felt it inappropriate, so he didn’t continue on.

But Zong Zi Xiao immediately understood: "I am not like my second brother. One person is enough for me in my entire life.”

"Who do you have your eye on?" Zong Zi Heng said in surprise, "If it's a female cultivator from another sect ..."

"No." Zong Zi Xiao glared at his big brother, "No one, I'm just saying."

Zong Zi Heng sighed in relief, "Since there isn't, then stop imagining things."

"You can still stop people from imagining things?" Zong Zi Xiao asked back with shame and anger.

"If your heart of Dao is unstable, I will naturally correct you."

"You can't correct this." Zong Zi Xiao grunted in exasperation and turned his face away.

"Alright, you’re leaving tomorrow, have you packed your traveling clothes yet?"

"Mm."

"Let's go then."

In the evening Zong Ming He had set up a family banquet and both of them had to be present.

The two of them walked side by side for a few steps, and Zong Zi Xiao, thinking that this time they would be parting for several months, became a little sullen, and suddenly took Zong Zi Heng by the shoulders, as if he had gathered all his courage, and said with a straight face, "Big brother, when I get the divine sword, everything will be different. If, if I want you to be more than just my big brother, rather ..."

"What do you mean?" Zong Zi Heng narrowed his eyes, "What did Father say to you?" All that was going through his mind was that Zong Ming He might have hinted, or even expressly stated, the idea of making Zong Zi Xiao the Crown Prince.

Zong Zi Xiao froze, "Big brother, what I want to say is ..."

"What exactly did Father say to you? Or what did Consort Chu say to you?" Zong Zi Heng asked anxiously. He was worried that Zong Ming He couldn't wait to announce the appointment of the Crown Prince, then things would get even more complicated.

Zong Zi Xiao, however, was somewhat taken aback.

"Your Highness, Ninth Highness." At that moment, a palace attendant happened to pass by, "The two Highnesses should quickly move to Baihua Hall as soon as possible."

The two of them glanced at each other and walked forward, each with their own thoughts and in silence.

This family banquet is the first of its kind this year. Unsurprisingly, Li Xiang Tong did not attend at all.

With the absence of Zong Zi Mo, who loved to attend to guests, and the absence of Zong Ruo Ning, who was clever and cheerful, plus the fact that this year had been full of changes and everyone was in danger, the banquet was no longer as lively as it once was.

The banquet was as dull as if Zong Zi Mo’s mourning period had not ended by today.

Even Zong Ming He could not stand it anymore. He coughed lightly, "Tomorrow we will leave for Kunlun and forge a divine sword for Xiao Er. With this sword, my Xiao Er will be able to achieve great things and the Daming Zong clan will be back at the top."

Zong Zi Heng raised his cup and said blandly, "Congratulations to Father and to Ninth Brother."

The siblings toasted in unison.

Chu Ying Ruo looked as if she was overwhelmed with favor: "I am honored that the emperor thinks so highly of Xiao Er, and I am sure that Xiao Er will not fail to live up to the emperor's high expectations."

Zong Zi Xiao also said, "Thank you, father. Son will definitely help father and shine for the Zong clan."

Zong Ming He laughed twice, his face full of relief.

Shen Shi Yao said softly, "Zi Xiao is so competitive, sister is really lucky."

Chu Ying Ruo smiled and said, "It is also thanks to Zi Heng for teaching him from a young age."

"The emperor's sword also comes from Shen Nong Ding, I wonder how different it will be from Zi Xiao's sword?" Shen Shi Yao looked at Zong Ming He.

Zong Ming He patted his own sword and said with emotion, "This sword was handed down from the ancestors and is one of the best swords in Jiuzhou. It has been with generations of Zong cultivators in cutting down demons and eliminating devils, but there is not a single flaw in the sword. A swordsman who has it will be a fierce tiger with wings."

"Such a divine sword, I wonder if Zi Xiao can harness it now?"

Zong Zi Xiao frowned at Shen Shi Yao.

"Although Zi Xiao is young, his potential is limitless. Adapting to it for a period of time will not be a problem."

"That divine sword that was dripped with Zi Xiao’s blood, then only those of my Zong bloodline can use it, am I right?" Shen Shi Yao was still smiling like a flower, "This emperor’s sword, it is the same, right?"

The more Zong Zi Heng listened, the more he felt that something was wrong.

Zong Ming He seemed to be a little impatient with Shen Shi Yao's many questions, and gave a perfunctory "hmmm".

"I was thinking, why not let the emperor lend the sword to Xiao Er to try it out, so as to prevent getting a sword made from Shen Nong Ding and not being able to control it, and make a joke on the spot."

Zong Zi Heng's expression suddenly changed as he stared at his mother in a daze, his body getting colder inch by inch until the chill pierced his bones.

Impossible, she couldn't possibly know, but was she really making such a request so that Zong Zi Xiao could test his sword?

Chu Ying Ruo's expression also changed, and she immediately acted as if nothing was wrong: "Sister, the Emperor's sword is not something that can be touched by outsiders."

"How is Xiao Er an ‘outsider’?"

Zong Zi Heng stared deadly at Shen Shi Yao, his fists clenched under the table.

Zong Ming He also sensed that something was wrong: "Shi Yao, what do you mean?"

"I just want Zi Xiao to get used to using the emperor's sword, so that he won't show his fear when he gets the divine sword." Shen Shi Yao's smile remained unchanged, "We are a family, are there still so many rules on top of this family banquet?"

Zong Zi Xiao's brow wrinkled more and more. He couldn't understand what Shen Shi Yao was trying to do. In fact, the day the Orchid Garden was destroyed, this woman was not normal in his heart anymore.

The blood on Chu Ying Ruo's face was slowly fading. She forced a smile and said, "The emperor is a father as well as a ruler, so there cannot be no rules anywhere and Zi Xiao must not overstep them."

Zong Zi Heng said in a low voice, "Mother, stop it."

Shen Shi Yao looked at Chu Ying Ruo with a cold gaze, "Why not? Is sister afraid that Zi Xiao won't be able to use it?"

Zong Ming He slapped the table fiercely and said angrily, "How dare you!"

The concubines and children all knelt down.

"Shen Shi Yao, what kind of madness are you having today?! If you can't tell me what's going on, don't blame me for not giving you face."

Shen Shi Yao raised her head and looked straight at Zong Ming He with no fear on her face, "If the emperor wants to blame me, I accept it. I just want to know if Zi Xiao can use this sword."

Chu Ying Ruo was so angry that her body trembled, "What exactly does Consort Shen intend to do?"

Zong Zi Heng only felt a gust of blackness in front of his eyes. He finally knew why Shen Shi Yao had been so well behaved during this time, and finally knew what her ultimate plan was. He subconsciously went to touch his waist, but before entering the Baihua Hall, everyone had unloaded their weapons.

When Shen Shi Yao reached this point, who else could not understand? Zong Zi Xiao shouted angrily, "I respect you as my big brother's mother and have always treated you with courtesy and modesty, how dare you insult me and my mother like this. You, you crazy woman!"

Zong Zi Heng said in a trembling voice, "Father, mother has been ill recently and is confused. I will bring her back to Qinghui Pavilion now!"

Zong Ming He raised his hand, and the entire Baihua Hall immediately fell silent. He stared at Shen Shi Yao grimly, "Why do you think that Zi Xiao cannot use this sword?"

Shen Shi Yao raised her chin slightly, "I don't know if he can exert it or not, but ever since I discovered the secret of sister Consort Chu, I have had trouble sleeping and eating. This matter concerns the foundation of the Daming Zong clan, so I cannot watch the emperor be deceived."

Zong Zi Heng slowly turned his head and looked at his bewildered, innocent brother, his eyes gradually turning scarlet.

 

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dual cultivation*[双修]---another term for sexual intercourse (in novels)

 

Edited on 3 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

 

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