Chapter 216: There's No Turning Back Once the Bow Is Drawn

Chapter 216: Once the Arrow Is Shot, There Is No Turning Back

Liu Zhaoxue understood all too well that to ally with the Five Poisons Sect was to bargain with the tiger for its skin.

Yet the circumstances she now found herself in no longer permitted her to wait for another opportunity.

Unless, of course, she was willing to follow the path of her aunt, Liu Xiangning, and accept the arrangements made by her father.

—To be wed into another great, influential clan, or simply to be married off into the imperial family.

But Liu Zhaoxue refused.

And so, before any betrothal could be finalized, she allowed her own ambition to swell unchecked.

She would either achieve her grand design, overcoming every obstacle to become the true master of the Jingzhou Liu family.

Or she would perish...

Death was but death, and far better than carrying the hollow title of Jingzhou’s foremost beauty only to be used as a political pawn.

Liu Zhaoxue had long since braced herself for this.

Yet now that her schemes had just begun to unfold, and the situation in Shuzhou remained murky, she had no choice but to tread with absolute caution.

Particularly during this recent period, the Jingzhou Liu family had arrived in Shuzhou only to lose two young masters of the main branch in rapid succession, a fact that amply demonstrated the sheer power of the Xiao family within these lands.

The previous instance involving Liu Jing was not worth mentioning; as an ignored concubine's son of the Liu family, his ability, character, and methods were vastly inferior.

But Liu Wen was different.

Not only was he the second young master of the main branch of the Liu family, but his mother also hailed from a great clan of Jingzhou, leaving him with no shortage of wealth, resources, and personnel.

Furthermore, he possessed a modicum of cleverness, and his talent in the martial arts was by no means weak.

Liu Wen's unexpected death here in Shuzhou had, for the first time, made Liu Zhaoxue feel that matters were slipping beyond her control.

To this end, she had set three rules for herself.

She must not rush blindly for merit, she must avoid direct conflict with the Xiao family, and she must guard against the Five Poisons Sect ruining her plans.

Liu Jing had been reckless from the moment he arrived, ordering the Mingyue Court to plunder the Xiao family's medicinal herbs, and thus he met the death he deserved.

Liu Wen had clashed directly with the Xiao family, which was why he died outside Tiebi Town, even implicating Third Uncle Liu Hong, who incurred the Emperor's censure.

Reflecting on these events, Liu Zhaoxue offered a low, warning reminder: "Try not to provoke unnecessary complications. Caution is paramount."

Yan Fusha let out a wide grin, a trace of ruthlessness surfacing on his disguised, coarse face as he replied, "Rest assured. Before our great undertaking is realized, I will not commit any follies."

"I am referring to cleaning up your loose ends. Do not let this drag me down."

Leaving those words behind, Liu Zhaoxue turned and departed with her personal attendants.

Yan Fusha watched her distant silhouette, a profound darkness flashing through his eyes, before he swiftly made a hand gesture toward a corner.

"Follow her. Keep a close eye on her."

Once two men dressed in long robes, disguised as ordinary scholars, received their orders and departed, Yan Fusha finally squeezed into the crowd as if no one else were around.

Originally, he had only intended a minor display of his skills to test that live-in son-in-law of the Xiao family.

However, upon seeing that girl from the Mountain Tribe, he had changed his mind.

"Granny Shan, the bloody vendetta of several decades shall begin with that granddaughter of yours."

On the other side, Liu Zhaoxue was well aware of the deep-seated enmity between the Five Poisons Sect and the Mountain Tribe, so she naturally guessed Yan Fusha's intentions.

Even if she wished to stop him, she lacked the power to do so.

After all, at present, she still needed to rely on those wicked outcasts of the Five Poisons Sect to accomplish her goals.

Just as Liu Zhaoxue's mind was wandering, she suddenly heard a call: "Zhaoxue."

She looked toward the voice, the stray emotions on her face instantly vanishing as she offered a respectful bow: "Third Uncle."

The newcomer was none other than Liu Hong, the Left Provincial Governor of Shuzhou.

At this moment, though he wore plain blue civilian attire, his robust frame filled out the robes, lending him a natural air of stern authority.

Glancing left and right, Liu Hong beckoned to Liu Zhaoxue and said with a smile:

"Before the poetry gathering commences, let us first take a look at that exhibition hall over there."

A flash of surprise crossed Liu Zhaoxue's eyes, but without pausing to question whether they were permitted entry, she complied and fell into step beside him.

Two imposing, powerful bodyguards followed closely behind.

Several other personal attendants protected their flanks, subtly obscuring the figures of Liu Hong and Liu Zhaoxue from view.

Before long.

The group arrived at the exhibition hall adjacent to the academy's library.

An elegant, middle-aged man dressed in a light blue robe was already waiting by the entrance.

Sighting Liu Hong, the man hurried forward from a distance, cupping his hands in greeting: "Lord Liu."

Liu Hong raised a single hand and said with a chuckle, "Master Lingchuan, there is no need for such formality. I shall just step inside for a brief look and return."

Hearing his words, Liu Zhaoxue looked at the man before them, her mind stirring as she instantly deduced his identity.

Master Lingchuan, Zhu Lingchuan, a member of the prominent Zhu family of Shuzhou.

Although this Master Lingchuan did not possess a resounding reputation, his elder brother, Zhu Hao, was the Deputy Commander of the Shuzhou Regional Military Command, overseeing the administration of Shuzhou's salt and iron industries.

With these thoughts in mind, she curtsied slightly: "Zhaoxue pays her respects to Master Lingchuan."

Master Lingchuan nodded to her, then stepped aside, gesturing with his hand as he spoke:

"Today's poetry gathering brings a vast throng of people. To ensure no one disturbs your solitary pleasure, Lord Liu, I shall not accompany you inside."

Seeing his earnest expression, Liu Hong did not press the matter, signaling for Liu Zhaoxue alone to follow him.

Once the two went inside, Master Lingchuan casually shut the heavy doors and stood motionless outside, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

The remaining bodyguards conscientiously stationed themselves at the surrounding thoroughfares.

Inside the exhibition hall.

The doors and windows were tightly sealed, and no lanterns were lit, leaving the space somewhat dim.

Possessing martial cultivation, Liu Zhaoxue was naturally unaffected by the darkness.

Liu Hong, however, frowned slightly and signaled for her to light an oil lamp.

Liu Zhaoxue did as bidden, using a fire striker to ignite an oil lamp, holding it in her hand as she stood beside him, taking in the spacious hall.

The arrangement was somewhat simple; within the enclosed space, there were only a few dozen trays holding calligraphy scrolls, all of which were covered with red cloths.

Through those red cloths, a faint glimmer of light could obscurely be seen, resembling the strokes of written characters.

Liu Hong swept his gaze around, ignoring the scattered calligraphy scrolls nearby, and walked straight toward the main scroll directly facing the entrance.

With one hand, he lifted the cover.

An artistic conception instantly manifested before them—

Golden characters surged upward, mountain ranges rose and fell, a city perched atop the peaks, and a solitary skiff drifted serenely into the distance.

Liu Hong tilted his head back, gazing upon the verses of the poem and the array of visions, his countenance calm and unreadable.

Liu Zhao Xue, however, lacked his serene composure.

Though she had heard many rumors about the piece "After the Rain" in the past two days, none compared to the shock of seeing it with her own eyes just now.

Especially the signature at the end—Chen Yi, Chen Qinzhou.

Each stroke flowing like water, dazzling and brilliant.

It deepened the inexplicable wariness and suspicion Liu Zhao Xue already felt toward Chen Yi.

At that moment, Liu Hong Tou, without turning back, asked, "Zhao Xue, what do you think of these characters?"

Liu Zhao Xue came back to herself, paused briefly, then said, "Good, extremely good."

To describe a fully realized new-style character as merely 'good' seemed somewhat lacking.

But Liu Zhao Xue did not grasp the purpose behind Third Uncle’s question, so her reply was relatively cautious.

Liu Hong Tou chuckled softly and said, "Good, indeed, it is a good character."

"This new script conforms to the heavens and earth, every inch of it full and powerful, showing the depth of the writer’s study."

"Moreover, the artistic conception is ethereal and remote…"

Liu Hong Tou turned his head to look at Liu Zhao Xue, smiling faintly, and asked, "When confronted with such a magnificent and profound artistic conception, what do you think of?"

Liu Zhao Xue felt a chill in her heart, feigning contemplation and saying, "Breaking through the waves by riding the wind… onward without hesitation?"

Liu Hong Tou merely nodded without answering, gazing directly at the calligraphy, and spoke no further.

Liu Zhao Xue scrutinized him with her eyes, and suddenly a bad premonition arose in her heart.

As if some domineering force had fixed its gaze upon her.

Stifled, solemn…

A fine sheen of sweat crept across her pristine forehead, and the hand holding the oil lamp trembled slightly.

In the flickering light, Liu Hong Tou spoke calmly, "The essence of literature and calligraphy relates only to one’s character."

"Those of domineering nature write domineering characters; those of free spirit write free characters; those of conventional nature write conventional characters—this is generally the case."

"This Chen Qinzhou’s mastery of the Way of Calligraphy is natural and effortless, yet one need not fail to discern his character."

"His character first prioritizes 'acting naturally according to one’s nature,' the strokes of his brush can be great or small, showing he does not like to be bound by rules."

"Furthermore, this poem… breaking through the waves does have merit."

"But what I see is the rainbow after the rain, the tranquility following the turmoil."

Liu Hong Tou paused, then asked, "Do you not think this writing resembles what happened at the Xiao family’s place not long ago?"

Liu Zhao Xue blinked, "Third Uncle, you refer to the incident where the towns’ granaries were raided?"

Liu Hong Tou turned to face her, his tone cold, "I refer to you, Liu Wen, Liu Jing, and the elder brother!"

Liu Zhao Xue’s face changed drastically, "I…"

Liu Hong Tou raised his hand to interrupt, "What you intend to do, I already know."

"Nothing more than your unwillingness to be a pawn in the family’s schemes, becoming a piece in your father’s game."

"You wish to break free, I understand that, but you should not scheme against Liu Wen."

"Third Uncle, why such suspicion toward Zhao Xue?"

"Meeting House in Spring."

Upon hearing these three characters, Liu Zhao Xue’s heart sank—Third Uncle knew.

Liu Hong Tou continued, "That day at Meeting House in Spring, you invited Xiao Man, then casually revealed to your second brother, creating an accident that seemed reasonable."

"Had it not been for that incident, I would have thought Wen would not take such risks, venturing beyond Iron Wall Town."

Liu Zhao Xue hastened to deny, "Zhao Xue had no such intention; Zhao Xue only wished to help her second brother fulfill his wish."

Liu Hong Tou remained unmoved, covering the calligraphy with a red cloth, and said,

"I do not wish to know your intentions. This visit here, I merely have one thing to tell you."

"If you do not wish to meet the same fate as Wen, do not remain in Shu Zhou; return to Jing Zhou."

"Third Uncle…"

"I cannot bear the title of Third Uncle to you anymore."

"The Liu family’s elder brother has sent many people to Shu Zhou for various reasons; I know this better than anyone."

When he spoke of it, Liu Hong Tou wore a scornful expression, "Yet you ask yourself, does your father, my good elder brother, have the capability?"

"Look at what he has done! All his children are ambitious and cunning; his sisters only know how to flatter; he himself merely lurks in Jing Zhou."

"You tell me, does he wish to watch clouds drift and vanish, or sit at the chessboard and make his moves?"

At this, Liu Zhao Xue fell silent.

She had come to understand the reason behind Third Uncle’s words.

In the end, it was because she and Liu Wen had meddled too much in affairs of Shu Zhou, causing Third Uncle to be punished by the Emperor.

"Zhao Xue, you have learned a lesson."

Liu Hong Tou gave her a sharp look, then turned and walked away, "You had better remember this well."

"I do not wish to collect the corpses of your family members again!"

Liu Zhao Xue watched him depart, then bowed silently.

She had thought her actions went unnoticed, yet here he was, seeing through her schemes.

But upon careful thought, she could accept it.

After all, this Third Uncle, Liu Hong Tou, officially held the position of steward of the third household in the Liu family, but in reality, was merely a collateral branch residing outside Jing Zhou.

Otherwise, her father would not have repeatedly dispatched people to Shu Zhou.

Besides plotting against the Xiao family, the third household’s Liu Hong Tou was also one of her father’s schemes.

It seemed, however, that her father’s plans were now destined to fail.

Thinking this, Liu Zhao Xue cast one last glance at the "After the Rain" now covered by the red cloth, extinguished the lamp, and left the pavilion.

Third Uncle was right.

But one cannot shoot an arrow without a bow.

How could she easily let go?

…

Meeting Liu Zhao Xue was an accident, yet not entirely unexpected.

Born of the Liu family in Jing Zhou, and being the niece of the Deputy Governor of Shu Zhou, Liu Hong Tou, she indeed received an invitation to the prestigious Cloud Academy.

Thus, Chen Yi did not give it much thought, bringing Xiao Man and others to the residence where Yue Ming resided.

After some idle chatter, he clarified Yue Ming’s purpose for his visit, and he could not help but feel both amused and frustrated.

"Director, today there were simply more people coming, you need not be so concerned, right?"

Mr. Yue Ming's face bore a faint smile, and he let out a dry laugh, saying, "I’ve never acted like this in my days, but... but today is different from back then."

"The poetry gathering this time isn’t just for our Shuzhou’s noble families; guests from other prefectures’ academies are also here."

"If the poets from Shuzhou were to claim the title of poetry champion, that would be fine. But..."

"If those outsiders from other regions were to take it, wouldn’t that make our esteemed Guiyun College look weak and inferior?"

Chen Yi shook his head, sighing with resignation: "Director Yue, it’s just a poetry contest; whoever wins the title has earned it through their skill."

"Besides, I myself come from Jiangnan Prefecture, not Shuzhou."

"If I were to win the title, would I even be accepted by others?"

"...That may well be the case."

Mr. Yue Ming naturally understood this.

Yet he had waited so long for an opportunity to elevate Guiyun College, he wanted to make sure everything was done perfectly.

But seeing Chen Yi’s guarded expression, he had no choice but to let the matter drop.

Then he picked up a letter from the table and handed it to Chen Yi: "Mr. Ju Yi from the Jinling Academy has sent several letters recently."

"One of them was specifically addressed to you."

Chen Yi took the letter and was about to open it when Mr. Yue Ming continued, "The poetry gathering is about to begin; you can read the letter after you return."

Chen Yi instinctively patted the envelope, noticing something else inside besides the letter, and slipped it into his sleeve.

He knew little about the supposed teacher, Mr. Ju Yi, and couldn’t guess why he’d sent a letter at this moment.

Fortunately, it was only midday; he could still wait.

They hadn’t lingered long.

The group left the courtyard, moving along a stone path lit by lanterns as daylight faded.

By then, most of the attendees had arrived, filling the specially arranged dining hall to capacity.

The prime seats were naturally reserved for Liu Hong, Yang Ye, and other Shuzhou officials, flanked by several high-ranking scholars.

Mr. Yue Ming, Mr. Zhuo Ying, Mr. Ling Chuan, and Zhang Ping from Yuelu Academy were all present.

Compared to them, Liu Si, the Shuzhou magistrate, could only manage a seat at the edge.

Nor mention Chen Yunfan and Li Huigu, among others.

Chen Yi looked around, choosing not to sit beside Mr. Yue Ming in the foremost position, but instead took a seat beside Chen Yunfan and Xiao Wan’er.

Shen Huatang accompanied Xiao Duo to another section of the hall, mingling with maids and servants.

After some casual talk and greetings, Chen Yunfan leaned closer: "You brought that ferocious girl along too? She won’t poison anyone today, will she?"

It was likely the memory of the previous academy’s poetry contest, where Pei Yonglu’s concubine had drugged him, still lingered in his mind, leaving him uneasy.

Even after learning of Pei Yonglu’s identity, he’d grown wary.

Chen Yi chuckled dryly: "Brother Chen, still worried about that?"

He knew well how deep Chen Yunfan’s martial arts prowess lay hidden; he didn’t believe Chen Yunfan feared Pei Yonglu.

"How could I not be? That girl dared to poison the late Governor’s banquet—she’s quite reckless..."

Chen Yunfan’s eyes flicked toward Pei Yonglu, who was glancing back, and he quickly sat up straight, coughing:

"The academy has invited many talented women today, Yi Er, you should take the chance to appreciate their performances."

Chen Yi paused, then noticed Xiao Wan’er and others’ gaze, and replied: "Brother Chen, you’re just joking."

"How could I joke? I—"

Before Chen Yunfan could finish, Cui Qingwu subtly nudged him, whispered something about keeping a low profile, and mouthed a warning to watch his words.

Xiao Wan’er looked at the innocent Chen Yi and smiled: "I heard the flower maids who performed at your previous invitation ceremony are here today—you should take the time to watch and listen."

Chen Yi mutter to himself about the troubles with Chen Zhi from years past.

In the meantime, he also noticed the atmosphere around him—Chen Yunfan and Cui Qingwu exchanging glances, Li Huigu and Yun Niang flirting, Xiao Wuge and Pei Yonglu eyeing each other...

Their attention wandered, clearly finding everything new and intriguing.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Yi settled beside Xiao Wan’er.

"Miss Xiao, are you getting used to it?"

Xiao Wan’er instinctively smoothed her sleeve, half her face hidden beneath the white fur trim, and nodded softly: "It’s manageable."

Though she wasn’t entirely accustomed to it.

Before today, she’d only heard of poetry gatherings, never witnessed one.

Coming here, she realized this setting wasn’t quite right for her.

Too many strangers, too much small talk required.

She had to maintain her composure and endure occasional whispers and rude stares.

All of it made her uncomfortable.

If not for Chen Yi and others sitting nearby, she might have found an excuse to leave.

Chen Yi noticed her unease and smiled, offering some light conversation to distract her.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the hall, the atmosphere was lively.

Students from Guiyun College clustered together, as did the noble families, and guests from other regions formed their own groups.

They kept to themselves, yet their conversations surprisingly overlapped.

"The troubles in Shuzhou lately have been numerous, truly a source of shame for the world."

"Indeed, who could have guessed the attackers on the Three Towns weren’t barbarians or the savage Kingdom of Wa, but...?"

A young scholar with a long face muttered to the crowd below the raised platform: "That one."

Ma Guan, seated among the others, interrupted: "Xuanlin, don’t say so much—lest those gentlemen hear."

"He’s capable; why should we deny it?"

"Gossiping behind someone’s back isn’t the behavior of a gentleman."

"If Xuanlin Brother truly wishes to speak up, perhaps he should ascend to the platform and discuss it openly before Liu Dahuai."

The long-faced scholar pointed at Ma Guan: "You..."

In private, he could speak boldly, but standing before Liu Si, the Shuzhou Governor, he feared he couldn’t even form a sentence.

Someone else nearby defused the tension: "Gentlemen, we’re all watching, after all."

"Enough, let’s talk about something else..."

At another table, Pei Zhaoye of Yue Lu Shuyuan was engaged in a heated argument with someone.

"Who would want to take me as their master?"

"The number of scholars and Daoist masters who have reached the highest levels, even the Sage realm, is countless. I do not need to study under Chen Qingzhou; I have other renowned teachers."

A young scholar of similar age scoffed, "Then why did you still go ahead and take a master on the spot?"

"Who took him as a master?"

"Isn't it? Several gentlemen from Fei Yun Shuyuan can testify to that."

"They say Master Qingzhou even said, 'He's not teachable,' ha! Is that true?"

"That's absurd!"

Pei Zhaoye's face flushed red with anger, gripping his neck as he spoke, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering, a meeting of friends through poetry, not a debate on scholarly arts."

The young scholar nodded, "So, Brother Pei, you're planning to compete with Master Qingzhou in poetry from a higher standpoint?"

"Let's see who comes out on top!"

His voice grew louder, and Chen Yi could hardly miss the commotion even from where he stood.

But he was too absorbed in idle chatter with Xiao Wan'er to pay heed to the surrounding murmurs.

Not long after, the poetry gathering proceeded as planned.

The most beautiful lady entered, her performance of music, dance, and flowing banquet was, all the same, quite refined and tasteful.

After three rounds of wine, Master Yue Ming made his speech, and then discussed with several other masters, proposing a theme:

"Moonlight—Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival."

A timely and fitting poem, it brought smiles to many a scholar who had prepared in advance.

Even Chen Yunfan looked eager to try his hand at it.

"Younger brother, later you write yours; don't rush to compete first."

Chen Yi nodded with a smile, though he had no intention of writing at all; it was merely a matter of order.

Yet as he glanced around, a momentary expression of confusion crossed his face: "Where has Pei Mengliu gone?"

Xiao Wenge stared at the beauties on the stage and instinctively replied, "Mengliu said she needed to go to the restroom."

Xiao Wan'er gently patted his arm, chiding, "Mind your manners; don't use such crude words."

Chen Yi thought for a moment, then stood up, saying, "Please wait a moment; I'll go take a look."

He couldn't quite trust things to chance, and didn't want that wild girl to toppling him from behind.

"Yi, hurry and return quickly; once your elder brother finishes writing, it will be your turn."

"I understand..."

(The chapter ends here.)