Your Majesty, Please Stop!

Chapter 70: No More Pretending, I'm Laying My Cards on the Table

"Xin Zhuo, please accept the Autumn Palace Pavilion's calligraphy."

With just a short sentence, it seemed to possess a strange power, causing the four experts from the four major families at the foot of the mountain to immediately stop and observe.

Following that, everyone from all directions turned their gazes towards the source.

The three words "Autumn Palace Pavilion" may not sound particularly special when spoken, but they represented the most mysterious Confucian academy and the strongest martial force in Fufeng Prefecture, and even in the entire Baziu region.

The founder, Mr. Dongfang, was like a dragon that appeared and disappeared, known only by name but not seen in person. He seemed to represent a certain kind of glory rather than a tangible existence.

That's right! It was glory. In the past twenty years, dozens of high-ranking officials and senior military officers from the imperial court who emerged from the Autumn Palace Pavilion could be considered the cradle of officialdom.

However, the requirements for accepting disciples were extremely peculiar, with no rules to follow. Both those with mediocre aptitude like Su Zhefeng, the son of the magistrate, and those with exceptional talent like Yuan Jiayuan, were among the students. The disparity was huge, and others would be clamoring to get in but would never be accepted. Moreover, it was said that the number of students in the Autumn Palace Pavilion always remained at one hundred, not a single one more!

Now, why did the Autumn Palace Pavilion send a calligraphy to Xin Zhuo? And the recipient was Xin Zhuo?

Xin Zhuo also looked over and saw a girl approaching. She was dressed in a white Confucian student robe, with a graceful figure. Her flowing hair brushed past the leaves of the banyan trees, and in the blink of an eye, she arrived at the mountaintop.

She was actually a girl!

She appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, with delicate features like a painting. Her face had a hint of baby fat, and her beautiful eyes were as clear as a stream. After scanning the crowd, she locked onto Xin Zhuo, giving him a slight smile that was distant but not impolite. She extended her fair hands and handed him a golden envelope. "Autumn Palace Pavilion's third-year student Bai Xuanji, under the command of Master Qin Yuliuliu, presents you with this calligraphy!"

Her voice was gentle, without any emotional fluctuations, as if this place was not a scene of siege and bloody slaughter, but just an ordinary meeting.

Countless gazes from the mountain and the foot of the mountain were fixed on the girl and Xin Zhuo, their minds filled with question marks.

Was the Autumn Palace Pavilion really going to accept a notorious bandit as a student?

Especially Yuan Yourong, Su Zhefeng, and the prospective Autumn Palace Pavilion student Murong Yunxi, their expressions were particularly colorful.

"Thank you!"

Xin Zhuo accepted the envelope in surprise, feeling... at a loss.

The girl named Bai Xuanji had already drifted away, seemingly unwilling to stay for even a moment longer.

"Boss!" Murong Xiu approached, his eyes shining. "This is amazing! The Autumn Palace Pavilion, so strange and mysterious, no one dares to provoke them."

Cui Ying'er and the others also walked over, their eyes filled with hopeful light.

Curious, Xin Zhuo opened the envelope, only to find it empty. Looking at the cover, the three golden characters "Autumn Palace Pavilion" were engraved like axe marks, as if these three words were enough to explain everything, without the need for any other words.

"What does this mean?" He still looked at Murong Xiu.

Nervously rubbing his hands, Murong Xiu said, "It's an invitation to become a student of the Pavilion! And this is a treatment only bestowed upon geniuses. It is said that the Autumn Palace Pavilion has only issued such invitations twice in the past few decades. Those two individuals came from humble backgrounds, and now one is a general of the northern border army, while the other is a high-ranking official in the capital's Great Li Temple."

Become a student of the Pavilion?

This was truly beyond Xin Zhuo's expectations. He had been on guard against the Water Moon Nunnery and the Autumn Palace Pavilion all this time, afraid that they would suddenly rise up and deal with him and his bandits. He never expected that they would remain silent all this time and suddenly want to accept him as a student...

What was the reason?

Was it because of the things he had been doing with the government and the four major families recently, manipulating things smoothly and scratching their sore spots? Or did they discover his Lunar Serenity Well?

It was unlikely that they had discovered the Lunar Serenity Well. This kind of existence, hanging like a thread, could even calculate the lifespan of a spirit, and it was so powerful that it was mind-blowing. It wouldn't be easily discovered, and he was confident about that.

Perhaps it was because his martial arts had advanced too quickly, or his cultivation technique was too peculiar, attracting their attention?

After pondering for a moment, I don't care anymore. The situation has turned around, so I'll take a step first and then decide.

Facing everyone below the mountain, he raised the envelope coldly and said, "Originally, I just wanted to interact with you as a mountain bandit. I didn't expect to be chased endlessly in return. Well, I won't pretend anymore. Let's lay our cards on the table!

In fact, I am a close friend with the masters of Qiugong Pavilion, especially Qin Yuliufu. We can be described as kindred spirits and have a bond of life and death. We often share the same bed and discuss important matters of the world, talking until late..."

The crowd below the mountain was confused and puzzled.

Yuan Yourong and Su Zefeng, on the other hand, were shocked beyond measure. What was he saying? Sharing the same bed with Qin Yuliufu? Would Qin Yuliufu, that cold and indifferent woman, agree? Is it true or false?

Xin Zhuo continued, "Not only Qin Yuliufu, but the pavilion master has also expressed multiple times that he wants to take me as his disciple, but I have politely declined. I believe that as a person, one must have principles. Although I am not talented, I also want to achieve something through my own efforts...

Alright, I've said enough. If any of you still want to continue and not give face to Qiugong Pavilion, then please go ahead!"

There was silence below the mountain.

Does Qiugong Pavilion really value Xin Zhuo so much?

If this statement is false, then what about the calligraphy copybook that only talented students have? How do you explain that?

"Afeng, is there really a subtle relationship between Qiugong Pavilion and Xin Zhuo?" Su Miaojin suddenly understood why Xin Zhuo dared to be so bold and reckless.

Su Zefeng's face was twisted in conflict, hesitating for a long time. "Impossible, right? I haven't heard of it. How could it be? Just a petty thief, have the masters gone crazy?"

"What should we do?"

The people from the four major families in front had extremely ugly expressions as they looked at each other, seeking answers.

No one could give an answer. Just a calligraphy copybook was enough to make Xin Zhuo stand invincible!

At this critical moment of stalemate, a rider came galloping from a distance. The person on the horse was wearing armor and looked panicked. When he arrived nearby, he raised a black token and shouted, "Our army has suffered a major defeat and is retreating to the prefectural city. The Xiongfeng Mountain rebels, together with three thousand barbarian soldiers from the Dongyi Kingdom, are approaching. The prefect and the general have ordered that everyone immediately return to the city to assist in the defense. Close the city gates at the hour of Shen tomorrow!"

After speaking, he rode away.

The people scattered all over the mountains were momentarily stunned, then they rushed down in a chaotic manner. Those further away immediately turned and ran.

If annihilating the bandit king Xin was to vent their anger and save people, then the defeat of the border army and the invasion of the Dongyi Kingdom was a personal pain and a disaster. Comparing the two, it was clear which was more important.

The experts from the four major families who had just been attempting to attack immediately made their choice and gave up on Xin Zhuo, retreating.

"Xin Zhuo, I'll make you pay when we get to Qiugong Pavilion!"

Su Zefeng roared towards the mountain, regardless of whether Xin Zhuo could hear him or not, he vented his frustration and then left with his guards, escorting Su Miaojin.

Xin Zhuo, Murong Xiu, Cui Ying'er, and the others stood together, watching the receding crowd, unable to help but feel a thousand emotions. Life is so unpredictable. One moment they were thinking of running away, and the next moment the crisis was resolved.

At this moment, Yuan Yourong, Chen Guiyan, Murong Lei, and Song Dongxi stood up forcefully, their faces solemn, and cupped their hands in salute. "Xin Dashangjia, whether you are a mountain bandit or a student of Qiugong Pavilion, you are ultimately a citizen of the Great Zhou. Now that there is a foreign invasion and rebels attacking the city, we should prioritize and allow us to return to defend the city!"

Xin Zhuo didn't hesitate at all and immediately stepped aside. "Please go ahead!"

Murong Lei and the others nodded slightly, supporting each other as they headed straight down the mountain.

"What about us?" Cui Ying'er looked at Xin Zhuo in surprise.

Murong Xiu also said, "Should we still run along the river behind the mountain?"

Xin Zhuo stretched lazily. "What nonsense are you talking about? With the Qiugong Pavilion calligraphy copybook protecting us, the prefectural city is busy fighting. The situation has turned around. It's time to go home!"

(End of this chapter)