January 23, 2018
"Put down the feud between our two families? Brother, you really know how to talk lightly about things that are completely unrealistic."
On a moonlit night, Shen Yueying looked at Shen Ziqiong, who had co with a solemn expression, and found it sowhat amusing.
"The Li Family must be dreaming up a storm, and you're joining in the fun? Sending a few kids over to resolve decades of accumulated grudges, where in the world does such a good thing happen? If grievances were so easily resolved, why did the Saint Sect even bother to make the effort to unite the Seven Great Noble Families? They could have just selected 500 boys and girls to act cute around the world and be done with it!"
After so sarcasm, Shen Yueying lowered her face and asked, "But, brother, you usually don't bother with such trivial matters, so why did you co to specifically for this today?"
Shen Ziqiong replied decisively, "Because they were introduced by Ziyu."
"..."
Shen Ziqiong said, "Ziyu's judgnt won't be wrong. Since he thinks it's feasible, I'll do my utmost to help him."
"Just because of that? You are simply unreasonable!"
"You're the one who's unreasonable. Don't we all know how outstanding Ziyu is within our own family? Haven't you seen how astute his judgnt is? What's wrong with trusting his judgnt?"
Shen Yueying gritted her teeth and said, "Brother, do you know why our father skipped over you and chose Feihong as his successor?"
Shen Ziqiong answered sharply, "Of course, because he's outstanding enough, with a flair like Ziyu."
"How does that bear-like kid resemble Shen Ziyu in any way?!"
"His eyelashes." Shen Ziqiong replied without hesitation.
"..." Shen Yueying felt stifled and quickly cald herself down, then said seriously to her brother, "Brother, no matter how much you admire Ziyu, I can't just let go of the past because of a letter from him. Besides, the crux of the matter isn't with ; it's with our father. He's the City Lord of Shen City. If he can't let go of the past, what does it matter if we do?"
At the ntion of City Lord Shen Ruoshi, even Shen Ziqiong frowned, "So, do you have any good ideas?"
"? Haha." Shen Yueying laughed self-deprecatingly, "All these years, has anyone really had a way with our father? Even Ziyu, whom you greatly admire, parted ways with him and simply left for the Saint Sect. But, if there's anyone in all of Shen City who might have a way, it would probably be that person."
Shen Ziqiong asked, "Jinghai?"
"Who else?" Shen Yueying replied, "He regards himself as our father's right-hand man and is the only one who can et with the City Lord every day to report on work. The favoritism he receives is way beyond what we, his own biological children, enjoy. So if you don't find him, who else? Brother, let put it this way, if you can convince Shen Jinghai, then I will set aside my personal grudges for now and cooperate with those brats from the Li Family. What harm is there in that?"
Shen Ziqiong frowned, "I feel like you're passing the buck."
Shen Yueying retorted angrily, "Yeah, so why don't you just get lost!?"
——
After annoying his sister, Shen Ziqiong had no choice but to visit Shen Jinghai again and briefly explained the situation, which unsurprisingly made Shen Jinghai shake his head and chuckle.
"Ziqiong, in this matter, you've been misled by Vice City Lord Yueying. The crux is indeed with Lord City Lord, but half of his issues lie with Vice City Lord Yueying. If she doesn't make the first move, how will Lord City Lord change his stance?"
Shen Ziqiong was puzzled, "What do you an?"
Shen Jinghai explained, "To outsiders, it seems that Lord City Lord's anger is because Li Fengyun swept through Shen City, making the Shen Family lose face. But the Lord is an upright man, not soone who can't accept defeat. Would he really harbor resentnt for decades over the younger generation's failure?"
"Then..."
"There are two main reasons. First, his beloved elder daughter left the family because of the Li Family and died young. Second, his equally beloved younger daughter was also deeply hurt by the Li Family, with a lasting primordial spirit wound that can never be healed. Although nothing can be done about Yuen'e's situation, the Li Family did send Yuen'e's daughter, which is quite a clever move, so the first issue can be temporarily glossed over. The problem is the second issue, what about Yueying?"
Shen Ziqiong was starting to feel dizzy, "What should be done?"
Shen Jinghai said, "At the very least, Yueying herself must forgive the Li Family for Lord City Lord to relent. Otherwise, no matter how much effort I, as an outsider, put in, it will be of no use. Besides, as Lord City Lord's right-hand man, how could I intentionally ignore the pain he suffered from his kin and advise him to reconcile with the Li Family? So, go find Vice City Lord Yueying. At the very least, she must let go first, then I can make a case."
——
Shen Ziqiong, feeling helpless, had no choice but to visit Shen Yueying once more.
He was predictably scolded.
"Do you know what ti it is now? Do you really think I'm a model vice city lord who works thirteen shifts a day!?"
Shen Yueying, who was busy reviewing official docunts by lamplight, sipped strong tea while admonishing her elder brother.
After Shen Ziqiong expressionlessly recounted Shen Jinghai's words, Shen Yueying straightforwardly burst into laughter: "Haha, brother, you're naively adorable. You actually believed such nonsense? Who is Shen Ruoshi? The City Lord of Shen City, one of the top ten, if not top five, masters of his generation to be ranked in literary circles. In his youth, he sparred with the Sect Leader of the Saint Sect and narrowly lost by half a move. Such a person, would he be entangled over matters of sentint, agonizing over the affairs of two daughters for decades?!"
Shen Ziqiong asked, "Wouldn't he?"
Shen Yueying glanced at her brother and asked, "You also experienced his 'fatherly love like a mountain' education back then; how did it feel?"
Shen Ziqiong furrowed his brow: "The mory is very vague. I only recall that when I was around ten, Father said he would train us strictly so as not to disgrace the Shen Family's heritage. The details after that are unclear..."
As he spoke, Shen Ziqiong channeled his Primordial Spirit, trying hard to delve into past mories. But for so reason, as his Primordial Spirit continuously traced the river of mories, his body began to tremble uncontrollably, and his complexion turned paper-white.
"That's enough." Shen Yueying moved forward in ti, pressing down on Shen Jinghai. "Forgetting is sotis a good thing. People need to forget pain to move on."
Shen Ziqiong, as if waking from another world, looked up at the lamplight on Shen Yueying's desk and said, "Suddenly, I feel that light is truly wonderful."
"So, do you really believe he would be tangled up for decades over the matter of two daughters? That kind of person with heroic and far-sighted abilities has long forgotten such sentintal matters! Otherwise, why would he appoint an outsider as his right-hand man?"
Shen Ziqiong had to admit that his sister's analysis was indeed quite reasonable.
"So, Shen Jinghai rely made an excuse to kick this ball back to . If you really want to solve the problem, stop pestering and go find soone truly important."
"You... aren't you just kicking the ball again?"
Shen Yueying angrily said, "Yes! So get far away from ! Do you really think I have nothing else to do but educate my son and secretly adore my brother?! Bother any more, and if I can't finish this budget batch, the whole family will be living on air next year!"
—
"In sum, that's why I returned."
Back in his own bamboo room, Shen Ziqiong explained the course of events and then looked at Shen Qingming and the others with calm eyes, waiting for their reaction.
The group was stunned for a long ti.
Li Chaolu sighed, "You Shen Family mbers... really know how to play."
Li Wanqing shrugged, "Now I understand why, as the eldest son, with rather strong cultivation, you're appointed as a re Supre Emperor, having a titular position in the core circle without actual duty."
Shen Ziqiong cared not for such criticisms and rely said, "In short, the crux lies in these two people, and with only , even with much effort and words, I can hardly persuade them. So you all need to co up with your own solutions."
He paused and then said sowhat regretfully, "It's a pity Ziyu isn't here. If he were, with his cleverness, he would surely co up with an idea."
Li Wanqing unhesitatingly said, "For example, disguise as a guest with the surna Yu, and secretly go chat happily with Shen Ruoshi? If he was indeed clever, he wouldn't leave behind a useless family letter and send us to Shen City to watch a deputy city lord soccer match!"
Shen Ziqiong said, "Well, in my view, it isn't entirely hopeless. Although Shen Yueying and Shen Jinghai are passing the buck, this attitude of passing rather than outright refusal already reveals a problem."
These words left Li Wanqing and others exchanging glances, all finding much sense in them.
Shen Ziqiong continued, "I think after decades, many obstacles should have softened over ti, and now it is rely a matter of inertia needing a breakthrough opportunity. Those two aren't truly impeccable; otherwise, they wouldn't use others as excuses to pass the buck. To change their attitude... I don't have a specific thod, but I do know there are only four words that sum up the secret to asking a favor: 'Cater to their interests.'"
These remarks significantly changed everyone's view of him.
Could it be that this eldest son of Shen Ruoshi really understands how to think deeply!?
Amid the group's sighs, Shen Ziqiong turned to Wang Jiu and said, "Alright, I've thought of everything I could help you with. Now, could you return that book to ?"
Wang Jiu raised the book in his hand: "This 'Today's Shen Ziyu Observation Diary'?"
"Yes, it's an important item I use to dispel feelings of nostalgia since Ziyu left ho. Every word is my heartfelt effort, so I can't let it go. If you're interested in Ziyu's matters, I can give you a few of our group photos."
This seriousness left Li Wanqing and the others without the heart to laugh.
Having already finished reading the observation diary, Wang Jiu obediently handed the book back to Shen Ziqiong.
After putting the diary away, Shen Ziqiong breathed a long sigh, as if a great weight had lifted from his heart. He paused, then said, "By the way, I also have a full-body portrait of Ziyu hand-painted by the master painter Luo Chuling in the collection room. Would you like to take a look?"
"No need!"
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