At this mont, without intentionally displaying his air of dominance, he appeared just like an ordinary young man. However, in front of him, Cao Youqing remained full of reverence, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
Thinking back to when Luo Yuqing, that little lass, had been here before and spoken who-knows-what, Cao Youqing gritted her teeth and suddenly knelt down, apologising, "I have been remiss in my duties and have not managed to take down the Qian Family of Longzuo and the Southern Six Guards of Longzuo. Please punish , Your Majesty."
"Let’s put that matter aside for now."
The young man in white robes seed to have anticipated her move, his face calm, showing no surprise.
He sat down on a chair in the inner hall, idly picking up a tea cup from the side and taking a sip before saying nonchalantly, "Let ask you. Was the death of Zuo Qiu Qingyun in the Southern Desert so ti ago your doing?"
Cao Youqing was startled.
She thought that the Emperor had summoned her to reprimand her, she didn’t expect it to be about this matter.
It took her a good few monts to react, hurriedly responding, "Your Majesty, I am innocent of this."
"What a claim of innocence."
The youth’s expression didn’t change, but he suddenly put down the tea cup back onto the tea table, making a crisp banging noise.
His tone cooled down a notch, "If you truly did it, although it would’ve been reckless, it wouldn’t have been completely senseless. But if you didn’t do it, and soone pinned the bla on you, that would be stupidity!"
Her heart skipping a beat, Cao Youqing trembled unconsciously, imdiately apologising, "I have erred! Please, your majesty, temper your anger."
"Erred? Where do you think you have erred?" The young man in white robe sneered and threw her a glance.
"This…"
Cao Youqing was at a loss for words.
"Hmph~!"
The young man in white robes snorted coldly before saying, "Inadequate abilities, not enough experience, these can be compensated for. But if you don’t even understand where you have erred, then you truly are incurable. From today onward, you are to reflect upon your actions in the place of thunder punishnt. You can co out when you’ve figured it out."
The place of thunder punishnt, a place within the sacred land specially used to punish disciples who err. It was an area filled to the brim with brutally violent thunderstorms. Within, you cannot cultivate, all that awaits you is endless physical and ntal tornt.
With her present strength, even if she didn’t die, she would be maid."
"Your Majesty, I…"
Trying to protest against this perceived wrong, Cao Youqing contemplated, but upon eting the icy gaze of the young man in white, unconsciously shivered. She quickly conceded, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Go~"
The man in white gestured with his hand.
Left with no other choice, Cao Youqing reluctantly withdrew, heading towards the Place of Thunder Punishnt.
Xiaoyue entered with newly brewed tea just in ti to see Cao Youqing taking her leave.
She eyed Cao Youqing’s disappointed figure and turned to the young man in white, cautiously advising, "Master, though Lady Youqing is a bit rash, she is indeed loyal to you. This matter doesn’t obstruct any grand sche, why get so angry over it?"
"I’m not angry."
Upon seeing Xiaoyue, the chill on the face of the young man in white dissipated, restoring his calm deanor.
He took the new teacup from Xiaoyue and casually explained, "It’s just that with her temperant, if she doesn’t change, she’s bound to be taken advantage of. It’s sothing useless coming from – or you – it’s sothing she has to realize herself."
"Besides, with the incident in the Southern Desert, there’s bound to be tension between the Zuo Qiu family and the distant Cao Family. In the years to co, there will inevitably be tug-of-war between the two families. With her temperant, it’s hard to say she won’t get embroiled, better to have her go to the Place of Thunder Punishnt to temper her impulsiveness.
If she understands, that’s best, if she doesn’t, then let her focus on cultivation from here on out."
"So that’s the case. Master, you care so much for Lady Youqing. That was thoughtless of ." Xiaoyue respectfully agreed before cautiously asking, "How do you intend to handle the Zuo Qiu family? Would you like to..."
Before she could finish speaking, he waved his hand to interrupt her.
"Let them squabble for a few years first. If their conflict is handled properly, it might serve my purposes. As for the situation in Longzuo, there’s no need to rush. The dispute for the throne has always been a long ga. When the current changes, they won’t get away." He slowly skimd the foam from the tea, "The struggle for power is a ga played lightly, much like a trivial matter."
Xiaoyua shivered inwardly, hurriedly bowing respectfully, "Y-yes, Xiaoyue understands."
And so the world goes: a single word from those in power can determine the futures of countless people.
Weak ones can only be at the rcy of others.
Only the strong can stir up the wind and the clouds and make the world bow before them.
In Wang Shouzhe’s courtyard.
The sun was abundant, and the breeze gentle, on this hot sumr morning.
In the courtyard, the stone pavilion was overgrown with climbing plants. The layers of green leaves interspersed with brightly colored exotic flowers were not only providing shade against the sun but also adding a sense of living interest.
Specks of sunlight fell through the leaf gaps on the faces and bodies of two n inside the pavilion, enhancing the atmosphere.
These two n were naturally Wang Shouzhe and his nephew Wang Zongchang.
In this world, not everything is about fighting and killing. There’s also leisure and elegance in "passively watching the flowers bloom and wither, and gazing at the shifting clouds."
At this ti, the two were sitting on either side of a stone table, leisurely enjoying a pot of Cloud Mist Spirit Tea.
This tea was slightly cold in nature, invigorating and moistening, nourishing the spirit. It was very much to Wang Shouzhe’s liking.
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