manynovel Chapter 70 The March Term, Passing By in a Flash
Chapter 70 The March Term, Passing By in a Flash
Shadow pondered deeply, but ultimately shook his head with a furrowed brow, saying regretfully, "Still a little short..."
This is what has held him back for many years; it's not a matter of talent, but a matter of luck.
He was just a little bit unlucky. If he had been a little unlucky, he might never have taken this step in his entire life. But if he had been a little lucky, he might have suddenly had a flash of inspiration while taking a nap or yawning, and naturally understood it.
However, Shadow wasn't too discouraged. If taking this step were so easy, there wouldn't be only five Grandmasters in the world. He then suppressed the surging blood and qi within him and solemnly cupped his hands towards Russell: "Thank you for your guidance. I am deeply grateful."
Russell casually waved his hand, indicating that it was nothing to worry about.
[The host has come into contact with the story character Chen Pingping (Green). The current causal connection is 0%, triggering a lottery draw. Do you wish to draw now?]
Only then did Russell turn his gaze to Chen Pingping, the self-proclaimed King of the Night, and get straight to the point: "You wanted to see me?"
Chen Pingping smiled and squinted her eyes, pushing the wheelchair a little closer to Russell: "I've only heard Xiao Yan mention you, and I've been curious about you, always wanting to see you for myself."
"So?"
"So, Young Master Luo really comes from the Temple?" Chen Pingping found the question laughable, as Russell was completely open about it.
His original idea was not unfounded; Yan Bingyun recounted Russell and Fan Xian's conversation to him word for word.
Their manner of dialogue and their indifference to imperial power were strikingly similar.
These are things that should not exist in this era.
Then there is only one explanation: Russell, like Ye Qingmei, came from the temple.
He had originally intended to test the waters, but Russell had no intention of hiding anything from them.
Just like Ye Qingmei back then.
"Young Master Luo, there's no need for such frankness."
"It's not a matter of honesty now." Russell shook his head, leaned forward, and looked directly into the eyes of the old cripple in front of him, looking down at him. He said seriously, "If you don't tell the truth, I'll kill you, or you can try to see if that shotgun you're holding can kill me."
Most people in this world are cunning and scheming, but Chen Pingping is the most cunning of all. Every word he utters is full of calculation; it has become second nature to him.
Russell didn't believe that he was here today simply to confirm his identity. There must be a hidden plan behind this. This was his intuition, and it was probably true.
Out of respect for the original characters, Russell has always maintained basic goodwill and tolerance towards them, but this does not mean that he can tolerate them treating him as a pawn, testing him at will, and disturbing his peace.
His time was precious, and he had no interest in playing those old sly bastards' power games of intrigue.
Upon hearing this, the gentle smile that seemed to never change on Chen Pingping's face vanished like the receding tide.
Russell was determined to kill him.
This killing intent was not only pure but also extremely powerful, and he had no doubt about the truth of Russell's words.
"Please forgive me, young master." Chen Pingping removed his hands from the armrests and crossed them in front of his lower abdomen. He said frankly, "I came here for Miss's sake. Once your identity is confirmed, I will reveal it to His Majesty. As an envoy from the Temple, His Majesty will surely be very interested."
Then came the opportunistic maneuvering and manipulation, ultimately uncovering the truth behind the Taiping Villa massacre years ago.
Of course, these are all things for later. In the present moment, Chen Pingping has to admit one thing: he made a wrong move today.
He had been immersed in darkness and scheming for too long. His game was vast, encompassing everyone, including Emperor Qing and the Grandmasters. He had become so accustomed to intrigue that he had lost his reverence for the world and forgotten that not everyone could be understood according to common sense, and not all power could be bound by authority.
"Then don't let him know." Russell suppressed his murderous intent and straightened up. "Also, I don't want to see you again, understand?"
"Understood." Chen Pingping remained silent, watching Russell leave.
"Dean, what should we do next?" Only then did Shadow dare to return to Chen Pingping's back and ask in a low voice.
The moment Russell unleashed his killing intent, he felt as if he were surrounded by mountains of corpses and seas of blood, completely stunned and unable to control his body.
"Let's go back to the Censorate first." Chen Pingping put his hands back on the armrests, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the cold metal.
Since Russell knew he had a shotgun, he might actually know the truth about what happened back then.
Unfortunately, he acted too cleverly today, which ruined their relationship from the very beginning. From now on, Fan Xian will have to figure things out on his own.
Of course, he didn't come away empty-handed; at least he learned that shotguns can't kill a grandmaster.
……
For the next three months, Russell kept a low profile, practically becoming an invisible man in the side courtyard of the Fan family mansion.
Whether it was the Baoyue Tower incident, the Censorate's impeachment of Fan Xian, or the subsequent presiding over the Imperial Examination and Prime Minister Lin's retirement, he didn't get involved. He simply stayed in his room honing his skills.
The three brothers, Fan Xian, Li Chengqian, and Li Chengze, would go back and forth, each impeaching the other. It was a constant battle of wits, with one stabbing the other in the back and the other pulling down their pants. They were having a great time.
Li Chengze has been so confused lately that he suspects there might be a traitor among his men. Otherwise, how could everything be predicted, and every time he takes action, he either fails or suffers the consequences?
To date, the territory of influence he has painstakingly built over many years has shrunk by nearly half. Officials in the court who openly support him are now silent, and his businesses and channels have suffered heavy losses in secret.
The Crown Prince would naturally not stand idly by in this situation; he would definitely take advantage of the situation, kick the dog while it was down, and preferably bring the Second Prince down in one fell swoop.
After suffering so many losses, Li Chengze became determined. As everyone knows, building tank items and building defensive items is useless when you are at a great disadvantage, so he chose to attack from both sides and take the initiative.
This was a real hardship for the former protégés of the Second Prince, who were tossed around like a ball by the Censorate and the Crown Prince's faction, their faces practically swollen from being slapped.
Today he's impeached for corruption, tomorrow he's accused of dereliction of duty, and the day after he's embroiled in inexplicable rumors. His official position is in grave danger, and he lives in constant fear, living in a state of utter misery, terrified of losing his head.
Fortunately, after being kicked out of the league for three months, they finally ushered in a rare truce.
Fan Xian was betrothed by Emperor Qing, and the wedding took place three days later.
Then Fan Xian went mad, in every sense of the word.
"Are you ever going to stop?"
In the room at night, Russell rubbed his temples in despair, looking at Fan Xian, who was like a hyperactive monkey, occasionally letting out a strange laugh, and felt his patience rapidly running out.
From the moment he arrived until now, Fan Xian has been repeating the same sentence over and over again: he is getting married.
Fan Xian, who was currently dancing around excitedly, immediately turned around upon hearing Russell's words and emphasized again, "I'm getting married!"
"You're something else..." Russell started to say, then stopped, telling himself to calm down. Marriage is a joyous occasion; he shouldn't resort to violence, but should offer his blessings and show good manners...