Chapter 502: Zhao Lian Yun
Translator: ChibiGeneral Editor: ChibiGeneral
In the study room, Zhao tribe leader placed down the document wearily.
Sunlight passed through the window and shone on his face.
Due to handling the tribe affairs for a long time, this fifty year old rank five initial stage Gu Master already had white hair and a face filled with wrinkles.
These days, because of Hei tribe's large scale expedition and the personal invitation from Dong Fang Yu Liang, the tribe was divided into two factions.
These two factions argued endlessly; one side wanted to side with Dong Fang tribe and resolve the old grudges, while another side wanted to side with Hei tribe as Hei tribe was much bigger.
Could siding with Dong Fang tribe really resolve the old grudges? When he thought of the deep hatred that had accumulated over the generations between their tribe and Dong Fang tribe, Zhao tribe leader could not speak with certainty.
And siding with Hei tribe was also not right.
Zhao tribe's main headquarters was after all in this Cao Fu region while Hei tribe represented Yu Tian's tyrants and had already gone through the vow with their allies. As a tribe who joined later, Zhao tribe would unavoidably be bullied and how much profits could they even obtain? They might even be treated as cannon fodder.
Thus, Zhao tribe leader was deeply conflicted. Especially these days, the tribe higher-ups were always busy arguing; Zhao tribe leader had to guard against that cunning Dong Fang Yu Liang's scheme, while also needing to suppress the internal situation and lead the tribe. He was already very exhausted.
"Sigh…"
He heaved a deep sigh and leaned back on the chair, gazing at the dust that was floating in the sunlight.
In this dazzling sunlight, the tiny dust could be clearly seen and Zhao tribe leader felt he was like one of these dust, hesitating back and forth; now it was floating in the air, but who is to say that it will not fall down to the ground when wind blows over.
The battle between Hei tribe and Dong Fang tribe was precisely a violent wind that would sweep away everything.
Facing such a wind, what path should his tribe take?
Right as Zhao tribe leader was feeling frantic, a weeping sound suddenly came from outside the window.
Hearing this familiar sound, Zhao tribe leader's brows slightly furrowed and revealed a concerned look as he immediately asked: "What's the matter?"
The guard outside the door immediately replied: "Lord tribe leader, big missy slipped on the stairs and knocked her head while running here."
"Ahh!" Zhao tribe leader stood up with a pained expression, "How could my little darling fall? How much blood did she lose? Quick, bring her here."
Zhao tribe leader had several sons but they were all schemed and killed by Dong Fang Yu Liang, leaving behind only a daughter.
His daughter was only about five or six with a very mischievous nature, but her appearance was extremely similar to his late wife and so Zhao tribe leader doted on her very much.
Soon, the door to the study room was pushed open.
The guard supported a little girl to the room.
The girl looked like she was carved out of jade and looked extremely cute with her embroidered clothing. Right now, she, however, was sobbing, covering her forehead with her hand.
"My little darling, my little Yunyun, where did you get hurt?" Zhao tribe leader quickly walked over and hugged the little girl, asking her with concern.
'Father, did you go blind? The injury is on my forehead…' The little girl furiously shouted inwardly, but on the surface, she smoothly leaned on Zhao tribe leader's chest and acted like a spoiled child, "Father, Yunyun's head hurts…"
"Oh oh, let father take a look." Zhao tribe leader softly parted the hair that covered the little girl's forehead and saw a small scrape on her forehead, the scrape had slightly reddened but was still far from bleeding.
But even so, Zhao tribe leader's heart hurt very much.
He comforted his daughter with warm words before berating the old caretaker that had hurried over: "Nanny Wu, what are you doing? I told you to look after her closely and protect her at all times, look, her forehead is wounded!"
'This old lady should die! Please forgive me lord tribe leader." The old caretaker immediately kneeled with fear, cold sweat filling her face. But her heart was full of grievances, this child was the most crafty child she had seen in her whole life, and the most troublesome little demon. Normally, if she lost her concentration even a bit, the child would disappeared somewhere bizarrely. The child was extremely crafty, toying with this adult women until she wished she was dead. But in front of the tribe leader, the child showed an obedient and pitiful expression, her acting was so brilliant that it seemed she was innately born with it. The old caretaker could not find the least bit of evidence on this little demon!
"Father, don't blame nanny, it is Yunyun's fault for carelessly running around." The little girl said in a soft voice.
Adding in a sentence inwardly: 'This old woman is too annoying, always following me the whole day. I had to self-harm myself to enter this study room, was it easy for me huh!'
Zhao tribe leader heaved a sigh and stroked the little girl's soft dark hair with a gratified expression: "Daughter, you are as kind-hearted as your mother."
The old caretaker however roared inwardly: 'Tribe leader, you have been deceived, your daughter is absolutely a demon…'
But she could only shout in her mind because she knew, very few people apart from her would be willing to believe this fact. She naturally did not dare to tell it, if she said it, who knew how this girl would tease and abuse her later on.
"Useless thing, if it were not for Yunyun asking for leniency… hmph, leave." Zhao tribe leader waved his hand towards the old caretaker to order her to leave before looking at his daughter with a gentle expression, "Little darling, why did you come here to play?"
"Father, Yunyun was worried about you, I heard others say those elders were arguing with father these days and that you were upset and locked yourself in the study." The little girl looked concernedly at Zhao tribe leader with her large gleaming black eyes.
But in truth, she was shouting in her mind: 'Rubbish, if I did not come, my life would be in danger. Convenient dad you are too indecisive, with the situation as it is now, you are still not immediately escaping? What on earth are you dilly-dallying for?!'
Zhao tribe leader felt a twinge in his nose, his eyes reddened, almost letting out tears: "Good girl, you finally know to care for your father, father's love for you all this time was not in vain. Don't worry, father's health is quite good and my mood is much better now after I saw you."
'Convenient dad, it is a matter of life and death now and you are still so optimistic, so intolerable! For my future happy life, I need to show off a bit regardless of consequences!'
The girl roared in her mind and said with a 'couldn't care less' expression while waving her small delicate hands: "Father, Yunyun thinks those people who quarreled with you are idiots. Our Zheng tribe is like a sheep, Dong Fang tribe is a wolf while the tiger from Yu Tian is coming over. Wolf can't beat tiger, so it wants to find the sheep to help, but whichever side the sheep helps, the tiger or the wolf won't let it go in the end."
The little girl's words shocked Zhao tribe leader's mind. The person on the spot is baffled, while the onlooker sees clearly; sometimes the person involved needs to be enlightened by such words from the onlookers.
'That's right, whether we side with Dong Fang tribe or Hei tribe, it will be like taking favors from a tiger. But can our Zhao tribe stay out of this?'
'No, the blizzard disaster every ten years has already decided there is no utopia in northern plains. The struggle for the Imperial Court is very significant, as long as one can enter Imperial Court blessed land, they can receive astonishing benefits. But which side should Zhao tribe take?'
The little girl had been observing the tribe leader's expression all this while and when she felt the time was right, she added: "Father, I heard Ma[1] tribe is very strong and also treats its people well. Sheep and horse are both vegetarians but tiger and wolf are carnivorous, it will be better for us to ally with Ma tribe!"
Zhao tribe leader's body shuddered.
'Right, why not?'
Ma tribe was different from Hei tribe and Dong Fang tribe, the latter two had Gu Immortal ancestors and the support of blessed lands. They had long lasting history and were super tribes with deep foundations.
Ma tribe was also part of the Huang Jin family, but they did not have a Gu Immortal's support and was advancing towards the level of a super tribe currently. Ma tribe leader and its young tribe leader were outstanding heroes, they would definitely welcome Zhao tribe. Except that to go to Tian Chuan, it would be a long journey…
'Convenient dad, why on earth are you still hesitating? Decide quickly!' The little girl who had been observing her father's expression changing frequently, felt very anxious inwardly.
But Zhao tribe leader was thinking of the long distance they had to travel to Tian Chuan to side with Ma tribe. This distance was filled with danger which caused him to hesitate.
Helplessly, the little girl could only add on: "Father, we should leave right away. This is the best time to leave, tiger and wolf are confronting each other, they don't have any spare strength to care about us."
Zhao tribe leader's heart trembled.
"Right, why am I still hesitating? If I hesitate any longer, even the best chance to escape will be lost! Whether it is Hei tribe or Dong Fang tribe, they are both not kind. If my tribe wants to get some profits in the battle for the Imperial Court, laying a bet on them is not a good thing!"
"Good girl, you are extremely correct. Our Zhao tribe cannot meddle in such a huge battle, also cannot throw ourselves in this whirlpool. Right, we shall leave!" Zhao tribe leader made the decision.
The little girl leaning on his chest was almost sobbing tears of joy at this moment, as she sighed inwardly: 'Old man, you finally opened your eyes. Ah, it was not in vain that I took so much trouble to run over here to persuade you…'
"But Yunyun, did you think up all these things? Did someone tell you to say so? Who was it, tell father." Zhao tribe leader finally sensed something amiss and gazed at his daughter.
The little girl's heart thumped, she promptly blinked her large eyes and showed an innocent expression: "No one taught me. Father, this was all thought by Yunyun. Father works so hard every day, Yunyun does not want father to be so exhausted, so Yunyun wanted to help father."
She then carefully said with a pitiful expression: "Father, was Yunyun wrong?"
Zhao tribe leader's eyes flashed with a pleasantly surprised look. He did not think this little angel before him would deceive him.
How old was this child?
And he had watched her grow up!
Since she was so intelligent at such a young age, her cultivation talent might also be extraordinary.
Seeing his daughter afraid of being scolded, an affectionate feeling rose in Zhao tribe leader's heart.
He stroked the little girl's hair: "Yunyun, thankfully I have you. Father is really happy to have such a good daughter!"
'Sigh, it has to be like this, since I've transmigrated here already. In life, friends can be chosen, but parents are predestined. Seeing how you have treated me well, I will naturally return the favor…'
The little girl said so inwardly, but on the surface, she hugged Zhao tribe leader's neck and kissed this convenient dad's cheek: "Father, daughter likes you the most."
"Hahaha, good girl, you are really father's darling." Zhao tribe leader laughed loudly.
[1] Also read as horse in chinese.