In the field of intellect, no one claimed victory over Gou Han Shi and there weren’t many people who earned his respect. Tonight, Chen Chang Sheng accomplished both.
He looked at Gou Han Shi and said, “You are overpraising me.”
“You are worthy of my praises.” Gou Han Shi said as he looked at the youngster who he had doubted at first.
He remembered his talented senior and the proposal he made. He realized that somehow, his confidence in his senior was shakened up.
“Previously, the last move of Princess…..” he started to say but stopped mid-way when he became unsure if it was suitable to ask the question.
“What are you asking? Aren’t you going to leave right now so you don’t further embarrass yourself?!”
Elder Xiao Song Gong yelled with a grim face and stared murderously at Jin Yu Lu on the other side. He whipped his long sleeve angrily and left.
Gou Han Shi’s expression was bitter. He bowed to Chen Chang Sheng and said “Good bye.”
Chen Chang Sheng returned the gesture, “See you again.”
“Surely, we will meet again.”
Gou Han Shi calmed himself down, looked at Chen Chang Sheng and said “I will look into your and Tradition Academy’s performance in the Great Trial. I hope you can bring more surprises to us.”
Chen Chang Sheng knew what he was talking about, but he didn’t reply further.
Gou Han Shi turned around and led his underclassmen of Mountain Li’s Sword Sect out. They disappeared into the night of the royal palace.
Nothing but silence filled Wei yang Palace.
So much had happened in tonight’s Ivy Festival. So many surprises had shocked the audience.
While the entire continent expected a success engagement between Qiu Shan Jun and Xu You Rong, a youngster named Chen Chang Sheng stopped the proposal by showing a marriage vow.
He was a student of the Tradition Academy.
Princess Luo Luo revealed her true identity.
She was also a student of Tradition Academy.
The son of Wei Shui’s Family of Tang left the Heavenly Academy.
He became a new student of Tradition Academy.
Everything that happened was related to Tradition Academy.
To get back at the Tradition Academy, the powerful Mountain Li’s Sword Sect used the rules of Ivy Festival to challenge the school that was in ruins for many years.
At last, Tradition Academy won.
It was a dominant victory.
The tide riding process and unexpected ending was unbelievable to many people at first.
People looked at the direction of Tradition Academy and noticed how young the three students were. They couldn’t grasp what had happened tonight.
Most of the eyes were looking at Chen Chang Sheng. Although his status was obviously much lower than that of Luo Luo, as the fiancé of Xu You Rong, teacher of Luo Luo, and representative of the Tradition Academy, he was sufficiently qualified to attract the crowds’ attention.
The crowd realized that after tonight, the once ruined Tradition Academy may regain its past glory. And this new student of Tradition Academy won’t stay an ordinary youngster that no one knew about. No, he will become the center topic of discussion of the entire capital or even the entire continent.
People were looking at Chen Chang Sheng.
Chen Chang Sheng was only looking at Xu Shi Ji.
Xu Shi Ji knew clearly why the youngster was looking at him and his face became pale.
The bishop smiled and said, “Even if this son-in-law isn’t as qualified at Qiu Shan Jun, he’s already not too bad.”
Xu Shi Ji’s face got grimmer.
The bishop laughed, said nothing more and left.
The crowd in front of the palace dispatched slowly.
Principal Mao Qiu Yu stepped down the stone stairs and pulled Tang Thirty Six aside and spoke to him.
Mo Yu walked to Chen Chang Sheng with her eyebrows slightly lifted. She wanted to ask him how did he got out of Tong Palace but she saw Luo Luo staring at her like a hungry tiger and smiled bitterly, “Say, princess. You can’t blame me for what happened tonight. I don’t have any ways of altering the process either.”
Suddenly, the cry of a crane was heard in the night sky.
People lifted their heads and saw the white crane fly away stylishly.
It came to Zhou Royal Palace to deliver a letter and see a person.
Since it accomplished these tasks, it was only natural for it to leave.
As he saw the white crane slowly fade into the distance, Chen Chang Sheng felt that he forgot something.
He glanced at the ruined garden in the depth of the palaces and nodded to show his respect.
A line of carriages was driven to Li Palace.
It belonged to the crew of southern ambassadors.
Compared to their joy and liveliness at their arrival, they were now silent and depressed.
Sometimes a cough or two could be heard from the carriage.
Gou Han Shi covered his mouth with a handkerchief and wrinkled his eyebrows. His face was a little pale.
He didn’t want his coughing to disturb other people, especially the elder, Xiao Song Gong, who sitting in the carriage in front of him.
Although he didn’t participate directly in tonight’s competition, he consumed much of his mental power by controlling Qi Jian and Guan Fei Bai’s battles. Even if he used the medicine that the bishop gifted him after he got on the carriage, he would still feet a little sick.
“I never expected this youngster named Chen Chang Sheng to be so outstanding.”
Gou Han Shi extended his arm and lifted the curtain as he glanced at the palace behind him. “Thankfully, he can’t xiuxing or else it would be big trouble.”
The three other disciplines were also in the carriage. After they heard this, their moods changed a little.
Because that youngster named Chen Chang Sheng was the fiance of Xu You Rong.
“Will she actually marry him?’
Guan Fei Bai said with an unhappy face. “The entire south knew how our senior treated Sister Xu, but what was sister thinking? She intentionally sent the white crane to deliver the letter, but did she ever thought about the consequences? How would our senior feel about this?”
“How can we blame Sister Xu?”
Gou Han Shi sighed. He didn’t know who was to be blamed. Plus, it was the decision of the elders of the sect. The disciplines didn’t have the right to judge such a decision.
The carriage was spacious. Gou Han Shi, Guan Fei Bai and the Fifth Rule sat in one row while Qi Jian sat on the other side by himself. The thin youngster’s head was down because he felt pitiful.
Guan Fei Bai looked at him and wrinkled his eyebrows. In a soft tone, he said “I lost to Princess Luo Luo because I was weaker than her. Your defeat to Tang Thirty Six was an accident, don’t think about it too much.”
Qi Jian raised his head. His face was full of shame and sadness.
Gou Han Shi smiled and said, “The Great Trial isn’t too far away. In just a few months you will win back everything you lost tonight.”
The other disciplines agreed calmly because it was something obvious.
Although Mountain Li’s Sword Sect lost to Tradition Academy tonight in Ivy Festival, no one really thought Tradition Academy was stronger than Mountain Li’s Sword Sect.
The loss was due to the rules and unexpected strength of Princess Luo Luo.
On the day of the Great Trial, the Tradition Academy would have no chance of making a comeback.
Because the rules of the Great Trial would be different, because they are the Seven Rules of Heaven, and because Gou Han Shi would participate in the event himself.
Gou Han Shi looked at the streets of the capital through the window and started coughing again. He wrinkled his eyebrows.
This year’s Ivy Festival will be unforgettable for many people. Some won’t forget about this event because of the bitterness, such as some of the southern ambassadors. Head of Family of Qiu Shan won’t forget because he came with joy and left with shame. Xu Shi Ji won’t forget because he got slapped in the face by Chen Chang Sheng with the marriage vow.
Chen Chang Sheng wouldn’t hate what happened tonight. Although he was angry when he was sealed in the ruined garden and he was furious when he was about to die in the Black Dragon Lake, he couldn’t hate anyone or maintain his anger because many events occurred that night.
Chen Chang Sheng was in the carriage of the Herb Garden. Because Jin Yu Lu didn’t want to sit inside, only two young boys and a young girl sat inside the carriage. They sat on the soft cushions and looked at the lamps outside of the window. They didn’t talk for a long time and the silence remained. Only the sound of wheels rolling through the street could be heard. They arrived at a street near River Luo.
Chen Chang Sheng stared outside of the window and suddenly started laughing.
Tang Thirty Six, who was eating grapes when Chen Chang Sheng started laughing, almost spit out the fruit in his mouth. He mockingly said, “You are stupid.”
Luo Luo felt that Tang Thirty Six was disrespectful to her Master and was a little unhappy.
Chen Chang Sheng wasn’t bothered by Tang Thirty Six and continued looking at the sceneries outside. His face was filled with joy.
For some reason, he wasn’t coughing like Gou Han Shi.
Tonight was Qi Xi. It was a romantic time for lovers. As the night got darker, River Luo became less lively. Finally the trees around the river obtained a moment of peace, but the lamp boats floating above the river seemed to be brighter than ever. They were like countless stars and their light shined through the window and brightened up the youngster’s face.
Luo Luo rested her chin on her palm as she stared at Chen Chang Sheng’s face while it was brightened up by the lights on the lamp boats. She thought to herself, “Master looks good tonight.”
After he finished eating the grapes, Tang Thirty Six wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. He stood at Chen Chang Sheng’s side. He glanced out the window and felt bored. The view of the capital during Qi Xi wasn’t as pretty as the scene of Wen Shui in his eyes.
He looked at Chen Chang Sheng’s face and asked, “How do you feel?”
Chen Chang Sheng looked at the surface of the river and was silent for a long time. He thought deeply.
The old temple outside of Xi Ning Village. The old books filled the entire room. That old bamboo dragonfly. That old marriage vow. The insults he received from General’s Mansion. The oppression of Heavenly Academy and other Ivies. The exile to the ruined garden. The forgotten Tradition Academy……..many scenes flew past his eyes and disappeared.
Just like the rays emitted by the lamp boats on River Luo.
The last image appeared.
It was the entrance of Tradition Academy after removing the overgrown ivies. The dark floor of the library, the tree around the lake and the little girl was standing beneath the tree. And friends.
“I’m happy.”
Chen Chang Sheng glanced at Thang Thirty Six and Luo Luo and said, “I’m very happy.”
Although he was not afraid to speak, he didn’t like to talk much. Besides, he didn’t know how to talk in a fancy manner.
If he said he was happy, then he was truly happy.
He was happy to be a student of Tradition Academy. He was happy that Tradition Academy won against Mountain Li’s Sword Sect. He was happy that Xu You Rong couldn’t marry Qiu Shan Jun.
Yes, the marriage vow wasn’t important, but respect was.
Lastly. he was happy to know them.