Facing Fang Henian’s logic, Chu Zhenshan’s brow furrowed slightly.
Although he looked down on the City Lord before him, he was wary of the Immortal Dynasty standing behind the man should they decide to involve themselves personally.
Just as the Elder found himself at a loss for words, an arrogant male voice rang out from behind him:
“The City Lord is mistaken!”
Following the sound, the one who appeared was none other than Chu Linfeng.
After saying goodbye to Chu Yunlan that afternoon, Chu Linfeng had gone straight to inform the Elder about the mine.
Now, facing Fang Henian’s difficult behavior, he brought out the explanation he had already prepared:
“The City Lord is mistaken. Just as you said, the mines in the vicinity of Xuanji City follow the rule that ‘whoever discovers it has priority mining rights.'”
“And this mountain range was clearly discovered this morning by my worthy younger brother, Chu Yuan. Unfortunately, he had matters to attend to, so he sent me to report the news to the Elder. According to the sequence of events, it was my Chu Clan who discovered it first!”
‘Chu Yuan?’
Fang Henian was stunned.
‘That brat told His Highness about the mine, and then he let the Chu Clan Elders know as well?’
‘Is that boy trying to… play both sides?’
His eyes widened.
That boy looked so honest and simple; how did he have the nerve to play such a game?
Was he trying to eat from both the Chu Clan and the Immortal Dynasty?
In an instant, Fang Henian’s face turned pale and then green.
Damnable!
Simply too damnable!
Fang Henian really wanted to say outright that the boy, Chu Yuan, had already sold the information to the Immortal Dynasty.
However, upon careful thought, Chu Yuan was a disciple of a branch of the Chu Clan.
Once he told the truth, it would prove that the Chu Clan had discovered the mountain range first, and he would lose his justification.
After thinking it over, Fang Henian could only say, “Words are not proof! We have occupied this mountain for half a day already. Your Chu Clan is just spouting nonsense here without any actual evidence. I could also say that this mountain has belonged to our Immortal Dynasty since its founding! That includes Xuanji City!”
There was a hint of threat in his words.
One had to know that the Immortal Dynasty had been eyeing the operations of Xuanji City for many years.
It was only because the ancestors had granted it as a fief, coupled with the Taixu Sacred Realm background behind the Chu Clan’s branches, that the Immortal Dynasty had not taken action.
The land outside Xuanji City was precisely a gray area. If you said it was the Chu Clan’s fief, it technically was; if you said it wasn’t, theoretically, it wasn’t either.
Therefore, both sides had defaulted to the “first come, first served” unspoken rule to avoid bickering.
However, this place was essentially under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Dynasty. If the Chu Clan insisted on this path, the City Lord wouldn’t mind reporting it to the imperial court, which would accelerate the rift between the two parties.
When that happened, life for the Chu Clan’s branches in Xuanji City would not be pleasant.
Faced with the threat, Chu Linfeng did not get angry. He said directly, “The evidence naturally exists! Lord City Lord has been waiting here for half a day without entering. Aren’t you just being blocked by my worthy younger brother Chu Yuan’s formation?”
The Chu Clan had actually been crouching nearby for a while, so they had naturally seen how the City Lord and his men were being played with by the formation.
Fang Henian was speechless, suddenly not knowing what to do.
While the two sides were bickering, a dark shadow flickered and disappeared from the shadows of an old tree in the distance.
The shadow moved swiftly, eventually arriving at a pavilion on a nearby mountain range.
Inside the pavilion, a man and a woman sat overlooking the beautiful scenery of the setting sun.
A newly replaced stick of Ambergris was burning in the incense burner, filling the air with an elegant fragrance.
Gu Qingwan’s eyes were vacant, her mind filled with the image of Chu Yuan entering the tea house earlier that day.
Thinking that he was currently chatting with the Crown Prince, who was above ten thousand people, she suddenly realized:
‘Am I really going to lose Ah Yuan?’
Especially when she thought of the indifferent look on Chu Yuan’s face when he saw her with Chu Yunlan, it seemed as if he didn’t care at all.
It was as if her leaving would actually make him happy and relaxed.
There would be no one to bother him, no one to bring him Osmanthus Cake, no one to remind him to put on more clothes…
He would be alone, able to do whatever he wanted! How free would that be?
‘Or was he just acting? To put my mind at ease?’
‘But if… he really doesn’t care?’
Gu Qingwan’s heart suddenly twitched.
‘What if his feelings for me were never what I thought they were?’
Gu Qingwan’s eyes began to feel a bit sore.
From childhood to adulthood, she had always been the one chasing after him.
Giving him food, making him clothes, giving him… everything she could give.
He had never actively asked for anything, and he had never said he liked her.
It was just that if she gave, he would accept; if she came, he would be there.
That was all.
‘Then… then what exactly am I to him?’
A childhood friend? A sister? Or… just a trouble that he happened to shake off today?
Gu Qingwan’s eyes turned red again.
‘If I tell him the truth now, is it still too late?’
Gu Qingwan bit her lip, trying desperately to hold back her tears, but in her heart, she was already anxious to the point of crying.
“…Fairy Gu?”
Chu Yunlan’s voice rang out again.
Gu Qingwan returned to her senses, hurriedly turned her face away, and wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.
Taking a deep breath, she turned back and forced a smile. “It’s nothing, just… some sand got in my eyes.”
Chu Yunlan was taken mainland.
‘There is a formation set up in this pavilion, so where would sand come from?’
With that thought, he didn’t expose her. He simply smiled warmly, picked up a teacup, and handed it to her. “Come! Have some tea and moisten your throat.”
Gu Qingwan took it, whispered her thanks, and lowered her head to drink the tea.
Looking at her, Chu Yunlan found it somewhat interesting but did not offer much more comfort.
This woman was merely one of many pawns in his layout for the Medicine King Valley.
If she couldn’t pass the trial, she would just be another dead person.
There was no need for him to get too deeply involved with such a dead person beforehand.
Of course, Chu Yunlan would not leave out the necessary assistance.
If she took charge of Medicine King Valley in the future, he would be her benefactor.
This favor would be enough for him to do many things within the sphere of influence of the Medicine King Valley.
This was all contingent on her successfully passing the Medicine King Valley trial.
As for who she liked or whether she was sad, what did that have to do with him?
Chu Yunlan set down his teacup. The smile on his lips remained gentle, but his eyes were filled with calm indifference.
Gu Qingwan held the teacup, losing herself while staring at the setting sun.
Thinking about the person who likely didn’t care about her at all, her heart felt as if it were blocked by something, feeling stifled and panicked.
Chu Yunlan, meanwhile, closed his eyes to rest, waiting for further reports from his subordinates.
“Young Master.”
Soon after, a scout crouched behind him. His voice was very low, yet it couldn’t hide his excitement. “The Chu Clan Elder has already clashed with Fang Henian. The two sides are arguing fiercely and are about to come to blows.”
Chu Yunlan’s smile deepened. “Continue to watch them.”
“Yes.”
Chu Yunlan tapped his finger lightly on his knee.
The Chu Clan and the City Lord had already started fighting.
Next, he just had to wait for Her Highness the Crown Prince to escort that waste over.
At that time, no matter how that waste tried to explain himself, the crime of playing both sides would be solidified.
A treacherous thing who bit the hand that fed him would ultimately be abandoned by both sides.
Then, he would step in to mediate, which would be the perfect time to gain favor with the Crown Prince.
‘The Crown Prince of the Immortal Dynasty wants the mine. If I help settle the Chu Clan’s resistance, she’ll have to remember this favor, right?’
Thinking of this, that cold and stunning face involuntarily appeared in Chu Yunlan’s mind.
That exquisite figure made him lick his lips.
Perhaps, through this interaction, the two of them could even have a more “in-depth” exchange.
Right!
Chu Yunlan suddenly remembered something.
That waste was still in the tea house with the Crown Prince.
The two of them alone… it had been several hours since the afternoon.
What were they doing?
Chu Yunlan’s brow furrowed slightly.
He picked up his Transmission Token:
‘What is the situation at the tea house?’
The Transmission Token was silent for a moment.
Then, a voice rang out, carrying a bit of strange hesitation:
‘Uh… Young Master, you should see for yourself!’