Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 763: Overt and covert attacks
“When Pei Ye was in Bowang, he respected and admired Master Ming the most.” Li Piaoqing smiled. “At that time, Master Ming arranged for him to read ‘An Introduction to Swordsmanship of the Six Dynasties’. When Master Ming was about to return, he had not finished reading it yet, and he seemed very anxious every day.”

"Is that so? I've had no chance to see you then." Li Xizhou slowly sipped his wine, then suddenly said, "Was Sect Leader Li very magnanimous back then?"

"Well, I don't really care," Li Piaoqing said. "I'm not very ambitious. As long as people have me in their hearts, I'm quite content."

"Oh." Li Xizhou nodded and smiled. "Is it still like this now?"

Pei Ye couldn't bring his chopsticks to the ground. He didn't know if it was the chef's fault or if he had suddenly lost his tongue. All the dishes on the table had no taste.

Li Piaoqing looked directly at her with a smile and nodded clearly.

Li Xizhou lowered his eyes, refilled the wine for the two of them—Pei Ye's glass hadn't been touched—and then raised his glass to gently clink with the girl's.

"I've heard that the kingfishers on Mount Yilan are strange and beautiful. Are there really species that can fight eagles and falcons?"

“The kingfisher and the cicada are both the souls of Jade Jade, and Jade Jade’s sword grew from them. The bird Your Highness mentioned is called ‘Yellow Kingfisher,’ the most mysterious and rarest kind of kingfisher in the mountains,” Li Piaoqing replied. “Apart from seeing it once ten years ago, no one has seen it in the last ten years. But it’s quite a coincidence that when I was traveling to the capital, I suddenly saw one again outside the window. It was a brilliant golden color and flew extremely fast.”

"Hearing about it is so enticing, it's a pity I have no chance to see it," Li Xizhou said. "Could you send one to me? A common kind would be fine too."

“Jade kingfishers are never sold, but giving them as gifts to friends is an ancient tradition. After returning, Piaoqing wrote a letter and asked the sect to send one to Shenjing.”

"Since this is our first meeting, we can't necessarily call ourselves friends. Sect Leader Li, be careful not to be accused of flattery," Li Xizhou said with a smile.

Li Piaoqing also laughed: "That's alright. Pei Ye and I are friends, so let's just consider it a gift for him. It's no different from giving it to His Highness."

"Indeed, they are exactly the same. Then I'll take advantage of Young Hero Pei Ye's fame."

Pei Ye opened her mouth, thinking that they weren't close enough to share assets yet, but in the end she lowered her head and remained silent.

"If you're full, go downstairs for some fresh air," Li Xizhou glanced at the silent puppet. "Let's talk amongst ourselves."

Pei Ye raised his head. At first, he felt relieved, but then his heart jumped again. Looking at the two faces in front of him, one smiling and the other with a calm expression, he found it hard to leave them alone here.

"What are you looking at? You're sitting here without saying a word—do your clothes still fit?"

"...It fits perfectly."

"Then let's go down." Li Xizhou looked at him.

Pei Ye turned to look at Li Piaoqing, who was eating a small melon. She smiled and whispered, "Why are you looking at me? I was just about to tell His Highness about things in the west. If you don't want to hear it, you can go down and wait for me."

Pei Ye paused for a moment, then said, "I'll leave the kitten here."

He tugged at his shoulder twice, but the black cat clung tightly to his clothes and wouldn't get off.

"..."

Pei Ye slowly stood up: "Then, then you two can continue your conversation."

"Ah."

"understood."

Neither of them looked at him.

Pei Ye turned around and dragged her stiff steps down the stairs, glancing back one last time. The two of them were quietly eating their food.

So he descended the stairs, disappearing into the distance.

Li Xizhou shook the wine pot; it was empty. He said calmly, "Sect Leader Li, why did you ask him to go down and wait for you? Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Li Piaoqing slightly opened her eyes: "Has Your Highness set a time for him to return to the palace each day, either at 7 PM or 9 PM? I will escort him back on time."

Li Xizhou smiled: "I really like you."

Li Piaoqing blushed and said, "I am flattered."

Li Xizhou took a couple more bites, then stood up and said, "Let's talk on the terrace."

She wrapped her robe tighter around herself and walked onto the stage, with Li Piaoqing following behind.

"Brew a pot of tea; we won't drink any more wine," Li Xizhou instructed the maid.

Li Piaoqing said, "Let me brew a pot of tea for Your Highness."

"Oh?"

"Although I didn't bring the kingfisher this time, Piaoqing has brought another jade delicacy for Your Highness." Li Piaoqing took out a small brocade pouch, bowed, and said, "Would you mind if I warm some for Your Highness to drink?"

Li Xizhou sized her up for a moment: "Then I'll trouble you, Sect Leader Li."

Li Piaoqing took the tea set and small stove brought by the lady, and the two of them placed them on the table to start brewing without sitting down.

Li Xizhou placed his hand on the railing. The sky then turned a bluish-gray, with the red at the edges like dying embers.

The wind ruffled the hair of the eldest daughter of the empire as she said, "When I talk to people I trust, I always ask them what they want to do first, because those who walk different paths cannot make plans together, especially in the long run. Li Piaoqing, what are your ideals?"

"I am the head of Jade Jade Mountain, and I live within my identity, Your Highness."

"You wish for Jade Mountain to enjoy lasting peace, prosperity and flourishing."

"Yes, Your Highness."

“Then there are some things in the future that will stop you,” Li Xizhou said. “I think there are four things that might happen that you can’t stop.”

Li Piaoqing said, "Sects are fighting amongst themselves, powerful families are dividing up the land, the Northern Wilderness is moving south, and the Celestial Court is descending upon the world."

Li Xizhou turned his head to look at her: "You really surprise me."

What did Your Highness regard me as before?

"Three parts looks, one part skill, and six parts luck," Li Xizhou said bluntly. "When I heard you were coming to Shenjing, I thought you were going to put on a tragic love story."

"That's why His Highness warned me in the very first letter."

"Was that a warning?" Li Xizhou smiled. "I think my wording was very mild."

"Your Highness is very polite, but one's talent cannot be hidden." Li Piaoqing lowered his head to prepare the teacup and smiled. "No one wants to be suddenly and inexplicably singled out."

Li Xizhou squinted at her, and Li Piaoqing looked up and looked back.

“I just didn’t want to run into a fool at this critical juncture.” Li Xizhou turned back, gazing down at the silken surface of the lake under the night sky, and remained silent for a while. “If I had known you like this earlier, I wouldn’t have minded.”

"...Don't mind anything?"

Li Xizhou smiled: "What do you want me to not mind?"

"..." Li Piaoqing choked.

“I couldn’t hide it anymore, I’ve fallen for you.” Li Xizhou looked at her. “It’s only been a few days, but you’re more deeply in love than I imagined.”

Li Piaoqing turned her head and said softly, "Sometimes people cannot suppress their emotions, Your Highness is too kind."

After a moment of silence on the terrace, Li Piaoqing poured the brewed tea into a teacup and offered it to the woman on the chair: "Please, Your Highness, try it."

Li Xizhou took it, put it to his lips and took a sip: "It's alright, sweet and refreshing, with a hint of mint. It's a flavor I've never had before."

“This is Yufei’s medicinal tea, it’s good for clearing the throat and soothing the voice, it’s called ‘Little Leaf Velvet’. Your Highness, would you like to buy some for your palace to drink every year?” Li Piaoqing said. “It’s very cheap.” “…But the taste is thin, it has neither an initial note nor a lingering fragrance, it’s easy to get tired of it, I don’t like it.” Li Xizhou casually put it down.

Li Piaoqing said, "Even so, Your Highness, please drink this pot as well."

Li Xizhou couldn't help but smile: "Pei Ye has three parts laziness, one and a half of which he learned from you."

"...Actually, it was through his influence that I learned to be like him."

Li Xizhou lowered his eyes: "He insisted on sitting here just now, mostly because he was afraid I would bully you. Didn't you notice?"

Li Piaoqing smiled.

Li Xizhou squinted: "I'm starting to dislike you again. How do you manage to be so sweet? Any less and it'll be bland, any more and it'll be cloying."

Li Piaoqing still smiled: "Your Highness has a prejudice against me. I'm just naturally like this. I'm lively in front of people I'm close to."

"You two haven't been close for a long time."

Li Piaoqing's smile froze, and she pursed her lips, saying, "Perhaps, this is how people are when they are seventeen or eighteen years old."

"..."

"..."

Li Xizhou lazily looked out the railing.

After a while, she said, "Regarding the immediate matters, you can handle the eight rivers and eighteen forts yourself. You can befriend whomever you want and negotiate any cooperation as you see fit. Finally, return the eight rivers of Xianrentai to Qingming. This place, which is protected by the capital, cannot be left to private individuals in the martial arts world. As for the matters further away, I would like to discuss the above four things with you."

"Thank you, Your Highness. Piaoqing is all ears."

"The only sects in Longdi that can threaten Yufei are Tianshan and Kongtong. If it's convenient for you to be on good terms with these two, I won't say more. You said you wanted to obtain the qualification of alliance leader from Xianrentai, and I agree to that. I'll write you a note later, and you can take it to Zhang Siche, the Vice Minister of Xianrentai," Li Xizhou said. "From now on, the alliance between Northern Shaolong and Yufei is approved by the court and Xianrentai. If anything happens, you can seek support from the capital."

Li Piaoqing didn't speak, but quietly looked at her.

“I only have one request,” Li Xizhou said. “I don’t care about the affairs of the martial world, but if Yu Fei becomes the dominant force in Beilong one day, he must take on the responsibility of protecting the land and its people. You just mentioned the southward migration of the barbarians. I won’t solve this for you; you have to solve it for me.”

Li Xizhou looked at her.

Li Piaoqing was taken aback. It was a very simple and clear request, but upon closer examination, the implications were alarming: "Your Highness, protecting the borders and ensuring the safety of the people is a righteous duty. However, Your Highness mentioned resisting the Northern Wilderness... How could any martial arts sect have the manpower and resources for such a task?"

"So, who in Longdi do you think has the manpower and resources to do this?"

"If we must name a sect, then it is Tianshan; if we don't name a sect... then it is the Li family, one of the five great families in the world."

“That’s right, the Li family,” Li Xizhou said.

"..."

"Sect Leader Li is aware of the situation in Longdi. On one side of the martial arts world, Tianshan Kongtong is the leader; on the other side of the imperial court, there is the government office Xianrentai. But if one day the barbarians invade the south, if Longdi is to propose a force that can resist them, only the Li family can do so," Li Xizhou said. "Only the Li family's branches are deeply rooted in this vast land, and their influence is felt in all industries. They can unite Longdi into a cohesive force. As long as the Li family is not destroyed, the barbarians will not be able to occupy Longdi."

"This structure has lasted for hundreds of years. Sects cannot infiltrate the Tang Dynasty, and aristocratic families cannot climb the ranks. The court governs the local areas without wielding power, only handling affairs. Everyone has their own place, and everyone is satisfied. Therefore, to attack an aristocratic family is like destroying a country. This is the strength of the Tang Dynasty's bloodline," Li Xizhou said.

Li Piaoqing nodded.

“But what if the Li family loses this control? What if the Li family disappears?” Li Xizhou asked.

Li Piaoqing was stunned. Then her eyes slowly widened.

She had heard that this prince stood on the side of the new faction, which was to eliminate the old and squeeze the tentacles of the aristocratic families... But weakening the aristocratic families was a banner that the Tang Dynasty had raised since its founding, and it was just a cycle that kept repeating itself. How could it be... "How could the Li family disappear?" She stared blankly at this prince.

"The world is ever-changing, and even the ocean can turn into mulberry fields. The Tang Dynasty only lasted for a few hundred years, so what can be said for sure?"

"...There must be a reason."

Li Xizhou paused for a moment: "The collapse of a structure can only be caused by two things: either the inherent internal conflict has come to a conclusion, or a new force has been introduced."

"...Which one is Your Highness referring to?"

"The Celestial Court is about to descend upon the world. I believe the Li family has already begun to take the initiative. Has Sect Leader Li sensed this?"

Li Piaoqing did not answer. She looked at the prince and asked, "Then, is there no internal reason?"

"Sect Leader Li is joking. The bloodline of the Lin family is the foundation of the Tang Dynasty. The aristocratic families are one with the Tang Dynasty. How could they be destroyed from within? Unless the Tang Dynasty itself is about to perish."

Li Xizhou spoke casually, as if answering a trivial question, but Li Piaoqing looked at the stunningly beautiful woman in the night. This was fifteen days before the Lin Blood Test, and it was the first time she had met her. Suddenly, she felt inexplicably that the woman was about to do something earth-shattering.

This premonition was like an illusion, fleeting and ephemeral. Li Piaoqing also placed her hand on the railing: "So, the descent of the Celestial Court, the demise of aristocratic families... what does Your Highness mean by this?"

Li Xizhou looked at her and said, "You can take my place."

"..."

“Compared to aristocratic families, I actually prefer to see sects control local areas,” Li Xizhou said. “Aristocratic families are like tumors growing out of the Tang Dynasty. They are powerful, but they are all drawing blood and flesh from the Tang Dynasty. Sects are like trees rooted in the land of the Tang Dynasty. They bloom and bear fruit on their own.”

"I would like to see sects and the Tang Dynasty become more closely intertwined. Of course, there are many problems, but it's better than the unshakeable aristocratic families."

Li Piaoqing was stunned: "What merit do I have?"

Even in her wildest fantasies, the girl never imagined that Yu Fei could replace the Li family of Longdi. She lived under the protection of the Tianshan Mountains, running her own business, and Shaolong had become a vast and prosperous place.

Even if the world is about to change, how could she possibly seize this position?

“Nothing is predetermined. At least for now, you’re in a very suitable position, and the Li family is likely to be interested in you,” Li Xizhou said. “Who can say what will happen in the future? Let’s talk this over first and see how things unfold.”

"How is it?" Li Xizhou asked.

Li Piaoqing was silent for a moment: "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I will keep it in mind. The Li family in Longdi has been trying to make contact with Yu Fei in recent months. I cannot promise Your Highness anything. As Your Highness said, let's wait and see."

“Hmm.” Li Xizhou nodded. “This is what you mentioned about the division of power among aristocratic families and the southward expansion of the Northern Wilderness. As for the descent of the Heavenly Mountain and the Celestial Court, that is also a matter. We will cooperate with the Heavenly Mountain on this matter. You will decide your own position in it and hope you will cooperate as much as possible.”

"Ah."

“That’s all.” Li Xizhou turned around and leaned against the railing. “I’m not really that interested in jade. I would have handled the Li family’s affairs even without you. Today was mainly to see you.”

She watched the girl tidying up the tea set at the table.

"I also wanted to see Your Highness." Li Piaoqing didn't look up, her hand jingling softly.

Li Xizhou asked, "Is the night view of Shenjing any different from that of Longdi?"

"The lights of the capital city are like brocade, and when you look up, your eyes are invaded. The night is not so clear and enveloping. When looking at a clear night in Shaolong, sometimes you will suddenly not know where you are, and you are easily afraid of falling."

"These are the words of someone who has attained samadhi."

"Your Highness also had this experience in the capital?"

"Yes, I have something to ask Sect Leader Li."

"Your Highness, please speak."

"What do you think his feelings are for Ming Qitian?" Li Xizhou crossed his legs.

(End of this chapter)