Blood sedge

Chapter 1202 Brothers are like this
"Big brother?"

As Liu Xunyi carefully avoided the guards' gaze and planned to sneak back to the inner courtyard unnoticed before dawn, a familiar figure by the Ningcui Lake caught his attention, and his furtive footsteps slowed down.

"Big brother, it really is you!"

Upon closer inspection, he recognized the man as his sworn brother, Lin Fangda, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

Lin Fangda's sudden appearance at Danfeng Garden surprised Liu Xunyi, who was overjoyed and rushed forward.

"Looking for clothes?"

Lin Fangda seemed surprised to run into Liu Xunyi here. Seeing him running towards him excitedly, his face lit up with joy, and he was about to give his brother, whom he had been missing for many days, a big bear hug. However, he had only taken half a step when he suddenly felt conflicted. The joy on his face gradually faded, and he silently withdrew the leg he had taken.

"Big brother!"

Overjoyed at the reunion with an old friend, Liu Xunyi failed to notice Lin Fangda's unusual behavior. She rushed up and hugged him, excitedly saying, "Brother, you've finally come! I was in seclusion to recover from my injuries a while ago and was only able to go out recently. I was planning to send someone to the Prince Xian's residence to find you, but I was worried that you might still hold a grudge against me because of the anti-traitor conference, so I didn't dare to disturb you abruptly, lest I anger you, brother."

Liu Xunyi's overflowing joy deeply moved Lin Fangda. Even though his heart was already pounding with excitement, his expression remained calm and composed. He simply smiled politely and replied, "Young Master, you flatter me. How could I dare?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xunyi froze, her brow furrowing as she slowly released Lin Fangda, who had remained motionless throughout. Looking at him with bewildered eyes, she hesitated, "Big brother... what did you just call me?"

“You are the son of the former lord, so naturally you are the young master of the Prince Xian’s mansion.” After saying this, Lin Fang took a half step back and bowed respectfully to Liu Xunyi.

"What are you doing, elder brother?" Liu Xunyi was shocked and quickly supported Lin Fangda, who was about to bow, with both hands, and said urgently, "You are my elder brother, how can I, your younger brother, accept such a great gesture?"

"Even Master Xie treats you with utmost respect these days, so how can I, Lin, possibly be worthy of the title 'Big Brother'?"

"Brother, are you saying this to disown me as your brother?"

“We are brothers, and even more so, master and subject.” Lin Fangda did not back down despite Liu Xunyi’s anger, and continued to state his views in a formal manner, “The Prince Xian’s Mansion has a strict hierarchy and rules, and I, Lin, would never dare to, and absolutely cannot, overstep them!”

"Even so, it's just for show in front of outsiders. Right now, it's just the two of us brothers, why should we, elder brother, bother..."

"Rules are rules, and they should be consistent both outwardly and inwardly, without distinction between inside and outside. Young Master carries the legacy of the late Master and is about to become the new master of the Wise Prince's Mansion. How can he outwardly comply with the rules of his own family while inwardly disobeying them?"

"This..." Lin Fangda spoke in a grand and righteous manner, leaving Liu Xunyi at a loss for words.

Looking at Liu Xunyi, whose eyes were full of anxiety and who was unable to speak, Lin Fangda, who had been speaking righteously, couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He softened his tone and sighed, "Xunyi, it's not that your brother is heartless, nor that I'm being pretentious. It's just that our identities are different now, and we can no longer act like we used to... without any manners."

"Different statuses?" Liu Xunyi asked, puzzled. "Is it because of my status that my elder brother doesn't even dare to acknowledge his brothers?"

"Of course we should acknowledge each other as brothers, but not in the same way as before." Lin Fangdaqiang suppressed his reluctance and stubbornly said, "Not only do I need to change, but you need to change too."

"Change?" Liu Xunyi found Lin Fangda's attitude unacceptable, even feeling that he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but she still patiently asked, "Brother, what do you think should be changed?"

"I believe..." Lin Fangda, who was feeling frustrated, hesitated several times before finally steeling himself and answering, "I believe... that the relationship between ruler and subject comes first, and that between brothers comes second."

"This..." Lin Fang's unexpected remarks startled Liu Xunyi. Overwhelmed with mixed feelings, she also felt unwilling. "Does Big Brother really think so?"

"Officially, you are the young master of the Prince Xian's Mansion. Personally, you are my sworn brother. Whether it's right or wrong, I'm willing to go through fire and water for you, even at the cost of my life." Lin Fangda didn't directly answer Liu Xunyi's question, but first expressed his unwavering respect for him, then changed the subject with a bitter smile, "To be selfish, I, Lin Fangda, have lived all these years and always acted uprightly. Although I haven't accomplished anything great while working diligently in the Prince Xian's Mansion, I've never held back my brothers. Although my martial arts are mediocre, my mind is dull, and I have no great ambitions, I've never hesitated to serve the Prince Xian's Mansion, never asking for reward, and I'm even willing to risk my own life. Therefore, when the former head of the manor promoted me to sect leader, no one else could say anything..."

"Brother, we're brothers who've been through thick and thin together! You don't need to beat around the bush in front of me, just say what you have to say." Liu Xunyi was confused and didn't quite understand, so he couldn't help but ask.

"To put it bluntly... I don't like people talking behind my back, saying that I only stay in the Prince Xian's mansion because of my relationship with you. If that happens, even if I get promoted based on my own abilities in the future, others will say it's because you took special care of me..."

"Nonsense! Who dares to say such a thing?" Liu Xunyi was furious.

"Human hearts are treacherous. Even if you catch a shadow, you can still make a fuss. Besides, the fact that you and I are sworn brothers is not a secret at all. Even if you can shut their mouths, you can't control their hearts."

"Why should you care what others think, elder brother? Why not learn from your younger brother and be ashamed to concern yourself with such idle gossip, so as not to lower yourself to such a state..."

"But I'm not you!" Seeing Liu Xunyi speak of something he cared about so deeply as if it were trivial and insignificant, Lin Fangda couldn't help but show grief and indignation, retorting in a deep voice, "In terms of academic talent and martial arts, I am far inferior to you. In terms of status and position, we are worlds apart. You, being in a higher position, naturally don't see or hear anything that bothers you, but I'm different... Never mind! Let's not talk about what others say, let's just talk about this!" As he spoke, Lin Fangda jabbed his hand hard into his heart, saying each word clearly, "Xunyi, I can turn a blind eye and a deaf ear, not care about other people's opinions, but what about my own thoughts? In the end, I can't even get past my own conscience, do you even understand?"

"This……"

Liu Xunyi silently observed Lin Fangda, who was clearly filled with grief and indignation yet forced a calm demeanor. Gradually, he began to understand Lin Fangda's predicament and the inferiority complex and helplessness hidden deep within him. It turned out that his deliberate distancing wasn't out of arrogance, but out of a strong will. A man who had spent half his life navigating the treacherous world, driven by an inherent sense of pride.

If Lin Fangda had never met Liu Xunyi, or if the two had never become sworn brothers, perhaps he wouldn't have felt so much pressure and burden.

Even if Lin Fangda were Liu Xunyi's sworn brother rather than his sworn brother, perhaps he wouldn't be so conflicted.

But Lin Fangda is Liu Xunyi's "guide", his former "leader", his "senior" to emulate, and his "elder brother" to rely on... So everything is naturally very different.

When Liu Xunyi was promoted to Black Fan, Lin Fangda, as the sect leader, was able to accept it with a sense of brotherhood and the straightforwardness of a martial arts practitioner. This was because even though Black Fan held a higher position, it was essentially no different from the sect leader. Both were disciples of the Prince Xian's Mansion and were under the command of Luo Tianjin.

Now, Liu Xunyi has risen to become a young master on par with Xie Xuan, or even with a higher status, completely transforming from a "disciple" into a "master." This is a fundamental difference, and therefore they cannot be compared.

Such a stark contrast would be difficult for anyone to accept, so it is only natural that Lin Fangda suddenly became cautious and sensitive.

He used to think he was easygoing and wouldn't care about such worldly prejudices, but after being pointed at and criticized for nearly a month, he finally saw reality and realized who he was.

It is worth mentioning that, as sworn brothers, Su He's attitude towards Liu Xunyi was completely different from Lin Fangda's; he was clearly more frank and carefree.

Firstly, Su He and Liu Xunyi were evenly matched from the day they met, with no clear distinction between them.

Secondly, Su He is a top expert who has consistently ranked second on the Dragon Elephant Ranking. He became famous at a young age, and his success is unparalleled. This is a confidence that needs no further explanation, and it is enough for him to stand tall next to anyone without being at a disadvantage.

Even today, in front of the rising star Liu Xunyi, the "Shortest Blade of the Northern Desert" still has the right to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, and will not be questioned in the slightest.

In contrast, Lin Fangda, who was virtually unknown, had nothing remarkable to offer except for the title of the head of the Prince Xian's Mansion.

People with his martial arts skills and methods are as numerous as carp crossing a river in the Central Plains martial arts world today. If he hadn't sworn brotherhood with Liu Xunyi, he probably wouldn't even have had the chance to step into Danfeng Garden.

In this respect, how could Lin Fangda not be aware of it? And if he was aware of it, how could he not feel anything?

Thinking of this, Liu Xunyi suddenly thought of Qin Wei from the past. Although his situation was completely different from Lin Fangda's, the "inferiority" derived from "comparison" and the "competitiveness" twisted from "striving" were exactly the same.

The more Liu Xunyi thought about it, the more alarmed, worried, and afraid he became. He feared that his own dullness and apathy might cause Lin Fangda to develop extreme and treacherous thoughts like Qin Wei, ultimately leading him astray.

Learning from past mistakes is crucial for the future. Having thoroughly understood Lin Fangda's predicament, Liu Xunyi dared not insist on his own opinion any longer and nodded emphatically: "I understand! Brother, you are so certain, you must have thought this through carefully. In that case, I will not force you to do anything more."

Lin Fangda looked at Liu Xunyi, who was in low spirits, with complicated emotions. Although he had gotten the result he wanted, Lin Fangda could not be happy at all. Instead, he felt a sense of sadness and uncertainty.

“However, there is one thing you must promise me, brother!” Liu Xunyi spoke again, interrupting Lin Fangda’s worries. “If you promise me, I will no longer make things difficult for you, brother.”

"You... tell me about it."

"You and I are brothers, brothers for life! Brothers should be loyal to each other, sharing both honor and disgrace. This is not only about loyalty, but also the foundation of our character, and has absolutely nothing to do with our background or status," Liu Xunyi said solemnly. "Therefore, from now on, you will abide by your rules, and I will respect my elder brother. Neither of us will make things difficult for the other. How about it?"

Liu Xunyi's insistence warmed Lin Fangda's heart, but he did not feel smug. Instead, he thought it over carefully before reluctantly replying, "You can respect me, but please don't give me any special treatment."

"I know my elder brother's temper, and I know how to behave."

"As long as you know your limits..."

Looking at Lin Fangda, who was muttering to himself with his head down, Liu Xunyi had another doubt and pondered, "Why does Brother still look so gloomy? Could it be that something is on his mind?"

"This..." Liu Xunyi's words caused Lin Fangda's expression to subtly change, and a hint of panic flashed between his brows.

Seeing this, Liu Xunyi's curiosity grew even stronger: "Big brother, what's going on...?"

"Xunyi, I want to ask you something, it's about you...you..." At this moment, Lin Fangda had lost his composure and calmness from before, and he said "you" several times but never finished.

"What?" Liu Xunyi raised an eyebrow, cautiously probing, "Brother, please ask whatever you want, I will tell you everything I know."

"You..." After pondering for a long time, Lin Fangda's expression changed repeatedly. He hesitated for a long time before slowly speaking under Liu Xunyi's urging gaze, "Have you... seen Seventh Master Murong and Eighth Master Deng recently?"

……