Blood sedge

Chapter 1205: Going with the flow
Silently observing everything unfolding before her, Xunzhen, like Liu Xunyi, focused her remaining doubts on Xie Xuan, thinking to herself, "Su Tang and Luo Qi are merely 'throwing out a brick'; what they truly want to lure is Xie Xuan, this 'jade.' However, was this 'jade' hidden beforehand, or was it something they had no choice but to do? If it's the latter, it's somewhat understandable. But if it's the former... Liu Xunyi's situation is far too perilous."

Although Xunzhen had her doubts, she couldn't interfere as an outsider given the current situation.

When she turned her worried and anxious gaze to Liu Xunyi, she saw Liu Xunyi looking at her with a half-smile. In the instant their eyes met, Liu Xunyi gave her a slight, imperceptible nod.

Seeing this, Xunzhen's undecided heart gradually calmed down.

She knew that Liu Xunyi was equally insightful, and that she didn't need to get involved in this mess for the time being.

"Looking for clothes!"

Just as Liu Xunyi and Xunzhen were exchanging glances, Xie Xuan's voice rang out again: "Su Tang and Luo Qi have committed insubordination. In your opinion, how should they be punished?"

"Punishment?" Liu Xunyi feigned surprise and waved his hands repeatedly. "Second Master Xie is too kind! The two of you, holding fans, have upheld a loyal and righteous heart, and your words are from the bottom of your hearts. If we talk about punishment... I'm afraid it will chill people's hearts."

"That……"

"Actually, I'd also like to hear Master Xie's opinion on the two of them?" Liu Xunyi pretended not to notice, feigning innocence, and seriously questioned Xie Xuan about their abilities. "Leaving aside what just happened, let's just discuss their character, ambition, talent, and virtue."

However, it is generally only when someone is being promoted or given an important position that those in power become interested in these issues.

Therefore, upon hearing Liu Xunyi's question, Su Tang and Luo Qi, who were anxiously waiting in the hall, subconsciously exchanged a glance, their brows revealing a secret smugness of a successful conspiracy.

"This..." Seeing Liu Xunyi fall into Su Tang and Luo Qi's trap so easily, Xie Xuan, caught off guard, became somewhat hesitant. Judging from his troubled expression, it was as if Liu Xunyi had thrown him an enormous problem.

Gradually, Xie Xuan turned his deep gaze to Su and Luo, lingering on them for a long time, as if scrutinizing, appraising, and pondering... After a moment of contemplation, he reluctantly spoke slowly: "They have served in the Prince Xian's mansion for many years, and while we may not be inseparable, we are quite familiar with each other. These two are indeed loyal, resolute, and capable, and their virtue... well, they are not vulgar."

Although Xie Xuan's tone was calm and even slightly derogatory, his words were a genuine affirmation of Su Tang and Luo Qi.

Liu Xunyi raised her eyelids slightly and tentatively asked, "So, Second Master Xie greatly admires them?"

"For the past month, I've been busy purging the Prince Xian's Mansion." Xie Xuan didn't answer Liu Xunyi's question, but instead abruptly changed the subject, starting to mention some seemingly unrelated matters. "As you know, Qingfeng and Ling Xiaoxiao held power in the mansion for a long time, and everything inside and outside was very different from when the Prince Xian was alive. Especially the people; their origins are unclear, and it's hard to tell who is loyal and who is treacherous. Although the Prince Xian's Mansion has returned to normal after Qingfeng's death, it's hard to guarantee that there aren't any disloyal disciples left in the mansion, or even that Ling Xiaoxiao has secretly planted spies. Therefore, I must adopt the attitude of 'better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free' and investigate them one by one to thoroughly purge the mansion, so that when I hand over the Prince Xian's Mansion to you, it will be clean and pure."

"Second Master Xie is truly virtuous and considerate of me in every way. I am deeply grateful." Liu Xunyi did not show the slightest dissatisfaction because Xie Xuan changed the subject. Instead, she readily agreed, "But I wonder how Second Master Xie's investigation is going?"

"Quite effective! We killed some, punished others, and expelled still others!" Xie Xuanyun said with a nonchalant smile.

What was clearly a bloody and terrifying conflict where everyone was on edge was described by Xie Xuan as a trivial matter. In just a few words, how many people lost their jobs and how many lost their lives?

At this point, Xie Xuan suddenly turned his gaze to the uneasy Su Tang and Luo Qi, and continued, "Actually, I am just lending my name to this purge, just to get started. The real work is done by the two of them."

At this point, Xie Xuan finally got back to the main topic and began to answer Liu Xunyi's question by referring to the two of them's recent achievements.

"During this period, I have been running back and forth between Danfeng Garden and Prince Xian's Mansion. Inevitably, there were times when I was exhausted and could not attend to everything. Fortunately, the two gentlemen were willing to share the burden, working tirelessly day and night, and were able to find out all the suspicious people in the mansion. They not only dug out the potential cancer, but also preserved the dignity of Prince Xian's Mansion. The matter was handled quite well... quite well."

"This matter was entirely due to Second Master's leadership; we dare not take credit!" Su Tang and Luo Qi quickly bowed and declined.

"Xunyi, they have been with the Prince for many years, always loyal and hardworking. Although they made mistakes in the past, they were misled and had their reasons. To be fair, they were indeed muddle-headed and blind, but they cannot be considered traitors or faithless," Xie Xuan said calmly. "After all, I have great faith in the Prince's ability to recognize and employ talent. They were mentored and cultivated by your father in the past, and now they have experienced many twists and turns, which has been a transformative experience. More importantly, they are very familiar with the Prince's mansion, inside and out, and each has their own strengths. They have also managed the Upper Three Gates and the Middle Two Gates very well. In my opinion, they can serve as your right-hand men, helping you to handle the affairs of the mansion properly internally and helping you to make your mark in the Central Plains martial arts world externally."

At this point, Xie Xuan glanced deeply at Liu Xunyi, who seemed lost in thought, and said, "Of course, there's an old saying, 'A new emperor, a new court.' Whether to use Su Tang and Luo Qi or not is ultimately your decision."

Xie Xuan's words were both sincere and shrewd, but Liu Xunyi was still unsure whether they were a favor or a threat.

If Xie Xuan's decision to give Su Tang and Luo Qi important positions to Liu Xunyi was made out of goodwill, it was to help him win people's hearts and minds, and could definitely be considered as doing his best.

However, if Xie Xuan was acting out of malice, he was using this opportunity to promote his own people to higher positions. He knew that Liu Xunyi would not refuse to give him face, nor would he abandon the person he was supporting. Therefore, he was using this as an excuse to completely sideline him in the future.

Whether it was good or evil, Xie Xuan genuinely recommended Su Tang and Luo Qi, which is an indisputable fact.

Even though Xie Xuan was completely unaware of their scheme beforehand, he now saw through it all. However, instead of turning the tide and arresting Su and Luo on the spot, he went with the flow and granted their wishes. This is an undeniable fact.

Human nature is always complex. Liu Xunyi is no longer the naive young man he once was. Now, he can see Xie Xuan's sincerity towards him, but he can also see the "reservations" hidden beneath that sincerity. In Liu Xunyi's eyes, Xie Xuan's actions today are largely a mixture of public and private matters, encompassing both.

But he prefers to believe that Xie Xuan prioritized public interest over private interest.

After all, his tireless efforts and worries for the future of the Prince Xian's Mansion are evident to all, and Liu Xunyi cannot deny it.

After all, everyone knew that he had endured humiliation and served the traitor for Luo Tianjin's dying wish, and Liu Xunyi could not deny it.

Currently, Xie Xuan is only prioritizing one over the other between the Prince Xian's residence and Liu Xunyi, which is in line with his status. After all, he values ​​Liu Xunyi because of the Prince Xian's residence, not the other way around.

In Xie Xuan's mind, the question of which was more important was never a choice.

"Since Second Master Xie speaks so highly of Su Zhishan and Luo Zhishan, how could I dare to harbor any prejudice? I will certainly take them as my teachers in the future and learn from them diligently to make up for my own shortcomings." Liu Xunyi had no intention of competing with Xie Xuan in this setting. Since he already knew that Xie Xuan intended to protect Su and Luo, he simply said what he wanted to hear.

As for what will happen in the future, that's another matter.

He learned this hypocrisy from Xunzhen. Although it was somewhat unethical, it was still an effective delaying tactic.

"There's no need to treat them as teachers. You just need to know how to recognize and utilize people effectively. Remember! The more they do, the easier it will be for you," Xie Xuan instructed earnestly. "Xunyi, being a ruler is completely different from being a subject. Most of the time, you don't need to personally intervene, handle many things yourself, or even concern yourself with the details, much less delve into the root causes. As a ruler, you only need to do three things well: First, strategize and have a comprehensive view of the situation. Second, make good use of resources and give full play to everyone's talents. Third, reward and punish appropriately, combining kindness and severity."

"Second Master Xie's words have enlightened me greatly, I have learned a lot!" Liu Xunyi bowed to Xie Xuan.

"You're still young, take your time with many things, no need to rush!" Xie Xuan was very satisfied with Liu Xunyi's humble attitude, reached out and gently patted his shoulder, comforting him, "Don't worry! With us old folks helping you, I believe you'll be able to take on the responsibility on your own in a few years and become the true second Northern Wise King."

"Hmph!" Xiao Zhirou, who had been observing from the sidelines, couldn't help but let out a cold snort and said unhappily, "Liu Xunyi is Liu Xunyi, unparalleled in this world, one of a kind. Why should he follow in others' footsteps and try to become a second Prince Beixian?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Xuan was not angry. Instead, he smiled and apologized, saying, "Valley Master Xiao is absolutely right! Liu Xunyi is unparalleled in this world. I misspoke just now."

After speaking, Xie Xuan's expression turned serious, and he turned his cold gaze to the bewildered Su Tang and Luo Qi, asking in a deep voice, "Did you two hear what I just said clearly?"

“I…I understand,” Su Tang and Luo Qi replied hastily.

"Did you understand?"

"clear."

"Do you two still have any objections to the young master taking over the Xianwang Mansion?"

"No...no more."

"If you don't have it, what are you standing there for?"

"Yes……"

Under Xie Xuan's imposing gaze, Su Tang and Luo Qi quickly bowed to Liu Xunyi before reluctantly returning to their seats.

Xie Xuan narrowed his eyes, surveying his surroundings. Seeing that no one in the Prince Xian's residence dared to meet his gaze, he said quietly, "In my opinion, the ceremony for holding the seal should be held sooner rather than later..."

"Wait!" Before Xie Xuan could finish speaking, Liu Xunyi suddenly raised her hand to interrupt, "Shouldn't we wait until everyone is here before discussing such an important matter?"

"Everyone's here?" Xie Xuan was taken aback, seemingly not understanding Liu Xunyi's meaning, and hesitated, "Could it be... that you intend to invite Saint Master Yun as well?"

“Of course not!” Liu Xunyi explained, “Since it concerns the Prince Xian’s residence, we should naturally wait for the people from the Prince Xian’s residence.”

"People from the Prince Xian's residence? You mean..."

"There aren't many elders in the Prince Xian's Mansion to begin with, and the 'pillars of stability' are even fewer." Liu Xunyi glanced at the unsettled Lin Fangda, then smiled meaningfully, "What's wrong with Second Master Xie? Who else could be absent today? Naturally, it's Seventh Master Murong and Eighth Master Deng!"

……