Protect Our Clan Leader

Without waiting for Wang Shouzhe’s objection, Chen Fangjie praised, “Good! The flute’s melody is bright, clear, and full of vitality, yet reveals a deep history. It conveys a sense of distant depth, yet does not lose its high spirits. It fits perfectly with our ongoing tea tasting and lotus listening session.”

Let it go, just let her play the flute, Wang Shouzhe relented. After all, she was preparing to play the flute in a traditionally formal manner.

“Then allow me to show my humble skills.” Following that, “Zhong Luoxian,” with her beautiful eyes as tranquil as water, held up her jade flute, her rosy lips slightly open, her jade fingers moving melodically and started to play.

The scene was exquisite and captivating.

And then…

There was no ‘then’.

The flute play was so terrible that even a layman like Wang Shouzhe was left feeling frustrated and wishing he could plunge himself right off the second floor into the lotus pond beneath.

As for Chen Fangjie, he closed his eyes tightly, his face turning rigid and pale, swaying on the verge of explosive anger, not falling only because his self-control held out.

This was indeed a straightforward display of humiliation.

As the music ceased, Wang Shouzhe gulped down a few mouthfuls of Spiritual Tea Red Mistress to calm his agitated heart and couldn’t help but curiously ask, “Luoxian, where did you find the courage and confidence to dare to play the flute in front of me?”

“Eh? Young Master Liu and Young Master Zhao have both complimented my flute playing.” “Zhong Luoxian,” said with a baffled face, “Am I still not up to the mark?”

Not up to the mark?

Luoxian, you are being too humble; you didn’t get anything right.

Wang Shouzhe suppressed the impulse to splash her face with Red Mistress. Liu Yongzhou and Zhao Dingteng, they sure are blind.

“Well… Luoxian, when it comes to playing the flute, the four main elements: breath, finger technique, lip movement, and tongue flexibility are important. Simply put, you must learn to control the fluctuation of your breath, your dexterous finger movement, lip flexibility, and the agility of your tongue.” Chen Fangjie gave his advice with an extremely pale face, “Each clement requires repeated practice over a long time.”

Wang Shouzhe’s face twitched uncontrollably. He clearly understood that Chen Fangjie was explaining the principles of playing the flute, but he couldn’t suppress his urge to kick him right into the lotus pond.

Good thing at the same time.

A young man’s voice echoed from the distant walkway in front of them, “Is Miss Luoxian present? Yongzhou is here to visit as promised.”

This man appeared to be in his twenties, looking lively enough although he was dressed simply. His reddened eyes couldn’t hide his deep sorrow. This person was none other than Liu Yongzhou, one of the elites of the younger generation of the Liu Clan.

Inside the Lotus Pavilion on the second floor.

Chen Fangjie, drinking Spiritual Tea Red Mistress, commented, “I’ve heard that this Liu Yongzhou is quite the character. Capable and talented, it’s a pity he isn’t the legitimate son of his clan and is unlikely to tread the path of the ‘Spirit Platform Realm’. Considering his recent loss, wouldn’t it be cruel to take advantage of him now, Shouzhe?”

“Brother Chen, you indeed have a noble spirit, but I, Wang Shouzhe, am not a treacherous villain.” Wang Shouzhe answered calmly as he refreshed their tea cups, “When Wang Mei chose her target, she made sure to investigate and select them carefully. This Liu Yongzhou isn’t a good man. His fleet often preys on selected targets while operating on the river, such as weaker cargo ships and merchant vessels that were left alone…”

“You mean… river bandits?” Chen Fangjie’s expression instantly turned serious and angered, “A scion of a prominent family, capable of such ruthless and insane behavior? My Chen Clan of Donggang, essentially relying on water transport, naturally abhors river bandits and pirates.”

“Well, it’s not that he’s insane, it’s just that he’s part of a family like the Liu Clan, which rose to power by betraying others.” Wang Shouzhe said indifferently, “This family has always been obsessed with their interests and doesn’t pick their methods. Furthermore, Family Head Liu Shengye is extremely greedy and has an insatiable desire to plunder resources. Becoming like this was just a matter of time.”

“It’s just that their actions are conducted in great secrecy; forcefully silencing the victims by leaving no survivors or boats, making it difficult for others to discover. After all, the Peace River stretches for countless miles and contains countless dangers, so accidents aren’t necessarily suspicious. My Uncle Dinghai Six only managed to unravel the clues and have them thoroughly investigated by accident. And according to subsequent investigations, this Liu Yongzhou has committed more crimes apart from acting as a river bandit, most of them on behalf of his Family Head, Liu Shengye.”

“Such a villain, deserves to die.” Chen Fangjie said angrily, “And the entire Liu Clan is rotting from the inside. Shouzhe, I will fully support you in wiping out the Liu Clan. Consider it a justifiable deed.”

“Thank you, Brother Chen.” Wang Shouzhe toasted him with tea instead of wine.

“Gentlemen, please continue with your tea and rest here.” ‘Zhong Luoxian’ chuckled, “I will excuse myself to perform a little ‘justice’, then I will return.”

Following Wang Mei’s instructions, a maid led Liu Yongzhou to the gazebo beside the “Lotus Pavilion”. From the angle where Wang Shouzhe and another were enjoying their tea, they managed to look down through the sheer curtains and witness the scene in the gazebo.

Zhong Luoxian, already present, displayed an elegant demeanour, further enhancing her noble aura.

Liu Yongzhou entered the gazebo, in an attempt to act like a well-mannered aristocrat, he greeted, “Yongzhou pays his respect to Miss Luoxian.” His eyes carried traces of grief and resentment that wouldn’t fade away.

“Master Liu…” Zhong Luoxian sighed deeply, “The dead have passed on, 1 hope you can contain your grief. Let’s sit down and talk.”

She then personally brewed tea to serve her guest.

“Thank you, Miss Luoxian.” For the first time, Liu Yongzhou was treated to tea brewed by Zhong Luoxian and was taken aback, “I wonder why Miss Luoxian called me here…”

Enjoying such nice weather and charming night, Luoxian invited him over, could it be that…? At this moment, Liu Yongzhou’s grieving heart seemed to lighten a little.

“I invited you here to say goodbye.” Zhong Luoxian’s tone carried a hint of distance and cold indifference.

“What?” Liu Yongzhou nearly dropped his teacup in surprise, he asked anxiously, “Luoxian, you’re leaving! Why? Could it be that you find my service to be lacking? Or is it because…” His heart tightened as he thought of the young aristocrat who was insolent and domineering.

“Thank you indeed for your warm hospitality earlier today, Mr. Liu. Especially for the unique Spiritual Tea from Red Mistress that you sent, it was excellent.” There was an increasingly noticeable coldness in Zhong Luoxian’s tone, “I can assure you, Mr. Liu, that your kindness will be reciprocated a thousandfold upon my return.”

“What… What… What…” Liu Yongzhou was in a panic, he stood up quickly and asked, “Luoxian, have I done something wrong? If yeah, please point it out to me and I’ll correct it at once.”

“No, the mistake is not yours, Mr. Liu. Instead, it is mine.” Zhong Luoxian’s eyes flashed with pain and disappointment, “I used to think that you were… Never mind, I blame my naivety.”

Liu Yongzhou suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as he seemed to recall something, trying to defend himself, “Luoxian, you’ve misunderstood. My father was framed by the Wang family, that contemptible Wang Dingzu, Wang Shouzhe! I will never let them off the hook.” Hatred filled his eyes.

“Liu Yongzhou, you have disappointed me!” Zhong Luoxian’s words were intense, filled with a lot of emotion, “I always believed that you were a man I could depend on, a man of integrity. But I never thought you would be a simpleton who can’t differentiate right from wrong, who lacks any moral compass. Please leave. I do not wish to see you again.” Overwhelmed with emotion, she clutched her chest, her brows furrowed in what seemed to be pain.

“Luoxian, I, I…” Liu Yongzhou was flustered, pleading, “You can shout at me or hit me, but please don’t hurt yourself over this. Tell me what I did wrong, and I’ll correct it. I mean it.”

“Mr. Liu, I can put up with a man of… humble origins, as long as he is kind-hearted and relentless in improving himself,” Zhong Luoxian sighed regretfully. “Forget it, your Liu Clan has a way of survival that suits you. I have no right to interfere.”

Shivering! Coldness! Liu Yongzhou understood then, the notorious acts of the Liu Clan had reached Zhong Luoxian’s ears, and she detested them.

It certainly makes sense, as she is a noble woman from a prominent celestial family. The fact that she chose to associate with him across significant social boundaries was already a great sacrifice on her part. But with Liu Clan’s reputation in tatters and numerous challenges facing them, she could no longer associate with him.

“Lady Luoxian, please hear me out,” Liu Yongzhou pleaded hastily. “Our Liu Clan’s decline is temporary, we are planning a counter-attack. Soon, we will be the actual rulers of Ping’an Town. And I… I will follow the path of Spiritual Platform so I’ll deserve you.”

“Liu Yongzhou, you still don’t understand,” Zhong Luoxian said with extreme disappointment, “If I desired power and influence, I could have chosen from countless celestial families, and is a cultivator of the Spirit Platform really that remarkable?”

“I never despised you for your family’s poverty. But now, your disgraceful and despicable clan disgusts me. For a little gain, you are capable of the most shameless actions. Do you think I could accept that, or the Zhong family would accept that?” Shock and contempt filled Zhong Luoxian’s eyes, “And don’t try to divert the blame onto others. You know very well how your clan is.”

“Ah!”

Liu Yongzhou felt as if he had been struck by lightning, finally understanding what was going on. After a while, he conceded, “You’re right, Luoxian. I am not worthy of you. And I had no say in which family I was born into. If I had the option, I’d also desire…”

Zhong Luoxian’s eyes softened gradually: “I know, you are a good person at your core. Yongzhou, can you walk away from such a whirlpool?”

“Walk away?” Liu Yongzhou was taken aback, but he quickly brightened, “Luoxian, are you implying… Yes, I can become a son-in-law and marry into your family.”

However, immediately after rejoicing, he sank into sorrow, “If I marry into Zhong family, my status may not be high, and they might not support me on the path towards Spiritual Platform.”

Zhong Luoxian’s face flushed slightly, her eyes softened: “Didn’t you say last time that your Liu Clan is planning to help you walk on the path of Spiritual Platform? If you could get their support…”

“You’re right, Luoxian.” Liu Yongzhou nodded constantly, “I’ve given so much to the Liu Clan, asking for some compensation now, I doubt the Family Head would say no.”

“Yongzhou, you need to be careful with Liu Shengye. He is as cunning as a fox and can’t be considered a good person.”

The term ‘Yongzhou’ had Liu Yongzhou’s heart melting.

“It’s okay, he has given me his word. Alright, alright, Luoxian, don’t worry. I’ll be cautious and test the waters first.”

“You have to be careful with everything. I fear that Liu Shengye…” Zhong Luoxian bit her lip and said, “Okay, for our future, let me offer you some suggestions on how to test the waters.”

“Luoxian, your idea is brilliant. Wait for a few days, there’ll be news.”

Soon, Liu Yongzhou left ‘Summer Garden’ in high spirits. It was the first time in his relationship with Luoxian that they had really discussed their future marriage. So what if he has to be a son-in-law? Being the son-in-law of a prominent celestial family is not bad at all, let alone being the son-in-law of Luoxian.

At the Lotus Pavilion on the second floor.

Chen Fangjie was amazed at Zhong Luoxian’s improved acting skills but as he continued to listen, he began to suspect that something was amiss.

After Liu Yongzhou left, Chen Fangjie had a sip of tea but remained shocked, “Shouzhe, you’re really going against heaven’s will this time. What exactly arc you planning on the Liu Clan? Could it be… the Heavenly Spirit Pill?”

With his wisdom, standing on the perspective of God to deduct, he still could not hide anything from him.

However, Wang Shouzhe was leisurely drinking tea, “The Liu Clan plotted against our patriarch and stole our family fortune. I’m just getting some compensation. It’s not a big deal. Really, should I just watch as they enjoy the Heavenly Spirit Pill and then deal with our Wang family? Even if I can’t get it, I will destroy it.”

“High stakes, impressive,” Chen Fangjie said with a face full of envy, “I am so jealous.”

Wang Shouzhe didn’t entertain him, ‘I told you not to come and suffer this.’ He was just here to help Wang Mei with ideas, write scripts and provide some protection for her.

After two hours…

The corridor outside the Lotus Pavilion echoed with a young man’s voice, “Dingtian from the Zhao Clan Elite and disciple, as promised, greets Lady Luoxian.”

This young man was none other than Zhao Dingtian, the elite disciple of the Zhao Clan.

“Mr. Zhao, my mistress Luoxian has been expecting you.” A maid led Zhao Dingtian into the pavilion.