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墨書 Inktalez
Xunuo left the Heavenly Shadow Sect and took a detour to retrieve the Azure Mystical Sword that had been hidden away. Afterward, he hired a carriage to head towards Suxzhou.
Although Xunuo coveted the Heavenly Shadow Spike, which had fallen into the hands of Su Jinqi, a descendant of the Guardian of the Heavenly Shadow Sect, he decided to first remove the heavy burden weighing on his heart.
As he approached Suxzhou, a sense of unease crept over him.
In a small town adjacent to Woniu Village, there was a two-story teahouse facing the street. The upper floor had seven or eight private rooms, while the lower floor featured more than ten tables for casual seating. In the center, there was an open space of about three yards with a round stool and a low table. A woman dressed in fine clothes and adorned with makeup sat on the round stool, playing music and singing.
This woman was not exceptionally beautiful but possessed a certain charm. The content of her song was shockingly inappropriate, and combined with her flirtatious glances, it left the tea patrons captivated. The sounds of applause filled the teahouse, and coins clinked as they were tossed into her plate.
After a moment, the glamorous woman finished her song, stood up, bowed gracefully, and withdrew. As she walked away, her slender waist swayed and her curvy hips moved enticingly, causing the patrons to swallow audibly.
A burly man slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Hearing this tune so early in the morning really wakes me up!"
After everyone laughed, a Gray-Clad Elder stepped forward. He bowed to all sides and said with a smile, "I don't have any tricks to wake you up, but I can allow you all to request your favorite segment."
Immediately, a middle-aged scholar dressed in traditional attire requested a segment from Su San Ye's Complaint Against the Bell. The Gray-Clad Elder then struck a wooden block and began his tale.
The old man spoke with great emotion, intricately detailing every aspect of the story. The tea patrons were instantly drawn into the narrative, and the entire teahouse fell silent.
In one corner of the teahouse sat a young man with fair skin and no hat. His hair was wrapped in a piece of blue cloth, and though he appeared youthful and handsome, there was an air of naivety about him. He wore a spotless white Long Robe and short boots without bindings. After listening for a while, he frowned slightly.
It turned out that this segment from Su San Ye's Complaint Against the Bell recounted how a scholar from Suxzhou had suffered misfortune after petitioning the court alongside Xu Guorui and Xu Shaoyin for grain relief during a disaster.
This young man in white was none other than Xunuo, who had traveled far to return home. He came here primarily to inquire about the whereabouts of his enemies.
Xunuo waved to the waiter, who quickly came over. After exchanging a few words, Xunuo went alone to the second floor and entered a private room to sit down. After a while, the Gray-Clad Elder finished his segment and received a few coins as tips. He was then led by the waiter to Xunuo's room.
Upon entering, the Gray-Clad Elder was somewhat surprised to find only Xunuo there. Normally, in such private storytelling sessions, there would be several distinguished patrons who would not mingle with the common folk. They would call upon these street performers to entertain them in private.
However, it was common to choose lively entertainers, such as singers or jesters; someone like him, who told stories, had fewer opportunities. Moreover, there was only this one young man in the room. The Gray-Clad Elder naturally assumed that this must be some wealthy family's wayward son.
Xunuo invited the elder to sit down and poured him a cup of tea. He then said, "I just heard Father-in-law tell that segment of the story so wonderfully; I would like to hear the whole tale if possible."
The Gray-Clad Elder quickly clasped his hands in thanks and replied, "I’m not boasting, but no one knows this story better than I do. Please listen as I recount it."
Habitually, the Gray-Clad Elder took out a wooden block from his pocket and struck it on the table to begin his tale. He spoke until dusk fell and stars appeared, pausing only once for a meal. When Xunuo finished listening, he rewarded the Gray-Clad Elder with a silver ingot that left him speechless before departing gracefully.
Once outside the town, Xunuo headed towards Woniu Village.
The carriage had been sent back with others. The distance to Woniu Village was just over ten miles. Wanting some quiet time, Xunuo chose to walk there.
After hearing the elder's account of the events, Xunuo's feelings became complex. It turned out that several significant events had occurred in just a few short years.
First, High Technique had gone after Xu Guorui, who was seen as a thorn in their side, and began to indulge in rampant corruption. Many actions taken during this time incited public outrage. The inspector who had come down to investigate Xu Guorui’s case fell gravely ill and could not recover. In his final moments, he finally let go of his burdens and wrote to inform the emperor of the truth behind Xu Guorui’s case. At that time, there was also Su San Ye's Complaint Against the Bell. New cases involving High Technique in Suxzhou were continuously reported to the court.
As a result, the emperor dispatched officials to thoroughly investigate the matter again, ultimately revealing the truth to the public. However, Xu Guorui’s entire family was murdered, and the court lacked any power to reverse fate. They conferred upon his family the title of Duke of An Guo for generations to inherit. Because Xunuo's fire had spread too widely during his confrontation with Lu Duhou—not only burning down the Xu family’s ancestral home but also reducing the Xu Clan Ancestral Hall to ashes—the court allocated funds for its reconstruction as a tribute to Xu Guorui’s spirit.
High Technique was detained on site but had not yet been transported to the capital when he was brutally killed by rioters in Suxzhou. This was due to High Technique no longer being restrained by Xu Guorui and committing further atrocities in Suxzhou.
However, with High Technique dead, another mastermind behind this case, Zhao Shiye, managed to escape. Back then, aside from Xu Guorui, High Technique had credited Zhao Shiye with significant contributions. Yet Zhao Shiye was not fit for an official position; High Technique could do nothing about that either. He assigned Zhao Shiye to oversee river management in a county—essentially allowing him free rein over river funds.
Thus, with High Technique dead and Zhao Shiye absent from official records, there were no documents linking him to any wrongdoing. Moreover, their conspiracy had been hatched privately between them without witnesses or evidence against Zhao Shiye, allowing him to evade this disaster entirely.
That night, when the father-in-law of High Technique learned the truth, he was so enraged that he fell ill and died.
The Wuhua Sect, located in the southern region of the Great Liang Kingdom, was isolated and had not received this news. Xunuo did not share Shen Chuan's twisted desire for revenge against Rogue; upon learning that his great vengeance had been avenged and his father's name restored, he felt a sense of calm.
The case involving High Technique entangled many people, including some of his followers, such as Gao Feng, who had personally killed Xu Guorui. There were also others who had engaged in corruption alongside him. In Xunuo's mind, his enemies were High Technique, Gao Feng, and Zhao Shiye. Now only Zhao Shiye remained at large. Having discovered Zhao Shiye's whereabouts, Xunuo decided to eliminate this last enemy from the world. With that thought in mind, Xunuo chose not to return to the Xu Family ancestral hall but instead headed towards Luo County, where Zhao Shiye was hiding.
A few nights later, in a secluded mansion in Luo County, Zhao Shiye was alone in his study reviewing accounts. Suddenly, he felt an unsettling flicker of candlelight without any wind; the next moment, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head and lost consciousness. When he awoke, he found himself in an ancestral hall.
The hall was dimly lit, with hundreds of memorial tablets densely arranged in several layers. In front of two tablets burned several sticks of incense, and a figure in white knelt beneath them. After a moment, the figure murmured, "Unworthy son Xunuo has finally avenged the massacre of our family today; may Father and Mother rest in peace."
As he spoke, the figure in white produced a sword.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shiye realized that retribution had come for him. Terrified, he attempted to rise and flee but found himself paralyzed and powerless; even begging for mercy was beyond him.
The figure in white was none other than Xunuo, who had captured Zhao Shiye. After uttering those words, Xunuo struck down Zhao Shiye before the spirits of his parents. He knelt for countless hours, speaking until day turned to night multiple times before finally rising with a sense of relief. He raised his hand and unleashed a flame that reduced Zhao Shiye's body to ashes.
Afterward, Xunuo left Woniu Village and headed towards Black Wind Mountain. He recalled what the Gray-Clad Elder had said: Xu Guorui was buried in a grave marked only by clothing and insignia. Years ago, the court had cleared Xu Guorui's name and traced leads to Black Wind Mountain to excavate his remains. However, for reasons unknown, they found nothing but a grave filled with clothing.
Xunuo could not accept that his parents' remains were abandoned in the wilderness. He resolved to search for their bones at Black Wind Mountain and give them a proper burial. As for that grave marked by clothing and insignia, there was no need to visit it.
The story is about to enter its main arc; I sincerely apologize for the earlier buildup. Friends, an exciting tale is about to begin! Please cast your votes!
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