Fang Shuo looked at the expressionless Shen Jue.
His heart was in his throat, and he only dared to sit on the very edge of his stool, looking ready to bolt at any moment.
Cui He, on the other hand, was perfectly composed. She sat down next to Fang Shuo, ordered a jar of warm wine from the shopkeeper, and filled Shen Jue's empty bowl.
With a polite smile on her face, she asked, “I wonder why General Shen suddenly stopped our Governor? Is there something you require?”
Shen Jue did not answer.
His gaze fell upon Fang Shuo, staring at him for a long moment until the hairs on the back of Fang Shuo's neck stood on end. Finally, he spoke: “Fang Shuo.”
Fang Shuo shuddered instantly and let out an awkward laugh.
“Gen... General Shen, what a coincidence!” he said. “I didn't expect to run into you drinking here. The wine at this shop is quite good. Take your time and enjoy it. My Little Senior Sister and I still have things to do...”
As he spoke, he prepared to stand up, but a single glare from Shen Jue scared him right back into his seat.
At the table next to them, Yun Shu and the little fox sat eating melon seeds, though no one could perceive their presence.
The little fox munched away. “Host, I've realized that Fang Shuo's luck in this book is truly defying the heavens. When his father was alive, he was a carefree playboy. After his father passed away, he had Xu Miao to help him manage Chaoyang City. Now that Xu Miao can no longer do it, Cui He has just happened to grow up and can hold her own, allowing him to remain a figurehead Governor.”
Yun Shu also grabbed a handful of melon seeds. “That Blind Granny has always been obsessed with Fang Shuo, even wanting to use those bullshit evil arts to swap her destiny with his. How could his luck be bad? People talk about wanting that kind of luck online, but in reality, who wouldn't want a life like that?”
“Host, you are a deity now. Watch your language,” the little fox whispered a reminder to Yun Shu.
Yun Shu munched and chewed. “We're invisible anyway, so they can't see me. Why do I need to worry about decorum?”
The little fox: “...”
Shen Jue seemed lost in thought. His fingers wrapped around the wine bowl tightened and loosened, loosened and tightened. Finally, he set the bowl down with a heavy thud, scaring Fang Shuo so much that he didn't dare to speak.
“Fang Shuo, I have something to ask you,” Shen Jue said. His voice was much lower than before, raspy and laced with the scent of alcohol.
Fang Shuo's eyes widened in surprise.
“You... you're asking me?” he stammered. “General Shen, are you joking? My Little Senior Sister is usually the one in charge of Chaoyang City. I'm just a useless fool. If you ask me anything, I won't be able to answer. Why don't you ask my Little Senior Sister instead?”
Shen Jue lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the back of his hand. There was a prominent old scar there, left behind from his days on the battlefield. No matter how he looked at it, it was nowhere near as refined as a scholar's hand.
“I only want to know... what exactly does one have to do to be valued by the Divine Lady?”
Fang Shuo felt as though Shen Jue was merely showing off. His face turned red and pale in turns as he replied sarcastically, “General Shen, during the worship ceremony that day, the Divine Lady bestowed the Body Tempering Technique and only chose you and General Feng. Is that not being valued?”
As if thinking of something, his expression became even more bizarre.
“Don't tell me you want the Divine Lady to only value you? No way, right? How could you have such unrealistic expectations? That is the Divine Lady we're talking about! My father was close friends with her in the Heavenly Palace, and even I wouldn't dare dream of her giving me special attention. You should have at least a little self-awareness!”
The little fox looked at the boastful Fang Shuo, then at Shen Jue, whose face was as dark as a stagnant pool. It sighed, “Host, not only is Fang Shuo's IQ on par with an adult paramecium, but so is his emotional intelligence.”
“You weren't much better before,” Yun Shu remarked objectively.
The little fox immediately bristled. “How is that possible?! How could my IQ and emotional intelligence be on the same level as Fang Shuo's?!”
It refused to believe it!!!
Looking at Fang Shuo, who clearly lacked any grasp of the art of conversation, Cui He could not help but pinch the bridge of her nose. She kicked him under the table, signaling him to shut his mouth before he got beaten up.
“General Shen, our Governor recently hit his head, and it seems he hasn't fully recovered yet. He tends to talk nonsense.”
“Please don't lower yourself to his level.”
Sensing that Fang Shuo wanted to say more, she immediately glared at him warningly. Sometimes, she truly wondered if Fang Shuo's head was just a decoration. Currently, military power in the north was basically held by General Shen and General Feng. Offending Shen Jue would bring absolutely no benefit to Chaoyang City.
To smooth things over, she added, “General Shen, though we do not know the exact reason for your depression, the Divine Lady's regard for you is plain for all to see.”
Shen Jue glanced at Cui He, picked up his wine bowl again, and threw his head back to drain the liquor in one gulp.
“The one the Divine Lady values has never been me,” he said, a trace of bitterness creeping into his voice. “The one she has always valued is your teacher.”
“General Shen, you are mistaken,” Cui He said. “The Divine Lady loves all living beings, and her gaze has been fixed on the entire world from the very beginning. She has given everyone the opportunity to utilize their strengths, letting the farmers have their fields, the weavers have their silk, the scholars have their Dao, and the warriors have their weapons. She has never favored any single person; she treats everyone equally.”
The little fox was amazed. “Host, listen to that. Educated people who know how to read really do speak differently.”
It held a melon seed with its paws and munched on it.
Shen Jue fell silent for a long while. “You truly are a student taught by Fuyan. You are very much like him.”
Cui He remained humble. “General Shen praises me too highly. I have merely learned a fraction of my master's wisdom while staying by his side.”
“You may leave. Do not mind me,” Shen Jue said as he picked up the wine jar again, pouring himself another drink.
Fang Shuo did not want to stay for another second. He stood up instantly, grabbed Cui He's sleeve, and hurried out of the wine shop.
When they reached the door, Cui He suddenly stopped. She turned back to look at Shen Jue in the corner. “General Shen, if you remain so dejected and neglect your duties, casting aside the heavy responsibility of revitalizing the path of martial arts entrusted to you by the Divine Lady, in the end, you will only completely lose her regard. You will also utterly disappoint the Zhenbei Army, who look up to you as a hero and take pride in you.”
Hearing this, Shen Jue paused mid-drink.
“I have said my piece. Farewell.”
With that, Cui He bowed to Shen Jue, then turned to chase after Fang Shuo, who had already bolted.
“The little girl has truly grown up,” Yun Shu said, looking at Cui He's receding figure with admiration in her eyes.
“Host, I've realized something.”
“Over the years, Cui He has grown both in height and intelligence. Meanwhile, Fang Shuo has only grown in height, but not in brains.”
The little fox took another jab at Fang Shuo.
It was determined to keep brainwashing Yun Shu into believing that Fang Shuo was the absolute dumbest person in the world. That way, even if it was only the second-dumbest system, it would still be smarter than Fang Shuo!
Yun Shu stood up and said to the little fox, “Clean up the melon seed shells on the table. Let's go.”
The little fox asked, “Are you not going to care about the male lead?”
“His Favorability has already stabilized, which means he actually took some of Cui He's words to heart.”
Yun Shu let out a yawn. “I'm exhausted. I need to go back and take a nap. I still have to head out to sea tomorrow.”
The Child Emperor and the others had been trapped on an island by her design. Now that the time to march south had arrived, it was time to let them out so that her campaign to the south would be fully justified.
Rate on N.U.
