Chapter Sixty-Three: Plucking the Peach

As Gu Yun and his party arrived before the Zhibin Pavilion, the attendants in green robes exchanged uneasy glances. As individuals hand-picked and rigorously trained by the Zhan family for their keen eyes and sharp wits, how could they fail to recognize the magistrate of their own county? Daring neither to question nor to obstruct, they had no choice but to lead them toward the rear courtyard.

Passing through a circular stone archway, an attendant gestured toward the rooms ahead and said respectfully, "Please wait a moment, Magistrate. Allow me to announce your arrival..."

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Before he could finish, three harsh, metallic clashing sounds erupted from within the room. Immediately following, the red sandalwood doors and windows shattered into pieces, and a figure was sent flying backward amidst the spray of debris.

The retainers following Gu Yun instantly moved to shield him. Though suddenly confronted by this chaotic scene, Gu Yun remained as steady as a mountain. He glanced at Bao Xi beside him, as if to say: "You see? The situation has already spiraled out of control."

Bao Xi looked at the person who had been thrown out, a trace of an enigmatic smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "That is Xi Yuanda, a disaster-averting spiritual officer under the jurisdiction of the Celestial Master Dao in Yangzhou," he whispered.

Gu Yun gave a slight nod to show he understood. He stepped past his retainers and came face-to-face with the man who had just pursued his target out of the room.

Three years had passed, and the old friend remained unchanged, yet a flood of memories surged from the depths of his mind—past events he had thought long forgotten had, in truth, never left him for a moment.

"Ziyu, stop!"

Zhu Rui had forced Xi Yuanda out of the room with a single strike, the intensity of his fist wind truly astonishing. He was about to rush forward to deliver another blow when he heard someone call his name. He froze in place as he looked up.

He knew well that his family had sent him to Qiantang to assist Zhan Wenjun with the specific goal of using this opportunity to resolve the animosity between him and Gu Yun.

The four great families of Wujun were essentially one; as the rising stars of the Zhu and Gu families, the lack of interaction between them was detrimental to their houses and their own future prospects. Thus, Zhu Rui swallowed his urge to punch the face of the man who looked like a painting, snorted coldly, and ceased his assault.

Zhan Wenjun, Zhan Ting, and the others also hurried out. Seeing Gu Yun, they bowed in unison. "Greetings, Magistrate."

Gu Yun offered a faint gesture of support and smiled. "Please, no need for formalities. Tell me, Lady Guo, have I arrived just in time to witness such a lively affair?"

Before Zhan Wenjun could speak, Zhan Ting quickly interjected, "Just a small misunderstanding, a small misunderstanding!"

"If it is a misunderstanding, then that is well. Otherwise, I would have thought someone held a grudge against my virtuous younger brother Ziyu."

Zhan Ting choked, unsure how to respond, and could only offer an awkward, sheepish laugh. Li Yifeng, who was the last to emerge, looked at Xi Yuanda from a distance. Seeing his pale complexion yet stable stance, he deduced he was likely uninjured. A faint, imperceptible sneer flashed in his eyes. "Yuanda was merely feeling a bit restless and wanted to exchange martial pointers with Master Zhu. There is no grudge, Magistrate; you worry too much."

Gu Yun’s gaze lingered on Li Yifeng. "And who might this be?"

Bao Xi stepped forward from behind him. "This is Li Yifeng, a ghost-capturing spiritual officer of the Celestial Master Dao."

"So it is Officer Li. I have long admired your name."

Gu Yun spoke with polite courtesy. Given his status, he did not necessarily need to be so deferential to Li Yifeng, but the roots of the Celestial Master Dao in Jiangdong were too deep; it was better not to offend them if possible.

"You are too kind!"

Li Yifeng stepped aside and gestured with an inviting hand. "The wind is strong in the courtyard, Magistrate. Please, step inside!"

Zhan Ting, already flustered, was only reminded by Li Yifeng's gesture that he had left Gu Yun standing outside for so long. He hurriedly led him into the room. "My apologies for the neglect. Magistrate, please, take the seat of honor!"

Gu Yun glanced at Zhu Rui, who was looking away with the same stubborn, indignant expression he had worn years ago. With a sigh of resignation, Gu Yun followed Zhan Ting inside. Bao Xi, trailing a few steps behind, passed by Zhu Rui and spoke in a voice audible only to the two of them: "Beyond the Zhu and Gu families, everyone else is an outsider!"

The implication was clear: the families could fight among themselves behind closed doors, but in front of outsiders, they had to maintain the dignity of their houses.

Zhu Rui clenched his hand, then relaxed it. As he moved, the words of his clan head echoed in his ears: *It is not easy to be tolerant of others. To achieve great things, you must be able to tolerate those who are difficult. If you cannot even tolerate Gu Yun, then in ten years, he will be in the imperial court while you remain a minor official, and the gap between you will only grow.*

*Indeed, it is not easy to be tolerant!*

Zhu Rui nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "My thanks for the guidance, Master Danya." Having been deeply entwined with the Gu family, he was well acquainted with the strategist who served Gu Dongyang.

Li Yifeng did not follow Gu Yun into the room but instead walked toward Xi Yuanda in the opposite direction. "Are you alright?"

The five great spiritual officers had always been harmonious in appearance but discordant in spirit, so it was clear how much sincerity lay in this concern. Xi Yuanda’s face turned livid. He spat viciously and growled, "That cur Zhu Rui! Sooner or later, he will die by my hand!"

Raised with coddling by Du Jingzhi, he was arrogant and contemptuous of others. To be forced back by a single move from Zhu Rui in front of everyone was the greatest humiliation of his life. He longed to kill him on the spot to vent his rage.

Li Yifeng said nothing, though he found it laughable. The Zhu clan were a generation-spanning noble family who had weathered countless bloody storms over the past century. If a mere spiritual officer could kill a direct descendant of such a house, they would have been struck from the registers of the aristocracy long ago.

"Yuanda, since the Libationer has summoned me back, all matters in Qiantang will rely solely on you. You have already met Zhan Wenjun and Zhan Ting. As for how to proceed, and how to swallow this fat piece of meat that is the Zhan family—you have great talent, far surpassing my own. I am sure it will be easily accomplished."

"Rest assured, leave it to me!" Xi Yuanda scoffed. "Dou Qi has insisted on the loss of the venison jerky, and Zhan Ting has promised ten thousand gold in compensation. Even if Zhan Wenjun can summon Zhu Rui or Gu Yun, it will be to no avail! The Zhibin Pavilion, and indeed all the assets of the Zhan family, will be mine!"

"In that case, I shall take my leave. Take care, Yuanda."

Li Yifeng did not go to bid farewell to Gu Yun. People of the Daoist faith, while relying on the secular world to survive, existed above it, so they felt no need to adhere to its tedious etiquette.

After leaving the Zhibin Pavilion, Li Yifeng stood by the shore of Qiantang Lake. He pondered for a moment, but ultimately suppressed the urge to go see Xu You. Since discovering that Xu You was involved, he had already intended to withdraw from the Qiantang affair. Upon realizing that the elderly gatekeeper at the old Zhan residence was secretly a Minor Master, he understood even more clearly that this matter was beyond reach. He had hidden this discovery from Du Jingzhi, claiming only that the internal affairs of the Zhan family were complex and that Zhan Ting was incompetent, requiring more time to resolve.

Suspecting that Li Yifeng was being half-hearted and stalling, Du Jingzhi had ordered him back to Yangzhou yesterday and sent Xi Yuanda to Qiantang to reap the rewards. Xi Yuanda was ruthless; the case of the Liu family in Yongning County colluding with the Ming Sea pirates to intercept Daoist followers and steal the venison jerky had been his doing. If he could now bring the Qiantang Zhan family to its end, it would be a massive contribution to the Celestial Master Dao. Perhaps, once this was finished, he could report to Hemingshan and, due to his merits, be promoted to the position of Zhengzhi of the Yangzhou jurisdiction.

Du Jingzhi would eventually return to Hemingshan to serve as one of the seven great Libationers of the Celestial Master Dao, leaving the position of Yangzhou Libationer vacant. Everyone with a discerning eye knew that if there were no mishaps—or rather, as long as Du Jingzhi remained in power—Xi Yuanda would be one of the strongest contenders for that post.

If he could become the Zhengzhi of Yangzhou around the age of thirty, he would be the most powerful contender, bar none!