Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

The event that happened in the Ivy Festival was significant enough for people to remember it for a long time and enough for the members of the Tradition Academy to feel proud of it for a long time. But it doesn’t take too long for the serious consequences of this event to arrive at the heart of Hundred Blossom Street. Would the huge banians by the lake stand the wind and rain?

The most important thing wasn’t that the Tradition Academy defeated the Li Mountain Sword Sect. The two fights were fair, no one could argue otherwise. The real problem was the thing that caused the two fights to happen: Chen Chang Sheng’s appearance at the palace to stop the engagement and prove that he was the true fiance of Xu You Rong.

Before the Southern ambassadors came to propose, they must have formed some sort of agreement with the Great Zhou court. People such as Xu You Rong or even Qiu Shan Jun probably didn’t know about it themselves, but the Divine Queen knew. The union between the South and North would be one of the biggest events since the establishment of Zhou — especially during Divine Queen’s ruling period.

But Chen Chang Sheng ruined it.

The Tradition Academy reappearance. People saw this as a huge disrespect to the Queen or even a challenge to the Divine Queen’s authority. Previously, the Divine Queen may not even have known about an insignificant thing such as the Tradition Academy, but after this event, the Tradition Academy would definitely be under her radar.

The Divine Queen would definitely get very mad, so the consequence would definitely be very serious.

This was the trouble that Chen Chang Cheng was talking about. Big trouble.

“Don’t look at me. Such trouble, no one can stand against it.” Tang Thirty Six said unhesitatingly.

Chen Chang Sheng said, “Before in the royal palace, hearing your tone, I thought you were not afraid of Tian Hai family at all.”

Tang Thirty Six stared into his eyes and spoke word by word, “How is the Divine Queen and the Tian Hai family the same?”

Chen Chang Sheng felt confused and said, “How are they not the same?”

Tang Thirty Six looked at him as if he was looking at an idiot.

He already couldn’t remember how many times he had looked at Chen Chang Sheng like this.

He knew that Chen Chang Sheng obviously wasn’t an idiot. Anyone who could compete against Gou Han Shi in knowledge must be a genius.

Yet sometimes, Chen Chang Sheng did appear to be very childish. He knew so much book knowledge such as the notes in the Scroll of Way but he seemed to not be knowledgeable of politics and famous historical events at all. Moreover, he always thought that he was right so he appeared to be naive and therefore, idiotic.

“…….This is a very complicated question. Even the professors at Li Palace Academy would need a big essay to explain it clearly.”

Tang Thirty Six said, “You just have to know that although the Divine Queen’s last name is Tian Hai, she’s the ruler of the royal dynasty of Chen.”

Chen Chang Sheng didn’t understand. He thought a bit and then said, “It looks truly very complicated.”

“Master, you don’t have to worry too much.“ Luo Luo said, “I have seen the Queen many times. The Queen is a very kind person, also……in regards to these issues, she doesn’t really care.”

Tang Thirty Six thought the Queen might not care, but the problem was the big figures such as Zhou Tong and people from the Tian Hai family. If they believed the Queen cared, then the Tradition Academy might still be destroyed. On the other hand, Chen Chang Sheng thought, the Divine Queen ruled the Great Zhou as a woman, how can she be a kind person? Although I am not well educated in this aspect of study, I can’t think otherwise. Luo Luo indeed was only a little girl….

Suddenly, they both realized something. Able to see the Divine Queen often….yeah, the little girl sitting by them now was not a common little girl!

Now that the Tradition Academy had the daughter of the White Emperor, there was no need to be afraid of any type of trouble.

“Even if there’s a huge trouble, Princess Luo Luo can still solve it.” Tang Thirty Six looked at her. His eyes were filled with passion.

Luo Luo felt a bit uncomfortable so she shifted a bit towards Chen Chang Sheng.

The thing they had to worry about the most was the possible troublesome future of the Tradition Academy. Yet no matter how big the trouble was, with Luo Luo by their side, they didn’t need to worry about anything.

The dark night was filled with stars, like river, like mountain and like plains. There were also stars connecting together, like strokes, to form five words.

“So next, we have to worry about the Great Trial.” Tang Thirty Six said, “Tonight we are happy. So we can’t let the southerners regain their reputations at the Great Trial.”

Chen Chang Sheng was wordless. He recalled the last sentence Gou Han Shi said before leaving — surprise? Yes, if he wanted to participate in the Great Trial, he must bring another shock to this world. If he still couldn’t purify successfully, he wouldn’t be able to go to the test of strength. Even if he got a full score on the literacy test, it didn’t matter.

His goal was first place.

Luo Luo said, “I don’t have any problem.” The little girl look calm, spoke naturally and casually, but she looked confident and powerful.

“Of course princess, you don’t have any problems, but I do.” Tang Thirty Six said, “There are only a few months left till the Great Trial. I will try my hardest. Even if I don’t need this kid’s help, by then I still have the chance to defeat Qi Jian, but the rest of the Seven Rulings….I can’t beat them.” He also spoke calmly and naturally because it was a fact.

“This kid has the biggest issue.”

He looked towards Chen Chang Sheng and sighed, “He should be an extremely talented kid, but because he can’t xiuxing, he is only a trash in the Great Trial. That’s so unfortunate.”

From this sentence, Tang Thirty Six expressed how angry and sad he felt about Chen Chang Sheng’s bad fortune.

Chen Chang Sheng couldn’t solve this problem, so of course, he couldn’t answer him.

He stood up and said, “I am going to sleep.”

“Such a bad transition of topic.” Tang Thirty Six said irritatedly.

Chen Chang Sheng explained, “I really have to go to sleep.”

“It’s such a good night. To celebrate for our victory in the Ivy Festival, to welcome me, the genius who joined the Tradition Academy, shouldn’t we booze up?”

Tang Thirty Six looked at the wheat tea in the cup and said, “Drink some wine, then go to sleep.”

“Drinking wine is not good for your body.”

Chen Chang Sheng turned around and walked out of the library.

Luo Luo always followed him, so she also stood up and left.

Tang Thirty Six looked at Xuan Yuan Po, lifted the wheat tea and said, “Do you know where there’s wine?”

Xuan Yuan Po replied honestly, “I have been searching for it for days……no wine here.”

Tang Thirty Six moved his eyes slightly, preparing to ask for something.

Xuan Yuan Po added promptly, “There is no wine for cooking in the kitchen, not even fermented glutinous rice.”

…………………………………………

Drinking wine is not good for your health, eating too much fat is not good for your health, being too emotional is also not good for your health, sleeping and waking up early is good for your health, eating fish is good for your health, eating veggies is also good for your health. Chen Chang Sheng had been strictly following “rules to being healthy” to decide what he should do and what he shouldn’t do.

He had lived like this for many years. Only for a really short period of time did he discard such a life style. That period was just while ago. In the dimension under the abandoned garden in the Great Zhou royal court, in front of the Frost Mighty Dragon, he thought he was going to die and he regretted that he had never lived freely for even once in his life, so he decided to do so at the last moments of his life. He shouted towards that terrifying black dragon with tears all over his face. At the same time, he recalled the life that was just started a few years ago.

Yet he didn’t die. Thinking about it now, he felt embarrassed about his action then. Afterwards, he naturally returned to his old ways — living according to those rules again. Of course, he didn’t accept Tang Thirty Six’s suggestion, after all, how much was because drinking wine was unhealthy and how much was not being able to face the problem. He didn’t know the answer himself.

He retreated to his own little building.

He lied on the bed and looked at the sky that was gradually turning blue, looked at the stars that was gradually turning dark, looked at the starry forest and realized that he actually couldn’t fall asleep.

He rarely had insomnia, so he felt a bit blank. He didn’t know what he should do if he couldn’t fall asleep. Should he open or close eyes? Should he think about other matters? Or should he not think of anything and simply count sheep?

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four sheep………….

Among the white sheep filling the hill, a black goat suddenly appeared.

He remembered the black goat that carried him to the Wei Yang Palace in the big royal palace, remembered the black dragon that let him leave and felt that what happened tonight was too strange. He didn’t recall the middle aged woman who was almost injured by the flower pot.

Then he remembered Qi Jian and Gou Han Shi. He didn’t feel proud, only respect.

He truly respected the disciples of the Li Mountain Sword Sect, especially Gou Han Shi.

Gou Han Shi read all the Scrolls of Way, and he also had a high level of xiuxing. How come I don’t? Chen Chang Sheng thought.

Like what Tang Thirty Six said, in the Great Trial, what would I do?

He opened up his eyes.

Soft and light starlight slipped through the window and fell on his hand.

He turned over his hand and then turned it over again. Watching the starlights fall on it and then gradually disappear, he sighed helplessly.

Outside the window, a bird tweeted.

This made him remember the white crane that returned from the South.

It made him feel much calmer.

So he gradually fell asleep.

…………………..

In the morning, Chen Chang Sheng woke up.

He looked outside and saw that it was still early. Although it was a lot later than he was used to, he had slept later than usual last night and he also had a bit of insomnia, so he lacked sleep severely. He could hardly keep his eyes open.

He still got up, not because of the rules of living, but because it was noisy outside.

He was awaken by the sound.

He was not used to such feeling of lack of sleep. He felt so uncomfortable. After he cleaned his face and brushed his teeth, he walked out as he rubbed eyes and yawned.

Tang Thirty Six and Xuan Yuan Po were also awaken by the sounds coming from outside the school. They looked even more uncomfortable than him. It seems that they slept even later last night.

“I didn’t even brush my teeth yet!”

Hearing the noises outside the school, Tang Thirty Six felt gloomy.

“Why is it so noisy in the morning?” Chen Chang Sheng asked.

Xuan Yuan Po thought a bit and replied, “Because we defeated Li Mountain Sword Sect last night, many people are coming to our school to register?”

Chen Chang Sheng felt dazed thinking that this might be a possibility.

Tang Thirty Six sneered, “You think everyone in the capital is as dumb as you, or as naive and idiotic as him? Like what I said last night, since Chen Chang Sheng offended the Divine Queen, Qiu Shan Family, Li Mountain Sword Sect, and Dong Yu General’s Mansion all at once, and didn’t make the Pope happy…..what parent would dare to send his or her kid to study here? That’s just suicide.”

The noises outside the school got louder and louder but it was hard to tell what it was about.

An invisible pressure began to spread out, along with the noises.

Normally, even if Luo Luo hadn’t waken up yet, the breakfast from the Herb Garden would be delivered here by now.

He suddenly had a bad feeling.