Your Majesty, Please Stop!

Chapter 97: Either take my maid or let's become sworn siblings.

The students of Yikui House still had to consider the identity of their guests and couldn't go all out.

Xin Zhuo also felt that it wasn't very interesting to compete with these strange rich second generations. Besides life and death, there was no challenge.

In the end, they just kicked out Shangguan Fanqing and the others, leaving them embarrassed.

A day is long, but if you keep slacking off, it will pass quickly.

When night fell.

The master's bedroom in Yikui House.

There were tasteless beeswax oil lamps lit on the table, much brighter than the poor quality plant oil lamps in Fulong Village.

Master Li had just received news that it would take three days for Xin Zhuo to comprehend the meaning of the wordless monument in Qiugong Pavilion. He couldn't return to the mountain stronghold anymore.

Xin Zhuo had no objections, but he felt a bit bored and uncomfortable suddenly being separated from his bandit subordinates every day. He sat cross-legged on the bed, picked up a book to read, but couldn't really understand it. He just wanted to join in the fun.

Li Xiyue knelt behind the nearby desk, her back straight, her long black hair hanging down to her waist. She looked serious as she read a stack of book reviews with a crisp voice.

This was supposed to be the duty of the abbot, but Bai Xuanji had just been called by Master Jiang to accompany a female guest.

"This is Murong Yunxi's insight: 'The student believes that using the power of others against the enemy is indeed clever, but if you surround without attacking, using fire attacks and employing the enemy's forces without fighting, it is even more ingenious...'"

When Li Xiyue read to this point, she couldn't continue. Although Murong Yunxi had studied Sun Tzu's Art of War, she didn't study it much and was too presumptuous. The fire attack hadn't been set up yet, so why would the enemy not run away? Would they just stand there and wait to be burned?

Xin Zhuo glanced at her and said, "Military strategy requires practice. Any theoretical exercises are too presumptuous and will only end up as empty talk, adding to the amusement. Remember this."

"Yes, Master," Li Xiyue replied.

Li Xiyue listened attentively like a good student. She came from the Taishi Mansion and had seen many high-ranking officials and talented geniuses, but there weren't many people who truly impressed her. This little master in front of her was knowledgeable, perceptive, and well-versed in military strategy. He often made thought-provoking remarks, and she had long been convinced.

After thinking for a moment, her bright eyes almost subconsciously looked up and asked, "Master, have you really never married?"

Xin Zhuo casually replied, "A wife would only affect my future. Haven't you heard the saying, 'Without a clean country, how can there be a home?' Let's not talk about it."

Li Xiyue was taken aback. Perhaps if someone else said such things, it would be nonsense, but when Xin Zhuo said it, it seemed very real. Such bold and ambitious words were truly dazzling. Maybe being a thief was just a temporary measure?

"That's true. Master not only has extremely handsome looks but also has lofty ambitions. There's no girl who can match you. I apologize for my impertinence!"

This strange praise.

Suddenly, there was a faint noise outside.

Xin Zhuo put down his book and asked, "How many guests have come this time?"

"About seventy to eighty. This... is actually quite frustrating," Li Xiyue said with some regret, putting down her manuscript. "The wordless monument was originally an ownerless item in Fulong Mountain, but a skilled practitioner used True Qi to outline a set of martial arts on it. Because it's too ancient, even older than the founding of our dynasty, the traces of martial arts have completely sunk into the stone and can't be seen. But we can't touch it with brute force to clean it, in case we damage the True Qi outline and ruin everything. We can only sense it with True Qi. To use True Qi, you need to be at least at the seventh rank. Although our academy has some reputation in the court, we are relatively unknown in the martial world. So even though we sent out invitations, no decent masters have come. Only some eighth and seventh rank small fries."

Seventh rank or small fries...

"If there's a cultivation technique to learn, why don't those people come and try their luck?" Xin Zhuo thought from another perspective. It's impossible for everyone in the martial world to have the ability to combine upgrades like him. Not to mention that cultivating is a very painful process, and high-level martial arts are extremely precious. Masters also value the inheritance of their teachings and won't easily pass them on to others. Taking a chance is better than having nothing, right?

Li Xiyue smiled lightly and said, "The key lies in the Tai Xu outline. It takes a long time to understand this outline method, not to mention if the road method is incorrect, it's impossible to comprehend it at all. This tests a person's talent and thinking, not just their high realm."

"So, firstly, our Autumn Palace Pavilion has no reputation, and secondly, for many people, the wordless stele is just a wordless stele, a piece of broken stone. Whoever gains insight is just lucky. The crucial point is that if it turns out to be a terrible health-preserving technique, it would be a laughingstock. Tomorrow, Master can see for himself."

"Alright!"

Xin Zhuo couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Isn't this just like opening a blind box? The result might just be a "thank you for your patronage." It's really meaningless.

Just then, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a crisp voice of a young girl, "Xin... Master Xin, I, Fang Qing, the junior hall master of the Pavilion of Celestial Secrets, have come to see you!"

It's this guy again, does he have nothing better to do?

Xin Zhuo frowned.

Li Xiyue lowered her voice and said, "We met this person in the morning. The Pavilion of Celestial Secrets is a secretive sect, very powerful with numerous experts. Since he has taken the initiative to visit, it wouldn't hurt for Master to meet him."

Xin Zhuo nodded, "Alright!"

Li Xiyue got up and opened the door, "Master Shangguan, please come in!"

Shangguan Fanqing seemed to have taken a bath, dressed in a brocade robe with a jade belt, looking like a young master. Behind him was a pretty and shy maid named Haitang. He entered the room, glanced around, and sat down on a chair without any courtesy. He cupped his fist and greeted, "Master Xin!"

The air of a thief disappeared, his face serious, and his actions were well-mannered, not lacking in background.

"Let's get straight to the point."

Xin Zhuo couldn't understand his intentions anymore. Even if his background is impressive, he is probably only at the sixth rank realm. Li Xiyue, a student, possesses hidden weapons and the martial arts of emptiness. It's like playing with you. Why would you want to cause trouble?

Li Xiyue had already closed the door and picked up a cushion, kneeling by the bed, looking obedient. But her gaze towards Shangguan Fanqing was full of vigilance.

The atmosphere in the room was strange.

"Let my maid warm your bed, she's just a young girl who has fallen for you for a long time!"

Shangguan Fanqing went straight to the point, and he seemed serious.

Haitang blushed and lowered her head without saying a word.

Li Xiyue was stunned.

Xin Zhuo looked at Haitang in surprise. Her features were fine, but she lacked substance. She was not as good as Han Qiniang. "What do you mean?"

Shangguan Fanqing opened his folding fan, "The meaning is clear. I have suffered losses at your hands several times and I think you are talented. Either I can send experts from my sect to kill you to vent my anger, or we can become friends. This is my consistent principle."

After careful consideration, I think killing is really boring, so it's better to make friends. Either you accept my maid, she has thick skin, whether you like a small whip or a small stool, it doesn't matter, or... "

Haitang still lowered her head, trembling.

Li Xiyue was completely dumbfounded. She suddenly regretted letting this guy in. What kind of nonsense was he talking about?

Become in-laws?

Xin Zhuo carefully pondered how this relationship could be defined, but it was impossible to figure out. This strange trembling, he frowned and said, "There seems to be something more to what you're saying. What if I don't accept?"

Shangguan Fanqing seemed to have expected it long ago and chuckled, "If you don't accept, then we can only become sworn brothers!"

"You mean... we become sworn brothers?"

"That's right! We become sworn brothers, with deep affection between us, and we will join hands for a lifetime."

"?"

Your strange use of idioms, did you not graduate from a private school?

But this sudden sworn brotherhood...