Chapter 663: Agreement

Chapter 663: Agreement

Chu Xiaozi was never the selfless type. On the contrary, if it weren’t for Su Youyue’s guidance, she would have been up to all sorts of shady business, lacking any sense of morality. She believed nothing mattered more than her own life and daily bread.

It wasn’t until she met Su Youyue that she realized that for the sake of those she valued, she could be willing to sacrifice everything, even her life.

But Su Youyue was the only one who could push her to take such a risk.

Maybe... now there’s one more.

Chu Xiaozi sneaked a glance at Hua Qingyun, who stood quietly beside her, listening.

Besides her mentor, Hua Qingyun was the second genuinely good person she’d ever met.

But just these two. No one else was worth her risking her neck.

When it came to state affairs, they were way over her head. All she cared about was keeping everyone around her safe and sound, and to still see them when she grew old. That was enough.

Su Youyue sighed softly, looking at Chu Xiaozi’s pouting face. "Xiao Zi, when big things happen, we don’t always get a say. This was a decision Xie Yuan and I made after a lot of thought."

Hua Qingyun’s lips curved with a hint of helplessness. "Brother Chu, Lady Xie’s got a point. We should respect their decision. Besides, today’s a real mess. If I were in his shoes, I’d probably do the same."

"You’re all about the greater good, even if it costs you your lives. What’s there to say?" Chu Xiaozi muttered, then turned and walked away.

Su Youyue moved to follow her, but Hua Qingyun shook his head and stopped her. "I’ll go, Lady Xie. You’ve done enough already. You should go and arrange the shadow guards."

Seeing this, Su Youyue stopped in her tracks.

Jin’er pouted and chimed in, "Miss, don’t take it to heart. Xiao Zi means well. To her, nothing beats staying alive."

"Yes," Su Youyue replied. Having taught the girl herself, she knew Xiao Zi meant well.

Wanting to stay alive isn’t a crime. Who would want to lose their life for no reason?

She’d have to break it down for her later.

This wasn’t just about Dongrong; it affected them and the whole country. It wasn’t just about saving Tuoba Xiao.

This girl had braved mountains and rivers, facing danger at every turn, all to avenge her. She had already mustered immense courage. How could Su Youyue possibly blame her?

In the distance, Chu Xiaozi, who had already run far away, looked sullen. When she reached a river, she picked up a few small stones and skipped them across the water to vent her frustration.

The memory of her mentor being forcibly dragged away from her still lingered, and she could still feel the fear in her muscles. If she could, she would have taken everyone back with her right now.

But why didn’t they understand her?

"Brother Chu," Hua Qingyun called out as he approached, seeing her standing by the lake, and quickened his pace.

Chu Xiaozi was filled with anger, but she couldn’t bring herself to vent it on him. So, she threw all the stones in her hand into the water, listening to the splashing sounds. Seeing Hua Qingyun’s rare look of concern, she actually felt like laughing, "What, are you afraid I might jump in? Don’t worry, if anyone’s going to jump, it won’t be me. My life is the most important thing!"

Forget it, forget it. Whatever choices they made were their own. She couldn’t control their decisions. Dwelling on it would only bring unnecessary trouble.

They were different from her, each with their own ambitions, destined to do great things. Being able to know them was already a great fortune for her.

Chu Xiaozi had lived a hard life since childhood, so she often had to find joy in her own way. Over time, she developed a temper that came and went quickly. Before Hua Qingyun could say much, she had already cheered herself up.

Seeing her mood improve, Hua Qingyun shook his head and smiled, "I wasn’t afraid you’d jump in, Brother Chu. I was afraid you might accidentally fall in."

Hearing this, Chu Xiaozi realized that where she was standing was indeed a bit dangerous. She quickly stepped back and patted her chest, "Whew..."

After they were done, the two of them looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh.

Seeing that she was already in a safe place, Hua Qingyun slowly explained on behalf of Xie Yuan and Su Youyue.

"Sister Chu, Lord Xie and his wife made this decision for a reason. What we have seen is that the Holy Church is cruel and ruthless, and the people within it are morally corrupt. They haven’t fully taken control of Dongrong yet, but they act so tyrannically and recklessly. If they were to gain military power, the royal family would become mere puppets of the Holy Church. At that time, everyone in Dongrong, from the elderly to the babbling babies, would not be spared if they caught their attention. They would act even more brazenly because they have long lost any sense of humanity."

"Moreover, with Emperor Xuanming on the throne, there is still peace between Dasheng and Dongrong. But if the Holy Church were to control the military, they could launch a war against Dasheng at any moment, as the Pope has always been an advocate for war in recent years."

"If they treat their own people in Dongrong this way, they certainly won’t treat the civilians of Dasheng kindly during a war."

"And if the Holy Church were to seize power, it would be hard for us to leave Dongrong."

"Lord Xie and Lady Xie must have considered all this, which is why they decided to go."

Listening to him patiently break down the situation, Chu Xiaozi finally calmed down completely.

"I understand now, Hua Qingyun. I was too narrow-minded."

She had initially thought that Lord Xie and her teacher had no reason to get involved in Dongrong’s internal affairs, risking their lives for someone like Tuoba Xiao.

But now she fully understood that, given Lord Xie and her teacher’s personalities, they naturally wouldn’t sit idly by in such a situation.

And neither would Hua Qingyun.

Hua Qingyun said, "Your perspective isn’t narrow, Sister Chu. You just aren’t familiar with the tense balance between the royal family and the Holy Church in Dongrong over the years. Besides, what’s wrong with cherishing your life?"

Chu Xiaozi blushed but quickly added, "Then can you stop being so reckless and putting yourself in danger all the time?"

To this, the man replied, "Everyone must die eventually, some deaths are as weighty as Mount Tai, while others are as light as a feather..."

"I don’t understand, I don’t understand. Hua Qingyun, stop being so poetic. Just promise me to value your life more, okay? I still want to explore the mountains and rivers with you all when we return to Dasheng." Chu Xiaozi didn’t want to hear any of this.

In truth, she had learned this phrase long ago when she was studying with her teacher.

But she had dismissed it. Death is death; once you’re dead, it’s all over. What’s the difference between being as weighty as Mount Tai or as light as a feather?

Hua Qingyun looked at her helplessly, a small smile on his lips. "Alright, let’s go back."

Hearing his agreement, Chu Xiaozi instantly became happy and started chattering next to him. "I don’t care. You gentlemen always say 'a promise is a promise.' You promised me, so you can’t go back on it. If you keep being so careless with your life, I’ll really get angry."

"Alright," Hua Qingyun agreed.