Chapter 0082: Repaying Kindness with Hatred

Chapter 0082: Repaying Kindness with Hatred

Chen Jiancheng, the current leader of the Breeze Sect.

In the sixth year of Guangjia, while the Breeze Sect was still causing trouble in Chang'an, Emperor Guangjia suddenly moved south. The barbarians, upon hearing this news, were enraged and immediately marched southward. At that time, the leader of the Breeze Sect was in Xiping County, trying to persuade the head of a powerful faction. He was far from his followers, who were busy fleeing for their lives and forgot to notify him. By the time they remembered him, he had already been killed by the barbarians.

However, the situation was too chaotic at the time. They hastily collected the body of their former leader and continued fleeing south. When they finally reached a safe place, they looked at each other and realized for the first time how well they could agree on one thing: no one but themselves could be the next leader.

This internal conflict developed swiftly and absurdly, yet it remained hidden from outsiders. No one knew that the Breeze Sect had undergone a major purge. If you think about it, it makes sense. Although the Breeze Sect had followers everywhere, they caused so much trouble that wherever they went, local leaders couldn't have a moment's peace. If a local leader found out that an elder, protector, or even the leader of the Breeze Sect was present, it meant the sect had targeted them.

Ordinary people didn't need to fear them, but faction leaders couldn't tolerate such threats. After many instances of being chased and attacked by local forces, the Breeze Sect learned to be more discreet. They no longer held high-profile meetings; instead, they rented houses and pretended to be ordinary people. If someone needed to appear publicly, they would send only one person, and sending two was already a sign of great importance.

In any case, without anyone outside the upper echelons knowing, the Breeze Sect elected a new leader. This new leader claimed to have inherited the will of the old leader in a dream and promised to lead the sect to a brighter future.

This leader was Chen Jiancheng. Nine years had passed since he made his grand claim, yet the members of the Breeze Sect still lived like moles, always getting beaten up whenever they showed their faces.

During his nine-year tenure as the leader of the Breeze Sect, he appeared dignified and mysterious in public, with a distant gaze as if constantly communicating with deities. In private, however, he had over two hundred concubines, six hundred female slaves, and three hundred male slaves. His "wine pools and meat forests" spanned the entire Central Plains, including properties and mistresses in Shanshan, Xianbei, Goguryeo, and even in the regions beyond the Jinsha River.

To be honest, not even Emperor Guangjia or Sun Renluan had lived such a luxurious life. While Chen Jiancheng had mistresses all over the world, many of them didn't know his true identity. Some thought he was just a wealthy merchant or a young nobleman visiting. If someone discovered his real identity, whether they lived or died depended on how much he liked them. If he didn't like them much, he would kill them; if he liked them a little, he would still kill them.

Chen Jiancheng might have a peculiar personality, but he managed to lead the Breeze Sect for nine years, which proves he wasn't stupid. One lesson he learned during his time in the sect was never to sympathize with innocent people. Innocent people aren't necessarily smart, and those who aren't smart might end up leading themselves—and him—to their doom.

Xia Kou was one of Chen Jiancheng's main bases, so the concubines there had higher status than those elsewhere. Some were daughters of noble families who had married into his household, while others were assassins and spies who had done dirty work for him. These people knew who he was, so he didn't need to pretend around them. That's why he preferred staying there.

As for why he reacted so strongly to Xi Zhu's death...

It's because Chen Jiancheng had a grand ambition. He wanted to surpass all previous leaders of the Breeze Sect and become an emperor himself, bringing all his scattered concubines to his palace. This is why he kept these concubines despite rarely visiting them; they were part of his plan for his future harem.

From Chen Jiancheng, one can see that some people really don't learn from history. The Breeze Sect has existed for over a hundred years, and countless leaders before him had similar ambitions, all of which failed. Yet he believed he was special and had something the others didn't, making him confident he could succeed.

Eight years ago, after being the leader for a year, he approached the assassin branch of the Breeze Sect and bought thirty promising assassin trainees. Xi Zhu was indeed the most talented among them, naturally cold-blooded and capable of killing her pet rabbit without batting an eye. Chen Jiancheng had high hopes for her and ensured she received the best treatment, even forbidding her trainers from whipping her to avoid scars. Year after year, he nurtured her until Yang Zangyi decided to collaborate with them.

Killing Sun Renluan was a significant event that could go down in history. Chen Jiancheng believed this was Xi Zhu's moment to shine.

She did make her debut... but her exit was as swift as her entrance. Upon hearing of Xi Zhu's death, Chen Jiancheng was stunned, but soon his anger boiled over.

Wasting his efforts was one thing, but disrupting his plans was another. Now, one of his Four Concubines was missing.

Thus, when Chen Jiancheng said he wanted Xiao Rong's life in exchange, he wasn't joking. He genuinely wanted to kill Xiao Rong, the person who ruined his plans and forced him to reassess the situation. He had to test whether Xiao Rong's success was due to luck or genuine insight.

If it was luck, he hated lucky people and would kill him. If it was insight, he couldn't let such a threat live either.

Despite saying this, when he met Zhou Liang, he didn't mention Xiao Rong. Instead, he transformed back into the dignified leader. Zhou Liang, who had been ignored for days, was already harboring resentment. Chen Jiancheng continued to play mind games, trying to extract information by wearing down Zhou Liang's patience. Zhou Liang sat there, his heart filled with resentment.

Zhou Liang was treacherous, but Chen Jiancheng had met countless people and knew better. He didn't care about Zhou Liang's nature. Even recognizing Zhou Liang's resentment, he merely smiled and continued probing. The Breeze Sect believed that anyone alive could be used, regardless of their character. They had never lost at exploiting others.

After three days of playing mind games, Chen Jiancheng concluded that Zhou Liang was a valuable asset whose grudge against Xiao Rong could benefit him.

Meanwhile, Xiao Rong was still dealing with issues in Chenliu. Recently, he had sent messengers to inform the governors and prefects north of the Huai River to follow Chenliu's example by setting up notice boards and posting official documents. By now, even the farthest region of Dunhuang should have received his orders. Xiao Rong sent another group to check if the officials complied.

To be honest... even if the literary gathering ended, the number of scholars willing to serve the Northern Pacification King wouldn't fill all the vacant positions. Replacing everyone would cause panic, potentially leading to defections and rebellions.

At this critical juncture, Xiao Rong couldn't afford unrest north of the Huai River. Thus, he used this small task to test their loyalty, conveying a message: regardless of past misdeeds, if they ceased and obeyed him and the King, he would overlook their past and allow them to continue governing.

True reckoning would come later, once the realm was stable. Despite their faults, these officials were essential pillars of the Northern Pacification Army. If they behaved, the army would face fewer troubles. If they didn't, it could trigger widespread chaos.

Xiao Rong felt he was being merciful, but the reports from the cities showed that less than half had followed his orders.

Xiao Rong: "..."

This result was a blow to him. Seeing his silence, Gao Xunzhi sighed and consoled him, "I anticipated this. North of the Huai River appears calm, but each city operates independently. They pledged allegiance to the King but don't want him meddling in their affairs. Ah Rong, don't take it too hard."

Song Shuo, looking at the report, suddenly remarked, "Maybe you're too lenient? In troubled times, harsh measures are necessary. Without an example, who would listen? If the order came from the King, I bet more would comply."

Gao Xunzhi: "..."

If he weren't familiar with Song Shuo, he would have glared at him!

Xiao Rong looked at Song Shuo speechlessly, "Do I need you to tell me that? What timing is this? Can I afford to set an example? Who knows if the 'chicken' I kill has powerful relatives? If trouble arises, will you defend the frontlines or me?"

Song Shuo: "Then you should do it. At least you have a sword."

Xiao Rong: "......"

Gao Xunzhi was exasperated. Song Shuo's words were truly... why bring up such sensitive topics?

He quickly glanced at Xiao Rong, who clenched his jaw and stood up, clearly displeased.

Among the officials, Song Shuo was relatively unyielding. While others feared Xiao Rong's demeanor, he wasn't afraid, though he felt nervous.

As Xiao Rong stood up and took a step toward Song Shuo, he suddenly felt dizzy. Shocked, he collapsed without leaving a word.

Gao Xunzhi caught him quickly and anxiously shook him, trying to wake him up. Seeing that he had fainted completely, Gao Xunzhi immediately ordered the guards to fetch a doctor.

While Gao Xunzhi was frantic, he noticed Song Shuo standing there in shock and called out, "Mr. Song?"

Song Shuo stared blankly, finally managing to speak, "Did... Did I make him faint?"

Gao Xunzhi: "..."

Previously, when Xiao Rong was often sick, Song Shuo hadn't yet joined the Northern Pacification Army. Later, when Xiao Rong finally fainted once, Song Shuo had gone out shopping and missed it. By the time he returned, Xiao Rong had already woken up and seemed lively and energetic. Therefore, he never truly felt that Xiao Rong was frail.

Gao Xunzhi looked at Song Shuo's somewhat nervous expression, blinked, swallowed his initial words, and then nodded solemnly at Song Shuo: "That's right! Ah Rong's health is poor; he gets sick easily when he gets angry."

So from now on, be more mindful, don't keep poking at his sore spots when you talk.

Song Shuo looked at the unconscious Xiao Rong, subconsciously pinched his fingers, and although he believed Gao Xunzhi's words, he still felt something was off: "Xiao Rong often gets angry with The King, but why was he fine back then?"

Gao Xunzhi: "..."

Maintaining composure, he met Song Shuo's gaze for two seconds before answering: "Because he's used to it."

Song Shuo: "................Sen*Even*Zhen*Li"

How can one get used to this?!

Regardless, compared to Song Shuo, Gao Xunzhi undoubtedly knew Xiao Rong better. So no matter how absurd it sounded, Song Shuo could only accept this explanation.

Later, instead of the royal physician, it was the clan leader Agusega who arrived. This time, she didn't use her usual methods but applied her newly learned medical techniques from the Central Plains, causing quite a commotion. Since Xiao Rong was unconscious, he couldn't feel anything. When he slowly regained consciousness, everyone else had already left.

Unlike in the past, when he would immediately look for The King upon waking, today's Xiao Rong was very calm, almost in a daze.

He silently stared at the bed canopy for a while before slowly sitting up. Gao Xunzhi was by his side, watching as Xiao Rong opened his mouth and asked himself a question: "Has The King not left Yanmen County today?"

Gao Xunzhi nodded: "In yesterday's military report, The King already told you that he will depart tomorrow."

Xiao Rong: "Yes, General Jian also said so. It's peaceful in Yanmen County, and no one dares to cause trouble under The King's watch."

So, who was it?

Was it something Qu Yunmie did unintentionally, or was there someone acting secretly in Yanmen County, or was there a change in Sheng Le, or was it an issue from a place even further away that he couldn't imagine?

He hated this feeling of knowing danger was coming but not being able to pinpoint where it was. He hated it before, and he still hates it now.

Actually, the degree of hate was about the same, but since Qu Yunmie wasn't by his side, he couldn't interrogate him in detail anymore. So... this feeling of hate became unbearable.

Xiao Rong sat on the bed, lips pursed, having been silent for a long time. He had even forgotten that Gao Xunzhi was in the room until an old but firm hand rested on his knee, bringing him back to reality.

Xiao Rong looked up and saw Gao Xunzhi give him a comforting smile: "Ah Rong, don't worry."

"He will come back."...

This time, the symptoms were worse than before. After waking up, Xiao Rong felt very weak. He couldn't tell if it was due to the system or because he was just tired. Either way, he didn't want to get up.

For some reason, Song Shuo suddenly became diligent, taking over all the official duties Xiao Rong had abandoned. His eyes always carried a guilty look whenever he looked at Xiao Rong. Xiao Rong didn't bother asking why; since he wanted to do it, he let him handle everything.

It was rare. Ever since joining the Northern Pacification Army, Xiao Rong hardly had any rest. Even when idle, he would think about future scenarios. Today was the first time in a long while that he truly took a break.

But others didn't care about his world-weary face; they were relieved. Even Danran, when delivering medicine, said, "Mr. Xiao, you're usually so busy. If you keep going like this, you'll make yourself sick. Rest well, Mr. Xiao. Don't worry about Huichuntang; I'll take care of it!"

Xiao Rong looked at Danran expressionlessly and then shifted his gaze away indifferently.

What does Huichuntang matter? It has already fulfilled its mission.

Danran: "................"

Even trying to act cute couldn't elicit a reaction from Mr. Xiao; his mood must be really bad.

Although people often visited Xiao Rong's residence, today it was particularly bustling, almost like a theater. Tired of the commotion, Xiao Rong simply lay down and slept. When he woke up again, it was already dark outside, and candles were lit inside. Under the candlelight, he noticed something.

Turns out Mi Jing's head is matte; it doesn't reflect light.

Mi Jing sat in a chair, waiting for who knows how long. Hearing rustling sounds from the bed, he opened his eyes and stopped fingering his prayer beads.

Xiao Rong looked at the warm, glowing prayer beads in his hand and lazily spoke: "Are you here to cheer me up too?"

Mi Jing smiled: "Everyone has things they can't do. Making people happy is something I can't do. My life has mostly been about bringing bad news."

Xiao Rong couldn't help but sit up: "Usually, after saying that, the next sentence starts with 'but.'"

Mi Jing shook his head: "No 'but.' I'm here to bring you bad news."

Xiao Rong: "................"

Feeling numb, he took a moment before saying: "Alright, tell me."

After all, too many lice don't bite, and too much debt doesn't worry.

Hearing this, Mi Jing nodded and then revealed everything about Qu Yunmie: "The night before The King left, he invited me for tea. While brewing the tea, he asked me not to tell you about this. He believes that if something happens in Chenliu, as long as it doesn't affect the fundamentals, you won't tell him. So he asked me to be the one to inform you."

Xiao Rong had prepared himself for terrible news, but this?

He blinked and asked his first question: "Why you?"

Mi Jing: "The King said I am the only one in the palace who can't be persuaded by you. I only do what I believe is right." That makes sense.

So Xiao Rong asked his second question: "Then why are you telling me this?"

Mi Jing was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting this question: "Because I only do what I believe is right. Now, I believe telling you is the right thing to do."

Xiao Rong: "..."

He couldn't help but say: "If The King finds out, he'll be even more annoyed with you."

Mi Jing smiled faintly: "It's fine. Even if The King dislikes me, he won't do anything drastic."

Xiao Rong exclaimed: "You're really confident."

How many times did Qu Yunmie want to act? If not for his desperate interventions, Mi Jing would have been sent away to wander again.

These words were not something Xiao Rong would say. Even if he knew that Mi Jing could endure anything for the sake of the people, he didn't want to test him with meaningless arguments, for nothing in this world was as fragile as the human heart.

Though he did not say it, Mi Jing knew what Xiao Rong was thinking. Qu Yunmie wore his emotions on his face; hiding his thoughts required Qu Yunmie's cooperation.

After a moment of silence, Mi Jing continued, "This has nothing to do with confidence. I have already seen The King's self-control. That night, The King not only asked me to pass on a message but also revealed two sincere words. He said that if anything happened to you, ten Xianbei lives wouldn't be enough to repay the debt."

Xiao Rong's expression changed, and he immediately defended Qu Yunmie, "No, The King was just speaking casually. He wouldn't do such a thing!"

Mi Jing looked at Xiao Rong, his expression clearly asking, Do you believe that?

Xiao Rong: "..."

Seeing Xiao Rong speechless, Mi Jing chuckled, "The King is a man of his word. He will definitely do it."

Xiao Rong opened his mouth anxiously, wanting to say more, but Mi Jing added, "Hearing The King say such things, I felt greatly relieved."

Xiao Rong: "...Ah?"

Mi Jing raised an eyebrow, "Ten Xianbei lives wouldn't be enough to repay the debt. After experiencing such heart-wrenching pain, yet still restraining himself and venting his anger only on the enemy, The King's words instantly reassured me. He is no longer the Northern Pacification King who kills over trivial matters. I no longer need to worry about him suddenly going on a killing spree."

Xiao Rong was stunned for a while, then he glanced at Mi Jing, "He never did that anyway; those were just rumors outside."

Saying this without any guilt, he had forgotten the little emperor who died in Mi Jing's arms according to history.

So this was why Mi Jing had suddenly changed his attitude. Xiao Rong felt a bit happy, as this time it wasn't due to his efforts but Qu Yunmie's unintentional help.

Feeling a surge of joy, Xiao Rong tilted his head and asked Mi Jing, "So, it seems he's quite worried about my safety."

More than worried, it was a topic that couldn't even be mentioned, lest it cause trouble.

After a long silence, Mi Jing smiled, "You indeed look like someone worth worrying about."

Xiao Rong's mood improved even more.

Not only was he worried about Qu Yunmie, but Qu Yunmie was also worried about him. He feared Qu Yunmie dying outside, while Qu Yunmie feared him dying in Chenliu.

Not bad, very fair.

Knowing that he wasn't the only one suffering and tormented, he felt a sense of balance.

Throwing off the blanket, Xiao Rong got out of bed, his spirits high. "I still have some things to finish... Perfectly timed, no one will come looking for you this late. Half for you, half for me. If we work quickly, you might be able to leave by the third watch."

Seeing Mi Jing still stunned, Xiao Rong frowned and urged him, "Hurry up, or we'll exceed the third watch."

Mi Jing: "..."

No wonder he harbored such delusions about you.

Both of you are the type who repay kindness with ingratitude and kill the donkey after grinding.

Author's note: