Chapter 316: Chapter 222: Sharing the Moon, Even from a Li Away

When Chen Yunfan returned to Guiyun Academy, the poetry gathering had already ended.

Liu Hong, Yang Ye, Liu Si, and other important officials from Shu State had already departed.

The remaining Academy Masters—Yue Ming, Zhuo Ying, and Lingchuan—were standing at the entrance, seeing off the guests from Yuelu Academy, Yingtian Academy, and others.

Their exchanges were filled with the usual pleasantries.

The other talented young men and women who had attended the poetry gathering were leaving the academy in twos and threes, their expressions showing they were still longing for more.

Their conversations were all about the events of the evening’s gathering.

Naturally, much of the talk was about *Song of the Water Melody* and their admiration for its author, Chen Yi, also known as Mr. Qingzhou.

Chen Yunfan paid them no mind. After scanning the crowd, he spotted Cui Qingwu, Xiao Wan’er, and the others, and walked over with a displeased look on his face.

Cui Qingwu noticed something was off about him. She thought for a moment before taking the initiative to approach him. "What took you so long?" she asked with a smile, before lowering her voice.

"Chen... How is he? Why didn’t he come back with you?"

Chen Yunfan stopped in his tracks and snorted. "He’s dead."

"Dead?"

Cui Qingwu froze for a moment. She couldn’t help but glance back at the others, a silent warning for him to watch his words, before continuing,

"What happened?"

Chen Yunfan noticed her gesture. He glanced at Xiao Wan’er, Xiao Wuge, and Shen Huatang before replying ambiguously,

"I got there too late. Someone else had already intervened."

On the way back, Chen Yunfan had thought it all through.

Chen Yi had always kept a low profile, only revealing that his Calligraphy Dao had reached the Perfection Realm. He must have his reasons for doing so.

As Chen Yi’s older brother, it was only right for him to help conceal this.

As for the "issues" between him and Chen Yi, that was something for the two of them to resolve as brothers.

’Doesn’t that sound like a perfect example of brotherly love and respect?’

But what was the reality?

Chen Yunfan wished Chen Yi would stay hidden for the rest of his life.

Preferably until his own Martial Arts Cultivation had advanced and he too had broken through to the Perfection Realm.

That way, he would still be the Eldest Young Master of the Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family, the Imperial Top Scholar of the Great Wei Dynasty, and a martial arts genius rarely seen in a century.

Otherwise, he feared that when he traveled the world in the future, people would see him and only say, "That’s the older brother of the peerless genius, Chen Qingzhou."

And that would be... just fucking unbearable.

Cui Qingwu, of course, was unaware of Chen Yunfan’s "dark" thoughts. Hearing his explanation, she nodded and said, "That’s for the best."

It was better for someone else to have performed the rescue, regardless of who it was, than for Chen Yunfan to have done it himself.

Earlier, after learning that Chen Yunfan had been hiding his Martial Arts Cultivation, Cui Qingwu had begun to regret letting him go to Chen Yi’s rescue alone.

The reason was simple.

The longer a trump card like this remained hidden, the more powerful its effect when finally revealed.

Her own position as a Silver Banner Officer in the White Tiger Guard, for example, was a hidden identity completely different from her public persona.

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If anyone thought she was merely the young miss of the Qinghe Cui Family and tried to move against her, they would meet a much more miserable fate.

Xiao Wan’er held Xiao Wuge’s hand, her anxiety for Chen Yi deepening as she watched Chen Yunfan and Cui Qingwu whispering to each other off to the side.

She couldn’t help but glance at Shen Huatang, the question in her eyes unspoken but clear.

Shen Huatang understood perfectly and gave a slight shake of her head.

’All this talk about someone being dead or others intervening probably has nothing to do with the Young Master.’

’Otherwise, given the relationship between Chen Yunfan and the Young Master, his reaction would be completely different.’

Xiao Wan’er breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to look out at Kangning Street beyond the academy gates, searching for a familiar figure.

Xiao Wuge was also looking left and right. Seeing that most of the guests had departed, he couldn’t help but ask,

"Big Sis, where did Brother-in-law go?"

Xiao Wan’er shook her head gently. "I... I don’t know either. He must have been delayed by something."

Just then, Chen Yunfan, who had overheard their conversation, exchanged a look with Cui Qingwu. They walked over together, and he said with a smile,

"Brother Yi does have some business to attend to, but he should be back soon."

Xiao Wan’er couldn’t help asking, "Young Master Chen, do you know what’s happened? Why isn’t he back yet, so late at night?"

"Didn’t he go with some people to the Quchi Painting Boat? Miss Xiao, you should know how those literary types are. Reciting poetry, composing couplets, a beauty in their arms... He..."

Before Chen Yunfan could finish, Cui Qingwu discreetly gave his side a sharp pinch, cutting him off.

"Sister Wan’er, don’t listen to Brother Yunfan."

Xiao Wan’er didn’t take him seriously, of course. She smiled. "Young Master Chen is joking. I trust my husband is not a frivolous man."

Chen Yunfan privately scoffed. ’Him? Not frivolous?’

’He drugged his own brother unconscious and had the nerve to show up for a rescue mission. How could you call that merely ’frivolous’?’

’He’s an absolute animal.’

Just then, Liu Zhaoxue, who had yet to leave Guiyun Academy, walked over. She gave a slight curtsy and said,

"Greetings, Sister Wan’er, Young Master Chen, Miss Cui."

Chen Yunfan shot her a sidelong glance and pretended not to hear.

Ever since the incident with the Three Towns’ summer grain being burned, his opinion of the Jing State Liu Family—and Liu Wen in particular—left a sour taste in his mouth.

Even if Liu Zhaoxue was the most beautiful woman in Jing State, he couldn’t be bothered to give her a second glance.

Xiao Wan’er felt the same. After a polite nod, she fell silent, simply holding Xiao Wuge’s hand and offering no reply.

Cui Qingwu glanced between them, a slight smile touching her lips. "Why, Miss Liu, haven’t you left yet?"

"Your third uncle left before the poetry gathering was even over."

Liu Zhaoxue saw their expressions and understood what they were thinking. With an unruffled smile, she said,

"My third uncle and I are not traveling the same path, so it would be an imposition for me to bother him."

As she spoke, she glanced around and asked, "I wonder why Mr. Qingzhou isn’t here?"

"His *Song of the Water Melody* at the gathering tonight was truly astonishing. I was hoping I might have the chance to ask for his personal guidance on the art of poetry."

Cui Qingwu frowned to herself. ’This woman really knows how to touch a sore spot.’

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