Chapter 45: A Little Sparrow
Your oath was unbelievably cruel to yourself, yet it perfectly demonstrated your sincerity.
And at this moment, that sincerity earned the approval of Commander General Yueyu.
"Mr. Su, that's enough…"
"I can vouch for you."
Although Commander General Yueyu is cautious in her dealings, she is someone who treats others with sincerity. Seeing you swear such a vicious oath, she already believed eighty to ninety percent of what you said.
Though she should not pry into Mr. Su's private affairs, Commander Yueyu still felt a bit curious. What matter required a meeting with Marshal Hua to resolve?
"Perhaps you'll know in the near future."
You smiled faintly. Commander Yueyu was momentarily stunned, then asked no more, merely returning a polite smile.
"Then I hope Mr. Su will achieve something great…"
You nodded lightly, indicating that you would.
Commander Yueyu seemed to be in a very talkative mood, bringing up other topics and inviting you to stay for a simple meal.
You accepted immediately—every meal was an opportunity to savor the cuisine of a General's residence.
From what she said, the offensive of the Followers of Abundance had significantly weakened recently, showing signs of fading away. The war might end within the next decade or two.
When discussing such major matters, Commander Yueyu frowned slightly, a hint of fatigue between her brows. Even the most skilled warriors detest war.
Feixiao, however, was different. When Commander Yueyu mentioned certain points, Feixiao's fox ears twitched slightly, and from time to time a glimmer shone in her eyes…
"However, what I just said may be overly optimistic. These past few years might simply be the calm before the storm…"
You nodded solemnly. As a commanding general, such a sense of crisis struck you as admirable.
"Who knows, Mr. Su…"
After staying for some time at General Tianji's residence and politely declining Commander Yueyu's repeated attempts to make you stay longer, you set off for your final stop.
Returning to Luofu…
It had been less than a year since your last visit.
You arrived easily at Fu Xuan's residence, feeling an inexplicable sense of peace in your heart.
In truth, having such a young junior sister made you very happy. At the very least, over the past twenty years, her companionship had made your life quite pleasant.
"Knock, knock, knock…"
You knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
It was still that familiar voice.
"It's your elder brother."
This time, you didn't play any tricks—you answered seriously.
Hurried footsteps sounded like raindrops, and within just a few breaths, the door opened.
A charming young girl appeared before your eyes, her cheeks glowing with a healthy rosy hue.
Her gaze, like water, rested upon you.
She called out sweetly, "Elder brother…"
You nodded and smiled.
"Why are you blocking the door? Aren't you going to let your elder brother in?"
"H-How could that be…"
"Your elder brother's sudden visit left me, your junior sister… a little flustered…"
She stepped aside to let you into the courtyard.
You walked straight to the stone table…
"I, your elder brother, want to visit Jing Yuan. What gifts should I prepare?"
…
While you were discussing with your junior sister what gifts to bring when visiting Jing Yuan, at the Seat of Divine Foresight—
Jing Yuan sat at his desk, staring intently at a document from General Rongtao's residence of the Celestial Ark Yuque…
"General, do you have any leads?"
"What does General Yao Guang's letter mean?"
Qing Zu, the secretary of the Seat of Divine Foresight, a foxian, was pondering how to phrase a reply to Yao Guang.
Jing Yuan's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He looked at the dense "≡ ≡" characters before him and frowned slightly.
A whole day had passed—he had sat thinking for an entire day.
Dealing with diviners was truly troublesome. A photo, a full page of Kun hexagrams… what did it mean? General Shence did not dare draw conclusions lightly.
"General, I have examined the Kun lines. Kun represents the power of the earth; a noble person, with deep virtue, bears all things…"
"General Yao Guang drew an entire page of Kun hexagrams—could she be implying that Mr. Su is a person of great virtue?"
"Mmm…"
Jing Yuan pondered for a moment. General Shence did not know everything.
Still, he felt that Qing Zu's interpretation made some sense.
After all, Su Xiaobai, tutor of the Celestial Ark Yuque, had gained considerable renown over the past decades. On ordinary days, envious rumors were often heard at the Seat of Divine Foresight about which children were attending the Jade Pavilion's private school…
The meaning of General Yao Guang's letter was likely just as Qing Zu had described…
"Tsk, Yanqing has just reached the age to enter a private school. I had planned to send him there, but I didn't expect Mr. Su to dissolve his academy, saying he wanted to enjoy retirement. That's really a bit… inconvenient."
As he was thinking to himself, a gatekeeper came to report.
"General, Miss Fu Xuan has arrived with her elder brother…"
"Please invite them in at once."
Jing Yuan put away the document from Yao Guang and sat upright.
…
This was the first time you entered the Seat of Divine Foresight in your true physical form, and it didn't seem much different from later occasions…
Entering through the main gate, you saw Jing Yuan sitting straight at the desk, his divine radiance restrained…
He looked as though he had just woken up, with a slightly sickly air.
The feeling of an old general long retired from the battlefield.
"Miss Fu, Mr. Su… what instructions bring you to my Seat of Divine Foresight?"
Jing Yuan stood up, a gentle smile on his face, and invited you to sit.
Aside from one leg being a bit stiff—probably from sitting on it too long—he was no different from how he appeared in the game.
"My junior sister has been under General Jing Yuan's care for many years. I have come on behalf of my master to express our gratitude…"
You performed a standard salute and presented your prepared explanation.
With Fu Xuan at your side, you did not wish to reveal your true purpose.
"Hehe, the Xianzhou Alliance is like one big family. Such small matters are nothing to worry about."
Jing Yuan looked at you with interest, and you returned his gaze calmly.
"I have long heard of Mr. Su's great reputation. Jing Yuan is fortunate to meet you today…"
"Not at all. I have long heard that General Shence of Luofu is flawless and imposing. Meeting you today, I find that the rumors may have underestimated the truth…"
…
The way you both praised each other made Qing Zu and Fu Xuan cover their mouths and laugh quietly.
"Ay, Mr. Su truly has exceptional talent! Jing Yuan is impressed. However, no one visits without reason—why not say what's on your mind, Mr. Su?"
Unable to keep up, Jing Yuan was the first to break, asking your purpose.
At that moment, you produced a birdcage containing a small, round bird whose feathers gleamed with a golden light—a rare Golden Qilin among its kind…
It was quite valuable.
"A small token of gratitude to General Jing Yuan for taking care of my junior sister."
At first, Jing Yuan did not wish to accept it. Though he liked the gift, accepting such a generous offering would inevitably invite gossip.
"General, please don't refuse just yet. Please, look at this little bird."
You spoke first, pointing at the bird in the cage. Jing Yuan followed your finger and observed the bird, its golden feathers shining, mysterious runes faintly visible.
"Hm? This bird…"
A flash lit up in Jing Yuan's eyes. He noticed tiny characters, barely visible, on one of the cage's bars.
[Su Xiaobai has an urgent matter and wishes to visit General Jing Yuan in private…]
He looked at you, blinked, and accepted the cage.