Chapter 20: Li Qinglin
This “welcome banquet” was also lackluster. The Li Family’s brother and sister whose eldest brother died were obviously not in the mood to drink and have fun; it was even more inappropriate. It was just a regular banquet in the mansion to introduce Li Qinglin’s cronies to Qin Yi.
5 of the so-called cronies were excel in both civil and military. They all treated Qin Yi in a more official manner. After all, to be able to get such a position, they would not show their likes and dislikes easily. Even if someone looked down on this inexplicable taoist, they would not express any attitude.
All Qin Yi could see was a smile like a spring breeze. There was a touch of scrutiny and alienation amidst the respect.
Even Li Qingjun was no longer a casual comrade-in-arms. She kept a distance from Qin Yi. During the banquet, her attitude was more dignified than anyone else. Qin Yi even saw her cover the wine glass with her small hand and sipped lightly.
The woman in the pavilion bottoming up the alcohol gourd seemed to be just a flash in the pan.
“It’s very depressive.” Returning to the guest house, Qin Yi sat down by the window and leaned against the window sill to look at the flowers in the yard, “I’d rather wander the world with the Li Family’s brother and sister to get rid of beastkin than seeing them in the capital.”
Li Qingjun had already left. She had her own residence, so she of course would not stay with her brother. Li Qinglin also summoned his cronies to discuss matters, most likely about the position of the crown prince. He didn’t let Qin Yi sit in; Qin Yi didn’t care. He just went back to the guest house by himself.
Liu Su’s voice was a bit teasing, “Regret going out with them? Aren’t you happier in Immortal Track Mountain?”
“If your heart wants to stay away from the mortal world, anywhere will be a quiet place.” Qin Yi took out the alcohol gourd, took a sip, and found that it was empty. He left it aside in a bit of boredom.
“Just pretend.” Liu Su said, “Why don’t you bring your mahogany sword with you during the welcome banquet?”
“For what?” Qin Yi asked rhetorically, “Even if Li Qinglin really has a beastkin by his side, it doesn’t mean it’s evidence of murdering his brother. On the contrary, it will only make me hurt someone. How can I stay with him in the future?”
Liu Su seemed to ask casually, “If he really killed his brother, would you still cooperate with him?”
Qin Yi looked at the yard in a daze. He said after a long time, “I don’t know.”
“Actually, even if he killed his brother, it has nothing to do with you. What you want to deal with is the State Preceptor.” Liu Su encouraged, “It would be better for Li Qinglin to have plans to usurp the throne because it will be easier to deal with the State Preceptor.” Cheêck out latest novels on novel/bin(.)com
Qin Yi was still in a daze. After a long time, he said, “Anyway, I still believe him now. When the crown prince was assassinated, he was obviously still looking for me in the mountains. If I doubt my companion just because of the provocation by a stranger taoist nun, I will be out of my mind.”
“Even ants want to live, let alone me? I... I of course don’t want to die.”
Li Qinglin thought for a while, then sighed, “Since the other party doesn’t come into the mansion, you can stay here first. Wait until I have a talk with Qin Yi tomorrow...”
“You...” The female voice was quite surprised, “You are still willing to help me? This may get you into trouble, and it may even make that Qin Yi suspicious of you.”
Everyone knew that the best solution was to keep her oath and kill herself. Not to mention the cultivator outside, no one would know that there used to be a beastkin here. The last clue of the crown prince’s assassination would be completely erased.
The woman really couldn’t imagine that Li Qinglin would choose to help her. This was completely beyond her understanding of Li Qinglin.
Li Qinglin didn’t need her to think about it, and he said, “Actually, this matter... it’s is not too difficult to understand that I have a beastkin around me. Who will relate you to the crown prince’s case for no reason? So, I can still ask him to help the beastkin raised in my mansion, right?”
“Yes. It’s just that it will bring up some unexpected troubles...”
“Enough.” Li Qinglin waved his hand, “You know I’m helping you, but am I not trying to take this opportunity to meet the cultivator you mentioned? After all, Qin Yi has no cultivation. If his alchemy skills are not enough, maybe your foreign cultivator is my last choice. He may not belong to the faction of Dong Huazi.”
The female voice was silent again.
The foreign cultivator meant he had nothing to do with the local forces. He was indeed someone Li Qinglin could unite with, and the price to pay was probably only her life.
“A person like you... aren’t you afraid that things will eventually go wrong for walking on the edge of the cliff?”
“It’s up to people to plan things.” Li Qinglin said flatly, “At least for now, everything is going well.”
The female voice said indifferently, “It’s okay to use the enemy and me. With the excuse of accompanying Princess Zhaoyang to find the immortal, you not only invited a taoist back, but you even created a proof that you have nothing to do with the crown prince’s case. Everything went according to your plan. The only one who has been taken advantage of is Princess Zhao Yang who happily went to search for immortals with her elder brother. Do you have nothing to be ashamed of?”
Li Qinglin pondered and said to himself, “Qingjun is a carefree monkey on the road to immortality, and she has the purest heart. She will grow up eventually, but I don’t know what the trigger is.”
“Monkey?”
“Yes, monkey, and I’m the monkey who is fighting with Tathagata. If I have no means and I’m still as innocent as Qingjun, then I will not be able to escape the Five Fingers Mountain.” Li Qinglin’s expression became blank again, “I’m walking on thin ice now, how can I have time to take care of everyone’s mood?”
TL: He really killed his brother? Why though?