Chapter 172: Mountain Yue Envoy

Candlelight flickered slightly in the great hall. Li Yuanxiu stood sideways at the head of the room, below him knelt a Mountain Yue envoy adorned with animal bones and jade stones, whose head was pressed tightly to the ground. The envoy spoke respectfully:

“This humble one greets the Young Patriarch. Our King remembers the friendship between our two families, constantly thinking of the well-being of your aunt and uncle, and ever mindful of our alliance, has sent various products from our lands. Now that the Queen’s position is still vacant, our King still hopes to marry a daughter from the Li clan...”

Li Yuanxiu stepped forward, descending two steps from the head of the hall. The clan soldiers on both sides immediately fixed their gaze on the Mountain Yue envoy. Chen Donghe, standing beside the steps, also silently became vigilant, guarding against any violent outburst from the man before them.

“My Li clan is located to the east. We have only heard of unrest in Mountain Yue, and that none of Mu Jiaoman’s collateral descendants survived. Envoy, you have traveled a long way; perhaps you can clarify this for me.”

Instead of answering the envoy’s request, Li Yuanxiu pressed for details about the Mountain Yue unrest, making the envoy stammer and sweat profusely. Although Qimu, the current King of Mountain Yue, had massacred his brothers on Mu Jiaoman’s orders, such an excuse was already widely questioned within Mountain Yue territory, let alone being used to respond to Li Yuanxiu. The envoy could only say tremblingly:

“There was indeed unrest… the former king’s descendants perished, but the change of succession was inevitable… it was not our King’s intention; His Majesty specifically protected your imperial aunt, which is also a merit!”

The imperial aunt naturally referred to the Li clan daughter who had married there years ago. Although Mu Jiaoman had given face to the Li clan by letting her stay in the palace, he acted cautiously and never had an heir with her. Her status in the palace was quite special; during the unrest, every faction immediately sent people to protect her.

Li Yuanxiu did not answer. Watching the Mountain Yue envoy tremble, he weighed his thoughts, musing to himself:

“Before Shamoli breaks through to Qi Refining, the priority must be to appease Qimu. We mustn’t let this man become suspicious, seek aid everywhere, and cause trouble. Everything should proceed as before, letting him relax. Tributes and trade are easy to arrange, just a matter of giving an order. But if this clan daughter marries him, won’t she become a widow in just a few years? There are many daughters from minor branches now, but some clan elders and uncles are bound to complain.”

The Mountain Yue envoy below, unaware of Li Yuanxiu’s thoughts, believed he had angered him and was trembling like chaff, sweating profusely, forming a small puddle on the stone tiles of the floor. Li Yuanxiu no longer remained silent, and softly said:

“The Mountain Yue wish to renew the marital ties between our families, and our Li clan agrees to this. Tributes and trade shall follow the old precedents; no changes are needed.”

“Thank you, Great King! Thank you, Great King!”

The envoy below, as if granted a great pardon, kowtowed heavily several times and blurted out “Great King!” However, Li Yuanxiu raised a hand and said with a smile:

“It’s just that our clan daughters are few nowadays and hold significant status within the clan. How can they be married off so casually? My father is currently in seclusion cultivating, and I, as the Young Patriarch, am not as accommodating as my father. There is one more condition for the marriage alliance between Mountain Yue and our family.”

“Please speak, Great King.”

The envoy repeatedly urged him. Li Yuanxiu then said with a smile:

“When a daughter of our clan marries west, how can she not have a fief to display her prestige? To the west of the Eastern Mountain Yue, there are still several villages; let Qimu conquer a few villages to the west as a wedding gift for our clan daughter.”

“This… this…”

The Mountain Yue envoy was stunned, not expecting Li Yuanxiu to make such a demand. For a clan daughter married out, with no real power, a fief was meaningless beyond potentially providing some additional tax revenue. He could only reply:

“Could the fief perhaps be one or two villages from within the Eastern Mountain Yue territory? Our King would not be stingy. However, with unrest within our borders, it may not be suitable to rashly engage in warfare…”

Li Yuanxiu frowned, and before he could finish speaking, aggressively interrupted him:

“Is this your King’s sincerity?!”

The Mountain Yue were weak and dependent on the Li clan for survival, so the envoy naturally became weak-kneed. Frightened by Li Yuanxiu, he immediately kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy, and hurriedly said:

“I will report this to our King at once, and there will be a reply in a few days… Please forgive me, Young Patriarch!”

“You may withdraw.”

Li Yuanxiu waved his hand, and the man hastily retreated. Then a clan soldier led someone up, also dressed in Mountain Yue attire, who knelt with clasped fists and said in a deep voice:

“Young Patriarch!”

“What news has my clan sister brought back?” Li Yuanxiu asked, looking up.

The Mountain Yue man took out a thick stack of cloth scrolls from his embrace and replied respectfully:

“The Queen Dowager has recorded all of Qimu’s arrangements for his ascent to power and the distribution and stations of the Qi Refining Mountain Yue within the kingdom. It is all in this volume.”

Li Pingyi, who had walked up, stepped forward and took the scrolls. Li Yuanxiu smiled and nodded, saying softly:

“Go back and tell my clan sister to first perform her role as imperial aunt well. Within the next few years, we will find a way to reunite her with her family.”

“Yes.”

The man bowed in gratitude and withdrew. Li Yuanxiu took the stack of cloth scrolls from Li Pingyi, spread them open, read for a while, and murmured aloud:

“Three initial-stage Qi Refining cultivators, one mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, all mixed-qi cultivators. This Mountain Yue is simply too weak. No wonder Qimu pacified his kingdom in one go and didn’t dare to wait, immediately seeking allegiance.”

While Li Yuanxiu was reading, Li Yuanjiao had already been standing in the courtyard. He glanced at the Mountain Yue messenger, and waited until he had left the courtyard before speaking:

“Elder Brother, though our clan sister is from a minor branch, she is no ordinary person. Mu Jiaoman was so wary of her during his lifetime, yet after his death, she quickly gained support from various factions, gathered such detailed information, and managed to send someone back with the merchant caravan. It was not easy.”

“Indeed.” Li Yuanxiu nodded, continuing to read the letter in his hand, and replied: “Choosing a daughter from a minor branch to go west back then was also a result of careful selection. The attendants she brought were loyal. When she returns, her branch should be credited with a meritorious deed.”

The Li clan marrying out a daughter was naturally different from Mu Yalu marrying in alone back then. That clan daughter could not only return home to visit her family every year but also brought many loyal attendants.

Li Yuanjiao listened to his elder brother finish, nodded in agreement, and then said:

“Elder Brother, Shamoli has already broken through to the fifth layer of Fetal Breath. I’ve persuaded him to return to seclusion. The spirit fruits have also been delivered to him. Having passed the difficult hurdle of the Jade Capital Wheel, and with the aid of spiritual treasures, he should attempt to break through to Qi Refining within two years.”

“Good.” Li Yuanxiu nodded slightly, pondered for a few seconds, and said softly: “I will also go to the mountain myself to speak with him, and have the family prepare the mixed qi.”

Li Yuanjiao chuckled and replied: “I listened outside for a while, Elder Brother’s method is indeed good. Pressuring the new Mountain Yue king, no matter if he conquers one or two towns to the west, in the end, it will still belong to our Li clan.”

A smile played on Li Yuanxiu’s face, which bore a strong resemblance to Li Yuanjiao’s, yet held a more relaxed and easygoing quality compared to Li Yuanjiao’s sharper features. He looked at his younger brother and replied:

“You and I both understand the family’s plan; this is merely to complete a link. Since Mount Wu is sealed, the Mountain Yue villages to the west must have lost their backing. According to the returned intelligence, Qimu likely has intentions of westward expansion. I am merely giving him a reason. Once he has helped our family annex a few more villages, his troops will be exhausted and wasteful, creating much bloodshed. It will then be more legitimate for Shamoli to replace him.”

“Elder Brother always thinks so thoroughly,” Li Yuanjiao said with a smile, praising him.

Li Yuanxiu waved his hand, replying: “It’s just a convenient measure; it won’t significantly impact the overall situation, but it will make subsequent calculations smoother.”

“As for the clan daughter to be married off, whom does Elder Brother intend to send?” Li Yuanjiao asked.

Li Yuanxiu then shifted his gaze from the letter in his hand and said softly: “No one.”

Li Yuanjiao paused, then immediately understood his elder brother’s meaning, and said softly: “I know of Elder Brother’s care for the clan members, but is this truly secure?”

“Oh,” Li Yuanxiu chuckled and nodded, replying: “We will find a reliable family in the town, one willing to offer a daughter for wealth and status. We will train the girl and send her there. Even if Qimu notices something amiss, he’ll have to put up with it; would he dare to say anything? Once the Eastern Mountain Yue is under our control, we will bring her back. She can even gain the prestige of a branch family member, so naturally, many people will be willing to do it.”

Li Yuanjiao slightly lowered his gaze. His affection for the clan members differed from Li Yuanxiu’s; it was based purely on sentiment rather than bloodline. He was inclined to genuinely send a clan daughter to appease Qimu, not wanting to alert the enemy even if there was a slight chance. But since Li Yuanxiu had spoken, he could only nod and say in a deep voice:

“As long as Elder Brother is confident.”

Li Yuanxiu looked at him, noticing the difference in his thoughts. He put down what was in his hand and said gently: “Qimu is asking for a daughter from a minor branch. The minor branches primarily consist of five lineages. These five lineages separated since our great-grandfather’s time. Some of the elders are very senior in rank; they don’t usually speak much, but we must still pay attention to them. These people are closely related to us and are capable assistants in governing the family. Some clan elders can even speak freely before Father and Grand-uncle. If we truly marry a clan daughter off for nothing, the family elders and uncles will have strong objections… Harmony within the family is paramount.”

Li Yuanjiao pouted and replied: “Who cares what they think? They’re just mortals.”

“Jiao’er!” Li Yuanxiu shook his head and said in a deep voice: “The reason a family can remain closely bound together is, firstly, the orderly transmission of cultivation methods and secret arts, and secondly, the humility and respect shown by all within the clan, honoring elders and cherishing the young. If these two principles collapse, all that will remain are endless bloody struggles and a scattered, disorderly clan. Even if the descendants are intelligent, it will be useless. Descendants learn by example. Whatever you do today, everyone will remember. Don’t dismiss those clan elders as just nagging; while they may seek benefits for their own descendants, they also understand right from wrong, restraining their offspring from engaging in ruinous acts. The existence of the Clan Justice Hall owes a part of its success to them.”

Li Yuanxiu stared into his brother’s eyes and explained: “If these elders encounter their children doing something that disgraces the family, they might even take up their walking stick and personally go to the Clan Justice Hall to expose them. They understand the grave importance of family reputation, and deep down, they truly want the family to prosper. Moreover, for the sake of the family, Uncle Qiuyang and several cultivators from the minor branches have been diligent and conscientious. If you marry their daughters off like this today, and then exterminate Qimu tomorrow, it will deeply dishearten these people.”

Li Yuanjiao opened his mouth, not expecting Li Yuanxiu to think so profoundly. His opinion of those nagging clan elders greatly changed. He nodded and said softly: “Your younger brother has learned much!”

Li Yuanxiu nodded approvingly and continued: “In the past, when the main lineage had no capable cultivators, it was right to be wary of the minor and branch lineages. Now, with the main lineage flourishing and Grand-uncle’s swordsmanship unparalleled, these minor and branch lineages are effective assistants in governing the family. Our task is to win them over and cultivate their loyalty, treating them as our own.”

Li Yuanjiao nodded in agreement. The brothers exchanged a smile. Li Yuanxiu exchanged a few pleasantries, then chuckled:

“I have already broken through to the second layer of Fetal Breath.”

“Truly?”

Li Yuanxiu had started cultivating earlier than Li Yuanjiao, who had quickly broken through the Mysterious Scenery Wheel with the help of a talisman seed, and then to the second layer of Fetal Breath (Bright Mirror Wheel) a few months prior. Li Yuanxiu’s breakthrough a few months later was still considered quite fast.

“You rascal, what’s there to fake about this?” Li Yuanxiu watched Li Yuanjiao grinning, then calculated the time and said with some difficulty: “The day of the sacrifice is drawing closer, and several elders are in seclusion trying to break through. The sacrificial offerings are also unsettled. I have already made arrangements, but I fear that if the elders do not emerge from seclusion soon, they will miss the appointed time.”

The cave dwelling on Mount Meichi had three stone chambers: Li Tongya, Li Xuanxuan, and Li Xuanfeng were each in seclusion. Li Xuanling, however, was meditating in the main hall, sitting cross-legged on a futon on the ground all night. The main door of the cave dwelling gently swayed, and two clan soldiers stepped back in response. A woman in a white robe entered, her face dignified, smiling as she looked at him.

“Husband.”

Lu Wanrong was now at the third layer of Fetal Breath cultivation, considered quite strong among cultivators not of the clan. She advanced with a smile, carrying a bamboo food container, which she placed on the stone table. Seeing this, Li Xuanling said gently:

“They could have just brought it up. You shouldn’t have bothered coming all this way.”

Cultivators in the first four layers of the Fetal Breath stage have abundant vital energy and a progressively larger appetite. However, once they break through the crucial Jade Capital Wheel, transcending the mortal realm, their appetite significantly decreases. Upon breaking through to Qi Refining, becoming “Qi Eaters” who gain longevity like deities, they can then “feed on wind and drink dew,” needing only pure water. If they do eat, they consume spiritual meat and spiritual rice; mundane food, conversely, can hinder their cultivation progress.

Li Xuanling was at the fifth layer of Fetal Breath, a step or two away from Qi Refining, so he naturally needed to eat, roughly once every one or two days. Now that the family was prosperous, he naturally ate spiritual rice and demonic beast meat instead of ordinary grains.

Lu Wanrong opened the food container and took out two steaming baskets, one filled with pure white steamed spiritual rice, and the other with a few slices of tender, reddish demonic beast meat.

Li Xuanling took the jade chopsticks from his wife’s hand and slowly chewed his food until he finished the meal. Lu Wanrong handed him tea to drink, then said softly:

“Yuanyun hasn’t descended the mountain for over a year now. I’m constantly very worried. This child is quiet, but actually very proud. After suffering such a blow, he refuses to discuss it with us…”

Li Xuanling paused, his expression quite helpless, with a hint of guilt, and said hoarsely: “As if I don’t know that!”