bookbashuk Chapter 271 The Day of Mourning
Chapter 271 The Day of Mourning
Nothing happened that night.
The next day, Longhu Mountain was visibly more "lively." Vehicles arrived at the foot of the mountain in an endless stream, and after being checked at the welcoming plaza, they went up the mountain.
Only Master Tianbao from Maoshan came. This usually cheerful old Taoist priest was now dressed in a faded blue Taoist robe, his face much older, and his eyes red-rimmed. He stood outside the Qianyuan Hall for a long time with He Qingyun and Mo Han, the three of them silent, with only the mountain wind howling. Finally, Master Tianbao patted He Qingyun heavily on the shoulder, nodded to the expressionless Mo Han, and then turned and walked towards the courtyard arranged for the guests, his back looking desolate.
The person from the Jiang family who came was still Jiang Yun's youngest uncle, Jiang Yan. He walked at the head of the family procession with a chubby face and a solemn expression, completely unlike his usual cheerful demeanor. Behind him were seven or eight members of the Jiang family, all dressed in plain clothes, walking in neat rows, solemn and silent.
Almost simultaneously, the Feng family appeared on the other side of the mountain path. The patriarch, Feng Wenzheng, arrived in person, along with his younger brother, Feng Changyuan's father and Feng Xiaolu's uncle, Feng Wenyuan. Led by the two of them, they brought more than ten members of the clan.
The two groups stepped onto the square in front of the Imperial Edict Hall almost simultaneously. They saw each other from afar and nodded slightly to each other as a greeting.
Led by Feng Wenzheng, the Feng family and their entourage walked steadily across the square in front of the Imperial Edict Hall.
When Feng Xiaolu saw the two elders from afar, her body stiffened slightly. She subconsciously took half a step closer to Chen Anran, but then stopped herself, her fingers unconsciously tightening around her sleeves.
Chen Anran noticed her nervousness and whispered, "Go ahead."
Feng Xiaolu took a deep breath and stepped forward to meet her.
"Uncle, cousin." She walked up and bowed respectfully, her voice much lower than usual.
Feng Wenzheng's gaze fell on his niece. Seeing that her eyes were still slightly red, and that her expression had lost its usual liveliness, replaced by a quiet sorrow, he couldn't help but sigh. He raised his hand to help her up, saying, "Get up. Xiao Lu, your fellow disciples have come too?"
"Yes, everyone except Senior Sister is here." Feng Xiaolu stood up and pointed in the direction of Chen Anran and the others. "Brother Changyuan and Brother Lie also came with us."
Feng Wenzheng and Feng Wenyuan looked over and met the gazes of Chen Anran, Wei Qingyi, and the others. Chen Anran bowed in greeting from afar. Feng Wenzheng was about to smile when he suddenly realized that the occasion was inappropriate, so he simply nodded to Chen Anran.
"Since we've come from the same place, let's settle in first," Feng Wenzheng said to Feng Xiaolu. "We'll talk again later."
"Yes, Uncle."
Guided by the disciples of Longhu Mountain, the Feng family headed towards another guest courtyard. Feng Changyuan and Feng Lie naturally followed their elders. Before leaving, Feng Changyuan gave Chen Anran a wink, indicating that they would contact each other later.
Chen Anran was a little stunned when she saw the look in his eyes. She thought to herself, "We don't seem to be that close, do we?"
Jiang Yan exchanged a few words with Jiang Yun, patted his nephew on the shoulder, and then led the Jiang family to their arranged accommodations.
When Chen Anran and his group returned to Qingxin Garden, it was already afternoon. Tea and snacks newly delivered by Longhu Mountain disciples were placed on the stone table in the courtyard, but no one had the heart to eat them.
"The Feng family head has come in person, it seems the Feng family attaches great importance to the matter of Master Zhang." Huiming said slowly, fiddling with his prayer beads.
Jiang Yun added, "It's not just my uncle who came this time; the others following behind are elders who are protectors of the clan." As she spoke, Jiang Yun couldn't help but show a hint of embarrassment, "My father, who is also the head of the Jiang clan, had some conflicts with Zhang Tianshi in his early years, so..."
Chen Anran expressed his understanding. Each family has its own past, and their gathering at Longhu Mountain already demonstrates their stance.
Feng Xiaolu sat to the side, somewhat absent-minded. She was still thinking about the way Feng Wenzheng and Feng Wenyuan looked at her, the concern, the inquiry, and perhaps... something else in their eyes. She shook her head, forcing herself to bring her attention back.
The tea in Qingxin Garden gradually cooled down, and no one touched it.
Feng Xiaolu finally couldn't sit still any longer and whispered to Wei Qingyi, "Second Senior Sister, I'm going out for some fresh air."
Wei Qingyi glanced at her and simply said, "Don't go too far."
Feng Xiaolu nodded, got up and walked out of the courtyard, wandering aimlessly along the path she remembered from her journey. The mountain paths of Longhu Mountain were intricate and complicated, and she dared not wander recklessly. She stopped at a viewing pavilion where she could see the sea of clouds in the distance and leaned on the railing to gaze into the distance.
The mountain wind was biting, making her hair fly wildly. The turmoil in her heart seemed to become clearer with the cold wind. She remembered Zhang Nanshan's smiling face as he called her "little girl," the words Chang Yuan had said at the bar that night, and the warmth of Chen Anran's fingertips as she draped her coat over her shoulders... All these images intertwined, making her chest feel heavy.
"Are you just sitting here spacing out?"
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind her. Feng Xiaolu was startled and turned around to see Feng Wenyuan walking over at some point.
Feng Xiaolu's heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned around and stood up straight, saying, "Uncle, what brings you here?"
Feng Wenyuan walked to the pavilion and stood beside her, their gazes also fixed on the surging sea of clouds in the distance. He wore a simple blue robe with a plain white hemp belt around his waist. There were some signs of age at his temples, but the handsome features of his youth were still evident in his eyes. He did not immediately answer Feng Xiaolu's question, but silently gazed at her for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.
"I came to see you." He turned his head, his gaze falling on his niece's face. "Your eyes are still red. Didn't you sleep well last night?"
"It's okay..." Feng Xiaolu subconsciously wanted to deny it, but when she met her uncle's knowing gaze, she deflated and admitted in a low voice, "Yeah, I can't sleep a little. My mind is... all messed up."
Feng Wenyuan nodded, not pressing her to reveal the specific reason for her distress. The mountain wind whistled, making his clothes flutter. "The matter of Elder Zhang is indeed regrettable. You had a connection with him and received his care, so it's understandable that you feel sorrow." He paused, his tone shifting to more familiar concern, "How have you been since returning to the Yunyin Sect? Although your sect's rules aren't as numerous as our family's, in terms of cultivation resources and daily necessities, the Yunyin Sect's foundation is still relatively shallow, unlike our family's. I know you're free-spirited and dislike constraints, but... life on the mountain is austere, are you adapting well? If there's anything lacking or inconvenient, be sure to inform your family."
Feng Xiaolu sensed the concern in her uncle's words and felt a warmth in her heart, but she smiled and said, "Uncle, you must come to Yunyin Sect when you have time in the future. Yunyin Sect is different now than when you last came."
"You mean that resort? It's still in its early stages and needs further development. Now that spiritual energy is recovering, cultivation resources are more important than worldly resources. You're all too young; you should have a longer-term vision." Feng Changyuan didn't take it seriously. His family was interested in Chen Anran and wanted Feng Xiaolu to marry him. As for the Yunyin Sect, they had never paid any attention to it.