roccoschili Chapter 192 "Fishing Plan"
Chapter 192 "Fishing Plan"
Chen Zigui stood there, transfixed for a moment, until he heard footsteps coming and going behind him. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the throbbing in his heart, and said, "Sister Cen, no, Dean Cen, the Emperor sent me here to discuss an important matter with you..."
Hearing the word "Emperor," Cen Jiexiao felt as if a signal receiver had been disturbed. Her previously immersed fishing world paused for a moment. Her delicate hand gripping the rod paused, as if burned by the words, a subtle ripple spreading through her. She thought to herself, "Emperor, Emperor, Emperor again! Why is he always thinking about the Emperor? Is the Emperor more important than me?" An inexplicable resentment welled up within her, and Cen Jiexiao decided to teach this long-lost Master Chen a lesson.
She pretended not to hear and continued to stare at the water, as if there was some rare treasure hidden there. After a long while, she slowly turned her head, her gaze moving from the shimmering water to the shore, and finally landing on Chen Zigui standing not far away.
The setting sun's afterglow filtered through the branches of the weeping willows, casting a golden halo over Chen Zigui. His figure stood tall and straight, like a pine tree, his brow etched with a hint of travel fatigue, yet his eyes remained clear and bright, gleaming like stars in the night sky.
Their eyes met, and time seemed to stand still at this moment. The corner of Cen Jiexiao's mouth slowly curled up into an intriguing arc. In this smile, there was a bit of teasing, a bit of temptation, and a bit of expectation that she herself had not even noticed. Of course, there was also a little bit of deliberate resentment.
"Sir Chen, how come you have time to come to my little Zhaoyin Academy today?" Her voice was soft and calm, as pleasant to the ears as clear spring water, but with a subtle hint of alienation and a hint of anger, as if she was blaming him for not visiting for a long time.
"I..." Chen Zigui was speechless. He couldn't say that he missed her so much that he couldn't wait to take on this job and rushed all the way here just to see her earlier?
"The emperor ordered me to come here to discuss an important matter with Dean Cen." Chen Zigui calmed himself down, suppressed the throbbing in his heart, and his tone returned to its usual coldness.
He walked to Cen Jiexiao and told her in detail the plan entrusted by the emperor and the situation in Linkang Prefecture.
"So, the emperor has made up his mind to eradicate this hidden force this time?" After hearing this, Cen Jiexiao did not show any surprise, as if all this was within her expectations.
"That's right. The emperor has made up his mind to eliminate this rebellious force that is shaking the court and restore peace and order to the people of Linkang." Chen Zigui nodded.
Cen Jiexiao didn't say anything. She turned her head and looked at the shimmering water. After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "Big Brother, do you know how to fish?"
Chen Zigui was slightly startled, not understanding why she suddenly asked this, but he still answered truthfully: "I know a little bit."
"If you want to catch fish, a fishing rod and line alone aren't enough; you also need bait," said Cen Jiexiao. She took out a worm from a nearby wooden box, hung it on the hook, and swung it vigorously. The fishing line drew a beautiful arc in the air and landed steadily in the water. "This bait also needs to appeal to the fish's taste in order to attract them."
"What Dean Cen means is..." Chen Zigui vaguely guessed something, but was not sure.
"If we want to wipe out this force lurking in Linkang Prefecture, we must place a large enough bait, one that will make these 'fish' take the bait even at the risk of their lives." Cen Jiexiao said, turning to look at Chen Zigui with a meaningful smile on her lips. "What do you think, Lord Chen?"
Chen Zigui was startled. Beneath Cen Jiexiao's calm tone, there was a hidden danger. He understood what she meant. She wanted to... use him as bait! As soon as this thought came to mind, Chen Zigui rejected it. No! This is too dangerous! Moreover, he had another worry in his heart, which he couldn't express out loud.
"This is too dangerous!" Chen Zigui refused without a second thought. "This matter is of great importance and must not be taken lightly!" He paused, a subtle hint of worry in his tone, "Not to mention..."
"What's more?" Cen Jiexiao asked knowingly, and gently threw the three words "what's more" back to Chen Zigui, with a hint of cunning in her eyes. She just wanted to force him to say it out loud.
"What's more, you'll be in danger again!" Chen Zigui blurted out the words without even thinking. He couldn't bear to see Cen Jiexiao in danger again, not even for the slightest possibility.
Hearing Chen Zigui's answer, Cen Jiexiao's face showed no surprise. She looked calm, as if she was talking about something that had nothing to do with her. "I know."
"You know? You know, yet you still..." Chen Zigui suddenly stopped. He knew that it was difficult for others to change what Cen Jiexiao had decided, just like when she resolutely chose to return to Linkang, to this place of right and wrong, and just as she resolutely pushed him away and kept him thousands of miles away.
"But Master Chen, if we don't do this, how can we wipe out this hidden force in one fell swoop?" Cen Jiexiao's tone was calm, but every word she said struck Chen Zigui's heart. "If we can't wipe them out in one fell swoop, the one who will be in danger again may not only be me, but also Xiaozhi, Yulan, the emperor, and you..."
Every time Sister Cen Xiao mentioned a name, Chen Zigui's heart sank. Yes, if they couldn't eradicate this force, then everything they did would be meaningless. And he would lose the right to protect her.
"But..." Chen Zigui wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Cen Jiexiao.
"Big Brother, there's no need to say more. I've already made up my mind." Cen Jiexiao's tone was firm and unquestionable, revealing an unshakable power. "What's more," Cen Jiexiao paused, turned to look at Chen Zigui, her eyes burning, "I'm not alone."
"I'm not alone." These seven simple words, like a warm current, flowed into Chen Zigui's heart. Yes, hadn't he said he would do his utmost to protect her? If that was the case, why would he hesitate? But was her trust based on reliance on a friend, or was it...
"I believe this person in front of me will definitely protect me, right?" Cen Jiexiao looked at Chen Zigui with a burning gaze, a hint of teasing, a hint of expectation, and more than that, complete trust. Perhaps, in her heart, she had already considered him a companion she could trust with her life, while he, however, expected more.
Chen Zigui felt a fire burning in his heart as he looked at Cen Jiexiao. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself speechless. He could only watch as Cen Jiexiao turned around and cast her gaze back toward the calm water, as if everything just now was just an illusion. That burning gaze, those words of trust, vanished without a trace.
The moon was high above the branches, the stars twinkled, and the light in the academy was on. However, Cen Jiexiao's study was brightly lit. Yu Lan rushed in, shattering the tranquility of the study.
"Dean, I heard!" Yu Lan quickly walked to Cen Jiexiao's desk, her tone hurried and filled with anxiety, "Are you really going to lure out those assassins yourself?"
Cen Jiexiao put down the red brush in her hand, looked up at Yu Lan, and smiled slightly: "Why, my Jade Lady is scared too?"
"Who's afraid?" Yu Lan immediately retorted, but there was a subtle hint of worry in her tone. "I just think it's too risky! Those assassins are not easy to deal with. Last time, you almost..."
"Last time it was an accident." Cen Jiexiao interrupted Yu Lan, "This time I'm well prepared, nothing will happen."
"Preparation? What kind of preparation could be more important than your own life!" Yu Lan slammed the table with a loud bang, causing the candlelight in the study to flicker. "Dean, you can't joke with your own life!"