Xie Qing and the maidservant appearing in front of Xie Nandu was to remind this young girl that she was born here. Even if the Xie Family might have wronged her in some matters, she should still remember the old times.
This also represented the Xie Family's attitude to a certain extent. They did not want to have a real falling out with the young girl in front of them, so they did not show an overly stubborn stance right from the beginning. If it were any other member of the Xie Family, how could they have been as accommodating?
Xie Qing said softly, "Family Head is in closed seclusion. Little Sister, just have a look around on this trip back?"
He was reminding Xie Nandu that since the family head was in closed seclusion, whatever she wanted to do or whatever response the Xie Family would give, it would not matter much. It was because all of these might change when that family head exited seclusion. To some extent, Xie Nandu's return this time seemed like a child throwing a tantrum.
Xie Nandu did not say anything. She just looked at the mansion that was much smaller than the Divine Capital's Xie Family. The mansion was deep and the sounds of reading could be faintly heard. That was the Xie Family's academy. The best teachers in the whole of White Deer Prefecture would teach at the Xie Family's academy.
Hearing those sounds of reading, Xie Nandu recalled some past memories and then walked over in that direction.
Xie Qing looked at this scene, unsure of what this little sister was thinking. But after thinking about it, he quickly followed her too.
There were probably many places in the Xie Family that were not easily accessible. But clearly, no one would stop her from heading over there.
……
……
Inside the Xie Family's academy, a gray-haired old teacher was earnestly giving a lecture. The young children sitting in the classroom were listening attentively. They were all the next-generation kids of the Xie Family. In terms of seniority, they would probably all have to call Xie Nandu "Aunt."
Xie Nandu arrived at the academy and stopped outside, listening to that old teacher's lecture, lost in her thoughts.
Before long, that old man who was teaching noticed her. Then, those young children also noticed her.
Instantly, it became rather silent.
The young children had seen Xie Nandu's portrait before, so they naturally knew that this person standing before them was the aunt who went to the Divine Capital and become the final disciple of the Dean.
The Xie Family groomed their descendants very strictly, especially for these young children whose minds were still developing.
Xie Nandu looked at the young students, lost in her thoughts.
Xie Qing followed behind her and glanced at the maidservant. Then, he looked at Xie Nandu rather oddly. He had already felt that he could not understand this little sister back when they were younger. Whenever they had some free time, the other siblings would choose to play and have fun, but she would always be reading by the window. When she felt tired, she would gaze at the sky. She never joined them in other activities. At that time, Xie Qing already found Xie Nandu to be very strange. But this time, after she returned from the Divine Capital, Xie Qing felt even more unable to understand this little sister..
He did not know what she was thinking.
Suddenly, Xie Nandu spoke, "A little troublesome."
Her words were not directed at the young children or the old teacher, but at the entire Xie Family.
The Xie Family knew she had returned and deliberately set many troubles for her, hoping she would beat a retreat in the face of difficulties. But now that she said these words, did it mean she herself was feeling troubled?
Xie Qing comforted her, "Some things are not urgent. Little Sister, things will naturally improve in a few more years."
Xie Nandu did not look at him, she just spoke to herself, "So, I still have to wait until I become stronger before I can control my own destiny?"
Xie Qing frowned and said with a bitter smile, "It seems like that's how it is."
Xie Nandu said, "Since the family head doesn't want to see me, then have Third Old Master come and see me."
Her voice was soft and devoid of much emotion, but the words carried significant weight: "Have Third Elder come and see me."
In White Deer's Xie Clan, the Third Old Master held great authority and was considered the third most important figure. Usually, when the average Xie Family members faced this old elder, the only thing they could do was show the utmost respect. But Xie Nandu did not have that deferential attitude. She said it so casually, the meaning was very clear.
"If he doesn't come to see me, I'll seek an audience with the family head."
The meaning behind this statement was also crystal clear, as if she was threatening them.
Xie Qing was silent for a while and did not say anything, and he soon left this place. He wanted to convey Xie Nandu's thoughts. As for how that Third Old Master would choose, it was not something he could fathom.
After some time, a middle-aged steward arrived at the academy. Glancing at Xie Nandu, he spoke softly, "Third Old Master doesn't wish to meet Miss. If Miss only came here for a specific matter, then the Third Old Master extends his apologies to Miss."
To make that Third Old Master apologize was evidently not an easy task. But the current Xie Nandu had merely taken a look at the academy, and it made the Third Old Master lower his head. That was also something very challenging.
Xie Nandu looked at the steward and was silent for a long time before asking, "How can this be resolved?"
Indeed, she had traveled all the way from Sword Qi Mountain, not for nostalgia or anything else, but to resolve this particular matter.
"The Third Old Master can expel those relevant people from the Xie Family. However, the Third Old Master also wants to convey that even if such an incident were to happen again, the Xie Family would make the same choice."
The middle-aged steward looked at Xie Nandu with a serious expression.
Xie Nandu furrowed her brows but did not say anything.
The current stance of that Third Old Master implied that he did not believe he had made a mistake in the past. He was only expressing his apology because the current Xie Nandu had gained sufficient status and became qualified to express her anger about the matter back then. Hence, they were willing to consider it and present their solution.
But what was that incident exactly?
Xie Nandu said, "Those pointless trials were truly unnecessary."
"But the Divine Capital needed to see how Miss would handle it, we had no choice but to do certain things."
The middle-aged steward smiled, "Fortunately, Miss is still alive."
Xie Nandu said, "If all the people involved are to be expelled from the Xie Family, then what about the Third Old Master?"
When Xie Nandu had come from White Deer to the Divine Capital, the Xie Family could have sent more powerful guards. There would have been no accidents along the way. However, due to certain reasons from the Divine Capital, they ultimately only dispatched cultivators with low cultivation realms to be her guards. That was a trial in order to test Xie Nandu.
Due to this trial, the Divine Capital's Xie Family owed Xie Nandu a favor in the end. When Chen Chao asked for her help, Xie Nandu did not hesitate to use that favor for his benefit.
As the other party involved in this matter, White Deer's Xie Clan was clearly apologetic too.
So when Xie Nandu returned here, they were very worried.
But of course, it was not just because of this incident.
There was also something else.
That Family Head did not choose to enter closed seclusion because he was worried about this matter either.
But when the entire Xie Family was unwilling to mention that incident, Xie Nandu could only deal with it like this for the time being.
"Miss's request is very unreasonable."
The middle-aged steward felt somewhat helpless. Though he knew this young girl before him was not easy to deal with, he did not expect her to show no mercy at all. After all, that Third Old Master was her elder and a significant figure in the Xie Family. Could she really touch him so easily?
What gave her this confidence?
Was it because of her status as the final disciple of the Dean, or was it because she brought Wei Xu along?
Xie Nandu looked at the middle-aged steward without saying a word, she just looked at him quietly.
The middle-aged steward felt a bit uneasy under her gaze, and his expression became rather ugly, but he remained silent.
"I grew up in the Xie Family after all and I have some affection for this place."
Xie Nandu thought for a while and slowly said, "That's all there is to it. So, for the subsequent matters, no matter what decision you all make, I will refuse."
The middle-aged steward frowned, "Even if the choice is something Miss likes?"
Hearing this, Xie Nandu naturally thought of the black-clad young man. She did not know where he was at the moment.
"Why would I need you all to worry about these things?"
……
……
Chen Chao left that merchant convoy and journeyed with that talkative sword cultivator.
However, he soon learned a piece of news: Yu Xiyi was indeed very young. He was just in his early twenties; no more than a few years older than Chen Chao. Yet, it was evident that he had already stepped into the Great Beyond Realm. If he took one more step forward, he would be hailed as a sword immortal.
There were many sword cultivators in this world, but sword immortals were rare.
This person in front of him could easily be the next one.
The two traveled south and chatted about many things.
"What was the situation like when you went up the mountain to obtain the sword back then?"
Back then, when Sword Qi Mountain's Hundred Year Sword was produced, it shocked the entire world. Many people were very curious about it. Having encountered the main character of such a significant event in the cultivation world, he naturally had to inquire in detail.
Of course, the most important thing was that this sword master of Wild Grass never showed the slightest hostility towards Chen Chao from start to end.
He harbored no animosity towards the Great Liang Dynasty's martial artists.
He admired Chen Chao greatly.
