The funeral of White Pingfu was not grand.

Nor was Langya City draped entirely in white.

Only the ancient residence of the White family bore white banners. There were no feasts for kin and friends, no welcoming of guests—it was a remarkably low-key affair.

Of course, many understood the reason behind this subdued display. With pillars crumbling one after another, the once-resplendent White family of Yue Country found it difficult to salvage their great situation and were forced into obscurity.

Without the power to influence their era, how could they possibly contend with the force that now shaped it?

Wen Juanying, the matriarch of the White family, sat in the study where her husband had spent his final days, in the chair where he had breathed his last. Clad in mourning, her face etched with sorrow, yet no tears fell.

The tears she should have shed had all been wept in the days past.

After the demise of her husband, White Pingfu, before her son, White Yuxia, returned, she had to hold the family together. And indeed, she had managed everything with remarkable competence.

At this moment, her eyes held a greater measure of worry.

Her son had undergone significant changes; she couldn’t yet discern whether they were for the better or worse.

From childhood, White Yuxia had always been the ‘ideal son’ – proficient in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, skilled with all manner of blades, guns, and staffs. His moral conduct and etiquette earned him universal praise. He was truly a paragon of civil and martial talent, seemingly without flaw.

Just as he himself had stated in court, White Pingfu had demanded from a young age that he be loyal to the monarch and country, diligent and hardworking, and he had indeed never faltered.

The defeat by Xiang Bei’s fist at the Yellow River assembly, and the ever-widening gap with Ge Fei after the Shan Hai Border incident, had deeply troubled her. The almost self-abusive efforts of her son, his restless anxiety – she saw it all, and it pained her heart.

That letter filled with joyful characters, announcing his departure for distant lands, though it had enraged Pingfu and become a source of ridicule for many, had brought a measure of relief to her heart.

Her son possessed character, appearance, talent, and ability, yet at an age that should have been filled with youthful vitality and exuberance, he lacked the vigor of a young man. Every word and action was dignified and polite, imbued with integrity. He was perpetually trapped within the confines of being “the good son of the White family,” living the life sketched out by her husband. Every day was a struggle.

Though she respected and loved her husband, she felt more heartbreak for her son.

In truth, she knew that no matter how much her husband grieved for their son, how much he missed him, he would find fault and argue with her repeatedly, hoping she would write a letter urging their son to return. Only his pride prevented him from saying it directly, and she, in turn, pretended not to understand.

Her husband’s focus was on the long-term future of the White family, on the millennium of Yue Country’s history, on the dangerous undercurrents beneath the surface of peace.

It was the weight of responsibility, of undertaking. Thus, he constantly pressured his son, hoping Yuxia would become a more outstanding figure.

But she only wished for her son to live a more relaxed life. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t so fiercely ambitious.

However, with her husband’s death, it was impossible for her son to relax again.

His first act upon returning to the country was to don mourning clothes and attend court.

His first act upon leaving court was to formally arrange Pingfu’s funeral.

Many within the clan felt that this was precisely the time when the White family needed a grand funeral to uphold their dignity.

It was White Yuxia who, against all opinions, insisted on simplifying everything and keeping all matters low-key.

She couldn’t fully comprehend her son’s decision, but she supported him without reservation. Pingfu’s dying wish was for White Yuxia to uphold the family. Regardless of the outcome, she was willing to bear it together with her son.

However, at this moment, her son knelt before her and slowly said, “I want to leave here.”

Wen Juanying was unable to understand.

Though her husband White Pingfu had passed away and the White family had suffered a heavy blow, the Langya White family was not destined for complete decline from this point forward. As a prominent family of Yue Country, their many years of accumulation would not be wiped out overnight.

There was still one clan elder cultivated to the Shenlin realm remaining within the family. The White family’s old friends were numerous throughout the world, and she, Wen Juanying, also possessed royal blood from Yue Country.

One could say that this family could completely endure, possessing sufficient foundation to last until the next person capable of supporting the family emerged. They could support White Yuxia’s growth.

Yet, White Yuxia wished to abandon all of this.

“Tell Mother,” Wen Juanying spoke slowly. “Is it because you suffered a grievance in court? The world’s coldness and warmth are natural. Did your father not go uncared for for a long time after his initial loss in Lunxian Forest?”

White Yuxia’s questioning in court, which had ended without illness, had long since spread throughout the upper echelons of Yue Country. Many regarded it as an expression of the White family’s direct son’s political immaturity. Of course, she, Wen Juanying, also knew this, but she believed her son was inherently clever and only needed a little guidance. If he held the family for a period, he would naturally understand the political game.

“Mother still regards her son as a child, but Father is already dead. The son is the father; where can the son still harbor naive thoughts?” White Yuxia shook his head. “Living in this world, who can avoid suffering grievances? Even Chu Huai Duke endured days of secluded humiliation, and Qi Wuan Marquis experienced times when the world passed through silk. What great figure is this son, and how can he not endure a little grievance?

“This time, I returned to the country only to give an account to Father, only to support and salvage the family.” He rested his hands on his knees like a jade statue. “But there is no longer any hope in staying here.”

Wen Juanying said sorrowfully, “Though the White family declines, it is not dead. My son’s talent is outstanding; how can you say there is no longer any hope here?”

White Yuxia said in a low voice, “If one only considers the White family, Mother’s words are, of course, correct. If one only considers the White family… no matter how treacherous and powerful Zhang Linchuan was, Father had no reason to perish. Yue Country is not Wei Country, nor is it Dan Country; we had made preparations beforehand.”

“You are saying…” Wen Juanying furrowed her brows. “That Ge Hua intentionally stood by and watched your father in danger? That the Ge family intends to swallow my White family?”

White Yuxia said, “This matter involves major figures; there is no evidence, so one cannot speak carelessly. But considering the clever people in the world, they will all have some degree of suspicion.”

Wen Juanying’s face showed no expression of surprise; evidently, she too was one of those ‘clever people’. She merely lowered her eyes and said, “If the facts are truly so, my son should be even more cautious, more enduring, and should not startle the snake.”

White Yuxia shook his head. “That is incorrect.”

Though he was kneeling, he still possessed an air of distinction. He said seriously, “Ge Fei’s current official position is Right Censor-in-Chief, the second-in-command within the Censorate. The Left Censor-in-Chief always follows imperial decrees and will not interfere with his authority. As for this son, I have always devoted myself to cultivation and have not formally entered officialdom. In terms of momentum, I cannot match him.”

“Ge Fei had Yin Xiang as his teacher; I have borne the White family’s teachings since childhood. The Ge family is like the sun at its zenith; the White family is facing an impending storm… The momentum difference is vast.”

“After the trip to the Shan Hai Border, Ge Fei’s cultivation speed advanced a thousand miles in a day. He has now entered the Shenlin realm and can even fight Zhang Linchuan and survive – this son is far from being able to compare. What is lost is strength, and also the visible future.”

He spoke of his own shortcomings, but his eyes held no trace of dejection. He only objectively reviewed the reality, calmly facing the cruelty. “If I wish to contend with Ge Fei, it is like striking a stone with an egg; there is no chance of winning. If the Ge family intends to swallow my White family, the White family itself possesses no power to retaliate. Mother looks upon the White family today, still possessing ten thousand in family wealth, grain full in the storehouses, leaves lush and branches abundant… This son, however, sees it as a mirage, a remnant candle’s dim light.”

Wen Juanying had originally intended to say that if that day truly arrived, she could still enter the palace and beg the Emperor, that the royal family would not abandon the White family. But the words reached the edge of her lips and were swallowed down. Because she suddenly understood why White Yuxia’s first act upon returning to the country was to attend court in mourning, and why he had been so unreasonable in court.

If one were to say what value the White family possessed today, it was nothing more than a check against the Ge family, and the future of White Yuxia, who had once been hailed as one of the ‘twin prides’ alongside Ge Fei.

And White Yuxia had already revealed everything.

White Yuxia had, from the outset, laid all his cards on the table. He had, from the beginning, stepped onto the gambling table, presenting the image of a young master fresh out of his thatched cottage, demonstrating that kind of anger, that kind of unreasonableness in the court of Yue Country – if the Emperor was willing to support him in checking Ge Fei, he was willing to be the one who stood in front. He was willing to rush forward headlessly, to collide head-on.

But the Emperor remained silent.

That layer of blood relation within her body, if it could influence the Emperor, why would she need to enter the palace? Now that the Emperor had already shown his stance, what use would it be for her to enter the palace again?

She had to admit that her son thought further ahead than she did, that he was more mature than she had imagined. But this maturity pained a mother’s heart.

White Yuxia continued, “Gong Zhiliang said that following me was not a matter of kinship, which indicates that no matter what, he will not stand on our side. Even Gong Zhiliang is like this; among the entire civil and military court, there is no one I can rely on. To continue struggling would only be self-humiliation. As for His Majesty… he will, of course, give me a little sweet, coax me, give Father, give the White family a little honor, allowing us to continue enduring. This is the so-called Emperor’s technique, but for the White family, it is meaningless.”

Without substantial support, no matter how I struggle, it will be impossible to escape Ge Fei’s suppression. No matter how much effort I put in, at most, I can only delay the time of failure. I cannot be Ge Fei’s opponent now, and the White family cannot stand side-by-side with the Ge family again. I can only break free from here.

At this moment, the entire White family’s ancient residence was immersed in the atmosphere of mourning. People grieved, people wept, people hurried to and fro. But in the study of the White family’s head, the most talented person of the contemporary White family, the next in line to be the head of the White family by lineage, had already made the decision to leave. Regarding the Langya White family, which had once represented endless prosperity, he merely waved his hand.

When one still held quite a few chips, not everyone could clearly see the outcome, and even fewer possessed the courage to abandon the game.

Wen Juanying looked at her son. There were many words she couldn’t utter. Finally, she simply said, “How do you intend to leave?”

White Yuxia said, “That friend who accompanied me back to Yue Country earlier has already departed. Qi Country’s Wuan Marquis therefore wrote me a letter, inviting me to relax in South Xia and exchange dao techniques. Yin Xiang and Ge likely have already seen this letter. If I go, I will not return.”

“My son has made good friends outside,” Wen Juanying sighed. “It seems your departure from home was the right choice.”

White Yuxia slowly bowed his body, touching his forehead to the ground. “I cannot take Mother with me, because Ge Fei may not feel at ease about me. If I take you, I cannot leave.”

“Foolish child,” Wen Juanying brushed the account book on the desk and smiled. “How can Mother possibly follow you? This is my country, this is my home. Mother still wishes to guard this family business for you and Father, waiting for you to return.”

White Yuxia raised his head. “After I leave, the White family will have no path left, no possibility of struggling against the Ge family. The various elders will instead be safe. It’s just that days will be tighter, hands shorter. This Langya City will no longer be under the White family’s sway…”

He looked at his mother, a hint of pain in his eyes.

Wen Juanying looked at White Yuxia across the desk, feeling that this child was still very near, yet also seemed very far away. But children grow up; won’t this day always arrive?

She said with a touch of bitterness, “No matter how diminished the White family becomes, it is still a prominent family of Yue land. No matter how fiercely the family business collapses, Mother’s body still flows with the royal blood of the Wen family. Mother at home will inevitably enjoy embroidered clothing and jade food; what bitterness is there? The bitterness is yours, enduring wind and exposure outside, cutting through thorns and brambles. No matter how good your friends are, the taste of depending on others is not pleasant…”

White Yuxia didn’t respond to these words. Even after rushing back to Yue Country overnight, he hadn’t shed a single tear. He only slowly said, “The Emperor believes he can control the Ge family, that he can manipulate Ge arbitrarily, so he doesn’t care, even indulges. Or perhaps the old man has greater schemes, a higher level of thinking… But Ge Fei is a fierce force in the world; he is not easily dealt with. Ge Fei is no longer the Ge Fei of the past, and I am no longer the naive White Yuxia who can continue as before. Let us wait and see.”

Outside, a mournful song of soul-soothing still echoed.

The song sang:

“Three souls depart, seven souls remain. In this world, who is without kin? One cries out, one voice is bitter.

Naked we came, naked we return.

The fate of this life is at an end; may the road ahead break the mountain.

Though the mountain does not turn, the water can turn, tears flow for those departing.

Sing of that mountain, the mountain is too high. Sing of that water, the water is too far. Sing one line: never to meet again in this life!

Between living and dead, who has more regrets…”

In the simply yet elegantly decorated study, Wen Juanying quietly listened to the Yue land’s mourning song conclude. The son who had always made her proud and worried was already gone.

Not long after, the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps echoed outside the study. The steward’s voice rang out, “Mistress, a funeral rite has been sent from the palace, and a posthumous title for the old master.”

Wen Juanying merely said, “I know,” without showing any intention of personally going to receive them.

After a while, another servant came to report, “Yin Xiang Feng has sent a piece of writing. It is old master Yin Xiang’s own handwriting, which reads ‘Family home safe’…”

Wen Juanying in the study asked, “Did he add anything else?” The servant replied, “He said nothing else.”

Wen Juanying remained silent for a moment, then only said, “I know!”

Grass and trees flourish and wither; it is the natural order. Birth, old age, sickness, and death are common human affairs.

People also died in Linzi City, also from prominent families, and their funerals were also low-key… No, the funeral for the Bao family was handled almost in silence; it could not be described merely as low-key. It seemed as if they wished everyone to remain unaware.

Of course, given the Bao family’s prestige, no matter how low-key the death of their son was, those who should know would certainly not ignore it.

Bao Zhongqing, the second son of the Bao family, had perished in the disaster related to Zhang Linchuan.

As for how Zhang Linchuan had substituted his life, Lei Zhan Gan had been dead for a long time, and then Bao Zhongqing died. That must naturally be the treacherous Zhang Linchuan, who had secretly administered a slow and severe poison to Bao Zhongqing.

Linchuan, who had secretly administered a slow and severe poison to Bao Zhongqing.

The Wuan Marquis Jiang Wang’s investigation into the disappearance of the blue card holder Lin Youxie was known throughout the world. What people didn’t know was that Bao Zhongqing, due to his camaraderie and friendship with Jiang Wang from their time at the academy, had tirelessly participated in the investigation, seeking the truth. He had personally gone to Lushuang County several times, investigating many suspicious points. Thus, Zhang Linchuan had seized the opportunity and secretly poisoned him.

Truly, heaven envied talent, a lament for a prominent family.

“That is to say, Bao Zhongqing died because of me, sacrificing himself to eliminate the leader of the evil cult, Zhang Linchuan?”

In the Wuan Marquis’s residence, the Wuan Marquis, who had not been back long, half-leaned against the desk, one hand seemingly inadvertently covering the corner of his eye, supporting that face which had already entered the list of Linzi’s handsome men…

Truly superficial!

Though he, Jiang Wang, was a little young, a little strong in cultivation, a little high in title, and a little famous…

Judging only by appearance, where did he qualify as a handsome man?!

In fact, he was still only ranked after Li Zhengshu, Chong Xuan Zun, Jiang Wuxie, and Ji Zhaonan, making him one of the top five handsome men in Linzi.

This group of big girls and small wives in Linzi were too superficial!

Jiang Wuxie was on the list because of his princely identity; there was no need to even discuss him.

Ji Zhaonan, though he inserted flags and sold his prime, and Chong Xuan Zun especially shook his head in his pose. Especially Li Zhengshu, how old was he?! Still ranked first? Yu Langjun had almost become Old Man Yu; wasn’t he old?

The aesthetic of Qi Country’s women truly needed to be discussed!

Chong Xuan Sheng was very indignant about this freshly published list of handsome men. He deeply regretted that the world still did not appreciate plumpness, and thus his tone was also very difficult to make pleasant: “Yes, indeed. Bao Zhongqing treated you this way, loved you so deeply, even dying for you. If you don’t attend his funeral, you, Jiang Qingyang, will surely earn a reputation for being unkind and unrighteous!”