Chapter 836 – A Cup of Tea (2/2)

Chen Changsheng knew that Su Li and Wang Po were assuredly included amongst these five. He just didn't know if Mo Yu had been able to meet the Tang Old Master on her visit to Wenshui, but if she had not, who were the other two people?

”Xu Yourong. I have a good relationship with her,” the Tang Old Master explained. ”That I am willing to meet you today is in large part because I am very curious to see just what the person she loves looks like.”

This time, Chen Changsheng was truly shocked. It was only a couple nights ago that he learned that, before her absolute seclusion, Xu Yourong had come to Wenshui to examine the Tang clan chief branch master's illness. He had not expected that she also had this level of relationship with the Tang clan. He thought in confusion, although Xu Yourong is the Holy Maiden of the south and has a high enough status to converse with the Tang Old Master, there's such a vast discrepancy in age, so where are they similar? Why did the Tang Old Master say that he has a good relationship with her?

The Tang Old Master said, ”There are countless types of relationships in the world: friends, lovers, comrades-in-arms, commercial allies… These relationships each have their own disadvantages, their own entanglements, and all variety of falsehoods and concessions. Only one relationship is most real and simple, where one can clearly see what the other is thinking, and without taxing the mind too greatly.”

Chen Changsheng asked, ”Which relationship is this?”

The Tang Old Master placed his cup down and lightly knocked on the table. ”Mahjong partner.”

Chen Changsheng fell into a long stupor.

Only now did he notice that this table in front of the Tang Old Master was not an ordinary dining table. The table was square and made from the most precious iron pear wood. The surface of the table was extremely smooth, but careful examination would reveal many fine grooves on it. One could imagine that some sort of hard object had formed these grooves through years and years of grinding. He then discovered that a small, flat box was hidden on each side of the table. Were they meant for holding silver banknotes?

This was actually a mahjong table.

The Tang Old Master had probably played mahjong on this table for centuries, going through countless mahjong partners.

And at some point, he had gained a new mahjong partner.

It was a girl from South Stream Temple.

”Yourong likes to play mahjong?” Chen Changsheng found this rather hard to imagine.

”She doesn't just like to play, she also plays it very well. Not even I am necessarily a match for her. There are many times where I've had the mind to call Little Po back.”

The Tang Old Master's eyes were just like that old well in the courtyard, serene and flat, yet unfathomably deep. ”But it's obvious that you don't like to play mahjong, let alone have the skill for it. This being the case, I advise that you not seat yourself at the table in the first place.”

Saying this, he took up his tea cup and slowly took a sip, not caring whether the tea was hot or cold.

Taking up the tea cup was tantamount to sending off his guest. The tea in the cup was already half-consumed, so the guest should know that it would be difficult to get anywhere and retreat.

Chen Changsheng did not think this way.

He was well-versed in the Daoist Canon, knew astronomy and geography, and countless sword styles, but he didn't know how to spell the word 'difficult'.

He looked at the Tang Old Master and said, ”Sir perhaps truly does not know what I want to say.”

The Tang Old Master said nothing.

No matter how fiercely the wind blew, how could the bottom of the ancient well be disturbed?

If the Tang Old Master did not want to listen, who could force him to listen?

”Sir has drunk my tea,” Chen Changsheng pointed out.

The Tang Old Master asked, ”So what? And this is my tea.”

Chen Changsheng replied, ”In Xining's old temple, it was Senior Brother that boiled and poured the tea. In these past few years, I have only poured tea for one person.”

Rather interested, the Tang Old Master asked, ”Who?”

Chen Changsheng recalled those nights in the Hundred Herb Gardens, all sorts of emotions bubbling up within him as he said, ”The Divine Empress.”