Chapter 885 – The Grand Ceremony Begins (2/2)

As for the people who realized Chen Changsheng's extraordinary properties afterwards, it was probably Luoluo, followed by Gou Hanshi.

At the time, the Mount Li Sword Sect's disciples were rivals to the people of the Orthodox Academy, but Gou Hanshi had never once underestimated Chen Changsheng.

Gou Hanshi naturally wouldn't quarrel with him over whose eyes were better. Pointing to the platform, he said, ”It's about to begin; don't you have to go back?”

”You intend to drive away your guest? We haven't met in three years; what's the harm in chatting a little bit more?”

Tang Thirty-Six simply had no intention of going back. He took a chair from Scholartree Manor's seating area and sat down by Gou Hanshi.

He used a very soft voice to whisper a few things to Gou Hanshi, so low that not even Bai Cai could hear.

Gou Hanshi's expression did not change. He calmly responded, ”I understand. You can leave now.”

Tang Thirty-Six knew that Gou Hanshi was a true gentleman. Since he had said that he understood, he would naturally do it. Tang Thirty-Six could be at ease, but he still was not willing to leave.

He said woefully to Gou Hanshi, ”Just look at Chen Changsheng over there, sitting all by his lonesome. It's so uncomfortable; I certainly don't want that.”

Bai Cai interrupted, ”Why do I think that you're worried that you'll have to stand there, since there's no chairs behind His Holiness?”

Tang Thirty-Six appeared unmoved as he replied, ”Since you understand, why do you have to be so ignorant and insist on exposing it? You must have learned this from your second brother.”

……

……

Tang Thirty-Six naturally didn't want to stand, but that woeful sigh of his was not completely false.

With the Pope's arrival, the archbishop from the southern church could no longer remain seated. He had long since stood up and gone over to accompany Hu Thirty-Two in attending on the Pope. Coupled with the ten-some priests who followed, Chen Changsheng's figure on the platform did not seem very lonely, but… it was somewhat lonely.

The clouds obscured the sun. The plateau, which was ten-some li in radius, was caressed by a gentle breeze stirred by an array, assuring that everyone was comfortable.

Three Daoist nuns arrived, a hundred-some disciples of South Stream Temple following behind them.

The gentle breeze caused their Daoist robes to rustle.

Everyone bowed, while the Prince of Xiang and the two clan heads also stood. Only Chen Changsheng did not move.

He was not even allowed to bow to these martial grandaunts of South Stream Temple, as this was not in accordance with the laws and etiquette of the church.

To be different from the masses was perhaps the reason for loneliness?

Huai Ren first thanked the Pope for coming, then mentioned the Prince of Xiang and the two clan heads, after which she spoke of all the other sects. Finally, she began to discuss the topic of today's ceremony.

Her first sentence explicitly stated the purpose. ”South Stream Temple has decided to close the temple for ten years. I invite all our fellow Daoists to act as witnesses…”

Gou Hanshi had already guessed at South Stream Temple's intentions before coming, but since Chen Changsheng had arrived, the situation should have improved. Unexpectedly, this extremely senior martial grandaunt still persisted in closing the temple. Then he noticed that Chen Changsheng's position was quite some distance from South Stream Temple's, causing him to be even more concerned.

”Since you arrived last night, does that mean you failed to persuade them?” he asked Tang Thirty-Six.

Tang Thirty-Six sneered at Huai Ren, ”These old things seem to pity the state of the world and don't want South Stream Temple to be pulled into its foul waters, but really, they've just been lonely too long and aren't willing to resign themselves. They just want to come up and stir up a storm to prove that they are the true masters of South Stream Temple. How could they be persuaded?”

Of the various generations of the Mount Li Sword Sect, the thousand-some teachers and disciples of all its various mountains, all the disciples—excluding the most senior Su Li, whose innate character was most unruly and arrogant—were strict and righteous people, regardless of whether they were born in poverty or grew up in some respected family. This sort of personality meant that they all paid great attention to seniority, respecting the gap between the old and the young.

Upon hearing Tang Thirty-Six's words, Bai Cai felt very uncomfortable and creased his brow.

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1. 'Luo Bu' sounds rather similar to the Chinese word for 'radish', and as mentioned before, 'Bai Cai' literally means 'cabbage'