Chapter 105 Throwing a Stone to Test the Water (I)

In the evening, the central hall of Prince Xian's Mansion was brightly lit. Led by Luo Hongxuan and Luo Ningyu, a dozen disciples who had participated in the riot at the East China Sea Teahouse today stood in the hall with worried looks on their faces, ready to await Luo Tianjin's decision.

Luo Tianjin seemed to be thinking about something as he slowly paced in front of everyone. Ling Xiaoxiao sat beside him with a worried look on her face, staring at her husband intently.

At this moment, there were three people sitting in the central hall, in the middle was Deng Changchuan, one of the seven heroes of the Xianwang Mansion.

On Deng Changchuan's right hand was a mighty man in his fifties with a sharp gaze. He had sharp eyebrows, tiger eyes, a hooked nose, thin lips, and a thick beard about half an inch long. He was dressed in plain clothes and looked very neat. He sat beside him with a relaxed look, and was not restrained even in front of Luo Tianjin. He held a cup of tea in his hand and took a sip from time to time. The most eye-catching thing was his ten fingers that were as thick and short as carrots, with huge knuckles and strange and abrupt appearance. Especially the thumb, at first glance, it looked like a black iron lump hanging on the palm, which was very scary.

This person is none other than Xie Xuan, the leader of the Seven Heroes of the Xianwang Mansion. He was also the one who had represented Luo Tianjin to negotiate with the imperial court in Lin'an, but was disrupted by the West Mansion halfway and returned home in anger.

The reason why Xie Xuan's ten fingers looked strange was because he had practiced "Dharma Finger" for decades.

On the left side of Deng Changchuan sat a handsome scholar in his thirties, well-mannered and gentle. He held a white paper fan, with white jade and white silk, but the strange thing was that the fan was empty, with no words or paintings on the front or back.

Don't be fooled by his young age and immaturity, he is actually a well-known figure in the world.

According to the hierarchy of the Xianwang Mansion, Lin Fangda would also be restrained by this person. He was one of the three great fan holders in the Xianwang Mansion, the "white fan holder" Su Tang who was in charge of the three gates of "birth, opening, and rest".

At that time, Luo Hongxuan had already told Luo Tianjin everything that happened in the Donghai Teahouse.

Luo Tianjin said nothing, neither blaming them for causing trouble nor praising them for fighting for justice. He just pondered silently, and as he wandered left and right, his sharp and deep eyes also looked back and forth at Lin Fangda, Liu Xunyi and others, making everyone feel uncomfortable.

"Dad, we really can't be blamed for this. It was clearly the little Mongolian prince who was wrong. He bullied a weak woman in broad daylight. We were just 'helping out when we saw injustice'." Luo Ningyu could no longer endure this kind of "torture" and was the first to speak up in defense.

"You must have been the one who caused this first." Ling Xiaoxiao scolded in an unhappy tone, "As a girl, why do you always like to show up in public? Isn't the mansion enough for you to mess around with?"

"Mother, as a child of the Jianghu, how can I be like those delicate ladies from wealthy families?" Luo Ningyu snorted in dissatisfaction, "Don't forget, it was mother who taught me the saying 'help those who are injustice'!"

“Ningyu doesn’t have to take the blame for me!” Lin Fangda, with a complicated expression, suddenly spoke up, then knelt down in front of Luo Tianjin with a plop, and confessed his guilt, “Palace Master, everyone was just watching at first, but I couldn’t help but yell at the group of officials, so I provoked the incident, and then I insisted on protecting the father and daughter, and even… I even ignored Hongxuan’s dissuasion… Therefore, all the blame should be put on me alone. I know that I have caused a huge disaster. If the Palace Master and Madam want to punish me, just say so, and I, Lin Fangda, will never say a word!”

“I am also at fault in this matter!” Seeing that Lin Fangda wanted to shoulder the blame, Liu Xunyi’s expression changed. He quickly walked to Lin Fangda’s side, knelt down, and said with a folded hand, “Palace Master, I was the one who fought with Xu Tieya. I am willing to be punished together with my big brother.”

"You don't have to do this, my dear brother." Lin Fangda said in a complicated tone, "You had to do it to save me. This matter has nothing to do with you from beginning to end..."

"Shut up, both of you!"

A sudden cold shout immediately choked Lin Fangda's words. Su Tang stared with a pair of cold eyes, his gaze bypassing Lin Fangda and heading straight for Liu Xunyi.

"Liu Xunyi, ever since you entered the mansion, I have always thought that you are a smart person. You know what to do and what not to do. But I never expected that you would do such a stupid thing today! It is understandable that you want to save Lin Fangda, but why did you want to injure Xu Tieya? Do you want to show off?"

"Hey!" Seeing that Su Tang was targeting Liu Xunyi, Luo Ningyu was immediately displeased and immediately ran forward to defend him. She stared at Su Tang with a pair of angrily eyes and shouted, "The situation was urgent at the time, so how could he have time to think too much? Moreover, he was beaten, whether it was a light beating or a heavy beating, why did Xu Tieya only have to kill Lin Fang, but Liu Xunyi was not allowed to teach him a lesson?"

Su Tang was scolded by Luo Ningyu and was speechless. He looked at Luo Tianjin with an embarrassed expression. For a moment, it was not right to speak or not to speak.

All in all, Su Tang would never dare to contradict Miss Luo Ningyu.

"Little sister, don't make trouble. Su Zhishan is teaching Liu Xunyi the rules. Don't interrupt." Luo Hongxuan said seriously, then turned to look at Luo Tianjin and apologized, "Dad, I am to blame for this. If I had tried my best to dissuade them at that time, I'm sure Lin Fangda and Liu Xunyi would not have persisted in their wrongdoings, and I might not have meddled in their affairs."

Seeing Luo Hongxuan admit his mistake on his own initiative, Luo Tianjin's cold eyes finally changed a little. He looked at his beloved son suspiciously, but still said nothing.

"Actually... Actually, I hesitated again and again about this matter, but in the end I still wanted to save the singing father and daughter."

"Brother, you..."

"Yu'er, don't interrupt." Luo Tianjin spoke quietly, staring at Luo Hongxuan with an intriguing look, and said lightly, "Go on."

"Yes!" Luo Hongxuan sorted out his thoughts and continued, "At that time, I wanted to save them, not only for moral reasons, but also to maintain the dignity of the Xianwang Mansion. Everyone knows that Luoyang is the foundation of our Xianwang Mansion. Luoyang people abide by the rules of the Xianwang Mansion. For many years, there has been peace and prosperity. No matter whether it is the gentry or the heroes in the city, who has not received the favor of the Xianwang Mansion? Who does not admire and respect the 'Northern Xianwang'? In the final analysis, it is because my father is a great hero with feelings and righteousness, and the Xianwang Mansion is a famous and upright sect with strict rules. But today in the East China Sea Teahouse, that Mongolian prince dared to In broad daylight, the government officials were allowed to rob the women of the people. Such evil acts are outrageous to both humans and gods, and are intolerable to heaven. As the children of the Xianwang Mansion, how can we turn a blind eye? Moreover, there were many people in the teahouse at that time. If we ignore it, what if it is spread out? How will the people of Luoyang criticize us behind our backs? They will say that the Xianwang Mansion is just a name for nothing, and the rules it sets are only for ordinary people. When facing the powerful Mongols, all the rules will become empty talk. In this way, how can the Xianwang Mansion gain a foothold in Luoyang in the future? How can my father, the 'Northern Xianwang', establish his prestige in front of the martial arts heroes?"

Luo Hongxuan's words made Luo Tianjin and Ling Xiaoxiao look relieved, and also made Xie Xuan, Deng Changchuan and Su Tang beside them look surprised, and they all nodded in agreement.

Luo Tianjin turned to look at Xie Xuan and said with a smile: "My son can think of this, which is enough to prove that he has made a lot of progress in recent days."

"Young Master is very insightful and knows how to adapt to changes. He has considered all the pros and cons." Xie Xuan nodded and said, "In the end, we didn't have a direct conflict with the Mongolian prince, nor did we lose face in the Xianwang Mansion. It can be said that we have achieved the best of both worlds." Luo Tianjin looked at Luo Hongxuan with satisfaction and laughed, "Young people are to be feared, young people are to be feared!"

"Dad, you are too kind! Thank you, Second Uncle, for your compliment!"

"I know Lin Fangda's personality very well." Luo Tianjin walked up to Lin Fangda and said with a faint smile, "Although you are reckless, you are not confused. I just heard Xuan'er tell me about your words and actions today. It seems that something is wrong."

Although Luo Tianjin's words hit the nail on the head for Lin Fangda, he did not point it out, nor did he ask any more questions. He came to Liu Xunyi again and said slowly in a tone that was difficult to distinguish between yin and yang: "Xunyi, with your intelligence, you can't act rashly, so today you... are not quite right."

Luo Tianjin's words made Liu Xunyi's heart tremble, and he broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

Luo Tianjin didn't seem to want to investigate further. He went back to sit next to Ling Xiaoxiao and sneered, "Who are these singing father and daughter? They can make you all become different people. But now I understand the Mongolian prince a little bit. You can become reckless and impulsive because of a singing girl. I believe that the prince must be fascinated by her. Haha..."

Luo Tianjin spoke very lightly, as if he didn't take this farce as a big deal at all.

"Brother Jin, that little Mongolian prince is, after all, the son of the newly appointed general Luoyang, and he's also the nephew of Wang Dechen. Do you think we should send someone to apologize?" Ling Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment and suggested.

Luo Tianjin shook his head slowly and smiled faintly, "It's just a trivial matter. We don't need to curry favor with them. What's more, it was indeed Wang Qingshu who was disrespectful first. Xuan'er and the others did nothing wrong."

"Dad is so right. We were not wrong at all." When Luo Ningyu heard Luo Tianjin's words, she couldn't help but nod in agreement excitedly.

Xie Xuan frowned slightly and said in a concentrated voice, "Palace Master, this new General Wang has hosted almost all the important figures in Luoyang City in a month, but he has not visited our Xianwang Palace. Isn't this a bit strange?"

Luo Tianjin was slightly stunned, and said seriously: "That's right! Wang Xutong deliberately avoided me, and he must have his reasons. But whether he wants to isolate me or win me over, I still can't tell, and I don't know what he is up to. So if he doesn't move, I won't move either. This is another reason why I don't let anyone apologize. I just want to use this incident to test the waters."

"But the one we offended was a Mongolian prince after all. I don't think they will let it go easily." Deng Changchuan thought, "If we don't apologize, there's no guarantee they won't come to our door and call us to task."

"Haha..." Hearing this, Luo Tianjin suddenly laughed out loud. In the puzzled eyes of everyone, Luo Tianjin smiled mysteriously and said, "If they really dare to come and ask for punishment, I will be relieved!"

"Why?" Ling Xiaoxiao asked puzzledly.

"Everyone knows who is right and who is wrong in this matter. If Wang Xutong deliberately confuses right and wrong in order to protect his son, and even wants to turn the tables, it can only show that he is also a good-for-nothing and mediocre person." Luo Tianjin explained, "If so, why should I go to such lengths to guess the mind of a mediocre person? Just like the previous General Luoyang, he has come up with so many tricks, but he also wants to take the opportunity to make money. Therefore, as long as they dare to come and ask for punishment, this matter will be simple." At this point, the smile on Luo Tianjin's face gradually faded, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. He continued slowly, "Now I am not afraid that he will come to cause trouble, I am not afraid that he will take the opportunity to ask for a high price, or even that he will avoid me and deliberately delay the war. I am only afraid that..."

"Report!"

Before Luo Tianjin could finish his words, a disciple hurried to the outside of the hall and shouted, "Palace Master, someone outside the palace wants to see you!"

"Who?" Luo Tianjin and Ling Xiaoxiao looked at each other in confusion and then asked.

"They claim to be from the General's Mansion."

Xie Xuan was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "It seems that the Palace Master's prediction is correct. Wang Xutong is indeed too eager to protect his son. He can't tell right from wrong. He is just a drunkard! Haha..."

"Tang Su, gather the disciples of the upper three sects to gather outside the mansion!" Deng Changchuan stood up with a sneer, walked quickly to the door, and asked the disciple who reported, "How many soldiers have they brought?"

"Soldiers... Soldiers?" The messenger was stunned when he heard this, and replied in confusion, "There are no soldiers. There are only three people outside the mansion. One of them claims to be Qi Tai, the chief steward of the general's mansion, and he has two followers."

"What?" Ling Xiaoxiao was shocked and asked hurriedly, "Can they bring weapons?"

"To answer madam's question, they did not carry any weapons, but the two followers were holding a gift box each." The disciple who delivered the message answered in confusion.

"Gift box?" Luo Hongxuan raised his eyebrows, subconsciously looked at Luo Tianjin who looked solemn, and asked, "Can they tell me why they came?"

"He said... because of what happened in the East Sea Teahouse today, he came to apologize to the Xianwang Mansion!"

As soon as these words came out, Luo Tianjin's face suddenly changed. Under the surprised gazes of everyone, he murmured solemnly: "I'm afraid they will apologize to me in return... It seems that this General Wang is more unpredictable than I thought!"

……

(End of this chapter)