Chapter 1075: The Ruler Has His Shortcomings

"Absolutely not!"

Before Xiao Zhirou finished her words, Xie Xuan, who was both shocked and angry, refused without hesitation.

"Thank you, Lord, you..."

"Master Xiao, there is no need to say more! I can discuss anything with you, except letting Xunyi leave Xianwang Mansion... Unless I die, this is impossible." Xie Xuan waved his hand resolutely to interrupt Xiao Zhirou's argument, and stated his position firmly, "I stayed with Qingfeng and his daughter, bearing shame and humiliation, enduring tremendous criticism and pressure, and going through untold hardships to help Xunyi overthrow Qingfeng and Ling Xiaoxiao. What is the purpose? It is to fulfill the last wish of the Northern Xianwang, assist the young master to inherit the family business, and lead the disciples of Xianwang Mansion to regroup and make a comeback. Now, you want to take Xunyi away with just a few words and ruin the future of Xianwang Mansion. I would rather die than agree to it."

"You don't agree? Humph!" Seeing Xie Xuan's tough attitude, Xiao Zhirou's tone became less friendly, "If I insist on taking Xunyi away, what can you do if you don't agree?"

“If Valley Master Xiao insists on having his own way, I, Xie, will have no choice but to… fight to the death!” Xie Xuan’s eyes straightened and every word he spoke was sonorous.

"Just you?" Xiao Zhirou looked up and down at Xie Xuan who refused to budge, sneering, "I want to take Xunyi away, do you think anyone here can stop me?"

"Xie is self-aware and knows that he cannot stop Valley Master Xiao. But everyone in Xianwang Mansion has sworn to live and die with Xie. Unless you kill us all, you can't take our 'young master' away." Xie Xuan's attitude was still neither humble nor arrogant, and his tone was still as firm as a rock. "But I also want to remind Valley Master Xiao, even if you can be cruel enough to kill the disciples of Xianwang Mansion, ask Xunyi... will he agree?"

"What do you mean?" Xiao Zhirou's eyes turned cold, "Threatening me?"

"I dare not! Xie is just speaking the truth. Xunyi is born with a chivalrous heart. He has been with many disciples of Xianwang Mansion day and night, sharing joys and sorrows, and has formed a very deep friendship with them. Even if they are strangers, he will not stand by and watch Master Xiao go on a killing spree." Xie Xuan said calmly, "Xunyi can even let Ling Xiaoxiao and Wudang disciples who have a grudge against him go free, not to mention Xie and the disciples of Xianwang Mansion who have done him a favor? If Master Xiao is arbitrary, how will Xunyi view you...mother?"

"you……"

Xie Xuan's words were full of ulterior motives. They sounded like "persuasion", but in fact they were "threats".

More importantly, Xie Xuan's words hit Xiao Zhirou's soft spot, making her confused and speechless.

Xiao Zhirou may not care about her own life or death, or her own reputation, but she cannot ignore Liu Xunyi's feelings, and even more so, she cannot ignore Liu Xunyi's attitude towards her.

Thinking of this, Xiao Zhirou, who was filled with shame and indignation but helpless, could not help but get a little angry and said angrily: "Xie Xuan, don't forget your identity! Xunyi is my son, not your son. What qualifications do you have to control his stay or departure?"

"He is your son, and more importantly, the son of the Northern Sage King!" Xie Xuan suppressed his inner excitement and argued with Xiao Zhirou, "Master Xiao, forgive me for saying something disrespectful. Xunyi has been alone and helpless since childhood, and neither you nor the Northern Sage King has fulfilled your parental duties. As the saying goes, 'the grace of raising a child is greater than the grace of giving birth to one's child'. If you ask who is most qualified to decide Xunyi's fate, neither you nor the Northern Sage King is as good as Zhao Yuan, who raised Xunyi. Therefore, emphasizing whose son he is now... is like the pot calling the kettle black when one is fifty steps apart, and is completely meaningless. However, even if it is 'the pot calling the kettle black when one is fifty steps apart', the relationship between the Northern Sage King and Xunyi is still closer and deeper than yours. At least... Xunyi He had served in the Xianwang Mansion for a long time, and he and the Northern Xianwang had both a master-servant relationship and a master-disciple relationship. Over the years, he had received more teachings from the Northern Xianwang than Master Hongxuan. If you think about it carefully, although the Northern Xianwang did not recognize Xunyi as his father when he was alive, the "father-son relationship" between him and Xunyi is real and cannot be erased. What's more, the Northern Xianwang used his own life to save Xunyi at the critical moment of life and death. This is a father's love that is as high as a mountain and blood is thicker than water. Isn't this enough to shame Master Xiao Gu, who has been "watching from the sidelines"? Therefore, what qualifications do you have to decide Xunyi's fate? Is it just because you are the "born but not raised"... biological mother?"

"Xie Xuan, you...are you looking for death..."

"The reason why Master Xiao was angry was precisely because what I said was true." Facing the furious Xiao Zhirou, Xie Xuan was not afraid of danger, and still spoke sternly and solemnly, "Master Xiao, ask yourself, what is wrong with what I said...? I admit that the Northern Sage King failed you in the past, but even if he has a thousand faults and ten thousand mistakes, it is only the grudge between you and has nothing to do with the next generation. You are obsessed with resentment against the Northern Sage King for his indifference, but how did Master Xiao treat his two children who were crying for food back then...wasn't it selfish and heartless? Xie has followed the Northern Sage King for many years and knows his character well. If he knew that you were pregnant and that you had a pair of children wandering outside, he would never have "abandoned" them like Master Xiao did, and he would not have the heart to let his own flesh and blood suffer from displacement. Speaking of ruthlessness, who is more ruthless? Selfish, who is more selfish? Although Ling Xiaoxiao was the one who caused the hatred between you and the Northern Sage King, Master Xiao... are you really not at fault at all? From the beginning to the end, the Northern Sage King didn't know about Xunyi and Jianping's existence. Even if he wanted to do his duty... I'm afraid he wouldn't find a chance. But you are different. After ten months of pregnancy and one day of childbirth, as a mother... you abandoned them without hesitation. You only care about yourself and ignore your own children. Little did you know that no matter how many mistakes you make, the children are always innocent! In this way, is Master Xiao's 'knowingly committing a crime' more cold-blooded than the Northern Sage King's 'ignorance is not a crime'? More ruthless? More hateful? The Northern Sage King is selfish, ruthless and unrighteous, but he paid the price of his life for his son. Master Xiao has a soul of ice and snow, and is affectionate and righteous, but what have you paid for your own children?"

Xie Xuan's words were like a sharp knife or sword, each word pierced into Xiao Zhirou's heart, making her heartbroken and in agony.

It is undeniable that "Teng Rou" was young and immature at that time. Because she turned her love for Luo Tianjin into hatred, she hated the rest of the people and had a grudge against Luo Tianjin's two children, so she made a heinous mistake.

However, when she survived the fall off the cliff and was reborn as "Xiao Zhirou", she finally had an epiphany. She then searched everywhere for the whereabouts of "Du Xiang", looking forward to being reunited with her two children day and night.

Unfortunately, it was too late. At this moment, Xiao Zhirou felt both remorse and grievance. She wanted to defend herself, but she was too embarrassed to do so. Because in front of the living Liu Xunyi and Yun Jianping, in front of their tragic and miserable childhood experiences, any explanation seemed pale and powerless, and any "defense" seemed like... deliberate "sophistry".

Unconsciously, the depressed and exhausted Xiao Zhirou had lost her murderous intent and burst into tears.

"If the Northern Sage King were still alive, I would never say what I just said, and he would not allow me to say it." Xie Xuan's old eyes turned red, and his words became more and more sad. "Master Xiao, since we are frank, I will just say a few more words from my heart. The Northern Sage King, as a married man, was indeed at fault for having an affair with you. But his fault can only affect you temporarily, but cannot control you forever. Your path... is ultimately your own. Blindly blaming others... is not fair. Besides, as for Xun Yi, 'the son inherits the father's business' is not only the last wish of the Northern Sage King, but also a matter of course from ancient times to the present. Whether he is willing or not, there are some things he should and must do. Because... he owes it to his father!"

At this moment, Xiao Zhirou was in a trance, like a walking corpse. Her expression was dull and her eyes were empty. She was deeply hurt by Xie Xuan's "unpleasant but honest advice" and was deeply entangled and unable to extricate herself.

"Master Xiao, I will follow your instructions and speak the truth. As for you wanting to take Xunyi away... I cannot agree to that."

Having said this, Xie Xuan looked at the distraught Xiao Zhirou with cautious eyes, and coughed twice subconsciously, so that his tone slowed down and his attitude was quite sincere: "No matter what, Master Xiao is Xunyi's biological mother and the 'mistress' of the Xianwang Mansion. As long as you do not violate the will of the Northern Xianwang and do something perverse, Xie and the disciples of the Xianwang Mansion will respect you and will never dare to act rashly in front of you..."

Facing Xie Xuan's compliments, Xiao Zhirou remained as still as a wooden sculpture, not moving a muscle.

"If..." Xie Xuan continued to test cautiously, "If Valley Master Xiao doesn't want to kill me, I will not bother you any more and will take my leave."

After saying this, seeing that Xiao Zhirou was absent-minded and reluctant to speak, Xie Xuan couldn't help but let out an inexplicable sigh.

After hesitating for a long time, Xie Xuan simply made up his mind, bowed respectfully to Xiao Zhirou, and then turned around and left the inner court without hesitation.

……

"Thank you, Lord!"

When Xie Xuan, with a myriad of thoughts and mixed emotions, walked out of the inner courtyard, a familiar and pleasant voice came from the darkness, immediately interrupting his meditation.

Immediately afterwards, two figures, one tall and one short, slowly walked out from the shadow of a towering ancient tree.

Walking in front was a beautiful lady with a slender waist, plump eyes, fairy-like figure and stunning looks.

Walking behind was a burly man with big ears, wide eyes, a broad back and a strong build, and an imposing aura.

"Miss Xunzhen?" After recognizing that the people coming were Xunzhen and Abaolu, Xie Xuan, who was on high alert, couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, he quietly dissolved the internal energy gathered in his palms and said with a hint of hesitation, "It's the middle of the night, and you don't go back to rest. This is..."

"The night is long, but I am worried and can't fall asleep. I really don't want to pretend to be affectionate, and I don't like to guess. Therefore, I have been waiting here, hoping to meet with Master Xie and say a few words...from my heart."

……

　At the beginning of the new year, an iconic figure in my childhood memory passed away. I was sad about the impermanence of life and death, and also sad that my youth was gone forever. For many years, I was sure that what I feared most was just being busy and accomplishing nothing, but when I stopped in the dead of night, I slowly realized that what I feared most was that I would look back and find that time was gone...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)