Chapter 26 Decadence

A white carriage slowly travels on the streets of Tiandu, with occasional figures running in the rain.
When these people hurriedly passed by the white carriage in the rain, they would stop their steps and bow deeply towards the carriage with either reverence or fear in their eyes.
Li Xiuyuan in the palace carriage sneered and shook his head as he peered through the swaying curtain at those fearful and awestruck eyes.
In their eyes, this second prince, who cannot cultivate, is always inferior to those high-ranking and powerful princes. It seems that in their hearts, they have already assumed that Li Qingzhou, my brother, will be the future crown prince of Tang Kingdom.
But how can one born in the imperial family be willing to fall behind others?
Even if he cannot cultivate himself, it does not affect the burning flame in Li Xiuyuan's heart.
Having lived for twenty-three years, he has endured a lot.
If one cannot bear small inconveniences, then great plans will be disrupted.
Therefore, he doesn't mind enduring a little longer, it's just a matter of delaying some time.
"Your highness, as for the Celestial Patrol Bureau..."
The silent atmosphere was broken by the man sitting under the horse shed.
Li Xiuyuan in the carriage withdrew his gaze and shook his head casually, saying, "There's no need to worry about the Heavenly Patrol Department. They are just some jumping clowns. Water can carry a boat and drown it as well. The Emperor is only turning a blind eye to the Three Departments at the moment, but if certain individuals try to cross that red line... what awaits them is nothing but an endless abyss."
This is a simple and easy-to-understand principle.
Li Xiuyuan understood what the high-ranking chronicler of the Celestial Patrol who had stopped him in the rain was thinking, but he didn't care.
Because thinking varies depending on one's perspective and position.
"Let's go, let's have a cup of tea at Yun's mansion."
Li Xiuyuan rubbed his forehead. Although the two-month trip to Qingzhou had brought him unprecedented fatigue, he was very satisfied with the final result.
If you want to compete with your brother, you must possess the corresponding power.
As the Second Prince of the entire Tang dynasty, my identity and position are there. Even if I cannot cultivate, as long as I wish, I can still attract followers by making promises and offering benefits.
For Li Xiuyuan, this is a cost where he shares the glory and the loss, and what he has paid is much more expensive than he imagined.
So he can only succeed, not fail.
In this world where survival value is measured by the size of one's fist, in order for a weakling with no power to survive, they must have a large number of chips in their hands.
……
……
A white sedan came to a halt in front of a quiet mansion on Zhengyang Street. Left Qu climbed down from the horse stable and pulled out a white paper umbrella from one side.
"Your Highness, we have arrived at Master Yun's mansion," Left Qu stood quietly in the rain, holding the white paper umbrella, and whispered towards the carriage.
After a moment, a faint exhaling sound came from the carriage, and Li Xiuyuan reached out and lifted the curtain and walked out.
Upon seeing the man walk out, Zuoqiu, who was standing quietly in the rain, opened the white paper umbrella in his hand with a "puff" sound.
The umbrella surface expands from the inside out, and then a white flower blooms in the air. The dense raindrops falling from the sky are suddenly bounced off by the umbrella surface, and then fall weakly to the ground.
Li Xiuyuan, who stood under the umbrella, tightened his collar, and then walked towards the mansion with Zuo Qiu. The gatekeeper of the mansion was taken aback when he saw the two people walking slowly in the rain, and then his gaze fell on the white carriage parked in the rain.
In the moment he saw the white carriage, the dazed gatekeeper instantly snapped out of it and hurriedly ran out in a flustered manner.
At first, he couldn't see the two people walking in the rain clearly, but he was more than familiar with the white carriage parked in the rain.
This is the second prince's carriage.
Almost every month, this white carriage stops in front of this mansion. Over time, the gatekeeper has also come to know that it is the second prince's vehicle. However, in the past two months, he has not seen the appearance of this carriage, so he didn't think too much about it.
I just didn't expect this white carriage to suddenly appear here today, so he didn't come back to his senses for a moment.
"I have seen Your Highness."
The gatekeeper ran up to the man and bowed, "Today's spring rain came suddenly, and the cold air hasn't dissipated yet. Your Highness don't need to rush here, please take care of your health."
The doorman finished speaking and suddenly realized that he had said too much.
"To care is to be chaotic", this saying is not at all incorrect.
Although he was just a doorman in this mansion, he had seen the Second Highness at least eight or nine times, so over time, he realized that the Second Highness was actually in poor health.
Just now, in a moment of distress, I said those words. But upon reflection, Second Prince has already arrived at the door, so what reason do I have to ask him to turn back?
Sure enough.
"It's no trouble..." Li Xiuyuan smiled lightly, "It's been nearly two months since I last visited Yun Manor. Today, I happened to have some free time, so I thought I'd come and see Elder Yun first."
In Li Xiuyuan's narrow eyes, the laughter remained unchanged as he looked at the slender figure standing in the rain. He gently said, "You, don't have to come out to greet me on rainy days. If you get sick, Yunlao's mansion will appear even more desolate."
Upon hearing the caring words from the man, the thin doorman felt a warmth in his heart. It seems that the second prince is not as cold-hearted as they say, but rather much more approachable.
"Your Highness, please follow me."
With a warm heart, the doorman quickly led the two of them towards the mansion.
After crossing the courtyard of the mansion, the doorman led the two of them to the main hall located on the west side of the courtyard.
左丘在正厅的门前停下了脚步，静静的杵立在门口。
李修远在正厅门口停顿脚步，伸手弹了弹衣摆上沾黏的水珠，然后踏步走了进去。
Upon entering the main hall, Li Xiuyuan's gaze went from dark to bright, and he saw the old man with white hair sitting behind the white jade desk.
The old man was dressed in plain clothes, with meticulously groomed white hair on the temples. The passage of time had left deep or shallow wrinkles on his face, but the old man appeared exceptionally spirited and sharp.
Suyi saw the black-clothed man approach with a leisurely stride, his aged face showing no hint of surprise, as if he had long anticipated Li Xiuyuan's arrival today.
"Elder Yun, it has been two months since we last met, yet your elegance remains undiminished..." Li Xiuyuan looked at the calm-faced elder Suyi and laughed heartily.
Li Xiuyuan came to the desk of the old man named Suyi and respectfully bowed to him. The person in front of his eyes deserved his bow.
Because the old man in front of him is not only Yun Zhongtai, the head of the Qianyu Academy, but also his mentor who taught him.
So, in front of the older man, he can temporarily set aside all his arrogance and posture.
"It's good to be back..."
Yun Zhongtai signaled for Li Xiuyuan to sit down and looked at this student he hadn't seen in two months. With a compassionate smile, Yun Zhongtai said, "Your Highness, you returned just in time for the first spring rain of the year. This is a good sign."
"The teacher gave a thumbs-up."
"Li Xiuyuan sat upright, shook his head with a faint smile, and said, 'If my own footsteps are not faster, then the students will have a hard time in the future...'"
云中泰明白李修远的这句话代表了什么意思，所以他没有多问。
Li Xiuyuan held the white glazed teacup in front of the desk in his hands, took a sip, and exclaimed, "Every time I come to the teacher's place, I always get to drink a different kind of tea. It's several times better than the ones I drink in the palace."
"Your Highness is joking. The things in my humble chamber cannot compare to those in the palace. As long as Your Highness likes it, that's all that matters," Yun Zhongtai smiled.
"What is the name of this tea?!" Li Xiuyuan put down the teacup and calmly looked at Yun Zhongtai.
"Bamboo Leaf Green."
Yun Zhongtai picked up the teapot beside him and refilled Li Xiuyuan's teacup. "It's the first batch of spring tea just sent from Shu area a few days ago."
"Bamboo Leaf Green..."
Li Xiuyuan silently repeated the name in his mind.
Looking at the dripping rain under the eaves, Li Xiuyuan's expression was elusive as he calmly said, "Spring rain accompanied by spring tea, quite nice indeed."
Hengzhou Shuzhong... indeed a tough nut to crack.
It seems that Yun Zhongtai has seen what Li Xiuyuan is thinking in his heart. Yun Zhongtai said softly, "Your Highness, there is no need to be too hasty. Just go with the flow."
After the old man finished speaking, he paused for a moment and continued, "Sometimes, when a person is determined, they can overcome even the heavens..."
Li Xiuyuan was slightly absent-minded.
Can man really conquer the heavens?!
How high is it again today?!
Yes, the heavens are unknown in height, and man is like an ant at the feet of the heavens. Living for a long time, fear arises and one dares not look up or reach out to touch.
This world is like a shackle, imprisoning all living beings in this world, unable to go out or come in.
The heavens are also the same.
Li Xiuyuan looked at the gloomy sky, slowly closed his eyes, took a shallow breath, and then opened his eyes calmly, asking, "Teacher, can you smell the scent permeating the air?!"
Cloud Zhongtai puzzled and still twitched his nose seriously to take a breath, then shook his head and said, "Forgive me for being old and not smelling the scent that Your Highness mentioned."
Listening to the words and looking at them, Li Xiuyuan's mouth slightly curled up, retracting his gaze, his eyes calmly looking at the old man, and lightly said, "The air is filled with a smell of decay and filth... This stagnant water has been calm for too long, to the point where some people have almost forgotten that this is Tian Du."
"There will be no perfect eggs under the fallen nest. Everyone will be in danger at that time, and this centuries-old foundation will be destroyed in an instant."
Yun Zhongtai looked at Li Xiuyuan, who had a smile on his face, and was slightly startled. Then he smiled and shook his head, saying, "Indeed, it has been too peaceful for too long..."
How could he not understand the meaning of the words spoken by the smiling man in front of him?
The peace of the human world is dependent on the master of this imperial city. If the foundation that has been maintained for centuries starts to crumble from within, then everything will cease to exist.
Man may indeed conquer nature...
But if nature wants to crush man, it only takes a single thought.