Chen Kuang had never seen Shen Xingzhu's face beneath her pale veil, but he remembered her eyes vividly.
With those eyes alone, eyes more beautiful than the moon, colder than the spring breeze, Shen Xingzhu could chill a season and still a heart.
Once you'd seen them, you could never forget them.
But when those same eyes appeared on a completely different person, lacking that divinely aloof grace and solemn compassion, it took a moment to register what he was seeing.
Chen Kuang found it almost unbelievable.
They both had the surname Shen, and such a strikingly similar, nearly identical, pair of eyes...
There was no doubt in his mind: this Shen Meinan was closely related to Shen Xingzhu.
Most likely, her younger sister!
But... it was far too strange.
The two of them had completely opposite personalities.
Judging from Shen Meinan's behavior just now, she was almost entirely without guile, innocent and charming were the perfect words for her.
If they really were blood sisters, the difference in personality was staggering.
Still, that wasn't even the strangest part.
They clearly looked like they were several years apart in age, and it was normal for siblings raised in different environments to turn out very different.
The truly strange thing was that not a single person here seemed to know it.
These weren't ordinary nobodies, and yet just moments ago they had spent quite some time discussing Shen Xingzhu.
Not even a single person had mentioned the fact that her supposed sister was right there.
If their relationship were public knowledge, someone would have at least said a word, or their expressions would have changed slightly.
But there had been nothing.
Shen Xingzhu... had deliberately hidden their relationship.
Chen Kuang's eyes flickered with thought.
He was beginning to understand why Wen Si had delivered him to this very ship.
Never mind who else was present,just this Shen Meinan, possibly Shen Xingzhu's sister, was already valuable enough.
If there was concealment, then there was a secret someone didn't want known.
And what Chen Kuang needed most right now was leverage over Shen Xingzhu. The more, the better.
Shen Meinan noticed he had been silent for a while and asked, "Why aren't you talking?"
Chen Kuang replied with a calm face, "I was just thinking, you probably look very pretty too."
"Oh... thank you."
Realizing she'd just complimented a blind man for being good-looking, and that he couldn't even see her in return, Shen Meinan suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.
Her eyes blinked, and she hurriedly changed the subject.
"So... we've all introduced ourselves. What's your name?"
Chen Kuang thought for a moment and said,
"You all may call me Ruogu."
"Spacious as a valley, simple as uncarved jade."
In this world, families of some standing often gave their sons courtesy names when they came of age.
Since Chen Kuang was about to reach the traditional age of majority, this was as good a time as any to give himself one.
This wasn't the time to press Shen Meinan for familiarity. It was better to handle the current company first.
He continued, "I'm just a lone cultivator, no sect, no affiliation. Only at the Qi Opening Realm. Frankly, I'm surprised beother Lin would even bother inviting someone like me."
Lin Eryou shook his head and raised his cup:
"How can friendship be measured by cultivation level? It should be built on shared joy and mutual understanding."
"When I studied on Liberty Mountain, my teacher taught us the Six Arts: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and arithmetic. He said they are the foundation of the gentleman's path."
"Unfortunately, I was too busy sneaking off to the back hill to look at peach blossoms. I slept through lectures and ran off as soon as class ended and learned absolutely nothing."
He smiled sheepishly, then drained his cup and added proudly:
"Still, I may not have learned it, but I can recognize quality when I hear it!"
Clearly excited, Lin Eryou's eyes sparkled as he said to Chen Kuang:
"Ruogu, your piece just now was truly excellent. I once heard the lady of Heavenly Sound Pavilion perform her 'Song of Long Sorrow.' It brought tears to my sleeves. Your tune could stand alongside hers."
He waved his fan with some confusion:
"But... back then, the Lady used an instrument with fifty strings. Why does yours only have seven?"
"Could Ruogu enlighten us?"
"..."
Chen Kuang fell silent for a moment, then gently patted the guqin in his arms and said quietly,
"That was a qin."
"The one with fifty strings is a se."
Lin Eryou's confident expression froze.
"Hahahahahaha..."
Zhou Yanwei burst into laughter and leaned toward Chen Kuang:
"Don't be fooled by this guy's serious face. He may be from Liberty Mountain, but that teacher of his accepts anyone."
"No talent, no background, no race restriction. As long as you plant a peach tree as a token offering, you can enter."
"Our Young Master Lin here comes from the Wanlin Merchant Guild, which specializes in selling rare and mystical Spiritual Treasures. He was sent to Liberty Mountain by force, to 'reform.'"
So he's a rich-kid slacker.
Chen Kuang's mouth twitched.
Spiritual Treasures were rare even among cultivators, precious, priceless objects.
And Lin Eryou's family dealt in them?
That explained this massive floating palace of a boat...
Thinking of that, Chen Kuang asked, "I heard a lot of voices below deck earlier. Are there many others on this ship?"
Lin Eryou blinked, then realized:
"You're worried about where we're headed?"
"Yes."
Chen Kuang nodded:
"I've other things to tend to. I won't stay long. If the ship doesn't reach land by tomorrow, I may trouble you for a small raft."
Lin Eryou saw no harm in explaining:
"This ship is owned by my family, but it's currently chartered by the Wind and Rain Tower. They're heading to Guandu Port to pick someone up. We should arrive tonight."
He chuckled:
"I was just taking some friends on a lakeside cruise. Autumn is the best season for Eastern Court Lake, after all, even with everything going on."
Eastern Court Lake linked several tributaries and served as the central waterway hub of Jishao Prefecture.
There were two major docks:
The Wilderness Dock, for common folk,traders, fishers and civilian boats.
And then the Guandu Port, for official use. Only government ships and some authorized organizations could use it.
Chen Kuang needed to go to the Wilderness Dock, but Guandu was nearby. With some effort, he could make it in time.
"Then it's right on the way."
He paused, then asked:
"Wind and Rain Tower, is that a cultivator sect?"
Qi Sibai raised an eyebrow:
"Ruogu doesn't know?"
"The Wind and Rain Tower is a small sect here in Jishao Prefecture, small only in number, not in power."
"That's because its leader, Di Wu...Is a member of the Martial Saint Pavilion."
Martial Saint Pavilion?
Chen Kuang's face went blank. Inside, he was already numb.
Surely... surely he wasn't that unlucky?
He hesitated, then asked:
"For the Wind and Rain Tower to charter such a grand ship, it must be for something important?"
Ming Yan replied, "Of course it is."
"The Enlightenment Envoy from Zhou has arrived to assume control of Jishao Prefecture. The Wind and Rain Tower is going to pick him up. Di Wu himself is here!"
Chen Kuang's eye twitched.
"Di Wu... is on this ship?"
Lin Eryou nodded: "He is."
Chen Kuang: "..."