Before Li Keji had even left Yueyang, the imperial decree had already come down, ordering him to return to Qingcheng for mourning, during which he would be strictly supervised by local officials. As for what would happen after the mourning period ended, there was no indication.

He had been “hung up” once again.

Meng Jianqing’s task of escort and protection was complete, and he rushed back to the capital to report.

After hearing his report, Shen Guangli smiled indifferently: “I never expected Iron Flute Autumn would be so unyielding to both carrot and stick, even abandoning Li Keji. If His Majesty tightens his grip slightly, Li Keji will have to go to Fengyang for hard labor.”

Meng Jianqing hesitated before saying, “I feel something was wrong with Master Tie’s condition. Judging from his movement technique when he left, he didn’t seem as transcendent and shocking as people say. I suspect that when he patted Li Keji’s shoulder, he was borrowing strength. Could his decision to abandon Li Keji and go into solitary seclusion also be for this reason?”

Shen Guangli looked at him with a half-smile: “Apart from Li Keji and Old Yan, you were the last person to see him. If the situation is truly as you describe, if his enemies become emboldened and come looking for him, no one would think Old Yan would do something so undignified—I’m afraid everyone would blame you for this.”

Meng Jianqing raised his head and replied: “If such a thing truly happens, you might as well consider it another trial for me.”

Shen Guangli smiled without speaking, then picked up an official document from his desk and handed it to him.

It turned out the Ministry of Rites had assigned an Imperial Academy student to go to Quanzhou to worship Mazu, requiring the Imperial Guard to provide an escort.

Meng Jianqing was secretly surprised. The scholar-officials at court had always believed that the goddess Mazu was not recorded in the classics and should not be praised. Since the founding of the dynasty, this was the first time the court had formally worshipped Mazu.

Even so, it hardly seemed necessary to send him, did it?

But he didn’t ask, and Shen Guangli didn’t explain. After he respectfully returned the document, Shen Guangli said slowly: “What are your current views on Iron Flute Autumn, Li Keji, and oh, Wen Ruhai as well? What kind of people do you think they are?”

Meng Jianqing paused before saying, “They are all people different from me.”

Thinking of them, especially Li Keji, always stirred mist-like emotions in Meng Jianqing’s heart.

Shen Guangli watched him, waiting for his explanation.

Meng Jianqing continued: “The reason Li Keji’s paintings have such soul-stirring power is, I believe, directly related to his following Iron Flute Autumn for over ten years. Ten years sharpening one sword—he poured all his spirit and energy into this. I’ve also carefully observed his martial arts style and feel that when he spars with others, he’s far from as free-flowing as when he practices alone, and there’s a kind of joy and pleasure that comes from his heart.”

“Master the literary and martial arts, and sell them to the imperial house.”

Yet Li Keji had taken his ten years of combined literary and martial cultivation and paved a path that sought only inner joy and peace.

Like a tree that should have grown into pillar timber but inexplicably became a flower that bloomed and withered freely, one hardly knew what to say about it.

Drifting like an untethered boat…

This phrase suddenly emerged in Meng Jianqing’s mind.

Life in this world is like sailing against the current—if you don’t advance, you retreat.

He, sailing against the current, gazed at that untethered boat that didn’t know where it was drifting—should he be anxious for it, or should he secretly envy it?

Shen Guangli smiled: “It seems you now understand how to read people.”

After a pause, he added: “All things are done by people, all things are done for people. If you understand people, you understand affairs.”

Meng Jianqing was suddenly enlightened.

Shen Guangli had never taught him this way before. He had always thrown people like them into wolf dens, coldly watching them survive or perish on their own, then selecting the most capable survivors to tackle the next wolf den.

Shen Guangli had already stood up: “You have three days to prepare.”

As Meng Jianqing accepted the order and was about to withdraw, Shen Guangli suddenly said: “Do you know why you’re being sent this time? One reason is that the Imperial Academy student personally selected by His Majesty is Wen Ruhai, Li Keji’s friend in adversity, who also has some friendship with you.” At this point, he seemed to find it quite interesting, smiling slightly before continuing: “This is fate. If you think carefully, no matter how unrelated people and events in this world might seem, you can always find some connection between them.”

Meng Jianqing was startled. Seeing that Shen Guangli had nothing more to say, he bowed and withdrew, closing the door behind him.

Stars filled the sky, and night breezes swept across the long corridor.

Meng Jianqing looked back at Shen Guangli’s silhouette standing with his hands behind his back by the window, pondering quietly.

What was his purpose in being so patiently instructive tonight?

Meng Jianqing would never believe Shen Guangli wanted to train him as a successor. Even if Shen Guangli were finally stepping down, who would succeed him was not his decision to make.

So it must be that Shen Guangli felt he had navigated enough wolf dens and was qualified to hear these teachings, to complete an even more perilous mission? Could escorting Wen Ruhai to Quanzhou to worship Mazu, such a routine business, also harbor dangers that even Shen Guangli dared not take lightly?

A guard quietly approached from the end of the corridor and whispered a few words in Meng Jianqing’s ear. Meng Jianqing nodded slightly and said quietly: “Good, well done.”

The person who had privately embezzled those paintings of Wen Ruhai was a captain whom Meng Jianqing had brought in to assist with the case. Thinking himself equal in rank to Meng Jianqing, he had boldly taken liberties. Those paintings had now been recovered as evidence of his crime. That captain had been handed over to the Imperial Guard’s Criminal Investigation Division for processing.

Meng Jianqing needed to ensure that no one would ever again dare to take private liberties while working under him on a case.