N-A-A Chapter 13 Family Scandals Should Not Be Washed Up in Public
Chapter 13 Family Scandals Should Not Be Washed Up in Public
Zhuge Duan stepped aside to lead the way.
Zuo Ruotong nodded and stepped into the mountain gate.
The Taoist priest driving the carriage followed behind him, his steps steady, his gaze always fixed on Zuo Ruotong's back.
When Zuo Ruotong passed by Zhuge Yun, she paused for a moment.
He looked down at the nine-year-old child, his calm gaze replaced by a faint gentleness.
"Zhuge Yun".
Zhuge Yun raised his head, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"Yes……"
"When your father brought you to the Trinity Gate, I asked you why you wanted to join the Trinity Gate."
You said you wanted to find a path that belonged to you.
Zhuge Yun's lips moved, but no sound came out.
"I've paved the way for you on this path."
Zuo Ruotong's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and steady.
"But whether you can continue, and how far you can go, is your own business."
Zhuge Yun took a deep breath and then bowed.
"Disciple understands."
Zuo Ruotong reached out and gently pressed on his shoulder before continuing to walk into the mountain gate.
The tea room of the Wuhou School is located on the east side of the main hall of the ancestral home. It is not large, but it is extremely elegant.
A tea table made of rosewood, white porcelain cups from Ding kiln, and a pot of calamus with long, slender, and serene green leaves placed under the window.
A calligraphy scroll hangs on the wall: "Knowing When to Stop".
Zuo Ruotong sat in the guest seat, with a freshly brewed cup of Mengding Ganlu in front of her.
Zhuge Duan sat in the main seat, while Zhuge Yun's father, Zhuge Boyi, sat to one side.
Zhuge Zhong and Zhuge Ji sat on either side of the tea room. Only these elders and Zuo Ruotong and his apprentice were in the tea room; the younger disciples were waiting outside.
Zhuge Yun stood behind his father, Zhuge Boyi, his fingers clenched in his sleeves, but his expression was more composed than when he was outside the mountain gate.
Lu Jin stood behind Zuo Ruotong, his back straight. His gaze occasionally swept over the furnishings in the tea room, but most of the time it was fixed on his master's back.
Zuo Ruotong picked up her teacup, took a sip, put it down, and then slowly spoke:
"Clan Chief Zhuge, the reason I have come here is to formally accept Zhuge Yun as my disciple."
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the tea room could hear him clearly.
"Six months ago, when Zhuge Boyi brought Yun'er to the Sanyi Sect, I let him enter the lower courtyard for trials."
When accepting disciples, the San Yi School does not consider family background or social status; it only looks at two things—talent and character.
Although Yun'er's talent isn't top-tier, his character is one of the purest I've met among all the children I've known over the years.
Zhuge Boyi's fingers tightened slightly on his knee.
"The Reverse Rebirth Triple Stage is extremely dangerous to break through. The slightest mistake can result in either being unable to continue cultivation or, in severe cases, lifelong disability."
Zuo Ruotong's tone was flat, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.
"I told Yun'er and his father about these risks six months ago."
Today I ask you one more time, Zhuge Yun, are you willing to join the Sanyi Sect, cultivate the Threefold Reversal of Life, and never regret it, no matter what the future holds?
Zhuge Yun walked out from behind his father and knelt in front of the tea table.
"This disciple is willing."
His voice trembled slightly, but his knees remained steady as he knelt down.
Zuo Ruotong stared at the top of his head for a long time.
Then he reached into his sleeve, took out a jade tablet, and handed it to Zhuge Yun.
The jade plaque is small, about half the size of a palm, and is bluish-white all over. The front is engraved with the two characters "三一" (Sanyi), and the back has a flowing cloud pattern.
"This jade tablet is a personal item carried by disciples of the Sanyi Sect. It's not a magical artifact, just a mark."
Zuo Ruotong's voice softened.
"From today onwards, you are a member of the Trinity Sect."
Zhuge Yun accepted the jade tablet with both hands, held it in his palms, and looked at it for a long time.
Zhuge Boyi turned his head to the side and blinked very quickly.
Zhuge Duan stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zuo Ruotong.
"Master Zuo, Yun'er is a child sent out by Marquis Wu. No matter where he goes in the future in the Sanyi Sect, the Marquis Wu Sect will always be his home."
The Wuhou School will remember this kindness.
Zuo Ruotong stood up to return the greeting.
"Clan Chief Zhuge, you flatter us. The Sanyi Sect accepts people, not sects, as disciples."
Yun'er is both a descendant of the Wuhou Sect and a disciple of the Sanyi Sect; these two are not contradictory.
The two sat down again, and the atmosphere in the tea room relaxed a bit.
Zhuge Duan ordered a banquet to be prepared, then turned to Zuo Ruotong.
"Master Zuo has come from afar and will stay at the Wuhou Sect tonight. We will hold a banquet tonight, firstly to welcome Master Zuo, and secondly to bid farewell to Yun'er."
Zuo Ruotong nodded.
"I'm sorry to bother you."
Lu Jin stood behind his master without saying a word, but his eyes kept scanning every Wuhou Sect disciple outside, as if searching for something.
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The banquet was held in the main hall of the Wuhou School.
The main hall is where the Wuhou School receives distinguished guests, and it is much more spacious than the tea room.
The central seat features a long table made of rosewood, flanked by four square tables on each side, all laden with dishes.
The meal included a platter of preserved meats from Sichuan, stewed chicken with bamboo shoots, fish with broad bean paste, sliced pork with garlic sauce, and several vegetarian dishes that were specialties of the Wuhou School of cooking.
The wine is rice wine brewed by the Wuhou School itself; it has a low alcohol content and a smooth, sweet taste.
Zuo Ruotong sat in the host's seat, with Zhuge Duan as the host.
Zhuge Boyi, Zhuge Zhong, and Zhuge Ji took their seats in turn.
Lu Jin sat to the left of Zuo Ruotong, while Zhuge Yun sat next to his father, Zhuge Boyi. He had carefully put the jade pendant into his bosom, but his hand would still unconsciously touch it through his clothes.
Several of the most accomplished young disciples of the Wuhou Sect were also seated at the end of the table to keep them company, including Zhuge Yan.
Zhuge Yan sat at the very end of the table, with a bowl of wine in front of him.
He barely touched his chopsticks, not because he wasn't hungry, but because he knew that once he started eating, the fifteen bowls of food would instantly turn the banquet into a different topic of conversation.
The saying goes, "Don't wash your dirty linen in public." Some people can get away with something at home, but if they're labeled a "starving ghost" before they're even born, how will they ever be able to go out in public?
He still vividly remembered being surrounded by people watching him eat nine bowls of rice in the kitchen three years ago, and he really didn't want to repeat it in front of Zuo Ruotong.
After several rounds of drinks, Zhuge Duan raised his cup and toasted Zuo Ruotong.
Zuo Ruotong picked up the cup, took a sip, and put it down.
He doesn't drink much, but he is very polite.
The atmosphere at the table gradually relaxed.
Zhuge Boyi toasted Zuo Ruotong, saying little but drinking heartily.
Zhuge Zhong and Zhuge Ji also paid their respects in turn, mostly saying things like, "Yun'er is at the Sanyi Gate, please ask the Left Gate Master to take good care of her."
Zuo Ruotong responded to each one, her tone calm and without the slightest impatience.
Lu Jin was using her chopsticks quite frequently.
He sat to the left of Zuo Ruotong, his movements as he picked up food were clean and efficient, without being picky or selective. He would pick up whatever food was turned to him and chew quickly, which showed that it was a habit he had developed through martial arts training.
But his gaze did not linger on the dishes.
From the very beginning of the banquet, his gaze kept sweeping towards Zhuge Yan, who was seated at the end of the table.
Zhuge Yan naturally sensed it, but he didn't look back; he simply picked up the rice wine and took a sip.
Suddenly, Lu Jin put down her chopsticks.
"Clan Chief Zhuge."
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the main hall heard it.
Although Lu Jin was young, he was both Zuo Ruotong's beloved disciple and the eldest son of the prestigious Lu family. His initiative to speak up in this setting was not a breach of etiquette.
To some extent, his words and actions also represent the attitude of the Trinity.
Zhuge Duan looked at him: "Young Master Lu, please speak."
Lu Jin stood up straight, the light shining on his face, clearly outlining the unpolished features unique to young people.
"Before I came to the Wuhou School with my master, I heard my junior brother Zhuge tell me something."
His gaze shifted to the last seat and landed precisely on Zhuge Yan.
"There was a senior brother in the Wuhou Sect who, in less than five years of cultivation, mastered all the spells of the Wuhou Sect's four categories of Heaven, Earth, Man, and God."