The Night is Still Young

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Isn't Just A Small Matter

Jiang Yanli seemed to have entered a realm of zen that blocked all of her senses. When she heard this, however, she moved, looking over to her left.

A-Ying, who stood next to Jiang Yanli, was wearing a grim expression. Her silver eyes were as piercing as steel, a searing iciness glaring in place of radiating warmth.

Her out-of-place remark drew the ire of the other cultivators nearby, asking, "What do you mean?"

"I don't mean anything else. There's no need to be so agitated." Then, A-Ying says with a frosty tone: "I just think the words 'killing indiscriminately' isn't really acceptable."

Someone else yelled, "How is it unacceptable?! Jiang Wanyin has been killing indiscriminately since the Sunshot Campaign began! Can you refute this?"

A-Ying voiced her disapproval, "The Sunshot Campaign is a battlefield -- does that mean everyone is killing indiscriminately?"

They all fought in a war.

All of them were soldiers.

They've 'killed'.

She'll ask again -- does that mean everyone is killing indiscriminately?

A-Ying expounded, "Let's consider this as it stands: I don't think it's right to say that Jiang Cheng killed indiscriminately.

After all, there is a 'reason'.

If the inspectors really abused the prisoners and killed Wen Ning, it wouldn't be 'killing indiscriminately' anymore, but... 'revenge'."

One of them raged, "You're almost laughable! Don't tell me you think he was justified in killing our people?! Don't tell me you're going to say it was a heroic act of justice?!"

They still don't know if the inspectors actually did those things!

Nobody witnessed it with their own eyes!

Another screamed, "All of the inspectors who survived said they 'never' abused the prisoners. Wen Ning died because he himself accidentally fell from a cliff. They even went so far as to retrieve his body and bury him... only to be met with such revenge! How disappointing!"

A-Ying contended, "The other inspectors are scared that they'd be responsible for abusing the prisoners and killing people. Of course, they'd insist he fell off on his own."

One mocked, flipping her lid, "You're still arguing for him, calling 'white' black, despite how irrational it is."

A-Ying fumed from hearing such words, "Irrational?" she laughed without humor, "Calling 'white' black? I'm just being fucking considerate as it stands."

One zongzhu from across the room admonished, "Wei-guniang, please watch your conduct!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Jin Zixun-gongzi jeered, "Wei Ying, look at yourself. You used to be a commendable young woman with all admirable qualities... not until the war took place. Even your heart has turned sideways -- how could you consider things as they are?"

A-Xuan berated, expressively displeased, "Zixun!"

Jin Zixun-gongzi's face tells, 'What, am I wrong?'

Jiang Yanli clenched her teeth. She didn't like the direction the conversation was taking.

"What does it have to do with the fact that I've 'changed'?" A-Ying was so enraged that her eyes grew red, "You can't be rational with me, so you attack me with other things?!"

A nonchalance, "Stop wasting your time on her--"

Insults are the last resort of insecure people with a crumbling position attempting to appear confident.

Seeing her A-Ying being degraded and humiliated, Jiang Yanli opened her mouth to speak but closed it when she heard a 'bam!'.

She looks up and...

"Wei Ying is good, capable."

...sees Lan-er-gongzi's amber eyes brimming with unfathomable fury.

"Brave, selfless, brilliant, shameless, compassionate. You are not qualified to speak ill to my betrothed."

Murmurs.

"What...?"

Whispers.

"Be... betrothed?"

Everyone knew that Wei-guniang liked Hanguang-jun.

"How?"

Teasing. Flirting. Chasing.

After him.

But him... liking her back? More so 'her' being his 'betrothed'?

That's... unheard of.

The two always separate in bad terms (with Jiang Wanyin in tow, throwing fists and spreading his tough talk). And so, they concluded Wei-guniang and Hanguang-jun didn't have a good... relationship.

They wondered, "When?"

When? To answer the question, Hanguang-jun proposed the betrothal just yesterday.

Lan-xiansheng were to pen the betrothal announcement for the rest of the Cultivation World today, but due to the 'thunderous news', the announcement was postponed.

Oh.

Nevermind.

It wasn't... postponed, actually, since it was still 'announced' today. Not in the way Jiang Yanli had expected it to go, however.

"I agree with Lan-er-gongzi. A-Ying is a very nice person. She is very sweet. Your insults were unwarranted."

Jiang Yanli stood up then.

"Arguing is arguing, so why bring the matter of 'changed qualities' to the table? A-Ying is a disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan. She grew up with my brother and I, and so she's as close as a sister is to me. Saying her heart turned 'sideways' -- I'm sorry, but I won't accept this. And thus..."

Make sure to taste your words before spitting them out.

She straightened her back --

You don't have to disrespect and insult others just to maintain your own ground. This just shows how vulnerable your own position is.

-- and raised her voice:

"I hope that Jin Zixun-gongzi, and Fang-gongzi would apologize to Wei Ying of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan!"

Jin Zixun-gongzi, "..."

Fang-gongzi, "..."

Their faces were almost black with coal, but they kept their mouths shut.

If the person currently saying these words wasn't Jiang Yanli and instead some random person, they would have probably slapped them already.

Jin-zongzhu spoke, "Jiang-zongzhu, why are you being so serious? It's just a small matter. Don't get too worked up."

Jiang Yanli's tone was hard, "Jin-zongzhu, A-Ying is my meimei."

Jiang Yanli knows everything they intend to convey...

"Her being humiliated by others, to me, isn't just a small matter."

...However, they have no right to degrade A-Ying.

She knows A-Ying's worth.

And she doesn't deserve their 'insults'.