Flowers bloom every year, but joy never comes back.

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－《Ivanov》

*******

After Li Jiancheng left, the others also dispersed. Only Bai Qing'er and I were left in the empty courtyard. Qing'er wanted to guard Boss Bai, and I was with her. [bsp;    "I will accompany my brother back to Jiangnan this time, you must be careful here." Qing'er whispered.

"You must also be careful. Li Tang's people will not let Boss Bai leave easily. We are taking risks this time. They may intercept them halfway. Remember not to have conflicts with them." I reminded.

This time we left Chang'an on the grounds that Boss Bai was mourning. There is a custom in this era that if he died in another place, the body would be transported back to his hometown for burial. This is an era that pays great attention to clan concepts. If he does not enter the ancestral tomb after death, it is very unfilial. From the perspective of filial piety, even the emperor will find it difficult to stop it.

However, we are still afraid that Li Tang's people will take action secretly. Logically speaking, they should be relieved if Boss Bai dies, but who knows what they think? If Li Yuan is not at ease, it is possible to find someone to pretend to be a bandit and steal Boss Bai's body and then burn it in a fire.

"If they really dare to do this, I will let them know that they are amazing." Qing'er said sternly.

"You, don't be so strong. Luo Yan probably won't do it too much. At most, it's just a coffin and an autopsy." I dissuaded, "Just don't let them find flaws. If you kill someone, it's not good."

"Am I so hard to tell the difference?" Qing'er said dissatisfied.

"Of course you are not, I'm just afraid..."

"What are you afraid of? I'm afraid I'm like I did in the Yingui Sect before." Qing'er said softly, "I know that our goals are different now. We are competing for the world. Some commonly used methods in the Yingui Sect can no longer be used. We need more open and upright means. To win the hearts of the people, we must change our image. My current identity is different from before. I will slowly change my own."

Yes, change.

In Luoyan's plan, changing the image is a very important part. We can no longer position ourselves as a local force, but we must position ourselves as the ruler of the Central Plains in the future. Only with such an attitude and mind can we be far-sighted, otherwise we can only be trapped in the Jianghuai like Du Fuwei.

This is a matter of mentality. When you are satisfied with dominating one's side, you will not think about the whole world, and when you have the world in mind, you will not be satisfied with dominating one's side. The bigger your heart is, the bigger the stage is.

As future rulers, we need to change our image. The biggest difference between the JAC Army and the Li Tang is the image problem. The bandit atmosphere is the characteristic of the JAC Army, which is difficult to win the hearts of the people.

The people's hearts are very strange. They are not visible or touched at ordinary times, but at critical moments they will become bargaining chips that determine the outcome. The so-called "those who win the people's hearts will win the world."

Li Tang always had a good image, at least on the surface. Even though this Turkic invasion, the people did not know that Li Tang was put in. They just thought that Li Tang was defeated. This was the main reason why Li Shimin led his troops to Yanmen Pass. He had to act like he did not fight.

As the sister of the leader of the Jianghuai Army, Bai Qing'er is likely to become a princess of a country in the future. Her Yingui Sect's origin is undoubtedly an obstacle, and she casts a gray veil. The Demon Sect is synonymous with cruelty and evil in the minds of the people, so what we have to do is to keep a distance from the Holy Sect, at least on the surface.

"This is the best. I'm not saying it was bad before, but that road was not what you wanted to go." I sighed.

"If you hadn't brought me to the small woods of Youlin, I wouldn't have been taken away by Master Zhu. It's strange that my memories of childhood were always very vague. Every time I dreamed, there was always a hazy shadow. I never knew who it was. Now I know that shadow is you. My brother said I was forgetting my roots and never thought of him at all." Qing'er snuggled up to me and recalled, "In the days when I first arrived at the Yingui Sect, the shadow would appear in my dreams whenever I was afraid, and then I would sleep peacefully."

"I remember you were very well-behaved when you were a kid..." I added, "Of course you are very well-behaved now."

"That's natural, I'm much gentler than Wanwan." Qing'er said for granted, "Wanwan went to Jiangnan this time more low-key than before, and became more enthusiastic with me. She planned to reconcile with me. You know, the competition in our Yingui Sect is very fierce. After taking me back, the master ignored me and handed me over to Uncle Wen. Then Junior Sister Wanwan came. Master loved Junior Sister Wanwan and said that she was the best candidate for practicing the Demonic Art. I was left alone. The conflict between Wanwan and I began since then and I had never reconciled."

"I'm afraid it's because of the sect leader's dispute." I guessed, "It's just that now that Queen Yin plans to let Wan Jing take over the sect leader, the conflict between you will be eased."

"This should be just one of the reasons. I think Wanwan seems to have untied a knot this time. She is different from before. If Wanwan used to be scheming and talking, her motivation for doing things has become much simpler, although she is still so cruel and ruthless." Qing'er commented, "I think this has something to do with you, because when she chats with me, she no longer fights openly and secretly, but she will mention you from time to time."

"No way? I didn't offend her!" I doubted.

As for untiing the knot, Wanwan should know her life experience. She doesn't have to doubt Zhu Yuyan anymore, so she becomes cheerful and sunny. This is human nature.

"It's not that she offended her, but that she began to care about you." Qing'er said in a long voice, "This is a big incident in the Yingui Sect. Junior Sister Wanwan has been determined to practice the highest level of the Heavenly Demonic Art since she was a child, and she cannot have the affection between men and women if she wants to practice the Heavenly Demonic Art. She and I have been fighting openly and secretly since childhood, so naturally we understand everything about her. She is a bit abnormal this time."

"Is it because I can't get the position of the sect leader, so I gave up on myself?" I said uncertainly, "In fact, it's better not to practice martial arts like the Heavenly Demon Technique. Look at the fact that none of these martial arts in the Holy Sect is normal. They all sound so weird and things are easy to happen."

"You don't like it!" Qing'er asked cautiously.

"It's not that I don't like it, but I'm afraid that things will come out of practice. Once I get into a devil, it will be bad." I complained.

"If you don't like me, I won't practice it anymore. Anyway, I won't have many places to use martial arts in the future. Just help my brother handle some chores." Qing'er said indifferently, "Or why I pass on my skills to you. The 'Cai Nu Dafa' I practice can transfer my skills to the other party's body through the combination of men and women."

"Let's go out and talk about these things," I said carefully.

I looked back at Boss Bai lying there. Although I knew he wouldn't hear it, I felt a little guilty. What if he suddenly got up and beat me up?
Chapter completed!