Xu Qi An was a magnanimous person who wouldn’t dwell on trivial matters. Since his sister at home was so incorrigible, he decided not to bother trying to shape her anymore.
Wouldn’t it be better to take her to the academy for a good caning instead of wasting words? But Li Miaozhen prevented Xu Qi An from resorting to domestic violence against the child. The Heavenly Sect’s Holy Maiden frowned in displeasure and said, “If you have something to say, say it properly. Why use force against a child?”
Holy Maiden, you’ll never understand how frustrating it is to be the parent of a mischievous child… Xu Qi An decided to do her a favor and headed into the courtyard instead.
In the courtyard, there was only a mother-daughter pair. Xu Lingyu, with her delicate face and three-dimensional features that hinted at mixed heritage, sat on a small wooden stool doing embroidery. The stool could barely contain her increasingly voluptuous bottom, with the elastic flesh spilling out and accentuated under her skirt.
His aunt was nearby, not attending to her duties. She had tied up her lotus-green skirt at the calf and was squatting by the flower bed, holding a small wooden spade and scissors, tending to the flowers and plants. Apart from beating Xu Ling Yin, this was his aunt’s only hobby. Her maid, Lu E, was assisting her.
“Big Brother!”
Seeing Xu Qi An return, Lingyu was overjoyed. She put down her needlework and greeted him with a radiant smile. Her gaze discreetly swept over Li Miaozhen, Susu, and Zhong Li.
That subtle expression of scrutiny fully demonstrated the natural, instinctive hostility between beautiful women.
“It’s all settled. We can go home today,” Xu Qi An said, pinching her round nose. He looked towards the house and asked, “Where are Second Brother and Second Uncle?”
“Father has gone off somewhere to practice his skills, and Second Brother is studying with Teacher Zhang,” Lingyu replied, her voice melodious and soft with a girlish quality.
Xu Qi An nodded and was about to speak when Lingyu asked curiously in a gentle tone, “Big Brother, who is that sister?”
She was referring to Zhong Li.
Although Zhong Li had been with Xu Qi An for a long time, she had never formally appeared before. This was Lingyu’s first time seeing her.
“She’s Caiwei’s senior sister,” Xu Qi An explained.
Oh, so she’s the senior sister of that glutton girl… Lingyu realized.
“Glutton” was the nickname she had given to Chu Caiwei. Chu Caiwei was Glutton No. 1, Lina was Glutton No. 2, and Xu Ling Yin was Glutton No. 3.
Most people who knew these three gluttons had similar nicknames for them in their hearts. For instance, the beautiful woman in the courtyard who, upon noticing her young daughter covered in dirt, angrily picked up a bamboo stick and chased the child out the door.
The nicknames Aunt had given to Lina and Xu Ling Yin were probably along the lines of: “The stupid girl and child,” “The gluttonous girl and child,” and “The stupid and gluttonous girl and child.”
And so on.
“Does your mother not get tired of washing your clothes every day? You ungrateful child, you don’t appreciate your mother’s hard work at all,” Aunt’s roar could be heard.
“Then when you beat me, you don’t need to treat me like a daughter either,” Xu Ling Yin’s retort came back.
Aunt choked for a moment, then flew into an impotent rage. “…You dare talk back!”
…
Xu Qi An led Zhong Li out of the small courtyard. They wove through the rooms and courtyards, following a path paved with blue flagstones, occasionally climbing steps. After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they arrived at a valley filled with bamboo groves.
Bamboo was more common in the south. The Great Feng Dynasty, priding itself as the orthodox ruler of the Nine Provinces and dominating the Central Plains, was located in the north-central part of the Nine Provinces geographically.
The climate wasn’t suitable for bamboo growth.
This bamboo grove in Qingyun Mountain was quite rare.
Early summer had just begun, and the bamboo grove was lush and verdant in this season. The mountain breeze rustled through, creating a poetic atmosphere.
What Xu Qi An was thinking about, however, was how to make bamboo tube wine.
A small pavilion was nestled among the bamboo, like an elegant retreat of a recluse. A small path paved with pebbles led to the pavilion, covered with fallen bamboo leaves.
“Headmaster, Xu Qi An pays his respects!” He bowed towards the pavilion.
A flash of clear light appeared before his eyes, and he was instantly transported from outside to inside the pavilion. Headmaster Zhao Shou was sitting by a desk, savoring fragrant tea and looking at him with a silent smile.
Wearing a faded and old scholar’s robe and with slightly disheveled graying hair, he exuded an air of cynicism.
Zhao Shou was the least stylish high-rank expert Xu Qi An had ever met. Although both were old men, the Supervisor was snow-white in attire and had an immortal-like bearing. Master Duzhe also wore an exquisite cassock embroidered with gold thread, with a detached demeanor, presenting the image of an enlightened high monk.
But Headmaster Zhao gave off the impression of being like Kong Yiji or Fan Jin…
“Ah, I almost forgot about Cat Daoist. The Daoist also has the appearance of a wandering Taoist priest, quite down and out…” Xu Qi An added mentally.
“Thank you, Headmaster, for your help,” Xu Qi An expressed his gratitude.
“To establish the heart for heaven and earth, to establish destiny for the people, to continue the lost teachings for past sages, to establish peace for all generations – this is what you taught me, and you haven’t forgotten it either,” Zhao Shou said with a smile.
The Headmaster means that as long as I haven’t forgotten our original intention, we’re still good friends… Xu Qi An smiled and bowed, then requested his good friend:
“Student has come to the academy to borrow a book from the Headmaster.”
Zhao Shou looked at him and nodded slightly.
“‘Gleanings of the Great Zhou Dynasty,'” Xu Qi An remembered that Father Wei had mentioned that to uncover the secret of the King’s Consort, he should borrow this book from the Cloud Deer Academy.
“Hehe!” Zhao Shou laughed and said, “This was written by a great scholar of our academy six hundred years ago. He was born at the end of the Great Zhou Dynasty and was active in the early years of the Great Feng Dynasty. He compiled his observations and knowledge about the Great Zhou Dynasty into this book. There’s only one copy of this book in the world, it has never been printed, and very few people have read it.”
So that’s why even Huai Qing hadn’t heard of it. Even a female scholar couldn’t possibly read every book in the world. She must have had targeted reading preferences… Xu Qi An suddenly understood. Then he heard Zhao Shou smile and say, “You must have heard of that great scholar. His deeds were inscribed on a monument in the mountains.”
A flash of inspiration struck Xu Qi An, and he blurted out, “You mean the second-rank great scholar Qian Zhong, who carried the people’s resentment and dispersed the last of the Great Zhou Dynasty’s fortune?”
When he first came to the Cloud Deer Academy, Second Brother took him on a tour of the academy and mentioned this great scholar named Qian Zhong.
Zhao Shou sighed, “He was a scholar worthy of respect, truly worthy of being remembered in history, unlike certain four individuals who always think of taking shortcuts and unorthodox paths.”
May I ask if those four individuals you’re referring to who take shortcuts and unorthodox paths are Zhang Shen, Li Mubai, Yang Gong, and Chen Tai… Xu Qi An grumbled inwardly.
Zhao Shou spread his hands and said leisurely, “The ‘Gleanings of the Great Zhou Dynasty’ is in my possession.”
With a flash of clear light, an ancient book appeared in his hand. On the cover was written: Gleanings of the Great Zhou Dynasty!
… Xu Qi An stared blankly at this scene. Although he was already quite familiar with the Confucian school’s “boasting” techniques, every time he witnessed it, it always made him feel the urge to “forget about cultivating martial arts” and “Coach, I want to learn Confucian arts.”
A man fears choosing the wrong career path, My Second Uncle has led me astray… He sighed regretfully in his heart.
Taking the “Gleanings of the Great Zhou Dynasty” from Zhao Shou’s hand, Xu Qi An pondered and asked, “Can I take it away?”
Zhao Shou: “No!”
That’s quite a blunt refusal… Xu Qi An lowered his head and began to flip through the book. With his current eyesight, he could easily read ten lines at a glance.
Since this book is called “Gleanings of the Great Zhou Dynasty,” the contents recorded in it are a supplement to official history. It records events that might seem like unofficial history at first glance but did happen.
For example, the famous immortal official Li Mu from the Great Zhou Dynasty’s history. Official records state that this man was known for his romantic nature and had countless beautiful companions, but in reality, one of his beauties was a fox spirit, a member of the nine-tailed celestial fox clan from the Southern Demon lineage.
These are secrets that wouldn’t be recorded in official history.
Just like the Half-Sage of Cloud Deer Academy who called a deer a horse, Li Mu turned out to be a talented historian like Dong Hu… Xu Qi An nodded secretly and continued reading.
Finally, he came across a passage that could be considered a folk legend.
During the Longde era of the Great Zhou Dynasty, there was a valley of ten thousand flowers in the south. The valley was filled with exotic flowers competing in beauty, blooming all year round without withering. Legend had it that a flower spirit of exquisite beauty lived in the valley.
The flower spirit was said to be a celestial flower that had gained sentience and transformed into human form, embodying the essence of heaven and earth. It was said that whoever could obtain the flower spirit’s essence could be reborn and achieve immortality.
When the Longde Emperor heard of this, he sent people south to search. After thirteen years, they finally found the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers and the exquisitely beautiful flower spirit.
The army surrounded the valley, forcing the flower spirit to enter the palace. The flower spirit was unwilling and summoned lightning to destroy herself. Before dying, she cursed: The Great Zhou Dynasty would fall in three hundred years.
Indeed, three hundred years later, the Great Zhou Dynasty’s fortunes came to an end.
At the end of the story, a poem was recorded:
Emerging to startle souls, surpassing all flowers,
Graceful and poised, basking in the morning sun.
Acclaimed by all as the nation’s beauty,
Her soul was tied to the mortal realm, captivating the emperor.
Xu Qi An closed the book with an expressionless face, but his inner thoughts were far from calm, even tumultuous.
“Isn’t this poem describing the King’s Consort? Damn, the King’s Consort is the reincarnation of the flower spirit from over nine hundred years ago?
“So this poem was actually about the flower spirit from three hundred years ago. I always thought it was because the poem was so widely circulated and famous that it caught Emperor Yuanjing’s attention, and that’s why she was sent to the palace.
“No wonder, no wonder everyone says the King’s Consort’s essence is something good. So there was this backstory. Indeed, reading more books is beneficial. Rebirth is undoubtedly possible, but immortality might not be, otherwise, how could Emperor Yuanjing possibly hand over the King’s Consort to the Northern Frontier King?
“A fairy among flowers, truly deserving of the title of the Great Feng Dynasty’s number one beauty, with unparalleled charm. Tsk, she’s also a pitiful woman.”
Xu Qi An returned the book to Zhao Shou and asked, “Was this poem written by the great scholar Qian Zhong?”
Zhao Shou shook his head: “No, it wasn’t.”
Oh, so the great scholar Qian Zhong was just the recorder. Then I have no more questions. Otherwise, how that old abbot knew about this poem revealing the King’s Consort’s secret would become a plot hole… Xu Qi An mused inwardly.
As Xu Qi An was chatting idly with Headmaster Zhao, his ears suddenly twitched, and he turned his head to look outside the pavilion.
He saw three great scholars approaching together, their gazes sweeping around. When they spotted Xu Qi An, they showed expressions of pleasant surprise.
“As expected of a student taught by us three, beheading two villains at the Vegetable Market, single-handedly turning the tide, truly praiseworthy and admirable!”
The three great scholars praised happily, then looked at the Headmaster with questioning gazes: “When did Ning Yan become the Headmaster’s disciple? Ning Yan, has the Headmaster asked you to compose poetry?”
As they spoke, they gave Zhao Shou a look that said, “You’re just coveting his poems, don’t try to deny it, it’s a fact.”
Zhao Shou snorted coldly: “How could I be like you? The three immortalities of a scholar are establishing virtue, merit, and words – that is the righteous path. Placing hope in poetry is a deviant path.”
Zhang Shen replied casually, refuting the three Grand Scholars’ relief:
“The three thousand great paths lead to the same destination. How can poetry not be a cultural treasure? In my view, it’s the Chancellor who’s being too obsessive.”
Zhao Shou waved his hand dismissively: “I won’t bother arguing with you.”
He turned to look at Xu Qi An and said: “It’s mainly because of Yang Gong’s outstanding performance earlier, which made them envious. Yunlu Academy bears goodwill towards you, and it has nothing to do with poetry.”
Glancing at the three Grand Scholars, he said with a chuckle: “At least I won’t be like them.”
He felt it necessary to clarify this matter to Xu Qi An, lest it appear that Yunlu Academy had ulterior motives and was always trying to bask in the glory of his poetry.
To be honest, the behavior of Zhang Shen and the others was truly damaging to Yunlu Academy’s image.
Xu Qi An nodded.
He didn’t care much, as the poems were plagiarized from his previous life and not his creations. As a transmigrator without a foundation in this world, he naturally couldn’t miss the opportunity to expand his network and gain benefits using poetry.
Ignoring the Chancellor’s sarcasm, Zhang Shen and the other two eagerly turned to Xu Qi An and asked:
“It’s been a while since you last composed a poem. With such significant events happening recently, do you feel your blood boiling and poetic inspiration surging? We teachers can help you polish it.”
The three Grand Scholars looked at Xu Qi An eagerly.
Chancellor Zhao Shou remained silent, but he too was quite interested and focused his attention.
Yunlu Academy not only helped protect my family, but the Chancellor even directly wielded his writing brush to pressure Emperor Yuan Jing in court. Although this aligns with Confucian ideals and isn’t purely doing me a favor, I should still remember this kindness…
Hmm, I might as well recite a poem for them. It wouldn’t be right to keep freeloading off them night after night… Thinking this, Xu Qi An pondered and said:
“I did come up with a poem.”
Yes, I came up with a poem – I’m just a poetry transporter, he added in his heart.
The three Grand Scholars were overjoyed.
At this moment, he should have said something grand like: “Bring me brush and ink.”
However, his calligraphy was too poor, and he didn’t have a charcoal pencil at hand. So he didn’t embarrass himself and instead paced around the room in a pretentious manner. Seeing the lush green bamboo leaves outside the window, he pretended to have a sudden inspiration and said:
“I’ve got it.”
Zhao Shou’s eyes also lit up, and he asked: “Is it related to bamboo?”
The Chancellor seems to really like bamboo… Xu Qi An nodded: “Yes.”
Hearing this, Zhao Shou immediately straightened his back, his interest upgrading from slight to highly anticipatory.
Xu Qi An appeared to be reminiscing briefly, recalling the full text of the poem. But in the eyes of Zhao Shou and the three Grand Scholars, he seemed to be in the process of composition.
“Holding fast to the green mountains, never letting go.”
Already knowing it was a poem about bamboo, Zhao Shou savored it carefully. The word “holding” was exquisite, highlighting the bamboo’s strength and vigor with just a single character.
“Rooted in the cracks of rocky cliffs.”
Zhao Shou nodded slightly. This complemented the previous line while also illustrating the bamboo’s tenacity in harsh environments.
“A thousand tempers, ten thousand strikes, yet still unyielding,
Let the wind blow east, west, south, or north as it may.”
Chancellor Zhao Shou’s breathing quickened. The last two lines describe the bamboo’s attitude towards external pressures, remaining unbroken and unyielding despite countless hardships.
Among the four noble plants – plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum – he was particularly fond of bamboo, which explained why he built his residence in a bamboo grove.
Zhao Shou had previously composed poems about bamboo, but he had to admit that compared to Xu Qi An’s poem, his work fell short.
One poem with two couplets, from inner qualities to outward appearance, almost perfectly described the bamboo’s unyielding nature.
Worthy of being the Grand Poet of Great Song… This high-ranking Confucian scholar sighed in his heart.
“This poem may lack somewhat in artistic conception and diction, but it’s a rare ode to bamboo,” Li Mubai praised.
“Foolish! This poem captures the bamboo’s tenacity and unadorned strength. Flowery language would only detract from it,” Zhang Shen criticized.
“At first glance, it seems to be about bamboo, but it uses bamboo as a metaphor for people. Brilliant, truly brilliant!” Chen Tai stroked his beard and laughed heartily.
After the three Grand Scholars finished their comments, they immediately looked at Xu Qi An: “Does this poem have a title?”
Xu Qi An immediately knew what they were up to and shook his head with a smile: “I haven’t named it yet, so I’ll need the teachers to polish it.”
The three Grand Scholars took a few steps back in unison, eyeing each other warily as they pondered how to compete for the right to name the poem.
Just then, Zhao Shou let out three long laughs and said: “Let me name this poem.”
“?”
Zhang Shen and the others turned their stiff necks to look at him. Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in Xu Qi An’s poetry?
Zhao Shou frowned, displeased: “Why are you all looking at me like that? Isn’t this poem Xu Qi An’s way of using bamboo as a metaphor for me? I’ve guarded Yunlu Academy for decades, just like this bamboo, holding fast to the green mountains, never letting go, regardless of which way the wind blows.”
Without giving the three Grand Scholars a chance to react, he said: “Retreat three hundred li, don’t disturb me while I write the poem.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the three Grand Scholars vanished without a trace.
Zhao Shou spread out the paper, excitedly picked up his brush, and began writing while sighing with emotion: “A good poem, a truly good poem. My life is now complete. Hmm, Ning Yan, you composed this poem, but I, your mentor, provided guidance and polished it, right?”
At this moment, the three Grand Scholars reappeared, shouting angrily: “Chancellor, stop!”
Zhao Shou waved his sleeve: “Retreat five hundred li.”
The Grand Scholars disappeared, and a second later, they appeared again, roaring: “Shameless old thief, we’ll never forgive you!”
“It seems you haven’t exercised in a while. Fine, fine, I’ll help you with that.”
“We’re not easily intimidated. So what if you’re at the third rank? United, we’re not afraid of you.”
“Heh, I’m not looking down on you, but even if there were ten more of you, I could easily suppress you all.”
Xu Qi An escaped with Zhong Li.
…
At the peak of Qingyu Mountain, pure energy soared into the sky, dispersing the clouds. Four figures battled fiercely in mid-air, trading blows back and forth.
The commotion was so great that it immediately alarmed the students and teachers in the academy.
“Why are the Chancellor and the Grand Scholars fighting?”
“What’s going on? Why are they suddenly engaged in such a fierce battle? I hope it doesn’t affect us.”
“It’s quite common to see the three Grand Scholars fight, but why is the Chancellor involved too? What happened?”
“The three Grand Scholars fighting isn’t that common either. The last few times were because of disputes over Poet Xu’s poems.”
At this point, someone whispered: “I… I think I saw Poet Xu leading a woman to the Chancellor’s bamboo grove earlier.”
No way… A sudden silence fell over the crowd as the students and teachers blushed.
Meanwhile, in the small courtyard where the Xu family women were resting, Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanlin suddenly looked up at the sky, feeling a surge of unease in their hearts.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s probably just my brother composing another poem, and the three Grand Scholars are fighting over it,” Second Young Master Xu waved dismissively.
This doesn’t seem like something fourth-rank experts could cause… Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanlin thought to themselves.
The two didn’t pay much attention and continued listening to Second Young Master Xu.
“Ling Yin has a very strange talent. If she doesn’t want to learn something, she simply can’t learn it, no matter how much you try to teach her. So don’t think you’re special and believe you can teach her the basics.”
Second Young Master Xu almost said: Don’t embarrass yourselves.
Li Miaozhen shook her head: “That won’t do. When I stayed at the Xu residence before, I promised Madam Xu I’d help teach Ling Yin. It was delayed due to various matters, but now that everything is settled, it’s time to fulfill that promise.”
Chu Yuanlin smiled. Having seen many intelligent people, it wouldn’t be a bad experience to occasionally encounter someone with poor aptitude.
…
When Xu Qi An and Zhong Li returned to the small courtyard, they sensed a tense atmosphere. Li Miaozhen sat on a small stool, her beautiful face somewhat blank, pupils unfocused.
She looked exactly like a girl who had just been through a breakup, dejected and dispirited.
Chu Yuanlin hugged his ever-sheathed sword, leaning against the wall with an expressionless face. But the throbbing veins on his temples betrayed him.
“You two seem to have encountered something unpleasant?” Xu Qi An scrutinized his two companions.
They ignored him.
Second Young Master Xu sighed: “Sir Chu and Daoist Li insisted on teaching Ling Yin to read and do arithmetic.”
Xu Qi An was shocked and cupped his hands towards the two in respect.
Li Miaozhen felt that Xu Qi An was mocking her and threw small pebbles at him.
…
After lunch, Xu Qi An brought his family back to the Xu residence. Second Uncle Xu hired three carriages to gather the servants from the outer city.
After the servants returned, Aunt directed them in cleaning and tidying up.
Xu Qi An sat on the roof ridge, watching the servants busily coming and going, listening to Chu Yuanlin and Second Young Master Xu discussing philosophy, each showing off their knowledge.
In the inner hall, Chu Caiwei brought exquisite pastries from Guiyue Tower, and Li Na and Xu Ling Yin were happily eating with her.
Li Miaozhen was meditating in the guest room, with Su Su chattering incessantly.
And beside him, Zhong Li, wrapped in a cloth robe, hugged her knees, obediently keeping him company.
“With the Xu family’s current combat strength, even if Emperor Yuan Jing wants revenge unless he sends an army to besiege us, we’re not afraid of assassinations anymore,” Xu Qi An thought to himself.
When Daoist Jin Lian’s lotus seeds mature, we’ll have to leave the capital. At that time, I’ll ask Yang Qian Huan and Caiwei to look after the family.
The Supervisor promised to protect the Xu family. He doesn’t want to force me into a situation where I’d storm the palace and personally behead that dog, Emperor Yuan Jing.
“Stay here and don’t move. I’m going inside to meet an important guest. Come down after she leaves,” Xu Qi An turned to instruct Zhong Li.
Zhong Li nodded silently: “Mm.”
Xu Qi An immediately leaped down from the roof, returned to his room, closed the doors and windows, then took out the Ground Book fragment and poured out a talisman sword.
This talisman sword was given to him by Luo Yu Heng through Chu Yuanlin during their northern journey.
Xu Qi An still wasn’t sure if the kind-hearted aunt had sent him this thing out of goodwill or if Daoist Jin Lian had asked for it on his behalf.
Before returning to the Xu residence, he had used the Ground Book fragment to contact Daoist Jin Lian and confirmed through him that Luo Yu Heng was half on their side and could be trusted to some extent.
Daoist Jin Lian also said that the talisman sword could serve as a means of communication, allowing him to contact Luo Yu Heng without having to go to the imperial city in person.
Gripping the talisman sword tightly, he mobilized his Primordial Spirit, infused a thread of spiritual power, and said softly: “Imperial Preceptor, Imperial Preceptor, I am Xu Qi An…”
It’s better to clarify the matter of the soul pill, otherwise it feels like something stuck in my throat. Also, it’s a reminder to Luo Yu Heng to be wary of Emperor Yuan Jing’s potential tricks.
And incidentally, to gain some favor with the peerless beauty, striving to make Luo Yu Heng another powerful figure I can rely on in the future.
Auntie, I don’t want to work hard anymore…
After repeating this several times, the talisman sword showed no response.
It seems the Imperial Preceptor doesn’t want to pay attention to me. Indeed, my status and position are still too low. In the eyes of a woman of noble status and powerful cultivation like Luo Yu Heng, I’m still far from enough…
Xu Qi An thought resignedly.
He was about to give up when suddenly, a golden pillar of light descended from the sky, penetrating the roof and appearing in the room.
Within the golden light, a graceful figure materialized, wearing a lotus crown and Daoist robes, with a red cinnabar mark between her eyebrows and exquisitely beautiful features.
She combined the intellectual air of a kind aunt, the charm of a friend’s mother, and the loveliness of the girl next door, evoking an inexplicable sense of emotion.
Did she come?
Before Xu Qi An could feel delighted, he suddenly heard the sound of tiles rolling on the roof, followed by a figure tumbling down from the eaves and landing heavily in the courtyard with a thud.
Zhong Li didn’t move for a long time. After a while, she got up with a whimper and quietly walked away.
Luo Yu Heng realized: “You had someone on your roof? I came too quickly and didn’t notice.”
“…”
No, it’s not that you didn’t notice. It’s fate that made you “deliberately” overlook her, poor Senior Sister Zhong…
Luo Yu Heng’s clear eyes flickered, as cold and ethereal as an immortal. She nodded and said: “What did you call me for?”