To conceal his identity, Xu Qi An didn’t ride his little mare. After all, such a magnificent horse’s beauty could easily be recognized.
In the pouring rain, he rode in the Xu family carriage, its wheels rolling towards the Imperial City.
The carriage was stopped outside the Imperial City gates. Seeing the “Xu” character written on the carriage body, the gate guards didn’t dare to be careless and came forward to inspect.
In the capital, there was only one Xu family that could enter the Imperial City. In this Xu family, a certain person had beheaded a duke, offending the royal family, imperial clan, and noble groups.
He absolutely could not be allowed into the Imperial City.
Xu Qi An lifted the curtain and handed over the official badge.
After checking, the soldier still didn’t let him pass and notified the Yulin Guard centurion.
The Yulin Guard centurion hurried over in the heavy rain, took the official badge, and examined it for a few moments. Then he looked at the handsome young man sitting in the carriage, scrutinizing his face for a moment before saying:
“Is Sir Xu off duty today?”
Xu Qi An wasn’t wearing Er Lang’s official robes, but casual clothes.
Xu Xinnian was a Hanlin Academy Scholar, and the Hanlin Academy was inside the Imperial City, so he had the right to enter and exit. But because it was a day off, the Yulin Guard centurion had to ask.
The Imperial City guards are very alert about our family. I’m sure that if it were me personally, even if I were with Huai Qing or Lin An, I probably couldn’t enter the palace. This is the aftermath of cursing at the Meridian Gate and kidnapping two dukes… He imitated Xu Er Lang’s voice and calmly said:
“This official is going to visit the Prime Minister.”
Visiting the Prime Minister… The Yulin Guard centurion scrutinized him a few more times before finally nodding: “Let Sir Xu in.”
The carriage passed through the gate and entered the Imperial City, heading towards Prime Minister Wang’s residence.
The Yulin Guards on the city wall watched the carriage go, noting that the direction was correct.
After about a quarter of an hour, Xu Qi An said: “Turn left.”
The driver obeyed, changing direction. The carriage left its original path and, under Xu Qi An’s guidance, the driver who had never been to the Imperial City before successfully delivered Xu Da Lang to the front of Lingbao Temple with his excellent driving skills.
Xu Qi An got out of the carriage with an umbrella. After being announced by the young Daoist guarding the gate, he smoothly entered Lingbao Temple as expected.
He didn’t forget to have the carriage enter through the side gate of Lingbao Temple, rather than conspicuously parking at the main entrance.
If that old fellow Emperor Yuan Jing happened to come for cultivation and saw the carriage, the situation would be troublesome.
Passing through halls and courtyards dedicated to the Human Sect’s founders, he came to the depths of Lingbao Temple. In that secluded courtyard, inside the quiet room, he met the national beauty, the Imperial Preceptor.
Her expression was calm, her temperament cool yet elegantly unworldly, like an immortal from heaven.
Huai Qing was also a cool and proud beauty, but Huai Qing’s temperament leaned towards nobility and pride, while Luo Yuheng’s coolness, combined with her attire and the red cinnabar between her brows, emphasized her divine and immortal aura.
At this moment, seeing the Imperial Preceptor’s city-toppling beauty again, Xu Qi An’s mindset changed slightly. He thought: She’s a woman I wouldn’t dare to defile even in bed.
His next thought was: It’s a good thing the Imperial Preceptor doesn’t know the Buddhist mind-reading technique, otherwise I might drop dead on the spot.
Luo Yuheng sat cross-legged at the table, with two cups of hot tea already placed on it.
Xu Qi An sat down naturally, cupped the tea, and took a sip. His eyes immediately lit up: “Excellent tea!”
It was slightly bitter at first, lingered on the tongue for three seconds, then immediately left a sweet aftertaste. After swallowing, the flavor remained on his lips and teeth, lasting for a long time.
“A pity,” Luo Yuheng shook her head and sighed lightly.
“What’s a pity?” Xu Qi An asked instinctively.
“This tea is grown by a friend of mine. It only produces one in a year, and I only get three or four liang. It’s a pity that she’s been missing for a long time, whereabouts unknown,” Luo Yuheng said.
Little Aunt, why do I feel like there’s a hidden meaning in your words?
Hmm, this tea is grown by the Princess Consort… I’ve discovered another of her talents. In the future, I’ll lock her in a dark room and not give her food until she grows tea…
Xu Qi An’s expression remained unchanged as he sighed: “That is indeed a pity.”
Luo Yuheng glanced at him lightly, her voice soft but emotionless as she spoke: “What brings you here?”
“I wanted to ask about the previous Human Sect leader and the late emperor,” Xu Qi An said.
“About my father and the late emperor?” Luo Yuheng asked, somewhat surprised.
“I’ve checked the late emperor’s daily records. Although he never cultivated, he was quite interested in methods of immortality. I want to know if he ever cultivated,” Xu Qi An said straightforwardly.
Luo Yuheng pondered for a moment, then said: “My father died from the heavenly tribulation.”
This… what does this have to do with my question…
“He didn’t have to die, but because the Director wouldn’t allow the Human Sect to move into the Imperial City, my father was engulfed by karmic fire and perished under the heavenly tribulation,” Luo Yuheng said calmly. “Therefore, the late emperor never cultivated.”
The late emperor never cultivated… Xu Qi An frowned slightly.
“How is your investigation of Yuan Jing going?” Luo Yuheng’s beautiful eyes gazed at him.
Xu Qi An hesitated for a few seconds, then gritted his teeth and asked solemnly: “Imperial Preceptor, do you know that those blessed with destiny cannot achieve immortality?”
Luo Yuheng looked at him. It was only at this moment that Xu Qi An felt the Imperial Preceptor was truly looking at him, directly.
“The correct way to say it is that those imbued with destiny cannot achieve immortality,” she corrected.
Luo Yuheng indeed knows about this. Then isn’t she curious why Emperor Yuan Jing is so obsessed with cultivation? Xu Qi An expressed this confusion.
“There are always people with unrealistic fantasies. There are countless cultivators in the world, and most of them have dreamed of becoming first-grade experts or even surpassing grades,” Luo Yuheng said calmly. “Yuan Jing may think he sees hope, or there may be some hidden circumstances. For me, whatever his plans are, what does it have to do with me? I cultivate my way, he cultivates his immortality.”
She knows Emperor Yuan Jing might have secrets, but she hasn’t delved deep. She borrows Great Feng’s destiny to cultivate and has a cooperative relationship with Emperor Yuan Jing. Delving into a partner’s secrets would only lead their relationship into a deadlock, or even turn them against each other… Xu Qi An pondered the meaning behind the Imperial Preceptor’s words.
After a moment of silence, Xu Qi An stopped dwelling on this topic and said: “I used the sword talisman in Sword Province. How should I contact the Imperial Preceptor in the future?”
The subtext was: Please give me another sword talisman.
The sword talisman contained the power of one of Luo Yuheng’s sword strikes, making it extremely difficult to produce. It wasn’t something to be given away lightly.
This was precisely why Xu Qi An asked her for one. It was a test.
Hearing this, Luo Yuheng frowned and said: “The sword talisman is extremely difficult to refine, it can’t be done overnight…”
She paused, then said in a nonchalant tone: “I happen to have another one, might as well give it to you since it’s of no use to me.”
With a wave of her sleeve, a sword talisman lay quietly on the table.
She gave it to me… Xu Qi An looked at the sword talisman with complex emotions.
…
Imperial Garden.
Pavilion, viewing platform.
Emperor Yuan Jing stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the Imperial Garden in the heavy rain. He smiled and said: “Although the flowers in my palace are beautiful and compete in splendor, they are too delicate and can’t withstand the ravages of wind and rain.”
In the rain, clusters of bright flowers bent their stems, petals floating with the rainwater.
Behind him, Wei Yuan held a cup of tea, taking small sips. He said calmly: “Flowers are meant to please their master. The softer they are, the more the master likes them. Your Majesty likes their weakness, yet mocks their inability to withstand destruction. This is truly unreasonable.”
With his back to Wei Yuan, Emperor Yuan Jing’s eyes flashed with sharp light. He chuckled and said: “For me, I only need to protect the most beautiful flower. What do you think, Minister Wei?”
Wei Yuan’s face twitched in a forced smile.
Emperor Yuan Jing continued watching the rain and sighed:
“After the turmoil in Chu Province, Prince Huai died in battle, Jili Zhigu perished, Zhu Jiu was also severely injured, and the northern border weakened. The Witch God Cult is coming on strong this time. If the northern barbarian and demon territories fall, all of Great Feng’s borders from north to east will be surrounded by the Witch God Cult.
“Minister Wei, you’re a master of military strategy. What are your thoughts?”
Wei Yuan replied without hesitation: “The court naturally needs to send troops to support the northeast, but we can’t forgo the benefits we should receive. The northern barbarians have long harassed our borders. This time, it’s Great Feng’s turn to cut flesh and suck blood from them.”
Emperor Yuan Jing smiled: “The Hanlin Academy is revising military books. I’ve seen them, and they lack innovation. When the barbarian delegation arrives in the capital, I’m afraid they’ll mock our Great Feng. Minister Wei, you’re a rare military talent seen once in a century. Why not go to the Hanlin Academy and offer some guidance?”
The military books were part of showing “national strength” to the barbarian and demon delegations. The more military books, the more military strategists Great Feng seemed to have. Its importance was second only to artillery demonstrations.
The military strategies currently used by Great Feng were still those left by Cloud Deer Academy scholars in the past, along with the “Six Essays on Military Strategy” by Zhang Shen, a contemporary great Confucian military strategist.
Instead, Wei Yuan, the universally recognized unparalleled military talent, had never left a single word.
Wei Yuan shook his head.
Emperor Yuan Jing wasn’t angry at all and said:
“The Imperial College originally planned to hold a literary gathering at Reed Lake today, but the heavy rain hindered it. I plan to have the Imperial College hold the gathering after the delegation arrives in the capital. At that time, Minister Wei, you can attend.”
Wei Yuan nodded this time.
…
Over the next two days, news of the northern war and the barbarian delegation spread throughout the capital, promoted by the court. It first circulated among the scholar-official class, then among merchants and commoners.
Suddenly, official circles, literary circles, academies, teahouses, restaurants, brothels, and entertainment bureaus… all erupted in heated discussions, like a tidal wave of debate.
The common people harbored resentment towards the barbarian and demon delegation and opposed Great Feng’s intention to send troops to aid them.
The love and hate of commoners were straightforward; they didn’t consider the bigger picture. They only knew that the northern barbarians and demons were Great Feng’s mortal enemies, with constant wars, big and small, since the country’s founding 600 years ago.
Not to mention earlier times, just in recent months before and after the Chu Province massacre, the northern barbarians and demons had continuously harassed the borders, burning, killing, and plundering.
The noble class had a broader perspective and was more rational and objective. Pro-war and wait-and-see ideologies clashed fiercely, unlike the commoners who were almost unanimously opposed.
Not just in the capital, when the court decided to send troops, they had already sent dispatches to various states. It wouldn’t take long for local governments to promote pro-war ideology and spread the news widely.
In this environment of nationwide discussion, a delegation from the north arrived at the capital’s dock by official ship, traveling along the Grand Canal.
This barbarian and demon delegation consisted of elites from the twelve barbarian tribes and experts from the six demon clans.
The two leaders, however, were young. One was a young man with white hair, his handsome features unusual among the barbarians. He always wore a smile, his eyes constantly squinting.
Pei Man Xilou, the eldest son of the White Hair Tribe’s leader among the twelve barbarian tribes.
The White Hair Tribe was known for its wisdom, considered an anomaly among the barbarians, and this Pei Man Xilou was an anomaly among anomalies.
He had studied Central Plains culture deeply. When the barbarians plundered Chu Province’s borders, they took women and food. He alone didn’t want food or beauty, only books.
The Four Books and Five Classics, biographies of scholars, and even some frivolous story books – he welcomed them all, craving books like his life depended on them.
The other leader was a princess from the Fox Clan of the demon race, Huang Xian’er. She wore northern-style leather clothing, her skirt only reaching her knees, revealing two slender, straight calves.
Her clothes only covered essential areas, exposing her wheat-colored skin, round shoulders, and taut abdomen, exuding a wild beauty.
Her face was charming. Every smile and frown radiated allure, contrasting with her sexy, wild physique, blending into a soul-stirring beauty.
The women of the demon Fox Clan were the most enchanting and graceful.
Standing on the deck, looking at the Great Feng soldiers waiting at the dock, Huang Xian’er giggled: “Bookworm, if we return empty-handed without bringing back reinforcements, we’re doomed.”
Pei Man Xilou faced the river breeze, his tone calm: “Whether we can request reinforcements depends only on how much we’re willing to pay.”
He gazed at the capital, squinting his eyes, and smiled:
“The capital has Cloud Deer Academy, founded by the Confucian sage’s greatest disciple. Two hundred years ago, when Confucianism was at its peak, all under heaven submitted. Not just our divine race, even the Western Buddhist countries had to endure Confucianism’s fickleness, moving their heritage back to the Western Regions from the Central Plains.
“The capital has the Imperial College. Although it doesn’t follow the Confucian system, because of this, scholars have more time and energy to expand their knowledge in astronomy, geography, agriculture, industry, commerce, and more. If we could move the Imperial College’s library back north, I wouldn’t need to come south again in this lifetime.
“The capital has Wei Yuan, praised as one of the few great military strategists in Great Feng’s 600-year history. In the 6th year of Yuan Jing’s reign, when General Dugu guarding the north passed away, our divine race’s 100,000 cavalry raided southward. He only took three months to make those 100,000 cavalry flee in disarray. Twenty years ago, in the Battle of Shanhai Pass, if not for him, the history of the entire Nine Provinces would have been rewritten.
“The capital has the Director, who has overlooked the Central Plains for 500 years, his thoughts as inscrutable as heaven’s workings, unfathomable to gods and ghosts.
“The capital has the Poetry Champion, hailed as the top poet in 200 years. Even 200 years ago in Great Feng, it would be hard to find a second such person.
“I’ve longed for the capital for so long.”
Pei Man Xilou exhaled and smiled: “The capital is full of outstanding talents. My belly full of knowledge finally has worthy opponents.”
Bookworm… Huang Xian’er pouted, her eyes seductive as she smiled: “Debating with scholars is your job. We Fox Clan women are only responsible for conquering Great Feng’s men in bed.”
The delegation included fifty Fox Clan beauties, each exceptionally attractive with graceful figures. Among them were three innately charming women born to be spiritual vessels.
It was well-known that Emperor Yuan Jing cultivated the Dao, seeking immortality. Although he hadn’t been close to women for years, surely he wouldn’t refuse spiritual vessels offering themselves.
At this moment, Huang Xian’er’s beautiful eyes turned, and she exclaimed in surprise: “Oh my, what a handsome human youth.”
A young man wearing a cyan official robe stood on the dock. His skin was fair, his eyes bright, his lips red and teeth white – an extremely rare beauty.
Pei Man Xilou squinted his eyes and said emotionlessly: “Cyan robe, seventh-grade minor official.”
As the official ship docked and the barbarian and demon delegation disembarked, that handsome young man came forward and announced loudly: “I am Xu Xinnian, hereby imperial decree to welcome the envoys.”