As he copied more and more poems, Xu Qi’an gradually figured out the trick to “showing off” like a scholar. Answering exactly what others asked was something only a simpleton would do.
One must build suspense, and build it well.
Just like now, from Number Four to the guests, from the guests to the courtesans, from the courtesans to the serving maids, everyone was watching him, waiting expectantly.
Under everyone’s gaze, Xu Qi’an stood up and paced around the hall. After seven steps, he paused and said slowly: “Ten years to grind a sword.”
Chu Yuanzhen was taken aback. He had just mentioned nurturing his sword, and Xu Qi’an immediately came up with this line. There was no doubt that this poem was written for him.
Number Four was suddenly moved. He had never met Xu Qi’an before, but after just a few drinks and a pleasant conversation, he was willing to compose a poem for him. Such friendly and warm treatment made him feel ashamed.
Number Three was a chivalrous scholar, and although he had some minor flaws in pursuing profit, overall he was a worthy friend. His cousin was even more generous and kind-hearted, truly worthy of being brothers.
At the same time, Chu Yuanzhen thought of the example of the Purple Yang Hermit, and his heart warmed slightly. He was also a scholar who loved poetry. Encountering such a rare opportunity, there was no reason not to look forward to it.
Xu Qi’an looked around at everyone and recited the second line: “Its frost blade yet untried.”
“Ten years to grind a sword, its frost blade yet untried…” The officials present savored these lines, smiling with bright eyes.
This couplet was well-balanced, though, in terms of rhythm and imagery, it wasn’t as good as Xu Qi’an’s previous poems. But the charm of poetry isn’t just about rhythm and imagery.
Ten years to grind a sword, its frost blade yet untried!
In this short line, lofty ambitions leaped off the page. To grind a sword for ten years – only someone as successful at a young age as he could write with such self-importance.
Chu Yuanzhen’s eyes brightened, and he unconsciously straightened his back, leaning forward over the table, his whole body in an anticipatory posture, waiting for the next couplet.
It was so fitting, truly so fitting.
In these years of traveling far and wide, broadening his horizons, and nurturing his sword’s energy, this supreme magic weapon of the Human Sect had always remained hidden in its scabbard, never revealed.
It would eventually have its day to be unsheathed, but Chu Yuanzhen himself had never thought about what kind of situation would make him draw this sword in the future.
Until recently, when the Human Sect Leader sent a flying sword message, summoning him back to face the Heaven Sect disciple Li Miaozhen, Chu Yuanzhen suddenly understood that he had been waiting for this moment.
He only felt some regret that when this sword was unsheathed, it would surely shake heaven and earth, but using it to strike down Li Miaozhen was not his wish.
“What will the next line be? Under what circumstances will a sword ground for ten years be unsheathed?” Chu Yuanzhen mused internally, full of eager anticipation for “inspiration.”
At this moment, Xu Qi’an shook his head and sighed: “I haven’t thought of the next line yet.”
“!!!”
“What? How can it end here? It can’t end here, how can a poem only have the first half of a couplet?”
“Lord Xu, don’t be willful, we’re still waiting.”
“What’s the next line, think about it some more, think some more…”
In the hall, everyone widened their eyes, unable to accept this fact.
Xu Qi’an spread his hands, holding his wine cup as he returned to his seat, saying helplessly: “I haven’t thought of it yet. How about this, I’ll compose half the poem first, and I’ll complete the other half for Brother Chu later, how’s that?”
“…I suppose that’s all we can do,” Chu Yuanzhen said disappointedly.
Everyone reluctantly accepted this result.
The drinking games continued. Although the elegant games were refined, the atmosphere was somewhat dull. Fuxiang suggested finger-guessing games, which received unanimous approval.
The courtesans played finger-guessing games with the guests, having a great time.
“Why don’t we play arrow-tossing?” suggested Top Scholar Chu, who had no beauty accompanying him.
This banquet was specifically held to welcome him, and he was the main character of the feast. He had the final say.
Arrow tossing had its own rules. It was simple: a vase was placed in the center of the hall, and each guest had three arrows. Those who missed had to drink, while those who hit could order anyone in the room to drink.
After a few rounds, these high-ranking officials were slightly tipsy, gradually changing from game participants to spectators, and then from spectators to a cheering crowd.
On the field, only Xu Qi’an and Chu Yuanzhen were left tossing arrows, each hitting the target every time, as if they were in a battle of wills, neither willing to concede defeat.
The courtesans cheered on the sidelines. Whenever Xu Qi’an or Chu Yuanzhen hit the target, they would cheer loudly, their faces flushed with excitement.
Such an excellent arrow-tossing duel was rarely seen.
At first, the courtesans tried to treat both sides fairly, not favoring either one. Gradually, the twelve courtesans divided into two camps, one supporting Chu Yuanzhen, and the other being fans of Xu Qi’an… all women Xu Qi’an had slept with, including Fuxiang, Ming Yan, Xiaoya, and others.
“We can’t determine a winner this way. I suggest blindfolding,” Xu Qi’an said.
Chu Yuanzhen pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, “Even blindfolded, we’d still hit every shot. My suggestion is, that each person gets twenty arrows, and whoever finishes first wins.”
Now that’s playing!
The guests and courtesans’ eyes lit up, all expressing their approval.
Fuxiang ordered a maid to bring silk scarves to blindfold the two men. Xu Qi’an found that the scarf was translucent, allowing light through, and he could vaguely see the outline of the vase.
He silently turned around, facing away from the scene.
Chu Yuanzhen was stunned, then smiled and shook his head, also turning his back.
The atmosphere became even more lively. Not only were they blindfolded, but they had also turned their backs. This was a way of playing they had never seen before.
“How can they play like this?” Ming Yan said coquettishly. “Who could hit the target?”
Another courtesan giggled, “Whichever of the two gentlemen wins, Ming Yan will serve him tonight.”
Ming Yan blushed and spat out a “pah,” secretly glancing at Xu Qi’an.
Xu Qi’an, habitually running his mouth, laughed loudly while blindfolded, “No, no, the first prize is too little. I want all of you.”
The courtesans weren’t intimidated at all, giggling in response: “Lord Xu might have to lean against the wall to go to the office tomorrow morning.”
Laughter erupted, the sound of orioles and swallows.
“Number Three declined my invitation, appearing to be a proper person who never goes to the Courtesans’ Quarter. His elder brother, however, is quite the opposite.”
Chu Yuanzhen sighed inwardly. This Xu Qi’an was indeed a romantic figure, at ease in the Courtesans’ Quarter, more open than any scholar.
For the current literati, the Courtesans’ Quarter and brothels were more of a place for social engagements, and drinking with colleagues and classmates. Taverns were places for commoners. Those with real status always chose the Courtesans’ Quarter.
With talented courtesans acting as game masters and pretty, obedient maids pouring wine and serving, this was truly prestigious.
But the literati were mindful of their reputation and wouldn’t be too unrestrained. This Xu Qi’an was different.
“To die beneath the peony flower, even as a ghost I’d be romantic!” Xu Qi’an said, holding Fuxiang’s slender waist.
This sudden golden phrase made everyone present secretly admire him. How could this man’s talent be so terrifying, producing beautiful phrases and good poems at will?
If this man had studied, he would surely have become a great scholar of his generation.
Xu Pingzhi was truly unfilial.
“Thunk!”
An arrow accurately landed in the vase, interrupting everyone’s wandering thoughts and bringing their attention back.
Xu Qi’an, having thrown one arrow, smiled and said, “Brother Chu, it’s started.”
“Good!” Chu Yuanzhen calmly responded.
As he spoke, he casually tossed an arrow backward, hitting the target precisely.
“Wow…” Ming Yan exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Thunk, thunk, thunk…
Xu Qi’an and Chu Yuanzhen took turns throwing arrows, each one hitting the target. With each hit, the courtesans would exclaim in surprise, feeling their horizons broadened.
Arrow-tossing was just a small game, but these two had turned it into something spectacular.
One after another, by the time Xu Qi’an had thrown his tenth arrow, Chu Yuanzhen had already thrown thirteen, with only seven left in his hand.
When Xu Qi’an had five left, Chu Yuanzhen only had two.
The outcome seemed decided.
Fuxiang, Ming Yan, and the other courtesans supporting Xu Qi’an dimmed, unable to hide their disappointment.
The courtesans supporting Chu Yuanzhen began applauding early, giving a round of applause to this top scholar from the 27th year of Yuanjing.
The observing officials around seemed to have expected this result all along, their smiles the faintest.
Chu Yuanzhen was a legendary figure. Even as a student, he had stood out among his peers, excelling in both talent and appearance. Later, he abandoned his scholarly pursuits to cultivate the Dao. No one thought highly of his decision, and one close friend was so angry that he severed ties with him.
But who would have thought that in just a few short years, he would soar to great heights, challenging the Gold Badge Zhang Kaitai, and though defeated, he gained fame, praised by Wei Yuan as the capital’s top swordsman?
In their eyes, such a world-class genius naturally outshone a mere case-solving Xu Qi’an.
At this moment, Chu Yuanzhen had already thrown his second-to-last arrow, accurately hitting the vase.
Fuxiang pursed her lips, shifting her gaze from the vase to Xu Qi’an. To her surprise, she found this man’s lips slightly curled… she was very familiar with this expression. Whenever Xu Qi’an was pleased with himself, he would slightly curl his lips.
Did he have confidence?!
Just as this thought arose, Fuxiang witnessed an absurd scene. Xu Qi’an threw all five arrows in his hand simultaneously. They traced a neat arc in the air, perfectly entering the vase.
The five arrows made only one sound: Thunk!
The hall instantly fell silent, with pairs of eyes widened in disbelief.
How was this possible?
“Ah…” Ming Yan cheered, excitedly throwing herself into Xu Qi’an’s arms: “Lord Xu, I love you to death.”
Fuxiang frowned repeatedly.
“Truly divine skill,” praised a censor.
“I never knew arrow-tossing could be played like this. It’s eye-opening,” another official smiled in agreement.
The courtesans’ gazes towards Xu Qi’an were instantly filled with admiration.
Chu Yuanzhen took off his silk scarf and smiled, “Impressive, impressive.”
The party continued until the beginning of the Hai hour (around 9 PM) before ending. The courtesans yawned repeatedly as they stood up to say goodbye, their skirts swaying, their figures graceful.
Although somewhat sleepy, the beauties were still reluctant to leave, feeling that a banquet with Xu Qi’an and the capital’s top swordsman was too interesting. It was a pity that such high-quality guests couldn’t be encountered every day.
Ming Yan secretly wrote on Xu Qi’an’s palm, trying to lure him to her Green Pool Courtyard, but was driven away by Fuxiang’s cool remarks.
Chu Yuanzhen didn’t stay overnight at the Courtesans’ Quarter and bid farewell. Xu Qi’an personally saw him out of the courtyard.
Number Four is too aloof and carefree, and he has the integrity of a scholar… I can’t find any opportunity to make him suffer social death… Xu Qi’an watched the back of the blue-robed swordsman, feeling quite regretful.
However, scholars have their weaknesses, such as poetry.
He would keep the second half of the couplet to himself for now, waiting for the right moment to reveal it.
Leaving the maids to clean up, Fuxiang took Xu Qi’an’s arm and entered the bedroom. Xu Qi’an sat by the table drinking tea, his ear twitching as he heard Zhong Li’s voice transmission.
He turned his head to look at the folding screen, where candlelight cast her graceful shadow. She was removing her clothes piece by piece, changing into a light gauzy gown.
While bathing, Xu Qi’an suddenly said:
“I’ll redeem you in a few days.”
Fuxiang was stunned for a moment, her bright eyes flashing with complex emotions before quickly settling. She chuckled lightly, “You’ve just become a viscount, Lord Xu. Taking a concubine now wouldn’t be good for your reputation.”
“That’s true,” Xu Qi’an said with a smile, holding her smooth waist.
After bathing, he and Fuxiang rolled around on the bed. As the “little white-robed general” advanced and retreated seven times, suddenly there was a “crack” sound, followed by a sensation of weightlessness.
The bed had collapsed.
Fuxiang cried out in surprise, clinging to Xu Qi’an, her long legs wrapped tightly around his waist like a white python, startled.
…Zhong Li, I’m going to ask the Guardian for a refund!
Xu Qi’an was furious.
…
After leaving the Shadow Plum Pavilion, Chu Yuanzhen flicked his sword finger, and the long sword on his back seemed to come alive, slipping out of its restraints like a swimming fish and stopping in front of him.
Chu Yuanzhen stepped onto the scabbard and said softly, “Go.”
The sword paused slightly, then suddenly pierced through the night sky, soaring upwards.
The moment he flew into the night sky, Chu Yuanzhen felt countless gazes from the capital lock onto him and then moved away. The most chilling gaze came from that towering Star-Observing Tower.
He quickly left the inner city, flying towards the south of the outer city.
If he remembered correctly, Number Six Heng Yuan was at the Health Preservation Hall. He lowered his altitude, searching for a long time before finally finding the Health Preservation Hall in the southern city.
Chu Yuanzhen wasn’t a native of the capital. He had studied at the Imperial Academy, passed the imperial examinations, and had always lived in the inner city. He had never been to the outer city where the poor gathered.
As he landed lightly in the courtyard of the Health Preservation Hall, just as he jumped off the scabbard, he heard the sound of chanting Buddha’s name from under the eaves:
“Amitabha Buddha.”
Chu Yuanzhen grasped the hilt of his sword, inserting it back into the scabbard on his back, and looked towards the sound. In the darkness under the eaves stood a monk wearing plain blue cotton robes. He was of sturdy build, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and hard facial features.
“Master Heng Yuan?” Chu Yuanzhen greeted me with a smile.
“It is this humble monk. Is the benefactor Number Four?” Heng Yuan put his palms together, quietly examining him.
The two, meeting for the first time, didn’t appear very calm, neither familiar nor distant. Heng Yuan led Chu Yuanzhen into the room, lit an oil lamp, then brought out a jar of wine from under the bed, found two porcelain bowls, and simply wiped off the dust with his sleeve.
Chu Yuanzhen never said no to wine and drank it dry, but he was curious: “Can Buddhist disciples drink wine?”
Heng Yuan answered steadily: “Warrior monks don’t abstain from meat or wine.”
There was also an implicit meaning in this statement: Warrior monks don’t need to keep precepts.
“I met Number Three today,” Chu Yuanzhen said, somewhat regretting not bringing peanuts. Having wine without snacks always felt like something was missing.
Heng Yuan nodded.
“Number Three pretended not to know me… With his intelligence, I believe he recognized me at the time, but for some reason pretended not to.”
Chu Yuanzhen shook his head helplessly and said, “Eighth Grade Body Refining, his cultivation is a bit shallow.”
However, he knew Number Three’s secret. Number Three was related to the pure qi soaring to the heavens at the Hall of the Sub-Sage. Number Three couldn’t be judged simply by appearances.
Master Heng Yuan took a sip of wine and pondered, “Compared to Number Three, this humble monk gets along better with Lord Xu. You may not know yet, he didn’t die in Yunzhou…”
After Number Six explained how Xu Qi’an had come back to life, Chu Yuanzhen nodded: “Although the Rebirth Pill is good, its limitations are too great. His survival relied on his luck.
“I just met Xu Qi’an at the Courtesans’ Quarter. I have a good impression of him. I suppose it’s because I’ve heard you discuss him so many times in the Earth Book fragments that I don’t feel unfamiliar with him.”
After a pause, Number Four smiled and said, “I haven’t interacted with Number Three, but Xu Qi’an indeed suits my taste.”
After finishing the jar of cloudy wine, Chu Yuanzhen proposed to go see that child. After seeing him, his expression was quite depressed.
“Although I don’t like Buddhism, they have a saying that’s very true: the world is like a sea of suffering, and all beings struggle in this sea of suffering,” Chu Yuanzhen sighed.
Master Heng Yuan gave him a look.
Chu Yuanzhen quickly said, “No offense intended.”
Only then did Heng Yuan withdraw his gaze.
“Three days later is the second round of the metropolitan examination. Let’s go together to see Number Three,” Heng Yuan said. “Number Three doesn’t want to reveal his identity to us openly. He said, if we meet, just a smile in passing would suffice.”
“I see,” Chu Yuanzhen suddenly understood.
…
Time flew by, and three days passed.
At the break of dawn, the Second Young Master Xu, accompanied by his family, arrived at the examination hall.
“The Ninth Grade of Confucianism grants photographic memory. This exam is on classical interpretation, so Second Brother should have no pressure,” Xu Qi’an patted his shoulder, encouraging him.
Second Uncle Xu and his wife smiled.
According to the Second Young Master himself, he had performed well on the first day’s policy questions. He was always good at policy questions, and the second round of classical interpretation shouldn’t be a problem either.
In the eyes of the Second Uncle and his wife, it was almost certain that the Second Young Master would become a successful candidate.
Xu Xinnian slightly raised his chin, saying proudly, “Talented scholars abound under heaven. One can’t be careless. There might be those stronger than me.”
There might be… Xu Qi’an thought to himself, you’re still the best at showing off.
Bidding farewell to his family, he walked towards the entrance of the examination hall, planning to queue up to enter. Just then, a loud voice came to his ears: “Amitabha Buddha.”
Xu Xinnian turned his head to look and saw two people standing by the street: a sturdy monk and a blue-robed swordsman carrying a sword on his back.
Seeing him look over, both the monk and the swordsman revealed enigmatic smiles.
…Xu Xinnian’s face froze. He lowered his head and hurriedly walked back to his father and elder brother, immediately feeling a sense of security.
“Father, Elder Brother, I suspect someone has ill intentions towards me,” Xu Xinnian said gravely.
Hearing this, Xu Pingzhi’s eyebrows immediately raised, his gaze sharp as lightning: “Who?”
As a patrolling Imperial Blade Guard, he knew that recently, large numbers of martial artists had flooded into the capital, which was a highly unstable factor for public security.
The most obvious sign was the increase in burglars. Those lower-class martial artists who had spent all their money in the capital and had no way to earn more would first choose to steal or rob.
“A monk and a swordsman,” Xu Xinnian turned back, pointing to a spot behind them.
Xu Qi’an looked for a moment and said, “There’s no one there.”
“???”
Xu Xinnian showed a horrified expression: “They were just there!”
“Alright, and you said you weren’t under pressure. I think you’re even having hallucinations,” Xu Qi’an patted his little brother’s shoulder and said:
“Second Brother, those strangers who behave oddly, you must never pay attention to them.”
As he spoke, he gave a little push to Xu Xinnian’s back.
The Second Young Master Xu looked at his own back, confused, “What does Elder Brother mean by this?”
“Nothing, just helping you carry the pot well.”