The sun had risen three bamboo joints high, and warm sunlight streamed through the wooden window of the study, scattering across Chen Luo's face.
The soft purring of a cat looped beside Chen Luo's ear. He slowly opened his eyes, only to realize that he had spent the night asleep on the desk. Beside him, Xiao Huan was also sprawled across the table, sleeping soundly. A glistening thread of drool had trickled down her chubby cheek onto the desk.
"Ahem..." Chen Luo coughed twice. Xiao Huan abruptly opened her eyes and glanced at Chen Luo, who was looking at her. She hurriedly tried to stand, but her leg had gone numb. Losing her balance, she toppled straight into Chen Luo's arms.
She really is still just a child. Chen Luo confirmed it once again.
Xiao Huan's pretty face flushed crimson. She hurriedly steadied herself against the desk before saying, "Young... young master... you're awake? I'll serve you while you brush your teeth and wash your face!"
Chen Luo noticed that Xiao Huan and Chen Ping only called him the family head in front of outsiders. In private, they still called him young master. Chen Luo waved his hand and asked, "Why are you in the study? Where's Miss?"
Xiao Huan replied, "Miss and Uncle Ping went outside the city first thing this morning. Several of the tenant farmers who had been living outside the city all these days have fled, and Uncle Ping said that since the matter has been resolved, Miss had to go steady their hearts."
Chen Luo frowned slightly. "Nonsense. Doesn't Miss have something wrong with her eyes? Why didn't she call me?"
Xiao Huan pouted. "Miss said she only needed to wear a veil. Young master worked hard all day yesterday, so there was no need for you to trouble yourself with the trip... Uncle Ping even said that you going wouldn't be as useful as Miss going!"
Chen Luo suddenly had nothing to say!
"That... go fetch me a basin of water and leave it outside the door. I'll handle it myself. Also, have today's meals brought to the study. I won't be leaving the room."
Xiao Huan gave Chen Luo a puzzled look, then nodded and turned to leave. She muttered under her breath, "Miss said young master had changed, but isn't he still the same bookworm as before?"
Hearing Xiao Huan's muttering, Chen Luo suddenly remembered that his predecessor had apparently been like this, often locking himself in the study and having no contact with anyone.
"Do you think I don't want to go out and have fun? But the book in my head is a massive project. I have to work overtime..." Chen Luo lamented inwardly.
After sending Xiao Huan out, Chen Luo spread out a sheet of rice paper, chose a brush that felt comfortable in his hand, and lowered its tip onto the paper.
"Gentle breezes warm the willow trees, and floral fragrance intoxicates the senses. It was the splendid spring season in the southern lands. On West Gate Street in Fuzhou Prefecture, FJ Province, a straight bluestone road stretched into the distance, leading directly to the west gate... The vermilion-painted doors of a grand residence gleamed with copper studs the size of teacups, while the plaque above bore the four large characters 'Fuwei Escort Agency' in gilt. Beneath them, two smaller characters ran horizontally: 'Head Office'..."
That was right. The Red Dust Realm book Chen Luo had drawn in the Dream Flower Forest was none other than Mr. Jin Yong's The Smiling, Proud Wanderer!
The Smiling, Proud Wanderer was one of the few works by the old master that did not clearly specify a dynasty. It told the story of Linghu Chong, a Huashan disciple who experienced the treacherous and ever-changing battles of the martial world before ultimately winning the beauty and retiring from the jianghu. The version in Chen Luo's mind was the relatively classic Joint Publishing edition, totaling nearly a million words...
After he had transcribed for who knew how long, Chen Luo shook his somewhat sore wrist and discovered that the sheets filled with Elegant Script beside him had piled up to the thickness of a finger. He took a brief rest.
Chen Luo was quite looking forward to what kind of Book Spirit would be summoned once The Smiling, Proud Wanderer was completed. Judging from Zhong Kui's case, it would most likely be "Linghu Chong." "Ren Yingying" would be acceptable too. If all else failed, having a "Ren Woxing" would still be mighty and imposing.
Only...
A thought flashed through Chen Luo's mind. "It won't summon Dongfang Bubai or Yue Buqun, those two eunuchs, will it... No, no way. They're not the protagonists!" Chen Luo shook his head and cast the thought out of his mind.
While Chen Luo was still painstakingly transcribing The Smiling, Proud Wanderer in the study, County Magistrate Cai Tongchen and Advisor Li had already stood respectfully on the empty ground outside the county office's main hall for a full hour. Neither showed the slightest impatience. Only Advisor Li's gaze kept lifting toward the distant horizon from time to time.
Advisor Li suddenly called out, "My lord, they're here..."
Cai Tongchen followed Advisor Li's gaze. A flash of azure light flickered across his eyes, and he saw an Ancient Chariot tear through the clouds in the distant sky, speeding toward the county office. Even from far away, one could see its red carriage rails and black canopy...
"Crimson Banners and Black Canopy!" Advisor Li was startled. This style of Ancient Chariot was no mechanical creation. It was an official technique activated by the Great Xuan's fortune. For example, Cai Tongchen's fortune detection was a seventh-grade official technique, corresponding precisely to a county magistrate's rank. As for "Crimson Banners and Black Canopy," it was a third-grade official technique!
While Advisor Li was still pondering which court grandee had arrived, the Ancient Chariot crossed the distance in the blink of an eye and landed before Cai Tongchen. The Ancient Chariot transformed into a stream of fortune and dispersed. A middle-aged scholar stood there with his hands behind his back. He was eight feet tall, had a face like carved jade, and wore a three-inch beard upon his chest. He radiated awe without showing anger.
When he saw the visitor, joy spread across Cai Tongchen's face. He hurried forward and bowed deeply, his voice filled with reverence and affection. "Your student, Tong Chen, pays his respects to his honored teacher!"
Hearing Cai Tongchen's form of address, Advisor Li finally understood who had come. He hurried forward and bowed as well. "Your junior disciple, Li Ruye, pays his respects to Grand Scholar Wei!"
Wei Yan, courtesy name Tianyi, was a third-grade Great Scholar of the Gewu Realm and a Grand Academician of Wenchang Pavilion.
Wei Yan nodded slightly and said gently, "Rise. Let me have a look at that Literary Heart..."
Only then did Cai Tongchen straighten. Advisor Li hurried forward, held out the brocade box containing the Immortal Literary Heart with both hands, and presented it to Wei Yan. Wei Yan opened the lid. Just as dazzling azure light was about to burst from the box, Wei Yan gently brushed his hand across it, and the azure radiance was immediately suppressed inside, no longer spilling out.
Wei Yan sensed it for a moment before saying, "There are recitations of the classics within its righteous qi. It should be a Literary Heart of Establishing Words."
Cai Tongchen nodded along and asked, "Honored teacher, do you know which senior it belonged to?"
"Let's go inside and talk..." Wei Yan lifted his leg and entered the county office. Cai Tongchen and Advisor Li exchanged a glance and hurried after him...
After fragrant tea was served, Cai Tongchen withdrew to the side seat. Wei Yan took a sip before finally speaking. "After Qingniao Division received your 'Brocade Letter in the Clouds' at dawn today and learned of the Immortal Literary Heart, Wenchang Pavilion has not had a moment of peace."
"Wenchang Pavilion investigated the whereabouts of every registered Great Scholar and used fortune detection to examine all 1,026 Immortal Literary Hearts in the Great Xuan Dynasty. Not one showed anything unusual."
"Clearly, this Literary Heart belongs to a reclusive Great Scholar."
"Wenchang Pavilion has three opinions on the matter. First, bring it back to Wenchang Pavilion and suppress the literary fortune of the Great Xuan; second, place it in the Great Xuan Treasure Vault and award it to a meritorious official; third, use this year's imperial examination as the basis and reward the academy with the most flourishing Literary Style! But Minister Wen rejected them all!"
Cai Tongchen asked in confusion, "What does Minister Wen mean?"
A trace of a smile touched Wei Yan's lips. "According to ancient rites, when a Literary Heart has no master, let the Literary Heart choose its own master!"
Advisor Li's hand trembled violently around his teacup. He stared at Wei Yan in shock and hesitated before speaking. "But this is the Literary Heart of a Great Scholar who achieved immortality through Establishing Words. It bears the Great Scholar's lifelong 'Way'... Can the Imperial Court really agree to this?"
"Such are the ancient rites!" Wei Yan took another sip of tea before continuing. "Minister Wen requested an Imperial Decree from His Majesty. According to ritual regulations, the Literary Heart was discovered in Wan'an County, so Wan'an County will be regarded as the residence of that reclusive Great Scholar. Three days from now, Wan'an County will hold the ceremony for the Literary Heart to choose its master. If the Literary Heart makes no choice in Wan'an County, I will take it to the Confucian Temple and allow scholars from all under heaven to come of their own accord, so the Literary Heart may choose its master! During this period, Tong Chen, I will temporarily take charge of the administration of Wan'an County!" By the end of his words, even Wei Yan's gentle tone had turned stern.
"Three days from now?" Cai Tongchen murmured. He understood now. His honored teacher was worried that he would be unable to hold down the situation at the ceremony, and so had personally hurried here from a thousand li away...
At the same time, in the study of Chen Manor.
"Yingying wept, 'You grow thinner with every passing day. I... I... I don't want to live anymore.' Hearing that her words were both sincere and sorrowful, Linghu Chong was overcome with gratitude. His chest grew hot, and he felt the heavens spin and the earth whirl. Blood surged endlessly up his throat, and he lost consciousness on the spot."
Chen Luo set down his brush and stretched lazily. Looking at the thick stack of papers filled with Elegant Script beside him, he had not expected this body to possess the talent of a "typing demon." His all-out transcription speed was practically catching up to a typewriter...
"If I write the whole thing out, it'll probably take three days." Chen Luo estimated it, "but..."
The poplar blossoms had all fallen, and the cuckoo cried. The author didn't want to write a solo game.
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