I Have a Feeling Something is Destined for Me

The sun had climbed high into the sky, and warm sunlight spilled through the wooden window of the study onto Chen Luo's face.

A soft snoring sound, like a kitten's purr, echoed by Chen Luo's ears. He slowly opened his eyes and realized he had fallen asleep at his desk all night. Beside the desk, Xiao Huan was also sleeping soundly, her head resting on the table. A glistening trail of drool ran from her chubby cheek onto the desk.

"Cough, cough..." Chen Luo cleared his throat twice. Xiao Huan's eyes snapped open. She glanced at Chen Luo, who was looking at her, and hurriedly tried to stand up, but her leg had gone numb. She lost her balance and tumbled directly into Chen Luo's arms.

"Still just a child," Chen Luo confirmed once again.

Xiao Huan's pretty face flushed slightly. She quickly steadied herself against the desk and said, "Young... Young Master... you're awake? Let me help you wash your face and brush your teeth!"

Chen Luo noticed that Xiao Huan and Uncle Ping only addressed him as "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 is Miss?"

Xiao Huan replied, "Early this morning, Miss and Uncle Ping went outside the city. Several of the tenant farmers who've been staying out there have run away over the past few days. Uncle Ping said that since the matter is resolved, Miss needs to go and reassure everyone."

Chen Luo frowned slightly. "Nonsense. Isn't Miss having trouble with her eyes? Why didn't you call me?"

Xiao Huan pouted. "Miss said she could just wear a veiled hat. She said you worked hard all day yesterday, so there was no need to trouble yourself with the trip... Uncle Ping also said that you going wouldn't be as effective as Miss going!"

Chen Luo suddenly didn't feel like talking.

"Um... go fetch me a basin of water and leave it at the door. I'll handle it myself. Also, send today's meals to the study. I won't be leaving the room."

Xiao Huan shot Chen Luo a puzzled look, then nodded and turned to leave, muttering under her breath, "Miss said you've changed, but aren't you still the same old bookworm?"

Hearing Xiao Huan's muttering, Chen Luo suddenly remembered that his predecessor had been just like this—often locking himself in the study and avoiding contact with anyone.

"You think I don't want to go out and have fun? But that book in my head is a huge project. I have to work overtime..." Chen Luo lamented inwardly.

After sending Xiao Huan away, Chen Luo spread out a sheet of rice paper, selected a brush pen that felt comfortable in his hand, and began to write on the paper.

"A gentle breeze caresses the willows, the fragrance of flowers intoxicates, it is precisely the season of radiant spring in the southern lands. On West Street of Fuzhou Prefecture in Fujian Province, the bluestone road stretches straight ahead, leading straight to the West Gate... The vermilion gate of the grand mansion, with bronze nails the size of teacups gleaming on the door, and above the gate, a plaque inscribed with four gold-painted characters: 'Fuwei Escort Agency.' Below, two smaller characters are written horizontally: 'Head Office'..."

That's right. In the Dream Flower Forest, the Red Dust Realm book Chen Luo had drawn was none other than Jin Yong's The Smiling, Proud Wanderer!

The Smiling, Proud Wanderer is one of the few works by the master that does not clearly specify a dynasty. It tells the story of Linghu Chong, a disciple of Mount Hua, who experiences the treacherous and unpredictable struggles of the martial world, ultimately winning the heart of his beloved and retiring from the jianghu. The version in Chen Luo's mind was the classic Sanlian edition, nearly a million words long...

He didn't know how long he had been transcribing. Chen Luo shook his slightly sore wrist and realized that the stack of paper covered in Elegant Script beside him had already piled up to the thickness of a finger. He rested for a moment.

Chen Luo was quite looking forward to seeing what kind of Book Spirit would be summoned after The Smiling, Proud Wanderer was completed. Based on Zhong Kui's situation, it would most likely be "Linghu Chong." "Ren Yingying" would also be acceptable. If worst came to worst, "Ren Woxing" would be imposing and domineering enough.

But...

A thought flashed through Chen Luo's mind: "It won't summon those two eunuchs, Dongfang Bubai or Yue Buqun, will it... No, no, they're not the protagonists!" Chen Luo shook his head, tossing the thought out of his mind.

While Chen Luo was still toiling away transcribing The Smiling, Proud Wanderer in his study, County Magistrate Cai Tongchen and Advisor Li had already been standing respectfully in the open space outside the main hall of the county office for a full hour. Yet neither showed any impatience, though Advisor Li's gaze occasionally lifted to scan the distant sky.

Advisor Li suddenly called out, "Your Honor, they're coming..."

Cai Tongchen followed Advisor Li's line of sight. A flash of green light flickered in his eyes. In the distant sky, an ancient carriage had burst through the clouds and was speeding straight toward the county office. From afar, one could see the carriage's body had red canopies and a black cover...

"Crimson Banners and Black Canopy!" Advisor Li was startled. This style of ancient carriage was not a mechanical creation but an official technique powered by the Great Xuan Dynasty's qi. Cai Tongchen's qi detection, for instance, was a seventh-rank official technique, corresponding to the rank of a county magistrate. "Crimson Banners and Black Canopy," however, was a third-rank official technique!

While Advisor Li was still pondering which high-ranking court official was arriving, the ancient carriage almost instantly crossed the distance of their line of sight and landed before Cai Tongchen. The carriage dissolved into a wisp of qi and dissipated, revealing a middle-aged Confucian scholar, eight feet tall, with a face like jade and a three-inch-long beard on his chest. He stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an aura of authority without even trying.

Seeing the newcomer, Cai Tongchen's face lit up with joy. He quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, his tone filled with reverence: "Your student Tongchen pays respects to his esteemed teacher!"

Hearing Cai Tongchen's address, Advisor Li finally understood who the visitor was. He hurried forward and bowed as well, saying, "This humble junior, Li Ruye, pays respects to Grand Scholar Wei!"

Wei Yan, courtesy name Tianyi, was a third-rank Gewu Realm Grand Scholar and a Grand Scholar of the Wenchang Pavilion.

Wei Yan nodded slightly and said gently, "No need for formalities. Show me that Literary Heart..."

Cai Tongchen straightened up. Advisor Li quickly stepped forward, holding out with both hands the brocade box containing the Immortal Literary Heart, and presented it to Wei Yan. Wei Yan opened the lid. Just as a dazzling green light was about to burst forth from the brocade box, Wei Yan gently brushed his hand over it, and the green light was immediately suppressed within the box, no longer escaping.

Wei Yan sensed it for a moment, then said, "There is the chanting of classics within the righteous qi. It should be a Literary Heart of Establishing Words."

Cai Tongchen nodded in agreement and asked, "Does my esteemed teacher know which senior it belongs to?"

"Let's talk inside..." Wei Yan stepped into the county office. Cai Tongchen and Advisor Li exchanged a glance and quickly followed.

After tea was served, Cai Tongchen withdrew to his seat. Wei Yan took a sip of tea before speaking: "Ever since the Qingniao Division received your 'Brocade Letter in the Clouds' early this morning, informing us of the matter of the Immortal Heart, the Wenchang Pavilion has been in an uproar."

"The Wenchang Pavilion checked the whereabouts of all registered Grand Scholars and used qi to investigate all 1,026 Immortal Literary Hearts within the Great Xuan Dynasty. Not a single one was found to be abnormal."

"Clearly, this Literary Heart belongs to a reclusive Grand Scholar."

"Regarding this, the Wenchang Pavilion has three opinions. First, bring it back to the Wenchang Pavilion to suppress the literary fortune of the Great Xuan. Second, place it in the Great Xuan Treasure Vault as a reward for meritorious officials. Third, use this year's imperial examinations as a basis to award it to the academy with the most flourishing literary style! But Minister Wen rejected all three!"

Cai Tongchen was puzzled. "What does Minister Wen intend?"

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Wei Yan's mouth. "According to ancient rites, if a Literary Heart has no master, let the Literary Heart choose its own master!"

Advisor Li's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. He looked at Wei Yan in surprise and hesitated before speaking: "But this is a Literary Heart of a Grand Scholar who has achieved immortality through establishing words, carrying the Grand Scholar's lifelong 'Dao'... Can the court agree to this?"

"Ancient rites are precisely this!" Wei Yan took another sip of tea and continued, "Minister Wen petitioned His Majesty for an Imperial Decree. According to ritual, since the Literary Heart was discovered in Wan'an County, Wan'an County shall be considered the former residence of that reclusive Grand Scholar. In three days, Wan'an County will hold the Literary Heart Choosing Its Master Ceremony. If the Literary Heart does not make a choice in Wan'an County, I will bring it back to the Confucian Temple and allow all Confucian scholars under heaven to come freely, letting the Literary Heart choose its master! During this time, Tongchen, the governance of Wan'an County will be temporarily under my control!" As Wei Yan spoke the last part, his gentle tone also turned serious.

"Three days from now?" Cai Tongchen murmured. He understood now. His esteemed teacher was worried that he wouldn't be able to handle the scene at the Choosing Ceremony, which was why he had personally traveled a thousand li to come...

At the same time, in the Chen family study.

"Yingying wept: 'You grow thinner every day. I... I... I don't want to live either.' Linghu Chong heard her words, so sincere and so sad, and was filled with immense gratitude. His chest burned, and he felt the world spin. Blood surged wildly from his throat, and then he lost consciousness."

Chen Luo put down his brush and stretched. He looked at the thick stack of paper covered in Elegant Script beside him. He hadn't expected this body to have the talent of a "typing maniac." At this full-speed transcribing pace, he was almost as fast as a typewriter...

"If I write it all out, it'll probably take three days," Chen Luo estimated. "But..."

When the poplar flowers fall and the cuckoo cries, the author doesn't want to write alone.

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