Entering the Capital

The time is September, the third month of autumn.

The early morning temperature was a bit chilly, but it couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the merchants.

In the Central Capital's three hundred and sixty-five fang, the aroma of food wafted down every street.

A gust of wind brought the peppery scent of hula soup, waking the senses, while the aroma of large sesame-seed flatbreads filled the air, whetting the appetite. Old, established ramen shops called out "thin noodles" and "red broth," as if their shouts could make business more prosperous and long-lasting. Small stalls by the roadside with bubbling hot oil pans were not to be outdone, tossing marinated ingredients into the sizzling oil, frying them until golden and crispy.

On one side, a simply dressed young lady displayed her handmade pastries of various kinds, exquisitely crafted, their sweetness detectable a few steps away. On the other side, a burly, half-naked man scooped a piece of slow-cooked, tender meat from a large pot, chopped it up, poured a spoonful of chili oil sauce over it, wrapped it in a flatbread, packed it in a lotus leaf, and handed it to the buyer...

At this point, the tea houses and restaurants by the roadside pulled down their signs, which bore the words "Morning Awakening" in gilded characters. A waiter, with a smile on his face, stood at the entrance, a basin of water in front of him, steam rising from it. The waiter shouted, "Morning Awakening...!"

This shout seemed to wake up the entire Central Capital.

"Morning Awakening" was a custom in the Central Capital. Anyone who wasn't rushing to work with a hot meal in hand would bring their favorite breakfast to these tea houses, wash their faces with the hot water from the basin, go inside, pick a seat, and listen to a "gentleman" on stage read the court gazette, analyze the current situation, and then slowly start their day. This was "Morning Awakening."

When the Great Xuan Dynasty was founded, a censor proposed that "Morning Awakening" was the common people presumptuously discussing state affairs and requested its abolition. The founding emperor angrily declared that the people of the world should not be ignorant of world affairs. He even dispatched eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department, led by the chief eunuch, to various tea houses and taverns. They would read the memorials, except for those concerning confidential matters, to the public for seven consecutive days, silencing the censors. Since then, anyone who went out for "Morning Awakening" could proudly flick their heads, give a thumbs-up, and with three parts pride and three parts defiance, shout, "Awakening by Imperial Decree," a truly imposing declaration.

Nanyuan Xi walked quickly through the crowd, a piece of flatbread in his mouth. Last night, Xiao Hexiang had inexplicably thrown a tantrum, keeping him up all night and causing him to oversleep by three quarters of an hour.

Thinking of Xiao Hexiang, a wave of tenderness washed over Nanyuan Xi. He never expected to find the love of his life in a place of pleasure. What did it matter if she was a courtesan? If possible, he wished he could marry Xiao Hexiang tomorrow, with all the pomp and ceremony.

However, the cost to buy Xiao Hexiang's freedom was too high.

Nanyuan Xi chewed the flatbread fiercely. His Nan family had been prominent during the founding of the dynasty, with ancestors who were Great Scholars. Unfortunately, each generation was worse than the last. After centuries of inheritance, it was only in his generation that a final flicker of brilliance appeared, allowing him to awaken the "Omniscient Reading" talent. It was a pity his talent was limited; after twenty years of study, he had only reached the "Writing Realm." He thought he was lacking a master's guidance, so he sold off his family assets and traveled thousands of miles to the Central Capital.

But what kind of place was the Central Capital? A thousand-year-old capital, the foremost city. He had no power, no influence, and inferior talent, so naturally, he couldn't even find a way to submit his credentials.

To build connections, he frequently organized literary gatherings, but the attendees were all on a similar level to him. Half a year passed with no progress on finding a master, and most of his money was gone.

Finally, someone told him he could help him secure a copying job at the Wenchang Pavilion, but it required a considerable sum of money. At that time, Nanyuan Xi was like a drowning man grasping at the last straw, giving all he had, only to end up with nothing. He had been swindled out of his money.

When he was filled with despair, it was Xiao Hexiang who stopped Nanyuan Xi from throwing himself into the river. This courtesan had participated in Nanyuan Xi's literary gatherings several times before and was captivated by his eloquent pronouncements.

"I believe, my lord, that you are not skilled in poetry and classics, but your analysis of current affairs is incisive. Dry official documents become vivid and easy to understand in your mouth. Why don't you work as a 'Text Explainer'? Perhaps you will catch the eye of a distinguished patron. At the very least, you can save some money to support yourself."

Xiao Hexiang's words were like a bolt from the blue.

Text Explainer was a profession that emerged alongside the "Morning Awakening" custom. They would read the court gazettes to the guests who came for "Morning Awakening." Higher-level Text Explainers could even analyze the hidden reasons behind the gazette's unstated information and predict the direction of political affairs. Being able to bear the title of "Mister" was enough to show the high status of this profession, and it was not uncommon for a Text Explainer to be noticed by a distinguished patron and recommended for a position in court or taken on as a staff member.

Nanyuan Xi followed Xiao Hexiang's advice and indeed found a suitable path to showcase his talents. In just half a year, the name "Huaizui Nansheng" had gained some fame. He was now a Text Explainer at the North Wind Tower, one of the top ten "Morning Awakening" tea houses in the Central Capital, with a monthly salary of thirty taels of silver.

Yesterday, he heard that there was an important gazette today. He didn't know what it was, but being late was a major taboo for a Text Explainer. So Nanyuan Xi quickened his pace...

"Greetings to all early patrons, Nansheng pays his respects." Rushing as fast as he could, Nanyuan Xi finally arrived at the North Wind Tower just in time. He took the freshly copied gazette from the shopkeeper and hurried onto the stage.

"Mister Nan, I saw you sprinting on the way here. Did you get carried away with Xiao Hexiang last night and lose track of time!" a familiar early patron teased from below, eliciting laughter.

"Don't talk nonsense!" another of Nanyuan Xi's supporters retorted. "If he had been 'carried away' with Xiao Hexiang, Mister Nan wouldn't even be able to get out of bed this morning, let alone sprint all the way..."

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Nanyuan Xi: (￣ェ￣;)

Are you trying to defend me? Do I, Nanyuan Xi, seem that useless in your eyes?

Nanyuan Xi coughed dryly, signaling for quiet from the audience.

"Everyone, let's talk about the jokes later. Let's get down to business and discuss today's gazette." Nanyuan Xi forcibly regained his composure, picked up the gazette, but after just one glance, a look of disbelief appeared on his face. He then reread it several times.

Some impatient guests below shouted, "Mister Nan, what's wrong? Did the barbarian tribes invade?"

Another chimed in, "Could it be that the Demon Race is here to cause trouble again?"

Nanyuan Xi quickly collected himself and put down the gazette. In that short time, he had completely memorized it.

"Everyone, rest assured, it's not the demons or barbarians. Today's gazette only has one item: His Majesty of our Great Xuan Dynasty has enfeoffed Chen Luo, also known as Chen Dongliu, of Wan'an County in Qingzhou, as the Earl of Wan'an!"

A wave of uproar swept through the crowd.

"Chen Luo? Who is that? I've never heard of him!"

"Earl of Wan'an, is this a substantive peerage? Isn't the current dynasty most wary of granting titles with real power?"

"Our dynasty has an ancestral rule: no titles shall be granted without merit. What merit does this Chen Luo have?"

"How old is Chen Luo? Is he Confucian or Daoist?"

While the crowd was in an uproar, Nanyuan Xi took a sip of tea, suppressing his surprise, and gestured for quiet. The noise below gradually subsided, and Nanyuan Xi continued.

"Chen Luo is nineteen years old, a descendant of loyal martyrs. He has written a remarkable piece, 'Brief Biography of Zhong Kui'. Reciting it grants the power to ward off ghosts, and even those without the 'Omniscient Reading' talent can recite it."

"The full text is as follows--"

At almost the same time, in all the "Morning Awakening" tea houses in the Central Capital, all the Text Explainers slowly began to read "Brief Biography of Zhong Kui."

"Zhong Kui was a native of Mount Zhongnan in Shaanxi. From a young age, he was exceptionally talented..."

Concurrently, at the Wansheng Gate of the Central Capital, a carriage slowly entered the city.

Inside the carriage sat the Great Scholar Wei Yan, and the newly appointed Earl of Wan'an--

Chen Luo!

A setting sun lies upon the water, cast your votes, don't relax.

Only nine more investments to reach a hundred, everyone, let's go