Phoenix Cry Nine

With the financial plan settled, Zeng Anmin was in a much better mood.

The dream of flying hawks and walking hounds could continue.

"Dachun! Back to the estate!"

"Right away!!"

Before leaving, Zeng Anmin faintly heard the heated discussion from the next box:

"'Upon the mountain's peak, I alone am the summit'... Ah, this poem... the resolve and confidence to reach the top, revealing an unrestrained spirit..."

"I'm in awe."

"Our Two Rivers Prefecture, hailed as the head of Jiangnan's Confucian letters, has produced no masterpiece to rival this in five years."

"The words are simple, but the poem's imagery is truly admirable."

"Princess Wencheng of the Jiang Kingdom—formidable!"

"..."

Zeng Anmin didn't linger. He led Dachun straight home without delay.

The Governor's Mansion.

Father hadn't returned yet. These past two days, because of Prince Jiang's Estate, he had a mountain of matters to handle.

The sky was now dimming.

"Daddy!"

Huzi toddled over, arms outstretched for a hug. Every time he saw Zeng Anmin, Huzi's face lit up with the purest smile.

"Good eldest son!"

Zeng Anmin laughed, scooping Huzi up, and gently tapped his little nose:

"Have you eaten?"

"Not yet. Mom said to wait for you to come back."

Huzi grinned, revealing a neat row of small teeth.

Uh...

Even after getting used to it for so long, Zeng Anmin still felt a bit affronted by that strange form of address.

Not far off, Concubine Lin stood gracefully in the courtyard, a smile on her face. Her features were delicate, her eyes rippling like water, and her voice was soft:

"Lord is busy with official duties tonight and will dine at the yamen. We won't wait for him."

"Uh, I already ate outside. You and Huzi go ahead."

"No! Huzi wants to eat with Mom and Dad!"

Before Concubine Lin could speak, Huzi pouted, looking at Zeng Anmin with grievance. Tears were already ready in his eyes, his lips trembling slightly, his voice tiny:

"Other kids eat with their parents... I don't."

With that, he turned his little face away, holding back tears, refusing to wipe them, bearing his heartache alone.

Fine!

Zeng Anmin's mouth twitched. "Alright, alright. Daddy will eat with you."

"Daddy, long live!!!"

Huzi waved his arms, his face instantly bright with excitement, and planted a loud kiss on Zeng Anmin's cheek.

This kid... already knows how to sweet-talk at this age. What will he be like when he grows up?!

Zeng Anmin discovered a new virtue in Huzi for the first time.

"Heh."

Seeing Zeng Anmin and Huzi getting along so well, Concubine Lin's face showed a deeply gratified smile.

Just then, the evening breeze swept past her high-coiled hair, the drifting strands rippling with her unique charm.

"Cough."

Zeng Anmin looked away, cleared his throat, and led Huzi into the hall to eat.

"Eat some too. You're on duty at the yamen all day, and I hear the food there isn't very tasty."

Concubine Lin did her best to play the part of a mother, her face showing concern as she picked up her chopsticks and placed a chicken leg in each of Zeng Anmin's and Huzi's bowls:

"You've gotten thinner than before."

"Alright, alright, that's enough, Concubine Lin..."

Zeng Anmin quickly stopped her.

He was thin because his Martial Arts Aura consumed too much blood and essence after entering the ranks. Though leaner overall, every bit of it had turned into dense, compact muscle.

He had eaten quite a bit with Shen Jun at Wangxian Tower today, so his stomach could hardly hold anything more now.

"Try to eat less of what's outside—how could it be as clean as home cooking?"

Concubine Lin's eyes fell on Zeng Anmin's face, her delicate brows lightly furrowed, her words carrying a careful reproach. Then her tone shifted subtly:

"Say the same to the Lord when you see him."

"Alright, that's easy enough."

A smile spread across Zeng Anmin's face as well.

"Dad, do you want a chicken leg?" Huzi picked up the drumstick from his own bowl, grinning as he looked at Zeng Anmin.

"Dad doesn't want it, you eat it."

Such a filial child. A warmth rose in Zeng Anmin's heart, and he wanted to reach out and ruffle Huzi's head.

"Sure thing!" Huzi's smile widened as he stretched his chopsticks over and snatched the chicken leg from Zeng Anmin's bowl.

??

You little—!! This kid's got deep schemes! He must not be allowed to live!

"Don't snatch from your dad."

Concubine Lin shot Huzi a reproachful glance.

"Oh." Huzi's eyes rolled slyly. He made as if to pick up the chicken leg from his own bowl, then looked at Concubine Lin's bowl and asked:

"Mom, is that chicken leg enough for you?"

"Eat, it's enough." Concubine Lin wasn't about to indulge Huzi. A gentle smile appeared on her refined face as she raised her chopsticks to guard her bowl.

"Hehe, good that it's enough."

Huzi laughed again. He stood up and scraped the entire remaining plate of chicken legs into his own bowl.

Concubine Lin's exquisite face first froze in surprise, then showed helpless resignation.

"Hahaha!!"

Zeng Anmin was tickled and burst out laughing.

"This kid..."

Concubine Lin couldn't help but curl her lips too.

That night.

Zeng Anmin returned to his own room. Lying on the bed, he focused his mind and entered the Purple Mansion space.

The phantom of the Dragon Survey Map still hung across the center like a curtain of heaven.

On the left was a massive mass of cyan qi, formed after his Confucian Path had advanced to the sixth rank.

The cyan qi shimmered with color, trailing countless threads—solemn and dignified, yet gentle and soft.

On the right side of the Dragon Survey Map's phantom was a Hand Axe flowing with a mysterious aura.

The handle was about two feet long, the blade one foot, and dense patterns of inscribed runes coiled around the entire weapon.

The moment Zeng Anmin's figure appeared in his sea of consciousness, the axe flickered with light, as if welcoming its master's arrival.

Zeng Anmin could feel a sense of intimacy emanating from the axe.

One of the criteria for judging a Divine Artifact in this world was that it possessed sentience.

But this time, entering the sea of consciousness, Zeng Anmin had another purpose.

He slowly walked to the back of the Dragon Survey Map's phantom.

Without hesitation, Zeng Anmin reached out and wrote on the map:

Bei: Heh, haven't spoken in days. Is everyone still well?

He waited quietly for a moment.

Before long, the group members gradually came online.

The first to speak was Huang.

Huang: Not well, not well. The Barbaric Mystery Realm is coming up, and I get beaten by my old man every day.

Zeng Anmin hadn't expected Huang to be the first to speak.

Bei: Oh? What's your dad hitting you for?

Huang: He says it's to help me improve my combat experience.

Uh...

A father's love is like a mountain... that crumbles and splits apart.

Zeng Anmin was speechless. After hesitating for a long while, he sighed.

Bei: "This, too, is your father's unique way of showing fatherly love, I suppose."

Huang: "I'm used to it by now. For now, he beats me. Once I've built up my strength and become formidable, I'll definitely give him a good thrashing."

Well, well! A hall full of filial piety!!!

Finally, as they chatted, Nan came online.

Nan: "Um, Bei, I'm really sorry. That poem of yours—I ended up exposing it due to some circumstances..."

Right off the bat, Nan began her self-criticism.

But honestly, she seemed like a sincere girl—so why did her words reek of that cloying, tea-flavored insincerity?

Zeng Anmin curled his lip.

Just say you used it to show off—why call it "exposing"?

So Zeng Anmin felt he had to probe a little further.

Bei: "I never imagined Her Highness the Princess was also quite fond of poetry."

Nan was silent for a moment, then sent a message:

Nan: "As an apology, name whatever you want. As long as it's within my power, I'll help you."

She didn't deny her identity.

No doubt about it!

A faint glimmer lit up Zeng Anmin's eyes.

The most beloved Princess Wencheng of the Great Jiang Dynasty—she definitely has plenty of good things!

A smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he slowly wrote:

Bei: "I have a friend. He's recently hit a small bottleneck in the martial path. If Her Highness could produce the Jiang State Imperial Family's ultimate art, 'Phoenix Cry Nine,' I'm sure he'd be overjoyed."

Nan: "????"