Qiu Yan Unknown, the Hearts of All Beings Vast and Lost

"Gentlemen, please drink this cup to the brim."

That night, the Meng Residence held a grand banquet, and all the prominent figures in Daizhou City attended to welcome the Military School Grandmaster who had returned from the north.

The phrase "Grandmaster of Military School strategy and a scholar of Canon Attainment" refers to Qiu Yan.

The title "Grandmaster of Military School Strategists" was not adopted by the Meng Residence, but rather by several Military School who attended the banquet. These people usually You Di towards officials and Confucian scholars, but in front of Qiu Yan, they were extremely respectful, which amazed onlookers.

As for the Meng Clan representatives, in addition to the younger generation like Meng Bufan, even the Meng Clan head Meng Qingyan, was present, demonstrating their high regard for Qiu Yan.

Then came the clinking of glasses, singing and dancing, with guests and hosts enjoying themselves immensely.

Before long, the attendees were busy building relationships and connecting with others. This kind of occasion was an opportunity, and the merchants in the city were eager to squeeze in. The reason for this was not entirely because of Qiu Yan's reputation, but also because they wanted to meet more people.

However, after arriving at the banquet and seeing the Meng Clan's attitude towards Qiu Yan, they realized what was going on and began trying to build a relationship with Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan smiled in response to the kindness of others. He did not have the airs of an official, but a faint sense of authority emanated from his every move, which others saw as the demeanor of Grandmaster. This was not something that ordinary people could bear for long. Often, after exchanging a few words with him, sweat would slowly drip down their faces, and they would eventually find an excuse to leave.

However, this scene did not make Qiu Yan appear aloof; on the contrary, it made the people attending the banquet respect him even more and feel awe towards him.

"I've already heard about Yan Zhuangshi's matter from Meng Ting. He really can't be blamed for this, especially since it was you, Xiuzhuan, who stepped in. My Meng Clan will definitely give you face."

During a break in the banquet, Meng Qingyan and Qiu Yan talked about their journey. Yan Yongjie was also present. This burly man from Yan was a little reserved at the beginning of the banquet, but as time went on, his forthright nature gradually prevailed, and before long he had become one of the crowd. Those people vaguely knew about his relationship with Qiu Yan and flattered him accordingly.

After several rounds of drinks, Yan Yongjie was still not drunk at all. When he heard Qiu Yan and the head of the Meng Clan family talking about his affairs, he took the opportunity to lean closer.

Qiu Yan pleaded on his behalf, and Yan Yongjie, of course, wouldn't refuse. Knowing it was time for him to express his gratitude, he held up a bowl of wine and said, "Master Meng, I am deeply grateful for your magnanimity. I am a rough man, and I offer this wine as a token of my thanks. I will not refuse to help you in the future if you need my assistance." With that, Yan finished speaking.

"Sir Yan, you truly have a great capacity for alcohol. I am not a strong drinker and can only offer a small token of my appreciation." When Meng Qingyan was silent, he exuded an imposing aura without anger. But he was also adept at building rapport with people. At this moment, he picked up a small wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

As the head of the Meng Clan family, he was of the same generation as Meng Qingbin and Meng Qingluo, but belonged to the eldest branch of the family. His status was inherited from his father, and he himself was also capable. While Meng Qingbin and others served as officials in the court, he managed many affairs and businesses at home. This internal and external cooperation was quite tacit, giving the Meng Clan a great prospect of Great Prosperity. This time, when Meng Qingbin made the decision to befriend Qiu Yan, he was initially hesitant, but when news came from the Grasslands one after another, he immediately changed his attitude and became even more enthusiastic than Meng Qingbin.

This is understandable. The Meng Clan family's location makes them more sensitive to news from the Grasslands, and any movement on the Grasslands is related to the Meng Clan's business, so how could they not pay attention?

Qiu Yan's Grandmaster Qi Manifestation was already enough for him to make friends with him, and now that he was subtly establishing influence on the Grasslands, he was even more determined not to let him go.

Therefore, when he spoke, he clearly lowered his posture considerably.

As they were talking, Meng Qingyan remembered something and said, "By the way, the thief captured by the compiler has been matched with the official wanted posters, and he is indeed the Seeking Gu Old Man from the Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends Bandits."

"It really is him!" Yan Yongjie frowned. "I've heard of the names of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha Fiends before. They claim to be acting on behalf of Heaven, but they don't discriminate against anyone. They take in all sorts of people, including many wicked villains. But once they join the bandits, they immediately transform into heroes who speak out for the people."

Listening to their conversation, Qiu Yan asked, "What is the story of this Seeking Gu Old Man?" He had already discerned that the old man did not seem to be a cultivator from the cultivation world, but rather a martial arts figure.

Qiu Yan had already noticed this when they fought in the Lin Zhong. At that time, the Seeking Gu Old Man was mostly skilled in Gu techniques and escape techniques, and his own Divine Ability were not that great. In fact, he was more like a shaman among the Marshfolk.

"It's normal that you don't know this person, Xiuzhuan," Meng Qingyan said, not surprised. "In his youth, he was a notorious bandit who committed countless murders. After being wanted by the government, he disappeared for decades. When he reappeared, he had mastered strange and dangerous witchcraft and caused trouble in several towns. Eventually, he was besieged by government troops and, with nowhere else to go, he sought refuge with the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha, which saved his life. I didn't expect him to be so ungrateful this time, trying to ambush Xiuzhuan, and he was captured."

"I see." Qiu Yan nodded, not revealing Meng Qingyan's thoughts. In fact, the Seeking Gu Old Man was most likely targeting the Meng Residence family.

Across from him, Meng Qingyan looked hesitant to speak. Qiu Yan's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Master Meng, please speak frankly."

"Very well," Meng Qingyan took a deep breath and said, "In my opinion, you might as well hand over the Seeking Gu Old Man to the government and let the court deal with him. There's no need to keep him by your side. To be honest, the power of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha is quite considerable. Even the government has some reservations. If they find out, it will inevitably cause trouble. Even if you are not afraid, you will find it very troublesome."

This is a rather euphemistic way of putting it; it essentially means that offending the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha will have consequences.

Qiu Yan nodded and said, "I understand your good intentions, sir. I won't hide it from you. I have some grudges with the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha. Whether or not the Seeking Gu Old Man is there, it's the same. There's no need to worry too much."

Meng Qingyan understood his meaning immediately upon hearing this, and thus said nothing more.

At the same time, other people came to meet Qiu Yan, including some students and scholars who had traveled to Dai Prefecture for further studies, all looking like they were seeking his guidance.

It is worth mentioning that Meng Bufan, who was in charge of welcoming Qiu Yan, is Meng Qingyan's son. All the younger generation of the Meng Clan who were still in Dai Prefecture attended the banquet, but without a doubt, Meng Bufan was the center of attention among the younger generation.

Now, besides the younger generation of the Meng Clan Meng Bufan, several impressive young students were also surrounding Meng Bufan, talking to him about Qiu Yan.

"Brother Meng, you've already met with the compiler. What are your impressions of him?"

"Yes, the Meng Residence summoned us here this time, saying that the Compilation Association will be giving lectures here. I really hope we can learn something."

"The top scholar in the imperial examinations, with his profound knowledge Canon Attainment, must be of first-rate learning. However, sometimes, even if one possesses profound knowledge, he may not be willing to pass it on, since we are not his disciples..."

These people chatted amongst themselves, but what they were talking about was tomorrow's lecture, and their words revealed their inner anxieties.

However, their concerns were not unfounded.

The Meng Residence's arrangements were already common knowledge in the city. Having a Grandmaster lecture was no small matter, but many students were not very interested. It wasn't that they doubted Qiu Yan's talent, but they were worried that Qiu Yan would not be willing to share his insights and experiences. In that case, the two days of lectures might be a waste of time.

Even worse, if Qiu Yan were to deliberately cause trouble, pretending to be dedicated to teaching but actually imparting incorrect principles, it could unknowingly create considerable hidden dangers for them. Of course, this possibility is extremely small, since they have no grudge against each other and there is no reason for Qiu Yan to harm them.

"I think you're overthinking it," Meng Bufan said dismissively. "Do you know who went to Hebei Circuit to pick up the compiler this time?"

"Isn't that Meng Wei, the fourth son?" A scholar who was familiar with the Meng Residence immediately answered.

The Confucian scholars who are present today are all from distinguished backgrounds; they are all prominent figures in Dai Prefecture Office and even in the surrounding counties.

Many of them came from wealthy families, or at the very least, scholarly families. From childhood to adulthood, they had teachers to guide and instruct them in their studies, and under the subtle influence of their families, they valued this highly. So when they encountered an opportunity like Qiu Yan's, even though they knew the chances were slim, they participated half-voluntarily and half-forcedly.

"Since you know it was Sixth Brother who came forward, you should also know his ambitions. He consulted with the compiler quite a bit along the way and received responses to all his questions, gaining a great deal of knowledge. If you don't believe me..." Meng Bufan looked at the group in front of him and smiled, "You can always ask him yourself after the banquet."

"Is that really so?" The others were skeptical, but still held a glimmer of hope. Meng Wei was a servant born into the Meng Clan family, but he had never been content with mediocrity since childhood and was very studious, a fact known to many. Not long ago, there was a turmoil in the Meng Clan when someone came to compete in a literary contest. In the end, it was Meng Wei who stepped forward and defeated the opponent in one fell swoop, making a name for himself.

However, regardless of the circumstances, the status of slaves was there, and in everyone's eyes, if Qiu Yan was willing to guide even the servants, then they should also have a chance.

As they talked, time slipped away, the night deepened, and the banquet finally came to an end. Qiu Yan returned to his room to rest.

The once bustling hall suddenly became quiet, with only a few servants tidying up. Among them was one person who was secretly pondering as he tidied up.

"If it's really as Sixth Young Master says, that the Compiler teaches without discrimination, then do I also have a chance? If I can seize this opportunity..."

As he read on, only one sentence remained in the servant's mind—

"Just what kind of person is the Compiler?" (To be continued...)

P. S.: Thanks to "Jiagu" and "Twenty Moons" for the monthly votes!