Taking Office

After uttering these words, Qiu Yan waved his sleeve again, and a gust of wind swept away the scattered debris in the room. Yang She, who had been leaning to one side, was also lifted up by an invisible force and landed on the soft couch in the room.

The caretakers of the Book Repository usually had to stay inside for a long time, but Yang She, as Academician Lecturer-in-Attendance, was different from ordinary guards and was provided with some equipment for self-cultivation.

As the light settled on it, Yang She's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and a thin layer of soft, lasting light could be faintly seen on his face.

Immediately afterward, Qiu Yan raised his hand again and made a grasping motion. Instantly, the entire Book Repository trembled slightly, and streams of Fortune rose up. It was the bamboo slips that had been stored elsewhere that Qiu Yan released one by one, taking advantage of Han Bian's Karmic Sin!

After doing all that, he glanced out the window, calculated the time, and without even looking at Han Bian, walked away.

Inside the room, silence returned for a moment, except for Han Bian's occasional screams of agony, as if he were enduring unimaginable torture. On his body, Karmic Sin black mist churned and burst forth with faces, slowly sinking into his soul!

Han Bian's face grew increasingly ashen, and sweat began to pour down his forehead, soaking his clothes in no time.

"What cruel torture! Qiu Yan is truly ruthless. He seems to be letting me off the hook, and even if my father questions me, I can explain myself. But this kind of torture has brought out Karmic Sin within me. Each Karmic Sin is infiltrating my soul and diminishing my Fortune. I'm afraid it will completely wipe out my fortune!"

Feeling the changes in his body, Han Bian had a variety of thoughts flashing through his mind, and his fear of Qiu Yan grew deeper and deeper!

"If my Fortune, he can say that I brought it upon myself, and that's how he can explain it to the Han Family! Besides, he must have tampered with our discussion on the level of consciousness, preventing me from seeking external help, otherwise he would have obtained some information!"

Thinking about this, Han Bian realized that Qiu Yan hadn't shown mercy; on the contrary, he had been ruthless. He had not only punished Qiu Yan but also left behind many contingency plans!

"We really can't let our guard down for even a moment..." As he was thinking, Han Bian suddenly heard Yang She on the soft couch make a slight sound. Startled, he regained some composure, forced himself to get up, gritted his teeth, and walked out of the room.

Not long after, Yang She woke up from his deep sleep. His face was full of confusion. As he recalled what had happened, his expression slowly changed, and finally he revealed shock and anger.

"You bastard Han Bian! How dare you bully me like this!"

Upon hearing this, Yang She first filled with anger, then fear, and forcibly suppressed his words, though his eyes flashed with an undisguised hatred.

On the other side, Qiu Yan left the Book Repository, and Meng Sanyi was no longer visible outside the door. He did not linger in the Hanlin Academy. Although he had been promoted, he had not yet officially changed into his official robes and taken charge of the official seal. The court's appointment had not yet been formally issued to the Hanlin Academy. Staying here would only make everyone in the Hanlin Academy uncomfortable.

After leaving, Qiu Yan returned to his own house.

This house was originally his residence after he became the top scholar in the imperial examination and entered the position of compiler. If he were no longer an official in the capital, it would naturally be taken back by the court.

Of course, it's also possible that as one's official rank rises, they will be moved to a better house.

For now, Liu Huai and the others stayed there. Relatives meeting again naturally had much to say. After a few words, Qiu Yan met Zheng Yun, the son of his friend Zheng Zhongsen, who was also his student. If Qiu Yan were to establish a school of thought and academy in the future, Zheng Yun would be his number one disciple.

Under Qiu Yan's personal guidance, Zheng Yun made rapid progress. During Qiu Yan's time in the northern Grasslands, he also studied diligently and answered questions fluently.

In fact, Zheng Yun was extraordinary from the start, with a rather peculiar background. Although he was not very old, he grew up rapidly. He was only three or four years old, but he already looked like a teenager. Moreover, he was born with knowledge and learned things extremely quickly.

However, after arriving in the Imperial City, his rapidly growing body gradually stabilized. According to Qiu Yan's calculations, his growth cycle was similar to that of an ordinary teenager. It was unclear whether this was due to the suppression of the pool's will or the pervasive Dragon Qi.

Speaking of which, when First Meeting Zheng Yun, he still had a bit of Yao Qi about him, but after years of studying, that Yao Qi disappeared, replaced by a rich Literary Thought temperament.

Looking at the thin boy in front of him, Qiu Yan nodded slowly and said, "Your studies are quite good, but your body is a bit weak. Of the Six Arts of a gentleman, reading and writing are only one part. You can't neglect physical fitness either. Even if you don't ride horses, you still need to practice archery."

Zheng Yun nodded in agreement; he would not disobey his teacher's instructions.

However, some people complained--

"Yun'er studies very diligently every day, getting up early and working late. Making him practice archery would not only waste his time but also exhaust his energy. What if he gets injured?" Liu Huai shook his head vigorously.

Now, the whole family is gathered in the main hall, chatting about everyday things.

Compared to before, the old man's spirit and energy have changed; he is now more energetic, and his clothes are quite exquisite. Compared to the former steward of the Pan Household, he is like heaven and earth.

As Qiu Yan's status rose and his reputation grew, the saying "when one man attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs rise to prominence" naturally came true. Liu Huai, Liu Yue, and others, as his relatives, inevitably received a lot of flattery and respect, and their demeanor changed accordingly.

Suddenly rising from the bottom to the top is the easiest way to lose oneself. Fortunately, Liu Huai was the steward of the Pan Household and had seen and heard countless things. He restrained his son and valued character when choosing servants and maids, for fear of affecting Qiu Yan's reputation.

However, although Liu Huai was kind and thoughtful, he still had some of the habits of an old man, and he was very protective of the younger generation, almost to the point of spoiling them.

Not long ago, Liu Yue's wife gave birth to a son, which delighted Liu Huai. He was overjoyed and his love for the younger generation was even greater than before. Zheng Yun was Qiu Yan's student and disciple, and he had long regarded him as a grandson.

Normally, Zheng Yun studies diligently, often until late at night, which already makes Qiu Yan feel quite sorry for him. Now that Qiu Yan is telling him to practice his strength by drawing a bow, how can he possibly resist?

"Father, what my cousin said is definitely reasonable. His status is not ordinary now." Liu Yue comforted him from the side. He had long known that his cousin was no longer the same as before. He was known as Grandmaster of Military School strategy and had won many battles on the Grasslands.

In fact, whenever Liu Yue went out, he would sit down in a teahouse and hear the storyteller vividly describe the battles on the Grasslands, as if he had seen them with his own eyes. Whenever military matters were discussed, Qiu Yan would inevitably be mentioned, followed by a series of praises.

During the national war, military affairs cannot be spread casually. However, there are not many rules under the emperor's nose. The storytellers' stories are also polished through official channels, with some intention of stabilizing the people's hearts. Therefore, when other fronts are slow to make progress, it is natural to take out Qiu Yan's invincible deeds and exaggerate them.

Having heard such stories many times, Liu Yue naturally developed a sense of awe towards Qiu Yan. Therefore, after Qiu Yan returned this time, Liu Yue behaved very respectfully, almost restrained. Now, upon hearing his father contradict Qiu Yan, he instinctively tried to stop him, completely disregarding the reason for the conversation and whether the two sides were right or wrong.

Upon seeing this, Qiu Yan smiled and waved his hand, saying, "If Uncle objects, we can let Yun'er practice strength for a shorter period of time, but it cannot be abandoned. In fact, this kind of practice also has the purpose of mobilizing the mind and body, improving experience and concentration. Reading emphasizes physical practice; simply reading and memorizing is ultimately Lower Vehicle. Over time, it is inevitable that one will become physically lazy, which will eventually affect one's thinking, making it difficult to achieve great things. Moreover, in my lineage, Knowledge and Action are fundamental, and this cannot be neglected."

Liu Huai listened and thought there was some truth to it, but looking at Zheng Yun, he still felt some pity and was about to say something more.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Yun spoke up, saying, "Uncle, there's no need for that. What the teacher mentioned must be beneficial to Yun'er. Actually, lately, I've often felt mentally fogged up. Sometimes, if I sit for too long, I can't concentrate on reading. I have to get up and move around a bit to feel better. Now that I think about it, it's just as the teacher said. I've only focused on reading and memorizing, neglecting my physical body and disrupting my thoughts."

Even the person involved said so, so what could Liu Huai do but nod in agreement?

Afterwards, the family had a reunion dinner and then happily parted ways.

When Qiu Yan returned, the entire household celebrated as if it were a festival. This was because the people in the household had only heard of Qiu Yan's reputation. Although they were honored, they were not entirely at ease. What kind of place was the battlefield? Swords have no eyes. If one was not careful, the pillar of the family could be in danger. Of course, they were worried.

However, these are things that cannot be said normally. Therefore, on the day Qiu Yan returned, the worries that were not dared to be spoken have all dissipated, allowing the servants and maids in the mansion to truly feel at ease.

The next morning, officials came to formally announce the appointment. Qiu Yan accepted the official robe and seal, expressed his gratitude, and rested at home for another day before taking office.

However, the location of appointments varies.

After Qiu Yan accepted the imperial edict, his Original Edition position as a Hanlin Compiler was revoked. Now, he has three positions, belonging to three different institutions. Whether he goes to the Hanlin Academy or the Imperial Academy, it makes sense.

However, having heard the emperor's conversation that day, Qiu Yan naturally knew where to go. After getting ready, he went to the Privy Council.

The Hanlin Academy was not hard to find; there were layers of guards along the way, and they all nodded to Qiu Yan when they saw him.

This alley was quite quiet, but before Qiu Yan even entered the courtyard, she could hear a commotion from a distance.

"Those few Hu people are extremely stubborn, and their souls are also bound by restrictions. There's no way you can get any information out of them. It's better to just kill them and use it to deter the other Hu Tribe."

"We've finally captured a few enemy chieftains; how can we so easily execute them? Besides, even if we have to behead them, there's no rush! Let the border troops interrogate them thoroughly; perhaps they'll find something!"

"What's the point of keeping them alive if we don't kill them now? Are we supposed to raise them? That's absurd!"

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