Spirit Beast

Xu Qi'an steeled himself, stepped forward from beside the princess, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "This is my new work."

Suddenly, everyone turned their attention to him, and the Second Princess scrutinized Xu Qi'an with her dark, round eyes.

The crown prince frowned.

The Third Prince said displeasedly, "What are you doing, a mere gong player, writing poetry?"

He was being rather tactful, meaning, "What do you, a mere warrior, know about poetry?"

"Tap tap." The princess tapped the table with her slender fingers, attracting the attention of the princes. She said calmly, "His name is Xu Qi'an. My cousin is a student at the Cloud Deer Academy."

What does this mean? For a moment, no one could understand what the eldest princess meant, and she herself seemed to enjoy seeing her brothers and sisters full of questions, but she pretended to be indifferent.

A smile appeared on her usually aloof face, "The poem 'Sending Off the Layman Ziyang' was written by him, and the poem Lin'an recited earlier was also Xu Qi'an's work."

The princes present wore expressions of disbelief, abruptly shifting their gaze to stare intently at Xu Qi'an.

The original author of that once-famous poem, "Sheep Pavilion to Layman Ziyang Pavilion on His Way to Qingzhou," was actually right in front of me?

Yes, it is said that the poem was written by the cousin of a student at the Cloud Deer Academy. Just now, Huaiqing said that this cousin of Tonglu Academy is a student at the Cloud Deer Academy. The Third Prince knew the most about these rumors and immediately realized that what Huaiqing said could not be false.

This loyal dog who admired Huaiqing was none other than the poet Second Princess, who wrote "The Fragrance Drifts in the Moonlit Dusk." She opened her charming peach blossom eyes and stared intently at Xu Qi'an, her opinion of this gong slightly changed.

Xu Qi'an was initially taken aback, subconsciously assuming that his behavior of sleeping with the courtesan Fuxiang was being closely monitored by the Princess.

But he quickly realized that it was Princess Huaiqing who had instructed the night Nightwatchers to follow him, so the princess naturally knew about him.

His Highness the Crown Prince questioned, "But I heard that the Imperial Academy of Music, named Yang Ling, is a student from Changle County."

The eldest princess did not answer.

Xu Qi'an had no choice but to explain himself, "It's an alias I used."

The crown prince remained silent.

The Third Prince pressed on, "That line of poetry I just heard was quite good; 'drunk, unaware that the sky is reflected in the water' is quite evocative, making one eager to know what happens next."

Born into the royal family, the princes and grandsons of the dragon received the best education. Even the second princess, who only liked dressing up and disliked studying, was forced to read the classics for several years when she was young.

With a solid cultural foundation and a decent level of appreciation, the Third Prince's interruption brought his attention back to the poetry. Knowing Xu Qi'an's identity only made him more eager to learn more.

Xu Qi'an slowly said, "Drunk, I knew not if the sky was reflected in the water; a boat full of sweet dreams pressed down on the Milky Way."

Drunk, unaware that the sky is reflected in the water, a boat full of sweet dreams presses down on the Milky Way. The second princess recited these lines of poetry several times in a low voice, feeling that they depicted a beautiful scene that only existed in nursery rhymes.

In the quiet of the night, she lay on the bow of a small boat, dressed in a beautiful dress, with the starry sky above her and the Milky Way reflected on the water.

The small boat drifted on the lake, creating ripples, and she slept peacefully.

Princess Lin'an's heart pounded twice.

The princess's eyes flickered slightly, and she subconsciously moved her neck, as if she wanted to turn her head to look at Xu Qi'an, but she held back.

Maintaining the aloof and serene demeanor of a white lotus.

An eerie silence fell over the surroundings as the princes pondered and savored the two lines of poetry.

Unlike the second princess, the princes experienced a sense of ethereal tranquility, far removed from worldly affairs.

The atmosphere is relaxed, close to nature, carefree, free from the toil of paperwork, the noise of music, and the intrigue of the world. At the same time, upon waking, a slight sense of melancholy lingers in one's heart.

"What a fine poem! What a fine poem!" The Third Prince slammed his hand on the table, his emotions running high. He felt as if he had witnessed the birth of a masterpiece. This was an honor that no scholar could resist.

"Is this a seven-character quatrain or a seven-character regulated verse?" asked the seventh prince, who was about the same age as Xu Qi'an.

That's all, only these two sentences remain.

"!!!"

The princes were taken aback, staring at him with complicated and strange expressions.

"Don't joke around," the Third Prince snapped, his voice tinged with impatience and frustration. "What's next? What's next?!"

He looked exactly like a reader driven mad by the torment of missing chapters, finally having the chance to meet the author in person, suppressing his emotions that could explode at any moment, and saying: I'm giving you one last chance, go and write!

"Impromptu poem? That's all I can do." Xu Qi'an felt a little ashamed; this poem wasn't in the nine-year compulsory education textbook.

Of course, as a cultured person, he couldn't have only studied the poems in textbooks. He would also collect some excellent poems on his own, but he couldn't remember them all, only the most essential lines.

This song is a perfect example.

"You, you!" The Third Prince pointed at Xu Qi'an, too angry to speak.

The other princes watched coldly from the sidelines, secretly supporting the Third Prince in dealing with Broken Chapter Dog.

The eldest princess rose at the opportune moment to defuse the situation, saying, "Xu Ningyan, accompany me for a walk."

"Outrageous!" Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, the Third Prince slammed his fist on the table, still seething with anger.

"What a pity." The crown prince shook his head.

"Oh dear, I just remembered!" the second princess suddenly exclaimed, "I haven't asked him how the investigation into the Sangbo case is going!"

It's him! His Highness the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes. No wonder the name Xu Qi'an sounded familiar. After the Second Princess reminded him, he remembered this nobody.

The eldest princess dismissed the guards and palace maids, and walked side by side with Xu Qi'an by the lake.

Xu Qi'an instinctively fell behind by half a step.

"What business do you have with me?" The princess gazed at the calm lake surface, her voice carrying the texture of ice colliding and the charm of a woman's voice.

"This humble servant has encountered some trouble in the investigation; all leads have gone cold." Xu Qi'an glanced at the Princess, and seeing her nonchalant expression, his tone became more sincere as he told her about the saltpeter mine and the case of the minor official being silenced.

"I already know all this." The princess's beautiful face remained expressionless as she admired the scenery on the lake.

She already knows? Hmm, with the Princess's abilities, it wouldn't be difficult for her to find out the information I've uncovered.

Xu Qi'an gritted his teeth, intending to reveal some more inside information. "Why did the Demon Race bomb the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple? This is a mystery, and also the breakthrough point in this case."

First, verify if it is the first supervisor. If it is, then the group colluding with the Demon Race can be narrowed down to a general range.

The eldest princess withdrew her gaze, her beautiful eyes turning to Xu Qi'an, and said in a calm tone, "Beneath the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple, there is indeed a terrifyingly powerful being or object sealed. And this secret is known only to Father."

Xu Qi'an almost lost control of his expression.

The eldest princess even knows this?

She has already realized that there is a sealed artifact beneath the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple. Yes, after reading my investigation file, it's not surprising that the Princess, with her intelligence and wisdom, could deduce this.

Xu Qi'an never expected that the Princess would speak of this matter so frankly with him. You must know that the secret of the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple was known only to Emperor Yuanjing.

"You are a rare talent. Would you be willing to serve me?" Seeing that Xu Qi'an was slightly moved, the Princess knew that he was shocked. She chuckled and extended an olive branch.

This was exactly what Xu Qi'an wanted, his heart's desire, though he dared not speak it aloud. Since the Princess was so adept at handling things, Xu Qi'an immediately said:

"This humble servant is determined to serve the princess with my life."

Xu Qi'an was very familiar with this routine; he used the same method to curry favor with his superiors when he worked at his previous company.

"Of course, we're just business allies, mutually beneficial, not dogs of imperial power," he added in his mind.

Given the princess's emotional and intellectual intelligence, maintaining a relatively respectable relationship should not be difficult.

The princess smiled brightly, and even the lake seemed to dim in comparison.

"Speak, what did you find out?" Princess Lotus's tone and attitude had changed drastically, and the subtle barrier between them had disappeared.

Xu Qi'an considered it for a moment and decided to tell the truth, explaining that he had just formed an "alliance" with the princess and needed to demonstrate his value.

The princess thought this younger brother was very strong and quite impressive.

Furthermore, he needed the Princess's help to figure out the sealed artifact of Sangbo. Besides, it was the Princess who brought up the topic first, and she frankly told him that only Emperor Yuanjing knew this secret.

"According to my investigation, there is a mastermind behind Zhou Chixiong, who is also a demon Demon Race he is colluding with," Xu Qi'an said.

A strange light flashed in the princess's eyes. "How do you know?"

Xu Qi'an said, "Magistrate Zhao of Taikang County died this morning in the dungeon of the government office. I suspect he was silenced."

The eldest princess lowered her gaze, nodding as she pondered.

Xu Qi'an continued, "This humble servant has been wondering why the Demon Race destroyed Sangbo, and why the mastermind behind it colluded with the Demon Race. I sent people to investigate all the documents related to Sangbo and discovered something very strange, pinpointing a specific time point: five hundred years ago!"

He paused here, giving the princess time to be shocked.

But he was disappointed; the princess merely frowned and processed the information.

Cijiu is right, this woman is shrewd and unfathomable.

"Five hundred years ago, the then-crown prince accidentally fell into the water, subsequently developed hysteria, and soon drowned in Sangbo," Xu Qi'an said.

The eldest princess looked as if she had just realized something. "I remember this incident from the past."

Xu Qi'an nodded and continued, "Five hundred years ago, when Emperor Wu revitalized the court and purged the villains, there was one person he couldn't avoid—the first Supervisor!"

Upon hearing this, the princess's face truly paled.

Xu Qi'an gazed at the princess's flawless, beautiful face, and asked a series of questions, "Why did the Director of the Imperial Observatory feign illness? Why did His Majesty keep the sealed artifact of Sangbo a secret? Why has the thing below survived five hundred years of suppression? Why are the Warlock of the Bureau of Astronomy completely unaware of the past of the first Director of the Imperial Observatory?"

Is this a distortion of human nature or a decline in morality? Xu Qi'an added, "Of course, this is just my guess, but if we have to find a strong person who meets the criteria from five hundred years ago, it would undoubtedly be the first Supervisor."

The eldest princess seemed shocked and remained silent for a long time. A gust of wind blew, rippling the lake, and she sighed, "So, you came to see me for..."

"This subordinate wishes to examine the files that cannot be found outside," Xu Qi'an said. "This subordinate discovered a sealing formation in Sangbo, and Buddhist script is inscribed on the stone pillars of the formation."

"Buddhist text?" The princess's hand, hidden in her sleeve, unconsciously twitched. She stared at Xu Qi'an for a few seconds before looking away, her tone calm. "Alright, after the banquet, I will take you to the Wenyuan Pavilion."

Xu Qi'an breathed a sigh of relief. After thanking them, he suddenly heard a silvery laugh and the sound of splashing water behind him.

Turning her head, she saw the second princess, dressed in a fiery red dress, standing on the back of a monster, her hands gripping the monster's horns, swaying precariously to maintain her balance, her back view graceful and alluring.

The monster was pure white, covered in fine scales, and had a flat plate of armor on its back, just large enough for a person to stand on. It was three meters long, with sharp claws on its belly, and looked like a dragon.

The eldest princess turned around and explained, "This beast is called the Spirit Dragon. It is a unique spirit beast in the Central Plains. It has a gentle nature and is said to have been the water mount of the ancient human emperor."

"It delights in absorbing the auspicious purple qi of the human world, and thus was kept in the palace by the imperial families of successive dynasties, symbolizing the arrival of purple qi energy from the east. It represents the orthodoxy of the human race."

The eldest princess added, "This beast possesses the Qi-Watching Technique."

So that's what we saw in the lake. Xu Qi'an hummed in agreement. Purple qi is the unique fortune of royalty and nobility. This kind of monster needs purple qi to nourish it, which means it is an auspicious beast.

The mythical beast sometimes raised its head, sometimes skimmed the water, creating ripples. The second princess smiled radiantly, clucking like a little hen, having a wonderful time.

The princes watched with smiles, while the other two princesses ran to the shore, calling for Lin'an to come ashore so they could take turns playing.

"Although the spirit dragon is gentle, it is also very proud and will attack ordinary people who approach it. Only because Lin'an is a princess can she play with it." The princess said, pursing her lips, and did something that Xu Qi'an did not expect.

She put her index finger to her lips and whistled loudly.

Upon hearing the whistle, the dragon raised its head high like a snake and turned to the side.

Everyone saw that the spirit dragon stiffened for a moment, then suddenly became restless, letting out a clear and loud cry, shaking its head and trying to throw the second princess off, as if being ridden by the second princess was a very shameful thing.

"Ah"

"Splash!" The second princess screamed as she plunged into the lake.

The dragon, in a frenzy, twisted its body and swam toward the princess, roaring incessantly as it broke through the water, its excitement or rage indistinguishable.

Wow!

As it approached the shore, it shot into the sky, then crashed heavily back down, its head slamming into the bank and splashing up a torrent of mud.

A few drops of mud were splattered on the princess's plain white dress.

The princess was somewhat surprised. The spirit beast seemed to be particularly close to her today. The reason she whistled was not to summon the spirit beast, but to attract its attention and make a head-turning motion, thereby causing the unsteady Lin'an to fall into the water.

Unexpectedly, Linglong reacted so strongly, shaking its head and sending Lin'an flying.

The eldest princess's style is somewhat reminiscent of the scholars at the Cloud Deer Academy. She's incredibly cunning. My little brother is just as treacherous and malicious. Oh, the eldest princess studied at the Cloud Deer Academy. Xu Dalang has gained a deeper understanding of Xu Erlang's warning.

Indeed, only those who are cunning can truly understand those who are cunning.

The commotion on the water startled the princes. The crown prince was the first to rush to the shore and call for the guards to rescue the people.

"Linglong really does prefer Huaiqing."

"Does this mean that Huaiqing's purple qi is stronger than Lin'an's?"

"That doesn't seem quite right either. The spirit dragon isn't very enthusiastic towards us. Look at how obsequious it is. I only saw it once when I was a child, and that was when it was facing my father."

"Huaiqing is over."

The eldest princess lifted her skirt and walked towards the spirit dragon with a slight smile, intending to ride it.

Over here, the princes and princesses, including the crown prince, were also watching this scene.

P. S.: That was a commercial break; now for the main content. A long chapter of 4,000 words—asking for a monthly vote isn't too much to ask, is it? Back in the day, when I read novels, I'd shout, "Author, sir!"

Now I write novels too, and I call out to: Dear readers!!

Wow, times change so fast! Please vote for me!

As usual, any typos will be explained in this chapter.

There will also be one more chapter at midnight.