Borrowing Someone

Buddhist School is so powerful, why would it seal away its own traitor in the Great Feng? Either the Great Feng's Sangbo has something special about it, or the problem stems from Shenshu himself.

Xu Qi'an hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't help but ask the question.

"I am just an ordinary person and do not know these inside stories." Wei Yuan shook his head, indicating that he did not know either.

"Xu Ningyan, you're twenty this year, aren't you?" Wei Yuan suddenly asked.

"Yes, Duke Wei." Xu Qi'an was taken aback, thinking to himself why this opening remark had such a strong sense of déjà vu.

Sure enough, Wei Yuan then said, "It's about time she got to settle down and start a family."

The lifespan of ordinary people in this world is generally high. If they are not affected by natural disasters or man-made calamities, it is easy for them to live past sixty years old, and it is common for them to live to seventy or eighty.

Therefore, the age range for marriage is very wide. Some girls get married at the age of fourteen, with small breasts and undeveloped buttocks. This is ridiculous and laughable.

Some women are still unmarried in their twenties, the flower-lined path never swept for guests, where can the beautiful maiden teach them to play the flute? How pitiful!

Xu Qi'an had such examples around him: his aunt who married his second uncle at the age of sixteen, and Huaiqing who was still illiterate at the age of twenty-five.

When asked about lifespan, Xu Qi'an couldn't help but have doubts. It seemed somewhat illogical that Confucian School sage would pass away at the age of 82.

However, Wei Yuan was a weakling who couldn't even kill a chicken, so discussing such advanced knowledge with him felt pointless and unnecessary.

Xu Qi'an tentatively asked, "What does Duke Wei mean?"

"The Right Inspector-General has a granddaughter who is of marriageable age and is quite pretty," Wei Yuan said.

"You are too handsome to be worthy of my humble position," Xu Qi'an shook his head.

"The fourth young lady of the Marquis of Weihai is seventeen this year. The Marquis of Weihai wants to find her a husband. You are a viscount, so you are a good match," Wei Yuan said.

"I'm not bragging, but the Earl's daughter is not good enough for me." Xu Qi'an shook his head again.

"What about the Grand Canal Governor's niece? I'm currently short of money. If you could arrange a marriage between you and him, it would be a great relief to my urgent needs." Wei Yuan looked at him.

No, although I jokingly call myself a second-generation eunuch, you're not really my father. Your desire for a political marriage is too obvious. Xu Qi'an thought for a moment and said, "Is she pretty?"

"She is naturally pretty and charming," Wei Yuan said.

Upon hearing the words "delicate and charming," Xu Qi'an immediately dismissed them, shaking his head.

"To be honest, I've saved up quite a bit of money and plan to redeem all the courtesans from the Imperial Academy of Music. If my wife is only pretty, I'm afraid she won't be able to keep those seductive vixens in check."

Wei Yuan frowned. "What kind of woman do you want as a wife, or do you already have someone you like?"

There are too many women I like. Xu Qi'an pondered, "First, she must be as beautiful as an angel; second, she must have a noble status; and finally, she must have considerable talent and be a virtuous wife who can handle both social graces and domestic duties."

Wei Yuan smiled. "Then why don't I ask His Majesty for your hand in marriage and bring a princess home?"

Xu Qi'an became somewhat excited. "Duke Wei, is it true?"

Wei Yuan nodded and pointed to the doorway.

What are your orders, Duke Wei?

"Get out."

After being expelled from Haoqi Tower by Wei Yuan, Xu Qi'an did not return to his own Yidao Hall, but instead went to the newly built Chunfeng Hall.

Li Yuchun was about to lead Song Tingfeng, Zhu Guangxiao, and several others to patrol the streets when the commotion caused by the Buddhist School monks last night caused a great stir among the city's residents this morning.

Some people were amazed by the power of the Buddhist School monks, while others felt that Buddhist School was going too far and hoped that the imperial court would send troops to punish them.

From royalty to commoners, this was the topic of conversation this morning.

It's a good thing that the internet didn't exist in this era; otherwise, millions of people in Great Feng would shout, "Bring on the keyboard!"

He fought a three-hundred-round battle with the Buddhist School of the Western Regions on the keyboard.

In order to prevent people in the community from taking the opportunity to cause trouble or spread rumors, the Yamen has strengthened patrol tasks.

"One warehouse, one warehouse!"

Xu Qi'an immediately stopped Li Yuchun and the others, went back to Yidaotang and called his subordinate Tongluo. A dozen or so men strode around the streets with an air of indifference.

After patrolling for half an hour, they passed a brothel. Xu Qi'an said, "Boss, you take my men and patrol over there. I'll take Tingfeng and Guangxiao and patrol this way."

Li Yuchun retorted, "Why arrange things so chaotically? You bring your people, I'll bring mine; there's no need for this mix-and-match."

Xu Qi'an thought for a moment and said, "Hey, you patrol the streets with the gong, and I'll take the brothers to the other side. That way, there won't be any chaos."

Li Yuchun thought about it and felt much better. He nodded and said, "Go."

After watching Li Yuchun and the others leave, Xu Qi'an led two colleagues into the brothel.

They easily found a private room on the second floor, invited a few pretty girls to keep them company, and the three of them ate, listened to music, and watched a play while eating, as if they had returned to the leisurely life they used to lead while patrolling the streets.

"Ningyan."

Song Tingfeng said helplessly, "I was originally a prodigal son who had turned over a new leaf, but unfortunately, I'm always surrounded by bad influences."

"Alright, we all know you're still the same boy you used to be!" Xu Qi'an was too lazy to complain to him. He listened to the music with great interest, opened his mouth, and let the pretty girl next to him put a peanut in.

As the saying goes, diligence is temporary, laziness is eternal.

While suppressing bandits in Yunzhou, Song Tingfeng diligently practiced his cultivation under pressure, working tirelessly every day. However, once he returned to the decadent capital, his laziness and hedonistic nature were aroused.

However, compared to before, Song Tingfeng is now much more composed and resolute, and he is also more diligent in his cultivation than before, which is ultimately a good thing.

"Clang!"

A glass shattered in the lobby. A drunken swordsman threw down his glass, stood up, and, hiccuping, pointed at the crowd and cursed angrily:

"I had long heard that extravagance was rampant in the capital, with everyone from high-ranking officials to commoners indulging in pleasure, but I didn't believe it at first. However, after only ten days in the capital, all I've seen is the decadent lifestyle of the rich and powerful."

"On the Heroic Platforms of both the North and South Cities, the stinky monk swaggered around, but after so many days, not a single expert stepped forward to fight; they all just stood by and watched coldly."

"Last night, Buddhist School master descended in his divine form and questioned the Director of the Bureau of Astronomy Observatory in our Great Feng, Dafeng. This is intolerable!"

His companions rushed forward, tossed him a few pieces of silver, and dragged him out of the brothel.

The opera continued, but the guests' conversation shifted to the Buddhist School delegation.

"This Buddhist School is indeed arrogant. Our Great Feng has suppressed Buddhism for four hundred years, yet they dare to preach in the city. In the north of the city, countless families have converted to Buddhism. I heard that some people have even donated their entire fortunes to build temples for Buddhist School monks."

"The imperial court doesn't do anything about it. Does our Great Feng fear the Buddhist School? Remember how powerful Great Feng was during the Battle of Shanhai Pass twenty years ago?"

"Perhaps it's out of consideration for our allies; anyway, the imperial court has become increasingly corrupt over the years."

"Shh, don't say things like that."

"Leaving aside last night's commotion, that was divine intervention. But that little monk from the South City has been sitting on the arena for five days, and not a single hero has stepped forward? Is there no one left in our Great Feng?"

Song Tingfeng put down his wine cup, pushed away the woman nestled in his arms, and muttered under his breath, "What a spoilsport!"

"Let's just drink our own food and not worry about these things. Even if the sky falls, we don't need to worry about it," Xu Qi'an said with a smile.

Masters, please put in your best efforts to embarrass Emperor Yuanjing even more. It would be best if the historians recorded this: In the 37th year of Yuanjing's reign, a delegation from the Western Regions entered the capital. A young monk held a martial arts contest for five days and was undefeated. An old monk then manifested a Dharma image and questioned the court.

Hehe, that adds another dark chapter to Emperor Yuanjing's history!

At this moment, a servant from the government office came running down the street carrying a gong, banging it and shouting, "The Bureau of Astronomy wants to have a magical duel with a high- Buddhist School! The Bureau of Astronomy wants to have a magical duel with a high- Buddhist School monk!"

"Everyone, go to the notice board and look at the imperial edict! Everyone, go to the notice board and look at the imperial edict!"

When Xu Qi'an led Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao to the notice board at the inner city gate, the spacious square was crowded with commoners and martial arts practitioners.

The soldiers guarding the city and several Nightwatchers were responsible for maintaining order.

Xu Qi'an took off his sword, brandished the scabbard, and slapped away some of the hot-tempered martial arts figures who were pushing and shoving, helping to maintain order while listening to the people in the front row read the announcement.

The proclamation was simple, essentially saying that the Western Regions delegation had come from afar and was warmly welcomed by the imperial court. After friendly consultations, they jointly formulated a concept of sustainable development, and the relationship between the two countries would become even closer, with everyone making progress together and achieving prosperity through hard work.

Then, the eminent monk from the Western Regions proposed a magical duel with the Bureau of Astronomy to exchange "technical skills." The Bureau of Astronomy readily agreed, and the two sides will hold a grand magical duel in the main square of the Star-Gazing Tower tomorrow. At that time, the people of the city can go and watch on their own.

"As expected of an official statement, it rambled on and on about how the battle of wits was fought, and they still couldn't win. Why make such a big fuss? Was it at Master Du'e's request?"

While he was thinking, he noticed that Li Yuchun had also come over with his men. He must have been nearby and heard the announcement from the government office's servants, so he came to check it out.

"Boss!"

Xu Qi'an went to greet him.

Seeing that the order was well maintained, Li Yuchun said with satisfaction, "Since returning from Yunzhou, the three of you have finally shaken off your previous laziness and become more mature and steady."

"That means we've grown up," Xu Qi'an replied with a grin.

At noon, under the bright sunshine, a sunshade was erected in the large square outside the Bureau of Astronomy, providing a place for the high-ranking officials and nobles of the capital to rest.

More than a thousand imperial guards surrounded the square, prohibiting unauthorized personnel from approaching.

The common people in the city and those from the martial arts world who wished to watch could only observe from the outside.

After lunch, the Western Regions delegation, led by Master Du'e, traveled from the Sanyang Post Station in the outer city through the bustling crowds and market to the large square Star-Gazing Tower.

Chu Caiwei stood at the edge of the Eight Trigrams Platform, looking down at a group of monks slowly approaching. Among the figures in blue robes were several figures wrapped in red and yellow kasayas.

Leading the group was the withered, dark-skinned, and elderly-looking Arhat, Du'e.

"Teacher, the monks are causing trouble!" Chu Caiwei said, pulling a pastry out of her pocket and watching the spectacle with great interest.

"You're here."

The supervisor sipped his wine, basked in the sun, and was completely at ease.

"Is the teacher planning to participate personally?"

"Caiwei, if Master were to intervene, even the Bodhisattva himself would need to come. Du'e wants to engage in a magical contest with me, not a physical fight."

"Then who do you want to send to fight?" Chu Caiwei tilted her head and analyzed, "Senior Sister Zhong Li is plagued by misfortune, and she will lose eight thousand of her own for every eight hundred enemies she kills."

"Senior Brother Song and I are both Alchemist, not skilled in combat. With Second Senior Brother not in the capital, only Senior Brother Yang can fight."

The supervisor sighed.

Why is the teacher sighing?

"Unfortunately, your Senior Brother Yang Qi Deviation during practice yesterday and is unable to participate in the battle."

"Ah?" Chu Caiwei was taken aback. Instantly, the pastry in her mouth lost its flavor. She frowned, her delicate brows furrowing with worry.

"What should we do then?"

"I'm annoyed too, so I need you to go to the palace and ask His Majesty for someone."

A moment later, a woman in a yellow dress rode a horse and galloped into the palace.

Just past noon, Emperor Yuanjing was studying Daoist scriptures at Lingbao Temple, listening to the female national teacher expound on the profound meaning of the classics, but he couldn't calm down and was distracted.

"Is Your Majesty troubled by the matter of the magical duel?" Luo Yuheng asked softly.

Emperor Yuanjing hesitated for a moment, then said, "Although I have full confidence in the Supervisor, the Buddhist School has come prepared this time. If they lose the contest, what face will the Great Feng Dynasty have left?"

"The Warlock System is quite unique, as it doesn't prioritize combat strength, which is indeed not very reliable." Luo Yuheng nodded.

Among all current systems, the Warlock System has the weakest combat power. Its strength lies not in individual combat power, but in enhancing national power.

One of the key factors that made the Great Feng army invincible was its superior military equipment, and those ingenious siege weapons, cannons, ballistae, and so on all came from the Bureau of Astronomy.

This is something that other systems cannot do.

Ninth-rank Healer save lives and heal the wounded, while eighth-rank Qi-Watching Master and seventh-rank Feng Shui Master are skilled in geomancy and improving feng shui; these are all extremely powerful auxiliary skills.

Even fourth-rank formation masters are actually support roles; their forte is not combat, but crafting Law Artifact.

Warlock need to be affiliated with a dynasty; the two have a symbiotic relationship.

Upon hearing Luo Yuheng's words, Emperor Yuanjing's worries deepened.

"Your Majesty might consider inviting the Dean of the Cloud Deer Academy. Among the various systems, martial arts are the strongest in combat, but if we're talking about which system is the most complete and without any weaknesses, then it's only Confucian School. Confucian School can handle any situation; even if the methods of Buddhist School are superb, Confucian School can still manage it."

Emperor Yuanjing's eyes brightened slightly, then he shook his head. "Grand Preceptor, last year I intended to appoint Dean Zhao to an official post, but he refused."

The implication was that he couldn't persuade the scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy to come.

During the conversation, an old eunuch hurried in and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, a report has come from the palace that Chu Caiwei from the Bureau of Astronomy is requesting an audience on her master's orders."

She requested an audience on her master's orders. Emperor Yuanjing pondered for a moment and said, "I am listening to the Imperial Preceptor's sermon and will not return to the palace. Have her come to Lingbao Temple to see me."

The old eunuch accepted the order and left.

Emperor Yuanjing looked at Luo Yuheng and said, "The Supervisor should be concerned about the magical duel. The Imperial Advisor should also listen and offer his advice."

Although he is the emperor, his cultivation is low and he lacks his own opinions. He needs Luo Yuheng to offer advice and analysis.

P. S.: Sorry I'm an hour late.

P. S.: I'd like to recommend a friend's book. "The Amazing Son-in-Law," by Qi Jia Qi Ge. He's an experienced author, so the quality is guaranteed.