A grand entrance
This is my daughter!
The aunt frowned, picked up Lingyin, and placed her on her lap.
"Doesn't she look like me?" Auntie asked, somewhat unhappy.
"It's up to you where you are; she seems to have nothing to do with you." The older woman's faint smile froze slightly, then returned to normal in an instant, and she said with a gentle smile:
"Upon closer inspection, the eyebrows and eyes do indeed bear a striking resemblance; I must have been mistaken."
Hmm, his eyebrows and eyes look remarkably similar to the coachman outside.
They remained silent the entire way.
Xu Pingzhi drove his carriage to the vicinity of the Star-Gazing Tower. He first heard a series of noisy sounds, then turned a corner and saw a vast sea of people.
He glanced around and saw that the crowd he saw numbered at least one or two thousand. And this was only a small part of the people. One could imagine how many people radiated outwards from the Star-Gazing Tower —it was an astonishing number.
"This is even more lively than the Spring Festival!" Xu Pingzhi reined in his horse and stopped the carriage outside.
"Why did we stop?" came Aunt's voice from inside the carriage.
"There's no road ahead, it's all people," Xu Pingzhi explained. "Let's get off here."
Aunt rolled up the carriage window and got out with her husband's help. Xu Lingyue also got out of the carriage with her father's help, while the little boy was carried down by Xu Pingzhi.
The old lady frowned. She was used to being greeted by maids bringing small wooden stools when getting on and off the carriage, so she felt a little uncomfortable this time.
Fortunately, the carriage was simple, with its floor not high off the ground, unlike her luxurious carriage made of Phoebe zhennan wood, where the platform was waist-high.
She easily jumped down from the carriage.
Xu Pingzhi beckoned to a Imperial Saber Guard standing on the street and instructed him, "Keep a close watch on the carriage."
As he spoke, he revealed his Imperial Saber Guard badge.
The young Imperial Saber Guard respectfully agreed.
Xu Pingzhi led his wife and children through the crowd to the passage cleared by the Imperial Guards. The passage was lined with Imperial Guards on both sides, separating the common people and forming a "safe passage" specifically for high-ranking officials and nobles.
At the crossroads, two imperial guards, their spears crossed, blocked Xu Pingzhi and his party.
Xu Pingzhi took out the waist token given to him by Xu Qi'an. The imperial guards glanced at it and then let him pass.
"Ningyan's status is rising higher and higher," the aunt said happily. "Master, I never dreamed I would sit with the high-ranking officials and nobles of the capital."
Xu Xinnian couldn't help but feel envious, and snorted, "Mother, you'll become a noblewoman someday."
Xu Pingzhi retorted sharply, "You should think about how to stay in the capital first."
Xu Xinnian immediately wilted.
The academy's plan was to find a way to send him to Qingzhou, far from the capital, so he could realize his ambitions.
Xu Xinnian was reluctant to go. Going to Qingzhou would mean being away from his parents, older brother, and younger sister. If he couldn't return to the capital after his three-year term, he would have to serve another three years in another place.
Three years passed, and then another three years. He could only see his family when he returned to Beijing to report on his work.
Of course, there was another reason: if he couldn't get into the Hanlin Academy, he would basically have no chance of entering the cabinet.
Father's Cijiu, "My son has the potential to become a prime minister," have truly become empty words.
After walking through the "safe passage," the family looked around and saw a huge square with many pavilions set up. Civil officials, military officers, and nobles sat in their respective areas in an orderly and clearly defined manner.
In addition, there were many wealthy ladies and young ladies who came with their families to watch the contest.
For these noblewomen, the face of the Great Feng was secondary; watching the spectacle was the most important thing.
As Xu Pingzhi surveyed the area, he led his wife and children to the area where the Nightwatchers's office was located. The person sitting in the main seat was dressed in a blue robe with graying temples.
He was flanked by rows of gold gongs, with silver gongs behind them. The bronze gongs were assigned to guard duty and were not allowed to stay in the pavilion to watch the performance.
Xu Pingzhi approached with his wife and children, cupped his hands in greeting, and then quickly led his wife, children, and the unfamiliar woman to their seats.
The renowned Wei Yuan and Jin Luo ignored him, which relieved Second Uncle Xu; it was better to remain inconspicuous.
The older woman breathed a sigh of relief; it's so nice to be invisible.
Among these pavilions, the most luxurious was a resting platform covered with yellow silk cloth, with tables and desks set up at the bottom, where members of the royal family and clan sat.
The Empress and Consort Chen, who had nearly fought tooth and nail in the harem, also arrived. Everyone was chatting and laughing, as if they had always been harmonious sisters without any discord.
All four princesses arrived, with Huaiqing seated at the head of the table and Biaobiao sitting beside her.
Of the princes, the crown prince was still under house arrest and not allowed to leave the house, but all the other princes came.
This power struggle was not just a spectacle for the royal family; it was a matter of face for the court and the royal family.
"Where is Xu Qi'an? Why hasn't he come out? Can he even fight those bald monks? What are their plans?"
Lin'an chattered on and on, her bright, almond-shaped eyes darting around, but when she didn't see her lackey, she became somewhat deflated.
"Suspense!"
The Seventh Prince shook his head. "Xu Qi'an is a martial artist. How could he possibly contend with the Buddhist School sect? Besides, with his meager cultivation, could he really possibly handle it?"
The third prince chuckled and chimed in, "Unless the Buddhist School can compete with him in poetry."
The two princesses and the princes couldn't help but laugh.
Lin'an was furious. She glared fiercely at her brother and sister and yelled, "Are you happy that he lost? Should I have a Buddha statue cast for each of you?"
The Third Princess frowned and said, "We were just joking, Lin'an, why are you doing this?"
The other princes all frowned.
Ever since the Fufei case, Lin'an's temper has become volatile. He is rude to his brothers and sisters and speaks increasingly harshly.
Huaiqing said calmly, "If it were a battle of magic Daoist School, the stronger one would naturally win, and the same applies to other systems. But Buddhist School is different. Buddhist School emphasizes enlightenment, the Buddha's mind, and Zen principles."
"Xu Qi'an is indeed only a seventh-rank martial artist. There are many people with stronger cultivation than him, but what's the use of high cultivation? Can he be as high as the Arhat of the Crossing Calamity?"
Huaiqing's words always leave people speechless and unable to refute them.
The princes and princesses immediately fell silent.
Adjacent to the imperial family's pavilion, Grand Secretary Wang Zhenwen took a sip of wine and noticed that his daughter's gaze was fixed on the area where the Nightwatchers's office was located.
He frowned and asked, "Mu'er, what are you looking at?"
Miss Wang withdrew her gaze and responded with a faint smile, "This is my daughter's first time meeting the renowned Duke Wei. He truly possesses extraordinary bearing."
After saying that, she glanced at a handsome young man out of the corner of her eye.
"By the way, where is His Majesty?" Miss Wang subtly changed the subject, trying to distract her father.
The Grand Secretary Wang glanced at the imperial pavilion and chuckled, "The two in the palace are having a heated argument, but His Majesty finds it annoying and doesn't want to come down. He should be overlooking the scene from the Eight Trigrams Platform right now."
Miss Wang said "Oh," and then asked, "Father, what is the purpose of the Western Regions delegation's visit to the capital this time? This unfounded proposal to engage in a contest of magic is truly perplexing."
An envoy doesn't just come on a whim; they must have a purpose. And the tense actions of the Buddhist School these past few days have made people realize that this Western Regions envoy's arrival in the capital is not a friendly affair.
"Perhaps it's related to the Sangbo case," said the chief minister casually.
Miss Wang frowned, gleaning two pieces of information from her father's answer: First, even her father, the Grand Secretary, wasn't entirely clear on the matter. Second, the Sangbo case seemed to conceal deeper secrets.
Just as she was about to press further, Chief Minister Wang waved his hand impatiently. "You're a woman, don't concern yourself with court affairs. Save all that cleverness for your husband."
Miss Wang pursed her lips and stopped talking. Taking advantage of her father's inattention, she turned her gaze to the Nightwatchers's office.
"Once the contest of magic is over, I will hold a literary gathering at my residence," she thought to herself.
On the other side, Xu Pingzhi, relying on his years of experience working in the capital, scanned the various pavilions one by one, seeing some important figures he recognized, and of course, many more important figures he didn't know.
However, with the imperial shed at its core, those closest to it are undoubtedly the most powerful figures.
Suddenly, he had the illusion of stepping onto the power stage of the capital. All of this was brought about by Ningyan. If Ningyan won this contest, he would be famous in the capital and in the Great Feng. If he lost, he would probably be despised for a long time. If history records it again, he would have to bear the infamy for eternity.
Thinking about this, Second Uncle Xu's feelings were quite complicated.
"Master, look at that princess, isn't she the one who came to pay respects at Ningyan the other day?" The aunt was also watching the scene and recognized Princess Huaiqing, who was as elegant and radiant as a lotus.
Xu Pingzhi hummed in response to his wife.
The aunt continued, "The princess in the red dress next to her is also very pretty, but... her eyes seem to have a seductive quality, and she doesn't look very proper."
Xu Pingzhi was startled and whispered, "Nonsense! Don't speak ill of the princess in this setting. Do you want your entire family executed?"
The aunt quickly shut up.
"What's there to hide? Not a single good person in the Great Feng royal family is any good," the old woman said calmly.
"We don't know you, get lost," Xu Xinnian thought to himself.
Xu Pingzhi let out a breath, forcing himself to ignore the woman, and warned his wife and children, "In situations like this, you must observe more, listen more, and speak less. Doing nothing will prevent you from making any mistakes. Lingyin?!"
When the word "Lingyin" was pronounced, the tone of the voice was distorted.
Before anyone knew it, Xu Lingyin, with her short legs, walked up to the eunuch in blue. She raised her head, pointed to the food on the table, and said with longing:
"Uncle, may I eat your food?"
Upon witnessing this scene, Xu Pingzhi felt a tingling sensation travel from his tailbone all the way to the top of his head.
The guards around Wei Yuan frowned simultaneously, thinking to themselves, "Where did this child come from, so utterly lacking in manners?"
Zhang Kaitai, who had paid respects to Xu Qi'an, recognized the little boy and hurriedly said, "Duke Wei, this is Xu Ningyan's younger sister."
The men looked at Xu Lingyin with gentle eyes, thinking to themselves, "This child is not afraid of strangers and has a lot of courage; she is destined for greatness."
Wei Yuan picked up a piece of candied fruit and handed it over.
Xu Lingyin took it and swallowed it in a few bites.
"That's not how you eat candied fruit. The longer you hold it in your mouth, the longer the sweetness lasts," Wei Yuan said with a smile.
"By the time it's finished sweetening, all the candied fruit will have been eaten." Xu Lingyin raised her eyebrows:
"As long as I keep eating, I'll keep getting sweet treats, Uncle Sweetie. I want to eat more!"
Wei Yuan smiled and fed her a few more candied fruits. After eating for a while, Xu Lingyin said somewhat shyly, "Uncle, why aren't you eating any?"
Wei Yuan smiled and shook his head.
"You were the one who didn't want to eat them," Xu Lingyin blinked her innocent and clear eyes, cautiously probing, "I only ate them all because Uncle wouldn't eat them."
"You can finish it all?" Wei Yuan laughed, glancing at Xu Lingyin's little belly, then looking at the table full of fruits, candied fruits, and exquisite pastries.
"Wei, Duke Wei."
Xu Pingzhi forced himself to come over, bowing slightly and trying to keep his voice from trembling. "My daughter is unruly, please don't take it to heart."
Wei Yuan raised his sleeve, picked up a bright orange pear, and handed it to Xu Lingyin.
Seeing this, Jiang Luzhong smiled and said, "Duke Wei, please spend some time talking with the child. You should go back now."
Xu Pingzhi glanced at the little boy, then at Wei Yuan who seemed to disregard him, and turned away helplessly.
"Father, what are you afraid of? Eldest brother is a Silver Gong, highly regarded by Duke Wei. Lingyin will be fine," Xu Erlang said.
Xu Pingzhi sighed.
Young people wouldn't understand how terrifying Wei Yuan was; those who experienced the Battle of Shanhai Pass wouldn't consider Wei Yuan a kind and approachable person.
Time passed slowly, and the food in front of Wei Yuan dwindled. He glanced at Xu Lingyin's lower abdomen, frowned, and raised his hand to press down on her head.
Then, he massaged and kneaded various parts of the girl's body for a long time.
"What a pity," Wei Yuan said regretfully.
"Godfather, what's wrong?" Yang Yan asked.
"This child is strong and energetic, with a solid foundation, but his flexibility is too poor, making him unsuitable for martial arts training." Wei Yuan shook his head.
"No wonder she eats so much, this little girl is a glutton," Nangong Qianrou mocked.
"Tuituitui!" Xu Lingyin spat at him, her delicate eyebrows furrowing. "You're a bad person."
She still remembered this beautiful older sister who came to their house and lied, saying that her older brother had died, which made her parents cry for a long time.
Nangong Qianrou snorted coldly, pulled out a handkerchief from her bosom, and wiped the drool off her trouser leg.
Before they knew it, it was already past 9 AM. Master Du'e, who had been meditating cross-legged under the shade of the pavilion, opened his eyes and said in a loud voice, "Supervisor, do you know the meaning of Mount Sumeru in a mustard seed?"
"Just a little trick!"
From the heavens above came the sneer of the supervisor.
Everyone present, whether high-ranking officials or ordinary people, was excited and thrilled.
The main event has begun!
Master Du'e then took out a golden bowl from his sleeve and gently tossed it out.
"Bang!"
The golden bowl weighed over a thousand pounds; when it struck the stone slab, it cracked and embedded itself deeply into the ground.
A pure golden light rose from the bowl, spreading out in the sky and revealing a towering mountain with winding stone steps leading to the edge of the forest.
At the summit, a temple can be vaguely seen.
"A miracle!" The aunt was stunned, speechless.
Apart from martial artists with cultivation, no ordinary person who witnessed this scene could control their expression, and an uproar arose everywhere.
"Godfather, what is a Sumeru mustard seed?" Nangong Qianrou frowned.
"This is a Buddhist School story," Wei Yuan said calmly, glancing at Xu Lingyin who seemed oblivious to her surroundings.
"Mount Sumeru can be contained within a mustard seed, and a mustard seed can hold Mount Sumeru. Legend has it that the Buddha held a mountain in his hand called Mount Sumeru, which was his sacred site. No matter where he went, his sacred site remained there."
Yang Yan recalled the Battle of Shanhai Pass twenty years ago, and the scene of Buddhist School monks transporting troops, and exclaimed in realization, "A Buddhist kingdom in the palm of your hand?"
Wei Yuan nodded. "A mountain is hidden inside the golden bowl."
"Jingsi, you go into the mountains and take charge of the second pass," Master Du'e instructed.
The handsome monk in the blue robe stood up, clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect, and then, under the watchful eyes of countless people, stepped into the golden alms bowl.
The next moment, the scroll unfurled high in the sky included a young monk climbing the mountain.
He slowly climbed the steps, reached the mountainside, and sat cross-legged.
Golden rays of light poured down from the sky and gathered on him. In an instant, his body was covered with a layer of golden light, and he looked as if he had been cast in gold.
"So there really is a Sumeru in a mustard seed in this world." Xu Qi'an exclaimed in astonishment.
With his back to him, Yang Qianhuan nodded and said, "The Sumeru Mustard Seed is also known as the Buddha Kingdom in the Palm of Your Hand. However, this should be an unclaimed world, hidden in a golden bowl."
"If it is a 'Buddhist kingdom' with an owner, then victory or defeat lies in the single thought of its owner, which is fair."
Chu Caiwei stuffed a bag of pastries into his arms and said sweetly, "Xu Ningyan, go ahead, eat them on the way up the mountain."
"Thank you, I'm not hungry," Xu Qi'an politely declined.
Behind him, a group of white-robed Warlock encouraged him, "Go, Young Master Xu. Although we don't know why Master Jianzheng chose you, he must have his reasons."
"You must return victorious, Young Master Xu."
"Let's talk about whether we can return victorious later. This is such a great opportunity; I'll show off in front of the whole capital first. "Xu Qi'an patted Yang Qianhuan on the shoulder and said:
"Senior Brother Yang, after today you will understand what it means to display divine power in front of others!"
Off the field, on the rooftop of a restaurant, the swordsman in green, Chu Yuanzhen, and the burly, bald Hengyuan stood side by side, gazing at the gleaming young monk Jingsi. The top scholar clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"The golden light has strengthened Jing Si's Vajra Body; with Xu Ningyan's current strength, it's impossible for him to sever it."
Hengyuan's feelings were somewhat complicated. Logically speaking, as a Buddhist School disciple, he should have stood on the side of Buddhist School. However, he was also a member of the Great Feng Dynasty, and the one who was fighting was the great philanthropist Xu.
"By the way, what exactly happened last night? Why didn't you receive my message?" Chu Yuanzhen asked.
"Master Jinlian has blocked it," Hengyuan said.
This morning, Chu Yuanzhen came to find him to "watch the show" together, and also asked about the message sent last night. After the two exchanged their stories, they both agreed that it was Daoist Jinlian who blocked Number Four.
"I know it was Daoist Jinlian who blocked my message, but why?" Chu Yuanzhen asked, puzzled.
"Does Master Jinlian not want you to reveal that Xu Qi'an represented the Bureau of Astronomy in a magical duel?"
"Heh, do you think that makes sense?" Chu Yuanzhen sneered.
"That doesn't make sense." Hengyuan shook his head.
"I have a feeling this matter isn't simple," Chu Yuanzhen said thoughtfully. He didn't dwell on the issue, but instead said:
"You've stayed at the Sanyang Post Station for three days. Did you gain anything?"
"The Diamond Sutra cannot be easily transmitted. My grand-uncle Du'e told me that if I wish to see the Diamond Sutra, I can go back to the Western Regions with him and cultivate on Mount Sumeru for three years," Hengyuan said.
"Once you become a Buddhist School from the inside out, and have no further connection with the Great Feng?" Chu Yuanzhen's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"That's not the case," Hengyuan argued. "The Diamond Sutra is not something that ordinary people can master. Aren't you surprised that it was Jingsi who stepped forward to answer the challenge, and not someone else?"
Chu Yuanzhen's heart skipped a beat. "Among the Western Regions delegation, only Jingsi has mastered the Diamond Sutra?"
Hengyuan nodded. "Either you are born with the potential to understand Buddhism and comprehend its profound meaning, or you go to Mount Sumeru to listen to the Dharma, where there might be a glimmer of hope that you can comprehend the Diamond Sutra."
Chu Yuanzhen suddenly realized something, clapped his hands, and said somewhat angrily, "So, even if Xu Qi'an wins the magic duel and obtains the Diamond Sutra, it's useless?"
"Because a lecherous man like Xu Qi'an could never have Buddhist roots."
Hengyuan remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
During their conversation, the two heard Master Du'e proclaim loudly, "This contest of magic is called 'Climbing the Mountain'! Once you reach the summit and enter the temple, if you still refuse to convert to Buddhist School, then our Buddhist School has lost. The Bureau of Astronomy has three chances."
Upon hearing this, Wei Yuan smiled.
"Climbing a mountain," Yang Yan pondered. "The journey will undoubtedly be fraught with difficulties; one wrong step and we'll be defeated."
After Du'e Luohan finished speaking, he fell silent and sat down to meditate.
Both inside and outside the arena, the audience waited for a long time, but the Bureau of Astronomy Observatory still did not send anyone to fight, causing a great deal of discussion.
Why is the Bureau of Astronomy so quiet? Are they afraid?
"Where is the Supervisor? The Supervisor, please say something!"
"What's going on? If the Bureau of Astronomy is afraid, why did they agree to the magic contest? Don't they think the Great Feng is already humiliated enough?"
Suddenly, someone shouted in surprise, "Someone has come out of the Star-Gazing Tower!"
In an instant, countless people turned their heads, and countless gazes turned toward the Star-Gazing Tower.
A cloaked figure slowly emerged from the lobby on the first floor. He carried a wine jar in his hand, wore a hood, and had his head bowed, obscuring his face.
The moment the cloaked figure stepped off the steps, a deep chanting voice resounded throughout the entire area, accompanied by a powerful aura, reaching everyone's ears.
"When a boy is fifteen or twenty, he roams the world in a green robe and with a sword."
The cloaked figure took a second step, and his deep voice suddenly rose high. "The roc rises with the wind, soaring ninety thousand miles into the sky."
In those pavilions, the civil officials unconsciously stood up and cast their gazes toward the figure.
The cloaked figure took his third step, pointed one finger to the sky, and his voice, which had been high-pitched, became deep and resonant. "The sea has no end, the sky is the shore; at the pinnacle of Martial Dao, I am the peak!"
Inside and outside the arena, martial artists raised their eyebrows and looked strange. Some of the martial arts practitioners outside the arena even stirred up their qi in response.
The cloaked figure took his fourth step and roared, "I've fought across three thousand miles, and my sword has once faced a million soldiers."
Wei Yuan raised an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly.
The military officers suddenly stood up.
The cloaked figure took his fifth step and sighed softly, "If Heaven had not given birth to Xu Ningyan, the Nine Provinces would have remained in perpetual darkness!"
Xu Xinnian was trembling with anger. This was the pinnacle of his life's work, created in a state of utter despair.
That brother is utterly shameless.
In his anger, he looked around and saw blank faces, staring intently at the cloaked figure slowly entering the arena.
When I recited this poem, my family laughed at me, but when my older brother recited it, he was the center of attention and admired by everyone. Xu Xinnian thought resentfully:
That brother is shameless.
In her anger, Xu Xinnian glanced at the woman beside her again. She was staring blankly at the cloaked figure.
Biao Biao stared intently at the cloaked figure, her eyes seemingly unable to see anything else.
Huaiqing's eyes shone brightly; for the first time, she felt that this man was so dazzling.
Xu Qi'an stopped reciting poetry, carried the wine jar, and stepped into the room. He finally stopped by the golden bowl, took off his hood, and drank the wine.
The liquor dripped down his chin, soaking his clothes, a display of unrestrained and boldness.
Suddenly, he smashed the wine jar on the ground, and amidst the crashing sound, he laughed wildly:
"Heroes of the world emerge from our ranks, but once we enter the world of martial arts, time flies by. Grand ambitions and great achievements are discussed in jest, for nothing surpasses a life of carefree indulgence."
Amidst his wild and unrestrained laughter, he leaped into the golden bowl.
At this moment, the entire venue fell silent.
After a long while, suddenly, a clamor arose, sweeping across the entire venue like a tidal wave.
"Great Feng will surely prevail!"
"Great Feng will surely prevail!"
This high-profile debut, and the emergence of these masterpieces, instantly overwhelmed Buddhist School in terms of style and dominated Buddhist School in terms of momentum.
This also restored confidence to the people of the capital.
The civil and military officials nodded slowly, revealing expressions of appreciation. It turned out that Xu Qi'an's high-profile entrance had a deeper meaning.
They swept away the decline and regrouped.
PS: Updated first, revised later.
I've been writing since 9 a. m., and here's a long chapter. I'm exhausted. Please subscribe to the official version.