Fulfilling a promise

"Lingyin is a genius, a rare genius. I don't want to waste such a rough gem."

Lina's eyes, which seemed to hold the blue ocean within them, stared intently at Xu Lingyin, as if she were gazing upon a precious gem.

genius?

Xu Pingzhi and his nephew exchanged a glance and shook their heads. "My daughter has no talent; she's not flexible or resilient, she just has a lot of strength."

The decision to have Xu Qi'an practice martial arts while Xu Xinnian studied was made by Xu Pingzhi. This was because Xu Xinnian lacked talent in martial arts but was exceptionally intelligent, while Xu Qi'an was the opposite.

After Xu Lingyin was born, Xu Pingzhi examined her bones and, based on years of observation, became absolutely certain that his young daughter was not only slow-witted but also physically weak.

She had a very difficult time passing at least the Essence Refining Realm.

Xu Qi'an also shook his head. His judgment was now more discerning than that of his Second Uncle Xu. If Xu Lingyin was a martial arts prodigy, Xu Qi'an had already begun to nurture her as a potential talent for the Great Feng.

As for reading, Xu Xinnian gave up on his younger sister when she was four years old. His assessment was. "Her eyes are unfocused, she can't concentrate, and she can't read a single book."

Xu Lingyin certainly didn't disappoint her second brother; every teacher who had ever taught her was driven to despair.

If I had to pinpoint what talent the little one has, it would probably be eating...?

In response to Second Uncle Xu's words, Lina retorted, "But she can eat."

Are you kidding us? The whole family looked at the dark-skinned guy from Southern Frontier with sidelong glances.

Seeing the strange looks on everyone's faces, Lina asked in surprise, "Haven't you all realized she's a genius?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xinnian and the others turned to look at Xu Lingyin, who was peeling an egg. She tapped one end of the egg on the table, then pressed the egg with her small hand and rubbed it vigorously on the table. The eggshell fell off at the slightest touch.

The entire process was smooth and seamless.

At her age, she is truly a genius. Her family couldn't help but want to cover their faces in embarrassment.

Xu Qi'an coughed lightly, subtly reminding Lina not to joke around, "Eating may be a talent, but it's not enough to be so proud as to take on apprentices. What can you teach her?"

How can I peel an eggshell in three breaths? How can I eat an extra bowl of rice every day?

Lina's healthy, wheat-colored skin suddenly flushed red, and she waved her hands in protest. "I'm not teaching her how to eat, I'm teaching her witchcraft."

Xu Pingzhi's expression changed, and he stared at Xu Lingyin: "Did you catch and eat bugs?"

Xu Lingyin looked longingly at the question and tentatively asked, "Can you eat insects?"

"No, no, we can't eat this." Xu Xinnian and his Second Uncle Xu waved their hands in unison.

When I heard you were going to teach her Gu magic, my first reaction was: Did this little rascal eat bugs?!

Xu Qi'an thought to himself, then asked thoughtfully, "You mean, she's a genius at Gu cultivation?"

Lina nodded, then corrected, "To be precise, she's a genius at cultivating the Power Gu. Lingyin has strong bones and abundant energy, and her Qi and Blood are so robust that we haven't seen a genius like her in decades."

"Don't you find it strange that such a small child has such a big appetite?"

"Isn't it because she's greedy?" Xu Lingyin Xu Household members thought to themselves. Then they realized something. If it were any other child, they would have been stuffed to death by now, but she was still lively and energetic.

Lina suppressed her urge to eat and explained in detail, "Our training method in the Power Gu tribe is to choose a Power Gu and swallow it when we are young, so that it can reside in our body."

"In the first few years, the Power Gu will absorb the host's Essence Blood and energy. If the child's physique is not strong enough, he will become very weak. However, because the Power Gu is one with the host and shares the same fate, it will not drain the host dry, but will only weaken along with him."

This can lead to congenital deficiencies.

As she spoke, her gaze was fixed intently on Xu Lingyin, "But she won't. She will provide an excellent breeding ground for the Power Gu, laying a solid foundation from a young age. Moreover, Lingyin is strong and powerful; even without cultivating her mind, her strength far surpasses that of her peers. Once properly nurtured, she will soar to great heights."

The family looked at each other in bewilderment.

After a moment's hesitation, the aunt tentatively asked, "What if she starts eating as much as you do?"

Lina waved her hand. "No, no."

Auntie had just breathed a sigh of relief when Little Blackie said modestly, "She'll become even bigger at eating than me."

"."

Without even thinking, the aunt objected, "I disagree. What about you, sir?"

Xu Pingzhi looked at his son and nephew, seeking their opinions. "What do you two think?"

Xu Qi'an commented, "Since studying is pointless and martial arts aren't for it, why not give it a try?"

Her aunt slammed her hand on the table with a loud "bang," feeling offended. She snapped, "Xu Ningyan, how dare you speak like that? Isn't Lingyin your sister?"

It seems that there's no need for the future; old grudges can be brought up today, and the mother-son relationship between the aunt and nephew has come to an end.

Xu Lingyue said softly, "Mother, what my elder brother said is not wrong."

Caught off guard by her daughter's sudden betrayal, the aunt, in her anger, was taken aback.

Xu Xinnian said, "I can accept disciples, but there's something I want to ask you. When can one graduate from the cultivation of the Power Gu?"

Without hesitation, Lina replied, "It could take five years, or as long as twenty, depending on individual talent."

Xu Xinnian nodded, glanced at Lingyin, and said, "Can Miss Lina stay in the capital for five or twenty years?"

Lina's mouth moved faster than her brain. "As long as you give me food, I can stay here indefinitely."

"No!"

The Xu Household members all spoke in unison.

"..." Little Blackie looked aggrieved. "It's just a few mouthfuls of rice from your family, why are you being so stingy?"

Finally, Xu Pingzhi, the head of the family, made a decision, saying, "Laolina will be in charge of teaching my daughter."

Xu Xinnian and Xu Qi'an exchanged puzzled glances. Did they really intend to let Lina stay in Beijing for five years, or even twenty?

That repair cost is way too high.

In response, Xu Pingzhi chuckled and said, "Lingyin is just a girl, and she doesn't aspire to be the world's number one martial artist. She can learn as much as she can, and even if she can't graduate, it's alright."

"You two are just too ambitious, always wanting to be the leader in everything."

Xu Xinnian and Xu Qi'an were speechless, realizing that their second uncle (father) made sense.

Lina patted Xu Lingyin's head. "If you come back to Southern Frontier with me, my father will definitely take you as his personal disciple. In ten years at most, you'll be able to move a mountain."

A corresponding image flashed through Xu Qi'an's mind: ten years later, the grown-up Xu Lingyin carried a huge mountain on her back, each step causing an earthquake-like effect, and happily said:

Big pot, I'm back! I've brought you a mountain, catch it!

The Xu Household has a daughter who has just come of age; her strength is unmatched and her spirit is unparalleled. Xu Qi'an shivered.

On the eve of dawn, the sky was a deep blue.

An orange cat walked with elegant steps through the empty and quiet streets and arrived at the gate of the Sun residence.

It lightly leaped onto the roof of a house facing the street, looked around, then jumped down and quickly darted to the gate of the Sun family mansion.

Then, the orange cat's throat rolled, revealing a circular outline, and it slowly squeezed out of its throat.

It was a small jade mirror. After it was spat out, it did not fall to the ground, but floated in the air. The mirror surface flashed and revealed an unconscious young master.

The orange cat opened its mouth, put the small jade mirror back into its belly, wagged its tail, and quickly left.

Fifteen minutes later, the old gatekeeper, yawning, opened the gate and saw the richly dressed young man lying on the ground. He was startled, but after recognizing the young man's face, he excitedly ran into the mansion.

A moment later, several servants rushed over and carried the richly dressed young man into the mansion.

When Minister Sun arrived at the scene, he was immediately alarmed to find his son lying unconscious on the brocade couch.

"Master, the young master is just unconscious; he's not seriously injured," said the old butler standing by the bedside.

"What do you mean by not being seriously injured?" Minister Sun raised his eyebrows.

"Young Master, he was whipped dozens of times, his skin was torn and bleeding, but fortunately it was all superficial wounds, and after applying medicine, he is fine now." The old steward lowered his head.

"You scoundrel! You broke your promise!"

Minister Sun's face turned ashen, filled with both heartache and anger, but then, as if he had thought of something, his boiling rage suddenly dissipated.

After a moment of silence, Minister Sun sighed, "It's good that you're back."

Haoqi Tower, tea room.

"Prince Yu has long since lost any desire for fame and fortune, so he was able to repay my favor. If he were still the same Prince Yu he once was, he probably wouldn't have agreed so easily. As for Duke Cao, he conspired with the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei to plot my invincible strategy."

"I remember Duke Wei saying that court disputes are ultimately disputes over interests, and that one must learn to compromise. So I agreed to his request."

Xu Qi'an, holding a cup of tea, sat in the bright and airy tea room, turned his head, and looked at Wei Yuan on the observation deck, basking in the sun and gazing at the scenery.

"Indeed, you have the aptitude, but unfortunately, your temperament is hard to change, making you unsuitable for the court." Wei Yuan nodded.

"It's mainly because of Duke Wei's excellent teaching," Xu Qi'an said modestly.

Wei Yuan smiled, placed his hands on the railing, gazed at the beautiful spring scenery, and after a long while, asked:

"You've been running around everywhere investigating the imperial examination fraud case, barely even spending time in the government offices. You've worked so hard."

"But I also learned a lot," Xu Qi'an replied, taking a sip of tea.

Wei Yuan chuckled and said, "Get my points right."

Xu Baipiao was taken aback, a bad feeling creeping over him. "Hard work?"

Wei Yuan shook his head without turning around, and said in a gentle tone, "I haven't spent much time at the yamen."

"."

Wei Yuan then added, "So, there's no salary for this month."

Xu Qi'an stared blankly at Wei Qingyi's retreating figure, his face contorted with despair. "Duke Wei, my salary for this month is long gone."

"Really?" Wei Yuan paused, then slowly nodded. "Then next month's is out too."

"???"

Did I do something to upset him? The clever Xu Bai Piao didn't dwell on the topic. Never argue with your boss; you'll only make a fool of yourself.

"Duke Wei, why did the Prince of Zhenbei's deputy general return to the capital?"

"The situation in the north is tense, and we're short of supplies. They'll come back asking for money," Wei Yuan said.

"What kind of person is the Prince of Zhenbei?"

"A domineering person."

Domineering people are often unreasonable, and because of his status as a prince, he can disregard rules to a certain extent, Xu Qi'an judged.

After bidding farewell to Wei Yuan, he mounted his mare, the heavy cloth bag on the saddle clattering as he galloped toward the Prince of Huai's residence.

Now, he must fulfill his promise and go find the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei.

"It's strange. Chu Xianglong told me to go to the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion to find him after the matter was over. This means that during his time back in the capital, he was not staying at his own home, but at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion."

"At least, most of the time she stays at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion. And the Zhenbei Prince is at the border, so his mansion only has one wife, the most beautiful woman."

From the perspective of the Prince of Zhenbei, it was certainly impossible for him to allow his younger brother and his widowed concubine to live under the same roof.

But Chu Xianglong did just that, and openly and without any attempt to hide it, which means that Chu Xianglong was acting on the orders of the Prince of Zhenbei.

Why did the Prince of Zhenbei do this?

He trusted his deputy general far more than the princess.

The outer hall of the Prince of Huai's residence.

A woman, her face veiled by a light gauze and dressed in a magnificent palace gown, sat at a table arranging tea utensils.

In the hall, Chu Xianglong, fully armored and with a sword at his waist, stood tall, his sharp gaze fixed on the princess, and said in a deep voice:

"I heard from the guards that the Princess Consort has disappeared twice without explanation?"

The woman, her face veiled, paid no heed, her head bowed as she arranged the tea set with gentle, elegant movements.

"How did the Princess manage to deceive the guards of the manor? And how did she deceive the Warlock of the Bureau of Astronomy? Who have you met with recently, and what have you encountered?"

"So noisy!"

The woman, her face veiled, frowned slightly, her voice cold and aloof, "Are you questioning me?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

Chu Xianglong lowered his head and said calmly, "My purpose in returning to the capital this time is not only to ask His Majesty for military pay, but also to escort the Princess Consort to the north to meet the Prince. Please make preparations in advance."

He paused, then looked up, gazing into the woman's bright and beautiful eyes, and said in a deep voice, "I will be staying at the Prince's residence for the time being. If the Princess wishes to go out, I will accompany her throughout."

The veiled woman remained silent.

At this moment, a guard entered the hall, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "General Chu, Xu Qi'an, the Silver Gong, requests an audience."

Chu Xianglong nodded, glanced at the princess, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and left the hall.

What is Xu Qi'an doing at the Prince's mansion? The veiled woman lowered her head, her eyes darting around with a cunning glint in them, her thoughts unknown.

P. S.: I need to work on a detailed outline. I've finished half of Volume 2; I have the outline for the other half, but not the detailed one. If I don't update before midnight tonight, then there won't be any more.