Summoning

Xu Qi'an was a magnanimous person who wouldn't hold a grudge over trivial matters. Since his younger sister was so hopeless, he decided not to try to change her.

Wouldn't it be better to just take him to the academy and give him a good beating? Why waste your breath arguing?

But Li Miaozhen stopped Xu Qi'an from abusing the child. The Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect frowned and said unhappily, "Why not talk things out? Why resort to violence against a child?"

"Holy Maiden, you'll never know how awful it is to be a parent of a bratty kid." Xu Qi'an gave her face and went into the courtyard.

In the courtyard, there was only a mother and daughter. Xu Lingyue, with her delicate face and three-dimensional features, had a mixed-race look and was sitting on a small wooden stool embroidering.

Xiao Muzha could no longer contain her increasingly full hips; the bouncy flesh overflowed and peeked out from under her skirt.

Meanwhile, my aunt was doing nothing, tying her light green skirt in a knot at her calves, then squatting by the flowerbed, fiddling with the flowers and plants with a small wooden shovel and scissors.

Besides beating Xu Lingyin, that's about all my aunt does.

Her personal maid Lü'e, was helping her.

"Big brother!"

Seeing Xu Qi'an return, Lingyue was overjoyed. She put down her needlework and greeted him with a radiant smile.

Her gaze swept subtly over Li Miaozhen, Su Su, and Zhong Li out of the corner of her eye.

That scrutinizing expression perfectly illustrates the natural, instinctive hostility that exists between beautiful women.

"It's alright, you can go home today."

Xu Qi'an pinched her round nose, looked around the house, and asked, "Where are Erlang and Second Uncle?"

"Father has gone off to practice martial arts somewhere, and Second Brother is studying under Master Zhang." Xu Lingyue's voice was melodious, with the softness of a young girl.

Xu Qi'an nodded, about to speak, when he heard Xu Lingyue ask softly with curiosity, "Big brother, who is that sister?"

She was asking Zhong Li.

Although Zhong Li had been following Xu Qi'an for a long time, she had never made a formal appearance before. This was the first time Xu Lingyue had seen her.

"Caiwei's senior sister," Xu Qi'an said.

Oh, that gluttonous girl's senior sister, Xu Lingyue suddenly realized.

"Rice Bucket" was the nickname she gave Chu Caiwei. Chu Caiwei was Rice Bucket Number One, Lina was Rice Bucket Number Two, and Xu Lingyin was Rice Bucket Number Three.

In fact, most people who know these three good-for-nothings have similar nicknames in their minds. For example, the beautiful woman in the yard who, upon discovering that her young daughter was covered in dirt, angrily picked up a bamboo stick and chased after her as she went out.

The nicknames that Auntie gave Lina and Xu Lingyin were roughly: Foolish girl and child, Gluttonous girl and child, Foolish and gluttonous girl and child.

And so on.

"Don't I get tired from washing your clothes every day? You brat, you don't know how to care about your old woman at all!" The aunt's roar echoed.

"Then I don't need to treat you like a daughter when I hit you."

Xu Lingyin's retort came, "Then why are you hitting me if I'm not your daughter?"

The aunt choked for a moment, then erupted in impotent rage. "How dare you talk back!"

Xu Qi'an led Zhong Li out of the small courtyard, wandering between houses and courtyards, following the path paved with bluestone slabs, sometimes climbing steps, and after a stick of incense had burned, they arrived at a valley full of bamboo forests.

Bamboo is mostly found in the south. The Great Feng claimed to be the legitimate ruler of the Nine Provinces and dominated the Central Plains, but the capital city was located in the north-central part of the Nine Provinces.

The climate is unsuitable for bamboo growth.

This bamboo forest on Clear Cloud Mountain is quite rare.

It's early summer, and the bamboo forest is lush and green. The mountain breeze rustles through it, creating a picturesque scene.

Xu Qi'an was wondering, how do you make bamboo tube wine?

A small pavilion is nestled among the bamboo grove, like the elegant abode of a hermit. A cobblestone path leads to the pavilion, covered with fallen bamboo leaves.

"Dean, Xu Qi'an is here to pay his respects!" He bowed towards the attic.

A flash of light appeared before his eyes, and he was instantly transported from outside to inside the pavilion. Dean Zhao Shou sat at the table, sipping fragrant tea, watching him with a smile but saying nothing.

His faded, old scholar's robe, his slightly disheveled gray hair, and his whole being exuded an air of cynicism.

Zhao Shou was the most unrefined high-level expert Xu Qi'an had ever seen. Although both were old men, the Supervisor was dressed in white robes, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance. Master Du'e also wore a magnificent kasaya embroidered with gold thread, displaying a detached and serene demeanor, resembling a highly enlightened monk.

Dean Zhao gives the impression of being like Kong Yiji or Fan Jin.

"Hmm, I almost forgot about Master Cat. He also looks like a wandering Daoist priest, quite down on his luck," Xu Qi'an added in his mind.

"Thank you very much for your help, Dean." Xu Qi'an expressed his gratitude.

"To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to Establishing Destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations—this is what you taught me, and you have not forgotten it," Zhao Shou said with a smile.

The dean meant that as long as I haven't forgotten my original intentions, we'll still be good buddies. Xu Qi'an smiled and bowed, then made a request to his good buddy:

"The student came to the academy to borrow a book from the dean."

Zhao Shou looked at him and nodded slightly.

"The Great Zhou Anecdotes." Xu Qi'an remembered that Wei's father had said that if he wanted to know the princess's secrets, he should borrow this book from the Cloud Deer Academy.

"Hehe!"

Zhao Shou smiled and said, "This was written six hundred years ago by a great Confucian scholar from the academy. He was born in the Great Zhou and was active in the early Great Feng. He compiled his observations and experiences about the Great Zhou into a book. There is only one copy of this book in the whole world. It has never been printed, and very few people have read it."

I see. No wonder Huaiqing had never heard of it. Even a female academic star couldn't possibly read every book in the world. She must have been reading books that she preferred with a specific purpose in mind.

Xu Qi'an suddenly realized, and then heard Zhao Shou say with a smile, "You must have heard of that great scholar. His deeds were inscribed on a monument erected by later generations in the mountains."

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Xu Qi'an, and he blurted out, "That second-rank Confucian scholar, Qian Zhong, who stirred up public resentment and shattered the last vestiges of the Great Zhou's fortune?"

When he first arrived at the Cloud Deer Academy, Erlang showed him around the academy and mentioned a great Confucian scholar named Qian Zhong.

Zhao Shou sighed, "He was a respectable scholar, truly deserving of a place in history, unlike those four fellows who always thought of taking Evil Dao."

"Are those four Evil Dao you mentioned Zhang Shen, Li Mubai, Yang Gong, and Chen Tai?" Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

Zhao Shou spread his hands and said leisurely, "The ' Great Zhou Supplement' is in my hands."

A flash of light appeared in his hand, and an ancient scroll appeared on the cover, which read, "The Great Zhou Dynasty's Collected Works"!

Xu Qi'an stared blankly at this scene. Although he was already very familiar with the Confucian School "bragging" techniques, every time he saw it, he would feel the urge to think, "I might as well not practice Martial Dao" and "Coach, I want to learn Confucianism."

A man's greatest fear is choosing the wrong profession; my second uncle ruined me. He sighed regretfully.

After receiving the Great Zhou Imperial Relic from Zhao Shou, Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and asked, "Can I take it with me?"

Zhao Shou: "No!"

Xu Qi'an readily agreed to the refusal. He lowered his head and flipped through the pages; with his current eyesight, he could easily read ten lines at a glance.

Since this book is titled "The Lost Tales of the Great Zhou Dynasty," the things recorded in it are actually a supplement to the official history. They record things that at first glance seem like unofficial histories, but they are indeed true events.

For example, Li Mu, a famous immortal official in the history of the Great Zhou, is said in historical records to be a womanizer with countless female confidantes. However, among his many female confidantes was a fox demon, a member of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan of the Southern Demon lineage.

These are secrets that will not be recorded in official history.

Like the almost saintly scholar of the Cloud Deer Academy who called a deer a horse, this Li Mu was actually a talented writer with the pen of Dong Hu. Xu Qi'an nodded secretly and continued to read.

Finally, he came across a record that could be described as a folk myth.

During the Longde era of the Great Zhou Dynasty, there was a Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers in the south, where exotic flowers bloomed in all seasons. Legend has it that a beautiful and intelligent flower goddess lived in the valley.

The Flower Goddess is a celestial flower born with sentience, taking human form and embodying the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Whoever obtains the Flower Goddess's spiritual essence can be reborn and achieve immortality.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Longde sent people south to search for her. After thirteen years, they finally found the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers and the beautiful and virtuous flower goddess.

The army surrounded the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers, forcing the Flower Goddess to enter the palace. The Flower Goddess refused, which led to her self-destruction by lightning. Before her death, Curse: "The Great Zhou will perish in three hundred years."

Sure enough, three hundred years later, the Great Zhou Dynasty came to an end.

At the end of the story, a poem was recorded:

His birth was so astonishing that it overshadowed all others.

Her elegance shone brightly in the morning sun.

Praised by all as a national beauty

A soul bound to the mortal realm attracts the emperor's attention.

Xu Qi'an closed the book expressionlessly, but his heart was far from calm; in fact, it was turbulent.

"Isn't this poem about the princess? Holy crap, the princess is the flower goddess from over nine hundred years ago, no, the flower goddess reincarnated?"

"It turns out that this poem is about the Flower Goddess from three hundred years ago. I always thought that the poem was so widely circulated and famous that it attracted the attention of Emperor Yuanjing, which is why she was sent to the palace."

"No wonder, no wonder everyone says the Princess's spiritual essence is a good thing. So there's a story behind it. Indeed, reading more books is beneficial. A complete transformation is beyond doubt, but immortality is not necessarily possible. Otherwise, how could Emperor Yuanjing have handed the Princess over to the Prince of Zhenbei?"

"The Fairy of Flowers, truly worthy of being called the most beautiful woman in the Great Feng, her charm is unparalleled. Tsk, she's also a pitiful woman."

Xu Qi'an returned the book to Zhao Shou and asked, "Was this poem written by the Qian Zhong?"

Zhao Shou shook his head. "No."

Oh, so even the Qian Zhong was just a recorder? Then I have no more questions. Otherwise, how could the old monk who revealed the secret of the princess's background know about this poem? That would be a logical flaw. Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

While chatting with Dean Zhao Shou, Xu Qi'an's ear suddenly twitched, and he turned his head to look outside the building.

Three renowned scholars arrived together, their eyes scanning the room, and they showed surprise and delight when they saw Xu Qi'an.

"As expected of the student we three taught, he single-handedly saved the day by beheading two traitors at Caishikou. Truly a heroic and moving feat."

The three Confucian scholars praised him happily, then looked at the Dean with questioning eyes. "When did Ningyan become the Dean's disciple? Ningyan, has the Dean asked you to compose a poem?"

As they spoke, they gave Zhao Shou a look that implied, "You just want his poetry, don't try to deny it, it's a fact."

Zhao Shou sneered, "How could I be like you? For scholars, the three immortal achievements are virtue, merit, and words—that is the true and righteous path. To place one's hopes on poetry is a heretical path."

The three Confucian scholars breathed a sigh of relief, relieved that you weren't going to compete with us for the poems. Zhang Shen retorted in a relaxed tone:

"The three thousand paths lead to the same destination, and poetry is no exception—a cultural treasure. In my opinion, the dean is simply being overly fixated on this."

Zhao Shou waved his hand. "I'm too lazy to argue with you."

He turned to Xu Qi'an and said, "It's mainly because Yang Gong's work is so outstanding that it makes them envious and jealous. Actually, Cloud Deer Academy has good intentions towards you, and it has nothing to do with poetry."

He glanced at the three great scholars and said with a smile, "At least I won't be like them."

He had to clarify this matter with Xu Qi'an, otherwise it would seem as if Cloud Deer Academy had ulterior motives and was always trying to benefit from his poetry.

To be honest, the behavior of Zhang Shen and others has really tarnished the image of the Cloud Deer Academy.

Xu Qi'an nodded.

He himself didn't really care, since the poems were plagiarized from his previous life and not his own work. As a transmigrator without any connections, he naturally couldn't miss the opportunity to expand his network and gain benefits through poetry.

Ignoring the dean's sarcasm, Zhang Shen and the other two looked eagerly at Xu Qi'an and asked:

"You haven't written a poem in a long time. With such a momentous event recently, haven't you felt your blood boiling and your poetic inspiration soaring? A few of us teachers can help you polish it up."

The three erudite scholars looked at Xu Qi'an with great interest.

Dean Zhao Shou remained silent, but he seemed quite interested and watched intently.

Cloud Deer Academy not only protected my family, but its headmaster also directly threatened Emperor Yuanjing in the imperial court with a carving knife. Although this was in line with Confucian School principles and not simply a favor, I will remember this kindness.

Hmm, why not copy a poem for them? It wouldn't be right to just freeload off them night after night. Thinking of this, Xu Qi'an pondered and said:

"A poem did come to mind."

"Yes, I thought of a poem, but I'm just a poetry translator," he added in his mind.

The three great scholars were overjoyed.

At this moment, he should have boldly declared, "Serve me pen and ink."

However, my calligraphy was too poor, and I didn't have any charcoal pencils, so I didn't bother to show off. Instead, I paced around the room in a seemingly serious manner, and when I saw the lush green bamboo leaves outside the window, I pretended my eyes lit up and said:

"Got it."

Zhao Shou's eyes lit up as well, and he asked, "Is it related to bamboo?"

The dean seemed to really like bamboo. Xu Qi'an nodded. "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shou immediately straightened his back, his interest escalating to great anticipation.

Xu Qi'an briefly recalled the entire poem, but in the eyes of Zhao Shou and the other two great Confucian scholars, he was merely brewing a new idea.

"Hold fast to the green hills and never let go."

Knowing that it was a poem about bamboo, Zhao Shou carefully savored it and found that the word "bite" in this line was the essence, highlighting the bamboo's vigorous strength in just one word.

"Its roots lie firmly in the broken rocks."

Zhao Shou nodded slightly, which was a supplement to the previous sentence and also reflected the perseverance shown by bamboo in harsh environments.

"Though battered and bruised, it remains steadfast, unmoved by winds from any direction."

Dean Zhao Shou's breathing became somewhat rapid. The following two sentences describe the bamboo's attitude towards external pressures, showing that it remains unyielding despite countless hardships.

Of all the plants he admired, he was particularly fond of bamboo; otherwise, he wouldn't have built his residence in a bamboo grove.

Zhao Shou had also written poems about bamboo before, but compared to Xu Qi'an's poem, he had to admit that his work was Lower Vehicle.

The poem, consisting of two couplets, vividly describes the indomitable spirit of bamboo, both internally and externally.

"Truly worthy of being the top poet of the Great Feng Dynasty," this high-ranking Confucian School scholar sighed inwardly.

"Although this poem lacks some artistic conception and diction, it is a rare poem about bamboo," Li Mubai praised.

"Foolish! This poem praises the bamboo's resilience and unyielding simplicity, but its ornate language makes Lower Vehicle," Zhang Shen criticized.

"At first glance, it seems to be a poem about bamboo, but in reality, it uses bamboo as a metaphor for people. How wonderful, how wonderful!" Chen Tai stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

After the three renowned scholars finished their critiques, they immediately turned to Xu Qi'an: "Does this poem have a name?"

Xu Qi'an immediately understood what they were up to, and shook his head with a smile, "It hasn't been named yet, so it needs the teachers to refine it."

The three erudite scholars tacitly took a few steps back, eyeing each other warily, plotting how to vie for the right to be credited.

Just then, Zhao Shou Shouchang laughed three times and said, "Let me name this poem."

"?"

Zhang Shen and the others stiffly craned their necks to look at him. Didn't they say they looked down on Xu Ningyan's poems?

Zhao Shou frowned and said unhappily:

"Why are you all looking at me like that? Isn't this poem Xu Ningyan using bamboo as a metaphor for me? I have steadfastly guarded Cloud Deer Academy for decades, just like this bamboo, clinging to the green hills and never letting go, no matter which way the wind blows."

Having said that, without giving the three Confucian scholars a chance to react, he said, "Stay three hundred li away, don't disturb me while I'm writing poetry."

As soon as he finished speaking, the three great scholars vanished without a trace.

Zhao Shou spread out the paper, picked up his pen with great excitement, and exclaimed as he wrote, "What a fine poem! What a fine poem! The old lady's life is complete. Hmm, Ningyan, this poem is yours, but I, your mentor, have been here to guide and polish it, haven't I?"

At this moment, three great scholars appeared in a flash, shouting angrily, "Dean, stop!"

Zhao Shou waved his sleeve. "Withdraw five hundred li."

The Confucian scholars vanished, only to reappear a second later, roaring, "Shameless old thief, we are sworn enemies of you!"

"Looks like you haven't stretched your muscles in a long time. Alright, alright, I'll give you a hand."

"We're not easily intimidated. So what if you're a third-rank official? We're not afraid of you if we join forces."

"Heh, it's not that I look down on you, but even if ten more came, I could easily suppress them."

Xu Qi'an pulled Zhong Li away and fled.

At the summit of Clear Cloud Mountain, the clear air soared into the sky, dispersing the clouds. Four figures fought back and forth in the high sky, exchanging blows and countering each other's moves.

The commotion was so loud that it immediately alerted the students and teachers in the academy.

"Why did the dean and the Confucian scholars start fighting?"

"What, what's going on? Why are they making such a fuss all of a sudden? Don't let this get us involved."

"It's quite common for three great scholars to fight, but why did the dean get involved? What happened?"

"It's not common for three great scholars to fight; the last few times it happened were all because of a dispute over Xu Shikui's poems."

Just then, someone whispered, "I... I think I just saw Xu Shikui taking a woman to the dean's bamboo grove."

No way! A sudden silence fell over the room, and the students and teachers felt their faces burning with embarrassment.

On the other side, in the small courtyard where the Xu Household women were resting, Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen suddenly looked up at the sky, their hearts pounding.

"Don't worry about it, it must be that my elder brother wrote another poem and the three great scholars are fighting." Xu Erlang waved his hand.

"This doesn't seem like the kind of commotion a fourth-rank expert could make," Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen thought to themselves.

The two paid no attention and continued to listen to Xu Erlang speak.

"Lingyin has a very strange talent: she can't learn things she doesn't want to learn, no matter how much you teach her. So don't think you're special and assume you can teach her basics."

Xu Erlang almost blurted out. "Don't humiliate yourselves."

Li Miaozhen shook her head. "That won't do. I promised Madam Xu that I would help tutor Lingyin when I stayed at the Xu Household before, but I was delayed by other matters. Now that everything is settled, it's time to fulfill my promise."

Chu Yuanzhen smiled. He had seen plenty of smart people; it was not without its pleasures to occasionally encounter someone of duller intelligence.

Xu Qi'an and Zhong Li returned to the courtyard and noticed that the atmosphere inside was somewhat tense. Li Miaozhen was sitting on a small stool, her pretty face looking blank and her pupils unfocused.

She looks just like a girl who has just broken up with her boyfriend, feeling depressed and dejected.

Chu Yuanzhen held his sword, which remained unsheathed, against the wall, his face expressionless, but the throbbing veins on his forehead betrayed him.

"You two seem to have encountered something unpleasant?" Xu Qi'an scrutinized his two companions.

The two ignored him.

Xu Erlang sighed and said, "Hero Chu and Daoist Priest Li insist on teaching Lingyin to read and do arithmetic."

Xu Qi'an was taken aback and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards the two men.

Li Miaozhen felt that Xu Ningyan was mocking her, so she picked up a small stone and threw it at him.

After lunch, Xu Qi'an returned to the Xu Residence with his family. Second Uncle Xu hired three carriages to go to the outer city to summon the servants back.

After the servants returned, my aunt directed them to sweep and clean.

Xu Qi'an sat on the roof ridge, watching the servants bustling about, and listening to Chu Yuanzhen and Xu Erlang discussing scriptures and doctrines, each showing off their knowledge.

Inside the hall, Chu Caiwei brought exquisite pastries from Cassia Moon Tower, and Lina and Xu Lingyin joined her in enjoying them.

Li Miaozhen was meditating in the guest room, while Su Su kept talking incessantly.

Beside him, Zhong Li, wrapped in a cloth robe, hugged her knees and obediently stayed by his side.

"With the Xu Residence's current fighting strength, even if Emperor Yuanjing wanted to retaliate, unless he sent a large army to besiege them, he wouldn't be afraid of assassination," Xu Qi'an said with peace of mind.

Once Master Jinlian's lotus seeds are ripe, we will have to leave the capital. At that time, we will ask Yang Qianhuan and Caiwei to take care of the family.

The supervisor promised me he would protect the Xu Residence, and he didn't want to force me to kill my way into the palace and behead Emperor Yuanjing.

"Sit here and don't move. I'm going inside to see a distinguished guest. You can come down after she leaves," Xu Qi'an turned to Zhong Li and instructed her.

Zhong Li nodded silently. "Mm."

Xu Qi'an immediately jumped off the roof, returned to his room, closed the doors and windows, then took out the fragment of the Earth Book and poured out a talisman sword.

This talisman sword was given to him by Luo Yuheng and Chu Yuanzhen when they traveled north.

Xu Qi'an still doesn't know whether his kind aunt gave him this thing as a gesture of goodwill, or whether Master Jinlian obtained it for him.

Before returning to the Xu Residence, he used the fragment of the Earth Book to contact Daoist Jinlian. Through him, he confirmed that Luo Yuheng was half one of his own and could be trusted to a certain extent.

Master Jinlian also said that the talisman sword could act as a messenger, allowing him to contact Luo Yuheng without having to go to the capital in person.

Gripping the talisman sword tightly, he mobilized his Primordial Spirit, channeling a wisp of spiritual energy, and whispered, "Imperial Preceptor, Imperial Preceptor, I am Xu Qi'an."

It's best to clarify the matter of the Soul Pill; otherwise, it will always feel like a thorn in my side. Also, it's a reminder to Luo Yuheng to be wary of Emperor Yuanjing causing trouble.

While I'm at it, I'll also try to increase my favorability with the stunning beauty, hoping that Luo Yuheng will become a powerful figure I can rely on in the future.

Auntie, I don't want to try anymore.

After repeating the incantation for a while, the talisman sword showed no reaction.

It seems the Imperial Advisor doesn't want to talk to me. As expected, my status and position are ultimately too low. In the eyes of a woman of Luo Yuheng's noble birth and powerful cultivation, I am far inferior.

Xu Qi'an thought helplessly.

Just as he was about to give up, suddenly, a golden beam of light descended from the sky, pierced through the roof, and landed inside the room.

Within the golden pillar of light, a beautiful figure materialized, wearing a lotus crown and a Daoist robe, with a bright red cinnabar dot between her brows, her features exquisitely beautiful.

She possesses the wisdom of a kind aunt, the charm of a mother's friend, and the beauty of a girl next door, making her inexplicably touching.

They actually came?

Before Xu Qi'an could even feel his surprise, he suddenly heard the sound of tiles rolling off the roof. Immediately afterward, a figure tumbled down from the eaves and landed heavily in the yard with a thud.

Zhong Li didn't move for a long time. After a while, she got up with a whimper and silently walked away.

Luo Yuheng suddenly realized, "How come there's someone on your roof? They came too fast, I didn't notice."

"."

No, it's not that you didn't notice, it's that fate made you "deliberately" ignore her, poor Senior Sister Zhong.

Luo Yuheng's clear eyes sparkled, her aloofness like that of a fairy. She nodded and asked, "What do you want with me?"

P. S.: I was supposed to update three chapters today, but after thinking about it, I think it's better to combine them into two chapters; I can make up for it in terms of word count. Today's word count is over 12,000.