The Heaven and Earth Society's nighttime gathering

Xu Qi'an turned his head and saw a pair of sparkling peach blossom eyes, charming, beautiful, and mesmerizing.

The eyes are the windows to the soul, and the most important feature of the face. Women who can make people forget the mundane usually have a pair of Spiritual Qi and spirited eyes.

Lin'an has a pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes, but when she gazes at you, her eyes become misty, making her exceptionally charming and affectionate.

But when those eyes look at you, you won't have the heart to tease her, and you'll be willing to lay your heart bare and give it to her.

Xu Qi'an, who had originally planned to tease her, changed his mind and chuckled softly, "No, I wrote the military treatise; it has nothing to do with Duke Wei."

Biao Biao smiled with delight; she had received a satisfactory answer, and was extremely satisfied.

"Then why did you lie to Huaiqing?"

Lin'an skipped lightly, her red skirt billowing like fiery waves.

"Because Princess Huaiqing is overconfident, it's difficult to overturn or change what she's made up her mind about. And since I haven't demonstrated any knowledge of military strategy before, it's reasonable for her to believe that the military treatise was written by the Duke of Duke Wei."

Xu Qi'an explained.

"Actually, it's because she doesn't trust you. I trust you completely, I believe whatever you say." Lin'an smugly hummed.

"Innocence has its advantages," Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

A naive girl is happy if she meets a good man like him. But if she meets a scumbag, her heart will be played with.

Xu Qi'an never toyed with a girl's heart; he preferred her body.

Before leaving the capital, Xu Qi'an looked back and glanced at the palace further inside.

If there really is a secret passage leading to the palace from the outside world, where would it be?

What secret did Master Hengyuan discover that forced Emperor Yuanjing to send people to arrest him?

On a platform outside the Imperial Academy, a scholar in Confucian robes stood and vividly recounted his experiences at the literary gathering.

"That barbarian named Pei Manxilou was truly learned. He could hold his own against the Hanlin Academy nobles in discussing astronomy, geography, classics, and policy essays. Just when the Hanlin Academy nobles were at a loss, the great Confucian scholars Zhang Shen Zhang Jinyan from the Cloud Deer Academy arrived."

Below the stage, a group of people who had been listening intently finally breathed a sigh of relief and laughed.

"With the arrival of the great Confucian scholar from the Cloud Deer Academy, isn't victory a sure thing? Those barbarians won't be able to act so arrogantly."

"Yes, who doesn't know that the great scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy are as learned as those of the Star-Gazing Tower?"

The scholar in Confucian robes on the stage shook his head and said helplessly, "No, even the great scholar Zhang Shen from the Cloud Deer Academy lost. Who would have thought that barbarian would take out a military treatise? After seeing it, the great scholar Zhang Shen readily admitted defeat."

The crowd below the stage was shocked and furious, and the uproar was deafening.

"Even the great scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy lost?"

"Did we really lose to the barbarians? Damn it, are all the scholars of the Great Feng Dynasty useless?"

"I'm so angry! This is even more infuriating than last year's Buddhist School mission."

The common people cursed without any restraint.

The student on stage gestured for them to calm down. "Please be patient, everyone. If we had lost the literary competition, why would I be standing here?"

Upon hearing this, the crowd gathered around did not quiet down; instead, they shouted even louder.

"Tell me quickly, stop keeping me in suspense."

"The great scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy all lost, so who really won against the barbarians?"

The students of the Imperial Academy laughed and said, "Don't rush, let me continue. At this moment, a young official from the Hanlin Academy stepped forward and said he wanted to discuss military strategy with Pei Manxilou. This young official was named Xu Xinnian, and he was Xu Yinluo's cousin."

He vividly described how Xu Xinnian retrieved the military treatise and how he impressed Pei Manxilou.

The surrounding people were thrilled and cheered, praising the Xu brothers as outstanding individuals, like father, Xu Household son.

The students of the Imperial Academy deliberately paused, watching with a wicked amusement as the people praised Xu Xinnian. When they had enough, he abruptly changed the subject, loudly proclaiming, "Do you know who wrote the military treatise?"

The people stopped and stared at him blankly.

The students of the Imperial Academy shouted, "It's Xu Yinluo! Our Great Feng's top poet, Xu Yinluo!"

Faces were filled with astonishment, which quickly turned into excitement and ecstasy.

Thanks to the students of the Imperial Academy's extensive praise and publicity for Xu Qi'an, the news that Xu Qi'an's military treatise had subdued the barbarians quickly spread throughout the capital.

The common people in the city didn't care about Pei Manxilou's scholarship; they only knew that this barbarian had been extremely arrogant lately, even losing to the Imperial Academy.

They had hoped that the great scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy would step in and curb the barbarians' arrogance, but the news that came was that even the great scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy had lost.

Those who heard the news were both shocked and furious, lamenting their misfortune and angering at their lack of resolve. But in the next second, almost unanimously, their anger turned to joy. Xu Yinluo asked his cousin to make a move, and the cousin took out a military treatise, instantly subduing the barbarians.

This adds another chapter to Xu Yinluo's legendary life.

The storyteller slapped the table in admiration; they finally had a new subject. Although the people were still very interested in stories like the Buddhist School's magical battles and the monk's single-handed defense against eight thousand rebel soldiers, they had heard them countless times before.

Now we can finally say something different.

Not long after Xu Qi'an and Lin'an left, Huaiqing also left the imperial city, arriving at the Nightwatchers's office in an extremely luxurious and expensive carriage.

After the announcement was made, Huaiqing, with her flowing skirt and elegant demeanor, met Wei Yuan on the seventh floor of Haoqi Tower.

Wei Yuan stood before the geomantic map, gazing intently at it. Without turning around, he smiled and said, "Your Highness, what brings you to my place?"

Huaiqing bowed, always treating herself as a junior in front of Wei Yuan, never putting on airs like a princess.

"I've come to request a book," she said in a cool, clear voice.

Wei Yuan returned to his desk, picked up his brush, and said, "I'll give the princess a handwritten letter. If you need any books, just go to the archives."

Huaiqing shook his head, his eyes sparkling with hope. "I want to see that military treatise. Duke Wei, you are an expert in military strategy, yet you have never written a book about it. It is truly a pity. Now that your military treatise has been published, it is a great fortune for the Great Feng."

Wei Yuan slowly shook his head and said gently, "That military treatise was not written by me."

No? Huaiqing's face suddenly froze, her eyes staring blankly at Wei Yuan. A few seconds later, her pupils regained focus, and her inner emotions reacted like a tidal wave.

The military treatise was indeed written by Xu Qi'an. He was so proficient in military strategy, so why had he never mentioned it before? He had kept it so well hidden.

She was shocked and somewhat resentful that Xu Qi'an deliberately didn't explain, intentionally making her embarrass herself in front of Wei Yuan.

Wei Yuan laughed and said, "To be honest, I'm even considering taking him to the battlefield. With such a talent, after a few years of training, Great Feng will have produced another great commander."

Huaiqing composed himself and said with a faint smile, "I'll take it secretly."

Wei Yuan lowered his eyes and said softly, "I won't bring it."

The Bureau of Astronomy, the Eight Trigrams Platform.

The supervisor sat on the east side, and Yang Qianhuan sat on the west side. The master and disciple sat back to back and did not hug.

"Not bad, you have a basic grasp of the formations you need to know. In three years at most, you can try to advance to the rank of Celestial Master." The Supervisor nodded slightly and said with a smile.

"What are the requirements for becoming a Celestial Master?" Yang Qianhuan asked with great interest.

Having spent five years in the fourth rank, it was indeed time for him to advance further. His repeated failures to imitate Xu Qi'an had taught Yang Qianhuan a valuable lesson.

There are limits to what mortals can achieve. If one wants to surpass Xu Qi'an, one cannot remain a mortal.

"After observing the stars for three years, I gained some insights, and then I inscribed an array to conceal myself for three years," the supervisor said slowly.

"Six years without being able to go out or see anyone?"

"Six years is the fastest you can go. If your comprehension isn't sufficient, even six years and another six years, until the end of your lifespan, you might not be able to advance," the supervisor said with a sigh, taking a sip of wine.

"Transcending the mundane is not as simple as it seems."

Yang Qianhuan said firmly, "Teacher, I only want to be an ordinary person. I don't care about being a Celestial Master!"

The supervisor then ignored him.

Just then, light footsteps climbed the steps, and a pretty girl with an oval face, wearing a yellow dress, stepped onto the Eight Trigrams Platform, excitedly saying:

"Senior Brother Yang, the literary gathering is over, and our Great Feng has won!"

Yang Qianhuan said indifferently, "Caiwei Sister Caiwei, I'm not interested in these boring gatherings of scholars."

Chu Caiwei blinked. "Xu Qi'an has made a move too."

Yang Qianhuan appeared in front of Chu Caiwei in a flash, staring intently at her from behind:

"Xu Qi'an made a move? He recited poetry? Ha, how enviable. However, in this literary gathering's strategic competition, he's merely a supporting character. Forcing himself to recite poetry to assert his presence is, in my opinion, a petty trick. Xu Qi'an has already fallen."

"Isn't it you, Senior Brother, who's forcing yourself to recite poetry and assert your presence?" Chu Caiwei thought to herself, snorting.

Xu Qi'an didn't recite any poetry; he didn't even appear on stage.

Yang Qianhuan hummed in agreement, expressing her confusion.

Chu Caiwei said crisply, "He wrote a military treatise and had Xu Erlang present it at the literary gathering. After Pei Manxilou read it, he was completely impressed and even offered to become his disciple. Now that military treatise has become a highly sought-after classic. Hey, Senior Brother Yang, what's wrong with you?"

"Xu, Xu Ningyan's skills have been displayed in front of others by leaps and bounds, reaching a state of perfection, a great achievement!" Yang Qianhuan said excitedly.

"What are you saying, senior brother?" Chu Caiwei glanced at the back of his head and said.

"He had no choice but to do it because he offended His Majesty. Otherwise, given Xu Ningyan's personality, he would have been eager to show off everywhere."

No, no, you don't understand!

Yang Qianhuan retorted vehemently, waving her hands excitedly:

"The truly sublime display of divine power before a public figure is like this: before he even arrives, he can astound everyone. Before he even arrives, he can subdue the barbarians. He did nothing and said nothing from beginning to end, yet he stirred up a huge frenzy in the capital."

"Xu Ningyan, Xu Ningyan, you are truly my nemesis. One day, I will surpass you and trample you under my feet. I will learn all your skills. The more arrogant you are, the more I will learn. In the future, you will regret it."

Chu Caiwei blinked and said innocently, "Then, senior brother, you must first write a military treatise."

Yang Qianhuan suddenly froze, like a lifeless statue.

After a long pause, he murmured, "Mortals really do have limits. Teacher, I... I don't want to be a mortal anymore."

Life is not worth living! The supervisor sighed dejectedly.

late at night.

Xu Qi'an lay on the bed with the petite Zhong Li sitting on his back. Physician Zhong used her superb acupressure massage techniques to dredge Xu Qi'an's meridians and promote blood circulation, in short, Great Feng massage".

"Comfortable."

Xu Qi'an gave a half-sigh, half-groan of praise, saying, "Speaking of which, I am also very proficient in acupressure massage, but since Fuxiang left, no woman has been so lucky. Senior Sister Zhong, would you like to be that lucky person?"

Zhong Li silently shook her head. Although she didn't know what he was talking about, shaking her head was the right thing to do.

Xu Qi'an got a little angry. "Then don't sit on me. Your butt is so big, you're pressing down on me."

"Oh!"

Zhong Li responded softly, got off him, and, dragging her embroidered shoes, returned to her small couch.

After dismissing Zhong Li, Xu Qi'an took out a fragment of the Earth Book and, using the dim candlelight shining on the table, sent a message: "[My elder brother went to the Nightwatchers's office today and found that the human traffickers under the command of the Marquis of Pingyuan have all been beheaded.]"

[Two: Haha, your older brother is awesome.]

Chu Yuanzhen didn't understand Li Miaozhen's sarcasm, thinking she was praising Xu Qi'an's talent, and sent a message:

[Actually, I suspect that the military treatise was written by Ningyan Wei Yuan, but he used Brother Ning Yan to give it to Cijiu, thereby suppressing the barbarians. Hmm, regarding Heng Yuan's matter, I have thought it over again and again. Yuan Jing captured Master Heng Yuan, but Daoist Jin Lian is certain that Heng Yuan will not die.]

[If I were Yuan Jing, I would definitely seal him in a place I can see. Tell me, where is a place that Yuan Jing can see, but no one else can find?]

[Part Two: The Imperial Palace!]

The witty heroine Feiyan answered quickly.

Chu Yuanzhen continued sending a message: [Miaozhen is right, but according to Xu Ningyan's intelligence, the Prince of Huai's spies did not enter the palace that day, nor even the imperial city.]

Xu Qi'an's heart skipped a beat: [You mean, the secret passage to the palace is in the inner city?]

Chu Yuanzhen sent a letter saying:

[I think so too, but there's an inexplicable question. You've all seen the map of the capital, right? The inner city leads to the palace, separated by the Imperial City. Starting from any gate of the inner city, even riding at full speed, it would take at least 15 minutes to reach the Imperial City. And then, to enter the palace from the Imperial City, the journey is long. I don't believe there's such a long tunnel.]

That wouldn't be a tunnel, but a passageway, which is indeed impossible. Xu Qi'an nodded slowly.

If you want to dig a tunnel, you have to do it secretly. After all, even Emperor Yuanjing couldn't openly carry out tunnel construction.

The manpower and resources required were truly staggering. Moreover, with so many cities like Beijing, if you were to dig a tunnel under someone else's property, it would have been detected long ago.

Chu Yuanzhen wrote: [My idea is, is there any earth escape spell?]

[Two: First of all, it is difficult to practice earth escape magic, and there are very few people who can master it. In addition, it can only be used in an environment with earth veins.]

[5: What are ley lines?]

Lina perfectly played the role of a pawn.

[Two: Ley lines are ley lines. I can't explain them, but Warlock can. Warlock are well-versed in feng shui and know what ley lines are. Or, our learned Number Three knows what ley lines are.]

Miao Zhen knew Zhong Li was in my room and hinted that I should ask her.

"Feiyan, you're so loyal! You endured the embarrassment and didn't expose me. Mwah!" Xu Qi'an turned to Zhong Li on the small couch. "Do you know what ley lines are?"

P. S.: There's a collaboration event in the book review section with Kuaishou, featuring short videos about pets. You can check it out if you're interested.

In addition, I've been feeling lethargic these past few days, and after some reflection, I realized it's because I had initially adjusted my sleep schedule back to normal, but recently I've been staying up until 4 or 5 AM again, disrupting my routine once more. This is why I feel lethargic during the day and my typing speed is slow. This clearly shows how important a regular sleep schedule is.