Chapter 1055: A Scholar, When He Arrives

Chapter 1055: A Scholar, When He Arrives

Chen Ping’an asked curiously, “Are you really going to host two Night Travel Banquets in a row?”

Hosting one was plenty enough. Even the Thin Eyebrow River Water God Gao Niang, who wasn’t short of money, had to spit out the truth after drinking at the village school last time. One Night Travel Banquet today, then rest for a day, just to catch a breath. By the time everyone managed to scrape together a bit of money, you’d be holding another one the day after tomorrow. Nobody’s money falls from the sky; people really can’t take it.

Wei Bo glanced at him.

Chen Ping’an tactfully said, “Pretend I didn’t ask.”

Wei Bo said, “I made an appointment with Meng Rong to go drink at the Sweet Flag River area.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Yeah, worth celebrating.”

Wei Bo glanced at him again.

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “Just tell me straight up what you want me to do. Do you need me to play host over there, bring a few jars of good wine? Or be the backup drinker, play a few rounds of mahjong, shield you from drinks? Or are you guys hitting the flower taverns, going all out, and you just need me to show up at the end and secretly settle the bill?”

Wei Bo said, “Just having the thought is enough. Meng Rong did want to arrange a drink with you, to thank you a bit. I helped turn it down.”

Chen Ping’an quickly cupped his hands in thanks.

Wei Bo left straight away.

Chen Ping’an sighed. Damn it. Just like Lin Yupu. Wasn’t he about to become a Divine Lord soon? Temper was growing along with it.

Why don’t you go act all high and mighty with Senior Master?

They needed to go to the Ministry of War office located on Thousand-Step Corridor Scholar’s Hat Lane. Jiang Shangzhen originally wanted to support the old Minister, but unexpectedly, once the old man left the palace city, he looked like he could stride like a dragon or a tiger.

Chen Ping’an planned to gift the Pine Snow Lecture Hall, which was directly under the Ministry of War, with five hundred military strategy books. Since they were already copied manuscripts, it was convenient.

Since they had been to the capital before, Chen Ping’an and Xiao Mo used a disguise technique. Jiang Shangzhen and Xie Gou, one Chief and one Vice Chief of the Fallen Mountain, were more casual about it.

When they arrived at the heavily guarded Ministry of War office, the old Minister led them through corridors and passages. They encountered many Ministry officials along the way, but none of them took the initiative to greet him. They seemed to slow their steps slightly and lower their heads as they passed.

Jiang Shangzhen sighed, “Old Minister, you command deep respect in your own office.”

It was like himself—every time he climbed Divine Seal Peak to attend the Ancestral Hall meetings, no one dared to greet him either.

Shen Chen laughed, “It’s not about authority or lack thereof. It’s just that we don’t bother with that groveling nonsense. Not just our Ministry of War, but all the offices and departments in the capital strive for speed and efficiency. Say what you need to say, and don’t waste time on idle chatter. Mm, except for Zhao Duanjin’s Ministry of Rites. They’re all about tedious formalities, strict and rigid. I occasionally visit there, and every few steps I have to nod at someone I don’t know. My neck gets sore, and I have to slap a medicated plaster on it when I get back.”

Jiang Shangzhen automatically ignored the old man’s sarcasm about the Ministry of Rites and said with a smile, “So what’s the point of being an official?”

The Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy did have many rules. For example, they stipulated that officials had to report for duty when sunlight hit the fifth brick of the corridor.

Someone as lax as Vice Minister of Personnel Cao Gengxin was a rare exception in the Great Li officialdom. This scion of the Cao clan, who had risen from the position of Supervisor of the Longquan Kiln Affairs and was a pillar of the state, was often late for roll call, and his salary was barely enough to cover the fines.

Shen Chen said, “But outside the office, it’s still quite glamorous. Just say you’re going to the Sweet Flag River for drinks. Every time you settle the bill, you get a huge discount. It got to the point where I didn’t dare go too often, afraid I’d bankrupt the tavern.”

The room was very spacious, equivalent to three rooms knocked together. Besides reviewing official documents, the old Minister could also hold small-scale meetings here.

Against one wall was a row of bookshelves; the other two walls had floor-to-ceiling cabinets, all filled with books, files, and archives. Surrounded by books, it wasn’t an exaggeration to call it a vast ocean of volumes.

The old Minister rarely received guests here, and none of them were wearing court robes or official uniforms. Soon, a dedicated literary secretary who served in the Minister’s office brought tea.

Shen Chen sat in an old-fashioned armchair with a heavily worn patina, habitually resting his hands on his walking stick and his chin on the backs of his hands. He said with a cheerful smile, “State Teacher Chen, arriving early is better than arriving by chance. Let me call over Wen Er from the Ministry of Works and Mu Yan from the Ministry of Revenue. Have them get acquainted with you, State Teacher, and while they’re here, we can discuss some serious business?”

Although they were all high-ranking ministers of equal official rank, Shen Chen was older and had served in various ministries, so many were considered “home” offices for him. Plus, Shen Chen had many titles. Asking two Ministers to come to the Ministry of War wasn’t a big deal. Besides, Shen Chen was Wen Er’s mentor. If they ran into each other on Intention Delay Lane, Wen Er would call Shen Chen “Master.” Whether he answered or not depended on Shen Chen’s mood—oh, no, on how well his ears were working. Everyone in the Great Li officialdom knew that Old Minister Shen’s ears had been unreliable since his youth, sometimes working, sometimes not.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “No need for that.”

Jiang Shangzhen had been bored guarding the door of the Imperial Study earlier, so he studied the attire of the various mountain and river deities inside. Both Ministers were wearing court robes, but there were slight differences. For instance, their boots were different. Shen Chen’s court boots were brand new but stained with mud, while Zhao Duanjin’s were old but clean. Jiang Shangzhen was very curious about why Shen Chen’s boots had mud on them. In the Great Li capital, there were old shops that specialized in selling court boots. There was a book called “Records of Footwear Preparation” that was widely circulated. The common folk in the capital, especially those who had lived near Intention Delay Lane and Whistle Child Street for generations, had developed sharp eyes. As the saying went, “Judge a man by his shoes first.”

Xiao Mo sat upright and dignified.

Xie Gou lounged back in her chair, pulled her mink hat down to cover her face, and it was unclear whether she was sleeping or resting her eyes.

Shen Chen asked, “State Teacher Chen, are you familiar with the Three Lads Temple in the Northern Juzhou Continent?”

Chen Ping’an paused for a moment, thought about it, then shook his head. “I have indeed been to the Northern Juzhou Continent a few times, but I’ve barely set foot north of the Ji River, so naturally I’m not familiar with the Three Lads Temple.”

Jiang Shangzhen glanced at the mountain master.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “But I have a Sword Immortal friend who has a pretty good relationship with them.”

The old man nodded. “The Ministry of Justice plans to give some tangible benefits to the various Great Li state-funded cultivators. Of course, it’s not bribery. The Ministry of Revenue has already approved it, but they rejected several proposals from the Ministry of Justice, complaining that the Ministry of Justice didn’t know how to manage finances and was wasting money. In the end, they came up with a compromise. According to the Ministry of Revenue, one option was the Immortal Brew of Eternal Spring Palace—it doesn’t cost the Ministry of Revenue anything. This kind of liquor is now even more valuable than Immortal cash in the Bottle Gourd Continent’s mountains. Then they planned to buy a batch of cheap but good-quality meditation cushions from the Three Lads Temple. However, when the Ministry of War heard about this, they got ideas. Since they were buying anyway, maybe they could get a discount for a larger order. They wanted to equip all the Great Li army-attached cultivators with one cushion each. But that would increase the Ministry of Revenue’s expenses significantly. Mu Yan almost moved a stool to sit in front of the Ministry of Justice building and curse them out.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “The meditation cushions from the Three Lads Temple are indeed good items. It’s said that one Small Heat coin there can be worth two elsewhere.”

When he first traveled to the Northern Juzhou Continent, Chen Ping’an was deeply impressed by these mountain meditation cushions. At Skeleton Beach, due to the leakage of yin energy from a ghost valley, even at high noon when the sun was blazing, the area around the local market, commonly called the Helpless Pass, was chilling to the bone. On the border between the two realms, large and small, the Hemp Mourning Sect had built a long string of thatched-roof meditation huts over the most yin-rich and pure springs. Each hut contained a cushion refined by the Three Lads Temple to help Qi refiner breathe, inhale, and absorb the world’s spiritual energy more quickly.

The Three Lads Temple was the largest weapons shop in the Northern Juzhou Continent. Moreover, the registered cultivators of the temple were as famous for not liking to fight as they were for being extremely capable in combat. They had a well-known catchphrase: “Don’t bully an honest man.”

The protective spiritual armor forged by the Three Lads Temple, the imitation Sword Immortal innate flying swords crafted by the Sword-Hating Mountain, the three-colored kasayas of the Buddha Radiance Temple, and the crane-down feathered robes of the Cloud Palace of the Chongxuan Office under the Dayuan Dynasty—all were famous throughout the world.

In the Nine Continents of the Haoran World, apart from the Central Earth Continent, only the resource-rich Flowing Cloud Continent could compare with the Northern Juzhou Continent in terms of artifact and weapon forging. For example, Han Huaizi, the old sect leader of the Taiwei Sword Sect, had a famous sword technique called “Great Work Carves Jade,” which was related to his mastery of formations, talismans, and artifact refinement.

It couldn’t be helped—there were too many sword cultivators on the continent. Could ordinary Qi refiners leave home without wearing multiple Dharma robes and suits of armor? Each extra blow they could withstand was an extra life.

At the same time, pure martial artists also wanted a few handy weapons to spar with Qi refiners. Why couldn’t those who practiced martial arts and boxing trade blows with those who cultivated immortality on the mountains?

If you bought Dharma robes and armor, I’d pick a few offensive treasures. If you bought offensive treasures, I’d acquire more defensive items and various protective talismans, while secretly getting some things with high killing power...

In the end, the mountains and lowlands of the Northern Juzhou Continent developed a particularly simple and straightforward atmosphere. If you didn’t have some “hospitality skills,” you wouldn’t even be fit to greet people outside.

Chen Ping’an had once entrusted Liu Jinglong with a hundred Grain Rain coins to buy as many imitation swords from Sword-Hating Mountain and armor from the Three Lads Temple as possible. If there was any surplus, Liu Jinglong was to use his discretion to buy some miscellaneous treasures. In short, don’t try to save his money!

The implication was that their Mountain Master Chen wanted both quality and quantity.

After all, Sword Immortal Liu’s reputation was worth a lot.

In the end, Liu Jinglong indeed made a personal trip to the Three Lads Temple and bought one imitation sword from Sword-Hating Mountain and two sets of armor.

They bore the signatures of two famous refiners. Generally speaking, spiritual armor with names on it was the work of the Three Lads Temple’s Ancestral Hall offerings—priceless but always marked up.

Later, Chen Ping’an gave them to Lu Baixiang’s two direct disciples, a brother and sister, Yuan Bao and Yuan Lai. It happened that they each got a set.

Why couldn’t a pure martial artist wear armor? The martial world was treacherous; one could never be too careful. Protective gear was a must.

Later, he heard from Bai Shou that Liu had encountered another soulmate at the Three Lads Temple, which made the pricing so favorable. For anyone else, they wouldn’t even get a sniff.

Generationally speaking, the female cultivator who nominally controlled half of the Three Lads Temple’s weapons shops was Yuan Xuan’s grand-aunt. Along with Shui Jingshan Immortal Lu Sui and Cai Que Prefecture Prefect Sun Qing, she was ranked among the top ten female immortals of the Northern Juzhou Continent. When Liu Jinglong was still the peak master of Pianran Peak, they had already set their hearts on him. In the Northern Juzhou Continent, this was an open secret.

Thanks to the many Night Travel Banquets, the warehouses of the Piyun Mountain Treasury Bureau and the Ceremonial Office were piled high with treasures. Even the catalogues recording them formed a thick stack.

Chen Ping’an had also heard from Xiao Mili that these two offices of Mountain Lord Wei’s were huge and had been expanded more than once.

Among the countless congratulatory gifts were meditation cushions specially made by the Three Lads Temple. Later, Xiao Mo bought one from the Mountain Lord’s mansion, brought it back to Fallen Mountain, and carefully dismantled it.

The conclusion was that imitation wasn’t difficult, but the cost couldn’t be reduced. First, some key materials were unavailable in the Bottle Gourd Continent as substitutes. Second, the feasibility of mass production created a huge cost difference.

Since even Xiao Mo said so, it meant the Three Lads Temple’s meditation cushions were almost at an optimal level.

Additionally, there were four other mountain factions in the Northern Juzhou Continent with closely guarded business secrets. For example, the Dharma robes of Old Lord’s Lane were once exported to the six continents outside Bottle Gourd and Parasol Leaf. At that time, the Bottle Gourd Continent was too poor, and the Parasol Leaf Continent was too isolated. However, Old Lord’s Lane’s Dharma robes had long been monopolized by the Qionglin Sect. It was said that the founding ancestor of Old Lord’s Lane, Song Yu, whose Daoist name was “Leitong,” was exceptionally talented in artifact refinement but poor at business. In his youth, he aimed too high, ignoring costs and wanting only to craft the best mountain Dharma robes. As a result, he ended up hungry and cold. Later, the Qionglin Sect approached him for cooperation, and he became rich. The green crane Dharma robes of Old Lord’s Lane made the Qionglin Sect a fortune.

Song Yu also finally refined the kind of famous Dharma robe he had envisioned, called the “Yingran Robe,” but the price was exorbitant. It was the top choice for upper-level five-realm Qi refiners in the Northern Juzhou Continent (excluding sword cultivators). Unfortunately, Old Lord’s Lane could only weave one such robe every sixty years.

It was somewhat similar to the Feathering Pill of the Green Tiger Palace in the Parasol Leaf Continent—it wasn’t sold for Immortal cash but as a huge favor.

As for whether Song Yu’s cooperation with the Qionglin Sect was meeting a life-saving benefactor or being ill-treated, opinions varied in the Northern Juzhou Continent.

Later, Old Lord’s Lane successively launched several “cornucopias,” such as custom-made “Grand Review Armor” for the continent’s emperors, monarchs, and royalty—impractical but undeniably “impressive.” The cloud scripts were intricate, the treasure inscriptions magnificent, and the overall effect supremely luxurious.

Jade Pure Realm and earthly immortal cultivators, as well as lower-five-realm Qi refiners, were all covered by Old Lord’s Lane. Plus, various countries’ royalty and nobility lined up to be the fat lambs.

By targeting these three types of customers simultaneously, Old Lord’s Lane and the Qionglin Sect naturally had money rolling in.

The old man suddenly slapped the armrest of his chair. “I almost forgot—Old Sect Leader Jiang is actually the most familiar with the Northern Juzhou Continent!”

Xie Gou lifted her mink hat and glanced at Chief Zhou. She had received permission from Bai Ze to come here and find Xiao Mo. Initially, she had appeared in the Northern Juzhou Continent, so she knew about Chief Zhou’s reputation and deeds there. After so many years, whenever mention was made of Jiang Shangzhen, the Qi refiners in that continent were still grinding their teeth, wanting to kill him. Just how much damage had Jiang Shangzhen done back then in the Northern Juzhou Continent?

Jiang Shangzhen still had thick skin. He laughed and said, “If you’re buying from the Northern Juzhou Continent, just use my name. But whether they give you a fifty percent discount or mark it up to one hundred and fifty percent, I can’t guarantee.”

He figured that if they heard Jiang Shangzhen was involved in the deal, nine out of ten sects would say to the Great Li court: “Just break Jiang the bandit’s third leg, and we’ll give it to you for free!”

Take the Three Lads Temple, for example. Jiang Shangzhen was indeed very familiar with it—so familiar that if he showed his face there, he would be treated well as the man who almost became their live-in son-in-law.

Using aliases wasn’t a problem in itself. The issue was that Jiang Shangzhen had been simultaneously hooking up with two female cultivators from the Yuan clan’s direct line. He was negotiating marriage, both wanting to become his Dao companions.

As for Old Lord’s Lane, Jiang Shangzhen naturally didn’t miss it. He went there several times. With a female cultivator like Song Yu there, Jiang Shangzhen had no reason not to make extra trips.

However, nothing happened between them. Song Yu had a cold personality, stayed home most of the time, and was obsessed with artifact refinement. She looked at Jiang Shangzhen as if he were a dead man.

But when Jiang Shangzhen looked at her... she was breathtaking.

Some women could kill with just their silhouette.

In his life, Jiang Shangzhen had only seen three women with this kind of charm. Besides Song Yu, there was one more, and she was now on Fallen Mountain.

But Jiang Shangzhen didn’t dare entertain any improper thoughts. Rabbits don’t eat grass near their burrows—that was one thing. Besides, she was the Law Keeper of their Fallen Mountain!

The old man suddenly asked, “Legend has it that the Sword-Hating Mountain has six guardian treasures—six imitation Sword Immortal innate flying swords considered the next best true artifacts. Four are known to the outside world: ‘Corpse Sit,’ ‘Poetry Ghost,’ ‘Shrine,’ and ‘Mount Sumeru.’ Does Old Sect Leader Jiang know the names of the other two?”

Jiang Shangzhen was indeed an expert, thoroughly familiar with the continent’s lore and secrets. He said, “‘Pass Through the Netherworld’ and ‘Heroes’ Graveyard.’”

Jiang Shangzhen asked curiously, “Why does the Old Minister ask about this? Do you have a mountain friend who’s short on cash? But these imitation swords, generally speaking, money alone can’t buy them.”

The Sword-Hating Mountain’s business had historically had little interaction with the lowland courts of the Northern Juzhou Continent. The main reason was the high threshold. In Jiang Shangzhen’s words, they only slaughtered fat pigs and swindled the rich.

Like Jiang Shangzhen himself.

Back then, he had almost—just almost—bought the guardian treasure known as “Tender Boudoir” with a woman he had hit it off with. But at the last moment, Jiang Shangzhen had a rare moment of conscience and changed his mind. Otherwise, he would have pocketed the “Heroes’ Graveyard” imitation sword long ago. This sword could nurture tens of thousands of ghost generals and yin soldiers. Once a Qi refiner activated it, it was perfect for group fights.

Shen Chen laughed. “Years ago, State Teacher Cui had planned to establish an official sword cultivation sect within our Great Li territory. I was one of the officials handling this matter, but unfortunately, it didn’t succeed.”

In fact, according to Cui Chan’s earliest vision, Ruan Qiong was the best candidate for sect leader. First, Ruan Qiong was the top sword-forger in the Bottle Gourd Continent. Second, the Dragon Ridge Mountain in the western mountains had a vast Dragon-Slaying Cliff that could serve as the sect’s foundation. As for the sword cultivation talents needed to spread out, the Great Li sticky rod offerings scattered across the continent weren’t idle. Coupled with the Great Li Earthly Branch cultivators—Yuan Huajing and Song Xu were both sword cultivators—the sect’s initial structure and framework were already set up.

The Sword-Hating Mountain in the Northern Juzhou Continent would be the sword sect’s ally. From the tone of it, State Teacher Cui Chan planned to personally facilitate this alliance.

The Wind-Thunder Garden would not be touched, but the Sunlit Mountain would definitely become the new sect’s “descending mountain.” Additionally, within the old Zhuying Dynasty’s territory, a second descending mountain, composed entirely of sword cultivators, would be established. The sect would have two descending mountains, forming a pincer formation and secretly building three sword arrays. With a replica of the Jade Capital as the formation’s core and combined with the capital’s Observatory Bureau’s aura-reading techniques, the Great Li Dynasty could both attack and defend, specifically targeting Ascension Realm cultivators.

Later, when Ruan Qiong became the Great Li Chief Offering and established the Longquan Sword Sect on the site of the Bead Abyss Cave Heaven, it was far from the sword sect in Cui Chan’s mind.

The old Minister glanced at the new Great Li State Teacher.

When it came to establishing one’s own faction and starting from scratch, Chen Ping’an—who rose from a humble alley—had certainly achieved outstanding success. But compared to Cui Chan, it seemed he still fell a bit short.

But as soon as he thought this, the old man immediately felt it was unreasonable.

Chen Ping’an asked, “What about the Mohist side?”

Shen Chen said, “They started withdrawing from Great Li a few years ago. The Mohists were very conscientious. Not only did they train a large batch of mountain craftsmen for us, but they also left a huge pile of blueprints at the Ministry of Works.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. It seemed the Emperor’s earlier words about “beneficial but not costly” were just courtesies.

Shen Chen said, “The Cai Que Prefecture Dharma robes failed to make the Confucian Temple’s custom order list. That’s regrettable.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Regrettable, yes, but not entirely unexpected.”

During the last Confucian Temple council in the Central Earth Continent, seven types of immortal ferry ships alone were ordered from various continents. Among them were the mountain ferry ships and sword boats jointly built by the Great Li Song clan and the Mohists.

Nearly twenty types of mountain-refined items from the Northern Juzhou Continent were selected. Among them, only the Three Lads Temple’s spiritual armor, as soft as silk, and the Old Lord’s Lane’s green crane robes were chosen for Dharma robes. The former was for middle-five-realm Qi refiners; the latter was distributed to lower-five-realm cultivators.

In fact, after obtaining a refining secret technique for Dharma robes from the Golden Kingfisher City, the quality of the Cai Que Prefecture Dharma robes had improved by a large margin. Cai Que Prefecture was even willing to make no profit, as long as they could craft at least two thousand Dharma robes for the Confucian Temple. Moreover, during the Confucian Temple council, Great Li’s Song Changjing personally recommended the Cai Que Prefecture robes. However, they were only placed on the shortlist and ultimately were not chosen.

The Confucian Temple’s explanation for rejecting them was that the Cai Que Prefecture Dharma robes were too costly and the output too small.

Because Cai Que Prefecture was a small sect, there were only so many registered female cultivators known as “Weaving Maidens,” making it impossible to meet the Confucian Temple’s requirement for “mass production.”

After receiving this statement, all the female cultivators of Cai Que Prefecture were very disappointed.

But in Chen Ping’an’s view, this could also be seen as a form of protection from the Confucian Temple.

Otherwise, if they were selected, the temple would order at least two thousand robes, and the female cultivators of Cai Que Prefecture would be unable to cultivate for decades, forced to weave robes day and night.

Of course, the original plan between Chen Ping’an and the Cai Que Prefecture Law Keeper Wu Qun was a long-term one. It would be very hard work and unprofitable in the short term, but in exchange, Cai Que Prefecture would gain a foundation for a thousand years.

Shen Chen asked again, “I heard that State Teacher Chen is friends with the sword cultivator Liu Xu?”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “We have personal ties.”

The Luo Ma River Liu clan was one of the few wealthy landlords in the Northern Juzhou Continent. For generations, they ran businesses involving ships, sea travel, and mountain caravans. They were like the largest mountain escort agency in the continent. They might not have as much money as the Qionglin Sect, but when it came to reputation among the mountains, the Qionglin Sect wasn’t even fit to polish the shoes of the Luo Ma River Liu clan.

The current old patriarch of the Liu clan was a close friend of the Three Lads Temple’s Yuan clan ancestor. The Liu clan had a generous family tradition, deep cultural heritage, and had never asked the Confucian Temple for a sect title. They were the type to silently rake in money, never seeking fame. However, during the Confucian Temple’s recent requisitioning of cross-continent ferry ships from various continental dynasties and immortal mansions, the Luo Ma River Liu clan suddenly offered two ships. One was compulsory, but the second was volunteered.

Two things about this family were worth mentioning.

Once, the Northern Juzhou Continent sword cultivators traveled together across continents to “contract a fight,” snatching the character “North” from the Goryeo Continent.

Because many sword cultivators lacked sufficient realm, crossing the vast sea on swords was extremely draining. All the mountain ferry ships at the time were provided by the Liu family, covering all expenses for that cross-continent journey.

The Fire Dragon True Lord of Prostrate Peak and the foreign Great Heavenly Master of the Celestial Master Mansion on Dragon-Tiger Mountain—neither of them sword cultivators—acted as leaders for the continent’s sword cultivators. The old True Lord sat at the bow of the lead ship, often setting up a wine table and chatting amiably with the Liu clan patriarch. One would cry poverty, and the other would say he didn’t have much money either.

On that cross-continent trip, if they failed to challenge the Goryeo Continent, all of the Luo Ma River Liu clan’s ferry ships would have been destroyed, and probably none would have returned to the Juzhou Continent.

So later, the entire Northern Juzhou Continent, especially the sword cultivators, owed them a debt of gratitude and were willing to repay it.

The second thing was that now everyone in the world knew that the Luo Ma River Liu clan, wealthy but unsophisticated, had finally produced a brilliant, romantic genius.

That person, of course, was the young master Liu Xu, who had only spent over twenty years on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

It turned out that in the Northern Juzhou Continent, besides the sword light that dominated the Nine Continents, there was also such a scholarly, literary, and talented figure.

After returning home, Liu Xu went to the Taiwei Sword Sect to drink with Liu Jinglong twice, but unfortunately, it wasn’t particularly enjoyable.

The old man spoke plainly, “The reason I’m bringing this up with State Teacher Chen is that the Luo Ma River young master Liu Xu and the Three Lads Temple’s Yuan Xuan are currently hanging around the Great Li capital.”

The Three Lads Temple’s Yuan Xuan was still too young to be the current family head, but he was being groomed for the next one.

However, according to intelligence reports, Liu Xu was already the head of the Luo Ma River Liu clan, though he wasn’t managing things yet, saying he would wait until he broke through to the Jade Pure Realm.

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Once I leave the office, I’ll go find them to catch up and fulfill my duties as host.”

Besides knowing him from the Sword Qi Great Wall and having a “personal friendship,” Chen Ping’an actually had many friends in the Northern Juzhou Continent. For instance, during the last Fallen Mountain sect celebration, Shen Lin of the Lingyuan Gong sent a large palace complex from the old South Fragrance Water Hall as a congratulatory gift. The Great River Dragon Marquis Li Yuan gifted a verdant river full of abundant water transport. And there were others like Yuan Lingdian of the Point Finger Peak, Liu Zhiqing, etc., whose names were not on the public list Chen Ping’an had previously released.

The old man suddenly asked, “The Qiantang Water Chief is one of the few high-ranking water gods on the continent. The Confucian Temple will need to review it strictly. He Cen Wenqian first jumped from a river god to a seventh-rank lake lord at the Old Fish Lake, then directly became the Qiantang Water Chief. Will the Confucian Temple approve?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Most likely, they will approve. If they reject it, the court will just select one of the orthodox water gods from Zhejiang’s Wu Yun or the Su River water god recommended by the Ministry of Rites to fill the vacancy. Neither would be a big problem.”

Xiao Mo knew the reason behind this.

His master was still being conservative. It wasn’t “most likely” that Cen Wenqian would pass; it was inevitable.

During the final stage of his master’s “Thought Roaming the Six Classics, Spirit Crossing the Rivers, Contemplating the Mountains,” Xiao Mo had stood with the Supreme Sage and Pure Yang Lu Yan at the top of the Demon-Suppressing Tower. The Supreme Sage had personally said that he would have the Confucian Temple record those names in the books.

This list included not only high-ranking mountain gods like the Central Earth Spike Mountain’s Zhou You but also low-ranking mountain gods like Dieyun Ridge’s Dou Yan, Xiangfei Mountain’s Gong Xinzhou, and Fen Shui Ridge’s Wei Wei.

And of course, the Old Fish Lake’s Cen Wenqian.

Shen Chen stood up and laughed. “We have guests. Rare guests. It seems they’re looking for State Teacher Chen. I’ll have someone arrange a room where you can talk behind closed doors and drink freely?”

Chen Ping’an also stood up. “No need for such trouble. We’ll meet them and chat while walking. Old Minister, there’s no need to see us out.”

The old man laughed. “I must see you out. Even if we aren’t colleagues in the court, we still share a hometown connection.”

Chen Ping’an dismissed it with a smile.

Xie Gou adjusted her mink hat. This old man had a good sense of humor.

The old man said he would see them off, but he only went to the door.

Jiang Shangzhen was the last to leave, chatting with the old man for a few more sentences.

The people who came to find Chen Ping’an at the Ministry of War were all members of the Great Li Earthly Branch. They had free access to all the capital’s various office departments, even without prior notice.

Today, four of them came, all women for some reason.

The young girl Yu Yu, the formation master Han Zhoujin, the female ghost Gai Yan (the eyebrow-painter from the mountains), and the newest member Zhou Haijing. Zhou was the only pure martial artist. Setting aside her appearance, her attire was as dazzling and glittering as ever.

The only inexpensive item on Zhou Haijing was probably the silk fragrance sachet embroidered with swallow patterns hanging at her waist, made during the flowering season.

Yu Yu looked a bit aggrieved. She was the one who least wanted to come here, but Aunt Feng had specifically ordered her to come. Wasn’t that bullying?

“Aunt Feng told us to check in with Mr. Chen.”

She smiled and said, “And also, Aunt Feng wants to ask Mr. Chen when exactly you’re going to the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Shouldn’t the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land be the one in a hurry? Why is Aunt Feng so anxious?”

Yu Yu said, “I’m just delivering the message. I don’t know what Aunt Feng is thinking.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Got it. I’ll talk to Aunt Feng about this myself later.”

Han Zhoujin cupped her fists and thanked him, “Last time Sect Leader Liu passed through the capital, he gave me a lot of guidance. Thank you again, Mr. Chen.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “No need to be polite. Our Sword Immortal Liu always enjoys helping others. He has no airs at all.”

Han Zhoujin wanted to say something but hesitated, then decided against it.

Sect Leader Liu was indeed approachable and had great personal charisma. He was a Sword Immortal, but when it came to formations, his words were concise and profound, benefiting Han Zhoujin greatly.

However, Sect Leader Liu’s drinking capacity seemed average. He would blush after a single cup, and he wasn’t as obsessed with alcohol as the rumors suggested.

Zhou Haijing cupped her fists and shook them vigorously, beaming. “I heard we’ll all be under Mr. Chen’s management from now on. Please take good care of us. Little girl is deeply grateful.”

Chen Ping’an smiled faintly. “Easy to say.”

Xie Gou eyed this female martial artist who was no longer young. She didn’t like her. Like that Guan Yi, she took two steps and shook her chest a few times. Wasn’t it a burden?

Gai Yan was obviously the most sincerely grateful to Mr. Chen, who had taught her a way of doing business. Doing business, indeed, Mr. Chen was the most reliable. She’d have to consult him again today.

But first, she had two freshly released pieces of news to share. As Zhou Haijing said, now that Chen Ping’an was State Teacher, he would be the direct superior of the twelve Earthly Branch members. The only one.

The Great Li court had just learned that Bai Shang, the Northern Juzhou Continent’s number one sword cultivator in the north, had emerged from seclusion and successfully broken through to the Ascension Realm.

Also, on the Sunlit Mountain side, Sect Leader Bamboo Emperor had made a trip to the Full Moon Peak and personally killed her uncle Xia Yuancui. Soon after, she convened an Ancestral Hall meeting where no one else was allowed to speak.

It was believed that the latest mountain newsletters from the large immortal mansions in the Bottle Gourd Continent would sell very well.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “That has nothing to do with me.”

As for Bai Shang, that fight was long over; the mountain news was just delayed.

Zhou Haijing and the others looked at him with knowing amusement.

Protesting too much, huh?

Just like the Snow Wind Temple’s mountain newsletter said: “Sunlit Mountain and Fallen Mountain have a wonderful relationship. Otherwise, why would Mountain Master Chen personally visit to congratulate them?”

Next, Chen Ping’an asked them about the cultivation progress of the other Earthly Branch cultivators. Naturally, she answered everything, holding nothing back.

Among all the mountain cultivators in the Bottle Gourd Continent, perhaps only Yu Yu and a few others were more afraid of this seemingly gentle young Hidden Officer than even the Sunlit Mountain sword cultivators.

Finally, Gai Yan quickly found an opportunity to discuss some private matters with Mr. Chen via voice transmission. She asked how to make her inn’s business even better!

Chen Ping’an found it both amusing and frustrating. He had to say, against his conscience, that it was already very good, and he had no suggestions.

Her inn’s reputation was now almost ruined among the Great Li mountains. It was notorious for being ruthless in making money.

But honestly, female cultivators almost never stayed there anymore, while male Qi refiners all became repeat customers. It was indeed pleasing to the eye.

Seeing Gai Yan’s sincere expression, he figured if he didn’t say something straightforward, she would propose a partnership profit-sharing arrangement. So Chen Ping’an had to say, “Gai Yan, I only told you to pay a bit more attention to the entrance’s appearance, so guests wouldn’t feel like they were entering a haunted house. I didn’t tell you to go to such extremes. What were you thinking, having so many beauties at the door all at once? Don’t you think the make-up and perfume atmosphere is a bit too heavy?”

Gai Yan looked crestfallen, her enthusiasm for making money suddenly gone.

Chen Ping’an walked side by side with Gai Yan in the corridor, his hands tucked in his sleeves, and continued, “Of course, I know those young women at the inn’s entrance are all displaced people who lost their registered identities. They have low realms but clean backgrounds. You pay each of them a generous salary, and they voluntarily solicit customers there. Yes, besides most of them wanting to repay your kindness, to be blunt, some might be trying to catch a wealthy son-in-law from the mountains. That’s nothing unusual; it’s all human nature.”

Gai Yan’s expression improved slightly.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Let me give you a few small suggestions. Leave only two female cultivators at the entrance to receive guests. Distribute the rest to various private residences, one per location, where they can meet guests one-on-one. For any immortal master staying at the inn, whether touring the capital or visiting guests, they can help—guide them or accompany them, for free. So you need to make them thoroughly familiar with the capital’s scenery, attractions, and local specialties, to the point of knowing them like the back of their hands. Then, negotiate percentages with some large taverns in advance. For guests referred from your inn, any expenses incurred there, the inn gets a cut. For example, the taverns on Sweet Flag River would be very happy for you to send guests their way. As for this money, the inn can then split the share with the women, preferably settled monthly. When the dividend one day exceeds their monthly salary, they’ll naturally be more committed. Also, they can use these valuable opportunities to get to know mountain sects and various registered cultivators, building their own networks. In each private residence, put some thought into creating unique features: scholarly items, calligraphy, paintings, antiques, devices for watching mirror flowers and water moons—things like that. The more, the better. Place some in every room. Of course, avoid being too vulgar or cluttered, or it will backfire. Also, place a small booklet on the table clearly pricing every item in the room. If guests like something, they can buy it. Later, as repeat customers increase, keep detailed records of each guest’s personal preferences. Then you can tailor your service accordingly. Next time they come, lead them directly to a residence that suits their taste. For the big spenders who treat money like dirt, be generous with discounts—so generous they feel embarrassed. Also, recommend that guests deposit money in the inn’s accounts. Whether they or their mountain friends stay, they just need to give your name, and they won’t have to take a single Immortal coin from their money pouches the entire time—that’s a matter of face. Another thing: spend some money to hire a few sects that publish mountain newsletters to write some favorable articles. At nearby ferry ports and on certain mountain ferry ships, have people proactively reach out. Especially, the inn should build a good relationship with Eternal Spring Palace. In the most expensive residences, there must be a jar of Eternal Spring Immortal Brew on the table. Also, pay attention to attracting female cultivators. You can’t ruin the inn’s reputation among the mountains. Making money—if you can’t make money from women, how can you make big money? So the inn should have its own mirror flower water moon. You can proactively approach the Ministry of Justice and say you’re willing to discuss cooperation. Offer them free use of some scenic snail-shell meditation grounds. You don’t need to say much; they’ll understand. Using the inn to gather mountain intelligence is right up their alley. They’ll handle it with discretion, so as not to tarnish the inn’s reputation. In this way, the inn will have unique features in dining, lodging, transportation, and entertainment.”

Gai Yan’s eyes lit up. Wow, Mr. Chen’s “small suggestions” were really not small at all!

Truly, a master knows when to show his hand.

Xie Gou said to Xiao Mo via voice transmission, “Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, our mountain master is really good at business.”

Xiao Mo smiled. “You just found that out?”

Xie Gou asked doubtfully, “Is it innate?”

Xiao Mo said, “Of course not. You need to travel ten thousand miles, read ten thousand books, and meet a hundred kinds of people.”

Chen Ping’an raised his chin and continued via voice transmission, “Actually, there’s a true master of business right in front of you. Why go far?”

Gai Yan glanced at Zhou Haijing, who was walking ahead, and said with irritation, “Can’t get along with her. That woman talks the harshest. Drives me crazy.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Can’t get along with her, but can you get along with money? If you become business partners and let her make money every day, do you think she’ll still quibble and make sarcastic remarks with you?”

Gai Yan tentatively asked, “Should I give it a try?”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Definitely worth a try.”

Gai Yan was radiant with newfound energy.

Chen Ping’an said, “Gai Yan, one last reminder: it’s good to earn money earnestly, but don’t forget your main job—cultivate diligently.”

Gai Yan nodded vigorously. She said cautiously, “Mr. Chen, about the inn’s profits… you really don’t need a share? My conscience wouldn’t be at ease.”

Chen Ping’an said impatiently, “Cultivate well, break through realms as soon as possible—nothing else matters more!”

They exited the Ministry of War’s main gate. Across the street was the Court of State Ceremonial.

Yu Yu and the others said their farewells.

The sunlight was a bit dazzling. Jiang Shangzhen shielded his eyes with his hand and asked with a smile, “Miss Xie, I heard that Crimson Consort is considered your second-generation disciple?”

Xie Gou grinned. “That little girl isn’t even a sword cultivator. I don’t recognize her as any second-generation disciple. Besides, she doesn’t recognize me as her grandmaster either. Neither side acknowledges it, so what’s the point? When we met before at the Yeluo River, we both pretended not to know each other. Let me guess—that woman Yang Zhi opened her big mouth to the parasol tree in the Parasol Leaf Continent? Hah, all of them need a beating.”

Jiang Shangzhen turned his head and looked at Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo was puzzled. What did that have to do with me?

Xie Gou rubbed her mink hat and asked, “Mountain Master, can I go find that Aunt Feng to catch up?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “As you wish. Just help me pass a message to Aunt Feng: that trip to the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land should happen as soon as possible. On your way there and back, make sure not to cause any commotion. This is, after all, the capital of a nation, not a place for flamboyance.”

Xie Gou laughed heartily. “Mountain Master worries too much. I’ve never been one for showing off.”

Xiao Mo said, “I won’t go. I don’t know her well, and we don’t have anything to chat about.”

Xie Gou vanished in a flash, silent and soundless.

But on Chen Ping’an’s side, there was still that girl with the mink hat.

In the blink of an eye, Xie Gou arrived near the flower shed at the Fire God Temple. She saw a bewitchingly beautiful middle-aged woman sitting under a grape trellis where old vines coiled like a dragon, reading a book.

The words in the book were all emerald green. A cool breeze blew, the scenery boundless and serene.

Xie Gou looked around and said in a perfectly authentic, local small-town dialect, “Oh my, not bad at all! You’ve found a quiet spot in the middle of all this hustle and bustle. Good taste.”

Aunt Feng closed the book and looked up at the girl-faced Bai Jing. In a soft, glutinous voice, she said, “Long time no see.”

Xie Gou wiped her nose with her thumb. “Don’t hide it. I can smell the wine from here. That’s what I came for.”

Aunt Feng remained unmoved. What did wine have to do with Bai Jing? She had seen Ascension Realm sword cultivators before—in fact, many.

Xie Gou suddenly smiled, cupped her hands in front of her, and shook them ingratiatingly. “Aunt Feng, spare a little drink, I’m terribly thirsty.”

Aunt Feng was caught off guard. This Bai Jing was so unlike Bai Jing!

Could it be, like Xiao Mo, she had used some ancient divine ability to strip away a part of her nature?

Xie Gou plopped down on the stone table, one hand on the table, fingers tapping in a sequence, waiting for Aunt Feng to bring out good wine to entertain her.

Aunt Feng stood up and walked to the table. “What did Chen Ping’an say?”

Xie Gou bared her teeth and cupped her ear as if listening. “What?!”

She raised one arm and reached into her sleeve with the other hand.

A miniature sword case hidden in her sleeve.

Inside was an ancient sword named Blue Verdant.

In ancient times, this short sword was also called “Blue Gut.” It could make mortal Taoists regret it down to their gut when they saw its sword light.

The sword and the dragon were one substance; emerging from the case was but a line of light.

Rumor had it that Bai Jing had another small sword, kept close to her chest, never shown to anyone.

Aunt Feng smiled faintly. “Trying to scare me?”

Xie Gou shook her sleeve and laughed uproariously. “No, no. I couldn’t kill you anyway.”

Aunt Feng sighed softly.

Ten thousand years apart, meeting an old friend again. Whether friend or foe no longer seemed to matter.

Xie Gou leaned forward, resting on the table, spreading her hands. “Waking up this time, everything seems strange except for Xiao Mo.”

Aunt Feng smiled. “Slept with him?”

Xie Gou just chuckled.

—

Northern border of Great Li, a towering mountain, formerly known as White Mountain.

Gu Can had only brought a maidservant with the Daoist name Spring Night. His martial aunt Han Qiaose had already returned to the White Emperor City in the Central Earth Continent.

At a roadside pavilion on a main road, Liu Xianyang stood side by side with a round-faced young woman in a cotton-padded jacket, waiting for Gu Can.

Liu Xianyang looked at Gu Can and the woman, saying nothing but just making a “tsk tsk” sound.

Little snotty kid, pretty impressive. As the saying goes, men change when they get money. Now he even brings a pretty woman when he goes out. Did she warm his bed?

According to their hometown custom, the younger brother could only marry after the older brother did.

Gu Can couldn’t be bothered to say anything to Liu Xianyang. He just looked at She Yue, who came from the bright moonlight of the Barren Wilderness, and cupped his hands with a smile. “Gu Can from Mud Vase Alley. Greetings, future sister-in-law.”

She Yue smiled. “I’m using the alias Yu Qianyue now. Of course, you can call me Fellow Daoist She Yue in private.”

She had a good first impression of Gu Can. Much better than that certain someone.

The maidservant performed a graceful salute. “Your servant Lingyan. Greetings, Sword Immortal Liu, Sister She Yue.”

She naturally recognized She Yue, but She Yue didn’t know this younger generation from her hometown.

Liu Xianyang glanced appraisingly at the woman calling herself Lingyan. He didn’t care about her background, realm, or origins. He returned the salute politely. “Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lingyan. A pleasure to meet you.”

Lingyan didn’t yet know the implications.

She only felt that Liu Xianyang, compared to that young Hidden Officer, seemed easier to get along with.

This young sect master of the Longquan Sword Sect was definitely not a simple Jade Pure Realm sword cultivator.

One look was enough.

Gu Can wasted no time. He took a wooden box from his bosom and tossed it to Liu Xianyang, speaking via voice transmission, “The thing you asked me to do is done.”

Liu Xianyang’s smile remained, but he took the box and casually put it into his sleeve. He strode forward, wrapped an arm around Gu Can’s neck, and whispered with a laugh, “Was it hard?”

Gu Can said irritably, “Don’t worry about it.”

Since entering the White Emperor City to cultivate, Gu Can had never asked his master for anything.

This matter was the only exception.

It couldn’t be helped—Liu Xianyang had threatened that if he didn’t get it done, he could forget about being his best man and drinking at the wedding.

Liu Xianyang lowered his voice. “Aren’t you afraid Chen Ping’an will fall out with you when he finds out?”

Gu Can said calmly, “I know the consequences better than you do.”

Hearing this answer, Liu Xianyang nodded, patted Gu Can’s head, and said, “Not bad. At least I didn’t make a friend for nothing.”

Gu Can pushed away Liu Xianyang’s hand and reminded him via voice transmission, “It’s just a painting in the end. The effect might not be great.”

Liu Xianyang grunted in acknowledgment, then replied, “About this kind of thing, I know better than you.”

Gu Can said via voice transmission, “As a reward, my master asked me to ask you something: have you ever seen the ‘Gatekeeper’ deity who sits guard over the River of Time?”

Liu Xianyang’s expression turned serious. He shook his head. “This isn’t the place to talk about that. When we get to the Youyi Peak—no, let’s talk at the Shenxiu Mountain instead.”

Gu Can said, “Now that I have an answer, there’s no need to bother. My master just needs to know whether that existence still exists. I’m only responsible for confirming presence or absence. As for anything else, if my master wants to know more details, he’ll come to you himself.”

Liu Xianyang rubbed his chin. “Does City Lord Bai drink? Does he have a favorite immortal brew? If so, help me get a few jars.”

Gu Can cursed in their hometown dialect. But according to the way the three of them used to interact, that was essentially agreeing.

Liu Xianyang clasped his hands behind his head. Beside him, Gu Can looked more like a scholar.

Also from the same hometown, She Yue and Lingyan walked behind their respective Dao partners and master.

Liu Xianyang said lazily, “If I’d been there, Cao Ci wouldn’t even have needed to throw that punch, and those willow leaves of yours would have been useless.”

Gu Can said, “You’re best at bragging and talking big.”

Clearly, Chen Ping’an had already told Liu Xianyang about that narrow encounter and slaughter in the Barren Wilderness.

Probably because he was worried Liu Xianyang wouldn’t invite him to be his best man?

Liu Xianyang grinned slyly. “So, you and this sister… how far have you gone?”

Gu Can sneered. “Same as you and She Yue.”

Liu Xianyang was a bit stumped. Gu Can had a talent for arguments. Back then, Chen Ping’an and he combined couldn’t beat one little snot. Of course, adding the taciturn Chen Ping’an wouldn’t have made much difference.

Gu Can hesitated for a moment, then said, “Let me give you a guess. She Yue beside you… her future path to enlightenment might be related to the Immortal’s Grave in our hometown, the Xiangjun from the Lingfei Palace with the Daoist name Dongting, and this mountain formerly called ‘White Mountain,’ now Qiyun Mountain. How to connect them, how to extend more clues and threads—you figure that out yourself.”

Liu Xianyang nodded. “Back then, Mr. Qi placed Miss Yu in our hometown; there was definitely great meaning behind it.”

He remembered once at the blacksmith’s shop, while eating a dried duck and bamboo shoot stew, Miss Yu mentioned something that Jiang Shangzhen had once said, like some roving immortal poems and step-void verses.

But when Liu Xianyang asked what exactly they were, Miss Yu said it was something like “ascending the blue sky, perfectly replenishing the shortfall, money, moonlight, white clouds,” and couldn’t remember clearly.

That had completely flummoxed the usually easygoing Liu Xianyang.

Later, Liu Xianyang had to go ask Chen Ping’an about it, who managed to get the full content.

Suddenly, Liu Xianyang swept a slap at Gu Can and scolded him via voice transmission, “What’s this ‘She Yue’ business? Show some respect! Call her sister-in-law!”

Gu Can just ducked to avoid the attack, turned his head, and smiled. “Sister-in-law, would you like me to tell you some old stories from Mud Vase Alley? They’re quite interesting.”

Liu Xianyang laughed heartily and quickly reached out to grab Gu Can’s neck, lowering his voice. “Little snot… we’re brothers. I’ll call you Brother Gu if you want!”

She Yue smiled. “Isn’t it just Wang Zhu? I know. Liu Xianyang used to go to Mud Vase Alley to see her often.”

Gu Can turned his head and smiled. “Oh, sister-in-law already knows. Then there’s nothing interesting to tell.”

Liu Xianyang released Gu Can, sniffed, rubbed his face hard, and stared blankly ahead. What use was my Sword Immortal realm and sect leader status?

Before Gu Can could gloat, Liu Xianyang reached behind him, first squeezed out a silent fart, then, with lightning speed, slapped his hand over Gu Can’s face.

When Gu Can cursed in his hometown dialect and was about to retaliate, Liu Xianyang had already flown away on his sword at lightning speed.

Gu Can thought about it and didn’t chase after him.

When they were kids, it was always like this.

“Little snot, don’t cry. Here, let me wipe your face with my sleeve.”

A fart sound, then a smack, a clenched fist opened into a palm, covering the little snot’s face.

Back then, they were all young, and he had been tricked many times.

The kid would always cry his heart out, and someone would comfort him, saying it’s okay, he would definitely teach that laughing Liu Xianyang a lesson.

But every time they went up the mountain or into the water, all the spoils, that person and Liu Xianyang would let the kid with the runny nose take home.

Liu Xianyang was never stingy.

Otherwise, why would the little snot of those days be so “easygoing” with Song Banchai, who also lived in Mud Vase Alley?

—

After Chen Ping’an left the Ministry of War on Scholar’s Hat Lane in the Great Li capital, Shen Chen still called for the two Ministers.

While waiting for them in the room, Shen Chen stood by the desk, stroking an old inkstone. The material was average, but it had been passed down in order and had some age.

It was said to be the study decoration of the first Minister of War of Great Li. That old man had died in this very office, with an unfinished Ministry of War document still on the desk, and fresh ink in the inkstone.

Then, somehow, this inkstone was passed down through generations, staying in the Ministry of War.

This little ancient inkstone, said to be centuries old, had seen many old men like Shen Chen come and go.

Hearing two familiar sets of footsteps outside, Shen Chen snapped back to reality. He walked around the desk and headed for a chair.

Stepping over the threshold into the room, Minister of Works Wen Er asked directly, “Did he not agree to help coordinate with the Northern Juzhou Continent’s Three Lads Temple and the Luo Ma River Liu clan?”

Shen Chen smiled. “Crafty as a fox. Would it be so easy for him to agree? State Teacher Chen isn’t a greenhorn. Did anyone think he would cheerfully slap his chest and promise after a few nice words?”

Minister of Revenue Mu Yan asked, “And the Jade Token Sect and the Cloud Cave Blessed Land? Did he refuse them too?”

Shen Chen said, “Half and half. Jiang Shangzhen said his word didn’t carry weight in the Jade Token Sect, implying we should find someone else to talk to. But their Jiang clan’s Cloud Cave Blessed Land is fine—they’re very willing to sit down with us for detailed negotiations. Since you, the moneybags, weren’t there, Jiang Shangzhen didn’t offer to get personally involved. He just said he would have the person in charge of the Jiang clan make a trip to the capital.”

At this point, Shen Chen couldn’t help laughing. “We can’t just ignore a Grand Sword Immortal who used to be a sect leader just because he sat silently at the door of the Imperial Study today with no record of meritorious service.”

Wen Er nodded. “After all, it’s Jiang Shangzhen.”

Since they were already there, the three Ministers—one host and two guests—continued discussing some military and state affairs.

When Wen Er and Mu Yan rose to leave, the old Minister didn’t get up. He was getting on in years and a bit low on energy, so he didn’t see them out.

Sitting in his chair, the old man rested his eyes for a while, then slowly stood up and walked to the bookshelf, where a few thin, erotic books were hidden inconspicuously. He was familiar with them; he pulled one out, licked his finger, and opened a page. The book’s descriptions of women’s appearances and expressions were superb.

Certain seemingly un-erotic blank descriptions were particularly evocative. For example, in the passage he was reading now, it described what happened after a tryst: the lover had climbed over the wall and fled, and the woman in the boudoir was sitting at her dressing table. In the mirror was a beauty with cheeks as red as peaches, and sweat at her temples. As if in pain, she gently rubbed her chest, slightly frowning, seeming both resentful and shy...

This book, which would never grace a refined hall, had originally been smuggled to a Bottle Gourd Continent immortal ferry from the Northern Juzhou Continent. After many twists and turns, it had ended up in the hands of a young Shen Chen.

The compiler of this book was none other than Jiang Shangzhen, who back then, at the Golden Core Realm, had been stirring up trouble in the Northern Juzhou Continent.

The old man flipped through a few more pages before putting the book back in its place.

Earlier, Jiang Shangzhen had asked, “What’s the point of being an official?”

This Great Li Minister of War hadn’t given a serious answer.

Setting aside other continents and countries, let’s just talk about being an official in Great Li, especially in the Ministry of War—it was actually quite interesting.

The octogenarian leaned against the bookshelf, lost in thought.

Shen Chen, courtesy name Hongyi.

According to the Explanation of Characters, in certain poems and articles, as well as in epigraphy, the characters for “Shen” (沈) and “sink” (沉) could be interchanged.

Since his surname was Shen and his given name was Chen (沉), he naturally needed a courtesy name to balance his identity.

Shen Chen shifted his gaze to the doorway.

He remembered that year, in a fit of anger, when he was an official in the Ministry of Personnel and had a political disagreement with State Teacher Cui Chan, Shen Chen had resigned on the spot, throwing his official hat to the ground. That was when he uttered the famous line known throughout officialdom:

“To hell with the out-of-towner!”

Later, Cui Chan himself brought Shen Chen to the Ministry of War. Before they crossed the threshold and entered the room, Cui Chan stopped and asked Shen Chen if he had thought it through. A scholar who had never held a blade or worn armor would find it hard to sit firmly in this room.

Shen Chen had said, “If State Teacher Cui can guarantee me one thing—that those military men won’t constantly come into the room with swords to chop me—then I have the skill to manage an entire Ministry of War.”

Now, Chen Ping’an was also a Great Li State Teacher, a fellow disciple from the same sect. He was younger, not as good as his senior brother Cui Chan, huh. Far from it.

Comparing him to the Haoran Embroidery Tiger? Was that bullying? Bullshit! Who told you, Chen Ping’an, to sit in that chair today? No one forced you!

If I don’t compare you to Cui Chan, am I supposed to compare you to me, Shen Chen?

But then again, after meeting him today, the old man actually had a decent impression of Chen Ping’an. He certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Shen Chen walked toward his desk, then suddenly stopped, rubbed his eyes, squinted, and stared intently.

He made sure he wasn’t seeing things.

Because on the desk, at some unknown time, there was a square seal with a simple, unadorned design, featuring a chi-dragon knob.

Shen Chen slowly walked over, didn’t pick up the seal right away. He clasped his hands behind his back and looked down. There seemed to be an inscription and a colophon.

The inscription contained two sentences:

“The sages said, ‘A scholar cannot but be resolute and far-sighted.’ The historical records contain another saying, ‘And to a general was granted the seal.’”

The colophon read:

“Carved by Chen Ping’an of Great Li in imitation of ancient general’s seal style. Presented to Mr. Hongyi for his correction.”

Shen Chen smiled and nodded. Not bad.

The old man wasn’t particularly surprised or delighted.

In his long life of reading countless books, he had seen many fine words. He could do without these few flattering words—no, how could they be called flattering? They must be good words!

Then Shen Chen picked up the seal and looked at the impression on the bottom. He was stunned. The old man was silent for a long time. He gently put it down, adjusted it slightly, and then after a long silence, he picked it up again, looking at it over and over.

Only then did he finally put the seal back on the desk. Shen Chen glanced at the doorway, then at the chair.

Cui Chan and Chen Ping’an, truly fellow disciples.

Shen Chen, who as a scholar led the Ministry of War, had never had the chance to ask State Teacher Cui Chan a certain question.

“How did I do as Minister of War?”

And the seven-character seal inscription on the bottom was like Cui Chan’s answer to that question.

“A scholar, when he arrives, becomes a hero.”