Chapter 832: National Teacher Chen Ping'an

Chapter 832: National Teacher Chen Ping'an

After coming down the ladder, Chen Ping'an picked out a random book from the shelves. It was a collection of Qing Yan sayings specifically about the way of dealing with the world.

He flipped through the book quickly. Many sage-like principles within made Chen Ping'an deeply agree. Things like "lazily looking back at the field of gaudy splendor," or "in the midst of violent wind and torrential rain is precisely where a hero finds his footing."

Chen Ping'an always felt these were directed at him, and a surge of boldness arose within him, more effective than drinking liquor.

Moreover, Chen Ping'an had long ago figured out a principle on his own: with those close to you, don't speak in anger, don't say the opposite of what you mean, and especially don't just say nothing at all.

He returned the book in his hand to the shelf. Without any particular reason, he thought of the Dragon Isle Daoist of the Yellow Flower Temple in Tongye Continent. Chen Ping'an smiled, imitated the man, and gently pushed the surrounding books with his palm, aligning them perfectly, not a hair out of place. Chen Ping'an strode out of the book tower, opened the courtyard gate. After a moment's thought, he didn't lock it. If he had to come back, it would be an extra task, and after all, it was his senior brother's residence — flying back and forth would be inappropriate.

As for the Great Li Song Dynasty's Emperor and Empress Dowager, whether they came or not no longer mattered. If they came, it would be good for both sides. If they didn't come, Chen Ping'an simply didn't care anymore, because he had already decided to spend a few more days reading books here in the capital.

Since he had guessed his senior brother Cui Chan's intention, it was very simple. Rarely was there such a good thing that didn't distinguish between public and private. Stabbing someone in the back, the harsher the better. Furthermore, Chen Ping'an suddenly recalled something: if following the lineage seniority of their literary vein, since Song He was Senior Brother Cui's student, then Chen Ping'an himself would be the Great Li Emperor's junior grandmaster. So, protecting his grand-nephew in the Dao would be a matter of course.

But if you, Song He, lacked sufficient Dao heart, then just find someone with enough Dao heart to be the emperor instead. After all, once the old secrets were exposed, and someone with ulterior motives reopened the old accounts in the Song Clan Imperial Clan Court, the established fact of the Emperor's rightful succession would become shaky, stirring up the entire continent.

And National Teacher Cui Chan's assessment of Song Jixin? It was probably based on the war in Vase Continent. The vassal king Song Mu's performance from Old Dragon City to the Central Grand River had indeed not disappointed anyone. Both the mountains and the secular world had witnessed it. Why was the Imitation Jade Capital left near the Great Li auxiliary capital and the Grand River Temple? It was probably a "kind" reminder from the teacher to the student. Even if the teacher were no longer around, and Great Li temporarily had no National Teacher, a monarch should still not forget self-cultivation, family regulation, governance, and bringing peace to all under heaven.

Chen Ping'an even felt that the Great Li court's proposal, based on military merit, to return the lands after the war, was his senior brother waiting for this day. Firstly, without such actions, the people of Vase Continent would be disheartened, and the southern vassal states would find it hard to unify their combat strength. Secondly, once the great war ended, if the pattern remained "one continent is one country," once the Great Li capital and the princely estate formed a north-south confrontation of division and fragmentation, with such a stretched frontline, it would easily drag on for decades or even centuries. By then, the entire Vase Continent would be finished.

As for whether Song Jixin actually had the intention to revert to his original name?

Yes.

Chen Ping'an had detected Song Jixin's ambitious nature back in the Ji Du Temple. It was only because Song Jixin was too wary of National Teacher Cui Chan that he had endured and refrained over the years, always adhering to his duties as a subject.

Otherwise, this Great Li vassal king Song Jixin had an exceptionally good relationship with almost all the mountain-top forces in Vase Continent, especially with the Great Li border army.

As for governing scholars, in the six ministries of the Great Li auxiliary capital, every civil and military pillar had faced war firsthand. Who wasn't proficient in the study of practical achievements? They were both learned and extremely pragmatic. Moreover, compared to the capital officials, the southern officialdom was mostly composed of young and middle-aged civil and military officials. Furthermore, like Liu Gaohua from the Rouged Kingdom's Rouge Prefecture, why would he rather give up being a minister in his home country to be a mid-level official in the auxiliary capital court? This kind of subtle recognition was itself the recognition of Vassal King Song Mu by the various former vassal states of Great Li.

So, in the Great Li capital, the Emperor dared not rashly touch the deeply rooted and well-established auxiliary capital, while the princely estate remained unaware of National Teacher Cui Chan's backup plans, hence they coexisted peacefully.

If before coming to the Great Li capital, Chen Ping'an's bottom line was to retrieve the piece of broken porcelain from the Great Li Empress Dowager, even if it meant tearing apart the entire Great Li court, he'd just fight first, then relocate Fallen Mountain and its many vassals to some place in southern Northern Ju Continent, take root there, and ultimately echo the lower sect of Fallen Mountain established on Tongye Continent, with Great Li in between. In short, he would be locked in a direct confrontation with the Great Li Song Clan.

Then now, Chen Ping'an was not as easy to talk to as just retrieving the porcelain.

For example, abdication.

The southern vassal king goes north, enters the capital, and becomes emperor.

Ultimately, it still depended on the choice of His Majesty the Emperor.

Having just walked a few dozen steps down the alley, Chen Ping'an began to carefully consider the three main threads of the court, the border army, and the mountain tops, and then extrapolated at least a dozen or so links, like the elders of the Imperial Clan Court, all the surname-holders of the highest Pillars of State, the various Grand Wardens, and the further branching out of each link... Ultimately, he sought peace and tranquility for the entire country.

But Chen Ping'an was completely unaware that what he was thinking about and doing right now, was exactly like a Great Li National Teacher.

And in the past hundred-plus years, Embroidery Tiger Cui Chan, every time he went to court for discussions or withdrew, also walked slowly like this in the alley, alone, pondering alone.

Near the alley's exit, Chen Ping'an noticed that the youth, taking advantage of his master's absence, was squatting at the entrance of the alley, secretly drinking. He occasionally stole glances at the street to see if his master was coming.

Hearing footsteps in the alley, Zhao Duanming immediately stood up, hid the wine flask behind him, and put on a flattering expression. "Brother Chen, are you going to find your sister-in-law? Need me to guide you? I know this capital like the back of my hand. I could walk it blindfolded."

If their relationship were a bit closer, he'd swear on it—even in the most godforsaken corner nearby, he'd taken a dump. Zhao Duanming could pat his chest and say that without a shred of guilt.

Chen Ping'an stopped and asked, "Duanming, do you have a girl you like?"

Zhao Duanming was now perfectly satisfied with his name. But the untimely question from Sword Immortal Chen made him feel a bit off. Chatting about girls late at night? Did he think I'm hitting a brothel? The youth sighed. "Troublesome. I'm not that young anymore. There are girls I like, and even more girls who like me. But every day it's just cultivation, cultivation, cultivating my damn ass. It's kept me from even kissing a girl yet. That drunkard Cao never misses a chance to mock me. A man in his forties, a bachelor who hasn't even had a woman to warm his bed at night, and he dares to say things about me. I don't know who gave him the nerve. Probably still drunk. I'm not going to bother with him."

Then the youth noticed that the green-robed sword immortal also sighed.

Worry shot like a hundred arrows, never missing its mark.

Zhao Duanming immediately offered a handful of salted dried peanuts. Chen Ping'an also gifted the youth a flask of wine. The youth put away his own flask—he could never cadge good wine from that drunkard Cao; he was just a broke scrounger who always bought on credit. He uncorked the seal, tilted his head back, and took a sip. "Brother Chen, where's this wine from? It's got some kick."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I opened a small wine shop with someone. We sell this Green God Mountain wine."

The youth suddenly understood. "I knew it! The moment I tasted it, I knew the trick. Just on the entrance, I could taste several Small Heat coins' worth of quality. Could ordinary mountain wine have this taste? Brother Chen, we're like brothers now, so I'll be blunt. Give me two more flasks. I'll give them to my master and that drunkard Cao later."

Having said that, the youth spoke seriously, "Brother Chen, rest assured. I've been known for being cunning since I was a kid. Our sworn brotherhood today? Besides that drunkard Cao, I promise I'll tell no one, not even when I get home. Brother Chen, you just arrived in the capital, so you wouldn't know. Over there, in my house and on Chier Street, a few years back, whenever we fought, I could sweep both streets single-handedly. Then some shameless old bastard on Chier Street revealed my cultivator identity. I voluntarily stepped down and gave the top spot to someone else. Otherwise, those motley crew on Chier Street would still be under Yichi Lane's thumb for a few more years. They'd have to tuck their tails every day and take the long way around whenever they saw us."

Chen Ping'an pinched a peanut between two fingers, tossed it into his mouth, and shook his head with a smile. "Knowing each other is fine, but I can't just give away two more flasks of wine for free."

Zhao Duanming probed, "Brother Chen, how about I put it on my tab?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Small business, no credit."

He wasn't in a rush to go to the inn. It was just a few steps away. If he went early, Ning Yao might not have returned yet. Standing there alone would make it look like he had ulterior motives, like rushing to eat hot tofu. If he went late, that was also inappropriate, making him seem too indifferent.

"Oh, right, Brother Chen, how old are you? A sword immortal as young, accomplished, and handsome as you—it's no wonder your sister-in-law chose you as her Dao companion."

"Young enough. What cultivation level are you now?"

"Me? I haven't reached the Jade Pu realm yet."

"Impressive."

"Brother Chen, your sister-in-law is so beautiful and has such a high cultivation level. You better be careful. There must be tons of men who secretly like her, more than you can count."

"Duanming, you're still too young. There are things you don't understand. Women like my wife—ordinary men wouldn't dare to like them. Even if they admired her, they'd only dare to hide it deep in their hearts. Well, there was one who wasn't afraid to die. I knocked him out and hung him on a tree."

"Who? So bold, no respect for the law! Brother Chen, just say the name. I'll take care of it for you later!"

"As luck would have it, he's an official in the capital now."

"Who? Is his position big? Does he hang around Yichi Lane and Chier Street?"

"His name is Zhao Yao. His position isn't that big—just the Vice Minister of Justice in your capital. His residence is in Yichi Lane, I think."

"..."

"Scared already? They say 'Mud-Horse Zhao is the most unruly' is a curse in the Great Li officialdom. Obviously not—it's a compliment. But you? I'm not so sure."

"Brother Chen, you're joking! A Vice Minister of Justice? I'd invite him over, beg him to come!"

"Oh, Vice Minister Zhao! What a coincidence, just passing by?"

The youth quickly turned his head. There was no Vice Minister Zhao, not even a ghost. The youth burst out laughing, "It's good he's here! His position is high, but he's just a weak scholar, a bookworm without the strength to truss a chicken. I don't even need to use any divine arts. One punch, then a kick, and he'd be carried back horizontally from where he came standing..."

Chen Ping'an patted the youth's shoulder, suppressing a laugh. "Stop. Vice Minister Zhao really is here. If you keep talking, he'll hear you. This guy is petty and holds grudges."

The youth nodded vigorously. "A grown man holding grudges is indeed not good. Not magnanimous."

Chen Ping'an agreed. "Probably a lack of cultivation in the heart."

Ning Yao had quietly returned to the inn, deliberately concealing her aura. She was now lazily slumped over the table, listening to the chat in the alley, a smile playing on her lips.

Poor kid. He didn't even know that guy was leading him down some ditch.

Chen Ping'an walked out of the alley, hands tucked into his sleeves, stopping to wait for the arrival of his grand-nephew.

It seemed he had quite a few grand-nephews these days. The Emperor in the palace, the Vice Minister of Justice before him, and Wu Yuan, the first magistrate of Huaihuang County.

On the street, several enshrined cultivators from the Great Li court's Ministry of Works were overseeing the repair of the street. They saw the green-robed sword immortal but said nothing, pretending not to see him.

In an ordinary secular dynasty, they would definitely leave him hanging overnight.

The Great Li capital was the luckiest place because Embroidery Tiger had come.

In just a hundred years, he had forged an elite cavalry force for the Great Li dynasty. They could live in dead places, survive in doomed lands, and win from disadvantageous positions. If they lost a battle, the generals would all die.

Zhao Duanming poked his head out from the corner. So this was Vice Minister Zhao. He had only seen him from afar before. He really was quite handsome. To be fair, in terms of fighting ability, a hundred Vice Ministers Zhao wouldn't be a match for one Sword Immortal Chen. But in terms of looks, even two Brother Chens might not beat him.

Zhao Yao first greeted a familiar official from the Great Li Ministry of Works, then crouched beside that "well," took a few looks, before walking toward the alley. He made a bow to Chen Ping'an and said with a smile, "Greetings, Mountain Master Chen."

Chen Ping'an shook his head with a smile. "We're from the same hometown, no need for formalities. Just call me Junior Grandmaster."

The youth, eavesdropping intently, thought, Brother Chen's way of talking to outsiders has some bite to it.

Zhao Yao asked, "Miss Ning hasn't returned yet?"

Chen Ping'an craned his neck, looking at both sides of the street. He'd need to go further for tall trees and high branches.

Zhao Yao smiled. "A graceful lady is a gentleman's good match. My admiration for Miss Ning is as clear as the sky and as bright as the moon. I'm not afraid to admit it, nor am I afraid to show it. Mountain Master Chen, there's no need to be so deliberate."

Chen Ping'an chuckled, and in the local dialect of the Li Zhu Cave Heaven, he said something to Zhao Yao that the youth couldn't understand at all. If turned into Great Li Mandarin homophones, it sounded like... 'du yin bian le wo shi chi yan lang yang xie xin she...' What the hell was that? Zhao Duanming was completely confused.

Ning Yao couldn't help but smile. She knew what Chen Ping'an was saying, because she had heard the local dialect from that small town back then, and she had written down all the homophones. For example, this sentence was Chen Ping'an scolding Zhao Yao: "It's already late at night, still fooling around and playing around, be careful." In their hometown, it was a common saying used by elders to scold naughty juniors.

'Ne xing ye yin shi. Ta la shi?'

'Coming to find you for something. What's the matter?'

The youth Zhao Duanming was completely lost. At the inn, Ning Yao had already sat up, propping her chin on one hand, listening with great interest. She understood it all.

Zhao Yao suddenly spoke in Great Li Mandarin, "I just got some news. Grandmaster has arrived at the Imitation Jade Capital and has begun sitting and discussing the Dao with people."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "I definitely knew before you."

Is arguing fun? Well, anyway, he'd win, so for his master, the taste was ordinary.

The real meaning was still the *reason* for the argument.

What is a saint? One who uses learning to right people's hearts and uses Dao techniques to mend heaven and earth.

The place where one person's Dao is united: Vase Continent, Tongye Continent, Fuyao Continent.

On the mountains, rivers, and earth of three continents, grass and trees sprout, flowers bloom especially brightly, withered trees meet spring, water essence coalesces, mountain roots mend, in the scorching summer, sweet rain falls in dry places.

This celestial phenomenon, which Chen Ping'an, still "suppressed" by the invisible Hao Ran Heaven, naturally sensed earlier than Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao held back for a long time, then said, "Chen Ping'an, why are you so determined to contradict me?"

Chen Ping'an said, "I don't like the look of you."

Zhao Yao laughed angrily. "Miss Ning doesn't like me anyway. What's there for you to not like?"

Chen Ping'an went, "Eh? There's a grand-nephew in the world who talks to his junior grandmaster like this?"

Zhao Yao took a deep breath. "It's nothing. I just came tonight to see you, this hardworking and deserving little junior grandmaster."

Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Actually, there's no need for this. Just do your job well as an official. Don't meddle in a lot of things. At least not for now."

This was sincere. Chen Ping'an ultimately hoped that his peers who had left the hometown town would fare well outside, not be too down and out.

Zhao Yao waved his hand and turned to leave.

Chen Ping'an called out, "Zhao Yao, a side note. How are your relations with the Ministry of Rites? If it's decent, could you do a rather thankless and troublesome task? For example, have the mountain-top cultivators use immortal techniques to gather the local dialects of a continent and properly archive them. Books can be re-engraved, but once a dialect is lost, it's truly gone. This matter might slightly relate to a country's literary fortune. It's not entirely in vain. Do you have any interest?"

Zhao Yao turned his head and smiled. "The court has already started working on it. The chief editor is me. It counts as a side job; I can get two salaries."

Tsk, he thought that would win him the round? Naive, wasn't he? A young hero just starting out really didn't know the depths of the martial world.

Chen Ping'an showed a look of relief and nodded. "You've grown up."

Zhao Yao didn't even turn back, just walked away.

It wasn't until the Vice Minister of Justice was out of sight that the youth swaggered out of the alley, gave Chen Ping'an a thumbs up, and smiled. "Brother Chen, your way of chatting is strong!"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Don't learn this. It's not interesting. Just cultivate your Dao well in the future."

The youth suddenly asked seriously, "Sword Immortal Chen, do you think I can make it to the Upper Five Realms in the future?"

Chen Ping'an smiled back. "Why ask that all of a sudden?"

Zhao Duanming's expression dimmed. He said softly, "My master says that the reason I'm breaking through realms so quickly is like eating next year's grain. Sure, I'm not old, and I'm already a Dragon Gate Realm cultivator. But barring unforeseen events, I'll probably max out as just a Golden Core guest."

Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, his expression softening as he looked at the capital youth who had been sneaking drinks. But what Chen Ping'an said next made the youth even more downcast, because even a sword immortal said, "At least from what I see now, I think it will indeed be very difficult for you to reach Jade Pu. Golden Core, Nascent Soul — these are higher thresholds, greater barriers, harder for you to cross than for ordinary Qi refiners. It's like you're repaying a debt, because your cultivation has been too smooth up to now. How old are you now? Fourteen? Fifteen? And you're already at the Dragon Gate Realm. So your master wasn't lying to you before."

The youth was silent.

Then Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Zhao Duanming, would you say meeting me tonight counts as a pretty big coincidence?"

Zhao Duanming nodded. Absolutely! The Hidden Officer of the Sword Wall Immortal, the Mountain Master Chen that Drunkard Cao was willing to chat more about, especially Ning Yao's man, a guy who could make the Great Li "Vice Minister-Designate" Zhao Yao get rejected at every turn! Before today, the youth never dreamed he could meet Chen Ping'an, or chat for so long, sharing peanuts and wine.

Chen Ping'an asked again, "Aren't these coincidences enough?"

Zhao Duanming's eyes lit up. "Right!"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "A master in the world, of course, should be like your master, a proper Dao transmitter. Then everyone wants their direct disciple to surpass them. Zhao Duanming, cultivate well. Don't just fix your eyes on that distant Upper Five Realms. It'll only make you more frustrated. Just remind yourself from time to time: 'Master, just be patient. One day, your disciple will surely give you a surprise.' Zhao Duanming, do you have that heart?"

The youth's eyes were bright and clear, his expression resolute. He nodded. "That's possible! Having the thought isn't hard."

Chen Ping'an patted the youth's shoulder and smiled. "Let me tell you something else. When I was your age, my Bridge of Longevity was broken. I had to practice boxing every day just to stay alive, and I was only a First Realm martial artist. Look at me today. Isn't that another surprise?"

Zhao Duanming asked skeptically, "Are you kidding me?"

Chen Ping'an didn't say much more. He walked toward the inn. "Earlier, when you asked for two flasks of wine, I didn't give them to you. Let them wait. When you reach Nascent Soul and Jade Pu, I'll treat you to a drink."

The youth watched the green-robed back and shouted, "Chen Ping'an, do you mean it?!"

The green-robed swordsman didn't turn around. He just raised his hand and lightly clenched his fist. "We swordsmen, wine never lies to the jianghu."

Inside the inn, Ning Yao lowered her head, her chin resting on her arm, her eyelashes fluttering.

---

Within the imperial city.

Minister of Rites Dong Hu reported the conversation from the alley to His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, word for word.

The woman had opened the window earlier and stood there the whole time.

His Majesty the Emperor smiled and nodded. The Empress Dowager didn't speak either.

Dong Hu knew there was nothing left for him tonight.

But just as he reached the door, Dong Hu stopped, turned, first bowed to the Emperor, then the old minister straightened up and said, "Your Majesty, in the sixth year of Yuan Shou, your subordinate fell seriously ill. I had to resign from office before I dared to brazenly ask Lord Cui for a calligraphy scroll of 'self-cultivation, family regulation, governance, and peace.'"

Song He smiled. "I am naturally aware of this matter. Besides you, Lord Cui never gave a calligraphy scroll to anyone. So at that time, it was a fine story both in court and among the people. I envied it as well."

Later, the official from the Great Li Ministry of Rites who went to the Li Zhu Cave Heaven to help the court with the stele rubbing was exactly Dong Hu.

The woman turned her head and sneered, "Minister Dong, are you implying something? Speak up. The Great Li officialdom has always adhered to the rule set by the National Teacher: civil and military, military and civil, only speak in words that both sides understand."

Dong Hu, whom even the Nascent Soul cultivator Liu Jia knew as a pushover in the officialdom, somehow, facing the Empress Dowager's interrogation tonight, the old minister instead straightened his back a bit. "Since Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has asked, your subordinate will speak more directly. The four matters of self-cultivation, family regulation, governance, and peace naturally cannot have their order disrupted. And the importance, benefit, and distinction between large and small are obvious."

The woman was about to speak, but Emperor Song He said with a gentle expression, "Minister Dong, return to your residence and rest. You've worked hard tonight."

Dong Hu bowed to His Majesty the Emperor and silently withdrew from the room.

Song He said softly, "Mother, please don't be angry. Minister Dong only said what a Minister of Rites should say."

The woman nodded, left the window, swayed back to her seat, and smiled. "No need to get annoyed with Dong Hu. He's a good man, very smooth and well-rounded. Besides, he's not a bad official. The Ministry of Rites runs smoothly, and Dong Hu indeed has merits."

Song He breathed a sigh of relief.

That said, he feared that Dong Hu's future posthumous title might encounter a few minor obstacles.

Mother did things like this. She always gave people nothing major to fault, beyond reproach, yet occasionally she would make one feel something was lacking.

Song He picked up a slice of orange. "Master Wen Sheng has arrived at the Imitation Jade Capital and is discussing the Dao with that person, benefiting the mountains and rivers of three continents including Vase Continent. This means the Confucian Temple will certainly take a closer look at Great Li."

The woman smiled. "What's there to be nervous about? Isn't this a good thing? First, Ning Yao breaks Great Li's rules, drawing her sword and causing trouble in the heavily guarded capital. Then Wen Sheng arrives in Vase Continent. Is he going to be aggressive? The Hidden Officer, young and hot-tempered, can act recklessly during the Confucian Temple deliberations, relying on his merits and literary lineage identity, hitting one after another. In the Central Earth Divine Continent, his reputation for domineering arrogance is almost bigger than the sky. But Wen Sheng, a saint occupying the fourth seat of the Confucian Temple's accompanying sacrifices, should at least be reasonable, right?"

Song He said, "Chen Ping'an's achievements today were achieved with extreme difficulty. Although I've never met him face to face, I am willing to respect him."

The woman nodded with a smile. "Right. That's your imperial magnanimity. If you were petty and narrow-minded, that would be inappropriate. Anyway, as long as you're not afraid of him."

Song He was momentarily speechless. He put the slice of orange into his mouth, chewed gently. Slightly bitter.

The old minister left the imperial city, still riding the carriage that had only changed drivers, and headed home.

Liu Jia asked with a smile, "Minister Dong, in a bad mood? In big trouble?"

Dong Hu was furious, almost couldn't help but curse. What do you know? What are you laughing at? Just a little carelessness, and our Great Li court would be turned upside down!

That young Hidden Officer and Ning Yao had deliberately hung two "Peace and No Incident" tokens issued by the Ministry of Justice and walked into the capital. What did that mean? Even a fool would understand.

But the old minister quickly held back. Trying to explain the treacherous clouds of the court to an old antique who only knew cultivation was like talking to a chicken.

Liu Jia was silent the whole way. Only when they approached Yichi Lane did he suddenly blurt out, "Dong Hu, do you have so little faith in Lord National Teacher?"

Dong Hu was stunned, frowning deeply.

The old Nascent Soul cultivator driving the carriage steadily looked up at the distance. Many places in the capital were as bright as day, the light casting a misty, dim yellow veil over the capital's rooftops, like a lampshade.

Liu Jia smiled to himself. "I don't understand court politics at all. Besides cultivation, I only know one thing: even if Lord Cui is no longer with us, he will still look after this country's people, the Great Li cavalry, and countless people like you and me. Others might not be able to manage things from beyond the grave, but Lord Cui definitely can."

Dong Hu's brow relaxed. He didn't wait to reach his doorstep before asking to stop, got off the carriage, thanked the old Nascent Soul, and slowly walked home.

Liu Jia asked, "What about the carriage?"

Dong Hu turned his head and smiled. "None of my damned business!"

Liu Jia chuckled. "Minister Dong, be careful walking in the dark. At your age, it's easy to have blurred vision and twist your ankle. I know a lot of bone-setting doctors in the capital."

Dong Hu was momentarily speechless, then said gloomily, "Just park the carriage at the imperial city gate and be done with it."

Walking on the very wide Yichi Lane, the old minister sighed from time to time, then nodded while stroking his beard.

Thinking back to those days, he and that old man from the Tianshui Zhao Clan entered the Hanlin Academy in the same year. They were known as two youths who drank, read, composed poetry, and wielded brushes, full of heroic spirit, unmatched for an era. Dong Hu's prose was magnificent and outstanding; Zhao's calligraphy was like brandishing a spear...

That year in the Great Li imperial examinations, Dong Hu and his old friend of the same year were the tanhua and the bangyan, respectively. Of course, the latter was half a round older than him, still not as much of a child prodigy as himself. Old Master Guan was the chief examiner for Dong Hu and the others that year. When Dong Hu first entered the officialdom, he was sharp as a knife. But he sat on the cold bench in the Hanlin Academy for nearly ten years, with only an empty noble title. Dong Hu felt his official career was hopeless, so he simply gave up and became the best at scolding. If someone scolded him back, he'd scold even harder, and he specialized in scolding civil officials, never military officers. It was quite satisfying.

Actually, at that time, Dong Hu was only thirty years old, but he had already earned the loud nicknames "Dong the Fishwife" and "Dong the Street-Curser" on Yichi Lane and Chier Street, respectively.

Dong Hu stopped walking. Once Old Man Guan passed away, the row of bricks at the corner of the wall was gone.

Years ago, he had gotten utterly drunk here, walking along this spot, leaning against the wall, vomiting as if his heart and guts were spilling onto the ground.

Then he got kicked. Dong Hu cursed and turned around. Through bleary, drunken eyes, he saw it was Old Man Guan. The fright sobered him up.

Old Man Guan smiled and asked, "Oh, who's this? So bold, acting like a wild dog in my territory. It's Editor Dong, Dong the gentleman."

Dong Hu was a scholar who respected his teachers. Even if he was afraid of nothing else, he feared this examiner. He was so scared on the spot, trembling in the cold wind like a little chick.

Old Man Guan asked with a smile, "Editor Dong, why only scold the civil officials on Yichi Lane? Why not scold those vulgar military officers on Chier Street?"

Dong Hu, when talking about this, became full of confidence. He stuck out his neck and gave the honest answer: "If I scold civil officials, I'm young and strong, I'm not afraid to fight anyone. If I scold those thick-necked, burly military brats, walking home like this tonight, I might end up sleeping on the street. Besides, our Great Li border army has been winning consecutive victories. I can't bring myself to scold them. Moreover, they have to hold funerals every few days. What's there to scold?"

Old Master Guan nodded. "Not bad. Not too stupid. Alright, if you're going to vomit, go home and vomit on your wife's belly. You're either a silver spear with a wax head, or you've got a hole in your head, to neglect such a beautiful wife at home. Keep this up, and watch out for red apricot branches reaching over the wall."

Dong Hu's face turned red at that. If it weren't his examiner, he'd have thrown a punch.

In the end, Old Master Guan gave Dong Hu two sentences.

"A scholar who becomes an official, where the heart's barrier arises, where the difficulty lies, is mostly due to being too eager for merit and fame. If you're lucky, like you, Dong lad, you can make up for lack of ability with family background."

"If someone comes to scold me, and I know right from wrong, and the fault isn't mine, but I pretend to be deaf and dumb, letting them scold to their heart's content, it is I who gains the advantage."

Dong Hu was already sober. He immediately bowed in thanks.

But his examiner waited for a long time, then slapped Dong Hu on the head. "Truly a piece of rotten wood. Sitting the cold bench in the Hanlin Academy for a few years isn't enough. I think making you into that cold bench would be overpraising you. And you still have the nerve to feel wronged? Can't even say a simple 'Golden words and fine advice, worthy of deep savoring'?"

What could Dong Hu do but smile foolishly?

Old Master Guan accompanied Dong Hu for a stretch of road and said, "You curse well. The officialdom needs a few fools like you. Otherwise, I would have come out with a stick tonight to chase people away. But after cursing for ten years, it's time to be a proper official. Be pragmatic, do some serious work. Just remember, in the future, if there are other young officials who like to curse like you, protect them a bit. Don't let it be that when others curse you, you can't take it. Otherwise, my second sentence today will have been wasted, fed to the dogs."

In the darkness of that year, Dong Hu silently remembered.

"Master, what's wrong with you? Why are you limping?"

"That kick I gave you just now was too strong. I accidentally pulled a muscle."

"Want me to rub it?"

"Get lost."

Today, as an old minister, Dong Hu silently recalled these past events.

Unfortunately, on this walk, no one was drunk against the wall vomiting, and there was no butt to kick.

When he reached his doorstep, the gatekeeper was still awake waiting. But the old minister just sat on the steps, sat quietly for a long time, then smiled freely. Fifty years of floating and sinking in the official sea, I've heard enough roaring waves, and I've said plenty of tough words.

Others don't know.

My conscience knows.

At the corner of the street, the old Nascent Soul cultivator had returned the carriage and hurried back here. He found his disciple squatting at the alley entrance, munching peanuts. But something seemed different. Liu Jia didn't think much of it. Probably the little brat had been sneaking a drink while he was away, thinking one thing and doing another. The old man pretended not to know.

Liu Jia took out a top-grade "No Incident" token from the Ministry of Justice from his sleeve. The Ministry of Justice enshrined cultivators and Ministry of Works officials didn't stop him. The old Nascent Soul walked over to the well, craned his neck and looked. Quite regretfully, if those sword-traces hadn't been erased by that woman, it would have been a great fortune for the Ministry of Justice's sword cultivator archives. He couldn't see anything special, so Liu Jia put his hands behind his back and strolled back to the alley entrance. He said to the youth, "See that? Look at Mountain Master Chen, finding a wife with such sky-reaching sword arts. You go find one like that in the future, so stop hanging out with that drunkard Cao. You'll scare all the good girls away."

Zhao Duanming said, "Master, why didn't you find yourself a wife?"

Liu Jia smiled. "When I was young, I was much more handsome than Chen Ping'an or Cao Gengxin. On a certain continent's mountains, I was famously elegant and suave. I just had no heart for romantic love. Otherwise, not just one wife, I wouldn't be able to count them on one hand."

The youth said bluntly, "Master, are you sleepwalking? Wake up."

Inside the imperial palace.

Song He suddenly said, "Mother, maybe I should go see Chen Ping'an?"

The woman sneered, "Nonsense! What would you talk about? Exchange pleasantries? Say he worked hard as the Hidden Officer and couldn't return home for so long? Or say now that he's the head of a sect, he should work even harder for the Great Li court? Or does Your Majesty want to learn from Zhao Yao, lower yourself as a majestic emperor to acknowledge some 'little junior grandmaster'?"

Song He started to speak, then stopped.

The woman said softly with a smile, "I told you not to interfere. Don't let a ceremony at Zhengyang Mountain and Ning Yao's sword strikes unsettle you. What is the foundation of Chen Ping'an's sword challenge? Seeming unreasonable, yet measured. Dealing with mountain dwellers like Chen Ping'an who like to draw boundaries for themselves, I have more confidence than you do."

On the roof of Tianlu Pavilion.

Song Xu's mood was complicated. They not only had scroll paintings of the detailed process of Chen Ping'an's sword challenge at the Zhengyang Mountain ceremony, but had even carefully analyzed every link. He originally thought Chen Ping'an of Fallen Mountain and Liu Xianyang of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect were already unreasonable enough. He never expected to meet Ning Yao, who hailed from the Sword Wall Immortal Realm, today.

Han Zhoujin was somewhat dismissive. She said quietly, "Her sword technique is high, and she's good-looking, but not particularly outstanding."

Yu Yu lay on the rooftop, her head resting on an empty wine flask, swinging it around. Her legs were crossed and also swinging. She said casually, "Even if Ning Yao's appearance were not outstanding, Chen Ping'an still wouldn't be worthy of her."

This young military cultivator could insult two birds with one stone. It's like how learning can come from reading more books, but a sense of humor is mostly innate. Some "fair words" that came from the heart, like those of Gu Jianlong at the Summer Palace, really relied on natural talent.

The young Daoist who served as the Capital Director of Daoist Records sighed with emotion. He just felt that such breathtaking, peak sword techniques shouldn't appear in the human world.

The little novice monk, who hadn't yet taken full vows at the Translation Bureau, pressed his palms together in praise. "Sword Immortal Ning's sword arts are invincible."

Song Xu turned his head and looked at this little monk.

This little novice had once single-handedly pursued and captured a heretical monk who had committed crimes across various prefectures, killing innocents indiscriminately. The monk claimed that those he killed were reaping the karmic retribution of past lives, and that they deserved to be killed in this life. He even dared to say that if he just put down his butcher's knife, he could still become a Buddha on the spot. And he said that the little monk killing him would be breaking the precept against killing. After returning to the Translation Bureau in the capital, the little novice monk closed himself off to read books. Eventually, he not only resolved his doubts, confirming where the man was wrong, but also incidentally read one hundred and eight public cases of the Buddhist school. When the little novice monk emerged, his Dao heart was clear, without any remaining troubles. Everything he saw seemed as if the entire Translation Bureau was an immaculate Dao field of shimmering lapis lazuli. And the dozens of volumes of sutras translated by the eminent monks seemed to transform into a host of Buddhist Nagas and Elephants. After that, the little novice monk had been delving into the three words "existence, non-existence, and emptiness."

Song Xu then looked at the Capital Director of Daoist Records, whose father had once been a general of the Luo. In some local prefecture, the young Daoist had encountered a taboo rogue cultivator in a narrow alley. The fight ended in an instant, with one of them dead. When people found the young Daoist afterwards, he was covered in wounds, his flesh bloody and mangled. He sat slumped against the wall, facing the corpse. For some reason, the young Daoist's eyes were always slightly open, tears on his face.

Then there was that female formation master from the Qingtan Blessed Land.

It seemed everyone had their own story. And it seemed no one really cared.

Yu Yu was the first to notice Song Xu's change in mood. She asked, "What's wrong?"

Before Song Xu could answer, the girl said casually, "Don't overthink it. You weren't meant to be emperor anyway. You're already a Golden Core sword cultivator now. You have a bright future on the mountains. Why go back? Only a fool would do that. Later on, you might even meet your elder brother's son, and he'll be a white-haired old man, but he'll still have to call you Imperial Uncle. Haha, 'How the younger generation inspires awe!' So just keep cultivating well, breaking through realms every day. That's better than anything else."

Song Xu couldn't help but smile. "Indeed, indeed. If you can accept good advice and kind words, you can become a rich man."

Yu Yu felt a bit defeated. She said angrily, "Don't learn his way of talking, or I'll get serious with you!"

Song Xu, who was always proper in sitting and standing, leaned back, reaching out a hand. "Hand over the wine. It has to be the immortal brew from Changchun Palace."

Yu Yu gave a dry laugh. "Where would I get money to buy wine so outrageously expensive? I was just making small talk with Aunt Feng earlier."

The little novice monk silently intoned a Buddhist gatha. "Yu Yu has seven or eight jars hidden inside her storage treasure."

Yu Yu cursed, "You little shaven-headed monk!"

The little monk touched his own bald head and said out of nowhere, "When will this little novice monk ever comb away all one hundred and eight afflictions?"

Yu Yu was stunned for a moment, probably thinking the little monk was actually pondering a serious matter, so she let him off for now. Who doesn't know how to knock a wooden fish?

The little monk's eyes slanted slightly in his peripheral vision. Ha.

Han Zhoujin warned, "Yu Yu, he's tricking you."

The little monk pressed his palms together. "Song Xu is right. Beautiful women are not to be trifled with."

Song Xu said, "I didn't say that."

The little monk chanted a Buddhist song. "Then I must have dreamed that Song Xu said it."

The only Fire God Temple in the capital enshrined a Fire Star Deity.

The temple was not big and was not open to the capital's commoners. Only when there was a fire in the capital or a disaster in the provinces would officials from the Ministry of Rites come here.

Aunt Feng, whenever she came to the capital to transmit the Dao to those children, she would stay here.

She had set up a flower pavilion with a few stone benches. Tonight, Aunt Feng sat there, slightly tipsy.

The temple attendant was an old woman, just a mortal. Because she was old, if not for the Fire God Temple having nothing to do, she could have been replaced long ago. It was said that the court had planned to change the attendant, and the Ministry of Rites had even filed the paperwork, but a young girl of essence spirit origin ultimately didn't come, so the matter ended.

Aunt Feng held a wine flask with two fingers, gently shaking it, listening to the beautiful sound of the wine bubbles inside.

The principle that a tall tree catches the wind — probably no one in the world understood it better than her.

Qi Jingchun of the Wen Sheng lineage, Cui Chan the Great Li National Teacher, Chen Ping'an the last Hidden Officer of the Sword Wall Immortal, and of course, Ning Yao of the Five Colors Heaven.

The Great Dao is lofty; it is extremely difficult to stand firm. Especially realizing the Dao of immortality? Even more difficult. It's not even a matter of insufficient talent or weak character. Quite the opposite. Like that Embroidery Tiger, whose learning was enough to support his soaring ambition, the path he chose meant abandoning too many other paths. Could Cui Chan not change paths? Of course he could. Aunt Feng took a sip of wine. Probably this was the inexplicable nature of humanity. It blossoms everywhere in the mire of the human heart, not to be shaken or scattered by the wind.

The inn still hadn't closed for the night. Truly the capital. Chen Ping'an stepped inside. The old shopkeeper was a real night owl. He seemed to be reading a book of strange tales. The shopkeeper looked up, saw Chen Ping'an, and joked, "When did you leave? Didn't make a sound."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Shopkeeper, can I discuss something with you?"

The old man put down the book. "What, planning to spend five hundred taels of silver to buy that official kiln vase from your hometown? Good thing, it'll help it return home. Easy enough to say. It's fate. Sold. Hand over the money, hand over the goods."

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "At least let me see the quality first."

The old shopkeeper bent down, slightly struggling, and brought out a large vase from beside the counter. A thing bought for a dozen or so taels of silver, it didn't matter where it was put.

Chen Ping'an carefully helped steady it, bent his fingers, and gently tapped it, while asking nonchalantly, "Shopkeeper, why are you still up so late?"

The old man carefully scrutinized the young man's expression. Damn, not a single flaw. He didn't even bother to put on a look of slight disdain. The old man replied casually, "My daughter isn't home yet. She went to the night market with a few wild girls. She hasn't come back, so I'm just waiting. Usually I'd let the shop clerk watch the place. Honestly, there's nothing to worry about in this capital. But I'm her father, and I had her late in life. She's the youngest girl in the family. If I don't spoil her, who will? If it were my son acting like this, I'd beat him half to death with a feather duster."

Chen Ping'an looked at the old shopkeeper, a man in his fifties.

The old man stroked his beard and smiled. "Want to be my son-in-law? No way. We may be a small, humble family, but we won't wrong my daughter. She has to be properly married with a formal ceremony, eight bearers carrying a sedan chair through the main gate."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "That's the old rule. Same here. If I had a daughter, and some lecher dared to look at her too long on the street, I'd beat him so badly his parents wouldn't recognize him."

The old man nodded. Chatting with this kid was comfortable. He leaned on the counter and said, "We're gossiping, but what about this deal? Give me a straight answer. Putting such a valuable object on the counter might invite thieves if someone sees it."

Chen Ping'an lifted the vase slightly, looked at the bottom inscription. It was indeed what the old shopkeeper called an eight-character auspicious phrase mark: 'The azure is deep and distant; its summer, alone, profound and dark (Qing Cang You Yuan, Qi Xia Du Ming).'

At first glance, it seemed a bit like Daoist green verses, such as 'The Yuan capital cloud rider, riding the wind and treading shadows, soaring beyond the azure.' But actually, the latter half came from Confucianism.

If one had to force a connection, the only oddity was that the first and last characters formed 'Qing Ming' of the 'Qing Ming Heaven' (Azure Firmament Heaven).

So Chen Ping'an secretly activated his divine powers, truly examining it carefully. But he still found the vase completely ordinary, with no trace of Qi refiner work. And Chen Ping'an was familiar with the earthen nature of porcelain firing, even understanding the path of refining destiny objects of the five elemental types. He still detected no deeper meaning. This meant the vase at least hadn't passed through his senior brother's hands. But it was indeed an official kiln piece fired from his hometown's dragon kiln. That it could have drifted all the way to this inn was quite fateful.

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "Shopkeeper, it's genuinely authentic no doubt. In the future, find a knowledgeable buyer with money to spare. If the buyer is stingy and dares to offer less than five hundred taels, you can curse at him, spit in his face, and have no regrets. Also, this eight-character auspicious phrase mark has a background, very unusual. It was likely taken from the 'Pavilion Style' calligraphy of the Tianshui Zhao Clan Patriarch during the Yuan Shou reign, compiled into characters."

The old man, seeing he wasn't lying, was overjoyed. Then the young man added, "Shopkeeper, I plan to stay in the capital for a few more days. I'll be staying here from now on..."

The old man had just carefully put the vase back under the counter. Upon hearing this, he immediately said, "Three hundred taels! Sold to you! Deal done. After that, your stay here for the next few days is on the house."

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Shopkeeper, you've misunderstood."

The old man extended his hand. "Don't say any more. I have a loose tongue. Tomorrow, this inn might have a few more empty rooms."

Trying to compete with me in jianghu experience? You're still a bit green.

Chen Ping'an's eyes lit up. He first grabbed the old shopkeeper's hand, then reached into his sleeve to get the money.

The old shopkeeper was startled. He shook his hand free and said with a smile, "Forget it. You don't look like you have much money anyway. Expenses are high in the capital. Besides, such a big item is hard to carry..."

Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly, his expression unchanged. He pretended to be disappointed and was about to argue a bit more. The old shopkeeper waved his hand decisively. "No deal!"

Ning Yao suddenly appeared at the entrance. And behind her was... his master, who had rushed over from the Central Grand River of Vase Continent.

Chen Ping'an quickly walked out the threshold, bowed deeply. "Greetings, Master."

The old scholar smiled, grabbed his closed-door disciple's arm. "Come, let's go to your room and have some wine."

Chen Ping'an said telepathically, "Actually, there's only one room."

The old scholar stamped his foot, deeply pained. As a master, I've been a real scumbag!

The old scholar immediately turned to Ning Yao and said, "Ning girl, unfortunately, I have to go meet someone. I'll come for wine another day. Maybe the day after, or the day after that. No fixed date. Don't wait for me..."

Ning Yao shook her head and smiled. "No need. The inn has plenty of empty rooms."

Chen Ping'an and the old scholar looked at each other and sighed simultaneously.

One with a reproachful look — Master, today it's really your fault. The other full of guilt — My fault, my fault. Master owes you one.

Then Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. "Master, let's go drink."

The old scholar nodded. "Good, good, good."

Only when drunk could there be a chance to make amends.

But Chen Ping'an suddenly turned his head. On the street, a girl came hopping and skipping along.

He saw her features, her eyes.

Chen Ping'an stared blankly. First, he quickly turned his head to look in the direction of the Ren Yun Yi Yun Tower. Then he turned back, his eyes red, his lips trembling. He seemed to want to raise his hand to greet the girl, but didn't quite dare.

Even the old scholar and Ning Yao looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what was going on.

In Chen Ping'an's whole life, after learning boxing and leaving home, such loss of composure could be counted on one hand. Maybe... it had never happened before?

Chen Ping'an raised his arm, wiped his eyes, then forced a smile. He stepped forward a few paces and quietly waited for that girl.

Many years ago.

Someone was about to have their soul scatter. She said, "May Mr. Chen and the lady of his heart be a divine couple."

The haggard-looking account keeper said, "May I have the fortune to meet Miss Su again."

At the very end, she said, "Make absolutely sure, when the time comes, Mr. Chen won't fail to recognize me, okay?"

That was something from many years ago for Chen Ping'an, but it was a matter from a girl's previous life.

Tonight, the girl who was returning home late gradually slowed her steps. She thought the green-robed man standing at the entrance of their family inn was very strange, staring at her like that. Was he a lecher?

The girl saw the man raise his hand, smile, and wave. His voice trembling, he said, "Hello, my name is Chen Ping'an. Ping'an, meaning peace and safety."

The girl was silent for a moment, then suddenly shouted, "Dad! There's a hooligan harassing me!"

The old shopkeeper rushed out of the inn, laughing angrily. "Nonsense! He's a guest at our inn."

The girl let out an "Oh." As she passed by that guy, she turned sideways, walking slowly. Then, abruptly, she sped up and ran into the inn. Reaching her father's side, she curiously turned her head to look. The green-robed man stood there in the same spot, his back to her, his hand covering his face, his shoulders trembling slightly. Then he turned around, smiling brilliantly at her.

Alas, it was a smile uglier than crying.

What a strange person.

And what was Dad thinking, having such a guest?

The old scholar sat on the steps, smiling but saying nothing. He roughly guessed the truth.

Chen Ping'an took a deep breath, turned around, paused, then turned back and apologized to Ning Yao. "Sorry, don't overthink it. I'll explain why later."

Ning Yao smiled and shook her head, her gaze tender. "It's fine."

If you weren't this kind of person, why would I love you so much?

You are Chen Ping'an. I am Ning Yao. For ten thousand years in the human world, liking each other.