Chapter 887: Spring Mountain
Emperor Song He had spoken straightforwardly, but Chen Ping'an seemed to have no intention of responding. After waiting a moment, Song He, clearly not planning to simply turn back, glanced at the banquet table and chairs, then moved the chair beside him, slightly adjusting its position to face Chen Ping'an. "Mr. Chen, shall we sit and talk?"
Chen Ping'an nodded, shifting his own chair as well, tugging at his gown, and sat down, crossing his legs.
This revealed a pair of black-sole, white-bottom cloth shoes with a thousand layers of stitching.
Song He said, "Mr. Chen, please take your time to consider. I can wait."
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Is this the Empress Dowager's idea?"
Song He shook his head. "It's my own thought."
Song He didn't expect that his request would make the other party immediately agree to become the Great Li State Preceptor.
There were three groups of people, three wedding banquet tables, none adjacent.
The Emperor and Chen Ping'an had a table to themselves; naturally, they were discussing serious matters, both now seated.
A ruler below the mountains, a sect leader above the mountains—they were the same age.
They neither sat facing each other nor faced the leftover dishes on the table.
Empress Yu Mian stood beside another table.
On this trip out of the palace, Emperor Song He was naturally traveling incognito. Besides Empress Yu Mian, he only brought three attendants: an old eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial dressed as a wealthy merchant, and a Song clan offering who rarely appeared in public, the guardian of the Song imperial tombs. The last attendant waited on the street outside the Bian family's gate, watching the carriage.
Yu Mian, as the Great Li Empress, and with the Cui Chan, State Preceptor, having been around for nearly a century, never worried about interference from the harem, imperial relatives, or eunuchs. So Yu Mian had also seen many ascetic cultivators from the mountains: dashing figures like the Northern Marchmount Lord Wei Bo, the childlike immortal master from Temple of Snow and Wind, the dignified long beard of Yunlin Jiang's old patriarch, who looked like an immortal.
There were also a few notable exceptions that left a deeper impression on Yu Mian. For instance, the Dragon Spring Sword Sect's sage Ruan Qiong, the Great Li dynasty's chief offering. While not exactly slovenly, he was taciturn and spoke little. Every time he entered the palace to see the Emperor, Master Ruan had almost nothing to say; it was almost entirely the Emperor asking questions, and Master Ruan's answers were extremely "concise," as if he were in a hurry to return to the mountains to forge swords. Another was the Western Marchmount Lord Tong Wenchang, who looked like a village farmer, always in coarse linen, barefoot all year round. Compared to Wei Bo, or even standing side by side with the Central Marchmount Lord Jin Qing, to be honest, Yu Mian, even though she didn't judge by appearance, would sincerely feel that Lord Tong was indeed a bit shabby.
When Lord Tong sat there, Yu Mian would worry that he might start picking his feet any moment.
As for the young sword immortal of the Fallen Mountain before her, he naturally left a vivid impression on Yu Mian.
Yu Mian was an extremely observant woman; she had immediately noticed those finely stitched cloth shoes.
At the last table, of course, were the two families whose children had just been married to each other. Both were official families in the Great Li capital. Their official positions were not high, but they came from the clean stream of the imperial examinations. However, only one of them, Bian Wenmao, was currently qualified to attend the morning court.
Everyone held their breath, afraid to whisper.
The newlyweds, flushed with excitement, felt like they were dreaming.
Lin Shouyi, as the only outsider, sat beside his former classmate Shi Jiachun.
Earlier, Empress Yu Mian had turned and smiled toward them, reaching out to motion for everyone to sit down.
After everyone sat down, Bian Wenmao noticed that the Empress was still standing, so he wanted to stand up, but as soon as he lifted his buttocks, he felt it was even more inappropriate, so he silently sat back down.
Emperor Song He spoke up. "I've always had a question I'd like to ask Mr. Chen."
Chen Ping'an said, "Go ahead and ask."
Song He asked, "After everything you experienced back then, it seems you don't have a bad impression of the Great Li court?"
For example, according to Great Li intelligence, during his second long journey, Chen Ping'an passed through the Comb Water Kingdom in the middle of Bottle Gourd Continent, becoming a close friend of the martial artist Song Yushao, despite their age difference. When faced with the pressure of ten thousand cavalry, in the midst of the formation, the young man holding a locust wood sword had reported his name and publicly declared, "Great Li's Chen Ping'an is here!"
Chen Ping'an twisted his wrist, producing a vermilion wine gourd, took a sip, and gently placed the sword-nurturing gourd on his knee. "The first time I went far away was with Lin Shouyi and the others to the Cliff Academy within Great Sui. We left through the Savage Pass and entered the Yellow Court Kingdom, which was then a vassal of Great Sui's Gao clan. For the return route, I also entered through the Yellow Court Kingdom, but I took a plank road and entered through the Ox Fence Pass. There was a heavy blizzard at the time, and in the distance, I encountered a team of border scouts. One rider broke away—a young cavalryman, probably at most in his early twenties back then. At the time, I didn't understand why that cavalryman, when he rode up, had such a resolute look in his eyes. I only understood later. This elite cavalry initially mistook me for an enemy spy, and maybe even a qi refiner. So the most correct course of action was to immediately notify the accompanying military cultivators of the nearby Great Li Iron Cavalry. Moreover, this chance encounter in the vast blizzard could have meant instant life or death between us. When I revealed my identity and handed over the travel permit issued by Dragon Spring County, after verifying my identity without error, that cavalryman sitting on his horse didn't casually throw the permit back to me. Instead, he dismounted, and after returning the permit, he smiled and said something to me. Roughly, it was that the weather was terrible, the snow blocking the road, and if I was worried about trouble, I could go to their beacon tower to rest, prepare some food, and continue traveling when the snow let up."
A traveler who had already traversed countless mountains and rivers narrated this incident from over twenty years ago.
Emperor Song He listened with great patience, not missing a single word. But after hearing it, he couldn't help but feel a bit doubtful.
Just such a trivial matter?
Chen Ping'an asked, "Does Your Majesty think it's too small a matter to believe?"
Song He nodded. "Indeed, I find it hard to believe."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Is it really a small matter?"
He shook his head, answering his own question. "I don't think so. As members of the Great Li Iron Cavalry, they are fearless in the face of mountain immortals. As border scouts, they are very attentive to the Great Li people."
This gave the young man of the time—a kiln apprentice from the Mud Vase Alley of Huai Huang County, Dragon Spring Commandery, who had just started practicing boxing and martial arts, and who would worry about dirtying the bluestone slabs with his straw sandals when going to Fortune Street and Peach Leaf Alley—his first relatively clear impression of that ethereal "Great Li dynasty."
Chen Ping'an tapped his knee with the sword-nurturing gourd. "In my view, there are three pillars holding up Haoran: the sword light of the Sword Qi Wall, the chivalrous spirit of North Ju Luzhou, and the hooves of the Great Li Iron Cavalry."
Such words, even if true, would sound... inappropriate from anyone else, and might seem boastful.
But spoken by Chen Ping'an, they carried great weight and were most fitting.
Previously, many might have thought that Qi Jingchun's selection of an inconspicuous boy from Mud Vase Alley as his disciple on behalf of his master was somewhat frivolous. They would inevitably ask why.
But now, everyone feels that Qi Jingchun, in the nearby Li Zhu Cave Heaven, accepted such a worthy final disciple for the Literary Sage lineage, and his judgment was truly excellent.
Empress Yu Mian, considerate, personally brought a jug of wine and a cup, handing them to Emperor Song He.
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded to her in greeting.
The Empress stepped aside and performed a curtsy.
The woman before him was gentle and kind.
A daughter-in-law of the Song clan not favored by Empress Dowager Nan Zan was certainly a good Great Li Empress.
As Yu Mian walked back to her previous table.
Song He laughed. "Yu Mian always thinks that Mr. Chen is a gentleman of inner cultivation and outer magnanimity."
Chen Ping'an almost mistakenly thought the Emperor had been possessed by Xiao Mo. "What makes her think so?"
Song He said, "There's a table outside Fallen Mountain's gate that provides tea for passersby."
Chen Ping'an dismissed it with a smile. I just told you a small matter, and Your Majesty follows suit? If so, it's not much better than Xian Wei's money-swindling tricks.
"And the mountain woodcutters and kiln masters in Huai Huang County all dare to sit down and drink tea there."
Song He continued. "In Yu Mian's words, it's seeing the big from the small, seeing Mr. Chen's family ethos and Fallen Mountain's sect ethos from these details. A wealthy household that often has poor relatives visiting and never sends them away empty-handed is a loyal and honest family. When commoners pass by a high gate without deliberately hurrying as if to avoid a disaster, that is a door of accumulated kindness."
Chen Ping'an was momentarily stunned, then nodded. "Your Majesty has a virtuous helper."
Shi Jiachun craned her neck, sneaking a peek at Chen Ping'an.
Just by standing up and sitting down, that Chen Ping'an seemed to have completely changed.
He wore a white jade hairpin, a blue long gown, and a pair of cloth shoes.
A serene smile on his face, an ethereal aura—perhaps that was the immortal qi of a long-time mountain dweller?
In any case, he was no longer the straw-sandaled, dark-skinned, bright-eyed youth of yesteryear.
Shi Jiachun withdrew her gaze, looked at her husband, then at Lin Shouyi.
Her husband, Bian Wenmao, was a man with slightly graying temples.
But Lin Shouyi, about the same age, still looked like a young man of twenty.
Bian Wenmao knew Lin Shouyi only through his wife, who said Lin Shouyi was a stoic with a warm heart. His father was once a minor official in the local kiln supervision office, and later came to the capital, holding a small post in some obscure, quiet government office. In the provinces, that might have counted as bringing glory to the family, but in Nanxun Ward, where officials were said to be as common as weeds, it was very unremarkable.
Lin Shouyi teased softly, "Remember to recognize the chair His Majesty sat on. Keep it well later—it can be a family heirloom."
Shi Jiachun glared, about to retort, but Bian Wenmao nervously reached out and pressed her arm firmly. Shi Jiachun put a finger to her lips, signaling Lin Shouyi to be quiet.
Lin Shouyi smiled and nodded, offering an apologetic look to the sweating Bian Wenmao. Bian Wenmao responded with a wry smile; he was extremely nervous.
Yu Mian looked at Lin Shouyi, who had served as the temple priest of Qi Crossing Temple, a forty-something Nascent Soul cultivator.
For reference, the Supreme Elder of the Eternal Spring Temple was only at the Nascent Soul stage.
The Great Li dynasty's chief offering, the military sage Ruan Qiong, was only at the Jade Pure stage.
In many small vassal states to the south, a Golden Core earthly immortal could serve as the chief offering or even state preceptor.
The Emperor was actually quite fond of this man, even intending to put Lin Shouyi in charge of the Ministry of Rites' Department of Sacrifice. After seven or eight years in the capital's officialdom, he could be promoted to Vice Minister of Rites ahead of schedule.
Perhaps it was because the younger generation of the old Li Zhu Cave Heaven was so dazzling and brilliant that Lin Shouyi was not so conspicuous.
For there was Chen Ping'an of Fallen Mountain, the sword immortal Liu Xianyang who had studied for ten years in the Chunru Chen clan of Southern Posuo Continent, Ma Kuxuan who had made a sensation at True Martial Mountain, Zhao Yao of the Great Li Ministry of Justice who had been to Five Colors Heaven, and the so-called "madman" Gu Can, the direct disciple of Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City...
It seemed that Lin Shouyi, who had been wandering around Bottle Gourd Continent all along, was overlooked. He had no lofty mountain lineage, no eye-catching mountain duels, only year-after-year devoted scholarly cultivation and silent pursuit of the Dao. So Lin Shouyi's so-called "fame in both capitals" was still greatly underestimated. Because nowadays, both above and below the mountains, Lin Shouyi was only seen as a Golden Core earthly immortal, misled by the prophecy of "a hundred years to Nascent Soul" from Yuan Tianfeng of the Great Li capital's Imperial Observatory.
Shi Jiachun was simply too curious. She leaned sideways, covered her mouth with her hand, and whispered to Lin Shouyi, "What are His Majesty and Chen Ping'an talking about?"
Lin Shouyi said, "I can't hear either."
The tomb guardian who had built a thatched hut for cultivation at the Great Li imperial tombs had set up a mountain-river forbidden area that cut off the world.
Shi Jiachun was astonished. "Chen Ping'an is really bold, chatting so casually with His Majesty. Is this what they call 'talking and laughing with ease'?"
Lin Shouyi smiled and nodded.
If you're not bold, you can't be the last hidden official of the Sword Qi Wall.
Besides, if Chen Ping'an had been timid back then, would he have dared to like Ning Yao?
Shi Jiachun hesitated.
Lin Shouyi spoke through telepathy: "Don't worry. Whether the discussion over there reaches an agreement or not, it's good for you all either way. Chen Ping'an always handles things steadily."
Knowing Chen Ping'an's temper, if Emperor Song He dared to take his anger out on the Bian family, the consequences would be worse than a direct falling out with Chen Ping'an. He might even go straight to the palace and flip the table.
But believing in the current Son of Heaven's breadth of mind, he probably wouldn't be so petty.
Lin Shouyi didn't yet know that Chen Ping'an had already flipped a table with the Great Li Empress Dowager Nan Zan.
Shi Jiachun nodded. Whether it was Lin Shouyi, who had studied with her at the village school for many years, or Chen Ping'an, who later became Li Baoping's little master uncle, she felt they were both trustworthy.
That was a woman's intuition.
Xiao Mo and Xian Wei didn't go to the Bian family's wedding banquet. They found a nearby alley.
Xiao Mo leaned against the wall, while Xian Wei squatted beside him, holding a jug of wine he had bought himself. He couldn't afford to chip in for the wedding gift, so he couldn't freeload the wedding wine. He had to fend for himself.
No matter. Soon he would be a floating, ethereal cultivator. His pockets would be full of immortal money. Gold and silver, these mundane yellow and white things, were too vulgar and damaged one's immortal aura.
Xian Wei looked at the bustling traffic outside the Bian family gate, clicking his tongue. "A director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments—that's no small position. And he's a capital official of your Great Li dynasty. According to the current rules in Bottle Gourd Continent, Great Li native officials are one rank above vassal state officials, and capital officials are another rank above. If this were in one of those small vassal states to the south, he'd be the head of one of the Nine Grand Offices, or at least a Vice Minister of one of the Six Ministries. Master Cao is indeed a mountain immortal. His friends are either rich or noble—no white-robed commoners among them."
Xiao Mo watched Xian Wei drink like a cow gulping water, and couldn't help asking, "Do you really like wine so much?"
Xian Wei put down the jug, burped, patted his stomach, and wiped his mouth. "Not really."
Then he raised the jug, grinned, and said, "Am I drinking wine? I'm drinking money!"
These years of drifting and destitution, hunger and cold—he had been half-starved, eating one full meal and going hungry for three. The key was he had to make money by trickery and deception, or he would have ended up a beggar. Every time he pulled a scheme, he lived in fear. Prison food wasn't good, after all. Now, following Master Cao, he had a place to sleep, ate cakes when hungry, and drank wine when thirsty. It almost made Xian Wei weep with happiness.
Xian Wei remembered something. "Xiao Mo, be honest with me. Why did that old elder of the capital's Daoist office call Master Cao 'Mountain Lord Chen'?"
Xiao Mo said, "Cao Mo is an alias my master uses when traveling the world."
"Xiao Mo," Xian Wei said, taking a sip of wine, mimicking Cao Mo's tone, "I was asking what 'mountain lord' means here."
Was there a mountain sect with a cave abode, coiled dragons, and singing immortal cranes? Exotic flowers and rare herbs everywhere, with natural treasures to be found at every turn?
Since Cao Mo was a cultivator who could use immortal arts, freely entered the capital's Daoist office and scripture translation bureau, and was a "mountain lord," he probably wasn't too shabby.
Wouldn't he need to weigh just how thick this thigh he had latched onto really was? How high was the backing he had found on his own merit?
Xiao Mo glanced down at Xian Wei. Being able to keenly sense the other's thoughts, he knew what was running through that mind of his. Always so fanciful.
Xiao Mo explained, "My master bought a few mountain peaks in his hometown."
Xian Wei pressed, "Mountain peaks? How big?"
Xiao Mo said, "I've never been to my master's hometown. Once we leave the capital, you'll see the peaks soon enough."
Xian Wei said, "Oh."
Xiao Mo asked, "Once you follow my master up the mountain and start cultivating the Dao, is there anything you want to do?"
"Of course! How could there not be?" Xian Wei said decisively. "I'll capture fox demons and subdue seductive ghosts, have divine maidens enter my dreams, and tour the immortal realm together..."
Xiao Mo regretted asking the question. Listening to Xian Wei's rambling, he had even summarized "thirty things one must do after becoming an immortal." Xiao Mo couldn't bear it anymore and reminded him, "Xian Wei, have you heard the saying: 'A noble person speaks slowly; a flower that understands speech is still too much trouble, and a stone that cannot speak is most endearing'?"
Xian Wei stopped abruptly, a little embarrassed, then his expression changed slightly, and he said worriedly, "Master Cao's mountain can be anywhere, just not near Cloak Cloud Mountain!"
"Why is that?" Xiao Mo asked.
"Cloak Cloud Mountain of lofty integrity, and its two-sleeved-breeze Lord Wei!" Xian Wei clapped the wine jug heavily, emotional. "Xiao Mo, you've never heard of that? Even I have heard of the great fame of that Lord Wei of Cloak Cloud Mountain. They say he holds several night banquet tours every year, and all the mountain immortals in the entire Northern Marchmount territory, the city god lords, the mountain gods, and water gods, are all selling their pots and pans and tightening their belts. It's bitter indeed. They say even a passing rooster, after passing Cloak Cloud Mountain, has to lay two eggs before it can leave..."
Xian Wei had traveled north for years, destitute, with no connection to the mountains—he had never even been to an immortal ferry port. As for those cloudy, misty mountain immortal residences, forget it. Xian Wei had only dealt with barren mountains and harsh waters. So this account could only come from folk tales down the mountain. That shows just how "great the fame and good the reputation" of Wei Bo and Cloak Cloud Mountain were.
Xiao Mo was quite surprised. Even if Xian Wei's hearsay was exaggerated and had a lot of water in it, even at half price... So Xiao Mo thought it over and decided, to be safe, he'd better prepare a gift early, so as not to earn the reputation of being "stingy" in Lord Wei's eyes.
It really was hard on his master, having such a troublesome neighbor.
Xian Wei looked at a certain spot on the street. "Xiao Mo, look at that coachman. He looks like a seasoned martial artist. See the muscles bulging on those arms? I reckon one punch from him could break a table. Hit a person with that, and they'd... cough up a whole wine jug of blood! Xiao Mo, even if you're a halfway immortal master, you haven't been around the martial world as much as I have. When you meet someone like that in the future, be extra careful and take a detour."
Beside a carriage stood an old coachman, arms folded, dozing. Sensing the gaze from the alley entrance, he opened his eyes. The fellow squatting and drinking was only at the Tendon Refining stage as a qi refiner. But that cultivator in the yellow hat and green shoes seemed to be an offering of Fallen Mountain, recently registered at the Ministry of Justice as a third-rank offering of Great Li, with the Dao name Xi Zhu, named Mosheng? Anyway, a new face. He had accompanied someone to the palace earlier and caused quite a stir there. His realm probably wasn't low.
The old coachman planned to use his qi-looking divine ability to probe and see if he could discern the other's origin and depth of cultivation.
What harm was there in a glance?
If you don't want to be seen, don't go out.
Xiao Mo said telepathically, smiling, "Senior, peeping into another's qi without permission is against the rules, wouldn't you say?"
In ancient times, the various offices of the Thunder Ministry, being part of the old Heavenly Court's subordinate departments, held considerable power. They were responsible for moving seas and shifting mountains, advancing the four seasons, raising and lowering yin and yang, holding the balance of things, and governing life and death. Especially the Execution and Investigation Office of the Thunder Ministry, which carried out punishments. Those receiving punishment—whether negligent deities, law-breaking earthly immortals, or rebellious dragons and spirits—were first executed in spirit, then judged in form, their bodies withered and their essence shattered, causing their souls to collapse entirely.
The old coachman was slightly surprised. This one was no pushover.
Since the other was already on guard, the old coachman didn't continue his innate divine ability. He just asked casually, "A sword cultivator? Where from? The Confucian Temple of the Central Plains assigned as Chen Ping'an's protector? Or from a lesser-known executioner lineage of the Sword Qi Wall?"
"I am indeed a sword cultivator. As for where I come from, since I'm not yet familiar with senior, nor are we friends, there's no need to open my heart fully. Let's not talk more about it."
Xiao Mo still wore a smile. "But I would trouble senior to show some respect to my master. It's best not to call him by name directly. 'Mr. Chen' or 'Mountain Lord Chen' would be fine."
The old coachman was amused. Such pretentious speech—where did he pick up this bad habit? Even that young man named Chen, when he talked to me, wasn't this stilted.
Besides, since when did a fifth-realm sword cultivator stoop so low? Couldn't he find something better to do than be a lackey for a young man just over forty?
But the old coachman was more cautious in his words and actions nowadays. He tested, "Was that diviner of the Lu clan slashed by you?"
Xiao Mo asked, "Is senior implying he wants to get to know me better?"
To get to know a sword cultivator and open one's heart, of course, one had to ask swords and receive swords.
The old coachman barely held back his temper.
That fellow in the yellow hat and green shoes, with his gentle demeanor and unhurried speech, somehow gave the impression that he was even more annoying than Chen Ping'an.
But recalling the scene at the Fire God Temple's flower shed, where he had just been straightened out by the Old Scholar, the old coachman took a deep breath, said nothing more, and closed his eyes to rest again.
Xiao Mo smiled. "When did senior's temper become so good?"
The old coachman ignored him.
Xiao Mo adjusted the yellow hat on his head and said with a smile, "Back in the day, the Execution and Investigation Office of the Jade Pivot Courtyard, with thunder and lightning, how magnificent! The sound was deafening, and the sight made hearts tremble."
The old coachman's eyes snapped open. He stared fixedly at that "young" cultivator who was turning over old records, and asked via telepathy, his voice like rolling thunder, "Speak! Who are you?!"
Xiao Mo smiled. "Just an insignificant nobody."
He just happened to have crossed swords with the main deities of the Thunder Ministry's one court and two offices.
Xian Wei smoothly got up, trotted deeper into the alley, but turned to warn, "Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, that old coachman seems to be glaring at you! Don't start a fight. When you're out, live in harmony—make money, not enemies."
The old coachman sighed and closed his eyes again.
Couldn't turn back time anymore.
Back at the Bian family wedding feast hall, Chen Ping'an felt a bit helpless. Today, he seemed forced to be the host here, seeing off the most honored couple of the Great Li dynasty outside the hall door.
But Chen Ping'an stopped as he crossed the threshold; there was no need to see them all the way to the street outside the mansion gate.
Yu Mian spoke with a smile, "May I ask Mr. Chen, were those cloth shoes sewn by Sword Immortal Ning herself?"
Chen Ping'an smiled warmly and shook his head. "They were given to me by an old nun."
Though he had over twenty pairs of cloth shoes, he still needed to wear them sparingly. The only downside was that he was even more reluctant to wear them on rainy days.
After that, everyone—men and women, old and young from both families, including Bian Wenmao—naturally had to follow all the way.
Emperor Song He chatted casually with Court Bian of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. Empress Yu Mian, with a gentle expression, was congratulating the newlyweds.
Lin Shouyi stood at the door, accompanying Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Still the same? Nothing to say when you meet your father?"
Lin Shouyi nodded. "I'll get used to it."
Every family has its own problems.
Father and son usually exchanged no more than three sentences when they met.
There was only one exception. When Lin Shouyi was about to become the temple priest of the Great River Temple, his father, who had spent most of his life in officialdom, spoke a few more sentences.
Chen Ping'an had always admired Lin Shouyi.
Even after seeing many undeniably talented cultivators, he still felt that Lin Shouyi's clarity of Dao-heart was second to none.
Back then, when the group traveled far for study, Chen Ping'an wore straw sandals, carried a firewood knife at his waist, and was responsible for clearing the way and keeping watch at night.
Little Baoping was innocent and full of whimsy.
Cui Dongshan at that time was strange and absurd.
Lin Shouyi was serious, Gan Lu indifferent, and Xie Xie persistent.
As for Li Huai... do as you please. He was good at being a bully at home.
Zhu He was steady, Zhu Lu domineering and willful.
And of course, there was that A Liang whom Chen Ping'an had once been curious about whether he could beat Zhu He.
That was Chen Ping'an's first long journey.
When he returned home, he brought with him a pink-skirted little girl and a blue-robed little boy. And on the snowy plank road, he met Bai Ze and the fox spirit Qing Ying.
Shi Jiachun was the first to come back. She lifted her skirt and ran all the way, standing on tiptoe to slap Chen Ping'an's shoulder. "You've done well—really impressive!"
Although she didn't know exactly what the Emperor had discussed with Chen Ping'an today, Shi Jiachun had been smart since childhood. Even before she went to school, she could use an abacus at her family's shop.
A mountain cultivator who could make the Emperor take the initiative to bow.
A guy who dared to cross his legs while sitting next to the Great Li Emperor.
That was unimaginable.
Among their peers from the town, Lin Shouyi and Ma Kuxuan from Apricot Blossom Alley were already very accomplished as mountain immortals.
The most successful official was, of course, Zhao Yao, who was now Vice Minister of Justice.
In business, it had to be Dong Shuijing—otherwise, how could he do business with and be friends with the sons of pillar officials like Cao Gengxin and Yuan Zhengding?
Before, Shi Jiachun had only regarded Chen Ping'an as a wealthy mountain lord, at most comparable to Dong Shuijing.
But since they were friends, the more prosperous he became, the better.
Bian Wenmao was terrified by his wife's disrespectful gesture, his face turning pale.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Not bad."
Lin Shouyi teased, "Not bad? Mountain Lord Chen, how am I supposed to handle that?"
Shi Jiachun said casually, "If I'd known, when I sold those two shops on Riding Dragon Alley back then, I would have at least doubled the price. Truly sold them cheap."
Bian Wenmao tugged at his wife's sleeve.
In front of Mr. Chen, she shouldn't be so rude.
Chen Ping'an looked at Bian Wenmao and explained with a smile, "Court Bian, the last time Shi Jiachun returned home, I happened to be traveling elsewhere, so I wasn't in my hometown. We missed each other. This is my first visit to the capital in all these years, so we only meet today. Don't mind it. I bought the New Year's shop and the Grass Head shop on Riding Dragon Alley from the Shi family at a low price back then. That's a big favor."
Today, Chen Ping'an's wedding gift was two Minor Heat coins. At the mountain market price, that was equivalent to two hundred thousand taels of silver, possibly with a premium of another ten or twenty thousand taels.
Chen Ping'an certainly wasn't incapable of producing two Grain Rain coins, but that wouldn't have been appropriate.
Bian Wenmao quickly laughed. "Over the years, I've often heard Jiachun talk about Mr. Chen. Meeting you today, you truly live up to your reputation."
Now Bian Wenmao served in the Court of Imperial Entertainments, one of the Nine Lesser Offices, as a director. The position wasn't high, but he was in charge and held real power.
Bian Wenmao had passed the imperial examinations as a second-class graduate. After leaving the Hanlin Academy, he had moved through various capital offices. First, he went to the Imperial Academy as an assistant lecturer in legal studies. Then he was promoted to archivist, then lecturer of the Imperial Academy. Before entering the Court of Imperial Entertainments, he had also served as a ritual attendant in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Bian Wenmao's promotions in officialdom were not fast, but fairly steady. The only issue was that he had never worked in the Six Ministries. Becoming a vice minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments was within his grasp, but he didn't dare hope to ever head the court.
Li Huai had told Chen Ping'an about this Bian Wenmao—a capital official who looked down his nose at these country bumpkins from their town, ignoring everyone, but he treated Shi Jiachun reasonably well.
Shi Jiachun smiled brightly, secretly waving one hand, signaling Chen Ping'an not to pay attention to that. Her husband's polite words were just to be listened to.
Chen Ping'an and Lin Shouyi left the Bian family. Lin Shouyi asked, "Want to come to my place? My father was also a kiln worker before. You get along well with elders, so you two might have a lot to talk about."
Chen Ping'an shook his head and said earnestly, "Lin Shouyi, you're not young anymore. Don't mind your father not smiling at you. Once you get married, no matter if you have a son or a daughter, the generational distance thing is beyond reason. The smiles your father will show in a single day will be more than he shows you in a year. If you don't believe me, let's make a bet—a small bet for pleasure, say two Minor Heat coins."
Lin Shouyi smiled, his lips moving silently but clearly mouthing a word for Chen Ping'an to get lost.
Chen Ping'an pulled out a booklet from his sleeve and spoke telepathically: "It's a Thunder Bureau derived by Mr. Qi. It's somewhat different from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion. By chance, I learned a bit and compiled this booklet. You have good aptitude. After reading it, see if you can break through further."
Lin Shouyi put it into his sleeve and said with a wry laugh, "It's a gift, so don't talk as if you're receiving one."
Chen Ping'an clicked his tongue. "You have some nerve! You're the one receiving the gift, but you act like the giver."
Lin Shouyi asked, "Going back now?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Leaving the capital soon—either today or tomorrow. Then I need to head immediately to Parasol Leaf Continent for the founding ceremony of the subsidiary sect. The specific time isn't set yet, roughly late winter this year or early spring next year. Anyway, if you have time, come; if not, forget it."
Lin Shouyi said, "If I can't make it to Parasol Leaf Continent, just have Dong Shuijing include my share of the celebration money. He's got plenty of money anyway, mountains of gold and silver that he can't spend in several lifetimes. That money-grubbing bastard loves being a country squire. He's good for nothing but making money—serves him right to be single..."
Chen Ping'an suppressed a laugh.
Lin Shouyi wasn't usually like this.
Only with Dong Shuijing was he an exception. The reason was simple: the two former classmates, as youths, both had a crush on Li Liu, rivals in love, and in the end, neither of them got her. Before Li Liu married, the two couldn't stand each other. After she married an outsider, Lin Shouyi and Dong Shuijing, whenever they met again, looked at each other with a different kind of irritation. Probably each saw a label on the other's forehead with two big characters: "loser."
Just as Lin Shouyi was about to take his leave, he exchanged a glance with Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an sent a telepathic message to Xiao Mo, telling him to bring Xian Wei and follow him to Spring Mountain Academy.
In the carriage, Yu Mian asked, "What did Mr. Chen say?"
Emperor Song He rubbed his brow. "He said he'll give a definite answer next time he passes through the capital."
Yu Mian reached out two fingers, gently pinched the Emperor's sleeve, squinted with a smile, and said playfully, "Don't sulk now."
Song He couldn't help but laugh, turning his hand to hold hers.
Only envy for lovebirds, not envy for immortals.
Yu Mian kept smiling, bent down, and pressed her cheek against the Emperor's hand.
As if she didn't notice the sweat on his palm.
Clearly, after she brought the wine and cup, the conversation hadn't been entirely relaxed.
Spring Mountain Academy.
The Old Scholar was waiting for his disciple Chen Ping'an and his grand-disciple Lin Shouyi.
Lin Shouyi was a good lad, but it wasn't great that he was still single.
The Old Scholar had a very good impression of this academy. Last time he was here, he even got a distant nephew named Zhou Jiagu for free, without spending a cent.
The Old Scholar was waiting at the entrance of Spring Mountain Academy.
He would soon be returning to the Confucian Temple in the Central Plains.
The old man stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the academy's plaque.
Spring Mountain.
Good calligraphy, and a good name too.
Qi Jingchun's spring, Cui Dongshan's mountain.
Chen Ping'an and Lin Shouyi descended and each made a bow.
The Old Scholar turned around, stroking his beard, and asked with a smile, "Ping'an, Shouyi, tell me, which of my scholarly works do you like the most?"
Chen Ping'an's answer was "On Exhortation to Learning."
Lin Shouyi's reply was "On Heaven."
The Old Scholar smiled as he stroked his beard. "Both are excellent."
The three of them walked slowly into the academy. The Old Scholar said leisurely, "The gentleman says: Learning cannot stop. Understanding the distinction between heaven and man can be called supreme.
"The stars rotate in sequence, the sun and moon alternate their brightness, the four seasons succeed each other, yin and yang transform greatly, wind and rain spread everywhere. Heaven reveals its brightness, earth reveals its light. The gentleman values its pure essence and completeness.
"The changes of heaven and earth, the transformations of yin and yang, are rare things. It is permissible to find them strange, but not to fear them. Therefore, the gentleman, in dwelling, must choose a suitable neighborhood, and in traveling, must associate with scholars.
"Shouyi, regarding 'On Heaven,' do you have any doubts?"
"A few points."
"Good. Doubts without questions in study are like wine and meat passing through the stomach. Let's walk and talk. You ask, I answer.
"Oh, and Shouyi, in the future, if you encounter similar scholarly difficulties, you can send letters to Gongde Forest. For issues in cultivation, if it's Confucian cultivation, consult Jing Jingxi directly. For Daoist methods, I can forward them to Fu Lu Yu Xuan or Heavenly Master Zhao. But those two are quite busy right now, so they might be later in replying. If you encounter a bigger problem..."
Chen Ping'an interjected with a smile, "If you ever need money, come to me. I'll definitely charge no interest. Pay me back when you have the money—I won't hound you."
The Old Scholar smiled knowingly.
Look, listen.
This is what a proud disciple is like.
Lin Shouyi extended his hand. "Give it."
Chen Ping'an was taken aback. "What?"
Lin Shouyi said, "To break through the Nascent Soul bottleneck, I need several external treasures. I estimate I need about a hundred Grain Rain coins. I've been worrying about it. This trip to the capital was originally to raise funds."
Chen Ping'an bent forward and looked at his master.
The Old Scholar coughed and looked straight ahead. The scenery of Spring Mountain Academy was beautiful.
Chen Ping'an slapped Lin Shouyi's hand away. "Wait a few days. When I get back to Fallen Mountain, I'll ask the accountant Wei Wenlong for the money. It definitely won't delay your business."
Lin Shouyi withdrew his hand and asked with a smile, "The dignified mountain lord doesn't have any private savings?"
With great righteousness, Chen Ping'an declared, "What need does a man have for private savings?"
The Old Scholar instantly understood why, among the entire Literary Sage lineage, this final disciple was the only one to find a wife.
This insight was truly admirable.
Lin Shouyi asked several scholarly questions. Though not many, the Old Scholar, who by seniority was Lin Shouyi's grand-master, answered in great detail, taking nearly half an hour. Lin Shouyi then took his leave, saying he was going home for a visit.
Chen Ping'an sent a telepathic message: "Shouyi, when you go into seclusion to break through, if you need someone to guard the path, be sure to let me know. As long as I'm not on another continent at the time, I'll come protect your seclusion. How about it?"
Lin Shouyi made a rare joke. "Why would I be polite with Little Master Uncle? It's settled."
Chen Ping'an reminded him, "Business is business. When you reach the fifth realm, you'll still have to return the principal of a hundred Grain Rain coins, right? I'll make an exception and give you a 20% discount—eighty coins is fine."
Lin Shouyi smiled and said nothing.
Chen Ping'an felt this was probably a lost cause.
As they returned along the original path, Lin Shouyi flew back to the capital.
On the way, they met a young man in a yellow hat and green shoes, and a curious young Daoist looking around.
The Old Scholar took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an was puzzled as he took the pouch. When he opened it, he was greatly surprised. Inside was Feng Yi's colored rope knot.
It was refined from the flower-string lifelines of the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land.
The Old Scholar smiled. "Better to resolve enmity than to keep it, right? Senior Feng Yi wants you to deliver this to the Flower Mistress of the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land. Her only condition is that the twelve monthly flower spirits of the blessed land come here together to apologize to her sincerely.
"Feng Yi's meaning is that this item is rare. You can't just run errands for nothing. You have to ask the blessed land for the position of supreme guest elder. If they won't give it, don't deliver it."
The Hundred Flowers Blessed Land had many flower spirits, the highest being the twelve monthly flower spirits, led by the Blessed Land Flower Mistress. Below her were four destiny flower spirits in charge of the four seasons, and then seven flower spirit madams in charge of the monthly seasons.
Each of the twelve monthly flower spirit madams had her own destiny guest elder, which would never be left vacant. Additionally, there was a higher supreme guest elder, but that was mostly wishful thinking on the flower spirits' part. For instance, Bai Ye was the supreme guest elder of the peony, but Bai Ye didn't travel to the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land to be a guest.
As for the supreme guest elder of the entire Hundred Flowers Blessed Land, after the great disaster of "wild wind blowing, myriad openings howling, a hundred flowers withering," the position had been vacant for thousands of years.
They were waiting for someone to retrieve this colored rope knot from "Feng Yi's servant."
Chen Ping'an said, "Master, I know how Senior Feng Yi talks. I can help deliver the item and the message. But as for the supreme guest elder of the entire blessed land, even if the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land offers it voluntarily, I won't accept it."
The Old Scholar snickered, not trying to persuade him for now. "If the negotiations fail and the blessed land flower spirits are unwilling to come apologize here, then you'll have to do Feng Yi a favor: protect the mountain flower thieves from being all killed."
He'll write a letter to the Flower Mistress himself, passing on a master plan. For example, let them first accept the colored rope knot, then suddenly change their tune: if Mr. Chen doesn't agree to be the supreme guest elder, they won't go to Bottle Gourd Continent to apologize to Feng Yi.
Chen Ping'an wanted to say something but stopped.
The Old Scholar said softly, "Don't worry too much about A Liang and Zuo Duan."
"Because that child, Li Huai, was wandering around with the tender Daoist and said a careless remark: "My brother A Liang isn't destined to be single. As for the unmatched sword art of Uncle Zuo, he'll teach me a few sword techniques later."
Chen Ping'an looked embarrassed. "Master, does that count?"
The Old Scholar stroked his beard and smiled. "Just wait and see."
Chen Ping'an breathed a slight sigh of relief.
The Old Scholar turned back, waving vigorously. "Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, over here!"
Xiao Mo, hearing this, told Xian Wei to explore on his own and came alone to the Old Scholar.
For some reason, facing this Old Scholar, who wasn't that old in years, Xiao Mo felt as if he were interacting with an elder.
Perhaps it was because the Old Scholar's learning was profound, and he looked old?
The Old Scholar said, "Brother Xiao Mo, I'll be returning to the Confucian Temple soon. This final disciple of mine is in your care."
Xiao Mo nodded. "Mr. Old Scholar, I cannot guarantee no mishaps, but I can guarantee that if something should happen, Xiao Mo will stand by the master's side and draw his sword without delay."
"Excellent! That is utterly domineering!" The Old Scholar beamed, giving a thumbs-up. "Truly worthy of being Brother Xiao Mo, with whom I feel an instant connection. Later, I'll introduce you to Bai Ye, Sun Daochang, and Heavenly Master Zhao. They're all my close friends. I don't have many friends, and only a few are good with swords."
Xiao Mo bowed in thanks.
The Old Scholar quickly supported Xiao Mo's arm. "On my way back to the Central Plains Divine Continent, I'll inform those old sticks in the Confucian Temple in advance. In future, when Brother Xiao Mo travels across continents in Haoran, you won't need to report to the Confucian Temple."
Xiao Mo thought for a moment, then declined politely. "Mr. Old Scholar, your kindness is appreciated. But I think it's better to follow the rules. Xiao Mo shouldn't cause trouble for you and the master in such matters."
The Old Scholar gently patted Xiao Mo's shoulder, then helped him adjust his collar. Like an old man seeing off a young junior about to leave home for a distant land.
The old man murmured with a smile, "Understanding others' intentions, others understanding goodwill, good people understanding intentions, intentions well understood—Xiao Mo is very kind."
Xiao Mo smiled shyly, for once at a loss.
Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "When sages and heroes meet, human sentiment makes the sword sing."