Chapter 717: Ghost Story
The two arrived at Orchid Terrace Hall, already approaching mid‑afternoon; the King sat down and first instructed Xie Tu: "You too must listen carefully."
Xie Tu nodded, thinking the King had become mature after not attending class for a long time; this was mutual encouragement.
Xie Yuan appeared right on time; seeing him, the King showed a pleased expression. This guy tried hard to perform for Xie Yuan's benefit—look, I still love reading.
Unfortunately, Xie Yuan didn't believe it at all; his excessive enthusiasm made Xie Yuan very wary.
"Since you said it's for relaxation, shall I give Your Majesty something simple and easy to understand?"
The King nodded eagerly.
Afterwards, Xie Yuan began lecturing; whenever he looked at the King, the King nodded and agreed, an attitude certainly praiseworthy. After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Xie Yuan glanced over again—sure enough, the King had run out of energy.
You paused; he nodded mechanically. Looking closely, it was purely an unconscious gesture—his mind had gone blank, knowledge just slid over my brain without leaving any trace of sincerity.
Xie Yuan was momentarily stuck, while the King kept nodding.
Now it was Xie Yuan's turn to nod—good. All that earlier enthusiasm was just to numb him, right?
"... Combining the story above, what does Your Majesty think is the key condition for anger to arise?"
The King showed no reaction; Xie Tu beside him thought he should chip in, so he coughed loudly as a reminder, and the King came to.
He cleverly observed that Xie Yuan was listening attentively, understood, and had posed the question!
He immediately gave Xie Tu a bewildered look, asking, "What was the question? Don't just cough!"
Xie Yuan watched as that guy inched his ear toward Xie Tu, his vacant eyes suddenly coming to life. The guy even had the nerve to glare at Xie Tu, asking in a strained voice, "What was the question? You don't know? Weren't you supposed to listen carefully?!" The King felt anguished.
Xie Tu: "…I heard it, but the prompt is a bit long! And your teacher has already glared at me."
Xie Yuan was also puzzled, wondering if he thought I was blind.
This room is spacious, but he shouldn't fail to notice all those little movements across from him, right?!
"Come on, don't ask Xie Tu—he can't explain it right now. I'll repeat it once more: A person is crossing a river by boat when suddenly an empty boat crashes into them…"
The King jumped up in shock: "A ghost story?!"
Xie Tu: …
Xie Yuan: …
The King instantly perked up; wasn't he just lecturing on Zhuangzi before slipping out?
Xie Yuan took a deep breath: "It's the story from
The King blurted without thinking: "The key condition is having a person! Cursing a boat—isn't that a ghost story?!"
Xie Yuan: …
Can we get away from this ghost story already!
The King sought agreement from his neighbor, saying, "Such a simple problem—right, Xie Tu? You don't even need to hint."
Xie Tu: …
Xie Yuan calmly exhaled, turned a page without expression, and said, "Forget this question; I'll now directly explain Zhuangzi's theory."
He spoke as plainly as possible: "It's simple—regard yourself as that empty boat. Don't see conflict as someone targeting you; treat interpersonal friction like wind blowing leaves, and the root of anger disappears. Thus you reach a state where no one can provoke you and nothing can annoy you. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
After hearing, the King shook his head and swayed: "Then wouldn't I be able to become a god?"
"If someone bumps into me, I shout three times and they still won't move, and I don't even draw my sword—then I'd surely become a god!"
Seeing Xie Yuan's speechless expression, Xie Tu frantically managed his own expression beside him—how hilarious! Uncle's lecture on Zhuangzi is easy, as long as no one asks questions and the King doesn't open his mouth. But once words are spoken, if we don't interact a bit, the King will drift off, and lecturing on Zhuangzi would be pointless.
Just one word left or right—it's hard.
Xie Yuan spent that period of time in this contradiction, enjoying a leisurely reading session.
When the time was up, the King resembled a prisoner just released after serving his sentence; that joy left the two great talents of the Xie family at a loss for words. Those unaware would think he'd been painstakingly studying at his desk for fifteen years.
The King whistled loudly out the window; his personal mount, the Little Golden Horse, galloped from afar. Before climbing aboard, he instructed Xie Tu: "…that thing, I'm entrusting you with this matter—handle it, and when it's done I'll take you to see the new program of Spring River Flower Moon Night…ah!"
Xie Tu: …
The latter half had already scattered in the wind.
Xie Tu hadn't failed to ask his uncle for help—who would have thought Xie Yuan, after some consideration, actually agreed with the King's theory? Young people's matters, young people settle them.
After a day's thought, Xie Tu finally took the initiative to meet Baili Hu.
The two had never interacted before, merely being familiar with each other's names.
Baili Hu is actually quite perceptive; he had already sensed Xie Tu's intention before setting out.
They met in a private room at Sea‑Appraising Pavilion; when he arrived, Xie Tu was already there. Sure enough, this person launched straight into talk about San Pangzi—he already knew what this meeting was for.
Xie Tu didn't beat around the bush either; his uncle had said a hundred times that the imperial house has no young children, and he never regarded the Baili clan brothers as kids.
Young Master Xie never appeared flustered abroad; he was always poised, courteous, and meticulous in etiquette. After the banquet he slowly said: "…The first time I learned of Your Majesty from my uncle's letter, he was merely the Prince of You, You Prefecture wasn't what it is now, he had no interest in the world at all, and his "Flattened Life" theory even annoyed my uncle."
By the time I arrived in Secluded Prefecture, he was already the Northern Border King. Back then, the high‑yield sweet potatoes and corn of Youzhou hadn't been popularized; the roadside showed only sallow‑skinned, ragged‑clothed commoners, and only on Vermilion Bird Avenue could one see well‑dressed folk. Look at you now: the court finances are stretched thin, yet Youzhou has no one starving to death.
Baili Hu snorted, "I thought you'd have to bring up the Black Armor Cavalry first."
Xie Tu chuckled: "No need to say—his strength speaks for itself, and Your Highness knows no power today can shake the Northern Border Cavalry. I only want to speak of the King's character: he doesn't wish to clash with his brothers over a throne, even though his cavalry could roam the world unmatched. He keeps the Baili clan's realm, the common people, and his own kinfolk in his heart. With the Northern Border Cavalry, what could you and the Guangling King possibly do?"
Baili Hu gritted his teeth—not a single word he liked—and he had already guessed what Xie Tu would say next. He turned and asked, "What exactly is the Flattened Theory?"
"Oh, Your Majesty once said as a child that if life's burdens flattened him, he would continue living in a flattened way."
Baili Hu: …
You could tell it was the Salted Fish San Pangzi himself speaking—no one else could put it that way.
King: "Si Pangzi, couldn't you first live a flattened life?"
Si Pangzi: "Pah!"
End of Chapter
