Chapter 491: Making a Name

Seeing Pei Ye stared: "Her name is Changsun, she is my classmate at the Imperial Academy!"

Qi Zhaohua laughed: "I know. The granddaughter of the Minister of Rites, the youngest person in the Imperial Academy to be well-versed in the Five Classics. I've heard of her for a long time. I didn't expect to see her by Young Hero Pei's side today."

"Knowing that and still talking nonsense, we've only met for the second time, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh, so Young Hero Pei is about quantity rather than quality..."

Seeing Pei Ye boarded the carriage himself, too lazy to pay attention to her.

Qi Zhaohua followed behind with a smile.

The carriage drove eastward and soon entered that familiar, quiet avenue. The ancient, vast forest garden appeared before them again.

Since that day, he had heard Qi Zhaohua say that although the Cultivation Pavilion was not an official government agency, it was also approved and established by the imperial court to gather scholars and literati to compile classics. After Xu Chuo took over, she used it to provide a stable place for many lower-level scholars traveling in the Divine Capital, and it also accepted them for banquets and social gatherings on weekdays.

The carriage drove into the courtyard. It was still beautiful pavilions, towers, and maple forests. Many scholars looked at this familiar carriage with attention, and Qi Zhaohua sometimes lifted the curtain and nodded with a smile.

Finally, they arrived at this independent small building outside the forest by the lake. It had rained the day before, and the winter sky was clear. Under the bright stars and full moon, there were only faint lamp lights.

Seeing Pei Ye got off the carriage. Qi Zhaohua smiled at him and, like last time, did not follow.

The small building was still simple and quiet, with books on the walls as before. Seeing Pei Ye looked at them one by one as he walked up. When the sentence "Three feet of water in the ancestor's box" came into view again, he tilted his head, and sure enough, he saw that elegant figure in a cloak.

However, this time there were no ladies-in-waiting behind her, and there was no black cat on the desk. She was leaning alone against the railing. The night wind danced with the candles, and also danced with her clothes and hair. Beside her on a small table were two or three cups of hot tea.

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned when he saw this scene. Compared to the bleakness of the autumn wind, the winter wind was already cold enough to hurt. He walked up and couldn't help but frown first: "Aren't you cold?"

Xu Chuo handed over her wrist: "Transfer some True Qi."

Seeing Pei Ye flicked his finger and sent a hot, melting True Qi into her. Xu Chuo narrowed her eyes comfortably, wrapped her cloak tighter, and sighed lightly: "Long time no see."

"It's only been five days."

"I didn't know you had a connection with Mount Taishan Medicine Hut," Xu Chuo tilted her head to look at him. "Is this also one of those you 'entrusted your life to'?"

"If you entrust yourself to someone after you're almost dead from fighting... does that count?"

Xu Chuo smiled, held her cloak with one hand, and poured him a cup of hot tea with the other, saying softly: "You've worked hard."

"It is what I wished for."

"Which chapter of "Mencius" is this?"

"..."

Xu Chuo smiled again, and Seeing Pei Ye lowered his head and drank the tea in one gulp.

Of course, the Western Pool matter was something they had hammered out together.

On the morning when Di Jiu fainted, the Three Departments were shattered, and the Gate Guard did not send a single soldier, Seeing Pei Ye said: "I'm going to kill Qiu Tianyu." Xu Chuo said: "Good."

They had checked every detail no less than three times. Xu Chuo informed him that Qiu Tianyu might hold a 【Law Guard Order】, and then she personally went to see the Bi'an. When this non-compliant token was activated, she removed it from the 【Law of the Same World】.

Xu Chuo looked at the distant sky: "Yue Muzhou once said that you and I would likely get along well. At that time, I thought he was just bragging."

Seeing Pei Ye turned his head: "... Grandpa Yue, often talks about me with you?"

Xu Chuo smiled: "We talked about a lot of things, and indeed he mentioned you quite a bit."

"What did he say about me?"

Xu Chuo tilted her head to look at him, but pursed her lips and smiled: "It didn't have much to do with you."

"?"

Xu Chuo extended a finger and shook the tea: "Has Cui Zhaoye's sword review been published?"

"... No, I'm not sure," Seeing Pei Ye said blankly. "Was she there that night? And she didn't ask me if it could be published."

"She asked me," Xu Chuo said. "You weren't sleeping in the medical building for a day."

"..."

"It has to be published. If you only kill people in the dark, wouldn't you really become an assassin or a killer?" Xu Chuo looked at him. "I have higher expectations for you. Since you've done heroic deeds in the Divine Capital, you should raise your name. This time is just a debut; you should accumulate for another month or so, and when you make a splash at the Changan Winter Sword Gathering, I'll arrange a... task for you."

Seeing Pei Ye looked at her in confusion.

"You can consider it a good job," Xu Chuo laughed. "Anyway, for most people, it is."

Then she finished her tea, paused, and said: "On the Taiping Taiping Cao Bang side, seven or eight-tenths of it has been sorted out. Many things have not yet been settled, and haven't even begun to be pushed, but I can tell you the results they will reach first."

Seeing Pei Ye nodded and sat up straight earnestly.

"First, the prison is exposed, the crimes of the Taiping Taiping Cao Bang are nailed down, all participants will be brought to justice, and the Divine Capital will never have this name again. Jingzhao Magistrate Lu Yu Gu is dismissed for dereliction of duty and shielding; as an exchange for not taking his life, Di Jiu will take this position and be protected by the Bi'an. Then, with that as the core, we can rebuild the security system of the Divine Capital."

"... Lu Yu Gu ignored the suffering of the people for years, can he really just go home and be idle?"

"Because his surname is Lu," Xu Chuo said, wrapped in her cloak, the night wind blowing her unkempt hair backward. "Why not ask first, how did such a person become the Jingzhao Magistrate?"

"..."

"The old business of the Jin and Zhang families, seven generations wearing the Han sable," Xu Chuo said softly. "Before the establishment of the Great Tang, these huge things already existed on the land of the Central Plains, refined from the washing of time... Even today, the imperial court still has to rely on their influence."

"But of course..." Xu Chuo looked indifferently at the night sky, "I will make them history sooner or later."

Seeing Pei Ye was silent for a while: "What about Yang Juhu?"

"This person, we haven't moved him yet."

"Why? Is the evidence insufficient?"

"That's one aspect, but more importantly, I think he might be involved in more things."

Xu Chuo looked at him: "Second, the Taiping Taiping Cao Bang accumulated huge wealth, and the account books are all there. The flow of this silver cannot be covered up. About thirty percent flowed to Yu Sicheng, and another thirty percent points to the Illusion Tower... These two destinations were also within our guesses. But do you still remember why we took down the Taiping Taiping Cao Bang?"

"... The Yan Prince's Mansion."

"Correct, we want to figure out the Yan Prince's Mansion's connections in the Divine Capital," Xu Chuo turned her head back. "Wang Biehe and Yang Juhu—I sent people to check the news about them in the north. More than ten years ago, the two often fought together, cooperating without gaps, known as the 'Tiger and Crane Generals'."

"..."

"The Yan Prince sent such two people to operate and shield the Taiping Taiping Cao Bang, yet not a single cent of the huge amount of gold and silver collected flowed into the Yan Prince's Mansion; it was all used to unite the powerful and noble in the Divine Capital," Xu Chuo said slowly. "Then of course they have more secret, more important purposes."

Seeing Pei Ye frowned slowly: "Is there any clue to this line?"

"Checking, there will be a clue in a few days."

Seeing Pei Ye nodded: "Then, what about the Illusion Tower matter?"

"The Illusion Tower... is a place that needs to be discussed in the long run," Xu Chuo said slowly. "I think it is the same use as Yu Sicheng."

Seeing Pei Ye frowned at her.

"Shielding," Xu Chuo said. "The Yan Prince wants to do things in the Divine Capital, so naturally he makes friends with the powerful and noble in the Divine Capital. The Illusion Tower and Yu Sicheng are the two towering trees they are looking for. The Taiping Taiping Cao Bang's every operation generates profits for them, so naturally, they are willing to shield them."

"..."

"It's just that unlike the high-profile Yu Sicheng, the Illusion Tower is more... self-entertaining," Xu Chuo looked outside the railing. "I knew early on that the Divine Capital had such a place, where only the direct descendants of noble families and imperial relatives could enter, but who exactly is setting up the game inside, I don't know yet."

"Are they hiding very deeply?"

"It can't be said that they are hiding; it's just that such a place is not something anyone can investigate. To know the depth, one must go in and see for oneself."

Seeing Pei Ye nodded slowly.

"I will arrange this matter in a while," Xu Chuo said, and looked at him again. "For things like Yu Sicheng and the Illusion Tower, there is no way to use the involvement in the Taiping Taiping Cao Bang to convict them. One must truly defeat them first before one can talk about convicting them."

Seeing Pei Ye nodded: "I understand."

The two fell silent, drinking tea cup by cup, until the hot water in the small stove was exhausted.

"Did you go to the Imperial Academy today?" Xu Chuo tilted her head suddenly.

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned: "... Hmm."

"How was it?"

"It was okay... Changsun classmate explained a lot of classics to me."

"Fang Jidao indeed has no time right now," Xu Chuo nodded. "I asked the Libationer about the "Four Qi Jade Candle Sword" matter for you."

Seeing Pei Ye opened his eyes to look at her.

"The Libationer said that this sword can be passed to outsiders, but there is no fixed requirement; one must see the person before deciding who can be passed it," Xu Chuo said. "I asked for a general idea for you. Generally speaking, first, one must have benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust; second, one must understand the Heavenly Principle. The Confucian inner learning is in the Heavenly Principle Academy; you can make an appointment with Fang Jidao, and then go to answer questions together."

Seeing Pei Ye was silent for a while: "... Then I seem to be quite qualified; I'll just learn the Heavenly Principle."

"... Are you very in line with the 'Confucian Five Constants'?"

"Am I not?"

"..." Xu Chuo was silent for a moment, "What about the things you were punished to copy?"

"Ah?"

"Hmm."

"... My hand is injured, it's not convenient," Seeing Pei Ye didn't expect her to ask about this at this time, hesitating, "How about... forget it?"

"Left hand."

"Oh."

Xu Chuo seemed to be relatively free today, chatting with the young man while leaning against the railing, letting the cold wind of the winter night blow the curtains of the entire floor.

In fact, Seeing Pei Ye didn't know much about her movements. Many times he couldn't see her. According to Qi Zhaohua, she didn't stay in the Cultivation Pavilion very often. Seeing Pei Ye's understanding of this woman was still very, very little.

However, her happy mood today was real without any concealment. She leaned against the railing and looked into the distance at the night sky, which was slightly brightened by the city that never sleeps, as if she were looking back at some distant place in time.

The night gradually deepened. Seeing Pei Ye couldn't help but tilt his head: "Why don't you go and rest?"

"I haven't waited for your sword review yet," Xu Chuo supported her head. "The first time you made a name for yourself since entering the capital, how can I not take a good look?"

"It's so late..."

"The East Market and West Market are all very lively right now." Xu Chuo yawned slightly, her eyes somewhat lazy, and suddenly tilted her head, "Do you want to drink some wine?"

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned: "No, Pavilion Master, do you want to drink?"

Xu Chuo was silent for a while, then shook her head: "I don't drink wine."

"... Oh."

Xu Chuo tapped the railing lightly: "But if no one drinks wine at this time, it's not clear... Forget it, you go and take some, it should be in that small cupboard over there, I'll drink."

Seeing Pei Ye then got up and brought back a snow-white small porcelain bottle. Although Xu Chuo said she didn't drink wine, her movements of unsealing it were skillful and elegant. Seeing Pei Ye had never seen this state in this upright and composed woman. She splashed away the residual tea, washed the bottom of the cup with wine, poured a cup for herself, and looked at Seeing Pei Ye with raised eyebrows.

Seeing Pei Ye smiled and shook his head, also handing over his empty cup.

A cup of fragrant flower wine was poured in.

The wine aroma was very light. Seeing Pei Ye possessed True Qi, so he didn't feel anything even after drinking several cups, but Xu Chuo was very satisfied with drinking some wine. She raised her cup high and clinked it with him, then leaned against the railing and drank it by herself.

And in such a winter night, the special issue of "Changan Sword Affairs" was finally printed.

In the prosperous night markets of the West Ward and East Ward, there were countless people waiting, and countless people watching the fun. There were various versions of the battle that night, but in every version of the story, there was always a mysterious young man with an unfamiliar face.

Some said he killed all three Dragon Heads, some said his sword was not inferior to Yan Feiqing's, some said he had a sword that neither died nor extinguished, and some said the Bi'an rang for him—every rumor was too exaggerated.

The only thing people were sure of was that a young new sword talent had indeed appeared in the Divine Capital, ranked in the Sword Cultivation Academy. As for his true level... being able to enter the Sword Cultivation Academy was of course extremely high, but being on par with Yan Feiqing was of course also fabricated. Common people who didn't know swords inevitably exaggerated their words.

But when they heard that the Cui family pearl was also there that night, people's hearts settled down—years of hundreds and thousands of sword reviews had already verified the girl's clear sword eyes, and no one doubted her vision anymore. "Changan Sword Affairs" announced her sword review in the morning paper, so everyone was waiting to know this young man through it.

Just like that Bian Weiji a few days ago, people still remembered his short two lines: "Reviewing Nanyue Mountain's Bian Weiji: Dark grass and clear dew, obtaining three points of the wild goose's trace; thin sword and fluttering shadow, having the spirit of flowers and moon. Although the sword technique is skilled, the spirit is old and sparse, worth a look."

Such sentences were enough to make his name famous, because this Cui family pearl's sword reviews were always cold in tone, saying one gain must say one loss, regardless of whether it was a big sect or a loose practitioner, and never accepted any bribes or threats. Except for people like Yan Feiqing, no one could get pure praise from her.

Precisely because it was objective and calm, it was trusted.

And at this time, on the small building of the Cultivation Pavilion, a light step sounded.

Seeing Pei Ye turned his head and saw a lady in a cloak. Her hood had not yet been taken off, and she had already brought back a copy of "Changan Sword Affairs."

Xu Chuo smiled and took it, and in the hands of countless people in the Divine Capital, this thin booklet was opened at the same time.

"【Short Review of Seeing Pei Ye's Western Pool Sword Affair】

Cui Zhaoye.

The Flying Light Sword Master's poem says: 'Three feet of water in the ancestor's box, once entered the Wu pool to behead the dragon child,' Seeing Pei Ye is it.

The eyes meet it and the heart looks up in admiration; the spirit contemplates it and feels a sense of ease. One sits for a long time in such a state, unable to return to one's senses, lost in a daze, forgetting to sleep, unable to let it go.

Watching swords for a long time, the sword watcher for a long time, those who are still stunning to this day: one is called Yan Feiqing, two is called Yang Zhenbing, three is called Seeing Pei Ye.

However, the White Deer sword is like an Asura, the Qingwei sword is like a jade vessel, Seeing Pei Ye's sword is truly a sword. The sword technique has form, the spirit can be looked at. Brocade is easy to decay, brilliance is vainly beautiful. Without sword but with spirit, tasting it will surely be tired.

Life should have three happy things: one is listening to true words, two is tasting good wine, three is watching Seeing Pei Ye's sword.

I think, the sword should be like this." ===== CHAPTER 492 =====