Chapter 413

【You seek Xie Yuan in the main courtyard. Thanks to the instructions of Lady Empress Zhuge, you move between the side courtyards without any obstruction, heading straight toward the depths of the back garden.】

【Lady Empress Zhuge specifically cleared a training ground for Xie Yuan's martial arts practice; its vastness is far beyond what your small courtyard could offer, being a full four or five times larger, allowing him to train as he pleases.】

【You step into the training ground and see Xie Yuan shirtless, wearing only shorts, drenched in sweat, his hair plastered to his forehead. He is walking the stakes with steady, measured steps, clearly immersed in his practice, heart and mind focused on nothing else.】

【You once heard Xie Yuan mention that his martial arts talent is far superior to his Primordial Spirit cultivation. Most descendants of the Xie Fu are like this; after all, the Marquis of Dingyuan's estate was built upon military merit, and its martial arts heritage is profound.】

【Not far from Xie Yuan, an old man reeking of alcohol leans leisurely on a cool lounge chair, snoring loudly enough to shake the heavens.】

【You only need a fleeting glance to discern that the old man is actually long awake. From the moment you stepped through the side courtyard gate, a faint, flickering spiritual sense has been lingering around you.】

【With a slight sensing, you know this old man's Primordial Spirit cultivation is even above your own, and his martial arts cultivation is equally unfathomable; he likely possesses the strength of the Upper Three Realms.】

【With such cultivation, he is outstanding even in Above Bianjing.】

【He is naturally more than qualified to guide Xie Yuan in establishing his martial foundation and opening his Primordial Spirit.】

【In the past, Xie Yuan mentioned that this master is his "friend across generations," a teacher he encountered by chance in a humble alley during childhood, who is actually a hidden expert living among the common folk.】

【Xie Yuan finishes his final stake, lets out a long breath, turns to look at you, and laughs: "Brother Guan, why have you come here?"】

【You smile slightly, "Sixth Brother, you are truly diligent in your studies and practice."】

【Xie Yuan wipes away his sweat and laughs: "It's alright, but this old man always says I am dull and that my progress isn't fast enough."】

【After speaking, he points to the old man behind him, his tone mixed with a bit of helplessness.】

【Hearing this, the old man slowly opens his eyes, a flash of sharp light passing through his murky pupils: "Kid, that's where you're wrong. I call you dull because you always seek quick success, forgetting that the foundation of martial arts lies in a solid base."】

【Having said this, his gaze shifts to you, carrying a bit more scrutiny.】

【You cup your hands in a salute and say respectfully: "Greetings, Senior."】

【Xie Yuan laughs and introduces you: "Old man, what do you think? Isn't my Brother Guan a man of outstanding talent?"】

【The old man nods, his tone carrying a bit of laziness: "I'm just old, not blind."】

【Hearing this, Xie Yuan says with a grin: "Old man, why don't you take Brother Guan as a disciple too? I'll be your eldest disciple, and Brother Guan can be your closing disciple, how about that?"】

【The old man shakes his head: "My lineage only accepts one person; it is a rule passed down by the founder."】

【Xie Yuan pouts indifferently and mutters: "Stuck in your ways, clinging to outdated rules."】

【Seeing this, you smile slightly and state your purpose. Upon hearing it, Xie Yuan's face immediately lights up with joy.】

【"Old man, I'm off now."】

【The old man waves his hand, his tone casual: "Get lost quickly."】

【You bow to take your leave and turn to depart.】

【The old man watches your departing back, a flash of deep meaning in his eyes, and mutters to himself: "This is the child who inherited the Second Master's Nine Swords; he is even younger and far more formidable than I imagined."】

【"The Second Master has taken in a good disciple, though it is a pity he hasn't entered the academy's gates... but perhaps that is also a stroke of fortune."】

【Xie Yuan finishes changing, dressed in a moon-white Hangzhou silk robe, the fabric as light as smoke, his waist tied with a pine-green silk sash, from which hangs a warm, moist mutton-fat white jade pendant. He turns sideways before the bronze mirror to admire himself, his expression satisfied.】

【He turns to look at you, his tone carrying a bit of self-satisfaction: "Brother Guan, what do you think?"】

【You nod slightly: "It is very elegant."】

【Hearing this, Xie Yuan's smile widens: "Brother Guan, why don't you change into a set as well? We are of similar build; it will surely fit you too."】

【"Let us set off quickly, lest we keep Young Master Yun and the others waiting."】

【The two of you step out of Xie Fu, where a carriage has been waiting for a long time at the entrance.】

【You and Xie Yuan board the carriage behind, and the carriage team rumbles over the bluestone road, driving leisurely toward Qimo Qimo Chunfang.】

【Inside the carriage, Xie Yuan is excitedly thinking about the courtesan of Qimo Qimo Chunfang he is about to meet, while you listen quietly, your gaze passing through the gap in the carriage window to admire the bustling scenery along the street.】

【Above Bianjing has been prosperous since ancient times; who would have thought that outside, the land is already in chaos, with wars raging incessantly.】

【You lower the carriage curtain, talking with Xie Yuan while secretly practicing the "Yin Fu Jing" in your heart, multitasking without the slightest sign of hesitation.】

【Xie Yuan asks expectantly: "Brother Guan, do you think we will see that Su Su Shishi today? The number one beauty of Above Bianjing."】

【"There are several other courtesans in Qimo Qimo Chunfang who are also stunning beauties, including one who is skilled at raising birds; it is said that when she sings, there is a scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix."】

【"She didn't attend the last Gathering of Fragrances due to illness, which was a pity."】

【Listening to Xie Yuan's chatter, before you know it, the carriage has stopped at the entrance of Qimo Qimo Chunfang.】

【Qimo Qimo Chunfang is different from the other two brothels; it was originally converted from a royal garden, with an elegant and grand architectural style, filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs, with rockeries and flowing water complementing each other, as if it were a paradise on earth.】

【You and Xie Yuan get off the carriage and look up to see "Qimo Qimo Chunfang" hanging on the gate tower.】

【Su Yun says: "Young Master Guan, let's go. Crown Prince Yuan is already waiting inside."】

【You respond, and there are servants at the entrance to guide you.】

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Inside Qimo Qimo Chunfang.

The best pavilion, built along the lakeside.

The four corners of the eaves spread like swallow wings, the pavilion pillars are vermilion, and the roof is covered with blue tiles.

The lake reflects the mountains, and the mist is vast.

Although this pavilion is not large, it is exquisite in every detail, possessing both the gentleness of Jiangnan gardens and the solemnity of northern architecture.

A purple sandalwood table is set in the pavilion, with a set of blue and white porcelain tea sets on it, the tea fragrance curling, intertwining with the lotus fragrance outside the pavilion, refreshing the heart.

Beside the table are several embroidered stools, the surfaces covered with brocade cushions embroidered with a few sprigs of orchid, very elegant.

A small stream winds past the pavilion, the water clear to the bottom, flowing with a gurgling sound.

There are already three men and four women in the pavilion, one of whom, a woman in a green dress, is sitting and playing the zither, her fingertips plucking lightly, the zither sound melodious, making one feel peaceful.

Among the four women, the most eye-catching is a woman in white holding a round bowl, the bowl filled with precious fish feed.

She is graceful and slender, with a pair of eyes like autumn water, a small mole at the corner of her brow, and exquisite features that are just right—not a bit too much, not a bit too little.

Even the other two women cannot help but have their gazes drawn to her.

Her temperament is truly too outstanding; it is as if by simply standing there, she becomes a scene that cannot be ignored, making one hold their breath.

If Xie Guan were here, he would recognize that this is the head of the courtesans from the Gathering of Fragrances—Su Su Shishi, the princess of the previous Sui Dynasty.

Su Su Shishi lightly scatters the fish feed, the water surface sparkling, and carp leap out of the water, competing for the food.

At this moment, a woman in a colorful dress among the four women laughs: "Sister Su Shishi, feeding fish is the same as feeding birds; if you keep feeding them, I fear it will be counterproductive."

"These fish hide at the bottom of the water; even if they don't eat for days, they can still survive. And fish are not like cats or dogs; according to the academy teachers, the memory of a fish lasts only a moment, making it difficult to remember what happened a moment ago."

Su Su Shishi hears this and says in a gentle tone: "Although the fish can't remember, look at how they leap out of the water every time they see me scatter food."

Su Su Shishi's gaze falls gently on the lake surface, her tone distant: "All things have spirituality; what is wrong with being a fish in this lake? As long as someone feeds you, you can be carefree."

Before her words finish, a man's voice comes from the pavilion, carrying a bit of speculation: "Miss Su Shishi, you are not a fish; how can you be certain that the fish are happy?"

"You are not a fish; how do you know the joy of fish?"

Su Su Shishi hears this, turns her head slightly, and looks at the man who spoke.

The man looks to be about twenty-five or twenty-six, dressed in a black robe embroidered with pythons, his face fair, his appearance handsome, his nose bridge high, wearing a headpiece, and his brow revealing a kind of noble temperament—he is truly a handsome man.

However, surprisingly, he is sitting in a wheelchair, seemingly disabled.

Su Su Shishi smiles slightly, her tone still gentle: "Crown Prince Yuan is absolutely right; who can truly know whether the fish are happy or not?"

This man is none other than Liu Yuan, the Crown Prince of Sui.

The Holy Emperor of Sui has three sons, and Liu Yuan, as the eldest, is the legitimate son of the Empress. He was sent to another country as a hostage at the age of seventeen. Although his status is noble, due to his weak health, he has been disabled since childhood, and even experts from the Sanzhen lineage are helpless.

Liu Yuan's gaze shifts to the vast lake, his tone carrying a bit of deep emotion: "Although the fish have no worries, they are also limited to this small world. Although people are sentimental, they can roam the four corners of the world; all things in the world have their gains and losses."

As the Crown Prince of Sui, Liu Yuan should have been the heir to the throne, but unfortunately, he became a hostage, like a "dragon in a pond" or a "phoenix in a courtyard." It is no wonder he would express such emotional words.

A flash of coldness passes through Su Su Shishi's eyes; after all, she is the princess of the previous Sui Dynasty, and this Holy Emperor of Sui is the one who usurped her family's throne. She naturally has her own feelings about Liu Yuan's melancholy.

Liu Yuan naturally does not know her identity; outsiders only know her as the adopted daughter of Minister Su.

Just then, an arrogant voice suddenly rings out: "You are not a fish; how do you know the joy of fish? You are not me; how do you know I am not a fish?"

The person speaking is burly, his dress and style are completely different from the Qi style, his appearance is rugged, his eyebrows are thick and black like ink, and his eyes reveal a kind of untamable spirit.

He walks into the pavilion with long strides and looks straight at Liu Yuan: "Brother Yuan, you are not me after all; how can you be certain that I don't know the joy of fish?"

The three women in the pavilion are all courtesans of Qimo Qimo Chunfang, while the three men come from the Crown Prince of Sui, the Crown Prince of the Eternal Sky, and the Buddhist son of the Southern Buddhist Kingdom, also known as hostages.

The burly man who just spoke is the Crown Prince of the Eternal Sky—He Lan Zhenshu.

There is also a young monk in the pavilion wearing a cassock with a bewitching appearance; he is Kong Du, the Buddhist son of the Southern Buddhist Kingdom.

Kong Du puts his hands together, his tone carrying a bit of playfulness and provocation: "Why don't we cut open the fish's belly? Then we will know the joy within."

Although he wears a monk's robe, his words reveal an evil spirit, as if his disregard for life is deep in his marrow.

Su Su Shishi hears this, her beautiful brows slightly furrowed.

She knows that although this Buddhist son of the Southern Buddhist Kingdom comes from Buddhism, he is like the holy son of the demonic path of the Eternal Sky, with a very heavy desire to kill.

The most important precept in Buddhism is not to kill, yet this Kong Du has no idea how many lives he has stained his hands with in Above Bianjing.

In the black market of Above Bianjing, human trafficking is rampant, and Kong Du is one of the biggest financiers.

He Lan Zhenshu is a supporter of Su Su Shishi and fell in love with her at first sight; naturally, he cannot stand seeing Liu Yuan being proud in front of her.

And Kong Du, the Buddhist son of the Southern Buddhist Kingdom, has a close relationship with Liu Yuan; the conversation just now was nothing more than a secret contest between the two.

Liu Yuan sees this and has no intention of arguing, his gaze shifting to the lake, as if he doesn't care about all this at all.

The woman in the green dress plucks the zither with her fingertips, the sound melodious, the tune ethereal, slightly easing the tense atmosphere in the pavilion.

Su Su Shishi sees this, smiles slightly, changes the subject, and looks at the last woman in the pavilion: "Sister Li Qinlan, you seem a bit distracted?"

That woman is dressed as a man, with an outstanding appearance, and her brow reveals a bit more heroic spirit.

She is alone, arms crossed, leaning against the pavilion pillar, ignoring the conversation of the few, and not paying any attention.

The gazes of the few fall on her.

Being able to appear here and be called "Sister" by Su Su Shishi, her status is naturally not low.

The woman's surname is Li, her name is Li Qinlan, and she is the seventh in this generation of the Li family; people of the Li family also call her "Seventh Miss."

And behind Qimo Qimo Chunfang, besides the royal family, the biggest proprietor is surnamed Li.

As the eldest branch of the Li family, Li Li Qinlan has a noble status, but she prefers dressing as a man, does not love zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting, does not like needlework, and only likes dancing with spears and sticks.

The woman in the colorful dress sees this and laughs teasingly: "Sister Li Qinlan, you must be thinking about how to call off the engagement when that Xie Guan of the Xie family arrives later, right?"

Li Li Qinlan hears this, her brows lift: "Little Yao, if you don't speak, no one will think you are a mute."

The woman in the colorful dress is familiar with her and is not afraid, laughing: "I'll just wait and see later what kind of person this future husband of Sister Li Qinlan is."

Li Li Qinlan snorts coldly, her gaze shifting outside the pavilion, her tone carrying a bit of disdain: "Husband or not, it's just a family marriage alliance. My marriage is not for others to decide."

"If he comes later, I have my own ways to make him retreat in the face of difficulties."

The people in the pavilion hear this, their expressions different.

Su Su Shishi smiles slightly, her tone gentle: "Why must Sister Li Qinlan be like this? Young Master Xie may not be as unbearable as you think."

Li Li Qinlan shakes her head, her tone carrying a bit of coldness: "Su Shishi, you don't need to persuade me. My marriage can only be decided by myself."

Liu Yuan looks slightly helpless; today, it was he who entrusted Su Yun to invite Xie Guan to the gathering.

Never expected!

For some reason, the news leaked, letting that Seventh Miss of the Li family, Li Li Qinlan, know, and she insisted on coming.

Liu Yuan reminds: "Miss Li Qinlan, Young Master Guan is today's guest and also my good friend; I hope you won't go too far."

Li Li Qinlan responds coldly: "What else could I do to him? Eat him?"

The Crown Prince of the Eternal Sky, He Lan Zhenshu, sneers from the side: "What kind of talent? He's just a wine-bag and rice-sack under the Confucian gate, a straw bag with no strength to truss a chicken."

The grasslands value martial arts and don't understand the romance of talents.

Although Su Su Shishi is unhappy, she does not argue.

～

【The maid leads you all the way here, and the scenery along the way is beautiful, even compared to the Grand View Garden, it is not inferior.】

【Before long, you arrive in front of that elegant pavilion.】

(End of chapter)