Chapter 471: Whetstone, Dragons Dance Beneath the Brush!

Xie Yuan returned to his courtyard with a group of servants, shouting and clamoring.

In the main courtyard of the Xie Fu, apart from Lady Yuan, it was Lady Zhuge who held the highest status.

Aside from the main residence where Lady Xie, the matriarch, lived, the Xie Fu had:

Two courtyards on the east, two on the west.

The eastern courtyard was the main courtyard.

Lady Zhuge practiced Buddhism; in one corner of the eastern courtyard, she had meticulously built a Buddhist hall, where every morning, monks from Qingliang Temple arrived with morning dew on their robes, devoutly lighting incense sticks, the chanting of sutras lingering softly.

To the left of the Buddhist hall, past the moon gate connecting the courtyards, stood a screen wall carved with a patterned reclining tiger, meant to block evil qi and protect the household's peace.

Lady Zhuge avoided using the main gate, ensuring the incense smoke never ceased, prolonging blessings and extending fortune to Xie Yuan.

Further inside, beyond the hanging-flower gate, lay Xie Yuan's private residence—Shou'an Pavilion.

Within it, stairs ascended step by step, its elevation second only to a few other courtyards.

Deep, deep, how deep the courtyard.

In a household like the Xie Fu, the deeper the courtyard, the less one could glimpse its inner halls.

Three days remained until the New Year.

Lady Zhuge had long been waiting in Xie Yuan's courtyard, bringing him several new winter outfits for the holiday—woven last year by the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau, taking a full year to complete.

Yet by nightfall, Xie Yuan had not returned.

Lady Zhuge wore an autumn marten fur coat with a Zhaojun collar, a beaded Buddhist headband around her neck, and a phoenix-headed jade hairpin atop her head. Though she had two sons and was over thirty, her face still resembled that of a woman in her twenties.

She wore no makeup; her bearing was dignified and graceful.

She asked softly: "Has the young master not returned yet?"

The attendant nearby hurried to reply: "Young Master Yuan went to Cheng Yuan in the afternoon, to see Young Master Guan, and only just returned—he's still in the study hall."

Lady Zhuge paused her rosary beads, slightly startled, and said:

"Isn't the young master the one who hates studying? He never goes to the study hall. Why is he still there at this hour?"

A servant nearby, beaming, answered cheerfully:

"According to Master Xi, the young master is studying diligently in the study hall—servants sent to urge him dare not disturb him."

"Is this true?" Lady Zhuge exclaimed in surprise.

"Quickly, send Ping Ya back—don't disturb Yuan'er's studying."

A smile spread across Lady Zhuge's face. She knew her son had always despised studying, scribbling huge characters of "vulgar" across his Confucian texts in class.

How could he have changed so suddenly!

"Today, walk softly—don't disturb the young master's reading."

Lady Zhuge ordered, "And stoke the fire higher."

Her face glowed with delight as she added: "All of you will be rewarded today."

The servants bowed in unison, their hearts filled with joy.

Lady Zhuge recalled the words of a tutor from years ago.

"If that boy Xie Yuan ever truly shows a desire to learn, I'll take him as my final disciple."

That tutor had once driven the master's carriage; as a youth, he was accompanied by a white deer, drunk on Lu Tai, slashed a cloud with one sword, and summoned a spring rain.

Later, disillusioned, he broke his sword and retired to a humble alley—but even though he was not the master's direct disciple, the master's four disciples still addressed him as "Senior Brother."

If Yuan'er came under his protection, his future would be a clear path to the clouds.

How could any parent not plan for their child's future?

Lady Zhuge's face brightened further, radiant with hope.

Suddenly, she remembered the reason behind Yuan'er's sudden diligence—and what had just been said:

"Yuan'er went to Cheng Yuan? That's where the servants live."

"Who is this Young Master Guan?"

Lady Zhuge had no memory of any Young Master Guan.

Besides the "Four Si and Six Ju" for banquets, the household also had the Tent Office, Kitchen Office, Tea and Wine Office, Tableware Office, Fruit Bureau, Honeyed Delicacies Bureau, and others.

Laundry, shopping, and daily errands were all handled at Cheng Yuan.

The servant quickly replied: "Young Master Guan who lives in Cheng Yuan is the ninth son of the master—bearing the Xie surname, his name is Guan."

Servants and maids all avoided uttering the character "Xie," fearing to speak it directly.

"Xie Guan!" Lady Zhuge recalled—he was the Xie family's illegitimate son, yet she never imagined he lived among the servants.

Lady Zhuge furrowed her brows slightly; she came from a distinguished clan and naturally held little affection for coarse, lowly people.

"I hope he's not an ignorant fool who'll corrupt Yuan'er…"

The attendant responsible for the young master's daily life reported: "The young master's sudden diligence may have been inspired by this Young Master Guan."

The servant then recounted the recent events in detail.

"He wept until his eyes were ruined—truly moving. This Xie Guan is a rare filial son."

Hearing this, Lady Zhuge felt a flicker of goodwill toward Xie Guan.

Playing blind chess, betting on reading…

"I never thought Yuan'er would study hard out of spite toward this Xie Guan."

She knew her son's nature—impulsive, proud of his wit, never easily yielding to others, yet his heart was pure.

Now he was determined to challenge this "Xie Guan" in scholarly prowess.

"Upon returning to the courtyard today, the young master immediately ordered all the chess sets burned, swearing a solemn vow to study until next spring, when flowers bloom, to challenge Young Master Guan again."

"What was the outcome of the chess games?" Lady Zhuge asked.

"The young master won one, lost two."

Lady Zhuge fell silent for a moment.

The servant ventured softly: "Madam, what should we do now?"

Within the vermilion gates, snow, unprotected by great trees, vanishes without a trace once spring sun emerges.

Lady Zhuge pondered, then resumed turning her green-jade rosary beads, speaking slowly:

"Yuan'er has always had a kind heart. If parents interfere too much, they ruin that pure spirit."

"I recall Xie Guan hasn't even begun his studies, has he?"

"Indeed. Lady Yuan despises him—no one dares speak up for him, no one dares teach an illegitimate son."

Lady Zhuge nodded gently, accepting from a maid a small lacquered tea tray holding a covered teacup.

"Even next year's so-called assessment will be easily shattered by a single word from Lady Yuan."

"Since Xie Guan sparked Yuan'er's desire to learn, I shall help him gain recognition within the Xie Fu. A person is like a floating duckweed—once he has a name, he has a shadow."

"But Madam, if word spreads that the young master lost at chess, won't it reflect poorly on him?" the servant asked, worried.

A youth's heart is sensitive and fragile, like tender green shoots—requiring gentle care.

Lady Zhuge sipped her tea slowly, set down the cup, and said:

"Yuan'er has always been clever, rarely thwarted. For him, this may be a good thing. He is still young; if he stumbles, I, his mother, can still lift him up. But if he grows older and still fails to learn restraint, he may bring down a great disaster."

"Let Xie Guan be Yuan'er's whetstone."

With that said,

Someone inside the main hall immediately took orders and departed to arrange matters.

"No noise in the courtyard today—don't disturb Yuan'er's reading. Assign several sharp-witted maids. If the study hall runs late at night, the kitchen must work extra."

"Yes, Madam!"

…

…

【In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve!】

【The entire Xie Fu was filled with festive cheer; in the small courtyard, wutong trees bore red lanterns, adding a touch of holiday warmth.】

【From morning on, Wu Tong was busy—you wanted to help, but she shooed you away.】

【"Young Master, a gentleman stays away from the kitchen, and your eyes aren't fully healed yet—be careful."】

【You glanced at the pot: there was a perch sent by Hua An, and Wu Tong's own attempts at stir-fried dishes.】

【Wu Tong couldn't cook—she'd merely watched the cooks in the kitchen and copied them.】

【Cooking served the nobility; common folk only sought to fill their bellies—boil it, add a pinch of salt, and it was delicious.】

【You returned helplessly to the heated brick bed inside. Your eyes had gradually improved—you no longer needed the white gauze indoors.】

【You picked up a book and began to read.】

【These books were mostly Confucian classics, brought by Wu the steward from the academy—though they were old hand-me-downs from the academy's young masters and ladies, they were surprisingly pristine. The Sacred Sayings, The Zuo Commentary of the Four States, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Book of Songs… you knew these passages by heart.】

【Next year, after Lady Yuan tests your scholarship, you will be allowed to enroll officially.】

【In the Xie family, a child nearly ten years old still uninitiated into learning would seem unbelievable to ordinary folk in Bianjing.】

【From the pile of books, you pulled out one: The Travel Journal of Xu Xian. This book was renowned throughout Da Qi, and even across the entire realm, it was a favorite among literati, often placed on desks for contemplation.】

【The author of The Travel Journal of Xu Xian, Xu Xian himself, was a figure famed throughout the land—a disciple of the Master, revered as the Great Master.】

【This book records his travels before he became the Master's disciple.】

【He came from a great clan, yet shunned official fame, choosing instead to find solace in mountains and rivers.】

【Three years after his mother's death, he left home, traveling east to the sea, west to the ends of the earth, north to glaciers, south to the southernmost shores.】

In his journal, he wrote: "A true man should journey from azure seas by morning and reach Cangwu by evening—never linger in the confines of his homeland, growing old beneath his own roof."

【The journal, like a diary, recorded his sights and experiences.】

【You carefully opened it.】

【"On the last day of the third month of Gui Chou, I departed from the West Gate of Haihou; the clouds dispersed, the sun shone bright, and both human spirit and mountain light seemed joyful. After thirty li, I reached Dezehu. I heard that a dragon lurked in its waters, having killed dozens. When the moon reached its zenith, I drank three bowls of wine—and there, I slew the dragon.】

【As you read this, a surge of heroism rose within you.】

【He also wrote in his travelogue: "Heaven has its edge; earth has its end."】

【His footsteps had traversed the entire realm—only the sea voyage remained.】

【He first returned home past fifty, only to find his family fallen: servants had seized the estate, his wife had left with a villain and borne two children.】

【Xu Xian was already a soul cultivator who had ignited divine fire, capable of subduing an entire prefecture with a mere gesture.】

【He departed in gloom.】

【That night, his heart was as dead wood; in his travelogue, he wrote sorrowfully: "Men say the setting sun is the horizon's end, yet even at the horizon's edge, home is unseen."】

【Eventually, Xu Xian set sail on a small skiff, wandered the boundless ocean, met the Master, and became his disciple, later serving as a scholar of the Academy.】

【From then on, The Xu Xian Travelogue spread throughout the realm, becoming a longing for countless hearts—especially those burdened by unfulfilled dreams, who saw in its landscapes and waters a solace for their souls.】

【Yet this Grand Scholar of the Academy had, a century ago, left Da Qi in a fit of anger, later founding Huangshan Academy in Da Sui, and was appointed National Teacher by the Da Sui court.】

【You stared at the travelogue in your hands and couldn't help but smile wryly. This book had clearly been brought to class by some young master or miss of the household to pass the time—and had been confiscated by the teacher, eventually ending up in your hands.】

【Otherwise, how could such a travelogue suddenly appear in this room crammed with classics?】

【The Grand Scholar recorded many amusing incidents in his travelogue: his first encounter with a northern pancake larger than a face; in Miao territory, watching women command venomous insects, he was utterly awestruck; and in the sea, seeing a whale as large as a mountain, he mistook it for the legendary Kunpeng.】

【The travelogue encompassed all things: local customs, traditions, the rise and fall of great clans, and the daily lives of common folk.】

【The Xu Xian Travelogue records the origins of the Xie family. Their ancestral home lay in Jiangnan Dao of Da Qi; during the Four Kingdoms era, they were a prominent clan of Da Qing, having produced ministers of the Three Excellencies—though their exact identities are now lost to history.】

【Later, the Xie family declined into obscurity until the generation of the great-great-grandfather, who, famed for his striking beauty, was chosen as a son-in-law by a powerful lord of one province. Thereafter, over several generations, the Xie family earned repeated military merits in Da Qi and gradually rose again.】

【After four or five generations of accumulation, the Xie family had become one of Da Qi's supreme aristocratic houses.】

【You flipped to the latter half of the travelogue and found that the original century-old text ended at the Xie family's grandfather.】

【Yet it seemed a Xie family descendant had added a passage documenting the family's last century.】

【It mentioned that the current generation of the Xie family had three sons—your father's generation—all outstanding talents of the age, with your father, Xie Ling, standing above them all.】

【In his youth, Xie Ling was a legendary cultivation prodigy whose martial and soul cultivation had no peer among his contemporaries.】

【He was hailed as destined to ignite "Divine Fire" by fifty and attain the "Xuandan" realm in martial cultivation, a rare genius mastering both paths.】

【With his long blade, "Jiuxiao Huanpei," he had severed countless demon heads and toppled countless famed prodigies.】

【He was among the most renowned cultivators in Da Qi's last three centuries.】

【A heavenly prodigy since childhood, he is now the Marquis of Dingyuan, commanding three armies and dominating the realm.】

【You did not know how extraordinary your father had been in youth, how high his cultivation had risen, or what office he held at court.】

【He held absolute power—the supreme mortal martial force.】

【You only knew that since your mother's death, this father had never appeared—not once.】

【When your mother suffered abuse, when she lay ill in bed, he never showed.】

【When you were born, he never came to see you.】

【You have his blood, yet you have no father.】

【Looking at the words "Heavenly Prodigy," the boy revealed a rare coldness and picked up his brush to write on paper.】

【"Xie Fu," "Xie Ling"】

【Four large characters, black ink on white paper, seemed to writhe like dragons and serpents upon the page.】

【Wutong, outside the house, heard thunder and lightning within—and dismissed it as an illusion.】

【You continued writing: "Heavenly Prodigy."】

【"Heavenly Prodigy?"】

【Between shifting shadows on the wall, light and dark intertwined like a dragon gliding.】

【Prompt: This life's destiny and talents have fully awakened.】

(End of Chapter)