Chapter 672: Unlocking the Kun Xu Ding

Xie Fu welcomed a distinguished guest today, and Lady Zhu Ge herself came forth to greet them.

On a narrow path in the western garden.

Leading the group was a middle-aged Confucian scholar, tall and upright, with a refined and handsome face.

Dressed in a blue robe, jade pendants chiming at his waist, his speech and bearing radiated scholarly grace, yet carried an undercurrent of solemn authority that inspired reverence.

Behind him followed Zhang Yunzhi and Xie Yuan.

As the middle-aged scholar walked, doubt gradually arose in his mind; his gaze swept across the western garden, his brow furrowed slightly as he said, “Yunzhi, are you deceiving your father? This western garden should be the servants’ quarters, shouldn’t it?”

Zhang Yunzhi and Xie Yuan exchanged glances, both silent, unsure how to respond.

This middle-aged Confucian was Zhang Yunzhi’s father, Zhang Shi, Commander of the Zehu Demon-Slaying Bureau. Though born into a Confucian bureaucratic family, he rose to fame through outstanding military achievements and was the second son of the main branch of the Zhang family among the Nine Surnames.

Born into nobility, yet his rigid nature repeatedly offended Su Xiang, leading to his exile in Zehu for many years.

Now, the demons of Zehu, leaderless, have taken refuge at the bottom of the Great Lake, easily defensible and hard to attack.

Zhang Shi, for his decisive victory over the Sui army and his great merit, was recalled to Bianjing to reunite with his family.

Today, he came to Xie Fu to retrieve his daughter, but upon reading his daughter’s letter mentioning a wise hermit who had guided her, he specifically wished to meet this reclusive “wise man.”

Xie Yuan quickly smiled and said, “Third uncle-in-law, there’s a saying—‘The greatest hermits hide in the marketplace, the middling ones in court, the least in the wild.’”

Hearing this, Zhang Shi fixed his gaze on Xie Yuan, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. In his memory, Xie Yuan, though kind-hearted, had been a frivolous, impetuous young noble.

Yet today, he saw that Xie Yuan had greatly mellowed, and his studies and martial training had made considerable progress.

A prodigal son’s return is worth more than gold!

Zhang Shi, rarely smiling, nodded and said, “Yuan-ge, you know this? That saying is indeed true.”

Xie Yuan’s lips twitched, unable to suppress his grin. He thought to himself: when Third Uncle-in-law meets this “wise man”—Guang Di—what expression will he wear?

Though puzzled, Zhang Shi said nothing further, merely following his daughter and Xie Yuan as they walked.

He glanced around, frowning slightly, and murmured, “Still, Yunzhi, you wrote in your letter that this man is of extraordinary talent—yet he lives in such a place?”

Hearing this, Zhang Yunzhi was at a loss for words and could only bow her head and murmur an acknowledgment.

She had never intended to bring her father here, but his nature was such—he held deep respect for those wise men who dwelled among common folk.

Her own master, her teacher, had lived in a humble cottage, unknown to the world, yet his abilities rivaled those of the greatest scholars in the academy.

She had been unable to dissuade him, hence today’s visit.

Zhang Yunzhi pressed her smooth forehead, unsure what to do.

The three walked on until they reached a small courtyard deep within the western garden.

Today, they traveled light; only Xie Yuan was followed by Xie Hou, making their arrival especially low-key.

Standing before the courtyard gate, they peered over the low wall: within, a parasol tree stood tall, its leaves lush and dense; beneath it, stone table and stools were arranged neatly.

Zhang Shi stood before the gate, not rushing to knock, but carefully observing every blade of grass and tree, each element exuding elegance.

His gaze finally settled on the couplets on the courtyard gate, his eyes flickering with surprise. The brushwork flowed freely, characters dancing like dragons and phoenixes, inscribed:

【“Ren wears six talismans, auspicious signs manifest.”】

【“Yin reveres five eyes, mutual harmony encouraged.”】

Zhang Shi, learned and erudite, needed only to read these two couplets to reveal a pleased expression; he became certain the man within was no ordinary person.

He murmured in admiration, “The man within this courtyard must be thoroughly versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—orthodox and ingenious, complementing each other perfectly. These are the words of a sage!”

Xie Yuan, curious, asked, “Uncle-in-law, how do you know that?”

Zhang Shi stood with hands behind his back and replied slowly, “‘Ren wears six talismans, auspicious signs manifest.’ Ren is the ninth heavenly stem, associated with Yang Water, symbolizing flow, and also implies ‘bearing heavy burdens on a long journey,’ embodying harmony with the Dao.”

“Six talismans refer to six auspicious stellar configurations, symbolizing heavenly blessings and the arrival of opportunity.”

“The upper couplet means to follow the qi of heaven, act in accordance with the Dao, leverage circumstances, and receive heavenly aid,” Zhang Shi explained calmly.

Xie Yuan stared at the couplets; though diligent in his studies, he had only studied Confucianism and now felt only partial understanding.

Zhang Shi continued, “The lower couplet, ‘Yin reveres five eyes, mutual harmony encouraged,’ Yin is the third earthly branch, associated with Yang Wood, corresponding to the tiger, symbolizing vitality, and also refers to the early morning Yin hour, implying diligence without rest.”

“Five eyes are Buddhist terms: the flesh eye, heavenly eye, wisdom eye, dharma eye, and Buddha eye—here extended to mean penetrating insight into all things, wisdom unobstructed.”

“The lower couplet suggests cultivating wisdom through diligent effort, aligning perfectly with the Confucian ideal of self-strengthening.”

“Only one thoroughly versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism could compose such couplets,” Zhang Shi said with admiration.

Zhang Yunzhi listened intently, thinking to herself: Guang Young Master’s two couplets carry such profound meaning.

She could not help recalling the young man at the Gathering of Beauties, whose poetry had overshadowed all others!

How long had he studied? With no master to guide him? How could he possess such learning? Could he truly be the Literary Star descended to earth?

Zhang Shi straightened his robe, his tone solemn: “Yuan-ge, go and announce us. Say, ‘Zhang of Qingxi comes to call.’”

Xie Yuan froze, still stunned, when Zhang Shi urged, “What are you waiting for? Go quickly.”

Just then!

A figure emerged from within the courtyard, coming into view.

Before them stood a young man in a plain, unadorned robe, tall and slender, leaning against the doorframe. His hair, tied only by an unknown black wood hairpin, fell to his shoulders; his sleeves fluttered lightly, as if wrapped in drifting clouds. His pale arms revealed a book loosely rolled in his hand.

His features carried a soft, hazy gentleness, like autumn mist over water.

Yet his bone structure was starkly refined and austere, like snow falling into a cold pool, radiating solitude and profound silence.

Then he smiled.

The courtyard bloomed as if spring had arrived!

Zhang Shi thought inwardly, “What a refined and elegant scholar.”

The young man smiled and greeted, “Honored guests have come—my humble abode is honored. My apologies for not greeting you sooner.”

Xie Yuan chuckled, “Guang Di, you’ve finally shown up.”

～

～

【You usher several people into the courtyard and serve tea.】

【Fifteen minutes later.】

【After Zhang Yunzhi explains the reason, you already knew of this matter and show no surprise.】

【Zhang Shi is greatly startled; though his face betrays nothing, he cannot help whispering to his daughter.】

【Zhang Yunzhi takes a letter from her sleeve—the ink and brushwork match the couplets exactly.】

【Zhang Shi pauses, then shakes his head with a wry smile: “I often warn others not to judge by appearances—yet today, I myself have made this mistake.”】

【He looks at you, his tone tinged with reflection: “It seems the wise man Yunzhi mentioned is indeed your young master, Guang.”】

【Zhang Shi’s relationship with the Xie family allows him to address you as a nephew.】

【He pauses, then continues: “Funny enough, when I came to Bianjing a few days ago, besides my wife, children, and master, I wished to meet four others—one was Su Xiang, one was Hong Master. The other two—I never imagined Guang Young Master was both.”】

【Xie Yuan lifted his teacup, blowing away the steam, curious: “Uncle-in-law, why is that?”】

【Zhang Yunzhi laughed softly, “Father, one was the Xie Fu guest mentioned in my letter, and the other was the Xie family member who wrote ‘I’ve beaten the railing again, yet no one understands my longing to ascend’ at the Gathering of Beauties.”】

【Hearing this, Zhang Shi also smiled: “So they’re both your young master, Guang.”】

【He looked at you, eyes filled with admiration: “Young Master Guang, so young, yet such learning and bearing—truly admirable.”】

【As they chatted, Zhang Shi, though a great Confucian, disliked elegant poetry and instead favored commentary on current affairs, concerned for the nation and its people.】

【Especially when speaking of the Yellow River uprising, his expression grew grave, his tone heavy with worry: “Now, refugees from the Jiangnan region flock to the rebellion—the situation grows increasingly unstable.”】

【Xie Yuan sighed heavily, feeling helpless: the world was in chaos, and his mother would never let him leave the mansion—his dream of traveling the land would be delayed again.】

【Xie Yuan said, “The leader of the Red-Eye Army, the Red-Eye Heavenly King, has declared himself Great General of Pingdeng Township, raising the banner of ‘Return Equality to the World.’”】

【His voice grew solemn: “I thought him merely a rabble—yet in Huai Left, Jiangnan, he held his own against my father’s army without losing ground.”】

【“He has reached the ninth martial realm—Xuandan—and commands a strategist, Wulan, and two scholars, Yan Wang and Ting Tai, who have forged the Eighteen Equal Generals—all formidable figures.”】

【In Bianjing today, the most urgent matter is the Yellow River Red-Eye Army rebellion.】

【Zhang Yunzhi’s beautiful eyes held worry: “To this day, none of the Nine Surnames believe this rebellion can be easily suppressed.”】

【“Great Qi and Great Sui are like oil and water—now they will surely take the chance to invade south. And this uprising is like a torch thrown into a haystack—it instantly ignites all Thirteen Provinces, rebellions erupting endlessly, impossible to suppress.”】

【Internal turmoil, external threat—the situation is dire!】

【Zhang Shi looked at you and said calmly, “Some in court have petitioned to grant local officials full military and administrative authority, allowing them to recruit armies to suppress rebellions. Do you think this feasible?”】

【His words carried a tone of testing.】

【Zhang Yunzhi listened, deep in thought, sensing something amiss—but she did not understand court politics and could not grasp the key issue.】

【Xie Yuan poured himself another cup of tea and listened quietly—he believed in admitting ignorance, the gentleman’s silence.】

【You spoke: “If so, Great Qi will truly descend into chaos—waves far greater than the Red-Eye Army will rise.”】

【“Local warlords will seize this chance to grow stronger, gradually breaking free from Great Qi’s control, forming independent domains—then true warlords will rise.”】

【Zhang Shi smiled faintly: “Su Xiang heard this proposal and immediately expelled the petitioner from court.”】

【He turned to you, his tone serious: “What do you think will happen with this Yellow River unrest? With such upheaval in Great Qi, how will Great Sui and the Three Kingdoms respond?”】

【He had spoken with you only briefly, yet already knew you were no empty scholar—else you would not have foreseen the Great Qi Zhuya County upheaval two months hence.】

【His tone held both inquiry and examination—he clearly wished to hear your views.】

【You paused, considering the matter, and decided…】

1. State your view. (Hint: May benefit the future.)

2. Be evasive. (Hint: May affect the future.)

3. Remain silent. (Hint: May affect the future.)

4. Participate personally. (1/3)

5. Predict the future once. (0/2)

“Dang—”

The great cauldron rang out, spewing forth ten thousand rays of radiant light, its inscriptions slowly solidifying in place.

Yu Ke was staring at the four options, just about to choose.

A new option appeared beneath the fourth choice.

“Predict the future once?”

This was an option that had never appeared before!

Yu Ke suspected it was a newly unlocked feature, activated after his direct involvement, as the cauldron had recently revived.

Only two chances remain—whether to predict or not.

Yu Ke did not hesitate; who could resist using a new ability?

This time, he selected two options at once.

1. State your insight. (Hint: May benefit the future.)

5. May predict the future once. (0/2)

【As you were about to speak, images of the Yellow River laborers’ uprising—like tightly wound coils—slowly unraveled in your mind.】

【You saw the surging waters of the Yellow River, eyes filled with deep-seated hatred, shadowy figures slipping bronze statues into the earth at night, and hushed conspiracies in the accounting chambers.】

【Above, the Big Dipper and Mars glowed in eerie harmony, drenching the churning storm clouds in crimson halos. Countless golden threads of karma wove like a spider’s web, converging into the snapped black dragon banner atop Bianjing’s city walls.】

【Finally, you saw troops with red cloth headbands, amid roaring flames and cries of men and horses, breaching the prosperous city of Bianjing.】

【You slowly opened your eyes, your gaze profound, as if awakening from a long dream.】

【Zhang Yunzhi and the others, seeing your solemn expression, asked: “Young Master Guan, have you thought of something?”】

【Xie Yuan also leaned in curiously: “Brother Guan, just tell us—don’t keep us guessing.”】

【Zhang Shi cast an expectant glance your way.】

【You looked at them all and spoke slowly: “The Sui and the Three Kingdoms will not take advantage of this chaos. If they send troops, today’s Great Qi will unite as one, and the uprising will stall.”】

【You paused. “After a thousand years of Confucian governance, the words ‘family and state’ are deeply rooted in the hearts of men. History proves this—the Great Qing of the Warring States era: when family and state fall, no egg remains whole beneath the overturned nest.”】

【Xie Yuan nodded thoughtfully after hearing this: “To repel outsiders, first secure the interior—this has always been the way. And vice versa.”】

【Zhang Shi pondered: “Then, according to Young Master Guan, this uprising will fizzle out—or be crushed?”】

【Unconsciously, he had changed his address to you.】

【You shook your head, voice heavy: “On the contrary, this uprising will engulf the entire realm. The saying, ‘Do not say the common folk never rage—the day they burn, even the houses of lords shall fall,’ will come true.”】

【Xie Yuan frowned tightly, clearly skeptical: “Brother Guan, are you saying the Red-Eyed Army will breach Bianjing?”】

【His tone carried doubt: “Bianjing has the Academy standing guard, the unbreakable Divine Shock Array, Master San and Minister Su within—how could that be possible?”】

【Your expression remained calm, your voice quiet yet layered with meaning: “A wall built of the realm’s divine artifacts is no match for a wall built of the realm’s hearts. When hearts scatter, even divine artifacts cannot hold.”】

【Hearing this, Zhang Shi’s eyes flickered with awe; he murmured softly: “A wall of hearts… Young Master, your words truly shake the heavens.”】

(End of Chapter)