Chapter 667: Entering the Qishi Mansion

Yin Qi said, "Oh, what are the benefits?"

Chu Yue smiled brightly, "With the status of 'Qishi', you may enter the palace to see the Emperor at any time to offer advice and suggestions; the monthly stipend starts at ten thousand gold coins, and you have the right to mobilize national forces for your own cultivation or research..."

Yin Qi nodded, "I would like to add one more condition."

Chu Yue said, "Please speak."

Yin Qi said, "I hope your Royal Library can be completely open to me."

"No problem!"

Chu Yue smiled happily, very decisively.

Although the Royal Library collected countless classics, many of which were unique copies, including martial arts, Daoism, magic, and so on, the vast majority were written in ancient scripts, making them extremely difficult to decipher.

Placed in the library, no one could understand them.

For ordinary people, the Royal Library was naturally a treasure trove where many precious cultivation manuals could be found.

But for Yin Qi, the value was just so-so.

After all, Yin Qi was highly likely to come from some ancient hidden sect or family with a deep academic heritage, so he certainly would not look down upon the techniques in the Chu Kingdom's Royal Library; he was likely looking for something.

In fact, besides the Royal Library, the Chu Kingdom's royal family also had a Scripture Pavilion, which housed a large number of rare classics.

That was the foundation of the royal family and was never open to the public.

Chu Yue turned to look at Chen Nan again and said, "Young Master Chen, I wonder if you are interested in joining the Qishi Mansion? Your cultivation is completely gone, and it probably won't be easy to recover. I can invite a master of medicine to help you speed up your recovery."

Chen Nan thought for a moment and said, "I can. However, I also hope to be able to enter the Royal Library to read books."

Chu Yue smiled slightly, "Of course you can."

………

Pingyang City was quite grand, with walls sixteen meters high and twelve meters wide at the top.

The wall surfaces were encased in Qing bricks, thick, solid, majestic, and profound.

The city gates were built with gate towers, arrow towers, and sluice towers, towering into the air with a vigorous and majestic momentum. Outside the city walls was a moat forty meters wide and ten meters deep, with clear waves rippling and small flying boats dotting the water.

Chen Nan exclaimed, "What a magnificent city!"

Chu Yu seized the opportunity to retort, "Hehe, you stinking scoundrel, you really haven't seen the world; our Pingyang City is magnificent, isn't it?"

Yin Qi, however, had a calm expression.

In his eyes, Pingyang City was just a small town.

Chu Yue observed him secretly, feeling more and more that Yin Qi's background was not simple; even though she lived in Pingyang City, she would occasionally marvel at its vastness, but Yin Qi remained unmoved.

Not long after, the group entered the city.

Inside Pingyang City, there was a constant stream of carriages and horses, pedestrians flowed endlessly, and shops lined both sides of the road, presenting a prosperous scene.

The Emperor of the Chu Kingdom had long since received the report that not only had his eldest daughter returned from her western tour, but she had also brought back the little Princess who had secretly run away from home; he was extremely happy and sent people out of the city to welcome them.

Escorted by five hundred elite cavalry and a large number of royal guards who had come out from the Imperial City, Yin Qi and the others arrived in front of the Imperial Palace gate.

After entering the Imperial Palace, Chu Yue said, "Young Master Yin, Young Master Chen, let us first go to pay our respects to the Emperor and Empress; you wait in that side hall for a moment, and my father will see you later."

"Good!"

Yin Qi and Chen Nan nodded.

……

The Empress's bedchamber.

Chu Yu snuggled up to the Empress, chattering about her experiences on this trip.

After she finished speaking, the Chu Emperor Chu Han said in a deep voice, "I did not expect this Ren Jian to be so bold as to harbor evil intentions at the borders of our Chu Kingdom. If it weren't for the fact that I do not want to destroy the peace that has lasted for many years on the continent and plunge the common people into deep water and scorching fire, I would definitely send troops to conquer the Hundred Yue Kingdom."

Chu Yue nodded and said, "Father's concerns are correct; one should not resort to war out of momentary anger. Besides, Ren Jian did not gain any advantage and was even looted clean by little sister, hehe."

Speaking to the end, she could not help but chuckle.

Chu Han also shook his head and laughed, then said, "Yue'er, what do you think of that Yin Qi and Chen Nan?"

Chu Yu interjected, "Father, let me tell you, that Chen Nan is just a stinking scoundrel, unlearned and skillless, and he specifically looked for trouble with me along the way. Hmph, if it weren't for seeing Yin Qi nearby, I would have wanted to teach him a good lesson." As she spoke, she waved her delicate fist.

Chu Yue said sternly, "Chen Nan looks like a ruffian, and I don't know why his cultivation is completely gone recently, but to be able to become Yin Qi's friend, he must have his own extraordinary qualities.

As for Yin Qi, I can only say he is a hero among men.

This person's cultivation is at least at the late Third Order or above, and he is learned and talented; whether it is music, chess, calligraphy, painting, governing the country, or military strategy, he has extremely deep attainments and insights.

It is almost as if he has delved deeply into every field I can think of.

To be honest, I cannot see through him.

Therefore, I suspect he may come from some ancient hidden sect or family, and is the most outstanding one among them, having just happened to meet Xiao Yu and the others while traveling."

"Oh, he is actually so talented."

Chu Han was shocked.

He knew how outstanding his eldest daughter was; that even she bowed down in admiration shows how outstanding this person is.

Please... collect this book on 6... 9...!

Thinking of this, he looked at Chu Yu inexplicably.

Chu Yu was baffled by the look.

Chu Yue indeed knew Chu Han's thoughts and said, "They have already agreed to join the Qishi Mansion and have followed us into the palace. Does Father want to see them?"

Chu Han said happily, "That's great, Yue'er, you have done very well. For our Chu Kingdom to develop and grow, we cannot do without recruiting experts from all sides. Hmm, such Heavenly Pride, how can I not see them? Summon them."

……

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Empress."

Yin Qi and Chen Nan merely cupped their hands.

"No need for formalities!"

Chu Han laughed heartily, his gaze falling on Yin Qi, and he could not help but nod secretly.

Truly a man of outstanding appearance and extraordinary bearing.

"Since the two of you have joined the Qishi Mansion, treat the Chu Kingdom as your own home from now on; if you have any needs, just Lift them, and I will do my best to satisfy you."

Yin Qi and Chen Nan nodded: "Many thanks, Your Majesty."

Following this, Chu Han said a few words to win their hearts, and then concluded this audience.

In the hands of Yin Qi and Chen Nan, there were also extra gold medals.

This gold medal not only allowed free entry and exit to the Imperial Palace, but also free entry and exit to the Royal Library, which counted as Chu Han fulfilling the promise given to Chu Yue.

The Qishi Mansion was not very far from the Imperial Palace.

Leading Yin Qi and Chen Nan, Chu Yue soon arrived in front of a mansion that occupied an extremely vast area.

The tall gatehouse was exceptionally imposing, with mighty stone lions carved from white marble on both sides, and a plaque with gold characters on a red background hung on the vermilion gate, inscribed with: Qishi Mansion.

Chu Yue said: "Young Master Yin, Young Master Chen, those who can reside in the Qishi Mansion are either young talents like yourselves, or extraordinary people with special skills.

At the beginning, you might not be used to it.

But after a long time, it will be fine.

If you are willing, you can interact with them.

If you are not willing, you can also ignore them."

The interior of the Qishi Mansion was divided into countless independent small courtyards; it was not as imposing or luxurious as the front of the mansion, but rather had a sense of returning to simplicity, with each small courtyard having its own unique garden scenery.

The so-called extraordinary people inside only smiled and nodded upon seeing Chu Yue, without coming forward to pay their respects, which showed how noble the status of these Qishi who enjoyed the treatment of state scholars was.

Finally, Yin Qi and Chen Nan moved into two adjacent courtyards.

On the west side of Chen Nan's courtyard was a small patch of green bamboo, while on the east side of Yin Qi's courtyard was a small pond, where the lotus flowers were in full bloom. (End of chapter)