Chapter 131

Hearing her son's complaint, Madam Li did not get angry.

Setting down her bowl and chopsticks, she shook her head slightly and said, "Nowadays, there are more and more officials in the court, and there aren't enough vacant positions. You don't have the status of a Juren, so many people envy you for getting this position as a study companion."

"But I know your character—honest, kind, and patient. If you weren't forced into a corner, you wouldn't say such things. Have you been ostracized at the Prince's mansion?"

Li Kongqing glanced at Li Yan, who was eating silently beside him, and seeing his mother remain silent, he said, "The Prince treats people with generosity. I haven't been ostracized; it's all because of the Heir Apparent."

"I heard before that the Heir Apparent was young and intelligent, but ever since I became his study companion, he has become more dissolute day by day."

"He doesn't study, doesn't cultivate virtue, and spends his days obsessed with martial arts, riding horses, and flying hawks. He turns a deaf ear to my exhortations."

"Eating someone's salary without fulfilling my duties, I truly feel disheartened..."

"So that's how it is."

After hearing this, Madam Li hesitated and said, "How about I ask your father to think of a way to get you a position at the Chang'an Prefecture?"

Li Yan, who was eating, hesitated for a moment before suddenly speaking up, "Brother might be thinking about this wrong."

"Oh?"

Li Kongqing looked at Li Yan, feeling slightly displeased.

They all knew about this new disciple his mother had taken in; they had even attended the apprenticeship banquet with his eldest brother on the day of the ceremony.

His father and eldest brother were busy in the clinic all day, treating illnesses and saving lives, while he worked at the Prince's mansion and only returned occasionally.

As for learning boxing, he and his eldest brother didn't care; they just thought it was good for their mother to have company, and hearing he was a young chivalrous hero, they were happy to see it happen.

But what does a martial artist like you know about officialdom?

He's young, after all, and doesn't understand etiquette...

Although he was unhappy, Li Kongqing kept his expression normal and smiled gently, "What advice does Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan have?"

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "The matter is actually very simple."

"What is the Prince's status?"

"Need you ask? The Prince is the Emperor's own brother, highly favored. Chang'an is a critical location, and for a vassal prince to be enfeoffed here, his status goes without saying."

Li Yan said calmly, "Everything done with painstaking effort must have a goal."

"Commoners work hard to learn a trade to make a living."

"Confucian scholars study poetry and books to seek an official position."

"The Prince of Chang'an has such high status. If the Heir Apparent just lived honestly and waited for his inheritance, that would be one thing. But to study painstakingly and cultivate virtue to gain fame..."

"Could it be he's aiming even higher?"

"This..."

Li Kongqing's face turned pale, and he stopped speaking.

Li Yan shook his head and said, "The Heir Apparent understands this logic, and the Prince understands it even better. Brother Kongqing, you are just pretending to be ignorant while knowing the truth."

"This position of study companion has status and leisure, and in the future, you will surely be a key official in the Prince's mansion without having to worry. It is a top-tier job."

To be honest, if it weren't for the relationship with his master, he wouldn't even bother to say anything.

His master was a woman who rarely saw outsiders, and Li Kongqing was a stubborn scholar who had been blinded by the logic in his books for a moment.

If he didn't point it out, he didn't know how many detours he would take.

Madam Li also realized the situation at this point and shook her head, "Yan'er is right. Kongqing, your heart is simple. If you go to the Chang'an Prefecture, you won't be able to avoid fighting with others. It's better to stay in the Prince's mansion."

"Mother doesn't ask for you to be prominent, just to be safe and sound."

Li Kongqing was silent for a long time before sighing slightly, "Mother is right. I pride myself on having read a hundred books, yet I didn't even see this layer. I truly am a bit stupid."

"Thinking about these past few days, the Heir Apparent has become increasingly impatient with me. I guess it won't be long before I can't keep this job..."

Madam Li advised, "My son, don't be sad. If the job is lost, so be it. With your temperament, coming back to be a teacher would be just right."

"Mother is right."

Li Kongqing seemed to have let go, nodding in agreement.

Madam Li was in a great mood, and her expression toward Li Yan became even more kind, "Yan'er, have you found your house yet?"

"Your Great Cloud Lei Yin is not bad. Practicing martial arts is like sailing against the current; it's best to find a house early. Practicing the Lei Yin in coordination with your boxing techniques will have better results."

Speaking of this, Li Yan was also a bit helpless, "I went to see two places, both in remote wards of Changancheng. The prices were okay."

"But either there's a Beggar Gang nest nearby, or it's a Fire Bear Gang stronghold. If I bought one, I'd probably be fighting all day."

"The wards closer by are not only expensive, but it's also easy to disturb the neighbors, and I might even be driven away by the ward head."

"If it really doesn't work out, I'll just live outside the city."

Madam Li frowned slightly, "That's always a bit inconvenient."

Li Kongqing, who was beside them, laughed when he heard this, "Brother Yan, buying a house through an agent is a huge mistake."

"You don't know this, but while houses in Changancheng seem scarce and expensive, there are actually quite a few quiet, large mansions. Most are in the hands of wealthy families as family assets."

"They can't live in these houses, so more than half are empty. They have to send servants to clean them regularly, but they don't want to rent them out to outsiders easily for fear of making a mess."

"I'll help you inquire about this. If you move in under the pretext of watching the house for them, you might even save on the rent."

Li Yan was overjoyed when he heard this and cupped his hands, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother."

…………

According to Madam Li's rules, Li Yan practiced boxing at the Li residence for half a day every day. Although she occasionally kept him for lunch, he didn't want to disturb her too often.

After eating, Li Yan took his leave.

Having received guidance from a master and with the house matter showing promise, Li Yan was in a very good mood. After leaving Lanling Ward, he hummed a little tune and hurried toward the inn.

Returning to the small courtyard of the Fenglai Inn.

"Yo, it's quite lively today..."

Before even entering the door, Li Yan laughed. He could already smell the scent inside; besides Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan, Red Yecha and the innkeeper Feng Feiyan were also there.

But after entering, he realized the atmosphere was wrong.

Red Yecha's expression was ugly, and Sha Lifei was indignant.

Seeing Li Yan enter, Sha Lifei immediately stood up and shouted, "Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan, Sister Hong has been bullied, we can't just sit by and watch."

"Bullied..."

Li Yan looked at Red Yecha, a bit stunned.

Boss Feng Feiyan glanced at him and scolded with a smile, "You little brat, your mind is in the gutter. What are you thinking?"

"It's that Sister Hong had her things snatched and was forced into a magical duel. She was too embarrassed to mention it, so I dragged her here to find some help."

"A magical duel?"

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "No rush, what exactly happened?"

!.

Red Yecha sighed, "You've only just arrived in Chang'an, and I didn't want to trouble you, but this concerns a relic of my master's sect, so it must be recovered."

"My master took a job ten years ago, saying the pay was generous but requiring secret action, but he never returned after leaving..."

"All these years, I've been tracking his whereabouts, but there was never any news until a few days ago."

"On the day of the Winter Solstice, near the ruins of Haojing outside Changancheng, someone used explosives to open an ancient Zhou alchemist's tomb. Many strange things happened, and many people died, causing a huge stir in the underworld."

"The ancient Zhou tomb has nothing to do with me, but someone brought out the Meridian-Noon Demon-Slaying Sword, a treasure of my lineage."

"That is my sect's inheritance, and it concerns the cause of my master's death back then, so I've been searching secretly these past few days."

"Did you find it?"

"Hmm, the item fell into the hands of a man named Liu Wenchen. He is also a demon catcher, but his character is extremely vile, and he has befriended many underworld figures and heterodox sorcerers."

"We once had a grudge, and he wanted to keep the Meridian-Noon Demon-Slaying Sword for himself. Fearing what his peers might say, he agreed to a magical duel to resolve the matter."

Li Yan asked, "What are the terms of the duel?"

Feng Feiyan said from the side, "It's a Heavenly Origin Bureau."

Li Yan was surprised, "Playing for such high stakes?"

After entering the Mystic Sect, he had learned quite a bit from Wang Daoxuan.

In a magical duel between sorcerers, life-and-death combat goes without saying; any means are used, and only the survivor has the right to speak.

But just like in the martial world, among Mystic Sect sorcerers, there are many human relationships—you know me, I know him, and perhaps there are even sect ties between friends.

Moreover, with the laws of the Great Xuan Dynasty, you can't just kill each other, or the hatred will only grow deeper.

Therefore, the magical duel became a way to resolve problems.

There are also rules for sorcerer duels.

One-on-one is called a "Yin-Yang Meeting," group duels inviting friends are called a "Heavenly Origin Bureau," and duels between sects are called a "Dragon-Tiger Meeting"...

Playing a "Heavenly Origin Bureau" is a test of connections.

"Who's to say it isn't!"

Feng Feiyan sneered, "That Liu Wenchen has no real ability and only knows how to play dirty. Knowing Sister Hong is alone, he insisted on playing a 'Heavenly Origin Bureau.' Sister Hong was also foolish to agree directly."

Red Yecha sighed, "I had no choice. From the look of it, if I tried to snatch it, he would immediately taint the Meridian-Noon Demon-Slaying Sword."

"My lineage has a secret technique to suppress luck, but it cannot function without the Meridian-Noon Demon-Slaying Sword. I must leave something for the children..."

"Don't worry, Sister Hong."

Sha Lifei rolled his eyes and said, "I don't understand sorcerer duels, but I imagine it's similar to a martial world duel. As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll win every battle. First, we need to find out who he's invited."

"I've already inquired clearly."

Feng Feiyan said in a deep voice, "That thief Liu Wenchen has befriended many heterodox practitioners and is also on very good terms with the Fire Bear Gang."

"The people he's most likely to invite are all sorceresses and shamans skilled in witchcraft and sorcery, with at most a second-floor level of cultivation. They just have the advantage of numbers."

"As long as we find two or three more experts, plus Sister Hong and Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan, it should be no problem."

"The Fire Bear Gang will definitely mobilize a large number of people to hold the line by then. Hmph, I've already notified the brothers at the Chang'an Shop Guild, Foot Guild, and Carriage Guild. They've been dissatisfied with the Fire Bear Gang for a long time and will take action then."

"It's just that the remaining few are hard to find. I'm not a member of the Mystic Sect, and while I can solve martial world matters, I really don't have the face to find helpers."

"Also, the other side said that we cannot invite people from the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect, otherwise the duel will be called off immediately."

Li Yan pondered for a moment, "I'll think of a way to find people. What about the time and place?"

"Seven days from now, at the Zi hour, at the ruins of the Great Ming Palace."

"Hmm, I'll go think of a way right now."

Li Yan said and was about to stand up and leave.

Seeing this, Feng Feiyan reminded him hurriedly, "Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan, be careful. The Fire Bear Gang has also sent people to keep an eye on the inn's movements at all times."

"If you go to find people, don't let them follow you."

"Don't worry."

Li Yan had a plan in mind and turned to leave the inn.

He naturally had to ask Luo Mingzi for help. The Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect wouldn't intervene, but Luo Mingzi surely knew many fellow practitioners.

Sure enough, as soon as he stepped out, Li Yan discovered several sneaky figures hiding in the crowd and the inn opposite.

He gave a faint glance, sneered in his heart, and turned to walk toward Vermilion Bird Avenue...

(End of chapter)