Chapter 152: The Drum King Assembly

"You all have been quite glorious recently..."

Shopkeeper Wan took a sip of tea, his face full of smiles. "This old man told everyone everywhere back then that you all had great prospects."

"Look, you've become famous as soon as you arrived in Chang'an—the magic skirmish with the Fire Bear Gang, the evil-breaking at Xiangji Temple—it just fits that saying: 'The golden scale is no creature of the pond; once it meets the wind and clouds, it turns into a dragon'..."

"Senior Wan is joking."

Li Yan shook his head. "Such words, let outsiders say them. Among ourselves, knowing the roots and the bottom, you shouldn't make fun of us."

"Eh~"

Shopkeeper Wan waved his hand. "This is not this old man's wild talk; in the martial world recently, you all have the loudest reputation."

"Especially Little Brother Li Yan, young and romantic, spending a thousand gold at the Hua'e Tower—I don't know how many people envy you."

"I heard that the top courtesans in every building in Chang'an are racking their brains to inquire, wanting to conquer you, this romantic wanderer of the pleasure quarters."

"Sure enough, you have the style of your father..."

Li Yan was dumbfounded. "I just drank some wine and sang a song. I didn't touch a single woman. How did I become a romantic wanderer of the pleasure quarters?"

"You still have the nerve to say that!"

Sha Lifei was angry just mentioning it. "A whole thousand taels! Do you really think money is blown in by a strong wind?"

"I've inquired about it. The manager of the Hua'e Tower sent the girls up one by one, and you didn't look at a single one, just drank and sang, and splashed money around."

"You're not drinking flower wine, you're clearly slapping faces! Does it mean the hundred flowers of the Hua'e Tower don't catch your eye?"

"The manager of the Hua'e Tower was furious, and the girls in other buildings were naturally happy. If anyone could make you a guest of honor, wouldn't they be glorious immediately?"

Shopkeeper Wan shook his head, *tsk tsk*. "So you don't understand."

"Brother Li Yan is clearly playing hard to get. From now on, no matter which building you go to, won't you be a guest of honor? How many old customers of the pleasure quarters have this ability..."

Sha Lifei was stunned. "That's true."

"Alright, alright."

Li Yan couldn't laugh or cry. "Where is all this coming from? I was just happy drinking and roared a few lines. How did it turn into this?"

"Let's not mention this. Senior Wan, the New Year is coming soon. Are you here in Chang'an to prepare New Year goods?"

"This doesn't need this old man to worry."

Shopkeeper Wan shook his head. "Coming to Chang'an this time is not for anything else, but for the Drum King Assembly."

Li Yan asked in confusion, "Doesn't it start on the Lantern Festival?"

"This year is different from the past!"

Sha Lifei's spirits lifted as soon as he heard this. "I just heard a piece of news. This year's Lantern Festival is different from the past, and the commotion will be very big. In these few days, martial world performers from outside states have already been running to Chang'an."

"Yes, that's right."

Shopkeeper Wan laughed. "First, the new Provincial Administration Commissioner, Official Li, is taking office. Second, it has to do with the Mystic Sect."

"When the Great Xuan Dynasty was first established, to pray for the peace and prosperity of the country, each cave-heaven and blessed land refined a batch of flower coins, sealed them in famous mountains and great rivers, and worshipped them with incense day and night, waiting for the time to open them."

"These flower coins are hard currency for the Mystic Sect. Some can suppress evil, some can protect the body, and they are indispensable for making magic artifacts. The orthodox sects and the imperial court will take away half, and the remaining will flow into the dharma lineages and side-door sects."

"So every time the flower coin cellar is opened, it is called a grand event of the Mystic Sect. The state where the famous mountain is located will also take the opportunity to hold large-scale sacrificial activities to pray for blessings for the coming year."

"But the quota for purchasing flower coins must also be fought for. To prevent private fighting and deaths among various dharma lineages, the Mystic Sect has formed a set of rules, mainly based on local folk customs and community fire festivals, to distinguish the high and low."

"Like last year, when the Huotong Cave-Heaven in Minzhou opened its cellar, they chose the God-Touring Assembly. Many Mystic Sect members gathered, toured Minzhou with the gods, each showing their abilities, suppressing the evil energy from all directions, which made Minzhou have no major disasters along the coast this year."

"Unfortunately, Minzhou is far away, and this old man has old bones and many things to do, so even if I want to see it, I can't walk."

"There is such a grand event?"

Li Yan became interested. "What is Chang'an choosing this year?"

"It's choosing the Hancheng Dongzhuang God Tower!"

Shopkeeper Wan stroked his beard and laughed:

"This custom originates from the ancient Shang 'Yu Dance'. Everyone lifts the civil and martial god tower to pray for rain, with gongs and drums following, the momentum is huge, and it requires everyone's cooperation."

"Guanzhong has always had little rain and fears great drought the most. There have already been a few signs this year, so they chose this god tower to pray for rain, just borrowing the power of all parties in the Mystic Sect to make Shanzhou have favorable weather this year."

"Of course, the major dharma lineages in various places have their own pride and will only think of ways to get quotas from the orthodox sects, so the participants are all side-door sects and small dharma lineages."

"This old man came to Chang'an this time to gather manpower, form a team, and fight for a quota."

"Little Brother Li Yan obtained the Drum King legacy of the Qin-Han war drums and also practices magic arts and martial arts. The drum for suppressing the formation still needs you to take action."

"I was wondering what it was."

Li Yan laughed. "Such a grand event, naturally I want to see it. Since Senior thinks highly of me, then I will naturally do my best!"

"By the way, there is one more thing. I once entrusted someone to send a letter to Brother Zhao Zhao Lu Zi, but I couldn't find him several times. What has he been busy with recently?"

Shopkeeper Wan laughed. "Naturally, he is also busy with this matter."

"The wood for building the god tower cannot be sloppy. This old man is also going all out to play a big one this time, and many old friends will help."

"Alright, this old man still has things to do, so I'll take my leave."

"Senior, won't you stay for a meal?"

"Eh~ no time, still have to find others. When everyone is gathered, this old man will be the host, and we'll have a good drink!"

"Alright, Senior, walk slowly."

Sending Shopkeeper Wan away, the three looked at each other.

Sha Lifei was happy. "I thought we could rest during the New Year, but it turns out I have to handle the sarira matter, Brother Li Yan has to play the drum, and Daoist, I'm afraid you have quite a few things to do too."

Wang Fu stroked his beard and laughed. "Squire Du introduced a few jobs, all for New Year blessings, house cleansing, and disaster relief rituals. I can handle them alone; you all go busy with what you need to do."

"Alright, busy is good!"

Sha Lifei blinked. "The busier, the more money. Luo Faqing and I have an appointment to see a high monk, so we won't be back at noon."

With that, he left in a hurry.

Wang Fu also nodded. "It just so happens that an ancestor of a squire has just passed away, and I need to cleanse the house. I'll go take a look at his house. Brother Li Yan, you..."

Li Yan laughed. "Daoist, go busy. The New Year is approaching, I'll go to Master's house to send some things first, so I won't be too busy later."

Very quickly, only Li Yan was left in the courtyard.

He gave a dumb laugh. Although everyone was busy, it also represented prosperity. Maybe soon they could save enough silver to buy their own house.

Locking the courtyard gate, Li Yan turned and left the small alley...

…………

"Fengxiang woodblock prints, six-god house diagrams, twenty jin of Xifeng old wine, ten jin of Ganquan tofu, one pig, one sheep, twenty fish..."

Outside the Li family residence, the steward shouted loudly.

Giving gifts is something that has been very particular since ancient times.

In officialdom, sometimes you can't be ostentatious, you have to be elegant, and you have to make the person receiving it feel comfortable. If you don't do it well, you won't even see the person, and you'll be resented...

Gifts from commoners must have a reason, both to block the mouths of neighbors and relatives and friends, and not to cause too much loss to one's own family...

For a small household like the Li family, what they want is face.

Steward Li Bo tried his best to shout, wishing that all the neighbors could hear.

Everyone says the master only has a reputation and nothing practical.

Look, who sends festival gifts so early?

And with so many varieties?

In the main hall of the inner courtyard, Madam Li shook her head helplessly. "This Li Bo, and you, coming to visit is just coming to visit, why bring so many things?"

Although she said that, she was also happy in her heart.

Li Yan nodded respectfully. "It's only right."

Politeness costs nothing. Not to mention that this master was truly good to him, and she taught him everything she knew without reservation.

Madam Li was in a good mood and asked with a smile: "I heard you've been very busy lately. Have you read that book?"

What she was talking about was the "General Outline of Pigua".

The old madam's maiden name was Ma, and her father was also a famous boxer in Cangzhou, who studied Pigua all his life, thinking about how to push through the old and bring forth the new.

Unfortunately, although the old madam had astonishing talent, she retired from the martial world early to be a wife and mother, losing the hope of going further.

Although life was stable, she was always somewhat unwilling. Passing down this book was because she saw that Li Yan had good talent, and maybe he could fulfill her father's last wish.

Speaking of this, Li Yan also became interested. "Master's fist principles are exquisite, and her understanding of Pigua has benefited me even more, but there is a deduction in it that the disciple is most interested in."

"'Pi' is to break, 'Gua' is to hang, using the Five Elements as the method, the Eight Trigrams as the outline, opening and closing widely, the posture to break the enemy. And the one that fits best is the Zhen trigram, thunder rises and yin and yang change, the fist has the momentum of thunder, then it can break all dharmas..."

Madam Li was dumbfounded, shaking her head. "It's just a description, using the rigidity and fierceness of thunder as a metaphor. My father was at the level of hidden energy all his life, never reached the Dan stage, let alone practiced the Gang energy. It was just his guess about the Pigua fist momentum after practicing the Gang energy."

"Master, please look."

Li Yan didn't talk nonsense, directly stood up and went to the courtyard, sinking his shoulders and twisting his waist, his arms stretching and contracting, circling and folding.

Seeing this, Madam Li nodded slightly.

What Li Yan used was nothing strange, just the "Upside-down Thunder Windlass Turn" from the twelve sets of Pigua.

She nodded in approval, just seeing that Li Yan's fist technique had improved again, showing that he hadn't wasted time during this period.

However, Li Yan's fist momentum changed quickly.

"Hum! Hum!"

!.

He was actually practicing fist technique while using the Divine Drum Cloud Lei Yin.

The Divine Drum Cloud Lei Yin, its root is the Great Cloud Lei Yin. According to Buddhist scriptures, this is a type of thunder stronger than ordinary thunder.

Practicing both together, Li Yan's fist momentum also changed accordingly.

Fierce and domineering, like the Thunder God dancing with a hammer.

"Eh?"

Madam Li stood up suddenly, her expression becoming solemn.

After a long while, Li Yan withdrew his fist, his whole body's skin turning red, white smoke rising from the top of his head, exhaling into mist, as if he had just run a thousand miles.

This was a method he had explored unintentionally.

The original intention of the Divine Drum Cloud Lei Yin was not specifically to play the drum, but to borrow the vibration of the divine drum to reduce restrictions and let the practitioner gradually understand the mystery of the Cloud Lei Yin.

Through practice, Li Yan's hidden energy was becoming more and more controlled, and now he could burst out the Cloud Lei Yin without using the divine drum.

Of course, his Cloud Lei Yin was using himself as a drum, which was far from the true Great Cloud Lei Yin of Yin and Yang changes.

There was another reason.

Although there were quite a few empty courtyards in the neighborhood, practicing every time would inevitably disturb people's peace, and he couldn't always be like this.

It just so happened that Li Yan saw this sentence in the "General Outline of Pigua" and thought about practicing fist technique and Cloud Lei Yin at the same time.

Unexpectedly, it actually changed his fist momentum.

Hearing Li Yan's account, Madam Li was silent for a long time, and then her expression became solemn. "I heard that the Taixuan Orthodox Sect has a mysterious skill called 'Palm Thunder', combining arts and martial arts, which is to prepare for practicing thunder methods in the future."

"Your method has the same effect, maybe you can really find a new path and walk your own way."

"I'll help you check it for the next few months, come over regularly to straighten out the fist path, don't make any mistakes."

"Many thanks, Master."

Li Yan was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Although this master of his was a woman and old, and it was difficult for her kung fu to improve, her talent was astonishing, and her control over fist principles far exceeded her current realm.

With her affirmation, it showed that his path was really not wrong.

Li Kongqing, who was on the side, saw this and smiled bitterly, shaking his head.

He saw Li Yan visiting and originally wanted to say a few words, but these two martial arts fanatics, one big and one small, just talked about fist techniques and couldn't care about anything else.

"Brother Li Yan, you go ahead, I have something to do and will leave first."

"Hmm..."

Looking at the absent-minded Li Yan, Li Kongqing gave a dumb laugh, shook his head, and walked out of the house with big strides...

…………

After leaving the house, Li Kongqing called a carriage.

First heading east, passing through Anshan Lane, then heading north, passing through Zhaoguo, Yongchong, and Yongning lanes in turn.

The snow had just cleared, and the New Year was approaching. The streets were bustling with people, noisy and clamorous, while Li Kongqing was sitting in the carriage, full of worries, too lazy to even lift the curtain.

The further north, the more luxurious the buildings in the lane.

For thousands of years, although Changancheng had experienced the flames of war, rising and falling, the pattern of "East for Nobles, West for Wealth, South for Poverty, North for Kings" had remained unchanged.

Passing through Pingkang Lane and arriving at Shengye Lane, there were no ordinary people on the street here; they were all residences of high officials and nobles, each a quiet and elegant mansion.

Very quickly, a palace appeared before his eyes, vermilion gate towers and glazed tiles, copper-nailed gates and stone lions—it was the original Xingqing Palace, now the Chang'an Prince's Mansion.

Although it was imposing, it didn't exceed the etiquette norms of the imperial family at all.

Beside it were green pines reflecting white snow, and soldiers patrolling in armor and holding spears, the majestic and solemn aura rushing toward him.

Arriving at this place, the carriage driver was clearly somewhat afraid, hurriedly stopping the carriage, lifting the curtain, and saying in a low voice: "Official, the Prince's Mansion has arrived, this little one dare not get close."

"Hmm."

Li Kongqing, who was in a daze, had his train of thought interrupted, hurriedly got off the carriage, straightened his clothes, and headed toward the main gate of the Prince's Mansion.

He had a waist token hanging on his jade belt and was a companion reader of the Prince's Mansion. The guards of the Prince's Mansion all recognized him, so naturally, no one blocked him.

Entering the Prince's Mansion, he didn't get close to the main hall, but walked directly along the corridor toward the backyard of the Prince's Mansion.

"Good day, Official Li."

"Greetings, Official Li."

The maids along the way all bent down to greet him.

"Hmm."

Li Kongqing nodded in response. After walking for a while, passing through the arched gate, a three-story building suddenly appeared before his eyes, built by the lake, hidden among the pines and cypresses, with clerks coming and going from time to time, appearing elegant and imposing.

This was the Renxiao Building of the Prince's Mansion, originally the site of the Qinzheng Wuben Building, later rebuilt and renamed Renxiao Building, which was where he worked on weekdays.

"Official Li, good morning."

"Good morning, Official Guo."

"Yo, Official Li, the New Year is approaching. Tonight, I'll be the host, how about inviting all the officials for a drink?"

"Since Official Liu is inviting, I will naturally go."

"Hahaha... it's settled then."

Along the way, people greeted him from time to time.

Arriving at the side room for handling official business, a clerk had already lit the stove. Li Kongqing sat at the desk, looking at Xingqing Lake outside the window, silent.

The job of a companion reader in the Prince's Mansion, according to the Great Xuan official system, is called the "Three Companions of the Prince's Mansion" along with companion lecturer and companion writer, and they sit with the Prince when meeting.

Rank 9, just accompanying the Prince's heir to study.

It's not high, and it's not low.

How the status is depends entirely on the attitude of the Prince and the heir.

He used to remonstrate frequently and was clean and honest, which not only made the heir dislike him but also made his colleagues in the Prince's Mansion not very welcoming.

After listening to Li Yan's words, he learned to shut up and learned to get some convenience for himself, and his relationship with his colleagues actually improved.

Sure enough, books are one thing, and reality is another.

Thinking of this, Li Kongqing sighed leisurely.

He felt he had grown, and his situation had improved.

But inexplicably, he felt he had regressed.

This contradictory feeling made him very uncomfortable.

Just at this moment, footsteps sounded behind him.

Li Kongqing hurriedly turned his head, suddenly shocked in his heart, and hurriedly cupped his hands: "Greetings, Heir!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 153 =====