Chapter 219: Crane's Hometown

The Tianyuan Mountain Range stretches for thousands of li, and ninety percent of its towering peaks are rarely trodden by anyone.

Only the Imperial Guard Camp is an exception, its surrounding dozens of li are crowded with the residences of Yuanshan nobles;

The flagship stores of wealthy merchants;

Music halls run by renowned composers and artists;

Official academies and private brothels where stunning beauties gather.

Huaihe Xiansheng could originally have joined among them.

But he felt he was not a citizen of the Yuanshan Kingdom, merely a temporary educator in the area.

It is not good to live in a place that is "flourishing with brocade and blazing fire cooking oil".

So, on the northern mountain of Langwei Fang right against the inner city wall, he found a spot halfway up the slope with mountain springs and streams and built the Xianhezhai.

It is called a study, but its area is actually vast.

It can house three to five hundred affluent students, along with enough of their slaves and servants.

At dusk, the setting sun sank in the west.

Zhang Gui stood at the foot of Langwei Fang, gazing from the hundred‑step stone stairway at the mountain mist that is half concealed in the summer.

Yet the revealed scale already qualifies the Xianhezhai as magnificent. He was speechless for a long while.

"I can't get up there, I've already found good people.

Don't even say just browsing; even grabbing a meal in the cafeteria would be fine."

Zheng Changgong Baoyin, standing nearby, urged.

But since Huaihe Xiansheng's 'study' was built larger than a typical 'academy',

the number of people it accommodated exceeded that of Zhang Gui's previous life's specialized institute.

The difficulty of infiltrating it was just as he had imagined,

with only a few dozen students, teachers, and servants, each a half‑familiar face, one extra person would be immediately spotted in this elite educational place,

making it more than ten times easier.

"Ah, I should have realized that since Huaihe Xiansheng is the Academy Head of a major academy in Ming Song,

coming to Yuanshan and trying to be low‑key still couldn't truly build just a study and a few side rooms.

No hint of 'climate' in the petty squabbles.

It feels like the money given to Zheng Changgong Baoyin was wasted."

Silently thinking to himself, Zhang Gui stepped onto the stone steps.

Zheng Changgong Baoyin sent his two companions, Song Ba Tu and Wu Yun Gao Wa, to stay in the market of the lane, while he himself followed closely up the mountain.

As they walked, he suddenly whispered:

"I've heard that Huaihe Xiansheng is eloquent and can easily sway people's hearts.

Many of his students who came from the Ming Song Kingdom have already volunteered to stay in the Great Dragon City.

Hmm, the ten‑plus students he dearly loves and values cannot be targeted.

The rest, as long as your Dog Head Gold is sufficient, can be arranged for you to take back to Ming Song."

Zhang Gui was startled, turned his head, and gave Zheng Changgong Baoyin another look,

"Baoyin the knight, your method is far wilder than I imagined,"

"You are not a Yuanshan person, so you don't know the weight of the surname Chang Gong in the Yuanshan army.

My grandfather Chang Gong Zhe Bie, years ago, in his capacity as a 'Conquest General', devastated the Zhongcang Central Temple of the Benfo Tubo Kingdom, the Great Elephant Majestic Temple.

In a fit of rage, he almost killed the senior general of the Conquest Benfo Tubo Shogunate!

You have no idea how imposing that was."

"Almost killing a senior general of the Yuanshan Conquest Shogunate is something to brag about? I'm still a Barbarian Tribe Shogunate General of Ming Song."

Zhang Gui's mind flashed with a thought upon hearing that, yet he truly realized that Zheng Changgong Baoyin's background far exceeded his expectations.

He raised his thumb and said:

"Impressive, impressive.

Money matters are easy.

If what I bring is insufficient, I can borrow from the fleet friends who arrived together.

In short, I'll still need to trouble Baoyin the knight for help later."

"Fine, fine."

Regarding the patron who has already proven his 'strength' and whose tone grows louder, Zheng Changgong Baoyin's attitude becomes increasingly gentle.

He previously knew nothing about the 'circle' before joining.

Now, after handling a small matter with real gold and silver, some well‑connected elders have imparted a few tips.

One of them is:

Everything has two sides.

Wealthy patrons seeking services naturally think that powerful and influential people who are willing to take money for business are hard to hook up with.

But powerful people also feel that those generous patrons who are always willing to settle quickly are exceptionally rare.

Therefore, if you have a 'good seed', it's worth maintaining a good relationship for the future.

"As long as I can help, everything is fine."

While speaking, the two arrived at the ebony main gate of Xianhezhai.

Several middle‑aged warriors holding horsewhips circled the study, strolling slowly.

Seeing Zhang Gui and Zheng Changgong Baoyin appear, they gave no reaction, only a cough came from somewhere unknown.

Zheng Changgong Baoyin, hearing this, stepped forward a few paces and pushed open the side door of the study.

Zhang Gui turned back and waved.

Zhang Gui nodded in understanding, followed behind Zheng Changgong Baoyin, and entered Xianhezhai.

Inside the hall.

The first thing that caught the eye was a surprisingly vast bamboo forest.

Occasionally, white cranes flit through the woods.

Numerous stone paths also crisscrossed it.

Zhang Gui casually chose one and walked inward.

After passing a winding brook, a huge stone pavilion could be seen in the distance.

Approaching, he saw a deep, dark‑green water pool beside the pavilion.

On the pavilion was a stone plaque inscribed with "Bamboo Mountain Crane Village".

"How elegant, truly worthy of a great scholar."

Both saw it; before Zhang Gui could react, Zheng Changgong Baoyin couldn't help but praise.

"Baoyin the chivalrous, you even understand this?"

"Why am I called Zheng Changgong Baoyin and not just Changgong Baoyin?"

"It's because I took my mother's surname, who is a Rujiao Nü Dizi, and because I've read some books."

Zheng Changgong Baoyin answered softly.

Being able to do so is already very rare.

Zhang Gui didn't continue to ask, but suddenly furrowed his brow and, changing tone, said:

"Water is the dragon's realm, clouds are the crane's homeland."

"This bamboo forest shrouded in mist, as if atop the clouds, truly lives up to the name 'Crane's Homeland.'"

"Only the one who carved this plaque is far from home, which is exceedingly amusing."

"What a 'Water is the dragon's realm, clouds are the crane's homeland.'"

"You may not know the principles of right and wrong, and your temperament is sharp and caustic, yet you truly have talent."

"I thank you and your family for the compliments."

"What a huge temper, aren't you afraid of me?"

While speaking, the once empty stone pavilion and bamboo forest suddenly, as if a canvas had been lifted, filled with a group of banqueting students and numerous serving attendants.

"It was already too late to dodge when you discovered the rune that seals the space."

"So I simply broke the jar and let it fall."

Among the students, a youth wearing a large traditional horse‑hide skirt, with sharply chiseled features, an oval face, and an androgynous aura, asked Zhang Gui.

"Both aspects are present, I guess."

"But the most important point is, when you go on a proper picnic with friends at the hall, you still have to secretly seal the space."

"It's not that you're mentally ill,"

"It's that kind of person whose family is very strict, yet tirelessly challenges parental authority, constantly teetering on the edge of self‑destruction."

"In this situation, as long as I can leave now, then 'when the wind blows the eggshell, wealth leaves and people are at peace.'"

"Because being ridiculed over such a trivial matter, you wouldn't dare rouse the adults at home."

Zhang Gui smiled faintly, activating the divine cluster formed by the two internal techniques 'Zongheng Ruyi' and 'Heavenly Phenomena and Earthly Geography Great Convergence'.

He waved his hand, gathering the mist to conceal his figure.

(End of chapter)