[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou":3,"chapter-the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-191":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ink Saint of Great Zhou",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2292154,4481,"Chapter 191: The One in My Heart","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-191",191,"\u003Cp>Demon Heart: “I’ve told you before—not to be so wary of me. I’ve said many times, you are me, and I am you. You just never believed me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang nodded. There might be things he didn’t know, but based on the current outcome, he likely couldn’t erase the Demon Heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day after leaving the Gold-Lustered Mystic Mirror, Lu Fang decided to return to Great Zhou. This trip to Luo Sha Country had already lasted over a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t asked the Book Spirit Yan Chixia to help write “Water Margin,” and the Great Zhou Gazette had been on hiatus for quite some time. Now that it was just beginning to spread across Great Zhou, too long without an update would be problematic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day he left was daytime, yet the streets were packed with Luo Sha Country’s ghost cultivators and Luo Shas, shouting loudly for “Wen Guan Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a rare sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a great master of renown in Luo Sha Country could be this popular.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang looked up at the palace in the sky, where golden characters shone clearly: “When Will the Bright Moon Appear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His popularity in Luo Sha Country was surely due to this poem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing happened on the journey back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After traveling day and night, they arrived at the teleportation site and were instantly transported to the Great Zhou Imperial Palace. As a special envoy, Lu Fang led his group to the Taihe Hall to report to Emperor Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Guan Marquis Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Study room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang sat at his desk, writing “Water Margin” while telling Lu Ling about his experiences in Luo Sha Country.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That dangerous!” Lu Ling’s face showed worry as she heard Lu Fang describe being trapped in the Gold-Lustered Mystic Mirror. “Were you injured?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled and shook his head, speaking cautiously: “Has anything major happened in the capital recently?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling smiled. “During your month-plus absence, large-scale battles erupted again along the northern and southern borders. This time, the barbarian beasts were prepared and launched a surprise attack, so Great Zhou barely won.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang sighed. “When I met Emperor Zhou before, we discussed the northern and southern borders. We really can’t remain passive—we must take the offensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we don’t scare the barbarian beasts, they’ll only grow bolder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To stop war with war means making them so terrified that the moment they see our northern and southern armies, they scatter in panic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling nodded. “Also, since the Great Zhou Gazette became widespread, sales have been excellent. Shen Kangbo even sent some gifts and said that if you encounter any trouble, they’ll offer full support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled. “Full support?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling chuckled. “The story of ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ is now all over the capital. Many courtesans from dance houses have volunteered to play the roles. And Shen Kangbo’s funding has been very generous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled. “Many courtesans volunteered?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling playfully blinked. “What? Brother wants to read those letters of self-recommendation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are they? I really want to see.” Lu Fang had no ulterior motive—just curiosity about what these courtesans would write.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling sighed. “Most of their letters were too explicit. I had some burned already. Only these remain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good you burned them.” Lu Fang smiled wryly. He looked at the stack of letters Lu Ling pulled out, opened a few, and found portraits of courtesans along with letters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After skimming a few, Lu Fang stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no intention of selecting roles this way. These courtesans were all top performers of their dance houses. If they became famous playing roles in “Dream of the Red Chamber,” who knew what might happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was too uncontrolled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang disliked this feeling. Even if the roles weren’t perfectly suited, he’d rather pick someone slightly less fitting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Burn these too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling raised an eyebrow. “Really burn them? Brother, don’t you want to look more? Some of them are especially beautiful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang patted Lu Ling’s head and, while she wasn’t expecting it, pinched her chubby cheek affectionately. “You little rascal—are you teasing me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ew!” Lu Ling blushed and slapped his hand away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you blushing?” Lu Fang teased further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not talking to you,” Lu Ling huffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After their playful tussle, Lu Ling panted. “By the way, there’s one more thing you should know. The Thirtieth Imperial Prince mentioned to His Majesty that he wants to marry Sister Li Yu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What!” Lu Fang frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling watched his expression carefully. “I heard it from the Grand Scholar Wang Fu. They say His Majesty didn’t grant the marriage request—he said he’d wait to hear Sister Li Yu’s own opinion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang exhaled in relief. “What’s this Thirtieth Imperial Prince like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling paused. “I’m not sure, but don’t worry—when Sister Li Yu heard, she refused outright. Turning down His Majesty’s envoy isn’t something easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know what she said to refuse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang noticed her teasing look. “What did she say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling grinned. “Sister Li Yu said she already has someone she loves—and that she’ll marry no one else in this lifetime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She really said that?” Lu Fang scratched his head, puzzled. Did she mean him? Probably not—when they watched the sunrise together, she didn’t seem that fond of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could she really have someone else?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not him, then who could this beloved be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lu Fang’s darkening expression, Lu Ling was baffled. “Brother, shouldn’t you be happy hearing this? Why do you look so upset?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang studied her face. “You mean… she’s talking about me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling nodded firmly, as if it were obvious. “Of course it’s you—who else? Didn’t you take Sister Li Yu to watch the sunrise?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! You knew about that?” Lu Fang laughed awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling pouted. “You didn’t tell me, but Sister Li Yu told me. When she said it, she even added, ‘I’ll never forget him—who else could he be but you?’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s how it was.” Lu Fang hesitated. “But that morning, I didn’t feel she was particularly happy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then realized: “You two talked about this? Didn’t you tell her I like you too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he said it, he regretted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talking about Li Yu so much in front of Lu Ling—he was being a bastard. He couldn’t take her kindness and tolerance for granted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang sincerely apologized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t expect that, seeing his expression, Lu Ling thought he was trying to draw a line between them. Her nose twitched, and tears began falling.\u003C\u002Fp>",1097,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4781f93ea457f4cf67b5ddec82d48f8e6601d2a1aeba4362e13374b5ea8c6de1","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-192","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-190",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]