[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-11":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"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},2288846,4475,"Chapter 11: One Night, Seven Times","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-11",11,"\u003Cp>“Duang, Duang, Duang, qiang… The sky is dry, the earth is parched; watch out for fire!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the night watchman’s calls drifted in from afar, it was known that the hour was the third watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crown princess’s carriage convoy had just exited the inner city and was moving swiftly westward, ascending Xishan to lodge at Lingtai Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This monthly event, occurring twice without fail, was long familiar to nearby residents and night patrol officers—a well-known routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering Lingtai Temple, the abbot, “Master CiTong,” immediately came forward to greet her, paying customary homage to the temple’s principal deity, “Bhaisajyaguru Buddha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then proceeded to a meditation chamber nestled among the bamboo grove on the rear hill, as usual, to spend the night there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the meditation chamber, all was solemn and dignified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One hundred and twenty members of the crown prince’s guard were stationed, clad in uniform black armor, short knives at their sides, eyes sharp as hawks and wolves, vigilantly patrolling the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their steps were perfectly synchronized, producing not a single extraneous sound, like an iron wall and bronze rampart guarding the open ground around the chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings were utterly silent, save for the sound of one’s own breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once cheerful chirping of cicadas and birds within Lingtai Temple had been suppressed by the warriors’ aura, not daring to utter a single note.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the faint rustle of leaves stirred by occasional mountain breezes outside the courtyard was halted by the guards’ alert gazes, not daring to draw near a single step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within a three-hundred-zhang radius, it was a forbidden zone—no humans or animals allowed! Without explicit orders or permission, not even the temple’s own monks could approach within a step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the chamber, besides the crown princess, there were only her personal maid “Xiao Zhen” and two female sword-wielding guards—four people total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crown prince’s guard operated in units of four, paired into two-man teams, each pair carrying one lantern; sixty lanterns altogether surrounded the chamber, making this patch of bamboo grove the brightest in the entire area!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight was the fifteenth, a full moon night, cloudless for miles, the night especially bright—even without lanterns, distant tree shadows were clearly visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think the moonlight tonight is as bright as daylight—why not suggest to the Hundred-Man Commander that we put out the lanterns?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young guard, “A Qiang,” newly transferred from the northern frontier, held a lantern in one hand and gripped his embroidered uniform sword at his waist, speaking timidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t get scolded—when they tell you to carry a lantern, you carry it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His partner, the veteran guard “Er Gou,” added: “This isn’t the frontier; there aren’t so many precautions here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Gou had once served on the frontier himself and knew the soldiers’ habits well: patrolling at night with lanterns outside the pass was a death wish! It exposed your position and could get your entire squad killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But inside the city, it was different: large units carrying lanterns weren’t just for illumination and visibility—they boosted morale and served as early warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the relatively peaceful capital region, bandits and thieves, seeing a sea of lanterns from afar, would usually avoid them entirely; if they saw the lanterns bore official insignia, they’d keep even farther away, detouring completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang and Er Gou were stationed at the outermost eastern outpost of the chamber, enduring the biting wind and mosquito bites!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All they wanted was for dawn to come quickly, so they could be dismissed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hundred-Man Commander, “Liu Ge,” walked from behind holding a bundle of incense, making his rounds. He gave one stick each to Er Gou and A Qiang, advising: “Stick the incense in the ground—it repels insects.” Then he moved on to the next post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang: “Liu Ge is truly considerate—he even brought incense for us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft… We come here twice a month; we’ve gotten used to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Gou scoffed: “Those are incense sticks the brothers pooled their money to buy; otherwise… these bamboo groves are full of mosquitoes—who could stand it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang: “I see!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Gou: “By the way, go talk to the Hundred-Man Commander later and chip in your share; every member of the crown prince’s guard has paid—you’re no exception!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang: “Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than half an hour later, sharp-eyed A Qiang spotted a group of people rapidly ascending the mountain and nervously reported to Er Gou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Gou squinted toward the direction A Qiang pointed and said: “Ah, no worries—that’s the Chancellor He’s men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang: “Chancellor… He?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang stared at the approaching group below the mountain; soon, he could clearly see the lanterns they carried—but what puzzled him was that Er Gou called them the Chancellor’s men, yet their lanterns bore the Lu Family Escort Mark!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lu Family Escort team numbered only about thirty men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ge quickly arrived and spoke with the lead escort; less than a quarter-hour later, an official sedan chair appeared just beyond the crown prince’s guard line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve only just arrived, and this is your first night on duty…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Gou lowered his voice to warn A Qiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tonight… you saw nothing. Understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang: “Why… why…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t ask, don’t wonder…” Er Gou pointed upward. “These are matters of the high officials above us; we’re just salaried men, doing our duty. Anything beyond that? Don’t ask, don’t wonder!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the meditation chamber, the crown princess and her entourage heard the sound of a large group moving outside and knew “he” had arrived; soon, the chamber door opened, and Chancellor He entered alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two female guards bowed with clasped hands in greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant greets Your Excellency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Zhen clasped her hands over her abdomen, bowed her head, and knelt in reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chancellor He ignored their greetings entirely, offering no response, and walked straight toward the crown princess’s chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, good evening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crown princess greeted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With time limited, Chancellor He cut straight to the point: “Has the crown prince… been intimate with you recently?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crown princess: “No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing her answer, Chancellor He sighed deeply: “Eight years… the crown prince has truly never touched you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crown princess looked aggrieved, pouting: “The crown prince has a fondness for young boys—he’d rather sleep with them…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crown Princess, do not speak such nonsense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could finish, Chancellor He swiftly interrupted!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued: “I understand the matter of male lovers—but never mention young boys again! Unless… you want to get the crown prince deposed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Chancellor He pulled from his sleeve a finely crafted copper box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said: “Put this… into his wine. Make him drink it, then stay alone with him; remember—within two hours, no other woman must be near the crown prince!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crown princess took the copper box, opened it, and saw five tiny blue pills, each the size of a peanut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this?” the crown princess asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One Night, Seven Times—legend calls it: ‘One Night Seven Times Pill’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chancellor He added: “I obtained this rare medicine from the Joyful Daoist; whether human or beast, after taking one pill, it will unleash primal fury—kill gods if they stand in the way, slay Buddhas if they block the path!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when the effect fades will the user awaken from the dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the copper box and the One Night Seven Times Pills, Chancellor He rose and departed; the Lu Family Escort team followed him down the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bamboo grove returned to its original stillness, as if no other group had ever come that night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, after the crown princess completed her Buddhist rites and sutra recitations, the large convoy descended the mountain and returned to Donggong before noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his shift ended, A Qiang was taken by Er Gou to the weapons depot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, Liu Ge held a heavy sack of coarse cloth, distributing silver to the men who had climbed the mountain the previous night—one tael each, no more, no less!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Gou said this was the hush money for the night’s duty—payment to buy everyone’s silence, not a word leaked!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they earned this extra income twice a month, every member of the crown prince’s guard tacitly accepted it, happily took the money, quietly did their duty, and over time, grew so accustomed to it they no longer found it strange…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Qiang held the silver, thinking: if the crown princess truly had some unspeakable “habit,” our guard brothers were the perfect cover. Every month, a few taels of hush money, everyone understood, no one spoke, not even if the sky fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, we don’t care what the crown princess does inside the chamber—whether she meditates, cultivates, or “dual cultivates” with Chancellor He?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re just here to guard the outside, ensuring the person inside can “practice in peace”; when the hush money lands in our hands, we’ve achieved our heart’s desire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This duty may not be as grand as guarding the palace gates, but occasionally getting these “custom jobs” is fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The extra cash helps our brothers support their families—makes their wives and children happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And we get to drink a few good bottles of wine, pass the time—how wonderful!\u003C\u002Fp>",1532,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1fca2d9df69067564b43d5c8ca1337f249c3c1d5163e9bd26a09253fb19e5faf","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-12","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-10",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]