[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn":3,"chapter-thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-5":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Thirteen Years as King of the Great Song, I Learned I Was the Dragon",{"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},2271700,4437,"Chapter 5: North Qiao Feng, South Murong","thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>\"Your Highness, your humble servant, your humble servant...\" Li Yan racked his brains but could not think of a proper response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti, eyes blazing, sneered: \"Right before everyone’s eyes, you dare play such a trick on me? Do you think I’m easily fooled?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan knelt on the ground; he had just channeled his inner qi to his forehead to shield his skull, hoping that if he kept his head down, his master wouldn’t see him and spare him some physical punishment—yet he had been instantly exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gritted his teeth, immediately dissipated the internal energy, and began pounding his head vigorously, crying out as he did: \"It’s just my habit—I forgot to release my inner strength! Please, Your Highness, forgive me, forgive me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In moments, his forehead was swollen and bruised; his official cap fell off, blood seeped out, and dust smeared his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti regarded his miserable state with calm indifference: \"People say misfortune comes from the tongue. Today you spoke disrespectfully—now punish yourself!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan groaned inwardly—he was the chief steward of the Prince’s mansion, a secondary post, while his primary role was as a palace supervisor, a sixth-rank official; in truth, he was a man of standing even outside the palace, his rank higher than that of a county magistrate in even the most prestigious counties. Kneeling in the marketplace was bad enough, but now to strike his own face? This would surely become a laughingstock among the common folk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he dared not disobey; he had spoken a forbidden phrase in a moment of rashness. If it had been someone else, he might have covered it up—but with the imperial family, such insolence was an unforgivable sin; even high-ranking ministers and scholars would never dare such audacity, and as an eunuch in the Imperial Household Department, his crime was compounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hurry up and strike yourself!\" Su Da barked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan forced a smile and began slapping his own cheeks alternately. Yu Er chimed in sarcastically: \"Why aren’t you using your internal energy now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan gritted his teeth, summoned all his strength, and delivered several sharp slaps—his cheeks visibly swelled, then he spat out a mouthful of blood, rolled his eyes back, and collapsed with a thud, having knocked himself unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Zhan stepped forward and kicked him twice, murmuring: \"My lord, he’s fainted!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti scanned the other ruffians, then glanced toward the Kaifeng Prefecture officers—all of whom bowed their heads, silent and submissive. The ruffian who had reported the incident had already been punished by Su Da and lay groaning on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smirked slightly, turned to the surrounding crowd, and smiled gently: \"I am Zhao Ti—of the imperial Zhao surname, the ‘graceful’ Ti. I now serve as Prince of Yan, and I often wander among the common people. When I encounter those who oppress neighbors or abuse power, I punish them as a warning to others. Should you witness such injustice again, file a complaint at the Kaifeng Prefecture—and mention my name.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd erupted in delighted surprise, bowing respectfully. One bold man cried out: \"So you are Prince Yan, Your Grace!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, the virtuous prince! I suspected it the moment I saw you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This old man saw the virtuous prince years ago, but my eyes are dim now—I didn’t dare recognize you then!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, I recognized you at once—who else but the virtuous prince could punish these ruffians and corrupt officials?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti nodded to the crowd; since age six, he had left the palace with his guards to roam the streets, righting wrongs, and over ten years had cultivated such a reputation among the people that he earned the title \"Virtuous Prince.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, such popularity would alarm the emperor—but Emperor Zhezong had no heir, and cultivating this reputation now could serve as a decisive advantage in future succession struggles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the elderly man and boy who had been beaten were helped up by Su Da and Yu Er, and both moved to bow in thanks, but Zhao Ti waved them off, instructing Bai Zhan to give them silver for medical care and to return home and rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd parted to make way, and Zhao Ti and his companions continued toward the Daxiangguo Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a habit of drinking plain tea—tea leaves not scented with flowers, paired with simple pastries and snacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daxiangguo Temple was famed for its plain tea, but even more renowned was Ding’s Plain Tea House outside the temple, a time-honored establishment in Dongjing, also selling fruits and beverages, famous far and wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they walked along the East Gate Street, crowds surged, flowers brightened the road, brocades shimmered, silks perfumed the air, and the scene was bustling with life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti walked with his hands behind his back, marveling inwardly: In just thirty years, the Jurchens would pour south, brutal and savage, the imperial relics would fall, and this splendid prosperity would vanish forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked slowly forward; he had known this road since childhood, traversing it countless times, and soon they reached the main gate of Daxiangguo Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This temple, a royal monastery, covered an immense area of five to six hundred mu, housing sixty-four monastic halls, dazzling in gold and jade, radiant as clouds and rosy dawn, echoing with chants and hymns, a grand spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daxiangguo Temple was not open daily—only five times a month. Within, not only commoners could set up stalls, but monks and nuns also conducted business, even operating restaurants and eateries, thriving with lively commerce, famed for drawing treasures from all corners of the empire and gathering exotic flavors from every region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti often came here for tea; entertainment was scarce in this era, and beyond listening to music in brothels, there were few ways to pass the time. The plain tea houses offered not only tea but also storytelling—narrators reciting tales and legends, making them excellent places to relax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti turned toward Ding’s Plain Tea House across from the temple, and a young servant rushed forward: \"My lord has arrived! Please, come in quickly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had patronized this place for years; the owner, staff, storytellers, and even kitchen chefs all knew him, and many regular patrons were familiar with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, the place was nearly packed, yet one table at the front remained empty—it was his reserved spot, always ready for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servant went inside to announce his arrival; the owner emerged to greet him warmly, and several tea patrons rose to offer greetings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti responded to them all, then sat down and asked the servant: \"Has Master Qu arrived? What story is he telling today?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servant wiped the table again and replied: \"Master Qu has come, but he brought a junior brother—he says today his brother will tell the story.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti smiled: \"So he’s promoting his own kin—I wonder, what’s his brother’s name? And will he be any good?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servant said: \"His brother’s name is Huo Sijiu. As for how good he is, I don’t know—but Master Qu says his brother never worked in the capital before; he was a traveling storyteller from the provinces, and today is his first time settling here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huo Sijiu...\" Zhao Ti murmured thoughtfully—he recognized the name; in later historical records, Huo Sijiu was the greatest storyteller of his age, unmatched in the art of narration throughout history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, plain tea and snacks were served, and two men emerged from the back. The white-bearded elder Zhao Ti recognized immediately—it was Master Qu, who had been telling stories at Ding’s for over twenty years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other, around thirty, slender, with a short beard and piercing bright eyes, must be Huo Sijiu, as the servant described.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Qu bowed to the crowd, exchanged pleasantries, then introduced Huo Sijiu, saying today his junior brother would tell the tale, and asked the patrons to lend their support and be lenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The regulars already knew, the newcomers came for the spectacle; soon Huo Sijiu began, his voice smooth and controlled, no less skilled than Master Qu’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He told a tale from the Five Dynasties, about Li Cunxiao, the greatest hero of the age—the saying went: \"No king surpasses Xiang Yu, no general surpasses Li.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After half an hour, he paused for rest. Master Qu stepped forward to warm the crowd again, praising his brother, saying he had traveled the world since his teens and possessed far greater experience than himself, and invited him to tell a tale of the martial underworld.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dongjing tea patrons were accustomed to tales of battlefield glory and virtuous ministers—never before had they heard stories of the martial underworld—and they cheered enthusiastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Sijiu cleared his throat and returned to the stage. This time, he began with a poem from Li Bai’s \"The Knight-Errant,\" then described the world of the martial underworld, and continued: \"As the ancients said, heroes emerge in youth. Today, the two most renowned young heroes in the martial world are: Bei Qiaofeng and Nan Murong...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti, seated at his table, froze. His expression changed drastically—he leapt to his feet with a sudden motion: \"What did you say, Master Huo? Say it again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1527,"2026-06-19T22:30:31.989Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ba5f7ca2a180f3aa666fc3f1dd58cc26d6d7512a773e1b71a9984b029d99f26a","thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-6","thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-4",270,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-cover.jpg"]