This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 414 How come you're just like your master?

In the backyard of Yangxin Villa, the cups and plates were in disarray. Xiao He and Xu Jixian were too full to eat and lay on their chairs groaning.

Xiang Yuan continued to eat and drink to his heart's content, devouring skewers with gusto, just like always; he was still the one who could eat the most.

Xu Jixian knew that Xiang Yuan could eat a lot. As long as he opened his mouth, everyone else at the table could only lick their plates clean. But that didn't stop him from teasing Xiao He: "Brother Xiao Yuan has a good appetite. I've been there, so take my advice. Don't take advantage of your youth and high spirits to do whatever you want. Otherwise, you'll be back to be in pain when you're standing and talking."

Sprinkle salt on the wound, and add a handful of chili powder as well.

Upon hearing this, Xiao He's eyes turned red, and he began to curse, which made the atmosphere cheerful again.

Xu Jixian was in a very good mood lately, not because several new widows had moved into Yangxin Manor, but because Xiang Yuan had become king and Xiao He had become a prince, which had raised his status as a stallion. He no longer had to stay in Yangxin Manor all day and was much freer.

Ever since Xu Jixian arrived in the capital, he was placed in Yangxin Villa because of the rarity of the ancient god bloodline, and lived the life he had always dreamed of.

At first glance, that seems to be the case, but in reality...

Even the donkeys in the production team aren't this diligent!

Especially when the night is deep and quiet, and Xu Jixian's spiritual realm is transcendent, free from the constraints of the physical body, and he looks up at the starry sky to explore the mysteries of the universe, he will feel that the world is so big and he wants to go out and explore.

The next day, the sound of the waves remained the same.

Everyone is numb.

Although the main reason for Xu Jixian's gradual emaciation was himself, the Xiao family of Shendu did not treat him like a human being. He was treated like a beast of burden, and the Xiao family of Shendu should bear some responsibility for that.

It wasn't until Xiang Yuan visited Shen Du and met with Xu Jixian that the Xiao family of Shen Du reduced his daily output.

It was him who, after awakening the bloodline of the ancient gods, possessed innate physical talents such as divine power. If it were anyone else, the widows would have to remarry.

Xiao He didn't say anything, but he lent a helping hand to Xu Jixian, allowing him to distinguish between hobbies and life, keeping the two distinct and no longer mixing them up.

He even had a note issued to transfer Wang Wenxu, who was teaching in Zhen Dian Prefecture, to Shen Du.

Xiao He is currently torn between staying in the capital to run the Imperial City Guard or going out to see the wider world, which means going to the Heavenly Sect to continue hanging out with Ji Wuzhou.

Neither of these two ideas had anything to do with the Crown Prince.

In his words, he lacks the stamina to sit still.

"Hey, what do you think, Mr. Xiang?"

"What do you mean by 'surname Xiang'? Brother Xiao, that's very impolite. You didn't address Brother Xiao Yuan like that before," Xu Jixian scolded.

“You can’t say that. Times have changed. Brother Xiao is a prince, and his status is so noble. The fact that he’s willing to talk to us is already a sign of his approachability,” Xiang Yuan sighed, trying to defend Xiao He.

“That’s right, we should be grateful.” Xu Jixian nodded in deep agreement.

The two of them went back and forth, making fun of Xiao He like a comedian.

Xiao He was furious. In the past, Xiao He and Xu Xu would perform crosstalk together, or Xiao He and Xiang Xu would perform crosstalk together. Now, he had been kicked out and become the subject of gossip.

"Brother-in-law..."

"Don't call me brother-in-law, I don't have a brother-in-law like you."

"Yes, I will repeat those words to Lingyue exactly, saying that you dragged me to a brothel again."

Xiang Yuan casually retorted, leaving Xiao He speechless, before finally saying with satisfaction, "Father-in-law, who do you think is qualified to be the crown prince?"

"The young sect master of the Heavenly Sect is concerned with such trivial matters?"

Xiao He was puzzled. The question of who would become the crown prince was a matter of concern for all the officials. But for Xiang Yuan, these were trivial matters. Instead of worrying about these things, he should think about whether the Overlord's Mansion would become the second Prince Zhao's Mansion.

Le.JPG
He was all smiles when he thought of his younger sister, and the smile vanished.

"It's only because of the young sect master of Tianzong that he cares about such a trivial matter. I've put in so much effort, I didn't intend for an unrelated person to benefit from it." Xiang Yuan curled his lip.

Xiao He understood immediately and frowned, saying, "You mean Xiao Dong? That guy is really no good. He has no ability and doesn't listen to advice. He's even worse than a dog father."

Xiao Dong may not be able to do it, but Dajue Temple has voiced its support, and with someone behind him, things will be fine immediately.

Xiang Yuan asked a couple more questions, and Xiao He replied that it didn't matter. Instead, he asked Xiang Yuan which was the better match, the Imperial City Guard or the Heavenly Sect.

"Heavenly Sect".

Xiang Yuan replied earnestly.

Regardless of whether the Heavenly Sect was a makeshift operation or a dilapidated sampan, it is an indisputable fact that the Heavenly Sect was the prototype of the Heavenly Court. In comparison, the Imperial City Division was not even a small-scale operation.

Xiao He nodded, trusting Xiang Yuan's experience and insight, and prepared to report to Tianzong in a while.

Seeing that Xiao He truly had no intention of becoming the crown prince, Xiang Yuan said no more. He made it clear that he looked down on Xiao Dong and was prepared to speak up for Xiao Qian and support him in becoming the crown prince.

Xiao He immediately looked disgusted.

From the perspective of the nation and the world, Xiao Qian was indeed the best choice. From a personal perspective, the two had completely opposite personalities and had not gotten along since childhood. It would be difficult for Xiao He to go against his conscience and support his elder brother.

However, the other candidate, Xiao Dong, was even worse.

Xiao He disliked Xiao Qian, but acknowledged his abilities; as for Xiao Dong, Xiao He had neither liking nor disliking him, and looked down on him completely.

"If the young sect leader wants to support Xiao Qian, remember to tell him when you speak that I, Xiao, don't care for him and have already thrown him away, so that he can have a chance," Xiao He grumbled.

Xiang Yuan shrugged. "The Prince Zhao's residence is really troublesome. There are many things going on in the backyard, and there are quite a few troublesome people in the front yard as well."

After some thought, it was all Xiao Yan's fault.

……

The capital city.

The Imperial Palace, the Hall of Filial Piety.

As Xiao Yan, who was about to ascend the throne, entered the main hall, his gaze unfocused, as if he were a walking corpse.

The moment I entered the hall, I suddenly became alert.

What is acting!

Leaning Back.JPG
He inexplicably became Prince Zhao, and inexplicably became Emperor. The key to Xiao Yan's success in life was listening to his son's advice and being lifted onto the throne by his son.

An adopted son is still a son, let alone a son-in-law who is half a son. Xiang Yuan is his two sons-in-law, so together they can be counted as two sons.

Princess became Empress, and Xiao Yan got his wish, feeling that all his wives had been replaced.

These are things that can't be said; you can just keep the joy to yourself.

Before becoming Prince Zhao, Xiao Yan was a member of a collateral branch of the Xiao clan, a nobody in the capital, a mere lackey. He couldn't even afford to stay in the palace, let alone the Ba Shang Lou.

After moving into the palace, it felt quite unreal. He set up a ceremonial guard and wandered around the house with his loyal bodyguards He Yuanzhi, Fang Qixian, and Gu An, just in case they got lost one day and couldn't even find their own bedroom.

As they searched, they found the former emperor's harem.

It has nothing to do with his personal will; it's purely a matter of his constitution. He's always had good luck with women.

It was called the imperial harem, but it was actually a cold palace.

After the old emperor died, the empresses' world collapsed, especially since Xiao Yan and the old emperor were not directly related by blood, their fate was not optimistic.

Upon seeing Xiao Yan's entourage pass by, she immediately stepped forward to pay her respects. Dressed in white, she even whimpered, which quickly aroused Xiao Yan's compassion.

Previously, he would kneel to pay his respects to these empresses, especially the former empress, whom he knelt to more than once.

This meeting was purely accidental, and the process was not as bad as Xiang Yuan had imagined. The three guards can testify that His Majesty agreed to visit the elegant garden often out of pity, to ensure they had a decent future and would not suffer the bitterness of being forgotten after their departure.

The three guards had no idea what happened during their subsequent meetings, as Xiao Yan had come secretly without them.

Today, Xiao Yan once again inadvertently wandered into the elegant garden and listened to the empresses' difficult lives.

He first highly praised the old emperor's achievements, calling him a wise ruler. Then he recounted his gratitude for the old emperor's patronage, expressing his deep appreciation and vowing never to let the widow suffer any injustice.

These heartfelt and resounding words brought tears to the eyes of the empresses. Several of them, overcome with grief, collapsed into Xiao Yan's arms, and then...

Cheng Yuling then charged over!
Not only that, she also invited several of her close girlfriends with whom she wasn't so close. And then Xiao Yan was in deep trouble!
Two flowers bloom, each telling its own story. For as long as Xiang Yuan ate barbecue, Xiao Yan endured a long period of reprimand. The future emperor stood like a lackey, puffing up his sleeves, but not truly standing tall.

Fortunately, the problem wasn't serious. The emperor never lacked loyal lackeys, and an ambitious person reported the matter to the Hall of Filial Piety. Xiao Qian, who was reviewing memorials at the time, pretended not to hear it with a dark face. It wasn't until an hour later that he sent someone to find His Majesty.

There were a few memorials that I couldn't understand, so I specially asked Emperor Xiao Yan to give me his instructions in person.

This moment is exactly like that moment, no different from the time at Prince Zhao's residence.

As Xiao Yan entered the Hall of Filial Piety, he was greeted by the disdainful look of his eldest son. Despite his thick skin and lack of shame, he took two steps forward and picked up a memorial to examine.

I didn't quite understand it!

Based on the experience of the Prince Zhao's mansion, it doesn't matter if he doesn't understand it, as long as Xiao Qian can understand it.

"Father... you'll soon have to call me Emperor. This isn't the Prince Zhao's residence; there are too many eyes watching you..."

Xiao Qian spoke earnestly for a while, but seeing Xiao Yan nod repeatedly, he knew he hadn't listened. He sighed and said, "The Zhao Prince's estate is too large, and there are too many mouths to feed. In the past, I could give orders on your behalf, but not anymore. A single charge of usurpation could crush me. You must learn to rely on yourself."

Something sounds off; it's disrespectful and contrary to the natural order. But that's how Xiao Qian and Xiao Yan usually are: the son sits and talks, while the father stands and listens.

Xiao Yan was not a foolish man; he was just not focused on important matters. Upon hearing Xiao Qian's words, he knew that someone was putting pressure on him.

Xiao Yan himself did not want to face these pressures. He frowned and said, "Although there are still clans in the palace, they will not interfere in the matter of the crown prince. Especially since you are so outstanding, several grandmasters have expressed their high regard for you. In my opinion, you should not have any concerns."

“If I had no concerns, half of my father’s adopted sons would have been driven out of the capital.”

The two spoke frankly. Xiao Yan's social circle was too small in his early years, and the "talented individuals" he came into contact with were of mixed quality. As his power expanded wildly, these good-for-nothing adopted sons revealed their flawed nature, which gave Xiao Qian quite a headache.

Furthermore, the Crown Prince spoke frankly, saying that Xiao Qian felt he was not suitable.

There's no other reason than that he has no one behind him and isn't wise enough.

In Xiao Qian's view, the most suitable person to be the crown prince was Xiao He. He not only had many people behind him, but so many that the Qinxian Hall was full of chairs and could not accommodate them all. He was definitely a great sage.

For the sake of the palace's stability, Xiao Qian willingly stepped down and took a civil service position, continuing to contribute his talents.

While I say I'm willing, I'm actually a little unwilling, but from the perspective of the bigger picture, this is the safest approach.

Xiao Qian didn't mention Xiao Dong, and Xiao Yan didn't say anything either. He just frowned and looked at his eldest son: "Have you talked to Xiao He about this matter?"

“No, he just walks away when he sees me, just like when we were kids.” Xiao Qian smiled bitterly.

"Don't you feel aggrieved?"

"If I feel wronged, I will simply leave it alone at the Prince Zhao's residence. Father, you need not worry. This is the best course of action," Xiao Qian instructed.

The Zhao Prince's Mansion's entry into the capital city may seem like an inevitable trend, but it is actually not stable. Not to mention that the Xiao clan likes to interfere, none of the first-class forces that support the Zhao Prince's Mansion's rise to power are easy to talk to.

Especially the Heavenly Sect.

The Baiyun and Wangjian manors were completely uprooted and their headquarters were leveled simply because they refused to comply, truly eliminating any potential threat at its root.

One should have self-awareness. Xiang Yuan went to great lengths to help the Prince Zhao's family enter the palace, so he would definitely support his brother-in-law, not him, the 'elder brother' he had only met a few times.

Prince Zhao's household has no shortage of brothers.

Xiao Yan was also helpless upon hearing this. The Crown Prince's decision had already given him a headache, and the clan was also urging him to come up with an agenda for the Empress as soon as possible, and had 'enthusiastically' provided a list of several candidates, such as Cheng Yuling, the chief disciple of the Palace Master of Wushuang Palace, and the mother of Princess Heyue.

When this list was presented, the grandmasters spoke loudly, partly to say a few good words for their sister-in-law and to hope that their elder brother would hear them, and partly because Xiao Ling had witnessed Xiao Lingyue's skills and knew that the latter was more suitable to wield the Tai'a sword than he was.

The pressure from his clan was too great, and Xiao Yan felt helpless, lamenting that he hadn't treated everyone fairly and that things would be difficult for him in the future.

Looking at the hardworking and dutiful eldest son, one feels that the emperor is just so-so. He's no good at this or that. It would be better to be a prince!

Just as they were about to speak, the space in front of them swayed, and a note floated onto the table. It read: "Xiao He is cunning but lacks virtue, Xiao Qian is virtuous and capable. Tianzong, Huangquandao, Wushuanggong, Jianxinzhai, Shendu Xiao Clan..."

Turn the page and start a new line: I am willing to support Xiao Qian as the crown prince.

The overwhelming wealth that was bestowed upon him left Xiao Qian completely stunned. He read the note over and over again in disbelief, before finally looking at Xiao Yan with a puzzled expression.

Why are you looking at me like that? I'm still confused.
Xiao Qian was puzzled and couldn't understand why Xiang Yuan would abandon his brother-in-law's support and instead support him, a complete stranger.

No way, these days there really aren't people who only value talent, are there?
Honest people all practice nepotism!

Xiao Qian suppressed his doubts and murmured, "Then what about Dajue Temple? The monks insist on begging for alms, and it's not something that can be dealt with in a few words."

As the words fell, the handwriting on the note changed: "Dajue Temple cannot force this; it is not the way of Buddhism. Tianzong, Huangquandao, Wushuang Palace, Jianxinzhai..."

Turn the page and start a new line: I will definitely visit you another day to advise the abbot to be able to let go of what he has taken.

"..." x2
Dajue Temple — x2
The father and son stared at each other, their faces filled with embarrassment. Xiao Qian immediately broke out in a cold sweat and said dryly to the note, "Western Chu has lost the first-class forces of Baiyun and Wangjian, and the Dajue Temple is no more. Talented people are dwindling, which is definitely not a good thing for the country. Perhaps there is still room for negotiation."

Not responding to the note is very domineering.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The capital city, the Overlord's Palace.

As they walked towards the main gate, they heard the sounds of many "princes" paying their respects. The young man, with his dignified bearing, walked with a powerful stride and straightened his back considerably.

I like listening to this; could you say a couple more lines?

Upon entering the backyard, Xiang Yuan quickly found Xiao Lingyue. Although the two were not married, for some reason, Cheng Yuling had moved her daughter's belongings here first.

Ask around and you'll find the Prince Zhao's Mansion; this is all based on experience.

Seeing Xiang Yuan strolling over, unusually not climbing over the wall, Xiao Lingyue couldn't help but ask curiously, "It's still early, Your Highness, why didn't you go to the brothel with your two good brothers today? Did they insist that you treat them, and you couldn't bear to spend that little bit of money?"

"Such aggression! Why is the Princess being so sarcastic today?"

"Who told you to hang out with those shady friends!"

Xiao Lingyue complained, quoting Cheng Yuling's words: Xiao He is an incompetent fool, and Xu Jixian is a scoundrel; neither of them are good people.

Listen to me, don't associate with these people anymore.

“I’m afraid that won’t work. During holidays and festivals, we can’t avoid seeing my brother-in-law’s face at meals.”

Xiang Yuan grumbled, then rubbed his hands together and embraced Xiao Lingyue. The princess had become a queen, and it felt like the wife had been replaced. Thinking about it, he felt a little impulsive.

This is something I can't say; I can just keep it to myself and enjoy it.

"You reek of alcohol and meat, how disgusting."

The princess pushed him a couple of times before the prince pulled her into his arms. She sniffed his body and found that besides the smell of barbecue, there was also the scum of his cronies, which she disliked. She told him to take a bath, change his clothes, and clean himself up.

How come you're just like your master?
Xiang Yuan muttered to himself, then invited his wife to bathe with him, but was refused. He then quickly took a shower by himself.

After washing up, Xiang Yuan shamelessly leaned forward, looking completely clueless: "Lingyue, I have a palace in the capital, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because besides me, there is another princess in the palace, and I don't want to talk about it."

"..."

With a single sentence, Xiang Yuan was completely shut down, and once again he exclaimed in admiration that the Zhaowang Mansion had a long and distinguished family tradition, and Xiao Lingyue's level was simply too high.

It can't be entirely blamed on the Prince Zhao's mansion. Xiao Lingyan, who was also exposed to palace intrigue from a young age, is a straightforward and honest woman who didn't learn any palace intrigue skills. Xiang Yuan strongly suspects that this is hereditary, or that Cheng Yuling taught her well.

Seeing that Xiang Yuan remained silent, Xiao Lingyue glanced out the window: "There are quite a few of Aunt Chen's spies in the mansion. I suppose Sister Lingyan has already received the news. Aren't you going to go and talk to her?"

LOL, you wouldn't be happy if you actually went!
Xiang Yuan rolled his eyes, thinking to himself that he had finally caught an opportunity. He nodded with a serious face and said, "In that case, I will listen to Madam's words and go over to sit down."

After walking a few steps, seeing that Xiao Lingyue didn't stop him, he turned back in confusion: "No way, I really went."

"Go and give her some proper guidance in her cultivation."

"???"

A string of question marks floated across Xiang Yuan's forehead: What kind of cultivation? How does one cultivate? Is it the same kind of cultivation as yours?
The knowledge of Prince Zhao's residence is too profound; honest outsiders can't understand it. Could you please explain it more clearly?

(End of this chapter)