They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 160 Horse Raising
The door to the duty room was opened, and Chen Guangrui stood in the threshold. The aura of the forced interruption of his cultivation still lingered on his body, and a heat had not yet been fully contained, making his eyes exceptionally sharp, with a tiny golden flame seemingly flashing deep in his pupils.

Outside the door, an old groom, covered in hay and horse manure, tumbled and fell to the ground, his voice trembling so badly he was almost crying out.
"My lord! Disaster has struck! A terrible disaster has struck! All the horses in our Imperial Stables... all the horses have lost weight! They're about to go flat on their own!"

The alarming and shrill sound forcefully disrupted the last bit of Nine-Turn Golden Elixir power within Chen Guangrui's body, which desperately needed to be stabilized.

An indescribable sense of frustration surged up instantly. The precious Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, just as its foundation was about to be perfected, was abruptly interrupted by such a matter!

His face was grim, and his cold gaze swept over the old groom who was slumped on the ground, as well as the faces of the several frightened constables who had gathered around at the sound of the commotion.

"You've lost weight?" Chen Guangrui's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a cold, hard edge as he scanned the crowd. "When did this start?"

Among the assembled constables, one who seemed the most quick-witted hurriedly answered, his face showing worry.

"Reporting to you, sir, it's only a matter of a few days. Stewards Ding and Ji are extremely anxious. As soon as they heard that the horses had lost weight, they didn't even bother to check their duties and personally went to each stable to check the situation."

So anxious that he forgot to check the roll call and went to inspect it himself? Chen Guangrui sneered inwardly; this was quite a performance.

He had only been in seclusion refining his golden elixir for a few days when his horse began to lose weight, and whenever something happened, the two people in charge were nowhere to be found. Even the ghosts themselves wouldn't believe that no one was deliberately sabotaging things.

He suppressed the anger surging in his chest from the interruption of his cultivation, stepped out of the duty room, no longer looking at the old groom slumped on the ground, and headed straight for the training ground where the constables were assembled.

"Gather everyone." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly and unquestionably.

Officials of all ranks, along with strongmen and grooms, quickly gathered on the drill ground. The crowd whispered amongst themselves, creating a tense and anxious atmosphere.

The loss of weight by the Heavenly Horses is a major offense for the Imperial Horse Administration. If confirmed, everyone from top to bottom will be held accountable.

"What should we do? The new official has barely shown his face a few times."

"Yes, they haven't said a single serious word to us. Now that something's wrong with the horse, who's going to take responsibility?"

"The last time the horse had a problem was back when that person... that person was still around, right? I remember he personally went to cut grass and mix feed, guarding it day and night."

"If you ask me, either this stable master comes up with a plan and leads everyone to work together, or... someone has to take responsibility."

"That's right, we can't be the ones who do the work, bearing the blame for Ma Shou's mistakes, and yet we don't even have anyone to stand up for us!"

"The last Keeper of the Heavenly Horses was one who managed these heavenly horses himself. Let's see how this Keeper of the Heavenly Horses will do this time."

Amidst the discussions, a sense of discontent and probing was subtly conveyed. The focus quietly shifted to Chen Guangrui, who had never truly "managed" anything, as if his absence meant he would bear primary responsibility for the incident.

Just then, Chen Guangrui appeared at the edge of the training ground. The murmurs immediately ceased, as if they had been strangled.

All eyes turned to him.

Chen Guangrui walked straight to the front of the crowd, his gaze like cold lightning sweeping across the entire room. He ignored the shrugging constables and spoke directly, his voice clear and icy.
Where are Ding Chou and Ji Yong?

The quick-witted constable who had answered earlier stepped forward, forcing himself to do so.
"My lord, Stewards Ding and Ji are extremely worried, fearing that the Heavenly Horse may have been damaged. They went to the stables to check the details as soon as they received the news, hoping to find out the cause and relieve your worries."

In his words, he absolved the two of their responsibilities while simultaneously demonstrating his unwavering loyalty.

"Share the burden?" Chen Guangrui's lips curled into a cold smile, his voice suddenly rising, carrying an undeniable sternness.

"Since I came to the Imperial Stables, I have not set any new rules, nor have I changed any old systems. All matters are handled according to the old regulations. It is only because I have observed that your past practices have been acceptable that I have allowed you to continue to act as before!"

His gaze suddenly sharpened, as if a tangible blade were slicing across everyone's face.

"Did you think I was ignorant of horse administration? Did you think I was magnanimous and easy to bully? I never imagined that your incompetent behavior would reach such a level. I did not cause any trouble, but you have instead created a huge mess for me. The horses have lost weight, which is a serious dereliction of duty by the Imperial Horse Administration. None of you can escape responsibility."

"From today onwards, the rules have changed! All registered stable hands, including Ding Chou and Ji Yong, will each be assigned a fixed number of horses and managed individually. The condition of the horses will be evaluated within ten days. The one with the worst care..."

His voice suddenly turned cold, "Pack your things and leave the Imperial Stables. My place is too small to accommodate idlers who don't work!"

A barrage of harsh words left everyone stunned. No one expected that this usually quiet and seemingly insignificant stable boy would suddenly erupt in such astonishing fury, directly targeting all the servants.

It's your incompetence, your incompetence, that caused you to mess things up when everything was supposed to be the same as before.

This was completely different from what everyone expected—the new official was anxious, relied on the old man from the Imperial Horse Administration, or panicked on his own.

Chen Guangrui didn't wait for anyone's reaction, nor did he give them a chance to explain. He coldly surveyed the crowd, who were now completely silent after being scolded, and uttered his final words.
"Those who are capable, bring the horses back; those who are not, pack your bags and get out of the Imperial Stables as soon as possible, and stop embarrassing the Heavenly Court here."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly turned around and strode away, completely ignoring the deathly silent drill ground and the group of dumbfounded constables behind him.

……

As he rode away from the Imperial Stables on a cloud, and only after he was far away from the oppressive clouds did Chen Guangrui slowly exhale the pent-up frustration in his chest caused by the interruption of his cultivation and the difficulties he faced.

The remaining medicinal power of the Golden Elixir surged within his body and needed to be stabilized. His thoughts shifted, and he headed straight for Flower Fruit Mountain.

In front of the Water Curtain Cave, Sun Wukong was scratching his ears and cheeks smugly when he spotted Chen Guangrui's figure in the distance. He somersaulted and flew right up to her.
"Hey, Officer Chen, you've come at the right time! I, Old Sun, have figured out the details of that damn bottomless pit rat demon you mentioned last time!"

He waved his hand dismissively, his tone full of contempt, "She's not some great demon at all, just a petty thief hiding in a rat's den in the mortal realm, who loves to steal lamp oil from all over the place. When I, Old Sun, found her hole, I was thinking of shoving my club into it and smashing it down to teach her a lesson..."

Sun Wukong paused, a rare look of sullenness appearing on his face, and scratched the back of his golden head.

"But when I, Old Sun, barged in, I was surprised to find a memorial tablet on the altar inside the cave, bearing the name of Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. Humph, it turns out that old rascal Li Jing had a daughter somewhere. I figured Flower Fruit Mountain had just been rebuilt, so it was better to avoid trouble. It wasn't worth risking a falling out with a Heavenly general over a rat, so I let her off this time."

Chen Guangrui landed, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, and said with a knowing smile, "Great Sage, you are mistaken. This is not like the Great Sage Equaling Heaven. Where is the might of your days when you wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace? How come you've become so timid after being imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years that you can't even deal with a little mouse that steals lamp oil?"

These words were spoken lightly, but they were clearly a provocation.

Sun Wukong's sore spot was touched, his monkey face turned red, and he scratched his ears and cheeks even more frantically.

"Hey! What do you know? Do you think I, Old Sun, am afraid of her? That rat demon is no good. I could crush her with one swipe of my claw. The trouble is that Li Jing is standing behind her. My Flower Fruit Mountain is in dire need of rebuilding. To make a blood feud with a proper general of the Heavenly Court and have the Heavenly soldiers blocking our mountain gate every day is just adding to our troubles. It's not worth it, really not worth it!"

He waved his hand, as if to shake off his frustration. Chen Guangrui stopped pressing the matter and instead asked,
"The place where the ancestral tablets are enshrined, you must have seen it clearly, Great Sage?"

"Of course!" Sun Wukong's eyes widened, his fiery eyes gleaming.

"Right at the end of her bottomless pit, in the rat's nest, on a broken incense table are a plate of offerings and bowls of fruit. The memorial tablet is right in the center, with the words 'Honored Father, Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li' on it. My old Sun has such good eyesight, I would never be wrong."

Chen Guangrui nodded thoughtfully, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.
"Where is Tang Sheng? Didn't he learn skills from the Great Sage?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a puff of white smoke rose from an inconspicuous pebble at his feet, and the little monk Tang Sheng appeared, tilting his happy little face towards him and tugging at Chen Guangrui's clothes with his little hand.

"Daddy, I'm here! What kind of power-boosting thing did you say you'd bring me last time?"

His big eyes were full of curiosity and anticipation.

Chen Guangrui was startled when Tang Sheng suddenly turned back from a stone. She bent down, smiled, and patted his smooth little head.
“That’s great… Father has been so busy lately, let’s wait a few days. In a few days, Father will take you to the Heavenly Court to broaden your horizons and see the fairies there.”

"A fairy?" Tang Sheng tilted her head, looking confused.
"What's so interesting about fairies? Aren't they just older sisters dressed in fancy clothes? There are goddesses worshipped in temples too."

Chen Guangrui chuckled.
"Haha, you naturally don't understand now. Once you see it with your own eyes, you'll naturally understand what true power is."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong chuckled, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief.

"So, Chen Guangrui, so that's what you were planning, taking the little monk to see fairies? I bet you're up to no good. Aren't you afraid that if Buddha finds out, he'll imprison you under a mountain too?"

Chen Guangrui stood up straight, his expression calm.
"Great Sage, you flatter me. Everyone has a love of beauty. Even those old-fashioned abbots in temples in the mortal world have several concubines in secret. Liking to look at beautiful women is not a sin, as long as it is done openly and honestly. What is terrible are those hypocrites who appear dignified on the surface but are actually lewd and immoral in their private lives."

He paused, pointed at Tang Sheng, and looked at Sun Wukong with surprise.
"This child has become so skilled in transformation techniques? It's only been a few days, hasn't it?"

The stone was flawless; he wouldn't have noticed it at all if it hadn't revealed itself.

Upon hearing the mention of Tang Sheng's talent, Sun Wukong's face immediately lit up with pride, and he puffed out his chest.
"Hmph, that's right. Don't you even know who taught him? My methods..."

Chen Guangrui feigned surprise and replied,
"This child's talent is simply unheard of. Even when the Great Sage first learned transformations, he probably didn't progress this quickly."

"Nonsense!" Sun Wukong couldn't stand this kind of talk, and he almost jumped up in anger, pointing at Chen Guangrui and shouting.
"Back in my day, I was incredibly gifted. My foundation was so strong it would scare you to death. I learned the Seventy-Two Transformations with just a few words..."

He was about to boast about his past glories when Chen Guangrui smiled and waved his hand, promptly bringing the topic back to the main point.
“A hero doesn’t dwell on past glories. But I have an important matter to ask the Great Sage. My second golden pill was just about to absorb the last bit of its medicinal power when it was interrupted. My foundation seems a bit unstable. How can I remedy this?”

Sun Wukong's eyes darted around, a hint of probing and disbelief in them.

"The medicinal effects of the Golden Elixir have been interrupted? This is not a good matter. Wait... don't tell me you still have a substandard elixir refined in Laozi's Eight Trigrams Furnace?"

Chen Guangrui didn't hide anything. He took out an exquisite jade box from his sleeve, opened it, and inside lay more than ten pills of different colors. Although their radiance was restrained and not as dazzling as the Nine-Turn Golden Pill, their pill energy was pure and their fragrance was refreshing. They were the inferior pills unique to the Tushita Palace.

Sun Wukong stared at the box of pills, stunned for several breaths, before taking a deep breath. His monkey face contorted in a strange expression. He circled Chen Guangrui twice, scrutinizing him from head to toe with his fiery eyes, and finally muttered something in an extremely complicated tone:
"My goodness... Is Laozi really your uncle? How could you carry around such a precious thing like candy?"

He vigorously scratched the hair on his face, as if trying to dispel the absurdity, before saying irritably,

"As for a solution... there is one. Just use the method I taught you to repair your foundation, continue circulating your qi throughout your body, and draw upon the medicinal power. These inferior pills, while their medicinal power is far less potent than the Nine-Turn Golden Pill, are gentler and contain pure Daoist essence."

Sun Wukong picked up the box and weighed it in his hand; it seemed to make his teeth ache a little.
"You should chew one every few days as a supplement, to help nourish your body slowly with your method. Although it's a bit slow, little by little, it will eventually solidify your deficiency. However,"

He changed the subject, his tone becoming sarcastic.

"The method is good, but it's probably difficult for you to cultivate in peace and quiet in that Imperial Stables. You could be interrupted again at any time, and all your previous efforts could be wasted."

Chen Guangrui remained calm, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
"It's alright. Within three days, I will have a way to ensure that no one in the Imperial Stables will dare to disturb my peaceful life."

He put away the jade box and looked intently at Sun Wukong.

"When the time comes, Great Sage, don't go back on your promise to me."

Sun Wukong was stunned, his monkey eyes widening.

"You really intend to deal with all those officials from the Imperial Horse Stables? How would you do that?"

He knew all too well how difficult those old hands at the Imperial Horse Stables were to deal with.

Seeing that Chen Guangrui didn't speak, the monkey scratched his head again, "Then what do you want me to do for you? Let's make it clear, I won't do anything that I, Old Sun, can't do."

Chen Guangrui wore a confident smile.

"Don't worry, Great Sage, you not only know how to do this, but you do it very well."

Chen Guangrui deliberately kept everyone in suspense, waiting until Sun Wukong's curiosity was fully piqued before he spoke.
"Raising horses".

(End of this chapter)