How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

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"The real reason is... after all, you're my comrade. I can't bear the shame of you crawling on the ground collecting this trash, working day and night, until the sun was high and the moon was dark!"

Lin Nongyue gritted her teeth: "You think I'm embarrassing you by copying poems? Well then, I'll see what kind of poem you write for me tomorrow."

"Put the umbrella away! Go back to your room!"

Lin Nongyue really put away her umbrella and followed him back to the quiet room...

I closed the door and drank a cup of hot tea...

Lin Nongyue let out a soft sigh: "Actually, I didn't copy the poems for myself."

"I accept that in principle. If you really like poetry, you should have some appreciation. It's unlikely that you would like it so much that you can't distinguish between good and bad... Tell me, who are you doing this for?" Zhou Wenju asked, his interest piqued.

"My mother!" Lin Nongyue said, "My mother recites and copies poems at home every day. She loves poetry so much that she forgets herself. I thought that the best gift I could bring her on this trip would be poetry."

"Those poems she copied, were they written by your father?"

"I hadn't really noticed, but now that you mention it, it seems to be true..."

"My God!" Zhou Wenju pressed his palm to his forehead and remained motionless for a long time.

"What's wrong now?"

Zhou Wenju raised his eyes: "Just because your mother copies your father's poems every day, you're concluding that she's obsessed with poetry? Is it possible that she likes these poems... simply because they were written by your father? Is she not actually obsessed with poetry, but rather obsessed with missing your father?"

Lin Nongyue was stunned.

"Think about it carefully, isn't that the truth..."

Lin Nongyue gently pressed her hand to her forehead: "Is it really true?"

"I bet my already limited amount of good character on it, really!"

"Then what should we do?" Lin Nongyue said, "When we see my father, should we ask him to write a poem?"

"That's a good idea!"

"So when are you going to visit my father? Why don't we do it today?"

"Is today... not a good day?"

"Today is the last day of the Lantern Festival, so visiting relatives and friends today is considered a New Year's greeting..."

"Indeed, but there's a problem!" Zhou Wenju said, "Today, I'm just a nobody. If I go to visit a high-ranking official of the second rank in the imperial court, how would he know who I am? If he just shuts the door on me and refuses me entry, who can I complain to?"

Lin Nongyue nodded gently: "I completely accept what you said, but if it doesn't work today, will it work later? Won't it be the same later?"

"Things might be different after tomorrow..."

What will happen tomorrow?

"It's nothing much, just a literary gathering. After this gathering, there's reason to believe that the entire capital will know what the name Zhou Wenju means..."

"What does that mean?"

Zhou Wenju looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, exuding an air of dominance, but ultimately he let out a long sigh: "I don't know..."

"Tch! My neck is sore from looking up, waiting for you to brag! And you? You've been putting on airs for so long, but you don't even dare to boast about anything big. So tell me... what can you possibly accomplish?" Lin Nongyue rolled her eyes at him with disdain.

next day!

The heavy snow eventually stopped.

Once the snow stopped, the sun shone exceptionally brightly.

The fog that covered the western mountains vanished without a trace overnight.

Under the blazing sun, the snowflakes on the branches melted into spring water, dripping down in a gentle, continuous stream.

Even the incense smoke from the Zen temple seemed to trace an even more beautiful arc in this refreshing and intoxicating air.

Zhou Wenju opened the gate to the side courtyard and gazed at Luoyang City, its veil torn away in the morning sunlight.

Lin Nongyue's voice came from behind: "Your attire today really makes you look like a scholar."

Yes, today he was dressed in a snow-white scholar's robe, with a purple headscarf tied around his head, exuding a refined and elegant scholar's air.

Lin Nongyue boldly guessed that the image her mother saw of her father under the moonlight that day was very likely this...

"What do you mean by 'likeness'?" Zhou Wenju glared at her. "Even now, you still can't accept that I'm a scholar?"

"What? You took the imperial examination in one night? You passed? Can you face the words 'Wenju' in your name with equanimity now?" Lin Nongyue met his gaze directly.

Snapped!

Zhou Wenju slapped his forehead: "Enough with the chatter, let's go down the mountain! Time for the meeting!"

He strode down the mountain.

Lin Nongyue followed along with a smile...

Descending from the Western Hills, passing through Weiyang Lake, the snow on the weeping willows melts into spring water, dripping down. After washing away the dust of the world, the willows reveal their verdant green, which may be the very first hint of spring's arrival...

In Luoyang, the rooftops of pavilions are still covered in snow.

But the festive atmosphere had already washed away the deep chill.

Red lanterns hung high on both sides of the shops.

The pedestrians on both sides were still wearing their New Year's clothes.

There are also various floats, which are undergoing final preparations.

The floats were probably the most grand entertainment for celebrating the Lantern Festival in this era...

Wealthy families flaunt their wealth with decorated floats.

A wealthy family used a decorated car to seek a suitable son-in-law.

Some might ask, can a decorated float help one find a good husband?

Maybe it really is possible...

In this era, young ladies from wealthy families were not allowed to show their faces in public at will.

They usually stay in the secluded courtyard, surrounded by three maids and a cat; there's nowhere to throw the embroidered ball even if they wanted to...

Thus, the tradition of "float" came into being.

In addition, this woman could sit in the flower-decorated carriage, behind a thin veil, and observe the talented young men of the city. If she met someone she liked, she could give him a handkerchief, a small lamp, or write down his name so that she could send him a letter later.

At least it opened a window for this sheltered young lady, didn't it?

Therefore, this tradition of floats continues every year.

When Zhou Wenju and Lin Nongyue entered the capital, it was still morning. The float parade was in the afternoon, and the climax was at nightfall, when the final preparations were underway.

Although it wasn't the kind of extravagant display of floats and lanterns that filled the daytime, the prosperity of Luoyang still left the two of them secretly impressed...

Once you cross the central axis, you'll reach the northern part of the city.

The North District lacks the worldly prosperity of the South District, but possesses a unique charm of culture and tradition.

The streets were filled with scholars dressed in scholar's robes.

The further north you go, the more people there are.

The area below Zuixing Tower was especially crowded with people.

Today, a worldly debate is taking place at the Drunken Star Pavilion.

The speaker was He Wenxin, a professor at Luoyang Academy.

Who is He Wenxin?

That was a master who wrote "Twelve Poetry Criticisms" and established his poetic philosophy!

Masters discussed the Dao, and great Confucian scholars gathered.

Even if a scholar is not qualified to enter the Drunken Star Pavilion to listen to the teachings, standing on the outside and feeling the light of literature is still an opportunity that a scholar cannot give up.

"Sigh..." Lin Nongyue's voice drifted into Zhou Wenju's ears: "You said my father's door was hard to enter, I think the door to this Drunken Star Pavilion is hard to enter too. Should I go in invisible and use a magic artifact to transmit the scene inside to you?"

As a descendant of the Void Clan, stealthily infiltrating a place is one of her specialties.

Zhou Wenju glared at her: "You've forgotten again... I'm here to attend a literary gathering. Have you ever seen anyone at a literary gathering who needs an inside man?"

March forward with great strides.

The scholar in front turned around, raised his hand, and handed him an invitation.

It was indeed Chung-ba.

The two walked side by side into the Drunken Star Pavilion. At the same time, their invitations flashed, and the waiter inside bowed, saying, "Gentlemen, please!"

Lin Nongyue stood in the crowd, gently biting her lip: "We came down the mountain together, and you even managed to snag an invitation. Did you think you could get rid of me like that?"

Her figure suddenly blurred and vanished from the spot...

When Zhou Wenju entered Zuixinglou, the scene before him instantly left him speechless.

From the outside, Zuixinglou is just a relatively tall restaurant.

It occupies several hundred square meters, but is only a dozen meters high.

But upon entering the restaurant, the sheer size of the interior space was astonishing, with each floor spanning several thousand square meters.

The pavilion has eight sides.

It surrounds the fifth-floor platform at the very top.

Why is this happening?

Zhou Wenju's gaze was fixed on a piece of gold paper.

This gold paper, hanging high atop the fifth-floor platform, is in the shape of the character "阔" (kuò, meaning vast or expansive).

At first glance, it's just a single character, nothing special.

However, once the gaze is focused, this character "阔" (kuò, meaning vast or expansive) seems to represent the division between heaven and earth, imbued with unparalleled weight and grandeur.

When the wind rises, it cannot reach the thin paper.

The sunlight couldn't penetrate the outline of this word.

Under the boundless power of literature and Tao, this restaurant resembled a world of immortals...

"Brother Zhong, who wrote this character?" Zhou Wenju asked telepathically.

"Written personally by Li Lüyi, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion." A faint voice echoed back from Zhongba.

"Wen Guo?"

"He's not just Wen Guo, he's Wen Jie!" Zhong Ba said.

The literary world!

Create a miniature world with just one word!

The Way of Literature is truly wondrous.

Zhou Wenju was momentarily stunned and filled with longing.

"Brother Zhou, are you overwhelmed by the power of this literary world?" Zhongba chuckled softly.

"I just suddenly had a few feelings..."

"What kind of feeling?"

"I suddenly realized that those corrupt officials in this world are incredibly foolish. They clearly possess the power of literature and could easily transform a small building in the capital into a grand mansion, with a single word worth millions of taels of gold. Why do they embezzle? Wouldn't it be better to earn money honestly and openly?"

"You... I really don't know what to say to you!" Chung-hachi chuckled. "Do you think just any scholar can change the world with a single word? Below the literary realm, although one can temporarily alter the universe with a single word, it's only temporary. To truly establish a boundary within ten years, only those above the literary realm can do so. How many people in the world truly reach the literary realm? And those who have truly reached the literary realm, which one hasn't seen through the vanities of the world? Why would they care about the little bit of money you're talking about?"

"That's true!" Zhou Wenju said. "Take this Grand Scholar for example. With just a casual word, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Zuixinglou to give him half a share. He could make a fortune without lifting a finger. Why would he care about money?"

Zhongba was both amused and exasperated: "You still can't escape your cunning businessman nature. Do you think that Grand Secretary Li wrote this one character for the restaurant for the sake of the restaurant's shares? He was just using the most direct visual experience to tell all the scholars in the world that the power of literature is everywhere, stimulating those in this field to keep moving forward. This is the sacred responsibility he bears on his shoulders as a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion."

"So... if someone unexpectedly rises to prominence in the literary world, at least this Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion would be happy to see it happen! Right?" Zhou Wenju's voice was somewhat mysterious.

The smile on Chung-hachi's face vanished instantly.

He sensed another layer of meaning behind their playful discussion...

The smile on Chung-hachi's face vanished instantly.

He sensed another layer of meaning behind their playful discussion...

In the capital, things seemed calm and peaceful.

However, Zhou Wenju's arrival in Beijing had already stirred up a storm.

Perhaps today's "Drunken Stars Discussing the Dao" is itself a kind of countermeasure against Zhou Wenju's entry into the capital.

From Zhou Wenju's perspective, he needs to leverage his connections.

His Majesty's favor was his only support.

However, Your Majesty, who occupies the highest position, cannot have everything go as you please.

Therefore, he set his sights on another person, namely Li Lüyi, the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion.

Li Lüyi carries two responsibilities on his shoulders: the management of literature and Taoism in the Great Yu Kingdom, and the inheritance of literature and Taoism in the Holy Temple.

Others might not be able to stand to see a peerless genius rise in the literary world, but Li Lüyi is happy to see it happen. As long as his performance is outstanding enough, Li Lüyi might actually be able to become his supporter.

This is no longer the way of literature, but the way of power struggles in the arena!

Chungpachi let out a soft sigh: "Today's situation is quite special. I'm a member of the Settlement Bureau, and the core principle of the Settlement Bureau is to remain neutral. Therefore, it's not convenient for me to directly support you. The rest is up to you!"

"Walk!"

The two climbed the steps, going straight up to the fifth floor...

Above the fifth floor, there is truly a wealth of talent.

Professors from the four top academies.

The most outstanding students in the academy.

A renowned scholar in the capital.

The sons of prominent Confucian scholars in the capital city—whenever a top literary gathering is held, these scholars will always try to bring their favorite sons along, firstly to increase their knowledge, secondly to broaden their horizons, and if they meet like-minded people, they can also expand their social circle.

And high-ranking officials in the capital...

Yes, many high-ranking officials from Beijing have come today. However, they have changed into plain clothes and are not on the fifth-floor platform, but are in private rooms.

Among them were two vice ministers.

He Fang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Li Zhongze, Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

The two men sat in the private room, their expressions grave...

He Fang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Li Zhongze, Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

Opposite them sat a man dressed in white, as pure as snow, with an air of refined elegance. He was none other than Bai Luoshui, a favorite of the Crown Prince.

Bai Luoshui gently waved her folding fan and leaned back slightly: "Are you two so somber today because of Prince Rulan's message just now, that the assassination attempt failed?"

Li Zhongze let out a soft sigh: "It's not a big deal that the prince failed, the problem is... the person who caused the assassination to fail was Zhongba!"

"Lord Li's concerns are quite valid. Zhongba is a front-line member of the Imperial Guard. Perhaps His Majesty has already made his decision!" He Fang said.

This is the somber feeling brought about by the message from the King of Rulan.

A highly skilled Taoist priest, employed by the Prince's mansion at a high salary, failed in his attempt to assassinate Zhou Wenju on his long journey to the capital.

That Daoist master also died.

The person who killed him was Zhongba of the Dingchao Division.

Upon hearing this news, the two vice ministers, who had been eagerly awaiting news of Zhou Wenju's death, were filled with apprehension.

Everyone knows what Dingchaosi is.

This is the "Imperial Domain," a place no prince can even dream of entering.