How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

Chapter 145 The Princess Feels Spring Has Arrived

Outside the imperial city, Cui Wusheng was waiting for him.

"Brother Zhou!" Cui Wusheng breathed a sigh of relief. "My ultimate wish to participate in the Qingshan Literary Gathering is something I've only mentioned to you. Apart from you, no one else knows what I want most."

"So that's why you're being so pretentious! Even the magistrate asked you, but you wouldn't tell!" Zhou Wenju glared at him. "Learn from me. Stop being so pretentious. If you want something, take it! If you can't get it, steal it. If you can't even steal it, just rob it!"

Cui Wusheng's eyes widened: "Brother Zhou, you are now a fifth-rank official in the imperial court, which is not a small position, and you are also a master of literature. You can't be so disrespectful to scholars, can you?"

"Nonsense! There are plenty of literary masters out there, so what if someone is a fifth-rank official? Look at the court today, those second-rank, first-rank, and even higher-ranking officials, are they really not disgracing scholars? They're all scrambling for land, money, power, and even the air itself—they're not pretentious, so why should we be?"

Cui Wusheng shook his head slightly.

This guy has a prejudice against officialdom!

This is a difficult question to answer, so I'll just leave it at that.

"Alright, I was being pretentious before. From now on, I'll never be pretentious in front of you!" Cui Wusheng said, "Want to come to my place?"

"Let's skip it today. I'll pay you a visit the day after tomorrow!"

"It's a deal then! I'll be waiting for you at 'Feiyinwan' the day after tomorrow!"

Cui Wusheng did not persist today.

It's because today is of great significance to him.

His figure swayed, like a song flowing through Luoyang City, reaching "Feiyinwan" in the north of the city.

My mother bought this garden.

She was a top courtesan in brothels for decades, and she still managed to save some money.

The name "Feiyinwan" was chosen by Cui Wusheng.

"Wasteful sounds" can be self-deprecating, mocking one's own voice, which is simply useless.

It could also be used to mock the world.

He mocks all the sounds of the world, considering them all worthless.

And today, the sounds of this garden are clearly still heard.

Because today's sound is the music of imperial rites and rituals—

The people from the Imperial Ceremonial Office had arrived. His mother, Cui Xiu'e, initially thought the people from the Imperial Court had come to the wrong place, so she quickly ran out.

She was greeted by an imperial edict: By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that Cui Xiu'e, having excelled in raising her son and rendered great service to the nation, is hereby granted the title of Fifth-Rank Imperial Lady, and bestowed with the following honors:

Cui Xiu'e knelt down, tears streaming down her beautiful face.

Until the people from the Imperial Ceremonial Office left.

When the two maids helped her up, crying, she was still completely dazed.

Crown Prince Yanqiu emerged from the Hall of Merit with a beaming smile and entered the Eastern Palace. Judging from his demeanor along the way, he was just as happy as his father, the Emperor.

However, as he stepped into Donglai Pavilion, the spring breeze on his face vanished.

Before the tea table, Bai Luoshui stood with a bow, and in front of the Crown Prince's seat was a cup of tea that he had just brewed himself.

"Your Highness! I have observed their minds through the lens of chess; both Vice Ministers have lost their composure!"

The crown prince gave a cold laugh: "They're afraid of a mere fifth-rank official?"

"What they fear isn't just a fifth-rank official, but the Emperor's favor, and the consequences," Bai Luoshui said. "With just a literary gathering, this traitor Zhou could enter officialdom from humble beginnings, gain unparalleled literary influence, and be showered with imperial favor—given time, it's truly unimaginable what will happen!"

Bai Luoshui bowed and handed the teacup to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince slowly sat down: "You assert—given time, this boy will become Yan Chun's right-hand man?"

"In the art of chess, sometimes a single move placed on the board may seem insignificant at first glance, but in fact, it becomes the key to the entire game!"

"The Way of Chess, your specialty, please explain in detail—"

The Bai Luo River thus begins its journey —

Zhou Wenju was the son of Zhou Liangsheng, a staunch supporter of Prince Zheng Yanchun. Even though he was implicated in the "Yantai Case," he remained loyal to Prince Zheng.

Zhou Wenju, with this bloodline, was naturally a member of the Zheng King's faction.

If it were just an ordinary junior, even if there were ten or a hundred more, it wouldn't affect the rivalry between His Highness the Crown Prince and Prince Zheng Yanchun.

But this person is no ordinary junior.

He was a master of ci poetry!

His literary reputation was truly at its zenith in the Great Yu Kingdom.

He is still a prodigy in the art of ink; he can make guns!

gun----

That's a deadly weapon on the battlefield!

That alone was enough to stir up the Crown Prince's nerves.

Why?

Because of the struggle for succession in the imperial dynasties, life and death were ultimately decided by force.

Guns are, in themselves, the most significant enhancement to military power!

Why did the Crown Prince immediately send his close advisor Bai Luoshui to Nanyang during the Lingnan Incident? It was because the word "gun" was far too sensitive.

This person possesses something more terrifying than a gun: his cunning.

Looking at his rise in Lingnan, every step he took was exceptionally precise. His current imperial favor is not accidental, but rather the result of his superb scheming and meticulous planning.

Such a person is extremely dangerous if he gets close to King Zheng!

This is one of them!

Secondly, there is another layer —

That is the hearts of the people on the Crown Prince's side.

The struggle among princes for the throne is a contest between people and power.

The two vice ministers were his men, and the Prince of Rulan was one of his most trusted and influential figures.

These three all had blood feuds with Zhou Wenju: one killed his son, and the other wiped out his entire family.

If the Crown Prince cannot help these three eliminate this enemy, and if he allows their enemy to rise to prominence and thrive, wouldn't that be telling the world that His Highness the Crown Prince cannot protect those around him?

During the critical period of the two sons vying for the throne, the destructive power of this ideology was unprecedented.

When a ruler looks at his subordinates, he looks at whether they have any useful roles to play.

Subordinates also look to their lord; they too hope to follow a lord who can protect them and allow them to hold their heads high. If their lord cannot fulfill their wishes, why should they risk their lives to follow him and do such important things?

Therefore, things have come to this point.

Zhou Wenju's case is no longer just about a young man; it concerns the grand, enduring struggle for the throne between the Crown Prince and Prince Zheng Yanchun.

"Mr. Luoshui's analysis is reasonable!" The Crown Prince slowly raised his gaze: "In your opinion, what should be done?"

"The two vice ministers are showing signs of backing down; this is absolutely unacceptable!" Bai Luoshui said, "I have a plan that will leave them no room to back down, and at the same time, it will put the Zhou family to death!"

The prince's eyes lit up: "Tell me—"

Bai Luoshui's voice, like flowing water, seeped deep into the Crown Prince's mind.

His Highness the Crown Prince smiled and said, "Sir, your strategy, though seemingly simple, is the most brilliant approach. Execute it!"

This strategy kills two birds with one stone.

The stone struck Zhou Wenju, utterly destroying him.

The other stone struck two of the vice ministers.

Why even the Vice Minister was attacked?

At this critical juncture, how could the two vice ministers possibly back down?

Your retreat is a matter of morale!

It concerns people's hearts!

The two vanguard officers who used to charge ahead with the Crown Prince, you've both retreated, you're afraid. What will others think? Isn't that desertion on the battlefield? Do you think the loss is just two soldiers? It's morale that's damaged, it's the momentum!

White clouds drift lazily across the sky.

The East Palace Garden is ablaze with flowers.

Bai Luoshui moved like flowing water, passing through the hall and out—

Her clothes fluttered in the wind, and petals drifted down.

Not only the East Palace, but there is another place that is even more magnificent and luxurious than the East Palace.

That could only be His Majesty's Imperial Garden.

On the west side of the Imperial Garden, there are three artificial hills and a small lake with a winding corridor over the lake, reflecting the scenery of the deep palace.

A window was open at an angle, and a beautiful woman was looking rather bored.

This woman, about eighteen or nineteen years old, had a face like a lotus flower, but her breasts were quite voluptuous. She was none other than the Seventh Princess who had traveled to Nanyang for the poetry gathering that day.

Because of her unconventional behavior, the Seventh Princess was confined by the Empress for three months.

I missed the New Year's Eve dinner and the Lantern Festival lanterns.

She was only released three days ago.

Only after her release did she learn that the person she had met at the Nanyang poetry gathering during her confinement had done a series of things that had made her heart flutter—

This master of poetry can also make guns!

The Emperor is paying attention to him!

He came to the capital.

On the Lantern Festival, he actually wrote the Heavenly Dao Poem "Green Jade Table".

When she read the line "I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd, and suddenly when I turned around, I found her where the lights were dim," she couldn't control herself. She grabbed Xiao Suotou and asked her, "Tell me, isn't the man I've taken a liking to one of the most extraordinary men in the world?"

How should the poor little padlock answer?

The only well-intentioned reminder was: "Your Highness, you've just been released. Please don't act impulsively and lock yourself up for another three months! Your Highness is in a period of seclusion for cultivation. Consider this confinement as a form of seclusion. I'm so bored spending all day watching ants fight on the windowsill—"

Today is the big day he returns to bestow honors upon him!

The padlock has been put out, why haven't you replied to the message yet?

The seventh princess fiddled with a hairpin on the windowsill, stirring up years of accumulated dust.

The two palace maids behind them were terrified by the scene.

This hairpin was bestowed by the Empress, and it is priceless. If it were made of gold, no one would dare to say anything if you used it to trim a lamp wick. But this hairpin is made of "Western Heaven Jade". What will you do if it breaks?

But the Seventh Princess didn't seem to care about the priceless hairpin at all; she kept picking and choosing, and the more she picked, the heavier it became.

Thump thump thump outside —

Footsteps approached.

The Seventh Princess turned around abruptly and saw Little Lockhead rushing in like a whirlwind.

The princess pulled hard on the hairpin in her hand, and snapped—

It's broken!

The two palace maids behind her gasped in surprise, their faces turning deathly pale.

The princess rubbed her hands together, then casually tossed the broken hairpin in two aside: "How about it?"

Xiao Suotou, panting, took a deep breath: "Your Highness, the results are in. Everyone has been rewarded, including Zhuang Xuezheng—"

"Who has the patience to listen to anyone else? You just need to say what he said!" the princess interrupted directly.

"Young Master Zhou has been appointed a fifth-rank military commander of the Dingchao Division, and his ancestral home, the Plum Garden, has been returned to him!"

"Only a fifth-rank official?" the Seventh Princess said. "Father is so stingy—"

"You're not young anymore, Your Highness!" Little Lockhead was speechless. "The top scholar's first official appointment was only a fifth-rank official. He's almost as good as the top scholar."

"Could the top scholar write 'I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd'? What's there to compare?" The Seventh Princess pouted, "What else?"

"There's something else. I heard that at the Qingshan Literary Gathering, Young Master Zhou not only wrote a poem but also played a tune on the flute. His music was even better than his poetry!"

"My goodness, this little devil is even playing music! He won't stop until he's completely bewitched me!"

Xiao Suotou's face turned pale, while the two palace maids outside stared at each other wide-eyed.

Little Lockhead immediately waved his hand: "You all, get out of here right now! His Highness was drunk just now, and not a single word he said is to be uttered!"

"Yes!" The two palace maids immediately slipped away.

Two palace maids scurried away, and the princess lowered her voice, asking, "Is he in the plum garden at this hour?"

Little Lockhead was terrified: "Your Highness, what do you want to do? Don't scare me—"

"Look at you, so pathetic!" The Seventh Princess glanced at her. "I just wanted to see him, is it really necessary to be this scared?"

"Look? Your Highness—you've only been out for three days—"

"So what if I'm out for three days? So what if I'm locked up for three months? Can you erase my heart that yearns for the Dao?"

A heart yearning for the Way!

My goodness, how dare you use such high-class words?

You're clearly in heat—

But playfulness aside, Little Lockhead wouldn't risk his life. This kind of thing is best left unsaid; he'd never argue about it.

She fell silent, but the princess became interested: "Let's discuss how to see him."

Little Lockhead couldn't dodge it, so he could only forcefully advise, "Your Highness, you must think it over—"

"What's with all this 'thinking it over'? In these past four months, I've thought about him a thousand times over—he's already come to the capital. If I miss this opportunity, my Mr. Ma will really run away."

"Her Majesty the Empress will find out."

"So what if I know? My mother's restriction on me is that I cannot leave the capital and cannot associate with shady people. He is now a fifth-rank official appointed by the Emperor himself. Do you still dare to call him a shady, unemployed vagrant?"

Once this reason was found, the Seventh Princess suddenly felt much more confident.

Last time I left Beijing.

She violated her mother's decree and was imprisoned for three months; she had to admit it!

I won't leave Beijing today, and I won't associate with shady characters.

She did not violate the ban.

She treats breaking the rules like it's nothing, but what's wrong with doing what's right?

Unfortunately, Xiao Suotou couldn't straighten his back and groaned weakly, "Even if Your Highness has the most righteous reason for leaving the palace, it will still be hard to escape the ulterior motives of others. Does Your Highness really not care?"

The Seventh Princess rolled her eyes slightly; what she said made sense.

When the royal princess travels, the room is quite large.

"Hey, Little Lockhead, let's pretend to be the young ladies of the Prime Minister's mansion!"

"Disguised as—the Prime Minister's daughter?" Little Lockhead was quite surprised.

In the common people, many people pretend to be high-ranking officials and nobles. If it were not taboo to pretend to be a daughter of a prime minister, probably every young lady in the capital would want to do it.

But you are a princess!

You're pretending to be the young lady from the Prime Minister's mansion?

What's the point?

"This is a bit too crazy, Your Highness. Why would you have such a thought?"

The Seventh Princess said bitterly, "That old bastard Prime Minister is obsessed with marrying me off to that scoundrel from the Mo family. I've been furious with him for a long time. Today, I'll go out as the Prime Minister's daughter. If there are any rumors, it will be his family's reputation that suffers!"

Little Lock stared at her blankly.

My mind went blank with a torrent of thoughts.

Princess, you actually know that this scandalous affair is disgraceful to the family, don't you?

I thought you didn't know.

"Go, prepare a sedan chair bearing the insignia of the Prime Minister's residence, then arrange for someone to keep an eye on it and see when the Prince Consort is available—"

""

Little Lock could only pray —

I pray that this "prince consort" will have some inconvenience every day during his trip to Beijing.

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