Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

......

The Xiao family wields significant military and political power in Lulong, enjoying a high degree of autonomy.

The money is theirs, the taxes are theirs, and the army is theirs.

When things are alright, you can ask Chen Yuan, that generous emperor, for more military funds.

The way to get military funding is to send a small amount of money...

It's no exaggeration to say that the Xiao family are the emperors of Lulong.

A lavish banquet, brightly lit as day.

Chen Shao rushed as fast as he could, but he was still almost half an hour late.

He tossed the reins to the servants of the Xiao family who were waiting at the gate and strode into the mansion.

The banquet hall was already full of people, but no one had touched their chopsticks, clearly waiting for him, the guest.

The head of the table was Xiao Yan, and beside him was a graceful and beautiful woman, well-maintained and with a full figure.

Beside the beautiful woman stood a girl of about seventeen or eighteen, with bright eyes and white teeth.

"These should be Xiao Yan's wife and daughter."

Chen Shao secretly observed that below Xiao Yan were several dignified old men, each sitting upright.

Further down the line are his two sons and other prominent members of the Xiao clan.

With the third brother not around, Chen Shao felt relieved.

As expected, the sons of concubines were of low status and could not even be invited to the banquet.

"General Xuanji has arrived," the servant at the door announced in a drawn-out voice.

All the guests turned their heads at once.

Chen Shao remained expressionless and strode into the hall.

He bowed respectfully to Xiao Yan, who was seated in the main seat, and said in a loud voice:

"I was delayed by military affairs and arrived a little late. I apologize for keeping Lord Xiao and everyone else waiting."

Xiao Yan waved his hand to indicate that it was alright, and pointed to the seat his son had previously occupied, inviting Chen Shao to sit down.

Just as Chen Shao was about to turn around and sit down, an old man to Xiao Yan's left coughed lightly.

This seemed to be a signal, and everyone in the room fell silent.

The old man looked Chen Shao up and down, who had stopped in his tracks.

"Being born into poverty is not a disgrace; a true man is one who can bend and stretch."

"You call yourself a hero, yet on your first visit to my Xiao family's banquet, you leave all the guests sitting and waiting. Isn't that rather impolite?"

Chen Shaohao laughed heartily.

"Please don't be offended, sir. I am a humble man from humble origins, having grown up in a mountain valley. All I have learned is loyalty and righteousness."

"As for etiquette, I really don't know much about it."

"Since you are under the command of General Ren Gong and hold considerable military power, you must be a learned man."

Chen Shao thought to himself, "This is going to test me. I need to assess its quality and see if there's any possibility of cooperation."

People from prominent families wouldn't act like mindless villains and make things difficult for others.

"May I ask you, sir, what would you like to ask?"

Do you understand poetry?

"Poetry is a minor art, of no benefit to people's livelihood, and I don't understand it."

The old man pressed further, "Do you understand music?"

The literati and nobles gathered together, but there were no shops or clubs.

Women are not a rare thing.

The only things that can cultivate one's character are poetry, songs, calligraphy, music, and so on.

This often becomes a marker for judging whether someone has had contact with high society.

If Chen Shao had appeared under any other identity, he would have surely copied their poems and killed them.

Let them know what five thousand years of civilization means.

But this identity is not suitable.

He laughed loudly:

"Decadent music is of no benefit to the nation; I do not understand it."

"Do you understand military strategy?"

"Theoretical knowledge is useless in actual combat; I don't understand it."

"You are ignorant of poetry and literature, music, and military strategy; you know nothing. What makes you think you can become an honored guest of the Xiao family?"

"May I ask who you are, sir?"

"I am Xiao Lue. I was the top scholar in the imperial examination in the third year of Qing'an. I once held the rank of first-grade official and was appointed as the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince. After retiring, I returned to my hometown to live out my days. Now I am honored to be an elder of the Xiao clan."

Oh, he's of high status. No wonder he didn't recognize him... Chen Shao felt relieved.

"It turns out it's the boss. I'm disrespectful."

"This humble Taoist priest is not good at composing poems, playing the zither or flute, or even engaging in theoretical discussions, but what I do know, you all may not."

"What I understand is the way to victory."

"How arrogant!" The old man shook his head in disappointment.

Chen Shao, however, seemed not to have heard.

"From military equipment improvement and maintenance to Taoist divination for good and bad fortune."

"From celestial phenomena and weather changes to pathology, pharmacology, and even massage."

"This humble Taoist is proficient in everything and knowledgeable in everything."

As soon as he finished speaking, the elegant and beautiful woman beside Xiao Yan trembled violently and couldn't help but let out a soft cry.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Chen Shao glanced at the beautiful woman.

Realizing she had been rude, she quickly took the opportunity to spill the wine and hurriedly began to clean up the mess.

The others didn't notice her action.

They were all shocked by Chen Shao's boastful words.

The next moment, everyone burst into laughter.

"You are only around twenty years old, yet you are already a learned man? Aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew?"

"The Yellow Turban Taoist magic is nothing but a mere illusion, good enough to fool the common people, but not presentable here."

"If they truly possessed such abilities, why would the Yellow Turbans have roamed the northern lands like stray dogs?"

Some people even used vulgar language:

"If it's that awesome, why doesn't it just fly to the sky?"

Chen Shao glanced around at the laughing guests, his expression unchanged.

He laughed loudly:

"Well said, then why don't I just go to heaven?"

"Indeed, I cannot ascend to heaven, for I possess the skill to slay dragons, but lack the power to do so."

"Although the Yellow Turbans are powerful, I will not hide anything from you all."

"The Yellow Turbans have changed their appearance. They are no longer an army that speaks for the people, but have become a rotten army just like the imperial court."

"I possess great skills, yet I am trapped in this quagmire."

"This is the reason why I have come to visit you today."

"What the Yellow Turbans lacked was not soldiers, nor food, but a backbone."

"A backbone that can revitalize the world—looking across the north, only the Xiao family of Lulong is worthy of being called that backbone."

A glint flashed in Xiao Lue's eyes. "The art of slaying dragons is not something that can be achieved by mere words. Since you have made such a bold claim, you must demonstrate something of substance to broaden my horizons."

Chen Shao smiled slightly, about to speak, when Xiao Yan stood up and gently smoothed things over:

"General Xuanji has come from afar, and today is a family banquet. Why be so formal? Let's enjoy the feast first; there's plenty of time in the future..."

After saying that, he glared at the others as if he were blaming them.

"Our Xiao family has always valued etiquette. Your behavior will make outsiders say that our Xiao family has no way of treating guests."

Chen Shao waved his hand.

"Lord Xiao, there's no need for that. We江湖人 (jianghu people) are the least concerned with etiquette, so this makes us feel more at ease."

"When the mood strikes, there's no reason to call it a halt. Since the old gentleman wishes to take a look, I'll show you a few skills, just to add to your enjoyment of the drink."

He stretched his hand out onto the table and said:

"I need to borrow some paper."

Several obedient maids immediately brought over a sheet of white paper.

Chen Shao had watched a lot of magic tricks in his previous life, especially Liu Qian's unarmed magic.

So he rolled up his sleeves.

Hold the Xuan paper between two fingers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now is the moment to witness a miracle."