Yanfu: Starting with the Six-Eared Macaque

Seeing this, Chen Xing quickly reached out and grabbed her arm, gently shaking his head.

Seeing the young man's excited expression, I glanced at the bookstore owner behind the counter, who was fiddling with Buddhist prayer beads. The owner's indifferent eyes and nonchalant expression showed that he hadn't heard a word the young man said.

"No one can really say for sure about these things," Chen Xing said to Mo Chou in a low voice, then pulled her around and left the crowd, with Mo Mingxuan following silently behind.

A few steps further on, under the window of the bookstore next door, sat several impoverished students. Most of them were dressed in thin clothes, their faces pale and sickly, clearly suffering from long-term malnutrition.

Several people huddled around the stall, books in hand, reading aloud in hushed tones, afraid of missing a single word. One of the younger students, whose legs were starting to go numb from standing for so long, shifted his position slightly, careful not to disturb the others.

The bookstore owner sat in a grand chair by the door, smoking a pipe. He didn't chase away the students who were "borrowing books," but only glanced at them occasionally before lowering his head to smoke his own cigarette.

"This boss is really nice; he's so kind and generous." Mo Chou looked at the generous boss in front of her, and then thought of the boss who had cheated the scholars earlier, and couldn't help but sigh.

Chen Xing paused and observed for a moment, deeply moved: "In these times of war and chaos, people's lives are in ruins, and there are very few people who can calm down and study. Even though these poor students are hungry and poorly dressed, they are still dedicated to their books. Their thirst for knowledge is truly rare."

Mo Chou, standing to the side, also lost her usual liveliness, and her eyes became more serious.

Looking at the students who were wrapped up tightly in their clothes but unwilling to move, she softly echoed, "Yes, I wonder when we will be able to live a peaceful life where everyone has access to education and everyone has enough to eat."

A gust of autumn wind blew by, and the students wrapped their clothes tighter, but they didn't move an inch, still immersed in the world of books.

Not wanting to disturb them, Chen Xing and the other two tiptoed away.

If you keep walking along Liulichang Street, you will reach Haiwangcun Park. This area was originally a low-lying area in Liulichang, but it was later developed into a park and has become a popular place for people to relax and unwind.

The park is planted with many deciduous trees. In late autumn, the leaves turn yellow and fall with the wind, covering the ground with a thick layer that rustles when you step on them.

Deep within the park are several teahouses, which are bustling with activity at this time of day. The melodious sounds of opera, mixed with the sounds of people drinking tea and chatting, drift over from afar.

Mo Chou has never liked listening to opera, finding the slurring and grating annoying.

After discussing it for a while, Chen Xing and the other two found a teahouse by the lake where storytelling was performed. They chose a good seat by the window, where they could hear the storytelling on stage clearly and also glimpse the autumn scenery of the lake outside through the window, which was very pleasant.

As soon as I sat down, he hurried over, a warm smile plastered on his face. "Sir, what would you like to order? We have Longjing, Biluochun, and local jasmine tea, all fresh and of good quality!"

"Bring a pot of jasmine tea and a plate of melon seeds," Chen Xing ordered with a smile.

"Okay, just a moment!" the waiter replied, turning around and quickly getting back to work.

Before long, a pot of steaming hot jasmine tea was served. The tea was clear and had a delicate jasmine fragrance that was refreshing and delightful.

Chen Xing poured himself a cup, took a small sip, and the warm tea slid down his throat, instantly dispelling the chill from his body.

At this moment, on the stage of the teahouse, an old gentleman was sitting at his desk, holding a gavel, and vividly telling the story of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," specifically the tale of Zhao Zilong rescuing his lord single-handedly.

When he got to the exciting part, the old gentleman suddenly slammed his gavel, his voice rising abruptly, and the audience below immediately erupted in cheers.

Mo Chou was also captivated by the music, and shouted "Good!" loudly, clapping her hands until they were red, her face full of excitement.

Chen Xing and the other two leaned back in their chairs, listening to audiobooks, drinking tea, chatting, and savoring this moment of leisure.

They spent the whole day leisurely, and only parted ways after dinner.

Chen Xing returned to the inn and carefully checked the completed mechanisms and props one last time. After confirming that everything was in order, he lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and quietly waited for the second watch of the night.

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Inside the Forbidden City, at the Grand Council.

"Your Highness, aren't you leaving yet?" An official dressed in a robe embroidered with cranes, having already tidied up his desk, turned and asked Prince Chun.

"There are still some constitutional charters to be reviewed. His Majesty will personally review them tomorrow, so we need to finish them today before we can leave." Prince Chun raised his head, shifting his gaze from the desk, and casually replied.

"Then you go ahead with your work, I'll take my leave first." The official bowed and took his leave, turning and walking out of the Military Affairs Office.

As soon as he reached the door, a burly man with a dark face dressed in military uniform stepped forward, bowed, and greeted him: "Lord Chen."

"Xiaoguo," Lord Chen stopped and looked at him, instructing him, "Since the Buddha has appointed you to protect the Prince, you must not betray the Buddha's trust and the court's favor."

"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Chen. I will do my utmost to help you," Yan Xiaoguo replied respectfully, bowing deeply.

"I think His Highness will be busy for a while, so you don't need to stay here." Lord Chen patted Yan Xiaoguo's shoulder, stopping him from bowing again. "I'll be going now." With that, he walked away.

-----------------

It was the second watch of the night in an alley not far from the Prince Chun's Mansion.

Mo Mingxuan and his sister were already waiting there, both hiding in the shadows by the wall, their breathing extremely low. Very faint footsteps came from the alley entrance, and the two recognized the person by the cold moonlight before quietly emerging.

"Brother Chen." Mo Mingxuan clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice so soft that only a few people nearby could hear him.

"Brother Mo, Miss Mo," Chen Xing returned the greeting, his tone equally somber. "Before you depart, I'd like to offer one more piece of advice. The Prince's residence is a complex and intricate place; please be extremely careful and refrain from acting impulsively."

"Of course!" Mo Chou patted her chest and assured him with a firm look in her eyes.

"In that case, let's not delay and set off now." Chen Xing nodded and gave the two of them a wink.

After saying that, the three of them tacitly lowered their profiles and walked quickly toward the Prince Chun's residence.

Along the way, the three of them carefully avoided the patrolling constables and the night watchmen who banged clappers, using the corners of walls and the shadows of trees as cover, and quietly made their way to the northwest wall of the Prince's Mansion.

According to the previously agreed plan, the three decided to climb over the wall from the west side, then sneak into the depths of the mansion along the tree-lined path in the garden. If they encountered any accidents along the way, they would simply climb over the north wall and escape in time.

The three of them found a secluded corner along the base of the wall where the branches and leaves were dense and not easily noticed. After looking around to make sure no one was around, they quickly climbed over the wall and entered the palace.

Just as Chen Xing's feet touched the ground, a voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"You have entered the Prince Chun's residence!"

You have officially initiated this Jambudvipa event!

The event requirements are as follows:

Awaken the remnant soul within the white jade ornament carved with the Six-Eared Macaque. Failure will result in the deduction of all points from this Jambudvipa event and the erasure of any purchase privileges unlocked during this Jambudvipa event!

The location of the white jade macaque offering longevity ornament will be announced periodically, with an effective range of five kilometers. Please check back at that time.

Please note that all your actions in this Jambudvipa event will have an impact that grants you additional purchasing privileges and higher settlement rewards. The greater the impact of your actions, the higher the settlement rewards! This principle applies to the vast majority of Jambudvipa events.

Note: Do you remember what I said when I first entered? "Make a scene! Traveling Master!"