Yanfu: Starting with the Six-Eared Macaque

The next morning, when it was broad daylight.

The old man and the young man were still engrossed in exchanging skills, reluctant to leave. Chen Xing's advanced theories and magic techniques, originating from a century later, greatly inspired Fang Qianbian.

Fang Qianbian's decades of experience and ingenious techniques in magic tricks have greatly benefited Chen Xing in understanding the intricacies of traditional magic tricks, making up for many of his shortcomings.

"You have mastered the 'Divine Rope Technique' and grasped even more advanced magic tricks. Your magic specialization has increased from 69% to 72%!"

"Unfortunately, this breakthrough in specialization has failed to awaken your personal talent. Please continue your efforts."

"You've learned more advanced stage techniques, and your psychology expertise has increased from 48% to 55%!"

"Congratulations, Master Walker! This breakthrough has awakened your powerful personal talent: [The Principles of the Mind]."

[The Principles of the Mind]: Holders are greatly more sensitive to the behavior of others, making it easier to interpret the hidden information contained in actions and expressions. The upper limit of related specializations is also increased, and the information they express is more easily accepted by others.

"Old man, it's getting late, and we have a long way to go in the martial world, so I'll take my leave now!" After a night of in-depth conversation, Chen Xing already knew that Fang Qianbian was not on the same path as him. Seeing that it was already dawn, he immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bid farewell to Fang Qianbian.

"Good lad, when I return to the capital, remember to come to Shanyi Hall to have a drink with me!" The old man also stood up and responded, raising his hand to pat Chen Xing's shoulder with a steady and expectant gesture.

"I will certainly go and bother you!"

The two solemnly bid farewell in front of the mountain god temple, which had been reduced to ruins, and then turned and went their separate ways in different directions.

Facing the rising sun, Chen Xing walked briskly and eagerly through the city gates of the capital.

……

In the evening, at a wonton stall not far from the gate of Prince Chun's Mansion.

"Sir, here's your wonton." The stall owner placed a steaming bowl of wontons in front of Chen Xing.

Chen Xing sat on a small stool at the stall, picked up a spoon, and slowly stirred the wontons floating in the bowl. His gaze, however, was subtly sweeping towards the Prince Chun's Mansion not far away, while he sorted through the findings of the entire day in his mind.

The Prince Chun Mansion is a large complex, roughly divided into east and west sections. The west side is an elegant garden with pavilions and towers scattered about. The main buildings are concentrated in the mansion on the east side, surrounded by high walls and deep courtyards, heavily guarded, and stretching as far as the eye can see.

Chen Xing speculated that the mission target, the "White Jade Monkey Offering Longevity Ornament," was most likely stored in an important room within the mansion.

Bedroom, study, or perhaps a storeroom specifically for storing treasures?

I just don't know if there are any hidden doors or mechanisms deep within this prince's garden or mansion.

"I'll find a chance to sneak in tonight and take a look." Chen Xing scooped up a wonton and put it in his mouth, secretly planning the infiltration route and the situations he might encounter.

As he was planning his actions for the evening, a commotion suddenly came from the direction of the street corner.

More than a dozen servants dressed in uniform blue short jackets, clearly servants, escorted a dark red sedan chair as it walked briskly. The sedan chair was quite elaborate, with exquisite tassels hanging all around, indicating that the person inside was of high status. It was heading towards the gate of the Prince's Mansion.

Almost simultaneously, the two heavy black lacquered gates of Prince Chun's mansion slowly opened from the inside, and twenty or thirty servants escorted a middle-aged man out.

The middle-aged man leading the group wore a crimson silk robe with floral patterns, over which was a dark blue mandarin jacket. His long, thick, jet-black braid was meticulously combed, without a trace of disorder.

The man had a solemn expression and sharp eyes, but he moved very quickly, taking three steps at a time to reach the sedan chair. He bowed very respectfully and personally lifted the sedan chair curtain.

A young official dressed in a robe with a five-clawed python pattern stepped out of the sedan chair with a bow. His face was calm, but there was a hint of fatigue between his brows.

Chen Xing watched from afar, his eyes rippling with dark energy.

[You have obtained some information. Do you wish to view it? Viewing will cost one Yanfu Point.]

"Yes!" Chen Xing answered in his mind.

In an instant, a chilling sensation surged into my brain.

[You have chosen to use the "Glimpses of the Target" skill. When you obtain information about the target or discover its weaknesses, you will no longer receive prompts, and your Yanfu Points will be deducted directly.]

[Target locked: Aisin-Gioro Zaifeng. This lock can be lifted at any time.]

Unfortunately, you did not discover your opponent's weaknesses. If you keep your target in a state of fleeting glimpses for an extended period, it will increase your chances of discovering their weaknesses.

You have received the following information:

Name: Aisin-Gioro Zaifeng

Status: Fatigue

Specializations: Military technology 61%, Political affairs 59%

skill:

[Self-Discipline] A strong will can slightly increase mental resistance and reduce mental disturbance caused by attacks.

[Commander] When leading a small force in battle, you can slightly improve the overall combat effectiveness and cohesion of your troops.

In this world, Prince Chun Zaifeng embarked on the path of martial arts from a young age due to an accident. In his early years, he personally led a large army to suppress the Boxers. He won several battles and was deeply trusted and relied on by the Empress Dowager Cixi for his military achievements. Now he is a core figure in the Qing court who holds real power.

Threat Level: Crimson

Assessment: You have a chance of winning against threats below black, but he usually doesn't appear alone, so proceed with caution. Good luck.

If a large sum of money only yielded this insignificant information, Chen Xing would definitely seize the opportunity to give that fat mob a friendly greeting.

The fact that a fleeting glimpse could become one of the purchasing privileges that the tapir bestowed upon Chen Xing speaks volumes about its practical value!

As the [Fleeting Glimpse] was triggered, Chen Xing clearly felt that Zai Feng, in his eyes, seemed to have been detached from the rest of the world. Every detail of the other was focused and magnified, presenting an almost anatomical transparency.

Every subtle contraction of every muscle, the rise and fall of the chest with each breath, even the lines on the corners of the lips when speaking and the slight trembling of the cheeks, all seemed to be infinitely slowed down, magnified, and clearly presented before his eyes.

This surreal clarity of perception was an experience Chen Xing had never had before. It was as if the rhythm of the entire world had slowed down for this one person, and all the hidden details were laid bare before his eyes.

This strange feeling only disappeared abruptly the moment Zaifeng stepped into the gate of the Prince's Mansion and the black lacquered doors slowly closed.

Just as Chen Xing was about to look away, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a couple at a stall near the front gate of the Prince's Mansion.

In the afternoon, as he surveyed the area around the Prince's residence, he caught a glimpse of the two men at least three times.

They frequently changed their clothes and appeared near the Prince's Mansion, clearly trying to conceal their whereabouts, and obviously also heading towards the Prince Chun's Mansion.

When they met again, the two had changed their appearance: the man was wearing a faded short shirt with frayed cuffs; the woman was wrapped in a coarse cloth headscarf, covering most of her face, pretending to be an ordinary passerby having a meal.