Chapter 108: Fellow Villagers Meet Fellow Villagers
Xu Chong looked at the bamboo forest outside the window in silence.
What came to my mind was a passage Jiang Zhihong once said.
"No matter what you know or what you think of, I advise you not to delve into it."
'At least don't dwell on it now.'
"When you go to the capital to take up a post and become a noble, people will tell you a lot of things."
'Otherwise, you are likely to be like me, blinded by your own self, believing only what you believe, and eventually drifting further and further away from the truth.'
Before, Xu Chong understood these words as well-intentioned advice from his elders, but now it seems that it is far more than that.
first.
'At least don't delve into it now', and 'When you take up a post in the capital in the future and are promoted to a noble status, people will tell you a lot of things'.
Now he is a member of a noble family. Although he has not yet gone to the capital, Yuan Shouyi came from the capital.
If understood literally, Yuan Shouyi should play the role of "knowing the truth and telling the truth to himself".
In fact, Yuan Shouyi was still suspicious of the motives. He couldn't even be sure that the current emperor could foresee natural disasters, let alone reach the essential level of natural disasters.
Secondly.
'Otherwise, you are likely to be like me, blinded by your own self, believing only what you believe, and ultimately moving further and further away from the truth.'
Hearing this, Xu Chong originally thought that Jiang Zhihong was using the misunderstanding between him and Prime Minister Lou to persuade him.
But what if it’s not?
What if Jiang Zhihong had had the same speculations and suspicions as himself?
What was the truth he finally came to, the one that was "eventually getting further and further away from the truth"?
After pondering for a while, Xu Chong shook his head and said, "Well, this matter is complicated and confusing, so it's better not to jump to conclusions."
To be honest, the nature of natural disasters has little to do with him.
To put it bluntly, even if a natural disaster were to strike the next second, he would not be the one to die.
This is the benefit of strength.
When your strength reaches a certain level, all the secrets of this world will naturally be revealed one by one.
Just like that, Xu Chong was no longer distracted.
He first went to ask the old man at the Imperial Observatory and learned that in the past 28 years, nothing unusual had ever happened in the observatory, and there had been no sudden deaths or disappearances.
What this means is that even if Yuan Shouyi has problems, he can rely on the rules of the blessed land and self-control to suppress them and will not harm others.
The next day, Xu Chong stopped taking the calming tea, making sure that his inner demons were completely eliminated.
At the same time, the panel generated 1 spiritual source.
Not more, not less, 10 points of spiritual source per month is just enough to advance to a higher level.
Thus, the leisurely life at home began .
Why is it called leisurely?
Because Xu Chong didn't always stay in the yard.
Due to the high altitude and close to the sea, there is almost no heat at all in Zhentian during the midsummer.
The strong light was neutralized by the cool sea breeze before it could burn the skin.
How pleasant.
Naturally, Xu Chong would occasionally be lazy.
Or go to the cliff to see the sea of clouds, cultivate your sentiments, and brag to Su Ruochen.
Or go to the city to play chess with old men, chat with old ladies, and gamble with men.
During this period, he also visited various government offices and became familiar with the six ministries, five temples, two prisons, two courts, and one prefecture.
It was just as Su Ruochen said, most people in Zhentian were kind and hospitable, even the officials were no exception.
There is no way. The official rank is high enough and the living conditions are rich, but the upward channel is almost blocked.
Without any interests to contend with, there will naturally be no disputes.
The special geography and special situation have created such a special city.
Xu Chong is almost falling in love with this place.
Just like that, a month passed and it was mid-July.
On this day, Xu Chong was standing on the edge of the cliff, bragging to Su Ruochen.
A queue emerged from the sea of clouds and appeared on the mountain road that coiled around the hillside. The end of the queue could not be seen at a glance.
Among them, a sedan chair carried by eight people with a maroon curtain and a tin roof is particularly eye-catching.
"Tsk tsk, the person who comes here is either rich or noble."
Su Ruochen sighed, then brushed off his clothes, "But wait a few more years, and see if I still have eyes for him."
“…”
Xu Chong couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Now, this sentence has become Su Ruochen's catchphrase, and he would say it whenever he encountered anything.
A while ago, the warden said that Su Ruochen’s tea-making skills were not good enough… and then Su Ruochen was hung on the observatory.
"After all, you are the only child of the Su family. I am at least the benefactor of your Su family. Your father didn't even come to give you a gift or anything like that."
Xu Chong glanced at Su Ruochen and said sarcastically, "Is your Su family so unrefined?"
"Not particular?"
Su Ruochen frowned in dissatisfaction, "Wait a few more years..."
"--Um?"
Xu Chong glared.
Su Ruochen stopped talking, touched his nose awkwardly, and said helplessly: "You are the descendant of the great ancestor. Even if I bought the entire Su family and gave it to you, you might not be interested in it. Besides... the way you played chess with my father was too dishonorable. My father has regarded you as his lifelong enemy."
"Disgraceful?"
Xu Chong stiffened his neck, "Where's the evidence? Did anyone see it with their own eyes?"
"evidence……"
Su Ruochen looked depressed. "One hundred and eighty-one black pieces and one hundred and eighty white pieces. This number is fixed... After you left that day, my father thought more and more that something was wrong, and counted out two hundred white pieces."
"You should go find the person who sold the chess pieces. How can you blame me?"
Xu Chong looked calm, and even shook his head in disdain, "It seems that the Su family is not only unrefined, but also indiscriminate."
"...Okay, let's not talk about this."
Su Ruochen said with a bitter face, "You have never lost once in those gambling stalls. How do you explain this?"
Xu Chong pointed to the sky, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously: "May your luck shine brightly, and may your gambling luck be prosperous."
“…”
Su Ruochen suffered a crushing defeat and looked completely disheartened.
Xu Chong was extremely proud and was about to press on with his victory when he suddenly frowned.
The team below revealed its subsequent lineup—heavy cavalry completely covered in silver armor!
"This is……"
Su Ruochen followed Xu Chong's gaze and looked over. "Silver-armored Pagoda?"
"have you seen?"
Xu Chong was a little surprised.
"I haven't seen it. I heard about it from the Minister of War in Zhentian."
Su Ruochen replied, "The heavy armor battalion of Dingtian Guard has three types: iron armor pagoda, silver armor pagoda, and gold armor pagoda."
"Dingtian Guard... So, the people coming are the dignitaries in the capital?"
Xu Chong looked at the queue thoughtfully.
At this time, the curtain of the sedan chair carried by eight people was lifted from the inside, revealing a young face.
It’s a familiar face!
Xu Chong was stunned.
The person in the sedan kept looking upwards and happened to see Xu Chong sitting on the edge of the cliff.
With surprise bursting across his face, the man jumped out of the sedan chair and ran along the mountain path at an extremely fast speed.
After a while, he stopped beside Xu Chong with a happy smile on his face.
It was Zhang Shunyi.
Xu Chong had already stood up and was looking at him with a smile.
"My foolish brother, nice to meet Brother Xu."
Zhang Shunyi bowed down.
"You've already won the first place in the imperial examination, but why are you still the same?"
Xu Chong lifted up Zhang Shunyi and asked, "What realm are you in?"
As early as the end of April, the rankings of the palace examination were spread throughout the world.
It was just that he happened to be on his way back to Zhanghua from the capital at that time, and he only learned about it from the gossip of his colleagues before Xie Changkong was arrested.
There was no time to care about him afterwards.
"Wash your body once."
Zhang Shunyi smiled and said, "How is it, did you catch up with Brother Xu?"
“Almost.”
Xu Chong pinched out a distance with his two fingers, "I washed my body twice yesterday."
At this time, Su Ruochen had already stood aside silently. In order to avoid looking at Zhang Shunyi, he actually lowered his head and played with his fingers.
There was no way, as soon as he saw that high-spirited look, he wanted to say "stay a few more years"...
"Sure enough, Brother Xu is still stronger."
Zhang Shunyi was sincerely happy for Xu Chong.
"Stop it."
Xu Chong waved his hand and glanced at the troops speeding up frantically below: "With such a big show, I thought it was some prince who came."
"This... Master is afraid there might be danger on the road."
Zhang Shunyi explained, looking a little embarrassed.
It is really hard to talk about how I am still protected like this even after going through so much purification.
“Teacher…”
This title made Xu Chong raise his eyebrows, but he didn't care too much. He asked seriously: "Seriously, why did you come to Zhentian?"
According to convention, the new top scholar was appointed as an editor in the Hanlin Academy, a sixth-rank position.
But I have never heard of being appointed to the Hanlin Academy in the temporary capital.
Could it be that he offended some powerful person just after becoming the top scholar?
Zhang Shunyi saw Xu Chong's worry and said with a smile: "Don't worry, brother Xu, I haven't offended anyone."
"Then why did you come to Zhentian?"
Xu Chong asked, and then joked, "You didn't come all the way to see me, did you?"
Zhang Shunyi nodded seriously: "That's right."
Xu Chong was a little surprised. "I remember that subordinate officials of the Hanlin Academy cannot leave Beijing at will, right?"
"To be honest, I am no longer an editor at the Imperial Academy."
Zhang Shunyi paused as he spoke, "But the facial features of the secondary capital are correct."
Xu Chong's heart sank, "Inner demon?"
He was a newly crowned top scholar who had never offended anyone and had the support of a big boss. In the end, he was given a position in the Imperial Observatory, and it was in the secondary capital.
Although the rank of Wuguanzheng is one level higher than that of the Hanlin Academy Compiler, his status and prospects are far inferior to the latter.
So there is no doubt that something went wrong after Zhang Shunyi broke through and washed his body.
really.
Zhang Shunyi nodded, "Exactly."
"No wonder……"
Xu Chong's tone was a little heavy, "It's not that you can't continue to break through, but you don't dare to break through anymore."
Judging from the effect of sincerity and uprightness in the three lists, for someone like Zhang Shunyi who has passed all three exams, there is no barrier at all to the Body Cleansing Realm.
If you practice with all your heart, you should be able to achieve the third level of body cleansing in two months.
But now there is only one level.
"As expected of Brother Xu, you can guess everything."
Zhang Shunyi sighed.
"so……"
Xu Chong stared at Zhang Shunyi quietly and uttered two words: "Master?"
"Master wants to arrest Master and bring him back to the capital for interrogation, but I don't agree."
Zhang Shunyi nodded without hiding anything, "After all, without the Master, I, Zhang Shunyi, am nothing... so I can only come here."
"Yes, being able to maintain this proves that your problem is not serious."
Xu Chong patted Zhang Shunyi on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Don't worry, you won't die as long as I'm here."
Zhang Shunyi also laughed: "I thought so too."
"Let's go."
Xu Chong tilted his head towards the city gate and said, "Let me show you the secondary capital first."
"Hey, I dare not say anything else, but in this small piece of land of Zhentian City, no one dares to disrespect the two words Xu Chong."
"Do the six ministers know?"
"A second-rank official, all of them have drunk with me."
"And that third-rank prefect, a terrible chess player."
"The Censorate... likes to eavesdrop, not a gentleman."
"Anyway, from now on you can follow me and walk sideways in Peidu."
"Oh, yes, and there is also Yuan Jianzheng. I wonder if you have heard any rumors about him in the capital..."
Su Ruochen watched the two people walk away, stunned.
It would be fine if Xu Chong was just bragging, but the two of them have done so many times recently.
But the problem is, the new champion actually nodded repeatedly with admiration on his face...
It's like I really believed it!
