Chapter 66 Celebrating the New Year Together

The bustling crowds at Jinxiufang made it as lively as ever.

Chu Jiubian got off the carriage on the long street outside the market and then walked inside.

He was still wearing the crimson-purple official robe that only a first-rank official would wear, and a thick, dark cloak with a soft, fluffy fur collar, which made him look dignified and imposing.

However, he had a hairstyle that was completely different from that of people at the time. His hair was blown by the wind, which neutralized the composure of his clothing and brought out a sense of lightness.

His slender, tall figure and his exquisitely handsome face made him stand out from the crowd.

As soon as it appeared, it became the focus of attention.

Now everyone in the capital knows Grand Tutor Chu, but no one knows what kind of person he is. They only see that he has a cold and aloof temperament, and they think that gods are inherently high above, so they all stay far away and dare not get close.

Chu Jiubian took in everyone's reactions but didn't care, continuing to walk slowly inside.

Before long, he noticed a particularly lively scene in front of a shop, with drums and cheers filling the air. The most eye-catching feature was the three large vermilion drums in the center of the crowd, and the dancers gracefully performing on them.

The dancers wore the most fashionable long dresses of the time, and their hair was adorned with glittering gold and silver ornaments and jewels.

Their dance was graceful and captivating.

But what truly makes them stand out is the dresses they wear.

The style of their dresses was the same as that of women in the capital, but the quality was vastly different.

The light pink, soft yellow, and pale purple silks are soft, lightweight, and have a certain drape, shimmering in the sunlight.

The method of using live models was proposed by Si Tu Zhaoling.

Their silks should be positioned as high-end products. The best way would be to have the noble ladies in the palace wear them, but there is currently no empress, no concubines, and no princesses in the palace, so no one can act as a "spokesperson".

Therefore, they had no choice but to settle for second best and simply have the dancers wear the outfits for the display.

The status of dancers and singers in Da Ning was not high. Women from respectable families usually did not want to associate with them. Even maids from wealthy and powerful families had a higher status than these dancers and singers.

Si Tu Zhaoling didn't have these concerns in the southern border region, which is why she came up with this idea, but Wang Qichen was somewhat worried.

But then he thought again. After all, the dancers were just showing off the fabric when they wore these silks, and they were also one of the consumers of silk, so there was nothing wrong with having them show it off.

He would also wear these silks himself and act as a male model.

Furthermore, Chu Jiubian wore the same fabric during the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, so the ladies and wives who had the opportunity to attend the banquet would definitely recognize him.

Since the scions of noble families and the reincarnation of the divine lord, Chu Taifu, had all donned the costumes, these women no longer had any concerns.

Therefore, Wang Qichen used live models for the opening today.

Chu Jiubian did not enter the silk shop, but stood on the periphery of the crowd and watched for a while.

Prices in Jinxiufang are high, so those who can shop and stroll around here are mostly from wealthy families, and there are many women, though their faces are all covered with veils.

Chu Jiubian glanced around and spotted one or two people who looked somewhat familiar; he must have seen them at the palace banquet before.

At this moment, the girls and other onlookers were whispering among themselves.

"This is actually silk from the southern border region. It looks even better than the silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang."

"Yes, and look at the texture and the colors, these are all things we haven't seen before. If the price isn't too high, I'll definitely buy a few bolts of each of these colors and make dresses from them."

"But the dancers are all wearing silk, won't we be laughed at if we wear them?"

"What's so funny? We wear silk from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions just like the dancers, so why can't we wear silk from the southern border regions?"

“That makes sense, and I also know something else.” The girl who said this was the one Chu Jiubian had met once before at the palace banquet. She had even performed there and played the pipa very well.

"What is it?" asked another girl who was with them.

"When we returned from the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, didn't I say that the Grand Tutor's clothes looked like celestial robes?"

"I remember now, could it be that you are wearing this Southern Xinjiang silk?"

"Exactly! And that light pink color, paired with the silver-white cross-collar and belt, is indescribably beautiful."

"Ah, just thinking about it makes me happy. If only I could meet the Grand Tutor."

Why are you blushing? Could it be...?

The girl, blushing, said, "Don't talk nonsense. There are so many talented young men in the capital, but we wouldn't dare to even dream of marrying this Grand Tutor."

"Yes, that person is an immortal, let's not mention it again."

Amidst the chatter of the crowd, the dancers finished their dance but did not come down; instead, they stood smiling atop the large drum.

The shopkeeper then emerged from the silk workshop. She was a woman who looked to be in her thirties. She smiled and said some auspicious words to everyone before saying, "Our Southern Xinjiang Silk Shop sells newly made silk from the Southern Xinjiang region. The quality and beauty are beyond question; you all know this quietly."

Someone egged them on, asking, "Madam, how much is a bolt of your silk?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Different craftsmanship means different prices. You can come into the shop and take a look; the prices are clearly marked, and you'll see for yourself."

At that time, it wasn't common for shops to have clearly marked prices; the shop assistants had to introduce each item one by one.

However, when Wang Qichen and Si Tu Zhaoling were discussing how to build the shop, the High Priest had given some suggestions, such as dividing the shop into a ready-to-wear area, a fabric area, and a custom-made area, and setting up dressing rooms for customers to try on ready-to-wear clothes.

For example, clearly mark the price of every piece of fabric and every garment so that customers don't have to ask and can know the price themselves.

Although the capital city is not lacking in noble ladies, it is also not lacking in people who spend money extravagantly.

But for those who are short of money, this avoids the embarrassment of asking.

The two believers thought it was good, and they even went on to come up with many good ideas for marketing or construction.

Since the onlookers didn't know what "clearly marked prices" meant, they all headed into the store.

The store has two floors. The first floor is divided into a ready-to-wear area and a custom-made area. As soon as people enter, they can see eight long tables neatly arranged on the left side of the store, with tailors sitting behind the tables, all working diligently.

On the right side are two long clothes racks, with many ready-made clothes made by Si Tu Zhaoyao hanging there. They are all colorful dresses.

In front of the clothes rack, there were more than thirty separate clothes racks, which directly displayed the dresses with better embroidery and more novel and beautiful styles.

The price was also written on a small piece of paper on each garment hanger.

This situation is truly eye-opening.

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "The second floor is a display of silks in various fabrics and colors. You are welcome to go up and take a look."

Immediately, some people started walking up.

Upon reaching the second floor, everyone saw layers upon layers of silk hanging on the ceiling in a staggered and orderly fashion. Below, on the shelves, bolts of silk were neatly stacked, arranged from light to dark according to the same color scheme. Bathed in the sunlight streaming in from the windows, they were a breathtaking sight.

"This isn't a silk shop; I'd believe it if you told me it was a celestial realm," someone exclaimed.

Seeing that everyone had entered the silk shop, Chu Jiubian did not move and remained standing in place.

However, his gaze wasn't fixed on the shop, but rather on the newly renovated Yaotai Bookstore next to the silk shop.

Bookstores are very rare in Daning; most shops are ink shops.

The ink shops mainly sell writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. The books they sell are only the Analects of Confucius, articles published by some great Confucian scholars and famous figures, content on debates on Confucian classics, collections of excerpts of poems, and storybooks written by some people for entertainment.

There are very few vernacular stories; most of them are about ancient legends, gods and ghosts, and haven't yet become as common as idle books about scholars and noble ladies.

Naturally, there aren't many ink shops either; there are only five or six in the capital, which is considered a lot.

Because all the people in Daning who could afford to go to school were from families with some wealth.

Such families could simply order the necessary writing materials (pens, ink, paper, and inkstones) from paper mills and ink shops, and have them delivered to their homes by a dedicated person. They didn't need to go to an ink shop to choose the materials themselves.

For this reason, the business of ink shops is not very good. Most of them are opened by pedantic literati to show off their refined taste and to display their status as scholars.

Therefore, Yaotai Bookstore, located in such a bustling area as Jinxiufang, is extremely conspicuous.

Chu Jiubian shifted his gaze from the flamboyant signboard to the second floor.

The window on the second floor of the bookstore was open, and a young man dressed in a light pink round-necked robe stood by the window, playing with a folding fan in his hand, his slightly curly long hair cascading freely down his back.

His fox-like eyes, with slightly upturned corners, were smiling, and when he looked down at me, they seemed to be full of tender affection.

It was Wang Qichen.

Chu Jiubian had completely forgotten how he felt when he first met the other person at the auction. Looking at this peacock-like young man now, he could only think that this person was truly...

Suddenly, a mechanical system voice echoed in his mind: [Host, we have detected that you have met believer Wang Qichen in the three-dimensional world. The divine domain's additional functions are now active.]

"What additional features?" Chu Jiubian asked.

[When the host and the believer meet in the three-dimensional world, a binding relationship will be triggered. Before the believer, you will possess the same powerful aura as the "High Priest" in the divine realm.]

Wow, this feature is actually available?

Chu Jiubian was overjoyed.

Upstairs, Wang Qichen kept his eyes fixed on Chu Jiubian.

He saw the other party as soon as they arrived.

This was the second time he had seen this Grand Tutor Chu. Compared to their last meeting at the auction, Chu Jiubian now seemed to have more authority and coldness, no longer just aloof and noble.

With such a distinguished air, even if Grand Tutor Chu did nothing but stand there quietly, he would be enough to attract attention.

When the other person looked up and gazed at him with those light-colored, inorganic pupils, Wang Qichen felt an indescribable sense of oppression.

He was genuinely terrified, just as he had been when facing the High Priest in the divine realm.

In other words, although he seemed to be standing at a higher place looking down at Chu Jiubian, he felt that the other party was tall and imposing, like the most magnificent statue in a temple.

But he didn't feel this way the last time they met.

Is it because Chu Jiubian, this deity who descended to the mortal realm, has already recognized the High Priest, and thus has begun to restore his magical powers?

Since meeting the High Priest, he has read many myths and learned that some gods who have fallen to the mortal world lose their magic power for various reasons, but can return to the divine realm at any time after regaining their magic power.

So Chu Jiubian has begun to recover his magical power, right? Otherwise, how could there be such a heart-pounding sense of oppression?

Wang Qichen was unaware that this was actually a chain reaction of binding believers in the divine realm. He let his mind wander for a while, but on the surface, he just smiled and nodded to Chu Jiubian as a greeting.

Chu Jiubian also twitched his lips, looked away, and walked towards the bookstore.

He originally intended to meet with Wang Qichen today to reveal his relationship with the High Priest and also to disclose that he knew Wang Qichen was a follower of the High Priest.

That way, if there are any matters to be done in the capital later, he can directly use his identity as Grand Tutor Chu to instruct Wang Qichen to do things.

Wang Qichen never expected Chu Jiubian to smile at him, and he was even more surprised that the other party would actually enter his shop.

After a moment of stunned silence, he immediately turned around and went downstairs to greet her personally.

The bookstore is almost fully furnished and will open in a couple of days.

The shopkeeper was previously in charge of the shop that was part of Wang Qichen's mother's dowry. Now that Wang Qichen's bookstore is more important, he called the person in charge to manage it.

The old shopkeeper's eyes were bright and piercing. He recognized Chu Jiubian's identity at a glance, noticing his official robes and unique hairstyle. He immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said, "This humble subject greets Your Excellency. May I ask what your orders are?"

Chu Jiubian said calmly, "I'm looking for your boss."

"The boss..." the shopkeeper was saying when he heard footsteps on the stairs behind him, and knew that Wang Qichen had come down by himself.

As expected, the young man, dressed in a light pink robe, quickly descended the stairs and bowed before Chu Jiubian, saying, "I am Wang Qichen, the young master of the Wang family. I greet the Grand Tutor."

Chu Jiubian hummed in agreement and said, "May I have a word with you in private?"

“Of course.” Wang Qichen gestured towards the stairs, “Please, sir.”

Chu Jiubian took the lead and walked ahead, while Wang Qichen followed half a step behind.

The shopkeeper stood there watching the two figures from behind. They were about the same height, but their demeanor was worlds apart.

Moreover, their young master is usually an exceptionally arrogant person. Not to mention the Grand Tutor, even if Prince Ning were here, the other party might not be so respectful.

The shopkeeper knew his young master well; he could tell whether the other party was genuinely respectful or just putting on an act.

Normally, Wang Qichen only showed feigned respect to those powerful and influential families, even his own father and clan elders, but this Grand Tutor Chu was different.

Moreover, when exactly did the young master become acquainted with Grand Tutor Chu?

Now, the Grand Tutor is in charge of the government, and the other party is like a celestial being descended to earth. If the young master can get to know such a person, his future is limitless.

The shopkeeper was unsure whether to feel gratified or proud, and it took him a great deal of effort to suppress his emotions.

Upstairs, Wang Qichen invited Chu Jiubian to sit by the window and personally poured him tea.

Chu Jiubian took a small sip.

Wang Qichen observed his expression and, seeing that the other man had put down his teacup, tentatively asked, "I wonder if you have something to tell me today, sir?"

"If I really need you to do something, would you do it?" Chu Jiubian asked with a smile.

The ethereal young man, who should have been aloof and distant, now revealed a faint smile, like the dawn breaking, which made one's heart tremble.

Wang Qichen lowered his eyes slightly, no longer meeting his gaze.

“I will do my best to fulfill your orders,” he said.

Not to mention that Chu Jiubian now holds great power and could not refuse to do things for a mere young master, he would do so out of consideration for the relationship between the high priest and Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian was just joking with him. Hearing this, he chuckled softly and turned to look out the window.

The weather has gotten cold; you can feel the chill even with the windows open.

Looking down at the bustling crowd below, he casually asked, "When did He find you?"

The "He" here naturally refers to the high priest.

Wang Qichen thought to himself, "Just as I expected."

The High Priest said he was hiding it, but Grand Tutor Chu not only guessed the High Priest's existence, but also knew that he was a follower of the High Priest.

But Wang Qichen still pretended to be stupid and asked, "Who are you talking about?"

Chu Jiubian looked at him, his expression unreadable.

Wang Qichen opened his folding fan and gently fanned himself.

"The silk shop next door was also opened by Him, wasn't it?" Chu Jiubian added.

Wang Qichen: "..."

What a fine use of "you all"! It means everyone knows the High Priest has more than one follower.

How exactly does Grand Tutor Chu's brain work?

Chu Jiubian seemed oblivious to his complex expression and continued in a familiar tone, "If He gives you a share, just take it; don't be shy."

Tsk, what kind of family member's tone is this?

Wang Qichen was now certain that the relationship between these two deities was extremely close, definitely exceeding the boundaries of "friends".

only......

He couldn't help but think of Prince Ning, who was away on a military campaign.

It is widely rumored in the capital that Qin Xiao is Chu Jiubian's love tribulation, and that the two have an ambiguous relationship.

What about the high priest?

Thinking of this, Wang Qichen suddenly felt that Chu Jiubian in front of him, in terms of both demeanor and tone of voice, was somewhat similar to that of the Prince of Ning.

Just like when two people are together for a long time, they will unconsciously be influenced by each other.

The more he thought about it, the more complicated his gaze became when looking at Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian didn't know what he was thinking. After expressing what he wanted to say, he didn't linger. He only said that when dealing with the lineage of the family head Wang Huan, he could seek his help before leaving.

News of his meeting with Wang Qichen spread like wildfire, quickly reaching the ears of powerful figures in Beijing.

Wang Huanzhi sat in the study with a gloomy expression and sneered, "So this rebellious son has been opposing me at every turn lately because he's currying favor with Chu Jiubian."

Did they think that by climbing up to imperial power they could rest easy?

His son is really young.

The Wang family is a prestigious family, a thorn in the side of Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao. How can they coexist peacefully?

He could confidently say that if the Wang family helped the emperor eliminate the other three families, then the emperor would target them next.

"Stupid thing." Wang Huanzhi couldn't help but curse.

The strategist Wang Zhang also looked rather grim, and said in a deep voice, "Minister Wang's attitude is currently ambiguous, clearly indicating that he is unwilling to participate in the family's internal strife. This is a good thing for us."

“With the old lady around, nearly half of the clansmen will side with that rebellious son,” Wang Huanzhi said.

Wang Zhang said, "The old lady is getting old and doesn't have many days left. Right now, we just need to take care of our business and power. As long as we hold on until the old lady passes away, the young master will have no support and will no longer be a threat."

When business was mentioned, Wang Huanzhi couldn't help but frown.

Recently, there have been rumors in Beijing that a new type of paper, even better than "Langya Gold Paper," has appeared on the market. It is pure white, flawless, and as thin as a cicada's wing.

If such paper really exists, then the Wang family's paper mill will be severely impacted.

"I wonder if that so-called new paper is real or fake," Wang Huanzhi said.

“Whether it’s true or not, we should continue to send people to keep an eye on it.” Wang Zhang narrowed his cloudy eyes slightly. “If there really is such good paper, then we should take over the papermaking method.”

It's called "collecting," but whether it's buying with money or stealing by other means depends on the specific circumstances.

"However, I heard that the young master also opened a bookstore," Wang Zhang asked. "Could it be that this so-called new paper is...?"

“Impossible,” Wang Huanzhi said decisively. “If that rebellious son had such ability, would he have waited until today?”

The other party opening a bookstore is nothing more than trying to make a name for themselves, just like other small scholarly families.

Wang Zhang frowned: "I hope so."

==

That night, Chu Jiubian washed up and went to bed.

Today is the ninth day of the eleventh lunar month. Qin Xiao has been gone for two whole months, and the weather has turned completely cold.

The main hall of Yangxin Hall and the right courtyard have been fitted with underfloor heating, so the children sleep soundly at night without feeling cold at all.

However, due to the tight schedule, Chu Jiubian did not want to stay in other palaces temporarily, so he did not install a floor heating system or a heated kang bed in Yaotai Residence. He only placed a tin stove that he had made before, which was much warmer.

Chu Jiubian huddled under the covers and took out the secret letter from the Northwest that he had just received yesterday from the system's inventory.

In the letter, Qin Xiao said that he had led his army and driven the Sai army to the central towns.

Mobazanpu never expected Qin Xiao to be so ruthless. He tried to surrender and negotiate several times, but Qin Xiao understood the principle of eliminating the root of the problem and gave him no chance. He only said that he would stop the war if the entire royal family of Serbia died.

The royal family of Sai was besieged on all sides. In front, they faced fierce attacks from the Da Ning army, while behind, the Sai people wanted to capture them and hand them over to the Ning king in order to stop the war.

At the end of the letter, Qin Xiao wrote: "I am well and will return home at the end of the year to celebrate the New Year together."

It wasn't mentioned who she would be sharing the bond with.

Chu Jiubian put away the letter and stared at the bed frame, lost in thought.

The second round of the imperial examinations, the provincial examination, has concluded, and the list of those who will advance to the third round should be sent back to the capital soon.

The next imperial examination will be held on the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

Around mid-December, all the exam papers from various regions were sent to the capital for Chu Jiubian to review personally.

After grading the provincial examination papers, the New Year will arrive.

The palace examination will be held after the New Year, by which time Qin Xiao should have returned by then.

Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and entered the divine realm.

"Look what Qin Chuan is doing," he said.

【OK. 】

The system displayed a card screen for Qin Chuan.

On the screen, snow was falling, and the entire Lu mansion was covered in silver.

An ordinary-looking man sat cross-legged on a thick mattress, with a flower and bird screen beside him. On the other side of the screen, a handsome young man dressed in a blue undergarment sat on a bed, holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand.

These two were none other than Lu Yao, the god-like figure who never slept, and Qin Chuan, who, after disguising himself, somehow managed to become Lu Yao's servant.

This wasn't the first time Chu Jiubian had seen the two of them in the past month or so.

Qin Chuan knew that the High Priest would be watching them from somewhere from time to time, so he didn't take the spying seriously and instead lazily yawned.

He turned his head and looked at the person on the bed from the side of the screen.

Lu is the hometown of Confucius and the ancestral home of the Langya Wang clan, which shows that the region was once a place of great literary influence.

Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that there are countless scholarly families in this area.

In such a place, the Lu family, a small business running a restaurant and inn, is really not worth mentioning.

But even in such a small family, a little monster like Lu Yao emerged.

At only nineteen years old, he had already read extensively, and the breadth of his knowledge was simply astonishing.

No wonder the high priest took a liking to him.

However, this person's temperament was too strange. He not only stayed up all day long, but also refused to interact with others.

Moreover, he always stares straight at people with a piercing gaze, his eyes dark and deep, as if he could see right through them. Even someone as knowledgeable as Qin Chuan would occasionally feel a chill run down his spine.

He looked away and suddenly heard a distant dragon's roar.

His heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively turned to look outside.

Almost simultaneously, a huge golden dragon swam in through the window. The dragon's massive head lingered in front of him for a moment, its dark vertical pupils reflecting his slightly stiff face.

Then, the long dragon roared past again.

At the same time, Qin Chuan also heard the high priest's ethereal voice say, "Let Lu Yao fall into a deep sleep."

Sleep is a condition for entering the Divine Realm. Qin Chuan knew this and guessed that the High Priest wanted to bring Lu Yao into the Divine Realm.

So he stood up and walked around the screen.

Chu Jiubian sat on the throne, watching helplessly as Qin Chuan raised his hand and struck Lu Yao on the back of the neck. The boy closed his eyes and collapsed softly onto the bed.

Chu Jiubian: "..."

He genuinely believed Qin Chuan would use gentle methods like drugs; it seems he still doesn't understand his followers well enough.

He didn't waste any time and immediately said to the system, "Summon Lu Yao."

[The follower Lu Yao has been detected to be unconscious and summonable. Summoning is in progress.]

Summoning successful.

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure fell out of the clouds.

Jin Feng flew over, carried the person on her back, and then slowly flew back to the long table to put the person down.

Chu Jiubian could see clearly that from beginning to end, Lu Yao was only curiously observing the surroundings, without any feelings of defense, vigilance, or fear.

After landing, Lu Yao looked up at the huge phantom of the god hidden in the clouds.

"Welcome to my divine realm," Chu Jiubian said.

Lu Yao blinked and said gently, "I wonder if the Grand Tutor has summoned me for the imperial examinations?"

"?" Chu Jiu retorted, "I am the High Priest."

“Yes, they’re all the same,” Lu Yao said.

Chu Jiubian raised his eyebrows.

Is this what a believer with an IQ of 200% is like?

"Do you think I'm the same as him?" he asked deliberately vaguely.

Lu Yao nodded and said, "You must have had a compelling reason to use two identities. I guess the reason is that you don't trust Prince Ning, so you left yourself a way to protect yourself."

Chu Jiubian: "..."

He doesn't like talking to smart people anymore.

"Don't worry, I will keep it a secret for you, and the same goes for my servant," Lu Yao continued.

"Do you know who your servant is?"

"I don't know, I don't know anyone in the martial arts world."

Chu Jiubian met many people while filming, including some reclusive individuals known as "geniuses." These people shared some common characteristics, such as Lu Yao, who spoke and acted bluntly, showing no regard for the lives of others.

“Although you do not trust Prince Ning, he clearly trusts you, and I trust you too,” Lu Yao continued. “I have heard about your deeds and know that you all want the people to live better lives, so I will study hard for the imperial examinations and become an official in the court to serve you.”

Chu Jiubian felt that he didn't even need to say a word; the child had already said everything he wanted to say.

However, with his personality, entering officialdom would not be a good thing.

But since he is a genius, he can learn all kinds of knowledge and culture, and naturally he can also learn interpersonal communication.

Therefore, Chu Jiu argued: "Interacting with people is also a skill."

Lu Yao was taken aback, and after thinking carefully for a moment, he said, "You are right. If one wants to be an official, one must inevitably interact with people. I just don't know if there are any books available for reference in this field?"

There are quite a few in the system store, but they are not intuitive enough. It's better to learn by observing people around you.

“Your servant is no ordinary person; you can learn from him,” Chu Jiu argued.

Qin Chuan has such a wide network of connections and is a genius in interpersonal communication, so he is the perfect person to teach Lu Yao.

Lu Yao nodded and said, "I understand."

This is already an indication that they are already considering themselves "subordinates".

Chu Jiubian found it somewhat amusing and said, "Go ahead, see you in the capital."

Lu Yao bowed deeply.

When he opened his eyes again, he was facing Qin Chuan standing by the bed. His first words were: "Please teach me how to interact with people."

Qin Chuan: "......"

What is it?