Chapter 8 Negotiation and Clash

Shuiyun was sixteen years old and had a soft and melodious voice. She recited the words that lingered in her mind: "A golden goblet of fine wine costs ten thousand coins, and a jade plate of delicacies is worth ten thousand coins."

With just a few words, the poet vividly depicts a grand and extravagant banquet scene, and this single line alone reveals the poet's exceptional talent.

"Wonderful!" An Wuji's eyes lit up instantly.

Qin Chaoyang also frowned slightly.

Shuiyun continued reciting: "I stop drinking and eating, I draw my sword and look around, my heart filled with confusion..."

"Leisurely fishing on the green stream, suddenly I dreamt of sailing to the edge of the sun..."

The melancholy brought by the first few lines of poetry dissipated considerably at this moment.

Finally, Shuiyun recited her favorite line, which was also the last: "There will be times when the wind and waves will be strong, and I will set sail to cross the vast ocean."

Her voice, which should have been gentle and melodious, became passionate and powerful when she recited this sentence.

"Excellent!" An Wuji stood up abruptly and spun around in circles. "What a wonderful poem! This poet Li Bai was truly a great talent; no wonder he could become an immortal!"

He himself believed in ghosts and gods, and after Chu Jiubian correctly predicted the weather twice, he no longer doubted Chu Jiubian's divine identity and genuinely regarded him as an immortal descended to earth.

Hearing this poem now, he is even more convinced of the existence of a celestial realm and of a heroic "Poet Immortal".

Qin Chaoyang was a steady and composed man, more so than An Wuji, but even he was not at peace after hearing the poem.

Could an ordinary person really write such poetic talent and such boldness?

Could it be that the immortal poet really exists?

He looked up at Qin Xiao, who was in the main seat. The other man frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought.

An Wuji didn't care about the other two's reactions. After he finished being excited, he hurriedly said to Shuiyun, "What about the other poem? Quickly read out the poem by Li Qingzhao, the Yi'an Jushi."

It should be water and clouds.

Actually, she preferred the lay Buddhist's lyrics to the poem she had just read.

A slender, graceful figure seemed to gradually emerge in her mind, blurred in the hazy mist.

"The fragrance of lotus fades, the jade mat grows cool in autumn; I lightly loosen my silk robe and board the orchid boat alone." The girl's melodious voice was perfectly suited to reciting these words, and An Wuji, still immersed in his excitement, couldn't help but quiet down and sit back down in his chair.

"...Flowers fall and water flows, one longing, two places of sorrow."

Qin Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly.

An Wuji couldn't help but exchange a glance with Qin Chaoyang, and then they both looked at Qin Xiao.

"This feeling is impossible to dispel; it just left my brow only to rise again in my heart." Shuiyun recited the last line, and couldn't help but admire it once more; the poem was truly beautiful.

An Wuji was a rough and uncultured man, but he could still tell how beautiful the words were and how moving the emotions they contained were.

But... this is a love poem.

He couldn't help but recall Chu Jiu's words about "love tribulations" during yesterday's coronation ceremony.

Even if you don't know the specific meaning of "love tribulation", these two words are easy to understand. Obviously, it means that Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao are in love, but there will be some tribulations and hardships in this relationship.

He heard it yesterday and let it go, without taking it to heart.

But today, as he recited these words expressing longing, the phrase "love tribulation" lingered in his mind.

Could this be something Chu Jiubian deliberately told their Prince Ning?

The more he thought about it, the more uncontrollable the images in his mind became. He seemed to see Chu Jiubian, with that pale and beautiful face, standing emaciated above the clouds, so overcome with longing for their Prince Ning, that he jumped down from the sky and threw himself into their arms...

Qin Chaoyang didn't have as many interesting thoughts as An Wuji; he cared about something else.

He asked Shuiyun, "Is this Yi'an Jushi, Li Qingzhao, a woman?"

Just by looking at these words, one can tell that only a woman could have such delicate and beautiful thoughts.

Sure enough, Shuiyun nodded in agreement: "Young Master said that this Yi'an Jushi is a woman, and also one of the famous poets in their immortal realm."

one.

That means there are many immortals like this.

Qin Chaoyang: "I understand, you can go now."

After Shuiyun withdrew, Qin Chaoyang immediately said to Qin Xiao, "My lord, these two poems could not have been written by the same person, so they were probably not written by the young master himself."

"Moreover, the people I sent investigated everything they could, but they couldn't find a single clue about your identity. Instead, they discovered that other forces were also secretly investigating your identity."

He looked at Qin Xiao's indifferent expression, and hesitated to speak.

Qin Xiao chuckled lightly: "You also think he's really a god?"

"I just can't figure it out," Qin Chaoyang said, frowning. "A person who can write such poems could never be unknown. But after thinking about it, I can't guess which of those famous talented men and women has such poetic talent."

An Wuji finally managed to pull himself out of his thoughts and asked, "What if it's a hermit living in the mountains?"

He was already convinced that Chu Jiubian was a deity, but Qin Xiao didn't believe it, so he didn't dare to openly provoke him.

Qin Chaoyang's expression became more serious: "If there really is such a master, then the young master may be backed by a force that we have never investigated."

Moreover, it is clear that other forces are also unaware of Chu Jiubian's identity. How powerful must the force behind this be to hide it so well?

How many more extraordinary people like this poet Li Bai and Li Qingzhao are there?

Qin Xiao's thoughts were much the same as his.

If such a force truly exists, what is their purpose?

Was the power that controlled his body yesterday also related to that mysterious force?

An Wuji looked at Qin Chaoyang, then at Qin Xiao, and asked in confusion, "Why are you all so nervous?"

"Of course I'm nervous," Qin Chaoyang explained. "If such a force really exists, I don't know if it will hinder our important matters."

Their ultimate goal was to completely suppress the vassal kings and aristocratic families until they could no longer cause trouble, thus creating a prosperous and peaceful era for the young emperor.

Therefore, they must be cautious with every move they make.

After hearing his explanation, An Wuji not only didn't share his anxiety, but couldn't help glancing at Qin Xiao with a strange look again and again.

Qin Xiao glanced at him indifferently.

An Wuji quickly frowned and pretended to be deep in thought.

Qin Xiao: "Speak."

An Wuji paused for a moment, then looked up at him with a dry laugh and said, "Actually, I don't think there's anything to worry about."

"Why?" Qin Chaoyang asked hastily, thinking he had some good idea.

An Wuji said matter-of-factly, "That young master clearly has feelings for our lord, and he is currently in our hands. As long as our lord treats him well, he and the forces behind him will surely stand with us."

Isn't that what marriage alliances between the powerful and wealthy are all about?

Qin Chaoyang was stunned from the moment he heard him utter his first words.

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a long silence.

An Wuji felt that what he said made no mistake, so he asked again, "My lord, am I right?"

Qin Xiao's smile remained unchanged as he repeated An Wuji's words with great interest: "That person has feelings for me."

“That’s right.” An Wuji nodded. “He clearly wrote this love poem on purpose to show it to you, hoping you would go and keep him company.”

Qin Chaoyang silently minimized his presence.

He was originally a bodyguard, so his presence was ridiculously low. Now, by doing this on purpose, he almost completely disappeared from the room.

Qin Xiao chuckled and said, "Anping, I see you have a lot of talent in this area. I'll give you a task."

An Wuji didn't understand what other talents he had besides fighting and learning martial arts, but upon hearing that there was a mission, he immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Please give your orders, sir."

"Spread these two poems as far as possible."

An Wuji was prone to daydreaming, but he was never ambiguous about serious matters and rarely asked too many questions.

So after accepting the task, he immediately turned around and went out the door.

After everyone left, Qin Chaoyang said, "Once these two poems get out, those people will be restless."

If they could guess that Chu Jiubian had a huge and mysterious force behind him, then others could naturally guess as well.

If it were just Chu Jiubian, perhaps these people wouldn't easily touch those hidden agents, but if a powerful force were added, no one would sit still.

Qin Xiao chuckled, picked up the saltpeter, and stood up to walk outside: "Since he misses me, I should go and see him."

Even the adults couldn't sit still.

Meanwhile, Chu Jiubian, who has a "powerful force" behind him, is wandering aimlessly in the courtyard.

He originally only intended to write one poem, "The Road to Shu is Hard," but fearing that others might misunderstand that he wrote it himself, he also wrote another poem, "A Spray of Plum Blossoms."

The two poems, with their vastly different styles, make it immediately clear that they could not have been written by the same person.

With such excellent poetry, coupled with the ethereal titles of "Poet Immortal" and "Li Qingzhao," some people would always believe he was a "deity."

For example, the five eunuchs and palace maids in his courtyard now look at him with shining eyes.

For example, his faith value has already skyrocketed by five points!

Chu Jiubian was in a particularly good mood.

Even if Qin Xiao withheld his poems, he wasn't afraid, because he was confident that those two poems could lure Qin Xiao away.

He can negotiate as long as the person comes.

In the original story, at this time, the national treasury was empty and money was needed everywhere. With the torrential rains these past two days, repairing the dikes was even more urgent. Therefore, Qin Xiao should be extremely worried about money.

Negotiation and transactions are all about understanding the other party's psychology and finding out what they need most.

Qin Xiao needs money, and Chu Jiubian happens to have a way to earn it quickly; Chu Jiubian also needs the opportunity to freely interact with more people in the palace, and Qin Xiao can provide that as well.

Qin Xiao would not refuse a win-win situation.

Looking at his faith points, Chu Jiubian couldn't help but think about who he should choose as his follower once he reached his first hundred points.

Suddenly, the voice of a palace servant greeted the master at the courtyard gate: "Greetings, Your Excellency."

"Young Master," Xiao Xiangzi hurriedly said to Chu Jiu, "Lord Ning has arrived."

Chu Jiubian turned and looked towards the courtyard gate.

The newcomer was tall and slender, with a refined and elegant appearance. His thin lips held a faint smile, and his dark eyes held a burning passion.

Everyone in the courtyard was kneeling on the ground, but Qin Xiao immediately spotted the only figure standing upright.

The young man had freshened up and changed into a navy blue long gown, but his oddly styled hair still looked strange.

Qin Xiao walked slowly to the young man and stopped in front of him. He looked at the bruises on the young man's neck and asked with familiarity, "Are you feeling better?"

You're quite outgoing.

Chu Jiubian inwardly scoffed, but outwardly calmly said, "Much better."

"That's good." Qin Xiao smiled. "Shall we go inside and talk?"

Chu Jiubian then stepped into the outer room first and sat down in the main seat behind the desk.

Qin Xiao followed him in, glanced around the room, and said, "If you need anything, just tell Xiao Xiangzi. Don't be shy with me."

Chu Jiubian looked up at him: "My lord is so considerate."

"Of course." Qin Xiao sat down in a chair to the left. "You went through so much trouble to come down to the mortal realm to find me, so of course I have to treat you well."

His words were sarcastic, and his expression showed no respect whatsoever; he clearly still did not believe Chu Jiubian's identity as a "god."

Chu Jiubian remained silent and sat still.

He didn't speak, so Qin Xiao didn't speak either.

In the silence, Shui Qing Shui Yun brought in tea and then quietly left.

Chu Jiubian picked up his teacup, took a sip, and placed the cup back on the table. His every movement was graceful, befitting even the most etiquette-conscious members of the Wang family.

Qin Xiao rubbed the ring on his finger, then got up and walked to the desk, taking out a piece of saltpeter wrapped in a handkerchief from his sleeve and placing it on the table.

"What you want." Qin Xiao stood in front of the table with his arms crossed, his gaze constantly shifting to Chu Jiubian's face, not missing a single change in his expression.

Chu Jiubian took the handkerchief and opened it, revealing a mottled white stone.

It is saltpeter, but it is a natural mineral.

To obtain pure saltpeter, it needs further processing.

It's only a small piece; after processing and purification, even less will be left.

Chu Jiubian looked up at the man and said with a smile, "Is Prince Ning so strapped for cash?"

Qin Xiao said frankly, "There's nothing I can do, the national treasury is empty."

After saying that, he smiled again and said, "Why don't you ask this immortal gentleman for help?"

“Okay.” Chu Jiubian readily agreed.

Qin Xiao paused.

Chu Jiubian's smile deepened as he looked up at the man and said, "I'll help you make money, and you let me out of this courtyard. How about it?"

"A pittance won't be enough to quell this immediate crisis," Qin Xiao said.

"Don't worry," Chu Jiubian said, emphasizing each word, "it's enough for you to build a dam."

Minister Xiao proposed building a dam, which was to be discussed at the morning court session. Chu Jiubian, who had been under constant surveillance, had no chance of knowing about it, but he deliberately said it to make Qin Xiao think wildly.

If this happens too often, the other party will eventually believe he is a god.

Qin Xiao's eyes darkened for a moment, then he regained his composure and said, "Deal."

As for the rest, Chu Jiubian only needed to tell Xiao Xiangzi and let him take care of it.

With nothing more to say to each other, Qin Xiao prepared to leave.

But just before leaving, he paused, turned back, and asked, "Name?"

Chu Jiubian paused for a moment, then said, "Chu Jiubian."

"The 'debate' in 'debate'?"

"right."

"Chu Jiubian," Qin Xiao murmured, then chuckled inexplicably.

Chu Jiubian watched his retreating figure and muttered to himself, "Crazy."