Chapter 17 Chapter 17 How old is Your Highness now?
Xie Tingyu was puzzled.
Why is Ji Lian interested in her previous life?
Back then, when she took up the post of Jinwu Guard, she was only seventeen years old. Was Ji Lian born at that time? Did she meet her in the palace?
Xie Tingyu leaned forward again and asked, "How old is your highness now?"
Asking a man how old he is is the same as telling him in public that his makeup is smudged, his lip balm has fallen off, or his hair is messy. Both are very rude.
Ji Lian raised her beautiful head and answered coldly, "Xie Tingyu, do you have a brain disease?"
The lecturer's wife continued to spit on the stage, "There's an old saying that a fine horse can gallop a thousand miles without a good horse trainer. When Wang Zhuozhang first met Wang Xuanji, he wanted to recruit her."
She tapped her hands rhythmically on the table. "The general thought to himself, 'The Great Zhou is in dire need of talent right now. How can such a talent be buried?' So, Wang Zhuozhang not only paid off Wang Xuanji's gambling debts, but also redeemed the knife she had pawned to pay off her debt. Wang Xuanji accepted this favor and was willing to stay with Wang Zhuozhang."
"However," the lecturer's wife changed the subject, "martial arts alone are ultimately insufficient. You should know that if one only practices martial arts without understanding literature, one will ultimately be nothing more than an unlearned and unskillful woman. Even if one possesses unparalleled courage, one can only be a housekeeper."
She sighed, "Fortunately, although Xuanji came from a common background and could read but not write, she was gifted and intelligent. Wang Zhuozhang personally taught her calligraphy and painting, and even allowed her to read the military classics such as "The Art of War" and "The Art of War" in the palace's collection. It's truly rare for these two to be both teachers and friends."
The people below were listening attentively and couldn't help but applaud.
Xie Tingyu was reminded of the past by these words.
That year, after her master died, she went down the mountain alone with only five strings of cash in her pocket.
She loved to play, finding everything new and interesting. She was drawn into gambling, such as backgammon, chupu, and tanqi, and loved to hang out in various brothels. The gentlemen in these brothels always liked to call her "Lady Qiluo", and she understood that this was a compliment to her beauty.
It was at that time that she suddenly realized that her appearance alone was enough to attract all those men. Tonight she would sleep on the arms of a courtesan, and tomorrow she would drink under the moonlight with a young man she met by chance on the street.
At first, he won and lost half of his money gambling, but eventually, after mastering the art of gambling, he was able to win nine out of ten games, and his bets gradually increased. When his luck was not good, he became a bounty hunter, taking on jobs such as catching bandits and recovering stolen goods to pay off his debts.
When she attacked, she insisted on killing with one blow; she was quick, ruthless and accurate, and could chop off the victim's head with one blow, without wasting time on a second blow.
Over time, she gradually became famous in the martial arts world, and some people called her "Qiluo Blood Guanyin".
Once, she lost money gambling and was so angry that she pawned her knife to pay back the debt. Later, when she couldn't pay it back, she slipped away at night. The scoundrels who were chasing the debt happened to be in the same group as the assassin who was going to kill Wang Zhuozhang. She solved the problem with a single blow of her knife.
She took the knife with the red silk wrapped around the handle, looked up at the man in front of her who was dressed in noble attire but had a warm and friendly smile, and asked suspiciously, "It's fine if you redeem the knife for me, but are you really going to pay off my gambling debts?"
Wang Zhuozhang nodded. "You saved my life, so I'll redeem your knife. One thing for one life. I, Wang Zhuozhang, never owe anyone a favor."
"Tsk." She tucked the knife back onto the belt at the back of her waist, leaned over the low table with one hand, and knocked over two wine cups with the hem of her dress. Then she knelt down in front of Wang Zhuozhang. She picked up the wine pot and poured herself a glass. The spicy Tusu wine burned her throat. "Then we're even—how about I kill a few more people for you?" Her fingertips tapped the sheath of the knife. "Tell me, who else do you want to deal with?"
Wang Zhuozhang was left in a state of confusion by these remarks.
She looked at the other man's linen clothes, which had been washed white. "I see that the clothes you are wearing are frayed, and there is probably not even a penny in your purse." She picked up the wine pot and refilled her cup. "How about this, you stay with me for five years and work for me. At the end of the five years, you can stay or leave as you wish. How about it?"
"Is there money to be made? I won't do it if there's no money."
"How much do you want?"
"Give it as you see fit. I don't think you'll owe me money."
"Then it will be fifteen strings of cash per month." This is already the salary of a sixth-rank lieutenant in the court.
Wang Zhuozhang added, "In addition, there are five sets of clothing for each season, all made of Yue silk. You can use the swords, bows, crossbows, and spears in the armory at will. If they break, they will be replaced with new ones."
"Xuanji, my name is Xuanji." She suddenly said, staring straight at Wang Zhuozhang, "What about you?"
"My name is Wang Zhuozhang, and I come from the Wang family of Langya."
"What's with the wolf and the sheep? I don't understand." Xuanji frowned. "Why do you guys always speak so flowery?"
Wang Zhuozhang burst into laughter after hearing this. He raised his hand and called the wine doctor, "Bring this young friend another jar of Xinfeng wine!" He then said to his followers, "Bring out the roasted mutton and the fish. I want to drink with her today!"
She continued, "Speaking of which, there was a hermit in the previous dynasty, known as 'Xuanjizi', who once divined the fortunes of our Wang family's ancestors. You said your name is Xuanji, could it be that you have some connection to her?"
Xuanji scoffed. "I named myself Xuanji. Back then, there was a famine, and my mom and dad couldn't afford to support so many people in the family, so they sold me for a single coin. My master raised me. I just called myself Xuanji because it sounded nice. Why all the twists and turns?"
Bang!
The wake-up stick was hit again, and Xie Tingyu came back to his senses and continued listening.
The lecturer's wife spoke slowly, "Back then, General Wang Hengwu of Zhenyuan took the initiative to adopt Xuanji as his adopted daughter and gave her the surname Wang. The reason for this was..." She deliberately dragged out her tone.
"I know, it must be because she has saved the Lord so many times!" someone blurted out.
"No," the lecturer's wife shook her head. "You only know one side of the story. This story begins during an autumn hunt during the Jian'an period."
"When the Northern Di envoys came to visit, they included a strongman named Wulanzhu, nine feet tall, with broad arms and a round waist, resembling a black bear. The Di people, while 'having long heard of the heroic women of the Great Zhou,' deliberately proposed that they choose someone to conduct the wrestling duel."
She picked up the teacup on the table and gestured, "In this wrestling game, the winner is the one who throws the opponent to the ground. The Di people also said that if the Great Zhou loses, they, the Northern Di people, can choose any three cities and take away our men and boys. The Di people are so arrogant that they even dared to choose General Wang Zhuozhang's pregnant husband at the time. It's really infuriating and hateful!"
At this point, she laughed heartily. "Hey, guess what? They picked Wang Xuanji. They thought Captain Wang was a pushover because she was tall but delicate."
"I didn't expect Wang Xuanji to be so strong that he knocked Wulanzhu to the ground in no time. The Northern Di people made a big fool of themselves during the autumn hunt, shooting arrows that just grazed Wang Zhuozhang several times."
Captain Wang immediately drew his bow and used the "Sparrow Screen Selection" technique, striking the Di soldier in the left eye with one arrow and piercing another's throat with another, killing him instantly.
"The late emperor was greatly pleased and has awarded Captain Wang a life-saving pill. This pill is a secret medicine of the Great Zhou royal family. No matter what kind of poison a person has been poisoned by, taking this pill can save half of their life."
"That year, Captain Wang Xuanji was still serving in the Jinwu Guards. He was only eighteen years old, and truly a young and promising man!"
"General Wang Hengwu was present throughout the autumn hunt that year, witnessing her exceptional martial arts skills firsthand and deeply impressed by her loyalty, bravery, and resourcefulness. Afterwards, he opened the ancestral temple, burned incense, and made a public announcement to his ancestors, adopting her as his adopted daughter and entering her into the Langya Wang family genealogy."
There was an uproar in the hall. Several people were so excited that they slammed the table and stood up, cheering and applauding for a long time.
"Well! This lecture by a famous scholar ends here." The lecturer on the stage stroked her sleeves. "I wonder if anyone here has learned anything?"
Her eyes swept across the room like lightning, suddenly settling on the last row. She spoke loudly, "Lady Taoist sitting in the back, the one wearing the lotus crown, I wonder what you've learned from Captain Wang's life story? Have you gained any insights or inspirations?"
The Taoist priest first glanced at me from behind the screen, then turned around with a look of surprise, "Lecturer, are you talking about me?"
"Ah, yes, yes! It's you. Even people from outside the world come to listen to the legendary life story of Captain Wang Xuanji. It shows that our captain's reputation has long surpassed the court and spread throughout the world!"
Xie Tingyu: “………………”
...She also didn't expect that her story would be compiled into a storytelling and passed down to this day.
Xie Tingyu looked at Ji Lian again, a look of helplessness on his face, and mouthed, "Why was I the chosen one? If I had known earlier, I would have sat behind the screen too."
Ji Lian turned her face away, her shoulders trembling slightly, and when she turned back, she was already calm, "Since I've called on you..." Yu Guang stretched out a finger from under his sleeve and gently pushed, "Why don't you say a few words? Don't refuse."
The lecturer had intended for the man to say a few words during the banquet, but he hadn't anticipated the Taoist priest's sudden rise and stride toward the stage. Embarrassed, the lecturer, unable to bear the humiliation, yielded his seat to Xie Tingyu.
Then, Xie Tingyu sat in the lecturer's seat under the watchful eyes of the crowd and began, "Well... yes... then I will just say a few words about the content of this storytelling."
She coughed lightly. "Some people are dead, but she is still alive. Captain Wang may be gone, but she lives forever in our hearts."
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience fell silent.
"Uh... If Captain Wang could hear you all remembering her like this, she would definitely... uh... definitely feel... um... very pleased."
"I think this storytelling was very well done, with a coherent beginning and an end. It not only detailed my first acquaintance with my close friend, General Wang Zhuozhang, but also expanded on Captain Wang's heroic feat during the autumn hunt."
"Well done! That's a truly excellent presentation!" The lecturer led the applause, "especially that line 'Some people die, yet she's still alive'—it's truly a brilliant aphorism. As expected of a Taoist priest, even his words are full of the flavor of sandalwood. Write it down, everyone, write it down quickly."
"Captain Wang Xuanji will always live in our hearts."
The rest of the people at the table nodded in agreement.
The lecture finally ended.
In the chaos, Xie Tingyu walked down from the stage. Seeing this, Ji Lian, who was hiding behind the screen, also stood up and wanted to leave with her.
"Hey, Taoist priest in front, please stay!" Someone called her from behind.
Ji Lian sat down and hid herself behind the screen again.
This is a minor official working in the Lantai Pavilion.
Xie Tingyu: "What's the matter?"
The clerk bowed and said, "Master, I'm not sure. According to Lantai Pavilion rules, you're required to submit a study note after a lecture." She pulled a sheet of bamboo paper from her sleeve. "The topic I chose this time is 'On the Inheritance of the Spirit of Famous Generals.' Your words just now, 'Some people die, but she still lives,' really resonated with me."
Xie Tingyu: "...Okay, okay."
The clerk asked again, "I wonder what the master has just realized?"
The author has something to say:
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Some people are dead while they are still alive; some people are still alive after they die. -- Zhou Shuren
When I was writing this article, I looked up information and found that the most difficult people to deal with in the army are actually the archers, because drawing a bow and shooting an arrow actually requires a lot of strength, so generally speaking, those who specialize in archery on horseback in the army are all people with high martial arts skills.
The heroine's figure in my mind is not the kind with huge muscles. I think of her as a ranger with beautiful lines and curves, thin muscles on the body and arms, and great strength. Anyway, she looks tall and thin when she is dressed, and you can't tell how many muscles she has. When she takes off her clothes, you will be shocked by the muscles on her body, and every muscle is well developed.
The story of the "Que Bian Zhong Zhu" (a peacock screen) is as follows: The eldest princess, the elder sister of Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, gave birth to a daughter (Empress Dou). Empress Dou's father, Dou Yi, often said, "This daughter is beautiful and knowledgeable. How can she be married off to anyone?" He then painted two peacocks on a folding screen and asked suitors to shoot two arrows each. He secretly promised to marry the one who hit the peacock's eyes. Dozens of people shot, but none met his criteria. Finally, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan, shot two arrows and hit both peacocks' eyes. As a result, Empress Dou was married to him. Later, Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, and Empress Dou became his empress. (Source: Baidu)
The number of words for the Red List has been completed in this chapter, which is enough for 15,000 words. There will be no more on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I will update it on Thursday when the list changes.
Although no one cares whether I update or not, I still mention it in my post as usual.
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