"This disciple is unaware; please enlighten me, Master." Qin Mu shook his head slightly and bowed again.
“It has the form, but not the spirit. Although your drawing is exactly the same as the monster, it lacks the charm. Do you understand?” Li Gang asked, pointing at the monster.
"I understand, but I don't know what to do," Qin Mu said with a wry smile after a moment's thought, frowning.
After Li Gang finished speaking, he immediately understood that this was exactly what had brought him success and failure. He had a good memory and could perfectly draw out the pictures in his mind and recall the music he had heard; but it was precisely because of this that he neglected to appreciate the meaning and artistic conception.
Knowing what it is is one thing, being able to do it is another. At this moment, he understood why plagiarizing so many poems, including masterpieces like "Ode to Righteousness," "Inscription of a Humble Abode," and "Primer of Prosody," couldn't evoke Tianci's inspiration—he lacked that kind of understanding. Without the corresponding state of mind, there is no charm, and thus, the magic cannot be unleashed.
He understood in his heart, but he was even more confused. As a soul in a peaceful era, he could quickly accept martial arts. Relying on his memory and comprehension, he could learn it in no time and master it quickly through diligent practice. However, he was far behind in terms of artistic conception and profound principles. It was like a dog trying to bite a turtle, with no way to get a foothold.
"It can only be understood intuitively, not explained in words. Once you understand, you understand. All I can tell you is to observe more and practice more," Li Gang said, shaking his head slightly.
Thinking of the legendary story of Leonardo da Vinci drawing eggs, Qin Mu nodded slightly.
"You don't need to rush. I know you've only been cultivating for half a year. To become a scholar is already a rare talent, second only to those legendary predecessors who achieved enlightenment overnight and became great Confucian scholars. Calling you a prodigy wouldn't be an exaggeration," Li Gang comforted him.
"Teacher, you flatter me. I've been cultivating in a daze until now, but thankfully I have your guidance now." Qin Mu said with an embarrassed smile. He was telling the truth. He had been cultivating without any knowledge and had stumbled upon the right path by accident.
“That also depends on talent,” Li Gang said with a slight smile, then added after a slight hesitation, “and luck as well.”
"Luck? Is it the same as fortune?" Qin Mu asked.
"It can be said that those with great fortune are favored by heaven and everything goes smoothly; most importantly, those with great fortune are in a better alignment with the way of heaven, which is something that cannot be explained. There have been many such people throughout history, but it is all just speculation because no one knows for sure."
Fortune has its ups and downs, so it's always necessary to act cautiously. Actually, you don't need to worry too much. After all, calligraphy, painting, and musical instruments are just one of the great paths; it doesn't matter if you're not good at them. Focusing on what you're good at is the wise thing to do. Reaching the pinnacle of a great path is something others can only envy,” Li Gang reminded him.
Qin Mu roughly understood what Li Gang meant: if you don't have the talent, you should just give up.
"Does the teacher know about Changning's problem?" Qin Mu asked expectantly, a thought stirring in his mind.
"Princess Changning?"
"Yes."
Seeing his apprentice's expectant eyes, Li Gang smiled, nodded slightly, and thought to himself, "My apprentice has grown up!"
"I have also looked into Princess Changning's problem, but I do not know the reason."
"Even the teacher doesn't know!" Qin Mu said with slight disappointment. Actually, it wasn't surprising, since with the Li family's background, if a great scholar could solve it, they could definitely find someone else to solve it.
"Although I don't know the reason, I have some guesses." Li Gang didn't care about Qin Mu's tone. After all, not knowing is not shameful. For an old man who has seen through the ways of the world, he is not so petty.
"Please give me your guidance, teacher." Qin Mu's eyes lit up, and he bowed respectfully. Princess Changning often fell down. Although Princess Changning didn't seem to care, or rather, she was used to it, Qin Mu still remembered it. After all, he felt sorry for her. She was, after all, his woman, even though they weren't married yet.
“There are two possibilities. The first is that your luck is different. Just like when you suddenly thought of this question, you must have had a guess in your mind after hearing about luck, right?” Li Gang glanced at Qin Mu and said.
Qin Mu nodded.
“The second possibility is a curse! A curse we’ve never seen before, more likely a curse originating from our bloodline,” Li Gang continued solemnly.
"A curse!" Qin Mu looked at Li Gang in surprise.
"A curse is a magical array made of special materials, which is then connected to the Great Dao in a special way and cast upon the opponent. This method can harm the opponent without their knowledge, and those who are affected are often unaware of it, making it extremely dangerous," Li Gang explained, gesturing for Qin Mu to sit down.
"Isn't this invincible? It's practically impossible to defend against!"
"It's not that simple! First of all, casting a curse comes at a great cost. After all, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth is not so easy to utilize. The Grand Scholar comprehends the Great Dao, while the Great Confucian Scholar says he uses it, but it's more accurate to say that he has thoroughly understood it and made it his own tool; just like learning, the Grand Scholar is still learning, while the Great Confucian Scholar has already achieved something." Li Gang said with self-deprecation.
"So that's how it is!" Qin Mu exclaimed in surprise. This was indeed different from what he had imagined. He had originally thought that a great Confucian scholar should be in control of the Great Dao.
"Hehe, what do you think the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth is? How can humans control it? If you comprehend the Great Dao and understand it thoroughly, you can use it to fight your enemies. This is what Taoism calls 'following the natural way'! By learning from Heaven and Earth, you will naturally be in harmony with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. So it is not surprising that you can use that trace of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth."
But curses are different. Heaven and Earth are impartial; they cannot and will not target any one person. So, trying to use a curse against someone is tantamount to forcing the will of Heaven and Earth. Even if it's something you've personally comprehended, it will be resisted by the Great Dao. The more you change, the greater the difficulty, and the stronger the backlash. Li Gang was indeed a good teacher; he explained things very clearly.
"I see!" Qin Mu nodded slightly. He understood the principle. Originally, the sword was meant to be a straight thrust, but after the thrust, changing the angle required even greater force.
Before the great laws of heaven and earth, humanity is but an ant. How easy is it for an ant to move something far beyond its own strength?
"Yes, these things shouldn't have been known to you so early, but it's alright to tell you now, since you're about to become a Grand Scholar. Attacking others with curses will always have a backlash unless that person is truly deserving of death. Status, position, and fortune all affect the difficulty of casting a curse."
"The problem of Princess Changning is something she was born with. Although she wasn't actually a princess, the Li family was a large and influential clan with good fortune. Besides, how could a child possibly deserve to die! So cursing her would have a high price to pay. Under normal circumstances, no one would be willing to do that," Li Gang explained.
"This doesn't make sense! If you have such great power to curse a child, you must have a big grudge against the Li family. Why not just take revenge on the adults? And if you have a grudge, why only make her fall down when you cast a curse? It doesn't seem like a big deal!" Qin Mu said, puzzled.
"That's true. I can't figure it out either. So I guess the curse isn't targeting the princess, but the Li family, or rather, her mother's family."
Another possibility is that one of her parents' elders was cursed, and the curse ultimately took its effect on her. That's why I said it might originate from her bloodline." Li Gang nodded and said.
"This...this...how could this be?" Qin Mu looked at Li Gang in utter bewilderment.
"I don't know either. I don't know how to use curses. I'm just making inferences based on the situation. As for falling down, do you think it's a small matter?" Li Gang shook his head and said.
Isn't that so?
"A child? Falling down for no reason, and you never know when it will happen. Don't you think there might be an accident? You have to remember that the Li family wasn't the royal family back then! Even if there were people to take care of him when he was young, what if he's older? What if it happens during a battle?"
"To put it another way, if word gets out about this, what will others think? How will they view the Li family? Will they worry about having a relationship with the Li family and affecting their own bloodline?" Li Gang asked rhetorically, his gaze fixed on Qin Mu.
Qin Mu didn't have any bad thoughts. At this moment, he wasn't thinking about the meaning behind Li Gang's words, but was just thinking about how to solve the problem of Princess Changning.
Seeing his apprentice merely furrow his brow, Li Gang held him in higher regard.
"Teacher, is there no way to remove the curse?" Qin Mu asked.
"A curse originating from the bloodline, let alone removing it, it can't even be investigated. This is an attack triggered by the Great Dao, equivalent to a destiny bestowed by the Great Dao. How can it be removed? At least I don't know," Li Gang said, shaking his head slightly.
“However, there is a way. Improving one’s own luck can reduce the chances of the curse occurring; to completely resolve it, I’m afraid the only way is to find the person who cast the curse,” Li Gang added.
"Does the Li family know it's a curse? They should know who their enemy is, right? Why haven't they resolved it all these years?" Qin Mu asked himself, answering his own question.
“I don’t know about that, but the royal family has many experts, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find the problem. Since even with their abilities, they can’t completely solve the problem, then don’t overthink it. Just let nature take its course. Perhaps the solution will appear before you one day,” Li Gang couldn’t help but remind him.
"Thank you for your guidance, teacher." Qin Mu nodded and bowed in thanks.
He knew Li Gang meant well. Since even the royal family couldn't solve the problem, whether it was because they couldn't find the reason or because the enemy was too powerful, it was something he, with his meager strength, couldn't handle.
Perhaps he could solve the problem when he became stronger. Qin Mu didn't believe that the royal family couldn't find a master who could curse. If they couldn't solve it, he certainly couldn't.
Fortunately, Princess Changning is alright. I'll just remember not to let her participate in battles in the future. Qin Mu silently reminded himself.
What Li Gang talked about today, besides the curse, was the most important thing about luck. Only then did Qin Mu realize that luck, this ethereal thing, actually exists.
As he pondered this, Qin Mu's eyes lit up. He took a deep breath, looked up, and asked, "Teacher, do you think that if we let Changning do more good deeds, would it reduce the chances of her having an attack?"
“That’s certainly possible. Raising one’s status and reputation can increase the difficulty of casting a curse.” Li Gang stroked his beard, smiling and nodding in agreement. He was also surprised by his disciple’s idea; he hadn’t even thought of this method himself.
"Teacher, why haven't we heard of any problems with the other members of the Li family?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
“Who said it didn’t manifest? Although I’ve never heard of it either. As for why Princess Changning’s condition is so obvious, have you ever heard the saying ‘Heaven is jealous of beauty’?” Li Gang countered.
Yes! Who says the other members of the Li family aren't cursed? Has no one in the Li family ever had an accident? It's more likely that no one has had such a pronounced effect as Princess Changning.
The saying "Heaven is jealous of beauty" also implies that beautiful women often have tragic fates. Qin Mu previously thought this was simply because the girl was beautiful, leading to many targeting her, especially in ancient times. A beautiful woman attracts many admirers, making trouble more likely. This has led to a sigh of lament!
"Beauty is often short-lived! I don't know where this saying came from, but it certainly makes sense. Beautiful women seem incompatible with the Great Dao, hence their low fortune. It's no wonder the curse manifests so clearly in her." Li Gang gazed into the distance, pondering as he spoke. The stronger one is in relation to the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, the more awe one feels; the more one understands, the more one realizes how little one knows.
"Don't overthink it, just do as you say! It's always good to do good deeds." After a while, Li Gang turned his gaze away from the distance and said.
"Yes! This disciple understands!" Qin Mu nodded solemnly. Since he couldn't deal with any potential experts, he had to conceal his purpose to avoid getting burned and let his enemies target the Li family instead.
"Alright! Go on your way. I'm tired. Just remember what happened today and keep it in your heart. Don't go around asking about it." Li Gang waved his hand gently.
"This disciple understands the importance of things! Thank you for your guidance, teacher," Qin Mu replied again. He knew Li Gang's good intentions, so he was very grateful. This teacher was truly thinking of him.
Although Li Gang said it was just a guess, Qin Mu estimated that it was pretty much true, and there was no better explanation. As for doing good deeds, there's no harm in doing more; just get Chang Ning involved, and even persuade her to take the initiative, preferably leading the way.
Qin Mu pondered solutions the entire way. "No good deed is too small to be done!" This saying was uttered by his ancestors, just like the saying "Heaven is jealous of beautiful women," there's always a reason for it.
………
The commercial street is now open for business! After more than three months of construction and renovation, it has already become known to the people of Chang'an. Curious and distinguished people have already gone inside to see it, and all sorts of rumors are flying around.
Beautiful, clean, novel, and unique! It has aroused the curiosity of many, especially the relocated residents who have moved into brick and tile buildings, making many people envious. As a result, many people are eager to visit, but due to the ongoing construction, it has been closed to the public, and without a certain status or position, it is impossible to get in.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com