"I want a poem you wrote, Brother Qin Mu." Xiangli Yanran's eyes lit up when Qin Mu agreed.
Qin Mu, of course, would not refuse. He glanced at Xiang Liyan, thought for a moment, muttered to himself, and silently recited it once, feeling that there was no problem.
"A light silk fan adorned with white orchids, a slender waist draped with a jade belt, dancing in the heavenly gauze. She seems like a fairy descended from heaven, her smile outshining the stars."
I picked up my brush and wrote four lines of poetry. These are the four lines of the original poem, and they don't feel out of place on their own. Although the light silk fan is a bit of a mismatch, it's passable.
Xiangli Yanran hadn't even considered whether the poems matched or not; her face was beaming with joy after reading Xiaoshi's poem.
"Oh my! Brother Qin Mu said I look like a fairy. Does that mean I'm pretty?" Touching her slightly flushed face, Xiangli Yanran looked up at Qin Mu shyly.
Unfortunately, Qin Mu didn't see her expression. He was still admiring his own handwriting, examining it carefully, and it did indeed have a bit more liveliness than before.
"Perhaps it's because I didn't think about how to write or how to control the pen strokes just now," Qin Mu thought, stroking his bald chin.
Seeing that Qin Mu wasn't paying attention, Xiangli Yanran secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then picked up the folding fan and looked at it again and again.
"Don't move!" Qin Mu said softly, looking at Xiangli Yanran, and then lowered his head slightly.
"What is he going to do! Is he going to kiss me?" Xiangli Yanran's heart pounded and her body tensed as she watched Qin Mu's face approach.
"Why are you closing your eyes? It's not like you're getting a shot." Qin Mu reached out and wiped a bit of ink off Xiangli Yanran's face, then looked at her strangely and asked.
"I...I...What is an injection? Is it acupuncture?" Xiangli Yanran opened her eyes, looked at the ink stain on Qin Mu's hand, touched the spot on her face where he had rubbed it, stammered and didn't know what to say, then changed the subject and asked.
"I can't!" Qin Mu shook his head and said.
"I'm leaving!" Xiangli Yanran turned and ran out in a slightly flustered manner.
"That's weird!" Qin Mu muttered, but didn't try to stop her. Normally, he would have noticed the little girl's unusual behavior, but right now he was preoccupied with what had just happened.
After Xiangli Yanran left, Qin Mu stared at the broken calligraphy brush and the ink-stained Xuan paper beside him, remaining silent for a long while.
"Sigh! Forget it! Don't touch these things, lest you get hurt again," Qin Mu sighed.
"Huai Dao, are you injured?" A voice came from behind. Qin Mu turned around and saw Qin Qiong looking at him with concern as she walked over.
Qin Mu knew he had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't heard the footsteps. To avoid worrying Qin Qiong, he smiled and went to greet him, saying, "Father, you're back."
"Dad, you just said you were injured? Where are you injured?" Qin Qiong held Qin Mu's arms, looked him up and down, and asked with concern.
"Father, don't worry, I'm not injured, but Brother Bu is," Qin Mu said happily with a smile. Seeing Qin Qiong return, he felt much more at ease, and his mood immediately relaxed.
"It's good that you're alright." Qin Qiong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
"Father, you must be tired from your journey. Please sit down and rest." Qin Mu moved a stool over and placed it next to Qin Qiong.
"Hehe! Why was that girl from the Mo family so flustered just now?" Qin Qiong asked with a smile.
"Panic? I don't know," Qin Mu said blankly.
"My son has grown up. When we return to Chang'an, I will find you a virtuous and capable wife," Qin Qiong said with satisfaction, looking at Qin Mu with a sigh.
"What the heck?" Qin Mu was taken aback when he heard Qin Qiong's words. He then realized that this was clearly a suspicion that he had some kind of relationship with Xiangli Yanran, but he hadn't acted like he knew anything about it. He just wanted to find someone else for himself.
Virtuous and capable! Qin Mu guessed that his main motivation was to find a "capable" woman so he could have grandchildren sooner. He wanted to refuse, but then he thought that in this world, getting engaged at fifteen or sixteen was normal. Besides, he suddenly remembered that Li Shimin seemed to like marrying his daughters to the descendants of meritorious officials, so it was better for him to get engaged early to avoid being targeted.
"Father, you're back. Why don't I see Uncle?" Qin Mu asked, changing the subject.
"He's right behind us, he'll be back in a bit," Qin Qiong said, waving his hand.
"Father, you've come back just in time. Yesterday, I obtained a jar of exotic beast blood. Combined with spiritual medicine, it can replenish your vital energy and repair your foundation."
Qin Qiong did not refuse her son's kind offer and nodded happily with a smile.
Without hesitation, Qin Mu had another large bucket brought over, which he then filled with more than half a bucket of water.
"Dad, you go in and soak in the water."
Qin Qiong didn't say anything, he just stripped naked and jumped into the tub.
After Qin Qiong went inside, Qin Mu took out more than ten bottles of pills, crushed them one by one, and dissolved them in the bucket. Finally, he poured in Zheng's blood.
These elixirs were actually left to him by Guiguzi, to ensure that his successors would have a solid foundation, so that even if the recipient's foundation was damaged, it could be repaired. The Five Elements Elixir, in particular, was designed to balance the Yin and Yang and the Five Elements within the human body.
The Guigu school, primarily rooted in Taoism, regards the "Tao" as the foundation of the universe and Yin and Yang as the cause of all things. Its opening statement is, "The Tao is the mystery of all things. All things carry Yin and embrace Yang, achieving harmony through the interaction of these two forces."
In other words, the Dao is the origin of all things in the universe, generating primordial, primordial, and abundant Qi, which in turn generates Yin and Yang Qi. Yin and Yang Qi, in turn, generate the Qi of harmony, and the Yin and Yang Qi, together with the harmonious Qi produced by their interaction, give rise to all things. All things possess Yin and Yang Qi, which interact and permeate each other to create harmony.
Yin and Yang give rise to the Five Elements, and the Five Elements generate and restrain each other. This is the foundation of cultivation in the Guiguzi lineage.
Guiguzi had many disciples, but almost all of them were somewhat flawed and unable to fully inherit his mantle. Therefore, he wanted to take in a young genius and use elixirs to perfect his foundation, or rather, to make him a genius. Thus, he spent decades collecting medicinal herbs and refined them into this batch of elixirs. The preciousness of these elixirs is therefore self-evident.
However, things didn't go as planned. Before he could even accept a disciple, unforeseen circumstances arose, forcing him to hastily leave behind his legacy. Therefore, he only explained how to use these elixirs in the legacy, without mentioning their great value.
Of course! Even if Qin Mu knew these pills could elevate his cultivation, he wouldn't keep them for himself. Leaving aside the fact that Qin Qiong was the pillar of the Qin family and his support, even with Qin Qiong's deep concern for him, he wouldn't have witnessed Qin Qiong's untimely death.
Having achieved mastery in cultivation, one naturally wouldn't die as young as in the other world. However, even if Qin Qiong didn't die, any changes in his body that significantly reduced his strength would make others no longer wary of him. They might even target the Qin family as a means of attack.
Qin Qiong, of course, had no idea that these elixirs would be so precious; he simply didn't want to refuse his son's filial piety. Or perhaps, having another son made his sense of responsibility even stronger.
He's someone who's seen life and death many times, and he used to take it all in stride. Now that his sense of responsibility has increased, he naturally has more to think about.
I used to think that even if I died, my friends would take care of the Qin family. But now, thinking about it more carefully, my children are still minors. If they can stay healthy and live for several more decades, that would be the best outcome.
Soaking in the tub, Qin Qiong didn't feel anything at first, treating it like a bath and even rubbing his body with his hands. But as the medicine took effect, Qin Qiong's eyes widened in surprise. He felt countless medicinal forces coursing through his body, containing immense spiritual energy, making his body feel as if it were about to burst.
Without needing any prompting, he immediately closed his eyes and began absorbing the medicinal power. Martial arts training isn't just about physical exercise; it also includes spiritual energy and blood energy. They don't cultivate the dantian or acupoints; all their spiritual energy and blood energy are stored in their muscles. Constantly tempering the physical body with spiritual energy—this is the true essence of martial arts cultivation.
Qin Qiong's repeated injuries and excessive blood loss caused internal organ damage and imbalance, which was the main reason for his condition. It could be said that Qin Mu's elixir was exactly what he needed.
As Qin Qiong circulated his blood-fiend energy, the entire bucket seemed to boil, with the medicinal liquid bubbling continuously.
At this moment, Qin Qiong could no longer care about the outside world. He only knew that a large amount of spiritual energy was constantly entering his body, forcing him to constantly control the power of these pills.
The overflowing bloodthirsty aura forced Qin Mu to retreat further. Only then did he realize just how powerful Qin Qiong was. Even the mere spilled bloodthirsty aura filled him with dread.
"What is your father doing?" a low voice whispered in Qin Mu's ear.
Qin Mu was startled. He had been focused solely on Qin Qiong and hadn't realized someone had gotten so close. If it were a bad guy, he might be dead. Fortunately, he quickly realized it was Luo Cheng's voice.
"Shh! My dad's taking a medicinal bath, don't disturb him," Qin Mu said, putting his hand to his lips.
"I know he's taking a medicinal bath. I was asking him why he was taking one, since he wasn't injured," Luo Cheng said irritably. He knew about medicinal baths all too well; no martial artist didn't take one.
"My father was injured before and it never fully healed. I happened to have some medicine here, so I thought I'd give him a soak," Qin Mu explained.
"That's right, your father didn't spoil you for nothing!" Luo Cheng said with admiration, inviting Qin Mu to sit down outside.
"???"
"As soon as things were settled, your father rushed back. He had a lot of other things to do, and he left them all to Li Xiaogong." Luo Cheng explained to Qin Mu, who looked puzzled.
Upon hearing this, Qin Mu felt a warmth in his heart and couldn't help but smile happily.
"Brother Bu was injured while protecting me," Qin Mu said apologetically.
"Yes, I saw him just now. He had a minor injury and is fine."
"How was the trip to the Khitan?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"What do you mean, 'what if'? Once we go, do they have any other choice? Unless they go and pledge allegiance to Goguryeo. Tang Dynasty and Goguryeo, two choices, is there even a need to think about it?" Luo Cheng said proudly.
"How should we resolve the issue of Goguryeo's obstruction?"
"Hmph! We have already petitioned the court to assemble a force to provide support. Don't be fooled by the Goguryeo people's bravado; if we really asked them to come out of the Great Wall, let's see if they dare! A bunch of cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong," Luo Cheng sneered.
"What about the Khitans?" Thinking about the Khitans, they didn't seem like good people, so Qin Mu asked with concern.
"That certainly depends on His Majesty's wishes, but they suggest settling him in Yuyang, near Lulong," Luo Cheng replied. He had never been particularly concerned with such matters.
Qin Mu frowned slightly upon hearing this, but didn't say much. He couldn't get involved in such matters, so he simply kept it to himself and would deal with it later when the opportunity arose.
To protect Qin Qiong, Luo Cheng didn't leave either, and chatted with Qin Mu casually.
"When are you and your son going back to Chang'an?"
"I don't know yet, it depends on my father's arrangements. What about you, Uncle? Didn't your uncle say that your whole family was moving to Chang'an?" Qin Mu asked.
"I'll move back to Youzhou. I've been here for a few years and I'm tired of it! Going to Chang'an is not bad either."
"What kind of place is Chang'an?" It was clear that Luo Cheng was somewhat reluctant to leave Youzhou; after all, Chang'an certainly wouldn't offer the same freedom. In Youzhou, he could do whatever he wanted. Chang'an was different; not only were there many officials with higher ranks than him, but there were also many more capable people.
"Chang'an! It is a very large and prosperous city. There are countless masters, and it is very lively."
That's it?
What do you want to ask?
"Tell me in more detail, okay? How big is 'very big'? And what do you mean by 'countless experts'?" Qin Mu pressed.
"Very large is extremely large, at least ten times the size of Youzhou City. The imperial city alone is comparable to Youzhou City; Guanzhong had more than three million people a few years ago, half of whom were concentrated near Chang'an. All kinds of sects and major families have people in Chang'an. Do you think there are many experts?"
"Especially the imperial examinations held every three years, they were incredibly lively," Luo Cheng recalled with a sigh.
"The imperial examination?"
"That's right. The imperial court holds the imperial examinations every three years, which are divided into three categories: civil, military, and miscellaneous."
"Civilian, military, and miscellaneous? How are they divided?" Qin Mu asked curiously. He could understand the division into civil and military, but what did this "miscellaneous" thing mean?
"The martial arts part is easy to understand. They mainly select two types of people: generals and warriors. Generals fight on the battlefield, while warriors serve as city guards, scouts, and patrolmen. As for the literary part, it tests poetry, prose, and mathematics. As for miscellaneous subjects, there are many, including music, chess, calligraphy, painting, medicine, divination, and astrology. I don't remember the specifics. Anyway, you don't need to take any exams, so you don't need to worry about those things." Luo Cheng frowned and waved his hand.
"I don't need to take the exam?" Qin Mu asked, his eyes wide.
"Of course, His Majesty will definitely bestow upon you a minor official title when we return to Chang'an. Once you come of age, he will naturally appoint you according to your abilities. There's no need for an examination. Moreover, as the eldest son, the title should naturally be inherited by you," Luo Cheng said matter-of-factly.
This is a privilege. Although others may be dissatisfied, Qin Mu is very happy. Life without exams is so wonderful.
But his happiness didn't last long, as Luo Cheng ruined his mood.
“However, it seems that all Confucian scholars have to participate in the imperial examinations,” Luo Cheng said, tapping his forehead.
Okay! I reckon this is all about fame. Whether it's poetry or prose, it needs a large following to truly shine; of course, the bigger the fame, the better. Winning the imperial examinations signifies genuine talent and learning, naturally increasing the likelihood of external acclaim. Otherwise, given the current speed of information dissemination, it would be difficult for such accolades to spread.
Come to think of it, if it were just Qin Qiong's son, perhaps some people in Chang'an would pay attention, but the imperial examination is a different story. It's something that the whole country is paying attention to, and even the beastmen are paying attention, although they have ulterior motives.
Whether or not to take the exam will depend on the situation. He doesn't know anything about the imperial examination system. Qin Mu quickly put the matter out of his mind.
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