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In the training ground, Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan fought again.
Since returning from his travels, Pei Yingguan has been losing more than winning in sparring, and his wins have been dwindling, with the last few matches not even a single one to his name. He carefully reviewed the last few fights and finally discovered something.
"Junior sister, have you learned divination?"
"Yes." Xiao Wan'er replied.
Pei Yingguan remained silent. Although he had long known that Xiao Wan'er was gifted, her learning ability still caught his attention.
The two of them retrieved a pheasant from the ice pit where meat was stored, and then went into the main hall's kitchen to cook dinner together. Liuyun had gone down the mountain again just after the New Year, without giving a reason. Now, mid-spring had already passed, and he still hadn't returned.
Inside Shendu City, the Liu family mansion was locked and deserted. The gate showed signs of severe damage, and if someone could have climbed over the wall and entered, they would have seen the mess on the ground. Unfortunately, it was firmly guarded by knife-wielding petty officials, so no one dared to climb over the wall.
Inside the Sixing Temple prison, the Liu family, young and old, were crowded together in several cells. Lord Liu, once a fifth-rank official, was covered in blood as he was dragged from the interrogation room back to the prison by a minor official. A winding trail of blood was left on the ground.
"Master!" The prison door slammed shut, and Madam Liu threw herself beside Master Liu and wailed. Immediately, a guard shouted, "Shut up!"
The crying gradually subsided, and the people in the cell fell silent again. Suddenly, the prison door opened again, and the Sixing Temple was respectfully leading a Taoist priest in.
"The prison cell is filthy, Immortal, be careful."
Liu Mingyin was leaning against the corner of the cell. His once shiny brocade robe had already become dirty and torn. He raised his head after hearing the voice. The person in front of him was the Taoist priest he had seen by chance before entering the capital.
Liu Yun stood outside the cell, seeing the miserable plight of the Liu family members clearly. He stood there for a while, said nothing, and then turned and left.
He walked out of the Sixing Temple without saying a word and headed straight for the palace. When he arrived at the palace gate, the queen's nephew had been waiting there for a long time.
"The Taoist priest is here," he said, anticipating Liu Yun's arrival. After paying his respects, he invited him in. "His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."
Inside the Zhenguan Hall, the empress, dressed in a yellow robe, sat upright on the main seat in the main hall, looking at Liuyun who stepped into the hall.
Liu Yun bowed to her without arrogance or servility: "I greet your majesty."
"I haven't seen you for many years. I'm no longer young, but you're still as charming and elegant as ever," the empress sighed upon seeing her old friend. "But you've been in seclusion for many years. Why did you come to see me again?"
"My brother's descendants were recently imprisoned in the Sixing Temple."
The Queen smiled.
"The Immortal seems to only come out of seclusion at times like these. Last time it was a young man from the Pei family, and today it's your brother's descendant. But the favor you gave me back then was used to save the young man from the Pei family, so you can't use it to save the Liu family now."
During the reign of Emperor Taizong, Liuyun had once appeared before the emperor in the palace. Back then, his majesty was still a concubine in Taizong's harem. He divined her future but chose to feign ignorance. It was only after Emperor Wu came to power that his high-ranking monks learned of this and tacitly allowed him to take Pei Yingguan away during the Pei family's exile.
Liuyun thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know what crime the Liu family has committed?"
"Of course." Wu Zetian summoned a trusted female official and asked her to hand over the interrogation records to Liuyun.
Liuyun thanked him and took it, reading the record carefully, his brows gradually furrowed - the evidence of the Liu family's crimes was clear and conclusive.
"Even though some of my officials are ruthless, the prisoners they hold are not wronged. I understand that you care about your descendants, Immortal. However, if you want to emulate the Pei family's story, you must show me your sincerity."
Liuyun accepted the Queen's request without hesitation.
"I am willing to serve your majesty."
Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan were still waiting for their master to return, but instead they received an expedited letter from the imperial court. Pei Yingguan unfolded the letter, read it hastily, and slammed the letter down on the table.
"That's ridiculous!"
Xiao Wan'er walked over, pulled the letter from between his hand and the table, read it from beginning to end, then folded the letter and put it away, preparing to go back to the house to pack her luggage.
"Stop," Pei Yingguan called out to her, "Are you so eager to serve the false emperor?"
Xiao Wan'er said angrily, "Brother, do you want Master to watch his family die? Brother was saved by Master back then, and now you don't want Master to let your brother's descendants live? If that's the case, then Master saved you in vain."
After saying that, she turned around and left, no longer paying attention to Pei Yingguan. He could leave or not, but she was definitely going to the capital with her master.
When they packed up and were about to leave the Taoist temple, Pei Yingguan also stood in front of the temple and prepared to leave. Seeing Xiao Wan'er coming out, he followed her. Xiao Wan'er glanced at him, snorted in her heart, and decided to ignore him all the way.
The two of them were silent all the way until they entered the Divine Capital City. Pei Yingguan broke the silence and said, "When you get to Master, don't let him notice."
Xiao Wan'er sneered, "Is that even necessary for you to say? But you, Senior Brother, now that you've entered the Divine Capital, please stop saying things you shouldn't!"
The two walked to Anyefang and found the address in the letter. Pei Yingguan pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard. He saw a boy dressed as a Taoist priest coming out. He looked younger than Xiao Wan'er. Seeing Pei Yingguan and Xiao Wan'er, he turned and ran back.
"Uncle Ancestor, your disciples are here!"
"I understand!" Liuyun responded, then quickly walked out of the main room. Seeing his two disciples, he waved them in, "Yingguan, Wan'er, Mingyin, all of you follow me."
Entering the main house, Liuyun and the three younger generations sat together and first introduced the boy to Pei Yingguan and Xiao Wan'er: "This child is the one I mentioned to you in the letter. His name is Liu Mingyin. He is eight years old this year and will be your junior apprentice from now on."
Then, he looked at Liu Mingyin again and said, "From now on, you should call me Master just like your senior brothers and sisters. Your senior brother is Pei Yingguan, and your senior sister is Xiao Wan'er. If you have any questions when I'm not around, you can ask them."
Liu Mingyin nodded, and then Liuyun let him go, leaving only Pei Yingguan and Xiao Wan'er.
After Liu Mingyin closed the door from the outside, Pei Yingguan immediately asked anxiously, "But is it fake, ah no, His Majesty suppressing the Liu family and forcing Master to join the game?"
Thank God, this time he finally consciously corrected his usual way of addressing the Queen, and it was worth it that Xiao Wan'er glared at him just now.
Liuyun waved his hand, "No, just listen to me carefully."
So the two disciples finally calmed down.
"Master, I have reviewed the interrogation records of the Liu family. The evidence is conclusive. It is fraudulent during the official assessment and selection process, and has nothing to do with power struggles. His Majesty has allowed me to take Liu Mingyin with me, but in return, I will serve His Majesty in the future. The appointment was made yesterday. His Majesty has a secret guard organization composed entirely of cultivators, called the Fengming Guard. I have been appointed as the deputy commander of the Fengming Guard. Whether you two want to join the Fengming Guard with me is entirely up to you."
"Master, I think it would be best for my senior brother to join Fengming Guard with you." Xiao Wan'er made this suggestion just as Liuyun finished speaking, causing Pei Yingguan to glare at her angrily.
She pretended not to see and continued to explain her reasons, "Your Majesty must be aware of Senior Brother's background. Now that Senior Brother has reached adulthood, has achieved success in his cultivation, and has entered the Divine Capital City, if he doesn't follow Master into the Fengming Guard under such circumstances, wouldn't that clearly show resentment towards Your Majesty?"
After hearing this, Liuyun nodded thoughtfully, and Pei Yingguan also retracted his angry look.
After a while, Pei Yingguan gritted his teeth and said, "Master, Junior Sister is right. I am willing to join Fengming Guard."
"Okay, but since you have decided to join Fengming Guard, you must be careful not to show your dissatisfaction with His Majesty in front of others." Liuyun warned.
Pei Yingguan responded: "Disciple understands."
Pei Yingguan's position was settled, and Liuyun made arrangements for Xiao Wan'er: "Wan'er, you are only eleven years old, so you will not follow me and your senior brother to join the Fengming Guard. You will stay at home and teach your junior brother. If anything happens and your senior brother and I are not around, you will have to solve it."
"Wan'er understands." Xiao Wan'er nodded obediently.
"Then let's settle it this way for now. Time is urgent now, so your junior brother's apprenticeship ceremony will be held tomorrow, and the location will be in this room. I will go to see your junior brother now, and you two should pack up the things you brought, and then each of you can choose a room." After Liuyun finished speaking, he stood up and left.
Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan also returned to the courtyard, unpacking and sorting their belongings. Due to their special status, Liuyun had no servants, leaving all chores to the four of them. The previously discussed rooms were assigned the same purpose as the main hall of Biyun Temple, where meetings, meals, and scripture study took place. A small room adjacent to the main hall became a study. As for their own rooms, Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan simultaneously found two secluded rooms. The small courtyard in front of the main house naturally became their new training ground.
Liuyun quickly reported Pei Yingguan's decision to join the Fengming Guard, and the Empress's appointment was quickly issued. The Fengming Guard consisted of ten teams, named after the Heavenly Stems. Pei Yingguan was assigned to Team Geng 7 and appointed captain. Both master and apprentice had ranks: Liuyun was a junior fifth rank, and Pei Yingguan was a regular seventh rank.
That evening, Xiao Wan'er finally got to taste Liu Yun's cooking. The four of them, master and apprentice, gathered around the table. Naturally, having arrived in the Divine Capital, there was no meat. The new apprentice ate in silence, adhering to the rule of not talking while eating or sleeping. His behavior also showed the reservedness of a new environment. After dinner, the three who hadn't cooked cleared the dishes. Then, the two who had already begun practicing returned to their rooms to meditate, while the one who hadn't yet returned to sleep.
With Liuyun and Pei Yingguan both scheduled for duty, the four masters and apprentices all began their early morning routines. After breakfast, Liuyun, already dressed, began the apprenticeship ceremony. Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan stood beside Liuyun, watching Liu Mingyin, clad in a brand new bamboo-green round-necked robe and a lotus crown, offer tea. Due to time constraints, Liuyun didn't offer any further instructions; the apprenticeship concluded after tea. Pei Yingguan, without further instructions, joined Liuyun on duty, leaving Xiao Wan'er and his newly minted apprentice behind.
"Mingyin greets senior sister." After the two left, Liu Mingyin saluted Xiao Wan'er.
"Junior brother." Xiao Wan'er felt as if she had forgotten something, and her response was absent-minded. Just as Liu Mingyin was about to leave in disappointment, she suddenly remembered and pulled him into the study.
"I thought I'd forgotten something. Turns out I haven't filled out the disciple list yet!" She found the list and added Liu Mingyin to the list of the youngest generation of Biyun Temple disciples. "Alright, now you're officially a disciple of Biyun Temple."
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