Why do I have so many masters?

Yan Ling’s gaze touched upon the Imperial Grandson but swiftly retracted, never lingering for too long.

His position did not qualify him to be here; it was only because Zhu Jian’an valued him that he had been brought along, breaking protocol. He needed to be constantly vigilant and could not afford to cause unnecessary trouble for the Chief Arrestor because of his own actions.

Since ancient times, King Yan was easy to deal with, but the little ghosts were troublesome.

Even if the Imperial Grandson himself did not care, if those with ulterior motives caught sight of this, it could turn into an annoying headache. Now, as a person of the officialdom, he could no longer wander the Jianghu wielding his sword like he did in his youth, nor could he draw his sword naturally when faced with injustice.

Yan Ling’s eyes dropped.

Although it was a mere fleeting glance, with the Ocular Power of a Seventh Rank Martial Artist, he had seen the Imperial Grandson’s features clearly.

Eleven or twelve years old, his face still slightly childish, but already carrying a certain majesty, unlike ordinary children who are inexperienced; his features were delicate and profound, yet there seemed to be too much tranquility within them, not a trace of the joy or ease of completing the inspection. In fact, it appeared as if there were some annoyance.

Yan Ling pondered deeply, naturally thinking of the incident that happened today, and once again felt fortunate that Wang Anfeng was not in the official circles; otherwise, he might have been subject to envy and a host of troubles.

With this thought, he did not know whether to feel relieved or to mock himself.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Grandson had already begun to speak those clichéd remarks, which made Yan Ling feel somewhat drowsy. After a brief period, those pompous words were finished, and a toast was made in the direction of the Heavenly Capital.

The elegant music swelled even grander.

All officials came together to drink.

Li Changxing pursed his lips; he was only eleven years old and had yet to reach his birthday this year. According to the rules of the Great Qin royal family, he could not drink much, just taking a slight sip. But the rich taste lingered on his lips and teeth, bringing a blush to his face.

However, as the Imperial Grandson of Great Qin, the education he received and the identity he held did not allow him to show any improper behavior. He still maintained a majestic demeanor, his expression calm as water, inscrutable.

As if he was wearing a set of chains.

He wanted to move his body, but sitting at the head of the table, he needed to maintain his dignity and could not act carelessly.

The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable it felt.

His thoughts flew chaotically, returning to the arrogant figure he encountered today, the behavior that could almost be called heretical, his gaze and expression flickering slightly.

A moment later, Li Changxing let out an imperceptible breath, suppressing those emotions that should not appear in a member of the Imperial Clan. His lips slightly pursed, his expression became even more authoritative, he lifted his hand, using the wide sleeve embroidered with a flood dragon pattern to cover his lips, and took another slight sip.

With members of the Imperial Clan present, even though it was a feast, it was hard to be joyful.

Li Changxing had only been there for less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before he found an excuse to leave and went to the back hall. After his departure, the originally oppressive atmosphere finally cleared, as if a weight had been lifted from the hall, causing everyone to unconsciously sigh in relief.

Exchanging glances, smiles of relief appeared on their faces.

The current Emperor and his Empress were married at the age of fifteen, and two years later they had the Crown Prince.

Li Changxing was the eldest son of the Crown Prince.

Therefore, his status was distinctly different from that of common princes and grandsons. If nothing major happened, the young man with an inscrutable face, showing little emotion, was very likely to be the future Emperor of the Great Qin Empire. Hence, even though he was young, the pressure he brought was not the least bit small.

Several officials had already discovered that their backs were soaked with sweat, yet there was also a hint of excitement on their faces.

In the seventy-two counties of Great Qin, given their status, this might be the only opportunity in their lives to see ’His Majesty’. Even in old age or when bedridden, this encounter would provide them a story to boast about to their descendants, ensuring their lives were not without interest.

All the officials offered their toasts, and the atmosphere gradually warmed, but Yan Ling’s mind was preoccupied with the unsolved case.

With a dip of his hand in wine, he drew and wrote idly on the case table.

Suddenly, he thought of something and lifted his eyes towards the seat of honor in his row, only to find an empty case table, the grandeur of its ceremonial vessels hinting at a status to rival the Imperial Grandson, yet behind it, there was no one to be found.

Did he not come?

Yan Ling’s eyes narrowed slightly.

In the Great Qin Empire, at the Imperial Court, civil officials were to the left, while military officers were to the right. Though Yan Ling was a part of the Ministry of Punishment and not strictly from the Military Family, his handling of the saber and traversing through the city deemed him a military officer, hence his position on the right. And the foremost among the Fufeng military officers was just one man—

Fufeng’s Pillar of the State, Great General Yu Wenze.

........................

Li Changxing moved through the rear hall.

Now away from the company of officials, attendants helped him shed the formal court robe and replace it with more comfortable attire. Seated at the case table, he dismissed the attendants, leaving only the ’Laughing Tiger,’ now past his fiftieth year, before finally, the regal Imperial Grandson heaved a great sigh of relief, leaned back, closed his eyes partially, and displayed a relaxed demeanor.

The Great Eunuch approached him, watching the youth’s languid posture, and said with a smile:

"This is quite unbecoming, Your Highness..."

Li Changxing had not opened his eyes, still lying languidly on the soft fleece blanket, he said:

"There are no others around."

"Let me rest for a moment..."

The Great Eunuch shook his head, not continuing the topic, still with a smile, but thinking of that empty case table, his smile seemed even brighter.

Had there been anyone else present, they would have felt a chill sweeping up their spine, spreading relentlessly.

"Right, Grandfather Sheng..."

Li Changxing’s eyes opened slightly as he looked towards the Great Eunuch beside him.

The latter’s smile faded, his face expressing a hint of helplessness, he bowed and said:

"Your Highness, I am but a lowly eunuch, unworthy of such an address from you."

Li Changxing laughed:

"But this was Emperor Grandfather’s command, is Grandfather Sheng suggesting I defy the imperial edict?"

"This..."

Li Sheng smiled wryly in resignation, unable to object.

Seeing that he stopped refusing, Li Changxing pondered for a moment before saying:

"Today’s banquet was quite rushed and failed to fully showcase the grand imperial grace of the Great Qin."

"How about tomorrow at noon we host another, this time relaxing the restrictions? Not only those officials may enter, but even noble clan maidens and renowned figures from Jianghu—all those with a reputation in Fufeng County may be admitted. How does that sound?"

Li Sheng glanced at Li Changxing, whose face betrayed a hint of excitement.

If such a statement had come from the Seventh or Eighth Prince, he would definitely suspect they had ulterior motives, coveting the beautiful and talented women of this place. If it were the Third or Fifth Prince, it would mean they were planning to forge ties with the noble clans and officials to bolster their influence. But if it were the Ninth Prince, ha...

He would likely be genuinely interested in making connections with the heroes of Jianghu.

Yet at this moment, Li Changxing was but eleven or twelve years old. Even born into the royal family, he couldn’t possibly have so many schemes in mind. Almost without thinking, Li Sheng knew what Li Changxing was pondering and smiled faintly, bending down to agree, then asked again:

"Should someone also be sent to the Academy?"

Li Changxing’s eyes brightened slightly, and he coughed lightly, nodding with restraint, and said:

"The Fufeng Academy’s reputation is well-established, ranked tenth in the world for its collection of books, just below those nine secret realms. Amongst the heroes of the current Jianghu, it stands first. For hundreds of years, it has cultivated countless scholars for our Great Qin, so naturally, it should."

His voice paused, then he continued:

"Mmm, aside from those various Masters, among the younger generation with some reputation, they may also be invited."

"Such as the Confucian swordsman, known for being peerless in poetry and scholarship, who roams Jianghu and is listed on the Constellation Ranking List; such young heroes are all welcome to take a seat."

Li Sheng bowed his head in agreement, his fair face smiling with squinted eyes.

Among the younger generation of the Academy, could there be someone capable of surpassing the book guardian himself?

.....................

At the Fufeng Academy, behind the Wind Character Tower.

Within a wooden hut.

Wang Anfeng arranged the cooked food on the table and ate quietly by himself.

It had been two full years since he left the Academy. His familiar fellow students had long graduated and left, some taking up official posts in other states and counties, returning to their own clans, or roaming the Jianghu as chivalrous swordsmen. Almost none remained at the Academy.

So he didn’t need to worry about any acquaintances coming to find him.

I wonder if this news can be spread out...

I don’t know if Miss Xue has already entered that so-called secret realm; given that it’s a secret realm, it must be difficult to open. If she has already entered, then unless there’s a major event shaking the foundations of a family, it’s probably of no use.

Wang Anfeng’s expression was calm, his heart slightly uneasy.

It was because he feared the news of the great Fufeng competition wasn’t persuasive enough that he made today’s seemingly arrogant and unchecked choice.

With this thought, he was reminded of today’s events.

Of the silent city, of the ceaseless ringing of the bell.

Of the sound that surged like a mountain’s roar and an ocean’s wave.

His body stiffened slightly, and Wang Anfeng’s thoughts slowed down. In that moment, he seemed to transform into a mechanical man from the Mo Family, taking a few breaths to come back to the present. The young man suddenly whispered a regretful cry and abruptly knocked his head against the stone table.

A thunderous boom erupted.

Even without harnessing his Inner Strength, his natural physique alone pressurized and struck the air, creating a visible ring of pure white Qi wave that spread out from the table.

The round table, made of green stone, could not withstand the force, and began to crack, spiderwebbing across its surface.

Fine stone dust cascaded down.

The young man’s ears were flushed red.

He genuinely did not know, had no idea there would be such a grand procession.

The books simply mentioned that a declaration would be carved on a stone and spread throughout the land.

But who knew it would be spread in such a manner!

He had been the guardian of the Fufeng Academy’s books, poring over many texts. As his thoughts arrived here, his mind instinctively began to conjure up just how many people there were in Fufeng County City. Considering that alarming number, Wang Anfeng suddenly straightened up, let out a long breath, circulated his Inner Strength, and silently recited the Vajra Prajna.

No-Self Aspect, no sentient beings aspect, all aspects are but non-aspects.

All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, or shadows; like dew or like lightning; thus should they be perceived.

The rich, harmonious Inner Strength of Buddhism flowed slowly through his meridians, calming and peaceful, his distractions gradually receded, and Wang Anfeng’s turbulent thoughts once again returned to tranquility under the effect of Inner Strength.

It’s okay...

The young man reassured himself internally.

He had faced deadly fights, battled over thousands of miles, even coming close to death.

Today was just a matter of speaking out loud.

What’s the big deal about this procession?

After exhaling a deep breath, Wang Anfeng’s expression gradually regained its calmness. He looked at the table where his meal had been scattered by the Qi wave, the stone table itself now covered in intricate patterns.

After a moment’s thought, he simply stood up, took three eggs from the cupboard, and decided to just whip up a simple stir-fry for his meal.

With a light tap of his right hand, cracks appeared on the eggshells.

Wang Anfeng’s expression returned to calm as he protected the eggs with a thin layer of Inner Qi. Then, after heating the wok, he poured in the cooking oil, and the scent of canola filled the air. He skillfully removed the Inner Qi from his hands.

He separated the egg whites and yolks, placing them in the bucket for kitchen scraps on the floor, and tossed the eggshells into the sizzling oil.

It’s nothing.

The young man’s face was a picture of serenity.

What’s this procession in the grand scheme of things?

I’ve fought bears on the mountain, I’ve killed people in Jianghu.

What haven’t I seen?

PS: The first update of the day is here...

Thanks to 息之~彼岸 for the generous reward, thanks to 法海雷音 for the generous reward, very grateful...