Zhao Xing turned around and saw the musician Jiang Jiuxian approaching.
Before the banquet, he had heard Zong Shichang introduce this person as an official from the Nanyang Music Hall, and he was considered Lu Qian's senior brother.
“Qian Qian, do not trust others easily, or you will be deceived,” Jiang Jiuxian said with a serious expression, his gaze sharp as it landed on Zhao Xing's face.
“Senior Brother Jiang?” Lu Qian said, somewhat displeased. “Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?”
Seeing that Lu Qian seemed skeptical, Jiang Jiuxian quickly replied, “New battle lyrics and tunes are incredibly rare! If there were any for sale, they would surely come from renowned masters. How could they possibly be found in a small place like Grain City? Moreover, he isn’t even a musician, just a disorganized agricultural official.”
Zhao Xing felt displeased. What did he mean by just an agricultural official? Did he look down on agricultural officials?
“Brother Jiang, it’s one thing to call me a fraud, but please do not attack my profession,” Zhao Xing said.
Jiang Jiuxian snorted, “Do not call me brother! If it weren’t for Zong Shichang’s face, I would have exposed you in public long ago. If you have any self-awareness, you should leave quickly while not many people know about you. Don’t play tricks here.”
He had been displeased with Zhao Xing since the performance ended. Everyone else received rewards, yet Zhao Xing stood there empty-handed. Did he not understand the rules?
Then, his favorite junior sister had taken the initiative to perform in front of this person. He did not know what sweet words Zhao Xing had said to make her lose her mind!
Before Zhao Xing could respond, Lu Qian defended him, “Senior Brother, you don’t understand. He is not what you think.”
Jiang Jiuxian felt even more frustrated upon hearing this.
How infuriating! What do you mean I don’t understand? How is it that you’ve only talked for a while, and you already understand him?
“Junior Sister, wake up!” Jiang Jiuxian’s tone involuntarily rose.
Seeing Jiang Jiuxian still blocking their way, Lu Qian also felt displeased. “Jiang Jiuxian, I have my own judgment on the facts. I don’t need you to meddle. Making a scene is not what a musician should do! Step aside!”
With that, Lu Qian pulled Zhao Xing and walked around him.
Jiang Jiuxian was furious, his head nearly smoking, his gaze practically devouring people.
Seeing that he could not persuade them, he immediately ran to find Liu Muqing and the other girls from the Music Hall.
With his commotion, the guests enjoying the moon on the top floor were gathered together.
“Brother Jiang, what happened? Why are you knocking so urgently?” Zong Shichang asked, somewhat displeased. He was just about to hold Liu Muqing’s hand when Jiang Jiuxian came banging on the door. Did he have no sense of timing?
“Brother Zong, Miss Liu, come with me! Lu Qian has been deceived, and I couldn’t persuade her. I need both of you to wake her up.”
“What?” Liu Muqing came to her senses. “Deceived? What do you mean?”
Jiang Jiuxian briefly recounted what had just happened.
Zong Shichang felt uncomfortable. How dare you say my adoptive father is a fraud? Whether he is a fraud or not, I know better than you! Moreover, with you making such a fuss, where do you leave my face?
“Brother Jiang, I advise you not to make a big deal out of this. I know Brother Zhao; he would never act without reason.”
He was trying to advise Jiang Jiuxian not to humiliate himself.
After what had just happened, Zong Shichang's confidence in Zhao Xing had skyrocketed.
But Jiang Jiuxian said, “Shichang, you are an agricultural official; you wouldn’t understand. Musicians’ battle lyrics and tunes are not so easily created!”
“……” Zong Shichang felt even more displeased as Jiang Jiuxian’s attack went directly to his profession. But due to Liu Muqing’s presence, he could not explode.
Seeing that everyone had gathered, he had no choice but to follow Jiang Jiuxian to find Zhao Xing and Lu Qian.
“Open the door!” “Open the door!”
“Miss Lu, is Brother Zhao inside?”
“Qian’er…”
Outside the private room, a group of people was knocking on the door.
“What are you doing?”
Lu Qian opened the door, looking surprised at the crowd outside.
Zong Shichang said, “Brother Jiang said you were deceived. Is that true?”
Lu Qian’s gaze turned sharp as she looked at Jiang Jiuxian. “Jiang Jiuxian, didn’t I tell you not to meddle?”
Jiang Jiuxian, feeling the effects of alcohol, could not care less. “Where is he? Whether he deceived you or not, let him come out and we’ll know!”
Nearby, some musicians and dancers chimed in, “Qian’er, high-quality new battle lyrics and tunes are too astonishing. If I were you, I wouldn’t believe it either.”
“Battle lyrics, battle tunes, and battle dances—creating even one is remarkable, let alone two at once?”
Lu Qian shot a glare at Jiang Jiuxian. “What are you shouting about? He has left.”
Left?
Zong Shichang, Liu Muqing, and the others exchanged glances.
The other guests were also puzzled. Could it be that he really ran away for fear of being exposed?
Jiang Jiuxian became even more excited. “If he weren’t guilty, how could he leave without saying a word? Junior Sister, haven’t you realized? He is just a…”
Lu Qian, however, was too lazy to argue with him and directly took out a piece of water-patterned paper.
As soon as this water-patterned paper appeared, Jiang Jiuxian’s words were abruptly cut off.
He felt a strong surge of inspiration, a sensation so intense that it made him tremble, rendering him speechless.
The other musicians felt the same, their gazes irresistibly drawn to the water-patterned paper.
The dancers were a bit better off, as they only lacked the battle dance part, but they were equally shocked.
This was clearly the feeling only an original manuscript could possess!
“Is it really true?”
“Did you feel that?”
“This is at least a battle tune and lyrics of the seventh rank, right?”
“You’re underestimating it. If it’s sung and spread, the upper limit could be even higher!”
“It’s definitely the original; only the original has such power.”
Jiang Jiuxian’s face turned pale, his gaze blank. He never expected to be slapped in the face like this.
Seeing this, Lu Qian put the water-patterned paper away and coldly stared at Jiang Jiuxian. “Jiang Jiuxian, I call you senior brother out of respect for your early entry into the sect. Do you really think your skills are exceptional, and your vision surpasses mine?”
“How can you look down on me like this!”
Lu Qian felt humiliated; she sensed that Jiang Jiuxian regarded her as a child. Did she not have any appreciation ability?
Jiang Jiuxian felt utterly embarrassed and could not find words to respond.
It was Zong Shichang who stepped in to smooth things over. “Alright, Brother Jiang is drunk; it’s good that the misunderstanding is cleared up. Come on, everyone, let’s continue playing music and dancing. I have good things to show you, disperse!”
He then pushed the crowd to disperse.
Liu Muqing did not leave because Lu Qian had kept her behind. Good things should be shared with close friends; as for others, they were not destined to see the original.
After closing the door, Liu Muqing fixed her gaze on the water-patterned paper. “Qian’er, is this really from Zhao Xing? You didn’t buy it from somewhere else, did you?”
Lu Qian smiled as she opened the water-patterned paper. “Qing’er, there are scores on it; you’ll know as soon as you play.”
As the water-patterned paper unfolded, the words “Soul of Rites” were written in large characters.
Liu Muqing walked to the zither and began to play according to the battle tune.
“Rites are for worship.”
“Pass the dance for the replacement.”
“The graceful woman leads with beauty.”
“Spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums.”
“Endless and eternal.”
As the music and lyrics resonated together, Liu Muqing seemed to see the ancient sages performing rituals to the deities in the Temple of Heaven, the sound of war drums echoing tightly, with the flower deity singing, the seasons cycling rapidly from spring to autumn.
Rites are for worship, and the soul is the spirit of Qi.
This was the song for sending off the deities after worshipping them.
The zither resonated with heaven and earth, seemingly dispelling evil spirits and sending away the dark deities!
“This…” After playing it twice, Liu Muqing quickly felt a strange yet familiar sensation. “Is this perhaps an extension of the ‘Six Songs’?”
“Exactly,” Lu Qian nodded. “That’s what he said.”
“Since it’s derived from the Six Songs, could there be more than just ‘Soul of Rites’?” Liu Muqing suddenly thought of something.
“I guess so, but unfortunately, I was about to ask when Jiang Jiuxian interrupted. He left directly to avoid making things difficult for Zong Shichang… Hmph, Jiang Jiuxian is truly detestable!” Lu Qian said angrily.
“Alright, let’s not worry about Jiang Jiuxian. Qian’er, your sparrow feather robe was not wasted,” Liu Muqing teased. “You even got an original battle lyrics and tune in return… I say, you should throw in ten or eight more!”
“Do you think it was a gift? I bought this!”
“That’s a pity; it seems your hopes of offering yourself in return have fallen through.”
“Qing’er, what nonsense are you talking about?!”
“…”
Zhao Xing returned home in Pingkangfang under the moonlight.
At this time, Zhao Ruide had taken his wife and child out to play and had not yet returned.
“The Moon Viewing Tower was indeed worth the trip. Not only did I resolve a trouble, but I also managed to exchange for a few Enlightening Paintings.” Zhao Xing washed his face.
After giving the “Soul of Rites” to Lu Qian, she promised to at least bring back two Enlightening Paintings.
Adding the one Zong Shichang mentioned, he could afford to buy another one with the money he had, which would be enough to acquire four Enlightening Paintings.
As for whether it was worth selling? In Zhao Xing’s view, it was worth it.
In the future, these battle lyrics and tunes would not be of much use. Once the Fortune Dynasty collapsed, the rites, music, and dance would all fall into obscurity, becoming minor paths.
With the change of times, some professions would rise to prominence while others would fall into obscurity. Now that he needed money, if he could sell it for immediate use, then he would sell it; after all, it was all free gain.
“I hope Zong Shichang and Lu Qian can be more helpful and bring back some good Enlightening Paintings.”
Setting this matter aside for now, Zhao Xing began to cultivate the introductory chapter of the Great Dream Chronicle.
[You have captured the Sleep Bug in your life soul; you have gained insight into the Sleep Bug spell, spell progress +10]
[You have captured the Sleep Bug in your life soul; you have gained insight into the Sleep Bug spell, spell progress +12]
[You have released the Sleep Bug…]
……
After practicing the Sleep Bug spell for half the night, Zhao Xing fell into a deep sleep. The next morning, as usual, he headed to the Agricultural Affairs Bureau to cultivate.
Although the progress of the Four Celestial Methods was difficult to improve in a short time, Zhao Xing did not give up.
He believed that this daily training was not in vain; even if the progress was minimal, accumulating over time would eventually allow him to break through the bottleneck.
A little wildcat lazily lay on a locust tree, then used its paws to push a locust leaf aside and took a bite.
“Meow~”
It tasted bad, and the wildcat spat it out.
“Can anything taste good? You’re really hungry, huh? Come on, I’ll take you to find something to eat.”
Zhao Xing checked the time and planned to take the wildcat to the Chen Estate for a meal.
The Tianyuan Pear tree he planted was still far from flowering and bearing fruit.
“Meow.” The wildcat perked up its ears and immediately jumped onto Zhao Xing’s shoulder upon hearing about food.
Agricultural officials generally ate well.
When Zhao Xing arrived, Chen Shijie was having a feast at the estate.
“Second-tier premium ingredient, big yellow fish? Did you also add cooked rehmannia and clear goji berries?”
“Yam and white eel stew? Nourishes Qi and strengthens the lungs, boosts the body and invigorates Yang?”
“And silver ear and phoenix? Wow, it smells really good!”
“Hey, why did you also put clear goji berries in this slow-cooked chicken? It’s for invigorating Yang; Minister Chen, you should take care to rest and not overwork yourself…”
Chen Shijie glanced at Zhao Xing. “Who did you learn that sarcastic tone from? Can you eat properly?”
“Hehe.” Zhao Xing stopped teasing Chen Shijie, but just by looking at the food, he knew that Gui Niang had definitely been staying at the Chen Estate these past few days.
The two of them enjoyed a feast together, when suddenly, a big yellow fish jumped out from the ground, flopping around.
The yellow fish was twice the size of the wildcat, and the little wildcat was completely obscured by it as it looked up to bite.
Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie ate quickly, almost as if a whirlwind had swept through, a habit formed in the military.
“Tomorrow is the Harvest Festival; are you going out of the city?” Chen Shijie asked after finishing.
“Yes.” Zhao Xing nodded. “Peaceful Town is the area I’m responsible for collecting taxes. I need to go check on the last wave of harvesting the vital rice.”
“Take Shen Zhui with you; I’ll give you a scarecrow.” Chen Shijie waved his hand, and a scarecrow dressed in a raincoat and conical hat made of rice ran out from the back hall.
Zhao Xing took a look and couldn’t see any tricks.
“Guardian Scarecrow,” Chen Shijie introduced. “It contains two strands of sword Qi, imprinted from a friend’s sword technique in the military. I can’t even make this Guardian Scarecrow in Nanyang County.”
The possibility of the Xuan Tian Sect making a move in September was low, but to be safe, Chen Shijie still provided Zhao Xing with an extra layer of insurance.
“Impressive.” Zhao Xing gave a thumbs up. The Guardian Scarecrow was a mid-tier spell and extremely difficult to practice. Chen Shijie’s was even more extraordinary; using the Five Elements Observation, Zhao Xing felt a slight sting in his eyes.
The materials for weaving the scarecrow were not ordinary materials; they were filled with the power of metal, and the overall structure was very intricate, completely locking the two strands of sword Qi inside without leaking out.
Such a Guardian Scarecrow could last a long time; as long as it wasn’t destroyed, it could last for three to five years!
Zhao Xing used the Five Elements Observation to check it closely and could only vaguely sense its sharpness; he could not see any tricks inside.
Chen Shijie was quite pleased with Zhao Xing’s praise. He wanted Zhao Xing to follow him to the military, so naturally, he had to show some skills to attract him.
“Well, I’ll take my leave now.” Zhao Xing finished eating and left decisively, knowing that Chen Shijie did not like small talk.
Around the autumn equinox was the time for the last wave of vital rice harvesting.
If it wasn’t harvested by October, the vital rice would rot in the fields, and the common people would not be able to plant a new crop.
Peaceful Town was also under Shen Zhui’s jurisdiction, but he did not need to be there all the time. Ordinary disputes among the common people did not require high combat power to resolve.
Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui took a public horse carriage, which had a defensive power of the third tier. The horse pulling the carriage also had the bloodline of a strange beast, with a bump on its head and sturdy limbs, its hooves appearing black-purple.
“Purple-horned horse pulling the carriage; Brother Shen, you’ve really made it big now, even having such a vehicle,” Zhao Xing teased.
“Don’t make fun of me; this is just a matched breed, with only a bit of strange beast bloodline,” Shen Zhui replied.
If the bloodline were pure, the horse would have grown purple horns, and its hooves would be purple, rather than the current black-purple.
A true purple-horned horse was usually a warhorse. However, Shen Zhui being able to get a horse like this for his carriage was still a sign of success, at least proving that the military valued him.
“Go~”
The carriage sped along the official road, and in less than half an hour, they arrived at Peaceful Town.
At this time, the fields were a sea of golden yellow, with farmers harvesting vital rice, women threshing grain on the ground, and children picking up rice ears, happily handing them to their elders after bundling them together.
This beautiful and peaceful scene was just like the name of Peaceful Town.
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and dark clouds rolled in from afar, seemingly about to rain.
“Brother Zhao, hurry!” Shen Zhui urged.
“What’s the rush?” Zhao Xing laughed as he pointed at the sky, a golden light enveloping a pearl that flew into the clouds.
It was the fourth-tier East Lake Pearl.
Although this fourth-tier East Lake Pearl had an ice attribute, it could also be used to absorb rainwater and cloud energy.
Normal agricultural officials used not the East Lake Pearl but the official treasure ‘Cloud Rain Pearl,’ which was specifically designed to regulate rainwater.
This East Lake Pearl, while not specifically for absorbing clouds and rain, was high in grade, so its effects were not bad.
Before long, the dark clouds lightened, and a quarter of an hour later, they completely transformed into white clouds.
“Whoosh~” The ice pearl returned to Zhao Xing’s hand, its blue light becoming even more vibrant.
The farmers, who had been in a flurry preparing to avoid the rain and harvest, regained their calm.
“Brother Zhao, great spell!” Shen Zhui laughed as he drove the carriage, continuing to take Zhao Xing around the fields.
In Peaceful Town, in the Niu family’s fields.
At this time, a group of rice guests were resting under the granary after finishing the harvest of vital rice for the host family.
Among them was a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance, prominent cheekbones, and sturdy limbs, conversing in low tones with a woman of yellow skin and a barrel waist, who had a headscarf on.
“September is no longer feasible for action,” the middle-aged woman said softly. “Time is too tight; they plan to act in November.”
“November is the last yang month; if they don’t act then, they’ll have to wait until next year. I estimate it will be around the beginning of winter.”
“Since they’re not going to act, why make us come here to suffer?” The middle-aged man complained, “We can’t use our real strength; my waist is about to break.”
“Peaceful Town is under Zhao Xing’s jurisdiction. He has the duty to advise the farmers, so it’s good for him to come and scout the area. Besides, he comes to the Niu family as a rice guest every year; it would seem strange if he didn’t come this year.” The woman handed over a water flask. “Here, quench your thirst first.”
“Ah, suffering like a mortal is truly unbearable. Even after so long, I still can’t get used to this mundane pain,” the man complained as he looked at the clouds in the sky.
“Stop talking; someone is coming.” The woman seemed too hot to bear, supporting her legs as she tried to get up.
At this moment, the owner of the Niu family arrived in a sedan chair, accompanied by several people carrying a box.
“Chen Deshun, Wu Chen, hurry over! It’s time to distribute the wages!” someone shouted from not far away.
The middle-aged man and woman immediately stood up, pretending to be excited. “Ah, they’re coming!”
(End of Chapter)