Chapter 48: The Paper Window Is About to Break
After Chen Bai sent out the invitation asking Crown Prince Ban to come and inspect the results, Crown Prince Ban arrived very quickly.
And he did not come alone. He brought a great crowd with him, most of whom had been present at the welcome banquet that day and knew the details of this wager very well.
Upon the earth stood a mysterious white spire, filled with fantastical colors. No matter who saw it, they would probably feel as if they were looking at a miracle. A building towering into the clouds—had it connected itself to the heavens?
It would become a landmark building of Qufu, the capital of Lu State, and even of the surrounding cities.
From afar, it was extremely tall. Up close, that height was even more astonishing.
One had to raise one’s head high just to see the tip of the tower.
No one knew how many people sucked in a cold breath.
“How was this done?”
What they were too embarrassed to say aloud was: how could it still not collapse? It clearly looked as if one gust of wind would knock it over, yet it stood there before them, towering and unmoving.
The scene was filled with startled discussion.
Chen Bai said, “Please.”
Some people were still a little uneasy. “Your Highness.”
It was so tall. No matter how they looked at it, it seemed dangerous. Letting their crown prince go up seemed somewhat inappropriate.
Ancient people more or less had a fear of heights. They might never have imagined something like soaring through the sky. If it were a high mountain, or even a dangerous peak, that would still be fine. At least it looked stable. But this building before them, like a deformed tree trunk, truly made one’s heart panic just looking at it.
Crown Prince Ban smiled. “Grand Scholar Zhaoxue has built such a miraculous structure for Lu State. How could we not go inside and take a look?”
Chen Bai said, “Don’t worry. It’s very sturdy. Lu State has little wind, and the wind force is extremely small. Even if a great typhoon came, it could withstand it.”
They walked toward the tower. Above the tower entrance was a plaque made overnight, with the words “White Moon Flower Observatory” written on it.
The tower body was built from white rock, and the people of Lu State had a kind of reverence for the spirit of the white moon flower blooming stubbornly. This name was quite fitting.
They climbed level by level. Inside, one could not really feel the height. But once they reached the top of the tower—
The students dragged the Lu State young masters hard toward the windows, while they themselves backed away. “Just look once. Just once.”
The people of Lu State: “?”
What was going on? Why were these Great Qian students smiling like little demons?
When they looked out the window, they sat down on the floor with a thud, causing the students who were playing pranks to burst into laughter. They had completely forgotten how they themselves had shrieked in terror the first time.
It was just when the morning sun was rising. Outside the window, clouds rolled and drifted like a surging sea, stretching all the way to the horizon.
Even Crown Prince Ban and Zuo Qiu turned a little pale. Had they reached above the clouds? Then why did they not see the legendary jade towers and jeweled palaces of the heavenly palace?
Even though the students had seen it before, they were still entranced by the sight.
The scenery was beautiful, somewhat like looking out the window of an airplane.
Actually, such a beautiful view could not be seen all the time. Once the sun rose higher and dispersed the rolling cloud layer, the “sea of clouds” would disappear. Of course, by then it would become another kind of view worth seeing, with the vast earth spread out beneath their eyes.
At that moment, the group was already sitting on the floor, still shaken and staring at one another in disbelief.
So this was what one could see from an extremely high place.
Only a few braver students were still excitedly moving toward the windows. They would look outside, then shake their little heads wildly, looking like little lunatics, their faces flushed red with excitement.
Originally, bringing Crown Prince Ban and the others up for one look would count as letting them inspect the result. But these people were both afraid and reluctant to leave.
What a contradiction.
There was no helping it. Chen Bai could only stay with them a little longer.
Once the clouds and mist dispersed, it became even more thrilling. At least when the clouds and mist had blocked their view, the height had not been so obvious. Now that the clouds had scattered, looking down made their minds spin.
People said it was too cold in high places, but they felt that compared with that, their heads were even dizzier. And yet they were still so curious that they had to sneak glances every now and then.
Gan Xin, who was the most afraid of heights, managed to gather his courage and take a look. The moment he did, he collapsed onto the floor. “My legs, my legs—what’s wrong with them? They suddenly went soft on their own. Aiya, what is going on? I can’t control them at all.”
Chen Bai almost laughed. Sometimes the human body was like this. Out of self-preservation, it would do things beyond one’s control.
Chen Xiaobu covered his eyes as he watched. “Gan Thirteen, you’re so embarrassing.”
Gan Xin raised his little head. “Then if you’re so capable, you go look and don’t move.”
Chen Xiaobu lifted his head. “Fine, I’ll look.”
Then Chen Xiaobu swayed left and right like someone drunk, yet still looked smug. “See? I didn’t fall to the ground.”
The corner of Chen Bai’s mouth twitched. This was nothing more than the pot calling the kettle black.
It continued until noon before everyone began heading down. Once they left the tower, they all felt as if they had returned from another world.
They raised their heads and looked at the tip of the tower. Had they truly been standing at such a height and looking down just now?
It was simply unbelievable.
This observatory could practically stand shoulder to shoulder with the stars. They even suspected that if one stood up there at night, one could reach out and pluck the sun, moon, and stars.
An observatory was meant to observe the movements of the sun, moon, and stars. In this world, what tower could compare to the one before their eyes?
Chen Bai asked Crown Prince Ban, “What does Your Highness think of my White Moon Flower Observatory?”
Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “Your Highness, do not forget the wager between us.”
Crown Prince Ban also sighed. “Ban admits defeat wholeheartedly. This is absolutely the most wondrous observatory tower I have ever seen.”
Chen Bai also breathed a sigh of relief. After spending so much effort and so much time, wasn’t it all for this moment? He was now one step closer to completing the king’s secret order.
The grand procession headed toward Qufu City, full of discussion along the way.
Very soon, news spread that standing on the observatory was like standing in the clouds, with wide sleeves dancing as if one had become an immortal.
The rolling sea of clouds was a peerless sight under heaven. Hearing it made countless people yearn to see it.
After parting from Crown Prince Ban and Zuo Qiu, Chen Bai returned to the relay station.
Because of his wager with Crown Prince Ban, he could enter Lu State’s imperial treasury and choose one item at will. But entering the imperial treasury was not so simple. He had to wait for Crown Prince Ban to make arrangements first, and for Lu State’s king to send a formal decree. But it should only take two or three days. No matter how one looked at it, Crown Prince Ban was not the kind of person who could not afford to lose. Besides, this matter had caused such a stir and concerned Lu State’s face and bearing. It was impossible for any strange trickery to occur.
Chen Bai pushed open the window. The sunlight today was very nice. The air was a little cold, but the sun was warm. Judging by the weather, spring would arrive before long.
They had set out for Lu State in winter. Unexpectedly, before they knew it, spring was nearly here. Time truly passed too quickly. Of course, it was also because they had not been idle, so time felt especially fast.
Chen Bai opened the window. His room happened to face the street. In the wooden building across the street, a figure flashed past.
Chen Bai froze. “Why did that look a little like Qi Zheng?”
Then he shook his head. If Qi Zheng had come, he would certainly enter the relay station. Why would he stay across the street?
Although Qi Zheng wore a mask and was called Lu State’s masked general, who did not know he was Great Qian’s Prince Zheng?
His seamless cooperation with Young Master Gan Thirteen, plus the similarity to his method of commanding troops in the battle of Shanggu City, made it easy to guess that it was him.
Of course, he would not admit it. After all, Great Qian and Lu State were allied, and even if everyone knew, they would not acknowledge such an alliance openly, because other states would become wary and target them.
It counted as something everyone knew, yet pretended not to know. Privately, no one cared. In public, if you said he was Qi Zheng, he was wearing a mask the whole time—how would you know?
In any case, refusing to admit it was enough.
Chen Bai did not take it to heart. It was probably just someone who looked similar. He must have seen wrong.
Chen Bai left the window. Across from him, Qi Zheng revealed half his body, frowning, lost in thought.
He had been observing from here for several days. If Mountain Lord was really in Qufu, he would definitely come to see Chen Zixiu. Yet he had gained nothing.
Mountain Lord’s appearance was actually very easy to distinguish from ordinary people. This was Qufu, not Shangjing. No one here wore red clothes and a mask.
He had also specifically sent people to pay attention to the movement of people in Qufu. It seemed that no one dressed so strangely had ever appeared.
“This is strange,” Qi Zheng muttered, then looked thoughtfully at the open window opposite him. If there was no news at all, where exactly was Mountain Lord hiding in Qufu?
Qi Zheng returned to his room, picked up his phone, and sent a message. “Demon, how are your greenhouse vegetables doing?”
Very soon, he received a simple reply. “Just like that.”
Ambiguous and vague.
The corner of Qi Zheng’s mouth twitched. Still trying to deceive him? Every answer, when thought over carefully, indeed had many unreasonable parts.
Actually… once he returned, he could just ask the students left in Shangjing to manage the greenhouses and know whether it was true or false.
But for some reason, he always felt that Mountain Lord was hiding something from him.
He could not help looking out the window. Did Chen Zixiu know the reason?
At this moment, Chen Bai was teasing the Dalmatian with Chen Xiaobu. Gan Xin was also nearby with his Old English Sheepdog.
After this period of recuperation, this child seemed to have overcome the fear and shadow from being captured. He smiled all day, completely carefree.
“Brother Bai, you didn’t see those Lu State young masters just now. They were so frightened they sat on the floor and clutched the planks, as if afraid someone would throw them down. It was hilarious.”
Chen Bai found it funny too. He wondered who had been so frightened that he became like a soft-legged shrimp, unable to even lift his feet. And now he still had the nerve to laugh at others.
However, the last time Gan Xin was captured, there had truly been many suspicious points. They were in Lu State, and in truth, they were not as safe as they imagined. If someone wanted to destroy the current relationship between Great Qian and Lu State, there was actually one very good method: kill them.
Among them were descendants of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers. If they truly all died in Lu State, even the king would have no choice but to take a stance.
Chen Bai lowered his brows. Some people, when cornered, might not necessarily refrain from doing such things.
No. They needed at least some means of self-protection.
Chen Bai raised his head. “Do you want to buy flowerpots and grow some flowers and plants?”
Chen Xiaobu and Gan Xin were stunned. “Sure, but what should we grow?”
Perhaps influenced by their master Mountain Lord, they especially liked growing small things themselves. But they had come to Lu State in a hurry, and one thing after another had happened, so they had not thought in that direction.
Now that the “magic tower” was finished, they could relax and grow some flowers and plants.
Chen Bai had Chen Xiaobu call the other students over, then went to the street to buy some flowerpots.
Actually, the concept of flowerpots did not yet exist in this world. Flowers and plants were all planted in courtyards.
What Chen Bai bought were actually large eating bowls. By making a hole at the bottom of each bowl, they became flowerpots with decent drainage.
Chen Bai took out the seeds he had secretly bought. “The plant we are growing today is called ‘woolly ink cap.’ It is a type of mushroom with very high ornamental value, because its caps can emit blue light. But you must be very careful. It is highly poisonous. If it is ground into powder and scattered toward someone’s face, it can instantly make an adult lose consciousness…”
The students swallowed.
My god. They loved growing exciting plants like this the most.
They impatiently took the seeds.
Chen Bai began explaining the key points of planting. “Especially students who keep dogs. You must place it somewhere your dog cannot reach…”
The students nodded hard. They understood.
The growth cycle of “woolly ink cap,” or mushrooms in general, was actually very short. In just a few days, they would basically grow out.
Sure enough, a few days later, extremely beautiful mushrooms emerged from their flowerpots, like little blue umbrellas.
“So… so pretty. Blue caps, like they’re glowing.”
“Master taught us before. The prettier the mushroom, the more poisonous it is. This woolly ink cap looks extremely poisonous at first glance.”
Chen Bai thought to himself, Exactly. One packet of this stuff could knock out an old ox. But it would only make the target faint; it would not be fatal. Otherwise, the seeds would not have been available for purchase.
Chen Bai then taught the students how to carefully dry the mushrooms and grind them into powder.
Unfortunately, there was no clean laboratory here, so the conditions were a little rough. But as long as they were careful, it would be fine.
The students pinched their noses shut, covered their faces with damp towels, and ground the mushroom powder there.
“I feel dizzy even like this. It really is poisonous. So poisonous.”
Chen Bai smiled. It was definitely just their imagination.
Once the powder was ground, they sealed it in small pouches and sewed the pouches into their sleeve cuffs. Each little pouch had a cord tied with a slipknot. When they needed to use it, they only had to pull the cord open and scatter the powder outward…
The students’ eyes curved into crescents from smiling. “Too bad this is Lu State. Otherwise, we could find an ox to test it on.”
Why did they seem a little too eager?
Chen Bai said, “Last time, Gan Xin was kidnapped. We more or less need to be more careful. Making one more preparation is a good thing. It also counts as giving you all a means of self-defense.”
They were still young. Even with short daggers hidden in their sleeves, it would still be very difficult for them to defeat adults, let alone if the other party had deliberately planned against them. That would make things even harder to guard against.
The students had already gone wild with excitement. Compared with the lessons at Shangjing Academy, they felt this was the kind of lesson they truly liked.
After Chen Bai finished hiding the mushroom powder for the students, Lu State’s imperial decree finally arrived.
It was an edict personally issued by the king of Lu, allowing him to enter the imperial treasury and choose a treasure.
Chen Bai thought, This should settle it.
Tsk, tsk. The king had ordered him to obtain the Qishan Pill at any cost. Look at him now—he could complete the task without using cities or territory.
He followed the attendants into the palace.
Not long after Chen Bai left, something happened at the relay station.
Shang Jujiu and Shang Zhizhou were out buying candied hawthorns for their classmates. But when they were paying, the old man selling candied hawthorns suddenly said, “Our Lu State candied hawthorns are very different from Great Qian’s. Since the two young gentlemen have rarely come to Lu State, would you like to try our local specialty? I happen to have many more that you have never seen before. You can also bring some back for your classmates to taste.”
Shang Jujiu and Shang Zhizhou exchanged a glance and replied, “Sure.”
Beside the window of a pavilion across the street, Qi Zheng frowned slightly. He took down the bow from his back and drew it taut, but then lowered it again.
Because the Shang brothers suddenly jumped up, and something scattered out from their sleeves.
The old man selling candied hawthorns looked startled. Then his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed straight to the ground, unconscious.
“Brother Bai just told us to be careful, especially of people like you who try to trick us into leaving crowded places.”
“Brother Bai said that old people and children are the least likely to make people wary, but they also have the strongest motive to commit crimes. Especially when they’re close to our relay station, they might very well have bad intentions toward us. Tsk, tsk. Our brothers actually caught one.”
“Even if we got it wrong, it doesn’t matter. The powder from this woolly ink cap will only make people faint. It won’t kill them.”
On the street, an old man was suddenly knocked unconscious by Great Qian students, and chaos immediately broke out.
Yet the Shang brothers acted as if they had not noticed. Instead, they said excitedly, “Catch him, catch him! Tie him up and interrogate him. Maybe he’s in league with the people who captured Gan Xin before. We have to avenge Gan Xin.”
This was serious. The surrounding Lu people were already glaring at them angrily. How could they allow two Great Qian people to treat one of their own countrymen so casually?
In the midst of the chaos, a tall man wearing a mask and carrying a strange bow on his back walked in. In a cold voice, he said, “Take him away and interrogate him.”
The surrounding people looked at one another, but in the end, none of them spoke.
It was the masked general. Lu State’s masked general. It could not be mistaken, because no one could imitate that strange silver bow. Although many people said this man was Prince Zheng of Great Qian, it was an undeniable fact that he had helped Lu State drive away the Ba army. Whether emotionally or logically, he was someone worthy of their gratitude.
The old man was lifted up. Still, someone weakly asked, “May I ask what crime Old Sun has committed?”
Before Qi Zheng could answer, the Shang brothers said, “He tried to trick us into going to a remote place just now. He sells candied hawthorns right outside the relay station, so he should know who we are. How could a commoner be so bold as to ask foreign nobles to follow him? Does he think we’re young and don’t understand? He definitely harbors ill intentions.”
Commoners feared nobles. Normally, they would not even dare approach them and would avoid them as far as possible.
Everyone: “…”
At this moment, someone whispered, “Didn’t Old Sun used to sell flatbread at the city gate? Why did he suddenly switch to selling candied hawthorns?”
Qi Zheng said nothing. He only ordered the man to be taken away for interrogation, then brought the Shang brothers back to the relay station.
After entering the relay station, the Shang brothers finally said, “Prince Zheng, where have you been these days? Haven’t the Ba troops already been driven away?”
“Brother Bai said that you were restrained for too long in Great Qian, so once you got to an unfamiliar place, you must have gone off to indulge yourself in wine, women, and pleasure. Is that true?”
Qi Zheng: “…”
Just how bored was Chen Zixiu all day long to dare slander him behind his back like this?
Qi Zheng said, “Things may not be very peaceful lately. When you go out in the future, bring more people with you. Also, don’t interact too much with strangers.”
Now that he had helped Lu State drive away the Ba army, the alliance was basically guaranteed. But he feared some people might act desperately and do something reckless.
From the incident where Gan Xin had been abducted, it was clear that there was probably a faction inside Lu State that did not want the alliance between Great Qian and Lu State to succeed. This was even harder to deal with than the Ba army. With the Ba army, as long as one stayed inside the city, nothing much would happen. But if the problem lay within Lu State itself, then staying in the city might actually be more dangerous. The danger could come without warning.
The Shang brothers nodded. “Brother Bai told us that too.”
Meanwhile, on the street, a group of people were curiously discussing, “Why did Old Sun suddenly collapse just now?”
“No idea. It seemed like those Great Qian students suddenly jumped, but I didn’t see clearly what they did.”
Putting that aside, after Chen Bai entered the palace, Crown Prince Ban came to greet him.
Zuo Qiu followed at his side. There was also a young man dressed in brocade and jade, with an outstanding bearing, walking ahead of Zuo Qiu.
Chen Bai froze slightly. Lu State attached great importance to ritual and etiquette. Even the order of walking had meaning. This person’s status was actually above Zuo Qiu’s.
Who could he be?
Crown Prince Ban said, “Please follow me. This time, Grand Scholar Zhaoxue, you must choose carefully. Lu State has inherited its legacy from the Western Zhou, and many rare treasures are stored in the inner treasury. Whether Grand Scholar Zhaoxue can choose a priceless treasure depends on your eye.”
He was quite carefree about losing.
Chen Bai remained composed. Logically, when two strangers met for the first time, Crown Prince Ban, as the host, should make introductions. But Crown Prince Ban did not seem to have any intention of introducing him.
That was interesting. He had brought the person with him, yet did not introduce him. That meant… this person wanted to see Chen Bai, but did not want Chen Bai to know his identity?
Chen Bai deliberately fell two steps behind and moved closer to Zuo Qiu. In a low voice, he asked, “Who is that person?”
Zuo Qiu shrugged. “Guess.”
Chen Bai: “…”
He really wanted to kill him. Why was Zuo Qiu so infuriating?
If he was not going to say, then fine. Why ask him to guess? He knew nothing. How could he possibly guess?
He flung his sleeve and walked forward.
When they reached the inner treasury, two people were needed to push open the doors. They walked inside.
Crown Prince Ban gestured. “Grand Scholar Zhaoxue may choose freely. As long as it is inside the inner treasury, according to our agreement, Grand Scholar Zhaoxue may take any one item.”
After speaking, he stood by the door with Zuo Qiu and waited.
Chen Bai nodded and said, “Many thanks.”
This really was a treasure vault. Chen Bai’s eyes were dazzled. These were all extraordinary treasures. If they were placed in the modern era, how much would they be worth? Unfortunately, his phone could only buy things and could not mail things in reverse. Otherwise, he could make Tang Shen the richest man in the world.
What surprised Chen Bai a little was that the strange brocade-clad young master was also wandering through the inner treasury with great interest, only looking and not taking.
Chen Bai frowned slightly. It seemed that this person was also entering this place for the first time. Was he not someone from Lu State’s royal family?
He shook his head and pushed aside the thoughts in his mind. Then he began searching. Finding the Qishan Pill in such a large treasury was not easy.
Fortunately, everything inside was arranged very neatly. He only had to search slowly. In any case, no one had set a time limit for how long he could look.
After an unknown amount of time, even Crown Prince Ban at the door was somewhat surprised. “He still hasn’t found anything to his liking after so long? Didn’t you say he was so soft-hearted it was ridiculous?”
The corner of Zuo Qiu’s mouth twitched. “Being soft-hearted doesn’t mean he has no peculiar preferences. He’s probably dazzled by all the choices.”
Chen Bai really was searching item by item. It was indeed taking quite some time, but even the largest treasury would eventually be searched through.
Chen Bai came out smiling, holding an exquisite box. In the entire treasury, this was the only box containing a pill, and it had been preserved so carefully. It should be the one.
Seeing Crown Prince Ban and Zuo Qiu’s flustered expressions, Chen Bai said with a calm expression, “Your Highness did promise to let me choose anything. Surely you won’t go back on your word?”
Crown Prince Ban said, “This…”
He glanced at Chen Bai, gritted his teeth, and said, “Since I promised Grand Scholar Zhaoxue, how could I go back on my word?”
Only then did he walk outside.
Throughout the entire process, that strange young master did not say a word.
It was Zuo Qiu who escorted Chen Bai out of the palace. At the palace gate, Chen Bai looked at Zuo Qiu. “I treated you as a close friend, yet when I asked you to tell me that person’s identity, you refused. Hmph.”
Zuo Qiu paused. “Actually, there is no harm in telling you. That person does not want you to know his identity, but that does not stop me from telling you. I only did not say it earlier because he was present.”
Oh? Chen Bai looked at Zuo Qiu and heard him say, “Isn’t Wei State trying to form an alliance with Lu State? That person just now is Wei State’s envoy.”
Chen Bai: “…”
Qi Zheng had mentioned this to him before. Wei State had already formed an alliance with Ba State, yet it had come seeking an alliance with Lu State, Ba State’s mortal enemy. It was rather bizarre.
However—“He’s just a Wei envoy, and you let him wander around Lu State’s inner treasury? Isn’t that giving him too much face?”
Zuo Qiu looked at Chen Bai strangely. “An ordinary envoy would indeed not be qualified. But what if he is Wei State’s crown prince?”
Chen Bai’s eyes suddenly narrowed. Wait—“Wei State’s Crown Prince Su Jin? That Su Jin who is said to be the direct disciple of the former sage?”
That Crown Prince Su Jin who was skilled in vertical and horizontal alliances and had single-handedly established the Wei-Ba alliance? Back when Chen Bai first heard his name, he had even compared him to Su Dan of Zhao State, who was like a sage reborn. If this man truly devoted himself to implementing vertical and horizontal alliances, he could very likely shatter the current stalemate of this era.
He was someone who could truly stir up an age of chaos.
As a crown prince, traveling as an envoy to another state in this chaotic era was already an impressive thing, because it was far too dangerous.
Zuo Qiu nodded. “You actually know of him too. He is someone impossible to see through, and also an extremely dangerous person. If you have nothing to do with him, provoke him as little as possible.”
An extremely dangerous person?
Chen Bai thought of that person’s outstanding bearing. He looked more like a brilliant young noble from a great family.
But when Chen Bai returned to the relay station, he understood why Zuo Qiu had described him that way.
“Brother Bai, you’re finally back. We caught a spy just now. An old man.”
As soon as Chen Bai returned to the relay station, the students surrounded him excitedly.
“Prince Zheng took him away for interrogation.”
Chen Bai casually asked, “Did they find out anything?”
Unexpectedly, the answer he received was also unexpected. “They only know he’s from Wei State. Nothing else has been found out yet. Prince Zheng said that among all the states, Wei State is famous for its spies. They have so many spies they’re countless. Maybe even an ordinary roadside vendor could be a Wei spy. It’s especially terrifying.”
Chen Bai: “…”
Wei State was indeed an extremely special country. It often sold intelligence among the various states while also gathering information for Wei State itself, killing several birds with one stone.
Chen Bai lowered his eyes. At first, he had been wondering which faction inside Lu State did not want the alliance between Great Qian and Lu State to succeed. Now Wei State’s Crown Prince Su Jin just happened to be in Lu State as well. From what the students said, that old man had probably been preparing to lure them away and make a move against them…
Wei State had a motive to act, and a very strong one at that.
But all of this was only his speculation. He would still have to wait until Qi Zheng finished interrogating that spy to see if anything useful could be extracted.
For now, he had to put the Qishan Pill away safely first. If he could not bring the Qishan Pill back, life would not be easy for him after returning to Great Qian.
The moment Chen Bai entered his room, he froze, because Qi Zheng was sitting inside.
He had forgotten to ask the students just now whether Qi Zheng was personally interrogating the spy or had ordered someone else to do it.
He hurriedly hid the box in his hand behind his back.
Qi Zheng looked straight at Chen Bai. “You’re entering your own room, yet you’re acting so sneaky. What are you doing?”
Chen Bai: “…”
He thought, So you do know this is my room.
After hesitating for a moment, he still took the box out.
The king had ordered him to keep it absolutely secret, and had even emphasized that Prince Zheng must not know.
But in the end, his true ally was Qi Zheng, not the king.
Chen Bai did not hide it. “After I came to Lu State, I suddenly received a secret order from the king, telling me to steal Lu State’s supreme treasure, the Qishan Pill. You’ve been away all these days, so I never had the chance to tell you.”
Qi Zheng was stunned. He probably had not expected Chen Bai to have received a secret order as well. “This is the Qishan Pill? You made that bet with Crown Prince Ban just so you could take it openly and legitimately from Lu State’s imperial treasury?”
Chen Bai thought, Exactly. Steal it? How could that possibly be done?
Qi Zheng frowned slightly. He was probably also thinking about why the king wanted the Qishan Pill. There were many implications behind it. Then he opened the box, and his expression immediately turned strange.
Chen Bai asked, “What’s wrong?”
After a long moment, Qi Zheng said, “Are you sure this is the Qishan Pill and not a Longyang Pill? The Great Qian imperial treasury has pills like this too. If you really hand this over…”
Although he did not finish the rest, Chen Bai’s entire body shuddered.
Wait. When he had taken the pill back then, Crown Prince Ban and Zuo Qiu had looked very “flustered,” as if he had obtained something extraordinary. But what if their expressions had not been “flustered” at all, and were simply so strange that they could not control their faces?
He had always thought that a Lu State treasure like the Qishan Pill must be hidden in the most heavily guarded imperial treasury. But what if it was not?
Chen Bai looked at Qi Zheng pitifully. “Take a closer look.”
Qi Zheng held the pill and examined it from all angles. “It is indeed a Longyang Pill.”
Chen Bai’s face turned so dark it almost glowed black. He had worked so hard for so long, only to make such a huge mistake.
Meanwhile, inside Lu State’s palace, Crown Prince Ban was also reporting with a strange expression.
The king of Lu said, “That Grand Scholar Zhaoxue really… really took a Longyang Pill? What does he mean by that?”
Why was he even harder to read than Su Jin?
Crown Prince Ban did not know how to answer either. However, he had heard that this Grand Scholar Zhaoxue was famously fond of men in Great Qian’s Shangjing. Taking… taking a Longyang Pill seemed reasonable?
He had built such a miraculous tower for Lu State, yet it was all for the sake of a single Longyang Pill? Back then, that expression of having found a priceless treasure, and fearing that Ban would go back on his word—he had seen it all clearly.
At this moment, Chen Bai was lying there like a dead fish. He felt as if he had shown off brilliantly, only to show off in completely the wrong direction.
Qi Zheng’s expression was also extremely strange. How should he describe Chen Zixiu? The White Moon Flower Observatory Tower had frankly shocked even him. Yet after all that effort, after working for so long, Chen Zixiu had happily exchanged it for a Longyang Pill. Who knew what twitching expression the Lu royal family had on their faces now? They probably thought Chen Zixiu’s fondness for men had reached a level that could shock the world and leave his name in romantic history.
Chen Bai still refused to give up and added, “There was only one pill in the entire inner treasury! How could it…”
He might as well have exchanged it for a priceless treasure instead, but it was too late to say that now.
Qi Zheng: “…”
Chen Bai sighed again and again. In truth, they had already been in Lu State for quite some time. Qi Zheng leaving Shangjing had been unexpected in the first place. Now that the king’s condition was unstable, Qi Zheng urgently needed to return to Shangjing and stabilize the situation.
On top of that, Wei State’s Crown Prince Su Jin was in Lu State. Wei State would certainly be more than happy to sabotage the alliance between Great Qian and Lu State. No one knew what he might do next. Staying in Lu State was not actually safe for them.
Considering all of this, returning to Great Qian as soon as possible was the best choice.
But now he had not obtained the Qishan Pill. That put him in a dilemma.
Qi Zheng said, “If there is anything I can help with, you can come to me. Or you can ask your master as well.”
After speaking, he looked at Chen Bai.
Chen Bai thought, Asking Mountain Lord is the same as asking myself. What use would that be?
Qi Zheng frowned slightly. Why did Chen Zixiu show no reaction at all when he mentioned Mountain Lord?
Given Chen Zixiu’s experiences, everything he had obtained now bore Mountain Lord’s shadow behind it. Now that he was in difficulty, the first person he should think of should be Mountain Lord.
That was an instinctive dependence. No one could avoid that kind of habit.
Qi Zheng remained composed. Chen Zixiu’s reaction was wrong.
Chen Bai had no attention to spare for what Qi Zheng was thinking right now. He thought, No. No matter what, I have to get the Qishan Pill. Otherwise, once I return, endless trouble will be waiting for me. He said to Qi Zheng, “You arrange the return trip to Great Qian first. Before then, I’ll find a way to get the Qishan Pill.”
Qi Zheng left, because he really did not want to watch Chen Zixiu rolling around on the bed like he had no human dignity.
The next day, Qi Zheng found out what Chen Bai’s method was.
Because Chen Bai wanted to invite the people of Qufu and the imperial family to watch a film.
Qi Zheng even came over personally, frowning slightly. “You want to exchange the Wall Divine Painting for the Qishan Pill?”
In his eyes, both were rare treasures. But what concerned him more was, “Did Mountain Lord agree?”
Chen Bai replied, “With so little time, this is the only method. As for Master, he will definitely agree.”
“Oh.” Qi Zheng’s expression became strange. How could Chen Zixiu know for certain that Mountain Lord would agree? His eyes lowered, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Chen Bai began promoting his Wall Divine Painting. He sent invitation cards to the imperial family, busy enough that his chest nearly stuck to his back.
That night, he received a voice message from Qi Zheng. “Monster, does Chen Zixiu have a student watch?”
Chen Bai paused, then replied, “What’s wrong? The only ones who can communicate from afar are the three of us, all in the group.”
Chen Bai had been so busy that his mind was muddled. Besides, on the surface, there was no loophole in what he said. If Chen Zixiu had a student watch, then with Mountain Lord’s personality, he would have pulled him into the group long ago. That was Chen Bai’s first reaction.
But Qi Zheng took those words and pondered over them again and again.
In other words, the only ones who could contact each other from afar were him, Mountain Lord, and Gan Xin. There was no one else.
That meant Chen Zixiu could not possibly have asked Mountain Lord from afar whether he agreed to exchange the Wall Divine Painting for the Qishan Pill.
Yet Chen Zixiu had sounded so certain.
Why?
Had Chen Zixiu met Mountain Lord during the time after he decided to exchange the Wall Divine Painting for the Qishan Pill and asked for his opinion?
But during that time, Qi Zheng had been watching constantly. There had been no sign of Mountain Lord coming or going.
Or was there some other reason?
Qi Zheng had a constant feeling that a layer of paper was blocking his view, preventing him from seeing the truth clearly.
But he also felt that if he took one more step forward and gently poked at it, that paper would tear.
As for Chen Bai, because he was pressed for time, he had not noticed at all that Qi Zheng had already begun secretly paying attention to him.
The news that Great Qian’s Grand Scholar Zhaoxue was inviting the imperial family and the people of Qufu to watch the Wall Divine Painting in the western market instantly spread throughout all of Qufu.
“Is it that Wall Divine Painting rumored to be divine?”
“I wonder if the rumors are true. I heard the birds in the painting can really make clear cries, and the cicadas painted on it can also chirp.”
“It’s only a rumor. Maybe the painting is just very good, and people exaggerated it that way.”
Chen Bai also heard these discussions. This was fine. It was exactly this kind of doubt that would make them even more shocked later.
The Qishan Pill, which could supposedly “cure all illnesses,” was a rare treasure, but his projector was not inferior to it. It was even more precious.
When the time came, he would copy the video file into the projector and turn off its network settings.
If Lu State took it, they could only treat it as a rare treasure and nothing more.
For the sake of the viewing effect, he even specially asked the imperial family to cancel tonight’s curfew.
The fact that Lu State had driven out Ba State’s invasion was indeed worth celebrating. In addition, the Lu royal family had long heard of the Wall Divine Painting and was very interested in it, so they agreed.
When night fell, the place was silent—but not in the sense that there were no people.
Besides the imperial family members seated in the front, there were also Lu State nobles. Behind them were many ordinary citizens. Although they were separated at a distance by soldiers maintaining order, they were still watching.
The guards tonight were especially strict. That was understandable. After all, Ba State had only just been driven away, and everyone still had lingering fear. Absolute safety had to be guaranteed.
Because Crown Prince Ban and Chen Bai could be considered acquainted, he came over specifically and asked, “Why don’t I see the painting?”
The Wall Divine Painting—judging by the name, it should be hung on a wall. Yet apart from the wall, there seemed to be nothing there.
Chen Bai smiled and replied, “Your Highness, please be patient. It will begin soon.”
Then he glanced at Su Jin beside Crown Prince Ban. “Crown Prince Wei has taken quite a lot of care of us Great Qian students during this time. Zixiu thanks you here.”
Su Jin paused. He was not surprised that Chen Bai knew his identity. But the words this Grand Scholar Zhaoxue used to greet him were quite interesting and carried a deeper meaning.
“Grand Scholar Zhaoxue is quite amusing. Since we are all scholars, looking after one another is only natural. It is only that the Great Qian students do not seem to have given me any opportunity to look after them. I can only wait until next time.”
Chen Bai looked deeply at Su Jin. “Since Crown Prince Wei considers himself a scholar, then Zixiu will not stand on ceremony. As for who will look after whom next time, that is still uncertain.”
