Chapter 50: Tian Tian's Master

Yanzhou.

Fulong Academy.

This is the symbol of the highest institution of learning in all of Yanzhou, and generals, feudal lords, and nobles all wish to send their children to Fulong Academy.

Tian Tian entered Fulong Academy at a young age and was already very familiar with the place.

She was intelligent and quick to understand, and showed remarkable talent in music, earning the favor of the two great figures of Fulong Academy, who were also significant figures in Xiehuang City.

One of them was the founder of Fulong Academy, Meng Ziyang. His knowledge was profound, and he excelled in the Six Arts—ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics—especially in divination.

The other, Meng Ziyang's close friend, Gao Ziqi, was a famous musician in the Nine States Divine Dynasty!

"The Spring Sun" and "The White Snow" were both taught to Tian Tian by Gao Ziqi.

One day, Tian Tian hurriedly crossed Fulong Academy.

She arrived at a green mountain behind the academy, a place not just any student could enter.

Only Tian Tian had the privilege to pass through unimpeded, for she was deeply favored by these two great figures.

She ascended the green mountain, and at the halfway point, there was a house built of bamboo, covering six li, surrounded by bamboo fences.

A clear stream flowed past the edge of the house, and a large water wheel slowly turned, the water flowing gently.

In front of the bamboo house.

Two men were playing chess on a stone platform.

One man, with a handsome face, arched eyebrows, and slightly narrowed phoenix eyes, wore a simple white robe, his long hair tied up, looking clean and tidy, with a refined and elegant demeanor, his movements as smooth as flowing clouds, exuding an ancient charm.

The other man, wearing a loose brocade robe, with his chest exposed, had a stubble on his handsome face, his black hair falling loosely, looking wild and unrestrained. A zither was placed beside him, and he lay on the stone platform, his expression lazy, his movements casual, his eyes occasionally glancing at the chessboard, and from time to time, he would take a sip of wine from the gourd at his waist.

"Brother Ziyang, your beloved student has returned!" the lazy man laughed, teasing.

"Brother Ziqi, she is also your beloved student. However, I suspect that this time, her return is not for good intentions!" Meng Ziyang held a white chess piece and placed it on the board, a subtle ripple spreading from the stone platform!

"Oh, I lost again, no more, no more..." Gao Ziqi sat up from the stone platform and looked at Tian Tian, saying, "You little girl, you finally decided to come back?"

"Tian Tian, I pay my respects to my two masters!" She bowed, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent.

"Girl, speak, what is it?" Meng Ziyang sat cross-legged on the stone platform, the chessboard large enough for people to sit around it.

"Master, what do you mean? Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong?" Tian Tian was very playful, her big eyes twinkling.

"You little girl, your little tricks can't fool us. Speak up, or your Master Ziyang won't help you anymore." Gao Ziqi, sitting beside him, pulled out a wine gourd from his waist, took a sip, and laughed heartily.

"Don't, don't, don't..." Tian Tian, hearing this, became anxious and looked at Meng Ziyang, timidly saying, "I want to ask Master to save someone."

"Oh? Where is he?" Meng Ziyang smiled slightly, as if everything was already in his expectations.

"I don't know exactly where he is, but he should be among the Xiong people, and I don't know if he is alive or dead!" Tian Tian had been imprisoned for three months, with no one to turn to, and she didn't know how Xu Daoyan was doing now.

"Is there any item that has his scent?" Meng Ziyang asked gently.

"Yes! Yes!" Tian Tian took out a crumpled candy wrapper from her chest, which still contained many candies.

Meng Ziyang frowned, paused, and then relaxed. He took the candies, released a strand of energy, which shot out and disappeared into the void. He calculated with his fingers and said, "He is still alive!"

"Then please, Master, go and save him quickly!" Tian Tian was delighted.

"Confucianism is divided into literary and martial schools. Do you want me, a weak scholar, to go and save your little lover from the Xiong people?" Meng Ziyang laughed.

"What little lover? He is just a soldier, Master Ziyang, don't talk nonsense!" Tian Tian blushed, rolled her eyes, and retorted.

"Is a soldier worth you being imprisoned for three months, and as soon as you were released, you rushed to seek our help?" Meng Ziyang smiled faintly.

"Because he was captured while saving me. A person should not be ungrateful!" Tian Tian said righteously.

"Saving him is not impossible, but you must ask Master Ziqi. I am powerless, and can only calculate the location for you." Meng Ziyang waved his hand and looked at Gao Ziqi.

Tian Tian looked at Gao Ziqi, who was drinking, and with big, blinking eyes, she smiled and said, "Master Ziqi, please save him?"

"Then tell me, who is this person?" Gao Ziqi had a gossipy look on his face, smiling wickedly.

Meng Ziyang, standing beside him, looked calm, but his ears perked up like a rabbit's.

"He is called Xu Daoyan. I stole the military order from my seventh brother and ran to Shilong City. That day..." Tian Tian recounted the entire story of her and Xu Daoyan, then released the Lightning Wind Horse from her spatial ring, and complained, feeling very sad.

Meng Ziyang nodded repeatedly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. It was truly remarkable for someone so young to have such abilities in such a remote area!

Gao Ziqi, standing beside him, sighed in admiration, "What a fine young man, not bad, I like him!"

"Thank you, Master Ziqi!" Tian Tian jumped up happily.

"Me liking him doesn't mean I will save him!" Gao Ziqi raised an eyebrow and said loudly.

"Uh, then Master, what do you need to save him?" Tian Tian began to use her charm.

"Saving him is not impossible, but for the next year, whenever I call you to practice the zither, you must come immediately, no playing around, and you must focus. And wherever I go, you must follow me. Can you do that?" Gao Ziqi finally revealed his purpose.

"Okay!" Tian Tian's face fell; she couldn't play anymore, and practicing the zither every day was very tedious, but she had to do it. She owed Xu Daoyan, and she had promised Shi Yun, so she had to keep her word.

"Haha, then I will go and see this boy and bring him back!" Gao Ziqi laughed, stood up, and disappeared from Tian Tian's sight.

Tian Tian looked at Meng Ziyang, worried, "Master, will it be okay?"

"Hehe, of course it will be fine. He is not in the Xiong royal court, but in the border grasslands. It will be easy to save him." Meng Ziyang was very calm, having already told Gao Ziqi the specific location. He picked up the teacup beside him, sipped the tea, and looked at Tian Tian, saying, "Tian Tian, do you know what a 'heart's person' is?"

Tian Tian nodded, "Yes, it's the person you like!"

"Have you been thinking about him all these three months?" Meng Ziyang asked.

"Yes!" Tian Tian did not deny it.

"A 'heart's person' is someone who is on your mind. Your 'heart's person' is not a good choice, being a wild boy from the border. Xiao Yan has always been very attentive to you, and your ancestors are very enthusiastic about your relationship with Xiao Yan. It will be difficult for you two!" Meng Ziyang sighed lightly.

"Master, don't worry. I really have nothing with him. He was captured because of me, and I am saving him out of a sense of duty, not because he is my 'heart's person.' Besides, he doesn't even know I am a girl!" Tian Tian shook her head and said seriously.

Meng Ziyang looked at the distant sky and said softly, "I hope so, but be careful not to let it get on your heart without realizing it!"

That day, Xu Daoyan sat cross-legged as usual. It was now the beginning of autumn, and the autumn air had arrived.

The autumn air within a thirty-li radius was flowing into his body through his pores, cleansing his body and merging with his lungs, transforming into a consolidating energy to nourish his lungs!

Xu Daoyan's skin was smooth and healthy. If a person's lungs were not good, their skin would be rough, and their pores would be clogged, making it difficult to release energy!

Su Wei sat not far from him. Xu Daoyan was very satisfactory in many aspects, but unfortunately, he was now a prisoner, or he could have guided him in other areas.

At this moment, a beam of light descended from the sky.

Gao Ziqi stood in front of Xu Daoyan, which surprised him greatly.

"Who are you!" Xu Daoyan almost immediately used his hands to push himself back ten zhang, protecting Su Wei behind him.

"You can't even save yourself, and you want to protect others?" Gao Ziqi laughed loudly.

"Someone has come to save you, follow him!" Su Wei's voice came out.

"What? After three months, who has come to save me?" Xu Daoyan was surprised.

"Indeed, Tian Yu sent me to save you. Are you coming with me?" Gao Ziqi, as per Tian Tian's instructions, did not reveal her true identity.

"Thank you, Senior, for your rescue. Can you also save this old man?" Xu Daoyan looked at Su Wei.

"Huh? Such a strong aura of righteousness! It seems you are from the Confucian school." Gao Ziqi looked at Su Wei, who was disheveled, and was very surprised!

"No need. I have a mark on me, and if I leave this grassland, I will be discovered, and you won't be able to leave either!" Su Wei waved his hand and said.

"Understood, then there is no way. After all, this is Xiong territory, and I cannot overestimate my abilities." Gao Ziqi frowned, realizing that Su Wei must be an important figure in the Nine States Divine Dynasty!

Xu Daoyan, hearing this, felt helpless, knowing that Su Wei could not leave with them. He immediately knelt down and bowed to Su Wei, "Master Su Wei, thank you for your guidance these past days. One day, I will come back to save you!"

"Su Wei? You are of royal blood, and the disciple of Uncle Master Ziyuan!" Su Wei's seniority was actually higher than Gao Ziqi's.

"That's right." Su Wei smiled.

"You have been missing for a hundred years, and many thought you had a great encounter and were in seclusion, but you were captured by the Xiong people!" Gao Ziqi was very surprised, his expression becoming serious, and he said, "No, I must remove the mark on you and take you away!"

"No need. Perhaps this is my fate, and it will resolve itself in time. You only need to take this boy away!" Su Wei waved his hand.

"Alright, then Uncle Master Su Wei, I will leave!" Gao Ziqi bowed and then grabbed Xu Daoyan's shoulder, turning to leave.

"The Great Sage's Legacy, it's you, the musical genius, Gao Ziqi!" Su Wei looked at the zither on his back and sighed.

"Indeed!" Gao Ziqi turned and said.

"Thank you, Nephew Ziqi, until we meet again!" Su Wei clasped his hands.

"Until we meet again!" Gao Ziqi, with Xu Daoyan, turned into a rainbow of light and left the Xiong territory!

---

End of the chapter.