Chapter 42

After listening to Yue Heng's performance and experiences, Cui Shilang entered the control center of the Illusionary Spirit Array alone and used the special text disk he brought from the Ministry of Rites to directly contact the high-level officials of the Qi County Ministry of Rites.

Cui Shilang obtained core authorization, reviewed all the scenarios in the illusion, and finally walked out with a serious expression.

He ordered, "Please have Lord Wen call Yue Heng. I want to ask him a few questions. Additionally, no examiners or candidates are allowed to leave early today. Lord Su, you and Lord Qi are responsible for this. Those who violate the Ministry of Rites regulations will be punished without leniency."

"But Lord Cui, we have already expelled the candidate Bai Ming from the courtyard. I will immediately send someone to bring him back!"

County Magistrate Qi was terrified and quickly agreed to make amends.

Cui Shilang had just heard about the conflict between Bai Ming and Yue Heng. His face darkened, and he coldly said, "Why keep this person? Lord Qi, immediately mobilize the elite soldiers of Hong County to arrest him! No, execute him on the spot!"

Execute him on the spot!

County Magistrate Qi's back turned cold. He immediately agreed and quickly walked out to arrange for his confidant to handle Bai Ming, determined to make up for his mistake!

Seeing Cui Shilang's decisiveness, Lord Wen did not dare to be negligent. He hurriedly called Yue Heng and Wen Xin Yue, and on the way, he quietly instructed them to tell the truth and not to hide anything from the envoy of the Ministry of Rites.

When they met Cui Shilang, Wen Xin Yue was somewhat restrained, while Yue Heng carefully observed. The official in the third-grade scholar's robe, who looked somewhat familiar, was smiling at him, while the official in the fourth-grade scholar's robe had a serious face but did not seem to have any intention of harming him. Yue Heng felt relieved and decided to respond to the situation as it unfolded.

After asking about Yue Heng's basic information and receiving his honest answers, Cui Shilang finally showed a smile, satisfied with Yue Heng's composure and gentlemanly demeanor.

Cui Shilang said, "Candidates Yue Heng and Wen Xin Yue, I have reviewed your performances in the 'Chang Wu' illusion! You both performed well, and the 730 merit points you earned are well-deserved. Yue Heng should be the top scholar of Hong County this year, and as for Wen Xin Yue's top learner, I will inform the Hong County Military Department's Equipment Section to help you obtain it. This is the honor you deserve!"

Yue Heng and Wen Xin Yue exchanged glances, their eyes filled with joy, and they greatly relaxed. The atmosphere became more relaxed.

Cui Shilang suddenly put on a serious face and coldly said, "Yue Heng, what was the poem you recited in 'Chang Wu'? Do you know how much damage it caused to the illusion? Why did you recite that poem?"

"Ah? Lord Cui, I... I don't remember anything!" Yue Heng was dumbfounded.

Cui Shilang was annoyed. He had only heard the first line of the poem. The 'Chang Wu' illusion was extremely unstable when Yue Heng recited 'Ji Gu,' not only forcing all the examiners out but also distorting the illusion itself. Cui Shilang had tried to reconstruct the entire truth but failed, as the crucial lines were severely interfered with!

"Alright, I'll give you a hint. Recite the rest! 'Ji Gu qi tang, yong yue yong bing. Tu guo cheng cao, wo du nan xing.'"

Yue Heng suddenly understood: "Oh, it's this one. I know it..."

Those who were paying attention couldn't help but smile bitterly. Do you have many more poems?

"The poem is called 'Ji Gu,' and the full text is as follows..."

After Yue Heng recited the poem, nothing unusual happened in the room. In the Central Yuan world, poems only cause celestial phenomena when they first appear or are rediscovered. When he recited it in the illusion, it had already triggered a phenomenon.

"Ah, I see! 'Sheng si qi kuo, yu zi cheng shuo. Zhi zi zhi shou, yu zi xie lao.' These two lines are the essence of the poem. You have love in your heart, and the content of the poem is anti-war. It's inevitable that 'Ji Gu' and 'Chang Wu' are incompatible..." Cui Shilang sighed, looking at Yue Heng with a complex expression.

Everyone finally understood the biggest mystery of this incident. Just this one line was enough to be passed down through the ages, becoming the most sincere and widely recognized love declaration in the Central Yuan world.

Although it was not a 'Resonant Text' and could not resonate with a certain Fuxi oracle bone to generate a text symbol, as an anti-war poem, it was still of very high value. At least it could be used in illusions or on the battlefield to evoke the enemy's homesickness and war-weariness, greatly reducing their morale!

Inspector Su was moved and suggested, "Lord Cui, why don't you show us how Yue Heng recited this poem? We would like to understand how it caused such great destruction. The fifth act of 'Chang Wu' is the core war environment, and 'Ji Gu' could actually make the soldiers immediately return home, which is quite rare!"

"This..." Cui Shilang hesitated for the first time, looking at Yue Heng.

"Bad! If I have to show my true feelings, I must have been holding Wen Xin Yue's hand when I recited the poem! This kind of romantic poetry to attract girls is something only I would do..."

When Yue Heng heard Inspector Su's suggestion, his scalp tingled. He knew his own character well, and he would definitely do something like reciting a classic poem from the Book of Songs to attract a girl!

But... Lord Wen is standing right there!

Moreover, Wen Xin Yue had only reluctantly interacted with him under the orders of County Magistrate Qi and Lord Wen. She had already said she would not see him again after the re-exam. If he really held her hand and said, "Zhi zi zhi shou, yu zi xie lao," everyone would be extremely embarrassed!

Lord Wen was also very curious and respectfully requested, "If it does not violate the Ministry of Rites regulations, I also hope to see Yue Heng's performance. An anti-war poem that can cause such great destruction must have something special about it!"

"Lord Cui! I'm not late, am I?" County Magistrate Qi's voice came, and he hurriedly returned, then whispered to Cui Shilang, "Bai Ming has been executed, the matter is settled!"

Cui Shilang nodded. With others present, he could not speak freely.

"I know you will ask Yue Heng to recite the poem. I don't want to miss such a good opportunity! Are you talking about the poem that caused the illusionary phenomenon?" County Magistrate Qi joined in, genuinely excited.

"Exactly, the poem is called 'Ji Gu.'" Lord Wen recited the poem, and County Magistrate Qi read it several times, greatly admiring it.

Could Yue Heng object? Of course not. He was just a low-ranking student, and he was not sure if he had really done that.

Cui Shilang looked at Yue Heng with interest and then at Lord Wen, smiling. "Lord Wen, this poem may be related to your beloved daughter. Do you really want to see it?"

Without asking, it would have been better. Now, not only did Lord Wen become alert, but Wen Xin Yue also looked at Yue Heng with a complex expression, her cheeks gradually turning red, and her heart beating faster.

Lord Wen's eyelids twitched involuntarily, and he gritted his teeth. "Please show it, Lord Cui!"

Cui Shilang did not hesitate. He quickly swiped on the Fuxi text disk he carried, which could use most of the functions of the Illusionary Spirit Array and store and analyze illusionary images.

"Everyone, please look!"

A beam of light shot out from the Fuxi text disk, projecting a holographic image of the moment when Yue Heng recited the poem in the illusion, like a mirage.

In the projection, the fifth act of 'Chang Wu' began, with the entire army shouting and drums and trumpets sounding. The vanguard camp stood on the hill of Pishan, and Yue Heng held Wen Xin Yue's hand, the two looking deeply into each other's eyes. Amidst the drumbeats and the advance, he recited the poem.

"Ah!"

Wen Xin Yue covered her face in embarrassment, her heart racing, her mind blank. She never expected Yue Heng to hold her hand and recite such a heartfelt line, "Zhi zi zhi shou, yu zi xie lao." But she had never been able to understand what kind of person Yue Heng was, how could she let him hold her hand?

"Ridiculous! What kind of behavior is this!" Lord Wen waved his sleeve, his beard trembling with anger, almost breaking into a tirade. But what could he do? Kill Yue Heng?

County Magistrate Qi was surprised. During the spring exam results announcement, Lord Wen had clearly said that he had told his daughter that Yue Heng was his illegitimate son, and the two were half-siblings. How could they do something so against the norms?

Inspector Su and Cui Shilang, who were unaware of the details, had already turned away, almost laughing out loud.

Especially Inspector Su, who secretly gave an admiring gesture to the furious Lord Wen. Everyone indeed thought highly of Yue Heng, but they never expected Lord Wen to be so proactive, even willing to send his own daughter to his bed. This kind of magnanimity was truly admirable!

"Ridiculous, too ridiculous! With the army approaching, you actually did such a ridiculous thing! Such indecent behavior!"

Lord Wen was both angry and anxious, regretting his previous decision.

He had indeed told County Magistrate Qi that he had informed his daughter that Yue Heng was his illegitimate son, but when he told his daughter, he had said that Yue Heng was County Magistrate Qi's illegitimate son.

One lie requires ten more to cover it up. He never expected his daughter to develop feelings for Yue Heng in the illusion, and not only to like this "illegitimate son of County Magistrate Qi" but also to make such a serious vow, "Zhi zi zhi shou, yu zi xie lao"!

He regretted even more. Why did he suggest watching the illusionary scene? If he hadn't insisted, Yue Heng and Wen Xin Yue would never have known what they had done in the illusion. But now...

Seeing his daughter's shy and covered face and Yue Heng's silly, smiling expression, Lord Wen could only express his frustration through scolding, but he couldn't scold too harshly, as he didn't know what his daughter thought!

"Cough, cough... Alright, let's put this aside. Yue Heng, 'The Ballad of Mulan' and 'Who Says Women Are Inferior to Men' are of the same lineage. You can create a primary war poem and sing it as a low-level soul-stirring martial soul song, which is also a great achievement! The Qi County Ministry of Rites will give you the appropriate commendation. You may go now, remember, do not reveal the content of today's conversation to others!"

Cui Shilang smiled and gestured for them to leave. After closing the door, his expression quickly turned serious again.

There was another important matter to handle behind closed doors!

"From your report, there was also a brief, intense red light of Resonant Text, right?" Cui Shilang asked seriously.

County Magistrate Qi and Lord Wen bowed. "Yes! It happened at the beginning, during the preparation stage of the illusion. None of us examiners were prepared. Lord Cui, what was that poem? Was it also by Yue Heng?"