Chapter 88

Every day, apart from practicing her instrument and singing a few songs, Su Weiwei could freely spend the rest of her time on calligraphy, poetry, and composing music. Or, she could lean against the Dragon-Phoenix Platform, fondling the wooden paperweight in her hand, lost in thought about someone, with a smile occasionally appearing on her face, her eyes somewhat dazed.

A light knock on the door made Su Weiwei's expression change drastically. The previously sweet and slightly silly look immediately vanished. She quickly stood up, checked her makeup in the mirror to ensure there were no flaws, and then gently opened the door, revealing a radiant smile, like the most beautiful flower of spring.

"I apologize, Miss Su, I am late."

Yue Heng looked exhausted. The first day of the array class was information-heavy, with many things he didn't understand, requiring him to look up materials. He had been reading a basic array book even on the carriage ride down the mountain. Now, meeting Su Weiwei, he would soon have to go downstairs to discuss important matters with Lei Fatty and the innkeeper Hu of Taishang Winehouse, with time being tight.

"Please have some tea, Master Yue." Noticing Yue Heng's poor complexion, Su Weiwei felt a bit heartache and personally served him the best flower tea she had, which had the effect of invigorating the mind and dispelling fatigue.

After drinking the tea, Yue Heng said seriously, "Miss Su, I will be busy with the spring hunt for the next half month and won't have much time to come here for tea and conversation. However, I will still keep my promise to tell you the stories of the Yang Family Generals every day. I have come up with a method and specially requested Taishang Winehouse to open a storytelling venue. I will insist on telling a story every day at Taishang Winehouse."

Last night, Lei Fatty came with three stone tablets and spent a day convincing Innkeeper Hu to grant half an hour of storytelling time in the first-floor hall every day.

At that time, the winehouse would widely invite wealthy guests, and Lei Fatty would create a big buzz at the county academy. Additionally, they would sell high-priced illusion stone tablets and various peripheral products.

This business plan received approval from multiple parties. Yue Heng didn't think much about it. He mentioned that the storytelling must be at Taishang Winehouse to take care of Su Weiwei, which would satisfy her, earn money, and gain fame, all at once.

*Clap!*

The teacup lid in Su Weiwei's hand accidentally fell and shattered into pieces. The dazed look on her face disappeared, and she hurriedly bent down to pick up the fragments.

"Miss Su, what's wrong?" Yue Heng didn't think deeply about it. He was excited about the grand and detailed business plan he had just outlined and was eager to share it with his beloved.

Su Weiwei responded casually to Yue Heng's concern, turning her body slightly and avoiding his gaze, feeling bitter inside: "My dear, what I need is not just a story every day."

But seeing Yue Heng's excited and satisfied expression, the excitement of a successful person, Su Weiwei couldn't bear to ruin his good mood. She asked, "Master Yue, are you mainly targeting the scholars and warriors in the academy to earn contribution points?"

Yue Heng nodded heavily, "That's right. To be honest, I only found out today how expensive array research is. This is a necessary step for me!"

Array research, besides using divine sense to experience various array paths, the fastest and best method is to draw an identical array by hand.

However, the array carrier, the "Heavenly Heart Stone," is expensive. The literary departments of various countries strictly control core arrays and the production of "Heavenly Heart Stones."

Yue Heng took out a discarded Three Lives Stone and showed it to Liu Jingting, asking, "Why can this Three Lives Stone directly contain the power of literary symbols, but the Heavenly Heart Stone cannot?"

Liu Jingting explained, "The special feature of the Three Lives Stone is its ability to store and release energy, a rare law in the world. Therefore, the power of literary symbols can be used immediately after being infused. The Heavenly Heart Stone lacks the ability to store and release energy but has a stronger carrying capacity than the Three Lives Stone. Thus, the literary array can engrave more powerful arrays with unlimited uses, while the Three Lives Stone can only carry smaller literary symbols with limited uses."

Engraving arrays on Heavenly Heart Stones also requires Fuxi Star Ink and high-level craftsmen's Star Carving Knives. Although Liu Jingting had these consumables, they were not provided for free. A low-level Star Carving Knife cost 100 contribution points, and a bottle of Small Star Ink cost 200 contribution points, which could be used about a dozen times before needing to be replaced.

Yue Heng apologized, "Miss Su, the spring hunt is a major event. I have many enemies in the academy, and to protect myself, I have to do this."

Su Weiwei said softly, "Master Yue, men should prioritize their careers. Actually, you... don't need to waste time with me..."

Yue Heng heard the grievance in her words and quickly said, "Miss Su, that's not what I meant. I really enjoy talking with you. It's just that, recently, time is tight, and I might not be able to come on time. Please understand, Miss Su."

Su Weiwei's eyes were a bit red. She turned her body and covered her face with her sleeve, secretly wiping away a tear, then put on a professional smile: "Master Yue, no need to explain, I understand you."

Is this understanding? Why does it sound like a pout? Yue Heng sighed inwardly. He felt that Su Weiwei's mood was strange today and finally realized that the problem was with him.

But he really had no choice. He also wanted to be with his beloved, spending every day in the moonlight, singing and dancing, but he couldn't do it!

Time was tight. If he missed the promotion after the spring hunt, it would take years to quickly become a third-level scholar.

What good would it do to have more resonant texts? The increase in talent is not achieved overnight but requires gradual accumulation, reading thousands of books, traveling thousands of miles, and gaining experience. If he forced it, it would be no different from pulling up seedlings to help them grow.

To nurture literary symbols, "resonant texts" are important, as are "being there" and "the path of the heart." The "path of the heart" is closely related to experience!

Today, the two no longer had the mood to continue their conversation. Yue Heng left a stone tablet recording his illusion and awkwardly departed.

Not far away, he heard a slightly melancholic melody. The heavenly sound was gentle and touching, like a lost girl telling her sorrow:

"Loneliness~ Winter plum blossoms wither, white petals turn to spring soil~

My love~ I am waiting for you, looking up, hoping for a meeting~"

Many people heard the lyrics of "Thinking of My Love." Noisy private rooms fell silent, and even the busy servants stopped to quietly savor the grievance and sorrow in the melody.

Yue Heng felt a pang in his heart, inwardly sighing that it was all his fault, and had a strong impulse to go back to her, but Lei Fatty and Innkeeper Hu stopped him.

Indeed, Lei Fatty had negotiated the business, and today the two were preparing to set up the venue for the trial lecture. Innkeeper Hu praised the young hero and pulled Yue Heng and Lei Fatty into the hall.

Although they couldn't hear "Thinking of My Love" in the first-floor hall, Yue Heng's mind was filled with Su Weiwei's voice and melody. He waved his hand and said to the excited Lei Fatty and Innkeeper Hu, his sense of achievement gone: "I have no requirements, you decide."

The two businessmen talked animatedly, while Yue Heng looked up at the direction of the fourth floor, feeling a sense of indescribable frustration. He asked himself, "By the divine spirit of Fuxi, is what I'm doing right?"

...

Today was another public class for the newly admitted students. Ji Cong entered the hall and habitually scanned the room, frowning: "I haven't seen him for three days. Where did this guy go?"

Others, like Xi Mushi, also had this question. These people who were once curious about Yue Heng also noticed this. After the encouragement to study, Yue Heng disappeared for a few days, and no one knew where he went.

"Hey, do you know that a masked traveling poet has been telling the legendary story of the Yang Family Generals in the market below the mountain these past few days?"

"What legendary story? Does a traveling poet need to be masked?"

"Hey! I heard that the story of the Yang Family Generals is amazing. It's all the rage at the Warrior Academy. Almost half of the warriors want to listen, and it's said that listening can stir their warrior spirits!"

"Right, right. Last night, someone in our Literary Academy dormitory said the same thing. The Literary Palace can also resonate, greatly helping the growth of talent and the nurturing of literary symbols!"

Xi Mushi frowned. He had been hearing this since yesterday, and the entire county academy was buzzing about it.

This time, his junior started spreading the news. Xi Mushi couldn't help but correct him: "Hehehe! Don't spread it so much, okay? The only things that can resonate the Literary Palace and stir warrior spirits are resonant texts and battle songs and poems. What is this 'Yang Family Generals'? Can a story told by a traveling poet be good? Don't be fooled and end up praising it for others!"

A junior不服气 (unconvinced) said, "Brother Xi, you might be wrong this time. We tried it last night, and we really felt a change in the Literary Palace's talent!"

"Right, right. Last night, in our dormitory, someone used a projection device from the Craftsmanship Academy to read a stone tablet recording an illusion. The illusion told the story of the Yang Family Generals, which was really captivating and thrilling. I want to listen again tonight!"

Xi Mushi sneered, "First, they lure you with free stuff, then they make you pay. This trick is too easy to see through!"

The others didn't bother to argue with him and went to the side to discuss quietly. Words like "Yang Jieyi," "Pan Bao," and "Eight Virtuous Kings" kept reaching Xi Mushi's ears, making him feel both disgusted and curious.

In the past two days, Lei Fatty had hired five people to use projection devices with engraved illusion arrays to show the first episode of the Yang Family Generals to the people of the county academy for free.

Soon, the entire academy knew about it.

—Praising the bravery of great women, promoting the spirit of sacrifice for the country, the last storyteller of the Zhongyuan world, the legendary resonant battle poem story of the Yang Family Generals, jointly presented by Taishang Winehouse and the county academy!

[Page Break AD Start]

[Page Break AD End]