Chapter 26

Hearing a knock at the door, Ye Qing opened it and saw three scholars, which made him smile as he said, "Please come in!"

The room was small, but it could easily accommodate three more people. One of them carefully observed and noticed that the room was now elegantly decorated, with new mulberry bark paper pasted on the walls.

"This is Brother An Min, also a scholar, from the An family!"

"This is Brother He Mao, also a scholar!" The one introducing them was Yin Zishen, who was also a scholar and had known them for some time. He continued, "These two have heard of your poetic fame and have come to pay their respects."

"Please, don't be too humble, Brothers An and He, please take a seat." Ye Qing smiled and led them to the table. At this moment, Qianqian had just finished tidying up and bowed gracefully, "Gentlemen, please wait a moment, I'll go and get the tea!"

Just as she was speaking, Yin Zishen pointed and laughed, "No need to hurry, the tea and wine are already here, the boss is really attentive!"

An Min turned to look and indeed saw the boss leading a servant carrying a food box, while another servant was brewing tea. He was inwardly surprised.

He Mao laughed, "Brother Ye, your three poems have caused a sensation throughout the county. This building has seen an increase in visitors due to these poems. The boss is so happy that he can't stop smiling. This is a blessing for generations to come, so why shouldn't he be attentive now?"

As he spoke, the boss came in and hurriedly bowed.

"Enough, enough! Why are you bowing to me?" Yin Zishen tapped the table with his fan handle, "We scholars discuss poetry and philosophy, and we fear the most is being disturbed. Well, it's not early anymore, let's have the dishes served!"

The boss responded, "It's almost the beginning of winter, so serving a hot pot is just right."

As he spoke, a servant brought out a hot pot, the charcoal inside crackling, the broth boiling, and slices of meat, tripe, and beef immersed in it, emitting a fragrant aroma.

Around the pot were a basin of mutton, fish slices, and also chicken, goose, duck, and beef, making it an eight-delicacy pot.

Everyone tasted it with their spoons and found it indeed delicious. The boss smiled and withdrew, and as he did, Yin Zishen clasped his hands and said, "It's so fresh, it perfectly matches the green poetry!"

He then recited:

All the birds have flown away,

A solitary cloud drifts idly by.

We look at each other without tiring,

Only the peaceful mountain remains.

He recited another poem:

In the morning, I bid farewell to the colorful clouds of the upper tomb,

A thousand miles of river can be traversed in a day.

The cries of apes on both banks never cease,

The light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains.

Yin Zishen's voice was clear and resonant, and everyone listened with great pleasure. He Mao raised his cup and said, "Indeed, these are excellent poems, each worth a hundred gold pieces. The boss of this building is making a huge profit by waiving the meal charges."

An Min drank a cup and felt a bit tipsy, smiling, "Brother Ye, you passed the scholar examination at fifteen and have such poetic talent. You are already famous in Peaceful County. In time, you will be known throughout the entire prefecture! Thinking of myself, I just want to find a crack in the ground to hide in!"

His words were sincere, and everyone laughed.

The group continued drinking, gradually losing their inhibitions, and chatted and laughed together. Yin Zishen said, "With Brother Ye's talent, I'm afraid it will only take three more years for you to pass the prefectural examination."

Ye Qing smiled, "I dare not, I dare not!"

He Mao then said, "Don't listen to him, Brother Ye. Your poetry is really good, but poetry won't get you through the imperial examinations. I think you should focus on studying the Three Classics and Five Canons."

This was a deep and sincere advice. Ye Qing looked at this older scholar with gratitude, thought for a moment, and said, "Brother, your words are truly sincere. How can I not listen to them?"

"Come, let's drink. I hope that in a few years, we can change our status and be together like this again."

This meal lasted until the afternoon, and the three left drunk, but Ye Qing was fine, just sweating coldly. He opened the window and gazed into the distance, his face filled with melancholy.

As the days passed, Ye Qing became distracted, often falling into deep thought.

Ye Qing himself was unaware of his state, but Qianqian saw it and felt pain in her heart. She didn't know how to comfort him. She was just a small maid, and although she had recently gained her master's favor, she lacked experience in such matters.

Thus, time passed day by day, and before they knew it, only one day remained until August.

Ye Qing was unsure of the exact date of the Dragon Lord's banquet, but since it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, he assumed the invitations would be sent out and confirmed before August.

That night, after waking from a dream, Ye Qing had no heart to dress and went to the window.

It was still midnight, the sky dark and gray, and it was raining, a light drizzle that was sometimes dense and sometimes sparse. The rain had been falling for several days with no sign of stopping.

Looking at the mist over the lake, Ye Qing had many thoughts. Since dreaming of the graceful Qianqian and the scene of her being killed, these thoughts had been continuous.

While Ye Qing was deep in thought, he heard a voice behind him, "Master..."

He turned around, startled, and saw Qianqian in a robe, her white skin faintly visible. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, hugging him gently, her delicate fragrance floating in the air.

The soft touch on his back, the cool and soft high points of her body, and their heartbeats beating together made Qianqian's breathing unstable, and her body trembled slightly, but she was determined, "I can do it..."

The physical and emotional touch warmed Ye Qing's heart, and his chaotic thoughts calmed down. "It's nothing, I just had a bad dream. These past few days..."

Ye Qing paused. In his two lives, he had faced many difficulties, but he had never had such a nightmare, even with his worries.

At this moment, he was suddenly enlightened. The struggle of fate, in essence, was the influence of qi on the heart. Especially in asymmetric situations, it created various illusions. Many outstanding individuals, despite their careful planning, fell victim to the "fog of fate," perhaps just a step away from the light.

In the history of China on Earth, so-called heroes who surpassed the wise were often those with broader horizons and greater resistance to qi interference.

The most outstanding politicians, regardless of their actions, pursued their paths with extraordinary determination, enduring ups and downs and mysterious events without changing their resolve.

Only those who aspired to achieve something could withstand the numerous challenges, while those who did nothing, though free from such worries, could only go with the flow and face disaster when it came, whether they faced it head-on or tried to avoid it.

Having come from Earth, in his previous life, Ye Qing had acted but had never fought so fiercely for qi. The gap was even greater now.

Now, as a mere scholar, he had no trace of qi, yet he dared to influence the master of the eight-hundred-mile Peaceful Lake. This was like trying to defy the heavens, no wonder he was suffering from backlash!

With this thought, Ye Qing suddenly understood. Looking out the window at the misty rain, he sighed inwardly, "The drizzle is already a sign, but I didn't realize it."

The Dragon Lord's arrival, even if controlled perfectly, would still cause wind and rain.

Seeing Ye Qing calm down, Qianqian said nothing more, quietly resting in his arms. The wind and rain made everything seem peaceful and serene.

After a long while, Qianqian moved, and Ye Qing looked at her. Her eyes were open, and she had a strange expression. He asked, "What's wrong?"

Qianqian shook her head and said, "Nothing, I just fell asleep for a moment and had a dream..."

Seeing Ye Qing waiting for her to continue, Qianqian smiled, "I dreamed of... I won't tell you!"

Ye Qing laughed, "I also had a dream. I'll tell you if you tell me. Let's exchange, okay?"

Qianqian was about to agree but suddenly remembered something, blushing, "No, I won't tell you!"

Ye Qing couldn't help but laugh, picked her up, and placed her on the outer bed. "Sleep, don't think too much. You've been tired these past few days. I need to wait a bit and think."

Qianqian responded, looking into his gentle eyes, feeling a deep sense of peace. She closed her eyes, feeling him leave, and gradually, she felt determined, murmuring, "Master, even if it's the same as in the dream, Qianqian doesn't regret it."

At that moment, Ye Qing didn't hear her words. He slowly walked to the window and focused on his qi.

Over the past few days, the white qi had spread and gradually taken shape. Some of it came from the green poems he had written and the scholars he had befriended.

But this was far from enough to reach the rank of a scholar, it was just a drop in the bucket.

At the wine shop,

The sky was dark, and a man entered. The servant squinted to see a middle-aged man in a green robe, his face tinged with a greenish hue, his eyes gleaming with a strange light.

But the guest was a guest, so the servant quickly smiled, "Sir, please come in. Would you like to eat or stay?"

"Eat!" The middle-aged man said, casually tossing a gold ingot, heavier than the one Ye Qing had given, about ten taels, and including both accommodation and meal fees. This man was even more generous, "Bring out the best dishes, and any extra will be a tip for you!"

The servant's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile, "Thank you, sir! Please come upstairs!"

As they went upstairs, it was already quite late, and there were no other guests. But the servant still lit the lamps on the third floor, making it bright, and then bowed, "Sir, please sit. The dishes will be served immediately. Since there are few people, I'll also call the singer for you."

In this world, prices were stable. Even a luxurious meal cost no more than two or three taels of silver. The ten taels of silver, though a tip for the servant, would be hard to get unless he ran away immediately. But even so, he would earn at least one tael, so he couldn't help but be attentive.

He immediately notified the boss and the kitchen. Soon, the boss personally brought the dishes, smiling as he entered.

The middle-aged man was intently looking at the poems on the screen and walls. Seeing the boss, he pointed and asked, "Whose poems are these?"

"Ah, they are by Master Ye, who is currently staying at this inn. He is truly a star from heaven, passing the scholar examination at fifteen and writing these three poems in one go. According to the scholars, they are all green poems!" As he spoke, the boss set the dishes on the table, "I don't understand what green poems are, but thanks to him, my business has improved a lot."

"Master Ye? Ye Qing? You say he is staying here? Interesting!" The middle-aged man smiled, deep in thought.

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