Chapter 27

* * *

The inside of the Moon Ying Hall was so quiet that even ghosts would hold their breath, but outside, the tension and excitement barely suppressed made the place buzz.

Duan Muchenji was a towering figure of his time. When he was in good health, it was said in earnest that even birds would stop at the gate of the Duan family.

Even though he had been weakened by the injuries he sustained in the battle with Xue La Valley, the fact that Duan Muchenji, the Wuyue Sword, was a giant of this era remained unchanged.

And the step of a vulture and the step of a sparrow are of different levels. Everyone was busy speculating about the realm he would attain this time.

"How could it be like this..."

"Perhaps this time we will have a celebration?"

The entire family was excited, and the Zaijing Hall was no exception. Chao Yi, while organizing the documents sent by the Mansong Merchant Group, spoke excitedly.

"When did it become like this?"

"Excuse me? What do you mean?"

The change was slow but rapid.

It's like when you watch the tide go out, you don't notice it at all, but when you come to your senses, the whole world's sea water has disappeared overnight.

Xue Guanxi pondered when the Zaijing Hall had started to buzz with activity.

He remembered clearly the moment a dark shadow fell over the family.

The day he saw the miserable expression on Du Xian Dang Youbi's face when he said there was no way to heal Duan Muchenji's injuries.

The day he realized that Duan Lian, who neither cried nor laughed and did not look at anyone, was no different from a corpse.

The day the raindrops at Duan Xiancheng's funeral cooled everyone's clothes and cheeks, and steam rose.

Then, when did the light start to come in?

This was also clear. After Duan Lian received the Velmosei and woke up.

Xue Guanxi was suddenly enlightened. There are occasionally such people in the world. People who change everything with their mere existence.

People who, if not by their own strength, are carried by the flow of fate, or if not by that, by the direction of the era.

"Indeed, Young Master..."

"Are you saying to prepare for a celebration?"

Chao Yi asked with an excited expression. Xue Guanxi frowned and shook his head.

"What are you talking about? Don't even dream of such nonsense. Why are the servants outside so noisy? The Great Ancestor is currently attaining enlightenment! Go and tell them to be quiet."

Chao Yi, who had been chased out, went outside and talked with the servants, then came back in with a surprised look.

"It seems the officials are posting notices all over."

"What kind of notices?"

"There was the provincial examination this time! The list of successful candidates."

"What does that have to do with our family?"

At this moment, Xue Guanxi realized. There were quite a few literate servants in the Zaijing Hall.

They had seen familiar names on the posted notices, which caused the commotion.

Among the names they knew, the person whose name was on the notice...

Chao Yi spoke innocently.

"Well, the third son of the Mansong Merchant Group's head has passed the provincial examination as the top candidate! That's why everyone is gossiping... Master Xue? Are you okay?"

Xue Guanxi staggered, and Chao Yi was startled and approached him.

Xue Guanxi let the fireworks explode in his mind and stared blankly outside before moving his lips.

"...You."

"Excuse me? What did you say?"

"Take down that notice! The one that says the third son of the Mansong Merchant Group passed as the top candidate!"

Chao Yi, startled, covered his ears and ran out. Then he returned with a notice whose back was somewhat worn.

"Wow..."

As Chao Yi said, it was easy to find the name of the third son, Jian Wei Xue, as it was at the top of the list!

'Is it really true that Jian Wei Xue passed as the top candidate?'

Xue Guanxi's hand holding the notice trembled. As he handled the family's finances, Xue Guanxi had heard about the sales of Qinglianshu.

Duan Lian had said that if the third son of the Mansong Merchant Group's leader, Jian Yan Zhao, passed the examination, the Qinglianshu he used would sell like wildfire, and there would be nothing to wish for.

He was really surprised when he heard this. It would be enough to win the heart of Jian Yan Zhao, and since the third son had to take the examination anyway, the Qinglianshu would ultimately be handled by Jian Yan Zhao himself. The direct trade with the Duan family's main line could not be entrusted to just anyone.

He thought that would be enough, but the third son really passed as the top candidate? Then the Qinglianshu he used will really...

"Where is the Young Master?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, Young Master Lian!"

"The Young Master, um, is with the Medicine Hall Master today..."

But Xue Guanxi could not immediately rush to Lian, as people from the Mansong Merchant Group had come in a rush, looking as if their souls had left their bodies.

They also had not expected their third son to achieve such results.

* * *

"They are all gifts from the Mansong Merchant Group to you."

"To me?"

Lian asked in a dazed manner. Xue Guanxi, who had been supervising the stacking of items in the warehouse, saw Lian and Duan Xian Wu and hurried over.

"Young Master! Medicine Hall Master, you're here."

"Lian, I came to see the gifts. Where are the people from the Mansong Merchant Group?"

"They said they were sorry for not knowing about the good news for the Great Ancestor and hurried back with the gifts."

"There was no need for that..."

Duan Xian Wu said this, but he seemed secretly pleased, covering his mouth with his sleeve and grinning.

Lian looked around the mountain of items and asked.

"But the top candidate should receive the gifts, not me. Isn't it the wrong person who is giving and receiving the gifts?"

The Zaijing Hall Master straightened his shoulders and smiled.

"Of course, since the Young Master made the Qinglianshu that the young master of that family used to achieve such great success, it is only natural. They said they would send more proper gifts later, as they sent these in a hurry upon hearing the news."

It seems they were so surprised and flustered by the news of their young master that they first sent their thanks to the maker of the Qinglianshu. But the real important thing is not that.

Lian, looking at the piled boxes and treasures with a dazed expression, slowly came to his senses.

'Top candidate...!'

It was really true that he passed as the top candidate. Someone who used the Qinglianshu passed as the top candidate!

The price of the Qinglianshu he made himself would likely double or triple. The demand for Qinglianshu supplied through the Medicine Hall would also increase dramatically. It seemed the family's financial situation would finally improve.

"The Qinglianshu you made is truly miraculous. How could he pass as the top candidate so easily?"

"It's not really because of the Qinglianshu, but because the uncle is very wise..."

"His name is Wei Xue, Lian."

"Excuse me?"

Duan Xian Wu, who suddenly said something out of the blue, pressed Lian's protruding lips.

Lian lifted his head from the mother-of-pearl box he was looking at.

Duan Xian Wu, as if pointing out an obvious fact, took out what Lian was looking at and said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Your uncle is Na, and that person is a son of the Jian family, so he should be called Jian. This is a very beautiful white jade flute."

The topic changed as if Duan Xian Wu had picked up a snake and moved it.

It seemed Duan Xian Wu was upset that Lian called someone other than himself "uncle."

Lian smiled inwardly and nodded.

"Yes, yes!"

"Do you want to hold this flute?"

The cool touch of the white jade enveloped his hand, and the characters appeared before his eyes.

Spirit Energy: 33/100 (12▼)

A flute made by a craftsman from white jade: Spirit Energy Capacity 12

'Wow. Is it good as long as it's made of good gemstones?'

The Zaijing Hall Master, standing beside him, cleared his throat and explained about the flute.

"Indeed, the Young Master has good taste. Among the things that came this time, this is the most valuable, called the Xiang Lin Di. It is made of white jade. There is a rumor that it can make the moon palace jar fall when blown, and it seems it was in the Mansong Merchant Group."

Lian was about to ask how much it was worth but stopped. Duan Xian Wu, standing beside him, smiled contentedly.

"Did you know that the other name for magnolia is Xiang Lin? It is called this because all its petals emit fragrance. If you play a melody with this flute, the melody will also carry a fragrance."

There was a sense of expectation in Duan Xian Wu's voice. Lian, who was pleased to see the flute contain spirit energy, slowly lifted his head, and Duan Xian Wu, unable to hold back, said:

"Even if I'm not as good as my older brother, I can play the flute, so I can teach you! We finally have such a good flute."

Duan Xian Wu had a beaming smile on his face.

Lian, looking at Duan Xian Wu, who could finally talk about his deceased father, nodded.