Bustling with activity, Splendid Plaza was as lively as ever.

Chu Jiubian got out of the carriage on the long street outside the market and then went in.

He was still clad in the dark crimson-purple robes that only the highest-ranking officials could wear, and also wore a thick cloak with a soft, fluffy fur collar, giving him a majestic and imposing appearance.

However, his hairstyle was different from that of this era’s people, and his windblown hair softened the seriousness of his attire, lending him a lighter, more ethereal appearance.

His tall, slender figure, as well as his exquisitely handsome, almost god-like face, caused him to stand out from the crowd.

He became the center of attention from the moment he appeared.

Everyone in the capital now knew of Grand Tutor Chu, but no one truly knew what sort of personality he possessed. Seeing his cool and aloof demeanor – and keeping in mind that gods were inherently high above mortals – everyone kept their distance and didn’t dare to approach him.

Chu Jiubian took in their reactions but didn’t pay them any mind, just continuing to make his way inside.

Before long, he noticed a shop that was particularly lively, with the sounds of drums and cheers filling the air. But the most striking sight was the three large, red drums in the center of the crowd, with dancers gracefully performing atop them.

The dancers wore long dresses in the latest style, their hair adorned with glittering gold and silver ornaments and jewels.

The movements of their dance were graceful and captivating.

But what truly made them stand out were the clothes they were wearing.

The style was similar to the dresses worn by women in the capital, but the quality of the fabric was vastly different.

The light pink, soft yellow, and pale purple silk was soft and lightweight, draping beautiful as it shimmered in the sunlight.

Presenting the fabric through the use of real-life models was all Situ Zhaoling’s idea.

Their silk products would target the high-end market. The best way to achieve this was to have noble ladies from the palace wear them, but there was currently no empress, no concubines, and no princesses in the palace, so there was no one to act as a “brand ambassador.”

Therefore, they had to settle for the less ideal solution and simply have dancers wear the dresses for display.

The status of dancers and singers in Great Ning was not high. Respectable women from good families usually avoided associating with them, and even the maids from some high-ranking families had a higher social status than these singers and dancers.

Situ Zhaoling had no such concerns in the Nanjiang region, which led her to conceive of this plan, but Wang Qichen was somewhat worried.

However, he quickly reconsidered. Ultimately, the dancers wearing these silk garments were merely showcasing the fabric, and since they themselves were among the audience for such a product, there was nothing wrong with using them as models.

He would also wear the silk garments himself and act as a male model.

And since Chu Jiubian had worn the same fabric at the Mid-Autumn banquet, the ladies and wives who had been fortunate enough to attend would surely recognize it.

Since a son of a noble family and even Grand Tutor Chu, the incarnation of a god, had worn the fabric, these women would have no reservations.

Therefore, Wang Qichen had decided to go ahead with live models for the grand opening.

Rather than entering the silk shop, Chu Jiubian stood on the outskirts of the crowd and observed for some time.

Prices were high in Splendid Plaza, so those who could afford to shop and stroll around here were generally from well-to-do families. There were also many women among the crowd, although their faces were concealed by veils.

Chu Jiubian glanced around and noticed one or two slightly familiar faces, likely people he had seen at the previous palace banquet.

At the moment, these women and the onlookers around them were whispering among themselves.

“This is actually silk from Nanjiang – it looks even better than the silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang.”

“Indeed, and look at the texture and color. They’re unlike anything I’ve seen before. If the price isn’t too high, I’ll buy several bolts of each color and have them made into dresses at home.”

“But dancing girls are wearing these silk dresses. Won’t we invite ridicule if we wear them?”

“What ridicule? We already wear silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the same as dancing girls, so why would Nanjiang silk be unacceptable?”

“That’s right, and I also have some extra information.” The person speaking was someone Chu Jiubian had met at the palace banquet before, the very same girl who had played the pipa so beautifully.

“What information?” another girl in the group asked.

“When I returned from the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet, didn’t I mention that the clothes Grand Tutor Chu was wearing looked like immortal garments?”

“I remember now, could it be that Grand Tutor Chu was wearing Nanjiang silk?”

“Exactly! And that delicate shade of pink, combined with an overlapping collar and belt, created an indescribably handsome appearance.”

“Ah, just imagining it makes me feel wonderful. If only I could meet Grand Tutor Chu in person.”

“Why are you blushing? Could it be…..?”

Embarrassed by the teasing, the girl said shyly: “Don’t talk nonsense. There are so many talented young men in the capital, but the Grand Tutor is someone we don’t even dare to dream of.”

“Yes, that person is an immortal. Let’s not mention him again.”

While everyone was talking amongst themselves, the dancers had finished their performance. But rather than coming down, they remained standing atop the drums with smiles on their faces.

The shopkeeper emerged from the silk shop, a woman who appeared to be in her early thirties. Smiling warmly, she offered some auspicious greetings to everyone before saying: “Our Nanjiang silk shop sells only newly-produced silk from that region. The quality and aesthetics speak for themselves, as you can see.”

Someone asked in a heckling tone: “Shopkeeper, how much does a bolt of this silk cost?”

The shopkeeper smiled and said: “Different methods of craftsmanship come with different prices. You are welcome to come in and take a look; all of the prices are clearly displayed, so you will know at a glance.”

In this era, fixed pricing was not yet common in shops, and shop attendants were required to determine the price of each individual piece.

However, when Situ Zhaoling and Wang Qichen were discussing how to structure the shop, the High Priest offered a suggestion. For example, the shop could be divided into sections for ready-to-wear clothing, bolts of fabric, and custom tailoring, with fitting rooms available for customers to try on the ready-to-wear garments.

Also, they could clearly display the price of every garment and piece of fabric, which allowed customers to know the price of each one without needing to ask.

There was no shortage of noble ladies in the capital, nor was there a lack of lavish spenders.

But for those who were short on cash, they would be saved the embarrassment of having to ask the price.

Both Believers thought these ideas had merit, and they even brainstormed to come up with many good ideas for marketing and development.

At this moment, the onlookers didn’t know exactly what “clearly marked prices” would look like, so they all made their way into the store.

The store had two floors, with the first divided into ready-to-wear and custom-made clothes. Upon entering, everyone immediately noticed eight long tables neatly arranged on the lefthand side of the shop, with tailors sitting behind them, working busily. To the right were two long rows of clothing racks made by Situ Zhaoyao, which displayed many ready-made garments in a variety of colors, all of them dresses.

In front of the main display of clothing racks were more than thirty individual racks, each displaying a dress with superior embroidery and a more unique, eye-catching design.

Each hanging garment also had a small piece of paper attached, which showed the price.

All in all, it made for an unexpectedly impressive sight.

The shopkeeper said with a smile: “The second floor offers a display of silk fabrics of various types and colors. You ladies and gentlemen are welcome to go up and take a look.”

At once, some people began to walk upstairs.

Upon reaching the second floor, they found that the ceiling was adorned with layer upon layer of various silks arranged in a beautiful pattern. On the shelves below were neatly-stacked bolts of silk, arranged from light to dark within the same color families. The sight was breathtaking when illuminated by the sunlight streaming in through the windows.

“This isn’t just a silk shop; I’d believe it if you told me this was the immortal realm,” someone exclaimed.

Seeing that everyone had entered the shop, Chu Jiubian remained standing in place.

His gaze was not directed toward the shop itself, but rather toward the newly renovated “Yaotai Bookstore” next door.

Bookstores were very rare in Great Ning, with most of the establishments being ink shops instead.

Ink shops mainly sold ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones, and only sold books containing the Analects of Confucius and articles published by various renowned scholars and influential figures. Such content contained philosophical debates, excerpts from poetry collections, and some fictional stories written for entertainment.

Such storybooks were very rare, and many of them dealt with ancient legends, gods, and the supernatural. They had not yet expanded to the kind of light reading featuring scholars and young ladies from wealthy families.

Of course, there were not many ink shops in existence. In the entire capital city, there were only five or six, which was already considered a large number.

This was because in Great Ning, everyone who could afford an education came from families with some financial means.

For families like this, when they needed writing supplies such as brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, they would simply send someone to the paper mill and ink workshop to place an order. The supplies would be delivered to their homes by a dedicated delivery person, so there was no need to go to an ink shop and make their selections in person.

For this reason, ink shops generally did not bring in a lot of business, with most of them being opened by pretentious scholars who wanted to show off their cultured backgrounds and refined tastes.

Therefore, Yaotai Bookstore, located in a high-traffic area such as Splendid Plaza, was incredibly conspicuous.

Chu Jiubian shifted his gaze from the elaborately-written sign toward the second floor.

The second-floor window was open, and a young man in light pink, round-necked robes stood there toying with the fan in his hand, his slightly curly hair flowing down his back.

His slightly upturned fox-like eyes contained a smile, and when he lowered his gaze, he seemed to be regarding people with tender affection.

It was Wang Qichen. 

Chu Jiubian had forgotten what it felt like when he met the other party at the auction, but now, seeing the young man display himself like a peacock, he felt that this person was really…..

The System’s mechanical voice abruptly sounded in his mind: [Host, it has been detected that you have encountered Believer Wang Qichen in the three-dimentional world. The Divine Realm’s additional function has been activated.]

“What additional function?” Chu Jiubian asked.

[When Host and a Believer meet in the three-dimensional world, a connection will be triggered. In the presence of your Believers, you will possess the same powerful and imposing aura as the “High Priest” in the Divine Realm.]

It actually had such a function?

Chu Jiubian was delighted.

Upstairs, Wang Qichen had been watching Chu Jiubian the entire time.

He had spotted him the moment he arrived.

This was his second time seeing Grand Tutor Chu, and he looked quite different from how he had appeared at the auction the first time. The current Chu Jiubian seemed to possess a greater sense of authority and sternness, no longer merely exhibiting a detached and elegant demeanor.

With such an impressive bearing, Grand Tutor Chu was enough to draw attention even while doing nothing but standing there quietly.

But when the other party looked up, and his eyes – with those emotionless, light-hued pupils – met Wang Qichen’s, an inexplicable sense of oppression came over him.

He was genuinely frightened, just as he had been upon meeting the High Priest in the Divine Realm.

Although he seemed to be standing at the higher vantage point, looking down at Chu Jiubian below, the figure of the other man was as imposing as the most magnificent statue of a god in a temple.

However, this feeling had not been present during their initial meeting.

Was it because Chu Jiubian, this god who had descended to the mortal world, had reunited with the High Priest and was therefore beginning to regain his divine power?

Ever since meeting the High Priest, he had been reading many myths and legends and learning about various deities who had fallen to the mortal world. Gods could lose their divine power for a variety of reasons, but after regaining said power, they could return to the celestial realm at any time.

So was Chu Jiubian regaining his divine power? Otherwise, how could he carry around such a heart-stopping sense of oppression?

Wang Qichen had no clue that this was actually a chain reaction caused by his establishment as a Believer inside the Divine Realm. After dealing with this flurry of wild thoughts, he simply smiled and nodded to Chu Jiubian in a faux-casual manner.

Chu Jiubian’s lips twitched, and he looked away before turning to walk toward the bookstore.

He had intended to meet with Wang Qichen today to reveal his relationship with the High Priest, and also to subtly inform him that he was aware of Wang Qichen’s status as a Believer of the other god.

That way, when he needed things done in the capital later on, he could use his identity as Grand Tutor Chu to have Wang Qichen deal with them.

Wang Qichen hadn’t expected Chu Jiubian’s smile, and certainly hadn’t expected him to enter the store.

After a moment’s hesitation, he quickly turned and went downstairs to greet him in person.

The bookstore was almost completely set up, and would be opening in a couple of days.

Its shopkeeper had previously been in charge of a shop that belonged to Wang Qichen’s mother as part of her dowry. This bookstore was currently a more important business, so he had called this person over to manage it.

The old shopkeeper’s eyes were sharp and bright. He immediately recognized Chu Jiubian’s official robes and distinctive hairstyle, and pinpointed his identity. Stepping forward, he offered a respectful bow and said: “This humble subject greets My Lord. Does My Lord have any instructions for me?”

Chu Jiubian said softly: “I’m looking for your boss.”

“The boss, he…..” As the shopkeeper was speaking, he heard footsteps on the stairs behind him and knew that Wang Qichen himself was coming down.

As expected, the young man swiftly descended the stairs in fluttering light pink robes. He approached Chu Jiubian and bowed, saying: “This one is Wang Qichen, the young master of the Wang family. Paying my respects to the Grand Tutor.”

Chu Jiubian gave a hum of acknowledgement, then said: “Would it be convenient to speak privately for a moment?”

“Of course.” Wang Qichen gestured toward the stairs. “Please, My Lord.”

Chu Jiubian walked ahead, with Wang Qichen following half a step behind.

The shopkeeper stood in place, observing their back profiles. They were of a similar height, but their temperaments were worlds apart.

Their young master was usually a very haughty person, and wouldn’t necessarily show even the Grand Tutor or Lord Ning-wang this much respect.

The old shopkeeper knew his young master well, and could tell whether the other’s respect was genuine or merely feigned.

Ordinarily, Wang Qichen treated those powerful and influential families – and even his own father and clan elders – with merely performative respect, but this Grand Tutor Chu was different.

And when had the young master become acquainted with Grand Tutor Chu?

At present, it was the Grand Tutor who was assisting in governing the court and managing state affairs, and he was also a divine being descended from heaven. If the young master was able to befriend such a person, his future would be limitless.

Feeling a mix of relief and pride, the old shopkeeper made a great effort to control his emotions.

Upstairs, Wang Qichen invited Chu Jiubian to sit by the window and personally poured him a cup of tea.

Chu Jiubian took a small sip.

Wang Qichen observed his expression, and only when the other man set down his teacup did he tentatively ask: “My Lord, may I ask why you sought out this subordinate today? Do you have any instructions for me?”

“If I really have something for you to do, will you do it?” Chu Jiubian asked with a smile.

When this aloof, ethereal young man displayed a faint smile, it was like the breaking of dawn, sending a shiver through one’s heart. 

Wang Qichen lowered his gaze, no longer making eye contact.

“This subordinate will do his utmost to carry out My Lord’s orders,” he said.

Leaving aside the fact that Chu Jiubian now held immense power, and that he wouldn’t be able to refuse his orders if he commanded a mere young master such as himself to do something, he would still do his best out of respect for the relationship between this person and the High Priest.

Chu Jiubian was just teasing him, and upon hearing this response, he chuckled and turned to look out the window.

The weather had grown cooler these days, and one could feel a chill simply by opening a window.

Watching the bustling crowd down below, he asked casually: “When did he contact you?”

He was naturally referring to the High Priest.

Just as I expected, thought Wang Qichen.

The High Priest claimed to be keeping his existence hidden, but not only had Grand Tutor Chu uncovered the High Priest’s existence, he even knew that Wang Qichen was one of his followers.

But Wang Qichen still feigned ignorance, saying: “To whom are you referring?”

Chu Jiubian regarded him with a half-smile on his face.

Wang Qichen opened his folding fan and fanned himself gently.

“You all opened the silk shop next door at his command, didn’t you?” Chu Jiubian added.

Wang Qichen: “…..”

What a telling use of “you all.” It seemed that he knew the High Priest had more than one follower.

How exactly did this Grand Tutor’s brain function?

Chu Jiubian didn’t seem to notice the complicated expression on his face, continuing in a very familiar tone: “If he offers you a share of the profits, just take it. Don’t be shy.”

Tsk, what was with this familial tone? Wang Qichen could now be certain that the relationship between these two deities was extremely close, and definitely surpassed the boundaries of “mere friends.”

It was just that…..

He couldn’t help but think of Lord Ning-wang, who was away on his military campaign.

It was widely rumored within the capital that Qin Xiao was Chu Jiubian’s destined love interest, and that their relationship was ambiguous.

Then what about the High Priest?

Thinking of this, Wang Qichen suddenly felt that the Chu Jiubian standing before him resembled Ning-wang in both his demeanor and tone of voice.

It was as if after spending so much time together, they had unconsciously influenced one another.

The more he thought about this, the more complicated his gaze fixed on Chu Jiubian became.

Chu Jiubian had no idea of what was going through his mind. After expressing what he wanted to say, he didn’t linger. He only mentioned that he would seek Wang Qichen’s help when dealing with Family Head Wang Huanzhi and his faction in the future, and then took his leave.

News of his meeting with Wang Qichen spread like wildfire and quickly reached the ears of those influential people in the capital.

Sitting in his study with a gloomy expression on his face, Wang Huanzhi sneered: “So that’s why this rebellious son has been opposing me at every turn lately – he has been colluding with Chu Jiubian.”

Did he think that aligning himself with Imperial power would guarantee him a life of ease and security?

This son of his was truly young.

The Wang family was a powerful and influential clan, a thorn in the sides of Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao. 

He could say with confidence that if the Wang family helped the Emperor eliminate the other three families, the Emperor’s next target would be them.

“Foolish thing,” Wang Huanzhi couldn’t help but curse.

Strategist Wang Zhang’s expression turned grim, and he said in a deep voice: “Minister Wang’s current stance is unclear, and he obviously doesn’t want to get involved in the family’s internal power struggle. This is a good thing for us.”

“But with the Old Madam still alive, nearly half of the family will side with that rebellious son,” said Wang Huanzhi.

Wang Zhang said: “The Old Madam is advanced in age, and doesn’t have many days left to live. For now, we should focus on managing our businesses and maintaining our power. Once she passes away, the Young Master will lose his support and will no longer pose a threat.”

When the topic of business came up, Wang Huanzhi couldn’t help but frown.

Recently, rumors had been circulating within the capital that a certain type of paper had appeared on the market that was superior to “Langya Gold Paper.” Pure white and flawless, it was as thin as a cicada’s wing.

If such paper truly existed, then the Wang family’s paper mill would be severely impacted.

“I wonder if that so-called paper actually exists or not,” Wang Huanzhi said.

“Whether or not it exists, we must continue to keep an eye on the situation.” Wang Zhang’s cloudy eyes narrowed slightly. “If the paper is truly that good, we should acquire the papermaking method.”

In this case, “acquiring” it could mean buying it with money or seizing it through other means depending on the specific circumstances.

“I also heard that the Young Master opened a bookstore.” Wang Zhang asked, “This new papermaking method, could it be…..?”

“Impossible,” Wang Huanzhi said decisively. “If that rebellious son had such a talent, would he have waited until now?”

The opening of a bookstore was merely an attempt to gain recognition, just like smaller families with literary backgrounds sometimes did. 

Wang Zhang frowned deeply: “Let us hope that is the case.”

*

*

After washing up that night, Chu Jiubian lay down in bed.

Today was the ninth day of the eleventh lunar month, and Qin Xiao had been gone for exactly two months. The weather had also turned absolutely frigid.

The main hall and the eastern courtyard of Yangxin Hall had been fitted with underfloor heating, so that the child could sleep soundly at night without being cold in the slightest.

But due to time constraints, Chu Jiubian didn’t want to temporarily stay in another residence during the installation, so no underfloor heating was added to Yaotai Residence. Rather than a traditional heated kang bed, he simply placed down a sheetmetal stove he’d made earlier, which still provided considerable warmth.

Huddled beneath the covers, Chu Jiubian took from the System’s inventory the confidential letter from the Northwest he’d obtained the previous day.

In the letter, Qin Xiao stated that he had led his army to drive the enemy forces back to their central city.

Moba Zanpu had never imagined that Qin Xiao would be so ruthless. He attempted to surrender and negotiate several times, but Qin Xiao understood the concept of removing the root cause of a problem, and gave him no chance at all. He simply told him that hostilities would only cease once the entire Sai Kingdom royal family was dead.

The members of said royal family were stuck between a rock and a hard place. From the front, they faced the fierce assault of the Great Ning Army, while from the back, the people of the Sai Kingdom, desperate for peace, wanted to capture them and hand them over to Lord Ning-wang.

At the end of the letter, Qin Xiao wrote: I am doing well, and will return home at the end of the year so that we can celebrate the New Year together.

He didn’t specify who “we” referred to.

Chu Jiubian stowed away the letter and stared at the bed frame, lost in thought.

The second round of Imperial Examinations had concluded, and the list of candidates advancing to the third round should be sent back to the capital in the next few days.

The next round of exams would be held on the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

Around the middle of the same month, the exam papers from all over the territory would be sent to the capital for Chu Jiubian to personally review.

The Lunar New Year would arrive after all of those papers were graded, and the final round of exams would be postponed until after the holiday, by which time Qin Xiao should have returned.

Chu Jiubian shut his eyes and entered the Divine Realm.

“Let’s see what Qin Chuan is up to,” he said.

[Okay.]

The System displayed the card screen belonging to Qin Chuan.

Snowflakes were falling onscreen, blanketing the entire Lu residence in a layer of white.

An ordinary-looking man was sitting cross-legged on a thick mat, with a screen painted with flowers and birds beside him. On the other side of the screen was a handsome young man dressed in light blue inner garments, holding a bamboo scroll in his hand as he sat on a bed.

These two were none other than Lu Yao, the man who never slept, and Qin Chuan, who had somehow managed to disguise himself and become Lu Yao’s servant.

This wasn’t Chu Jiubian’s first time seeing these two in the past month or so.

Qin Chuan knew that the High Priest sometimes observed them from time to time, so instead of paying attention to that prying gaze, he gave a lazy yawn.

Tilting his head, he looked past the screen toward the person on the bed.

The Lu territory was the birthplace of the great sage Confucius, as well as the ancestral home of the Langya Wang clan, which demonstrated its rich cultural heritage.

Therefore, it was no exaggeration to say that this place was absolutely teeming with families known for their love of books and learning.

In a place like this, the local Lu family, who ran a small inn and restaurant, was simply insignificant.

But from this seemingly ordinary family appeared a young prodigy, Lu Yao.

At only nineteen years old, he had studied extensively, and the breadth of his knowledge was truly astonishing.

No wonder he had been chosen by the High Priest.

However, this person’s temperament was far too strange; not only did he remain awake day and night, but he also refused to interact with others.

And when he looked at people, he always stared intently, his dark eyes bright and profound, as if he could see right through them. Even someone as experienced and worldly as Qin Chuan occasionally felt a shiver run down his spine.

He averted his gaze, and suddenly heard the distant, echoing roar of a dragon.

His heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively turned his head to look outside.

Almost at the same time, an enormous golden dragon swam in through the window. Its massive head lingered in front of him for a moment, its dark, vertical pupils reflecting his slightly tense face.

Then, the long dragon soared past him.

Simultaneously, Qin Chuan heard the ethereal voice of the High Priest say: “Put Lu Yao to sleep.”

Falling asleep was a required condition for entering the Divine Realm. Qin Chuan was aware of this, and supposed that the High Priest intended to summon Lu Yao there.

Thus, he got to his feet and walked around the screen.

Sitting upon his divine throne, Chu Jiubian watched on as Qin Chuan raised his hand and struck the back of Lu Yao’s neck. The youth’s eyes closed, and he slumped limply onto the bed.

Chu Jiubian: “……”

He’d actually thought that Qin Chuan would employ a gentler method, such as a sedative, but it seemed that he still didn’t know this Believer of his well enough.

Without wasting any time, he immediately said to the System: “Summon Lu Yao.”

[Believer Lu Yao has been detected to be in a comatose but summonable state. Summoning in progress.]

[Summoning successful.]

As soon as it finished speaking, a figure plummeted out of the clouds.

The golden phoenix flew over and carried him on its back, then soared unhurriedly back to the long table and set its passenger down.

Chu Jiubian observed clearly that from beginning to end, Lu Yao merely observed his surroundings with curiosity, with no signs of defensiveness, vigilance, or fear.

After landing, Lu Yao gazed up at the enormous, ethereal figure of the deity hidden in the mist.

“Welcome to my Divine Realm,” Chu Jiubian said.

Lu Yao blinked, then said in a mild tone: “I wonder, Grand Tutor, if you are seeking me out in regard to the Imperial Examinations?”

“ ? ” Chu Jiubian said, “I am the High Priest.”

“En, that too,” said Lu Yao.

Chu Jiubian’s eyebrows rose.

So this was what a Believer with a 200% intelligence level looked like?

“You think we’re the same person?” he asked with deliberate carelessness.

Lu Yao nodded: “You must have compelling reasons to utilize two identities. I surmise that you don’t trust Lord Ning-wang, so you’ve prepared a means of protecting yourself.”

Chu Jiubian: “…..”

He didn’t like talking to intelligent people anymore.

“You can rest at ease. I will keep your secret, and so will my servant,” Lu Yao said.

“Do you know the identity of your servant?”

“No, I don’t know anyone from the jianghu.”

Chu Jiubian had met a variety of people during his work as an actor, including some reclusive individuals who were considered to be “geniuses.” These people shared some characteristics: like Lu Yao, their speech and actions were very straightforward, without regard for the feelings of others.

“Although you don’t trust Lord Ning-wang, he clearly trusts you. And so do I.” Lu Yao continued, “I’ve heard about your deeds, and I know that you want to improve the lives of the common people. Therefore, I will diligently prepare for the Imperial Examinations, enter officialdom, and work on your behalf.”

Chu Jiubian felt that there was no need for him to even speak. The child had said everything he wanted to hear.

However, this person’s personality was not well–suited for a career in politics. 

But considering the fact that he was a genius, capable of learning a vast array of knowledge and culture, he was naturally capable of learning interpersonal skills as well.

Thus, Chu Jiubian said: “Interacting with others is also a learnable skill.”

Lu Yao was taken aback. But after a moment’s consideration, he said: “You are correct. If one wishes to pursue a career in government, social interaction is unavoidable. I wonder if there are any books available that offer guidance on the subject?”

There were quite a few options in the System Mall, but none that were very intuitive. It was better to learn directly by spending time around others and observing them. 

“That servant of yours is no ordinary person. You will be able to learn from him,” Chu Jiubian said.

Qin Chuan possessed extensive connections and resources, making him a genius in the realm of interpersonal relationships. Having him teach Lu Yao was the perfect choice.

Lu Yao nodded and said: “This subordinate understands.”

He had already begun to act as a subordinate.

Chu Jiubian gave a slight chuckle, then said: “Go, then. I’ll see you in the capital.”

Lu Yao performed a respectful bow.

Upon opening his eyes again, he saw Qin Chuan standing beside the bed. The first words out of his mouth were: “Please instruct me in the art of social interaction and etiquette.”

Qin Chuan: “……”

What the hell?

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T/N: Lu Yao reminds me of Liu Xian’an from Strong Winds Return Home. I think they would be best buds!

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Chapter 65 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 67