Chapter 2488: Auspiciousness

It's been thirty-seven years since Distance Withered Glory Courtyard was leveled.

It seems to have been erased from people's memories, as if it never existed.

Yet, the ruins of Withered Glory Courtyard are still there, desolate for thirty-seven years, long serving as a forbidden zone in Linzi, where no one is allowed to seek the secluded. Over time, no one even mentions it anymore.

You can barely see monks in all of Linzi.

However, this year, rumors have spread that the master craftsmen of the Engineering Institute have begun drawing plans and selecting materials—they say the current emperor intends to build a Sea-Viewing Platform, to boast of the Qi country's military achievements in subjugating the East Sea, and to be located opposite the existing Star-Observing Tower. The chosen site is the ruins of Withered Glory Courtyard.

Regarding this claim, Bao Weihong expressed doubt.

He didn't doubt the site selection for the "Sea-Viewing Platform"; what he doubted was the phrase "boast military achievements."

As the son of the Valiant Earl Bao Heng, and the one recognized as the most talented in the Valiant Earl's mansion, he had his own understanding of the current situation.

The current emperor has been on the throne for sixty-six years. His civil administration and military achievements surpass all previous dynasties. In terms of arrogant luxury and enjoyment, there is nothing worth mentioning. For so many years, the discussions back and forth only amounted to "resisting death, entwined richly and long," but the contributions of the Gao family generations as sea merchants, the Quiet Sea Gao clan, in the process of the Qi people expanding seaward, those people simply couldn't see.

To say that today he would greatly undertake earthworks and construct a Sea-Viewing Platform purely for boasting and enjoyment, it just doesn't look like the current emperor's style.

Furthermore, with the emperor's achievements, how could he not boast? With the emperor's undertakings, how could he not enjoy?

"Though the world's music sounds, it's not enough to play his achievements. Though the four seas' treasures are exhausted, it's not enough to enjoy his undertakings!"

Like many people born in the Yuanfeng era of the Great Qi Empire, Bao Weihong held the emperor in the highest worship and admiration—even now, having seen the true meaning of life, this worship only yields to the faith of death.

Only death is the highest fairness; only death is the ultimate end of everything.

Only Jiang Shu is the true emperor, worthy of being the emperor for all eternity!

And the site selection for the Sea-Viewing Platform makes people startled at first, and then inevitably leads to deep thought.

Because as a descendant of a prominent family, Bao Weihong knew deeply how influential Withered Glory Courtyard once was.

There was a poem as evidence—"Eight hundred temples in the East Country, Buddha's light illuminates the pillow."

Of course, similar poems later basically all disappeared. Only aristocratic children like Bao Weihong could still pick up fragments in some essays from that time.

Many years after Withered Glory Courtyard was destroyed, the night patrol gods of Great Qi, the watchman Zhu Sui, still often patrolled here.

Even the Shuo Fang Earl, who personally participated in the war against Withered Glory Courtyard that year, remained taboo and deeply silent about this for many years afterward.

So, when he developed intense curiosity about Withered Glory Courtyard and quite urgently wanted to trace its roots and clarify the history of that year, he didn't think of asking his own direct paternal uncle, but instead came to explore for answers himself.

One reason was knowing that the Shuo Fang Earl wouldn't say anything. The second was an instinctive feeling that inquiring about this matter from the Shuo Fang Earl was quite an adventurous thing.

Of course, he couldn't directly go to the ruins of Withered Glory Courtyard to rummage through history, not to mention whether he could still pick up any broken things after so many years.

Simply this matter that everyone avoided talking about must contain some inconvenient truths, and even more so, some powerful forces unwilling for people to discuss it publicly—he wasn't stupid, so how could he ask openly?

The Bao family's carriage and horse business had captured the largest market share within the borders of the Qi country. Their intelligence-gathering ability was naturally first-class.

Relying on the Bao family's connections, Bao Weihong visited many officials who were involved in the old matters of Withered Glory Courtyard. Many of them had already retired, and those still in office were all already in very high positions.

Fortunately, the Bao family naturally held high rank, so he was born with the qualification to converse with them.

Furthermore, he also went to the Records Institute managed by the Court Discussing Doctor Zang Zhiquan. He had a good friend who worked as a "Know Book Attendant" in the Records Institute, following Zang Zhiquan in compiling history. Unfortunately, the detailed records regarding the Withered Glory Courtyard incident from that year were also classified files in the Records Institute, and his friend had no authority to view them.

However, the general outline of the Withered Glory Courtyard incident had relatively public descriptions in the Records Institute.

He also borrowed some miscellaneous records and finally pieced together a rough picture in his heart.

Including within the Records Institute, many records basically all characterized the leveling of Withered Glory Courtyard as "suppressing rebellion." This represented the official attitude of the Qi country.

Finally, he came to Yu Li Ward.

Yu Li Ward was a very interesting place.

It was once the poorest place in Linzi, a gathering ground for refugees, and changed its old appearance due to the entry of De Sheng Trading Company.

It could also be said that this was a rare display of warm emotion from the originally cold-hearted Bo Wang Marquis.

But as a descendant of the Bao family, Bao Weihong's visit here had nothing to do with the surname Chongxuan, of course.

Long, long ago, long before the Qi country was established, Yu Li Ward was a gathering place for fishermen. At that time, it had a name called "Fisher Li Ward."

He didn't know why the history of the East Domain was so complete, yet this name was actually lost. Bao Weihong only saw a record of it in a very obscure classic.

Of course, the key point he chose to come to this place was—

Before Withered Glory Courtyard was destroyed, every household in Yu Li Ward supplied Buddha. It was the most devout ward of Withered Glory Courtyard, even called "Yu Li Zen Ward"!

When Withered Glory Courtyard was still there, in Yu Li Ward, there was an incense shop every three steps, and a vegetarian hall every five steps. People could live very well by just doing some incense and candle business, and every household was affluent. There was even business for "substitute offering incense" and "substitute paying respects to Buddha." No matter how busy you were and couldn't spare time, as long as you spent money, you could maintain etiquette in front of the Buddha.

This place declined with the decline of Withered Glory Courtyard. As written in "East Township Isolated Pen," "Once the incense fire is extinguished, every household cannot live."

Although it didn't explicitly mention this Yu Li Zen Ward, Bao Weihong felt that there was no more suitable place.

He also entrusted his father, the Valiant Earl's good friend, an elder teaching at the Diligent Hard Academy, to help him verify a very important historical fact—

During the reign of Emperor Wu, that mysterious and unfathomable "Heavenly Concubine" who cultivated in Withered Glory Courtyard was born in Yu Li Ward!

It was precisely because of the contamination of this noble aura and Buddha fate that successive imperial clans intentionally or unintentionally cared for this place, and Yu Li Ward only became "Yu Li Zen Ward" with "devout believers never stopping."

Now, all of that is in the past.

Whether it was the "Heavenly Concubine" or the "Yu Li Zen Ward," they are all like incense burner ashes, already history.

Walking in the bustling Yu Li Ward, in this place he had never stepped foot in before, feeling the flow of time and the changes in things, Bao Weihong suddenly thought—

How similar is the change in Yu Li Ward due to De Sheng Trading Company to the occupation of the Withered Glory Courtyard ruins by the Sea-Viewing Platform?

And what is not the same about the fall of Yu Li Ward to a poor and destitute place and the becoming of Withered Glory Courtyard into ruins?

Looking at it now, it's unexpectedly the exact same thinking.

First, thoroughly eliminate the influence of Withered Glory Courtyard, using "time," "abandonment," and perhaps "suppression"—these three treasures to kill Buddha. Finally, rebuild on the ruins, making everything new.

After the Sea-Viewing Platform is built, it won't take many years before asking what Withered Glory Courtyard was will likely result in few people knowing.

Just like the current Yu Li Ward, where Zen sounds are no longer heard.

Who could, before the Sea-Viewing Platform was built, be the first to grasp the current emperor's thinking and understand the emperor's unspoken thoughts?

It must be said that he is indeed worthy of being the Bo Wang Marquis. After inheriting the title for only a few years, he has already formed a faction in court and achieved the truth through official means?

Bao Weihong suddenly lost interest in Withered Glory Courtyard at this moment.

He realized into whose hands the Bao family's old opponent had fallen. Even if Bao Xuanjing's talent was supreme, by the time his nephew Xuanjing grew up, could the Bao family truly compete with the Chongxuan family?

Today's Bao Xuanjing is nothing more than tomorrow's Chongxuan Zun.

But hasn't Chongxuan Zun also lost the title of Bo Wang Marquis?

The desire to seek history deep in his heart, he didn't know why, felt like a fire. It had originally been extinguished, but the next moment it suddenly reignited, burning fiercely again.

Withered Glory Courtyard... Bao Weihong discovered that he still wanted to know the history of Withered Glory Courtyard, urgently wanting to know. He didn't know why he was so curious, but he couldn't overcome the fiercely burning desire for exploration he currently felt.

So he stopped his steps and walked forward again, even somewhat urgently.

According to the intelligence he had previously investigated, there was an old woman in Yu Li Ward named "Ji Yu." Thirty-seven years ago, she was just opening an incense shop in Yu Li Ward. After Withered Glory Courtyard was destroyed, she didn't leave but lived here alone, telling fortunes and divine omens for people, saying she had the technique of inviting gods—of course, she only deceived some ignorant neighbors, but it was enough to live.

Yu Li Ward had been poor for a long time, but the more poor and bitter it was, the easier it was to pin hopes on the illusory. Because there were truly no other hopes to be seen.

"Ji Yu" was the only old person who could still have a connection with "Yu Li Zen Ward." Others were either killed, scattered, or had changed their appearance.

Of course, this also proved that she was not necessarily a key figure of Withered Glory Courtyard, otherwise the court would not have allowed her to live until today. The longer she existed, the more it proved that she was irrelevant.

But Bao Weihong's original purpose was just to explore history. He only needed someone who had experienced that period; he wasn't seeking any inheritance from Withered Glory Courtyard.

Following the map in his memory, he walked forward, taking seven turns and eight bends in the complex Yu Li Ward, and finally came to a secluded courtyard.

He walked to the shaky courtyard door, raised his hand, and was about to knock—

The courtyard door was pulled open from inside.

Standing inside was a slender woman in simple clothes and cloth shoes, looking at him expressionlessly.

Those were emotionless, yet very dangerous eyes.

Bao Weihong almost subconsciously took a step backward!

This woman in front of him had been an obscure person for a very long time.

She had no prominent family background, no outstanding talent. Any person with a little power could easily crush her to death.

She was just a maidservant...

But she was Jiang Wang's maidservant!

From Qing Yang Town onwards, she had always followed Jiang Wang.

When Jiang Wang was granted a baronetcy, she managed the fief for Jiang Wang.

When Jiang Wang was granted Nan Xia, she went to Nan Xia.

When Jiang Wang left Qi, he even gave her the dry shares of De Sheng Trading Company.

She was truly a person of silent obscurity, so unobtrusive in appearance, but who would dare to belittle her?

Now, she was already Zhu Sui's disciple!

"Young Master Bao of the Valiant Earl's mansion?" Seeing the visitor startled and retreating, Du Gu Xiao's eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"You know me?" Bao Weihong unexpectedly felt a kind of flattered feeling.

Du Gu Xiao was aware that her talent was mediocre. She could only do well the things she could do well, worrying about things that her master was too lazy to worry about.

Not only Bao Weihong, but anyone with weight in the entire Bao family, from top to bottom, she was familiar with them all.

And not just the Bao family.

Once, when her master was an official in Qi, she also remembered seven or eight out of ten of the Qi country's official circles.

But she wouldn't tell Bao Weihong any of this herself.

She only asked: "Is Young Master Bao also here to find Ji Yu for divination?"

The woman in the courtyard was indeed thin, and because of this thinness, she exuded a kind of sharpness.

For a moment, Bao Weihong felt a kind of frenzied desire deep within his soul, as if wanting to crack open his heart, making him urgently want to erase something, but then he suddenly stopped.

Unaccountably, his curiosity about Withered Glory Courtyard and his desire for exploration faded again.

He was stunned for a moment and said: "Ah, yes, yes."

"Then I won't disturb you." Du Gu Xiao glanced at him faintly and walked past him.

Bao Weihong stood there, lost in thought for a moment.

Why did Du Gu Xiao also come to find Ji Yu?

Could it be that she needed to seek divination?

Or, was she also here to find the old people from that year and seek the history of Withered Glory Courtyard?

Bao Weihong suddenly realized that his purpose for this trip had already been exposed... exposed in that very question just now.

Just as Du Gu Xiao didn't need to find an old woman like Ji Yu for divination, he, Bao Weihong, fundamentally didn't need to seek divination either.

So when Du Gu Xiao asked him if he also came to seek divination, he subconsciously responded with a lie instead of the truth!

Exploring the history of Withered Glory Courtyard was not a crime after all, so he wasn't afraid. He was just more vigilant towards this seemingly ordinary woman, who at first glance blended into the crowd, but upon closer examination was thin and sharp... truly like a butterfly-winged knife that seals the throat upon seeing blood.

Following someone like Jiang Wang, who possessed supreme personal power but wasn't very adept at operating forces, was actually a waste.

At this moment, a hoarse voice came from behind him—

"Guest. Divine auspicious, or divine ominous?"

Bao Weihong turned his head and saw an old woman with chicken-skin and crane-like hair walk out from the door of the main room inside, peering towards him with cloudy eyes.

Was there still a saying about divine auspicious or divine ominous?

He tentatively said: "Auspicious?"

The old woman grinned with a missing-toothed mouth: "Guest, everything you seek today will be as you wish. You will certainly turn ominous into auspicious!"

Saying that, she stretched out her withered, wrinkled hand.

Bao Weihong was stunned for a moment, then reacted and placed two knife coins in her palm.

Was this the end of the divination?

Even if it was to deceive people... it was too perfunctory!

Du Gu Xiao was once a speck of dust in Yang country.

But today, in the Qi country, which had firmly established itself as the overlord of the East Domain, she was an existence that many people could not ignore.

Especially Bao Xuanjing!

Because he was very clear that contacting Du Gu Xiao was equivalent to contacting Jiang Wang.

Just as he could lend power to Bao Weihong at any time, Jiang Wang could also descend divine miracles upon Du Gu Xiao at any time.

Jiang Wang was Du Gu Xiao's personal god!

In the eyes of Bao Xuanjing, who was once a deity of the Netherworld, the outline of the divine seal within Du Gu Xiao's body, and the transmission of faith power, were so clear.

Just as Bao Weihong was stunned at the doorstep of "Ji Yu," inside the Shuo Fang Earl's mansion, Bao Xuanjing, who was just awkwardly chatting with the difficult-to-handle Zheng Shangming, also had a moment like a clay sculpture or a wooden statue.

Today is greatly ominous!

In this short day, many accidents had already occurred.

Going out to handle affairs, he accidentally encountered the last White Bone Saintess of the White Bone Path.

He almost instinctively wanted to swallow the Dao Fruit to complete himself, thinking that it was great luck and "heaven blesses me."

But then he was inexplicably stared at by the Martial Dao True Person Zhong Li Yan, suffering a beating of humiliation and violence. When he endured the anger and shame to the end, he encountered Zheng Shangming, who was just patrolling the street, and was repeatedly disturbed by him, so that he couldn't do anything.

That step on the sea was aimed at Ba Fu Immortal Palace and also at the Tian clan in the Great Marsh. He was keeping an eye on the spread of the Bao family's power within the Qi country, wanting to supplement his own cultivation path, and also sincerely hoped that his grandfather could go further.

To ensure the smooth development of things, he had even specially sent his uncle-in-law, Miao Ru Tai, to control the situation, secretly imparting the Yellow Springs Seal... yet he encountered a hidden expert of the Tian clan who was suspected to have Cave True strength face-to-face, and was destroyed with one strike. Even that drop of Yellow Springs water, which was originally supposed to record messages, was delayed in returning and he didn't know where it was.

Now, through Bao Weihong of the Valiant Earl's family, going to check on the history of Withered Glory Courtyard, he could also run into Jiang Wang's person!

Jiang Wang was his biggest nemesis, the only flaw in his descent into this body, and also a terrifyingly fast-growing person who now had enough strength to kill him! He himself wanted to grasp Jiang Wang's situation, and could only do so through the Taixu Illusion Realm's Chao Wen Dao Heavenly Palace, not to mention directly running to Yun country or Star Moon Plain.

How could there be such an accidental encounter?

For the current him and the current Jiang Wang, all accidental encounters are dangers! They are dangers to him.

Just like his descent in Maple Forest City in Dao Calendar 3917, it was also an unexpected danger to Jiang Wang.

The situation is different now.

If it weren't for the fact that his control over Bao Weihong was not direct, but indirect guidance, and the guidance was very hidden. If it weren't for the fact that the purpose of Bao Weihong's trip was only to explore the history of Withered Glory Courtyard alone and did not possess dangers that could not be exposed.

If he hadn't woken up in time and suppressed the Yellow Springs Seal deep in Bao Weihong's divine soul, not letting Bao Weihong act out of control under that kind of sudden burst of dangerous feeling...

What he was facing at this moment was Jiang Wang suddenly descending upon Linzi and beheading him with a single sword.

What Miao family, Bao family, Shuo Fang Earl—no one could save him!

The name of the absolute genius of the Qi country had no ability to protect itself in front of Jiang Wang.

If Jiang Wang killed him, he killed him.

The people of the Qi country would probably actively find reasons why Bao Xuanjing should die.

Even his grandfather, who had placed great hopes on him, would probably first ask, "Why?"

Then, why would he have reached this point?

Why was it so... not smooth.

"Xuanjing? How are you?" The gentle and considerate Uncle Zheng started his care again, even reaching out to check Bao Xuanjing's forehead temperature.

Seeing no abnormalities, he continued to comfort him: "Don't feel pressured. When such things happen, it's not your problem..."

Bao Xuanjing raised his head from his seat: "Yes, I didn't want to either."

This time, Bao Xuanjing's calmness surprised Zheng Shangming a bit.

He had been so ashamed and angry just now!

To be able to recover so quickly, it wasn't a waste for him to put aside public affairs and patiently accompany him in this mansion.

It seemed his own patience and warmth had given this child great comfort...

Perhaps it was precisely because he was drenched in the rain when he was young, and understood the loneliness and embarrassment of childhood, that he would hold umbrellas for others when he grew up!

After becoming the Commandant of the North Yamen, dedicating himself to official circles, Zheng Shangming had not had this pure feeling for a long time. This kind of care and understanding between people, trust, sincerity, and resonance, gave him a long-lost feeling of being moved.

He sincerely said: "Wait until you are better, Uncle will take you out to play. There may be many fun things in Linzi. I hear you read and cultivate every day, presumably not how to contact—"

"Good. Then let's go today." Bao Xuanjing said.

Zheng Shangming nodded: "Then just in a few days—eh?"

He was stunned for a moment.

Taking Bao Xuanjing out to play was just a polite remark. He didn't plan to ask Bao Xuanjing to agree now. In his view, this child was lively and open on the outside, but sensitive and cautious on the inside, and still needed time to influence him.

And he himself had heavy public affairs. If he really wanted to go out and play, he would have to arrange his rest time in advance.

But since Bao Xuanjing had nodded, and was so eager, if he refused, it would inevitably make this child sad.

"Good!" Zheng Shangming responded enthusiastically: "We'll pack up and set off!"

He hesitated a little and looked at Bao Xuanjing: "Your abdominal pain... better?"

"I'm already better..." Bao Xuanjing showed some reluctance to mention shyness, and then innocently expected: "Uncle Zheng, will you take me out for a spring outing in the countryside?"

His eyes dimmed a bit: "Grandfather never allows me outside the city..."

"Ah? Ahaha, right!" Zheng Shangming showed an expression of "you guessed it": "I just wanted to take you out for a spring outing in the countryside! Go change your clothes and tell your mother, we'll set off now!"

Bao Xuanjing looked at him deeply: "Okay, Uncle Zheng, wait here."

Looking at the dependent eyes of this little earl's young master, Zheng Shangming smiled with gratification.

He casually picked up his waist badge: "This official is going out of the city for public affairs. The general affairs are transferred to Vice Envoy Qi's desk."

He thought for a moment and then instructed: "Quickly present to me the places with good scenery in the Linzi suburbs. For office use."

Speaking of which, children's eyes can truly be bright.

Like a glance of a living spring.

The drop of Yellow Springs water leaked from the inn on Self Summer Island, falling all the way down to the deep sea.

Whether it was reefs, waves, swimming fish, or anything else, nothing could stop its journey.

It truly existed and had a false reflection.

It shuttled in humanity and had the rendering of divinity.

Finally, it penetrated all obstacles and reached the bottomless depth, the dim emptiness.

Drip!

It fell into a glance of a living spring.

In an instant, ripples spread on the water surface, opening gently, like a lotus embracing the human world.

This is a glance of a quiet spring!

Every drop of water in the spring is very clean.

What makes it turbid is that it has experienced the human world.

That muddled light and shadow, that turbid yellow color, were all contaminated on the way and washed clean in the water.

There is a reflection on the water surface.

People sit on the shore.

In this bottomless depth, this dim emptiness, in this vague gap between the present world and the Netherworld, within endless time and space, the legendary Yellow Springs are unexpectedly hidden.

And there are unexpectedly people sitting here alone!

The person reflected in the water has an unremarkable appearance, wears a hemp cloth Dao robe, and has an amiable smile.

The person sitting on the shore has distant eyes, sitting quietly by the spring, holding a fishing rod in hand, the fishing line without a hook and not touching the water.

The spring representing death has a living intent. The living person sitting here, however, seems dead.

The reflection in the water is his thoughts, and his distant eyes seem to gaze outside the world, neither in the present world, nor the Netherworld, nor in front of him.

He sees that vast land, the realm of calamity without emptiness.

In that place of calamity without emptiness, a silent man stands, exchanging gazes with him with immeasurable eyes.

That person wears a green shirt and a jade crown, and holds a sword.

This chapter is 6k, including 2k, for the great ally "Xiao Feng Han Yue."