Chapter 428: The Queen Mother and the Jade Emperor

Before Bai Ze and Youqin Xuanya could react, Li Changshou bowed remotely toward the air and declared loudly:

"Disciple understands."

He then stood up, looking at Youqin Xuanya with an expression full of 'emotion', which prompted her to stand up involuntarily.

Youqin Xuanya's bright eyes showed a hint of confusion, her fair fingers twisting together nervously, while the ice-blue hem of her skirt swayed like rippling water as it settled. She felt slightly at a loss.

Bai Ze chuckled and said:

"Is it that Lord Taiqing overheard our conversation and gave you an order?"

"Mr. Bai, you're mistaken," Li Changshou sighed. "My teacher schemes with great foresight, planning across the ages. He must have already known about the Jade Emperor's affairs; this is just a gentle reminder for me not to hesitate and cause delays."

Bai Ze furrowed his brow in deep thought.

This was the gap between himself and the Water God... truly disheartening for a divine beast.

Question marks seemed to hover over Youqin Xuanya's forehead, but since Li Changshou said no more, she didn't dare ask, completely unaware of what was happening.

She heard Li Changshou and Mr. Bai beginning to discuss their division of tasks, arranging for Mr. Bai to keep a constant watch over Ling E's safety, while Li Changshou would allocate part of his focus to the events in Nanzhanbuzhou.

Youqin Xuanya took the initiative and said:

"Senior Brother Li Changshou, is there anything I can do?"

"The matters we're discussing now aren't something you can join yet," Li Changshou replied with a smile. "While cultivating in the mountains, remember to review those movements I taught you before."

"Yes!"

Youqin Xuanya clasped her fists in response. Seeing that Li Changshou and Bai Ze were continuing their discussion about the teaching affairs, she summoned her Fire Scale Sword Box on her own and headed to a nearby open area.

Taking a light breath, a faint golden light glowed around her, making her flawless, snow-white skin appear even more radiant and translucent.

She conjured a water mirror in front of her to reflect her form, then gripped the hilt of the Fire Scale Sword Box with her left hand, extending it forward gently. She leaned her body sideways, her slender figure radiating dazzling light, exuding a heroic aura like a female war god.

"The path of righteousness is vast and turbulent!"

She held the pose for a few moments, then her face flushed red as she retracted the great sword, pondering how to refine her expression in that move.

By the water's edge, Bai Ze crossed his arms and nudged Li Changshou with his shoulder, transmitting his voice:

"This Youqin Xuanya is destined to become famous across the Three Thousand Worlds. When do you plan to have her ascend to Heaven Court?"

"In three to five years, perhaps," Li Changshou said, lifting his tea cup for a sip. "It all depends on her own wishes. Though I've made these arrangements, I don't want to force her into anything."

Bai Ze curled his lips slightly and said indifferently:

"Water God, that's not very honorable of you. The girl is wholeheartedly handling these tasks for you, yet you speak like this. Sometimes, you instinctively avoid responsibilities to dodge karma, but it doesn't quite sit right. Since you've set her on this path, why not give her clear orders? She's just from the Renjiao lineage, while you're already a disciple acknowledged by the saints. Bearing some pressure for her wouldn't hurt at all."

Li Changshou thought it over carefully and smiled:

"You're right, Mr. Bai. That's my oversight. From now on, I'll directly assign tasks to Xuanya."

"Water God, your planning is thorough when it comes to matters, but you always fall short when it comes to people. Ha, ha, ha, ha—just a joke, don't take it to heart."

Li Changshou shook his head, turned to check on Ling E's situation, and began outlining his next plan.

Half a day later, the paper effigy that Li Changshou had hidden near the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother stirred again after many years.

Two paper effigies emerged from underground. One transformed into the appearance of a middle-aged scholar, dressed in a brocade robe and holding a folding fan, while the other was tucked into his sleeve for backup.

With that, he swaggered toward the bustling city.

In his mind, he reviewed the revised 'script' from Queen Mother regarding the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother's tribulations.

In this life, the Jade Emperor was born into wealth and nobility, his father being the commander of this city, commanding a force of mortal soldiers and holding considerable influence over thousands of li around.

The Jade Emperor's tribulation identity was named Hua Youming. From a young age, he was mischievous, dominating the backyard of the general's mansion, disliking studies but loving martial arts, careless in nature, rough in actions, quick to anger, and petty.

This was just the script's setting, not the Jade Emperor's true personality!

Queen Mother's tribulation identity was the daughter of the local city lord's family, gentle and virtuous, named Xia Ningfrost. Since the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother were undergoing tribulations with fragments of their divine souls, their adult appearances resembled their true forms, so Xia Ningfrost had long been renowned for her beauty.

According to Queen Mother's script, the Hua and Xia families were already close, and Xia Ningfrost had enjoyed teasing Hua Youming since childhood. Every time they met, it involved some playful torment.

Li Changshou hadn't wanted to come to the mortal world himself...

Intervening in the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother's tribulations was thankless work.

But with the command to go, he had no choice but to steel himself and enter the city for an 'unexpected' encounter with them.

An encounter with what?

Before even entering the city, Li Changshou's immortal sense swept over and spotted a young man calling out in a teahouse.

This young man had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding a carefree air. Despite the sweltering heat, he wore a black mink coat, lounging half-upright on a couch in a sloppy manner.

Flanking him were sixteen armored soldiers and eight servants in short tunics, occupying the front-row tables.

On the wooden stage beside the teahouse, several young women were playing music and singing, performing tunes that were soft and bone-melting, with gentle and lingering melodies that were quite skillful.

The teahouse was nearly full, with waiters rushing about, serving tea, delivering snacks, collecting money, and handling silver—all with steady hands and light, silent footsteps.

As the performance ended, an elder in the corner stood up to cheer, but his companion quickly covered his mouth and whispered harshly:

"Are you asking for death? Did Young Master Hua give the signal?"

On the soft couch at the front, the young man in the summer coat cleared his throat calmly and clapped lightly, saying:

"Reward them."

A servant immediately stepped forward with a tray, scattering some gold and silver among the other performers before presenting a pair of valuable bracelets to the girl playing the pipa.

The girl's face turned bright red as she stood and curtsied to the young master of the Hua family, saying softly:

"Thank you, young master."

"That's enough for today," the young man said as he rose. "Don't tire yourself out. I'll come see you tomorrow."

"Yes, young master," the girl replied hurriedly.

The group of guards and servants stood up at once, forming a procession behind the young man as they left the teahouse with great fanfare.

As they exited, the teahouse owner hurried over, bowing repeatedly to the young man before asking quietly:

"Young Master Hua, when will you bring Yingying into your household? Her master and mistress have been urging me to speak with you. You've given so many gifts already; they're quite uneasy..."

"Come here," the young man beckoned. Now nearly fully grown, he draped an arm around the owner's neck.

The owner broke out in a cold sweat as the young man stared blankly at the street and said casually:

"Does watching a performance mean I have to take the performer home? If I just come here for more tea, does that mean I have to buy the whole teahouse?"

"This... this..." the owner stammered, his voice trembling. "Young Master Hua, please don't misunderstand. I was just..."

The young man let out a cold laugh, patted the owner on the shoulder, and strode away with his entourage.

At the street corner, Li Changshou witnessed this scene, using his fan to cover his face, truly at a loss for words.

He wondered what expression the Jade Emperor would have when he recalled these 'arrogant' years after his tribulation ended.

Moreover, according to Queen Mother's script, Young Master Hua, around seventeen or eighteen, would face a drastic fall from grace, lose his wealth, live in poverty, and then marry into the Queen Mother's family, enjoying a few years of stability before another downfall...

This was the result of combining the two scripts.

Of course, these were predetermined fates with the possibility of change; the trajectories in the Book of Life and Death weren't set in stone.

Li Changshou imagined the Jade Emperor's tribulation self standing on the city wall, raising a long sword high and shouting to the sky:

'Heaven, I decide my own fate, not you!'

What a classic scene that would be!

However, considering the emotions of the Daozu and the Jade Emperor's dignity upon recovery, Li Changshou decided to take steps to prevent such things from happening.

After some thought, Li Changshou followed Hua Youming, first learning more about his personality, then investigating Xia Ningfrost's situation, before deciding on his next move.

Tsk, thinking about carrying out the saints' orders to arrange the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother's affairs was quite thrilling.

Li Changshou tailed Hua Youming for half a month.

He saw Hua Youming's playboy side—wandering the city for leisure, traveling near and far, chatting and boasting with other young nobles, and then being lured by an older gentleman to a brothel, only to be caught and dragged back by a deputy general from the Hua family.

He also witnessed Hua Youming being mocked by his peers for this incident.

When Hua Youming entered the upper floor of a tavern, all the young nobles drinking there laughed at him, with some shouting:

"Young Master Hua, did your mother drag you back again?"

Hua Youming glared, hiked up the hem of his robe and tucked it into his waistband, then rushed forward and beat the speakers soundly, leaving them bruised, swollen, and crying for their fathers.

Afterward, Hua Youming grabbed their purses and tossed them to a waiter who had tried to intervene but didn't dare:

"These gentlemen will cover all the expenses in the tavern today."

The tavern erupted in cheers, filling the air inside and out with joy.

Through this, Li Changshou also figured out why those red threads had appeared.

It stemmed from an incident a year earlier when Hua Youming first left the Hua family and bonded with a group of young nobles from influential families. During their boasting, things escalated.

Hua Youming, reaching the age where such thoughts stirred, and influenced by his rowdy friends—one claiming 'I'll marry ten,' another 'I'll marry twenty'—coldly snorted, opened his robe to reveal the words 'great ambitions' written inside, and said indifferently:

"This young master wants to bring happiness to more women!"

Thus, he became famous in that circle as a rising star.

Under this atmosphere, Hua Youming grew somewhat frivolous and irritable. Over time, he took a liking to a few girls, but due to his youthful naivety and his mother's strict oversight, he didn't dare act on it.

Such infatuations could stem from deep affection or mere fleeting desire.

Hua Youming fell into the latter category, which manifested in the Yinyuan Hall as that scene.

How should he guide this?

Li Changshou didn't rush to the Hua family but began investigating the situation inside and outside the city, mapping out the mortal power dynamics within thousands of li nearby.

Since this involved the Jade Emperor, he needed to proceed with caution.

Li Changshou didn't want to become Hua Youming's 'teacher' at this point. After thinking it over, he decided to infiltrate the Hua family as a study companion...

Hua family? A high-level study companion?

This episode reminded him of something from his previous life.

Li Changshou chuckled and began his first attempt.

He transformed into a young man, carrying a travel bag and looking travel-worn, and approached the back gate of the Hua family. As soon as he got close, he was stopped by two guards:

"Halt! What are you doing?"

"I'm a scholar of literature and strategy. Due to my family's decline, I can't afford to live, so I came to ask if you need a study companion."

"Not needed."

"Gentlemen..."

"Release the dogs."

Li Changshou's eyes widened, but before he could say more, the back gate opened, and several small puppies, each about four or five inches tall, charged out and chased him for three streets.

The coldness of these two gatekeepers was truly admirable to the ordinary gods of Heaven Court.

Li Changshou slipped back quietly to the back gate and pondered the Hua family.

Just then, a middle-aged man in a long gown with a full beard approached and whispered to Li Changshou:

"Brother, you're trying to get into the Hua family for an easy life too?"

"Oh?" Li Changshou smiled. "Do you have a way in, brother?"

"Of course, we specialize in helping heroes like you who want to work in the Hua family but have no connections."

The middle-aged man gestured behind him with his thumb. "Our brothers will play dead, and you can push us to the back gate, crying as pitifully as possible. The lady of the house is soft-hearted, so you'll definitely be taken in... Hey, brother, don't go! Aren't you going to ask about the price? We only take a year's wages from you, paid over two years! Brother... Pfft! Go do it yourself then!"

Li Changshou walked away quickly, but after a few steps, he couldn't help laughing, finding it quite amusing.

Forget it—better use the more effective backup plan he had discussed with Bai Ze.

Pretend to be a great sage.

Li Changshou spent two months preparing.

He first adopted the appearance of a middle-aged scholar and established himself as a teacher in the mortal world.

Then, in a large nearby city, he built up a reputation as a 'contemporary sage of the human race', spreading his name across thousands of li.

This was similar to the Hai Shen Temple's 'Sea God Little Stories'—all about novelty and interest, making it easy for people to pass along.

For instance:

When advising young people, a golden light would appear on the back of his head; when counseling a gambler to start anew, he sat in front of a brothel for two days and nights lecturing, causing the brothel to collapse and the owner to have a change of heart, with half the girls redeeming themselves.

Wherever he went, dead fish came back to life, dry wells filled with water, flowers bloomed beneath him as he sat, and birds gathered in the sky at his beckoning.

Once his fame peaked, Li Changshou seized the moment to visit the most renowned academy in the area. In a debate, he left several white-haired old sages exclaiming 'teacher', then drifted away gracefully...

Building fame was just the first step; the second was making a grand entrance.

Li Changshou announced his intent to travel for learning, and city lords from all around sent messengers with gifts, forming a long line in the streets for whoever wanted to host him.

With a casual remark of 'I don't want to travel too far', he selected three nearby cities, boosting his reputation even more.

He deliberately placed his true destination—the city with the Hua family—at the end of his itinerary. After spending ten days visiting two cities and holding several 'enlightenment' sessions, he arrived at the Hua family's city amid great honors.

On the day he arrived, soldiers escorted him for ten li, and men, women, and children from the city lined the streets to welcome him, scattering hundreds of pounds of flowers, while the local nobles hosted a banquet in his honor.

During the feast, Li Changshou said:

"Life is too short, the world too vast. Though my heart holds infinite aspirations, my feet can't bear the journey. This city is full of talents and fine scenery, so I'll stay here for a while. I'll establish a small academy, teach seven or eight disciples, and then continue my travels to explore the boundaries of heaven and earth."

The nobles were overjoyed, crowding forward to praise their own children.

Li Changshou smiled and shook his head, saying he wouldn't charge fees or accept gifts, only taking disciples who were clever and quick-witted.

Once the academy was built, they could bring their children for him to assess.

In the city's bustling area, this great sage purchased a large estate and spent lavishly on it.

In just one night, the original buildings vanished, replaced by a bamboo grove, a pond, a few rock gardens, and only two bamboo huts for accent.

When mortals tried to force their way in, they got lost in the grounds, exiting the same way they entered in a daze.

At once, anyone with discernment knew a 'master' had arrived in the city, and families began sending their young sons and daughters to line up at the academy, led by their elders.

Li Changshou spread the word that he wanted four male disciples and three female disciples, totaling the number of the Big Dipper.

The city's nobles grew excited again, sending waves of girls and young women to the academy.

The queue was practical—whoever's family held higher status went first.

Hua Youming and Xia Ningfrost met again at the academy's gate. As the son of the city commander, Hua Youming was firmly in first place, but when Xia Ningfrost arrived veiled, she gently and timidly stepped in front of him, turning to show a pitiful expression.

Hua Youming felt a twinge of emotion, but then heard Xia Ningfrost whisper:

"Go to the back."

Hua Youming's sword-like brows shot up as memories of being tormented by this girl since childhood flashed before him!

At three, his nap blanket was splashed with water; at five, he was pushed into a mud pit while catching crickets; at seven, chased by bees around the yard; at nine, left stranded on the roof; at eleven...

Right then, anger surged in Hua Youming. He stepped forward half a pace, glared, and clenched his fist.

Xia Ningfrost blinked innocently, her face behind the veil full of fragility as she said:

"Are you going to hit me, little Mingming?"

"This young master won't stoop to your level!"

Hua Youming snorted coldly, stepped back two paces, and light laughter came from the crowd behind.

A ding, ding...

The bell rang from behind the academy gate, which opened on its own, and a voice called out:

"The first twenty entrants may listen to my lecture. Selection will be based on classroom performance."

The boys and girls rushed forward, with Xia Ningfrost and Hua Youming at the front, taking advantage of their position.

But after Xia Ningfrost slipped inside, Hua Youming turned and glared at the crowd trying to surge in, his still-youthful face full of authority as he shouted:

"What's the rush? Why the shoving? Don't you know your own limits? All you slackers who don't study, stay outside! Anyone who thinks they can bully their way in with family influence, I'll deal with them one by one!"

With that, Hua Youming didn't enter himself, which surprised Li Changshou.

Just as Li Changshou was considering how to bring Hua Youming in, the latter shouted boldly:

"Let those who know more than a hundred characters go first!"

The dozen or so boys and children at the front froze.

They couldn't do it!