When Fang Jie woke up again, it was already night. In his hazy state, he felt he had met a stunningly beautiful woman in his dream, but upon waking, he realized he couldn't remember what she looked like at all. He only vaguely remembered that she possessed a faint, refreshing fragrance.
Mu Xiaoyao also had a unique fragrance, but Fang Jie was certain that the woman he had desperately wanted to talk to in his dream was not her.
Because the woman in his dream had a completely different aura from Mu Xiaoyao.
He struggled to raise his hand to rub his furrowed brow, but couldn't help groaning in pain with every movement.
"Your voice is quite alluring," the large dog sitting beside his bed chuckled, making the little girl standing not far away blush. She spat and cursed that everyone around Fang Jie was shameless, then waddled away, her not-so-round, pert bottom bouncing. Big Dog laughed heartily, "Little beauty, you really do have your charms! That little butt you're wiggling is fucking awesome!"
Fang Jie spat and said, "You're so old and still so disrespectful. No wonder you can't find a woman willing to carry on your family line."
Big Dog explained very seriously, "We cultivators see through everything in this world. Even when we linger in gardens, we pursue the highest state of being untouched by worldly affairs. To fall in love with every woman we see is fine; that's just being a womanizer. To sleep with every woman we see is beastly. Although my cultivation level isn't high, I'm still a fifth-rank master. Do you think I wouldn't have beautiful wives and concubines throwing themselves at me? Back in my twenties, I was carried around by four beautiful women, scattering flowers all the way. People called me the Jade-Faced Gentleman. Wherever I went, women screamed and cheered endlessly. They were like kittens in their late teens, just short of pounced on me and cuddled me to their hearts' content." Fang Jie said, "Yes, that must have cost a fortune in appearance fees."
The big dog rolled its eyes at him and instead began to examine the landscape paintings hanging on the walls of the room.
"Not bad, not bad. The brushstrokes transition perfectly from dark to light, yet the technique is delicate, almost like the work of a woman. It possesses a grand style, already reaching a high level, quite the work of a master."
Fang Jie tried to sit up, but the pain in his chest was excruciating. He struggled a few times in vain and then lay back down on the bed, sighing, "Instead of spending your time looking at those landscape paintings and spouting nonsense, could you tell me how badly I'm injured?"
"Not bad."
The big dog didn't even turn its head. "But why does every part of my body ache? Why can't I even sit up?"
"Four ribs are broken, and your spine is injured too. It's no wonder you can't sit up. The day you were beaten, you stood up and walked away, so I thought you weren't seriously injured. Who knew you were just enduring it? But honestly, it's really impressive that you could endure it. If it were me, I probably wouldn't even be able to crawl. Don't worry, that old cripple who's so eager to take Mu Xiaoyao as his apprentice seems to have considerable medical knowledge. He said saving you... no problem."
"He said?"
Fang Jie gave a bitter smile: "Big Dog, the..." "I've just realized how irresponsible you are."
Just as Big Dog was about to say something, Old Cripple limped in, carrying a gourd the size of two human heads. He glanced at Fang Jie and said indifferently, "Good that you're awake," before sitting down and taking a sip of his drink. "I came to see you because I wanted you to help me persuade Mu Xiaoyao. Her potential is truly one in a million. This is the first time in my life I've encountered such a promising talent. If I don't teach her, I won't have a good life for the rest of my days. These past few days, she hasn't agreed, and even drinking strong liquor has lost its flavor..."
"Even when asking for a favor, you should have some sincerity, shouldn't you?" Fang Jie pursed his lips and said, "Heal my injuries first, then I'll try to persuade her."
"Your injuries are incurable, why bother?"
The old cripple chuckled and said, "Besides, you're paralyzed and bedridden, so you're stuck in Hongxiuzhao. If you don't leave, Mu Xiaoyao won't leave either, why should I save you?"
Fang Jie sighed and said, "Are all reclusive masters as shameless as you?"
The old cripple glared at him and said, "I'm only looking for a successor. What do I care if you live or die? So many people in the world are injured..." "If I die, how will I have time to drink and sleep while I'm saving them one by one? Saving people from suffering is something Buddhism preaches; it has nothing to do with this old cripple. Even if Buddhism doesn't care, there's still the imperial court."
"Master Luo, don't scare him."
Just then, Aunt Xi, dressed in a luxurious light gold robe, slowly walked in. She smiled at Fang Jie and said, "You're lucky. Didn't you eat a Lesser Golden Pill a while ago? That's the most precious pill in the world. I don't know why he took a liking to you and gave you one."
"Lesser Golden Pill?"
Fang Jie was puzzled. "The Little Golden Pill has the miraculous effect of reviving the dead and healing bones. Even if you only have a few broken ribs and a damaged spine, or even if your internal organs were completely shattered, one Little Golden Pill could restore you to your original state."
Aunt Xi smiled and said, "He and I are family. Since he gave you the Little Golden Pill, it's also a gift from me. That Little Golden Pill is worth ten thousand gold pieces… even ordinary wealthy families couldn't necessarily obtain it even if they spent their entire fortune. Consider it a debt you owe me. You can leave only after you've paid off that ten thousand gold pieces."
Fang Jie breathed a sigh of relief, then lamented, "If I don't leave, Mu Xiaoyao can't leave, right? See, the same thing sounds even more insidious coming from someone else's mouth, and they say it with such confidence. Old Cripple..." "Compared to you, Master Xi... you're miles behind."
"But I must go."
"Why?"
"I'm going to Chang'an."
"Very well..."
Master Xi said calmly, "Hongxiuzhao will also go to Chang'an."
The old cripple's face changed, and he couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat: "Master Xi... thank you."
Master Xi waved her hand and smiled: "Master Luo, you've guarded Hongxiuzhao for ten years, consider this my repayment of a small portion of your kindness. There's no need to say anything more, he still has to go to Chang'an. If he doesn't return, I'll have to ask the teacher."
...
...
In just three days, even Fang Jie himself didn't expect his injuries to heal so quickly. People say it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, let alone his most vital spine. In three days, he was able to get out of bed and walk on his own. The miraculous effects of this little golden pill were truly astonishing. Since Hongxiuzhao was also going to Chang'an, and the old cripple, whom Aunt Xi called Master Luo, would undoubtedly be clinging to Mu Xiaoyao, Fang Jie, with such a freakish expert protecting him along the way, naturally wouldn't act out and take the two of them on the perilous journey of thousands of miles with Daquan. Having backbone was a good thing, but constantly pretending to be tough was no different from being a fool in Fang Jie's eyes.
The news that Hongxiuzhao was leaving Fang Gu immediately stirred up a huge wave in the small border town. No one could calculate how much wealth Hongxiuzhao had brought to Fang Gu in the past two years; the people of Fang Gu had become accustomed to the presence of those celestial women in Hongxiuzhao, and the sudden news of her departure inevitably caused them reluctance. Even the aunties and young wives who had often cursed those women behind their backs as vixens felt a pang of sadness and emptiness.
Because Fang Gu had three establishments: Hongxiuzhao, Jinyuanfang, and Keshengju. Therefore, the people of Fan Gu have enjoyed a very good life these past two years. Every family not only has surplus grain and money, but the year-end dividends are always a source of great joy. This wretched place is so cold and unappealing for half the year; without these three buildings, how could they have lived such a comfortable life?
So, when people heard that Hong Xiu Zhao was leaving, their first reaction was to rush to find Fang Jie. They wanted Fang Jie to beg Aunt Xi of Hong Xiu Zhao to change her mind, even if it meant a reduction in dividends. After all, among the barbarians on the grasslands, Hong Xiu Zhao was the most generous place, followed by Jin Yuan Fang.
Once the golden phoenix flies away, the phoenix tree branch is no different from withered grass.
But then people discovered that Fang Jie had also been missing for several days. Later, they learned that Fang Jie had accumulated twenty-one military merits, enough to qualify him for the Ministry of War's approval to take the imperial martial arts academy exam. It was precisely because Fang Jie was leaving that Hong Xiu Zhao was also moving to the capital.
People were even more astonished and shocked. Without Fang Jie, Fanggu City seemed to have lost not only money and fun, but also a pillar of support whom they had previously ignored but now were acutely aware of and deeply regretful about.
For several days, villagers gathered outside Jin Yuan Fang, eager to see Fang Jie. But the usually good-natured Fang Jie was inexplicably heartless this time, locking himself in his room and refusing to see anyone. Even his close neighbors, like Aunt He, came to plead with him, but the guards and protectors of Jin Yuan Fang refused to open the door.
Someone suddenly thought of seeking help from Li Xiaozong, the border general, but when they arrived at the general's mansion, they found it closed as well. Inquiring with the guards, they learned that the imperial envoy from the capital had been ambushed and killed by Mongol cavalry infiltrating the capital a few days earlier. General Li was guilty of dereliction of duty and had locked himself in his mansion, awaiting the judgment of the Right Valiant Guard General Li Yuanshan and the court.
In an instant, the people felt that the walls of Fanggu City were no longer as impregnable as before. Without Li Xiaozong, without Fang Jie, without Hong Xiuzhao… would Fan Gu still be Fan Gu?
The people were filled with fear, even forgetting that their initial reason for seeking Li Xiaozong's help was the fear that Fan Gu would lose a significant amount of revenue after Hong Xiuzhao and Fang Jie left.
Meanwhile, in Li Xiaozong's general's mansion, the two men now at the center of the storm in Fan Gu's public eye sat calmly facing each other, drinking tea and talking, seemingly even closer than before. The stove in the room still burned brightly, and the tea in the cups was still the finest Jiangnan tea, one that even the Shandong Governor-General Yuan Chongwu found extremely difficult to appreciate.
The tea had been transported from afar by merchants from the Sui Dynasty. Although the new tea was no longer fresh by the time it reached Fan Gu, its flavor hadn't diminished much. This was the kind of fine tea that tribal leaders on the grasslands would pay exorbitant prices for to display their status. In Fang Jie's words, it's about spending money to show off. There's a story of a prince from a small tribe who used fine tea from Jiangnan to wash his feet to demonstrate his wealth, only to be crippled by his father.
A pot of Lotus Heart tea, even in the capital, would sell for over a hundred taels of silver.
Tea is also divided into nine grades, and Lotus Heart is a top-grade tea. A pound of Lotus Heart tea requires at least twelve thousand tender buds. Less than that, it doesn't qualify as top-grade or even called Lotus Heart; it's merely the lower-grade Jade Bud. It's said that Wu Yidao, a wealthy man from the capital, once drank Lotus Heart tea with sixteen thousand buds, and that pot cost three thousand taels of gold.
Wu Yidao is said to be wealthy enough to buy the entire Sui Dynasty.
It's also said that an entire section of the capital's city wall, renowned for its formidable defense, was rebuilt with Wu Yidao's money. For this great achievement, the current emperor bestowed upon him the title of Marquis of Sanjin, granting him exemption from the death penalty three times, except for treason. People couldn't understand why repairing the city walls was considered more meritorious than a general who expanded the territory.
"I've already written your letter of recommendation to the Ministry of War."
Li Xiaozong pushed a pre-printed sheet of paper on the table towards Fang Jie: "I wish you great success in the Martial Arts Academy exam. Don't disgrace our Fanggu City. You're the first person in Fanggu City since its founding to be qualified to take the exam. It's rare to see someone like you in decades. Don't come back dejected. It's one thing if people look down on you, but don't let them look down on the land of Fanggu as well."
"That doesn't sound very nice."
Fang Jie smiled and put the letter of recommendation away. "This is an opportunity I risked my life for, so naturally I will cherish it. As for whether I've disgraced Fan Gu City, General, do you think you can still speak for the people of Fan Gu City?"
"You used to be very good, tactful and quick-witted. Now your words are too sharp… Fan Gu is not like the capital. After arriving in Chang'an, you must be cautious. Sometimes a careless remark can offend powerful figures, and you might die without even knowing why."
"Offending powerful figures doesn't require words. You underestimate the powerful too much."
Fang Jie smiled, stood up, and prepared to take his leave. "I hope we can meet again someday."
Li Xiaozong stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "I still have to wait here for the officials from Jibei Prefecture, the Right Valiant Guard, and the investigating officials sent by the court, so I cannot see you off. Logically, I should have escorted you thirty li. After all, we've known each other for a while, and you won't blame me for being impolite."
Fang Jie laughed heartily, glanced back at Li Xiaozong, and said, "There's a pavilion thirty li away. I wonder if the general remembers it?"
"The Eagle-Releasing Pavilion. That pavilion is a hundred years old. It's where Emperor Taizu of the Sui Dynasty obtained a pure white, extremely precious gyrfalcon, but released it to its freedom. It's said that for the next twenty years, every year the white raptor could be seen circling here, quite miraculously, until after Emperor Taizu's death, when it stopped coming. That pavilion is under the jurisdiction of Fan Gu City, and people are sent to maintain and repair it every year. Of course, I remember it."
Fang Jie turned and left without saying another word. Emperor Xiaozong sighed as he watched Fang Jie's retreating figure, and couldn't help but mutter, "Young man, what great ambition you have."