Longevity begins with slaying demons and eliminating demons

Chapter 656 A Different Mid-Autumn Night

When Gu Xu arrived at the lake, the concubines were already waiting for him under a big willow tree.

Zhao Yan leaned against the tree trunk with her arms folded across her chest, her martial arts outfit outlining her long, straight legs.

Shi Xiaohan was sitting on a big rock, and she couldn't wait to nibble on a piece of mooncake. Her pretty oval face was covered with mooncake crumbs.

Shangguan Jin held Gu Qingyan in his arms and used his true energy to conjure up a ball of fire, which made the baby grin and stretch out his little hands from time to time to catch the fire.

It seemed that she doted on this little princess in swaddling clothes more than her biological mother Zhao Yan.

Gu Xu walked straight up to them and waved his sleeves gently. Four white porcelain cups filled with osmanthus wine appeared out of thin air and floated in front of each person present.

"It would be nice if there was a moon today," Shangguan Jin handed the baby to a nearby palace maid, took the wine glass, looked up at the dark night sky, and a trace of regret flashed in his eyes, "The lake in Changchun Garden reflected the Mid-Autumn moon, which must be an incomparably beautiful landscape painting."

Hearing her words, Gu Xu chuckled and called out softly towards the lake: "Daoyou Zhaoyue?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the silver dragon emerged from the bottom of the lake. Its huge head floated out of the water and it stared at Gu Xu with a pair of purple eyes. Its tone seemed to be a little unhappy: "Ziwei, what did you call me just now?"

"Who first saw the moon by the river? When did the moon by the river first shine on people? Life has been endless from generation to generation, and the moon by the river looks the same every year," Gu Xu looked at her calmly, but answered irrelevantly, "Fellow Daoist Jiang has a good name!"

At this moment, the silver dragon scales were sparkling with bright light, like broken silver, gently falling on the water.

The floating light is golden, and the still shadow is like a jade.

Shangguan Jin suddenly understood why Gu Xu called the silver dragon out of the water.

The light from her is purer and brighter than the moonlight in the sky.

"Emperor, your cultivation has declined over the past few thousand years, but your poetry writing skills have improved a lot!" Jiang Zhaoyue couldn't help but sigh when he heard the poem recited by Gu Xu.

In her memory, Ziwei was also a poet in the past, but most of his poems were love poems with gorgeous words and specific patterns. These poems expressed sorrow and melancholy, as if he would be depressed to death immediately if her sister did not agree to his courtship.

But the line "Who was the first to see the moon by the river" breaks away from the rigid rhythm of prosody and the narrow theme of love between men and women, and focuses on the reflection on the brevity of life and the eternity of the universe.

  Why did Ziwei's poetic style change so much?

Could it be because he had been imprisoned in the Great Wilderness World for thousands of years and felt the vicissitudes of life?

But the question is, why did he deliberately include her name in this poem?

According to the "real" authority, he clearly has no interest in her at all!

The more Jiang Zhaoyue thought about it, the more confused his mind became.

"You are too kind, Brother Jiang," Gu Xu smiled faintly, "I just heard this poem from someone else."

  Just say it!

Ziwei, that lecherous guy, can only write vulgar love poems!

  How could he possibly have the ability to write such a masterpiece?

Jiang Zhaoyue thought angrily, stretched out his body, somersaulted with a "whoosh", and dived back into the water.

The silvery-white light on the lake surface disappeared in an instant, and returned to darkness again.

"Cheers!" Gu Xu raised the white porcelain cup filled with osmanthus wine and said to the concubines with a smile, "May we be able to see a full moon in the sky next Mid-Autumn Festival! May we still be able to gather here next year!"

"Cheers!" the three women responded with a smile.

…………

"Oh!"

Xiao Wanjun put the brush on the table, then reached out to tidy up the hair at her temples.

Although the sound was very soft, it was particularly abrupt in the silent study.

Xiao Wanjun's desk is located in a corner near the window of the imperial study. It was specially placed there by the emperor after he moved to Changchun Garden.

At first, Xiao Wanjun thought this was a little against the rules - how could a mere minister like him have a seat in the emperor's study? During the Great Qi Dynasty, this was undoubtedly an act of lawlessness and usurpation.

Sensing her doubts, Gu Xu said calmly, "Don't tell me, when there are problems with the newly compiled skills, or when I need your opinion on important national affairs, I have to send someone to run back and forth to find you? Isn't this a waste of my precious time!

"Besides, this position is not specially prepared for you. Luo Chuan and Wang Jian have both been here before."

Faced with the emperor's firm attitude, Xiao Wanjun could only obey silently.

The emperor's desk is located in the center of the study.

It was a large mahogany table, simple and clean, without too many decorations.

A Duan inkstone lies quietly on the corner of the table, next to it is an exquisite wolf-hair brush, and the brush holder is made of simple bamboo joints.

A few branches of asparagus fern are planted in a blue and white porcelain flowerpot. The slender leaves sway gently, casting dancing shadows on the wall under the candlelight.

On weekdays, whenever she looked up, she could see the handsome face of the young man who held the highest power in the Great Wilderness. She saw him concentrating on reading books and documents, or writing seriously, or closing his eyes and frowning in thought.

Quietly, it, together with the furnishings in the house, forms a delicate, elegant painting with a strong scholarly atmosphere.

It is quite pleasing to the eyes.

Just as Xiao Wanjun was in a trance, an eunuch walked to the door of the study, bowed and said, "Master Xiao, this is a letter from your family!"

As he spoke, he handed a note to Xiao Wanjun.

Xiao Wanjun unfolded the note and saw that it said her brother Xiao Shangzhen's future father-in-law and mother-in-law invited her to go to the Luo River to watch the colorful lanterns and fire dragon dance.

"Maybe they are sympathizing with me for having to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival alone!" she thought to herself.

After a moment's silence, she looked at the eunuch in front of her and asked, "Does your Majesty have any instructions?"

She knew that the emperor had the ability to see through everything in the world, and he must have already known the contents of the note.

"His Majesty said that it is your rest time now and you can do whatever you want," the eunuch replied, "He also specifically told you not to work overtime, otherwise he will have to pay you overtime compensation out of his own pocket."

The words "overtime pay" really sound like they came from His Majesty's mouth.

Xiao Wanjun pondered secretly in his mind while slowly standing up from his chair.

The light outside the window was dim and the breeze was chilly.

Faintly, she seemed to hear bursts of laughter coming from the lakeside.

…………

After leaving the secluded Changchun Garden, Xiao Wanjun took a carriage to the Luojing city area.

When we arrived, the banks of the Luo River were already brightly lit, bustling with people, and extremely lively.

In an open space, accompanied by the exciting sound of gongs and drums, a group of young men in colorful clothes and wearing bamboo hats were dancing with long bamboo poles in their hands. At the top of the bamboo pole was tied a "fire dragon" made of straw and cloth strips, with burning incense sticks on the dragon's body.

They walked vigorously, sometimes shaking bamboo poles, sometimes spinning and jumping. Under their exquisite control, the "fire dragon" seemed to be given life, sometimes soaring into the sky, sometimes humming and diving, flexibly shuttling among the crowd, leaving behind a series of brilliant and dazzling fire trails.

The green smoke from the incense curled up in the streets and alleys, making the "fire dragon" look like it was flying in the clouds.

According to legend, dragons can make clouds and rain, dispel disasters and bring blessings, and are a symbol of good luck. Therefore, the people of Dahuang often pray for good weather and a good harvest by dancing with fire dragons.

Through the dense smoke, Xiao Wanjun saw from afar her younger brother Xiao Shangzhen waving excitedly at her. His fiancée stood quietly beside him, a young girl of the same age as him.

She was of medium height, thin, with light freckles on her face, and she was wearing an embroidered jacket and skirt. Although her appearance was not beautiful, she was also pretty.

Not far from Xiao Shangzhen, stood a tall and burly man wearing a brocade hat and a sable fur coat.

This person was not the future father-in-law of her brother in Xiao Wanjun's memory.

But a completely unfamiliar, younger face.

"Master Xiao, I am Bai Yuanjiang, the son of President Bai of Hongquan Chamber of Commerce." Upon seeing Xiao Wanjun, the tall man immediately stepped forward with a warm smile on his face. "Several years ago, I have admired Master Xiao for a long time. It is a great honor to finally meet you today."

As he spoke, he extended his hand towards Xiao Wanjun.

However, Xiao Wanjun did not respond to his action.

She frowned slightly, then turned to look at Xiao Shangzhen, as if questioning him with her eyes: "What's going on?"

Xiao Shangzhen shrugged and answered innocently, "You are almost 27 years old and still alone. Chan'er's father saw you and thought that a wealthy distant relative was coming to Luojing to do business. You two are of similar age, so he wanted to introduce you to each other."

Xiao Shangzhen was naughty by nature and grew up in a pampered environment, so he sometimes spoke without thinking. His words embarrassed Bai Yuanjiang and Xiao Wanjun, who stood there for a while, not knowing what to say.

The surviving royal family members of the Great Qi Dynasty were in a rather awkward position when the new dynasty was first established.

Although the emperor of the Xin Dynasty only severely punished those who committed crimes and demoted the rest to commoners, people still kept a distance from them, fearing that being too close to them would arouse suspicion.

However, as time went by, especially when the third prince Xiao Shangli and the fourth prince Xiao Shangzhen were tacitly engaged, people no longer avoided them like the plague, and some even began to have ideas about other members of the royal family of the previous dynasty.

After all, most of these people have outstanding looks and possess extraordinary talent for cultivation.

Xiao Wanjun knew very well that this was because the current emperor had absolute confidence in his own strength. He believed that these people would not be able to cause any trouble under his rule, so he adopted such a tolerant attitude towards them.

And Xiao Wanjun, once known as the "most beautiful woman in Luojing", has returned to everyone's attention.

People who hold official positions may still have some concerns in their hearts.

But a wealthy businessman like Bai Yuanjiang couldn't help but fantasize: What if she falls in love with me?

You know, a woman like Xiao Wanjun was a high-ranking and powerful figure in the Da Qi in the past. If it weren't for her current change in circumstances, they would never have the chance to meet her.

Bai Yuanjiang looked at the beautiful woman with bright eyes and white teeth in front of him, took a deep breath, and took the initiative to find a topic: "Sir Xiao, although I am not very knowledgeable, I have read some cultivation books, and perhaps I can discuss some things about cultivation with you.

"Look, although those people in front are dancing the fire dragon vigorously, there are 'wind and fire prevention formations' set up by the government on both sides of the road to prevent fires--"

"——That's not the 'Wind and Fire Prevention Formation', it's the 'Five Elements Protection Formation'," Xiao Wanjun frowned slightly, interrupted him and corrected him, "It can not only prevent fires, but also prevent floods."

Bai Yuanjiang stood there in a daze, an embarrassed look on his face.

However, he was thick-skinned and quickly pretended to be indifferent. He changed his strategy and began to discuss state affairs with Xiao Wanjun: "Sir Xiao, you are currently serving in the court, right? Recently, I heard that His Majesty intends to establish a new school in Luojing, aiming to compete with Longmen Academy, and plans to recruit students from all over the country on a large scale-"

"——Not in Luojing, but in 'Qingdu Fantasy'," Xiao Wanjun corrected again, "Your Majesty's plan is to promote 'Qingdu Order' in the capital area and invite high-level practitioners to give lectures in 'Qingdu Fantasy' from time to time, aiming to help the practitioners break through the bottleneck in their practice."

Xiao Wanjun felt helpless about Bai Yuanjiang's remarks.

Why does this person always like to show off her knowledge in the field she is good at?

Perhaps it was because she had been with His Majesty day and night and was accustomed to high-quality conversations, which reduced her tolerance for shallow and ignorant people.

Not long after, she felt a little bored, so she said she was a little tired and planned to return to the mansion to rest.

The expression on Bai Yuanjiang's face became increasingly stiff.

He was obviously unwilling to give up the opportunity to get closer to Xiao Wanjun.

But no matter how hard he tried to find new topics, or tried to resolve the awkwardness with what he thought was a humorous way, Xiao Wanjun only responded indifferently, with obvious alienation and fatigue in his eyes.

After another quarter of an hour, she finally lost her patience, turned around and walked towards the carriage she had taken.

At this time, Bai Yuanjiang's whisper could be heard from behind: "A yellow-faced woman who is almost thirty years old and was abandoned by His Majesty, why is she so arrogant?"

Xiao Wanjun has always been very well-mannered in front of strangers and rarely gets angry easily.

But when she heard Bai Yuanjiang's words, she immediately turned around, looked at him coldly, and asked, "What did you say, Your Majesty?"

As a princess of the previous dynasty, Xiao Wanjun once held power in the government, so when she was angry, there was a kind of awe-inspiring majesty in her eyes.

However, Bai Yuanjiang seemed to be annoyed and angry because of Xiao Wanjun's previous cold attitude.

He stood still, not showing any fear, and looked directly at her and said, "You know what shameful things you have done."

As a cultivator with considerable strength, he released his true energy while speaking, causing everyone on the roadside to feel a clear sense of pressure.

In the eyes of Bai Yuanjiang and many people in the market, Xiao Wanjun is so beautiful, and the fact that she is spared by the current emperor and is valued in the court must be because she once had some unknown entanglement with his majesty.

But perhaps it was because His Majesty disliked her because she was old and a mortal with no cultivation, so he allowed her to leave the palace freely and gave her the power to choose her own husband.

"Actually, I don't care what you say about me," Xiao Wanjun was silent for a while, looked at him, and said calmly, "But your majesty is a true gentleman with great talent and strategy, and you have only been kind to me. You are spreading such rumors here, which is very disrespectful-"

At this moment, under the surprised gaze of everyone, several eunuchs walked out of the crowd.

Although they were wearing court robes and dressed quite formally, for some reason, people had never noticed their presence.

One of them walked straight to Xiao Wanjun and said, "Sir Xiao, we are here on His Majesty's orders to ensure your safety and escort you back home. You are a great man of the dynasty and a pillar of Daxia. His Majesty has high hopes for you and will not allow you to make the slightest mistake. Let us handle the matter here!"

As he spoke, he handed a note to Xiao Wanjun.

Xiao Wanjun looked at the beautiful handwriting on the paper and recognized it as Gu Xu's handwriting at a glance.

It only read: "I originally wanted you to have a good rest and fun during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but you came here to argue with these blind guys. In this case, you might as well go back to Changchun Garden and work overtime for me.

"By the way, I'm short of money right now, so I can't give you overtime pay."

Xiao Wanjun couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Shallow dimples appeared on her fair cheeks, like the warm spring sunshine, warming the cold autumn.

In full view of everyone, she boarded the carriage back home.

Her face was pressed against the car window, her beautiful eyes reflected the brilliant lights along the Luo River, but what lingered in her mind was the young and handsome face of the current emperor.

There is no moon this Mid-Autumn Festival.

But there was someone, like the moon, watching her from afar.

(End of this chapter)